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 (IDS)
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12 January 2024 and 26 August 2024 is being considered by the examiner.
Claims 1-22 are pending.
Figures 3 and 4A of the application illustrates the claimed invention.
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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, 11-15, 21 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZOU et al. (US 2015/0043432 A1), in view of HE et al. (US 2023/0123249 A1), referred to Provisional application No. 63/262,549, filed on Oct. 14, 2021.
Regarding claims 1, 11, 21 and 22, discloses a system for enabling interoperability of self-organizing networks (SONs)
one or more processors; and
a memory operatively coupled to the one or more processors, wherein the memory comprises processor-executable instructions, which on execution, cause the one or more processors to:
send a SON capability query to one or more entities (figure 5, S501: SON capability information of the IRPAgent; S502: SON capability information of the base station”);
receive a SON capability information associated with the one or more entities in the HetNet in response to the SON capability query (see figure 5, IRPManager receives SON capability information”); and
generate an initial SON configuration associated with the one or more entities based on the received SON capability information.
([0057]: “the IRPManager sends a message to the eNB2 via an IRPAgent to instruct the eNB2 to enable the ES function so that the eNB2 can perform the ES function.”).
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ZOU et al. fails to disclose the self-organizing network (SON) in a heterogeneous network (HetNet).
HE et al. in the same field of invention, teaches ([0037]: “The wireless network 100 may be a heterogeneous network that includes based stations 110 of different types, such as macro base stations, pico base stations, femto base stations, relay base stations, or the like. These different types of base stations 110 may have different transmit power levels, different coverage areas, and/or different impacts on interference in the wireless network 100...([0076]: “the wireless network 100 may include a network controller, a self-organizing network (SON) module or component”). See figure 13.
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Therefore, it would have been obvious to those having ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to implement the method taught in ZOU et al. a multi-radio technology, such as suggested in HE et al.
Regarding claims 2 and 12, ZOU et al. in view of SANNECK et al. teaches command one or more entities in the HetNet to enable the SON function in the one or more entities based on the received SON capability information.
([0079]: “The SON function selection policy in the embodiment is illustrated as follows: the IRPManager prohibits the same SON function configured in different entities from being executed simultaneously. For example, the IRPManager may be provided with an centralized ES function and the base station may be provided with a distributed ES function, then the IRPManager may enable the ES function of one entity and disable the ES function of another entity based on a certain policy after the IRPManager acquires the ES capability information of the IRPAgent and the base station.”
Regarding claims 3 and 13, ZOU et al. in view of SANNECK et al. further teaches command the one or more entities in the HetNet to disable the SON function in the one or more entities based on the received SON capability information.
([0079]: “The SON function selection policy in the embodiment is illustrated as follows: the IRPManager prohibits the same SON function configured in different entities from being executed simultaneously. For example, the IRPManager may be provided with an centralized ES function and the base station may be provided with a distributed ES function, then the IRPManager may enable the ES function of one entity and disable the ES function of another entity based on a certain policy after the IRPManager acquires the ES capability information of the IRPAgent and the base station.”
Regarding claims 4 and 14, HE et al. further teaches wherein the one or more entities comprise open radio access network (O-RAN) entities.
([0297]: “In some implementations, the UE 1310 can be logically split into one or more CU-UP units and one or more CU-CP units. A CU-UP unit can communicate bidirectionally with a CU-CP unit via an interface, such as the E1 interface when implemented to communicate with a DU 1330, as necessary, for network control and signaling.”)
Regarding claims 5 and 15, HE et al. further teaches wherein the one or more entities comprise at least one of: a non-real time radio access network intelligent controller (non-RT RIC), a near-RT RCI, and an E2 node. ([301]: “The non-RT RIC 1315 may be configured to include a logical function that enables non-real-time control and optimization of RAN elements and resources, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning (AI/ML) workflows includes model training and updates, or policy-based guidance of applications/features in the Near-RT RIC 1325. The Non-RT RIC 1315 may be coupled to or communicate with (such as via an A1 interface) the Near-RT RIC 1325. The Near-RT RIC 1325 may be configured to include a logical function that enables near-real-time control and optimization of RAN elements and resources via data collection and actions over an interface (such as via an E2 interface) connecting one or more CU2 1310, one or more Dus 1330, or both, as well as an O-eNB, with the Near-RT RIC 1325.”).
Claim(s) 6 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZOU et al. (US 2015/0043432 A1), in view of HE et al. (US 2023/0123249 A1) further in view of Siomina et al. (US 2014/0106774 A1).
Regarding claims 6 and 16, ZOU et al. in view of HE et al. fails to teach wherein the SON capability information comprises an SON support bitmap information element (IE).
Siomina et al., in the same field of invention, teaches network entities comprises Self-Organizing Network (SON), see para.[0035]. Siomina et al. further teaches ([0158]: “the capability may be indicated as a bitmap comprising indicators in a pre-defined order, e.g., associated with supported frequencies, bands, CCs, etc.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to those having ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure the capability information in ZOU et al. in view of HE et al. with a bitmap, such as taught in Siomina et al.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-10 and 17-20 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRENDA H PHAM whose telephone number is (571)272-3135. The examiner can normally be reached 571-272-3135.
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BRENDA H. PHAM
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2412
/BRENDA H PHAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2412
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