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 04/14/2025 and 10/24/2023; the submission 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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claims 4, 6, and 7 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Claim 4 discloses…”the one or more determined types of network slices”, claim 6 discloses…”the total number of user equipment”, and claim 7 discloses…”the number of hops from the communication device to the node”.. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 5, 8-10, 12, 14, 16, and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US-20210258865-A1 to Park et al., from hereon Park in view of US-202200100176-A1 to Pateromichelakis et al., from hereon Pateromichelakis.
Regarding claim 1 Park teaches…a communication device that functions as a base station in a communication network, the communication device comprising (P.49 discloses…One or more base stations (e.g., in the RAN 104) may be implemented as a sectored site with more or less than three sectors. One or more base stations of the RAN 104 may be implemented as an access point, as a baseband processing device/unit coupled to several RRHs, and/or as a repeater or relay node used to extend the coverage area of a node (e.g., a donor node). A baseband processing device/unit coupled to RRHs may be part of a centralized or cloud RAN architecture, for example, where the baseband processing device/unit may be centralized in a pool of baseband processing devices/units or virtualized. A repeater node may amplify and send (e.g., transmit, retransmit, rebroadcast, etc.) a radio signal received from a donor node. A relay node may perform the substantially the same/similar functions as a repeater node. The relay node may decode the radio signal received from the donor node, for example, to remove noise before amplifying and sending the radio signal ): but does not teach…receiving unit configured to receive, from a node that relays communication between the communication device and a user equipment, first information regarding a path between the node and the communication device and second information regarding a status of the node; determining unit configured to determine a type of network slice supported by the node, based on the first information and the second information; and informing unit configured to inform the node of the determined type of network slice.
Pateromichelakis teaches…): receiving unit configured to receive, from a node that relays communication between the communication device and a user equipment, first information regarding a path between the node and the communication device and second information regarding a status of the node; determining unit configured to determine a type of network slice supported by the node, based on the first information and the second information; and informing unit configured to inform the node of the determined type of network slice (Fig. 2, P.69and P. 79 discloses…node 200 is configured to determine 203 (corresponding to a third method step) at least one suitable slice-type for the UE 210 according to QoS requirements of the UE 210 and radio resource conditions and/or availability. Also, the radio access node 200 is configured to determine 204 (corresponding to a fourth method step) according to the at least one suitable slice-type, an LAA configuration based on the configuration information and the UE measurement report. That is, the radio access node 200 is configured to decide on a specific LAA design that is subject to the configuration information and the UE measurement ).
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 combination of Park by incorporating the teachings of Pateromichelakis because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration and identification of slice-type and configuration necessary for network nodes (Pateromichelakis, Abs). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Regarding claim 3 Park and Pateromichelakis teach the communication device according to claim 1, Pateromichelakis teaches…wherein the communication network includes an NR (New Radio) backhaul link and an NR access link (P.71 ).
Regarding claim 5 Park and Pateromichelakis teach the communication device according to claim 1, Pateromichelakis teaches further comprising judging unit configured to judge a type of network slice supported by the communication device or another node that is directly connected to the node between the node and the communication device (P.69 ).
Regarding claim 8 Park and Pateromichelakis teach the communication device according to claim 1, Pateromichelakis teaches…wherein the determining unit determines that a simultaneous multiple connection is supported by the node as the type of network slice. (P.68 discloses the multiple connections are supported specially when in configuration of dual connectivity)
Regarding claim 9 Park and Pateromichelakis teach the communication device according to claim 1, Pateromichelakis teaches…wherein the receiving unit receives the first information and the second information at certain periodical timing (P.87 discloses the reception of information in periodic intervals ).
Regarding claim 10 Park and Pateromichelakis teach the communication device according to claim 1, Pateromichelakis teaches…further comprising requesting unit configured to request transmission of the first information and the second information from the node, wherein the receiving unit receives the first information and the second information in response to the request made by the requesting unit (P. 29).
Regarding claim 12 Park teaches…a communication device that functions as a node that relays communication between a base station and a user equipment in a communication network, the communication device comprising (P.49 discloses…One or more base stations (e.g., in the RAN 104) may be implemented as a sectored site with more or less than three sectors. One or more base stations of the RAN 104 may be implemented as an access point, as a baseband processing device/unit coupled to several RRHs, and/or as a repeater or relay node used to extend the coverage area of a node (e.g., a donor node). A baseband processing device/unit coupled to RRHs may be part of a centralized or cloud RAN architecture, for example, where the baseband processing device/unit may be centralized in a pool of baseband processing devices/units or virtualized. A repeater node may amplify and send (e.g., transmit, retransmit, rebroadcast, etc.) a radio signal received from a donor node. A relay node may perform the substantially the same/similar functions as a repeater node. The relay node may decode the radio signal received from the donor node, for example, to remove noise before amplifying and sending the radio signal ): but does not teach transmitting unit configured to transmit, to the base station, first information regarding a path between the communication device and the base station and second information regarding a status of the communication device; receiving unit configured to receive information regarding a type of network slice supported by the node, the type being determined by the base station based on the first information and the second information; and notifying unit configured to notify the user equipment of information with which the communication device can be identified, together with the information regarding the type of network slice.
Pateromichelakis teaches… transmitting unit configured to transmit, to the base station, first information regarding a path between the communication device and the base station and second information regarding a status of the communication device; receiving unit configured to receive information regarding a type of network slice supported by the node, the type being determined by the base station based on the first information and the second information; and notifying unit configured to notify the user equipment of information with which the communication device can be identified, together with the information regarding the type of network slice(Fig. 2, P.69and P. 79 discloses…node 200 is configured to determine 203 (corresponding to a third method step) at least one suitable slice-type for the UE 210 according to QoS requirements of the UE 210 and radio resource conditions and/or availability. Also, the radio access node 200 is configured to determine 204 (corresponding to a fourth method step) according to the at least one suitable slice-type, an LAA configuration based on the configuration information and the UE measurement report. That is, the radio access node 200 is configured to decide on a specific LAA design that is subject to the configuration information and the UE measurement ).
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 combination of Park by incorporating the teachings of Pateromichelakis because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration and identification of slice-type and configuration necessary for network nodes (Pateromichelakis, Abs). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Regarding claim 14 Park and Pateromichelakis teach the communication device according to claim 12, Pateromichelakis teaches…wherein the communication network includes an NR (New Radio) backhaul link and an NR access link (P. 71).
Regarding claim 16 Park teaches…a method for controlling a communication device that functions as a base station in a communication network, the method comprising (P.49 discloses…One or more base stations (e.g., in the RAN 104) may be implemented as a sectored site with more or less than three sectors. One or more base stations of the RAN 104 may be implemented as an access point, as a baseband processing device/unit coupled to several RRHs, and/or as a repeater or relay node used to extend the coverage area of a node (e.g., a donor node). A baseband processing device/unit coupled to RRHs may be part of a centralized or cloud RAN architecture, for example, where the baseband processing device/unit may be centralized in a pool of baseband processing devices/units or virtualized. A repeater node may amplify and send (e.g., transmit, retransmit, rebroadcast, etc.) a radio signal received from a donor node. A relay node may perform the substantially the same/similar functions as a repeater node. The relay node may decode the radio signal received from the donor node, for example, to remove noise before amplifying and sending the radio signal ): but does not teach…receiving, from a node that relays communication between the communication device and a user equipment, first information regarding a path between the node and the communication device and second information regarding a status of the node; determining a type of network slice supported by the node, based on the first information and the second information; and informing the node of the determined type of network slice.
Pateromichelakis teaches… receiving, from a node that relays communication between the communication device and a user equipment, first information regarding a path between the node and the communication device and second information regarding a status of the node; determining a type of network slice supported by the node, based on the first information and the second information; and informing the node of the determined type of network slice(Fig. 2, P.69and P. 79 discloses…node 200 is configured to determine 203 (corresponding to a third method step) at least one suitable slice-type for the UE 210 according to QoS requirements of the UE 210 and radio resource conditions and/or availability. Also, the radio access node 200 is configured to determine 204 (corresponding to a fourth method step) according to the at least one suitable slice-type, an LAA configuration based on the configuration information and the UE measurement report. That is, the radio access node 200 is configured to decide on a specific LAA design that is subject to the configuration information and the UE measurement ).
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 combination of Park by incorporating the teachings of Pateromichelakis because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration and identification of slice-type and configuration necessary for network nodes (Pateromichelakis, Abs). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Regarding claim 17 Park teaches…a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a method for controlling a communication device (P.191, Fig. 15B, storage medium. Instructions may also be stored in an attached (or internal) hard drive 1535. The computing device 1530 may also include a security processor (not shown), which may execute instructions of one or more computer programs to monitor the processes executing on the processor 1531 and any process that requests access to any hardware and/or software components of the computing device 1530) that functions as a base station in a communication network, the method comprising (P.49 discloses…One or more base stations (e.g., in the RAN 104) may be implemented as a sectored site with more or less than three sectors. One or more base stations of the RAN 104 may be implemented as an access point, as a baseband processing device/unit coupled to several RRHs, and/or as a repeater or relay node used to extend the coverage area of a node (e.g., a donor node). A baseband processing device/unit coupled to RRHs may be part of a centralized or cloud RAN architecture, for example, where the baseband processing device/unit may be centralized in a pool of baseband processing devices/units or virtualized. A repeater node may amplify and send (e.g., transmit, retransmit, rebroadcast, etc.) a radio signal received from a donor node. A relay node may perform the substantially the same/similar functions as a repeater node. The relay node may decode the radio signal received from the donor node, for example, to remove noise before amplifying and sending the radio signal ): but does not teach…: receiving, from a node that relays communication between the communication device and a user equipment, first information regarding a path between the node and the communication device and second information regarding a status of the node; determining a type of network slice supported by the node, based on the first information and the second information; and informing the node of the determined type of network slice.
Pateromichelakis teaches… receiving, from a node that relays communication between the communication device and a user equipment, first information regarding a path between the node and the communication device and second information regarding a status of the node; determining a type of network slice supported by the node, based on the first information and the second information; and informing the node of the determined type of network slice(Fig. 2, P.69and P. 79 discloses…node 200 is configured to determine 203 (corresponding to a third method step) at least one suitable slice-type for the UE 210 according to QoS requirements of the UE 210 and radio resource conditions and/or availability. Also, the radio access node 200 is configured to determine 204 (corresponding to a fourth method step) according to the at least one suitable slice-type, an LAA configuration based on the configuration information and the UE measurement report. That is, the radio access node 200 is configured to decide on a specific LAA design that is subject to the configuration information and the UE measurement ).
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 combination of Park by incorporating the teachings of Pateromichelakis because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration and identification of slice-type and configuration necessary for network nodes (Pateromichelakis, Abs). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Claim(s) 2 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US-20210258865-A1 to Park et al., from hereon Park and US-202200100176-A1 to Pateromichelakis et al., from hereon Pateromichelakis in view of US 11457372 B2 to Byum.
Regarding claim 2 Park and Pateromichelakis teach the communication device according to claim 1, but do not teach…wherein the communication device is a communication device that functions as an IAB (Integrated Access and Backhaul) donor in an IAB network.
Byum teaches… wherein the communication device is a communication device that functions as an IAB (Integrated Access and Backhaul) donor in an IAB network (Abs, discloses the communication device functioning as a IAB)LAA design that is subject to the configuration information and the UE measurement ).
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 combination of Park and Pateromichelakis by incorporating the teachings of Byum because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration and identification link congestion in Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) (Byum, Abs). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Regarding claim 13 Park and Pateromichelakis teach the communication device according to claim 12, but do not teach…wherein the base station is a base station that functions as an IAB (Integrated Access and Backhaul) donor in an IAB network.
Byum teaches… wherein the base station is a base station that functions as an IAB (Integrated Access and Backhaul) donor in an IAB network(Abs, discloses the communication device functioning as a IAB)LAA design that is subject to the configuration information and the UE measurement ).
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 combination of Park and Pateromichelakis by incorporating the teachings of Byum because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration and identification link congestion in Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) (Byum, Abs). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US-20210258865-A1 to Park et al., from hereon Park and US-202200100176-A1 to Pateromichelakis et al., from hereon Pateromichelakis in view of US-20220287051-A1 to Panchal.
Regarding claim 4 Park and Pateromichelakis teach the communication device according to claim 1, but do not teach…wherein the informing unit informs the node of the one or more determined types of network slices, using a packet according to a BAP (Backhaul Adaptation Protocol) or an RRC (Radio Resource Control) protocol.
Panchal teaches… wherein the informing unit informs the node of the one or more determined types of network slices, using a packet according to a BAP (Backhaul Adaptation Protocol) or an RRC (Radio Resource Control) protocol (P.71, Fig. 8C discloses… Each of BH channels 420 and 421 in FIG. 4 includes multiple network layers that include, for example, a Backhaul Adaptation Layer (BAP) 410 (BAP 410-1 through BAP 410-4), a Radio Link Control (RLC) 412 (RLC 412-1 through RLC 412-4), a Media Access Control (MAC) 414 (MAC 414-1 through MAC 414-4), and a Physical layer (PHY) 416 (PHY 416-1 through PHY 416-4). BAP 410 packages data and sends them from one IAB node 210 (e.g., IAB node 210-2) to IAB donor 208. RLC 412 receives upper layer protocol data units (PDUs), groups them for different transport channels, and transfers them to peer RLC 412 over lower layers. MAC 414 maps the RLC 412 to physical layer data/signals).
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 combination of Park and Pateromichelakis by incorporating the teachings of Panchal because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration and identification link congestion in Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) (Panchal, Abs). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US-20210258865-A1 to Park et al., from hereon Park and US-202200100176-A1 to Pateromichelakis et al., from hereon Pateromichelakis in view of JP-7432916-B2 to Tachibana.
Regarding claim 6 Park and Pateromichelakis teach the communication device according to claim 5, but do not teach…wherein the second information includes a value indicating a received signal quality of the node, and the total number of user equipments connected between the node and the communication device, in a case where the judging unit judges that a high-speed and large-capacity communication is supported by the communication device or the other node as the type of network slice, and the value indicating the received signal quality is greater than or equal to a first specified value and the total number of user equipments is less than or equal to a second specified value, the determining unit determines that the high-speed and large-capacity communication is supported by the node.
Tachibana teaches… wherein the second information includes a value indicating a received signal quality of the node, and the total number of user equipments connected between the node and the communication device, in a case where the judging unit judges that a high-speed and large-capacity communication is supported by the communication device or the other node as the type of network slice, and the value indicating the received signal quality is greater than or equal to a first specified value and the total number of user equipments is less than or equal to a second specified value, the determining unit determines that the high-speed and large-capacity communication is supported by the node (Page 8 discloses… For N network slices, the largest value is selected as the amount of resources required by node d .sub.i and link e .sub.ij for failure recovery. By assigning this value to the node d .sub.i and link e .sub.ij in the backup network slice, it is possible to cope with failure recovery of the node d .sub.i and link e .sub.ij in N network slices ).
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 combination of Park and Pateromichelakis by incorporating the teachings of Tachibana because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration and identification of the configuration parameters for the network slices values for parameter (Tachibana, page 8, lns. 54-58). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US-20210258865-A1 to Park et al., from hereon Park and US-202200100176-A1 to Pateromichelakis et al., from hereon Pateromichelakis in view of US-20210274375-A1 to Li.
Regarding claim 7 Park and Pateromichelakis teach the communication device according to claim 5, Pateromichelakis teaches…wherein the first information includes the number of hops from the communication device to the node (Fig. 8, P. 97), but do not teach…and the second information includes information indicating whether or not the node supports TSN (Time-Sensitive Networking), and in a case where the judging unit judges that a low latency communication is supported by the communication device or the other node as the type of network slice, and the node supports the TSN and the number of hops is greater than or equal to a third specified value, the determining unit determines that the low latency communication is supported by the node.
Li teaches… and the second information includes information indicating whether or not the node supports TSN (Time-Sensitive Networking), and in a case where the judging unit judges that a low latency communication is supported by the communication device or the other node as the type of network slice, and the node supports the TSN and the number of hops is greater than or equal to a third specified value, the determining unit determines that the low latency communication is supported by the node (Fig. 5, P.171 ).
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 combination of Park and Pateromichelakis by incorporating the teachings of Li because the method and device allow for various modes of configuration and identification of the values necessary for configuration of network slices with particular functionality that require ranges or particular values (Li,P.237 ). The motivation is that by applying a well-known standard or protocol or machine to a system provides the system with significantly improved industrial applicability.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6 and 15 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the main reason for objection of the claims under discussion is the inclusion of “in a case where the informing unit informs the node of the determined type of network slice and information indicating that support for the determined network slice is not maintainable is then received by the receiving unit from the node, the determining unit updates and determines the type of network slice supported by the node” and “judging unit configured to judge whether or not a network slice assigned according to the information received by the receiving unit is not maintainable, according to a change in a communication environment, wherein in a case where the judging unit judges that the network slice is not maintainable, information indicating that support of the network slice is not maintainable is transmitted to the base station” as the prior art of record in stand-alone form nor in combination read into the disclosed claims as supported by the specification. Furthermore, the closest prior art such as US-20210345218-A1 to Tsuda, WO-2020080044-A1 to Tsuda, WO-2020000203-A1 disclose network slices with various configuration parameters but are silent to the maintainability of resources of the networks slice.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO form PTO-892: US-20210345218-A1 to Tsuda, WO-2020080044-A1 to Tsuda, WO-2020000203-A1 disclose network slices with various configuration parameters.
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/L.S./Examiner, Art Unit 2476
/PHIRIN SAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2476