DETAILED ACTION
The instant application having Application No. 18/774,601 has a total of 20 claims pending in the application; there are 3 independent claims and 17 dependent claims, all of which are ready for examination by the examiner.
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 CONCERNING DRAWINGS
Drawings
The applicant’s drawings submitted are acceptable for examination purposes.
INFORMATION CONCERNING THE SPECIFICATION
Specification
The applicant’s specification submitted is acceptable for examination purposes.
REJECTIONS BASED ON PRIOR ART
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
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Claims 1-20 rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-20 of U.S. Patent No. 12,038,860 B2. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because both set of claims are directed to a method/system where a virtual Radio Access Network (vRAN) having a centralized unit (CU) and a distributed unit (DU) connect over a PCIe bus, and wherein the vRAN uses 2G/3G waveforms over a 4G frequency or 2G/3G/4G waveforms over a 5G frequency.
Instant Application 18/744,601
Patent Number US 12,038,860 B2
Claim 1
A method for providing fronthaul, comprising: providing a virtual Radio Access Network (vRAN) having a centralized unit (CU) and a distributed unit (DU);
and interconnecting the CU and DU over an Input/Output (I/O) bus using Peripheral Component Interconnect-Express (PCIe);
wherein the CU and the DU include a PCI to optical converter and an optical to PCI converter;
and wherein the vRAN uses 2G/3G waveforms over a 4G frequency or 2G/3G/4G waveforms over a 5G frequency.
Claim 1
A method for providing fronthaul, comprising: providing a virtual Radio Access Network (vRAN) having a centralized unit (CU) and a distributed unit (DU);
and interconnecting the CU and DU over an Input/Output (I/O) bus using Peripheral Component Interconnect-Express (PCIe);
wherein the CU and the DU include a PCI to optical converter and an optical to PCI converter;
and wherein the vRAN uses 2G/3G waveforms over a 4G frequency or 2G/3G/4G waveforms over a 5G frequency.
Claim 2
The method of claim 1, further comprising providing additional DUs in communication with the CU over the I/O bus.
Claim 2
The method of claim 1, further comprising providing additional DUs in communication with the CU over the I/O bus.
Claim 3
The method of claim 1, wherein providing a CU further comprises providing the CU as a PCIe master.
Claim 3
The method of claim 1, wherein providing a CU further comprises providing the CU as a PCIe master.
Claim 4
The method of claim 1, wherein providing a DU further comprises providing the DU as a PCIe slave.
Claim 4
The method of claim 1, wherein providing a DU further comprises providing the DU as a PCIe slave.
Claim 5
The method of claim 1, wherein the DU and CU are provided as at least one of a 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G network.
Claim 5
The method of claim 1, wherein the DU and CU are provided as at least one of a 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G network.
Claim 6
The method of claim 1, further comprising providing real-time data rate hit debug information between the CU and the DU using the PCIe mirrored memory capability.
Claim 6
The method of claim 1, further comprising providing real-time data rate hit debug information between the CU and the DU using the PCIe mirrored memory capability.
Claim 7
The method of claim 1, further comprising providing side information to IQ sample streams.
Claim 7
The method of claim 1, further comprising providing side information to IQ sample streams.
Claim 8
The method of claim 1, further comprising providing frame synchronization between the CU and the DU using the PCIe mirrored memory capability.
Claim 8
The method of claim 1, further comprising providing frame synchronization between the CU and the DU using the PCIe mirrored memory capability.
Claim 9
A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions for providing fronthaul which, when executed, cause a system to perform steps comprising: providing a virtual Radio Access Network (vRAN) having a centralized unit (CU) and a distributed unit (DU);
interconnecting the CU and DU over an Input/Output (I/O) bus using Peripheral Component Interconnect-Express (PCIe);
and wherein the CU and the DU include a PCI to optical converter and an optical to PCI converter;
and wherein the vRAN uses 2G/3G waveforms over a 4G frequency or 2G/3G/4G waveforms over a 5G frequency.
Claim 9
A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions for providing fronthaul which, when executed, cause a system to perform steps comprising: providing a virtual Radio Access Network (vRAN) having a centralized unit (CU) and a distributed unit (DU);
interconnecting the CU and DU over an Input/Output (I/O) bus using Peripheral Component Interconnect-Express (PCIe);
wherein the CU and the DU include a PCI to optical converter and an optical to PCI converter;
and wherein the vRAN uses 2G/3G waveforms over a 4G frequency or 2G/3G/4G waveforms over a 5G frequency.
Claim 10
The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions for providing additional DUs in communication with the CU over the I/O bus.
Claim 10
The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions for providing additional DUs in communication with the CU over the I/O bus.
Claim 11
The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein instructions for providing a CU further comprises instructions for providing the CU as a PCIe master.
Claim 11
The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein instructions for providing a CU further comprises instructions for providing the CU as a PCIe master.
Claim 12
The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein instructions for providing a DU further comprises instructions for providing the DU as a PCIe slave.
Claim 12
The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein instructions for providing a DU further comprises instructions for providing the DU as a PCIe slave.
Claim 13
The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising for wherein the DU and CU are provided as at least one of a 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G network.
Claim 13
The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising for wherein the DU and CU are provided as at least one of a 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G network.
Claim 14
The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions for providing real-time data rate hit debug information between the CU and the DU using the PCIe mirrored memory capability.
Claim 14
The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions for providing real-time data rate hit debug information between the CU and the DU using the PCIe mirrored memory capability.
Claim 15
The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions for providing side information to IQ sample streams.
Claim 15
The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions for providing side information to IQ sample streams.
Claim 16
The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions for providing frame synchronization between the CU and the DU using the PCIe mirrored memory capability.
Claim 16
The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions for providing frame synchronization between the CU and the DU using the PCIe mirrored memory capability.
Claim 17
A system for providing fronthaul, comprising: a virtual Radio Access Network (vRAN) having a centralized unit (CU) and a distributed unit (DU);
wherein the CU and DU are in communication with each other over an Input/Output (I/O) bus using Peripheral Component Interconnect-Express (PCIe);
and wherein the CU and the DU include a PCI to optical converter and an optical to PCI converter;
and wherein the vRAN uses 2G/3G waveforms over a 4G frequency or 2G/3G/4G waveforms over a 5G frequency.
Claim 17
A system for providing fronthaul, comprising: a virtual Radio Access Network (vRAN) having a centralized unit (CU) and a distributed unit (DU);
wherein the CU and DU are in communication with each other over an Input/Output (I/O) bus using Peripheral Component Interconnect-Express (PCIe);
wherein the CU and the DU include a PCI to optical converter and an optical to PCI converter;
and wherein the vRAN uses 2G/3G waveforms over a 4G frequency or 2G/3G/4G waveforms over a 5G frequency.
Claim 18
The system of claim 17, further comprising additional DUs in communication with the CU over the I/O bus.
Claim 18
The system of claim 17, further comprising additional DUs in communication with the CU over the I/O bus.
Claim 19
The system of claim 17, wherein the system is part of at least one of a 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G network.
Claim 19
The system of claim 17, wherein the system is part of at least one of a 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G network.
Claim 20
The system of claim 17, wherein the PCIe mirrored memory capability is used to provide real-time data rate hit debug information between the CU and the DU and to provide frame synchronization between the CU and the DU.
Claim 20
The system of claim 17, wherein the PCIe mirrored memory capability is used to provide real-time data rate hit debug information between the CU and the DU and to provide frame synchronization between the CU and the DU.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF REFERENCES CITED BY APPLICANT
As required by M.P.E.P. 609(c), the applicant's submission of the Information Disclosure Statement dated December 4, 2024, is acknowledged by the examiner and the cited references have been considered in the examination of the claims now pending. As required by M.P.E.P 609 C(2), a copy of the PTOL-1449 initialed and dated by the examiner is attached to the instant office action.
RELEVENT ART CITED BY THE EXAMINER
The following prior art made of record and relied upon is citied to establish the level of skill in the applicant’s art and those arts considered reasonably pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. See MPEP 707.05(c).
The following references teach the overlaying of signals.
U.S. PATENT NUMBERS:2010/0296483 A1 – [Paragraph 0002]
2013/0010773 A1
2013/0142169 A1 – [Paragraphs 0004-0005]
2018/0013465 A1 – [Paragraphs 0003, 0006, 0018, and 0021]
2019/0254740 A1
10,153,736 B2
10,817,392 B1
CLOSING COMMENTS
Conclusion
The examiner requests, in response to this Office action, support be shown for language added to any original claims on amendment and any new claims. That is, indicate support for newly added claim language by specifically pointing to page(s) and line no(s) in the specification and/or drawing figure(s). This will assist the examiner in prosecuting the application.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Henry Yu whose telephone number is (571)272-9779. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday.
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/H.W.Y/Examiner, Art Unit 2181 September 23, 2025
/IDRISS N ALROBAYE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2181