DETAILED ACTION
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 .
In view of the pre-appeal brief filed on May 28, 2026, PROSECUTION IS HEREBY REOPENED. A new ground of rejection set forth below.
To avoid abandonment of the application, appellant must exercise one of the following two options:
(1) file a reply under 37 CFR 1.111 (if this Office action is non-final) or a reply under 37 CFR 1.113 (if this Office action is final); or,
(2) initiate a new appeal by filing a notice of appeal under 37 CFR 41.31 followed by an appeal brief under 37 CFR 41.37. The previously paid notice of appeal fee and appeal brief fee can be applied to the new appeal. If, however, the appeal fees set forth in 37 CFR 41.20 have been increased since they were previously paid, then appellant must pay the difference between the increased fees and the amount previously paid.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-8 and 17-20 are allowed. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of records fail to disclose, “Casati determining i) one or more PLMN (public land mobile network) types or PLMN identities associated with a UE behavior for the UE and ii) a version of an associated UE behavior policy respective of the one or more PLMN types or PLMN identities, based at least in part on the registration request message”.
Regarding claim 1, Ninglekhu discloses method comprising: receiving, at a network entity of a communications system, from user equipment (UE), a registration request message (paragraph [00144]-[00145]; [0095]; [00104]-[00106]; [00125]-[00126]; [00131]-[00133]; and so on); providing, to the UE, in a registration accept message UE configuration information (paragraph [00146]-[00148]; [00153]-[00155]; and etc.),
Ninglekhu does not disclose requesting a UE behavior policy from another network entity based at least in part on at least one of i) the one or more PLMN types or PLMN identities or ii) the version of the associated UE behavior policy in response to a request for the UE behavior policy; wherein the UE configuration information includes an indication of one or more of the PLMN types or PLMN identities and the respective version of the associated UE behavior policy.
Casati teaches requesting a UE behavior policy from another network entity based at least in part on at least one of i) the one or more PLMN types or PLMN identities or ii) the version of the associated UE behavior policy in response to a request for the UE behavior policy; wherein the UE configuration information includes an indication of one or more of the PLMN types or PLMN identities and the respective version of the associated UE behavior policy (paragraph [0033]-[0036]; [0051]; [0022]-[0025]; [0041]; [0052]-[0054]; and so on).
Ninglekhu and Casati determining i) one or more PLMN (public land mobile network) types or PLMN identities associated with a UE behavior for the UE and ii) a version of an associated UE behavior policy respective of the one or more PLMN types or PLMN identities, based at least in part on the registration request message.
Regarding claim 17, the claim is allowed for the same reasons as claim 1.
Regarding claims 2-8 and 18-20, the claims are allowed based on their dependencies.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 9 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ninglekhu (WO 2022/098942 A1) in view of Casati (US 2021/0219224 A1).
Regarding claim 9, Ninglekhu discloses a method comprising: providing, to a network entity of a communications system, from a user equipment (UE), a registration request message, wherein the registration request message comprises an indication of whether the UE supports or requires a configuration of a UE behavior policy (paragraph [00144]-[00145]; [0095]; [00104]-[00106]; [00125]-[00126]; [00131]-[00133]; and so on, explaining the UE 201 sends registration request indicating capability of receiving US Slice Access Behavior, USAB, Policy configuration to AMF 203); receiving, at the UE, from the network entity, in response to the registration request message, a registration accept message configuration information (paragraph [00146]-[00148]; [00153]-[00155]; and etc., illustrating the AMF 203 transmits to the UE 201 registration accept message including such as configuration update command in response to the registration request); and adapting a UE behavior according to a UE behavior policy indicated in the registration accept message (paragraph [00146]-[00147]; [00155]; [00165]; [00220]-[00222]; [00234]; and so on, describing the UE updates the USAB, UE behavior, policy according or based on the registration accept message).
Ninglekhu does not explicitly disclose wherein the UE configuration information includes an indication of one or more of one or more public land mobile network (PLMN) types or PLMN identities associated with a UE behavior for the UE.
Casati teaches wherein the UE configuration information includes an indication of one or more of one or more public land mobile network (PLMN) types or PLMN identities associated with a UE behavior for the UE (paragraph [0033]-[0036]; [0051]; [0022]-[0025]; [0041]; [0052]-[0054]; and so on).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use wherein the UE configuration information includes an indication of one or more of one or more public land mobile network (PLMN) types or PLMN identities associated with a UE behavior for the UE as taught by Casati into Ninglekhu in order to improve interoperability, and efficiency and quality of communication.
Regarding claim 13, Ninglekhu discloses wherein the registration accept message further comprises instructions for the user equipment to request all single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) of a configured network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) or instructions for the user equipment to request all S-NSSAI of a default configured network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) (paragraph [0015]-[0017]; [0058]-[0070]; [0079]-[0081]; [0146]-[0147]; and so on).
Claims 10 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ninglekhu in view of Casati, and further in view of Kuppelur et al. (US 2022/0312360 A1) and Christoffersson et al. (US 2024/0080927 A1).
Regarding claim 10, as applied above, the modified communication of Ninglekhu further discloses comprising: PLMN types or PLMN identities. However, the modified communication of Ninglekhu doesn’t explicitly disclose storing the or more PLMN types or PLMN identities and the respective version of an associated UE behavior policy.
Kuppelur teaches storing the or more PLMN types or PLMN identities (paragraph [0065]; [0031]; [0036]-[0037]; [0058]; and etc.).
Kuppelur doesn’t disclose storing the respective version of an associated UE behavior policy.
Christoffersson teaches storing the respective version of an associated UE behavior policy (paragraph [0143]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use storing the or more PLMN types or PLMN identities and the respective version of an associated UE behavior policy as taught by Kuppelur and Christoffersson into the modified communication of the modified communication of Ninglekhu in order to reduces interference and communication error.
Regarding claim 16, as applied above, the modified communication of the modified communication of Ninglekhu discloses wherein storing the respective version of the UE behavior associated (Christoffersson, paragraph [0143]). The modified communication of Ninglekhu doesn’t disclose the associated is performed upon receipt of a prior registration accept message comprising UE configuration information.
Kuppelur teaches the associated is performed upon receipt of a prior registration accept message comprising UE configuration information (paragraph [0131]; [0141]-[0143]; [0166]-[0167]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use storing the or more PLMN types or PLMN identities and the respective version of an associated UE behavior policy as taught by Christoffersson and Kuppelur into the modified communication of Ninglekhu in order to reduces interference and communication failure.
Claims 12 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ninglekhu in view of Casati, and further in view of Kim et al. (US 2019/0349742 A1).
Regarding claim 12, as applied above, Ninglekhu discloses the registration request message. However, Ninglekhu does not disclose the message further comprises an indication of a version of a currently configured UE behavior policy.
Kim teaches the message further comprises an indication of a version of a currently configured UE behavior policy (paragraph [0011]-[0013]; [0204]; [0208]; [0218]-[0222]; [0230]; [0234]; [0250]; [0256]-[0261]; [0267]-[0272]; [0282]-[0288]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the message further comprises an indication of a version of a currently configured UE behavior policy as taught by Kim into Ninglekhu in order to improve synchronization and resource utilization.
Regarding claim 14, as applied above, the modified communication of Ninglekhu discloses the UE configuration information. However, the modified communication of Ninglekhu does not disclose the UE configuration information further includes an indication of a respective version of a UE behavior associated with said one or more PLMN types or PLMN identities.
Kim teaches the UE configuration information further includes an indication of a respective version of a UE behavior associated with said one or more PLMN types or PLMN identities (paragraph [0011]-[0013]; [0204]; [0208]; [0218]-[0222]; [0230]; [0234]; [0250]; [0256]-[0261]; [0267]-[0272]; [0282]-[0288]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the UE configuration information further includes an indication of a respective version of a UE behavior associated with said one or more PLMN types or PLMN identities as taught by Kim into Ninglekhu in order to improve synchronization and resource utilization.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ninglekhu in view of Casati, and further in view of Christoffersson.
Regarding claim 15, as applied above, the modified communication of Ninglekhu further discloses comprising: one or more PLMN types or PLMN identities. However, the modified communication of Ninglekhu doesn’t disclose storing, at the UE, a respective version of a UE behavior associated with said one or more PLMN types or PLMN identities, wherein said storing is performed prior to receiving said registration accept message at the UE.
Christoffersson teaches storing, at the UE, a respective version of a UE behavior associated with said one or more PLMN types or PLMN identities, wherein said storing is performed prior to receiving said registration accept message at the UE (paragraph [0143]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use storing, at the UE, a respective version of a UE behavior associated with said one or more PLMN types or PLMN identities, wherein said storing is performed prior to receiving said registration accept message at the UE as taught by Christoffersson into Kim in order to communication failure and data loss.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KIBROM T HAILU whose telephone number is (571)270-1209. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM.
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, HUY D VU can be reached at (571)272-3155. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/KIBROM T HAILU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461
A Supervisory Patent Examiner (SPE) has approved of reopening prosecution by signing below:
/HUY D VU/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2461
Prosecution Insights