DETAILED ACTION
This communication is in response to applicant's response filed under 37 C.F.R. §1.111, dated April 17, 2026 in response to a non-final office action. Claims 1, 5, 8, 10, and 15-16 have been amended. Claims 1-20 are subject to examination and have been examined.
Acknowledgement is made to the following amendments made by the Applicant:
Applicant's amendment to claims 1, 8, and 15 to obviate the previous rejection of claims 1-20 in regard to 35 U.S.C 112(b) indefiniteness. The previous rejection to the said claims is hereby withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to the claims have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection.
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 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 1-3, 5, 8, 10, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawasaki et.al. (US Patent Application Publication, 20190174387, hereinafter, “Kawasaki”) in view of Velev et.al. (US Patent Application Publication, 20240015612, hereinafter, “Velev”).
Regarding claim 1, Kawasaki teaches:
A method, comprising (Kawasaki: [0298] … an example of the handover procedure... Fig. 19):
receiving, by a device providing a wireline access, a handover request to handover a protocol data unit (PDU) session of a network device from a radio access network (RAN) providing a wireless access to the device (Kawasaki: [0301] An example of steps of the handover procedure initiated by the network … the eNB_A 45 [network device] … transmits a handover request message to the eNB_B 145 [receiving device], and starts the network-initiated handover procedure (S2400)(S2402) … [0299] Based on the completion of this procedure, the device in access network to which the UE_A 10 connects is changed from the eNB_A 45 to an eNB_B 145. The PDU session established by the UE_A 10 is also changed from the connectivity via the eNB_A 45 to connectivity via the eNB_B 145 ... Fig. 19);
providing, by the device and to the RAN, a handover request acknowledgment message acknowledging receipt of the handover request (Kawasaki: [0303] The eNB_B 145 receives the handover request message and transmits a handover request response message [i.e., acknowledgment message] to the eNB_A 45 (S2404) ... Fig. 19);
receiving, by the device and from the RAN, a status transfer indicating provision of a handover command by the RAN to the network device (Kawasaki: [0303] ... The eNB_A 45 receives the handover request response message … and transmits an SN status transfer message to the eNB_B 145 (S2406) (S2408) ... Fig. 19);
receiving, by the device and from the RAN, uplink data packets and downlink data packets associated with the PDU session (Kawasaki: [0299] Based on the completion of this procedure, the device in access network to which the UE_A 10 connects is changed from the eNB_A 45 to an eNB_B 145. The PDU session established [established PDU session implies downlink/uplink packets received/transmitted] by the UE_A 10 is also changed from the connectivity via the eNB_A 45 to connectivity via the eNB_B 145 ... Fig. 19);
receiving, by the device and from the network device, a request to establish the PDU session; and
establishing, by the device, the PDU session of the network device based on the request to establish the PDU session (Kawasaki: [0299] Based on the completion of this procedure, the device in access network to which the UE_A 10 connects is changed from the eNB_A 45 to an eNB_B 145. The PDU session established by the UE_A 10 is also changed from the connectivity via the eNB_A 45 to connectivity via the eNB_B 145. The eNB_B 145 may have the same configuration as the eNB_A 45 ... [0185] … each device performs a PDU session establishment procedure (S2002) to change its state to the first state. Note that each device may exchange, with other devices, various pieces of capability information and/or various pieces of request information of each device in the attach procedure and/or the PDU session establishment procedure … Figs. 15, 19).
Although Kawasaki teaches embedding mobility/handover capability information in connection-establishment messages that lets the UE and network know whether UE-initiated handover is supported, and the network can then establish sessions and later handovers consistent with the indicated mobility mode, Kawasaki does not explicitly teach:
wherein the uplink data packets include one or more uplink data packets not yet received by a data network, and
wherein the downlink data packets include one or more downlink packets not previously received by the network device.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Velev teaches:
wherein the uplink data packets include one or more uplink data packets not yet received by a data network, and
wherein the downlink data packets include one or more downlink packets not previously received by the network device (Velev: [0130] The details about the AS layer in Steps 0, 4, 5, and 10 are described in further details in FIG. 4A-4C. One benefit of procedure 300 is that the data packets (i.e., the packets buffered in the AS layer [i.e., downlink data packets] (e.g., PDCP buffer) before the handover execution and the data packets coming from upper layers [i.e., uplink packets] during the handover before the establishment of PDU Sessions 4 and 5) are not lost. These data packets can be transmitted over the new established PDU Sessions 4 and 5 and the corresponding DRB #4 379 and DRB #5 383.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Kawasaki to include the features as taught by Velev above in order to support remapping traffic between network slices during handover. (Velev, ¶ [0075]).
Regarding claim 2, Kawasaki-Velev discloses on the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
Kawasaki further teaches:
receiving, from the network device, a handover complete message indicating that the handover of the PDU session of the network device from the RAN to the device is complete (Kawasaki: [0303] ... The eNB_A 45 receives the handover request response message … and transmits an SN status transfer message to the eNB_B 145 (S2406) (S2408). The UE_A 10 receives the RRC connection reconfiguration request message and transmits an RRC connection reconfiguration complete message to the eNB_B 145 (S2410). Fig. 19).
Regarding claim 3, Kawasaki-Velev discloses on the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
Kawasaki further teaches:
providing the downlink data packets associated with the PDU session to the network device (Kawasaki: [0299] Based on the completion of this procedure, the device in access network to which the UE_A 10 connects is changed from the eNB_A 45 to an eNB_B 145. The PDU session established [established PDU session implies downlink/uplink packets received/transmitted] by the UE_A 10 is also changed from the connectivity via the eNB_A 45 to connectivity via the eNB_B 145 ... Fig. 19).
Regarding claim 5, Kawasaki-Velev discloses on the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
Kawasaki further teaches:
enabling additional uplink data packets and additional downlink data packets associated with the PDU session to be exchanged between the network device and the data network, via the device, based on establishing the PDU session (Kawasaki: [0299] Based on the completion of this procedure, the device in access network to which the UE_A 10 connects is changed from the eNB_A 45 to an eNB_B 145. The PDU session established by the UE_A 10 is also changed from the connectivity via the eNB_A 45 to connectivity via the eNB_B 145 ... Fig. 19).
Regarding claim 8, Kawasaki teaches:
A first device, comprising (Kawasaki: eNB_B 145. Fig. 19):
one or more memories; and one or more processors to (Kawasaki: [0332] A program running on an apparatus according to the present invention may serve as a program that controls a Central Processing Unit (CPU) and the like to cause a computer to operate in such a manner as to realize the functions of the embodiment according to the present invention. A program or information handled by the program is transitorily stored in a volatile memory such as a Random Access Memory (RAM), a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory, a Hard Disk Drive (HDD), or other storage device systems.):
receive, via wireline access, a handover request to handover a protocol data unit (PDU) session of a network device from a second device providing wireless access to the first device (Kawasaki: [0301] An example of steps of the handover procedure initiated by the network … the eNB_A 45 [network device, second device] … transmits a handover request message to the eNB_B 145 [receiving device], and starts the network-initiated handover procedure (S2400)(S2402) … [0299] Based on the completion of this procedure, the device in access network to which the UE_A 10 connects is changed from the eNB_A 45 to an eNB_B 145. The PDU session established by the UE_A 10 is also changed from the connectivity via the eNB_A 45 to connectivity via the eNB_B 145 ... Fig. 19);
provide, to the second device, a handover request acknowledgment message acknowledging receipt of the handover request (Kawasaki: [0303] The eNB_B 145 receives the handover request message and transmits a handover request response message [i.e., acknowledgment message] to the eNB_A 45 (S2404) ... Fig. 19);
receive, from the second device, a status transfer indicating provision of a handover command by the second device to the network device (Kawasaki: [0303] ... The eNB_A 45 receives the handover request response message … and transmits an SN status transfer message to the eNB_B 145 (S2406) (S2408) ... Fig. 19);
receive, from the second device, uplink data packets and downlink data packets associated with the PDU session (Kawasaki: [0299] Based on the completion of this procedure, the device in access network to which the UE_A 10 connects is changed from the eNB_A 45 to an eNB_B 145. The PDU session established [established PDU session implies downlink/uplink packets received/transmitted] by the UE_A 10 is also changed from the connectivity via the eNB_A 45 to connectivity via the eNB_B 145 ... Fig. 19);
receive, from the network device, a request to establish the PDU session, and
establish the PDU session of the network device based on the request to establish the PDU session (Kawasaki: [0299] Based on the completion of this procedure, the device in access network to which the UE_A 10 connects is changed from the eNB_A 45 to an eNB_B 145. The PDU session established by the UE_A 10 is also changed from the connectivity via the eNB_A 45 to connectivity via the eNB_B 145. The eNB_B 145 may have the same configuration as the eNB_A 45 ... [0185] … each device performs a PDU session establishment procedure (S2002) to change its state to the first state. Note that each device may exchange, with other devices, various pieces of capability information and/or various pieces of request information of each device in the attach procedure and/or the PDU session establishment procedure … Figs. 15, 19).
Although Kawasaki teaches embedding mobility/handover capability information in connection-establishment messages that lets the UE and network know whether UE-initiated handover is supported, and the network can then establish sessions and later handovers consistent with the indicated mobility mode, Kawasaki does not explicitly teach:
wherein the uplink data packets include one or more uplink data packets not yet received by a data network, and
wherein the downlink data packets include one or more downlink packets not previously received by the network device.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Velev teaches:
wherein the uplink data packets include one or more uplink data packets not yet received by a data network, and
wherein the downlink data packets include one or more downlink packets not previously received by the network device (Velev: [0130] The details about the AS layer in Steps 0, 4, 5, and 10 are described in further details in FIG. 4A-4C. One benefit of procedure 300 is that the data packets (i.e., the packets buffered in the AS layer [i.e., downlink data packets] (e.g., PDCP buffer) before the handover execution and the data packets coming from upper layers [i.e., uplink packets] during the handover before the establishment of PDU Sessions 4 and 5) are not lost. These data packets can be transmitted over the new established PDU Sessions 4 and 5 and the corresponding DRB #4 379 and DRB #5 383.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Kawasaki to include the features as taught by Velev above in order to support remapping traffic between network slices during handover. (Velev, ¶ [0075]).
Regarding claim 10, Kawasaki-Velev discloses on the features with respect to claim 8 as outlined above.
Kawasaki further teaches:
enable additional uplink data packets and additional downlink data packets associated with the PDU session to be exchanged between the network device and the data network, via the first device, based on establishing the PDU session (Kawasaki: [0299] Based on the completion of this procedure, the device in access network to which the UE_A 10 connects is changed from the eNB_A 45 to an eNB_B 145. The PDU session established by the UE_A 10 is also changed from the connectivity via the eNB_A 45 to connectivity via the eNB_B 145 ... Fig. 19).
Regarding claim 14, Kawasaki-Velev discloses on the features with respect to claim 8 as outlined above.
Kawasaki further teaches:
wherein the second device generates the handover request based on a handover decision (Kawasaki: [0301] ... First, the eNB_A 45 determines to perform the handover procedure, transmits a handover request message to the eNB_B 145, and starts the network-initiated handover procedure (S2400)(S2402). Fig. 19).
Claims 4, 7, 9, 11-12, 15-17, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawasaki-Velev in view of Prakasam et.al. (US Patent Application Publication, 20220022103, hereinafter, “Prakasam”).
Regarding claim 4, Kawasaki-Velev discloses on the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
Kawasaki-Velev does not explicitly teach:
providing the uplink data packets associated with the PDU session to a user plane function.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Prakasam teaches:
providing the uplink data packets associated with the PDU session to a user plane function (Prakasam: [0137] … Once the registration procedure is complete, the UE may trigger PDU session establishment to transfer the IMS PDU at 926 [SMF/UPD 910] ... Fig. 9).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Kawasaki-Velev to include the features as taught by Prakasam above in order to provide PDU session handover between cellular and non-cellular access technologies. (Prakasam, ¶ [0009]).
Regarding claim 7, Kawasaki-Velev discloses on the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
Kawasaki-Velev does not explicitly teach:
wherein the RAN generates the handover request based on a measurement report received from the network device and a handover decision generated based on the measurement report.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Prakasam teaches:
wherein the RAN generates the handover request based on a measurement report received from the network device and a handover decision generated based on the measurement report (Prakasam: [0151] ... In some embodiments, the indication from the first RAT RAN to handover the on-going PDU sessions to the second RAT RAN may be based on one or more measurement reports transmitted by the UE to the first RAN, network conditions on the first RAN, and/or network load management between the first RAN and the second RAN).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Kawasaki-Velev to include the features as taught by Prakasam above in order to provide PDU session handover between cellular and non-cellular access technologies. (Prakasam, ¶ [0009]).
Regarding claim 9, Kawasaki-Velev discloses on the features with respect to claim 8 as outlined above.
Kawasaki further teaches:
receive, from the network device, a handover complete message indicating that the handover of the PDU session of the network device from the second device to the first device is complete (Kawasaki: [0303] ... The eNB_A 45 receives the handover request response message … and transmits an SN status transfer message to the eNB_B 145 (S2406) (S2408). The UE_A 10 receives the RRC connection reconfiguration request message and transmits an RRC connection reconfiguration complete message to the eNB_B 145 (S2410). Fig. 19);
provide the downlink data packets associated with the PDU session to the network device based on receiving the handover complete message (Kawasaki: [0299] Based on the completion of this procedure, the device in access network to which the UE_A 10 connects is changed from the eNB_A 45 to an eNB_B 145. The PDU session established [established PDU session implies downlink/uplink packets received/transmitted] by the UE_A 10 is also changed from the connectivity via the eNB_A 45 to connectivity via the eNB_B 145 ... Fig. 19).
Kawasaki-Velev does not explicitly teach:
provide the uplink data packets associated with the PDU session to a user plane function based on receiving the handover complete message.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Prakasam teaches:
provide the uplink data packets associated with the PDU session to a user plane function based on receiving the handover complete message (Prakasam: [0137] … Once the registration procedure is complete, the UE may trigger PDU session establishment to transfer the IMS PDU at 926 [SMF/UPD 910] ... Fig. 9).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Kawasaki-Velev to include the features as taught by Prakasam above in order to provide PDU session handover between cellular and non-cellular access technologies. (Prakasam, ¶ [0009]).
Regarding claim 11, Kawasaki-Velev discloses on the features with respect to claim 8 as outlined above.
Kawasaki-Velev does not explicitly teach:
wherein the handover request is triggered by the network device.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Prakasam teaches:
wherein the handover request is triggered by the network device (Prakasam: [0151] ... In some embodiments, the indication from the first RAT RAN to handover the on-going PDU sessions to the second RAT RAN may be based on one or more measurement reports transmitted by the UE to the first RAN, network conditions on the first RAN, and/or network load management between the first RAN and the second RAN).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Kawasaki-Velev to include the features as taught by Prakasam above in order to provide PDU session handover between cellular and non-cellular access technologies. (Prakasam, ¶ [0009]).
Regarding claim 12, Kawasaki-Velev discloses on the features with respect to claim 8 as outlined above.
Kawasaki-Velev does not explicitly teach:
wherein the handover request is triggered by the second device.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Prakasam teaches:
wherein the handover request is triggered by the second device (Prakasam: [0151] ... In some embodiments, the indication from the first RAT RAN to handover the on-going PDU sessions to the second RAT RAN may be based on one or more measurement reports transmitted by the UE to the first RAN, network conditions on the first RAN, and/or network load management between the first RAN and the second RAN).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Kawasaki-Velev to include the features as taught by Prakasam above in order to provide PDU session handover between cellular and non-cellular access technologies. (Prakasam, ¶ [0009]).
Regarding claim 15, Kawasaki teaches:
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions comprising: one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a first device, cause the first device to (Kawasaki: [0332] A program running on an apparatus according to the present invention may serve as a program that controls a Central Processing Unit (CPU) and the like to cause a computer to operate in such a manner as to realize the functions of the embodiment according to the present invention. A program or information handled by the program is transitorily stored in a volatile memory such as a Random Access Memory (RAM), a non-volatile memory such as a flash memory, a Hard Disk Drive (HDD), or other storage device systems.):
receive, via wireline access, a handover request to handover a protocol data unit (PDU) session of a network device from a second device providing wireless access to the first device (Kawasaki: [0301] An example of steps of the handover procedure initiated by the network … the eNB_A 45 [network device, second device] … transmits a handover request message to the eNB_B 145 [receiving device], and starts the network-initiated handover procedure (S2400)(S2402) … [0299] Based on the completion of this procedure, the device in access network to which the UE_A 10 connects is changed from the eNB_A 45 to an eNB_B 145. The PDU session established by the UE_A 10 is also changed from the connectivity via the eNB_A 45 to connectivity via the eNB_B 145 ... Fig. 19);
provide, to the second device, a handover request acknowledgment message acknowledging receipt of the handover request (Kawasaki: [0303] The eNB_B 145 receives the handover request message and transmits a handover request response message [i.e., acknowledgment message] to the eNB_A 45 (S2404) ... Fig. 19);
receive, from the second device, uplink data packets and downlink data packets associated with the PDU session (Kawasaki: [0299] Based on the completion of this procedure, the device in access network to which the UE_A 10 connects is changed from the eNB_A 45 to an eNB_B 145. The PDU session established [established PDU session implies downlink/uplink packets received/transmitted] by the UE_A 10 is also changed from the connectivity via the eNB_A 45 to connectivity via the eNB_B 145 ... Fig. 19);
receive, from the network device, a request to establish the PDU session; establish the PDU session of the network device based on the request to establish the PDU session (Kawasaki: [0299] Based on the completion of this procedure, the device in access network to which the UE_A 10 connects is changed from the eNB_A 45 to an eNB_B 145. The PDU session established by the UE_A 10 is also changed from the connectivity via the eNB_A 45 to connectivity via the eNB_B 145. The eNB_B 145 may have the same configuration as the eNB_A 45 ... [0185] … each device performs a PDU session establishment procedure (S2002) to change its state to the first state. Note that each device may exchange, with other devices, various pieces of capability information and/or various pieces of request information of each device in the attach procedure and/or the PDU session establishment procedure … Figs. 15, 19).
receive, from the network device, a handover complete message indicating that the handover of the PDU session of the network device from the second device to the first device is complete (Kawasaki: [0303] ... The eNB_A 45 receives the handover request response message … and transmits an SN status transfer message to the eNB_B 145 (S2406) (S2408). The UE_A 10 receives the RRC connection reconfiguration request message and transmits an RRC connection reconfiguration complete message to the eNB_B 145 (S2410). Fig. 19);
provide the downlink data packets associated with the PDU session to the network device based on receiving the handover complete message (Kawasaki: [0299] Based on the completion of this procedure, the device in access network to which the UE_A 10 connects is changed from the eNB_A 45 to an eNB_B 145. The PDU session established [established PDU session implies downlink/uplink packets received/transmitted] by the UE_A 10 is also changed from the connectivity via the eNB_A 45 to connectivity via the eNB_B 145 ... Fig. 19).
Kawasaki does not explicitly teach:
wherein the uplink data packets include one or more uplink data packets not yet received by a data network, and
wherein the downlink data packets include one or more downlink packets not previously received by the network device;
provide the uplink data packets associated with the PDU session to a user plane function based on receiving the handover complete message.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Velev teaches:
wherein the uplink data packets include one or more uplink data packets not yet received by a data network, and
wherein the downlink data packets include one or more downlink packets not previously received by the network device (Velev: [0130] The details about the AS layer in Steps 0, 4, 5, and 10 are described in further details in FIG. 4A-4C. One benefit of procedure 300 is that the data packets (i.e., the packets buffered in the AS layer [i.e., downlink data packets] (e.g., PDCP buffer) before the handover execution and the data packets coming from upper layers [i.e., uplink packets] during the handover before the establishment of PDU Sessions 4 and 5) are not lost. These data packets can be transmitted over the new established PDU Sessions 4 and 5 and the corresponding DRB #4 379 and DRB #5 383.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Kawasaki to include the features as taught by Velev above in order to support remapping traffic between network slices during handover. (Velev, ¶ [0075]).
Kawasaki-Velev does not explicitly teach:
provide the uplink data packets associated with the PDU session to a user plane function based on receiving the handover complete message.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Prakasam teaches:
provide the uplink data packets associated with the PDU session to a user plane function based on receiving the handover complete message (Prakasam: [0137] … Once the registration procedure is complete, the UE may trigger PDU session establishment to transfer the IMS PDU at 926 [SMF/UPD 910] ... Fig. 9).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Kawasaki-Velev to include the features as taught by Prakasam above in order to provide PDU session handover between cellular and non-cellular access technologies. (Prakasam, ¶ [0009]).
Regarding claim 16, Kawasaki-Velev-Prakasam discloses on the features with respect to claim 15 as outlined above.
Kawasaki further teaches:
enable additional uplink data packets and additional downlink data packets associated with the PDU session to be exchanged between the network device and the data network, via the first device, based on establishing the PDU session (Kawasaki: [0299] Based on the completion of this procedure, the device in access network to which the UE_A 10 connects is changed from the eNB_A 45 to an eNB_B 145. The PDU session established by the UE_A 10 is also changed from the connectivity via the eNB_A 45 to connectivity via the eNB_B 145 ... Fig. 19).
Regarding claim 17, Kawasaki-Velev-Prakasam discloses on the features with respect to claim 15 as outlined above.
Prakasam further teaches:
wherein the handover request is triggered by one of the network device or the second device (Prakasam: [0151] ... In some embodiments, the indication from the first RAT RAN to handover the on-going PDU sessions to the second RAT RAN may be based on one or more measurement reports transmitted by the UE to the first RAN, network conditions on the first RAN, and/or network load management between the first RAN and the second RAN).
The rationale and motivation for adding this teaching of Prakasam is the same as the rationale and motivation for Claim 15.
Regarding claim 20, Kawasaki-Velev-Prakasam discloses on the features with respect to claim 15 as outlined above.
Kawasaki further teaches:
wherein the second device generates the handover request based on a handover decision (Kawasaki: [0301] ... First, the eNB_A 45 determines to perform the handover procedure, transmits a handover request message to the eNB_B 145, and starts the network-initiated handover procedure (S2400)(S2402). Fig. 19).
Claims 6 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawasaki-Velev in view of "3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Services and System Aspects; Wireless and wireline convergence access support for the 5G System (5GS) (Release 18)", 3GPP STANDARD; 3GPP TS 23.316, 3RD GENERATION PARTNERSHIP PROJECT (3GPP), MOBILE COMPETENCE CENTRE ; 650, ROUTE DES LUCIOLES ; F-06921 SOPHIA- ANTIPOLIS CEDEX ; FRANCE no. V18.4.0 19 December 2023 (2023-12-19), pages 1-94, XP052552982, Retrieved from the Internet: URL:https://ftp.3gpp.org/Specs/archive/23 series/23.316/23316-i40.zip 23316-i40.docx [retrieved on 2023-12-19], hereinafter, “3GPP”, in Applicant’s IDS.
Regarding claim 6, Kawasaki-Velev discloses on the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
Kawasaki-Velev does not explicitly teach:
wherein the network device is a dual access residential gateway and the device is an access gateway function.
However, in the same field of endeavor, 3GPP teaches:
wherein the network device is a dual access residential gateway and the device is an access gateway function (3GPP: [Section 7.6.3.2, Page 69] .. This clause specifies how to hand over a 5G-RG from a source 3GPP access [i.e., residential gateway] to a target W-5GAN access [i.e., access gateway] and how a 5G-RG can handover a PDU Session from 3GPP access to W-5GAN access. It is based on the PDU Session Establishment procedure for W-5GAN access as specified in clause 7.3.1 ... Fig. 7.6.3.2-1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Kawasaki-Velev to include the features as taught by 3GPP above in order to hand over a 5G-RG from a source 3GPP access to a target W-5GAN access. (3GPP, ¶ [Section 7.6.3.2, Page 69]).
Regarding claim 13, Kawasaki-Velev discloses on the features with respect to claim 8 as outlined above.
Kawasaki-Velev does not explicitly teach:
wherein the network device is a dual access residential gateway, the first device is a backup access gateway function, and the second device is an active access gateway function.
However, in the same field of endeavor, 3GPP teaches:
wherein the network device is a dual access residential gateway, the first device is a backup access gateway function, and the second device is an active access gateway function (3GPP: [Section 7.6.3.2, Page 69] .. This clause specifies how to hand over a 5G-RG from a source 3GPP access [i.e., residential gateway] to a target W-5GAN access [i.e., access gateway] and how a 5G-RG can handover a PDU Session from 3GPP access to W-5GAN access. It is based on the PDU Session Establishment procedure for W-5GAN access as specified in clause 7.3.1 ... Fig. 7.6.3.2-1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Kawasaki-Velev to include the features as taught by 3GPP above in order to hand over a 5G-RG from a source 3GPP access to a target W-5GAN access. (3GPP, ¶ [Section 7.6.3.2, Page 69]).
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawasaki-Velev in view of Jia et.al. (US Patent Application Publication, 20250227577, hereinafter, “Jia”).
Regarding claim 18, Kawasaki-Velev discloses on the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
Kawasaki-Velev does not explicitly teach:
wherein the first device utilizes one of an Xn application protocol or a next generation application protocol.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Jia teaches:
wherein the first device utilizes one of an Xn application protocol (Jia: [0078] 1. A source gNB initiates handover, and issues a HANDOER REQUEST over an Xn interface. Fig. 2).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Kawasaki-Velev to include the features as taught by Jia above in order to improve network throughput. (Jia, ¶ [0016]).
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawasaki-Velev-Prakasam in view of "3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Services and System Aspects; Wireless and wireline convergence access support for the 5G System (5GS) (Release 18)", 3GPP STANDARD; 3GPP TS 23.316, 3RD GENERATION PARTNERSHIP PROJECT (3GPP), MOBILE COMPETENCE CENTRE ; 650, ROUTE DES LUCIOLES ; F-06921 SOPHIA- ANTIPOLIS CEDEX ; FRANCE no. V18.4.0 19 December 2023 (2023-12-19), pages 1-94, XP052552982, Retrieved from the Internet: URL:https://ftp.3gpp.org/Specs/archive/23 series/23.316/23316-i40.zip 23316-i40.docx [retrieved on 2023-12-19], hereinafter, “3GPP”, in Applicant’s IDS.
Regarding claim 19, Kawasaki-Velev-Prakasam discloses on the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
Kawasaki-Velev-Prakasam does not explicitly teach:
wherein the network device is a dual access residential gateway, the first device is a backup access gateway function, and the second device is an active access gateway function.
However, in the same field of endeavor, 3GPP teaches:
wherein the network device is a dual access residential gateway, the first device is a backup access gateway function, and the second device is an active access gateway function (3GPP: [Section 7.6.3.2, Page 69] .. This clause specifies how to hand over a 5G-RG from a source 3GPP access [i.e., residential gateway] to a target W-5GAN access [i.e., access gateway] and how a 5G-RG can handover a PDU Session from 3GPP access to W-5GAN access. It is based on the PDU Session Establishment procedure for W-5GAN access as specified in clause 7.3.1 ... Fig. 7.6.3.2-1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Kawasaki-Velev-Prakasam to include the features as taught by 3GPP above in order to hand over a 5G-RG from a source 3GPP access to a target W-5GAN access. (3GPP, ¶ [Section 7.6.3.2, Page 69]).
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LIEM H NGUYEN whose telephone number is (408) 918-7636. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday, 8:00AM-4:30PM PT.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Noel Beharry can be reached on (571) 270-5630. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LIEM H. NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2416
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