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 .
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.
Claim(s) 29-30 and 39-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipation by Choe (US Publication 2026/0032530 A1).
In regards to claims 29 and 39, Choe teaches, a method performed by an access and mobility management function (AMF) entity in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: determining a first network slice associated with a protocol data unit (PDU) session (see figure 7, target AMF 750 and paragraph 118; the target AMF 750 may be instructed by the core network that single-network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) S-NSSAI #1 is congested) to replace with a second network slice (see paragraph 118; the target AMF 750 needs to maintain service continuity of the terminal, and for this purpose, may check whether S-NSSAI #2 is supported by the T-RAN 730 with another S-NSSAI. If S-NSSAI #2 is supported by the T-RAN 730, the target AMF 750 may decide to additionally associate S-NSSAI #2 with the PDU session); transmitting, to a session management function (SMF) entity, a session management (SM) context update message comprising information on the second network slice (see paragraph 118; the AMF 750 may transmit a request to create or update an SM context for the PDU session (e.g., Nsmf_PDUSession_CreateSMContext) to the SMF 760. For example, a request to create or update an SM context may include, but is not limited to, a PDU session ID, S-NSSAI #2, and N2 SM information); and receiving, from the SMF entity, in response to the SM context update an SM context update response message comprising information on whether a new PDU session is allocable to the second network slice (see paragraph 118; the SMF 760 may forward an SM context or update response message for the PDU session to the target AMF 750).
In regards to claims 30 and 40, Choe teaches, wherein the second network slice is an alternative network slice (see paragraphs 118-119 and figure 8; If S-NSSAI #2 is added as an associated network slice for PDU session, the SMF 840 may determine that PDU session is associated with S-NSSAI #1 and S-NSSAI #2. Thereafter, the SMF 840 may forward a session establishment message to the UPF 850 to update N4 session information in the UPF 850. Thereafter, the SMF 840 may transmit an N1N2 message to the AMF 830. For example, if S-NSSAI #2 is added as a network slice to establish the PDU session, the S-NSSAI #2 related information may indicate that S-NSSAI #2 is added as a network slice to establish the PDU session; As another example, if S-NSSAI #2 is replaced with a network slice to establish the PDU session, the S-NSSAI #2 related information may indicate that S-NSSAI #2 is replaced with a network slice to establish the PDU session).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 21-28 and 31-38 have previously been allowed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 29 and 39 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.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAY P PATEL whose telephone number is (571)272-3086. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30-6.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Faruk Hamza can be reached at 571-272-7969. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JAY P PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2466
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