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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 13 March 2026 AD has been entered.
Response to Arguments and Amendments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks pages 10-15, filed 13 March 2026 AD, with respect to the rejections of claims 1-11, 14-16, 19, 20, and 22-24 under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejections have been withdrawn.
However, upon further consideration, new grounds of rejections for claims 1-11, and 19, 20, and 22-24 are made in view of Kumar et al. (US 20220070709 A1) or Kumar in view of Pakniat et al. (WO 2019/032025 A1) or Pakniat in further view of Yang et al. (US 20150003278 A1) or Yang.
However, upon further consideration, new grounds of rejections for claims 14-16 are made in view of Kumar et al. (US 20220070709 A1) or Kumar in view of Radulescu et al. (EP 2675208 B1) or Radulescu.
Pakniat teaches a network node transmitting to a user equipment or UE a measurement object associated with a configuration of one or beam level measurements. Pakniat discloses the measurement object comprising a specified set of one or more cell quality derivation parameters. In addition to teaching a network node transmitting to a user equipment or UE a measurement object associated with a configuration of one or beam level measurements, Pakniat teaches a report configuration excluding information on the measurement object including one or more beam level measurements.
Figure 2 of Paknait as cited by the applicant teaches “transmitting to the UE a measurement object”. In page 3 paragraphs 5-7, Pakniat discloses the measurement configuration includes measurement objects. “The measurement configuration may comprise the following parameters: 1. Measurement objects: A list of objects on which the UE shall perform the measurements”. Paknait, in page 9 paragraph 3, teaches FIG. 2 showing the UE receiving measurement configuration through RRCConnectionReconfiguration message or RRCConnectionResume message. “Fig. 2 shows the signaling involved when the network node 110, such as e.g. the eNB or the gNB, configures UE measurements through dedicated signaling using e.g. the5 RRCConnectionReconfiguration message. The measurements may also be configured via an RRCConnectionResume message (not shown in the figure). For NR the measurement configuration to the UE 120 may also be provided using other RRC message(s).” Because the measurement configuration includes measurement objects as stated in page 3 paragraphs 5-7 of Pakniat and the base station transmits the measurement configuration to the UE as stated in page 9 paragraph 3 of Pakniat, Pakniat teaches, “transmitting to the UE a measurement object.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "a Trace Collection Entity, TCE". Claim 2 renders unclear the referring of TCE of claim 1 or a new TCE. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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.
Claims 1-11, and 19, 20, and 22-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kumar et al. (US 20220070709 A1) or Kumar in view of Pakniat et al. (WO 2019/032025 A1) or Pakniat in further view of Yang et al. (US 20150003278 A1) or Yang.
Claim 1 (Currently Amended)
Kumar teaches,
…obtaining, from another node different from the network node, instructions for configuration of a report,…
(See Kumar paragraph 0128, At 315, the OAM 305 may transmit a measurement configuration to the base station 105-b, and the base station 105-b may transmit the measurement configuration to the UE 115-b. In some examples, the base station 105-b may identify that the measurement configuration (e.g., received from an OAM interface) is to be used by the UE 115-b to identify a number of measurements to perform and measurements to include in a report (e.g., a MDT report or a QoE report).)
…based on the obtained report configuration instructions, providing, to a UE, instructions on how to provide a report of the one or more beam level measurements to the network node;
(See Kumar paragraph 0128, ...and the base station 105-b may transmit the measurement configuration to the UE 115-b. In some examples, the base station 105-b may identify that the measurement configuration (e.g., received from an OAM interface) is to be used by the UE 115-b to identify a number of measurements to perform and measurements to include in a report (e.g., a MDT report or a QoE report).)
obtaining, from the UE and according to the report configuration instructions, a report of one or more beam measurements, the beam measurement report comprising information associated with executed one or more beam level measurements;
(See Kumar paragraph 0139, At 360, the UE 115-b may transmit the report that includes the MDT measurements and the QoE measurements to the base station 105-b. In some examples, the UE 115-b may transmit the report via control signaling such as RRC signaling.)
Shows the UE transmitting a report based on MDT measurements
(See Kumar paragraph 0135, At 350, the UE 115-b may obtain the MDT measurements and QoE measurements based on determining that the application or service is a triggering event. In some examples, the UE 115-b may obtain RRM measurements (e.g., one or more RSRP or RSRQ measurements) to include in the report based on determining that the application or service ID is contained in the list of stored IDs.)
Shows MDT measurements include beam level measurements
However, Kumar fails to explicitly teach,
A method performed by a network node, the method comprising:
transmitting to User Equipment, UE, a measurement object, the measurement object associated with a configuration of one or more beam level measurements at the UE, the measurement object comprising a specified set of one or more cell quality derivation parameters;
…the report configuration instructions further excluding information on the measurement object that includes the one or more beam level measurements;…
Nevertheless, Pakniat, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
A method performed by a network node, the method comprising:
transmitting to User Equipment, UE, a measurement object, the measurement object associated with a configuration of one or more beam level measurements at the UE,
(See Pakniat page 3 paragraphs 5-7, The measurement configuration may comprise the following parameters: 1. Measurement objects: A list of objects on which the UE shall perform the measurements…)
Shows the measurement configuration includes measurement objects
(See Pakniat page 9 paragraph 3, Fig. 2 shows the signaling involved when the network node 110, such as e.g. the eNB or the gNB, configures UE measurements through dedicated signaling using e.g. the5 RRCConnectionReconfiguration message. The measurements may also be configured via an RRCConnectionResume message (not shown in the figure). For NR the measurement configuration to the UE 120 may also be provided using other RRC message(s).)
Shows the measurement configuration transmitted by the base station to the UE
the measurement object comprising a specified set of one or more cell quality derivation parameters;
(See Pakniat page 15 paragraph 4, These cell quality derivation parameters may also be defined in the measurement object and allowing the measurement report triggering offsets to be set per RSType and triggerQuantity. The cell quality parameters may may e.g. be defined and/or set by the network node 1 10.)
Shows the measurement object contains cell quality derivation parameters
…the report configuration instructions further excluding information on the measurement object that includes the one or more beam level measurements;…
(See Pakniat page 12 final paragraph, ...the network node 110 may include a parameter in the report configuration specifying that the measurement offsets present in the measurement object shall be ignored for this measurement.)
Shows the network node excluding measurement offsets present in the measurement object
(See Pakniat page 15 paragraph 6 under “Beam level measurement”, For beam level measurement results, the measurement object may contain a list of CSI-RS resources associated to each cell and the cell-specific offsets may be defined…)
Shows the measurement object contains a list of CSI-RS resources for beam level measurements
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling data of the claimed invention to combine obtaining from another node different from the network node instructions for configuration of a report, providing to a user equipment or UE instructions on how to provide a report of at least one beam level measurement to the network node, obtaining from the UE a report of at least one beam measurement comprising information associated with executed one or more beam level measurements, saving measurements to the beam measurement report, and transmitting the beam measurement report to a Trace Collection Entity or TCE as disclosed by Kumar with transmitting to a UE a measurement object, which comprises a set of quality derivation parameters, associated with a configuration of at least one beam level measurement at the UE and excluding information on the measurement object, which includes at least one beam level measurement as disclosed by Pakniat to increase the efficiency of the system (i.e. to reduce the amount of energy required by the UE to conduct a minimization drive test or MDT).
Kumar also fails to explicitly teach,
…appending the one or more cell quality derivation parameters to the beam measurement report; and sending the beam measurement report with the appended cell quality derivation parameters to a Trace Collection Entity, TCE.
Nevertheless, Yang, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
…appending the one or more cell quality derivation parameters to the beam measurement report;
(See Yang paragraph 0015, ...the eNB saves the MDT parameter in the MDT measurement report...)
Shows the network node saving the MDT parameter in the MDT measurement report
(See Yang paragraph 0036, The MDT parameter may include, for example, a maximum available output power P.sub.CMAX of the UE, the number M.sub.PUSCH(.sub.i) of resource block(s) validated in an ith frame and allocated for the PUSCH, an initial value P.sub.O.sub.--.sub.PUSCH(j) of the power of the PUSCH of the UE, a compensation factor .alpha.(j) of the pathloss, an adjustment .DELTA..sub.TF (i) for the power based on a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) of the ith frame, and a correction value f(i) based on a Transmission Power Control (TPC) command in case of the ith frame.)
Shows the MDT parameter consists of a maximum available output power of the UE or a cell quality derivation parameter
and sending the beam measurement report with the appended cell quality derivation parameters to a Trace Collection Entity, TCE.
(See Yang paragraph 0015, the eNB saves the MDT parameter in the MDT measurement report and sends the MDT measurement report to the TCE,...)
Shows the network node saving the MDT parameter or cell quality derivation parameter in the MDT measurement report and sending the MDT measurement report to the TCE
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling data of the claimed invention to combine obtaining from another node different from the network node instructions for configuration of a report, providing to a user equipment or UE instructions on how to provide a report of at least one beam level measurement to the network node, obtaining from the UE a report of at least one beam measurement comprising information associated with executed one or more beam level measurements, saving measurements to the beam measurement report, and transmitting the beam measurement report to a Trace Collection Entity or TCE as disclosed by Kumar with appending at least one cell quality derivation parameter to a beam measurement report and transmit the beam measurement report with the appended cell quality derivation parameter to a Trace Collection Entity or TCE as disclosed by Yang to increase the efficiency of the system (i.e. to reduce the number of steps required to conduct and report a minimization of drive test or MDT).
Claim 2 (Currently Amended)
Kumar fails to explicitly teach limitations of claim 2. Nevertheless, Yang, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
The method according to claim 1, comprising: providing the report including the beam measurement report and the appended cell quality derivation parameters to a Trace Collection Entity, TCE.
(See Yang paragraph 0015, …the eNB saves the MDT parameter in the MDT measurement report and sends the MDT measurement report to the TCE,...)
Shows the network node saving the MDT parameter or cell quality derivation parameter in the MDT measurement report and sending the MDT measurement report to the TCE
The motivation to combine Kumar, Pakniat, and Yang in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 1.
Claim 3 (Previously Presented)
Kumar fails to explicitly teach limitations of claim 3. Nevertheless, Paknait, in the same field of endeavor teaches,
The method according to claim 1, wherein the instructions on how to provide the report of the one or more beam measurement comprises reportConfig parameters or is comprised in the reportConfig parameters.
(See Pakniat page 3 paragraphs 8-9, The reporting configurations may hereinafter be referred to as reportConfig(s). Each reporting configuration comprises of the following: - Reporting criterion: The criterion that triggers the UE to send a measurement report which may either be event triggered or periodical. The criterion also includes a trigger quantity, such as e.g. a Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ) or Signal-to-lnterference- plus-Noise Ratio (SINR).)
The motivation to combine Kumar, Pakniat, and Yang in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 1.
Claim 4 (Previously Presented)
Kumar teaches,
The method according to claim 1, comprising: providing, to the UE, information associated with configuration of the one or more beam measurements.
(See Kumar paragraph 0128, the base station 105-b may transmit the measurement configuration to the UE 115-b. In some examples, the base station 105-b may identify that the measurement configuration (e.g., received from an OAM interface) is to be used by the UE 115-b to identify a number of measurements to perform and measurements to include in a report (e.g., a MDT report or a QoE report).)
Shows the network node transmitting measurement information configuration for a MDT report
(See Kumar paragraph 0135, At 350, the UE 115-b may obtain the MDT measurements and QoE measurements based on determining that the application or service is a triggering event. In some examples, the UE 115-b may obtain RRM measurements (e.g., one or more RSRP or RSRQ measurements…)
Shows beam level measurements for MDT measurements
The motivation to combine Kumar, Pakniat, and Yang in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 1.
Claim 5 (Previously Presented)
Kumar teaches,
The method according to claim 1, wherein the report configuration is a Minimization of Drive Tests, MDT, measurement report.
(See Kumar paragraph 0128, …the base station 105-b may transmit the measurement configuration to the UE 115-b. In some examples, the base station 105-b may identify that the measurement configuration (e.g., received from an OAM interface) is to be used by the UE 115-b to identify a number of measurements to perform and measurements to include in a report (e.g., a MDT report or a QoE report).)
The motivation to combine Kumar, Pakniat, and Yang in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 1.
Claim 6 (Currently Amended)
Kumar fails to explicitly teach limitations of claim 6. Nevertheless, Pakniat, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
The method according to claim 4, wherein the information associated with the configuration of the one or more beam measurements provided to the UE comprises the specified set of one or more cell quality derivation parameters.
(See Pakniat page 15 paragraph 3 under “Beam level measurements”, …the network node 110 may configure the UE 120 with cell specific offsets for these cell quality derivation parameters per triggerQuantity and/or RS type. In other words, for a given cell, different parameters to be configured for each cell quality derivation parameter.)
Shows the network node configuring cell quality derivation parameters for RS type for the UE
(See page 15 paragraph 5 under “Beam level measurements”, In addition, the UE 120 may be configured to report beam level measurements associated to a given cell in the case when measurement reports are triggered based on cell quality. As described earlier, these may be based on RSs such as e.g. SS Block or CSI-RS.)
Shows the UE configured to report beam level measurements based on cell quality based on the RS
The motivation to combine Kumar, Pakniat, and Yang in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 1.
Claim 7 (Previously Presented)
Kumar fails to explicitly teach limitations of claim 7. Nevertheless, Pakniat, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
The method according to claim 6, wherein the one or more cell quality derivation parameters indicate a set of parameters to which the UE is configured to derive specific cell and beam measurements used for the derivation of cell measurement results.
(See Pakniat page 15 paragraph 3 under “Beam level measurements”, …the network node 110 may configure the UE 120 with cell specific offsets for these cell quality derivation parameters per triggerQuantity and/or RS type. In other words, for a given cell, different parameters to be configured for each cell quality derivation parameter.)
Shows the cell quality derivation parameters indicate cell specific offsets for cell and beam measurements
(See Panknait page 15 paragraph 5 under “Beam level measurements”, In addition, the UE 120 may be configured to report beam level measurements associated to a given cell in the case when measurement reports are triggered based on cell quality.)
Shows the cell specific offsets trigger measurements results based on cell quality
The motivation to combine Kumar, Pakniat, and Yang in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 1.
Claim 8 (Previously Presented)
Kumar teaches,
…together with the information associated with the executed one or more beam measurements, and together with information associated with cell measurement results.
(See Kumar paragraph 0140, At 365, the base station 105-b may save the MDT measurements (e.g., the RRM, Localization, QoS measurements, and QoE measurements) transmitted from the UE 115-b in the report obtained based on the detected start of the application or service. The base station 105-b may save the MDT measurements received from the UE 115-b in addition to the saved measurements from obtained by the base station 105-b. )
Shows the base station saving beam measurements from the UE and cell measurement results from the base station
(See Kumar paragraph 0141, At 370, the base station 105-b may transmit the report to a TCE 310.)
Shows the base station transmitting the report to the TCE
However, Kumar fails to explicitly teach,
The method according to claim 6, wherein the one or more cell quality derivation parameters are provided to the TCE…
Nevertheless, Yang, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
The method according to claim 6, wherein the one or more cell quality derivation parameters are provided to the TCE…
(See Yang paragraph 0015, …the eNB saves the MDT parameter in the MDT measurement report and sends the MDT measurement report to the TCE,…)
Shows the base station saving the MDT parameter or cell quality derivation parameter in the MDT report and sending the MDT report to the TCE
(See Yang paragraph 0036, The MDT parameter may include, for example, a maximum available output power P.sub.CMAX of the UE, the number M.sub.PUSCH(.sub.i) of resource block(s) validated in an ith frame and allocated for the PUSCH, an initial value P.sub.O.sub.--.sub.PUSCH(j) of the power of the PUSCH of the UE, a compensation factor .alpha.(j) of the pathloss, an adjustment .DELTA..sub.TF (i) for the power based on a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) of the ith frame, and a correction value f(i) based on a Transmission Power Control (TPC) command in case of the ith frame.)
Shows the MDT parameter consists of a maximum available output power of the UE or a cell quality derivation parameter
The motivation to combine Kumar, Pakniat, and Yang in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 1.
Claim 9 (Previously Presented)
Kumar fails to explicitly teach limitations of claim 3. Nevertheless, Paknait, in the same field of endeavor teaches,
The method according to claim 1, wherein the network node is a Radio Access node.
(See Pakniat page 20 paragraph 3, ...the method actions performed by the network node 110 herein are discussed in the context of a radio access node,...)
The motivation to combine Kumar, Pakniat, and Yang in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 1.
Claim 10 (Previously Presented)
Kumar teaches,
The method according to claim 1, wherein the other node is an Operation and Maintenance, OAM, node or an OAM function implemented in a node or a core network node.
(See Kumar paragraph 0105, The UE 115 and the serving base station 105 may obtain MDT measurements based on receiving a measurement configuration from the OAM…)
The motivation to combine Kumar, Pakniat, and Yang in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 1.
Claim 11 (Currently Amended)
Kumar teaches,
…obtain, from another node different from the network node, instructions for configuration of a report,…
(See Kumar paragraph 0128, At 315, the OAM 305 may transmit a measurement configuration to the base station 105-b, and the base station 105-b may transmit the measurement configuration to the UE 115-b. In some examples, the base station 105-b may identify that the measurement configuration (e.g., received from an OAM interface) is to be used by the UE 115-b to identify a number of measurements to perform and measurements to include in a report (e.g., a MDT report or a QoE report).)
…based on the obtained report configuration instructions, provide, to a UE, instructions on how to provide a report of the one or more beam level measurements to the network node;
(See Kumar paragraph 0128, ...and the base station 105-b may transmit the measurement configuration to the UE 115-b. In some examples, the base station 105-b may identify that the measurement configuration (e.g., received from an OAM interface) is to be used by the UE 115-b to identify a number of measurements to perform and measurements to include in a report (e.g., a MDT report or a QoE report).)
obtain, from the UE and according to the report configuration instructions, a report of one or more beam measurements, the beam measurement report comprising information associated with executed one or more beam level measurements;
(See Kumar paragraph 0139, At 360, the UE 115-b may transmit the report that includes the MDT measurements and the QoE measurements to the base station 105-b. In some examples, the UE 115-b may transmit the report via control signaling such as RRC signaling.)
Shows the UE transmitting a report based on MDT measurements
(See Kumar paragraph 0135, At 350, the UE 115-b may obtain the MDT measurements and QoE measurements based on determining that the application or service is a triggering event. In some examples, the UE 115-b may obtain RRM measurements (e.g., one or more RSRP or RSRQ measurements) to include in the report based on determining that the application or service ID is contained in the list of stored IDs.)
Shows MDT measurements include beam level measurements
However, Kumar fails to explicitly teach,
A core network node in a communications system, the network node configured to:
transmit to User Equipment, UE, a measurement object, the measurement object associated with a configuration of one or more beam level measurements at the UE, the measurement object comprising a specified set of one or more cell quality derivation parameters;
…the report configuration instructions further excluding information on the measurement object that includes the one or more beam level measurements;…
Nevertheless, Pakniat, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
A core network node in a communications system, the network node configured to:
(See Paknait page 20 paragraph 3, Although the method actions performed by the network node 110 herein are discussed in the context of a radio access node, the method may also be performed by a core network node…)
Shows a core network node may perform the same actions of the network node
transmit to User Equipment, UE, a measurement object, the measurement object associated with a configuration of one or more beam level measurements at the UE,
(See Pakniat page 3 paragraphs 5-7, The measurement configuration may comprise the following parameters: 1. Measurement objects: A list of objects on which the UE shall perform the measurements…)
Shows the measurement configuration includes measurement objects
(See Pakniat page 9 paragraph 3, Fig. 2 shows the signaling involved when the network node 110, such as e.g. the eNB or the gNB, configures UE measurements through dedicated signaling using e.g. the5 RRCConnectionReconfiguration message. The measurements may also be configured via an RRCConnectionResume message (not shown in the figure). For NR the measurement configuration to the UE 120 may also be provided using other RRC message(s).)
Shows the measurement configuration transmitted by the base station to the UE
the measurement object comprising a specified set of one or more cell quality derivation parameters;
(See Pakniat page 15 paragraph 4, These cell quality derivation parameters may also be defined in the measurement object and allowing the measurement report triggering offsets to be set per RSType and triggerQuantity. The cell quality parameters may may e.g. be defined and/or set by the network node 1 10.)
Shows the measurement object contains cell quality derivation parameters
…the report configuration instructions further excluding information on the measurement object that includes the one or more beam level measurements;…
(See Pakniat page 12 final paragraph, ...the network node 110 may include a parameter in the report configuration specifying that the measurement offsets present in the measurement object shall be ignored for this measurement.)
Shows the network node excluding measurement offsets present in the measurement object
(See Pakniat page 15 paragraph 6 under “Beam level measurement”, For beam level measurement results, the measurement object may contain a list of CSI-RS resources associated to each cell and the cell-specific offsets may be defined…)
Shows the measurement object contains a list of CSI-RS resources for beam level measurements
The motivation to combine Kumar and Pakniat in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 1.
Kumar also fails to explicitly teach,
…append the one or more cell quality derivation parameters to the beam measurement report; and send the beam measurement report with the appended cell quality derivation parameters to a Trace Collection Entity, TCE.
Nevertheless, Yang, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
…append the one or more cell quality derivation parameters to the beam measurement report;
(See Yang paragraph 0015, ...the eNB saves the MDT parameter in the MDT measurement report...)
Shows the network node saving the MDT parameter in the MDT measurement report
(See Yang paragraph 0036, The MDT parameter may include, for example, a maximum available output power P.sub.CMAX of the UE, the number M.sub.PUSCH(.sub.i) of resource block(s) validated in an ith frame and allocated for the PUSCH, an initial value P.sub.O.sub.--.sub.PUSCH(j) of the power of the PUSCH of the UE, a compensation factor .alpha.(j) of the pathloss, an adjustment .DELTA..sub.TF (i) for the power based on a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) of the ith frame, and a correction value f(i) based on a Transmission Power Control (TPC) command in case of the ith frame.)
Shows the MDT parameter consists of a maximum available output power of the UE or a cell quality derivation parameter
and send the beam measurement report with the appended cell quality derivation parameters to a Trace Collection Entity, TCE.
(See Yang paragraph 0015, the eNB saves the MDT parameter in the MDT measurement report and sends the MDT measurement report to the TCE,...)
Shows the network node saving the MDT parameter or cell quality derivation parameter in the MDT measurement report and sending the MDT measurement report to the TCE
The motivation to combine Kumar and Yang in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 1.
Claim 19 (Currently Amended)
Kumar fails to explicitly teach limitations of claim 19. However, Pakniat, in the same field of endeavor, teaches limitations of claim 19 as stated in claim 3. The motivation to combine Kumar, Pakniat, and Yang in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 1.
Claim 20 (Currently Amended)
Kumar teaches limitations of claim 20 as stated in claim 4. The motivation to combine Kumar, Pakniat, and Yang in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 1.
Claim 24 (Previously Presented)
Kumar teaches limitations of claim 24 as stated in claim 5. The motivation to combine Kumar, Pakniat, and Yang in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 1.
Claim 21 (Currently Amended)
Kumar fails to explicitly teach limitations of claim 21 as stated in claim 6. Nevertheless, Pakniat, in the same field of endeavor, teaches limitations of claim 21 as stated in claim 6. The motivation to combine Kumar, Pakniat, and Yang in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 1.
Claim 22 (Previously Presented)
Kumar fails to explicitly teach limitations of claim 22 as stated in claim 7. Nevertheless, Pakniat, in the same field of endeavor, teaches limitations of claim 22 as stated in claim 7. The motivation to combine Kumar, Pakniat, and Yang in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 1.
Claim 23 (Previously Presented)
Kumar teaches limitations of claim 23 as stated in claim 8. However, Kumar fails to explicitly teach limitations of claim 23 as stated in claim 8. Nevertheless, Yang, in the same field of endeavor, teaches limitations of claim 23 as stated in claim 8. The motivation to combine Kumar, Pakniat, and Yang in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 1.
Claims 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kumar et al. (US 20220070709 A1) or Kumar in view of Radulescu et al. (EP 2675208 B1) or Radulescu.
Claim 14 (Currently Amended)
Kumar teaches,
A method performed by a node for handling one or more beam measurements in a communications system, the method comprising:
providing, from another node different from the handling node, instructions for configuration of a report,
(See Kumar paragraph 0128, At 315, the OAM 305 may transmit a measurement configuration to the base station 105-b, and the base station 105-b may transmit the measurement configuration to the UE 115-b. In some examples, the base station 105-b may identify that the measurement configuration (e.g., received from an OAM interface) is to be used by the UE 115-b to identify a number of measurements to perform and measurements to include in a report (e.g., a MDT report or a QoE report).)
However, Kumar fails to explicitly teach,
…the report configuration excluding information on one or more beam measurement transmitted independently of the report configuration in a measurement object from the node to a User Equipment, UE.
Nevertheless, Radulescu, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
…the report configuration excluding information on one or more beam measurement transmitted independently of the report configuration in a measurement object from the node to a User Equipment, UE.
(See Radulescu page 15 paragraph 3, …the OAM may report aggregated information to other OAM nodes to the Global OAM, its controlled RAN nodes or its peer OAM nodes. The OAM may report aggregated information either specific to individual configurations requests received from RAN/OAM/Global OAM or may supply some or all cell information as it may deem relevant. When relevant, OAM may omit information, and may supply explicit or implicit reasons why the particular cell information was omitted.)
Shows the OAM reports information to specific configuration requests and omits cell information
Shows transmitting to the Global OAM, RAN nodes or peer OAM nodes independent from a report configuration in a measurement object from the node to a UE
(See Radulescu page 14 paragraph 2, …the command providing for neighbor cell data may contain the pilot identities of controlled or neighbor cells; the particular controlled or neighbor cell data (Identity of cell, e.g., Cell Identity, UC-ID, CGI); other qualifying quantities of neighbor cells (e.g., CSG ID, PLMN, LAC, RAC, TAC, etc.); signal quality of the cell,…)
Shows the cell information contains the beam measurement of signal quality of the cell
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling data of the claimed invention to combine obtaining from another node different from the network node instructions for configuration of a report, providing to a user equipment or UE instructions on how to provide a report of at least one beam level measurement to the network node, obtaining from the UE a report of at least one beam measurement comprising information associated with executed one or more beam level measurements, saving measurements to the beam measurement report, and transmitting the beam measurement report to a Trace Collection Entity or TCE as disclosed by Kumar with the report configuration excluding information on at least on beam measurement transmitted independently of the report configuration in a measurement object from the node to a UE as disclosed by Radulescu to increase the efficiency of the system (i.e. to increase the accuracy of the measurements for the report).
Claim 15 (Previously Presented)
Kumar teaches limitations of claim 15 as stated in claim 10. The motivation to combine Kumar and Radulescu in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 14.
Claim 16 (Currently Amended)
Kumar teaches,
An Operation and Maintenance, OAM, node in a communications system, the OAM node to: configure measurement reporting for Minimization of Drive Tests, MDT, by providing to a network node instructions for configuration of a report,…
(See Kumar paragraph 0128, At 315, the OAM 305 may transmit a measurement configuration to the base station 105-b, and the base station 105-b may transmit the measurement configuration to the UE 115-b. In some examples, the base station 105-b may identify that the measurement configuration (e.g., received from an OAM interface) is to be used by the UE 115-b to identify a number of measurements to perform and measurements to include in a report (e.g., a MDT report or a QoE report).)
However, Kumar fails to explicitly teach,
…the report configuration excluding information on the configuration of one or more beam level measurements transmitted independently of the report configuration in a measurement object from the network node to a User Equipment, UE.
Nevertheless, Radulescu, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
…the report configuration excluding information on the configuration of one or more beam level measurements transmitted independently of the report configuration in a measurement object from the network node to a User Equipment, UE.
(See Radulescu page 15 paragraph 3, …the OAM may report aggregated information to other OAM nodes to the Global OAM, its controlled RAN nodes or its peer OAM nodes. The OAM may report aggregated information either specific to individual configurations requests received from RAN/OAM/Global OAM or may supply some or all cell information as it may deem relevant. When relevant, OAM may omit information, and may supply explicit or implicit reasons why the particular cell information was omitted.)
Shows the OAM reports information to specific configuration requests and omits cell information
Shows transmitting to the Global OAM, RAN nodes or peer OAM nodes independent from a report configuration in a measurement object from the node to a UE
(See Radulescu page 14 paragraph 2, …the command providing for neighbor cell data may contain the pilot identities of controlled or neighbor cells; the particular controlled or neighbor cell data (Identity of cell, e.g., Cell Identity, UC-ID, CGI); other qualifying quantities of neighbor cells (e.g., CSG ID, PLMN, LAC, RAC, TAC, etc.); signal quality of the cell,…)
Shows the cell information contains the beam measurement of signal quality of the cell
The motivation to combine Kumar and Radulescu in the independent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 14.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Xiang et al. (US 20210112508 A1) or Xiang teaches transmitting a measurement object by a base station to a user equipment or UE. The measurement object contains measurements of channel state information reference signals or CSI-RS.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAMUEL ROBERGE BETTENDORF whose telephone number is (571)272-4352. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri, 8:30a.m.-5:00p.m..
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, Edan Orgad can be reached at 571-272-7884. 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.
/SAMUEL ROBERGE BETTENDORF/Examiner, Art Unit 2414
/EDAN ORGAD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2414
Prosecution Insights