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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-15 are currently pending.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55, application number. KR10-2022-0034201 filed 03/18/2022.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09/30/2024 and 02/10/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1 and 8-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Xue et al. (US 2022/0070921 A1).
Regarding claims 1, 14 and 15, Xue discloses A first device for performing wireless communication, the first device comprising: one or more memories storing instructions; one or more transceivers; and one or more processors connected to the one or more memories and the one or more transceivers, wherein the one or more processors execute instructions to (Fig. 13, paragraphs 0184-0185 discloses a UE 1300, processor 1302, memory 1304, transceiver 1310, RF unit 1314 to perform the instructions): trigger resource selection at a slot (paragraph 0083 discloses FIG. 3B, the MAC layer 302 may generate a MAC PDU at slot n and may generate a resource selection trigger 346 at slot n); determine a time interval based on a remaining packet delay budget (PDB) from the slot, based on triggering of the resource selection (Paragraph 0083 discloses the PHY layer 304 may determine a start of the sensing window 342 based on a T0 duration before the resource selection trigger 346 and may determine an end of the sensing window 342 based on a T.sub.proc,0 duration before the resource selection trigger 346. The PHY layer 304 may determine a start of the resource selection window 344 based on a T1 duration after the resource selection trigger 346 and may determine an end of the resource selection window 344 based on a T2 duration after the resource selection trigger 346. The T1 duration may have an upper bound limited by the parameter T.sub.proc,1 (e.g., 0≤T1≤T.sub.proc,1). The T2 duration can be determined to meet a certain packet delay budget (PDB) and may have a lower bound limited by T2.sub.min (e.g., T2.sub.min≤T2≤PDB). As shown, the resource selection window 344 starts at the end of the T1 duration and ends at the end of the T2 duration); select a resource for a sidelink (SL) transmission within the time interval, based on sensing (Paragraphs 0083-0086, 0090-0091 disclose The PHY layer 304 may identify candidate resources 352 within the resource selection window 344 by examining or analyzing sensing results obtained within the sensing window 342); and perform channel sensing for an interval before a starting time point of the resource by a channel sensing interval (Paragraphs 0083-0084 Fig. 3b (sensing window 342) disclose the PHY layer 304 may determine a start of the sensing window 342 based on a T0 duration before the resource selection trigger 346 and may determine an end of the sensing window 342 based on a T.sub.proc,0 duration before the resource selection trigger 346. As shown, the sensing window 342 starts at the start of the T0 duration and ends at the start of the T.sub.proc,0 duration), wherein a result of the channel sensing is busy (Paragraph 0043,0093 discloses channel sensing is busy. Paragraph 0088 also discloses [0088] Referring to FIG. 3A, at action 320, the MAC layer 302 sends a resource reevaluation request (e.g., the resource reevaluation request 348 of FIG. 3B) to the PHY layer 304. The resource reevaluation request may request the PHY layer 304 to report updated available resources at this time instant to double check whether the previously selected resources (e.g., resources 352a and 352b of FIG. 3B) are still available) and wherein the result of the channel sensing is delivered to a medium access control (MAC) layer of the first device from a physical (PHY) layer of the first device (Paragraphs 0083-0086, 0090-0091 disclose the PHY layer 304 may transmit the MAC PDU to another sidelink UE (e.g., the UEs 115 and/or 215) using the selected first resource at action 326).
Regarding claim 8, Xue discloses wherein the sensing includes: receiving, from a second device, SCI within a sensing interval; and decoding the SCI (Paragraph 0042, 0072-0073 discloses the sidelink transmitting UE 115 may continuously sense or monitor resources in a sidelink resource pool. The sensing or monitoring may include decoding SCI decoding and/or measuring signal energy in the channel The sidelink transmitting UE 115 may record the SCI decoding results and the signal measurements. Upon receiving a data packet for transmission, the sidelink transmitting UE 115 may determine a resource selection window and identify candidate resources from the resource selection window based on sensing results (e.g., decoded SCI and signal measurements) obtained from a sensing window).
Regarding claim 9, Xue discloses determining an overlap of a channel sensing interval related to a transmission resource of the second device, included in the SCI and a channel sensing interval related to the resource (Paragraph 0051 discloses when the frequency resource reservation and the second frequency resource reservation are in the same subchannel with overlapping slots or with variable time range that are consecutive in time, the first UE may perform a self-deferral after identifying a passing LBT associated with a first slot boundary of the frequency resource so that the first UE may transmit the sidelink transmission and the additional sidelink transmission back-to-back in a time-division multiplexing (TDM) manner); and determining to perform the SL transmission, based on a priority related to the transmission resource being lower than a priority related to the resource (Paragraph [0107] The PHY layer 304 may identify candidate resources 352 (e.g., at action 416 of FIG. 4A) within the resource selection window 444 by examining or analyzing sensing results obtained within the sensing window 442. In other words, the PHY layer 304 may utilize past sensing results to predict future usages of resources 352 in the resource selection window 444. The PHY layer 304 may use a combination of SCI decoding, signal measurements, and/or priority information to identify candidate resources. In some aspects, the PHY layer 304 may exclude resources 352 in the resource selection window 444 that are reserved (e.g., based on SCI decoding in the sensing window 442 and/or prediction). The PHY layer 304 may exclude resources 352 in the resource selection window 444 that are to be used for transmissions with a higher traffic priority than the UE 215 (e.g., based on SCI decoding in the sensing window 442 and/or prediction).
Regarding claim 10, Xue discloses determining not to perform the SL transmission, based on reference signal received power (RSRP) related to the SCI being greater than a threshold value (Paragraph 0107 discloses The PHY layer 304 may exclude resources 352 in the resource selection window 444 based on resources 352 within the sensing window 442 that have signal measurements (e.g., RSRP and/or RSSI) higher than a certain signal threshold and a predicted resource usage pattern. The PHY layer 304 may perform the resource filtering or exclusion by SCI decoding, priority, and/or signal measurements in the resource selection window 444 in any suitable order. If the remaining candidate resources 352 in the resource selection window 444 is less than the candidate set size threshold (e.g., a percentage of the total resources in the resource selection window 444), the PHY layer 304 may increase the signal threshold and repeat the resource filtering or exclusion until the candidate resources 352 in the resource selection window 444 satisfies (e.g., is equal to or exceeds) the candidate set size threshold).
Regarding claim 11, Xue discloses triggering resource reselection based on a result of the channel sensing, wherein the resource reselection is triggered from a MAC layer of the first device (Paragraphs 0091-0092 discloses the MAC layer 302 may re-select another resource from the candidate resources indicated in the updated candidate resource report at action 324 and may repeat the action 320 and 322 at a later time for another last-minute resource reevaluation for newly selected resource. Otherwise, the PHY layer 304 may transmit the MAC PDU to another sidelink UE (e.g., the UEs 115 and/or 215) using the selected first resource at action 326.
[0092] Similarly, if the second resource (to be used for the retransmission) is no longer available, the MAC layer 302 may re-select another resource from the candidate resources indicated in the updated candidate resource report at action 324).
Regarding claim 12, Xue discloses transmitting to a second device, SCI including information related to the reselection resource (Paragraphs 0080, 0084, 0103, 0107 discloses UE 215 may identify and select from candidate resources within a sidelink resource pool 450 based on several factors. For example, the PHY layer 304 may identify candidate resources based on a combination of SCI decoding, signal measurements, and/or priority information).
Regarding claim 13, Xue discloses determining not to perform the SL transmission, based on reference signal received power (RSRP) related to the SCI being greater than a threshold value (Paragraph 0084, 0093, 0096, 107 discloses The PHY layer 304 may exclude resources 352 in the resource selection window 344 based on resources 352 within the sensing window 342 that have signal measurements (e.g., RSRP and/or RSSI) higher than a certain signal threshold and a predicted resource usage pattern. The PHY layer 304 may perform the resource filtering or exclusion by SCI decoding, priority, and/or signal measurements in the resource selection window 344 in any suitable order. Paragraph 0110 discloses If, on the other hand, the identified set is greater than or equal to (e.g., satisfies) a threshold, the MAC layer 302 may select a set of M time-contiguous available candidate resources from among the sets. To that end, the MAC layer 302 may select a frequency resource 455 over the variable time range 458 (shown as a set of M resources 456)).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 of this title, 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.
Claims 2, 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xue et al. in view of Sun et al. (US 2021/0092783 A1).
Regarding claim 2, Xue does not explicitly disclose wherein the time interval is included within a channel occupancy time (COT) duration.
In an analogous art, Sun discloses wherein the time interval is included within a channel occupancy time (COT) duration (Paragraph 0072 discloses the time interval is included within a channel occupancy time (COT) duration).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Sun to the system of Xue to provide wireless communication systems, and more particularly to channel occupancy time (COT) sharing among sidelink user equipment devices (UEs) (Abstract).
Regarding claim 5, Xue does not explicitly disclose obtaining information related to the COT duration.
In an analogous art, Sun discloses obtaining information related to the COT duration (Paragraph 0072).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Sun to the system of Xue to provide wireless communication systems, and more particularly to channel occupancy time (COT) sharing among sidelink user equipment devices (UEs) (Abstract).
Regarding claim 6, Xue does not explicitly disclose transmitting, to a second device, sidelink control information (SCI) including information related to the COT duration
In an analogous art, Sun discloses transmitting, to a second device, sidelink control information (SCI) including information related to the COT duration (Paragraphs 0078, 0083 discloses in some aspects, the sidelink communication module 408 is configured to include COT sharing SCI in the PSSCH communication to enable another sidelink UE to opportunistically join the COT and utilize any time and/or frequency resource not occupied by the UE 400's sidelink communication. For instance, for interlace-based sharing, the COT sharing information may include information associated with available or unoccupied frequency interlaces in the COT, a duration of the COT, an end time of the COT, gap periods within the COT for a responding sidelink UE to perform an LBT prior to joining the COT, and/or a CAPC used for acquiring the COT).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Sun to the system of Xue to provide wireless communication systems, and more particularly to channel occupancy time (COT) sharing among sidelink user equipment devices (UEs) (Abstract).
Regarding claim 7, Xue does not explicitly disclose wherein the COT duration is included within an unlicensed band.
In an analogous art, Sun discloses wherein the COT duration is included within an unlicensed band (Paragraph 0058, 0063 discloses the COT duration is included within an unlicensed band).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Sun to the system of Xue to provide wireless communication systems, and more particularly to channel occupancy time (COT) sharing among sidelink user equipment devices (UEs) (Abstract).
Claims 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xue et al. in view of Sun et al. (US 2021/0092783 A1) and further in view of Liu et al. (US 2022/0377618 A1).
Regarding claim 3, Xue discloses performing initial channel sensing (Paragraphs 0083-0084 Fig. 3b (sensing window 342) disclosing the PHY layer 304 may determine a start of the sensing window 342 based on a T0 duration before the resource selection trigger 346 and may determine an end of the sensing window 342 based on a T.sub.proc,0 duration before the resource selection trigger 346. As shown, the sensing window 342 starts at the start of the T0 duration and ends at the start of the T.sub.proc,0 duration).
Xue and Sun do not explicitly disclose determining the COT duration based on a result of the initial channel sensing.
In an analogous art, Liu discloses determining the COT duration based on a result of the initial channel sensing (Paragraphs 0119 discloses a UE may perform, in a shared radio frequency band, a listen-before-talk (LBT) for a first channel occupancy time (COT). In some aspects, the UE may perform a CAT 4 LBT (e.g., performed by a PHY layer at the UE). The LBT may include sensing and/or measuring signal energy in the channel. If the LBT is successful, the UE may have access to the channel (e.g., the UE may transmit in the channel). In some aspects, the UE may utilize one or more components, such as the processor 1202, the memory 1204, the COT channel reservation module 1208, the transceiver 1210, the modem 1212, and the one or more antennas 1216, to perform the operations at block 1310 ).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Liu to the modified system of Xue and Sun to provide method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE) includes performing, in a shared radio frequency band, a listen-before-talk (LBT) for a first channel occupancy time (COT) and transmitting, during the first COT, a COT structure indicator (Abstract).
Regarding claim 4, Xue discloses wherein the initial channel sensing is performed within an unlicensed band (Paragraphs 0043, 0093 0105 discloses the initial channel sensing is performed within an unlicensed band).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Freda et al. (US 2021/0329596 A1) discloses a first WTRU configured with first and second resource pools may perform at least one congestion measurement of the second resource pool. The first resource pool may be configured for use by the first WTRU for transmission of the first data. The second resource pool may be configured for use by a second WTRU for transmission of the second data associated with a higher priority than the first data. If the at least one congestion measurement of the second resource pool is below a predetermined threshold, the first WTRU may transmit the first data using the first resource pool. If the at least one congestion measurement of the second resource pool is above a predetermined threshold, the first US may not transmit the first data using the first resource pool (Abstract and Fig. 5).
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/ROMANI OHRI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2413
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