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 Amendment
The Amendment filed January 20, 2026 has been entered. Claims 1-4 and 6-15 are pending in the application. Applicant has submitted amendments to the claims along with other remarks. Applicant’s submission regarding priority are in accordance with 37 CFR 1.55, which establish that the Foreign Priority Application may be relied on to establish possession of the subject matter. Applicant’s arguments regarding 112(a) do not overcome the rejection. Claims 1-4 and 6-8 are still rejected by prior art references, refer to the following rejection for details.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments and amendments, see pp. 7-11 of the response, filed January 20, 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-8 under §§ 112(a), 103 have been fully considered but are not persuasive.
Regarding § 112(a), Applicant was contacted for clarification on February 26, 2026. The call was not returned by the time this paper was prepared.
Applicant asserts that “Support for this feature is found, for example, in page 48, lines 19-21 of the present specification which discloses ‘The SMF may inform the AMF that the access switching from the first non-3GPP access to the second non-3GPP access is completed.’” Remarks at 7.
The Specification submitted on October 11, 2022 does not appear to include this exact terminology or any similar analogs on page 48. Below is an excerpt from page 48 that includes lines 19-21.
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Excerpt from Specification at page 48
Further, Applicant asserts that “this feature is supported by Applicant's foreign priority application, for example in page 29, lines 15-17 of the priority application KR 10-2022-0010144 which discloses: ‘A method for the SMF to include an indication indicating that the switching has been completed to the AMF after or during the resource release to the old non-3GPP access when access addition to a new type of non-3GPP access has been completed.’” Remarks at 7.
It is unclear which portion of the page Applicant is referencing. None of the pages in the ATSSS SP-211612 meeting document appear to reference an SMF. Further, this document is authored by multiple companies according to the heading (e.g., Lenovo, Motorola Mobility, ZTE . . . ).
Clarification is required and the rejection is maintained.
Regarding § 103, Applicant asserts that “the Office has not established a prima facie case of obviousness for the feature that UDM registration is delayed based on a registration request message including the information related to the non-3GPP access path switching (e.g., handover between two non-3GPP accesses).” Remarks at 9.
[0118] of Youn states that “the AMF may delay the step S1101 until the AMF recognizes that the AMF is a serving AMF for all access types.”
In the preceding paragraph, [0117], Youn states, “The AMF may perform the step S1101 per access type. For example, if UE #1 is registered in AMF #1 through the 3GPP access, the AMF #1 transmits the Request message, which includes access type=“3GPP access”, to the UDM. Afterwards, if the UE #1 is registered in the AMF #1 through the non-3GPP access, the AMF #1 transmits the Request message, which includes access type=“Non-3GPP access”, to the UDM. For another example, if UE #2 is registered in AMF #2 through the 3GPP access, the AMF #2 transmits the Request message, which includes access type=“3GPP access”, to the UDM.”
Therefore, a prima facie case of obviousness has been established for the feature that “UDM registration is delayed based on a registration request message including the information related to the non-3GPP access path switching (e.g., handover between two non-3GPP accesses).”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Notwithstanding the translation and priority document issues described above, the filed Specification does not disclose all of the subject matter in the claims. For example, claim 1, as amended, recites, “a notification from the session management node to the access mobility management node.” The only mention of a notification in the specification relates to communications between the RAN and the AMF. ([0251]). Applicant has not clarified where the excerpt from KR 10-2022-0010144 is provided in the filed Specification. Indeed, even possession of the subject matter at the earliest filing date does not overcome the required written description requirement. See MPEP § 2163.07(II) (“This prohibition applies regardless of the language of the foreign priority documents because a claim for priority is simply a claim for the benefit of an earlier filing date for subject matter that is common to two or more applications, and does not serve to incorporate the content of the priority document in the application in which the claim for priority is made.”).
Correction is required.
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 1-4 and 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Publication No. 2023/0078760 (hereinafter “Yi”) in view of U.S. Publication No. 2020/0359194 (hereinafter “Youn”)
Regarding claim 1, Yi teaches: A method comprising: performing a first registration procedure over a first non-3rd generation partnership project (non-3GPP) access ([0119] For instance, the solutions discussed herein can address Key Issue #5 “Switching traffic of an MA PDU Session between two non-3GPP access paths” by allowing two simultaneous registrations over two non-3GPP accesses. In this solution, in order to minimize overall system impact, the AMF can delay UDM Registration until access switching is completed.); receiving information related to a support of a non-3GPP access path switching from a session management node in an establishment of a multi-access session over the first non-3GPP access([0120] In some instances, as a high-level description, when the UE 102 establishes MA PDU Session, the SMF may indicate to the UE 102 whether non-3GPP access switching is supported.); transmitting a registration request message of a second registration procedure ([0119] For instance, the solutions discussed herein can address Key Issue #5 “Switching traffic of an MA PDU Session between two non-3GPP access paths” by allowing two simultaneous registrations over two non-3GPP accesses.) an access mobility management node over a second non-3GPP access ([0124] In some examples, (2) the UE 102 registers over trusted non-3GPP access with new Registration type=non-3GPP access switching.), wherein the registration request message includes information related to the non-3GPP access switching from the first non-3GPP access to the second non-3GPP access ([0123] the UE 102 can indicate whether it supports non-3GPP access switching in the PDU Session Establishment Request message.); receiving a registration accept message from the access mobility management node (Additionally (10) the AMF can send a Registration Accept message to the UE 102. When the UE 102 receives Registration Accept message, the UE 102 can consider that the UE 102 is deregistered from untrusted non-3GPP access and registered over trusted non-3GPP access.); transmitting a session establishment request message to the session management node over the second non-3GPP access ([0100] Furthermore, in some instances, switching traffic of an MA PDU session between two non-3GPP access paths can be based on TR 23.700-53-040 ATSSS Rel-18. This solution can support at least one of the following principles (i)—(iv): . . . (iv) Capability exchange between UE and can be performed. This capability exchange can be performed at 5G Mobility Management (SGMM) signaling (Registration procedure) or 5G Session Management (5GSM) signaling (i.e., PDU Session establishment procedure) or both.), wherein the session establishment request message includes information about the multi-access session ([0082] In some examples, in a PDU Session Establishment Request message sent to the network, the UE 102 provides a PDU Session ID.); receiving a session establishment accept message from the session management node ([0123] Considering the received capabilities of the UE 102, AMF and SMF capability, the SMF can indicate whether non-3GPP access switching is supported to the UE 102 in the PDU Session Establishment Accept message.); and receiving a deregistration request message related to a deregistration of a user equipment (UE) over the first non-3GPP access from the access mobility management node ([0112] In some instances, after the eMA PDU Session establishment, when the UE 102 deregisters from one access (but remains registered on the other access), the AMF can inform the SMF to release the resource of this access type in the UPF (e.g., UPF of the PLMN2, UPF of home PLMN, UPF of anchor PLMN) for the eMA PDU Session. [0127] When the UE 102 receives Registration Accept message, the UE 102 can consider that the UE 102 is deregistered from untrusted non-3GPP access and registered over trusted non-3GPP access.).
Yi does not teach: wherein a unified data management registration procedure between the access mobility management node and a unified data management node is delayed based on the registration request message including the information related to the non-3GPP access path switching, and wherein, after receiving the session establishment accept message, i) the non-3GPP access path switching from the first non-3GPP access to the second non-3GPP access is completed based on an indication from the session management node to the access mobility management node, and ii) the unified data management registration procedure which has been delayed is performed between the access mobility management node and the unified data management node.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Youn teaches: wherein a unified data management registration procedure between the access mobility management node and a unified data management node is delayed based on the registration request message including the information related to the non-3GPP access path switching ([0118] the AMF may delay the step S1101 until the AMF recognizes that the AMF is a serving AMF for all access types), and wherein, after receiving the session establishment accept message, i) the non-3GPP access path switching from the first non-3GPP access to the second non-3GPP access is completed based on an indication from the session management node to the access mobility management node ([0121] ii) The case that the UE may perform handover to non-3GPP access (or WLAN).), and ii) the unified data management registration procedure which has been delayed is performed between the access mobility management node and the unified data management node (S1102).
Therefore, Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yi to include the feature of registration delays and a combination of Yi with Youn renders the claim prima facie obvious within the described scope of the prior art and any indicated differences within the level of one of ordinary skill in the art (e.g., telecommunications engineer) according to a combination of known prior art elements with known methods to yield predictable results. MPEP 2143(I)(A) (e.g., providing registration delays).
Regarding claim 2, Yi teaches: wherein the first non-3GPP access or the second non-3GPP access is any one of an untrusted non-3GPP access, a trusted non-3GPP access, or a wireline access ([0100] (iii) Path switching between any two non-3GPP accesses can be supported, (e.g., trusted to trusted, trusted to non-trusted, trusted to wireline, or any permutation) (iv) Capability exchange between UE and can be performed. This capability exchange can be performed at 5G Mobility Management (SGMM) signaling (Registration procedure) or 5G Session Management (5GSM) signaling (i.e., PDU Session establishment procedure) or both.).
Regarding claim 3, Yi teaches: wherein the method further comprises performing a registration procedure over a 3GPP access ([0053] FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate example systems 400 and 500 including a first registration procedure 402 for providing a multi-access PDU session, which can form at least a portion of the system depicted in FIG. 1. As noted above, the first connection procedure 402 can include a base station 302 (e.g., or the access network or RAN) of PLMN1 communicating with the first UPF 118 of PLMN2 and/or an AMF 304 of the PLMN2. This may require a UE registration procedure so that the base station 302 may find the first UPF 118 and/or the AMF 304 of the PLMN2. See also, Abstract - The first PDU session is established via a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) access the second PDU session is established via a first non-3GPP. The indication(s) include whether the wireless device supports an enhanced multi-access PDU session comprising a third PDU session, wherein the third PDU session is established via a second non-3GPP access.).
Regarding claim 4, Yi teaches: wherein the information related to the non-3GPP access switching is at least one of a registration type set to "non-3GPP access switching registration", a registration type set to "mobility registration update" that is not used in a non-3GPP access, or a new indicator in the registration request message ([0124] In some examples, (2) the UE 102 registers over trusted non-3GPP access with new Registration type=non-3GPP access switching.).
Regarding claim 6, Yi teaches: wherein the information related to the multi-access session includes at least one of a request type set to "MA PDU Request" in the session establishment request message or a session Identifier (ID) of the multi-access session ([0102] In some examples, when the wireless device/UE 102 wants to request a new eMA-PDU session, if the UE 102 is registered to the same PLMN over first 3GPP and second 3GPP accesses, then the UE 102 shall send a PDU Session Establishment Request over any of the two accesses. The UE also provides Request Type as “eMA PDU Request” in the UL NAS Transport message. The AM F informs the SMF that the UE is registered over both accesses and this triggers the establishment of user-plane resources on both accesses and two N3/N9 tunnels between PSA and the RAN1/RAN2).
Regarding claim 7, Yi teaches: wherein the method is performed by UE in communication with at least one of a mobile device, a network and/or an autonomous vehicle other than the UE (PLMN1 (104)).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yi in view of Youn and further in view of U.S. Publication No. 2010/0159871 (hereinafter “Tester.”)
Regarding claim 8, Yi teaches: A user equipment (UE) comprising (UE 102): at least one transceiver; at least one processor; and at least one memory operably connectable to the at least one processor and storing instructions that, based on being executed by the at least one processor cause the UE to, perform operations comprising: performing a first registration procedure over a first non-3rd generation partnership project (non-3GPP) access ([0119] For instance, the solutions discussed herein can address Key Issue #5 “Switching traffic of an MA PDU Session between two non-3GPP access paths” by allowing two simultaneous registrations over two non-3GPP accesses. In this solution, in order to minimize overall system impact, the AMF can delay UDM Registration until access switching is completed.); establishing a multi-access session over the first non-3GPP access ([0123] For instance, (1) the UE 102 can be registered over 3GPP access and untrusted non-3GPP access and established MA PDU Session.); receiving information related to a support of a non-3GPP access switching from a session management node ([0120] In some instances, as a high-level description, when the UE 102 establishes MA PDU Session, the SMF may indicate to the UE 102 whether non-3GPP access switching is supported.); transmitting a registration request message of a second registration procedure ([0119] For instance, the solutions discussed herein can address Key Issue #5 “Switching traffic of an MA PDU Session between two non-3GPP access paths” by allowing two simultaneous registrations over two non-3GPP accesses.) to an access mobility management node over a second non-3GPP access ([0124] In some examples, (2) the UE 102 registers over trusted non-3GPP access with new Registration type=non-3GPP access switching.), wherein the registration request message includes information related to the non-3GPP access switching from the first non-3GPP access to the second non-3GPP access ([0123] the UE 102 can indicate whether it supports non-3GPP access switching in the PDU Session Establishment Request message.); receiving a registration accept message from the access mobility management node in response to the registration request message (Additionally (10) the AMF can send a Registration Accept message to the UE 102. When the UE 102 receives Registration Accept message, the UE 102 can consider that the UE 102 is deregistered from untrusted non-3GPP access and registered over trusted non-3GPP access.); transmitting a session establishment request message to the session management node over the second non-3GPP access ([0100] Furthermore, in some instances, switching traffic of an MA PDU session between two non-3GPP access paths can be based on TR 23.700-53-040 ATSSS Rel-18. This solution can support at least one of the following principles (i)—(iv): . . . (iv) Capability exchange between UE and can be performed. This capability exchange can be performed at 5G Mobility Management (SGMM) signaling (Registration procedure) or 5G Session Management (5GSM) signaling (i.e., PDU Session establishment procedure) or both.), wherein the session establishment request message includes information about the multi-access session ([0082] In some examples, in a PDU Session Establishment Request message sent to the network, the UE 102 provides a PDU Session ID.); receiving a session establishment accept message from the session management node in response to the session establishment request message ([0123] Considering the received capabilities of the UE 102, AMF and SMF capability, the SMF can indicate whether non-3GPP access switching is supported to the UE 102 in the PDU Session Establishment Accept message.); and receiving a deregistration request message related to a deregistration of the UE over the first non-3GPP access from the access mobility management node ([0112] In some instances, after the eMA PDU Session establishment, when the UE 102 deregisters from one access (but remains registered on the other access), the AMF can inform the SMF to release the resource of this access type in the UPF (e.g., UPF of the PLMN2, UPF of home PLMN, UPF of anchor PLMN) for the eMA PDU Session. [0127] When the UE 102 receives Registration Accept message, the UE 102 can consider that the UE 102 is deregistered from untrusted non-3GPP access and registered over trusted non-3GPP access.).
Yi does not teach: wherein a unified data management registration procedure between the access mobility management node and a unified data management node is delayed based on the registration request message including the information related to the non-3GPP access path switching, and wherein, after receiving the session establishment accept message, I) the non-3GPP access path switching from the first non-3GPP access to the second non-3GPP access is completed based on an indication from the session management node to the access mobility management node, and ii) the unified data management registration procedure which has been delayed is performed between the access mobility management node and the unified data management node.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Youn teaches: wherein a unified data management registration procedure between the access mobility management node and a unified data management node is delayed based on the registration request message including the information related to the non-3GPP access path switching ([0118] the AMF may delay the step S1101 until the AMF recognizes that the AMF is a serving AMF for all access types), and wherein, after receiving the session establishment accept message, I) the non-3GPP access path switching from the first non-3GPP access to the second non-3GPP access is completed based on an indication from the session management node to the access mobility management node ([0121] ii) The case that the UE may perform handover to non-3GPP access (or WLAN).), and ii) the unified data management registration procedure which has been delayed is performed between the access mobility management node and the unified data management node (S1102).
Therefore, Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yi to include the feature of registration delays and a combination of Yi with Youn renders the claim prima facie obvious within the described scope of the prior art and any indicated differences within the level of one of ordinary skill in the art (e.g., telecommunications engineer) according to a combination of known prior art elements with known methods to yield predictable results. MPEP 2143(I)(A) (e.g., providing registration delays).
Yi is silent on whether the UE 102 comprises a transceiver, processor, or memory.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Tester teaches that User Equipment that typically includes these elements and explicitly: at least one transceiver; at least one processor; and at least one memory operably connectable to the at least one processor and storing instructions that, based on being executed by the at least one processor, perform operations ([0021] The UEs 114, 116 represent devices utilized by a user or subscriber during communication sessions over/within the system 100. The UEs typically include a processor, memory, a transceiver and an antenna and may be constructed or configured from any suitable hardware, software, firmware, or combination thereof for transmitting or receiving information over a network.).
Therefore, the transceiver, processor, and memory with instructions that perform operations necessarily flow from the UE 102 of Yi as required by MPEP § 2112(IV). (“In relying upon the theory of inherency, the examiner must provide a basis in fact and/or technical reasoning to reasonably support the determination that the allegedly inherent characteristic necessarily flows from the teachings of the applied prior art.”). As such, claim 8 is rejected under §§ 102 or 103, according to MPEP § 2112(III).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S Publication No. 2018/0270781 (Baek) related to a method for managing registration and session in wireless communication system and apparatus for performing the same
U.S. Publication No. 2023/0308971 (Wong) related to methods and apparatus for supporting switching of traffic corresponding to a communication session between two non-3GPP access paths
Non-patent Literature - Mobility Management in the 5G Network between Various Access Networks (Choi) – 2019
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/JAB/ Examiner, Art Unit 2643
/JINSONG HU/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2643