Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 17, 2026
Application No. 18/838,186

SIDELINK RESOURCE SELECTION FOR A USER EQUIPMENT (UE)

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Aug 13, 2024
Priority
Apr 28, 2022 — nonprovisional of PCTCN2022089910
Examiner
KIM, ANDREW CHANUL
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Qualcomm Incorporated
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
43%
Grant Probability
Moderate
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 4m
Est. Remaining
48%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 43% of resolved cases
43%
Career Allowance Rate
16 granted / 37 resolved
-16.8% vs TC avg
Minimal +4% lift
Without
With
+4.5%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 4m
Avg Prosecution
38 currently pending
Career history
94
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.4%
-39.6% vs TC avg
§103
69.3%
+29.3% vs TC avg
§102
22.3%
-17.7% vs TC avg
§112
7.4%
-32.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 37 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
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 . Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 8/13/24 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Claim Objections Claim 1 objected to because of the following informalities: “based on based on” should be “based on”. Appropriate correction is required. 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)(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) 1, 6-8, 13-15, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hahn US 12108421 (hereinafter “Hahn”). As to claim 1, 8, and 15 (claim 8 is the method claim for the apparatus and non-transitory computer-readable medium in claim 1 and 15 respectively): Hahn discloses: An apparatus for wireless communication by a user equipment (UE), the apparatus comprising: a receiver configured to receive, from a base station, a control message indicating a sidelink resource pool; (“The base station may transmit system information (e.g., SIB1, SIB21, SIB26) including ‘mapping information between zone and sidelink resource’ and/or ‘mapping information between area and sidelink resource’ to the terminal (S803)”, Hahn [83]) and a transmitter configured to perform, after receiving the control message, a sidelink transmission using one or more sidelink resources, (“The terminal may perform sidelink communication using sidelink resources (e.g., resource pool) mapped to the area or zone to which the terminal belongs (S806).”, Hahn [88]) wherein, based on a speed associated with the UE exceeding a threshold speed (“According to the present disclosure, a resource allocation scheme for sidelink communication may be determined based on mobility information (e.g., speed, speed change) of a terminal. In a type1-resource allocation scheme, sidelink resources (e.g., resource pool) for each of areas may be configured, and in a type2-resource allocation scheme, sidelink resources for each of zones may be configured. When the speed of the terminal is equal to or greater than a threshold value, the type1-resource allocation scheme may be used, and when the speed of the terminal is less than the threshold value, the type2-resource allocation scheme may be used.”, Hahn [27]), the one or more sidelink resources include one of: a first sidelink resource of the sidelink resource pool based on the first sidelink resource being associated with a high speed flag; or a preconfigured sidelink resource based on based on a time interval since a previous sidelink transmission failing to exceed a threshold time interval and further based on the sidelink resource pool failing to indicate a resource associated with the high speed flag. (“The terminal may receive system information from the base station, and may identify information elements (e.g., information elements listed in Table 3) included in the system information. For example, the terminal may determine its mobility state (e.g., high speed, medium speed, or low speed), and may select a resource allocation scheme (e.g., type1-resource allocation scheme or type2-resource allocation scheme) to be used based on the mobility state (S802). When the mobility state of the terminal is the type1-mobility state, the terminal may determine that the type1-resource allocation scheme is to be used for sidelink communication. When the mobility state of the terminal is the type2-mobility state, the terminal may determine that the type2-resource allocation scheme is to be used for sidelink communication.”, Hahn [80]) (Examiner’s Note: “mobility state” maps to “flag”) As to claim 6, 13, and 20 (claim 13 is the method claim for the apparatus and non-transitory computer-readable medium in claim 6 and 20 respectively): Hahn discloses: The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control message corresponds to a system information block (SIB). (“The base station may transmit system information (e.g., SIB1, SIB21, SIB26) including ‘mapping information between zone and sidelink resource’ and/or ‘mapping information between area and sidelink resource’ to the terminal (S803)”, Hahn [83]) As to claim 7 and 14 (claim 14 is the method claim for the apparatus in claim 7): Hahn discloses: The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control message corresponds to a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message. (“The base station may transmit system information (e.g., SIB1, SIB21, SIB26) including mapping information between zone and sidelink resource and/or mapping information between area and sidelink resource to the terminal (S901). The mapping information between zone and sidelink resource and/or the mapping information between area and sidelink resource may be transmitted through an RRC connection reconfiguration message instead of the system information.”, Hahn [91]) 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. Claim(s) 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hahn, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Lutchoomun et al. US 20250159674 (hereinafter “Lutchoomun”) As to claim 2, 9, and 16 (claim 9 is the method claim for the apparatus and non-transitory computer-readable medium in claim 2 and 16 respectively): Hahn as described above does not explicitly teach: The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more sidelink resources include a second sidelink resource of the sidelink resource pool based on the time interval exceeding the threshold time interval and further based on the sidelink resource pool failing to indicate the resource associated with the high speed flag. However, Lutchoomun further teaches changing sidelink resource based on changing speed and timer expiration which includes: The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more sidelink resources include a second sidelink resource of the sidelink resource pool based on the time interval exceeding the threshold time interval and further based on the sidelink resource pool failing to indicate the resource associated with the high speed flag. (“The anchor UE may send to one or more collaborative UEs (e.g., via a direct/sidelink (SL) communication) an indication to signal an adjustment of the resource grant allocation (e.g., on condition that the anchor UE selected an alternate resource configuration for the one or more collaborative UEs or altered the active resource configuration for the one or more collaborative UEs (e.g., by applying an offset)).”, Lutchoomun [0145]) (“The anchor UE may send to the network any of the above indications, assistance information and/or requests via RRC signaling (e.g., RRC Reconfiguration requests, RRC Resume requests), MAC CE or UCI, for example. The anchor UE may send any of the indications or assistance information periodically or based on detection of one or more triggering events/conditions. For example, the triggering events that may be detected by the anchor UE for sending any of the above indications/information may include a combination of one or more of the following: change in data sent in the UL (e.g., data type changes from I-frame to P/B-frame) and/or QoS applied when transmitting data in the UL (e.g., LCH parameters/priority used when sending data in UL changes) from UEs in the group, detection/estimation of data expected in the DL and/or QoS of data expected in the DL in one or more flows for UEs in the group, change in channel/link measurements (e.g., RSRP value of measurements made by a collaborative UE on CSI-RS associated with a configured resource set is above/below a threshold), change in movement/mobility (e.g., increase/decrease in speed or change in direction) or spatial attributes (e.g., change in position, antenna orientation, viewport direction) of one or more UEs in the group, and/or based on timer/periodic (for example, the anchor UE may send an indication when a timer is started, e.g., when detecting an event, and/or expires. The anchor UE may send the indications periodically based on a configured periodicity, possibly using configured CG resources, for example).”, Lutchoomun [0245]) (Examiner’s Note: the UE changes resources when there are triggering events that include decrease in speed and timer expiration which map to “associated with high speed flag” and “time interval exceeding the threshold time interval”) Hahn and Lutchoomun are analogous because they pertain to determining sidelink resources. Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include changing sidelink resource based on changing speed and timer expiration as described in Lutchoomun into Hahn. By modifying the method to include changing sidelink resource based on changing speed and timer expiration as taught by Lutchoomun, the benefits of improved continuity (Lutchoomun [0264]) and improved performance (Hahn [27]) are achieved. As to claim 3, 10, and 17 (claim 10 is the method claim for the apparatus and non-transitory computer-readable medium in claim 3 and 17 respectively): Hahn as described above does not explicitly teach: The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to select the one or more sidelink resources for the sidelink transmission based on a priority scheme. However, Lutchoomun further teaches selecting a sidelink resource based on a priority scheme which includes: The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to select the one or more sidelink resources for the sidelink transmission based on a priority scheme. (“The anchor UE may receive an indication of an event from the application and event information (e.g., more details about the event (e.g., such as a duration of event, a priority associated with the event, a start time of the event, and/or an event type, among others)). The event, for example, may result in a change in the current mode of operation (e.g., a change in a resource grant allocation, a change in periodicity of the configured grant, and/or an application of an offset to the resource grant allocation, among others). Examples of various events are disclosed herein including with regard the collaborative XR portions.”, Lutchoomun [0166]) Hahn and Lutchoomun are analogous because they pertain to determining sidelink resources. Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include selecting a sidelink resource based on a priority scheme as described in Lutchoomun into Hahn. By modifying the method to include selecting a sidelink resource based on a priority scheme as taught by Lutchoomun, the benefits of improved continuity (Lutchoomun [0264]) and improved performance (Hahn [27]) are achieved. Claim(s) 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hahn and Lutchoomun, as applied to claim 3 above, and further in view of Li et al. US 20190097751 (hereinafter “Li”) As to claim 4, 11, and 18 (claim 11 is the method claim for the apparatus and non-transitory computer-readable medium in claim 4 and 18 respectively): The combination of Hahn and Lutchoomun as described above does not explicitly teach: The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the priority scheme indicates that the first sidelink resource is associated with a first priority for the sidelink transmission and that the preconfigured sidelink resource is associated with a second priority less than the first priority. However, Li further teaches determining a sidelink resource based on the UE speed and priority scheme which includes: The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the priority scheme indicates that the first sidelink resource is associated with a first priority for the sidelink transmission and that the preconfigured sidelink resource is associated with a second priority less than the first priority. (“For example, a particular field in the DCI is used to indicate that a preconfigured resource is used for high speed or low speed UE. Specifically, one bit in the DCI may be used to indicate that a transmission resource indicated by the DCI or a transmission resource indicated in the RRC signaling and/or the SIB is used for the high speed UE or the low speed UE.”, Li [0285]) (“For example, in the control information, one bit may be used to indicate whether the first UE is high speed UE. If the first UE is the high speed UE, a resource that is selected and reserved for the first UE has a higher priority. After the second UE receives the control information that is sent by the first UE, when selecting and re-selecting a resource, the second UE should avoid as much as possible selecting the resource that is selected and/or reserved by the first UE. This ensures that resources are preferentially used by the high speed UE (the first UE).”, Li [0321]) (Examiner’s Note: resource associated with first priority is a resource reserved for “high speed UE”) Hahn, Li, and Lutchoomun are analogous because they pertain to determining sidelink resources. Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include determining a sidelink resource based on the UE speed and priority scheme as described in Li into Hahn as modified by Lutchoomun. By modifying the method to include determining a sidelink resource based on the UE speed and priority scheme as taught by Li, the benefits of improved continuity (Lutchoomun [0264]), improved reliability (Li [0405]), and improved performance (Hahn [27]) are achieved. As to claim 5, 12, and 19 (claim 12 is the method claim for the apparatus and non-transitory computer-readable medium in claim 5 and 19 respectively): The combination of Hahn and Lutchoomun as described above does not explicitly teach: The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the priority scheme further indicates that a second sidelink resource of the sidelink resource pool not associated with the high speed flag is associated with a third priority less than the second priority. However, Li further teaches determining a sidelink resource based on the UE speed and priority scheme which includes: The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the priority scheme further indicates that a second sidelink resource of the sidelink resource pool not associated with the high speed flag is associated with a third priority less than the second priority. (“Optionally, the speed indication information may be a specific speed value of the first UE, or may be indication information indicating whether the first UE is in a high speed state.”, Li [0043]) (“For example, a particular field in the DCI is used to indicate that a preconfigured resource is used for high speed or low speed UE. Specifically, one bit in the DCI may be used to indicate that a transmission resource indicated by the DCI or a transmission resource indicated in the RRC signaling and/or the SIB is used for the high speed UE or the low speed UE.”, Li [0285]) (“For example, in the control information, one bit may be used to indicate whether the first UE is high speed UE. If the first UE is the high speed UE, a resource that is selected and reserved for the first UE has a higher priority. After the second UE receives the control information that is sent by the first UE, when selecting and re-selecting a resource, the second UE should avoid as much as possible selecting the resource that is selected and/or reserved by the first UE. This ensures that resources are preferentially used by the high speed UE (the first UE).”, Li [0321]) (Examiner’s Note: resource associated with first priority is a resource reserved for “high speed UE” – it’s not clear how “preconfigured sidelink resource” is different from “second sidelink resource”) Hahn, Li, and Lutchoomun are analogous because they pertain to determining sidelink resources. Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include determining a sidelink resource based on the UE speed and priority scheme as described in Li into Hahn as modified by Lutchoomun. By modifying the method to include determining a sidelink resource based on the UE speed and priority scheme as taught by Li, the benefits of improved continuity (Lutchoomun [0264]), improved reliability (Li [0405]), and improved performance (Hahn [27]) are achieved. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW C KIM whose telephone number is (703)756-5607. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9AM - 5PM (PST). 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, Sujoy K Kundu can be reached at (571) 272-8586. 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. /A.C.K./ Examiner Art Unit 2471 /SUJOY K KUNDU/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2471
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Aug 13, 2024
Application Filed
Jul 30, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
43%
Grant Probability
48%
With Interview (+4.5%)
3y 4m (~1y 4m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 37 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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