DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-10 are presented for examination.
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 .
Priority
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 08/06/2024. These drawings are acceptable.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/06/2024 and 07/24/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Fujishiro et al., (hereinafter Fujishiro), U.S. Publication No. 2024/0090050.
As per claim 1, Fujishiro discloses a first base station device in a wireless communication system [fig. 1, 24, paragraphs 0006, 0043, 0064, 0095, a first base station device in a wireless communication system (performing wireless communication with the base station)] that includes:
the first base station device configured to wirelessly connect to a first terminal device [fig. 1, 24, paragraphs 0043, 0064, 0085, the first base station device configured to wirelessly connect to a first terminal device (gNB 200 performs wireless communication with the UE 100 that has established a connection to the cell of the gNB 200)]; and
a second base station device configured to wirelessly connect to the first terminal device via a reflection device [fig. 1, 24, paragraphs 0038, 0085, 0155-0157, 0160, a second base station device configured to wirelessly connect to the first terminal device via a reflection device (establishing, by an RIS-UE 100B, a wireless connection with the gNB 200; the RIS-UE 100B (controller 130) establishes a wireless connection with the gNB 200B)], in which the reflection device is controlled by the second base station device, to reflect a radio wave transmitted by the second base station device, and transmit a reflected wave [fig. 24, paragraphs 0059, 0060, 0087, 0099, 0114, 0159, the reflection device is controlled by the second base station device, to reflect a radio wave transmitted by the second base station device, and transmit a reflected wave (RIS device 500 dynamically changes a propagation direction of a radio wave (beam) incident from the gNB 200 by way of reflection or refraction)], the first base station device comprising:
a reception circuit configured to receive [fig. 9, paragraphs 0076, 0077, 0081, a reception circuit configured to receive (the gNB 200 includes a receiver 220, a controller 230; the receiver 220 in the gNB 200 receives)], from the first terminal device, a measurement result indicating radio quality of the reflected wave measured by the first terminal device, and control information obtained from the reflected wave by the first terminal [paragraphs 0110, 0112, 0114, 0129, a measurement result indicating radio quality of the reflected wave measured by the first terminal device, and control information obtained from the reflected wave by the first terminal (the RIS-UE 100B (transmitter 120) transmits a report including a radio measurement result (measurement report) to the gNB 200; measurement result obtained by the CSI measurement may be, for example, a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI); controls transmission of a radio wave (for example, transmission directivity of a beam), based on the report of the measurement result received from the RIS-UE 100B)]; and
a control circuit [fig. 9, paragraphs 0076, 0077, 0081, a reception circuit configured to receive (the gNB 200 includes a receiver 220, a controller 230)] configured to transmit the control information to the second base station device, when the first terminal device performs a handover to the second base station device [fig. 24, paragraphs 0155-0161, transmit the control information to the second base station device, when the first terminal device performs a handover to the second base station device (gNB 200A (controller 230) determines handover of the RIS-UE 100B to the gNB 200B)].
As per claim 2, Fujishiro discloses the first base station device according to claim 1,
wherein, when permitting the handover by the first terminal device, the second base station device generates, based on the control information, second control information to be used for controlling a second reflected wave to be used in the handover to the second base station device by the first terminal device, and controls the reflection device to transmit the second reflected wave based on the second control information [paragraphs 0087-0090, 0146, 0156, 0157, 0160, wherein, when permitting the handover by the first terminal device, the second base station device generates, based on the control information, second control information to be used for controlling a second reflected wave to be used in the handover to the second base station device by the first terminal device, and controls the reflection device to transmit the second reflected wave based on the second control information (determines whether to approve the handover; the RIS control configuration may include frequency configuration information to configure a center frequency of a radio wave; RIS control configuration may include mode configuration information to configure an operation mode; operation mode may be any one of a reflective mode in which the radio wave is reflected)].
As per claim 3, Fujishiro discloses the first base station device according to claim 2,
wherein the control circuit is further configured to receive the second control information from the second base station device, and transmit a handover permission that includes the second control information to the first terminal device [fig. 24, paragraphs 0157, 0158, receive the second control information from the second base station device, and transmit a handover permission that includes the second control information to the first terminal device (gNB 200B (backhaul communicator 240) may include in the handover approval message the RIS control configuration to be configured in the RIS-UE 100B)].
As per claim 4, Fujishiro discloses the first base station device according to claim 2,
wherein the second control information includes first identification information about the first terminal device [paragraphs 0090, 0101, 0105, wherein the second control information includes first identification information about the first terminal device (the gNB 200 (transmitter 210) may transmit the RIS control configuration for each RIS device 500, the RIS control configuration may include an identifier of the corresponding RIS device 500 (RIS device identifier))].
As per claim 5, Fujishiro discloses the first base station device according to claim 4, wherein
the control information includes information regarding a reflection angle of the reflected wave [fig. 14-16, paragraphs 0098-0100, 0104, 0178, the control information includes information regarding a reflection angle of the reflected wave (include angle capability information regarding an angular change in the propagation direction that can be supported by the RIS device 500; the gNB 200 (controller 230) can grasp the radio wave attenuation characteristics in the RIS device 500)], and the second control information includes information regarding a reflection angle of the second reflected wave [fig. 14-16, 22, 24, paragraphs 0098-0100, 0104, 0146, 0178, the second control information includes information regarding a reflection angle of the second reflected wave (the gNB 200 transmits the plurality of SSBs; controls the propagation direction of each of the plurality of SSBs based on the RIS control configurations)].
As per claim 6, Fujishiro discloses a first base station device in a wireless communication system [fig. 1, 24, paragraphs 0006, 0043, 0064, 0095, a first base station device in a wireless communication system (performing wireless communication with the base station)] that includes:
the first base station device configured to wirelessly connect to a first terminal device [fig. 1, 24, paragraphs 0043, 0064, 0085, the first base station device configured to wirelessly connect to a first terminal device (gNB 200 performs wireless communication with the UE 100 that has established a connection to the cell of the gNB 200)]; and
a second base station device configured to wirelessly connect to the first terminal device via a reflection device [fig. 1, 24, paragraphs 0038, 0085, 0155-0157, 0160, a second base station device configured to wirelessly connect to the first terminal device via a reflection device (establishing, by an RIS-UE 100B, a wireless connection with the gNB 200; the RIS-UE 100B (controller 130) establishes a wireless connection with the gNB 200B)], in which the reflection device is controlled by the first base station device and the second base station device, to reflect a radio wave transmitted by the second base station device, and transmit a reflected wave [fig. 24, paragraphs 0059, 0060, 0087, 0099, 0114, 0159, the reflection device is controlled by the first base station device and the second base station device, to reflect a radio wave transmitted by the second base station device, and transmit a reflected wave (RIS device 500 dynamically changes a propagation direction of a radio wave (beam) incident from the gNB 200 by way of reflection or refraction)],
the first base station device comprising:
a second reception circuit configured to receive [fig. 9, paragraphs 0076, 0077, 0081, a reception circuit configured to receive (the gNB 200 includes a receiver 220, a controller 230; the receiver 220 in the gNB 200 receives)], from the first terminal device, a result of measurement of radio quality of the reflected wave measured by the first terminal device, and control information about the reflected wave, which is included in the reflected wave [paragraphs 0110, 0112, 0114, 0129, a result of measurement of radio quality of the reflected wave measured by the first terminal device, and control information about the reflected wave, which is included in the reflected wave (the RIS-UE 100B (transmitter 120) transmits a report including a radio measurement result (measurement report) to the gNB 200; measurement result obtained by the CSI measurement may be, for example, a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI); controls transmission of a radio wave (for example, transmission directivity of a beam), based on the report of the measurement result received from the RIS-UE 100B)]; and
a second control circuit [fig. 9, paragraphs 0076, 0077, 0081, a second control circuit (the gNB 200 includes a receiver 220, a controller 230)] configured to generate, when the first terminal device performs a handover to the second base station device, based on the control information, second control information to be used for controlling a second reflected wave to be used in the handover to the second base station device by the first terminal device, and controls the reflection device to transmit the second reflected wave based on the second control information [paragraphs 0087-0090, 0146, 0156, 0157, 0160, generate, when the first terminal device performs a handover to the second base station device, based on the control information, second control information to be used for controlling a second reflected wave to be used in the handover to the second base station device by the first terminal device, and controls the reflection device to transmit the second reflected wave based on the second control information (determines whether to approve the handover; the RIS control configuration may include frequency configuration information to configure a center frequency of a radio wave; RIS control configuration may include mode configuration information to configure an operation mode; operation mode may be any one of a reflective mode in which the radio wave is reflected)].
As per claim 7, Fujishiro discloses a second base station device in a wireless communication system [fig. 1, 24, paragraphs 0006, 0043, 0064, 0095, a second base station device in a wireless communication system (performing wireless communication with the base station)] that includes:
a first base station device configured to wirelessly connect to a first terminal device [fig. 1, 24, paragraphs 0043, 0064, 0085, a first base station device configured to wirelessly connect to a first terminal device (gNB 200 performs wireless communication with the UE 100 that has established a connection to the cell of the gNB 200)]; and
the second base station device configured to wirelessly connect to the first terminal device via a reflection device [fig. 1, 24, paragraphs 0038, 0085, 0155-0157, 0160, the second base station device configured to wirelessly connect to the first terminal device via a reflection device (establishing, by an RIS-UE 100B, a wireless connection with the gNB 200; the RIS-UE 100B (controller 130) establishes a wireless connection with the gNB 200B)],
in which the reflection device is controlled by the second base station device, to reflect a radio wave transmitted by the second base station device, and transmit a reflected wave [fig. 24, paragraphs 0059, 0060, 0087, 0099, 0114, 0159, the reflection device is controlled by the first base station device and the second base station device, to reflect a radio wave transmitted by the second base station device, and transmit a reflected wave (RIS device 500 dynamically changes a propagation direction of a radio wave (beam) incident from the gNB 200 by way of reflection or refraction)],
the second base station device comprising:
a request receiving circuit configured to receive [fig. 9, paragraphs 0076, 0077, 0081, a request receiving circuit configured to receive (the gNB 200 includes a receiver 220, a controller 230; the receiver 220 in the gNB 200 receives)] control information about the reflected wave from the first base station device, the first base station device being configured to receive, from the first terminal device, a measurement result indicating radio quality of the reflected wave measured by the first terminal device and the control information included in the reflected wave [paragraphs 0110, 0112, 0114, 0129, control information about the reflected wave from the first base station device, the first base station device being configured to receive, from the first terminal device, a measurement result indicating radio quality of the reflected wave measured by the first terminal device and the control information included in the reflected wave (the RIS-UE 100B (transmitter 120) transmits a report including a radio measurement result (measurement report) to the gNB 200; measurement result obtained by the CSI measurement may be, for example, a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI); controls transmission of a radio wave (for example, transmission directivity of a beam), based on the report of the measurement result received from the RIS-UE 100B)] and obtained from the reflected wave by the first terminal device, the first base station device being configured to transmit the control information to the second base station device when the first terminal device performs a handover to the second base station device [fig. 24, paragraphs 0155-0161, obtained from the reflected wave by the first terminal device, the first base station device being configured to transmit the control information to the second base station device when the first terminal device performs a handover to the second base station device (gNB 200A (controller 230) determines handover of the RIS-UE 100B to the gNB 200B)]; and
a reflection control circuit configured to generate, in accordance with the control information received from the first base station device, second control information to be used for controlling a second reflected wave to be used in the handover to the second base station device by the first terminal device, and control the reflection device to transmit the second reflected wave based on the second control information [paragraphs 0087-0090, 0146, 0156, 0157, 0160, generate, in accordance with the control information received from the first base station device, second control information to be used for controlling a second reflected wave to be used in the handover to the second base station device by the first terminal device, and control the reflection device to transmit the second reflected wave based on the second control information (determines whether to approve the handover; the RIS control configuration may include frequency configuration information to configure a center frequency of a radio wave; RIS control configuration may include mode configuration information to configure an operation mode; operation mode may be any one of a reflective mode in which the radio wave is reflected)].
As per claim 8, Fujishiro discloses the second base station device according to claim 7, wherein
the reflection control circuit is configured to transmit a handover permission that includes the second control information, to the first base station device [fig. 24, paragraphs 0157, 0158, receive the second control information from the second base station device, and transmit a handover permission that includes the second control information to the first terminal device (gNB 200B (backhaul communicator 240) may include in the handover approval message the RIS control configuration to be configured in the RIS-UE 100B)].
As per claim 9, Fujishiro discloses a reflection control method in a first base station device in a wireless communication system [fig. 1, 24, paragraphs 0006, 0043, 0064, 0095, a reflection control method in a first base station device in a wireless communication system (performing wireless communication with the base station)] that includes:
the first base station device configured to wirelessly connect to a first terminal device [fig. 1, 24, paragraphs 0043, 0064, 0085, the first base station device configured to wirelessly connect to a first terminal device (gNB 200 performs wireless communication with the UE 100 that has established a connection to the cell of the gNB 200)]; and
a second base station device configured to wirelessly connect to a second terminal device via a reflection device [fig. 1, 24, paragraphs 0038, 0085, 0155-0157, 0160, a second base station device configured to wirelessly connect to a second terminal device via a reflection device (establishing, by an RIS-UE 100B, a wireless connection with the gNB 200; the RIS-UE 100B (controller 130) establishes a wireless connection with the gNB 200B)], in which the reflection device is controlled by the first base station device and the second base station device, to reflect a radio wave transmitted by the second base station device to the second terminal device, and transmit a reflected wave toward the second terminal device [fig. 24, paragraphs 0059, 0060, 0087, 0099, 0114, 0159, in which the reflection device is controlled by the first base station device and the second base station device, to reflect a radio wave transmitted by the second base station device to the second terminal device, and transmit a reflected wave toward the second terminal device (RIS device 500 dynamically changes a propagation direction of a radio wave (beam) incident from the gNB 200 by way of reflection or refraction)],
the reflection control method comprising:
receiving, from the first terminal device, a result of measurement of radio quality of the reflected wave measured by the first terminal device [paragraphs 0110, 0112, 0114, 0129, receiving, from the first terminal device, a result of measurement of radio quality of the reflected wave measured by the first terminal device (the RIS-UE 100B (transmitter 120) transmits a report including a radio measurement result (measurement report) to the gNB 200; measurement result obtained by the CSI measurement may be, for example, a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI); controls transmission of a radio wave (for example, transmission directivity of a beam), based on the report of the measurement result received from the RIS-UE 100B)]; and
when the result of measurement satisfies a condition for the first terminal device to perform a handover to the second base station device, incorporating control information included in the reflected wave, into a handover request and transmitting the handover request including the control information to the second base station device [paragraphs 0087-0090, 0146, 0156, 0157, 0160, when the result of measurement satisfies a condition for the first terminal device to perform a handover to the second base station device, incorporating control information included in the reflected wave, into a handover request and transmitting the handover request including the control information to the second base station device (determines whether to approve the handover; the RIS control configuration may include frequency configuration information to configure a center frequency of a radio wave; RIS control configuration may include mode configuration information to configure an operation mode; operation mode may be any one of a reflective mode in which the radio wave is reflected)].
As per claim 10, Fujishiro discloses a wireless communication system [fig. 1, 24, paragraphs 0006, 0043, 0064, 0095, a wireless communication system (performing wireless communication with the base station)] comprising:
a first base station device configured to wirelessly connect to a first terminal device [fig. 1, 24, paragraphs 0043, 0064, 0085, a first base station device configured to wirelessly connect to a first terminal device (gNB 200 performs wireless communication with the UE 100 that has established a connection to the cell of the gNB 200)]; and
a second base station device configured to wirelessly connect to a second terminal device via a reflection device [fig. 1, 24, paragraphs 0038, 0085, 0155-0157, 0160, a second base station device configured to wirelessly connect to a second terminal device via a reflection device (establishing, by an RIS-UE 100B, a wireless connection with the gNB 200; the RIS-UE 100B (controller 130) establishes a wireless connection with the gNB 200B)],
wherein the reflection device is controlled by the second base station device, to reflect a radio wave transmitted by the second base station device to the second terminal device, and transmit a reflected wave toward the second terminal device [fig. 5, 24, paragraphs 0059, 0060, 0087, 0099, 0114, 0159, wherein the reflection device is controlled by the second base station device, to reflect a radio wave transmitted by the second base station device to the second terminal device, and transmit a reflected wave toward the second terminal device (RIS device 500 dynamically changes a propagation direction of a radio wave (beam) incident from the gNB 200 by way of reflection or refraction)]
the first terminal device is configured to receive the reflected wave, and transmit, to the first base station device, a result of measurement of radio quality of the reflected wave [paragraphs 0110, 0112, 0114, 0129, the first terminal device is configured to receive the reflected wave, and transmit, to the first base station device, a result of measurement of radio quality of the reflected wave (the RIS-UE 100B (transmitter 120) transmits a report including a radio measurement result (measurement report) to the gNB 200; measurement result obtained by the CSI measurement may be, for example, a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI); controls transmission of a radio wave (for example, transmission directivity of a beam), based on the report of the measurement result received from the RIS-UE 100B)],
the first base station device is configured to incorporate, when the result of measurement satisfies a condition for the first terminal device to perform a handover to the second base station device, control information included in the reflected wave, into a handover request and transmit the handover request to the second base station device [paragraphs 0087-0090, 0146, 0156, 0157, 0160, the first base station device is configured to incorporate, when the result of measurement satisfies a condition for the first terminal device to perform a handover to the second base station device, control information included in the reflected wave, into a handover request and transmit the handover request to the second base station device (determines whether to approve the handover; the RIS control configuration may include frequency configuration information to configure a center frequency of a radio wave; RIS control configuration may include mode configuration information to configure an operation mode; operation mode may be any one of a reflective mode in which the radio wave is reflected)],
the second base station device is configured to
generate, when permitting the first terminal device to perform the handover to the second base station device, based on the control information, second control information to be used for controlling a second reflected wave to be used in the handover to the second base station device by the first terminal device [paragraphs 0087-0090, 0146, 0156, 0157, 0160, generate, when permitting the first terminal device to perform the handover to the second base station device, based on the control information, second control information to be used for controlling a second reflected wave to be used in the handover to the second base station device by the first terminal device (determines whether to approve the handover; the RIS control configuration may include frequency configuration information to configure a center frequency of a radio wave; RIS control configuration may include mode configuration information to configure an operation mode; operation mode may be any one of a reflective mode in which the radio wave is reflected)], and
control the reflection device to transmit the second reflected wave based on the second control information, and the reflection device is configured to transmit, in accordance with the control, the second reflected wave to the first terminal device, based on the second control information [paragraphs 0087-0090, 0146, 0156, 0157, 0160, control the reflection device to transmit the second reflected wave based on the second control information, and the reflection device is configured to transmit, in accordance with the control, the second reflected wave to the first terminal device, based on the second control information (determines whether to approve the handover; the RIS control configuration may include frequency configuration information to configure a center frequency of a radio wave; RIS control configuration may include mode configuration information to configure an operation mode; operation mode may be any one of a reflective mode in which the radio wave is reflected)]
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kim et al., Internation Publication WO2024/155039 discloses a system that reflects and refracts radio waves reaching the RIS by forming reflection patterns defined by a combination of the phase and/or amplitude of the radio wave.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JACKIE ZUNIGA ABAD whose telephone number is (571)270-7194. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:00pm.
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/JACKIE ZUNIGA ABAD/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469