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 Amendment
Applicant’s submission filed on 09/15/2025 has been entered. Claims 1-20 are pending.
Claim Objections
Claim 15 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 15, “connecting the first MME to one or more other MMEs including second MME” should read “connecting the first MME to one or more other MMEs including a second MME” (emphasis added).
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 4, 11, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. Claims 4, 11, and 17 each recite the limitation “sending, by the first MME, the first MME UE S1AP ID in a context response message”. There is support for the first MME sending a context response message after using a MME UE S1AP ID in the Applicant’s specification at least in par. [0049], but there is no indication that the MME UE S1AP ID is included in the context response message.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 3, 10, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 3 and 10 each recite the limitation "the MMEs". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is unclear if this is referring to “the first MME” and “the second MME” or “one or more other MMEs” or entirely separate MMEs. For the purpose of examination, it is interpreted as referring to “the first MME” and “the second MME”.
Claim 17 recites the limitation "the target MME". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For the purposes of examination, it is being interpreted as “the second MME” consistent with parallel claims 4 and 11.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1, 3, 5-6, 8, 10, 12-13, 15, and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu et al. (US 2014/0286314), hereinafter “Xu ‘314”, in view of Rune et al. (WO 2009/120127), hereinafter “Rune”.
Regarding claims 1, 8, 15, Xu ‘314 teaches:
A method for performing a user equipment (UE) handover from a source base station, coupled to a first mobility management entity (MME), to a target base station, coupled to a second MME (see Xu ‘314, Figs. 1, 4, and 8, par. [0274], lines 2-7: all or part of steps involved in the above method of the embodiments may instruct the relevant hardware to complete through program. The program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium. The program includes one of the steps of the method embodiments or combination thereof when implementing, and see par. [0009]: one embodiment of the present invention provides a method of supporting group handover, which is applied to UE in communications with network via relay nodes (RN), including: a base station S(Serving or Source)-DeNB switching RN to a base station T(Target)-DeNB, and the S-DeNB switching the UE served by RN to the T-DeNB), or a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions which, when executed on a processor at a first mobility management entity (MME) in a mobile network, cause the first MME to perform operations for a user equipment (UE) handover from a source base station, coupled to the first MME, to a target base station, coupled to a second MME (see Xu ‘314, Figs. 1, 4, and 8, par. [0274], lines 2-7: all or part of steps involved in the above method of the embodiments may instruct the relevant hardware to complete through program. The program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium. The program includes one of the steps of the method embodiments or combination thereof when implementing, and see par. [0009]: one embodiment of the present invention provides a method of supporting group handover, which is applied to UE in communications with network via relay nodes (RN), including: a base station S(Serving or Source)-DeNB switching RN to a base station T(Target)-DeNB, and the S-DeNB switching the UE served by RN to the T-DeNB), or a first mobility management entity (MME) for a user equipment (UE) handover from a source base station, coupled to the first MME, to a target base station, coupled to a second MME (see Xu ‘314, Figs. 1, 4, and 8, par. [0274], lines 2-7: all or part of steps involved in the above method of the embodiments may instruct the relevant hardware to complete through program. The program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium. The program includes one of the steps of the method embodiments or combination thereof when implementing, and see par. [0009]: one embodiment of the present invention provides a method of supporting group handover, which is applied to UE in communications with network via relay nodes (RN), including: a base station S(Serving or Source)-DeNB switching RN to a base station T(Target)-DeNB, and the S-DeNB switching the UE served by RN to the T-DeNB), comprising:
a memory (see Xu ‘314, Figs. 1, 4, and 8, par. [0274], lines 2-7: all or part of steps involved in the above method of the embodiments may instruct the relevant hardware to complete through program. The program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium. The program includes one of the steps of the method embodiments or combination thereof when implementing); and
a processor, coupled to the memory, and configured (see Xu ‘314, Figs. 1, 4, and 8, par. [0275]: the respective functional units in the respective embodiments of the present invention may be integrated in one processing module, and may also singly physically exist, and may also be integrated in one module by two or more units. The above integrated module may be carried out in the form of hardware, and in the form of software functional module. When the integrated module is carried out in the form of software functional module and is sold or used as an independent product, it may also be stored in a computer readable storage medium) to:
receive a first base station configuration transfer message, from the source base station (see Xu ‘314, Fig. 4, par. [0137]: Step 401: S-DeNB decides to initiate handover of RN. S-DeNB also switches the UE served by RN to T-DeNB at the same time. S-DeNB sends a handover required message to source MME, i.e. S-MME, that is, MME serving RN and UE under RN. The handover required message includes all existing information of RN as UE; in this case, the handover required message corresponds to a first base station configuration transfer message),
send a second base station configuration transfer message on one or more interfaces respectively connecting the first MME to one or more other MMEs including the second MME (see Xu ‘314, Fig. 4, par. [0142]: Step 402: S-MME selects target MME for RN and UE under RN, i.e. T-MME. S-MME may select the same target MME for RN and UE under RN. S-MME sends a forwarding re-location request message to T-MME. The message includes the information of UE served by RN that is received in step 401; in this case, the forwarding re-location request corresponds to a second base station configuration transfer message); and
receive a message from the second MME including a transport layer address of the target base station (see Xu ‘314, Fig. 4, pars. [0152-0158]: Step 406: T-DeNB allocates wireless resource of a Un interface for RN. T-DeNB allocates eNB UE S1 AP ID of T-DeNB and T-MME interface for UE served by RN. T-DeNB allocates downlink TEID and transport layer address of T-DeNB and T-MME interface for UE served by RN. T-DeNB allocates uplink TEID and transport layer address of the RN and T-DeNB interface for UE served by RN. T-DeNB allocates MME UE S1 AP ID of the RN and T-DeNB for UE served by RN. T-DeNB sends a handover request acknowledgement message to T-MME. The message includes the information of RN as UE, e.g. eNB UE S1 AP ID, MME UE S1 AP ID, the received E-RAB information and the failed E-RAB information. The message includes the information of UE served by RN. The information of the UE includes (which may be one or more or all): eNB UE S1 AP ID, and MME UE S1 AP ID (allocated by T-DeNB) of UE in the RN and T-DeNB interface; eNB UE S1 AP ID of UE in the T-DeNB and T-MME interface; alternatively, it may also include MME UE S1 AP ID in the T-DeNB and T-MME interface. E-RAB information of UE, including E-RAB identifier, downlink TEID and transport layer address of T-DeNB and T-MME interface allocated by T-DeNB for UE served by RN, uplink TEID and transport layer address of the RN and T-DeNB interface allocated by T-DeNB for UE served by RN. Step 407, T-MME sends a forwarding re-location response message to S-MME. The message includes the information received in step 406),
However, Xu ‘314 does not teach:
wherein the first base station configuration transfer message includes an ID of the target base station;
wherein the second base station configuration transfer message includes the ID of the target base station, wherein the second base station configuration transfer message is sent on one or more S10 interfaces,
wherein an X2 connection is established between the source base station coupled to the first MME and the target base station coupled to the second MME based on the transport layer address of the target base station.
Rune, in the same field of endeavor, teaches:
wherein the first base station configuration transfer message includes an ID of the target base station (see Rune, Figs. 4 and 5, page 11, lines 11-13: a handover decision is taken by the source eNB (step 500) and a HANDOVER REQUIRED message is sent to the source MME, shown with arrow 501, and see page 10, lines 21-23: a handover decision is taken by the source eNB (step 400) and a HANDOVER REQUIRED message is sent to the MME, shown with arrow 401 , including the CGI of the target cell; in this case, the CGI of the target cell corresponds to an ID of the target base station);
wherein the second base station configuration transfer message includes the ID of the target base station (see Rune, Fig. 4, page 11, lines 13-14: The source MME sends a FORWARD RELOCATION REQUEST message to the target MME, shown with arrow 502, and see page 12, lines 1-7: In the messages of the handover procedure in the direction from the source eNB to the target eNB (i.e. the HANDOVER REQUIRED, FORWARD RELOCATION REQUEST and HANDOVER REQUEST messages) the CGI (and its included parts) of the target/detected cell is included and is used as the basis for routing the messages to the correct target MME and target eNB and to indicate the concerned cell (i.e. the target cell) in the target eNB; in this case, the CGI of the target cell corresponds to an ID of the target base station), wherein the second base station configuration transfer message is sent on one or more S10 interfaces (see Rune, page 13, lines 10-11: In an inter-MME pool scenario the serving MME forwards, in a new type of message, the information to the target MME over S10),
wherein an X2 connection is established between the source base station coupled to the first MME and the target base station coupled to the second MME based on the transport layer address of the target base station (see Rune, page 13, line 28-page 14, line 2: After the message exchange the eNBs determine whether a neighbour relation should be established and what it should be used for and whether an X2 interface should be established. If the detecting eNB determines that an X2 interface should be established, it initiates the X2 establishment by directly (without going via an MME) contacting the detected eNB, using the IP address of the detected eNB received during the preceding information exchange. The detected eNB may reject the X2 establishment if desired. If the detecting eNB does not determine that an X2 interface is needed, the detected eNB may still choose to initiate the X2 establishment, which then may be accepted or rejected by the detecting eNB, and see page 14, lines 14-16: When X2 is established, the two eNBs may (preferably), in accordance with the invention, exchange the CGIs of all their respective cells, to be used to facilitate possible future neighbour relation establishments between cells of the two eNBs, and see page 6, lines 14-22: Figure 1 depicts a communication system, including a radio access system (RAN) such as E-UTRAN, comprising at least one Radio Base Station (RBS), such as evolved Node B (eNB) 15a, 15b and 15c. The RAN is connected over an interface such as the S1- interface 17 to at least one Evolved Packet Core (EPC) network 10a and 10b, which is connected to external networks (not shown in fig. 1 ) such as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) or the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), and/or a connectionless external network as the Internet. Each EPC 10a and 10b comprises e.g. a Mobility Management Entity (MME) which handles control signalling for instance for mobility; in this case, the IP address corresponds to the transport layer address).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the method or non-transitory computer-readable medium or first MME of Xu ‘314 with the ID of the target base station, S10 interface, and establishing an X2 connection of Rune with a reasonable expectation of success. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification for the benefit of improving the method of establishing an inter-eNB cell relation and X2 interface (see Rune, page 3, lines 26-34).
Regarding claims 3, 10, the combination of Xu ‘314 in view of Rune teaches the method or non-transitory computer-readable medium. Xu ‘314 further teaches:
wherein the MMEs are Long Term Evolution (LTE) MMEs, and the target base station is an LTE eNodeB (see Xu ‘314, Fig. 1, par. [0026]: in FIG. 1, it is a schematic diagram of the structure of the existing LTE supporting relay nodes (RN). In a wireless access network of the LTE system, a wireless resource management entity includes a macro base station (eNB) 101 and a RN 102, and RN accesses a core network via another macro base station (DeNB) 103. DeNB is a base station for RN access and is called Donor eNB, wherein eNBs 101 are connected to each other via X2 interface, and each eNB 101 is respectively connected to the Mobility Management Entity (MME) and the Serving Gateway (S-GW) 104 of the core network via S1 interface).
Regarding claims 5, 12, 18, the combination of Xu ‘314 in view of Rune teaches the method or non-transitory computer-readable medium or first MME.
Xu ‘314 does not teach, but Rune teaches:
wherein the transport layer address of the target base station is an Internet Protocol (IP) address (see Rune, page 13, line 28-page 14, line 2: After the message exchange the eNBs determine whether a neighbour relation should be established and what it should be used for and whether an X2 interface should be established. If the detecting eNB determines that an X2 interface should be established, it initiates the X2 establishment by directly (without going via an MME) contacting the detected eNB, using the IP address of the detected eNB received during the preceding information exchange. The detected eNB may reject the X2 establishment if desired. If the detecting eNB does not determine that an X2 interface is needed, the detected eNB may still choose to initiate the X2 establishment, which then may be accepted or rejected by the detecting eNB).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the transport layer address of Xu ‘314 with the transport layer address being an IP address of Rune with a reasonable expectation of success. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification for the benefit of improving the method of establishing an inter-eNB cell relation and X2 interface (see Rune, page 3, lines 26-34).
Regarding claims 6, 13, 19, the combination of Xu ‘314 in view of Rune teaches the method or non-transitory computer-readable medium or first MME.
Xu ‘314 further teaches:
wherein the processor is further configured to cause a serving gateway (SGW) to complete a bearer context update for the UE reflecting that the UE has moved to the target base station (see Xu ‘314, Fig. 4, pars. [0172-0174]: Step 412: for each UE served by RN, T-MME sends an update bearer request message to S-GW/PDN GW of UE. If S-GW is re-selected for UE in step 403, T-MME sends an update bearer request message to target S-GW/PDN GW. PDN GW may not change when S-GW is re-selected, and the description about the signaling procedure between S-GW and PDN GW is omitted here. The message includes the downlink TEID and transport layer address allocated by T-DeNB for UE. If the target PLMN re-selected for UE is different from source PLMN, and the target PLMN is received from source DeNB in step 401 and step 402, T-MME sends new TAI to S-GW in the modification bearer request message, and S-GW sends it to PDN GW. PDN GW can perform reasonable billing based on this information. As to S-GW and PDN GW of RN being architecture of single entities (S-GW/PDN GW is non-collocated with RN at the same entity), T-MME sends a modification bearer request message to T-S-GW/PDN GW of RN. The message includes the information of RN as UE. T-S-GW/PDN of RN will send the update bearer response message of step 413 to T-MME. Step 413: S-GW/PDN GW of UE sends an update bearer response message to T-MME).
Claims 2, 4, 9, 11, and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu ‘314 in view of Rune, as applied to claims 1, 3, 5-6, 8, 10, 12-13, 15, and 18-19 above, and further in view of Das et al. (US 11,228,560), hereinafter “Das”, and further in view of Teyeb et al. (US 2014/0092866), hereinafter “Teyeb”.
Regarding claims 2, 9, 16, the combination of Xu ‘314 in view of Rune teaches the method or non-transitory computer-readable medium or first MME.
However, the combination of Xu ‘314 in view of Rune does not teach:
wherein: after the source base station sends an X2 interface handover request, including a Globally Unique MME Identifier (GUMMEI) information element (IE), to the target base station, the target base station sends a path switch request including the GUMMEI IE to the second MME; and
based on the GUMMEI IE, the second MME sends a context request message, including a first MME UE S1 Application Protocol (S1AP) identifier IE on the S10 interface to the first MME.
Das, in the same field of endeavor, teaches:
wherein: after the source base station sends an X2 interface handover request to the target base station (see Das, Fig. 12A, col. 21, lines 44-47: At (3) the source eNodeB function sends an X2 HO REQUEST message to the Target eNodeB function with Security and RAB (Radio Access Bearer) information of the UE 11014), the target base station sends a path switch request to the second MME (see Das, Fig. 12A, col. 22, lines 8-9: At (10) the Target eNodeB function sends an S1 Path Switch Request to a target MMF at the target AP 11008); and
based on the GUMMEI IE, the second MME sends a context request message, including a first MME UE S1 Application Protocol (S1AP) identifier IE on the S10 interface to the first MME (see Das, Fig. 12A, col. 22, lines 11-20: At (11a) Source MMF identification is performed where the Target MMF identifies the source MMF based on Globally Unique MME Identity (GUMMEI) to AP mapping. Specifically, the Target eNodeB uses the “source MME GUMMEI” in the S1 path switch request. The Target MMF needs to resolve the source AP MMF IP address from the GUMMEI to access it to perform UE context transfer. In order to do that, the Target AP MMF looks up the source MMF IP in the cloud ID and profile database service 11002, using the source GUMMEI as the key, and see col. 22, lines 26-29: Upon resolving the source AP MMF IP address, at (11b) the Target MMF sends a UE Context Request to the source MMF along with the source MMF allocated MME-UE-S1APID).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the method or non-transitory computer-readable medium or first MME of the combination of Xu ‘314 in view of Rune with the X2 interface handover request, path switch request, and context request message of Das with a reasonable expectation of success. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification for the benefit of performing handover where corresponding changes to devices in the network are achieved reliably (see Das, col. 20, line 61-col. 21, line 6).
However, the combination of Xu ‘314 in view of Rune, and further in view of Das, does not teach:
wherein the X2 interface handover request includes a Globally Unique MME Identifier (GUMMEI) information element (IE),
wherein the path switch request includes the GUMMEI IE
Teyeb, in the same field of endeavor, teaches:
wherein the X2 interface handover request includes a Globally Unique MME Identifier (GUMMEI) information element (IE) (see Teyeb, Fig. 15, par. [0149]: the source eNB prepares the target eNB using the HANDOVER REQUEST message over X2, as shown in FIG. 15. The contents of this message are shown in Table 1, and see Table 1: GUMMEI),
wherein the path switch request includes the GUMMEI IE (see Teyeb, Fig. 15, par. [0155]: An example of how the PATH SWITCH REQUEST message IEs may be enhanced is shown in Table 1a, and see Table 1a: GUMMEI)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the X2 interface handover request and path switch request of the combination of Xu ‘314 in view of Rune, and further in view of Das, with the requests including a GUMMEI IE of Teyeb with a reasonable expectation of success. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification for the benefit of keeping all user equipment bearers ongoing (see Teyeb, par. [0007]).
Regarding claims 4, 11, 17, the combination of Xu ‘314 in view of Rune, and further in view of Das, and further in view of Teyeb, teaches the method or non-transitory computer-readable medium or first MME.
The combination of Xu ‘314 in view of Rune does not teach, but Das teaches:
wherein the processor is further configured to send the first MME UE S1AP ID in a context response message to the target MME (see Das, Fig. 12A, col. 22, lines 26-31: Upon resolving the source AP MMF IP address, at (11b) the Target MMF sends a UE Context Request to the source MMF along with the source MMF allocated MME-UE-S1APID. At (12) the Source MMF fetches UE context based on MME-UE-S1AP ID and sends it to the target MMF along with UE IP and MAC address).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the method or non-transitory computer-readable medium or first MME of the combination of Xu ‘314 in view of Rune with the context response message of Das with a reasonable expectation of success. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification for the benefit of performing handover where corresponding changes to devices in the network are achieved reliably (see Das, col. 20, line 61-col. 21, line 6).
Claims 7, 14, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu ‘314 in view of Rune, as applied to claims 1, 3, 5-6, 8, 10, 12-13, 15, and 18-19 above, and further in view of Das.
Regarding claims 7, 14, 20, the combination of Xu ‘314 in view of Rune teaches the method or non-transitory computer-readable medium or first MME.
However, the combination of Xu ‘314 in view of Rune does not teach:
wherein the source base station performs data forwarding during a handover execution phase.
Das, in the same field of endeavor, teaches:
wherein the source base station performs data forwarding during a handover execution phase (see Das, Fig. 12A, col. 21, line 58-col. 22, line 7: At (6) the Source eNodeB function sends an SN (Sequence Number) STATUS TRANSFER message with Uplink and downlink data information to the target eNodeB function. For the uplink, at (7a) the UE 11014 sends uplink data to the target eNodeB function. At (7b) the target eNodeB function sends uplink data to the source OPF at the source AP 11006. At (7b) the Source OPF forwards uplink packets to a source OVS at the source AP 11006. For the downlink, at (8) the source OVS sends downlink data to the source OPF. At (8a) the source OPF sends the downlink data to the source eNodeB function. At (8b) the Source eNodeB function forwards the downlink data on X2 interface to the target eNodeB function. At (8c) the Target eNodeB function sends downlink data to the UE 11014. Then, at (9) the UE 11014 establishes radio connection with the target eNodeB function and sends RRC Reconfiguration complete to the target eNodeB function).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the method or non-transitory computer-readable medium or first MME of the combination of Xu ‘314 in view of Rune with the data forwarding of Das with a reasonable expectation of success. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification for the benefit of performing handover where corresponding changes to devices in the network are achieved reliably (see Das, col. 20, line 61-col. 21, line 6).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 and 8 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Narayanappa et al. (US 2020/0120550) teaches a mobility management entity (MME) may determine a network capability. The MME may query a domain name server (DNS) for a plurality of candidate MMEs having the network capability. The MME may select a target MME from the plurality of candidate MMEs.
Raghothaman et al. (US 2013/0324114) teaches a method and apparatus for mobility for device-to-device (D2D) communications.
Zhu et al. (US 2019/0075497) teaches a user equipment (UE) handover method and a device for the field of wireless communications technologies.
Kang et al. (WO 2023/208334) teaches RAN nodes and methods for discovering an address of a RAN node capable of a different RAT.
K. Alexandris et al. ("Analyzing X2 handover in LTE/LTE-A") teaches an analysis of the performance of the X2 handover from the UE perspective.
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 CALEB J BALLOWE whose telephone number is (571)270-0410. The examiner can normally be reached MON-FRI 7:30-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Nishant B. Divecha can be reached at (571) 270-3125. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/C.J.B./Examiner, Art Unit 2419
/Nishant Divecha/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2419