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
This Office Action is in response to the applicants' communication filed on January 13, 2023. In virtue of this communication, claims 1-20 are currently presented in the instant application.
Drawings
The drawings submitted on January 13, 2023 have been reviewed and accepted by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claim(s) 8-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
The claim(s) as a whole recite(s) a mental processes. The claim(s) recite receiving information and acquiring information by a generic computer. Thus, the claim recites an abstract idea.
The limitation of “sending configuration update information to a terminal device, wherein the configuration update information is used for indicating that a selection parameter set is updated, the selection parameter set comprises a corresponding relationship between the location information and the selection parameter, and the selection parameter is used for selecting a public land mobile network (PLMN) or a non-public network (NPN)” as drafted, is a process that, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind but for the recitation of generic computer components. That is, other than reciting “to a terminal device” nothing in the claim element precludes the step from practically being performed in the mind. For example, but for the “to a terminal device” language, “sending” in the context of this claim encompasses the user manually speaking or showing the recited information. If a claim limitation, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind but for the recitation of generic computer components, then it falls within the “Mental Processes” grouping of abstract ideas. Accordingly, the claim recites an abstract idea.
This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. In particular, the claim only recites one additional element – sending to a terminal device. The terminal device is recited at a high-level of generality (i.e., as a generic terminal device performing a generic computer function of receiving and acquiring information) such that it amounts no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Accordingly, this additional element does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because it does not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. The claim is directed to an abstract idea.
The claim does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional element of using a terminal device to perform receiving amounts to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Mere instructions to apply an exception using a generic computer component cannot provide an inventive concept. The claim is not patent eligible.
Claim(s) 9-12 is/are rejected for at least the same reason(s) set forth in claim 1. That is, claims 2-8 fail to integrate the judicial exception into a practical application and fail to amount to significantly more or an inventive concept for the same reasons set for the in claim 1.
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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Pub No.: US 2020/0245235 A1 (herein “Chun”).
Claims 1 and 13
Consider claim 1, Chun teaches A network selection method, applied to a terminal device, the method comprising:
determining current location information of the terminal device (see Chun Fig. 12, Fig. 13, [0010]-[0012], [0570], [0582] note UE starts the NPN selection process in determined region where the current UE is located);
selecting, from a selection parameter set, a selection parameter corresponding to the current location information, wherein the selection parameter set comprises a corresponding relationship between the location information and the selection parameter, and the selection parameter is used for selecting a public land mobile network (PLMN) or a non-public network (NPN) (see Chun Fig. 12, [0415], [0416], [0421], [0571] note the UE checks whether there is as PLMN/NPN related list, i.e. a user controlled PLMN selector data list); and
performing network selection according to the selection parameter corresponding to the current location information (see Chun Fig. 12, [0571], [0572] selects the highest priority item, i.e. PLMN, and attempts to register using the PLMN and NPN information).
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected for at least the same reason(s) set forth in claim 1.
Claims 2, 10, and 14
Consider claim 2, Chun teaches wherein the selection parameter set comprises n subsets, the n is a positive integer; and an i-th subset of the n subsets comprises a corresponding relationship between an i-th piece of location information and at least one selection parameter, wherein the i is a positive integer less than or equal to the n; or the selection parameter set comprises m subsets, the m is a positive integer; and a k-th subset of the m subsets comprises: a corresponding relationship between a k-th selection parameter and at least one piece of location information, wherein the k is a positive integer less than or equal to the m (see Chun Fig. 12, [0415], [0416], [0421], [0571] note the UE checks whether there is as PLMN/NPN related list, i.e. a user controlled PLMN selector data list, when the current location of the UE is in a valid region where and NPN associated with the NPN identifier is available based on the network selection list including the PLMN identifier and NPN identifier ).
Claim(s) 10 and 14 is/are rejected for at least the same reason(s) set forth in claim 2.
Claims 3, 11, and 15
Consider claim 3, Chun teaches wherein the selection parameter comprises at least one of:
a selection parameter for selecting a network equivalent to a home service provider (see Chun [0421] note EHPLMN list), a selection parameter for selecting a network controlled by a service provider (see Chun [0416] note Operator Controlled PLMN Selector list), a selection parameter for selecting a network controlled by a terminal device (see Chun [0415] note USER Controlled PLMN Selector data field), a selection parameter for selecting a prioritized network of a home service provider for a standalone NPN (SNPN), or a selection parameter for selecting a preferred selection type of a network during roaming.
Claims 4 and 16
Consider claim 4, Chun teaches wherein after the determining the current location information of the terminal device, the method further comprises:
in a case that the selection parameter set does not comprise the current location information, selecting, from the selection parameter set, a selection parameter corresponding to default location information (see Chun [0437], [0483]-[0485] note default behavior for the UE is to select the last registered PLMN); and
performing network selection according to the selection parameter corresponding to the default location information (see Chun [0437], [0483]-[0485] note default behavior for the UE is to select the last registered PLMN).
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected for at least the same reason(s) set forth in claim 4.
Claims 5, 12, and 18
Consider claim 5, Chun teaches wherein the selection parameter set is carried in a subscriber identity module (SIM) card of the terminal device (see Chun [0415], [0416] note Operator Controlled PLMN Selector List and User Controlled PLMN Selector data field on the SIM/USIM).
Claim(s) 12 and 18 is/are rejected for at least the same reason(s) set forth in claim 5.
Claims 6, 8, and 19
Consider claim 8, Chun teaches A network selection method, applied to a network device, comprising:
sending configuration update information to a terminal device, wherein the configuration update information is used for indicating that a selection parameter set is updated, the selection parameter set comprises a corresponding relationship between the location information and the selection parameter, and the selection parameter is used for selecting a public land mobile network (PLMN) or a non-public network (NPN) (see Chun Fig. 12, [0415], [0416], [0421], [0435], [0571] note when the UE shall perform a location update, i.e moving to a new region, UE checks whether there is as PLMN/NPN related list, i.e. a user controlled PLMN selector data list, when the current location of the UE is in a valid region where and NPN associated with the NPN identifier is available based on the network selection list including the PLMN identifier and NPN identifier).
Claim(s) 6 and 19 is/are rejected for at least the same reason(s) set forth in claim 8.
Claims 7, 9, and 20
Consider claim 7, Chun teaches wherein the configuration update information is carried in a non-access stratum (NAS) signaling (see Chun [0068] note NAS configuration management used to configure the UE with parameters related to NAS functionality).
Claim(s) 9 and 20 is/are rejected for at least the same reason(s) set forth in claim 7.
Claim 17
Consider claim 17, Chun teaches wherein the location information comprises at least one of: a geographic location, or a mobile country code (MCC) (see Chun note [0375] note MCC).
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.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, ALISON T. SLATER can be reached at (571)270-0375. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MARCUS HAMMONDS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647