Patent Application 14851092 - LOGGING MULTICAST-BROADCAST SINGLE-FREQUENCY

Title: LOGGING MULTICAST-BROADCAST SINGLE-FREQUENCY NETWORK MEASUREMENTS

Application Information

Invention Title: LOGGING MULTICAST-BROADCAST SINGLE-FREQUENCY NETWORK MEASUREMENTS
Application Number: 14851092
Submission Date: 2025-04-10T00:00:00.000Z
Effective Filing Date: 2015-09-11T00:00:00.000Z
Filing Date: 2015-09-11T00:00:00.000Z
National Class: 370
National Sub-Class: 252000
Examiner Employee Number: 79123
Art Unit: 2472
Tech Center: 2400

Rejection Summary

102 Rejections: 0
103 Rejections: 1

Cited Patents

The following patents were cited in the rejection:

Office Action Text

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 .
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 the 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:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.

Claims 1, 4, 7-9, 12, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fukuta et al (US 2016/0212595 A1) in view of Lee et al (US 2017/0295054 A1) in view of the admitted prior art as disclosed in pages 1-4 of the specification in view of Malaney, Robert (WO 2006/015427 A1) in view of Uchiyama et al (US 2017/0055202 A1) and further in view of Lee et al (US 2013/0121204 A1). Hereinafter, refer to as Fukuta, Lee, APA, Malaney, Uchiyama, and Lee.
Regarding claim 1, Fukuta discloses a method comprising:
logging, by a user equipment, a multicast-broadcast single-frequency network (Fig. 6 MBSFN area unit designated for measurement) measurement corresponding to a logging period (page 8, 124th and 125th paragraphs, UE starts a timer corresponding to the MBMS measurement log period and UE performs measurement) configured for future reporting (32nd paragraph, reporting an MBMS measurement result to the network at a timing corresponding to the report interval);
associating the measurement with time information related to an actual measurement time instant (page 8, 128th paragraph, measurement log includes measurement result, location information, and time information);
collecting available accurate location information at a time of the measurement (73rd and 128th paragraphs, to obtain location information indicating a geographical position of the UE, GNSS receiver receives GSNS signal and outputs the signal to the processor. The MBMS measurement log includes MBMB measurement result, the location information, and time information. Herein, the location information is the location obtained by GNSS at the time of the measurement); and
storing, at the time the multicast-broadcast single-frequency network measurement is made, cell measurement results (page 8, 128th paragraph, UE stores MBMS measurement log at a timing corresponding to the log interval. The MBMS measurement log includes measurement result, location information, and time information).
Fukuta does not specifically disclose that wherein the user equipment logs only a latest multicast- broadcast single-frequency network measurement prior to an end of the logging period and wherein the logged latest multicast-broadcast SFN measurement is configured to support verification of multicast-broadcast SFN actual signal reception. Lee discloses that for any logged cell, a latest measurement result made for cell reselection purposes is included in the log only if it has not already been reported (107th paragraph). Further, Lee discloses that the configuration of measurement and the report may indicate and include measured results, e.g., BLER, RSRP, RSRQ, missing RLC SDU, PDUs, throughput, MBMS problems (227-229th and 235-240th paragraphs). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to include logging only latest measurement result in Fukuta's system, as suggested by Lee, to optimize network performance.
Fukuta does not specifically disclose that cell measurement results filtered from a predetermined minimum number of samples associated with calculating a multicast broadcast single frequency network result. APA discloses that the duration of measurement of 20.48s including minimum number of 5 samples. And, wherein, five samples for a single measurement result represents a sliding window (14th and 15th paragraphs). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to include a minimum number of samples in Fukuta's system, as suggested by APA, to obtain a measurement result.
Fukuta discloses performing measurements in multicast-broadcast single-frequency network (Fig. 6, MBSFN area unit designated for measurement). Fukuta does not disclose that the wherein cell measurement results are used for coarse location estimation of coarse location information to be stored at the time the measurement is made. Malaney discloses that the mobile devices collect coarse metric measurements and store it in a local log file (page 6, lines 23-25. Herein, coarse information is stored at the time the measurement is made in a log file). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to include storing coarse information based on measurement in Fukuta's system, as suggested by Malaney, to determine location of mobile devices.
Fukuta discloses logging the measurement (124th and 125th paragraphs). Fukuta does not disclose that the length of period is presented as a number of radio subframes. Uchiyama discloses a period used for measurement is N subframes such as 3 subframes (288th paragraph). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the length of the period as a number of radio subframes in Fukuta’s system, as suggested by Uchiyama, to avoid excessive and unnecessary logging resources.
Fukuta does not disclose that the time the measurement is made is independent of the time the logging is performed. Lee discloses that the measurement result stored in MDT log is independent of a logging period (93rd paragraph). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have measurement result independent of a logging period in Fukuta’s system, as suggested by Lee, to indicate the reliability of measurement result irrespective of the logging period.

Regarding claims 4 and 7, Fukuta discloses an apparatus, comprising:
at least one processor (Fig. 2, processor 160); and
at least one memory including computer program code (Fig. 2, memory 150),
wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to
log, by a user equipment, a multicast-broadcast single-frequency network (Fig. 6 MBSFN area unit designated for measurement) measurement corresponding to a logging period (page 8, 124th and 125th paragraphs, UE starts a timer corresponding to the MBMS measurement log period and UE performs measurement);
associating the measurement with time information related to an actual measurement time instant (page 8, 128th paragraph, measurement log includes measurement result, location information, and time information);
collecting available accurate location information at a time of the measurement (73rd and 128th paragraphs, to obtain location information indicating a geographical position of the UE, GNSS receiver receives GSNS signal and outputs the signal to the processor. The MBMS measurement log includes MBMB measurement result, the location information, and time information. Herein, the location information is the location obtained by GNSS at the time of the measurement); and
store, at the time the multicast-broadcast single-frequency network measurement is made, cell measurement results (page 8, 128th paragraph, UE stores MBMS measurement log at a timing corresponding to the log interval. The MBMS measurement log includes measurement result, location information, and time information).
Fukuta does not specifically disclose that wherein the user equipment logs only a latest multicast- broadcast single-frequency network measurement prior to an end of the logging period and wherein the logged latest multicast-broadcast SFN measurement is configured to support verification of multicast-broadcast SFN actual signal reception. Lee discloses that for any logged cell, a latest measurement result made for cell reselection purposes is included in the log only if it has not already been reported (107th paragraph). Further, Lee discloses that the configuration of measurement and the report may indicate and include measured results, e.g., BLER, RSRP, RSRQ, missing RLC SDU, PDUs, throughput, MBMS problems (227-229th and 235-240th paragraphs). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to include logging only latest measurement result in Fukuta's system, as suggested by Lee, to optimize network performance.
Fukuta does not specifically disclose that cell measurement results filtered from a predetermined minimum number of samples associated with calculating a multicast broadcast single frequency network result. APA discloses that the duration of measurement of 20.48s including minimum number of 5 samples. And, wherein, five samples for a single measurement result represents a sliding window (14th and 15th paragraphs). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to include a minimum number of samples in Fukuta's system, as suggested by APA, to obtain a measurement result.
Fukuta discloses performing measurements in multicast-broadcast single-frequency network (Fig. 6, MBSFN area unit designated for measurement). Fukuta does not disclose that the wherein cell measurement results are used for coarse location estimation of coarse location information to be stored at the time the measurement is made. Malaney discloses that the mobile devices collect coarse metric measurements and store it in a local log file (page 6, lines 23-25. Herein, coarse information is stored at the time the measurement is made in a log file). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to include storing coarse information based on measurement in Fukuta's system, as suggested by Malaney, to determine location of mobile devices.
Fukuta discloses logging the measurement (124th and 125th paragraphs). Fukuta does not disclose that the length of period is presented as a number of radio subframes. Uchiyama discloses a period used for measurement is N subframes such as 3 subframes (288th paragraph). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the length of the period as a number of radio subframes in Fukuta’s system, as suggested by Uchiyama, to avoid excessive and unnecessary logging resources.
Fukuta does not disclose that the time the measurement is made is independent of the time the logging is performed. Lee discloses that the measurement result stored in MDT log is independent of a logging period (93rd paragraph). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have measurement result independent of a logging period in Fukuta’s system, as suggested by Lee, to indicate the reliability of measurement result irrespective of the logging period.

Regarding claim 8, Fukuta discloses that wherein the multicast-broadcast single-frequency network measurement comprises at least one of a reference signal received power measurement or a reference signal received quality measurement (page 8, 130th paragraph, measurement log may include reference signal received power and reference signal received quality).

Regarding claim 9, Fukuta discloses that wherein the multicast-broadcast single-frequency network measurement comprises a block error rate measurement (page 7, 105th paragraph, measurement log may include MBMS BLER, which is block error rate).

Regarding claim 12, Fukuta discloses that wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to take into account a validity time of the available accurate location information (page 8, 128th paragraph, measurement log includes measurement result, location information, and time information).

Regarding claim 14, Fukuta discloses that wherein the length of measurement period is presented as absolute time (page 7, 120th paragraph, log interval indicating a time interval of the log).

Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed February 26, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues in page 10 that the Office Action relies on impermissible hindsight reasoning by in using multiple references in the rejections, when there is no teaching, suggestion, or motivation to do so. It would not have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to have attempted to combine six references to yield the claims, since doing so would require impermissible piecemeal analysis of the prior art. Examiner respectfully disagrees.
In response to applicant's argument that the examiner's conclusion of obviousness is based upon improper hindsight reasoning, it must be recognized that any judgment on obviousness is in a sense necessarily a reconstruction based upon hindsight reasoning. But so long as it takes into account only knowledge which was within the level of ordinary skill at the time the claimed invention was made, and does not include knowledge gleaned only from the applicant's disclosure, such a reconstruction is proper. See In re McLaughlin, 443 F.2d 1392, 170 USPQ 209 (CCPA 1971).
In response to applicant's argument that the examiner has combined an excessive number of references, reliance on a large number of references in a rejection does not, without more, weigh against the obviousness of the claimed invention. See In re Gorman, 933 F.2d 982, 18 USPQ2d 1885 (Fed. Cir. 1991).

In response to applicant’s argument that there is no teaching, suggestion, or motivation to combine the references, the examiner recognizes that obviousness may be established by combining or modifying the teachings of the prior art to produce the claimed invention where there is some teaching, suggestion, or motivation to do so found either in the references themselves or in the knowledge generally available to one of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Fine, 837 F.2d 1071, 5 USPQ2d 1596 (Fed. Cir. 1988), In re Jones, 958 F.2d 347, 21 USPQ2d 1941 (Fed. Cir. 1992), and KSR International Co. v. Teleflex, Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007). In this case, the motivation to combine or modify can be found in the references themselves. Please see the rejections of claims.

Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANH VU H LY whose telephone number is (571)272-3175. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-5pm.
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ANH VU H. LY
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2472

/ANH VU H LY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2472