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 .
Continued Examination under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Because this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. The submission identified in the request has been entered.
Authorization for Internet Communication
In the interest of compact prosecution, the Examiner recommends filing a written authorization for Internet communication. Doing so would permit the USPTO to communicate using Internet e-mail to schedule interviews or discuss other aspects of the application. Without a written authorization in place, the USPTO cannot respond to Internet e-mail correspondence. The preferred method of providing authorization is by filing form PTO/SB/439, available at: https://www.uspto.gov/patent/forms/forms. See MPEP § 502.03. Authorizations in an Internet e-mail do not have the same effect as filing the form in the record.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which the applicant(s) may become aware.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 3-5, 7, 13, 15-17, 19, and 26 are objected to because of the following informalities: “triggers clear channel assessment of the plurality of supported channels before transmission” would be clearer and consistent with the rest of the claims by adding commas around “by the radio unit” as was done elsewhere in the claims. 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 1, 3-5, 7, 13, 15-17, 19, and 26 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.
Regarding claims 1, 13, and 26, the relation between the triggered “clear channel assessment” and the subsequent “a “clear channel assessment” is unclear, e.g., whether these refer to the same or different clear channel assessments. Should the former be preceded by “a” and the latter by “the”?
The relation between “a radio unit” of claims 1 and 3 is unclear, e.g., whether these refer to the same or different radio units.
Regarding claims 4 and 7-10, “by the device caused to” is unclear.
Other Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to the instant disclosure. For example, in US 20200021999 the base station may perform the LBT for the three subbands before starting transmission to the corresponding UE. In this case, the success or the failure of the LBT for each subband may be transmitted in the bit map manner by assigning a field value to the downlink control information (DCI) (¶ 209).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Lance Leonard Barry whose telephone number is (571)272-5856. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 700-430 ET 730-1630.
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 email the Examiner.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ario Etienne can be reached on 571-272-4001. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LANCE LEONARD BARRY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2457
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