DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/28/2023 is 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 § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (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 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) 1-3, 8, 9, 12, 13, 16, 17, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu et al. (US 11706833 B2), hereinafter Zhu, in view of Elshafie et al. (US 20250081282 A1), hereinafter Elshafie.
For claim 1,
Zhu teaches a system for improved data transmissions over a radio access network (RAN), the system comprising: one or more RAN nodes ([COL. 6-7, lines 65-5], [FIG. 1] multiple RAN nodes in a RAN communication system);
one or more processors associated with the one or more RAN nodes ([COL. 5, lines 16-19] processor); and
computer memory storing computer-usable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to perform operations comprising ([COL 15, lines 40-45] memory storing instructions executable by a processor):
receiving a request for extended reality (XR) traffic, the request being associated with a user device ([FIG. 8], [COL 26, lines 4-38] network receives a NAS service request from a UE to facilitate the transmission of XR data over a URLLC slice.);
based on the request, identifying a frequency band associated with the one or more RAN nodes ([COL 26, lines 4-38] the BS may instruct the UE to perform handover from frequency A to frequency B, thus implying that both frequencies are identified),
the frequency band having an ultra-reliable low latency communication (URLLC) slice…([FIG. 2], [COL. 16, lines 30-38] multiple URLLC slices on frequencies F1 and F2).
Zhu does not explicitly teach, however Elshafie teaches the URLLC slice having a latency parameter below an XR latency threshold ([0017], [0086] low latency uplink transmission, including URLLC and XR data, based on a latency parameter and a latency threshold); and
transmitting an XR data packet, via the URLLC slice having the latency parameter below the XR latency threshold, to the user device ([0017] uplink transmission of XR data. An obvious alternative would be downlink transmission of the XR data to a user device for the purposes of bidirectional communication in the system. The XR data being transmitted implies that the latency parameter is below the XR latency threshold to allow transmission).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Zhu for identifying a frequency band having a URLLC slice with the method of Elshafie for the URLLC slice having a latency parameter below an XR latency threshold to ensure the URLLC slice can facilitate XR data transmission and to limit the occurrence of failed data transmission and the unnecessary allocation of resources in the system.
For claim 2, Zhu and Elshafie teach claim 1.
Zhu further teaches identifying a second URLLC slice associated with the one or more RAN nodes ([FIG. 2, items 220, 222, 250, and 252], [COL. 16, lines 30-35] registration indicating one or more URLLC slices is transmitted, implying multiple URLLC slices have been identified. Network slices 250 and 252 can be URLLC slices on frequencies F1 and F2).
Zhu does not explicitly teach, however Elshafie teaches wherein the second URLLC slice is identified based on the XR latency threshold ([0017], [0086] low latency uplink transmission, including URLLC and XR data, based on a latency parameter and a latency threshold. Because the transmission relies on an XR latency threshold, this implies that the URLLC slice identified for XR data transmission would be identified based on it meeting the requirements of the XR latency threshold); and
transmitting another XR data packet, via the second URLLC slice, to the user device ([0017] uplink transmission of XR data. An obvious alternative would be downlink transmission of the XR data to a user device for the purposes of bidirectional communication in the system. The XR data being transmitted implies that the latency parameter is below the XR latency threshold to allow transmission.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Zhu for identifying a second URLLC slice with the method of Elshafie for the second URLLC slice being identified based on an XR latency threshold and transmitting another XR data packet on the second URLLC slice to ensure the URLLC slice can facilitate XR data transmission and to limit the occurrence of failed data transmission and the unnecessary allocation of resources in the system.
For claim 3, Zhu and Elshafie teach claim 2.
Zhu further teaches wherein the second URLLC slice corresponds to a different frequency band ([FIG. 2, items 220, 222, 250, and 252] network slices 250 and 252 can be URLLC slices on frequencies F1 and F2).
For claim 8, Zhu and Elshafie teach claim 1.
Zhu further teaches wherein the request includes the XR latency threshold ([FIG. 8], [COL 26, lines 4-38] network receives a NAS service request from a UE to facilitate the transmission of XR data over a URLLC slice. It is obvious/well known to one with ordinary skills in the art that a NAS service request can be used to request QoS parameters such as latency thresholds and data rates).
For claim 9, it is rejected on the same basis as claim 1.
For claim 12, Zhu and Elshafie teach claim 9.
Zhu further teaches based on the request, identifying a second frequency band, the second frequency band having a second URLLC slice, corresponding to the one or more URLLC slices… ([FIG. 2, items 220, 222, 250, and 252] network slices 250 and 252 can be URLLC slices on frequencies F1 and F2)
Zhu does not explicitly teach, however Elshafie teaches the second URLLC slice having a latency parameter below an XR latency threshold ([0017], [0086] low latency uplink transmission, including URLLC and XR data, based on a latency parameter and a latency threshold); and
transmitting a second XR data packet, of the plurality of XR data packets, to the user device via the second URLLC slice having the latency parameter below the XR latency threshold ([0017] uplink transmission of XR data. The XR data being transmitted implies that the latency parameter is below the XR latency threshold to allow transmission).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Zhu for identifying a second frequency band having a second URLLC slice with the method of Elshafie for the second URLLC slice having a latency parameter below an XR latency threshold to ensure the second URLLC slice can facilitate XR data transmission of a second XR data packet to limit the occurrence of failed data transmission and the unnecessary allocation of resources in the system.
For claim 13, Zhu and Elshafie teach claim 12.
Zhu further teaches wherein the second frequency band is associated with a second RAN node ([FIG. 2, items 205a, 205b, 220, 222, 250, and 252] the second frequency band is associated with a second RAN node).
For claim 16,
Zhu teaches one or more non-transitory computer storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, that when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform a method comprising ([COL 15, lines 40-45] memory storing instructions executable by a processor):
transmitting, via a user device, a request for extended reality (XR) traffic ([FIG. 8], [COL 26, lines 4-38] network receives a NAS service request from a UE to facilitate the transmission of XR data over a URLLC slice.);
Zhu does not explicitly teach, however Elshafie teaches based on the request, receiving an XR data packet, from an ultra-reliable low latency communication (URLLC) slice having a latency parameter below an XR latency threshold ([0017], [0086] low latency uplink transmission, including URLLC and XR data, based on a latency parameter and a latency threshold. The XR data being transmitted implies that the latency parameter is below the XR latency threshold to allow transmission.); and
receiving a second XR data packet from a second URLLC slice having a latency parameter below the XR latency threshold ([0017] uplink transmission of XR data. An obvious alternative would be receiving a transmission of the XR data for the purposes of bidirectional communication in the system. The XR data being transmitted implies that the latency parameter is below the XR latency threshold to allow transmission.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Zhu for transmitting a request for XR traffic with the method of Elshafie for receiving a first and second XR data packet on a first and second URLLC slice having a latency parameter below an XR latency threshold to ensure both URLLC slices can facilitate XR data transmission of their respective XR data packets to limit the occurrence of failed data transmission and the unnecessary allocation of resources in the system.
For claim 17, Zhu and Elshafie teach claim 16.
Zhu further teaches wherein the URLLC slice corresponds to a first frequency band and the second URLLC slice corresponds to a second frequency band ([FIG. 2, items 220, 222, 250, and 252] network slices 250 and 252 can be URLLC slices on frequencies F1 and F2).
For claim 20, Zhu and Elshafie teach claim 16.
Zhu further teaches wherein the request includes the XR latency threshold ([FIG. 8], [COL 26, lines 4-38] network receives a NAS service request from a UE to facilitate the transmission of XR data over a URLLC slice. It is well known in the art that a NAS service request can be used to request QoS parameters such as latency thresholds and data rates.).
Zhu does not explicitly teach, however Elshafie teaches further comprising receiving a third XR data packet from a third URLLC slice having a latency parameter below the XR latency threshold ([0017], [0086] low latency uplink transmission, including URLLC and XR data, based on a latency parameter and a latency threshold. The XR data being transmitted implies that the latency parameter is below the XR latency threshold to allow transmission. An obvious alternative would be receiving a transmission of the XR data for the purposes of bidirectional communication in the system. The transmission of at least two XR data packets over at least two URLLC slices implies that the transmission of a third data packet over a third URLLC slice is well known in the art as the process is the same for n number of XR data packets and URLLC slices in the system).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Zhu for transmitting a request for XR traffic with the method of Elshafie for receiving a third XR data packet on a third URLLC slice having a latency parameter below an XR latency threshold to limit the occurrence of failed data transmission by providing multiple options for transmission and to increase efficiency in the system.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu, in view of Elshafie, and further in view of Jung et al. (US 20250261054 A1), hereinafter Jung.
For claim 4, Zhu and Elshafie teach claim 1.
Zhu and Elshafie do not explicitly teach, however Jung teaches transmitting a New Radio Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number corresponding to the URLLC slice to the user device ([0089] UE receives slice information associated with a frequency carrier. UE determines if the frequency carrier is DL explicit which includes an ARFCN value).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Zhu and Elshafie for identifying a frequency band with a URLLC slice with the method of Jung for transmitting a New Radio Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number to the UE to facilitate the successful identification of a viable URLLC slice and to limit the occurrence of failed data transmission and the unnecessary allocation of resources in the system.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu, in view of Elshafie, and further in view of Maattanen et al. (US 20210400556 A1), hereinafter Maattanen.
For claim 5, Zhu and Elshafie teach claim 1.
Zhu and Elshafie do not explicitly teach, however Maattanen teaches wherein the one or more RAN nodes corresponds to a satellite ([FIGs. 1A and 1B] satellites acting as RAN nodes).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Zhu and Elshafie for having a system for improved data transmission over a RAN network with the method of Maattanen for one or more of the RAN nodes corresponding to a satellite to facilitate data transmission over a broad base of node types and increase the availability of data transmission in the system.
Claim(s) 6, 14, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu, in view of Elshafie, and further in view of Wang et al. (US 20250056359 A1), hereinafter Wang.
For claims 6 and 14, Zhu and Elshafie teach claims 1 and 14, respectively.
Zhu and Elshafie do not explicitly teach, however Wang teaches wherein the XR data packet is transmitted by a user plane function of the RAN ([0034], [0039] a UPF transmits XR service connection information).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Zhu and Elshafie for transmitting an XR data packet with the method of Wang for the XR data packet being transmitted by a user plane function to facilitate data transmission over a broad base of node types and increase the availability of data transmission in the system.
For claim 19, Zhu and Elshafie teach claim 16.
Zhu and Elshafie do not explicitly teach, however Wang teaches wherein the XR data packet is received by a user plane function of the RAN ([0034], [0039] a UPF transmits XR service connection information. An obvious alternative, for the purposes of bidirectional communication, would be the UPF receiving the XR data packet.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Zhu and Elshafie for transmitting an XR data packet with the method of Wang for the XR data packet being received by a user plane function to facilitate data transmission over a broad base of node types and increase the availability of data transmission in the system.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu, in view of Elshafie, and further in view of Pateromichelakis et al. (US 20250047566 A1), hereinafter Pater.
For claim 10, Zhu and Elshafie teach claim 9.
Zhu and Elshafie do not explicitly teach, however Pater teaches wherein the latency parameter is determined by a Radio Channel Performance Predictor including an application corresponding to a RAN intelligent controller ([0149], [0079] predictive application related performance parameter calculated based on received data and includes a latency parameter. A RIC is a data producer providing performance data including RAN slice performance, radio channel performance, and application performance.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Zhu and Elshafie for having a URLLC slice with a latency parameter with the method of Pater for the latency parameter being determined by a radio channel performance predictor including an application corresponding to a RIC to facilitate data transmission based on a valid latency parameter and confirm the end-to-end QoS of the system.
Claim(s) 7 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu, in view of Elshafie, further in view of Wang, and further in view of Pater.
For claim 7, Zhu, Elshafie, and Wang teach claim 6.
Wang further teaches communicating the data rate, the latency parameter, and the jitter measurement to the user plane function ([0034], [0039] a UPF transmits XR service configuration information, which could include information related to data rate, latency, and jitter as these are common QoS parameters in XR data transmission. An obvious alternative, for the purposes of bidirectional communication, would be the UPF receiving the data.); and
transmitting the data rate, the latency parameter, and the jitter measurement to the user device via the user plane function ([0034], [0039] a UPF transmits XR service configuration information, which could include information related to data rate, latency, and jitter as these are common QoS parameters in XR data transmission).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Zhu and Elshafie for transmitting an XR data packet with the method of Wang for the XR data packet being transmitted/received by a user plane function to facilitate data transmission over a broad base of node types and increase the availability of data transmission in the system.
Zhu, Elshafie, and Wang do not explicitly teach, however Pater teaches determining, via a Radio Channel Performance Predictor, a data rate, the latency parameter, and a jitter measurement for the URLLC slice ([0149] predictive application related performance parameter calculated based on received data and includes data rate, latency, and jitter);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Zhu, Elshafie, and Wang for transmitting an XR data packet using a UPF with the method of Pater for the XR data packet including latency, jitter, and data rate parameters to confirm the end-to-end QoS of the system.
For claim 11, Zhu, Elshafie, and Pater teach claim 10.
Pater further teaches determining, via the Radio Channel Performance Predictor, a data rate corresponding to the URLLC slice ([0149] predictive application related performance parameter calculated based on received data and includes data rate, latency, and jitter);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Zhu and Elshafie for having a URLLC slice with the method of Pater for the URLLC slice having a data rate determined by a radio channel performance predictor to facilitate data transmission based on a valid data rate parameter and confirm the end-to-end QoS of the system.
Zhu, Elshafie, and Pater do not explicitly teach, however Wang teaches transmitting the data rate to the user device ([0034], [0039] a UPF transmits XR service configuration information, which could include information related to data rate, latency, and jitter as these are common QoS parameters in XR data transmission).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Zhu, Elshafie, and Pater for a URLLC slice having a data rate determined by a radio channel performance predictor with the method of Wang for the XR data packet, including the data rate, being transmitted to a UE to facilitate data transmission based on a valid data rate parameter and confirm the end-to-end QoS of the system.
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu, in view of Elshafie, further in view of Wang, and further in view of Jung.
For claim 15, Zhu, Elshafie, and Wang teach claim 14.
Zhu, Elshafie, and Wang do not explicitly teach, however Jung teaches further comprising transmitting, via the user plane function, a New Radio Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number corresponding to the URLLC slice to the user device ([0089] UE receives slice information associated with a frequency carrier. UE determines if the frequency carrier is DL explicit which includes an ARFCN value).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Zhu, Elshafie, and Wang for a UPF transmitting XR data with the method of Jung for transmitting a New Radio Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number to the UE to facilitate the successful identification of a viable URLLC slice and to limit the occurrence of failed data transmission and the unnecessary allocation of resources in the system.
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu, in view of Elshafie, and further in view of Lee et al. (US 20240040523 A1), hereinafter Lee.
For claim 18, Zhu and Elshafie teach claim 16.
Zhu and Elshafie do not explicitly teach, however Lee teaches wherein the URLLC slice and the second URLLC slice correspond to a first frequency band ([0052], [FIG. 1B] two radio links share the same bandwidth resources, implying they are on the same frequency band.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Zhu and Elshafie for having multiple URLLC slices with the method of Lee for both URLLC slices corresponding to a first frequency band to limit the occurrence of failed data transmission and reduce the unnecessary allocation of resources in the system.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Benjamin T. Ranew whose telephone number is (571)272-2746. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM EST. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ayman Abaza can be reached at (571) 270-0422. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BENJAMIN T. RANEW/Examiner, Art Unit 2465
/AYMAN A ABAZA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2465