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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) 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.
In response to applicant’s “The Office Action doesn't identify any particular entity
in Fig. 1 that is alleged to disclose the “RAN management element network” recited in claim 16. (page 9 of 10 of applicant’s remarks)”, the examiner would like to point out that according to applicant’s Publication, the applicant defines the “RAN management element network” as broadly as a newly introduced network element, and may perform topology management, cell management, and the like for the IAB node of one or more IAB donors. The RAN management network element may establish a communication interface with the one or more IAB donors. See paragraphs [0187]-[0188] of applicant’s Publication. In other words, the examiner is able to interpret the broad definition of the “RAN management element network” as described in the Publication as, for example, another IAB node.
Muhammad teaches communicating routing information (i.e., configuration information as determined) of the IAB nodes and the IAB donor Dus between all the IAB nodes and IAB donor Dus (see paragraphs [0135]-[0145]) therefore, an IAB node of Muhammad can be considered as a “RAN management element network” in align with the claim language.
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As shown in Muhammed, the RAN management element network is only connected to a first IAB donor (i.e., single) and not a plurality of IAB donors therefore, XU is shown below to teach.
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(s) 16-18, 21-23, 27-29, 33-34 and 36-37 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Muhammad et al. (Muhammad), U.S. Publication No. 2022/0182917 in view of XU et al. (XU), U.S. Publication No. 2023/0328625.
Regarding Claims 16, 21 and 27, Muhammad discloses a method,
applied to a radio access network (RAN) management network element (see examiner’s response above), the RAN management network element being connected to a integrated access and backhaul (IAB) donor through a first interface (see examiner’s response above), the RAN management network element being connected to a first IAB node through a second interface (see examiner’s response above), the first IAB donor being connected to the first IAB node through a wireless backhaul link (see examiner’s response above), and the method comprising:
determining configuration information of the first IAB node, wherein the configuration information of the first IAB node comprises one or more of address information of the first IAB node, routing information of the first IAB node (i.e., the CU 134 determines routes, e.g. all possible routes, between one or more IAB nodes 110 and/or one or more DUs 132 operating in the IAB communications network 100…Each respective route information comprises a route identity and a respective node identity of the one or more IAB nodes 110, e.g. next IAB nodes 110, and/or DUs 132 comprised in the respective route.; see paragraphs [0135]-[0145]), or cell information of the first IAB node; and
sending the configuration information of the first IAB node to the first IAB node through the second interface (i.e., the CU 134 transmits route information of the determined routes to the one or more IAB nodes 110 and/or the one or more DUs 132.; see paragraph [0138]).
Muhammad fails to disclose a plurality of integrated access and backhaul (IAB) donors and the plurality of IAB donors comprising a first IAB donor.
XU discloses a plurality of integrated access and backhaul (IAB) donors (i.e., IAB Donor 210 and IAB Donor 220; see figure 2B) and the plurality of IAB donors comprising a first IAB donor (for example, IAB Donor 210). XU teaches IAB Node 240 as a radio access network (RAN) management network element connected to the plurality of integrated access and backhaul (IAB) donors 210/220 via IAB nodes 250/260 (a first interface) and the radio access network (RAN) management network element connected to the IAB nodes 250/260 (through a second interface) as shown in figure 2B.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to consider XU’s invention having a radio access network (RAN) management network element connected to the plurality of integrated access and backhaul (IAB) donors with Muhammad’s invention having a radio access network (RAN) management network element connected to a integrated access and backhaul (IAB) donor for preventing interruption of connections and services as described in XU.
Regarding Claims 17, 22 and 28, Muhammad and XU disclose the method,
communication apparatus and non-transitory computer readable medium as described above. Muhammad further discloses further comprising: sending the configuration information of the first IAB node to the first IAB donor through the first interface (see paragraphs [0135]-[0145] and figure 1).
Regarding Claims 18, 23 and 29, Muhammad and XU disclose the method,
communication apparatus and non-transitory computer readable medium as described above. Muhammad further discloses further comprising: determining configuration information of the first IAB donor; and sending the configuration information of the first IAB donor to the first IAB donor through the first interface (see paragraphs [0135]-[0145] and figure 1).
Regarding Claim 33, Muhammad and XU disclose the non-transitory computer
readable medium as described above. Muhammad further discloses wherein the configuration information of the first IAB node comprises the address information of the first IAB node (see paragraphs [0037] and [0042]).
Regarding Claims 34 and 36-37, Muhammad and XU disclose the non-
transitory computer readable medium, method and communication apparatus as described above. Muhammad further discloses wherein the configuration information of the first IAB node comprises routing information of the first IAB node (see paragraph [0138]).
Claim(s) 19-20, 24-25, 30-31 and 35 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Muhammad and XU in view of Hampel et al. (Hampel), U.S. Publication No. 2021/0321467.
Regarding Claims 19, 24 and 30, Muhammad and XU disclose the method, communication apparatus and non-transitory computer readable medium as described above. Muhammad and XU fail to disclose further comprising: receiving a first request message from the first IAB donor; and wherein sending the configuration information of the first IAB donor to the first IAB donor through the first interface comprises: sending the configuration information of the first IAB donor to the first IAB donor through the first interface in response to receiving the first request message. Hampel discloses further comprising: receiving a first request message from the first IAB donor; and wherein sending the configuration information of the first IAB donor to the first IAB donor through the first interface comprises: sending the configuration information of the first IAB donor to the first IAB donor through the first interface in response to receiving the first request message (see paragraphs [0163]-[0165] and [0236]). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to consider Hampel’s invention with Muhammad’s and XU’s invention for enabling fast and easy deployment thereby improving efficiency of both the UE and the network as described throughout Hampel.
Regarding Claims 20, 25 and 31, Muhammad and XU disclose the method, communication apparatus and non-transitory computer readable medium as described above. Muhammad and XU fail to disclose further comprising: receiving a second request message from the first IAB node; and wherein sending the configuration information of the first IAB node to the first IAB node through the second interface comprises: sending the configuration information of the first IAB node to the first IAB node through the second interface in response to receiving the second request message. Hampel discloses further comprising: receiving a second request message from the first IAB node; and wherein sending the configuration information of the first IAB node to the first IAB node through the second interface comprises: sending the configuration information of the first IAB node to the first IAB node through the second interface in response to receiving the second request message (see paragraphs [0159] and [0203]-[0204]). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to consider Hampel’s invention with Muhammad’s and XU’s invention for enabling fast and easy deployment thereby improving efficiency of both the UE and the network as described throughout Hampel.
Regarding Claim 35, Muhammad and XU disclose the non-transitory computer
readable medium as described above. Muhammad and XU fail to disclose wherein the configuration information of the first IAB node comprises cell information of the first IAB node. Hampel discloses wherein the configuration information of the first IAB node comprises cell information of the first IAB node (see paragraph [0079]). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to consider Hampel’s invention with Muhammad’s and XU’s invention for enabling fast and easy deployment thereby improving efficiency of both the UE and the network as described throughout Hampel.
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 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 SHANTELL LAKETA HEIBER whose telephone number is (571)272-0886. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F from 9am to 5pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anthony Addy, can be reached at telephone number (571)272-0886. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SHANTELL L HEIBER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2645
March 31, 2026
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