DETAILED 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 filed January 20, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding claims 1 and 11, the applicant asserts that NPL1 does not disclose that the UE transmits, to the selected network, assistance information including the paging parameter (e.g. the UE_ID) “after determining that the selected network supports the paging collision resolution procedure,” as recited in the amended independent claims. Specifically, the applicant asserts that NPL1 is completely silent on the condition of whether “the selected network supports the paging resolution procedure,” as recited in the independent claims. The examiner respectfully disagrees. Step 3 of Figure 6.X.3-1 is in response to step 1. In step 3, the Multi-USIM UE determines that paging collision can happen and selects a registered network, Network-B, supporting the UE request for change of NAS parameters. This is in response to the Network-B indicating whether to support UE request for change of NAS parameters (~paging collision resolution procedure), thus indicating that the UE, at step 3, determines, based on the network indication in step 1, that the Network-B supports the procedure.
In response applicant’s arguments that the confirmation described in steps 4 and 5 of NPL1 is a response to the UE’s assistance information that has already been transmitted, rather than a prerequisite capability indication that the UE would evaluate before initiating the paging resolution procedure, the examiner notes that steps and 5 are disclosed to show the ongoing procedure, which occur in response to 3 (and 1). While the examiner agrees that step 4 and 5 do not teach “after determining that the selected network supports the paging collision resolution procedure,” as recited in the amended independent claims,” they are cited alongside step 3 which teaches the limitation in order to show the paging resolution procedure as it occurs after the claimed determining.
The examiner therefore maintains that NPL1 discloses “after determining that the selected network supports the paging collision resolution procedure,” as recited in the amended independent claims.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1, 5-9, and 15-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SONY “K12: Solution for Paging Reception with PO collision avoidance,” S2-2000841 SA WG2 Meeting #S2-136AH (hereinafter NPL1) in view of Liang et al US 20220408402 (hereinafter Liang).
Regarding claim 1, NPL1 discloses a method for a multi-subscriber identity module (multi-SIM) operation performed by a user equipment (UE) (UE, see page 3, Figure 6.X.3-1), the method comprising:
registering to a first network associated with a first Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) and a second network associated with a second SIM (1a., 1b., see page 3, Figure 6.X.3-1);
determining whether a paging collision associated with the first network and the second network is detected (2., see page 3, Figure 6.X.3-1); and
initiating a paging collision resolution procedure associated with a selected network to resolve the paging collision after the paging collision is detected, the selected network being the first network or the second network (3., 4., see page 3, Figure 6.X.3-1), wherein:
initiating the paging collision resolution procedure associated with the selected network comprises transmitting, to the selected network, assistance information including a suggested paging parameter (UE_ID that provides best timing of the paging, page 3, 6.X.3.1, step 3.) after determining that the selected network supports the paging collision resolution procedure (see Figure 6.X.3-1, Pages 3-4, steps 3.-5. Step 3. is in response to step 1. In step 3, the Multi-USIM UE determines that paging collision can happen and selects a registered network, Network-B, supporting the UE request for change of NAS parameters, in response to the network indicating that whether to support UE request for change of NAS parameters, thus indicating that the UE, at step 3, determines, based on the network indication in step 1, that the Network-B supports the procedure).
NPL1 does not disclose the suggested paging parameter comprises an offset value.
In the same field of endeavor, Liang discloses a method performed by a user equipment (UE) comprising: transmitting to a network device, assistance information including a suggested paging parameter, and the suggested paging parameter comprises an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) offset value (transmitting offset value and identity information of the USIM from a terminal device to neighboring network devices, see fig. 3, [0088]-[0089], [0091], [0093]-[0096]).
It would therefore have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Liang with NPL1, with a reasonable expectation of success, by transmitting an offset value to the selected network, in order to efficiently mitigate paging collision.
Regarding claim 11, NPL1 discloses a user equipment (UE) for a multi-subscriber identity module (multi-SIM) operation (UE, see page 3, Figure 6.X.3-1), the UE comprising:
at least one processor (inherent feature in the UE, see page 3, Figure 6.X.3-1); and
at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium coupled to the at least one processor and storing one or more computer-executable instructions (inherent feature in the UE, see page 3, Figure 6.X.3-1) that, when executed by the at least one processor, to cause the UE to:
register to a first network associated with a first Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) and a second network associated with a second SIM (1a., 1b., see page 3, Figure 6.X.3-1);
determine whether a paging collision associated with the first network and the second network is detected (2., see page 3, Figure 6.X.3-1); and
initiate a paging collision resolution procedure associated with a selected network to resolve the paging collision after the paging collision is detected, the selected network being the first network or the second network (3., 4., see page 3, Figure 6.X.3-1), wherein:
initiating the paging collision resolution procedure associated with the selected network comprises transmitting, to the selected network, assistance information including a suggested paging parameter (UE_ID that provides best timing of the paging, page 3, 6.X.3.1, step 3.) after determining that the selected network supports the paging collision resolution procedure (see Figure 6.X.3-1, Pages 3-4, steps 3.-5. Step 3. is in response to step 1. In step 3, the Multi-USIM UE determines that paging collision can happen and selects a registered network, Network-B, supporting the UE request for change of NAS parameters, in response to the network indicating that whether to support UE request for change of NAS parameters, thus indicating that the UE, at step 3, determines, based on the network indication in step 1, that the Network-B supports the procedure).
NPL1 does not disclose the suggested paging parameter comprises an offset value.
In the same field of endeavor, Liang discloses a method performed by a user equipment (UE) comprising: transmitting to a network device, assistance information including a suggested paging parameter, and the suggested paging parameter comprises an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) offset value (transmitting offset value and identity information of the USIM from a terminal device to neighboring network devices, see fig. 3, [0088]-[0089], [0091], [0093]-[0096]).
It would therefore have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Liang with NPL1, with a reasonable expectation of success, by transmitting an offset value to the selected network, in order to efficiently mitigate paging collision.
Regarding claims 5 and 15 as applied to claims 1 and 11, NPL1 further discloses receiving a command from the selected network after transmitting the assistance information (see page 3, Figure. 6.X.3-1, step 4).
Regarding claims 6 and 16 as applied to claims 5 and 15, NPL1 further discloses wherein the command includes new paging information associated with the selected network to calculate new paging occasions for the selected network (5., see pages 3-4, Figure 6.X.3-1).
Regarding claims 7 and 17 as applied to claims 6 and 16, NPL1 further discloses wherein the new paging information comprises an offset to a UE identity (ID) of the UE (3., see page 3, Figure. 6.X.3-1, step 3).
Regarding claims 8 and 18 as applied to claims 1 and 11, NPL1 further discloses wherein the selected network is determined based on priorities of the first network and the second network (see page 3, step 3).
Regarding claims 9 and 19 as applied to claims 1 and 11, NPL1 further discloses wherein initiating the paging collision resolution procedure associated with the selected network further comprises omitting monitoring a collided paging occasion (PO) or a collided paging frame (PF) of the selected network (see page 4, lines 3-7, page 5, 6.X.4, UE).
Claims 2 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SONY “K12: Solution for Paging Reception with PO collision avoidance,” S2-2000841 SA WG2 Meeting #S2-136AH (hereinafter NPL1) in view of Liang et al US 20220408402 (hereinafter Liang) as applied to claims 1 and 11 above, and further in view of Wu et al US 20230345417 (hereinafter Wu).
Regarding claims 2 and 12 as applied to claims 1 and 11, NPL1 discloses the claimed invention except wherein a non-access stratum (NAS) layer of the UE transmits a status of the multi-SIM operation to a radio resource control (RRC) layer of the UE to inform the RRC layer of the UE that the multi-SIM operation is activated. In the same field of endeavor, Wu discloses wherein a non-access stratum (NAS) layer of the UE transmits a status of the multi-SIM operation to a radio resource control (RRC) layer of the UE to inform the RRC layer of the UE that the multi-SIM operation is activated (see [0049]).
It would therefore have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Wu with NPL1 with a reasonable expectation of success by transmitting an indicator from the NAS layer to the RRC layer, that a plurality of SIMs of the UE is activated, for the benefit of operating the UE in the Multi-SIM-Multi-Active device state.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3 and 13 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 following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Claims 3 and 13 recite the limitation wherein a non-access stratum (NAS) layer of the UE transmits architecture information to a radio resource control (RRC) layer of the UE, the architecture information comprising a number of receivers in the UE. The limitation, in combination with preceding independent claims 1 and 11, are not taught, suggested, or made obvious by NPL1, Wu, or any other prior art of record, alone, or in combination.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OLUMIDE T AJIBADE AKONAI whose telephone number is (571)272-6496. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8AM-4PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, CHARLES N APPIAH can be reached on 571-272-7904. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/OLUMIDE AJIBADE AKONAI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3648
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