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 .
Claim Interpretation
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: timing detector, information sharer, and determinator in claims 1, 11, and 12.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2 and 3 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 1 and 4-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Doi et al. US 20180309562 A1 (Foreign Priority April 24, 2017) in view of Tsuboi et al. US 20140029595 A1 (Foreign Priority April 20, 2011), and in further view of Sadovsky et al. US 20080195824 A1 (Domestic Priority February 9, 2007).
Regarding claim 1, Doi discloses an optical repeater system (see, communication repeater system includes a master station device and a plurality of radio frequency units which converts a signal from each of base station systems into an optical digital signal and transmits the optical digital signal to the master station device, section 0019) comprising: a plurality of master units connectable to a base station (FIG. 1, multiple radio frequency units connected to a master station device, sections 0039-0045) to which a carrier band to be subjected to carrier aggregation is assigned and a remote unit including an antenna capable of transmitting and receiving an uplink/downlink (UL/DL) signal of the carrier band (FIG. 1, slave station device includes a sub unit (represented by SUB in FIG. 1) that communicates with the mobile communication terminal device via the antenna unit in the carrier frequency band, sections 0046-0054), wherein each of the master units includes: a memory stores a weight assigned to the each master unit in advance (see, programs executed by the master station device or the RFUs are recorded and provided in installable or executable file format on a computer readable recording medium such as memory, sections 0156-0157); a timing detector detects a UL/DL switching timing for each carrier band of a subordinate base station (see, master station device determines whether the transmission/reception switching timings corresponding to all the service providers have been detected, sections 0110-0113 ; noted, slave station devices include a sub unit that communicates with the mobile communication terminal device via the antenna unit in the carrier frequency band and a sub unit that communicates with the mobile communication terminal device via the antenna unit in the carrier frequency band, sections 0046-0054; noted, communication repeater system includes radio frequency units, a master station device, and slave station devices, section 0027); an information sharer communicates with another master unit (see, radio frequency units each include a detector that detects each of transmission and reception switching timings between the master station device and each of the radio frequency units, 0109-0113) and shares information including at least the weight (see, master station device determines whether differences in the transmission/reception switching timings between the service provider and the other service providers are a predetermined threshold time or more, 0118) and a latest UL/DL switching timing among the detected UL/DL switching timings (see, the repeat detection of transmission/reception switching timings of all the service providers until all transmission/reception switching timings have been detected, sections 0109-0113) with the another master unit (see, radio frequency units each include a detector that detects each of transmission and reception switching timings between the master station device and each of the radio frequency units, 0109-0113); a determinator autonomously determines the own UL/DL switching timing based on the shared information (see, master station device determining transmission/reception switching timing based on each service provider such as RFUs, sections 0110-0121); and a synchronization controller sets the own UL/DL switching timing to the determined UL/DL switching timing (see, master station device sets while time synchronization is established, as reference transmission/reception switching timing, the transmission/reception switching timing of the selected service provider, that is, one of the normal transmission/reception switching timings between the master station device and the RFUs, the one corresponding to one of the base station systems having a higher level of synchronization protection, notifies the RFUs of the reference transmission/reception switching timing, sections 0120-0123).
Doi discloses all the claim limitations but fail to disclose: a plurality of master units connectable to a base station to which a carrier band to be subjected to carrier aggregation is assigned
However Tsuboi from a similar filed of endeavor discloses: a plurality of master units connectable to a base station (see, mobile station devices can simultaneously use a plurality of frequency bands from component carriers by carrier aggregation, section 0048 Tsuboi) to which a carrier band to be subjected to carrier aggregation is assigned (see, Carrier aggregation is a technique for aggregating a plurality of cells (component carriers) having different frequency bands and handling the plurality of different frequency bands as if they were a single frequency band, sections 0044-0045 Tsuboi)
In view of the above, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claim invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art of which the claimed invention pertains to modify the optical repeater system of Doi with the carrier aggregation of Tsuboi. The motivation would have been to improve communication with a base station device.
The combination of Doi and Tsuboi discloses all the claim limitations but fail to disclose: a memory stores a weight assigned to the each master unit in advance; …… an information sharer communicates with another master unit and shares information including at least the weight.
However Sadovsky from a similar filed of endeavor discloses: a memory stores a weight assigned to the each master unit in advance (see, a memory for storing the received data and corresponding priority factor values, section 0007 Sadovsky); …… an information sharer communicates with another master unit (see, information that may be shared and/or modified by host devices, section 0081 Sadovsky) and shares information including at least the weight (see, data and priority information stored in memory provided by second host device, section 0086 Sadovsky; noted, Values of priority may be assigned based on a variety of factors including, for example, by personal preferences, prior history or habits, data content on a host device, or commercial preferences, to name a few, section 0074 Sadovsky).
In view of the above, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claim invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art of which the claimed invention pertains to modify the combination of Doi and Tsuboi with the priority information of Sadovsky. The motivation would have been to improve transmission of stored data.
Regarding claim 5, Doi discloses the optical repeater system according to claim 1, wherein the weight assigned to the each master unit corresponds to the carrier band assigned to the base station connected to the each master unit (see, each slave station device includes a sub unit that communicates with the mobile communication terminal device via the antenna unit in the carrier frequency band and a sub unit that communicates with the mobile communication terminal device via the antenna unit in the carrier frequency band, sections 0047-0054).
Regarding claim 6, Doi discloses the optical repeater system according to claim 1, wherein the master unit further includes: a delay detector detects a transmission delay time of each subordinate remote unit (see, each RFU calculates an offset time and a transmission delay time corresponding to the master station device, section 0106), the information sharer further shares the transmission delay time with the another master unit (see, master station device corrects differences in delay among the service providers being the RFUs and differences in delay among the slave station devices, to reduce variations in effective transmission/reception switching timing (time division duplex (TDD) timing) of the antenna units, section 0056), and the synchronization controller sets the UL/DL switching timing of the subordinate remote unit based on the shared transmission delay time (see, RFUs constantly correct time on the basis of the calculated transmission delay times and the offset times to implement accurate time synchronization, section 0107).
Regarding claim 7, Doi discloses the optical repeater system according to claim 2, wherein the master unit further includes: a delay detector detects a transmission delay time of each subordinate remote unit (see, each RFU calculates an offset time and a transmission delay time corresponding to the master station device, section 0106), the information sharer further shares the transmission delay time with the another master unit (see, master station device corrects differences in delay among the service providers being the RFUs and differences in delay among the slave station devices, to reduce variations in effective transmission/reception switching timing (time division duplex (TDD) timing) of the antenna units, section 0056), and the synchronization controller sets the UL/DL switching timing of the subordinate remote unit based on the shared transmission delay time (see, RFUs constantly correct time on the basis of the calculated transmission delay times and the offset times to implement accurate time synchronization, section 0107).
Regarding claim 8, Doi discloses the optical repeater system according to claim 3, wherein the master unit further includes: a delay detector detects a transmission delay time of each subordinate remote unit (see, each RFU calculates an offset time and a transmission delay time corresponding to the master station device, section 0106), the information sharer further shares the transmission delay time with the another master unit (see, master station device corrects differences in delay among the service providers being the RFUs and differences in delay among the slave station devices, to reduce variations in effective transmission/reception switching timing (time division duplex (TDD) timing) of the antenna units, section 0056), and the synchronization controller sets the UL/DL switching timing of the subordinate remote unit based on the shared transmission delay time (see, RFUs constantly correct time on the basis of the calculated transmission delay times and the offset times to implement accurate time synchronization, section 0107).
Regarding claim 10, Doi discloses the optical repeater system according to claim 5, wherein the master unit further includes: a delay detector detects a transmission delay time of each subordinate remote unit (see, each RFU calculates an offset time and a transmission delay time corresponding to the master station device, section 0106), the information sharer further shares the transmission delay time with the another master unit (see, master station device corrects differences in delay among the service providers being the RFUs and differences in delay among the slave station devices, to reduce variations in effective transmission/reception switching timing (time division duplex (TDD) timing) of the antenna units, section 0056), and the synchronization controller sets the UL/DL switching timing of the subordinate remote unit based on the shared transmission delay time (see, RFUs constantly correct time on the basis of the calculated transmission delay times and the offset times to implement accurate time synchronization, section 0107).
Regarding claim 11, Doi discloses an optical repeater device comprising: a base station connection unit connectable to a base station (FIG. 1, multiple radio frequency units connected to a master station device, sections 0039-0045) to which a carrier band to be subjected to carrier aggregation is assigned; a remote unit including an antenna capable of transmitting and receiving an uplink/downlink (UL/DL) signal of the carrier band (FIG. 1, slave station device includes a sub unit (represented by SUB in FIG. 1) that communicates with the mobile communication terminal device via the antenna unit in the carrier frequency band, sections 0046-0054); a memory stores a weight assigned to the optical repeater device in advance (see, programs executed by the master station device or the RFUs are recorded and provided in installable or executable file format on a computer readable recording medium such as memory, sections 0156-0157); a timing detector detects a UL/DL switching timing for each carrier band of a subordinate base station (see, master station device determines whether the transmission/reception switching timings corresponding to all the service providers have been detected, sections 0110-0113 ; noted, slave station devices include a sub unit that communicates with the mobile communication terminal device via the antenna unit in the carrier frequency band and a sub unit that communicates with the mobile communication terminal device via the antenna unit in the carrier frequency band, sections 0046-0054; noted, communication repeater system includes radio frequency units, a master station device, and slave station devices, section 0027); an information sharer communicates with another master unit (see, radio frequency units each include a detector that detects each of transmission and reception switching timings between the master station device and each of the radio frequency units, 0109-0113) and shares information including at least the weight (see, master station device determines whether differences in the transmission/reception switching timings between the service provider and the other service providers are a predetermined threshold time or more, 0118) and a latest UL/DL switching timing among the detected UL/DL switching timings (see, the repeat detection of transmission/reception switching timings of all the service providers until all transmission/reception switching timings have been detected, sections 0109-0113) with the another master unit (see, radio frequency units each include a detector that detects each of transmission and reception switching timings between the master station device and each of the radio frequency units, 0109-0113); a determinator autonomously determine the own UL/DL switching timing based on the shared information (see, master station device determining transmission/reception switching timing based on each service provider such as RFUs, sections 0110-0121); and a synchronization controller sets the own UL/DL switching timing to the determined UL/DL switching timing (see, master station device sets while time synchronization is established, as reference transmission/reception switching timing, the transmission/reception switching timing of the selected service provider, that is, one of the normal transmission/reception switching timings between the master station device and the RFUs, the one corresponding to one of the base station systems having a higher level of synchronization protection, notifies the RFUs of the reference transmission/reception switching timing, sections 0120-0123).
Doi discloses all the claim limitations but fail to disclose: a base station connection unit connectable to a base station to which a carrier band to be subjected to carrier aggregation is assigned
However Tsuboi from a similar filed of endeavor discloses: a plurality of master units connectable to a base station (see, mobile station devices can simultaneously use a plurality of frequency bands from component carriers by carrier aggregation, section 0048 Tsuboi) which a carrier band to be subjected to carrier aggregation is assigned (see, Carrier aggregation is a technique for aggregating a plurality of cells (component carriers) having different frequency bands and handling the plurality of different frequency bands as if they were a single frequency band, sections 0044-0045 Tsuboi)
In view of the above, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claim invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art of which the claimed invention pertains to modify the optical repeater system of Doi with the carrier aggregation of Tsuboi. The motivation would have been to improve communication with a base station device.
The combination of Doi and Tsuboi discloses all the claim limitations but fail to disclose: a memory stores a weight assigned to the each master unit in advance; …… an information sharer communicates with another master unit and shares information including at least the weight.
However Sadovsky from a similar filed of endeavor discloses: a memory stores a weight assigned to the each master unit in advance (see, a memory for storing the received data and corresponding priority factor values, section 0007 Sadovsky); …… an information sharer communicates with another master unit (see, information that may be shared and/or modified by host devices, section 0081 Sadovsky) and shares information including at least the weight (see, data and priority information stored in memory provided by second host device, section 0086 Sadovsky; noted, Values of priority may be assigned based on a variety of factors including, for example, by personal preferences, prior history or habits, data content on a host device, or commercial preferences, to name a few, section 0074 Sadovsky).
In view of the above, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claim invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art of which the claimed invention pertains to modify the combination of Doi and Tsuboi with the priority information of Sadovsky. The motivation would have been to improve transmission of stored data.
Regarding claim 12, Doi discloses a synchronization control method of an optical repeater system (see, communication repeater system includes a master station device and a plurality of radio frequency units which converts a signal from each of base station systems into an optical digital signal and transmits the optical digital signal to the master station device, section 0019) including a plurality of master units connectable to a base station (FIG. 1, multiple radio frequency units connected to a master station device, sections 0039-0045) to which a carrier band to be subjected to carrier aggregation is assigned and a remote unit including an antenna capable of transmitting and receiving an uplink/downlink (UL/DL) signal of the carrier band (FIG. 1, slave station device includes a sub unit (represented by SUB in FIG. 1) that communicates with the mobile communication terminal device via the antenna unit in the carrier frequency band, sections 0046-0054), the synchronization control method comprising: a process in which the master unit detects a UL/DL switching timing for each carrier band of a subordinate base station (see, master station device determines whether the transmission/reception switching timings corresponding to all the service providers have been detected, sections 0110-0113 ; noted, slave station devices include a sub unit that communicates with the mobile communication terminal device via the antenna unit in the carrier frequency band and a sub unit that communicates with the mobile communication terminal device via the antenna unit in the carrier frequency band, sections 0046-0054; noted, communication repeater system includes radio frequency units, a master station device, and slave station devices, section 0027); a process in which the master unit communicates with another master unit (see, radio frequency units each include a detector that detects each of transmission and reception switching timings between the master station device and each of the radio frequency units, 0109-0113) and shares information including at least the weight assigned to the master unit in advance (see, master station device determines whether differences in the transmission/reception switching timings between the service provider and the other service providers are a predetermined threshold time or more, 0118) and a latest UL/DL switching timing among the detected UL/DL switching timings (see, the repeat detection of transmission/reception switching timings of all the service providers until all transmission/reception switching timings have been detected, sections 0109-0113) with the another master unit; a process in which the master unit autonomously determines the own UL/DL switching timing based on the shared information (see, master station device determining transmission/reception switching timing based on each service provider such as RFUs, sections 0110-0121); and a process in which the master unit sets the own UL/DL switching timing to the determined UL/DL switching timing (see, master station device sets while time synchronization is established, as reference transmission/reception switching timing, the transmission/reception switching timing of the selected service provider, that is, one of the normal transmission/reception switching timings between the master station device and the RFUs, the one corresponding to one of the base station systems having a higher level of synchronization protection, notifies the RFUs of the reference transmission/reception switching timing, sections 0120-0123).
Doi discloses all the claim limitations but fail to disclose: a plurality of master units connectable to a base station which a carrier band to be subjected to carrier aggregation is assigned.
However Tsuboi from a similar filed of endeavor discloses: a plurality of master units connectable to a base station (see, mobile station devices can simultaneously use a plurality of frequency bands from component carriers by carrier aggregation, section 0048 Tsuboi) which a carrier band to be subjected to carrier aggregation is assigned (see, Carrier aggregation is a technique for aggregating a plurality of cells (component carriers) having different frequency bands and handling the plurality of different frequency bands as if they were a single frequency band, sections 0044-0045 Tsuboi)
In view of the above, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claim invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art of which the claimed invention pertains to modify the optical repeater system of Doi with the carrier aggregation of Tsuboi. The motivation would have been to improve communication with a base station device.
The combination of Doi and Tsuboi discloses all the claim limitations but fail to disclose: an information sharer communicates with another master unit and shares information including at least the weight.
However Sadovsky from a similar filed of endeavor discloses: an information sharer communicates with another master unit (see, information that may be shared and/or modified by host devices, section 0081 Sadovsky) and shares information including at least the weight (see, data and priority information stored in memory provided by second host device, section 0086 Sadovsky; noted, Values of priority may be assigned based on a variety of factors including, for example, by personal preferences, prior history or habits, data content on a host device, or commercial preferences, to name a few, section 0074 Sadovsky).
In view of the above, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claim invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art of which the claimed invention pertains to modify the combination of Doi and Tsuboi with the priority information of Sadovsky. The motivation would have been to improve transmission of stored data.
Claims 4 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Doi et al. US 20180309562 A1 (Foreign Priority April 24, 2017) in view of Tsuboi et al. US 20140029595 A1 (Foreign Priority April 20, 2011), and in further view of Sadovsky et al. US 20080195824 A1 (Domestic Priority February 9, 2007), and in further view of Kwon et al. US 20220086781 A1 (Foreign Priority May 25, 2018).
The combination of Doi, Tsuboi, and Sadovsky discloses all the claim limitations but fail to disclose: Regarding claim 4, the optical repeater system according to claim 1, wherein the weight assigned to the each master unit is the number of connected remote units in the master unit (see, master station device connected to the GMC unit of RFUs, sections 0080-0085 Doi).
However Kwon from a similar filed of endeavor discloses: the optical repeater system according to claim 1, wherein the weight assigned to the each master unit is the number of connected remote units in the master unit (see, number of nodes on a path as a component of total weight for weight distribution for a distributed antenna system, sections 0315-0321 Kwon).
In view of the above, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claim invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art of which the claimed invention pertains to modify the combination of Doi, Tsuboi, and Sadovsky with the number of nodes of Kwon. The motivation would have been to improve coverage of remote units coupled to a master unit.
Regarding claim 9, Doi discloses the optical repeater system according to claim 4, wherein the master unit further includes: a delay detector detects a transmission delay time of each subordinate remote unit (see, each RFU calculates an offset time and a transmission delay time corresponding to the master station device, section 0106), the information sharer further shares the transmission delay time with the another master unit (see, master station device corrects differences in delay among the service providers being the RFUs and differences in delay among the slave station devices, to reduce variations in effective transmission/reception switching timing (time division duplex (TDD) timing) of the antenna units, section 0056), and the synchronization controller sets the UL/DL switching timing of the subordinate remote unit based on the shared transmission delay time (see, RFUs constantly correct time on the basis of the calculated transmission delay times and the offset times to implement accurate time synchronization, section 0107).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PATRICK YIPAO PEI whose telephone number is (703)756-1890. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM ET.
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/PATRICK YIPAO PEI/Examiner, Art Unit 2473
/JUTAI KAO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2473
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