CTFR 18/686,374 CTFR 83583 Detailed Action 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. This is a final action for application number 18/686,374 in response to an amendment filed on 04/20/2026; the original application filed on 02/23/2024. Claims 21, 23-31 and 33-40 are currently pending and have been considered below. Claims 21 and 31 are independent claims. Claims 1-20, 22 and 32 have been cancelled. Response to Arguments Applicants’ arguments in the instant Amendment, filed on 04/20/2026, with respect to limitations listed below, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant’s arguments: “Abedini does not disclose providing specific information regarding beams to be used on an access link; wherein the information on the one or more beams are configured as information indicating index(es) of the one or more beams or information indicating codebook entry(ies) of the one or more beams”. The Examiner disagrees with the Applicants. The Examiner respectfully submits that Abedini et al. teaches receiving, from a base station and on a control link between the base station and the repeater, [repeaters in the plurality of repeaters are configured to receive signals from first wireless communication devices, (Abedin et al., Paragraph 6)] , information on one or more beams used for transmissions or receptions on an access link between the repeater and a terminal, [the configuration information may be associated with configuring a value for a parameter. The parameter may be associated with, for example, a maximum number of beams or a maximum number of SSBs that can be used by a given repeater of the plurality of repeaters (e.g., a maximum number of beams a repeater can use on a service-side), (Abedin et al., Paragraphs 95)] , wherein the information on the one or more beams are configured as information indicating index(es) of the one or more beams or information indicating codebook entry(ies) of the one or more beams , [the wireless communication device may select an SSB to be used in association with performing an access procedure based at least in part on the configuration information (e.g., the wireless communication device may select an SSB corresponding to an SSB index indicated as one for which repeaters are to forward signals), (Abedini et al., Paragraph 102)]. Please further see Paragraph [0072], “An antenna 510/510′ includes one or more antenna elements capable of being configured for beamforming. In some aspects, as illustrated in FIG. 5A, millimeter wave repeater 500 may include one or more phased array antennas 510, which may be referred to as a phased array because phase values and/or phase offsets of the antenna elements may be configured to form a beam, with different phase values and/or phase offsets being used for different beams”. Please further see Paragraph [0084], “additional examples of configurations that may be provided via the backhaul link include a transmit power configuration for the access link (e.g., a configuration indicating a transmit power to be used when forwarding a signal) and an on-off configuration to be used on the access link (e.g., a configuration indicating whether the repeater is to forward signals or refrain from forwarding signals)”. Please further see Paragraph [0212], “wherein the parameter is associated with a maximum number of beams that can be used by a repeater of the plurality of repeaters”. The examiner would like to further indicate that the configuration information in the cited paragraphs above all include specific information about the beams. The Examiner respectfully suggests that the claim be further amended and details in the specification be incorporated to distinguish the claimed invention over prior art of record. Should the Applicant desire an interview to further clarify the claim interpretation/rejections, please contact the Examiner at 571-270-1921 to schedule an interview. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-12-aia AIA (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 07-15-03-aia AIA Claim s 21, 23, 25-31, 33 and 35-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Abedini et al. (US 2021/0306065 A1) . Regarding claim 21 , a method of a repeater, [Figure 4, Ref # Repeater 140] , comprising: receiving, from a base station and on a control link between the base station and the repeater, [repeaters in the plurality of repeaters are configured to receive signals from first wireless communication devices, (Abedin et al., Paragraph 6)] , information on one or more beams used for transmissions or receptions on an access link between the repeater and a terminal, [the configuration information may be associated with configuring a value for a parameter. The parameter may be associated with, for example, a maximum number of beams or a maximum number of SSBs that can be used by a given repeater of the plurality of repeaters (e.g., a maximum number of beams a repeater can use on a service-side), (Abedin et al., Paragraphs 95)] , performing the transmissions or receptions with the terminal on the access link by using the one or more beams, [the wireless communication device may receive the SIB including the configuration information associated with the plurality of repeaters, and may receive, (selectively) forward, and/or transmit communications based at least in part on the configuration information, (Abedin et al., Paragraph 99)] , wherein the information on the one or more beams are configured as information indicating index(es) of the one or more beams or information indicating codebook entry(ies) of the one or more beams, [the wireless communication device may select an SSB to be used in association with performing an access procedure based at least in part on the configuration information (e.g., the wireless communication device may select an SSB corresponding to an SSB index indicated as one for which repeaters are to forward signals), (Abedini et al., Paragraph 102)]. Regarding claim 23 , the method according to claim 21, wherein the information on the one or more beams is received from the base station through downlink control information (DCI) and/or a medium access control (MAC) control element, [a downlink control information (DCI) format may be defined to enable information associated with one or more of the above configurations to be provided, (Abedin et al., Paragraph 85)] . Regarding claim 25 , the method according to claim 21, further comprising: receiving, from the base station, information on time resource(s) in which the one or more beams are used, wherein the transmissions or receptions are performed over the time resource(s) on the access link by using the one or more beams, [the backhaul link can be used to configure the repeater with a beamforming configuration to be used on the access link (e.g., a configuration indicating one or more beams to be used for receiving or forwarding a signal), a switching configuration to be used on the access link (e.g., a configuration indicating whether the repeater is to receive and forward signals on the downlink or the uplink), and a schedule to be used on the access link (e.g., an indication of time resources in which to adopt the beamforming and switching configurations, (Abedin et al., Paragraph 84)] . Regarding claim 26 , the method according to claim 25, wherein the time resource(s) sequentially correspond to the one or more beams in a one-to-one manner, and a number of the time resources is equal to a number of the one or more beams, [the signal may be associated with an SSB corresponding to an SSB index (e.g., an SSB index included in a set of SSB indices indicated in the configuration information), (Abedini et al., Paragraph 101)] . Regarding claim 27 , the method according to claim 25, wherein each of the time resource(s) has a duration represented using unit time(s), information on the unit time is received from the base station, and the unit time is configured as a symbol, a symbol group, or a slot, [a given repeater would have previously received information indicating a location (e.g., in a time-domain) of the set of SSBs (e.g., based on a bitmap received in SIM and/or one or more radio resource control (RRC) messages, (Abedin et al., Paragraph 93)] . Regarding claim 28 , the method according to claim 21, wherein information on candidate beams including the one or more beams is preconfigured, [the backhaul link can be used to configure the repeater with a beamforming configuration to be used on the access link (e.g., a configuration indicating one or more beams to be used for receiving or forwarding a signal), (Abedin et al., Paragraph 84)] . Regarding claim 29 , the method according to claim 21, wherein the performing of the transmissions or receptions is performed only after receiving a specific signal from the base station, [repeater 140) may receive an analog millimeter wave signal from a base station 110, may amplify the analog millimeter wave signal, and may transmit the amplified millimeter wave signal to one or more UEs 120, (Abedin et al., Paragraph 38)]. Regarding claim 30 , the method according to claim 21, wherein the performing of the transmissions or receptions is performed when a beam failure is not detected or when a recovery procedure of a beam failure is completed, [the RACH signal may be a RACH signal that the wireless communication device sends to the base station (e.g., to stablish a link with the base station, to recover from a beam failure, to recover from a link failure, or the like), (Abedini et al., Paragraph 106)] . Regarding claim 31 , a method of a base station, [Figure 4, Ref # Base Station 110] , comprising: transmitting, to a repeater and on a control link between the base station and the repeater, [repeaters in the plurality of repeaters are configured to receive signals from first wireless communication devices, (Abedin et al., Paragraph 6)] , information on one or more beams used for transmissions or receptions on an access link between the repeater and a terminal, [the configuration information may be associated with configuring a value for a parameter. The parameter may be associated with, for example, a maximum number of beams or a maximum number of SSBs that can be used by a given repeater of the plurality of repeaters (e.g., a maximum number of beams a repeater can use on a service-side), (Abedin et al., Paragraphs 95)] , and causing the repeater to perform the transmissions or receptions with the terminal on the access link by using the one or more beams, [the wireless communication device may receive the SIB including the configuration information associated with the plurality of repeaters, and may receive, (selectively) forward, and/or transmit communications based at least in part on the configuration information, (Abedin et al., Paragraph 99)] , wherein the information on the one or more beams are configured as information indicating index(es) of the one or more beams or information indicating codebook entry(ies) of the one or more beams, [the configuration information may be used for partitioning resources associated with an access procedure into a first set of resources and a second set of resources, the partitioning of the resources may be indicated by a set of synchronization signal block (SSB) indices. Here, each SSB index of the set of SSB indices may correspond to a respective SSB in a set of SSBs associated with an access procedure, (Abedini et al., Paragraphs 91)] . Regarding claim 33 , the method according to claim 31, wherein the information on the one or more beams is transmitted to the repeater through downlink control information (DCI) and/or a medium access control (MAC) control element, [a downlink control information (DCI) format may be defined to enable information associated with one or more of the above configurations to be provided, (Abedini et al., Paragraph 85)] . Regarding claim 35 , the method according to claim 31, further comprising: transmitting, to the repeater, information on time resource(s) in which the one or more beams are used, wherein the transmissions or receptions are performed over the time resource(s) on the access link by using the one or more beams, [the backhaul link can be used to configure the repeater with a beamforming configuration to be used on the access link (e.g., a configuration indicating one or more beams to be used for receiving or forwarding a signal), a switching configuration to be used on the access link (e.g., a configuration indicating whether the repeater is to receive and forward signals on the downlink or the uplink), and a schedule to be used on the access link (e.g., an indication of time resources in which to adopt the beamforming and switching configurations, (Abedini et al., Paragraph 84)] . Regarding claim 36 , the method according to claim 35, wherein the time resource(s) sequentially correspond to the one or more beams in a one-to-one manner, and a number of the time resources is equal to a number of the one or more beams, [the signal may be associated with an SSB corresponding to an SSB index (e.g., an SSB index included in a set of SSB indices indicated in the configuration information), (Abedini et al., Paragraph 101)] . Regarding claim 37 , the method according to claim 35, wherein each of the time resource(s) has a duration represented using unit time(s), information on the unit time is received from the base station, and the unit time is configured as a symbol, a symbol group, or a slot, [a given repeater would have previously received information indicating a location (e.g., in a time-domain) of the set of SSBs (e.g., based on a bitmap received in SIM and/or one or more radio resource control (RRC) messages, (Abedini et al., Paragraph 93)] . Regarding claim 38 , the method according to claim 31, wherein information on candidate beams including the one or more beams is preconfigured, [the backhaul link can be used to configure the repeater with a beamforming configuration to be used on the access link (e.g., a configuration indicating one or more beams to be used for receiving or forwarding a signal), (Abedini et al., Paragraph 84)] . Regarding claim 39 , the method according to claim 31, wherein the performing of the transmissions or receptions is performed only after the repeater receives a specific signal from the base station, [repeater 140) may receive an analog millimeter wave signal from a base station 110, may amplify the analog millimeter wave signal, and may transmit the amplified millimeter wave signal to one or more UEs 120, (Abedini et al., Paragraph 38)]. Regarding claim 40 , the method according to claim 31, wherein the performing of the transmissions or receptions is performed when a beam failure is not detected or when a recovery procedure of a beam failure is completed, [the RACH signal may be a RACH signal that the wireless communication device sends to the base station (e.g., to stablish a link with the base station, to recover from a beam failure, to recover from a link failure, or the like), (Abedini et al., Paragraph 106)] . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 24 and 34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abedini et al. (US 2021/0306065 A1) in view of Yi et al. (EP 4637064 A1) . Regarding claims 24 and 34 , Abedin et al. teaches the method according to claim 23, wherein when the information on the one or more beams is received from the base station through the DCI, the DCI is monitored in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) search space set configured by the base station on the control link, [The resources that are to carry the signals associated with the set of SSBs may include, for example, resources associated with carrying physical downlink control channels (PDCCHs) associated with scheduling RMSI associated with the set of SSB, (Abedin et al., Paragraph 93) , Abedin et al. fails to explicitly teach that the DCI has a format 2_X (X is 0 or a natural number), Yi et al. teaches that DCI format 2_0, 2_1, 2_2, 2_3, 2_4, 2_5 and 2_6 may be used for a group-common DCI transmission. Each format of DCI format 2_x may be used for different information, (Yi et al., Paragraph 246) , It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to modify Abedini et al. by including that that the DCI has a format 2_X (X is 0 or a natural number), (Yi et al., Paragraph 246) , in order to notify a group of UEs of a physical resource block and OFDM symbol where the UE may assume no transmission is intended to the UE, (Yi et al., Paragraph 208). Conclusion 07-39 AIA THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Shukri Taha whose telephone number is 571-270-1921. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:30am-5pm Mon-Fri. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joseph Avellino can be reached on 571-272-3905. 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Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). /SHUKRI TAHA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478 Application/Control Number: 18/686,374 Page 2 Art Unit: 2478 Application/Control Number: 18/686,374 Page 3 Art Unit: 2478 Application/Control Number: 18/686,374 Page 4 Art Unit: 2478 Application/Control Number: 18/686,374 Page 5 Art Unit: 2478 Application/Control Number: 18/686,374 Page 6 Art Unit: 2478 Application/Control Number: 18/686,374 Page 7 Art Unit: 2478 Application/Control Number: 18/686,374 Page 8 Art Unit: 2478 Application/Control Number: 18/686,374 Page 9 Art Unit: 2478 Application/Control Number: 18/686,374 Page 10 Art Unit: 2478 Application/Control Number: 18/686,374 Page 11 Art Unit: 2478 Application/Control Number: 18/686,374 Page 12 Art Unit: 2478 Application/Control Number: 18/686,374 Page 13 Art Unit: 2478
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