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 statement (IDS) submitted on September 012, 2023 has been considered by the Examiner and made of record in the application file.
Response to Amendment
This Action is in response to Applicant’s amendment filed June 02, 2026. Claims 1, 5-12, 14-15, 17-19, 21-26 are still pending in the present application. This Action is made FINAL.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1 and 8 claim the non-statutory subject matter of a system for a virtualized radio interface comprising virtualized software defined radio interface drive (vSDR driver); software defined radio interface driver (SDR driver), user equipment UE stacks;
It appears all claimed elements are software components that have no ties to a hardware, therefore, system for a virtualized radio interface is interpreted as a software system. Software or program is directed to non-statutory subject matter (“Non-limiting examples of claims that are not directed to any of the statutory categories include: • Products that do not have a physical or tangible form, such as information (often referred to as "data per se") or a computer program per se (often referred to as "software per se") when claimed as a product without any structural recitations”, see MPEP 2106.03 (I))
Claims 5-7, 9-12, 14, 21-24 depend on claim 1 and 8 and provide no connection with a hardware component and are rejected for the same reason above.
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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1, 7-8, 10, 14-15, 17, 19, 21-22, and 24-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Djonin et al (US 2020/0096563,”Djonin”) in view of Motos et al. (US 2015/0278140, “Motos”).
Regarding claim 1, Djonin teaches a system for a virtualized radio interface (FIGs. 1a,1b), comprising:
at least one virtualized software defined radio interface driver (vSDR driver) (FIG. 1A, “Aggregate Digital Signals” block. [0023] “the SDR may aggregate digital signals”) comprising at least one virtual port (FIG. 1A each UD is connected to block “Aggregate Digital Signals” block. Note: “virtual port” is understood as a “logical” connection performed in digital domain and not a physical port);
at least one software defined radio interface driver (SDR driver) (FIG. 1A, “RF Component” block. [0027] “the SDR, utilizing the RF component, may select and/or apply an analog gain to the aggregated analog signal.” [0029] “the SDR may transmit, utilizing the RF component”) and;
a plurality of user equipment (UE) stacks ([0014] “A software defined radio (SDR) may be used to emulate a set of user devices for a load test”. [0020] “the SDR may generate a respective digital signal for a first user device for a set of uplink channels, a respective digital signal for a second user device for the set of uplink channels, and so forth.” It is understood UE stack is interpreted as software/codes that perform functions that behaves like an UE. Each UD corresponds to an emulation which teaches a “UE stack”. Since there are N numbers of independent UDs, “UE stacks” is taught);
{wherein the at least one vSDR driver is compatible with a plurality of wireless protocol technologies};
wherein each instance of the plurality of UE stacks connects to the at least one virtual port to send and/or receive data streams (FIG 1A each UD is connected to “Aggregate Digital Signals” block);
wherein each instance of the plurality of UE stacks is operable to stream digital signals constructed in a baseband through the at least one virtual port to the at least one vSDR driver([0025] “As shown by reference number 120, the SDR may utilize the digital analog converter to convert the aggregated digital signal to an aggregated analog signal.” [0026] “As shown by reference number 125, the SDR may provide the aggregated analog signal to an RF component associated with the SDR.” [0029] “As shown by reference number 135, the SDR may transmit the aggregated analog signal to the base station”. For example, the SDR may transmit, utilizing the RF component, Note: signal entering Digital Analog Converter in FIG. 1A teaches “baseband”)
wherein the at least one vSDR driver is operable to combine the digital signals using a multiplexing procedure, creating a conjugated digital signal ([0024]“As shown by reference number 115, the SDR may provide the aggregated digital signal to the digital analog converter.” FIG. 1A shows block “Aggregate Digital Signals” combines signals g from UD 1-UD N to generate aggregated digital signal.); and
wherein the at least one vSDR driver is operable to stream the conjugated digital signal to the at least one SDR driver ([0024]“As shown by reference number 115, the SDR may provide the aggregated digital signal to the digital analog converter.” FIG. 1A shows block “Aggregate Digital Signals” provides aggregated digital signal to “Digital Analog Converter” block).
Djonin teaches SDR is used to perform digital signal aggregation ([0023] “the SDR may aggregate digital signals”) which teach the claimed function “vSDR driver” however does not teach wherein the at least one vSDR driver is compatible with a plurality of wireless protocol technologies.
However, the Examiner submits that SDR is well-known to be able to work with different radio protocols for example Motos teaches [0017] “ where the DSP core 110 may be the heart of the SDR 100 and multiple wireless communication protocols may be supported by loading different instructions into the program memory 130”.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for a person having ordinary skill in the art to provide the feature wherein the at least one vSDR driver is compatible with a plurality of wireless protocol technologies to provide a single test platform that is capable of load testing different wireless systems.
Regarding claim 7, Djonin in view of Motos teaches claim 1 and further teaches wherein no changes to the implementation of at least one access point are required to run the plurality of UE stacks on a common host (FIG. 1A, [0025] “As shown by reference number 120, the SDR may utilize the digital analog converter to convert the aggregated digital signal to an aggregated analog signal.” [0026] “As shown by reference number 125, the SDR may provide the aggregated analog signal to an RF component associated with the SDR.” [0029] “As shown by reference number 135, the SDR may transmit the aggregated analog signal to the base station.” According to FIG.1 A signals from UD1-UDN are aggregated and sent to the base station without changes in implementation of the base station).
Regarding claim 8, Djonin teaches a system for a virtualized radio interface (FIGs. 1a,1b), comprising:
at least one virtualized software defined radio interface driver (vSDR driver) (FIG. 1A, “Aggregate Digital Signals” block. [0023] “the SDR may aggregate digital signals”) comprising at least one virtual port (FIG. 1A each UD is connected to block “Aggregate Digital Signals” block. Note: “virtual port” is understood as a “logical” connection performed in digital domain and not a physical port);
at least one software defined radio interface driver (SDR driver) (FIG. 1A, “RF Component” block. [0027] “the SDR, utilizing the RF component, may select and/or apply an analog gain to the aggregated analog signal.” [0029] “the SDR may transmit, utilizing the RF component”);
a plurality of user equipment (UEs) (FIG. 1A includes user devices UD 1.. UD N);
{wherein the at least one vSDR driver is compatible with a plurality of wireless protocol technologies utilizing multiple access techniques};
wherein each instance of the plurality of UE stacks connect to the at least one virtual port to send and/or receive data streams (FIG 1A each UD is connected to “Aggregate Digital Signals” block);
wherein each instance of the plurality of UE stacks are operable to stream digital signal constructed in a baseband through the at least one virtual port to the at least one vSDR driver ([0025] “As shown by reference number 120, the SDR may utilize the digital analog converter to convert the aggregated digital signal to an aggregated analog signal.” [0026] “As shown by reference number 125, the SDR may provide the aggregated analog signal to an RF component associated with the SDR.” [0029] “As shown by reference number 135, the SDR may transmit the aggregated analog signal to the base station”. For example, the SDR may transmit, utilizing the RF component, Note: signal entering Digital Analog Converter in FIG. 1A teaches “baseband”); and
wherein the at least one SDR is operable to up-convert the conjugated digital signal to radio frequency (RF) ([0027] “the SDR, utilizing the RF component, may select and/or apply an analog gain to the aggregated analog signal.”)
Djonin teaches SDR is used to perform digital signal aggregation ([0023] “the SDR may aggregate digital signals”) which teach the claimed function “vSDR driver” however does not teach wherein the at least one vSDR driver is compatible with a plurality of wireless protocol technologies utilizing multiple access techniques.
However, the Examiner submits that SDR is well-known to be able to work with different radio protocols for example Motos teaches [0017] “ where the DSP core 110 may be the heart of the SDR 100 and multiple wireless communication protocols may be supported by loading different instructions into the program memory 130. For example, SDR 100 may be configured to act as a Long Term Evolution (LTE)) device, a Bluetooth device, or an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11.” LTE, IEEE 802.11 are well known for utilizing multiple access techniques.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for a person having ordinary skill in the art to provide the feature wherein the at least one vSDR driver is compatible with a plurality of wireless protocol technologies utilizing multiple access techniques to provide a single test platform that is capable of load testing different wireless systems.
Regarding claim 10, Djonin in view of Motos teaches claim 8 but Djonin fails to teach wherein the plurality of wireless protocol technologies includes Fourth Generation Long Term Evolution (4G-LTE) and/or Fifth Generation new Radio (5G-NR).
Motos teaches wherein the plurality of wireless protocol technologies includes Fourth Generation Long Term Evolution (4G-LTE) and/or Fifth Generation new Radio (5G-NR) ([0017] “SDR 100 may be configured to act as a Long Term Evolution (LTE)) device”).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for a person having ordinary skill in the art to provide the feature wherein the plurality of wireless protocol technologies includes Fourth Generation Long Term Evolution (4G-LTE) and/or Fifth Generation new Radio (5G-NR) to provide a single test platform that is capable of load testing different wireless systems.
Regarding claim 14, Djonin in view of Motos teaches claim 8 and further teaches wherein no changes to an implementation of at least one access point are required to run the plurality of UE stacks on a common host (FIG. 1A, [0025] “As shown by reference number 120, the SDR may utilize the digital analog converter to convert the aggregated digital signal to an aggregated analog signal.” [0026] “As shown by reference number 125, the SDR may provide the aggregated analog signal to an RF component associated with the SDR.” [0029] “As shown by reference number 135, the SDR may transmit the aggregated analog signal to the base station.” According to FIG.1 A signals from UD1-UDN are aggregated and sent to the base station without changes in implementation of the base station)
Regarding claim 15, Djonin teaches a method of a virtualized radio interface, comprising:
providing at least one virtualized software defined radio interface driver (vSDR driver) (FIG. 1A, “Aggregate Digital Signals” block. [0023] “the SDR may aggregate digital signals”) comprising at least one virtual port (FIG. 1A each UD is connected to block “Aggregate Digital Signals” block. Note: “virtual port” is understood as a “logical” connection performed in digital domain and not a physical port);
providing at least one software defined radio interface driver (SDR driver) (FIG. 1A, “RF Component” block. [0027] “the SDR, utilizing the RF component, may select and/or apply an analog gain to the aggregated analog signal.” [0029] “the SDR may transmit, utilizing the RF component”);
providing a plurality of user equipment (UE) stacks (FIG. 1A includes user devices UD 1.. UD N [0014] “A software defined radio (SDR) may be used to emulate a set of user devices for a load test”. [0020] “the SDR may generate a respective digital signal for a first user device for a set of uplink channels, a respective digital signal for a second user device for the set of uplink channels, and so forth.” It is understood UE stack is interpreted as software/codes that perform functions that behaves like an UE. Each UD corresponds to an emulation which teaches a “UE stack”. Since there are N numbers of independent UDs, “UE stacks” is taught);
streaming, using the plurality of UE stacks digital signals constructed in a baseband via the plurality of UEs through the at least one virtual port to the at least one vSDR driver (FIG. 1a shows UD 1…UD N send g signals which are converted into a aggregated signal and sent to Digital Analog Converter block. [0025] “As shown by reference number 120, the SDR may utilize the digital analog converter to convert the aggregated digital signal to an aggregated analog signal.” [0026] “As shown by reference number 125, the SDR may provide the aggregated analog signal to an RF component associated with the SDR.” [0029] “As shown by reference number 135, the SDR may transmit the aggregated analog signal to the base station”. For example, the SDR may transmit, utilizing the RF component, Note: signal entering Digital Analog Converter in FIG. 1A teaches “baseband”);
combining, using the at least one vSDR driver, the digital signals using a multiplexing procedure, creating a conjugated digital signal ([0024]“As shown by reference number 115, the SDR may provide the aggregated digital signal to the digital analog converter.” FIG. 1A shows block “Aggregate Digital Signals” combines signals g from UD 1-UD N to generate aggregated digital signal);
running the plurality of UE stacks on a common host via UE platforms ([0014] “A software defined radio (SDR) may be used to emulate a set of user devices for a load test”. [0017] “the SDR may include a digital domain. In some implementations, the digital domain may be associated with emulating a set of user devices (e.g., UD 1 through UD N) for the calibration test and/or for the load test”);
configuring a radio channel of the at least one vSDR driver according to physical requirements of the plurality of UEs while transmitting data in an up-link (UL) or receiving data through a down-link (DL) (FIG. 1A, [0020] “the SDR may generate a respective digital signal for the set of user devices for an uplink channel to emulate the set of user devices. For example, the SDR may generate a respective digital signal for a first user device for a set of uplink channels, a respective digital signal for a second user device for the set of uplink channels, and so forth”); and
providing parallel use of the at least one SDR driver by different instances of the plurality of UE stacks (FIG. 1A, [0024] “As shown by reference number 115, the SDR may provide the aggregated digital signal to the digital analog converter.” [0025] “As shown by reference number 120, the SDR may utilize the digital analog converter to convert the aggregated digital signal to an aggregated analog signal” [0026] “As shown by reference number 125, the SDR may provide the aggregated analog signal to an RF component associated with the SDR.” [0029] “As shown by reference number 135, the SDR may transmit the aggregated analog signal to the base station”. In other words, “Aggregate Digital Signals” block aggregates digital signals which is converted to analog signal and sent to “RF component” block. Digital signals being aggregated and transmitted teaches “parallel use”)
{wherein the at least one vSDR driver is compatible with a plurality of wireless protocol technologies utilizing multiple access techniques}.
Djonin teaches SDR is used to perform digital signal aggregation ([0023] “the SDR may aggregate digital signals”) which teach the claimed function “vSDR driver”, however, does not teach wherein the at least one vSDR driver is compatible with a plurality of wireless protocol technologies utilizing multiple access techniques.
However, the Examiner submits that SDR is well-known to be able to work with different radio protocols for example Motos teaches [0017] “ where the DSP core 110 may be the heart of the SDR 100 and multiple wireless communication protocols may be supported by loading different instructions into the program memory 130. For example, SDR 100 may be configured to act as a Long Term Evolution (LTE)) device, a Bluetooth device, or an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11.” LTE, IEEE 802.11 are well known for utilizing multiple access techniques.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for a person having ordinary skill in the art to provide the feature wherein the at least one vSDR driver is compatible with a plurality of wireless protocol technologies utilizing multiple access techniques to provide a single test platform that is capable of load testing different wireless systems .
Regarding claim 17, Djonin in view of Motos teaches claim 15 and further teaches up-converting by the at least on SDR driver, the conjugated digital signals to radio frequency (RF) signals ([0026] “As shown by reference number 125, the SDR may provide the aggregated analog signal to an RF component associated with the SDR.” [0027] “the SDR, utilizing the RF component, may select and/or apply an analog gain to the aggregated analog signal.” [0029] “the SDR may transmit, utilizing the RF component”).
Regarding claim 19, Djonin in view of Motos teaches claim 15 and further teaches comprising evaluating at least one access point in terms of a capacity of the at least one access point (abstract “The aggregated analog signal may be associated with a calibration test to be used to determine a set of calibration parameters for a load test of a base station” [0057] “the SDR may monitor the load test and may record data related to the load test (e.g., data that identifies a performance of the set of user devices and/or of the base station”).
Regarding claim 21, Djonin in view of Motos teaches claim 1 and further teaches wherein the multiplexing procedure comprises up-sampling, time domain frequency shifting, and/or baseband signal multiplexing ([0024]“As shown by reference number 115, the SDR may provide the aggregated digital signal to the digital analog converter.” FIG. 1A shows block “Aggregate Digital Signals” combines signals g from UD 1-UD N to generate aggregated digital signal).
Regarding claim 22, Djonin in view of Motos teaches claim 1 and further teaches wherein the plurality of UE stacks are operable to configure a radio channel of the at least one vSDR driver according to physical requirements of the plurality of UEs (FIG. 1A, [0020] “the SDR may generate a respective digital signal for the set of user devices for an uplink channel to emulate the set of user devices. For example, the SDR may generate a respective digital signal for a first user device for a set of uplink channels, a respective digital signal for a second user device for the set of uplink channels, and so forth”).
Regarding claim 24, Djonin in view of Motos teaches claim 8 and further teaches wherein the plurality of UE stacks are operable to configure a radio channel of the at least one vSDR driver according to physical requirements of the plurality of UE stacks (FIG. 1A, [0020] “the SDR may generate a respective digital signal for the set of user devices for an uplink channel to emulate the set of user devices. For example, the SDR may generate a respective digital signal for a first user device for a set of uplink channels, a respective digital signal for a second user device for the set of uplink channels, and so forth”).
Regarding claim 25, Djonin in view of Motos teaches claim 15 and further teaches wherein the multiplexing procedure comprises up-sampling, time domain frequency shifting, and/or baseband signal multiplexing ([0024]“As shown by reference number 115, the SDR may provide the aggregated digital signal to the digital analog converter.” FIG. 1A shows block “Aggregate Digital Signals” combines signals g from UD 1-UD N to generate aggregated digital signal).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Djoninin view of Motos and further in view of “LTE Spectrum Sharing Research Testbed: Integrated Hardware, Software, Network and Data” (Marojevic et al, WiNTECH 2017, 8 pages, hereinafter, “Marojevic”)
Regarding claim 9, Djonin in view of Motos teaches claim 8, but does not teach wherein the virtualized radio interface is compatible with a plurality of commercial and open source UE stacks.
Marojevic teaches wherein the virtualized radio interface is compatible with a plurality of commercial or open source UE stacks (Page 2, left column, section 2 System Overview - “The networked testbed allows remotely configuring the system and experiment. It features open-source SDRs, commercial software and hardware, and industry-grade LTE test equipment.” Page 2, right column “In addition to SDR UEs, several commercial UEs of different categories and types are available.” Page 4, right column, section 4.1.2 “Amarisoft LTE100 UE. This software allows several UEs to be emulated and controlled through a GUI interface. More precisely, it can simulate the behavior of up to 64 LTE UEs connected to an eNB via 3GPP compliant LTE signaling. The combined signals go through a channel emulator or over-the-air. LTE100 UE is installed on the rackmount workstation because of the required processing power.”)
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for a person having ordinary skill in the art to provide the feature wherein the virtualized radio interface is compatible with a plurality of commercial and open source UE stacks as taught by Marojevic in Djonin to provide a single test platform featuring different UE configurations.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Djoninin view of Motos and further in view of Klatt et al. (US 2022/0353796, “Klatt”)
Regarding claim 5, Djonin in view of Motos teaches claim 1, but does not teach wherein the plurality of wireless protocol technologies utilize multiple access techniques include Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), and/or Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA).
Klatt teaches wherein the plurality of wireless protocol technologies utilize multiple access techniques include Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), and/or Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) (abstract, [0004]).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for a person having ordinary skill in the art to provide the feature wherein the plurality of wireless protocol technologies utilize multiple access techniques include Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), and/or Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) as taught by Klatt in Djonin to support widely used access technologies.
Claims 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Djoninin view of Motos and further in view of Palenius et al. (US 2020/0367187, “Palenius”.)
Regarding claim 12, Djonin in view of Motos teaches claim 8 but fails to teach wherein the plurality of UE stacks operate on different numerologies such that each numerology group requires a separate inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) and/or a separate fast Fourier transform (FFT) operation to convert signals into baseband time domain signals.
Sorrentino teaches wherein the plurality of UEs operate on different numerologies such that each numerology group requires a separate inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) and/or a separate fast Fourier transform (FFT) operation to convert signals into baseband time domain signals ([0005] “The receive uplink timing in the base station from all UEs transmitting uplink dedicated signals in the cell, independent of the distance to the base station, should reach the base station in approximately the same time for the base station to demodulate the signals from all the UEs in the same receiver FFT process”).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for a person having ordinary skill in the art to provide the feature wherein the plurality of UEs operate on different numerologies such that each numerology group requires a separate inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) and/or a separate fast Fourier transform (FFT) operation to convert signals into baseband time domain signals as taught by Palenius in Djonin to reduce processing resource.
Claims 11 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Djoninin view of Motos and further in view of Pasumarthi et al. (US 2020/0383025, “Pasumarthi”).
Regarding claim 11, Djonin in view of Motos teaches claim 8 but does not teach wherein the virtualized radio interface is operable to evaluate a single UE attached to multiple operators, where each operator requires a different radio channel.
Pasumarthi teaches wherein the virtualized radio interface is operable to evaluate a single UE attached to multiple operators, where each operator requires a different radio channel ([0057] “he UE 302 may switch to a subscriber identity module (SIM) from a network operator different from the previous one. If the operators use different frequency bands, the UE may need to adjust the service acquisition scan to prioritize the new operator's frequency bands and/or de-prioritize the previous operator's frequency bands.”)
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for a person having ordinary skill in the art to provide the feature wherein the virtualized radio interface is operable to evaluate a single UE attached to multiple operators, where each operator requires a different radio channel as taught by Pasumarthi in Djonin to make sure the device always have signal.
Regarding claim 18, Djonin in view of Motos teaches claim 15 but does not teach comprising operating multi-SIM configurations of UE over a single radio hardware.
Pasumarthi teaches comprising operating multi-SIM configurations of UE over a single radio hardware ([0057] “the UE 302 may switch to a subscriber identity module (SIM) from a network operator different from the previous one. If the operators use different frequency bands, the UE may need to adjust the service acquisition scan to prioritize the new operator's frequency bands and/or de-prioritize the previous operator's frequency bands.” Note switching SIM indicates multiple SIM.)
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for a person having ordinary skill in the art to provide the feature comprising operating multi-SIM configurations of UE over a single radio hardware as taught by Pasumarthi in Djonin to make sure the device always have signal.
Claim 26 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Djoninin view of Motos and further in view of Devarasetty (US 2021/0014709)
Regarding claim 26, Djonin in view of Motos teaches claim 15 but does not teach wherein configuring the radio channel comprises configuring a channel bandwidth, sampling rate, and/or channel center frequency of the radio channel.
Devarqasetty teaches wherein configuring the radio channel comprises configuring a channel bandwidth, sampling rate, and/or channel center frequency of the radio channel (abstract “emulating UEs with different bandwidth and numerology capabilities by communicating, over an uplink interface, the bandwidth and numerology capability profiles to a radio access network node under test.” [0023] According to yet another aspect of the subject matter described herein, the multi-UE bandwidth and numerology capability emulator is configured to identify a set of bandwidth parts assigned to an emulated UE for a downlink and uplink timeslot, identify an active bandwidth part for the downlink and uplink timeslot, detect switching of the active bandwidth part for a subsequent timeslot, and generate an indication of the switching of the active bandwidth part.”)
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for a person having ordinary skill in the art to provide the feature wherein configuring the radio channel comprises configuring a channel bandwidth, sampling rate, and/or channel center frequency of the radio channel as taught by Devarqasetty in Djonin to facilitate testing the response of the radio access network node.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed June 03, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding the rejection of claim 1, Applicant argues “Djonin fails to disclose a separate virtualization driver, virtual ports with independent per-UE configurations or separation between host-side software and SDR hardware” (page 10).
The Examiner respectfully disagrees. Claim 1 claims a system including: a virtualized radio interface comprising virtualized software defined radio interface drive (vSDR driver) including at least one virtual port; software defined radio interface driver (SDR driver), user equipment UE stacks. The claims elements appear to be software components. Djonin system (FIG. 1a ) includes “Aggregate Digital Signals” block which is part of a SDR ([0023] “the SDR may aggregate digital signals”), “RF Component” block controlled by the SDR ([0027] “the SDR, utilizing the RF component, may select and/or apply an analog gain to the aggregated analog signal.” [0029] “the SDR may transmit, utilizing the RF component”) and “UD 1…UD N” also controlled by the SDR ([0014] “A software defined radio (SDR) may be used to emulate a set of user devices for a load test”. [0020] “the SDR may generate a respective digital signal for a first user device for a set of uplink channels, a respective digital signal for a second user device for the set of uplink channels, and so forth.”). FIG. 1a also shows signal paths g connecting between UDs and the Aggregate Digital Signals representing “virtual port” Although the Djonin’s mentioned components are part of SDR, but one would understand that the SDR include different codes for performing the mentioned functions of the blocks therefore the blocks “Aggregate Digital Signals” “RF Component”, “UD 1…UD N” and signal paths between UDs and block “Aggregate Digital Signals” teach the claimed features vSDR driver; SDR driver, UE stacks and virtual port, respectively.
Further Applicant argues the reference do not teach “wherein the at least one vSDR driver is operable to combine the digital signals using a multiplexing procedure, creating a conjugated digital signal” (page 10)
The Examiner respectfully disagrees. FIG. 1A shows “Aggregate Digital Signals” receives multiple G signals from UDs and produce aggregated signal from the received signal also [0053] “the SDR may perform the load test by generating a set of digital signals to emulate a set of user devices, by aggregating the set of digital signals to form an aggregated digital signal.” Therefore, the Examiner submits Djonin teaches wherein the at least one vSDR driver is operable to combine the digital signals using a multiplexing procedure, creating a conjugated digital signal.
Regarding the rejection of claim 15, Applicant argues Djonin fails to teach “configuring a radio channel according to physical requirements of the plurality of UEs while transmitting data in an up-link (UL) or receiving data through a down-link (DL)” (page 12). However, Djonin discloses “the SDR may generate a respective digital signal for the set of user devices for an uplink channel to emulate the set of user devices. For example, the SDR may generate a respective digital signal for a first user device for a set of uplink channels, a respective digital signal for a second user device for the set of uplink channels, and so forth” In this case the transmissions of data by the user devices represent the requirements of the user devices, which clearly teaches the claimed feature configuring a radio channel according to physical requirements of the plurality of UEs while transmitting data in an up-link (UL) or receiving data through a down-link (DL) .
Therefore, the Examiner submits Djonin in view of Motos teaches all features of claim 15.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yan et al. (US 10,182,355) discloses a system for testing an air interface device by simulating UEs.
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 QUOC THAI NGOC VU whose telephone number is (571)270-5901. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 9:30AM-6:00PM.
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/QUOC THAI N VU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2642
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