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 § 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) 1-5, 7, 8, 15, 16, 27, 28, 32, 34 and 48 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Abedini et al. (US 2023/0269736).
Regarding claim 1, Abedini et al. disclose a method for beam indication, performed by a terminal, comprising:
receiving beam indication information transmitted from a network-control repeater-Support (ncr-Support) base station (Figure 1 and paragraph 46, the UE 104 may include a repeater configuration component 198 that may be configured to receive, from at least one of a base station, a RU, or a second UE, a plurality of sets of RU configuration parameters associated with one of a beam index; Paragraph 66, Aspects presented herein provide a configurable repeater (e.g., a network-controlled repeater); Figure 5, repeater 506 receiving RU configuration parameter sets in step 508A from control node 502; Paragraph 72, the RU configuration indication 510A transmitted by the control node 502 may configure the beam configurations at the repeater 506 for the reception from, and transmission to, both the control node 502 and the UE 504 such that the UE may not be aware of the repeater 506), wherein the beam indication information is used for indicating a beam index used by the repeater in associated time resources (Paragraph 70, RU configuration parameter sets 508…include…beamforming configurations for…a time-domain resource allocation); and
determining the beam index used by the repeater in the associated time resources based on the beam indication information (Paragraph 46, The repeater configuration component 198 may further be configured to communicate, via a RU, with one of the second UE or the base station based on a first set of RU configuration parameters in the plurality of sets of RU configuration parameters, the RU being associated with the plurality of sets of RU configuration parameters; Figure 5 and paragraph 72, Based on the RU configuration indication 510A and/or 510B, the repeater 506 may configure 512 the RU 506b to perform a repeating operation for communication between the control node 502 and the UE 504. The RU 506b may be configured with separate beam configurations for transmissions to or from the control node 502 and for transmissions to or from the UE 504. Each beam configuration may be associated with different parameters).
Regarding claim 2, Abedini et al. disclose wherein the beam indication information comprises one or more of the following information:
a configuration periodicity; or
an effective time offset; or
a beam index value (Paragraph 80, the indication of the first set of RU configuration parameters includes a beam index value associated with the first set of RU configuration parameters) a candidate beam index set, wherein the beam index value is an index value corresponding to a beam in the candidate beam index set, the candidate beam index set is a subset or a universal set of a beam set, and the beam set comprises all beams supported by the repeater (Paragraph 78, Each set of RU configuration parameters in the plurality of sets of RU configuration parameters, in some aspects, may be associated with a beam index; Each set having associated beam index indicates a candidate beam index set comprising beams supported by the repeater); or
a beam quantity of all indicated beams.
Regarding claim 3, Abedini et al. disclose wherein receiving the beam indication information transmitted from the ncr-Support base station comprises:
receiving beam indication information periodically and/or aperiodically transmitted from the ncr-Support base station (Paragraph 71, The RU configuration parameter sets 508, in some aspects, may be transmitted via an RRC [periodically] message or a MAC-CE associated with semi-static [periodically] signaling or a DCI associated with dynamic [aperiodically] signaling).
Regarding claim 4, Abedini et al. disclose wherein
in case that the beam indication information is transmitted periodically, an indication mode of the beam indication information is a pattern indication mode (Paragraph 71, The RU configuration parameter sets 508, in some aspects, may be transmitted via an RRC message or a MAC-CE associated with semi-static [periodically/pattern mode] signaling); or,
in case that the beam indication information is transmitted aperiodically, an indication mode of the beam indication information is a side control information indication mode.
Regarding claim 5, Abedini et al. disclose wherein in case that the beam indication information is transmitted periodically, the beam indication information is transmitted through a higher layer parameter (Paragraph 71, RU configuration parameter sets transmitted via RRC), a side control signaling or a media access control control element (MAC CE) command (Paragraph 71, The RU configuration parameter sets 508, in some aspects, may be transmitted via a MAC-CE associated with semi-static [periodically] signaling).
Regarding claim 7, Abedini et al. disclose wherein the beam indication information further comprises one or more of the following information:
an uplink/downlink indication identifier, used for indicating a beam indicated by the beam indication information to be uniformly used in uplink and downlink (Paragraph 77, Each set of RU configuration parameters, in some aspects, may include a beamforming configuration and a time-domain resource allocation associated with the beamforming configuration. In some aspects, each set of RU configuration parameters includes…a directionality indication that indicates the set of RU configuration parameters applies to one or more of a downlink transmission or an uplink transmission or a sidelink transmission); or
an uplink indication identifier, used for indicating a beam indicated by the beam indication information to be used in uplink (Paragraph 77, Each set of RU configuration parameters, in some aspects, may include a beamforming configuration and a time-domain resource allocation associated with the beamforming configuration. In some aspects, each set of RU configuration parameters includes…a directionality indication that indicates the set of RU configuration parameters applies to one or more of a downlink transmission or an uplink transmission or a sidelink transmission); or
a downlink indication identifier, used for indicating a beam indicated by the beam indication information to be used in downlink (Paragraph 77, Each set of RU configuration parameters, in some aspects, may include a beamforming configuration and a time-domain resource allocation associated with the beamforming configuration. In some aspects, each set of RU configuration parameters includes…a directionality indication that indicates the set of RU configuration parameters applies to one or more of a downlink transmission or an uplink transmission or a sidelink transmission).
Regarding claim 8, Abedini et al. disclose wherein the associated time resource comprises a given symbol, a given slot, a given subframe, or a given frame (See figures 2A-2D and paragraph 49 for symbols, slots, subframes and frames).
Regarding claim 15, Abedini et al. disclose a method for beam indication, performed by a network-control repeater-Support (ncr-Support) base station (Paragraph 66, Aspects presented herein provide a configurable repeater (e.g., a network-controlled repeater)), comprising:
obtaining coverage information of a repeater (Paragraph 77, each set of RU configuration parameters includes one or more of a transmission power configuration, an operating bandwidth, an On-Off schedule indicating times at which the RU may be inactive, a directionality indication that indicates the set of RU configuration parameters applies to one or more of a downlink transmission or an uplink transmission or a sidelink transmission, a timing reference indication that indicates one or more timing parameters associated with repeating transmissions received at the RU), wherein the coverage information is used for characterizing a beam supported by the repeater (Paragraph 80, the first set of RU configuration parameters includes a beam index value associated with the first set of RU configuration parameters); and
transmitting beam indication information to the repeater based on the coverage information of the repeater (Figure 5, control node 502 [base station or UE according to paragraph 69] transmitting RU configuration parameter sets to repeater 506 at step 508A; Paragraph 70, RU configuration parameter sets 508…include…beamforming configurations; Paragraph 80, set of RU configuration parameters includes a beam index), wherein the beam indication information is used for indicating a beam index used by the repeater in associated time resources (Paragraph 70, RU configuration parameter sets 508…include…beamforming configurations for…a time-domain resource allocation).
Regarding claim 16, Abedini et al. disclose wherein the coverage information comprises a beam index value corresponding to each beam supported by the repeater (Paragraphs 78 and 80, each set of RU configuration parameters of step 508A in figure 5 is associated with a beam index determined by the control node 502).
Regarding claim 27, Abedini et al. disclose wherein the beam indication information comprises one or more of the following information:
a configuration periodicity; or
an effective time offset; or
a beam index value (Paragraph 80, the indication of the first set of RU configuration parameters includes a beam index value associated with the first set of RU configuration parameters) a candidate beam index set, wherein the beam index value is an index value corresponding to a beam in the candidate beam index set, the candidate beam index set is a subset or a universal set of a beam set, and the beam set comprises all beams supported by the repeater (Paragraph 78, Each set of RU configuration parameters in the plurality of sets of RU configuration parameters, in some aspects, may be associated with a beam index; Each set having associated beam index indicates a candidate beam index set comprising beams supported by the repeater); or
a beam quantity of all indicated beams.
Regarding claim 28, Abedini et al. disclose wherein transmitting the beam indication information to the repeater comprises:
transmitting beam indication information periodically and/or aperiodically transmitted from the ncr-Support base station (Paragraph 71, The RU configuration parameter sets 508, in some aspects, may be transmitted via an RRC [periodically] message or a MAC-CE associated with semi-static [periodically] signaling or a DCI associated with dynamic [aperiodically] signaling).
Regarding claim 32, Abedini et al. disclose wherein the beam indication information further comprises one or more of the following information:
an uplink/downlink indication identifier, used for indicating a beam indicated by the beam indication information to be uniformly used in uplink and downlink (Paragraph 77, Each set of RU configuration parameters, in some aspects, may include a beamforming configuration and a time-domain resource allocation associated with the beamforming configuration. In some aspects, each set of RU configuration parameters includes…a directionality indication that indicates the set of RU configuration parameters applies to one or more of a downlink transmission or an uplink transmission or a sidelink transmission); or
an uplink indication identifier, used for indicating a beam indicated by the beam indication information to be used in uplink (Paragraph 77, Each set of RU configuration parameters, in some aspects, may include a beamforming configuration and a time-domain resource allocation associated with the beamforming configuration. In some aspects, each set of RU configuration parameters includes…a directionality indication that indicates the set of RU configuration parameters applies to one or more of a downlink transmission or an uplink transmission or a sidelink transmission); or
a downlink indication identifier, used for indicating a beam indicated by the beam indication information to be used in downlink (Paragraph 77, Each set of RU configuration parameters, in some aspects, may include a beamforming configuration and a time-domain resource allocation associated with the beamforming configuration. In some aspects, each set of RU configuration parameters includes…a directionality indication that indicates the set of RU configuration parameters applies to one or more of a downlink transmission or an uplink transmission or a sidelink transmission); and/or
wherein the associated time resource comprises a given symbol, a given slot, a given subframe, or a given frame (See figures 2A-2D and paragraph 49 for symbols, slots, subframes and frames).
Regarding claim 34, Abedini et al. disclose a repeater (Figure 5, repeater 506; Figure 14 and paragraph 103, apparatus 1402 may be a repeater), comprising a memory (Figure 14 and paragraph 103, The baseband unit 1404 may include a computer-readable medium/memory), a transceiver (Figure 14, transceiver 1422) and a processor (Figure 14 and paragraph 103, The baseband unit 1404 may be a component of the repeater 103 and may include the memory 376 and/or at least one of the TX processor 316, the RX processor 370, and the controller/processor 375, such as described in connection with the base station 310), wherein the memory is used for storing a computer program (Paragraph 103, software stored on the computer-readable medium/memory), the transceiver is used for transmitting and receiving data under control of the processor (Paragraph 103, The baseband unit 1404 may communicate through a transceiver 1422 with the UE 104 and/or the control node 102/180), and the processor is used for reading the computer program in the memory and performing the following operations (Paragraph 103, The baseband unit 1404 is responsible for general processing, including the execution of software stored on the computer-readable medium/memory):
receiving beam indication information transmitted from a network-control repeater-Support (ncr-Support) base station (Figure 1 and paragraph 46, the UE 104 may include a repeater configuration component 198 that may be configured to receive, from at least one of a base station, a RU, or a second UE, a plurality of sets of RU configuration parameters associated with one of a beam index; Paragraph 66, Aspects presented herein provide a configurable repeater (e.g., a network-controlled repeater); Figure 5, repeater 506 receiving RU configuration parameter sets in step 508A from control node 502; Paragraph 72, the RU configuration indication 510A transmitted by the control node 502 may configure the beam configurations at the repeater 506 for the reception from, and transmission to, both the control node 502 and the UE 504 such that the UE may not be aware of the repeater 506), wherein the beam indication information is used for indicating a beam index used by the repeater in associated time resources (Paragraph 70, RU configuration parameter sets 508…include…beamforming configurations for…a time-domain resource allocation); and
determining the beam index used by the repeater in the associated time resources based on the beam indication information (Paragraph 46, The repeater configuration component 198 may further be configured to communicate, via a RU, with one of the second UE or the base station based on a first set of RU configuration parameters in the plurality of sets of RU configuration parameters, the RU being associated with the plurality of sets of RU configuration parameters; Figure 5 and paragraph 72, Based on the RU configuration indication 510A and/or 510B, the repeater 506 may configure 512 the RU 506b to perform a repeating operation for communication between the control node 502 and the UE 504. The RU 506b may be configured with separate beam configurations for transmissions to or from the control node 502 and for transmissions to or from the UE 504. Each beam configuration may be associated with different parameters).
Regarding claim 48, Abedini et al. disclose a network-control repeater-Support (ncr-Support) base station (Figure 13 and paragraph 99, apparatus 1302 may be a base station), comprising a memory (Figure 13 and paragraph 99, The baseband unit 1304 may include a computer-readable medium/memory), a transceiver (Figure 13, Cellular RF transceiver 1322) and a processor (Figure 13 and paragraph 99, The baseband unit 1304 may be a component of the base station 310 and may include the memory 376 and/or at least one of the TX processor 316, the RX processor 370, and the controller/processor 375), wherein the memory is used for storing a computer program (Paragraph 99, software stored on the computer-readable medium/memory), the transceiver is used for transmitting and receiving data under control of the processor (Paragraph 99, The baseband unit 1304 may communicate through a cellular RF transceiver 1322 with the UE 104), and the processor is used for reading the computer program in the memory and performing the method of claim 15 (Paragraph 99, The baseband unit 1304 is responsible for general processing, including the execution of software stored on the computer-readable medium/memory. The software, when executed by the baseband unit 1304, causes the baseband unit 1304 to perform the various functions described supra).
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.
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.
Claim(s) 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Abedini et al. as applied to claim 16 above, and further in view of Bao et al. (US 2025/0175242).
Regarding claim 21, Abedini et al. disclose the claimed invention above but do not disclose the following limitations that are disclose by Bao et al.: wherein obtaining the coverage information of the repeater comprises: obtaining the coverage information of the repeater based on reporting information transmitted from the repeater (Bao et al., Paragraph 67, receiving a repeater beam arrangement report from a repeater node; Figure 9 and paragraph 130, in a first Step 100, the gNB 502 may receive a repeater beam arrangement report from the repeater node 506. The repeater beam arrangement report includes information that indicates one or more repeater beam capabilities of the repeater node 506 and beam information for each type of repeater beam; Paragraph 141, the repeater beams are indicated in the beam arrangement report using e.g., beam index, or beam ID, or beam index of a parent beam index in a beam hierarchy) and/or predefined auxiliary coverage information.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Abedini et al. with the cited disclosure from Bao et al. in order to know repeater beam capabilities of the repeater node (Bao et al., Paragraph 130).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6, 18-20 and 29 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 6, the prior art does not disclose or adequately suggest overlapping pattern indication mode and side control information mode with the beam index used by the repeater being determined based on the side control information indication mode when the overlap occurs.
Regarding claim 18, the prior art does not disclose or adequately suggest a table corresponding to the coverage information, the table comprising beam index values corresponding to each beam supported by the repeater and obtaining the beam quantity of all beams supported by the repeater based on table length.
Regarding claim 19 (with further dependent claim 20), the prior art does not disclose or adequately suggest a table corresponding to the coverage information, the table comprising beam width corresponding to each supported beam and in case the beam coverage does not overlap, obtaining beam quantity of all supported beams based on beam width and beam width granularity, the beam width beam is a broadcast beam width.
Regarding claim 29, the prior art discloses the claimed invention except for the side control information indication mode comprising at least one of the following modes: indicating a signaling type through one or more bits; or indicating a quantity of effective slots through a bit of a preset length.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OTIS L THOMPSON, JR whose telephone number is (571)270-1953. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 6:30am - 7:00pm.
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/OTIS L THOMPSON, JR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477
August 18, 2026
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