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 § 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 the limitation "the third wireless data" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Since claim 8 is dependent on claim 1, and claim 1 never introduced “third wireless data”, thus making it difficult to assess if the third wireless data in claim 8 refers to the third wireless data recited in claim 6, or some other wireless data. Therefore, it raises uncertainty when interpreting the claim 8 and is rejected under 112(b) for being indefinite.
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) 1, 5-10, 12, 15-16, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zeng (EP 3313113 A1) in view of Mishra et al. (US 20210045193 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Zeng teaches A method for providing wireless communication coverage in a wireless environment, comprising:
receiving, by a first interface of a the intermediate device receives a first S1 message sent by a small cell. Note: the network function is interpreted as the intermediate device) comprising a first identifier that identifies a first type of wireless base station in the wireless environment (Zeng [0062] An intermediate device obtains a first S1 message including a small cell identity, Zeng [0063] The small cell identity is used to identify an identity of a small cell);
converting, by the the intermediate device converts the small cell identity to a macro base station identity), the second identifier identifying a second type of wireless base station (Zeng [0066] a macro base station) and at least one wireless base station of a plurality of wireless base stations in the wireless environment (Zeng [0067] after capturing the first 20 bits in the small cell identity, the intermediate device generates the macro base station identity), the second type of wireless base station (Zeng [0066] a macro base station) being different from the first type of wireless base station [0063] The small cell identity is used to identify an identity of a small cell); and
transmitting, by a second interface of the The intermediate device sends the second S1 message to the core network device associated with the intermediate device), the second wireless data comprising the second identifier (Zeng [0066] generates a second S1 message including the macro base station identity) and at least a portion of the first wireless data (Zeng [0067] after capturing the first 20 bits in the small cell identity, the intermediate device generates the macro base station identity) .
Zeng teaches the network function as a real intermediate device implementing the above function but does not teach
a virtualized network function; and
the at least one wireless base station being a virtual wireless base station instantiated by the virtualized network function and configured to execute a set of functions to effectuate wireless communication in the wireless environment.
However, Mishra et al. teach
a virtualized network function (Mishra [0028] The Parallel Wireless OpenRAN Controller is the industry's first and most innovative fully virtualized and scalable OpenRAN controller that supports E2 interface); and
the at least one wireless base station being a virtual wireless base station instantiated by the virtualized network function (Mishra [0192] On the RAN side of the network, the software virtualizes existing cells into a pool of virtualized resources that can be allocated dynamically. It virtualizes thousands of base stations to look like a few virtualized “supercells” to the core ) and configured to execute a set of functions to effectuate wireless communication in the wireless environment (Mishra [0268] perform certain functions at a coordination server, such as the Parallel Wireless HetNet Gateway, which performs virtualization of the RAN towards the core and vice versa).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified Zeng device by incorporating Mishra et al. virtualized implementation to arrive at the invention
The motivation of doing so would have allowed operators to expand their RAN for additional coverage and capacity without putting any additional strain from signaling on the core components (See Mishra [0192]).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Zeng and Mishra et al. teaches The method of claim 1, wherein the first identifier comprises a Home Next Generation Node B (HgNB) identity having a first number of bits and the second identifier comprises a Next Generation Node B (gNB) identity having a second number of bits different from the first number of bits (Zeng [0003] The base station identity of the macro base station has a bit width of 20 bits, the base station identity of the HeNB has a bit width of 28 bits [0067] the bit width of the small cell identity is 28 bits, the bit width of the macro base station identity is 20 bits).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Zeng and Mishra et al. teaches The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving, by the second interface of the virtualized network function, third wireless data from the network function (Zeng [0020] receive a first S1 message sent by a core network device.), the third wireless data comprising the second identifier (Zeng [0017] the first S1 message includes a macro base station identity and a cell global identity, and the macro base station identity is an identity of the intermediate device);
converting, by the virtualized network function, the second identifier to the first identifier (Zeng [0017] convert the macro base station identity to the small cell identity); and
transmitting, by the first interface of the virtualized network function, fourth wireless data to a femtocell base station (Zeng [0017] generate a second S 1 message, where the second S 1 message includes the small cell identity;
and a sending module, configured to send the second S1 message generated by the conversion module to a small cell corresponding to the small cell identity), the fourth wireless data comprising the first identifier (Zeng [0017] generate a second S 1 message, where the second S 1 message includes the small cell identity) and at least a portion of the third wireless data.( Zeng [0019] convert the macro base station identity to the small cell identity according to a field of the macro base station identity and an idle field of an identity other than the macro base station identity)
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Zeng and Mishra et al. teaches method of claim 1, wherein the wireless core network is a fifth generation cellular core network (Mishra [0211] the 5G Core comprises virtualized, software-based cloud native network functions (or services) , and instantiating the virtualized network function further comprises:
configuring the first interface to aggregate control signaling from a plurality of femtocell base stations to the wireless core network (Mishra [0192] On the RAN side of the network, the software virtualizes existing cells into a pool of virtualized resources that can be allocated dynamically. It virtualizes thousands of base stations to look like a few virtualized “supercells” to the core, Mishra [0263] a downstream network interface 1412 is provided for interfacing with the RANs, , which may be a radio interface); and
configuring the second interface to communicate with one or more virtualized network functions (Mishra [0028] Both access and core offerings are enabled by its network functions virtualization (NFV), Mishra [0263] an upstream network interface 1414 is provided for interfacing with the core network, ) hosted by the fifth generation cellular core network, the one or more virtualized network functions comprising the network function (Mishra [0211] the 5G Core comprises virtualized, software-based cloud native network functions (or services).
The motivation of doing so would have allowed operators to expand their RAN for additional coverage and capacity without putting any additional strain from signaling on the core components (See Mishra [0192]).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Zeng and Mishra et al. teaches The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the third wireless data comprises receiving the third wireless data from an access and mobility management function hosted by the wireless core network (Zeng [0032] The core network device includes an MME (Mobility Management Entity, mobility management entity... The MME communicates with the intermediate device and with the macro base station by using an S1- MME interface., Mishra [0069] a virtualized core solution consisting of MME, SGW and PGW as well as AMF),.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have replaced the MME of 4G core network of Zeng by the AMF and 5G network of Mishra et al.
The motivation of doing so would have upgraded the core network,
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Zeng and Mishra et al. teaches The method of claim 1, further comprising instantiating a plurality of additional virtual wireless base stations hosted by the virtualized network function (Mishra [0192] It virtualizes thousands of base stations to look like a few virtualized “supercells” to the core,).
The motivation of doing so would have allowed operators to expand their RAN for additional coverage and capacity without putting any additional strain from signaling on the core components (See Mishra [0192]).
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Zeng and Mishra et al. teaches The method of claim 1, further comprising:
generating the virtual wireless base station in the wireless environment (Mishra [0192] It virtualizes thousands of base stations to look like a few virtualized “supercells” to the core,), wherein the virtual wireless base station is configured to effectuate communication between the wireless core network and the plurality of base stations (Zeng [0032] The MME communicates with the intermediate device and with the macro base station by using an S1- MME interface), the virtual wireless base station being configured to be represented as a single wireless base station to the wireless core network (Mishra [0268] perform certain functions at a coordination server, such as the Parallel Wireless HetNet Gateway, which performs virtualization of the RAN towards the core), and the virtual wireless base station being configured to be represented as one or more virtualized network functions hosted by the wireless core network to the plurality of base stations (Mishra [0268] perform certain functions at a coordination server, such as the Parallel Wireless HetNet Gateway, which performs virtualization of the RAN towards the core and vice versa).
The motivation of doing so would have allowed operators to expand their RAN for additional coverage and capacity without putting any additional strain from signaling on the core components (See Mishra [0192]).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Zeng and Mishra et al. teaches The method of claim 10, wherein the virtual wireless base station has the second identifier (Zeng[0066] a macro base station identity), and the second identifier comprises a first number of bits different from a second number of bits of the first identifier (Zeng [0067] the bit width of the small cell identity is 28 bits, the bit width of the macro base station identity is 20 bits).
Regarding claim 15, the combination of Zeng and Mishra et al. teaches The method of claim 1, wherein the second type of wireless base station is a macrocell base station (Zeng [0066] a macro base station)
Regarding claim 16, the combination of Zeng and Mishra et al. teaches The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless environment is a fifth generation cellular (5G) environment (Mishra [0159] OpenRAN Software Suite virtualizes the RAN interfaces to manage the 5G, 4G, 3G, 2G cells in real-time), the first identifier identifies a 5G femtocell (Zeng [0063] The small cell identity is used to identify an identity of a small cell ) and the second identifier identifies a 5G gNB (Zeng[0066] a macro base station identity) .
Regarding claim 18, Zeng teaches An apparatus (Zeng Intermediate device 8 in Fig. 8) for providing wireless communication coverage in a wireless environment, the apparatus comprising:
at least one memory (Zeng Memory 802 in Fig. 8);
machine-readable instructions (Zeng [0144] The memory 802 stores program code); and
processor circuitry (Processor 801 in Fig. 8) to execute the machine-readable instructions (Zeng [0144] The processor 801 is configured to invoke the program code stored in the memory 802) to at least:
receive, by a first interface of a the intermediate device receives a first S1 message sent by a small cell. Note: the network function is interpreted as the intermediate device) comprising a first identifier that identifies a first type of wireless base station in the wireless environment (Zeng [0062] An intermediate device obtains a first S1 message including a small cell identity, Zeng [0063] The small cell identity is used to identify an identity of a small cell);;
convert, by the the intermediate device converts the small cell identity to a macro base station identity), the second identifier identifying a second type of wireless base station (Zeng [0066] a macro base station) and at least one wireless base station of a plurality of wireless base stations in the wireless environment (Zeng [0067] after capturing the first 20 bits in the small cell identity, the intermediate device generates the macro base station identity), the second type of wireless base station (Zeng [0066] a macro base station) being different from the first type of wireless base station [0063] The small cell identity is used to identify an identity of a small cell); and
transmit, by a second interface of the The intermediate device sends the second S1 message to the core network device associated with the intermediate device), the second wireless data comprising the second identifier (Zeng [0066] generates a second S1 message including the macro base station identity) and at least a portion of the first wireless data (Zeng [0067] after capturing the first 20 bits in the small cell identity, the intermediate device generates the macro base station identity) .
Zeng teaches the network function as a real intermediate device implementing the above function but does not teach
a virtualized network function; and
the at least one wireless base station being a virtual wireless base station instantiated by the virtualized network function and configured to execute a set of functions to effectuate wireless communication in the wireless environment.
However, Mishra et al. teach
a virtualized network function (Mishra [0028] The Parallel Wireless OpenRAN Controller is the industry's first and most innovative fully virtualized and scalable OpenRAN controller that supports E2 interface); and
the at least one wireless base station being a virtual wireless base station instantiated by the virtualized network function (Mishra [0192] On the RAN side of the network, the software virtualizes existing cells into a pool of virtualized resources that can be allocated dynamically. It virtualizes thousands of base stations to look like a few virtualized “supercells” to the core ) and configured to execute a set of functions to effectuate wireless communication in the wireless environment (Mishra [0268] perform certain functions at a coordination server, such as the Parallel Wireless HetNet Gateway, which performs virtualization of the RAN towards the core and vice versa).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified Zeng device by incorporating Mishra et al. virtualized implementation to arrive at the invention
The motivation of doing so would have allowed operators to expand their RAN for additional coverage and capacity without putting any additional strain from signaling on the core components (See Mishra [0192]).
Regarding claim 19, the combination of Zeng and Mishra et al. teaches The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first identifier comprises a Home Next Generation Node B (HgNB) identity having a first number of bits and the second identifier comprises a Next Generation Node B (gNB) identity having a second number of bits different from the first number of bits (Zeng [0067] the bit width of the small cell identity is 28 bits, the bit width of the macro base station identity is 20 bits).
Regarding claim 20, Zeng teaches At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions (Zeng [0144] The memory 802 stores program code); that, when executed, cause a processor to at least:
receive, by a first interface of a the intermediate device receives a first S1 message sent by a small cell. Note: the network function is interpreted as the intermediate device) comprising a first identifier that identifies a first type of wireless base station in the wireless environment (Zeng [0062] An intermediate device obtains a first S1 message including a small cell identity, Zeng [0063] The small cell identity is used to identify an identity of a small cell);
convert, by the the intermediate device converts the small cell identity to a macro base station identity), the second identifier identifying a second type of wireless base station (Zeng [0066] a macro base station) and at least one wireless base station of a plurality of wireless base stations in the wireless environment (Zeng [0067] after capturing the first 20 bits in the small cell identity, the intermediate device generates the macro base station identity), the second type of wireless base station (Zeng [0066] a macro base station) being different from the first type of wireless base station [0063] The small cell identity is used to identify an identity of a small cell); and
transmit, by a second interface of the The intermediate device sends the second S1 message to the core network device associated with the intermediate device), the second wireless data comprising the second identifier (Zeng [0066] generates a second S1 message including the macro base station identity) and at least a portion of the first wireless data (Zeng [0067] after capturing the first 20 bits in the small cell identity, the intermediate device generates the macro base station identity) .
Zeng teaches the network function as a real intermediate device implementing the above function but does not teach
a virtualized network function; and
the at least one wireless base station being a virtual wireless base station instantiated by the virtualized network function and configured to execute a set of functions to effectuate wireless communication in the wireless environment.
However, Mishra et al. teach
a virtualized network function (Mishra [0028] The Parallel Wireless OpenRAN Controller is the industry's first and most innovative fully virtualized and scalable OpenRAN controller that supports E2 interface); and
the at least one wireless base station being a virtual wireless base station instantiated by the virtualized network function (Mishra [0192] On the RAN side of the network, the software virtualizes existing cells into a pool of virtualized resources that can be allocated dynamically. It virtualizes thousands of base stations to look like a few virtualized “supercells” to the core ) and configured to execute a set of functions to effectuate wireless communication in the wireless environment (Mishra [0268] perform certain functions at a coordination server, such as the Parallel Wireless HetNet Gateway, which performs virtualization of the RAN towards the core and vice versa).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified Zeng device by incorporating Mishra et al. virtualized implementation to arrive at the invention
The motivation of doing so would have allowed operators to expand their RAN for additional coverage and capacity without putting any additional strain from signaling on the core components (See Mishra [0192]).
Claims 2-4, 11, 14, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zeng (EP 3313113 A1) in view of Mishra et al. (US 20210045193 A1), and in further view of Ivershen et al. (US 20150003256 A1).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Zeng and Mishra et al. teaches The method of claim 1, but does not teach
wherein the first identifier is a New Radio Cell Global Identity (NCGI) comprising a concatenation of a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) identity and a New Radio Cell Identity (NCI).
However, Ivershen et al. teach
wherein the first identifier is a New Radio Cell Global Identity (NCGI) (Ivershen [0028] a global identifier is assigned to each eNodeB (eNB Global ID)) comprising a concatenation of a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) identity and a New Radio Cell Identity (NCI) (Ivershen [0028] which contains the PLMN identity and the eNodeB identity used within the PLMN).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified the combination of Zeng and Mishra et al. by incorporating Ivershen et al. eNB identification to arrive at the invention
The motivation of doing so would have identified base stations
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Zeng, Mishra et al., and Ivershen et al teaches The method of claim 2, wherein the PLMN identity comprises a mobile country code identifying a country and a mobile network code identifying a mobile network operator in the country (Ivershen [0025] The PLMN Identifier consists of the Mobile country Code (MCC) and Mobile Network Code (MNC).).
The motivation of doing so would have identified mobile networks.
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Zeng, Mishra et al., and Ivershen et al teaches The method of claim 2, wherein the NCI comprises at least one of a Home Next Generation Node B (HgNB) identity or a cell identity (Ivershen table 1 The entire "Cell Identity" (28 bits) is the "eNodeB identity" in case of Home eNodeB.), the HgNB identity identifying a femtocell base station (Table 1 the Home eNodeB is a Femo cell itself), and the cell identity identifying a wireless cell operated by the femtocell base station.
The motivation of doing so would have identified mobile networks cells.
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Zeng and Mishra et al. teaches The method of claim 10, generating the virtual wireless base station comprises configuring the virtual wireless base station to be represented to the wireless core network as a wireless base station (Mishra [0134] building a modular base station software stack that operates on common-off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware ) operating one or more macrocells (Mishra [0192] the software virtualizes existing cells into a pool of virtualized resources that can be allocated dynamically. It virtualizes thousands of base stations).
the combination of Zeng and Mishra et al. does not teach
wherein each of the plurality of base stations are operating one or more femtocells.
In a similar endeavor, Ivershen et al. teach
wherein each of the plurality of base stations are operating one or more femtocells (Ivershen Table 1 the Home eNodeB is a Femo cell itself).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified the combination of Zeng and Mishra et al. by incorporating Ivershen et al. Femto cell to arrive at the invention
The motivation of doing so would have deployed femto cell base station for the small cells.
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Zeng and Mishra et al. teaches The method of claim 1, wherein the first type of wireless base station is a small but does not explicitly teach
wherein the first type of wireless base station is a femtocell base station.
In a similar endeavor, Ivershen et al. teach
wherein the first type of wireless base station is a femtocell base station (Ivershen Table 1 the Home eNodeB is a Femo cell itself).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified the combination of Zeng and Mishra et al. by incorporating Ivershen et al. Femto cell to arrive at the invention
The motivation of doing so would have deployed femto cell base station for the small cells.
Regarding claim 17, the combination of Zeng and Mishra et al. teaches The method of claim 1, but does not teach
wherein the first type of wireless base station is a femtocell base station, and the first identifier is associated with a single-cell configuration comprising a single femtocell or a multi-cell configuration comprising two or more femtocells
In a similar endeavor, Ivershen et al. teach
wherein the first type of wireless base station is a femtocell base station (Ivershen Table 1 the Home eNodeB is a Femo cell itself), and the first identifier is associated with a single-cell configuration comprising a single femtocell (Ivershen table 1 The entire "Cell Identity" (28 bits) is the "eNodeB identity" in case of Home eNodeB.),) or a multi-cell configuration comprising two or more femtocells
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified the combination of Zeng and Mishra et al. by incorporating Ivershen et al. Femto cell to arrive at the invention
The motivation of doing so would have deployed femto cell base station for the small cells.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 13 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Zeng and Mishra et al. teaches The method of claim 10, wherein the virtual wireless base station is a Next Generation Node B (gNB), the one or more virtualized network functions comprise at least one of an access and mobility management function (Zeng [0032] The core network device includes an MME (Mobility Management Entity, mobility management entity... The MME communicates with the intermediate device and with the macro base station by using an S1- MME interface) or a session management function, but does not teach
generating the virtual wireless base station comprises configuring the virtual wireless base station to be represented (i) to the wireless core network as the gNB and (ii) to the plurality of base stations as at least one of the access and mobility management function or the session management function hosted by the wireless core network.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAID M ELNOUBI whose telephone number is (571)272-9732. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:30AM to 6:00PM ET.
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, Kathy Wang-Hurst can be reached at 571-270-5371. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/SAID M ELNOUBI/Examiner, Art Unit 2644