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 .
DETAILED ACTION
a. Claims 1-20 are in the present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
b. This is a second non final action on the merits based on Applicant’s claims submitted on 02/01/2024.
Response to Arguments
Regarding claims 1-20 previously rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103, Applicant's arguments, see “Applicant respectfully submits that Li is not qualified as a prior art for this application. This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202110887804.8 filed on August 03, 2021, that is, the effective filing date of this application is August 03, 2021. However, Li claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202111101846.0 filed on September 18, 2021. Apparently, the effective filing date (September 18, 2021) of Li is later than the effective filing date (August 03, 2021) of this application. A certified translation of the Chinese priority application is submitted with this response. Hence, Li is not prior art for this application.” on page 3, filed on 04/30/2026, with respect to Li et al. US Pub 2024/0224369, claiming foreign application priority 2021-09-18 (hereinafter “Li”), and in view of Ryu et al. US Pub 2018/0184246 (hereinafter “Ryu”), have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the previous rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground of rejection is made in view of Krishnamoorthy et al. US Pub 2017/0201933 (hereinafter “Krishnamoorthy”), in combination with previously applied reference Ryu. See section Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 below for complete details.
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 of this title, 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.
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.
Claims 1-2, 9-10, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Krishnamoorthy et al. US Pub 2017/0201933 (hereinafter “Krishnamoorthy”), and in view of Ryu et al. US Pub 2018/0184246 (hereinafter “Ryu”).
Regarding claim 1
Krishnamoorthy discloses a method for adjusting a network camping policy of a terminal (“The method may include establishing, at a first access terminal, a wireless link with an access point, receiving network configuration data from the access point, composing a network feedback expression that indicates a status or availability of at least one network service associated with the access point, and transmitting the network feedback expression to a second access terminal via a D2D link” [Abstract]), comprising:
receiving, by a first terminal (i.e. “access terminal 150” in Fig. 1), first network state information (“network feedback expression (NFE)” [0014]) sent by at least one second terminal (“i.e. “access terminal 160” in Fig. 1), the first network state information indicating whether a cell (i.e. “access point 120” in Fig. 1) accessed by the at least one second terminal (“At 440, the access terminal 160 generates data feedback information. In some implementations, the access point 120 will intermittently (for example, periodically) indicate whether the access point 120 supports data service. The indication as to whether the access point 120 supports data service may be included, for example, in the network configuration data received at 320 or determined by the access terminal 160 based on whether the access terminal 160 is able to connect to the access point 120 and obtain data service. The data feedback information generated by the access terminal 160 at 440 may therefore include data service status information.” [0064]) within a preset time period of network (“The access terminal 160 may generate data service quality information based on whether the average CQI over a certain duration of time exceeds a CQI sufficiency threshold. Additionally or alternatively, the access terminal 160 may generate data service quality information based on whether the actual physical layer throughput matches the expected physical layer throughput over a duration of time.” [0065]); and
adjusting, by the first terminal (i.e. “access terminal 150” in Fig. 1), a network camping policy of the first terminal (“the access terminal 150 may desire specific network services or require a specific level of network performance. For example, the access terminal 150 may require an access point with a certain radio link failure (RLF) status or may require that a specific service functionality such as voice, data, or short message service (SMS), is supported. Conventionally, the access terminal 150 may camp on a new access point, for example, the access point 120, and obtain network configuration data therefrom. Based on the network configuration data obtained from the access point 120, the access terminal 150 may then determine whether the access point 120 can provide the network services desired by the access terminal 150 and/or meet the desired network performance of the access terminal 150. If the access terminal 150 determines that the access point 120 can not meet its service or performance needs, then the access terminal 150 may detach from the access point 120 and repeat the process with another new access point, for example, the access point 130.” [0024]), according to the first network state information and cell measurement information of candidate cells (“At 330, the access terminal 160 optionally monitors the wireless link 162 that was established at 310. The monitoring of the wireless link 162 may include the monitoring of one or more characteristics of the wireless link 162, for example, frequency, timing, quality, availability, etc. The one or more characteristics of the wireless link 162 may be measured and/or recorded using any suitable technique, and may be discarded after a certain period of time or maintained indefinitely.” [0037]) of the first terminal (i.e. “access terminal 150” in Fig. 1).
Krishnamoorthy does not specifically teach the first network state information indicating whether a cell within a preset time period is a cell of network anomaly.
In an analogous art, Ryu discloses receiving, by a first terminal (i.e. “UE”), first network state information sent by at least one second terminal (i.e. “network”), the first network state information indicating whether a cell accessed by the at least one second terminal (“After the measurement of the neighbor cell, the UE ranks all cells and reads required system information of a cell having a highest priority. When the cell is suitable for camping and the following reselection condition is satisfied, the UE reselects the corresponding cell.” [0372]) within a preset time period is a cell of network anomaly (“Case where a new cell has a higher priority than the serving cell during a T_reselection time interval (during the interval, the UE needs to measure the serving cell and the neighbor cell.). Herein, the timer value may be broadcasted within the system information. Case where the UE currently camps on the serving cell during a defined period.” [0373-0374]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Krishnamoorthy’s method for composing, sharing, and/or utilizing network feedback information, to include Ryu’s method for cell reselection in order to determine optimal cell candidates for cell camping reselection (Ryu [0372]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Ryu’s method for cell reselection into Krishnamoorthy’s method for composing, sharing, and/or utilizing network feedback information since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 2
Krishnamoorthy, as modified by Ryu, previously discloses the method of claim 1, wherein adjusting, by the first terminal, the network camping policy of the first terminal according to the first network state information and the cell measurement information of the candidate cells of the first terminal, comprises:
Ryu further discloses adjusting, by the first terminal (i.e. “the UE”), a priority order of the candidate cells of the first terminal, according to a network connection state of the first terminal, the first network state information and the cell measurement information of the candidate cells of the first terminal (“After the measurement of the neighbor cell, the UE ranks all cells and reads required system information of a cell having a highest priority. When the cell is suitable for camping and the following reselection condition is satisfied, the UE reselects the corresponding cell.” [0372]), the network connection state indicating whether the first terminal accesses a cell (“Herein, the RRC_CONNECTED state means a state in which the UE may receive a service on a cell basis while the UE is connected to a specific cell and the UE is managed on the cell basis.” [0301]); and
adjusting the network camping policy according to the adjusted priority order of the candidate cells (“During camping on the cell, the UE may find a better cell based on a measurement rule. When the better cell is found according to cell reselection criteria, the corresponding cell is selected.” [0364]).
Regarding claim 9
Krishnamoorthy discloses a terminal (“FIG. 2 generally illustrates an access terminal 200” [0028]), comprising a memory (“memory component 240” [0028]; Fig. 2) and a processor (“processing system 230” [0028]; Fig. 2), wherein the memory stores a computer program which, when being executed by the processor, causes the processor to:
receive first network state information sent by at least one further terminal located in a same preset area as the terminal, the first network state information indicating whether a cell accessed by the at least one further terminal within a preset time period is a cell of network anomaly; and
adjust a network camping policy of the terminal, according to the first network state information and cell measurement information of candidate cells of the terminal.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 9 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 1. Therefore apparatus claim 9 corresponds to method claim 1 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 1 rejection above.
Regarding claim 10
The terminal of claim 9, wherein the computer program, when being executed by the processor, causes the processor further to:
adjust a priority order of the candidate cells of the terminal, according to a network connection state of the terminal, the first network state information and the cell measurement information of the candidate cells of the terminal, the network connection state indicating whether the terminal accesses a cell; and
adjust the network camping policy according to the adjusted priority order of the candidate cells.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 10 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 2. Therefore apparatus claim 10 corresponds to method claim 2 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 2 rejection above.
Regarding claim 19
The terminal of claim 9, wherein the terminal and the at least one further terminal are served by a same service provider or utilize a same type of network.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 19 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 8. Therefore apparatus claim 19 corresponds to method claim 8 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 8 rejection above.
Regarding claim 20
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program thereon, wherein the computer program, when being executed by a terminal, cause the terminal to:
receive first network state information sent by at least one further terminal located in a same preset area as the terminal, the first network state information indicating whether a cell accessed by the at least one further terminal within a preset time period is a cell of network anomaly; and
adjust a network camping policy of the terminal, according to the first network state information and cell measurement information of candidate cells of the terminal.
The scope and subject matter of non-transitory computer readable medium claim 20 is drawn to the computer program product of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 1. Therefore computer program product claim 20 corresponds to method claim 1 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 1 rejection above.
Claims 3 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Krishnamoorthy, in view of Ryu, and further in view of Yang et al. US Pub 2023/0370922, claiming domestic priority 2021-04-16 (hereinafter “Yang”).
Regarding claim 3
Krishnamoorthy, as modified by Ryu, previously discloses the method of claim 2,
Ryu further discloses wherein the network connection state of the first terminal comprises an idle state (“ECM-IDLE state” [0144]) and a connected state (“ECM-CONNECTED state” [0144]), adjusting the priority order of the candidate cells of the first terminal, according to the network connection state of the first terminal, the first network state information and the cell measurement information of the candidate cells of the first terminal (“After the measurement of the neighbor cell, the UE ranks all cells and reads required system information of a cell having a highest priority. When the cell is suitable for camping and the following reselection condition is satisfied, the UE reselects the corresponding cell.” [0372]), comprises:
while the first terminal is in the idle state (“ECM-IDLE state” [0144]), in response to the first network state information indicating that the cell accessed by the at least one second terminal (“After the measurement of the neighbor cell, the UE ranks all cells and reads required system information of a cell having a highest priority. When the cell is suitable for camping and the following reselection condition is satisfied, the UE reselects the corresponding cell.” [0372]) within the preset time period is a cell of network anomaly (“Case where a new cell has a higher priority than the serving cell during a T_reselection time interval (during the interval, the UE needs to measure the serving cell and the neighbor cell.). Herein, the timer value may be broadcasted within the system information. Case where the UE currently camps on the serving cell during a defined period.” [0373-0374]),
Krishnamoorthy and Ryu do not specifically teach lowering a priority of the cell of network anomaly in a priority list of the candidate cells, wherein the idle state indicates that the first terminal accesses no cell, and the priority list of the candidate cells is generated by prioritizing the candidate cells according to the cell measurement information of the candidate cells.
In an analogous art, Yang discloses lowering a priority of the cell of network anomaly in a priority list of the candidate cells, wherein the idle state indicates that the first terminal accesses no cell (“In this case, optionally, the case where the priority of the frequency corresponding to the first network slice of the camping cell is lower may be any one of the following two cases. The camping cell supports the first network slice, and the camping cell is the cell with the lowest priority of the frequency corresponding to the first network slice. The camping cell supports the first network slice, and the camping cell is not the cell with the highest priority of the frequency corresponding to the first network slice.” [0064-0066]), and the priority list of the candidate cells is generated by prioritizing the candidate cells (“If the camping cell does not support the second network slice, or when the camping cell supports the second network slice but the frequency corresponding to the second network slice of the camping cell does not have the highest priority, the NAS layer determines that the cell reselection needs to be performed before entering the connected mode, and the NAS layer notifies the access layer to perform the cell reselection. [0075] (2) If the camping cell supports the second network slice and the frequency corresponding to the second network slice of the camping cell has the highest priority, the NAS layer determines that no cell reselection needs to be performed before entering the connected mode, and the NAS layer notifies the access layer to enter the connected mode directly.” [0073-0075]) according to the cell measurement information of the candidate cells (“For UE in the idle mode or in the inactive mode, cell information, information of the slices supported by cell, the priority of the respective frequency corresponding to each slice and other information can be obtained through system broadcast information. If the UE in the idle mode or in the inactive mode moves (the cell handover needs to be performed), the access layer of the UE will select the cell with the highest priority of the frequency corresponding to a received slice to reside.” [0079]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Krishnamoorthy’s method for composing, sharing, and/or utilizing network feedback information, as modified by Ryu, to include Yang’s method for performing cell reselection before entering the connected mode, in order to determine whether to perform a cell reselection before entering the connected mode (Yang [0006]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Yang’s method for performing cell reselection before entering the connected mode into Krishnamoorthy’s method for composing, sharing, and/or utilizing network feedback information since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 11
The terminal of claim 10, wherein the network connection state of the terminal comprises an idle state, the idle state indicates that the terminal access no cell, and the computer program, when being executed by the processor, causes the processor further to: when the terminal is in the idle state, in response to the first network state information indicating that the cell accessed by the at least one further terminal within the preset time period is a cell of network anomaly, lower a priority of the cell of network anomaly in a priority list of the candidate cells; wherein the priority list of the candidate cells is generated by prioritizing the candidate cells according to the cell measurement information of the candidate cells.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 11 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 3. Therefore apparatus claim 11 corresponds to method claim 3 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 3 rejection above.
Claims 4, 12, and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Krishnamoorthy, in view of Ryu and Yang, and further in view of Sun et al. US Pub 2022/0240133, claiming foreign application priority 2019-10-11 (hereinafter “Sun”).
Regarding claim 4
Krishnamoorthy, as modified by Ryu and Yang, previously discloses the method of claim 3, wherein the method further comprises:
Yang further discloses while the first terminal is switched to the connected state from the idle state, in response to the first network state information indicating that the cell accessed by the at least one second terminal within the preset time period is a cell of network anomaly, modifying the cell measurement information of the cell of network anomaly (“In this example, the access layer of the terminal device determines whether to perform a cell reselection before entering the connected mode. FIG. 4 schematically shows a process of a terminal device entering a connected mode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The processing procedure disclosed in this example is described below according to FIG. 4. [0080] 1. The UE registers with the network, obtains the allowed NSSAI from the AMF, and establishes the PDU session corresponding to the service. For example, allowed NSSAI includes slice 1 and slice 2. [0081] 2. The NAS layer of the UE provides slice information to the access layer (e.g., the Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer). The slice information can be allowed NSSAI (e.g., slice 1 and slice 2 used in the idle mode) or slice information corresponding to PDU session (e.g., slice 1 and slice 2 used in the inactive mode). The NAS layer of the UE can send the allowed NSSAI to the RRC layer immediately after receiving the allowed NSSAI, or the NAS layer of the UE can send the allowed NSSAI to the RRC layer after the UE enters the idle mode or the inactive mode. For UE in the idle mode or in the inactive mode, cell information, information of the slices supported by cell, the priority of the respective frequency corresponding to each slice and other information can be obtained through system broadcast information. If the UE in the idle mode or in the inactive mode moves (the cell handover needs to be performed), the access layer of the UE will select the cell with the highest priority of the frequency corresponding to a received slice to reside.” [0079]), and adjusting the priority order of the candidate cells of the first terminal according to the modified cell measurement information, wherein the connected state indicates that the first terminal accesses a cell (“After receiving the slice information sent by the NAS layer, the access layer determines whether the slice information is in the allowed NSSAI, and whether there is a cell with higher priority of the frequency corresponding to the slice information around. If the slice information is in the allowed NSSAI and the priority of the frequency of the camping cell is already the highest priority, the camping cell is taken as the final selected cell to establish connection and enter the connected mode. If the slice information is not in the allowed NSSAI, or the slice information is in the allowed NSSAI but the cell with the highest priority of the frequency corresponding to the slice information is not the camping cell (for example, being a neighbour cell), the access layer needs to perform cell reselection again before establishing the connection. During performing the cell reselection, a new slice (if any) should be taken into account, and the cell supporting the new slice and corresponding to the frequency with the highest priority in the slice should be selected.” [0079]); and
Krishnamoorthy, Ryu, and Yang do not specifically teach wherein the cell measurement information comprises a signal strength measurement value, and modifying the cell measurement information of the cell of network anomaly, comprises: reducing the signal strength measurement value of the cell of network anomaly.
In an analogous art, Sun discloses wherein the cell measurement information comprises a signal strength measurement value, and modifying the cell measurement information of the cell of network anomaly, comprises: reducing the signal strength measurement value of the cell of network anomaly (“the UE may collect statistics of measured values of inter-frequency cells in a plurality of most recent times, calculate an adjustment value according to these measured values, and determine a specific offset value (including at least one of a cell-specific offset and a frequency-specific offset) based on the adjustment value, that is, determine the foregoing first information.” [0087]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Li’s peer-to-peer network based network selection method, as modified by Ryu and Yang, to include Sun’s cell camping method, in order to avoid a ping-pong handover deadlock between a first cell and a second cell (Sun [Abstract]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Sun’s cell camping method into Li’s peer-to-peer network based network selection method since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 12
The terminal of claim 11, wherein the network connection state of the terminal further comprises a connected state, the connected state indicates that the terminal accesses a cell, and the computer program, when being executed by the processor, causes the processor further to:
when the terminal is switched from the idle state to the connected state, in response to the first network state information indicating that the accessed cell accessed by the at least one further terminal within the preset time period is a cell of network anomaly, modify the cell measurement information of the cell of network anomaly, and adjust, according to modified cell measurement information, the priority order of the candidate cells of the terminal.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 12 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 4. Therefore apparatus claim 12 corresponds to method claim 4 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 4 rejection above.
Regarding claim 13
The terminal of claim 12, wherein the cell measurement information comprises a signal strength measurement value, and the computer program, when being executed by the processor, causes the processor further to:
in response to the first network state information indicating that the accessed cell accessed by the at least one further terminal within the preset time period is a cell of network anomaly, reduce the signal strength measurement value of the cell of network anomaly.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 13 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 4. Therefore apparatus claim 13 corresponds to method claim 4 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 4 rejection above.
Claims 5-8 and 14-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Krishnamoorthy, in view of Ryu, and further in view of Hooli et al. US Pub 2022/0029892 (hereinafter “Hooli”).
Regarding claim 5
Krishnamoorthy, as modified by Ryu, previously discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:
Ryu further discloses in response to the state parameters meeting a preset abnormal cell determination condition, determining the target cell as a cell of network anomaly, and adding a cell identifier of the target cell to an abnormal cell list (“In the case of performing the cell based location area update, the UE may directly indicate a cell identifier (ID) or the eNB may make the cell ID and an eNB identifier (ID) be included in the RRC message in which the NAS message is encapsulated together and report the identifiers to the CN.” [0422]);
generating, according to the abnormal cell list, second network state information (“a method for performing, by a terminal, location area update in a wireless communication system may include: transmitting, to a network node, a first request message including an additional cell list comprising one or more neighboring cells of a serving cell of the terminal; receiving, from the network node, a first accept message including information indicating acceptance of the use of the additional cell list; and when a changed serving cell of the terminal belongs to a tracking area configured to the terminal and does not belong to the additional cell list, performing a cell based area update procedure.” [0008]); and
broadcasting, by the first terminal, the second network state information to the at least one second terminal (“Case where a new cell has a higher priority than the serving cell during a T_reselection time interval (during the interval, the UE needs to measure the serving cell and the neighbor cell.). Herein, the timer value may be broadcasted within the system information” [0372]);
Krishnamoorthy and Ryu do not specifically teach after the first terminal accesses a target cell according to the adjusted network camping policy, acquiring state parameters of the target cell; wherein the state parameters comprise at least an uplink rate, a downlink rate, a network delay, a bit error rate, and times of resource release occurring in an application.
In an analogous art, Hooli discloses after the first terminal accesses a target cell according to the adjusted network camping policy, acquiring state parameters of the target cell (“various types of data may be collected, wherein some of the data may be reported by the UEs while the other data may be measured or monitored by the network elements.” [0032]); wherein the state parameters comprise at least an uplink rate, a downlink rate, a network delay, a bit error rate, and times of resource release occurring in an application (“example variables that may be measured for an LTE implementation may include, without limitation, one or more of the following: session setup success rate, Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection setup success rate, initial E-UTRAN Radio Access Bearer (ERAB) establishment success rate, added ERAB establishment success rate, signaling setup success rate, contention based random access success rate, session abnormal release rate, ERAB abnormal release date, ERAB retainability, UE context abnormal release rate, intra frequency handover success rate, inter frequency handover success rate, Call Setup Fall-Back (CSFB) success rate, Single Radio Voice Call Continuity (SRVCC) success rate, downlink (DL) user throughput, uplink (UL) user throughput, DL cell throughput, UL cell throughput, DL latency, DL packet loss rate, UL packet loss rate, Media Access Control (MAC) DL block rate error (BLER) percentage, MAC UL BLER percentage, Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) DL data volume, PDCP UL data volume, DL radio utilization, UL radio utilization, DL Physical Resource Block (PRB) utilization, UL PRB utilization, Control Channel Element (CCE) utilization on Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), average number of RRC connected users, average number of DL active users, number of RRC connection attempts, Signal-to-Interference plus Noise (SINR) of Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH), SINR of Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH), Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) metrics, average RRSI, number of ERAB attempts, number of ERAB failures, number of establishment attempts, number of establishment successes, number of connection drops, Quality of Service (QoS) Class Identifier (QCI) accessibility percentages, QCI retainability percentages, Voice over Long Term Evolution (VoLTE) call attempts, global positioning data, number of critical alarm counts, number of major alarm counts, number of minor alarm counts, Inter Radio Access Technology (IRAT) handover rate, DL spectral efficiency rate, (bps/Hz/cell), and UL spectral efficiency rate (bps/Hz/cell), etc.” [0032]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Krishnamoorthy’s method for composing, sharing, and/or utilizing network feedback information, as modified by Ryu, to include Hooli’s method for optimizing input data for an ML model associated with a communications network, in order to achieve KPIs based on measured test data (Hooli [Abstract]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Hooli’s method for optimizing input data for an ML model associated with a communications network into Krishnamoorthy’s method for composing, sharing, and/or utilizing network feedback information since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 6
Krishnamoorthy, as modified by Ryu and Hooli, previously discloses the method of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises:
Ryu further discloses acquiring a time duration during which each cell of network anomaly is listed on the abnormal cell list (“the cell based area update may be permitted during the Attach/TAU procedure and the additional cell(s) in which the UE is movable during the interval of the idle mode may be provided to the MME together. That is, when the cell based area update is configured for the UE, the UE may additionally perform the TAU when the serving cell is changed. In order to prevent the TAU from being frequently performed, the MME may provide a list of cell(s) that are not required to trigger the TAU to the UE even though the cell is changed.” [0511]); and
in response to the time duration exceeding a preset time period, removing the cell identifier of a corresponding cell of network anomaly from the abnormal cell list (“In this case, the MME may derive the list of cell(s) based on a TAU result of the UE and provide the cell list to the UE in the Attach/TAU procedure.” [0511]).
Regarding claim 7
Krishnamoorthy, as modified by Ryu and Hooli, previously discloses the method of claim 5,
Hooli further discloses wherein the preset abnormal cell determination condition comprises at least one of (“various types of data may be collected, wherein some of the data may be reported by the UEs while the other data may be measured or monitored by the network elements. Example measurements may comprise intra-frequency measurements, inter-frequency measurements, inter-RAT measurements, traffic volume measurements, quality measurements, UE internal measurements, positioning/geolocation measurements, and the like. By way of illustration, example variables that may be measured for an LTE implementation may include, without limitation, one or more of the following: session setup success rate, Radio Resource Control (RRC) connection setup success rate, initial E-UTRAN Radio Access Bearer (ERAB) establishment success rate, added ERAB establishment success rate, signaling setup success rate, contention based random access success rate, session abnormal release rate, ERAB abnormal release date, ERAB retainability, UE context abnormal release rate, intra frequency handover success rate, inter frequency handover success rate, Call Setup Fall-Back (CSFB) success rate, Single Radio Voice Call Continuity (SRVCC) success rate, downlink (DL) user throughput, uplink (UL) user throughput, DL cell throughput, UL cell throughput, DL latency, DL packet loss rate, UL packet loss rate, Media Access Control (MAC) DL block rate error (BLER) percentage, MAC UL BLER percentage, Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) DL data volume, PDCP UL data volume, DL radio utilization, UL radio utilization, DL Physical Resource Block (PRB) utilization, UL PRB utilization, Control Channel Element (CCE) utilization on Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH), average number of RRC connected users, average number of DL active users, number of RRC connection attempts, Signal-to-Interference plus Noise (SINR) of Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH), SINR of Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH), Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) metrics, average RRSI, number of ERAB attempts, number of ERAB failures, number of establishment attempts, number of establishment successes, number of connection drops, Quality of Service (QoS) Class Identifier (QCI) accessibility percentages, QCI retainability percentages, Voice over Long Term Evolution (VoLTE) call attempts, global positioning data, number of critical alarm counts, number of major alarm counts, number of minor alarm counts, Inter Radio Access Technology (IRAT) handover rate, DL spectral efficiency rate, (bps/Hz/cell), and UL spectral efficiency rate (bps/Hz/cell), etc. Example KPIs corresponding to one or more of the foregoing variables at an aggregate level may therefore comprise the average number of active users, average cell throughput download, average cell throughput upload, cell availability, maximum cell throughput download, maximum cell throughput upload, and upload traffic volume (e.g., in GB), and the like.” [0032]):
the uplink rate of the target cell being always less than a first threshold within a first preset time;
the downlink rate of the target cell being always less than a second threshold within a second preset time;
the number of times of releasing a configured time-frequency resource being greater than a third threshold, while there is service in the target cell;
the number of times, that the target cell refuses a data connection of the terminal, being greater than a fourth threshold;
the number of times, that a call is abnormally hung up in the target cell, being greater than a fifth threshold; and
a signal quality of the target cell being lower than a signal quality of a neighbor cell, and the number of times that the terminal accesses the target cell being greater than the number of times that the terminal accesses the neighbor cell.
Regarding claim 8
Krishnamoorthy, as modified by Ryu, previously discloses the method of claim 1,
Krishnamoorthy and Ryu do not specifically teach wherein the first terminal and the second terminal are terminals located within a preset area and served by a same service provider; or the first terminal and the second terminal are terminals located within a preset area and utilizing a same type of network.
In an analogous art, Hooli discloses wherein the first terminal and the second terminal (e.g. “UE devices 156, 158, 162” in Fig. 1) are terminals located within a preset area (e.g. “cellular area 122-N” in Fig. 1) and served by a same service provider; or the first terminal and the second terminal are terminals located within a preset area and utilizing a same type of network (“Example UE devices 156, 158, 162 disposed in the cellular area 122-N may be served by any of the low-power nodes 132-1 to 132-K and/or the macro node 124-N depending on one or more network parameters such as, e.g., available radio resources, signal strengths, noise and/or interference levels, traffic conditions, operator/service policies, etc. Typically, example low-power base stations 132-1 to 132-K may deployed to eliminate coverage gaps in the macro layer of RAN 102 (e.g., the layer of macro base stations such as node 124-N), mitigate the shadow fading effect, and improve the capacity in network traffic hot spots.” [0027]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Krishnamoorthy’s method for composing, sharing, and/or utilizing network feedback information, as modified by Ryu, to include Hooli’s method for optimizing input data for an ML model associated with a communications network, in order to achieve KPIs based on measured test data (Hooli [Abstract]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Hooli’s method for optimizing input data for an ML model associated with a communications network into Krishnamoorthy’s method for composing, sharing, and/or utilizing network feedback information since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 14
The terminal of claim 9, wherein the computer program, when being executed by the processor, causes the processor further to:
acquire state parameters of a target cell, after the target cell is accessed by the terminal according to the adjusted network camping policy;
determine, according to the state parameters, whether the target cell is a cell of network anomaly, and generate second network state information according to a determination result; and
broadcast the second network state information to the at least one further terminal.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 14 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 5. Therefore apparatus claim 14 corresponds to method claim 5 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 5 rejection above.
Regarding claim 15
The terminal of claim 14, wherein the computer program, when being executed by the processor, causes the processor further to:
determine the target cell as a cell of network anomaly and add a cell identifier of the target cell to an abnormal cell list, in response to the state parameters meeting a preset abnormal cell determination condition; and
generate, according to the abnormal cell list, the second network state information.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 15 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 5. Therefore apparatus claim 15 corresponds to method claim 5 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 5 rejection above.
Regarding claim 16
The terminal of claim 14, wherein the state parameters comprise an uplink rate, a downlink rate, a network delay, a bit error rate, and times of resource release occurring in an application.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 16 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 7. Therefore apparatus claim 16 corresponds to method claim 7 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 7 rejection above.
Regarding claim 17
The terminal of claim 15, wherein the computer program, when being executed by the processor, causes the processor further to:
acquire a time duration during which each cell of network anomaly is listed on an abnormal cell list; and
in response to the time duration exceeding a preset time period, remove a cell identifier of a corresponding cell of network anomaly from the abnormal cell list.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 17 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 6. Therefore apparatus claim 17 corresponds to method claim 6 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 6 rejection above.
Regarding claim 18
The terminal of claim 15, wherein the preset abnormal cell determination condition comprises at least one of:
an uplink rate of the target cell being always less than a first threshold within a first preset time;
a downlink rate of the target cell being always less than a second threshold within a second preset time;
the number of times of releasing a configured time-frequency resource being greater than a third threshold, while there is service in the target cell;
the number of times, that the target cell refuses a data connection of the terminal, being greater than a fourth threshold;
the number of times, that a call is abnormally hung up in the target cell, being greater than a fifth threshold; and
a signal quality of the target cell being lower than a signal quality of a neighbor cell, and the number of times that the terminal accesses the target cell being greater than the number of times that the terminal accesses the neighbor cell.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 18 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 7. Therefore apparatus claim 18 corresponds to method claim 7 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 7 rejection above.
Conclusion
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/CHUONG M NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2411
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