DETAILED ACTION
This is in response to US App. 18/742,920. Claims 1-10 have been examined.
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 . 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.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-7, and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qin (CN 107241753) in view of Tu (CN 102348241).
Regarding Claim 1,
A core network monitoring method, performed by a processing device, comprising:
detecting a connection status of a main core network [Qin: p. 2; detecting the fault when the main core network failure is detected by the base station, the base station will detect the base station apparatus and the core network apparatus between the link state is abnormal];
outputting a first control signal to a base station connected to the main core network and starting timing a duration when determining that the main core network is disconnected according to the connection status of the main core network, wherein the first control signal indicates lowering an antenna radiated power of the base station [Qin: p. 3; when the base station detects that a main core network fault. base station will detect the base station apparatus and the core network apparatus between the link state is abnormal, the communication module attached to the core network initiates the release; p. 1; the base station detects that a main core network equipment failure, the base station will detect the link state between the base station device and the main core network equipment is abnormal, the initiator releases the communication module attached to main core net device]; and
wherein the second control signal indicates increasing the antenna radiated power [Qin: p. 3; re-attachment release of communication module re-initiates the attachment, the base station communication module is connected to a spare core network equipment, guarantee the normal communication of the wireless network; p. 2; the re-attachment release of communication module re-initiates the attachment, the base station communication module is connected to a spare core network equipment, guarantee the normal communication of the wireless network].
However, Qin does not teach that starting timing a duration when determining that the main core network is disconnected … outputting a second control signal to the base station when the duration is equal to or longer than a default duration ….
Tu teaches:
… starting timing a duration when determining that the main core network is disconnected according to the connection status of the main core network … outputting a second control signal to the base station when the duration is equal to or longer than a default duration … [Tu: 0008; detecting the communication state between the core network and the home base station, every certain time interval. detecting the current home base station network interface available maximum bandwidth or communication state information of the current time delay, when … the current delay is greater than the time delay threshold, the current communication state is a communication state of congestion; 0040; detecting the communication state between the core network and the home base station, starting a cycle timer, each spaced at regular intervals. detecting the current home base station network interface available maximum bandwidth or communication state information of the current time delay … when the current time delay is greater than delay threshold value; the current communication state is a communication state of congestion; 0062; comprises step 301, analyzing the result of the uplink communication state is congestion; 0065; step 304; reporting uplink communication congestion report to the RRM].
It would have been obvious for POSITA before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Qin and Tu in order to improve user experience and avoid switching to a low priority user [Tu: 0123].
Regarding Claim 2,
wherein lowering the antenna radiated power comprises: turning off an antenna of the base station [Qin: p. 1; the base station detects that a main core network equipment failure, the base station will detect the link state between the base station device and the main core network equipment is abnormal, the initiator releases the communication module attached to main core net device].
Note:
Release means that an antenna inherently, a part of a communication module, is no longer transmitting on that connection.
Regarding Claim 4,
wherein detecting the connection status of the main core network comprises: using a connection status between the main core network and the base station as the connection status of the main core network [Qin: p. 3; when the base station detects that a main core network fault. base station will detect the base station apparatus and the core network apparatus between the link state is abnormal, the communication module attached to the core network initiates the release; p. 1; the base station detects that a main core network equipment failure, the base station will detect the link state between the base station device and the main core network equipment is abnormal, the initiator releases the communication module attached to main core net device.
Regarding Claim 5,
wherein increasing the antenna radiated power comprises: connecting the base station to a backup core network [Qin: p. 3; re-attachment release of communication module re-initiates the attachment, the base station communication module is connected to a spare core network equipment, guarantee the normal communication of the wireless network].
Regarding claims 6-7 and 9-10, which recite the same claim limitations as those in claims 1-2 and 4-5 above, the same rationale of rejection as presented in claims 1-2 and 4-5 is applicable.
Claim(s) 3 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qin (CN 107241753) in view of Tu (CN 102348241) and further in view of Zhong (CN 106162712).
Regarding Claim 3,
In Qin-Tu combination, Tu teaches that detecting the communication state between the core network and the home base station, every certain time interval. detecting the current home base station network interface available maximum bandwidth or communication state information of the current time delay [Tu: 0008].
However, Tu does not teach sending a test packet to the main core network; accumulating a test count when determining a response signal corresponding to the test packet is not received; and determining whether the test count is equal to or greater than a default count; performing the test procedure again when determining the test count is not equal to and is not greater than the default count, wherein determining the main core network is disconnected according to the connection status of the main core network is performed when the test count is equal to or greater than the default count.
Zhong teaches:
wherein detecting the connection status of the main core network comprises: performing a test procedure, comprising: sending a test packet to the main core network; accumulating a test count when determining a response signal corresponding to the test packet is not received; and determining whether the test count is equal to or greater than a default count; performing the test procedure again when determining the test count is not equal to and is not greater than the default count, wherein determining the main core network is disconnected according to the connection status of the main core network is performed when the test count is equal to or greater than the default count [Zhong: p. 5; in order to make the detection result more accurate, after judging the link 1 or link 2 has faults, it can further checking whether the user terminal there is a failure of the communication link between the base stations … the base station and the wired link between the core network device has a fault; p. 6; S23, it is determined that there is the voice call fault link according to the obtained speech quality information; p. 6-7 ; the speech quality is evaluated, if the evaluation result is not more than the preset threshold].
It would have been obvious for POSITA before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Qin-Tu and Zhong in order to improve the efficiency of voice communication quality detection [Zhong: p. 2].
Regarding claim 8, which recites the same claim limitations as those in claim 3 above, the same rationale of rejection as presented in claim 3 is applicable.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See Shimoda et al. (WO 2021/106769).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAAD A WAQAS whose telephone number is (571)270-5642. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30 - 5:00 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Marcus Smith can be reached at (571) 270-1096. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
SAAD A. WAQAS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2468
/Saad A. Waqas/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2468
Prosecution Insights