DETAILED ACTION
Claim(s) 1-6 have been examined and are pending.
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 Remarks
Status of Claims as of the Non-Final Rejection mailed March 26, 2026
Claim(s) 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6 were rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HWANG (US 20230124364 A1) in view of ISHII (US 20220182903 A1). Claim 2 was 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.
Applicants Response to the Non-Final Rejection
In response to the Non-Final Rejection, Applicants amended each of independent claim(s) 1, 3, and 5. Applicants have also amended dependent claim 2. With respect to the amended claim 1, Applicants have amended the claim, such that the radio link failure is in a link, “…between the relay node and a secondary node…”. Applicants have further amended claim 1 such that the second notification is in response to recovery, “…of the link between the relay node and the secondary node…” and such that second notification indicates, “…recovery of the link between the relay node and the secondary node…”. Independent claim(s) 3 and 5, were amended in a manner similar to that of claim 1. Applicants have amended claim 2, such the radio link failure of claim 2, is “…between the relay node and the master node…”. Finally, Applicants have presented arguments in light of the amended claims focusing on the features of claim 1. Accordingly, a new ground of rejection has been made in view of MILDH (US 20220295579 A1) and WU (US 20230362881 A1), necessitated by amendments to the claims. Furthermore, the HWANG reference has been applied differently in light of the amendments to the claims. Furthermore Applicant' s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 has 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HWANG (US 20230124364 A1) in view of MILDH (US 20220295579 A1) in view of WU (US 20230362881 A1).
In regards to claim 1, HWANG (US 20230124364 A1) discloses a communication control method used in a cellular communication system, the communication control method comprising the steps of:
configuring, for a relay node, (Refer to [Fig. 10] and accompanying paragraph(s) [0197 -210] which teaches configuring for a relay node, IAB node 4, DC, in which a first node, IAB node 1, is a master node, and a second node, IAB node 2, is a secondary node “ [0199] An IAB node 4 has the node 1 as the parent node of an MCG link, and the node 2 as the parent node of an SCG link. The node 4 has node 5 as a child node and may serve the SCG link. Node 3 may serve the MCG link of the node 5. When the node 4 fails re-establishment, RLF recovery failure notification may be delivered to the child node. The MT of the child node that has received this notification may consider that RLF has occurred in the received link. When the node 5 receives the RLF recovery failure notification from the node 4 of the SCG link, the node 5 may perform the SCG failure information operation. The SCG failure information may perform at least one of the following operations...”);
transmitting, by the relay node, a first notification to a child node in response to a radio link failure being detected in a link between the relay node and the secondary node, the first notification indicating detection of the radio link failure between the relay node and the secondary node (HWANG further teaches transmitting by the IAB node 4, a first notification, RLF recovery failure indication or RLF indication, in response to RLF failure being detected in a link between the IAB node 4 and the IAB node 2, the RLF failure indication/RLF indication indicating detection of RLF between IAB node 4 and IAB node 2, “[0023] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a case of SCG failure through RLF notification in an SA situation… [0197] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a case of SCG failure through RLF notification in an SA situation. [0199] An IAB node 4 has the node 1 as the parent node of an MCG link, and the node 2 as the parent node of an SCG link. The node 4 has node 5 as a child node and may serve the SCG link. Node 3 may serve the MCG link of the node 5. When the node 4 fails re-establishment, RLF recovery failure notification may be delivered to the child node. The MT of the child node that has received this notification may consider that RLF has occurred in the received link. When the node 5 receives the RLF recovery failure notification from the node 4 of the SCG link, the node 5 may perform the SCG failure information operation. The SCG failure information may perform at least one of the following operations...”); and
HWANG’s feature concerning radio link failure (RLF) differs from that of claim 1, in that while HWANG teaches a RLF feature generally concerned with RLF in a dual connectivity (DC) scenario, HWANG is silent on specifically dealing with RLF in a EN-DC (Evolved universal terrestrial radio access-New Radio dual connectivity) scenario. Accordingly, HWANG is silent on where a LTE (Long Term Evolution) node is the master node and a New Radio (NR) second node is the secondary node. Furthermore, HWANG differs from claim 1, in that HWANG is silent on transmitting, by the relay node, a second notification to the child node in response to the recovery of the link between the relay node and the secondary node occurs, the second notification being transmitted after transmitting the first notification and indicating recovery of the link between the relay node and the secondary node, as arranged with the remaining elements of claim 1. Despite these differences similar features have seen in other prior art concerning dual connectivity and/or radio link failure.
MILDH (US 20220295579 A1) teaches an EN-DC (Evolved universal terrestrial radio access-New Radio dual connectivity), where a LTE (Long Term Evolution) node is a master node and a New Radio (NR) second node is a secondary node (See “[0094] Under NSA NR deployment, an IAB network has to operate in EN-DC mode (i.e., LTE as a master and NR as a secondary node). FIG. 11 illustrates an example of IAB deployment in EN-DC mode. It has been agreed in 3GPP that the NR traffic will be backhauled over the NR leg and the LTE traffic has to pass through the LTE leg (i.e., no NR traffic sent over the LTE leg or vice versa).”, and also see [Fig. 7], “[0117] FIG. 7 illustrates an example of IAB deployment in EN-DC mode;”).
Thus based upon the teachings of MILDH it would have been obvious to modify the dual connectivity feature of HWANG by relying on the use of EN-DC as seen in the Dual Connectivity feature of MILDH, to arrive at configuring, for a relay node, EN-DC (Evolved universal terrestrial radio access-New Radio dual connectivity), in which a LTE (Long Term Evolution) node is a master node and a New Radio (NR) second node is a secondary node, in order to take advantage of the benefits yielded by the use of EN-DC.
The combined teachings of HWANG in view of MILDH further differ from claim 1, in that the combined teachings are silent on transmitting, by the relay node, a second notification to the child node in response to the recovery of the link between the relay node and the secondary node occurs, the second notification being transmitted after transmitting the first notification and indicating recovery of the link between the relay node and the secondary node. Despite these differences similar features have seen in other prior art concerning dual connectivity and/or radio link failure.
WU (US 20230362881 A1) teaches a feature that involves transmitting, by a relay node, IAB node-A, a second notification, successful RLF recovery, to a child node, UE, in response to recovery of a link between the relay node and a parent node occurs, the notification being transmitted after a radio link failure and indicating the recovery of the link between the relay node and the parent node (“[0083] In operation 702, the UE receives a notification from one of the BS and the relay UE. The notification received from the BS is a request to perform a relay reselection procedure. The notification received from the relay UE is associated with at least one of: [0084] (1) a radio link failure (RLF) of the link between the relay UE and the BS; [0085] (2) a RLF recovery failure of the link between the relay UE and the BS; and [0086] (3) a successful RLF recovery of the link between the relay UE and the BS. [0087] In some embodiments, the notification is a RLF notification transmitted from the relay UE. The relay UE may transmit the RLF notification after the relay UE detects a RLF in the link between the relay UE and the BS. The relay UE may transmit the RLF notification after the relay UE performs a fast MCG link recovery procedure on the link between the relay UE and the BS. Alternatively, the relay UE may transmit the RLF notification after the relay UE performs a RRC re-establishment procedure on the link between the relay UE and the BS. [0088] In some other embodiments, the notification is a successful recovery notification. In one example, if the relay UE successfully completes a fast MCG link recovery procedure on the link between the relay UE and the BS, the relay UE transmits the successful recovery notification. In another example, if the relay UE successfully completes a RRC re-establishment procedure on the link between the relay UE and the BS, the relay UE transmits the successful recovery notification.”).
Thus based upon the teachings of WU it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify HWANG in view of MILDH feature concerning radio link failure by adopting to use of signaling to indicate recovery from a radio link failure as seen in ISHII to arrive at transmitting, by the relay node, a second notification to the child node in response to the recovery of the link between the relay node and a parent node (i.e. the secondary node ) occurs, the second notification being transmitted after a radio link failure (i.e after transmitting the first notification that indicates a RLF ) and indicating recovery of the link between the relay node and the secondary node, to thus arrive at claim 1. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification in order to enhance the reliability of radio link(s) through use of messages that indicate recovery of radio links after a radio link failure.
In regards to claim 3, HWANG (US 20230124364 A1) teaches a relay node used in a cellular communication system, the relay node comprising: a processor circuitry configured to execute (See [Fig. 10] which shows a relay node, IAB node 4. Also see, where the relay node can be implemented using processing circuitry to execute the features described throughout HWANG, “[0034] Herein, it will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart block or blocks. These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer usable or computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer usable or computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means that implement the function specified in the flowchart block or blocks. The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart block or blocks.” ):
processing of configuring (HWANG [Fig. 12A] illustrates configuring for a relay node, node 1, EN-DC dual connectivity in which a first parent node, eNB, of LTE is a master node, and a second parent node of NR, gNB-CU Donor DU, is a secondary node. Also read where it recites, “[0226] In FIG. 12A, IAB nodes 1 and 2 are ENDC situations in which an MN is connected to an MCG link using LTE RAT as eNB and a SN is connected to a SCG link using NR RAT as donor gNB. In this case, when RLF is detected in the MCG link or MCG failure recovery fails, RRC connection re-establishment may be performed, and if this re-establishment fails, the IAB node may deliver an RLF recovery failure notification to a child node. The child node receiving this notification may perform the SCG failure information operation in the MT.”);
processing of transmitting a first notification to a child node in response to a radio link failure being detected between the relay node and the secondary node, the first notification indicating detection of the radio link failure in the link between the relay node and the secondary node HWANG further teaches transmitting by the IAB node 4, a first notification, RLF recovery failure indication or RLF indication, in response to RLF failure being detected in a link between the IAB node 4 and the IAB node 2, the RLF failure indication/RLF indication indicating detection of RLF between IAB node 4 and IAB node 2, “[0023] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a case of SCG failure through RLF notification in an SA situation… [0197] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a case of SCG failure through RLF notification in an SA situation. [0199] An IAB node 4 has the node 1 as the parent node of an MCG link, and the node 2 as the parent node of an SCG link. The node 4 has node 5 as a child node and may serve the SCG link. Node 3 may serve the MCG link of the node 5. When the node 4 fails re-establishment, RLF recovery failure notification may be delivered to the child node. The MT of the child node that has received this notification may consider that RLF has occurred in the received link. When the node 5 receives the RLF recovery failure notification from the node 4 of the SCG link, the node 5 may perform the SCG failure information operation. The SCG failure information may perform at least one of the following operations...”);
HWANG’s feature concerning radio link failure (RLF) differs from that of claim 3, in that while HWANG teaches a RLF feature generally concerned with RLF in a dual connectivity (DC) scenario, HWANG is silent on specifically dealing with RLF in a EN-DC (Evolved universal terrestrial radio access-New Radio dual connectivity) scenario. Accordingly, HWANG is silent on where a LTE (Long Term Evolution) node is the master node and a New Radio (NR) second node is the secondary node. Furthermore, HWANG differs from claim 3, in that HWANG is silent on processing of transmitting a second notification to the child node, in response to recovery of the link between the relay node and the secondary node, the secondary notification being transmitted after transmitting the first notification and indicating recovery of the link between the relay node and the secondary node, as arranged with the remaining elements of claim 3. Despite these differences similar features have seen in other prior art concerning dual connectivity and/or radio link failure.
MILDH (US 20220295579 A1) teaches an EN-DC (Evolved universal terrestrial radio access-New Radio dual connectivity), where a LTE (Long Term Evolution) node is a master node and a New Radio (NR) second node is a secondary node (See “[0094] Under NSA NR deployment, an IAB network has to operate in EN-DC mode (i.e., LTE as a master and NR as a secondary node). FIG. 11 illustrates an example of IAB deployment in EN-DC mode. It has been agreed in 3GPP that the NR traffic will be backhauled over the NR leg and the LTE traffic has to pass through the LTE leg (i.e., no NR traffic sent over the LTE leg or vice versa).”, and also see [Fig. 7], “[0117] FIG. 7 illustrates an example of IAB deployment in EN-DC mode;”).
Thus based upon the teachings of MILDH it would have been obvious to modify the dual connectivity feature of HWANG by relying on the use of EN-DC as seen in the Dual Connectivity feature of MILDH, to arrive at configuring, for a relay node, EN-DC (Evolved universal terrestrial radio access-New Radio dual connectivity), in which a LTE (Long Term Evolution) node is a master node and a New Radio (NR) second node is a secondary node, in order to take advantage of the benefits yielded by the use of EN-DC.
The combined teachings of HWANG in view of MILDH further differ from claim 3, in that the combined teachings are silent on transmitting, by the relay node, a second notification to the child node in response to the recovery of the link between the relay node and the secondary node occurs, the second notification being transmitted after transmitting the first notification and indicating recovery of the link between the relay node and the secondary node. Despite these differences similar features have seen in other prior art concerning dual connectivity and/or radio link failure.
WU (US 20230362881 A1) teaches a feature that involves transmitting, by a relay node, IAB node-A, a second notification, successful RLF recovery, to a child node, UE, in response to recovery of a link between the relay node and a parent node occurs, the notification being transmitted after a radio link failure and indicating the recovery of the link between the relay node and the parent node (“[0083] In operation 702, the UE receives a notification from one of the BS and the relay UE. The notification received from the BS is a request to perform a relay reselection procedure. The notification received from the relay UE is associated with at least one of: [0084] (1) a radio link failure (RLF) of the link between the relay UE and the BS; [0085] (2) a RLF recovery failure of the link between the relay UE and the BS; and [0086] (3) a successful RLF recovery of the link between the relay UE and the BS. [0087] In some embodiments, the notification is a RLF notification transmitted from the relay UE. The relay UE may transmit the RLF notification after the relay UE detects a RLF in the link between the relay UE and the BS. The relay UE may transmit the RLF notification after the relay UE performs a fast MCG link recovery procedure on the link between the relay UE and the BS. Alternatively, the relay UE may transmit the RLF notification after the relay UE performs a RRC re-establishment procedure on the link between the relay UE and the BS. [0088] In some other embodiments, the notification is a successful recovery notification. In one example, if the relay UE successfully completes a fast MCG link recovery procedure on the link between the relay UE and the BS, the relay UE transmits the successful recovery notification. In another example, if the relay UE successfully completes a RRC re-establishment procedure on the link between the relay UE and the BS, the relay UE transmits the successful recovery notification.”).
Thus based upon the teachings of WU it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify HWANG in view of MILDH feature concerning radio link failure by adopting to use of signaling to indicate recovery from a radio link failure as seen in ISHII to arrive at processing of transmitting, by the relay node, a second notification to the child node in response to the recovery of the link between the relay node and a parent node (i.e. the secondary node ) occurs, the second notification being transmitted after a radio link failure (i.e after transmitting the first notification that indicates a RLF ) and indicating recovery of the link between the relay node and the secondary node, to thus arrive at claim 3. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification in order to enhance the reliability of radio link(s) through use of messages that indicate recovery of radio links after a radio link failure.
In regards to claim 4, HWANG (US 20230124364 A1) in view of MILDH (US 20220295579 A1) in view of ISHII (US 20220182903 A1) teaches a mobile communication system comprising the relay node according to claim 3 (See HWANG [Fig. 10] which illustrates a mobile communication system comprising the relay node).
In regards to claim 5, HWANG (US 20230124364 A1) teaches a chipset for a relay node used in a cellular communication system, the chipset comprising: a processor circuitry configured to execute (See [Fig. 10] which shows a relay node, IAB node 4. Also see, where the relay node can be implemented using a chipset, comprising processing circuitry, processor, to execute the features described throughout HWANG, “[0034] Herein, it will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart block or blocks. These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer usable or computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer usable or computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means that implement the function specified in the flowchart block or blocks. The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart block or blocks.” ):
processing of configuring (HWANG [Fig. 12A] illustrates configuring for a relay node, node 1, EN-DC dual connectivity in which a first parent node, eNB, of LTE is a master node, and a second parent node of NR, gNB-CU Donor DU, is a secondary node. Also read where it recites, “[0226] In FIG. 12A, IAB nodes 1 and 2 are ENDC situations in which an MN is connected to an MCG link using LTE RAT as eNB and a SN is connected to a SCG link using NR RAT as donor gNB. In this case, when RLF is detected in the MCG link or MCG failure recovery fails, RRC connection re-establishment may be performed, and if this re-establishment fails, the IAB node may deliver an RLF recovery failure notification to a child node. The child node receiving this notification may perform the SCG failure information operation in the MT.”);
processing of transmitting a first notification to a child node in response to a radio link failure being detected between the relay node and the secondary node, the first notification indicating detection of the radio link failure in the link between the relay node and the secondary node HWANG further teaches transmitting by the IAB node 4, a first notification, RLF recovery failure indication or RLF indication, in response to RLF failure being detected in a link between the IAB node 4 and the IAB node 2, the RLF failure indication/RLF indication indicating detection of RLF between IAB node 4 and IAB node 2, “[0023] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a case of SCG failure through RLF notification in an SA situation… [0197] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a case of SCG failure through RLF notification in an SA situation. [0199] An IAB node 4 has the node 1 as the parent node of an MCG link, and the node 2 as the parent node of an SCG link. The node 4 has node 5 as a child node and may serve the SCG link. Node 3 may serve the MCG link of the node 5. When the node 4 fails re-establishment, RLF recovery failure notification may be delivered to the child node. The MT of the child node that has received this notification may consider that RLF has occurred in the received link. When the node 5 receives the RLF recovery failure notification from the node 4 of the SCG link, the node 5 may perform the SCG failure information operation. The SCG failure information may perform at least one of the following operations...”);
HWANG’s feature concerning radio link failure (RLF) differs from that of claim 5, in that while HWANG teaches a RLF feature generally concerned with RLF in a dual connectivity (DC) scenario, HWANG is silent on specifically dealing with RLF in a EN-DC (Evolved universal terrestrial radio access-New Radio dual connectivity) scenario. Accordingly, HWANG is silent on where a LTE (Long Term Evolution) node is the master node and a New Radio (NR) second node is the secondary node. Furthermore, HWANG differs from claim 5, in that HWANG is silent on processing of transmitting a second notification to the child node, in response to recovery of the link between the relay node and the secondary node, the secondary notification being transmitted after transmitting the first notification and indicating recovery of the link between the relay node and the secondary node, as arranged with the remaining elements of claim 3. Despite these differences similar features have seen in other prior art concerning dual connectivity and/or radio link failure.
MILDH (US 20220295579 A1) teaches an EN-DC (Evolved universal terrestrial radio access-New Radio dual connectivity), where a LTE (Long Term Evolution) node is a master node and a New Radio (NR) second node is a secondary node (See “[0094] Under NSA NR deployment, an IAB network has to operate in EN-DC mode (i.e., LTE as a master and NR as a secondary node). FIG. 11 illustrates an example of IAB deployment in EN-DC mode. It has been agreed in 3GPP that the NR traffic will be backhauled over the NR leg and the LTE traffic has to pass through the LTE leg (i.e., no NR traffic sent over the LTE leg or vice versa).”, and also see [Fig. 7], “[0117] FIG. 7 illustrates an example of IAB deployment in EN-DC mode;”).
Thus based upon the teachings of MILDH it would have been obvious to modify the dual connectivity feature of HWANG by relying on the use of EN-DC as seen in the Dual Connectivity feature of MILDH, to arrive at configuring, for a relay node, EN-DC (Evolved universal terrestrial radio access-New Radio dual connectivity), in which a LTE (Long Term Evolution) node is a master node and a New Radio (NR) second node is a secondary node, in order to take advantage of the benefits yielded by the use of EN-DC.
The combined teachings of HWANG in view of MILDH further differ from claim 5, in that the combined teachings are silent on processing of transmitting, by the relay node, a second notification to the child node in response to the recovery of the link between the relay node and the secondary node occurs, the second notification being transmitted after transmitting the first notification and indicating recovery of the link between the relay node and the secondary node. Despite these differences similar features have seen in other prior art concerning dual connectivity and/or radio link failure.
WU (US 20230362881 A1) teaches a feature that involves transmitting, by a relay node, IAB node-A, a second notification, successful RLF recovery, to a child node, UE, in response to recovery of a link between the relay node and a parent node occurs, the notification being transmitted after a radio link failure and indicating the recovery of the link between the relay node and the parent node (“[0083] In operation 702, the UE receives a notification from one of the BS and the relay UE. The notification received from the BS is a request to perform a relay reselection procedure. The notification received from the relay UE is associated with at least one of: [0084] (1) a radio link failure (RLF) of the link between the relay UE and the BS; [0085] (2) a RLF recovery failure of the link between the relay UE and the BS; and [0086] (3) a successful RLF recovery of the link between the relay UE and the BS. [0087] In some embodiments, the notification is a RLF notification transmitted from the relay UE. The relay UE may transmit the RLF notification after the relay UE detects a RLF in the link between the relay UE and the BS. The relay UE may transmit the RLF notification after the relay UE performs a fast MCG link recovery procedure on the link between the relay UE and the BS. Alternatively, the relay UE may transmit the RLF notification after the relay UE performs a RRC re-establishment procedure on the link between the relay UE and the BS. [0088] In some other embodiments, the notification is a successful recovery notification. In one example, if the relay UE successfully completes a fast MCG link recovery procedure on the link between the relay UE and the BS, the relay UE transmits the successful recovery notification. In another example, if the relay UE successfully completes a RRC re-establishment procedure on the link between the relay UE and the BS, the relay UE transmits the successful recovery notification.”).
Thus based upon the teachings of WU it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify HWANG in view of MILDH feature concerning radio link failure by adopting to use of signaling to indicate recovery from a radio link failure as seen in ISHII to arrive at processing of transmitting, by the relay node, a second notification to the child node in response to the recovery of the link between the relay node and a parent node (i.e. the secondary node ) occurs, the second notification being transmitted after a radio link failure (i.e after transmitting the first notification that indicates a RLF ) and indicating recovery of the link between the relay node and the secondary node, to thus arrive at claim 5. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification in order to enhance the reliability of radio link(s) through use of messages that indicate recovery of radio links after a radio link failure.
In regards to claim 6, HWANG (US 20230124364 A1) in view of MILDH (US 20220295579 A1) in view of ISHII (US 20220182903 A1) is believed to suggest a non-transitory computer readable medium that stores computer program comprising instructions that, when the computer program is executed by the relay node, cause the relay node to carry out the communication control method according to claim 1 (See [HWANG, Fig. 10] which shows a relay node, IAB node 4. Also see, where the relay node can be implemented using a non-transitory computer readable medium that stores computer program comprising instructions that execute the features described throughout HWANG, “[0034] Herein, it will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart block or blocks. These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer usable or computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer usable or computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means that implement the function specified in the flowchart block or blocks. The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions specified in the flowchart block or blocks.” ).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 2 is 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
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 TARELL A HAMPTON whose telephone number is (571)270-7162. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
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/TARELL A HAMPTON/Examiner, Art Unit 2476 /AYAZ R SHEIKH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2476
Prosecution Insights