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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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, 2, 4, 6 – 10, 13, 15, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lohr et al. (Pub. No.: US 2024/0064817; hereinafter Lohr).
Regarding claim 1, Lohr discloses a method performed by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: receiving, from a network, a plurality of random access channel (RACH) configurations (see abstract, para. 0128, … receives a first set of slice-specific RACH configurations (ex: first, second, third RACH configuration, etc…)) comprising: a first RACH configuration to which related one or more slice groups are identified by slice identifier information (see abstract, para. 0097, 0128, … each slice-specific RACH configuration contains a set of random access parameters specific to a slice group identity); a second RACH configuration related to one or more prioritized slice groups identified by slice priority information (see para. 0072, In case the network (i.e., PLMN #1) wants to prioritize the random access channel (“RACH”) to the second network slice 211 over random access to the first network slice 209…the network may configure RA prioritization parameters specific to the second network slice 211, para. 0082, it allocates a “Slice group identity” to an allowed S-NSSAI only when the initial access to the corresponding slice shall be prioritized during CBRA procedure); and a third RACH configuration other than the first RACH configuration and the second RACH configuration (see para. 0110, …each RACH configuration per slice is different and separate to each other); identifying a slice group preferred by the UE; selecting, among the plurality of RACH configurations, a RACH configuration related to the slice group based on at least one of the slice identifier information or the slice priority information (see para. 0084, The UE uses the received “Slice group identity” value(s) for initial access…The UE selects the RACH configuration that matches with the specific slice it wants to access to); and performing a random access to a cell for the slice group based on the selected RACH configuration (see para. 0005, performing a random-access procedure in accordance with the first RACH configuration and transmitting a service request to the communication network in accordance with the first RACH configuration).
Regarding claim 2, Lohr discloses wherein the first RACH configuration comprises the slice identifier information, and wherein the slice identifier information comprises one or more slice identifiers each of which is related to a corresponding slice among the one or more slice groups related to the first RACH configuration (see para. 0041,… the slice group identify is used to implicitly signal a slice-specific RACH configuration, see abstract, para. 0097, 0128, … each slice-specific RACH configuration contains a set of random access parameters specific to a slice group identity).
Regarding claim 4, Lohr discloses further comprising: receiving, from the network, a configuration for the slice priority information (see para. 0129, the first set of slice-specific RACH configurations contains different levels of available random access resources in accordance with a priority of random access to each network slice).
Regarding claim 6, Lohr discloses wherein the slice priority information comprises an explicit indication indicating the one or more prioritized slice groups (see para. 0072, …the network may configure RA prioritization parameters specific to the second network slice 211, see Fig. 6, The field ra-PrioritizationPerSlice-ConfigInfo-r17 is included).
Regarding claim 7, Lohr discloses further comprising: receiving, from the network, a configuration for a list of slice groups, wherein the slice group preferred by the UE is identified among the list of slice groups (see para. 0146, …transmits the mapping of slice group identities to network slices of the communication network to the UE, para. 0084, The UE uses the received “Slice group identity” value(s) for initial access…The UE selects the RACH configuration that matches with the specific slice it wants to access to).
Regarding claim 8, Lohr discloses wherein the configuration for the list of slice groups comprises at least one of: one or more slice identifiers each of which is related to a corresponding slice in the list (see para. 0005, slice group identity, para. 0097, Each configuration per slice (IE RA-PrioritizationPerSlice-Config-r17) includes a Slice group identity (sliceGroupId-r17)); or one or more slice priorities each of which is related to a corresponding slice in the list.
Regarding claim 9, Lohr discloses wherein the slice group preferred by the UE comprises a slice group associated with a service the UE intends to be provided with (see abstract, para. 0005, 0128, transmits a service request to the communication network in accordance with the first RACH configuration where the first RACH configuration corresponds to a slice group).
Regarding claim 10, Lohr discloses wherein the selecting of the RACH configuration related to the slice group comprises: selecting the first RACH configuration as the RACH configuration related to the slice group based on that a slice identifier of the slice group is included in the slice identifier information (see para. 0084, The UE uses the received “Slice group identity” value(s) for initial access…The UE selects the RACH configuration that matches with the specific slice it wants to access to).
Regarding claim 13, Lohr discloses wherein each of the plurality of RACH configurations comprises at least one of: a set of RACH preambles (see para. 0043, in time domain each RACH configuration per slice is separate from each other, i.e., the PRACH preambles and RACH occasions are not shared between the slices); a number of synchronization signal/physical broadcast channel (SS/PBCH) blocks per RACH occasion; a number of RACH preambles per SSB; a number of RACH preambles per RACH occasion; a contention resolution timer; a power ramping step; a scaling factor for a backoff indicator (see para. 0072,… configure dedicated parameters for power ramping step and scaling factor for the backoff indicator (“BI”) for the second network slice 211); or a reference signal received power (RSRP) threshold related to physical RACH (PRACH) resource selection.
Regarding claim 15, Lohr discloses a user equipment (UE) configured to operate in a wireless communication system, the UE comprising: at least one transceiver; at least processor; and at least one computer memory operably connectable to the at least one processor and storing instructions that, based on being executed by the at least one processor (see Fig. 10, para. 0123 – 0127, user equipment apparatus with a processor 1005 and memory 1010 for storing instructions), perform operations comprising: receiving, from a network, a plurality of random access channel (RACH) configurations (see abstract, para. 0128, … receives a first set of slice-specific RACH configurations (ex: first, second, third RACH configuration, etc…)) comprising: a first RACH configuration to which related one or more slice groups are identified by slice identifier information (see abstract, para. 0097, 0128, … each slice-specific RACH configuration contains a set of random access parameters specific to a slice group identity); a second RACH configuration related to one or more prioritized slice groups identified by slice priority information (see para. 0072, In case the network (i.e., PLMN #1) wants to prioritize the random access channel (“RACH”) to the second network slice 211 over random access to the first network slice 209…the network may configure RA prioritization parameters specific to the second network slice 211, para. 0082, it allocates a “Slice group identity” to an allowed S-NSSAI only when the initial access to the corresponding slice shall be prioritized during CBRA procedure); and a third RACH configuration other than the first RACH configuration and the second RACH configuration (see para. 0110, …each RACH configuration per slice is different and separate to each other); identifying a slice group preferred by the UE; selecting, among the plurality of RACH configurations, a RACH configuration related to the slice group based on at least one of the slice identifier information or the slice priority information (see para. 0084, The UE uses the received “Slice group identity” value(s) for initial access…The UE selects the RACH configuration that matches with the specific slice it wants to access to); and performing a random access to a cell for the slice group based on the selected RACH configuration (see para. 0005, performing a random-access procedure in accordance with the first RACH configuration and transmitting a service request to the communication network in accordance with the first RACH configuration).
Regarding claim 20, Lohr discloses a network node configured to operate in a wireless communication system, the network node comprising: at least one transceiver; at least processor; and at least one computer memory operably connectable to the at least one processor and storing instructions that, based on being executed by the at least one processor (see Fig. 11, para. 0142 – 0153, network apparatus 1100 with a processor 1105 and memory 1110 for storing instructions), perform operations comprising: transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), a configuration for a list of slice groups (see para. 0146, …transmits the mapping of slice group identities to network slices of the communication network to the UE) and a configuration for slice priority information (see para. 0148, …the first set of slice-specific RACH configurations contains different levels of available random access resources in accordance with a priority of random access to each network slice); transmitting, to the UE, a plurality of RACH configurations (see abstract, para. 0147, … sends a first set of slice-specific RACH configurations (ex: first, second, third RACH configuration, etc…) to the UE) comprising: a first RACH configuration to which related one or more slice groups are identified by slice identifier information (see abstract, para. 0097, 0128, … each slice-specific RACH configuration contains a set of random access parameters specific to a slice group identity); a second RACH configuration related to one or more prioritized slice groups identified by the slice priority information (see para. 0072, In case the network (i.e., PLMN #1) wants to prioritize the random access channel (“RACH”) to the second network slice 211 over random access to the first network slice 209…the network may configure RA prioritization parameters specific to the second network slice 211, para. 0082, it allocates a “Slice group identity” to an allowed S-NSSAI only when the initial access to the corresponding slice shall be prioritized during CBRA procedure); and a third RACH configuration other than the first RACH configuration and the second RACH configuration (see para. 0110, …each RACH configuration per slice is different and separate to each other); and performing a random access for the UE to access to a cell for a slice group preferred by the UE among the list of slice groups based on a RACH configuration related to the slice group (see para. 0005, performing a random-access procedure in accordance with the first RACH configuration and transmitting a service request to the communication network in accordance with the first RACH configuration), wherein the RACH configuration related to the slice group is selected among the plurality of RACH configurations based on at least one of the slice identifier information or the slice priority information (see para. 0084, The UE uses the received “Slice group identity” value(s) for initial access…The UE selects the RACH configuration that matches with the specific slice it wants to access to).
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.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lohr et al. (Pub. No.: US 2024/0064817; hereinafter Lohr) in view of Gao et al. (Pub. No.: US 2024/0023168; hereinafter Gao).
Lohr does not disclose the claimed features as recited in claim 3.
Regarding claim 3, Gao discloses wherein the second RACH configuration comprises an indication that the second RACH configuration is reserved for the one or more prioritized slice groups (see para. 0083, … configured to reserved RACH resources specific for this slice/slice group/access category/access category group).
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Lohr, and have the features, as taught by Gao, in order to support a much wider range of use-case characteristics and provide a more complex and sophisticated range of access requirements and flexibilities, as discussed by Gao (para. 0003).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 11 and 12 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Anh Ngoc M Nguyen whose telephone number is (571) 270-5139. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Friday, from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm.
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/ANH NGOC M NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2473