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 .
This is a Non-final action for application number 18/428,900 in response to an original application filed on 01/31/2024. Claims 1-20 are pending and considered below. Claims 1, 19 and 20 are independent claims.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS), submitted on 11/15/2024 and 05/09/2024, are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 14-16, 19 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Aoyama et al. (US 2009/0003236 A1).
Regarding claims 1 and 19, a computer-implemented method for expanding network throughput data coverage for a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) network in a region, the method comprising:
retrieving a plurality of sensor data records on the MNO network collected from a plurality of mobile network devices, wherein each sensor data record comprises measurement location data and one or more network condition measurements, [a traffic information reading means for reading the traffic information on the estimation target area in which estimation of the reception quality was performed; and a user throughput estimating means for estimating user throughput at the location of a user terminal in the cell, using a user throughput calculating function that receives as its input the reception quality of the shared channel at the location of the user terminal in the cell and traffic information on the estimation target area and calculates user throughput, (Aoyama et al., Paragraph 23)],
and processing the plurality of sensor data records, using a model of correlations between network conditions and throughput, [In response to the input of the reception quality of the shared channel output from reception quality estimating means 11 and the traffic information on the estimated target area output from traffic information reading means 12, user throughput estimating means 13 calculates the user throughput at the position of each user terminal in the cell using the aforementioned user throughput calculating function f and outputs the estimated result of user throughput, (Aoyama et al., Paragraph 48)], to calculate synthetic network throughput data at locations in the region, [user throughput calculating function f enables estimation of user throughput based on only two pieces of information, the reception quality of the shared channel at the location of each user terminal in the cell and the traffic information on the estimation target area, (Aoyama et al., Paragraph 62)].
Regarding claim 2, the method of claim 1, wherein the network condition measurements comprise one or more of radio band, signal to noise ratio, signal received power, signal received quality, latency and jitter, [A user throughput geographical distribution estimating system of the present invention comprises: a reception quality estimating means for estimating the reception quality of the shared channel at the location of a user terminal in the cell, (Aoyama et al., Paragraph 23)].
Regarding claim 3, the method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data records further comprise one or more of cell distance and cell azimuth, [reception quality estimating means 11 calculates propagation loss between the base station and each user terminal based on the position of the base station that was input as the base station configuration and the position of each user terminal in the cell. Here, the propagation loss is derived by substituting the distance between base station and each user terminal in a predetermined propagation equation, (Aoyama et al., Paragraph 41)].
Regarding claim 4, the method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensor data records comprises more than 1 billion measurements, [User terminal measurement reading means 15 then takes the average of the read measurements over a fixed period of time and creates function fc that represents the relationship between the measurement of the reception quality of the shared channel and the measurement of user throughput, (Aoyama et al., Paragraph 120)].
Regarding claim 6, the method of claim 1, wherein processing the plurality of sensor data records comprises grouping the plurality of sensor data records into a plurality of areas of the region, [Aoyama et al., Figure 4, geographic regions].
Regarding claim 7, the method of claim 6, wherein one or more of the plurality of areas is a hexbin and/or wherein one or more of the plurality of areas is a building footprint, [Figure 4].
Regarding claim 9, the method of claim 1, wherein the synthetic network throughput data is a numerical network throughput value, [Since a function like user throughput calculating function f has a definite output value that corresponds to its input, it is possible to determine the output value at the moment of time when the input is given, (Aoyama et al., Paragraph 61)].
Regarding claim 10, the method of claim 1, wherein the model of correlations has higher accuracy at lower network throughput than at higher network throughput, [since the estimated result by system level simulation and the like is reflected in the preparing the user throughput calculating function, it is possible to improve the estimation accuracy of user throughput, (Aoyama et al., Paragraph 128)].
Regarding claim 14, the method of claim 1, wherein sensor data records are collected on a plurality of MNO networks and wherein the model of correlations calculates separate synthetic network throughput data for each MNO network, [Aoyama et al., Figure 5, Ref # 101, 102, 103, plurality of MNOs].
Regarding claim 15, the method of claim 1, further comprising generating a map of network throughput, [Aoyama et al., Figure 4].
Regarding claim 16, the method of claim 15, wherein one or more of the plurality of sensor data records comprise a network throughput measurement and wherein the map of network throughput comprises both network throughput measurements and synthetic network throughput data, [FIG. 4 is a chart showing a display example of the geographical distribution of user throughput using the estimated result of user throughput that was estimated, (Aoyama et al., Paragraph 30)].
Regarding claim 20, an electronic device, [Figure 10, Wireless Network Controller], comprising: processing circuitry to perform data processing, [Figure 13, Ref # 13], and data storage, [Figure 10, Base station 101 include storage], storing at least one computer program for controlling the processing circuitry to:
retrieve a plurality of sensor data records on a MNO network collected from a plurality of mobile network devices, wherein each sensor data record comprises measurement location data and one or more network condition measurements, [a traffic information reading means for reading the traffic information on the estimation target area in which estimation of the reception quality was performed; and a user throughput estimating means for estimating user throughput at the location of a user terminal in the cell, using a user throughput calculating function that receives as its input the reception quality of the shared channel at the location of the user terminal in the cell and traffic information on the estimation target area and calculates user throughput, (Aoyama et al., Paragraph 23)],
and process the plurality of sensor data records, using a model of correlations between network conditions and throughput, [In response to the input of the reception quality of the shared channel output from reception quality estimating means 11 and the traffic information on the estimated target area output from traffic information reading means 12, user throughput estimating means 13 calculates the user throughput at the position of each user terminal in the cell using the aforementioned user throughput calculating function f and outputs the estimated result of user throughput, (Aoyama et al., Paragraph 48)], to calculate synthetic network throughput data at locations in the region, [user throughput calculating function f enables estimation of user throughput based on only two pieces of information, the reception quality of the shared channel at the location of each user terminal in the cell and the traffic information on the estimation target area, (Aoyama et al., Paragraph 62)].
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 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aoyama et al. (US 2009/0003236 A1) in view of Zabarsky et al. (US 2018/0287912 A1).
Regarding claim 5, Aoyama et al. teaches a traffic information reading means for reading the traffic information on the estimation target area in which estimation of the reception quality was performed, (Aoyama et al., Paragraph 23),
Aoyama et al. fails to explicitly teach processing the plurality of sensor data records comprises homogenizing the plurality of sensor data records into a standardized format,
Zabarsky et al. teaches a file manager component 1030, which receives data from VMs (or other processes, virtualized or not) on the host and processes it to whichever format has been architected for storage in the storage pool 160. It also receives requests to read data and it retrieves data from the cache or pool, processes it to return it to its originally stored format, and returns the requested data, (Zabarsky et al., Paragraph 91),
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to modify Aoyama et al. by processing the plurality of sensor data records comprises homogenizing the plurality of sensor data records into a standardized format, (Zabarsky et al., Paragraph 91), in order to monitor and configure network devices to account for the current state of a network, (Zabarsky et al., Paragraph 4).
Claims 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aoyama et al. (US 2009/0003236 A1) in view of Xiong et al. (EP 3142404 B1).
Regarding claim 8, Aoyama et al. teaches a traffic information reading means for reading the traffic information on the estimation target area in which estimation of the reception quality was performed, (Aoyama et al., Paragraph 23),
Aoyama et al. fails to explicitly teach that the synthetic network throughput data is a network throughput classification into one of a plurality of discrete categories,
Xiong et al. teaches that a real throughput RT (Real Throughput, real throughput) of a user terminal refers to a real throughput when the user terminal actually carries out a service. The real throughput may be classified into a URT (User Real Throughput, user real throughput) and an SRT (Service Real Throughput, service real throughput) according to a statistical hierarchy, where the URT is a user-level real throughput, and the SRT is a service-level real throughput, (Xiong et al., Paragraph 56),
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to modify Aoyama et al. by including that the synthetic network throughput data is a network throughput classification into one of a plurality of discrete categories, (Xiong et al., Paragraph 56), in order to determine a grid throughput ability of predetermined locations in which the user terminal is located and to measure the present quality value e.g. under high load in the network, (Xiong et al., Paragraph 6).
Claims 17 and 18 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aoyama et al. (US 2009/0003236 A1) in view of Schmidt et al. (WO 2015/199881 B1).
Regarding claim 17, Aoyama et al. teaches a traffic information reading means for reading the traffic information on the estimation target area in which estimation of the reception quality was performed, (Aoyama et al., Paragraph 23),
Aoyama et al. fails to explicitly teach that generating a deployment plan based on the generated map of network throughput which identifies locations for adding one or more cell sites where the network throughput is low,
Schmidt et al. teaches that a small cell activation, meaningful small cell selection and/or dissemination of small cell deployment locations. Small cell activation allows UEs to request small cells that were turned off for power saving be reactivated when UEs in their coverage area express a need. Meaningful small cell selection enables small cells to be selectively activated to serve a given UE and, in some embodiments, only when a need is given in the request, (Schmidt et al., Paragraph 16),
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to modify Aoyama et al. by including that generating a deployment plan based on the generated map of network throughput which identifies locations for adding one or more cell sites where the network throughput is low, (Schmidt et al., Paragraph 16), for capacity improvement (e.g., in traffic hot spots), or for coverage enhancements, (Schmidt et al., Paragraph 19).
Regarding claim 18, the method of claim 17, wherein sensor data records are collected on a plurality of MNO networks and wherein the model of correlations calculates separate synthetic network throughput data for each MNO network, [a traffic information reading means for reading the traffic information on the estimation target area in which estimation of the reception quality was performed; and a user throughput estimating means for estimating user throughput at the location of a user terminal in the cell, using a user throughput calculating function that receives as its input the reception quality of the shared channel at the location of the user terminal in the cell and traffic information on the estimation target area and calculates user throughput, (Aoyama et al., Paragraph 23)],
Aoyama et al. fails to explicitly teach that the deployment plan identifies locations for adding the one or more cell sites where two or more of the MNO networks have low networks throughput,
Schmidt et al. teaches that the UE sends out a query to the Anchor eNB asking to be provisioned with location information related to small cells' detailed coverage areas (and/or with detailed information describing the deployment locations of respective small cell base stations). In another embodiment, the UE requests activation of small cells, (Schmidt et al., Paragraph 52),
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to modify Aoyama et al. by including that the deployment plan identifies locations for adding the one or more cell sites where two or more of the MNO networks have low networks throughput, (Schmidt et al., Paragraph 52), in order for capacity improvement (e.g., in traffic hot spots), or for coverage enhancements, (Schmidt et al., Paragraph 19).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-13 are 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Shukri Taha whose telephone number is 571-270-1921. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:30am-5pm Mon-Fri.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joseph Avellino can be reached on 571-272-3905.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR.
Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
/SHUKRI TAHA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478