DETAILED ACTION
Claim(s) 1-22 are presented for examination.
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 .
Priority
As required by M.P.E.P.201.14(c), acknowledgement is made to applicant’s claim for priority based on application(s) KR10-2021-0102248 submitted on August 3rd, 20221.
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on December 14th, 2023; October 15th, 2024; February 3rd, 2025; May 9th, 2025; and August 26th, 2025 follow the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it contains a legal phraseology “comprises …” in line 5. The form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as "means" and "said," should be avoided. Correction is required. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Rejections - 35 U.S.C. § 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) 1-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by URIE (US 2023/0110387 A1).
Regarding Claims 1 and 6,
Urie discloses a near-real time (RT) radio access network (RAN) intelligent controller (RIC) in a wireless communication system [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(b), pg. 10, ¶95 lines 1-22, an apparatus “20” or a near-RT RIC], the near-RT RIC [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(b), pg. 10, ¶95 lines 1-22, the apparatus “20” or the near-RT RIC] comprising:
a transceiver [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(b), pg. 10, ¶95 lines 1-22, a transceiver “28”];
a processor [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(b), pg. 10, ¶95 lines 1-22, a processor “22”]; and
memory storing instructions that [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(b), pg. 10, ¶95 lines 1-22, a memory “24”], when executed by the processor [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(b), pg. 10, ¶95 lines 1-22, during an implementation by the processor “22”], cause the near-RT RIC [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(b), pg. 10, ¶95 lines 1-22, trigger the apparatus “20” or the near-RT RIC] to:
receive [see fig. 6: Step “4”, pg. 5, ¶49 lines 1-19, obtaining, by the near-RT RIC], from an E2 node [see fig. 6: Step “4”, pg. 5, ¶49 lines 1-19, from an E2 node], an E2 removal request message for removing a connection between the near-RT RIC and the E2 node through an E2 interface [see fig. 6: Step “4”, pg. 5, ¶49 lines 1-19, an RIC indication including a request ID, SN, and report]; and
transmit [see fig. 6: Step “6”, pg. 5, ¶49 lines 1-19, performing], to the E2 node [see fig. 6: Step “6”, pg. 5, ¶49 lines 1-19, between the near-RT RIC and the E2 node], an E2 removal response message through the E2 interface [see fig. 6: Step “6”, pg. 5, ¶49 lines 1-19, an RIC subscription delete procedure], wherein the E2 node comprises an O-RAN central unit-control plane (O-CU-CP) [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(b), pg. 4, ¶43 lines 1-31; pg. 10, ¶95 lines 1-22, the E2 node is an O-eNB, CU-CP and CU-UP (in 5G connected by E1 interface), or O-CU-CP and O-CU-UP in the O-RAN context], and wherein the E2 interface provided for communication between the near-RT RIC and the E2 node supports an E2 application protocol (E2AP) for communication over the E2 interface [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(b), pg. 4, ¶43 lines 1-31; pg. 10, ¶95 lines 1-22, the O-RAN defined E2 interface provides a means for interconnecting a near-RT RIC and an E2 node, and the E2 application protocol (E2AP) supports the functions of the E2 interface by signaling procedures defined in O-RAN].
Regarding Claims 2 and 7,
Urie discloses the near-RT RIC of claim 6, wherein the memory further comprises the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the near-RT RIC to:
remove at least one resource associated with the connection between the near-RT RIC and the E2 node [see pg. 5, ¶49 lines 11-13, the RIC subscription procedure continues and repeats until the subscription is deleted].
Regarding Claims 3 and 8,
Urie discloses the near-RT RIC of claim 6, wherein the memory further comprises the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the near-RT RIC to:
delete information associated with the connection between the near-RT RIC and the E2 node [see pg. 5, ¶49 lines 11-13, the RIC subscription procedure continues and repeats until the subscription is deleted].
Regarding Claims 4 and 9,
Urie discloses the near-RT RIC of claim 6, wherein the E2 node removes at least one resource associated with the connection between the near-RT RIC and the E2 node after receiving the E2 removal request message [see pg. 5, ¶49 lines 11-13, an RIC subscription delete procedure is performed between the near-RT RIC and the E2 node after the E2 node sends the near-RT RIC an RIC indication including the request ID, SN, and report].
Regarding Claims 5 and 10,
Urie discloses the near-RT RIC of claim 6, wherein the E2 node stops data transmission toward the near-RT RIC [see pg. 5, ¶49 lines 11-13, an RIC subscription delete procedure is performed between the near-RT RIC and the E2 node].
Regarding Claims 11 and 16,
Urie discloses an E2 node in a wireless communication system [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(a), pg. 10, ¶94 lines 1-12, an apparatus “10” or an E2 node], the E2 node [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(a), pg. 10, ¶94 lines 1-12, the apparatus “10” or the E2 node] comprising:
a transceiver [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(a), pg. 10, ¶94 lines 1-12, a transceiver “18”];
a processor [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(a), pg. 10, ¶94 lines 1-12, a processor “12”]; and
memory storing instructions that [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(a), pg. 10, ¶94 lines 1-12, a memory “14”], when executed by the processor [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(a), pg. 10, ¶94 lines 1-12, during an implementation by the processor “12”], cause the E2 node [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(a), pg. 10, ¶94 lines 1-12, trigger the apparatus “10” or the E2 node] to:
transmit [see fig. 6: Step “4”, pg. 5, ¶49 lines 1-19, the E2 node sends], to a near-Real Time (RT) radio access network (RAN) intelligent controller (RIC) [see fig. 6: Step “4”, pg. 5, ¶49 lines 1-19, the near-RT RIC], an E2 removal request message for removing a connection between the near-RT RIC and the E2 node through an E2 interface [see fig. 6: Step “4”, pg. 5, ¶49 lines 1-19, an RIC indication including the request ID, SN, and report]; and
receive [see fig. 6: Step “6”, pg. 5, ¶49 lines 1-19, performing], from the near-RT RIC [see fig. 6: Step “6”, pg. 5, ¶49 lines 1-19, between the near-RT RIC and the E2 node], an E2 removal response message through the E2 interface [see fig. 6: Step “6”, pg. 5, ¶49 lines 1-19, an RIC subscription delete procedure], wherein the E2 node comprises an O-RAN central unit-control plane (O-CU-CP) [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(b), pg. 4, ¶43 lines 1-31; pg. 10, ¶95 lines 1-22, the E2 node is an O-eNB, CU-CP and CU-UP (in 5G connected by E1 interface), or O-CU-CP and O-CU-UP in the O-RAN context], and wherein the E2 interface provided for communication between the near-RT RIC and the E2 node supports an E2 application protocol (E2AP) for communication over the E2 interface [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(b), pg. 4, ¶43 lines 1-31; pg. 10, ¶95 lines 1-22, the O-RAN defined E2 interface provides a means for interconnecting a near-RT RIC and an E2 node, and the E2 application protocol (E2AP) supports the functions of the E2 interface by signaling procedures defined in O-RAN].
Regarding Claim 15,
Urie discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the near-RT RIC deletes information associated with the connection between the near-RT RIC and the E2 node after transmitting the E2 removal request message [see pg. 5, ¶49 lines 11-13, an RIC subscription delete procedure is performed between the near-RT RIC and the E2 node after the E2 node sends the near-RT RIC an RIC indication including the request ID, SN, and report].
Regarding Claims 12 and 17,
Urie discloses the E2 node of claim 16, wherein the memory further comprises the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the E2 node to:
remove at least one resource associated with the connection between the near-RT RIC and the E2 node [see pg. 5, ¶49 lines 11-13, the RIC subscription procedure continues and repeats until the subscription is deleted].
Regarding Claims 13 and 18,
Urie discloses the E2 node of claim 16, wherein the memory further comprises the instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the E2 node to:
stop data transmission toward the near-RT RIC [see pg. 5, ¶49 lines 11-13, an RIC subscription delete procedure is performed between the near-RT RIC and the E2 node].
Regarding Claims 14 and 19,
Urie discloses the E2 node of claim 16, wherein the near-RT RIC removes at least one resource associated with the connection between the near-RT RIC and the E2 node after transmitting the E2 removal request message [see pg. 5, ¶49 lines 11-13, an RIC subscription delete procedure is performed between the near-RT RIC and the E2 node after the E2 node sends the near-RT RIC an RIC indication including the request ID, SN, and report].
Regarding Claim 20,
Urie discloses the E2 node of claim 16, wherein the near-RT RIC deletes information associated with the connection between the near-RT RIC and the E2 node after transmitting the E2 removal request message [see pg. 5, ¶49 lines 11-13, an RIC subscription delete procedure is performed between the near-RT RIC and the E2 node after the E2 node sends the near-RT RIC an RIC indication including the request ID, SN, and report].
Regarding Claim 21,
Urie discloses a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program including instructions that [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(b), pg. 10, ¶95 lines 1-22, a memory “24”], when executed by a processor of a near-Real Time (RT) radio access network (RAN) intelligent controller (RIC) in a wireless communication system [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(b), pg. 10, ¶95 lines 1-22, during an implementation by an apparatus “20” or a near-RT RIC], cause the near-RT RIC to perform operations [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(b), pg. 10, ¶95 lines 1-22, triggers the apparatus “20” or the near-RT RIC], the operations [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(b), pg. 10, ¶95 lines 1-22, to execute a method] comprising:
receiving [see fig. 6: Step “4”, pg. 5, ¶49 lines 1-19, obtaining, by the near-RT RIC], from an E2 node [see fig. 6: Step “4”, pg. 5, ¶49 lines 1-19, from an E2 node], an E2 removal request message for removing a connection between the near-RT RIC and the E2 node through an E2 interface [see fig. 6: Step “4”, pg. 5, ¶49 lines 1-19, an RIC indication including a request ID, SN, and report]; and
transmitting [see fig. 6: Step “6”, pg. 5, ¶49 lines 1-19, performing], to the E2 node [see fig. 6: Step “6”, pg. 5, ¶49 lines 1-19, between the near-RT RIC and the E2 node], an E2 removal response message through the E2 interface [see fig. 6: Step “6”, pg. 5, ¶49 lines 1-19, an RIC subscription delete procedure], wherein the E2 node comprises an O-RAN central unit-control plane (O-CU-CP) [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(b), pg. 4, ¶43 lines 1-31; pg. 10, ¶95 lines 1-22, the E2 node is an O-eNB, CU-CP and CU-UP (in 5G connected by E1 interface), or O-CU-CP and O-CU-UP in the O-RAN context], and wherein the E2 interface provided for communication between the near-RT RIC and the E2 node supports an E2 application protocol (E2AP) for communication over the E2 interface [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(b), pg. 4, ¶43 lines 1-31; pg. 10, ¶95 lines 1-22, the O-RAN defined E2 interface provides a means for interconnecting a near-RT RIC and an E2 node, and the E2 application protocol (E2AP) supports the functions of the E2 interface by signaling procedures defined in O-RAN].
Regarding Claim 22,
Urie discloses a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program including instructions that [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(a), pg. 10, ¶94 lines 1-12, a memory “14”], when executed by a processor of an E2 node in a wireless communication system [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(a), pg. 10, ¶94 lines 1-12, during an implementation by an apparatus “10” or an E2 node], cause the E2 node to perform operations [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(a), pg. 10, ¶94 lines 1-12, triggers the apparatus “10” or the E2 node], the operations [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(a), pg. 10, ¶94 lines 1-12, to execute a method] comprising:
transmitting [see fig. 6: Step “4”, pg. 5, ¶49 lines 1-19, the E2 node sends], to a near-Real Time (RT) radio access network (RAN) intelligent controller (RIC) [see fig. 6: Step “4”, pg. 5, ¶49 lines 1-19, the near-RT RIC], an E2 removal request message for removing a connection between the near-RT RIC and the E2 node through an E2 interface [see fig. 6: Step “4”, pg. 5, ¶49 lines 1-19, an RIC indication including the request ID, SN, and report]; and
receiving [see fig. 6: Step “6”, pg. 5, ¶49 lines 1-19, performing], from the near-RT RIC [see fig. 6: Step “6”, pg. 5, ¶49 lines 1-19, between the near-RT RIC and the E2 node], an E2 removal response message through the E2 interface [see fig. 6: Step “6”, pg. 5, ¶49 lines 1-19, an RIC subscription delete procedure], wherein the E2 node comprises an O-RAN central unit-control plane (O-CU-CP) [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(b), pg. 4, ¶43 lines 1-31; pg. 10, ¶95 lines 1-22, the E2 node is an O-eNB, CU-CP and CU-UP (in 5G connected by E1 interface), or O-CU-CP and O-CU-UP in the O-RAN context], and wherein the E2 interface provided for communication between the near-RT RIC and the E2 node supports an E2 application protocol (E2AP) for communication over the E2 interface [see fig(s). 2, 6 & 20(b), pg. 4, ¶43 lines 1-31; pg. 10, ¶95 lines 1-22, the O-RAN defined E2 interface provides a means for interconnecting a near-RT RIC and an E2 node, and the E2 application protocol (E2AP) supports the functions of the E2 interface by signaling procedures defined in O-RAN].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
United States Patent Application Publication: Parekh et al. (US 2021/0235451 A1); see fig. 4, pg. 7, ¶76-¶81.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RUSHIL P SAMPAT whose telephone number is (469) 295-9141. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri (8 AM - 5 PM).
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/RUSHIL P. SAMPAT/Primary Examiner- TC 2400, Art Unit 2469