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 Objections
Please correct the typo in preamble of claim 14, line 2 and claim 18, line 3, “followings” should be “following”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
The claim(s) 18-20 has patent ineligible subject matter because claim 18 and its dependent claims recite a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program or instructions, and when the computer program or the instructions. The storage medium according to specification 0510 is open-ended and non-limited and could be construed as a signal-bearing medium. This rejection may be overcome by reciting, “non-transitory computer-readable storage medium”.
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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1-10 and 13-18, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Liu et al (US 2024/0292439), hereinafter referred to as Liu.
Regarding claims 1, 14 and 18, Liu teaches in the abstract, paragraph 0002, 0004, 0015-0017 communication method/apparatus/a computer-readable storage medium storing program running on apparatus comprising processor [terminal comprising processor, see fig. 2, 17-19], configured to execute computer instructions stored in a memory so that the apparatus performs the following, comprising:
determining P resources from N resources [see paragraph 0049-0050 determining N resource object used of the total available resources; M1 resource objects among the N resource objects are continuous in a time domain interval] comprised in a first resource window [L target objects, i.e. time window/time domain, see paragraph 0047, 0049-0050], wherein the first resource window is one of M resource windows [time domain interval of the time domain, see 0049-0059], each of the M resource windows comprises N resources [time domain interval associated with at least part of the N resource object, see 0049-0059], resources corresponding to the M resource windows are unlicensed resources, M and N are positive integers, and P is a positive integer less than or equal to N [both the candidate resource and the candidate resource group are candidate resources of an unlicensed band, see paragraph 0042-0045]; and
sending a synchronization signal block through each of the P resources, wherein the synchronization signal block is used for sidelink synchronization [sending synchronization signal block through each resources; sideline transmission can be implemented in the unlicensed band, see 0049, 0067, 0074, 0181-0184].
Regarding claims 2, 15 and 19, Liu teaches wherein the method/apparatus further comprises/performs: listening, through listen before talk (LBT), to a channel corresponding to the first resource window [LBT to a channel corresponding to time domain interval, see 0031-0033, 0049-0057]; and
the determining P resources from N resources comprised in a first resource window comprises: determining the P resources from the N resources based on a listening result, wherein the listening result comprises busy or idle [listening comprises busy or idle and determining resources based on listening, see 0030-0034 and 0042-0057].
Regarding claims 3, 16, and 20, Liu teaches wherein when the listening result is that the channel is idle [listening results in channel being idle, see 0030-0034], the P resources comprise a first resource, wherein the first resource is a resource with an earliest time domain position in the P resources, and the first resource is a 1st resource on which a channel is accessed (listen before talk succeeds) in the N resources [time domain interval between M5 first signals and associated with at least part of N resource objects, see 0049-0057].
Regarding claim 4 and 17, Liu teaches wherein when the listening result is that the channel is busy [see paragraph 0034, 0039, the method further comprises: determining a second resource window, wherein a time domain position of the second resource window is after a time domain position of the first resource window [When the transmission nodes detects that the channel is busy, the transmission node backs off and continues listening until the transmission node detects that the channel is idle, i.e. for the second resource wind, see 0030-0034, 0096-0099, 0189-0196], and a resource corresponding to the second resource window is an unlicensed resource [see 0044, 0049-0057, in the embodiment of the application, both the candidate and the candidate resource group are candidate resources of an unlicensed band]; and sending the SSB through each of P resources in the second resource window [sending SSB through teach resources in the a second time domain interval, see paragraphs 0049-0057].
Regarding claim 5, Liu teaches wherein the method further comprises: obtaining a first parameter [preset value, see 0049-0057], wherein the first parameter comprises at least one of the following (claim written in an alternate form): time domain position information of the first resource window [time domain interval between M5 first signals and associated with at least part of N resource objects, see 0049-0057] and the determining a second resource window comprises: determining the second resource window based on the first parameter [a second interval before or after at least part of M6 first signals is less than or equal to the first preset value, where the M6 first signals are first signals associated with at least part of the N resource objects, see 0049-0057].
Regarding claim 6, Liu teaches wherein the method further comprises: sending indication information, wherein the indication information indicates that the second resource window is an additional resource window [candidate resource group may include N1 first candidate resources and N2 second candidate resources and N resource objects can be configured for the terminal on units of target time objects, see 0042-0049 and further after LBT starts and indication of channel is idle is received, the target window is additional resource window for performing transmission, see 0035-0041], the additional resource window comprises at least one resource window, and the second resource window belongs to the at least one resource window [second window is considered an additional time window or time interval, see paragraphs 0035-0049].
Regarding claim 7, Liu teaches wherein the method further comprises: obtaining a status of the additional resource window, wherein the status of the additional resource window comprises open or closed [terminal may listen to consider or determine that the status of the resource object or target time available, unavailable or occupied, see paragraph 0197-0199, 0282, ].
Regarding claim 8, Liu teaches wherein the P resources are consecutive in time domain [candidate resources comprise, i.e, candidate resources 1 and candidate resource 2, where time domain position of resource 1 is before a time domain position of candidate resource 2 and there is a time interval start, clearly establishing resources are in consecutive in time domain, see paragraphs 0066-0067, 0138-0140, 0149, 0156-0160, 0170, 0214-0215]..
Regarding claim 9, Liu teaches wherein the P resources further comprise a second resource and a third resource, a time domain position of the second resource is before a time domain position of the third resource, there is a time interval between a time domain end position of the second resource and a time domain start position of the third resource, and the second resource and the third resource are two resources that are adjacent in time domain in the P resources [candidate resources comprise, i.e, candidate resources 1 and candidate resource 2, where time domain position of resource 1 is before a time domain position of candidate resource 2 and there is a time interval start and end between resources and candidates are adjacent in time domain, see paragraphs 0066-0067, 0138-0140, 0149, 0156-0160, 0170, 0214-0215].
Regarding claim 10, Liu teaches wherein there is a quasi co-location relationship between the P resources [quasi co-location relation between candidate resources, see paragraphs 0172-0184 and 0049-0057].
Regarding claim 13, Liu teaches wherein the synchronization signal block is used to determine timing information and/or synchronization information [SSB is used to determine synchronization information, see paragraph 0005, 0008, 0012, 0049-0057, 0066-0067].
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.
Claim(s) 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al (US 2024/0292439), hereinafter referred to as Liu in view of He (US 2021/0250883).
Regarding claim 11, Liu teaches of quasi co-location relation between candidate resources, see paragraphs 0172-0184 and 0049-0057. Liu is silent on wherein a quantity of resources that have a quasi co-location relationship and that are comprised in the first resource window is greater than or equal to P and less than or equal to N. He in the same field of endeavor teaches in the abstract of transmitting synchronization signal block on an unlicensed spectrum. He further teaches in paragraph 0033, 0041-0046 of the concept of that there is a QCL relationship between the SSB transmitted at SSB position 1 in timeslot n and the SSB transmitted at SSB position 1 in timeslot n +2…Within the first TXOP, SSB can be transmitted in timeslot no. After acquiring the second TXOP after the first TXOP, each SSB of the X-K SSBs can only be transmitted at its corresponding SSB position, this establishes the first resource window is greater than one but less than all resources. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art prior to the effective filing date to combine the teaching of QCL’s relationship with resource window greater than P less than N as established by He into the invention of Liu in order to efficiently transit SSB with the TXOP without latency.
Regarding claim 12, Liu teaches of quasi co-location relation between candidate resources, see paragraphs 0172-0184 and 0049-0057. Liu is silent wherein a quantity of resources that have a quasi co-location relationship and that are comprised in the second resource window is greater than or equal to P and less than or equal to N. He in the same field of endeavor teaches in the abstract of transmitting synchronization signal block on an unlicensed spectrum. He further teaches in paragraph 0033, 0041-0046 of the concept of that there is a QCL relationship between the SSB transmitted at SSB position 1 in timeslot n and the SSB transmitted at SSB position 1 in timeslot n +2…when the network device transmits the remaining X-K SSBs within a second TXOP After acquiring the second TXOP after the first TXOP, each SSB of the X-K SSBs can only be transmitted at its corresponding SSB position, this establishes the second resource window is also greater than one but less than all remaining resources. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art prior to the effective filing date to combine the teaching of QCL’s relationship with resource window greater than P less than N as established by He into the invention of Liu in order to efficiently transit SSB with the TXOP without latency.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHIRAG G SHAH whose telephone number is (571)272-3144. The examiner can normally be reached 7-3:30 M-F.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/CHIRAG G SHAH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2477
Prosecution Insights