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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 1/16/24. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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) 1 – 4, 9, 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zhang et al. (US Publication 2024/0114592) disclosed in (CN 202110665904.6).
Regarding claims 1, 9 and 10 Zhang teaches an apparatus and a communication control method used in a mobile communication system, the communication control method comprising: (i.e. fig. 8 shows a access network device comprising a processor hardware and transceiver for executing programmed instructions; see paragraphs 261 – 263, 265)
receiving, at a base station shared by a plurality of core networks from each of the plurality of core networks, an MBS service identifier indicating an MBS service provided by the corresponding one of the plurality of core networks; (i.e. figure 1 shows an access network device (base station) may receive from multiple different core networks; see paragraph 71) (See Also; figs 4a and 4b shows an embodiment that supports the access network device may be shared by a first and second core device wherein the access network device may receive a first and second MBS service identifier corresponding the first and second core networks, respectively; see paragraphs 95, 100, 127) and
transmitting, at the base station, MBS data belonging to the MBS service to a plurality of user equipment’s belonging to a plurality of Public Land Mobile Networks (PLMNs) corresponding to the plurality of core networks through multicast or broadcast, wherein the MBS service identifier is a unique identifier independent of the plurality of PLMNs. (i.e. figure 1 shows an access network device (base station) may transmit to multiple terminal devices (UEs) having different PLMNs; see paragraph 71) (See Also; figs 4a and 4b shows an embodiment that supports the access network device having received the first MBS service identifier corresponding to a first PLMN and a second MBS identifier corresponding to a second PLMN may transmit broadcast or multicast data to the terminal devices having different PLMNs, according to the service IDs; see paragraphs 160 - 163) (see Also; fig 5. shows the multicast/broadcast service data flow through different core networks via one access network device to a plurality of terminals; see paragraphs 169 - 175)
Regarding claims 2 Zhang teaches the communication control method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting comprises transmitting, in response to reception of identical MBS service identifiers at the base station from the plurality of core networks, the MBS data by using a radio resource common to the plurality of PLMNs. (i.e. fig. 5 shows the access device receiving the same first and second service identifiers from the core networks and transmitting the service data in common radio resource; see paragraphs 169 - 171)
Regarding claims 3 Zhang teaches the communication control method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving comprises receiving an MBS session start message comprising the MBS service identifier from each of the plurality of core networks. (i.e. figs 4a shows the MBS service id may be included in a MBS session setup message (401); see paragraphs 97 - 99)
Regarding claims 4, Zhang teaches the communication control method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving, at the base station from each of the plurality of core networks, an MBS session identifier corresponding to the MBS service delivered by the corresponding one of the plurality of core networks,
wherein the MBS session identifier is an identifier specific to each of the plurality of PLMNs, and wherein the MBS service identifier is an identifier different from the MBS session identifier. (i.e. fig. 5 shows the access device receiving different first and second MBS service identifiers from the core networks and transmitting the service data to different PLMNs; see paragraphs 169, 178 - 180)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 5 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 6 objected to as being dependent upon a objected base claim that would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 7 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 8 objected to as being dependent upon a objected base claim that would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT J LOPATA whose telephone number is (571)270-5158. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 10-7 EST.
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ROBERT J. LOPATA
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2471
/ROBERT J LOPATA/
December 29, 2025Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2471