DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Status of Application
2 This instant Office Action is in response to Original Filing filed on 7/30/2024.
3. This Office Action is made Non-Final.
4. Claims 1-20 are pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
5. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 7/30/24 and 4/28/26 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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.
1. Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by KUSASHIMA et al. US 20240022315 hereafter Kusashima.
As to Claim 1. Kusashima discloses a method, comprising [Section 0005: The present disclosure proposes a communication device and a method performed by a base station that are configured to contribute to the performance advantages in communication relay between the base station and a terminal device]:
receiving, by a repeater [Repeater Device/Communication Device/Relay Device or Smart Repeater-30], a configuration [i.e. DCI/downlink assignment] of a forwarding resource set comprising at least one forwarding resource from a base station, wherein the at least one forwarding resource includes a time domain occasion information [Figs. 3-4, 17, 22-25 (Depicts Repeater receives Beam Setting information from Base Station associated with time resources, see 0423), Figs. 26-29, 37, Sections 0252, 0254, 0325: The downlink assignment DCI for the smart repeater includes information about resource information transmitted from the base station to the repeater device-30. The downlink assignment, DCI transmitted exclusively to the smart repeater includes Control Resource Set (CORESET). The information indicating beam setting, durations where PDCCH and PDSCH are allocated; and DCI for the repeater device-30 includes slot (i.e. time occasion), CORESET is positioned, the number of symbols of CORESET, information about the transmission duration (i.e. time occasion), and information about PDSCH time domain resource allocation (TDRA)];
and forwarding [Section 0180: The repeater device-30 is a device that serves as a relay (i.e. forwarding/transferring) station for the base station], by the repeater [Repeater Device/Communication Device/Relay Device or Smart Repeater-30], a signal [i.e. PDSCH/ downlink RF signal or HARQ-ACK] from the base station or to the base station based on the forwarding resource set [Figs. 3-4, 17, 22-29, 34, 37, Sections 0080, 0325, 0370: The relay/repeater performs power amplification of a downlink Radio Frequency (RF) signal transmitted from a base station and transmits the downlink RF signal to a terminal device. The DCI information are allocated to repeater device indicating beam setting, transmission duration, slot, CORESET (control resource set), and information about PDSCH time domain resource allocation (TDRA). The base station further transmits PDSCH to the repeater device which transmits the PDSCH to the terminal device at predetermined timing; upon receiving the PDSCH, the terminal device transmits HARQ-ACK to the repeater device which then transmits the HARQ-ACK to the base station at predetermined timing].
As to Claim 2. Kusashima discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the time domain occasion information includes: a slot offset of a slot and at least one symbol location in the slot [Figs. 26, 28, 34, 37, Sections 0268, 0325, 0363: Furthermore, the beam information for the smart repeater may be defined in association with one or more symbols or slots. The information about PDSCH time domain resource allocation (TDRA) is expressed by Start and length Indicator Value (SLIV) that is information indicating a combination of a start symbol and a symbol length. The PDCCH monitoring occasion for the DCI including the beam setting information is set on the basis of time offset, Slot Periodicity and Offset].
As to Claim 3. Kusashima discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the at least one forwarding resource [Section 0325: The DCI information are allocated to repeater device indicating time domain resource allocation (TDRA)] further includes a first spatial setting, and the first spatial setting includes at least one of: a beam index; a transmission configuration indication (TCI) state identification; an index of another forwarding resource; an absent indication; and an indication of state without QCL assumption or beam indication [Figs. 12-13, 22-25, 37, Sections 0280, 0286, 0480: Transmission beam information about the repeater device-30 is defined as Spatial Transmitter characteristic. The transmission beam information about the repeater device is defined as Transmission Configuration Indication (TCI) with the indication of the TCI state. Information about Spatial Transmitter characteristic, and information specifying Transmission Configuration Indication (TCI) and an NZP CSI-RS resource ID].
As to Claim 4. Kusashima discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the at least one forwarding resource further includes at least one of: a forwarding resource index of the forwarding resource; a forwarding type indicating uplink transmission or downlink transmission; a forwarding state indicating forwarding activation or forwarding deactivation; and a power control setting [Fig. 3, Sections 0080, 0293, 0310: The relay/repeater performs power amplification of a downlink Radio Frequency (RF) signal transmitted from a base station and transmits the downlink RF signal to a terminal device. The transmission beam information about the repeater device 30 is defined on the basis of an NZP CSI-RS resource ID. The reception beam information about the repeater device 30 is defined by SRI (SRS resource indicator); for example, on the basis of indication of an SRS index].
As to Claim 5. Kusashima discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the configuration [i.e. DCI/downlink assignment] further includes: a list of at least one forwarding resource index corresponding to the at least one forwarding resource [Fig. 26, Sections 0325, 0480: DCI for the repeater device-30 includes slot (i.e. time occasion), CORESET is positioned, the number of symbols of CORESET, information about the transmission duration (i.e. time occasion), and information about PDSCH time domain resource allocation (TDRA) is expressed by Start and length Indicator Value (SLIV) that is information indicating a combination of a start symbol and a symbol length. The information about Spatial Transmitter characteristic, and NZP CSI-RS resource ID Note: TDRA includes entry or list by definition including index].
As to Claim 6. Kusashima discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the configuration [i.e. DCI/downlink assignment] further includes at least one of: a forwarding resource set index of the forwarding resource set; a periodicity for every forwarding resource of the forwarding resource set; a slot offset for every forwarding resource of the forwarding resource set; a time domain setting of the forwarding resource set; and an indication of using a same beam for every resource forwarding resource of the forwarding resource set or using different beams for different forwarding resources of the forwarding resource set [Sections 0096, 0363: Therefore, indexes different from those of the base station are allocated to SSBs and CSI-RSs of the smart repeater; the setting of SSB and CSI-RS having different indexes to a combination of transmission beams of the base station and the smart repeater. The DCI including the beam setting information is set on the basis of time offset, Slot Periodicity and Offset].
As to Claim 7. Kusashima discloses the method of claim 6, further including: receiving, by the repeater, a media access control-control element (MAC-CE) from the base station, wherein the MAC-CE includes at least one of: the forwarding resource set index of the forwarding resource set; an indication of activation of the forwarding resource set or deactivation of the forwarding resource set; a list of at least one second spatial setting for the at least one forwarding resource in the forwarding resource set; a bandwidth part identification for which the MAC-CE applies; and a component carrier identification for which the MAC-CE applies [Sections 0284, 0410, 0420: The base station is configured to set beam corresponding to the Spatial Transmitter characteristic of the repeater device by MAC CE. The repeater device is configured with BWP (bandwidth part). The base station sets beam pattern information for the repeater device by the MAC CE; the beam pattern includes beams arranged on a time axis and a set of beam information that may be the beam setting information (beam control information)].
As to Claim 8. Kusashima discloses the method of claim 1, further including: receiving, by the repeater, a downlink control information (DCI) from the base station, wherein the DCI includes: a list of at least one forwarding resource index corresponding to the at least one
forwarding resource; and a list of at least one second spatial setting for the at least forwarding resource [Fig. 26, Sections 0284, 0325: The repeater device is configured Spatial Transmitter characteristic set by the base station by DCI. DCI for the repeater device-30 includes slot (i.e. time occasion), CORESET is positioned, the number of symbols of CORESET, information about the transmission duration (i.e. time occasion), and information about PDSCH time domain resource allocation (TDRA) is expressed by Start and length Indicator Value (SLIV) that is information indicating a combination of a start symbol and a symbol length. Note: TDRA includes entry or list by definition including index].
As to Claim 9. Kusashima discloses a repeater [Repeater Device/Communication Device/Relay Device or Smart Repeater-30], comprising: a transceiver [Antenna-313]; and a transmission handling circuit [Wireless communication unit-31] that [Fig. 17, Sections 0184, 0185: The repeater device-30 includes a wireless communication unit 31, a storage unit 32, and a control unit-33. The wireless communication unit-31 is a wireless communication interface for wireless communication with other wireless communication devices (e.g., base station 20, terminal device 40, and another repeater device 30); supports one or more radio access methods includes a transmission processing unit 311, a reception processing unit 312, and an antenna 313 and perform beamforming]:
receives, via the transceiver [Antenna-313, Fig. 17], a configuration [i.e. DCI/downlink assignment] of a forwarding resource set comprising at least one forwarding resource from a base station, wherein the at least one forwarding resource includes a time domain occasion information [Figs. 3-4, 17, 22-25 (Depicts Repeater receives Beam Setting information from Base Station associated with time resources, see 0423), Figs. 26-29, 37, Sections 0252, 0254, 0325: The downlink assignment DCI for the smart repeater includes information about resource information transmitted from the base station to the repeater device-30. The downlink assignment, DCI transmitted exclusively to the smart repeater includes Control Resource Set (CORESET). The information indicating beam setting, durations where PDCCH and PDSCH are allocated; and DCI for the repeater device-30 includes slot (i.e. time occasion), CORESET is positioned, the number of symbols of CORESET, information about the transmission duration (i.e. time occasion), and information about PDSCH time domain resource allocation (TDRA)];
and forwards [Section 0180: The repeater device-30 is a device that serves as a relay (i.e. forwarding/transferring) station for the base station], via the transceiver [Antenna-313, Fig. 17], a signal [i.e. PDSCH/ downlink RF signal or HARQ-ACK] from the base station or to the base station based on the forwarding resource set [Figs. 3-4, 17, 22-29, 34, 37, Sections 0080, 0325, 0370: The relay/repeater performs power amplification of a downlink Radio Frequency (RF) signal transmitted from a base station and transmits the downlink RF signal to a terminal device. The DCI information are allocated to repeater device indicating beam setting, transmission duration, slot, CORESET (control resource set), and information about PDSCH time domain resource allocation (TDRA). The base station further transmits PDSCH to the repeater device which transmits the PDSCH to the terminal device at predetermined timing; upon receiving the PDSCH, the terminal device transmits HARQ-ACK to the repeater device which then transmits the HARQ-ACK to the base station at predetermined timing].
As to Claim 10. The repeater of claim 9, wherein the time domain occasion information includes: a slot offset of a slot and at least one symbol location in the slot [See Claim 2 rejection because both claims have similar subject matter therefore similar rejection applies herein].
As to Claim 11. The repeater of claim 9, wherein the at least one forwarding resource further includes a first spatial setting, and the first spatial setting includes at least one of: a beam index; a transmission configuration indication (TCI) state identification; an index of another forwarding resource; an absent indication; and an indication of state without QCL assumption or beam indication [See Claim 3 rejection because both claims have similar subject matter therefore similar rejection applies herein].
As to Claim 12. The repeater of claim 9, wherein the at least one forwarding resource further includes at least one of: a forwarding resource index of the forwarding resource; a forwarding type indicating uplink transmission or downlink transmission; a forwarding state indicating forwarding activation or forwarding deactivation; and a power control setting [See Claim 4 rejection because both claims have similar subject matter therefore similar rejection applies herein].
As to Claim 13. The repeater of claim 9, wherein the configuration further includes: a list of at least one forwarding resource index corresponding to the at least one forwarding resource [See Claim 5 rejection because both claims have similar subject matter therefore similar rejection applies herein].
As to Claim 14. The repeater of claim 9, wherein the configuration further includes at least one of: a forwarding resource set index of the forwarding resource set; a periodicity for every forwarding resource of the forwarding resource set; a slot offset for every forwarding resource of the forwarding resource set; a time domain setting of the forwarding resource set; and an indication of using a same beam for every resource forwarding resource of the forwarding resource set or using different beams for different forwarding resources of the forwarding resource set [See Claim 6 rejection because both claims have similar subject matter therefore similar rejection applies herein].
As to Claim 15. Kusashima discloses the repeater of claim 14, wherein the transmission handling circuit further: receives, via the transceiver [Fig. 17, Sections 0184, 0185], a media access control-control element (MAC-CE) from the base station, wherein the MAC-CE includes at least one of: the forwarding resource set index of the forwarding resource set; an indication of activation of the forwarding resource set or deactivation of the forwarding resource set; a list of at least one second spatial setting for the at least one forwarding resource in the forwarding resource set; a bandwidth part identification for which the MAC-CE applies; and a component carrier identification for which the MAC-CE applies [See Claim 7 rejection because both claims have similar subject matter therefore similar rejection applies herein].
As to Claim 16. Kusashima discloses the repeater of claim 9, the transmission handling circuit further: receives, via the transceiver [Fig. 17, Sections 0184, 0185], a downlink control information (DCI) from the base station, wherein the DCI includes: a list of at least one forwarding resource index corresponding to the at least one forwarding resource; and a list of at least one second spatial setting for the at least forwarding resource [See Claim 8 rejection because both claims have similar subject matter therefore similar rejection applies herein].
As to Claim 17. Kusashima discloses a base station, comprising: a transceiver [Antenna-213]; and a transmission handling circuit [Wireless communication unit-21] that [Fig. 16, Sections 0161, 0163: The base station includes a wireless communication unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a control unit 23. The wireless communication unit 21 includes a transmission processing unit 211, a reception processing unit 212, and an antenna 213; and perform beamforming]:
transmits, via the transceiver [Antenna-213], a configuration [i.e. DCI/downlink assignment] of a forwarding resource set comprising at least one forwarding resource to a repeater [Repeater Device/Communication Device/Relay Device or Smart Repeater-30], wherein the at least one forwarding resource includes a time domain occasion information [Figs. 3-4, 17, 22-25 (Depicts Repeater receives Beam Setting information from Base Station associated with time resources, see 0423), Figs. 26-29, 37, Sections 0252, 0254, 0325: The downlink assignment DCI for the smart repeater includes information about resource information transmitted from the base station to the repeater device-30. The downlink assignment, DCI transmitted exclusively to the smart repeater includes Control Resource Set (CORESET). The information indicating beam setting, durations where PDCCH and PDSCH are allocated; and DCI for the repeater device-30 includes slot (i.e. time occasion), CORESET is positioned, the number of symbols of CORESET, information about the transmission duration (i.e. time occasion), and information about PDSCH time domain resource allocation (TDRA)];
and transmits or receives, via the transceiver r[Antenna-213], a signal [i.e. PDSCH/ downlink RF signal or HARQ-ACK] to or from the repeater [Section 0180: The repeater device-30 is a device that serves as a relay (i.e. forwarding/transferring) station for the base station] based on the forwarding resource set [Figs. 3-4, 17, 22-29, 34, 37, Sections 0080, 0325, 0370: The relay/repeater performs power amplification of a downlink Radio Frequency (RF) signal transmitted from a base station and transmits the downlink RF signal to a terminal device. The DCI information are allocated to repeater device indicating beam setting, transmission duration, slot, CORESET (control resource set), and information about PDSCH time domain resource allocation (TDRA). The base station further transmits PDSCH to the repeater device which transmits the PDSCH to the terminal device at predetermined timing; upon receiving the PDSCH, the terminal device transmits HARQ-ACK to the repeater device which then transmits the HARQ-ACK to the base station at predetermined timing].
As to Claim 18. The base station of claim 17, wherein the at least one forwarding resource further includes a first spatial setting, and the first spatial setting includes at least one of: a beam index; a transmission configuration indication (TCI) state identification; an index of another forwarding resource; an absent indication; and an indication of state without QCL assumption or beam indication [See Claim 3 rejection because both claims have similar subject matter therefore similar rejection applies herein].
As to Claim 19. Kusashima discloses the base station of claim 17, wherein the transmission handling circuit further: transmits, via the transceiver [Fig. 16, Sections 0161, 0163], a media access control-control element (MAC-CE) to the repeater, wherein the MAC-CE includes at least one of: a forwarding resource set index of the forwarding resource set; an indication of activation of the forwarding resource set or deactivation of the forwarding resource set;
a list of at least one second spatial setting for the at least one forwarding resource in the forwarding resource set; a bandwidth part identification for which the MAC-CE applies; and a component carrier identification for which the MAC-CE applies [See Claim 7 rejection because both claims have similar subject matter therefore similar rejection applies herein].
As to Claim 20. Kusashima discloses the base station of claim 17, the transmission handling circuit further: transmits, via the transceiver [Fig. 16, Sections 0161, 0163], a downlink control information (DCI) to the repeater, wherein the DCI includes: a list of at least one forwarding resource index corresponding to the at least one forwarding resource; and a list of at least one second spatial setting for the at least forwarding resource [See Claim 8 rejection because both claims have similar subject matter therefore similar rejection applies herein].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: 1. Abedini et al. US 20220053486
2. Liu US 20240040467
3. You et al. US 20250227721
Furthermore, each additional prior arts cited on PTO-892 but not applied in rejection contains a disclosed description related to the claimed subject matter found either in the Figures, description summary and/or disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAEL M ULYSSE whose telephone number is (571)272-1228. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chirag G. 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.
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.
June 18, 2026
/JAEL M ULYSSE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477
Prosecution Insights