DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-6 and 15-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Li et al. (US 2023/0268982 A1).
Regarding claims 1 and 15, Li discloses:
a repeater system (fig.1 depicts a repeater system comprising a base station, repeater, and user device), comprising:
processing circuitry (fig.25 element 2510, par.[0238]) configured to perform:
a method of configuring a repeater system (fig.1 depicts a repeater system comprising a repeater (i.e. NCR) element 102), the method comprising:
receiving a first downlink signal (par.[0087] and fig.12 depict a NCR receiving a Master Information Block (MIB), which indicates support from the base station for NCR support) from at least one base station (BS) serving a cell (fig.1 depicts a base station serving a cell, and a number of figures depicts a first downlink signal, for example, fig.2 depicts the gNB forwarding OAM information, while fig(s). 12-13 depict the gNB broadcasting cell information);
determining a first set of parameters related to configuration of the at least one BS based at least in part on the first downlink signal (par.[0087] describes the MIB and/or SIB comprising the information of whether or not the cell supports the NCR, which is the repeater/relay);
configuring the repeater system as a dummy user equipment (UE) for connecting to the cell and establishing two-way communication between the repeater system and the at least one BS (fig.2 depicts the establishment of a UE context at the repeater between the repeater and the base station. Fig.1 depicts the “dummy UE” functionality at NCR-MT 120, and par.[0161] describes the UE context setup purpose, which include relaying for sidelink);
exchanging information between the repeater system and the at least one BS as a part of connecting to the cell and establishing the two-way communication between the repeater system and the at least one BS (fig.2 depicts the OAM forwarding a list via the gNodeB of base stations which are capable of use with the NCR, the NCR is able to exchange information with the base station in order to indicate its readiness for service or in fig.8 sending a setup request to the gNB, par.[0029 and 0031]), wherein exchanging the information between the repeater system and the at least one BS comprises receiving a second downlink signal from the at least one BS (fig(s).2 or 8 wherein the gNB forwards a second signal, which an authentication message, or an RRC_SETUP message, par.[0071] also discloses that the NCR-UE may receive a connection reconfiguration message, wherein the connection reconfiguration information includes an SN addition or modification of the established connection);
determining a second set of parameters related to the configuration of the at least one BS based on the first set of parameters and the second downlink signal (fig.2 or fig.8 wherein the NCR receives the first set of parameters from the gNodeB for which base stations are capable of utilizing the NCR, and a second set of parameters included in the RRC_SETUP, the message for establishing radio bearers for control and data between the NCR and gNodeB); and
configuring the repeater system based at least in part on the first and the second sets of parameters for serving one or more UEs of the cell (fig.1 depicts the NCR as a relay between the base station for at least one UE, although understandably the NCR may serve multiple UE’s via the NCR-Fwd, par.[0008] based on the prior information transmitted to the NCR).
Regarding claims 2 and 16, Li discloses:
wherein the first downlink signal comprises a Master Information Block (MIB) (the office notes that an Master Information Block, may be the first message sent, see fig(s).12-13, par.[0085 – 0087]).
Regarding claims 3 and 17, Li discloses:
wherein the second downlink signal comprises a Radio Resource Control (RRC) Connection Reconfiguration message (par.[0071] teaches that after connection establishment, the UE may receive an RRCConnectionReconfiguration message, which would be used to modify an existing connection. Thus, the connection reconfiguration could be a second message as well).
Regarding claims 4 and 18, Li discloses:
wherein configuring the repeater system based at least in part on the first and second sets of parameters comprises:
determining Time-division duplexing (TDD) patterns associated with the at least one BS for serving the one or more UEs of the cell based on one or more of the first and second sets of parameters (par.[0007] describes the reception at the repeater of side control information, par.[0012] describes the side control information comprising the UL-DL TDD configuration); and
aligning TDD patterns of the repeater system in accordance with the determined TDD patterns of the at least one BS (par.[0008] recite, in part, “The behavior of the NCR-Fwd 130 is controlled according to the received side control information from the gNB 2316.”, par.[0012] the C-Link allows for the repeater to relay information between itself and a base station and UE, using the TDD UL/DL received in the side control information, which corresponds to the base station).
Regarding claims 5 and 19, Lin discloses:
wherein the repeater system comprises at least one of:
a distributed antenna system (DAS) comprising a master unit and a plurality of remote units communicatively coupled with the master unit either directly or via one or more expansion units;
a virtualized DAS; and
a single or multi node repeater (fig.1 depicts a network repeater. Additionally, the network repeater could be considered a remote unit, as it is an extension of the base station, and relays traffic transmitted by the base station).
Regarding claims 6 and 20, Lin discloses:
wherein the at least on BS comprises at least one of:
a Fifth Generation (5G) New Radio (NR) base station (gNB) and a fourth generation (4G) Long Term Evolution (LTE) base station (eNB) (fig.1 depicts a 5G gNodeB, while par.[0328] describes a 4G eNodeB).
Claim(s) 1 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Luo et al. (US 2022/0399984 A1).
Regarding claims 1 and 15, Luo discloses:
a repeater system (fig.2 depicts a repeater system comprising a base station, repeater, and user device), comprising:
processing circuitry (fig.12 element 1240, par.[0186]) configured to perform:
a method of configuring a repeater system (fig(s).3-4 depict configuring a repeater system), the method comprising:
receiving a first downlink signal (par.[0097] describes the UE receiving broadcast information comprising TDD ConfigCommon) from at least one base station (BS) serving a cell (fig.2 depicts a base station serving a cell, and a number of figures depicts a first downlink signal. The base station configured to broadcast the TDD ConfigCommon, par.[0097]);
determining a first set of parameters related to configuration of the at least one BS based at least in part on the first downlink signal (par.[0097] the repeater can identify the TDD Common Configuration based on the reception of the broadcast information);
configuring the repeater system as a dummy user equipment (UE) for connecting to the cell and establishing two-way communication between the repeater system and the at least one BS (fig.2 depicts a repeater configured as a dummy UE which, allows for the repeater to communicate with and receive from the base station, par.[0095 - 0096]);
exchanging information between the repeater system and the at least one BS as a part of connecting to the cell and establishing the two-way communication between the repeater system and the at least one BS (par.[0097] the repeater receives the broadcast information which includes the SIB/MIB which would allow the UE to connect to the cell. See fig.3 the repeater is in RRC_CONNECTED with cell 105-b and may receive second information, par.[0108]), wherein exchanging the information between the repeater system and the at least one BS comprises receiving a second downlink signal from the at least one BS (fig.3 element 320 and par.[0108] which discloses the reception of the dedicated TDD configuration which is received in the RRC message after the RRC connection has been established see the reconfiguration message);
determining a second set of parameters related to the configuration of the at least one BS based on the first set of parameters and the second downlink signal (fig.3 element 320 – 340 and par.[0108 – 0111]); and
configuring the repeater system based at least in part on the first and the second sets of parameters for serving one or more UEs of the cell (fig.3 element par.[0108 – 0111] the repeater receiving the TDD configuration which allows for the repeater to communicate with the UE and base station via the configuration parameters established and transmitted).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 10/10/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
With regard to claim 1, a rejection was made in view of Li et al. (US 2023/0268982 A1), where the applicant contends that the disclosure of Li does not teach:
“configuring the repeater as a dummy user equipment for connecting to the cell and establishing two-way communication between the repeater system and the at least one BS”
The office respectfully disagrees with the applicants assertion regarding the disclose of Li.
With regard to the term “dummy user equipment (UE)”, this term is not well-known in the art, and, as the applicant can be their own lexicographer the office must review the specification, and the claims in order to determine the broadest reasonable interpretation of the term “dummy UE”. With regard to the specification, the specification generally recite “dummy UE” very broadly and without any particular degree of specificity, while generally describing a typical repeater or relay.
Additionally, the claims provide a little more specificity to the meaning of the term “dummy UE” as the claims recite “a dummy user equipment for connecting to the cell and establishing two-way communication between the repeater system and the at least one BS”. As can be seen the applicant has defined, in the claim, what the term “dummy UE” means, which is a repeater that can perform two-way communications between the repeater and the at least one base station. It is known that a repeater can perform two-way communications with a base station, and is discussed in the disclosure of Li.
For example, the disclosure of Li teaches an Network Controlled Repeater (NCR), which, is configured to establish a UE context with a base station, via two-way communication, see fig.1 and fig.2. With the UE-context between the NCR-MT 120 and the base station the repeater has a first two-way context between the repeater and the base station. The fact that the NCR comprises a UE context, should at least alleviate the applicants concern on pg.3 of the remarks, which recite:
“…..,the NCR is not configured as a dummy UE as claimed in the present application but instead is configured to connect to the NCR to the cell as an NCR”.
As discussed above, the fact that the NCR has a UE context and performs RACH means that the NCR is connecting to the network as an UE.
Additionally, the NCR can also perform as a relay by forwarding/relaying communications between the UE and base station over fronthaul/access link, and backhaul links. In this way, the NCR of Li more than teaches a “dummy UE” as claimed as the NCR has multiple two-way communications pathways. Additionally, the NCR has a UE context established at between the NCR and the base station. Thus, it is found that the disclosure of Li substantially teaches the above limitation, and the applicants arguments are unpersuasive.
The applicant additionally suggests that Luo et al. (US 2022/0399984 A1) which teaches an NCR similar to Li does not disclose:
“configuring the repeater as a dummy user equipment for connecting to the cell and establishing two-way communication between the repeater system and the at least one BS”
In the same way, the disclosure of Luo teaches a repeater with two-way communication between itself and the base station, fig.3. Along with the fronthaul and backhaul signalling between a UE and a base station.
Again, the claim recite “a dummy user equipment for connecting to the cell and establishing two-way communication between the repeater system and the at least one BS” which is discussed in both of the prior art references, and is well-known in the art.
The office further notes that the NCR of Li and Luo provide for a UE context and a Relay context for the repeater which not only satisfies the claimed “for connecting to the cell and establishing two-way communication between the repeater system and the at least one BS”, but also provides some UE/Dummy UE functionality to the repeater as well.
With the above arguments, the office believes that each of the prior art disclosure substantially teach the claims, and the rejections of the claims in view of Li and Luo are maintained.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Mcmenamy et al. (US 2024/0187085 A1) “Remote Beam Management for Network Controlled Repeaters”
Gadhai et al. (US 2023/0354378 A1) “Network-Controlled Repeater for Communicating Signals to Base Station and User Equipments in Wireless Communications Network”
Kowalski et al. (US 2023/0239768 A1) “Network-Controlled Repeater Devices, Methods, and Networks Including Same”
Abedini et al. (US 2022/0053486 A1) “Control Signal Design for Smart Repeater Devices”
Abedini et al. (US 2022/0103247 A1) “Programmable Smart Repeater With In-Band Control”
MolavianJazi et al. (US 2023/0283348 A1) “Beam Management for Repeaters”
MolavianJazi et al. (US 2024/0022931 A1) “Assistance Information from Repeaters”
Chen et al. (US 2025/0233647 A1) “Method and Apparatus for Signal Transmission in a Wireless Communications System”
Yin et al. (US 2023/0345390 A1) “Procedures of Synchronization Signal Generation and Transmission for Network Controlled Repeaters (NCR)”
Babaei (US 2024/0007943 A1) “Network Controlled Repeaters”
Babaei (US 2024/0040591 A1) “Transmission and Reception Timings and a Network Controlled Repeaters”
Babaei (US 2024/0057110 A1) “Signaling of Side Control Information for a Network Controlled Repeaters”
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMAAL HENSON whose telephone number is (571)272-5339. The examiner can normally be reached M-Thu: 7:30 am - 6:30 pm.
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JAMAAL HENSON
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2411
/JAMAAL HENSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2411