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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments dated 10 March 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to Applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that one or more of the features upon which Applicant relies are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
For example, the Examiner finds that the feature “that the unicast paging message is transmitted prior to the group notification” is not recited in the claims. The Examiner further finds that Applicant’s assertion that “Shrivastava is directed to "Mobile Originated (MO)" scenarios, while “the present amended claims recite a specific priority logic for responding to a network-initiated trigger, that is, ‘Mobile Terminated (MT)’ paging,” does not correspond to the limitations recited in amended claim 1. See Remarks at p.5.
Applicant argues that “[a]mended independent claim 1 specifies that when a UE receives both a unicast paging message and a group notification, the UE transitions to the RRC_CONNECTED state based on the unicast paging message, regardless of the receipt of the group notification.” Remarks, at p. 4. Applicant asserts that “amended independent claim 1 recites prioritizing a unicast paging message over a group notification when both are received,” while “Shrivastava fails to teach or suggest such a prioritized transition to the RRC_CONNECTED state based on multiple incoming notifications from the network.” Remarks, at p. 5.
In response, the Examiner submits that SHRIVASTAVA discloses that “if the UE (100) also has, concurrently, unicast reason for connection request . . . when it has to receive MBS/multicast notification (e.g. for activation) and needs to transit to RRC_CONNECTED state for multicast service, the UE” performs “connection establishment, only as per unicast or multicast, whichever has higher priority.” ¶¶ 0364, 0367 (emphasis supplied). The Examiner finds that one of ordinary skill in the art would interpret SHRIVASTAVA’s description of connection establishment—i.e., only as per unicast or multicast, whichever has higher priority—to disclose the claim limitation transitioning the user equipment to an RRC connected state based on the unicast paging message regardless of the group notification, in a case that unicast has higher priority than multicast.
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).
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)(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 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 2024/0214988 (hereinafter, “SHRIVASTAVA”).
Regarding claim 1, SHRIVASTAVA discloses:
A communication control method used in a mobile communication system (wireless network 1000) for providing a multicast broadcast service (MBS), the communication control method comprising:
receiving, by a user equipment (UE 100) in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) idle state or an RRC inactive state (Fig. 4, S406; ¶ 0530: UE (100) is transitioned from the connected state to one of the idle state or the inactive state), a group notification from a network node (network apparatus 400), the group notification indicating activation of a multicast session corresponding to a group comprising a plurality of user equipments; (Fig. 4, S408; ¶ 0530: [N]etwork apparatus (400) sends the group notification message to the UE (100) for activation of the multicast session associated with the MBS session ID or the TMGI on at least one of the unicast POs, the group paging with the common POs; ¶ 0384: [W]hen the UE determines MBS/multicast notification (e.g. activation) is for a group/sub-group which pertains to the interested multicast session)
receiving, by the user equipment from the network node, a unicast paging message; and (¶ 0384: [T]he UE . . . further receives paging message)
after receiving the group notification and the unicast paging message, transitioning the user equipment to an RRC connected state based on the unicast paging message regardless of the group notification. (Fig. 4, S410; ¶ 0531: [T]ransition the UE from one of the RRC idle state and the RRC inactive state to the RRC connected state; ¶¶ 0364, 0367: [I]f the UE (100) also has, concurrently, unicast reason for connection request (e.g. service request or arrival of unicast uplink data) when it has to receive MBS/multicast notification (e.g. for activation) and needs to transit to RRC_CONNECTED state for multicast service, the UE would apply . . . the following approach[]—c) The UE (100) sets the connection request and/or resume request cause and (if present and/or applicable) apply randomization approach/back-off and perform connection establishment, only as per unicast or multicast, whichever has higher priority)
Regarding claim 2, SHRIVASTAVA, as applied above, anticipates the communication control method of claim 1. SHRIVASTAVA further discloses:
the receiving of the group notification comprises receiving, by the user equipment, the group notification for each of a plurality of subgroups at different timings, the plurality of subgroups being obtained by dividing the group. (¶ 0384: [W]hen the UE determines MBS/multicast notification (e.g. activation) is for a group/sub-group which pertains to the interested multicast session and accordingly, if present, further receives paging message/group paging message/MCCH; ¶ 0347: [T]he MBS/multicast session notification message includes overload or back-off indicator field(s) that indicates for either selectively for one or more multicast session or collectively for all multicast sessions in the notification message. On receiving overload or back-off indicator, the UE(s) attempts to access the multicast session (e.g. attempt to establish connection with random access and receive multicast session) by deferring by certain time duration or back-off))
Regarding claim 3, SHRIVASTAVA, as applied above, anticipates the communication control method of claim 2. SHRIVASTAVA further discloses:
acquiring, by a network apparatus, priorities of the plurality of user equipments belonging to the group; and (¶ 0347: The overload or back-off for the multicast session can be based on their priority)
dividing, by the network apparatus, the group based on the priorities, wherein the receiving of the group notification comprises receiving the group notification for a subgroup to which a first user equipment having a first priority belongs, and then receiving the group notification for a subgroup to which a second user equipment having a second priority belongs, the second priority being lower than the first priority, and (¶ 0347: [T]he MBS/multicast session notification message includes overload or back-off indicator field(s) that indicates for either selectively for one or more multicast session or collectively for all multicast sessions in the notification message. On receiving overload or back-off indicator, the UE(s) attempts to access the multicast session (e.g. attempt to establish connection with random access and receive multicast session) by deferring by certain time duration or back-off. The overload or back-off for the multicast session can be based on their priority)
the network apparatus is the network node or a core network apparatus. (¶ 0492: supporting RAN node)
Regarding claim 4, SHRIVASTAVA discloses:
A user equipment (UE 100) supporting multicast/broadcast services (MBS), the user equipment comprising:
a receiver (communicator 120) configured to receive from a network (wireless network 1000), a unicast paging message (¶ 0384: [T]he UE . . . further receives paging message) and a group notification while the user equipment is in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) idle state or an RRC inactive state (Fig. 4, S406; ¶ 0530: UE (100) is transitioned from the connected state to one of the idle state or the inactive state), the group notification transmitted to a group comprising a plurality of user equipments, the group notification indicating activation of a multicast session corresponding to the group; and (Fig. 4, S408; ¶ 0530: [N]etwork apparatus (400) sends the group notification message to the UE (100) for activation of the multicast session associated with the MBS session ID or the TMGI on at least one of the unicast POs, the group paging with the common POs; ¶ 0384: [W]hen the UE determines MBS/multicast notification (e.g. activation) is for a group/sub-group which pertains to the interested multicast session)
a controller (multicast session notification handling controller 140) configured to, after receiving the group notification and the unicast paging message, transition the user equipment to an RRC connected state based on the unicast paging message regardless of the group notification. (Fig. 4, S410; ¶ 0531: [T]ransition the UE from one of the RRC idle state and the RRC inactive state to the RRC connected state; ¶¶ 0364, 0367: [I]f the UE (100) also has, concurrently, unicast reason for connection request (e.g. service request or arrival of unicast uplink data) when it has to receive MBS/multicast notification (e.g. for activation) and needs to transit to RRC_CONNECTED state for multicast service, the UE would apply . . . the following approach[]—c) The UE (100) sets the connection request and/or resume request cause and (if present and/or applicable) apply randomization approach/back-off and perform connection establishment, only as per unicast or multicast, whichever has higher priority)
Regarding claim 5, SHRIVASTAVA, as applied above, anticipates the user equipment of claim 4. SHRIVASTAVA further discloses:
A system (¶ 0001: wireless communication system; wireless network 1000) comprising the user equipment (UE 100) according to claim 4 and a network node (network apparatus 400) configured to communicate with the user equipment. (Figs. 2a-2c)
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 Garth D Richmond whose telephone number is (703)756-4559. The Examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. ET.
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, Kathy Wang-Hurst can be reached at 571-270-5371. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GARTH D RICHMOND/Examiner, Art Unit 2644
/KATHY W WANG-HURST/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2644