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.
Claims 1-13 and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wang et al (US 2023/0199580) (hereinafter Wang).
Regarding claim 1, Wang discloses an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) donor device in a first donor-CU (see Wang, Fig. 9A, e.g., Source IAB-donor CU 811), comprising:
a transmitter configured to transmit an IAB transport migration management request (e.g., handover request) for modifying a migrated traffic of an IAB node to a second donor-CU (e.g., Target IAB-donor CU 812) (see Wang, Fig. 9A, p. [0088], e.g., step 916, the source IAB-donor-CU 811 may send a HANDOVER REQUEST message to the target IAB-donor-CU 812 with necessary information to prepare the handover at the target side); and
a receiver configured to receive an IAB transport migration management response for the traffic transmitted by the second donor-CU (see Wang, Fig. 9B, p. [0108], e.g., step 940 in FIG. 9B, the target IAB-donor-CU 812 may send a Handover success message to the source IAB-donor-CU 811);
wherein an IAB-DU of the IAB node maintains F1 connection with the first donor-CU, (see Wang, Fig. 6, p. [0057], e.g., The migrating IAB-node DU 454 may communicate with the IAB-donor-CU 612 via F1AP message) and a resource serving for the traffic has been established in a topology of the second donor-CU (see Wang, Fig. 6, p. [0057], e.g., the migrating IAB-node 650 may change its attachment point from the source parent IAB-node 630 connecting to the source IAB-donor-DU 613 to the target parent IAB-node 640 connecting to the target IAB-donor-DU 614).
Regarding claim 2, Wang discloses the device according to claim 1, wherein an IAB-MT of the IAB-node maintains radio resource control connection with the second donor-CU (see Wang, Fig. 9A, p. [0100], e.g., uplink packets may be sent from the migrating IAB-MT, which are forwarded to the target IAB-donor-CU 812 through the DU of the target parent IAB-node 640) or an IAB-MT of the IAB-node maintains radio resource control connection with the first donor-CU; the traffic includes at least one or a combination of the following: an F1 control plane traffic (see Wang, p. [0104], e.g., the F1-C connections may be switched to use the migrating IAB-node’s new one or more TNL address), an F1 user plane traffic, or a non-F1 traffic.
Regarding claim 3, Wang discloses the device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter transmits to the second donor-CU the IAB transport migration management request used for requesting to modify the resource serving for the traffic in the topology of the second donor-CU (see Wang, Fig. 9A, p. [0100], e.g., step 930 in FIG. 9A, the DU of the target parent IAB-node may send an UL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message to the target IAB-donor-CU 812 to convey the received RRCReconfigurationComplete message).
Regarding claim 4, Wang discloses the device according to claim 3, wherein the receiver receives the IAB transport migration management response for modifying the resource serving for the traffic in the topology of the second donor-CU, transmitted by the second donor-CU (see Wang, Fig. 9B, p. [0105], e.g., step 940 in FIG. 9B, the target IAB-donor-CU 812 may send a Handover success message to the source IAB-donor-CU 811).
Regarding claim 5, Wang discloses the device according to claim 1, wherein the IAB transport migration management request includes the following information: an identifier of the traffic, quality of service and/or a type of the traffic (see Wang, p. [0088], e.g., the HANDOVER REQUEST message may indicate a DAPS HO request for the concerned DRB or concerned BH RLC channel); the IAB transport migration management response includes the following information: the identifier of the traffic, and backhaul information of the traffic in the topology of the second donor-CU (see Wang, p. [0088], e.g., the HANDOVER REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE message may indicate a DAPS HO response for the concerned DRB or concerned BH RLC channel).
Regarding claim 6, Wang discloses the device according to claim 5, wherein the backhaul information in the topology of the second donor-CU includes at least one of the following: an ingress routing identifier of a downlink traffic; an ingress backhaul radio link control channel of the downlink traffic; a prior-hop backhaul adaptation protocol address of the downlink traffic; or quality of service (QoS) mapping information of the downlink traffic (see Wang, p. [0065], e.g., The RRCReconfiguration message may include a default BH RLC channel and a default BAP Routing ID configuration for UL F1-C traffic mapping on the target path).
Regarding claim 7, Wang discloses the device according to claim 5, wherein the backhaul information in the topology of the second donor-CU includes at least one of the following: an egress routing identifier of an uplink traffic; an egress backhaul radio link control channel of the uplink traffic; or a next-hop backhaul adaptation protocol address of the uplink traffic (see Wang, p. [0065], e.g., the RRCReconfiguration message may include additional BH RLC channels).
Regarding claim 8, Wang discloses the device according to claim 1, wherein the device further comprises: processor circuitry configured to perform at least one of the following operations: updating quality of service (QoS) mapping information of the traffic; configuring the IAB-node with uplink BH information for updating the traffic (see Wang, Fig. 7B, p. [0076], e.g., The IAB-donor-CU 612 may update the BH information associated to each GTP-tunnel to the migrating IAB-node 650); configuring the IAB-node to update at least one of the following: header rewriting information of a backhaul adaptation protocol between topologies in an uplink direction, routing information in the topology of the second donor-CU, or backhaul radio link control channel mapping information between the topologies in the uplink direction; or configuring the IAB-node to update at least one of the following: header rewriting information of a backhaul adaptation protocol between topologies in a downlink direction, or backhaul radio link control channel mapping information between the topologies in the downlink direction.
Regarding claim 9, Wang discloses the device according to claim 8, wherein the IAB transport migration management request is used for requesting modification of an IP address for the IAB-node (see Wang, p. [0051], e.g., the method 500 may include that the migrating IAB-node modifies a backhaul adaption protocol (BAP) header of uplink forwarding data during the migration).
Regarding claim 10, Wang discloses the device according to claim 9, wherein the IAB transport migration management request includes at least one of the following information: an IAB-node identifier or an IP address request index, a backhaul adaptation protocol address of a donor-DU in a topology of the first donor-CU (see Wang, p. [0051], e.g., the migrating IAB-node modifies a backhaul adaption protocol (BAP) header of uplink forwarding data during the migration, and p. [0065], [0075]) , or an IP address anchored at the donor-DU.
Regarding claim 11, Wang discloses the device according to claim 9, wherein the IAB transport migration management response is used for modifying the IP address for the IAB-node, transmitted by the second donor-CU (see Wang, p. [0089], e.g., the HANDOVER REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE message may indicate a DAPS HO response for the concerned DRB or concerned BH RLC channel, and p. [0091]).
Regarding claim 12, Wang discloses the device according to claim 11, wherein the IAB transport migration management response includes the following information: an IAB-node identifier or IP address request index, a backhaul adaptation protocol address, and an IP address anchored at the donor-DU in the topology of second donor-CU (see Wang, p. [0090-0091], e.g., the RRCReconfiguration message may include a default BH RLC channel and a default backhaul adaption protocol (BAP) routing identification (ID) configuration for UL F1-C traffic mapping on the target path).
Regarding claim 13, Wang discloses the device according to claim 11, wherein the processor circuitry configures the IAB-node with an IP address anchored at a donor-DU in the topology of second donor-CU (see Wang, Fig. 9B, p. [0101-0104], e.g., the target IAB-donor-CU 812 may configure one or more BH RLC channel and one or more BAP-sublayer routing entry on the target path between the target parent IAB-node 640 and target IAB-donor-DU 614 as well as DL mappings on the target IAB-donor-DU 614 for the migrating IAB-node’s target path, and step 938 in FIG. 9B, the F1-C connections may be switched to use the migrating IAB-node’s new one or more TNL address. Optionally in one implementation, the target IAB-donor-CU 812 may update the BH information associated to each GTP-tunnel to the migrating IAB-node 650).
Regarding claim 15, Wang discloses the device according to claim 1, wherein in a case where the IAB-MT of the IAB-node is switched from the first donor-CU to the second donor-CU, and one or more resources for serving for one or more traffics of the IAB-node has been established in the topology of the second donor-CU, the transmitter transmits the IAB transport migration management request for the one or more traffics (see Wang, p. [0076], e.g., the F1-C connections may be switched to use the migrating IAB-node’s one or more new TNL address. The IAB-donor-CU 612 may update the BH information associated to each GTP-tunnel to the migrating IAB-node 650. Optionally, the step 734 may also update UL FTEID and DL FTEID associated to each GTP-tunnel. In one implementation, all F1-U tunnels may be switched to use the migrating IAB-node’s one or more new TNL address); or, in a case where the IAB-MT of the IAB-node is reestablished from the first donor-CU to the second donor-CU, and one or more resources for serving for one or more traffics of the IAB-node has been established in the topology of the second donor-CU, the transmitter transmits the IAB transport migration management request for the one or more traffics; or, in a case where the IAB-MT of the IAB-node has established dual-connection with the first donor-CU and the second donor-CU, and one or more resources for serving for one or more traffics of the IAB-node has been established in the topology of the second donor-CU, the transmitter transmits the IAB transport migration management request for the one or more traffics.
Regarding claim 16, Wang discloses an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) donor device in a second donor-CU (e.g., Target IAB-donor CU 812), comprising: a transmitter configured to transmit an IAB transport migration modification request for a migrated traffic of an IAB node to a first donor-CU (see Wang, Fig. 9A, p. [0089], e.g., step 918 in FIG. 9A, the target IAB-donor-CU 812 may perform admission control and respond the source IAB-donor-CU 811 with a HANDOVER REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE message); and processor circuitry configured to modify a resource serving for the traffic in a topology of the second donor-CU (see Wang, Fig. 9B, p. [0108], e.g., step 940 in FIG. 9B, the target IAB-donor-CU 812 may send a Handover success message to the source IAB-donor-CU 811); wherein an IAB-DU of the IAB node maintains F1 connection with the first donor-CU (see Wang, Fig. 6, p. [0057], e.g., The migrating IAB-node DU 454 may communicate with the IAB-donor-CU 612 via F1AP message), and the resource serving for the traffic has been established in the topology of the second donor-CU (see Wang, Fig. 6, p. [0057], e.g., the migrating IAB-node 650 may change its attachment point from the source parent IAB-node 630 connecting to the source IAB-donor-DU 613 to the target parent IAB-node 640 connecting to the target IAB-donor-DU 614).
Regarding claim 17, Wang discloses the device according to claim 16, wherein the transmitter transmits to the first donor-CU the IAB transport migration modification request used for modifying a routing identifier and/or a backhaul radio link control channel of the traffic in the topology of the second donor-CU (see Wang, Fig. 9A, p. [0100], e.g., step 930 in FIG. 9A, the DU of the target parent IAB-node may send an UL RRC MESSAGE TRANSFER message to the target IAB-donor-CU 812 to convey the received RRCReconfigurationComplete message).
Regarding claim 18, Wang discloses the device according to claim 16, wherein the processor circuitry performs at least one of the following operations: updating a backhaul radio link control channel (see Wang, Fig. 7B, p. [0076], e.g., The IAB-donor-CU 612 may update the BH information associated to each GTP-tunnel to the migrating IAB-node 650) and/or backhaul adaptation protocol sublayer routing used by the traffic on a path in the topology of the second donor-CU; updating uplink backhaul information of the traffic, wherein the uplink backhaul information includes a routing identifier, an uplink backhaul radio link control channel and/or a backhaul adaptation protocol address of a next-hop node; or updating an uplink egress routing identifier, an egress backhaul radio link control channel and/or a backhaul adaptation protocol address of the next-hop node of the traffic; or, updating a downlink ingress routing identifier, an ingress backhaul radio link control channel and/or a backhaul adaptation protocol address of a prior-hop node of the traffic.
Regarding claim 19, Wang discloses the device according to claim 16, wherein the IAB transport migration modification request is used for modifying an IP address for the IAB-node (see Wang, p. [0051], e.g., the method 500 may include that the migrating IAB-node modifies a backhaul adaption protocol (BAP) header of uplink forwarding data during the migration).
Regarding claim 20, Wang discloses an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) system (see Wang, Fig. 9A), comprising a first donor-CU (see Wang, Fig. 9A, e.g., Source IAB-donor CU 811) and a second donor-CU (e.g., Target IAB-donor CU 812); the first donor-CU transmits an IAB transport migration management request for a traffic (see Wang, Fig. 9A, p. [0088], e.g., step 916, the source IAB-donor-CU 811 may send a HANDOVER REQUEST message to the target IAB-donor-CU 812 with necessary information to prepare the handover at the target side), and receives an IAB transport migration management response for the traffic (see Wang, Fig. 9B, p. [0108], e.g., step 940 in FIG. 9B, the target IAB-donor-CU 812 may send a Handover success message to the source IAB-donor-CU 811); the second donor-CU receives the IAB transport migration management request and transmits the IAB transport migration management response (see Wang, Fig. 9A, p. [0088-0089]); or, the second donor-CU transmits an IAB transport migration modification request for a traffic, and modifies a resource serving for the traffic in a topology of the second donor-CU, and the first donor-CU receives the IAB transport migration modification request.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang in view of Lagrange et al 9US 2025/0071655) (hereinafter Lagrange).
Regarding claim 14, Wang discloses the device according to claim 3, wherein the receiver receives the IAB transport migration management response for the IAB transport migration management request for the traffic, transmitted by the second donor-CU; wherein the IAB transport migration management response includes the identifier of the traffic (see Wang, Fig. 9B, p. [0108], e.g., step 940 in FIG. 9B, the target IAB-donor-CU 812 may send a Handover success message to the source IAB-donor-CU 811).
However, Wang does not expressly disclose the IAB transport migration management response for rejecting the IAB transport migration management request for the traffic
Lagrange discloses the above recited limitations (see Lagrange, p. [0193], e.g., the migration reject/failure message 1005 may embed one or more information elements (IEs) carrying the migration capabilities of the target donor CU 602, and Fig. 10, p. [0233], e.g., If the target donor CU 1002 cannot find any migrations scheme that is matching its migration capabilities, it may send a migration failure (or reject) message 1005 to the source donor CU 1001, p. [0254]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate Lagrange’s teachings into Wang. The suggestion/motivation would have been to send a migration failure message in order to initiate again a new negotiation for migrating resources as suggested by Lagrange.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MINH TRANG T NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-5248. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30am-6:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chirag C Shah can be reached at 571-272-3144. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MINH TRANG T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477
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