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
Following response to arguments is based on Applicant’s arguments filed on 29 September 2025.
Regarding Previous Double Patenting
Previous rejection of claims 1-2 has been withdrawn in view of the amendment to the rejected claims.
Regarding Previous Rejection Under 35 USC § 102
Applicant’s arguments [Pages 1-2] with respect to rejection of claims 1-2 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn.
Claim Status
Claims 1-2 have been amended. Thus, claims 1-2 are presented for examination.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 – Second Paragraph
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(B) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
For claim 1:
The claim now recites two “in a case that” (at lines 4 and 9). It is known that “in a case that” is conditional clause that needs an action and a result in view of the action. Hence, it is unclear the boundaries of the conditionals “in a case that” recited in the claim, as it would appear that the second “in a case that” is linked to the previous limitations (at least due to the way it is written).
Additionally, it is unclear whether the last 3-line limitation “the first rejected NSSAI… with respect to a current registration area” is an independent clause or belongs to the previous line “the second S-NSSAI is removed from the allowed…”.
The Examiner respectfully recommends the incorporation, perhaps, of literals or numerals that clearly facilitates the understanding of the limitations, and a different labeling for the “in a case that” so that it is clearly shown that they are two different events or situations.
For claim 2:
This claim is rejected as applied to claim 1.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 FABRICIO R MURILLO GARCIA whose telephone number is (571)270-5708. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sam K Ahn can be reached at 5712723044. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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March 17, 2026
/FABRICIO R MURILLO GARCIA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2633
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