DETAILED ACTION
This communication is in response to applicant's response filed under 37 C.F.R. §1.111, dated July 21, 2026, in response to a non-final office action. Claims 1, 4-5, 7-11, and 14-20 have been amended. Claim 6 has been cancelled. Claims 1-5 and 7-20 are subject to examination and have been examined.
Acknowledgement is made to the following amendments made by the Applicant:
Applicant's amendment to claim 7 to obviate the previous rejection to claims 8-10 in regard to 35 U.S.C 112(b) indefiniteness. The previous rejection to the said claims is hereby withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection. Please see the updated rejection below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li et.al. (US Patent Application Publication, 20210044412, hereinafter, “Li”.
Regarding claim 1, Li teaches:
A repeater node, comprising (Li: [0065] FIGS. 5A-5C are diagrams illustrating examples 500 of communication using a repeater …):
a memory; and
processor circuitry coupled with the memory and configured to:
receive first indication information transmitted by a network equipment (Li: [0127] Reception component 804 [i.e., receiver] may receive a signaling communication [i.e., first indication information] 808 from a BS [i.e., network equipment] 812 (e.g., BS 110) … In some aspects, signaling communication 808 may indicate a repeater configuration for apparatus 802 ... Figs. 5A, 6A, 6B, 8), the first indication information being used to indicate a group of time units (Li: [0082] In some aspects, the BS may configure a repeater configuration to identify one or more time durations during which the repeater may communicate with the BS and/or the UE based at least in part on one or more configuration parameters identified in the repeater configuration ... [0083] A time duration may include one or more symbols, one or more slots, one or more subframes, one or more radio frames, and/or other time-domain units … Figs. 5A, 6A, 6B, 8), a first time unit in the group of time units being available for transmitting a first uplink communication signal generated by the repeater node to the network equipment (Li: [0092] In some aspects, a repeater configuration may indicate that the repeater is to transmit one or more reference signals to the BS … during a time duration indicated in the repeater configuration ... Figs. 5A, 6A, 6B, 8), and a second time unit in the group of time units being used for transmitting a second uplink forwarding signal received by the repeater to the network equipment (Li: [0097] As another example, if a repeater configuration indicates that the repeater is to perform one or more measurements during a time duration indicated in the repeater configuration, the repeater may perform the one or more measurements for one or more uplink communications received from the UE ... [0098] As another example, if a repeater configuration indicates a gain parameter that is to be used during a time duration indicated in the repeater configuration, the repeater may relay or forward an uplink communication during the time duration by amplifying the received RF analog signal carrying the uplink communication based at least in part on the gain parameter ... Figs. 5A, 6A, 6B, 8); and
transmit the second uplink forwarding signal to the network equipment during the second time unit (Li: [0128] ... As another example, transmission component [i.e., transmitter] 806 may transmit an RF analog signal 810 carrying an uplink communication to BS 812 … [0098] As another example, if a repeater configuration indicates a gain parameter that is to be used during a time duration indicated in the repeater configuration, the repeater may relay or forward an uplink communication during the time duration by amplifying the received RF analog signal carrying the uplink communication based at least in part on the gain parameter ... Figs. 5A, 6A, 6B, 8),
wherein the first time unit used for transmitting the first uplink communication signal and the second time unit used for transmitting the second uplink forwarding signal are time division multiplexing (Li: [0083] A time duration may include one or more symbols, one or more slots, one or more subframes, one or more radio frames, and/or other time-domain units … [0092] In some aspects, a repeater configuration may indicate that the repeater is to transmit one or more reference signals to the BS [i.e., first uplink signal] … during a time duration indicated in the repeater configuration … ... [0098] As another example, if a repeater configuration indicates a gain parameter that is to be used during a time duration indicated in the repeater configuration, the repeater may relay or forward an uplink communication i.e., second uplink signal] during the time duration by amplifying the received RF analog signal carrying the uplink communication based at least in part on the gain parameter … [Li teaches that a “time duration” may include “time-domain units” (above), and that the repeater can transmit self-generated signals and relayed/forwarded signals in the “time duration”, the Examiner interprets that those signals must be time division multiplexed within the time duration using the aforementioned time-domain units]).
Regarding claim 11, Li teaches:
A network equipment, comprising (Li: [0068] As further shown in FIG. 5A, the repeater may perform directional communication by using beamforming to communicate with the BS via a first beam pair …):
a memory; and
processor circuitry coupled with the memory and configured to:
transmit first indication information to a repeater node (Li: [0136] ... The apparatus 1000 may be a BS, or a BS may include the apparatus 1000 … [0140] The transmission component 1004 may transmit, in a BWP that carries a control interface of the apparatus 1006, an indication of a repeater configuration for the apparatus 1006 ... Figs. 5A, 6A, 6B, 10), the first indication information being used to indicate a group of time units (Li: [0082] In some aspects, the BS may configure a repeater configuration to identify one or more time durations during which the repeater may communicate with the BS and/or the UE based at least in part on one or more configuration parameters identified in the repeater configuration ... [0083] A time duration may include one or more symbols, one or more slots, one or more subframes, one or more radio frames, and/or other time-domain units … Figs. 5A, 6A, 6B, 10), a first time unit in the group of time units being available for transmitting a first uplink communication signal generated by the repeater node to the network equipment (Li: [0092] In some aspects, a repeater configuration may indicate that the repeater is to transmit one or more reference signals to the BS … during a time duration indicated in the repeater configuration ... Figs. 5A, 6A, 6B, 10), and a second time unit in the group of time units being used for transmitting a second uplink forwarding signal received by the repeater node to the network equipment (Li: [0097] As another example, if a repeater configuration indicates that the repeater is to perform one or more measurements during a time duration indicated in the repeater configuration, the repeater may perform the one or more measurements for one or more uplink communications received from the UE ... [0098] As another example, if a repeater configuration indicates a gain parameter that is to be used during a time duration indicated in the repeater configuration, the repeater may relay or forward an uplink communication during the time duration by amplifying the received RF analog signal carrying the uplink communication based at least in part on the gain parameter ... Figs. 5A, 6A, 6B, 10); and
receive the second uplink forwarding signal at the second time unit (Li: [0138] The reception component 1002 may receive communications, such as reference signals, control information, data communications, or a combination thereof, from the apparatus 1006 [i.e., repeater] … [0098] As another example, if a repeater configuration indicates a gain parameter that is to be used during a time duration indicated in the repeater configuration, the repeater may relay or forward an uplink communication during the time duration by amplifying the received RF analog signal carrying the uplink communication based at least in part on the gain parameter ... Figs. 5A, 6A, 6B, 10),
wherein the first time unit used for transmitting the first uplink communication signal and the second time unit used for transmitting the second uplink forwarding signal are time division multiplexing (Li: [0083] A time duration may include one or more symbols, one or more slots, one or more subframes, one or more radio frames, and/or other time-domain units … [0092] In some aspects, a repeater configuration may indicate that the repeater is to transmit one or more reference signals to the BS [i.e., first uplink signal] … during a time duration indicated in the repeater configuration … ... [0098] As another example, if a repeater configuration indicates a gain parameter that is to be used during a time duration indicated in the repeater configuration, the repeater may relay or forward an uplink communication i.e., second uplink signal] during the time duration by amplifying the received RF analog signal carrying the uplink communication based at least in part on the gain parameter … [Li teaches that a “time duration” may include “time-domain units” (above), and that the repeater can transmit self-generated signals and relayed/forwarded signals in the “time duration”, the Examiner interprets that those signals must be time division multiplexed within the time duration using the aforementioned time-domain units]).
Regarding claims 2 and 12, Li discloses on the features with respect to claims 1 and 11 as outlined above.
Li further teaches:
the first indication information comprises a first semi-static signaling, the first semi-static signaling at least being used to configure the first time unit (Li: [0123] … receiving the indication of the repeater configuration comprises receiving the indication of the repeater configuration in a MAC-CE communication, the repeater configuration comprises a periodic or semi-static repeater configuration, and communicating with at least one of the BS or the UE comprises communicating with at least one of the BS or the UE in a plurality of time durations based at least in part on the periodic or semi-static repeater configuration.).
Regarding claim 3, Li discloses on the features with respect to claim 2 as outlined above.
Li further teaches:
the first indication information comprises a fourth semi-static signaling and/or a fifth semi-static signaling, the fourth semi-static signaling and the fifth semi-static signaling and the first semi-static signaling being used to configure/indicate the second time unit (Li: [0078] As shown in FIG. 6A, and by reference number 602, to configure the repeater for communication with the BS and/or the UE, the BS may generate one or more repeater configurations and may transmit an indication of the one or more repeater configurations to the repeater … [0123] … receiving the indication of the repeater configuration comprises receiving the indication of the repeater configuration in a MAC-CE communication, the repeater configuration comprises a periodic or semi-static repeater configuration, and communicating with at least one of the BS or the UE comprises communicating with at least one of the BS or the UE in a plurality of time durations based at least in part on the periodic or semi-static repeater configuration.).
Regarding claims 4 and 14, Li discloses on the features with respect to claims 1 and 11 as outlined above.
Li further teaches:
the processor circuitry is further configured to receive a period of the group of time units indicated and/or configured by the network equipment, a time unit in the group of time units is at least one of a symbol, a slot or a subframe (Li: [0082] In some aspects, the BS may configure a repeater configuration to identify one or more time durations [i.e., time units or periods] during which the repeater may communicate with the BS and/or the UE based at least in part on one or more configuration parameters identified in the repeater configuration … [0083] A time duration may include one or more symbols, one or more slots, one or more subframes, one or more radio frames, and/or other time-domain units …).
Regarding claims 5 and 15, Li discloses on the features with respect to claims 1 and 11 as outlined above.
Li further teaches:
transmit the first uplink communication signal to the network equipment at the first time unit and transmit the second uplink forwarding signal to the network equipment during the second time unit by using a first spatial filter (Li: [0089] In some aspects, a repeater configuration may indicate one or more beamforming configurations, such as a transmit beamforming configuration and/or a receive beamforming configuration, that the repeater is to use during a time duration indicated in the repeater configuration. The transmit beamforming configuration may identify a codebook-based codeword index for the Tx beam associated with the BS [i.e., spatial filter] and/or the Tx beam associated with the UE, one or more beamforming weights (e.g., phase shifting coefficients, amplitude coefficients, and/or the like) that are to be applied to the Tx beam associated with the BS and/or the Tx beam associated with the UE, adjustments to one or more beamforming weights of the Tx beam associated with the BS and/or the Tx beam associated with the UE (e.g., adjustments to phase shift and/or amplitude of the Tx beam associated with the BS and/or the Tx beam associated with the UE), and/or other beamforming parameters.).
Regarding claims 7 and 16, Li discloses on the features with respect to claims 1 and 11 as outlined above.
Li further teaches:
receive a third downlink forwarding signal and/or a fourth downlink communication signal transmitted by the network equipment, the third downlink forwarding signal being used to transmit after being at least amplified by the repeater node,
wherein the group of time units further comprises a third time unit, the third downlink forwarding signal being transmitted by the network equipment during the third time unit (Li: [0098] As another example, if a repeater configuration indicates a gain parameter that is to be used during a time duration indicated in the repeater configuration, the repeater … may relay or forward a downlink communication during the time duration by amplifying the received RF analog signal carrying the downlink communication based at least in part on the gain parameter ... Figs. 5A, 6A, 6B, 10).
Regarding claims 8 and 17, Li discloses on the features with respect to claims 7 and 16 as outlined above.
Li further teaches:
the first uplink communication signal includes at least one of the following: a physical uplink shared channel, a demodulation reference signal, a sounding reference signal, a physical random access channel, a physical uplink control channel, a scheduling request (Li: [0092] In some aspects, a repeater configuration may indicate that the repeater is to transmit one or more reference signals to the BS [i.e., uplink signal] … during a time duration indicated in the repeater configuration. The one or more reference signals may include a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS), a demodulation reference signal (DMRS), a sounding reference signal (SRS), and/or other types of reference signals); and
the fourth downlink communication signal is one or more of the following signals: a physical downlink control channel, a physical downlink shared channel, a synchronization signal block, a channel state information reference signal, a demodulation reference signal, a phase tracking reference signal, a remote interference management reference signal, a positioning reference signal (Li: [0092] In some aspects, a repeater configuration may indicate that the repeater is to transmit one or more reference signals to … the UE [i.e., downlink signal] during a time duration indicated in the repeater configuration. The one or more reference signals may include a channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS), a demodulation reference signal (DMRS), a sounding reference signal (SRS), and/or other types of reference signals).
Regarding claims 9 and 18, Li discloses on the features with respect to claims 7 and 16 as outlined above.
Li further teaches:
receive the third downlink forwarding signal at the third time unit and receive the fourth downlink communication signal during the fourth time unit by using a third spatial filter (Li: [0090] Similarly, the receive beamforming configuration may identify a codebook-based codeword index for the Rx beam associated with the BS and/or the Rx beam associated with the UE [i.e., spatial filter], one or more beamforming weights (e.g., phase shifting coefficients, amplitude coefficients, and/or the like) that are to be applied to the Rx beam associated with the BS and/or the Rx beam associated with the UE, adjustments to one or more beamforming weights of the Rx beam associated with the BS and/or the Rx beam associated with the UE (e.g., adjustments to phase shift and/or amplitude of the Rx beam associated with the BS and/or the Rx beam associated with the UE), and/or other beamforming parameters.).
Regarding claim 10, Li discloses on the features with respect to claim 7 as outlined above.
Li further teaches:
a fourth time unit used for transmitting the fourth downlink communication signal and the third time unit used for transmitting the third downlink forwarding signal are time division multiplexing (Li: [0082] In some aspects, the BS may configure a repeater configuration to identify one or more time durations during which the repeater may communicate with the BS and/or the UE [i.e., time division multiplexing, as different communications occur at different time durations/units] based at least in part on one or more configuration parameters identified in the repeater configuration. In some aspects, the BS may configure a plurality of candidate repeater configurations. Each of the candidate repeater configurations may include a combination of time durations and configuration parameters. In this case, each candidate configuration may be row or column indexed in a table, electronic database, electronic file, a specification, and/or another data structure. This permits the BS to transmit, to the repeater, a signaling communication that indexes into the plurality of candidate repeater configurations to identify the repeater configuration (e.g., by identifying a row index or column index associated with the repeater configuration).).
Regarding claim 13, Li discloses on the features with respect to claim 11 as outlined above.
Li further teaches:
the first indication information comprises a fourth semi-static signaling and/or a fifth semi-static signaling, the fourth semi-static signaling and the fifth semi-static signaling at least being used to configure the second time unit (Li: [0078] As shown in FIG. 6A, and by reference number 602, to configure the repeater for communication with the BS and/or the UE, the BS may generate one or more repeater configurations and may transmit an indication of the one or more repeater configurations to the repeater … [0123] … receiving the indication of the repeater configuration comprises receiving the indication of the repeater configuration in a MAC-CE communication, the repeater configuration comprises a periodic or semi-static repeater configuration, and communicating with at least one of the BS or the UE comprises communicating with at least one of the BS or the UE in a plurality of time durations based at least in part on the periodic or semi-static repeater configuration.).
Regarding claim 19, Li discloses on the features with respect to claim 16 as outlined above.
Li further teaches:
a fourth time unit used for transmitting the fourth downlink communication signal and the third time unit used for transmitting the third downlink forwarding signal are time division multiplexing (Li: [0082] In some aspects, the BS may configure a repeater configuration to identify one or more time durations during which the repeater may communicate with the BS and/or the UE [i.e., time division multiplexing, as different communications occur at different time durations/units] based at least in part on one or more configuration parameters identified in the repeater configuration. In some aspects, the BS may configure a plurality of candidate repeater configurations. Each of the candidate repeater configurations may include a combination of time durations and configuration parameters. In this case, each candidate configuration may be row or column indexed in a table, electronic database, electronic file, a specification, and/or another data structure. This permits the BS to transmit, to the repeater, a signaling communication that indexes into the plurality of candidate repeater configurations to identify the repeater configuration (e.g., by identifying a row index or column index associated with the repeater configuration).).
Regarding claim 20, Li teaches:
A communication system, comprising (Li: [0068] As further shown in FIG. 5A, the repeater may perform directional communication by using beamforming to communicate with the BS [i.e., network equipment] via a first beam pair …):
first processor circuitry configured to:
transmit, from a network equipment, first indication information, the first indication information being used to indicate a group of time units Li: [0082] In some aspects, the BS may configure a repeater configuration to identify one or more time durations during which the repeater may communicate with the BS and/or the UE based at least in part on one or more configuration parameters identified in the repeater configuration ... [0083] A time duration may include one or more symbols, one or more slots, one or more subframes, one or more radio frames, and/or other time-domain units … Figs. 5A, 6A, 6B, 10); and
second processor circuitry configured to:
receive, by a repeater node, the first indication information; wherein a first time unit in the group of time units is available for transmitting a first uplink communication signal generated by the repeater node to the network equipment (Li: [0092] In some aspects, a repeater configuration may indicate that the repeater is to transmit one or more reference signals to the BS … during a time duration indicated in the repeater configuration ... Figs. 5A, 6A, 6B, 10), and a second time unit in the group of time units is used for transmitting a second uplink forwarding signal received by the repeater to the network equipment (Li: [0097] As another example, if a repeater configuration indicates that the repeater is to perform one or more measurements during a time duration indicated in the repeater configuration, the repeater may perform the one or more measurements for one or more uplink communications received from the UE ... [0098] As another example, if a repeater configuration indicates a gain parameter that is to be used during a time duration indicated in the repeater configuration, the repeater may relay or forward an uplink communication during the time duration by amplifying the received RF analog signal carrying the uplink communication based at least in part on the gain parameter ... Figs. 5A, 6A, 6B, 10),
wherein the first time unit used for transmitting the first uplink communication signal and the second time unit used for transmitting the second uplink forwarding signal are time division multiplexing (Li: [0083] A time duration may include one or more symbols, one or more slots, one or more subframes, one or more radio frames, and/or other time-domain units … [0092] In some aspects, a repeater configuration may indicate that the repeater is to transmit one or more reference signals to the BS [i.e., first uplink signal] … during a time duration indicated in the repeater configuration … ... [0098] As another example, if a repeater configuration indicates a gain parameter that is to be used during a time duration indicated in the repeater configuration, the repeater may relay or forward an uplink communication i.e., second uplink signal] during the time duration by amplifying the received RF analog signal carrying the uplink communication based at least in part on the gain parameter … [Li teaches that a “time duration” may include “time-domain units” (above), and that the repeater can transmit self-generated signals and relayed/forwarded signals in the “time duration”, the Examiner interprets that those signals must be time division multiplexed within the time duration using the aforementioned time-domain units]), and
transmit, from the repeater node, the second uplink forwarding signal to the network equipment at the second time unit (Li: [0098] As another example, if a repeater configuration indicates a gain parameter that is to be used during a time duration indicated in the repeater configuration, the repeater may relay or forward an uplink communication during the time duration by amplifying the received RF analog signal carrying the uplink communication based at least in part on the gain parameter ... Figs. 5A, 6A, 6B, 8).
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LIEM H NGUYEN whose telephone number is (408) 918-7636. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday, 8:00AM-4:30PM PT.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Noel Beharry can be reached on (571) 270-5630. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LIEM H. NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2416
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