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)(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.
(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) 18, 25 and 29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) as being anticipated by ASTROM (US 2023/0362813 A1).
Regarding claim 18, ASTROM teaches a second network node for wireless communication, comprising: one or more memories; and one or more processors coupled to the one or more memories (ASTROM discloses an IAB node 16a, fig. 2, (the second network node) comprising processing circuitry and memory (ASTROM, ¶ [0078], [0081])), the one or more processors individually or collectively configured to cause the second network node to:
detect an occurrence of a trigger condition for providing resource status information associated with a power amplifier backoff adaptation corresponding to a first network node (ASTROM discloses the IAB node 16a identifying that a scheduling restriction exists due to the parent IAB node 16b's transmit power causing interference, ¶ [0115], [0117]; this identification serves as the trigger condition to request the power adaptation); and
wirelessly transmit the resource status information based on the occurrence of the trigger condition, wherein the resource status information includes an indication of acceptance by the second network node that is associated with the power amplifier backoff adaptation (ASTROM discloses the IAB node 16a transmitting the power control request (the acceptance/authorization under BRI) to the parent IAB node 16b upon identifying the restriction, ¶ [0118]), and the acceptance includes at least one of: one or more beams, one or more frequencies, one or more time periods, or one or more user equipment (ASTROM discloses that the transmitted power control request can explicitly include a specific "(time-frequency) resource set for which the request is valid", ¶ [0124]).
Regarding claim 25, ASTROM teaches the second network node of claim 18, wherein the one or more processors, to cause the second network node to detect the occurrence of the trigger condition, are individually or collectively configured to cause the second network node to detect that no user equipment is connected to a cell that is susceptible to interference associated with the power amplifier backoff adaptation (ASTROM, fig. 13, S158).
Regarding claim 29, ASTROM teaches a method of wireless communication performed by a second network node, comprising
detecting an occurrence of a trigger condition for providing resource status information associated with a power amplifier backoff adaptation corresponding to a first network node (ASTROM discloses the IAB node 16a identifying that a scheduling restriction exists due to the parent IAB node 16b's transmit power causing interference, ¶ [0115], [0117]; this identification serves as the trigger condition to request the power adaptation); and
wirelessly transmitting the resource status information based on the occurrence of the trigger condition, wherein the resource status information includes an indication of acceptance by the second network node that is associated with the power amplifier backoff adaptation (ASTROM discloses the IAB node 16a transmitting the power control request (the acceptance/authorization under BRI) to the parent IAB node 16b upon identifying the restriction, ¶ [0118]), and the acceptance includes at least one of: one or more beams, one or more frequencies, one or more time periods, or one or more user equipment (ASTROM discloses that the transmitted power control request can explicitly include a specific "(time-frequency) resource set for which the request is valid", ¶ [0124]).
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 (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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1, 16, 17, 27 and 32 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ASTROM in view of Zhang et al. (US. Pub. No. 2023/0074893 A1; hereinafter “ZHANG").
Regarding claim 1, ASTROM teaches a first network node for wireless communication, comprising:
A first network node for wireless communication, comprising: one or more memories; and one or more processors coupled to the one or more memories (ASTROM discloses a parent IAB node 16b (the first network node) comprising processing circuitry and memory (ASTROM, ¶ [0078], [0081])), the one or more processors individually or collectively configured to cause the first network node to:
wirelessly receive resource status information associated with a second network node, wherein the resource status information indicates an acceptance by the second network node of a power amplifier backoff adaptation (ASTROM discloses the parent IAB node 16b receiving a power control request from a subordinate IAB node 16a (the second network node) (ASTROM, ¶ [0115], [0118]). Under the Broadest Reasonable Interpretation (BRI), this transmitted request constitutes resource status information indicating an acceptance, authorization, or demand by the subordinate node for the parent node to adapt its power to resolve interference (ASTROM, ¶ [0115])); and
perform, based at least in part on the acceptance indicated in the resource status information, the power amplifier backoff adaptation (ASTROM discloses the parent IAB node altering its transmit power based on the received request (ASTROM, ¶ [0115], [0120])).
ASTROM is silent to teaching that wherein the power amplifier backoff adaptation includes one of: reconfiguring a power supplied to a power amplifier to reduce a transmit power from an antenna controlled by the power amplifier, or reducing a power amplifier backoff to increase a power output from the power amplifier.
In the same field of endeavor, ZHANG teaches a device wherein the power amplifier backoff adaptation includes one of: reconfiguring a power supplied to a power amplifier to reduce a transmit power from an antenna controlled by the power amplifier, or reducing a power amplifier backoff to increase a power output from the power amplifier (see ZHANG, para. [0036,0043-45], fig. 6, 108,110).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of ASTROM with the teaching of ZHANG in order to reduce interference and maintain signal quality (see ZHANG, para. [0003]).
Regarding claim 16, the combination of ASTROM and ZHANG teaches the first network node of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further individually or collectively configured to cause the first network node to receive additional resource status information associated with at least one additional network node, wherein the one or more processors, to cause the first network node to perform the power amplifier backoff adaptation, are individually or collectively configured to cause the first network node to perform the power amplifier backoff adaptation based on the additional resource status information (ASTROM, ¶ [0115], [0120]).
Regarding claim 17, the combination of ASTROM and ZHANG teaches the first network node of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further individually or collectively configured to cause a disruptive interference to counter in-band and out-of-band emissions that result in interference to at least one of: an affected user equipment, an affected frequency, an affected cell, or an affected beam (see ZHANG, para. [0019-20]).
Regarding claim 32, the combination of ASTROM and ZHANG teaches the first network node of claim 1, wherein the acceptance indicated in the resource status information includes at least one of: one or more beams, one or more frequencies, one or more time periods, or one or more user equipment (ASTROM, [0124]).
Regarding claim 27, ASTROM teaches a method of wireless communication performed by a first network node, comprising:
wirelessly receiving resource status information associated with a second network node, wherein the resource status information indicates an acceptance by the second network node of a power amplifier backoff adaptation (ASTROM discloses the parent IAB node 16b receiving a power control request from a subordinate IAB node 16a (the second network node) (ASTROM, ¶ [0115], [0118]). Under the Broadest Reasonable Interpretation (BRI), this transmitted request constitutes resource status information indicating an acceptance, authorization, or demand by the subordinate node for the parent node to adapt its power to resolve interference (ASTROM, ¶ [0115])); and
performing, based at least in part on the acceptance indicated in the resource status information, the power amplifier backoff adaptation (ASTROM discloses the parent IAB node altering its transmit power based on the received request (ASTROM, ¶ [0115], [0120])).
ASTROM is silent to teaching that wherein the power amplifier backoff adaptation includes one of: reconfiguring a power supplied to a power amplifier to reduce a transmit power from an antenna controlled by the power amplifier, or reducing a power amplifier backoff to increase a power output from the power amplifier.
In the same field of endeavor, ZHANG teaches a method wherein the power amplifier backoff adaptation includes one of: reconfiguring a power supplied to a power amplifier to reduce a transmit power from an antenna controlled by the power amplifier, or reducing a power amplifier backoff to increase a power output from the power amplifier (see ZHANG, para. [0036,0043-45], fig. 6, 108,110).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of ASTROM with the teaching of ZHANG in order to reduce interference and maintain signal quality (see ZHANG, para. [0003]).
Claim(s) 2-9, 19-21, 28 and 30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ASTROM and ZHANG as applied to claims 1, 18, 27 and 29 above, and further in view of Pang et al. (US. Pub. NO. 2013/0044704 A1; hereinafter “Pang”).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of ASTROM and ZHANG teaches the first network node of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further individually or collectively configured to cause the first network node to transmit a resource status request communication (ASTROM, fig. 13).
The combination of ASTROM and ZHANG is silent to teaching that wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively configured to receive the resource status information based on the resource status request communication.
In the same field of endeavor, Pang teaches a device wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively configured to receive the resource status information based on the resource status request communication (see Pang, fig. 1, resource status reporting request, para. [0028]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of ASTROM and ZHANG with the teaching of Pang in order to provide adequate and efficient ABS algorithms (see Pang, para. [0008]).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of ASTROM, ZHANG and Pang teaches the first network node of claim 2, wherein the resource status request communication comprises an indication associated with the power amplifier backoff adaptation (ASTROM, [0124-126]).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of ASTROM, ZHANG and Pang teaches the first network node of claim 2, wherein the resource status request communication indicates a time period corresponding to the power amplifier backoff adaptation (ASTROM, [0124-126]).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of ASTROM, ZHANG and Pang teaches the first network node of claim 2, wherein the resource status request communication indicates at least one time resource corresponding to the power amplifier backoff adaptation (ASTROM, [0124-126]).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of ASTROM, ZHANG and Pang teaches the first network node of claim 2, wherein the resource status request communication comprises an indication of a power amplifier backoff adaptation pattern associated with the power amplifier backoff adaptation (ASTROM, [0124-126]).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of ASTROM, ZHANG and Pang teaches the e first network node of claim 6, wherein the indication of the power amplifier backoff adaptation pattern indicates a plurality of time resources associated with the power amplifier backoff adaptation (ASTROM, [0124-126]).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of ASTROM, ZHANG and Pang teaches the first network node of claim 6, wherein the indication of the power amplifier backoff adaptation pattern indicates power amplifier backoff adaptation information associated with at least one time resource position of a set of time resource positions, wherein the set of time resource positions comprises a pattern to be applied to at least one set of time resources (ASTROM, [0124-126]).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of ASTROM, ZHANG and Pang teaches the first network node of claim 6, wherein the indication of the power amplifier backoff adaptation pattern indicates at least one power amplifier backoff adaptation value associated with the power amplifier backoff adaptation (ASTROM, [0124-126]).
Regarding claims 19-21, the dependent claims are interpreted and rejected for the same reasons as set forth above in claims 2, 6 and 4, respectively.
Regarding claims 28 and 30, the dependent claims are interpreted and rejected for the same reasons as set forth above in claim 2.
Claim(s) 10, 11, 13-15, 23, 24, and 26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ASTROM, ZHANG and Pang as applied to claims 1, 6 and 18 above, and further in view of Haghighat et al. (US. Pub. No. 2013/0194950 A1; hereinafter “Haghighat”).
Regarding claim 10, the combination of ASTROM, ZHANG and Pang teaches the first network node of claim 6.
The combination of ASTROM, ZHANG and Pang is silent to teaching that wherein the indication of the power amplifier backoff adaptation pattern indicates at least one beam associated with the power amplifier backoff adaptation pattern.
In the same field of endeavor, Haghighat teaches a device wherein the indication of the power amplifier backoff adaptation pattern indicates at least one beam associated with the power amplifier backoff adaptation pattern (see Haghighat, fig. 9, para. [0075,125-7], fig. 20, para. [0133-136]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of ASTROM, ZHANG and Pang with the teaching of Haghighat in order to provide spectrum sharing efficiently and reduce interference (see Haghighat, para. [0002]).
Regarding claims 11 and 13, the dependent claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reasons as set forth above in claims 10.
Regarding claim 14, the combination of ASTROM and ZHANG teaches the first network node of claim 1, wherein the resource status information indicates a rejection by the second network node that is associated with the power amplifier backoff adaptation (see ASTROM, fig. 13, NACK, S164).
The combination of ASTROM and ZHANG is silent to teaching that wherein the resource status information indicates at least one beam associated with the rejection.
In the same field of endeavor, Haghighat teaches a device wherein the resource status information indicates at least one beam associated with the rejection (see Haghighat, fig. 9, para. [0075,125-7], fig. 20, para. [0133-136]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of ASTROM and ZHANG with the teaching of Haghighat in order to provide spectrum sharing efficiently and reduce interference (see Haghighat, para. [0002]).
Regarding claim 15, the combination of ASTROM and ZHANG teaches the first network node of claim 1.
The combination of ASTROM and ZHANG is silent to teaching that wherein the resource status information indicates a cell deactivation associated with a duration associated with the power amplifier backoff adaptation.
In the same field of endeavor, Haghighat teaches a device wherein the resource status information indicates a cell deactivation associated with a duration associated with the power amplifier backoff adaptation (see Haghighat, fig. 18, para. [0122]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of ASTROM and ZHANG with the teaching of Haghighat in order to provide spectrum sharing efficiently and reduce interference (see Haghighat, para. [0002]).
Regarding claim 23, the combination of ASTROM and ZHANG teaches the second network node of claim 18.
The combination of ASTROM and ZHANG is silent to teaching that wherein the one or more processors are further individually or collectively configured to cause the second network node to refrain from scheduling a downlink communication corresponding to a beam associated with the power amplifier backoff adaptation.
In the same field of endeavor, Haghighat teaches a device wherein the one or more processors are further individually or collectively configured to cause the second network node to refrain from scheduling a downlink communication corresponding to a beam associated with the power amplifier backoff adaptation (see Haghighat, fig. 9, para. [0075,125-7], fig. 20, para. [0133-136]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of ASTROM and ZHANG with the teaching of Haghighat in order to provide spectrum sharing efficiently and reduce interference (see Haghighat, para. [0002]).
Regarding claim 24, the combination of ASTROM and ZHANG teaches the second network node of claim 18.
The combination of ASTROM and ZHANG is silent to teaching that wherein the one or more processors are further individually or collectively configured to cause the second network node to refrain from scheduling a downlink communication corresponding to a user equipment that is susceptible to interference associated with the power amplifier backoff adaptation.
In the same field of endeavor, Haghighat teaches a device wherein the one or more processors are further individually or collectively configured to cause the second network node to refrain from scheduling a downlink communication corresponding to a user equipment that is susceptible to interference associated with the power amplifier backoff adaptation (see Haghighat, fig. 9, para. [0075,125-7], fig. 20, para. [0133-136]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of ASTROM and ZHANG with the teaching of Haghighat in order to provide spectrum sharing efficiently and reduce interference (see Haghighat, para. [0002]).
Regarding claim 26, the combination of ASTROM and ZHANG teaches the second network node of claim 18.
The combination of ASTROM and ZHANG is silent to teaching that wherein the one or more processors, to cause the second network node to detect the occurrence of the trigger condition, are individually or collectively configured to cause the second network node to detect deactivation of a cell that is susceptible to interference associated with the power amplifier backoff adaptation
In the same field of endeavor, Haghighat teaches a device wherein the one or more processors, to cause the second network node to detect the occurrence of the trigger condition, are individually or collectively configured to cause the second network node to detect deactivation of a cell that is susceptible to interference associated with the power amplifier backoff adaptation (see Haghighat, fig. 18, para. [0122]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of ASTROM and ZHANG with the teaching of Haghighat in order to provide spectrum sharing efficiently and reduce interference (see Haghighat, para. [0002]).
Claim(s) 31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ASTROM and ZHANG as in claim 18 and, further in view of Stirling-Gallacher et al. (US. Pub. No. 2016/0183232 A1; hereinafter “STIRLING”)
Regarding claim 31, the combination of ASTROM and ZHANG teaches the second network node of claim 18.
The combination of ASTROM and ZHANG is silent to teaching that wherein the resource status information indicates at least one of:
one or more beams associated with the acceptance;
one or more beams associated with a rejection associated with the power amplification backoff adaptation;
one or more beams for which the power amplifier backoff adaptation is disapproved;
a rejection of the power amplifier backoff adaptation associated with at least one of: one or more frequencies, one or more time periods, or one or more user equipment; or
a cell deactivation associated with a duration associated with the power amplifier backoff adaptation.
In the same field of endeavor, STIRLING teaches a device wherein the resource status information indicates at least one of:
one or more beams associated with the acceptance (see STIRLING, fig. 10, 1020, para. [0061], beam blanking);
one or more beams associated with a rejection associated with the power amplification backoff adaptation;
one or more beams for which the power amplifier backoff adaptation is disapproved;
a rejection of the power amplifier backoff adaptation associated with at least one of: one or more frequencies, one or more time periods, or one or more user equipment; or
a cell deactivation associated with a duration associated with the power amplifier backoff adaptation.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of ASTROM and ZHANG with the teaching of STIRLING in order to improve communication quality and reduce interference (see STIRLING, para. [0003]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-11, 13-21 and 23-32 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US20220256454A1
US20210076326A1
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WEN WU HUANG whose telephone number is (571)272-7852. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 10-6.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Wesley Kim can be reached at (571) 272-7867. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WEN W HUANG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2648
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