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 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.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(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) 1-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by ORAN (O-RAN Alliwance, “O-RAN Working Group 3, Near-Real-time RAN Intelligent Controller, E2 Application Protocol (E2AP), O-RAN.WG3.E2AP-v01.01 – as cited and filed with the IDS dated 12/20/2024).
Re claim 1:
ORAN discloses a method performed by an E2 node, the method comprising: transmitting an E2 setup request message to a radio access network (RAN) intelligent controller (RIC) (Page 22 Figure 8.3.1.2-1 E2 Setup Request ref. E2 Node and ref. Near-RT RIC); and
receiving an E2 setup response message from the RIC (Page 22 Figure 8.3.1.2-1 E2 Setup Response),
wherein the E2 setup request message includes a first global identifier of the E2 node, wherein the first global identifier of the E2 node includes a second global identifier of a next generation NodeB (gNB) (Page. 36 Section 9.1.2.2 E2 Setup Request and Page 37 Global E2 Node ID and Page. 49 Section 9.2.6 Global E2 Node ID ref. Global gNB ID, gNB-CU-UP ID, and gNB-DU ID Examiner Note: Global E2 Node ID on page 37 references to page 49 Section 9.2.6), and
wherein the first global identifier of the E2 node includes at least one of first identification information of a gNB-central unit (CU)-control plane (CP) or second identification information of a gNB-CU (Page. 49 Section 9.2.6 Global E2 Node ID ref. gNB-CU-UP ID – Examiner Note gNB-CU-UP is “second identification information of a gNB-CU”).
Re claim 2:
ORAN discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the first identification information of the gNB- CU-CP comprises at least one of an ID number of the gNB-CU-CP or a name string of the gNB-CU-CP, and wherein the second identification information of the gNB-CU comprises at least one of an identifier (ID) number of the gNB-CU or the name string of the gNB-CU-CP (Page. 49 Section 9.2.6 Global E2 Node ID ref. Global gNB ID, gNB-CU-UP ID, and gNB-DU ID – Examiner Note claim 2 is further defining the alternatives from claim 1. The alternative of “second identification information” is addressed).
Re claim 3:
ORAN discloses the method of claim 1, wherein t the first identification information of the gNB- CU-CP is an optional information element (IE), and wherein the second identification information of the gNB-CU is an optional IE (Page. 49 Section 9.2.6 Global E2 Node ID ref. Global gNB ID, gNB-CU-UP ID, and gNB-DU ID ref. O – Examiner Note claim 2 is further defining the alternatives from claim 1. The alternative of “second identification information” is addressed. “O” stands for optional).
Re claim 4: Claim 4 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 1 from the perspective of the RIC.
Re claim 5: Claim 5 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 2.
Re claim 6: Claim 6 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 3.
Re claim 7: Claim 7 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 1. A transceiver and a processor are inherent to E2 nodes and RIC in order to be able to communicate signals. Singh (US 20240152820 Fig. 1A) is further evidenced relied upon to show an E2 node and RIC contain a transceiver and processor.
Re claim 8: Claim 8 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 2.
Re claim 9: Claim 9 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 3.
Re claim 10: Claim 10 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 1 from the perspective of the RIC. A transceiver and a processor are inherent to E2 nodes and RIC in order to be able to communicate signals. Singh (US 20240152820 Fig. 1A) is further evidenced relied upon to show an E2 node and RIC contain a transceiver and processor.
Re claim 11: Claim 11 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 2.
Re claim 12: Claim 12 is rejected on the same grounds of rejection set forth in claim 3.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Singh (US 20220287038) shows a E2 setup request and response between a node and an RIC.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMMAD SAJID ADHAMI whose telephone number is (571)272-8615. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30-5:00 PM.
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/MOHAMMAD S ADHAMI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2471