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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 01/02/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 01/02/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Examiner has thoroughly reviewed applicant’s arguments but firmly believes the cited reference to reasonably and properly meet the claimed limitations i.e. that sending, by the remote UE, first indication information to a session management function, wherein the first indication information indicates that the remote UE is to transmit a service in the relay mode, the first indication information is used for the session management function to obtain policy configuration information, and the policy configuration information is used for monitoring data of the first service forwarded by the relay UE for the remote UE. Examiner respectfully direct the Application to ¶ 0205, fig. 9, steps 930 and 935, Lee et al where disclose that when the relay UE 902 receives a DRSC request from the remote UE 901 (i.e., remote UE) and receives a PDU session parameter request from the remote UE 901, remote UE 901 via the relay UE transmit a PDU session request message to the SMF 905 (i.e., session management function) and ¶ 0206-0208, the SMF 905 may include the remote UE 901 identifier received in step 935 along with SUPI, which is identifier information of the UE-to-network relay 902, in a subscriber information message requesting the UDM 906 to be transmitted; the SMF 905 may obtain subscription information of the UE-to-network relay 902 from the UDM 906. The subscription information may include a list of allowed remote UE 901 identifier information, and profile information associated with the remote UE 901. This profile information may include the 5G user ID profile information described in FIG. 2. This profile information may include an authentication profile indicating whether secondary authentication is required. In order to obtain a profile for a specific remote UE 901, the SMF 905 may include the remote UE 901 identifier received in step 935 along with SUPI, which is identifier information of the UE-to-network relay 902, in a subscriber information message requesting the UDM 906 to be transmitted. ¶ 0211, In steps 960 and 965, the SMF 905 may perform a permission procedure to use the relay session of the remote UE 901. The SMF 905 receives a policy and charging control (PCC) rule for the PDU session of the UE-to-network relay 902 supporting the remote UE 901 from the PCF 907 (step 965). In order for the SMF 905 to receive the policy for the remote UE 901, the SMF 905 may transmit identification information of the remote UE 901 to the PCF 907 (step 960). The PCF 907 may deliver a policy and a profile for the remote UE 901 associated with the PDU session of the UE-to-network relay 902 to the SMF 905 (step 965). The SMF 905 may receive the policy for the remote UE 901 and the SMF 905 may identify whether the remote UE 901 can use the corresponding PDU session
Additionally, the examiner has given the claim language its broadest reasonable interpretation. Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993). Anticipatory reference need not duplicate, word for word, what is in claims; anticipation can occur when claimed limitation is “inherent” or otherwise implicit in relevant reference (Standard Havens products Incorporated v. Gencor Industries Incorporated, 21 USPQ2d 1321). Applicant always has the opportunity to amend the claims during prosecution, and broad interpreted by the examiner reduces the possibility that the claim, once issued, will be interpreted more broadly than is justified. In re Prater, 415 F.2d 1393, 1404-05, 162 USPQ 541, 550-51 (CCPA 1969).
Examiner’s Note: the Examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record within the body of this action for the convenience of the Applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply. "The use of patents as references is not limited to what the patentees describe as their own inventions or to the problems with which they are concerned. They are part of the literature of the art, relevant for all they contain." In re Heck, 699 F.2d 1331, 1332-33,216 USPQ 1038, 1039 (Fed. Cir. 1983) (quoting In re Lemelson, 397 F.2d 1006, 1009, 158 USPQ 275,277 (CCPA 1968)). A reference may be relied upon for all that it would have reasonably suggested to one having ordinary skill the art, including nonpreferred embodiments (see MPEP 2123). Therefore, Applicant, in preparing the response, must fully consider the entire disclosure of the cited references as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, including the context of the cited passages as taught by the prior art disclosed by the Examiner.
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) 7-12 and 19-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lee et al (20220338000).
Regarding claims 7,10, Lee et al discloses, a proximity service communication method, comprising:
receiving, by a remote user equipment (remote UE 901, fig. 9), first information, the first information representing a service that the remote UE is allowed to transmit in a relay mode (¶ 0194-0195, the UE-to-network relay 902 may periodically deliver the contents of the service provided by itself, i.e., a relay service code, to the nearby remote UE 901 through an announce message. The relay service code may include a dedicated relay session service code in the case of a dedicated relay session model and a shared relay session service code in the case of a shared relay session model, respectively.);
determining, by the remote UE based on the first information, to transmit data of a first service by using a relay UE (UE-to-network relay 902, fig. 9) (¶ 0196); and
sending, by the remote UE, first indication information to a session management function (SMF 905, fig. 9) (¶ 0205, when the relay UE 902 receives a DRSC request from the remote UE 901 and receives a PDU session parameter request from the remote UE 901, the relay UE may transmit a PDU session request message to the SMF 905), wherein the first indication information indicates that the remote UE is to transmit a service in the relay mode, the first indication information is used for the session management function to obtain policy configuration information, and the policy configuration information is used for monitoring data of the first service forwarded by the relay UE for the remote UE (¶ 0205, when the relay UE 902 receives a DRSC request from the remote UE 901 and receives a PDU session parameter request from the remote UE 901, remote UE 901 via the relay UE transmit a PDU session request message to the SMF 905 and ¶ 0206-0208, the SMF 905 may include the remote UE 901 identifier received in step 935 along with SUPI, which is identifier information of the UE-to-network relay 902, in a subscriber information message requesting the UDM 906 to be transmitted; ¶ 0206, the SMF 905 may obtain subscription information of the UE-to-network relay 902 from the UDM 906. The subscription information may include a list of allowed remote UE 901 identifier information, and profile information associated with the remote UE 901. This profile information may include the 5G user ID profile information described in FIG. 2. This profile information may include an authentication profile indicating whether secondary authentication is required. In order to obtain a profile for a specific remote UE 901, the SMF 905 may include the remote UE 901 identifier received in step 935 along with SUPI, which is identifier information of the UE-to-network relay 902, in a subscriber information message requesting the UDM 906 to be transmitted. ¶ 0211, In steps 960 and 965, the SMF 905 may perform a permission procedure to use the relay session of the remote UE 901. The SMF 905 receives a policy and charging control (PCC) rule for the PDU session of the UE-to-network relay 902 supporting the remote UE 901 from the PCF 907 (step 965). In order for the SMF 905 to receive the policy for the remote UE 901, the SMF 905 may transmit identification information of the remote UE 901 to the PCF 907 (step 960). The PCF 907 may deliver a policy and a profile for the remote UE 901 associated with the PDU session of the UE-to-network relay 902 to the SMF 905 (step 965). The SMF 905 may receive the policy for the remote UE 901 and the SMF 905 may identify whether the remote UE 901 can use the corresponding PDU session).
Regarding claim 19, Lee et al discloses, a chip system, comprising: a memory storing computer program code; and at least one processor in communication with the memory, the at least one processor configured, upon execution of the computer program code (¶ 0245-0246), to perform the following steps:
receiving first information, the first information representing a service that a remote user equipment (UE) is allowed to transmit in a relay mode (¶ 0194-0195);
determining, by the remote UE based on the first information, to transmit data of a first service by using a relay UE (UE-to-network relay 902, fig. 9) (¶ 0196); and
sending, by the remote UE, first indication information to a session management function (SMF 905, fig. 9) (¶ 0205, when the relay UE 902 receives a DRSC request from the remote UE 901 and receives a PDU session parameter request from the remote UE 901, the relay UE may transmit a PDU session request message to the SMF 905),
wherein the first indication information indicates that the remote UE is to transmit a service in the relay mode, the first indication information is used for the session management function to obtain policy configuration information, and the policy configuration information is used for monitoring data of the first service forwarded by the relay UE for the remote UE (¶ 0206, the SMF 905 may obtain subscription information of the UE-to-network relay 902 from the UDM 906. The subscription information may include a list of allowed remote UE 901 identifier information, and profile information associated with the remote UE 901. This profile information may include the 5G user ID profile information described in FIG. 2. This profile information may include an authentication profile indicating whether secondary authentication is required. In order to obtain a profile for a specific remote UE 901, the SMF 905 may include the remote UE 901 identifier received in step 935 along with SUPI, which is identifier information of the UE-to-network relay 902, in a subscriber information message requesting the UDM 906 to be transmitted. ¶ 0211, In steps 960 and 965, the SMF 905 may perform a permission procedure to use the relay session of the remote UE 901. The SMF 905 receives a policy and charging control (PCC) rule for the PDU session of the UE-to-network relay 902 supporting the remote UE 901 from the PCF 907 (step 965). In order for the SMF 905 to receive the policy for the remote UE 901, the SMF 905 may transmit identification information of the remote UE 901 to the PCF 907 (step 960). The PCF 907 may deliver a policy and a profile for the remote UE 901 associated with the PDU session of the UE-to-network relay 902 to the SMF 905 (step 965). The SMF 905 may receive the policy for the remote UE 901 and the SMF 905 may identify whether the remote UE 901 can use the corresponding PDU session).
Regarding claims 8, 11, 20, Lee et al discloses, wherein the first information comprises one or more of: a data network name (DNN), single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI), an application identifier (application ID), or an application function identifier (AF ID) (¶ 0196, fig. 9, in step 930, the remote UE 901 may determine a direct communication request (DCR) message transmission and DCR message parameters. After the remote UE 901 discovers the UE-to-network relay 902, the remote UE 901 may initiate a procedure for establishing a PC5 Link associated with the dedicated UE-to-network relay 902. The message of step 930 may include identifier information (e.g., SUP/SUCI or Layer 2 ID, etc.) of the remote UE 901, a relay service code (e.g., dedicated relay session service code, etc.), and information on parameters (e.g., S-NSSAI, DNN, PDU Session Type and SSC Mode, etc.) related to a PDU session preset in step 910.).
Regarding claims 9, 12, 21, Lee et al discloses, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: network element is a policy control function network element (¶ 0211-0215).
Regarding claim 22, Lee et al discloses, wherein the relay mode comprises layer 2 relay or layer 3 relay (¶ 0193).
Regarding claim 23, Lee et al discloses, wherein the first indication information comprises a service type, wherein the service type is represented by a data network name (DNN) and/or single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) (¶ 0196, fig. 9, in step 930, the remote UE 901 may determine a direct communication request (DCR) message transmission and DCR message parameters. After the remote UE 901 discovers the UE-to-network relay 902, the remote UE 901 may initiate a procedure for establishing a PC5 Link associated with the dedicated UE-to-network relay 902. The message of step 930 may include identifier information (e.g., SUP/SUCI or Layer 2 ID, etc.) of the remote UE 901, a relay service code (e.g., dedicated relay session service code, etc.), and information on parameters (e.g., S-NSSAI, DNN, PDU Session Type and SSC Mode, etc.) related to a PDU session preset in step 910.).
Regarding claim 24, Lee et al discloses, wherein the first service is a service of the service type (¶ 0116, 0124, 0153, access type, RAT, PEI, UE location information, UE time zone, serving network information and session type).
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.
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) 7-12 and 19-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over InterDigital (S2-1911798) [cited by applicant] in view of Li et al (20220322202).
Regarding claims 7, 10, 19, InterDigital discloses, a proximity service communication method (fig. 6.x.2.3-1), comprising:
receiving, by a remote user equipment (remote UE, fig. 6.x.2.3-1), first information, the first information representing a service that the remote UE is allowed to transmit in a relay mode (fig. 6.x.2.3-1, step 1, the Remote UE performs initial Registration procedure and receives Authorization and Provisioning parameters as specified in 6.X.2.1.2);
determining, by the remote UE based on the first information, to transmit data of a first service by using a relay UE (fig. 6.x.2.3-1, step 3, the Remote VE performs discovery of a UE-to-Network Relay using Model A or Model B discovery. The details of this procedure are described in clause 6.X.2.2); and
InterDigital discloses, 6.X.2.1.2, if the UE indicates UE-to-Network Relay User capability in the Registration Request message and if the UE is authorized to use UE-to-Network Relay service based on subscription data, the AMF establishes a UE policy association with the PCF for UE-to-Network Relay parameters delivery. The PCF determines the UE-to-Network Relay parameters for the Remote UE and provides it to the Remote UE by using the procedure as defined in clause 4.2.4.3, “UE Configuration Update procedure for transparent UE Policy Delivery” in TS 23.502 [7], see figure 6.X.2.3-1.
Although InterDigital discloses the inventions substantially as claimed, it does not explicitly disclose, sending, by the remote UE, first indication information to a session management function.
In the same field of endeavor, Li et al discloses, sending, by the remote UE (switching UE 201/ UE 301, fig. 23 and 29), first indication information to a session management function (SMF), wherein the first indication information indicates that the remote UE is to transmit a service in the relay mode (path switch), the first indication information is used for the session management function to obtain policy configuration information, and the policy configuration information is used for monitoring data of the first service forwarded by the relay UE for the remote UE (fig. 23, ¶ 0166, as shown in step 251a, SMF 211 may receive a session modification request from switching UE 201, ¶ 0165, at step 251, SMF 211 may determine e.g., identify one or more PDU sessions that should be modified due to the path switch. SMF 211 may determine which one or more PDU sessions need update based on the collected session management information e.g., PDU session ID and associated NSSAI for the switching UE 201, SSC mode, session type, QoS rules, and QoS profiles. The session management information may be collected from AMF in case that the switching procedure leads to the SMF change which may be involved in the registration process trigged by the path switch; fig. 29, ¶ 0300, UE 301 may send a NAS message via AMF 305 to request the switch, which includes a request to establish/modify a PDU session for the upcoming 5GC path communication. UE 301 may provide the following information. First information may include a UE 301 ID or S-NSSAI that UE 301 connects with. Second information may include a PDU session ID or session context that UE 301 determines or otherwise indicates that it prefers to use for 5GC communication…. ¶ 301, once AMF 305 receives the NAS message from UE 301, it may send the PDU session establishment/modification message to SMF 307. In step 344, SMF 307 may initiate the session management process with UPF 309, PCF 311 and UDM 311 to establish or modify a PDU session for UE 301. With the PC5 QoS information provided by UE 301, SMF 307 may be able to map the PC5 QoS flow to an existing QFI or create a new QFI identifying the QoS flow with the parameters equivalent to PC5 QoS parameters.).
Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claim invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the device of InterDigital by specifically adding feature in order to enhance system performance to create networks customized to provide optimized solutions for different market scenarios which demands diverse requirements as taught by Li et al.
Regarding claims 8, 11, 20, InterDigital and Li et al disclose in claim 7, further InterDigital discloses, wherein the first information comprises one or more of: a data network name (DNN), single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI), an application identifier (application ID), or an application function identifier (fig. 6.x.2.3-1, the Remote UE performs initial Registration procedure and receives Authorization and Provisioning parameters as specified in 6.X.2.1.2, the associated PDU session parameters S-NSSAI, DNN, SSC mode, etc. to be used for relayed traffic for each UE-to-Network Relay Service Code or Service ID. Note: The UE-to-Network Relay’s Configured NSSAI includes the S-NSSAIs needed to support relaying traffic for the associated Service code or Service ID, As a pre-requisite, the UE-to-Network Relay is successfully registered with the network for the S-NSSAI required for the Service Code or Service ID to be announced S-NSSAT is part of the UE-to-Network Relay Allowed NSSAIT).
Regarding claims 9, 12, 21, InterDigital and Li et al disclose in claim 7, further InterDigital discloses, wherein the receiving, by the remote UE, first information comprises: receiving, by the remote UE, the first information from a second network element, wherein the second network element is a policy control function network element (fig. 6.x.2.3-1, step 1, the Remote UE performs initial Registration procedure and receives Authorization and Provisioning parameters as specified in 6.X.2.1.2 and For Remote UE: - If the UE indicates UE-to-Network Relay User capability in the Registration Request message and if the UE is authorized to use UE-to-Network Relay service based on subscription data, the AMF establishes a UE policy association with the PCF for UE-to-Network Relay parameters delivery. - The PCF determines the UE-to-Network Relay parameters for the Remote UE and provides it to the Remote UE by using the procedure as defined in clause 4.2.4.3 "UE Configuration Update procedure for transparent UE Policy Delivery" in TS 23.502).
Regarding claim 22, Li et al discloses, wherein the relay mode comprises layer 2 relay or layer 3 relay (¶ 0056, 0095 and 0099).
Regarding claim 23, Li et al discloses, wherein the first indication information comprises a service type, wherein the service type is represented by a data network name (DNN) and/or single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) (¶ 0082, 0167, S-NSSAI, DNN, Access Type, etc).
Regarding claim 24, Li et al discloses, wherein the first service is a service of the service type (¶ 0079, 0082, 0167, S-NSSAI consists of a Slice/Service Type (SST)).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KHAWAR IQBAL whose telephone number is (571)272-7909. The examiner can normally be reached M-F.
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, Jinsong Hu can be reached at 5712723965. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/KHAWAR IQBAL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2643