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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: User Equipment operating in Stand-alone Non-Public Network (SNPN)
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 (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 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 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Koshta et al (US 2021/0368435 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Koshta discloses a User Equipment (UE) (Fig. 2) comprising:
transmission and reception circuitry (Fig. 2, transceiver 220); and
controlling circuitry (Fig. 2, processor 210),
wherein in a case that the transmission and reception circuitry receives a registration accept message including a Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (an NSSAI) inclusion mode (Figs. 9A-9B and 92nd paragraph, UE receives essential type information based on NSSAI inclusion mode indicated in the Registration Accept message) via a current access in a current Stand-alone Non-Public Network (SNPN) in a current registration area (73rd – 74th paragraphs UE can initiate a standalone non-public network search and when SNPN is found, UE performs a registration procedure), the controlling circuitry is configured to apply the NSSAI inclusion mode to an equivalent SNPN for the current SNPN in the current registration area (Fig. 9A, block 2, UE applies NSSAI inclusion mode indicated in the registration accept message).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-3 and 5 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The prior art does not teach or fairly suggest that where the registration procedure is not for emergency service, the controlling circuitry is configured to delete an SNPN identity that is in a permanently forbidden SNPNs list, from the equivalent SNPN list stored in the storage circuitry, as specified in independent claims 1 and 5.
Conclusion
Ishii (US 2024/0389011 A1), same assignee, discloses grouping network slices in a cell reselection procedure (Figs. 22, 25, 29, and 35).
Ishii (US 2025/0097833 A1), same assignee, discloses grouping network for dedicated network slice information (Figs. 13-15, 17-18, 22, and 25).
Sugawara (US 2025/0056461 A1), same assignee, discloses managing NSSAI in SNPN (Fig. 2).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANH VU H LY whose telephone number is (571)272-3175. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8am-5pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nick Jensen can be reached at 571-270-5443. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
ANH VU H. LY
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2472
/ANH VU H LY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2472