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 Pre-Amendment filed on Oct. 02, 2023.
Claims 1-17 have been canceled.
New claims 18-29 have been added.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 18-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wu (2024/0022897).
Regarding claim 23, Wu discloses a core network node (see abstract, fig.1A, element 160, paragraphs [0018], [0038-0039] and its description), comprising: communications interface circuitry (it is inherent in a core network node); and processing circuitry operatively associated with the communications interface circuitry (it is inherent in a core network node) and configured to: receive, for a wireless device operating in the radio access network, an indication that the wireless device is a reduced capability device (see abstract, fig.1A, element 102, paragraphs [0001], [0008], [0040] and its description); and control access to core network services by the wireless device and/or controlling session management for the wireless device, based on the indication, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to treat the indication that the wireless device is a reduced capability device as a Radio Access Technology (RAT) type, for purposes of making access control and session management decisions based on RAT type (see abstract, fig.1A, element 102,fig.3, elements 102, 104, step 306A, figs.15/16, step 1504/1604, paragraphs [0001], [0008], [0010-0012], [0036-0040], [0047-0049], [0059-0061], [0074-0077], [0148-0149] and descriptions).
Regarding claim 24, Wu further discloses wherein the processing circuitry is configured to select a Session Management Function (SMF) based on the indication that the wireless device is a reduced capability device (see paragraphs [0024], [0048], [0104]).
Regarding claim 25, Wu further discloses wherein the controlling session management comprises one or more of: further network slice selection; control and policy differentiations; charging differentiation (see fig.1, elements (164, 166, 162)/160, paragraphs [0047-0048] and its description).
Regarding claim 26, Wu further discloses wherein the processing circuitry is configured to include the indication that the wireless device is a reduced capability device in a handover request to a target node for handover of the wireless device (see fig.1A, element 102, 106A-B, fig.8, elements 107, 106A, 104, step 804, paragraphs [0059], [0074], [0120-0122] and its description).
Regarding claim 27, Wu further discloses wherein the processing circuitry is configured to include the indication that the wireless device is a reduced capability device in a path switch request to a target node for handover of the wireless device (see fig1A, element 102, 106A-B, fig.8, elements 107, 106A, 104, step 804, [0036-0040], [0047-0049], [0059], [0120-0122] and its description).
Regarding claim 28, Wu further discloses wherein the core network node comprises at least one of a Policy Control Function (PCF), Session Management Function (SMF), and User Plane Function (UPF), and wherein the processing circuitry is configured to treat the indication that the wireless device is a reduced capability device as a Radio Access Technology (RAT) type, for differentiating the wireless device for charging and/or quality-of-service (see fig.1, elements (164, 166, 162)/160, paragraphs [0047-0048] and its description).
Regarding claims 18-22 and 29 recite limitations substantially similar to the claims 23-28. Therefore, these claims were rejected for similar reasons as stated above.
Examiner's Note: Examiner has cited particular columns and line numbers in the references applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
When responding to this Office Action, Applicant is advised to clearly point out the patentable novelty which he or she thinks the claims present, in view of the state of the art disclosed by the references cited or the objections made. He or she must also show how the amendments avoid such references or objections See 37 CFR 1.111(c).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CongVan Tran whose telephone number is (571) 272-7871. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Th.
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UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
/CONGVAN TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647