DETAILED ACTION
This office action response the Request for Continued Examination application on 08/25/2025.
Claims 1-20 are presented for examination.
Notice of 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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 08/25/2025 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
This communication is in response to the amendments filed on August 25, 2025. Claims 1, 10, and 18 have been amended. Claim 1-20 are currently pending and have been considered below.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 10, and 18 have been carefully considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection necessitated by Applicant’s amendments.
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 of this title, 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.
Claims 1, 3, 7-8, 10, 12, and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shirota et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0043534), (“D1”, hereinafter), in view of Vesterinen et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20120002608), (“D2”, hereinafter), and further in view of Adjakple et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20130044709), (“D3”, hereinafter).
As per Claim 1, D1 discloses a method comprising:
receiving, at a base station from a user equipment (UE), one of a request for attaching to an base station ([see, [0079], and Fig. 9, the UE 702 request at 904 to eNB (base station) for an attach]),
wherein the request includes an identifier derived from an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) ([see, [0079-0081], and Fig. 9, the request comprise a public land mobile network (PLMN) identifiers (IDs) and includes IMSI]) or a periodic tracking area update (TAU) ([see, [0079-0081], and Fig. 9, the request comprise a TAU request]);
establishing a connection between the UE and the base station ([see, [0079-0081], and Fig. 9, at 906, establishing RRC connection setup between the UE and the eNB]);
sending at the base station, one of a UE message or a TAU request to a virtualizing gateway (i.e., MME), the message including the identifier derived from the IMSI ([see, [0080-0081], and Fig. 9, at 910, eNB 804 sends an initial UE message to the selected MME, The initial UE message may comprise a selected PLMN ID and IMSI]);
performing a lookup by the virtualizing gateway based on the identifier derived from the IMSI to identify a specific core network node that holds a UE context for the UE ([see, [0081], and Fig. 9, at 912, the MME 706 (virtualizing gateway) may perform subscription data fetching and authentication, and wherein used to store subscription data fetching includes international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)]); and
D1 doesn’t appear explicitly disclose: one of a UE message or a TAU request to a virtualizing gateway; and enabling multi-Radio Access Technology (RAT) Multiple Operator Core Networks (MOCN) by sending a request for the UE to attach to the specific core network node, the base station having a different RAT than the core network node, one of the base station and the core network node supporting Long Term Evolution (LTE) and another of the base station and the core network node supporting at least one of 2G, 3G, and 5G.
However, D2 discloses one of a UE message or a TAU request to a virtualizing gateway ([see, [0073, 0078], a UE requested PDN connectivity is associated to the local virtual gateway]).
In view of the above, having the system of D1 and then given the well-established teaching of D2, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of D1 as taught by D2. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide a network system which enables access via a radio access network results improved coverage and increased broadband wireless performance (D2, [0002]]).
The combination of D1 and D2 doesn’t appear explicitly disclose: enabling multi-Radio Access Technology (RAT) Multiple Operator Core Networks (MOCN) by sending a request for the UE to attach to the specific core network node, the base station having a different RAT than the core network node, one of the base station and the core network node supporting Long Term Evolution (LTE) and another of the base station and the core network node supporting at least one of 2G, 3G, and 5G.
However, D3 discloses enabling multi-Radio Access Technology (RAT) ([see, [0064], and Fig. 1A, utilize any suitable RAT]) Multiple Operator Core Networks (MOCN) by sending a request for the UE to attach to the specific core network node ([see, [0012, 0122], and Fig. 5A-D, MRA WTRU 502a may be attached to the two core networks 506, 507]),
the base station having a different RAT than the core network node ([see, [0010-0012, 0096-0097], and Fig. 2A-B, wherein a multi-radio access technology (RAT) access (MRA) operation, the base stations 214a, 214b supporting at least two different radio access technologies (RAT)]), one of the base station and the core network node supporting Long Term Evolution (LTE) ([see, [0096-0097], and Fig. 2A-B, multi-mode WRTU 102 supports two base station and Core network supporting at least one LTE]) and another of the base station and the core network node supporting at least one of 2G, 3G, and 5G ([see, [0096-0097], and Fig. 2A-B, multi-mode WRTU 102 supports two base station and Core network supporting at least one 2G includes GSM, and 3G includes WCDMA, HSPA]).
In view of the above, having the system of D1 and then given the well-established teaching of D3, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of D1 as taught by D3. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide a number of radio access technologies (RATs) results improved capacity and increasing bandwidth for both voice and data services in wireless systems (D3, [0002]]).
As per Claim 10, D1 discloses a system ([see, Fig. 9]), comprising:
an eNodeB in communication with a first user equipment (UE) ([see, [0078], and Fig. 9, where eNB 804 directs the UE 702 to register a 1x network]);
a virtualized gateway (MME) in communication with the eNodeB ([see, [0079-0081], and Fig. 9, at 910, eNB 804 sends an initial UE message to the selected MME 706]) and acting as a virtualizing gateway for communications with an MME ([see, [0081], and Fig. 9, at 912, the MME 706 (virtualizing gateway) may perform subscription data fetching and authentication, and wherein used to store subscription data fetching includes international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)]);
wherein the system performs steps including:
receiving, at an eNodeB from a UE, one of a request for attaching to an eNodeB ([see, [0079], and Fig. 9, the UE 702 request at 904 to eNB (base station) for an attach]), wherein the request includes the identifier derived from an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) ([see, [0079-0081], and Fig. 9, the request comprise a public land mobile network (PLMN) identifiers (IDs) and includes IMSI]) or a periodic tracking area update (TAU) ([see, [0079-0081], and Fig. 9, the request comprise a TAU request]);
establishing a connection between the UE and the eNodeB ([see, [0079-0081], and Fig. 9, at 906, establishing RRC connection setup between the UE and the eNB]);
sending at the base station, one of a UE message or a TAU request to a virtualizing gateway (i.e., MME), the message including the identifier derived from the IMSI ([see, [0080-0081], and Fig. 9, at 910, eNB 804 sends an initial UE message to the selected MME, The initial UE message may comprise a selected PLMN ID and IMSI]);
performing a lookup by the virtualizing gateway based on the identifier derived from the IMSI to identify a specific core network node that holds a UE context for the UE ([see, [0081], and Fig. 9, at 912, the MME 706 (virtualizing gateway) may perform subscription data fetching and authentication, and wherein used to store subscription data fetching includes international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)]); and
D1 doesn’t appear explicitly disclose: one of a UE message or a TAU request to a virtualizing gateway; and enabling multi-Radio Access Technology (RAT) Multiple Operator Core Networks (MOCN) by sending a request for the UE to attach to the specific core network node, the base station having a different RAT than the core network node, one of the base station and the core network node supporting Long Term Evolution (LTE) and another of the base station and the core network node supporting at least one of 2G, 3G, and 5G.
However, D2 discloses one of a UE message or a TAU request to a virtualizing gateway ([see, [0073, 0078], a UE requested PDN connectivity is associated to the local virtual gateway]).
In view of the above, having the system of D1 and then given the well-established teaching of D2, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of D1 as taught by D2. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide a network system which enables access via a radio access network results improved coverage and increased broadband wireless performance (D2, [0002]]).
The combination of D1 and D2 doesn’t appear explicitly disclose: enabling multi-Radio Access Technology (RAT) Multiple Operator Core Networks (MOCN) by sending a request for the UE to attach to the specific core network node, the base station having a different RAT than the core network node, one of the base station and the core network node supporting Long Term Evolution (LTE) and another of the base station and the core network node supporting at least one of 2G, 3G, and 5G.
However, D3 discloses enabling multi-Radio Access Technology (RAT) ([see, [0064], and Fig. 1A, utilize any suitable RAT]) Multiple Operator Core Networks (MOCN) by sending a request for the UE to attach to the specific core network node ([see, [0012, 0122], and Fig. 5A-D, MRA WTRU 502a may be attached to the two core networks 506, 507]),
the base station having a different RAT than the core network node ([see, [0010-0012, 0096-0097], and Fig. 2A-B, wherein a multi-radio access technology (RAT) access (MRA) operation, the base stations 214a, 214b supporting at least two different radio access technologies (RAT)]), one of the base station and the core network node supporting Long Term Evolution (LTE) ([see, [0096-0097], and Fig. 2A-B, multi-mode WRTU 102 supports two base station and Core network supporting at least one LTE]) and another of the base station and the core network node supporting at least one of 2G, 3G, and 5G ([see, [0096-0097], and Fig. 2A-B, multi-mode WRTU 102 supports two base station and Core network supporting at least one 2G includes GSM, and 3G includes WCDMA, HSPA]).
In view of the above, having the system of D1 and then given the well-established teaching of D3, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of D1 as taught by D3. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide a number of radio access technologies (RATs) results improved capacity and increasing bandwidth for both voice and data services in wireless systems (D3, [0002]]).
As per Claims 3, 12, D1 further discloses wherein when a record of the UE is not found, then using the identifier derived from an IMSI at the virtualizing gateway ([see, [0083], an Initial UE message with selected PLMN ID that has already been stored in the UE 702 context is temporally unavailable or that 1x network registration failed, the MME hen select a different 1x network other than 1x network identified in the UE context]).
As per Claims 7, 16, D1 further discloses further comprising wherein the identifier derived from an IMSI is authenticated by the virtualizing gateway ([see, [0081], and Fig. 9, wherein one or more of the PLMN ID selected by UE includes an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)]).
As per Claims 8, 17, D1 further discloses further comprising storing at the virtualizing gateway the identifier derived from an IMSI ([see, [0081], and Fig. 9, store subscription data includes an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI)]); receiving at an MME one of the service request or the TAU request ([see, [0080], and Fig. 9, wherein eNB 804 sends an initial UE message to the selected MME, initial UE message may comprise a selected PLMN ID, an attach request and/or a TAU request]); and authorizing the UE ([see, [0081], data fetching and authentication may be performed]).
As per Claim 18, is the non-transitory computer readable medium (CRM) claim corresponding to the device claim 1 that has been rejected above. Applicant attention is directed to the rejection of claim 1. Claim 18 is anticipated by CRM being performed by the device above and therefore is rejected under the same rational as claim 1.
Claims 2, 4, 11, 13, 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over D1, in view of D2, in view of D3, and further in view of Gopalakrishnan (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2013/0267229), (“D4”, hereinafter).
As per Claims 2, 11, D1 doesn’t appear explicitly disclose: wherein the identifier derived from an IMSI comprises a System Architecture Evolution Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (S-TMSI).
However, D4 discloses wherein the identifier derived from an IMSI comprises a System Architecture Evolution Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (S-TMSI) ([see, [0069], wherein the shared MME first extracts the selected PLMN ID from the Initial UE Message, the S-TMSI received in the initial first UE's message to the IMSI disclosed]).
In view of the above, having the system of D1 and then given the well-established teaching of D4, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of D1 as taught by D4. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide Mobile Network Sharing results improve the system performance that properly deploy the appropriate partner specific Mobility Management procedures (D4, [0006]]).
As per Claims 4, 13, D1 doesn’t appear explicitly disclose: further comprising: sending a network access stratum (NAS) identity request message to the UE from the virtualizing gateway via the eNodeB requesting the identifier derived from an IMSI from the UE; sending the identifier derived from an IMSI from the UE to the virtualizing gateway; and verifying, at the coordinating gateway, credentials of the UE.
However, D4 discloses further comprising: sending a network access stratum (NAS) identity request message to the UE from the virtualizing gateway via the eNodeB requesting the identifier derived from an IMSI from the UE ([see, [0011-0012], receiving a non-access stratum (NAS) message from a user equipment (UE) via another network entity and extracting a public land mobile network (PLMN) ID from the NAS message is provided]);
sending the identifier derived from an IMSI from the UE to the virtualizing gateway ([see, [0011-0012], extract a public land mobile network (PLMN) identification (ID) from the NAS message]); and
verifying, at the coordinating gateway, credentials of the UE ([see, [0029], the MME may interact with validating functions that used as user ID authentication]).
In view of the above, having the system of D1 and then given the well-established teaching of D4, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of D1 as taught by D4. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide Mobile Network Sharing results improve the system performance that properly deploy the appropriate partner specific Mobility Management procedures (D4, [0006]]).
As per Claim 19, D1 and D2 disclose the non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, and D1 doesn’t appear explicitly disclose: comprising instructions wherein the identifier derived from an IMSI comprises a System Architecture Evolution Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (S-TMSI).
However, D4 discloses comprising instructions wherein the identifier derived from an IMSI comprises a System Architecture Evolution Temporary Mobile Subscriber Identity (S-TMSI) ([see,[0069], wherein the shared MME first extracts the selected PLMN ID from the Initial UE Message, the S-TMSI received in the initial first UE's message to the IMSI disclosed]).
In view of the above, having the system of D1 and then given the well-established teaching of D4, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of D1 as taught by D4. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide Mobile Network Sharing results improve the system performance that properly deploy the appropriate partner specific Mobility Management procedures (D4, [0006]]).
As per Claim 20, D1 and D2 disclose the non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 18, and D1 doesn’t appear explicitly disclose: further comprising: sending a network access stratum (NAS) identity request message to the UE from the virtualizing gateway via the eNodeB requesting the identifier derived from an IMSI from the UE; sending the identifier derived from an IMSI from the UE to the virtualizing gateway; and verifying, at the coordinating gateway, credentials of the UE.
However, D4 discloses sending a network access stratum (NAS) identity request message to the UE from the virtualizing gateway via the eNodeB requesting the identifier derived from an IMSI from the UE ([see, [0011-0012], receiving a non-access stratum (NAS) message from a user equipment (UE) via another network entity and extracting a public land mobile network (PLMN) ID from the NAS message is provided]);
sending the identifier derived from an IMSI from the UE to the virtualizing gateway ([see, [0011-0012], extract a public land mobile network (PLMN) identification (ID) from the NAS message]); and
verifying, at the coordinating gateway, credentials of the UE ([see, [0029], the MME may interact with validating functions that used as user ID authentication]).
In view of the above, having the system of D1 and then given the well-established teaching of D4, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of D1 as taught by D4. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide Mobile Network Sharing results improve the system performance that properly deploy the appropriate partner specific Mobility Management procedures (D4, [0006]]).
Claims 5 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over D1, in view of D2, in view of D3, and further in view of Bakker et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0170517), (“D5”, hereinafter).
As per Claims 5, 14, D1 doesn’t appear explicitly disclose: further comprising wherein the IMSI is not authenticated by the virtualizing gateway resulting in rejection of the service request.
However, D5 discloses further comprising wherein the IMSI is not authenticated by the virtualizing gateway resulting in rejection of the service request ([see, [0063], the IMSI is not authenticated by the coordinator, causing rejection of the service request]).
In view of the above, having the system of D1 and then given the well-established teaching of D5, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of D1 as taught by D5. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide select the right MME that holds the context for the UE results improve the system security context information that support and monitoring to enable a network operator to assess and provide analytics. The unauthorized international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) is rejected from accessing the private network, causing users with unauthorized IMSIs to attach normally to an operator network (D5, [0119]]).
Claims 6, 9, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over D1, in view of D2, in view of D3, and further in view of KIM et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0140998), (“D6”, hereinafter).
As per Claims 6, 15, D1 doesn’t appear explicitly disclose: further comprising: sending one of a service rejection or a TAU rejection from the virtualizing gateway to the eNodeB; sending one of the service rejection or the TAU rejection from the eNodeb to the UE; and releasing the connection from the UE to the virtualizing gateway.
However, D6 discloses sending one of a service rejection or a TAU rejection from the virtualizing gateway to the eNodeB ([see, [0087,0124], the MME may transmit a TAU reject message to the UE]);
sending one of the service rejection or the TAU rejection from the eNodeb to the UE ([see, [0087,0124], the MME may transmit a TAU reject message to the UE]); and releasing the connection from the UE to the virtualizing gateway ([see, [0087-0089],a UE in an EMM-idle mode to an EMM-connected mode and to establish radio bearer]).
In view of the above, having the system of D1 and then given the well-established teaching of D6, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of D1 as taught by D6. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide the NAS signaling request results improve the system performance that efficiently processing a NAS signaling request (D6, [0023]]).
As per Claim 9, D1, D2, D3 and D6 disclose the method of claim 6, and D6 further discloses further comprising releasing the UE when the UE enters an idle state ([see, [0089], wherein the service request procedure, a UE in an EMM-idle mode to an EMM-connected mode and to establish radio bearer]).
In view of the above, having the system of D1 and then given the well-established teaching of D6, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of D1 as taught by D6. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide the NAS signaling request results improve the system performance that efficiently processing a NAS signaling request (D6, [0023]]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BERHANU D BELETE whose telephone number is (571)272-3478. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 7:30am-5pm, Alt. Friday, and EDT.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, JEONG, MOO R. can be reached on (571) 272-9617. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BERHANU D BELETE/Examiner, Art Unit 2468
/WUTCHUNG CHU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2418