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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 17 June 2026 AD was filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Arguments and Amendments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remark’s pages 6-11, filed 12 February 2026 AD, with respect to the rejection of claims 1, 5, 7, and 11-17 under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground of rejection is made in view of Jia et al. (US 20220408162 A1) or Jia for claims 1, 5, 7, 12, 13, 14, and 17.
However, upon further consideration, a new ground of rejection is made in view of Jia et al. (US 20220408162 A1) or Jia in further view of Speicher et al. (US 20210234717 A1) or Speicher for claims 11 and 16.
However, upon further consideration, a new ground of rejection is made in view of Jia et al. (US 20220408162 A1) or Jia in further view of Lundqvist et al (US 20130332974 A1) or Lundqvist for claim 15.
Speicher et al. (US 20210234717 A1) or Speicher
Speicher teaches triggering a multicast session joining procedure of at least multicast service for a wireless terminal. In addition to disclosing triggering a multicast session joining procedure of at least multicast service for a wireless terminal, Speicher teaches triggering a deactivation procedure of a unicast session.
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.
Claims 1, 5, 7, 12, 13, 14, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Jia et al. (US 20220408162 A1) or Jia.
Claim 1
(Currently Amended) A wireless communication method for use in an access and mobility management function, the method comprising:
transmitting, to a network function, information related to a multicast broadcast service of a radio access network node; and
(See Jia paragraph 0037, ...the session management network element receives the multicast capability information of the terminal device and/or the multicast capability information of the access network device from the access and mobility management network element,...)
receiving, from the network function, a subscription of the information related to the multicast broadcast service of the radio access network node,
wherein the information related to the multicast broadcast service of the radio access network node:
indicates a capability of the radio access network node supporting the multicast broadcast service, or
comprises an identifier of the radio access network node, and
wherein the network function is a session management function,
(See Jia paragraph 0040, The session management network element sends a subscription message to the access and mobility management network element, where the subscription message is used by the mobility management network element to send the multicast capability information of the terminal device and/or the multicast capability information of the access network device to the session management network element when a multicast capability of the terminal device changes and/or a multicast capability of the access network device changes.)
wherein the information related to the multicast broadcast service of the radio access network node is transmitted during or after at least one of a packet data unit (PDU) session establishment procedure, a multicast join procedure or a handover procedure,
(See Jia paragraph 0365, the handover request sent by the S-gNB to the S-AMF may further include the multicast capability information of the T-gNB and the information indicating whether the T-gNB has the multicast service associated with the PDU session of the UE.)
Shows the information related to the multicast broadcast service of the T-gNB includes the handover request during a handover procedure between S-gNB and T-gNB
and wherein the transmitted information is for triggering, by the session management function, a delivery method switch from a unicast method to a multicast method for a multicast service of a wireless terminal when the information indicates that the radio access network node supports the multicast broadcast service.
(See Jia paragraph 0372, ...the SMF subscribes to a change notification of the multicast capability information of the T-gNB from the T-AMF; and when the multicast capability information of the T-gNB changes (for example, the T-gNB upgrades from “does not support multicast” to “support multicast”), the T-AMF may send the multicast capability information of the T-gNB to the SMF.)
Shows the SMF receiving multicast capability information of the T-gNB when the T-gNB changes from “not supporting multicast” to “supporting multicast”
(See Jia paragraph 0378, If the T-gNB supports multicast, the SMF may determine whether the T-gNB has the multicast service associated with the PDU session of the UE.)
Shows the SMF determining the T-gNB possessing the multicast service of the UE
(See Jia paragraph 0379, If the T-gNB has the multicast service, the handover procedure in the existing 3GPP TS 23.502 continues to be performed, so that the unicast service flow included in the PDU session of the UE is handed over to the T-gNB. After the handover procedure ends, or at any moment in an ongoing process of the handover procedure, the SMF may request the T-gNB to add the UE to the multicast service.)
Shows the SMF request the T-gNB to add the multicast service
Claim 5
(Currently Amended) A wireless communication method for a session management function, the method comprising:
receiving, from an access and mobility management function, information related to a multicast broadcast service of a radio access network node; and
(See Jia paragraph 0037, ...the session management network element receives the multicast capability information of the terminal device and/or the multicast capability information of the access network device from the access and mobility management network element,...)
subscribing, to the access and mobility management function, the information related to the multicast broadcast service of the radio access network node, wherein the information related to the multicast broadcast service of the radio access network node: indicates a capability of the radio access network node supporting the multicast broadcast service, or comprises an identifier of the radio access network node,
(See Jia paragraph 0040, The session management network element sends a subscription message to the access and mobility management network element, where the subscription message is used by the mobility management network element to send the multicast capability information of the terminal device and/or the multicast capability information of the access network device to the session management network element when a multicast capability of the terminal device changes and/or a multicast capability of the access network device changes.)
wherein the information related to the multicast broadcast service of the radio access network node is transmitted during or after at least one of a packet data unit (PDU) session establishment procedure, a multicast join procedure or a handover procedure,
(See Jia paragraph 0365, the handover request sent by the S-gNB to the S-AMF may further include the multicast capability information of the T-gNB and the information indicating whether the T-gNB has the multicast service associated with the PDU session of the UE.)
Shows the information related to the multicast broadcast service of the T-gNB includes the handover request during a handover procedure between S-gNB and T-gNB
and wherein the transmitted information is for triggering, by the session management function, a delivery method switch from a unicast method to a multicast method for a multicast service of a wireless terminal when the information indicates that the radio access network node supports the multicast broadcast service.
(See Jia paragraph 0372, ...the SMF subscribes to a change notification of the multicast capability information of the T-gNB from the T-AMF; and when the multicast capability information of the T-gNB changes (for example, the T-gNB upgrades from “does not support multicast” to “support multicast”), the T-AMF may send the multicast capability information of the T-gNB to the SMF.)
Shows the SMF receiving multicast capability information of the T-gNB when the T-gNB changes from “not supporting multicast” to “supporting multicast”
(See Jia paragraph 0378, If the T-gNB supports multicast, the SMF may determine whether the T-gNB has the multicast service associated with the PDU session of the UE.)
Shows the SMF determining the T-gNB possessing the multicast service of the UE
(See Jia paragraph 0379, If the T-gNB has the multicast service, the handover procedure in the existing 3GPP TS 23.502 continues to be performed, so that the unicast service flow included in the PDU session of the UE is handed over to the T-gNB. After the handover procedure ends, or at any moment in an ongoing process of the handover procedure, the SMF may request the T-gNB to add the UE to the multicast service.)
Shows the SMF request the T-gNB to add the multicast service
Claim 7
(Previously Presented) The wireless communication method of claim 5, wherein the information is subscribed during or after at least one of a packet data unit (PDU) session establishment procedure or a multicast join procedure.
(See Jia paragraph 0371, S1305. The T-AMF sends a PDU session update request to the SMF. Correspondingly, the SMF receives the PDU session update request.)
Shows the SMF receiving a PDU session update request
Shows if the SMF receiving a PDU session update, then the PDU establishment procedure occurred before the PDU session update
(See Jia paragraph 0372, …the SMF subscribes to a change notification of the multicast capability information of the T-gNB from the T-AMF;)
Shows the SMF subscribing to a change notification of the multicast capability information after the PDU session update request and after the PDU establishment procedure
Claim 12
(Currently Amended) The wireless communication method of claim 5 further comprising: stopping a user plane function from transmitting data of a multicast service to a wireless terminal via a unicast session.
(See Jia paragraph 0225, …the session management network element may perform determining based on the multicast capability information of the terminal device and/or the multicast capability information of the target access network device. In this case, if the session management network element determines that the delivery mode of the multicast service may be the multicast mode, the method further includes: The session management network element sends a sixth message to the user plane network element, where the sixth message indicates to delete the unicast QoS flow in the PDU session;)
Shows the SMF sending a message to the user plane function or UPF to delete the unicast QoS flow for the terminal for transmitting data of a multicast service
Claim 13
(Previously Presented) The wireless communication method of claim 12, wherein the stopping the user plane function from transmitting data of the multicast service to the wireless terminal via the unicast session comprises: transmitting, to a multicast broadcast session management function or the user plane function, a notification of stopping transmitting data of the multicast service to the wireless terminal via the unicast session.
(See Jia paragraph 0225, …the session management network element may perform determining based on the multicast capability information of the terminal device and/or the multicast capability information of the target access network device. In this case, if the session management network element determines that the delivery mode of the multicast service may be the multicast mode, the method further includes: The session management network element sends a sixth message to the user plane network element, where the sixth message indicates to delete the unicast QoS flow in the PDU session;)
Shows the SMF sending a message to the user plane function or UPF to delete the unicast QoS flow for the terminal for transmitting data of a multicast service
Claim 14
(Previously Presented) The wireless communication method of claim 12, wherein the user plane function comprises a multicast broadcast user plane function.
(See Jia paragraph 0117, the MCF may be integrated into the PCF (or the SMF), and the MUF may be integrated into the UPF.)
Shows the MCF integrated in the UPF
(See Jia paragraph 0116, Multicast user plane function (MUF))
Shows MUF means multicast user plane function
Claim 17
(Currently Amended) A communication node comprising an access and mobility management function, comprising: a communication unit, configured to:
(See Jia paragraph 0491, the apparatus 1800 may be the session management network element, the access and mobility management network element, or the access network device in the foregoing embodiments, or may be a chip or a chip system. Correspondingly, the transceiver 1820 may be a transceiver circuit of the chip.)
Shows the apparatus 1800 consists of a access and mobility management network element with a transceiver or communication unit
transmit, to a network function, information related to a multicast broadcast service of a radio access network node, and
(See Jia paragraph 0037, ...the session management network element receives the multicast capability information of the terminal device and/or the multicast capability information of the access network device from the access and mobility management network element,...)
receive, from the network function, a subscription of the information related to the multicast broadcast service of the radio access network node,
wherein: the information related to the multicast broadcast service of the radio access network node: indicates a capability of the radio access network node supporting the multicast broadcast service, or comprises an identifier of the radio access network node, and
the network function is a session management function,
(See Jia paragraph 0040, The session management network element sends a subscription message to the access and mobility management network element, where the subscription message is used by the mobility management network element to send the multicast capability information of the terminal device and/or the multicast capability information of the access network device to the session management network element when a multicast capability of the terminal device changes and/or a multicast capability of the access network device changes.)
wherein the information related to the multicast broadcast service of the radio access network node is transmitted during or after at least one of a packet data unit (PDU), session establishment procedure, a multicast join procedure or a handover procedure, and
(See Jia paragraph 0365, the handover request sent by the S-gNB to the S-AMF may further include the multicast capability information of the T-gNB and the information indicating whether the T-gNB has the multicast service associated with the PDU session of the UE.)
Shows the information related to the multicast broadcast service of the T-gNB includes the handover request during a handover procedure between S-gNB and T-gNB
wherein the transmitted information is for triggering, by the session management function, a delivery method switch from a unicast method to a multicast method for a multicast service of a wireless terminal when the information indicates that the radio access network node supports the multicast broadcast service.
(See Jia paragraph 0372, ...the SMF subscribes to a change notification of the multicast capability information of the T-gNB from the T-AMF; and when the multicast capability information of the T-gNB changes (for example, the T-gNB upgrades from “does not support multicast” to “support multicast”), the T-AMF may send the multicast capability information of the T-gNB to the SMF.)
Shows the SMF receiving multicast capability information of the T-gNB when the T-gNB changes from “not supporting multicast” to “supporting multicast”
(See Jia paragraph 0378, If the T-gNB supports multicast, the SMF may determine whether the T-gNB has the multicast service associated with the PDU session of the UE.)
Shows the SMF determining the T-gNB possessing the multicast service of the UE
(See Jia paragraph 0379, If the T-gNB has the multicast service, the handover procedure in the existing 3GPP TS 23.502 continues to be performed, so that the unicast service flow included in the PDU session of the UE is handed over to the T-gNB. After the handover procedure ends, or at any moment in an ongoing process of the handover procedure, the SMF may request the T-gNB to add the UE to the multicast service.)
Shows the SMF request the T-gNB to add the multicast service
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.
Claims 11 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jia et al. (US 20220408162 A1) or Jia in view of Speicher et al. (US 20210234717 A1) or Speicher.
Claim 11
Jia fails to explicitly teach limitations of claim 11. However, Speicher, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
(Currently Amended) The wireless communication method of claim 5, further comprising: triggering a multicast session joining procedure of the at least one multicast service for the wireless terminal.
(See Speicher paragraph 0121, …an SMF 320 may identify that a UE 115 is to join a multicast source for receiving multicast traffic. For example, SMF 320-a may identify that UE 115-d or UE 115-f, respectively for network architectures 300 and 301, and SMF 320-b may identify that UE 115-e or UE 115-g, respectively for network architectures 300 and 301, are to join multicast source 335. The SMF 320 may receive multicast source information from the respective UEs 115 or may locally derive the multicast information. Accordingly, the SMF 320 may select MC-UPF 325 to provide the multicast data to the corresponding UEs 115.)
Shows a SMF receiving multicast source information from the UEs and triggering a multicast join procedure for the UEs to receive multicast traffic through a multicast channel
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling data of the claimed invention to combine an access and mobility function or AMF transmitting to a session management function or SMF information related to a multicast broadcast service or MBS of a radio access network node or RAN node and receiving a subscription of the information related to the MBS from the SMF. The information related to the MBS of the RAN node indicates a capability of the RAN node to support the MBS service, is transmitted after a packet data unit or PDU session establishment procedure, and triggers, by the SMF, a delivery method switch from unicast to multicast for a multicast service of a wireless terminal when the information indicates the RAN node supports the MBS as disclosed by Jia with the triggering a multicast session joining procedure of the at least one multicast service for the wireless terminal as disclosed by Speicher to increase the efficiency of the system (i.e. to reduce the amount of energy required by the RAN node to transmit the multicast service).
Claim 16
Jia fails to explicitly teach limitations of claim 16. However, Speicher, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
(Currently Amended) The wireless communication method of claim 5 further comprising: triggering a deactivation procedure of a unicast session.
(See Speicher paragraph 0156, SMF 815 may indicate to UPF 820 to block Ethernet broadcast frames for unicast data transmissions intended for UE 115-m.)
Shows the SMF triggering a deactivation procedure for the unicast session
The motivation to combine Jia and Speicher in the dependent claim consists of the same motivation as stated in claim 11.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jia et al. (US 20220408162 A1) or Jia in view of Lundqvist et al (US 20130332974 A1) or Lundqvist.
Claim 15
Jia teaches,
(Currently Amended) The wireless communication method of claim 5 further comprising: transmitting, to a network exposure function or a multicast broadcast service function,
(See Jia paragraph 0306, The SMF sends a notification message to the MCF,)
Shows SMF sending a notification message to the multicast control plane function or MCF
However, Jia fails to explicitly teach,
…a notification indicating a delivery method switch from a unicast method to a multicast method for a multicast service of a wireless terminal.
Nevertheless, Lundqvist, in the same field of endeavor, teaches,
…a notification indicating a delivery method switch from a unicast method to a multicast method for a multicast service of a wireless terminal.
(See Lundqvist paragraph 0042, The STB starts to fill its buffer from the unicast stream. In conjunction to this event the STB also receives a separate message indicating when the unicast stream will end and when the STB should start to join the FCC multicast channel.)
(6.1) and to terminate the transmission of GC service data over unicast delivery.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling data of the claimed invention to combine an access and mobility function or AMF transmitting to a session management function or SMF information related to a multicast broadcast service or MBS of a radio access network node or RAN node and receiving a subscription of the information related to the MBS from the SMF. The information related to the MBS of the RAN node indicates a capability of the RAN node to support the MBS service, is transmitted after a packet data unit or PDU session establishment procedure, and triggers, by the SMF, a delivery method switch from unicast to multicast for a multicast service of a wireless terminal when the information indicates the RAN node supports the MBS as disclosed by Jia with a notification indicating a delivery method switch from a unicast method to a multicast method for a multicast service of a wireless terminal as disclosed by Lundqvist to increase the efficiency of the system (i.e. to increase the probability of a terminal utilizing a multicast method to receive multicast service data between handovers of base stations).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Baek et al. (US 20220279319 A1) or Baek teaches transmitting multicast and broadcast service data in a flexible manner through unicast and multicast transmissions.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new grounds 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 SAMUEL ROBERGE BETTENDORF whose telephone number is (571)272-4352. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri, 8:30a.m.-5:00p.m..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Edan Orgad can be reached at 571-272-7884. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SAMUEL ROBERGE BETTENDORF/Examiner, Art Unit 2414
/EDAN ORGAD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2414
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