CTNF 18/726,734 CTNF 101682 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. 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 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 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. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1, 2, 18, 19, & 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Selvaganapathy, WO 2021089684 A1 (hereinafter Selva) . Regarding claim 1 , Selva discloses a method performed by a user equipment, UE, in a wireless communication network, comprising: receiving a configuration for a conditional handover, CHO, from a source node to a candidate target node; (Selva; paragraph 52 & 53 - - Selva teaches a conditional handover may be also executed after sending measurement reports for any configured handover measurement event, for example if conditional handover type is later indicated in a handover command message. [0053] Based on the measurement report received from UE 110, the source node 120 may be configured to prepare target node 130, or a plurality of candidate target cells associated with target node 130, for handover. At 304, the source node 120 may transmit a handover request message to target node 130 to prepare the target node 130 for handover.) executing the CHO to the candidate target node; (Selva WO 2021089684 A1; paragraph 55 - - Selva teaches at 309, UE 110 may determine whether the handover execution condition is met (this is based on conditional handover). If the handover execution condition is met, the UE may determine to perform the handover to target node 130.) and in connection with executing the CHO, providing to the candidate target node a session status indication for an application session of the UE (Selva WO 2021089684 A1; paragraph 94 - - Selva teaches in response to triggering of the conditional handover, the UE 110 may determine the status of the source SN 122, for example that the source SN 122 is active, and/or whether the one or more conditions associated with selection of the conditional handover connectivity configurations are met. According to an example embodiment source MN 120 may determine whether source SN 122 is active with respect to UE 110 based on an indication of the active status received from source SN 122 or UE 110. Source MN 120 may transmit an indication of the active status of the source SN 122 to target MN 130. Alternatively, target MN 130 may determine the source SN 122 to have an active status if no indication of a non-active status is received from source MN 120.) Regarding claim 2 , Selva discloses the method of Claim 1. Selva further teaches wherein the session status indication comprises an indication of an ongoing/not ongoing status of the application session (Selva WO 2021089684 A1; paragraph 94 - - Selva teaches in response to triggering of the conditional handover, the UE 110 may determine the status of the source SN 122, for example that the source SN 122 is active, and/or whether the one or more conditions associated with selection of the conditional handover connectivity configurations are met. According to an example embodiment source MN 120 may determine whether source SN 122 is active with respect to UE 110 based on an indication of the active status received from source SN 122 or UE 110. Source MN 120 may transmit an indication of the active status of the source SN 122 to target MN 130. Alternatively, target MN 130 may determine the source SN 122 to have an active status if no indication of a non-active status is received from source MN 120.) Regarding claim 18 , Selva discloses a method performed by a target node in a wireless communication network, comprising: receiving a conditional handover, CHO, of a user equipment, UE, from a source node to the target node; (Selva WO 2021089684 A1; paragraph 52 & 53 - - Selva teaches a conditional handover may be also executed after sending measurement reports for any configured handover measurement event, for example if conditional handover type is later indicated in a handover command message. [0053] Based on the measurement report received from UE 110, the source node 120 may be configured to prepare target node 130, or a plurality of candidate target cells associated with target node 130, for handover. At 304, the source node 120 may transmit a handover request message to target node 130 to prepare the target node 130 for handover.) in connection with the CHO, receiving a session status indication indicating a status for an application session of the UE; (Selva WO 2021089684 A1; paragraph 94 - - Selva teaches in response to triggering of the conditional handover, the UE 110 may determine the status of the source SN 122, for example that the source SN 122 is active, and/or whether the one or more conditions associated with selection of the conditional handover connectivity configurations are met. According to an example embodiment source MN 120 may determine whether source SN 122 is active with respect to UE 110 based on an indication of the active status received from source SN 122 or UE 110. Source MN 120 may transmit an indication of the active status of the source SN 122 to target MN 130. Alternatively, target MN 130 may determine the source SN 122 to have an active status if no indication of a non-active status is received from source MN 120.) and handling the application session in accordance with the session status indication (Selva; paragraph 98 - - Selva teaches the target MN 130 executes the conditional handover based on the dual connectivity configuration in response to reception of the connection request form the UE 110 and the indication of the active status of source SN 122 received from source MN 120). Regarding claim 19 , Selva discloses the method of Claim 18. Selva further teaches the method comprising: receiving a handover request indicating that it is a candidate node of a CHO procedure involving the UE, wherein the handover request includes the session status indication. (Selva WO 2021089684 A1; paragraph 52 & 94 - - Selva teaches at 304, the source node 120 may transmit a handover request message to target node 130 to prepare the target node 130 for handover. Selva then teaches in paragraph 94 in response to triggering of the conditional handover, the UE 110 may determine the status of the source SN 122, for example that the source SN 122 is active, and/or whether the one or more conditions associated with selection of the conditional handover connectivity configurations are met. According to an example embodiment source MN 120 may determine whether source SN 122 is active with respect to UE 110 based on an indication of the active status received from source SN 122 or UE 110. Source MN 120 may transmit an indication of the active status of the source SN 122 to target MN 130. Alternatively, target MN 130 may determine the source SN 122 to have an active status if no indication of a non-active status is received from source MN 120.) Regarding claim 28 , Selva discloses a method performed by a source node in a wireless communication network, comprising: configuring a user equipment, UE, with a configuration for conditional handover, CHO, to a candidate target node; (Selva WO 2021089684 A1; paragraph 52 & 53 - - Selva teaches a conditional handover may be also executed after sending measurement reports for any configured handover measurement event, for example if conditional handover type is later indicated in a handover command message. [0053] Based on the measurement report received from UE 110, the source node 120 may be configured to prepare target node 130, or a plurality of candidate target cells associated with target node 130, for handover. At 304, the source node 120 may transmit a handover request message to target node 130 to prepare the target node 130 for handover.) configuring the UE with a configuration for providing to the candidate target node a session status indication for an application session of the UE; (Selva WO 2021089684 A1; paragraph 94 - - Selva teaches in response to triggering of the conditional handover, the UE 110 may determine the status of the source SN 122, for example that the source SN 122 is active, and/or whether the one or more conditions associated with selection of the conditional handover connectivity configurations are met. According to an example embodiment source MN 120 may determine whether source SN 122 is active with respect to UE 110 based on an indication of the active status received from source SN 122 or UE 110. Source MN 120 may transmit an indication of the active status of the source SN 122 to target MN 130. Alternatively, target MN 130 may determine the source SN 122 to have an active status if no indication of a non-active status is received from source MN 120.) and executing a handover of the UE from the source node to the candidate target node ( Selva WO 2021089684 A1; paragraph 61 - - Selva teaches in response to receiving the handover command, UE 110 may execute the handover to the target MN 130) . 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 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 3, 8, and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Selvaganapathy, WO 2021089684 A1, as applied to claim 1 above, in view of Balan, WO 2021237053 A1 (hereinafter Balan) . Regarding claim 3, Selva teaches the method of Claim 1. Selva fails to teach wherein the session status indication comprises one or more session start/stop/end indications for the application session that were generated while the UE was configured for the CHO to the candidate target node. However, Balan teaches wherein the session status indication comprises one or more session start/stop/end indications for the application session that were generated while the UE was configured for the CHO to the candidate target node (Balan; paragraph 39 - - Balan teaches logging information related to a multiple-event conditional handover execution may include logging or storing a wide variety of event-related conditions, for example. Event-related conditions may include, for example one or more of, e.g., a status of a Time-To-Trigger timer for an event, including a status of either not started, started (interpreted as the start), stopped (interpreted as the stop) after being started, or expired (interpreted as the end indication). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention to have incorporated the teachings of Balan into the invention of Selva to include the feature of one or more session start/stop/end indications for the application session generated while the UE was configured for CHO to the candidate target node, in order to provide the target node with an accurate and current record of application session state changes that occurred during the CHO preparation window, such as which sessions started, stopped, or ended between the 'me the CHO was configured and the 'me it was executed, thereby improving handover continuity and reducing unnecessary QoE configuration mismatches at the target node by ensuring the target has up-to-date session status information upon CHO execution rather than relying solely on potentially stale session status information from the CHO preparation phase (see Balan paragraph 9). Regarding claim 8 , Selva teaches the method of Claim 1. Selva fails to teach the method, further comprising: storing one more session start/stop/end indications that were generated while the UE was configured for CHO to the source node. However, Balan teaches the method, further comprising: storing one more session start/stop/end indications that were generated while the UE was configured for CHO to the source node (Balan; paragraph 39 - - Balan teaches Logging may include, for example, creating a log or record that may record (or store) information related to events or event-related conditions for a user device or UE with respect to a conditional handover execution. Further, event-related conditions may include, for example one or more of, e.g., a status of a Time-To-Trigger timer for an event, including a status of either not started, started, stopped after being started, or expired. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of applicant's claimed invention to have incorporated the teachings of Balan into the invention of Selva to include the feature of storing one or more session start/stop/end indications that were generated while the UE was configured for CHO to the source node, in order to preserve a record of application session state changes that occurred during the CHO preparation window so that the accumulated session start/stop/end events are available for later use upon CHO execution, improving handover reliability and session continuity by ensuring that session status information generated during the CHO configuration period is not lost before the UE connects to the target node, thereby enabling the target node to receive an accurate and complete account of session activity that occurred while the UE was awaiting CHO execution (see Balan paragraph 39). Regarding claim 9 , the combination of Selva and Balan teach the method of Claim 8. Balan further teaches wherein the UE stores only a latest session start/stop/end indication that was generated while the UE was configured for CHO to the source node (Balan; paragraph 39 - - Balan teaches Logging may include, for example, creating a log or record that may record (or store) information related to events or event-related conditions for a user device or UE with respect to a conditional handover execution. Further, event-related conditions may include, for example one or more of, e.g., a status of a Time-To-Trigger timer for an event, including a status of either not started, started, stopped after being started, or expired. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention to have incorporated the teachings of Balan into the invention of Selva to include the feature of the UE storing only a latest session start/stop/end indication that was generated while the UE was configured for CHO to the source node, in order to ensure the UE retains only the most current and accurate record of the application session’s status during the CHO preparation window, discarding earlier session start/stop/end indication that ae superseded by recent ones, improving the UE memory efficiency and the accuracy of session status information delivered to the target node upon CHO execution (see Balan paragraph 39) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 4, 5, 20, & 29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Selvaganapathy, WO 2021089684 A1, and as applied to claims 1, 18 and 28 above, in view of Watts, US 20250233650 A1 (hereinafter Watts) . Regarding claim 4, Selva teaches the method of Claim 1. Selva fails to teach the method wherein the session status indication is associated with a quality of experience, QoE, configuration in the UE. However, Watts teaches the method wherein the session status indication is associated with a quality of experience, QoE, configuration in the UE (Watts; paragraph 92 - - Watts teaches basic AS- configuration including the PDU session related information, which includes the slice information and QoS flow level QoS profile(s)). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of applicant's claimed invention to have incorporated the teachings of Watts into the invention of Selva to include the feature of associating the session status indication with a quality of experience, QoE, configuration in the UE, in order to enable the target node to identify which specific application session configuration the session status indication pertains to, thereby allowing the target node to take appropriate action with respect to the correct QoE-configured session upon CHO execution, improving session management efficiency at the target node by ensuring that session status indications are 'ed to a specific QoE configuration identifier in the UE rather than being received without context, thereby preventing the target node from misidentifying or mishandling the session status of a particular QoE-monitored application session (see Watts paragraph 92). Regarding claim 5, the combination of Selva and Watts teach the method of Claim 4. The combination of Selva and Watts further teaches wherein the application session comprises a QoE measurement session or an application session for which QoE measurement is applied. (Watts; paragraph 92 - - Watts teaches the PDU session related information may include the slice information and QoS flow level QoS profile(s)). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of applicant's claimed invention to have incorporated the teachings of Watts into the invention of Selva to include the feature of the application session comprising a QoE measurement session or an application session for which QoE measurement is applied, in order to specify the type of application session for which session status indications are generated and reported, thereby enabling the network to configure and manage QoE measurements for specific application sessions such as streaming or IMS multimedia sessions that require end-user experience monitoring, improving network resource utilization and session management by ensuring that QoE measurement collection is applied only to application sessions that require quality monitoring (see Watts paragraph 92). Regarding claim 20, Selva teaches the method of Claim 18. Selva fails to teach wherein the session status indication is indicated per quality of experience, QoE, configuration in the UE. However, Watts teaches wherein the session status indication is indicated per quality of experience, QoE, configuration in the UE. (Watts; paragraph 92 - - Watts teaches the PDU session related information may include the slice information and QoS flow level QoS profile(s)). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of applicant's claimed invention to have incorporated the teachings of Watts into the invention of Selva to include the feature of the session status indication being indicated per quality of experience, QoE, configuration in the UE, in order to allow the target node to distinguish between session status indications corresponding to different QoE-configured application sessions running simultaneously in the UE, thereby enabling the target node to handle each application session individually and correctly in accordance with its specific QoE configuration upon receiving the CHO, improving target node session management accuracy by ensuring that when multiple QoE configurations are active in the UE simultaneously, the target node receives a discrete session status indication for each one rather than a single aggregate status (see Watts paragraph 92). Regarding claim 29, Selva teaches the method of Claim 28. Selva fails to teach wherein the configuration for providing the session status indication for the application session is provided per quality of experience, QoE, configuration in the UE. However, Watts teaches wherein the configuration for providing the session status indication for the application session is provided per quality of experience, QoE, configuration in the UE (Watts; paragraph 92 - - Watts teaches the PDU session related information may include the slice information and QoS flow level QoS profile(s)). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of applicant's claimed invention to have incorporated the teachings of Watts into the invention of Selva to include the feature of the session status indication being indicated per quality of experience, QoE, configuration in the UE, in order to allow the target node to distinguish between session status indications corresponding to different QoE-configured application sessions running simultaneously in the UE, thereby enabling the target node to handle each application session individually and correctly in accordance with its specific QoE configuration upon receiving the CHO, improving target node session management accuracy by ensuring that when multiple QoE configurations are active in the UE simultaneously, the target node receives a discrete session status indication for each one rather than a single aggregate status (see Watts paragraph 92) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 6, 7, 21, & 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Selvaganapathy, WO 2021089684, and as applied to claims 1 and 18 above, A1 in view of Yavuz, US 9642048 B2 (hereinafter Yavuz) . Regarding claim 6 , Selva teaches the method of Claim 1. Selva fails to teach wherein the session status indication is provided to the candidate target node in a radio resource control, RRC, message. However, Yavuz teaches wherein the session status indication is provided to the candidate target node in a radio resource control, RRC, message (Yavuz; col. 6-7, lines 64-67, and 1-8 - - Yavuz teaches to convey the UE status without using any additional signaling, the processing circuit 112 in the UE 110 generates a handover execution status report based on a status of the mobile device 110 stored in memory 116, and adds the generated handover execution status report to an RRC reconfiguration message, e.g., the RRC_Connection_Reconfiguration_Complete message (e.g., step 11 in FIG. 2) during handover execution. The transmitter 114 a in the UE 110 transmits the RRC reconfiguration message to the target eNB 130 during handover execution to convey the handover execution status report to the target node 130). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of applicant's claimed invention to have incorporated the teachings of Yavuz into the invention of Selva to include the feature of providing the session status indication to the candidate target node in a radio resource control, RRC, message, in order to convey the session status indication to the target node using existing RRC signaling infrastructure already available during handover execution without requiring any additional signaling procedures or new message types, improving handover efficiency and reducing signaling overhead by piggybacking the session status indication onto an RRC message already transmitted during handover execution (see Yavuz, Col. 6-7, lines 64-67). Regarding claim 7 , the combination of Selva and Yavuz teach the method of Claim 6. The combination of Selva and Yavuz further teach wherein the RRC message comprises a RRCReconfigurationComplete message, a Handover Complete message, a MeasurementReportAppLayer message, a SRB4 message, or a UEAssistancelnformation message ( Yavuz; col. 5, lines 45-48 - - Yavuz teaches the UE 110 sends an RRC reconfiguration message, e.g., an RRC_Connection_Reconfiguration_Complete message, to the target eNB 130 using L3 signaling (step 11). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of applicant's claimed invention to have incorporated the teachings of Yavuz into the invention of Selva to include the feature of providing the session status indication to the candidate target node in an RRCReconfigurationComplete message, a Handover Complete message, a MeasurementReportAppLayer message, a SRB4 message, or a UEAssistanceInformation message, in order to utilize an existing RRC message that is already transmitted from the UE to the target node during or immediately following CHO execution as the vehicle for delivering the session status indication, thereby avoiding the need to introduce new message types or additional signaling exchanges to convey the session status to the target node, improving handover robustness and timing by ensuring the session status indication reaches the target node at a well-defined point in the CHO execution procedure (See Yavuz, col. 5, lines 45-48). Regarding claim 21 , Selva teaches the method of Claim 18. Selva fails to teach wherein the session status indication is received in a radio resource control, RRC, message. However, Yavuz teaches wherein the session status indication is received in a radio resource control, RRC, message (Yavuz; col. 2, lines 19-24 - - Yavuz teaches in one embodiment, the mobile device exchanges a handover preparation status report with the target node using a first RRC reconfiguration message, where the handover preparation status report is generated during handover preparation). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of applicant's claimed invention to have incorporated the teachings of Yavuz into the invention of Selva to include the feature of the session status indication being received in a radio resource control, RRC, message, in order to enable the target node to receive the session status indication through the established RRC signaling channel already present during handover execution without requiring any additional communication protocols or out-of-band signaling mechanisms, improving target node session handling efficiency by ensuring the session status indication arrives at the target node via the same RRC signaling infrastructure used for all other handover-related communications, thereby allowing the target node to process the session status indication immediately upon receipt of the RRC message during handover execution (see Yavuz col 2, lines 19-24). Regarding claim 22 , the combination of Selva and Yavuz teach the method of Claim 21. Yavuz further teaches wherein the RRC message comprises a RRCReconfigurationComplete message, a Handover Complete message, a MeasurementReportAppLayer message, a SRB4 message, or a UEAssistancelnformation message. ( Yavuz; col. 5, lines 45-48 - - Yavuz teaches the UE 110 sends an RRC reconfiguration message, e.g., an RRC_Connection_Reconfiguration_Complete message, to the target eNB 130 using L3 signaling (step 11). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of applicant's claimed invention to have incorporated the teachings of Yavuz into the invention of Selva to include the feature of providing the session status indication to the candidate target node in an RRCReconfigurationComplete message, a Handover Complete message, a MeasurementReportAppLayer message, a SRB4 message, or a UEAssistanceInformation message, in order to utilize an existing RRC message that is already transmitted from the UE to the target node during or immediately following CHO execution as the vehicle for delivering the session status indication, thereby avoiding the need to introduce new message types or additional signaling exchanges to convey the session status to the target node, improving handover robustness and timing by ensuring the session status indication reaches the target node at a well-defined point in the CHO execution procedure. (See Yavuz, col. 5, lines 45-48) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim 1 1 is r ejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over S elvaganapathy, WO 2021089684 A1, and as applied to claim 1 above, in view of Naseer, US 20220264389 A1 (hereinafter Naseer). R egarding claim 11 , Selva teaches the method of claim 1. Selva fails to teach the method comprising: receiving a configuration for handling session status indications as part of a CHO; However, Naseer teaches the method comprising: receiving a configuration for handling session status indications as part of a CHO (Naseer; paragraph 110 - - Naseer teaches Fig. 3 shows a signaling chart of a conditional handover scenario according to a first aspect of the invention. Such solution, in this example, is referred to as a “Conditional Accept Indication from Target gNB”. Further, Naseer teaches if the target cell decides to reject the conditionally accepted PDU session, the UE releases (in step/stage S316) the resources associated with the rejected PDU session and/or slice). and further teaches implementing the configuration for handling session status indications. (Naseer; paragraph 110 - - Naseer teaches during actual HO execution phase the target cell can make the final decision (in S314) whether to finally accept or reject these conditionally accepted PDU sessions and may inform the UE (in S315). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of applicant's claimed invention to have incorporated the teachings of Naseer into the invention of Selva to include the feature of receiving a configuration for handling session status indications as part of a CHO and implementing that configuration, in order to inform the UE in advance how to handle its session status indications when it connects to the target node during CHO execution, improving handover efficiency by allowing the UE to immediately act on its session status indications upon CHO execution without requiring additional back-and-forth signaling with the target node to determine how to handle each session — since the UE already received and stored the handling instructions as part of the CHO configuration from the source node (see Naseer paragraph 110) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Selvaganapathy, WO 2021089684 A1, in view of Naseer US 20220264389 A1 as applied to claim 11, further in view of Zhu, US 20230362748 A1, (hereinafter Zhu) . Regarding claim 12 , the combination of Selva and Naseer teach the method of Claim 11. The combination fails to teach wherein the configuration for handling session status indications is: indicated in broadcast system information of a target cell; indicated in dedicated signaling to the UE; indicated together with an associated QoE configuration; indicated in an update of a QoE configuration provided by the source node or the candidate target node; indicated by the source node in an RRCReconfiguration message configuring the UE for CHO; indicated by the candidate target node in a CHO command; indicated in an acknowledgement of a session start indication received while the UE was configured for CHO; indicated in an acknowledgement of a session stop indication or session end indication received while the UE was configured for CHO; indicated in a standard specification; and/or configured in a Universal Subscriber Identity Module of the UE at time of subscription. However, Zhu teaches wherein the configuration for handling session status indications is: indicated in broadcast system information of a target cell; indicated in dedicated signaling to the UE; indicated together with an associated QoE configuration; indicated in an update of a QoE configuration provided by the source node or the candidate target node; indicated by the source node in an RRCReconfiguration message configuring the UE for CHO; indicated by the candidate target node in a CHO command; indicated in an acknowledgement of a session start indication received while the UE was configured for CHO; indicated in an acknowledgement of a session stop indication or session end indication received while the UE was configured for CHO; indicated in a standard specification; and/or configured in a Universal Subscriber Identity Module of the UE at time of subscription (Zhu; paragraph 105 - - Zhu teaches the source RAN sends a handover request message to the target RAN, where the handover request message carries a target cell ID and PDU session information corresponding to a PDU session currently established by the UE. The PDU session information includes slice information corresponding to the PDU session and QoS configuration profile (or QoS profile(s)) information corresponding to the PDU session). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of applicant's claimed invention to have incorporated the teachings of Zhu into the invention of Selva and Naseer to include the feature of the configuration for handling session status indications being indicated through one or more of: broadcast system information of a target cell, dedicated signaling to the UE, together with an associated QoE configuration, in an update of a QoE configuration, in an RRCReconfiguration message configuring the UE for CHO, in a CHO command from the candidate target node, in an acknowledgement of a session start/stop/end indication received while the UE was configured for CHO, in a standard specification, or in a USIM at 'me of subscription, in order to ensure the UE receives the session status indication handling configuration through the most suitable and timely delivery channel available, improving network deployment flexibility and session continuity by allowing the session status indication handling configuration to be delivered alongside existing QoE and handover signaling (see Zhu paragraph 105) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim 30 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Selvaganapathy, WO 2021089684 A1, as applied to claim 28 above, in view of Zhu, US 20230362748 A1 . Regarding claim 30 , Selva teaches the method of Claim 28. Selva fails to teach wherein the source node provides the configuration for providing the session status indication: in broadcast system information of a target cell; in dedicated signaling to the UE; together with an associated QoE configuration; in an update of a QoE configuration provided by the source node or the candidate target node; in an RRCReconfiguration message configuring the UE for CHO; in an acknowledgement of a session start indication received while the UE was configured for CHO; in an acknowledgement of a session stop indication or session end indication received while the UE was configured for CHO; and/or in a standard specification. However, Zhu teaches wherein the source node provides the configuration for providing the session status indication: in broadcast system information of a target cell; in dedicated signaling to the UE; together with an associated QoE configuration; in an update of a QoE configuration provided by the source node or the candidate target node; in an RRCReconfiguration message configuring the UE for CHO; in an acknowledgement of a session start indication received while the UE was configured for CHO; in an acknowledgement of a session stop indication or session end indication received while the UE was configured for CHO; and/or in a standard specification (Zhu; paragraph 105 - - Zhu teaches the source RAN sends a handover request message to the target RAN, where the handover request message carries a target cell ID and PDU session information corresponding to a PDU session currently established by the UE. The PDU session information includes slice information corresponding to the PDU session and QoS configuration profile (or QoS profile(s)) information corresponding to the PDU session). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of applicant's claimed invention to have incorporated the teachings of Zhu into the invention of Selva to include the feature of the source node providing the configuration for providing the session status indication through one or more of: broadcast system information of a target cell, dedicated signaling to the UE, together with an associated QoE configuration, in an update of a QoE configuration, in an RRCReconfiguration message configuring the UE for CHO, in an acknowledgement of a session start/stop/end indication received while the UE was configured for CHO, or in a standard specification, in order to allow the source node to deliver the session status indication configuration to the UE using whichever signaling channel is already available at the relevant point in the CHO procedure, avoiding the need for dedicated additional signaling solely for the purpose of conveying session status indication handling instructions (see Zhu paragraph 105). Allowable Subject Matter Claim 13 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. More specifically, Selva, Balan, the other cited references, and a thorough search in the art fail to disclose or suggest the method of Claim 1, further comprising: receiving a second configuration for CHO while configured for CHO; sending an updated version of session status indication for each of a plurality of QoE configurations in the UE to the source node; and upon successfully executing the second configuration for CHO, indicating to the candidate target node a difference between a session status at the time of execution of the second configuration for CHO and at the time of receiving the second configuration for CHO. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDRES RAFAEL SANCHEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-8776 and email is Andres.Sanchez@uspto.gov. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30-9:00. 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, Anthony Addy can be reached at 571-272-7795. 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. /ANDRES RAFAEL SANCHEZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2645 /ANTHONY S ADDY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2645 Application/Control Number: 18/726,734 Page 2 Art Unit: 2645 Application/Control Number: 18/726,734 Page 3 Art Unit: 2645 Application/Control Number: 18/726,734 Page 4 Art Unit: 2645 Application/Control Number: 18/726,734 Page 5 Art Unit: 2645 Application/Control Number: 18/726,734 Page 6 Art Unit: 2645 Application/Control Number: 18/726,734 Page 7 Art Unit: 2645 Application/Control Number: 18/726,734 Page 8 Art Unit: 2645 Application/Control Number: 18/726,734 Page 9 Art Unit: 2645 Application/Control Number: 18/726,734 Page 10 Art Unit: 2645 Application/Control Number: 18/726,734 Page 11 Art Unit: 2645 Application/Control Number: 18/726,734 Page 12 Art Unit: 2645 Application/Control Number: 18/726,734 Page 13 Art Unit: 2645 Application/Control Number: 18/726,734 Page 14 Art Unit: 2645 Application/Control Number: 18/726,734 Page 15 Art Unit: 2645 Application/Control Number: 18/726,734 Page 16 Art Unit: 2645 Application/Control Number: 18/726,734 Page 18 Art Unit: 2645 Application/Control Number: 18/726,734 Page 19 Art Unit: 2645 Application/Control Number: 18/726,734 Page 20 Art Unit: 2645 Application/Control Number: 18/726,734 Page 21 Art Unit: 2645
Prosecution Insights