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 .
DETAILED ACTION
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-6, 13, 14, 16, 17 and 22-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated Qu (US 2007/0116060).
Re claims 1, 22 and 23, Qu discloses a clock synchronization device, in response to detecting a failure of an original clock source where a master clock is located, generating corresponding clock source switching information according to a target clock source; and transmitting the clock source switching information to a second communication node or a third communication node (paragraph [0053]; figure 4, step 206).
Re claim 2, Qu discloses the clock source switching information comprises at least one of: clock source switching indication information (paragraphs [0022] and [0029]), a reference clock of the target clock source at a clock source switching instant paragraph [0030]), a clock difference between the original clock source and the target clock source, a clock difference between the original clock source and the target clock source at a clock source switching instant, a clock source switching instant, or a state report of the original clock source (paragraphs [0022] and [0029]).
Re claim 3, Qu discloses notifying the second communication node to determine a clock according to the clock source switching information; wherein notifying the second communication node to determine the clock according to the clock source switching information comprises at least one of: notifying the second communication node to determine the clock at a clock source switching instant according to a reference clock of the target clock source at the clock source switching instant (paragraph [0053]); notifying the second communication node to update a reference clock of the original clock source according to a clock difference between the original clock source and the target clock source; notifying the second communication node to determine clock information of the target clock source according to a clock difference between the original clock source and the target clock source and determine the clock at a clock source switching instant; or notifying the second communication node to determine clock information of the target clock source according to a clock difference between the original clock source and the target clock source at a clock source switching instant and determine the clock at the clock source switching instant.
Re claim 4, Qu discloses indication information corresponding to the clock source switching information comprises at least one of: downlink information; reference clock information (paragraph [0029]), a system information block (SIB), a media access control control element (MAC CE) predefined in a local identifier (LCID) reserved in a downlink shared channel (DL- SCH), or downlink control information (DCI).
Re claim 5, Qu discloses notifying the third communication node to determine a clock source according to the clock source switching information ((paragraph [0029]).
Re claim 6, Qu discloses notifying the third communication node to determine the clock source according to the clock source switching information comprises at least one of: notifying the third communication node to perform switching at a clock source switching instant according to a reference clock of the target clock source at the clock source switching instant (paragraph [0053]); notifying the third communication node to update a reference clock of the original clock source according to a clock difference between the original clock source and the target clock source; notifying the third communication node to determine clock information of the target clock source according to a clock difference between the original clock source and the target clock source and perform switching at a clock source switching instant; or notifying the third communication node to determine clock information of the target clock source according to a clock difference between the original clock source and the target clock source at a clock source switching instant and perform switching at the clock source switching instant.
Re claims 13, 24 and 26, Qu discloses a clock synchronization device receiving clock source switching information transmitted by a first communication node; and determining a clock according to the clock source switching information (figure 4, step 206).
Re claim 14, Qu discloses determining the clock according to the clock source switching information comprises at least one of: determining the clock at a clock source switching instant according to a reference clock of a target clock source at the clock source switching instant (paragraphs [0022] and [0029]); updating a reference clock of an original clock source according to a clock difference between the original clock source and a target clock source; determining clock information of a target clock source according to a clock difference between an original clock source and the target clock source and determining the clock at a clock source switching instant (paragraphs [0022] and [0029]); or determining clock information of a target clock source according to a clock difference between an original clock source and the target clock source at a clock source switching instant and determining the clock at the clock source switching instant.
Re claims 16, 25 and 27, Qu discloses clock synchronization device receiving clock source switching information transmitted by a first communication node; and determining a clock source according to the clock source switching information (figure 4, step 206).
Re claim 17, Qu discloses determining the clock source according to the clock source switching information comprises at least one of: performing switching at a clock source switching instant according to a reference clock of a target clock source at the clock source switching instant (paragraphs [0022] and [0029]); updating a reference clock of an original clock source according to a clock difference between the original clock source and a target clock source; determining clock information of a target clock source according to a clock difference between an original clock source and the target clock source and performing switching at a clock source switching instant (paragraph [0030]); or determining clock information of a target clock source according to a clock difference between an original clock source and the target clock source at a clock source switching instant and performing switching at the clock source switching instant.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, 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.
Claims 7 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qu in view of Katzav et al (US 2020/0334187, “Katzav”).
Re claim 7, Qu discloses all of the limitations of the base claim, but fails to disclose the first communication node comprises a centralized unit (CU) and a distributed unit (DU), transmitting the clock source switching information to the second communication node or the third communication node comprises: actively transmitting, by the DU, the clock source switching information to the CU through uplink information; and transmitting, by the CU, the clock source switching information to the second communication node or the third communication node. However, Katzav discloses a DU transmitting synchronization signals to CU (paragraph [0029]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Qu with Katzav for the benefit of providing high data rates and latency limitations by splitting PHY layer to upper PHY (implemented at the CU) and lower PHY (implemented at the DU) (paragraph [0014] of Katzav).
Re claim 15, Qu discloses all of the limitations of the base claim, but fails to disclose the first communication node comprises a centralized unit (CU) and a distributed unit (DU), receiving the clock source switching information transmitted by the first communication node comprises: receiving the clock source switching information transmitted by the CU in the first communication node. However, Katzav discloses a DU transmitting synchronization signals to CU (paragraph [0029]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Qu with Katzav for the benefit of providing high data rates and latency limitations by splitting PHY layer to upper PHY (implemented at the CU) and lower PHY (implemented at the DU) (paragraph [0014] of Katzav).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qu in view of Jia et al (US 2022/040816, “Jia”).
Re claim 11, Qu discloses all of the limitations of the base claim, but fails to disclose transmitting a first handover request message to a fourth communication node, wherein the first handover request message carries at least one of the clock source switching information or a state report of the original clock source. However, Jia discloses sending a handover request to a target gNB (paragraph [0328]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Qu with Jia for the benefit of preventing data loss or call quality degradation during handover by providing clock synchronization/switching information.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qu in view of Joseph et al (US 2021/0153152, “Joseph”).
Re claim 12, Qu discloses all of the limitations of the base claim, but fails to disclose receiving clock source switching information transmitted by a fourth communication node. However, Joseph discloses receiving clock source switching information transmitted by a fourth communication node (paragraph [0085]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Qu with Joseph for the benefit of preventing data loss or call quality degradation during handover by providing clock synchronization/switching information.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Hong Cho whose telephone number is 571-272-3087. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri during 8 am to 4 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Hassan Phillips can be reached on 571-272-3940. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HONG S CHO/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2467
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