DETAILED ACTION
This action is responsive to amendments filed on 12/18/2025.
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
The information disclosure statements (IDSs) submitted on 9/28/2023, 11/27/2024, 10/6/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
Claims 16-25 were pending for examination in previous Office Action mailed 9/18/2025.
Claims 16-25 have been amended with Claims 16, 19, 21, and 24 being independent.
Claims 16-25 remain pending for examination.
Acknowledgement is made of applicant’s amendments to the abstract received on 12/18/2025 in order to overcome objections in prior Office Action. These amendments are acceptable and objections listed in previous Office Action to the abstract have been withdrawn.
Examiner acknowledges and thanks applicant for clarifying foreign priority submissions and dates.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Applicant’s remarks pg. 7-10, filed 12/18/2025, with respect to Claims 16-25 have been fully considered but are not persuasive.
In response to Applicant’s arguments that in substance the prior art of record does not disclose “that a second SIB including unified access control (UAC) barring information, wherein the second SIB is SIB1 and wherein the UAC barring information includes information indicating whether access restriction only for UEs accessing a network for onboarding is applied,” Examiner respectfully disagrees.
Applicant's arguments fail to comply with 37 CFR 1.111(b) because they amount to a general allegation that the claims define a patentable invention without specifically pointing out how the language of the claims patentably distinguishes them from the references.
Here, Shih et al. (US 20220312359 A1; hereinafter Shih) was relied upon to disclose previously presented independent Claims 16, 19, 21, and 24. As provided in the previous office action in ¶45, “the indication (e.g. a field in a SIB1) indicating (or informing) to the UE whether the cell supports access using credentials from a separate entity that does not operate the cell may be broadcast” and in ¶96, “Network IDs broadcast in a SIB1 may be associated with…an indication that indicates to the UE whether a network allows registration attempts from UEs that are not explicitly configured to select the network, and an indication that indicates to the UE whether a network supports onboarding (e.g. support for UE onboarding indication…the terms ‘indication that indicates to the UE whether a network supports onboarding’ and ‘support for UE onboarding indication’ may be used interchangeably.” Further clarifying information can be seen in ¶60, ¶132-133, and ¶137-144 where Shih discloses:
[0060] SI may refer to MIB, SIB1, and other SI. Minimum SI may include MIB and SIB1. Other SI may refer to SIB3, SIB4, SIB5, and other SIB(s) (e.g., SNPN-specific SIB PNI-NPN-specific SIB).
[0132] In some implementations, if the UE is allowed to perform the UE onboarding procedure with the cell (and with the network (e.g., the SNPN) operating the cell) from which the UE receives the parameters, the UE may perform specific action(s), such as performing an RRC Setup procedure and/or registration procedure (e.g., to enable the support for UE onboarding using default UE credentials) with the (core) network of the cell. If the UE is not allowed to perform the UE onboarding procedure with the cell (and with the network (e.g., the SNPN) operating the cell) from which the UE receives the parameters, the UE may perform other specific action(s), such as cell (re)selection and/or barring the cell.
[0133] In some implementations, the UE may consider the cell that supports the UE onboarding procedure without the UE credentials (e.g., default UE credentials, NPN credentials, UE's PLMN credentials) or that supports the UE's access using the UE credentials from a separate entity other than the selected/registered network of the UE, as a suitable cell. That is, the UE may stay in a “camped normally” state while the UE (re)selects or camps on such a suitable cell. In other words, the criteria to determine whether a cell is suitable may include whether the cell supports the UE onboarding procedure without the UE credentials or whether the cell supports the UE's access using the UE credentials received from a separate entity (e.g., other than the selected/registered network of the UE).
SI Reception
[0137] In some implementations, a cell of a deployed network may broadcast parameters related to a UE onboarding procedure periodically or on-demand. If the parameters related to the UE onboarding procedure are broadcast on-demand (e.g., after requested by a UE), the cell may broadcast once, several times (e.g., based on a specific number of times), or periodically. For example, the cell may transmit the parameters related to the LT, onboarding procedure via dedicated signaling (e.g., in an RRC message) to the UE, after the UE requests the parameters related to the UE onboarding procedure.
[0138] In some implementations, the cell of the deployed network may transmit the parameters related to the UE onboarding procedure via SI (e.g., an MIB, SIB1, SIB related to cell (re)selection (e.g., SIB2, SIB3, SIB4, SIB5), SIB related to NPN (e.g., SIB10), SIB related to the UE onboarding procedure (e.g., a new SIB)) or via dedicated signaling (e.g., in an RRC message) to the UE. For example, when the UE is in an RRC_IDLE/RRC_INACTIVE/RRC_CONNECTED state, the UE may receive the parameters related to the UE onboarding procedure by reading (or acquiring) the SI from the cell. For example, when the UE is in an RRC_INACTIVE/RRC_CONNECTED state, the UE may receive the parameters related to the UE onboarding procedure by receiving the dedicated signaling (e.g., the RRC message) from the cell.
[0139] In some implementations, the parameters related to the UE onboarding procedure may include (but is not limited to) at least one of the following indications: [0140] An indication indicating to the UE whether the cell (or SNPN(s) operating the cell) supports access using credentials from a separate entity that does not operate the cell. [0141] An indication indicating to the UE whether the network (e.g., an SNPN) allows registration attempts from UEs that are not explicitly configured to select the network (e.g., the SNPN). [0142] An indication indicating to the UE whether the network (e.g., an SNPN) supports onboarding (e.g., support for UE onboarding indication).
[0143] Details of an indication indicating to the UE whether the cell (or SNPN(s) operating the cell) supports access using credentials from a separate entity that does not operate the cell may be described as follows.
[0144] In some implementations, the indication (e.g., a field in a SIB1) indicating (or informing) to the UE whether the cell (or SNPN(s) operating the cell) supports access using credentials from a separate entity (e.g., a credential holder) that does not operate the cell may be a Boolean indicator, in an ENUMERATED {“true”} format, in an ENUMERATED {“support”} format, or in an ENUMERATED {“supported”, “notSupported”} format. For example, if the indicator is (set to) “1”, “true”, or “supported”, the cell may indicate that it supports access using credentials from a separate entity. The UE may determine that the cell (or SNPN(s) operating the cell or the SNPN operating the cell and being associated with the indicator) supports access using credentials from a separate entity based on the received indicator. If the indicator is absent, “0”, or “notSupported”, the cell may indicate that it does not support access using credentials from a separate entity. The UE may determine that the cell (or SNPN(s) operating the cell or the SNPN operating the cell and being associated with the indicator) does not support access using credentials from a separate entity based on the received indicator. In some implementations, the indication indicating (or informing) to the UE whether the cell (or SNPN(s) operating the cell) supports access using credentials from a separate entity (e.g., a credential holder) that does not operate the cell may be a field in a SIB1.
Therefore, the prior art of record still discloses the claimed invention of the independent claims, and the prior art rejection is maintained below and altered as required by the amendments.
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 16-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Shih et al. (US 20220312359 A1; hereinafter Shih).
Regarding Claim 16, Shih disclose(s):
A method performed by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
receiving a first system information block (SIB) including information regarding one or more group IDs for network selection (GINs) and a second SIB including unified access control (UAC) barring information wherein the second SIB is SIB1, and [ (See Shih ¶8; ¶60; ¶92-98; ¶132-133, ¶137-148; ¶260-262; Fig. 3)
[0008] According to an implementation of the first aspect, the method further includes receiving one or more group IDs from the cell via a SIB different from the SIB1, wherein each of the one or more group IDs is associated with at least one of the one or more SNPNs operating the cell.
[0060] SI may refer to MIB, SIB1, and other SI. Minimum SI may include MIB and SIB1. Other SI may refer to SIB3, SIB4, SIB5, and other SIB(s) (e.g., SNPN-specific SIB PNI-NPN-specific SIB).
[0093] Group ID (or ON Group ID): A group ID may be an ID that identifies a group of ONs. For example, the group ID may designate a group of SNPN operators that are all interconnected with each other.
[0096] Network IDs (e.g., SNPN IDs) broadcast in a SIB1 may be associated with (but not limited to) at least one of an indication indicating a UE whether a cell (or SNPN(s) operating the cell) supports access using credentials from a separate entity that does not operate the cell, an indication that indicates to the UE whether a network (e.g., an SNPN) allows registration attempts from UEs that are not explicitly configured to select the network (e.g., the SNPN), and an indication that indicates to the UE whether a network (e.g., an SNPN) supports onboarding (e.g., support for UE onboarding indication). The terms “indication that indicates to the UE whether a network supports onboarding” and “support for UE onboarding indication” may be used interchangeably. The network IDs may also be associated with an HRNN in SIB10. [0097] When an AS layer of the UE reports the one or more indications to a NAS layer of the UE, the AS layer of the UE may also report the associated HRNNs (e.g., if received by the UE) to the NAS layer of the UE. [0098] When an AS layer of the UE reports determination results based on the one or more indications to a NAS layer of the UE, the AS layer of the UE may also report the associated HRNNs (e.g., if received by the UE) to the NAS layer of the UE.
[0132] In some implementations, if the UE is allowed to perform the UE onboarding procedure with the cell (and with the network (e.g., the SNPN) operating the cell) from which the UE receives the parameters, the UE may perform specific action(s), such as performing an RRC Setup procedure and/or registration procedure (e.g., to enable the support for UE onboarding using default UE credentials) with the (core) network of the cell. If the UE is not allowed to perform the UE onboarding procedure with the cell (and with the network (e.g., the SNPN) operating the cell) from which the UE receives the parameters, the UE may perform other specific action(s), such as cell (re)selection and/or barring the cell.
[0133] In some implementations, the UE may consider the cell that supports the UE onboarding procedure without the UE credentials (e.g., default UE credentials, NPN credentials, UE's PLMN credentials) or that supports the UE's access using the UE credentials from a separate entity other than the selected/registered network of the UE, as a suitable cell. That is, the UE may stay in a “camped normally” state while the UE (re)selects or camps on such a suitable cell. In other words, the criteria to determine whether a cell is suitable may include whether the cell supports the UE onboarding procedure without the UE credentials or whether the cell supports the UE's access using the UE credentials received from a separate entity (e.g., other than the selected/registered network of the UE).
SI Reception
[0137] In some implementations, a cell of a deployed network may broadcast parameters related to a UE onboarding procedure periodically or on-demand. If the parameters related to the UE onboarding procedure are broadcast on-demand (e.g., after requested by a UE), the cell may broadcast once, several times (e.g., based on a specific number of times), or periodically. For example, the cell may transmit the parameters related to the LT, onboarding procedure via dedicated signaling (e.g., in an RRC message) to the UE, after the UE requests the parameters related to the UE onboarding procedure.
[0138] In some implementations, the cell of the deployed network may transmit the parameters related to the UE onboarding procedure via SI (e.g., an MIB, SIB1, SIB related to cell (re)selection (e.g., SIB2, SIB3, SIB4, SIB5), SIB related to NPN (e.g., SIB10), SIB related to the UE onboarding procedure (e.g., a new SIB)) or via dedicated signaling (e.g., in an RRC message) to the UE. For example, when the UE is in an RRC_IDLE/RRC_INACTIVE/RRC_CONNECTED state, the UE may receive the parameters related to the UE onboarding procedure by reading (or acquiring) the SI from the cell. For example, when the UE is in an RRC_INACTIVE/RRC_CONNECTED state, the UE may receive the parameters related to the UE onboarding procedure by receiving the dedicated signaling (e.g., the RRC message) from the cell.
[0139] In some implementations, the parameters related to the UE onboarding procedure may include (but is not limited to) at least one of the following indications: [0140] An indication indicating to the UE whether the cell (or SNPN(s) operating the cell) supports access using credentials from a separate entity that does not operate the cell. [0141] An indication indicating to the UE whether the network (e.g., an SNPN) allows registration attempts from UEs that are not explicitly configured to select the network (e.g., the SNPN). [0142] An indication indicating to the UE whether the network (e.g., an SNPN) supports onboarding (e.g., support for UE onboarding indication).
[0143] Details of an indication indicating to the UE whether the cell (or SNPN(s) operating the cell) supports access using credentials from a separate entity that does not operate the cell may be described as follows.
[0144] In some implementations, the indication (e.g., a field in a SIB1) indicating (or informing) to the UE whether the cell (or SNPN(s) operating the cell) supports access using credentials from a separate entity (e.g., a credential holder) that does not operate the cell may be a Boolean indicator, in an ENUMERATED {“true”} format, in an ENUMERATED {“support”} format, or in an ENUMERATED {“supported”, “notSupported”} format. For example, if the indicator is (set to) “1”, “true”, or “supported”, the cell may indicate that it supports access using credentials from a separate entity. The UE may determine that the cell (or SNPN(s) operating the cell or the SNPN operating the cell and being associated with the indicator) supports access using credentials from a separate entity based on the received indicator. If the indicator is absent, “0”, or “notSupported”, the cell may indicate that it does not support access using credentials from a separate entity. The UE may determine that the cell (or SNPN(s) operating the cell or the SNPN operating the cell and being associated with the indicator) does not support access using credentials from a separate entity based on the received indicator. In some implementations, the indication indicating (or informing) to the UE whether the cell (or SNPN(s) operating the cell) supports access using credentials from a separate entity (e.g., a credential holder) that does not operate the cell may be a field in a SIB1.
[0145] In some implementations, the indication (e.g., a field in a SIB1) indicating (or informing) to the UE whether the cell (or SNPN(s) operating the cell) supports access using credentials from a separate entity (e.g., a credential holder) that does not operate the cell may be broadcast (or transmitted) by the cell per network/entity (e.g., per SNPN, per PNI-NPN, per PLMN, per PLMN ID, per CAG ID, per NID), or per group ID. For each transmitted (e.g., broadcast) network/entity ID (e.g., an SNPN ID, PNI-NPN ID, PLMN ID, CAG ID, NID) or a group ID, the cell may transmit the associated indication to indicate to the UE whether the cell (or SNPN(s) operating the cell or the network/entity/group identified by the corresponding network/entity/group ID and operating the cell) supports access using credentials from a separate entity that does not operate the cell. For example, the cell of the network indicating the group ID to the UE may support any UEs whose credentials are owned by any of the separate network/entity associated with the group ID, authentication, authorization, UE onboarding, and/or (remote) provisioning. The UE may be (pre)configured with the group ID. If (or once) the UE receives from the cell the indication indicating to the UE whether the cell (or SNPN(s) operating the cell or the network/entity/group identified by the corresponding network/entity/group ID and operating the cell) supports access using credentials from (1) a separate entity and/or (2) the associated network/entity IDs that associate with the UE's (pre)configured group ID and/or (3) the group ID that is (pre)configured to the UE, the UE may determine whether the cell allows the UE to access based on the indication that indicates to the UE whether the cell supports access using credentials from a separate entity. It should be noted that the cell described above may represent (or be substituted by) SNPN(s) operating the cell, or the network/entity/group identified by the corresponding network/entity/group ID and operating the cell.
[0258] In some implementations, a UE may determine whether to select a cell based on (but not limited to) at least one of a UE NAS determination, a UE AS determination, indication(s) between an AS layer of the UE and a NAS layer of the UE, an indication indicating to a UE whether a cell (or SNPN(s) operating the cell or the SNPN operating the cell and being associated with the indication) supports access using credentials from a separate entity that does not operate the cell, an indication that indicates to the UE whether a network (e.g., an SNPN or the SNPN operating the cell and being associated with the indication) allows registration attempts from UEs that are not explicitly configured to select the network (e.g., the SNPN or the SNPN operating the cell and being associated with the indication), and an indication that indicates to the UE whether a network (e.g., an SNPN or the SNPN operating the cell and being associated with the indication) supports onboarding (e.g., support for UE onboarding indication), and cell barring information.
[0260] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method 300 for handling the UE onboarding performed by a UE according to an example implementation of the present disclosure. In action 302, the UE may receive a first indication, a second indication, and a third indication from a cell via a SIB1. The cell may be operated by one or more SNPNs. In action 304, an AS layer of the UE may report (or forward) the first indication, the second indication, and the third indication to a NAS layer of the UE. In action 306, the AS layer of the UE may receive an indication for UE onboarding from the NAS layer of the UE. In action 308, the UE may transmit a first RRC message to the cell. The first RRC message may include an onboarding request associated with the indication for the UE onboarding. The first indication may indicate whether each particular SNPN of the one or more SNPNs operating the cell supports access using the credentials provided by (or from) a separate entity (e.g., a credential holder) that does not operate the cell. The second indication may indicate whether each particular SNPN of the one or more SNPNs operating the cell allows registrations from UEs that are not explicitly configured to select the particular SNPN. The third indication may indicate whether each particular SNPN of the one or more SNPNs operating the cell supports the UE onboarding.
]
wherein the UAC barring information includes information indicating whether access restriction only for UEs accessing a network for onboarding is applied, [(See Shih ¶60; ¶92-98; ¶132-133, ¶137-148; ¶260-262; Fig. 3)]
wherein the information regarding the one or more GINs indicates the one or more GINs supported by one or more stand-alone non-public networks (SNPNs); and [ (See Shih ¶8; ¶92-98; ¶145-148; ¶260-262; Fig. 3)]
forwarding, from an access stratum (AS) of the UE to a non-access stratum (NAS) of the UE, the information regarding the one or more GINs with one or more corresponding SNPN identities. [ (See Shih ¶8; ¶92-98; ¶145-148; ¶260-262; Fig. 3)
[0008] According to an implementation of the first aspect, the method further includes receiving one or more group IDs from the cell via a SIB different from the SIB1, wherein each of the one or more group IDs is associated with at least one of the one or more SNPNs operating the cell.
[0093] Group ID (or ON Group ID): A group ID may be an ID that identifies a group of ONs. For example, the group ID may designate a group of SNPN operators that are all interconnected with each other.
[0096] Network IDs (e.g., SNPN IDs) broadcast in a SIB1 may be associated with (but not limited to) at least one of an indication indicating a UE whether a cell (or SNPN(s) operating the cell) supports access using credentials from a separate entity that does not operate the cell, an indication that indicates to the UE whether a network (e.g., an SNPN) allows registration attempts from UEs that are not explicitly configured to select the network (e.g., the SNPN), and an indication that indicates to the UE whether a network (e.g., an SNPN) supports onboarding (e.g., support for UE onboarding indication). The terms “indication that indicates to the UE whether a network supports onboarding” and “support for UE onboarding indication” may be used interchangeably. The network IDs may also be associated with an HRNN in SIB10. [0097] When an AS layer of the UE reports the one or more indications to a NAS layer of the UE, the AS layer of the UE may also report the associated HRNNs (e.g., if received by the UE) to the NAS layer of the UE. [0098] When an AS layer of the UE reports determination results based on the one or more indications to a NAS layer of the UE, the AS layer of the UE may also report the associated HRNNs (e.g., if received by the UE) to the NAS layer of the UE.
[0145] In some implementations, the indication (e.g., a field in a SIB1) indicating (or informing) to the UE whether the cell (or SNPN(s) operating the cell) supports access using credentials from a separate entity (e.g., a credential holder) that does not operate the cell may be broadcast (or transmitted) by the cell per network/entity (e.g., per SNPN, per PNI-NPN, per PLMN, per PLMN ID, per CAG ID, per NID), or per group ID. For each transmitted (e.g., broadcast) network/entity ID (e.g., an SNPN ID, PNI-NPN ID, PLMN ID, CAG ID, NID) or a group ID, the cell may transmit the associated indication to indicate to the UE whether the cell (or SNPN(s) operating the cell or the network/entity/group identified by the corresponding network/entity/group ID and operating the cell) supports access using credentials from a separate entity that does not operate the cell. For example, the cell of the network indicating the group ID to the UE may support any UEs whose credentials are owned by any of the separate network/entity associated with the group ID, authentication, authorization, UE onboarding, and/or (remote) provisioning. The UE may be (pre)configured with the group ID. If (or once) the UE receives from the cell the indication indicating to the UE whether the cell (or SNPN(s) operating the cell or the network/entity/group identified by the corresponding network/entity/group ID and operating the cell) supports access using credentials from (1) a separate entity and/or (2) the associated network/entity IDs that associate with the UE's (pre)configured group ID and/or (3) the group ID that is (pre)configured to the UE, the UE may determine whether the cell allows the UE to access based on the indication that indicates to the UE whether the cell supports access using credentials from a separate entity. It should be noted that the cell described above may represent (or be substituted by) SNPN(s) operating the cell, or the network/entity/group identified by the corresponding network/entity/group ID and operating the cell.
[0258] In some implementations, a UE may determine whether to select a cell based on (but not limited to) at least one of a UE NAS determination, a UE AS determination, indication(s) between an AS layer of the UE and a NAS layer of the UE, an indication indicating to a UE whether a cell (or SNPN(s) operating the cell or the SNPN operating the cell and being associated with the indication) supports access using credentials from a separate entity that does not operate the cell, an indication that indicates to the UE whether a network (e.g., an SNPN or the SNPN operating the cell and being associated with the indication) allows registration attempts from UEs that are not explicitly configured to select the network (e.g., the SNPN or the SNPN operating the cell and being associated with the indication), and an indication that indicates to the UE whether a network (e.g., an SNPN or the SNPN operating the cell and being associated with the indication) supports onboarding (e.g., support for UE onboarding indication), and cell barring information.
[0260] FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method 300 for handling the UE onboarding performed by a UE according to an example implementation of the present disclosure. In action 302, the UE may receive a first indication, a second indication, and a third indication from a cell via a SIB1. The cell may be operated by one or more SNPNs. In action 304, an AS layer of the UE may report (or forward) the first indication, the second indication, and the third indication to a NAS layer of the UE. In action 306, the AS layer of the UE may receive an indication for UE onboarding from the NAS layer of the UE. In action 308, the UE may transmit a first RRC message to the cell. The first RRC message may include an onboarding request associated with the indication for the UE onboarding. The first indication may indicate whether each particular SNPN of the one or more SNPNs operating the cell supports access using the credentials provided by (or from) a separate entity (e.g., a credential holder) that does not operate the cell. The second indication may indicate whether each particular SNPN of the one or more SNPNs operating the cell allows registrations from UEs that are not explicitly configured to select the particular SNPN. The third indication may indicate whether each particular SNPN of the one or more SNPNs operating the cell supports the UE onboarding.
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Regarding Claims 17, 20, 22, and 25, Shih disclose(s):
The method of Claim 16, the method further comprising:
receiving, from a base station (BS), a radio resource control (RRC) setup message; and
transmitting, to the BS, an RRC setup complete message including an onboarding request, the onboarding request indicating that connection establishment is for the onboarding [ (See Shih ¶7; ¶248-255; ¶260; Fig.1 and 3)
[0007] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a method for handling UE onboarding performed by a UE is provided. The method includes receiving a first indication, a second indication, and a third indication from a cell via a SIB1, the cell operated by one or more SNPNs; reporting, by an AS layer of the UE, the first indication, the second indication, and the third indication to a NAS layer of the UE; receiving, by the AS layer of the UE, an indication for UE onboarding from the NAS layer of the UE; and transmitting a first RRC message to the cell, the first RRC message including an onboarding request associated with the indication for UE onboarding, wherein the first indication indicates whether each particular SNPN of the one or more SNPNs operating the cell supports access using credentials provided by a separate entity that does not operate the cell; the second indication indicates whether each particular SNPN of the one or more SNPNs operating the cell allows registrations from UEs that are not explicitly configured to select the particular SNPN; and the third indication indicates whether each particular SNPN of the one or more SNPNs operating the cell supports the UE onboarding.
[0248] In some implementations, if (or once) a UE camps on a cell (e.g., when at least one of Case 1, Case 2, Case 4, Case 5, Case 6, and Case 7 is determined to be occurred), the UE may perform an RRC procedure (e.g., an RRC Setup procedure, an RRC Resume procedure) with the cell. Via the RRC procedure, the UE may exchange (e.g., transmit and/or receive) NAS information with a CN to perform a UE onboarding procedure, a (remote) provisioning procedure and/or a registration procedure (e.g., to get authorized access and connectivity to an NPN, to acquire the UE's NPN credential).
[0251] In some implementations, after transmitting the first RRC message, the UE may receive a second RRC message (e.g., an RRC Setup message, RRC Resume message, RRC Reestablishment message, RRC Reject message) (in response to the first message) from the cell. After receiving the second RRC message, the UE may further set (or determine) content of a third RRC message (e.g., an RRC Setup Complete message, RRC Resume Complete message, RRC Reestablishment complete message). For example, the third RRC message may include (but is not limited to) at least one of information indicating whether the UE has a credential from a separate entity, information about the UE credential (e.g., part of the UE credential, common part of the UE credential), information about the separate entity, information indicating whether the UE is explicitly configured to select the network, information about the CN and/or entity that provides the UE's credentials, NAS information and/or AS information acquired during the UE determination procedure, information indicating that an RRC connection is setup for the registration procedure (e.g., especially for UE onboarding with default UE credentials) and/or establishment cause value. The UE may transmit the third RRC message to the cell via SRB0 or SRB1. The UE (e.g., the RRC entity of the UE, the RLC entity of the UE with acknowledgement mode) may transmit a DCCH PDU including the third RRC message via an SRB0 or SRB1 to the MAC entity of the UE. The UE may transmit an MAC PDU including the DCCH PDU (e.g., in a message 5 (Msg 5)), to the cell. It should be noted that the information indicating that the RRC connection is setup/resumed/reestablished for the registration procedure (e.g., especially for UE onboarding with default UE credentials) and/or the establishment/resume cause value may be applied by the cell (or a network (e.g., a RAN) operating the cell) to select an appropriate AMF that supports UE onboarding procedures.
[0255] FIG. 1 is a signaling flow diagram 100 illustrating a registration procedure between a UE 102, a network (e.g., a RAN) 104, and a CN (entity) 106 according to an example implementation of the present disclosure. In action 110, the UE 102 may transmit a Registration Request message (via an RRC setup complete message) to the network 104. In action 112, the network 104 may perform AMF selection (e.g., to select CN 106). In action 114, the network 104 may transmit (or forward) the Registration Request message (or another message that indicates a network registration request) to the CN 106. In action 116, the CN 106 may perform a determination of whether the registration is accepted (e.g., according to an authentication procedure). In action 118, the CN 106 may transmit a Registration Accept message (e.g., forwarded through the network 104) to the UE 102 (in response to the Registration Request message), if the determination of the registration is accepted. In action 120, the UE 102 may transmit a Registration Complete message to the CN 106 (in response to the Registration Accept message).
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Regarding Claims 18 and 23, Shih disclose(s):
The method of Claim 16, the method further comprising:
selecting an SNPN [(see Shih ¶10; ¶124; ¶136; ¶200)
[0010] According to an implementation of the first aspect, the method further includes performing an SNPN selection procedure based on the first indication, the second indication, and the third indication.
].
Regarding Claim 19, Shih disclose(s):
A method performed by a base station (BS) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), a first system information block (SIB) including information regarding one or more group IDs for network selection (GINs) and a second SIB including unified access control (UAC) barring information, wherein the second SIB is SIB1, and [(See Shih ¶8; ¶60; ¶92-98; ¶132-133, ¶137-148; ¶260-262; Fig. 3)]
wherein the UAC barring information includes indicating whether access restriction only for UEs accessing a network for onboarding is applied, [(See Shih ¶8; ¶60; ¶92-98; ¶132-133, ¶137-148; ¶260-262; Fig. 3)]
wherein the information regarding the one or more GINs indicates the one or more GINs supported by one or more stand-alone non-public networks (SNPNs) and is forwarded from an access stratum (AS) of the UE to a non-access stratum (NAS) of the UE. [ (See Shih ¶8; ¶92-98; ¶145-148; ¶260-262; Fig. 3)]
Regarding Claim 21, Shih disclose(s):
A user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the UE comprising:
a transceiver; and [Shih ¶269-279; Fig. 6]
a processor coupled with the transceiver and configured to: [Shih ¶269-279; Fig. 6]
receive a first system information block (SIB) including information regarding one or more group IDs for network selection (GINs) and a second SIB including unified access control (UAC) barring information, wherein the second SIB is SIB1, and [(See Shih ¶8; ¶60; ¶92-98; ¶132-133, ¶137-148; ¶260-262; Fig. 3)]
wherein the UAC barring information includes information indicating whether access restriction only for UEs accessing a network for onboarding is applied, [(See Shih ¶8; ¶60; ¶92-98; ¶132-133, ¶137-148; ¶260-262; Fig. 3)]
wherein the information regarding the one or more GINs indicates the one or more GINs supported by one or more stand-alone non-public networks (SNPNs), [ (See Shih ¶8; ¶92-98; ¶145-148; ¶260-262; Fig. 3)]
forward, from an access stratum (AS) of the UE to a non-access stratum (NAS) of the UE, the information regarding the one or more GINs with one or more corresponding SNPN identities. [ (See Shih ¶8; ¶92-98; ¶145-148; ¶260-262; Fig. 3) ]
Regarding Claim 24, Shih disclose(s):
A base station (BS) in a wireless communication system, the BS comprising:
a transceiver; and [Shih ¶269-279; Fig. 6]
a processor coupled with the transceiver and configured to transmit, to a user equipment (UE) [Shih ¶269-279; Fig. 6], a first system information block (SIB) including information regarding one or more group IDs for network selection (GINs) and a second SIB including unified access control (UAC) barring information, wherein the second SIB is SIB1, and [(See Shih ¶8; ¶60; ¶92-98; ¶132-133, ¶137-148; ¶260-262; Fig. 3)]
wherein the UAC barring information includes information indicating whether access restriction only for UEs accessing a network for onboarding is applied, [(See Shih ¶8; ¶60; ¶92-98; ¶132-133, ¶137-148; ¶260-262; Fig. 3)]
wherein the information regarding the one or more GINs indicates the one or more GINs supported by one or more stand-alone non-public networks (SNPNs) and is forwarded from an access stratum (AS) of the UE to a non-access stratum (NAS) of the UE. . [ (See Shih ¶8; ¶92-98; ¶145-148; ¶260-262; Fig. 3) ]
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Kim et al. (US 20240172093 A1; disclosing UAC barring in Table 3 and ¶60-96).
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.
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/RKF/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2468
/MARCUS SMITH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2468
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