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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 2/19/24. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1 – 17, 19 - 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Visa et al. (US Publication 2023/04043067) disclosed in (GB) 2016898.5.
Regarding claim 1, Visa teaches a first network device, comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one memory including computer program codes;
the at least one memory and the computer program codes are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the first network device at least to: (i.e. fig. 11 shows a communication device or node comprising a processor, memory and transceiver for executing programmed instructions: see paragraphs 416, 417)
receive, from a first central device for controlling the first network device, a first message comprising configuration information about at least one of duplication and de-duplication for a packet at backhaul adaptation protocol, BAP, layer; (i.e. fig. 6 shows an IAB network wherein an IAB node may be configured by an IAB donor node (see paragraph 36; “these IAB-nodes may be configured by the IAB-donor CU of the IAB network.”) wherein an IAB node (604) may be configured to perform packet duplication at the BAP sublayer; see paragraph 206) and
communicate, based on the configuration information, the packet with a group of second network devices and the first central device in an integrated access and backhaul, IAB network. (i.e. fig. 6 shows IAB node (604), in response to the BAP duplication configuration, may duplicate a received packet and forward the duplicates over both egress links (645, 646); see paragraphs 206, 207)
Regarding claim 2, Visa teaches the first network device of Claim 1, wherein the configuration information indicates that a packet to be duplicated is identified by at least one of the following parameters: a BAP flow identification for a traffic flow comprising the packet; an ingress backhaul radio link control, RLC, channel;
an egress backhaul RLC channel; a destination IP address; a source IP address; a packet priority; a flow label; a BAP routing identification; a non-UP traffic type;
a tunnel IP address; a tunnel endpoint identification; or a BAP address for a second network device in the group, the second network device acting as a next hop of the first network device for transmitting the packet. (i.e. fig. 7 shows the BAP duplication configuration information may include a BAP routing identifier (501) and BAP address for a next hop device (502); see paragraphs 217 - 220)
Regarding claim 3, Visa teaches the first network device of Claim 1, wherein the configuration information indicates that a duplicated packet with a packet header comprising at least one of the following is to be merged: a BAP flow identification for a traffic flow comprising the duplicated packet, or a routing identification for the duplicated packet. (i.e. Visa discloses based upon configuration may combine (merge) redundant BAP packets; see paragraph 43)
Regarding claim 4, Visa teaches the first network device of Claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program codes are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the first network device to communicate the packet by: receiving the packet; in accordance with a determination that the packet comprises at least one of parameters indicated by the configuration information, determining that the packet is to be duplicated into multiple traffic flows; (i.e. fig. 6 shows an IAB node (604) may receive a packet from a IAB donor (601) comprising configuration parameters indicating duplication into traffic flows; see paragraphs 206 – 208) (See Also; fig. 7 shows the configuration parameters that may be received from IAB donor; see paragraphs 217 - 219) generating the multiple traffic flows by adding a BAP sequence number to each duplicated packet; and transmitting the multiple traffic flows to multiple second network devices in the group acting as next hops of the first network device for communicating the packet. (i.e. fig. 7 shows the configuration information may include sequence numbers in each packet and the packets are then routed to a next hop BAP address indicating network devices acting as next hop; see paragraphs 166 – 167, 239 – 244 and table 1)
Regarding claim 5, Visa teaches the first network device of Claim 4, wherein the packet is to be duplicated into the multiple traffic flows associated with a routing identification, and a packet not to be duplicated is associated with a different routing identification. (i.e. fig, 7 shows the routing configuration information comprises a BAP routing ID indicating which packets are to be duplicated into traffic flows; see paragraphs 167, 220, 234 – 237, 246, 248)
Regarding claim 6, Visa teaches the first network device of Claim 4, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program codes are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the first network device to generate the multiple traffic flows by: in accordance with a determination that the packet to be duplicated into the multiple traffic flows, generating the multiple traffic flows with the BAP sequence number and a BAP flow identification for the multiple traffic flows. (i.e. fig. 7 shows the BAP duplication configuration parameters may include BAP routing ID indicating data flow and a BAP sequence number used to tag duplicate packets in the flow; see paragraphs 220, 240 - 244)
Regarding claim 7, Visa teaches the first network device of Claim 4, wherein the packet is received from a terminal device, and the first network device is a network node connected to the terminal device for accessing the IAB network. (i.e. fig. 6 shows the packet may be received from an IAB -donor (terminal device)(601) and the first network device is an IAB node that connects to the IAB-donor in an IAB network; see paragraphs 192 – 196, 206, 207)
Regarding claim 8, Visa teaches the first network device of Claim 7, wherein the parameters indicated by the configuration information comprise at least one of the following: an egress backhaul radio link control, RLC, channel; a destination IP address; a source IP address; a packet priority; a routing identification; a non-UP traffic type; a tunnel IP address; or a tunnel endpoint identification. (i.e. figs. 5 and 7 show IAB routing configuration parameters including source, destination addresses, BAP routing identifiers, RLC channel identifiers, tunnel endpoint IDs etc. ; see paragraphs 173 – 176, 188, 189)
Regarding claim 9, Visa teaches the first network device of Claim 4, wherein the first network device is a first intermediate network node in the IAB network, the packet is received from a second network device in the group in a uplink direction, and the next hops of the first network device comprise one of a plurality of IAB donor distributed devices, a plurality of third intermediate IAB nodes, or a combination of both. (i.e. fig. 6 shows the first network device may be an intermediate IAB node (604), between a donor-IAb (601) and serving IAB nodes (609, 605))
Regarding claim 10, Visa teaches the first network device of Claim 4, wherein the first network device is a first intermediate network node, the packet is received from a second network device in the group in a downlink direction, the second network device is a IAB donor distributed device or a third intermediate network node, and the next hops of the first network device comprise a plurality of fourth intermediate network nodes. . (i.e. fig. 6 shows the first network device may be an intermediate IAB node (604), between a donor-IAb (601) and serving IAB nodes (609, 605), wherein the packet is received in a downlink from Donor-IAB and BAP duplicated/ routed to serving IAB nodes in the uplink packets are received at the intermediate IAB node from serving IAB nodes and sent to Donor-IAB)
Regarding claim 11, Visa teaches the first network device of Claim 9, wherein the parameters indicated by the configuration information comprises at least one of the following: a BAP flow identification for a traffic flow comprising the packet; an ingress backhaul radio link control, RLC, channel; an egress backhaul RLC channel; or a routing identification. (i.e. figs. 5 and 7 show IAB routing configuration parameters including source, destination addresses, BAP routing identifiers, RLC channel identifiers, tunnel endpoint IDs etc. ; see paragraphs 173 – 176, 188, 189)
Regarding claim 12, Visa teaches the first network device of Claim 4, wherein the first network device is a first IAB donor distributed device, the packet is received from the first central device in the downlink direction, and the next hops comprise a plurality of intermediate network nodes. (i.e. By definition of an IAB network an IAB-donor is a gNB (5G base station) that connects directly to the 5G Core Network (5GC) via wired backhaul to act as the anchor point, providing network access to UEs and acting as a central control node for IAB nodes. An IAB-node is an access or intermediate node either supporting wireless access for User Equipment (UE) and wireless backhaul for transferring data to other nodes or the donor. IAB node comprises a MT, which connects connects the IAB node to a "parent" node (either another IAB node or the donor) and a DU providing radio access to UEs or "child" IAB nodes. Therefore, generic node operation (uplink/downlink packet transfer) is inherent to IAB networks)
Regarding claim 13, Visa teaches the first network device of Claim 12, wherein the parameters indicated by the configuration information comprise at least one of the following: an egress backhaul radio link control, RLC, channel, a destination IP address; a packet priority; a flow label; or a routing identification. (i.e. figs. 5 and 7 show IAB routing configuration parameters including source, destination addresses, BAP routing identifiers, RLC channel identifiers, tunnel endpoint IDs etc. ; see paragraphs 173 – 176, 188, 189)
Regarding claim 14, Visa teaches the first network device of Claim 12, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program codes are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the first network device to: tunnel, to a second donor distributed device, one of the multiple traffic flows. (i.e. Visa discloses support for tunneling protocols to use in the ISB network for data flows between nodes; see paragraph 137, 188)
Regarding claim 15, Visa teaches the first network device of Claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program codes are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the first network device to communicate the packet by: receiving a first packet from one of the second network devices; in accordance with a determination that a preconfigured condition associated with the first packet is met, determining that the first packet is a duplication of a previously received packet; and discarding the first packet. (i.e. an IAB node can discard a duplicate of a received packet if conditions are met; see paragraph 113, 261, 276)
Regarding claim 16, Visa teaches the first network device of Claim 15, wherein the first network device is a first IAB donor distributed device, the second network device comprises one of a second IAB donor distributed device or an intermediate network node, and the next hop is the first central device, (generic node operation (uplink/downlink packet transfer) is inherent to IAB networks)
the preconfigured condition comprises the first packet being identified with at least one of parameters indicated by the configuration information, and wherein the parameter comprises at least one of the followings: a BAP sequence number; a BAP flow identification; a routing identification; or an ingress backhaul radio link control, RLC, channel. (i.e. fig. 6 shows an IAB node (604) may receive a packet from a IAB donor (601) comprising configuration parameters indicating duplication into traffic flows; see paragraphs 206 – 208) (See Also; fig. 7 shows the configuration parameters that may be received from IAB donor; see paragraphs 217 - 219) (i.e. fig. 7 shows the BAP duplication configuration parameters may include BAP routing ID indicating data flow and a BAP sequence number used to tag duplicate packets in the flow; see paragraphs 220, 240 - 244)
Regarding claim 17, Visa teaches the first network device of Claim 15, wherein the first network device is a first intermediate network node, and the next hop comprises one of a second intermediate node or an IAB donor distributed device, ( generic node operation (uplink/downlink packet transfer) is inherent to IAB networks) the preconfigured condition comprises the first packet being identified with at least one of parameters indicated by the configuration
information, wherein the parameter comprises at least one of the followings:
a BAP sequence number; a BAP flow identification; a routing identification; or an ingress backhaul radio link control, RLC, channel. (i.e. fig. 6 shows an IAB node (604) may receive a packet from a IAB donor (601) comprising configuration parameters indicating duplication into traffic flows; see paragraphs 206 – 208) (See Also; fig. 7 shows the configuration parameters that may be received from IAB donor; see paragraphs 217 - 219) (i.e. fig. 7 shows the BAP duplication configuration parameters may include BAP routing ID indicating data flow and a BAP sequence number used to tag duplicate packets in the flow; see paragraphs 220, 240 - 244)
Regarding claim 19, Visa teaches the first network device of Claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program codes are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the first network device to: communicate the packet with a terminal device in the IAB network. (i.e. fig. 6 shows the IAB network node may route the packet to terminal devices (613-616), via UAB access nodes (605, 609))
Regarding claim 20, Visa teaches the first network device of Claim 1, wherein the first central device is a IAB donor central unit, and the group of second network devices comprises at least one IAB donor distributed unit and a plurality of IAB network nodes. (i.e. By definition, inherent in a IAB network is the IAB donor is a controller node providing access to the core and multiple IAB nodes connected in the uplink direction either to an IAB node (parent) or the IAB donor and in the downlink to either a terminal device or another IAB node (child))
Regarding claim 21, Visa teaches a first central device comprising:
at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program codes; the at least one memory and the computer program codes are configured to, with the at least one processor, (i.e. fig. 11 shows a communication device or node comprising a processor, memory and transceiver for executing programmed instructions: see paragraphs 416, 417) cause the first central device at least to:
generate a first message comprising configuration information about at least one of duplication and de-duplication for a packet at backhaul adaptation protocol, BAP, layer; (i.e. fig. 6 shows an IAB network wherein an IAB node may be configured by an IAB donor node (see paragraph 36; “these IAB-nodes may be configured by the IAB-donor CU of the IAB network.”) wherein an IAB donor node (601) may generate a packet configured to perform packet duplication at the BAP sublayer; see paragraph 192, 193, 206)
transmit, to a first network device controlled by the first central device, the first message; (i.e. fig. 6 shows an IAB network wherein an IAB donor node may send a packet with configuration parameters to an IAB-node; see paragraph 192, 193, 206) and
communicate, based on the configuration information, the packet with the first network device and a group of second network devices in an integrated access and backhaul, IAB, network. (i.e. fig. 6 shows IAB node (604), in response to the BAP duplication configuration, may duplicate a received packet and forward the duplicates over both egress links (645, 646); see paragraphs 206, 207)
Conclusion
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ROBERT J. LOPATA
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2471
/ROBERT J LOPATA/
February 25, 2026Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2471