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
This action is in response to the application filed on June 25, 2026
Claims 51-71 are under examination.
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 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)(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 51-71 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by DI GOROLAMO et al. (US 2023/0388866 A1).
1-50. (canceled)
As per Claim 51 DI GOROLAMO teaches a method of wireless communication, comprising: transmitting UE assistance information to a network node (Paragraph 0003 UE assistance information sent by the UE in order to support 5G NR as well as the requirements of service continuity ); and
receiving, by a user equipment (UE), unicast via data radio bearer (DRB) and a broadcast service via multicast radio bearer (MRB) simultaneously transmitted on a common physical channel based on the UE assistance information (Paragraph 0009, 0089, 0091, 0160 For example, the network may allow cast specific handovers. A UE may have DRBs and MRBs, and only one of these is handed over to a target cell—the other remaining in the source cell. The UE may maintain connection to both cells. The UE may initiate a single source to multiple UEs in the associated broadcast service. Broadcast services may be received by all users who have enabled the specific broadcast service locally on their UE and who are in the broadcast area defined for the service., and during the cell reselection evaluation process, the UE may prioritize unicast cell reselection. As a result, unicast traffic and MBMS traffic are multiplexed over the DL-SCH, resulting in more flexible and dynamic radio resource allocation for MBMS transmissions. Even though SC-PTM is scheduled like the unicast traffic, it does not rely on any UL feedback ).
As per Claim 52 DI GOROLAMO teaches the method of claim 51, wherein the UE assistance information comprises at least one of UE capability, measurement report, or Free-to-Air (FTA) reception/Radio Access Network (RAN) sharing status report (Paragraph 0220 Status Report exchange between the source gNB and target gNB).
As per Claim 53 DI GOROLAMO teaches the method of claim 51, wherein multiple Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards are supported for the UE to receive data including the unicast and the broadcast service, and the data including the unicast and the broadcast service are from the same or different operators (Paragraph 0080, 0084, 0317 Mobile networks are primarily designed for unicast services, include a subscriber identity module (SIM) card. A mechanism referred to as MBSFN (Multicast Broadcast Single Frequency Network). MBMS was provided on carriers that were shared with unicast services. MBSFN required new logical entities in the core network and relied on simultaneous transmission of the same MBMS traffic, from one or more eNB ).
As per Claim 54 DI GOROLAMO teaches the method of claim 51, wherein the broadcast service comprises at least one of FTA or multicast and broadcast service (MBS) (Paragraph 0066, 0067 0084 Work Item on NR Multicast and Broadcast Services (MBS), User Equipment (UE) procedures UE would continue to receive (with no or little service interruption) an MBS service despite changing serving cell, changing RRC state, or changing RAN delivery method for the MBS service. For example, this may mean without any loss of MBS PDUs, through a mechanism referred to as MBSFN (Multicast Broadcast Single Frequency Network). MBMS was provided on carriers that were shared with unicast services. MBSFN required new logical entities in the core network and relied on simultaneous transmission of the same MBMS traffic, from one or more eNB ).
As per Claim 55 DI GOROLAMO teaches the method of claim 54, wherein in the receiving step, at least one of the unicast or the MBS are received by the UE on resources configured according to the FTA after the FTA is determined to be transmitted (Paragraph 0093 Services provided may be distributed in such a way that they can be received by all, including those who are not mobile subscribers. This is also referred to as Receive-only-Mode (ROM) or Free-to-Air. ).
As per Claim 56 DI GOROLAMO teaches the method of claim 54, wherein in the receiving step, the broadcast service is received under a RAN-based single frequency network (SFN) (Paragraph 0084, LTE networks have supported MBMS since Release 9, through a mechanism referred to as MBSFN (Multicast Broadcast Single Frequency Network). MBMS was provided on carriers that were shared with unicast services. MBSFN required new logical entities in the core network and relied on simultaneous transmission of the same MBMS traffic, from one or more eNBs. ).
As per Claim 57 DI GOROLAMO teaches the method of claim 56, wherein an enhanced frame structure comprising at least one of SFN-based subframe, self-contained subframe for reliable ACK/NACK, or common frequency resource (CFR) is used to enlarge a service area of the RAN-based SFN (Paragraph 0084, SFN Single Frequency Network SN Sequence Number SSB Synchronization Signal Block TBS Transport Block Size UE User Equipment UL Uplink UM Unacknowledged Mode UPF User Plane Function V2X Vehicle to Anything ).
As per Claim 58 DI GOROLAMO teaches the method of claim 56, wherein a flexible numerology is used in the RAN-based SFN to allow a range of at least one of cyclic prefix or subcarrier spacing with different slot lengths (Paragraph 0083, 0084, 0091 A major enhancement was the introduction of Single-Cell Point-to-Multipoint in Release 13. SC-PTM uses the same new logical entities in the core network (BM-SC, MBMS-GW) but does not rely on simultaneous transmission from multiple eNBs (as in the MBSFN case). enhancements to terrestrial broadcast (new frame structures, new cyclic prefixes) to find solutions to allow EN-TV to meet 5G broadcast requirements for “terrestrial broadcast. ).
59. (Canceled)
As per Claim 60 DI GOROLAMO teaches the method of claim 54, wherein which one of the MRB and the DRB is adopted to receive the MBS is decided by the network node based on MBS session QoS requirement (Paragraph 0160, 0329 a UE with an ongoing MBS service may require an enhanced handover procedure to reduce the interruption time. For example, the network may allow cast specific handovers. A UE may have DRBs and MRBs, and only one of these is handed over to a target cell—the other remaining in the source cell. Downlink Shared Channel DRB Data Radio Bearer DRX Discontinuous Reception eNB enhanced Node B E-UTRA Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access eMBMS Enhanced MBMS eMTC enhanced Machine-Type Communication FR2 Frequency Range).
As per Claim 61 DI GOROLAMO teaches the method of claim 54, wherein which one of point-to-point (PTP) and point-to-multipoint (PTM) is used for an MBS session reception is decided by the network node based on the channel quality (Paragraph 0003, 0017, 0329 The MBS configuration for the target cell may have a PTM radio bearer and a linked PTP radio bearer that may share the same PDCP entity, whereby the UE recovers the lost/missing MBS PDUs from the linked PTP radio bearer. PTP Point-to-Point PTM Point-to-Multipoint QFI QoS Flow Identifier Qos Quality of Service RAN Radio Access Network RLC Radio Link Control RNTI Radio Network Temporary Identifier RRC Radio Resource ).
As per Claim 62 DI GOROLAMO teaches the method of claim 54, wherein the SC-PTM using PTM transmission is received by MRB as well as PDCCH-scheduled PTM PDSCH data is scrambled by a Group-RNTI (G-RNTI) (Paragraph 0074, 0091 For SC-PTM, MBMS is transmitted in the coverage of a single cell and G-RNTI used to scramble CRC in PDCCH for SC-MTCH. Note that there is a one-to-one mapping between each MBMS session supported in a cell, and G-RNTI used for the reception of the DL-SCH to which a SC-MTCH is mapped. The SC-PTM transmission carries both a control channel (SC-MCCH) and traffic channel (SC-MTCH). SC-MCCH and SC-MTCH transmissions are each indicated by a logical channel specific RNTI on the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH). For example, in LTE SC-PTM deployments, these windows are described by DRX patterns—with ON and OFF times, and with ON times extended through activity).
As per Claim 63 DI GOROLAMO teaches the method of claim 54, wherein the MBS using PTP transmission is received by DRB as well as PDCCH-scheduled PTP PDSCH data is scrambled by a Cell-RNTI (C-RNTI) (Paragraph 0091-0093 A major enhancement was the introduction of Single-Cell Point-to-Multipoint in Release 13. SC-PTM uses the same new logical entities in the core network, an SC-RNTI used to scramble CRC in PDCCH scheduling SC-MCCH and G-RNTI used to scramble CRC in PDCCH for SC-MTCH. Note that there is a one-to-one mapping between each MBMS session supported in a cell, and G-RNTI used for the reception of the DL-SCH to which a SC-MTCH is mapped. Even though SC-PTM is scheduled like the unicast traffic, ).
As per Claim 64 DI GOROLAMO teaches the method of claim 51, wherein the broadcast service comprises MBS, and which one of RAN-based SFN and SC-PTM is adopted to receive MBS is decided by the network node (Paragraph 0091 For SC-PTM, MBMS is transmitted in the coverage of a single cell. The SC-PTM transmission carries both a control channel (SC-MCCH) and traffic channel (SC-MTCH). SC-MCCH and SC-MTCH transmissions are each indicated by a logical channel specific RNTI on the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH). Specifically, an SC-RNTI used to scramble CRC in PDCCH scheduling SC-MCCH and G-RNTI used to scramble CRC in PDCCH for SC-MTCH. Note that there is a one-to-one mapping between each MBMS session supported in a cell, and G-RNTI used for the reception of the DL-SCH to which a SC-MTCH is mapped. ).
As per Claim 65 DI GOROLAMO teaches the method of claim 64, further comprising: if the UE is a cell-center UE, being configured by the network node SC-PTM reception; and if the UE is a cell-edge UE, being configured by the network node RAN-based SFN reception (Pragraph 0091-0093, For SC-PTM, MBMS is transmitted in the coverage of a single cell. The SC-PTM transmission carries both a control channel (SC-MCCH) and traffic channel (SC-MTCH). SC-MCCH and SC-MTCH transmissions are each indicated by a logical channel specific RNTI on the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH). Specifically, an SC-RNTI used to scramble CRC in PDCCH scheduling SC-MCCH and G-RNTI used to scramble CRC in PDCCH for SC-MTCH. Note that there is a one-to-one mapping between each MBMS session supported in a cell, and G-RNTI used for the reception of the DL-SCH to which a SC-MTCH is mapped).
As per Claim 66 DI GOROLAMO teaches the method of claim 51, wherein adaptive modulation and coding scheme (MCS) is configured to SC-PTM and RAN-based SFN transmission for cell-center UEs and cell-edge UEs respectively depending on the UE assistance information (Paragraph 0329 MAC Media/Medium Access Control MBMS Multimedia Broadcast Multicast services MBMS GW MBMS Gateway MBS Multicast/Broadcast Service MBS GW Multicast/Broadcast Service GW MBSFN Multicast-broadcast single-frequency network MCCH Multicast Control Channel MCE Multi-cell/multicast coordination entity MCH Multicast transport channel MCS Modulation ).
As per Claim 67 DI GOROLAMO teaches the method of claim 51, further comprising: receiving a RAN-based SFN-specific reference or synchronized signal pattern for UE synchronization, wherein the RAN-based SFN-specific reference or synchronized signal pattern is same for all the cells belonging to a RAN-based SFN service area (Paragraph 0096, Limitations regarding Service continuity: Service continuity is limited in MBSFN to the MBSFN service area. To keep the service continuity in SC-PTM the UE is allowed to switch to unicast in a case of a handover and the new serving cell not transmitting a SC-PTM transmission. This feature is relevant for Mission Critical Services, where the degree of reliability of the service must be maintained.. ).
As per Claim 68 DI GOROLAMO teaches the method of claim 51, wherein the network node is one of the followings: one of cells of intra-distributed unit (DU), one of cells of inter-DU of intra-centralized unit (CU), one of cells of inter-CU, one of cells of primary/secondary carrier component, one of cells of master/secondary cell group, or one of cells of sharing public land mobile networks (PLMNs) (Paragraph 0276, 0286 The RNC 142a in the RAN 103 may be connected to the MSC 146 in the core network 106 via an IuCS interface. The MSC 146 may be connected to the MGW 144. The MSC 146 and the MGW 144 may provide the WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c with access to circuit-switched networks, such as the PSTN 108, to facilitate communications between the WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c, and traditional land-line communications devices.).
As per Claim 69 DI GOROLAMO teaches a user equipment (UE), comprising a memory, at least one transceiver and a processor coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver, the processor configured to call and run program instructions stored in a memory, to execute the following operations: transmitting UE assistance information to a network node(Paragraph 0003, UE assistance information sent by the UE in order to support 5G NR as well as the requirements of service continuity ); and receiving, by a user equipment (UE), unicast via data radio bearer (DRD) and a broadcast service via multicast radio bearer (MRB) simultaneously transmitted on a common physical channel from the network node based on the UE assistance information (Paragraph 0009, 0089, 0091 the UE may initiate a single source to multiple UEs in the associated broadcast service. Broadcast services may be received by all users who have enabled the specific broadcast service locally on their UE and who are in the broadcast area defined for the service., and during the cell reselection evaluation process, the UE may prioritize unicast cell reselection. As a result, unicast traffic and MBMS traffic are multiplexed over the DL-SCH, resulting in more flexible and dynamic radio resource allocation for MBMS transmissions. Even though SC-PTM is scheduled like the unicast traffic, it does not rely on any UL feedback ).
As per Claim 70 DI GOROLAMO teaches a network node, comprising a memory, at least one transceiver and a processor coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver, the processor configured to call and run program instructions stored in a memory, to execute the following operations: receiving UE assistance information from user equipment (UEs) (Paragraph 0003, UE assistance information sent by the UE in order to support 5G NR as well as the requirements of service continuity ); and transmitting, by the network node, unicast via data radio bearer (DRD) and a broadcast service via multicast radio bearer (MRB) simultaneously transmitted on a common physical channel from the network node based on the UE assistance information (Paragraph 0009, 0089, 0091 the UE may initiate a single source to multiple UEs in the associated broadcast service. Broadcast services may be received by all users who have enabled the specific broadcast service locally on their UE and who are in the broadcast area defined for the service., and during the cell reselection evaluation process, the UE may prioritize unicast cell reselection. As a result, unicast traffic and MBMS traffic are multiplexed over the DL-SCH, resulting in more flexible and dynamic radio resource allocation for MBMS transmissions. Even though SC-PTM is scheduled like the unicast traffic, it does not rely on any UL feedback ).
As per Claim 71 DI GOROLAMO teaches method of claim 54, wherein the network node includes a CU and a DU for MBS transmissions on shared resources in case of RAN sharing, wherein the RAN sharing allows multiple PLMNs to share radio resources for the MBS transmissions (Paragraph 0091-0093 A major enhancement was the introduction of Single-Cell Point-to-Multipoint in Release 13. SC-PTM uses the same new logical entities in the core network (BM-SC, MBMS-GW) but does not rely on simultaneous transmission from multiple eNBs (as in the MBSFN case). Rather each eNB individually schedules its own MBMS transmissions. These transmissions are transported over the Downlink Shared Channel (DL-SCH) and carried on the Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH). As a result, unicast traffic and MBMS traffic are multiplexed over the DL-SCH, resulting in more flexible and dynamic radio resource allocation for MBMS transmissions. Also, since the scheduling is not left to the MCE to be synchronized across eNBs, the end-to-end latency is expected to be reduced. For SC-PTM, MBMS is transmitted in the coverage of a single cell. The SC-PTM transmission carries both a control channel (SC-MCCH) and traffic channel (SC-MTCH). ).
Response to Argument(s)
Applicant's argument(s) filed on June 25, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Therefore, the rejection is maintained.
In the remarks, at page 7-11 the Applicant argues in substance that:
Remark: (A) “Di Girolamo does not disclose or teach that UE assistance information is used by a network node to determine or configure a simultaneous transmission of unicast and broadcast service, and the unicast and broadcast service are simultaneously transmitted based on the UE assistance information..”
Response: Examiner respectfully disagrees with applicant’s representative’s assertions. The Examiner has thoroughly reviewed Applicants' representative’s arguments but firmly believes that the cited references to reasonably and properly meet the claimed limitation. Applicant’s representative’s are reminded that the Examiner is entitled to give the broadest reasonable interpretation to the language of the claims. Examiner appreciates applicant’s representative’s explanation however, Di Gorolamo explicitly stated that UE may have a priority for the MBS service which is used to help the UE determine if it should prioritize MBS operation over unicast operation in Idle/Inactive mode. The prioritization rule may be an absolute priority. The UE prioritize MBS cell reselection if priority MBS and priority Unicast or prioritize unicast cell reselection if priority Unicast and priority MBS. See figure 20D which shows that network functions directly connect to one another, however, it should be appreciated that they may communicate via routing agents such as a diameter routing agent or message buses. .
Example from Di Gorolamo (Paragraph 0169, 0293 a Network Function service may be achieved via a direct connection between network functions, an exchange of messaging on a message bus, calling a software function, etc.. the UE may provide an indication of how the MBS service is offered in the cell (PTP, dedicated PTM, shared PTM, split bearer with PTP leg and PTM leg). Similarly, for each neighbor cell, the gNB may provide: a BWP that carries the MBS service. Further, for each neighbor cell, the gNB may provide an indication of whether: the neighbor cell transmission progress is aligned; the UE can trigger the starting of the MBS service; and/or the neighbor cell may be used as a secondary MBScell....)
Therefore Di Gorolamo reference teaches the claim limitation as currently presented.
Examiner’s Note
Examiner is open for discussion if the applicant’s representative need further clarifications.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL
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 extension fee 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.
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/SYED ALI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2463
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