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 .
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.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed 8/19/2025 has been entered. Claims 1,3-11,13-16,18 and 20-21 are pending.
Claim Objections
Claim 18 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 18 is a CRM claim so “computer readable” should be added before “storage medium” for clarity. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1, 4-8, 10-11, 14-16, 18 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over “Discussion on Function of UE Radio Capability Check over Xn” R3-183644 (hereinafter ZTE) in view of 3GPP TS 38.413 V15.0.0 (hereinafter 3GPP) and US 10123373 (hereinafter Wasalwar).
Regarding claims 1, 11, and 18, ZTE teaches a method for transmitting control signaling, performed by a first serving base station, comprising: expanding content of a cell of original control signaling to obtain control signaling carrying indication information, the indication information indicates whether the first serving base station supports a target service in current node configuration and status condition (Page 3, proposal 3: details to add up “IMS Voice Support Indicator” IE in XnAP: S-NODE ADDITION REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE and S-NODE MODIFICATION REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE messages, so that MN can explicitly know IMS voice capability in SN per UE); and transmitting the control signaling carrying the indication information to a logical upper layer or logical upstream (Page 2, last paragraph: details S-Node can simply indicate “IMS Voice Support indicator” IE in MR-DC specific messages).
ZTE does not explicitly teach in response to the first serving base station being connected to a terminal and the first serving base station acquiring that the terminal supports a target service, in absence of receiving signaling from a logical upper layer or a logical upstream to check terminal radio capability of a first serving base station, wherein the indication information carries configuration and status condition of both the terminal and the first serving base station at a current node, and the current node refers to the first serving base station.
However, 3GPP teaches wherein the indication information carries configuration and status condition of both the terminal and the first serving base station at a current node (9.2.13; 9.3: details information element with IE/Group Name, Presence, IE type and reference, criticality, assigned criticality, AMF UE NGAP ID, RAN UE NGAP ID, UE Radio capability, IM Voice Support Indicator…), and the current node refers to the first serving base station (9.2.13.1-9.2.13.3: details NG-RAN node to report, as current node).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified ZTE to incorporate the teachings of 3GPP and include wherein the indication information carries configuration and status condition of both a terminal and the first serving base station at a current node, and the current node refers to the first serving base station of 3GPP with ZTE. Doing so would enable node to provide UE capability-related information (3GPP, at 8.14.1.1).
Moreover, Wasalwar teaches in response to the first serving base station being connected to a terminal and the first serving base station acquiring that the terminal supports a target service (abstract; Fig. 3; details: the WCD will forward the provided WCD service-context information to the second base station for use to facilitate serving the WCD), in absence of receiving signaling from a logical upper layer or a logical upstream to check terminal radio capability of a first serving base station (abstract; Fig. 3; details reference does not explicitly states this limitation so it teaches in absence of receiving… because it is a negative limitation; Examiner suggests positively reciting this feature).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified ZTE to incorporate the teachings of Wasalwar and include in response to the first serving base station being connected to a terminal and the first serving base station acquiring that the terminal supports a target service, in absence of receiving signaling from a logical upper layer or a logical upstream to check terminal radio capability of a first serving base station of Wasalwar with ZTE. Doing so would avoid direct context-transfer signaling between base stations (Wasalwar, at col. 2, ll. 10-23).
Regarding claims 4 and 14, ZTE teaches wherein the first serving base station is a master node (MN) in a dual/multiple connectivity operation (9.2.13.2; 9.2.13.3: details NG-RAN node, as MN in dual/multiple connectivity operation), and expanding the content of the cell of the original control signaling comprises at least one of: expanding content of a cell of a protocol data unit (PDU) session resource modify indication message; expanding content of a cell of a terminal capability information indication message; and expanding, by the first serving base station, content of a cell of an uplink non-radio access layer transport message (9.3.1.74: details IE contains UE Radio Capability information, as UE CAPABILITY INFO INDICATION message).
Regarding claim 5, ZTE teaches wherein transmitting the control signaling carrying the indication information to the logical upper layer or the logical upstream comprises: transmitting the control signaling carrying the indication information to a core network (page 2: details single serving NG-RAN node reports to AMF; for 5GC scenario, as core network).
Regarding claims 6 and 15, ZTE teaches wherein the first serving base station is a secondary node (SN) in a dual/multiple connectivity operation (9.2.13.2; 9.2.13.3: details NG-RAN node, as SN in dual/multiple connectivity operation), and expanding the content of the cell of the original control signaling comprises at least one of: expanding, by the first serving base station, content of a cell of an SN addition request acknowledgement message; expanding content of a cell of an SN modification request acknowledgement message; and expanding content of a cell of an SN modification required message (page 3, proposal 3: details to add up “IMS Voice Support Indicator” IE in XnAP: S-NODE ADDITION REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE).
Regarding claim 7, ZTE teaches wherein transmitting the control signaling carrying the indication information to the logical upper layer or the logical upstream comprises: transmitting the control signaling carrying the indication information to an MN corresponding to the first serving base station (Page 3, proposal 3: details to add up “IMS Voice Support Indicator” IE in XnAP: S-NODE ADDITION REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE and S-NODE MODIFICATION REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE messages, so that MN can explicitly know IMS voice capability in SN per UE).
Regarding 8, ZTE teaches wherein the indication information indicates whether the first serving base station supports the target service under one of the following radio access types (RATs): a fifth generation (5G) new radio (NR) access technology system RAT, or a 5G evolved universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) terrestrial radio access (E-UTRA) system RAT (Section 1: details NGAP).
Regarding claims 10 and 16, ZTE teaches wherein the target service comprises at least one of: an Internet protocol multimedia subsystem (IMS) voice service, and an IMS emergency call service (Page 3, proposal 3: details to add up “IMS Voice Support Indicator” IE in XnAP: S-NODE ADDITION REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE and S-NODE MODIFICATION REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE messages, so that MN can explicitly know IMS voice capability in SN per UE).
Regarding 21, ZTE teaches wherein the connection established between the first serving base station and the terminal is an initial service connection, expanding the content of the cell of the original control signaling comprises at least one of: expanding content of a cell of an initial terminal message; expanding content of a cell of an initial context setup response message; expanding content of a cell of a terminal capability information indication message; and expanding content of a cell of an uplink non-radio access layer transport message (9.3.1.74: details IE contains UE Radio Capability information, as terminal capability information indication message).
Claims 3, 13 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZTE in view of 3GPP and Wasalwar, further in view of US 2020/0170056 (hereinafter Allan).
Regarding claims 3 and 13, ZTE does not explicitly teach wherein the first serving base station has established the connection to the terminal and the terminal is switched to be served by the first serving base station from being served by a second serving base station, and expanding the content of the cell of the original control signaling comprises at least one of: expanding content of a cell of a path switch request message; and expanding content of a cell of a handover request acknowledgement message.
However, Allan teaches wherein the first serving base station has established the connection to the terminal and the terminal is switched to being served by the first serving base station from being served by a second serving base station, and expanding the content of the cell of the original control signaling comprises at least one of: expanding content of a cell of a path switch request message; and expanding content of a cell of a handover request acknowledgement message ([0067]: details handover request acknowledgement message; PATH SWITCH REQUEST message).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified ZTE to incorporate the teachings of Allan and include wherein the first serving base station has established the connection to the terminal and the terminal is switched to be served by the first serving base station from being served by a second serving base station, and expanding the content of the cell of the original control signaling comprises at least one of: expanding content of a cell of a path switch request message; and expanding content of a cell of a handover request acknowledgement message of Allan with ZTE. Doing so would be reducing overhead (Allan, at paragraph [0066]).
Regarding claim 20, ZTE teaches wherein transmitting the control signaling carrying the indication information to the logical upper layer or the logical upstream comprises: transmitting the control signaling carrying the indication information to a core network (page 2: details single serving NG-RAN node reports to AMF; for 5GC scenario, as core network).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZTE in view of 3GPP and Wasalwar, further in view of US 2021/0127290 (hereinafter Yang).
Regarding claim 9, ZTE does not explicitly teach wherein expanding the content of the cell of the original control signaling comprises one of: expanding a single joint cell on the original control signaling, wherein the single joint cell carries the indication information in a joint manner; and expanding a plurality of independent cells on the original control signaling, wherein each of the plurality of independent cells carries the indication information in an independent manner.
However, Yang teaches wherein expanding the content of the cell of the original control signaling comprises one of: expanding a single joint cell on the original control signaling, wherein the single joint cell carries the indication information in a joint manner; and expanding a plurality of independent cells on the original control signaling, wherein each of the plurality of independent cells carries the indication information in an independent manner (FIG. 4, 205; [0158]: details if AP 1 sends a joint transmission indication carrying MAC address information of STA 1 and STA 2 to APs 2-5, APs 2-5 send the second data to STA 1 and STA 2 together with AP 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified ZTE to incorporate the teachings of Yang and include expanding a single joint cell on the original control signaling, wherein the single joint cell carries the indication information in a joint manner; and expanding a plurality of independent cells on the original control signaling, wherein each of the plurality of independent cells carries the indication information in an independent manner of Yang with ZTE. Doing so would reduce the occupied air interface resources (Yang, at paragraph [0158]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to pending claims have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
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/JASPER KWOH/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2415