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 .
Amendments as filed 01/142026 are entered.
Claims 1-29, 31 are pending.
Response to Arguments
An updated rejection has been established in view of the amendments of “an indication of one or more standalone non-public network (SNPN) roaming groups associated with a home service provider (SP)” in view of reference Kedalagudde et al. (US 2021/0058784) as incorporated below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-11, 13-19, 21-26, 28, 29is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fu et al. (US 2021/0385700) in view of Kedalagudde et al. (US 2021/0058784) in view of Sathyanath (US 2015/0333975).
As to claim 1:
Fu discloses a method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE) (See Abstract, process, Fig. 8, processor and memory for UE), comprising:
receiving an indication of one or more standalone non-public network (SNPN) roaming groups associated with a network to which the UE is subscribed; (¶0096, cell identifier group list such as CAG list, the list being an allowed SNPN cell identifier list. 0097-0098, such a list is part of network information sent by the network side indicative of the groups of networks. For such SNPN/CAG list, only specific groups of users are allowed to access in accordance with their subscription details, therefore “allowed SNPN”)
determining that a transmission from an SNPN identifies a roaming group identifier associated with an SNPN roaming group of the one or more SNPN roaming groups; (See ¶0064, the terminal device receives from a first cell (a first SNPN network per ¶0060) an identifier. The terminal determines whether the identifier belongs to said specific cell identifier group)
and triggering handover with the SNPN based at least in part on determining that the transmission identifies the roaming group identifier. (See ¶0119, Fig. 3, upon determining that the identifier from the target SNPN belongs to the allowed list, triggering the handover process and thus perform data communication with the target SNPN base station)
While Fu does not explicitly use the term “registering” regarding the handover with the target SNPN above, however roaming to another base station and exchange data implies a cell registration process, as evidenced in Kedalagudde,
Nor does Fu explicitly states the plurality of the SNPNs being associated with a home service provider.
Kedalagudde, in a related field of SNPN access, discloses in ¶0037, 0042 that accessing SNPN services, i.e. data exchange with SNPN involves performing a registration with SNPN (for example via a handover).
Kedalagudde also further discloses a relationship between the SNPNs and a home network provider. Per ¶0070, SNPNs can be same as home network (i.e. same PLMN ID), or as separate networks but with a contractual relationship. For the case of SNPN being a visited network, see ¶0214, 0215, ¶0168, 0085, 0086, which discusses the structures and credential sharing which allows the UE to access the visited separated SNPNs using subscriptions with home network.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing time of the invention that the roaming to the target SNPN base station in Fu with the handover involves a registration process. Given Fu showed data being exchanged between the UE and SNPN base station in Fig. 3, the process of registration has been done to ensure the UE access is legitimate and transparent to the network.
Furthermore, given that Fu shows the UE is able to access visited SNPN, and in view of Kedalgudde where subscription information of the UE with home network can be forwarded to visited networks for access, it shows the roaming list of SNPNs has an association with the home network, whether they are infact a part of the home provider or at least has a contractual relationship.
Both Fu and Kedalagudde discloses network access in a SNPN group, however is/are silent on wherein the one or more SNPN roaming groups are ranked in a priority order in a controlled prioritized list.
However, the concept of ranking networks in priority list controlled by the system is well known in the art.
Sathyanath, in a related field of network roaming, discloses the mobile client to maintain one or more group of transition candidate networks for roaming, wherein the plurality of candidate networks of the one or more group are ranked in priority order in a transition priority list controlled by the mobile client (See Abstract, 0006, 0026, 0039)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing time of the invention that the SNPN roaming group list in Fu and Kedalagudde to adopt Sathyanath’s approach of ranked networks in a priority order in a controlled prioritized list. Sathyanath in ¶0002 states “the perspective of a mobile client such as a smart-phone or a tablet, it is generally desirable to determine a network's quality-of-service standards beforehand to minimize network transition time, such as time spent having to pair or connect to a new network”. As such it is advantageous to incorporate Sathyanath’s ranking feature in controlled priority list for the preferred networks in order to ensure better choices of network and minimizing network transition effort.
As to claim 9:
Fu discloses a user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising: one or more memories; and one or more processors operatively coupled to one or more memories, (See Abstract, process, Fig. 8, processor and memory for UE)the one or more memories and the one or more processors configured to:
receive an indication of one or more standalone non-public network (SNPN) roaming groups associated with a network to which the UE is subscribed; (¶0096, cell identifier group list such as CAG list, the list being an allowed SNPN cell identifier list. 0097-0098, such a list is part of network information sent by the network side indicative of the groups of networks. For such SNPN/CAG list, only specific groups of users are allowed to access in accordance with their subscription details, therefore “allowed SNPN”)
determine that a transmission from an SNPN identifies a roaming group identifier associated with an SNPN roaming group of the one or more SNPN roaming groups; (See ¶0064, the terminal device receives from a first cell (a first SNPN network per ¶0060) an identifier. The terminal determines whether the identifier belongs to said specific cell identifier group)
and triggering handover with the SNPN based at least in part on determining that the transmission identifies the roaming group identifier. (See ¶0119, Fig. 3, upon determining that the identifier from the target SNPN belongs to the allowed list, triggering the handover process and thus perform data communication with the target SNPN base station)
While Fu does not explicitly use the term “registering” regarding the handover with the target SNPN above, however roaming to another base station and exchange data implies a cell registration process, as evidenced in Kedalagudde,
Nor does Fu explicitly states the plurality of the SNPNs being associated with a home service provider.
Kedalagudde, in a related field of SNPN access, discloses in ¶0037, 0042 that accessing SNPN services, i.e. data exchange with SNPN involves performing a registration with SNPN (for example via a handover).
Kedalagudde also further discloses a relationship between the SNPNs and a home network provider. Per ¶0070, SNPNs can be same as home network (i.e. same PLMN ID), or as separate networks but with a contractual relationship. For the case of SNPN being a visited network, see ¶0214, 0215, ¶0168, 0085, 0086, which discusses the structures and credential sharing which allows the UE to access the visited separated SNPNs using subscriptions with home network.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing time of the invention that the roaming to the target SNPN base station in Fu with the handover involves a registration process. Given Fu showed data being exchanged between the UE and SNPN base station in Fig. 3, the process of registration has been done to ensure the UE access is legitimate and transparent to the network.
Furthermore, given that Fu shows the UE is able to access visited SNPN, and in view of Kedalgudde where subscription information of the UE with home network can be forwarded to visited networks for access, it shows the roaming list of SNPNs has an association with the home network, whether they are infact a part of the home provider or at least has a contractual relationship.
Both Fu and Kedalagudde discloses network access in a SNPN group, however is/are silent on wherein the one or more SNPN roaming groups are ranked in a priority order in a controlled prioritized list.
However, the concept of ranking networks in priority list controlled by the system is well known in the art.
Sathyanath, in a related field of network roaming, discloses the mobile client to maintain one or more group of transition candidate networks for roaming, wherein the plurality of candidate networks of the one or more group are ranked in priority order in a transition priority list controlled by the mobile client (See Sathyanath, Abstract, 0006, 0026, 0039)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing time of the invention that the SNPN roaming group list in Fu and Kedalagudde to adopt Sathyanath’s approach of ranked networks in a priority order in a controlled prioritized list. Sathyanath in ¶0002 states “the perspective of a mobile client such as a smart-phone or a tablet, it is generally desirable to determine a network's quality-of-service standards beforehand to minimize network transition time, such as time spent having to pair or connect to a new network”. As such it is advantageous to incorporate Sathyanath’s ranking feature in controlled priority list for the preferred networks in order to ensure better choices of network and minimizing network transition effort.
Claim 17 is directed to a non-transitory CRM (Fig. 8, memory) storing instructions when executed to perform a method with steps similar to those of claim 1 and thus rejected by the same reasoning.
As to claim 24:
Fu discloses an apparatus (Fig. 8) for wireless communication, comprising: means for receiving an indication of one or more standalone non-public network (SNPN) roaming groups associated with a network to which the apparatus is subscribed; (¶0096, cell identifier group list such as CAG list, the list being an allowed SNPN cell identifier list. 0097-0098, such a list is part of network information sent by the network side indicative of the groups of networks. For such SNPN/CAG list, only specific groups of users are allowed to access in accordance with their subscription details, therefore “allowed SNPN”)
means for determining that a transmission from an SNPN identifies a roaming group identifier associated with an SNPN roaming group of the one or more SNPN roaming groups; (See ¶0064, the terminal device receives from a first cell (a first SNPN network per ¶0060) an identifier. The terminal determines whether the identifier belongs to said specific cell identifier group)
and
Regarding: means for registering with the SNPN based at least in part on determining that the transmission identifies the roaming group identifier. (See ¶0119, Fig. 3, upon determining that the identifier from the target SNPN belongs to the allowed list, triggering the handover process and thus perform data communication with the target SNPN base station)
While Fu does not explicitly use the term “registering” regarding the handover with the target SNPN above, however roaming to another base station and exchange data implies a cell registration process, as evidenced in Kedalagudde,
Nor does Fu explicitly states the plurality of the SNPNs being associated with a home service provider.
Kedalagudde, in a related field of SNPN access, discloses in ¶0037, 0042 that accessing SNPN services, i.e. data exchange with SNPN involves performing a registration with SNPN (for example via a handover).
Kedalagudde also further discloses a relationship between the SNPNs and a home network provider. Per ¶0070, SNPNs can be same as home network (i.e. same PLMN ID), or as separate networks but with a contractual relationship. For the case of SNPN being a visited network, see ¶0214, 0215, ¶0168, 0085, 0086, which discusses the structures and credential sharing which allows the UE to access the visited separated SNPNs using subscriptions with home network.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing time of the invention that the roaming to the target SNPN base station in Fu with the handover involves a registration process. Given Fu showed data being exchanged between the UE and SNPN base station in Fig. 3, the process of registration has been done to ensure the UE access is legitimate and transparent to the network.
Furthermore, given that Fu shows the UE is able to access visited SNPN, and in view of Kedalgudde where subscription information of the UE with home network can be forwarded to visited networks for access, it shows the roaming list of SNPNs has an association with the home network, whether they are infact a part of the home provider or at least has a contractual relationship.
As to claims 2, 10, 18 and 25:
Fu in view of Kedalagudde and Sathyanath discloses al limitations of claim 1/9/17/24, wherein the indication of the one or more SNPN roaming groups identifies a respective roaming group identifier associated with each of the one or more SNPN roaming groups. (Fu, ¶0096-98 cell identifier group list such as CAG list, the list being an allowed SNPN cell identifier list. Also, such a list is part of network information sent by the network side indicative of the groups of networks. For such SNPN/CAG list, only specific groups of users are allowed to access in accordance with their subscription details, therefore “allowed SNPN”)
As to claims 3, 11, 19 and 26:
Fu in view of Kedalagudde and Sathyanath discloses al limitations of claims 1/9/17/24, wherein receiving the indication of the one or more SNPN roaming groups comprises: receiving the indication of the one or more SNPN roaming groups as part of a UE configuration update procedure for the UE. (See ¶0097, Fu discloses the receiving step includes receive from the network system configuration from the network side. A newly received system configuration is an update to the UE)
As to claims 5, 13, 21 and 28:
Fu in view of Kedalagudde and Sathyanath discloses al limitations of claim 1/9/17/24, wherein each of the one or more SNPN roaming groups is associated with one or more other networks. (Fu, ¶0096, a list of allowed SNPNs, i.e. different networks)
As to claims 8, 16, 23:
Fu in view of Kedalagudde and Sathyanath discloses al limitations of claim 1/9/17, wherein the transmission from the SNPN is a system information block (SIB) broadcast. (Fu, ¶0100, SIB)
As to claims 6, 14:
Fu in view of Kedalagudde and Sathyanath discloses al limitations of claim 1/9, however is silent on the indication of the one or more SNPN roaming groups comprises: the controlled prioritized list. (See Sathyanath, Abstract, 0006, 0026, 0039, prioritized list controlled by the client)
As to claims 7, 15:
Fu in view of Kedalagudde and Sathyanath discloses al limitations of claim 6/14, wherein registering with the SNPN based at least in part on determining that the transmission identifies the roaming group identifier comprises: registering with the SNPN based at least in part on the controlled prioritized list. (¶0029-0030 of Sathyanath, selecting cell with highest rank in the rank list)
As to claim 22 and 29:
Fu in view of Kedalagudde and Sathyanath discloses al limitations of claim 17/24, the controlled prioritized list (See Sathyanath, Abstract, 0006, 0026, 0039, prioritized list controlled by the client)
; and wherein the one or more instructions, that cause the UE to register with the SNPN based at least in part on determining that the transmission identifies the roaming group identifier, cause the UE to: register with the SNPN based at least in part on the controlled prioritized list. (¶0029-0030 of Sathyanath, selecting cell with highest rank in the rank list)
Claim(s) 4, 12, 20 and 27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
Fu et al. (US 2021/0385700) in view of Kedalagudde et al. (US 2021/0058784) in view of Sathyanath (US 2015/0333975) and in further view of Elkarat et al. (US 2008/0020760).
As to claims 4, 12, 20 and 27:
Fu in view of Kedalagudde and Sathyanath discloses al limitations of claim 1/9/17/24, however is silent on receiving the indication of the one or more SNPN roaming groups comprises: receiving the indication of the one or more SNPN roaming groups as part of a subscriber identification module over-the-air update procedure for the UE.
Elkarat, in a related field of network roaming, discloses in ¶0016 that list of allowed Visited network can be provided via OTA SIM update.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing time of the invention that the Fu and Kedalagudde to implement OTA SIM update. Given that Fu discloses in ¶0097 that the allowed network list can be provided via system information or configuration update, such information are typically stored in SIM and this implementation provides flexible ways to provide updates when wired methods are not readily available, especially in roaming context.
Allowable Subject Matters
Claim(s) 31 is/are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The references of record disclose ranking of networks in a PRL, however do not disclose: he one or more SNPN roaming groups comprise a plurality of SNPN roaming groups, and wherein the plurality of SNPN roaming groups are ranked in the priority order in the controlled prioritized list.
Conclusion
Reference considered pertinent to the claimed invention include:
US 2017/0353851 - A server of a wireless operator creates a roaming list based on a user's roaming plan and sends the roaming list to the user's wireless device. The roaming list includes a list of public land mobile networks (PLMNs). When the user travels away from their home wireless network to another geographic area, the wireless device scans based on the roaming list for radio signals. The roaming list contributes to user satisfaction because timely attachment to a radio network while away from home occurs efficiently since the wireless operator creates the roaming list based on both i) roaming agreements that the wireless operator is a party to with other wireless operators, ii) the user's roaming plan, iii) the radio access technology (RAT) capabilities of the wireless device and iv) the RAT capabilities of other wireless operators in particular geographic regions.
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/QUAN M HUA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2645