DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the Applicants' communication filed on October 14, 2025. Claims 21-23, 26-28, 31-34 and 36-38 are amended. Claims 25, 30, 35 and 40 are cancelled. Claims 21-24, 26-29, 31-34 and 36-39 are currently pending and have been examined.
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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments/remarks made in an amendment filed October 14, 2025, have been fully considered. In view of the amended claims 21-23, 26-28, 31-34 and 36-38 and upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection, necessitated by the amendments is made in view of different interpretation of the previously applied references as presented in this Office action. Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 21-24, 26-29, 31-34 and 36-39 are therefore moot.
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 21-24, 26-29, 31-34 and 36-39 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 11218921 B2 (Luo et al.)(hereinafter Luo) in view of HUAWEI: "Integration of IAB Node", 3GPP DRAFT; R3-192803 (TP FOR NR_IAB BL CR FOR TS 38.401), vol. RAN WG3, 13 May 2019 (hereinafter Huawei).
In re claims 21 and 31, Luo discloses an integrated access backhaul (IAB) donor node in a wireless communication system (Fig. 3:310, Col 9, lines 22-25, “FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a IAB node 310 in communication with a UE 350 in an access network”), the IAB donor node (Fig. 4:410, Col 11, lines 36-38, “The IAB donor 410 may be a base station, such as a gNB or eNB, and may perform functions to control the IAB network 400”. Col 17, lines 23-26, “The determination may be performed, e.g., by PCI change component 908 of apparatus 902 or 1002. The central entity may comprise a core network entity, a donor node, a stationary IAB node, or a base station”) comprising: a transceiver (Fig. 10:1022); and at least one processor (Fig. 10:1004) coupled to the transceiver (Col 19, lines 50-55, “The apparatus 1002 may be an IAB node in the IAB network, a base station, a core network entity, an MME, etc. The baseband unit 1004 may communicate through a cellular RF transceiver with the UE 104 or may communicate through the RF transceiver 1022 with other IAB nodes”) and a method performed by the IAB donor node (Fig. 11, Col 21, lines 14-23, “FIG. 11 is a flowchart 1100 of a method of wireless communication. The method may be performed by an IAB node (e.g., the IAB node 310; the apparatus 1202 or 1302, which may include a processing system and the memory 376 and which may be the entire IAB node 310 or a component of the IAB node 310, such as the TX processor 316, the RX processor 370, and/or the controller/processor 375). Optional aspects are illustrated with a dashed line. The method enables an IAB node to handle potential PCI collisions”), the method comprising:
receiving, from an access and mobility management function (AMF) entity (Fig. 11: 1110), a first message including first information indicating that the AMF entity supports a mobile (IAB);
receiving, from an IAB node (Fig. 6, “FIG. 6 illustrates nodes of an example IAB network 600 including atleast one mobile IAB node. The IAB network 600 includes a mobile IAB node 690 having a coverage area 691 and a second IAB node 620 having a coverage area 621”), a second message including second information indicating that the IAB node is a mobile IAB node (Col 16, lines 9-11, “For example, the central entity 702 may receive a request 717 from IAB node 704 to change the PCI for IAB node 704”. Col 15, lines 46-51, “The central entity 702 may determine that mobile IAB node 704 and IAB node 708 may experience a potential PCI collision based on determining that reports from the MT of the mobile IAB node 704 or a child UE of the mobile IAB node 704 includes a neighbor cell with the same PCI value of the reporting node”); and
selecting the AMF entity based on the first information and the second information (Col 17, lines 27-32, “At 828, the central entity sends the second PCI to the IAB node. The central entity may comprise a CU and may send the second PCI to the IAB node at an F1-AP interface”. Col 17, lines 43-45, “The central entity may determine the PCI change, at 824, in response to receiving the request or the report”. Col 18, lines 46-58, “As illustrated at 820, the central entity may identify a potential collision between the first PCI
Luo does not explicitly disclose receiving, from an access and mobility management function (AMF) entity, a first message including first information indicating that the AMF entity supports a mobile (IAB); receiving, from an IAB node, a second message including second information indicating that the IAB node is a mobile IAB node; and selecting the AMF entity based on the first information and the second information.
Huawei discloses receiving, from an access and mobility management function (AMF) entity, a first message including information indicating a support for a mobile integrated access backhaul (IAB) (Fig. 1: step 8, page 2, Observation 2, “Furthermore, this will require an AMF IAB support indication sent from AMF to gNB in NG Setup or AMF configuration update procedures”. Observation 3 "An AMF IAB support indication sent from AMF to IAB donor may be needed in NG Setup or AMF configuration update procedures for AMF selection" (implied by observation 3 that a message including support for the IAB is sent by AMF to the donor IAB); receiving, from an IAB node, a second message including second information indicating that the IAB node is a mobile IAB node (Observation 4 "It is necessary for the IAB donor to be aware of the new accessing node is an IAB node, the RRC message sent by IAB node could include an IAB indication for this reason"); and selecting the AMF entity based on the first information and the second information (Page 2, Observation2, “Another possible impact is AMF selection. The IAB donor-CU-CP should select an appropriate AMF which supports IAB related functionalities. This requires that the IAB donor CU-CP be aware of the new access node is an IAB node, some indication such as "IAB indication" may need to be provided in the RRC message (e.g. RRCSetupCompiete) to the IAB donor CU-CP, or using IAB specific slice ID in RRC message. Furthermore, this will require an AMF IAB support indication sent from AMF to gNB in NG Setup or AMF configuration update procedures”).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Luo with Huawei to provide a system and a method to avoid physical cell identity conflicts involving Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) nodes in a wireless network. The advantage of doing so is to improve timing synchronization and channel estimation for the UE and avoid decoding failures for data traffic transmitted from at least one of these two neighboring cells.
In re claims 22 and 32, the combination discloses the method of claim 21 and the IAB donor node of claim 31, wherein Huawei discloses the method further comprising: transmitting, to the AMF entity, an initial user equipment (UE) message including the second information indicating that the IAB node is the mobile IAB node (section 2:Discussion, page 2, Observation 5 "An IAB indication to indicate the new accessing node is an IAB node is needed in NG-AP INITIAL UE MESSAGE”).
In re claims 23 and 33, the combination discloses the method of claim 22 and the IAB donor node of claim 32, wherein Huawei discloses the method further comprising: receiving, from the AMF entity, a third message including information on authorization of the mobile IAB node, in response to the second information in the initial UE message (Fig. 1, page 2, Observation 5, “An IAB indication to indicate the new accessing node is an IAB node is needed in NG-AP INITIAL UE MESSAGE. Another impact is to add the "IAB Authorized" IE in the INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST/LIE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUEST messages, which has already been agreed”).
In re claims 24 and 34, the combination discloses the method of claim 21 and the IAB donor node of claim 31, wherein Huawei discloses wherein the second message includes a radio resource control (RRC) setup complete message (Fig. 1: step 5, page 2, para before Observation 3, “This requires that the IAB donor CU-CP be aware of the new access node is an IAB node, some indication such as "IAB indication" may need to be provided in the RRC message (e.g.RRCSetupComplete) to the IAB donor CU-CP ...”).
In re claims 26 and 36, Luo discloses an access and mobility management function (AMF) entity in a wireless communication system (Fig. 1: 192, Col 19, lines 50-53, “The apparatus 1002 may be an IAB node in the IAB network, a base station, a core network entity, an MME, etc. or a component of an IAB node, base station, core network, etc.”), the AMF entity comprising: a transceiver (Fig. 10:1022); and at least one processor (Fig. 10:1004) coupled to the transceiver (Col 19, lines 50-55, “The apparatus 1002 may be an IAB node in the IAB network, a base station, a core network entity, an MME, etc. The baseband unit 1004 may communicate through a cellular RF transceiver with the UE 104 or may communicate through the RF transceiver 1022 with other IAB nodes or with a base station 102 or 180”) and a method performed by an access and mobility management function (AMF) entity in a wireless communication system (Fig. 8, Col 17, lines 4-6, “FIG. 8 is a flowchart 800 of a method of wireless communication performed by a central entity for an IAB network”), the method comprising:
transmitting, to an integrated access backhaul (IAB) donor node (Fig. 11: 1110), a first message including first information indicating that the AMF entity supports a mobile IAB, wherein the AMF entity is selected for an IAB node based on the first information and second information indicating that the IAB node is a mobile IAB node.
Luo does not explicitly disclose transmitting, to an integrated access backhaul (IAB) donor node, a first message including first information indicating that the AMF entity supports a mobile IAB, wherein the AMF entity is selected for an IAB node based on the first information and second information indicating that the IAB node is a mobile IAB node.
Huawei discloses transmitting, to an integrated access backhaul (IAB) donor node, a first message including first information indicating that the AMF entity supports a mobile IAB (Fig. 1: step 8, page 2, Observation 2, “Furthermore, this will require an AMF IAB support indication sent from AMF to gNB in NG Setup or AMF configuration update procedures”. Observation 3 "An AMF IAB support indication sent from AMF to IAB donor may be needed in NG Setup or AMF configuration update procedures for AMF selection" (implied by observation 3 that a message including support for the IAB is sent by AMF to the donor IAB); wherein the AMF entity is selected for an IAB node based on the first information and second information indicating that the IAB node is a mobile IAB node (Observation 4 "It is necessary for the IAB donor to be aware of the new accessing node is an IAB node, the RRC message sent by IAB node could include an IAB indication for this reason". Page 2, Observation2, “Another possible impact is AMF selection. The IAB donor-CU-CP should select an appropriate AMF which supports IAB related functionalities. This requires that the IAB donor CU-CP be aware of the new access node is an IAB node, some indication such as "IAB indication" may need to be provided in the RRC message (e.g. RRCSetupCompiete) to the IAB donor CU-CP, or using IAB specific slice ID in RRC message. Furthermore, this will require an AMF IAB support indication sent from AMF to gNB in NG Setup or AMF configuration update procedures”).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Luo with Huawei to provide a system and a method to avoid physical cell identity conflicts involving Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) nodes in a wireless network. The advantage of doing so is to improve timing synchronization and channel estimation for the UE and avoid decoding failures for data traffic transmitted from at least one of these two neighboring cells.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Luo with Huawei to provide a system and a method to avoid physical cell identity conflicts involving Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) nodes in a wireless network, wherein a base station may determine a conflict between the first PCI and a PCI of another cell in the vicinity of the first cell and activates a second cell having a second PCI for the mobile IAB node. The advantage of doing so is to improve timing synchronization and channel estimation for the UE and avoid decoding failures for data traffic transmitted from at least one of these two neighboring cells.
In re claims 27 and 37, the combination discloses the method of claim 26 and the AMF entity of claim 36, wherein Huawei discloses the method further comprising: receiving, from the IAB donor node, an initial user equipment (UE) message including the second information indicating that the IAB node is the mobile IAB node (section 2:Discussion, page 2, Observation 5 "An IAB indication to indicate the new accessing node is an IAB node is needed in NG-AP INITIAL UE MESSAGE”).
In re claims 28 and 38, the combination discloses the method of claim 27 and the AMF entity of claim 37, wherein Huawei discloses the method further comprising: transmitting, to the IAB donor node, a third message including information on authorization of the mobile IAB node, in response to the second information in the initial UE message (Fig. 1, page 2, Observation 5, “An IAB indication to indicate the new accessing node is an IAB node is needed in NG-AP INITIAL UE MESSAGE. Another impact is to add the "IAB Authorized" IE in the INITIAL CONTEXT SETUP REQUEST/LIE CONTEXT MODIFICATION REQUEST messages, which has already been agreed”).
In re claims 29 and 39, the combination discloses the method of clam 26 and the AMF entity of claim 36, wherein Huawei discloses wherein the second message includes a radio resource control (RRC) setup complete message (Fig. 1: step 5, page 2, para before Observation 3, “This requires that the IAB donor CU-CP be aware of the new access node is an IAB node, some indication such as "IAB indication" may need to be provided in the RRC message (e.g.RRCSetupComplete) to the IAB donor CU-CP ...”).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
Contact
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SWATI JAIN whose telephone number is (571)270-0699. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri (830 am - 530 pm).
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/SWATI JAIN/Examiner, Art Unit 2649 /YUWEN PAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2649