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 .
This action is in response to the application filed on 13 March 2024.
Claims 1-11, 37-44 and 48 are under examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted 02 April 2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 1-11, 37-44 and 48 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Dou et al. (US Publication 2024/0251462).
With respect to claim 1, Dou teaches A user equipment, UE, configured to communicate with at least a network node, the UE comprising a radio interface and processing circuitry in communication with the processing circuitry: the radio interface being configured to:
receive, from the network node, an indication indicating the UE to establish a first protocol data unit, PDU, session and a second PDU session (Namf_Communication_N1N2MessageTransfer sent by the SMF to the second AMF may further include third association indication information, and the third association indication information may indicate that the second PDU session is established as a PDU session having an association relationship (for example, indicate that the second PDU session is established as a multi-UE PDU session). After receiving the third association indication information, the second AMF may store information indicating that the second PDU session is the PDU session having the association relationship (for example, store information indicating that the second PDU session is of a multi-UE PDU session type), paragraph 138. the SMF may further send a second parameter to the second UE, where the second parameter may indicate a manner of performing data processing in a PDU session, where data processing can be performed between PDU sessions having an association relationship, Paragraph 139) that support one or more packet replication and redundant transmissions between the UE and a same UPF network node, the same UPF network node being selected by the network node based on one or more parameters; (the UPF serving the second UE and a UPF serving the first UE are a same UPF, paragraph 165. indicates to send the same data to the different UEs, the UPF may change an access network tunnel corresponding to the first QoS flow from the first tunnel to the first tunnel and the second tunnel (or from the second tunnel to the first tunnel and the second tunnel), so that the first QoS flow corresponds to two tunnels, to transmit the data of the first service between the first UE and the second UE, or to share the data of the first service between the first UE and the second UE. The data that is of the first service and that is transmitted by the first UE may be the same as the data that is of the first service and that is transmitted by the second UE, which is also considered as duplication, paragraph 173) and
the processing circuitry being configured to:
establish, based on the received indication, the first and second PDU sessions that support the one or more packet replication and redundant transmissions between the UE and the same UPF network node. (the UPF serving the second UE and a UPF serving the first UE are a same UPF, paragraph 165. After the second UE and the first UE separately establish PDU sessions, service transfer or sharing may be performed between the PDU sessions, paragraph 151)
With respect to claims 2 and 38, Dou teaches wherein the one or more parameters includes at least one of: information about communication supporting the one or more packet replication and redundant transmissions over a network for a traffic associated with the UE; a data network name, DNN; a single-network slice selection assistance information, S-NSSAI; and a first identifier of the UE (the connection parameter includes parameters such as network slice information and/or a data network name (DNN) that correspond/corresponds to the second PDU session, Paragraph 72)
With respect to claims 3 and 39, Dou teaches wherein the received indication further triggers one or more of: the processing circuitry to: replicate of a first redundant packet for the first PDU session to produce a second redundant packet for the second PDU session; eliminate of one of a first redundant packet on the first PDU session and a second redundant packet on the second PDU session that is received from the same UPF network node; and the radio interface to: perform one or more redundant transmissions between the UE and the same UPF network node. (The data of the first service transmitted by the first UE may be the same as the data of the first service transmitted by the second UE, which is also considered as replication, Paragraph 175)
With respect to claim 4, Dou teaches wherein the radio interface is further configured to: transmit, to the network node, an acknowledgement indicating at least one of the indication has been successfully received and whether a replication and elimination function has been set up. (he first UE, a message used to accept the establishment of the first PDU session, and correspondingly, the first UE receives, from the SMF, the message used to accept the establishment of the first PDU session, Paragraph 93)
With respect to claim 5, Dou teaches wherein, when the same UPF network node is selected for the first PDU session, information about the same UPF network node being selected for the first PDU session is used for a selection of the same UPF network node for the second PDU session. (the UPF serving the second UE and a UPF serving the first UE are a same UPF, paragraph 165. After the second UE and the first UE separately establish PDU sessions, service transfer or sharing may be performed between the PDU sessions, paragraph 151)
With respect to claim 6, Dou teaches wherein the information about the same UPF network node being selected includes a second identifier of the first and second PDU sessions. (The first AMF selects the SMF for the first PDU session based on the identifier of the second UE (for example, the first identifier of the second UE) and the identifier of the second PDU session, where the SMF is, for example, the SMF serving the second PDU session. paragraph 75)
With respect to claim 7, Dou teaches wherein whether the same UPF network node has already been selected for the first and second PDU sessions is based at least in part on the second identifier, the same UPF network node being selected based on whether the same UPF network node has already been selected. (the UPF is a UPF serving the second UE, or a UPF serving the second PDU session. It can be learned from the descriptions of the foregoing embodiments that PDU sessions having an association relationship may share a same N4 session. Therefore, optionally, in embodiments of this application, UPFs serving the PDU sessions having the association relationship may be a same UPF. For example, the UPF serving the second UE and a UPF serving the first UE are a same UPF, paragraph 165)
With respect to claim 8, Dou teaches wherein the second identifier includes at least a pair identifier associated with the first and second PDU sessions and a UE identifier mapped to the pair identifier. (SMF may configure a second QoS flow for the first UE to transmit the first service, and the second QoS flow is associated with the first PDU session. However, the QoS flow used by the second UE to transmit the first service is the first QoS flow, and the first QoS flow is associated with the second PDU session, paragraph 171)
With respect to claim 9, Dou teaches wherein the second identifier is included in the one or more parameters. (the first PDU session corresponds to a QFI of the second QoS flow, and the second PDU session corresponds to the QFI of the first QoS flow, paragraph 171)
With respect to claim 10, Dou teaches wherein the UE is a dual UE device comprising a first UE and a second UE, the first PDU session supports one or more packet replication and redundant transmissions between the first UE and the same UPF network node, and the second PDU session supports the one or more packet replication and redundant transmissions between the second UE and the same UPF network node. (the UPF serving the second UE and a UPF serving the first UE are a same UPF, paragraph 165. After the second UE and the first UE separately establish PDU sessions, service transfer or sharing may be performed between the PDU sessions, paragraph 151)
With respect to claim 11, Dou teaches wherein the radio interface is further configured to: transmit capability information indicating a UE capability to support the one or more packet replication and redundant transmissions between the UE and the same UPF network node. (The transfer request is, for example, used to request to transfer a first service of the second UE to the first UE, or request to share a first service between the first UE and the second UE. The transfer request may include an identifier of a second PDU session, an identifier of the second UE (for example, a first identifier of the second UE or a second identifier of the second UE), and information about the first service. Optionally, the transfer request may further include a connection parameter, paragraph 197)
With respect to claim 37, Dou teaches A method in a network node configured to communicate with a user equipment, UE, the method comprising:
selecting a same user plane function, UPF, network node for a first protocol data unit, PDU, session and a second PDU session that support one or more packet replication and redundant transmissions between the UE and the same UPF network node, the same UPF network node being selected based on one or more parameters; (the UPF serving the second UE and a UPF serving the first UE are a same UPF, paragraph 165. indicates to send the same data to the different UEs, the UPF may change an access network tunnel corresponding to the first QoS flow from the first tunnel to the first tunnel and the second tunnel (or from the second tunnel to the first tunnel and the second tunnel), so that the first QoS flow corresponds to two tunnels, to transmit the data of the first service between the first UE and the second UE, or to share the data of the first service between the first UE and the second UE. The data that is of the first service and that is transmitted by the first UE may be the same as the data that is of the first service and that is transmitted by the second UE, which is also considered as duplication, paragraph 173) and
transmitting an indication to at least one of the UE and the same UPF network node, the transmitted indication indicating at least one of the UE and the same UPF network node to establish the first and second PDU sessions using the selected same UPF network node. (Namf_Communication_N1N2MessageTransfer sent by the SMF to the second AMF may further include third association indication information, and the third association indication information may indicate that the second PDU session is established as a PDU session having an association relationship (for example, indicate that the second PDU session is established as a multi-UE PDU session). After receiving the third association indication information, the second AMF may store information indicating that the second PDU session is the PDU session having the association relationship (for example, store information indicating that the second PDU session is of a multi-UE PDU session type), paragraph 138. the SMF may further send a second parameter to the second UE, where the second parameter may indicate a manner of performing data processing in a PDU session, where data processing can be performed between PDU sessions having an association relationship, Paragraph 139)
With respect to claims 40, Dou teaches receiving an acknowledgement from at least one of the UE and the same UPF indicating at least one of the indication has been successfully received and whether a replication and elimination function has been set up. (the first UE, a message used to accept the establishment of the first PDU session, and correspondingly, the first UE receives, from the SMF, the message used to accept the establishment of the first PDU session, Paragraph 93)
With respect to claims 41, Dou teaches wherein the selection of the same UPF network node for the first PDU session and the second PDU session further includes: when the same UPF network node is selected for the first PDU session: storing information about the same UPF being selected for the first PDU session; retrieving the information for a selection of the same UPF network node for the second PDU session. . (SMF may configure a second QoS flow for the first UE to transmit the first service, and the second QoS flow is associated with the first PDU session. However, the QoS flow used by the second UE to transmit the first service is the first QoS flow, and the first QoS flow is associated with the second PDU session, paragraph 171)
With respect to claims 42, Dou teaches wherein the method further includes: storing the information about the same UPF being selected and a second identifier of the first and second PDU sessions. . (SMF may configure a second QoS flow for the first UE to transmit the first service, and the second QoS flow is associated with the first PDU session. However, the QoS flow used by the second UE to transmit the first service is the first QoS flow, and the first QoS flow is associated with the second PDU session, paragraph 171)
With respect to claims 43, Dou teaches wherein the method further includes: determining whether the same UPF has already been selected for the first and second PDU sessions based at least in part on the second identifier, the selection of the same UPF network node being based on whether the same UPF has already been selected. (SMF may configure a second QoS flow for the first UE to transmit the first service, and the second QoS flow is associated with the first PDU session. However, the QoS flow used by the second UE to transmit the first service is the first QoS flow, and the first QoS flow is associated with the second PDU session, paragraph 171)
With respect to claims 44, Dou teaches wherein the second identifier includes at least a pair identifier associated with the first and second PDU sessions and a UE identifier mapped to the pair identifier . (SMF may configure a second QoS flow for the first UE to transmit the first service, and the second QoS flow is associated with the first PDU session. However, the QoS flow used by the second UE to transmit the first service is the first QoS flow, and the first QoS flow is associated with the second PDU session, paragraph 171)
With respect to claims 48, Dou teaches wherein the network node comprises one of more of: a session management function, SMF; and a time sensitive communication and time synchronization function, TSCTSF. (The second UE sends information about the first service to an SMF, and correspondingly, the SMF receives the information about the first service, where after receiving the information about the first service, the SMF may store the information about the first service., paragraph 199)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Lu et al. (US Publication 2024/0381187) discloses UE: receiving (610), from a Next Generation Radio Access Network, NG-RAN, node, a secondary Radio Access Technology, RAT, usage data report message including a Secondary RAT Usage Data Report Transfer Information Element, IE, containing secondary RAT usage data associated with the UE; and transmitting (620), to a Mobility Management Entity, MME, a message including a first IE containing the secondary RAT usage data.
Kim et al. (US Publication 2023/0318746) discloses acquiring analysis information from a network data analytics function (NWDAF) node. The acquired analysis information may include experience analysis information for redundant transmission. The method may comprise a step of determining, on the basis of the analysis information, the PDU session to be redundantly transmitted through two tunnels during a procedure related to the PDU session.
Any inquiry concerning this communication from the examiner should be directed to ABDULLAHI AHMED whose telephone number is (571) 270-3652. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:00AM-4:30PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Khalid Kassim can be reached on 571-270-3370. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ABDULLAHI AHMED/Examiner, Art Unit 2475