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 .
Double Patenting
A rejection based on double patenting of the “same invention” type finds its support in the language of 35 U.S.C. 101 which states that “whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process... may obtain a patent therefor...” (Emphasis added). Thus, the term “same invention,” in this context, means an invention drawn to identical subject matter. See Miller v. Eagle Mfg. Co., 151 U.S. 186 (1894); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Ockert, 245 F.2d 467, 114 USPQ 330 (CCPA 1957).
A statutory type (35 U.S.C. 101) double patenting rejection can be overcome by canceling or amending the claims that are directed to the same invention so they are no longer coextensive in scope. The filing of a terminal disclaimer cannot overcome a double patenting rejection based upon 35 U.S.C. 101.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as claiming the same invention as that of claims 1-20 of prior U.S. Patent No.12,362784. This is a statutory double patenting rejection.
With regards to claim 1, A relay station operating as a first relay station, and capable of executing non-regenerative relay for a first radio signal transmitted from a transmission station toward a reception station having one antenna, together with one or two or more second relay stations, the relay station comprising: at least one antenna; a wireless device corresponding to the antenna; and a controller configured to control an operation of the wireless device, wherein the wireless device includes: a receiver configured to convert the first radio signal received by the antenna into a baseband signal; a finite impulse response (FIR) filter configured to assign a delay to the baseband signal; and a transmitter configured to convert a signal output from the FIR filter into a second radio signal transmitted toward the reception station from the antenna, and wherein the controller sets a delay amount in the FIR filter of the wireless device so that the second radio signal transmitted from each antenna included in the first and second relay stations has a delay different between the first and second relay stations.(see U.S. Patent No.12,362784. Claim 1)
With regards to claim 2, The relay station according to claim 1, wherein when the relay station includes two or more antennas and two or more wireless devices corresponding to the two or more antennas, the controller sets a delay amount in the FIR filter included in each of the two or more wireless devices so that the second radio signal transmitted from each of the antennas included in the first and second relay stations has a delay different between the first and second relay stations and between the antennas included in the first and second relay stations. .(see U.S. Patent No.12,362784. Claim 2)
With regards to claim 3, The relay station according to claim 1, wherein the controller uses a first propagation delay serving as a propagation delay in a radio signal propagation path from the reception station to the relay station, a second propagation delay serving as a propagation delay in a radio signal propagation path from the transmission station to the relay station, and a signal processing delay in the relay station so as to obtain a maximum delay, and calculates a delay amount to be set in the FIR filter, for each antenna included in the relay station, within a range in which the maximum delay is not exceeded. .(see U.S. Patent No.12,362784. Claim 3)
With regards to claim 4, according to claim 3, wherein the controller calculates the maximum delay in which at least the first propagation delay, the second propagation delay, and the processing delay are subtracted from a cyclic prefix time used for communication with the transmission station and with the reception station by the relay station. .(see U.S. Patent No.12,362784. Claim 4)
With regards to claim 5, The relay station according to claim 3, wherein the controller calculates a delay amount to be set in the FIR filter included in each of the two or more wireless devices so that transmission timings of the second radio signal arrive at equal intervals with respect to the two or more antennas. .(see U.S. Patent No.12,362784. Claim 5)
With regards to claim 6, The relay station according to claim 3, wherein the controller randomly calculates the delay amount to be set in the FIR filter. .(see U.S. Patent No.12,362784. Claim 6)
With regards to claim 7, The relay station according to claim 1, wherein the controller acquires information indicating a delay amount corresponding to each antenna received from a control device of the relay station to set the delay amount in the FIR filter. .(see U.S. Patent No.12,362784. Claim 7)
With regards to claim 8, The relay station according to claim 1, wherein the controller performs weighting on the FIR filter so that self- interference related to reception of the first radio signal and transmission of the second radio signal are curbed. .(see U.S. Patent No.12,362784. Claim 8)
With regards to claim 9, The relay station according to claim 1, wherein the at least one antenna receives the first radio signal to which transmission diversity using at least one antenna has been applied by the transmission station. .(see U.S. Patent No.12,362784. Claim 9)
With regards to claim 10, A transmission method for a relay station operating as a first relay station and capable of executing non- regenerative relay for a first radio signal transmitted from a transmission station toward a reception station having one antenna, together with one or two or more second relay stations, the transmission method comprising: converting, by the relay station, the first radio signal received by at least one antenna included in the relay station into a baseband signal; assigning, by the relay station, a delay to the baseband signal using a finite impulse response (FIR) filter; converting, by the relay station, a signal output from the FIR filter into a second radio signal transmitted toward the reception station from the antenna; and setting, by the relay station, a delay amount in the FIR filter so that the second radio signal transmitted from each antenna included in the first and second relay stations has a delay different between the first and second relay stations. .(see U.S. Patent No.12,362784. Claim 11)
With regards to claim 11, The transmission method for the relay station according to claim 10, wherein when the relay station includes two or more antennas and two or more FIR filters corresponding to the two or more antennas, the relay station sets a delay amount in each of the two or more FIR filters so that the second radio signal transmitted from each of the antennas included in the first and second relay stations has a delay different between the first and second relay stations and between the antennas included in the first and second relay stations. .(see U.S. Patent No.12,362784. Claim 12)
With regards to claim 12, The transmission method for the relay station according to claim 10, wherein the relay station uses a first propagation delay serving as a propagation delay in a radio signal propagation path from the reception station to the relay station, a second propagation delay serving as a propagation delay in a radio signal propagation path from the transmission station to the relay station, and a processing delay of a signal in the relay station so as to obtain a maximum delay, and calculates a delay amount to be set in the FIR filter, for each antenna included in the relay station, within a range in which the maximum delay is not exceeded. .(see U.S. Patent No.12,362784. Claim 13)
With regards to claim 13, The transmission method for the relay station according to claim 12, wherein the relay station calculates the maximum delay in which at least the first propagation delay, the second propagation delay, and the processing delay are subtracted from a cyclic prefix time used for communication with the transmission station and with the reception station by the relay station. .(see U.S. Patent No.12,362784. Claim 14)
With regards to claim 14, The transmission method for the relay station according to claim 12, wherein the relay station calculates a delay amount to be set in the FIR filter included in each of the two or more wireless devices so that transmission timings of the second radio signal arrive at equal intervals with respect to the two or more antennas. .(see U.S. Patent No.12,362784. Claim 15)
With regards to claim 15, The transmission method for the relay station according to claim 12, wherein the relay station randomly calculates a delay amount to be set in the FIR filter. .(see U.S. Patent No.12,362784. Claim 16)
With regards to claim 16, The transmission method for the relay station according to claim 10, wherein the relay station acquires information indicating a delay amount corresponding to each antenna received from a control device of the relay station to set the delay amount in the FIR filter. .(see U.S. Patent No.12,362784. Claim 17)
With regards to claim 17, A communications system comprising: a reception station with one antenna; a transmission station configured to transmit a first radio signal to the reception station; and a plurality of relay stations capable of relaying the first radio signal to the reception station through non- regenerative relay, wherein each of the plurality of relay stations includes: at least one antenna; a wireless device corresponding to the antenna; and a controller configured to control an operation of the wireless device, wherein the wireless device includes: a receiver configured to convert the first radio signal received by the antenna into a baseband signal; a finite impulse response (FIR) filter configured to assign a delay to the baseband signal; and a transmitter configured to convert a signal output from the FIR filter into a second radio signal transmitted from the antenna to the reception station, and wherein the controller sets a delay amount in the FIR filter of the wireless device so that the second radio signal transmitted from each antenna of the plurality of relay stations has a delay different from among the plurality of relay stations. .(see U.S. Patent No.12,362784. Claim 19)
With regards to claim 18, The relay station according to claim 1, wherein the relay station acquires information indicating a relay start time calculated by a base station communicating with the relay station or a control device of the relay station, and sets, in the FIR filter, a delay amount corresponding to the relay start time. .(see U.S. Patent No.12,362784. Claim 10)
With regards to claim 19, The transmission method for the relay station according to claim 10, wherein the relay station sets, in the FIR filter, a delay amount based on information indicating a relay start time calculated by a base station communicating with the relay station or a control device of the relay station.(see U.S. Patent No.12,362784. Claim 18)
With regards to claim 20, The communication system according to The communication system according to wherein the relay station sets, in the FIR filter, a delay amount based on information indicating a relay start time calculated by a base station communicating with the relay station or a control device of the relay station. .(see U.S. Patent No.12,362784. Claim 20)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Mohebbi (US 20020058511 A1) mobile communications network a mobile station is capable of receiving a downlink signal from each of a plurality of base stations and transmitting an uplink signal to the plurality of the base stations through a wireless channel.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HELENE E TAYONG whose telephone number is (571)270-1675. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Hannah S Wang can be reached at 571-272-9018. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HELENE E TAYONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2631 September 28, 2026
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