CTNF 18/700,905 CTNF 89266 Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 07-30-02 AIA 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. 07-34-01 AIA Claim 5 and 12-13 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention. Regarding claim 5, it recites “ wherein the fourth message is transmitted from the base station to the terminal.” (emphasis added). However, claim 1 indicates the fourth message is transmitted to the base station. So, it is unclear whether the fourth message is transmitted to the base station, or is transmitted from the base station. Regarding claim 12, it recites “ The AMF of claim 10 , wherein the network entity is a session management function (SMF) ” (emphasis added). However, claim 10 indicates the network entity is a AMF, so it is suggested to change to “ The AMF of claim [[ 10 ]] 9 , wherein the network entity is a session management function (SMF )...” Claim 13 is rejected for the same reason as stated above. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 1-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu (US 20210227392) in view of Lee (US 20200396678) . Regarding claim(s) 1/9 , Zhu teaches A method performed by an access and mobility management function (AMF) ([Fig.3], AMF) in a wireless communication system, comprising: receiving ([Fig.3, step S301 and 0084], “A terminal device sends a session establishment request to an AMF network element.”) , from a UE ([Fig.3], terminal device) , ... a first message including protocol data unit (PDU) session identifiers ([0086], “the session establishment request message includes a PDU session identifier (identifier, ID) and the S-NSSAI of the first network slice.” And [Fig.1], radio access network (RAN) provide wireless communication to a UE, the UE communicates with a AMF via the RAN, the RAN includes a base station.) ; transmitting ([0092], “S303. The AMF network element requests the SMF network element to create a session management context.”) , to a network entity ([0089], “The AMF network element selects an SMF network element.”) , a second message ([0092], the AMF transmits a message relates to “session management context.”) ; receiving ([0102], “S307. The SMF network element sends ... update indication information to the AMF.”) , from the network entity ([Fig.3], SMF) , a third message ([0102], “update indication information”) including single-network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) ([0103], “The update indication information is used to instruct the AMF network element to delete the S-NSSAI corresponding to the first network slice from the first Allowed NSSAI, to generate second Allowed NSSAI.”) associated with the PDU session identifier ([0086], “the session establishment request message includes a PDU session identifier (identifier, ID).”) ; determining ([0106], “the AMF network element deletes, based on the update indication information in step S307, the S-NSSAI corresponding to the first network slice from the first Allowed NSSAI, to generate the second Allowed NSSAI ... the second Allowed NSSAI includes the S-NSSAI-2.”) an allowed slice ([0106], “S-NSSAI-2” is a network slice belongs to second allowed NSSAI.) based on the S-NSSAI ([0106], “first Allowed NSSAI”) ; and transmitting, to the UE , a fourth message including the allowed slice ([0107], “S311. The AMF network element sends the second Allowed NSSAI to the terminal device” via the RAN.) . However, Zhu does not teach base station. In an analogous art, Lee teaches an AMF receives messages from terminal via a base station ([Fig.2 and 0041],], UE 100 communicate with new AMF 120 via a base station in RAN 110.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing date of the claim invention to have modified the method of Zhu to specify base station as taught by Lee. The motivation/suggestion would have been because there is a need to provide 5G service to UEs by a base station. Regarding claim(s) 6/14 , Zhu teaches A method performed by a base station ([Fig.2], RAN 110 may include a base station.) in a wireless communication system, comprising: receiving ([Fig.2 and 0047], “In operation 206, the base station 110, which has received the registration request message from the UE 100, may select an AMF to which the received message is to be transmitted, based on information (e.g., Requested NSSAI, UE 5G-globally unique temporary identifier (GUTI) or the like) received from the UE 100 in operation 203.”) , from a terminal ([Fig.2], UE 100) , a first message ([0047], “registration request message.”) including at least one of a request slice and a terminal ID ([0047], “UE 5G-globally unique temporary identifier (GUTI).”) ; selecting an access and mobility management function (AMF) based on at least one of the request slice and the terminal ID ([0047], “the base station 110 ... may select an AMF to which the received message is to be transmitted, based on ... UE 5G-globally unique temporary identifier (GUTI) or the like) received from the UE 100 in operation 203.”) ; transmitting, to the AMF, a second message including protocol data unit (PDU) session identifiers ([0060 and Fig.4], “the UE 100 may transmit a PDU session establishment request message. The PDU session establishment request message may include ... a PDU session ID assigned by the UE 100.”) . However, Lee does not teach receiving, from the AMF, a third message including an allowed slice; and transmitting, to the terminal, the third message, wherein the allowed slice is determined based on single-network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) associated with the PDU session identifier. In an analogous art, Zhu teaches transmitting, to the AMF, a second message including protocol data unit (PDU) session identifiers ([0086], “the session establishment request message includes a PDU session identifier (identifier, ID) and the S-NSSAI of the first network slice.” And [Fig.1], radio access network (RAN) provide wireless communication to a UE, the UE communicates with a AMF via the RAN, the RAN includes a base station.) , receiving, from the AMF, a third message including an allowed slice ([0106], “the AMF network element deletes, based on the update indication information in step S307, the S-NSSAI corresponding to the first network slice from the first Allowed NSSAI, to generate the second Allowed NSSAI ... the second Allowed NSSAI includes the S-NSSAI-2.”) ; and transmitting, to the terminal, the third message ([0107], “S311. The AMF network element sends the second Allowed NSSAI to the terminal device” via the RAN.) , wherein the allowed slice is determined based on single-network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) ([0103], “The update indication information is used to instruct the AMF network element to delete the S-NSSAI corresponding to the first network slice from the first Allowed NSSAI, to generate second Allowed NSSAI.”) associated with the PDU session identifier ([0086], “the session establishment request message includes a PDU session identifier (identifier, ID).”) . Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing date of the claim invention to have modified the method of Lee to specify allowed NSSAI as taught by Zhu. The motivation/suggestion would have been because there is a need to determine a second S-NSSAI when a first S-NSSAI is not accepted. With respect to dependent claims: Regarding claim(s) 2/8/10/15 , Lee teaches wherein the network entity ([0108], “In operation 209, the AMF 120 may discover an AMF previously serving the UE 100, that is, the old AMF 200, based on the received identifier of the UE 100 (e.g., SUPI or 5G-GUTI).”) is a previously selected AMF ([0108], “the old AMF 200”) or mobility management entity (MME), wherein the second message is a terminal information request message ([0108], “In operation 212, the AMF 120 may transmit a Namf_Communication_UEContextTransfer message requesting the UE context to the old AMF 200.”) , and wherein the third message is a terminal information response message ([0108], “the old AMF 200 may include the UE context of the UE 100 in the Namf_Communication_UEContextTransfer response message transmitted in operation 215.”) . Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing date of the claim invention to have modified the method of Zhu to specify old AMF as taught by Lee. The motivation/suggestion would have been because there is a need to retrieve UE context. Regarding claim(s) 3/11 , Lee teaches wherein the previously selected AMF or MME is identified based on information associated with the terminal ID included in the first message ([0108], “In operation 209, the AMF 120 may discover an AMF previously serving the UE 100, that is, the old AMF 200, based on the received identifier of the UE 100 (e.g., SUPI or 5G-GUTI). In operation 212, the AMF 120 may transmit a Namf_Communication_UEContextTransfer message requesting the UE context to the old AMF 200.”) . Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art at the time before the effective filing date of the claim invention to have modified the method of Zhu to specify old AMF as taught by Lee. The motivation/suggestion would have been because there is a need to retrieve UE context. Regarding claim(s) 4/12 , Zhu teaches wherein the network entity is a session management function (SMF) ([0092], “S303. The AMF network element requests the SMF network element to create a session management context.”) , wherein the second message is a PDU session context request message ([0092], “S303. The AMF network element requests the SMF network element to create a session management context.”) , and wherein the third message is a PDU session context response message ([0102], “S307. The SMF network element sends the authentication result or update indication information to the AMF network element.”) . Regarding claim(s) 5/13 , Zhu teaches wherein a fifth message including at least one of a request slice ([0086], S-NSSAI of the network slice) and a terminal ID is transmitted from the terminal to the base station ([0086], “the terminal device sends the session establishment request to the AMF network ...The first Allowed NSSAI includes S-NSSAI of a first network slice. For example, the session establishment request message includes a PDU session identifier (identifier, ID) and the S-NSSAI of the first network slice.”) , and wherein the fourth message is transmitted from the base station to the terminal ([0107], “S311. The AMF network element sends the second Allowed NSSAI to the terminal device” via the base station.) . Regarding claim(s) 7 , Zhu teaches wherein a fourth message including the S-NSSAI is transmitted from a network entity to the AMF ([0103], “The update indication information is used to instruct the AMF network element to delete the S-NSSAI corresponding to the first network slice from the first Allowed NSSAI, to generate second Allowed NSSAI.”) . Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZHIREN QIN whose telephone number is (571)272-5444. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 9-6 PM. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Derrick Ferris can be reached on 571-272-3123. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /ZHIREN QIN/Examiner, Art Unit 2411 Application/Control Number: 18/700,905 Page 2 Art Unit: 2411 Application/Control Number: 18/700,905 Page 3 Art Unit: 2411 Application/Control Number: 18/700,905 Page 4 Art Unit: 2411 Application/Control Number: 18/700,905 Page 5 Art Unit: 2411 Application/Control Number: 18/700,905 Page 6 Art Unit: 2411 Application/Control Number: 18/700,905 Page 7 Art Unit: 2411 Application/Control Number: 18/700,905 Page 8 Art Unit: 2411 Application/Control Number: 18/700,905 Page 9 Art Unit: 2411 Application/Control Number: 18/700,905 Page 10 Art Unit: 2411
Prosecution Insights