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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This is in reply to RCE filed on 11/26/2025. Status of claims are:
** Claims 1, 5, 6, and 26 are pending
** Claims 2, 3, 4, 10, 11, 13, 14, 21, 22, 24, 25, 27, 29, 31 and 32 are cancelled.
** Claims 7, 8, 9, 12, 15-20, 23, 28 and 30 are allowed.
Response to Arguments
2. Applicant’s arguments filed on 10/21/2025, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The reasons are set forth below.
Applicant argues, mid page 2 of arguments:
Kawasaki in para[0344] discloses that it is an AMF which receives a handover request and the AMF identifies a handover type based on the target eNB ID in the handover request and selects and appropriate MME based on capability information of the MME. Therefore, it’s the network node that is performing the determining whether the UE and the other network node support the second connection. By contrast, in the claim, it is the terminal device performing the determination. Therefore, Kawasaki fails to disclose: when determining that both the terminal device and the second network node support the second connection, sending to the first network node, a second request for transferring from the first connection to the second connection as recited in claim 1.
In response:
Examiner respectfully disagrees with Applicant’s perspective and interpretation of Kawasaki. First, the notion of “determining if PDN support exists”, is one aspect of Kawasaki’s teachings, and “performing handover” is another aspect of Kawasaki’s teachings.
In this case, and based on teachings provided by Kawasaki, all consistent with Applicant’s specification, the UE transmits “a PDU session establishment request message” (i.e., first message/second message, consistent with Applicant’s specification, Fig. 8 & Fig. 9, #1, and para[0113] indicating that “the second request message” may be “the initial request message”) to AMF via 5G AN (gNB), which includes “a type” that the UE supports as a type of the PDN connection to be established in the EPS in case UE performs a handover from 5GS to the EPS. UE can report to AMF/SMF “a PDN type” supported by the UE by specifying any one of “non-ip” or “IPv4” or IPv6” or IPv4v6”, etc. (Kawasaki: See para[0302]-[0307])
Second, the AMF responds back to the UE’s “PDU session establishment request message” by sending back to the UE “a PDU session establishment accept message” (consistent with Applicant’s specification, Fig. 9, #7) that includes “23rd identification information” and hence indicating to the UE the PDU session to be mapped to a PDN connection at the time of a handover from the 5GS to the EPS, that is allowed by the network. When UE receives the PDU session establishment accept message, UE detects that the request of the UE using the PDU session establishment request has been accepted, and can further even recognize whether its PDU session established in the present procedure can be mapped to the PDN connection at the time of handover from the 5GS to the EPS. (Kawasaki; See para[0328]-[0331])
As such, UE knows about its own PDN support and capability and sends to AMF a request, in which identifies a PDN connection that UE supports and that UE prefers to use at the time of handover from 5GS to EPS. In response, UE receives a “PDU session establishment accept message” from AMF, indicating to the UE the PDU session to be mapped to a PDN connection at the time of a handover from the 5GS to the EPS, that is allowed by the network. When UE receives the PDU session establishment accept message, UE detects that the request of the UE, using the PDU session establishment request, has been accepted, and can further even recognize whether its PDU session established in the present procedure can be mapped to the PDN connection at the time of handover from the 5GS to the EPS. Therefore, not only UE knows about its own support, but also gets a response indicting what is allowed by the network based on what UE has forwarded in its request, and after that, UE performs handover procedure from 5GS to EPS. (Kawasaki: See para0342]-[0378])
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
3. 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)(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.
4. Claims 1, 5, 6, and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 20200336964 A1 to Kawasaki et al., (hereinafter Kawasaki)
Claim 1. A method in a terminal device comprising:
sending, to a first network node (i.e., AMF), a first request (Fig. 8, S800-804, PDU session establishment/registration request”; para[0217]-[0221]) for establishment of a first connection that is a connection of a first type (para[0226]; PDU session type includes ‘ethernet” ) according to a first technology (i.e.,5G),
the first request comprising a first indication (i.e., 112th & 113th identification information) about whether the terminal device supports a second connection (i.e., EPS “ethernet” PDN connection; para[0307] the “112th identification information” indicates if the UE supports a PDN connection established in the EPS (i.e., 2nd connection in 2nd technology) in case UE performs handover from 5G (i.e., 1st technology) to EPS (2nd technology))) that is a connection of the first type (para[0226]; PDU session type includes ‘ethernet” ) according to a second technology (i.e., EPS); wherein the first type is Ethernet type, and wherein the first technology is 5th Generation 5G, and the second technology is evolved packet system EPS; and
receiving from the first network node (i.e., AMF), a response to the first request, (Fig. 8, S803, para[0285]-[0290], UE receiving from AMF “the registration accept message”)
the response comprising a second indication (i.e., 23rd identification information) indicating whether a second network node supports the second connection of an Ethernet Type associated with EPS.
(See para[0287]-[0292] “the registration accept message” (i.e., the response) includes “23rd identification information” that indicates the type of the PDU session, at the time of a handover from the 5GS to the EPS, that is allowed by the network (i.e., supported by a second network node, SMF, etc). If the network (i.e., a second network, SMF, etc) does not allow or support it, it then sends “the registration reject” message.)
determining whether both the terminal device (i.e., UE) and the second network node (i.e., the network/SMF) support the second connection (i.e., PDN connection) based on the second indication; and
(Kawasaki: See para[0287]-[0292] “the registration accept message” (e.g., PDU session establishment accept message) includes “23rd identification information” (i.e., a second indication) that indicates the type of the PDU session at the time of a handover from the 5GS to the EPS, that is allowed by the network (i.e., allowed by a second network node, SMF, etc.) as indicated being supported by UE, in the initial registration request message sent/received. If the network (i.e., SMF, etc) does not allow or support it, it then sends “the registration reject” message instead. The “registration accept message” indicative of both terminal and network supporting such connection. See also para[0302]-[0322])
when determining that both the terminal device (i.e., UE) and the second network node (i.e., network/SMF) support the second connection (i.e., PDN connection) sending, to the first network node (i.e., AMF), a second request (i.e., PDU session establishment request) for transferring from the first connection (i.e., PDU session in 5GS) to the second connection. (i.e., PDN connection in EPS)
(Kawasaki: See Fig. 9, S900, PDU session establishment request (i.e., “second request” since this message can be repeated) and para[0302]-[0332] by transmitting a PDU session establishment request to AMF (i.e., first network node) the UE may request establishment of a PDU session (i.e., 1st connection) that can be mapped to a PDN connection (i.e., 2nd connection) at the time of a handover from the 5GS to the EPS. UE receives a PDU session establishment accept message confirming its request, and then UE sends a PDU session establishment complete message to AMF indicating PDU session has been established/accomplished)
Claim 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first connection is a protocol data unit, PDU session, of Ethernet type (See section 4.2 for first establishing PDU session in 5G , wherein the PDU session type includes ‘Ethernet” (para[0226]), and the second connection is a packet data network, PDN, connection of Ethernet type. (See section 4.3 for handover (i.e., second connection) procedure from 5G to the EPS by stablishing PDN connection in EPS. See para[0524] SMF sets the type of the PDN connection in EPS to Ethernet.)
Claim 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first network node is an access and mobility management function, AMF; and wherein the second network node is a session management node supporting both 5G and LTE in a home or visited network.
(Kawasaki: See para[0101] and Fig. 2, AMF (i.e., first network node) and SMF (i.e., second network node) , wherein SMF is capable of communicating with both 5G AN via AMF via N11 and E-TRAN (LTE) via MME and SGW) capable of communicating with 5G Access Node (5G AN) via N2 and communicating with MME on the E-UTRAN (LTE) via N26, and communicating with Home Subscriber Server (HSS+UDM) via N10, wherein Home Subscriber Server (i.e., home network) also communicates with both E-UTRAN (LTE) and 5G AN )
Claim 26. A terminal device comprising:
at least one processor; and at least one memory, the at least one memory containing instructions executable by the at least one processor, (Kawasaki: See Fig. 4, and para[0054] UE having a controller and a storage unit, including a semiconductor memory, hard disk drive, and the like) whereby the terminal device is operative to:
send, to a first network node (i.e., AMF), a first request (Fig. 8, S800-804, PDU session establishment/registration request”; para[0217]-[0221]) for establishment of a first connection that is a connection of a first type (para[0226]; PDU session type includes ‘ethernet” ) according to a first technology (5G),
the first request comprising a first indication (i.e., 112th & 113th identification information) about whether the terminal device supports a second connection (i.e., EPS “ethernet” PDN connection) ( See para[0307] the “112th identification information” indicates if the UE supports a PDN connection established in the EPS (i.e., 2nd connection in 2nd technology) in case UE performs handover from 5G (i.e., 1st technology) to EPS (2nd technology))) that is a connection of the first type (para[0226]; PDU session type includes ‘ethernet” ) according to a second technology(i.e., EPS), wherein the first type is Ethernet type, and wherein the first technology is 5th Generation 5G, and the second technology is evolved packet system EPS; and
receive, from the first network node (i.e., AMF), a response to the first request, (Fig. 8, S803, para[0285]-[0290], UE receiving from AMF “the registration accept message”)
the response comprising a second indication (i.e., 23rd identification information) indicating whether a second network node (i.e., network/SMF) supports the second connection (i.e., PDN connection) of an Ethernet type associated with EPS
(See para[0287]-[0292] “the registration accept message” (i.e., the response) includes “23rd identification information” (i.e., a second indication) that indicates the type of the PDU session, at the time of a handover from the 5GS to the EPS, that is allowed by the network (i.e., supported by a second network node, SMF, etc). See para[0201] 23rd identification indicating the type of a PDU session (i.e., Ethernet) that is mapped to a PDN connection (i.e., Ethernet) at the time of handover from 5GS to EPS. If the network (i.e., a second network, SMF, etc) does not allow or support it, it then sends “the registration reject” message.)
determining whether both the terminal device (i.e., UE) and the second network node (i.e., the network/SMF) support the second connection (i.e., PDN connection) based on the second indication; and
(Kawasaki: See para[0287]-[0292] “the registration accept message” (e.g., PDU session establishment accept message) includes “23rd identification information” (i.e., a second indication) that indicates the type of the PDU session at the time of a handover from the 5GS to the EPS, that is allowed by the network (i.e., allowed by a second network node, SMF, etc.) as indicated being supported by UE, in the initial registration request message sent/received. If the network (i.e., SMF, etc) does not allow or support it, it then sends “the registration reject” message instead. The “registration accept message” indicative of both terminal and network supporting such connection. See also para[0302]-[0322])
when determining that both the terminal device (i.e., UE) and the second network node (i.e., network/SMF) support the second connection (i.e., PDN connection) sending, to the first network node (i.e., AMF), a second request (i.e., PDU session establishment request) for transferring from the first connection (i.e., PDU session in 5GS) to the second connection. (i.e., PDN connection in EPS)
(Kawasaki: See Fig. 9, S900, PDU session establishment request (i.e., “second request” since this message can be repeated) and para[0302]-[0332] by transmitting a PDU session establishment request to AMF (i.e., first network node) the UE may request establishment of a PDU session (i.e., 1st connection) that can be mapped to a PDN connection (i.e., 2nd connection) at the time of a handover from the 5GS to the EPS. UE receives a PDU session establishment accept message confirming its request, and then UE sends a PDU session establishment complete message to AMF indicating PDU session has been established/accomplished)
Allowable Subject Matter
6. Claims 7, 8, 9, 12, 15-20, 23, 28 and 30 are allowed. Reason for allowance is because Applicant has moved up those allowable subject matters of claims 9, 13, and 24, as determined and identified previously in the “Non-Final Office Action dated 3/14/2025”, into independent claims 7, 16, 28 and 30 respectively. Dependent claims 8, 9, 12, 15-20, and 23, are also allowed for their dependence on independent claims 7 and 16 respectively.
Conclusion
7. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MAJID ESMAEILIAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7830. The examiner can normally be reached on 9am-5pm. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner' s supervisor, Chirag G. Shah can be reached on 571-272-3144. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/M. E./
Examiner, Art Unit 2477
/GREGORY B SEFCHECK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477
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