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
As required by M.P.E.P. 609(c), the Applicant's submissions of the Information Disclosure Statement is acknowledged by the examiner and the cited references have been considered in the examination of the claims now pending. As required by M.P.E.P. 609 C(2), a copy of the PTOL-1449 initialed and dated by the examiner is attached to the instant office action.
Applicant’s Information Disclosure Statement has been received, entered into the record, and considered. See attached form PTO-1449.
Restriction Remarks
Claims 1 and 3-19 are pending. Claim 2 is canceled.
Claim 20 are withdrawn as of February 24, 2026, restriction requirement, without traverse.
Claims 1 and 3-19 are examined.
This application contains claim 20 are drawn to an invention nonelected without traverse in the reply filed on February 25, 2026. A complete reply to the final rejection must include cancellation of nonelected claims or other appropriate action (37 CFR 1.144) See MPEP § 821.01.
Applicant is reminded that upon the cancellation of claims to a non-elected invention, the inventorship must be amended in compliance with 37 CFR 1.48(b) if one or more of the currently named inventors is no longer an inventor of at least one claim remaining in the application. Any amendment of inventorship must be accompanied by a request under 37 CFR 1.48(b) and by the fee required under 37 CFR 1.17(i).
Applicant is reminded that upon the cancellation of claims to a non-elected invention with Applicant’s amendment and response to this Non-final office action.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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)(2) 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.
Claims 1, and 3-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Arrobo Vidal et al., (US Publication No. 2022/0201638 A1 and Vidal hereinafter).
Regarding Claim 1, Vidal teaches a user equipment comprising: at least one processor; at least one memory storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the user equipment to perform at least:
Figure 16, whole figure, infra:
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receiving network slice information (i.e., a network slice always comprises a RAN part and a CN part. The support of network slicing relies on the principle that traffic for different slices is handled by different PDU sessions. The network can realize the different network slices by scheduling and also by providing different L1/L2 configurations. The UE 901 provides assistance information for network slice selection in an appropriate RRC message) Para [0262] from a core network entity (i.e., an element offering applications that use IP bearer resources with the core network e.g., UMTS PS domain, LTE PS data services, etc.) Para [0151], the network slice information related to a network slice which is not supported (i.e., network slicing relies on the principle that traffic for different slices is handled by different PDU sessions) Para [0262] in one or more cells of a first tracking area (i.e., master timing clock to perform position tracking/estimation without GNSS assistance) Para [0205], but which is supported in one or more cells of a second tracking area (i.e., in particular tracking list such as the control plane of legacy SGSN, and may implement MM functions to keep track of the current location of a UE 801. The MMEs 821 may perform various MM procedures to manage mobility aspects in access such as gateway selection and tracking area list management) Para [0155]; and triggering a procedure to access said network slice based on the network slice information when the user equipment (i.e., determine the AMF set to be used to serve the UE 901, or a list of candidate AMF(s) 921 based on a suitable configuration and possibly by querying the NRF 925. The selection of a set of network slice instances for the UE 901 may be triggered by the AMF 921 with which the UE 901 is registered ) Para [0176] is in one or more cells of the first tracking area (i.e., the control plane of legacy SGSN, and may implement MM functions to keep track of the current location of a UE 801. The MMEs 821 may perform various MM procedures to manage mobility aspects in access such as gateway selection and tracking area list management.) Para [0155].
Regarding Claim 3, Vidal teaches wherein the triggering the procedure comprises triggering a cell reselection towards one cell of the one or more cells of the second tracking area (i.e., multiple slices simultaneously, only one signaling connection is maintained, and for intra-frequency cell reselection, the UE 901 tries to camp on the best cell. For inter-frequency cell reselection, dedicated priorities can be used to control the frequency on which the UE 901 camps. The 5GC 920 is to validate that the UE 901 has the rights to access a network slice) Para [0268].
Regarding Claim 4 Vidal teaches wherein the triggering the procedure comprises triggering sending a service request to activate connectivity in the network slice (i.e., slices supported in the cells of its neighbors may be beneficial for inter-frequency mobility in connected mode. The slice availability may not change within the UE's registration area. The NG-RAN 910 and the 5GC 920 are responsible to handle a service request for a slice that may or may not be available in a given area ) Para [0267].
Regarding Claim 5, Vidal teaches wherein the triggering the procedure comprises triggering sending, to the core network entity (i.e., network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI), a UE radio capability update, or a UE mobility management (MM) core network capability) Para [0289], a packet data unit session (i.e., HSDPA High Speed Downlink Packet Access [0503] HSN Hopping Sequence Number) Para [0507] and Para [0686] establishment request to request a packet data unit session of the network slice (i.e. session initiated protocol) Para [0808].
Regarding Claim 6, Vidal teaches wherein the triggering the procedure comprises triggering sending, to the core network entity, a registration request to register with the network slice (i.e., UE 901 requests are compliant with user subscription information associated with the UE ) Para [0169].
Regarding Claim 7, Vidal teaches wherein the instructions when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the user equipment to perform at least: sending a request to the core network entity and receiving the network slice information in a response to the request (i.e., operating a system for registration management in information centric networking (ICN) for next generation (NG) cellular networks. The method can include: generating, by a user equipment (UE), a registration request message to register the UE with a 5G system (5GS), where the registration request message includes an access network (AN) parameter, a UE policy parameter, and a UE ICN context information; and transmitting the registration request message to an access management function (AMF) to register the UE) Para [0004].
Regarding Claim 8, Vidal teaches wherein the request comprises a registration request and the response comprises a registration accept message (i.e., generate a registration request message to register the UE with a 5G system (5GS), where the registration request message includes an access network (AN) parameter, a UE policy parameter, and a UE ICN context information. The system can further include a radio frequency integrated circuit, coupled to the processor configured to transmit the registration request message to an access management function) Para [0018].
Regarding Claim 9, Vidal teaches wherein the instructions when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the user equipment to perform at least: receiving the network slice information in a configuration update message (i.e., provide indication that the subscription data for network slicing is updated for the UE.) Para [0096].
Regarding Claim 10, Vidal teaches wherein the network slice information provides information for accessing the network slice by the user equipment and wherein the network slice information indicates that the one or more cells in the first tracking area overlap with at least one of the one or more cells of the second tracking area (i.e., A network instance may refer to information identifying a domain, which may be used for traffic detection and routing in case of different IP domains or overlapping) Para [0261].
Regarding Claim 11, Vidal teaches wherein the network slice information provides information for accessing the network slice by the user equipment and wherein the said network slice information indicates indirect access to the network slice when the user equipment is located in at least one cell of the one or more cells of the first tracking area (i.e., initial registration with the network) mobility registration update upon changing to a new Tracking Area (TA) outside its registration area; and iii) periodic registration update due to inactivity period) Para [0051].
Regarding Claim 12, Vidal teaches wherein the indirect access comprises at least one of: redirection to one or more cells of the second tracking area; handover to one or more cells of the second tracking area; or dual connectivity with one or more cells of the second tracking area. (i.e., initial registration with the network; ii) mobility registration update upon changing to a new Tracking Area (TA) outside its registration area) Para [0051] and (i.e., handover) Para [0144}.
Regarding Claim 13, Vidal teaches wherein the said network slice information indicates indirect access to the said network slice access group of the network slice. (i.e., Registration Request (Registration type, SUCI or 5G-GUTI or PEI, Security parameters, Requested NSSAI, UE Radio Capability Update, UE MM Core Network Capability) and UE Policy Container (list of PSIs, indication of UE support for ANDSP), UE ICN context information, among others. It is important to mention that there is no need to send PDU session status and List of PDU Sessions to be activated ) Para [0055] and (i.e., The UDM may provide indication that the subscription data for network slicing is updated for the UE) Para [0096].
Regarding Claim 14, Vidal teaches wherein the one or more cells of at least one of the first or second tracking areas are identified by a respective cell identifier (i.e., UE 801 by tracking the location of an individual UE 801 and performing security functions. In addition, the SGSN 825 may perform Inter-EPC node signaling for mobility between 2G/3G and E-UTRAN 3GPP access networks; PDN and S-GW selection as specified by the MMEs 821; handling of UE 801 time zone functions as specified by the MMEs 821; and MME selection for handovers to E-UTRAN 3GPP access network) Para [0156].
Regarding Claim 15, Vidal teaches wherein respective cells of the one or more cells of at least one of the first or second tracking areas are identified by: an indication of the respective tracking area identity or an indication of a respective cell group identifier (i.e., track the state) Para [0211].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 16-19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner's statement of reasons for allowance:
In regards to dependent Claims 16-19, BRI (broadest reasonable interpretation) in light of the specification, Examiner finds the claimed invention is patentably distinct from the prior art of record, which sets forth in the following:
Arrobo Vidal et al., (US Patent Publication No. 2022/0201638 A1), the closest prior art, discloses registration management in information centric networking (ICN) for next generation (NG) cellular networks; generating, by a user equipment (UE), a registration request message to register the UE with a 5G system (5GS), where the registration request message includes an access network (AN) parameters, a UE policy parameter, and a UE ICN context information; and transmitting, registration request message to an access management function (AMF) to register the user equipment.
However, Vidal fails to show “ partially allowed information for the network slice indicating the network slice is partially allowed slice in a registration area of the user equipment and an indication where the network slice is supported; and receiving partially rejected information for the network slice indicating that said network slice is a partially rejected slice in a registration area of the user equipment and an indication where said network slice is supported” … As claimed (supports in Para [0133]; [0144]; [0156]; [0164]; [0256]; [0282], for example.
Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Arrobo Vidal et al., (US Patent Publication No. 2022/0201638 A1), “Registration management in information centric networking for next generation cellular networks” (June 23, 2022), discloses registration management in information centric networking (ICN) for next generation (NG) cellular networks; generating, by a user equipment (UE), a registration request message to register the UE with a 5G system (5GS), where the registration request message includes an access network (AN) parameters, a UE policy parameter, and a UE ICN context information; and transmitting, registration request message to an access management function (AMF) to register the user equipment.
Park et al., (US Patent Publication No. 2024/0040478 A1), “Slice group information” (February 1, 2024) discloses base station receives, from a distributed unit of the base station, a network slice group identifier of a network slice group, and parameter indicating that the network slice group of network slices, where one parameter has network slice identifiers indicating network slices. The central unit of the base station sends, to a wireless device, a radio resource control (RRC) information message has the network slice group identifier.
Qiao et al., (US Patent Publication No. 2023/0029236 A1), “Charging for timing resiliency service” (January 6, 2023) discloses a message with a charging control for time service indicator, for time service indicator is for a time resiliency service for a wireless device. the base station collects, based on the charging control for time service indicator, usage information associated with the time resiliency service for the wireless device. The base station sends, to a mobility management function, the usage information associated with the time resiliency service.
Communication
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DIANE D MIZRAHI whose telephone number is 571- 272-4079. The examiner can normally be reached on 7:30-3:30 PM (7:30 - 4:30 p.m.).
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/DIANE D MIZRAHI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647
Diane.Mizrahi@USPTO.gov
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