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 .
The instant Office Action is in response to communication filed on 6/10/2026.
Claims 1-6 and 9-20 are pending. Claims 1 and 12 are the base independent claims. Claims 1 and 12 are amended.
Response to Arguments/Amendment
Regarding claim 1, Applicant files the Remark: see page 10.
Applicant explains the claim construction based on the cited references that were mapped to the claim limitations under the Rejection. Such that, the claim requires the changing an existing SLRB association from one LCH to another as part of a triggered SLRB mode change. Applicant further explains YOU’s cited portions describe service-information/resource-mode correspondence, repeated-transmission activation, and data/repeated-data mapping to different logical channels, rather than a triggered SLRB-to-LCH association change.
--In response, the arguments in respect to the amendment have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Examiner respectfully clarifies that YOU has disclosed the amended subject matter. YOU’s sidelink transmission resource configuration mode (e.g. configured based on mode 3 or mode 4) can be determined based on a condition, for example using a threshold, see one of YOU’s examples in paragraph [0125] or in figure 3. Thus it is understood YOU’s system can trigger a mode change based at least on a threshold level. In fact, since a first LCH is mapped to mode 3 and a second LCH is mapped to mode 4 (see YOU, par [0210]), therefore the determination of a sidelink resource configuration mode may also trigger an associated LCH change for transmitting the data.
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.
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 1-6 and 9-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ADACHI et al (WO 2018/030258, citation is based on the EPO English translation document) in view of YOU et al (US 2021/0176734) or in view of HUANG et al (WO 2019/096275, citation is based on the EPO English translation document).
Regarding claim 1, ADACHI discloses a method implemented by a first wireless transmit receive unit (WTRU), the method comprising:
detecting a condition related to a first transmission mode of a sidelink radio bearer (SLRB) (fig. 14, pp 52-55, [0077-80]; e.g. assuming mode 1 is initially set for UE100; in step S34, UE100 determines whether its own movement speed is equal to or greater than the threshold; also see [0030]);
triggering a change of the SLRB from the first transmission mode to a second transmission mode in response to detecting the condition ([0081]; e.g. in step S35, UE100 decides to switch to Mode 2);
notifying the MN of the change of the SLRB to the second transmission mode ([0081]; in step S36, UE100 sends a notification to eNB200); and
transmitting data associated with the SLRB via a LCH according to the second transmission mode ([0083]; in step S39. the UE100 transmits data over the sidelink using the selected wireless resource; also [0076], maps the V2X service data to the corresponding logical channel).
The reference does not explicitly disclose:
the first transmission mode configured by a mobile network (MN) and associated with a first logical channel (LCH);
wherein triggering the change comprises changing an association of the SLRB from the first LCH to a second LCH associated with the second transmission mode.
However, it is obvious in view of YOU. Since YOU discloses:
the first transmission mode configured by a mobile network (MN) (fig. 7 or par 181; in one example, the first terminal device is indicated to transmit data corresponding to service information that is on a sidelink and repeated data of the data corresponding to the service information that is on the sidelink on a sidelink transmission resource configured based on a first resource configuration mode) and associated with a first logical channel (LCH) (par 202; e.g. the data corresponding to the service information may be mapped to two different logical channels);
wherein triggering the change comprises changing an association of the SLRB from the first LCH to a second LCH associated with the second transmission mode (fig. 3, par 125, par 164, or par 210; e.g. a network side device may flexibly indicate, according to an actual situation, that service data whose data buffer size is less than or equal to a threshold is to be transmitted on the sidelink transmission resource configured based on the mode 3 or the mode 4; thus it is understood the system can trigger a mode change based at least on a threshold level, and therefore the determination of a sidelink resource configuration mode, also triggers an associated LCH change since an associated LCH is mapped to a sidelink resource configuration mode).
In view of the above, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of communication protocol configured for the electronic system of YOU with the electronic system of ADACHI. One is motivated as such to balance sidelink transmission resources configured based on different resource configuration modes (YOU, par 7).
Regarding claim 2, YOU discloses:
wherein the condition is related to at least one of a quality of service (QoS) of the data, a size of the data, or a periodicity of the data (par 125; e.g. reliability requirement in the service data; par 155; e.g. buffer size).
Regarding claim 3, YOU discloses:
wherein the condition is related to a coverage condition of the first WTRU while transmitting data associated with the SLRB (par 84; e.g. two terminal devices are within coverage of the radio access network device).
Regarding claim 4, the combination discloses the subject matter of claim 3, without explicitly discloses:
wherein the condition is related to a first coverage condition of the first WTRU related to the SLRB and to a second coverage condition of a second WTRU related to the SLRB as indicated in a message received by the first WTRU from the second WTRU.
However, HUANG discloses:
wherein the condition is related to a first coverage condition of the first WTRU related to the SLRB and to a second coverage condition of a second WTRU related to the SLRB as indicated in a message received by the first WTRU from the second WTRU (page 196, [0371]; e.g. coverage status of the synchronization source (indicating whether the synchronization source is within or outside coverage).
In view of the above, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of communication protocol configured for the electronic system of HUANG with the electronic system of ADACHI and YOU. One is motivated as such flexibly selecting according to the connection status and resource allocation mode (HUANG, [0057]).
Regarding claim 5, YOU discloses:
wherein the condition is related to a load or estimated transmission quality associated with one or more of the first transmission mode or the second transmission mode (par 135; e.g. the first terminal device may determine, based on the percentage, the resource configuration mode; par 170; e.g. signal strength).
Regarding claim 6, ADACHI discloses:
wherein triggering the change in response to detecting the condition includes triggering the change in response to detecting that a value related to the condition is greater than or less than a threshold ([0072]; e.g. a threshold).
Regarding claim 9, YOU discloses:
wherein notifying the MN of the change of the SLRB to the second transmission mode includes sending a buffer status report (BSR) to the MN (par 143, e.g. when receiving the sidelink BSR MAC CE reported by the terminal device, the network device may allocate a sidelink transmission resource).
Regarding claim 10, ADACHI discloses:
wherein notifying the MN of the change of the SLRB to the second transmission mode includes sending a message to the MN ([0081]; in step S36, UE100 sends a notification to eNB200).
Regarding claim 11, ADACHI discloses:
wherein transmitting data associated with the SLRB includes transmitting the data to a second WTRU according to the second transmission mode ([0083]; in step S39. the UE100 transmits data over the sidelink using the selected wireless resource).
Regarding claims 12-20, ADACHI in view of YOU/HUANG also discloses a first wireless transmit receive unit according to the method of claims 1-11 and the mapping above.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 YAOTANG WANG whose telephone number is (571)272-4023. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00-18:00 ET (M, W, TH & alternate F).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, HADI ARMOUCHE can be reached at 571-270-3618. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YAOTANG WANG/SCE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2409
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