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 claims filed on 07/24/2024 are entered and acknowledge. Claims 1-20 are currently pending in the instant application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) was submitted on 07/24/2024 and 12/31/2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 12 is 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, provided that all other rejections under 35 USC 101/112 (if any) are obviated upon upcoming amendments/arguments without raising new issue that necessitate further consideration/searches.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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)(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.
Claims 1, 7-10, 13-14 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Li discloses et al Pub. No.: (US 2022/0330084 A1) (hereinafter “Li”).
With respect to claim 1: Li discloses an apparatus comprising:
one or more processors (Processor 1120 [Fig. 10]); and
memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to perform operations comprising (memory 1130 [Fig. 10]):
receiving, from radio frequency (RF) circuitry, a configuration for mapping PC5 quality of service (QoS) flows to frequencies (the terminal device indication to the network device, by using first information (configuration information), so the network device can map a SLRB to a QoS flow corresponding to a carrier frequency that is supported by the QoS flow [0173]);
receiving, from the RF circuitry, a sidelink logical channel configuration message indicating that sidelink data associated with a logical channel can be mapped to one or more sidelink carriers on a list of allowed sidelink carriers (terminal device receives SLRB configuration information using an RRC message from the network device, the SLRB configuration information includes first destination address, a first carrier index, a plurality of QoS parameters in the first information received at the network device, wherein the terminal device uses the SLRB configuration information to determine which carriers supports QoS flows corresponding to the mapping of the QoS flows to the SLRB/LCH [0025-0026], [0031], [0064], [0069]. Mapping to a list of allowed sidelink carriers [0223]. Additionally, a sidelink UE information message is sent from the terminal device to the network device, and QoS flows that support same carrier information are mapped to SLRB [0207]); and
instructing the RF circuitry to transmit the sidelink data associated with the logical channel via at least one sidelink carrier on the list of allowed sidelink carriers based at least in part on mapping the logical channel to the at least one sidelink carrier in accordance with the configuration for mapping and the sidelink logical channel configuration message (the terminal device performs SL communication on the established SLRB based on a mapping of the first information indicating carrier indexes that are supported by the QoS flow [0178], [0180-0185], [0210-0212]. Terminal device uses a carrier supported by all the QoS flows as a carrier mapped to the SLRB/LCH for SL transmission [0224]).
With respect to claim 7: Li discloses the apparatus of claim 1 as set forth above.
Li discloses wherein a field of the sidelink logical channel configuration message indicates the list of allowed sidelink carriers for the logical channel (the SLBR configuration information obtained by the terminal device from the network device includers carrier information represented by using a carrier list, and the carrier lists includes a plurality of carrier indexes [0222-0224], [Fig, 5, Fig. 6 Fig. 7]. The terminal device uses a part of the carrier information associated with all QoS flows/services mapped to logical channel as carrier information supported by the LCH, or the terminal sends indication information to the network device, the information including destination address, the SLRB configuration information such as SLRB index or identifier [0215-0219).
With respect to claim 8: Li discloses the apparatus of claim 1 as set forth above, further comprising:
Li discloses determining, based at least in part on the sidelink logical channel configuration message, that the at least one sidelink carrier is within a subset of frequencies associated with all PC5 QoS flows allowed to be mapped to the logical channel (Flow corresponding to QoS parameters 1, 2, and 5 are mapped to an SLRB/LCH1 and flows corresponding to QoS parameters 3, 4 and 6 are mapped to an SLRB/LCH 2, and based on the SLRB configuration, the terminal determines that the carrier information allowed by the SLRB/LCH 1 is the carrier index 1, 2 and 4 [0223-0224]).
With respect to claim 9: Li discloses the apparatus of claim 1 as set forth above.
Li discloses wherein the sidelink logical channel configuration message indicates that the sidelink data from the logical channel can be mapped to any configured sidelink carriers (the terminal device determines carrier information allowed by the SLRB/LCH. The network device configures the mapping relationship between the QoS profile and the SLRB in the SLRB configuration information, the terminal device then determines, based on the SLRB configuration information that QoS flows corresponding to the QoS profile in a destination address supports different carriers and are mapped to a same SLRB/LCH, the terminal device uses a carrier supported by all the QoS flows as a carrier mapped to the SLRB/LCH [0023-0024]. The configuration of a QoS flow can be mapped to an SLRB corresponding to a carrier supported by the QoS flow and the terminal device establishes an SLRB for a destination address based on the SLRB configuration information, the terminal device determines carrier information supported by the SLRB [0022] [0006]. Examiner interprets configured sidelink carrier as carrier information identified to be supported).
With respect to claim 10: Li discloses the apparatus of claim 1 as set forth above.
Li discloses the operations further comprising instructing the RF circuitry to transmit a sidelink user information (SUI) message to a network entity while the apparatus is in a connected state, the SUI message indicating the mapping between PC5 QoS flows and frequencies (when the terminal device is in the RRC connected mode, the terminal sends a SUI message to request the SLRB configuration from the network device, the terminal may include in the SUI message, a correspondence between the QoS parameter and a carrier index in the destination address [0207]. The configuring of the SLRB includes mapping of a QoS flow and a carrier frequency [0013]).
With respect to claim 13: Li discloses the apparatus of claim 1 as set forth above.
Li discloses wherein the configuration for mapping PC5 QoS flows to frequencies is provided by a vehicle to everything (V2X) layer of the apparatus (SLRB configuration corresponding to SLRB mapped to QoS flows to transmit data packets via SL transmission supported by a carrier frequency [0006], the communication architecture includes V2X [0116]).
With respect to claim 14, they do not teach or further define over the limitations in claim 1, respectively. Therefore claim 14 is rejected for the same reasons as set forth in claim 1.
With respect to claim 20, they do not teach or further define over the limitations in claim 1, respectively. Therefore claim 20 is rejected for the same reasons as set forth in claim 1.
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.
Claims 2-5, 11 and 15-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li discloses et al Pub. No.: (US 2022/0330084 A1) (hereinafter “Li”) as applied to claims 1, 7-10, 13-14 and 20 above, further in view of Pan et al Pub. No.: (US 2021/0259039 A1) (hereinafter "Pan”).
With respect to claim 2: Li discloses the apparatus of claim 1 as set forth above, the operations further comprising:
Li discloses instructing the RF circuitry to transmit, in accordance with the sidelink logical channel configuration message, a radio resource control (RRC) sidelink configuration message indicating a sidelink carrier on the list of allowed sidelink carriers for unicast communications (the terminal device obtains from a network device a sidelink radio bearer configuration information by using an RRC message, wherein the SLRB is based on the first information received by the network device from the terminal device [0013], [0030], [0042]. The SLRB indicates a list of supported carriers allowed for SL transmission [0026], [0064], [0069]. A first information includes a communication type such as unicast [0163-0164], [Table 1 - 3]), wherein the sidelink data is transmitted via the sidelink carrier indicated by the RRC sidelink configuration message (the terminal device uses a carrier supported by all the QoS flows as a carrier mapped to the SLRB/LCH for SL transmission [0224]. The terminal device obtains the SLRB configuration information by using an RRC message [0025], [0030], [0042]);
However, Li does not explicitly disclose a radio resource control (RRC) sidelink reconfiguration message indicating a sidelink carrier on the list of allowed sidelink carriers to be added or modified for unicast sidelink communications, wherein the sidelink data is transmitted via the sidelink carrier indicated by the RRC sidelink reconfiguration message;
Pan disclose a radio resource control (RRC) sidelink reconfiguration message indicating a sidelink carrier to be added or modified for unicast sidelink communications, wherein the sidelink data is transmitted via the sidelink carrier indicated by the RRC sidelink reconfiguration message (a reconfiguration message to configure the dedicated sidelink configuration for the concerned QoS flows identified, the reconfiguration message may include IE SL-ConfigDedicatedNR, which contains information to which new SL DRB is needed [0267-0269], [0178-0186]. A RRCReconfigurationSidelink message used to confirmed completion of a reconfiguration and is applied to unicast of NR sidelink communication [0254], [0258]. The UE provides information about the unicast link modification to the AS layer, this enables the AS layer to update the context related to the modified unicast link [0159-0171]);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Li in view of Pan in order to have a radio resource control (RRC) sidelink reconfiguration message indicating a sidelink carrier to be added or modified for unicast sidelink communications;
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to minimize failure and improve quality of service [Pan: 0267].
With respect to claim 3: Li discloses the apparatus of claim 1 as set forth above, the operations further comprising:
Li discloses instructing the RF circuitry to transmit, in accordance with the sidelink logical channel configuration message, a radio resource control (RRC) sidelink configuration message, wherein instructing the RF circuitry to transmit the sidelink data via the at least one sidelink carrier on the list of allowed sidelink carriers is based at least in part on the RRC sidelink configuration message (the terminal device obtains a sidelink radio bearer configuration information by using an RRC message, wherein the SLRB is based on the first information received by the network device from the terminal device [0013], [0030], [0042]. The SLRB indicates a list of supported carriers allowed for SL transmission [0026], [0064], [0069], the terminal device uses a carrier supported by all the QoS flows as a carrier mapped to the SLRB/LCH for SL transmission [0224]);
However, Li does not explicitly disclose a radio resource control (RRC) sidelink reconfiguration message indicating a sidelink carrier to be released from unicast sidelink communications;
wherein instructing the RF circuitry to transmit the sidelink data via the at least one sidelink carrier is based at least in part on the RRC sidelink reconfiguration message;
Pan discloses a radio resource control (RRC) sidelink reconfiguration message indicating a sidelink carrier to be released from unicast sidelink communications (a RRC reconfiguration message to release the sidelink DRB [0223-0224], [0236], [0270], [0283], reconfiguration message applies to unicast of NR sidelink communication [254]. The UE informs the AS layer that the unicast link has been released. This enables the AS layer to delete the context related to the released unicast link [0148-0156]);
transmit the sidelink data via the at least one sidelink carrier is based at least in part on the RRC sidelink reconfiguration message (a reconfiguration message to configure the dedicated sidelink configuration for the concerned QoS flows identified, the reconfiguration message may include IE SL-ConfigDedicatedNR, which contains information to which new SL DRB is needed [0267-0269], [0178-0186]);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Li in view of Pan in order to have a radio resource control (RRC) sidelink reconfiguration message indicating a sidelink carrier to be released from unicast sidelink communications;
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to minimize failure and improve quality of service [Pan: 0267].
With respect to claim 4: Li discloses the apparatus of claim 1 as set forth above, the operations further comprising:
Li discloses instructing the RF circuitry to transmit, in accordance with the sidelink logical channel configuration message, a radio resource control (RRC) sidelink configuration message indicating one or more PC5 QoS flows to be mapped to a data radio bearer (DRB) configured for unicast sidelink communications (the terminal device obtains a sidelink radio bearer configuration information by using an RRC message, wherein the SLRB is based on the first information received by the network device from the terminal device [0013], [0030], [0042], wherein the SLRB configuration information includes QoS flows mapped to SLRB/LCH [0026]. The information includes a communication type such as unicast [0163-0164], [Table 1 - 3]);
However, Li does not explicitly disclose wherein the sidelink data is transmitted using the DRB mapped to the one or more PC5 QoS flows indicated by the RRC sidelink reconfiguration message;
Pan discloses wherein the sidelink data is transmitted using the DRB mapped to the one or more PC5 QoS flows indicated by the RRC sidelink reconfiguration message (SL DRB is established for transmission from the second UE to the first UE based on a reconfiguration message [0273-0275]);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Li in view of Pan in order to have a radio resource control (RRC) sidelink reconfiguration message indicating one or more PC5 QoS flows to be mapped to a data radio bearer (DRB) configured for unicast sidelink communications;
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to minimize failure and improve quality of service [Pan: 0267].
With respect to claim 5: Li discloses the apparatus of claim 1 as set forth above, the operations further comprising:
Li discloses instructing the RF circuitry to transmit, in accordance with the sidelink logical channel configuration message, a radio resource control (RRC) sidelink configuration message indicating one or more PC5 QoS flows configured for unicast sidelink communications (the terminal device obtains a sidelink radio bearer configuration information by using an RRC message, wherein the SLRB is based on the first information received by the network device from the terminal device [0013], [0030], [0042], wherein the SLRB configuration information includes QoS flows mapped to SLRB/LCH [0026]. The information includes a communication type such as unicast [0163-0164], [Table 1 - 3]), wherein instructing the RF circuitry to transmit the sidelink data via the at least one sidelink carrier on the list of allowed sidelink carriers is based at least in part on the RRC sidelink configuration message (The SLRB indicates a list of supported carriers allowed for SL transmission [0026], [0064], [0069], the terminal device uses a carrier supported by all the QoS flows as a carrier mapped to the SLRB/LCH for SL transmission [0224]. The terminal device obtains the SLRB configuration information by using an RRC message [0025], [0030], [0042]);
However, Li does not explicitly disclose a radio resource control (RRC) sidelink reconfiguration message indicating one or more PC5 QoS flows to be released from a data radio bearer (DRB) configured for unicast sidelink communications;
wherein instructing the RF circuitry to transmit the sidelink data via the at least one sidelink carrier on the list of allowed sidelink carriers is based at least in part on the RRC sidelink reconfiguration message;
Pan discloses a radio resource control (RRC) sidelink reconfiguration message indicating one or more PC5 QoS flows to be released from a data radio bearer (DRB) configured for unicast sidelink communications (RRC configuration message includes an identity of the first SL DRB or an identity of the sidelink QoS flow for release [0270], [0283]);
transmit the sidelink data via the at least one sidelink carrier is based at least in part on the RRC sidelink reconfiguration message (a reconfiguration message to configure the dedicated sidelink configuration for the concerned QoS flows identified, the reconfiguration message may include IE SL-ConfigDedicatedNR, which contains information to which new SL DRB is needed [0267-0269], [0178-0186]);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Li in view of Pan in order to have a radio resource control (RRC) sidelink reconfiguration message indicating one or more PC5 QoS flows to be released from a data radio bearer (DRB) configured for unicast sidelink communications;
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to minimize failure and improve quality of service [Pan: 0267].
With respect to claim 11: Li discloses the apparatus of claim 1 as set forth above.
Li discloses wherein the sidelink logical channel configuration message configures a PC5 QoS flow to sidelink radio bearer (SLRB) mapping of the apparatus (the terminal device establishes an SLRB based on the SLRB configuration information, and maps a QoS flow to the corresponding SLRB [0004]);
However, Li does not explicitly disclose the sidelink logical channel configuration message reconfigures a PC5 QoS flow to sidelink radio bearer (SLRB) mapping of the apparatus;
Pan discloses the sidelink logical channel configuration message reconfigures a PC5 QoS flow to sidelink radio bearer (SLRB) mapping of the apparatus (reconfiguration information indicating which SLDR a sidelink QoS is mapped [0267]. Sidelink configuration includes a SLRB configuration for a second SL DRB to which the sidelink QoS flow is mapped for transmission from the first UE to the second UE [0278]);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Li in view of Pan in order to have a configuration message reconfigures a PC5 QoS flow to sidelink radio bearer (SLRB) mapping of the apparatus;
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to minimize failure and improve quality of service [Pan: 0267].
With respect to claims 15-18, they do not teach or further define over the limitations in claims 2-5, respectively. Therefore claims 15-18 are rejected for the same reasons as set forth in claims 2-5
Claim 6 and 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li discloses et al Pub. No.: (US 2022/0330084 A1) (hereinafter “Li”) as applied to claims 1, 7-10, 13-14 and 20 above, further in view of Adjakple et al Pub. No.: (US 2021/0153065 A1) (hereinafter "Adjakple”).
With respect to claim 6: Li discloses the apparatus of claim 1 as set forth above, the operations further comprising:
Li discloses instructing the RF circuitry to transmit, in accordance with the sidelink logical channel configuration message, a radio resource control (RRC) sidelink configuration message comprising an identifier of the logical channel to which the at least one sidelink carrier is mapped (the terminal device obtains a sidelink radio bearer configuration information by using an RRC message, wherein the SLRB is based on the first information received by the network device from the terminal device [0013], [0030], [0042]. The terminal device selects an LCH according to a logical channel identifiers (LCIDs) [0218], additionally, the terminal device allocates different LCH identifiers to the M SLRB [0027]),
wherein instructing the RF circuitry to transmit the sidelink data via the at least one sidelink carrier mapped to the logical channel is based at least in part on the RRC sidelink configuration message (The SLRB indicates a list of supported carriers allowed for SL transmission [0026], [0064], [0069], the terminal device uses a carrier supported by all the QoS flows as a carrier mapped to the SLRB/LCH for SL transmission [0224]. The terminal device obtains the SLRB configuration information by using an RRC message [0025], [0030], [0042]);
However, Li does not explicitly disclose a radio resource control (RRC) sidelink reconfiguration message comprising an identifier of the logical channel to which the at least one sidelink carrier is mapped;
wherein instructing the RF circuitry to transmit the sidelink data via the at least one sidelink carrier mapped to the logical channel is based at least in part on the RRC sidelink reconfiguration message;
Adjakple discloses a radio resource control (RRC) sidelink reconfiguration message comprising an identifier of the logical channel (RRC configuration message with one or more LCH identities or one or more LCG identities for mapping of LCH to LCG[0279-0281];
transmit the sidelink data via the at least one sidelink carrier mapped to the logical channel is based at least in part on the RRC sidelink reconfiguration message (reconfiguration message with a list of allowed carriers for each logical channel [0315]);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Li in view of Adjakple in order to have a radio resource control (RRC) sidelink reconfiguration message comprising an identifier of the logical channel;
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to improve service by having the UE configure by the gNB through a dedicated RRC signaling rather than autonomously configuring the LCH/LGH based on V2X parameters preconfigured or provisioned into the UE [Adjakple: 0279].
With respect to claim 19, they do not teach or further define over the limitations in claim 6, respectively. Therefore claim 19 is rejected for the same reasons as set forth in claim 6.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
Xu et al. Pub. No.: (US 2022/0124772 A1). The subject matter disclosed therein is pertinent to that of claims 1-20 (e.g., Method, device and system for triggering scheduling request).
Cheng et al. Pub. No.: (US 2020/0396636 A1). The subject matter disclosed therein is pertinent to that of claims 1-20 (e.g., Device-to-device quality of service flow management).
Agiwal et al. Pub. No.: (US 2020/0314959 A1). The subject matter disclosed therein is pertinent to that of claims 1-20 (e.g., Method and apparatus for initiating radio resource control (RRC) connection for vehicle-to-everything communication).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THAO DUC DUONG whose telephone number is (571)272-2350. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 9-5.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Moo Jeong can be reached on (571)272-9617. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/T. D./
Examiner, Art Unit 2418
/MICHAEL A KELLER/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2418
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