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
Response to Amendment
Acknowledgement is made of the amendment filed on April 30, 2026, in which:
Claims 1, 8, 18-21 and 23-32 are Currently Amended,
Claim 23 is Previously Presented,
Claims 2-7 and 9-17 are Cancelled, and
Claims 33-34 are New.
Claims 1, 8, and 18-34 are currently pending and an Office action on the merits follows.
Response to Arguments
On page 12 of the applicant’s remarks, the applicant argues that Wei fails to teach “the registration request message includes UE capability information indicating the UE supports a first type of allowed Network Slice Selection Assistance Information in a registration area, the first type of allowed NSSAI indicating at least one Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (S-NSSAI) that is available in a part of a registration area of the UE, including at least one Tracking Area (TA) in the registration area of the UE.” The examiner respectfully disagrees. Wei [0129] explains that the Registration Request comprises information about a network slice(s) that the user equipment can or is authorized to use, which reads on UE capability information. Additionally, availability in all of the registration is inclusive of being available in part of the registration area.
On pages 12-13 of the applicant’s remarks, the applicant argues that Wei fails to teach “send, to the UE, a registration accept message including the first type of allowed NSSAI including the at least one S-NSSAI, each S-NSSAI of the at least one S-NSSAI being associated with a list of TAs where the at least one S-NSSAI is supported.” The examiner respectfully disagrees. Wei Fig. 2, Fig. 4, [0107], [0132] note registration accept message including the slice support information which includes the registration area in the form of the TAI list 204 and indicates allowed network slices in the form of corresponding S-NSSAIs, where an S-NSSAI can comprise an SST for expected network slice behavior in terms of services and features. Wei [0025] explains a S-NSSAI list comprising the S-NSSAI of the at least one network slice supported or not supported by the TA identified by the given TAI. The network then transmits both the TAI list and the S-NSSAI list to the UE associated to each TAI of the TAI list. Therefore, the examiner respectfully maintains the rejection as further explained below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1, 8, and 18-32 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Pub No.: US-20200205065-A1 (herein “Wei”).
Claims 1, 8, 18, 19, 20, and 21
Consider claim 1, Wei teaches An Access and Mobility management Function (AMF) (see Wei Fig. 1, note AMF 114) apparatus comprising:
at least one memory (see Wei [0070] note memory) configured to store instructions; and
at least one processor (see Wei [0151] note processor) configured to execute the instructions to:
receive, from a User Equipment a registration request message (see Wei Fig. 4, [0129] note Registration Request),
wherein the registration request message includes UE capability information indicating the UE supports a first type of allowed Network Slice Selection Assistance Information in a registration area, the first type of allowed NSSAI indicating at least one Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (S-NSSAI) that is available in a part of a registration area of the UE, including at least one Tracking Area (TA) in the registration area of the UE (see Wei Fig. 4, [0110], [0111], [0129] note the registration request includes a network slice that the UE wants to initiate or is authorized to use, where a Network slice, NSSAI, includes a collection of S-NSSAIs that may comprise a Slice/Service Type SST), and
wherein the registration request message includes a Requested NSSAI including at least one S-NSSAI (see Wei Fig. 4, [0110], 0111] note the registration request includes a network slice that the UE wants to initiate, therefore the network slice is requested, and where a Network slice, NSSAI, includes a collection of S-NSSAIs that may comprise a Slice/Service Type SST);
based on the UE capability information and the at least one S-NSSAI being included in the Requested NSSAI, determine that at least one S-NSSAI to be included in the first type of allowed NSSAI (see Wei Fig. 2, Fig. 4, [0107], [0110], [0111], [0132]-[0135] note the UE transmitting the registration request requesting a network slice that the UE wants to initiate or is authorized to use including the NSSAI including a collection of S-NSSAIs that may comprises an SST. Also AMF may receive additional information from the UE indicating network slices that can be used by the UE. The AMF then may respond with a registration accept including slice support information including the TAI list and the allowed network slices in the form of corresponding S-NSSAIs); and
send, to the UE, a registration accept message including the first type of allowed NSSAI including the at least one S-NSSAI, each S-NSSAI of the at least one S-NSSAI being associated with a list of TAs where the at least one S-NSSAI is supported (see Wei Fig. 2, Fig. 4, [0025], [0107], [0110], [0011],[0132]- [0135] note registration accept message including the slice support information which includes the registration area in the form of the TAI list 204 and indicates allowed network slices in the form of corresponding S-NSSAIs, where an S-NSSAI can comprise an SST for expected network slice behavior in terms of services and features).
Claim(s) 8, 18, 19, 20, and 21 is/are rejected for at least the same reason(s) set forth in claim 1.
Claim 22
Consider claim 22, Wei teaches initiating a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session establishment for the first S-NSSAI included in the at least one S-NSSAI, in a case where the UE is in a TA included in the at least one TA (see Wei [0005], [0147] note establishing a communication link between the UE and the network for the service of the network slice to be accessed using the TAI list and the supported S-NSSAI of each of slice support area in the TAI list)).
Claims 23, 24, 25, and 26
Consider claim 23, Wei teaches wherein the list includes at least one Tracking Area Identity (TAI) that corresponds to the at least one TA where the at least one S-NSSAI is available (see Wei Fig. 2, [0109], [0135] note the Registration Accept message indicating the slice support information including the allowed network slices in the form of corresponding S-NSSAIs and the TAI list).
Claim(s) 24, 25, and 26 is/are rejected for at least the same reason(s) set forth in claim 23.
Claim 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, and 32
Consider claim 27, Wei teaches wherein the at least one S-NSSAI including the first type of allowed NSSAI is not included in a second type of allowed NSSAI (see Wei [0143]-[0144] note the UE allocated a registration area according to two types of allocation where the slice support areas have different supported slices), and
wherein any S-NSSAI included in the second type of allowed NSSAI is available in all TAs in the registration area (see Wei [0143]-[0144] note the UE allocated a registration area where the network slice support should be the same in all slice support areas).
Claim(s) 28, 29, 30, 31, and 32 is/are rejected for at least the same reason(s) set forth in claim 27.
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) 33-34 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wei, and further in view of Pub No.: US-20230232356-A1 (herein “Johansson”).
Claim 33
Consider claim 33, Wei fails to teach wherein network slice-specific authentication and authorization for the at least one S-NSSAI is performed based on the at least one S-NSSAI being subject to NSSAA. Johansson teaches determining whether network slices are subject to NSSAA upon receiving an registration accept message (see Johansson Fig. 4A, Fig. 4B, [0116]-[0117]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wei to include the recited teaching of Johansson. Such a modification would improve Wei by providing improvements for the AAA-S initiated NSSAA procedures (see Johansson [0165]).
Claim 34
Consider claim 34, Wei as modified by Johansson teaches wherein NSSAA is performed after the receiving the registration accept message (see Johansson Fig. 4A, Fig. 4B, [0116]-[0117] note determining whether network slices are subject to NSSAA upon receiving an registration accept message).
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.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARCUS C HAMMONDS whose telephone number is (571)270-3193. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10:00AM-6:00PM.
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, ALISON T. SLATER can be reached at (571)270-0375. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MARCUS HAMMONDS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647
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