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 the claim(s) 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
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. (2023/0345417) hereinafter “Wu”, Shrivastava et al. (2023/0396984) hereinafter “Shrivastava”, and Huang (2023/0120407).
As to claim 1, (Original) Wu discloses A user equipment (UE/WCD), comprising:
a multi universal subscriber identity module (MUSIM) array having a first SIM and a second SIM (see [0043] and [0047]-[0049], - first and second SIMs not shown, etc. see also [0002]-[0005], Figs. 1 & 5);
a transceiver (inherent / 902+904, see [0029],[0051],[0141]-[0149]) configured to communicate with one or more networks (see [0042],[0043],[0047]-[0051] & Figs. 9); and
a processor (inherent / 906/909, see [0029],[0141]-[0149]) communicatively coupled to the transceiver and the MUSIM and configured to perform operations comprising, (also see Figs. 5,9):
operating (inherent to 3GPP) in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) inactive state (inactive UE 510) with a first network (CN, BS) associated with the first SIM (see [0052] -[0053], [0100]-[0104]);
operating (inherent to 3GPP) in an RRC connected state with a second network (CN, BS) associated with the second SIM (see [0052]-[0053],[0103] “For example, when SIM A of UE 510 is in a voice call…”);
receiving a page from the first network (see [0102] “Assuming that SIM B of UE 510 may receive the paging message from BS 520a…”;
determining that a priority of at least one operation (voice call) being performed between the UE and the second network is higher than a priority (SMS) of the page, (see [0102]-[0103]); and
sending a BUSY indication to the first network in response to the page (see [0103]-[0110]).
Wu discloses receiving, in response to the BUSY indication, an RRC release message (521) from the first network. See Fig.5. [0108] yet in an analogous art Shrivastava discloses sending, to the first network in response to the page, a message comprising a BUSY indication [[ with a predefined security configuration ]]to the first network in response to the page, and receiving, in response to the message comprising the BUSY indication [[with the predefined security configuration]], an RRC release message from the first network [[based on the predefined security configuration]]. See [0090]-[0093].
In an analogous art, Huang discloses [0152]-[0155] wherein it was known to send data during inactive states including RRC messaging, particularly the RRC release message according to and based on a predefined security configuration. Before the effective filing date of the instant invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the processor of WU to perform sending and receiving as taught by Shrivastava and included the predefined security configuration suggested by Huang such that sending, to the first network in response to the page, a message comprising a BUSY indication with a predefined security configuration to the first network in response to the page, and receiving, in response to the message comprising the BUSY indication with the predefined security configuration, an RRC release message from the first network based on the predefined security configuration for the purpose of securely communicating intent during multi use scenarios.
As to claim 2, Wu as modified discloses The UE of claim 1, wherein the BUSY indication is an a RRC resume request message. See [0104] “For example, UE 510 may resume from the inactive mode, and may, in operation 515, transmit a RRC resume request message to BS 520a”.
As to claim 3, Wu as modified discloses The UE of claim 2, wherein the RRC resume request message uses the predefined security configuration to protect the BUSY indication. See Huang [0152]-[0155].
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu, Shrivastava, Huang as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kim et al. (10863394) hereinafter “Kim”.
As to claim 4, (Original) Wu as modified discloses The UE of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:
sending (515), in response to the page, an RRC resume request message, (see [0103]-[0110]); wherein the one of a RRC resume complete message or a RRC setup complete message includes the BUSY indication (see [0104] “UE 510 may transmit the busy indication in a RRC message in response to the paging message…”) and implies (see [0052]) but fails to explicitly recite yet in an analogous art Kim discloses (see Fig 2IB)
receiving, in response to the RRC resume request message (2ib-15), one of a RRC resume message (2ib-20) or an RRC setup message; and
sending one of a RRC resume complete message (2ib-30) or a RRC setup complete message. Before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Wu by configuring its processor to perform the operations of receiving and sending as taught by Kim wherein the one of a RRC resume complete message or a RRC setup complete message includes the BUSY indication as suggested by Wu for the purpose of enabling communication per 3GPP.
Claim(s) 5 and 7-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu, Shrivastava, and Huang as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Luo et al. (2021/0195666) hereinafter “Luo”.
As to claim 5, Wu as modified discloses The UE of claim 1, wherein the message comprising the BUSY indication with the predefined security configuration is a signaling radio bearer (SRB) message. See [0103]-[0104]. In an analogous art Luo discloses the use of SRB (see [0066] “A UE-level RRC message is transmitted through a signaling radio bearer (SRB)… SRB 1: The SRB 1 is used to send RRC messages, and these messages are sent by using a dedicated control channel (DCCH). SRB 2: The SRB 2 is used to send RRC messages including NAS messages. The SRB 2 has a lower priority than SRB 1, and the SRB 2 is always configured after security activation.”. Before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to further modify Wu wherein the message comprising the BUSY indication with the predefined security configuration is a signaling radio bearer (SRB) message as taught by Luo for the purpose of the added security and signaling efficiencies.
As to claim 7, Wu as modified discloses The UE of claim 2, is silent to yet in an analogous art Luo discloses wherein the operations further comprise:
sending, in response to the page, the SRB message that uses the predefined security configuration to protect the BUSY indication (see [0066] “A UE-level RRC message is transmitted through a signaling radio bearer (SRB)… SRB 1: The SRB 1 is used to send RRC messages, and these messages are sent by using a dedicated control channel (DCCH). SRB 2: The SRB 2 is used to send RRC messages including NAS messages. The SRB 2 has a lower priority than SRB 1, and the SRB 2 is always configured after security activation.”. Before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Wu wherein the operations further comprise: sending, in response to the page, the SRB message that uses the predefined security configuration to protect the BUSY indication as taught by Luo for the purpose of added security.
As to claim 8, Wu as modified discloses The UE of claim 2, wherein the operations further comprise:
sending (515), in response to the page, an RRC resume request message, (see [0103]-[0110]). It is considered that the modification above wrt Huang would result in including the predefined security configuration. Wu fails to explicitly recite yet in an analogous art Luo discloses after sending the RRC resume request message, sending the SRB message including the BUSY indication (see Luo [0066] “A UE-level RRC message is transmitted through a signaling radio bearer (SRB)… SRB 1: The SRB 1 is used to send RRC messages, and these messages are sent by using a dedicated control channel (DCCH). SRB 2: The SRB 2 is used to send RRC messages including NAS messages. The SRB 2 has a lower priority than SRB 1, and the SRB 2 is always configured after security activation.”. Before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Wu wherein the operations further comprise: after sending the RRC resume request message, sending the SRB message including the BUSY indication as taught by Luo for the purpose of added security. It is noted that there are only three possibilities regarding the message timing, that the SRB message is sent before, after or concurrently to the request and it is considered obvious to try sending after as the expectations for success would be greatest.
Claim(s) 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu, Shrivastava, and Huang as applied to claim 1 further in view of Jung et al. (2018/0192371) hereinafter “Jung”.
As to claim 9, (Original) Wu as modified discloses The UE of claim 1 wherein the BUSY indication is included in a message that includes a dedicated preamble corresponding to the UE, (claim 10) wherein the message is an RRC resume request message (see [0103]-[0110]).
In an analogous art Jung discloses a RRC resume request message that includes a dedicated preamble corresponding to the UE used for identification. Before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Wu to utilize a RRC resume request message that includes a dedicated preamble corresponding to the UE as taught by Jung for the purpose of providing identification.
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu, Shrivastava, and Huang as applied to claim 1 further in view of Manolakos et al. (2024/0015501) hereinafter “Manolakos”.
As to claim 12, (Original) Wu discloses The UE of claim 1, suggests [0148] but fails to explicitly recite yet in an analogous art Manolakos discloses wherein the operations further comprise:
sending, to the first network, an indication of what the UE supports the sending of the BUSY indication with the predefined security configuration (see [0133] “…the UE 204 may provide its capabilities as part of the first attach procedure…” ), wherein the indication is one of a UECapabilityInformation information element or a message during an initial ATTACH REQUEST/REGISTRATION REQUEST. Before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Wu wherein the operations further comprise sending, to the first network, an indication that the UE supports the sending of the BUSY indication in an initial attach request, as taught by Manolakos for the purpose of enabling the network to make use of the information.
Claim(s) 22 and 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu and Huang.
As to claim 22, (Original) Wu discloses A processor (906/909) of a base station configured to perform operations (see [0141],[0145]) comprising:
operating in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) inactive state with a user equipment (UE) (see Fig.5, [0097]-[00100] where UE 510 transitions to inactive mode prior to page);
sending a page to the UE (see operation 513);
receiving, in response to the page, a message comprising a BUSY indication [[with a predefined security configuration]] (see operation 515, [0104]); and
sending, in response to the message comprising the BUSY indication [[with the predefined security configuration]], an RRC release message (see operation 521, [0105]-[0108]) [[based on the predefined security configuration]]. Wu teaches each of the claimed operations however provides an embodiment wherein “operating” in an inactive state is performed by one BS and the other operations are performed by another BS due to a movement situation of the UE. Absent the movement of the UE, before the effective filing date of the instant invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have the same BS perform all of the operations for the purpose of reducing resource needs by not needing to involve another BS.
In an analogous art, Huang discloses [0152]-[0155] wherein it was known to send data during inactive states including RRC messaging, particularly the RRC release message according to and based on a predefined security configuration. Before the effective filing date of the instant invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the processor of WU to receiving, in response to the page, a message comprising a BUSY indication with a predefined security configuration; and sending, in response to the message comprising the BUSY indication with the predefined security configuration, an RRC release message based on the predefined security configuration as suggested by Huang for the purpose of securely communicating intent during multi use scenarios.
As to claim 24, the combination of Wu and Huang discloses The processor of claim 22, Wu discloses wherein the message comprising the BUSY indication with the predefined security configuration is an RRC resume request message (See [0104] “For example, UE 510 may resume from the inactive mode, and may, in operation 515, transmit a RRC resume request message to BS 520a”.) See Huang [0153]-[0154]
Claim(s) 25-27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu and Huang as applied to claim 22 above, and further in view of Luo et al. (2021/0195666) hereinafter “Luo”.
As to claim 25, (Original) the combination of Wu and Huang discloses The processor of claim 23, Wu discloses wherein the BUSY indication is included in a signaling radio bearer (SRB) message. See [0103]-[0104]. In an analogous art Luo discloses the use of SRB (see [0066] “A UE-level RRC message is transmitted through a signaling radio bearer (SRB)… SRB 1: The SRB 1 is used to send RRC messages, and these messages are sent by using a dedicated control channel (DCCH). SRB 2: The SRB 2 is used to send RRC messages including NAS messages. The SRB 2 has a lower priority than SRB 1, and the SRB 2 is always configured after security activation.”. Before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to further modify Wu wherein the BUSY indication is included in a signaling radio bearer (SRB) message as taught by Luo for the purpose of the added security and signaling efficiencies.
As to claim 26. (Original) the combination of Wu, Huang, and Luo discloses The processor of claim 25, Wu discloses wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving, in response to the page, the SRB message including the BUSY indication and the predefined security configuration. The Huang modification would result in the use of the predefined security configuration and the Luo modification would result in the use of the SRB messaging.
As to claim 27, (Original) the combination of Wu, Huang, and Luo discloses The processor of claims 25 and corresponding claim 8 (above) provides rational for this claim.
Claim(s) 28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu, & Huang as applied to claim 22 above, and further in view of Kim et al. (10863394) hereinafter “Kim”.
As to claim 28, (Original) Wu as modified discloses The processor of claim 22, wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving, (515), in response to the page, an RRC resume request message, (see [0103]-[0110]);
and implies (see [0052]) but fails to explicitly recite yet in an analogous art Kim discloses (see Fig 2IB)
sending, in response to the RRC resume request message (2ib-15), one of a RRC resume message (2ib-20) or an RRC setup message; and
receiving one of a RRC resume complete message (2ib-30) or a RRC setup complete message. Before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Wu by configuring its processor to perform the steps of receiving and sending as taught by Kim wherein the one of a RRC resume complete message or a RRC setup complete message includes the BUSY indication as suggested by Wu for the purpose of enabling communication per 3GPP.
Claim(s) 29 and 31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu and Huang as applied to claim 22 further in view of Jung et al. (2018/0192371) hereinafter “Jung”.
As to claim 29, (Currently Amended) Wu as modified discloses The processor of claim 22, wherein the BUSY indication is included in a message that includes a dedicated preamble corresponding to the UE, wherein the message is an RRC resume request message (see [0103]-[0110]).
In an analogous art Jung discloses a RRC resume request message that includes a dedicated preamble corresponding to the UE used for identification. Before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Wu to utilize a RRC resume request message that includes a dedicated preamble corresponding to the UE as taught by Jung for the purpose of providing identification.
As to claim 31, (New) Wu as modified discloses The processor of claim 29, wherein the message comprising the BUSY indication with the predefined security configuration is an RRC resume request message. (See [0104] “For example, UE 510 may resume from the inactive mode, and may, in operation 515, transmit a RRC resume request message to BS 520a”.) See Huang [0153]-[0154].
Claim(s) 32 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu and Huang as applied to claim 22 above, and further in view of Jeong et al. (2022/0295265) hereinafter “Jeong”.
As to claim 32, (New) Wu as modified discloses The processor of claim 22, is silent to yet in an analogous art Jeong discloses wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving, from the UE, an indication that the UE supports [[the sending of the BUSY indication with the predefined security configuration when the UE is in the inactive state with the base station,]] wherein the indication is one of a UECapabilityInformation information element or a message during an initial ATTACH REQUEST/REGISTRATION REQUEST. See [0038]. Jeong discloses to send the UE MUSIM capability information (Wu as modified provides for the capability of providing a BUSY indication with the predefined security configuration when the UE is in the inactive state with the base station). Before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to further modify Wu wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving, from the UE, an indication that the UE supports the sending of the BUSY indication with the predefined security configuration when the UE is in the inactive state with the base station, wherein the indication is one of a UECapabilityInformation information element or a message during an initial ATTACH REQUEST/REGISTRATION REQUEST as suggested by Jeong for the purpose of optimizing system performance.
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 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.
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LESTER G. KINCAID
Primary Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2649
/LESTER G KINCAID/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2649