Google.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 .
Applicant’s response filed 8/17/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 8-42 are cancelled.
Claims 43-45 are new.
Claims 1-7 and 43-45 are pending.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Group I claims 1-7 in the reply filed on 8/17/2026 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
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.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Akkarakaran (US 20210051610).
Re claim 1:
Akkarakaran discloses a method of a user equipment (UE) for sidelink (SL) communications, comprising: selecting a first SL synchronization signal block (S-SSB) frequency hopping pattern (Para.[0062] In some aspects, the transmitting device 502 may be configured to determine additional variable parameters for the SLSS. In some aspects, the variable parameter may be at least one of a periodicity, a frequency location, a frequency hopping pattern, or a time domain location of PBCH payload locations within a frame or within an S-SSB. Different S-SSB channels may have different periodicities, frequency locations, frequency hopping patterns, PBCH payloads, time domain locations with a frame or S-SSB period, etc); and
transmitting a first plurality of S-SSBs to a first peer UE according to the first S-SSB frequency hopping pattern (Para. [0059] Each S-SSB channel that the UE transmits may have multiple S-SSB beams, and the S-SSB channel on the different S-SSB beams may have a same duration. Different S-SSB channels may have different durations. Repetitions of symbols of the S-SSB and/or a lower SCS may be used to increase a duration of the S-SSB. Repetition levels may be different for different signals of the S-SSB. For example, repetition levels may be different for the S-PSS, the S-SSS, and/or the PSBCH within a single S-SSB. The repetition levels of the different signals of the S-SSB may be the same across multiple S-SSB occasions in an S-SSB channel. In some examples, the repetition levels of the different signals of the S-SSB may be the same across each of the S-SSB occasions in an S-SSB channel).
Claim(s) 5,6,43, and 44 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Noh (KR 20200099969 – citing from the translation).
Re claim 5:
Noh discloses a method of a user equipment (UE) for sidelink (SL) communications, comprising transmitting a plurality of SL synchronization signal blocks (S- SSBs) in a frequency domain that is greater than eleven physical resource blocks (PRBs) (Page 5 Meanwhile, the bandwidth for transmitting the sidelink synchronization signal block (SSB) by the first terminal 900 may be determined in proportion to the subcarrier spacing under the assumption that the number of PRBs is the same. As an embodiment, a bandwidth applicable to the sidelink synchronization signal block (SSB) may be 12 PRB, 20 PRB, or 24 PRB.).
Re claim 6:
Noh discloses the method of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of S-SSBs comprise more than 11 PRBs (Page 5 Meanwhile, the bandwidth for transmitting the sidelink synchronization signal block (SSB) by the first terminal 900 may be determined in proportion to the subcarrier spacing under the assumption that the number of PRBs is the same. As an embodiment, a bandwidth applicable to the sidelink synchronization signal block (SSB) may be 12 PRB, 20 PRB, or 24 PRB.).
Re claim 43: Claim 43 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 5.
Re claim 44: Claim 44 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 6.
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) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Akkarakaran (US 20210051610).
Re claim 3:
As discussed above, Akkarakaran meets all the limitations of the parent claim.
Akkarakaran discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: selecting a second S-SSB frequency hopping pattern (Para.[0062] In some aspects, the transmitting device 502 may be configured to determine additional variable parameters for the SLSS. In some aspects, the variable parameter may be at least one of a periodicity, a frequency location, a frequency hopping pattern, or a time domain location of PBCH payload locations within a frame or within an S-SSB. Different S-SSB channels may have different periodicities, frequency locations, frequency hopping patterns, PBCH payloads, time domain locations with a frame or S-SSB period, etc); and
transmitting a second plurality of S-SSBs to a second peer UE according to the second frequency hopping pattern (Para. [0059] Each S-SSB channel that the UE transmits may have multiple S-SSB beams, and the S-SSB channel on the different S-SSB beams may have a same duration. Different S-SSB channels may have different durations. Repetitions of symbols of the S-SSB and/or a lower SCS may be used to increase a duration of the S-SSB. Repetition levels may be different for different signals of the S-SSB. For example, repetition levels may be different for the S-PSS, the S-SSS, and/or the PSBCH within a single S-SSB. The repetition levels of the different signals of the S-SSB may be the same across multiple S-SSB occasions in an S-SSB channel. In some examples, the repetition levels of the different signals of the S-SSB may be the same across each of the S-SSB occasions in an S-SSB channel).
As shown above, Akkarakaran shows a UE selecting a S-SSB frequency hopping pattern from a plurality of hopping patterns and transmitting according to the hopping pattern. Akkarakaran does not explicitly disclose a second selection for a second peer. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that the system of Akkarakaran is not limited to only two UEs and thus a second pattern selection and transmission would occur when communicating with a second peer.
Claim(s) 2 and 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Akkarakaran (US 20210051610) in view of Fakoorian (US 20210368460).
Re claim 2:
As discussed above, Akkarakaran meets all the limitations of the parent claim.
Akkarakaran does not explicitly disclose the method of claim 1, wherein synchronization signal identifiers (SSIDs) used by the first plurality of S-SSBs correspond to the first frequency hopping pattern.
Fakoorian discloses the method of claim 1, wherein synchronization signal identifiers (SSIDs) used by the first plurality of S-SSBs correspond to the first frequency hopping pattern (Para. [0096] From a receiving sidelink UE perspective, the lite SL-SS may have the same pattern as a legacy SL-SS (e.g., pattern 1). Alternatively, at the cost of more receiver complexity, the lite SL-SS may be transmitted with a different pattern (e.g., patterns 2-8), on a different frequency location, with a different (e.g., reserved) SL-SSID, and/or with a different timing offset. In some aspects of the present disclosure, the receiving sidelink UE searches for the lite SL-SS on a frequency (e.g., absoluteFrequencySSB-SL) either indicated by the gNB or pre-configured. The frequency may be the same as, or different from, the frequency of the legacy SL-SS. The transmitting sidelink UE, of course, transmits on this frequency. In these aspects, an indication, (e.g., a reserved SL-SSID and/or different frequency) indicates to the receiving UE whether a lite or legacy SL-SS is transmitted, to help the receiving UE decide whether to engage with the S-SSB).
Akkarakaran and Fakoorian are analogous because they both pertain to data communications.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Akkarakaran to include SSID corresponding to a pattern as taught by Fakoorian in order to improve the efficiency of sidelink wireless communications (Fakoorian Para.[0006]).
Re claim 4:
As discussed above, Akkarakaran meets all the limitations of the parent claim.
Akkarakaran discloses the method of claim 3, wherein: (Para.[0062] In some aspects, the transmitting device 502 may be configured to determine additional variable parameters for the SLSS. In some aspects, the variable parameter may be at least one of a periodicity, a frequency location, a frequency hopping pattern, or a time domain location of PBCH payload locations within a frame or within an S-SSB. Different S-SSB channels may have different periodicities, frequency locations, frequency hopping patterns, PBCH payloads, time domain locations with a frame or S-SSB period, etc and Para. [0059] Each S-SSB channel that the UE transmits may have multiple S-SSB beams, and the S-SSB channel on the different S-SSB beams may have a same duration. Different S-SSB channels may have different durations. Repetitions of symbols of the S-SSB and/or a lower SCS may be used to increase a duration of the S-SSB. Repetition levels may be different for different signals of the S-SSB. For example, repetition levels may be different for the S-PSS, the S-SSS, and/or the PSBCH within a single S-SSB. The repetition levels of the different signals of the S-SSB may be the same across multiple S-SSB occasions in an S-SSB channel. In some examples, the repetition levels of the different signals of the S-SSB may be the same across each of the S-SSB occasions in an S-SSB channel); and
As shown above, Akkarakaran shows a UE selecting a S-SSB frequency hopping pattern from a plurality of hopping patterns and transmitting according to the hopping pattern. Akkarakaran does not explicitly disclose a second selection for a second peer. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that the system of Akkarakaran is not limited to only two UEs and thus a second pattern selection and transmission would occur when communicating with a second peer.
Akkarakaran does not explicitly disclose the first and second SSIDs corresponding to a first and second pattern.
Fakoorian discloses the first and second SSIDs corresponding to a first and second pattern (Para. [0096] From a receiving sidelink UE perspective, the lite SL-SS may have the same pattern as a legacy SL-SS (e.g., pattern 1). Alternatively, at the cost of more receiver complexity, the lite SL-SS may be transmitted with a different pattern (e.g., patterns 2-8), on a different frequency location, with a different (e.g., reserved) SL-SSID, and/or with a different timing offset. In some aspects of the present disclosure, the receiving sidelink UE searches for the lite SL-SS on a frequency (e.g., absoluteFrequencySSB-SL) either indicated by the gNB or pre-configured. The frequency may be the same as, or different from, the frequency of the legacy SL-SS. The transmitting sidelink UE, of course, transmits on this frequency. In these aspects, an indication, (e.g., a reserved SL-SSID and/or different frequency) indicates to the receiving UE whether a lite or legacy SL-SS is transmitted, to help the receiving UE decide whether to engage with the S-SSB).
Akkarakaran and Fakoorian are analogous because they both pertain to data communications.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Akkarakaran to include SSID corresponding to a pattern as taught by Fakoorian in order to improve the efficiency of sidelink wireless communications (Fakoorian Para.[0006]).
Claim(s) 7 and 45 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Noh (KR 20200099969 – citing from the translation) in view of Ko (US 20220400483).
Re claim 7:
As discussed above Noh meets all the limitations of the parent claims.
Noh further discloses the method of claim 5, wherein the plurality of S-SSBs comprises repeated S-SSBs in the frequency domain (Page 6 The first terminal 900 may repeatedly transmit the sidelink synchronization signal SSS at a constant period).
As shown above, Noh discloses repeatedly transmitting an SSS but does not explicitly disclose repeated S-SSBs.
Ko discloses repeated S-SSBs (Para. [0152] In this case, for example, in order to improve the detection performance of an S-SSB, a UE may obtain a combining gain by performing combining with another S-SSB that is repeatedly transmitted. A UE can know in advance from which point in time the next S-SSB is transmitted from the currently detected S-SSB from the configuration information for two sync resource patterns for S-SSB transmission and reception, may perform combining with the currently received S-SSB signal by considering a signal received after a specific point in time according to the configuration information as an S-SSB by using this information and Para.[0153] For example, the two sync resource patterns may have the same
pattern and may be distinguished by only different offsets for positions in the time or frequency domain, or may have different patterns.).
Noh and Ko are analogous because they both pertain to data communications.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Noh to include repeated S-SSBs as taught by Ko in order to improve detection of an S-SSB (Ko Para.[0152]).
Re claim 45: Claim 45 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 7.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Yoshioka (US 20250159494) shows an SL-SSID parameter for S-SSB and a repetition pattern.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMMAD SAJID ADHAMI whose telephone number is (571)272-8615. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30-5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sujoy 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.
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/MOHAMMAD S ADHAMI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2471
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