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 .
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 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, 6-13, 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Matolia (US 2023/0308855 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, 10, 17
Matolia discloses a method (See [Abstract]) , comprising:
storing, by a user equipment (UE) device (Fig.1(102)), a first embedded Subscriber Identity Module (eSIM) associated (See [Abstract]; UE comprises multiple eSIM profile) with a first service provider of a first mobile network (See [0040];The eUICC
108 can be configured to store multiple eSIMs for accessing services offered by one or more different MNOs 114 via communication through base stations 112-1 to 112-N) and a second eSIM (See [Abstract]; UE comprises multiple eSIM profile) associated with a second service provider of a second mobile network (See [0040];The eUICC 108 can be configured to store multiple eSIMs for accessing services offered by one or more different MNOs 114 via communication through base stations 112-1 to 112-N);
storing, by the UE device (Fig.1(102)), policy rules governing selection of the first eSIM and the second eSIM (See Fig.11; [0058]; comprise policy to select eSIM according to application type or slice),
wherein the policy rules limit use of second eSIM to a network slice on the second mobile network (See Fig.11; [0058]; When the cellular wireless access network of SIMI supports the application-preferred network slice, the DSDS wireless device 102, at 1108, can establish a data PDU connection (or re-use an existing data PDU connection) via the application-preferred network slice over the cellular wireless access network of SIM 1);
initiating, by an application on the UE device, a session connection request associated with the application (See Fig.11; [0058]; When the cellular wireless access network of SIMI supports the application-preferred network slice, the DSDS wireless device 102, at 1108, can establish a data PDU connection (or re-use an existing data PDU connection) via the application-preferred network slice over the cellular wireless access network of SIMI); and
directing, by the UE device, the session connection request through one of the first eSIM or the second eSIM based on the policy rules (See Fig.11; [0058]; When the cellular wireless access network of SIMI supports the application-preferred network slice, the DSDS wireless device 102, at 1108, can establish a data PDU connection (or re-use an existing data PDU connection) via the application-preferred network slice over the cellular wireless access network of SIMI).
(Note : As art of Claim 10, UE device comprises a processor as recited by Matolia (Fig. 1(104))
Regarding Claim 2, 11
Matolia teaches all the features with respect to claim 1, 10 and Matolia further teaches
wherein the policy rules designate the first eSIM as a default (See [0058-0059]; UE select data default preferred SIM).
Regarding Claim 3, 12, 18
Matolia teaches all the features with respect to claim 1, 10, 17 and Matolia further teaches
receiving some of the policy rules from a first provisioning platform associated with the first service provider (See Fig.1; [0040]; Different Mobile network operator (MNO) access a set of provisioning servers to send policy to UE)), and
receiving others of the policy rules from a second provisioning platform associated with the second service provider (See Fig.1; [0040]; Different Mobile network operator (MNO) access a set of provisioning servers to send policy to UE)).
Regarding Claim 4, 13
Matolia teaches all the features with respect to claim 1, 10 and Matolia further teaches
wherein the policy rules are stored in a UE Route Selection Policy (URSP) (See [0058]; The DSDS wireless device 102 can use stored information, e.g., based on user equipment (UE) route selection policy (URSP) rules, to determine availability of an application preferred network slice) .
Regarding Claim 6, 16
Matolia teaches all the features with respect to claim 1, 10 and Matolia further teaches
wherein the first eSIM includes credentials for the first mobile network (See [0041-0042]; Each eSIM profile represents a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) . , and
wherein the second eSIM includes different credentials for the second mobile network (See [0041-0042]; Each eSIM profile represents a Mobile Network Operator (MNO) .
Regarding Claim 7, 19
Matolia teaches all the features with respect to claim 1, 17 and Matolia further teaches
storing, by the UE device, a third eSIM associated with a third service provider of a third mobile network (See [0041]; The eUICC 108 can be configured to store multiple eSIMs for accessing services offered by one or more different MNOs) .
Regarding Claim 8, 15
Matolia teaches all the features with respect to claim 1, 10 and Matolia further teaches
wherein the policy rules include rules to use the second eSIM for a designated application (See [0058-0059]; When the non-cellular wireless
access network of SIMI supports the application-preferred network slice, and cellular data switching between SIMI and SIM2 is allowed, the DSDS wireless device 102, at 1112, switches data from SIMI cellular data connections to SIM2 cellular data connections).
Regarding Claim 9,
Matolia teaches all the features with respect to claim 1 and Matolia further teaches
wherein the policy rules include rules to use one of the eSIMs for one or more application with designated performance requirements (See [0058-0059]; eSIM is selected according to application requirements using URSP).
Regarding Claim 20,
Matolia teaches all the features with respect to claim 17 and Matolia further teaches
wherein the policy rules include rules to use the second eSIM for a designated application (See [0058-0059]; When the non-cellular wireless
access network of SIM 1 supports the application-preferred network slice, and cellular data switching between SIMI and SIM2 is allowed, the DSDS wireless device 102, at 1112, switches data from SIMI cellular data connections to SIM2 cellular data connections), and
wherein the policy rules designate the first eSIM as a default (See [0058-0059]; UE select data default preferred SIM when there is no conflict).
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.
Claim(s) 5 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matolia (US 2023/0308855 A1) in view of Wang (US 2022/0345861 A1).
Regarding Claim 5, 14
Matolia teaches all the features with respect to claim 1, 13
But Matolia fails to explicitly recite
wherein the policy rules are stored in an Application-Route Selection Policy (A-RSP) that is separate from a UE Route Selection Policy (URSP).
However in analogous art,
Wang teaches about an Application-Route Selection Policy (A-RSP) information to select the proper slice associated with an application (See [0074-0078]).
Matolia and Wang are analogous art because they all pertain to cellular 5G Technology. Matolia teaches about a dual SIM UE that select the use of one of the SIM depending on the application. Wang teaches about an Application-Route Selection Policy (A-RSP) information to select the proper slice associated with an application. Matolia could use Wang features to select the proper slice associated the application function that can help in proper eSIM profile. Therefore in would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time of the filing of the application to combine Matolia and Wang as to obtain an efficient 5G Cellular communication system with DSDS UE.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GARY LAFONTANT whose telephone number is (571)272-3037. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00AM -5:00PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Anderson can be reached at 571-272-4177. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/GARY LAFONTANT/Examiner, Art Unit 2646