DETAILED ACTION
Specification
The specification is objected to as failing to provide proper antecedent basis for the claimed subject matter. See 37 CFR 1.75(d)(1) and MPEP § 608.01(o). Correction of the following is required: The claim term “a specified geographic boundary” appeared in claims 63, 70 and 77 has no antecedent basis to specification.
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.
Claims 63-72, 75-79 and 82-86 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Guim Bernat (US 2021/0,144,517).
Referring to claims 63, 70 and 77, Guim Bernat discloses an apparatus (fig. 1, edge computing 100) comprising:
interface circuitry (fig. 22B, interfaces 2266/2268/2270);
machine-readable instructions (fig. 22B, instructions 2282); and
programmable circuit (fig. 22B, processor 2252) to be programmed based on the machine-readable instructions to:
determine a location (fig. 63, edge 6306/6308/6310 of edge device 6304; fig. 25, geogence 2540/2538) of a virtual reality VR device (paras.1154-1155, virtual reality edge computing devices) based on location data (fig. 63, telemetry 6302; para.0658, location information) associated with the VR device; and
based on a determination (fig. 12, determining location of vehicle 1210; fig. 6, determination location of edge endpoints 610; para.0143) that the location satisfies a specified geographic boundary (fig. 6, boundary of premise 632, access point 634 or street 636) corresponding to a VR live stream (para.0265, live streaming and AR/VR workload), cause an instance of a VR live stream application (fig. 6, applications in edge nodes 640 or cloud/DC 660) to be executed or instantiated at a server (fig. 6, edge nodes 640 or cloud/DC 660) associated with the specified geographic boundary, the instance of the VR live stream application to provide the VR live stream to the VR device (fig. 6, response 622/624/626).
As to claims 64, 71 and 78, Guim Bernat discloses the apparatus of claim 63, wherein the programmable circuit is to associate the VR device and the instance of the VR live stream application (fig. 6, associate end points 610 with applications 640; para.0265, live streaming and AR/VR workload).
As to claims 65, 72 and 79, Guim Bernat discloses the apparatus of claim 63, wherein the specified geographic boundary corresponds to a virtual boundary (fig. 1, range of base stations/access points 140 to edge devices 161/162/163/…) within which the VR device is authorized to access the VR live stream (fig. 30, via authentication logic 3012).
As to claims 66-67, Guim Bernat discloses the apparatus of claim 63, wherein:
the server is a cloud/edge server (fig. 1, edge cloud 110), the interface circuitry and the programmable circuit are included in the cloud/edge server (fig. 3, edge computing system 300 within cloud 110); and
the programmable circuit is to cause the interface circuitry to transmit the VR live stream associated with the instance of the VR live stream application from the cloud/edge server to the VR device to cause the VR device to render the VR live stream (fig. 1, establishing streaming between cloud data center and endpoints 160 via edge cloud 110).
As to claims 68, 75 and 82, Guim Bernat discloses the apparatus of claim 63, wherein the location is determined at a first time (fig. 59, UE enter range of base station A 5910), the determination is a first determination (fig. 59, determine UE connectivity to edge cloudlet 5910 as entering), and the programmable circuit is to:
determine a second location (fig. 59, location of UE leaving range of base station A 5910) of the VR device at a second time after (fig. 59, time of UE leaving range of base station A 5910) the first time; and
based on a second determination (fig. 59, determine UE connectivity to edge cloudlet 5910) that the second location does not satisfy the specified geographic boundary, disconnect the VR device from the instance of VR live stream application (fig. 59, disconnect UE to base station A 5910 when entering range of base station B 5920).
As to claims 69 and 76, Guim Bernat discloses the apparatus of claim 63, wherein the determination is a first determination (fig. 59, determine UE connectivity to edge cloudlet 5910 as entering), and the programmable circuit is to:
based on a second determination (fig. 59, determine UE connectivity to edge cloudlet 5910) that the VR device is not associated with a first virtual token (para.0819, ticket/token structure) for access to the VR live stream and a third determination (fig. 59, UE entering range of base station B 5920 with connectivity) that the VR live stream started, issue a second virtual token (para.0819, ticket/token structure; para.0860, access token) for the access to the VR live stream; and
grant access of the VR device to the VR live stream based on the second virtual token (fig. 59, UE connect to base station B 5920).
As to claims 83 and 85, Guim Bernat discloses the apparatus of claim 63, wherein the server is an edge server (fig. 12, edge gateway nodes 1220; fig. 60 base station A 5910), the programmable circuit is included in the edge server, and the programmable circuit is to:
based on execution of instantiation of the instance of the VR live stream application, offload location determination for the VR device to a cloud server (fig. 60, transfer to base station B 5920); and
based on the location determination being offloaded to the cloud server, reallocate bandwidth of the interface circuitry reserved for location determination to transmission of the VR live stream to the VR device (fig. 60, UE interactive with base station B 5920).
As to claims 84 and 86, Guim Bernat discloses the apparatus of claim 63, wherein the location is a first location (fig. 12, left vehicle 1210 location), the VR device is a first VR device (fig. 12, left vehicle 1210), the location data is first location data, the determination is a first determination (fig. 12, determine connectivity to gateway node 1220), the instance of the VR live stream application is a first instance (fig. 12, connection between vehicle 1210 and gateway node 1220), and the programmable circuit is to:
determine a second location (fig. 12, right vehicle 1210 location) of a second VR device (fig. 12, right vehicle 1210) based on second location data associated with the second VR device; and
based on a second determination (fig. 12, determine connectivity to gateway node 1220) that the second location satisfies the specified geographic boundary, cause a second instance (fig. 12, connection between vehicle 1220 and gateway nodes 1220) of the VR live stream application to be executed or instantiated at the server, the second instance of the VR live stream application to render the VR live stream for the second VR device (fig. 1, establishing streaming between cloud data center and endpoints 160 via edge cloud 110).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments have been fully considered, but they are not deemed to be persuasive.
Applicant argues that the cited prior art does not disclose a programmable circuit to perform “based on a determination that the location satisfies a specified geographic boundary corresponding to a VR live stream, cause an instance of a VR live stream application to be executed or instantiated at a server associated with the specified geographic boundary, the instance of the VR live stream application to provide the VR live stream to the VR device” as amended in independent claims (p.10).
Guim Bernat discloses an infrastructure of edge computing including cellular network with AR/VR applications. The geographic boundaries are defined by accessibility between each base station and access point based on proximity. When edge endpoint devices change their location, accessibility to edge gateways changed due to their geographic boundary limitations. Once the connection switched to a new edge gateway, the VR instance will continue from the new gateway to the endpoint device. See more detail explanations in art rejection section above.
Conclusion
This action is made final. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire in three months from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filled within two months of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the three-month shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date of the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than six months from the date of this final action.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to examiner Cheng-Yuan Tseng whose telephone number is (571)272-9772, and fax number is (571)273-9772. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Friday from 09:00 to 17:30 Eastern Time. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alicia Harrington can be reached on (571)272-2330. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571)273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at (866)217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call (800)786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or (571)272-1000.
/CHENG YUAN TSENG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2615