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 § 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 1-17, 19, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Bao et al. (US 20220110088 A1), hereinafter Bao .
Claim 1 is rejected as a method of claim 9.
Claim 2 is rejected as a method of claim 10.
Claim 3 is rejected as a method of claim 11.
Claim 4 is rejected as a method of claim 12.
Claim 5 is rejected as a method of claim 13.
Claim 6 is rejected as a method of claim 14.
Claim 7 is rejected as a method of claim 15.
Claim 8 is rejected as a method of claim 16.
Regarding claim 9, Bao teaches,
A first terminal, comprising:
a processor; and (Figure 2, label 210, paragraph 0058)
a transceiver connected to the processor; and (Figure 2, labels 214, 240, 25, paragraph 0058)
a memory storing one or more instructions, which when executed by the processor, causes the first terminal to: (Figure 2, label 211, paragraph 0058)
send a first-type sidelink PRS (SL-PRS) or
a second-type SL-PRS, wherein the first-type SL-PRS is an SL-PRS separately sent, and the second-type SL-PRS is an SL-PRS associated with a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH)/physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH). (Figure 9, label 921, paragraph 0111 – The UE (label 700) sends a reference signal that contains SL-PRS. Paragraph 0112 - The UE may use as a reference signal a PSCCH signal).
Regarding claim 10, Bao teaches,
The first terminal according to claim 9, wherein the one or more instructions, which when executed by the processor, further causes the first terminal to:
send the first-type SL-PRS or the second-type SL-PRS based on a first trigger signaling from a network device. (figure 9, label 912, paragraph 0109 – The use of an on-demand trigger message send by the network entity to the UE requesting a position message of the UE. Figure 9, label 921, paragraph 0111 – The UE (label 700) sends a reference signal that contains SL-PRS in response to the trigger).
Regarding claim 11, Bao teaches,
The first terminal according to claim 10, wherein the one or more instructions, which when executed by the processor, further causes the first terminal to:
report request information to the network device, wherein the request information is used to request the network device to instruct the first terminal to send the first-type SL-PRS or the second-type SL-PRS. (Figure 9, labels 930, 932, paragraph 0124 – The PRS configuration request to the base station from the UE requests configuring the transfer between the UE and anchors used for sidelink as in the second-type SL-PRS (label 905)).
Regarding claim 12, Bao teaches,
The first terminal according to claim 10, wherein the first trigger signaling is indicated explicitly; and (figure 9, label 912, paragraph 0109 – The use of an on-demand trigger message send by the network entity to the UE requesting a position message of the UE.)
wherein the one or more instructions, which when executed by the processor, further causes the first terminal to:
receive first configuration information from the network device, wherein the first configuration information is used to configure at least one of a transmission resource or a transmission parameter of the SL-PRS. (Figure 9, label 954, paragraph 0126 – The network entity sends a PRS configuration to the UE which contains “one or more parameters of an RS configuration, e.g., a DCI MAC-CE from a TRP or LPP from an LMF.”)
Regarding claim 13, Bao teaches,
The first terminal according to claim 9, wherein the one or more instructions, which when executed by the processor, further causes the first terminal to:
send the first-type SL-PRS or the second-type SL-PRS based on a third trigger signaling from a sidelink (SL). (Figure 9, label 962, paragraph 0128 – The anchor sends a SL-PRS request to the UE based on the PRS configuration message with indicated parameters. This is a second-type SL-PRS as the PRS is passed through an anchor (label 964)).
Regarding claim 14, Bao teaches,
The first terminal according to claim 13, wherein the third trigger signaling comprises:
an SL-PRS from a second terminal. (Figure 9, label 962, paragraph 0128 – The anchor sends a PRS to the UE).
Regarding claim 15, Bao teaches,
The first terminal according to claim 13, wherein the third trigger signaling comprises:
indication information from a second terminal in a broadcast, multicast, or unicast mode. (paragraph 0089 – The use of broadcast, multicast, and unicast signals transmitted and received at the UE in response to a received signal request).
Regarding claim 16, Bao teaches,
The first terminal according to claim 13, wherein the one or more instructions, which when executed by the processor, further causes the first terminal to:
send the first-type SL-PRS or
the second-type SL-PRS in a case that a PSCCH/PSSCH message associated with the second-type SL-PRS and the PSCCH/PSSCH message comprises indication information. (Figure 9, labels 964, 966 – The UE sends the PRS to the base station using the sidelink connection which is the second-type SL-PRS).
Regarding claim 17, Bao teaches,
A network device, comprising:
a processor; and (Figure 3, label 310, paragraph 0070)
a transceiver connected to the processor; and (Figure 3, label 315, paragraph 0070)
a memory storing one or more instructions, which when executed by the processor, causes the network device to: (Figure 3, label 311, paragraph 0070)
send a first trigger signaling to a first terminal, wherein the first trigger signaling is used to trigger the first terminal to send a first-type sidelink PRS (SL-PRS) or a second-type SL-PRS. (figure 9, label 912, paragraph 0109 – The use of an on-demand trigger message send by the network entity to the UE requesting a position message of the UE. Figure 9, label 921, paragraph 0111 – The UE (label 700) sends a reference signal that contains SL-PRS in response to the trigger).
Regarding claim 19, Bao teaches,
The network device according to claim 17, wherein the one or more instructions, which when executed by the processor, further causes the network device to:
receive request information reported by the first terminal, wherein the request information is used to request the network device to instruct the first terminal to send the first-type SL-PRS or the second-type SL-PRS. (Figure 9, labels 930, 932, paragraph 0124 – The PRS configuration request to the base station from the UE requests configuring the transfer between the UE and anchors used for sidelink as in the second-type SL-PRS (label 905)).
Regarding claim 20, Bao teaches,
The network device according to claim 17, wherein the first trigger signaling is explicitly indicated; and (figure 9, label 912, paragraph 0109 – The use of an on-demand trigger message send by the network entity to the UE requesting a position message of the UE.)
wherein the one or more instructions, which when executed by the processor, further causes the network device to:
send first configuration information to the first terminal, wherein the first configuration information is used to configure at least one of a transmission resource or a transmission parameter of the SL-PRS. (Figure 9, label 954, paragraph 0126 – The network entity sends a PRS configuration to the UE which contains “one or more parameters of an RS configuration, e.g., a DCI MAC-CE from a TRP or LPP from an LMF.”)
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.
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.
Claims 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bao in view of Damnjanovic et al. (US 20220278891 A1), hereinafter Damnjanovic.
Regarding claim 18, Bao teaches,
wherein sending the first trigger signaling to the first terminal comprises:
sending the first trigger signaling to the first terminal in a case that the assistance information satisfies a trigger condition. (figure 9, label 912, paragraph 0109 – The use of an on-demand trigger message send by the network entity to the UE requesting a position message of the UE.)
Bao fails to teach,
The network device according to claim 17, wherein the one or more instructions, which when executed by the processor, further causes the network device to:
receive assistance information reported by the first terminal, wherein the assistance information is used to assist the network device in deciding whether to send the first trigger signaling;
However, Damnjanovic teaches,
The network device according to claim 17, wherein the one or more instructions, which when executed by the processor, further causes the network device to:
receive assistance information reported by the first terminal, wherein the assistance information is used to assist the network device in deciding whether to send the first trigger signaling; (Figure 4, labels 415, 420, 425, 430, 435, paragraph 01900195 – The UE and base station decide if trigger conditions for activations of the relay connection sidelink have been satisfied).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Bao to incorporate the teachings of Damnjanovic. The purpose of doing so is to use a set of parameters to determine whether to activate the sidelink and begins transmission (paragraph 0061 of Damnjanovic).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 form.
US 20250138132 A1 – Figures 4-6, Paragraphs 0098-0125: first and second triggering information along with communication between UE and base station
US 20220264338 A1 – Figure 12, paragraphs 0063, 0167 – Communication of sidelink data using triggering mechanism between an RX UE, TX UE and a base station.
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/RYAN CRIGLER/Examiner, Art Unit 2472
/NICHOLAS A JENSEN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2472
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