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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on December 30, 2025 has been entered. Claims 1-16 are currently pending and an Office action on the merits follows.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-16 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) 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.
Claim(s) 1-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over 3GPP TS 23.122 V17.6.0 (2022-03) (herein “TS 23.122”), and further in view of Pub No.: US-20250016665-A1 (herein “Chun”).
Claims 1 and 9
Consider claim 1, TS 23.122 teaches a method, comprising:
maintaining one or more subscriptions by a user equipment (UE) for accessing standalone non-public networks (SNPNs) for localized services (see TS 23.122 section 4.9.3.1.2 note SNPNs identified by an SNPN identity in an entry of the "list of subscriber data" in the ME);
determining that the one or more subscriptions are associated with corresponding one or more UE configurations for SNPN selection (see TS 23.122 section 4.9.3.1.2 note the order in which those SNPNs are indicated is MS implementation specific);
receiving an SNPN selection for registration from a user (see TS 23.122 section 4.9.3.1.2 note the user may select an SNPN and the MS then initiates registration on this SNPN); and
registering to the selected SNPN using a selected subscription from the one or more subscriptions (see TS 23.122 section 4.9.3.1.2 the MS then initiates registration on this SNPN), wherein the selected SNPN is associated with validity information that corresponds to the selected subscription, and corresponding validity criteria are met (see TS 23.122 section 4.9.3.1.2 note the MS indicates to the user any available SNPNs which meet the criteria specified…the subscriber identifier and the credentials, validity information, from the selected entry of the "list of subscriber data" or from USIM if the PLMN subscription is selected, the entry of the "list of subscriber data", with the SNPN identity matching the selected SNPN).
TS 23.122 fails to teach validity information comprising at least one of a time validity or a location validity constraint and corresponding validity criteria are met by determining the time validity constraint matches a current time or the location validity matches a current location. Chun teaches validity conditions for network access including a time period including an start time, end time, and duration or an area including geographical coordinates, tracking areas, cells, etc where UEs located in the time or location (see Chun [0219], [0276], [0281]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify TS 23.122 to include the recited teaching of Chun. Such a modification would improve TS 23.122 by improving system efficiency by signaling enhancement for network access information (see Chun [0216]).
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected for at least the same reason(s) set forth in claim 1.
Claims 2 and 10
Consider claim 2, TS 23.122 as modified by Chun teaches wherein the selected SNPN is included in a user controlled list of SNPNs of a UE configuration for SNPN selection, and wherein each entry of the list contains an SNPN identity and its corresponding validity information (see TS 23.122 section 4.9.3.1.2 note each SNPN which is identified by an SNPN identity contained in one of the user controlled prioritized lists of preferred SNPNs configured in the ME. SNPNs included in the same list are indicated in the order in which they are included in the list. Prioritization between the different lists is MS implementation specific).
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected for at least the same reason(s) set forth in claim 2.
Claims 3 and 11
Consider claim 3, TS 23.122 as modified by Chun teaches wherein the selected SNPN is included in a credential holder controlled list of SNPNs of a UE configuration for SNPN selection, and wherein each entry of the list contains an SNPN identity and its corresponding validity information (see TS 23.122 section 4.9.3.1.2 note each SNPN which is identified by an SNPN identity contained in one of the credentials holder controlled prioritized lists of preferred SNPNs configured in the ME. SNPNs included in the same list are indicated in the order in which they are included in the list. Prioritization between the different lists is MS implementation specific).
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected for at least the same reason(s) set forth in claim 3.
Claims 4 and 12
Consider claim 4, TS 23.122 as modified by Chun teaches wherein the selected SNPN is an SNPN that broadcasts a Group ID (GIN) for Network selection belonging to a list of GINs of a UE configuration for SNPN selection, and wherein each entry of the list contains a GIN and its corresponding validity information (see TS 23.122 section 4.9.3.1.2 note each SNPN which broadcasts a GIN contained in one of the credentials holder controlled prioritized lists of GINs configured in the ME. SNPNs broadcasting a GIN included in the same list are indicated in the order in which the GIN is included in the list. Prioritization between the different lists is MS implementation specific. If more than one SNPN broadcast the same GIN, the order in which those SNPNs are indicated is MS implementation specific).
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected for at least the same reason(s) set forth in claim 4.
Claims 5 and 13
Consider claim 5, TS 23.122 as modified by Chun teaches wherein the selected subscription is contained in an entry of a list of subscriber data for SNPN (see TS 23.122 section 4.9.3.1.2 note The user may select an SNPN and the MS then initiates registration on this SNPN using the NG-RAN access technology, the subscriber identifier and the credentials from the selected entry of the "list of subscriber data" or from USIM).
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected for at least the same reason(s) set forth in claim 5.
Claims 6 and 14
Consider claim 6, TS 23.122 as modified by Chun teaches wherein the selected subscription is a PLMN subscription of a Universal Subscription Identification Module (USIM) (see TS 23.122 section 4.9.3.1.2 note The user may select an SNPN and the MS then initiates registration on this SNPN using the NG-RAN access technology, the subscriber identifier and the credentials from the selected entry of the "list of subscriber data" or from USIM).
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected for at least the same reason(s) set forth in claim 6.
Claims 7 and 15
Consider claim 7, TS 23.122 as modified by Chun teaches wherein the selected SNPN is associated with a first validity information according to a first subscription, and also associated with a second validity information according to a second subscription, wherein the selected subscription is the first subscription when the selected SNPN is included in the UE configurations for SNPN selection of the first subscription and the first validity information is met (see TS 23.122 section 4.9.3.1.2 note If the MS supports access to an SNPN using credentials from a credentials holder, this includes SNPNs in the lists of "permanently forbidden SNPNs", and the lists of "temporarily forbidden SNPNs" associated with each entry of the "list of subscriber data" or the PLMN subscription).
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected for at least the same reason(s) set forth in claim 7.
Claims 8 and 16
Consider claim 8, TS 23.122 as modified by Chun teaches, wherein the selected SNPN is associated with multiple validity information according to multiple subscriptions, and wherein the selected subscription is selected according to the corresponding validity information (see TS 23.122 section 4.9.3.1.2 note each SNPN which is identified by an SNPN identity contained in one of the credentials holder controlled prioritized lists of preferred SNPNs configured in the ME. SNPNs included in the same list are indicated in the order in which they are included in the list. Prioritization between the different lists is MS implementation specific…the entry of the "list of subscriber data" which contains the credentials holder controlled prioritized list of preferred SNPNs that includes the SNPN identity of the selected SNPN shall be considered as selected, if the credentials holder controlled prioritized list of preferred SNPNs that includes the SNPN identity of the selected SNPN is included in the entry of the "list of subscriber data).
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected for at least the same reason(s) set forth in claim 8.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) 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.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARCUS C HAMMONDS whose telephone number is (571)270-3193. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10:00AM-6:00PM.
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/MARCUS HAMMONDS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647