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 09/19/2024 and 06/18/2025; the submission is 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 § 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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 7, 8, 15-17, and 19-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US-20250344223-A1 to Guo et al., from hereon Guo in view of US-20250294590-A1 to Chen et al., from hereon Chen.
Regarding claim 1 Guo teaches…a wireless communication method for use in a wireless terminal, the method comprising: performing a channel access procedure on a channel based on a transmission starting point for a sidelink transmission (P. 6 discloses… a method of wireless communication performed in a shared frequency band at a user equipment (UE) comprises: receiving a sidelink (SL) communication; selecting a channel access configuration for a physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH) occasion in a shared frequency band; and transmitting, based on the channel access configuration and the SL communication, a PSFCH communication in the PSFCH occasion in the shared frequency band), but does not teach…wherein the transmission starting point is a cyclic prefix extension period before/preceding a first SL OFDM symbol of a SL slot configured for the sidelink transmission, and wherein the cyclic prefix extension period is determined based on a number of channel access procedures performed for the sidelink transmission.
Chen teaches… wherein the transmission starting point is a cyclic prefix extension period before/preceding a first SL OFDM symbol of a SL slot configured for the sidelink transmission (P. 70 and P.238 further disclose… method for wireless communications at a UE, comprising: transmitting sidelink control information that indicates a set of reserved resources for sidelink communications at the UE, each of the set of reserved resources comprising a respective slot of a plurality of slots and a respective sub-channel of a shared radio frequency channel that comprises a plurality of sub-channels; performing a listen-before-talk procedure associated with a sub-channel of a reserved resource prior to a slot of the reserved resource; and transmitting a sidelink message with a cyclic prefix extension via the sub-channel of the reserved resource based at least in part on a result of the listen-before-talk procedure, wherein transmission of the cyclic prefix extension begins prior to the slot of the reserved resource), and wherein the cyclic prefix extension period is determined based on a number of channel access procedures performed for the sidelink transmission (P.252 discloses… transmitting the sidelink message with a cyclic prefix extension via the sub-channel of the reserved resource based at least in part on a result of the second listen-before-talk procedure, wherein transmission of the cyclic prefix extension begins prior to the second slot of the reserved resource ).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Guo by incorporating the teachings of Chen because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration so that improved resource reservation techniques for NR devices operating in a shared radio frequency spectrum band utilizing mini-slot transmissions, cyclic prefix extensions (CPEs), and resource reservation bursts to improve the efficiency of NR resource reservation schemes (Chen, P. 5 and P. 70). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Regarding claim 2 Guo and Chen teach the wireless communication method of claim 1, Chen teaches…wherein a type of the channel access procedure is determined by the wireless terminal or configured by a sidelink grant scheduling the sidelink transmission (P. 167-169 discloses the channel access also known as LBT type is configured or determined/configured by a sidelink grant message)or a sidelink configured grant for the sidelink transmission.
Regarding claim 7 Guo and Chen teach the wireless communication method of claim 1, Guo teaches..wherein the channel access procedure is a Type 1 channel access procedure, wherein the number of channel access procedures performed for the sidelink transmission is greater than 1 (P. 9), and wherein performing the channel access procedure comprises: performing a listen-before-talk procedure by using a counter value associated with sensing a channel status in another listen-before-talk procedure of a previous channel access procedure which is performed before the channel access procedure (P. 74), or performing a listen-before-talk procedure by using an ongoing Type 1 channel access procedure (P.81 and P.82 ).
Regarding claim 8 Guo and Chen teach the wireless communication method of claim 1, Guo teaches…wherein the channel access procedure is a Type 2 channel access procedure (P.5 ), wherein performing the channel access procedure comprises: initiating a listen-before-talk procedure by setting a counter value associated with sensing a channel status to a preconfigured value (P. 122-123).
Regarding claim 15 Guo and Chen teach the wireless communication method of claim 1, Chen teaches…further comprising: transmitting the sidelink transmission with the cyclic prefix extension period used by the channel access procedure when a result of the channel access procedure indicates that the channel is idle (P.28 ).
Regarding claim 16 Guo and Chen teach the wireless communication method of claim 1, Guo teaches…wherein a subcarrier spacing of the sidelink transmission is 15 kHz or 30 kHz, wherein the channel access procedure is a Type 2A channel access procedure or a Type 2B channel access procedure, and wherein each type of guard symbol used in the sidelink transmission comprises 1 symbol (P.86 ).
Regarding claim 17 Guo and Chen teach the wireless communication method of claim 1, Guo teaches…wherein a subcarrier spacing of the sidelink transmission is 60 kHz, wherein the channel access procedure is a Type 2B channel access procedure (P. 32), and wherein each type of guard symbol used in the sidelink transmission comprises 1 symbol (P. 28).
Regarding claim 18 Guo and Chen teach the wireless communication method of claim 1, but do not teach…wherein a subcarrier spacing of the sidelink transmission is 60 kHz, wherein the channel access procedure is a Type 2A channel access procedure or a Type 2B channel access procedure, and wherein each type of guard symbol used in the sidelink transmission comprises 2 symbols.
Nunome teaches… wherein a subcarrier spacing of the sidelink transmission is 60 kHz, wherein the channel access procedure is a Type 2A channel access procedure or a Type 2B channel access procedure, and wherein each type of guard symbol used in the sidelink transmission comprises 2 symbols (P.291 ).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Guo and Chen by incorporating the teachings of Nunome because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration provide for a change in an amount of CP extension at the time of a re-attempt may be preconfigured or predefined as a decrease in the priority, transmission to be directly scheduled may be prioritized over transmission to be re-attempted by the re-attempt among a plurality of terminals 200 (or between terminals) the base station) (Nunome, P. 209). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Regarding claim 19 Guo teaches…a wireless terminal, comprising (P. 43): a communication unit, and a processor, configured to perform (P.62 discloses… UEs 215a1-215a4 may communicate with each other in peer-to-peer communications. For example, the UE 215a1 may communicate with the UE 215a2 over a sidelink 252, the UE 215a3 may communicate with the UE 215a4 over another sidelink 251, and the UE 215b1 may communicate with the UE 215b2 over yet another sidelink 254. The sidelinks 251, 252, and 254 are unicast bidirectional links. )a channel access procedure on a channel based on a transmission starting point for a sidelink transmission (P. 6 at a user equipment (UE) comprises: receiving a sidelink (SL) communication; selecting a channel access configuration for a physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH) occasion in a shared frequency band; and transmitting, based on the channel access configuration and the SL communication, a PSFCH communication in the PSFCH occasion in the shared frequency band), but does not teach…wherein the transmission starting point is a cyclic prefix extension period before/preceding a first SL OFDM symbol of a SL slot configured for the sidelink transmission, wherein the cyclic prefix extension period is determined based on a number of channel access procedures performed for the sidelink transmission.
Chen teaches… wherein the transmission starting point is a cyclic prefix extension period before/preceding a first SL OFDM symbol of a SL slot configured for the sidelink transmission(P. 70 and P.238 further disclose… method for wireless communications at a UE, comprising: transmitting sidelink control information that indicates a set of reserved resources for sidelink communications at the UE, each of the set of reserved resources comprising a respective slot of a plurality of slots and a respective sub-channel of a shared radio frequency channel that comprises a plurality of sub-channels; performing a listen-before-talk procedure associated with a sub-channel of a reserved resource prior to a slot of the reserved resource; and transmitting a sidelink message with a cyclic prefix extension via the sub-channel of the reserved resource based at least in part on a result of the listen-before-talk procedure, wherein transmission of the cyclic prefix extension begins prior to the slot of the reserved resource),, wherein the cyclic prefix extension period is determined based on a number of channel access procedures performed for the sidelink transmission. (P.252 discloses… transmitting the sidelink message with a cyclic prefix extension via the sub-channel of the reserved resource based at least in part on a result of the second listen-before-talk procedure, wherein transmission of the cyclic prefix extension begins prior to the second slot of the reserved resource ).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Guo by incorporating the teachings of Chen because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration so that improved resource reservation techniques for NR devices operating in a shared radio frequency spectrum band utilizing mini-slot transmissions, cyclic prefix extensions (CPEs), and resource reservation bursts to improve the efficiency of NR resource reservation schemes (Chen, P. 5 and P. 70). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Regarding claim 20 Guo and Chen teach the wireless terminal of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to perform the wireless communication method of claim 2 (see claim 2 rejection above).
Regarding claim 21 Guo teaches…a computer program product comprising a computer-readable program medium code stored thereupon (P. 126), the code, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to implement a wireless communication method recited in claim 1 (See claim 1 rejection above).
Claim(s) 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US-20250344223-A1 to Guo et al., from hereon Guo and US-20250294590-A1 to Chen et al., from hereon Chen in view of US-20230283431-A1 to Nunome et al., from hereon Nunome.
Regarding claim 3 Guo and Chen teach the wireless communication method of claim 1, but do not teach…wherein the cyclic prefix extension period decreases as the number of channel access procedures performed for the sidelink transmission increases.
Nunome teaches… wherein the cyclic prefix extension period decreases as the number of channel access procedures performed for the sidelink transmission increases (P. 208-209 discloses… an amount of CP extension may be changed at the time of a re-attempt at COT acquisition. For example, the priority of transmission with respect to terminal 200 may be configured to be high by an increase in the amount of CP extension at the time of the re-attempt. Since an increase in the priority makes it possible to heighten the possibility of COT acquisition, a delay time can be reduced. Alternatively, for example, the priority of transmission with respect to terminal 200 may be configured to be low by a decrease in the amount of CP extension at the time of the re-attempt).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Guo and Chen by incorporating the teachings of Nunome because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration provide for a change in an amount of CP extension at the time of a re-attempt may be preconfigured or predefined as a decrease in the priority, transmission to be directly scheduled may be prioritized over transmission to be re-attempted by the re-attempt among a plurality of terminals 200 (or between terminals) the base station) (Nunome, P. 209). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 9, and 10 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the main reason for objecting of the claims under discussion is the inclusion of “wherein the number of channel access procedures performed for the sidelink transmission increases by 1 and the cyclic prefix extension period decreases by a time delay T.sub.short-SL”, “wherein the cyclic prefix extension period is determined by: Text=min(max(Text′,0),Tsymb,(l-1)mod7.Math.2μμ),or Text=Text′, wherein T.sub.ext is the cyclic prefix extension period, T.sub.symb,(i−1)mod 7.Math.2.sub.μ.sup.μ is a length of the last symbol before the symbols configured for the sidelink transmission and T.sub.ext′ is determined by: Text′=.Math.k=1CiTsymb,(l-k)mod7.Math.2μμ-Δi-Tdelay wherein Δ.sub.i is 25 microseconds or 16 microseconds with C.sub.i=1 for μ∈(0, 1), Δ.sub.i is 16 microseconds with C.sub.i=1 for μ=2, or Δ.sub.i is 25 microseconds or 16 microseconds with C.sub.i=2 for μ=2 or 3, and wherein T.sub.delay is determined based on the number of channel access procedures performed for the sidelink transmission, or T.sub.delay is a positive value implemented by the wireless terminal; wherein a symbol l is the first SL symbol for the sidelink transmission”, and “wherein the cyclic prefix extension period is determined by: Text=Text-max-Tdelay wherein T.sub.ext is the cyclic prefix extension period, T.sub.ext-max is a maximum value of the cyclic prefix extension period and T.sub.delay is determined based on the number of channel access procedures performed for the sidelink transmission or T.sub.delay is a positive value implemented by the wireless terminal” as the prior art of reference in stand-alone form nor in combination read into the disclosed claims as supported by the specification. Furthermore, the nearest prior art such as US-20250219882-A1 to Lu, US-20210194740-A1 to Aldana, US-12402169-B2 to Lei, and WO-2021237515-A1 to Xu disclose the concepts of channel access procedures in unlicensed spectrum and sidelink communication between network devices and the resource allocation based on cyclic prefix extension and but are silent on the specific calculation of time delay, time extension and adjustments. Claims 5-6 and 12-14 are allowed as they depend from an allowed claim.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO form PTO-892: US-20250219882-A1 to Lu, US-20210194740-A1 to Aldana, US-12402169-B2 to Lei, and WO-2021237515-A1 to Xu.
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/L.S./Examiner, Art Unit 2476
/AYAZ R SHEIKH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2476
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