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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: In paragraph [0017], the phrase “network-controlled repeated (NCR)” contains a typographical error. The word “repeated” should be corrected to “repeater” to properly define the acronym NCR and provide clear terminology.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 9 and 13 are objected to because of the following informalities:
- Claim 9 recites: “wherein the processor receives radio resource control (RRC) configuration information … receives side control information … and forwarding a first signal” However, the use of the gerund “forwarding” breaks the parallel structure established by the active verbs “receives” and “receives,” rendering the clause grammatically incorrect and confusing (i.e., “the processor… forwarding”). It is recommended to change “forwarding” to “forwards” so it reads: “and forwards a first signal”
- Claim 13 recites: “wherein the apparatus is a network-controlled repeated (NCR).” However, the word “repeated” is an adjective or verb, which makes the sentence nonsensical in this context and does not match the acronym “NCR”. This appears to be a typographical error for “repeater”. It is recommended to change “repeated” to “repeater” so it reads: “…network-controlled repeater (NCR).
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 4 and 14 are 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.
- Claim 4 discloses: “…based on the first signal being received in the resources for the SS/PBCH
block, the CORESET, the resources for the cell-specific CSI-RS, the first signal is identified…” However, the list of resources is missing a conjunction (such as “and” or “or”) before the final item in the list, making the sentence grammatically incomplete and unclear. For the purpose of examination, it is interpreted as “the CORESET, or the resources for the cell-specific CSI-RS”.
- Claim 14 recites: “…at least one memory operably connected to the at least one processor, and when executed, causing the at least one processor to perform operations…” A physical “memory” cannot be “executed.” A processor executes instructions or a program stored in the memory. Because the claim fails to recite the instructions/program, it literally claims executing the memory hardware itself, which is technically nonsensical and indefinite. For the purpose of examination, it is interpreted as
“…at least one memory operably connected to the at least one processor and storing instructions that, when executed, cause the at least one processor to perform operations…”
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-3 and 5-13 are allowed.
Claim 14 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Claim 4 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s
disclosure and located in the PTO-892 form.
- Peng et al. (US 2025/0039952 A1) discloses a wireless communication system comprising a
base station, a UE, and a network-controlled repeater (NCR) having a MT and RU module with establishing a control link between the MT module and the base station to receive control signaling and configuration information (including RRC signaling, MAC-CE, or DCI) to determine the operational state, resources, and transmission directions of the RU, and teaches forwarding signals between the base station and the UE via the access link/RU.
- Awadin et al.(US 2023/0327735 A1) discloses an NCR/smart repeater architecture where the NCR-MT receives side control information from a base station over a control link to govern the behavior and spatial beamforming of the forwarding unit (NCR-Fwd/RU), and teaches prioritizing RRC configuration over dynamic side control information (such as DCI or MAC-CE) when signaling conflicts occur – specifically disclosing that setting priority as RRC > MAC-CE > DCI is beneficial when RRC is used to indicate cell-specific signals/channels; however, it is not supported in a provisional application.
- MolavianJazi et al. (US 2023/0283348 A1) discloses specifying and controlling transmission parameters (such as spatial domain transmission filters/beams, transmission power levels, and amplifying gain settings) applied by the NCR-Fwd entity when relaying cell-specific signals to the UE, and teaches detailed identification and processing of cell-specific physical resources (such as SS/PBCH blocks 9SSBs), CORESET #0, initial BWPs, CSI-RS resources, and cell-specific paging/SIB1 parameters).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HAESHIL J CHOI whose telephone number is (703)756-5409. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jae Y Lee can be reached on 571-270-3936. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HAESHIL JESSICA CHOI/Examiner, Art Unit 2479 /JAE Y LEE/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2479
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