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 .
The present application claims priority to, inter alia, India application 202141001703 filed January 13, 2021.
Status of the Claims
This paper is responsive to the amendments filed November 13, 2025.
Claims 16, 18, 23 and 25 were amended.
Claims 22 and 29 were canceled.
Claims 30 and 31 were added.
Claims 16, 18, 23, 25, 30 and 31 are pending.
Response to Amendment
The amendments filed April 6, 2026 have been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 16, 18, 23, 25, 30 and 31 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 16, 18, 23, 25, 30 and 31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Pat. Pub. 20220240213 to Quang Ly et al. (hereinafter Ly) in view of US Pat. Pub. 20200329455 to Jinsook Ryu et al (hereinafter Ryu).
Regarding claim 16, Ly teaches A method for paging collision avoidance performed by a User Equipment (UE) comprising a plurality of subscriber identity modules (SIMs) in a wireless communication network (Ly para. [0198]-[0201] teaches a UE as a multi-SIM (MUSIM) device) , the method comprising:
detecting a potential paging collision between a first radio access technology (RAT) network and a second RAT network, wherein the first RAT network is associated with a first SIM of the plurality of SIMs and the second RAT network is associated with a second SIM of the plurality of SIMs; (Ly teaches in paras. [0317]-[0326] that for a UE, when “The multiple SIMs are from the same or different PLMNs (PLMN refers to different operator's network, which is also referred to as mobile network operators or MNOs).” . paging requests for an inactive SIM are received on paging occasions of the active SIM to solve issue of paging collisions since the UE can receive page for multiple SIMs without needing to frequently switch connections among different PLMNs. Therefore the multiple SIMs may receive from a first and second RAT = “different PLMNs”.)
transmitting, to a selected RAT network, a request message to prevent the potential paging collision, wherein the selected RAT network is identified between the first RAT network and the second RAT network; (Ly teaches in para. [0470] “Once the UE detects that there is a possibility of paging collisions, the UE may then request one of the PLMNs for another temporary identifier which would generate a paging occasion different than the current one. The UE may send a mobility registration update and include the proposed parameters listed above, such as the PO separation.”)
receiving, from the selected RAT network, a response message in response to the request message, wherein if the selected RAT network is an NR network, the request message is a mobility registration update (MRU) message (Ly teaches in para. [0470] “Once the UE detects that there is a possibility of paging collisions, the UE may then request one of the PLMNs for another temporary identifier which would generate a paging occasion different than the current one. The UE may send a mobility registration update and include the proposed parameters listed above, such as the PO separation.” Ly further teaches in para. [0470] that in response to the MRU at step S3408 the AMF returns a registration accept message that may include a new temporary identifier).
and
wherein, if the selected RAT network is a long term evolution (LTE) network, the request message is a tracking area update (TAU) message including information on a requested international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) offset. (Ly para. [0260] teaches supporting features for avoiding paging collisions includes a “request may be a registration update, a tracking area update, or an inactive registration timer update. The request includes a temporary identifier associated with the second SIM. The response may include a status for the registration update request, a new value for the registration timer, or an updated TAI list”. Although para. [0260] does not identify that the request includes in IMSI offset, para. [0462] teaches that to avoid paging collisions, “A request for a ‘different’ paging occasion may be an indication that the UE desires a paging occasion that occur with the same periodicity, but at a different time. Thus, it may be an indication that a different offset is desired.”)
But, Ly does NOT teach a “requested international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) offset” as claimed.
In the same field of endeavor, Ryu teaches “a requested international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) offset”. (Ryu teaches in para. [0330] that when an AMF determines whether to accept the request from the UE for a paging adjustment, including adjustment parameters. Para. [0331] teaches that the adjustment parameters may comprise a “paging UE identity offset”. Para. [0334] provides an example of a paging UE identity offset: “IMSI of the UE is ‘123412341234134’ and the paging identity offset is ‘1021’ then the UE_ID for the paging UE identity offset (1021) and the UE_ID may be ‘1234123412341234225’.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective date of the invention to have combined Ryu with Ly to teach an IMSI offset to avoid paging collisions. Each of Ryu and Ly are in the field of wireless communications. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine Ryu with Ly in order to enable implementation of enhanced features and functionalities of 4G/5G systems as taught by Ryu para. [0049] and to enhance user experience for dual-SIM UEs by avoiding paging collisions as taught in Ryu para. [0310].
Regarding claim 18, Ly teaches The method of claim 16, wherein the selection of the RAT network is performed based on paging collision avoidance criteria, and wherein the paging collision avoidance criteria comprises at least one of
a preferred RAT network, channel conditions of the first RAT network and the second RAT network, a Discontinuous Reception (DRX) cycle length of the first RAT network and the second RAT network, a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state of the UE, a concurrent service support at the UE, a scheduling pattern, the RAT network associated with the first SIM, a battery power level at the UE, a target alignment of a paging occasion (PO) on the first RAT network and the second RAT network, RAT configured by the first RAT network and the second RAT network, a RAT preferred by a user, or a RAT specified by standards specification based on information associated with the paging collision avoidance criteria. (Examiner notes that the language of claim 18 requires “at least one of” Ly teaches in para. [0200] –[0203] criteria for paging collisions includes overlap in time, wherein a single transceiver must decide to monitor a single paging channel over others, or a UE able to connect to one network at a time and monitor paging associated with the SIM of that network and not another, or constant switching reducing battery power due to constant switching and the UE not able to enter DRX cycles to preserve battery power.)
Regarding claim 23, Ly teaches A user equipment (UE) comprising a plurality of subscriber identity modules (SIMs) in a wireless communication network, (Ly para. [0120] Fig. 1F, WTRU 102 and Fig. 9) the UE comprising:
a transceiver; (Ly para. [0120] and Fig. 1F, transceiver 120)
and a controller coupled with the transceiver and configured to: (Ly Fig. 1F processor 118 described in para. [0121] as a controller)
detect a potential paging collision between a first radio access technology (RAT) network and a second RAT network, wherein the first RAT network is associated with a first SIM of the plurality of SIMs and the second RAT network is associated with a second SIM of the plurality of SIMs, (Ly teaches in para. [0327] that a UE with two SIMS a UE notifies an active PLMN to suspend a UE’s registration state so the UE can establish communications with the inactive PLMN to complete processing a paging request with the inactive SIM to avoid collisions. Further, Ly teaches in paras. [0317]-[0326] that for a UE, when “The multiple SIMs are from the same or different PLMNs (PLMN refers to different operator's network, which is also referred to as mobile network operators or MNOs).” . paging requests for an inactive SIM are received on paging occasions of the active SIM to solve issue of paging collisions since the UE can receive page for multiple SIMs without needing to frequently switch connections among different PLMNs. Therefore the multiple SIMs may receive from a first and second RAT = “different PLMNs”.)
transmit, to a selected RAT network, a request message to prevent the potential paging collision, wherein the selected RAT network is identified between the first RAT network and the second RAT network (Ly teaches in para. [0470] “Once the UE detects that there is a possibility of paging collisions, the UE may then request one of the PLMNs for another temporary identifier which would generate a paging occasion different than the current one. The UE may send a mobility registration update and include the proposed parameters listed above, such as the PO separation.)
receive, from the selected RAT network, a response message in response to the request message, wherein, if the selected RAT network is an NR network, the request message is a mobility registration update (MRU) message, (Ly teaches in para. [0470] “Once the UE detects that there is a possibility of paging collisions, the UE may then request one of the PLMNs for another temporary identifier which would generate a paging occasion different than the current one. The UE may send a mobility registration update and include the proposed parameters listed above, such as the PO separation.” Ly further teaches in para. [0470] that in response to the MRU at step S3408 the AMF returns a registration accept message that may include a new temporary identifier).)
and
wherein, if the selected RAT network is an LTE network, the request message is a tracking area update (TAU) message including information on a requested international mobile subscriber (IMSI) offset. wherein, if the selected RAT network is a long term evolution (LTE) network, the request message is a tracking area update (TAU) message including information on a requested international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) offset. (Ly para. [0260] teaches supporting features for avoiding paging collisions includes a “request may be a registration update, a tracking area update, or an inactive registration timer update. The request includes a temporary identifier associated with the second SIM. The response may include a status for the registration update request, a new value for the registration timer, or an updated TAI list”. Although para. [0260] does not identify that the request includes in IMSI offset, para. [0462] teaches that to avoid paging collisions, “A request for a ‘different’ paging occasion may be an indication that the UE desires a paging occasion that occur with the same periodicity, but at a different time. Thus, it may be an indication that a different offset is desired.”)
But, Ly does NOT teach a “requested international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) offset” as claimed.
In the same field of endeavor, Ryu teaches “a requested international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) offset”. (Ryu teaches in para. [0330] that when an AMF determines whether to accept the request from the UE for a paging adjustment, including adjustment parameters. Para. [0331] teaches that the adjustment parameters may comprise a “paging UE identity offset”. Para. [0334] provides an example of a paging UE identity offset: “IMSI of the UE is ‘123412341234134’ and the paging identity offset is ‘1021’ then the UE_ID for the paging UE identity offset (1021) and the UE_ID may be ‘1234123412341234225’.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective date of the invention to have combined Ryu with Ly to teach an IMSI offset to avoid paging collisions. Each of Ryu and Ly are in the field of wireless communications. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine Ryu with Ly in order to enable implementation of enhanced features and functionalities of 4G/5G systems as taught by Ryu para. [0049] and to enhance user experience for dual-SIM UEs by avoiding paging collisions as taught in Ryu para. [0310].
Regarding claim 25, Ly teaches The UE of claim 23 of wherein the selection of the RAT network is performed based on a paging collision avoidance criteria, and wherein paging collision avoidance criteria comprises at least one of a preferred RAT network, channel conditions of the first RAT network and the second RAT network, a Discontinuous Reception (DRX) cycle length of the first RAT network and the second RAT network, a Radio Resource Control (RRC) state of the UE, a concurrent service support at the UE, a scheduling pattern, the RAT network associated with the first SIM, a battery power level at the UE, a target alignment of a paging occasion (PO) on the first RAT network and the second RAT network, RAT configured by the first RAT network and the second RAT network, a RAT preferred by a user, or a RAT specified by standards specification based on information associated with the paging collision avoidance. (Examiner notes that the language of claim 18 requires “at least one of” Ly teaches in para. [0200] –[0203] criteria for paging collisions includes overlap in time, wherein a single transceiver must decide to monitor a single paging channel over others, or a UE able to connect to one network at a time and monitor paging associated with the SIM of that network and not another, or constant switching reducing battery power due to constant switching and the UE not able to enter DRX cycles to preserve battery power.)
Regarding claims 30 and 31, Ly in view of Ryu teach the method of claim 16 as set forth, as well as the UE of claim 23 as set forth, and Ly further teaches wherein, if the selected RAT network is an NR network, the response message includes a globally unique temporary identifier (GUTI), (Ly teaches that temporary identifiers are 5G-GUTI in para. [0061] and defined as 5G Globally Unique Temporary Identifier. Ly also teaches in para. [0470] “The UE may also only include a multi-SIM indicator to let the CN provide a new temporary identifier which corresponds to another PO or even propose a new temporary identifier whose PO location is different than the current PO.”)
and
wherein, if the selected RAT network is an LTE network, the response message includes information on an accepted IMSI offset, (Examiner notes that the same MNO may operate both 5G and LTE networks. Ly para. [0160] notes that paging works similarly in 5G as LTE paging wherein the UE_ID is computed from an identifier for the UE “such as IMSI...” Further, Ly Fig. 32 and para. [0441] teaches that “the enhancements proposed herein may to applied to interworking scenarios involving a UE switching between LTE and 5G and from 5G back to LTE.” Fig. 32 illustrates the SAME UE connected to both LTE and 5G networks:
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).
Although Ly teaches an “offset”, and also teaches an IMSI, Ly does not specifically teach that the response message includes information on an accepted IMSI offset.
In the analogous art of 3GPP Multi-SIM communications, Ryu teaches the response message includes information on an accepted IMSI offset. (Ryu teaches in para. [0330] that when an AMF determines whether to accept the request from the UE for a paging adjustment, including adjustment parameters. Para. [0331] teaches that the adjustment parameters may comprise a “paging UE identity offset”. Para. [0334] provides an example of a paging UE identity offset: “IMSI of the UE is ‘123412341234134’ and the paging identity offset is ‘1021’ then the UE_ID for the paging UE identity offset (1021) and the UE_ID may be ‘1234123412341234225’.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective date of the invention to have combined Ryu with Ly to teach an IMSI offset to avoid paging collisions. Each of Ryu and Ly are in the field of wireless communications. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine Ryu with Ly in order to enable implementation of enhanced features and functionalities of 4G/5G systems as taught by Ryu para. [0049] and to enhance user experience for dual-SIM UEs by avoiding paging collisions as taught in Ryu para. [0310].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure includes US Pat. Pub. 20230300787 to Mai-Anh Phan et al. (hereinafter Phan) claiming priority to US Prov. Pat. App. 63062058 filed August 6, 2020. Phan teaches a UE offset to avoid paging collision for Multi-USIM devices. Specifically, the provisional application teaches an IMSI offset to avoid paging collisions in a multi-SIM device specifically for LTE on page 15, lines 21-24:
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Therefore, Phan is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
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/MARGARET MARIE ANDERSON/Examiner, Art Unit 2412
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