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 § 103
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.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Maaref (US 2016/0285537) in view of Zhou (US 2025/0338161).
Regarding claim 20, Maaref describes a repeater (fig. 2A, relay 220) comprising:
memory storing computer executable code; and at least one processor coupled with the memory configured to the execute computer executable code and cause the repeater to (fig. 15 & para. 58, communication device 1500 with memory 1506 storing instructions for processor 1504 to execute):
receive, from a network entity, a transmission on a licensed frequency band (fig. 11 & para. 46-47, relay station receives transmission from network entity 210 via primary band, which is licensed band, para. 24).
forward the transmission to a user equipment (UE) on the unlicensed frequency band via a mapping associated with an unlicensed frequency band with the unlicensed synchronization raster (relay station forwards transmission to UE 230 via complimentary band, which is unlicensed band, para. 24, by its scheduling in the complimentary band (mapping)).
Maaref fails to further explicitly describe:
received transmission being forwarded is a synchronization signal (SS) burst,
the SS burst on a licensed frequency band associated with a licensed synchronization raster,
wherein the SS burst includes an SS block (SSB) and a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) carrying a master information block (MIB) indicating an initial control resource set (CORESET).
Zhou also describes wireless transmission from network entity to UE (fig. 1A & para. 160), further describing:
received transmission forwarded is a synchronization signal (SS) burst (para. 160 UE receives from base station (network entity) bursts of SS),
the SS burst is associated with a licensed synchronization raster (para. 163, location of SS is searched at the cellular (licensed) frequency location as indicated by a synchronization raster),
wherein the SS burst includes an SS block (SSB) and a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) carrying a master information block (MIB) indicating an initial control resource set (CORESET) (para. 302, UE receives bursts of SSBs comprising MIB on PBCH to indicate configuration parameters (for CORESET #0), i.e. initial CORESET).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to specify that the relay transmission from network entity to UE in Maaref to be SSB comprising SSBs & PBCH carrying MIB to indicate initial CORESET as in Zhou.
The motivation for combining the teachings is that this implementation improve spectrum efficiency or transmission robustness (Zhou para. 304).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-19 allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
The claims are directed to a wireless communication system a relay/repeater for communicating with a UE/terminal/mobile that uses specific information received in unlicensed frequency band SS burst to a monitor specific PDCCH in a licensed frequency band.
The 3 closest prior art cited below were attempted for mapping each of the independent claims 1 and 17 as follows:
Regarding claim 1, Noll (US 2003/0153316) describes a user equipment (UE) (fig. 1, mobile 106) comprising:
memory storing computer executable code; and at least one processor coupled with the memory configured to the execute computer executable code and cause the UE to: (para. 24, mobile communication device 106 inherently comprise process and memory storing steps to be run by the UE);
receiving signal [burst] from a repeater on an unlicensed frequency band associated with an unlicensed coverage area (raster), wherein the signal is a channel and wherein the serving cell uses a licensed frequency bands associated with a licensed synchronization raster (fig. 1 + para. 4-5 & 12, base station 102 communicates with mobiles 106 via communication channels, & extends its coverage to mobiles via unlicensed to license repeaters 104),
Noll fails to further explicitly describe:
receive a synchronization signal (SS) burst from a repeater on an unlicensed frequency band associated with an unlicensed synchronization raster, wherein the SS burst includes an SS block (SSB) and a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) carrying a master information block (MIB) indicating an initial control resource set (CORESET) via a mapping associated with the unlicensed frequency band; and
monitor the initial CORESET based on the MIB and the mapping associated with the unlicensed frequency band for a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) transmission scheduling a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) transmission carrying an initial system information block (SIB) associated with a serving cell that uses a licensed frequency band associated with a licensed synchronization raster.
Yang (US 2025/019672) also describes a user equipment (UE) (fig. 1, terminal 11) comprising:
memory storing computer executable code; and at least one processor coupled with the memory configured to the execute computer executable code and cause the UE to: (fig. 7 in view of fig. 1, communication device 700 as relay [terminal] device comprising processor 701 & memory 702 to run its method);
receive RRC signaling from network side device comprising a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) indicating a CORESET for the PDCCH as the PDSCH-configuration (para. 46-47).
Yang fails to further explicitly describe:
receive a synchronization signal (SS) burst from a repeater on an unlicensed frequency band associated with an unlicensed synchronization raster, wherein the SS burst includes an SS block (SSB) and a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) carrying a master information block (MIB) indicating an initial control resource set (CORESET) via a mapping associated with the unlicensed frequency band; and
monitor the initial CORESET based on the MIB and the mapping associated with the unlicensed frequency band for a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) transmission scheduling a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) transmission carrying an initial system information block (SIB) associated with a serving cell that uses a licensed frequency band associated with a licensed synchronization raster.
Yan (WO 2023/011208) also describes a user equipment (UE) (title & fig. 7, UE in communication with the base station AA via intermediate wireless relay BB) comprising:
memory storing computer executable code; and at least one processor coupled with the memory configured to the execute computer executable code and cause the UE to: (fig. 12, communication node 1200 as relay [terminal] device comprising controller 1210 & memory 1230 to run its method);
receiving from the base station a configured SSB through the information element FrequencyInfoDL in the RRC signaling, and the information element includes at least the absolute radio frequency channel number of the SSB (p. 11 lines 27-29).
the SS burst includes a SS block (SSB) and a physical broadcast channel carrying a MIB are control resource set (CORESET), the SSB indicating SIB1 (p. 14, lines 21-26).
Yan fails to further explicitly describe:
receive a synchronization signal (SS) burst from a repeater on an unlicensed frequency band associated with an unlicensed synchronization raster, wherein the SS burst includes an SS block (SSB) and a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) carrying a master information block (MIB) indicating an initial control resource set (CORESET) via a mapping associated with the unlicensed frequency band; and
monitor the initial CORESET based on the MIB and the mapping associated with the unlicensed frequency band for a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) transmission scheduling a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) transmission carrying an initial system information block (SIB) associated with a serving cell that uses a licensed frequency band associated with a licensed synchronization raster.
Hence, the three closest prior art, Noll, Yang and Yan, in combination, fail to render all features of independent claim 1 obvious.
Regarding claim 17, Noll (US 2003/0153316) describes a network entity (fig. 1, base station 102), comprising:
memory storing computer executable code; and at least one processor to the execute computer executable code and cause the network entity to: (fig. 4, base station comprising control processor 580 for its execution of its [stored] software, para. 27);
output transmission on a licensed frequency band with a mapping associated with the unlicensed band (fig. 1 + para. 4-5 & 12, base station 102 communicates with mobiles 106 via communication channels, & extends its coverage to mobiles via unlicensed to license repeaters 104),
Noll fails to further explicitly describe:
configure a repeater associated with the network entity to translate transmissions from the first network entity to an unlicensed frequency band associated with an unlicensed synchronization raster; and
output a synchronization signal (SS) burst on a licensed frequency band associated with a licensed synchronization raster, wherein the SS burst includes an SS block (SSB) and a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) carrying a master information block (MIB) indicating an initial control resource set (CORESET) via a mapping associated with the unlicensed frequency band.
Yang (US 2025/019672) also describes a network entity (fig. 1-2, network-side device 12 being a base station), comprising:
memory storing computer executable code; and at least one processor to the execute computer executable code and cause the network entity to: (fig. 8, network-side device 800 comprising processor 84 coupled to memory 85 to run its method)
sending RRC signaling to terminal via relay, comprising a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) indicating a CORESET for the PDCCH as the PDSCH-configuration (para. 46-47).
Yang fails to further explicitly describe:
memory storing computer executable code; and at least one processor coupled with the memory configured to the execute computer executable code and cause the network entity to:
configure a repeater associated with the network entity to translate transmissions from the first network entity to an unlicensed frequency band associated with an unlicensed synchronization raster; and
output a synchronization signal (SS) burst on a licensed frequency band associated with a licensed synchronization raster, wherein the SS burst includes an SS block (SSB) and a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) carrying a master information block (MIB) indicating an initial control resource set (CORESET) via a mapping associated with the unlicensed frequency band.
Yan (WO 2023/011208) also describes a network entity (& fig. 7, base station AA in communication with UE the via intermediate wireless relay BB) comprising:
memory storing computer executable code; and at least one processor coupled with the memory configured to the execute computer executable code and cause the UE to: (fig. 13, base station 1300 comprising controller 1330 & memory 1340 to run its method);
sending a configured SSB through the information element FrequencyInfoDL in the RRC signaling, and the information element includes at least the absolute radio frequency channel number of the SSB (p. 11 lines 27-29),
the SS burst includes a SS block (SSB) and a physical broadcast channel carrying a MIB are control resource set (CORESET), the SSB indicating SIB1 (p. 14, lines 21-26).
Yan fails to further explicitly describe:
configure a repeater associated with the network entity to translate transmissions from the first network entity to an unlicensed frequency band associated with an unlicensed synchronization raster; and
output a synchronization signal (SS) burst on a licensed frequency band associated with a licensed synchronization raster, wherein the SS burst includes an SS block (SSB) and a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) carrying a master information block (MIB) indicating an initial control resource set (CORESET) via a mapping associated with the unlicensed frequency band.
Hence, the three closest prior art, Noll, Yang and Yan, in combination, fail to render all features of independent claim 17 obvious.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Hormis (US 2020/0382200) describing frequency translating repeaters for tuning frequency adjustment, Dutta (US 2025/0261143) describing initial access with frequency-translating network controlled repeater (title & abstract), Proctor (US 2005/0256963) describing frequency translating repeater (200,204) within a WLAN (title), and Leslie (US 6,404,775) describing band-changing Repeater for subscriber communication in a cellular system (abstract).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WARNER WONG whose telephone number is (571)272-8197. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7am - 3:30pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ian Moore can be reached at 571-272-3085. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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WARNER WONG
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2469
/WARNER WONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469