DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . The instant Office Action is in response to communication filed on 4/17/2026.
Claims 1-20 are pending. Claims 1, 8 and 13 are the base independent claims.
Claims 1, 8 and 13 are amended.
Response to Arguments/Amendment
Regarding claim 1, Applicant files arguments with respect to the amendment in Remark.
--In response, new grounds of rejection are made in view of Pham based on the amended claim limitations. The rest of the arguments have been fully considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to the new reference being used in the current rejection.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over ZHU et al (US 2023/0044660) in view of Pham et al (US 2023/0403760), in view of LATHEEF et al (US 2023/0300938), in view of Shrivastava et al (US 2022/0132467, herein after Shrivastava’467) or Shrivastava et al (US 2024/0305957, herein after Shrivastava’957).
Regarding claim 1, ZHU discloses a transmission method performed by a terminal, comprising:
performing a first behavior in a case that the terminal interested in a first service is within a first area (par 40-44; e.g. sending by the UE an MBS interest information to the RAN; wherein a trigger condition includes at least one of upon entering or leaving the service area); wherein
the first behavior comprises:
obtaining configuration information of the first service from a first network-side device (par 45; e.g. UE may receive a system information containing the MBS SAI of the current and neighboring carrier frequencies).
The reference does not explicitly disclose:
and receiving data of the first service from the first network-side device;
receiving second information sent by a second network-side device;
wherein content in the second information comprises at least one of the following:
indication of not sending data of the first service;
indication of suspending the first service;
indication of stopping the first service;
indication of deleting the first service; or
indication of sending data of the first service;
wherein the second network-side device comprises a base.
However, it is obvious in view of Pham, because Pham further discloses:
receiving data of the first service from the first network-side device (fig. 2 & par 75; e.g. UE receives MBS data from last serving gNB);
receiving second information sent by a second network-side device (fig. 2 & par 77-80; e.g. UE receives MBS data (forwarded data + new data) from target gNB);
wherein content in the second information comprises at least one of the following:
indication of not sending data of the first service;
indication of suspending the first service;
indication of stopping the first service;
indication of deleting the first service; or
indication of sending data of the first service (par 82; e.g. the target node once has received the indication from the UE (or from the source) learns that it is expected to start either delivering missing PDCP PDUs or delivering new MBS data to the UE);
wherein the second network-side device comprises a base (par 252; e.g. base station or gNB).
In view of the above, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of communication protocol configured for the electronic system of Pham with the electronic system of ZHU. One is motivated as such to enable UE to continue receiving the same MBS services (Pham, par 4).
Regarding claim 8, ZHU discloses a transmission method, comprising:
sending first information from a first network-side device (par 29; e.g. RAN) to a terminal interested in a first service (par 45; e.g. UE may receive a system information containing the MBS Service Area Identities (SAI) of the current and/or neighboring carrier frequencies prior to sending the RRC message, hence a system information is sent to the UE); wherein content in the first information comprises at least one of the following:
indication of sending data of the first service;
indication of starting the first service;
indication of resuming the first service;
indication of not sending data of the first service;
indication of suspending the first service;
indication of stopping the first service;
indication of deleting the first service;
identifier of the terminal;
identifier of the first service;
session identifier; or
paging indication (par 45; e.g. MBS Service Area Identities);
The reference does not explicitly disclose:
sending second information to the terminal from a second network-side device,
wherein content in the second information comprises at least one of the following:
indication of suspending the first service;
indication of stopping the first service;
indication of deleting the first service;
indication of sending data of the first service.
However, it is obvious in view of Pham, because Pham further discloses:
sending second information to the terminal from a second network-side device (fig. 2 & par 77-80; e.g. UE receives MBS data (forwarded data + new data) from target gNB),
wherein content in the second information comprises at least one of the following:
indication of suspending the first service;
indication of stopping the first service;
indication of deleting the first service;
indication of sending data of the first service (par 82; e.g. the target node once has received the indication from the UE (or from the source) learns that it is expected to start either delivering missing PDCP PDUs or delivering new MBS data to the UE).
In view of the above, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of communication protocol configured for the electronic system of Pham with the electronic system of ZHU. One is motivated as such to enable UE to continue receiving the same MBS services (Pham, par 4).
Regarding claim 2, ZHU discloses:
wherein the first area comprises at least one of the following:
service area of the first service;
notification area of a wireless access network; or
registration area (par 44; a trigger condition includes at least one of upon entering or leaving the service area).
Regarding claim 3, ZHU discloses:
wherein the step of performing a first behavior comprises at least one of the following:
performing the first behavior in a case that the terminal enters the first area; or
performing the first behavior in a case that the terminal enters the first area and stays for a time exceeding a time limit (par 44; a trigger condition includes at least one of upon entering or leaving the service area).
Regarding claim 4, ZHU discloses:
wherein before the step of performing a first behavior in a case that the terminal interested in a first service is within a first area (par 45; e.g. UE may receive a system information containing the MBS Service Area Identities (SAI) of the current and/or neighboring carrier frequencies prior to sending the RRC message, hence a system information is sent to the UE), the method further comprises:
receiving first information sent by a first network-side device;
wherein content in the first information comprises at least one of the following:
indication of sending data of the first service;
indication of starting the first service;
indication of resuming the first service;
indication of not sending data of the first service;
indication of suspending the first service;
indication of stopping the first service;
indication of deleting the first service;
identifier of the terminal;
identifier of the first service;
session identifier; or
paging indication (par 45; e.g. MBS Service Area Identities);
wherein the first network-side device comprises a base station (par 29; par 44; e.g. a PCell broadcasting system information about service area identities).
Regarding claim 5, ZHU discloses the subject matter of claim 1, without explicitly discloses:
wherein in a case that the first behavior comprises entering the RRC connected state, the method further comprises:
in a case that the terminal has not received data of a second service after entering the RRC connected state and that the terminal has received the first information, determining that the first information is used to indicate data sending, starting, or resuming of the first service;
wherein the second service comprises receiving data radio bearer DRB data through a protocol data unit PDU session.
However, LATHEEF discloses:
In par 115-116, e.g. the UE 204 starts operating in the first state/RRC Connected state. At step 502, the UE 204 receives the MBS control information/first message corresponding to the one or more MBS services from the BS 202. At step 503, the UE 204 establishes the MBS bearer with the BS 202, on receiving the configurations of the MBS bearer from the BS 202.
In view of the above, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of communication protocol configured for the electronic system of LATHEEF with the electronic system of ZHU and Pham. One is motivated as such to manage MBS service continuity (LATHEEF, par 12).
Regarding claim 6, ZHU discloses the subject matter of claim 1, without explicitly discloses:
wherein the method further comprises at least one of the following:
wherein content in the second information comprises at least one of the following:
identifier of the terminal;
identifier of the first service; or
session identifier;
However, Shrivastava’467 discloses:
In par 12; session identifier; par 171-172; e.g. receiving the RRC reconfiguration message comprising the MBS service configuration from the network entity (200) for an activated MBS service. The UE (100) is in the RRC CONNECTED state. At 1304, the method includes determining the activation for at least one non-activated session pertaining to the UE (100) based on the RRC reconfiguration message.
In view of the above, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of communication protocol configured for the electronic system of Shrivastava’467 with the electronic system of ZHU and Pham. One is motivated as such to enable a reliable delivery of MBS services (Shrivastava’467, par 10).
Regarding claim 7, ZHU discloses the subject matter of claim 1, without explicitly discloses:
wherein the method further comprises:
refusing to perform the first behavior in a case that the terminal is outside the first area.
However, Shrivastava’957 discloses:
In par 66, e.g. the UE (100) moves out of multicast coverage, network discontinues the specific delivery mode for service.
In view of the above, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of communication protocol configured for the electronic system of Shrivastava’957 with the electronic system of ZHU and Pham. One is motivated as such to change a delivery mode (Shrivastava’957, par 66).
Regarding claim 9, ZHU discloses the subject matter of claim 1, without explicitly discloses:
wherein the method further comprises:
sending the second information to the terminal after the terminal completes the first behavior within the first area; wherein
the network-side device is a second network-side device.
However, Shrivastava’467 discloses:
In par 171-172; e.g. receiving the RRC reconfiguration message comprising the MBS service configuration from the network entity (200) for an activated MBS service. The UE (100) is in the RRC CONNECTED state. At 1304, the method includes determining the activation for at least one non-activated session pertaining to the UE (100) based on the RRC reconfiguration message.
In view of the above, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of communication protocol configured for the electronic system of Shrivastava’467 with the electronic system of ZHU and Pham. One is motivated as such to enable a reliable delivery of MBS services (Shrivastava’467, par 10).
Regarding claim 10, Shrivastava’467 further discloses:
wherein content in the second information comprises at least one of the following:
indication of not sending data of the first service;
indication of starting the first service;
indication of resuming the first service;
indication of refusing to send the first service;
identifier of the terminal;
identifier of the first service; or
session identifier (see citation for claim 6).
Regarding claim 11, ZHU discloses:
wherein the first behavior comprises at least one of the following:
obtaining configuration information of the first service;
entering a radio resource control (RRC) connected state;
sending non-access stratum (NAS) signaling;
sending an RRC message; or
receiving data of the first service (see citation of claim 1).
Regarding claim 12, ZHU discloses:
wherein the first network-side device comprises a base station:
wherein the first area comprises at least one of the following:
service area of the first service;
notification area of a wireless access network; or
registration area (see citation of claim 2).
Regarding claims 13-20, ZHU in view of Pham, in view of LATHEEF, in view of Shrivastava’467 or Shrivastava’957 also disclose the subject matter as in the citations above.
Conclusion
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YAOTANG WANG whose telephone number is (571)272-4023. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00-18:00 ET (M, W, TH & alternate F).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, HADI ARMOUCHE can be reached at 571-270-3618. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YAOTANG WANG/SCE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2409
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