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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Regarding claim 4, the claim states: “reception beams of two of the downlink radio signals… a first operation of detecting or decoding the downlink radio signal and a second operation of receiving the downlink radio signal” which is unclear. The claim mentions two DL radio signals but then refers to one DL radio signal, it is unclear which DL radio signal is being referred to. It is also unclear if the two operations are performed on the same DL radio signal or separate DL radio signals. It is also not clear what the distinction between receiving a DL signal and detecting and decoding a DL signal is, as if a DL signal is received it is detected and decoded.
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)(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.
(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, 5 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Abedini et al (US 2021/0126694, hereinafter Abedini).
Regarding claim 1, Abedini discloses a wireless relay device (relay device, Fig. 4) comprising: a communication unit (transceiver, inherent) that relays a downlink radio signal (relay device relays signals between the BS and UE, Para [0084]); a receiving unit (transceiver, inherent) that receives information indicating a reception beam of the downlink radio signal on a downlink (BS can configure one beam pair at the relay device paired with the same beam, Para [0154], BS transmits beamforming configuration information received at relay device for a subset of beam pairs to be used for communication, Para [0155], the beam pair is the TX beam of the BS and RX beam of the relay, Para [0159]); and a control unit (processor, inherent) that determines the reception beam of the downlink radio signal based on the information indicating the reception beam of the downlink radio signal (relay device can generate the RX beam of the downlink according to the beamforming configuration, Para [0196], the relay device can receive via the RX beam of the beam pair, control and data information from the BS, Para [0160]).
Regarding claim 5, Abedini discloses a base station (BS, Fig. 10) comprising: a communication unit (RF transceiver, Para [0248]) that transmits a downlink radio signal to a wireless relay device (relay device relays signals between the BS and UE, Para [0084]); a transmitting unit (RF transceiver, Para [0248]) that transmits information indicating a reception beam of the downlink radio signal to the wireless relay device (BS can configure one beam pair at the relay device paired with the same beam, Para [0154], BS transmits beamforming configuration information received at relay device for a subset of beam pairs to be used for communication, Para [0155], the beam pair is the TX beam of the BS and RX beam of the relay, Para [0159]); and a control unit (baseband unit, Para [0248]) that assumes that the reception beam of the downlink radio signal is determined based on the information indicating the reception beam of the downlink radio signal (the BS and relay apply their respective beams as indicated by the beamforming configuration, Para [0196], meaning the BS assumes the relay applies the beam from the configuration information without confirming it, the relay device can receive via the RX beam of the beam pair, control and data information from the BS, Para [0160]).
Regarding claim 6, Abedini discloses a wireless relay method executed by a wireless relay device, the method comprising: a step of relaying a downlink radio signal (relay device relays signals between the BS and UE, Para [0084]); a step of receiving information indicating a reception beam of the downlink radio signal on a downlink (BS can configure one beam pair at the relay device paired with the same beam, Para [0154], BS transmits beamforming configuration information received at relay device for a subset of beam pairs to be used for communication, Para [0155], the beam pair is the TX beam of the BS and RX beam of the relay, Para [0159]); and a step of determining the reception beam of the downlink radio signal based on the information indicating the reception beam of the downlink radio signal (relay device can generate the RX beam of the downlink according to the beamforming configuration, Para [0196], the relay device can receive via the RX beam of the beam pair, control and data information from the BS, Para [0160]).
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.
Claims 2-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abedini.
Regarding claim 2, Abedini discloses the wireless relay device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit assumes that a transmission beam transmitted from a base station is indicated for each resource used to transfer the downlink radio signal from the base station to a terminal (an active beam pair can be associated with one or more time intervals and one or more BWPs, the beam pair is used to communicate the control signaling and the relay signaling, Para [0149], BS can configure a beam pair for the backhaul link and another beam pair for the access link, Para [0153], BS transmits the beamforming configuration indicating the at least one beam pair to be used during the time intervals, Para [0155]).
Regarding claim 3, Abedini discloses the wireless relay device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit assumes that only one reception beam of the downlink radio signal is indicated for a time unit when the time unit is a time unit in which both a first operation of detecting or decoding the downlink radio signal and a second operation of receiving the downlink radio signal to be transferred to a terminal need to be performed (during a time interval one beam pair is sufficient for communicating the control signaling and the relay signaling, Para [0154] BS transmits the beamforming configuration indicating the at least one beam pair to be used during the time intervals, Para [0155], obvious the time interval is for detecting and receiving the DL radio signal).
Regarding claim 4, Abedini discloses the wireless relay device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit assumes that reception beams of two of the downlink radio signals are separately indicated for a time unit when the time unit is a time unit in which both a first operation of detecting or decoding the downlink radio signal and a second operation of receiving the downlink radio signal to be transferred to a terminal need to be performed. (during a time interval two beam pair can be used for communicating the control signaling and the relay signaling, Para [0154] BS transmits the beamforming configuration indicating the at least one beam pair to be used during the time intervals, Para [0155], obvious the time interval is for detecting and receiving the DL radio signal, where the DL signals can be for the relay and other DL signals can be intended to be relayed to the UE).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN CUNNINGHAM whose telephone number is (571) 272-1765. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday 7:30-18:00 (EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Vu can be reached on (571) 272-3155. The fax number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KEVIN M CUNNINGHAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461
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