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 12/4/24 and 8/8/25. The submission 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
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) 21, 26, 27, 31, 32, 37, 38 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Fujishiro (US Publication 2024/0422748) disclosed 2022-030325 (JP) (machine translation).
Regarding claims 21, 32 and 38, Fujishiro teaches an apparatus and a method applied to a relay device, comprising: (i.e. fig. 7 shows a network controller repeater (NCR) comprising a wireless receiver and transmitter, processor and memory for executing programmed instructions; see paragraphs 64 - 67)
receiving first information from a network device, wherein the first information comprises downlink control information, the downlink control information indicates at least one of: a first beam, a forwarding time, an amplification gain, or an on-off control, (i.e. fig. 9 shows the NCR may receive a NCR control signal (element S1) from a gNodeB (gNB) (element 200) which may be received by DCI signaling; see paragraph 82) (See Also; the NCR control signal may include frequency configuration information; see paragraph 83; mode control information; see paragraphs 84; beam configuration information; see paragraph 91; amplification gain configuration information; see paragraphs 92) wherein
the first beam is an access-side beam of the relay device, the forwarding time is a time unit for forwarding a signal, the amplification gain is an amplification multiple or a forwarding power of the signal, and the on-off control is a control for enabling and disabling an amplify-and-forward function; (i.e. the beam configuration information may comprise beam-forming information for access-side device; see paragraphs 91; the amplification gain information may include a degree of amplification or power information; see paragraphs 92 )
receiving a first signal from the network device or a terminal device; and
forwarding, by the relay device, the first signal based on the first information. (i.e. fig. 4 shows the NCR apparatus (500A) may receive configuration information from the network (gNB) (200) and utilize that information to forward wireless communications from/to a base station/UE and vice-versa; see paragraphs 54 – 56, 61)
Regarding claims 26 and 37, Fujishiro teaches the method according to claim 21, wherein: the first information indicates to forward the signal based on the first beam within the forwarding time; or the first information indicates to forward the signal based on the amplification gain within the forwarding time; or the first information indicates to forward the signal based on the first beam and the amplification gain; or the first information indicates to forward the signal in a time unit in which the on-off control indicates to enable the amplify-and-forward function and that is in the forwarding time; or the first information indicates to forward the signal based on the first beam in a time unit in which the on-off control indicates to enable an amplification function; or the first information indicates to forward the signal based on the amplification gain in the time unit in which the on-off control indicates to enable the amplification function; or the first information indicates to forward the signal based on the first beam and the amplification gain within the forwarding time; or
the first information indicates to forward the signal based on the amplification gain and the first beam in the time unit in which the on-off control indicates to enable the amplification function; or the first information indicates to forward the signal based on the first beam in the time unit in which the on-off control indicates to enable the amplify-and-forward function and that is in the forwarding time; or the first information indicates to forward the signal based on the amplification gain in the time unit in which the on-off control indicates to enable the amplify-and-forward function and that is in the forwarding time; or the first information indicates to forward the signal based on the first beam and the amplification gain in the time unit in which the on-off control indicates to enable the amplify- and-forward function and that is in the forwarding time. (i.e. Fujishiro discloses the control information the gNB send to the NCR may include beam control information which may information to designate a transmission direction, a transmission weight, or a beam pattern for the NCR to perform directional transmission; see paragraphs 91; the control information also may include information to designate a degree for the NCR apparatus to amplify a radio wave (amplification gain) or transmission power; see paragraph 92)
Regarding claims 27, Fujishiro teaches a method applied to a network device, the method comprising:
sending first information to a relay device, wherein the first information comprises downlink control information, the downlink control information indicates at least one of: a first beam, a forwarding time, an amplification gain, or an on-off control, (i.e. fig. 9 shows the NCR may receive a NCR control signal (element S1) from a gNodeB (gNB) (element 200) which may be received by DCI signaling; see paragraph 82) (See Also; the NCR control signal may include frequency configuration information; see paragraph 83; mode control information; see paragraphs 84; beam configuration information; see paragraph 91; amplification gain configuration information; see paragraphs 92)
wherein the first beam is an access-side beam of the relay device, the forwarding time is a time unit for forwarding a signal, the amplification gain is an amplification multiple or a forwarding power of the signal, and the on-off control is a control for enabling or disabling an amplify-and-forward function; (i.e. the beam configuration information may comprise beam-forming information for access-side device; see paragraphs 91; the amplification gain information may include a degree of amplification or power information; see paragraphs 92 )
sending a first signal to the relay device, or receiving the first signal from the relay device. (i.e. fig. 4 shows the NCR apparatus (500A) may receive configuration information from the network (gNB) (200) and utilize that information to forward wireless communications from/to a base station/UE and vice-versa; see paragraphs 54 – 56, 61)
Regarding claims 31, Fujishiro teaches the method according to claim 21, wherein: the first information indicates to forward the signal based on the first beam within the forwarding time; or the first information indicates to forward the signal based on the amplification gain within the forwarding time; or the first information indicates to forward the signal based on the first beam and the amplification gain; or the first information indicates to forward the signal in a time unit in which the on-off control indicates to enable the amplify-and-forward function and that is in the forwarding time; or the first information indicates to forward the signal based on the first beam in a time unit in which the on-off control indicates to enable an amplification function; or the first information indicates to forward the signal based on the amplification gain in the time unit in which the on-off control indicates to enable the amplification function; or the first information indicates to forward the signal based on the first beam and the amplification gain within the forwarding time; or
the first information indicates to forward the signal based on the amplification gain and the first beam in the time unit in which the on-off control indicates to enable the amplification function; or the first information indicates to forward the signal based on the first beam in the time unit in which the on-off control indicates to enable the amplify-and-forward function and that is in the forwarding time; or the first information indicates to forward the signal based on the amplification gain in the time unit in which the on-off control indicates to enable the amplify-and-forward function and that is in the forwarding time; or the first information indicates to forward the signal based on the first beam and the amplification gain in the time unit in which the on-off control indicates to enable the amplify- and-forward function and that is in the forwarding time. (i.e. Fujishiro discloses the control information the gNB send to the NCR may include beam control information which may information to designate a transmission direction, a transmission weight, or a beam pattern for the NCR to perform directional transmission; see paragraphs 91; the control information also may include information to designate a degree for the NCR apparatus to amplify a radio wave (amplification gain) or transmission power; see paragraph 92)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 22, 33 and 39 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.
Claim 23, 34 and 40 objected to as being dependent upon a objected claim which would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 24, 35 objected to as being dependent upon a objected claim which would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 25, 36 objected to as being dependent upon a objected claim which would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 28 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.
Claim 29 objected to as being dependent upon a objected claim which would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 30 objected to as being dependent upon a objected claim which would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
ConclusionAny inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT J LOPATA whose telephone number is (571)270-5158. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 10-7 EST.
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ROBERT J. LOPATA
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2471
/ROBERT J LOPATA/
October 8, 2026Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2471
