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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 03/19/2026 as been entered.
Response to Request for Continued Examination
This communication is in response to the Amendment filed on 03/02/2026.
Objection of Claims
Applicant has amended the claims as suggested by examiner and the claim objections are withdrawn.
Rejection of Claims under 35 U.S.C. 112
Applicant’s Arguments:
Applicant argues the claim amendments have resolved all 112b issues.
Examiner’s Response:
Applicant's amendments have resolved the 112b issues and the 112b rejections are withdrawn.
However, regarding 112b rejections of claims 8-9 and 11, claims 8 and 11 recite “the multiplexing manner of the IAB node.” Claim 1 recites two multiplexing manners, “an expected multiplexing manner” and “at least one multiplexing manner of the IAB node.” “The multiplexing manner of the IAB node” in claims 8 and 11 seems to refer to the latter. Therefore, claims 8 and 11 are objected and recommended to be amended to “the at least one multiplexing manner of the IAB node” (see claim objection).
Moreover, although the amendment of claim 20 resolves the 112b issue, the amendment renders 112a issue (see details in the 112a rejection).
Rejection of Claims under 35 U.S.C. 103
Applicant’s Arguments:
Per the newly added limitations in independent claims, Applicant argues Liu only teaches “the frequency domain resource information comprises: first frequency domain resource information configured by a parent node for the IAB node,” but Liu does not teach “second frequency domain resource information configured by the CU for the IAB node.” Specifically, Applicant argues that the CU node of the IAB node configures second frequency domain resource information semi-statically and the parent node configures first frequency domain resource information dynamically.
Examiner’s Response:
Liu teaches “the frequency domain resource information comprises: first frequency domain resource information configured by a parent node for the IAB node” (¶ [0035], a parent node (e.g., IAB node 120D in FIG. 1) of an IAB node (e.g., IAB node 120C in FIG. 1) may dynamically configure a set of frequency domain resources for a link (e.g., link 180D in FIG. 1) between the parent node and the IAB node, i.e., a parent link of the IAB node, via downlink control information (DCI) signaling (e.g., signaling for a downlink assignment or uplink grant) to the IAB node; ¶ [0041], a parent node of an IAB node may configure a semi-static frequency domain resource for a parent link between the parent node and the IAB node; ¶¶ [0043-0045], the signaling transmitted by a parent node of an IAB node to configure semi-static frequency domain resources for a parent link and a child link of the IAB node … a parent node of an IAB node may configure a dynamic frequency domain resource for a parent link between the parent node and the IAB node. The parent node may also configure a dynamic frequency domain resource for a child link between the IAB node and a child node of the IAB node … the signaling transmitted by a parent node of an IAB node to configure dynamic frequency domain resources for a parent link and a child link of the IAB node … The parent node may transmit at least one of two kinds of dynamic signaling to the IAB node to configure dynamic frequency domain resources for the parent link and the child link of the IAB node). Liu even teaches unclaimed subject matter that was argued by Applicant that a parent node configures dynamic frequency-domain resource.
A newly added reference, Huang (US 2023/0388995 A1), teaches frequency domain resource information configured by a CU for an IAB node (Fig.8, IAB Donor Node 802-0 and IAB node 802-1; Fig.9, “Example of Semi-Static IAB-DU resource configurations provided by IAB-donor-CU” comprising “FREQUENCY-DOMIAN H/S/NA CONFIGURATION”; ¶ [0080], FIG. 9 illustrates one example of semi-static IAB DU resource configurations provided by an IAB donor Central Unit (CU); ¶ [0119], The IAB-node 802-i indicates SDM-capability to the IAB-donor-CU 803 and thereby receives both time-domain and frequency-domain resource configurations as exemplified in FIG. 9). Also, Huang even teaches unclaimed subject matter that was argued by Applicant that a CU configures semi-static frequency-domain resource. See details in the 103 rejections.
Three additional prior art are also provided in the Conclusion Section to teach frequency domain resource information configured by a CU for an IAB node:
Kurita (US 2023/0309154 A1): Fig6; ¶ [0108].
SIROTKIN (US 2021/0352666 A1): ¶ [0085-0086].
Ghanbarinejad (US 2023/0164793 A1): ¶ [0130].
DETAILED ACTION
Claim Interpretation/Construction
For the record of prosecution, the functional language associated with the claimed nodes do not invoke 112f claim interpretation, because, in light of the specification, “node” is interpreted to be a structural term, instead of a generic placeholder.
Priority
For the record of prosecution, the Examiner’s citations in prior art Huang (US 2023/0388995 A1) have been verified to be supported by the provisional application, 63/104,151 (see Figure 9 and ¶ [0049] of the provisional application). Therefore, the priority date of the provisional application, 10/22/2020, is used as the earliest effective filing date of Huang (US 2023/0388995 A1).
Information Disclosure Statement
Previously, the information disclosure statement filed on 07/21/2025 failed to comply with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.98(a)(4) because it lacked the appropriate size fee assertion. It was placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein was not considered as to the merits (see the Final Rejection on 01/02/2026).
In response to the Applicant’s “Transmittal Letter” filed on 03/19/2026 which includes size fee assertion (page 2), IDS filed on 03/19/2026, which has the same prior art as that of IDS filed on 07/21/2025, has been considered.
Claim Objections
Claims 8 and 11 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 8 and 11 recite “the multiplexing manner of the IAB node,” which should be “the at least one multiplexing manner of the IAB node.” Because claim 1 sets forth “an expected multiplexing manner” and “at least one multiplexing manner of the IAB node.” Therefore, the recommended correction refers to the latter. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claim 20 recites “the target node comprises at least one of a centralized control unit (CU) or a parent node of the IAB node.” The limitation, “at least one” indicates the target node could have both CU and a parent node. However, the specification only provides written description for a target node to be either a CU or a parent node (alternatives). The specification discloses a CU and a parent node as separated nodes (see Fig.1, Parent IAB node 13 and CU 14). The specification does not disclose or suggest a CU and a parent node to be enclosed in the same node (target node). The claim limitation is recommended to be amended to “the target node comprises one of a centralized control unit (CU) or a parent node of the IAB node.”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
Claims 1-3, 5, 7-9, 11-17, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu (US 2023/0156682 A1), in view of ABEDINI (US 2020/0337057 A1), and further in view of Huang (US 2023/0388995 A1), hereinafter LIU-ABEDINI-HUANG.
Per claims 1 and 19, Liu teaches “A resource configuration method, comprising: obtaining, by an integrated access backhaul (IAB) node, frequency domain resource information; wherein the frequency domain resource information is used to indicate an available frequency domain resource of a first distributed unit (DU) of the IAB node; (Abstract, receiving indication information from a parent node of an IAB node, wherein the indication information indicates at least one frequency domain resource of an operating band associated with one of a parent link between the IAB node and the parent node and a child link between the IAB node and a child node of the IAB node; and determining a set of frequency domain resources for the child link from the operating band at least based on the indication information; ¶ [0043], the signaling transmitted by a parent node of an IAB node to configure semi-static frequency domain resources for a parent link and a child link of the IAB node … The parent node may transmit at least one of three kinds of semi-static signaling to the IAB node to configure semi-static frequency domain resources for the parent link and the child link of the IAB node … The first semi-static signaling and the third semi-static signaling are configured for the IAB node's DU part (e.g., DU 151B in FIG. 1B); ¶ [0045], the signaling transmitted by a parent node of an IAB node to configure dynamic frequency domain resources for a parent link and a child link of the IAB node … The parent node may transmit at least one of two kinds of dynamic signaling to the IAB node to configure dynamic frequency domain resources for the parent link and the child link of the IAB node … The first dynamic signaling is configured for the IAB node's DU part (e.g., DU 151B in FIG. 1B)) and the frequency domain resource information comprises: first frequency domain resource information configured by a parent node for the IAB node” (¶ [0035], a parent node (e.g., IAB node 120D in FIG. 1) of an IAB node (e.g., IAB node 120C in FIG. 1) may dynamically configure a set of frequency domain resources for a link (e.g., link 180D in FIG. 1) between the parent node and the IAB node, i.e., a parent link of the IAB node, via downlink control information (DCI) signaling (e.g., signaling for a downlink assignment or uplink grant) to the IAB node; ¶ [0041], a parent node of an IAB node may configure a semi-static frequency domain resource for a parent link between the parent node and the IAB node; ¶¶ [0043-0045], the signaling transmitted by a parent node of an IAB node to configure semi-static frequency domain resources for a parent link and a child link of the IAB node … a parent node of an IAB node may configure a dynamic frequency domain resource for a parent link between the parent node and the IAB node. The parent node may also configure a dynamic frequency domain resource for a child link between the IAB node and a child node of the IAB node … the signaling transmitted by a parent node of an IAB node to configure dynamic frequency domain resources for a parent link and a child link of the IAB node … The parent node may transmit at least one of two kinds of dynamic signaling to the IAB node to configure dynamic frequency domain resources for the parent link and the child link of the IAB node).
Further, Liu teaches the additional limitations in claim 19, “wherein the network node is an integrated access backhaul (IAB) node, and comprises a memory, a processor, and a program or an instruction stored in the memory and runnable on the processor, the program or the instruction is executed by the processor to perform” (¶ [0007], at least one processor coupled to the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium, the at least one receiving circuitry and the at least one transmitting circuitry. The computer executable instructions may cause the at least one processor to implement a method according to any embodiment of the present disclosure; Claim 25, a processor).
However, Liu does not teach “the method further comprises: reporting, by the IAB node, expected information to a centralized unit CU, wherein the expected information comprises at least one of the following: an expected multiplexing manner or a frequency domain resource corresponding to at least one multiplexing manner of the IAB node.”
In analogous teaching of IAB, ABEDINI teaches “reporting, by the IAB node, expected information to a centralized unit CU, wherein the expected information comprises at least one of the following: an expected multiplexing manner or a frequency domain resource corresponding to at least one multiplexing manner of the IAB node” (¶ [0055], a first node (e.g. an IAB node or the UE 104) may include a node multiplexing component 198 that is configured to transmit a report to a CU, where the report includes at least one multiplexing capability of the first node or includes at least one multiplexing capability condition for the at least one multiplexing capability of the first node; receive a semi-static resource allocation from the CU based on the at least one multiplexing capability; and communicate with a second node based on the semi-static resource allocation … The node multiplexing component 198 may further be configured to transmit a change request to the CU to modify the semi-static resource allocation. The at least one multiplexing capability may comprise at least one of SDM or FDM, and the SDM may include at least one of SDM FD or SDM HD; see additional/similar teachings in ¶¶ [0056], [0116]; ¶ [0002], central unit (CU)). [Comment: the reported multiplexing information is expected information, because the IAB node can expect to perform only certain/expected multiplexing manner.]
Thus, given the teaching of ABEDINI, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of an IAB node reporting expected multiplexing manner to a CU of ABEDINI into the IAB node of Liu. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so because ABEDINI recognizes that it would have been advantageous for a CU to allocate resource based on multiplexing information reported by an IAB node (¶ [0055-0056], a first node (e.g. an IAB node or the UE 104) may include a node multiplexing component 198 that is configured to transmit a report to a CU, where the report includes at least one multiplexing capability of the first node or includes at least one multiplexing capability condition for the at least one multiplexing capability of the first node; receive a semi-static resource allocation from the CU based on the at least one multiplexing capability; and communicate with a second node based on the semi-static resource allocation … The node multiplexing component 198 may further be configured to transmit a change request to the CU to modify the semi-static resource allocation … a CU (e.g. an IAB node or the base station 102/180) may include a CU multiplexing component 199 that is configured to receive a report from a first node, where the report includes at least one multiplexing capability of the first node or includes at least one multiplexing capability condition for the at least one multiplexing capability of the first node; and transmit to the first node a semi-static resource allocation based on the at least one multiplexing capability for communication of the first node with a second node). Additionally, one of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so because this is combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results, specifically, incorporating known methods of IAB to yield predictable and reasonably successful results (KSR MPEP 2143).
Although ABEDINI discloses semi-static resource configured by a CU for an IAB node (ABEDINI, ¶ [0055]) comprising conditions of frequency-domain resources (ABEDINI, ¶ [0119]), ABEDINI does not explicitly teach such semi-static resource is semi-static frequency domain resource. Therefore, Liu modified by ABEDINI (hereinafter Liu-ABEDINI) does not explicitly teach “second frequency domain resource information configured by the CU for the IAB node.”
In analogous teaching of IAB, Huang teaches frequency domain resource information configured by a CU for an IAB node (Fig.8, IAB Donor Node 802-0 and IAB node 802-1; Fig.9, “Example of Semi-Static IAB-DU resource configurations provided by IAB-donor-CU” comprising “FREQUENCY-DOMIAN H/S/NA CONFIGURATION”; ¶ [0080], FIG. 9 illustrates one example of semi-static IAB DU resource configurations provided by an IAB donor Central Unit (CU); ¶ [0119], The IAB-node 802-i indicates SDM-capability to the IAB-donor-CU 803 and thereby receives both time-domain and frequency-domain resource configurations as exemplified in FIG. 9).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine second frequency domain resource configured by a CU for an IAB node of Huang into first frequency domain resource configured by a parent node for an IAB node of Liu-ABEDINI, such that configured frequency domain resources would comprise first frequency domain resource configured by a parent node for an IAB node and second frequency domain resource configured by a CU for the IAB node. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so because this is combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results, specifically, combining known methods of configuring frequency domain resources of an IAB node to yield predictable results, especially given that Huang, Liu, and ABEDINI are in the same field of endeavor of IAB (KSR(A), MPEP 2143). Additionally, one of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so because this is simple substitution of one known element for another to obtain predictable results, specifically, substitution of semi-static (second) frequency resource configured by a CU as taught by Huang (Fig.9, ¶¶ [0080], [0119]) for semi-static (second) frequency resource configured by a parent node as taught by Liu-ABEDINI (¶ [0041] of Liu) to obtain predictable results (KSR(B), MPEP 2143).
Per claim 20, Liu teaches “A system comprising an integrated access backhaul (IAB) node (Abstract, an IAB node) and a network node, wherein the network node is a target node, (Abstract, a parent node of an IAB node) and comprises a memory, a processor, and a program or an instruction stored in the memory and runnable on the processor, the program or the instruction is executed by the processor to perform: (¶ [0007], at least one processor coupled to the at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium, the at least one receiving circuitry and the at least one transmitting circuitry. The computer executable instructions may cause the at least one processor to implement a method according to any embodiment of the present disclosure; Claim 30, a processor) configuring, by the target node, frequency domain resource information for the integrated access backhaul (IAB) node; wherein the frequency domain resource information is used to indicate an available frequency domain resource of a first distributed unit (DU) of the IAB node, and the target node comprises at least one of the centralized control unit (CU) or a parent node of the IAB node (Abstract, receiving indication information from a parent node of an IAB node, wherein the indication information indicates at least one frequency domain resource of an operating band associated with one of a parent link between the IAB node and the parent node and a child link between the IAB node and a child node of the IAB node; and determining a set of frequency domain resources for the child link from the operating band at least based on the indication information; ¶¶ [0043-0045], the signaling transmitted by a parent node of an IAB node to configure semi-static frequency domain resources for a parent link and a child link of the IAB node … The parent node may transmit at least one of three kinds of semi-static signaling to the IAB node to configure semi-static frequency domain resources for the parent link and the child link of the IAB node … The first semi-static signaling and the third semi-static signaling are configured for the IAB node's DU part (e.g., DU 151B in FIG. 1B) … a parent node of an IAB node may configure a dynamic frequency domain resource for a parent link between the parent node and the IAB node. The parent node may also configure a dynamic frequency domain resource for a child link between the IAB node and a child node of the IAB node … the signaling transmitted by a parent node of an IAB node to configure dynamic frequency domain resources for a parent link and a child link of the IAB node … The parent node may transmit at least one of two kinds of dynamic signaling to the IAB node to configure dynamic frequency domain resources for the parent link and the child link of the IAB node … The first dynamic signaling is configured for the IAB node's DU part (e.g., DU 151B in FIG. 1B)) and the frequency domain resource information comprises: first frequency domain resource information configured by the parent node for the IAB node” (¶ [0035], a parent node (e.g., IAB node 120D in FIG. 1) of an IAB node (e.g., IAB node 120C in FIG. 1) may dynamically configure a set of frequency domain resources for a link (e.g., link 180D in FIG. 1) between the parent node and the IAB node, i.e., a parent link of the IAB node, via downlink control information (DCI) signaling (e.g., signaling for a downlink assignment or uplink grant) to the IAB node; ¶ [0041], a parent node of an IAB node may configure a semi-static frequency domain resource for a parent link between the parent node and the IAB node; ¶¶ [0043-0045], the signaling transmitted by a parent node of an IAB node to configure semi-static frequency domain resources for a parent link and a child link of the IAB node … a parent node of an IAB node may configure a dynamic frequency domain resource for a parent link between the parent node and the IAB node. The parent node may also configure a dynamic frequency domain resource for a child link between the IAB node and a child node of the IAB node … the signaling transmitted by a parent node of an IAB node to configure dynamic frequency domain resources for a parent link and a child link of the IAB node … The parent node may transmit at least one of two kinds of dynamic signaling to the IAB node to configure dynamic frequency domain resources for the parent link and the child link of the IAB node).
Liu does not teach “the program or the instruction is executed by the processor to further perform: reporting, by the IAB node, expected information to a centralized unit CU, wherein the expected information comprises at least one of the following: an expected multiplexing manner or a frequency domain resource corresponding to at least one multiplexing manner of the IAB node.”
In analogous teaching of IAB, ABEDINI teaches “the program or the instruction is executed by the processor to further perform: reporting, by the IAB node, expected information to a centralized unit CU, wherein the expected information comprises at least one of the following: an expected multiplexing manner or a frequency domain resource corresponding to at least one multiplexing manner of the IAB node” (¶ [0055], a first node (e.g. an IAB node or the UE 104) may include a node multiplexing component 198 that is configured to transmit a report to a CU, where the report includes at least one multiplexing capability of the first node or includes at least one multiplexing capability condition for the at least one multiplexing capability of the first node; receive a semi-static resource allocation from the CU based on the at least one multiplexing capability; and communicate with a second node based on the semi-static resource allocation … The node multiplexing component 198 may further be configured to transmit a change request to the CU to modify the semi-static resource allocation. The at least one multiplexing capability may comprise at least one of SDM or FDM, and the SDM may include at least one of SDM FD or SDM HD; see additional/similar teachings in ¶¶ [0056], [0116]; ¶ [0002], central unit (CU)). [Comment: the reported multiplexing information is expected information, because the IAB node can expect to perform only certain/expected multiplexing manner.]
Thus, given the teaching of ABEDINI, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of an IAB node reporting expected multiplexing manner to a CU of ABEDINI into the IAB node of Liu. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so because ABEDINI recognizes that it would have been advantageous for a CU to allocate resource based on multiplexing information reported by an IAB node (¶ [0055-0056], a first node (e.g. an IAB node or the UE 104) may include a node multiplexing component 198 that is configured to transmit a report to a CU, where the report includes at least one multiplexing capability of the first node or includes at least one multiplexing capability condition for the at least one multiplexing capability of the first node; receive a semi-static resource allocation from the CU based on the at least one multiplexing capability; and communicate with a second node based on the semi-static resource allocation … The node multiplexing component 198 may further be configured to transmit a change request to the CU to modify the semi-static resource allocation … a CU (e.g. an IAB node or the base station 102/180) may include a CU multiplexing component 199 that is configured to receive a report from a first node, where the report includes at least one multiplexing capability of the first node or includes at least one multiplexing capability condition for the at least one multiplexing capability of the first node; and transmit to the first node a semi-static resource allocation based on the at least one multiplexing capability for communication of the first node with a second node). Additionally, one of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so because this is combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results, specifically, incorporating known methods of IAB to yield predictable and reasonably successful results (KSR MPEP 2143).
Although ABEDINI discloses semi-static resource configured by a CU for an IAB node (ABEDINI, ¶ [0055]) comprising conditions of frequency-domain resources (ABEDINI, ¶ [0119]), ABEDINI does not explicitly teach such semi-static resource is semi-static frequency domain resource. Therefore, Liu modified by ABEDINI (hereinafter Liu-ABEDINI) does not explicitly teach “second frequency domain resource information configured by the CU for the IAB node.”
In analogous teaching of IAB, Huang teaches frequency domain resource information configured by a CU for an IAB node (Fig.8, IAB Donor Node 802-0 and IAB node 802-1; Fig.9, “Example of Semi-Static IAB-DU resource configurations provided by IAB-donor-CU” comprising “FREQUENCY-DOMIAN H/S/NA CONFIGURATION”; ¶ [0080], FIG. 9 illustrates one example of semi-static IAB DU resource configurations provided by an IAB donor Central Unit (CU); ¶ [0119], The IAB-node 802-i indicates SDM-capability to the IAB-donor-CU 803 and thereby receives both time-domain and frequency-domain resource configurations as exemplified in FIG. 9).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine second frequency domain resource configured by a CU for an IAB node of Huang into first frequency domain resource configured by a parent node for an IAB node of Liu-ABEDINI, such that configured frequency domain resources would comprise first frequency domain resource configured by a parent node for an IAB node and second frequency domain resource configured by a CU for the IAB node. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so because this is combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results, specifically, combining known methods of configuring frequency domain resources of an IAB node to yield predictable results, especially given that Huang, Liu, and ABEDINI are in the same field of endeavor of IAB (KSR(A), MPEP 2143). Additionally, one of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so because this is simple substitution of one known element for another to obtain predictable results, specifically, substitution of semi-static (second) frequency resource configured by a CU as taught by Huang (Fig.9, ¶¶ [0080], [0119]) for semi-static (second) frequency resource configured by a parent node as taught by Liu-ABEDINI (¶ [0041] of Liu) to obtain predictable results (KSR(B), MPEP 2143).
Per claim 2, Liu further teaches “wherein the frequency domain resource information further comprises third frequency domain resource information predefined in a protocol” (¶¶ [0048-0049], Additionally or alternatively, the frequency domain resource(s) indicated by the dynamic signaling may exclude all frequency domain resources that are indicated by a default configuration (e.g., pre-configuration by a network …the IAB node determines for which link the frequency domain resource is configured according to a default configuration (e.g., pre-configuration by a network) when the configuration of the frequency domain resource indicated by the dynamic signaling contradicts the configuration of the same frequency domain resource indicated by the semi-static signaling).
Per claim 3, Liu further teaches “wherein in a case that the IAB node obtains at least two of the first frequency domain resource information, the second frequency domain resource information, or the third frequency domain resource information, the available frequency domain resource is an available frequency domain resource indicated by frequency domain resource information determined in the at least two of the first frequency domain resource information, the second frequency domain resource information, or the third frequency domain resource information according to first signaling” (¶ [0041], a parent node of an IAB node may configure a semi-static frequency domain resource for a parent link between the parent node and the IAB node; ¶¶ [0043-0045], …a parent node of an IAB node may configure a dynamic frequency domain resource for a parent link between the parent node and the IAB node. The parent node may also configure a dynamic frequency domain resource for a child link between the IAB node and a child node of the IAB node …; (¶¶ [0048-0049], Additionally or alternatively, the frequency domain resource(s) indicated by the dynamic signaling may exclude all frequency domain resources that are indicated by a default configuration (e.g., pre-configuration by a network …the IAB node determines for which link the frequency domain resource is configured according to a default configuration (e.g., pre-configuration by a network) when the configuration of the frequency domain resource indicated by the dynamic signaling contradicts the configuration of the same frequency domain resource indicated by the semi-static signaling).
Per claim 5, Liu further teaches “wherein the available frequency domain resource is related to at least one of the following: an available frequency domain range of the first DU that is indicated by the frequency domain resource information; (¶ [0043], The parent node may transmit at least one of three kinds of semi-static signaling to the IAB node to configure semi-static frequency domain resources for the parent link and the child link of the IAB node … The first semi-static signaling and the third semi-static signaling are configured for the IAB node's DU part (e.g., DU 151B in FIG. 1B) … the semi-static signaling may include at least one BWP index corresponding to the semi-static frequency domain resource(s) configured by the semi-static signaling; see similar teaching in ¶ [0045]; ¶ [0004], bandwidth part(s) (BWP(s)) of an operation band; ¶ [0054-0056], the dynamic frequency domain resources for the child link indicated in the first dynamic signaling can also include those indicated by the semi-dynamic signaling. That is, the dynamic frequency domain resources for the child link can be indicated in the first dynamic signaling as two BWPs: a first BWP with a starting position of PRB #0 and a length of 7 (that is, including PRB #3 to PRB #5 in addition to PRB #0, PRB #1, PRB #2, PRB #6), and a second BWP with a starting position of PRB #8 and a length of 2 … the dynamic frequency domain resources for the child link can be indicated in the first dynamic signaling as a BWP with a starting position of PRB #0 and a length of 6 … the dynamic frequency domain resources for the child link (PRB #0, PRB #1, PRB #2, PRB #6, PRB #8, and PRB #9) can be indicated in the first dynamic signaling as a BWP with a starting position of PRB #0 and a length of 10; ¶ [0035-0036], The configured set of frequency domain resources is selected from an operation band of the IAB node, and may correspond to one or more BWPs within the operation band. For example, the DCI signaling from the parent node may include one or more BWP indexes corresponding to the one or more BWPs respectively … the starting PRB (normally the PRB with the lowest frequency)) carrier bandwidth of the first DU that is indicated by the frequency domain resource information; (¶ [0043], The parent node may transmit at least one of three kinds of semi-static signaling to the IAB node to configure semi-static frequency domain resources for the parent link and the child link of the IAB node … The first semi-static signaling and the third semi-static signaling are configured for the IAB node's DU part (e.g., DU 151B in FIG. 1B) … the semi-static signaling may include at least one BWP index corresponding to the semi-static frequency domain resource(s) configured by the semi-static signaling; see similar teaching in ¶ [0045]; ¶ [0004], bandwidth part(s) (BWP(s)) of an operation band; ¶ [0054-0056], the dynamic frequency domain resources for the child link indicated in the first dynamic signaling can also include those indicated by the semi-dynamic signaling. That is, the dynamic frequency domain resources for the child link can be indicated in the first dynamic signaling as two BWPs: a first BWP with a starting position of PRB #0 and a length of 7 (that is, including PRB #3 to PRB #5 in addition to PRB #0, PRB #1, PRB #2, PRB #6), and a second BWP with a starting position of PRB #8 and a length of 2 … the dynamic frequency domain resources for the child link can be indicated in the first dynamic signaling as a BWP with a starting position of PRB #0 and a length of 6 … the dynamic frequency domain resources for the child link (PRB #0, PRB #1, PRB #2, PRB #6, PRB #8, and PRB #9) can be indicated in the first dynamic signaling as a BWP with a starting position of PRB #0 and a length of 10; ¶ [0035], The configured set of frequency domain resources is selected from an operation band of the IAB node, and may correspond to one or more BWPs within the operation band. For example, the DCI signaling from the parent node may include one or more BWP indexes corresponding to the one or more BWPs respectively) carrier bandwidth of a second DU of the parent node; (¶ [0033], Referring to FIG. 1B, the BS (e.g., IAB donor 140) may include at least one DU to support UEs and MTs of downstream IAB nodes; ¶ [0020], donor node 110 is a parent node of IAB node 120A, and also a parent node of IAB node 120D; ¶ [0043], The parent node may transmit at least one of three kinds of semi-static signaling to the IAB node to configure semi-static frequency domain resources for the parent link and the child link of the IAB node … a second semi-static signaling used to configure or indicate at least one semi-static frequency domain resource for the parent link … the second semi-static signaling is configured for the IAB node's MT part (e.g., MT 152B in FIG. 1B) … the semi-static signaling may include at least one BWP index corresponding to the semi-static frequency domain resource(s) configured by the semi-static signaling; ¶ [0004], bandwidth part(s) (BWP(s)) of an operation band; ¶ [0054-0055], The dynamic frequency domain resources for the parent link can be indicated in the second dynamic signaling as a BWP with a starting position of PRB #10 and a length of 6 (that is, including PRB #12 and PRB #13 in addition to PRB #10, PRB #11, PRB #14, and PRB #15) … the dynamic frequency domain resources for the parent link can be indicated in the second dynamic signaling as a BWP with a starting position of PRB #6 and a length of 4) [Comment: the frequency domain resources such as BWP(s) for the parent link is for the DU of the parent IAB node and the MT of the child IAB node.] an available frequency domain range of the second DU of the parent node; (¶ [0033], Referring to FIG. 1B, the BS (e.g., IAB donor 140) may include at least one DU to support UEs and MTs of downstream IAB nodes; ¶ [0020], donor node 110 is a parent node of IAB node 120A, and also a parent node of IAB node 120D; ¶ [0043], The parent node may transmit at least one of three kinds of semi-static signaling to the IAB node to configure semi-static frequency domain resources for the parent link and the child link of the IAB node … a second semi-static signaling used to configure or indicate at least one semi-static frequency domain resource for the parent link … the second semi-static signaling is configured for the IAB node's MT part (e.g., MT 152B in FIG. 1B) … the semi-static signaling may include at least one BWP index corresponding to the semi-static frequency domain resource(s) configured by the semi-static signaling; ¶ [0004], bandwidth part(s) (BWP(s)) of an operation band; ¶ [0054-0055], The dynamic frequency domain resources for the parent link can be indicated in the second dynamic signaling as a BWP with a starting position of PRB #10 and a length of 6 (that is, including PRB #12 and PRB #13 in addition to PRB #10, PRB #11, PRB #14, and PRB #15) … the dynamic frequency domain resources for the parent link can be indicated in the second dynamic signaling as a BWP with a starting position of PRB #6 and a length of 4) [Comment: the frequency domain resources such as BWP(s) for the parent link is for the DU of the parent IAB node and the MT of the child IAB node.] operating bandwidth of a mobile termination (MT) of the IAB node; (¶ [0043], The parent node may transmit at least one of three kinds of semi-static signaling to the IAB node to configure semi-static frequency domain resources for the parent link and the child link of the IAB node … a second semi-static signaling used to configure or indicate at least one semi-static frequency domain resource for the parent link … the second semi-static signaling is configured for the IAB node's MT part (e.g., MT 152B in FIG. 1B) … the semi-static signaling may include at least one BWP index corresponding to the semi-static frequency domain resource(s) configured by the semi-static signaling; ¶ [0004], bandwidth part(s) (BWP(s)) of an operation band; ¶ [0054-0055], The dynamic frequency domain resources for the parent link can be indicated in the second dynamic signaling as a BWP with a starting position of PRB #10 and a length of 6 (that is, including PRB #12 and PRB #13 in addition to PRB #10, PRB #11, PRB #14, and PRB #15) … the dynamic frequency domain resources for the parent link can be indicated in the second dynamic signaling as a BWP with a starting position of PRB #6 and a length of 4) [Comment: the frequency domain resources such as BWP(s) for the parent link is for the DU of the parent IAB node and the MT of the child IAB node.] or a guard interval”.
Per claim 7, Liu further teaches “wherein the available frequency domain resource is in at least one of the following relationships with an operating bandwidth of a mobile termination (MT) of the IAB node: the available frequency domain resource comprises a frequency domain resource affected by the operating bandwidth of the MT; the available frequency domain resource comprises the operating bandwidth of the MT; the available frequency domain resource and the operating bandwidth of the MT have overlapping resources; or the available frequency domain resource is located within the operating bandwidth of the MT” (¶ [0043], The parent node may transmit at least one of three kinds of semi-static signaling to the IAB node to configure semi-static frequency domain resources for the parent link and the child link of the IAB node … a second semi-static signaling used to configure or indicate at least one semi-static frequency domain resource for the parent link … the second semi-static signaling is configured for the IAB node's MT part (e.g., MT 152B in FIG. 1B) … the semi-static signaling may include at least one BWP index corresponding to the semi-static frequency domain resource(s) configured by the semi-static signaling; ¶ [0035], The configured set of frequency domain resources is selected from an operation band of the IAB node, and may correspond to one or more BWPs within the operation band. For example, the DCI signaling from the parent node may include one or more BWP indexes corresponding to the one or more BWPs respectively; ¶ [0004], bandwidth part(s) (BWP(s)) of an operation band; ¶ [0054-0055], The dynamic frequency domain resources for the parent link can be indicated in the second dynamic signaling as a BWP with a starting position of PRB #10 and a length of 6 (that is, including PRB #12 and PRB #13 in addition to PRB #10, PRB #11, PRB #14, and PRB #15) … the dynamic frequency domain resources for the parent link can be indicated in the second dynamic signaling as a BWP with a starting position of PRB #6 and a length of 4) [Comment: the frequency domain resources such as BWP(s) for the parent link is for the MT of the child IAB node.]
Per claim 8, Liu further teaches “wherein the available frequency domain resource is related to the multiplexing manner of the IAB node; (¶ [0001], The present disclosure relates to wireless communications, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for dynamic frequency division multiplexing (FDM) between a parent link and a child link in an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) network; Abstract; Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatus for dynamic FDM between a parent link and a hild link in an IAB network; ¶ [0040], Some embodiments of the present disclosure implement explicit FDM between a parent link and a child link of an IAB node, which can configure both semi-static frequency domain resources and dynamic frequency domain resources for the parent link and the child link) or the available frequency domain resource is related to a duplexing manner of the IAB node, (¶ [0042], The semi-static frequency domain resources may include uplink and downlink frequency domain resources. In a time division duplexing (TDD) mode (also referred to as “unpaired band”), the downlink frequency domain resource for the parent link is the same as the uplink frequency domain resource for the parent link, and the downlink frequency domain resource for the child link is the same as the uplink frequency domain resource for the child link. In a frequency division duplexing (FDD) mode (also referred to as “paired band”), four different frequency domain resources may be configured: a downlink frequency domain resource for the parent link, an uplink frequency domain resource for the parent link, a downlink frequency domain resource for the child link, and an uplink frequency domain resource for the child link) and the duplexing manner comprises a duplexing manner supported by a DU cell of the IAB node, (¶ [0033-0034], Referring to FIG. 1B, the BS (e.g., IAB donor 140) may include at least one DU to support UEs and MTs of downstream IAB nodes … One cell is supported by only one DU of a BS or one DU of an IAB node; ¶ [0043], The first semi-static signaling and the third semi-static signaling are configured for the IAB node's DU part (e.g., DU 151B in FIG. 1B)) or a duplexing manner between a DU cell of the IAB node (¶ [0033-0034], Referring to FIG. 1B, the BS (e.g., IAB donor 140) may include at least one DU to support UEs and MTs of downstream IAB nodes … One cell is supported by only one DU of a BS or one DU of an IAB node) and at least one MT serving cell” (¶ [0043], the second semi-static signaling is configured for the IAB node's MT part (e.g., MT 152B in FIG. 1B))
Per claim 9, Liu further teaches “wherein in a case that the IAB node supports frequency division multiplexing (FDM), the frequency domain resource information is further used to indicate that the available frequency domain resource can be used as an FDM multiplexing resource; or in a case that the IAB node supports spatial multiplexing SDM, the frequency domain resource information is further used to indicate that the available frequency domain resource can be used as an SDM multiplexing resource” [Comment: Claim 9 is a method claim, having solely contingent limitations, does not include steps that are not required to be performed because the condition(s) precedent are not met (See MPEP 2111.04, Section II). Specifically, claim 9 recites two conditions that are not required to occur and therefore claim 9 does not have patentable weight. The rejection of claim 8 is applicable to claim 9. However, for compact prosecution, citations of Liu are provided herein although not required.] (Abstract, Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatus for dynamic FDM between a parent link and a hild link in an IAB network. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method includes: receiving indication information from a parent node of an IAB node, wherein the indication information indicates at least one frequency domain resource of an operating band associated with one of a parent link between the IAB node and the parent node and a child link between the IAB node and a child node of the IAB node; ¶ [0040], Some embodiments of the present disclosure implement explicit FDM between a parent link and a child link of an IAB node, which can configure both semi-static frequency domain resources and dynamic frequency domain resources for the parent link and the child link. In these embodiments of the present disclosure, a parent node of an IAB node may explicitly indicate at least one of semi-static and dynamic frequency domain resources for at least one the IAB node's parent link and child link to the IAB node).
Per claim 11, Liu further teaches “wherein available frequency domain resources related to different duplexing manners are independently obtained; (¶ [0042], The semi-static frequency domain resources may include uplink and downlink frequency domain resources. In a time division duplexing (TDD) mode (also referred to as “unpaired band”), the downlink frequency domain resource for the parent link is the same as the uplink frequency domain resource for the parent link, and the downlink frequency domain resource for the child link is the same as the uplink frequency domain resource for the child link. In a frequency division duplexing (FDD) mode (also referred to as “paired band”), four different frequency domain resources may be configured: a downlink frequency domain resource for the parent link, an uplink frequency domain resource for the parent link, a downlink frequency domain resource for the child link, and an uplink frequency domain resource for the child link) and/or the multiplexing manner of the IAB node (¶ [0038], implicit FDM, the IAB node (e.g., IAB node 120C in FIG. 1 ) needs to signal the downlink assignment or uplink grant for the child link (e.g., link 180E in FIG. 1 ) to the child node (e.g., IAB node 120B in FIG. 1 ) after receiving the corresponding downlink assignment or uplink grant for the parent link (e.g., link 180D in FIG. 1 ) from the parent node (e.g., IAB node 120D in FIG. 1 ); ¶ [0040], explicit FDM between a parent link and a child link of an IAB node, which can configure both semi-static frequency domain resources and dynamic frequency domain resources for the parent link and the child link. In these embodiments of the present disclosure, a parent node of an IAB node may explicitly indicate at least one of semi-static and dynamic frequency domain resources for at least one the IAB node's parent link and child link to the IAB node; ¶ [0058], FDM between a parent link and a child link of an IAB node enables simultaneous transmission (Tx) or reception (Rx) at the IAB node. For example, the IAB node may perform uplink (UL) transmission on the parent link and downlink (DL) transmission on the child link simultaneously, or perform downlink reception on the parent link and uplink reception on the child link simultaneously; ¶ [0028-0030], Each of the IAB node 150A and IAB node 150B may include a distributed unit (DU) and a mobile termination (MT) … The IAB nodes may be connected to an upstream IAB node or a BS (e.g., an IAB donor) via the MT function. The IAB nodes may be connected to UEs or a downstream IAB node via the DU. IAB node 150A may be connected to an upstream IAB node (e.g., IAB node 150B) via MT 152A. IAB node 150A may be connected to UE 160A via DU 151A. IAB node 150B may be connected to an upstream IAB node or IAB donor 140 via MT 152B. IAB node 150B may be connected to UE 160B via DU 151B. IAB node 150B may be connected to a downstream IAB node (e.g., IAB node 150A) via DU 151B; ¶ [0043], The first semi-static signaling and the third semi-static signaling are configured for the IAB node's DU part (e.g., DU 151B in FIG. 1B) while the second semi-static signaling is configured for the IAB node's MT part (e.g., MT 152B in FIG. 1B); also similar teachings in ¶¶ [0033], [0045]) is related to the duplexing manner of the IAB node (¶ [0042], The semi-static frequency domain resources may include uplink and downlink frequency domain resources. In a time division duplexing (TDD) mode (also referred to as “unpaired band”), the downlink frequency domain resource for the parent link is the same as the uplink frequency domain resource for the parent link, and the downlink frequency domain resource for the child link is the same as the uplink frequency domain resource for the child link. In a frequency division duplexing (FDD) mode (also referred to as “paired band”), four different frequency domain resources may be configured: a downlink frequency domain resource for the parent link, an uplink frequency domain resource for the parent link, a downlink frequency domain resource for the child link, and an uplink frequency domain resource for the child link).
Per claim 12, Liu further teaches “wherein the method further comprises at least one of the following: reporting, by the IAB node, the available frequency domain resource to the parent node; or reporting, by the IAB node, a manner of obtaining the frequency domain resource information to the parent node” (¶ [0038], the IAB node should report the configuration information for the child link to the parent node, so that the parent node configures frequency domain resources for the parent link. The configuration information for the child link can be reported to the parent node through a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) or physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH)).
Per claim 13, Liu further teaches “wherein in a case that a second DU of the parent node does not schedule a frequency domain resource, the available frequency domain resource is independently determined by the IAB node; [Comment: These limitations are from method claim 13, having solely contingent limitations, does not include steps that are not required to be performed because the condition precedent is not met (See MPEP 2111.04, Section II). However, for compact prosecution, citations of Liu are provided herein although not required.] (¶ [0048-0049], the frequency domain resource(s) indicated by the dynamic signaling may exclude all frequency domain resources that are indicated by a default configuration (e.g., pre-configuration by a network) … the IAB node determines for which link the frequency domain resource is configured according to a default configuration (e.g., pre-configuration by a network) when the configuration of the frequency domain resource indicated by the dynamic signaling contradicts the configuration of the same frequency domain resource indicated by the semi-static signaling) or the frequency domain resource information comprises scheduling of the parent node” (Fig.3, Abstract, Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatus for dynamic FDM between a parent link and a hild link in an IAB network. According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method includes: receiving indication information from a parent node of an IAB node, wherein the indication information indicates at least one frequency domain resource of an operating band associated with one of a parent link between the IAB node and the parent node; ¶ [0040-0041], disclosure implement explicit FDM between a parent link and a child link of an IAB node, which can configure both semi-static frequency domain resources and dynamic frequency domain resources for the parent link and the child link. In these embodiments of the present disclosure, a parent node of an IAB node may explicitly indicate at least one of semi-static and dynamic frequency domain resources for at least one the IAB node's parent link and child link to the IAB node … a parent node of an IAB node may configure a semi-static frequency domain resource for a parent link between the parent node and the IAB node).
Per claim 14, Liu further teaches “wherein the frequency domain resource information comprises first scheduling performed by the parent node on an MT of the IAB node, and the available frequency domain resource is determined based on the first scheduling; (¶ [0043], the signaling transmitted by a parent node of an IAB node to configure semi-static frequency domain resources for a parent link and a child link of the IAB node is carried in a radio resource control (RRC) signaling or a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) signaling. The parent node may transmit at least one of three kinds of semi-static signaling to the IAB node to configure semi-static frequency domain resources for the parent link and the child link of the IAB node: … a second semi-static signaling used to configure or indicate at least one semi-static frequency domain resource for the parent link … the second semi-static signaling is configured for the IAB node's MT part (e.g., MT 152B in FIG. 1B) … The three kinds of semi-static signaling can be transmitted in a single signaling or transmitted separately; See similar teaching in ¶ [0045]) [Comment: the frequency domain resources such as BWP(s) for the parent link is the MT of the child IAB node.] or the frequency domain resource information comprises second scheduling performed by the parent node on the first DU of the IAB node, and the available frequency domain resource is determined based on the second scheduling” (¶ [0043], the signaling transmitted by a parent node of an IAB node to configure semi-static frequency domain resources for a parent link and a child link of the IAB node is carried in a radio resource control (RRC) signaling or a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) signaling. The parent node may transmit at least one of three kinds of semi-static signaling to the IAB node to configure semi-static frequency domain resources for the parent link and the child link of the IAB node: a first semi-static signaling used to configure or indicate at least one semi-static frequency domain resource for the child link … and a third semi-static signaling used to configure or indicate at least one semi-static frequency domain resource that cannot be used by the child link, e.g., for purpose of cross interference mitigation. The first semi-static signaling and the third semi-static signaling are configured for the IAB node's DU part (e.g., DU 151B in FIG. 1B) … The three kinds of semi-static signaling can be transmitted in a single signaling or transmitted separately; See similar teaching in ¶ [0045]).
Per claim 15, Liu further teaches “wherein the available frequency domain resource comprises: a first available frequency domain resource determined based on a frequency domain range center of the first scheduling; or a second available frequency domain resource determined based on a frequency domain range of the first scheduling” [Comment: Claim 15 is a method claim directed to one condition, “first scheduling,” in claim 14, while claim 14 sets forth two conditions, “first scheduling” or “second scheduling.” Further, “first scheduling” condition is required to occur. Therefore, the limitations in claim 15 regarding “first scheduling” are contingent limitations and claim 15 does not include steps that are not required to be performed because the condition (“first scheduling”) precedent is not met (See MPEP 2111.04, Section II). The rejection for claim 14 is applicable to claim 15. However, for compact prosecution, citations of Liu are provided herein although not required.] (¶ [0033], Referring to FIG. 1B, the BS (e.g., IAB donor 140) may include at least one DU to support UEs and MTs of downstream IAB nodes; ¶ [0043], The parent node may transmit at least one of three kinds of semi-static signaling to the IAB node to configure semi-static frequency domain resources for the parent link and the child link of the IAB node … a second semi-static signaling used to configure or indicate at least one semi-static frequency domain resource for the parent link … the second semi-static signaling is configured for the IAB node's MT part (e.g., MT 152B in FIG. 1B) … the semi-static signaling may include at least one BWP index corresponding to the semi-static frequency domain resource(s) configured by the semi-static signaling; ¶ [0004], bandwidth part(s) (BWP(s)) of an operation band; ¶ [0054-0055], The dynamic frequency domain resources for the parent link can be indicated in the second dynamic signaling as a BWP with a starting position of PRB #10 and a length of 6 (that is, including PRB #12 and PRB #13 in addition to PRB #10, PRB #11, PRB #14, and PRB #15) … the dynamic frequency domain resources for the parent link can be indicated in the second dynamic signaling as a BWP with a starting position of PRB #6 and a length of 4; ¶ [0036], The starting position represents an index of the starting PRB (normally the PRB with the lowest frequency) in the BWP. The length represents the number of PRBs in the BWP). [Comment: the frequency domain resources such as BWP(s) for the parent link is the MT of the child IAB node.]
Per claim 16, Liu further teaches “wherein in a case that a distance between the frequency domain range center and a lowest frequency domain resource of a bandwidth part BWP of the MT is less than a distance between the frequency domain range center and a highest frequency domain resource of the BWP, the first available frequency domain resource comprises or belongs to a frequency domain resource between the highest frequency domain resource of the BWP and an upper boundary of the frequency domain range; or in a case that a distance between the frequency domain range center and a highest frequency domain resource of a bandwidth part BWP of the MT is less than a distance between the frequency domain range center and a lowest frequency domain resource of the BWP, the first available frequency domain resource comprises or belongs to a frequency domain resource between the lowest frequency domain resource of the BWP and a lower boundary of the frequency domain range; or the second available frequency domain resource comprises a frequency domain resource outside the frequency domain range” [Comment: Claim 16 is a method claim solely directed to contingent limitations. Specifically, claim 16 sets forth three conditions, “in a case … in a case … the second available frequency domain resource …”. The limitation in claim 16 regarding “the second available frequency domain resource” is conditional/contingent, because the limitation is based on the conditional/contingent limitation, “a second available frequency,” set forth in claim 15 which is based on the conditional/contingent limitation, “the first scheduling,” set forth in claim 14. Therefore, “the second available frequency domain resource …” is not required to occur and thus conditional/contingent. Claim 16 does not include steps that are not required to be performed because the conditions precedent are not met (See MPEP 2111.04, Section II). The rejection for claim 15 is applicable to claim 16. However, for compact prosecution, citations of Liu are provided herein although not required.] (¶ [0048-0049], The frequency domain resource(s) indicated by the dynamic signaling exclude all frequency domain resources that are indicated by the semi-static signaling. Additionally or alternatively, the frequency domain resource(s) indicated by the dynamic signaling may exclude all frequency domain resources that are indicated by a default configuration (e.g., pre-configuration by a network) … the IAB node determines for which link the frequency domain resource is configured according to the dynamic signaling when the configuration of the frequency domain resource indicated by the dynamic signaling contradicts the configuration of the same frequency domain resource indicated by the semi-static signaling … the IAB node determines for which link the frequency domain resource is configured according to a default configuration (e.g., pre-configuration by a network) when the configuration of the frequency domain resource indicated by the dynamic signaling contradicts the configuration of the same frequency domain resource indicated by the semi-static signaling; ¶ [0037], IAB node may configure another set of frequency domain resources for the child link via DCI signaling (e.g., signaling for a downlink assignment or uplink grant) to the child node. For example, the another set of frequency domain resources may correspond to one or more BWPs consisting of PRB(s) not included in the BWP(s) configured for the parent link; ¶ [0055], When option 2 is adopted, PRB # 3, PRB # 4, PRB # 5, PRB # 7, PRB # 12, and PRB # 13 which are indicated by the semi-static signaling are excluded; ¶ [0074], the set of frequency domain resources for the child link exclude all frequency domain resources that are indicated for the parent link). [Comment: the excluded (not included) or contradicted frequency domain resource teaches the claimed “outside the frequency domain range.”]
Per claim 17, Liu further teaches “wherein effective time of the available frequency domain resource (¶ [0062], a BWP switch indication (e.g., DL Tx1) to application of the new DL BWP on the parent link … the BWP switch indication (e.g., DL Tx1) to application of the new UL BWP on the child link … a BWP switch indication to application of a new UL BWP on the parent link … the BWP switch indication to application of a new DL BWP on the child link … From a signaling perspective, it is preferable to explicitly signal the time delays to the IAB node to indicate when a new BWP is applied)) is configured by the CU (¶ [0033], Referring to FIG. 1B, the BS (e.g., IAB donor 140) may include at least one DU to support UEs and MTs of downstream IAB nodes. A centralized unit (CU) 141 included in the IAB donor 140 controls the DUs of all IAB nodes (e.g., IAB node 150A and IAB node 150B) and the DU(s) (e.g., DU 142) resided in the IAB donor 140) or the parent node” (¶ [0035], a parent node (e.g., IAB node 120D in FIG. 1 ) of an IAB node (e.g., IAB node 120C in FIG. 1) may dynamically configure a set of frequency domain resources for a link (e.g., link 180D in FIG. 1) between the parent node and the IAB node, i.e., a parent link of the IAB node, via downlink control information (DCI) signaling … The configured set of frequency domain resources is selected from an operation band of the IAB node, and may correspond to one or more BWPs within the operation band. For example, the DCI signaling from the parent node may include one or more BWP indexes corresponding to the one or more BWPs respective; ¶ [0037], When the IAB node (e.g., IAB node 120C in FIG. 1 ) receives the DCI signaling from the parent node (e.g., IAB node 120D in FIG. 1 ) which configures the one or more BWPs for the parent link (e.g., link 180D in FIG. 1 ), it performs a BWP switch on the parent link to switch to the configured BWPs).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LIU-ABEDINI-Huang, in view of Cui (US 2020/0044732 A1).
Per claim 6, LIU-ABEDINI-Huang does not teach “wherein the available frequency domain resource comprises at least one of the following: a remaining frequency domain resource obtained after at least one of the carrier bandwidth of the second DU of the parent node and the available frequency range of the second DU of the parent node is removed from the available frequency domain range of the first DU; a remaining frequency domain resource obtained after the guard interval and at least one of the carrier bandwidth of the second DU of the parent node and the available frequency range of the second DU of the parent node are removed from the available frequency domain range of the first DU; a remaining frequency domain resource obtained after the operating bandwidth of the MT of the IAB node is removed from the available frequency domain range of the first DU; a remaining frequency domain resource obtained after the operating bandwidth of the MT of the IAB node and the guard interval are removed from the available frequency domain range of the first DU; a remaining frequency domain resource obtained after at least one of the carrier bandwidth of the second DU of the parent node and the available frequency domain range of the second DU of the parent node is removed from the carrier bandwidth of the first DU; a remaining frequency domain resource obtained after the guard interval and at least one of the carrier bandwidth of the DU of the parent node and the available frequency domain range of the DU of the parent node are removed from the carrier bandwidth of the first DU; a remaining frequency domain resource obtained after the operating bandwidth of the MT of the IAB node is removed from the carrier bandwidth of the first DU; and a remaining frequency domain resource obtained after the operating bandwidth of the MT of the IAB node and the guard interval are removed from the carrier bandwidth of the first DU”
Cui teaches “wherein the available frequency domain resource comprises at least one of the following: a remaining frequency domain resource obtained after at least one of the carrier bandwidth of the second DU of the parent node and the available frequency range of the second DU of the parent node is removed from the available frequency domain range of the first DU” (¶ [0056-0057], FIG. 8 illustrates an example of an IAB partitioning operation (e.g., function, task, etc.) in which access/backhaul resources can be allocated differently (e.g., adjusted from normal delivery) … if access traffic becomes loaded and the backhaul links are less utilized, the network controller 605 can partition the IAB link by re-allocating the bandwidth allocated for access traffic to increase the allotted bandwidth for access traffic, while reducing the allocated bandwidth for backhaul transmissions … if backhaul traffic is heavy, then the partitioning can adjust so that more bandwidth is allocated for backhaul traffic, and the frequency of transmissions of backhaul slots can also be adjusted … increase the amount of access traffic on the IAB link to 60 Mhz, while reducing the bandwidth allocated for backhaul communications on the IAB link to 40 Mz; Fig.2 and ¶ [0033], DUs can comprise a donor DU 210 that communicate with one or more relay DUs (e.g., relay DU 212 1, relay DU 212 2) utilizing wireless “backhaul” links (e.g., backhaul links 215 1-N; ¶ [0035], Donor DUs are also referred to as parent nodes, and relay DUs are also referred to as relay nodes.). [Comment: See Fig.2, bandwidth/frequency range for backhaul link 215 for IAB Parent DU 210 is reduced/removed and the remaining bandwidth/frequency resource is obtained/utilized/allocated.]
Thus, given the teaching of Cui, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of obtaining remaining frequency resources after reducing IAB parent DU’s bandwidth/frequency range of Cui into obtaining frequency domain resource of LIU-ABEDINI-Huang, such that remaining frequency domain resource would be obtained after reducing IAB parent DU’s bandwidth/frequency range. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so because CUI recognizes that it would have been advantageous to reduce backhaul bandwidth for parent DU when backhaul link are less utilized and access traffic becomes loaded (Cui, ¶ [0056-0057], if access traffic becomes loaded and the backhaul links are less utilized, the network controller 605 can partition the IAB link by re-allocating the bandwidth allocated for access traffic to increase the allotted bandwidth for access traffic, while reducing the allocated bandwidth for backhaul transmissions … The network controller can consider information, such as network conditions data (e.g., network conditions data 715), as well as one or more operator policies (operator policies 710). This information can be used in an algorithm that can, for example, weigh one or more pieces of information to determine whether an adjustment to the IAB partition can be more desirable. As an example, if it is determined (e.g., by network controller 605) that a ERCN traffic presence indicator is present, and a large percentage of the ERCN traffic on a IAB link (e.g., IAB link 315) comprises access traffic, and the amount of bandwidth allocated to access traffic at a particular node (or on a particular link) is 20 Mhz, while the amount of bandwidth allocated for backhaul communications is 80 Mhz, the network controller might adjust the IAB partition such that more bandwidth is allocated for access communications. It can, for example, increase the amount of access traffic on the IAB link to 60 Mhz, while reducing the bandwidth allocated for backhaul communications on the IAB link to 40 Mz). Additionally, one of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so because this is combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results, specifically, incorporating a known method of reducing parent DU’s bandwidth/frequency range as taught by Cui into another known method of obtaining frequency domain resources as taught by LIU-ABEDINI-Huang to yield predictable and reasonably successful results, especially given that Cui, Liu, ABEDINI, and Huang are in the same field of endeavor of IAB resource (KSR MPEP 2143).
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by LIU-ABEDINI-Huang, in view of Talukdar (US 2022/0400411 A1).
Per claim 18, LIU-ABEDINI-Huang does not teach “wherein in a case that a time-frequency resource of the IAB node is unavailable as indicated by at least one of a time domain indication or a frequency domain indication, the time-frequency resource is unavailable; or in a case that the time-frequency resource of the IAB node is available as indicated by at least one of a time domain indication or a frequency domain indication, the time-frequency resource is available.”
Talukdar teaches “wherein in a case that a time-frequency resource of the IAB node is unavailable as indicated by at least one of a time domain indication or a frequency domain indication, the time-frequency resource is unavailable; or in a case that the time-frequency resource of the IAB node is available as indicated by at least one of a time domain indication or a frequency domain indication, the time-frequency resource is available” (¶ [0149], detect, by the IAB node, that the available time-frequency resources of the child backhaul link or access link of the IAB node has changed, based on a last reported available resources, by more than the resource threshold value, and transmit, by the IAB node in response to the detecting that the available time-frequency resources of the child backhaul link or access link of the IAB node has changed by more than the resource threshold value, an updated available resource report indicating updated available time-frequency resources of the child backhaul link or the access link of the first IAB node).
Thus, given the teaching of Talukdar, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of indicating IAB availability of IAB time-frequency resource of Talukdar into IAB resources/indication of LIU-ABEDINI-Huang. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so because this is combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results, specifically, incorporating a known method of IAB resource indication as taught by Talukdar into another known method of IAB resources/indication as taught by LIU-ABEDINI-Huang to yield predictable results (KSR MPEP 2143).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The following prior art all teach frequency domain resource information configured by a CU for an IAB node:
Kurita (US 2023/0309154 A1): Fig6; ¶ [0108].
SIROTKIN (US 2021/0352666 A1): ¶ [0085-0086].
Ghanbarinejad (US 2023/0164793 A1): ¶ [0130] (Although ¶ [0130] of PG Pub. has a typo “JAB,” however the provisional application, 63/004,192, has been verified to have the correct term “IAB” for the same teaching in ¶ [0178] of the provisional.).
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/HANNAH S WANG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2631
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