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 statement (IDS) submitted on 2/12/24, 8/8/24, 10/21/25 is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ACCESS CONTROL FOR TIMING RELATED STATUS UPDATE.
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.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 9, 10, 13-17, 19, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by TR 23.700 KI#1 conclusion update", 3GPP TSG-SA2 Meeting #154-AH-e, S2-2301461, Nokia, January 16-20, 2023, pp. 1-5, as disclosed in the IDS, herein Nokia.
As to claim 1, Nokia teaches a terminal device, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the terminal device at least (Nokia, Page 2 #8, a UE with processor and memory) to:
identify an access attempt for a network timing related status update (Nokia, Pg 2 L26-30, identifying by the UE a request to connect to the network when a RAN clock quantity information changes (timing related status update)); and
perform an access control on the access attempt for the network timing related status update (Nokia, Pg 2 L26-30, Pg 3 Note 3, the UE requires randomized re-connecting to spread connection attempts (access control) to retrieve the latest available clock quality information).
As to claim 9, Nokia teaches wherein the access attempt contains information on a connection resume cause for a timing related status update access attempt, wherein the connection the connection resume cause is predefined (Nokia, Pg 2 L26-30, the access attempt contains triggered connection resume cause for the clock quality information, the cause is predefined as a trigger because in the Inactive state) .
As to claim 10, Nokia teaches wherein the connection establishment cause or the connection resume cause is defined as mobile originating signaling (Nokia, Pg 2 L26-30, the access attempt contains triggered connection resume cause for the clock quality information, the cause is predefined as a trigger because in the Inactive state originating by the UE) .
As to claim 13, Nokia teaches wherein the terminal device is further caused to: transmit, based on determining that another access attempt is triggered and allowed, to the network device, a request for detailed timing related information (Nokia, Pg 2 L26-30, the request is sent by the UE to the network when a RAN clock quantity information change (timing related status update) (triggered)).
As to claim 14, Nokia teaches wherein the detailed timing related information includes timing synchronization status information, or radio access network clock quality information (Nokia, Pg 3 Note 4 Para 5, the timing information is synchronization status information and clock quality metrics).
As to claim 15, Nokia teaches wherein the performing an access control comprises generating a random value for performing the access control based on an upper limit value (Nokia, Pg 2 L26-30, Pg 3 Note 3, the UE requires randomized re-connecting over the course of a minute).
As to claim 16, Nokia teaches wherein the upper limit value is one of a predefined default value (Nokia, Pg 2 L26-30, Pg 3 Note 3, a predefined minute).
As to claim 17, Nokia teaches a network device, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the network device at least (Nokia, Pg 2 L26-40, a network device gNB) to:
transmit, to a terminal device, one or more parameters for configuring the terminal device to perform an access control on a timing related status update access attempt (Nokia, Pg 2 L26-40, receiving from gNB information for obtaining the clock quality information SIB); and
receive, from the terminal device, an access attempt (Nokia, Pg 2 L26-30, identifying by the UE a request to connect to the network when a RAN clock quantity information changes (timing related status update)) which is access controlled based on the one or more parameters (Nokia, Pg 2 L26-30, Pg 3 Note 3, the UE requires randomized re-connecting to spread connection attempts (access control) to retrieve the latest available clock quality information)
As to claim 19, Nokia teaches wherein the network device is further caused to: receive, from the terminal device, an access attempt including information on a connection resume cause for a timing related status update access attempt, wherein the connection resume cause is predefined (Nokia, Pg 2 L26-30, the access attempt contains triggered connection resume cause for the clock quality information, the cause is predefined as a trigger because in the Inactive state).
As to claim 20, Nokia teaches a method performed by a terminal device (Nokia, Page 2 #8, a method by a UE with processor and memory), comprising:
identifying, by the terminal device, an access attempt for a network timing related status update (Nokia, Pg 2 L26-30, identifying by the UE a request to connect to the network when a RAN clock quantity information changes (timing related status update));
performing, by the terminal device, an access control on the access attempt for the network timing related status update (Nokia, Pg 2 L26-30, Pg 3 Note 3, the UE requires randomized re-connecting to spread connection attempts (access control) to retrieve the latest available clock quality information).
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.
Claims 2-8, 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nokia as applied to claims above, and further in view of Ericsson (WO 2021/211033 A1), as disclosed in the IDS.
As to claim 2, Nokia teaches access attempts that are randomized and mapped to UE connection attempts (Nokia, Pg 2 L26-30, Pg 3 Note 3)
Nokia does not explicitly teach wherein the access attempt is identified based on one or more of an access category or an access identity, and wherein the access category and the access identity are mapped to a timing related status update access attempt.
However, Ericsson teaches wherein the access attempt is identified based on one or more of an access category or an access identity, and wherein the access category and the access identity are mapped to a timing related status update access attempt (Ericsson, Pg 16 L15-20, an access attempt is mapped to an access category and/or access identity).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to provide “access category and identity with an access attempt” as taught by Ericsson in the system of Nokia, so that it would it would provide differentiated access barring for low complexity (Ericsson, Pg 16 L15-20).
As to claim 3, the combination of Nokia and Ericsson teaches wherein a mapping of the access category or the access identity to a timing related status update access attempt is predefined or preconfigured (Ericsson, Pg 16 L15-20, predefined/configured mappings of low complexity UEs to an access category and/or identity).
As to claim 4, the combination of Nokia and Ericsson teaches wherein the access category or the access identity is encoded in universal subscriber identity module (Ericsson, Pg 21 L23-34, the access category/identity mapping is stored as USIM).
As to claim 5, Nokia teaches access control (Nokia, Pg 2 L26-30, Pg 3 Note 3, the UE requires randomized re-connecting to spread connection attempts (access control) to retrieve the latest available clock quality information).
Nokia does not explicitly teach wherein the access control is performed based on a unified access control (UAC) framework.
However, Ericsson teaches wherein the access control is performed based on a unified access control (UAC) framework (Ericsson, Pg 4 L10-14, the access control is a Unified Access Control UAC).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to provide “a UAC framework” as taught by Ericsson in the system of Nokia, so that it would it would provide unified NR standardization in access baring mechanisms (Ericsson, Pg 4 L10-14).
As to claim 6, the combination of Nokia and Ericsson teaches wherein the terminal device is further caused to receive, from a network device, one or more UAC parameters dedicated for the access category or the access identity mapped to the timing related status update access attempt (Ericsson, Pg 28, receiving access control UAC barring parameters related to the timing and access identity).
As to claim 7, the combination of Nokia and Ericsson teaches wherein the access identity is predefined as a reserved value for an access identity number in the UAC framework (Ericsson, Pg 28, accessIdentity is predefined set to bit zero or 1 according to TS 24.501).
As to claim 8, the combination of Nokia and Ericsson teaches wherein the access identity is predefined as a used value for access identity number in the UAC framework (Ericsson, Pg 28, accessIdentity is predefined set to bit zero or 1 according to TS 24.501).
As to claim 18, Nokia teaches access control (Nokia, Pg 2 L26-30, Pg 3 Note 3, the UE requires randomized re-connecting to spread connection attempts (access control) to retrieve the latest available clock quality information).
Nokia does not explicitly teach wherein the access control is performed based on a unified access control (UAC) framework and the one or more parameters comprises: one or more UAC parameters dedicated for an access category or an access identity mapped to the timing related status update access attempt.
However, Ericsson teaches wherein the access control is performed based on a unified access control (UAC) framework (Ericsson, Pg 4 L10-14, the access control is a Unified Access Control UAC) and the one or more parameters comprises: one or more UAC parameters dedicated for an access category or an access identity mapped to the timing related status update access attempt (Ericsson, Pg 28, receiving access control UAC barring parameters related to the timing and access identity).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to provide “a UAC framework” as taught by Ericsson in the system of Nokia, so that it would it would provide unified NR standardization in access baring mechanisms (Ericsson, Pg 4 L10-14).
Claims 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nokia as applied to claims above, and further in view of Kim (WO 2022/197844 A1), as disclosed in the IDS.
As to claim 11, Nokia teaches wherein the terminal device is caused to: perform the access attempt procedure to obtain detailed timing related information from a network device (Nokia, Pg 2 L26-40, perform access attempt for clock quality information) .
Nokia does not explicitly teach through a small data transmission (SDT).
However, Kim teaches through a small data transmission (SDT) (Kim, [0336], SDT to exchange access data in a device in a non-connected state).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to provide “SDT” as taught by Kim in the system of Nokia, so that it would be able to exchange data while remaining in the idle state and without completing a connection setup or resume procedure (Kim, [0336]).
As to claim 12, Nokia teaches wherein the terminal device is further caused to: receive, from the network device, configuration information indicating the terminal device to obtain the detailed timing related information (Nokia, Pg 2 L26-40, receiving from gNB information for obtaining the clock quality information SIB).
Nokia does not explicitly teach to use an SDT procedure.
However, Kim teaches (Kim, [0336], SDT to exchange access data in a device in a non-connected state).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention to provide “SDT” as taught by Kim in the system of Nokia, so that it would be able to exchange data while remaining in the idle state and without completing a connection setup or resume procedure (Kim, [0336]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kim et al (Pub No: 2019/0320354) Fig 1
Chun (Pub No: 2019/0230585) Fig 1-5.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AFSHAWN M TOWFIGHI whose telephone number is (571)270-7296. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00 AM -5:00 PM.
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/AFSHAWN M TOWFIGHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469