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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/29/2024 has been considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter.
In particular, claims are directed to a judicial exception (abstract idea) without significantly more.
Re Claim 1:
Claim 1 recites:
A method performed by an uncrewed aerial system (UAS), the method comprising:
receiving from a first network function device of a first network, a network selection policy indicating a second network providing local UAS traffic information;
receiving from a second network function device of the second network, uncrewed aerial system traffic management (UTM) support information;
selecting the second network in accordance to the network selection policy and the UTM support information;
and connecting to the second network function device to receive the local UAS traffic information from the second network function device.
Under Step 1 Claim 1 is a method claim same as claims 2-10.
Under Step 2A -Prong 1:
The identified claim limitations that recite an abstract idea fall within the enumerated groupings of abstract ideas in Section 1 of the 2019 Revised Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Guidance published in the Federal Register (84 FR 50) on January 7, 2019. These fall under mental process.
Claim 1 recites “a method performed by an uncrewed aerial system (UAS), the method comprising:
Under Step 2A - Prong 2; the claims recite the additional elements of “receiving from a first network function device of a first network, a network selection policy indicating a second network providing local UAS traffic information” and “receiving from a second network function device of the second network, uncrewed aerial system traffic management (UTM) support information” steps is not more than adding the words “apply it” (or an equivalent) with the judicial exception, or mere instructions to implement an abstract idea on a computer, or merely uses a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea - see MPEP 2106.05(f). Accordingly, these additional elements, when considered separately and as an ordered combination, do not integrate the abstract idea without a practical application because they do not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea and are at a high level of generality. Therefore, claim 1 is directed to an abstract idea without a practical application.
Under Step 2B:
The claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more that the judicial exception because, when considered separately and as an ordered combination, they do not add significantly more (also known as an “inventive concept”) to the exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional element of using a computer hardware amounts to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Mere instructions to apply an exception using a generic computer component cannot provide an inventive concept. Accordingly, these additional elements, do not change the outcome of the analysis, when considered separately and as an ordered combination. Thus, claims 1-10 are not patent eligible.
Therefore, the method claim 11, system claim 21 and device claim 22 are rejected under the same rationales used in the rejections of claim 1 outlined above.
Dependent claims 2-10 and 12-20 Dependent claims further define the abstract idea that is present in their respective independent claim 1 and thus correspond to Mental Processes and hence are abstract for the reasons presented above. The dependent claims do not include any additional elements that integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception when considered both individually and as an ordered combination. Therefore, the dependent claims are directed to an abstract idea. Thus, the claims 1-22 are not patent-eligible.
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 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 1-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable in view of GSMA (“Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem” “https://www.gsma.com/solutions-and-impact/technologies/internet-of-things/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/ACJA-NetworkCoverage-Service-Definition-v1.00.pdf”) in further view of Zhang et al (US 2025/0063592 A1), (hereinafter Zhang) in further view of De Rosa et al (US 2022/0045747 A1), (Hereinafter De Rosa).
Regarding claim 1, GSMA teaches a method performed by an uncrewed aerial system (UAS), the method comprising: (see GSMA “3.3” fig. 1 and page 16),
receiving from a first network function device of a first network, a network selection policy indicating a second network providing local UAS traffic information (see fig. 1 on page 16, the UAS receives coverage change in active FPL),
receiving from a second network function device of the second network, uncrewed aerial system traffic management (UTM) support information (see fig. 1 on page 16, the connectivity service provides coverage information to the UAS),
But GSMA fails to explicitly teach selecting the second network in accordance to the network selection policy and the UTM support information.
However, Zhang teaches selecting the second network in accordance to the network selection policy and the UTM support information (see Zhang paras “0211” and “0249” “the control signaling receiving manager 745 may be configured as or otherwise support a means for receiving, via the control signaling, the additional control signaling, or both, a first authorization for the UE to perform the one or more UAV services in accordance with the UE policy configuration during time intervals in which the UE is connected to a serving network, a second authorization for the UE to perform the one or more UAV services in accordance with the UE policy configuration during time intervals in which the UE is not connected to the serving network, or both, where communicating the sidelink message is based on the first authorization, the second authorization, or both” and “the control signaling transmitting manager 1140 may be configured as or otherwise support a means for transmitting, via the control signaling, the additional control signaling, or both, a first authorization for the UE to perform the one or more UAV services in accordance with the UE policy configuration during time intervals in which the UE is connected to a serving network, a second authorization for the UE to perform the one or more UAV services in accordance with the UE policy configuration during time intervals in which the UE is not connected to the serving network” regarding applying the appropriate authorization requires the UE to evaluate network conditions and operate under the network context that satisfies the policy requirements for the UAV service support (i.e., selecting a second network…)),
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem “to receive control signaling indicating a UE policy configuration including a set of radio parameters usable by the UE to perform sidelink communications to support one or more UAV services” as taught by Zhang (paras [0211] – [0249]) in order to maintain and operate under a network that supports such services when the initially connected network does not.
But modified GSMA fails to explicitly teach connecting to the second network function device to receive the local UAS traffic information from the second network function device.
However, De Rosa teaches connecting to the second network function device to receive the local UAS traffic information from the second network function device (see De Rosa claim 18 “establish a first network connection via a first network during a first portion of the flight route; and migrating the unmanned aerial device from the first network connection via the first network to a second network connection via a second network that operates according to a different communication protocol than a communication protocol according to which the first network operates, wherein the different communication protocol is not supported by the first network, and wherein the migrating results in the unmanned aerial device being connected according to the second network connection during a second portion of the flight route” regarding migration from a first network connection to a second network connection during flight and establishing and maintaining the second network connection involves communication with network-side entities that support the second network)
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem to “maintain connectivity to and communicate with base stations and also allowing automated and adaptive flight routes and channel allocation instructions for connecting to a network during flight on the flight routes can maintain network connectivity of user equipment (UEs) at flight altitude” as taught by De Rosa (claim 18) in order to facilitate maintaining network connectivity of aerial devices during unmanned flight.
Regarding claim 2, GSMA fails to explicitly teach wherein the first network is a home network that the UAS subscribes to, and the second network is different from the first network.
However, Zhang teaches wherein the first network is a home network that the UAS subscribes to, and the second network is different from the first network (see Zhang para “0067” “One or more of the network entities 105 described herein may include or may be referred to as a base station 140 (e.g., a base transceiver station, a radio base station, an access point, a radio transceiver, a NodeB, an eNodeB (eNB), a next-generation NodeB or a giga-NodeB (either of which may be referred to as a gNB), a next-generation eNB (ng-eNB), a Home NodeB, a Home eNodeB, or other suitable terminology)”),
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem “to receive control signaling indicating a UE policy configuration including a set of radio parameters usable by the UE to perform sidelink communications to support one or more UAV services” as taught by Zhang (paras [0067] – [0249]) in order to maintain and operate under a network that supports such services when the initially connected network does not.
Regarding claim 3, modified GSMA fails to explicitly teach wherein the second network is part of a network of a base station or of a cell of the base station.
However, De Rosa teaches wherein the first network is a home network that the UAS subscribes to, and the second network is different from the first network (see De Rosa claim 18 and paras “0053-0059” and “0072” “the UAV 105 may select a serving base station based on relative signal strengths of different base stations and generate measurement reports containing power measurements associated with the serving base station and/or other surround base stations (e.g., neighbor base stations of the serving base station). The UAV 105 communicates with its serving base station via a communication channel assigned to the UAV 105 by the serving base station. For example, between the points 145A and 150B, the UAV 105 may select the base station 120A as its serving base station and perform measurements (e.g., power measurements) on signals transmitted to and received from the base station 120A and base stations 120B-C by the UAV 105. In this example, the measurements associated with the base stations 120B-C may be indicative of the interference impact of the UAV 105 on the base stations 120B-C when the UAV 105 is connected to the base station 120A. The base station 120A, as the serving base station of the UAV 105, decodes signals received from the UAV 105, whereas any signals received by the base stations 120B-C from the UAV 105 is considered noise (e.g., also referred to as uplink interference noise or simply interference noise) to the base stations 120B-C. The UAV 105 may select other base stations as its serving base station during the flight (e.g., based on relative signal strengths associated with different base stations)”)
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem to “maintain connectivity to and communicate with base stations and also allowing automated and adaptive flight routes and channel allocation instructions for connecting to a network during flight on the flight routes can maintain network connectivity of user equipment (UEs) at flight altitude” as taught by De Rosa (claim 18 and para [0072]) in order to facilitate maintaining network connectivity of aerial devices during unmanned flight.
Regarding claim 4, modified GSMA fails to explicitly teach wherein the UTM support information is broadcast by the second network function device.
However, De Rosa teaches wherein the UTM support information is broadcast by the second network function device (see De Rosa claim 18 “establish a first network connection via a first network during a first portion of the flight route; and migrating the unmanned aerial device from the first network connection via the first network to a second network connection via a second network that operates according to a different communication protocol than a communication protocol according to which the first network operates, wherein the different communication protocol is not supported by the first network, and wherein the migrating results in the unmanned aerial device being connected according to the second network connection during a second portion of the flight route” regarding migration from a first network connection to a second network connection during flight and establishing and maintaining the second network connection involves communication with network-side entities that support the second network)
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem to “maintain connectivity to and communicate with base stations and also allowing automated and adaptive flight routes and channel allocation instructions for connecting to a network during flight on the flight routes can maintain network connectivity of user equipment (UEs) at flight altitude” as taught by De Rosa (claim 18) in order to facilitate maintaining network connectivity of aerial devices during unmanned flight.
Regarding claim 5, modified GSMA fails to explicitly teach wherein the local UAS traffic information is multicast or broadcast by the second network function device.
However, De Rosa teaches wherein the local UAS traffic information is multicast or broadcast by the second network function device (see De Rosa claim 18 “establish a first network connection via a first network during a first portion of the flight route; and migrating the unmanned aerial device from the first network connection via the first network to a second network connection via a second network that operates according to a different communication protocol than a communication protocol according to which the first network operates, wherein the different communication protocol is not supported by the first network, and wherein the migrating results in the unmanned aerial device being connected according to the second network connection during a second portion of the flight route” regarding migration from a first network connection to a second network connection during flight and establishing and maintaining the second network connection involves communication with network-side entities that support the second network)
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem to “maintain connectivity to and communicate with base stations and also allowing automated and adaptive flight routes and channel allocation instructions for connecting to a network during flight on the flight routes can maintain network connectivity of user equipment (UEs) at flight altitude” as taught by De Rosa (claim 18) in order to facilitate maintaining network connectivity of aerial devices during unmanned flight.
Regarding claim 6, modified GSMA fails to explicitly teach wherein the second network function device is a base station or an internet protocol (IP) based function device.
However, De Rosa teaches wherein the second network function device is a base station or an internet protocol (IP) based function device (see De Rosa claim 18 and paras “0053-0059” and “0072” “the UAV 105 may select a serving base station based on relative signal strengths of different base stations and generate measurement reports containing power measurements associated with the serving base station and/or other surround base stations (e.g., neighbor base stations of the serving base station). The UAV 105 communicates with its serving base station via a communication channel assigned to the UAV 105 by the serving base station. For example, between the points 145A and 150B, the UAV 105 may select the base station 120A as its serving base station and perform measurements (e.g., power measurements) on signals transmitted to and received from the base station 120A and base stations 120B-C by the UAV 105. In this example, the measurements associated with the base stations 120B-C may be indicative of the interference impact of the UAV 105 on the base stations 120B-C when the UAV 105 is connected to the base station 120A. The base station 120A, as the serving base station of the UAV 105, decodes signals received from the UAV 105, whereas any signals received by the base stations 120B-C from the UAV 105 is considered noise (e.g., also referred to as uplink interference noise or simply interference noise) to the base stations 120B-C. The UAV 105 may select other base stations as its serving base station during the flight (e.g., based on relative signal strengths associated with different base stations)”)
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem to “maintain connectivity to and communicate with base stations and also allowing automated and adaptive flight routes and channel allocation instructions for connecting to a network during flight on the flight routes can maintain network connectivity of user equipment (UEs) at flight altitude” as taught by De Rosa (claim 18 and para [0072]) in order to facilitate maintaining network connectivity of aerial devices during unmanned flight.
Regarding claim 7, GSMA fails to explicitly teach wherein the local UAS traffic information is unicast by the second network function device.
However, Zhang teaches wherein the local UAS traffic information is unicast by the second network function device (see Zhang para “0121” “Comparatively, in the context of U2X communication over Uu (e.g., communication link 305), U2X communication via unicast over the Uu reference point supports non-roaming and roaming operations. For transport of U2X messages over Uu reference point, communications mechanisms can be used to establish the suitable PDU Sessions, and U2X messages may be routed towards U2X application server or towards UEs 115 (e.g., UEs 115-c, 115-d, 115-e) with existing unicast routing”),
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem “to receive control signaling indicating a UE policy configuration including a set of radio parameters usable by the UE to perform sidelink communications to support one or more UAV services” as taught by Zhang (paras [0121] – [0249]) in order to maintain and operate under a network that supports such services when the initially connected network does not.
Regarding claim 8, GSMA fails to explicitly teach the UTM support information indicating that the second network function device of the second network supports UTM including at least one of UAS identification or UAS detect and avoid (DAA).
However, Zhang teaches the UTM support information indicating that the second network function device of the second network supports UTM including at least one of UAS identification or UAS detect and avoid (DAA) (see Zhang para “0115” “A U2X service can be associated with one or more U2X applications, and a U2X application can be associated with one or more U2X services. One example of a U2X service may include “detect and avoid (DAA),” in which a UE 115 may surveil traffic and remain a safe distance from nearby aircraft (e.g., cooperative aircraft and non-cooperative aircraft) so as not to create a collision hazard”),
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem “to receive control signaling indicating a UE policy configuration including a set of radio parameters usable by the UE to perform sidelink communications to support one or more UAV services” as taught by Zhang (paras [0121] – [0249]) in order to maintain and operate under a network that supports such services when the initially connected network does not.
Regarding claim 9, modified GSMA fails to explicitly teach wherein the second network function device is a ground-based base station or an internet protocol (IP) based function device, and the UAS is at least one of an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) or a UAV controller controlling the UAV.
However, De Rosa teaches wherein the second network function device is a ground-based base station or an internet protocol (IP) based function device, and the UAS is at least one of an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) or a UAV controller controlling the UAV. (see De Rosa claim 18 and paras “0037”, “0053-0059” and “0072” “the UAV 105 may select a serving base station based on relative signal strengths of different base stations and generate measurement reports containing power measurements associated with the serving base station and/or other surround base stations (e.g., neighbor base stations of the serving base station). The UAV 105 communicates with its serving base station via a communication channel assigned to the UAV 105 by the serving base station. For example, between the points 145A and 150B, the UAV 105 may select the base station 120A as its serving base station and perform measurements (e.g., power measurements) on signals transmitted to and received from the base station 120A and base stations 120B-C by the UAV 105. In this example, the measurements associated with the base stations 120B-C may be indicative of the interference impact of the UAV 105 on the base stations 120B-C when the UAV 105 is connected to the base station 120A. The base station 120A, as the serving base station of the UAV 105, decodes signals received from the UAV 105, whereas any signals received by the base stations 120B-C from the UAV 105 is considered noise (e.g., also referred to as uplink interference noise or simply interference noise) to the base stations 120B-C. The UAV 105 may select other base stations as its serving base station during the flight (e.g., based on relative signal strengths associated with different base stations)”)
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem to “maintain connectivity to and communicate with base stations and also allowing automated and adaptive flight routes and channel allocation instructions for connecting to a network during flight on the flight routes can maintain network connectivity of user equipment (UEs) at flight altitude” as taught by De Rosa (claim 18 and para [0072]) in order to facilitate maintaining network connectivity of aerial devices during unmanned flight.
Regarding claim 10, GSMA fails to explicitly teach wherein the UAS provides location information to the second network function device, the second network function device providing traffic information tailored to a group of joined member devices based on information from the joined member devices in the group, and wherein the group includes the UAS.
However, Zhang teaches wherein the UAS provides location information to the second network function device, the second network function device providing traffic information tailored to a group of joined member devices based on information from the joined member devices in the group, and wherein the group includes the UAS (see Zhang paras “0087-0088” “which may support aspects of such D2D communications being configured by or scheduled by the network entity 105. In some examples, one or more UEs 115 in such a group may be outside the coverage area 110 of a network entity 105 or may be otherwise unable to or not configured to receive transmissions from a network entity 105. In some examples, groups of the UEs 115 communicating via D2D communications may support a one-to-many (1:M) system in which each UE 115 transmits to each of the other UEs 115 in the group”),
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem “to receive control signaling indicating a UE policy configuration including a set of radio parameters usable by the UE to perform sidelink communications to support one or more UAV services” as taught by Zhang (paras [0087-0088]) in order to maintain and operate under a network that supports such services when the initially connected network does not.
Regarding claim 11, GSMA teaches a method, comprising: (see GSMA “3.3” fig. 1 and page 16),
transmitting, by a second network function device of a second network to an uncrewed aerial system (UAS), uncrewed aerial system traffic management (UTM) support information (see fig. 1 on page 16, the connectivity service provides coverage information to the UAS),
the UAS receiving from a first network function device of a first network, a network selection policy indicating the second network providing local UAS traffic information (see fig. 1 on page 16, the UAS receives coverage change in active FPL),
But GSMA fails to explicitly teach the UAS selecting the second network in accordance to the network selection policy and the UTM support information.
However, Zhang teaches the UAS selecting the second network in accordance to the network selection policy and the UTM support information (see Zhang paras “0211” and “0249” “the control signaling receiving manager 745 may be configured as or otherwise support a means for receiving, via the control signaling, the additional control signaling, or both, a first authorization for the UE to perform the one or more UAV services in accordance with the UE policy configuration during time intervals in which the UE is connected to a serving network, a second authorization for the UE to perform the one or more UAV services in accordance with the UE policy configuration during time intervals in which the UE is not connected to the serving network, or both, where communicating the sidelink message is based on the first authorization, the second authorization, or both” and “the control signaling transmitting manager 1140 may be configured as or otherwise support a means for transmitting, via the control signaling, the additional control signaling, or both, a first authorization for the UE to perform the one or more UAV services in accordance with the UE policy configuration during time intervals in which the UE is connected to a serving network, a second authorization for the UE to perform the one or more UAV services in accordance with the UE policy configuration during time intervals in which the UE is not connected to the serving network” regarding applying the appropriate authorization requires the UE to evaluate network conditions and operate under the network context that satisfies the policy requirements for the UAV service support (i.e., selecting a second network…)),
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem “to receive control signaling indicating a UE policy configuration including a set of radio parameters usable by the UE to perform sidelink communications to support one or more UAV services” as taught by Zhang (paras [0211] – [0249]) in order to maintain and operate under a network that supports such services when the initially connected network does not.
But modified GSMA fails to explicitly teach connecting, by the second network function device of the second network with the UAS to transmit the local UAS traffic information from the second network function device.
However, De Rosa teaches connecting, by the second network function device of the second network with the UAS to transmit the local UAS traffic information from the second network function device (see De Rosa claim 18 “establish a first network connection via a first network during a first portion of the flight route; and migrating the unmanned aerial device from the first network connection via the first network to a second network connection via a second network that operates according to a different communication protocol than a communication protocol according to which the first network operates, wherein the different communication protocol is not supported by the first network, and wherein the migrating results in the unmanned aerial device being connected according to the second network connection during a second portion of the flight route” regarding migration from a first network connection to a second network connection during flight and establishing and maintaining the second network connection involves communication with network-side entities that support the second network)
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem to “maintain connectivity to and communicate with base stations and also allowing automated and adaptive flight routes and channel allocation instructions for connecting to a network during flight on the flight routes can maintain network connectivity of user equipment (UEs) at flight altitude” as taught by De Rosa (claim 18) in order to facilitate maintaining network connectivity of aerial devices during unmanned flight.
Regarding claim 12, GSMA fails to explicitly teach wherein the first network is a home network that the UAS subscribes to, and the second network is different from the first network.
However, Zhang teaches wherein the first network is a home network that the UAS subscribes to, and the second network is different from the first network (see Zhang para “0067” “One or more of the network entities 105 described herein may include or may be referred to as a base station 140 (e.g., a base transceiver station, a radio base station, an access point, a radio transceiver, a NodeB, an eNodeB (eNB), a next-generation NodeB or a giga-NodeB (either of which may be referred to as a gNB), a next-generation eNB (ng-eNB), a Home NodeB, a Home eNodeB, or other suitable terminology)”),
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem “to receive control signaling indicating a UE policy configuration including a set of radio parameters usable by the UE to perform sidelink communications to support one or more UAV services” as taught by Zhang (paras [0067] – [0249]) in order to maintain and operate under a network that supports such services when the initially connected network does not.
Regarding claim 13, modified GSMA fails to explicitly teach wherein the UTM support information is broadcast by the second network function device.
However, De Rosa teaches wherein the UTM support information is broadcast by the second network function device (see De Rosa claim 18 “establish a first network connection via a first network during a first portion of the flight route; and migrating the unmanned aerial device from the first network connection via the first network to a second network connection via a second network that operates according to a different communication protocol than a communication protocol according to which the first network operates, wherein the different communication protocol is not supported by the first network, and wherein the migrating results in the unmanned aerial device being connected according to the second network connection during a second portion of the flight route” regarding migration from a first network connection to a second network connection during flight and establishing and maintaining the second network connection involves communication with network-side entities that support the second network)
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem to “maintain connectivity to and communicate with base stations and also allowing automated and adaptive flight routes and channel allocation instructions for connecting to a network during flight on the flight routes can maintain network connectivity of user equipment (UEs) at flight altitude” as taught by De Rosa (claim 18) in order to facilitate maintaining network connectivity of aerial devices during unmanned flight.
Regarding claim 14, modified GSMA fails to explicitly teach wherein the local UAS traffic information is multicast or broadcast by the second network function device.
However, De Rosa teaches wherein the local UAS traffic information is multicast or broadcast by the second network function device (see De Rosa claim 18 “establish a first network connection via a first network during a first portion of the flight route; and migrating the unmanned aerial device from the first network connection via the first network to a second network connection via a second network that operates according to a different communication protocol than a communication protocol according to which the first network operates, wherein the different communication protocol is not supported by the first network, and wherein the migrating results in the unmanned aerial device being connected according to the second network connection during a second portion of the flight route” regarding migration from a first network connection to a second network connection during flight and establishing and maintaining the second network connection involves communication with network-side entities that support the second network)
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem to “maintain connectivity to and communicate with base stations and also allowing automated and adaptive flight routes and channel allocation instructions for connecting to a network during flight on the flight routes can maintain network connectivity of user equipment (UEs) at flight altitude” as taught by De Rosa (claim 18) in order to facilitate maintaining network connectivity of aerial devices during unmanned flight.
Regarding claim 15, modified GSMA fails to explicitly teach wherein the second network function device is a base station or an internet protocol (IP) based function device.
However, De Rosa teaches wherein the second network function device is a base station or an internet protocol (IP) based function device (see De Rosa claim 18 and paras “0053-0059” and “0072” “the UAV 105 may select a serving base station based on relative signal strengths of different base stations and generate measurement reports containing power measurements associated with the serving base station and/or other surround base stations (e.g., neighbor base stations of the serving base station). The UAV 105 communicates with its serving base station via a communication channel assigned to the UAV 105 by the serving base station. For example, between the points 145A and 150B, the UAV 105 may select the base station 120A as its serving base station and perform measurements (e.g., power measurements) on signals transmitted to and received from the base station 120A and base stations 120B-C by the UAV 105. In this example, the measurements associated with the base stations 120B-C may be indicative of the interference impact of the UAV 105 on the base stations 120B-C when the UAV 105 is connected to the base station 120A. The base station 120A, as the serving base station of the UAV 105, decodes signals received from the UAV 105, whereas any signals received by the base stations 120B-C from the UAV 105 is considered noise (e.g., also referred to as uplink interference noise or simply interference noise) to the base stations 120B-C. The UAV 105 may select other base stations as its serving base station during the flight (e.g., based on relative signal strengths associated with different base stations)”)
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem to “maintain connectivity to and communicate with base stations and also allowing automated and adaptive flight routes and channel allocation instructions for connecting to a network during flight on the flight routes can maintain network connectivity of user equipment (UEs) at flight altitude” as taught by De Rosa (claim 18 and para [0072]) in order to facilitate maintaining network connectivity of aerial devices during unmanned flight.
Regarding claim 16, GSMA fails to explicitly teach wherein the local UAS traffic information is unicast by the second network function device.
However, Zhang teaches wherein the local UAS traffic information is unicast by the second network function device (see Zhang para “0121” “Comparatively, in the context of U2X communication over Uu (e.g., communication link 305), U2X communication via unicast over the Uu reference point supports non-roaming and roaming operations. For transport of U2X messages over Uu reference point, communications mechanisms can be used to establish the suitable PDU Sessions, and U2X messages may be routed towards U2X application server or towards UEs 115 (e.g., UEs 115-c, 115-d, 115-e) with existing unicast routing”),
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem “to receive control signaling indicating a UE policy configuration including a set of radio parameters usable by the UE to perform sidelink communications to support one or more UAV services” as taught by Zhang (paras [0121] – [0249]) in order to maintain and operate under a network that supports such services when the initially connected network does not.
Regarding claim 17, GSMA fails to explicitly teach the UTM support information indicating that the second network function device of the second network supports UTM including at least one of UAS identification or UAS detect and avoid (DAA).
However, Zhang teaches the UTM support information indicating that the second network function device of the second network supports UTM including at least one of UAS identification or UAS detect and avoid (DAA) (see Zhang para “0115” “A U2X service can be associated with one or more U2X applications, and a U2X application can be associated with one or more U2X services. One example of a U2X service may include “detect and avoid (DAA),” in which a UE 115 may surveil traffic and remain a safe distance from nearby aircraft (e.g., cooperative aircraft and non-cooperative aircraft) so as not to create a collision hazard”),
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem “to receive control signaling indicating a UE policy configuration including a set of radio parameters usable by the UE to perform sidelink communications to support one or more UAV services” as taught by Zhang (paras [0121] – [0249]) in order to maintain and operate under a network that supports such services when the initially connected network does not.
Regarding claim 18, modified GSMA fails to explicitly teach wherein the second network function device is a ground-based base station or an internet protocol (IP) based function device, and the UAS is at least one of an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) or a UAV controller controlling the UAV.
However, De Rosa teaches wherein the second network function device is a ground-based base station or an internet protocol (IP) based function device, and the UAS is at least one of an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) or a UAV controller controlling the UAV. (see De Rosa claim 18 and paras “0037”, “0053-0059” and “0072” “the UAV 105 may select a serving base station based on relative signal strengths of different base stations and generate measurement reports containing power measurements associated with the serving base station and/or other surround base stations (e.g., neighbor base stations of the serving base station). The UAV 105 communicates with its serving base station via a communication channel assigned to the UAV 105 by the serving base station. For example, between the points 145A and 150B, the UAV 105 may select the base station 120A as its serving base station and perform measurements (e.g., power measurements) on signals transmitted to and received from the base station 120A and base stations 120B-C by the UAV 105. In this example, the measurements associated with the base stations 120B-C may be indicative of the interference impact of the UAV 105 on the base stations 120B-C when the UAV 105 is connected to the base station 120A. The base station 120A, as the serving base station of the UAV 105, decodes signals received from the UAV 105, whereas any signals received by the base stations 120B-C from the UAV 105 is considered noise (e.g., also referred to as uplink interference noise or simply interference noise) to the base stations 120B-C. The UAV 105 may select other base stations as its serving base station during the flight (e.g., based on relative signal strengths associated with different base stations)”)
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem to “maintain connectivity to and communicate with base stations and also allowing automated and adaptive flight routes and channel allocation instructions for connecting to a network during flight on the flight routes can maintain network connectivity of user equipment (UEs) at flight altitude” as taught by De Rosa (claim 18 and para [0072]) in order to facilitate maintaining network connectivity of aerial devices during unmanned flight.
Regarding claim 19, GSMA fails to explicitly teach wherein the network selection policy includes at least one of a candidate network identifier (ID) or a candidate DAA ID, and UTM support information includes a network ID of the second network and a DAA network ID.
However, Zhang teaches wherein the network selection policy includes at least one of a candidate network identifier (ID) or a candidate DAA ID, and UTM support information includes a network ID of the second network and a DAA network ID (see Zhang para “0115” “A U2X service can be associated with one or more U2X applications, and a U2X application can be associated with one or more U2X services. One example of a U2X service may include “detect and avoid (DAA),” in which a UE 115 may surveil traffic and remain a safe distance from nearby aircraft (e.g., cooperative aircraft and non-cooperative aircraft) so as not to create a collision hazard”),
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem “to receive control signaling indicating a UE policy configuration including a set of radio parameters usable by the UE to perform sidelink communications to support one or more UAV services” as taught by Zhang (paras [0121] – [0249]) in order to maintain and operate under a network that supports such services when the initially connected network does not.
Regarding claim 20, GSMA fails to explicitly teach wherein the UAS provides location information to the second network function device, wherein the second network function device provides traffic information tailored to a group of joined member devices based on information from the joined member devices in the group, and wherein the group includes the UAS.
However, Zhang teaches wherein the UAS provides location information to the second network function device, wherein the second network function device provides traffic information tailored to a group of joined member devices based on information from the joined member devices in the group, and wherein the group includes the UAS (see Zhang paras “0087-0088” “which may support aspects of such D2D communications being configured by or scheduled by the network entity 105. In some examples, one or more UEs 115 in such a group may be outside the coverage area 110 of a network entity 105 or may be otherwise unable to or not configured to receive transmissions from a network entity 105. In some examples, groups of the UEs 115 communicating via D2D communications may support a one-to-many (1:M) system in which each UE 115 transmits to each of the other UEs 115 in the group”),
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem “to receive control signaling indicating a UE policy configuration including a set of radio parameters usable by the UE to perform sidelink communications to support one or more UAV services” as taught by Zhang (paras [0087-0088]) in order to maintain and operate under a network that supports such services when the initially connected network does not.
Regarding claim 21, GSMA teaches an uncrewed aerial system (UAS), comprising: at least one processor; and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the UAS to perform operations including: (see GSMA “3.3” fig. 1 and pages 16-20),
receiving from a first network function device of a first network, a network selection policy indicating a second network providing local UAS traffic information (see fig. 1 on page 16, the UAS receives coverage change in active FPL),
receiving from a second network function device of the second network, uncrewed aerial system traffic management (UTM) support information (see fig. 1 on page 16, the connectivity service provides coverage information to the UAS),
But GSMA fails to explicitly teach selecting the second network in accordance to the network selection policy and the UTM support information.
However, Zhang teaches selecting the second network in accordance to the network selection policy and the UTM support information (see Zhang paras “0211” and “0249” “the control signaling receiving manager 745 may be configured as or otherwise support a means for receiving, via the control signaling, the additional control signaling, or both, a first authorization for the UE to perform the one or more UAV services in accordance with the UE policy configuration during time intervals in which the UE is connected to a serving network, a second authorization for the UE to perform the one or more UAV services in accordance with the UE policy configuration during time intervals in which the UE is not connected to the serving network, or both, where communicating the sidelink message is based on the first authorization, the second authorization, or both” and “the control signaling transmitting manager 1140 may be configured as or otherwise support a means for transmitting, via the control signaling, the additional control signaling, or both, a first authorization for the UE to perform the one or more UAV services in accordance with the UE policy configuration during time intervals in which the UE is connected to a serving network, a second authorization for the UE to perform the one or more UAV services in accordance with the UE policy configuration during time intervals in which the UE is not connected to the serving network” regarding applying the appropriate authorization requires the UE to evaluate network conditions and operate under the network context that satisfies the policy requirements for the UAV service support (i.e., selecting a second network…)),
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem “to receive control signaling indicating a UE policy configuration including a set of radio parameters usable by the UE to perform sidelink communications to support one or more UAV services” as taught by Zhang (paras [0211] – [0249]) in order to maintain and operate under a network that supports such services when the initially connected network does not.
But modified GSMA fails to explicitly teach connecting to the second network function device to receive the local UAS traffic information from the second network function device.
However, De Rosa teaches connecting to the second network function device to receive the local UAS traffic information from the second network function device (see De Rosa claim 18 “establish a first network connection via a first network during a first portion of the flight route; and migrating the unmanned aerial device from the first network connection via the first network to a second network connection via a second network that operates according to a different communication protocol than a communication protocol according to which the first network operates, wherein the different communication protocol is not supported by the first network, and wherein the migrating results in the unmanned aerial device being connected according to the second network connection during a second portion of the flight route” regarding migration from a first network connection to a second network connection during flight and establishing and maintaining the second network connection involves communication with network-side entities that support the second network)
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem to “maintain connectivity to and communicate with base stations and also allowing automated and adaptive flight routes and channel allocation instructions for connecting to a network during flight on the flight routes can maintain network connectivity of user equipment (UEs) at flight altitude” as taught by De Rosa (claim 18) in order to facilitate maintaining network connectivity of aerial devices during unmanned flight.
Regarding claim 22, GSMA teaches a second network function device, comprising: at least one processor; and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programming that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the second network function device to perform operations including: (see GSMA “3.3” fig. 1 and pages 16-20),
transmitting, to an uncrewed aerial system (UAS), uncrewed aerial system traffic management (UTM) support information (see fig. 1 on page 16, the connectivity service provides coverage information to the UAS), the UAS receiving from a first network function device of a first network, a network selection policy indicating a second network providing local UAS traffic information (see fig. 1 on page 16, the UAS receives coverage change in active FPL),
But GSMA fails to explicitly teach the UAS selecting the second network in accordance to the network selection policy and the UTM support information.
However, Zhang teaches the UAS selecting the second network in accordance to the network selection policy and the UTM support information (see Zhang paras “0211” and “0249” “the control signaling receiving manager 745 may be configured as or otherwise support a means for receiving, via the control signaling, the additional control signaling, or both, a first authorization for the UE to perform the one or more UAV services in accordance with the UE policy configuration during time intervals in which the UE is connected to a serving network, a second authorization for the UE to perform the one or more UAV services in accordance with the UE policy configuration during time intervals in which the UE is not connected to the serving network, or both, where communicating the sidelink message is based on the first authorization, the second authorization, or both” and “the control signaling transmitting manager 1140 may be configured as or otherwise support a means for transmitting, via the control signaling, the additional control signaling, or both, a first authorization for the UE to perform the one or more UAV services in accordance with the UE policy configuration during time intervals in which the UE is connected to a serving network, a second authorization for the UE to perform the one or more UAV services in accordance with the UE policy configuration during time intervals in which the UE is not connected to the serving network” regarding applying the appropriate authorization requires the UE to evaluate network conditions and operate under the network context that satisfies the policy requirements for the UAV service support (i.e., selecting a second network…)),
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem “to receive control signaling indicating a UE policy configuration including a set of radio parameters usable by the UE to perform sidelink communications to support one or more UAV services” as taught by Zhang (paras [0211] – [0249]) in order to maintain and operate under a network that supports such services when the initially connected network does not.
But modified GSMA fails to explicitly teach connecting, with the UAS to transmit the local UAS traffic information from the second network function device.
However, De Rosa teaches connecting, with the UAS to transmit the local UAS traffic information from the second network function device (see De Rosa claim 18 “establish a first network connection via a first network during a first portion of the flight route; and migrating the unmanned aerial device from the first network connection via the first network to a second network connection via a second network that operates according to a different communication protocol than a communication protocol according to which the first network operates, wherein the different communication protocol is not supported by the first network, and wherein the migrating results in the unmanned aerial device being connected according to the second network connection during a second portion of the flight route” regarding migration from a first network connection to a second network connection during flight and establishing and maintaining the second network connection involves communication with network-side entities that support the second network)
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of modified GSMA for Interface for Data Exchange between MNOs and the UTM Ecosystem to “maintain connectivity to and communicate with base stations and also allowing automated and adaptive flight routes and channel allocation instructions for connecting to a network during flight on the flight routes can maintain network connectivity of user equipment (UEs) at flight altitude” as taught by De Rosa (claim 18) in order to facilitate maintaining network connectivity of aerial devices during unmanned flight.
Conclusion
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/HOSSAM M ABD EL LATIF/Examiner, Art Unit 3664