CTNF 18/723,871 CTNF 89672 DETAILED ACTION The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. This action is in response to the communication filed on 6/25/2024. Claims 1-14, 27 are pending. Examiner Note The examiner is here to serve, to assist, and to help applicant to the very best of his ability. The Primary Patent Examiner position is a position of serving and it is an honor to externally serve the applicant and attorney and to internally serve junior examiners and supervisors. The goal of the examiner is to work with and assist applicant to move cases along as efficiently as possible. Applicant is encouraged to call examiner to schedule an interview if applicant has any questions about this action, wants to discuss any possible paths forward, has proposed amendments to the claims to run by the examiner, or for any other issues that applicant would like to discuss. Examiner can normally be reached at (571) 270-3863 or michael.keller@uspto.gov, Monday-Friday, from about 6 AM - 10 PM EST and if your call is missed examiner will try to return call quickly, thank you. Priority This application claims priority of EP22150620.7, filed 6/25/2024. The assignee of record is Sony Group Corporation. The listed inventor(s) is/are: SHARMA, Vivek; AWAD, Yassin Aden; WAKABAYASHI, Hideji; WEI, Yuxin. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 6/25/2024 & 4/13/2026 is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the IDS(s) is/are being considered by the examiner. Examiner Note Re: Claim 14 The examiner interprets a repeater to be a physical hardware device as known in the art, please also see screenshot of Fig. 8 of Applicant’s Drawings below, thank you: PNG media_image1.png 494 952 media_image1.png Greyscale Allowable Subject Matter Claim 8 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 provided that all other rejections under 35 USC 101/112 (if any) are obviated upon upcoming amendments/arguments without raising new issues that necessitate further consideration/search. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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. 07-07-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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 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-aia AIA Claim(s) 27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Ray Chaudhuri et al. (US 20210194569 A1, published 6/24/2021; hereinafter Ray) . For Claim 27, Ray-Tek teaches the radio node for use in a telecommunications network, the telecommunications network comprising at least the radio node, a repeater and a terminal wherein the radio node is configured to provide a wireless access interface to communicate with the terminal and wherein the repeater is configured to amplify signals from the radio node and to the terminal, the radio node being configured to: make a determination that the radio node supports a network-controlled repeater functionality ( 1. A method for wireless communications by a repeater, comprising: transmitting a mode switch message to a base station that indicates a request to switch from a first mode to a coverage expansion mode based at least in part on detection that amplification of a first signal received over a first bandwidth does not satisfy an amplification threshold; and transmitting, in accordance with the coverage expansion mode, an egress signal that is an amplified version of an ingress signal that is received over a second bandwidth that is narrower than the first bandwidth based at least in part on the mode switch message. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the mode switch message comprises: transmitting the mode switch message as a beacon signal. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, from the base station, a mode switch response message that instructs the repeater to operate in the coverage expansion mode based at least in part on the mode switch message. 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting a second mode switch message to the base station that indicates a request to switch from the coverage expansion mode to the first mode; and transmitting a second egress signal that is an amplified version of a second ingress signal that is received over the first bandwidth based at least in part on the second mode switch message. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein transmitting the second mode switch message comprises: transmitting the second mode switch message as a beacon signal ) ; based on the determination, transmit a first indicator indicating that the radio node supports the network-controlled repeater functionality (Ray’s explanation of Fig. 4 found in Ray ¶ 0141-0153. Please see screenshot of Ray Fig. 4 below, thank you: PNG media_image2.png 938 620 media_image2.png Greyscale ) and based on the determination, transmit control information for the repeater to configure a network-controlled repeater mode (Ray ¶ 0148 At 435, the repeater 405 may operate in the coverage expansion mode based on the instructions received from the base station 105-c at 430. ) . 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. 07-20-02-aia AIA This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 1-7, 9-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ray in view of Tekgul et al. (US 20210075497 A1, published 3/11/2021; hereinafter Tek) . For Claim 1, Ray teaches a method of operating a repeater in a telecommunications network, the telecommunications network comprising at least a first radio node and a terminal wherein the first radio node is configured to provide a wireless access interface to communicate with the terminal (Please see screenshot of Ray Fig. 2 below and Ray ¶ 0110 repeater 205, UE 115, and BS 105. PNG media_image3.png 678 646 media_image3.png Greyscale ) , the method comprising: the first radio node supports a network-controlled repeater functionality (Ray Claims 1-4 1. A method for wireless communications by a repeater, comprising: transmitting a mode switch message to a base station that indicates a request to switch from a first mode to a coverage expansion mode based at least in part on detection that amplification of a first signal received over a first bandwidth does not satisfy an amplification threshold; and transmitting, in accordance with the coverage expansion mode, an egress signal that is an amplified version of an ingress signal that is received over a second bandwidth that is narrower than the first bandwidth based at least in part on the mode switch message. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the mode switch message comprises: transmitting the mode switch message as a beacon signal. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, from the base station, a mode switch response message that instructs the repeater to operate in the coverage expansion mode based at least in part on the mode switch message. 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting a second mode switch message to the base station that indicates a request to switch from the coverage expansion mode to the first mode; and transmitting a second egress signal that is an amplified version of a second ingress signal that is received over the first bandwidth based at least in part on the second mode switch message. 5. The method of claim 4, wherein transmitting the second mode switch message comprises: transmitting the second mode switch message as a beacon signal .) ; receiving first control information from the first radio node (Ray’s explanation of Fig. 4 found in Ray ¶ 0141-0153. Please see screenshot of Ray Fig. 4 below, thank you: PNG media_image2.png 938 620 media_image2.png Greyscale ) ; and configuring the repeater to operate in a network-controlled repeater mode for the first radio node and based on the first control information (Ray ¶ 0148 At 435, the repeater 405 may operate in the coverage expansion mode based on the instructions received from the base station 105-c at 430. ) ; and when the first indicator is not detected, configuring the repeater to operate in an autonomous repeater mode (Ray Fig. 4, ¶ 0143 without prior signaling the repeater 405 operates autonomous as amplifying repeater of first signal 410) . Ray does not explicitly teach monitoring for a first indicator, from the first radio node; when the first indicator is detected. However, Tek teaches monitoring for a first indicator, from the first radio node; when the first indicator is detected (Tek ¶ 0081-0088, 0090, 0092. Tek ¶ 0092 The relay 602 may select its mode based on a QoS or traffic type for a communication between the base station 604 and the UE 606. The relay 602 may select an amplify-forward mode when the QoS or traffic type for the communication indicates that the communication is low latency traffic (e.g., URLLC traffic). The relay 602 may select a decode-forward mode when the QoS or traffic type does not indicate that the communication is low latency traffic (e.g., where the communication is eMBB traffic). Please see screenshot of Tek Fig. 6 below, thank you: PNG media_image4.png 640 864 media_image4.png Greyscale ) . Tek and Ray are analogous art because they are both related to repeaters. Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the relay techniques of Tek with the system of Ray to select a mode capable of providing latency or SNR within the indicated limits (Tek ¶ 0086). For Claim 2, Ray-Tek teaches the method of claim 1 wherein configuring the repeater to operate in an autonomous repeater mode comprises configuring the repeater to operate in an autonomous repeater mode for the first radio node (Ray ¶ 0110-0115, 0154, Fig. 5) . For Claim 3, Ray-Tek teaches the method of claim 1 wherein, in a network-controlled repeater mode, the repeater operates as an active repeater wherein a radio configuration for the repeated transmissions is based on control information received from a radio node and in an autonomous repeater mode, the repeater operates as a passive repeater or as an active repeater configured without control information from a radio node (Ray ¶ 0110-0115, 0154, Fig. 5) . For Claim 4, Ray-Tek teaches the method of claim 1 further comprising: monitoring for a second indicator from a second radio node of the telecommunications network that the second radio node supports the network-controlled repeater functionality (Tek Fig. 6 and related description) ; and when the first indicator is not detected and when the second indicator is detected: receiving second control information from the second radio node (Tek Fig. 6 and related description) ; and configuring the repeater to operate in a network-controlled repeater mode for the second radio node and based on the second control information (Tek Fig. 6 and related description) . For Claim 5, Ray-Tek teaches the method of claim 1 further comprising: monitoring for a second indicator from a second radio node of the telecommunications network that the second radio node supports the network-controlled repeater functionality; and when the first indicator is not detected and when the second indicator is not detected: configuring the repeater to operate in an autonomous repeater mode for one of the first radio node and second radio node (Tek Fig. 6 and related description) . For Claim 6, Ray-Tek teaches the method of any preceding claim 1 wherein monitoring for the first indicator comprises monitoring for the first indicator in a system information transmission from the first radio node or in a downlink control information (DCI) transmission from the first radio node (Tek ¶ 0042) . For Claim 7, Ray-Tek teaches the method of claim 6 wherein the monitored system information transmission is at least one of a Master Information Block (MIB) transmission and a System Information Block (SIB) transmission (Tek ¶ 0047) For Claim 9, Ray-Tek teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising, once configured in a network-controlled repeater mode for the first radio node: measuring an interference level at the repeater (Ray ¶ 0125, 0128, 0157) ; sending an interference report to the first radio node based on the measuring of the interference level (Ray ¶ 0125, 0128, 0157) . For Claim 10, Ray-Tek teaches the method of claim 9 wherein measuring the interference level comprises: measuring Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) resources and identifying an SRS identifier (SRS ID) associated with the SRS resources; and including the SRS ID in the indication of the interference report (Ray ¶ 0125, 0128, 0157) . For Claim 11, Ray-Tek teaches the method of claim 9 further comprising: receiving, from the first radio node, a notification identifying a first terminal as being in the vicinity of the repeater; wherein measuring an interference level at the repeater comprises measuring a signal strength from the first terminal (Ray ¶ 0125, 0128, 0157) . For Claim 12, Ray-Tek teaches the method of claim 1 further comprising: receiving a deactivation instruction, the deactivating instruction instructing the repeater to stop repeating signal; and in response to the deactivation instruction, exiting the network-controlled repeater mode and stopping the repeating of signals (Tek ¶ 0038) . For Claim 13, Ray-Tek teaches the method of claim 1 wherein the first radio node is at least one of a base station, a gNodeB (gNB), a relay node, an IAB node and a terminal (Ray ¶ 0061) . For Claim(s) 14 , the claim(s) is/are substantially similar to claim 1 and therefore is/are rejected for the same reasoning set forth above. Citation of Pertinent Prior Art 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure is listed below, thank you: i. US 9853709 B2, Repeater Operation Method And Apparatus In Wireless Communication System Please see PTO-892 for additional listing of relevant prior art made of record but not relied upon, thank you. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning communications from the examiner should be directed to Michael Keller at (571)270-3863 or michael.keller@uspto.gov. If attempts to reach the examiner are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Brian Gillis can be reached on 571-272-7952. 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. /MICHAEL A KELLER/ Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2446 Application/Control Number: 18/723,871 Page 2 Art Unit: 2446 Application/Control Number: 18/723,871 Page 3 Art Unit: 2446 Application/Control Number: 18/723,871 Page 4 Art Unit: 2446 Application/Control Number: 18/723,871 Page 5 Art Unit: 2446 Application/Control Number: 18/723,871 Page 6 Art Unit: 2446 Application/Control Number: 18/723,871 Page 7 Art Unit: 2446 Application/Control Number: 18/723,871 Page 8 Art Unit: 2446 Application/Control Number: 18/723,871 Page 9 Art Unit: 2446 Application/Control Number: 18/723,871 Page 10 Art Unit: 2446
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