DETAILED ACTION
This Office action is in response to Applicant’s amendment filed on 11/25/2024. Claims 44-45 and 47-60 are still pending. This action is made FINAL.
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 10/31/2024 is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 44, 45, 47-53, 55, 59, and 60 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takács et al (US 20200154426 A1, hereinafter Takács) in view of Mustafic et al (US 20180247544 A1, hereinafter Mustafic), and further in view of Mahkonen et al (US 20210103294 A1, hereinafter Mahkonen).
Consider claim 44, Takács discloses a method for a control apparatus, the method comprising:
generating flight path information regarding a flight path of a mobile terminal (the UAV operator 106 may transmit a proposed flight plan to the USS 124 via the connection 142, paragraph 48; the UTM system 100A may make a flight plan, including a flight path, available to a controller 114 of a corresponding access network to which the UAV 104 is currently connected via the connection 144, Fig. 1 and paragraph 65);
transmitting a first request message requesting allocation of a radio resource for the mobile terminal configured to move according to the flight path information to a core network connected to a radio station configured to allocate the radio resource (Providing the flight path to one or more controllers 114 allows the controllers 114 to manage reservation of network/radio resources in a more efficient manner, paragraph 65),
the allocation being allocation of a radio resource for flight of the mobile terminal (the method 600 may utilize flight information received from the UTM system 100A to reserve radio/network resources for the UAV 104 on multiple cells 110 in a wireless network 108, paragraph 67).
However, Takács is silent regarding the first request message including first identification information for identifying the flight and session attribute information for communication between the mobile terminal and the control apparatus; and managing the communication between the mobile terminal and the control apparatus, based on the session attribute information.
In the same field of endeavor, Mustafic discloses the first request message includes first identification information for identifying the flight (each flight plan may be associated with one or more identifiers, such that the flight plan may be referenced by the UAV 105, user device 120, base stations 125A-E, network management system 135, and/or other devices, paragraph 146).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to includes identification information for identifying the flight as disclosed in Mustafic in the system of Takács so that the flight plan may be referenced by an UAV, a user device, base stations, a network management system, and/or other devices.
Nonetheless, the combination of Mustafic and Takács does not expressly disclose the first request message including session attribute information for communication between the mobile terminal and the control apparatus; and managing the communication between the mobile terminal and the control apparatus, based on the session attribute information.
In the same field of endeavor, Mahkonen discloses the first request message including session attribute information for communication between the mobile terminal and the control apparatus (receipt of flight information describing a flight plan for the UAV 104… the flight information may be received by the UTM system 100A from a UAV 104 or a UAV operator 106…the UTM system 100A may receive flight information describing a flight plan for the UAV 104…the flight information may have been originally received from a UAV operator… the UAV operator 106 will know the objective(s) of the flight mission and the application connectivity requirements needed to successfully carry out the mission, paragraph 62; the flight information includes one or more of an objective of the flight plan, a flight path, and an application to be used during the flight plan, where the QoS requirements are derived from the flight information by the QoS supplemental data service provider 128 and/or the USS 120. However, in some embodiments, the QoS requirements may be explicitly indicated by the UAV operator 106 in the flight information. For example, a UAV operator 106 can explicitly indicate that a C2 link for the UAV 104 is mapped to QCI “Mission Critical” 69, a video payload/link for the UAV 104 is mapped to QCI “Video” non-conversational/live/buffered 4/6/7/8 and a telemetry link for the UAV 104 is mapped to QCI “IMS Signaling” 5. In this embodiment, the QoS supplemental data service provider 128 and/or the USS 120 may determine the QoS requirements at operation 704 by parsing the flight information received from the UAV operator 106, paragraph 64); and managing the communication between the mobile terminal and the control apparatus, based on the session attribute information (QoS requirements may be enforced by a regulatory authority (e.g., the USS 120 may enforce QoS requirements of an approved flight plan), paragraph 78).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to session attribute information for communication between the mobile terminal and the control apparatus as disclosed in Mahkonen in the system of Takács as modified by Mustafic to plan UAV flight plans/routes based on network quality-of-service requirements.
Consider claim 45, and as applied to claim 44 above, Takács discloses wherein the first request message includes second identification information for identifying the mobile terminal (the GMLC 112 may utilize the PMD 120 to translate a pseudonym of a target UAV 104 with a verinym/true identity (e.g., International Mobile Subscriber Identity or Mobile Station Integrated Services Data Network) via the Lid interface, paragraph 59).
Consider claim 47,and as applied to claim 44 above, Takács discloses wherein the radio resource is a radio resource in a specific frequency band, and the first request message includes frequency information indicating the specific frequency band (a set of radio/network resources may be determined for the UAV 104 based on the flight information. In one embodiment, a radio/network resource is a frequency allocation over a certain period of time. For example, in Long-Term Evolution (LTE), a basic network resource unit is referred to as a Physical Resource Block (PRB) pair (e.g., 180 kHz over one millisecond (ms)). A piece of user equipment may be allocated a number of PRB pairs. For example, a single piece of user equipment may be allocated one or more PRB pairs along a frequency dimension (e.g., each PRB pair shares the same time period but a different frequency band), a time dimension (e.g., each PRB pair shares the same frequency band but in different time periods), or both frequency and time dimensions (e.g., each PRB pair is assigned a different frequency band and time period), paragraph 79).
Consider claim 48,and as applied to claim 44 above, Takács discloses wherein the radio resource is a radio resource in a specific time period, and the first request message includes time period information indicating the specific time period (a set of radio/network resources may be determined for the UAV 104 based on the flight information. In one embodiment, a radio/network resource is a frequency allocation over a certain period of time. For example, in Long-Term Evolution (LTE), a basic network resource unit is referred to as a Physical Resource Block (PRB) pair (e.g., 180 kHz over one millisecond(ms)). A piece of user equipment may be allocated a number of PRB pairs. For example, a single piece of user equipment may be allocated one or more PRB pairs along a frequency dimension (e.g., each PRB pair shares the same time period but a different frequency band), a time dimension (e.g., each PRB pair shares the same frequency band but in different time periods), or both frequency and time dimensions (e.g., each PRB pair is assigned a different frequency band and time period), paragraph 79).
Consider claim 49,and as applied to claim 44 above, Takács discloses wherein the first request message includes location information indicating a location, and the radio station is associated to the location information (the flight information may include flight plan information, which in addition to flight path information, may include a set of velocities, a set of altitudes, a set of headings/directions, a set of events (e.g., capture video at prescribed times or locations, hover over an area for a specified interval, etc.), and/or a time/expiration/duration for the flight plan, paragraph 71; operation 604 may identify, based on the flight information, network cells 110 in a wireless network 108 that are along the flight path of the UAV 104 and are anticipated to receive interference from a transmission by the UAV 104 while the UAV 104 traverses the flight path, paragraph 72).
Consider claim 50,and as applied to claim 49 above, Takács discloses wherein the location information is a cell identifier, Global Positioning System (GPS) information, or information indicating a waypoint of flight of the mobile terminal (a flight path may be defined/described by one or more of a starting point, an ending point, and a set of waypoints, where each point is defined by longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates, paragraph 70).
Consider claim 51, and as applied to claim 44 above, Takács discloses wherein the core network includes a first core network node configured to transmit a second request message requesting the allocation to the radio station in response to reception of the first request message in the core network (the UTM system 100A may make a flight plan, including a flight path, available to a controller 114 of a corresponding access network to which the UAV 104 is currently connected via the connection 144. Providing the flight path to one or more controllers 114 allows the controllers 114 to manage reservation of network/radio resources in a more efficient manner. In particular, as described in greater detail below, the controllers 114 and/or the GMLC 112 may reserve network/radio resources for a single UAV 104 across multiple cells 110 in the access networks GERAN 108A, UTRAN 108B, and E-UTRAN 108C for the same or at least a partially overlapping time period, paragraph 65; the GMLC 112 may communicate via the SLg interface with a Mobility Management Entity (MME) 114E of an Evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) 108C. In this embodiment, the MME 114E may communicate with the E-UTRAN 108C via the S1 interface, paragraph 62).
Consider claim 52, and as applied to claim 51 above, Takács discloses wherein the core network further includes a second core network node configured to transmit, in response to reception of the first request message, a third request message requesting the allocation to the first core network node or to a third core network node configured to transmit a further request message to the first core network node (see GMLC 112 and MME 114E in Fig. 1; network resources may be selected at operation 606 that are not assigned to any user equipment in one or more cells 110 identified at operation 604. In one embodiment, operation 604 may be performed by one or more of the GMLC 112 and the controllers 114, paragraph 81).
Consider claim 53, and as applied to claim 52 above, Takács discloses wherein the second core network node is a core network node used by an apparatus located outside of the core network to interact with the core network, and the control apparatus is located outside of the core network (see USS 124 in UTM System 110A in Fig. 1).
Consider claim 55 and as applied to claim 51 above, Takács discloses wherein the first core network node is a core network node configured to manage at least one of access and mobility of the mobile terminal (see MME 114E in Fig. 1).
Consider claim 59, Takács discloses a method comprising:
receiving a first request message requesting allocation of a radio resource for a mobile terminal configured to move according to flight path information from a control apparatus (the UAV operator 106 may transmit a proposed flight plan to the USS 124 via the connection 142, paragraph 48; the UTM system 100A may make a flight plan, including a flight path, available to a controller 114 of a corresponding access network to which the UAV 104 is currently connected via the connection 144, Fig. 1 and paragraph 65 [As shown in Fig. 1, the flight plan is sent from USS 124 in UTM system 100A via GMLC 112 in 3GPP system 100B]); and
transmitting, in response to reception of the first request message, a third request message requesting the allocation to a first core network node configured to transmit a second request message requesting the allocation to a radio station or to a third core network node configured to transmit a further request message to the first core network node network (Providing the flight path to one or more controllers 114 allows the controllers 114 to manage reservation of network/radio resources in a more efficient manner. In particular, as described in greater detail below, the controllers 114 and/or the GMLC 112 may reserve network/radio resources for a single UAV 104 across multiple cells 110 in the access networks GERAN 108A, UTRAN 108B, and E-UTRAN 108C for the same or at least a partially overlapping time period, paragraph 65; the GMLC 112 may communicate via the SLg interface with a Mobility Management Entity (MME) 114E of an Evolved Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) 108C. In this embodiment, the MME 114E may communicate with the E-UTRAN 108C via the S1 interface, Fig. 1and paragraph 62),
wherein the allocation is allocation of a radio resource for flight of the mobile terminal (the method 600 may utilize flight information received from the UTM system 100A to reserve radio/network resources for the UAV 104 on multiple cells 110 in a wireless network 108, paragraph 67).
However, Takács is silent regarding the first request message including first identification information for identifying the flight and session attribute information for communication between the mobile terminal and the control apparatus
In the same field of endeavor, Mustafic discloses the first request message includes first identification information for identifying the flight (each flight plan may be associated with one or more identifiers, such that the flight plan may be referenced by the UAV 105, user device 120, base stations 125A-E, network management system 135, and/or other devices, paragraph 146).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to includes identification information for identifying the flight as disclosed in Mustafic in the system of Takács so that the flight plan may be referenced by an UAV, a user device, base stations, a network management system, and/or other devices.
Nonetheless, the combination of Mustafic and Takács does not expressly disclose the first request message including session attribute information for communication between the mobile terminal and the control apparatus.
In the same field of endeavor, Mahkonen discloses the first request message including session attribute information for communication between the mobile terminal and the control apparatus (receipt of flight information describing a flight plan for the UAV 104… the flight information may be received by the UTM system 100A from a UAV 104 or a UAV operator 106…the UTM system 100A may receive flight information describing a flight plan for the UAV 104…the flight information may have been originally received from a UAV operator… the UAV operator 106 will know the objective(s) of the flight mission and the application connectivity requirements needed to successfully carry out the mission, paragraph 62; the flight information includes one or more of an objective of the flight plan, a flight path, and an application to be used during the flight plan, where the QoS requirements are derived from the flight information by the QoS supplemental data service provider 128 and/or the USS 120. However, in some embodiments, the QoS requirements may be explicitly indicated by the UAV operator 106 in the flight information. For example, a UAV operator 106 can explicitly indicate that a C2 link for the UAV 104 is mapped to QCI “Mission Critical” 69, a video payload/link for the UAV 104 is mapped to QCI “Video” non-conversational/live/buffered 4/6/7/8 and a telemetry link for the UAV 104 is mapped to QCI “IMS Signaling” 5. In this embodiment, the QoS supplemental data service provider 128 and/or the USS 120 may determine the QoS requirements at operation 704 by parsing the flight information received from the UAV operator 106, paragraph 64).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to session attribute information for communication between the mobile terminal and the control apparatus as disclosed in Mahkonen in the system of Takács as modified by Mustafic to plan UAV flight plans/routes based on network quality-of-service requirements.
Consider claim 60, Takács discloses a control apparatus (USS 124 in Fig. 1; Each element of the air traffic system 100 may be composed of or otherwise implemented by a set of computing/networking devices, paragraph 89) comprising:
a memory storing instructions (memory 1204, Fig. 12); and
one or more processors (processors 1202, Fig. 12) configured to execute the instructions to:
transmit a first request message requesting allocation of a radio resource for a mobile terminal configured to move according to flight path information to a core network connected to a radio station configured to allocate the radio resource (Providing the flight path to one or more controllers 114 allows the controllers 114 to manage reservation of network/radio resources in a more efficient manner110, Fig.1 and paragraph 65),
the allocation being allocation of a radio resource for flight of the mobile terminal (the method 600 may utilize flight information received from the UTM system 100A to reserve radio/network resources for the UAV 104 on multiple cells 110 in a wireless network 108, paragraph 46).
However, Takács is silent regarding the first request message including first identification information for identifying the flight and session attribute information for communication between the mobile terminal and the control apparatus; and managing the communication between the mobile terminal and the control apparatus, based on the session attribute information.
In the same field of endeavor, Mustafic discloses the first request message includes first identification information for identifying the flight (each flight plan may be associated with one or more identifiers, such that the flight plan may be referenced by the UAV 105, user device 120, base stations 125A-E, network management system 135, and/or other devices, paragraph 146).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to includes identification information for identifying the flight as disclosed in Mustafic in the system of Takács so that the flight plan may be referenced by an UAV, a user device, base stations, a network management system, and/or other devices.
Nonetheless, the combination of Mustafic and Takács does not expressly disclose the first request message including session attribute information for communication between the mobile terminal and the control apparatus; and managing the communication between the mobile terminal and the control apparatus, based on the session attribute information.
In the same field of endeavor, Mahkonen discloses the first request message including session attribute information for communication between the mobile terminal and the control apparatus (receipt of flight information describing a flight plan for the UAV 104… the flight information may be received by the UTM system 100A from a UAV 104 or a UAV operator 106…the UTM system 100A may receive flight information describing a flight plan for the UAV 104…the flight information may have been originally received from a UAV operator… the UAV operator 106 will know the objective(s) of the flight mission and the application connectivity requirements needed to successfully carry out the mission, paragraph 62; the flight information includes one or more of an objective of the flight plan, a flight path, and an application to be used during the flight plan, where the QoS requirements are derived from the flight information by the QoS supplemental data service provider 128 and/or the USS 120. However, in some embodiments, the QoS requirements may be explicitly indicated by the UAV operator 106 in the flight information. For example, a UAV operator 106 can explicitly indicate that a C2 link for the UAV 104 is mapped to QCI “Mission Critical” 69, a video payload/link for the UAV 104 is mapped to QCI “Video” non-conversational/live/buffered 4/6/7/8 and a telemetry link for the UAV 104 is mapped to QCI “IMS Signaling” 5. In this embodiment, the QoS supplemental data service provider 128 and/or the USS 120 may determine the QoS requirements at operation 704 by parsing the flight information received from the UAV operator 106, paragraph 64); and managing the communication between the mobile terminal and the control apparatus, based on the session attribute information (QoS requirements may be enforced by a regulatory authority (e.g., the USS 120 may enforce QoS requirements of an approved flight plan), paragraph 78).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to session attribute information for communication between the mobile terminal and the control apparatus as disclosed in Mahkonen in the system of Takács as modified by Mustafic to plan UAV flight plans/routes based on network quality-of-service requirements.
Claims 54 and 56 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takács in view of Mustafic, further in view of Mahkonen and further in view of Kumar et al (US 20200145977 A1, hereinafter Kumar).
Consider claim 54 and as applied to claim 52 above, the combination of Takács, Mustafic and Mahkonen does not expressly disclose wherein the second core network node is a network exposure function (NEF).
In the same field of endeavor, Kumar discloses that if desired, the NEF 159 may include, or may be combined with, the GMLC 155, see paragraph 80).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kumar with the teachings of Takács, Mustafic, and Mahkonen to support services from external clients in a Fifth Generation (5G) wireless network.
Consider claim 56 and as applied to claim 51 above, the combination of Takács, Mustafic and Mahkonen does not expressly disclose wherein the first core network node is an access and mobility management function (AMF), and the radio station is an NG-radio access network (RAN) node..
In the same field of endeavor, Kumar discloses wherein the first core network node is an access and mobility management function (AMF), and the radio station is an NG-radio access network (RAN) node (see AMF 155 and NG-RAN 112 in Fig, 1B).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Kumar with the teachings of Takács, Mustafic and Mahkonen to support services from external clients in a Fifth Generation (5G) wireless network.
Claims 57 and 58 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takács in view of Mustafic, further in view of Mahkonen, and further in view of Pragada et al (US 20210297921 A1, hereinafter Pragada) .
Consider claim 57 and as applied to claim 44 above, the combination of Takács, Mustafic and Mahkonen does not expressly disclose further comprising receiving a response message for the allocation from the core network.
In the same field of endeavor, Pragada discloses further comprising receiving a response message for the allocation from the core network (see (5) in Fig. 4 and paragraph 88).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Pragada with the teachings of Takács, Mustafic and Mahkonen in order to manage mobility of UAVs.
Consider claim 58 and as applied to claim 57 above, Pragada discloses wherein the response message includes information indicating whether or not the radio resource is allocated, or information indicating an allocated radio resource (Based on (2) and (4), the UTM determines a radio and airspace availability (5), and confirms a route based on joint radio and airspace resources, Fig. 4 and paragraph 88).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Pragada with the teachings of Takács, Mustafic and Mahkonen in order to manage mobility of UAVs.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
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/GERMAN VIANA DI PRISCO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2642