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/remarks made in an amendment filed January 28, 2026, have been fully considered. In view of the amended claim 1 and upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection, necessitated by the amendments is made in view of different interpretation of the previously applied references and new prior art as presented in this Office action. Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-7 and 9-20 are therefore moot.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 and 9-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20240205863 A1 (NASSAR et al.) (hereinafter NASSAR) in view of the article in “Handbook of Green Information and Communication Systems", https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/en gineering/Registration-area, 2013, 7 pages (hereinafter ScienceDirect) and in further view of US 20120020290 A1 (Kanauchi et al.)(hereinafter Kanauchi).
In re claims 1, 13 and 17, NASSAR discloses a method ([0014], “In some embodiments, the method can comprise: receiving, at an access and mobility management function of a fifth-generation (5G) system, from a user equipment, a registration request regarding a registration between the user equipment and the 5G system”) and a system ([0003], “Described herein are apparatuses, methods, and computer program products for fifth-generation communication system (5GS) multiple registrations, and decision-making and signaling regarding selection of a registration for evolved packet system (EPS) network interworking”) comprising: at least one memory (Fig. 8A: 14, [0128], “Apparatus 10 may further include or be coupled to a memory 14, which may be coupled to processor 12, for storing information and instructions that may be executed by processor 12”) and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon ([0015], “According to another embodiment, a non-transitory computer readable medium storing program codes can be provided”); and at least one processor (Fig. 8A:12, [0127], “apparatus 10 may include a processor 12 for processing information and executing instructions or operations”) that executes the computer executable instructions to cause operations to be performed ([0128], “The instructions stored in memory 14 may include program instructions or computer program code that, when executed by processor 12, enable the apparatus 10 to perform tasks as described herein”. [0125], “apparatus 10 may be an access node of a mobile or wireless communication network”), the operations including:
receiving, by a core network of a first cellular network of a first mobile network operator (Fig, 5, [0020], “In some embodiments, the method can comprise: receiving, at an access and mobility management function of a fifth-generation (5G) system, from user equipment of the 5G system, a registration request for a registration with the 5G system”. [0072], “In some scenarios, two mobile networks (e.g., a first PLMN and a second PLMN or a PLMN and a NPN) are managed by a same network operator or by different network operators (e.g., two different network operators which have a business agreement among themselves)”. [0059], “As described in TS 23.501, 5.18, a network sharing architecture can allow multiple participating network operators (i.e., operations of mobile networks) to share resources (e.g., radio resources) of a single shared radio access network according to an agreement between the network operators”), a mobility registration update (MRU) request from a user equipment (UE) currently in idle mode and subscribed to the first mobile network operator ([0052], “For example, when a UE moves outside or towards an edge of a service area or registration area for the 5G system, the UE may be downgraded from the one or more 5G core networks to a legacy network, such as a 4G network, a 4G LTE network, or another EPS network. While the UE may maintain multiple simultaneous registrations with one or more 5G core networks in the 5G system due to the particular architecture of 5G systems, EPS networks do not allow for multiple simultaneous registrations to be maintained by a single UE. As such, when the UE is downgraded or otherwise moved from one or more 5G core networks to a single EPS network, UEs typically deregister from all 5G core networks and then carry out a new registration request procedure, a new attach request procedure, or the like, with the EPS network” (receiving by a UE a MRU request when changing network, could be subscribed to the first operator of the multiple operators));
in response to the core network of the first cellular network not being able to retrieve UE context of the UE based on the MRU request, without rejecting the MRU request, the core network of the first cellular network sending an identity request to the UE to provide an identity of the UE to the core network of the first cellular network ([0064], “the selected AMF can then initiate an identity request procedure by sending an identity request message to the UE requesting the SUCI of the UE”), wherein the core network of the first cellular network sending an identity request to the UE to provide the identity of the UE without rejecting the MRU request includes: the core network of the first cellular network sending an identity request to the UE to provide the identity of the UE without indicating to the UE that the UE identity cannot be derived from the first cellular network;
receiving, by the core network of the first cellular network, the identity of the UE in response to the request ([0064], “The UE responds to the identity request message by providing an identity response message to the AMF that includes the SUCI of the UE”. [0069], “AMF accepts or authorizes the registration request sent by the UE and includes, in the registration accept message, an indication that the serving mobile network supports multiple UE registrations per home credential USIM per access type and confirms that the UE is registered with the mobile network by including a globally unique temporary identifier (GUTI) and the registration ID in the registration accept message. The registration ID may be used in subsequent mobility registration updates after the initial registration” (providing the GUTI to core network for MRU). [0063], “The UE may register with a first mobile network of the two mobile networks by sending a registration request comprising one or more of: a registration type, a SUCI, a 5G-GUTI... an Indicator of Requesting LADN Information, a NAS message container, a UE Policy Container comprising the list of PSIs, indication of UE support for ANDSP and an operating system identifier”); and
performing, by the core network of the first cellular network, authentication, authorization and mobility registration of the UE on the first cellular network of the first mobile network operator based on the received identity of the UE ([0064], “The AMF may then initiate an AUSF selection procedure, authentication/security checks, and may send a notification to a prior/old AMF (if applicable) regarding registration of the UE with the core network via said AMF”. [0060], “When a UE initiates registration procedure to registers the UE with a home mobile network (“home network”) using a home network credential, an access and mobility management function (AMF) of a core network of a home network determines whether to accept or authorize the registration of the UE. The AMF upon accepting or authorization the registration of the UE with the home network, stores the registration of the UE with the home network credential (generally referred to as UE registration) in a unified data management (UDM) entity of the core network of the home network”).
NASSAR does not explicitly disclose receiving, by a core network of a first cellular network of a first mobile network operator, a mobility registration update (MRU) request from a user equipment (UE) currently in idle mode and subscribed to the first mobile network operator.
ScienceDirect discloses receiving, by a core network of a first cellular network of a first mobile network operator, a mobility registration update (MRU) request from a user equipment (UE) currently in idle mode and subscribed to the first mobile network operator (Page 1, section 7.2.2: Registration and Mobility, lines 14-21, “If the broadcasted Tracking Area is not part of the assigned RA the UE starts a procedure- called a registration procedure -toward the network to inform it that it is now in a different location. For example, when a UE that was previously assigned a RA with TAs 1 and 2 moves into a cell that is broadcasting TA 3, the UE will notice that the broadcast information includes a different TA than those it has previously stored as part of the RA. This difference triggers the UE to perform a registration update procedure toward the network”. Page 2, EPC for 5G, section 4.2.2: Mobility Management, lines 2-6, “.... As part of the mobility procedure, the UE initially attaches to the network via a registration procedure”. Section 4.2.2: Mobility Management, lines 11-13, “By allocating different lists of tracking areas to different UEs, the operator can give UEs different registration area borders and so reduce peaks in registration update signaling”. Page 2, section 21.3.1: Idle mode in LTE, lines 1-8, “Idle mode allows the UE to save power for intervals ranging from a few seconds up to several hours and is typically the mode where the UE spends the most of its time. A UE enters the Idle mode after it has experienced a period of inactivity where no data was exchanged, and it is entirely dependent on the network operator (subscribed to the operator). Idle mode also allows the network to conserve air-interface resources once the UE transitions to Idle mode, the eNB releases all the resources associated with the UE”. Page 4, section 15.2.1: Registration, lines 6-11, “Periodic Registration: used by the UE that is in CM-IDLE state to show to the network that the UE is still there. Mobility Registration: used by the UE in case it moves out of the Registration Area, or when the UE needs to update its capabilities or other parameters that are negotiated ln Registration procedure with or without changing to a new TA” (After the initial registration procedure, when a UE in Idle mode and connected to a first network and a first operator moves outside the coverage of first network and then re-enters the first network needing to update the tracking area, initiates a mobility registration update with the network)).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of NASSAR and ScienceDirect to provide mobility management technique for 5GS when a UE is in Idle mode and moving across different cells and a mobility or periodic registration is triggered. In such a case, a mobility registration update can be performed based on the identity of the UE and a full authentication like in initial attach procedure is not needed. The advantage of doing so is that it saves on a time-consuming, computationally costly, bandwidth extensive, and overall inefficient process for doing an inter-system change or network handover for a UE already registered with a unified data management (UDM) function of the mobile network.
NASSAR and ScienceDirect do not explicitly disclose in response to the core network of the first cellular network not being able to retrieve UE context of the UE based on the MRU request, without rejecting the MRU request, the core network of the first cellular network sending an identity request to the UE to provide an identity of the UE to the core network of the first cellular network, wherein the core network of the first cellular network sending an identity request to the UE to provide the identity of the UE without rejecting the MRU request includes: the core network of the first cellular network sending an identity request to the UE to provide the identity of the UE without indicating to the UE that the UE identity cannot be derived from the first cellular network;
Kanauchi discloses in response to the core network of the first cellular network not being able to retrieve UE context of the UE based on the MRU request ([0018], “Moreover, even when the mobile station UE is in the Attach state and possesses the M-TMSI, once the mobile station UE moves to an area where a location registration regulation takes place, if the mobile station UE originates the emergency call to a mobile switching center MME other than a packet switching center MME that has paid out the M-TMSI (i.e., transmits "Extended Service Request message"), the packet switching center MME rejects the originating of the emergency call because it does not recognize the M-TMSI included in the "Extended Service Request message", and as a result, the packet switching center MME urges the mobile station UE to perform a location registration (i.e., transmits "Service Reject (#9: UE identity cannot be derived by the network)" (discloses that in the case where UE moves to another location and tries to place an emergency call, the network is not able to retrieve UE context from first network), wherein the core network of the first cellular network sending an identity request to the UE to provide the identity of the UE without rejecting the MRU request includes: the core network of the first cellular network sending an identity request to the UE to provide the identity of the UE without indicating to the UE that the UE identity cannot be derived from the first cellular network ([0020], “Therefore, the present invention is intended to overcome the above-described problem. An object of the present invention is to provide a mobile station capable of originating an emergency call via a CS network even in a state of camping on a PS dedicated network, and a mobile communication method therefor”. [0021], “A first aspect of the present invention is summarized as a mobile station, including: an emergency call originating process unit configured to originate an emergency call via a cell under the control of a second network having a circuit switching network, when an emergency call originating trigger is detected while camping on a cell under the control of a first network that is a packet switching dedicated network, and when it is determined that camping on the cell under the control of the second network is possible”. [0054], “In this case, the MM function unit 11 may be configured to originate the emergency call via the UMTS cell without performing a location registration in the UMTS-scheme network”. [0055], “In the UMTS-scheme network, a user identifier IMSI assigned fixedly to the mobile station UE can be used to originate the emergency call without performing the location registration”. [0056], “The MM function unit 11 can shorten a time required for connecting to the emergency call by originating the emergency call via the UMTS cell without performing the location registration in the UMTS-scheme network” (clearly discloses that a UE identifier is used to place the emergency call with the second network without a local registration process. Without indicating to the UE that the identity cannot be derived from the first cellular network is interpreted as not rejecting MRU with a cause code like “UE identity cannot be derived from the first network” for local registration and instead using the UE identity to connect to the second network to shorten time say in case of emergency call)).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of NASSAR and ScienceDirect with Kanauchi to provide mobility management technique for 5GS when a UE is in Idle mode and moving across different cells and a mobility or periodic registration is triggered. In such a case, a mobility registration update can be performed based on the identity of the UE and a full authentication like in initial attach procedure is not needed. The advantage of doing so is that it saves on a time-consuming, computationally costly, bandwidth extensive, and overall inefficient process for doing an inter-system change or network handover for a UE already registered with a unified data management (UDM) function of the mobile network.
In re claims 2, 14 and 18, the combination discloses the method of claim 1, the system of claim 13 and the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein NASSAR discloses wherein the receiving the MRU request from the UE subscribed to the first mobile network operator includes: an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) of the core network of the first cellular network receiving MRU request from the UE (Fig. 5: 1a, [0095], “As illustrated in Fig. 5, the UE sends, at 1a, e.g., via NG-RAN1, to AMF1 of a first network, a first registration request to register the UE with the first mobile network”. [0060], “When a UE initiates registration procedure to registers the UE with a home mobile network (“home network”) using a home network credential, an access and mobility management function (AMF) of a core network of a home network determines whether to accept or authorize the registration of the UE”).
In re claims 3, 15 and 19, the combination discloses the method of claim 1, the system of claim 13 and the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein NASSAR discloses wherein the core network sending an identity request to the UE to provide an identity of the UE to the core network includes: the core network sending, via a cellular tower of the first cellular network, the identity request to the UE to provide an identity of the UE to the core network ([0095], “As illustrated in Fig. 5, the UE sends, at 1a, e.g., via NG-RAN1, to AMF1 of a first network, a first registration request to register the UE with the first mobile network” (via cell tower). [0064], “Upon receipt of the registration request from the UE, a radio access network (RAN) or access network (AN) can carry out an AMF selection procedure to select an AMF and provide the registration request to the selected AMF”).
In re claims 4, 16 and 20, the combination discloses the method of claim 1, the system of claim 13 and the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein NASSAR discloses wherein the receiving, by the core network of the first cellular network, the identity of the UE in response to the request includes: receiving, via a cellular tower of the first cellular network, the identity of the UE in response to the request ([0095], “As illustrated in FIG. 5, the UE sends, at 1a, e.g., via NG-RAN1, to AMF1 of a first network, a first registration request to register the UE with the first mobile network, the first registration request including a first Registration ID. According to some embodiments, a Registration ID may comprise a unique value or identifier that may be associated with the requested registration during the request procedure, during authentication by, e.g., an AAA server or the like” (receiving identifier via RAN or cell tower)).
In re claim 5, the combination discloses the method of claim 1, wherein NASSAR discloses wherein the receiving, by the core network of the first cellular network, the identity of the UE in response to the request includes: receiving, in response to the request, a Subscription Concealed Identifier (SUCI) of the UE or a Subscription Permanent Identifier (SUPI) of the UE ([0064], “The UE responds to the Identity request message by provides an identity response message to the AMF that includes the SUCI of the UE”. [0067], “A supporting AMF of a serving mobile network (e.g., a NPN or a PLMN) may be configured to check whether a UE context for the subscription permanent identifier (SUPI) included in the registration request sent by the UE exists for a registration identifier”).
In re claim 6, the combination discloses the method of claim 1, wherein NASSAR discloses the method further comprising: before the sending an identity request to the UE to provide the identity of the UE to the core network of the first cellular network, determining the core network of the first cellular network is not able to retrieve UE context of the UE based on a Global Unique Temporary Identifier (GUTI) of the UE provided via the MRU request ([0067], “A supporting AMF of a serving mobile network (e.g., a NPN or a PLMN) may be configured to check whether a UE context for the subscription permanent identifier (SUPI) included in the registration request sent by the UE exists for a registration identifier (“registration ID”) that the UE includes in the registration request when the UE is registering with the serving network”. [0069], “...when the AMF accepts or authorizes the registration request sent by the UE and includes, in the registration accept message, an indication that the serving mobile network supports multiple UE registrations per home credential USIM per access type and confirms that the UE is registered with the mobile network by including a globally unique temporary identifier (GUTI) and the registration ID in the registration accept message. The registration ID may be used in subsequent mobility registration updates after the initial registration”. [0095], “For example, if the AMF has changed since the last Registration procedure, or if the UE provides a SUPI which doesn't refer to a valid context in the AMF...” (core tries to retrieve UE context based on GUTI or SUPI as provided in initial accept message)).
In re claim 7, the combination discloses the method of claim 6, wherein NASSAR discloses wherein the GUTI indicates the GUTI was assigned by a core network of a second cellular network of a second MNO to which the core network the first cellular network does not have connectivity or N26/N14 interface enabled ([0069], “The AMF of the serving mobile network may indicate to the UE that is supports multiple registrations per access type by generating a registration accept message when the AMF accepts or authorizes the registration request sent by the UE and includes, in the registration accept message, an indication that the serving mobile network supports multiple UE registrations per home credential USIM per access type and confirms that the UE is registered with the mobile network by including a globally unique temporary identifier (GUTI) and the registration ID in the registration accept message (assigned by core network). The registration ID may be used in subsequent mobility registration updates after the initial registration” (UE moves from second to first and GUTI was provided in the registration accept message in the initial registration to the second network from where the UE is moving to the first where it has no connectivity and trying to initiate registration)).
In re claim 9, the combination discloses the method of claim 1, wherein NASSAR discloses wherein the core network of the first cellular network sending an identity request to the UE to provide the identity of the UE without rejecting the MRU request enables the UE to register on the first cellular network without the UE having to perform an initial registration procedure to register on the first cellular network ([0069], “The AMF of the serving mobile network may indicate to the UE that is supports multiple registrations per access type by generating a registration accept message when the AMF accepts or authorizes the registration request sent by the UE and includes, in the registration accept message, an indication that the serving mobile network supports multiple UE registrations per home credential USIM per access type and confirms that the UE is registered with the mobile network by including a globally unique temporary identifier (GUTI) and the registration ID in the registration accept message. The registration ID may be used in subsequent mobility registration updates after the initial registration”. [0067], “...If a UE context already exists, the AMF does not need to contact the UDM and the AMF may keep (e.g., store) the UE context associated with the SUPI per registration ID...If the AMF has already registered the UE registration for the registration ID to the UDM, it may not be necessary for the AMF to redo the registering of the UE registration for the registration ID to the UDM”. [0053], “However, the global deregistration of the UE from all 5G core networks and the procedure for requesting a new registration or attachment to the EPS network represents a time-consuming, computationally costly, bandwidth extensive, and overall inefficient process for doing an inter-system change or network handover for a UE already registered with a unified data management (UDM) function of the mobile network” (discloses registering with the first network based on GUTI without having to perform initial registration)).
In re claim 10, the combination discloses the method of claim 1, wherein ScienceDirect discloses wherein the receiving the MRU request is caused by the UE returning to a coverage area of the first cellular network of the first mobile network operator from using a second cellular network of a second mobile network operator (Page 1, section 7.2.2: Registration and Mobility, lines 14-21, “If the broadcasted Tracking Area is not part of the assigned RA the UE starts a procedure- called a registration procedure -toward the network to inform it that it is now in a different location. For example, when a UE that was previously assigned a RA with TAs 1 and 2 moves into a cell that is broadcasting TA 3, the UE will notice that the broadcast information includes a different TA than those it has previously stored as part of the RA. This difference triggers the UE to perform a registration update procedure toward the network”. Page 4, section 15.2.1: Registration, lines 6-11, “Periodic Registration: used by the UE that is in CM-IDLE state to show to the network that the UE is still there. The periodicity is based on a time value received from the AMF. Mobility Registration: used by the UE in case it moves out of the Registration Area, or when the UE needs to update its capabilities or other parameters that are negotiated ln Registration procedure with or without changing to a new TA” (includes scenario of UE returning to a coverage area of the first cellular network from a second)).
In re claim 11, the combination discloses the method of claim 10, wherein NASSAR discloses wherein the second mobile network operator is a roaming partner of first mobile network operator ([0083], “For example, factors/characteristics can include but are not limited to feature capabilities of a mobile network, services requested/provided/received over the access, subscription information for the UE, roaming agreements, congestion history for the mobile network, quality of experience (QoE) statistics, network overload and bottleneck predictions, N26 availability, deployment specifics, capabilities of the 5GS of the mobile network, slices supported by the mobile network, and/or UE capabilities” (UE moving in and out of cellular networks from different operators requiring MRU, could be networks that are roaming partners)).
In re claim 12, the combination discloses the method of claim 11, wherein ScienceDirect discloses wherein the roaming partner does not support MRU of the UE on the first cellular network of the first mobile network operator when the UE returns to a coverage area of the first cellular network from using the second cellular network while the UE is in idle mode (Page 2, section 21.3.1: Idle mode in LTE, lines 1-8, “Idle mode allows the UE to save power for intervals ranging from a few seconds up to several hours and is typically the mode where the UE spends the most of its time. A UE enters the Idle mode after it has experienced a period of inactivity where no data was exchanged, and it is entirely dependent on the network operator. Idle mode also allows the network to conserve air-interface resources once the UE transitions to Idle mode, the eNB releases all the resources associated with the UE” (discloses a scenario where in Idle mode, all resources are released for the associated UE and may not support MRU, for example if the UE remains inactive for too long in a network depending on the operator)).
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/SWATI JAIN/Examiner, Art Unit 2649
/YUWEN PAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2649