DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 9/20/2024 was filed in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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)(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.
Claim(s) 1, 10, 12, 13, 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Thurfjell US 20210168630 (as seen in the IDS).
As to claim 1, Thurfjell teaches “An antenna vibration monitoring system for assessing oscillations of antenna structures ([0051]) of fixed-location base stations of a mobile communication network ([0038], [0039]), each base station providing radio coverage over a corresponding cell, each base station comprising at least one corresponding antenna structure comprising a supporting member supporting at least one antenna configured to radiate/receive radio waves to/from portions of the cell to allow user equipment within the cell to exchange data traffic (Figure 2; [0038], [0039]), the antenna vibration monitoring system being configured to: collect radio measurements pertaining to the electromagnetic operation of an antenna of a base station, said radio measurements being carried out by user equipment located in the cell corresponding to said base station ([0054]; [0058], [0059]. The claim teaches “electromagnetic operation” but this term is not explicitly used in Thurfjell. It is understood that radio antennas operate on electromagnetic principles by converting between electrical currents and electromagnetic waves. Since the reference teaches a radio antenna, it too would perform electromagnetic operations); generate an electromagnetic print of said antenna using said collected radio measurements, said electromagnetic print providing an indication of how a radiation pattern of the antenna varies over time across the cell ([0054] teaches “The movement may be detected or measured herein based on an analysis of one or more properties of radio transmissions to or from the radio antenna 120 over a time period.” The instant application teaches that the electromagnetic print indicates how a radiation pattern of the antenna varies over time. Based on this, citation [0054] reads on the term “electromagnetic print”); assess an oscillation condition of the antenna structure of said base station, in which the supporting member is oscillating, based on said generated electromagnetic print of the antenna of said base station ([0051], [0054]).”
As to claim 10, Thurfjell teaches “wherein said radio measurements pertaining to the electromagnetic operation of an antenna of a base station carried out by a user equipment located within the cell corresponding to said base station comprise a signal strength of the antenna measured by said user equipment and indicative of a power outputted by said antenna as received by said user equipment ([0056] to [0059]).”
As to claim 12, Thurfjell teaches “wherein said radio measurements pertaining to the electromagnetic operation of an antenna of a base station carried out by said user equipment located within the cell corresponding to said base station further comprise at least one among: a cell identifier identifying the cell corresponding to the base station comprising the antenna ([0104]); a geo-localization identifier identifying the geographic position of said user equipment when said signal strength has been measured by the user equipment; a time stamp identifying a time when said signal strength has been measured by the user equipment; a timing advance value indicative of a length of time a signal takes to travel between said base station and said user equipment (this claim pertains to alternative with the claim language “at least one among”. Therefore only one alternative was addressed).”
As to claim 13, Thurfjell teaches “A mobile communication network comprising a plurality of fixed-location base stations each providing radio coverage over a corresponding cell (Figure 2; [0054]), each base station comprising at least one corresponding antenna structure comprising a supporting member supporting at least one antenna configured to radiate/receive radio waves to/from portions of the cell to allow user equipment within the cell to exchange data traffic (Figure 2; ([0038], [0039]), the mobile communication network further comprising an antenna vibration monitoring system configured to: collect radio measurements pertaining to the electromagnetic operation of an antenna of a base station, said radio measurements being carried out by user equipment located in the cell corresponding to said base station ([0054]; [0058], [0059]. The claim teaches “electromagnetic operation” but this term is not explicitly used in Thurfjell. It is understood that radio antennas operate on electromagnetic principles by converting between electrical currents and electromagnetic waves. Since the reference teaches a radio antenna, it too would perform electromagnetic operations); generate an electromagnetic print of said antenna using said collected radio measurements, said electromagnetic print providing an indication of how a radiation pattern of the antenna varies over time across the cell ([0054] teaches “The movement may be detected or measured herein based on an analysis of one or more properties of radio transmissions to or from the radio antenna 120 over a time period.” The instant application teaches that the electromagnetic print indicates how a radiation pattern of the antenna varies over time. Based on this, citation [0054] reads on the term “electromagnetic print”); assess an oscillation condition of the antenna structure of said base station, in which the supporting member is oscillating, based on said generated electromagnetic print of the antenna of said base station ([0051], [0054]).”
As to claim 14, Thurfjell teaches “A method for monitoring a mobile communication network comprising a plurality of fixed-location base stations each providing radio coverage over a corresponding cell (Figure 2; [0054]), each base station comprising at least one corresponding antenna structure comprising a supporting member supporting at least one antenna configured to radiate/receive radio waves to/from portions of the cell to allow user equipment within the cell to exchange data traffic (Figure 2; ([0038], [0039]), the method comprising: collecting radio measurements pertaining to the electromagnetic operation of an antenna of a base station, said radio measurements being carried out by user equipment located in the cell corresponding to said base station ([0054]; [0058], [0059]. The claim teaches “electromagnetic operation” but this term is not explicitly used in Thurfjell. It is understood that radio antennas operate on electromagnetic principles by converting between electrical currents and electromagnetic waves. Since the reference teaches a radio antenna, it too would perform electromagnetic operations); generating an electromagnetic print of said antenna using said collected radio measurements, said electromagnetic print providing an indication of how a radiation pattern of the antenna varies over time across the cell ([0054] teaches “The movement may be detected or measured herein based on an analysis of one or more properties of radio transmissions to or from the radio antenna 120 over a time period.” The instant application teaches that the electromagnetic print indicates how a radiation pattern of the antenna varies over time. Based on this, citation [0054] reads on the term “electromagnetic print”); assessing an oscillation condition of the antenna structure of said base station, in which the supporting member is oscillating, based on said generated electromagnetic print of the antenna of said base station ([0051], [0054]).”
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 2-9 and 11 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. Claim 2 pertains to the comparison of the generated electromagnetic print of the antenna with the reference electromagnetic print of the antenna. While the step of comparing measured data to reference data is known, none of the prior arts tie this concept to the field of endeavor. Claims 3-7 depend from claim 2. Claims 4, 8 and 9 also pertain to a reference electromagnetic print, which is not taught by the prior arts. As to claim 11, the prior arts do not teach the claimed “set of contour lines”.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TARUN SINHA whose telephone number is (571)270-3993. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 10AM-6PM EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Laura Martin can be reached at (571) 272-2160. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/TARUN SINHA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855
Prosecution Insights