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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to the amendments filed on 11/10/2025.
Claims 16-30 are currently pending.
Claims 16-30 are rejected.
Claims 16, 22 and 29-30 are independent claims.
Response to Amendment
- Claim Objection
5. Claim 16 is objected to because of the following informalities: “a second F1-C packet” in line 8should be “the second F1-C packet”. Appropriate correction is required.
6. Claim 21 is objected to because of the following informalities: “the an upper layer” in line 4 should be “an upper layer”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
7. 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.
8. Claims 21 and 28 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.
9. The term “upper layer” in claims 21 and 28 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “upper layer” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
10. In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
11. 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 of this title, 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.
12. The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) 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.
13. Claims 16, 19, 22, 24, 26, and 29-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Karl Georg HAMPEL et al. (US 2021/0321467 A1), hereinafter HAMPEL, in view of Gunnar Mildh et al. (US 2023/0007565 A1), hereinafter Mildh.
For claim 16, HAMPEL teaches a method performed by an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) mobile terminal (MT) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
receiving, from a donor node, configuration information indicating a transmission path (HAMPEL, Fig. 9 step 912 and paragraph118) of at least one of a first F1 control plane (F1-C) packet or a second F1-C packet (HAMPEL, Figs. 6, 13 and paragraphs 107, 150).
transmitting, to a non-donor node of an IAB node, a first radio resource control (RRC) message (HAMPEL, Fig. 10 step 1002 and paragraph 125), wherein the first F1-C packet is transmitted from the IAB MT to the donor node via the non-donor node (HAMPEL, Fig. 10 step 1010 and paragraph 129); and
receiving, from the non-donor node of the IAB node, a second RRC message (HAMPEL, Fig. 10 step 1004 and paragraph126), wherein the second F1-C packet is transmitted from the donor node to the IAB MT via the non-donor node (HAMPEL, Fig. 10 step 1010 and paragraph 129).
Diao further teaches a radio resource control (RRC) message including a F1 control plane (F1-C) packet (Diao, Fig. 2 and paragraph 111 teaches For the F1-C traffic generated by IAB-node 2, IAB node encapsulates the uplink F1-C traffic in NR RRC message, and transmits it to the non-BAP capable donor DU first. See also paragraph 124.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in HAMPEL with a radio resource control (RRC) message including a F1 control plane (F1-C) packet taught in Diao to have a method performed by an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) mobile terminal (MT) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: Receiving, from a donor node, configuration information indicating a transmission path of at least one of a first F1 control plane (F1-C) packet or a second F1-C packet, transmitting, to a non-donor node of an IAB node, a first radio resource control (RRC) message including the first F1-C packet, wherein the first F1-C packet is transmitted from the IAB MT to the donor node via the non-donor node; and receiving, from the non-donor node of the IAB node, a second RRC message including a second F1-C packet, wherein the second F1-C packet is transmitted from the donor node to the IAB MT via the non-donor node. Because both HAMPEL and Diao teach transmission between IAB MT and donor node, Diao explicitly teaches RRC message including F1-C packet.
For claim 19, HAMPEL and Diao further teach the method of claim 16, wherein, in case that the first F1-C packet and the second F1-C packet are transmitted based on a backhaul radio link control (RLC) channel among an RRC message and the backhaul RLC channel, the first F1-C packet is transmitted from the IAB MT to the donor node or the second F1-C packet is transmitted from the donor node to the IAB MT (Diao, Fig. 2 and paragraph 111 teaches For the F1-C traffic generated by IAB-node 2, IAB node encapsulates the uplink F1-C traffic in NR RRC message, and transmits it to the non-BAP capable donor DU first. Diao, Fig. 4 teaches RLC channel used for F1-C packet transmission. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in HAMPEL with Diao to have F1-C packet transmission using RLC channel and RRC message.).
For claim 22, HAMPEL teaches an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) mobile terminal (MT) in a wireless communication system (HAMPEL, Figs. 6, 18), the IAB MT comprising:
a transceiver (HAMPEL, Fig.18 item 1810); and
at least one processor (HAMPEL, Fig. 18 item 1804) connected to the transceiver, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
receive, from a donor node, configuration information indicating a transmission path (HAMPEL, Fig. 9 step 912 and paragraph118) of at least one of a first F1 control plane (F1-C) packet or a second F1-C packet (HAMPEL, Figs. 6, 13 and paragraphs 107, 150).
transmit, to a non-donor node of an IAB node, a first radio resource control (RRC) message (HAMPEL, Fig. 10 step 1002 and paragraph 125), wherein the first F1-C packet is transmitted from the IAB MT to the donor node via the non-donor node (HAMPEL, Fig. 10 step 1010 and paragraph 129); and
receive, from the non-donor node of the IAB node, a second RRC message (HAMPEL, Fig. 10 step 1004 and paragraph126), wherein the second F1-C packet is transmitted from the donor node to the IAB MT via the non-donor node (HAMPEL, Fig. 10 step 1010 and paragraph 129).
Diao further teaches a radio resource control (RRC) message including a F1 control plane (F1-C) packet (Diao, Fig. 2 and paragraph 111 teaches For the F1-C traffic generated by IAB-node 2, IAB node encapsulates the uplink F1-C traffic in NR RRC message, and transmits it to the non-BAP capable donor DU first. See also paragraph 124.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in HAMPEL with a radio resource control (RRC) message including a F1 control plane (F1-C) packet taught in Diao to have a method performed by an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) mobile terminal (MT) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: receiving, from a donor node, configuration information indicating a transmission path of at least one of a first F1 control plane (F1-C) packet or a second F1-C packet, transmitting, to a non-donor node of an IAB node, a first radio resource control (RRC) message including the first F1-C packet, wherein the first F1-C packet is transmitted from the IAB MT to the donor node via the non-donor node; and receiving, from the non-donor node of the IAB node, a second RRC message including a second F1-C packet, wherein the second F1-C packet is transmitted from the donor node to the IAB MT via the non-donor node. Because both HAMPEL and Diao teach transmission between IAB MT and donor node, Diao explicitly teaches RRC message including F1-C packet.
For claim 24, HAMPEL and Diao further teach the IAB MT of claim 22, wherein the first RRC message is a ULInformationTransfer message and the second RRC message is a DLInformationTransfer message (HAMPEL, Fig. 8 and paragraph 131 teach The RRC message sent by the IAB node may be a UE Capability Information message (which may be referred to as a UECapabilityInformation message), an RRC Setup Complete (which may be referred to as an RRCSetupComplete message), an RRC Connection Reconfiguration Complete message (which may be referred to as an RRCConnectionReconfigurationComplete message), or an Uplink Information Transfer message (which may be referred to as a ULInformationTransfer message). The RRC message received by the IAB MT may be an RRC Connection Reconfiguration message (which may be referred to as a RRCConnectionReconfiguration message) or a Downlink Information Transfer message (which may be referred to as a DLInformationTransfer message).)
For claim 26, HAMPEL and Diao further teach the IAB MT of claim 22, wherein,, in case that the first F1-C packet and the second F1-C packet are transmitted based on a backhaul radio link control (RLC) channel among an RRC message and the backhaul RLC channel, the first F1-C packet is transmitted from the IAB MT to the donor node or the second F1-C packet is transmitted from the donor node to the IAB MT (Diao, Fig. 2 and paragraph 111 teaches For the F1-C traffic generated by IAB-node 2, IAB node encapsulates the uplink F1-C traffic in NR RRC message, and transmits it to the non-BAP capable donor DU first. Diao, Fig. 4 teaches RLC channel used for F1-C packet transmission. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in HAMPEL with Diao to have F1-C packet transmission using RLC channel and RRC message.).
For claim 29, HAMPEL teaches an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) non-donor node in a wireless communication system (HAMPEL, Figs. 6, 18), the IAB non-donor node comprising:
a transceiver (HAMPEL, Fig.18 item 1810); and
at least one processor (HAMPEL, Fig. 18 item 1804) connected to the transceiver, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
receive, from an IAB mobile terminal (MT), a first radio resource control (RRC) message (HAMPEL, Fig. 10 step 1002 and paragraph 125),
transmit, to an IAB donor node, the first F1-C packet (HAMPEL, Fig. 10 step 1010 and paragraph 129),
receive, from the IAB donor node, a second F1-C packet (HAMPEL, Fig. 10 step 1010 and paragraph 129), and
transmit, to the IAB MT, a second RRC message (HAMPEL, Fig. 10 step 1004 and paragraph126),
wherein configuration information indicating a transmission path (HAMPEL, Fig. 9 step 912 and paragraph118) of at least one of the first F1-C packet or the second F1-C packet is transmitted from the IAB donor node to the IAB MT (HAMPEL, Figs. 6, 13 and paragraphs 107, 150).
Diao further teaches a radio resource control (RRC) message including a F1 control plane (F1-C) packet (Diao, Fig. 2 and paragraph 111 teaches For the F1-C traffic generated by IAB-node 2, IAB node encapsulates the uplink F1-C traffic in NR RRC message, and transmits it to the non-BAP capable donor DU first. See also paragraph 124.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in HAMPEL with a radio resource control (RRC) message including a F1 control plane (F1-C) packet taught in Diao. Because both HAMPEL and Diao teach transmission between IAB MT and donor node, Diao explicitly teaches RRC message including F1-C packet.
For claim 30, HAMPEL teaches an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) donor node in a wireless communication system (HAMPEL, Figs. 6, 18), the IAB donor node comprising:
a transceiver (HAMPEL, Fig.18 item 1810); and
at least one processor (HAMPEL, Fig. 18 item 1804) connected to the transceiver, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:
transmit. to an IAB mobile terminal (MT) configuration information indicating a transmission path (HAMPEL, Fig. 9 step 912 and paragraph118) of at least one of a first F1 control plane (F1-C) packet or a second F1-C packet (HAMPEL, Figs. 6, 13 and paragraphs 107, 150).
receive, from an IAB non-donor node, the first F1-C packet (HAMPEL, Fig. 10 step 1010 and paragraph 129), and
transmit, to the IAB non-donor node, the second F1-C packet (HAMPEL, Fig. 10 step 1010 and paragraph 129);
wherein the IAB non-donor node receives, from the IAB MT, a first radio resource control (RRC) message (HAMPEL, Fig. 10 step 1002 and paragraph 125), and
wherein a second RRC message is transmitted from the IAB non-donor node to the IAB MT in case that the IAB non-donor node (HAMPEL, Fig. 10 step 1004 and paragraph126).
Diao further teaches a radio resource control (RRC) message including a F1 control plane (F1-C) packet (Diao, Fig. 2 and paragraph 111 teaches For the F1-C traffic generated by IAB-node 2, IAB node encapsulates the uplink F1-C traffic in NR RRC message, and transmits it to the non-BAP capable donor DU first. See also paragraph 124.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in HAMPEL with a radio resource control (RRC) message including a F1 control plane (F1-C) packet taught in Diao. Because both HAMPEL and Diao teach transmission between IAB MT and donor node, Diao explicitly teaches RRC message including F1-C packet.
14. Claims 17 and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Karl Georg HAMPEL et al. (US 2021/0321467 A1), hereinafter HAMPEL, in view of Xueying Diao et al. (US 2023/0164684 A1), hereinafter Diao and Pontus Wallentin et al. (US 2023/0262600 A1), hereinafter Wallentin.
For claim 17, HAMPEL and Diao teach all the limitations of parent claim 16. HAMPEL further teaches the first RRC message and the second RRC message are transmitted via a signaling radio bearer (SRB) 2 (HAMPEL, Fig. 5 and paragraph 93 teach RRC signaling messages may be transported over signaling radio bearers (e.g., SRB 1 and SRB 2)). HAMPEL and Diao do not explicitly teach the first RRC message and the second RRC message are transmitted via a split SRB 2.
However, Wallentin explicitly teaches the first RRC message and the second RRC message are transmitted via a split SRB 2 (Wallentin, Fig. 9 and paragraph 106 teach RRC message transmission for different SRB type which including split SRB 1 & 2.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in HAMPEL and Diao with the first RRC message and the second RRC message are transmitted via a split SRB 2 taught in Wallentin thereby improve UE RL/DL throughput [Wallentin: paragraph 7].
For claim 23, HAMPEL and Diao teach all the limitations of parent claim 22. HAMPEL further teaches the first RRC message and the second RRC message are transmitted via a signaling radio bearer (SRB) 2 (HAMPEL, Fig. 5 and paragraph 93 teach RRC signaling messages may be transported over signaling radio bearers (e.g., SRB 1 and SRB 2)). HAMPEL and Diao do not explicitly teach the first RRC message and the second RRC message are transmitted via a split SRB 2.
However, Wallentin explicitly teaches the first RRC message and the second RRC message are transmitted via a split SRB 2 (Wallentin, Fig. 9 and paragraph 106 teach RRC message transmission for different SRB type which including split SRB 1 & 2.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in HAMPEL and Diao with the first RRC message and the second RRC message are transmitted via a split SRB 2 taught in Wallentin thereby improve UE RL/DL throughput [Wallentin: paragraph 7].
15. Claims 18 and 25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Karl Georg HAMPEL et al. (US 2021/0321467 A1), hereinafter HAMPEL, in view of Xueying Diao et al. (US 2023/0164684 A1), hereinafter Diao and Yuanping ZHU et al. (US 2022/0225209 A1), hereinafter ZHU.
For claim 18, HAMPEL and Diao teach all the limitations of parent claim 16. HAMPEL and Diao do not explicitly teach a master cell group (MCG) link path, a secondary cell group (SCG) link path.
However, ZHU explicitly teaches a master cell group (MCG) link path, a secondary cell group (SCG) link path (ZHU, Fig. 1 and paragraph 289).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in HAMPEL and Diao with a master cell group (MCG) link path, a secondary cell group (SCG) link path taught in ZHU to have the configuration information indicates one of a master cell group (MCG) link path, a secondary cell group (SCG) link path, or both UE to reduce deployment costs and improve deployment flexibility. [ZHU: background].
For claim 25, HAMPEL and Diao teach all the limitations of parent claim 22. HAMPEL and Diao do not explicitly teach a master cell group (MCG) link path, a secondary cell group (SCG) link path.
However, ZHU explicitly teaches a master cell group (MCG) link path, a secondary cell group (SCG) link path (ZHU, Fig. 1 and paragraph 289).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in HAMPEL and Diao with a master cell group (MCG) link path, a secondary cell group (SCG) link path taught in ZHU to have the configuration information indicates one of a master cell group (MCG) link path, a secondary cell group (SCG) link path, or both UE to reduce deployment costs and improve deployment flexibility. [ZHU: background].
16. Claims 20 and 27are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Karl Georg HAMPEL et al. (US 2021/0321467 A1), hereinafter HAMPEL, in view of Xueying Diao et al. (US 2023/0164684 A1), hereinafter Diao and Jing LIU et al. (US 2021/0377802 A1), hereinafter LIU.
For claim 20, HAMPEL and Diao teach the method of claim 16, further comprising, in case that the donor node is a master node, the non-donor node is a secondary node (HAMPEL, Fig. 6 items 604, 606), and the IAB MT transmits the first RRC message including the first F1-C packet to the non-donor node of the IAB node, receiving, from the non-donor node of the IAB node, the second F1-C packet (See above). HAMPEL and Diao do not explicitly teach F1-C packet transmission based on a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) protocol data unit (PDU).
However, LIU explicitly teaches F1-C packet transmission based on a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) protocol data unit (PDU) (LIU, Fig. 6 and paragraph 294 teach The IAB donor DU extracts a PDCP PDU from an SRB 3, and encapsulates the PDCP PDU into a first F1-C interface message. See also paragraph 298.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in HAMPEL and Diao with F1-C packet transmission based on a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) protocol data unit (PDU) taught in Wallentin to have in case that the donor node is a master node, the non-donor node is a secondary node, and the IAB MT transmits the first RRC message including the first F1-C packet to the non-donor node of the IAB node, receiving, from the non-donor node of the IAB node, the second F1-C packet based on a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) protocol data unit (PDU). Because HAMPEL, Diao and Wallentin teach IAB, Wallentin explicitly teaches F1-C packet transmission based on a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) protocol data unit (PDU).
For claim 27, HAMPEL and Diao teach the IAB MT of claim 22, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to, in case that the donor node is a master node, the non-donor node is a secondary node (HAMPEL, Fig. 6 items 604, 606), and the IAB MT transmits the first RRC message including the first F1-C packet to the non-donor node of the IAB node, receiving, from the non-donor node of the IAB node, the second F1-C packet (See above). HAMPEL and Diao do not explicitly teach F1-C packet transmission based on a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) protocol data unit (PDU).
However, LIU explicitly teaches F1-C packet transmission based on a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) protocol data unit (PDU) (LIU, Fig. 6 and paragraph 294 teach The IAB donor DU extracts a PDCP PDU from an SRB 3, and encapsulates the PDCP PDU into a first F1-C interface message. See also paragraph 298.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught in HAMPEL and Diao with F1-C packet transmission based on a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) protocol data unit (PDU) taught in Wallentin to have in case that the donor node is a master node, the non-donor node is a secondary node, and the IAB MT transmits the first RRC message including the first F1-C packet to the non-donor node of the IAB node, receiving, from the non-donor node of the IAB node, the second F1-C packet based on a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) protocol data unit (PDU). Because HAMPEL, Diao and Wallentin teach IAB, Wallentin explicitly teaches F1-C packet transmission based on a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) protocol data unit (PDU).
Response to Arguments
17. Applicant's arguments filed 11/10/2025 have been fully considered but they are
Moot because of the new ground of rejection.
Conclusion
18. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILL W LIN whose telephone number is (571)272-8749. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00.
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/WILL W LIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2412