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
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-4, 7-13, 17-20, 22-25, 27-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Shi et al. (US 2020/0077321 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Shi discloses an apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE), comprising:
at least one memory (see memory [0183]) comprising computer-executable instructions; and one or more processors (see processor [0183]) configured to execute the computer-executable instructions and cause the apparatus to:
transmit, to a first network entity (see base station fig. 4, ), subscription information (“subscription information” and “determine that the terminal supports the air communication” [0013]) indicating that the UE (see drone UE fig. 4, where drone UE is also called terminal [0005]) is deployed as an aerial UE (see drone UE fig. 4) and additional information regarding the UE (see [0016], “the terminal to report the capability information”); and
obtain aerial service based, at least in part, on the additional information (see capability information, “the terminal to report a type of indication information, for example, notify the terminal to report the capability information, so that the network device may determine, based on the type of indication information, whether the terminal is allowed to access the network.”; [0016]).
Regarding claim 10, Shi discloses a apparatus for wireless communication at a first network entity, comprising:
at least one memory (see memory [0183]) comprising computer-executable instructions; and one or more processors (see processor [0183]) configured to execute the computer-executable instructions and cause the apparatus to:
receive (see receive [0010]) subscription information indicating that a user equipment (UE) (“subscription information” and “determine that the terminal supports the air communication” [0013]) is deployed as an aerial UE and additional information regarding the UE (see DRONE UE, fig. 4); and
perform one or more actions based on the subscription information ( “the terminal to report a type of indication information, for example, notify the terminal to report the capability information, so that the network device may determine, based on the type of indication information, whether the terminal is allowed to access the network.”; [0016]).
Regarding claim 27, Shi discloses a apparatus for wireless communication at a second network entity (additional devices withing “Core Network”, [0009]), comprising:
at least one memory comprising computer-executable instructions; and one or more processors (see processor and memory [0183]) configured to execute the computer-executable instructions and cause the apparatus to:
obtain subscription information (see subscription information [0010]) indicating that a user equipment (UE) is deployed as an aerial UE (see aerial, [0013]) and additional information regarding the UE (see [0009] “capability information, a flight certificate, a sequence” and the before mentioned “subscription information”); and
transmit the subscription information to a first network entity (see subscription [0013]).
Regarding claim 2, Shi discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the UE is deployed on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) (see terminal and u unmanned vehicle [0011]).
Regarding claims 3 & 11, Shi apparatuses of claims 2 & 10, wherein the additional information indicates a priority of service for the UAV (see [0116] “classified” into two types, also see “special defined UE ID”, which by special indicates a prioritization).
Regarding claim 4, Shi discloses theapparatus of claim 2, Shi does not specifically disclose however wherein the additional information indicates a type of the UAV (see drone type [0069]).
Regarding claim 7, Shi discloses the apparatus of claim 2, wherein at least the additional information is transmitted via UE capability reporting (see capability information [0016]).
Regarding claim 8, Shi discloses the apparatus of claim 2, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions and cause the apparatus to transmit, to the first network entity, an update to the additional information (see location update, [0136]).
Regarding claim 9, Shi discloses the apparatus of claim 8, wherein the update is transmitted via at least one of: UE capability reporting (see capability [0116]); a tracking area update (TAU); radio resource control (RRC) signaling (see RRC signaling [0133]); medium access control (MAC) control element (MAC-CE) signaling; or physical layer (PHY) signaling.
Regarding claim 11, Shi discloses the apparatus of claim 10, wherein performing one or more actions comprises determining a priority of service for the UE (see [0116] “classified” into types for communication and “special” defined by UE ID, which indicates some fashion of prioritization).
Regarding claim 12, Shi discloses the apparatus of claim 10, wherein the UE is deployed on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) (see drone UE, fig. 4).
Regarding claim 13, Shi discloses the apparatus of claim 12, wherein the additional information indicates a priority of a service for the UAV (see [0116] “classified” into types for communication and “special” defined by UE ID, which indicates some fashion of prioritization).
Regarding claim 17, Shi discloses the apparatus of claim 12, wherein at least additional information is obtained from a second network entity (see core network [0009], as second network entity is defined in claim 18).
Regarding claim 18, Shi discloses the apparatus of claim 17, wherein: the first network entity comprises a radio access network (RAN) node (see RADIO access network [0055]); and the second network entity comprises a core network node (see core network [0009]).
Regarding claim 19, Shi discloses the apparatus of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions and cause the apparatus to receive an update to the subscription information from the second network entity (see location update [0084]).
Regarding claim 20, Shi discloses the apparatus of claim 17, wherein the subscription information is conveyed in:
at least one mandatory field that indicates that the UE is deployed on a UAV (see [0015], “capability information of the terminal that is used to indicate that the terminal supports the air communication”); and at least one optional field that indicates the additional information (see [0014], “optionally, the location area identity may be a tracking area identity (Tracking Area ID, TAI for short), a routing area identity, or the like”).
Regarding claim 22, Shi discloses the apparatus of claim 12, wherein at least the additional information is obtained from the UE (see capability information [0016]).
Regarding claim 23, Shi discloses the apparatus of claim 22, wherein at least the additional information is obtained via UE capability reporting (see capability information [0016]).
Regarding claim 24, Shi discloses the apparatus of claim 22, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions and cause the apparatus to receive, from the UE, an update to the additional information (see update [0084]).
Regarding claim 25, Shi discloses the apparatus of claim 24, wherein the update is received via at least one of: UE capability reporting; a tracking area update (TAU) (see tracking area identity which is known part of a tracking area update); radio resource control (RRC) signaling (see RRC in [0080]); medium access control (MAC) control element (MAC-CE) signaling; or physical layer (PHY) signaling.
Regarding claim 28, Shi discloses the apparatus of claim 27, wherein:
the UE is deployed on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) (see Drone UE, fig. 4), and
the additional information indicates at least one of a priority of a service for the UAV (see [0116] classified and special UE ID, indicating a form of priority), a type of the UAV, or a type of service performed by the UAV.
Regarding claim 29, Shi discloses the e apparatus of claim 28, wherein:
the first network entity comprises a radio access network (RAN) node (See RAN, [0055]); and
the second network entity comprises a first core network node (See core [0057]).
Regarding claim 30, Shi discloses the apparatus of claim 28, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to execute the computer-executable instructions and cause the apparatus to transmit an update to the subscription information to the first network entity (see update [0084]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 5-6, 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shi in view of Noble (US 2020/0269977 A1).
Regarding claim 5, Shi discloses an apparatus of claim 4, wherein the type of the UAV indicates a type of service performed by the UAV (see [0069], “a location, a destination, a battery life from a remote sensor, a predicted battery life, an emergency communication, a schedule, priority for mobile systems 110a-b, weather, drone type for mobile systems 110a-b”).;
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to combine the teachings of Shi with that of Noble. Doing so would conform to well-known standards in the field of invention.
Regarding claims 6 & 16, Shi discloses an apparatus of claim 5 & 15, wherein the type of service comprises one or more of:
Shi does not specifically disclose however Noble discloses an emergency service (see emergency communications [0075]), a police service, an amateur service, a commercial service, or a delivery service, or some other type of service;
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to combine the teachings of Shi with that of Noble. Doing so would conform to well-known standards in the field of invention.
Regarding claim 14, Shi discloses the apparatus of claim 12, Shi does not specifically disclose however Noble discloses wherein the additional information indicates a type of the UAV (see drone type [0069]);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to combine the teachings of Shi with that of Noble. Doing so would conform to well-known standards in the field of invention.
Regarding claim 15, Shi discloses the apparatus of claim 14, Shi does not specifically disclose however Noble discloses wherein the type of the UAV indicates a type of service performed by the UAV (drone type for the various mobile systems 110a-b, [0069]);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to combine the teachings of Shi with that of Noble. Doing so would conform to well-known standards in the field of invention.
Claim(s) 26 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shi in view of Linder (US 2020/0367037 A1)
Regarding claim 26, Shi discloses the apparatus of claim 12, Shi does not specifically disclose however Linder discloses wherein at least the additional information is received from at least one of:
an Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) node (UAS, [0002]);
a UAS Traffic Management (UTM) (UTM in [0003]) node; or
a UAS service supplier (USS) (USS, [0004]) node;
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to combine the teachings of Shi with that of Linder. Doing so would conform to well-known standards and protocols in the field of invention.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 21 is 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 K. WILFORD SHAHEED whose telephone number is (469) 295-9175. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 9 am-6pm; CST; ALT Friday. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. The examiner’s Supervisor, Jinsong Hu, can be reached at (571)272-3965, where attempts to reach the examiner are unsuccessful.
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/KHALID W SHAHEED/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2643