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) was filed on October 18, 2024 (10/18/2024). The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner.
The information disclosure statement (IDS) was filed on January 17, 2025 (1/17/2025). The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
This action is in response to the preliminary amendment filed October 18, 2024 (10/18/2024).
Claims 1-2, 4-5, 7-13, 16-17, 19, 22-23, 25, 28, and 35-36 are currently pending.
Claims 2, 4, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 22, 23, 28, 35, and 36 are amended.
Claims 3, 6, 14-15, 18, 20-21, 24, 26-27, and 29-34 were canceled.
No new claims were added.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 7-13 and 22-23, 25, and 28 recites the limitation "second RRC signaling" in Claims 7 and 22. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 7 and 22 mention receiving and sending “second RRC signaling” respectively. These claims being dependent on Claim 1 and 16 respectively, however, do not have proper antecedent basis as there is no “first RRC signaling” mentioned in either claim 1 or 16.
In the interest of compact prosecution, examiner notes that claims 7 and 22 will be viewed as being dependent on claims 2 and 17 respectively, which provide antecedent basis by reciting a “first RRC signaling.”
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 1-2, 4-5, 16-17, 19, and 35-36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (US 2025/0063456) (hereinafter Kim 1).
Regarding Claim 1, Kim 1 teaches an information transmission method, performed by an unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising: reporting, to a base station, a total number of way points on a flight path of the unmanned aerial vehicle (Par. [0038] “The base station 210 may request the flight path information to the aerial UE 205 through a UEInformationRequest message, and the aerial UE 205 that has received the request may report the flight path information (IE FlightPathInfoReport) through a UEInformationResponse message (215). The flight path information may be composed of way points 220 that the aerial UE 205 should pass through and expected time information when passing each way point”).
Regarding Claim 2, Kim 1 teaches the invention of Claim 1, further teaching the reporting, to the base station, the total number of way points on the flight path of the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises: reporting the total number of way points to the base station through first radio resource control (RRC) signaling (Par. [0038] “To this end, the aerial UE 205 may notify the base station 210 that it has the flight path information using predetermined RRC messages, for example, RRCConnectionSetupComplete, RRCConnectionResumeComplete, RRCConnectionReestablishmentComplete, and RRCConnectionReconfigurationComplete”).
Regarding Claim 4, Kim 1 teaches the invention of Claim 2, further teaching the first RRC signaling is further used to reporting a notification message to the base station, and the notification message notifies the base station that the unmanned aerial vehicle stores flight path information (Par. [0038] “To this end, the aerial UE 205 may notify the base station 210 that it has the flight path information”).
Regarding Claim 5, Kim 1 teaches the invention of Claim 2, further teaching the first RRC signaling comprises any one of: RRC Reconfiguration Complete (RRCReconfigurationComplete) signaling; RRC Reestablishment Complete (RRCReestablishmentComplete) signaling; RRC Resume Complete (RRCResumeComplete) signaling; RRC Setup Complete (RRCSetupComplete) signaling; RRC Connection Reconfiguration Complete (RRCConnectionReconfigurationComplete) signaling; RRC Connection Reestablishment Complete (RRCConnectionReestablishmentComplete) signaling; RRC Connection Resume Complete (RRCConnectionResumeComplete) signaling; or RRC Connection Setup Complete (RRCConnectionSetupComplete) signaling (Par. [0038] “To this end, the aerial UE 205 may notify the base station 210 that it has the flight path information using predetermined RRC messages, for example, RRCConnectionSetupComplete, RRCConnectionResumeComplete, RRCConnectionReestablishmentComplete, and RRCConnectionReconfigurationComplete”).
Regarding Claim 16, Kim 1 teaches an information transmission method, performed by a base station, comprising: receiving a total number of way points on a flight path of an unmanned aerial vehicle reported by the unmanned aerial vehicle (Par. [0038] “The base station 210 may request the flight path information to the aerial UE 205 through a UEInformationRequest message, and the aerial UE 205 that has received the request may report the flight path information (IE FlightPathInfoReport) through a UEInformationResponse message (215). The flight path information may be composed of way points 220 that the aerial UE 205 should pass through and expected time information when passing each way point”).
Regarding Claim 17, Kim 1 teaches the invention of Claim 16, further teaching receiving the total number of way points on the flight path of the unmanned aerial vehicle reported by the unmanned aerial vehicle comprises: receiving the total number of way points reported by the unmanned aerial vehicle through first radio resource control (RRC) signaling (Par. [0038] “To this end, the aerial UE 205 may notify the base station 210 that it has the flight path information using predetermined RRC messages, for example, RRCConnectionSetupComplete, RRCConnectionResumeComplete, RRCConnectionReestablishmentComplete, and RRCConnectionReconfigurationComplete”).
Regarding Claim 19, Kim 1 teaches the invention of Claim 17, further teaching wherein the first RRC signaling is further used to report a notification message, the notification message notifies the base station that the unmanned aerial vehicle stores flight path information (Par. [0038] “To this end, the aerial UE 205 may notify the base station 210 that it has the flight path information”).
Regarding Claim 35, Kim 1 teaches an information configuration apparatus, comprising:
a processor; (Fig. 12, Par. [0219] “FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating an internal structure of a UE according to an embodiment of the disclosure” and Par. [0220] “With reference to FIG. 12, the UE may include a radio frequency (RF) processer 1210, a baseband processer 1220, a storage 1230, and a controller 1240”),
and a memory, configured to store processor executable instructions and wherein the processor is configured to: (Fig. 12, Par. [0219] “FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating an internal structure of a UE according to an embodiment of the disclosure” and Par. [0220] “With reference to FIG. 12, the UE may include a radio frequency (RF) processer 1210, a baseband processer 1220, a storage 1230, and a controller 1240”),
report, to a base station, a total number of way points on a flight path of an unmanned aerial vehicle (Par. [0038] “The base station 210 may request the flight path information to the aerial UE 205 through a UEInformationRequest message, and the aerial UE 205 that has received the request may report the flight path information (IE FlightPathInfoReport) through a UEInformationResponse message (215). The flight path information may be composed of way points 220 that the aerial UE 205 should pass through and expected time information when passing each way point”).
Regarding Claim 36, Kim 1 teaches an information configuration apparatus, comprising:
a processor; (Par. [0229] “FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a constitution of a base station according to an embodiment of the disclosure” and Par. [0230] “With reference to FIG. 13, the base station may include an RF processer 1310, a baseband processer 1320, a backhaul communication unit 1330, a storage 1340, and a controller 1350”),
and a memory, configured to store processor executable instructions and wherein the processor is configured to (Par. [0229] “FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a constitution of a base station according to an embodiment of the disclosure” and Par. [0230] “With reference to FIG. 13, the base station may include an RF processer 1310, a baseband processer 1320, a backhaul communication unit 1330, a storage 1340, and a controller 1350”),
execute the information transmission method according to claim 16 (Par. [0038] “The base station 210 may request the flight path information to the aerial UE 205 through a UEInformationRequest message, and the aerial UE 205 that has received the request may report the flight path information (IE FlightPathInfoReport) through a UEInformationResponse message (215). The flight path information may be composed of way points 220 that the aerial UE 205 should pass through and expected time information when passing each way point”).
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, 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 7-8 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2025/0063456) (hereinafter Kim 1) in view of Yi et al. (US 2021/0405655).
Regarding Claim 7, Kim 1 teaches the invention of Claim 1, but does not explicitly teach receiving second RRC signaling sent by the base station wherein the second RRC signaling configures a maximum number of way points allowed for the unmanned aerial vehicle to report.
In the same field of endeavor, Yi teaches receiving second RRC signaling sent by the base station (Par. [0118] “The UE may transmit UL transmission as Msg3 of the random access process on an uplink shared channel based on random access response information. Msg3 may include an RRC connection request and a UE identity. As a response to the Msg3, a network may transmit Msg4, which may be treated as a contention resolution message on the DL. The UE may enter an RRC connected state by receiving the Msg4”),
wherein the second RRC signaling configures a maximum number of way points allowed for the unmanned aerial vehicle to report (Par. [0245] An E-UTRAN may request a UE to report flight route information configured with a plurality of middle points defined as 3D locations, as defined in TS 36.355. If the flight route information is available for the UE, the UE reports a waypoint for a configured number”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Yi’s configuring for a UE reporting waypoints for a configured number with Kim 1’s flight path information reporting to improve the operation of unmanned aerial vehicles (Yi Par. [0004]).
Regarding Claim 8, Kim 1 in view of Yi teaches the invention of Claim 7, where Yi further teaches the maximum number of way points is carried in a second information element of the second RRC signaling (Par. [0300] “In this case, the following parameters may be included in a UE-EUTRA-Capability Information Element in relation to the measurement reporting of the aerial UE”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Yi’s configuring for a UE reporting waypoints for a configured number with Kim 1’s flight path information reporting to improve the operation of unmanned aerial vehicles (Yi Par. [0004]).
Regarding Claim 22, Kim 1 teaches the invention of Claim 16, but does not explicitly teach sending second RRC signaling to the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the second RRC signaling configures a maximum number of way points allowed for the unmanned aerial vehicle to report.
In the same field of endeavor, Yi teaches sending second RRC signaling to the unmanned aerial vehicle, (Par. [0118] “The UE may transmit UL transmission as Msg3 of the random access process on an uplink shared channel based on random access response information. Msg3 may include an RRC connection request and a UE identity. As a response to the Msg3, a network may transmit Msg4, which may be treated as a contention resolution message on the DL. The UE may enter an RRC connected state by receiving the Msg4”),
wherein the second RRC signaling configures a maximum number of way points allowed for the unmanned aerial vehicle to report (Par. [0245] An E-UTRAN may request a UE to report flight route information configured with a plurality of middle points defined as 3D locations, as defined in TS 36.355. If the flight route information is available for the UE, the UE reports a waypoint for a configured number”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Yi’s configuring for a UE reporting waypoints for a configured number with Kim 1’s flight path information reporting to improve the operation of unmanned aerial vehicles (Yi Par. [0004]).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2025/0063456) (hereinafter Kim 1) in view of Yi et al. (US 2021/0405655) in further view of Rugeland et al. (US 2024/0381145).
Regarding Claim 9, Kim 1 in view of Yi teaches the invention of Claim 8, but does not explicitly teach the second RRC signaling is user equipment information request (UEInformationRequest) signaling, and the second information element is a flight path information report configuration (FlightPathlnfoReportConfig) information element.
In the same field of endeavor, Rugeland teaches the second RRC signaling is user equipment information request (UEInformationRequest) signaling, (Pg. 8-9, Embodiment 2: Extend UEInformationReport with Rel-16 Indication, Par. [0078] “Embodiment 2a: Indication is used to request both LTE and NR measurements—In another or further embodiment, a separate indicator can be introduced or included in a Rel-16 UEInformationRequest (e.g. support idleModeMeasurementReq-r16) to indicate that the network wants the UE to send early measurement reports that contain both LTE and NR results. This could be implemented as, e.g., and Table “UEInformationRequest message”, See “UEInformationRequest-v1530-IEs”)
and the second information element is a flight path information report configuration (FlightPathlnfoReportConfig) information element (Pg. 8-9, Embodiment 2: Extend UEInformationReport with Rel-16 Indication, Table “UEInformationRequest message”, See “FlightPathInfoReportConfig-r15” ).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Rugeland’s UEInformationReport signaling and FlightPathInforReportConfig information element with Yi’s configuring for a UE reporting waypoints for a configured number and Kim 1’s flight path information reporting to improve waypoint monitoring (Rugeland Par. [0171]).
Claims 10-11 and 25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2025/0063456) (hereinafter Kim 1) in view of Yi et al. (US 2021/0405655) in further view of Maattanen et al. (US 2021/0227534).
Regarding Claim 10, Kim in view of Yi teaches the invention of Claim 7, but does explicitly not teach reporting, to the base station, flight path information corresponding to a first number of way points through third RRC signaling, wherein the first number of way points is a smaller one of the total number of way points and the maximum number of way points.
In the same field of endeavor, Maattenen teaches reporting, to the base station, flight path information corresponding to a first number of way points through third RRC signaling (Par. [0060] “Embodiments allow for providing flight information in a predefined message associated with UE assistance information such that flight information may be provided one or more instances associate with messages such as RRC Reconfiguration Complete message, RRC setup complete message, RRC reestablishment complete message and RRC resume compete message, among possibly other RRC messages” and Par. [0092] “Processing circuitry 84 is configured to determine (block S142) whether to transmit an indicator associated with the at least one update to the flight information in a predefined message associated with UE assistance information”),
wherein the first number of way points is a smaller one of the total number of way points and the maximum number of way points (Par. [0093] “According to some embodiments, the indicator is one of: a Boolean value indicating whether the flight information is available, a Boolean value indicating the flight information has been updated, a priority bit indicating whether an immediate rout of the UE 22 has changed significantly, and a bit indicating previous flight information. According to some embodiments, the indicator indicates at least one of: if the flight information has changed, if new waypoints are available and which previously indicated waypoints are valid, an updated number of waypoints available at the UE 22 and/or if the updated number of waypoints is more than the previously indicated number of waypoints, an amount of new waypoints and if some old waypoints are not valid anymore, if time stamps of some waypoints have changed”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Maattenen’s reporting of an updated number of waypoints and invalid waypoints with Yi’s configuring for a UE reporting waypoints for a configured number and Kim 1’s flight path information reporting to improve flexibility in reporting an updated flight path plan (Maattenen Par. [0009]).
Regarding Claim 11, Kim 1 in view of Yi in view of Maattenen teaches the invention of Claim 10, where Maattenen teaches reporting the flight path information corresponding to the first number of way points through third RRC signaling comprises: reporting the flight path information corresponding to the first number of way points through a third information element in the third RRC signaling (Par. [0093] “According to one or more embodiments, an existing IE such as a UE assistance information IE is modified to include updated flight path information and/or other information described herein. As used herein, flight information includes flight path information and/or flight path plan information, among other information associated with UE flight, travel and/or movement, as described herein”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Maattenen’s reporting of an updated number of waypoints and invalid waypoints with Yi’s configuring for a UE reporting waypoints for a configured number and Kim 1’s flight path information reporting to improve flexibility in reporting an updated flight path plan (Maattenen Par. [0009]).
Regarding Claim 25, Kim 1 in view of Yi teaches the invention of Claim 22, but does not explicitly teach receiving flight path information corresponding to a first number of way points reported by the unmanned aerial vehicle through third RRC signaling, wherein the first number of way points is a smaller one of the total number of way points and the maximum number of way points.
In the same field of endeavor, Maattenen teaches receiving flight path information corresponding to a first number of way points reported by the unmanned aerial vehicle through third RRC signaling, (Par. [0060] “Embodiments allow for providing flight information in a predefined message associated with UE assistance information such that flight information may be provided one or more instances associate with messages such as RRC Reconfiguration Complete message, RRC setup complete message, RRC reestablishment complete message and RRC resume compete message, among possibly other RRC messages” and Par. [0092] “Processing circuitry 84 is configured to determine (block S142) whether to transmit an indicator associated with the at least one update to the flight information in a predefined message associated with UE assistance information”),
wherein the first number of way points is a smaller one of the total number of way points and the maximum number of way points (Par. [0093] “According to some embodiments, the indicator is one of: a Boolean value indicating whether the flight information is available, a Boolean value indicating the flight information has been updated, a priority bit indicating whether an immediate rout of the UE 22 has changed significantly, and a bit indicating previous flight information. According to some embodiments, the indicator indicates at least one of: if the flight information has changed, if new waypoints are available and which previously indicated waypoints are valid, an updated number of waypoints available at the UE 22 and/or if the updated number of waypoints is more than the previously indicated number of waypoints, an amount of new waypoints and if some old waypoints are not valid anymore, if time stamps of some waypoints have changed”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Maattenen’s reporting of an updated number of waypoints and invalid waypoints with Yi’s configuring for a UE reporting waypoints for a configured number and Kim 1’s flight path information reporting to improve flexibility in reporting an updated flight path plan (Maattenen Par. [0009]).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2025/0063456) (hereinafter Kim 1) in view of Yi et al. (US 2021/0405655) in further view of Maattanen et al. (US 2021/0227534) and in further view of Kim et al. (US 11985565) (hereinafter Kim 2).
Regarding Claim 12, Kim 1 in view of Yi in further view of Maattenen teaches the invention of Claim 11, but does not explicitly teach the third RRC signaling is user equipment information response (UElnformationResponse) signaling, and the third information element is a flight path information report (FlightPathInfoReport) information element.
In the same field of endeavor, Kim 2 teaches the third RRC signaling is user equipment information response (UElnformationResponse) signaling, (Col. 21, Lines 65-67 and Col. 22, Lines 1-7 “After receiving a UEinformationRequest message from the network, to report the flight path of the UE, the UE shall: 1> if flightPathInfoReq field is present in the UEInformationRequest message and the UE has flight path information available: 2> include the flightPathInfoReport in the UEInformationResponse message”),
and the third information element is a flight path information report (FlightPathInfoReport) information element (Lines 65-67 and Col. 22, Lines 1-7 “After receiving a UEinformationRequest message from the network, to report the flight path of the UE, the UE shall: 1> if flightPathInfoReq field is present in the UEInformationRequest message and the UE has flight path information available: 2> include the flightPathInfoReport in the UEInformationResponse message and set the flightPathInfoReport to include the list of waypoints along the flight path”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Kim 2’s UEInformationResponse message with Maattenen’s reporting of an updated number of waypoints, Yi’s configuring for a UE reporting waypoints for a configured number, and Kim 1’s flight path information reporting to improve service quality between a UAV and base station (Kim 2 Col. 1 Lines 29-32).
Claims 13 and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2025/0063456) (hereinafter Kim 1) in view of Yi et al. (US 2021/0405655) in further view of Maattanen et al. (US 2021/0227534) and in further view of Hong et al. (WO 2020/047737) in view of Rugeland et al. (US 2024/0381145).
Regarding Claim 13, Kim 1 in view of Yi in view of Maattenen teaches the invention of Claim 10, where Maattenen further teaches a condition that the total number of way points is greater than the maximum number of way points, (Par. [0093] “According to some embodiments, the indicator indicates at least one of: if the flight information has changed, if new waypoints are available and which previously indicated waypoints are valid, an updated number of waypoints available at the UE 22 and/or if the updated number of waypoints is more than the previously indicated number of waypoints, an amount of new waypoints and if some old waypoints are not valid anymore”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Maattenen’s reporting of an updated number of waypoints and invalid waypoints with Yi’s configuring for a UE reporting waypoints for a configured number and Kim 1’s flight path information reporting to improve flexibility in reporting an updated flight path plan (Maattenen Par. [0009]).
Kim 1 in view of Yi in view of Maattenen, however, does not explicitly teach receiving fourth RRC signaling sent by the base station, wherein the fourth RRC signaling instructs the unmanned aerial vehicle to continue to report flight path information; and reporting, based on a second number of way points carried in the fourth RRC signaling flight path information corresponding to the second number of way points to the base station through new third RRC signaling, wherein the second number of way points is a difference between the total number of way points and the maximum number of way points, and wherein the second number of way points is carried in a fourth information element of the fourth RRC signaling, wherein the fourth RRC signaling is user equipment information request (UElnformationRequest) signaling, and the fourth information element is a flight path information report configuration (FlightPathlnfoReportConfig) information element.
In the same field of endeavor, Hong teaches receiving fourth RRC signaling sent by the base station, wherein the fourth RRC signaling instructs the unmanned aerial vehicle to continue to report flight path information; (Pg. 13 “In step 310, if the third RRC signaling further includes second instruction information, the second instruction information is used to indicate the remaining path points that are not reported in the drone. Two flight path points. The second flight path points are used to represent a second upper limit value of the flight path points that the base station allows the drone to report again”),
and reporting, based on a second number of way points carried in the fourth RRC signaling flight path information corresponding to the second number of way points to the base station through new third RRC signaling, wherein the second number of way points is a difference between the total number of way points and the maximum number of way points, (Pg. 13 “In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the second upper limit value may refer to a maximum number of flight path points that the base station allows the drone to report again. Since the base station has learned the unreported remaining path points in the drone, the base station can configure the size of the second flight path points according to the unreported remaining path points in the drone”),
and wherein the second number of way points is carried in a fourth information element of the fourth RRC signaling, (Pg. 13 “In step 310, if the third RRC signaling further includes second instruction information, the second instruction information is used to indicate the remaining path points that are not reported in the drone”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Hong’s remaining path point reporting with Maattenen’s reporting of an updated number of waypoints and invalid waypoints, Yi’s configuring for a UE reporting waypoints for a configured number, and Kim 1’s flight path information reporting to improve the efficiency in UAV waypoint reporting (Hong Pg. 9).
Kim 1 in view of Yi in view of Maattenen and in further view of Hong, however, does not explicitly teach the fourth RRC signaling is user equipment information request (UElnformationRequest) signaling and the fourth information element is a flight path information report configuration (FlightPathlnfoReportConfig) information element.
In the same field of endeavor, Rugeland teaches the fourth RRC signaling is user equipment information request (UElnformationRequest) signaling (Pg. 8-9, Embodiment 2: Extend UEInformationReport with Rel-16 Indication, Par. [0078] “Embodiment 2a: Indication is used to request both LTE and NR measurements—In another or further embodiment, a separate indicator can be introduced or included in a Rel-16 UEInformationRequest (e.g. support idleModeMeasurementReq-r16) to indicate that the network wants the UE to send early measurement reports that contain both LTE and NR results. This could be implemented as, e.g.:” and Table “UEInformationRequest message”, See “UEInformationRequest-v1530-IEs”),
and the fourth information element is a flight path information report configuration (FlightPathlnfoReportConfig) information element (Pg. 8-9, Embodiment 2: Extend UEInformationReport with Rel-16 Indication, Table “UEInformationRequest message”, See “FlightPathInfoReportConfig-r15” ).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Rugeland’s UEInformationReport signaling and FlightPathInforReportConfig information element with Hong’s remaining path point reporting, Maattenen’s reporting of an updated number of waypoints, Yi’s configuring for a UE reporting waypoints for a configured number, and Kim 1’s flight path information reporting to improve waypoint monitoring (Rugeland Par. [0171]).
Regarding Claim 28, Kim 1 in view of Yi in view of Maattenen teaches the invention of Claim 25, where Maattenen further teaches a condition that the total number of way points is greater than the maximum number of way points, (Par. [0093] “According to some embodiments, the indicator indicates at least one of: if the flight information has changed, if new waypoints are available and which previously indicated waypoints are valid, an updated number of waypoints available at the UE 22 and/or if the updated number of waypoints is more than the previously indicated number of waypoints, an amount of new waypoints and if some old waypoints are not valid anymore”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Maattenen’s reporting of an updated number of waypoints and invalid waypoints with Yi’s configuring for a UE reporting waypoints for a configured number and Kim 1’s flight path information reporting to improve flexibility in reporting an updated flight path plan (Maattenen Par. [0009]).
Kim 1 in view of Yi in view of Maattenen, sending fourth RRC signaling to the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the fourth RRC signaling instructs the unmanned aerial vehicle to continue to report flight path information; and receiving flight path information corresponding to a second number of way points reported by the unmanned aerial vehicle through new third RRC signaling, wherein the second number of way points is a difference between the total number of way points and the maximum number of way points; wherein the method further comprises: setting a specified value in a fourth information element of the fourth RRC signaling as the second number of way points, wherein the fourth RRC signaling is user equipment information request (UEInformationRequest) signaling, and the fourth information element is a flight path information report configuration (FlightPathlnfoReportConfig) information element.
In the same field of endeavor, Hong , sending fourth RRC signaling to the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein the fourth RRC signaling instructs the unmanned aerial vehicle to continue to report flight path information; (Pg. 13 “In step 310, if the third RRC signaling further includes second instruction information, the second instruction information is used to indicate the remaining path points that are not reported in the drone. Two flight path points. The second flight path points are used to represent a second upper limit value of the flight path points that the base station allows the drone to report again”),
and receiving flight path information corresponding to a second number of way points reported by the unmanned aerial vehicle through new third RRC signaling, wherein the second number of way points is a difference between the total number of way points and the maximum number of way points; (Pg. 13 “In the embodiment of the present disclosure, the second upper limit value may refer to a maximum number of flight path points that the base station allows the drone to report again. Since the base station has learned the unreported remaining path points in the drone, the base station can configure the size of the second flight path points according to the unreported remaining path points in the drone”),
wherein the method further comprises: setting a specified value in a fourth information element of the fourth RRC signaling as the second number of way points, (Pg. 13 “In step 310, if the third RRC signaling further includes second instruction information, the second instruction information is used to indicate the remaining path points that are not reported in the drone”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Hong’s remaining path point reporting with Maattenen’s reporting of an updated number of waypoints and invalid waypoints, Yi’s configuring for a UE reporting waypoints for a configured number, and Kim 1’s flight path information reporting to improve the efficiency in UAV waypoint reporting (Hong Pg. 9).
Kim 1 in view of Yi in view of Maattenen and in further view of Hong, however, does not explicitly teach the fourth RRC signaling is user equipment information request (UElnformationRequest) signaling and the fourth information element is a flight path information report configuration (FlightPathlnfoReportConfig) information element.
In the same field of endeavor, Rugeland teaches the fourth RRC signaling is user equipment information request (UElnformationRequest) signaling (Pg. 8-9, Embodiment 2: Extend UEInformationReport with Rel-16 Indication, Par. [0078] “Embodiment 2a: Indication is used to request both LTE and NR measurements—In another or further embodiment, a separate indicator can be introduced or included in a Rel-16 UEInformationRequest (e.g. support idleModeMeasurementReq-r16) to indicate that the network wants the UE to send early measurement reports that contain both LTE and NR results. This could be implemented as, e.g.:” and Table “UEInformationRequest message”, See “UEInformationRequest-v1530-IEs”),
and the fourth information element is a flight path information report configuration (FlightPathlnfoReportConfig) information element (Pg. 8-9, Embodiment 2: Extend UEInformationReport with Rel-16 Indication, Table “UEInformationRequest message”, See “FlightPathInfoReportConfig-r15” ).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Rugeland’s UEInformationReport signaling and FlightPathInforReportConfig information element with Hong’s remaining path point reporting, Maattenen’s reporting of an updated number of waypoints, Yi’s configuring for a UE reporting waypoints for a configured number, and Kim 1’s flight path information reporting to improve waypoint monitoring (Rugeland Par. [0171]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Tang et al. (US 2021/0021334) discloses UAV reporting complete flight path information as well configuring a total quantity of points in the flight path that can be reported.
Faccin et al. (US 2022/0028279) discloses UAV reporting a flight path for an indicated subset of sectors and its waypoints.
Huawei, "Report of email discussion [101bis#57][LTE/UAV] Flight path information", R2-1807475, 3GPP TSG-RAN WG2 #102, Busan, Korea, 21th - 25th May 2018, 9 pages (found in IDS) discloses reporting flight path information including all waypoints as well as possibly configuring the number of waypoints to be reported.
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/J.N.D./Examiner, Art Unit 2641
/CHARLES N APPIAH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2641
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