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
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 02/21/2024 has been placed in record and considered by the examiner.
NOTICE for all US Patent Applications filed on or after March 16, 2013
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of AIA 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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as anticipated by Sarkar et al. (US 20160029253 A1, of IDS, hereinafter ‘SARKAR’).
Regarding claim 1, SARKAR teaches a method performed by a network node for augmenting automatic neighbor relations in a wireless communication network (
[0003] The Automatic Neighbor Relation (ANR) feature in Third Generation Partnership Project's (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks minimizes the need for the manual configuration of a neighbor cell list (also referred to as a “neighbor list” or Neighbor Relations Table (NRT)) for intra-frequency or inter-frequency handovers. ANR automatically builds up and maintains a neighbor list or NRT used for handover. ANR adds neighbor relations to the serving cell's neighbor list when certain measurement reports by a User Equipment (UE) in an LTE network indicate that a possible new neighbor relationship has been identified. When this occurs, the serving evolved Node B (eNB or eNodeB) or Radio Base Station (RBS, or more simply “BS”) requests the UE to report the unique Cell Global Identity (CGI) of the potential neighbor cell. Using this information, the serving RBS/eNB automatically creates a neighbor relation between the serving cell and the new neighbor cell using the ANR procedure, thereby facilitating UE's handover to that neighbor cell. The ANR feature can be used together with manual optimization of neighbor lists, and ANR is also able to automatically remove neighbor cell relations which have not been used within a particular time period.
Fig. 7, [0069] FIG. 7 is an exemplary flowchart 135 illustrating how a source eNB such as, for example, the eNB 82 in FIG. 5, may classify a target cell such as, for example, the target cell 84 in FIG. 5, as a boomer cell according to particular embodiments of the present disclosure. As noted before with reference to FIG. 5, Cell-1 is assumed to be the serving cell, Cell-2 is assumed to be a neighbor cell to Cell-1, and Cell-3 is treated as the target cell to which the UE 87 is supposed to be handed off by Cell-1.), the method comprising:
obtaining a list of neighbors of a cell in the wireless communication network and at least one performance characteristic associated with each of one or more of the neighbors (
Fig. 2, Blocks 35-41, [0009] The eNB 18 for the serving cell 10 may have an ANR function, as a result of which the eNB 18 may instruct each UE (such as the UE 16) attached to the serving cell 10 and under operative control of the eNB 18 to perform measurements on the neighboring cells. …..
[0010] The UE 16 may perform measurement on the neighbor cells, such as the cell B….
[0011] 2. As noted above, the UE 16 may send its measurement report regarding Cell B to Cell A as indicated by arrow 35 in FIG. 1 and block 35 in FIG. 2. Such measurement report may contain Cell B's PCI….
[0014] new eNB 20 as indicated by arrow 38 in FIG. 1 and block 38 in FIG. 2. More particularly, as part of the look-up procedure at block 38, the serving eNB 18 may check if X2 (i.e., communication interface) to the eNB 20 in Cell B is allowed. For example, there may be an X2 Setup List 44 stored in the ONRM 30. The setup list 44 may include an “X2 Black List” and an “X2 White List,” and may also include details of date and time of ANR creation and ANR modification as part of a software Managed Object (MO) representing the eNB or EB 18 as shown by block 45 in FIG. 1.
[0015] After X2 is established with Cell B, the eNB 18 in Cell A may update its neighbor relation list and may also update OSS 26 with relevant observation data (as indicated by arrow 41 in FIG. 1 and block 41 in FIG. 2). Cell B's presence in Cell A's neighbor list would then allow Cell A to execute subsequent handover to Cell B, when needed.
Fig. 7, Block 163, [0077] update its neighbor relation list (or NRT) to reflect addition of the target cell 84 as a valid neighbor (block 163).);
determining a distance of each of the one or more neighbors from the cell (
[0021] the ANR system at a source cell may be improved to make a decision whether to add or reject a target cell suggested by a UE as a valid neighbor of the source cell. Such decision may be based on (i) the distance between the source and the target cells, and (ii) the tier value indicating the number of layers of cell sites between the source and the target cells. In one embodiment, the distance and tier information may be provided by a Self Organizing Network (SON) Application Server (AS) to automatically classify a target cell as a boomer cell and to exclude such boomer cells from a neighbor list (or NRT) of a source cell created using the ANR procedure. Thus, information necessary to recognize a particular candidate cell as a boomer cell is automatically provided using SON practices.
Fig. 7 Block 151, [0071] Referring again to FIG. 7, if the source eNB 82 determines at decision block 140 that Cell-3 is not defined as a neighbor of Cell-1 in Cell-1's NRT, then, in one embodiment, the source eNB 82 may instruct the UE 87, through the RRC Connection Reconfiguration message, to send the ECGI of Cell-3 to the source eNB 82 (block 147). In response, the UE 87 may read the System Information Block 1 (SIB1) of Cell-3 (as broadcast by the target eNB 84) to obtain the ECGI, PLMN ID and TAC of the target cell 84. The UE 87 may then report the ECGI, PLMN ID and TAC of Cell-3 to the source eNB 82 (block 149). In one embodiment, based on the PCI and ECGI reported for Cell-3, the ANR function within the source eNB 82 may use the SON Configuration Transfer Information Element (IE) to query the SON-OM server (such as, for example, the SON AS 91 executing the SON-OM module 92 in FIG. 5) to provide the distance and tier information of the target cell 84 (block 151).);
determining a distance threshold based on the at least one performance characteristic (
See [0011] cited above.
Fig. 7 Block 137, [0069] As noted before with reference to FIG. 5, Cell-1 is assumed to be the serving cell, Cell-2 is assumed to be a neighbor cell to Cell-1, and Cell-3 is treated as the target cell to which the UE 87 is supposed to be handed off by Cell-1. Initially, at block 137, Cell-1 may receive a measurement report from the UE 87 (i.e., the UE 87 may send this measurement report to its service Cell-1). The measurement report may contain the PCI information of Cell-3.
Fig. 7 Block 137 -> …. -> Block 151 -> Block 153, [0071] Referring again to FIG. 7, if the source eNB 82 determines at decision block 140 that Cell-3 is not defined as a neighbor of Cell-1 in Cell-1's NRT, then, in one embodiment, the source eNB 82 may instruct the UE 87, through the RRC Connection Reconfiguration message, to send the ECGI of Cell-3 to the source eNB 82 (block 147). In response, the UE 87 may read the System Information Block 1 (SIB1) of Cell-3 (as broadcast by the target eNB 84) to obtain the ECGI, PLMN ID and TAC of the target cell 84. The UE 87 may then report the ECGI, PLMN ID and TAC of Cell-3 to the source eNB 82 (block 149). ……. …. the source eNB 82 may use the SON Configuration Transfer Information Element (IE) to query the SON-OM server (such as, for example, the SON AS 91 executing the SON-OM module 92 in FIG. 5) to provide the distance and tier information of the target cell 84 (block 151). …… As indicated at block 153 in FIG. 7, the SON-OM server may use the site coordinates of the source and the target cells to calculate the distance between the source and the target cells and the tier value for the target cell, and then report the distance and tier information to the source eNB 82.);
comparing the distance of the one or more neighbors to the distance threshold (
Fig. 7 Block 155, [0073] At the decision block 155, the source eNB 82 may compare the distance and tier information received from the SON-OM server against a pair of pre-defined thresholds—the maxDistForAnrNbr threshold for distance and the maxTierForAnrNbr threshold for tier. The maxDistForAnrNbr threshold may define a maximum distance for a neighbor (target) cell to be considered a valid neighbor under ANR and the maxTierForAnrNbr threshold may define a maximum tier value allowable for a neighbor (target) cell to be considered a valid neighbor under ANR. ); and
disabling one or more neighbors in the list from operating as a neighbor for the cell based on the distance threshold comparison (
[0022] Accordingly, the boomer cells can be flagged for deletion and suitable physical optimization. Thus, once a neighbor cell is classified as a boomer cell, it can be automatically eliminated from the neighbor list without the manual intervention of the operator.
Fig. 7 Block 158, [0074] If the decision is “yes” at block 155 (i.e., the distance and tier values are greater than the thresholds), then the target cell 84 may be marked as a “boomer cell” and, consequently, the source eNB 82 may not allow the UE's 87 handoff to the target cell 84 (block 157). The source eNB 82 may also create a Neighbor Relation (NR) in the source eNB's NRT indicating the target cell 84 as a boomer cell (block 158). …… In other words, the source eNB 82 may receive from the SON-OM server “FALSE” values for isHoAllowed and isRemoveAllowed parameters in the context of the source cell's recently-identified neighbor relation with the target cell 84. When isHoAllowed=FALSE, it will allow source eNB 82 to blacklist the target cell 84 in the source cell's NRT to prevent triggering of a handoff of the UE 87 to the target cell. The source eNB 82 may blacklist the target cell 84.).
Regarding claim 2, SARKAR teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising:
identifying which of the neighbors in the list of neighbors are non-co-located with the cell, wherein the one or more neighbors whose distances are compared to the distance threshold are non-co-located neighbors (
Fig. 6, [0067] FIG. 6 is an exemplary illustration of how a tier value for a target cell may be determined according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The term “tier”, as used herein, may refer to the number of “layers” of cell sites between a source cell such as, for example, the source cell 82 in FIG. 5, and a target cell such as, for example, the target cell 84 in FIG. 5. Each “layer” may comprise of cell sites which are approximately grouped to fall on the locus of a system-defined (albeit imaginary) circle or substantially circular boundary whose center is the source cell. …… Thus, as shown in FIG. 6, Tier-1 for the source cell 82 may include neighbor cells 85 (from FIG. 5) and 124-126 and Tier-2 may include additional neighbors 128-130. In the illustration of FIG. 6, the target cell 84 may be considered to have a tier value of “3” (three) because the target cell 84 is located in the third tier 122…..
[0068] The radius of each, substantially circular boundary 115-118 may be defined with a progressively increasing value.
Fig. 7 Block 155, [0073] At the decision block 155, the source eNB 82 may compare the distance and tier information received from the SON-OM server against a pair of pre-defined thresholds—the maxDistForAnrNbr threshold for distance and the maxTierForAnrNbr threshold for tier. The maxDistForAnrNbr threshold may define a maximum distance for a neighbor (target) cell to be considered a valid neighbor under ANR and the maxTierForAnrNbr threshold may define a maximum tier value allowable for a neighbor (target) cell to be considered a valid neighbor under ANR.).
Regarding claim 3, SARKAR teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising:
adjusting a counter after a first neighbor’s distance is compared to the distance threshold, and evaluating the counter to determine whether to compare a second neighbor’s distance to the distance threshold (
See Fig. 6, [0066-0067] cited above for claim 2.
See Fig. 7 Block 151-> Block153 -> Block 155.
Fig. 8 Block 184, the SON-OM server may continue to perform periodic monitoring of all those probable boomer cells that fail the determination at block 178, as noted at block 184. As part of such periodic monitoring, the SON-OM server may repeat the process from block 175 onwards in FIG. 8, as indicated by arrow 185. The SON-OM server may continue to monitor the TA and PHR criteria for these probable boomers based on user defined conditions for continued monitoring and eventual conclusion depending, for example, on elapse of a pre-defined time period or execution of a pre-determined number of monitoring-related iterations of the actions at blocks 175-176 and 178 in FIG. 8.
(Construed that different potential target cells distance and/or tier are repeatedly monitor over time with respect to source cell, and accordingly counters associated neighbor list updated and corresponding measurement counter for distance is reset)).
Regarding claim 4, SARKAR teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising:
creating a list of unique neighbor frequencies based on the list of neighbors, wherein a distance threshold is determined for each of the unique neighbor frequencies and the comparing and disabling are performed for each of the distance thresholds corresponding to the unique neighbor frequencies (
[0003] The Automatic Neighbor Relation (ANR) feature in Third Generation Partnership Project's (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks minimizes the need for the manual configuration of a neighbor cell list (also referred to as a “neighbor list” or Neighbor Relations Table (NRT)) for intra-frequency or inter-frequency handovers. ANR automatically builds up and maintains a neighbor list or NRT used for handover. ANR adds neighbor relations to the serving cell's neighbor list when certain measurement reports by a User Equipment (UE) in an LTE network indicate that a possible new neighbor relationship has been identified. When this occurs, the serving evolved Node B (eNB or eNodeB) or Radio Base Station (RBS, or more simply “BS”) requests the UE to report the unique Cell Global Identity (CGI) of the potential neighbor cell. Using this information, the serving RBS/eNB automatically creates a neighbor relation between the serving cell and the new neighbor cell using the ANR procedure, thereby facilitating UE's handover to that neighbor cell. The ANR feature can be used together with manual optimization of neighbor lists, and ANR is also able to automatically remove neighbor cell relations which have not been used within a particular time period.).
Regarding claim 5, SARKAR teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the list of neighbors includes an existing neighbor relation list derived from an ANR procedure and a list of neighbors derived from a performance report (
See [0003] and Fig. 7 Blocks 137… Blocks 163 cited above for claim 1).
Regarding claim 6, SARKAR teaches the method of claim 1, wherein a neighbor is disabled if the neighbor’s distance is greater than the distance threshold (
See [0003] and Fig. 7 Block 155 -> Block 157 -> Block 158 –> Block 160).
Regarding claim 7, SARKAR teaches the method of claim 1,further comprising:
checking if the neighbor is already disabled if the neighbor’s distance is not greater than the distance threshold;
if the neighbor is already disabled, checking if the neighbor was disabled previously as a result of the neighbor’s distance being greater than a previously determined distance threshold;
if the neighbor was disabled previously, logging an indication that the neighbor is classified as an anomaly;
if the neighbor is already disabled but was not disabled previously as a result of the neighbor’s distance being greater than a previously determined distance threshold, re-enabling the neighbor in the list (
[0072] In rural environments, distant cells may be valid target cells to effectuate a successful handover. Hence, if only distance is considered as a boomer classification parameter, then a distant cell may be wrongly classified as a “boomer cell” in a rural environment. This could result in unsuccessful or incomplete handovers. Hence, in particular embodiments of the present disclosure, the distance and tier information are used in conjunction to accurately specify a boomer neighbor instead of the distance information alone so that in rural environments, where inter-site distance is higher, cells may not be erroneously classified as boomer neighbors based on distance alone. Thus, as noted earlier with reference to FIG. 6, for the same physical distance between a source cell and a target cell, the target cell may have a lower tier value in a rural environment as opposed to in an urban setting.
(Construed from the above for a person skill in the art that [0072] indicating a network operator/manager may designate a target cell as boomer cell based on distant threshold used for urban setting, and later identifying as anomalous or wrong designation for the target cell as boomer cell, and adjusting/correcting the distant threshold for rural setup where distant threshold is higher value can lead to correcting the anomaly to (re)designate the target cell as valid neighbour as described by SARKAR’s Fig, 7, [0077])).
Regarding claim 8, SARKAR teaches a network node (Fig. 1 eNB 10,
Fig. 5 Cell-1 (Source Cell) 82,
Fig. 10, [0094] FIG. 10 depicts an exemplary block diagram of a base station (e.g., the base station 82 in FIG. 5) that may function as a network entity ) for augmenting automatic neighbor relations in a wireless communication network (
[0003] The Automatic Neighbor Relation (ANR) feature in Third Generation Partnership Project's (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks minimizes the need for the manual configuration of a neighbor cell list (also referred to as a “neighbor list” or Neighbor Relations Table (NRT)) for intra-frequency or inter-frequency handovers. ANR automatically builds up and maintains a neighbor list or NRT used for handover. ANR adds neighbor relations to the serving cell's neighbor list when certain measurement reports by a User Equipment (UE) in an LTE network indicate that a possible new neighbor relationship has been identified. When this occurs, the serving evolved Node B (eNB or eNodeB) or Radio Base Station (RBS, or more simply “BS”) requests the UE to report the unique Cell Global Identity (CGI) of the potential neighbor cell. Using this information, the serving RBS/eNB automatically creates a neighbor relation between the serving cell and the new neighbor cell using the ANR procedure, thereby facilitating UE's handover to that neighbor cell. The ANR feature can be used together with manual optimization of neighbor lists, and ANR is also able to automatically remove neighbor cell relations which have not been used within a particular time period.), the network node comprising:
processing circuitry (
Fig. 10 Baseband Processor 200 with Processing Unit 210 in Base Station 82,
[0056] the present disclosure may be implemented through suitable programming of one or more processors (e.g., the processor 200 (or, more particularly, the processing unit 210) in FIG. 10) in the access node 82.
Fig. 10, Fig. 10, [0094] FIG. 10 depicts an exemplary block diagram of a base station (e.g., the base station 82 in FIG. 5) that may function as a network entity …… the eNB 82 may include a baseband processor 200 to provide radio interface with the wireless devices (e.g., the UE 87 or other mobile devices operating in the carrier network 78 in FIG. 5).
[0096] …. the processor 200 may include a processing unit 210 having a SON-OM module 212 to perform the boomer cell identification as per the teachings of the present disclosure. …..Some or all the program code for the module 212 may reside in the memory 216 and executed by the processing unit 210. );
power supply circuitry configured to supply power to the processing circuitry (
Fig. 10, [0094] FIG. 10 depicts an exemplary block diagram of a base station (e.g., the base station 82 in FIG. 5) …. the eNB 82 may include a baseband processor 200 ….
(Construed as inherent that Base Station 82 is configured with power supply circuitry to supply power to the processing circuitry)).
Further claim 8 is interpreted mutatis mutandis of claim 1 and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 1.
Regarding claim 9, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 2.
Regarding claim 10, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 3.
Regarding claim 11, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 4.
Regarding claim 12, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 5.
Regarding claim 13, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 6.
Regarding claim 14, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 7.
Regarding claim 15, SARKAR teaches a host (Fig. 5, OSS 80) configured to operate in a communication system to provide an over-the-top (OTT) service (
Fig. 5, [0050] FIG. 5 is a diagram of an exemplary wireless system 76 in which the boomer cell classification methodologies shown in FIGS. 4A-4B according to the teachings of particular embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. The system 76 may include an operator network (or wireless network) 78 and an Operations Support System (OSS) 80, both in communication with each other. The operator network 78 may include a plurality of cells or cell sites—three of which are shown, through their representative base stations, by way of an example in FIG. 5 and identified by reference numerals 82, 84, and 85. …….. The OSS 80 may be a modified version of the OSS 26 shown in FIG. 1; the modification enabling the OSS 80 to support the methodologies shown in FIGS. 4A-4B and FIGS. 7-8. As noted before in the context of the OSS 26 in FIG. 1, the OSS 80 also may be an OSS-RC. Although not shown explicitly, it is noted here that each eNB 82, 84, 85 may be connected to the OSS 80 either directly or through a CN (not shown). Like the OSS 26 in FIG. 1, the OSS 80 in FIG. 5 also may provide a proprietary (network operator-specific) platform for supervision, configuration, deployment and optimization of a mobile or cellular network (e.g., the wireless network 78)
[0060] Thus, the OSS 80 is shown to include a data gateway module 89, a database server 90, and a SON Application Server (AS) 91….
[0061] The OSS 80 may also host a SON portal 94 through which one or more users 95 may access, manage, configure, and/or control the functionalities of the OSS modules 89-91. In one embodiment, the SON portal 94 may be an Internet-based web portal that can be accessed with user devices 96-98 via Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) based communication links as indicated by arrow 100 in FIG. 5.
), the host comprising:
processing circuitry configured to provide user data (
Fig. 5 OSS 80, [0060] Referring again to FIG. 5, the OSS 80 also may include … a SON Application Server (AS) 91…. the SON AS 91 may include a SON Optimization Manager (SON-OM) module 92, which, in one embodiment, may be a software module. The program code for the SON-OM module 92, upon execution, may configure the SON AS 91 (also referred to herein as a “SON-OM server”) to perform the operations depicted in FIGS. 4B and 8.
[0066] the network performance (e.g., less dropped calls) is improved because of successful handovers based on the correct neighbor lists. In one embodiment, although an ANR function may reside in an eNB, it may interact with and be “managed” by an OSS-based entity such as, for example, the SON AS 91.
[0087] the SON AS 91 may include a processor 190 that may be “configured” in hardware and in software, if necessary, to accomplish the boomer cell classification aspects of the present disclosure); and
a network interface (
Fig. 5 OSS 80 with data gateway module 89,
[0060] Thus, the OSS 80 is shown to include a data gateway module 89, a database server 90, and a SON Application Server (AS) 91) configured to initiate transmission of the user data to a network node in a cellular network for transmission to a user equipment (UE) (
Fig. 5, [0050] Although not shown explicitly, it is noted here that each eNB 82, 84, 85 may be connected to the OSS 80 either directly or through a CN (not shown). Like the OSS 26 in FIG. 1, the OSS 80 in FIG. 5 also may provide a proprietary (network operator-specific) platform for supervision, configuration, deployment and optimization of a mobile or cellular network (e.g., the wireless network 78
[0057] As mentioned earlier, the wireless system 76 may include a Core Network (CN) (not shown) coupled to the communication nodes 82, 84-85 and providing logical and control functions (e.g., subscriber account management, billing, subscriber mobility management, etc.) for the network 78. In case of an LTE carrier network, the core network may be an Access Gateway (AGW) or may function in conjunction with a subnet-specific gateway/control node (not shown in FIG. 5). Regardless of the type of the carrier network 78, the core network may function to provide connection of one or more of the UEs (like the UE 87) to other mobile handsets operating in the carrier network 78), the network node having a communication interface and processing circuitry (
Fig. 5 Cell-1 (Source Cell) 82,
Fig. 10, [0094] FIG. 10 depicts an exemplary block diagram of a base station (e.g., the base station 82 in FIG. 5) that may function as a network entity……..the eNB 82 may include a baseband processor 200 to provide radio interface with the wireless devices (e.g., the UE 87 or other mobile devices operating in the carrier network 78 in FIG. 5).
[0096] …. the processor 200 may include a processing unit 210 having a SON-OM module 212 to perform the boomer cell identification as per the teachings of the present disclosure. …..Some or all the program code for the module 212 may reside in the memory 216 and executed by the processing unit 210. ).
Further claim 15 is interpreted mutatis mutandis of claim 1 and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 1.
Regarding claim 16, SARKAR teaches the host of claim 15, wherein:
the processing circuitry of the host is configured to execute a host application that provides the user data, and the UE comprises processing circuitry configured to execute a client application associated with the host application to receive the transmission of user data from the host (
Fig. 5 arrow 100 for http/https, [0061] The OSS 80 may also host a SON portal 94 through which one or more users 95 may access, manage, configure, and/or control the functionalities of the OSS modules 89-91. In one embodiment, the SON portal 94 may be an Internet-based web portal that can be accessed with user devices 96-98 via Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) or Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) based communication links as indicated by arrow 100 in FIG. 5.).
Regarding claim 17, is interpreted mutatis mutandis of claim 15 and rejected for the same reason as set forth for claim 15.
Regarding claim 18, SARKAR teaches the method of claim 17, further comprising, at the network node, transmitting the user data provided by the host for the UE (
Fig. 1, [0005] As shown in FIG. 1, the wireless system 12 may also include a Core Network (CN) 24 through which the eNBs 18, 20 may communicate with an Operations Support System 26. The OSS 26 may be an OSS for Radio and Core (OSS-RC). Although not shown explicitly, it is noted here that each eNB 18, 20 may be connected to the CN 24 and the OSS 26. Furthermore, the OSS 26 also may be connected to the CN 24 and may provide a proprietary (network operator-specific) platform for supervision, configuration, deployment and optimization of a mobile or cellular network (e.g., the wireless system 12), with features tailored to promote efficient working procedures in daily network operations. The OSS 26 may provide full support for management of fault, performance, and network configuration, and may also provide a number of new applications that may be used in the trouble-shooting and network optimization stages. The CN 24 may be an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) in LTE. In FIG. 1, the block showing the CN 24 is shown dotted to indicate lack of any appreciable involvement of the CN 24 (or its component nodes) during the ANR procedure or subsequent handover operation.
Fig. 5, [0057] As mentioned earlier, the wireless system 76 may include a Core Network (CN) (not shown) coupled to the communication nodes 82, 84-85 and providing logical and control functions (e.g., subscriber account management, billing, subscriber mobility management, etc.) for the network 78. In case of an LTE carrier network, the core network may be an Access Gateway (AGW) or may function in conjunction with a subnet-specific gateway/control node (not shown in FIG. 5). Regardless of the type of the carrier network 78, the core network may function to provide connection of one or more of the UEs (like the UE 87) to other mobile handsets operating in the carrier network 78.
[0067] An ST may provide near real-time information about a subscriber UE's 87 session (call session, data session, etc.) in the network 78 and the UE's 87 interaction with the network 78, and let the SON AS 91 automatically perform detailed analyses of signaling procedures observed as part of the trace sessions to fulfill the three primary objectives of SON functionality—self-configuration, self-optimization, and self-healing. A user 95 also may access and analyze these traces. In FIG. 5, the traces collected by an eNB may be sent to the data gateway and implementation services module 89, which may initially “format” the received data and send it for storage in a SON database server 90 as indicated at arrow 103. ).
Regarding claim 19, SARKAR teaches the method of claim 17, wherein the user data is provided at the host by executing a host application that interacts with a client application executing on the UE, the client application being associated with the host application (
See Fig. 5 arrow 100 for http/https between UE 95 and OSS 80 SON Portal 94).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Yang et al. (US 20230038943 A1), describing SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING AND USING A DIFFERENTIATED NEIGHBOR LIST
Breuwer; V. (US 20230011159 A1), describing METHOD FOR NETWORK OPTIMIZATION OF A CELLULAR NETWORK
Potharaju et al. (US 20210185541 A1), describing AUTOMATED NEIGHBOR FREQUENCY PROVISIONING IN PRIVATE 3GPP NETWORKS
Cheng et al. (US 20210120481 A1), describing MEASUREMENT CONFIGURATION FOR GLOBAL CELL IDENTIFIER REPORTING
Chou et al. (US 20220167229 A1), describing CENTRALIZED AND DISTRIBUTED SELF-ORGANIZING NETWORKS FOR PHYSICAL CELL IDENTIFIER CONFIGURATION AND AUTOMATIC NEIGHBOR RELATION
Chou et al. (US 20220110155 A1), describing RANDOM ACCESS CHANNEL (RACH) OPTIMIZATION AND AUTOMATIC NEIGHBOR RELATION CREATION FOR 5G NETWORKS
Vivanco et al. (US 10440639 B1), describing Proactive Neighbor List Optimization For Automatic Neighbor Relation In A Cellular Wireless Network
Gromley et al. (US 20180063757 A1), describing METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CELL IDENTIFIER OPTIMIZATION
Ghazi-Moghadam et al. (US 20170251414 A1), describing CELL OUTAGE COMPENSATION USING BEST NEIGHBOR CELL CANDIDATE
Yao et al. (US 20160205596 A1), describing Network Coordination Apparatus
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/SHAH M RAHMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2413