CTNF 18/712,456 CTNF 101496 DETAILED ACTION 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. Priority 02-26 AIA Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 09/09/2024 and 01/21/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Cancelled Claims Claims 8-10 have been withdrawn from consideration based on applicant’s preliminary amendments to claims. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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: 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-12-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1-4, 6, 11-14, 17-18 and 21-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1) and 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2 ) as being clearly anticipated by Shi et al (US-20190253873-A1, Published: 2019/08/15) hereinafter Shi . Regarding claim 1, Shi discloses a method for sending a presence reporting area (PRA), comprising: after receiving a first PRA sent by a first network element (Shi, fig. 3, par. 48; S301a to S304a are a process in which the PCRF subscribes with the PGW to a location change event and delivers a PRA location change notification request) , sending a first message to a mobility management entity (MME) network element (Shi, fig. 3, par. 60; S304a. The PGW sends a PRA location change notification request 1 to the MME by using the SGW, so that the MME receives the PRA location change notification request 1) , wherein the first message carries the first PRA and a reporting action, and the reporting action is configured to instruct starting the PRA (Shi, fig. 3, par. 60; where the PRA location change notification request 1 carries the identity of the PRA set 1 and is used to instruct the MME to perform PRA location change reporting when the UE enters or leaves any PRA in the PRA set 1 corresponding to the identity of the PRA set 1 and after receiving a second PRA sent by a second network element (Shi, fig. 3, par. 69; S302b. The OCS sends a PRA subscription request 2 to the PGW, so that the PGW receives the PRA subscription request 2) , sending a second message to the MME (Shi, fig. 3, par. 75; S304b. The PGW sends a PRA location change notification request 2 to the MME by using the SGW, so that the MME receives the PRA location change notification request 2) when the second PRA is the same as the first PRA, wherein the second message carries the second PRA and a reporting action, and the reporting action is configured to indicate updating the PRA (Shi, fig. 3, par. 85; S305. The MME determines whether PRA location change reporting needs to be performed) . PNG media_image1.png 677 480 media_image1.png Greyscale Regarding claim 2, Shi discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: after receiving the first PRA sent by the first network element, storing the first PRA (Shi, par. 83; After both the PCRF and the OCS subscribe with the PGW to the location change event, PRA subscription information of the UE that is stored in the PGW may be shown in Table 1) ; and after sending the second message to the MME, reporting the report entering and exiting the first PRA to the first network element and the second network element in response to receiving a report entering and exiting the PRA reported by the MME network element and identifying the report entering and exiting the PRA to be as a report entering and exiting the first PRA according to a stored first PRA (Shi, par. 93; S307. The PGW determines, based on the identity of the PRA set that is sent by the MME and the stored PRA subscription information, a subscription entity that subscribes to a location change event of the UE in any PRA in the PRA set) Examiner notes, see also pars. 89-92 . Regarding claim 3 , Shi discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: sending a third message to the MME after receiving the second PRA sent by the second network element when the second PRA is different from the first PRA (Shi, par. 85; S305. The MME determines whether PRA location change reporting needs to be performed) , wherein the third message carries the second PRA and a reporting action, and the reporting action is configured to instruct starting PRA (Shi, pars. 86; when a location of the UE changes, the MME detects whether a location of the UE in a PRA changes. If the location changes, the MME determines that PRA location change reporting needs to be performed. If the location does not change, the MME determines that PRA location change reporting does not need to be performed) . Regarding claim 4 , Shi discloses the method of claim 3, further comprising: after receiving the first PRA sent by the first network element, storing the first PRA (Shi, par. 57; S303a. The PGW determines PRA subscription information 1 based on the PRA subscription request 1 and stores the PRA subscription information 1) ; and storing the second PRA after receiving the second PRA sent by the second network element (Shi, par. 72; S303b. The PGW determines PRA subscription information 2 based on the PRA subscription request 2 and stores the PRA subscription information 2) when the second PRA is different from the first PRA wherein a stored first PRA is configured to identify whether the report entering and exiting the PRA reported by the MME network element is a report entering and exiting the first PRA, and the stored first PRA is configured to report the report entering and exiting the first PRA when identifying that a reported report entering and exiting the PRA is the report entering and exiting the first PRA, and a stored second PRA is configured to identify whether the report entering and exiting the PRA reported by the MME network element is a report entering and exiting the second PRA, and the stored second PRA is configured to report the report entering and exiting the second PRA when identifying that a reported report entering and exiting the PRA is the report entering and exiting the second PRA (Shi, pars. 85-86; S305. The MME determines whether PRA location change reporting needs to be performed. Specifically, when a location of the UE changes, the MME detects whether a location of the UE in a PRA changes. If the location changes, the MME determines that PRA location change reporting needs to be performed) . Regarding claim 6 , Shi discloses the method of claim 1, wherein: the sending the first message to the MME network element comprises sending a first update bearer request to the MME network element, wherein the first update bearer request carries the first PRA and a reporting action indicating starting the PRA; and the sending the second message to the MME comprises sending a second update bearer request to the MME network element, wherein the second update bearer request carries the second PRA and a reporting action indicating updating the PRA (Shi, fig. 3, par. 80; When steps S301a to S304a are performed simultaneously with steps S301b to S304b, the PRA location change notification request 1 in step S304a and the PRA location change notification request 2 in step S304b may be added to a same update bearer request (update bearer request) message and sent to the MME. This is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application) . Regarding claim 11 , Shi discloses the method of claim 1, wherein a type of the second network element is determined by a type of the first network element (Shi, par. 8; the mobility management entity sends, to the session management function entity, the location change information in the PRA, the identity of the PRA, and the identity of the PRA set to which the PRA corresponding to the identity of the PRA belongs , so that the session management function entity can determine , based on the identity of the PRA set, the subscription entity that subscribes to the location change event of the UE in any PRA in the PRA set), examiner notes, Shi further discloses the PGW receives the PRA information, including the identity of which the PRA belongs to, see pars. 64, 79, and 87-90 . Regarding claim 12 , Shi discloses the method of claim 1, wherein different PRAs of different network elements are stored on PGW-C (Shi, par. 83; PRA subscription information of the UE that is stored in the PGW) , and after the PGW-C determines a report reported by the MME (Shi, par. 84; the MME receives the PRA location change notification request sent by the PGW) , the report is reported to the network element (Shi, par. 85; S305. The MME determines whether PRA location change reporting needs to be performed) . Regarding claim 13 , Shi discloses the method of claim 4, wherein the stored first PRA is configured to determine a difference between the first PRA of the first network element and the second PRA of the second network element (Shi, par. 55; It should be noted that a PRA subscription request sent by the PCRF to the PGW is marked as the PRA subscription request 1 herein, so that the PRA subscription request is distinguished from a PRA subscription request sent by the OCS to the PGW below) examiner notes, see also pars. 82-93 . Regarding claim 14 , wherein the stored second PRA is configured to determine a difference between PRA of other network elements and the second PRA of the second network element (Shi, par. 55; It should be noted that a PRA subscription request sent by the PCRF to the PGW is marked as the PRA subscription request 1 herein, so that the PRA subscription request is distinguished from a PRA subscription request sent by the OCS to the PGW below) examiner notes, see also pars. 82-93. Regarding claim 17 , Shi discloses the method of claim 2, wherein: the sending the first message to the MME network element comprises sending a first update bearer request to the MME network element, wherein the first update bearer request carries the first PRA and a reporting action indicating starting the PRA; and the sending the second message to the MME comprises sending a second update bearer request to the MME network element, wherein the second update bearer request carries the second PRA and a reporting action indicating updating the PRA (Shi, fig. 3, par. 80; When steps S301a to S304a are performed simultaneously with steps S301b to S304b, the PRA location change notification request 1 in step S304a and the PRA location change notification request 2 in step S304b may be added to a same update bearer request (update bearer request) message and sent to the MME. This is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application) . Regarding claim 18 , Shi discloses the method of claim 3, wherein: the sending the first message to the MME network element comprises sending a first update bearer request to the MME network element, wherein the first update bearer request carries the first PRA and a reporting action indicating starting the PRA; and the sending the second message to the MME comprises sending a second update bearer request to the MME network element, wherein the second update bearer request carries the second PRA and a reporting action indicating updating the PRA (Shi, fig. 3, par. 80; When steps S301a to S304a are performed simultaneously with steps S301b to S304b, the PRA location change notification request 1 in step S304a and the PRA location change notification request 2 in step S304b may be added to a same update bearer request (update bearer request) message and sent to the MME. This is not specifically limited in this embodiment of the present application) . Regarding Claim 21 , Shi discloses an electronic equipment, comprising: at least one processor; and a memory communicating with the at least one processor, wherein the memory stores an instruction executable by the at least one processor, and the instruction is executed by the at least one processor to make the at least one processor implement the method for sending the PRA according to claim 1 (Shi, fig. 2, par. 38; The computer device 200 includes at least one processor 201, a communications bus 202, a memory 203, and at least one communications interface 204) Examiner notes, see also pars. 39-47. PNG media_image2.png 285 479 media_image2.png Greyscale PNG media_image3.png 324 328 media_image3.png Greyscale Regarding Claim 21 , Shi discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, wherein when the computer program is executed by a processor, the method for sending the PRA according to claim 1 is implemented (Shi, fig. 1, par. 14; a session management function entity, including a processor, a memory, a bus, and a communications interface, where the memory is configured to store a computer execution instruction; the processor is connected to the memory by using the bus; and when the session management function entity runs, the processor executes the computer execution instruction stored in the memory, so that the session management function entity performs the location change reporting method according to any design of the first aspect) Examiner notes, see also par. 27 . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 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. 07-23-aia AIA The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows: 1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. 2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. 3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. 4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 5, 7, 15-16 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shi et al (US-20190253873-A1, Published: 2019/08/15) hereinafter Shi, in view of He et al. (US-20240292203-A1, Earliest priority date: 2021/04/20) hereinafter He . Regarding Claim 5 , Shi discloses the method of claim 1, wherein: the first network element comprises a policy control function (PCF) network element (Shi, par. 50; S301a. Establish a policy control session between a PGW and a PCRF) , and the second network element comprises a charging function (CHF) network element (Shi, par. 66; S301b. Establish an online charging session between the PGW and the OCS) ; or the first network element comprises a CHF network element, and the second network element comprises a PCF network element (Shi, figs 1 and 3, par. 33; If the location communications system 100 is applied to the future 5G network, a network element or an entity corresponding to the session management function entity 101 may be a session management function (SMF) entity, a network element or an entity corresponding to the mobility management entity 102 may be a mobility management function (MMF) entity, and a network element or an entity corresponding to the subscription entity 103 may be a policy function (policy function) entity or an OCS), examiner notes, see also par. 4 and 48 . Shi does not explicitly disclose the PCF and CHF, being those for a 5G network. However, He discloses a method for using network function (NF) nodes including PCF and CHF for presence report area (PRA) management in a 5G network (He, fig. 4, par. 116; In steps S402 and S404, PCF 406 interacts with SMF 404 to indicate that it shall be reported when UE presence state in PRA1 and PRA2 changes. In steps S406 and S408, CHF 407 interacts with SMF 404 to indicate that it shall be reported when UE presence state in PRA1 and PRA2 changes) . Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the Shi’s method for location change reporting with He’s system for PRA event report management to meet 5G network demands by implementing a simple substitution of the OCS for a CHF and a PCRF for a PCF respectively. PNG media_image4.png 555 441 media_image4.png Greyscale Regarding claim 7 , the combination of Shi and He further teach the method of claim 1, wherein both the first PRA sent by the first network element and the second PRA sent by the second network element are received through a service SBI interface (He, fig. 3, par. 109; The service(s) etc. that a NF provides to other authorized NFs can be exposed to the authorized NFs through the service-based interface) . Regarding claim 15 , the combination of Shi and He further teach the method of claim 2, wherein: the first network element comprises a policy control function (PCF) network element, and the second network element comprises a charging function (CHF) network element; or the first network element comprises a CHF network element, and the second network element comprises a PCF network element (He, par. 116; In steps S402 and S404, PCF 406 interacts with SMF 404 to indicate that it shall be reported when UE presence state in PRA1 and PRA2 changes. In steps S406 and S408, CHF 407 interacts with SMF 404 to indicate that it shall be reported when UE presence state in PRA1 and PRA2 changes) . Regarding claim 16 , the combination of Shi and He further teach the method of claim 3, wherein: the first network element comprises a policy control function (PCF) network element, and the second network element comprises a charging function (CHF) network element; or the first network element comprises a CHF network element, and the second network element comprises a PCF network element (He, par. 116; In steps S402 and S404, PCF 406 interacts with SMF 404 to indicate that it shall be reported when UE presence state in PRA1 and PRA2 changes. In steps S406 and S408, CHF 407 interacts with SMF 404 to indicate that it shall be reported when UE presence state in PRA1 and PRA2 changes) . Regarding claim 19 , the combination of Shi and He further teach the method of claim 2, wherein both the first PRA sent by the first network element and the second PRA sent by the second network element are received through a service SBI interface (He, fig. 3, par. 109; The service(s) etc. that a NF provides to other authorized NFs can be exposed to the authorized NFs through the service-based interface) . Regarding claim 20 , the combination of Shi and He further teach the method of claim 3, wherein both the first PRA sent by the first network element and the second PRA sent by the second network element are received through a service SBI interface (He, fig. 3, par. 109; The service(s) etc. that a NF provides to other authorized NFs can be exposed to the authorized NFs through the service-based interface) . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Xia et al. (US-20230042053-A1), Method And Network Node For Controlling Report Of Presence Reporting Area Status, 2023-02-09. Pancorbo Marcos et al. (US-20180376302-A1), Apparatuses And Methods For Multiple Presence Reporting Areas, 2018-12-27. Qu et al. (US-20200367014-A1), Methods And Apparatuses For Exposure Of Presence Reporting Area Functionality, 2020-11-19. Yan et al. (US-20200120214-A1), Methods And Devices For Time-Based Conditional Presence Reporting, 2020-04-16 Hoffner et al. (US-20200196198-A1), Systems And Methods For Modifying Data Usage Permissions Based On An Event, 2020-06-18. Salot et al. (US-20150365789-A1), Location Reporting Of User Equipment In A Cellular Network Environment, 2015-12-17. Rönneke et al. (US-20210136658-A1), Service Gap Control For A Wireless Device, 2021-05-06. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARIO R CAMPERO MIRAMONTES whose telephone number is (571)272-5792. The examiner can normally be reached Monday -Thursday 0730 - 1730. 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, Yuwen Pan can be reached at (571) 272-7855. 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. /MRCM/Examiner, Art Unit 2649 /YUWEN PAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2649 Application/Control Number: 18/712,456 Page 2 Art Unit: 2649 Application/Control Number: 18/712,456 Page 3 Art Unit: 2649 Application/Control Number: 18/712,456 Page 4 Art Unit: 2649 Application/Control Number: 18/712,456 Page 5 Art Unit: 2649 Application/Control Number: 18/712,456 Page 6 Art Unit: 2649 Application/Control Number: 18/712,456 Page 7 Art Unit: 2649 Application/Control Number: 18/712,456 Page 8 Art Unit: 2649 Application/Control Number: 18/712,456 Page 9 Art Unit: 2649 Application/Control Number: 18/712,456 Page 10 Art Unit: 2649 Application/Control Number: 18/712,456 Page 11 Art Unit: 2649
Prosecution Insights