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 .
This Office Action is in response to the Amendment filed on 10/30/2025.
In the instant Amendment, In the instant Amendment, claims 1, 5, 7-10 and 11 have been amended. Claims 1-15 are pending. This Action is made FINAL.
Response to arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 10/30/2025, see pages 9-12, with respects to claims 1-15 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The rejection is retained, see argument below for details.
In response to applicant's argument to claim 1 that portion of Dao do not explicitly disclose the SMF transmitting the discovery request message to the NRF is not persuasive. Dao discloses sends an Nnrf_NFDiscovery Request to the NRF (see Dao, at least paragraph [0088]).
In response to applicant's argument to claim 1 that nowhere does Dao disclose the discovery request including the MBS session ID is not persuasive. Dao discloses the SMF may include in the request message one or more of the following information: UE ID (e.g. SUPI, GUTI), MB Session ID, UE Group ID, DNAI, Application ID, DNN, S-NSSAI) and the AMF 701 may use the NRF 316 to discover the SMF or the SMF set that is configured or previously selected to serve the MB Session with MB Session ID, and/or UE Group ID (see Dao, at least paragraph [0324]; [0365]).
In response to applicant's argument to claim 1 that Dao do not even disclose interaction between an SMF and another SMF. It is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., interaction between an SMF and another SMF) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
In response to applicant's argument to claim 1 that Dao does not disclose that the discovery response message includes an ID of a SMF different from the SMF receiving the discovery message. It is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., includes an ID of a SMF different from the SMF receiving the discovery message) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
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 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)(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) 1-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated Dao et al. (US 2021/0105196).
For claim 1:
Dao discloses a method performed by a session management function (SMF) for a UE to join a multicast service (see Dao, at least abstract, paragraph [0044]; methods and Systems for modifying or releasing a Multicast/Broadcast (MB) session for delivery of MB Data to a plurality of Electronic Devices (EDs) connected to a (Radio) Access Network (R)AN node), the method comprising:
receiving a join request message for joining the multicast service for the UE (see Dao, at least figure 12A step1215, 1216; receive a MB session join request);
transmitting a discovery request message including a multicast/broadcast service (MBS) session ID related to the multicast service to a network function (NF) repository function (NRF) (see Dao, at least paragraph [0047]; [0074]; [0086]; a Network Repository Function (NRF), provides network service discovery functionality and the SMF may send instructions to other network functions to implement the network resource modification and Nnrf_NFDiscovery Request to discover the SMF instance and/or SMF set. The message may include UE ID(s));
receiving, from the NRF, a discovery response message including a multicast/broadcast (MB)-SMF ID mapped to the MBS session ID in response to the discovery request message (see Dao, at least paragraph [0086]-[0088]; For each UE, the request may include one or more of following information: the UE ID, PDU Session ID(s),;
obtaining information about a MBS session indicated by the MBS session ID from an MB-SMF identified by the MB-SMF ID (see Dao, at least paragraph [0086]-[0088]; the NEF 314 sends an Nnrf_NFDiscovery Request to the NRF 316, the NRF 316 may send Nnrf_NFDiscovery Response to the NEF 314 that contains the information of the SMF instance or SMF set); and
notifying a radio access network (RAN) accessed by the UE of information related to the MBS session based on the obtained information (see Dao, at least paragraph [0495]; The SMF notifies any entity that has subscribed to User Location Information related with PDU Session change, also [0503]; the NEF 314 sends an Nnrf_NFDiscovery Request to the NRF 316, the NRF 316 may send Nnrf_NFDiscovery Response to the NEF 314 that contains the information of the SMF instance or SMF set).
For claim 2:
Dao further discloses wherein the join request message is received by the SMF from an access and mobility management function (AMF) managing the UE, through a protocol data unit (PDU) session establishment request message (see Dao, at least paragraph [0474]; the AMF 701 forwards the N2 SM information and the User location Information received from the (R)AN 302 to the SMF 700 via Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext service operation. At step 1238, the SMF 700 replies with an Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext Response), a PDU session modification request message, or a session management non-access stratum (SM NAS) message (see Dao, at least paragraph [0479]; the SMF 700 may update the session of the UPF(s) that are involved in the PDU Session Modification by sending Session Modification Request message to the UPF. At step 1242, the UPF sends an Session Modification Response to SMF).
For claims 3 and 13:
Dao further discloses wherein the controller is configured to: identify whether an MBS session context related to the multicast service is present in the SMF in response to reception of the join request message (see Dao, at least paragraph [0438]; UE requests to join an MB Session. This packet could carry IGMP-Join message. The UPF 304 or G-UPF 338 forwards the MB Session Join Request of the UE 102 to the SMF 700. The MB Session Join Request may contain information to identify the MB Session, for example the UE ID (such as SUPI, GPSI, MB Session ID, TMGI, UE Group ID (e.g. Internal Group ID, External Group ID), IP Packet Filter(s) of the DL MB data flow, IP Multicast address(es) of the DL MB data flow); and determine to transmit the discovery request message when the MBS session context is identified not to be present (see Dao, at least paragraph [0198]; Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext Request contains either an indication that the PDU Session Is To Be Switched (together with information on the N3 address to use and information on the transferred QoS flows) or an indication that the PDU Session is to be Rejected).
For claim 4:
Dao further discloses wherein data traffic of the MBS session is transferred from the RAN to the UE through a point-to-point (PTP) or point-to-multipoint (PTM) bearer (see Dao, at least paragraph [0360]; SMF 700 may allocate an IPv6 prefix for the PDU Session and N6 point-to-point tunnelling).
For claim 5:
Dao further discloses wherein the notifying includes accessing a user plane function (UPF) related to the UE to request to create a tunnel for transmitting data traffic of the MBS session to the RAN (see Dao, at least figure 3; paragraph [0059]; use GTP-U tunnel protocol, with additional features to indicate MB data and support IP multicast protocol for data distribution from the G-UPF to one or more (R)AN nodes).
For claim 6:
Dao discloses a method performed by a multicast/broadcast session management function (MB-SMF) for a UE to join a multicast service (see Dao, at least abstract, paragraph [0044]; methods and Systems for modifying or releasing a Multicast/Broadcast (MB) session for delivery of MB Data to a plurality of Electronic Devices (EDs) connected to a (Radio) Access Network (R)AN node), the method comprising:
creating an MBS session having a MBS session ID for providing a multicast service (see Dao, at least Figure 11A and paragraph [0269]; creating an MBS session having a MBS session ID);
transmitting, to a network function (NF) repository function (NRF), a request message requesting to store an MB-SMF ID identifying the MB-SMF for the MBS session ID (see Dao, at least [0269]; send a request to the core network via the NEF 314 to establish a new MB Session or to modify an existing MB Session. The message may include one or more of following information: information of the UE(s) that will join MB Session (e.g. UE ID, External Group ID, packet filter of the UE), Information of the Application Server (AS) (e.g. DNN, S-NSSAI, DNAI, AF-Service ID, Application ID, packet filter of the AS which may include address (IP address) and port number), MB Session information (e.g. previously assigned TMGI), location information (e.g. geographic zone ID(s), list of RAN ID(s), list of cell ID(s)));
requesting a multicast/broadcast user plane function (MB-UPF) to set a tunnel to be used to transfer data traffic for the MBS session (see Dao, at least paragraph [0011]; the request includes an indication to release network resources assigned to at least one DL quality of service flow (QoS). In some embodiments, the step of sending instructions to other network functions according to the request includes sending an N4 session modification request to at least one user plane function (UPF) to release information of the at least one DL QoS flow); and
transmitting an ingress address for the MBS session received from the MB-UPF to an application function (AF) providing the multicast service (see Dao, at least paragraph [0503]; [0508]-[0509]; receiving a session establishment request from an application function (AF) via a network exposure function (NEF), wherein the session establishment request is for one of a multicast session and a broadcast session, the request including data of the one of the multicast session and the broadcast session).
For claims 7 and 15:
Dao further discloses receiving a request message to request to create the MBS session from a network exposure function (NEF) or a multicast/broadcast service function (MBSF) (see Dao, at least paragraph [0508]; SMF is further configured for sending instructions to other network functions to implement the modification. In some embodiments the SMF is further configured for sending a response to the NEF confirming the execution of the request. In some embodiments, the NEF is configured for receiving a request from an application function and forwarding the request to the SMF); and
transmitting a response message including the ingress address to the NEF/MBSF (see Dao, at least paragraph [0070]; The NEF 314 may send a MB Session Establishment Response to the AF 322. The message may include the N6 (and/or N6MB) interface information (e.g. IP address and port number of the UPF 304 (or G-UPF 338), DNAI) and information to identify the MB Session in the radio interface (e.g. Temporary Mobile Group Identity (TMGI), or Radio Network Temporary Identifier (RNTI)).
For claim 8:
Dao further discloses wherein the request message includes the MBS session ID (see Dao, at least paragraph [0365]; The SMF 700 may include in the request message one or more of the following information: UE ID (e.g. SUPI, GUTI), MB Session ID, UE Group ID, DNAI, Application ID, DNN, S-NSSAI).
For claim 9:
Dao further discloses transmitting a policy association request message including the MBS session ID to a policy control function (PCF) (see Dao, at least Figure 7A, paragraph [0114]; ; and receiving, from the PCF, a policy association response message including information about a policy related to the MBS session (see Dao, at least Figure 7A, paragraph [0325]; the AMF 701 sends to SMF 700 either an Nsmf_PDUSession_CreateSMContext Request (SUPI, DNN, S-NSSAI(s), POU Session ID, AMF ID, Request Type, PCF ID, Priority Access, MB Session ID, UE Group ID).
For claim 10:
Dao further discloses wherein the request message is transmitted to the NRF after receiving a policy association response message from the PCF or after receiving a session response message from the MB-UPF (see Dao, at least Figure 7B, steps 740, 742; is transmitted to the NRF after receiving a policy association response message).
For claim 11:
For claim 11, claim 11 is directed to a device of a session management function (SMF) supporting a UE to join a multicast service which has similar scope as claim 1. Therefore, claim 11 remains un-patentable for the same reasons.
For claim 12:
Dao further discloses wherein the join request message is received by the SMF from an access and mobility management function (AMF) managing the UE, through a protocol data unit (PDU) session establishment request message, a PDU session modification request message, or a session management non-access stratum (SM NAS) message (see Dao, at least Figure 6, 7A, Figure 9; a PDU session modification request message, a protocol data unit (PDU) session establishment request message).
For claim 14:
For claim 14, claim 14 is directed to a device of a multicast/broadcast session management function (MB-SMF) supporting a UE to join a multicast service which has similar scope as claim 6. Therefore, claim 14 remains un-patentable for the same reasons.
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAN-HUONG TRUONG whose telephone number is (571)270-5829. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-5pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ricky Ngo can be reached on 571-272-3139. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LAN-HUONG TRUONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2464
02/01/2026