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 statement (IDS) submitted on 12/09/2024 is 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.
Claim(s) 1, 8, 9 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Damnjanovic et al. (US 2023/0254702 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Damnjanovic et al. (figures 1 and 2) disclose a system (base station 105, 200), comprising: at least one baseband unit entity (baseband unit (BBU), central unit (CU) 210); a plurality of radio units (remote radio head (RRH)) including: at least one donor radio unit (distributed unit (DU) 230) communicatively coupled to the at least one baseband unit entity via a wired connection; and at least one mesh radio unit (radio unit (RU) 240) communicatively coupled to the at least one donor radio unit via a wireless connection, wherein the at least one mesh radio unit is communicatively coupled to the at least one baseband unit entity via the at least one donor radio unit (paragraphs [0057] and [0058]); and a plurality of antennas communicatively coupled to the plurality of radio units, wherein each respective radio unit of the plurality of radio units is communicatively coupled to a respective subset of the plurality of antennas; wherein the at least one baseband unit entity, the plurality of radio units, and the plurality of antennas are configured to implement a base station for wirelessly communicating with user equipment (UE 115) (figures 1 and 2); wherein the at least one donor radio unit is configured to communicate fronthaul communications (fronthaul link) with the at least one mesh radio unit over the wireless connection (paragraphs [0059]-[0062]).
Regarding claim 8, Damnjanovic et al. disclose the system of claim 1, wherein the wireless connection is implemented using licensed spectrum, shared licensed spectrum, and/or unlicensed spectrum (paragraphs [0003], [0004] and [0052]).
Regarding claim 9, Damnjanovic et al. disclose the system of claim 1, wherein the at least one baseband unit entity includes: one or more central units and one or more distributed units, wherein the at least one donor radio unit is communicatively coupled to the one or more distributed units via the wired connection; or a baseband controller, wherein the at least one donor radio unit is communicatively coupled to the baseband controller via the wired connection (paragraphs [0057]-[0062]).
Regarding claim 11, Damnjanovic et al. disclose the system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of radio units includes a plurality of donor radio units (figure 2A, left and right DU 230), wherein the plurality of radio units includes a first mesh radio unit (left RU 240) and a second mesh radio unit (right RU 240), wherein the first mesh radio unit is communicatively coupled to a first subset of the plurality of donor radio units (left DU 230), wherein the second mesh radio unit is communicatively coupled to a second subset of the plurality of donor radio units (right DU 230) different than the first subset of the plurality of donor radio units.
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.
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(s) 3, 4, 6 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Damnjanovic et al. in view of Xie et al. (US 9,882,803 B2)
Regarding claims 3 and 4, Damnjanovic et al. disclose the system of claim 1 above. Damnjanovic et al. do not explicitly disclose wherein the wireless connection between the at least one mesh radio unit and the at least one donor radio unit is implemented using in-band channels, wherein the in-band channels are also used for wireless communications between the at least one donor radio unit and user equipment or out-of-band channels, wherein the out-of-band channels are not used for wireless communications between the at least one donor radio unit and user equipment. However, Xie et al. disclose a wireless connection between at least one mesh radio unit (relay node) and at least one donor radio unit (from base station) is implemented using in-band (type 1 or 1B relay node) or out-of-band channels (type 1A relay node) (column4, lines 10-41). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adapt the teaching of Xie et al. for using in-band channels or out-of-band channels to the wireless connection between the at least one mesh radio unit and the at least one donor radio unit of Damnjanovic et al. as a system design choice to perform the same function as providing wireless communication between donor radio unit and mesh radio unit.
Regarding claim 6, Damnjanovic et al. disclose the system of claim 1 above. Damnjanovic et al. do not explicitly disclose wherein the at least one mesh radio unit and the at least one donor radio unit are configured to transmit signals to user equipment using the same physical cell identifier. However, Xie et al. disclose at least one mesh radio unit (relay node) and the at least one donor radio unit (from base station) are configured to transmit signals to user equipment using the same physical cell identifier (column 4, line 10-41, type 2 relay node having no independent cell identifier, so the relay node has the same physical cell identifier). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adapt type 2 relay node with the same cell identifier of Xie et al. to the mesh radio unit of Damnjanovic et al. as a system design choice to perform the same function as providing relay communication between the base station and user equipment.
Regarding claim 7, Damnjanovic et al. disclose the system of claim 1 above. Damnjanovic et al. do not explicitly disclose wherein the at least one mesh radio unit is configured to transmit signals to user equipment using a first physical cell identifier, wherein the at least one donor radio unit is configured to transmit signals to user equipment using a second physical cell identifier different than the first physical cell identifier (column 4, line 10-41, type 1 relay node having independent cell identifier, so the relay node has different physical cell identifier with the at least one donor radio unit). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adapt type 1 relay node with different cell identifier of Xie et al. to the mesh radio unit of Damnjanovic et al. as a system design choice to perform the same function as providing relay communication between the base station and user equipment.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 5, 10, 12 and 13 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.
Regarding claim 2, Damnjanovic et al. the system of claim 1. However, Damnjanovic et al. fail to further disclose the system above wherein the at least one mesh radio unit is configured to conduct a cell search procedure using in-band channels, wherein the in-band channels are also used for wireless communications between the at least one donor radio unit and user equipment.
Regarding claim 5, Damnjanovic et al. the system of claim 1. However, Damnjanovic et al. fail to further disclose the system above wherein the at least one baseband unit entity is configured to mark packets destined for the at least one mesh radio unit, wherein the at least one donor radio unit is configured to separate the packets destined for the at least one mesh radio unit from packets destined for user equipment in communication with the at least one donor radio unit based on the marking.
Regarding claim 10, Damnjanovic et al. the system of claim 1. However, Damnjanovic et al. fail to further disclose the system above wherein the plurality of radio units includes a plurality of donor radio units, wherein at least two donor radio units of the plurality of donor radio units are communicatively coupled to the at least one mesh radio unit and configured to communicate fronthaul communications with the at least one mesh radio unit using respective wireless connections.
Regarding claims 12 and 13, Damnjanovic et al. the system of claim 1. In addition, Damnjanovic et al. disclose wherein the plurality of radio units includes a first mesh radio unit (left relay unit (RU) 240) and a second mesh radio unit (middle RU 240) (figure 2A). However, Damnjanovic et al. fail to further disclose the system above wherein the second mesh radio unit is communicatively coupled to the at least one donor radio unit and the at least one baseband unit entity via the first mesh radio unit.
Claims 14-20 are allowed over the cited prior art.
Regarding claim 14, Damnjanovic et al. (figures 1 and 2) disclose a method of operation for a mesh radio unit (relay unit (RU) 240), comprising: establishing a wireless connection with at least one donor radio unit (DU 230); receiving downlink fronthaul communications from the at least one donor radio unit via the wireless connection; and transmitting downlink communications to user equipment (115) based on the downlink fronthaul communications. However, Damnjanovic et al. fail to further disclose the method above further comprising conducting a cell search procedure before establishing the wireless connection, and obtaining network configuration details from a management system before receiving and transmitting downlink communications.
Claims 15-20 are allowed for being dependent from claim 14.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Cheng et al. (US 9,445,380 B2) disclose a method of communicating includes a relay node that uses a cell identifier that is also used by a base station having a coverage area within which the relay node is located; the method includes determining that a mobile station is within a communication range of the relay node; at least one uplink control parameter is set at the base station based upon uplink information regarding a link between the mobile station and the relay node.
Banaei (US 10,980,062 B1) teaches a base station refers to as a remote radio head (RRH), a baseband unit (BBU) in connection with one or more RRHs, a repeater or relay for coverage extension and/or any combination thereof; some of the protocol layers (e.g., upper layers) of the base station may be implemented in a first unit (e.g., a central unit (CU)) and some other protocol layer (e.g., lower layers) may be implemented in one or more second units (e.g., distributed units (DUs)).
Rofougaran et al. (US 2020/0403689 A1) disclose a repeater device for New Radio (NR) communication, includes a baseband processor that establishes a communication link with a base station and decodes control information that is received from the base station through a control channel; the baseband processor further aligns a timing reference of the repeater device with that of an NR cell frame for an uplink or a downlink time division duplex (TDD) switching, based on the decoded control information; the baseband processor further selects and forms one or more donor beams of RF signals at a donor side of the repeater device and one or more service beams of RF signals at a service side of the repeater device, based on the decoded control information and the aligned timing reference with that of the NR cell frame for the uplink or the downlink TDD switching for communication in an NR frequency band.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to QUOCHIEN B VUONG whose telephone number is (571)272-7902. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00-06:00PM M-F.
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, ANTHONY ADDY can be reached at 571-272-7795. 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.
/QUOCHIEN B VUONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2645
Prosecution Insights