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 .
Priority
The instant application claims foreign priority to 2024-007175, filed 01/22/2024.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted, IDS - 12/06/2024 and 10/21/2025. The submission is 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 § 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 (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 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
he 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:
• Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
• Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
• Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
• Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating
• obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the
claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any
evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to
point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly
owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to
consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2)
prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moon et al. (US-20240188011-A1), hereinafter “Moon” in view of Mauro et al. (US20160105353A1) hereinafter “Mauro”.
Regarding Claim 1,
‘A Network measurement system for measuring one-way delay (OWDup, OWDdown) in a one-way delay measurement section between a terminal and a server device, connected to a network, wherein
the server device and the terminal respectively have an acquisition means for acquiring time information as a common clock,
and the system comprises a first network measurement device and a second network measurement device that are connected to the terminal or the server device
and measure the one-way delay in an environment subjected to a time information acquired from a clock of the server device,
wherein the first network measurement device and the second network measurement device further comprising: a delay measurement control means for performing a one-way delay measurement based on a delay measurement signal for time error measurement and in parallel with the server device in conjunction with the one-way delay measurement while connected to the server device’ (Fig. 3 illustrates a UE device-side-TT-UE of a TSN node and network sided NW-TT implemented to an UPF. And, device-side-TT and NW-TT perform synchronization [0063]. A packet-delay budget (PDB) an elapsed time from the UE to the NW-TT/UPF. Fig. 3,
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The UE generates a sync propagation/link delay and calculate a time transmit sync to the TSN node 0/TSN-111 [0048]. The UE calculate a time transmits the sync based on a 5G grandmaster clock and calculate difference between the time transmitted sync and an ingress time [0046]. The measurement device TSN nodes device side UE/Device-TT and UPF/NW-TT connected TSN node0 and TSN node2 in Fig. 1.
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In Fig. 1 illustrates time synchronization in TSN. Each TSN node add a time-stamp based on TSN grandmaster clock to transmit synch [0033].
Disclosure includes E2E error of packets in Fig. 1. Common clock/time reference obtain from 5GS-GM, the device-TT-UE the PDB base on the 5GS-GM [0063]. the NW-TT/UPF 121 may transmit the bridge delay based on the TSN clock in step 1. And convert the Device-TT-UE time received from the device-TT-UE and the PDB 302 based on the TSN-GM clock and transmit converted device-TT-UE 301 time and PDB 302 to the TSN-AF 228 [0089] and in Fig.3. );
And didn’t disclose, ‘a two-way delay measurement’
The server connected to any nodes of the core network. Alternatively server implemented to any of the nodes of the core network [0084]. Node perform the TWD measurement [0165, 0191]
Therefore, a person in the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of
the claim invention would have recognized that the disclosure of Moon and to include
with that of Mauro to come up with the claim invention,
Moon motive to perform precise synchronization uses integrated TSN-5G include timing advance and propagation delay [0035] and in Fig. 1. Acquire time-stamp and provide correction to time synchronization. Integrated TSN-5G includes server [0049-0050]. Most importantly, provides motive to time error at E2E in Fig. 1. Joachim complements the motive to perform the synchronization uses TWD in Fig. 10 and measurement associated to node can act as a server. This would provide more accuracy to perform synchronization [0204].
And discloses, ‘and a time error estimation means for estimating a time error (Terr) of the server device reflecting a time error between the time information of the common clock acquired by the acquisition means and the time information acquired from the clock of the server device, based on the measurement results (OWDte-down, OWDte-up, and TWDte) of the one-way delay measurement measurement performed by the delay measurement control means.’ (time error in Fig. 1 packet delay E2E).
And didn’t disclose, ‘and the two-way delay’, disclosed above Mauro and motive would be identical disclosed above.
Regarding Claim 3,
‘The network measurement system according to claim 1’ (disclosed above),
And disclose, ‘wherein the network is a communication network comprising a core network of a predetermined communication method and an access network for enabling the terminal to access the core network, wherein the server device is connected to the core network, is arranged within a data center, and measures the one-way delay related to data transmission between the terminal and the server device.’ (sync from the UE to core network uses BS [0047]. TSN integrated to 5G [0049] and in Fig. 2. )
Regarding Claim 5,
‘The network measurement system according to claim 3’ (disclosed above),
And disclose, ‘wherein the access network comprises a base station that accommodates the terminal to enable communication, and the base station and the terminal are connected either by wire or wirelessly.’ (In Fig. 1, 2, 4 and 5 illustrates integrated TSN-5G includes user connected to AN/BS and the core network.)
Regarding Claim 7,
‘The network measurement system according to claim 3’ (disclosed above),
And disclose, ‘wherein the core network is constituted by one of a private 5G, a local 5G, and a 5G core network.’ (integrated TSN-5G [0048-0050].)
Regarding Claim 8,
‘The network measurement system according to claim 3’ (disclosed above),
And disclose, ‘wherein the first network measurement device and the second network measurement device comprise a transceiver unit that conforms to a predetermined communication standard and are connected to the terminal or the server device via the communication network.’ (TSN integrated to 5G [0013] as part of 3GPP [0017] and in Fig. 1. )
Regarding Claim 10,
‘The network measurement system according to claim 1’ (disclosed above),
Moon though disclose, ‘wherein the delay measurement control means performs one-way delay measurements in the one-way delay measurement section for a predetermined period and at a predetermined time interval, and outputs of the one-way delay measurements in the period as the one-way delay measurement result.’ (in Fig. 3 illustrates the delay and in Fig. 1.)
And didn’t disclose, ‘an average value’ of OWD,
Jochim in the relevant art discloses, to perform average-OWD [0143, 0153] and in Fig. 6. Motive would be identical to Claim 1 disclosed above.
Regarding Claim 14,
‘The network measurement system according to claim 1’ (disclosed above),
And Moon discloses, ‘further comprising a data analysis processing device arranged to be capable of communicating with the first network measurement device and the second network measurement device, the data analysis processing device comprising: a collection means for collecting a downlink one-way delay measurement result (OWDdown) from the server device to the terminal by the first network measurement device, an uplink one-way delay measurement result (OWDup) from the terminal to the server device by the second network measurement device, and a time error estimation result (TWDte) of the server device; and a one-way delay correction means for analyzing the downlink one-way delay measurement result, the uplink one-way delay measurement result, and the time error estimation result of the server device collected by the collection means, and correcting the downlink one-way delay measurement result and the uplink one-way delay measurement result based on the time error estimation result of the server device.’ (delay measurement [0045] connected to one TSN-node associated to device-side-TT-UE and one TSN associated to NW-TT in Fig. 1. And, uplink and downlink [0047-0048]. )
Regarding Claim 20,
Similar to Claim 1 disclosed above, ‘A network measurement method for measuring one-way delay (OWDup, OWDdown) in a one-way delay measurement section between the terminal connected to the network and the server device using the network measurement system according to claim 1, comprising:
a connection step for connecting the first network measurement device to the terminal and the second network measurement device to the server device;
one-way delay measurement steps for measuring the one-way delay in the one-way delay measurement section in an environment in which the first network measurement device and the second network measurement device are subjected to a time information acquired from the clock of the server device;
delay measurement control steps in which the second network measurement device performs both one-way delay measurement and two-way delay measurement in parallel, based on the delay measurement signal for time error measurement between the second network measurement device and the server device, in conjunction with the one-way delay measurement in the one-way delay measurement section; and
a time error estimation step for estimating a time error (Terr) of the server device that reflects a time error between the time information of the common clock acquired by the acquisition means and the time information acquired from the clock of the server device, based on the measurement results (OWDte-down, OWDte-up, and TWDte) of the one-way delay measurement and the two-way delay measurement by the delay measurement control step.’
Claims 2, 4, 6 9, 11-13 and 15-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moon et al. in view of Mauro et al. and further in view of Joachim et. al. (US-20200259896-A1) hereinafter “Joachim”.
Regarding Claim 2,
‘The network measurement system according to claim 1’ (disclosed above),
And didn’t disclose, ‘wherein the common clock is a Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).’
Joachim in the relevant art discloses,
FIG. 147 illustrates a scenario where a Device (Dev 1) is assumed to be connected over a cellular link to a TSN domain. This TSN domain can have its working clock (GM). includes 5G time reference and common clock UTC [1538].
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FIG. 148 is a shop floor scenario assuming a TSN domain which is connected to a virtual controller (Dev 2) over a cellular link [1539]. FIG. 149 illustrates the third scenario, where we assume two TSN networks connected over a Cellular link combination of Fig. 147 and 148 and GM clock can be either side. Provides two methods [1542-1543]. And in Fig. 219,
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Therefore, a person in the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention would have recognized that the disclosure of Moon and to include with that of Mauro and Joachim to come up with the claim invention,
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Moon motive to time synchronization uses integrated TSN-5G includes time reference [0013] uses grand master clock [0033]. TSN time sync based on TSN grand master clock alternatively 5G GM clock [0033-0034]. Mauro discloses the 5G time reference UTC. This would reduce latency and increase reliability.
Regarding Claim 4,
‘The network measurement system according to claim 2’ (disclosed above),
And disclose, ‘wherein the network is a communication network comprising a core network of a predetermined communication method and an access network for enabling the terminal to access the core network, wherein the server device is connected to the core network, is arranged within the data center, and measures the one-way delay related to data transmission between the terminal and the server device.’ (TSN integrated to 5G core network include server [0048-0050, 0058].)
Regarding Claim 6,
‘The network measurement system according to claim 4’ (disclosed above),
Similar to claim 5 disclosed above, ‘wherein the access network comprises a base station that accommodates the terminal to enable communication, and the base station and the terminal are connected either by wire or wirelessly.’
Regarding Claim 9,
‘ The network measurement system according to claim 4’ (disclosed above),
Similar to claim 8 disclosed above, ‘wherein the first network measurement device and the second network measurement device comprise a transceiver unit that conforms to a predetermined communication standard and are connected to the terminal or the server device via the communication network.’
Regarding Claim 11,
‘ The network measurement system according to claim 2’ (disclosed above),
Similar to Claim 10 disclosed above, ‘wherein the delay measurement control means performs one-way delay measurements in the one-way delay measurement section for a predetermined period and at a predetermined time interval, and outputs an average value of the one-way delay measurements in the period as the one-way delay measurement result.’
Regarding Claim 12,
‘The network measurement system according to claim 11’ (disclosed above),
And didn’t disclose, ‘wherein the delay measurement control means controls not to output the one-way delay measurement result when the average value exceeds a predetermined threshold.’
Regarding Claim 13,
‘The network measurement system according to claim 12’ (disclosed above),
And disclose, ‘wherein the delay measurement control means controls not to output the one-way delay measurement result when the average value exceeds a predetermined threshold.’ (Joachim discloses [0043-0050].)
Regarding Claim 15,
‘The network measurement system according to claim 2’ (disclosed above),
Similar to Claim 14 disclosed above, ‘further comprising a data analysis processing device arranged to be capable of communicating with the first network measurement device and the second network measurement device, the data analysis processing device comprising: a collection means for collecting a downlink one-way delay measurement result (OWDdown) from the server device to the terminal by the first network measurement device, an uplink one-way delay measurement result (OWDup) from the terminal to the server device by the second network measurement device, and a time error estimation result (TWDte) of the server device; and a one-way delay correction means for analyzing the downlink one-way delay measurement result, the uplink one-way delay measurement result, and the time error estimation result of the server device collected by the collection means, and correcting the downlink one-way delay measurement result and the uplink one-way delay measurement result based on the time error estimation result of the server device.’
Regarding Claim 16,
‘The network measurement system according to claim 15’ (disclosed above),
And Moon disclose, ‘wherein the data analysis processing device is provided in the server device constituting the communication network.’ (determination of synchronization stabilized uses rate ratio obtained by the jth measurement [0100] and in Fig. 6. Uses integrated TSN-5G network )
Regarding Claim 17,
‘The network measurement system according to claim 16’ (disclosed above),
Similar to Claim 16 disclosed above, ‘wherein the data analysis processing device is provided in the server device constituting the communication network.’
Regarding Claim 18,
‘The network measurement system according to claim 15’ (disclosed above),
And Moon disclose, ‘wherein the data analysis processing device is arranged outside the communication network so as to be able to communicate with the first network measurement device and the second network measurement device.’ (RAN provide several functions to include timing advance granularity and propagation delay compensation [0035].)
Regarding Claim 19,
‘The network measurement system according to claim 16’ (disclosed above),
Similar to Claim 18 disclosed above, ‘wherein the data analysis processing device is arranged outside the communication network so as to be able to communicate with the first network measurement device and the second network measurement device.’
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to
applicant's disclosure:
R. Debnath, M. S. Akinci, D. Ajith and S. Steinhorst, "5GTQ: QoS-Aware 5G-TSN Simulation Framework," 2023 IEEE 98th Vehicular Technology Conference (VTC2023-Fall), Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2023 (Year: 2023).
Larrañaga, Ana, et al. "Analysis of 5G-TSN integration to support industry 4.0." 2020 25th IEEE International conference on emerging technologies and factory automation (ETFA). Vol. 1. IEEE, 2020. (Year: 2020).
(US20230134036A1) User Equipment Capabilities for Time Sensitive Networking.
5G; System architecture for the 5G System (5GS) (3GPP TS 23.501 Release 17) System architecture for the 5G System (5GS). Time sensitive comm and Time synchronization 5.27 page-305 to page-319. Integration with TSN, Time Sensitive Communications and Time Synchronization 5.28 page-320 to page-325.
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(US20230068462A1) “Time sensitive communication support information updating method and device in mobile communication system”
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/S.A./Examiner, Art Unit 2466
/CHRISTOPHER M CRUTCHFIELD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2466
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