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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see REMARKS, filed 06/17/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-2, 6-9, 11, and 14-17 under 102 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Patel et al (WO 2020/072880 A1).
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 6-9, 11, and 14-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over in view of Han et al. (US 20160242044 A1) in view of Patel et al (WO 2020/072880 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Han et al. teach One or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon (Han[0012] these computer program instructions may be stored at a computer or computer readable memory ) that, when executed, perform a method of providing sector management utilizing a multi-band antenna system (Han [0052] When installing a DAS, a mobile communication network provider constructs a system that can support a multiple frequency band.), the method comprising:
determining one or more user equipment (UEs) are attached to a cell provided by a first set of antenna elements of the multi-band antenna system (Han [0009] a base station to provide service to a UE or similar environment using a DAS is provided);
detecting a location or a utilization corresponding to the one or more UEs (Han [0053] the base station determines whether the number of users and a traffic amount of a floor has become large); and
based on the detecting, performing an action comprising one or more of: implementing carrier aggregation for a UE of the one or more UEs (Han [0054] when a traffic amount increases at a second floor 2F, the base station may additionally provide service at the second floor using the second carrier... Users located at the second floor may perform handover with the second carrier or may use carrier aggregation of the first carrier and the second carrier); dynamically adjusting power provided to the first set of antenna elements (Han [0050] the base station 400 may increase a carrier and adjust an output of an amplifier based on the number of users on a floor.); or providing, by a non-multi-band antenna system collocated with the multi-band antenna system, multiple individual cells to the one or more UEs.
Han et al. do not teach
wherein the multi-band antenna system comprises a single modular antenna having a plurality of sets of antenna elements, each set of antenna elements configured to transmit at a different frequency band.
In a similar endeavor, Patel et al. teach
wherein the multi-band antenna system comprises a single modular antenna (Patel [00117] a main module and at least one self-contained sub-module that may be attached to the main module) having a plurality of sets of antenna elements ([00117] The main module includes at least a first array of radiating elements and the sub-module includes at least a second array of radiating elements), each set of antenna elements configured to transmit at a different frequency band (Patel [00129] As shown in FIGS. 2-3, the antenna 100 includes a plurality of dual- polarized radiating elements 222, 232, 242, 252. The radiating elements include low- band radiating elements 222, first mid- band radiating elements 232, second mid-band radiating elements 242 and high- band radiating elements 252).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified Han et al. by incorporating Patel et al. antenna as an obvious design choice to arrive at the invention
The motivation of doing so would have covered different band from a single integral antenna.
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Han et al. and Patel et al. teaches the one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein implementing carrier aggregation comprises providing resources to a UE of the one or more UEs by a secondary cell provided by the first set of antenna elements (Han [0054] when a traffic amount increases at a second floor 2F, the base station may additionally provide service at the second floor using the second carrier... Users located at the second floor may perform handover with the second carrier or may use carrier aggregation of the first carrier and the second carrier) without the UE performing a cell search (Hm [0051] automatically increasing a carrier when a traffic amount instantaneously increases , [0059] a SON unit 740 that automatically adjusts a parameter when a network is additionally installed in operation S766. The SON unit 740 provides a SON response including an optimized parameter to the EMS 720 in operation S768, and the EMS 720 transmits a parameter optimization instruction according to the SON response to the DU 710 in operation S770)).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Han et al. and Patel et al. teaches the one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the detecting indicates a configurable percentage of the one or more UEs ((Han Fig. 8 MANY USERS in 4F)) are within a configurable range of the multi-band antenna system (Note: for the 4F antennas, users in the fourth floor are within the range ) and there is density among the one or more UEs (Han[0061] many users exist at a fourth floor,).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Han et al. and Patel et al. teaches the one or more computer-readable media of claim 6, further comprising biasing power of the multi-band antenna system to the first set of antenna elements (Han [0050] the base station 400 may increase a carrier and adjust an output of an amplifier based on the number of users on a floor.), wherein the first set of antenna elements provides a high frequency band (Han Fig. 11 BAND X in POWER AMPLIFIER 1131).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Han et al. and Patel et al. teaches the one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the detecting indicates a configurable percentage of the one or more UEs (Han Fig. 8 FEW USERS in 2F) are outside of a configurable range of the multi-band antenna system (Note: for the 4F antennas, users in the second floor are outside the range) and there is not density among the one or more UEs (Han [0061] scarcely any users exist at a second floor).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Han et al. and Patel et al. teaches the one or more computer-readable media of claim 6, further comprising biasing power of the multi-band antenna system to the first set of antenna elements (Han [0050] the base station 400 may increase a carrier and adjust an output of an amplifier based on the number of users on a floor.), wherein the first set of antenna elements provides a low frequency band (Han Fig. 11 BAND Y in POWER AMPLIFIER 1131).
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Han et al. and Patel et al. teaches the one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, further comprising implementing carrier aggregation for the UE (Han [0054] Users located at the second floor may perform handover with the second carrier or may use carrier aggregation of the first carrier and the second carrier).
Regarding claim 14, Han et al. teach A method for providing sector management utilizing a multi-band antenna system (Han [0052] When installing a DAS, a mobile communication network provider constructs a system that can support a multiple frequency band.), the method comprising:
determining one or more user equipment (UEs) are attached to a cell provided by a first set of antenna elements of the multi-band antenna system (Han[0009] a base station to provide service to a UE or similar environment using a DAS is provided);
detecting a location or a utilization corresponding to the one or more UEs (Han [0053] the base station determines whether the number of users and a traffic amount of a floor has become large); and
based on the detecting, performing an action comprising one or more of: implementing carrier aggregation for a UE of the one or more UEs (Han [0054] when a traffic amount increases at a second floor 2F, the base station may additionally provide service at the second floor using the second carrier... Users located at the second floor may perform handover with the second carrier or may use carrier aggregation of the first carrier and the second carrier); dynamically adjusting power provided to the first set of antenna elements (Han [0050] the base station 400 may increase a carrier and adjust an output of an amplifier based on the number of users on a floor.); or providing, by a non-multi-band antenna system collocated with the multi-band antenna system, multiple individual cells to the one or more UEs.
Han et al. do not teach
wherein the multi-band antenna system comprises a single modular antenna having a plurality of sets of antenna elements, each set of antenna elements configured to transmit at a different frequency band.
In a similar endeavor, Patel et al. teach
wherein the multi-band antenna system comprises a single modular antenna (Patel [00117] a main module and at least one self-contained sub-module that may be attached to the main module) having a plurality of sets of antenna elements ([00117] The main module includes at least a first array of radiating elements and the sub-module includes at least a second array of radiating elements), each set of antenna elements configured to transmit at a different frequency band (Patel [00129] As shown in FIGS. 2-3, the antenna 100 includes a plurality of dual- polarized radiating elements 222, 232, 242, 252. The radiating elements include low- band radiating elements 222, first mid- band radiating elements 232, second mid-band radiating elements 242 and high- band radiating elements 252).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified Han et al. by incorporating Patel et al. antenna as an obvious design choice to arrive at the invention
The motivation of doing so would have covered different band from a single integral antenna.
Regarding claim 15, the combination of Han et al. and Patel et al. teaches the method of claim 14, wherein implementing carrier aggregation comprises one of: providing resources to a UE of the one or more UEs by a secondary cell provided by the first set of antenna elements (Han [0054] when a traffic amount increases at a second floor 2F, the base station may additionally provide service at the second floor using the second carrier... Users located at the second floor may perform handover with the second carrier or may use carrier aggregation of the first carrier and the second carrier) without the UE performing a cell search (Hm [0051] automatically increasing a carrier when a traffic amount instantaneously increases , [0059] a SON unit 740 that automatically adjusts a parameter when a network is additionally installed in operation S766. The SON unit 740 provides a SON response including an optimized parameter to the EMS 720 in operation S768, and the EMS 720 transmits a parameter optimization instruction according to the SON response to the DU 710 in operation S770)); or providing resources to a UE of the one or more UEs by a secondary cell provided by a second set of antenna elements of the multi-band antenna system without the UE performing a cell search.
Regarding claim 16, the combination of Han et al. and Patel et al. teaches the method of claim 15, further comprising biasing power of the multi-band antenna system to the first set of antenna elements (Han [0050] the base station 400 may increase a carrier and adjust an output of an amplifier based on the number of users on a floor.), wherein the first set of antenna elements provides a high frequency band (Han Fig. 11 BAND X in POWER AMPLIFIER 1131)., when the detecting indicates a configurable percentage of the one or more UEs ((Han Fig. 8 MANY USERS in 4F)) are within a configurable range of the multi-band antenna system (Note: for the 4F antennas, users in the fourth floor are within the range ) and there is density among the one or more UEs (Han[0061] many users exist at a fourth floor,).
Regarding claim 17, the combination of Han et al. and Patel et al. teaches the method of claim 15, further comprising biasing power of the multi-band antenna system to the first set of antenna elements (Han [0050] the base station 400 may increase a carrier and adjust an output of an amplifier based on the number of users on a floor.), wherein the first set of antenna elements provides a low frequency band (Han Fig. 11 BAND Y in POWER AMPLIFIER 1131), when the detecting indicates a configurable percentage of the one or more UEs (Han Fig. 8 FEW USERS in 2F) are outside of a configurable range of the multi-band antenna system (Note: for the 4F antennas, users in the second floor are outside the range) and there is not density among the one or more UEs (Han [0061] scarcely any users exist at a second floor).
Claims 3-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han et al. in view of Patel et al., and in further view of Huang et al. (WO 2022216436 A1).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Han et al. and Patel et al. teaches the one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, but do not teach
wherein implementing carrier aggregation comprises providing resources to a UE of the one or more UEs by a secondary cell provided by a second set of antenna elements of the multi-band antenna system without the UE performing a cell search.
In a similar endeavor, Huang et al. teach
wherein implementing carrier aggregation comprises providing resources to a UE of the one or more UEs by a secondary cell provided by a second set of antenna elements of the multi-band antenna system (Huang [0054] the apparatus to receive a first message indicating a set of multiple component carriers are configured for the UE, receive an indication that one or more secondary cells of the set of multiple component carriers are enabled for scheduling uplink control channel resources) without the UE performing a cell search (Huang [0054 transmit, over the uplink data channel resources, a single report if the uplink control channel resources are scheduled on the first component carrier based on the one or more secondary cells being enabled for scheduling uplink control channel resources, the single report including an indication of available transmission power for uplink data transmissions over the first component carrier, or a combined report if the uplink control channel resources are scheduled on a second component carrier of the set of multiple component carriers based on the one or more secondary cells being enabled for scheduling uplink control channel resources).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified the combination of Han et al. and Patel et al.by incorporating Huang et al. providing resources to the UE to arrive at the invention
The motivation of doing so would have enabled the UE to transmit on uplink channel without performing cell search
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Han et al. and Patel et al. teaches one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, but do not teach
further comprising communicating to a UE of the one or more UEs a secondary cell provided by the multi-band antenna system is available.
In a similar endeavor, Huang et al. teach
communicating to a UE of the one or more UEs a secondary cell provided by the multi-band antenna system is available (Huang [0054] the apparatus to receive a first message indicating a set of multiple component carriers are configured for the UE, receive an indication that one or more secondary cells of the set of multiple component carriers are enabled for scheduling uplink control channel resources).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified the combination of Han et al. and Patel et al.by incorporating Huang et al. providing resources to the UE to arrive at the invention
The motivation of doing so would have enabled the UE to transmit on uplink channel without performing cell search
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Han et al., Patel et al., and Huang et al. teaches one or more computer-readable media of claim 4, further comprising communicating to a UE of the one or more UEs a number of physical resource blocks that are available to the UE on the secondary cell (Huang [0060] determining the third parameter based on a quantity of resource blocks associated with the virtual control transmission).
The motivation of doing so would have enabled the UE to transmit on uplink channel without performing cell search
Claims 10, 12, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han et al. in view of Kragten et al. (US 20230180131 A1)
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Han et al. and Patel et al. teaches the one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the detecting indicates there is high utilization (Han [0053] the base station determines whether the number of users and a traffic amount of a floor has become large) but do not teach
a UE of the one or more UEs is utilizing a high data service.
In a similar endeavor, Kragten et al. teach
the detecting indicates there is high utilization (Kragten [0050] indicates that the cell is relatively highly loaded) and a UE of the one or more UEs is utilizing a high data service (Kragten [0007] responsive to detecting a high data throughput condition while the first RAT is disabled and the second RAT is enabled, [0059] In response to the high data rate trigger, at block 1104 the RAT control stack 332 enables the 5G RAT 112-1 ).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified the combination of Han et al. and Patel et al.by incorporating Kragten et al. to arrive at the invention
The motivation of doing so would have supported the high rate data.
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Han et al. and Patel et al. teaches the one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the detecting indicates there is high utilization (Han [0053] the base station determines whether the number of users and a traffic amount of a floor has become large) but do not teach
one or more UEs are utilizing low data services.
In a similar endeavor, Kragten et al. teach
the detecting indicates there is high utilization (Kragten [0050] indicates that the cell is relatively highly loaded) and a UE of the one or more UEs is utilizing a low data service (Kragten [0007] responsive to detecting low data throughput condition while the first RAT and second RAT are enabled, selectively disabling one or more capabilities of the first RAT, the one or more capabilities including at least one of an intra-band carrier aggregation capability, an inter-band carrier aggregation capability, or a component carrier ).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified the combination of Han et al. and Patel et al.by incorporating Kragten et al. to arrive at the invention
The motivation of doing so would have conserved the resources for high data rate UE’s.
Regarding claim 18, the combination of Han et al. and Patel et al. teaches the method of claim 15, further comprising implementing carrier aggregation for a UE of the one or more UEs when the detecting indicates there is high utilization (Han [0054] when a traffic amount increases at a second floor 2F, the base station may additionally provide service at the second floor using the second carrier... Users located at the second floor may perform handover with the second carrier or may use carrier aggregation of the first carrier and the second carrier)but does not teach
the UE is utilizing a high data service.
In a similar endeavor, Kragten et al. teach
When the detecting indicates there is high utilization (Kragten [0050] indicates that the cell is relatively highly loaded) and a UE of the one or more UEs is utilizing a high data service implement carrier aggregation (Kragten [0007] responsive to detecting a high data throughput condition while the first RAT is disabled and the second RAT is enabled, [0059] In response to the high data rate trigger, at block 1104 the RAT control stack 332 enables the 5G RAT 112-1 ).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified the combination of Han et al. and Patel et al.by incorporating Kragten et al. to arrive at the invention
The motivation of doing so would have supported the high rate data.
Claim 13, 19, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han et al. in view of Hegde (US 20250097732 A1).
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Han et al. and Patel et al. teaches the one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, but do not teach
further comprising providing, by a non-multi-band antenna system collocated with the multi-band antenna system, multiple individual cells for the one or more UEs.
In a similar endeavor, Hedge teaches
providing, by a non-multi-band antenna system collocated with the multi-band antenna system, multiple individual cells for the one or more UEs (Hedge [0081] a remote antenna unit 504 is shown having another co-located remote antenna unit 505 (also referred to herein as an “extension unit”) communicatively coupled to it. Subtending a co-located extension remote antenna unit 505 from another remote antenna unit 504 can be done in order to expand the number of frequency bands that are radiated from that same location and/or to support MIMO service (for example, where different co-located remote antenna units radiate and receive different MIMO streams for a single MIMO frequency band))
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified the combination of Han et al. and Patel et al.by incorporating Hedge co-located antennas to arrive at the invention
The motivation of doing so would have expanded the number of frequency bands.
Regarding claim 19, the combination of Han et al. and Patel et al. teaches the method of claim 15, but do not teach
further comprising providing, by the non-multi-band antenna system collocated with the multi-band antenna system, the multiple individual cells for the one or more UEs when the detecting indicates there is high utilization and the one or more UEs are utilizing low data services.
In a similar endeavor, Hedge teaches
providing, by a non-multi-band antenna system collocated with the multi-band antenna system, multiple individual cells for the one or more UEs (Hedge [0081] a remote antenna unit 504 is shown having another co-located remote antenna unit 505 (also referred to herein as an “extension unit”) communicatively coupled to it. Subtending a co-located extension remote antenna unit 505 from another remote antenna unit 504 can be done in order to expand the number of frequency bands that are radiated from that same location and/or to support MIMO service (for example, where different co-located remote antenna units radiate and receive different MIMO streams for a single MIMO frequency band))
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified the combination of Han et al. and Patel et al.by incorporating Hedge co-located antennas to arrive at the invention
The motivation of doing so would have expanded the number of frequency bands.
Regarding claim 20, Han et al. teach A system for providing sector management, the system comprising: a multi-band antenna system (Han [0052] When installing a DAS, a mobile communication network provider constructs a system that can support a multiple frequency band.);
one or more UEs attached to a cell provided by a first set of antenna elements of the multi-band antenna system (Han[0009] a base station to provide service to a UE or similar environment using a DAS is provided); and
the multi-band antenna system configured to transmit at a different frequency band (Han Fig. 11 showing BAND X and BAND Y, Han [0071] A first remote unit 1120 includes a digital-analog converter 1123 and power amplifiers 1121 and 1122 of each frequency band) to one or more user equipment (Fig. 4 UE A 430 and UE B 431), wherein the multi-band antenna system is configured to:
detect a location or a utilization corresponding to the one or more UEs(Han [0053] the base station determines whether the number of users and a traffic amount of a floor has become large); and
based on the detecting, performing an action comprising one or more of: implementing carrier aggregation for a UE of the one or more UEs (Han [0054] when a traffic amount increases at a second floor 2F, the base station may additionally provide service at the second floor using the second carrier... Users located at the second floor may perform handover with the second carrier or may use carrier aggregation of the first carrier and the second carrier); dynamically adjusting power provided to the first set of antenna elements (Han [0050] the base station 400 may increase a carrier and adjust an output of an amplifier based on the number of users on a floor.); or providing, by a non-multi-band antenna system collocated with the multi-band antenna system, multiple individual cells to the one or more UEs.
Han et al. do not teach
the multi-band antenna system comprising a single modular antenna having a plurality of sets of antenna elements, each set of antenna elements configured to transmit at a different frequency band; and
a non-multi-band antenna system collocated with the multiband antenna
In a similar endeavor, Patel et al. teaches
the multi-band antenna system comprising a single modular antenna (Patel [00117] a main module and at least one self-contained sub-module that may be attached to the main module) having a plurality of sets of antenna elements ([00117] The main module includes at least a first array of radiating elements and the sub-module includes at least a second array of radiating elements), each set of antenna elements configured to transmit at a different frequency band (Patel [00129] As shown in FIGS. 2-3, the antenna 100 includes a plurality of dual- polarized radiating elements 222, 232, 242, 252. The radiating elements include low- band radiating elements 222, first mid- band radiating elements 232, second mid-band radiating elements 242 and high- band radiating elements 252).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified Han et al. by incorporating Patel et al. antenna as an obvious design choice to arrive at the invention
The motivation of doing so would have covered different band from a single integral antenna.
The combination of Han et al. and Patel et al. does not teach
a non-multi-band antenna system collocated with the multiband antenna
In a similar endeavor, Hedge teaches
a non-multi-band antenna system collocated with the multiband antenna (Hedge [0081] a remote antenna unit 504 is shown having another co-located remote antenna unit 505 (also referred to herein as an “extension unit”) communicatively coupled to it. Subtending a co-located extension remote antenna unit 505 from another remote antenna unit 504 can be done in order to expand the number of frequency bands that are radiated from that same location and/or to support MIMO service (for example, where different co-located remote antenna units radiate and receive different MIMO streams for a single MIMO frequency band))
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified the combination of Han et al. and Patel et al. by incorporating Hedge co-located antennas to arrive at the invention
The motivation of doing so would have expanded the number of frequency bands.
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 SAID M ELNOUBI whose telephone number is (571)272-9732. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:30AM to 6:00PM ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kathy Wang-Hurst can be reached at 571-270-5371. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SAID M ELNOUBI/ Examiner, Art Unit 2644
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