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 .
Response to Arguments
Claim Rejections under 35 USC 103
Applicant’s Argument: Applicant argues amended claim 1 specifies the correspondence includes a routing table stored at the access network device with the IP address of the EMS.
Examiner’s Response: Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 07/20/2026, with respect to claim 1, 8, have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejections of these claims have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s Argument: Applicant argues regarding claim 5 that the EMS maintains a correspondence between a UE ID and gNB IP for routing downlink.
Examiner’s Response: Applicant's arguments filed 07/20/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The claim does not specify the distinguishing functions of the EMS as pointed out by Applicant citing their specification ¶0051.Further, the “correspondence” is a broad term, and the claim does not specifically recite how this is maintained, whether there is certain information stored in some way, or how it is called for sending downlink information. Yu in Figure 14 steps 1401-1412 show the RNMF (EMS) forwarding 5G-GUTI and Cell ID (terminal identifier and cell IP) information, and routing downlink information via the access network device to the UE, clearly showing that it possesses a correspondence between network access device address information and the UE. Since the claim does not further define the correspondence, the process shown in Figure 14 where the RNMF clearly possesses the information as this information is forwarded to the NRF shows that this correspondence is maintained for purposes of routing downlink as in step 1412.
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, 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.
Claim(s) 5, 14-15, 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al. (“Yu”) (CN 110933623 A, cited in Applicant’s IDS) in view of Lee (US 20220255830 A1).
Regarding claim 5, Yu teaches:
A communication method performed by an element management system EMS comprising: receiving first request information, registration information of user equipment, and an internet protocol IP address of an access network device [page 27-30 Figure 14, S1401-1402, RRC network element (access network device) sends to RMNF (EMS) a “Nrnmf-Communication-UEMessageTransfer” with 5G-GUTI (registration information of a UE), cell identification / cell id, and PLMN ID with registration request], wherein the first request information is used to request a registration procedure of the user equipment [page 27-30 S1401-1402, registration request of UE]; and registering the user equipment based on the first request information [page 27-30, RMNF accepts UE registration 1408-1414 Figure 14];
maintaining, by the EMS, a correspondence between an identifier ID of the user equipment and the IP address of the access network device, wherein the correspondence is used for routing downlink user equipment management data [page 27-30 step 1401-1404, RNMF element (EMS) maintains information in UE request 5G-GUTI and cell id as this is forwarded to NRF, and clearly shows step 1412, RNMF routing to UE via access network device thus maintaining correspondence of UE ID to access network device, the claim not specifying what the correspondence comprises]; performing, by the EMS, at least one of parameter configuration, software upgrade, or fault diagnosis on the user equipment [S1412, newly allocated 5G-TURI and other parameters, considered parameter configuration for UE]; and sending the downlink user equipment management data to the access network device based on the correspondence [S1412].
Yu teaches cell identity but no an IP address however Lee shows that cell ID could include IP address of the access network device [¶0040].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify the cell ID includes the base station IP address. Yu teaches sending cell identity information and it would have been obvious to specify this could be the cell IP address as in Lee as it would have been a simple substitution to replace the unspecified cell identity with IP address which Lee shows can identify the cell in the same way ¶0040.
Regarding claim 14, Yu-Lee teaches:
The method according to claim 5, wherein the EMS maintains a correspondence between an identifier ID of the user equipment and the IP address of the access network device for routing downlink user equipment management data to the access network device [Yu page 27-30 step 1401-1404, RNMF element (EMS) maintains information in UE request 5G-GUTI and cell id as this is forwarded to NRF, and clearly shows step 1412, routing to UE via access network device thus maintaining correspondence of UE ID to access network device, the claim not specifying what the correspondence comprises].
Regarding claim 15, Yu-Lee teaches:
The method according to claim 5, wherein the registration information of the user equipment comprises at least one of: a device identifier, a software version, a specification capacity, a manufacturer identifier, or a serial number of the user equipment [Yu page 27-30 step 1401-1402, GUTI is a device identifier].
Regarding claim 17, Yu teaches:
A communication apparatus, comprising: a memory storing program instructions; and a processor connected to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute the program instructions to perform operations including [Figure 14 RMNF]: receiving first request information, registration information of user equipment, and an internet protocol IP address of an access network device [page 27-30 Figure 14, S1401-1402, RRC network element (access network device) sends to RMNF (EMS) a “Nrnmf-Communication-UEMessageTransfer” with 5G-GUTI (registration information of a UE), cell identification / cell id, and PLMN ID with registration request], wherein the first request information is used to request a registration procedure of the user equipment [page 27-30 S1401-1402, registration request of UE]; and registering the user equipment based on the first request information [page 27-30, RMNF accepts UE registration 1408-1414 Figure 14];
maintaining, by the EMS, a correspondence between an identifier ID of the user equipment and the IP address of the access network device, wherein the correspondence is used for routing downlink user equipment management data [page 27-30 step 1401-1404, RNMF element (EMS) maintains information in UE request 5G-GUTI and cell id as this is forwarded to NRF, and clearly shows step 1412, routing to UE via access network device thus maintaining correspondence of UE ID to access network device, the claim not specifying what the correspondence comprises]; performing, by the EMS, at least one of parameter configuration, software upgrade, or fault diagnosis on the user equipment [S1412, newly allocated 5G-TURI and other parameters, considered parameter configuration for UE]; and sending the downlink user equipment management data to the access network device based on the correspondence [S1412].
Yu teaches cell identity but no an IP address however Lee shows that cell ID could include IP address of the access network device [¶0040].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify the cell ID includes the base station IP address. Yu teaches sending cell identity information and it would have been obvious to specify this could be the cell IP address as in Lee as it would have been a simple substitution to replace the unspecified cell identity with IP address which Lee shows can identify the cell in the same way ¶0040.
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al. (“Yu”) (CN 110933623 A) in view of Lee (US 20220255830 A1) and Yang et al. (“Yang”) (WO 2018009340 A1).
Regarding claim 6, Yu-Lee teaches:
The method according to claim 5, wherein the receiving the first request information, the registration information of user equipment, and the internet protocol IP address of an access network device includes receiving an IP address of a control plane, CP [Yu Figure 14, S1401-1402, RRC network element (access network device) receives from DU and includes PDCP-C control plane see Figure 2 RAN 1, and RRC sends to RMNF (EMS) a “Nrnmf-Communication-UEMessageTransfer” with 5G-GUTI (registration information of a UE), cell identification / cell id, and PLMN ID with registration request, ¶0040 of Lee teaches IP address].
Yu teaches base station but not a central unit–control plane CU-CP.
Yang teaches a central unit–control plane CU-CP [Figure 5m gNB includes CU-CP communicating with UE and 5GC].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify the base station including the CU-CP and thus the IP address is that of the CU-CP as in Yang who teaches functional separation of DU and CU-CP is part of the NR architecture ¶0021 to relieve deign pressures.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al. (“Yu”) (CN 110933623 A) in view of Lee (US 20220255830 A1) and Shuai et al. (“Shuai”) (WO 2012106896 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Yu-Lee teaches:
The method according to claim 5, wherein the method further comprises: receiving uplink user equipment management data from the access network device [Yu Figure 14, S1401-1402, RRC network element (access network device) receives registration request from UE with 5G-GUTI, PLMN IDs (user equipment management data}]; recording an ID of the access network device [page 13-15 “It can be understood that, the first wireless network management function network element receives the first registration instruction sent by the first network element, then in order to ensure normal operation of the subsequent communication service, information can also be by analyzing the first registration instruction, obtaining the first registration request carries the information of the first access network element, and storing the first access network element”]; performing a user equipment management service based on the uplink user equipment management data; and sending downlink user equipment management data to the access network device based on the correspondence between the ID of the user equipment and the ID of the access network device [“S1412, RNMF network element receives the UE registration acceptance message, can be analyzed and recorded to the context of the UE, and may specifically include the newly allocated 5G-TURI, Handover restriction List, UE-AMBR and AMF ID and the position area information of the AMF network service stored in the UE context, and sending Nrnmf-Communication-N1MessageNotify to the RRC network element through the C1 interface” corresponding to “user equipment management service” and “sending downlink user equipment management data to the access network device”)].
Yu teaches storing access point ID but not the correspondence however Shuai teaches a correspondence between an identifier ID of the user equipment and recording an ID of the user equipment and the ID of the access network device [Page 12-14 teaches a network device with processor 602“The processor 602 is configured to determine, according to the identifier of the UE, that the UE is registered in the cell of the first radio access network, […] Further, the device further includes a memory; a memory, configured to store a correspondence between an identifier of the UE and a cell of the first radio access network to which the UE has been registered”].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to specify recording the correspondence as in Shuai as this is an obvious combination of prior art elements according to known techniques in order to make decisions regarding PS services for the UE in a cell page 12-14.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 1-4, 8-11, 13, 16 allowed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. WO 2020083296 A1.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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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/JAY L VOGEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478
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