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 .
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.
Claims 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ganesan et al (US 2024/0057121, hereinafter Ganesan).
Regarding claim 1, Ganesan discloses a communication method, comprising: receiving, by a first terminal device in a first time-domain unit, resource indication information sent by a second terminal device, wherein the resource indication information is used to indicate a target reserved resource, in a second time-domain unit, of the second terminal device (second UE sends SCI to first UE, which includes indication of future reserved resources, Para [0084], SCI is received in a first slot and the reserved resource is in a second slot, Fig. 3a); and sending, by the first terminal device, a resource conflict indication to the second terminal device in a third time-domain unit, wherein the resource conflict indication is used to indicate that there is a reserved resource on which a conflict occurs in the target reserved resource (first UE sends feedback to second UE with indication of resource conflict, Para [0087], the PSFCH is in a transmitted in a third slot, Fig. 3a), wherein a location of the third time-domain unit in time domain is determined based on one or more of following information: a location of the first time-domain unit in time domain; a location of the second time-domain unit in time domain; a time required for decoding the indication information by the first terminal device; a time required for preparing the resource conflict indication by the first terminal device; a time required for decoding the resource conflict indication by the second terminal device; and a time required for preparing, by the second terminal device, to transmit data on the reserved resource (PSFCH occasion derived by a slot where the expected resource conflict occurs on PSSCH resource indicated by the other UE, Para [0077]); wherein the reserved resource on which a conflict occurs comprises a plurality of reserved resources, the plurality of reserved resources comprise a first reserved resource, and the first reserved resource is a sidelink resource, in the plurality of reserved resources, that is closest to a time-domain unit occupied by the resource indication information, in time domain (reserved resources, Para [0091], first of the reserved resources, Para [0092], sidelink resources, Para [0082], the UE transmits PSFCH carrying conflict indication feedback for the first occurring of the reserved resources, Para [0101], the first reserved resources are the closest reserved resources to the resource indication, Fig. 4).
Regarding claims 4, 10 and 16, Ganesan discloses the method/terminal according to claim 1/7/13, wherein the resource conflict indication is carried in a physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH) (resource conflict indication feedback in the PSFCH, Para [0072]).
Regarding claim 7, Ganesan discloses a communication method, comprising: sending, by a second terminal device in a first time-domain unit, resource indication information to a first terminal device, wherein the resource indication information is used to indicate a target reserved resource, in a second time-domain unit, of the second terminal device (second UE sends SCI to first UE, which includes indication of future reserved resources, Para [0084], SCI is received in a first slot and the reserved resource is in a second slot, Fig. 3a); and receiving, by the second terminal device in a third time-domain unit, a resource conflict indication sent by the first terminal device, wherein the resource conflict indication is used to indicate that there is a reserved resource on which a conflict occurs in the target reserved resource (first UE sends feedback to second UE with indication of resource conflict, Para [0087], the PSFCH is in a transmitted in a third slot, Fig. 3a), wherein a location of the third time-domain unit in time domain is determined based on one or more of following information: a location of the first time-domain unit in time domain; a location of the second time-domain unit in time domain; a time required for decoding the indication information by the first terminal device; a time required for preparing the resource conflict indication by the first terminal device; a time required for decoding the resource conflict indication by the second terminal device; and a time required for preparing, by the second terminal device, to transmit data on the reserved resource (PSFCH occasion derived by a slot where the expected resource conflict occurs on PSSCH resource indicated by the other UE, Para [0077]); wherein the reserved resource on which a conflict occurs comprises a plurality of reserved resources, the plurality of reserved resources comprise a first reserved resource, and the first reserved resource is a sidelink resource, in the plurality of reserved resources, that is closest to a time-domain unit occupied by the resource indication information, in time domain (reserved resources, Para [0091], first of the reserved resources, Para [0092], sidelink resources, Para [0082], the UE transmits PSFCH carrying conflict indication feedback for the first occurring of the reserved resources, Para [0101], the first reserved resources are the closest reserved resources to the resource indication, Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 13, Ganesan discloses a first terminal device (UE, Fig. 6), comprising a processor and a memory (processor and memory, Fig. 6), wherein the memory is configured to store a computer program, and the processor is configured to invoke and run the computer program stored in the memory to cause the first terminal device to perform: receiving, in a first time-domain unit, resource indication information sent by a second terminal device, wherein the resource indication information is used to indicate a target reserved resource, in a second time-domain unit, of the second terminal device(second UE sends SCI to first UE, which includes indication of future reserved resources, Para [0084], SCI is received in a first slot and the reserved resource is in a second slot, Fig. 3a); and sending a resource conflict indication to the second terminal device in a third time-domain unit, wherein the resource conflict indication is used to indicate that there is a reserved resource on which a conflict occurs in the target reserved resource (first UE sends feedback to second UE with indication of resource conflict, Para [0087], the PSFCH is in a transmitted in a third slot, Fig. 3a), wherein a location of the third time-domain unit in time domain is determined based on one or more of following information: a location of the first time-domain unit in time domain; a location of the second time-domain unit in time domain; a time required for decoding the indication information by the first terminal device; a time required for preparing the resource conflict indication by the first terminal device; a time required for decoding the resource conflict indication by the second terminal device; and a time required for preparing, by the second terminal device, to transmit data on the reserved resource (PSFCH occasion derived by a slot where the expected resource conflict occurs on PSSCH resource indicated by the other UE, Para [0077]); wherein the reserved resource on which a conflict occurs comprises a plurality of reserved resources, the plurality of reserved resources comprise a first reserved resource, and the first reserved resource is a sidelink resource, in the plurality of reserved resources, that is closest to a time-domain unit occupied by the resource indication information, in time domain (reserved resources, Para [0091], first of the reserved resources, Para [0092], sidelink resources, Para [0082], the UE transmits PSFCH carrying conflict indication feedback for the first occurring of the reserved resources, Para [0101], the first reserved resources are the closest reserved resources to the resource indication, Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 19, Ganesan discloses a second terminal device (UE, Fig. 6), comprising a processor and a memory (processor and memory, Fig. 6), wherein the memory is configured to store a computer program, and the processor is configured to invoke and run the computer program stored in the memory to cause the second terminal device to perform the method according to claim 7 (see claim 7).
Claims 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 12, 14, 15 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ganesan and in view of Meng (US 2018/0026755, hereinafter Meng).
Regarding claims 2, 8 and 14, Ganesan discloses the method/terminal according to claim 1/7/13, but not explicitly wherein a time interval between the first time-domain unit and the third time-domain unit is determined based on the time required for decoding the indication information by the first terminal device and the time required for preparing the resource conflict indication by the first terminal device. Meng discloses the need to reserve enough time for HARQ feedback so the receiver can process and decode the transmission and prepare a corresponding feedback message, Para [0008], obvious the timing has to allow for time to decode the indication and time to process the feedback indication. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Meng in the system of Ganesan in order to reduce feedback latency.
Regarding claims 3, 9 and 15, Ganesan discloses the method/device according to claim 1/7/13, wherein a time interval between the third time-domain unit and the second time-domain unit is determined based on the time required for decoding the resource conflict indication by the second terminal device and the time required for preparing, by the second terminal device, to transmit the data on the reserved resource. Meng discloses the need to reserve enough time for HARQ feedback so the receiver can process and decode the transmission and prepare a corresponding feedback message, Para [0008], obvious the feedback timing has to allow for the second UE to decode it and enough time to process and react to it.
Regarding claims 6, 12 and 18, Ganesan discloses the method/device according to any one of claim 1/7/13, wherein the reserved resource on which a conflict occurs comprises a plurality of reserved resources, and the plurality of reserved resources meet any one of following conditions: that at least a part of the plurality of reserved resources is an initial transmission resource; that at least a part of the plurality of reserved resources is a retransmission resource; and that the plurality of reserved resources belong to a resource set that is reserved by the second terminal device and indicated by the resource indication information, a distance between each of the plurality of reserved resources and a time-frequency resource occupied by the resource indication information is less than a first distance, and the first distance is a distance between another reserved resource in the resource set except the plurality of reserved resources and the time-frequency resource occupied by the resource indication information (reserved resources, Para [0091], first of the reserved resources, Para [0092], sidelink resources, Para [0082], obvious the reserved resources could be for initial transmission or a retransmission).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 5/22/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant amends the features of a dependent claim into the independent claims and argues the Ganesan reference does not disclose them. Applicant states Ganesan discloses “first” reserved resources that is closest among all reserved resources but is not closest resource among the reserved resources on which a conflict occurs. Applicant also argues Ganesan does not disclose the resource conflict indication indicates conflict on only one of the plurality of conflict resources. Applicant argues Ganesan discloses a single bit for covering all future resources or separate bits for each reservation. In response, Ganesan does disclose all features in the new amended limitation. Ganesan discloses the UE transmits PSFCH carrying conflict indication feedback for the first occurring of the reserved resources, Para [0101] and the conflict on 1st reserved resources is the closest reserved resource to the resource indication, Fig. 4. The PSFCH indicates conflict for the 1st reserved resources and not any others. The 2nd reserved resources are father away from the reservation information than the 1st reserved resources. The first PSFCH is “the resource conflict indication” and only indicates resource conflict on the 1st reserved resources. Therefore, Ganesan does disclose all limitations in the claim.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN CUNNINGHAM whose telephone number is (571) 272-1765. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday 7:30-18:00 (EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Vu can be reached on (571) 272-3155. The fax number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KEVIN M CUNNINGHAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461
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