DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, anycorrection of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground ofrejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would bethe same under either status.
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, 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 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 non-obviousness.
Claim(s) 1, 10 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (US 2021/0314921 A1) in view of Liu et al. (US 2023/0247528 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Yang et al. teach a Physical Sidelink Feedback Channel (PSFCH) sending method, comprising: sending PSFCH on at least one PSFCH resource corresponding to at least one channel bandwidth (Fig. 4, [0064-0065, 0089-0090], first user equipment 101 determines configuration information of the PSFCH. It should be noted that the configuration information of the PSFCH is used to indicate or configure a candidate time-frequency resource of the PSFCH, and the candidate time-frequency resource of the PSFCH is used to carry the feedback control information of the first information. Second user equipment 102 sends the feedback control information to the first user equipment 101 on the candidate time-frequency resource indicated or configured by using the configuration information of the PSFCH. The channel on which the candidate time-frequency resource is located is a part of the BWP),
Yang et al. teach where Listen Before Talk (LBT) is successfully performed (Fig. 4, [0090], the second user equipment 102 performs detection on a channel on which the candidate time-frequency resource indicated or configured by using the configuration information of the PSFCH is located; and if a channel on which a first candidate time-frequency resource is located is idle, the second user equipment sends the feedback control information to the first user equipment 101 on the first candidate time-frequency resource. A detection manner may be listen before talk (LBT), clear channel assessment (CCA), or another detection manner),
Yang et al. teach wherein the at least one channel bandwidth where LBT is successfully performed corresponds to a same Bandwidth Part (BWP) (Figs. 4-5, [0069, 0090], the channel on which the candidate time-frequency resource is located is a part of the BWP, and the first candidate time-frequency resource may be a candidate time-frequency resource whose start position is located in the front. A detection manner may be listen before talk (LBT), clear channel assessment (CCA), or another detection manner. The resource pool of the PSFCH may be a bandwidth or a bandwidth part .shown in fig. 5),
Yang et al. teach and the BWP corresponds to a plurality of channel bandwidths each of which corresponds to one or more PSFCH resources (Figs. 4-5, [0069], the resource pool of the PSFCH may be located at two ends of an entire bandwidth or an entire bandwidth part (BWP). As shown in fig. 5, the resource pool of the PSFCH may be a bandwidth or a bandwidth part shown in fig. 5, or the resource pool of the PSFCH may be a resource pool 501 and a resource pool 502 shown in fig. 5. The resource pool of the PSFCH is specific to the PSFCH. The resource pool of the PSFCH can be used only when other non-feedback control information or data information meets at least one of the following conditions).
Yang et al. teach of sending PSFCH on one source corresponding to one channel bandwidth. Yang et al., however, fail to expressly teach that the channel bandwidth where LBT is successfully performed corresponds to the BWP. (Emphasis added).
Regarding claim 1, Liu et al. teach wherein the at least one channel bandwidth where LBT is successfully performed corresponds to a same Bandwidth Part (BWP) (Fig. 1, [0133, 0157], UEs 115 in wireless communications system 100 may support sidelink communications in a shared spectrum. In such systems, a UE 115 may perform an LBT procedure to gain access to a sidelink BWP for a sidelink transmission. For instance, the UE 115 may gain access to the sidelink BWP to transmit S-SSBs in a physical sidelink broadcast channel (PSBCH). The S-SSBs may allow other UEs 115 to discover the UE 115 and establish sidelink connections with the UE 115 for subsequent sidelink communications. An S-SSB may be 11 resource blocks wide and the UE 115 may transmit the S-SSB with a same numerology as a sidelink BWP in which the S-SSB is transmitted. In some cases, the S-SSB may not satisfy an occupied channel bandwidth (OCB) requirement of a channel (e.g., at 5 GHz). In such cases, the UE 115 may transmit the S-SSB in a discovery reference signal (DRS) window (e.g., NR-U DRS window) with remaining minimum system information (RMSI) in a PDSCH, channel state information reference signals (CSI-RSs), etc. That is, the RMSI, CSI-RSs, etc. may be frequency division multiplexed with the S-SSB to satisfy the OCB requirement of a channel. Additionally, or alternatively, the S-SSB may be repeated in the frequency domain (e.g., to satisfy the OCB requirement). Table 1 below shows the contents of a PBSCH. The UE 115 may receive signaling on a PSFCH resource corresponding to an S-SSB (e.g., mapped to the S-SSB), and the UE 115 may determine that a beam used to transmit the S-SSB is the preferred beam. In another aspect, the UE 115 may receive signaling on a PRACH resource corresponding to an S-SSB).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Yang et al. by incorporating the features as taught by Liu et al. in order to provide a more effective and efficient system that is capable of performing LBT in one channel bandwidth successfully corresponds to a same Bandwidth Part. The motivation is to support an improved method for sidelink synchronization signal block transmissions in a shared spectrum (see [0002]).
Regarding claim 10, Yang et al. teach a non-volatile or non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising computer instructions, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to (Fig. 2, [0024, 0120], a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program. When the computer program runs on a computer, the computer is enabled to perform the method according to any possible embodiment of the first aspect or the method according to any one possible embodiment of the second aspect. For example, the computer may be at least one storage node. Processor 201 may invoke the computer execution instructions stored in the memory 203, so that the user equipment 90 performs the feedback control channel configuration method),
Yang et al. teach send PSFCH on at least one PSFCH resource corresponding to at least one channel bandwidth (Fig. 4, [0064-0065, 0089-0090], first user equipment 101 determines configuration information of the PSFCH. It should be noted that the configuration information of the PSFCH is used to indicate or configure a candidate time-frequency resource of the PSFCH, and the candidate time-frequency resource of the PSFCH is used to carry the feedback control information of the first information. Second user equipment 102 sends the feedback control information to the first user equipment 101 on the candidate time-frequency resource indicated or configured by using the configuration information of the PSFCH. The channel on which the candidate time-frequency resource is located is a part of the BWP),
Yang et al. teach where Listen Before Talk (LBT) is successfully performed (Fig. 4, [0090], the second user equipment 102 performs detection on a channel on which the candidate time-frequency resource indicated or configured by using the configuration information of the PSFCH is located; and if a channel on which a first candidate time-frequency resource is located is idle, the second user equipment sends the feedback control information to the first user equipment 101 on the first candidate time-frequency resource. A detection manner may be listen before talk (LBT), clear channel assessment (CCA), or another detection manner),
Yang et al. teach wherein the at least one channel bandwidth where LBT is successfully performed corresponds to a same Bandwidth Part (BWP) (Figs. 4-5, [0069, 0090], the channel on which the candidate time-frequency resource is located is a part of the BWP, and the first candidate time-frequency resource may be a candidate time-frequency resource whose start position is located in the front. A detection manner may be listen before talk (LBT), clear channel assessment (CCA), or another detection manner. The resource pool of the PSFCH may be a bandwidth or a bandwidth part .shown in fig. 5),
Yang et al. teach and the BWP corresponds to a plurality of channel bandwidths each of which corresponds to one or more PSFCH resources (Figs. 4-5, [0069], the resource pool of the PSFCH may be located at two ends of an entire bandwidth or an entire bandwidth part (BWP). As shown in fig. 5, the resource pool of the PSFCH may be a bandwidth or a bandwidth part shown in fig. 5, or the resource pool of the PSFCH may be a resource pool 501 and a resource pool 502 shown in fig. 5. The resource pool of the PSFCH is specific to the PSFCH. The resource pool of the PSFCH can be used only when other non-feedback control information or data information meets at least one of the following conditions).
Yang et al. teach of sending PSFCH on one source corresponding to one channel bandwidth. Yang et al., however, fail to expressly teach that the channel bandwidth where LBT is successfully performed corresponds to the BWP. (Emphasis added).
Regarding claim 10, Liu et al. teach wherein the at least one channel bandwidth where LBT is successfully performed corresponds to a same Bandwidth Part (BWP) (Fig. 1, [0133, 0157], UEs 115 in wireless communications system 100 may support sidelink communications in a shared spectrum. In such systems, a UE 115 may perform an LBT procedure to gain access to a sidelink BWP for a sidelink transmission. For instance, the UE 115 may gain access to the sidelink BWP to transmit S-SSBs in a physical sidelink broadcast channel (PSBCH). The S-SSBs may allow other UEs 115 to discover the UE 115 and establish sidelink connections with the UE 115 for subsequent sidelink communications. An S-SSB may be 11 resource blocks wide and the UE 115 may transmit the S-SSB with a same numerology as a sidelink BWP in which the S-SSB is transmitted. In some cases, the S-SSB may not satisfy an occupied channel bandwidth (OCB) requirement of a channel (e.g., at 5 GHz). In such cases, the UE 115 may transmit the S-SSB in a discovery reference signal (DRS) window (e.g., NR-U DRS window) with remaining minimum system information (RMSI) in a PDSCH, channel state information reference signals (CSI-RSs), etc. That is, the RMSI, CSI-RSs, etc. may be frequency division multiplexed with the S-SSB to satisfy the OCB requirement of a channel. Additionally, or alternatively, the S-SSB may be repeated in the frequency domain (e.g., to satisfy the OCB requirement). Table 1 below shows the contents of a PBSCH. The UE 115 may receive signaling on a PSFCH resource corresponding to an S-SSB (e.g., mapped to the S-SSB), and the UE 115 may determine that a beam used to transmit the S-SSB is the preferred beam. In another aspect, the UE 115 may receive signaling on a PRACH resource corresponding to an S-SSB).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Yang et al. by incorporating the features as taught by Liu et al. in order to provide a more effective and efficient system that is capable of performing LBT in one channel bandwidth successfully corresponds to a same Bandwidth Part. The motivation is to support an improved method for sidelink synchronization signal block transmissions in a shared spectrum (see [0002]).
Regarding claim 11, Yang et al. teach Physical Sidelink Feedback Channel (PSFCH) sending apparatus comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising computer instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to (Fig. 2, [0012, 0024, 0120], user equipment sends the configuration information of the PSFCH through a physical sidelink control channel PSCCH or a physical sidelink shared channel PSSCH. a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium. The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program. When the computer program runs on a computer, the computer is enabled to perform the method according to any possible embodiment of the first aspect or the method according to any one possible embodiment of the second aspect. For example, the computer may be at least one storage node. Processor 201 may invoke the computer execution instructions stored in the memory 203, so that the user equipment 90 performs the feedback control channel configuration method),
Yang et al. teach send PSFCH on at least one PSFCH resource corresponding to at least one channel bandwidth (Fig. 4, [0064-0065, 0089-0090], first user equipment 101 determines configuration information of the PSFCH. It should be noted that the configuration information of the PSFCH is used to indicate or configure a candidate time-frequency resource of the PSFCH, and the candidate time-frequency resource of the PSFCH is used to carry the feedback control information of the first information. Second user equipment 102 sends the feedback control information to the first user equipment 101 on the candidate time-frequency resource indicated or configured by using the configuration information of the PSFCH. The channel on which the candidate time-frequency resource is located is a part of the BWP),
Yang et al. teach where Listen Before Talk (LBT) is successfully performed (Fig. 4, [0090], the second user equipment 102 performs detection on a channel on which the candidate time-frequency resource indicated or configured by using the configuration information of the PSFCH is located; and if a channel on which a first candidate time-frequency resource is located is idle, the second user equipment sends the feedback control information to the first user equipment 101 on the first candidate time-frequency resource. A detection manner may be listen before talk (LBT), clear channel assessment (CCA), or another detection manner),
Yang et al. teach wherein the at least one channel bandwidth where LBT is successfully performed corresponds to a same Bandwidth Part (BWP) (Figs. 4-5, [0069, 0090], the channel on which the candidate time-frequency resource is located is a part of the BWP, and the first candidate time-frequency resource may be a candidate time-frequency resource whose start position is located in the front. A detection manner may be listen before talk (LBT), clear channel assessment (CCA), or another detection manner. The resource pool of the PSFCH may be a bandwidth or a bandwidth part .shown in fig. 5),
Yang et al. teach and the BWP corresponds to a plurality of channel bandwidths each of which corresponds to one or more PSFCH resources (Figs. 4-5, [0069], the resource pool of the PSFCH may be located at two ends of an entire bandwidth or an entire bandwidth part (BWP). As shown in fig. 5, the resource pool of the PSFCH may be a bandwidth or a bandwidth part shown in fig. 5, or the resource pool of the PSFCH may be a resource pool 501 and a resource pool 502 shown in fig. 5. The resource pool of the PSFCH is specific to the PSFCH. The resource pool of the PSFCH can be used only when other non-feedback control information or data information meets at least one of the following conditions).
Yang et al. teach of sending PSFCH on one source corresponding to one channel bandwidth. Yang et al., however, fail to expressly teach that the channel bandwidth where LBT is successfully performed corresponds to the BWP. (Emphasis added).
Regarding claim 11, Liu et al. teach wherein the at least one channel bandwidth where LBT is successfully performed corresponds to a same Bandwidth Part (BWP) (Fig. 1, [0133, 0157], UEs 115 in wireless communications system 100 may support sidelink communications in a shared spectrum. In such systems, a UE 115 may perform an LBT procedure to gain access to a sidelink BWP for a sidelink transmission. For instance, the UE 115 may gain access to the sidelink BWP to transmit S-SSBs in a physical sidelink broadcast channel (PSBCH). The S-SSBs may allow other UEs 115 to discover the UE 115 and establish sidelink connections with the UE 115 for subsequent sidelink communications. An S-SSB may be 11 resource blocks wide and the UE 115 may transmit the S-SSB with a same numerology as a sidelink BWP in which the S-SSB is transmitted. In some cases, the S-SSB may not satisfy an occupied channel bandwidth (OCB) requirement of a channel (e.g., at 5 GHz). In such cases, the UE 115 may transmit the S-SSB in a discovery reference signal (DRS) window (e.g., NR-U DRS window) with remaining minimum system information (RMSI) in a PDSCH, channel state information reference signals (CSI-RSs), etc. That is, the RMSI, CSI-RSs, etc. may be frequency division multiplexed with the S-SSB to satisfy the OCB requirement of a channel. Additionally, or alternatively, the S-SSB may be repeated in the frequency domain (e.g., to satisfy the OCB requirement). Table 1 below shows the contents of a PBSCH. The UE 115 may receive signaling on a PSFCH resource corresponding to an S-SSB (e.g., mapped to the S-SSB), and the UE 115 may determine that a beam used to transmit the S-SSB is the preferred beam. In another aspect, the UE 115 may receive signaling on a PRACH resource corresponding to an S-SSB).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Yang et al. by incorporating the features as taught by Liu et al. in order to provide a more effective and efficient system that is capable of performing LBT in one channel bandwidth successfully corresponds to a same Bandwidth Part. The motivation is to support an improved method for sidelink synchronization signal block transmissions in a shared spectrum (see [0002]).
Claim(s) 2, 4-5, 12, 14-15 and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (US 2021/0314921 A1) in view of Liu et al. (US 2023/0247528 A1 as applied to claims 1 and 11 above, and further in view of Xu et al. (US 20210351877 A1).
Yang et al and Liu et al. disclose the claimed limitations as described in paragraph 4 above.
Regarding claim 4, Liu et al. teach wherein said sending PSFCH on at least one PSFCH resource corresponding to at least one channel bandwidth where LBT is successfully performed comprises: sending PSFCH on the PSFCH resource corresponding to each of the at least one channel bandwidth where LBT is successfully performed; or selecting one PSFCH resource from multiple PSFCH resources corresponding to multiple channel bandwidths where LBT is successfully performed, and sending PSFCH on the selected PSFCH resource (Fig. 1, [0133, 0157], UE 115 may perform an LBT procedure to gain access to a sidelink BWP for a sidelink transmission. For instance, the UE 115 may gain access to the sidelink BWP to transmit S-SSBs in a physical sidelink broadcast channel (PSBCH). The UE 115 may then transmit sidelink data to the other UE 115 on the preferred beam. In one aspect, the UE 115 may receive signaling on a PSFCH resource corresponding to an S-SSB (e.g., mapped to the S-SSB), and the UE 115 may determine that a beam used to transmit the S-SSB is the preferred beam. In another aspect, the UE 115 may receive signaling on a PRACH resource corresponding to an S-SSB (e.g., mapped to the S-SSB), and the UE 115 may determine that a beam used to transmit the S-SSB is the preferred beam. In yet another aspect, the UE 115 may receive an indication of the preferred beam in a PSSCH.
Regarding claim 14, Liu et al. teach wherein the processor is further caused to: send PSFCH on the PSFCH resource corresponding to each of the at least one channel bandwidth where LBT is successfully performed; or select one PSFCH resource from multiple PSFCH resources corresponding to multiple channel bandwidths where LBT is successfully performed, and send PSFCH on the selected PSFCH resource (Fig. 1, [0133, 0157], UE 115 may perform an LBT procedure to gain access to a sidelink BWP for a sidelink transmission. For instance, the UE 115 may gain access to the sidelink BWP to transmit S-SSBs in a physical sidelink broadcast channel (PSBCH). The UE 115 may then transmit sidelink data to the other UE 115 on the preferred beam. In one aspect, the UE 115 may receive signaling on a PSFCH resource corresponding to an S-SSB (e.g., mapped to the S-SSB), and the UE 115 may determine that a beam used to transmit the S-SSB is the preferred beam. In another aspect, the UE 115 may receive signaling on a PRACH resource corresponding to an S-SSB (e.g., mapped to the S-SSB), and the UE 115 may determine that a beam used to transmit the S-SSB is the preferred beam. In yet another aspect, the UE 115 may receive an indication of the preferred beam in a PSSCH.
Regarding claim 21, Liu et al. teach wherein the plurality of channel bandwidths are frequency domain bandwidths used for LBT (Figs. 1-2, [0133], UEs 115 in wireless communications system 100 may support sidelink communications in a shared spectrum. In such systems, a UE 115 may perform an LBT procedure to gain access to a sidelink BWP for a sidelink transmission. For instance, the UE 115 may gain access to the sidelink BWP to transmit S-SSBs in a physical sidelink broadcast channel (PSBCH). The S-SSBs may allow other UEs 115 to discover the UE 115 and establish sidelink connections with the UE 115 for subsequent sidelink communications. An S-SSB may be 11 resource blocks wide and the UE 115 may transmit the S-SSB with a same numerology as a sidelink BWP in which the S-SSB is transmitted. In some cases, the S-SSB may not satisfy an occupied channel bandwidth (OCB) requirement of a channel (e.g., at 5 GHz). In such cases, the UE 115 may transmit the S-SSB in a discovery reference signal (DRS) window (e.g., NR-U DRS window) with remaining minimum system information (RMSI) in a PDSCH, channel state information reference signals (CSI-RSs), etc. That is, the RMSI, CSI-RSs, etc. may be frequency division multiplexed with the S-SSB to satisfy the OCB requirement of a channel. Additionally, or alternatively, the S-SSB may be repeated in the frequency domain (e.g., to satisfy the OCB requirement).
Yang et al and Liu et al. do not expressly disclose the following features: regarding claim 2, wherein prior to said sending PSFCH on at least one PSFCH resource corresponding to at least one channel bandwidth where LBT is successfully performed, the method further comprises: receiving indication information which indicates a physical resource block used for PSFCH transmission in each of the plurality of channel bandwidths; regarding claim 5, wherein said selecting one PSFCH resource from a plurality of PSFCH resources corresponding to multiple channel bandwidths where LBT is successfully performed comprises any one of the following: selecting one PSFCH resource corresponding to a channel bandwidth with a greatest channel bandwidth index number; selecting one PSFCH resource corresponding to a channel bandwidth with a smallest channel bandwidth index number; selecting one PSFCH resource corresponding to a physical resource block with a greatest physical resource block index number; selecting one PSFCH resource corresponding to a physical resource block with a smallest physical resource block index number; or selecting one PSFCH resource earliest in a time sequence; regarding claim 15, wherein the processor is further caused to: select one PSFCH resource corresponding to a channel bandwidth with a greatest channel bandwidth index number; select one PSFCH resource corresponding to a channel bandwidth with a smallest channel bandwidth index number; select one PSFCH resource corresponding to a physical resource block with a greatest physical resource block index number; select one PSFCH resource corresponding to a physical resource block with a smallest physical resource block index number; or select one PSFCH resource earliest in a time sequence.
Regarding claim 2, Xu et al. teach wherein prior to said sending PSFCH on at least one PSFCH resource corresponding to at least one channel bandwidth where LBT is successfully performed, the method further comprises: receiving indication information which indicates a physical resource block used for PSFCH transmission in each of the plurality of channel bandwidths (Fig. 19, [0228], the Rx wireless device (e.g., Rx UE2) may determine a PSFCH resource (e.g., from the PSFCH resource set) based on the PSCCH, the PSFCH resource indicator and an identification of the Rx wireless device. In an example, the Rx wireless device (e.g., Rx UE2) may determine a PSFCH resource (e.g., from the PSFCH resource set) based on a radio resource allocation parameter of the PSCCH, the PSFCH resource indicator, and/or an identification of the Rx wireless device. The radio resource allocation parameter of the PSCCH may comprise a control resource set (CORESET) index of the PSCCH, a resource pool index of the PSCCH, a BWP index of the PSCCH, a physical resource block (PRB).
Regarding claim 5, Xu et al. teach wherein said selecting one PSFCH resource from a plurality of PSFCH resources corresponding to multiple channel bandwidths where LBT is successfully performed comprises any one of the following: selecting one PSFCH resource corresponding to a channel bandwidth with a greatest channel bandwidth index number; selecting one PSFCH resource corresponding to a channel bandwidth with a smallest channel bandwidth index number; selecting one PSFCH resource corresponding to a physical resource block with a greatest physical resource block index number; selecting one PSFCH resource corresponding to a physical resource block with a smallest physical resource block index number; or selecting one PSFCH resource earliest in a time sequence (Fig. 19, [0237, 0239-0240], determining the PSFCH resource based on the PSCCH, the PSFCH resource indicator, and the identification of the wireless device may comprise determining the PSFCH resource based on a frequency domain resource and/or the time domain resource of the PSCCH, the PSFCH resource indicator, and the identification of the wireless device. The indicating the PSCCH may comprise indicating a resource pool of the PSCCH. The determining the PSFCH resource based on the PSCCH, the PSFCH resource indicator, and the identification of the wireless device may comprise determining the PSFCH resource based on the resource pool of the PSCCH, the PSFCH resource indicator, and the identification of the wireless device. The resource pool may comprise contiguous or noncontiguous resources blocks in frequency domain. The determining the PSFCH resource based on the PSCCH, the PSFCH resource indicator, and the identification of the wireless device may comprise determining the PSFCH resource based on a resource block index of the PSCCH, the PSFCH resource indicator and the identification of the wireless device. The radio resource allocation parameter of the PSCCH may comprise a control resource set (CORESET) index of the PSCCH, a resource pool index of the PSCCH, a BWP index of the PSCCH, a physical resource block (PRB) index of the PSCCH. In an example of equation 4, the N.sub.RB may be a number of RBs in a resource pool of a PSCCH reception with the SCI. In an example, the n.sub.RB,0 may be an index of a first RB or a last RB in the resource pool of the PSCCH reception).
Regarding claim 12, Xu et al. teach wherein the processor is further caused to: prior to said sending PSFCH on at least one PSFCH resource corresponding to at least one channel bandwidth where LBT is successfully performed, receive indication information which indicates a physical resource block used for PSFCH transmission in each of the plurality of channel bandwidths (Fig. 19, [0228], the Rx wireless device (e.g., Rx UE2) may determine a PSFCH resource (e.g., from the PSFCH resource set) based on the PSCCH, the PSFCH resource indicator and an identification of the Rx wireless device. In an example, the Rx wireless device (e.g., Rx UE2) may determine a PSFCH resource (e.g., from the PSFCH resource set) based on a radio resource allocation parameter of the PSCCH, the PSFCH resource indicator, and/or an identification of the Rx wireless device. The radio resource allocation parameter of the PSCCH may comprise a control resource set (CORESET) index of the PSCCH, a resource pool index of the PSCCH, a BWP index of the PSCCH, a physical resource block (PRB).
Regarding claim 15, Xu et al. teach wherein the processor is further caused to: select one PSFCH resource corresponding to a channel bandwidth with a greatest channel bandwidth index number; select one PSFCH resource corresponding to a channel bandwidth with a smallest channel bandwidth index number; select one PSFCH resource corresponding to a physical resource block with a greatest physical resource block index number; select one PSFCH resource corresponding to a physical resource block with a smallest physical resource block index number; or select one PSFCH resource earliest in a time sequence (Fig. 19, [0237, 0239-0240], determining the PSFCH resource based on the PSCCH, the PSFCH resource indicator, and the identification of the wireless device may comprise determining the PSFCH resource based on a frequency domain resource and/or the time domain resource of the PSCCH, the PSFCH resource indicator, and the identification of the wireless device. The indicating the PSCCH may comprise indicating a resource pool of the PSCCH. The determining the PSFCH resource based on the PSCCH, the PSFCH resource indicator, and the identification of the wireless device may comprise determining the PSFCH resource based on the resource pool of the PSCCH, the PSFCH resource indicator, and the identification of the wireless device. The resource pool may comprise contiguous or noncontiguous resources blocks in frequency domain. The determining the PSFCH resource based on the PSCCH, the PSFCH resource indicator, and the identification of the wireless device may comprise determining the PSFCH resource based on a resource block index of the PSCCH, the PSFCH resource indicator and the identification of the wireless device. The radio resource allocation parameter of the PSCCH may comprise a control resource set (CORESET) index of the PSCCH, a resource pool index of the PSCCH, a BWP index of the PSCCH, a physical resource block (PRB) index of the PSCCH. In an example of equation 4, the N.sub.RB may be a number of RBs in a resource pool of a PSCCH reception with the SCI. In an example, the n.sub.RB,0 may be an index of a first RB or a last RB in the resource pool of the PSCCH reception).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Yang et al. with Liu et al. by incorporating the features as taught by Xu et al. in order to provide a more effective and efficient system that is capable of receiving indication information which indicates a physical resource block used for PSFCH transmission in each of the plurality of channel bandwidths, and selecting one PSFCH resource corresponding to a physical resource block with a greatest physical resource block index number; select one PSFCH resource corresponding to a physical resource block with a smallest physical resource block index number. The motivation is to support an improved method for acknowledgment feedbacks via the shared PSFCH resource (see [0226]).
Claim(s) 3, 13 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (US 2021/0314921 A1) in view of Liu et al. (US 2023/0247528 A1 and Xu et al. (US 20210351877 A1) as applied to claims 1 and 11 above, and further in view of Zhao et al. (US 2024/0224333 A1).
Yang et al, Liu et al. and Xu et al. disclose the claimed limitations as described in paragraph 4 above.
Regarding claim 20, Liu et al. teach wherein the plurality of channel bandwidths are frequency domain bandwidths used for LBT (Figs. 1-2, [0133], UEs 115 in wireless communications system 100 may support sidelink communications in a shared spectrum. In such systems, a UE 115 may perform an LBT procedure to gain access to a sidelink BWP for a sidelink transmission. For instance, the UE 115 may gain access to the sidelink BWP to transmit S-SSBs in a physical sidelink broadcast channel (PSBCH). The S-SSBs may allow other UEs 115 to discover the UE 115 and establish sidelink connections with the UE 115 for subsequent sidelink communications. An S-SSB may be 11 resource blocks wide and the UE 115 may transmit the S-SSB with a same numerology as a sidelink BWP in which the S-SSB is transmitted. In some cases, the S-SSB may not satisfy an occupied channel bandwidth (OCB) requirement of a channel (e.g., at 5 GHz). In such cases, the UE 115 may transmit the S-SSB in a discovery reference signal (DRS) window (e.g., NR-U DRS window) with remaining minimum system information (RMSI) in a PDSCH, channel state information reference signals (CSI-RSs), etc. That is, the RMSI, CSI-RSs, etc. may be frequency division multiplexed with the S-SSB to satisfy the OCB requirement of a channel. Additionally, or alternatively, the S-SSB may be repeated in the frequency domain (e.g., to satisfy the OCB requirement).
Yang et al, Liu et al. and Xu et al. do not expressly disclose the following features: regarding claim 3, wherein said receiving the indication information comprises: receiving an sl-PSFCH-RB-set parameter, wherein each bit in the sl-PSFCH-RB-set parameter corresponds to one physical resource block; regarding claim 13, wherein the processor is further caused to: receive an sl-PSFCH-RB-set parameter, wherein each bit in the sl-PSFCH-RB-set parameter corresponds to one physical resource block.
Regarding claim 3, Zhao et al. teach wherein said receiving the indication information comprises: receiving an sl-PSFCH-RB-set parameter, wherein each bit in the sl-PSFCH-RB-set parameter corresponds to one physical resource block (Fig. 17, [0145], a parameter sl-PSFCH-RB-Set is included in the PSFCH resource configuration parameter, the parameter configures a set of RBs available for PSFCH transmission through a bit map, in which one bit corresponding to one RB. M pieces of sl-PSFCH-RB-Set may be configured to respectively correspond to different RB sets when M PSFCH resource subsets are included in a PSFCH transmission slot, so that M PSFCH resource subsets can be configured.
Regarding claim 13, Zhao et al. teach wherein the processor is further caused to: receive an sl-PSFCH-RB-set parameter, wherein each bit in the sl-PSFCH-RB-set parameter corresponds to one physical resource block (Fig. 17, [0145], a parameter sl-PSFCH-RB-Set is included in the PSFCH resource configuration parameter, the parameter configures a set of RBs available for PSFCH transmission through a bit map, in which one bit corresponding to one RB. M pieces of sl-PSFCH-RB-Set may be configured to respectively correspond to different RB sets when M PSFCH resource subsets are included in a PSFCH transmission slot, so that M PSFCH resource subsets can be configured.
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Yang et al with Liu et al. and Xu et al. by incorporating the features as taught by Zhao et al. in order to provide a more effective and efficient system that is capable of receiving the indication information comprises: receiving an sl-PSFCH-RB-set parameter, wherein each bit in the sl-PSFCH-RB-set parameter corresponds to one physical resource block. The motivation is to support an improved method for wireless communication and a terminal device (see [0004]).
Claim(s) 6-8 and 16-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (US 2021/0314921 A1) in view of Liu et al. (US 2023/0247528 A1) as applied to claims 1 and 11 above, and further in view of Moon et al. (US 2022/0255680 A1).
Yang et al. and Liu et al. disclose the claimed limitations as described in paragraph 4 above.
Regarding claim 8, Liu et al. teach wherein the plurality of channel bandwidths are frequency domain bandwidths used for LBT (Figs. 1-2, [0133], UEs 115 in wireless communications system 100 may support sidelink communications in a shared spectrum. In such systems, a UE 115 may perform an LBT procedure to gain access to a sidelink BWP for a sidelink transmission. For instance, the UE 115 may gain access to the sidelink BWP to transmit S-SSBs in a physical sidelink broadcast channel (PSBCH). The S-SSBs may allow other UEs 115 to discover the UE 115 and establish sidelink connections with the UE 115 for subsequent sidelink communications. An S-SSB may be 11 resource blocks wide and the UE 115 may transmit the S-SSB with a same numerology as a sidelink BWP in which the S-SSB is transmitted. In some cases, the S-SSB may not satisfy an occupied channel bandwidth (OCB) requirement of a channel (e.g., at 5 GHz). In such cases, the UE 115 may transmit the S-SSB in a discovery reference signal (DRS) window (e.g., NR-U DRS window) with remaining minimum system information (RMSI) in a PDSCH, channel state information reference signals (CSI-RSs), etc. That is, the RMSI, CSI-RSs, etc. may be frequency division multiplexed with the S-SSB to satisfy the OCB requirement of a channel. Additionally, or alternatively, the S-SSB may be repeated in the frequency domain (e.g., to satisfy the OCB requirement).
Regarding claim 18, Liu et al. teach wherein the plurality of channel bandwidths are frequency domain bandwidths used for LBT (Figs. 1-2, [0133], UEs 115 in wireless communications system 100 may support sidelink communications in a shared spectrum. In such systems, a UE 115 may perform an LBT procedure to gain access to a sidelink BWP for a sidelink transmission. For instance, the UE 115 may gain access to the sidelink BWP to transmit S-SSBs in a physical sidelink broadcast channel (PSBCH). The S-SSBs may allow other UEs 115 to discover the UE 115 and establish sidelink connections with the UE 115 for subsequent sidelink communications. An S-SSB may be 11 resource blocks wide and the UE 115 may transmit the S-SSB with a same numerology as a sidelink BWP in which the S-SSB is transmitted. In some cases, the S-SSB may not satisfy an occupied channel bandwidth (OCB) requirement of a channel (e.g., at 5 GHz). In such cases, the UE 115 may transmit the S-SSB in a discovery reference signal (DRS) window (e.g., NR-U DRS window) with remaining minimum system information (RMSI) in a PDSCH, channel state information reference signals (CSI-RSs), etc. That is, the RMSI, CSI-RSs, etc. may be frequency division multiplexed with the S-SSB to satisfy the OCB requirement of a channel. Additionally, or alternatively, the S-SSB may be repeated in the frequency domain (e.g., to satisfy the OCB requirement).
Regarding claim 19, Liu et al. teach wherein the plurality of channel bandwidths are frequency domain bandwidths used for LBT (Figs. 1-2, [0133], UEs 115 in wireless communications system 100 may support sidelink communications in a shared spectrum. In such systems, a UE 115 may perform an LBT procedure to gain access to a sidelink BWP for a sidelink transmission. For instance, the UE 115 may gain access to the sidelink BWP to transmit S-SSBs in a physical sidelink broadcast channel (PSBCH). The S-SSBs may allow other UEs 115 to discover the UE 115 and establish sidelink connections with the UE 115 for subsequent sidelink communications. An S-SSB may be 11 resource blocks wide and the UE 115 may transmit the S-SSB with a same numerology as a sidelink BWP in which the S-SSB is transmitted. In some cases, the S-SSB may not satisfy an occupied channel bandwidth (OCB) requirement of a channel (e.g., at 5 GHz). In such cases, the UE 115 may transmit the S-SSB in a discovery reference signal (DRS) window (e.g., NR-U DRS window) with remaining minimum system information (RMSI) in a PDSCH, channel state information reference signals (CSI-RSs), etc. That is, the RMSI, CSI-RSs, etc. may be frequency division multiplexed with the S-SSB to satisfy the OCB requirement of a channel. Additionally, or alternatively, the S-SSB may be repeated in the frequency domain (e.g., to satisfy the OCB requirement).
Yang et al. and Liu et al. do not expressly disclose the following features: regarding claim 6, wherein PSFCH resources corresponding to the plurality of channel bandwidths are distributed in different slots; regarding claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of channel bandwidths corresponds to one PSFCH resource; regarding claim 16, wherein PSFCH resources corresponding to the plurality of channel bandwidths are distributed in different slots; regarding claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of channel bandwidths corresponds to one PSFCH resource.
Regarding claim 6, Moon et al. teach wherein PSFCH resources corresponding to the plurality of channel bandwidths are distributed in different slots (Figs. 1 and 3, [0049, 0078], the terminal may be configured with PSFCH resource(s) from the base station. The PSFCH resource(s) may be configured for a specific sidelink bandwidth part and/or a specific sidelink resource pool configured in the terminal. The periodicity of the PSFCH resource(s) may be 2 slots (i.e., N=2). That is, PSFCH resources may be configured in every second slot (e.g., slot n, slot (n+2), slot (n+4), etc.). In addition, the PSFCH resources may be mapped to the same time-frequency resource in every N-th slot. Referring to FIG. 3, each of the plurality of PSFCH resources may be allocated in the same symbol(s) (e.g., the last symbol(s)) within each corresponding slot and may be composed of the same PRB(s). In the NR communication system, a frequency domain building block of a frame structure may include a resource block (RB), a subcarrier, and the like. One RB may include consecutive subcarriers. For example, one RB may consist of 12 consecutive subcarriers. The number of subcarriers constituting one RB may be constant regardless of a numerology. In this case, a bandwidth occupied by one RB may be proportional to a subcarrier spacing of the numerology).
Regarding claim 7, Moon et al. teach wherein each of the plurality of channel bandwidths corresponds to one PSFCH resource (Figs. 1 and 3, [0049, 0075], one RB may consist of 12 consecutive subcarriers. The number of subcarriers constituting one RB may be constant regardless of a numerology. In this case, a bandwidth occupied by one RB may be proportional to a subcarrier spacing of the numerology. When a terminal aggregates and uses a plurality of sidelink carriers, in the above-described procedure, the PSSCH (and PSCCH) and the corresponding PSFCH may be transmitted in different carriers and different sidelink bandwidth parts. In addition, the PSSCH (and PSCCH) and the PSFCH may be transmitted in different sidelink resource pools on the same carrier or different carriers).
Regarding claim 16, Moon et al. teach wherein PSFCH resources corresponding to the plurality of channel bandwidths are distributed in different slots (Figs. 1 and 3, [0049, 0078], the terminal may be configured with PSFCH resource(s) from the base station. The PSFCH resource(s) may be configured for a specific sidelink bandwidth part and/or a specific sidelink resource pool configured in the terminal. The periodicity of the PSFCH resource(s) may be 2 slots (i.e., N=2). That is, PSFCH resources may be configured in every second slot (e.g., slot n, slot (n+2), slot (n+4), etc.). In addition, the PSFCH resources may be mapped to the same time-frequency resource in every N-th slot. Referring to FIG. 3, each of the plurality of PSFCH resources may be allocated in the same symbol(s) (e.g., the last symbol(s)) within each corresponding slot and may be composed of the same PRB(s). In the NR communication system, a frequency domain building block of a frame structure may include a resource block (RB), a subcarrier, and the like. One RB may include consecutive subcarriers. For example, one RB may consist of 12 consecutive subcarriers. The number of subcarriers constituting one RB may be constant regardless of a numerology. In this case, a bandwidth occupied by one RB may be proportional to a subcarrier spacing of the numerology).
Regarding claim 17, Moon et al. teach wherein each of the plurality of channel bandwidths corresponds to one PSFCH resource (Figs. 1 and 3, [0049, 0075], one RB may consist of 12 consecutive subcarriers. The number of subcarriers constituting one RB may be constant regardless of a numerology. In this case, a bandwidth occupied by one RB may be proportional to a subcarrier spacing of the numerology. When a terminal aggregates and uses a plurality of sidelink carriers, in the above-described procedure, the PSSCH (and PSCCH) and the corresponding PSFCH may be transmitted in different carriers and different sidelink bandwidth parts. In addition, the PSSCH (and PSCCH) and the PSFCH may be transmitted in different sidelink resource pools on the same carrier or different carriers).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Yang et al with Liu et al. by incorporating the features as taught by Moon et al. in order to provide a more effective and efficient system that is capable of distributing, PSFCH resources corresponding to the plurality of channel bandwidths, in different slots, and of the plurality of channel bandwidths corresponds to one PSFCH resource. The motivation is to support an improved method for transmitting and receiving signals between a base station and a terminal or between terminals in a mobile communication system supporting the sidelink communication (see [0001]).
Conclusion
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/SYED M BOKHARI/ Examiner, Art Unit 2473
7/31/2026
/JUTAI KAO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2473
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