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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This final action is in response to amendment filed on 05/0/2026. In this amendment, claims 1-7, 9-17, 19-20 are amended and claims 8 and 18 canceled. Claims 1-7, 9-17 and 19-20 are pending, with claims 1, 7, 11 and 17 being independent.
Priority
This application claims the benefit of United Kingdom application GB2301163.8, filed 01/27/2023.
Response to Arguments
Claim Objection
Objection is withdrawn in view of amended claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 U.S.C. § 101
Rejections are withdrawn in view of amended claims.
Claim Rejections - 35 U.S.C. § 103
Applicant’s arguments with respect to new limitations “identifying, based on a radio resource control (RRC) message received by the user equipment, a first identifier that uniquely identifies the user equipment” 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.
Applicant's arguments filed on 05/06/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In the response, applicant argues in substance that:
Kang also describes the opposite of the presently claimed NAS path: in paragraph [0049]. Kang describes "the MME 120 ... is an end point of non-access stratum (NAS) signaling" and that the MME "may be replaced by a term 'access and mobility function (AMF)."' In paragraph [0073], Kang further describes that "the NAS protocol is used between the terminal 100 and the MME 120." That disclosure is contrary to, and teaches away from, claim 1's express requirement that the NAS signalling between the UE and the network function "is not forwarded by" an AMF, as recited in claim 1, as amended (from remarks pg.3).
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Kang figure 3 and paragraphs 58, 73 teach NAS protocol is used between the terminal 100 and the MME 120 [network function] and is not forwarded by an access and mobility management function. Moreover, there is no paragraph of Kang reference describes that NAS signalling between the UE and the network function is forward by an AMF. Therefore, Kang still teaches limitation “wherein said NAS signalling between the user equipment and the network function is not forwarded by an access and mobility management function (AMF) of a core network”.
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, 7, 11 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang et al. (US 2019/0335373, Pub. Date: Oct. 31, 2019), in view of Luo (US 2020/0314059, Pub. Date: Oct. 1, 2020), in view of Qiao et al. (US 2025/0280348, Provisional application No. 63/419,235, filed on Oct. 25, 2022), in view of Manithara Vamanan et al. (US 2024/0107433, Provisional application No. 63/409,154, filed on Sep. 22, 2022).
As per claim 1, Luo discloses a method (Kang para. [0057], The temporary IP address allocated as described above is used by a user (that is, a terminal)), the method comprising:
generating an internet protocol (IP) address for addressing of the user equipment (Kang para. [0054], the terminal 100 performs communication with the ePDG 160 to receive a temporary Internet protocol (IP) address allocated thereto (S210) … As a method for configuring the temporary IP address, two methods may be used. A first method is a IPv6 auto-configuration method; Kang para. [0055], In the IPv6 auto-configuration method, a stateless IPv6 address is configured … The ePDG 160 receiving the RS message configures the stateless IPv6 address as a network prefix value in a router advertisement (RA) message, and transmits the RA message to the terminal 100), the IP address of the user equipment being for direct configured to identify the user equipment in non-access stratum (NAS) signalling (Kang fig. 2, MME 120 transmits messages to Terminal 100 using IP address and para. [0058], In the NAS based access method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the NAS protocol is applied using the temporary IP address allocated in S210);
subsequent to said generating, initiating NAS signalling between the user equipment and the network function using the first IP address of the user equipment (Kang para. [0058], In the NAS based access method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the NAS protocol is applied using the temporary IP address allocated in S210; Kang fig.3 and para. [0073], the NAS protocol is used between the terminal 100 and the MME 120 [mobility management entity]),
wherein said NAS signalling between the user equipment and the network function is not forwarded by an access and mobility management function (AMF) of a core network (Kang fig. 3, NAS protocol is used between the terminal 100 and the MME 120 and is not forwarded by an access and mobility management function (AMF); Kang para. [0058], In the NAS based access method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the NAS protocol is applied using the temporary IP address allocated in S210; Kang fig.3 and para. [0073], the NAS protocol is used between the terminal 100 and the MME 120 [mobility management entity).
Kang does not explicitly disclose:
identifying, based on a radio resource control (RRC) message received by the user equipment, a first identifier that uniquely identifies the user equipment;
generating an internet protocol (IP) address for addressing of the user equipment using at least part of the first identifier;
determining an IP address of a network function, the IP address of the network function being configured to identify the network function in NAS signalling; and
subsequent to determining, initiating NAS signalling between the user equipment and the network function using the IP address of the network function.
Luo teaches:
identifying a first identifier that uniquely identifies the user equipment ([Per specification of examined application, paragraphs 144 and 152 indicate that potential unique UE identifiers that may be used to generate the unique IP address comprise any part of the "lnitialUE-ldentity" wherein the value of the "lnitialUE-ldentiy" field is used for generating a unique UE IP address can be a random value]. Luo fig. 6 and para. [0161], if the host does not generate the IPv6 address including the prefix, an interface identifier is generated according to an interface identifier generation mode indicated by indication information carried in the Mode field; Luo para. [0066], the Mode field carries first indication information. The first indication information indicates a first interface identifier generation mode. The first interface identifier generation mode includes: a Stable, Opaque Addresses Mode in RFC7217, i.e., generating a random number, and determining the generated random number as an interface identifier);
generating an internet protocol (IP) address for addressing of the user equipment using at least part of the first identifier (Luo fig. 1, User host 101 and fig. 6, Generate an IPv6 address of the host according to the generated interface identifier and the prefix at block 605; Luo para. [0066], determining the generated random number [first identifier] as an interface identifier).
It would been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Kang in view of Luo for identifying a first identifier that uniquely identifies the user equipment to generate IP address.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motived because it offers the advantage of providing flexibility to perform the IPv6 stateless address auto-configuration (see Luo para. [0021]).
Kang-Lou does not explicitly disclose:
identifying, based on a radio resource control (RRC) message received by the user equipment, a first identifier;
determining an IP address of a network function, the IP address of the network function being configured to identify the network function in NAS signalling; and
subsequent to determining, initiating NAS signalling between the user equipment and the network function using the IP address of the network function.
Qiao teaches:
identifying, based on a radio resource control (RRC) message received by the user equipment, a first identifier (Qiao para. [0215], The L2 U2N Remote UE may obtain the local Remote ID from the gNB via Uu RRC messages comprising RRCSetup, RRCReconfiguration, RRCResume and RRCReestablishment).
It would been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to further modify Kang in view of Qiao for identifying a first identifier that uniquely identifies the user equipment based on a radio resource control (RRC) message received by the user equipment.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motived because it offers the advantage of establishing connections (Qiao para. [0236]).
Kang-Lou-Qiao does not explicitly disclose:
determining an IP address of a network function, the IP address of the network function being configured to identify the network function in NAS signalling; and
subsequent to determining, initiating NAS signalling between the user equipment and the network function using the IP address of the network function.
Manithara Vamanan teaches:
determining an IP address of a network function (Manithara Vamanan para. [0141], The procedure 1200 may include determining an IP address for the NF in 1212. For example, the UE may determine an IP address for the NF based on IP address information for the one or more NFs indicated in the response message), the IP address of the network function being configured to identify the network function in NAS signalling (Manithara Vamanan para. [0132], the base station may generate an NF discovery response that indicates the one or more NFs. In some embodiments, the NF discovery response may comprise one or more IP addresses corresponding to the one or more NFs; Manithara Vamanan fig. 1 and para. [0033], the UE 108 may utilize NAS protocol signalling to communicate with the entities of the CN 102 via the N1 interface 110; Manithara Vamanan para. [0055], the base station 306 may allow the UE 308 to discover NFs available from the CN 302 and select an appropriate NF for the UE 308 from the CN 302); and
subsequent to determining, initiating NAS signalling between the user equipment and the network function using the IP address of the network function (Manithara Vamanan para. [0141], The procedure 1200 may include determining an IP address for the NF in 1212. For example, the UE may determine an IP address for the NF based on IP address information for the one or more NFs indicated in the response message; Manithara Vamanan fig. 1 and para. [0033], the UE 108 may utilize NAS protocol signalling to communicate with the entities of the CN 102 via the N1 interface 110; Manithara Vamanan para. [0055], the base station 306 may allow the UE 308 to discover NFs available from the CN 302 and select an appropriate NF for the UE 308 from the CN 302).
It would been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to further modify Kang in view of Manithara Vamanan for determining an IP address of a network function, the IP address of the network function being configured to identify the network function in NAS signalling; and subsequent to said generating and determining, initiating NAS signalling between the user equipment and the network function using the IP address of the user equipment and the IP address of the network function.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motived because it offers the advantage of discovering an appropriate NF providing the services for the UE (Manithara Vamanan para. [0060]).
As per claim 7, Kang discloses:
signalling, to a user equipment, information for generating an internet protocol (IP) address of the user equipment in a message (Kang para. [0054], the terminal 100 performs communication with the ePDG 160 to receive a temporary Internet protocol (IP) address allocated thereto (S210) … As a method for configuring the temporary IP address, two methods may be used. A first method is a IPv6 auto-configuration method; Kang para. [0055], In the IPv6 auto-configuration method, a stateless IPv6 address is configured … The ePDG 160 receiving the RS message configures the stateless IPv6 address as a network prefix value in a router advertisement (RA) message, and transmits the RA message to the terminal 100), the IP address of the user equipment being configured to identify the user equipment in non-access stratum (NAS) signalling (Kang fig. 2 and para. [0058], In the NAS based access method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the NAS protocol is applied using the temporary IP address allocated in S210; Kang fig.3 and para. [0073], the NAS protocol is used between the terminal 100 and the MME 120 [mobility management entity]; Kang para. [0049], The MME 120 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, which is an entity managing access and mobility of the terminal 100, and is an end point of non-access stratum (NAS) signaling. Therefore, the MME 120 enables the terminal 100 to access the core network providing mobility through the 3GPP or non-3GPP access network);
transparently passing NAS signalling between the user equipment and a network function of a core network using the IP address of the user equipment (Kang para. [0058], In the NAS based access method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the NAS protocol is applied using the temporary IP address allocated in S210; Kang fig.3 and para. [0073], the NAS protocol is used between the terminal 100 and the MME 120 [mobility management entity]),
wherein said NAS signalling between the user equipment and the network function is not forwarded by an access and mobility management function (AMF) of the core network to the network function (Kang fig. 3, NAS protocol is used between the terminal 100 and the MME 120 and is not forwarded by an access and mobility management function (AMF); Kang para. [0058], In the NAS based access method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the NAS protocol is applied using the temporary IP address allocated in S210; Kang fig.3 and para. [0073], the NAS protocol is used between the terminal 100 and the MME 120 [mobility management entity]).
Kang does not explicitly disclose:
signalling, to a user equipment, information for generating a first part of an internet protocol address in a radio resource control (RRC) message, the information comprising a network identifier value and a network mask that indicates a length of the first part; and
passing NAS signalling using an IP address of the network function.
Luo teaches:
signalling, to a user equipment, information for generating a first part of an internet protocol address in a message (Luo fig. 6 and para. [0154], At block 601, a network device sends an RA message to a host. A prefix information option of the RA message includes: a prefix, a Mode field, and a T field; Luo fig. 6 and para. [0163], At block 605, the host generates an IPv6 address of the host according to the generated interface identifier and the prefix [first part]), the information comprising a network identifier value and a network mask that indicates a length of the first part (Luo fig. 3 and para. [0053-0056], the prefix information option of the RA message includes at least the following fields: 1) Type field being an option type field. Usually, "3" [network identifier value] is taken as the value of the Type field to indicate that the option is a prefix information option. 2) Length field indicating a length of the prefix information option. 3) Prefix Length field indicating a prefix length).
It would been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Kang in view of Luo for signalling, to a user equipment, information for generating a first part of an internet protocol address in a message, the information comprising a network identifier value and a network mask that indicates a length of the first part.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motived because it offers the advantage of providing flexibility to perform the IPv6 stateless address auto-configuration (see Luo para. [0021]).
Lou teaches signalling, to a user equipment, information for generating a first part of an internet protocol address in a message (Luo fig. 6 and para. [0154]). However, Kang-Lou does not explicitly disclose a message is a radio resource control (RRC) message i.e., signalling, to a user equipment, information in a radio resource control (RRC) message and passing NAS signalling using an IP address of the network function.
Qiao teaches:
signalling, to a user equipment, information in a radio resource control (RRC) message (Qiao para. [0215], The L2 U2N Remote UE may obtain the local Remote ID from the gNB via Uu RRC messages comprising RRCSetup, RRCReconfiguration, RRCResume and RRCReestablishment).
It would been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to further modify Kang in view of Qiao for signalling, to a user equipment, information for generating a first part of an internet protocol address in a radio resource control (RRC) message.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motived because it offers the advantage of establishing connections (Qiao para. [0236]).
Kang-Lou-Qiao does not explicitly disclose:
passing NAS signalling using an IP address of the network function.
Manithara Vamanan teaches:
passing NAS signalling using an IP address of the network function (Manithara Vamanan para. [0141], The procedure 1200 may include determining an IP address for the NF in 1212. For example, the UE may determine an IP address for the NF based on IP address information for the one or more NFs indicated in the response message; Manithara Vamanan fig. 1 and para. [0033], the UE 108 may utilize NAS protocol signalling to communicate with the entities of the CN 102 via the N1 interface 110; Manithara Vamanan para. [0055], the base station 306 may allow the UE 308 to discover NFs available from the CN 302 and select an appropriate NF for the UE 308 from the CN 302).
It would been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to further modify Kang in view of Manithara Vamanan for transparently passing NAS signalling between the user equipment and a network function of a core network using the IP address of the user equipment and an IP address of the network function.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motived because it offers the advantage of discovering an appropriate NF providing the services for the UE (Manithara Vamanan para. [0060]).
Per claim 11, it does not teach or further define over the limitations in claim 1. As such, claim 11 is rejected for the same reasons as set forth in claim 1. Kang also discloses: at least one processor (Kang fig. 10, processor 101); and at least one memory storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor (Kang fig. 10, memory 102).
Per claim 17, it does not teach or further define over the limitations in claim 7. As such, claim 17 is rejected for the same reasons as set forth in claim 7. Kang also discloses: at least one processor (Kang fig. 2, processor of ePDG 160); and at least one memory storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor (Kang fig. 2, memory of ePDG 160).
Claims 2-6, 9, 12-16 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang et al. (US 2019/0335373, Pub. Date: Oct. 31, 2019), in view of Luo (US 2020/0314059, Pub. Date: Oct. 1, 2020), in view of Qiao et al. (US 2025/0280348, Provisional application No. 63/419,235, filed on Oct. 25, 2022), in view of Manithara Vamanan et al. (US 2024/0107433, Provisional application No. 63/409,154, filed on Sep. 22, 2022), in view of Choi et al. (US 2024/0244705, Priority Date: Jan. 18, 2023).
As per claim 2, Kang-Luo-Qiao-Manithara Vamanan discloses the method according to claim 1, as set forth above, Manithara Vamanan also discloses wherein the method further comprises: signalling the network function using NAS signalling that comprises the IP address of the network function (Manithara Vamanan para. [0141], The procedure 1200 may include determining an IP address for the NF in 1212. For example, the UE may determine an IP address for the NF based on IP address information for the one or more NFs indicated in the response message; Manithara Vamanan fig. 1 and para. [0033], the UE 108 may utilize NAS protocol signalling to communicate with the entities of the CN 102 via the N1 interface 110; Manithara Vamanan para. [0055], the base station 306 may allow the UE 308 to discover NFs available from the CN 302 and select an appropriate NF for the UE 308 from the CN 302).
Similar rationale in claim 1 is applied.
Kang does not explicitly disclose:
wherein said determining comprises:
receiving, from a radio access network node, an RRC configuration comprising an IP address of a repository function of the core network, the IP address of the repository function being configured to identify the repository function;
signalling the repository function using the IP address of the repository function to request the IP address of the network function;
receiving, from the repository function, the IP address of the network function.
Choi teaches:
receiving, from a radio access network node, an RRC configuration comprising an IP address of a repository function of the core network, the IP address of the repository function being configured to identify the repository function (Choi para. [0081], the RAN may transmit an RRCSetup message (or Msg 4) to the UE. The RAN may include in the RRCSetup message, UE address information, protocol stack information, and URF [user repository function] (or SCP) address information; Choi para. [0077], The URF may be integrated with the NRF [network repository function] in the implementation; Choi para. [0210], The address information may indicate the identifier for distinguishing a node on the network, such as an IP address, an FQDN, or a MAC address);
signalling the repository function using the IP address of the repository function (Choi fig. 7 and para. [0109], In operation 735, the URF or the SCP receiving the UERegister message from the UE may register the UE with the network based on the information contained in the UERegister message; Choi para. [0095], Upon receiving the RRCSetup message from the UE, the RAN may forward the RRCSetup message to the URF or the SCP; Choi para. [0077], The URF may be integrated with the NRF in the implementation) to request the IP address of the network function (Choi fig. 7 and para. [0109], The URF or the SCP may register profile information of the UE with the network via the RAN, and then transmit to the UE a UEProfileCreated message notifying the reception of the UERegister message and UE registration complete; Choi para. [0110 and 0114], The UEProfileCreated message may contain the following information … Set of [amfID+amfAddress [IP address of the network function]]; Choi para. [0210], The address information may indicate the identifier for distinguishing a node on the network, such as an IP address, an FQDN, or a MAC address; Choi fig. 7 and para. [0109], The URF or the SCP may register profile information of the UE with the network via the RAN, and then transmit to the UE a UEProfileCreated message notifying the reception of the UERegister message and UE registration complete);
receiving, from the repository function, the IP address of the network function (Choi fig. 7 and para. [0109], The URF or the SCP may register profile information of the UE with the network via the RAN, and then transmit to the UE a UEProfileCreated message notifying the reception of the UERegister message and UE registration complete; Choi para. [0110 and 0114], The UEProfileCreated message may contain the following information … Set of [amfID+amfAddress [IP address of the network function]]; Choi para. [0210], The address information may indicate the identifier for distinguishing a node on the network, such as an IP address, an FQDN, or a MAC address).
It would been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to further modify Kang in view of Choi for receiving, from a radio access network node, an RRC configuration comprising an IP address of a repository function of the core network, the IP address of the repository function being configured to identify the repository function; signalling the repository function using the IP address of the repository function to request the IP address of the network function; receiving, from the repository function, the IP address of the network function.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motived because it offers the advantage of obtaining necessary information for accessing core network.
As per claim 3, Kang-Luo-Qiao-Manithara Vamanan-Choi discloses the method according to claim 2, as set forth above, Choi also discloses wherein said signalling the repository function comprises signalling the repository function using RRC signalling (Choi para. [0095], Upon receiving the RRCSetup message from the UE, the RAN may forward the RRCSetup message to the URF or the SCP; Choi para. [0077], The URF may be integrated with the NRF in the implementation).
Similar rationale in claim 2 is applied.
As per claim 4, Kang-Luo-Qiao-Manithara Vamanan discloses the method according to claim 1, as set forth above, Kang does not explicitly disclose wherein said generating comprises:
forming a first part of the IP address of the user equipment using information received from a radio access network node, the first part comprising a routable part of the IP address of the user equipment; and
forming a second part of the IP address of the user equipment that uniquely identifies the user equipment.
Luo teaches:
forming a first part of the IP address of the user equipment using information received from a network node (Luo fig. 6 and para. [0154], At block 601, a network device sends an RA message to a host. A prefix information option of the RA message includes: a prefix, a Mode field, and a T field; Luo fig. 6 and para. [0163], At block 605, the host generates an IPv6 address of the host according to the generated interface identifier and the prefix [first part]; Luo fig. 3 and para. [0053-0056], the prefix information option of the RA message includes at least the following fields: 1) Type field being an option type field. Usually, "3" is taken as the value of the Type field to indicate that the option is a prefix information option. 2) Length field indicating a length of the prefix information option. 3) Prefix Length field indicating a prefix length), the first part comprising a routable part of the IP address of the user equipment (Luo fig. 6 and para. [0163], At block 605, the host generates an IPv6 address of the host according to the generated interface identifier and the prefix [routable part]); and
forming a second part of the IP address of the user equipment that uniquely identifies the user equipment (Luo fig. 1, User host 101 and fig. 6, Generate an IPv6 address of the host according to the generated interface identifier and the prefix at block 605; Luo fig. 6 and para. [0161], if the host does not generate the IPv6 address including the prefix, an interface identifier is generated according to an interface identifier generation mode indicated by indication information carried in the Mode field; Luo para. [0066], the Mode field carries first indication information. The first indication information indicates a first interface identifier generation mode. The first interface identifier generation mode includes: a Stable, Opaque Addresses Mode in RFC7217, i.e., generating a random number, and determining the generated random number as an interface identifier).
It would been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to further modify Kang in view of Luo for forming a first part of the IP address of the user equipment using information received from a network node, the first part comprising a routable part of the IP address of the user equipment; and forming a second part of the IP address of the user equipment that uniquely identifies the user equipment
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motived because it offers the advantage of providing flexibility to perform the IPv6 stateless address auto-configuration (see Luo para. [0021]).
Luo teaches forming a first part of the first IP address using received information (Luo fig. 6 and para. [0154&0163]); however, Luo does not explicitly disclose the information received from a radio access network node.
Choi teaches:
information received from a radio access network node (Choi para. [0081], the RAN may transmit an RRCSetup message (or Msg 4) to the UE. The RAN may include in the RRCSetup message, UE address information, protocol stack information, and URF (or SCP) address information; Choi para. [0010], the address information of the user equipment and the address information of the NF entity are configured by a radio resource control (RRC) message received from the base station).
It would been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to further modify Kang in view of Choi to incorporate receiving information from a radio access network node for forming a first part of the first IP address.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motived because it offers the advantage of obtaining information for performing the IPv6 stateless address auto-configuration.
As per claim 5, Kang-Luo-Qiao-Manithara Vamanan-Choi discloses the method according to claim 4, as set forth above, Luo-Choi also discloses wherein at least one of the following:
the forming the second part of the IP address of the user equipment comprises concatenating at least part of a temporary identifier of the user equipment or a random value with a random value to form a concatenated value, and generating the IP address of the user equipment from the concatenated value; or
the forming the first part of the IP address of the user equipment comprises receiving, from the radio access network node (Choi para. [0081], the RAN may transmit an RRCSetup message (or Msg 4) to the UE. The RAN may include in the RRCSetup message, UE address information, protocol stack information, and URF address information), a network identifier value and a network mask that indicates a length of the first part (Luo fig. 6 and para. [0154], At block 601, a network device sends an RA message to a host. A prefix information option of the RA message includes: a prefix, a Mode field, and a T field; Luo fig. 6 and para. [0163], At block 605, the host generates an IPv6 address of the host according to the generated interface identifier and the prefix [first part]; Luo fig. 3 and para. [0053-0056], the prefix information option of the RA message includes at least the following fields: 1) Type field being an option type field. Usually, "3" [a network identifier value] is taken as the value of the Type field to indicate that the option is a prefix information option. 2) Length field indicating a length of the prefix information option. 3) Prefix Length field indicating a prefix length), and forming the first part by applying the network mask to the network identifier value (Luo fig. 6 and para. [0163], At block 605, the host generates an IPv6 address of the host according to the generated interface identifier and the prefix).
Similar rationale in claim 4 is applied.
As per claim 6, Kang-Luo-Qiao-Manithara Vamanan-Choi discloses the method according to claim 5, as set forth above, Luo-Choi also discloses wherein the network identifier value and the network mask are received (Luo fig. 6 and para. [0154], At block 601, a network device sends an RA message to a host. A prefix information option of the RA message includes: a prefix, a Mode field, and a T field; Luo fig. 6 and para. [0163], At block 605, the host generates an IPv6 address of the host according to the generated interface identifier and the prefix [first part]; Luo fig. 3 and para. [0053-0056], the prefix information option of the RA message includes at least the following fields: 1) Type field being an option type field. Usually, "3" [a network identifier value] is taken as the value of the Type field to indicate that the option is a prefix information option. 2) Length field indicating a length of the prefix information option. 3) Prefix Length field indicating a prefix length) via RRC signalling (Choi para. [0081], the RAN may transmit an RRCSetup message (or Msg 4) to the UE. The RAN may include in the RRCSetup message, UE address information, protocol stack information, and URF (or SCP) address information; Choi para. [0010], the address information of the user equipment and the address information of the NF entity are configured by a radio resource control (RRC) message received from the base station).
Similar rationale in claim 4 is applied.
As per claim 9, Kang-Luo-Qiao-Manithara Vamanan discloses the method according to claim 7, as set forth above, Kang does not explicitly disclose the method further comprising signalling, to the user equipment, an IP address of a repository function of the core network in RRC signalling, the IP address of the repository function being configured to identify the repository function.
Choi teaches:
signalling, to the user equipment, an IP address of a repository function of the core network in RRC signalling, the IP address of the repository function being configured to identify the repository function (Choi para. [0081], the RAN may transmit an RRCSetup message (or Msg 4) to the UE. The RAN may include in the RRCSetup message, UE address information, protocol stack information, and URF [user repository function] (or SCP) address information [second address]; Choi para. [0077], The URF may be integrated with the NRF [network repository function] in the implementation; Choi para. [0210], The address information may indicate the identifier for distinguishing a node on the network, such as an IP address, an FQDN, or a MAC address; Choi fig. 1 and para. [0043], Referring to FIG. 1, the CN may include NFs such as … a network repository function (NRF)).
It would been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to further modify Kang in view of Choi for signalling, to the user equipment, an IP address of a repository function of the core network in RRC signalling, the IP address of the repository function being configured to identify the repository function.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motived because it offers the advantage of obtaining necessary information for accessing core network.
Per claims 12-16 and 19, they do not teach or further define over the limitations in claims 2-6 and 9 respectively. As such, claims 12-16 and 19 are rejected for the same reasons as set forth in claims 2-6 and 9 respectively.
Claims 10 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kang et al. (US 2019/0335373), in view of Luo (US 2020/0314059, Pub. Date: Oct. 1, 2020), in view of Qiao et al. (US 2025/0280348, Provisional application No. 63/419,235, filed on Oct. 25, 2022), in view of Manithara Vamanan et al. (US 2024/0107433, Provisional application No. 63/409,154, filed on Sep. 22, 2022), in view of Michelin et al. (US 2014/0325090, Pub. Date: Oct. 30, 2014).
As per claim 10, Kang-Luo-Qiao-Manithara Vamanan discloses the method according to claim 1, as set forth above, Kang does not explicitly disclose the method further comprising receiving, from the user equipment, an indication of a value used by the user equipment to generate a second part of the IP address of the user equipment.
Lee teaches:
receiving, from the user equipment, an indication of a value (Lee fig. 7, Poll CPE client MLD Query at 701 and Listen for Response at 702; Lee para. [0041], At 703 the AN determines if a response has been received for a particular client for which it has an active MAC-IP relation [an indication of a value (i.e., MAC address)] in its enforcement table; Lee para. [0042], step 710 to enforce the MAC-IP address relation [an indication of a value (i.e., MAC address)] for the newly-discovered client's Link-Local address; Lee para. [0036], then the AN 12 completes its registration of the client by adding the MAC-IP relation for the client to its enforcement table) used by the user equipment to generate a second part of the IP address of the user equipment (Lee para. [0008], CPE clients can generate a new interface ID [second part of the IP address] (unless the interface Id is required to be strictly related to the MAC address), and thereby new Link-Local and Global IP addresses, every time they start up; Lee para. [0029], Note that for Global addresses DAD is not always mandatory, although in the 3GPP RFC4862, at section 5.4, it is strongly advised to be done and recommended in any new development. It is useful in case the Interface identifier is not generated with the MAC address but with a randomly generated address. [In other words, MAC address is utilized for generating interface ID [i.e., second part] of IP address]).
It would been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to further modify Choi in view of Lee for receiving, from the user equipment, an indication of a value used by the user equipment to generate a second part of the IP address of the user equipment.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motived because it offers the advantage of keeping track of a client connected on the access line (see Lee para. [0044]).
Per claim 20, it does not teach or further define over the limitations in claim 10. As such, claim 20 is rejected for the same reasons as set forth in claim 10.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Wu (US 20240407022) Managing Multicast And Unicast Data Transmission For MBS;
Wang et al. (US 20210385286) Method And Apparatus For Improving Service Discovery;
Lee (US 20190230556) Apparatus And Method For Network Function Profile Management.
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.
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/VINH NGUYEN/Examiner, Art Unit 2453
/KAMAL B DIVECHA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2453
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