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 .
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. Since 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on November 23, 2025 has been entered.
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.
Claim(s) 21 – 24, 29, 30 – 33, 38 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Novlan et al. (US 2019/0349079) in view of Zheng et al. (US 2022/0007297) in view of Abedini et al. (US 2021/0029025) in view of Yang et al. (US 2012/0087337) in view of Yuan et al. (US 2021/0195618)
PLEASE NOTE: Examiner is interpreting all claims that include a clause that includes the following- “or some combination thereof”-as a disjunctive clause with alternatives.
Regarding Claim 21, Novlan teaches an apparatus comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the apparatus to: receive, at a first node, a resource configuration indicating the following in a single message: an identifier (ID) of the resource configuration (Figure 1, first node (IAB node 2 (106), parent node (IAB node 1 (104)) can schedule resources for IAB node 2 via RRC signalling (See Sections 0023, 0037), there would need to be some kind of indication in the RRC signalling that indicates to IAB node 2 that said signalling is resource scheduling, which reads on an ID, the RRC signaling is the single message); wherein the resources in the time domain are indicated by the resource configuration (Section 0078, multi-slot scheduling, which is a time domain characteristic), and the control message comprises: the identifier of the resource configuration (Section 0023, request for dynamic frame structure coordination (DFSC) which corresponds to resource scheduling, there would need to be some kind of indication in the signalling that indicates that said signalling is associated with resource scheduling, which reads on an ID).
Novlan does not teach a single message comprising a plurality of slots and a periodicity; to transmit, to a second node, a control message indicating a range of uplink transmission power parameters applicable to resources in a time domain, a frequency domain, a spatial domain, or a combination thereof wherein the range of uplink transmission power parameters comprises an offset value, and the control message comprises: a first indication of the range of uplink transmission power parameters comprising a power spectral density (PSD) value; a second indication of the resources in the frequency domain; and a third indication of beam indices.
Zheng, which also teaches the use of IABs, teaches a transmitter to transmit, to a second node, a control message indicating a range of uplink transmission power parameters applicable to resources in a time domain, a frequency domain, a spatial domain, or some combination thereof (time-frequency domain (Section 0063), uplink power control parameters (Section 0072)), and the control message comprises: a first indication of the range of uplink transmission power parameters (Section 0072, indication of uplink transmission power parameters).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Novlan with the above features of Zheng for the purpose of preventing the signal of a user equipment from being blocked as taught by Zheng.
Novlan combination does not teach an indication of the resources in the frequency domain and an indication of beam indices.
Abedini, which also teaches the use of IABs, teaches an indication of the resources in the frequency domain and an indication of beam indices (Section 0136, frequency domain resource allocation comprises indication of resources in the frequency domain, beam index comprises beam indices).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of the Novlan combination with the above features of Abedini for the purpose of separating control planes and user planes thus providing enhanced performance as taught by Abedini.
Novlan combination teaches the base process of the control message comprises: a first indication of the range of uplink transmission power parameters, which the claimed invention can be seen as an improvement in a first indication of the range of uplink transmission power parameters comprising a power spectral density (PSD) value.
Novlan combination does not teach uplink transmission power parameters comprising a power spectral density (PSD) value and wherein the range of uplink transmission power parameters comprises an offset value.
Yang, which also teaches uplink power control parameters and CDMA, teaches the known technique of uplink transmission power parameters comprising a power spectral density (PSD) value (Section 0044) and uplink power control parameters comprising an offset value (Section 0021, offset control parameter).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of the Novlan combination with the above features of Yang for the purpose of the determination and/or analysis of bandwidth usage and noise characterization, which is an improved process and a benefit of PSD.
Novlan combination does not teach RRC signaling comprising a plurality of slots and a periodicity
Yuan, which also teaches the use of IABs, teaches RRC signaling comprising a plurality of slots and a periodicity (Section 0084, Table 1, shows RRC configuration, which is RRC signaling, comprising periodicity including slot format, which is an indication of a plurality of slots).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of the Novlan combination with the above features of Yuan for the purpose of providing efficient multiplexing of access/backhaul traffic across multiple hops as taught by Yuan.
Regarding Claim 30, Novlan teaches a method comprising: receiving, at a first node, a resource configuration indicating the following in a single message: an identifier (ID) of the resource configuration (Figure 1, first node (IAB node 2 (106), parent node (IAB node 1 (104)) can schedule resources for IAB node 2 via RRC signalling (See Sections 0023, 0037), there would need to be some kind of indication in the RRC signalling that indicates to IAB node 2 that said signalling is resource scheduling, which reads on an ID, the RRC signaling is the single message); wherein the resources in the time domain are indicated by the resource configuration (Section 0078, multi-slot scheduling, which is a time domain characteristic), and the control message comprises: the identifier of the resource configuration (Section 0023, request for dynamic frame structure coordination (DFSC) which corresponds to resource scheduling, there would need to be some kind of indication in the signalling that indicates that said signalling is associated with resource scheduling, which reads on an ID).
Novlan does not teach a single message comprising a plurality of slots and a periodicity; transmitting, to a second node, a control message indicating a range of uplink transmission power parameters applicable to resources in a time domain, a frequency domain, a spatial domain, or a combination thereof wherein the range of uplink transmission power parameters comprises an offset value, and the control message comprises: a first indication of the range of uplink transmission power parameters comprising a PSD value; a second indication of the resources in the frequency domain; and a third indication of beam indices.
Zheng, which also teaches the use of IABs, teaches transmitting, to a second node, a control message indicating a range of uplink transmission power parameters applicable to resources in a time domain, a frequency domain, a spatial domain, or some combination thereof (time-frequency domain (Section 0063), uplink power control parameters (Section 0072)), and the control message comprises: a first indication of the range of uplink transmission power parameters (Section 0072, indication of uplink transmission power parameters).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Novlan with the above features of Zheng for the purpose of preventing the signal of a user equipment from being blocked as taught by Zheng.
Novlan combination does not teach an indication of the resources in the frequency domain and an indication of beam indices.
Abedini, which also teaches the use of IABs, teaches an indication of the resources in the frequency domain and an indication of beam indices (Section 0136, frequency domain resource allocation comprises indication of resources in the frequency domain, beam index comprises beam indices).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of the Novlan combination with the above features of Abedini for the purpose of separating control planes and user planes thus providing enhanced performance as taught by Abedini.
Novlan combination teaches the base process of the control message comprises: a first indication of the range of uplink transmission power parameters, which the claimed invention can be seen as an improvement in a first indication of the range of uplink transmission power parameters comprising a power spectral density (PSD) value.
Novlan combination does not teach uplink transmission power parameters comprising a power spectral density (PSD) value and wherein the range of uplink transmission power parameters comprises an offset value.
Yang, which also teaches uplink power control parameters and CDMA, teaches the known technique of uplink transmission power parameters comprising a power spectral density (PSD) value (Section 0044) and uplink power control parameters comprising an offset value (Section 0021, offset control parameter).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of the Novlan combination with the above features of Yang for the purpose of the determination and/or analysis of bandwidth usage and noise characterization, which is an improved process and a benefit of PSD.
Novlan combination does not teach RRC signaling comprising a plurality of slots and a periodicity
Yuan, which also teaches the use of IABs, teaches RRC signaling comprising a plurality of slots and a periodicity (Section 0084, Table 1, shows RRC configuration, which is RRC signaling, comprising periodicity including slot format, which is an indication of a plurality of slots).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of the Novlan combination with the above features of Yuan for the purpose of providing efficient multiplexing of access/backhaul traffic across multiple hops as taught by Yuan.
Regarding Claims 22, 31, The above Novlan combination teaches all of the claimed limitations recited in Claims 21, 30. Novlan further teaches wherein the first node is an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node, and the second node is a parent node of the first node (Figure 1, Section 0023, (IAB node 2 (106), parent node (IAB node 1 (104)).
Regarding Claim 23, 32, The above Novlan combination teaches all of the claimed limitations recited in Claims 21, 30. Novlan further teaches wherein the control message is a medium access control (MAC) message (Section 0060).
Regarding Claims 24, 33, The above Novlan combination teaches all of the claimed limitations recited in Claims 21, 30. Novlan further teaches wherein the resource configuration is indicated in a radio resource control (RRC) information element (IE) (Section 0037, RRC control signalling comprises RRC IEs).
Regarding Claims 29, 38, The above Novlan combination teaches all of the claimed limitations recited in Claims 21, 30. Novlan further teaches wherein the first node is an IAB node and: the second node is a parent node of the first node; the first node is a child node of the second node; or a combination thereof (Figure 1, parent node (IAB node 1 (104)) to IAB node 2 (106)).
Claim(s) 39 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Novlan et al. (US 2019/0349079) in view of Zheng et al. (US 2022/0007297) in view of Abedini et al. (US 2021/0029025) in view of Pan et al. (US 2020/0100298) in view of Yang et al. (US 2012/0087337) and in further view of Yuan et al. (US 2021/0195618)
Regarding Claim 39, Novlan teaches an apparatus comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the apparatus to: receive, at an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node, from a radio resource control (RRC), a resource configuration indicating the following in a single message: an identifier (ID) of the resource configuration (Figure 1, first node (IAB node 2 (106), parent node (IAB node 1 (104)) can schedule resources for IAB node 2 via RRC signalling (See Sections 0023, 0037), there would need to be some kind of indication in the RRC signalling that indicates to IAB node 2 that said signalling is resource scheduling, which reads on an ID); a transmitter to transmit, to a parent node of the IAB node, a medium access control (MAC) message (Section 0060); wherein the resources in the time domain are indicated by the resource configuration (Section 0078, multi-slot scheduling, which is a time domain characteristic), and a control message comprises: the identifier of the resource configuration (Section 0023, request for dynamic frame structure coordination (DFSC) which corresponds to resource scheduling, there would need to be some kind of indication in the signalling that indicates that said signalling is associated with resource scheduling, which reads on an ID).
Novlan does not teach a single message comprising a plurality of slots and a periodicity; to transmit, to a parent node of the IAB node, a medium access control (MAC) message indicating a range of uplink transmission power parameters applicable to resources in a time domain, a frequency domain, a spatial domain, or a combination thereof wherein the range of uplink transmission power parameters comprises an offset value, wherein the resources in the time domain are indicated by the resource configuration, and the MAC message comprises: the identifier of the resource configuration; a first indication of the range of uplink transmission power parameters comprising a power spectral density (PSD) value; a second indication of the resources in the frequency domain; and a third indication of beam indices comprising synchronization signal block (SSB) indices, channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) indices, quasi-collocation (QCL) parameters, or some combination thereof.
Zheng, which also teaches the use of IABs, teaches a transmitter to transmit, to a second node, a MAC message indicating a range of uplink transmission power parameters applicable to resources in a time domain, a frequency domain, a spatial domain, or some combination thereof (time-frequency domain (Section 0063), uplink power control parameters (Section 0072), MAC message (Section 0092)), and the control message comprises: a first indication of the range of uplink transmission power parameters (Section 0072, indication of uplink transmission power parameters).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Novlan with the above features of Zheng for the purpose of preventing the signal of a user equipment from being blocked as taught by Zheng.
Novlan combination does not teach an indication of the resources in the frequency domain
Abedini, which also teaches the use of IABs, teaches an indication of the resources in the frequency domain (Section 0136, frequency domain resource allocation comprises indication of resources in the frequency domain).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of the Novlan combination with the above features of Abedini for the purpose of separating control planes and user planes thus providing enhanced performance as taught by Abedini.
Novlan combination does not teach an indication of CSI-RS indices.
Pan, which also teaches the use of IABs, teaches an indication of CSI-RS indices (Section 0101, CSI-RS index comprises CSI-RS indices).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of the Novlan combination with the above features of Pan for the purpose of providing a suitable random access for deployments comprising mobile and backhaul nodes as taught by Pan.
Novlan combination teaches the base process of the control message comprises: a first indication of the range of uplink transmission power parameters, which the claimed invention can be seen as an improvement in a first indication of the range of uplink transmission power parameters comprising a power spectral density (PSD) value.
Novlan combination does not teach uplink transmission power parameters comprising a power spectral density (PSD) value and wherein the range of uplink transmission power parameters comprises an offset value.
Yang, which also teaches uplink power control parameters and CDMA, teaches the known technique of uplink transmission power parameters comprising a power spectral density (PSD) value (Section 0044) and uplink power control parameters comprising an offset value (Section 0021, offset control parameter).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of the Novlan combination with the above features of Yang for the purpose of the determination and/or analysis of bandwidth usage and noise characterization, which is an improved process and a benefit of PSD.
Novlan combination does not teach RRC signaling comprising a plurality of slots and a periodicity.
Yuan, which also teaches the use of IABs, teaches RRC signaling comprising a plurality of slots and a periodicity (Section 0084, Table 1, shows RRC configuration, which is RRC signaling, comprising periodicity including slot format, which is an indication of a plurality of slots).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of the Novlan combination with the above features of Yuan for the purpose of providing efficient multiplexing of access/backhaul traffic across multiple hops as taught by Yuan.
Claim(s) 25, 27, 34, 36 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Novlan et al. (US 2019/0349079) in view of Zheng et al. (US 2022/0007297) in view of Abedini et al. (US 2021/0029025) in view of Yang et al. (US 2012/0087337) in view of Yuan et al. (US 2021/0195618), as applied to Claims 21, 30 set forth above, and further in view of Qi et al. (US 2020/0107362)
Regarding Claims 25, 34, The above Novlan combination teaches all of the claimed limitations recited in Claims 21, 30. Novlan combination does not teach wherein the range of uplink transmission power parameters is in decibels.
Qi, which also teaches the use of IABs, teaches wherein the range of uplink transmission power parameters is in decibels (Section 0072).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of the Novlan combination with the above features of Qi for the purpose of making power control of IAB nodes more efficient as taught by Qi.
Regarding Claims 27, 36, The above Novlan combination teaches all of the claimed limitations recited in Claims 21, 30. Novlan combination does not teach wherein the range of uplink transmission power parameters indicates a range of uplink transmission power values.
Qi, which also teaches the use of IABs, teaches wherein the range of uplink transmission power parameters indicates a range of uplink transmission power values (Section 0072, decibel values).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of the Novlan combination with the above features of Qi for the purpose of making power control of IAB nodes more efficient as taught by Qi.
Claim(s) 26, 35 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Novlan et al. (US 2019/0349079) in view of Zheng et al. (US 2022/0007297) in view of Abedini et al. (US 2021/0029025) in view of Yang et al. (US 2012/0087337) in view of Yuan et al. (US 2021/0195618), as applied to Claims 21, 30 set forth above, and further in view of Dortschy et al. (US 2022/0007309)
Regarding Claim 26, 35, The above Novlan combination teaches all of the claimed limitations recited in Claims 21, 30. Novlan combination does not teach wherein the range of uplink transmission parameters comprises a maximum uplink transmission power.
Dortschy, which also teaches the use of IABs, teaches wherein the range of uplink transmission parameters comprises a maximum uplink transmission power (See Sections 0012, 0013)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of the Novlan combination with the above features of Dortschy for the purpose of facilitating improved IAB handling as taught by Dortschy.
Claim(s) 28, 37 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Novlan et al. (US 2019/0349079) in view of Zheng et al. (US 2022/0007297) in view of Abedini et al. (US 2021/0029025) in view of Yang et al. (US 2012/0087337) in view of Yuan et al. (US 2021/0195618), as applied to Claims 21, 30 set forth above, and further in view of Pan et al. (US 2020/0100298)
Regarding Claims 28, 37, The above Novlan combination teaches all of the claimed limitations recited in Claims 21, 30. Novlan combination does not teach wherein each of the beam indices comprises a synchronization signal block (SSB) index, a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) index, a quasi-collocation (QCL) parameter, or some combination thereof.
Pan, which also teaches the use of IABs, teaches wherein each of the beam indices comprises a synchronization signal block (SSB) index, a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) index, a quasi-collocation (QCL) parameter, or some combination thereof (SSB index or CSI-RS index (See Sections 0099, 0101)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of the Novlan combination with the above features of Pan for the purpose of providing suitable random access procedures for mobile terminal and IAB deployments as taught by Pan.
Conclusion
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/RAYMOND S DEAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2645 Raymond S. Dean
January 22, 2026