DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to applicant’s amendment filed on 09 July 2026. Claims 10-20 are now pending in the present application and claims 1-9 are canceled. This office action is made Final.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being by Van Phan et al. (hereinafter Van Phan) (WO 2021/059077 A1).
Regarding claims 14, 10, and 13, Van Phan discloses a communications system { (see pg. 13, [0044]; Figs. 1-2) } comprising:
a base station (e.g., eNB 105, 20) { (see pg. 13, [0044]; Figs. 1-2) }; and
a plurality of mobile terminal devices (e.g., UE 101, 120) including a first mobile terminal device being in a communication range with the base station, a second mobile terminal device, and a third mobile terminal device { (see pg. 13, [0044]; Figs. 1-2) },
wherein in a procedure for establishing a multi-hop relay communication path in which the third mobile terminal device (e.g., UE 101, 120) connects with the base station through the second mobile terminal device and the first mobile terminal device { (see pp. 10-11, [0038]; pg. 13, [0044]; Figs. 1-2), where the system provides UEs belonging to tiers },
the second mobile terminal device (e.g., UE 101, 120) is configured to receive a first sidelink (e.g., SL) discovery message (e.g., SCI) from the first mobile terminal device, and transmit a second sidelink (e.g., SL) discovery message to the third mobile terminal device based on the first sidelink discovery message (e.g., SCI) { (see pp. 10-11, [0038]; pg. 13, [0044]; Figs. 1-2), where the system provides UEs belonging to tiers },
the second sidelink (e.g., SL) discovery message (e.g., SCI) including terminal information for identifying the first mobile terminal device (e.g., UE 101, 120) { (see [0031]; pg. 11, [0041]; Figs. 1-2) }.
Regarding claim 15, Van Phan discloses the communications system according to claim 14, wherein when the third mobile terminal device moves out of communication range with the base station into an area not in communication range with the base station and the first mobile terminal device, the third mobile terminal device switches over to the multi-hop relay communication path { (see pp. 10-11, [0038]; pg. 13, [0044]; pg. 14, [0047]; Figs. 1-2), where the system provides UEs belonging to tiers }.
Regarding claim 16, Van Phan discloses the communications system according to claim 15, wherein when switchover to the multi-hop relay communication path is not completed after a predetermined period of time from start of the switchover to the multi-hop relay communication path, the third mobile terminal device detects a switchover error in communication path switchover { (see pg. 8, [.0031]; pp. 10-11, [0038]; pg. 13, [0044]; pg. 14, [0047]; Figs. 1-2), where the system provides UEs belonging to tiers (see pp. 8-9, [0034]) }.
Regarding claim 17, Van Phan discloses the communications system according to claim 16, wherein when the third mobile terminal device detects the switchover error, the third mobile terminal device establishes a direct communication path being a communication path directly connected to the base station { (see pp. 10-11, [0038]; pg. 13, [0044]; pg. 14, [0047]; Figs. 1-2) }.
Regarding claim 18, Van Phan discloses the communications system according to claim 14, wherein when the third mobile terminal device moves into communication range with the base station, the third mobile terminal device switches over to a direct communication path by sending a communication quality report indicating quality of communication with the base station to the base station, the direct communication path being the communication route directly connected to the base station { (see pg. 8, [.0031]; pp. 10-11, [0038]; pg. 13, [0044]; pg. 14, [0047]; Figs. 1-2), where the system provides UEs belonging to tiers (see pp. 8-9, [0034]) }.
Regarding claim 19, Van Phan discloses the communications system according to claim 14, wherein, the first mobile terminal device includes first data in the first sidelink discovery message, the first data being data capable of indicating the number of mobile terminal devices connected to the first mobile terminal device, the second mobile terminal device includes second data and the first data in the second sidelink discovery message, the second data being data capable of indicating the number of mobile terminal devices connected to the second mobile terminal device, and the third mobile terminal device transmits the first data and the second data to the base station { (see pp. 10-11, [0038]; pg. 13, [0044]; pg. 11, [0041]; Figs. 1-2) }.
Regarding claim 20, Van Phan discloses the communications system according to claim 14, wherein when the third mobile terminal device moves into communication range with the first mobile terminal device, the first mobile terminal device switches over from the multi-hop relay communication path to a single- hop relay communication path being a communication path through the first mobile terminal device without going through the second mobile terminal device { (see pp. 10-11, [0038]; pg. 13, [0044]; pg. 11, [0041]; Figs. 1-2) }.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 10-20 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection necessitated by the amended language, new limitations, and/or new claims.
In response to applicant’s arguments, the Examiner respectfully disagrees as the applied reference(s) provide more than adequate support and to further clarify (see the above claims for relevant citations).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Ashour et al. (US 2024/0064793 A1) discloses methods for enhanced sidelink communications with clustered or peer-to-peer federated learning.
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 WILLIE J DANIEL JR whose telephone number is (571)272-7907. The examiner can normally be reached on 9 - 6.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Gary Mui can be reached on 571-270-1420. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WILLIE J DANIEL JR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2465
WJD,Jr
30 September 2026
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