DETAILED ACTION
In response to communication filed on 8/19/2024.
Claims 52-96 are pending.
Claims 52-96 are rejected.
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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: Figures 26-38 filed on 8/19/2024 are not sufficiently described within the Specifications.
Appropriate correction is required.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: Figures 26-38. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 1/16/2024, 5/15/2025, 3/5/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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 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 52,53,57-59,61-63,74,75,79-81,83-85 and 96 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Li et al. (US Pub. 2024/0172175)(L1 hereafter).
Regarding claims 52 and 74, L1 teaches a network node for Multicast and Broadcast-Session Management Function (MB- SMF)[refer Fig. 5; 173][paragraph 0104], the network node comprising:
at least one processor [paragraph 0182]; and
a memory containing program code executable by the at least one processor (steps stored in memory are executed on a processor)[paragraph 0182], whereby execution of the program code by the at least one processor causes the network node to implement an MB-SMF node [refer Fig. 5; 173][paragraph 0182] and to:
generate a request for managing MBS broadcast contexts (i.e. session activation)[paragraph 0141] at one or more Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) nodes involved in an MBS session [paragraph 0150]; and
send the request from the MB-SMF node to the one or more AMF nodes (the MB-SMF can send the requests directly to the AMF nodes)[paragraph 0150].
Regarding claims 53 and 75, L1 teaches the network node [refer Fig. 7; 173] to receive directly or indirectly from a network function node (i.e. AF)[refer Fig. 7; 188] a request for handling the MBS session (i.e. session activation request)[refer Fig. 7; 211b], the network function node is one of an Application Function (AF) node [refer Fig. 7; 188], the request for handling the MBS session is:
directed toward creation of the MBS session [refer Fig. 7; 211b] and used for obtaining (i.e. allocating) a Temporary Mobile Group Identifier (TMGI) only [paragraph 0115].
Regarding claims 57 and 79, L1 teaches the network node receives from the one or more AMF nodes a response on a status for the MBS broadcast contexts (i.e. MBS Session activation Response)[refer Fig. 7; 219][paragraph 0147].
Regarding claims 58 and 80, L1 teaches in response to an event that the MBS session is created by an Application Function (AF) node [refer Fig. 7; 211b], generate a request for creating the MBS broadcast contexts as the request for managing the MBS broadcast contexts [refer Fig. 7; 212][paragraph 0141], the request for creating the MBS broadcast contexts includes at least one of: a Temporary Mobile Group Identifier (TMGI)(the MBS session ID is defined as the group ID in the form of TMGI)[paragraph 0141].
Regarding claims 59 and 81, L1 teaches the network node to send to the AF node a message on a status for the MBS session based on the response on a status for the MBS broadcast contexts [refer Fig. 7; 220][paragraph 0149].
Regarding claims 61 and 83, L1 teaches the response on a status for the MBS broadcast contexts [refer Fig. 7; 218][paragraph 0147] includes a TMGI (the MBS session ID is defined as the group ID in the form of TMGI)[paragraph 0141].
Regarding claims 62 and 84, L1 teaches a network node for an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF)[refer Fig. 5; 172], the network node comprising:
at least one processor [paragraph 0182]; and a memory containing program code executable by the at least one processor (steps stored in memory are executed on a processor)[paragraph 0182], whereby execution of the program code by the at least one processor causes the network node to implement an AMF node [refer Fig. 5; 172][paragraph 0182] involved in an MBS session [paragraph 0110] and to:
receive from a Multicast and Broadcast-Session Management Function (MB- SMF) node a request (i.e. session activation)[paragraph 0141] for managing MBS broadcast contexts at the AMF node [paragraph 0150];
sending from the AMF node a request for managing an MBS session resource to one or more Radio Access Networks (RANs) (the AMF forwards the MBS session context information to the RAN node)[paragraph 0144][paragraph 0145];
receive from the one or more RANs one or more responses on a status for the MBS session resource [refer Fig. 7; 218][paragraph 0147]; and
send to the MB-SMF a response on the status for the MBS broadcast contexts (i.e. MBS session activation response) based on the one or more responses on the status for the MBS session resource [refer Fig. 7; 219][paragraph 0148].
Regarding claims 63 and 85, L1 teaches each of the one or more responses on a status for the MBS session resource [refer Fig. 7; 218][paragraph 0147] includes a TMGI (the MBS session ID is defined as the group ID in the form of TMGI)[paragraph 0141].
Regarding claim 96, L1 teaches a method for managing a Multicast Broadcast Service (MBS) broadcast context in one or more Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) nodes [refer Fig. 7; 172] involved in an MBS session [paragraph 0150], the method comprising:
at a network function node (i.e. AF)[refer Fig. 7; 188], sending a request for handling the MBS session (i.e. session activation request)[refer Fig. 7; 211b] to a Multicast and Broadcast-Session Management Function (MB-SMF) node directly [paragraph 0150], the network function node is one of an Application Function (AF) node [refer Fig. 7; 188],
the request for handling the MBS session is: sent in response to creation of the MBS session [refer Fig. 7; 211b] and used for obtaining a Temporary Mobile Group Identifier (TMGI) only [paragraph 0115].
Claims 69,70,72,91,92 and 94 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Li et al. (US Pub. 2024/0155436)(L2 hereafter).
Regarding claims 69 and 91, L2 teaches a network node for a Session Management Function (SMF)[refer Fig. 2; SMF/UPF], the network node comprising:
at least one processor [refer Fig. 9; 900]; and a memory [refer Fig. 9; 910] containing program code [refer Fig. 9; 912] executable by the at least one processor [paragraph 0170], whereby execution of the program code by the at least one processor causes the network node to implement an SMF node [paragraph 0168] and to:
send to a Multicast and Broadcast-Session Management Function (MB-SMF) node subscription to context status change for an MBS session (i.e. Nmbsmf_MBSSession_Create request) at the MB-SMF node [paragraph 0085]; and
receive from the MB-SMF node a notification on the context status change (the SMF interacts with the MB-SMF to retrieve multicast QoS flow information of the MBS session [paragraph 0085][refer Fig. 2; 206], the SMF then provides an UpdateSMContext response to the AMF with the MB-SMF ID and QoS flow information [paragraph 0086]).
Regarding claims 70 and 92, L2 teaches the network node to send, to the MB-SMF, User Plane Function (UPF) UP information [paragraph 0062][paragraph 0075].
Regarding claims 72 and 94, L2 teaches the subscription to context status change includes an indication that current context status for the MBS session shall be reported immediately by the MB-SMF node [paragraph 0125].
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 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 may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 54-56,60,64-68,76-78,82, and 86-90 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (US Pub. 2024/0172175)(L1 hereafter) in view of Dao et al. (US Pub. 2019/0223250)(D1 hereafter).
Regarding claims 54 and 76, L1 fails to disclose receiving, from an Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) node, subscription to context status change for the MBS session at the MB-SMF node; and notify the AMF node or the SMF node of the context status change.
D1 discloses that an AMF can update a MB session context and can send a subscribe or unsubscribe message accordingly if the AMF wants to receive or not receive notification services of these functions [paragraph 0134].
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 teachings of L1 for allowing for the updating of an MBS session context [refer L1; paragraph 0135] to incorporate the updating of a MB session context and the sending of a respective subscribe or unsubscribe message from an AMF as taught by D1. One would be motivated to do so to provide a means of providing control plane signaling for releasing or modifying MB sessions [refer D1; paragraph 0004].
Regarding claims 55 and 77, L1 teaches the network node to notify the AMF node in response to change of the MBS session triggered by an Application Function (AF) node [paragraph 0140][refer Fig. 7; 211b].
However, L1 fails to disclose to receive, from the AMF node, Radio Access Network (RAN) User Plane (UP) information from an RAN involved in the MBS session, subscription to context status change is implicitly made by sending the RAN UP information.
D1 discloses that an MB session served by AMF functions can provide user plane (UP) functions that can be modified in order to modify or release a session [paragraph 0066], an AMF can update a MB session context and can send a subscribe or unsubscribe message accordingly if the AMF wants to receive or not receive notification services of these functions [paragraph 0134].
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 teachings of L1 for allowing for the updating of an MBS session context [refer L1; paragraph 0135] to incorporate the updating of a MB session context and the sending of a respective subscribe or unsubscribe message from an AMF as taught by D1. One would be motivated to do so to provide a means of providing control plane signaling for releasing or modifying MB sessions [refer D1; paragraph 0004].
Regarding claims 56 and 78, L1 teaches the network node notifying the SMF node and to receive, from the SMF node, Downlink (DL) tunnel information for unicast in an update context service operation, subscription to context status change for the MBS session at the MB-SMF node is implicitly made by sending the DL tunnel information.
D1 discloses that a MB session modification in a user plane function (UPF) can involve the sending of a message that includes new QoS rules, tunnel information, such as downlink tunnel identifiers (DL TEID), to connect the UPF and RAN nodes [paragraph 0094][paragraph 0204].
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 teachings of L1 for allowing for the updating of an MBS session context [refer L1; paragraph 0135] to incorporate the updating of a MB session as taught by D1. One would be motivated to do so to provide a means of providing control plane signaling for releasing or modifying MB sessions [refer D1; paragraph 0004].
Regarding claims 60 and 82, L1 fails to disclose in response to an event that the MBS session is updated by an Application Function (AF) node, if it is determined that there is any new AMF node involved in the MBS session, generate a request for creating the MBS broadcast contexts at the new AMF node as the request for managing the MBS broadcast contexts, the request for creating the MBS broadcast contexts includes at least one of an TMGI.
D1 discloses that a MB session can be modified based upon trigger messages, such as periodical updates of the MB session, in which an AF can send a request to indicates the periodical transmission of MB data [paragraph 0090], an AMF can obtain MB session information modification requests and store MB session context [paragraph 0091], MB modification request messages contain IDs, such as TMGI to be added to the MB session [paragraph 0086].
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 teachings of L1 for allowing for the updating of an MBS session context [refer L1; paragraph 0135] to incorporate the updating of a MB session context as taught by D1. One would be motivated to do so to provide a means of providing control plane signaling for releasing or modifying MB sessions [refer D1; paragraph 0004].
Regarding claims 64 and 86, L1 fails to disclose sending to the MB-SMF node subscription to context status change for an MBS session at the MB-SMF node; and receive from the MB-SMF node a notification on the context status change.
D1 discloses that an AMF can update a MB session context and can send a subscribe or unsubscribe message accordingly if the AMF wants to receive or not receive notification services of these functions [paragraph 0134].
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 teachings of L1 for allowing for the updating of an MBS session context [refer L1; paragraph 0135] to incorporate the updating of a MB session context and the sending of a respective subscribe or unsubscribe message from an AMF as taught by D1. One would be motivated to do so to provide a means of providing control plane signaling for releasing or modifying MB sessions [refer D1; paragraph 0004].
Regarding claims 65 and 87, L1 fails to disclose the network node to send to the MB-SMF node Radio Access Network (RAN) User Plane (UP) information from an RAN involved in the MBS session, subscription to context status change is implicitly made by sending the RAN UP information.
D1 discloses that an MB session served by AMF functions can provide user plane (UP) functions that can be modified in order to modify or release a session [paragraph 0066], an AMF can update a MB session context and can send a subscribe or unsubscribe message accordingly if the AMF wants to receive or not receive notification services of these functions [paragraph 0134].
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 teachings of L1 for allowing for the updating of an MBS session context [refer L1; paragraph 0135] to incorporate the updating of a MB session context and the sending of a respective subscribe or unsubscribe message from an AMF as taught by D1. One would be motivated to do so to provide a means of providing control plane signaling for releasing or modifying MB sessions [refer D1; paragraph 0004].
Regarding claims 66 and 88, L1 fails to disclose the RAN UP information is RAN node radio User Plane (UL) information in an update context service operation.
D1 discloses that an MB session served by AMF functions can provide user plane (UP) functions that can be modified in order to modify or release a session [paragraph 0066], an AMF can update a MB session context and can send a subscribe or unsubscribe message accordingly if the AMF wants to receive or not receive notification services of these functions [paragraph 0134].
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 teachings of L1 for allowing for the updating of an MBS session context [refer L1; paragraph 0135] to incorporate the updating of a MB session context and the sending of a respective subscribe or unsubscribe message from an AMF as taught by D1. One would be motivated to do so to provide a means of providing control plane signaling for releasing or modifying MB sessions [refer D1; paragraph 0004].
Regarding claims 67 and 89, L1 fails to disclose the subscription to context status change is explicitly made by sending to the MB-SMF node a request for subscribing to context status change by the AMF node.
D1 discloses that an AMF can update a MB session context and can send a subscribe or unsubscribe message accordingly if the AMF wants to receive or not receive notification services of these functions [paragraph 0134].
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 teachings of L1 for allowing for the updating of an MBS session context [refer L1; paragraph 0135] to incorporate the updating of a MB session context and the sending of a respective subscribe or unsubscribe message from an AMF as taught by D1. One would be motivated to do so to provide a means of providing control plane signaling for releasing or modifying MB sessions [refer D1; paragraph 0004].
Regarding claims 68 and 90, L1 fails to disclose the network node to send, to the MB-SMF, unsubscription to the context status change.
D1 discloses that an AMF can update a MB session context and can send a subscribe or unsubscribe message accordingly if the AMF wants to receive or not receive notification services of these functions [paragraph 0134].
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 teachings of L1 for allowing for the updating of an MBS session context [refer L1; paragraph 0135] to incorporate the updating of a MB session context and the sending of a respective subscribe or unsubscribe message from an AMF as taught by D1. One would be motivated to do so to provide a means of providing control plane signaling for releasing or modifying MB sessions [refer D1; paragraph 0004].
Claims 71,73,93 and 95 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (US Pub. 2024/0155436)(L2 hereafter) in view of D1.
Regarding claims 71 and 93, L2 fails to disclose the network node to send, to the MB-SMF, unsubscription to the context status change.
D1 discloses that an AMF can update a MB session context and can send a subscribe or unsubscribe message accordingly if the AMF wants to receive or not receive notification services of these functions [paragraph 0134].
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 teachings of L2 for allowing for the updating of an MBS session context [refer L2; paragraph 0083] to incorporate the updating of a MB session context and the sending of a respective subscribe or unsubscribe message from an AMF as taught by D1. One would be motivated to do so to provide a means of providing control plane signaling for releasing or modifying MB sessions [refer D1; paragraph 0004].
Regarding claims 73 and 95, L2 fails to disclose the network node to send, to the MB-SMF node, Downlink (DL) tunnel information for unicast in an update context service operation, subscription to context status change for an MBS session at the MB-SMF node is implicitly made by sending the DL tunnel information.
D1 discloses that a MB session modification in a user plane function (UPF) can involve the sending of a message that includes new QoS rules, tunnel information, such as downlink tunnel identifiers (DL TEID), to connect the UPF and RAN nodes [paragraph 0094][paragraph 0204].
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 teachings of L2 for allowing for the updating of an MBS session context [refer L2; paragraph 0083] to incorporate the updating of a MB session context and the sending of a respective subscribe or unsubscribe message from an AMF as taught by D1. One would be motivated to do so to provide a means of providing control plane signaling for releasing or modifying MB sessions [refer D1; paragraph 0004].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RYAN C KAVLESKI whose telephone number is (571)270-3619. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6:30am-3pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Charles C Jiang can be reached on 571-270-7191. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Ryan Kavleski
/R. K./
Examiner, Art Unit 2412
/CHARLES C JIANG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2412