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 statements (IDS) submitted on 06/23/2023 IDS Considered have been placed in record and considered by the examiner.
Priority
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged. Applicant has not complied with one or more conditions for receiving the benefit of an earlier filing date under 35 U.S.C. 35 U.S.C. 119(e) as follows:
The later-filed application must be an application for a patent for an invention which is also disclosed in the prior application (the parent or original nonprovisional application or provisional application). The disclosure of the invention in the parent application and in the later-filed application must be sufficient to comply with the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, except for the best mode requirement. See Transco Products, Inc. v. Performance Contracting, Inc., 38 F.3d 551, 32 USPQ2d 1077 (Fed. Cir. 1994).
The disclosure of the prior-filed application, Foreign Application No. KR10-2020-0189711 (filed on 12/31/2020), fails to provide adequate support or enablement in the manner provided by 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, first paragraph for one or more claims of this application. See MPEP § 211.05(I)(A).
In particular, the examiner fails to find support for “requesting generation of the communication group; receiving, from a distributed artificial intelligence entity, information about terminals that are to perform cooperative transmission among the plurality of terminals included in the communication group; identifying, based on the information about the terminals that are to perform the cooperative transmission, the terminals that are to perform the cooperative transmission and modulation methods to be requested for the terminals that are to perform the cooperative transmission, for the cooperative transmission; and requesting the terminals that are to perform the cooperative transmission, to perform data modulation according to the modulation methods.” as required by independent claims 1, 11 .
“The foreign priority filing date must antedate the reference and be perfected. The filing date of the priority document is not perfected unless applicant has filed a certified priority document in the application (and an English language translation, if the document is not in English”) (see 37 CFR 1.55(g))”. The applicant must show that the Applicant has all the support for the claim languages in all the prior documents. For purposes of examination, the priority for this application is 12/17/2021.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are:
communication unit in claim 11;
communication unit in claim 12;
communication unit in claim 13;
communication unit in claim 14;
communication unit in claim 15;
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 9, 15 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
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 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.
Claims 1-2, 5, 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over YING et al. (US 20220078795 A1; hereinafter as “YING”) in view of JIN et al. (US 20230412513 A1; hereinafter as “JIN”).
Examiner’s note: in what follows, references are drawn to YING unless otherwise mentioned.
With respect to independence claim:
Regarding claim 11, YING teaches, an access and mobility management function (AMF) for controlling communication of a plurality of terminals belonging to a communication group (see fig. 7 , “ network architecture may include but is not limited to including a radio access network (RAN) device, an AMF entity, a user plane function (UPF) entity, a PCF entity, user equipment (UE)” “ AMF entity is responsible for functions such as authentication of a terminal device, mobility management of the terminal device, network slice selection, and selection of a session management function (SMF) entity.”: :[0124]-[0125]); [0132]-[0133]), the AMF comprising:
a communication unit (transceiver in Fig. 15: [476]); and
at least one processor coupled to the communication unit (fig. 15: processing until : [0476]),
wherein the at least one processor (fig. 15: processing until : [0476]) is configured to:
request generation of the communication group (aforesaid “AMF entity sends (==request generation ) the indication information to the PCF entity” : “after establishing the group communication connection to the group member device, the group control device notifies (==via AMF) the PCF entity. The group control device may send the indication information to the PCF entity, to notify the PCF entity that the group communication connection has been established between the group control device and the group member device.”: [0299]- [0301] ; NOTE: AMF connects group devices information indication and send to PCF entity),
control the communication unit to receive, from information about terminals that are to perform cooperative transmission among the plurality of terminals included in the communication group (PCF entry invoke “a Namf_Communication_N1N2MessageTransfer service” (==information about the terminal that information about terminals that are to perform cooperative transmission) to group of member devices using group control device via AMF : [0317]: “… PCF entity sends trigger the policy update of the group control device, to send the V2X communication parameter of the group member device to an access network device corresponding to the group control device. ”: [0353-0354]: “The PCF entity sends the V2X communication parameter to the access network device” about group devices : ”: [0355]-[0356]: NOTE: crossed/missed limitation will be addressed by another reference below),
identify, based on the information about the terminals that are to perform the cooperative transmission, the terminals that are to perform the cooperative transmission and modulation methods to be requested for the terminals that are to perform the cooperative transmission, for the cooperative transmission ( “the access network device (==AMF above) stores the V2X communication parameter of the group member device, the access network device notifies the PCF entity or the group control device, so that the PCF entity or the group control device determines that the access network device corresponding to the group control device has stored the V2X communication parameter of the group member device.”: [0320]), and
request the terminals that are to perform the cooperative transmission, to perform data modulation according to the modulation methods (“group control device (==via AMF or access network device ) sends the group member identification number to the group member device” ;[0320]).
While YING teaches, PCF entry sends group members information to Access Network Device or AMF ;
YING does not expressively disclose:
PCF entry is a distributed artificial intelligence entity.
JIN, in the same field of endeavor, discloses:
PCF entry is a distributed artificial intelligence entity
(“the CN node acquires a distributed artificial intelligence AI model for a communication device, wherein the distributed AI model includes a cloud model portion and a cloud model weight, an edge model portion and an edge model weight, and a local model portion and a local model weight.”: [0017]; considering 5G system, PCF will setup for the distributed artificial intelligence traffic : [0063]; “UE transmits a request for a distributed AI model through the AMF to the SMF”: [0102]-[0105], [0146], [0149]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of YING to include the above recited limitations as taught by JIN. The suggestion/motivation would be to reduce impact on legacy operations/nodes/functions.: (JIN; [0018]).
Regarding claim 1, YING teaches, a method, performed by an access and mobility management function (AMF), of controlling communication of a plurality of terminals belonging to a communication group in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: requesting generation of the communication group;
receiving, from a distributed artificial intelligence entity, information about terminals that are to perform cooperative transmission among the plurality of terminals included in the communication group; identifying, based on the information about the terminals that are to perform the cooperative transmission, the terminals that are to perform the cooperative transmission and modulation methods to be requested for the terminals that are to perform the cooperative transmission, for the cooperative transmission; and requesting the terminals that are to perform the cooperative transmission, to perform data modulation according to the modulation methods (Regarding claim 1, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 11).
With respect to dependence claim:
Regarding claim 2, YING in view of JIN teaches the invention of claim 1 as set forth above. Further, YING teaches, The method of claim 1, further comprising:
invoking the distributed artificial intelligence entity;
requesting, from the distributed artificial intelligence entity, information about a code matrix to be used for the cooperative transmission (“”access network device sending an indication information (==code matrix ) of the group control device to the PCF entity, where the indication information is used to indicate that a connection has been established between the group member device and the group control device. In an embodiment, the access network device may further send the indication information of the group control device to the PCF entity, to notify the PCF entity that the connection has been established between the group member device and the group control device.”:[0018]); and
receiving, from the distributed artificial intelligence entity, the information about the code matrix indicating a number of terminals that are to perform the cooperative transmission (number of terminal in a group for a service : [0143]-[0146]).
Regarding claim 5, YING in view of JIN teaches the invention of claim 1 as set forth above. Further, YING teaches, The method of claim 1, wherein the requesting of the generation of the communication group comprises:
obtaining a policy control function (PCF) identification (ID) of a PCF for a terminal connected to another network (“PCF entity may associate the group member device with the group control device (==PCF ID), so that the PCF entity may store a connection relationship between the group member device and the group control device.”: [0039]; Group control device can be connected to different network : [0043]);
transmitting, to the terminal, participation request information for the communication group by using the PCF ID (see fig. 11 element 1112, element 1113: AMF/Access network device sends PC5 resource to individual group device to participate in that group : [0335]-[0340]); and
generating the communication group with the terminal, based on a response to the participation request information (“the access network device may allocate the PC5 resource to the group member device based on the stored V2X communication parameter of the group member device, so that the group member device can perform communication on the PC5 resource allocated by the access network device.”: [0341]).
Regarding claim 12, YING in view of JIN teaches the invention of claim 11 as set forth above. Further, YING teaches, The AMF of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
invoke the distributed artificial intelligence entity, and control the communication unit to request, from the distributed artificial intelligence entity, information about a code matrix to be used for the cooperative transmission, and
receive, from the distributed artificial intelligence entity, the information about the code matrix indicating a number of terminals that are to perform the cooperative transmission (Regarding claim 12, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 2).
Regarding claim 13, YING in view of JIN teaches the invention of claim 11 as set forth above. Further, YING teaches, The AMF of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
obtain a policy control function (PCF) identification (ID) of a PCF for a terminal connected to another network,
control the communication unit to transmit, to the terminal, participation request information for the communication group by using the PCF ID, and
generate the communication group with the terminal, based on a response to the participation request information (Regarding claim 13, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 5).
Claims 4, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over YING et al. (US 20220078795 A1; hereinafter as “YING”) in view of JIN et al. (US 20230412513 A1; hereinafter as “JIN”) and further in view of Ihm et al. (US 20100027487 A1; hereinafter as “Ihm”).
Regarding claim 4, YING in view of JIN teaches the invention of claim 2 as set forth above. Further, YING in view of JIN does not teach, The method of claim 2,
wherein the information about the terminals that are to perform the cooperative transmission comprises information about terminals selected based on the code matrix, and
wherein the selected terminals are terminals included in a plurality of overlapping networks to perform the cooperative transmission.
YING does not expressively disclose:
wherein the information about the terminals that are to perform the cooperative transmission comprises information about terminals selected based on the code matrix, and
wherein the selected terminals are terminals included in a plurality of overlapping networks to perform the cooperative transmission.
Ihm, in the same field of endeavor, discloses:
wherein the information about the terminals that are to perform the cooperative transmission comprises information about terminals selected based on the code matrix (“ cooperatively transmitting data includes listening to data transmitted from a main user equipment to the base station, the main user equipment belonging to a cluster, the cluster includes a plurality of user equipments each having a single antenna”: [0011]; “A cluster connection identifier (cluster CID) (==code matrix in claim ) can be allocated to a single cluster. A CID is a value through which connection of the base station and a user equipment in a medium access control (MAC) layer is confirmed. The base station and the user equipment are discriminated from each other using the CID. A cluster CID is allocated to each cluster such that the base station can recognize user equipments that transmit the same cluster CID as user equipments belonging to the same cluster.”: [0095]) , and
wherein the selected terminals are terminals included in a plurality of overlapping networks to perform the cooperative transmission “A cluster connection identifier (cluster CID) (==code matrix in claim ) can be allocated to a single cluster. A CID is a value through which connection of the base station and a user equipment in a medium access control (MAC) layer is confirmed. The base station and the user equipment are discriminated from each other using the CID. A cluster CID is allocated to each cluster such that the base station can recognize user equipments that transmit the same cluster CID as user equipments belonging to the same cluster.”: [0095]; “FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a method for transmitting data according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is based on HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request) scheme. Although it shows that a cluster includes first, second and third user equipments UE1, UE2 and UE3, there is no limit for the number of user equipments belonging to the cluster.”: [0096]; NOTE: cluster terminals /UE2 can be different overlapping networks).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of YING in view of JIN to include the above recited limitations as taught by Ihm. The suggestion/motivation would be to increase size of a user equipments in a MIMO system that can be easily constructed using the existing user equipment having at least one antenna. (Ihm; [0013]).
Claims 6, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over YING et al. (US 20220078795 A1; hereinafter as “YING”) in view of JIN et al. (US 20230412513 A1; hereinafter as “JIN”) and further in view of XIONG et al. (US 20220225058 A1; hereinafter as “XIONG”).
Regarding claim 6, YING in view of JIN teaches the invention of claim 5 as set forth above. Further, YING in view of JIN does not teach,
wherein the transmitting, to the terminal, of participation request information for the communication group by using the PCF ID comprises:
instantiating, as a Home-PCF, the PCF for the terminal connected to the other network, by using the PCF ID ,
instantiating, as a Visited-PCF, a PCF included in a network including the AMF, and
transmitting, to the Visited-PCF, participation request information for the communication group, and
wherein the participation request information for the communication group is transmitted from the Visited-PCF to the Home-PCF, and then transmitted to the terminal.
XIONG, in the same field of endeavor, discloses:
wherein the transmitting, to the terminal, of participation request information for the communication group by using the PCF ID comprises:
instantiating, as a Home-PCF, the PCF for the terminal connected to the other network, by using the PCF ID ,
instantiating, as a Visited-PCF, a PCF included in a network including the AMF, and
transmitting, to the Visited-PCF, participation request information for the communication group ( “ If the UE is in a roaming state, a Home-PCF (H-PCF) interacts with the AMF through a Visited-PCF (V-PCF), which, as shown in FIG. 11, includes the following steps: S1101, the AMF decides to establish a UE policy association; S1102, the AMF sends a UE policy control creation request to the V-PCF; S1103, the V-PCF sends the UE policy control creation request to the H-PCF; S1104, the H-PCF sends a UE policy control creation response to the V-PCF; S1105, the V-PCF sends the UE policy control creation response to the AMF;”: [0102]) , and
wherein the participation request information for the communication group is transmitted from the Visited-PCF to the Home-PCF, and then transmitted to the terminal (“ If the UE is in a roaming state, a Home-PCF (H-PCF) interacts with the AMF through a Visited-PCF (V-PCF), which, as shown in FIG. 11, includes the following steps: S1101, the AMF decides to establish a UE policy association; S1102, the AMF sends a UE policy control creation request to the V-PCF; S1103, the V-PCF sends the UE policy control creation request to the H-PCF; S1104, the H-PCF sends a UE policy control creation response to the V-PCF; S1105, the V-PCF sends the UE policy control creation response to the AMF;” “ V-PCF sends the UE policy control creation response to the AMF; S1106, the H-PCF sends a UE policy control update notification request to the V-PCF; S1107, the V-PCF sends a UE policy control update notification response to the H-PCF; S1108, the AMF and the V-PCF perform a UE configuration update process; S1109, the V-PCF sends a UE policy control update request to the H-PCF; S1110, the H-PCF sends a UE policy control update response to the V-PCF.”: : [0102], see fig. 11).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of YING in view of JIN to include the above recited limitations as taught by XIONG. The suggestion/motivation would be to reducing the complexity of network deployment. (XIONG; [0004]).
Claims 7-8, 10, 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over YING et al. (US 20220078795 A1; hereinafter as “YING”) in view of JIN et al. (US 20230412513 A1; hereinafter as “JIN”) and further in view of DAO et al. (US 20190261260A1; hereinafter as “DAO”).
Regarding claim 7, YING in view of JIN teaches the invention of claim 1 as set forth above. Further, YING in view of JIN does not teach, wherein the requesting of the generation of the communication group comprises:
transmitting a logical attachment request to at least one terminal, which is connected to another network and has accepted a request to participate in the communication group; and
requesting handover from the at least one terminal, based on a response to the logical attachment request.
DAO, in the same field of endeavor, discloses:
wherein the requesting of the generation of the communication group comprises:
transmitting a logical attachment request to at least one terminal, which is connected to another network and has accepted a request to participate in the communication group; and
requesting handover from the at least one terminal, based on a response to the logical attachment request (AMF request handover request to SMF to relocate from 3gpp access network and non-3gpp access network : [0123]-[0124]; handover from one network to another network in V2X network : [0142]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of YING in view of JIN to include the above recited limitations as taught by DAO. The suggestion/motivation would be to improve managing network resource usage, for example storage, computing and signalling. (DAO; [0004]).
Regarding claim 8, YING in view of JIN teaches the invention of claim 1 as set forth above. Further, YING in view of JIN does not teach, wherein a base station included in a network including the AMF is physically attached to at least one terminal, which is connected to another network and has accepted a request to participate in the communication group.
DAO, in the same field of endeavor, discloses:
wherein a base station included in a network including the AMF is physically attached to at least one terminal, which is connected to another network and has accepted a request to participate in the communication group (base station with AMF function is connected to UE : [0055]; [0063], [0065]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of YING in view of JIN to include the above recited limitations as taught by DAO. The suggestion/motivation would be to improve managing network resource usage, for example storage, computing and signalling. (DAO; [0004]).
Regarding claim 10, YING in view of JIN teaches the invention of claim 1 as set forth above. Further, YING in view of JIN does not teach,, further comprising:
transmitting, to a base station, a scheduling request for the cooperative transmission for the terminals that are to perform the cooperative transmission,
wherein the transmitting of the scheduling request to the base station comprises transmitting the scheduling request to a mobility management entity (MME), and
wherein the scheduling request is transmitted from the MME to a proximity services function (PSF), and then transmitted from the PSF to the base station.
DAO, in the same field of endeavor, discloses:
further comprising:
transmitting, to a base station, a scheduling request for the cooperative transmission for the terminals that are to perform the cooperative transmission (scheduling time and date :[0167]),
wherein the transmitting of the scheduling request to the base station comprises transmitting the scheduling request to a mobility management entity (MME) (MME connects to UE : [0002], [0057]), and
wherein the scheduling request is transmitted from the MME to a proximity services function (PSF), and then transmitted from the PSF to the base station ([0142]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of YING in view of JIN to include the above recited limitations as taught by DAO. The suggestion/motivation would be to improve managing network resource usage, for example storage, computing and signalling. (DAO; [0004]).
Regarding claim 14, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 7.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to M MOSTAZIR RAHMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-4785. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30am-5:00pm PST.
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/M Mostazir Rahman/Examiner, Art Unit 2411
/DERRICK W FERRIS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2411