DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on October 7, 2024, February 24, 2026, May 20, 2026, and August 7, 2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in Japanese parent Application No. 2022-070970, filed on April 22, 2022.
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.
Claims 1-3 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Abedini et al, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20220053486 A1 (hereinafter Abedini).
Regarding Claim 1, Abedini discloses a communication system comprising: a base station to be applied to a fifth-generation wireless access system (e.g., FIGS. 7-9, 12; ¶ [0003] [0039]-[0041] wireless communication device such as a user equipment (UE) may access a first cell of a first base station (BS) such as a gNB and/or access a second cell of a second base station); and a smart repeater having a beamforming function and to perform relay processing between the base station and a communication terminal or between a communication terminal connected to the base station and another communication terminal (e.g., FIGS. 9, 12; ¶ [0142]-[0145] [0167]-[0171] disclose a smart repeater having a beamforming function configured for relaying signals between a base station and a UE), wherein the base station transmits information related to a beam used in the relay processing to the smart repeater (e.g., ¶ [0162] [0180]-[0187] disclose that the BS sends a beamforming configuration to the smart repeater), and the smart repeater forms a beam based on the information related to the beam received from the base station and performs the relay processing (e.g., FIG. 14; ¶ [0162] [0180]-[0187] disclose beamforming by repeater).
Regarding Claim 2, Abedini discloses all the limitations of the communication system according to claim 1.
Abedini discloses wherein an identifier is allocated to the smart repeater, and the smart repeater determines whether a control signal transmitted from the base station is a control signal directed to the smart repeater based on the identifier allocated to the smart repeater (e.g., ¶ [0180] [0181] [0229] disclose DCI masked with RNTI of repeater).
Regarding Claim 3, Abedini discloses all the limitations of the communication system according to claim 2.
Abedini discloses wherein the base station transmits resource information to the smart repeater, the resource information being information related to a resource for transmission and reception of the control signal, and the smart repeater receives the control signal using a resource indicated by the resource information received from the base station (e.g., ¶ [0017] [0038] The repeater device may obtain time-domain resource allocation (TDRA) control information in the control information from the base station).
Regarding Claim 6, Abedini discloses all the limitations of the communication system according to claim 1.
Abedini discloses wherein the smart repeater includes a protocol stack of a control plane for use in signaling processing with the base station (e.g., FIG. 7, ¶ [0116] control protocol stack).
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li et al, US 20100027507 A1 (hereinafter Li).
Regarding Claim 7, Li discloses a communication system comprising: a base station…and a communication terminal to connect to the base station (e.g., FIG. 1, mobile terminal connects to eNB), wherein when a cell that is a connection destination of the communication terminal in communication via any one of a plurality of cells constituted by the base station is changed (FIG> 4; e.g., ¶ [0088] information related to a handover candidate eNB may be such as a cell ID, system information, RSRP, a dedicated preamble of the mobile terminal in the handover candidate eNB; e.g., ¶ [0089] [0102] source eNB selects optimal target eNB), the base station transmits, to the communication terminal, information related to a cell that is a new connection destination to which the communication terminal changes the connection destination (FIG. 4, e.g., ¶ [0090] source eNB sends to the mobile terminal a handover command carrying the cell ID of the target eNB, indicating the mobile terminal to access the target eNB; e.g., ¶ [0102] [0103] the source eNB reselects a target eNB, and directly informs information of the new target eNB to the mobile terminal via a handover command), and the communication terminal transmits, to the cell that is the new connection destination, the information related to the cell that is the new destination received from the base station (e.g., FIG. 4, ¶ [0094] [0103] the mobile terminal will initiate a random access to the target eNB after receiving a handover command from the source eNB. If the handover command carries a dedicated random access preamble previously allocated by the target eNB for the mobile terminal, the mobile terminal will send the preamble to the target eNB in order to begin a random access).
The claim recites a base station to be applied to a fifth-generation wireless access system, which Li does not expressly describe. However, Examiner asserts that an evolved nodeB (eNB) in LTE system of Li would be understood by one ordinary skill in the art as being applicable to a 5th generation system, described interchangeably as a 5th generation NB; particularly as it relates to a handover procedure, a source eNB in LTE and 5G can determine target eNB. Abedini, above, discloses that an eNb may alternately be called a 5G NB (e.g., ¶ [0041] In different technologies, standards, or contexts, a base station may variously be referred to by those of ordinary skill in the art as a base transceiver station (BTS), a radio base station, a radio transceiver, a transceiver function, a basic service set (BSS), an extended service set (ESS), an access point (AP), a Node B (NB), an eNode B (eNB), a gNode B (gNB), a transmission and reception point (TRP), or some other suitable terminology}; echoing this is at least one prior art example, Li et al, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20210044412 A1 (e.g., ¶ [0025] The terms “eNB”, “base station”, “NR BS”, “gNB”, “TRP”, “AP”, “node B”, “5G NB”, and “cell” may be used interchangeably herein).
Regarding Claim 8, Li discloses all the limitations of the communication system according to claim 7.
Li discloses wherein a per-cell identifier used by the communication terminal in the cell before changing the connection destination is used as a per-cell identifier of the communication terminal used in the cell that is the new connection destination to which the connection destination is changed (Examiner interprets that a cell ID (e.g., ¶[0017] [0088] [0102] [0103]) is known by the terminal, whether the cell ID of the serving eNB or the target eNB; a cell ID (denoting the serving cell or target cell, as the case may be) is used by terminal in order to identify the eNB to communicate with).
Regarding Claim 9, Li discloses all the limitations of the communication system according to claim 7.
Li discloses wherein an identifier different from the per-cell identifier used by the communication terminal in the cell before changing the connection destination is used as a per-cell identifier of the communication terminal used in the cell that is the new connection destination to which the connection destination is changed, and before the communication terminal changes the cell that is the connection destination, the base station notifies the communication terminal of the identifier used by the communication terminal in the cell that is the new connection destination to which the connection destination is changed (e.g., ¶ [0103] information of the new target eNB may include a cell ID of the new target eNB [i.e., different cell ID from the source cell is received and utilized by terminal], and may further include a dedicated random access preamble [used by terminal to access the target cell]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abedini in view of Abedini et al, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20230115394 A1 (hereinafter Abedini-394).
Regarding Claim 4, Li discloses all the limitations of the communication system according to claim 1.
Abedini discloses the terminal obtaining system information from base station (e.g., ¶ [0094]), and the smart repeater using synchronization signal to perform actions on the beams/channels (e.g., ¶ [0122] the smart relay may use higher level functionality to sense channels, implement MIMO functionality, select various beams in conjunction with a use of various synchronization signal block (SSB) information).
Abedini does not expressly disclose wherein the smart repeater transmits a synchronization signal block for the communication terminal to perform a cell search.
Abedini-394 discloses wherein the smart repeater transmits a synchronization signal block for the communication terminal to perform a cell search (e.g., ¶ [0081] A UE 120 may monitor for and/or measure SSBs 415 using different receive (Rx) beams during an initial network access procedure and/or a cell search procedure; e.g., ¶ [0085] base station 110 may transmit copies or repetitions of an SSB in different spatial directions to enable UEs (or other wireless communication devices) within a coverage area of the base station 110 to receive a copy of an SSB that is transmitted in a spatial direction associated with the UE; e.g., ¶ [0086] base station 110 may transmit one or more SSBs to a repeater; [0087] a repeater may perform directional communication by using beamforming to communicate with a base station 110 via a first beam (e.g., a backhaul beam over a backhaul link with the base station 110) and to communicate with a UE via a second beam [i.e., the SSB used by UE to perform cell search is forwarded from BS for repeater]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing date to combine the disclosure of base station transmitting information related to a cell that is a new connection destination for the terminal through a repeater, as disclosed by Abedini, with the disclosure of the smart repeater transmitting a synchronization signal block for the communication terminal to perform a cell search, as disclosed by Abedini-394. The motivation to combine would have been to support frequency domain beam sweeping for synchronization signals (Abedini-394 (e.g., ¶ [0001]).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abedini in view of Abedini et al, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20230054824 A1 (hereinafter Abedini-824).
Regarding Claim 5, Li discloses all the limitations of the communication system according to claim 1.
Abedini discloses the terminal obtaining system information from base station (e.g., ¶ [0094]), and the smart repeater using synchronization signal to perform actions on the beams/channels (e.g., ¶ [0122] the smart relay may use higher level functionality to sense channels, implement MIMO functionality, select various beams in conjunction with a use of various synchronization signal block (SSB) information).
Abedini does not expressly disclose wherein the smart repeater performs a cell search using a synchronization signal block transmitted from the base station, connects to the base station, acquires system information from the base station, and transmits the system information acquired to the communication terminal.
Abedini-824 discloses wherein the smart repeater performs a cell search using a synchronization signal block transmitted from the base station, connects to the base station, acquires system information from the base station, and transmits the system information acquired to the communication terminal (e.g., ¶ [0094] repeater obtains system information for one or more cells of the set; ¶ [0114] method for wireless communications by a repeater, comprising: detecting synchronization signal blocks (SSBs) for a set of one or more cells… forwarding one or more communications from at least one cell of the set in accordance with a schedule determined based on the system information and the detected SSBs).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing date to combine the disclosure of base station transmitting information related to a cell that is a new connection destination for the terminal through a repeater, as disclosed by Abedini, with the disclosure of repeater performing a cell search using a synchronization signal block transmitted from the base station, connecting to the base station, acquiring system information from the base station, and transmitting the system information acquired, as disclosed by Abedini-824. The motivation to combine would have been to help repeaters save power (Abedini-824 (e.g., ¶ [0001]).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Torsner et al, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20080253334 A1 (hereinafter Torsner).
Regarding Claim 10, Li discloses all the limitations of the communication system according to claim 7.
Li does not expressly disclose that undelivered data is transferred to the terminal by the source base station prior to change to the target base station. Examiner asserts that not dropping any undelivered data in a handover scenario would be an obvious design choice in the art. But, for the record, Examiner shall combine with Li a reference to disclose that which Examiner interprets as the missing claim limitation to be source base station transmitting, to the terminal, data undelivered to the terminal before changing the connection destination.
Torsner discloses wherein when the communication terminal changes the cell that is the connection destination during execution of data retransmission processing, the base station transmits, from the cell that is the new connection destination to which the connection destination is changed to the communication terminal, data undelivered to the communication terminal in the cell before changing the connection destination (e.g., ¶ [0006] At times of handover, the controlling node, i.e. the RNC in a WCDMA system, assigns a certain time-offset (activation time), so that the involved radio base stations, i.e. the Node Bs in a WCDMA system, and the user equipments (UE) can prepare for the handover. These preparations include receiving necessary control information, but also the transmission of any remaining data in the buffer of the "old" radio base station, i.e. the radio base station that the UE is connected to before the handover).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing date to combine the disclosure of base station transmitting information related to a cell that is a new connection destination for the terminal, as disclosed by Li, with the disclosure of transmitting pending, undelivered data to the terminal prior to changing the connection destination, as disclosed by Torsner. The motivation to combine would have been to prepare the terminal for handover.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Jin et al, US 20200260308 A1 (hereinafter Jin).
Regarding Claim 11, Li discloses all the limitations of the communication system according to claim 7.
Li does not expressly disclose wherein when carrier aggregation is set in the communication terminal that changes the cell that is the connection destination, the base station maintains setting of carrier aggregation after the connection destination is changed.
Jin discloses wherein when carrier aggregation is set in the communication terminal that changes the cell that is the connection destination, the base station maintains setting of carrier aggregation after the connection destination is changed. (e.g., ¶ [0152] Upon receiving the measurement values of the neighboring cells in the idle state from the terminal, the base station may provide the terminal with SCell configuration information for CA in step 1f-70. The base station may refer to the content reported by the terminal in the step, and may activate CA by transmitting the activation MAC CE for the SCell for reasons such as an increase in the amount of data transmitted by the terminal in the subsequent step).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing date to combine the disclosure of base station transmitting information related to a cell that is a new connection destination for the terminal, as disclosed by Li, with the disclosure of base station re-establishing carrier aggregation after handover, as disclosed by Jin. The motivation to combine would have been to support failure recovery Jin: e.g., ¶ [0002]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. References considered relevant to this application are listed in the attached "Notice of References Cited” (PTO-892).
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/VLADISLAV Y AGUREYEV/Examiner, Art Unit 2471
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