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 .
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 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.
Claim Status
Claims 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, and 19 are currently pending for examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 04/16/2026 was filed after the mailing date of the Notice of Allowance on 02/17/2026. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Allowable Subject Matter
Prosecution on the merits of this application is reopened on claims 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, and 19 considered unpatentable for the reasons indicated below:
Claim 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CATT “TS 23.502: Discussion on EPS bearer ID allocation during inter-RAT handover from 5GS to EPS”, 3GPP SA WG2 Meeting #120, S2-172175 (see the rejection below).
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 –
(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.
Claim 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CATT “TS 23.502: Discussion on EPS bearer ID allocation during inter-RAT handover from 5GS to EPS”, 3GPP SA WG2 Meeting #120, S2-172175 hereinafter “CATT”.
Regarding claims 1 and 11, CATT discloses Claim 1of a method performed by a base station associated with a next generation - radio access network (NG-RAN) in a wireless communication system (see FIG. 4.11.1.1-1; see Page 4, NG-RAN), and Claim 11 of a base station associated with a next generation - radio access network (NG-RAN) in a wireless communication system (see FIG. 4.11.1.1-1; see Page 4, NG-RAN), the base station comprising: a transceiver; and a controller coupled with the transceiver (see FIG. 4.11.1.1-1; see Page 4, NG-RAN includes a transceiver and a controller/processor), the method comprising:
determining to perform a handover of a user equipment (UE) to an evolved - universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) (see FIG. 4.11.1.1-1; see Page 3-4, 5GS to EPS handover using Nx interface);
transmitting to an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), a handover required message including a source to target transparent container, wherein the source to target transparent container includes an E-UTRAN radio access bearer (E-RAB) identifier and data forwarding information (see FIG. 4.11.1.1-1; see Page 4, 5G RAN decides that the UE should be handed over to the E-UTRAN. The 5G RAN sends a Handover Required message (Source to Target Transparent Container) to the AMF and in the Source to Target Transparent Container, an E-RAB list according to the mapped EPS QoS parameters and EPS bearer ID);
receiving, from the AMF, a handover command message (see FIG. 4.11.1.1-1; see Page 5, the AMF sends the Handover Command to the source 5G RAN); and
transmitting, to the UE, the handover command message (see FIG. 4.11.1.1-1; see Page 5, the source 5G RAN commands the UE to handover to the target access network by sending the HO Command).
Regarding claims 3, 8, 13, and 18, CATT discloses wherein the handover command message includes Evolved Packet System (EPS) Bearer identifiers, and wherein ongoing Quality of Service (QoS) Flows with the EPS Bearer identifiers are correlated by the UE (see Page 4-5; the UE correlates the ongoing QoS flows with the indicated EPS Bearer IDs to be setup in the HO command).
Regarding claims 4, 9, 14, and 19, CATT discloses wherein the handover command message includes tunnel information for data forwarding (see Page 4-5; TEID for both the control-plane or EPS bearers in the message such as Target eNB Address, TEID(s) for DL data forwarding).
Regarding claims 6 and 16, CATT discloses Claim 6 of a method performed by an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) in a wireless communication system (see FIG. 4.11.1.1-1; see Page 4, AMF), and Claim 16 of an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) in a wireless communication system, the AMF comprising: a transceiver; and a controller coupled with the transceiver (see FIG. 4.11.1.1-1; see Page 4, AMF) includes a transceiver and a controller/processor), the method comprising:
receiving, from a base station associated with a next generation - radio access network (NG-RAN) (see FIG. 4.11.1.1-1; see Page 4, NG-RAN), a handover required message including a source to target transparent container, wherein the source to target transparent container includes an evolved - universal terrestrial radio access network (E-UTRAN) radio access bearer (E-RAB) identifier and data forwarding information (see FIG. 4.11.1.1-1; see Page 4, 5G RAN decides that the UE should be handed over to the E-UTRAN. The 5G RAN sends a Handover Required message (Source to Target Transparent Container) to the AMF and in the Source to Target Transparent Container, an E-RAB list according to the mapped EPS QoS parameters and EPS bearer ID);
selecting a mobile management entity (MME) based on the handover required message (see Page 5; the AMF selects an MME after receiving the Handover Required message);
transmitting, to the MME, a relocation request message (see Page 5; the AMF selects an MME and sends a Relocation Request message);
receiving, from the MME, a relocation response message including a target to source transparent container (see Page 5; the MME sends the message Relocation Response including Target to Source Transparent Container); and
transmitting, to the base station, a handover command message (see Page 5; the AMF sends the Handover Command to the source 5G RAN).
Conclusion
Applicant's submission of an information disclosure statement under 37 CFR 1.97(c) with the timing fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(p) on 03/25/2026 prompted the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 609.04(b). 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PETER CHEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7241. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00am to 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, Yemane Mesfin can be reached at (571) 272-3927. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PETER CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462
Prosecution Insights