DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
This is in response to Applicants amendment filed 06/23/2026 which has been entered. Claims 1, 4-6, 8, 10, 12-15 and 19 have been amended. Claims 2, 3, 7, 9, 11, 16-18 and 20 have been cancelled. No Claims have been added. Claims 1, 4-6, 8, 10, 12-15 and 19 are still pending in this application, with Claims 1, 10 and 19 being independent.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 06/23/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Please see the body of the rejection for a detailed explanation as to why the arguments are not found to be persuasive.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 4-6, 8, 10, 12-15 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Chiang et al (2019/0044984 A1).
As per Claims 1 and 10, Chiang teaches an electronic device supporting a rich communication service (RCS) message (Figure 1 – References 102 and 106; Figure 3 – Reference 302; Page 1, Paragraph [0012]; Page 5, Paragraph [0050]) comprising: communication circuitry (Figure 3 – Reference 324; Page 5, Paragraph [0051]; Page 6, Paragraph [0059]); at least one processor including processing circuitry (Figure 3 – Reference 314; Page 5, Paragraph [0051]; Page 6, Paragraph [0056]); and memory storing instructions (Figure 3 – Reference 308; Page 5, Paragraph [0051]; Page 6, Paragraph [0055]).
(Note: In paragraph [0012], Chiang describes a method for discovering device capabilities with a network wherein when a user equipment [UE] initiates a communication session a SIP INVITE is sent to a destination UE and the destination UE provides a capability exchange. The capability information of the UE indicates whether the UE is capable of supporting voice/video calls, RCS capability, real-time text, SMS/MMS messaging, encryption, codec capability, etc. In paragraph [0050], Chiang describes the ability of a UE and/or a capability server implementing device service capability discovery techniques)
Chiang also teaches wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor individually or collectively, cause the electronic device to: identify that an external electronic device supports the RCS message by performing capability exchange with the external electronic device, transmit, via the communication circuitry to the identified external electronic device (Figure 1A – References 108, 110 and 112; Page 3, Paragraphs [0027] – [0030]).
(In paragraph [0027], Chiang describes a UE initiating a communication and the transmission of an INVITE command which is received at a capability server. In paragraph [0028], Chiang describes the destination UE providing a capability exchange with detailed information specifying the communication types the destination device can support)
(Note: In paragraph [0029], Chiang indicates capability information may include voice/video call capability, RCS capability, RTT capability, SMS/MMS capability, encryption, codec capability, display characteristics, device state, installed applications, connection strength, connection type, connection protocol, etc. In paragraph [0030], Chiang describes the capability exchange resulting in an update event which updates capability information associated with the UE)
Chiang further teaches a request message including information relating to support for the RCS message of the electronic device based on receiving a short message service (SMS) message or a multimedia message service (MMS) message from the identified external electronic device (Page 1, Paragraph [0012]), and receive, via the communication circuitry from the identified external electronic device, a response message corresponding to the request message, wherein the response message includes information on a capability of the identified external electronic device is restricted (Page 3, Paragraphs [0028] and [0029]; Page 4, Paragraph [0041]).
(Note: In paragraph [0012], Chiang describes the initiation of a communication session which Chiang indicated may be a SMS/MMS message. In paragraph [0028], Chiang describes the process by which a capability exchange is performed. In paragraph [0029], Chiang describes providing capability information which includes among other things RCS capability. In paragraph [0041], Chiang describes an error discovery component that is responsible for receiving any error message associated with a destination UE and to update capability information in response)
(Note: In paragraph [0041], Chiang describes determining and updating, based in part of information included in the error message, the capability information associated with the destination UE. Chiang indicates an error message received may be interpreted to mean that the capabilities [i.e. RCS] are unavailable [i.e. restricted] at the destination UE)
As per Claims 4 and 12, Chiang teaches when the SMS message or the MMS message is received from the identified external electronic device, determine that the identified external electronic device restricts transmission of the RCS message, and based on determining that the identified external electronic device restricts transmission of the RCS message, transmit the request message to the identified external electronic device as described in Claim 1.
(Note: As described above, Chiang describes the initiation of a communication session [i.e. SMS/MMS message] which results in a capability exchange. The error discovery component producing an error message is interpreted to mean that the capabilities [i.e. RCS] are unavailable [i.e. restricted] at the destination UE)
As per Claims 5 and 13, Chiang teaches identifying whether there exists a transmission history of the request message, and in case that there is no transmission history of the request message, transmit the request message to the identified external electronic device as described in Claims 1 and 4 above. (Note: In paragraph [0033], Chiang indicates the error message can include any level of detail regarding the state of the UE, most recent capability information, time of last contact, historical access information which the Examiner is considering as evidence of a transmission history of the request message related to capability exchange)
As per Claims 6 and 14, Chiang teaches in case that there exists a transmission history of the request message, identify a previous transmission time point of the request message, in case that the previous transmission time point of the request message satisfies a designated transmission condition, transmit the request message to the identified external electronic device, and in case that the previous transmission time point of the request message does not satisfy the designated transmission condition, restrict transmission of the request message as described above in Claims 1 and 5.
As per Claims 8 and 15, Chiang teaches in case that it is determined, based on the information on the capability of the identified external electronic device included the response message, that the identified external electronic device does not support the RCS message, update information on the capability of the identified external electronic device, which is stored in the memory, based on not supporting of the RCS message as described in Claim 1.
As per Claim 19, Chiang teaches a method as described in Claim 10. Chaing also teaches one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions (Page 6, Paragraph [0057]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Raymond et al (2020/0100100 A1), Lin (2018/0337961 A1), Beaufils et al (2016/0226933 A1), Iyer et al (2018/0288105 A1), Amin et al (2020/0252792 A1), Bailly et al (2019/0116140 A1) and Synal (2022/0060891 A1). Each of these describes systems and methods of probing device communication capabilities in wireless communication systems.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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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KHARYE POPE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2693
/KHARYE POPE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2693
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