DEATILED 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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the amendment filed 2/04/2026 have been
considered and a new rejection issued.
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.
Claim(s) 23,24,25,27,28,29,30,32,33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kyo et al. (KR20210037511A) in view of Kadiri et al. (US20210068003A1)
In further view of Dao et al. US20210105196A1
Regarding Claim 23, Kyo teaches, A method, comprising: at a session management function (SMF) of a cellular network: Fig 3
determining that a user equipment (UE) is configured to receive data from a first radio access network (RAN) node via a first session;[16]- receiving a message(=config) requesting confirmation of whether to use a specific application, a specific service, or a specific session from a base station;
determining a counter operated at the SMF does [34] The MBS function described above includes, for example, a Broadcast Multicast-control plane function (BM-CPF) or a SMF (Session Management function).[100]- the SMF transmits the threshold value to the base station in step 5/6. Through the Like, the base station can receive an appropriate threshold value. the base station may classify the MBS session traffic based on the received value through the dedicated 5QI value as described above, and determine whether to switch the transmission method of the corresponding MBS traffic from unicast to broadcast/multicast.
transmitting a session modification request to a user plane function (UPF) for the switch from the first session to the multicast session based on the counter [68] In step 6a, the SMF notifies the UPF that the existing unicast transmission method is to be changed to a broadcast/multicast transmission method(=transmitting a session modification request to a user plane function (UPF) ) Accordingly, the UPF may stop transmission of traffic going to the unicast tunnel. [48]- Based on the acquired information, the base station may switch the transmission method from unicast to multicast/broadcast when the number of terminals exceeds a specific threshold.
triggering a switch from the first session to a multicast session based on the counter [63]- data rate used by the corresponding terminals exceeds a certain threshold, The base station may decide to switch from a unicast transmission scheme to a broadcast/multicast transmission scheme. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a method of determining whether a base station switches from a unicast method to a multicast/broadcast method with the help of a 5G CN(=second RAN) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Kyo does not teach not exceeding the predetermined threshold
Kadiri teaches, not exceeding the predetermined threshold [298]- transitioning to a CONNECTED mode state for future reception of the multicast/broadcast traffic via the multicast radio bearer based at least in part on the reception quality being below the threshold.
It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Kyo, not exceeding the predetermined threshold as taught by Kadiri to different RANs between multicast or unicast to adapt data capacity for RAN capacity. Dao does not teach MBS context, however Kyo in [73] teaches this.
Kyo teaches receiving an MBS context in [73].
However, Kyo in view of Kadiri does not teach, and receiving an MBS context comprising a common tunnel endpoint identifier (C- TEID)
Dao teaches, and receiving an ) [206]- Alternatively, the AMF 803 may use a service such as Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext Request to notify the G-SMF of the new location of UE. The AMF 803 may include the AN tunnel information, which may include the AN address and TEID in the downlink. a method is provided for the G-SMF to select a MB Session Anchor (MBSA) UPF to serve the MB Session.
It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Kyo in view of Kadiri, and receiving an ) as taught by Dao to include a C-TEID into the MBS Context of Kyo-Kadiri to adapt data capacity for RAN.
Regarding Claim 24, Kyo does not teach, the method of claim 23, wherein the first RAN node does not support MBS
Kadiri teaches, the method of claim 23, wherein the first RAN node does not support MBS. [141]-In some cases when the RAN node 410-a is communicating with the UEs 115-f and 115-g using a broadcast/unicast only mode.
It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Kyo in view of Kadiri, the method of claim 23, wherein the first RAN node does not support MBS as taught by Kadiri to different RANs between multicast or unicast to adapt data capacity for RAN capacity. Dao does not teach MBS context, however Kyo in [73] teaches this.
Regarding Claim 25, Kyo teaches, the method of claim 23, wherein the session modification request is transmitted over a N4 interface. [94] For example, in step 4, SMF broadcasts/multicasts the traffic corresponding to TMGI, MBS application ID, MBS service ID, MBS session ID, and MBS service flow ID to UPF through N4 Session establishment or N4 Session modification messages.
Regarding Claim 27, Kyo teaches, the method of claim 23, wherein the MBS context further comprises quality of service (QoS) information.[13] base station in a wireless communication system according to an embodiment, based on a 5QI value for a quality of service (QoS) flow of traffic acquired to the base station,
Regarding Claim 28, Kyo teaches, One or more processors of a session management function (SMF) configured to perform operations, the operations comprising determining that a user equipment (UE) is configured to receive data from a first radio access network (RAN) node via a first session;[16]- receiving a message(=config) requesting confirmation of whether to use a specific application, a specific service, or a specific session from a base station;
determining a counter operated at the SMF does not exceed a predetermined threshold for multicast broadcast service (MBS) users within a tracking area; [34] The MBS function described above includes, for example, a Broadcast Multicast-control plane function (BM-CPF) or a SMF (Session Management function).[100]- the SMF transmits the threshold value to the base station in step 5/6. Through the Like, the base station can receive an appropriate threshold value. the base station may classify the MBS session traffic based on the received value through the dedicated 5QI value as described above, and determine whether to switch the transmission method of the corresponding MBS traffic from unicast to broadcast/multicast.
transmitting a session modification request to a user plane function (UPF) for the switch from the first session to the multicast session based on the counter [68] In step 6a, the SMF notifies the UPF that the existing unicast transmission method is to be changed to a broadcast/multicast transmission method(=transmitting a session modification request to a user plane function (UPF) ) Accordingly, the UPF may stop transmission of traffic going to the unicast tunnel. [48]- Based on the acquired information, the base station may switch the transmission method from unicast to multicast/broadcast when the number of terminals exceeds a specific threshold.
triggering a switch from the first session to a multicast session based on the counter not exceeding the predetermined threshold, wherein the UE is to receive data from a second RAN node via the multicast session and [63]- data rate used by the corresponding terminals exceeds a certain threshold, The base station may decide to switch from a unicast transmission scheme to a broadcast/multicast transmission scheme. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a method of determining whether a base station switches from a unicast method to a multicast/broadcast method with the help of a 5G CN(=second RAN) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.
Kyo does not teach not exceeding the predetermined threshold
Kadiri teaches, not exceeding the predetermined threshold [298]- transitioning to a CONNECTED mode state for future reception of the multicast/broadcast traffic via the multicast radio bearer based at least in part on the reception quality being below the threshold.
It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Kyo, not exceeding the predetermined threshold as taught by Kadiri to different RANs between multicast or unicast to adapt data capacity for RAN capacity. Dao does not teach MBS context, however Kyo in [73] teaches this.
Kyo teaches receiving an MBS context in [73].
However, Kyo in view of Kadiri does not teach, and receiving an MBS context comprising a common tunnel endpoint identifier (C- TEID)
Dao teaches, and receiving an ) [206]- Alternatively, the AMF 803 may use a service such as Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext Request to notify the G-SMF of the new location of UE. The AMF 803 may include the AN tunnel information, which may include the AN address and TEID in the downlink. a method is provided for the G-SMF to select a MB Session Anchor (MBSA) UPF to serve the MB Session.
It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Kyo in view of Kadiri, and receiving an ) as taught by Dao to include a C-TEID into the MBS Context of Kyo-Kadiri to adapt data capacity for RAN.
Regarding Claim 29, Kyo does not teach, The one or more processors of claim 28, wherein the first RAN node does not support MBS.
Kadiri teaches,the one or more processors of claim 28, wherein the first RAN node does not support MBS. [141]-In some cases when the RAN node 410-a is communicating with the UEs 115-f and 115-g using a broadcast/unicast only mode.
It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Kyo, the one or more processors of claim 28, wherein the first RAN node does not support MBS as taught by Kadiri to different RANs between multicast or unicast to adapt data capacity for RAN capacity.
Regarding Claim 30,Kyo teaches, the one or more processors of claim 28, wherein the session modification request is transmitted over a N4 interface. [94] For example, in step 4, SMF broadcasts/multicasts the traffic corresponding to TMGI, MBS application ID, MBS service ID, MBS session ID, and MBS service flow ID to UPF through N4 Session establishment or N4 Session modification messages.
Regarding Claim 32, Kyo teaches, the one or more processors of claim 2, wherein the MBS context further comprises quality of service (QoS) information [13] base station in a wireless communication system according to an embodiment, based on a 5QI value for a quality of service (QoS) flow of traffic acquired to the base station,
Regarding Claim 33, Kyo in view of Kadiri does not teach, The one or more processors of claim 28, wherein the session modification request includes a temporary mobile group identifier (TMGI).
Dao teaches, The one or more processors of claim 28, wherein the session modification request includes a temporary mobile group identifier (TMGI). [73] At step 570, the AF 322 may send a request to NEF 314 to indicate switching from unicast deKadirivery to MB deKadirivery in the downlink. The message may include one or more of following information: UE Group information, e.g. Internal Group ID, External Group ID, and/or TMGI.
It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Kyo in view of Kadiri, The one or more processors of claim 28, wherein the session modification request includes a temporary mobile group identifier (TMGI) as taught by Dao to different RANs between multicast or unicast to adapt data capacity for RAN capacity.
Claim(s) 34,36,37,38,40,41 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kyo et al. (KR20210037511A) in view of Kadiri et al. (US20210068003A1)
In further view of Dao et al. US20210105196A1) in further view of Xie et al. (US20220377507A1)
Regarding Claim 34, Kyo in view of Kadiri and Dao does not teach, The one or more processors of claim 28, wherein the MBS context further comprises a flow identifier corresponding to an MBS bearer service.
Xie teaches, The one or more processors of claim 28, wherein the MBS context further comprises a flow identifier corresponding to an MBS bearer service. [120]- command the MB-UPF to update a multicast session, including informing the MB-UPF of address information of the corresponding base stations and channel identifiers.
It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Kyo in view of Kadiri and Dao, The one or more processors of claim 28, wherein the MBS context further comprises a flow identifier corresponding to an MBS bearer service as taught by Xie to different RANs between multicast or unicast to adapt data capacity for RAN capacity.
Regarding Claim 36, Kyo in view of Kadiri and Dao does not teach, The one or more processors of claim 28, wherein the MBS context comprises a List of down stream nodes that have requested MBS bearer service.
Xie teaches, The one or more processors of claim 28, wherein the MBS context comprises a List of downstream nodes that have requested MBS bearer service. [136]- The MBSF determines to switch the multicast mode to a unicast mode, based on a user count of multicast service or a user count of multicast service in one or more areas (for example one or more tracking areas or one or more base station nodes).
It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Kyo in view of Kadiri and Dao, The one or more processors of claim 28, wherein the MBS context comprises a List of down stream nodes that have requested MBS bearer service as taught by Xie to different RANs between multicast or unicast to adapt data capacity for RAN capacity.
Regarding Claim 37, Kyo in view of Kadiri and Dao does not teach, The one or more processors or claim 28, wherein the MBS context further comprises multicast addresses
Xie teaches, The one or more processors or claim 28, wherein the MBS context further comprises multicast addresses. [70-74] [73]- (3) a multicast address, for example, an IP multicast address.
It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Kyo in view of Kadiri and Dao, The one or more processors or claim 28, wherein the MBS context further comprises multicast addresses as taught by Xie to different RANs between multicast or unicast to adapt data capacity for RAN capacity.
Regarding Claim 38, Kyo in view of Kadiri and Dao does not teach, , The method of claim 23, wherein the MBS context further comprises a flow identifier corresponding to an MBS bearer service
Xie teaches, The method of claim 23, wherein the MBS context further comprises a flow identifier corresponding to an MBS bearer service. [96]- In this embodiment of the present invention, a user terminal can switch between a multicast bearer and a unicast bearer based on a mode switch operation for a multicast service.
It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Kyo in view of Kadiri and Dao, , The method of claim 23, wherein the MBS context further comprises a flow identifier corresponding to an MBS bearer service as taught by Xie to different RANs between multicast or unicast to adapt data capacity for RAN capacity.
Regarding Claim 40, Kyo in view of Kadiri and Dao does not teach, The method of claim 23, wherein the MBS context further comprises a List of down stream nodes that have requested MBS bearer service.
Xie teaches, The method of claim 23, wherein the MBS context further comprises a List of down stream nodes that have requested MBS bearer service. [136]- The MBSF determines to switch the multicast mode to a unicast mode, based on a user count of multicast service or a user count of multicast service in one or more areas (for example one or more tracking areas or one or more base station nodes).
It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Kyo in view of Kadiri and Dao, The method of claim 23, wherein the MBS context further comprises a List of down stream nodes that have requested MBS bearer service as taught by Xie to different RANs between multicast or unicast to adapt data capacity for RAN capacity.
Regarding Claim 41, Kyo in view of Kadiri and Dao does not teach, The method of claim 23, wherein the MBS context further comprises multicast addresses.
Xie teaches, The method of claim 23, wherein the MBS context further comprises multicast addresses. [70-74] [73]- (3) a multicast address, for example, an IP multicast address.
It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Kyo in view of Kadiri and Dao, The method of claim 23, wherein the MBS context further comprises multicast addresses as taught by Xie to different RANs between multicast or unicast to adapt data capacity for RAN capacity.
Claim(s) 35,39 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kadiri et al. (CN104918204A) in view of Kyo et al. (US201916511568A)
Dao et al. US20210105196A1 in further view of Baek et al. (US20220279319A1)
Regarding Claim 35, Kyo in view of Kadiri and Dao does not teach, The one or more processors of claim 28, wherein the MBS context further comprises a List of cell IDs.
Baek teaches, The one or more processors of claim 28, wherein the MBS context further comprises a List of cell IDs.[66]- MBS service coverage that can be supported by the AMF, for example, a MBS service area, or a part or all of a TAI List or a cell ID List.
It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Kyo in view of Kadiri and Dao, The one or more processors of claim 28, wherein the MBS context further comprises a List of cell IDs as taught by Xie to different RANs between multicast or unicast to adapt data capacity for RAN capacity.
Regarding Claim 39, Kyo in view of Kadiri and Dao does not teach, The method of claim 23, wherein the MBS context further comprises a List of cell IDs.
Baek teaches The method of claim 23, wherein the MBS context further comprises a List of cell IDs.[66]- MBS service coverage that can be supported by the AMF, for example, a MBS service area, or a part or all of a TAI List or a cell ID List.
It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Kyo in view of Kadiri and Dao, The method of claim 23, wherein the MBS context further comprises a List of cell IDs as taught by Xie to different RANs between multicast or unicast to adapt data capacity for RAN capacity.
Claim 42 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kyo et al. (KR20210037511A) in view of Kadiri et al. (US20210068003A1)
In further view of Dao et al. (US20210105196A1) in further view of Xu et al. (US20230108178A1)
Regarding Claim 42, Kyo in view of Kadiri and Dao does not teach, The method of claim 23, wherein the MBS context further comprises a TEID of an MBS gateway for a control plane.
Xu teaches The method of claim 23, wherein the MBS context further comprises a TEID of an MBS gateway for a control plane.[216]- The one or more MBS areas may comprise the first MBS area and the second MBS area. The MBs related information may comprise at least one of a service identity, MBS tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID), multicast address or MBS flow identity.
It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Kyo in view of Kadiri and Dao, The method of claim 23, wherein the MBS context further comprises a TEID of an MBS gateway for a control plane as taught by Xu to different RANs between multicast or unicast to adapt data capacity for RAN capacity.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Anindita Sen whose telephone number is (571)-272-2390. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30am-5:30pm.
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, Joseph Avellino can be reached on (571)-272-3905. 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.
/ANINDITA SEN/Examiner, Art Unit 2478
/JOSEPH E AVELLINO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2478
Prosecution Insights