Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 02, 2026
Application No. 18/717,927

DISCOVERY BURST TRANSMISSION WINDOW FOR SIDELINK COMMUNICATIONS

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Jun 07, 2024
Priority
Mar 02, 2022 — nonprovisional of PCTCN2022078753
Examiner
TANG, KIET G
Art Unit
2469
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Qualcomm Incorporated
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
90%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
3m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 90% — above average
90%
Career Allowance Rate
751 granted / 830 resolved
+32.5% vs TC avg
Moderate +12% lift
Without
With
+11.7%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 6m
Avg Prosecution
12 currently pending
Career history
841
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
10.5%
-29.5% vs TC avg
§103
61.5%
+21.5% vs TC avg
§102
17.2%
-22.8% vs TC avg
§112
8.7%
-31.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 830 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . Claims 1-30 are pending. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action: A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made. The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows: 1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. 2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. 3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. 4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness. This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention. Claims 1-4, 12, and 23-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIM et al. (Pub. No.: US 20210234663 A1), hereinafter KIM, in view of Xiong et al. (Pub. No.: US 20190306923 A1), hereinafter Xiong, and further in view of Si (Pub. No.: US 20210076341 A1), hereinafter Si. With respect to claim 1, KIM teaches A method for wireless communication at a first user equipment (UE), comprising ([0236-0244], a method for wireless communication at a terminal): receiving a message indicating a configuration of a sidelink discovery burst transmission window comprising a plurality of time periods for transmitting a plurality of sidelink synchronization signals ([0178-0179, 0236-0244], receiving the S-SSB configuration information include the number of S-SSBs transmitted within the period of a single sidelink synchronization signal, offset information from a start point of the period of the sidelink synchronization signal to a first S-SSB monitoring slot, and interval information between S-SSB monitoring slots; receiving sidelink synchronization signal block (S-SSB) configuration information including synchronization information for sidelink communications); during the sidelink discovery burst transmission window ([0178-0179, 0236-0244]), indicated by the configuration ([0247-0250], the configuration indicates); and transmitting, to a second UE, the at least one sidelink synchronization signal ([0109, 0122], terminals UE1 and UE2 performing sidelink communications). Although KIM teaches during the sidelink discovery burst transmission window as set forth above. KIM does not explicitly teach performing at least one channel access procedure for transmitting at least one sidelink synchronization signal of the plurality of sidelink synchronization signals. However, Xiong teaches performing at least one channel access procedure for transmitting at least one sidelink synchronization signal of the plurality of sidelink synchronization signals ([0457], performing the small scale channel access procedure for transmitting at least one sidelink synchronization signal of the plurality of sidelink synchronization signals). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Xiong, performing at least one channel access procedure for transmitting at least one sidelink synchronization signal of the plurality of sidelink synchronization signals, into the teachings of KIM, in order to mitigate intercell blocking and interference in NR systems operating on unlicensed spectrum, channel access mechanisms for sidelink NR V2X communications, and enhancement of resource allocation for a physical uplink control channel in NR-unlicensed systems (Xiong, [0013]). Although KIM teaches indicated by the configuration as set forth above. The combination of KIM and Xiong does not explicitly teach according to a pattern, the pattern based at least in part on a quasi co-location relationship between associated pairs of sidelink synchronization signals, and in accordance with the pattern indicated by the configuration. However, Si teaches according to a pattern, the pattern based at least in part on a quasi co-location relationship between associated pairs of sidelink synchronization signals, and in accordance with the pattern indicated by the configuration ([0154-0158], pattern / transmission pattern based at least in part on a quasi co-location relationship between associated pairs of sidelink synchronization signals). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Si, according to a pattern, the pattern based at least in part on a quasi co-location relationship between associated pairs of sidelink synchronization signals, and in accordance with the pattern indicated by the configuration, into the teachings of KIM and Xiong, in order for a pre-5G or 5G communication system to be provided for an S-SSB transmission (Si, [0011]). With respect to claim 2, the combination of KIM, Xiong, and Si teaches the method of claim 1. KIM teaches wherein the configuration of the sidelink discovery burst transmission window comprises an indication of a duration of the sidelink discovery burst transmission window ([0111). With respect to claim 3, the combination of KIM, Xiong, and Si teaches the method of claim 1. KIM teaches receiving radio resource control signaling indicating the duration of the sidelink discovery burst transmission window ([0111, 0178-0179). With respect to claim 4, the combination of KIM, Xiong, and Si teaches the method of claim 1. KIM teaches transmitting physical sidelink broadcast channel signaling indicating the duration of the sidelink discovery burst transmission window ([0111). With respect to claim 12, the combination of KIM, Xiong, and Si teaches the method of claim 1. KIM teaches determining a location of a first symbol for the at least one sidelink synchronization signal based at least in part on a subcarrier spacing configured for the first UE ([0008). With respect to claim 23, KIM teaches An apparatus for wireless communication at a first user equipment (UE) ([0236-0244], a terminal), comprising: a processor ([0259], a processor); memory coupled with the processor; and instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to ([0259], Software codes may be stored in a memory unit so as to be executed by a processor): receive a message indicating a configuration of a sidelink discovery burst transmission window comprising a plurality of time periods for transmitting a plurality of sidelink synchronization signals ([0178-0179, 0236-0244], receiving the S-SSB configuration information include the number of S-SSBs transmitted within the period of a single sidelink synchronization signal, offset information from a start point of the period of the sidelink synchronization signal to a first S-SSB monitoring slot, and interval information between S-SSB monitoring slots; receiving sidelink synchronization signal block (S-SSB) configuration information including synchronization information for sidelink communications); during the sidelink discovery burst transmission window ([0178-0179, 0236-0244]), indicated by the configuration ([0247-0250], the configuration indicates); and transmit, to a second UE, the at least one sidelink synchronization signal ([0109, 0122], terminals UE1 and UE2 performing sidelink communications). Although KIM teaches during the sidelink discovery burst transmission window as set forth above. KIM does not explicitly teach performing at least one channel access procedure for transmitting at least one sidelink synchronization signal of the plurality of sidelink synchronization signals. However, Xiong teaches performing at least one channel access procedure for transmitting at least one sidelink synchronization signal of the plurality of sidelink synchronization signals ([0457], performing the small scale channel access procedure for transmitting at least one sidelink synchronization signal of the plurality of sidelink synchronization signals). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Xiong, performing at least one channel access procedure for transmitting at least one sidelink synchronization signal of the plurality of sidelink synchronization signals, into the teachings of KIM, in order to mitigate intercell blocking and interference in NR systems operating on unlicensed spectrum, channel access mechanisms for sidelink NR V2X communications, and enhancement of resource allocation for a physical uplink control channel in NR-unlicensed systems (Xiong, [0013]). Although KIM teaches indicated by the configuration as set forth above. The combination of KIM and Xiong does not explicitly teach according to a pattern, the pattern based at least in part on a quasi co-location relationship between associated pairs of sidelink synchronization signals, and in accordance with the pattern indicated by the configuration. However, Si teaches according to a pattern, the pattern based at least in part on a quasi co-location relationship between associated pairs of sidelink synchronization signals, and in accordance with the pattern indicated by the configuration ([0154-0158], pattern / transmission pattern based at least in part on a quasi co-location relationship between associated pairs of sidelink synchronization signals). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Si, according to a pattern, the pattern based at least in part on a quasi co-location relationship between associated pairs of sidelink synchronization signals, and in accordance with the pattern indicated by the configuration, into the teachings of KIM and Xiong, in order for a pre-5G or 5G communication system to be provided for an S-SSB transmission (Si, [0011]). With respect to claim 24, this claim recites the method of claim 2, and it is rejected for at least the same reasons. With respect to claim 25, this claim recites the method of claim 3, and it is rejected for at least the same reasons. With respect to claim 26, this claim recites the method of claim 4, and it is rejected for at least the same reasons. Claims 18-20 and 29-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIM, in view of Si. With respect to claim 18, KIM teaches A method for wireless communication at a network entity, comprising ([0247-0250], a method for wireless communication at a base station): generating a configuration of a sidelink discovery burst transmission window comprising a plurality of time periods for transmitting ([0247-0250], generating a sidelink synchronization signal block (S-SSB) configuration information including synchronization information for sidelink communications to a terminal and transmitting an S-SSB in an S-SSB monitoring slot configured on the basis of the S-SSB configuration information), between a first user equipment (UE) and a second UE ([0247-0250], sidelink communications), a plurality of sidelink synchronization signals ([0247-0250], number of S-SSBs transmitted within the period of a single sidelink synchronization signal), wherein the configuration indicates ([0247-0250], the configuration indicates); and outputting a first indication of the configuration ([0247-0250], transmitting sidelink synchronization signal block (S-SSB) configuration information including synchronization information for sidelink communications to a terminal and transmitting an S-SSB in an S-SSB monitoring slot configured on the basis of the S-SSB configuration information). Although KIM teaches the configuration indicates as set forth above. KIM does not explicitly teach a pattern based at least in part on a quasi co-location relationship between associated pairs of sidelink synchronization signals. However, Si teaches a pattern based at least in part on a quasi co-location relationship between associated pairs of sidelink synchronization signals ([0154-0158], pattern / transmission pattern based at least in part on a quasi co-location relationship between associated pairs of sidelink synchronization signals). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Si, a pattern based at least in part on a quasi co-location relationship between associated pairs of sidelink synchronization signals, into the teachings of KIM, in order for a pre-5G or 5G communication system to be provided for an S-SSB transmission (Si, [0011]). With respect to claim 19, the combination of KIM and Si teaches the method of claim 18. KIM teaches wherein the configuration of the sidelink discovery burst transmission window comprises a second indication of a duration of the sidelink discovery burst transmission window ([0111). With respect to claim 20, the combination of KIM and Si teaches the method of claim 18. KIM teaches generating radio resource control signaling indicating the duration of the sidelink discovery burst transmission window ([0111). With respect to claim 29, KIM teaches An apparatus for wireless communication at a network entity, comprising ([0247-0250], a base station), comprising: a processor ([0259], a processor); memory coupled with the processor; and instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to ([0259], Software codes may be stored in a memory unit so as to be executed by a processor): generate a configuration of a sidelink discovery burst transmission window comprising a plurality of time periods for transmitting ([0247-0250], generating a sidelink synchronization signal block (S-SSB) configuration information including synchronization information for sidelink communications to a terminal and transmitting an S-SSB in an S-SSB monitoring slot configured on the basis of the S-SSB configuration information), between a first user equipment (UE) and a second UE ([0247-0250], sidelink communications), a plurality of sidelink synchronization signals ([0247-0250], number of S-SSBs transmitted within the period of a single sidelink synchronization signal), wherein the configuration indicates ([0247-0250], the configuration indicates); and output a first indication of the configuration ([0247-0250], transmitting sidelink synchronization signal block (S-SSB) configuration information including synchronization information for sidelink communications to a terminal and transmitting an S-SSB in an S-SSB monitoring slot configured on the basis of the S-SSB configuration information). Although KIM teaches the configuration indicates as set forth above. KIM does not explicitly teach a pattern based at least in part on a quasi co-location relationship between associated pairs of sidelink synchronization signals. However, Si teaches a pattern based at least in part on a quasi co-location relationship between associated pairs of sidelink synchronization signals ([0154-0158], pattern / transmission pattern based at least in part on a quasi co-location relationship between associated pairs of sidelink synchronization signals). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Si, a pattern based at least in part on a quasi co-location relationship between associated pairs of sidelink synchronization signals, into the teachings of KIM, in order for a pre-5G or 5G communication system to be provided for an S-SSB transmission (Si, [0011]). With respect to claim 30, this claim recites the method of claim 19, and it is rejected for at least the same reasons. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 5-11, 13-17, 21-22, and 27-28 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Pub. No.: US 20200396703 A1; “Luo”, ([0073-0078]) Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KIET TANG whose telephone number is (571)270-7193. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:00-5:00. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, IAN MOORE can be reached on (571) 272-3085. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /KIET TANG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469
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Prosecution Timeline

Jun 07, 2024
Application Filed
Sep 17, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
90%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+11.7%)
2y 6m (~3m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 830 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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