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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because the texts shown in Figures 8-12 are either too small or blurry. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-18 are objected to because of the following informalities:
1. (Proposed Amendment) A communication control system comprising at least one processor, the at least one processor configured to perform operations of:
determining a first presence area in which a first terminal apparatus is located;
determining, in accordance with the determined first presence area, a service area in which is provided; and
controlling, in accordance with the determined service area, connection between the network service and a second terminal apparatus which uses the network service.
2. (Proposed Amendment) The communication control system according to claim 1, wherein in the operation of determining the service area, the at least one processor further configured to change[[s]] the service area in accordance with movement of the first terminal apparatus in a case where the first presence area has changed.
3. (Proposed Amendment) The communication control system according to claim 1, wherein
in the operation of determining the first presence area, the at least one processor further configured to determine[[s]] a second presence area in which the second terminal apparatus is located, and
in the operation of controlling the connection, the at least one processor further configured to connect[[s]] the second terminal apparatus and the network service in a case where the determined second presence area is located in the determined service area.
4. (Proposed Amendment) The communication control system according to claim 1, wherein
in the operation of determining the first presence area, the at least one processor further configured to determine[[s]] a second presence area in which the second terminal apparatus is located, and
in the operation of controlling the connection, the at least one processor further configured to disconnect[[s]] communication between the second terminal apparatus and the network service in a case where the determined second presence area is different from the determined service area.
5. (Proposed Amendment) The communication control system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform operations of:
managing, in association with the first terminal apparatus and the second terminal apparatus, information pertaining to the network service from which the first terminal apparatus and the second terminal apparatus are each receiving a service, information pertaining to an area in which the first terminal apparatus and the second terminal apparatus are each present, and information indicating whether the first terminal apparatus is a representative terminal apparatus, and
in the operation of determining the service area, the at least one processor further configured to determine[[s]], with reference to the information managed by the management means, the service area in which is provided.
6. (Proposed Amendment) The communication control system according to claim 1, wherein
In the operation of determining the service area, the at least one processor further configured to determine[[s]], in accordance with the determined first presence area and an area group in which the network service is in which is provided.
7. (Proposed Amendment) A communication control apparatus comprising at least one processor, the at least one processorconfigured to perform operations of:
determining a first presence area in which a first terminal apparatus is located;
determining, in accordance with the determined first presence area, a service area in which is provided; and
controlling, in accordance with the determined service area, connection between the network service and a second terminal apparatus which uses the network service.
8. (Proposed Amendment) The communication control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein in the operation of determining the service area, the at least one processor further configured to change[[s]] the service area in accordance with movement of the first terminal apparatus in a case where the first presence area has changed.
9. (Proposed Amendment) The communication control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein
in the operation of determining the first presence area, the at least one processor further configured to determine[[s]] a second presence area in which the second terminal apparatus is located, and
in the operation of controlling the connection, the at least one processor further configured to connect[[s]] the second terminal apparatus and the network service in a case where the determined second presence area is located in the determined service area.
10. (Proposed Amendment) The communication control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein
in the operation of determining the first presence area, the at least one processor further configured to determine[[s]] a second presence area in which the second terminal apparatus is located, and
in the operation of controlling the connection, the at least one processor further configured to disconnect[[s]] communication between the second terminal apparatus and the network service in a case where the determined second presence area is different from the determined service area.
11. (Proposed Amendment) The communication control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the at least one processoris further configured to perform operations of:
managing, in association with the first terminal apparatus and the second terminal apparatus, information pertaining to the network service from which the first terminal apparatus and the second terminal apparatus are each receiving a service, information pertaining to an area in which the first terminal apparatus and the second terminal apparatus are each present, and information indicating whether the first terminal apparatus is a representative terminal apparatus, and
in the operation of determining the service area, the at least one processor further configured to determine[[s]], with reference to the information managed by the management means, the service area in which is provided.
12. (Proposed Amendment) The communication control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein in the operation of determining the service area, the at least one processor further configured to determine[[s]], in accordance with the determined first presence area and an area group in which the network service is in which is provided.
13. (Proposed Amendment) A communication control method comprising:
determining a first presence area in which a first terminal apparatus is located;
determining, in accordance with the determined first presence area, a service area in which is provided; and
controlling, in accordance with the determined service area, connection between the network service and a second terminal apparatus which uses the network service.
15. (Proposed Amendment) The communication control method according to claim 13, further comprising:
determining a second presence area in which the second terminal apparatus is located
in a process for controlling the connection between the second terminal apparatus and the network service, wherein the second terminal apparatus and the network service are connected in a case where the determined second presence area is located in the determined service area.
16. (Proposed Amendment) The communication control method according to claim 13, further comprising:
determining a second presence area in which the second terminal apparatus is located
in a process for controlling the connection between the second terminal apparatus and the network service, wherein communication between the second terminal apparatus and the network service is disconnected in a case where the determined second presence area is different from the determined service area.
17. (Proposed Amendment) The communication control method according to claim 13, further comprising:
managing, in association with the first terminal apparatus and the second terminal apparatus, information pertaining to the network service from which the first terminal apparatus and the second terminal apparatus are each receiving a service, information pertaining to an area in which the first terminal apparatus and the second terminal apparatus are each present, and information indicating whether the first terminal apparatus is a representative terminal apparatus
in a process for determining the service area, the service area in which is provided is determined with reference to the managed information.
18. (Proposed Amendment) The communication control method according to claim 13, wherein in a process for determining the service area, the service area in which is provided is determined in accordance with the determined first presence area and an area group in which the network service is
Claim 14 depends from claim 13, therefore it is also objected.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 5, 11, 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.
Claim 5 (lines 13-14) and claim 11 (lines 13-14), the phrase “the management means” lacks antecedent basis.
Claim 17, last line, the phrase “the managed information” also lacks antecedent basis since there are 3 different managed information recited in the claim.
Double Patenting
Applicant is advised that should claims 1-6 be found allowable, claims 7-12 will be objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate thereof. When two claims in an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(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.
Claims 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (US 2006/0121914 A1), hereinafter “Kim”.
Kim illustrates a communication system in Figure 1 comprising: a common core network (101) including at least a location service server (105), a media gateway (116), and an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA 115) circuit; a WLAN system (102); a WCDMA system (104); a wireless terminal (106) including other wireless terminals shown in Figure 2; and a location recognition system (107).
FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of initial-stage construction of the location service server (105) and detection of the heterogeneous wireless network system of the wireless terminal (106) by the location service server according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 illustrates an example of forming a heterogeneous network service area map in the location service server (105) according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a flowchart of a process of providing location and signal information to the location service server (105) by the wireless terminal (106) according to the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a process of initial-stage construction by the location service server (105) based on information provided by the wireless terminal (106) according to the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a process in which the wireless terminal (106) according to the present invention performs handover between heterogeneous systems by detecting an accessible candidate system.
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the structure of the wireless terminal (106) according to the present invention.
FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing the structure of the location service server (105) according to the present invention.
Regarding claim 1, Kim illustrates a communication control system (FIG. 1) comprising at least one processor (information processing unit 904 of the location service server 105 shown in FIG. 9), the at least one processor carrying out: determining a first presence area in which a first terminal apparatus is located (S301 of FIG. 3, S503 of FIG. 5, S601 of FIG. 6, and pars. [0047], [0052], [0064], and [0069]); determining, in accordance with the determined first presence area, a service area which provides a network service (S304 of FIG. 3, S606 of FIG. 6, and pars. [0050], [0067], and [0069]); and controlling, in accordance with the determined service area, connection between the network service and a second terminal apparatus which uses the network service (S704 and S707 of FIG. 7, and pars. [0069] and [0071]).
Regarding claim 2, although Kim may not use the same wordings as recited in the claim, as described in claim 1 above, the described communication control system implicitly covers changing the service area in accordance with the movement of the first terminal apparatus when the first presence area changes. Based on the functional steps recited in claim 1, specifically determining a service area in accordance with a first terminal’s location and controlling connectivity based on that service area, the communication system inherently implies a dynamic, rather than static, relationship. Therefore, a communication system configured to determine a service area based on a terminal's location naturally includes the functionality to update that service area when the terminal moves.
Regarding claim 3, although Kim may not use the same wordings as recited in the claim, as shown in Figure 2, the wireless terminal (106) includes a plurality of wireless terminals (202) and a base station (204), the operations of determining a second presence area for a second terminal and connecting it to the service is within the determined service area of the communication system. Therefore, for the communication system to function as a location-aware network controller, it inherently applies to the determination of the second wireless terminal's location and verifying it is within the service area before connecting.
Regarding claim 4, similar to claim 3, although Kim may not use the same wordings as recited in the claim, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the communication system includes the wireless terminal (106) including a plurality of wireless terminals (202) and a base station (104 or 204), the operations of determining a second presence area for a second terminal and connecting it to the service may be different from the determined service area of the communication system. Therefore, for the communication system to function as a location-aware network controller, it inherently applies to the determination of the second wireless terminal's location and verifying it is different from the service area before connecting to create a more efficient, automated, and context-aware system that dynamically manages user access to network services based on their proximity to a defined service area.
Regarding claim 5, although Kim may not use the same wordings as recited in the claim, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the communication system includes the wireless terminal (106) including a plurality of wireless terminals (202) and a base station (104 or 204), the communication system relates to a dynamic network service area management system (likely within a mobile network or IoT context) that uses location-based tracking of specific representative terminals to establish service areas and connect other dependent terminal apparatuses. The communication system shown in Figure 1 is also a well-known concept in mobile communication networks (e.g., 5G/LTE) or smart location systems, often associated with concepts like User Equipment (UE) Grouping, Local Area Data Networks (LADN), Proximity Services (ProSe), or Intelligent Network Management. Therefore, the communication control system inherently implies that the management of the information pertaining to the network service is generally driven by the need for enhanced efficiency, dynamic resource management, and improved service personalization in network environments.
Regarding claim 6, although Kim may not use the same wordings as recited in the claim, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the communication system includes the wireless terminal (106) including a plurality of wireless terminals (202) and a base station (104 or 204), the operation of determining the service area recited in claim 1 inherently implies that the processor determines the service area based on both the first presence area and an area group where the network service is capable of operating.
Regarding claims 7-12, the only difference is that claims 7-12 are related to “a communication control apparatus” while claims 1-6 are related to “a communication control system”. The claim features recited claims 7-12 are the same as the claim features recited in claims 106 for the same reasons described in claim 1-6 above.
Regarding claims 13-18, claims 13-18 are method claims and the claim features recited the claims are similar to the claim features recited in the apparatus claims 1-6 for the similar reasons described in claim 1-6 above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kim relates to a mobile communication terminal for receiving a multimedia broadcast signal comprises a controlling unit adapted to extract channel information associated with a first mobile communication terminal location from a signal at the first mobile communication terminal location. The mobile communication terminal also comprises a comparing unit adapted to compare extracted channel information associated with the first mobile communication terminal location against channel information associated with a second mobile communication terminal location in response to movement of the mobile communication terminal from the first mobile communication terminal location to the second mobile communication terminal location.
Jenkins et al. relates to a system and method of location-based communication includes an access network for communication and a first access terminal configured to determine and report a position of the first access terminal. A location services server receives and stores the position report, compares the position of the first access terminal to a geographic zone definition, and sends a location match message if the position of the first access terminal is within the geographic zone definition.
Li et al. relates to a communications system, comprising: a radio access network (RAN) node; and an access and mobility management function (AMF) node, wherein, the RAN node is configured to determine that a terminal device switches from a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connected state to an RRC inactive state, and send a notification message to the AMF node, wherein the notification message notifies a state of the terminal device, and the AMF node is configured to receive the notification message.
Zhao relates to a method for determining a scheduling terminal, a terminal, and a network side device. The method includes sending, by a first terminal, a first request message, wherein the first request message is used for searching for the scheduling terminal; receiving, by the first terminal, a first response message corresponding to the first request message sent by at least one second terminal, wherein each second terminal supports or enables a scheduling function; determining, by the first terminal, a first scheduling terminal for scheduling a resource of a direct communication interface of the first terminal, wherein the first scheduling terminal is at least one of the at least one second terminal.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Young T. Tse whose telephone number is (571)272-3051. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 10:30am-7pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chieh M Fan can be reached at 571-272-3042. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Young T. Tse/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2632