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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lo et al. (US 2024/0056944).
Regarding claims 1 and 11, Lo discloses an apparatus and a method for wireless communications at a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:
performing, while a session is active on a first radio access technology (RAT) network, reselection to a second RAT network from a third RAT network (Fig. 6 to Fig. 8; paragraphs [0051]-[0053]; see UE 102 is configured to establish voice calls over wi-fi network (first RAT); when the wifi signal drops (block 630), the UE 102 handover to 5G network (third RAT) (block 608); the 5G network 601 does not support VoNR, the UE 102 performs fallback procedure over 4G LTE cellular (second RAT) to maintain voice call continuity (block 614));
performing a handover to the second RAT network, after detecting a condition impacting the session on the first RAT network (Fig. 6 block 616; paragraph [0053]; e.g., The data connection (data-PDU-session) 607-1 and the voice service (IMS-PDU-session) 615-1 may be transferred from the 5G cellular network 601 to the 4G LTE cellular network 603 using, for example, standardized procedures, such as release with redirect or inter-system handover); and
resuming the session on the second RAT network (paragraph [0053]; e.g., the UE 102 is currently operating over the 4G LTE cellular network 603, e.g., one or both of the data connection 607-2 or the voice service 615-2 are being carried over the 4G LTE cellular network 603) and (paragraph [0059]; e.g., when the UE 102 detaches from the 5G cellular network 601, the data connection (data-PDU-session) 607-1 is released and the UE 102 re-establishes the data connection 607-2 as a data-PDN connection after the UE 102 attaches to the 4G LTE cellular network 603).
Regarding claims 12 and 2, Lo discloses the method and the apparatus of claims 11 and 1, wherein the condition involves signal quality in the first RAT network (paragraph [0055]; e.g., If the Wi-Fi signal 625 does not satisfy the signal threshold 627, a VoWiFi call is not initiated/established).
Regarding claims 13 and 3, Lo discloses the method and the apparatus of claims 11 and 1, wherein performing the handover comprises transmitting a packet data network (PDN) handover request to the second RAT network (paragraph [0053]; e.g., the voice service (IMS-PDU-session) 615-1 are carried over the 4G LTE cellular network 603 as a corresponding LTE data-PDN connection 607-2 and IMS-PDN connection 615-2).
Regarding claims 14 and 4, Lo discloses the method and the apparatus of claims 13 and 3, wherein the session is resumed on the second RAT network after receiving an acceptance of the PDN handover request (paragraphs [0053], [0059]; e.g., the UE 102 sends an OTA message, such as a Tracking Area Update (TAU) request to notify the mobile network 100 that the UE 102 is now in coverage of the 4G LTE cellular network 603).
Regarding claims 15 and 5, Lo discloses the method and the apparatus of claims 11 and 1, further comprising performing reselection to a third RAT network after an end of the session on the second RAT network (paragraph [0059]; e.g., the UE 102 actively/forcibly selects the 4G LTE cellular network 603 or when the UE 102 disables its 5G NR SA capability).
Regarding claims 16 and 6, Lo discloses the method and the apparatus of claims 15 and 5, wherein the UE is camped on the third RAT network when it performs the reselection to the second RAT network (paragraph [0056]; see UE 102 connects to the 5G network then the UE figures out the 5G does not support VoNR; it characterizes as the UE is camped on the 5G (third RAT) ).
Regarding claims 17 and 7, Lo discloses the method and the apparatus of claims 15 and 5, wherein the UE performs the reselection to the second RAT network irrespective of a relative priority assigned to the third RAT and second RAT (paragraphs [0056]-[0059]).
Regarding claims 18 and 8, Lo discloses the method and the apparatus of claims 15 and 5, wherein: the session comprises a voice call (paragraph [0022]; e.g., voice call); and
the UE is capable of supporting evolved packet system (EPS) fallback for the voice call (paragraphs [0037], [0050]; e.g., If the network supports Wi-Fi to 5G NR handover, then an EPS fallback procedure is triggered, and the call will ultimately be resumed using the LTE RAN).
Regarding claims 19, 9, and 10, Lo discloses the method and the apparatus of claims 15 and 5, wherein:
the first RAT network comprises a wireless local area network (WLAN) (paragraph [0003]; WLAN);
the second and third RAT networks comprise wireless wide area networks (WWANs) (paragraphs [0022]; e.g., 5G);
the second RAT network comprises a long term evolution (LTE) network (paragraph [0023]; 4G LTE); and
the third RAT network comprises a new radio (NR) network (paragraphs [0023], [0025]; see 5G NR).
Claim 20 is drawn to a non-transitory computer-readable medium for wireless communications, comprising code means for generating steps of claim 11. Therefore, the same rationale applied to claim 11 applies. In addition, Lo inherently discloses a computer program product, i.e., given that Lo discloses a process (paragraph [0065]), the process would be implemented by a processor that requires a computer program product, e.g., a RAM, to function.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Agarwal et al. (US 2023/0036966) discloses a handover of the call service from wi-fi network to LTE, then handover from LTE to NR network.
Shi et al (US 2023/0239952) discloses the UE performs an EPS fall back procedure.
Todd et al. (US 2013/0003703) discloses a handover from WLAN to WWAN networks.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TIMOTHY X PHAM whose telephone number is (571)270-7115. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri: 8:30-5:00.
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/TIMOTHY X PHAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3648
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