DETAILED ACTION
This communication is responsive to Application #18/633,345 filed 4/11/2024. Claims 1-20 are subject to 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 .
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.
Claims 2 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Regarding Claims 2 and 13, the claims each recite the limitation “unconditionally forward(ing) one or more paging messages or PDSCH transmissions ... based at least in part on an identifier associated with the first radio of the network-controlled repeater.” This limitation renders the claims indefinite because it is unclear whether:
The repeater is “unconditionally” forwarding all paging messages, in which case the act of forwarding is not “based on” anything (i.e. an identifier of the first radio); or
The repeater is “unconditionally” forwarding only paging messages that are associated with an identifier of the first radio, in which case it needs to be made clear that the messages are associated with the identifier of the first radio.
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.
Claims 1-5, 7, 11-16, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fang et al. (US 2025/0220587 A1, hereinafter “Fang”) in view of Bergström et al. (US 2025/0071729 A1, hereinafter “Bergström”) and Freda et al. (US 2024/0163934 A1, hereinafter “Freda”).
Regarding Claim 1, Fang teaches a network-controlled repeater, comprising: one or more memories storing processor-executable code (Fang: FIG. 7 is a diagram 700 illustrating ... a network-controlled repeater (NCR), see paragraph [0063]; the functions described may be implemented in hardware, software, or any combination thereof. If implemented in software, the functions may be stored on or encoded as one or more instructions or code on a computer-readable medium, see paragraph [0027]); and
one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories and individually or collectively operable to execute the code (Fang: any element, or any portion of an element, or any combination of elements may be implemented as a “processing system” that includes one or more processors, see paragraph [0026]) to cause the network-controlled repeater to:
enter an idle mode at a first radio associated with the network-controlled repeater (Fang: An NCR includes a control component NCR-mobile termination (NCR-MT), see paragraph [0063]; In operation 1302, the wireless device receives, by a mobile termination (MT) component of the wireless device while in a radio resource control (RRC) idle or inactive state, a control message, see paragraph [0089]);
receive one or more transmissions of a downlink control information (DCI), a paging early indication (PEI), or both during a paging occasion of a paging frame while the first radio is in the idle mode (Fang: Within a PO, the base station 702 initiates the paging procedure by transmitting a DCI message, see paragraph [0066]; In operation 1302, the wireless device receives, by a mobile termination (MT) component of the wireless device while in a radio resource control (RRC) idle or inactive state, a control message, see paragraph [0089]); and
selectively forward, via a second radio associated with the network-controlled repeater, one or more paging messages or physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) transmissions while the first radio is in the idle mode, the selective forwarding being based at least in part on successfully decoding the DCI or the PEI at the network-controlled repeater (Fang: An NCR includes ... an amplify-and-forwarding component NCR-forwarding (NCR-FWD), see paragraph [0063]; The NCR-FWD 708 is able to receive and forward the DL/UL RF signals ... The base station 702 may transmit a PDCCH 710 to the NCR-MT 707. In certain scenarios, the PDCCH 710 may schedule transmission of a PDSCH 712 [by the NCR-FWD], see paragraph [0065] and Fig. 7; The base station 702 transmits control signals to the NCR-MT 707 in a PEI ... paging DCI ... or paging message .... The NCR-MT 707 decodes the received control signals and controls the NCR-FWD 708 according to the control signals, see paragraph [0073]; In operation 1302, the wireless device receives, by a mobile termination (MT) component of the wireless device while in a radio resource control (RRC) idle or inactive state, a control message ... [and] determines an activation or deactivation operation for a forwarding component of the wireless device according to the control message. In operation 1306, the wireless device performs the activation or deactivation operation at the forwarding component see paragraph [0089]).
While Fang teaches forwarding via a second radio associated with the network-controlled repeater (Fang: An NCR includes ... an amplify-and-forwarding component NCR-forwarding (NCR-FWD), see paragraph [0063]), Fang does not explicitly teach to forward a DCI or PEI; and
to forward one or more paging messages or physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) transmissions during a set quantity of symbols of the paging frame subsequent to the paging occasion.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Bergström teaches to forward a DCI or PEI (Bergström: a method performed by a remote radio device ... is provided. The method comprises ... receiving the paging message ... from a relay radio device at the remote radio device in a SL paging occasion (PO) of the remote radio device. The paging message is (e.g., selectively) announced by a SL paging early indication (PEI) on the SL (e.g., received) from the relay radio device at the remote radio device, see paragraph [0054] and Fig. 4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Fang to include the features as taught by Bergström above in order to improve performance (Bergström: see paragraphs [0289]).
Fang-Bergström does not explicitly teach to forward one or more paging messages or physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) transmissions during a set quantity of symbols of the paging frame subsequent to the paging occasion.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Freda teaches to forward one or more paging messages or physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) transmissions during a set quantity of symbols of the paging frame subsequent to the paging occasion (Freda: a relay UE may determine a finite time window for transmission/relaying of a paging message to one or more remote UEs. Such window may be defined relative to the Uu PO associated with one or more connected remote UEs. Specifically, such window may start at an offset from a paging frame or paging occasion associated with one or more remote UEs, see paragraph [0442]; the relay UE may configure the starting slot to occur following the PO of one or more remote UE if only one PO in the PF is associated with an attached remote UE, see paragraph [0468]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Fang-Bergström to include the features as taught by Freda above in order to perform monitoring in a power-efficient manner (Freda: see paragraph [0144]).
Regarding Claim 2, Fang-Bergström-Freda teaches the network-controlled repeater of claim 1, wherein, to selectively forward the one or more paging messages or PDSCH transmissions, the one or more processors are individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the network-controlled repeater to: unconditionally forward one or more paging messages or PDSCH transmissions based at least in part on an identifier associated with the first radio of the network-controlled repeater (Fang: Following the DCI message, the base station 702 transmits the actual paging message on the specified resources. The paging message contains information about the incoming event, including the NCR-MT 707's identity (such as its temporary mobile subscriber identity—TMSI), see paragraph [0066]; The NCR-MT 707 decodes the received control signals and controls the NCR-FWD 708 according to the control signals, see paragraph [0073]).
Freda further teaches one or more paging messages or PDSCH transmissions associated with one or more symbols of the set quantity of symbols of the paging frame (Freda: a relay UE may determine a finite time window for transmission/relaying of a paging message to one or more remote UEs, see paragraph [0442]; the relay UE may configure the starting slot to occur following the PO of one or more remote UE if only one PO in the PF is associated with an attached remote UE, see paragraph [0468]).
The rationale and motivation for adding the teaching of Freda is the same as the rationale and motivation for Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 3, Fang-Bergström-Freda teaches the network-controlled repeater of claim 1.
Freda further teaches to receive an indication of one or more identifiers associated with one or more user equipments (UEs) (Freda: The relay UE may receive any of the following information in the active paging indication message: ... One or more UE ID, where such may be a 5G-S-TMSI, I-RNTI, L2 source and/or destination ID, see paragraphs [0191]-[0197]).
The rationale and motivation for adding the teaching of Freda is the same as the rationale and motivation for Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 4, Fang-Bergström-Freda teaches the network-controlled repeater of claim 3, wherein the one or more paging messages or PDSCH transmissions are selectively forwarded to the one or more UEs based at least in part on an identifier associated with the first radio of the network-controlled repeater (Fang: Following the DCI message, the base station 702 transmits the actual paging message on the specified resources. The paging message contains information about the incoming event, including the NCR-MT 707's identity (such as its temporary mobile subscriber identity—TMSI), see paragraph [0066]; The NCR-MT 707 decodes the received control signals and controls the NCR-FWD 708 according to the control signals, see paragraph [0073]).
Freda further teaches, selective forwarding based at least in part on one or more identifiers associated with the one or more respective UEs (Freda: A relay UE may be connected to remote UEs which have provided the full UE ID, and/or remote UEs which have provided the partial UE ID. The relay UE may read and forward paging differently depending on the specific case/UE (whether it has the full or partial ID), see paragraph [0249]).
The rationale and motivation for adding the teaching of Freda is the same as the rationale and motivation for Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 5, Fang-Bergström-Freda teaches the network-controlled repeater of claim 3.
Freda further teaches, the one or more identifiers includes a set of discrete identifiers (Freda: The relay UE may receive any of the following information in the active paging indication message: ... One or more UE ID, where such may be a 5G-S-TMSI, I-RNTI, L2 source and/or destination ID, see paragraphs [0191]-[0197]).
The rationale and motivation for adding the teaching of Freda is the same as the rationale and motivation for Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 7, Fang-Bergström-Freda teaches the network-controlled repeater of claim 3.
Freda further teaches to receive, based at least in part on receiving the indication of the one or more identifiers, an indication indicating a subset of the one or more identifiers (Freda: The relay UE may receive any of the following information in the active paging indication message: ... One or more UE ID ... Such ID(s) may be associated with the UEs which will receive paging in the next PO(s) or in a future PO(s) ... A bitmap, where each bit in the bitmap is associated with a remote UE, group of remote UEs, see paragraphs [0191]-[0206]); and
selectively forward one or more paging occasions associated with the subset of the one or more identifiers indicated by the indication (Freda: if the message contains a bitmap, the message may further define the granularity of the bitmap (e.g. whether each bit is associated with a single PO, or a group of POs, and information needed by the relay UE to determine the grouping and/or mapping to each group) ... the message may further define the grouping of UE IDs associated with each bit (e.g. the number of UEs in each group associated with each bit), see paragraphs [0195]-[0197]).
The rationale and motivation for adding the teaching of Freda is the same as the rationale and motivation for Claim 1.
Bergström further teaches that the indication may be a PEI (Bergström: The PEI may be indicative of the subgroup of at least one of the relay radio device and the remote radio device. In other words, subgrouping of the radio devices for the paging may be implemented by including additional information (i.e., indicative of the subgroup) in the PEI for both relay radio device and remote radio device, see paragraph [0052]).
The rationale and motivation for adding the teachings of Bergström is the same as the rationale and motivation for Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 11, Fang-Bergström-Freda teaches the network-controlled repeater of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the network-controlled repeater to: forward one or more paging occasions to a UE connected to the network-controlled repeater via an access link (Fang: Specifically, the NCR-FWD can ... forward the DL signals to the UE via the access link, see paragraph [0064]).
Freda further teaches to forward one or more paging occasions associated with one or more respective group identifiers, wherein each of the one or more respective group identifiers identifies a group of UEs (Freda: The relay UE may receive any of the following information in the active paging indication message: ... A bitmap, where each bit in the bitmap is associated with a remote UE, group of remote UEs ... a relay UE may determine that the network may page one or more remote UEs in a group of connected remote UEs if the corresponding bit in the bitmap is set, see paragraphs [0191]-[0207]).
The rationale and motivation for adding the teaching of Freda is the same as the rationale and motivation for Claim 1.
Bergström further teaches group identifiers indicated by the PEI (Bergström: The PEI may be indicative of the subgroup of at least one of the relay radio device and the remote radio device. In other words, subgrouping of the radio devices for the paging may be implemented by including additional information (i.e., indicative of the subgroup) in the PEI for both relay radio device and remote radio device, see paragraph [0052]).
The rationale and motivation for adding the teachings of Bergström is the same as the rationale and motivation for Claim 1.
Regarding Claims 12-16 and 18, the limitations of claims 12-16 and 18 are substantially the same as the limitations of claims 1-5 and 7, and claims 12-16 and 18 are therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Claims 6 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fang-Bergström-Freda in view of Shi et al. (US 2018/0302949 A1, hereinafter “Shi”).
Regarding Claim 6, Fang-Bergström-Freda teaches the network-controlled repeater of claim 3, but does not explicitly teach, the one or more identifiers includes a range of UE identifiers from a minimum value to a maximum value.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Shi teaches the one or more identifiers includes a range of UE identifiers from a minimum value to a maximum value (Shi: the indication information may indicate one or more user identity ranges ... When a user identity of a UE falls within the user identity range indicated by the indication information, it may be determined that the UE is paged by the paging message ... [a] user identity range [ue_identitymin, ue_identitymax] may be predefined, see paragraphs [0058]-[0062]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Fang-Bergström-Freda to include the features as taught by Shi above in order to page more UEs using fewer resources (Shi: see paragraph [0030]).
Regarding Claim 17, the limitations of claim 17 are substantially the same as the limitations of claim 6, and claim 17 is therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Claims 8-10 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fang-Bergström-Freda in view of Dallal et al. (US 2024/0107499 A1, hereinafter “Dallal”).
Regarding Claim 8, Fang-Bergström-Freda teaches the network-controlled repeater of claim 1, wherein, to selectively forward the one or more paging messages or PDSCH transmissions, the one or more processors are individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the network-controlled repeater to: selectively forward, via the second radio, the one or more paging messages or PDSCH transmissions (Fang: The NCR-FWD 708 is able to receive and forward the DL/UL RF signals ... The base station 702 may transmit a PDCCH 710 to the NCR-MT 707. In certain scenarios, the PDCCH 710 may schedule transmission of a PDSCH 712 [by the NCR-FWD], see paragraph [0065] and Fig. 7).
Freda further teaches to forward the one or more paging messages or PDSCH transmissions during the set quantity of symbols of the paging frame subsequent to the paging occasion (Freda: a relay UE may determine a finite time window for transmission/relaying of a paging message to one or more remote UEs. Such window may be defined relative to the Uu PO associated with one or more connected remote UEs. Specifically, such window may start at an offset from a paging frame or paging occasion associated with one or more remote UEs, see paragraph [0442]; the relay UE may configure the starting slot to occur following the PO of one or more remote UE if only one PO in the PF is associated with an attached remote UE, see paragraph [0468]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Fang-Bergström to include the features as taught by Freda above in order to perform monitoring in a power-efficient manner (Freda: see paragraph [0144]).
Fang-Bergström-Freda does not explicitly teach to forward the one or more paging messages or PDSCH transmissions on a first beam; and
selectively forward, during a second set quantity of symbols of the paging frame subsequent to the paging occasion, a retransmission of the one or more paging messages or PDSCH transmissions on a second beam.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Dallal teaches to teach to forward the one or more paging messages or PDSCH transmissions on a first beam (Dallal: a parent network node may attempt to transmit a paging message to a mobile station (e.g., UE 120) via a network node (e.g., a relay, a repeater ...), see paragraph [0082]; The network node receives the paging ... and forwards the paging message on one of the beams of the network node, see paragraph [0093]); and
selectively forward, during a second set quantity of symbols of the paging frame subsequent to the paging occasion, a retransmission of the one or more paging messages or PDSCH transmissions on a second beam (Dallal: the paging repetition request may indicate a number of paging occasions (e.g., repetitions of the paging message) requested. For example, the paging repetition request may indicate a number of paging occasions equal to, or one less than, a number of active beams operated by the network node (e.g., N_repeater_beams−1 since one beam was already used when forwarding an original paging message) ... the paging repetition request may indicate a requested time between repetitions and/or paging occasions to allow for the network node to switch between beams, see paragraphs [0097]-[0098]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Fang-Bergström-Freda to include the features as taught by Dallal above in order to improve the likelihood of successfully reaching the mobile station (Dallal: see paragraph [0091]).
Regarding Claim 9, Fang-Bergström-Freda-Dallal teaches the network-controlled repeater of claim 8.
Dallal further teaches the second set quantity of symbols of the paging frame is separated from the set quantity of symbols of the paging frame by a defined offset value (Dallal: the paging repetition request may indicate a requested time between repetitions and/or paging occasions to allow for the network node to switch between beams. An indication of the requested time may include an explicit indication of the requested time, see paragraph [0098]).
The rationale and motivation for adding the teachings of Dallal is the same as the rationale and motivation for Claim 8.
Regarding Claim 10, Fang-Bergström-Freda-Dallal teaches the network-controlled repeater of claim 9.
Dallal further teaches the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the network-controlled repeater to: receive an indication of the defined offset value (Dallal: a network node (e.g., forwarding node, a relay, and/or a repeater) may transmit a paging repetition request to a parent node ... Based at least in part on the parent network node (e.g., a gNB, a CU, a DU, or an RU) receiving the paging repetition request, the parent network node may comply with the paging repetition request and direct multiple paging signals (e.g., repetitions of the paging message) towards the network node, see paragraphs [0089]-[0090]; the paging repetition request may indicate a requested time between repetitions and/or paging occasions to allow for the network node to switch between beams, see paragraph [0098]).
The rationale and motivation for adding the teachings of Dallal is the same as the rationale and motivation for Claim 8.
Regarding Claims 19-20, the limitations of claims 19-20 are substantially the same as the limitations of claims 8-9, and claims 19-20 are therefore rejected for the same reasons.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Wang et al. (US 2022/ 0061021 A1) teaches a relay UE receiving and forwarding DCI and PDSCH to a target UE based on received UE identifiers during a paging occasion of the target UE (see paragraph [0105]). Xu et al. (US 2025/0234414 A1) teaches receiving a PEI including remote UE identifiers (see paragraphs [0212]-[0216]). Basu Mallick et al. (US 2024/0147427 A1) teaches a set of remote UE identifiers for a group paging destination (see paragraph [0079]).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHILLIP J EGAN KEARNS whose telephone number is 571-272-4869. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 10-6 MST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, NOEL BEHARRY can be reached at 571-270-5630. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/P.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2416
/SHARMIN CHOWDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2416
Prosecution Insights