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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) was submitted on 07/24/2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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) 1-8, 16-22, 24, and 29-30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhang et al. US 2024/0057050 A1 (hereinafter Zhang).
Regarding Claim 1, Zhang teaches an apparatus for wireless communications at a user equipment (UE) (see Fig. 3: 115-a]; Fig. 9: [115]; see also par. 0124 - 0126), comprising: one or more processors; and instructions stored in one or more memories and executable by the one or more processors (see Fig. 9: [905] and par. 0186), individually or collectively, to cause the apparatus to: communicate, with a network entity (Fig. 5; Fig. 9: [105]; par. 0186; see also claim 1 ), a first indication of an optical front end and a second indication of an operating point for communicating optical signaling via an optical channel with the network entity (Fig. 11: [1105]; the device 1105 supports wireless optical communication [interpreted as a combination according to par. 0204] which requires an optical frontend; par. 0205: "the transmitter 1115 may output information such as user data, control information, or any combination thereof (e.g., I/Q samples, symbols, packets, protocol data units, service data units) associated with various channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels, channels associated with a protocol stack)"; the control information is interpreted as "operating point"; the device 1105 has a communications manager 1120 which comprises a BWP configuration manager 1125, which "may be configured as or otherwise support a means for outputting control signaling including an indication of a first BWP associated with a first communication direction and a second BWP associated with a second communication direction", see par. 0207); communicate, with the network entity, information indicating a configuration of one or more optical subbands associated with the optical channel, the one or more optical subbands being based at least in part on the optical front end and the operating point (see par. 0207; the BWP is interpreted as optical subbands when considering using optical wireless communication as indicated in par. 0204; see also par. 0209); and communicate, with the network entity, one or more optical signals via the optical channel based at least in part on the configuration of the one or more optical subbands (see par. 0207).
Regarding Claim 2, Zhang teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein, to communicate the information indicating the configuration, the instructions are executable by the one or more processors, individually or collectively, to cause the apparatus to: communicate an indication of a frequency range and an indication of a location in a resource block for at least one of the one or more optical subbands associated with the optical channel (see par. 0207; “an indication of a first BWP associated with a first communication direction and a second BWP associated with a second communication direction, the first BWP including a first subband including a first set of RBs and a second subband including a second set of RBs, where the first set of RBs and the second set of RBs are non-contiguous in the frequency domain, and the second BWP including a third set of RBs non-overlapping with the first set of RBs and the second set of RBs in the frequency domain”; see also par. 0209).
Regarding Claim 3, Zhang teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein, to communicate the information indicating the configuration, the instructions are executable by the one or more processors, individually or collectively, to cause the apparatus to: communicate an indication of a quantity of the one or more optical subbands associated with the optical channel (see par. 0207; “an indication of a first BWP associated with a first communication direction and a second BWP associated with a second communication direction”; see also par. 0209).
Regarding Claim 4, Zhang teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein, to communicate the information indicating the configuration, the instructions are executable by the one or more processors, individually or collectively, to cause the apparatus to: communicate an indication of a first frequency and a second frequency for at least one of the one or more optical subbands associated with the optical channel (see par. 0207; “an indication of a first BWP associated with a first communication direction and a second BWP associated with a second communication direction, the first BWP including a first subband including a first set of RBs and a second subband including a second set of RBs, where the first set of RBs and the second set of RBs are non-contiguous in the frequency domain, and the second BWP including a third set of RBs non-overlapping with the first set of RBs and the second set of RBs in the frequency domain”; see also par. 0209).
Regarding Claim 5, Zhang teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the optical front end and the operating point correspond to the network entity (Fig. 11: [1105]; the device 1105 supports wireless optical communication [interpreted as a combination according to par. 0204] which requires an optical frontend; par. 0205: "the transmitter 1115 may output information such as user data, control information, or any combination thereof (e.g., I/Q samples, symbols, packets, protocol data units, service data units) associated with various channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels, channels associated with a protocol stack)"; the control information is interpreted as "operating point"; the device 1105 has a communications manager 1120 which comprises a BWP configuration manager 1125, which "may be configured as or otherwise support a means for outputting control signaling including an indication of a first BWP associated with a first communication direction and a second BWP associated with a second communication direction", see par. 0207), and the optical channel is a downlink optical channel (Abst.; “communications between the UE and the network in one communications direction (e.g., uplink or downlink)”).
Regarding Claim 6, Zhang teaches the apparatus of claim 5, wherein the instructions are further executable by the one or more processors, individually or collectively, to cause the apparatus to: communicate, with the network entity, a third indication of a second optical front end corresponding to the UE, and a fourth indication of a second operating point for communicating second optical signaling via an uplink optical channel with the network entity; communicate, with the network entity, second information indicating a second configuration of one or more second optical subbands associated with the uplink optical channel, the one or more second optical subbands being based at least in part on the second optical front end and the second operating point; and communicate, with the network entity, one or more second optical signals via the uplink optical channel based at least in part on the second configuration of the one or more second optical subbands ([0117], “a full-duplex IAB node may communicate with various UEs 115 (such as half-duplex UEs 115). For example, an IAB node 104 (such as an IAB donor or an IAB parent node) may control or operate multiple other IAB nodes 104 and one or more of the multiple IAB nodes 104 may support full-duplex operation. For example, the parent node may control or operate a first IAB node 104 that is capable of transmitting downlink signaling to a first UE 115 and simultaneously receiving uplink signaling from a second UE 115 and may control or operate a second IAB node 104 that is capable of transmitting downlink signaling to a third UE 115 and simultaneously receiving uplink signaling from a fourth UE 115”; thus the communications described with reference to claim 1 would be duplicated for each respective UE and IAB node).
Regarding Claim 7, Zhang teaches the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further executable by the one or more processors, individually or collectively, to cause the apparatus to: communicate, with the network entity, second information indicating a second configuration of one or more transport blocks for communication via the optical channel (claim 3, “receiving an indication of a second identifier associated with the second bandwidth part; receiving an indication that the second bandwidth part is associated with the second communication direction; and receiving, for the second bandwidth part, an indication of the third set of resource blocks from the plurality of resource blocks”).
Regarding Claim 8, Zhang teaches the apparatus of claim 7, wherein, to communicate the second information, the instructions are executable by the one or more processors, individually or collectively, to cause the apparatus to: communicate an indication of a mapping between the one or more transport blocks and the one or more optical subbands, each transport block being associated with at least one of the one or more optical subbands (Claim 3; Claim 7; par. 0207; “an indication of a first BWP associated with a first communication direction and a second BWP associated with a second communication direction, the first BWP including a first subband including a first set of RBs and a second subband including a second set of RBs, where the first set of RBs and the second set of RBs are non-contiguous in the frequency domain, and the second BWP including a third set of RBs non-overlapping with the first set of RBs and the second set of RBs in the frequency domain”; see also par. 0209).
Regarding Claim 16, Zhang teaches an apparatus for wireless communications at a network entity (Fig. 5; Fig. 9: [105]; par. 0186; see also claim 1), comprising: one or more processors (Par. 24); and instructions stored in one or more memories and executable by the one or more processors (Par. 24), individually or collectively, to cause the apparatus to: communicate, with a user equipment (UE) (see Fig. 3: 115-a]; Fig. 9: [115]; see also par. 0124 - 0126), a first indication of an optical front end and a second indication of an operating point for communicating optical signaling via an optical channel with the UE (Fig. 11: [1105]; the device 1105 supports wireless optical communication [interpreted as a combination according to par. 0204] which requires an optical frontend; par. 0205: "the transmitter 1115 may output information such as user data, control information, or any combination thereof (e.g., I/Q samples, symbols, packets, protocol data units, service data units) associated with various channels (e.g., control channels, data channels, information channels, channels associated with a protocol stack)"; the control information is interpreted as "operating point"; the device 1105 has a communications manager 1120 which comprises a BWP configuration manager 1125, which "may be configured as or otherwise support a means for outputting control signaling including an indication of a first BWP associated with a first communication direction and a second BWP associated with a second communication direction", see par. 0207); communicate, with the UE, information indicating a configuration of one or more optical subbands associated with the optical channel, the one or more optical subbands being based at least in part on the optical front end and the operating point (see par. 0207; the BWP is interpreted as optical subbands when considering using optical wireless communication as indicated in par. 0204; see also par. 0209); and communicate, with the UE, one or more optical signals via the optical channel based at least in part on the configuration of the one or more optical subbands (see par. 0207).
Regarding Claim 17, Zhang teaches the apparatus of claim 16, wherein, to communicate the information indicating the configuration, the instructions are executable by the one or more processors, individually or collectively, to cause the apparatus to: communicate an indication of a frequency range and an indication of a location in a resource block for at least one of the one or more optical subbands associated with the optical channel (see par. 0207; “an indication of a first BWP associated with a first communication direction and a second BWP associated with a second communication direction, the first BWP including a first subband including a first set of RBs and a second subband including a second set of RBs, where the first set of RBs and the second set of RBs are non-contiguous in the frequency domain, and the second BWP including a third set of RBs non-overlapping with the first set of RBs and the second set of RBs in the frequency domain”; see also par. 0209).
Regarding Claim 18, Zhang teaches the apparatus of claim 16, wherein, to communicate the information indicating the configuration, the instructions are executable by the one or more processors, individually or collectively, to cause the apparatus to: communicate an indication of a quantity of the one or more optical subbands associated with the optical channel (see par. 0207; “an indication of a first BWP associated with a first communication direction and a second BWP associated with a second communication direction”; see also par. 0209).
Regarding Claim 19, Zhang teaches the apparatus of claim 16, wherein, to communicate the information indicating the configuration, the instructions are executable by the one or more processors, individually or collectively, to cause the apparatus to: communicate an indication of a first frequency and a second frequency for at least one of the one or more optical subbands associated with the optical channel (see par. 0207; “an indication of a first BWP associated with a first communication direction and a second BWP associated with a second communication direction, the first BWP including a first subband including a first set of RBs and a second subband including a second set of RBs, where the first set of RBs and the second set of RBs are non-contiguous in the frequency domain, and the second BWP including a third set of RBs non-overlapping with the first set of RBs and the second set of RBs in the frequency domain”; see also par. 0209).
Regarding Claim 20, Zhang teaches the apparatus of claim 16, wherein the instructions are further executable by the one or more processors, individually or collectively, to cause the apparatus to: communicate, with the UE, a third indication of a second optical front end corresponding to the UE, and a fourth indication of a second operating point for communicating second optical signaling via an uplink optical channel with the UE; communicate, with the UE, second information indicating a second configuration of one or more second optical subbands associated with the uplink optical channel, the one or more second optical subbands being based at least in part on the second optical front end and the second operating point; and communicate, with the UE, one or more second optical signals via the uplink optical channel based at least in part on the second configuration of the one or more second optical subbands ([0117], “a full-duplex IAB node may communicate with various UEs 115 (such as half-duplex UEs 115). For example, an IAB node 104 (such as an IAB donor or an IAB parent node) may control or operate multiple other IAB nodes 104 and one or more of the multiple IAB nodes 104 may support full-duplex operation. For example, the parent node may control or operate a first IAB node 104 that is capable of transmitting downlink signaling to a first UE 115 and simultaneously receiving uplink signaling from a second UE 115 and may control or operate a second IAB node 104 that is capable of transmitting downlink signaling to a third UE 115 and simultaneously receiving uplink signaling from a fourth UE 115”; thus the communications described with reference to claim 1 would be duplicated for each respective UE and IAB node).
Regarding Claim 21, Zhang teaches the apparatus of claim 16, wherein the instructions are further executable by the one or more processors, individually or collectively, to cause the apparatus to: communicate, with the UE, second information indicating a second configuration of one or more transport blocks for communication via the optical channel (claim 3, “receiving an indication of a second identifier associated with the second bandwidth part; receiving an indication that the second bandwidth part is associated with the second communication direction; and receiving, for the second bandwidth part, an indication of the third set of resource blocks from the plurality of resource blocks”).
Regarding Claim 22, Zhang teaches the apparatus of claim 21, wherein, to communicate the second information, the instructions are executable by the one or more processors, individually or collectively, to cause the apparatus to: communicate an indication of a mapping between the one or more transport blocks and the one or more optical subbands, each transport block being associated with at least one of the one or more optical subbands (Claim 3; Claim 7; par. 0207; “an indication of a first BWP associated with a first communication direction and a second BWP associated with a second communication direction, the first BWP including a first subband including a first set of RBs and a second subband including a second set of RBs, where the first set of RBs and the second set of RBs are non-contiguous in the frequency domain, and the second BWP including a third set of RBs non-overlapping with the first set of RBs and the second set of RBs in the frequency domain”; see also par. 0209).
Regarding Claim 24, Zhang teaches the apparatus of claim 21, wherein a size of a first transport block is based at least in part on a quantity of resource blocks associated with a first optical subband (see par. 0207; “an indication of a first BWP associated with a first communication direction and a second BWP associated with a second communication direction, the first BWP including a first subband including a first set of RBs and a second subband including a second set of RBs, where the first set of RBs and the second set of RBs are non-contiguous in the frequency domain, and the second BWP including a third set of RBs non-overlapping with the first set of RBs and the second set of RBs in the frequency domain”; see also par. 0209).
Regarding Claims 29-30, method claims 29-30 are drawn to the method of using an apparatus the same as claimed in claims 1 and 16, respectfully. As such, the limitations of claims 29-30 correspond to limitations of claims 1 and 16, and are therefore rejected for the same reason(s) of anticipation as stated above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-15, 23, and 25-28 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
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/DAVID W LAMBERT/Examiner, Art Unit 2634