Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 18, 2026
Application No. 18/800,574

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RESOURCE ALLOCATION AND BANDWIDTH PART INACTIVITY TIMER HANDLING FOR VEHICLE-TO-EVERYTHING COMMUNICATION

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Aug 12, 2024
Priority
Sep 18, 2018 — provisional 62/732,775 +2 more
Examiner
CHOWDHURY, HARUN UR R
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
76%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
9m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 76% — above average
76%
Career Allowance Rate
454 granted / 598 resolved
+15.9% vs TC avg
Strong +25% interview lift
Without
With
+25.4%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 9m
Avg Prosecution
34 currently pending
Career history
641
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
4.4%
-35.6% vs TC avg
§103
49.5%
+9.5% vs TC avg
§102
21.3%
-18.7% vs TC avg
§112
19.6%
-20.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 598 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 1. 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 2. 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. 3. Claims 1-2, 5, 7-8, 12-14, and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tabet et al (US 20150156693, hereinafter referred to as Tabet) in view of Pan et al (US 20210267015, hereinafter referred to as Pan) and further in view of Park et al (US 20190261425, hereinafter referred to as Park). Re claim 1, Tabet teaches a method performed by a user equipment (UE) (UE 106) in a wireless communication system (Fig. 7, Abstract), the method comprising: (i) identifying that a plurality of serving cells is configured (configured primary cell and secondary cell) (Fig 7, Abstract, Par 0060, Par 0062, Par 0068, Par 0079-0082, Par 0086, Par 0090-0091); (ii) receiving a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) (providing cross-carrier scheduling for D2D communication over PDCCH of the primary cell) on an active downlink (DL) bandwidth part (BWP) of a first serving cell (primary cell channel used to transmit PDCCH, Fig. 6-7), wherein the PDCCH is addressed to a D2D specific (i.e., sidelink specific) RNTI Tabet does not disclose to address the PDCCH to a sidelink (SL) vehicle-radio network temporary identifier (SL-V-RNTI) or SL-semi persistent scheduling- vehicle-radio network temporary identifier (SL-SPS-V-RNTI)); Tabet discloses to address the PDCCH to a D2D specific RNTI but does not disclose to (iii) address the PDCCH to a sidelink (SL) vehicle-radio network temporary identifier (SL-V-RNTI) or SL-semi persistent scheduling- vehicle-radio network temporary identifier (SL-SPS-V-RNTI). Tabet also does not disclose to (iv) start a BWP inactivity timer associated with an active DL BWP of the second serving cell. Re component (iii), Pan teaches to (iii) address the PDCCH to a sidelink (SL) vehicle-radio network temporary identifier (SL-V-RNTI) or SL-semi persistent scheduling- vehicle-radio network temporary identifier (SL-SPS-V-RNTI) (Par 0075-0077, Par 0084-0088, Par 0134-0135, Claims 1-4). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Tabet by including the step to (iii) address the PDCCH to a sidelink (SL) vehicle-radio network temporary identifier (SL-V-RNTI) or SL-semi persistent scheduling- vehicle-radio network temporary identifier (SL-SPS-V-RNTI), as taught by Pan for the purpose of specifying sidelink resources allocated for V2X communication, as taught by Pan (Par 0134-0135). Re component (iv), Park teaches to (iv) start a BWP inactivity timer associated with an active DL BWP of the second serving cell (starting inactivity timer for an active DL BWP other than the default DL BWP) (Par 0266-0268, Par 0321-0326, Par 0332, Par 0325-0329, Par 0340-0341). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Tabet by including the step to (iv) start a BWP inactivity timer associated with an active DL BWP of the second serving cell, as taught by Park for the purpose of improving radio resource configuration to minimize interference on initial bandwidth parts, as taught by Park (Par 0305-0306). Claim 7 recites a user equipment performing the steps recited in claim 1 and thereby, is rejected for the reasons discussed above with respect claim 1. Tabet further teaches that the UE comprises at least one transceiver (radio, antenna); and at least one processor (processor) (Fig. 3, Par 0044). Re claims 2, 8, 14, Tabet does not explicitly disclose that in case that a default DL BWP is configured and the active DL BWP of the second serving cell is not the default DL BWP, the BWP inactivity timer starts, or, in case that the default DL BWP is not configured and the active DL BWP of the second serving cell is not an initial DL BWP, the BWP inactivity timer starts. Park teaches that in case that a default DL BWP is configured and the active DL BWP of the second serving cell is not the default DL BWP, the BWP inactivity timer starts (starting inactivity timer for an active DL BWP other than the default DL BWP) (Par 0266-0268, Par 0321-0326, Par 0332, Par 0325-0329, Par 0340-0341), or, in case that the default DL BWP is not configured and the active DL BWP of the second serving cell is not an initial DL BWP, the BWP inactivity timer starts. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Tabet by including the step that in case that a default DL BWP is configured and the active DL BWP of the second serving cell is not the default DL BWP, the BWP inactivity timer starts, or, in case that the default DL BWP is not configured and the active DL BWP of the second serving cell is not an initial DL BWP, the BWP inactivity timer starts, as taught by Park for the purpose of improving radio resource configuration to minimize interference on initial bandwidth parts, as taught by Park (Par 0305-0306). Re claims 5, 12, 17, 19, Tabet teaches that the second serving cell is the first serving cell (Primary cell) (Fig. 5-7, Abstract, Par 0028, Par 0060-0062, Par 0064, Par 0068-0070). Re claim 13, Tabet teaches a method performed by a base station (UE) (BS 102) in a wireless communication system (Fig. 7, Abstract), the method comprising: (i)configuring, to a user equipment (UE), a plurality of serving cells (configured primary cell and secondary cell) (Fig 7, Abstract, Par 0060, Par 0062, Par 0068, Par 0079-0082, Par 0086, Par 0090-0091); (ii) transmitting, to the UE, a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) (providing cross-carrier scheduling for D2D communication over PDCCH of the primary cell) on an active downlink (DL) bandwidth part (BWP) of a first serving cell (primary cell channel used to transmit PDCCH, Fig. 6-7), wherein the PDCCH is addressed to a D2D specific (i.e., sidelink specific) RNTI Tabet does not disclose to address the PDCCH to a sidelink (SL) vehicle-radio network temporary identifier (SL-V-RNTI) or SL-semi persistent scheduling- vehicle-radio network temporary identifier (SL-SPS-V-RNTI)); Tabet discloses to address the PDCCH to a D2D specific RNTI but does not disclose to (iii) address the PDCCH to a sidelink (SL) vehicle-radio network temporary identifier (SL-V-RNTI) or SL-semi persistent scheduling- vehicle-radio network temporary identifier (SL-SPS-V-RNTI). Tabet also does not disclose to (iv) start a BWP inactivity timer associated with an active DL BWP of the second serving cell. Re component (iii), Pan teaches to (iii) address the PDCCH to a sidelink (SL) vehicle-radio network temporary identifier (SL-V-RNTI) or SL-semi persistent scheduling- vehicle-radio network temporary identifier (SL-SPS-V-RNTI) (Par 0075-0077, Par 0084-0088, Par 0134-0135, Claims 1-4). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Tabet by including the step to (iii) address the PDCCH to a sidelink (SL) vehicle-radio network temporary identifier (SL-V-RNTI) or SL-semi persistent scheduling- vehicle-radio network temporary identifier (SL-SPS-V-RNTI), as taught by Pan for the purpose of specifying sidelink resources allocated for V2X communication, as taught by Pan (Par 0134-0135). Re component (iv), Park teaches to (iv) start a BWP inactivity timer associated with an active DL BWP of the second serving cell (starting inactivity timer for an active DL BWP other than the default DL BWP) (Par 0266-0268, Par 0321-0326, Par 0332, Par 0325-0329, Par 0340-0341). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Tabet by including the step to (iv) start a BWP inactivity timer associated with an active DL BWP of the second serving cell, as taught by Park for the purpose of improving radio resource configuration to minimize interference on initial bandwidth parts, as taught by Park (Par 0305-0306). Claim 18 recites a base station performing the steps recited in claim 13 and thereby, is rejected for the reasons discussed above with respect claim 13. Tabet further teaches that the base station comprises at least one transceiver (radio, antenna); and at least one processor (processor) (Fig. 4, Par 0049-0052). 4. Claims 3, 9, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tabet, Pan, and Park as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Cirik et al (US 20190306842, hereinafter referred to as Cirik). Re claims 3, 9, 15, Tabet does not explicitly disclose to identify whether there is ongoing random access procedure associated with the second serving cell, wherein the BWP inactivity timer starts in case that there is no ongoing random access procedure associated with the second serving cell. Cirik teaches to identify whether there is ongoing random access procedure associated with the second serving cell (identifying the completion of a random access procedure by receiving DCI), wherein the BWP inactivity timer starts in case that there is no ongoing random access procedure associated with the second serving cell (BWP inactivity timer is started after the completion of a random access procedure (i.e., receiving a DCI) (Fig. 23, Fig. 26, Par 0004, Par 0260, Par 0281-0285, Par 0294-0295, Par 0314-0316, Par 0360). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Tabet by including the step to identify whether there is ongoing random access procedure associated with the second serving cell, wherein the BWP inactivity timer starts in case that there is no ongoing random access procedure associated with the second serving cell, as taught by Cirik for the purpose of “reducing and/or preventing timing misalignment and/or BWP misalignment between the base station and the wireless device” to improve latency, resource utilization and power consumption, as taught by Cirik (Par 0263). 5. Claims 4, 10, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tabet, Pan, and Park as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Thangarasa et al (US 20160234718, hereinafter referred to as Thangarasa). Re claims 4, 10, 16, Tabet does not explicitly disclose that the second serving cell is a time division duplex (TDD) cell. Thangarasa teaches that the second serving cell is a time division duplex (TDD) cell (Par 0057). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Tabet by including the step that the second serving cell is a time division duplex (TDD) cell, as taught by Thangarasa for the purpose of “balancing device-to-device, D2D, traffic in a communications network”, as taught by Thangarasa (Par 0001). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 6 and 11 are 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. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HARUN UR R CHOWDHURY whose telephone number is (571)270-3895. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9AM-5PM. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kwang B Yao can be reached at 5712723182. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /HARUN CHOWDHURY/Examiner, Art Unit 2473
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Prosecution Timeline

Aug 12, 2024
Application Filed
Jul 27, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
76%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+25.4%)
2y 9m (~9m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 598 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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