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 .
Claims 1-18,20 and 29 are subject under examination.
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-17, 20 and 29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Metsala (EP 3925409 B1)
Regarding claim 1, Metsala (EP 3925409 B1) teaches a method for managing next generation (NG) interface connection, performed by an on-board network device (see para 0031“The term “interface” herein may be referred to as a F1 interface (carrying F1 AP) , an N2 interface (carrying NG AP) with a network device on satellite, an AMF as ground station or other possible interfaces between the distributed network device and the centralized network device. As an example, the present disclose adopts the F1 interface to explain the embodiment of the process for changing the centralized network device. It should be understood that any other logical interfaces or any other split architecture may also be possible for this approach”), comprising:
transmitting a first request to an access and mobility management function (AMF)
in case of determining that the on-board network device that has established an NG interface connection does not serve a service area of the AMF (see para 0129“a centralized network device is an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) and a distributed network device is gNB”; see para 0021“receiving, at the centralized network device, an interface suspending request from the distributed network device, the interface suspending request being used for suspending an activated interface between the distributed network device and the centralized network device”; see para 0039 “if the satellite moves to the coverage of gNB-CU 120-2 from the coverage of the gNB-CU 120-1, the terminal device 140 may be switched to be served by gNB-CU 120-2, the gNB-DU 110-1 may transmit 205 an interface suspending request to gNB-CU 120-1. The gNB-DU 110-1 may determine the need to initiate the interface suspend procedure based on various criteria.”); and
storing a context of the established NG interface connection between the on-board network device and the AMF (see para 0047 “the gNB-DU 110-1 may also transmit an indication of a time period for keeping configuration parameters of the activated interface by the gNB-CU 120-1; an indication for indicating whether a transport protocol being kept by the gNB-CU 120-1 after the activated interface being suspended; and an indication for indicating whether a security context being kept by the gNB-CU 120-1 after the activated interface being suspended”)[ keeping configuration is interpreted as storing context],
wherein the first request is configured for indicating suspension of all or
part of transport network layer associations (TNLAs) on the NG interface (see para 0036 “There may be one or multiple logical F1 interface (s) on the satellite. The satellite may need to activate and bring up a particular F1 interface needed for a particular duration of time of satellite’s movement and also gracefully suspend that F1 interface that is no longer needed (until during the next time the satellite is at the reach of that same GS and same gNB-CU)”; see para 0039 “the interface suspending request may be used for suspending the activated interface between the gNB-DU 110-1 and the gNB-CU 120-1.”)
Regarding claim 20, Metsala teaches an on-board network device, comprising a memory, a transceiver and a processor, wherein the memory is configured for storing a computer program; the transceiver is configured for transmitting and receiving data under control of the processor see para 0031“The term “interface” herein may be referred to as a F1 interface (carrying F1 AP) , an N2 interface (carrying NG AP) with a network device[ it is known in the art that AP has processor and memory]; and the processor is configured for reading the computer program in the memory and performing the following operations of:
transmitting a first request to an access and mobility management function (AMF)
in case of determining that the on-board network device that has established an NG interface connection does not serve a service area of the AMF (see para 0129“a centralized network device is an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) and a distributed network device is gNB”; see para 0021“receiving, at the centralized network device, an interface suspending request from the distributed network device, the interface suspending request being used for suspending an activated interface between the distributed network device and the centralized network device”; see para 0039 “if the satellite moves to the coverage of gNB-CU 120-2 from the coverage of the gNB-CU 120-1, the terminal device 140 may be switched to be served by gNB-CU 120-2, the gNB-DU 110-1 may transmit 205 an interface suspending request to gNB-CU 120-1. The gNB-DU 110-1 may determine the need to initiate the interface suspend procedure based on various criteria.”); and
storing a context of the established NG interface connection between the on-board network device and the AMF (see para 0047 “the gNB-DU 110-1 may also transmit an indication of a time period for keeping configuration parameters of the activated interface by the gNB-CU 120-1; an indication for indicating whether a transport protocol being kept by the gNB-CU 120-1 after the activated interface being suspended; and an indication for indicating whether a security context being kept by the gNB-CU 120-1 after the activated interface being suspended”)[ keeping configuration is interpreted as storing context],
wherein the first request is configured for indicating suspension of all or
part of transport network layer associations (TNLAs) on the NG interface (see para 0036 “There may be one or multiple logical F1 interface (s) on the satellite. The satellite may need to activate and bring up a particular F1 interface needed for a particular duration of time of satellite’s movement and also gracefully suspend that F1 interface that is no longer needed (until during the next time the satellite is at the reach of that same GS and same gNB-CU)”; see para 0039 “the interface suspending request may be used for suspending the activated interface between the gNB-DU 110-1 and the gNB-CU 120-1.”)
Regarding claim 10, Metsala teaches a method for managing next generation (NG) interface connection, performed by an access and mobility management function (AMF) see para 0129“a centralized network device is an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) and a distributed network device is gNB”, comprising:
receiving a first request transmitted from an on-board network device; (see para 0129“a centralized network device is an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) and a distributed network device is gNB”; see para 0021“receiving, at the centralized network device, an interface suspending request from the distributed network device, the interface suspending request being used for suspending an activated interface between the distributed network device and the centralized network device”; see para 0039 “if the satellite moves to the coverage of gNB-CU 120-2 from the coverage of the gNB-CU 120-1, the terminal device 140 may be switched to be served by gNB-CU 120-2, the gNB-DU 110-1 may transmit 205 an interface suspending request to gNB-CU 120-1. The gNB-DU 110-1 may determine the need to initiate the interface suspend procedure based on various criteria.”) and
storing a context of an established NG interface connection between the on-board network device and the AMF within a configured time threshold(see para 0047 “the gNB-DU 110-1 may also transmit an indication of a time period for keeping configuration parameters of the activated interface by the gNB-CU 120-1; an indication for indicating whether a transport protocol being kept by the gNB-CU 120-1 after the activated interface being suspended; and an indication for indicating whether a security context being kept by the gNB-CU 120-1 after the activated interface being suspended”)[ keeping configuration is interpreted as storing context],
wherein the first request is configured for indicating suspension of all or
part of transport network layer associations (TNLAs) on the NG interface (see para 0036 “There may be one or multiple logical F1 interface (s) on the satellite. The satellite may need to activate and bring up a particular F1 interface needed for a particular duration of time of satellite’s movement and also gracefully suspend that F1 interface that is no longer needed (until during the next time the satellite is at the reach of that same GS and same gNB-CU)”; see para 0039 “the interface suspending request may be used for suspending the activated interface between the gNB-DU 110-1 and the gNB-CU 120-1.”)
Regarding claim 29, Metsala teaches an access and mobility management function (AMF) electronic device, comprising a memory, a transceiver and a processor, wherein the memory is configured for storing a computer program; the transceiver is configured for transmitting and receiving data under control of the processor; and the processor is configured for reading the computer program in the memory and performing the method of claim 10 (see para 0129“a centralized network device is an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) and a distributed network device is gNB”)[ it is known in the art that AMF has memory transceiver and processor]
Regarding claim 2, 11, Metsala teaches wherein the suspension of all or part of the
TNLAs on the NG interface is determined by indication information carried in the first request, or is determined in case that the NG interface connection between the on-board network device and the AMF is established. (see para 0038 “should be understood that in the initial start-up phase, all parameters and full F1 set -up may be needed.”)
Regarding claim 3, 12, Metsala teaches wherein before transmitting the first request to the AMF in case of determining that the on-board network device that has established the NG interface connection does not serve the service area of the AMF ( see para 0039“if the satellite moves to the coverage of gNB-CU 120-2 from the coverage of the gNB-CU 120-1, the terminal device 140 may be switched to be served by gNB-CU 120-2”), the method further comprises:
transmitting an NG interface establishment request to an AMF within a service
area of the on-board network device, wherein the NG interface establishment request carries first indication information (see para 0096“the gNB-CU 120-1 may receive the interface suspending request which comprises at least one of the following: a message type associated with the interface suspending request; an identity of a transaction initiated by the interface suspending request;”);
receiving a response message of the NG interface establishment request
transmitted from the AMF(see para 0103“At 620, the gNB-CU 120-1 generates, based on the interface suspending request, a suspending confirmation message indicating the interface is ready to be suspended”; see para 0131 “means for in response to receiving, from the centralized network device, a suspending confirmation message indicating the activated interface is ready to be suspended, suspending the activated interface,”); and
determining, based on the response message of the NG interface establishment
request, whether to suspend all or part of the TNLAs on the NG interface in case of determining that the on-board network device that has established the NG interface connection does not serve the service area of the AMF see para 0039 “if the satellite moves to the coverage of gNB-CU 120-2 from the coverage of the gNB-CU 120-1, the terminal device 140 may be switched to be served by gNB-CU 120-2, the gNB-DU 110-1 may transmit 205 an interface suspending request to gNB-CU 120-1. The gNB-DU 110-1 may determine the need to initiate the interface suspend procedure based on various criteria.”,
wherein the first indication information is configured for indicating the
AMF to suspend all or part of the TNLAs on the NG interface when the on-board network device no longer serves the service area of the AMF see para 0036 “There may be one or multiple logical F1 interface (s) on the satellite. The satellite may need to activate and bring up a particular F1 interface needed for a particular duration of time of satellite’s movement and also gracefully suspend that F1 interface that is no longer needed (until during the next time the satellite is at the reach of that same GS and same gNB-CU)”; see para 0039 “the interface suspending request may be used for suspending the activated interface between the gNB-DU 110-1 and the gNB-CU 120-1.”; and
the response message of the NG interface establishment request is
configured for indicating whether the AMF allows to suspend all or part of the TNLAs on the NG interface (see para 0048 “The gNB-CU 120-1 receives the interface suspending request from the gNB-DU 110-1 and generates a suspending confirmation message indicating the interface is ready to be suspended based on the interface suspending request.”)
Regarding claim 4, 13, Metsala teaches wherein the all TNLAs comprise a TNLA
for user data transmission and a TNLA for interface signaling transmission, and the part of the TNLAs is a TNLA for interface signaling transmission. (see para 0009 “The centralized network device and distributed network device are two network devices that physically deployed, and connected via transport protocol and application protocol interface.”)
Regarding claim 5, 14, Metsala teaches wherein determining that the on-board
network device that has established the NG interface connection does not serve the service area of the AMF comprises one or more of the following modes:
a beam coverage area of the on-board network device does not overlap with the
service area of the AMF;
a position determined based on a motion trajectory of an asynchronous satellite
where the on-board network device is deployed is not within the service area of the AMF; and
an instruction from a satellite operation control system or a network management
system is received, wherein the instruction indicates that the on-board network device no longer serves the AMF (see para 0062 “initiate the interface resume procedure based on various criteria, for example, based on the configured time, or the location of the gNB-DU 110-2 (or satellite), the quality of the radio connection between the gNB-DU 110-2 and the ground station or gNB-CU 120-2, etc”; see para 0056 “ upon the expiration of the timer to keep the configuration parameters for the gNB-DU 110-1.”)
Regarding claim 6,15, Metsala teaches transmitting a second request to the AMF in case that the on-board network device is capable of re-serving the service area of the AMF, wherein the second request is configured for resuming all or part of previously suspended TNLAs. transmitting an interface resuming request from the distributed network device to the further centralized network device, the interface resuming request being used for resuming an inactivated interface between the further centralized network device and the distributed network device; and in response to receiving, from the further centralized network device, a resuming status message indicating the interface is successfully resumed, activating the inactivated interface to complete the resume procedure.”)
Regarding claim 16, Metsala teaches transmitting a second NGAP message to the on board network device, where in the second NGAP message is configured for notifying the on-board network device to update a configuration parameter of the NG interface (see para 0084 “the F1 in-active and F1 Resume may be implemented by enhancing current DU Configuration Update procedure. For example, a new IE can be added in the DU CONFIGURATION UPDATE message to indicate the DU will be inactive, or resume.”)
Regarding claim 17, Metsala teaches further comprising: in case of determining that the part of the TNLAs suspended between the on- board network device and the AMF are resumed, transmitting a third NGAP message to the on-board network device, wherein the third NGAP message is configured for creating a user signaling TNLA corresponding to the part of the TNLAs, and the third NGAP message is transmitted through the resumed part of the TNLAs (See para 0053 “If the gNB-CU 120-2 may determine that the configuration parameters exist at the gNB-CU 120-2, the gNB-CU 120-2 transmits 225 a resuming status message to the gNB-DU 110-1. The resuming status message may indicate the interface is successfully resumed.”; see para 0068 “nce the F1 interface is resumed, the satellite may initiate the handover procedure to move the connected UE from gNB-DU 110-1 / gNB-CU 120-1 to gNB 110-2 / gNB-CU2 120-2”)
Regarding claim 7, Metsala teaches wherein the second request at least
comprises: a message type, a global radio access network node identifier, or an AMF identifier. (see para 0042“In this case, the message type uniquely identifies the message being sent in the interface suspending request.”)
Regarding claim 8, Metsala teaches wherein the suspension of all or part of the TNLAs is stopping transmitting interface signaling and/or user data through the TNLAs within a specified period, wherein the specified period is determined based on ephemeris information of the satellite where the on-board network device is deployed. ( see para 0078“The satellite may need to activate and bring up a particular F1 interface needed for a particular duration of time of satellite’s movement and also gracefully suspend that F1 interface that is no longer needed (until during the next time the satellite is at the reach of that same GS and same gNB-CU) .”)
Regarding claim 9, Metsala teaches wherein a survival period of the all or part of
the TNLAs is controlled by a timer configured by the all or part of the TNLAs, and a period of the timer is slightly longer than the specified period. (see para 0026“the timers associated to the protocols transported over the feeder and service links may require to be extended.”; see para 0093 “an indication of a time period for keeping configuration parameters of the activated interface by the gNB-CU 120-1 an indication for indicating whether a transport protocol being kept by the gNB-CU 120-1 after the activated interface being suspended;”)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 18 is 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
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/PAMIT KAUR/Examiner, Art Unit 2416
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