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 .
Status of Claims
This action is in response to application filed on 6/25/2026.
Claims 1-8 & 19-24 have been examined and are pending with this action.
The Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 has been withdrawn based on amendment filed on 6/25/2026.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 3/26/2019 and these drawings are accepted.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed in the amendment filed 6/25/2026., regarding 35 USC 102 Claim Rejections are persuasive and that rejection is withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 of this title, 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, 3-8 & 19-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by
Takakura et al (US 20250142510 A1) in view of Japanese art (JP 2023545686 A).
INDEPENDENT:
As per claim 1, Takakura discloses a user equipment (UE) at an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) (Takakura: [0002]: “The 5G system (5GS) connects a radio terminal (user equipment (UE) or an Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV)) to a Data Network (DN).”), comprising:
one or more memories; and one or more processors, coupled to the one or more memories (Takakura: [Fig 2]: “The application processor 1504 includes a system software program (Operating System (OS)) read from the memory 1506 or a memory (not shown) ”), configured to:
transmit a request message configured associated with a mobility management procedure, the request message (Takakura: [0083]: “In step 201, the AMF 2 initiates the UAV authentication and authorization procedure (UUAA-MM procedure) in mobility management. The AMF 2 may initiate the UAV authentication and authorization procedure by transmitting an Nnef_Authentication_authenticate request message” ) including a command and control (C2) authorization payload associated with authorizing a direct C2 connection between the UAV and a controller (Takakura: [0024 & 0078]: “The UE must obtain C2 (Command and Control) communication authorization to enable operations based on the C2 communication & The Nnef_Authentication_authenticate service operation can include a USS address (e.g., Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN)) and a UUAA Aviation Payload”); and
wherein the request message is a registration request (Takakura:[0011]: “The Requested NSSAI is signaled by the UE to the network, e.g., in a registration procedure, to the network to determine the Serving AMF, one or more network slices, and one or more NSIs for that UE. enable. Requested NSSAI can include S-NSSAI and Mapped S-NSSAI.),
receive a response message (Takakura: [0024]: “The UE must obtain C2 (Command and Control) communication authorization to enable operations based on the C2 communication), as part of the mobility management procedure (Takakura: [0083]: “In step 201, the AMF 2 initiates the UAV authentication and authorization procedure (UUAA-MM procedure) in mobility management), that
indicates whether the direct C2 connection between the UAV and the controller is authorized (Takakura: [0024]: “The UE must obtain C2 (Command and Control) communication authorization to enable operations based on the C2 communication. The C2 communication means a user plane link for propagating messages containing information about UAV operational commands and control from a UAV controller (UAV-C)”).
Takakura does not explicitly teaches wherein the direct C2 connection is authorized without establishing a protocol data unit (PDU) session for the direct C2 connection.
JP art disclose wherein the direct C2 connection is authorized without establishing a protocol data unit (PDU) session for the direct C2 connection (JP: “ The wireless device may determine, without requesting, to establish a PDU session associated with the aviation service in response to the cause parameter indicating that the C2's AA for the aviation service.”),
Therefore it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Takakura in view of JP Art to figure out establishment of C2 connection without PDU session. One would be motivated to do so because this enhances mobility management function (ABS).
Claim 19 is rejected based on rationale provided for claim 1.
DEPENDENTS:
As per claim 3, Takakura/JP discloses the UE of claim 1, wherein the mobility management procedure includes an uncrewed aerial system (UAS) service supplier UAV authorization (Takakura: [0020]: “The UAV must be authenticated and authorized before it can use the UAS (Uncrewed Aerial System) Service, ”). and authentication mobility management (UUAA-MM) procedure (Takakura: [ABS]: “An Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) node initiates a UAV Authentication and Authorization (UUAA-MM) procedure, ”).
As per claim 4, Takakura/JP discloses the UE of claim 1, wherein the C2 authorization payload is a C2 aviation payload that indicates that the authorization is for the direct C2 connection (Takakura: [ABS]: “The UE must obtain C2 (Command and Control) communication authorization to enable operations based on the C2 communication. ”).
As per claim 5, Takakura/JP discloses the UE of claim 1, wherein the request message includes a destination address for an authorization server (Takakura: [0069]: “For UE authentication, the AUSF 4 works closely with the UDM 8. The Nausf_NSSAA_Authenticate service provides the NF consumer (e.g., AMF 2) with a Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization service between the UE 1 and an AAA server via the AUSF 4.. ”).
As per claim 6, Takakura/JP discloses the UE of claim 1, wherein the C2 authorization payload includes C2 pairing information for the direct C2 connection (Takakura: [0119]: “The C2 communication authorization procedure is a procedure for pairing a UAV with a UAV-C to achieve C2 communication. ”).
As per claim 7, Takakura/JP discloses the UE of claim 1, wherein the response message indicates a successful authorization of the direct C2 connection and includes an application layer identifier (Takakura: [0085]: “the UAS NF 9 stores the UUAA context of the UAV indicating successful authentication and authorization and transmits an Nnef_Authentication_authenticate response to the AMF 2 with information indicating successful authentication and authorization.”).
As per claim 8, Takakura discloses the UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
transmit an updated request message with an updated C2 authorization payload (Takakura: [0083]: “In step 201, the AMF 2 initiates the UAV authentication and authorization procedure (UUAA-MM procedure) in mobility management. The AMF 2 may initiate the UAV authentication and authorization procedure by transmitting an Nnef_Authentication_authenticate request message & The Nnef_Authentication_authenticate service operation can include a USS address (e.g., Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN)) and a UUAA Aviation Payload” ) ; and
receive an updated response message that indicates whether the direct C2 connection between the UAV and the controller is still authorized or is reauthorized (Takakura: [0171]: “ the AMF 2 that has received the Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext Response transmits to the UE 1 a PDU Session Modification Command message including information indicating that the service-level authentication and authorization procedure”).
Claims 20-24 are rejected based on rationale provided for claims 4-8.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takakura et al (US 20250142510 A1) in view of Japanese art (JP 2023545686 A) in further view of PATEROMICHELAKIS (WO 2021233548 A1).
As per claim 2, Takakura/JP discloses the UE of claim 1 (Takakura: [0002]: “The 5G system (5GS) connects a radio terminal (user equipment (UE) or an Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV)) to a Data Network (DN).”),
Takakura does not explicitly teaches a PC5 connection.
PATEROMICHELAKIS wherein the direct C2 connection is a PC5 connection (Takakura: [0078]: “the UAV controller (UAV-C) 104 uses a direct connection with the UAV(s) 103 to establish a C2 communication session. Here, the direct connection may use the PC5 reference point.”),
Therefore it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of modified Takakura in view of PATEROMICHELAKIS to figure out PC5 connection. One would be motivated to do so because this assures that UAV operates in the direct mode of C2 communications (0083).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. This includes:
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/SIBTE H BUKHARI/Examiner, Art Unit 2449
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