CTNF 18/701,084 CTNF 90519 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 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. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statements (IDSs), submitted on 28 February 2025 and 03 September 2025, were filed after the mailing date of the patent application on 12 April 2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Drawings The drawings, received on 12 April 2024, are acceptable for examination. Specification 06-31 AIA The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA) 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. 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. 07-23-aia AIA The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows: 1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. 2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. 3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. 4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 1, 4, 5, and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou et al. (US 20230010134 A1; hereinafter referred to as “Zhou”) in view of Huang et al. (US 20220256533 A1; hereinafter referred to as “Huang”) . Regarding Claim 1, Zhou discloses a wireless relay device comprising: a control unit ( ¶54 & Fig. 2, Zhou relay UE comprising a controller/processor 290 ) configured to relay downlink radio signals and uplink radio signals between the base station and a terminal based on the information about the duplex scheme ( ¶117-119 & Fig. 9 (920), Zhou discloses relaying, by the relay UE, communications between the destination UE and the BS ). However, Zhou does not disclose a receiving unit configured to receive, from a base station, information about a duplex scheme used in a network. Huang, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, teaches a receiving unit ( ¶42-45 & Fig. 2, Huang a base station, such as an IAB node, comprising a receive processor 238 ) configured to receive, from a base station, information about a duplex scheme used in a network ( ¶100 & Fig. 11 (1130), Huang receiving, by the IAB node from a parent node of the IAB node, a full duplex (FD) resource allocation ). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Zhou by requiring a receiving unit configured to receive, from a base station, information about a duplex scheme used in a network as taught by Zhou because system capacity and the capability to quickly deliver traffic in any direction (UL or DL) is improved ( Huang, ¶51 ). Regarding Claim 4, Zhou in view of Huang discloses the wireless relay device according to claim 1. Zhou further discloses wherein, when the duplex scheme is full duplex (FD), the control unit determines whether or not to carry out an FD-based operation ( ¶117-119 & Fig. 9 (915), Zhou discloses determining, when the duplex scheme is full duplex (FD), whether the relay UE is capable of performing FD relaying based on FD information ). Regarding Claim 5, Zhou in view of Huang discloses the wireless relay device according to claim 4. Zhou further discloses wherein the control unit relays the downlink radio signals and the uplink radio signals between the base station and the terminal based on whether or not the information about the duplex scheme indicates whether a downlink signal and an uplink signal for a same terminal occur simultaneously ( ¶117-119 & Fig. 9 (915->920) & ¶105, Zhou discloses relaying, by the relay UE, communications between the UE and the BS based on whether the FD information indicates a capability relating to bidirectional radio access FD communication where FD communication involves simultaneous communication on a radio access link with the radio access node and on a sidelink with the destination UE ). Regarding Claim 6, Claim 6 is rejected on the same basis as Claim 1 . 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 2-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou in view of Huang in further view of Mehrabani et al. (US 20210037447 A1; hereinafter referred to as “Mehrabani”) . Regarding Claim 2, Zhou in view of Huang discloses the wireless relay device according to claim 1. However, Zhou in view of Huang does not disclose wherein, when the duplex scheme is cross-division duplex (XDD), the control unit relays a radio signal of a first frequency when relaying the downlink radio signals, and relays a radio signal of a second frequency when relaying the uplink radio signals. Mehrabani, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, teaches wherein, when the duplex scheme is cross-division duplex (XDD), the control unit relays a radio signal of a first frequency when relaying the downlink radio signals ( ¶66-68 & Fig. 4, Mehrabani discloses that, when the duplex scheme is full duplex, the relay station relays a downlink (DL) radio signal having a first frequency, f.sub.1, when relaying downlink signals ), and relays a radio signal of a second frequency when relaying the uplink radio signals ( ¶66-68 & Fig. 4, Mehrabani discloses that, when the duplex scheme is full duplex, the relay station relays an uplink (UL) radio signal having a second frequency, f.sub.2, when relaying uplink signals ). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to modify Zhou in view of Huang by requiring that when the duplex scheme is cross-division duplex (XDD), the control unit relays a radio signal of a first frequency when relaying the downlink radio signals, and relays a radio signal of a second frequency when relaying the uplink radio signals as taught by Mehrabani because the efficiency of radio resource usage in a wireless communication system is improved ( Mehrabani, ¶11-13 ). Regarding Claim 3, Zhou in view of Huang in further view of Mehrabani discloses the wireless relay device according to claim 2. Mehrabani, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, teaches wherein the first frequency and the second frequency are different ( ¶66-68 & Fig. 4, Mehrabani discloses that that first frequency and the second frequency are different ), and the downlink radio signals and the uplink radio signals are relayed simultaneously ( ¶66-68 & Fig. 4 & ¶16 & ¶31, Mehrabani discloses that the downlink signals and the uplink signals are relayed concurrently ). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to modify Zhou in view of Huang in further view of Mehrabani by requiring that the first frequency and the second frequency are different and the downlink radio signals and the uplink radio signals are relayed simultaneously as taught by Mehrabani because the efficiency of radio resource usage in a wireless communication system is improved ( Mehrabani, ¶11-13 ). Internet Communications Applicant is encouraged to submit a written authorization for Internet communications (PTO/SB/439, http://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/documents/sb0439.pdf) in the instant patent application to authorize the examiner to communicate with the applicant via email. The authorization will allow the examiner to better practice compact prosecution. The written authorization can be submitted via one of the following methods only : (1) Central Fax which can be found in the Conclusion section of this Office action; (2) regular postal mail; (3) EFS WEB; or (4) the service window on the Alexandria campus. EFS web is the recommended way to submit the form since this allows the form to be entered into the file wrapper within the same day (system dependent). Written authorization submitted via other methods, such as direct fax to the examiner or email, will not be accepted. See MPEP § 502.03. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIC NOWLIN whose telephone number is (313)446-6544. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 12:00PM-10:00PM. 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, Michael Thier can be reached at (571) 272-2832. 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. /ERIC NOWLIN/Examiner, Art Unit 2474 Application/Control Number: 18/701,084 Page 2 Art Unit: 2474 Application/Control Number: 18/701,084 Page 3 Art Unit: 2474 Application/Control Number: 18/701,084 Page 4 Art Unit: 2474 Application/Control Number: 18/701,084 Page 5 Art Unit: 2474 Application/Control Number: 18/701,084 Page 6 Art Unit: 2474 Application/Control Number: 18/701,084 Page 7 Art Unit: 2474 Application/Control Number: 18/701,084 Page 8 Art Unit: 2474
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