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 .
REMARKS
I. On pages 7-8 of the remark Applicant argued prior art fails to disclose validity information as recited in the independent claims.
In response:
The examiner respectfully disagrees. In the claim Applicant does not further clarify the validity information. Examiner notes here that he must give each limitation of its broadest reasonable interpretation.
Prior art Chen at [0031] discloses “When a PLMN ID of an entry in the CAG subscription data matches a PLMN ID broadcast by the cell, and a CAG ID in the CAG ID list in the entry matches the CAG ID broadcast by the cell, the PLMN is selected and the terminal resides on the cell”. Here determining if PLMN ID of an entry in the CAG subscription data matches a PLMN ID broadcast by the cell and determining if a CAG ID in the CAG ID list in the entry matches the CAG ID broadcast by the cell corresponding to validity criteria. Here PLMN ID broadcast by the cell and CAG ID broadcast by the cell corresponding to validity information since this information is used to determine a valid cell or PLMN.
On pages 8-9 of the remark Applicant argued prior art fails to disclose validity information corresponding to time and/or location validity as recited in the independent claims.
In response:
The examiner respectfully disagrees. First, examiner notes that Appellant narrowly reads the claimed limitation(s) “validity information” as claimed to be time and/or location validity as argued on page 8. Appellant argues, but does not claim that validity information is time and/or location validity.
Examiner notes here that he must give each limitation of its broadest reasonable interpretation. Prior art Chen at [0031] discloses “When a PLMN ID of an entry in the CAG subscription data matches a PLMN ID broadcast by the cell, and a CAG ID in the CAG ID list in the entry matches the CAG ID broadcast by the cell, the PLMN is selected and the terminal resides on the cell”. Here PLMN ID broadcast by the cell and CAG ID broadcast by the cell corresponding to validity information since this information is used to determine a valid cell or PLMN
On pages 9-10 of the remark Applicant argued prior art fails to disclose validity information includes location validity information.
In response:
The examiner respectfully disagrees. Applicant’s own specification at [0073] in the pre-grant publication discloses location information which can be in the form of cell.
Prior art Chen at [0010]-[0011]; discloses CAG selection policy is used for the AS function to select a CAG cell. Abstract discloses mobile user equipment receives a broadcast message of a CAG cell and the mobile user equipment is allowed to access the CAG cell of the PLMN, selecting, by the NAS function, a mobile network corresponding to a PLMN identifier indicated in the broadcast message of the CAG cell. [0031] discloses to determining if the CAG ID list in the entry matches the CAG ID broadcast by the cell. Here broadcasted CAG ID corresponding to validity information and since CAG-ID is in the form of cell means validity information includes cell validity (=location validity information).
For the above reasons, examiner maintains the rejection
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.
2. Claims 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Pre-Grant Publication US 2023/0397099 to Chen et al. (hereinafter Chen)
As to claim 1 Chen discloses a method, comprising:
maintaining a closed access group (CAG) related configuration by a user equipment (UE), wherein the CAG related configuration comprises an allowed CAG list for a PLMN, and wherein a CAG-ID from the allowed CAG list is associated with validity information (Chen; [0031] discloses a UE store or maintain CAG list that includes the CAG-ID, and stored CAG-ID is used to validate a cell based on the PLMN ID broadcasted by the cell);
selecting a CAG cell for a PLMN which broadcasts the CAG-ID for the PLMN (Chen; [0031] discloses the UE stores or maintain CAG list that includes the CAG-ID, and stored CAG-ID is used to select a cell based on the PLMN ID broadcasted by the cell. [0031] also discloses CAG ID broadcast by the cell); and
determining whether the CAG cell is a suitable cell based on whether validity criteria associated with the CAG-ID are met based on the validity information (Chen; [0031] discloses When a PLMN ID of an entry in the CAG subscription data matches a PLMN ID broadcast by the cell, and a CAG ID in the CAG ID list in the entry matches the CAG ID broadcast by the cell, the PLMN is selected and the terminal resides on the cell. [0031] also discloses NAS function sends a list of CAG IDs to the AS function, and a specific CAG cell under this PLMN is selected by the AS function according to the list of CAG IDs and wireless decision rules (e.g. a signal strength))
As to claims 2, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Chen discloses wherein the CAG cell is considered as a suitable cell when validity criteria associated with the CAG-ID are met (Chen; [0031])
As to claims 3, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Chen discloses wherein the CAG cell is considered as not a suitable cell when validity or restriction criteria associated with the CAG-ID are not met (Chen; [0031])
As to claims 4, the rejection of claim 3 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Chen discloses wherein the allowed CAG list for a PLMN only contains the CAG-ID or the CAG cell only broadcasts the CAG-ID for the PLMN (Chen; [0031]).
As to claims 5 and 14, Chen discloses a method, comprising:
maintaining a first closed access group (CAG) related configuration by a non-access-stratum (NAS) layer of a user equipment (UE), wherein the first CAG related configuration comprises an allowed CAG list, and wherein a CAG-ID from the allowed CAG list is associated with validity information (Chen; [0007]; [0031] discloses when a mobile user equipment supporting a Closed Access Group (CAG) function automatically selects a mobile network, determining, by a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) function of the mobile user equipment according to information in a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) of the mobile user equipment, whether to allow the mobile user equipment to access a CAG cell of a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) and also discloses of maintain a CAG-ID list that is used to select network and cell);
determining based on the validity information, by the NAS layer, whether validity criteria associated with the CAG-ID are met, wherein the CAG-ID is excluded from a second CAG related configuration when the validity criteria are not met (Chen; [0011]-[0012]; [0031] discloses the NAS function selects a PLMN according to network selection rules (including the CAG subscription data), and if a terminal has multiple allowed CAG IDs under the PLMN, then the NAS function sends a list of CAG IDs to the AS function, and a specific CAG cell under this PLMN is selected by the AS function according to the list of CAG IDs and wireless decision rules (e.g. a signal strength). [0031] also discloses when a PLMN ID of an entry in the CAG subscription data matches a PLMN ID broadcast by the cell, and a CAG ID in the CAG ID list in the entry matches the CAG ID broadcast by the cell, the PLMN is selected and the terminal resides on the cell means when a CAG ID in the CAG ID list in the entry does not match the CAG ID broadcast by the cell, it would exclude the CAG ID broadcast by the cell) ; and
providing the second CAG related configuration from the NAS layer to an AS layer of the UE for performing cell selection or cell reselection (Chen; [0011]-[0012]; [0031] discloses the NAS function selects a PLMN according to network selection rules (including the CAG subscription data), and if a terminal has multiple allowed CAG IDs under the PLMN, then the NAS function sends a list of CAG IDs to the AS function, and a specific CAG cell under this PLMN is selected by the AS function according to the list of CAG IDs and wireless decision rules (e.g. a signal strength)).
As to claims 6 and 15, the rejection of claim 5 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Chen discloses wherein all CAG-IDs associated with the validity information are excluded from the second CAG related configuration regardless of whether the validity criteria are met or not met (Chen; [0011]-[0012]; [0031]).
As to claim 7, the rejection of claim 5 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Chen discloses the NAS layer provides the CAG- ID to the AS layer when the validity criteria are met (Chen; [0011]-[0012]; [0031])
As to claim 8, the rejection of claim 5 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Chen discloses wherein the NAS layer provides an updated CAG related configuration to the AS layer when a content of the CAG related configuration has changed (Chen; [0011]-[0012]; [0031])
As to claim 9, the rejection of claim 9 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Chen discloses wherein the NAS layer provides an updated CAG related configuration to the AS layer when the validity criteria have changed (Chen; [0011]-[0012]; [0031])
As to claims 10 and 20, the rejection of claim 5 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Chen discloses wherein the validity information includes at least one of time validity information and location validity information (Chen; [0011]-[0012]; [0031] discloses of determining if a particular cell is valid corresponding to location validity information since a cell covers a particular area or location. Here Chen is applied for the 2nd alternative)
As to claim 11, Chen discloses a method, comprising:
maintaining a closed access group (CAG) related configuration by a non-access-stratum (NAS) layer of a user equipment (UE), wherein the CAG related configuration comprises an allowed CAG list, and wherein a CAG-ID from the allowed CAG list is associated with validity information Chen; [0007]; [0031] discloses when a mobile user equipment supporting a Closed Access Group (CAG) function automatically selects a mobile network, determining, by a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) function of the mobile user equipment according to information in a Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) of the mobile user equipment, whether to allow the mobile user equipment to access a CAG cell of a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) and also discloses of maintain a CAG-ID list that is used to select network and cell);
providing the CAG related configuration from the NAS layer to an AS layer of the UE for performing cell selection or cell reselection (Chen; [0011]-[0012]; [0031] discloses the NAS function selects a PLMN according to network selection rules (including the CAG subscription data), and if a terminal has multiple allowed CAG IDs under the PLMN, then the NAS function sends a list of CAG IDs to the AS function, and a specific CAG cell under this PLMN is selected by the AS function according to the list of CAG IDs and wireless decision rules (e.g. a signal strength). [0031] also discloses when a PLMN ID of an entry in the CAG subscription data matches a PLMN ID broadcast by the cell, and a CAG ID in the CAG ID list in the entry matches the CAG ID broadcast by the cell, the PLMN is selected and the terminal resides on the cell means when a CAG ID in the CAG ID list in the entry does not match the CAG ID broadcast by the cell, it would exclude the CAG ID broadcast by the cell); and
determining based on the validity or restriction information, by the AS layer, whether validity criteria associated with the CAG-ID are met, wherein a CAG cell broadcasting the CAG-ID is determined to be a non-suitable cell for cell selection or reselection when the validity criteria are not met (Chen; [0011]-[0012]; [0031] discloses the NAS function selects a PLMN according to network selection rules (including the CAG subscription data), and if a terminal has multiple allowed CAG IDs under the PLMN, then the NAS function sends a list of CAG IDs to the AS function, and a specific CAG cell under this PLMN is selected by the AS function according to the list of CAG IDs and wireless decision rules (e.g. a signal strength)).
As to claim 12, the rejection of claim 18 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Chen discloses wherein the validity or restriction information includes at least one of time validity information and location validity information (Chen; [0011]-[0012]; [0031] discloses of determining if a particular cell is valid corresponding to location validity information since a cell covers a particular area or location. Here Chen is applied for the 2nd alternative)
As to claim 13, the rejection of claim 11 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Chen discloses wherein the NAS layer provides the associated validity information to the AS layer of the UE (Chen; [0011]-[0012]; [0031])
As to claim 16, the rejection of claim 14 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Chen discloses wherein the CAG-ID is not excluded from the second CAG related configuration when the validity criteria are met based on the validity information (Chen; [0011]-[0012]; [0031])
As to claim 17, the rejection of claim 14 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Chen discloses wherein the NAS layer of the UE determines the second CAG related configuration and then provides the second CAG related configuration to the AS layer of the UE (Chen; [0011]-[0012]; [0031]).
As to claim 18, the rejection of claim 14 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Chen discloses wherein the AS layer of the UE receives the first CAG related configuration from the NAS layer of the UE and then determines whether a CAG cell having the CAG-ID is a suitable cell and whether to exclude the CAG-ID from the second CAG related configuration (Chen; [0011]-[0012]; [0031]).
As to claim 19, the rejection of claim 18 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Chen discloses wherein the AS layer further receives the associated validity information from the NAS layer (Chen; [0011]-[0012]; [0031])
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
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/FAISAL CHOUDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478