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 .
Response to Remarks
Regarding 112 rejections:
Based on the applicants’ amendments, the outstanding 112b rejection is hereby withdrawn.
Regarding the art rejection of claims 1, 8 and 15:
The examiner considers the applicants’ remarks. However, these remarks are now moot under new grounds of rejection as posted in the updated office action below.
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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1, 7 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ito (US 2024/0405910) in view of Graves (US 6198558).
Regarding claim 1, Ito teaches a method (Fig. 13) comprising: receiving, at a central control system via an optical fiber fronthaul connection (Fig. 13, central control system 4i), an uplink (UL) optical signal from a connected radio head (RH) in a communication network (Fig. 13, UL signal from RH 5i-1; paragraph [0171], The array antenna unit 54-1 receives a radio signal transmitted from the wireless terminal 8 via the antenna elements 55-1-1 to 55-1-n); processing, at the central control system, the UL optical signal into a plurality of data streams for a network layer in the communication network (paragraph [0175], The signal processing unit 49 generates upstream data by performing signal processing on the electric signal converted by the second optic/electric conversion unit 48), the processing comprising: demultiplexing the UL optical signal (Fig. 5 shows multiplexer 45 performing multiplex operations in the DL direction, however demux operations are also possible in the UL direction as can be understood from paragraph [0182], In the second to seventh embodiments, as in the eighth embodiment, each radio unit may receive an upstream optical signal and transmit the signal to the centralized unit); receiving, from the network layer, a downlink (DL) data stream for transmission to the connected RH (Fig. 5 shows the downlink communication taking place); and processing the DL data stream into an DL optical signal and transmitting the DL optical signal to the connected RH (paragraph [0092], The signal processing unit 42c performs signal processing to the downstream data output from the host device 2. The signal processing unit 42c outputs the radio signal to the first electric/optic conversion units 43c-1 to 43c-n). Although Fig. 13 teaches an embodiment showing the UL communication and Fig. 5 shows an embodiment showing the DL communication and that both the embodiments don’t show both the uplink and downlink communications taking place, paragraph 182 states “In the second to seventh embodiments, as in the eighth embodiment, each radio unit may receive an upstream optical signal and transmit the signal to the centralized unit”, it would be clear to one of ordinary skill in the art that the figures each can comprise both uplink and downlink communication operations in order to comprise a bi-directional system to communicate with multiple radio heads from the central station.
Although Ito teaches in Fig. 5 and Fig. 8 demultiplexing the UL optical signal, and that the signal handled by unit 44 can be digital (paragraph [0094]), Ito doesn’t teach “processing the demultiplexed UL optical signal using a switch matrix, and processing an output of the switch matrix using digital signal processing to produce decoded data”.
Graves teaches a processing system comprising receiving signals and processing using a switch matrix (Fig. 1B, matrix 131), and processing an output of the switch matrix using digital signal processing to produce decoded data (Fig. 1B, processing using DSP 114).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the processing of the UL optical signal taught by Ito and incorporate the switch matrix as taught by Graves in order to provide proper signal routing and signal conditioning.
Regarding claim 7, Ito teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the central control system provides centralized transceiver functions for the connected RH (Fig. 5 uses the phase adjustment units to perform such functions).
Regarding claim 15, Ito teaches a networking system (Fig. 13) comprising: a central control system (Fig. 13, central system 4i); a plurality of radio heads (Fig. 13, plurality of RHs 5i-1 to 5i-m); and a plurality of optical fiber fronthaul connections between the central control system and the plurality of radio heads (Fig. 13 shows the respective fiber fronthaul connections); wherein the central control system comprises a plurality of hardware components, a control processor coupled to the plurality of hardware components and configured to perform a control operation comprising: receiving, at the central control system via an optical fiber fronthaul connection, an uplink (UL) optical signal from a radio head (RH) of the plurality of RHs in a communication network (Fig. 13, UL signal from RH 5i-1; paragraph [0171], The array antenna unit 54-1 receives a radio signal transmitted from the wireless terminal 8 via the antenna elements 55-1-1 to 55-1-n); processing, at the central control system, the UL optical signal into a plurality of data streams for a network layer in the communication network (paragraph [0175], The signal processing unit 49 generates upstream data by performing signal processing on the electric signal converted by the second optic/electric conversion unit 48); the processing comprising: demultiplexing the UL optical signal (Fig. 5 shows multiplexer 45 performing multiplex operations in the DL direction, however demux operations are also possible in the UL direction as can be understood from paragraph [0182], In the second to seventh embodiments, as in the eighth embodiment, each radio unit may receive an upstream optical signal and transmit the signal to the centralized unit); receiving, from the network layer, a downlink (DL) data stream for transmission to the RH (Fig. 5 shows the downlink communication taking place); and processing the DL data stream into an DL optical signal; and transmitting the DL optical signal to the RH using the optical fiber fronthaul connection (paragraph [0092], The signal processing unit 42c performs signal processing to the downstream data output from the host device 2. The signal processing unit 42c outputs the radio signal to the first electric/optic conversion units 43c-1 to 43c-n); and wherein the RH comprises a plurality of hardware components and a RH processor coupled to the plurality of hardware components and configured to perform a RH operation comprising: receiving, from a client device, a plurality of received (Rx) signals via an antenna in the RH (Fig. 1 shows the client devices 8); processing the plurality of Rx signals to generate the uplink (UL) optical signal; transmitting the UL optical signal to a central control system via an optical fiber fronthaul connection (Fig. 13, UL signal from RH 5i-1; paragraph [0171], The array antenna unit 54-1 receives a radio signal transmitted from the wireless terminal 8 via the antenna elements 55-1-1 to 55-1-n); receiving the downlink (DL) optical signal from the central control system via the optical fiber fronthaul connection and processing the DL optical signal to generate a plurality of transmission (Tx) signals and transmitting the plurality of Tx signals via the antenna (paragraph [0092], The signal processing unit 42c performs signal processing to the downstream data output from the host device 2. The signal processing unit 42c outputs the radio signal to the first electric/optic conversion units 43c-1 to 43c-n). Although Fig. 13 teaches an embodiment showing the UL communication and Fig. 5 shows an embodiment showing the DL communication and that both the embodiments don’t show both the uplink and downlink communications taking place, paragraph 182 states “In the second to seventh embodiments, as in the eighth embodiment, each radio unit may receive an upstream optical signal and transmit the signal to the centralized unit”, it would be clear to one of ordinary skill in the art that the figures each can comprise both uplink and downlink communication operations in order to comprise a bi-directional system to communicate with multiple radio heads from the central station.
Although Ito teaches in Fig. 5 and Fig. 8 demultiplexing the UL optical signal, and that the signal handled by unit 44 can be digital (paragraph [0094]), Ito doesn’t teach “processing the demultiplexed UL optical signal using a switch matrix, and processing an output of the switch matrix using digital signal processing to produce decoded data”.
Graves teaches a processing system comprising receiving signals and processing using a switch matrix (Fig. 1B, matrix 131), and processing an output of the switch matrix using digital signal processing to produce decoded data (Fig. 1B, processing using DSP 114).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the processing of the UL optical signal taught by Ito and incorporate the switch matrix as taught by Graves in order to provide proper signal routing and signal conditioning.
Claim(s) 5, 12 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ito (US 2024/0405910) in view of Graves (US 6198558) in view of Hayashi (US 2003/0185564).
Regarding claim 5, Ito teaches the method of claim 1.
Although Ito teaches communicating from the central system to each connected RH, Ito doesn’t teach transmitting control signals using a spare wavelength in the DL optical signal.
Hayashi teaches transmitting control signals using a spare wavelength (paragraph [0056], a spare wavelength in the internal optical network is used for the transmission of the monitor control signal).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the method taught by Ito and incorporate using spare wavelengths for sending control signals as taught by Hayashi in order to not have interference between the transmission wavelengths and the control signals.
Regarding claim 12, Ito teaches the method of claim 8.
Although Ito teaches communicating from the central system to each connected RH for commands to be executed at the RH, Ito doesn’t teach transmitting control signals using a spare wavelength in the DL optical signal.
Hayashi teaches transmitting control signals using a spare wavelength (paragraph [0056], a spare wavelength in the internal optical network is used for the transmission of the monitor control signal).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the method taught by Ito and incorporate using spare wavelengths for sending control signals as taught by Hayashi in order to not have interference between the transmission wavelengths and the control signals.
Regarding claim 19, Ito teaches the system of claim 15.
Although Ito teaches communicating from the central system to each connected RH, Ito doesn’t teach transmitting control signals using a spare wavelength in the DL optical signal.
Hayashi teaches transmitting control signals using a spare wavelength (paragraph [0056], a spare wavelength in the internal optical network is used for the transmission of the monitor control signal).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system taught by Ito and incorporate using spare wavelengths for sending control signals as taught by Hayashi in order to not have interference between the transmission wavelengths and the control signals.
Claim(s) 6, 13 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ito (US 2024/0405910) in view of Graves (US 6198558) in view of Hayashi (US 2003/0185564) in further view of Grohn (US 6810270).
Regarding claim 6, Ito teaches the method of claim 1.
Although Ito teaches communicating from the central system to each connected RH, Ito doesn’t teach transmitting control signals using a spare wavelength in the DL optical signal.
Hayashi teaches transmitting control signals using a spare wavelength (paragraph [0056], a spare wavelength in the internal optical network is used for the transmission of the monitor control signal).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the method taught by Ito and incorporate using spare wavelengths for sending control signals as taught by Hayashi in order to not have interference between the transmission wavelengths and the control signals.
Ito in view of Hayashi doesn’t teach sending reference frequency signals to the RH.
Grohn teaches transmitting such frequency signals (Col. 3, lines 15-25, it should be noted that the radio head downlink signal (RH.sub.d) from the CRI 200 is input to the radio head 300 where it is typically segregated into a clock signal and a payload signal. The clock signal is used to help control the RF transmissions from the radio head's transceiver 350, such as by providing a reference for generating a carrier frequency and/or timing synchronization).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the method taught by Ito in view of Hayashi and incorporate sending reference freq signals as control signals as taught by Grohn in order to provide synchronization between the devices.
Regarding claim 13, Ito teaches the method of claim 8.
Although Ito teaches communicating from the central system to each connected RH, Ito doesn’t teach transmitting control signals using a spare wavelength in the DL optical signal.
Hayashi teaches transmitting control signals using a spare wavelength (paragraph [0056], a spare wavelength in the internal optical network is used for the transmission of the monitor control signal).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the method taught by Ito and incorporate using spare wavelengths for sending control signals as taught by Hayashi in order to not have interference between the transmission wavelengths and the control signals.
Ito in view of Hayashi doesn’t teach sending reference frequency signals to the RH.
Grohn teaches transmitting such frequency signals for synchronization (Col. 3, lines 15-25, it should be noted that the radio head downlink signal (RH.sub.d) from the CRI 200 is input to the radio head 300 where it is typically segregated into a clock signal and a payload signal. The clock signal is used to help control the RF transmissions from the radio head's transceiver 350, such as by providing a reference for generating a carrier frequency and/or timing synchronization).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the method taught by Ito in view of Hayashi and incorporate sending reference freq signals as control signals as taught by Grohn in order to provide synchronization between the devices.
Regarding claim 20, Ito teaches the system of claim 15.
Although Ito teaches communicating from the central system to each connected RH, Ito doesn’t teach transmitting control signals using a spare wavelength in the DL optical signal.
Hayashi teaches transmitting control signals using a spare wavelength (paragraph [0056], a spare wavelength in the internal optical network is used for the transmission of the monitor control signal).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system taught by Ito and incorporate using spare wavelengths for sending control signals as taught by Hayashi in order to not have interference between the transmission wavelengths and the control signals.
Ito in view of Hayashi doesn’t teach sending reference frequency signals to the RH.
Grohn teaches transmitting such frequency signals for synchronization (Col. 3, lines 15-25, it should be noted that the radio head downlink signal (RH.sub.d) from the CRI 200 is input to the radio head 300 where it is typically segregated into a clock signal and a payload signal. The clock signal is used to help control the RF transmissions from the radio head's transceiver 350, such as by providing a reference for generating a carrier frequency and/or timing synchronization).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the method taught by Ito in view of Hayashi and incorporate sending reference freq signals as control signals as taught by Grohn in order to provide synchronization between the devices.
Claim(s) 8 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ito (US 2024/0405910) in view of Cho (US 2017/0126320).
Regarding claim 8, Ito teaches a method comprising (Fig. 13): receiving, from a client device, a plurality of received (Rx) signals via a plurality of antennas in a radio head (RH) (Fig. 13, plurality of antennas 55-1-1 to 55-1-n); processing the plurality of Rx signals at the RH to generate an uplink (UL) optical signal (Fig. 13, UL signal from RH 5i-1; paragraph [0171], The array antenna unit 54-1 receives a radio signal transmitted from the wireless terminal 8 via the antenna elements 55-1-1 to 55-1-n); the processing comprising: converting the plurality of RX signals to a plurality of analog optical signals (Fig. 5, conversion using unit 52) and multiplexing the plurality of analog signals into the UL optical signal (Fig. 5 shows demultiplexer 51 performing demultiplex operations in the DL direction, however mux operations are also possible in the UL direction as can be understood from paragraph [0182], In the second to seventh embodiments, as in the eighth embodiment, each radio unit may receive an upstream optical signal and transmit the signal to the centralized unit); transmitting the UL optical signal from the RH to a central control system via an optical fiber fronthaul connection (paragraph [0175], The signal processing unit 49 generates upstream data by performing signal processing on the electric signal converted by the second optic/electric conversion unit 48); receiving downlink (DL) optical signal from the central control system via the optical fiber fronthaul connection (Fig. 5 shows the downlink communication taking place); processing the DL optical signal at the RH to generate a plurality of transmission (Tx) signals; and transmitting the plurality of Tx signals via the plurality of antennas (paragraph [0092], The signal processing unit 42c performs signal processing to the downstream data output from the host device 2. The signal processing unit 42c outputs the radio signal to the first electric/optic conversion units 43c-1 to 43c-n). Although Fig. 13 teaches an embodiment showing the UL communication and Fig. 5 shows an embodiment showing the DL communication and that both the embodiments don’t show both the uplink and downlink communications taking place, paragraph 182 states “In the second to seventh embodiments, as in the eighth embodiment, each radio unit may receive an upstream optical signal and transmit the signal to the centralized unit”, it would be clear to one of ordinary skill in the art that the figures each can comprise both uplink and downlink communication operations in order to comprise a bi-directional system to communicate with multiple radio heads from the central station.
Ito doesn’t teach filtering the plurality of RX signals.
Cho teaches filtering the plurality of RX signals and converting the plurality of RX signals to a plurality of analog optical signals (Fig. 5, filtering using RF filters in 520 and converting using Rof transmitter; paragraph [0060], The RoF transmitter may convert the radio signal into an optical signal).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the method taught by Ito and incorporate the filtering function as taught by Cho in order to selectively allow desired frequencies to pass while blocking unwanted interference.
Regarding claim 14, Ito teaches the method of claim 8, wherein the central control system provides centralized transceiver functions for the RH (Fig. 5 uses the phase adjustment units to perform such functions).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-4 and 9-11 are objected to as being dependent upon rejected base claims 1 and 8 respectively, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 16-18 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.
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.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See the notice of reference cited (PTO-892).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PRANESH K BARUA whose telephone number is (571)270-1017. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Sat: 11-8pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David Payne can be reached on 5712723024. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PRANESH K BARUA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2635