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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 34 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 34, the claim states: “prioritize sidelink transmission and sidelink receptions” and “in response to a determination that priority value… is identical” is unclear. The definition of prioritize is to arrange in order of importance. Therefore, it is unclear when the priority value of sidelink transmission in a first set is equal to a sidelink reception in the second set.
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 21 and 39 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al (US 2025/0142387, hereinafter Wu) and in view of Ye et al (US 2021/0250136, hereinafter Ye).
Regarding claim 21, Wu discloses an apparatus for a user equipment (UE, Para [0007]), the apparatus comprising: processing circuitry (processor, Para [0007]) configured to: generate sidelink hybrid automatic repeat request-acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) information bits for sidelink carrier aggregation (UE generates a sidelink feedback codebook, with sidelink feedback bits, Para [0104], UE supports sidelink carrier aggregation, Para [0004]); and encode, for transmission to a fifth generation NodeB (gNB), the sidelink HARQ-ACK information bits on a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) using sidelink carrier aggregation (5G systems, Para [0003], next generation nodeB, gNB, Para [0062], sidelink feedback for all CCs can be transmitted in a report in a UCI, Para [0104], UE can report sidelink HARQ feedback in PUCCH, Para [0054]); and does not explicitly disclose memory configured to store the sidelink HARQ-ACK information bits (UE with memory, Para [0007], storing feedback bits is simple function and obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art); but does not explicitly disclose Type 1 or Type 2 sidelink HARQ-ACK. Ye discloses transmitting a sidelink HARQ-ACK codebook to the network, Para [0054] and it can be a type 1 or a type 2 HARQ-ACK codebook, Para [0055]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Ye in the system of Wu in order to improve methods for selecting resources to be utilized for transmitting HARQ feedback and performing retransmissions over the sidelink.
Regarding claim 39, Wu discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (non-transitory computer readable medium, Para [0009]) that stores instructions for execution by one or more processors of a user equipment (UE), the one or more processors to configure the UE to, when the instructions are executed: generate sidelink hybrid automatic repeat request-acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) information bits for sidelink carrier aggregation (UE generates a sidelink feedback codebook, with sidelink feedback bits, Para [0104], UE supports sidelink carrier aggregation, Para [0004]); and encode, for transmission to a fifth generation NodeB (gNB), the Type 1 or Type 2 sidelink HARQ-ACK information bits on a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) using sidelink carrier aggregation (5G systems, Para [0003], next generation nodeB, gNB, Para [0062], sidelink feedback for all CCs can be transmitted in a report in a UCI, Para [0104], UE can report sidelink HARQ feedback in PUCCH, Para [0054]); but does not explicitly disclose Type 1 or Type 2 sidelink HARQ-ACK. Ye discloses transmitting a sidelink HARQ-ACK codebook to the network, Para [0054] and it can be a type 1 or a type 2 HARQ-ACK codebook, Para [0055]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Ye in the system of Wu in order to improve methods for selecting resources to be utilized for transmitting HARQ feedback and performing retransmissions over the sidelink.
Claims 22-24, 28, 29, 37 and 38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu, in view of Ye and in view of Guo et al (US 2024/0414733, hereinafter Guo).
Regarding claim 37, Wu discloses an apparatus for a fifth generation NodeB (gNB, Para [0062]), the apparatus comprising: processing (processor, Fig. 13) circuitry configured to: and decode, from the UE, a sidelink HARQ-ACK information bits on a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) on which sidelink carrier aggregation has been used (5G systems, Para [0003], next generation nodeB, gNB, Para [0062], sidelink feedback for all CCs can be transmitted in a report in a UCI, Para [0104], UE can report, to the gNB, sidelink HARQ feedback in PUCCH, Para [0054]); and memory configured to store the DCI (memory, Fig. 13, storing DCI is a simple function, obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art); but does not explicitly disclose Type 1 or Type 2 sidelink HARQ-ACK. Ye discloses transmitting a sidelink HARQ-ACK codebook to the network, Para [0054] and it can be a type 1 or a type 2 HARQ-ACK codebook, Para [0055]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Ye in the system of Wu in order to improve methods for selecting resources to be utilized for transmitting HARQ feedback and performing retransmissions over the sidelink; and does not disclose encode, for transmission to a user equipment (UE), downlink control information (DCI) having a DCI format 3_0, the DCI format 3_0 having a field of total sidelink assignment index (T-SAI) that indicates a total number of sidelink hybrid automatic repeat request-acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) feedback information bits for sidelink carrier aggregation. Guo discloses a total sidelink assignment index field (T-SAI) in DCI format 3_0, Para [0031], T-SAI received by the UE in the DCI may have a value of 2, which indicates two HARQ-ACK information bits associated with SL information, Para [0087]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Guo in the system of Wu in view of Ye in order to make improvements for the UE to properly transmit control information to the BS regarding sidelink information.
Regarding claim 22, Wu discloses the apparatus of claim 21, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to decode, from the gNB, downlink control information (DCI) having a DCI format 3_0, the DCI including a sidelink carrier index that indicates a sidelink carrier for resource allocation of physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH) and physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) (BS transmits DCI granting resources for sidelink transmission, for example DCI format 3_0 and UE transmits on the PSCCH or PSSCH in granted resources from the DCI, Para [0096], CC index, Para [0104]).
Regarding claim 23, Wu discloses the apparatus of claim 21, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to, for Type 1 sidelink HARQ-ACK codebook generation for sidelink carrier aggregation, generate sidelink HARQ-ACK bits per sidelink carrier and concatenate the sidelink HARQ-ACK bits in an ascending order of sidelink serving cell index (HARQ codebook can be generated in a cell first order, based on CC index, Para [0104], in this case ascending order, concatenating HARQ bits is known in the art).
Regarding claim 24, Wu discloses the apparatus of claim 21, wherein: the processing circuitry is further configured to decode, from the gNB, downlink control information (DCI) having a DCI format 3_0, and the DCI format 3_0 has a field of total sidelink assignment index (T-SAI) that indicates a total number of sidelink HARQ-ACK feedback information bits for sidelink carrier aggregation for Type 2 HARQ-ACK codebook generation. Guo discloses a total sidelink assignment index field (T-SAI) in DCI format 3_0, Para [0031], T-SAI received by the UE in the DCI may have a value of 2, which indicates two HARQ-ACK information bits associated with SL information, Para [0087].
Regarding claim 28, Wu discloses the apparatus of claim 21, but not fully wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to use a total sidelink assignment index (T-SAI) and sidelink carrier index in pseudo-code for Type 2 HARQ-ACK codebook generation on the PUCCH (Guo discloses a total sidelink assignment index field (T-SAI) in DCI format 3_0, Para [0031], Wu discloses HARQ codebook can be generated in a cell first order, based on CC index, Para [0104], Ye discloses transmitting a type 2 HARQ-ACK codebook, Para [0055]).
Regarding claim 29, Wu discloses the apparatus of claim 21, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to determine, for power control of a PUCCH carrying sidelink HARQ-ACK information bits, a number of the sidelink HARQ-ACK information bits based on a number of sidelink carriers (sidelink feedback for all CCs can be transmitted in a report in a UCI, Para [0104], in this case a feedback bit for each CC).
Regarding claim 38, Wu discloses the apparatus of claim 37, wherein the DCI includes a sidelink carrier index that indicates a sidelink carrier for resource allocation of physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH) and physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) (BS transmits DCI granting resources for sidelink transmission, for example DCI format 3_0 and UE transmits on the PSCCH or PSSCH in granted resources from the DCI, Para [0096], CC index, Para [0104]).
Claim 25 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu, in view of Ye, in view of Gup and in view of Huang et al (US 2020/0267597, hereinafter Huang, as disclosed in the IDS).
Regarding claim 25, Wu discloses the apparatus of claim 21, but not wherein: the processing circuitry is further configured to decode, from the gNB, downlink control information (DCI) having a DCI format 3_0, and a set of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring occasions for the DCI format 3_0 for scheduling physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) transmissions with associated physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH) reception occasions is defined as a union of PDCCH monitoring occasions in an active downlink (DL) bandwidth part (BWP) of configured serving cells, in ascending order of start time of associated search space sets. Guo discloses DCI format 3_0, Para [0031]. Huang discloses the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions is defined as the union of PDDCH monitoring occasions across active DL BWP of configured serving cells, ordered in ascending order of start time of search space set, Para [0130]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Haung in the system of Wu in view of Ye and Guo in order to increase probability of successfully decoding sidelink transmissions.
Claim 27 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu, in view of Ye and in view of Guo et al (US 2024/0396675, hereinafter Guo2).
Regarding claim 27, Wu discloses the apparatus of claim 21, but not wherein: the processing circuitry is further configured to decode, from the gNB, downlink control information (DCI) having a DCI format 3_0, and a value of a total sidelink assignment index (SAI), when present, in the DCI format 3_0, excluding DCI format 3_0 for a sidelink (SL)-configured grant Type 2 activation, denotes a total number {sidelink carrier, physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring occasions}-pairs where physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) transmissions with associated physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH) receptions are scheduled, up to a current PDCCH monitoring occasion, and is updated between PDCCH monitoring occasions. Guo2 discloses T-SAI, when present in DCI format 3_0, therefore can be not present, counts the number of PDCCH monitoring occasions of both downlink and sidelink, the PSSCH transmission associated with PSFCH receptions, up the current PDCCH monitoring occasion, where it is updated each PDCCH monitoring occasion, Para [0151]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Guo in the system of Wu in view of Ye in order to have HARQ improve throughput at the MAC layer in poor radio conditions.
Claim 26 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu, in view of Ye and in view of Guo and in view of Park et al (US 2023/0299888, hereinafter Park).
Regarding claim 26, Wu discloses the apparatus of claim 21, but not wherein: the processing circuitry is further configured to decode, from the gNB, downlink control information (DCI) having a DCI format 3_0, and a value of a counter sidelink assignment index (SAI) field in the DCI format 3_0, excluding a DCI format 3_0 for a sidelink (SL)-configured grant Type 2 activation, denotes an accumulative number of {sidelink carrier, physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring occasions}-pairs where physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) transmissions with associated physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH) receptions are scheduled, up to a current PDCCH monitoring occasion, first in ascending order of sidelink carrier index and then in ascending order of PDCCH monitoring occasion index. Park discloses counter SAI, in the DCI format, Para [0194], accumulative number of sidelink PDCCH monitoring occasions up to a current monitoring occasion, Para [0192], C-SAI value may be determined in ascending order of serving cell, Para [0199] and ascending order by PDCCH monitoring occasion, Fig. 17. Guo2 discloses counter SAI in DCI format 3_0, Para [0168], the PSSCH transmission associated with PSFCH receptions, up the current PDCCH monitoring occasion, Para [0151]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Park in the system of Wu in view of Ye and Guo2 in order to secure low latency and high reliability in V2X communications.
Claims 30-36 and 40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu, in view of Ye and in view of Chae et al (US 2025/0056574, hereinafter Chae, claiming the priority date of provisional application 63/337,017).
Regarding claim 30, Wu discloses the apparatus of claim 21, but not wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: configure or indicate a priority value for a sidelink physical channel or signal; and determine, for sidelink carrier aggregation, whether the sidelink physical channel or signal has a higher priority than another sidelink physical channel or signal or uplink transmission. Chae discloses a priority value can be lower or higher, Para [0264], for CA sidelink transmission, Para [0265] and wireless device can compare priority values of sidelink transmissions and potentially drop the lower priority one, Para [0266]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Chae in the system of Wu in view of Ye in order to solve conflicts with overlapping transmissions and improve user experience.
Regarding claim 31, Wu discloses the apparatus of claim 30, wherein the sidelink physical channel or signal is selected from a group of sidelink physical channels and signals that includes: a sidelink synchronization signal (S-SS) and physical sidelink broadcast channel (PSBCH), a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) and physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH), physical sidelink feedback channel (PSFCH), and sidelink positioning reference signal (SL PRS) (PSSCH, PSCCH and PSFCH, Para [0088]).
Regarding claim 32, Wu discloses the apparatus of claim 31, but not wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: determine, for sidelink carrier aggregation, that a first set of sidelink physical channels or signals to be transmitted in a first set of sidelink carriers and a second set of sidelink physical channels or signals to be received in a second set of sidelink carriers overlap in time; set a priority value of sidelink transmissions as a smallest priority value among sidelink transmissions in the first set of sidelink physical channels or signals and a priority value of sidelink receptions as a smallest priority value among sidelink receptions in the second set of sidelink physical channels or signals; and determine a smallest priority value between the priority value of sidelink transmissions and the priority value of sidelink receptions as a highest priority. Chae discloses a priority value can be lower or higher, Para [0264], for CA sidelink transmission, Para [0265] and wireless device can compare priority values of sidelink transmissions and potentially drop the lower priority one, Para [0266], determining priority of carriers and then comparing the priority values is known in the art.
Regarding claim 33, Wu discloses the apparatus of claim 21, but not wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: determine that an uplink channel or signal is to be transmitted in an uplink carrier, and a first sidelink physical channel or signal in a first sidelink carrier and a second sidelink physical channel or signal in a second sidelink carrier are to be simultaneously transmitted or received; determine a priority of sidelink transmissions in the first sidelink carrier and the second sidelink carrier, the priority being a smallest priority value among the sidelink transmissions in the first sidelink carrier and the second sidelink carrier; and select the sidelink transmissions having the smallest priority value to transmit or receive. Chae discloses a priority value can be lower or higher, Para [0264], for CA sidelink transmission, Para [0265] and wireless device can compare priority values of sidelink transmissions and potentially drop the lower priority one, Para [0266], determining priority of carriers and then comparing the priority values is known in the art and transmitting the higher priority transmission/channel.
Regarding claims 34, Wu discloses the apparatus of claim 21, but not wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: prioritize sidelink transmissions and sidelink receptions in a first set of sidelink carriers and a second set of sidelink carriers based on priority values for the sidelink transmissions and the sidelink receptions, where a smaller priority value has higher priority; and in response to a determination that a priority value of the sidelink transmissions in the first set of sidelink carriers is identical to the priority value of the sidelink receptions in the second set of sidelink carriers, prioritize the sidelink transmissions in the first set of sidelink carriers over the sidelink receptions in the second set of sidelink carriers. Chae discloses a priority value can be lower or higher, Para [0264], for CA sidelink transmission, Para [0265] and wireless device can compare priority values of sidelink transmissions and potentially drop the lower priority one, Para [0266], determining priority of carriers and then comparing the priority values is known in the art and transmitting the higher priority transmission/channel, if priority is equal then priority goes to a default set.
Regarding claim 35, Wu discloses the apparatus of claim 21, but not wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to, for a UE having a capability of simultaneous transmissions on more than one sidelink carrier: determine that transmissions over the more than one sidelink carrier are to overlap over a time period; determine that a total UE transmission power over the time period is to exceed a maximum UE transmission power; and in response to a determination that the total UE transmission power over the time period is to exceed the maximum UE transmission power, reduce power for a sidelink transmission on one of the more than one sidelink carrier, the sidelink transmission on the one of the more than one sidelink carrier having a lower priority than a sidelink transmission on another of the more than one sidelink carrier, the power of the sidelink transmission on the one of the more than one sidelink carrier being reduced to reduce the total UE transmission power to at most the maximum UE transmission power. Chae discloses a priority value can be lower or higher, Para [0264], for CA sidelink transmission, Para [0265] and wireless device can compare priority values of sidelink transmissions and potentially drop the lower priority one, such that overlapped sidelink transmission do not exceed the power limit, Para [0266].
Regarding claim 36, Wu discloses the apparatus of claim 21, but not wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to, for a UE having a capability of simultaneous transmissions on an uplink carrier and more than one sidelink carrier: determine that an uplink transmission over the uplink carrier and sidelink transmissions over the more than one sidelink carrier are to overlap over a time period; determine that a total UE transmission power over the time period is to exceed a maximum UE transmission power; and in response to a determination that the total UE transmission power over the time period is to exceed the maximum UE transmission power, allocate power to the uplink transmission and the sidelink transmissions in descending order based on a priority value of the uplink transmission and the sidelink transmissions. Chae discloses a priority value can be lower or higher, Para [0264], for CA sidelink transmission, Para [0265] and wireless device can compare priority values of sidelink transmissions and potentially drop the lower priority one, such that overlapped sidelink transmission do not exceed the power limit, Para [0266], obvious variation where an uplink overlaps a sidelink transmission and exceeds max power.
Regarding claim 40, Wu discloses the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 39, but not wherein the instructions, when executed, further configure the one or more processors to cause the UE to: determine that an uplink channel or signal is to be transmitted in an uplink carrier, and a first sidelink physical channel or signal in a first sidelink carrier and a second sidelink physical channel or signal in a second sidelink carrier are to be simultaneously transmitted or received; determine a priority of sidelink transmissions in the first sidelink carrier and the second sidelink carrier, the priority being a smallest priority value among the sidelink transmissions in the first sidelink carrier and the second sidelink carrier; and select the sidelink transmissions having the smallest priority value to transmit or receive. Chae discloses a priority value can be lower or higher, Para [0264], for CA sidelink transmission, Para [0265] and wireless device can compare priority values of sidelink transmissions and potentially drop the lower priority one, such that overlapped sidelink transmission do not exceed the power limit, Para [0266], obvious variation where an uplink overlaps a sidelink transmission and exceeds max power.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN CUNNINGHAM whose telephone number is (571) 272-1765. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday 7:30-18:00 (EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Vu can be reached on (571) 272-3155. The fax number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/KEVIN M CUNNINGHAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461
Prosecution Insights