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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 19 recites "the method further comprises receiving medium access control (MAC)-control element (CE) or downlink control information (DCI) indicating a value of k, k being a natural number." Claim 19 depends from claim 16, which depends from claim 12, and claim 12 recites a network-controlled repeater (NCR) comprising at least one transceiver, at least one memory, and at least one processor. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the limitation "the method" in the claim. Further, claim 19 recites both an apparatus and a method step of using that apparatus, such that it is unclear whether infringement occurs when one creates a system that allows the recited receiving to be performed or whether infringement occurs when the receiving is actually performed, MPEP 2173.05(p)(II).
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, 3, 4, 12, 14, 15, and 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2022/0053486 A1 herein Abedini.
Claim 1, Abedini discloses a method of operating a network-controlled repeater (NCR) including NCR-mobile termination (MT) and NCR-Forwarding (Fwd) in a wireless communication system (0006, Method), the method comprising:
performing an initial access procedure with a base station through the NCR-MT (0158, the BS and the repeater device perform an initial access procedure and establish an RRC connection; the MT unit performs similar procedures as a UE);
receiving configuration indication information from the base station through the NCR-MT (0162, the BS sends configuration information for an RU of the repeater device to the MT unit); and
performing a forwarding operation through the NCR-Fwd based on a configuration set indicated by the configuration indication information (0164, the first RU forwards the DL traffic and control for the UE to the UE);
wherein the configuration indication information indicates the configuration set among a plurality of configuration sets which are predetermined (0193; FIG. 16A, MAC-CE configured fronthaul-link active TCI states, each TCI state index corresponding to a relay unit beam index set; 0240, the control information provides an index of a value from 0 to 7 to indicate the active TCI states).
Claim 3, Abedini discloses the method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of configuration sets has a configuration set identity (ID), and the configuration indication information informs a configuration set ID of the configuration set (0193; FIG. 16A, TCI state index ranging from O to g-1, each index corresponding to a relay unit beam index; 0240, the control information provides an index of a value from 0 to 7 to indicate the active TCI states).
Claim 4, Abedini discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the configuration indication information is received through a medium access control (MAC)-control element (CE) or downlink control information (DCI) (0230, the control information may be received as at least one of a DCI, a MAC-CE, or an RRC configuration).
Claim 12, as analyzed with respect to the limitations as discussed in claim 1. Abedini discloses a network-controlled repeater (NCR) including NCR-mobile termination (MT) and NCR-Forwarding (Fwd) (0007, NCR), the NCR comprising:
at least one transceiver (0206, the transceiver provides a communication interface for communicating with various other apparatus over a transmission medium);
at least one memory (0205, the bus communicatively couples one or more processors, a memory, and a computer-readable medium); and
at least one processor operably coupled with the at least one memory and the at least one transceiver (0204, the repeater device is implemented with a processing system that includes one or more processors).
Claim 14, as analyzed with respect to the limitations as discussed in claim 3.
Claim 15, as analyzed with respect to the limitations as discussed in claim 4.
Claim 25, Abedini discloses a method of operating a base station in a wireless communication system (0008, Method), the method comprising:
performing an initial access procedure with a network-controlled repeater (NCR) including NCR-mobile termination (MT) and NCR-Forwarding (Fwd) through the NCR-MT (0158, the BS and the repeater device perform an initial access procedure and establish an RRC connection);
transmitting configuration indication information to the NCR-MT (0263, the base station transmits, to the repeater device, control information over control signaling to configure a relay unit of the repeater device); and
transmitting a signal to the NCR-Fwd or receiving a signal from the NCR-Fwd based on a configuration set indicated by the configuration indication information (0164, the BS transmits DL traffic and control to the repeater device and the first RU forwards the DL traffic and control to the UE);
wherein the configuration indication information indicates the configuration set among a plurality of configuration sets which are predetermined (0193; FIG. 16A, MAC-CE configured fronthaul-link active TCI states, each TCI state index corresponding to a relay unit beam index set; 0273, the control information provides an index of a value from Oto 7 to indicate the active TCI states).
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.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 2, 10 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abedini in view of US 2024/0413943 A1 herein Astrom.
Claim 2, Abedini discloses the method of claim 1. Abedini may not explicitly disclose wherein the plurality of configuration sets are stored in advance in the NCR-MT through Operations, Administration and Maintenance (OAM) settings or defined in a standard specification.
Astrom discloses wherein the plurality of configuration sets are stored in advance in the NCR-MT through Operations, Administration and Maintenance (OAM) settings (0130, the IAB node receives a cell and carrier configuration from the IAB donor-CU based on carriers configured by operations and management (OAM), and the IAB node may read such information from a file; 0151, the IAB donor-CU activates the IAB-DU cells which are configured by OAM). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Abedini to include configuring the configuration sets through OAM, as taught by Astrom, so as to reduce the signaling overhead of resource configuration (0049).
Claim 10, Abedini discloses the method of claim 1. Abedini may not explicitly disclose wherein when the NCR operates in multiple carriers, a plurality of configuration sets are [sic: is] predetermined for each carrier, and configuration indication information indicating a configuration set applied to each carrier is received for each carrier.
Astrom discloses wherein when the NCR operates in multiple carriers, a plurality of configuration sets are predetermined for each carrier, and configuration indication information indicating a configuration set applied to each carrier is received for each carrier (0130, the information may include multiple IAB-DU cells and/or carriers depending on the IAB node's hardware configuration; 0193, the method is extended to the case where the IAB-MT serving cell overlaps in the frequency domain with multiple IAB-DU cells, the RB set configuration being determined for each IAB-DU frequency resource; 0051, a maximum number of contiguous and non-overlapping RB sets configurable per cell is 8). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Abedini to include configuring a separate set of configurations for each carrier, as taught by Astrom, so as to reduce the signaling overhead of resource configuration (0049).
Claim 13, as analyzed with respect to the limitations as discussed in claim 2.
Claim(s) 5-9 and 16-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abedini in view of US 2020/0359459 A1 herein Kakishima.
Claim 5, Abedini discloses the method of claim 1. Abedini may not explicitly disclose wherein when the configuration indication information is received in a first slot, the configuration set is applied from a second slot.
Kakishima discloses wherein when the configuration indication information is received in a first slot, the configuration set is applied from a second slot (0057, slot n is the slot where the UE receives the MAC CE activation command and the corresponding actions and the TCI state are applied no earlier than slot n+X). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Abedini to include applying the indicated configuration from a slot subsequent to the slot in which the indication is received, as taught by Kakishima, so as to avoid an ambiguous timeline between the base station and the receiving device after reception of the activation command (0094).
Claim 6, Abedini in view of Kakishima discloses the method of claim 5. Abedini may not explicitly disclose wherein the second slot is a slot immediately following the first slot.
Kakishima discloses that the slot in which the configuration is applied is identified as slot n+X (0057, the corresponding actions and the TCI state are applied no earlier than slot n+X, where X may be a predetermined fixed value defined in the 3GPP specification), and that slots are numbered within a subframe (0042, a subframe consists of one or more slots, the number of slots per subframe depending on subcarrier spacing; slot n represents the slot number). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to select the slot immediately following the first slot as the second slot, since selecting the smallest value of the application delay is a choice from a finite number of identified, predictable solutions with a reasonable expectation of success, KSR lnt'I Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 421 (2007), MPEP 2143(I)(E).
Claim 7, Abedini in view of Kakishima discloses the method of claim 5. Abedini may not explicitly disclose wherein when the first slot is referred to as slot n, n being 0 or a natural number, and the second slot is referred to as slot n+k, a value of k, k being a natural number, is stored in advance in the NCR-MT through OAM (Operations, Administration and Maintenance) setting or defined in a standard specification.
Kakishima discloses wherein when the first slot is referred to as slot n, n being 0 or a natural number, and the second slot is referred to as slot n+k, a value of k, k being a natural number, is defined in a standard specification (0057, slot n is the slot where the MAC CE activation command is received and the actions are applied no earlier than slot n+X, where X may be a predetermined fixed value defined in the 3GPP specification). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Abedini to include defining the application delay value in a standard specification, as taught by Kakishima, so as to avoid an ambiguous timeline between the base station and the receiving device after reception of the activation command (0094).
Claim 8, Abedini in view of Kakishima discloses the method of claim 5. Abedini may not explicitly disclose wherein when the first slot is referred to as slot n, n being 0 or a natural number, and the second slot is referred to as slot n+k, the method further comprises receiving medium access control (MAC)-control element (CE) or downlink control information (DCI) indicating a value of k, k being a natural number.
Kakishima discloses wherein when the first slot is referred to as slot n, n being 0 or a natural number, and the second slot is referred to as slot n+k, the method further comprises receiving medium access control (MAC)-control element (CE) or downlink control information (DCI) indicating a value of k, k being a natural number (0049, k may be dynamically switched using at least one of the MAC CE and downlink control information (DCI)). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Abedini to include signaling the application delay value by MAC-CE or DCI, as taught by Kakishima, so as to avoid an ambiguous timeline between the base station and the receiving device after reception of the activation command (0094).
Claim 9, Abedini in view of Kakishima discloses the method of claim 8. Abedini may not explicitly disclose wherein the MAC-CE or the DCI further includes information indicating a configuration set ID for the configuration set.
Kakishima discloses wherein the MAC-CE or the DCI further includes information indicating a configuration set ID for the configuration set (0063, the MAC CE activation command indicates the activated TCI states of the configured TCI states for the POSCH; 0049, k may be dynamically switched using at least one of the MAC CE and DCI, thus the same MAC-CE or DCI carries both the activated state and the value of k). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Abedini to include carrying the activated state identity together with the application delay value, as taught by Kakishima, so as to avoid an ambiguous timeline between the base station and the receiving device after reception of the activation command (0094).
Claim 16, as analyzed with respect to the limitations as discussed in claim 5.
Claim 17, as analyzed with respect to the limitations as discussed in claim 6.
Claim 18, as analyzed with respect to the limitations as discussed in claim 7.
Claim 19, as analyzed with respect to the limitations as discussed in claim 8.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over unpatentable over Abedini in view of US 2009/0141668 A1 herein Zhang. Claim 11, Abedini discloses the method of claim 1. Abedini may not explicitly disclose wherein the NCR-MT supports only a PHY layer and a MAC layer among a plurality of layers.
Zhang discloses wherein the NCR-MT supports only a PHY layer and a MAC layer among a plurality of layers (0054, the relay node can implement only the R-PHY and R-MAC layers on the R-link; 0052, the relay nodes include the physical layer and the R-MAC layer while the base stations and mobile stations further include the CPS, MAC security, and convergence sub-layers). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Abedini to include implementing only the physical and MAC layers at the relay, as taught by Zhang, so as to allow efficient use of MAC layer resources (0006).
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20240187085 A1 – An apparatus configured for communicating in a wireless communication network is configured for obtaining, based on a reception of a signal, information about an on/off mode and/or obtaining, based on a reception of a signal, information about a communication mode. The apparatus is configured for operating according to the obtained information to amplify and forward a received signal to repeat the received signal.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Mehmood B. Khan whose telephone number is (571)272-9277. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30 am-6:30 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Asad Nawaz can be reached at (571) 272-3988. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Mehmood B. Khan/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2463
MEHMOOD B. KHAN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2463
Prosecution Insights