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 .
Election/Restrictions
Newly submitted claims 41-60 directed to an invention that is independent or distinct from the invention originally claimed for the following reasons:
A/. Restriction to one of the following inventions is required under 35 U.S.C. 121:
I. Claims 21-40, drawn to “A user equipment (UE) comprising: perform, in a first slot of a plurality of slots, a listen before talk (LBT) procedure related to a new radio (NR) sidelink (SL) transmission; identify a subset of two or more candidate slots of the plurality of slots for transmission of a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) message related to the LBT procedure; and transmit the HARQ message in a candidate slot of the two or more candidate slots”{claims 21, 29 & 37}, classified in CPC H04W 74/0808.
II. Claims 41-60, drawn to “An apparatus for a user equipment (UE) comprising: receive a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) transmission; determine a plurality of physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH) occasions, wherein each PSFCH occasion is associated with the PSSCH transmission; determine a time gap between the PSSCH transmission and the plurality of PSFCH occasions based on a configured minimum time gap parameter; select at least one PSFCH occasion from the plurality of PSFCH occasions within a resource pool based on the time gap; and transmit hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) information in the selected PSFCH occasion; and a memory to store the time gap”{claims 41, 50, 59}, classified in CPC H04L/0006.
B/. The inventions are independent or distinct, each from the other because:
Inventions I and II are unrelated product and process. Inventions are unrelated if it can be shown that they are not disclosed as capable of use together and they have different designs, modes of operation, and effects (MPEP § 802.01 and § 806.06). In the instant case, the different inventions. In the instant case, the different inventions as claimed in Invention I of Claims 21-40, drawn to “A user equipment (UE) comprising: perform, in a first slot of a plurality of slots, a listen before talk (LBT) procedure related to a new radio (NR) sidelink (SL) transmission; identify a subset of two or more candidate slots of the plurality of slots for transmission of a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) message related to the LBT procedure; and transmit the HARQ message in a candidate slot of the two or more candidate slots”{claims 21, 29 & 37}, classified in CPC H04W 74/0808; While invention II of Claims 41-60, drawn to “An apparatus for a user equipment (UE) comprising: receive a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) transmission; determine a plurality of physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH) occasions, wherein each PSFCH occasion is associated with the PSSCH transmission; determine a time gap between the PSSCH transmission and the plurality of PSFCH occasions based on a configured minimum time gap parameter; select at least one PSFCH occasion from the plurality of PSFCH occasions within a resource pool based on the time gap; and transmit hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) information in the selected PSFCH occasion; and a memory to store the time gap”{claims 41, 50, 59}, classified in CPC H04L/0006.
Since applicant has received an action on the merits for the originally presented invention, this invention has been constructively elected by original presentation for prosecution on the merits. Accordingly, newly submitted claims 41-60 are withdrawn from consideration as being directed to a non-elected invention. See 37 CFR 1.142(b) and MPEP § 821.03.
To preserve a right to petition, the reply to this action must distinctly and specifically point out supposed errors in the restriction requirement. Otherwise, the election shall be treated as a final election without traverse. Traversal must be timely. Failure to timely traverse the requirement will result in the loss of right to petition under 37 CFR 1.144. If claims are subsequently added, applicant must indicate which of the subsequently added claims are readable upon the elected invention.
Should applicant traverse on the ground that the inventions are not patentably distinct, applicant should submit evidence or identify such evidence now of record showing the inventions to be obvious variants or clearly admit on the record that this is the case. In either instance, if the examiner finds one of the inventions unpatentable over the prior art, the evidence or admission may be used in a rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) of the other invention.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7-29-26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
A/. With respect to previous 102 rejections, applicant’s argument in Remarks {pages 6-8} is not found persuasive because the amended claims 21-40 {which are now all canceled} and newly submitted claims 41-60 are completely in different scope than the original claims 21-40, thus the amendment is impermissible and restricted {Note that the MPEP does not allow the applicant to submit a new invention after mailing a first action; See 37 CFR 1.142(b) and MPEP 821.03}.
Previous Rejections with respect to the canceled claims 21-40
are as following in ¶4-¶10:
Priority
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application, PCT/US2023/066084 filed 4-21-23, has Provisional Applications 63407384 filed 9-16-22, 63352856 filed 6-16-22 and 63333989 filed 4-22-22 under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged.
Information Disclosure Statement
These information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 7-29-24 & 8-5-24. These submissions are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, these information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 7-29-24. These drawings are acceptable.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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) 21-40 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1-2) as being anticipated by Guo (US 2020/0029318 A1).
Regarding Claim 21.
A user equipment (UE) {Guo (US 2020/0029318 A1): UE 116-Fig.3} comprising:
one or more processors {Guo (US 2020/0029318 A1): processor 340-Fig.3 & ¶0091-¶0093}; and
one or more non-transitory computer-readable media {Guo (US 2020/0029318 A1): memory 360-Fig.3 & ¶0094} comprising instructions that, upon execution of the instructions by the one or more processors, are to cause the UE to:
perform, in a first slot of a plurality of slots, a listen before talk (LBT) procedure related to a new radio (NR) sidelink (SL) transmission media {Guo (US 2020/0029318 A1): ¶0271 wherein “in 3004-Fig.30B, the receiver can transmit the information of NACK or ACK for the received PSSCH in the PSFCH subchannel that is associated with the PSSCH resource m at sidelink slot t.sub.n.sup.SL where the receiver UE detects the SA that schedules the decoded PSSCH in 3003. In the example of 3004, the associated PSFCH subchannel is PSFCH subchannel (or called PSFCH resource) m at sidelink slot t.sub.n+L.sup.SL, where the value L>0 can be configured or preconfigured” and ¶0387 wherein “a UE can be requested to select sidelink resource for transmission based on both decoding SA (scheduling assignment) and LBT (listen before talk)-type channel sensing. At time moment t, a UE can decode the SA received during time window t−ΔT.sub.1˜t−ΔT.sub.2 to determine which subchannels in slots in the time window t+ΔT.sub.3˜t+ΔT.sub.4 are reserved by other UEs, where ΔT.sub.1>=0, ΔT.sub.2>=0 and ΔT.sub.1>ΔT.sub.2 and ΔT.sub.3 >=0, ΔT.sub.4>=0 and ΔT.sub.4>ΔT.sub.3. Each SA transmitted at slot n can include the information to indicate resource reservation at some future slot n+m (m>0)”; In other words, the receiver UE inherently performed LBT upon receiving the SA (the claimed candidate slots), emphasis added};
identify a subset of two or more candidate slots of the plurality of slots for transmission of a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) message related to the LBT procedure {Guo (US 2020/0029318 A1): ¶0270 wherein “ A receiver UE can receive the SA from PSCCH resource m at slot t.sub.n.sup.SL and then decode the SCI in 3003.” And Also ¶0387 wherein “At time moment t, a UE can decode the SA received during time window t−ΔT.sub.1˜t−ΔT.sub.2 to determine which subchannels in slots in the time window t+ΔT.sub.3˜t+ΔT.sub.4 are reserved by other UEs, where ΔT.sub.1>=0, ΔT.sub.2>=0 and ΔT.sub.1>ΔT.sub.2 and ΔT.sub.3 >=0, ΔT.sub.4>=0 and ΔT.sub.4>ΔT.sub.3. Each SA transmitted at slot n can include the information to indicate resource reservation at some future slot n+m (m>0). Then the UE can do per-subchannel LBT to select subchannels from the remaining subchannel in time window t+ΔT.sub.3˜t+ΔT.sub.4”; In other words, by decoded the SA from transmitter UE, the receiver UE identifying the SA (the claimed candidate slots), emphasis added}; and
transmit the HARQ message in a candidate slot of the two or more candidate slots {Guo (US 2020/0029318 A1): step 3004-Fig.30B wherein the receiver UE transmit NACK/ACK (the claimed HARQ message) in the decoded slots from SA, ¶0271}.
Regarding Claim 22. The UE of claim 21, wherein the subset of two or more candidate slots includes four candidate slots {Guo (US 2020/0029318 A1): ¶0311 wherein “The gNB can use a single downlink signaling (for example one DCI) to allocate the sidelink resource in one slot or in multiple slots”}.
Regarding Claim 23. The UE of claim 21, wherein transmission of the HARQ message includes transmission of the HARQ message in a physical SL feedback channel (PSFCH) transmission {Guo (US 2020/0029318 A1): ¶0170 wherein “the resource of PSFCH resource in one sidelink slot can be partitioned into one or more PSFCH subchannel and one UE can choose one PSFCH subchannel to transmit sidelink feedback information (for example ACK/NACK for adaptive HARQ, CSI feedback)”; also Figs.8-22, 26 & 30B and ¶0254}.
Regarding Claim 24. The UE of claim 21, wherein transmitting the HARQ message is performed via unicast transmission {Guo (US 2020/0029318 A1): ¶0215 wherein “the UE can be configured with one or more SL-BWPs for sidelink transmission and then each SL-BWP for sidelink transmission is associated with transmission type: unicast, groupcast, or broadcast”; also ¶0105 & ¶0280}.
Regarding Claim 25. The UE of claim 21, wherein transmitting the HARQ message is performed via groupcast transmission {Guo (US 2020/0029318 A1): ¶0215 wherein “the UE can be configured with one or more SL-BWPs for sidelink transmission and then each SL-BWP for sidelink transmission is associated with transmission type: unicast, groupcast, or broadcast”; also ¶0105 & ¶0280}.
Regarding Claim 26. The UE of claim 21, wherein transmitting the HARQ message is performed via broadcast transmission {Guo (US 2020/0029318 A1): ¶0215 wherein “the UE can be configured with one or more SL-BWPs for sidelink transmission and then each SL-BWP for sidelink transmission is associated with transmission type: unicast, groupcast, or broadcast”; also ¶0105 & ¶0280}.
Regarding Claim 27. The UE of claim 21, wherein a non-candidate slot is between respective slots of the two or more candidate slots in the plurality of slots {Guo (US 2020/0029318 A1): ¶0311 wherein “The gNB can use a single downlink signaling (for example one DCI) to allocate the sidelink resource in one slot or in multiple slots”; In other words, since the allocated slots are the candidate slots, thus the unallocated slots inherently are the non-candidate slots, emphasis added}.
Regarding Claim 28. The UE of claim 21, wherein the NR SL transmission is a physical SL control channel (PSCCH) transmission or a physical SL shared channel (PSSCH) transmission {Guo (US 2020/0029318 A1): ¶0213 wherein “the UE can be configured to monitor and detect PSSCH and then decode scheduled PSSCH in all the configured SL-BWPs configured for sidelink receive”}.
Regarding Claim 29.
An apparatus for use in a user equipment (UE) {Guo (US 2020/0029318 A1): UE 116-Fig.3}, wherein the apparatus comprises:
memory {Guo (US 2020/0029318 A1): memory 360-Fig.3 & ¶0091-¶0092 & ¶0094} to store a generated new radio (NR) sidelink (SL) transmission; and
one or more processors {Guo (US 2020/0029318 A1): processor 340-Fig.3 & ¶0091-¶0093} configured to:
facilitate transmission, by the UE, of the NR SL transmission {Guo (US 2020/0029318 A1): ¶0271 wherein “in 3004-Fig.30B, the receiver can transmit the information of NACK or ACK for the received PSSCH in the PSFCH subchannel that is associated with the PSSCH resource m at sidelink slot t.sub.n.sup.SL where the receiver UE detects the SA that schedules the decoded PSSCH in 3003. In the example of 3004, the associated PSFCH subchannel is PSFCH subchannel (or called PSFCH resource) m at sidelink slot t.sub.n+L.sup.SL, where the value L>0 can be configured or preconfigured” and ¶0387 wherein “a UE can be requested to select sidelink resource for transmission based on both decoding SA (scheduling assignment) and LBT (listen before talk)-type channel sensing. At time moment t, a UE can decode the SA received during time window t−ΔT.sub.1˜t−ΔT.sub.2 to determine which subchannels in slots in the time window t+ΔT.sub.3˜t+ΔT.sub.4 are reserved by other UEs, where ΔT.sub.1>=0, ΔT.sub.2>=0 and ΔT.sub.1>ΔT.sub.2 and ΔT.sub.3 >=0, ΔT.sub.4>=0 and ΔT.sub.4>ΔT.sub.3. Each SA transmitted at slot n can include the information to indicate resource reservation at some future slot n+m (m>0)”; In other words, the receiver UE inherently performed LBT upon receiving the SA (the claimed candidate slots), emphasis added}; and
identify, in a slot of a subset of two or more candidate slots of a plurality of slots, a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) message based on a listen before talk (LBT) procedure performed in a first slot of the plurality of slots, wherein the LBT procedure is related to the NR SL transmission {Guo (US 2020/0029318 A1): ¶0270 wherein “ A receiver UE can receive the SA from PSCCH resource m at slot t.sub.n.sup.SL and then decode the SCI in 3003.” And Also ¶0387 wherein “At time moment t, a UE can decode the SA received during time window t−ΔT.sub.1˜t−ΔT.sub.2 to determine which subchannels in slots in the time window t+ΔT.sub.3˜t+ΔT.sub.4 are reserved by other UEs, where ΔT.sub.1>=0, ΔT.sub.2>=0 and ΔT.sub.1>ΔT.sub.2 and ΔT.sub.3 >=0, ΔT.sub.4>=0 and ΔT.sub.4>ΔT.sub.3. Each SA transmitted at slot n can include the information to indicate resource reservation at some future slot n+m (m>0). Then the UE can do per-subchannel LBT to select subchannels from the remaining subchannel in time window t+ΔT.sub.3˜t+ΔT.sub.4”; In other words, by decoded the SA from transmitter UE, the receiver UE identifying the SA (the claimed candidate slots), emphasis added}.
Regarding Claim 30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the subset of two or more candidate slots includes four candidate slots.
-Claim 30 is rejected with the same reasons as set forth in claim 22.
Regarding Claim 31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein identification of the HARQ message includes identification of the HARQ message in a physical SL feedback channel (PSFCH) transmission.
-Claim 31 is rejected with the same reasons as set forth in claim 23.
Regarding Claim 32. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the HARQ message is to be transmitted via unicast transmission.
-Claim 32 is rejected with the same reasons as set forth in claim 24.
Regarding Claim 33. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the HARQ message is to be transmitted via groupcast transmission.
-Claim 33 is rejected with the same reasons as set forth in claim 25.
Regarding Claim 34. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the HARQ message is to be transmitted via broadcast transmission.
-Claim 34 is rejected with the same reasons as set forth in claim 26.
Regarding Claim 35. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein a non-candidate slot is between respective slots of the two or more candidate slots in the plurality of slots.
-Claim 35 is rejected with the same reasons as set forth in claim 27.
Regarding Claim 36. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the NR SL transmission is a physical SL control channel (PSCCH) transmission or a physical SL shared channel (PSSCH) transmission.
-Claim 36 is rejected with the same reasons as set forth in claim 28.
Regarding Claim 37.
-Claim 27 is rejected with the same reasons as set forth in claim 21.
One or more non-transitory computer-readable media (NTCRM) comprising instructions that, upon execution of the instructions by one or more processors of a user equipment (UE), are to cause the UE to:
perform, in a first slot of a plurality of slots, a listen before talk (LBT) procedure related to a new radio (NR) sidelink (SL) transmission;
identify a subset of two or more candidate slots of the plurality of slots for transmission of a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) message related to the LBT procedure; and
transmit the HARQ message in a candidate slot of the two or more candidate slots.
Regarding Claim 38. The one or more NTCRM of claim 37, wherein the subset of two or more candidate slots includes four candidate slots.
-Claim 38 is rejected with the same reasons as set forth in claim 22.
Regarding Claim 39. The one or more NTCRM of claim 37, wherein transmission of the HARQ message includes transmission of the HARQ message in a physical SL feedback channel (PSFCH) transmission.
-Claim 39 is rejected with the same reasons as set forth in claim 23.
Regarding Claim 40. The one or more NTCRM of claim 37, wherein a non-candidate slot is between respective slots of the two or more candidate slots in the plurality of slots.
-Claim 40 is rejected with the same reasons as set forth in claim 27.
Claim(s) 21-40 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1-2) as being anticipated by Do (US 2025/0220713 A1).
Regarding Claim 29.
An apparatus for use in a user equipment (UE){Do (US 2025/0220713 A1): UE 1000-Fig.10}, wherein the apparatus comprises:
memory {Do (US 2025/0220713 A1): memory 1010-Fig.10 & ¶0123-¶0124} to store a generated new radio (NR) sidelink (SL) transmission {Do: data 1016-Fig.10}; and
one or more processors {Do (US 2025/0220713 A1): processing circuitry 1002-Fig.10} configured to:
facilitate transmission, by the UE, of the NR SL transmission {Do (US 2025/0220713 A1): 601-Fig.6 wherein “A set of candidate transmission resources in a channel for transmission of a transport block (TB) is determined (601). A first transmission resource for transmission of the TB in a first time slot of the channel is selected (603) from the set of candidate transmission resources”, Abstract and also Figs.7-8}; and
identify, in a slot of a subset of two or more candidate slots of a plurality of slots, a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) message based on a listen before talk (LBT) procedure performed in a first slot of the plurality of slots, wherein the LBT procedure is related to the NR SL transmission {Do (US 2025/0220713 A1): steps 605 & 607 in Fig.6 wherein “Opportunistic transmission of the TB is performed. That is, prior to the first time slot, a channel access procedure in the channel and a resource sensing procedure in the channel is performed (605)(the claimed LBT, ¶0018-¶0020). In response to the channel access procedure and the resource sensing procedure, it is determined (607) that a second transmission resource in a second time slot of the channel is available for use. The second time slot is earlier in time than the first time slot”, Abstract and also Figs.7-8}.
Regarding Claim 30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the subset of two or more candidate slots includes four candidate slots {Do (US 2025/0220713 A1): ¶0007-the candidate resources, ¶0020, ¶0046-¶0049}.
Regarding Claim 31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein identification of the HARQ message includes identification of the HARQ message in a physical SL feedback channel (PSFCH) transmission {Do (US 2025/0220713 A1): ¶0040 wherein “the RX UE can provide SL hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback (FB) to the TX UE. The SL HARQ FB may be carried by a physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH).”}.
Regarding Claim 32. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the HARQ message is to be transmitted via unicast transmission {Do (US 2025/0220713 A1): ¶0004 wherein “the new radio sidelink (NR SL) is capable of broadcast, groupcast, and unicast
communications”}.
Regarding Claim 33. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the HARQ message is to be transmitted via groupcast transmission {Do (US 2025/0220713 A1): ¶0004 wherein “the new radio sidelink (NR SL) is capable of broadcast, groupcast, and unicast
communications”}.
Regarding Claim 34. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the HARQ message is to be transmitted via broadcast transmission {Do (US 2025/0220713 A1): ¶0004 wherein “the new radio sidelink (NR SL) is capable of broadcast, groupcast, and unicast
communications”}.
Regarding Claim 35. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein a non-candidate slot is between respective slots of the two or more candidate slots in the plurality of slots {Do (US 2025/0220713 A1): ¶0007-the resources reserved by other UEs}.
Regarding Claim 36. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the NR SL transmission is a physical SL control channel (PSCCH) transmission or a physical SL shared channel (PSSCH) transmission {Do (US 2025/0220713 A1): ¶[0041 wherein “TX UE: this is the UE transmitting one or more TBs to a RX UE (or multiple RX UEs) along with control signaling. These messages may be carried by a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) and/or a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH)”}.
Regarding Claim 21.
A user equipment (UE) ){Do (US 2025/0220713 A1): UE 1000-Fig.10}comprising:
one or more processors {Do (US 2025/0220713 A1): processing circuitry 1002-Fig.10}; and
one or more non-transitory computer-readable media {Do (US 2025/0220713 A1): memory 1010-Fig.10 & ¶0123-¶0124} comprising instructions that, upon execution of the instructions by the one or more processors, are to cause the UE to:
perform, in a first slot of a plurality of slots, a listen before talk (LBT) procedure related to a new radio (NR) sidelink (SL) transmission {Do (US 2025/0220713 A1): ¶0018 wherein “First, a UE typically needs to perform a channel access procedure (e.g., listen-before-talk (LBT)) before each SL transmission;” step 605 in Fig.6 wherein “prior to the first time slot, a channel access procedure in the channel and a resource sensing procedure in the channel is performed (605)” & also Figs.7-8};
identify a subset of two or more candidate slots of the plurality of slots for transmission of a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) message related to the LBT procedure {Do (US 2025/0220713 A1): In response to the channel access procedure and the resource sensing procedure, it is determined (607) that a second transmission resource in a second time slot of the channel is available for use” & Figs.7-8}; and
transmit the HARQ message in a candidate slot of the two or more candidate slots {Do (US 2025/0220713 A1): step 609-Fig.6 wherein “The TB is transmitted (609) using the second transmission resource”}.
Regarding Claim 22. The UE of claim 21, wherein the subset of two or more candidate slots includes four candidate slots.
-Claim 22 is rejected with the same reasons as set forth in claim 30.
Regarding Claim 23. The UE of claim 21, wherein transmission of the HARQ message includes transmission of the HARQ message in a physical SL feedback channel (PSFCH) transmission.
-Claim 23 is rejected with the same reasons as set forth in claim 31.
Regarding Claim 24. The UE of claim 21, wherein transmitting the HARQ message is performed via unicast transmission.
-Claim 24 is rejected with the same reasons as set forth in claim 32.
Regarding Claim 25. The UE of claim 21, wherein transmitting the HARQ message is performed via groupcast transmission.
-Claim 25 is rejected with the same reasons as set forth in claim 33.
Regarding Claim 26. The UE of claim 21, wherein transmitting the HARQ message is performed via broadcast transmission.
-Claim 26 is rejected with the same reasons as set forth in claim 34.
Regarding Claim 27. The UE of claim 21, wherein a non-candidate slot is between respective slots of the two or more candidate slots in the plurality of slots.
-Claim 27 is rejected with the same reasons as set forth in claim 35.
Regarding Claim 28. The UE of claim 21, wherein the NR SL transmission is a physical SL control channel (PSCCH) transmission or a physical SL shared channel (PSSCH) transmission.
-Claim 28 is rejected with the same reasons as set forth in claim 36.
Regarding Claim 37.
-Claim 37 is rejected with the same reasons as set forth in claim 21.
One or more non-transitory computer-readable media (NTCRM) comprising instructions that, upon execution of the instructions by one or more processors of a user equipment (UE), are to cause the UE to:
perform, in a first slot of a plurality of slots, a listen before talk (LBT) procedure related to a new radio (NR) sidelink (SL) transmission;
identify a subset of two or more candidate slots of the plurality of slots for transmission of a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) message related to the LBT procedure; and
transmit the HARQ message in a candidate slot of the two or more candidate slots.
Regarding Claim 38. The one or more NTCRM of claim 37, wherein the subset of two or more candidate slots includes four candidate slots.
-Claim 38 is rejected with the same reasons as set forth in claim 22.
Regarding Claim 39. The one or more NTCRM of claim 37, wherein transmission of the HARQ message includes transmission of the HARQ message in a physical SL feedback channel (PSFCH) transmission.
-Claim 39 is rejected with the same reasons as set forth in claim 23.
Regarding Claim 40. The one or more NTCRM of claim 37, wherein a non-candidate slot is between respective slots of the two or more candidate slots in the plurality of slots.
-Claim 40 is rejected with the same reasons as set forth in claim 27.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
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/PHUONGCHAU BA NGUYEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2464
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