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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because figures 1-3 did not show descriptive legends. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
The claims 1-4, 6, 8, 11-14, 16, 18 and 20 are objected to because they include reference characters which are not enclosed within parentheses, for example, (a), (b), (i), (ii).
Reference characters corresponding to elements recited in the detailed description of the drawings and used in conjunction with the recitation of the same element or group of elements in the claims should be enclosed within parentheses so as to avoid confusion with other numbers or characters which may appear in the claims. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
(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.
Claims 1, 3-5, 9-10, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kim, US Pub. No. 2026/0046759 A1.
Regarding claims 1 and 20, Kim discloses a method and device for multicast configuration update. The device (fig. 2 and 3: device 100) comprises at least one processor (fig. 2-3: processor 102); and at least one memory storing instructions (fig. 2 and 3: memory 104 stores software code 105) that, when executed by the at least one processor (fig. 2 and 3: processor 102), cause the apparatus at least to: determine while the apparatus is in an inactive state and receiving a multicast service from a cell of a first wireless network node (abstract, [0007], [0139], [0141], [0165], and [0167]: the multicast configuration on a first serving cell while in an inactive state), that there is no delivery for the multicast service for user equipments in the inactive state in a cell of a second wireless network node (abstract, [0007], [0139], [0141], [0165], and [0167]: the device camps on the second cell, the multicast configuration is not available for the second serving cell), wherein the cell of the second wireless network node is a target cell intended by the apparatus for camping (abstract, [0007], [0139], [0141], [0165], and [0167]: the second cell, where the device camps on, is a second serving cell); transmit to the first wireless network node, based on said determination, a request for reconnection to the cell of the first wireless network node; and transmit, to the first wireless network node, an indication indicating that the request is for reconnecting for service continuity of the multicast service (fig. 9, step S900, the base station receives a connection resume request message from the wireless device, based on a multicast configuration which is received by the wireless device from a first serving cell not being available for the second serving cell).
Regarding claim 3, Kim discloses wherein the at least one memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor (fig. 2 and 3: processor 102 executes software code 105 stored in memory 104), cause the apparatus at least to: receive, from the first wireless network node, at least one criterion (fig. 10, step S1010, the UE receives the multicast session based on the first configuration in RRC_IDLE/INACTIVE state); and transmit, to the first wireless network node, the request for the reconnection with the cell of the first wireless network node when at least one of the at least one criterion is met (fig. 9, step S900, the base station receives a connection resume request message from the wireless device).
Regarding claim 4, Kim discloses wherein the at least one memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor (fig. 2 and 3: processor 102 executes software code 105 stored in memory 104), cause the apparatus at least to: receive, from the first wireless network node, information indicating that a reconnection to a cell of the first wireless network node is enabled for service continuity of the multicast service (fig. 11, step S1120, the UE receives a change notification for the configuration. Step S1130, upon receiving the change notification for the configuration, the UE initiates RRC connection establishment/ resume procedure).
Regarding claim 5, Kim discloses wherein said indication indicating that the request is for service continuity of the multicast service is transmitted in a radio resource control resume request message or in a radio resource control resume complete message (fig. 11, step S1140, the UE receives an updated configuration for the multicast session from the serving cell in RRC_CONNECTED. In step S1150, the UE receives the multicast session based on the updated configuration).
Regarding claim 9, Kim discloses wherein said information indicating that the reconnection to the cell of the first wireless network node is enabled for service continuity of the multicast service is received on a multicast control channel (fig. 11, step S1130, upon receiving the change notification for the configuration, the UE initiates RRC connection establishment/resume procedure; In step S1140, the UE receives an updated configuration for the multicast session from the serving cell in RRC_CONNECTED).
Regarding claim 10, Kim discloses wherein the apparatus is a user equipment or a control device configured to control the user equipment (fig. 2 and 3: device 100).
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 11, 13-15 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim as shown above, in view of Fehrenbach et al (hereinafter “Fehrenbach”), US Pub. 2022/0078684 A1.
Regarding claim 11, Kim discloses an apparatus (fig. 2, second device 200) comprising: at least one processor (fig. 2, processor 202); and at least one memory storing instructions (fig. 2, memory 204 stores software code 205) that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: receive, from a user equipment, a request for reconnection to a cell of the apparatus, receive, from the user equipment, an indication indicating that the request is for reconnecting for service continuity of a multicast service (fig. 9, step S900, the method comprises receiving a connection resume request message from the wireless device, based on a multicast configuration which is received by the wireless device from a first serving cell not being available for the second serving cell). Kim does not disclose the step of transmitting , based on the request and the indication, a request for measurements to the user equipment or a handover request to a second wireless network node. Fehrenbach discloses a system comprising a user equipment supports conditional handovers to one or more cells. Fehrenbach discloses this feature at figure 2, step 140 and paragraphs : the source node sends condition handover (CHO) to User equipment (RRCReconfiguration). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adapt the condition handover disclosed by Fehrenbach into Kim’s system in order to guarantee customer service.
Regarding claim 13, Kim discloses wherein the at least one memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor (fig. 2 and 3: processor 102 executes software code 105 stored in memory 104), cause the apparatus at least to:- receive, from the first wireless network node, at least one criterion (fig. 10, step S1010, the UE receives the multicast session based on the first configuration in RRC_IDLE/INACTIVE state); and transmit, to the first wireless network node, the request for the reconnection with the cell of the first wireless network node when at least one of the at least one criterion is met (fig. 9, step S900, the base station receives a connection resume request message from the wireless device).
Regarding claim 14, Kim discloses wherein the at least one memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor (fig. 2 and 3: processor 102 executes software code 105 stored in memory 104), cause the apparatus at least to: receive, from the first wireless network node, information indicating that a reconnection to a cell of the first wireless network node is enabled for service continuity of the multicast service (fig. 11, step S1120, the UE receives a change notification for the configuration. Step S1130, upon receiving the change notification for the configuration, the UE initiates RRC connection establishment/ resume procedure).
Regarding claim 15, Kim discloses wherein said indication indicating that the request is for service continuity of the multicast service is transmitted in a radio resource control resume request message or in a radio resource control resume complete message (fig. 11, step S1140, the UE receives an updated configuration for the multicast session from the serving cell in RRC_CONNECTED. In step S1150, the UE receives the multicast session based on the updated configuration).
Regarding claim 19, Kim discloses wherein said information indicating that the reconnection to the cell of the first wireless network node is enabled for service continuity of the multicast service is received on a multicast control channel (fig. 11, step S1130, upon receiving the change notification for the configuration, the UE initiates RRC connection establishment/resume procedure; In step S1140, the UE receives an updated configuration for the multicast session from the serving cell in RRC_CONNECTED).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 6-8, 12 and 16-18 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See attached PTO-892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THAI D HOANG whose telephone number is (571) 272-3184. The examiner can normally be reached 10:30 am-18:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Asad Nawaz can be reached at (571) 272-3988. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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THAI HOANG D.
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2463
/THAI DINH HOANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2463
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