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 .
This office action is in response to Applicant’s amendment filed on 05/26/2026.
Claims 1-10, 13, 15-19, 21, 28-31, and 37 are currently pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4, 13, 15-19, and 37 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Peng et al. (US 2023/0337206 A1; hereafter PENG).
With respect to claim 1, PENG discloses a method performed by a network node (Access IAB node or Relay IAB node in FIG. 1; IAB1 or IAB2 in FIG. 2) that implements a centralized network function unit (CU-CP, CU-UP in FIG. 2) for frequency-domain resource utilization configuration of an Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) node (Donor IAB node in FIG. 1; Donor IAB in FIG. 2), the method comprising:
determining a configurable frequency part size(s) (paragraph [0055], see the frequency domain resource is a specific bandwidth) for a frequency-domain resource utilization configuration (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability” setting for the IAB node) of an IAB node (Donor IAB node in FIG. 1; Donor IAB in FIG. 2);
determining a mode (paragraph [0056], see the mode as hard type, soft type, NA type or shared type) of frequency-domain resource utilization (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability” setting for the IAB node) for each of at least some of a plurality of frequency parts of an available bandwidth (paragraph [0055], see the frequency domain resource is a specific bandwidth) of the IAB node (Donor IAB node in FIG. 1; Donor IAB in FIG. 2),
the available bandwidth being divided into the plurality of frequency parts (paragraph [0055], see the frequency domain resource is a specific bandwidth) in accordance with the configurable frequency part size(s) (paragraphs [0124] to [0133], see the bandwidth range and the setting of granularity includes a size setting); and
sending the (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability”; and the availability is sent to the IAB node over RRC, F1-C, DCI or MAC CE messaging) frequency-domain resource utilization configuration to the IAB node (Donor IAB node in FIG. 1; Donor IAB in FIG. 2), the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration comprising
information that indicates the mode of frequency-domain resource utilization (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability” setting for the IAB node) for each of the at least some of the plurality of frequency parts (paragraphs [0124] to [0133], see the bandwidth range and the setting of granularity includes a size setting) of the available bandwidth of the IAB node (Donor IAB node in FIG. 1; Donor IAB in FIG. 2).
With respect to claim 2, PENG further discloses the method of claim 1 wherein the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration of the IAB node (Donor IAB node in FIG. 1; Donor IAB in FIG. 2) comprises
one or more of a frequency-domain resource utilization configuration (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability” setting for the IAB node) for a Distributed Unit (DU) of the IAB node (Donor IAB node in FIG. 1; DU, Donor IAB in FIG. 2),
a frequency-domain resource utilization configuration (paragraph [0090], see the setting of the MT multiplexing and duplex modes) for a Mobile Termination (MT) of the IAB node (Donor IAB node in FIG. 1; Donor IAB in FIG. 2), or
a frequency-domain resource utilization configuration for an access link between the IAB node and a User Equipment (UE).
With respect to claim 3, PENG further discloses the method of claim 1 wherein determining the mode of frequency-domain resource utilization for each of the at least some of the plurality of frequency parts of the available bandwidth of the IAB node comprises
determining the mode (paragraph [0056], see the mode as hard type, soft type, NA type or shared type) of frequency-domain resource utilization (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability” setting for the IAB node) for each of the plurality of frequency parts of the available bandwidth of the IAB node (Donor IAB node in FIG. 1; Donor IAB in FIG. 2), and
the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability” setting for the IAB node) comprises information that indicates the mode (paragraph [0056], see the mode as hard type, soft type, NA type or shared type) of frequency-domain resource utilization for each of the plurality of frequency parts of the available bandwidth of the IAB node (Donor IAB node in FIG. 1; Donor IAB in FIG. 2).
With respect to claim 4, PENG further discloses the method of claim 1 wherein, for each frequency part of the at least some of the plurality of frequency parts of the available bandwidth (paragraphs [0124] to [0133], see the bandwidth range and the setting of granularity includes a size setting) of the IAB node, the mode of frequency-domain resource utilization (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability” setting for the IAB node) for the frequency part is either Hard, Soft, or Not Available (paragraph [0056], see the mode as hard type, soft type, NA type or shared type).
With respect to claim 13, PENG discloses a network node (Access IAB node or Relay IAB node in FIG. 1; IAB1 or IAB2 in FIG. 2) that implements a centralized network function unit (CU-CP, CU-UP in FIG. 2) for frequency-domain resource utilization configuration (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability” setting for the IAB node) of an Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) node (Donor IAB node in FIG. 1; Donor IAB in FIG. 2), the network node comprising processing circuitry configured to cause the network node to:
determine a configurable frequency part size(s) for a frequency-domain resource utilization configuration (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability” setting for the IAB node) of an IAB node (Donor IAB node in FIG. 1; Donor IAB in FIG. 2);
determine a mode (paragraph [0056], see the mode as hard type, soft type, NA type or shared type) of frequency-domain resource utilization (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability” setting for the IAB node) for each of at least some of a plurality of frequency parts of an available bandwidth of the IAB node, the available bandwidth being divided into the plurality of frequency parts in accordance with the configurable frequency part size(s) (paragraphs [0124] to [0133], see the bandwidth range and the setting of granularity includes a size setting); and
send the (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability”; and the availability is sent to the IAB node over RRC, F1-C, DCI or MAC CE messaging) frequency-domain resource utilization configuration to the IAB node (Donor IAB node in FIG. 1; Donor IAB in FIG. 2), the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability” setting for the IAB node) comprising
information that indicates the mode (paragraph [0056], see the mode as hard type, soft type, NA type or shared type) of frequency-domain resource utilization (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability” setting for the IAB node) for each of the at least some of the plurality of frequency parts of the available bandwidth of the IAB node (Donor IAB node in FIG. 1; Donor IAB in FIG. 2).
With respect to claim 15, PENG discloses a method performed by an Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) node (Donor IAB node in FIG. 1; Donor IAB in FIG. 2), the method comprising:
receiving a (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability”; and the availability is sent to the IAB node over RRC, F1-C, DCI or MAC CE messaging) frequency-domain resource utilization configuration (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability” setting for the IAB node) from a network node (Access IAB node or Relay IAB node in FIG. 1; IAB1 or IAB2 in FIG. 2), the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration comprising
information that indicates a mode (paragraph [0056], see the mode as hard type, soft type, NA type or shared type) of frequency-domain resource utilization (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability” setting for the IAB node) for each of at least some of a plurality of frequency parts of an available bandwidth (paragraphs [0124] to [0133], see the bandwidth range and the setting of granularity includes a size setting) of the IAB node (Donor IAB node in FIG. 1; Donor IAB in FIG. 2); and
determining a frequency-domain resource usage (paragraph [0090], see the setting of the MT multiplexing and duplex modes) of an IAB Mobile Termination unit (IAB-MT) (UE of Donor IAB node in FIG. 1) of the IAB node (Donor IAB node in FIG. 1; Donor IAB in FIG. 2) and an IAB Distributed Unit (IAB-DU) (Donor IAB node in FIG. 1; DU, Donor IAB in FIG. 2) of the IAB node based on the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability” setting for the IAB node).
With respect to claim 16, PENG further discloses the method of claim 15, wherein the IAB-MT of the IAB node establishes a communication interface or channel towards a parent IAB node (Access IAB node or Relay IAB node in FIG. 1; IAB1 or IAB2 in FIG. 2), and the IAB-DU of the IAB node establishes a communication interface or channel to a wireless communication device and/or
establishes a communication interface or channel to a MT of a child IAB node.
With respect to claim 17, PENG discloses the method of claim 15 further comprising operating in accordance (401 in FIG. 4) with the determined frequency-domain resource usage (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability” setting for the IAB node).
With respect to claim 18, PENG discloses the method of claim 15 wherein, for each frequency part of the at least some of the plurality of frequency parts of the available bandwidth (paragraphs [0124] to [0133], see the bandwidth range and the setting of granularity includes a size setting) of the IAB node, the mode (paragraph [0056], see the mode as hard type, soft type, NA type or shared type) of frequency-domain resource utilization (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability” setting for the IAB node) for the frequency part is either Hard, Soft, or Not Available.
With respect to claim 19, PENG discloses the method of claim 15 wherein the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration comprises information (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability” setting for the IAB node) that indicates the mode (paragraph [0056], see the mode as hard type, soft type, NA type or shared type) of frequency-domain resource utilization for each of the plurality of frequency parts (paragraphs [0124] to [0133], see the bandwidth range and the setting of granularity includes a size setting) of the available bandwidth of the IAB node.
With respect to claim 37, PENG discloses an Integrated Access and Backhaul node (Donor IAB node in FIG. 1; Donor IAB in FIG. 2) comprising processing circuitry configured to cause the IAB node to:
receive a (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability”; and the availability is sent to the IAB node over RRC, F1-C, DCI or MAC CE messaging) frequency-domain resource utilization configuration (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability” setting for the IAB node) from a network node (Access IAB node or Relay IAB node in FIG. 1; IAB1 or IAB2 in FIG. 2), the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration comprising
information that indicates a mode (paragraph [0056], see the mode as hard type, soft type, NA type or shared type) of frequency-domain resource utilization (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability” setting for the IAB node) for each of at least some of a plurality of frequency parts of an available bandwidth (paragraphs [0124] to [0133], see the bandwidth range and the setting of granularity includes a size setting) of the IAB node (Donor IAB node in FIG. 1; Donor IAB in FIG. 2); and
determine a frequency-domain resource usage (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability” setting for the IAB node) of an IAB Mobile Termination (paragraph [0090], see the setting of the MT multiplexing and duplex modes) unit (IAB-MT) (UE for Donor IAB node in FIG. 1) of the IAB node (Donor IAB node in FIG. 1; Donor IAB in FIG. 2) and an IAB Distributed Unit (IAB-DU) of the IAB node (Donor IAB node in FIG. 1; Donor IAB, DU in FIG. 2) based on the frequency-domain resource utilization configuration (paragraphs [0078], [0081], and [0082], see the “frequency domain availability” setting for the IAB node).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-10, 21, and 28-31 are 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 05/26/2026, with respect to the rejection of claims 1, 13, 15, and 37 under YOU have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground of rejection is made in view of PENG.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Brian T O'Connor whose telephone number is (571)270-1081. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri Flex 10am-6:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Gary Mui can be reached at 571-270-1420. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRIAN T O CONNOR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2465 August 11, 2026
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