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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 December 30, 2025 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, and 4-21 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 7-10, 19, and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (hereinafter “Li”, US 2022/0417900) in view of Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS); User Equipment (UE) procedures in idle mode and procedures for cell reselection in connected mode (3GPP TS 25.304 version 12.6.0 Release 12) (2015-07) (hereinafter “Reference A”).
Regarding claim 1, Li discloses a method for network slice-based cell determination, comprising:
determining, by a terminal device, at least one first network slice (i.e., the UE receives slice information in step 1 of Fig. 1, and as described in paragraph 0050); and
determining, by the terminal device, a first cell to be accessed according to the at least one first network slice (i.e., the UE sends Registration Request to the core with the related slice information in step 2 of Fig. 1, and as described in paragraph 0051), wherein:
determining, by the terminal device, the first cell to be accessed according to the at least one first network slice (i.e., the UE sends Registration Request to the core with the related slice information in step 2 of Fig. 1, and as described in paragraph 0051) comprises:
transmitting, by a non-access stratum (NAS) layer of the terminal device, indication information corresponding to the at least one first network slice to an access stratum (AS) layer (i.e., the UE NAS layer indicates one or more allowed slices to the UE’s AS layer in step 3 of Fig. 1, and as described in paragraphs 0052, and 0064. Also, NAS layer indicates the slice 2 and 4 to AS layer as described in paragraph 0079);
performing, by the AS layer of the terminal device, according to the indication information to obtain a first search result (i.e., the AS layer determines the final PCCH configuration according to the allowed slices as indicated by the NAS layer as described in paragraph 0064. Also, the AS layer selects PCCH-Config-List[0] as described in paragraph 0080);
determining, by the AS layer of the terminal device, the first cell according to the first search result (i.e., the AS layer of the UE informs part or all of the paging configuration information to the UE’s NAS layer as described in paragraph 0064); and
determining, by the NAS layer of the terminal device, the first cell as a cell to be accessed (i.e., the NAS layer indicates the NAS layer’s selected configuration to the AS layer so that the communication node can perform paging related operations based on the selected configuration as described in paragraph 0064).
Li, however, does not expressly disclose:
performing, by the AS layer of the terminal device, cell search to obtain the first search result; and
determining, by the AS layer of the terminal device, the first cell according to the first search result and feeding back the first cell to the NAS layer.
In a similar endeavor, Reference A discloses:
performing, by the AS layer of the terminal device, cell search to obtain the first search result (i.e., UE AS layer searches for a suitable cell as described in “Cell Selection” section of Table 1 on page 14); and
determining, by the AS layer of the terminal device, the first cell according to the first search result and feeding back the first cell to the NAS layer (i.e., the AS layer responds to the NAS layer whether such cell is found or not as described in “Cell Selection” section of Table 1 on page 14, and as described on page 20 where it describes if a suitable cell is found, the UE shall select this cell to camp on, and report this event to NAS so that the necessary NAS registration procedures can be performed).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify the teachings of the cited references, and arrive at the present invention.
The motivation/suggestion for doing so would have been to enable the UE to select a network slice that could provide optimal services.
With further regard to claim 19, Chun also discloses a terminal device (i.e., a UE 1500 as shown in Fig. 15, and as described in paragraph 0236) comprising:
a transceiver (i.e., transmitter 1515 and receiver 1520);
a memory configured to store computer programs (i.e., a memory 1505 having instructions stored thereupon as described in paragraph 0236); and a processor configured to execute the computer programs stored in the memory to (i.e., the instructions upon execution by the processor 1510 configure the hardware platform to perform the operation as described in paragraph 0236).
Regarding claim 7, Li and Reference A disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above. Li also discloses wherein determining, by the terminal device, the first cell to be accessed according to the at least one first network slice comprises:
transmitting, by a NAS layer of the terminal device, the at least one first network slice to an AS layer (i.e., the UE NAS layer indicates one or more allowed slices to the UE’s AS layer in step 3 of Fig. 1, and as described in paragraphs 0052, and 0064. Also, NAS layer indicates the slice 2 and 4 to AS layer as described in paragraph 0079); and
determining, by the NAS layer of the terminal device, the first cell to be accessed according to the third search result (i.e., the NAS layer indicates the NAS layer’s selected configuration to the AS layer so that the communication node can perform paging related operations based on the selected configuration as described in paragraph 0064).
Reference A also discloses:
performing, by the AS layer of the terminal device, cell search (i.e., UE AS layer searches for a suitable cell as described in “Cell Selection” section of Table 1 on page 14);
submitting, by the AS layer of the terminal device, a first reference cell as a third search result to the NAS layer when the first reference cell supporting the at least one first network slice is found (i.e., the AS layer responds to the NAS layer whether such cell is found or not as described in “Cell Selection” section of Table 1 on page 14, and as described on page 20 where it describes if a suitable cell is found, the UE shall select this cell to camp on, and report this event to NAS so that the necessary NAS registration procedures can be performed).
Regarding claim 8, Li and Reference A disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above. Li also discloses:
transmitting, by the NAS layer of the terminal device, indication information corresponding to the at least one first network slice to the AS layer (i.e., the UE NAS layer indicates one or more allowed slices to the UE’s AS layer in step 3 of Fig. 1, and as described in paragraphs 0052, and 0064. Also, NAS layer indicates the slice 2 and 4 to AS layer as described in paragraph 0079). Furthermore, Reference A also discloses wherein performing, by the AS layer of the terminal device, the cell search comprises:
performing, by the AS layer of the terminal device, the cell search according to the indication information (i.e., UE AS layer searches for a suitable cell as described in “Cell Selection” section of Table 1 on page 14).
Regarding claim 9, Li and Reference A disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above. Reference A also discloses wherein the third search result comprises public land mobile network (PLMN) information supported by the first reference cell, and determining, by the NAS layer of the terminal device (i.e., NAS layer maintains a list of PLMNS and requests AS layer to select a cell belonging to this PLMN including its type as described in PLMN Selection of Table 1 on page 14), the first cell to be accessed according to the third search result comprises:
determining, by the NAS layer of the terminal device, whether the PLMN information supported by the first reference cell is a first type of PLMN (i.e., NAS layer maintains a list of PLMNS and requests AS layer to select a cell belonging to this PLMN including its type as described in PLMN Selection of Table 1 on page 14); and
determining, by the NAS layer of the terminal device, the first reference cell as the first cell to be accessed, if the PLMN information supported by the first reference cell is the first type of PLMN (i.e., the AS layer responds to the NAS layer whether such cell is found or not as described in “Cell Selection” section of Table 1 on page 14, and as described on page 20 where it describes if a suitable cell is found, the UE shall select this cell to camp on, and report this event to NAS so that the necessary NAS registration procedures can be performed).
Regarding claim 10, Li and Reference A disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above. Reference A also discloses wherein after performing, by the AS layer of the terminal device, the cell search, the method further comprises:
feeding back, by the AS layer of the terminal device, a fourth search result of the cell search to the NAS layer, wherein the fourth search result is that no cell supporting the at least one first network slice is found (i.e., the AS layer responds to the NAS layer whether such cell is found or not as described in “Cell Selection” section of Table 1 on page 14, and as described on page 20 where it describes if a suitable cell is found, the UE shall select this cell to camp on, and report this event to NAS so that the necessary NAS registration procedures can be performed).
Regarding claim 21, Li and Reference A disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above. Reference A also discloses wherein determining, by the terminal device, the at least one first network slice comprises:
determining, by the terminal device, the at least one first network slice preconfigured;
determining, by the terminal device, the at least one first network slice according to a selection operation of a user; or
selecting, by the terminal device, the at least one first network slice according to a priority of each of a plurality of network slices preconfigured (i.e., maintaining and searching for a PLMN based on priority as described in PLMN selection of Table 1 on page 14, and as described in section 4.1 Overview on page 12).
Claim(s) 16-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Reference A and further in view of Shih et al. (hereinafter “Shih”, US 11,026,121).
Regarding claim 16, Li and Reference A disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above, but do not expressly disclose features of this claim.
In a similar endeavor, Shih discloses wireless communication method and system for network slicing. Shih also discloses wherein indication information comprises a radio access technology (RAT) and frequency information corresponding to each first network slice (i.e., RATs and frequency bands supporting the requested network slice service as described in col. 12, lines 3-19), the indication information is determined by a NAS layer of the terminal device by querying a first mapping relationship according to the at least one first network slice, and the first mapping relationship is a mapping relationship between network slices, RATs, and frequencies (i.e., the NAS layer of the UE is pre-configured with information regarding the RAT supporting the network slice or information regarding the frequency band as described in col. 12, lines 3-19).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify the teachings of the cited references, and arrive at the present invention.
The motivation/suggestion for doing so would have been to enable the UE to find a suitable cell to camp on.
Regarding claim 17, Li and Reference A disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above, but do not expressly disclose features of this claim.
In a similar endeavor, Shih discloses wireless communication method and system for network slicing. Shih also discloses wherein network slice information supported by the terminal device, a first mapping relationship (i.e., RATs and frequency bands supporting the requested network slice service as described in col. 12, lines 3-19), and first configuration information are preconfigured in the terminal device, or configured in the terminal device by the network device (i.e., the NAS layer of the UE is pre-configured with information regarding the RAT supporting the network slice or information regarding the frequency band as described in col. 12, lines 3-19).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify the teachings of the cited references, and arrive at the present invention.
The motivation/suggestion for doing so would have been to enable the UE to find a suitable cell to camp on.
Regarding claim 18, Li, Reference A, and Shih disclose all limitations recited within claims as described above. Shih also discloses wherein the network slice information supported by the terminal device, the first mapping relationship, and the first configuration information are transmitted by the network device to the terminal device through the registration reception message during location-update initiating of the terminal device, or are transmitted by the network device to the terminal device when receiving a configuration update message of the terminal device (i.e., the network nodes receives a registration request from a UE as described in paragraphs 0010-0012).
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Reference A, and further in view of Kim et al. (hereinafter “Kim”, US 2019/0313473).
Regarding claim 20, Li discloses a network device (i.e., a network node 1500 as shown in Fig. 15), comprising:
a memory configured to store computer programs (i.e., a memory 1505 having instructions stored thereupon as described in paragraph 0236); and
a processor configured to execute the computer programs stored in the memory (i.e., the instructions upon execution by the processor 1510 configure the hardware platform to perform the operation as described in paragraph 0236) to cause the network device to:
transmit first information to a terminal device when receiving a first message (i.e. transmitting from RAN Node to UE AS layer in step 1 of Fig. 1), wherein the first information comprises at least one piece of network slice information (i.e. including slice information as described in paragraph 0051), the network slice information is used for the terminal device to determine at least one first network slice (i.e., the UE sends Registration Request to the core with the related slice information in step 2 of Fig. 2, and as described in paragraph 0051) and determine a first cell to be accessed according to the at least one first network slice (i.e., the NAS layer indicates the NAS layer’s selected configuration to the AS layer so that the communication node can perform paging related operations based on the selected configuration as described in paragraph 0064), wherein:
the network slice information is used for the terminal device to determine the first cell to be accessed according to the at least one first network slice by:
transmitting, by a non-access stratum (NAS) layer of the terminal device, indication information corresponding to the at least one first network slice to an access stratum (AS) layer (i.e., the UE NAS layer indicates one or more allowed slices to the UE’s AS layer in step 3 of Fig. 1, and as described in paragraphs 0052, and 0064. Also, NAS layer indicates the slice 2 and 4 to AS layer as described in paragraph 0079);
performing, by the AS layer of the terminal device, according to the indication information to obtain a first search result (i.e., the AS layer determines the final PCCH configuration according to the allowed slices as indicated by the NAS layer as described in paragraph 0064. Also, the AS layer selects PCCH-Config-List[0] as described in paragraph 0080);
determining, by the AS layer of the terminal device, the first cell according to the first search result (i.e., the AS layer of the UE informs part or all of the paging configuration information to the UE’s NAS layer as described in paragraph 0064); and
determining, by the NAS layer of the terminal device, the first cell as a cell to be accessed (i.e., the NAS layer indicates the NAS layer’s selected configuration to the AS layer so that the communication node can perform paging related operations based on the selected configuration as described in paragraph 0064).
Li, however, does not expressly disclose:
the first message is a location update message or a configuration update message initiated by the terminal device;
performing, by the AS layer of the terminal device, cell search to obtain the first search result; and
determining, by the AS layer of the terminal device, the first cell according to the first search result and feeding back the first cell to the NAS layer.
In a similar endeavor, Reference A discloses:
performing, by the AS layer of the terminal device, cell search to obtain the first search result (i.e., UE AS layer searches for a suitable cell as described in “Cell Selection” section of Table 1 on page 14); and
determining, by the AS layer of the terminal device, the first cell according to the first search result and feeding back the first cell to the NAS layer (i.e., the AS layer responds to the NAS layer whether such cell is found or not as described in “Cell Selection” section of Table 1 on page 14, and as described on page 20 where it describes if a suitable cell is found, the UE shall select this cell to camp on, and report this event to NAS so that the necessary NAS registration procedures can be performed).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify the teachings of the cited references, and arrive at the present invention.
The motivation/suggestion for doing so would have been to enable the UE to select a network slice that could provide optimal services.
The combination of Li and Reference A, however, does not expressly disclose the first message is a location update message or a configuration update message initiated by the terminal device.
Furthermore, Kim discloses method for performing access control in next-generation mobile communication network and user equipment. Kim also discloses:
the first message is a location update message or a configuration update message initiated by the terminal device (i.e. a NAS layer of UE transmits attach request location update request as described in paragraphs 0172-0173).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify the teachings of the cited references, and arrive at the present invention.
The motivation/suggestion for doing so would have been to enable the UE to get services when roaming.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6, and 11-15 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.
Conclusion
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/Wayne H Cai/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2644