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 § 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-5, 7-10, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al (US 20250142603) in view of Si et al (US 20230028000).
As to claim 1 Wang discloses a method of configuring a sidelink resource pool for a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: receiving, by the UE from a base station, sidelink resource pool configuration information, wherein the sidelink resource pool configuration information comprises sidelink resource pool configuration of a sidelink bandwidth part (SL BWP) ( Wang ¶0054-the terminal device 110 …receives a sidelink signal on at least one of the sub-channel resources. ¶0054- the sidelink resource configuration information may comprise at least one of the following: ¶0055 an interlace enablement indication which indicates using interlace as frequency domain resource unit for sidelink transmission, ¶0056 a sub-channel configuration, ¶0057 a sidelink carrier configuration, ¶0058 a sidelink BWP configuration, or ¶0059 a sidelink resource pool configuration), wherein the sidelink resource pool configuration of the SL BWP indicates: a first parameter indicating whether an interlace-based SL resource configuration is configured (Wang ¶0067-the terminal device 110 may receive, from the network device 140, the sub-channel configuration through a system information block (SIB) message, the SIB message may comprise at least one of the following: ¶0068- SL-U-ResourcePool ¶0069 useInterlacePSCCH-PSSCH NUMERATED {enabled} ¶0070- sl-U-SubchannelSize ENUMERATED {n1, n2, n3, n4, n5, n6, n7, n8, n9,n10} where SL-U-ResourcePool represents the sidelink resource configuration for a resource pool, useInterlacePSCH-PSSCH represents an interlace enablement indication, and when it is presented, it indicates using interlace as frequency domain resource unit for PSCCH/PSSCH for SL-U communication); a plurality of subchannel indexes for a plurality of subchannels for the SL BWP (Wang ¶0092-each of the sub-channel resources may comprise RBs in the first number of interlaces with consecutive interlace indexes. In such embodiments, an index of a starting interlace among the first number of interlaces with the
consecutive interlace indexes may be determined as a first index of the lowest interlace within a sidelink resource pool or a sidelink BWP: Wang ¶0123- last sentence- The index of the starting sub-channel resource may be determined within the RB set. In this way, the terminal device 110 may transmit a combined indication of sub-channel index and RB set index to assign PSSCH resource ); a plurality of interlaces for the plurality of subchannels for the SL BWP (Wang ¶0092, ¶0124, Fig. 9a-In the example of FIG. 9A, RB set #1 and RB set #2 are contained within a sidelink resource pool. The terminal device 110 determines the allocation of the sub-channel resources for each of the RB set #1 and RB set #2. For example, for the RB set #1, the terminal device 110 determines sub-channel resource #0 contains interlace #2; for the RB set #2, the terminal device 110 determines sub-channel resource #0 contains interlace #3.), wherein each interlace of the plurality of interlaces comprises at least 10 resource blocks (RBs) (Wang ¶0076- last sentence- For example, n10 represents that 10 RBs are contained in each of the sub-channel resources, n20 represents that 20 RBs are contained in each of the sub-channel resources, and so on. In this way, such embodiments may provide more flexibility for sub-channel configuration based on IRB structure.), and wherein same interlace indexes are used for each resource block set (RBS) of a plurality of resource block sets (RBSs) when the first parameter indicates that the interlace-based SL resource configuration is configured (Wang ¶0081- ¶0082); and performing, based on the sidelink resource pool configuration information, sidelink communication with a second UE via the SL BWP (Wang ¶0052-¶0058-At block 620, the terminal device 110 transmits or receives a sidelink signal on at least one of the sub-channel resources…In some embodiments, the sidelink resource configuration information may comprise… a sidelink BWP configuration).
Wang however is silent where the resource pool configuration information is received via higher layer signaling, wherein the higher layer signaling comprises a radio resource control (RRC) layer signaling, and a second parameter indicating an intracell guard band. However, in an analogous art Si remedies these deficiencies: (Si ¶0060- 1st sentence- UE can determine CSI-RS transmission parameters through DL control signaling or higher layer signaling, such as radio resource control (RRC) signaling, from a gNB. Si ¶0071-1st and 2nd sentences- transmission and reception of sidelink (SL) signals and channels are based on resource pool(s) confined in the configured SL bandwidth part (BWP). In the frequency domain, a resource pool consists of a (pre-)configured number …of contiguous sub-channels, wherein each sub-channel consists of a set of contiguous resource blocks (RBs) in a slot with size (pre-)configured by higher layer parameter (e.g., sl-SubchannelSize); (Si ¶0134- the UE can determine the resource allocation in frequency domain as an intersection of the interlaces of resource blocks in the indicated set of sub-channels and the union of the indicated set of RB sets and intra-cell guard bands between the indicated RB sets ); Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the teachings of Wang with that of Si for the purpose of configuring a guard band by higher layer signaling in an unlicensed band within an intra-cell.
As to claim 2 the combined teachings of Wang and Si disclose the method of claim 1, wherein, when the UE performs the sidelink communication in a single RBS based on the SL BWP in a single carrier bandwidth, the UE performs the sidelink communication based on first resource pool configuration information (Wang Fig, 7a and 7b- Resource pool- One RB Set, ¶0071- ¶0077.)
As to claim 3 the combined teachings of Wang and Si disclose the method of claim 2, wherein the first resource pool configuration information includes at least one of information on an interlace-based sidelink resource pool configuration status or interlace-based subchannel index information associated with a resource pool (Wang Fig.8A, ¶0086- FIG. 8A illustrates an example of sub-channel resources in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. In the example of FIG. 8A, k=1, an index of a sub-channel resource is identical to an index of a respective interlace. Within a resource pool 810,).
As to claim 4 the combined teachings of Wang and Si disclose the method of claim 1, wherein, when the UE performs the sidelink communication in the plurality of RBSs based on the SL BWP in a single carrier bandwidth, the UE performs the sidelink communication based on second resource pool configuration information (Wang Fig. 9A, ¶0124- In the example of FIG. 9A, RB set #1 and RB set #2 are contained within a sidelink resource pool. The terminal device 110 determines the allocation of the sub-channel resources for each of the RB set #1 and RB set #2. For example, for the RB set #1, the terminal device 110 determines sub-channel resource #0 contains interlace #2; for the RB set #2, the terminal
device 110 determines sub-channel resource #0 contains interlace #3.).
As to claim 5 the combined teachings of Wang and Si disclose the method of claim 4, wherein the second resource pool configuration information includes at least one of information on an interlace-based sidelink resource pool configuration status or interlace-based subchannel index information associated with a resource pool (Wang Fig.9B, ¶0127- 2nd sentence- the terminal device 110 may resource pool transmit an indication of the at least one of the sub-channel resources. The indication comprises an index of a starting sub-channel resource among the at least one of the sub-channel resources. The index of the starting sub-channel resource may be determined within the sidelink resource pool or within the sidelink BWP.).
As to claim 7 the combined teachings of Wang and Si disclose method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of subchannel indexes consists of subchannel indexes 0, 1, 2, and m-1 for the plurality of subchannels, and wherein a number of the plurality of subchannels corresponds to m (Si ¶0099-¶0100 a resource pool can be (pre-)configured as a number of interlace based sub-channel(s) in the frequency domain. Each sub-channel in the resource pool can have a relative sub-channel index, e.g., starting from 0… the frequency domain information of the resource pool can be determined based on a starting sub-channel index (e.g., defined based on an interlace index) and a number of contiguous sub-channel(s), wherein, for one instance, the starting sub-channel index and a number of contiguous sub-channel(s) are pre-configured and/or provided by higher layer parameters). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Wang with that of Si for the purpose of configuring a number of interlace based sub-channel(s) in the frequency domain.
As to claim 8 the combined teachings of Wang and Si disclose the method of claim 1, wherein a plurality of interlace indexes for the plurality of interlaces are determined for the plurality of subchannel indexes (Si ¶0100- For this example, the frequency domain information of the resource pool can be determined based on a starting sub-channel index (e.g., defined based on an interlace index) . Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Wang with that of Si for the purpose of configuring a number of interlace based sub-channel(s) in the frequency domain.
As to claim 9 the combined teachings of Wang and Si disclose the method of claim 1, wherein the sidelink resource pool configuration information further indicates: a parameter for interlaced-based subchannels in each resource block set (RBS) of a plurality of resource block sets (RBSs) (Wang Fg.9A-9C, ¶0124- ¶0133; and a plurality of RBS indexes for the plurality of RBSs.(Wang ¶0123- The indication comprises an index of an RB set, and an index of a starting sub-channel resource among the at least one of the sub-channel resources. The index of the starting sub-channel resource may be determined within the RB set. In this way, the terminal device 110 may transmit a combined indication of sub-channel index and RB set index to assign PSSCH resource).
As to claim 10 the combined teachings of Wang and Si disclose the method of claim 9, wherein the intracell guard band is a guard band between two adjacent RBSs of the plurality of RBSs (Si ¶0134- last sentence- the UE can determine the resource allocation in frequency domain as an intersection of the interlaces of resource blocks in the indicated set of sub-channels and the union of the indicated set of RB sets and intra-cell guard bands between the indicated RB sets). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Wang with that of Si for the purpose of configuring a guard band in an unlicensed band within an intra-cell.
As to claim 15 the combined teachings of Wang and Si disclose the method of claim 1, wherein each interlace of the plurality of interlaces comprises a plurality of resource blocks (RBs) spaced in a frequency band (Wang, Fig.4 and 5, ¶¶0044; ¶0047).
Claim(s) 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang in view of Si and further in view of Talarico (US 20250106894).
As to claim 11 the combined teachings of Wang and Si disclose the method of claim 1, however silent wherein the SL BWP is in an unlicensed band in which the UE performs a listen-before-talk (LBT) procedure for performing the sidelink communication with the second UE However in an analogous art Talarico remedies this deficiency: (Talarico ¶0106- The LBT measurement is performed over a configurable SL BW (e.g., per SL BWP), and the LBT measurement bandwidth and its allocation in frequency can be configured system-wide (e.g., start/end physical resource blocks (PRBs) cover the LBT measurement bandwidth unit of 20 MHz as intended by the ETSI BRAN); Fig. 9, ¶ 0276- 2nd sentence- The process may include identifying, at 901, bandwidth (BW) over which a sidelink (SL) resource allocation spans; identifying, at 902, that a listen before talk (LBT) procedure was successful over the BW). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the combined teachings of Wang and Si with that of Talarico for the purpose of determining channel occupancy for the unlicensed band through an LBT procedures.
As to claim 12 the combined teachings of Wang and Si disclose the method of claim 1, however silent wherein the performing the sidelink communication with the second UE comprises: performing a listen-before-talk (LBT) procedure for the sidelink communication via a sidelink resource of the SL BWP, wherein the sidelink resource of the SL BWP is based on the sidelink resource pool configuration of the SL BWP; and transmitting sidelink data via a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) via the sidelink resource of the SL BWP. However in an analogous art Talarico remedies this deficiency: (Talarico ¶0107- The LBT measurement is performed over a configured SL resource pool bandwidth and its allocation in frequency (per SL resource pool) [0108] This option can be beneficial if multiple SL resource pools with different bandwidths and frequency allocation are supported for NR SL communication in unlicensed bands. [0109] Option 1C (per transmission bandwidth): The LBT measurement is performed over the transmit (TX) UE frequency allocation (i.e., per bandwidth of SL transmission) Talarico ¶0195- For PSSCH/PSCCH transmissions, when operating in dynamic channel access mode, in order to acquire a COT a UE shall succeed type 1 LBT in all LBT BW over which a SL resource allocation spans). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the combined teachings of Wang and Si with that of Talarico for the purpose of determining channel occupancy for the unlicensed band through an LBT procedures.
As to claim 13 the combined teachings of Wang and Si disclose the method of claim 1, however silent wherein the performing the sidelink communication with the second UE comprises: performing a listen-before-talk (LBT) procedure for the sidelink communication via a sidelink resource of the SL BWP, wherein the sidelink resource of the SL BWP is based on the sidelink resource pool configuration of the SL BWP (Talarico ¶0109 The LBT measurement is performed over the transmit (TX) UE frequency allocation (i.e., per bandwidth of SL transmission) ¶0110- This option can be beneficial if sidelink transmissions from different UEs can be multiplexed in frequency (e.g., inside of sidelink resource pool or carrier); and transmitting sidelink control information (SCI) via a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH) via the sidelink resource of the SL BWP (Talarico ¶0195- For PSSCH/PSCCH transmissions, when operating in dynamic channel access mode, in order to acquire a COT a UE shall succeed type 1 LBT in all LBT BW over which a SL resource allocation spans.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the combined teachings of Wang and Si with that of Talarico for the purpose of determining channel occupancy for the unlicensed band through an LBT procedures.
Claim(s) 6 and 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang in view of Si and further in view of Jiang et al (US 20240389124).
As to claim 6 the combined teachings of Wang and Si disclose the method of claim 5, however silent wherein the second resource pool configuration information further includes at least one of RBS index list information associated with the resource pool and RBS number information However in an analogous art Jiang remedies this deficiency: (Jian ¶0079- ¶0080- an index of the at least one sub-channel is determined by at least one of the following: ¶0080 a number of RB sets ¶008. ¶106- 2nd sentence- the interlace index allocated for the terminal is indicated by the above SCI, so that the receiving end can directly receive the Sidelink message on the interlaces, to improve transmission reliability of the Sidelink message. The RB set used by the terminal in the at least one resource pool is indicated by the SCI). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the combined teachings of Wang and Si with that of Jiang for the purpose of indicating available resources at a granularity of RB sets.
As to claim 14 the combined teachings of Wang and Si disclose the method of claim 1, however silent wherein an interlace structure of the plurality of interlaces for the plurality of subchannels for the SL BWP is determined based on a subcarrier spacing (SCS) of a listen-before-talk (LBT) bandwidth for the SL BWP. However, in an analogous art Jiang remedies this deficiency: Jiang ¶0111- when a transmission bandwidth is larger than 20 MHz or an RB set, and when a channel of the transmission bandwidth (for example, an SL-BWP or a carrier, divided into several RB sets) may be accessed, listen before talk (LBT) is performed separately on each RB set. The interlace may be for the SL-BWP or the carrier, and a PRB included in each interlace is uniformly or approximately uniformly distributed in the entire SL-BWP or carrier. Furthermore, the interlace may also be for one or more RB sets, and a PRB included in each interlace (approximately) uniformly distributed in the one entire or more RB sets. A number of interlaces on the SL-BWP or the carrier is different based on different subcarrier spacing (SCS). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the combined teachings of Wang and Si with that of Jiang for the purpose of determining interlace structures based on subcarrier spacing SCS.
Conclusion
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/DERRICK V ROSE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462
