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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 18 March 2024 and 19 February 2025, were filed after the mailing date of the patent application on 18 March 2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings, received on 18 March 2024, are acceptable for examination.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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 1, 5-7, and 11-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zeng et al. (US 20220330072 A1 using the PCT Filing Date of 31 December 2019 corresponding to PCT/CN2019/130778; hereinafter referred to as “Zeng”).
Regarding Claim 1, Claim 1 is rejected on the same basis as Claim 13.
Regarding Claim 5, Zeng discloses the method of claim 1.
Zeng further discloses the E2 setup request message further includes a message type information element (IE), a transaction identifier (ID) IE, an ID of the E2 node (¶171, Zeng discloses that the E2 setup request message includes at least identifier information or name information of the CU. Examiner correlates "the CU" to E2 node), RAN function added list IE, and an E2 node component configuration addition list IE.
Regarding Claim 6, Zeng discloses the method of claim 1.
Zeng further discloses wherein the E2 setup response message further comprises a message type information element (IE), a transaction identifier (ID) IE, an ID of the Near-RT RIC (¶172, Zeng discloses that the E2 setup response message includes an artificial intelligence (AI) index corresponding to an AI configuration), and an E2 node component configuration acknowledge list IE, and wherein the E2 setup response message further includes RAN function accepted list IE or RAN function rejected list IE (¶172, Zeng discloses that the E2 setup response message includes an explicit AI enabling indication indicating whether the AI configuration is enabled or not enabled).
Regarding Claim 7, Claim 7 is rejected on the same basis as Claim 14.
Regarding Claim 11, Zeng discloses the method of claim 7.
Zeng further discloses wherein the E2 setup request message further includes a message type information element (IE), a transaction identifier (ID) IE, an ID of the E2 node (¶171, Zeng discloses that the E2 setup request message includes at least identifier information or name information of the CU. Examiner correlates "the CU" to E2 node), RAN function added list IE, and an E2 node component configuration addition list IE.
Regarding Claim 12, Zeng discloses the method of claim 7.
Zeng further discloses wherein the E2 setup response message further comprises a message type information element (IE), a transaction identifier (ID) IE, an ID of the Near-RT RIC (¶172, Zeng discloses that the E2 setup response message includes an artificial intelligence (AI) index corresponding to an AI configuration), and an E2 node component configuration acknowledge list IE, and wherein the E2 setup response message further includes RAN function accepted list IE or RAN function rejected list IE (¶172, Zeng discloses that the E2 setup response message includes an explicit AI enabling indication indicating whether the AI configuration is enabled or not enabled).
Regarding Claim 13, Zeng discloses an E2 node comprising:
at least one transceiver (¶273 & Fig. 13, Zeng discloses a centralized unit (CU) comprising a communication module); and
at least one processor, operably coupled to the at least one transceiver (¶273 & Fig. 13, Zeng discloses the CU further comprising a processing coupled to the communication module), configured to:
control the at least one transceiver to transmit, to a near-real time (Near-RT) radio access network (RAN) intelligent controller (RIC) via an E2 interface, a E2 setup request message (¶170-171 & Fig. 8 (S801) & ¶152, Zeng discloses transmitting, to a near real time (near RT) radio access network intelligent controller (RIC) via an E2 interface, an E2 setup request message) including E2 retention information (¶171, Zeng discloses that the E2 setup request message includes at least identifier information or name information of the CU. Examiner correlates "at least identifier information or name information of the CU" to E2 retention information); and
control the at least one transceiver to receive, from the Near-RT RIC via the E2 interface, a E2 setup response message (¶170-171 & Fig. 8 (S801) & ¶152, Zeng discloses receiving, from the near-RT RIC via the E2 interface, an E2 setup response message) in response to the E2 setup request message including E2 retention indication (¶170-171 & Fig. 8 (S801) & ¶152, Zeng discloses that the reception of the E2 setup response message is in response to the transmission of the E2 setup request message).
Regarding Claim 14, Zeng discloses a near-real time (Near-RT) radio access network (RAN) intelligent controller (RIC), comprising:
at least one transceiver (¶273 & Fig. 13, Zeng discloses a near real time (near-RT) radio intelligent controller (RIC) comprising a communication module); and
at least one processor, operably coupled to the at least one transceiver (¶273 & Fig. 13, Zeng discloses the near-RT RIC further comprising a processing coupled to the communication module), configured to:
control the at least one transceiver to receive, from an E2 node via an E2 interface, a E2 setup request message (¶170-171 & Fig. 8 (S801) & ¶152, Zeng discloses receiving, by a near real time (near RT) radio access network intelligent controller (RIC) from a centralized unit (CU) via an E2 interface, an E2 setup request message. Examiner correlates the CU to "an E2 node") including E2 retention information (¶171, Zeng discloses that the E2 setup request message includes at least identifier information or name information of the CU. Examiner correlates "at least identifier information or name information of the CU" to E2 retention information); and
control the at least one transceiver to transmit, to the E2 node via the E2 interface, a E2 setup response message (¶170-171 & Fig. 8 (S801) & ¶152, Zeng discloses transmitting, by the near-RT RIC to the CU node via the E2 interface, an E2 setup response message) in response to the E2 setup request message including E2 retention indication (¶170-171 & Fig. 8 (S801) & ¶152, Zeng discloses that the reception of the E2 setup response message is in response to the transmission of the E2 setup request message).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-4 and 8-10 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.
Internet Communications
Applicant is encouraged to submit a written authorization for Internet communications (PTO/SB/439, http://www.uspto.gov/sites/default/files/documents/sb0439.pdf) in the instant patent application to authorize the examiner to communicate with the applicant via email. The authorization will allow the examiner to better practice compact prosecution. The written authorization can be submitted via one of the following methods only: (1) Central Fax which can be found in the Conclusion section of this Office action; (2) regular postal mail; (3) EFS WEB; or (4) the service window on the Alexandria campus. EFS web is the recommended way to submit the form since this allows the form to be entered into the file wrapper within the same day (system dependent). Written authorization submitted via other methods, such as direct fax to the examiner or email, will not be accepted. See MPEP § 502.03.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIC NOWLIN whose telephone number is (313)446-6544. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 12:00PM-10:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Thier can be reached at (571) 272-2832. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERIC NOWLIN/Examiner, Art Unit 2474