DETAILED ACTION
Claims status
In response to the application filed on 01/19/2024, claims 1-9, 19, and 21-30 are currently pending for the examination. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01/19/2024 has been placed in the application file, and the information referred therein has been considered as to the merits.
Drawings
Drawing figures submitted on 01/19/2024 have been reviewed and accepted.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 2, 7, 8, 19, 21, 23, and 25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by LU (US 2019/0116529 A1).
Regarding claim 1; LU teaches a method for processing a tracking area (TA) anomaly, executed by a network device and comprising:
recording, in response to determining that the TA anomaly that a TA where UE (See Fig. 5: @ step 32 for determining whether the UE is currently located in a location area inside a registered tracking area saved by the UE, when the second network identifier is different (i.e., anomaly of TA) from the first network identifier. ¶ [0051]) is currently positioned is located outside a registration area (RA) of the UE occurs, the TA anomaly (See Fig. 5: Step 34: sending a location area update request or an attach request carrying the GUTI of the UE to the second network, if the UE is located in a location area outside the registered tracking area. ¶ [0053]); and
triggering an RA update of the UE in response to the TA anomaly (See Figs. 5 and 6: When a MME receives the TAU request or the attach request sent by the UE, the MME requests context information of the UE from a previous MME to which the UE registered, according to the GUTI, and a NHN-ID of a NH network currently serving the UE is updated with a new NHN-ID (i.e., triggering with the updated second network identifier). ¶ [0055]).
Regarding claim 2; LU teaches the method further comprising: determining whether the TA anomaly exists when paging the UE (See Fig. 6, when the UE is located in the location area inside the registered tracking area (TA) and traffic for the UE arrives or a paging message is received by the UE, the UE may initiate the service request (SR) procedure to change the state of the UE from the idle state to the connected state. When the UE moves into a location area outside a registered TA, the UE may initiate the TAU procedure or the attach procedure based on the GUTI, to inform the core network that the service location area of the UE has changed. ¶ [0055]).
Regarding claim 7; LU teaches the method wherein the network device comprises: an access management function (AMF) (See Fig. 6: The MME (i.e., performing as AMF) may support a plurality of NH networks. A logical MME of each of the plurality of NH networks is identified by a MME Code (MMEC). The MME may be uniquely determined according to the NHN-ID and the MMEC. ¶ [0033]).
Regarding claim 8; LU teaches a method for processing a TA anomaly, executed by user equipment (UE) and comprising:
receiving a triggering indication sent by a network side based on the TA anomaly of the UE (See Fig. 6: When the UE moves into a location area outside a registered TA, the UE may initiate the TAU procedure or the attach procedure based on the GUTI, to inform the core network that the service location area of the UE has changed (i.e., triggering anomaly). ¶ [0055]), wherein the TA anomaly comprises:
a TA where the UE is currently positioned is located outside an RA of the UE (See Fig. 5: Step 34: sending a location area update request or an attach request carrying the GUTI of the UE to the second network, if the UE is located in a location area outside the registered tracking area. ¶ [0053]; and
performing an RA update according to the triggering indication (See Figs. 5 and 6: When a MME receives the TAU request or the attach request sent by the UE, the MME requests context information of the UE from a previous MME to which the UE registered, according to the GUTI, and a NHN-ID of a NH network currently serving the UE is updated with a new NHN-ID (i.e., triggering with the updated second network identifier). ¶ [0055]).
Regarding claim 19; LU teaches a communication device, comprising: one or more [[a]] processors, a transceiver, a memory, and an executable program stored in the memory and runnable by the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are collectively configured to:
record, in response to determining that the TA anomaly that a TA where UE (See Fig. 5: @ step 32 for determining whether the UE is currently located in a location area inside a registered tracking area saved by the UE, when the second network identifier is different (i.e., anomaly of TA) from the first network identifier. ¶ [0051]) is currently positioned is located outside a registration area (RA) of the UE occurs, the TA anomaly (See Fig. 5: Step 34: sending a location area update request or an attach request carrying the GUTI of the UE to the second network, if the UE is located in a location area outside the registered tracking area. ¶ [0053]); and
trigger an RA update of the UE in response to the TA anomaly (See Figs. 5 and 6: When a MME receives the TAU request or the attach request sent by the UE, the MME requests context information of the UE from a previous MME to which the UE registered, according to the GUTI, and a NHN-ID of a NH network currently serving the UE is updated with a new NHN-ID (i.e., triggering with the updated second network identifier). ¶ [0055]).
Regarding claim 21; LU teaches a communication device, comprising: one or more processors, a transceiver, a memory, and an executable program stored in the memory and runnable by the one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:
receive a triggering indication sent by a network side based on the TA anomaly of the UE (See Fig. 6: When the UE moves into a location area outside a registered TA, the UE may initiate the TAU procedure or the attach procedure based on the GUTI, to inform the core network that the service location area of the UE has changed (i.e., triggering anomaly). ¶ [0055]), wherein the TA anomaly comprises: a TA where the UE is currently positioned is located outside an RA of the UE (See Fig. 5: Step 34: sending a location area update request or an attach request carrying the GUTI of the UE to the second network, if the UE is located in a location area outside the registered tracking area. ¶ [0053]; and
perform an RA update according to the triggering indication (See Figs. 5 and 6: When a MME receives the TAU request or the attach request sent by the UE, the MME requests context information of the UE from a previous MME to which the UE registered, according to the GUTI, and a NHN-ID of a NH network currently serving the UE is updated with a new NHN-ID (i.e., triggering with the updated second network identifier). ¶ [0055]).
Regarding claim 23; LU teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein triggering an RA update of the UE in response to the TA anomaly comprises: determining whether the TA anomaly exists, before a service flow or a control flow associated with the RA of the UE or the TA where the UE is positioned is executed (See Fig. 5: Step 34: sending a location area update request or an attach request carrying the GUTI of the UE to the second network, if the UE is located in a location area outside the registered tracking area. ¶ [0053]; and triggering to perform the RA update based on an existing TA anomaly in response to the TA anomaly existing (See Figs. 5 and 6: When a MME receives the TAU request or the attach request sent by the UE, the MME requests context information of the UE from a previous MME to which the UE registered, according to the GUTI, and a NHN-ID of a NH network currently serving the UE is updated with a new NHN-ID (i.e., triggering with the updated second network identifier). ¶ [0055]).
Regarding claim 25; LU teaches the communication device wherein the processors are configured to: determine whether the TA anomaly exists when paging the UE (See Fig. 6, when the UE is located in the location area inside the registered tracking area (TA) and traffic for the UE arrives or a paging message is received by the UE, the UE may initiate the service request (SR) procedure to change the state of the UE from the idle state to the connected state. When the UE moves into a location area outside a registered TA, the UE may initiate the TAU procedure or the attach procedure based on the GUTI, to inform the core network that the service location area of the UE has changed. ¶ [0055]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
Claims 3-4, 9, 24, 26, and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LU (US 2019/0116529 A1) in view of RYU et al. (US 2019/0373441 A1).
Regarding claims 3; LU teaches the method further comprising: paging the UE for determining the TA anomaly.
LU doesn’t explicitly provide paging after the RA update of the UE is completed.
RYU discloses paging after the RA update of the UE is completed (RYU: the network may request registration update through paging while the UE is in the idle mode (e.g., connection management (CM)-idle mode) (case A) or through an additional NAS message (e.g., registration update command) while the UE is in the connected mode. ¶ [0462-0464]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide paging after the RA update of the UE is completed as taught by RYU to have incorporated in the system of LU, so that it would provide to introduce that a network can flexibly adjust operation per UE as differentiated UE mobility forms. RYU: ¶ [0024].
Regarding claim 4; LU teaches the method further comprising:
receiving a request message, wherein the request message encompasses information of the TA where the UE is currently positioned (See Fig. 5: @ step 32 for determining whether the UE is currently located in a location area inside a registered tracking area saved by the UE, when the second network identifier is different (i.e., anomaly of TA) from the first network identifier. ¶ [0051]);
determining whether the TA where the UE is currently positioned is located outside the RA of the UE according to the NAS request message See Fig. 5: Step 34: sending a location area update request or an attach request carrying the GUTI of the UE to the second network, if the UE is located in a location area outside the registered tracking area. ¶ [0053]); and
determining that the TA anomaly occurs in response to determining that the TA where the UE is currently positioned is located outside the RA (See Figs. 5 and 6: When a MME receives the TAU request or the attach request sent by the UE, the MME requests context information of the UE from a previous MME to which the UE registered, according to the GUTI, and a NHN-ID of a NH network currently serving the UE is updated with a new NHN-ID (i.e., triggering with the updated second network identifier). ¶ [0055]).
LU doesn’t explicitly provide using the non-access stratum (NAS) request message.
RYU discloses using the non-access stratum (NAS) request message (RYU: Non-Access Stratum (NAS): a functional layer for exchanging signals and traffic messages between a terminal and a core network at the UMTS and EPS protocol stack. ¶ [0075]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide using the non-access stratum (NAS) request message as taught by RYU to have incorporated in the system of LU, so that it would provide for supporting mobility of a terminal and a session management procedure for establishing and maintaining an IP connection between the terminal and a PDN GW. RYU: ¶ [0075].
Regarding claim 9; LU teaches the method further comprising: sending a request message, wherein the request message, after being added with location information of the UE at the time of passing through an access network device, is configured for core network to determine whether the TA anomaly of the UE occurs (See Fig. 5: @ step 32 for determining whether the UE is currently located in a location area inside a registered tracking area saved by the UE, when the second network identifier is different (i.e., anomaly of TA) from the first network identifier. ¶ [0051]);
LU doesn’t explicitly provide using the non-access stratum (NAS) request message.
RYU discloses using the non-access stratum (NAS) request message (RYU: Non-Access Stratum (NAS): a functional layer for exchanging signals and traffic messages between a terminal and a core network at the UMTS and EPS protocol stack. ¶ [0075]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide using the non-access stratum (NAS) request message as taught by RYU to have incorporated in the system of LU, so that it would provide for supporting mobility of a terminal and a session management procedure for establishing and maintaining an IP connection between the terminal and a PDN GW. RYU: ¶ [0075].
Regarding claim 24; LU in view of RYU teaches the method comprising: responding the NAS request message when the TA anomaly is determined (RYU: Non-Access Stratum (NAS): a functional layer for exchanging signals and traffic messages between a terminal and a core network at the UMTS and EPS protocol stack. ¶ [0075]).
Regarding claim 26; LU teaches the communication device wherein the processors are configured to: page the UE for determining the TA anomaly.
LU doesn’t explicitly provide paging after the RA update of the UE is completed.
RYU discloses paging after the RA update of the UE is completed (RYU: the network may request registration update through paging while the UE is in the idle mode (e.g., connection management (CM)-idle mode) (case A) or through an additional NAS message (e.g., registration update command) while the UE is in the connected mode. ¶ [0462-0464]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide paging after the RA update of the UE is completed as taught by RYU to have incorporated in the system of LU, so that it would provide to introduce that a network can flexibly adjust operation per UE as differentiated UE mobility forms. RYU: ¶ [0024].
Regarding claim 27; LU teaches the communication device wherein the processors are configured to:
receive a request message, wherein the request message encompasses information of the TA where the UE is currently positioned (See Fig. 5: @ step 32 for determining whether the UE is currently located in a location area inside a registered tracking area saved by the UE, when the second network identifier is different (i.e., anomaly of TA) from the first network identifier. ¶ [0051]);
determine whether the TA where the UE is currently positioned is located outside the RA of the UE according to the NAS request message See Fig. 5: Step 34: sending a location area update request or an attach request carrying the GUTI of the UE to the second network, if the UE is located in a location area outside the registered tracking area. ¶ [0053]); and
determine that the TA anomaly occurs in response to determining that the TA where the UE is currently positioned is located outside the RA (See Figs. 5 and 6: When a MME receives the TAU request or the attach request sent by the UE, the MME requests context information of the UE from a previous MME to which the UE registered, according to the GUTI, and a NHN-ID of a NH network currently serving the UE is updated with a new NHN-ID (i.e., triggering with the updated second network identifier). ¶ [0055]).
LU doesn’t explicitly provide using the non-access stratum (NAS) request message.
RYU discloses using the non-access stratum (NAS) request message (RYU: Non-Access Stratum (NAS): a functional layer for exchanging signals and traffic messages between a terminal and a core network at the UMTS and EPS protocol stack. ¶ [0075]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide using the non-access stratum (NAS) request message as taught by RYU to have incorporated in the system of LU, so that it would provide for supporting mobility of a terminal and a session management procedure for establishing and maintaining an IP connection between the terminal and a PDN GW. RYU: ¶ [0075].
Claims 5-6 and 28-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LU (US 2019/0116529 A1) in view of RYU et al. (US 2019/0373441 A1) and further in view of Farley et al. (US 2016/0105765 A1).
Regarding claim 5; LU teaches the method further comprising:
receiving a registration update request initiated by the UE in response to a record of the TA anomaly existing (See Fig. 5: @ step 32 for determining whether the UE is currently located in a location area inside a registered tracking area saved by the UE, when the second network identifier is different (i.e., anomaly of TA) from the first network identifier. ¶ [0051]); and
determining a record of the TA anomaly after the RA update corresponding to the registration update request is completed (See Figs. 5 and 6: When a MME receives the TAU request or the attach request sent by the UE, the MME requests context information of the UE from a previous MME to which the UE registered, according to the GUTI, and a NHN-ID of a NH network currently serving the UE is updated with a new NHN-ID (i.e., triggering with the updated second network identifier). ¶ [0055]).
Neither LU nor RYU discloses removing a record of the TA.
However, Farley teaches removing a record of the TA (Farley: See Fig. 7, removing any flags associated with a tracking device and/or canceling any location request previously provided to the community of users 105. ¶ [0038]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide removing a record of the TA as taught by Farley to have incorporated in the system of LU, so that it would provide to preserve power by activating location-detection functionality (such as a GPS receive) only in response to the detection of movement of the tracking device, and de-activating the location-detection functionality upon providing the location information to the tracking server. Farley: Abstract.
Regarding claim 6; LU teaches the method wherein the registration update request comprises: the registration update request initiated when the UE receives the triggering of the TA anomaly (See Figs. 5 and 6: When a MME receives the TAU request or the attach request sent by the UE, the MME requests context information of the UE from a previous MME to which the UE registered, according to the GUTI, and a NHN-ID of a NH network currently serving the UE is updated with a new NHN-ID (i.e., triggering with the updated second network identifier). ¶ [0055]);
alternatively, a registration update request triggered by location movement of the UE (LU: when the UE moves from a first cell to the second cell; and sending an access request carrying a Globally Unique Temporary identifier (GUTI) of the UE to the second network to access the second network, when the second network identifier is different from a first network identifier of a first network in which the first cell is located. ¶ [0013]); and
alternatively, a periodic registration update request initiated by the UE (LU: Step 44: sending the location area update request or the attach request carrying the GUTI of the UE to the second network, if the UE is located in a location area outside the registered tracking area. ¶ [0063]).
Regarding claim 28; LU teaches the communication device wherein the processors are configured to:
receive a registration update request initiated by the UE in response to a record of the TA anomaly existing (See Fig. 5: @ step 32 for determining whether the UE is currently located in a location area inside a registered tracking area saved by the UE, when the second network identifier is different (i.e., anomaly of TA) from the first network identifier. ¶ [0051]); and
determine a record of the TA anomaly after the RA update corresponding to the registration update request is completed (See Figs. 5 and 6: When a MME receives the TAU request or the attach request sent by the UE, the MME requests context information of the UE from a previous MME to which the UE registered, according to the GUTI, and a NHN-ID of a NH network currently serving the UE is updated with a new NHN-ID (i.e., triggering with the updated second network identifier). ¶ [0055]).
Neither LU nor RYU discloses removing a record of the TA.
However, Farley teaches removing a record of the TA (Farley: See Fig. 7, removing any flags associated with a tracking device and/or canceling any location request previously provided to the community of users 105. ¶ [0038]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide removing a record of the TA as taught by Farley to have incorporated in the system of LU, so that it would provide to preserve power by activating location-detection functionality (such as a GPS receive) only in response to the detection of movement of the tracking device, and de-activating the location-detection functionality upon providing the location information to the tracking server. Farley: Abstract.
Regarding claim 29; LU teaches the communication device wherein the processors are configured to: wherein the registration update request comprises: the registration update request initiated when the UE receives the triggering of the TA anomaly (See Figs. 5 and 6: When a MME receives the TAU request or the attach request sent by the UE, the MME requests context information of the UE from a previous MME to which the UE registered, according to the GUTI, and a NHN-ID of a NH network currently serving the UE is updated with a new NHN-ID (i.e., triggering with the updated second network identifier). ¶ [0055]);
alternatively, a registration update request triggered by location movement of the UE (LU: when the UE moves from a first cell to the second cell; and sending an access request carrying a Globally Unique Temporary identifier (GUTI) of the UE to the second network to access the second network, when the second network identifier is different from a first network identifier of a first network in which the first cell is located. ¶ [0013]); and
alternatively, a periodic registration update request initiated by the UE (LU: Step 44: sending the location area update request or the attach request carrying the GUTI of the UE to the second network, if the UE is located in a location area outside the registered tracking area. ¶ [0063]).
Regarding claim 30; LU teaches the communication device wherein the processor are further configured to:
send a triggering indication sent by a network side based on the TA anomaly of the UE (See Fig. 6: When the UE moves into a location area outside a registered TA, the UE may initiate the TAU procedure or the attach procedure based on the GUTI, to inform the core network that the service location area of the UE has changed (i.e., triggering anomaly). ¶ [0055]), wherein the TA anomaly comprises: a TA where the UE is currently positioned is located outside an RA of the UE (See Fig. 5: Step 34: sending a location area update request or an attach request carrying the GUTI of the UE to the second network, if the UE is located in a location area outside the registered tracking area. ¶ [0053]).
Claim 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LU (US 2019/0116529 A1) in view of RYU et al. (US 2019/0373441 A1) and further in view of Knauft et al. (US 2012/0252451 A1).
Regarding claim 22; LU teaches the method wherein triggering an RA update of the UE in response to the TA anomaly comprises:
determining whether the TA anomaly exists (See Figs. 5 and 6: When a MME receives the TAU request or the attach request sent by the UE… a NHN-ID of a NH network currently serving the UE is updated with a new NHN-ID (i.e., triggering with the updated second network identifier). ¶ [0055]); and
triggering to perform the RA update based on an existing TA anomaly in response to the TA anomaly existing (See Figs. 5 and 6: When a MME receives the TAU request or the attach request sent by the UE, the MME requests context information of the UE from a previous MME to which the UE registered, according to the GUTI, and a NHN-ID of a NH network currently serving the UE is updated with a new NHN-ID (i.e., triggering with the updated second network identifier). ¶ [0055]).
Neither LU nor RYU discloses determining the TA on periodic basic.
However, Knauft teaches determining the TA on periodically (Knauft: The idea behind this periodic tracking update is that the MME wants to know the most precise location of the UE, but if the UE comprises a large registered area neighbor list or RTA list, the UE may travel many tracking areas away from its last reported position by the time it moves outside the area comprising the RTA or neighbor list. ¶ [0053]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to provide determining the TA on periodically as taught by Knauft to have incorporated in the system of LU, so that it would provide the MME to more effectively detect when a UE has stopped toggling between adjacent tracking areas and the UE can update the RTA list to improve paging efficiency. Knauft: ¶ [0032].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kilpatrick II et al. (US 2015/0163639 A1 to discuss Mobile Device Defined Tracking Area).
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAI AUNG whose telephone number is (571)272-3507. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday, Alt Fridays, 7:30 AM- 5:00 PM (EST).
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/SAI AUNG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2416