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 Amendment
The amendment filed 02/10/2026 has been fully considered and entered into record. Claims 1-4, 7-11 and 14 remain pending in the application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see remarks filed 02/10/2026, regarding the rejection of the claims under 35 U.S.C. 103 in view of Chun (US 2022/0070815), modified by Zhang et al (US 2023/0199633), have been fully considered but are not persuasive. Regarding Claim 1, Applicant argues the features of Applicant's claim 1 are configured such that the access permission time for the second PLMN is directly assigned by the second PLMN itself, as indicated in Applicant's amended claim 1 requires that "the second registration accept message include[s] time information related to a service duration that allows the terminal to receive a service from the second PLMN." Applicant further argues Chun merely describes a waiting time until a retry (e.g., see "RejectWaitTimer" in paragraph [0380] of Chun) when access to another operator network is rejected, and does not disclose any configuration in which the second PLMN directly assigns an access permission time, Zhang escribes a back-off timer for delaying access attempts by a terminal in order to prevent network overload in a disaster situation (e.g., see table 4 of Zhang), but likewise does not disclose any configuration in which the second PLMN directly grants a service availability period to the terminal, and therefore Chun and Zhang are completely silent as to any registration accept message that includes information regarding the access permission time for the second PLMN, failing to render obvious the amended limitations of the claims.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. In response to applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., “an access permission time") are not recited in the rejected claims. The claims are written very broadly. The amended language, particularly “time information related to a service duration that allows the terminal to receive a service from the second PLMN” does not equate to the argued “access permission time.” Networks may provide any number of services to a single device, and each of these services has an associated duration. The phrase “information related to a service duration” does not even require an actual duration be provided, only information somehow associated with the duration of any type of service provided to the device by the second network. The interpretation of this limitation to include a precise duration of the access permission time during which the device has access to any/all services of the second network, as argued by Applicant, impermissibly reads the specification and Applicant’s intended technical effects into the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claims, and gives weight to language, namely “access permission time,” that does not appear anywhere in the instant specification. 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).
Examiner respectfully disagrees with Applicant’s characterization of the rejection. The newly amended limitations incorporate claim language from previously rejected claims 5-6 (and 12-13), which have since been cancelled. Applicant argues the teachings of Chun and Zhang in asserting the patentability of the amended limitations. However, neither Chun nor Zhang were relied upon to teach these portions of the original claims. For these reasons, Applicant’s arguments pertaining to the specific teachings of Chun and Zhang are moot.
In response to applicant's arguments against the references individually, one cannot show nonobviousness by attacking references individually where the rejections are based on combinations of references. See In re Keller, 642 F.2d 413, 208 USPQ 871 (CCPA 1981); In re Merck & Co., 800 F.2d 1091, 231 USPQ 375 (Fed. Cir. 1986). Applicant’s amendment incorporated limitations from Claims 5-6, previously rejected under Chun and Zhang, in further view of Starsinic (US 2024/0007878). However, Applicant fails to provide any arguments as to how the teachings of Starsinic fail to render these limitations obvious. Applicant’s arguments simply disregard Starsinic as moot, due to the cancellation of the applied claims, when in fact Starsinic discloses the amended limitations in their entirety. For these reasons, Applicant’s arguments amount to a general allegation that the claims define a patentable invention without fully and completely addressing the rejections on record and specifically pointing out how the language of the claims patentably distinguishes them from the references.
Starsinic, which was originally relied upon to reject the amended limitations, teaches disaster information received by the UE from the network which indicates a minimum amount of time the UE should wait before checking if the disaster has been resolved and returning to the PLMN that is impacted by the disaster, and back-off information that helps the UE determine how much time it should wait before attempting to connect to PLMN that is available ([0090-0094]). All of this is “time information related to a service duration.” Starsinic also teaches that during the registration procedure with a new PLMN, when the network provides the UE with a Disaster Configured NSSAI or a Disaster Mapping of Configured NSSAI, the network may also provide the UE with a PDU Session Count Limit for each slice in the Disaster Configured NSSAI or Disaster Mapping of Configured NSSAI. The PDU Session Count Limit may be a disaster limit that limits how many PDU Session(s) the UE may establish in each slice when connected to a network as a disaster roamer. Additionally, the PDU Session Count Limit may be set for the slice as a PDU session quota for maximum number of PDU sessions exclusively for Disaster Configured NSSAI or a Disaster Mapping of Configured NSSAI, which may be updated based on disaster situation and UE density. ([0182]) This PDU session count limit is explicit information related to a service duration that is signaled from the second, new PLMN. Based on these teachings, the amended limitations are obvious and the rejections are hereby maintained below.
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.
Claims 1-4, 7-11, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chun (US 2022/0070815), in view of Zhang et al (US 2023/0199633), and further in view of Starsinic et al (US 2024/0007878).
Regarding Claim 1, Chun teaches a method performed by a terminal ([0470-0474], Fig. 13, method for a UE to select a network), the method comprising:
receiving, from a first network entity corresponding to a first public land mobile network (PLMN), a first message including information related to a disaster PLMN (DPLMN) ([0471], Fig. 13, first, a UE may perform a registration to a first PLMN via a first base station in S1301, [0472], receive disaster related message indicating that disaster roaming service is provided in S1303);
selecting a second PLMN, based on the first message ([0473], Fig. 13, check whether UE is provide with disaster roaming service in S1305 and select second PLMN providing disaster roaming service based on result of the check in S1307);
transmitting, to a second network entity corresponding to the second PLMN, a registration request message in which a disaster-related indication is configured ([0473], Fig. 13, transmit registration request to selected second PLMN in 1309); and
receiving, from the second network entity, a second registration accept message, based on the registration request message ([0474] Fig. 13 receive response message from second PLMN in S1311 ([0349-0350], message may include an indication that allows the UE to access other PLMN. Hence, the UE may perform the access to the indicated PLMN based on the message, [0435], if the access is allowed, the UE enters a next step for actual RRC connection or NAS signaling or data transmission (indicates the response message is an acceptance)).
Chun fails to explicitly teach the following, which in the same field of endeavor, Zhang teaches wherein the first network entity is a first access and mobility function (AMF) corresponding to a first PLMN ([0087-0088], Fig. 3, step 31 the terminal (UE) sends a registration request to an access and mobility management function (AMF), the AMF may be a home AMF of the terminal or may be a visited AMF), the first message is a first registration accept message ([0090-0093], Fig.3, step 36 AMF adds disaster condition network selection information to a registration accept message and sends the message to the terminal), and the second network entity is a second AMF corresponding to the second PLMN ([0082-0084], terminal may obtain or update the disaster condition network selection information during the registration procedure, includes sending a registration request to a network-side device of a first home PLMN or a first visited PLMN and receiving registration accept information send by the network-side device, where the registration accept information carries the disaster condition network selection information).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the AMF registration accept message with disaster condition information, as taught in Zhang, in the system of Chun, in order to more efficiently maintain service continuity in failure situations across networks.
Chun, as modified by Zhang, fail to teach wherein the second registration accept message includes information related to a timer associated with duration information that allows a service to be received in the second PLMN.
In the same field of endeavor, Starsinic teaches wherein the second registration accept message includes information related to a timer associated with duration information ([0182], When the network provides the UE with a Disaster Configured NSSAI or a Disaster Mapping of Configured NSSAI, the network may also provide the UE with a PDU Session Count Limit for each slice in the Disaster Configured NSSAI or Disaster Mapping of Configured NSSAI. The PDU Session Count Limit may be a disaster limit that limits how many PDU Session(s) the UE may establish in each slice when connected to a network as a disaster roamer. Additionally, the PDU Session Count Limit may be set for the slice as a PDU session quota for maximum number of PDU sessions exclusively for Disaster Configured NSSAI or a Disaster Mapping of Configured NSSAI, which may be updated based on disaster situation and UE density.) that allows a service to be received in the second PLMN ([0090-0094], disaster information received by the UE includes time information indicating a minimum amount of time that the UE should wait before checking if the disaster has been resolved and returning to the PLMN that is impacted by the disaster (minimum duration of connection), and back-off information that helps the UE determine how much time it should wait before attempting to connect to PLMN that is available. This information may be used to assign a value to a timer in the UE and the UE may not attempt to connect to the PLMN until the timer expires. The time that is assigned to the timer may be based on the back-off information and adjusted based on internal UE logic in order to avoid situations where many UE attempt to simultaneously )connect to the same PLMN).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the timing and duration indications in the registration accept messages disseminated by the network, as taught in Starsinic, in the system of Chun and Zhang, in order to conserve power and avoid too many simultaneous attempts to connect to the same or a failing PLMN.
Regarding Claim 2, Chun, as modified by Zhang and Starsinic, teaches method of claim 1, Chun further teaches wherein the information related to the DPLMN includes a DPLMN list, and wherein the DPLMN list includes information of at least one DPLMN ([0016], checking comprises determining whether the first PLMN is included in the list of PLMNs allowing the disaster roaming service included in the disaster related message. The selecting comprises selecting the second PLMN providing the disaster roaming service when the first PLMN is included in the list of PLMNs allowing the disaster roaming service).
Regarding Claim 3, Chun, as modified by Zhang and Starsinic, teaches method of claim 1, Chun further teaches wherein the information related to the DPLMN corresponds to information related to the second PLMN that is usable in a disaster situation by the terminal ([0014], The disaster related message includes at least one candidate PLMN list providing the disaster roaming service. The method further comprises selecting the second PLMN from among the at least one candidate PLMN list based on a pre-configured condition, [0473], Fig. 13, check whether UE is provide with disaster roaming service in S1305 and select second PLMN providing disaster roaming service based on result of the check in S1307).
Regarding Claim 4, Chun, as modified by Zhang and Starsinic, teaches method of claim 1, Chun further teaches wherein the disaster-related indication includes information indicating that a disaster situation has occurred in the first PLMN ([0388], a base station connected to a surrounding PLMN may send each UE whether or not the base station has allowed the national roaming or disaster roaming attempt of UEs subscribed to other competitor PLMN using the following SIB message. That is, the UE that is indicated to select other surrounding PLMN other than a currently subscribed PLMN may determine whether the access attempt (or disaster roaming attempt) to other PLMN is allowed from other base station connected to other PLMN using the following SIB message).
Regarding Claim 7, Chun, as modified by Zhang and Starsinic, teaches method of claim 1, Chun further teaches wherein the first registration accept message includes information related to the DPLMN in an equivalent PLMN (EPLMN) list ([0468-0469], even when the UE has equivalent home PLMN (EHPLMN) information the UE may determine similarly disaster roaming).
Regarding Claim 8, Chun teaches a terminal comprising: a transceiver; and at least one processor ([0484], Fig. 15, UE 1520), wherein the at least one processor is configured ([0470-0474], Fig. 13, method for a UE to select a network) to:
receive, from a first network entity corresponding to a first public land mobile network (PLMN), a first message including information related to a disaster PLMN (DPLMN) ([0471], Fig. 13, first, a UE may perform a registration to a first PLMN via a first base station in S1301, [0472], receive disaster related message indicating that disaster roaming service is provided in S1303),
select a second PLMN based on the first message ([0473], Fig. 13, check whether UE is provide with disaster roaming service in S1305 and select second PLMN providing disaster roaming service based on result of the check in S1307),
transmit, to a second network entity corresponding to the second PLMN, a registration request message in which a disaster-related indication is configured ([0473], Fig. 13, transmit registration request to selected second PLMN in 1309), and
receive, from the second network entity, a second registration accept message based on the registration request message ([0474] Fig. 13 receive response message from second PLMN in S1311 ([0349-0350], message may include an indication that allows the UE to access other PLMN. Hence, the UE may perform the access to the indicated PLMN based on the message, [0435], if the access is allowed, the UE enters a next step for actual RRC connection or NAS signaling or data transmission (indicates the response message is an acceptance)).
Chun fails to explicitly teach the following, which in the same field of endeavor, Zhang teaches wherein the first network entity is a first access and mobility function (AMF) corresponding to a first PLMN ([0087-0088], Fig. 3, step 31 the terminal (UE) sends a registration request to an access and mobility management function (AMF), the AMF may be a home AMF of the terminal or may be a visited AMF), the first message is a first registration accept message ([0090-0093], Fig.3, step 36 AMF adds disaster condition network selection information to a registration accept message and sends the message to the terminal), and the second network entity is a second AMF corresponding to the second PLMN ([0082-0084], terminal may obtain or update the disaster condition network selection information during the registration procedure, includes sending a registration request to a network-side device of a first home PLMN or a first visited PLMN and receiving registration accept information send by the network-side device, where the registration accept information carries the disaster condition network selection information).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the AMF registration accept message with disaster condition information, as taught in Zhang, in the system of Chun, in order to more efficiently maintain service continuity in failure situations across networks.
Chun, as modified by Zhang, fail to teach wherein the second registration accept message includes information related to a timer associated with duration information that allows a service to be received in the second PLMN.
In the same field of endeavor, Starsinic teaches wherein the second registration accept message includes information related to a timer associated with duration information ([0182], When the network provides the UE with a Disaster Configured NSSAI or a Disaster Mapping of Configured NSSAI, the network may also provide the UE with a PDU Session Count Limit for each slice in the Disaster Configured NSSAI or Disaster Mapping of Configured NSSAI. The PDU Session Count Limit may be a disaster limit that limits how many PDU Session(s) the UE may establish in each slice when connected to a network as a disaster roamer. Additionally, the PDU Session Count Limit may be set for the slice as a PDU session quota for maximum number of PDU sessions exclusively for Disaster Configured NSSAI or a Disaster Mapping of Configured NSSAI, which may be updated based on disaster situation and UE density.) that allows a service to be received in the second PLMN ([0090-0094], disaster information received by the UE includes time information indicating a minimum amount of time that the UE should wait before checking if the disaster has been resolved and returning to the PLMN that is impacted by the disaster (minimum duration of connection), and back-off information that helps the UE determine how much time it should wait before attempting to connect to PLMN that is available. This information may be used to assign a value to a timer in the UE and the UE may not attempt to connect to the PLMN until the timer expires. The time that is assigned to the timer may be based on the back-off information and adjusted based on internal UE logic in order to avoid situations where many UE attempt to simultaneously )connect to the same PLMN).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the timing and duration indications in the registration accept messages disseminated by the network, as taught in Starsinic, in the system of Chun and Zhang, in order to conserve power and avoid too many simultaneous attempts to connect to the same or a failing PLMN.
Regarding Claim 9, Chun, as modified by Zhang and Starsinic, teaches the terminal of claim 8, Chun further teaches wherein the information related to the DPLMN includes a DPLMN list, and wherein the DPLMN list includes information of at least one DPLMN ([0016], checking comprises determining whether the first PLMN is included in the list of PLMNs allowing the disaster roaming service included in the disaster related message. The selecting comprises selecting the second PLMN providing the disaster roaming service when the first PLMN is included in the list of PLMNs allowing the disaster roaming service).
Regarding Claim 10, Chun, as modified by Zhang and Starsinic, teaches the terminal of claim 8, Chun further teaches wherein the information related to the DPLMN corresponds to information related to the second PLMN that is usable in a disaster situation by the terminal ([0014], The disaster related message includes at least one candidate PLMN list providing the disaster roaming service. The method further comprises selecting the second PLMN from among the at least one candidate PLMN list based on a pre-configured condition, [0473], Fig. 13, check whether UE is provide with disaster roaming service in S1305 and select second PLMN providing disaster roaming service based on result of the check in S1307).
Regarding Claim 11, Chun, as modified by Zhang and Starsinic, teaches the terminal of claim 8, Chun further teaches wherein the disaster-related indication includes information indicating that a disaster situation has occurred in the first PLMN ([0388], a base station connected to a surrounding PLMN may send each UE whether or not the base station has allowed the national roaming or disaster roaming attempt of UEs subscribed to other competitor PLMN using the following SIB message. That is, the UE that is indicated to select other surrounding PLMN other than a currently subscribed PLMN may determine whether the access attempt (or disaster roaming attempt) to other PLMN is allowed from other base station connected to other PLMN using the following SIB message).
Regarding Claim 14, Chun, as modified by Zhang and Starsinic, teaches the terminal of claim 8, Chun further teaches wherein the first registration accept message includes information related to the DPLMN in an equivalent PLMN (EPLMN) list ([0468-0469], even when the UE has equivalent home PLMN (EHPLMN) information the UE may determine similarly disaster roaming).
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.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Park (US 2023/0156863) discloses a method for adjusting timer T when disaster roaming occurs, and a device supporting same. When a disaster condition is applied to a home public land mobile network (HPLMN), a user equipment (UE) performs registration with a disaster roaming PLMN. When the registration with the disaster roaming PLMN is performed, a timer for periodically searching for the HPLMN does not operate, and the HPLMN is not searched while the timer does not operate. In addition, the UE re-operates the timer on the basis of the disaster condition no longer being applied to the HPLMN or the UE leaving a disaster area. (Abstract)
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARGARET G WEBB whose telephone number is (571)270-7803. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00-6:00 PM.
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/MARGARET G WEBB/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2641
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