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 § 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.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zee et al (US 2019/0239191, hereinafter Zee, claiming priority date of provisional application 62/376,954) and Anderson et al (US 2014/0321371, hereinafter Anderson).
Regarding claim 1, Zee discloses a method performed by a first core network (CN) device, the method comprising: receiving, from a radio access network (RAN), in response to a RAN based paging failure, a first message comprising first information (outcome of the performed RAN paging procedure is a failure, RAN node sends a request to the CN node to perform paging to the UE, Para [0062], providing CN node with information pertaining to the RAN paging procedure, Para [0064], RAN and CN exchange paging information, Para [0111], information may be exchanged in UE context messages, Para [0113]); initiating a CN based paging procedure, and sending, to the UE, a first paging message (CN node performs paging procedure of the wireless device, Para [0062]. Also see pages 14-15 and 18 of the provisional); but does not explicitly disclose first information is for identifying information related to the first UE. Anderson discloses when there is no response from the eNB paging the UE, the eNB sends a paging escalation message to the MME, Para [0161], message sent to the CN includes an identification of the UE, Para [0237] and paging messages identify the UE they are attempting to contact, Para [0222]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Anderson in the system of Zee in order to reduce system resource and control overheads.
Regarding claim 2, Zee discloses a first core network (CN, Fig. 6) device comprising: one or more memories storing instructions and one or more processors (memory and processor, Fig. 6) configured to process the instructions to control the first CN device to: receive, from a radio access network (RAN), a first message comprising first information of a user equipment (UE) (outcome of the performed RAN paging procedure is a failure, RAN node sends a request to the CN node to perform paging to the UE, Para [0062], providing CN node with information pertaining to the RAN paging procedure, Para [0064], RAN and CN exchange information, Para [0111], information may be exchanged in UE context messages, Para [0113]); initiate a CN based paging procedure; and send, to the UE, a first paging message (CN node performs paging procedure of the wireless device, Para [0062]. Also see Fig. 6, pages 14-15 and 18 of the provisional); but does not explicitly disclose first information is for identifying information related to the first UE. Anderson discloses when there is no response from the eNB paging the UE, the eNB sends a paging escalation message to the MME, Para [0161], message sent to the CN includes an identification of the UE, Para [0237] and paging messages identify the UE they are attempting to contact, Para [0222]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Anderson in the system of Zee in order to reduce system resource and control overheads.
Regarding claim 3, Zee discloses a method performed by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: receiving, from a first core network (CN) device, a first paging message (CN node performs paging procedure of the wireless device, Para [0062]), the first paging message being sent by the first CN device based on a first message being received from a radio access network (RAN) based on a RAN based paging failure, the first message comprising first information of the UE (outcome of the performed RAN paging procedure is a failure, RAN node sends a request to the CN node to perform paging to the UE, Para [0062], providing CN node with information pertaining to the RAN paging procedure, Para [0064], RAN and CN exchange information, Para [0111], information may be exchanged in UE context messages, Para [0113]. Also see pages 14-15 and 18 of the provisional); but does not explicitly disclose first information is for identifying information related to the first UE. Anderson discloses when there is no response from the eNB paging the UE, the eNB sends a paging escalation message to the MME, Para [0161], message sent to the CN includes an identification of the UE, Para [0237] and paging messages identify the UE they are attempting to contact, Para [0222]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Anderson in the system of Zee in order to reduce system resource and control overheads.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/26/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The Applicant amends the limitations in the claim and argues the references do not disclose the amended limitations. Applicant argues Zee does not disclose first information for identifying information related to the first UE. In response, arguments are moot because a new reference is being used in the current office action in response to the amended limitations.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 KEVIN CUNNINGHAM whose telephone number is (571) 272-1765. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday 7:30-18:00 (EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Vu can be reached on (571) 272-3155. The fax number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/KEVIN M CUNNINGHAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461
Prosecution Insights