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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 1-17, filed 1/7/26, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
On page 6-7 of the applicant’s response, the applicant argues that i) Nokia discloses REGISTRATION messages – not a SERVICE ACCEPT or SERVICE REJECT message.
Regarding the arguments above, the examiner respectfully disagrees with the applicant. The examiner uses the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim language. In fact the applicant has proven the examiner correct in doing so by pointing out that the applicant’s intended use of a SERVICE ACCEPT and SERVICE REJECT message is one where the terms are for a NAS procedure. The applicant states “expressly-recited service accept/reject message. Then clarifies in the remarks (not the specification) that the term is specific to NAS signaling. In fact, one of ordinary skill in the art would associate service accept/reject messages to be messages where a serving (connection for service) is accepted or rejected. Registration accept is a message accepting that the UE is registered to be served/serviced. The applicant in the specification makes statements regarding different NAS procedures and message types, but the claim language makes no mention of the messages being for the NAS procedure. Further, the applicant’s own specification does not relate the SERVICE ACCEPT/REJECT messages to NAS procedures. The only mention is:
[0024] 5G session management (5GSM) for PDU sessions over both 3GPP access and non-3GPP access are managed by AMF (Access management function) and SMF (Session management function) via NAS signaling. UE can request to join an MBS session by using PDU session establishment procedure or PDU session modification procedure with the Requested MBS container IE for the following MBS operations: Join MBS session and Leave MBS session. The network can also apply the PDU session establishment procedure or PDU session modification procedure with the Received MBS container IE for the following operations/decisions: MBS service area update, MBS join is accepted, MBS join is rejected, and Remove UE from the MBS session.
And
[0028] Similarly, UE 201 has memory 202, a processor 203, and radio frequency (RF) transceiver module 204. RF transceiver 204 is coupled with antenna 205, receives RF signals from antenna 205, converts them to baseband signals, and sends them to processor 203. RF transceiver 204 also converts received baseband signals from processor 203, converts them to RF signals, and sends out to antenna 205. Processor 203 processes the received baseband signals and invokes different functional modules and circuits to perform features in UE201.Memory 202 stores data and program instructions 210 to be executed by the processor to control the operations of UE201. Suitable processors include, by way of example, a special purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a plurality of micro- processors, one or more micro-processor associated with a DSP core, a controller, a microcontroller, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), file programmable gate array (FPGA) circuits, and other type of integrated circuits (ICs), and/or state machines. A processor associated with software may be used to implement and configure features of UE201. [0029] UE201 also includes protocol stacks 260 and a set of control function modules and circuits 270.Protocol stacks 260 includes NAS layer to communicate with an AMF/SMF/MME entity connecting to the core network, RRC layer for high layer configuration and control, PDCP/RLC layer, MAC layer, and PHY layer. Control function modules and circuits 270 may be implemented and configured by software, firmware, hardware, and/or combination thereof. The control function modules and circuits, when executed by the processors via program instructions contained in the memory, interwork with each other to allow UE201 to perform embodiments and functional tasks and features in the network.
Further applicant’s own specification makes mention of a plurality of other layers of signaling to communicate messages and nowhere ties SERVICE ACCEPT/REJECT messages to a NAS procedure/signaling. Therefore, the examiner is correct in using the broadest reasonable interpretation. Therefore, as the claim language reads, Nokia does teach the argued limitations.
On page 7-8 of the applicant’s response, the applicant argues that ii)Nokia teaches away on the claimed feature “a PDU session status IE indicating a PDU session has a status of PDU SESSION INACTIVE”
Regarding the arguments above, the examiner respectfully disagrees with the applicant. In the cited portions by the examiner Pg. 46 L1-21 it explicitly states:
If the PDU session status IE is included in the REGISTRATION ACCEPT message:
a) for single access PDU sessions, the UE shall perform a local release of all those PDU sessions associated with the access type the REGISTRATION ACCEPT message is sent over which are not in 5GSM state PDU SESSION INACTIVE or PDU SESSION ACTIVE PENDING on the UE side, but are indicated by the AMF as being in 5GSM state PDU SESSION INACTIVE. If a locally released PDU session is associated with one or more MBS sessions, the UE shall locally leave the associated MBS sessions; and
It explicitly states in Nokia a PDU session status IE indicating a PDU SESSION STATE OF INACTIVE. The language in the cited portion explicitly teaches the limitation. Therefore, as the claim language reads, Nokia does teach the argued limitations.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nokia et al, “Support NSAG – Procedure Message and NSAG information IE coding”, CP-221312, 3GPP TSG-CT Meeting #96, Budapest, Hungary June 6-7, 2022.
As to claim 1, Nokia teaches a method (Nokia, Pg 46 L1-10, a method), comprising: receiving a service accept message or a service reject message by a user equipment (UE) in a 5G network (Nokia, Pg 46 L1-10, the UE receives a service(registration) accept message), wherein the service accept or reject message carries a PDU session status IE indicating a PDU session has a status of PDU SESSION INACTIVE (Nokia, Pg. 46 L1-21, the message has a PDU session status IE with PDU SESSION INACTIVE);
locally releasing the PDU session upon determining that the PDU session is active at the UE side (Nokia, Pg. 46 Section a OR b) 1), local release of PDU sessions when determining PDU session active at the user plane);
determining the PDU session is associated with one or more multicast broadcast services (MBS) sessions (Nokia, Pg. 46 Section a OR b) 2) determining the MA PDU session is associate with one or more MBS sessions); and
locally leaving the one or more MBS sessions upon releasing the PDU session (Nokia, Pg. 46 Section a OR b) 2) locally leaving the one or more associated MBS sessions).
As to claim 2, Nokia teaches wherein the PDU session is a single access PDU session (Nokia, Pg. 46 Section a) single access PDU).
As to claim 3, Nokia teaches wherein the PDU session is a multiple access PDU (MA PDU) session, and user plane resource is established on 3GPP access only (Nokia, Pg. 46 Section b) 2) MA PDU session and user plane resources over 3GPP access).
As to claim 4, Nokia teaches wherein the locally releasing the PDU session involves the UE locally releasing the user plane resource on 3GPP access and releasing the entire MA PDU session (Nokia, Pg. 46 Section b) 2) locally release PDU user plane resources over 3GPP and MA PDU sessions).
As to claim 5, Nokia teaches wherein the PDU session is a multiple access PDU (MA PDU) session, and user plane resource is established over both 3GPP access and non-3GPP access (Nokia, Pg. 46 Section b) the PDU is MA and user plane resources in local access and 3GPP access).
As to claim 6, Nokia teaches wherein the locally releasing the PDU session involves the UE locally releasing the user plane resource on 3GPP access without releasing the entire MA PDU session (Nokia, Pg. 46 b) 1) locally leaving the one or more associated MBS sessions).
As to claim 7, Nokia teaches a User Equipment (UE), comprising (Nokia, Pg 46 L1-10, the UE) :
a receiver that receives a service accept message or a service reject message in a 5G network (Nokia, Pg 46 L1-10, the UE receives a service(registration) accept message), wherein the service accept or reject message carries a PDU session status IE indicating a PDU session has a status of PDU SESSION INACTIVE (Nokia, Pg. 46 L1-21, the message has a PDU session status IE with PDU SESSION INACTIVE);
a PDU session handling circuit that locally releases the PDU session upon determining that the PDU session is active at the UE side (Nokia, Pg. 46 Section a OR b) 1), local release of PDU sessions when determining PDU session active at the user plane);
a control circuit that determines the PDU session is associated with one or more multicast broadcast services (MBS) sessions (Nokia, Pg. 46 Section a OR b) 2) determining the MA PDU session is associate with one or more MBS sessions); and
an MBS handling circuit that locally leaves the one or more MBS sessions upon releasing the PDU session (Nokia, Pg. 46 Section a OR b) 2) locally leaving the one or more associated MBS sessions).
As to claim 8, Nokia teaches wherein the PDU session is a single access PDU session (Nokia, Pg. 46 Section a) single access PDU).
As to claim 9, Nokia teaches wherein the PDU session is a multiple access PDU (MA PDU) session, and user plane resource is established on 3GPP access only (Nokia, Pg. 46 Section b) 2) MA PDU session and user plane resources over 3GPP access).
As to claim 10, Nokia teaches wherein the locally releasing the PDU session involves the UE locally releasing the user plane resource on 3GPP access and releasing the entire MA PDU session (Nokia, Pg. 46 Section b) 2) locally release PDU user plane resources over 3GPP and MA PDU sessions).
As to claim 11, Nokia teaches wherein the PDU session is a multiple access PDU (MA PDU) session, and user plane resource is established over both 3GPP access and non-3GPP access (Nokia, Pg. 46 Section b) the PDU is MA and user plane resources in local access and 3GPP access).
As to claim 12, Nokia teaches wherein the locally releasing the PDU session involves the UE locally releasing the user plane resource on 3GPP access without releasing the entire MA PDU session (Nokia, Pg. 46 b) 1) locally leaving the one or more associated MBS sessions).
As to claim 13, Nokia teaches a method (Nokia, Pg 46 L1-10, a method), comprising:
receiving a request message or a response message from a User Equipment (UE) by a network entity in a 5G network (Nokia, Pg 46 L1-10, the UE receives a service(registration) accept message), wherein the request or response message carries a PDU session status IE indicating a status of a PDU session is PDU SESSION INACTIVE (Nokia, Pg. 46 L1-21, the message has a PDU session status IE with PDU SESSION INACTIVE);
locally releasing the PDU session upon determining that the PDU session is active at the network (Nokia, Pg. 46 Section a OR b) 1), local release of PDU sessions when determining PDU session active at the user plane);
determining the PDU session is associated with one or more multicast broadcast services (MBS) sessions (Nokia, Pg. 46 Section a OR b) 2) determining the MA PDU session is associate with one or more MBS sessions); and
considering the UE is removed from the one or more MBS sessions upon releasing the PDU session (Nokia, Pg. 46 Section a OR b) 2) locally leaving (UE removed) the one or more associated MBS sessions).
As to claim 14, Nokia teaches wherein the request message is a service request message or a control plane service request message (Nokia, Pg 34 Para 6, the request message is a service request message).
As to claim 15, Nokia teaches wherein the response message is a notification response message (Nokia, Pg 43 b) the response is notification).
As to claim 16, Nokia teaches wherein the PDU session is a single access PDU session (Nokia, Pg. 46 Section a) single access PDU)..
As to claim 17, Nokia teaches wherein the PDU session is a multiple access PDU session (Nokia, Pg. 46 Section b) 2) MA PDU session.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lin et al (Pub No: 2022/0046742) [0036].
Won (Pub No: 2021/0250890) [0326]
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AFSHAWN M TOWFIGHI whose telephone number is (571)270-7296. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00 AM -5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ian N Moore can be reached at 571-272-3085. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AFSHAWN M TOWFIGHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469