DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to applicant’s amendment filed on 01 April 2026. Claims 27-28, 30, 32-36, 41-42, 44, 46-49, 53-55, 57, and 59 are now pending in the present application and claims 1-26, 29, 31, 37-40, 43, 45, 50-52, 56, and 58 are canceled.
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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Election/Restrictions
REQUIREMENT FOR UNITY OF INVENTION
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 27-36 and 41-49 in the reply filed on 04 November 2025 is acknowledged.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 27-28, 30, 32-36, 41-42, 44, 46-49, 53-55, 57, and 59 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Qualcomm (hereinafter Qualcomm) (“Solution to K1#7: Mobility between 5G MBS supporting and 5G MBS”; 3GPP Draft; S2-2004223).
Regarding claims 27, 41, and 54, Qualcomm discloses a method, comprising:
receiving, by a first access network device (e.g., NG RAN), indication information, wherein the indication information indicates an association relationship between a unicast quality of service (QoS) flow and a multicast and broadcast service (MBS) QoS flow { (see pp. 1-3, sections 6.X.1, 6.X.2.1 & 6.X.2.2; Fig. 6.X.2.1-1), where the system provides MBS QoS flow and unicast Flow };
replacing, by the first access network device (e.g., NG RAN), a flow identifier in a data packet header of the MBS QoS flow with a flow identifier of the unicast QoS flow associated with the MBS QoS flow in a handover process { (see pp. 1-3, sections 6.X.1, 6.X.2.1 & 6.X.2.2; Fig. 6.X.2.1-1), where the system has a MBS flow that is associated with unicast PDU}; and
forwarding, by the first access network device (e.g., NG RAN), a QoS flow after the replacing the flow identifier, to a second access network device (e.g., NG RAN) { (see pp. 1-3, sections 6.X.1, 6.X.2.1 & 6.X.2.2; Fig. 6.X.2.1-1), where the system has a MBS flow that is associated with unicast PDU },
wherein the second access network device (e.g., NG RAN) is an access network does not support a multicast and broadcast transmission mode { (see pp. 1-3, sections 6.X.1, 6.X.2.1 & 6.X.2.2; Fig. 6.X.2.1-1) }.
Regarding claims 28, 42, and 55, Qualcomm discloses the method according to claim 27, wherein the indication information comprises at least one of: the flow identifier of the unicast QoS flow corresponding to the MBS QoS flow { (see pp. 1-3, sections 6.X.1, 6.X.2.1 & 6.X.2.2; Fig. 6.X.2.1-1) }.
Regarding claims 30, 44, and 57, Qualcomm discloses the method according to claim 27, further comprising: before handover, transmitting, by the first access network device, MBS to a terminal device in a multicast transmission mode { (see pp. 1-3, sections 6.X.1, 6.X.2.1 & 6.X.2.2; Fig. 6.X.2.1-1) }.
Regarding claims 32, 46, and 59, Qualcomm discloses the method according to claim 27, wherein the handover process is a process in which a terminal device hands over from the first access network device that supports the multicast and broadcast transmission mode to the second access network device { (see pp. 1-3, sections 6.X.1, 6.X.2.1 & 6.X.2.2; Fig. 6.X.2.1-1) }.
Regarding claims 33 and 47, Qualcomm discloses the method according to claim 27, wherein before the forwarding, by the first access network device, the QoS flow to the second access network device, the method further comprises: sending, to the second access network device, a handover request, wherein the handover request comprises information of an MBS; and receiving, from the second access network device, handover request acknowledgment information, wherein the handover request acknowledgment information comprises first configuration information, the first configuration information comprises information for cell handover, and, when the information of the MBS cannot be identified by the second access network device, the first configuration information is a full configuration { (see pp. 1-3, sections 6.X.1, 6.X.2.1 & 6.X.2.2; Fig. 6.X.2.1-1) }.
Regarding claims 34 and 48, Qualcomm discloses the method according to claim 27, wherein the method further comprises: determining, by performing signaling interaction with the second access network device, that the second access network device does not support the multicast and broadcast transmission mode { (see pp. 1-3, sections 6.X.1, 6.X.2.1 & 6.X.2.2; Fig. 6.X.2.1-1) }.
Regarding claims 35 and 49, Qualcomm discloses the method according to claim 27, wherein the method further comprises: sending, by the first access network device, second indication information to a terminal device, wherein the second indication information indicates the terminal device to configure a first radio bearer to a second radio bearer, the first radio bearer is a multicast radio bearer, and the second radio bearer is a unicast radio bearer; and sending, by the first access network device to the terminal device, an MBS through the second radio bearer { (see pp. 1-3, sections 6.X.1, 6.X.2.1 & 6.X.2.2; Fig. 6.X.2.1-1) }.
Regarding claims 36 and 53, Qualcomm discloses the method according to claim 35, wherein the second indication information indicates at least one of information of the second radio bearer: packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) configuration information, radio link control (RLC) configuration information, security configuration information, or a bearer identifier of the second radio bearer { (see pp. 1-3, sections 6.X.1, 6.X.2.1 & 6.X.2.2; Fig. 6.X.2.1-1) }.
Claim(s) 27, 41, and 54 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Huawei et al. (hereinafter Huawei) (“K1#7, New Solution: Inter-RAN Node MBS Handover”; 3GPP Draft; S2-2004510).
Regarding claims 27, 41, and 54, Huawei discloses a method, comprising:
receiving, by a first access network device (e.g., NG RAN), indication information, wherein the indication information indicates an association relationship between a unicast quality of service (QoS) flow and a multicast and broadcast service (MBS) QoS flow { (see pp. 2-6, sections 6.X.1, 6.X.2.1 & 6.X.2.2; Fig. 6.X.2.1-1), where the system provides MBS QoS flow and unicast Flow };
replacing, by the first access network device (e.g., NG RAN), a flow identifier in a data packet header of the MBS QoS flow with a flow identifier of the unicast QoS flow associated with the MBS QoS flow in a handover process { (see pp. 2-6, sections 6.X.1, 6.X.2.1 & 6.X.2.2; Fig. 6.X.2.1-1), where the system has a MBS flow that is associated with unicast PDU}; and
forwarding, by the first access network device (e.g., NG RAN), a QoS flow after the replacing the flow identifier, to a second access network device (e.g., target NG RAN) { (see pp. 2-6, sections 6.X.1, 6.X.2.1 & 6.X.2.2; Fig. 6.X.2.1-1), where the system has a MBS flow that is associated with unicast PDU },
wherein the second access network device is an access network does not support a multicast and broadcast transmission mode { (see pp. 2-6, sections 6.X.1, 6.X.2.1 & 6.X.2.2; Fig. 6.X.2.1-1) }.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 27-28, 30, 32-36, 41-42, 44, 46-49, 53-55, 57, and 59 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection necessitated by the amended language, new limitations, and/or new claims.
In response to applicant’s arguments, the Examiner respectfully disagrees as the applied reference(s) provide more than adequate support and to further clarify (see the above claims for relevant citations and comments in this section).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kadiri et al. (US 2021/0068004 A1) discloses mapping multicast broadcast quality of service flows to logical channel identifiers.
Zong et al. (US 2022/0338088 A1) discloses communication method and apparatus.
Kim et al. (US 2023/0209446 A1) discloses multicast-related communication.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIE J DANIEL JR whose telephone number is (571)272-7907. The examiner can normally be reached on 9 - 6.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Gary Mui can be reached on 571-270-1420. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WILLIE J DANIEL JR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2465
WJD,Jr
15 June 2026
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