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 .
The following is a final office action in response to the amendments filed 02/05/2026. Amendments received on 02/05/2026 have been entered. As per applicant claims 2 and 10 have been canceled. Accordingly claims 1, 3-9 and 11-13 are pending.
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 1, 3-9 and 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ryu et al. (US Pub 2022/0369280) in view of Kuang et al. (US Pub 2024/0031988) in view of Iwamura et al. (US Pub 2010/0297999) and further in view of Chun et al. (US Pub 2019/0021069).
As of claims 1, 6 and 9, Ryu discloses a communication apparatus configured to communicate with a plurality of networks including a first network and a second network by using a plurality of subscriber identity modules (via UE with multiple Sims; see fig. 19), the communication apparatus comprising:
a processor configured to execute processing for transmitting, to an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) of the second network, a registration request message including capability information indicating capability of the communication apparatus regarding a paging cause (via UE sending a registration request comprising a request to including paging cause value and indicating Dual Sim capability of the UE to PLMN B (second network; see fig. 27; also see paragraph [0319]); and
a processor configured to execute processing for receiving, from a base station of the second network, a paging massage including the paging cause (via receiving a paging message with a paging cause (via receiving, from a base station, a paging message with a paging cause value; see paragraphs [0348]-[0349]).
Ryu discloses that the mobile device comprises one or more processors that perform the steps of transmitting a non-access stratum process of transmitting registration request message and receiving paging message, hence comprising a Non-Access stratum (NAS) processor and RRC processor. The Examiner further takes official notice that it is known in the art to include a NAS processor and RRC processor (see Iwamura et al. (US Pub 2010/0297999; fig. 3).
Ryu further discloses a base station as claimed in claim 6 (see fig. 3).
However, Ryu does not explicitly disclose that the paging message include a list of paging records.
Kuang discloses a paging indication method wherein a paging message includes a paging record list (see paragraph [0152]).
From the teaching of Kuang it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the system of Ryu to include the function of including a list of paging records in a paging message in order to page a plurality of user equipments (see paragraph [0152]).
Kuang discloses that the RRC processor is configured to provide the NAS processor with the paging cause on a basis of an identifier of the communication apparatus included in the paging records (Kuang discloses that the paging message includes an identifier of the UE, so the RRC protocol layer will notify the NAS protocol layer with the paging cause on a basis of the ID of the UE).
With regards to the limitation of a communication apparatus having NAS processor and RRC processor t it is known in the art to include a NAS processor and RRC processor (see Iwamura et al. (US Pub 2010/0297999; fig. 3).
In order to further support the Examiner’s assertion, Chun discloses the function of providing the NAS layer with the paging cause based on identifier of the UE (communication apparatus) including in the paging message (see paragraph [0234]).
From the teaching of Chun, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the system of Ryu and Kuang to include the function of providing the paging cause to the NAS layer based on an identifier of the UE as taught by Chun to notify the NAS layer of the paging message.
As of claims 3 and 11, Ryu discloses a controller configured to determine, based on the reception of the paging cause, that the base station supports a transmission of the paging cause (in the system of Ryu UE receiving paging message including a paging cause from a base station, so from reception of the message the UE can determine that the base station supports a transmission of the paging cause; see paragraph [0334]).
Kuang further discloses a controller configured to determine, on a basis of the reception of the paging cause, that the base station supports a transmission of the paging cause (see paragraph [0251]- [0252] and [0269])
As of claims 4, 7 and 12, Ryu discloses that the paging cause indicates whether or not a cause of the paging message is a voice call (via paging cause indicating IMS voice, IMS video, IMS SMS; see paragraph [0329]).
As of claims 5, 8 and 13, Ryu discloses that information indicating the paging cause is provided from the AMF to the base station on a basis of the capability information (see paragraph [0321], “AMF may determine whether to include the paging cause value in the paging message to the UE based on one or more of the requests to include a paging cause values”).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 02/05/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In the previous office action Examiner indicated that Ryu discloses that the paging message includes a UE identifier (see paragraph [0349) and Kuang also discloses the reception of a paging message including the UE identifier (see paragraph [0186]), so the RRC protocol layer will notify the NAS protocol layer with the paging cause on a basis of the ID of the UE. Applicant does not agree with the Examiners’ assertion. In order to support the Examiner’s assertion, Chun discloses the function of providing the NAS layer with the paging cause based on identifier of the UE (communication apparatus) including in the paging message (see paragraph [0234]).
Based on the explanation given above it is the Examiner’s assertion that the combination of the references applied disclose the invention as claimed in the present application.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Ou et al. (US Pub 2020/0396591) discloses the function of providing the NAS layer with the paging cause based on an identifier of the communication apparatus including in the paging records (see paragraph [0207]).
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 NABIL H SYED whose telephone number is (571)270-3028. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00-5:00 M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Brian Zimmerman can be reached at 571-272-3059. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NABIL H SYED/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2686