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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in Japan on April 21, 2023. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the JP2022-069891 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Paragraph [0020], line 1, “PC5-RRC” should be “PC5 radio resource control (PC5-RRC)” to define RRC.
Appropriate correction is required.
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-7 are objected to because of the following informalities:
1. (Proposed Amendment) A user equipment (UE) having PC5 radio resource control (PC5-RRC) connection with other UE, comprising:
higher layer processing circuitry configured to send, to the other UE, a PC5- RRC message including a configuration of reference signal for sidelink positioning; and
transmission circuitry configured to transmit, to the other UE, the reference signal for sidelink positioning corresponding to the configuration.
4. (Proposed Amendment) A user equipment (UE) having PC5 radio resource control (PC5-RRC) connection with other UE, comprising:
higher layer processing circuitry configured to acquire a PC5-RRC message including a configuration of reference signal for sidelink positioning; and
reception circuitry configured to receive, from the other UE, the reference signal for sidelink positioning corresponding to the configuration.
7. (Proposed Amendment) A method for a user equipment (UE) having PC5 radio resource control (PC5-RRC) connection with other UE, the method comprising:
sending, to the other UE, a PC5-RRC message including a configuration of reference signal for sidelink positioning; and
transmitting, to the other UE, the reference signal for sidelink positioning corresponding to the configuration.
Claims 2 and 3 depend from claim 1, therefore they are also objected.
Claims 5 and 6 depend from claim 4, therefore they are also objected.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 2 and 5 are 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.
Claim 2 (lines 3 and 5) and claim 5 (lines 3 and 4-5), the phrases “the subcarrier spacing of resource” and “the frequency position” both lack antecedent basis.
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.
(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 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Pan et al. (US 2020/0351699 A1), hereinafter “Pan”.
Pan illustrates a wireless communication system in FIG. 1 comprising a first UE (User Equipment 116) to request SLRB (Sidelink Radio Bearer) configuration for a unicast link with a second UE (122). FIG. 3 illustrates a communication device (300) includes: a control circuit (306); a processor (CPU 308) installed in the control circuit; and a memory (310) installed in the control circuit and operatively coupled to the processor; wherein the processor executes a program code stored in the memory to: receive a first message from the second UE , wherein the first message includes a first SLRB configuration for the unicast link; and transmit a second message to a network node to request a second SLRB configuration for the unicast link when the first message is received or a successful transmission of a complete message associated with the first message to the second UE is confirmed. Also see the abstract, claim 1, and claim 11.
Regarding claim 1, for Unified Sidelink Resource Management, Pan describes peer-to-peer or relay communications. The Sidelink Radio Bearer (SLRB) establishes the logical, transport, and physical channels used for transmitting data over the PC5 interface. Sidelink Positioning Reference Signals (SL-PRS) utilize this same radio infrastructure. The higher layers of the UE cannot transmit positioning reference signals without an underlying SLRB configured to carry this control and measurement data between UEs. For PC5-RRC Link Establishment, before UEs can exchange positioning reference signals, they must have an established, synchronized PC5-RRC (Radio Resource Control) connection, for example, a UE receives a configuration message from another UE and subsequently interacting with a network node (e.g., a gNB) to finalize that connection. Once the PC5-RRC unicast link is established, the UEs are then able to negotiate specific positioning configurations. In other words, after the parameters are shared and configured via PC5-RRC, the higher processing layers trigger the physical transmission circuitry to actively send the SL-PRS between the UEs. Further, for Requesting SLRB Configurations, when User Equipment (UE) establishes a unicast link, it must map Quality of Service (QoS) flows to Sidelink Radio Bearers (SLRBs). The initiating (or receiving) UE provides an initial SLRB setup to the peer. The requesting UE then forwards this to a gNB (the network node) to request formal, network-sanctioned radio bearer mapping. It allows the network to maintain overarching resource control, ensuring sidelink communication does not interfere with cellular Uu link traffic, while accelerating connection times by utilizing UE-suggested parameters. For Sidelink Positioning Reference Signals (PRS), this outlines UEs interacting directly via PC5-RRC to determine the relative distance or location between devices (e.g., for V2X safety or proximity sensing). The transmitting UE communicates the exact parameters (subcarrier spacing and frequency allocation) to the receiving UE, then transmits the signal. Sidelink Positioning is a highly localized task. By explicitly signaling the subcarrier spacing and frequency position to the peer, the network bypasses the need to pre-allocate dedicated resources. This allows dynamic, on-the-fly positioning that is robust to interference and highly accurate.
Regarding claim 4, as another apparatus claim, it recites features similar to those of apparatus claim 1 for the same reasons discussed therein.
Regarding claims 2 and 4, Pan’s wireless communication system is related to 3GPP 5G NR V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything) specifications governing sidelink unicast link management and positioning reference signals. The Sidelink Radio Bearer (SLRB) Configuration dictates how a first User Equipment (UE) requests radio resources from the network for a PC5 unicast link. When establishing a connection, a second UE may propose an initial SLRB setup to the first UE. To ensure proper network coordination, the first UE is required to inform the network node (e.g., gNB) so the network can formally validate, configure, or adjust the Sidelink Radio Bearer settings. For a UE to determine its location or assist another UE's positioning calculations, the configuration for sidelink positioning reference signals explicitly requires both subcarrier spacing and frequency position parameters. For example, Subcarrier Spacing (First Information) dictates the numerology (the frequency distance between subcarriers). This ensures both UEs are synchronized in time and frequency, which is necessary for highly accurate Time of Arrival (ToA) or Angle of Departure (AoD) measurements. Frequency Position (Second Information) specifies the exact physical resource blocks (PRBs) allocated for the positioning reference signal within the bandwidth part. This ensures there is no data overlap and that the reference signal avoids interfering with other active unicast or broadcast Sidelink Communications.
Regarding claims 3 and 5, in 3GPP sidelink specifications, Sidelink Radio Bearer (SLRB) requests and Sidelink Positioning Measurements over PC5-RRC enable UEs to directly determine distances and locations without relying exclusively on base stations. For example, UEs need to coordinate to transmit or receive Sidelink Positioning Reference Signals (SL-PRS). Sidelink positioning methods like SL-RTT (Sidelink Round Trip Time), SL-AoA (Sidelink Angle of Arrival), and SL-TDOA (Sidelink Time Difference of Arrival) require the precise exchange of timing and configuration parameters. Sidelink measurement reports (like RSRP or RSRPP) are higher-layer configurations. The PC5-RRC connection handles parameter exchange for these measurements. When a first UE attempts to configure a unicast link, the second UE may initiate the bearer parameters. For the First SLRB Configuration, the second UE sends a message proposing initial SLRB parameters. For the Request to Network, the first UE forwards a message (e.g., an RRC sidelink assistance request) to the network node (gNB) to approve or request an updated secondary SLRB configuration. The network coordinates resources to prevent interference in congested communication bands. This ensures that both direct UE-to-UE links and network-to-UE links maintain required QoS metrics and do not suffer radio link failure.
Regarding claim 7, it is a method claim and recites method steps corresponding to the apparatus elements of claim 1, for the same reasons discussed in connection with claim 1.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Pan et al. (US 11,723,093 B1) relates to a method includes a relay User Equipment (UE) establishing a first layer-2 link with a first UE and establishes a second layer-2 link with a second UE, wherein the first layer-2 link and the second layer-2 link are used for forwarding traffic between the first UE and the second UE. The method also includes the relay UE receiving a first PC5 message from a third UE for request of establishing a third layer-2 link, wherein the first PC5 message includes a second User Info of the second UE. The method further includes the relay UE transmitting a second PC5 message to the second UE for modifying the second layer-2 link in response to reception of the first PC5 message from the third UE, wherein the second PC5 message includes a third User Info of the third UE and the second User Info of the second UE.
Faurie et al. (US 2016/0338094 A1) relates to a method for configuring radio resources and assigning a grant for device-to-device (D2D) transmissions between a first user equipment (UE) and a second UE, the method comprising: determining that the first UE and the second UE are within D2D proximity, wherein at least one of the first UE or the second UE are outside of a network coverage; determining a configuration of the D2D radio resources; and assigning a grant from the determined D2D radio resources for the transmissions from the second UE to the first UE.
CAO et al. (US 2021/0051525 A1) relates to a method comprising: sensing, by a first user equipment (UE), a signal transmitted by a second UE indicating a resource reservation for a shared channel for a sidelink (SL) transmission by the second UE and a priority associated with the SL transmission; determining, by the first UE, a threshold based on a type of the SL transmission and the priority; and selecting, by the first UE, a resource in the shared channel to use for a SL transmission by the first UE based on the threshold.
Kuo (US 2021/0400746 A1) relates to a method includes a first UE transmitting a first PC5-S message for establishing a PC5 unicast link with a UE-to-UE Relay, wherein the PC5-S message includes a Layer-2 Identity (ID) of a second UE. The method further includes the first UE receiving a second PC5-S message from the UE-to-UE Relay, wherein the second PC5-S message is transmitted by the UE-to-UE Relay in response to reception of the first PC5-S message.
BAO et al. (US 2022/0201774 A1) relates to a first user equipment includes: an interface configured to send and receive signals wirelessly; and a processor configured to: establish a sidelink connection with a second user equipment; exchange, using the sidelink connection, sidelink information with the second user equipment to at least one of: transmit, via the interface to the second user equipment, first SL PRS-related data (sidelink positioning reference signal related data) including at least one of first SL PRS assistance data or first SL PRS configuration data; or receive, via the interface from the second user equipment, second SL PRS-related data including at least one of second SL PRS assistance data or second SL PRS configuration data; and exchange, via the interface with the second user equipment using the sidelink connection, one or more sidelink positioning reference signals in accordance with at least one of the first SL PRS-related data or the second SL PRS-related data.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Young T. Tse whose telephone number is (571)272-3051. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 10:30am-7pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chieh M Fan can be reached at 571-272-3042. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Young T. Tse/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2632
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