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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 09/04/2025 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The Amendment filed 09/04/2025 has been entered. Claims 1, 2 and 15 have been amended. Claim 6 is canceled. Claims 1-5 and 7-15 are pending in this application.
Response to Argument
Applicant's argument(s) filled 09/04/2025 with respect to the rejection of claim(s) under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
First argument:
At paragraph 183, Kumagai discloses "For example, the switching timing of UL pattern and/or beams may be a timing in accordance with the propagation delay according to the RIS 30, may be a timing in accordance with the TA that is configured from the base station 10 to the RIS 30, or information related to the timing may be indicated by the base station 10 or the terminal 20." Although Kumagai discloses that the switching timing may be "in accordance with the propagation delay according to the RIS 30", Kumagai only discloses that the switching timing is in accordance with a propagation delay. Kumagai does not disclose or suggest determining "determine a second time point of switching a reflection pattern based on the time estimation value (TES), the reflection pattern information, and the early switching information". Moreover, the Examiner does not point to any other disclosure in Kumagai that could be understood as disclosing or even suggesting this limitation. Kumagai therefore fails to remedy the deficiencies of Takahashi.
The examiner’s response:
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Paragraph [0157- 0160] and [0183-0184] of Kumagai have teaches “the second time points of switching a reflection pattern based on the Time estimation value … the reflection pattern information, and the early switching information” [0183] switching timing of UL pattern .... a timing that is dynamically switched in accordance with TA that is configured from the base station 10 to RIS 30, or information related to the timing may be indicated to the RIS 30 from the base station 10. Examiner interpreted [0183-0184] that Kumagai teaches the second time point (see “perform time synchronization”) is based on “time estimation value” (see "Timing Advance (TA)" or "information related to timing"). Paragraph [0157-0160] further addressed the perform time synchronization. in bullet 3, to perform UL time synchronization will need to consider transmission timing of the terminal and cause the beam switching timing of UL to be earlier than DL, so they need to compare it with the timing of DL which is the first time points can be seen as “early switch information”. and in bullet 2 to perform DL time synchronization need to consider transmission pattern, the reflection pattern, the beam switching timing. The reflection pattern here can be seen as “the reflection pattern information”.
Second argument:
Moreover, the applicant also submits that the combination does not disclose or suggest “receiving a control signal from a base station of a first network, wherein the control signal comprises reflection pattern information and early switching information indicating a preconfigured first time point of early switching” as recited in the independent claims.
The examiner’s response:
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Paragraph [0153-0154] of Takahashi teach (….the RIS is required to cause the UL beam switching timing to be earlier than the DL beam switching timing by taking into account the transmission timing of the terminal 20…. the beam switching timing may be caused to be earlier at the timing of a flexible symbol of a special slot. The TDD pattern may be indicated by the base station 10, may be pre-configured, or may be specified by the technical specification). Examiner interprets “The TDD pattern” as “preconfigured first time point”.
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 non-obviousness.
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.
Claims 1 and 7-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahashi et al. (US 20250039685 A1) hereinafter Takahashi in view of Kumagai (US 20250133416 A1) hereinafter Kumagai
Regarding claim 1,
Takahashi teaches an electronic device comprising:
a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) including multiple reflection elements;
and a communication node electrically connected to the RIS, wherein the communication node comprises a transceiver and at least one processor configured to control the multiple reflection elements ([0070] “the wireless relay device (30) including an RIS”; (see “reflection elements” as” antenna unit (350)” in fig.4) and (in fig.4 transmission unit (310), reception unit (320)); control unit (330) and variable unit (340)) [0080] “includes a transmission unit 310, a reception unit 320, a control unit 330, a variable unit 340, … The transmission unit 310 and the reception unit 320 may be referred to as a communication unit”);
wherein the communication node is configured to:
receive a control signal from a base station of a first network, wherein the control signal comprises reflection pattern information and early switching information indicating a preconfigured first time point of early switching ([0153-0154] …. the RIS is required to cause the UL beam switching timing to be earlier than the DL beam switching timing by taking into account the transmission timing of the terminal 20…. the beam switching timing may be caused to be earlier at the timing of a flexible symbol of a special slot. The TDD pattern may be indicated by the base station 10, may be pre-configured, or may be specified by the technical specification);
Takahashi does not explicitly teach estimate a time estimation value (TES) or obtain the time estimation value (TES) from the base station of the first network, determine a second time point of switching a reflection pattern based on the time estimation value (TES), the reflection pattern information, and the early switching information, and
perform early switching from a downlink reflection pattern into an uplink reflection pattern at the second time point earlier than the first time point, so as to reflect an uplink signal, which is transmitted from a terminal, according to the uplink reflection pattern in response to a timing at which the uplink signal arrives at the RIS.
Kumagai teaches estimate a time estimation value (TES) or obtain the time estimation value (TES) from the base station of the first network, determine a second time point of switching a reflection pattern based on the time estimation value (TES), the reflection pattern information, and the early switching information, and
perform early switching from a downlink reflection pattern into an uplink reflection pattern at the second time point earlier than the first time point, so as to reflect an uplink signal, which is transmitted from a terminal, according to the uplink reflection pattern in response to a timing at which the uplink signal arrives at the RIS ([0182] the RIS 30 may recognize the TDD pattern and cause the beam switching time to be earlier with respect to the UL slot ... the beam switching timing may be caused to be earlier at the timing of a flexible symbol of a special slot...TDD pattern may be indicated by the base station 10, may be pre-configured, or may be specified by the technical specification ... switching timing of UL pattern and/or beams may be a timing in accordance with the propagation delay according to the RIS 30, may be a timing in accordance with the TA that is configured from the base station 10 to the RIS 30, or information related to the timing may be indicated by the base station 10 or the terminal 20) and ([0157-0160] 2) DL time synchronization between the base station 10 and the RIS may be performed. The RIS may perform time synchronization with the base station 10 in order to cause the transmission pattern, the reflection pattern, the beam switching timing, to match those of the base station 10. 3) UL time synchronization between the base station 10 and the RIS may be performed. By taking into account the transmission timing of the terminal 20, the RIS may perform synchronization related to the UL switching time in order to cause the beam switching timing of UL to be earlier than DL).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to add the teaching of Kumagai to the teaching of Takahashi. The motivation for such an addition would be to accurately avoided UL/DL collision by applying different timings ([0182] Kumagai).
Regarding claim 15,
Claim 15 differs from claim 1 only by the additional recitation of the following limitation, “wireless relay device and a communication method in a wireless communication system.” which is also taught by Takahashi [0001].
All other limitations are rejected based on the same rationale as shown above.
Regarding claim 7,
Takahashi and Kumagai teaches the electronic device of claim 1,
Takahashi further teaches wherein the control signal is transmitted from the base station of the first network to the communication node through a physical layer signal or higher layer, wherein the physical layer signal is a layer 1, L1, signaling ([0072] the amplitude may be amplified when the phase is changed in the wireless relay device 30 such as an RIS ...mean transmitting a received signal as it is without performing a process of layer 2 or layer 3 level, may mean transmitting a received signal as it is in the physical layer level, or may mean transmitting a received signal as it is without interpreting the signal (changing the phase or amplifying the amplitude may be performed) and the higher layer signal is a radio resource control (RRC) signaling ([0248] upper layer configuration may be RRC (Radio Resource Control));
wherein the control signal comprises: reflection pattern information to be applied to the RIS at each timing, a location of a slot requiring early switching according to a reflection pattern to be applied, and information indicating the location of a symbol in the slot to which the early switching is applied (Fig. 14 and [0168], ”Fig. 14 is a drawing for describing an example of a slot configuration in an embodiment of the present invention. The TDD configuration, for example, the TDD pattern and slot format, may be configured or indicated to the RIS from the base station 10. As illustrated in Fig. 14, with respect to the RIS, a DL symbol, a UL symbol, or a flexible symbol may be configured for each symbol by the base station 10. Fig. 14 illustrates an example of a TDD pattern in which a configuration per symbols included in three slots is performed”).
Regarding claim 8,
Takahashi and Kumagai teaches the electronic device of claim 7,
Takahashi further teaches wherein the location of the slot requiring early switching is indicated to perform early switching in a slot after a slot offset after receiving the control signal ([0159] “The SMTC may include the following information. The SMTC window period, SMTC window timing offset, SMTC window duration, list of physical cell IDs to be measured, list of physical RIS-IDs to be measured, SSBs to be measured, etc.” or indicated according to absolute time information by using at least one of a system frame number, a subframe number, and a slot number. [0406] “…A radio frame, a subframe, a slot, a mini slot and a symbol all represent time units for transmitting signals. Different terms may be used for referring to a radio frame, a subframe, a slot, a mini slot and a symbol, respectively….”).
Regarding claim 9,
Takahashi and Kumagai teaches the electronic device of claim 1,
Takahashi further teaches wherein, in case that the control signal indicates that the reflection pattern information is applied in units of symbols, wherein the early switching information indicates a signal reflection direction, in which a signal incident to the RIS is reflected in each symbol, as a downlink direction or an uplink direction according to the reflection pattern ([0168-0171] and fig.14, DL symbol and UL symbol) ... As illustrated in FIG. 14, with respect to the RIS, a DL symbol, a UL symbol, or a flexible symbol may be configured for each symbol by the base station 10. FIG. 14 illustrates an example of a TDD pattern in which a configuration per symbols included in three slots is performed .... The RIS may perform reception and transmission of the DL channel and the UL channel by using only Soft symbols for which “Hard” or “IA” is indicated, based on the above-described configured information, the indicated information, and the scheduling information. The scheduling information may be configured or indicated by the base station 10, or may be configured or indicated by the parent RIS. ...”);
wherein a location of a symbol in which the signal reflection direction is indicated as the uplink direction corresponds to the first time point, and wherein the second time point corresponds to a timing preceding as much as the time estimation value (TES) than a symbol start timing of a slot corresponding to the first time point, or a timing preceding more than the time estimation value than the symbol start timing (“first time point” as pre-configured and “second time point” as TA or propagation delay; [0154 ] “The TDD pattern may be indicated by the base station 10, may be pre-configured, or may be specified by the technical specification. For example, the switching timing of UL pattern and/or beams may be a timing in accordance with the propagation delay according to the RIS, may be a timing in accordance with the TA that is configured from the base station 10 to the RIS”).
Regarding claim 10,
Takahashi and Kumagai teaches the electronic device of claim 1,
Takahashi further teaches wherein the early switching information indicates a location of a symbol in a slot corresponding to the first time point, and wherein the second time point corresponds to a timing preceding as much as the time estimation value (TES) than a symbol start timing of a slot corresponding to the first time point or a timing preceding more than the time estimation value than the symbol start timing ([0154] “For example, in a case where the positions and the propagation paths of the base station 10 and the RIS are always the same and the timings are always the same, the RIS may recognize the TDD pattern and cause the beam switching time to be earlier with respect to the UL slot. For example, the beam switching timing may be caused to be earlier at the timing of a flexible symbol of a special slot”).
Regarding claim 11,
Takahashi and Kumagai teaches the electronic device of claim 10,
Takahashi further teaches wherein the early switching information comprises an SRS configuration parameter indicating a periodic sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission period of the terminal ([0070] “the wireless relay device 30 …. The device may have a function of transmitting a signal to the base station 10. The signal may be a UL signal such as a PRACH, PUCCH, PUSCH, DM-RS, PT-RS, SRS, RIS dedicated signal, or the like” and [0275] “The predetermined signal may be an SSB from the base station 10, may be a TRS from the base station 10, or may be an SRS from the terminal 20. A signal for reception quality measurement may be specified or configured as the predetermined signal").
Regarding claim 12,
Takahashi and Kumagai teaches the electronic device of claim 11,
Takahashi further teaches wherein the SRS configuration parameter comprises at least one of a slot period at which the SRS is periodically transmitted, a slot offset, a start symbol, and a number of symbols ([0183-0185] “…The resources of a periodical signal may be … Periodic SRS… The minimum time gap and the minimum frequency gap in which different beams can be applied may be determined in accordance with a predetermined rule or a capability of the wireless relay device 30. For example, the rule may be a rule that the frequency gap that is equal to or greater than X RBs or X REs must be present between different beams. In addition, the rule may be a rule that the time gap that is equal to or greater than Y symbols, Y slots, or Y ms must be present between different beams”);
wherein the communication node is configured to determine the first time point, which is periodically repeated based on the SRS configuration parameters, and wherein the second time point periodically repeated is determined based on the periodically repeated first time point and the time estimation value (TES) ([0153-0154] “… The TDD pattern may be indicated by the base station 10, may be pre-configured, or may be specified by the technical specification. For example, the switching timing of UL pattern and/or beams may be a timing in accordance with the propagation delay according to the RIS, may be a timing in accordance with the TA that is configured from the base station 10 to the RIS, or information related to the timing may be indicated by the base station 10 or the terminal 20…”).
Regarding claim 13,
Takahashi and Kumagai teaches the electronic device of claim 12,
Takahashi further teaches wherein the control signal comprises a CSI configuration parameter indicating a periodic channel state information (CSI) transmission period of the terminal ([0316] “…CSI-RS information may be configured and/or indicated by the base station 10 to the RIS 30 and the terminal 20…”).
Regarding claim 14,
Takahashi and Kumagai teaches the electronic device of claim 13,
Takahashi further teaches wherein the CSI configuration parameter comprises at least one of a slot period at which the CSI is periodically transmitted, a slot offset, a start symbol, and a number of symbols ([0308] “… CSI report can be transmitted to the base station 10 or an RIS 30 at the time of, or after the time of, N symbols from the last symbol of the CSI report received from the terminal 20 or an RIS 30. N symbols may be determined based on the capability of the RIS 30 (may be replaced with UE capability), or may be determined based on the RRC configuration”);
wherein the communication node is configured to determine the periodically repeated first time point based on the CSI configuration parameters, and wherein the second time point periodically repeated is determined based on the periodically repeated first time point and the time estimation value (TES) (“ first time point” as pre-configured and “second time point” as TA or propagation delay, [0154 ] “The TDD pattern may be indicated by the base station 10, may be pre-configured, or may be specified by the technical specification. For example, the switching timing of UL pattern and/or beams may be a timing in accordance with the propagation delay according to the RIS, may be a timing in accordance with the TA that is configured from the base station 10 to the RIS”).
Claims 2 -3 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahashi in view of Kumagai and further in view of Lu et al. (US20210058883) hereinafter Lu.
Regarding claim 2,
Takahashi and Kumagai teaches the electronic device of claim 1,
Takashi further teaches wherein the communication node is configured to in order to apply the early switching, estimate the time estimate estimation value (TES) or obtain the time estimation value based on values associated with propagation delay received from the base station of the first network ([0151] RIS may estimate the propagation delay based on... the positional information of the base station 10 and the RIS).
Takahashi and Kumagai doesn’t explicitly teach wherein the values associated with the propagation delay comprise time estimation value comprises: a round-trip propagation delay time (2ir) between the base station of the first network and the communication node, and a timing offset value (To) configured within a bandwidth.
Lu teaches wherein the values associated with the propagation delay comprise time estimation value comprises: a round-trip propagation delay time (2ir) between the base station of the first network and the communication node, and a timing offset value (To) configured within a bandwidth ([0061-0062] a transmission time delay between RN1 and DeNB is Tp1…. switching time Tsw… TA2=2*Tp1+Tsw).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to add the teaching of Lu to the teaching of Takahashi and Kumagai. The motivation for such an addition would be to improve performance for uplink transmission ([0064] Lu).
Regarding claim 3,
Takahashi and Kumagai and Lu teaches the electronic device of claim 2,
Takahashi further teaches wherein the communication node is configured to obtain the time estimation value (TES) through a random access (RA) procedure in an in-band between the base station of the first network and the communication node ([0143 ] “For example, in a case where there is a connection for control between an RIS and the base station 10…… at the time when the connection with the RIS is established (for example, completion of a random-access procedure, RRC connection establishment, or the like)”).
Regarding claim 5,
Takahashi and Kumagai and Lu teaches the electronic device of claim 2,
Takahashi further teaches wherein in case that the electronic device is connected to the base station of the first network through a second communication node of a second network, a round- trip propagation delay time (2ir) between the base station of the first network and the communication node is estimated by the communication node based on a round-trip time (RTT) estimation method ([0293] The RIS or smart repeater that is a wireless relay device 30 may control activation or deactivation of the multi-hop communication that uses the relaying of a plurality of RISs, based on an upper layer configuration and/or a physical layer indication from another network node).
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahashi in view of Kumagai and Lu and further in view of Lee (US 20250150119 A1) hereinafter Lee.
Regarding Claim 4,
Takahashi and Kumagai and Lu teaches the electronic device of claim 2,
Takahashi and Kumagai and Lu does not explicitly teach wherein the time estimation value (TES) is estimated by the communication node through a random access procedure in an out-band between the communication node and the base station of the first network, wherein the communication node is configured to, through the random access procedure with the base station of the first network in the out-band, receive a-the time estimation value (TES) in the out-band including the round-trip propagation delay time (2Tr) between the base station of the first network and the communication node and a timing offset (i'o) configured in the out-band from the base station of the first network, wherein the communication node is configured to receive all of multiple timing offsets (To, r'o) configured in the in- and out-band from the base station of the first network
Lee teaches wherein the time estimation value (TES) is estimated by the communication node through a random access procedure in an out-band between the communication node and the base station of the first network, wherein the communication node is configured to, through the random access procedure with the base station of the first network in the out-band, receive a-the time estimation value (TES) in the out-band including the round-trip propagation delay time (2Tr) between the base station of the first network and the communication node and a timing offset (i'o) configured in the out-band from the base station of the first network, wherein the communication node is configured to receive all of multiple timing offsets (To, r'o) configured in the in- and out-band from the base station of the first network ([0151] FIG. 12 is a diagram for explaining information about timing ... measurement is started to obtain an optimal beam of a base station and an optimal reflection pattern of an RIS in a case that the base station and an RC are connected through out-band… [0153] RIS included in a control signal may include .... a numerology of the first band 1201, information about a timing offset 1203 between subframes of the first band 1201 and the second band 1202, and information about an offset at which the measurement is started to obtain the optimal beam of the base station and the optimal reflection pattern of the RIS).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to add the teaching of Lee to the teaching of Takahashi and Kumagai and Lu. The motivation for such an addition would be to obtain the optimal beam of the base station and the optimal reflection pattern ([0153] Lee).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VAN T NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-6178. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM (EST). 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. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ayman A Abaza can be reached at (571) 270-0422. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/VAN TA NGUYEN/Examiner, Art Unit 2465 /AYMAN A ABAZA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2465
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