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`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and TrademarkOffice
`Address; COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`16/65 1,275
`
`03/26/2020
`
`LILEI WANG
`
`731456.564USPC
`
`9264
`
`Seed IP Law Group LLP/Panasonic (PIPCA)
`701 5th Avenue, Suite 5400
`Seattle, WA 98104
`
`HAQUE, ABUSAYEED M
`
`ART UNIT
`
`2466
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`06/22/2022
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above-indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e-mail address(es):
`USPTOeAction @ SeedIP.com
`
`pairlinkdktg @seedip.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`1-10 is/are pending in the application.
`)
`Claim(s)
`5a) Of the above claim(s) ___ is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`Cj] Claim(s)
`is/are allowed.
`Claim(s) 1-5 and 8-10 is/are rejected.
`Claim(s) 6-7 is/are objectedto.
`£] Claim(s)
`are subjectto restriction and/or election requirement
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you maybeeligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`http:/Awww.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPHfeedback@uspto.gov.
`
`) ) ) )
`
`Application Papers
`10) The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)() The drawing(s) filedon__ is/are: a)C) accepted or b)C) objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12). Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d)or (f).
`Certified copies:
`cc) None ofthe:
`b)L) Some**
`a)D) All
`1.1) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.1) Certified copies of the priority documents have beenreceived in Application No.
`3.2.) Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been receivedin this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`* See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1)
`
`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`2) (J Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3) (J Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`(Qj Other:
`
`4)
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20220615
`
`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`16/651,275
`WANG etal.
`
`Office Action Summary Art Unit|AIA (FITF) StatusExaminer
`ABUSAYEED HAQUE
`2466
`Yes
`
`
`
`-- The MAILING DATEofthis communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available underthe provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply betimely filed after SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing
`date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133}.
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, evenif timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`1) Responsive to communication(s) filed on 05/10/2022.
`C} A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
`
`2a)L) This action is FINAL. 2b)¥)This action is non-final.
`3)02 An election was madeby the applicant in responseto a restriction requirement set forth during the interview
`on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`4\0) Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/651 ,275
`Art Unit: 2466
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`Page 2
`
`This application is response to an RCE filed on 05/10/2022.
`
`Response to Amendment
`
`1.
`
`2.
`
`Claims 1-10 have been amended.
`
`Claims 11-20 have been cancelled.
`
`Responseto Arguments
`
`Applicant's arguments filed on 05/10/2022 have been fully considered but they
`
`are not persuasive.
`
`The applicant argues on pages 6-7 in the Remarksthat current prior arts OUCHI
`
`and KWAK don’t teach the amendedparts of the independent claim 1 and 10.
`
`Therefore, these independent claims should be allowed. In response, examiner agrees
`
`with the applicant that current prior arts don’t teach the amendedpart of claims 1-10,
`
`but the newprior art Nory in combination with current prior arts OUCHI and KWAK
`
`teach claimed invention. Examiner’s interpretation of amended claimed claims 1 and 10
`
`are a user equipment receives a control information for sitelink transmission form a
`
`base station, a circuitry of the UE determines a sTTI for communication between the UE
`
`the base station for sidelink transmission according to the receivedfirst control
`
`information, the UE transmit a second control information to the base station using sTTI
`
`in response to determining that the shortened time interval is used for the signaling,
`
`wherein the sTTI is shorter than TTI and the UE also uses the sTTI for sidelink
`
`communicating with another UE.OUCHI’s teaches in paragraph 435 about a receiver of
`
`an UE receives information from a base station, his teaching in paragraph 85 about SC/
`
`format is equated to sidelink transmission, monitoring PDCCH for SCI teaches operative
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/651 ,275
`Art Unit: 2466
`to receive first control information for the sidelink transmission from a base station, his
`
`Page 3
`
`teaching in the same paragraph about using sPDCCHchannelis interpreted as using
`
`SPDCCHforsidelink transmission, monitoring SCI format for sTTI is equated to
`
`determining whether a STTI is used for signaling between the UE and the base station
`
`for sPDCCHchannelor sidelink transmission, and monitoring SCI formatis also
`
`equatedto receiving first control information. KWAK’s teaching in paragraph 486 about
`
`transmitting CSI or second control information using notified sTTI. Nory’s teaching in
`
`paragraph 75 about using TTI is equated to standard TTI, his teaching in fig. 9 element
`
`900, subframe 900 is equated to standard TTI, part of subframe with symbols 10 and 11
`
`is equated to sTTI, his teaches in paragraphs 76-77 about performing D2D sidelink
`
`communication or transmission using sTTI, and his teaching in the same paragraph
`
`about using STTI for D2D for sending 2 symbols instead of dropping TTI teaches sTTI is
`
`smaller than TTI. The examiner recognizes that obviousness may be established by
`
`combining or modifying the teachings of the prior art to produce the claimed invention
`
`where there is some teaching, suggestion, or motivation to do so found either in the
`
`references themselves or in the knowledge generally available to one of ordinary skill in
`
`the art. See In re Fine, 837 F.2d 1071, 5 USPQ2d 1596 (Fed. Cir. 1988), In re Jones,
`
`958 F.2d 347, 21 USPQ2d 1941 (Fed. Cir. 1992), and KSR International Co. v. Teleflex,
`
`Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
`
`In this case, Nory, KWAK in combination
`
`with OUCHI teaches claimed invention.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all
`
`obviousnessrejections setforth in this Office action:
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/651 ,275
`Art Unit: 2466
`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 mace.
`
`Page 4
`
`Claims 1, 4-5 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 (a) as being unpatentable
`
`over OUCHI etal. (hereinafter, “OUCHI”; 20190229964)in view of KWAKetal.
`
`(hereinafter, “KWAK’; 20190312669) and in further view of Nory et al. (hereinafter,
`
`“Nory”; 20180077658).
`
`In responseto claims 1 and 10,
`
`OUCHI teaches a user equipment (UE) operative for sidelink transmission based
`
`on basestation scheduling, comprising: a receiver (a receiver, paragraph 435),
`
`operative to receivefirst control information for the sidelink transmission from a
`
`base station (paragraph 85, SCI format is equatedto first control information for
`
`sidelink transmission, monitoring PDCCH for SCI teachesthis limitation);
`
`circuitry (processor, paragraph 416), operative to determine (may monitor,
`
`paragraph 85); whether a shortened time interval
`
`is used for a signaling between
`
`the UE and the basestation for sidelink transmission according to the received
`
`first control information ( paragraph 85,sPDCCH channelis interpreted as using
`
`SPDCCHforsidelink transmission, monitoring SCI format for sTTI is equated to
`
`determining whether a STTI is used for signaling between the UE and the base
`
`station for sPDCCH channelor sidelink transmission, monitoring SCI formatis
`
`equated to receiving first control information); and
`
`OUCHI doesnotteach explicitly about a transmitter, operative to transmit second
`
`control information to the base station using the shortened time interval.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/651 ,275
`Art Unit: 2466
`-
`KWAK teachesa transmitter (fig. 31, element 3123, communication module
`
`Page 5
`
`3123, paragraph 548), operative to transmit second control information to the
`
`base station using the shortened time interval (paragraph 486 Is read a
`
`transmitting CSI or second control information using sTTI);
`
`It would have been obvious within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art
`
`before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify OUCHI to use a
`
`transmitter, operative to transmit second control information to the base station during
`
`the signaling interaction using the shortened time interval as taught by KWAK because
`
`it would allow a method for a user equipment to transmit (feedbackor report) channel
`
`state information (CSI) (e.g., CQI) to a base station in a wireless communication system
`
`supporting a short transmission time interval (sTTI).
`
`OUCHI and KWAK don’t teach explicitly about wherein the shortened time intervalis
`
`less than a standard time interval that is used in signaling between the UE and another
`
`UE in the sidelink transmission.
`
`- Nory teaches wherein the shortenedtime interval is less than a standard time
`
`interval that is used in signaling between the UE and another UE in the sidelink
`
`transmission (paragraph 75, TTI is equated to standard TTI, fig. 9, element 900,
`
`subframe 900 is equated to standard TTI, part of subframe with symbols 10 and
`
`11 is equated to sTTI, paragraphs 76-77, teaches performing D2D sidelink
`
`communication or transmission using sTTI, using STTI for D2D for sending 2
`
`symbols instead of dropping TTI teaches sTTIl is smaller than TTI.
`
`It would have been obvious within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art
`
`before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify OUCHI and KWAKto
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/651 ,275
`Art Unit: 2466
`use shortened time interval is less than a standard time interval that is used in signaling
`
`Page 6
`
`between the UE and another UE in the sidelink transmission as taught by Nory because
`
`it would allow reducing latency for uplink transmission using STTI transmission for D2D
`
`communication.
`
`In responseto claim 4,
`
`OUCHI teaches wherein thefirst control information (DC/, paragraph 76);
`
`comprises one or more of downlink control information (DCI) (DCI, paragraph
`
`76); and radio resource control (RRC) signaling, and wherein the circuitry
`
`(processor, paragraph 416); determines (may monitor, paragraph 85); whether
`
`the shortenedtime interval is used for the signaling (the information and/or
`
`parameters for configuring the sTTI, paragraph 85); according to one or more of
`
`the DCI or RRC (using DCI format (and/or SCI) which mayinclude the
`
`information/parameters for configuring the sTTl in paragraph 85 teaches this
`
`limitation).
`
`In responseto claim 5,
`
`OUCHI teaches wherein when the receiver receives (receives, paragraph 435);
`
`the first control information (DCI, paragraph 76); within a control resourcethatis
`
`specially specified (within a particular bandwidth in a system bandwidth,
`
`paragraph 76); for the shortenedtime interval (paragraph 76 is read as receiving
`
`DCI via STTI using a particular bandwidth in a system bandwidth), the circuitry
`
`determine that the shortenedtime interval is used for the signaling (paragraph
`
`85, monitoring and supporting the transmission and/or reception of the physical
`
`channel using the sTTN.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/651 ,275
`Art Unit: 2466
`Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 (a) as being unpatentable over OUCHI et
`
`Page 7
`
`al. (hereinafter, “OUCHI’; 20190229964) in view of KWAKet al. (hereinafter, “KWAK’;
`
`20190312669) in view of Nory et al. (hereinafter, “Nory’; 20180077658) and in further
`
`view of YOU et al. (hereinafter, “YOU”; 20180234998).
`
`e
`
`Inresponseto claim 2,
`
`OUCHI, KWAKand Nory do not teach explicitly about the apparatus of claim 2.
`
`-
`
`YOU teaches wherein the shortened time interval is a shortened transmission
`
`time interval (STTI) the standard time interval is a transmission time interval (TTI),
`
`and the sTTI is a fraction of the TTI in terms of OFDM symbol (sTT/ may include
`
`a part of OFDM symbols of legacy TTI, paragraph 261).
`
`It would have been obvious within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art
`
`before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify OUCHI, KWAK and
`
`Nory to use a shortened time interval is a shortened transmission time interval
`
`(sTTI), the standard time interval is a transmission time interval (TTI), and sTTlis a
`
`fraction of TTI in terms of OFDM symbol as taught by YOU becauseit would allow
`
`using sTTI for DCI in order to overcome delay or latency has emerged as an
`
`important issue. The performances of more and more applications depend on a
`
`delay/latency in a 5G communication system.
`
`Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 (a) as being unpatentable over OUCHI et
`
`al. (hereinafter, “OUCHI’; 20190229964) in view of KWAKetal. (hereinafter, “KWAK”;
`
`20190312669) in view of in view of Nory etal. (hereinafter, “Nory”; 20180077658) and in
`
`further view of MOON etal. (hereinafter, “MOON”; 20190116592).
`
`e
`
`Inresponseto claim 3,
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/651 ,275
`Art Unit: 2466
`OUCHI, KWAK and Nory don’t teach explicitly about claim 3.
`
`Page 8
`
`- MOON teaches wherein the shortenedtime interval is mini-slot (paragraph 62 is
`
`read as using sub-siot or mini-slot); or non-slot unit in a New Radio system, the
`
`standard time intervalis slot in the New Radio system or a non-slotis a fraction
`
`of a slot terms of OFDM symbol (paragraph 62 is read as using OFDM symbols
`
`is within or fraction of NTTI or STT, paragraph 52 is read as using NR or new
`
`radio for TTl and STTN).
`
`It would have been obvious within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art
`
`before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify OUCHI, KWAK and
`
`Nory to use a mini-slot as an STTI unit in, and a standard time interval as a slot ina NR
`
`system wherein the mini-slot is a fraction of the slot in terms of OFDM symbol as taught
`
`by MOON becauseit would allow supporting transmissions of TTI units having different
`
`lengths within one carrier in order to efficiently support traffic having various
`
`requirements.
`
`Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 (a) as being unpatentable over OUCHI et
`
`al. (hereinafter, “OUCHI’; 20190229964) in view of KWAKetal. (hereinafter, “KWAK”;
`
`20190312669) in view of Nory et al. (hereinafter, “Nory’; 20180077658) and in further
`
`view of in view of LEE etal. (hereinafter, “LEE”; 20190090276).
`
`e
`
`Inresponseto claim 8,
`
`- OUCHI teaches wherein: the circuitry (orocessor, paragraph 416), is operative to
`
`select the shortened time interval (paragraph 85,monitoring sTTN; or the
`
`standard time interval for the signaling between the user equipment and the base
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/651 ,275
`Art Unit: 2466
`station for sidelink transmission ( paragraph 76 is read as using STTI or sidelink
`
`Page 9
`
`communication or signaling),
`
`OUCHI, KWAKand Nory do not teach explicitly about wherein the transmitter
`
`transmits a report indicating the selected time interval for the signaling interaction via
`
`one or more of scheduling request and buffer-status report.
`
`-
`
`LEE teaches wherein the transmitter transmits (fig. 9, element 23,
`
`transmitter/receiver, paragraph 146); a report indicating (piggyback is performed
`
`on all or part of DCI, paragraph 133); the selected time interval for the signaling
`
`(SPUSCHis scheduled in the corresponding sTTI, paragraph 133); via one or
`
`more of a scheduling request (scheduled in a corresponding sTTI, paragraph
`
`133); and buffer-status report.
`
`It would have been obvious within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art
`
`before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify OUCHI, KWAK and
`
`Nory for a transmitter to transmit a report indicating the selected time interval for the
`
`signaling interaction via one or more of scheduling request and buffer-status report as
`
`taught by LEE because it would allow transmitting an uplink signal in an unlicensed
`
`band for a terminal configured to support multiple transmission time interval (TTI)
`
`lengths in a wireless communication system.
`
`Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 (a) as being unpatentable over OUCHI etal.
`
`(hereinafter, “OUCHI”; 20190229964) in view of KWAKetal. (hereinafter, “KVWWAK’;
`
`20190312669) in view of Nory et al. (hereinafter, “Nory’; 20180077658) in view of
`
`MOON etal. (hereinafter, “MOON”; 20190116592) and in further view of Takeda etal.
`
`(hereinafter, “Takeda”; 20200022098).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/651 ,275
`Art Unit: 2466
`e
`Inresponseto claims 9,
`
`Page 10
`
`OUCHI, KWAK, Nory and MOON don’t teach explicitly about claim 9.
`
`- Takeda teaches wherein after the user equipment determines that the mini-slot
`
`or the non-slot unit is used for the signaling interaction in the New Radio system
`
`(paragraphs 35 configuring shorten processing for controlling certain operation
`
`for a new radio system described in paragraph 144), the user equipment
`
`performs the sidelink transmission using the mini-slot or the non-slot unit
`
`(paragraph 41 teaches using sTT! for PDSCH).
`
`It would have been obvious within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art
`
`before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify OUCHI, KWAK, Nory
`
`and MOON to use a sTTI of a new radio system via sidelink channel for signaling
`
`interaction after the mini-slot or sTTI| is determined by an UE as taught by Takeda
`
`becauseit would provide a user terminal and a radio communication method, whereby
`
`the transmission of UL signals in response to DL transmission can be controlled
`
`properly in future radio communication systems.
`
`Allowable Subject Matter
`
`Claims 6- 7 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but
`
`would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the
`
`base claim and any intervening claims.
`
`Conclusion
`
`The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to
`
`applicant's disclosure.
`
`20190141679...............paragraphs 29,30, 35 and 84.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/651 ,275
`Art Unit: 2466
`20190098611................paragraph 276.
`
`20210136823..............paragraph 11.
`
`Page 11
`
`20190165894............... paragraphs 108, 219, 385-386, 389, 447 and 550.
`
`20190349046................paragraph 220.
`
`20190223097................paragraphs 27 and 73.
`
`20180077658..................paragraphs 75-77.
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to ABUSAYEED HAQUE whosetelephone number is
`
`(571)270-7252. The examiner can normally be reached 9 am -7:30 pm.
`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`
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`

`

`Application/Control Number: 16/651 ,275
`Art Unit: 2466
`(toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service
`
`Page 12
`
`Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA)or 571-272-1000.
`
`/ABUSAYEED M HAQUE/
`Examiner, Art Unit 2466
`
`/DIANE L LO/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2466
`
`