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 .
This Office action is in response to the Applicant’s election with traverse of Species I, claims 1-5 and 9-19 in the reply filed on 01/28/2026 is acknowledged. Applicant states on pages 10-11 of Remarks that “claims 8 and 21 have been canceled, and independent claims 1, 6 and 9 have been amended to include corresponding technical features. Therefore, claims 1-5, and 9-19 of Species I and claims 6-7, and 20 of Species II recite the interrelated technical features that belong to two aspects of the same species of invention.” The argument is persuasive in view of the amendment.
Claims 1-7 and 9-20 are presented for examination.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 06/30/2025, 09/23/2024, 08/27/2024 and 09/27/2023 are compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are considered by the examiner.
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 1-7 and 9-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over YOUN et al. (US 2021/0212021 A1), in view of HANS (US 2023/0111913 A1).
As to claim 1, YOUN discloses the invention as claimed, including a method for enhancing IMS services, which is applied to a terminal device (Fig. 7A, UE), comprising:
measuring a transmission quality of Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) service data (i.e., voice (VoNR/VoLTE), interactive video (ViNR/ViLTE), paging message, signaling notifications; ¶0567), and the Multimedia Priority Service (MPS) on a first channel between the terminal device (Fig. 7A, UE) and a network side (Fig. 7A, DN) (¶0066, “Context information of the UE used to manage the UE in the network, that is, context information including a UE id, mobility (current location, etc.), and session properties (QoS, priority)”; ¶0244-¶0245; ¶0342; ¶0361; ¶0501, “if the service is a high priority service (e.g., multimedia priority service (MPS) and modulation coding scheme (MCS)), the SMF may transmit the ARP together”; ¶0493-¶0494; ¶0567, “In 5G, voice is expected to be processed as an application program simply using data connection provided by a communication system. A main reason for an increased traffic volume is an increase in content size and an increase in the number of applications requiring high data rates. Streaming services (audio and video), interactive video and mobile Internet connections will become more prevalent as more devices are connected to the Internet…”; ¶0571, “5G, which is a means of providing streams that are rated as hundreds of megabits per second to a gigabit per second, may complement fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) and cable-based broadband (or data over cable service interface specifications (DOCSIS)). Such a high speed may be required to deliver TVs with resolution of 4K or higher (6K, 8K and higher)”), wherein the first channel is a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) channel or a non-3GPP channel in a Multi-Access Protocol Data Unit (MA PDU) session between the terminal device and the network side (Fig. 7A; ¶0021, “the paging message is transmitted to the communication device through 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) access, and the NAS notification message is transmitted to the communication device through non-3GPP access”; ¶0447, “When the UE is simultaneously registered through 3GPP access and non-3GPP access in the same PLMN, the UE is in the CM-IDLE state in 3GPP access and non-3GPP access mode”; ¶0491, “a UE requiring a low-latency service establishes (i.e., creates) a PDU session through 3GPP access to receive a service. That is, for example, a situation in which a PDU session related to a specific service (e.g., low-latency service) is established (established through at least one of 3GPP access or non-3GPP access) in the same manner as the example described in FIGS. 10A and 10B”; ¶0486, “efficiently setting up a user plane of a PDU session for a low latency service in a situation in which the UE is simultaneously connected to a network through 3GPP access and non-3GPP access in the 5G system”; ¶0491, “a UE requiring a low-latency service establishes (i.e., creates) a PDU session through 3GPP access to receive a service. That is, for example, a situation in which a PDU session related to a specific service (e.g., low-latency service) is established (established through at least one of 3GPP access or non-3GPP access)”; ¶0505, “the AMF may perform paging via 3GPP access, while simultaneously transmitting NAS notification (with 3GPP indication and/or low-latency service indication) via non-3GPP access. That is, the AMF may transmit a paging message to the UE through 3GPP access, and transmit a NAS notification message to the UE through non-3GPP access”);
in response to a measurement that the transmission quality of the IMS service data on the first channel is lower than a first threshold (i.e., "out of 3GPP coverage", “Radio Link Failure (RLF)”, “service request procedure failure”), interrupting the transmission of the IMS service data through the first channel (¶0023, “handing over the PDU session associated with the first service from the 3GPP access to the non-3GPP access when transmission of the service request message through the 3GPP access fails”; ¶0233, “If the PDU Session Establishment authentication/authority assignment fails, the SMF ends the PDU Session Establishment procedure and notifies the rejection to the UE”; ¶0290, “When the UE is located outside an available area of the LADN, the UE does not trigger a service request procedure for a PDU session corresponding to the LADN”; ¶0513, “If the UE fails to perform the service request procedure through 3GPP access (e.g., out of 3GPP coverage, radio link failure (RLF), etc.), the UE may perform handover from 3GPP access to non-3GPP access for a PDU session related to low-delay service”; ¶0515, “when the UE fails to perform a service request procedure through 3GPP access, if the UE has a low-latency service-related PDU session, the UE may unconditionally perform handover”; ¶0537, “when transmission of the service request message through 3GPP access fails, the communication device may perform handing over a PDU session associated with the first service from the 3GPP access to the non-3GPP access”);
sending an establishment request of at least two channels to the network side through the MA PDU session (¶0215, “The UE transmits a NAS message to the AMF. The message may include Single-Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (S-NSSAI), DNN, PDU session ID, a Request type, N1 SM information (including PDU Session Request)”; ¶0217; ¶0218, “in case an existing PDU session exists between the 3GPP access and the non-3GPP access, the Request type may indicate an “existing PDU session”); ¶0262, “In case the PDU Session Establishment Request is caused by a handover between the 3GPP access and the non-3GPP access, i.e., if the Request type is configured as an “existing PDU session”, the SMF releases the user plane through a source access (3GPP or non-3GPP access)”);
transmitting the IMS service data between the terminal device and the network side through at least two channels of the MA PDU session simultaneously, wherein the at least two channels comprise at least one 3GPP channel and at least one non-3GPP channel (¶0486, “efficiently setting up a user plane of a PDU session for a low latency service in a situation in which the UE is simultaneously connected to a network through 3GPP access and non-3GPP access in the 5G system”; ¶0508, “if communication through 3GPP access is difficult (e.g., paging was performed due to data for a general PDU session, but the UE did not respond so that the AMF recognized that the UE is unreachable), the AMF may transmit only a NAS notification message through non-3GPP access, or if communication for non-3GPP access is difficult (e.g., when the UE is in the CM-IDLE state in non-3GPP access), the AMF may transmit only a paging message through 3GPP access”; ¶0537, “when transmission of the service request message through 3GPP access fails, the communication device may perform handing over a PDU session associated with the first service from the 3GPP access to the non-3GPP access”).
Although YOUN discloses performing processing on the IMS service data to obtain IMS service data to be shown (Fig. 7A; ¶0021, “the paging message is transmitted to the communication device through 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) access, and the NAS notification message is transmitted to the communication device through non-3GPP access”; ¶0447; ¶0491; ¶0486; ¶0491; ¶0505, “the AMF may perform paging via 3GPP access, while simultaneously transmitting NAS notification (with 3GPP indication and/or low-latency service indication) via non-3GPP access. That is, the AMF may transmit a paging message to the UE through 3GPP access, and transmit a NAS notification message to the UE through non-3GPP access. Here, the UE is in a state registered for both 3GPP access and non-3GPP access”; ¶0511, “The AMF transmits the paging message and the NAS notification message to the UE through 3GPP access and non-3GPP access, respectively, so that the UE may quickly switch to the connected state. That is, the UE may quickly switch to the connected state for the PDU session related to the low-latency service”), and it is noted that YOUN’s paragraphs [0447], [0469]-[0470], [0505], and [0511] above disclose that the 5G Core (i.e., AMF) may transmit messages redundantly across both 3GPP (i.e., Radio Access Network) and non-3GPP (i.e., Wi-Fi) accesses when a UE is registered over both, YOUN does not specifically in response to receiving the IMS service data through the at least two channels, performing redundant processing on the IMS service data to obtain IMS service data to be shown.
However, HANS discloses in response to receiving the IMS service data through the at least two channels, performing redundant processing on the IMS service data to obtain IMS service data to be shown (¶0038, “A MA-PDU session is a PDU session, i.e. a connection between a UE device and a data network via one or more UPFs, via 3GPP access and non-3GPP access simultaneously…data may be transferred over both accesses, with an access selection performed per data packet based on policies and measurements. In another alternative, data packets are transmitted redundantly over both accesses to increase reception likelihood”; ¶0039, “For a limited time both accesses may be used in parallel, with a per packet access selection, to overcome potential starting problems with the emulated non-3GPP access…An edge UPF in the core network may be configured likewise, e.g. based on network policies, and it may be informed about availability of 3GPP and non-3GPP access legs in order to apply the appropriate routing according to the policy”; ¶0043, “If the UE device needs to establish PDU sessions to receive services from the first PLMN, it will establish a set of PDU sessions (the first set of PDU sessions discussed above) as MA-PDU sessions with both, a 3GPP access leg over the first RAN and a non-3GPP access leg over the established tunnel. For efficiency reasons, the non-3GPP access leg may be deactivated, so all data packets are transported over 3GPP access as long as this access is available”). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of YOUN to include in response to receiving the IMS service data through the at least two channels, performing redundant processing on the IMS service data to obtain IMS service data to be shown, as taught by HANS because it would improve system reliability and ensure consistent service by increasing reception likelihood and using the high availability paths (HANS; ¶0038; ¶0039).
As to claim 2, it is rejected for the same reasons set forth in claim 1 above. In addition, HANS discloses wherein performing redundant processing on the IMS service data comprises: checking the IMS service data; and in response to receiving identical data contents, discarding IMS service data received not for the first time in the identical data contents (It is noted that discarding subsequent identical data to reduce memory usage is commonly known as data deduplication. It is well known mechanism to ensure that the system does not waste memory and resources processing the same information twice; ¶0038, “A MA-PDU session is a PDU session, i.e. a connection between a UE device and a data network via one or more UPFs, via 3GPP access and non-3GPP access simultaneously…data may be transferred over both accesses, with an access selection performed per data packet based on policies and measurements. In another alternative, data packets are transmitted redundantly over both accesses to increase reception likelihood”; ¶0039, “both accesses may be used in parallel, with a per packet access selection, to overcome potential starting problems with the emulated non-3GPP access…An edge UPF in the core network may be configured likewise, e.g. based on network policies, and it may be informed about availability of 3GPP and non-3GPP access legs in order to apply the appropriate routing according to the policy”; ¶0043, “If the UE device needs to establish PDU sessions to receive services from the first PLMN, it will establish a set of PDU sessions (the first set of PDU sessions discussed above) as MA-PDU sessions with both, a 3GPP access leg over the first RAN and a non-3GPP access leg over the established tunnel. For efficiency reasons, the non-3GPP access leg may be deactivated, so all data packets are transported over 3GPP access as long as this access is available”).
As to claim 3, it is rejected for the same reasons set forth in claim 1 above. In addition, YOUN discloses wherein after transmitting the IMS service data between the terminal device and the network side through at least two channels of the MA PDU session simultaneously, the method further comprises: sending a first session modification request to the network side, wherein the first session modification request is used to trigger the network side to perform processing on the IMS service data (Fig. 8; ¶0158, “a PDU session modification pending state are shown”; ¶0163, “The PDU session modification pending state refers to a state in which the UE waits for a response from the network after performing the PDU session modification procedure”; ¶0239, “The SMF transmits an N4 Session Establishment/Modification request message to the UPF. And, the SMF may provide packet discovery, execution, and reporting rules of packets that are to be installed in the UPF for the PDU session”; ¶0486, “efficiently setting up a user plane of a PDU session for a low latency service in a situation in which the UE is simultaneously connected to a network through 3GPP access and non-3GPP access in the 5G system”; ¶0511, “The AMF transmits the paging message and the NAS notification message to the UE through 3GPP access and non-3GPP access, respectively, so that the UE may quickly switch to the connected state. That is, the UE may quickly switch to the connected state for the PDU session related to the low-latency service”).
As to claim 4, it is rejected for the same reasons set forth in claim 1 above. In addition, YOUN discloses wherein the at least two channels of the MA PDU at least comprise a second channel in the MA PDU session; and the second channel is a 3GPP channel or a non-3GPP channel in the MA PDU session between the terminal device and the network side; and after performing processing on the IMS service data to obtain IMS service data to be shown, the method further comprises: measuring a transmission quality of IMS service data on the second channel; and in response to the transmission quality of the IMS service data on the second channel being higher than a second threshold, interrupting the transmission of the IMS service data on other channels except the second channel (¶0023, “handing over the PDU session associated with the first service from the 3GPP access to the non-3GPP access when transmission of the service request message through the 3GPP access fails”; ¶0233, “If the PDU Session Establishment authentication/authority assignment fails, the SMF ends the PDU Session Establishment procedure and notifies the rejection to the UE”; ¶0290, “When the UE is located outside an available area of the LADN, the UE does not trigger a service request procedure for a PDU session corresponding to the LADN”; ¶0513, “If the UE fails to perform the service request procedure through 3GPP access (e.g., out of 3GPP coverage, radio link failure (RLF), etc.), the UE may perform handover from 3GPP access to non-3GPP access for a PDU session related to low-delay service”; ¶0515, “when the UE fails to perform a service request procedure through 3GPP access, if the UE has a low-latency service-related PDU session, the UE may unconditionally perform handover”; ¶0537, “when transmission of the service request message through 3GPP access fails, the communication device may perform handing over a PDU session associated with the first service from the 3GPP access to the non-3GPP access”).
As to claim 5, YOUN discloses the method for enhancing IMS services of claim 4, wherein in response to the transmission quality of the IMS service data on the second channel being higher than a second threshold, the method further comprises: sending a second session modification request to the network side, wherein the second session modification request is used to trigger the network side to only reserve an information transceiving function performed through the second channel (¶0023, “handing over the PDU session associated with the first service from the 3GPP access to the non-3GPP access when transmission of the service request message through the 3GPP access fails”; ¶0513, “If the UE fails to perform the service request procedure through 3GPP access (e.g., out of 3GPP coverage, radio link failure (RLF), etc.), the UE may perform handover from 3GPP access to non-3GPP access for a PDU session related to low-delay service”; ¶0515, “when the UE fails to perform a service request procedure through 3GPP access, if the UE has a low-latency service-related PDU session, the UE may unconditionally perform handover”; ¶0537, “when transmission of the service request message through 3GPP access fails, the communication device may perform handing over a PDU session associated with the first service from the 3GPP access to the non-3GPP access”).
As to claim 6, it is rejected for the same reasons set forth in claim 1 above. In addition, YOUN discloses a method for enhancing IMS services, which is applied to a network-side device (Fig. 7A, DN), comprising:
receiving an establishment request of at least two channels which is sent by a terminal device through a Multi-Access Protocol Data Unit (MA PDU) session, and establishing at least two channels of the MA PDU session simultaneously with the terminal device, wherein the at least two channels comprise at least one 3GPP channel and at least one non-3GPP channel (Fig. 7A; ¶0021, “the paging message is transmitted to the communication device through 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) access, and the NAS notification message is transmitted to the communication device through non-3GPP access”; ¶0447, “When the UE is simultaneously registered through 3GPP access and non-3GPP access in the same PLMN, the UE is in the CM-IDLE state in 3GPP access and non-3GPP access mode”; ¶0491, “a UE requiring a low-latency service establishes (i.e., creates) a PDU session through 3GPP access to receive a service. That is, for example, a situation in which a PDU session related to a specific service (e.g., low-latency service) is established (established through at least one of 3GPP access or non-3GPP access) in the same manner as the example described in FIGS. 10A and 10B”; ¶0486, “efficiently setting up a user plane of a PDU session for a low latency service in a situation in which the UE is simultaneously connected to a network through 3GPP access and non-3GPP access in the 5G system”; ¶0491, “a UE requiring a low-latency service establishes (i.e., creates) a PDU session through 3GPP access to receive a service. That is, for example, a situation in which a PDU session related to a specific service (e.g., low-latency service) is established (established through at least one of 3GPP access or non-3GPP access)”; ¶0505, “the AMF may perform paging via 3GPP access, while simultaneously transmitting NAS notification (with 3GPP indication and/or low-latency service indication) via non-3GPP access. That is, the AMF may transmit a paging message to the UE through 3GPP access, and transmit a NAS notification message to the UE through non-3GPP access”); and
transmitting Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) service data between the network-side device and the terminal device through the at least two channels of the MA PDU session simultaneously, such that the terminal device obtains IMS service data to be displayed to a user after performing processing on the IMS service data (¶0486, “efficiently setting up a user plane of a PDU session for a low latency service in a situation in which the UE is simultaneously connected to a network through 3GPP access and non-3GPP access in the 5G system”; ¶0508, “if communication through 3GPP access is difficult (e.g., paging was performed due to data for a general PDU session, but the UE did not respond so that the AMF recognized that the UE is unreachable), the AMF may transmit only a NAS notification message through non-3GPP access, or if communication for non-3GPP access is difficult (e.g., when the UE is in the CM-IDLE state in non-3GPP access), the AMF may transmit only a paging message through 3GPP access”; ¶0537, “when transmission of the service request message through 3GPP access fails, the communication device may perform handing over a PDU session associated with the first service from the 3GPP access to the non-3GPP access”; ¶0554; ¶0558; ¶0593).
As to claim 7, it is rejected for the same reasons set forth in claim 1 above. In addition, YOUN discloses the method for enhancing IMS services of claim 6, wherein after establishing at least two channels of the MA PDU session simultaneously with the terminal device, the method further comprises: receiving a first session modification request which is sent by the terminal device; and performing processing on the received IMS service data which is sent by the terminal device (Fig. 8; ¶0158, “a PDU session modification pending state are shown”; ¶0163, “The PDU session modification pending state refers to a state in which the UE waits for a response from the network after performing the PDU session modification procedure”; ¶0239, “The SMF transmits an N4 Session Establishment/Modification request message to the UPF. And, the SMF may provide packet discovery, execution, and reporting rules of packets that are to be installed in the UPF for the PDU session”; ¶0511, “The AMF transmits the paging message and the NAS notification message to the UE through 3GPP access and non-3GPP access, respectively, so that the UE may quickly switch to the connected state. That is, the UE may quickly switch to the connected state for the PDU session related to the low-latency service”).
As to claim 9, it is rejected for the same reasons set forth in claim 1 above. In addition, YOUN discloses an electronic device, comprising: at least one processor (Fig. 18, 1020); and a memory (Fig. 18, 1010) which is communicatively connected with the at least one processor, wherein: the memory stores an instruction executable by the at least one processor (Fig. 18; ¶0542, “the processor 1020a may perform one or more layers of a wireless interface protocol. The memory 1010a may be connected to the processor 1020a and store various types of information and/or commands. The transceiver 1031a may be connected to the processor 1020a and may be controlled to transmit and receive a radio signal”; ¶0543-0544; ¶0552).
As to claim 10, it is rejected for the same reasons set forth in claim 1 above. In addition, YOUN discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing a computer program which, when executed by a processor (Fig. 18; ¶0542, “the processor 1020a may perform one or more layers of a wireless interface protocol. The memory 1010a may be connected to the processor 1020a and store various types of information and/or commands. The transceiver 1031a may be connected to the processor 1020a and may be controlled to transmit and receive a radio signal”; ¶0543-0544; ¶0552).
As to claim 11, it is rejected for the same reasons set forth in claim 3 above.
As to claims 12-13, they are rejected for the same reasons set forth in claim 4 above.
As to claims 14-15, they are rejected for the same reasons set forth in claims 2-3 above, respectively.
As to claims 16-20, they are rejected for the same reasons set forth in claims 2-6 above, respectively. In addition, YOUN discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing a computer program which, when executed by a processor (Fig. 18; ¶0542, “the processor 1020a may perform one or more layers of a wireless interface protocol. The memory 1010a may be connected to the processor 1020a and store various types of information and/or commands. The transceiver 1031a may be connected to the processor 1020a and may be controlled to transmit and receive a radio signal”; ¶0543-0544; ¶0552).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
KIM et al. (US 2023/0071408 A1), Yu (US 2021/0168079 A1), Salkintzis et al. (US 2021/0409301 A1), Roeland et al. (US 2016/0219480 A1), Wang et al. (US 2020/0178196 A1) disclose method and apparatus for controlling IP flow mobility performing in a communication network comprising 3GPP and non-3GPP access networks.
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/JUNGWON CHANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2454 March 12, 2026