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
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Luo (US 20220417989).
With respect to independent claims:
Regarding claim(s) 1/11, Luo teaches A method performed by a network-controlled repeater (NCR) ([Fig.4 and 0082], relay node or network controlled repeater) in an unlicensed band in a wireless communication system ([0083], “a shared communication channel”), the method comprising:
receiving ([0082], “relay node receives a scheduling message from a serving base station, wherein the scheduling message identifies an AF window and an offset prior to a beginning of the AF window.”), from a base station (BS) ([0082], “a serving base station”), control information ([0082], “scheduling message” And [0096], “the repeater or relay node performs an LBT procedure before AF operations based on a received repeater control signaling from a base station that schedules an AF window.”) indicating a forwarding window ([Abs], “amplify and forward (AF) window”) for transmitting data to a user equipment (UE) ([0106], “With AF operations, UE 115 receives the transmitted downlink data at afDL burst 514” from the relay node or NCR.);
performing a channel access procedure (CAP) for a channel between the NCR and the UE to identify whether the channel is idle ([0083], “At block 401, the relay node performs an LBT procedure on a shared communication channel, wherein the LBT procedure is performed within the offset before the AF window.”); and
in case that the channel is idle ([0085], “At block 403, the relay node performs the AF operations on all received signals during the AF window in response to success of the LBT procedure.”),
receiving, from the BS, the data in the forwarding window ([Fig.5], DL burst 513 is transmitted from the base station to the relay node. The DL burst window is aligned with AF window 510. And [0090], “At block 412, the base station transmits downlink signals to the relay node, wherein the downlink signals are transmitted after a gap period scheduled to allow a relay station LBT procedure.”); and
transmitting, to the UE, the data in the forwarding window ([0085], “when relay node 300 detects success of the LBT procedure, relay node 300 activates RU 1204 and conducts AF operations on received signals and forwards the amplified signals.” And [0106], “With AF operations, UE 115 receives the transmitted downlink data at afDL burst 514.”).
Regarding claim(s) 6/16, Luo teaches A method performed by a base station (BS) ([Fig.5], base station 105) in an unlicensed band in a wireless communication system ([0088], “At block 410, a base station successfully performs an LBT procedure to establish a COT.”), the method comprising:
performing a first channel access procedure (CAP) for a first channel between the BS and a network-controlled repeater (NCR) ([Fig.5], relay node 300) to identify whether the first channel is idle ([0088], “At block 410, a base station successfully performs an LBT procedure to establish a COT.”); and
in case that the first channel is idle ([0088], “Upon detecting success of the LBT procedure, base station 105 secures a COT.”),
transmitting, to the NCR, control information indicating a forwarding window for transmitting data to a user equipment (UE) ([0089], “the base station transmits a scheduling message to a relay node, wherein the scheduling message identifies an AF window.”); and
transmitting, to the NCR, the data in the forwarding window ([Fig.5], DL burst 513 is transmitted from the base station to the relay node. The DL burst window is aligned with AF window 510. And [0090], “At block 412, the base station transmits downlink signals to the relay node, wherein the downlink signals are transmitted after a gap period scheduled to allow a relay station LBT procedure.”).
With respect to dependent claims:
Regarding claim(s) 2/7/12/17, Lou teaches receiving, from the BS, configuration information for the CAP ([0096], “the repeater or relay node performs an LBT procedure before AF operations based on a received repeater control signaling from a base station that schedules an AF window. The LBT type performed by the repeater or relay node may be indicated by the repeater control signaling.”);
wherein the configuration information includes time offset information ([0082], “the scheduling message identifies an AF window and an offset prior to a beginning of the AF window.”) indicating a starting time of the CAP ([0083], “the LBT procedure is performed within the offset before the AF window.” And [Fig.5 and 0105], “base station 105 includes gap 504 before downlink burst 505 in order to allow relay node 300 to perform LBT procedure 506.”) and a contention window size ([0076], “a Type 1 LBT procedure may include a random count-down procedure based on a contention window.” And [0096], “the repeater control signaling may include an indication to schedule an offset in slots/symbols from the repeater control signaling to the scheduled AF window.”), and
wherein the CAP is performed based on the configuration information ([0096], “the repeater or relay node performs an LBT procedure before AF operations based on a received repeater control signaling from a base station that schedules an AF window.”).
Regarding claim(s) 3/8/13/18, Lou teaches transmitting, to the BS, feedback information for the CAP ([0105], “Relay node 300 may then transmit LBT status report 507 to base station 105 that identifies the failure of LBT procedure 506.”),
wherein the feedback information ([0102], “The repeater or relay node may also send LBT status reports to the base station, such as to trigger a new scheduling in case of LBT failure.”) includes time offset information indicating a starting time of the CAP ([0105], “Additional aspects may provide that LBT status report 507 is sent on an LBT failure and indicate to base station 105 the instances where relay node 300 did not perform AF operations.” And [0083], “the LBT procedure is performed within the offset before the AF window.”) and information for a contention window size ([0076], “a Type 1 LBT procedure may include a random count-down procedure based on a contention window.” And [0096], “the repeater control signaling may include an indication to schedule an offset in slots/symbols from the repeater control signaling to the scheduled AF window.”), and
wherein the CAP is performed based on the time offset information ([0083], “the LBT procedure is performed within the offset before the AF window.” And [Fig.5 and 0105], “base station 105 includes gap 504 before downlink burst 505 in order to allow relay node 300 to perform LBT procedure 506.”) and the information for the contention window size ([0076], “a Type 1 LBT procedure may include a random count-down procedure based on a contention window.” And [0096], “the repeater control signaling may include an indication to schedule an offset in slots/symbols from the repeater control signaling to the scheduled AF window.”).
Regarding claim(s) 4/9/14/19, Lou teaches wherein the control information includes information indicating downlink or uplink for time resources in the forwarding window ([0082], “wherein the scheduling message identifies an AF window.” And [0106], “With AF operations, UE 115 receives the transmitted downlink data at afDL burst 514.”).
Regarding claim(s) 5/10/15/20, Lou teaches wherein the CAP includes listen-before talk (LBT) or channel sensing ([0083], “At block 401, the relay node performs an LBT procedure on a shared communication channel, wherein the LBT procedure is performed within the offset before the AF window.”).
Conclusion
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/ZHIREN QIN/Examiner, Art Unit 2411