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 § 112
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.
Claim 1-10 and 58 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.
Claim 1 recites “via a second NF” in line 5, and “ sending to a second NF” in line 19. It is not clear if the latter is the former second BF or another second NF. If the latter second NF is the same as the former second NF it should be identified as “the second NF” in line 19. Claims 2-10 are rejected for depending from claim 1.
Claim 9 recites in line 3 “sending to a third NF in the home network”. It is not clear if this third NF is the one indicated in claim 1 or a different third NF. If it is the same it should be identified as “the third NF” in claim 9. Claim 9 recites the limitation "“two or more of (a)-(i). " in item (h). There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Only items (a)-(g) are mentioned before item (h).
Claim 10 is rejected for depending from claim 9.
Claim 58 recites “send to the NF” in line 3. Claim 58 depends from claim 68, where claim 68 recites a first NF and a second NF. It is not clear whether the NF in claim 58 is referring to the first NF or the second NF.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-5, 8, 22-26, 31, 53-56, 58, and 68 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Gundavelli et al. (US 20230049321 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Gundavelli et al. teach A method performed in a cellular communications system, the method comprising:
at a first Network Function, NF (UDM 224 in Fig. 3), in a home network (HPLMN 224 in Fig. 3)) of a wireless communication device (UE 210 in Fig. 3)) roaming in a visited network:
obtaining from the wireless communication device, via a second NF (AMF 251-3 in Fig. 3), information comprising capability of the wireless communication device to support Steering of Roaming, SoR, information ([0061]-[0062] UE 210 latches on to/begins connection establishment with VPLMN 250-3 (e.g., via gNodeB 242) and initiates a registration procedure with the VPLMN 250-3 via a Registration Request message sent to AMF 251-3 in which the UE 210 requests network connectivity... Obtaining the Registration Request by AMF 251-3 triggers AMF 251-3 to request subscriber information for UE 210 from UDM 224... Based on the request, the HPLMN 220/UDM 224, decides, at 308, to push SOR information to the UE 210 );
sending to a third NF(SOR-AF 222 in Fig. 3) a request to obtain the SoR information for the wireless communication device ([0063] UDM 224 can initiate a request for SOR information from SOR-AF 222);
receiving the SoR information comprising a prioritized list of visited or non-public networks for the wireless communication device ([0064] SOR-AF 222 responds at 314 (via an Nsoraf_SOR_Obtain_Response message) that includes the prioritized list of corresponding VPLMN-IDs for each of VPLMNs 250-1, 250-2, and 250-3), where visited or non-public networks comprised in the prioritized list are prioritized based on
one or more network slices requested by the wireless communication device ([[0061] the UE 210 requests network connectivity for the fourth slice type Slice-4 202-4 (e.g., S-NSSAI: 4)))) and/or
one or more network slices to which the wireless communication device is subscribed ([0023] the UE 110, which in the HPLMN 120 is subscribed to the first slice type 102-1 (Slice-V2X) and the second slice type 102-2 (Slice-IOT)),
the request comprising an identifier of the visited network and the one or more subscribed network slices of the wireless communication device ([0063] a request for SOR information from SOR-AF 222 (via an Nsoraf_SOR_Obtain_Request message) that includes the VPLMN-ID: 444-555 for VPLMN 250-3),
sending, to a second NF(AMF 251-3 in Fig. 3) in a visited or non-public network of the wireless communication device (VPLMN 444-555 in Fig. 3)), a message comprising the received SoR information ([0066] the prioritized list of corresponding VPLMNs 250-1, 250-2, and 250-3 and the indication for the one or more slice type(s) provide by each corresponding VPLMN 250-1, 250-2, and 250-3 is pushed to AMF 251-3 via an Nudm_SDM_Get_Response message including the prioritized list);
" at the second NF(AMF 251-3 in Fig. 3):
receiving the message comprising the SoR information ([0066] the prioritized list of corresponding VPLMNs 250-1, 250-2, and 250-3 and the indication for the one or more slice type(s) provide by each corresponding VPLMN 250-1, 250-2, and 250-3 is pushed to AMF 251-3 via an Nudm_SDM_Get_Response message including the prioritized list; and
sending a message to the wireless communication device comprising the SoR information ([0066] At 318, AMF 251-3 pushes the prioritized list and corresponding slice information for each of VPLMN 250-1, 250-2, and 250-3 to UE 210 via a Registration Accept message including each VPLMN-ID and associated slice information ); and
" at the wireless communication device (UE 210 in Fig. 3)):
receiving the message from the second NF(Registration Accept 318 in Fig. 3)); and
performing one or more actions based on the SoR information ([0068] Based on the determination at 322 that it is to connect to the higher priority VPLMN 250-2 (VPLMN-ID: 222-333), UE 210 triggers a de-registration procedure with VPLMN 250-3 at 324 and initiates connection establishment with VPLMN 250-2 (VPLMN-ID: 222-333) at 126 and 328 via a registration procedure with VPLMN 250-2 via AMF 251-2 in which the registration procedure indicates the fourth slice type Slice-4 (S-NSSAI: 4) for which UE 210 is seeking service).
Regarding claim 2, Gundavelli et al. teach The method of claim 1 wherein the SoR information further comprises, for each visited or non-public network comprised in the prioritized list, information that indicates one or more network slices supported by the visited or non-public network ([0046] include slicing metadata that indicates network slice type(s) (S-NSSAI(s)) supported by each of the given prioritized VPLMN identified in the list.) .
Regarding claim 3, Gundavelli et al. teach The method of claim 1 wherein the SoR information further comprises, for each visited or non-public network comprised in the prioritized list, information that indicates one or more network slices of a home network of the wireless communication device that are supported by the visited or non-public network ([0046] The VPLMN: Slice priority list 230 can be configured for SOR-AF 222 by the home network operator HPLMN 220 based on roaming agreements between the home network operator one or more visited network operators of VPLMNs 250-1, 250-2, and 250-3.).
Regarding claim 4, Gundavelli et al. teach The method of claim 1 wherein the SoR information further comprises validity information that indicates one or more conditions under which the SoR information is valid ([0051] Slice priority list can be further extended to include time information, such as time of day (ToD), one or more ToD ranges, or the like such a time factor contained in the list may influence UE network selection).
Regarding claim 5, Gundavelli et al. teach The method of claim 1 wherein the SoR information further comprises validity information that indicates a time during which the SoR information is valid (([0051] Slice priority list can be further extended to include time information, such as time of day (ToD), one or more ToD ranges, or the like such a time factor contained in the list may influence UE network selection) or a geographic area in which the SoR information is valid ([0050] the slices provided among each VPLMN 250-1, 250-2, and 250-3 may be provided based on the on the location of the coverage area provided by RAN 240).
Regarding claim 8, Gundavelli et al. teach The method of any of claim 1 wherein the SoR information is comprised in a transparent container such that the SoR information is transparent to the second NF ([0066] the prioritized list of corresponding VPLMNs 250-1, 250-2, and 250-3 and the indication for the one or more slice type(s) provide by each corresponding VPLMN 250-1, 250-2, and 250-3 is pushed to AMF 251-3 via an Nudm_SDM_Get_Response message including the prioritized list and slice information as slice extensions associated with each VPLMN-ID for (e.g., 111-222:1, 2, 3|222-333:4, 5, 6|444-555:4)).
Regarding claim 22, Gundavelli et al. teach A method performed by a first Network Function, NF (UDM 224 in Fig. 3), in a home network (HPLMN 224 in Fig. 3)) of a wireless communication device (UE 210 in Fig. 3)) roaming in a visited network, the method comprising:
obtaining from the wireless communication device, via a second NF (AMF 251-3 in Fig. 3), information comprising capability of the wireless communication device to support Steering of Roaming, SoR, information ([0061]-[0062] UE 210 latches on to/begins connection establishment with VPLMN 250-3 (e.g., via gNodeB 242) and initiates a registration procedure with the VPLMN 250-3 via a Registration Request message sent to AMF 251-3 in which the UE 210 requests network connectivity... Obtaining the Registration Request by AMF 251-3 triggers AMF 251-3 to request subscriber information for UE 210 from UDM 224... Based on the request, the HPLMN 220/UDM 224, decides, at 308, to push SOR information to the UE 210 );
sending to a third NF(SOR-AF 222 in Fig. 3) a request to obtain the SoR information for the wireless communication device ([0063] UDM 224 can initiate a request for SOR information from SOR-AF 222);
receiving the SoR information comprising a prioritized list of visited or non- public networks ([0064] SOR-AF 222 responds at 314 (via an Nsoraf_SOR_Obtain_Response message) that includes the prioritized list of corresponding VPLMN-IDs for each of VPLMNs 250-1, 250-2, and 250-3), that are prioritized based on
one or more network slices requested by the wireless communication device ([0061] the UE 210 requests network connectivity for the fourth slice type Slice-4 202-4 (e.g., S-NSSAI: 4)))) and/or
one or more network slices to which the wireless communication device is subscribed ([0023] the UE 110, which in the HPLMN 120 is subscribed to the first slice type 102-1 (Slice-V2X) and the second slice type 102-2 (Slice-IOT)),
the request comprising an identifier of the visited network and the one or more subscribed network slices of the wireless communication device ([0063] a request for SOR information from SOR-AF 222 (via an Nsoraf_SOR_Obtain_Request message) that includes the VPLMN-ID: 444-555 for VPLMN 250-3), and
sending, towards the wireless communication device , a message comprising the received SoR information ([0066] At 318, AMF 251-3 pushes the prioritized list and corresponding slice information for each of VPLMN 250-1, 250-2, and 250-3 to UE 210 via a Registration Accept message including each VPLMN-ID and associated slice information .
Regarding claim 23, Gundavelli et al. teach The method of claim 22 wherein the SoR information further comprises, for each visited or non-public network comprised in the prioritized list, information that indicates one or more network slices supported by the visited or non-public network ([0046] include slicing metadata that indicates network slice type(s) (S-NSSAI(s)) supported by each of the given prioritized VPLMN identified in the list.)
Regarding claim 24, Gundavelli et al. teach The method of claim 22 wherein the SoR information further comprises, for each visited or non-public network comprised in the prioritized list, information that indicates one or more network slices of a home network of the wireless communication device that are supported by the visited or non-public network ([0046] The VPLMN: Slice priority list 230 can be configured for SOR-AF 222 by the home network operator HPLMN 220 based on roaming agreements between the home network operator one or more visited network operators of VPLMNs 250-1, 250-2, and 250-3.).
.
Regarding claim 25, Gundavelli et al. teach The method of claim 22 wherein the SoR information further comprises validity information that indicates one or more conditions under which the SoR information is valid ([0051] Slice priority list can be further extended to include time information, such as time of day (ToD), one or more ToD ranges, or the like such a time factor contained in the list may influence UE network selection)..
Regarding claim 26, Gundavelli et al. teach The method of claim 22 wherein the SoR information further comprises validity information that indicates a time during which the SoR information is valid (([0051] Slice priority list can be further extended to include time information, such as time of day (ToD), one or more ToD ranges, or the like such a time factor contained in the list may influence UE network selection) or a geographic area in which the SoR information is valid ([0050] the slices provided among each VPLMN 250-1, 250-2, and 250-3 may be provided based on the on the location of the coverage area provided by RAN 240).
Regarding claim 31, Gundavelli et al. teach The method of any of claim 22 further comprising receiving, via the second NF(Gundavelli AMF 251-3 in Fig. 3) in the visited network (Gundavelli VPLMN 444-555 in Fig. 3)) or non-public network in which the wireless communication device is currently located ([0061] UE 210 latches on to/begins connection establishment with VPLMN 250-3 (e.g., via gNodeB 242)), a transparent container comprising information that indicates: (i) the one or more network slices requested by the wireless communication device ([0066] the prioritized list of corresponding VPLMNs 250-1, 250-2, and 250-3 and the indication for the one or more slice type(s) provide by each corresponding VPLMN 250-1, 250-2, and 250-3 is pushed to AMF 251-3 via an Nudm_SDM_Get_Response message including the prioritized list and slice information as slice extensions associated with each VPLMN-ID for (e.g., 111-222:1, 2, 3|222-333:4, 5, 6|444-555:4), (ii) a location of the wireless communication device , or (iii) a combination of any one or more of (i)-(ii).
Regarding claim 53, Gundavelli et al. teach The wireless communication device of claim 68 wherein the SoR information further comprises, for each visited or non-public network comprised in the prioritized list, information that indicates one or more network slices supported by the visited or non-public network ([0046] include slicing metadata that indicates network slice type(s) (S-NSSAI(s)) supported by each of the given prioritized VPLMN identified in the list.) .
Regarding claim 54, Gundavelli et al. teach The wireless communication device of claim 68 wherein the SoR information further comprises, for each visited or non-public network comprised in the prioritized list, information that indicates one or more network slices of a home network of the wireless communication device that are supported by the visited or non- public network ([0046] The VPLMN: Slice priority list 230 can be configured for SOR-AF 222 by the home network operator HPLMN 220 based on roaming agreements between the home network operator one or more visited network operators of VPLMNs 250-1, 250-2, and 250-3.)..
Regarding claim 55, Gundavelli et al. teach method of wireless communication device of claim 68 wherein the SoR information further comprises validity information that indicates one or more conditions under which the SoR information is valid ([0051] Slice priority list can be further extended to include time information, such as time of day (ToD), one or more ToD ranges, or the like such a time factor contained in the list may influence UE network selection)..
Regarding claim 56, Gundavelli et al. teach The wireless communication device of claim 68 wherein the SoR information further comprises validity information that indicates a time during which the SoR information is valid ([0051] Slice priority list can be further extended to include time information, such as time of day (ToD), one or more ToD ranges, or the like such a time factor contained in the list may influence UE network selection)..
Regarding claim 58, Gundavelli et al. teach The wireless communication device of claim 68 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
send, to the NF((AMF 251-3 (VPLMN-ID:444-555) in Fig. 3), a registration request message (Registration Request 304 in Fig. 3) comprising: (a) information that indicates one or more capabilities of the wireless communication device related to enhanced SoR information 0061]-[0062] UE 210 latches on to/begins connection establishment with VPLMN 250-3 (e.g., via gNodeB 242) and initiates a registration procedure with the VPLMN 250-3 via a Registration Request message sent to AMF 251-3 in which the UE 210 requests network connectivity... Obtaining the Registration Request by AMF 251-3 triggers AMF 251-3 to request subscriber information for UE 210 from UDM 224... Based on the request, the HPLMN 220/UDM 224, decides, at 308, to push SOR information to the UE 210), (b) information that indicates a geographic location of the wireless communication device , (c) information that indicates the one or more network slices requested by the wireless communication device ([0061] the UE 210 requests network connectivity for the fourth slice type Slice-4 202-4 (e.g., S-NSSAI: 4)) , or (d) a combination of any two or more of (a)-(c);
wherein receiving the requested message comprising the SoR information comprises receiving corresponds to a registration accept message from the NF (Registration Accept 318 in Fig. 3)comprising the SoR information ([0066] At 318, AMF 251-3 pushes the prioritized list and corresponding slice information for each of VPLMN 250-1, 250-2, and 250-3 to UE 210 via a Registration Accept message including each VPLMN-ID and associated slice information) .
Regarding claim 68 Gundavelli et al. teach A wireless communication device (USER EQUIPMENT in Fig. 8) comprising:
one or more transmitters (RF TRANSCEIVER 812 in Fig. 8);
one or more receivers (RF TRANSCEIVER 812 in Fig. 8); and
processing circuitry (PROCESSOR(S) 802 in Fig. 8) associated with the one or more transmitters and the one or more receivers, the processing circuitry configured to cause the wireless communication device to:
provide an information container to a second network function, NF(UDM 224 in Fig. 3), via a first NF of a visited network (AMF 251-3 (VPLMN-ID:444-555) in Fig. 3),, the information container comprising a capability of the wireless communication device to receive and handle Steering of Roaming, SoR, information ([0061]-[0062] UE 210 latches on to/begins connection establishment with VPLMN 250-3 (e.g., via gNodeB 242) and initiates a registration procedure with the VPLMN 250-3 via a Registration Request message sent to AMF 251-3 in which the UE 210 requests network connectivity... Obtaining the Registration Request by AMF 251-3 triggers AMF 251-3 to request subscriber information for UE 210 from UDM 224... Based on the request, the HPLMN 220/UDM 224, decides, at 308, to push SOR information to the UE 210 );
receive a message from the first NF of the visited network of the wireless communication device (Registration Accept 318 in Fig. 3)), the message comprising SoR information that comprises a prioritized list of visited or non-public networks for the wireless communication device ([0066] At 318, AMF 251-3 pushes the prioritized list and corresponding slice information for each of VPLMN 250-1, 250-2, and 250-3 to UE 210 via a Registration Accept message including each VPLMN-ID and associated slice information), where visited or non-public networks comprised in the prioritized list are prioritized based on one or more network slices requested by the wireless communication device ([0061] the UE 210 requests network connectivity for the fourth slice type Slice-4 202-4 (e.g., S-NSSAI: 4)) and/or one or more network slices to which the wireless communication device is subscribed ([0023] the UE 110, which in the HPLMN 120 is subscribed to the first slice type 102-1 (Slice-V2X) and the second slice type 102-2 (Slice-IOT)),; and
perform one or more actions based on the prioritized list of visited or non-public networks ([0068] Based on the determination at 322 that it is to connect to the higher priority VPLMN 250-2 (VPLMN-ID: 222-333), UE 210 triggers a de-registration procedure with VPLMN 250-3 at 324 and initiates connection establishment with VPLMN 250-2 (VPLMN-ID: 222-333) at 126 and 328 via a registration procedure with VPLMN 250-2 via AMF 251-2 in which the registration procedure indicates the fourth slice type Slice-4 (S-NSSAI: 4) for which UE 210 is seeking service).
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) 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gundavelli et al. in view of Gupta et al. (WO 2021162503 A1).
Regarding claim 9, Gundavelli et al. teach The method of claim 1 wherein:
at the first NF(UDM 224 ), obtaining the SoR information comprises:
sending , to a third NF(SOR-AF 222) in the home network (UDM (HPLMN) 224 in Fig. 3) of the wireless communication device, a request ([0063] UDM 224 can initiate a request for SOR information from SOR-AF 222); and
receiving), from the third NF(SOR-AF 222 in Fig. 3), a response comprising the SoR information ([0064] SOR-AF 222 responds at 314 (via an Nsoraf_SOR_Obtain_Response message) that includes the prioritized list of corresponding VPLMN-IDs for each of VPLMNs 250-1, 250-2, and 250-3).
Gundavelli et al. do not teach the request comprising:
(a) a geographic location of the wireless communication device,
(b) information that indicates the one or more network slices requested by the wireless communication device,
(c) information that indicates the one or more network slices requested by the wireless communication device that are not supported by the visited network or non-public network of the wireless communication device,
(d) information that indicates the one or more network slices to which the wireless communication device is subscribed that are not supported by the visited network or non-public network of the wireless communication device,
(e) information that indicates a capability of the wireless communication device for registration to more than one network,
(f) information that indicates one or more capabilities of the wireless communication devices related to its ability to handle enhanced SoR information,
(g) information that indicates one or more capabilities of the wireless communication device to provide additional information to the network, the additional information including information that indicates one or more network slices requested by the wireless communication device, or
(h) a combination of any two or more of (a)-(i)
In a similar endeavor, Gupta et al. teach
The request comprising:
(b) information that indicates the one or more network slices requested by the wireless communication device (Gupta Abstract requesting by the UDM server SoR information from an application function (AF) device, wherein the request includes information related to single - network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) , Gupta [56] The UDM Server (106) requests an AF device (108) to provide SoR information. In one embodiment, the request includes the UE's (102) requested S-NSSAIs.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified Gundavelli et al. request by incorporating Gupta et al. requested NSSAIs to arrive at the invention
The motivation of doing so would have obtained SoR information for the desired network slice.
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Gundavelli et al. and Gupta et al. teaches The method of claim 9 further comprising, at the third NF(Gundavelli SOR-AF (HPLMN) 222 in Fig. 3):
receiving (Gundavelli step 310 in Fig. 3) the request from the first NF(Gundavelli [0063] UDM 224 can initiate a request for SOR information from SOR-AF 222 (via an Nsoraf_SOR_Obtain_Request message)); and
responsive to receiving the request from the first NF(302), generating SoR information comprising the prioritized list of visited or non-public networks (Gundavelli [0064] SOR-AF 222 responds at 314 (via an Nsoraf_SOR_Obtain_Response message) that includes the prioritized list of corresponding VPLMN-IDs for each of VPLMNs 250-1, 250-2, and 250-3).
The motivation of doing so would have obtained SoR information for the desired network slice.
Conclusion
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/SAID M ELNOUBI/ Examiner, Art Unit 2644