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has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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
11/26/2025 has been entered.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/04/2025 and 01/12/2026 have been placed in the record and considered by the examiner.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-2,6-11,14-15,21-22 and 24-27 have been considered but are moot in view of new grounds of rejection.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-2,6-7,9-11,14-15,21-22 and 24-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HONG (US 2021/0258918 A1), in view of Liao (US 2021/0075631 A1), and further in view of LEI (US 2023/0050709 A1).
Regarding claim 1, HONG teaches a method of wireless communication performed by a first communication node ([0009] a method by a target base station), comprising:
receiving, from a second communication node ([0009] a source base station), a first message that includes multicast broadcast service (MBS) information related to one or more multicast broadcast service (MBS) sessions ([0009] receiving a handover request message including at least one of MBS session context information associated with an MBS session from a source base station);
sending, to the second communication node, a second message that includes information for the one or more MBS sessions ([0009] transmitting, to the source base station, the radio bearer configuration information, [0158] using PDU session context information associated with the MBS session for MBS session data).
However, HONG does not teach sending a Next-Generation (NG) application protocol message to a core network that includes assistance information related to a user equipment (UE), wherein: the assistance information includes a tunnel mode, the tunnel mode is a shared tunnel mode or an individual tunnel mode, and
the tunnel mode is supported for the UE at the second communication node or is preferred at the first communication node to apply for the UE; receiving, from the core network, an indication of a current tunnel mode used for the UE, wherein the current tunnel mode is the shared tunnel mode or the individual tunnel mode.
In an analogous art, Liao teaches sending a Next-Generation (NG) application protocol message to a core network that includes assistance information related to a user equipment (UE) ([0125] an NG control plane (NG-C) interface, which is a signaling interface between the nodes of the NG-RAN 514 and an AMF 621 (e.g., N2 interface), [0143] initiating AN specific SM information, sent via AMF 621 over N2 to RAN 610, [0179] The positioning circuitry 945 provides position data and/or time data to the application circuitry 905, which uses the data to synchronize operations with various infrastructure (e.g., AN 508, etc.)), wherein:
the assistance information includes a tunnel mode ([0125] discloses NG-C/N2 signaling, [0142] for IPSec and N3 tunneling modes, thereby establishing that the assistance information includes a tunnel mode),
wherein the tunnel mode is a shared tunnel mode or an individual tunnel mode ([0128] A logical instantiation of the CN 520 may be referred to as a network slice, and a logical instantiation of a portion as a network sub-slice, [0143] The SMF 624 is responsible for tunnel management between UPF 602 and RAN 610) and determining SSC mode of a session);
receiving, from the core network (FIG. 6 AMF 621), an indication of a current tunnel mode used for the UE ([0142] The AMF 621 encapsulate/de-encapsulate packets for IPSec and N3 tunneling, marks N3 user-plane packets in the uplink, and enforces QoS corresponding to N3 packet marking taking into account QoS requirements associated with such marking received over N2, [0143] The SMF 624 is responsible for initiating AN specific SM information, sent via AMF 621 over N2 to (R)AN 610, [0141] AMF 621 is a termination point of a RAN-CP interface, and performs NAS ciphering and integrity protection), wherein the current tunnel mode is the shared tunnel mode or the individual tunnel mode ([0128] A logical instantiation of the CN 520 may be referred to as a network slice, and a logical instantiation of a portion as a network sub-slice, [0143] The SMF 624 is responsible for tunnel management between UPF 602 and RAN 610) and determining SSC mode of a session).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the 5GS architecture as taught by Liao within the parameter of HONG. One would have been motivated to do so in order to enhance the existing 5GS network functions (NFs), NG-RAN, and UE to support an efficient Multicast transport (Liao [0028]).
However, the combination of HONG and Liao does not teach wherein the tunnel mode is supported for the UE at the second communication node or is preferred at the first communication node to apply for the UE.
In an analogous art, LEI teaches the tunnel mode is supported for the UE at the second communication node (FIG. 8 source base station) ([0078] the source base station can determine a switching policy according to the tunnel transmission mode (a shared tunnel transmission mode or a dedicated tunnel transmission mode) supported in the N3 interface).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the N3 interface as taught by LEI within the parameter of the combination of HONG and Liao. One would have been motivated to do so in order to provide a switching solution for the MBS with improved 5G network efficiency (LEI [0027]).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of HONG, Liao and LEI, specifically HONG teaches wherein the first message includes, for an MBS session of the one or more MBS sessions ([0055] the MBS sessions based on the QoS conditions), at least one of MBS quality of service (QoS) flows information ([0201] the QoS flow of each MBS session through the handover request message).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of HONG, Liao and LEI, specifically HONG teaches wherein the information includes admitted MBS QoS flows information ([0195] accepted MBS session resource information (MBS Session Resource Admitted List) which includes accepted QoS flow information).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of HONG, Liao and LEI, specifically HONG teaches wherein the second message further includes a container to be sent to the UE, the container including MBS bearer configuration information ([0216] Radio bearer configuration information for the MBS session where the target base station performs transmission is indicated to the UE, also for the corresponding MBS session in an RRC dedicated message (e.g., RRC Reconfiguration message)).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of HONG, Liao and LEI, specifically HONG teaches wherein the corresponding tunnel information is associated with a tunnel used for a downlink MBS traffic initial transmission or a downlink MBS traffic retransmission ([0197] initiation of the procedure of access to the target base station (Msg1/MsgA transmission), any first/initial transmission to the target base station, [0203] a message for instructing/requesting to modify/release the DL tunnel between the base station and the UPF associated with the MBS session).
Regarding claim 10, HONG teaches a method of wireless communication performed by a first communication node ([0008] a method through a source base station), comprising:
sending, to a second communication node ([0008] a target base station), a first message that includes multicast broadcast service (MBS) information related to one or more multicast broadcast service (MBS) sessions for a user equipment (UE) ([0009] sending a handover request message including at least one of MBS session context information for the UE associated with an MBS session from a source base station), wherein:
receiving, from the second communication node, a second message that includes information for the one or more MBS sessions ([0009] receiving, from the source base station, the radio bearer configuration information, [0158] using PDU session context information associated with the MBS session for MBS session data).
However, HONG does not teach a Next-Generation (NG) application protocol message is sent to a core network that includes assistance information related to a user equipment (UE), the assistance information includes a tunnel mode, the tunnel mode is a shared tunnel mode or an individual tunnel mode, and the tunnel mode is supported for the UE at the second communication node or is preferred at the first communication node to apply for the UE.
In an analogous art, Liao teaches a Next-Generation (NG) application protocol message is sent to a core network that includes assistance information related to a user equipment (UE) ([0125] an NG control plane (NG-C) interface, which is a signaling interface between the nodes of the NG-RAN 514 and an AMF 621 (e.g., N2 interface), [0143] initiating AN specific SM information, sent via AMF 621 over N2 to RAN 610, [0179] The positioning circuitry 945 provides position data and/or time data to the application circuitry 905, which uses the data to synchronize operations with various infrastructure (e.g., AN 508, etc.)),
the assistance information includes a tunnel mode ([0125] discloses NG-C/N2 signaling, [0142] for IPSec and N3 tunneling modes, thereby establishing that the assistance information includes a tunnel mode),
the tunnel mode is a shared tunnel mode or an individual tunnel mode ([0128] A logical instantiation of the CN 520 may be referred to as a network slice, and a logical instantiation of a portion as a network sub-slice, [0143] The SMF 624 is responsible for tunnel management between UPF 602 and RAN 610) and determining SSC mode of a session).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the 5GS architecture as taught by Liao within the parameter of HONG. One would have been motivated to do so in order to enhance the existing 5GS network functions (NFs), NG-RAN, and UE to support an efficient Multicast transport (Liao [0028]).
However, the combination of HONG and Liao does not teach the tunnel mode is supported for the UE at the second communication node or is preferred at the first communication node to apply for the UE.
In an analogous art, LEI teaches the tunnel mode is supported for the UE at the second communication node (FIG. 8 source base station) ([0078] the source base station can determine a switching policy according to the tunnel transmission mode (a shared tunnel transmission mode or a dedicated tunnel transmission mode) supported in the N3 interface).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the N3 interface as taught by LEI within the parameter of the combination of HONG and Liao. One would have been motivated to do so in order to provide a switching solution for the MBS with improved 5G network efficiency (LEI [0027]).
Regarding claim 11, HONG teaches wherein: the first message includes, for an MBS session of the one or more MBS session ([0055] the MBS sessions based on the QoS conditions), at least one of MBS quality of service (QoS) flows information ([0201] the QoS flow of each MBS session through the handover request message); and the method further comprises: sending the first message to candidate communication nodes ([0009] sending a handover request message from a source base station, [0050] In FIG. 1, the gNBs or the gNB and the ng-eNB are connected to each other through Xn interfaces)
However, HONG does not teach selecting one of the candidate communication nodes as the second communication node.
In an analogous art, the combination of Liao and LEI, specifically Liao teaches selecting one of the candidate communication nodes as the second communication node ([0121] In Dual Connectivity (DC) scenarios, a first AN 508 may be a master node that provides a Master Cell Group (MCG) and a second AN 508 may be secondary node that provides an Secondary Cell Group (SCG). The first and second ANs 508 may be any combination of eNB, gNB, ng-eNB, etc).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the 5GS architecture as taught by Liao within the parameter of HONG. One would have been motivated to do so in order to enhance the existing 5GS network functions (NFs), NG-RAN, and UE to support an efficient Multicast transport (Liao [0028]).
Regarding claim 14, the combination of HONG, Liao and LEI, specifically HONG teaches wherein the information includes admitted MBS QoS flows information ([0195] accepted MBS session resource information (MBS Session Resource Admitted List) which includes accepted QoS flow information).
Regarding claim 15, the combination of HONG, Liao and LEI, specifically HONG teaches wherein the second message further includes a container to be sent to the UE, the container including MBS bearer configuration information ([0216] Radio bearer configuration information for the MBS session where the target base station performs transmission is indicated to the UE, also for the corresponding MBS session in an RRC dedicated message (e.g., RRC Reconfiguration message)).
Regarding claim 21, HONG teaches a first communication node ([0009] a target base station) comprising a memory for storing computer instructions ([0328] Software code may be stored in a memory unit) and a processor in communication with the memory ([0328] The memory unit may be provided inside or outside the processor), wherein, when the processor executes the computer instructions, the processor is configured to cause the first communication node to ([0329] computer-related entity hardware a combination of hardware and software, software, or running software. The above-described components may be a processor provided in a process and/or an execution thread):
receive, from a second communication node ([0009] a source base station), a first message that includes multicast broadcast service (MBS) information related to one or more multicast broadcast service (MBS) sessions ([0009] receiving a handover request message including at least one of MBS session context information associated with an MBS session from a source base station);
send, to the second communication node, a second message that includes information for the one or more MBS sessions ([0009] transmitting, to the source base station, the radio bearer configuration information, [0158] using PDU session context information associated with the MBS session for MBS session data).
However, HONG does not teach send a Next-Generation (NG) application protocol message to a core network that includes assistance information related to a user equipment (UE), wherein: the assistance information includes a tunnel mode, the tunnel mode is a shared tunnel mode or an individual tunnel mode, and
the tunnel mode is supported for the UE at the second communication node or is preferred at the first communication node to apply for the UE: receive, from the core network, an indication of a current tunnel mode used for the UE, wherein the current tunnel mode is the shared tunnel mode or the individual tunnel mode.
In an analogous art, Liao teaches send a Next-Generation (NG) application protocol message to a core network that includes assistance information related to a user equipment (UE) ([0125] an NG control plane (NG-C) interface, which is a signaling interface between the nodes of the NG-RAN 514 and an AMF 621 (e.g., N2 interface), [0143] initiating AN specific SM information, sent via AMF 621 over N2 to RAN 610, [0179] The positioning circuitry 945 provides position data and/or time data to the application circuitry 905, which uses the data to synchronize operations with various infrastructure (e.g., AN 508, etc.)), wherein:
the assistance information includes a tunnel mode ([0125] an NG control plane (NG-C) interface, which is a signaling interface between the nodes of the NG-RAN 514 and an AMF 621 (e.g., N2 interface), [0142] N3IWF is a termination point for the N2 interface and is a termination point for the N3 reference point, encapsulate/de-encapsulate packets for IPSec and N3 tunneling, provides mechanisms for IPsec tunnel establishment with the UE 601),
wherein the tunnel mode is a shared tunnel mode or an individual tunnel mode ([0128] A logical instantiation of the CN 520 may be referred to as a network slice, and a logical instantiation of a portion as a network sub-slice, [0143] The SMF 624 is responsible for tunnel management between UPF 602 and RAN 610) and determining SSC mode of a session);
receive, from the core network (FIG. 6 AMF 621), an indication of a current tunnel mode used for the user device ([0142] The AMF 621 encapsulate/de-encapsulate packets for IPSec and N3 tunneling, marks N3 user-plane packets in the uplink, and enforces QoS corresponding to N3 packet marking taking into account QoS requirements associated with such marking received over N2, [0143] The SMF 624 is responsible for initiating AN specific SM information, sent via AMF 621 over N2 to (R)AN 610, [0141] AMF 621 is a termination point of a RAN-CP interface, and performs NAS ciphering and integrity protection), wherein the current tunnel mode is the shared tunnel mode or the individual tunnel mode ([0128] A logical instantiation of the CN 520 may be referred to as a network slice, and a logical instantiation of a portion as a network sub-slice, [0143] The SMF 624 is responsible for tunnel management between UPF 602 and RAN 610) and determining SSC mode of a session).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the 5GS architecture as taught by Liao within the parameter of HONG. One would have been motivated to do so in order to enhance the existing 5GS network functions (NFs), NG-RAN, and UE to support an efficient Multicast transport (Liao [0028]).
However, the combination of HONG and Liao does not teach the tunnel mode is supported for the UE at the second communication node or is preferred at the first communication node to apply for the UE.
In an analogous art, LEI teaches the tunnel mode is supported for the UE at the second communication node (FIG. 8 source base station) ([0078] the source base station can determine a switching policy according to the tunnel transmission mode (a shared tunnel transmission mode or a dedicated tunnel transmission mode) supported in the N3 interface).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the N3 interface as taught by LEI within the parameter of the combination of HONG and Liao. One would have been motivated to do so in order to provide a switching solution for the MBS with improved 5G network efficiency (LEI [0027]).
Regarding claim 22, the combination of HONG, Liao and LEI, specifically HONG teaches wherein the first message includes, for an MBS session of the one or more MBS session ([0055] the MBS sessions based on the QoS conditions), at least one of MBS quality of service (QoS) flows information ([0201] the QoS flow of each MBS session through the handover request message).
Regarding claim 24, the combination of HONG, Liao and LEI, specifically HONG teaches wherein the second message further includes a container to be sent to the UE, the container including MBS bearer configuration information ([0216] Radio bearer configuration information for the MBS session where the target base station performs transmission is indicated to the UE, also for the corresponding MBS session in an RRC dedicated message (e.g., RRC Reconfiguration message)).
Regarding claim 25, the combination of HONG, Liao and LEI, specifically HONG teaches a communication apparatus comprising a memory for storing computer instructions and a processor in communication with the memory, wherein, when the processor executes the computer instructions, the processor is configured to cause the communication apparatus to implement a method recited in claim 10 ([0328] the method according to the present embodiments may be implemented in the form of an apparatus which may be driven by the processor. Software code may be stored in a memory unit, and may be driven by the processor. The memory unit may be provided inside or outside the processor).
Regarding claim 26, the combination of HONG, Liao and LEI, specifically HONG teaches a non-transitory computer readable medium having code stored thereon, the code, when executed, causing a processor to implement a method recited in in claim 1 ([0329] computer-related entity hardware a combination of hardware and software, software, or running software. The above-described components may be a processor provided in a process and/or an execution thread).
Regarding claim 27, the combination of HONG, Liao and LEI, specifically HONG teaches a non-transitory computer readable medium having code stored thereon, the code, when executed, causing a processor to implement a method recited in in claim 10 ([0329] computer-related entity hardware a combination of hardware and software, software, or running software. The above-described components may be a processor provided in a process and/or an execution thread).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HONG, in view of Liao, in view of LEI, and further in view of KIM et al. (US 2023/0083985 A1; hereinafter “KIM”).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of HONG, Liao and LEI does not teach wherein for the first communication node and the second communication node consisting of a centralized unit (CU) including a CU user plane (CU-UP) and a CU control plane (CU-CP) and a distribution unit (DU), the CU-CP is configured to send an RLC mode associated with a corresponding tunnel information to the CU-UP and/or the DU.
In an analogous art, KIM teaches wherein for the first communication node and the second communication node consisting of a centralized unit (CU) including a CU user plane (CU-UP) and a CU control plane (CU-CP) and a distribution unit (DU) ([0410] In FIG. 16A, the CU-CP in the last serving NG-RAN may send to the new NG-RAN, [0415] the CU-CP of new NG-RAN establishes a F1-U tunnel between the DU and CU-UP of new NG-RAN), the CU-CP is configured to send an RLC mode associated with a corresponding tunnel information to the CU-UP and/or the DU ([0410] the CU-CP in the last serving NG-RAN sends to the new NG-RAN the RETRIEVE UE CONTEXT RESPONSE message. This information includes the CellGroupConfig, RLC bearer configuration stored in the UE context and the UL UP TNL information allocated by CU-UP of the last serving NG-RAN in step S1606, [0415] the CU-CP of new NG-RAN initiates the Bearer Context Setup procedure towards the CU-UP of new NG-RAN to establish a F1-U tunnel between the DU and CU-UP of new NG-RAN).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify a RAN node as taught by KIM within the parameter of the combination of HONG, Liao and LEI. One would have been motivated to do so in order to provide an efficient solution for fast small data transmission that the UE could save resource and power (KIM [0514]).
Conclusion
The following prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 2014/0329467 A1 (Ewing et al.) discloses methods for wireless communication between a PDU and one or more devices within a limited communications range.
US 2016/0352700 A1 (Castinado et al.) discloses electronic data transfer methods and systems for multiple recipient destination processing.
US 2018/0359811 A1 (Verzun et al.) discloses methods to facilitate HyperSecure communication between a device and a gateway to a network or cloud.
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/T.I./ Examiner, Art Unit 2413
/UN C CHO/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2413