DETAILED ACTION
Claims 21-36 are pending. Claims 1-20 are canceled.
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 07/25/2024 and was filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant's cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 21, 27-29 and 35-36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by MacKenzie et al. (US 20210273747, MacKenzie hereinafter, cited in IDS dated 09/16/2025).
As to claim 21: MacKenzie discloses a method performed by a first network node in a communications network that includes a second network node communicatively coupled to the first network node via a fronthaul interface and includes a communication device communicatively coupled to the first network node (see at least paragraph [0032] and Fig.1, the CU and DU are connected by a first fronthaul link and second fronthaul link.), the method comprising:
generating first data associated with an uplink signal received from the communication device (see at least paragraph [0038] and Fig. 4, generates a group of IQ samples for transmission where the CU receives an IP data packet from a core network (not shown), and processes that IP data packet (that is, via the functions of the RRC, PDCP, RLC, MAC and Higher-PHY layers) to generate frequency-domain IQ data).
generating second data associated with the uplink signal received from the communication device (see at least paragraphs [0038], [0044] and Fig. 4, generates a group of additional IQ samples where the CU receives an IP data packet from a core network (not shown), and processes that IP data packet (that is, via the functions of the RRC, PDCP, RLC, MAC and Higher-PHY layers) to generate frequency-domain IQ data); and
prioritizing transmission of the first data to the second network node via the fronthaul interface over transmission of the second data to the second network node via the fronthaul interface (see at least paragraph [0045], traffic between a base station unit and a plurality of other base station units may be prioritized so that IQ data flows between a first pair of base station units is transmitted in preference to IQ data flows between a second pair of base station units.).
As to claim 27: MacKenzie discloses the method of claim 21. MacKenzie further discloses wherein prioritizing the transmission of the first data over the transmission of the second data comprises: responsive to generating the first data and generating the second data, transmitting the first data to the second network node; and responsive to transmitting the first data to the second network node, transmitting the second data to the second network node (see at least paragraph [0056], the first fronthaul link 40 is being used for transmitting a group of original IQ samples (and is therefore the “primary” fronthaul link) and the second fronthaul link 50 is being used for transmitting a group of additional IQ samples (and is therefore the “secondary” fronthaul link).).
As to claim 28: MacKenzie discloses the method of claim 21. MacKenzie further discloses wherein the first network node comprises a radio unit (RU) and wherein the second network node comprises at least one of: a baseband unit (BBU) and a distributed unit (DU) (see at least paragraphs [0004]-[0005], radio unit, BBU and DU).
As to claim 29: MacKenzie discloses a method performed by a first network node in a communications network that includes a second network node communicatively coupled to the first network node via a fronthaul interface and includes a communication device communicatively coupled to the second network node (see at least paragraph [0032] and Fig.1, the CU and DU are connected by a first fronthaul link and second fronthaul link.), the method comprising:
receiving first data from the second network node via the fronthaul interface, the first data associated with an uplink signal received from the communication device (see at least paragraph [0038] and Fig. 4, generates a group of IQ samples for transmission where the CU receives an IP data packet from a core network (not shown), and processes that IP data packet (that is, via the functions of the RRC, PDCP, RLC, MAC and Higher-PHY layers) to generate frequency-domain IQ data);
responsive to receiving the first data, receiving second data from the second network node via the fronthaul interface, the second data associated with the uplink signal received from the communication device (see at least paragraphs [0038], [0044] and Fig. 4, generates a group of additional IQ samples where the CU receives an IP data packet from a core network (not shown), and processes that IP data packet (that is, via the functions of the RRC, PDCP, RLC, MAC and Higher-PHY layers) to generate frequency-domain IQ data);
determining processed second data by processing the second data based on the first data (see at least paragraph [0044], each IQ sample of the group of additional IQ samples is representative of the error vector (as shown in FIG. 5) between an IQ sample of the decompressed group of original IQ samples and the corresponding IQ sample of the uncompressed group of original IQ samples.); and
processing the processed second data to decode information bits included in the second data (see at least paragraph [0045] and Fig. 4, In S119, the CU 10 decompresses each Z-bit IQ sample of the compressed group of additional IQ samples).
As to claim 35: MacKenzie discloses the method of any of claim 29. MacKenzie further discloses wherein the first network node comprises at least one of a baseband unit (BBU) and a distributed unit (DU), and wherein the second network node comprises a radio unit (RU) (see at least paragraphs [0004]-[0005], radio unit, BBU and DU).
As to claim 36: MacKenzie discloses a first network node in a communications network, the first network node comprising:
processing circuitry (see at least paragraph [022], first base station includes a processor); and
memory (see at least paragraph [022], first base station includes a memory) coupled to the processing circuitry and having instructions stored therein that are executable by the processing circuitry to cause the first network node to: generate first data associated with an uplink signal received from the communication device (see at least paragraph [0038] and Fig. 4, generates a group of IQ samples for transmission where the CU receives an IP data packet from a core network (not shown), and processes that IP data packet (that is, via the functions of the RRC, PDCP, RLC, MAC and Higher-PHY layers) to generate frequency-domain IQ data);
generate second data associated with the uplink signal received from the communication device (see at least paragraphs [0038], [0044] and Fig. 4, generates a group of additional IQ samples where the CU receives an IP data packet from a core network (not shown), and processes that IP data packet (that is, via the functions of the RRC, PDCP, RLC, MAC and Higher-PHY layers) to generate frequency-domain IQ data); and
prioritize transmission of the first data to the second network node via the fronthaul interface over transmission of the second data to the second network node via the fronthaul interface (see at least paragraph [0045], traffic between a base station unit and a plurality of other base station units may be prioritized so that IQ data flows between a first pair of base station units is transmitted in preference to IQ data flows between a second pair of base station units.).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 22-26 and 30-34 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lins De Medeiros et al. (US 20230239817) discloses Fronthaul Network Unit And Method Therein For Synchronization Over A Fronthaul Network.
Zhang et al. (US 20190165860) discloses Method And Apparatus For Transmitting Frame Data Between Near-End Device And Remote Device.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KABIR U JAHANGIR whose telephone number is (571)272-0796. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 10am to 6:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ricky Ngo can be reached at (571)272-3139. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/K. J./
Examiner, Art Unit 2464
/RICKY Q NGO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2464
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