Detail Action
This office action is a response to an amendment submitted on 05/07/2026.
Claims 1- 19 and 24 are pending for examination.
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) was filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The Examiner contends that the drawings submitted on 01/18/2024 are acceptable for examination proceedings.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 05/07/2026 with respect to claim(s) have been considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant’s arguments are summarized as following: Prior Arts Wei in view of Choi does not teach at least one restricted beam corresponding … when operating in time division multiplexing, TDM.
In response to applicant's arguments against the references individually, one cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986).
In this case, Wei teaches the limitations the indication of the at least one restricted beam corresponding to a deactivation of a Transmission Configuration Indicator, TCI state [Wei: Par. 82 teaches that the TCI states can be configured as beam restrictions (i.e., the indicated beams/TCI-states cannot be used/ deactivation of TCI) ; Par. 110- 118 teaches the TCI states can be configured as beam restrictions, Par. 67 teaches IAB nodes support FDM, TDM, SDM]. Prior Art Reference Choi, in the similar field of endeavor, support that TCI state, which would be available when operating in time division multiplexing, TDM [Choi: Fig. 8; Par. 125- 140 teaches of determine TDM corresponding to TCI state]. Choi supports that an IAB system can switch among SDM, FDM and TDM and that TDM is usable operating mode for IAB nodes, thereby providing a mode-specific operation in which configuration states may be activate or deactivate depending on the operating mode. When combined with Wei’s disclosure of TCI state activation/ deactivation for IAB beam control, Choi supplies the motivation to apply TCI-state management within the TDM fallback framework. Hence, applicant’s argument does not persuasively distinguish this combination because it improperly isolates the references rather than addressing the combinations of references.
Therefore, applicant’s arguments are not persuasive.
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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) 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 non-obviousness.
Claims 1- 19 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wei (US 20240147472 A1), hereinafter “Wei”; and in further view of Choi et al. (US 20220368478 A1), hereinafter “Choi”.
Regarding claim 1, Wei teaches An Internet Access and Backhaul, IAB, node configured to communicate with a child IAB node, the IAB node, comprising [Wei: Abstract teaches of parent IAB DU providing beam communication for child IAB DU]:
processing circuitry configured to: determine at least one restricted beam for an IAB-distributed unit, IAB-DU, of a child IAB node, when operating in spatial division multiplexing, SDM [Wei: Fig.5; Par. 75- 85 teaches of using restricted beam for communication with child IAB] Par. 67 teaches IAB support SDM]; and
indicate the at least one restricted beam for configuring the child IAB node, the indication of the at least one restricted beam corresponding to a deactivation of a Transmission Configuration Indicator, TCI state [Wei: Par. 82 teaches that the TCI states can be configured as beam restrictions (i.e., the indicated beams/TCI-states cannot be used/ deactivation of TCI) ; Par. 110- 118 teaches the TCI states can be configured as beam restrictions, Par. 67 teaches IAB nodes support FDM, TDM, SDM]].
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However, Wei does not teach TCI state, which would be available when operating in time division multiplexing, TDM.
Nevertheless, Choi, in the similar filed of endeavor, teaches TCI state, which would be available when operating in time division multiplexing, TDM [Choi: Fig. 8; Par. 125- 140 teaches of determine TDM corresponding to TCI state]
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Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time the invention was made to utilize the teachings of Choi for performing multiplexing including TDM. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Choi in the Wei system in order to provided IAB node to receive configuration in TDM [Choi: Par. 016].
Regarding claim 2, the combined Wei in view of Choi teaches all the limitations in the parent claim 1. Wei in view of Choi further teaches wherein the indication is communicated to the child IAB node [Wei: Fig. 4A-4B].
Regarding claim 3, the combined Wei in view of Choi teaches all the limitations in the parent claim 1. Wei in view of Choi further teaches wherein the at least one restricted beam is configured to restrict selection to one of the at least one restricted beam [Wei: Fig. 5; Par. 80- 87 teaches restricted beam is configured to inform IAB].
Regarding claim 4, the combined Wei in view of Choi teaches all the limitations in the parent claim 1. Wei in view of Choi further teaches wherein the indication of the at least one restricted beam is associated with at least one TCI state [Wei: Fig. 7 illustrate TCI activation]
Regarding claim 5, the combined Wei in view of Choi teaches all the limitations in the parent claim 1. Wei in view of Choi further teaches wherein the indication is provided by signaling individually per carrier [Wei: Par. 70 teaches IAB configured the component carriers per IAB DU].
Regarding claim 6, the combined Wei in view of Choi teaches all the limitations in the parent claim 1. Wei in view of Choi further teaches wherein the at least one restricted beam corresponds to a plurality of restricted beams to be applied to one of: a single carrier, subset of a plurality of carriers and the plurality of carriers [Wei: Par. 70].
Regarding claim 7, the combined Wei in view of Choi teaches all the limitations in the parent claim 1. Wei in view of Choi further teaches Medium Access Control-Control Element, MAC-CE signaling [Wei: Par. 86 disclosed MAC CE;
at least one SSB index in MAC-CE signaling; and at least one Channel State Information-Reference Signal, CSI-RS, resource index in MAC-CE signaling [Wei: Par. 86 & 88 teaches of state of CSI-RS in MAC CE].
Regarding claim 8, the combined Wei in view of Choi teaches all the limitations in the parent claim 1. Wei in view of Choi further teaches the restriction of the at least one restricted beam is configured to be disregarded by the child IAB node operating in TDM operation mode [Choi: Par. 56 teaches restricted beam is configured by child IAB node in FDM/ SDM and TDM]
Regarding claim 9, the combined Wei in view of Choi teaches all the limitations in the parent claim 1. Wei in view of Choi further teaches wherein the indication is transmitted to a Donor IAB node [Wei: Par. 65- 68 disclosed donor node].
Regarding claim 10, the combined Wei in view of Choi teaches all the limitations in the parent claim 1. Wei in view of Choi further teaches herein the processing circuitry is further configured to activate one of a TDM operation mode and SDM operation mode at the child IAB node, the at least one restricted beam being associated with the SDM operation mode and not the TDM operation mode [See Choi Par. 50- 60].
Regarding claim 11, the combined Wei in view of Choi teaches all the limitations in the parent claim 1. Wei in view of Choi further teaches wherein the at least one restricted beam corresponds to at least one downlink beam used for communication from the child IAB node to a first IAB node [Wei: Par. 66 teaches of communication between child IAB and others nodes using uplink and downlink tables by IAB DU and MT].
Regarding claim 12, the combined Wei in view of Choi teaches all the limitations in the parent claim 1. Wei in view of Choi further teaches wherein the at least one restricted beam allows the IAB-DU and IAB-Mobile Termination, IAB-MT, of the child IAB node to simultaneously use the same resources [Wei: Par. 69- 70 teaches of simultaneous communication and operation of IAB-DU and MT and child IAB node].
Regarding claim 13, Wei teaches An Internet Access and Backhaul, IAB, node, comprising: processing circuitry configured to [Wei: Fig. 1A]:
transmit a plurality of synchronization signal blocks, SSBs [Wei: Par. 78 teaches of sending SSBs and CSI-RS];
receive an indication associated with at least one restricted beam for an IAB-distributed unit, IAB-DU, of the IAB node [Wei: Fig.5; Par. 75- 85 teaches of using restricted beam for communication with child IAB] Par. 67 teaches IAB support SDM]; and
determine at least one IAB-DU beam for downlink transmission based at least on the indication associated with the at least one restricted beam [Wei: Par. 82 teaches that the TCI states can be configured as beam restrictions (i.e., the indicated beams/TCI-states cannot be used/ deactivation of TCI) ; Par. 110- 118 teaches the TCI states can be configured as beam restrictions, Par. 67 teaches IAB nodes support FDM, TDM, SDM]].
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However, Wei does not teach the indication of the at least one restricted beam being associated with at least one Transmission Configuration Indicator, TCI, state.
Nevertheless, Choi, in the similar filed of endeavor, teaches the indication of the at least one restricted beam being associated with at least one Transmission Configuration Indicator, TCI, state [Choi: Fig. 8; Par. 125- 140 teaches of determine TDM corresponding to TCI state]
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Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time the invention was made to utilize the teachings of Choi for performing multiplexing including TDM. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Choi in the Wei system in order to provided IAB node to receive configuration in TDM [Choi: Par. 016].
Regarding claim 14, the combined Wei in view of Choi teaches all the limitations in the parent claim 1. Wei in view of Choi further teaches wherein the indication is an explicit indication of the at least one restricted beam received from a parent IAB node [Wei: Par. 75- 85 teaches Parent IAB provide restricted beam to child IAB].
Regarding claim 15 , the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 3.
Regarding claim 16 , the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 5.
Regarding claim 17 , the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 6.
Regarding claim 18 , the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 7.
Regarding claim 19 , the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 8.
Regarding claim 24, Wei teaches A method implemented by an Internet Access and Backhaul, IAB, node that is configured to communicate with a child IAB node, the method comprising [Wei: Abstract teaches of parent IAB DU providing beam communication for child IAB DU]:
determining at least one restricted beam for an IAB-distributed unit, IAB-DU, of a child IAB node when operating in spatial division multiplexing, SDM [Wei: Fig.5; Par. 75- 85 teaches of using restricted beam for communication with child IAB] Par. 67 teaches IAB support SDM]; and
indicate the at least one restricted beam for configuring the child IAB node, the indication of the at least one restricted beam corresponding to a deactivation of a Transmission Configuration Indicator, TCI state [Wei: Par. 82 teaches that the TCI states can be configured as beam restrictions (i.e., the indicated beams/TCI-states cannot be used/ deactivation of TCI) ; Par. 110- 118 teaches the TCI states can be configured as beam restrictions, Par. 67 teaches IAB nodes support FDM, TDM, SDM]].
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However, Wei does not teach TCI state, which would be available when operating in time division multiplexing, TDM.
Nevertheless, Choi, in the similar filed of endeavor, teaches TCI state, which would be available when operating in time division multiplexing, TDM [Choi: Fig. 8; Par. 125- 140 teaches of determine TDM corresponding to TCI state]
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Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time the invention was made to utilize the teachings of Choi for performing multiplexing including TDM. One of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to utilize the teachings of Choi in the Wei system in order to provided IAB node to receive configuration in TDM [Choi: Par. 016].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record (see attached PTO-892) and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 KYAW Z SOE whose telephone number is (571)270-0304. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Charles C Jiang can be reached at 5712707191. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KYAW Z SOE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2412
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