Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
DETAILED ACTION
2. This Office Action is in response to application filed on 07/02/2024. Claims 1-5 were previously pending. Claims 1-5 are rejected.
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 07/02/2024, 06/03/2025 is/are is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the IDS(s) is/are being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
4. The drawing(s) FIGs. 23-25 is/are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(m) because the shading does not aid in understanding the invention and does reduce legibility.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
5. The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: HEADER REWRITING IN BOUNDARY RELAY.
Claim Objections
6. Claims 1-5 objected to because of the following informalities: “RRC” should be --radio resource control (RRC)--. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
7. 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.
7.1. 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.
7.2. Claim(s) 1-2, 4-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zhuo et al., (“Zhuo”, US 2025/0344130 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Zhuo teaches, A communication control method used in a cellular communication system, the communication control method comprising:
receiving, by a boundary relay node (FIG.4, IAB node 420A), configuration information (header rewriting configuration) related to an ingress link (ingress BH 413B) from a network (Zhuo, FIG.4, integrated access and backhaul (IAB) nodes 420, ingress backhaul (BH) radio link control (RLC) channel 413B, [0090-92]: [0170-171]: The header rewriting configuration may include at least one entry, each of which may indicate an ingress backhaul adaptation protocol (BAP) routing ID and an egress BAP routing ID);
specifying, by the boundary relay node (IAB node 420A), a topology corresponding to the ingress link (ingress BH 413B), based on the configuration information (header rewriting configuration) (Zhuo, [0093]: the BAP routing ID carried by the received BAP PDU may be allocated by the IAB donor-CU of the ingress topology. [0171]: the header rewriting configuration may include a header rewriting configuration for inter-topology routing and a header rewriting configuration for rerouting); and
performing, by the boundary relay node (IAB node 420A), header rewriting processing on a packet flown in from the ingress link (ingress BH 413B), based on header rewriting configuration information received from the network, in response to the topology corresponding to the ingress link being a predetermined topology (Zhuo, [0091-92]: an IAB-node may rewrite the BAP routing ID in the BAP header of a packet under the circumstance: received BAP PDU may be allocated by the IAB donor-centralized unit (CU) of the ingress topology while the BAP routing ID carried by the transmitted BAP PDU may be allocated by the IAB donor-CU of the egress topology (“predetermined topology”)), wherein
the boundary relay node (IAB node 420A) is connected to a first donor node (IAB node 420B) through an F1 connection (ingress BH 413B) and is connected to a second donor node (IAB node 420D) through an RRC connection (egress BH 413C), the first donor node (IAB node 420B) being configured to manage a first topology and the second donor node (IAB node 420D) being configured to manage a second topology (Zhuo, FIG.4, radio link control (RLC) 411, backhaul (BH) link 413, [0089-90]: IAB node 420A (“boundary relay”) may receive a packet from a prior-hop IAB node 420B (“first donor node”), which may be a parent node of IAB node 420A for DL transmission on ingress BH RLC channel 413B on ingress BH link 411B; IAB node 420A may transmit the packet on egress BH RLC channel 413C on egress BH link 411C to next-hop node IAB 420D (“second donor node”). [0068]: an IAB donor-CU may provide the IAB node or the IAB donor-DU with the BAP address of its child node via F1AP signaling. [0061]: An IAB-node (IAB node 420A) with a radio resource control (RRC) interface terminating at a different IAB donor-CU than the F1 interface may be referred to as a “boundary IAB-node”), and
the predetermined topology is the second topology (Zhuo, [0092]: While the BAP routing ID carried by the transmitted BAP PDU may be allocated by the IAB donor-CU of the egress topology (“predetermined topology”)).
Regarding Claim 2, Zhuo teaches, A boundary relay node (FIG.4, IAB node 420A) comprising:
a receiver circuitry configured to receive configuration information (header rewriting configuration) related to an ingress link (ingress BH 413B) from a network (Zhuo, FIG.10, apparatus 1000, transceiver 1002, processor 1006, [0181]: an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node includes at least one processor 1006 and at least one transceiver 1002 coupled to the processor 1006. FIG.4, IAB nodes 420, [0090-92]: IAB node 420A is a boundary IAB-node; [0170-171]: The header rewriting configuration may include at least one entry, each of which may indicate an ingress backhaul adaptation protocol (BAP) routing ID and an egress BAP routing ID); and
a processing circuitry configured to specify a topology corresponding to the ingress link (ingress BH 413B), based on the configuration information (header rewriting configuration) (Zhuo, [0093]: the BAP routing ID carried by the received BAP PDU may be allocated by the IAB donor-CU of the ingress topology. [0171]: the header rewriting configuration may include a header rewriting configuration for inter-topology routing and a header rewriting configuration for rerouting), wherein
the processing circuitry is configured to perform header rewriting processing on a packet flown in from the ingress link (ingress BH 413B), based on header rewriting configuration information received from the network, in response to the topology corresponding to the ingress link being a predetermined topology (Zhuo, [0091-92]: an IAB-node may rewrite the BAP routing ID in the BAP header of a packet under the circumstance: A packet is routed between two topologies by a boundary IAB-node. The BAP routing ID carried by the received BAP PDU may be allocated by the IAB donor-centralized unit (CU) of the ingress topology while the BAP routing ID carried by the transmitted BAP PDU may be allocated by the IAB donor-CU of the egress topology (“predetermined topology”),
the boundary relay node (IAB node 420A) is connected to a first donor node (IAB node 420B) through an F1 connection (ingress BH 413B) and is connected to a second donor node (IAB node 420D) through an RRC connection (egress BH 413C), the first donor node being configured to manage a first topology and the second donor node being configured to manage a second topology (Zhuo, FIG.4, radio link control (RLC) 411, backhaul (BH) link 413, [0089-90]: IAB node 420A (“boundary relay”) may receive a packet from a prior-hop IAB node 420B (“first donor node”), which may be a parent node of IAB node 420A for DL transmission on ingress BH RLC channel 413B on ingress BH link 411B; IAB node 420A may transmit the packet on egress BH RLC channel 413C on egress BH link 411C to next-hop node IAB 420D (“second donor node”). [0068]: an IAB donor-CU may provide the IAB node or the IAB donor-DU with the BAP address of its child node via F1AP signaling. [0061]: An IAB-node (IAB node 420A) with a radio resource control (RRC) interface terminating at a different IAB donor-CU than the F1 interface may be referred to as a “boundary IAB-node”), and
the predetermined topology is the second topology (Zhuo, [0092]: while the BAP routing ID carried by the transmitted BAP PDU may be allocated by the IAB donor-CU of the egress topology (“predetermined topology”).
Regarding Claim 4, Zhuo teaches, A cellular communication system comprising:
a first donor node (FIG.4, IAB node 420B); a second donor node (IAB node 420D), and a boundary relay node (IAB node 420A) (Zhuo, FIG.4, integrated access and backhaul (IAB) nodes 420, [0090-92]: IAB node 420A is a boundary IAB-node, and IAB node 420B (“first donor node”), IAB 420D (“second donor node”)), wherein
the boundary relay node (IAB node 420A) receives configuration information (header rewriting configuration) related to an ingress link (ingress BH 413B) from a network (Zhuo, [0170-171]: The boundary IAB node 420A receives a header rewriting configuration. The header rewriting configuration may include at least one entry, each of which may indicate an ingress backhaul adaptation protocol (BAP) routing ID and an egress BAP routing ID);
the boundary relay node (IAB node 420A) specifies a topology corresponding to the ingress link (ingress BH 413B), based on the configuration information (Zhuo, [0093]: the BAP routing ID carried by the received BAP PDU may be allocated by the IAB donor-CU of the ingress topology. [0171]: the header rewriting configuration may include a header rewriting configuration for inter-topology routing and a header rewriting configuration for rerouting); and
the boundary relay node (IAB node 420A) performs header rewriting processing on a packet flown in from the ingress link (ingress BH 413B), based on header rewriting configuration information received from the network, in response to the topology corresponding to the ingress link being a predetermined topology (Zhuo, [0091-92]: an IAB-node may rewrite the BAP routing ID in the BAP header of a packet under the circumstance: A packet is routed between two topologies by a boundary IAB-node. The BAP routing ID carried by the received BAP PDU may be allocated by the IAB donor-centralized unit (CU) of the ingress topology while the BAP routing ID carried by the transmitted BAP PDU may be allocated by the IAB donor-CU of the egress topology (“predetermined topology”))), wherein
the boundary relay node (IAB node 420A) is connected to a first donor node (IAB node 420B) through an F1 connection (ingress BH 413B) and is connected to a second donor node (IAB node 420D) through an RRC connection (egress BH 413C), the first donor node being configured to manage a first topology and the second donor node being configured to manage a second topology (Zhuo, FIG.4, radio link control (RLC) 411, backhaul (BH) link 413, [0089-90]: IAB node 420A (“boundary relay”) may receive a packet from a prior-hop IAB node 420B (“first donor node”), which may be a parent node of IAB node 420A for DL transmission on ingress BH RLC channel 413B on ingress BH link 411B; IAB node 420A may transmit the packet on egress BH RLC channel 413C on egress BH link 411C to next-hop node IAB 420D (“second donor node”). [0068]: an IAB donor-CU may provide the IAB node or the IAB donor-DU with the BAP address of its child node via F1AP signaling. [0061]: An IAB-node (IAB node 420A) with a radio resource control (RRC) interface terminating at a different IAB donor-CU than the F1 interface may be referred to as a “boundary IAB-node”), and
the predetermined topology is the second topology (Zhuo, [0092]: While the BAP routing ID carried by the transmitted BAP PDU may be allocated by the IAB donor-CU of the egress topology (“predetermined topology”)).
Regarding Claim 5, Zhuo teaches, A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer of a boundary relay node (FIG.4, IAB node 420A) to execute processing comprising (Zhuo, FIG.10, transceiver 1002, processor 1006, [0185-186]: the non-transitory computer-readable medium may have stored thereon computer-executable instructions to cause the processor 1006 to implement the method with respect to the IAB node):
receiving configuration information (header rewriting configuration) related to an ingress link (ingress BH 413B) from a network (Zhuo, FIG.4, integrated access and backhaul (IAB) nodes 420, [0090-92]: IAB node 420A is a boundary IAB-node; [0170-171]: The header rewriting configuration may include at least one entry, each of which may indicate an ingress backhaul adaptation protocol (BAP) routing ID and an egress BAP routing ID);
specifying a topology corresponding to the ingress link (ingress BH 413B), based on the configuration information (Zhuo, [0093]: the BAP routing ID carried by the received BAP PDU may be allocated by the IAB donor-CU of the ingress topology. [0171]: the header rewriting configuration may include a header rewriting configuration for inter-topology routing and a header rewriting configuration for rerouting); and
performing header rewriting processing on a packet flown in from the ingress link (ingress BH 413B), based on header rewriting configuration information received from the network, in response to the topology corresponding to the ingress link being a predetermined topology (Zhuo, [0091-92]: an IAB-node may rewrite the BAP routing ID in the BAP header of a packet under the circumstance: A packet is routed between two topologies by a boundary IAB-node, The BAP routing ID carried by the received BAP PDU may be allocated by the IAB donor-centralized unit (CU) of the ingress topology while the BAP routing ID carried by the transmitted BAP PDU may be allocated by the IAB donor-CU of the egress topology (“predetermined topology”)), wherein
the boundary relay node (IAB node 420A) is connected to a first donor node (IAB node 420B) through an F1 connection (ingress BH 413B) and is connected to a second donor node (IAB node 420D) through an RRC connection (egress BH 413C), the first donor node being configured to manage a first topology and the second donor node being configured to manage a second topology (Zhuo, FIG.4, radio link control (RLC) 411, backhaul (BH) link 413, [0089-90]: IAB node 420A (“boundary relay”) may receive a packet from a prior-hop IAB node 420B (“first donor node”), which may be a parent node of IAB node 420A for DL transmission on ingress BH RLC channel 413B on ingress BH link 411B. IAB node 420A may transmit the packet on egress BH RLC channel 413C on egress BH link 411C to next-hop node IAB 420D (“second donor node”). [0068]: an IAB donor-CU may provide the IAB node or the IAB donor-DU with the BAP address of its child node via F1AP signaling), and
the predetermined topology is the second topology (Zhuo, [0092]: While the BAP routing ID carried by the transmitted BAP PDU may be allocated by the IAB donor-CU of the egress topology (“predetermined topology”)).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
8. 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.
8.1. 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 of this title, 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.
8.2. 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.
8.3. Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Zhuo et al., (“Zhuo”, US 2025/0344130 A1) in view of Zhu et al., (“Zhu”, US 2020/0287615 A1).
Regarding Claim 3, Zhuo teaches, (FIG.4, IAB node 420A),
receiving configuration information (header rewriting configuration) related to an ingress link (ingress BH 413B) from a network (Zhuo, FIG.4, integrated access and backhaul (IAB) nodes 420, [0090-92]: IAB node 420A is a boundary IAB-node; [0170-171]: The header rewriting configuration may include at least one entry, each of which may indicate an ingress backhaul adaptation protocol (BAP) routing ID and an egress BAP routing ID);
specifying a topology corresponding to the ingress link (ingress BH 413B), based on the configuration information (Zhuo, [0093]: the BAP routing ID carried by the received BAP PDU may be allocated by the IAB donor-CU of the ingress topology. [0171]: the header rewriting configuration may include a header rewriting configuration for inter-topology routing and a header rewriting configuration for rerouting); and
performing header rewriting processing on a packet flown in from the ingress link (ingress BH 413B), based on header rewriting configuration information received from the network, in response to the topology corresponding to the ingress link being a predetermined topology (Zhuo, [0091-92]: an IAB-node may rewrite the BAP routing ID in the BAP header of a packet under the circumstance: A packet is routed between two topologies by a boundary IAB-node. The BAP routing ID carried by the received BAP PDU may be allocated by the IAB donor-centralized unit (CU) of the ingress topology while the BAP routing ID carried by the transmitted BAP PDU may be allocated by the IAB donor-CU of the egress topology (“predetermined topology”)), wherein
the boundary relay node (IAB node 420A) is connected to a first donor node (IAB node 420B) through an F1 connection (ingress BH 413B) and is connected to a second donor node (IAB node 420D) through an RRC connection (egress BH 413C), the first donor node being configured to manage a first topology and the second donor node being configured to manage a second topology (Zhuo, FIG.4, radio link control (RLC) 411, backhaul (BH) link 413, [0089-90]: IAB node 420A (“boundary relay”) may receive a packet from a prior-hop IAB node 420B (“first donor node”), which may be a parent node of IAB node 420A for DL transmission on ingress BH RLC channel 413B on ingress BH link 411B. IAB node 420A may transmit the packet on egress BH RLC channel 413C on egress BH link 411C to next-hop node IAB 420D (“second donor node”). [0068]: an IAB donor-CU may provide the IAB node or the IAB donor-DU with the BAP address of its child node via F1AP signaling. [0061]: An IAB-node (IAB node 420A) with a radio resource control (RRC) interface terminating at a different IAB donor-CU than the F1 interface may be referred to as a “boundary IAB-node”), and
the predetermined topology is the second topology (Zhuo, [0092]: While the BAP routing ID carried by the transmitted BAP PDU may be allocated by the IAB donor-CU of the egress topology (“predetermined topology”)).
Zhuo does not expressly teach a chipset for a boundary relay node, however, Zhu teaches a chipset for a boundary relay node (Zhu, [0024]: The application provides a system chip. The system chip includes at least one processor and a communications interface, the communications interface is used by the system chip to perform communication interaction with the outside, and the at least one processor is configured to execute a program instruction, to implement an operation of a relay node)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify application of the boundary relay node (IAB node 420A), as taught by Zhuo, that provides a system chip, as taught by Park.
Doing so allows a chipset for a boundary relay node (Zhu, [0024]).
Conclusion
8. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
Park et al., US 2015/0049734 A1, Method For Transmitting Indication In Wireless Communication System, Involves Transmitting Indication Including Information On Lists Of UEs Handed Over To Target Evolved Node B (eNB) To Mobile Relay Node, FIG.5, [0041].
Huang et al., US 2021/0219374 A1, Method For Transmitting Information To E.g. Mobile Phone, Involves Determining Message To Be Transmitted, Sending Message To Base Station, Forwarding Message To IAB Donor Through Base Station, And Receiving Message Sent By IAB Node, [0011][0019-20].
Li et al., US 2020/0336942 A1, Method For Wireless Communications, Particularly For High Pathloss Mode Multiplexing Communications, Involves Configuring Sets Of Resources Of Radio Frequency Spectrum Bands For Communications Associated With First And Second Modes, FIG.2.
9. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHHIAN (AMY) LING whose telephone number is (571)270-1074. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-6 ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, MOO JEONG can be reached at (571)272-9617. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/C.L./
Examiner
Art Unit 2418
/Moo Jeong/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2418
Prosecution Insights