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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed October 28, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The Applicant argues on page 7 of Remarks that Huang-Fu fails to teach or suggest that a single cell supports a plurality of PLMNs, nor that the UE receives information for each of those PLMNs. Huang-Fu merely describes receiving assistance information from a base station relating to a single PLMN. Notably, however, there is no disclosure or suggestion of receiving PLMN-related data for multiple PLMNs supported by one cell. The Examiner respectfully disagrees.
The Examiner respectfully suggests the Applicant to refer to paragraphs 0006 and 0024 of Huang-Fu where it describes that in Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) selection and cell search procedure, a UE scans all RF channels in the frequency band according to its capabilities to find available PLMNs and suitable cells. On each carrier, the UE searches for the strongest cell according to the cell search procedure and reads its system information in order to find out which PLMN the cell belongs to. These teachings of Huang-Fu clearly discloses that the UE receives not just a single PLMN information, but a plurality of PLMNs information broadcasted by the base station since Huang-Fu expressly describes that the UE scans the frequency band to find available PLMNs and suitable cells, and not just a single PLMN.
Furthermore, it is also well known in the art that it is standard in LTE and/or 5G networks that a “cell” (e.g., gNB cell or eNB cell) broadcasts multiple PLMN IDs in SIB1 since it supports multiple PLMNs.
Therefore, the Applicant incorrectly argues that Huang-Fu discloses a single cell supports only a single PLMN. In fact, Huang-Fu expressly discloses that a single cell supports multiple PLMNs as discussed above.
The Applicant repeats the same arguments with regard to independent claim 19, it is noted that the combination of Huang-Fu and Pakniat discloses the argued features as discussed above.
Based on the above discussion, it should be clear to the Applicant that the combination of Huang-Fu and Pakniat discloses the argued features; therefore, previous rejections are maintained.
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.
Claim(s) 1-7, 10-16, and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang-Fu et al. (hereinafter “Huang-Fu”, US 2019/0223091) in view of Pakniat et al. (hereinafter “Pakniat”, US 2019/0357095).
Regarding claim 1, Huang-Fu discloses a method comprising:
detecting at a device associated with a first public land mobile network, a cell (i.e., UE 101 receives assistance information via system information broadcasted by the first base station including frequency band of NR/LTE cells, PLMN ID, subcarrier spacing (SCS) for NR cells or LTE ENDC cells as described in paragraph 0025);
receiving, for each of a plurality of public land mobile networks supported by the cell an indication as to whether or not the cell is available (i.e., UE 101 receives assistance information via system information broadcasted by the first base station including frequency band of NR/LTE cells, PLMN ID, subcarrier spacing (SCS) for NR cells or LTE ENDC cells as described in paragraph 0025); and
determining, in dependence upon the indications and based on the first public land mobile network, whether to request standalone access of the cell (i.e., selecting options 1-4 as shown in Fig. 6).
Huang-Fu, however, does not expressly disclose an indication as to whether or not the cell is available for standalone access for that public land mobile network.
In a similar endeavor, Pakniat discloses report NSA/SA NR indicator. Pakniat also discloses:
an indication as to whether or not the cell is available for standalone access for that public land mobile network (i.e., Standalone (SA)/Non-standalone (NSA) indicators as described in paragraphs 0082 and 0098).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify the teachings of the cited references, and arrive at the present invention.
The motivation/suggestion for doing so would have been to enable the UE to establish a connection with a desired network.
With further regard to claim 10, Huang-Fu also discloses an apparatus (i.e., an UE 201 as shown in Fig. 2) comprising:
at least one processor and at least one memory including a computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor (i.e., processor 232 and memory 231 including program 236 as shown in Fig. 2).
Regarding claims 2 and 11, Huang-Fu and Pakniat disclose all limitations within claims as described above. Pakniat also discloses wherein the cell is available for standalone access for some of the plurality of public land mobile networks; and the cell is unavailable for standalone access for some of the plurality of public land mobile networks (i.e., CN identifiers/PLMN identifiers broadcasted in system information for the SA/NSA cells could be used by the UE to determine if the cells can be camped or not as described in paragraph 0082).
Regarding claims 3, and 12, Huang-Fu and Pakniat disclose all limitations within claims as described above. Huang-Fu also discloses if the indications indicate that the cell is available for standalone access for the first public land mobile network, requesting standalone access for the cell (i.e., selecting options 1-4 as shown in Fig. 6 and performing registration as described in paragraph 0029).
Regarding claims 4, and 13, Huang-Fu and Pakniat disclose all limitations within claims as described above. Pakniat also discloses wherein at least prior to requesting standalone access for the cell, the device is in IDLE mode (i.e., the UE is in idle/inactive mode as described in paragraphs 0011, and 0098).
Regarding claims 5 and 14, Huang-Fu and Pakniat disclose all limitations within claims as described above. Pakniat also discloses comprising if the indications indicate that the cell is unavailable for standalone access for the first public land mobile network, accessing the cell in dual connectivity mode (i.e., based on a determination that the neighbor cell supports a NSA mode of operation, configuring dual connectivity with the neighbor cell as described in paragraph 0044).
Regarding claims 6 and 15, Huang-Fu and Pakniat disclose all limitations within claims as described above. Pakniat also discloses receiving from a base station, a system information block comprising the indications as to whether or not the cell is available for standalone access for the plurality of public land mobile networks (i.e., SA/NSA as described in paragraphs 0082 and 0098).
Regarding claims 7 and 16, Huang-Fu and Pakniat disclose all limitations within claims as described above. Pakniat also discloses wherein, for at least one of the plurality of public land mobile networks, the indication comprises a presence or absence of a tracking area code (i.e., the Tracking Area Code as described in paragraph 0036-0037).
Regarding claim 19, Huang-Fu discloses an apparatus (i.e., BS 202 as shown in Fig. 2) comprising:
at least one processor and at least one memory including a computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor (i.e., processor 222 and memory 221 including program 224 as shown in Fig. 2), cause the apparatus at least to for each of a plurality of public land mobile networks supported by a cell, cause a transmission to a device of an indication as to whether or not the cell is available (i.e., UE 101 receives assistance information via system information broadcasted by the first base station including frequency band of NR/LTE cells, PLMN ID, subcarrier spacing (SCS) for NR cells or LTE ENDC cells as described in paragraph 0025 and as shown in Fig. 3).
Huang-Fu, however, does not expressly disclose an indication as to whether or not the cell is available for standalone access for that public land mobile network.
In a similar endeavor, Pakniat discloses report NSA/SA NR indicator. Pakniat also discloses:
an indication as to whether or not the cell is available for standalone access for that public land mobile network (i.e., Standalone (SA)/Non-standalone (NSA) indicators as described in paragraphs 0082 and 0098).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify the teachings of the cited references, and arrive at the present invention.
The motivation/suggestion for doing so would have been to enable the UE to establish a connection with a desired network.
Regarding claim 20, Huang-Fu and Pakniat disclose all limitations within claims as described above. Huang-Fu also discloses if the indication indicates that the cell is available for standalone access for the first public land mobile network supported by the device, receiving a request for standalone access for the cell from the device (i.e., selecting options 1-4 as shown in Fig. 6 and performing registration as described in paragraph 0029).
Claim(s) 8-9 and 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang-Fu in view of Pakniat and further in view of Fodor et al. (hereinafter “Fodor”, US 2012/0157095).
Regarding claims 8 and 17, Huang-Fu and Pakniat disclose all limitations within claims as described above, but do not expressly disclose features of these claims.
In a similar endeavor, Fodor discloses closed subscriber group handling for supporting network sharing of home base stations. Fordor also discloses wherein for at least one of the plurality of public land mobile networks, the indication comprises a binary indicator in a field of tracking area code information (i.e., TAC field as shown in Fig. 6).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify the teachings of the cited references, and arrive at the present invention.
The motivation/suggestion for doing so would have been to enable the UE to identify and access the network.
Regarding claims 9 and 18, Huang-Fu and Pakniat disclose all limitations within claims as described above, but do not expressly disclose features of these claims.
In a similar endeavor, Fodor discloses closed subscriber group handling for supporting network sharing of home base stations. Fordor also discloses wherein, for at least one of the plurality of public land mobile networks, the indication comprises a binary indicator in cell access related information (i.e., cell access related information as shown in Fig. 6).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify the teachings of the cited references, and arrive at the present invention.
The motivation/suggestion for doing so would have been to enable the UE to identify and access the network.
Conclusion
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WAYNE CAI whose telephone number is (571)272-7798. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday, 7:00 AM-5:00 PM.
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/Wayne H Cai/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2644