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 Amendment
This Action is in response to Applicant’s Amendment filed on August 12, 2026. Claims 1, 3 and 4 are still pending in the present application. Claim 2 is cancelled. This Action is made FINAL.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Shrivastava et al (US Pat. Pub. No. 2024/0214988).
Regarding claim 1, Shrivastava et al discloses a communication control method performed by a user equipment in a mobile communication system for providing Multicast/Broadcast Services (MBS) to the user equipment, the communication control method comprising: receiving, from a network node, a Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration message for establishing a multicast MBS bearer for the user equipment in an RRC connected state (see at least paragraph 100 discloses in connected state, terminal receiving RRC reconfiguration message which includes MBS radio bearer (BRB)), wherein the RRC reconfiguration message comprises an MBS session identifier indicating a multicast MBS session associated with the multicast MBS bearer (see at least paragraph 100 discloses RRC reconfiguration message carries activation of MBS session; further on paragraph 106-107 discloses MBS session ID); and notifying, by an RRC entity in the user equipment, an entity in a higher layer than the RRC entity of the MBS session identifier comprised in the RRC reconfiguration message (see at least paragraph 52 discloses notifying to higher layer).
Regarding claim 3, Shrivastava et al discloses a user equipment that receives Multicast/Broadcast Services (MBS) from network, the user equipment comprising: a receiver configured to receive from a network node, a Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration message for establishing a multicast MBS bearer for the user equipment in an RRC connected state (see at least paragraph 100 discloses in connected state, terminal receiving RRC reconfiguration message which includes MBS radio bearer (BRB)), wherein the RRC reconfiguration message comprises an MBS session identifier indicating a multicast MBS session associated with the multicast MBS bearer (see at least paragraph 100 discloses RRC reconfiguration message carries activation of MBS session; further on paragraph 106-107 discloses MBS session ID); and the user equipment is configured to notify, by an RRC entity in the user equipment, an entity in a higher layer than the RRC entity of the MBS session identifier comprised in the RRC reconfiguration message (see at least paragraph 52 discloses notifying to higher layer).
Regarding claim 4, Shrivastava et al discloses a network node configured to provide Multicast/Broadcast Services (MBS), the network node comprising: a transmitter configured to transmit to a user equipment in an RRC connected state, a Radio Resource Control (RRC) reconfiguration message for establishing a multicast MBS bearer for the user equipment (see at least paragraph 100 discloses in connected state, terminal receiving RRC reconfiguration message which includes MBS radio bearer (BRB)), wherein the RRC reconfiguration message comprises an MBS session identifier indicating a multicast MBS session associated with the multicast MBS bearer (see at least paragraph 100 discloses RRC reconfiguration message carries activation of MBS session; further on paragraph 106-107 discloses MBS session ID); and the user equipment is configured to notify, by an RRC entity in the user equipment, an entity in a higher layer than the RRC entity of the MBS session identifier comprised in the RRC reconfiguration message (see at least paragraph 52 discloses notifying to higher layer).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed on August 12, 2026 have been fully considered. Applicant’s arguments are not persuasive in regards to the 35 USC § 102 rejections as the claim is currently written. Arguments and corresponding examiner’s responses are shown below for Claim 1. The same arguments are valid for the Claim 1 and the similar features of other independent claims.
Argument: The Applicant argues on pages 4-5 that Shrivastava et al does not disclose “notifying, by an RRC entity in the user equipment, an entity in a higher layer than the RRC entity of the MBS session identifier comprised in the RRC reconfiguration message” of independent claim 1 and similar feature in independent claims 3 and 4. Response: Examiner respectfully disagrees because Shrivastava et al teaches “notifying, by an RRC entity in the user equipment, an entity in a higher layer than the RRC entity of the MBS session identifier comprised in the RRC reconfiguration message”. As previously stated, paragraph 52 of Shrivastava et al discloses that notifying the upper layer of the session identifier. Additionally, paragraphs 506 and 508; the multicast session notification handler receives RRC reconfiguration with the configuration for the activated multicast session; wherein the activation session associated with MBS session ID; the multicast session notification handler forwards to the upper layer the MBS session ID for activation of the multicast session. Shrivastava teaches the multicast session notification handler notifies the upper layer the MBS session ID which is included in the RRC reconfiguration. Therefore, the Shrivastava et al teaches the above limitation.
Conclusion
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
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/LITON MIAH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2642
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