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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This communication is responsive to Application #18750071 filed 06/21/2024. Claims 1-20 are subject to examination.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-4, 7-8, 14-16, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by KIILERICH PRATAS et al. (KIILERICH PRATAS hereinafter) (US 20250047435 A1).
Regarding claim 1, claim 15, and claim 20, KIILERICH PRATAS teaches, A wireless communication method, comprising:
receiving, by a first wireless communication device from a second wireless communication device, a sidelink control information (SCI) (KIILERICH PRATAS; In step 606, the second anchor UE transmits, to the first target UE … The one or more second sidelink messages M2 transmitted by the second anchor UE may comprise a conditional S-PRS resource configuration for the first target UE … The conditional S-PRS resource configurations for the two target UEs may be transmitted in separate messages, Par. 0093; The second sidelink message M2 ... for example in the 2.sup.nd stage SCI, Par. 0088), wherein the SCI includes at least one of: a configuration of time domain resources or a time duration of a positioning reference signal (PRS) (KIILERICH PRATAS; An S-PRS resource configuration may comprise at least one of the following fields: resource pool identification (ID), S-PRS transmission slot ... The resource pool ID indicates the sidelink resource pool ... The S-PRS transmission slot indicates the time-domain location (i.e., location in time), where the S-PRS should be transmitted, Par. 0084); and
transmitting, by the first wireless communication device, a PRS information in response to receiving the SCI (KIILERICH PRATAS; In step 609, the first target UE transmits, or broadcasts ... The third sidelink message M3 may comprise ... the associated S-PRS resource configuration per selected anchor UE. In other words, the third sidelink message M3 may comprise an L1 ID of the one or more anchor UEs selected by the first target UE and an associated S-PRS configuration per selected anchor UE, Par. 0096-0097).
Specifically for claim 15, KIILERICH PRATAS teaches, An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising: a processor; and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to (KIILERICH PRATAS; to the first target UE, Par. 0093).
Specifically for claim 20, KIILERICH PRATAS teaches, A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having code stored thereon, the code, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to implement a method comprising (KIILERICH PRATAS; to the first target UE, Par. 0093).
Regarding claim 2 and claim 16, KIILERICH PRATAS teaches, The wireless communication method of claim 1 and The apparatus of claim 15 respectively,
wherein the first wireless communication device transmits the PRS information to the second wireless communication device (KIILERICH PRATAS; In step 609, the first target UE transmits ... to the one or more (K.sub.2) anchor UEs, Par. 0096) or to a third wireless communication device through a fourth wireless communication device.
Regarding claim 3, KIILERICH PRATAS teaches, The wireless communication method of claim 1, wherein the SCI indicates a time window in which the PRS is transmitted or received by the first wireless communication device (KIILERICH PRATAS; An S-PRS resource configuration may comprise at least one of the following fields: resource pool identification (ID), S-PRS transmission slot ... The resource pool ID indicates the sidelink resource pool ... The S-PRS transmission slot indicates the time-domain location (i.e., location in time), where the S-PRS should be transmitted, Par. 0084).
Regarding claim 4, KIILERICH PRATAS teaches, The wireless communication method of claim 1, wherein the PRS information comprises the time duration for the PRS (KIILERICH PRATAS; the associated S-PRS resource configuration per selected anchor UE, Par. 0096-0097).
Regarding claim 7, KIILERICH PRATAS teaches, The wireless communication method of claim 1, wherein the SCI is associated with one or more occasions for one or more PRSs, the PRS information, or one or more PRS configurations (KIILERICH PRATAS; An S-PRS resource configuration may comprise at least one of the following fields: resource pool identification (ID), S-PRS transmission slot, Par. 0084).
Regarding claim 8, KIILERICH PRATAS teaches, The wireless communication method of claim 7, wherein the one or more PRS configurations comprises at least one of a standalone resource pool, a carrier frequency, a bandwidth part (BWP), an RB set, or a subchannel (KIILERICH PRATAS; An S-PRS resource configuration may comprise at least one of the following fields: resource pool identification (ID), S-PRS transmission slot, S-PRS starting sub-channel, S-PRS bandwidth, Par. 0084).
Regarding claim 14, KIILERICH PRATAS teaches, The wireless communication method of claim 1, further comprising: selecting a transmission resource for the PRS from the configuration of time domain resources included in the SCI (KIILERICH PRATAS; The S-PRS resource configuration for a given anchor UE may be determined by selecting one of the preferred S-PRS configuration(s) indicated by that anchor UE, Par. 0094; The third sidelink message M3 may comprise ... the associated S-PRS resource configuration per selected anchor UE, Par. 0096-0097).
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.
Claim 5-6 and 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIILERICH PRATAS in view of Si et al. (Si hereinafter) (US 20230319903 A1).
Regarding claim 5, KIILERICH PRATAS teaches, The wireless communication method of claim 1.
KIILERICH PRATAS failed to explicitly teach,
wherein the PRS information comprises a channel access priority.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Si teaches,
wherein the PRS information comprises a channel access priority (Si; the channel access procedure can be determined based on the type of sidelink transmission ... the applicability of using Type 2 channel access procedure for the example at least one type of sidelink signal/channel can be fixed in the system specification ... the applicability of using Type 2 channel access procedure for the example at least one type of sidelink signal/channel can be indicated by a control information format (e.g., a DCI format and/or a SCI format and/or UCI), Par. 0073-0075).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of KIILERICH PRATAS to include the use of priority of the sidelink transmission as taught by Si in order to determine priority for channel access procedure for unlicensed operation (Si; Par. 0072).
Regarding claim 6, KIILERICH PRATAS-Si teaches, The wireless communication method of claim 5,
wherein the channel access priority is determined according to (i) a rule that specifies that a channel access priority class for a synchronization signal block (SSB) communicated by the first wireless communication device is set to a smallest channel access priority class value (Si; the transmission of multiplexed S-PRS with S-SS/PSBCH block can utilize Type 1 channel access procedure with high CAP, Par. 0212), or (ii) a rule that specifies that the channel access priority class is associated with a transmission of a physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH).
The rational and motivation for adding this teaching of Si is the same as for Claim 5.
Regarding claim 17, KIILERICH PRATAS teaches, The apparatus of claim 15.
KIILERICH PRATAS failed to explicitly teach,
wherein the PRS information comprises a PRS priority that is a channel access priority.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Si teaches,
wherein the PRS information comprises a PRS priority that is a channel access priority (Si; the channel access procedure can be determined based on the type of sidelink transmission ... the applicability of using Type 2 channel access procedure for the example at least one type of sidelink signal/channel can be fixed in the system specification ... the applicability of using Type 2 channel access procedure for the example at least one type of sidelink signal/channel can be indicated by a control information format (e.g., a DCI format and/or a SCI format and/or UCI), Par. 0073-0075).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of KIILERICH PRATAS to include the use of priority of the sidelink transmission as taught by Si in order to determine priority for channel access procedure for unlicensed operation (Si; Par. 0072).
Regarding claim 18, KIILERICH PRATAS-Si teaches, The apparatus of claim 17,
wherein the channel access priority is determined according to (i) a rule that specifies that a channel access priority class for a synchronization signal block (SSB) is set to a smallest channel access priority class value (Si; the transmission of multiplexed S-PRS with S-SS/PSBCH block can utilize Type 1 channel access procedure with high CAP, Par. 0212), or (ii) a rule that specifies that the channel access priority class is associated with a transmission of a physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH).
The rational and motivation for adding this teaching of Si is the same as for Claim 17.
Claim 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIILERICH PRATAS in view of SCHAEPPERLE et al. (SCHAEPPERLE hereinafter) (US 20230370221 A1).
Regarding claim 9, KIILERICH PRATAS teaches, The wireless communication method of claim 1.
KIILERICH PRATAS failed to explicitly teach,
wherein the PRS is not transmitted in a gap between two adjacent resource block (RB) sets in a frequency domain.
However, in the same field of endeavor, SCHAEPPERLE teaches,
wherein the PRS is not transmitted in a gap between two adjacent resource block (RB) sets in a frequency domain (SCHAEPPERLE; transmission of second portion 202 of the PRS is split in the frequency domain, with a gap 210 between its sub-portion/sections 202a and 202b, Par. 0193).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of KIILERICH PRATAS to include the use of gap as taught by SCHAEPPERLE in order to transmit PRS (SCHAEPPERLE; Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 10, KIILERICH PRATAS- SCHAEPPERLE teaches, The wireless communication method of claim 9, wherein the gap is associated with UE capability (SCHAEPPERLE; The definition/configuration of the PRS structure and the determination/generation of the PRS configuration information may be based on such UE capability information, Par. 0221), or the gap is equal to zero (SCHAEPPERLE; Fig. 3, 4).
The rational and motivation for adding this teaching of SCHAEPPERLE is the same as for Claim 9.
Claim 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIILERICH PRATAS in view of WU et al. (WU hereinafter) (US 20230096178 A1).
Regarding claim 11, KIILERICH PRATAS teaches, The wireless communication method of claim 1.
KIILERICH PRATAS failed to explicitly teach,
wherein a lowest RB or resource element (RE) index of the PRS is aligned or associated with at least one of: a start of each RB set, a start of all RB sets, or a start of one certain RB set.
However, in the same field of endeavor, WU teaches,
wherein a lowest RB or resource element (RE) index of the PRS is aligned or associated with at least one of: a start of each RB set, a start of all RB sets, or a start of one certain RB set (WU; Fig. 5; the SL-PRS time resource location 620 may be given as an offset value from a starting symbol or starting PRB of the SL-PRS resource pool, Par. 0112).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of KIILERICH PRATAS to include the use of frequency location as taught by WU in order to transmit PRS (WU; Fig. 5, 6).
Claim 12 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIILERICH PRATAS in view of MANOLAKOS et al. (MANOLAKOS hereinafter) (US 20250150234 A1).
Regarding claim 12 and claim 19, KIILERICH PRATAS teaches, The wireless communication method of claim 1 and The apparatus of claim 15 respectively.
KIILERICH PRATAS failed to explicitly teach,
wherein the SCI comprises a parameter which indicates whether a PRS configuration is active or not active.
However, in the same field of endeavor, MANOLAKOS teaches,
wherein the SCI comprises a parameter which indicates whether a PRS configuration is active or not active (MANOLAKOS; the SCI, such as SCI-2 standard, may include an additional field to indicate if all of the positioning resource (e.g., PRS resource) reservations for mini slots are enabled or disabled, Par. 0208).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of KIILERICH PRATAS to include the use of SCI field as taught by MANOLAKOS in order to determine PRS status (MANOLAKOS; Par. 0208).
Claim 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIILERICH PRATAS in view of Vogedes et al. (Vogedes hereinafter) (US 20240422725 A1).
Regarding claim 13, KIILERICH PRATAS teaches, The wireless communication method of claim 1.
KIILERICH PRATAS failed to explicitly teach,
wherein the PRS information does not comprise muting pattern information in operation with shared spectrum channel access.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Vogedes teaches,
wherein the PRS information does not comprise muting pattern information in operation with shared spectrum channel access (Vogedes; (pre) configuration of a target UE, Master (controlling) entity, PA UE, and Relay UE/function to support in the SL positioning discovery and selection. For example, SL-PRS parameter configuration(s) from existing DL-PRS configurations, resource allocation and SL-PRS muting functions as well as other reference signals that may be leveraged, Par. 0102 [Note that Table 13 does not include muting pattern information]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of KIILERICH PRATAS to include the use of pre-configuration as taught by Vogedes in order to get leverage from DL-PRS configuration (Vogedes; Par. 0102).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Reference US 20240172167 A1 teaches request-response to get PRS configuration in Fig. 5; Reference US 20240422721 A1 teaches PRS multiplexed with PSFCH in Fig. 14.
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/SHARMIN CHOWDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2416
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