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 .
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.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Chien (US 20250331003 A1) discloses a wireless communication method. A user equipment (UE) derives a length of multiple consecutive slots for a sidelink transmission and selects a resource of a set of multiple consecutive slots from resource candidates in a resource selection procedure according to the derived length of multiple consecutive slots. The UE generates resource reservation information for indicating a resource reserved for the selected resource of the set of multiple consecutive slots, wherein the selected resource is included in the reserved resource. The UE determines whether the reserved resource is valid for sidelink transmission and transmits sidelink data over the reserved resource according to a channel access scheme if the reserved resource is determined to be valid for sidelink transmission {Figs.1-10}.
Zhu (US 9241327 B2, same assignee) discloses a method of wireless resource block assignment in a long term evolution wireless network including creating a downlink control information message for a user equipment, the downlink control information message comprising: a resource block assignment field which indicates up to N physical resource blocks scheduled to the user equipment by specifying an index into a plurality of all possible physical resource block allocations of between 1 and N resource blocks, wherein the resource block assignment field comprises at most a number of bits necessary to address all of the possible physical resource block allocations for assignments of 1 to N physical resource blocks, and wherein N is less than a total number of physical resource blocks; and sending the downlink control information over a physical downlink control channel using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing {Claims 1-20}.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHUONGCHAU BA NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-3148. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 7:30 AM -5:30 PM.
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, RICKY NGO can be reached at 571-272-3139. 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.
/PHUONGCHAU BA NGUYEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2464
Prosecution Insights