DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-20 are pending in the Instant Application.
Claims 1-20 are rejected (Final Rejection).
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-10 and 12-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being unpatentable by Melodia et al. (“Melodia”), United States Patent Application Publication No. 2022/0167236.
As per claim 1, Melodia discloses one or more processors ([0360]) comprising: circuitry to:
cause a plurality of radio access network (RAN) components to use a same type of interface to a database external to the plurality of RAN components to provide information to the database ([0081] wherein multiple apps may be employed on or multiple RAN components as described in [0083] that use shared data layer APIs 226 to access a database);
receive, at the database, a request from one or more RAN components of the plurality of RAN components to receive a portion of the information that corresponds to one or more other RAN components of the plurality of RAN components ([0081] wherein the database query can be received to identify a base station being controlled by the RIC and a performance metric associated with the base station); and cause the database to directly provide the portion of the information to the one or more RAN components ([0081] and [Fig. 2-3] wherein the database provides the information back to the RAN via the shared data layer APIs 226).
As per claim 2, Melodia discloses the one or more processors of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is to further cause the database obtain the information in response to another request from at least one of the plurality of RAN components to the database ([Fig. 23] wherein the database obtains the information in response to a subscription (another request) using the E2 interface.)
As per claim 3, Melodia discloses the one or more processors of claim 1, wherein the plurality of RAN components are connected via one or more open RAN interfaces ([0003] wherein an O-RAN architecture is described to connect RAN interfaces).
As per claim 4, Melodia discloses the one or more processors of claim 1, wherein the plurality of RAN components comprise a near-real time controller ([0071]).
As per claim 5, Melodia discloses the one or more processors of claim 1, wherein the information comprises neural network training data ([0299] wherein a neural network training is described, using database data received by the open AI calls).
As per claim 6, Melodia discloses the one or more processors of claim 1, wherein the circuitry is to further cause the database to obtain additional information to at least one of the plurality of RAN components periodically ([0191] wherein periodically reading a dataset from the BSs (RAN components) is performed, using the shared API layer to the database as shown in Fig. 14).
As per claim7, Melodia discloses the one or more processors of claim 1, wherein the database uses an Ethernet interface to connect with at least one of the plurality of RAN components ([Fig. 28] wherein IPv4 is described, which is ethernet connecting the RAN components).
As per claim 8, claim 8 is the method performed by the processor of claim 1, and is rejected for the same rationale and reasoning.
As per claim 9, Melodia discloses the method of claim 8, wherein at least two of the plurality of RAN components are open-RAN (0-RAN) components that use an O-RAN interface to communicate with each other ([Fig. 23] wherein O-RAN is used to communicate with multiple RAN components).
As per claim 10, Melodia discloses the method of claim 8, further comprising: in response to a request to receive data from at least one of the plurality of RAN components, causing the database to identify that the database stores the requested data ([0081] wherein the database can query a database and receive data, which includes the database identifying data that meets the query).
As per claim 12, Melodia discloses the method of claim 8, wherein the information comprises time series data ([0136] wherein the database stores metrics and the metrics can include data taken every 250 MS, time series data).
As per claim 13, Melodia discloses the method of claim 8, further comprising: causing the database to receive the information from an O-RAN component of the plurality of RAN components ([0087] wherein a base station which sends and the database receives metrics is an O-RAN component) and a non-O-RAN component of the plurality of RAN components ([0085] wherein queries are information received from a non-O-RAN RIC).
As per claim 14, claim 14 is the system that uses the processors as is done in claim 1 and is rejected for the same rationale and reasoning.
As per claim 15, claim 15 is the system that uses the processors as is done in claim 2 and is rejected for the same rationale and reasoning.
As per claim 16, Melodia discloses the system of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors to further cause the database to identify, in response to a request to receive data from at least one of the plurality of RAN components, that the requested data is not stored in the database ([0081] wherein the act of querying a database is the act of a database identifying if the requested data is stored in the database, and a query is described).
As per claim 17, Melodia discloses the system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the plurality of RAN components comprises one or more neural networks to perform one or more network operations using the information ([0088] wherein the neural network model is run based on the information from the base station).
As per claim 18, Melodia discloses the system of claim 14, wherein the plurality of RAN components comprise non-real time controller ([0227] wherein regular RAN controllers are described).
As per claim 19, Melodia discloses the system of claim 14, wherein: at least two of the plurality of RAN components are open-RAN (O-RAN) components that use O-RAN interface to communicate with each other ([Fig.22] wherein at least two RAN components including CU, DU and RU are connected by O-RAN interface).
As per claim 20, Melodia discloses the system of claim 14, wherein the interface of the same type comprises a physical interface ([0162] wherein the BS are positioned with physical distance, having their database metrics to be stored in a physical interface).
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.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Melodia in view of Mishra et al.(“Mishra”), United States Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0195755.
As per claim 11, Melodia discloses the method of claim 8, but does not disclose causing the database to convert at least a portion of the information to a format that conforms to a RAN component of the plurality of RAN components. However, Mishra teaches causing the database to convert at least a portion of the information to a format that conforms to a RAN component of the plurality of RAN components ([Abstract]).
Both Melodia and Mishra communicate with RAN networks. One could use the format change in Mishra with the queries and subscription data in Melodia to teach the claimed invention. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the methods of communicating with a database in a separate method than through the RAN in Melodia with the transformation by the database of RAN data in Mishra in order to be able to communicate with legacy machines or machines that are not of the same proprietary manufacturer.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KANNAN SHANMUGASUNDARAM whose telephone number is (571)270-7763. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00 AM -6:00 PM.
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, Charles Rones can be reached at (571) 272-4085. 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.
/KANNAN SHANMUGASUNDARAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2168