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
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
The factual inquiries 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 non-obviousness.
Claims 1-3, 6, 12-14, 17, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Pub. 2023/0117182 to Xue et al. (hereinafter Xue) in view of US Pub. 2026/0164459 to Di Girolamo et al. (hereinafter Di Girolamo).
In regard claim 1, Xue teaches or discloses a method for sidelink communication, applicable to a first terminal, wherein the first terminal performs the sidelink communication using an unlicensed spectrum, and the method comprises:
performing sidelink transmission in a first time-domain unit in response to a transmission condition being satisfied (see abstract, paragraphs [0081], [0083], and [0084]. sidelink TX logic 1601 may be configured to provide UE 115 with the capability and functionality for performing sidelink communications, whether transmitting or receiving such sideline communications. The UE transmits an eSCI message in a first slot of a first super slot of the one or more super slots identified by the UE for the sidelink transmissions, wherein the eSCI message indicates a reservation of slots corresponding to the one or more sidelink resource slots), wherein the transmission condition comprises the following items:
the first terminal is provided with granted transmission resources in the first time-domain unit (see paragraph [0065], in a first access mode (Mode 1), for in-coverage deployment, SL UEs may receive grants from serving base stations for channel access to resources within the transmission resource pools), and
channel access performed by the first terminal before the first time-domain unit is successful (see paragraphs [0062], [0065], and [0070], in a first access mode (Mode 1), for in-coverage deployment, SL UEs may receive grants from serving base stations for channel access to resources within the transmission resource pools. For the selected sidelink resources, each channel access may include coupled control channel transmissions (e.g., PSCCH) and shared channel transmissions (e.g., PSSCH) in the same slot. UE 115a may transmit a sidelink control information (SCI) message 303 in the first selected resource slot)).
Xue may not explicitly teach or disclose the first terminal is provided with granted transmission resources in the first time-domain unit.
However, Di Girolamo teaches or discloses the first terminal is provided with granted transmission resources in the first time-domain unit (see paragraphs [0074], [0075], [0076], [0089], [0090], and [0160], sidelink resource allocation Mode 1, allows a gNB to schedule sidelink transmissions of a UE. Two types of grants may be provided (a sidelink dynamic grant and a sidelink configured grant). The gNB may schedule the sidelink transmissions, but also indicate that the UE is to monitor a channel reservation signal (CRS). The UE would monitor this signal. When found, the sidelink grant may be relative to the slot on which this signal is received).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify super slot for new radio sidelink over millimeter wave operating frequencies of Xue by including the first terminal is provided with granted transmission resources in the first time-domain unit suggested by Di Girolamo. This modification would provide a network with the ability to allocate resources to UEs on shared spectrum read in paragraph [0003].
In regard claims 2 and 13, Xue may not explicitly teach or disclose the method according to claim 1, wherein the granted transmission resources comprise at least one of: transmission resources allocated by a network device to the first terminal; or transmission resources autonomously selected by the first terminal.
However, Di Girolamo teaches or discloses wherein the granted transmission resources comprise at least one of: transmission resources allocated by a network device to the first terminal; or transmission resources autonomously selected by the first terminal (see paragraphs [0068], [0073], [0168], [0169], and [0171], if the MAC entity is to use resource allocation mode 1 (either dynamic grants or configured grants) or resource allocation mode 2 (either based on sensing or based on random selection). Resource allocation mode 2 based on random selection is targeting exception resource pools).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify super slot for new radio sidelink over millimeter wave operating frequencies of Xue by including wherein the granted transmission resources comprise at least one of: transmission resources allocated by a network device to the first terminal; or transmission resources autonomously selected by the first terminal suggested by Di Girolamo. This modification would provide a network with the ability to allocate resources to UEs on shared spectrum read in paragraph [0003].
In regard claims 3 and 14, Xue teaches or discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein types of the channel access comprise at least one of: Type 1 channel access, Type 2A channel access, Type 2B channel access, or Type 2C channel access (see paragraphs [0062], and [0067], sensing for shared channel access may also be categorized into either full-blown or abbreviated types of LBT procedures. For example, a full LBT procedure, such as a CAT 3 or CAT 4 LBT procedure, including extended channel clearance assessment (ECCA) over a non-trivial number of 9-μs slots, may also be referred to as a “Type 1 LBT.” An abbreviated LBT procedure, such as a CAT 2 LBT procedure, which may include a one-shot CCA for 16-μs or 25-μs, may also be referred to as a “Type 2 LBT.”).
In regard claims 6 and 17, Xue may not explicitly teach or disclose the method according to claim 1, wherein the channel access being successful comprises: channel access immediately before the sidelink transmission in the first time-domain unit is successful.
However, Di Girolamo teaches or discloses wherein the channel access being successful comprises: channel access immediately before the sidelink transmission in the first time-domain unit is successful (see paragraph [0172], note that a shared COT may be initiated by both the gNB and the UEs after a Type 1 channel access procedure. In some cases, for transmission of the Discovery Reference Signals, the gNB may also initiate a shared COT after a Type 2 channel access procedure).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify super slot for new radio sidelink over millimeter wave operating frequencies of Xue by including wherein the channel access being successful comprises: channel access immediately before the sidelink transmission in the first time-domain unit is successful suggested by Di Girolamo. This modification would provide a network with the ability to allocate resources to UEs on shared spectrum read in paragraph [0003].
In regard claim 12, Xue teaches or discloses a terminal (see Fig. 2), comprising:
a processor and a transceiver connected to the processor (see Fig. 2); wherein the processor, when loading and executing one or more executable instructions, is caused to (see Fig. 2):
perform sidelink transmission in a first time-domain unit in response to a transmission condition being satisfied (see abstract, paragraphs [0081], [0083], and [0084]. sidelink TX logic 1601 may be configured to provide UE 115 with the capability and functionality for performing sidelink communications, whether transmitting or receiving such sideline communications. The UE transmits an eSCI message in a first slot of a first super slot of the one or more super slots identified by the UE for the sidelink transmissions, wherein the eSCI message indicates a reservation of slots corresponding to the one or more sidelink resource slots), wherein the transmission condition comprises the following items:
the terminal is provided with granted transmission resources in the first time-domain unit (see paragraphs [0065], in a first access mode (Mode 1), for in-coverage deployment, SL UEs may receive grants from serving base stations for channel access to resources within the transmission resource pools), and
channel access performed by the first terminal before the first time-domain unit is successful (see paragraphs [0062], [0065], and [0070], in a first access mode (Mode 1), for in-coverage deployment, SL UEs may receive grants from serving base stations for channel access to resources within the transmission resource pools. For the selected sidelink resources, each channel access may include coupled control channel transmissions (e.g., PSCCH) and shared channel transmissions (e.g., PSSCH) in the same slot. UE 115a may transmit a sidelink control information (SCI) message 303 in the first selected resource slot)).
Xue may not explicitly teach or disclose the terminal is provided with granted transmission resources in the first time-domain unit.
However, Di Girolamo teaches or discloses the terminal is provided with granted transmission resources in the first time-domain unit (see paragraphs [0074], [0075], [0076], [0089], [0090], [0160], sidelink resource allocation Mode 1, allows a gNB to schedule sidelink transmissions of a UE. Two types of grants may be provided (a sidelink dynamic grant and a sidelink configured grant). The gNB may schedule the sidelink transmissions, but also indicate that the UE is to monitor a channel reservation signal (CRS). The UE would monitor this signal. When found, the sidelink grant may be relative to the slot on which this signal is received).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify super slot for new radio sidelink over millimeter wave operating frequencies of Xue by including the terminal is provided with granted transmission resources in the first time-domain unit suggested by Di Girolamo. This modification would provide a network with the ability to allocate resources to UEs on shared spectrum read in paragraph [0003].
In regard claim 20, Xue teaches or discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (see paragraph [0010]), storing one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs, when loaded and run by a processor, cause the processor to (see paragraph [0010], a non-transitory computer-readable medium stores instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations):
perform sidelink transmission in a first time-domain unit in response to a transmission condition being satisfied (see abstract, paragraphs [0081], [0083], and [0084]. sidelink TX logic 1601 may be configured to provide UE 115 with the capability and functionality for performing sidelink communications, whether transmitting or receiving such sideline communications. The UE transmits an eSCI message in a first slot of a first super slot of the one or more super slots identified by the UE for the sidelink transmissions, wherein the eSCI message indicates a reservation of slots corresponding to the one or more sidelink resource slots), wherein the transmission condition comprises the following items:
the terminal is provided with granted transmission resources in the first time-domain unit (see paragraphs [0065], in a first access mode (Mode 1), for in-coverage deployment, SL UEs may receive grants from serving base stations for channel access to resources within the transmission resource pools), and
channel access performed by the terminal before the first time-domain unit is successful (see paragraphs [0062], [0065], and [0070], in a first access mode (Mode 1), for in-coverage deployment, SL UEs may receive grants from serving base stations for channel access to resources within the transmission resource pools. For the selected sidelink resources, each channel access may include coupled control channel transmissions (e.g., PSCCH) and shared channel transmissions (e.g., PSSCH) in the same slot. UE 115a may transmit a sidelink control information (SCI) message 303 in the first selected resource slot)).
Xue may not explicitly teach or disclose the terminal is provided with granted transmission resources in the first time-domain unit.
However, Di Girolamo teaches or discloses the terminal is provided with granted transmission resources in the first time-domain unit (see paragraphs [0074], [0075], [0076], [0089], [0090], and [0160], sidelink resource allocation Mode 1, allows a gNB to schedule sidelink transmissions of a UE. Two types of grants may be provided (a sidelink dynamic grant and a sidelink configured grant). The gNB may schedule the sidelink transmissions, but also indicate that the UE is to monitor a channel reservation signal (CRS). The UE would monitor this signal. When found, the sidelink grant may be relative to the slot on which this signal is received).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify super slot for new radio sidelink over millimeter wave operating frequencies of Xue by including the terminal is provided with granted transmission resources in the first time-domain unit suggested by Di Girolamo. This modification would provide a network with the ability to allocate resources to UEs on shared spectrum read in paragraph [0003].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-5, 7-11, 15-16, and 18-19 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 PHIRIN SAM whose telephone number is (571)272-3082. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri, 10:30am - 5pm.
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Date: 09/04/2026
/PHIRIN SAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2476
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