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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 8 recites “wherein the time period is less than about 60 minutes.” The term “about” in claim 8 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “about 60” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention.
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)(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, 6, 8-14, 16 and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Madan et al. (US 2017/0208526).
Regarding claim 1, Madan discloses a method, comprising:
identifying, by a network device, a desired minimum uplink (UL) signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) value for a source cell (Madan, paragraph [0015], evaluating handover threshold in relation to a minimum SINR for UE associated with the macro cell; paragraph [0037], SINR is used to describe or quantify signal quality, using parameter ϒ; paragraph [0067], optimization of HO thresholds such that transmissions at a SINR are above a minimum SINR; paragraph [0081], check when HO threshold has been increased beyond a level at which UEs can attain a minimum SINR; paragraph [0093], uplink or downlink SINR can be used for the embodiments herein; paragraph [0134], evaluate handover threshold in relation to minimum SINR);
mapping, by the network device, the minimum UL SINR value to a corresponding downlink (DL) reference signal received power (RSRP) value for the source cell (Madan, paragraph [0015], evaluating handover threshold in relation to a minimum SINR for UE associated with the macro cell; paragraph [0034], handover triggered when RSRP from source cell is less than RSRP from target cell plus handover threshold; paragraph [0067], optimization of HO thresholds such that transmissions at a SINR above a minimum SINR decoded; paragraph [0081], check when HO threshold has been increased beyond a level at which UEs can attain a minimum SINR; paragraph [0093], uplink or downlink SINR can be used for the embodiments herein; paragraph [0134], evaluate handover threshold in relation to minimum SINR);
determining, by the network device and based on the DL RSRP value, a loaded DL RSRP value that reflects an estimated interference level for a time period (Madan, paragraph [0033], providing for load balancing through the use of handover thresholds that can be dynamically optimized; paragraph [0034], handover triggered when RSRP from source cell is less than RSRP from target cell plus handover threshold; paragraph [0037], Signal-to-interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR) can be estimated based on RSRP; paragraph [0038], RSRP is measured over RBs; paragraph [0039], RB is a slot spanning .5 milliseconds; paragraph [0067], optimization of HO thresholds such that transmissions at a SINR above a minimum SINR decoded; paragraph [0081], check when HO threshold has been increased beyond a level at which UEs can attain a minimum SINR; paragraph [0093], uplink or downlink SINR can be used for the embodiments herein); and
providing, by the network device, one or more DL RSRP thresholds for implementation in the source cell based on the loaded DL RSRP value (Madan, paragraph [0013], central management system performs setting handover threshold; paragraph [0033], providing for load balancing through the use of handover thresholds that can be dynamically optimized; paragraph [0034], handover triggered when RSRP from source cell is less than RSRP from target cell plus handover threshold; paragraph [0093], uplink or downlink SINR can be used for the embodiments herein).
Regarding claim 2, Madan discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, prior to the determining, the estimated interference level for the time period (Madan, paragraph [0013], central management system performs setting handover threshold; paragraph [0033], providing for load balancing through the use of handover thresholds that can be dynamically optimized; paragraph [0034], handover triggered when RSRP from source cell is less than RSRP measured by the UE from target cell plus handover threshold; paragraph [0037], Signal-to-interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR) can be estimated based on RSRP; paragraph [0038], RSRP is measured over RBs; paragraph [0039], RB is a slot spanning .5 milliseconds; paragraph [0067], optimization of HO thresholds such that transmissions at a SINR are above a minimum SINR).
Regarding claim 3, Madan discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving an updated estimated interference level for the time period; and determining an updated loaded DL RSRP value that reflects the updated estimated interference level for the time period (Madan, paragraph [0033], providing for load balancing through the use of handover thresholds that can be dynamically optimized; paragraph [0034], handover triggered when RSRP from source cell is less than RSRP measured by the UE from target cell plus handover threshold; paragraph [0037], Signal-to-interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR) can be estimated based on RSRP; paragraph [0038], RSRP is measured over RBs; paragraph [0039], RB is a slot spanning .5 milliseconds; paragraph [0067], optimization of HO thresholds such that transmissions at a SINR are above a minimum SINR).
Regarding claim 4, Madan discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the one or more DL RSRP thresholds include a handoff threshold for the source cell (Madan, paragraph [0033], providing for load balancing through the use of handover thresholds that can be dynamically optimized; paragraph [0034], handover triggered when RSRP from source cell is less than RSRP measured by the UE from target cell plus handover threshold; paragraph [0037], Signal-to-interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR) can be estimated based on RSRP; paragraph [0067], optimization of HO thresholds such that transmissions at a SINR are above a minimum SINR).
Regarding claim 6, Madan discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the one or more DL RSRP thresholds is based on a relative difference between the loaded DL RSRP value for the source cell and another loaded DL RSRP value for a target cell (Madan, paragraph [0033], providing for load balancing through the use of handover thresholds that can be dynamically optimized; paragraph [0034], handover triggered when RSRP from source cell is less than RSRP measured by the UE from target cell plus handover threshold; paragraph [0037], Signal-to-interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR) can be estimated based on RSRP; paragraph [0067], optimization of HO thresholds such that transmissions at a SINR are above a minimum SINR).
Regarding claim 8, Madan discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the time period is less than about 60 minutes (Madan, paragraph [0033], providing for load balancing through the use of handover thresholds that can be dynamically optimized; paragraph [0034], handover triggered when RSRP from source cell is less than RSRP measured by the UE from target cell plus handover threshold; paragraph [0037], Signal-to-interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR) can be estimated based on RSRP; paragraph [0038], RSRP is measured and averaged over RBs; paragraph [0039], RB is a slot spanning .5 milliseconds; paragraph [0067], optimization of HO thresholds such that transmissions at a SINR are above a minimum SINR).
Regarding claim 9, Madan discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: applying, by the access station, the one or more DL RSRP thresholds to govern a handover event for a UE device that is in the source cell (Madan, paragraph [0033], providing for load balancing through the use of handover thresholds that can be dynamically optimized; paragraph [0034], handover triggered when RSRP from source cell is less than RSRP measured by the UE from target cell plus handover threshold; paragraph [0037], Signal-to-interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR) can be estimated based on RSRP; paragraph [0038], RSRP is measured and averaged over RBs; paragraph [0039], RB is a slot spanning .5 milliseconds; paragraph [0067], optimization of HO thresholds such that transmissions at a SINR are above a minimum SINR).
Regarding claim 10, Madan discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the network device includes one of: a Self-Organizing Network (SON) function; a Radio access network (RAN) Intelligent Controller (RIC); or a Central Unit (CU) (Madan, paragraph [0023], Self-Organizing Network (SON); paragraph [0024], centralized SON architecture).
Claims 11-14 and 16 are rejected under substantially the same rationale as claims 1-4 and 6, respectively.
Claims 18-20 are rejected under substantially the same rationale as claims 1, 3 and 10, respectively. Madan additionally discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions executable by at least one processor, the computer-readable medium comprising one or more instructions (Madan, paragraph [0151]).
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.
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) 5 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Madan et al. (US 2017/0208526) in view of Yun et al. (US 2018/0192345).
Regarding claim 5, Madan discloses the method of claim 1. Madan does not explicitly disclose, but Yun discloses wherein the one or more DL RSRP thresholds include a start measurement trigger or a stop measurement trigger for the source cell (Yun, paragraph [0066], in an LTE network, A3 measurements are based on RSRP or RSRQ, event A3 is triggered when a neighbor cell signal becomes offset better than serving cell signal; paragraph [0067], UE will start reporting measurements to the serving cell if entering condition is true and if A3event is configured for the UE).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, for one or more DL RSRP thresholds include a start measurement trigger or a stop measurement trigger for the source cell, in the invention of Madan. The motivation to combine the references would have been to conform to 3GPP standard handover procedures.
Claim 5 is rejected under substantially the same rationale as claim 5.
Claim(s) 7 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Madan et al. (US 2017/0208526) in view of Sharma et al. (US 2017/0295510).
Regarding claim 7, Madan discloses the method of claim 1, wherein determining the loaded DL RSRP value includes receiving multiple predicted Interference values for the source cell for multiple time intervals (Madan, paragraph [0033], providing for load balancing through the use of handover thresholds that can be dynamically optimized; paragraph [0034], handover triggered when RSRP from source cell is less than RSRP measured by the UE from target cell plus handover threshold; paragraph [0037], Signal-to-interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR) can be estimated based on RSRP; paragraph [0038], RSRP is measured and averaged over RBs; paragraph [0039], RB is a slot spanning .5 milliseconds; paragraph [0067], optimization of HO thresholds such that transmissions at a SINR are above a minimum SINR).
Madan does not explicitly disclose Interference over Thermal values.
Sharma discloses wherein determining the loaded DL RSRP value includes receiving multiple predicted Interference over Thermal values for the source cell for multiple time intervals (Sharma, paragraph [0002], uplink measurements such as interference per RB, Noise per RB, thermal noise power and interference power; paragraph [0003], estimate the channel; paragraph [0006], interference measure may be thermal noise power).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, for interference to be measured as Interference over Thermal values, in the invention of Madan. The motivation to combine the references would have been to conform to 3GPP standard interference measures.
Claim 7 is rejected under substantially the same rationale as claim 7.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALAN LOUIS LINDENBAUM whose telephone number is (571)270-3858. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST.
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/ALAN L LINDENBAUM/Examiner, Art Unit 2419
/Nishant Divecha/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2419