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 .
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)(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, 5-11, and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by LI et al. (Patent No: US 2023/0345527 A1), hereinafter, LI.
Regarding Claim 1, LI teaches,
A method performed by a first wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), the method comprising: receiving downlink control information (DCI) from a base station scheduling a sidelink grant, -Paragraph [0064] ([0064] recites, “…The BS 105 may transmit the sidelink resource allocation grant to the UE via DCI (e.g., DCI format 3), a PDCCH message, a PDSCH message, or other suitable communication…”)
wherein the sidelink grant indicates a time window to initiate a channel occupancy time (COT); -Paragraph [0086] ([0086] recites, “In some aspects, an additional COT indication (e.g., containing the COT ID and the COT starting point and/or the COT duration) may be transmitted with each transmission by the COT initiating UE or the COT sharing UEs after the COT starting point and within the COT duration (e.g., associated to the COT ID). In this case, the sidelink resource grants to the COT sharing UEs may be transmitted prior to the first possible COT starting point (e.g., DCI 2nd grant or DCI 3rd grant as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5) so that the COT sharing UEs may be aware of the COT sharing and monitor the initial COT indication; or the sidelink resource grants to a UE (e.g., the COT initiating UE or the COT sharing UE) may be transmitted after the COT starting point and within the COT duration (e.g., DCI 4th grant to the COT initiating UE as illustrated in FIG. 4)”.)
performing listen-before-talk (LBT) to access a sidelink unlicensed channel in an unlicensed band within the indicated time window to initiate the COT; -Paragraph [0064] ([0064] recites, “..The UE may perform an LBT (e.g., a CAT 4 LBT, a CAT 2 LBT, or a CAT 3 LBT) or other clear channel assessment in an unlicensed frequency band (e.g., a shared frequency band) to gain access to the channel and initiate a COT to be shared with other UEs. “)
and after a successful channel access outcome of the performed LBT, transmitting uplink control information (UCI) to the base station, wherein the UCI indicates the successful channel access outcome and a COT starting time within the indicated time window to initiate the COT. -Paragraph [0078] ([0078] recites, “In some aspects, the COT initiating UE may transmit a communication (e.g., one or more TBs) during the COT in slot (j) and slot (k) after a first successful LBT is performed before slot (j). In this regard, the COT initiating UE may transmit a communication to the BS 105 after slot (j) via UCI on PUCCH or PUSCH, MAC CE, or other suitable communication for indicating that the COT has been initiated.“)
Regarding Claim 5, LI teaches the limitations of Claim 1.
LI further teaches,
The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, based on a buffer status and the COT starting time, whether the first WTRU will share the COT; -Paragraph [0066, 0119] ([0066] recites, “ In some aspects, a COT initiating UE (e.g., the UE 115, the UE 120, or the UE 700) may transmit, to a network unit (e.g., the BS 105), an indication associated with channel occupancy time (COT) sharing on sidelink communication. In this regard, the COT initiating UE may transmit the indication to the network unit via uplink control information (UCI), a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) message, a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) message, a medium access control control element (MAC CE), an RRC message, or other suitable communication. In some aspects, the indication associated with the COT sharing on sidelink communication may include a sidelink buffer status report (SL-BSR) associated with the COT initiating UE. The SL-BSR associated with the COT initiating UE may include a COT initiating request. The COT initiating request may indicate to the network unit that the COT initiating UE requests a COT indicator that indicates the COT initiating UE to initiate a COT and share the COT with a COT sharing UE(a) (e.g., a sidelink UE such as the UE 115, the UE 120, or the UE 700), a COT sharing UE(b), and/or other UEs.” [0119] recites, “The SL-BSR associated with the first UE may include a COT initiating request associated with the first UE. The COT initiating request may indicate to the network unit that the first UE requests a COT indicator that configures the first UE to initiate a COT and share the COT with a second UE (e.g., a sidelink UE such as the UE 115, the UE 120, or the UE 700) and/or share the COT with other UEs. In some aspects, multiple UEs may transmit requests to the network unit requesting to initiate a COT or share a COT.”)
and providing, based on a determination to share the COT, a COT sharing suggestion to the base station. -Paragraph [0066] ([0066] recites, “The COT initiating request may indicate to the network unit that the COT initiating UE requests a COT indicator that indicates the COT initiating UE to initiate a COT and share the COT with a COT sharing UE(a) (e.g., a sidelink UE such as the UE 115, the UE 120, or the UE 700), a COT sharing UE(b), and/or other UEs.”)
Regarding Claim 6, LI teaches the limitations of Claim 5.
LI further teaches,
The method of claim 5, further comprising: receiving a COT sharing confirmation validating the COT sharing suggestion provided by the first WTRU. -Paragraph [0127] ([0127] recites, “…In response to receiving the indicators, the network unit may determine that the first, second, and third UEs have a common zone identity. The network unit may transmit the COT identifier to the COT initiating UE (e.g., the first UE). The network unit may transmit the UE identifiers of COT sharing UEs with a common zone identity to the COT initiating UE…” As explained above in response to receiving indicator with COT sharing suggestion from the COT initiating UE, the network may transmit the UE identifiers confirming COT sharing suggestion.)
Regarding Claim 7, LI teaches the limitations of Claim 1.
LI further teaches,
The method of claim 1, further comprising: initiating the COT, wherein the COT is initiated at the COT starting time and lasts for a COT duration, -Paragraph [0087] ([0087] recites, “In some aspects, a COT indication may be transmitted on an uplink channel to the BS 105 by the COT initiating UE after the first transmission initiating a COT. In some aspects, the COT indication on an uplink channel may be an explicit indication (e.g., via UCI or MAC CE) including the COT starting point optionally with the COT ID and/or the COT duration…. the COT sharing UEs transmitted after the received COT indication on uplink (e.g., indicating at least the COT starting point) may include the COT starting point and the COT ID and/or the COT duration, and the transmission resources for the COT initiating UE or the COT sharing UEs may be allocated as relative to or referenced from this starting point (e.g., an index of a slot or a sub-slot or a symbol)”
and wherein the first WTRU occupies the sidelink unlicensed channel during the COT. -Paragraph [0064] ([0064] recites,” The sidelink resource allocation grant for an initial transmission (e.g., in slot (i)) may be indicated to the UE with a time interval relative in time from when the sidelink grant (e.g., DCI 1) is received by the UE…. The UE may perform an LBT (e.g., a CAT 4 LBT, a CAT 2 LBT, or a CAT 3 LBT) or other clear channel assessment in an unlicensed frequency band (e.g., a shared frequency band) to gain access to the channel and initiate a COT to be shared with other UEs….”)
Regarding Claim 8, LI teaches the limitations of Claim 7.
LI further teaches,
The method of claim 7, further comprising: monitoring one or more physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH) transmissions of one or more second WTRUs sharing the COT initiated by the first WTRU. -Paragraph [0064] ([0064] recites, “ …. The sidelink resource allocation grant may further indicate reserved resources (e.g., 2 sets of reserved resources) for retransmission(s) if the initial transmission fails (e.g., a HARQ NACK is transmitted in PSFCH 314 to the UE on sidelink). “ As described above UE on the sidelink monitors PSFCH for HARQ NACK.)
Regarding Claim 9, LI teaches the limitations of Claim 8.
LI further teaches,
The method of claim 8, further comprising: reporting, to the base station, sidelink hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) acknowledgement (ACK) feedback from the one or more PSFCH transmissions of the one or more second WTRUs sharing the COT initiated by the first WTRU. -Paragraph [0083] ([0083] recites, “the resources allocated to the COT sharing UEs based on the starting point of a shared COT may vary within this time duration and the feedback resources (e.g., PSFCH allocations) associated to the transmissions based on the starting point of a shared COT may also vary within this time duration in a resource pool. In some aspects, one PUCCH occasion may be allocated based on this variation in time (e.g. relative to or referenced from the last possible PSFCH) for the COT sharing UEs to report HARQ based ACK or NACK to the BS 105. In some aspects, multiple PUCCH occasions may be allocated based on this variation in time (e.g. each PUCCH occasion is relative to or referenced from each possible PSFCH within the time duration) for the COT sharing UEs to report HARQ based ACK or NACK to the BS 105.”)
Regarding Claim 10, LI teaches the limitations of Claim 1.
LI further teaches,
The method of claim 1, wherein the first WTRU is a transmitter (Tx) WTRU. -Fig. 9; Paragraph [0119] ([0119] recites, “At action 910, the method 900 includes a first UE (e.g., the UE 115, the UE 120, or the UE 700) transmitting, to a network unit, an indication associated with channel occupancy time (COT) sharing on sidelink communication. In this regard, the first UE may transmit the indication to the network unit via uplink control information (UCI), a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) message, a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) message, or other suitable communication. In some aspects, the indication associated with the COT sharing on sidelink communication may include a sidelink buffer status report (SL-BSR) associated with the first UE.
Claim 11 is the apparatus claim corresponding to the method claim 1. The applicant’s attention is directed towards claim 1 above which is rejected. Claim 11 is rejected under the same rational as Claim 1.
LI further teaches,
A first wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising: a transceiver; and a processor, operatively coupled to the transceiver; -Fig. 7; Paragraph [0102] ([0102] recites, “FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an exemplary UE 700 according to some aspects of the present disclosure. The UE 700 may be the UE 115 or the UE 120 in the network 100 or 1200 as discussed above. As shown, the UE 700 may include a processor 702, a memory 704, a COT sharing module 708, a transceiver 710 including a modem subsystem 712 and a radio frequency (RF) unit 714, and one or more antennas 716. These elements may be coupled with each other and in direct or indirect communication with each other, for example via one or more buses.”)
Claim 15 is the apparatus claim corresponding to the method claim 5. The applicant’s attention is directed towards claim 5 above which is rejected. Claim 15 is rejected under the same rational as Claim 5.
Claim 16 is the apparatus claim corresponding to the method claim 6. The applicant’s attention is directed towards claim 6 above which is rejected. Claim 16 is rejected under the same rational as Claim 6.
Claim 17 is the apparatus claim corresponding to the method claim 7. The applicant’s attention is directed towards claim 7 above which is rejected. Claim 16 is rejected under the same rational as Claim 7.
Claim 18 is the apparatus claim corresponding to the method claim 8. The applicant’s attention is directed towards claim 8 above which is rejected. Claim 18 is rejected under the same rational as Claim 8.
Claim 19 is the apparatus claim corresponding to the method claim 9. The applicant’s attention is directed towards claim 9 above which is rejected. Claim 19 is rejected under the same rational as Claim 9.
Claim 20 is the apparatus claim corresponding to the method claim 10. The applicant’s attention is directed towards claim 10 above which is rejected. Claim 20 is rejected under the same rational as Claim 10.
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, 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.
Claims 2, 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LI
in view of ZHAO et al. (Patent No: US 2024/0349289 A1), hereinafter, ZHAO.
Regarding Claim 2, LI teaches the limitations of Claim 1.
Although implicit and can be easily understandable by an ordinary person with the skill in the art that claim 2 is a configuration and not a feature, LI does not explicitly mention,
The method of claim 1, wherein the UCI further indicates an intended number of transmissions by the first WTRU in the COT.
However, in an analogous invention, ZHAO teaches,
The method of claim 1, wherein the UCI further indicates an intended number of transmissions by the first WTRU in the COT. -Paragraph [0213] ([0213] recites, “By introducing the CG-PUSCH COT sharing information parameter table and indicating the currently applied COT sharing information over CG-UCI, different numbers of downlink transmission slots and offset values may be provided for CG-PUSCH COT sharing. Alternatively, the number of slots and offset values for CG-PUSCH COT sharing can be directly configured over higher-layer parameters, and in this case, CG-UCI only needs a 1-bit indication of whether the CG-PUSCH COT sharing can be performed.”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the “RESOURCE ALLOCATION FOR CHANNEL OCCUPANCY TIME SHARING IN SIDELINK COMMUNICATION” proposed by LI to include the concept of “UCI further indicates an intended number of transmissions by the first WTRU in the COT” of ZHAO. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to efficiently sharing COT information.
Claim 12 is the apparatus claim corresponding to the method claim 2. The applicant’s attention is directed towards claim 2 above which is rejected. Claim 12 is rejected under the same rational as Claim 2.
Claims 3, 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LI
in view of YANG et al. (Patent No: US 2023/0067736 A1), hereinafter, YANG.
Regarding Claim 3, LI teaches the limitations of Claim 1.
Although implicit and can be easily understandable by an ordinary person with the skill in the art that claim 3 is a configuration and not a feature, LI does not explicitly mention,
The method of claim 1, wherein the UCI further indicates one or more reserved sub-channels within the COT.
However, in an analogous invention, YANG teaches,
The method of claim 1, wherein the UCI further indicates one or more reserved sub-channels within the COT. -Table 8 (recites, “the RE mapping method for each UCI type may vary depending on the payload size of UCI type 1. [AltContent: rect] When the payload size of UCI type 1 is less than or equal to 2 bits, the following RE mapping method may be applied. (i) The UE may first reserves RE(s) on the earliest non-DMRS symbol after a first DMRS symbol on the PUSCH resource as a reserved RE set related to 2-bit UCI type 1 (sequentially). “
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the “RESOURCE ALLOCATION FOR CHANNEL OCCUPANCY TIME SHARING IN SIDELINK COMMUNICATION” proposed by LI to include the concept of “UCI further indicates one or more reserved sub-channels within the COT.” of YANG. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to efficiently performing wireless signal transmission/reception [0003].
Claim 13 is the apparatus claim corresponding to the method claim 3. The applicant’s attention is directed towards claim 3 above which is rejected. Claim 13 is rejected under the same rational as Claim 3.
Claims 4, 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LI
in view of SHIN et al. (Patent No: JP 2022-551099 A), hereinafter, YANG.
Regarding Claim 4, LI teaches the limitations of Claim 1.
Although implicit and can be easily understandable by an ordinary person with the skill in the art that claim 4 is a configuration and not a feature, LI does not explicitly mention,
The method of claim 1, wherein the UCI further indicates one or more reserved interlaces within the COT.
However, in an analogous invention, SHIN teaches,
The method of claim 1, wherein the UCI further indicates one or more reserved interlaces within the COT. -Page. 18, paragraph 7 ( recites, “1-1-2-A. As an example, in order to maintain a UCI bit size and coding rate similar to NR, it is necessary to reserve up to 16 PRBs for the terminal. In order to configure N UEs to use up to 16 PRBs, it is necessary to allocate # of interlaces (the number of interlaces) in which a total of N*16 PRBs are reserved.”)
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the “RESOURCE ALLOCATION FOR CHANNEL OCCUPANCY TIME SHARING IN SIDELINK COMMUNICATION” proposed by LI to include the concept of “UCI further indicates one or more reserved interlaces within the COT.” of SHIN. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to efficiently transmitting an uplink channel in a wireless communication system [Page 6, Paragraph 4]
Claim 14 is the apparatus claim corresponding to the method claim 4. The applicant’s attention is directed towards claim 4 above which is rejected. Claim 14 is rejected under the same rational as Claim 4.
Conclusion
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/AHMED SAIFUDDIN/Examiner, Art Unit 2475
/KHALED M KASSIM/supervisory patent examiner, Art Unit 2475
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