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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 12, 29 and 40 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claims 1, 12, 29 and 40, “and/or ii” should read “or” instead of a symbol slash “/”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 29-32 and 37 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Guo et al. (US 2016/0212698).
Regarding claim 1, Guo teaches a computer-implemented method, the method comprising: obtaining first operational efficiency information for a first node operating in a communications network along a first path (Paragraphs [0046]; [0047] describes node N receiving the 80% battery-level value for node B8. Node B8 is on the first candidate (B8-B6-B4-s). The 80% figure is power efficiency information indicating the power efficiency of B8’s battery unit obtained by node N during path discovery);
obtaining second operational efficiency information for a second node operating in the communications network along a second path (Paragraph [0046] describes node N obtaining the battery-level value (40%) for node B9, which lies on the second candidate (B9-B7-B5-S). This 40% is power efficiency information indicating the power efficiency of the battery unit of the second node, obtained by node N );
using the first and second operational efficiency information, selecting, from a set of candidate paths, a path for a first packet, wherein the set of candidate paths comprises the first path and the second paths (Paragraphs [0046]-[0047; [0078] describes node N has two candidate paths (via B8 and via B9) and data packets (“Node N has data packets to be sent to sink node S 300) that must be routed along one of them. The selection of the routing path is made using the battery/power-source metrics),
wherein the first operational efficiency information comprises: I) power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of power supply unit of the first node; and/or ii) power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of battery unit of the first node (Paragraphs [0046]; [0061]; [0096]-[0099] describes the PS metric is power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of the power supply unit, since PS(N) =1 identifies the node as drawing from an unconstrained mains power supply, and PS(N)= 0 identifies a constrained battery unit. 80 % energy level and quantitative battery-power-consumption equation each separately disclose power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of the battery unit of the first node (B8) ),
and the second operational efficiency information comprises: i) power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of power supply unit of the second node; and/or ii) power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of battery unit of the second node (Paragraphs [0046]; [0050]; [0061] describes power-supply-unit efficiency information applicable to the second node (B9). B9’s “40%” battery level, reinforced by the general MBL metric).
Regarding claim 30, Guo teaches wherein the first operational efficiency information comprises the power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of power supply unit of the first node and the power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of battery unit of the first node (Paragraphs [0046]-[0047] describes node N receiving the 80% battery-level value for node B8. Node B8 is on the first candidate (B8-B6-B4-s). The 80% figure is power efficiency information indicating the power efficiency of B8’s battery unit obtained by node N during path discovery),
and the second operational efficiency information comprises the power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of power supply unit of the second node and the power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of battery unit of the second node (Paragraphs [0046]-[0047; [0078] describes node N has two candidate paths (via B8 and via B9) and data packets (“Node N has data packets to be sent to sink node S 300) that must be routed along one of them. The selection of the routing path is made using the battery/power-source metrics).
Regarding claim 31, Guo teaches wherein the first operational efficiency information further comprises power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of radio resources of the first node, and the second operational efficiency information further comprises power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of radio resources of the second node (Paragraphs [0030]; [0046]; [0094]; [0096]-[0104] describes power-consumption values associated specifically with the node’s transmit and receive operations. Power efficiency information of the node’s radio resource (its transmitter/receiver/transceiver), as distinct from the node’s overall battery-level/state of charge information ).
Regarding claim 32, Guo teaches wherein the first operational efficiency information is configured to be one of: an observed power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of power supply unit of the first node and/or power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of battery unit of the first node configured to be obtained from the first node, a predicted power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of power supply unit of the first node and/or power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of battery unit of the first node configured to be obtained via a machine-learning model to predict the first operational efficiency information for the first node or an alarm with respect to one of the observed power efficiency information indicating the power efficiency of power supply unit of the first node and/or power efficiency information indicating the power efficiency of battery unit of the first node and the predicted power efficiency information indicating the power efficiency of power supply unit of the first node and/or power efficiency information indicating the power efficiency of battery unit of the first node (Paragraphs [0046]; [0050] describes each node measures and reports its own actual battery level (an observed value));
and the second operational efficiency information is configured to be one of: an observed power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of power supply unit of the second node and/or power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of battery unit of the second node configured to be obtained from the second node, a predicted power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of power supply unit of the second node and/or power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of battery unit of the second node configured to be obtained via a machine-learning model to predict the second operational efficiency information for the second node, or an alarm with respect to one of the observed power efficiency information indicating the power efficiency of power supply unit of the second node and/or power efficiency information indicating the power efficiency of battery unit of the second node and the predicted power efficiency information indicating the power efficiency of power supply unit of the second node and/or power efficiency information indicating the power efficiency of battery unit of the second node (Paragraphs [0046]; [0050] describes battery level value (40%) is an observed measurement reported by the second node (B9)).
Regarding claim 37, Guo teaches wherein to obtain the first operational efficiency information is configured to be performed based on at least one of: a periodicity, and a change in the power efficiency information indicating the power efficiency of power supply unit of the first node and/or power efficiency information indicating the power efficiency of battery unit of the first node exceeding a threshold, and to obtain the second operational efficiency information is configured to be performed based on at least one of: the periodicity, and a change in the power efficiency information indicating the power efficiency of power supply unit of the second node and/or power efficiency information indicating the power efficiency of battery unit of the second node exceeding a threshold (Paragraphs [0036]-[0038]; [0050] disclose that each node operates on a recurring (periodic) active/sleep schedule, during which it transmits wakeup signals and reports its status (including battery-level information) that is propagated in routing messages, per at the start of each periodic active interval).
Claim 29 is rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 1 respectively.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 12 and 40-44 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guo in view of Emanuele (The Network As a Computer: A Framework for Distributed Computing Over IoT Mesh Networks; June 2018).
Regarding claim 12, Guo doesn’t teach a computer-implemented method obtaining, using a machine learning (ML) model, first operational efficiency information for a first node operating in a communications network along a first path; obtaining, using the ML model, second operational efficiency information for a second node operating in the communications network along a second path;
However, in analogous art Emanuele teaches a computer-implemented method obtaining, using a machine learning (ML) model, first operational efficiency information for a first node operating in a communications network along a first path; obtaining, using the ML model, second operational efficiency information for a second node operating in the communications network along a second path (Pages 4 -5 and 8 describes that NN/ML-model framework collects and uses energy/efficiency parameters for every node under consideration including nodes along alternative/competing candidate paths, since the optimization engine must compare resource availability across all eligible hidden neuron candidate nodes before selecting the optimal mapping. “the choice of IoT devices and wireless paths that implement the NN is constrained by the resource usage);
Guo teaches sending, to a first node operating in the communications network, the first operational efficiency information and the second operational efficiency information (Paragraphs [0046]; [0048]-[0052]; [0074]-[0075] describes the first node’s path information (e.g., the metrics that propagated along the path through B8, culminating in B8’s “80% battery level or the BNC=3/MBL= 50% values for the first in Fig. 4A-4B), and the second node’s path information (e.g., the metrics that propagated along the path through B9, culminating in B9’s 40% battery level)),
wherein the first operational efficiency information comprises: i) power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of power supply unit of the first node; and/or ii) power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of battery unit of the first node (Paragraphs [0046]; [0061]; [0096]-[0099] describes the PS metric is power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of the power supply unit, since PS(N) =1 identifies the node as drawing from an unconstrained mains power supply, and PS(N)= 0 identifies a constrained battery unit. 80 % energy level and quantitative battery-power-consumption equation each separately disclose power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of the battery unit of the first node (B8)),
Guo teaches and the second operational efficiency information comprises: i) power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of power supply unit of the second node; and/or ii) power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of battery unit of the second node (Paragraphs [0046]; [0050]; [0061] describes power-supply-unit efficiency information applicable to the second node (B9). B9’s “40%” battery level, reinforced by the general MBL metric).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Guo to incorporate the teachings of Emanuele’s distributed -NN architecture would obtain Guo’s first node battery-efficiency value (B8 on the first path) using the type of distributed machine learning model.
Regarding claim 41, Guo in view of Emanuele, Guo teaches wherein the first operational efficiency information comprises the power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of power supply unit of the first node and the power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of battery unit of the first node, and the second operational efficiency information comprises the power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of power supply unit of the second node and the power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of battery unit of the second node (Paragraphs [0046]; [0047]; [0078] describes node N receiving the 80% battery-level value for node B8. Node B8 is on the first candidate (B8-B6-B4-s). The 80% figure is power efficiency information indicating the power efficiency of B8’s battery unit obtained by node N during path discovery. node N has two candidate paths (via B8 and via B9) and data packets (“Node N has data packets to be sent to sink node S 300) that must be routed along one of them. The selection of the routing path is made using the battery/power-source metrics).
Regarding claim 42, Guo in view of Emanuele, Guo teaches wherein the first operational efficiency information further comprises power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of radio resources of the first node, and the second operational efficiency information further comprises power efficiency information indicating a power efficiency of radio resources of the second node (Paragraphs [0030]; [0046]; [0094]; [0096]-[0104] describes power-consumption values associated specifically with the node’s transmit and receive operations. Power efficiency information of the node’s radio resource (its transmitter/receiver/transceiver), as distinct from the node’s overall battery-level/state of charge information).
Regarding claim 43, Guo in view of Emanuele, Guo teaches wherein the first operational efficiency information and the second operational efficiency information are configured to be an alarm with respect to one of the observed first operational efficiency information and second operational efficiency information and the predicted first operational efficiency information and second operational efficiency information (Paragraphs [003]; [0046]; [0050]; [0094]; [0096]-[0104] describes sending notifications or alerts based on both observed current efficiency measures and predicted future efficiency measures generated by the machine learning mechanism).
Regarding claim 44, Guo in view of Emanuele, Guo teaches wherein to send the first operational efficiency information is configured to be performed based on at least one of: a periodicity, and a change in the power efficiency information indicating the power efficiency of power supply unit of the first node and/or power efficiency information indicating the power efficiency of battery unit of the first node exceeding a threshold, and to send the second operational efficiency information is configured to be performed based on at least one of: the periodicity, and a change in the power efficiency information indicating the power efficiency of power supply unit of the first node and/or power efficiency information indicating the power efficiency of battery unit of the first node exceeding a threshold (Paragraphs [0036]-[0038]; [0050] disclose that each node operates on a recurring (periodic) active/sleep schedule, during which it transmits wakeup signals and reports its status (including battery-level information) that is propagated in routing messages, per at the start of each periodic active interval).
Claim 40 is rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 12 respectively.
Claim(s) 33 and 38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guo in view of Cheng et al. (US 2020/0245223; hereinafter Cheng).
Regarding claim 33, Guo doesn’t teach further configured to: route the first packet via the path configured to be selected by mapping bearer data to a backhaul Radio Link Control, (RLC) channel.
However, in analogous art Cheng teaches further configured to: route the first packet via the path configured to be selected by mapping bearer data to a backhaul Radio Link Control, (RLC) channel (Paragraphs [0032]; [0034]; [0036]-[0037]; [0046] describes routing configurations that store UE, next-hop, QoS, and backhaul RLC channel identification, enabling packets to be routed along a selected path by assigning them to a specific backhaul RLC channel).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Guo to incorporate the teachings of Cheng to provide a backhaul Radio Link Control, (RLC) and Backhaul Adaptation Protocol, (BAP) header structure for carrying energy efficiency indications in packet routing decisions within an Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) network architecture. Doing so would enable energy-efficient routing in modern cellular backhaul networks while leveraging the standardized IAB protocol stack, thereby reducing overall network power consumption and extending network operational lifetime while maintaining compatibility with 5G NR infrastructure (Cheng, Paragraph [0004]).
Regarding claim 38, Guo in view of Cheng, Cheng teaches wherein the communications network is configured to be an Integrated Access Backhaul (IAB) network (Paragraphs [0032] describes IAB-donor and IAB nodes).
Claim(s) 34 and 35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guo in view of Cho et al. (US 2021/0045168; hereinafter Cho).
Regarding claim 34, Guo doesn’t teach wherein the respective indication is configured to be comprised in a second packet configured to comprise a Backhaul Adaptation Protocol, (BAP) header.
However, in analogous art Cho teaches wherein the respective indication is configured to be comprised in a second packet configured to comprise a Backhaul Adaptation Protocol, (BAP) header (Paragraphs [0210]; [0214] describes packet configured to comprise BAP)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have combined Guo with Cho’s selecting a next-hop node for data transmission according to both of routing table configured on the IAB node and routing ID carried in Backhaul Adaptation Protocol (BAP) header of the packet to decrease header overheads (Cho, Paragraph [0263]).
Regarding claim 35, Guo in view of Cho, Cho teaches wherein the header is configured to comprise a BAP routing ID of parent nodes in the path configured to be selected (Paragraphs [0210]-[0214] describes BAP based routing in which each packet carries a routing ID in a BAP header, the routing ID identifying a selected path and enabling hop by hop forwarding via parent IAB nodes using routing tables).
Claim(s) 36 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guo in view of Zhu et al. (US 2023/0180090; hereinafter Zhu).
Regarding claim 36, Guo doesn’t teach wherein the respective indication is configured to be comprised in a non-F1-U packet .
However, in analogues art Zhu teaches wherein the respective indication is configured to be comprised in a non-F1-U packet (Paragraph [0184] describes transmitting a non-F1 interface message).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have combined Guo with Zhu’s method of transmitting a non-F1 interface message to improve transmission reliability (Zhu, Paragraph [0089]).
Claim(s) 39 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guo in view of Cheng in further view of Geng et al. (US 2023/0209467; hereinafter Geng).
Regarding claim 39, Guo in view of Cheng, Cheng teaches, wherein the first node is configured to be one of a donor IAB node and an intermediate IAB node, and wherein the third node is configured to be one of the donor IAB node (Paragraphs [0032] describes IAB-donor and IAB nodes).
Guo in view of Cheng don’t teach and another node in a cloud.
However, in analogous art Geng teaches and another node in a cloud (Paragraph [0092] describes IAB) node in a cloud radio access network).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have combined Guo and Cheng with Geng’s another node in a cloud to reduces complexity of energy and improve flexibility of an energy saving mechanism (Geng, Paragraph [0142]).
Claim(s) 45 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guo in view of Emanuele in further view of Cheng et al. (US 2020/0245223; hereinafter Cheng).
Regarding claim 45, Guo in view of Emanuele and Cheng, Cheng teaches wherein the communications network is configured to be an Integrated Access Backhaul (IAB) network (Paragraphs [0032] describes IAB-donor and IAB nodes).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Guo and Emanuele to incorporate the teachings of Cheng to provide a backhaul Radio Link Control, (RLC) and Backhaul Adaptation Protocol, (BAP) header structure for carrying energy efficiency indications in packet routing decisions within an Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) network architecture. Doing so would enable to route data packet across the IAB network topology (Cheng, Paragraph [0003]).
Claim(s) 46 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Guo in view of Emanuele in further view of Cheng and Geng et al. (US 2023/0209467; hereinafter Geng).
Regarding claim 46, Guo in view of Emanuele in further view of Cheng, Cheng teaches wherein the first node is configured to be one of a donor IAB node and an intermediate IAB node, and wherein the third node is configured to be one of the donor IAB node (Paragraphs [0032] describes IAB-donor and IAB nodes).
Guo in view of Emanuele in further view of Cheng don’t teach and another node in a cloud.
However, in analogous art Geng teaches and another node in a cloud (Paragraph [0092] describes IAB) node in a cloud radio access network).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have combined Guo, Emanuele and Cheng with Geng’s another node in a cloud to reduces complexity of energy and improve flexibility of an energy saving mechanism (Geng, Paragraph [0142]).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MEHERET WOLDEGEBREAL KIDANE whose telephone number is (571)270-3642. The examiner can normally be reached M-F8:30-5.
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/M.W.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2464
/RICKY Q NGO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2464
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