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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed on Jun. 26, 2026 with respect to claims 1 – 20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
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.
Claims 1, 2 and 9 – 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
Mao WO 2024/124579 Jun. 20, 2024 (submitted in IDS by applicants on Oct. 29, 2025 - having filing date of Dec. 16, 2022. Machine translation specification of WO 2024/124579 is used below for rejecting the claimed features) and in view of
Ginde US PGPub: US 2008/0062863 A1 Mar. 13, 2008.
Regarding claim 1, Mao discloses,
a user equipment UE (UE - Figs. 1, 2, 5), comprising:
one or more memories storing processor-executable code; and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories and individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the UE (communication device comprising: a transceiver; a memory; and a processor, which are respectively connected to the transceiver and the memory, and configured to control the transmission and reception of wireless signals of the transceiver by executing computer-executable instructions on the memory – paragraph 0028) to:
transmit a registration request to a network entity that requests registration of the UE on a wireless network associated with the network entity (the terminal device sends a registration request message to the Radio Access Network RAN – Fig. 1/step 1, paragraph 0046);
detect a registration failure associated with the registration request (if sending a Registration Request message from the Access Stratum AS to the NAS layer
fails, - paragraph 0067), the registration failure being associated with a condition associated with the UE (the Registration Complete message failed to be delivered, indicating that the current TAI has changed – paragraph 0069. If the current TAI changes, but the changed current TAI is still included in the terminal device's TAI list, how to rerun the ongoing process depends on the terminal device's configuration – paragraph 0071); and
transmit a set of registration request retry messages based at least in part on the registration failure (in the above-mentioned exception handling process for the registration process - such as initial registration, registration update, or timed registration, etc., such as the three registration exceptions A, B, and C mentioned above, the terminal device will continuously reinitiate new registration requests until the registration is successful. – paragraph 0073), wherein at least one of a quantity of registration request retry messages in the set of registration request retry messages (use a counter to count the number of times a terminal device re-initiates a registration request due to an anomaly during the current registration process of accessing the network – paragraph 0077. A registration attempt counter is pre-set, and a preset threshold number of attempts is set for the counter – paragraph 0079) or a duration between transmissions within the set of registration request retry messages is based at least in part on the condition associated with the UE (the counter is a counter corresponding to a predetermined registration exception. When the counter reaches the cumulative number corresponding to the predetermined registration exception, which is equal to the preset number threshold corresponding to the predetermined registration exception, the current registration process of the terminal device corresponding to the predetermined registration exception is terminated – paragraph 0117. Terminating the current registration process of the terminal device corresponding to the predetermined registration anomaly includes: controlling the terminal device to no longer initiate registration requests to the network at the current access location – paragraph 0121. When the cumulative number of registration exceptions b equals the preset threshold for registration exception b, the terminal device suspends the current registration process corresponding to registration exception b, sets a waiting time and starts timing. After the waiting time expires, the terminal device is controlled to re-initiate the registration request and the initial value of the counter for registration exception b is reset to 0 – paragraph 0125),
but, fails to disclose, registration request retry messages or duration between transmissions is selected by the UE.
Ginde teaches, transaction timeout handling in communication session management, where a communication device 14A, handling transaction timeouts in accordance with the techniques of this disclosure. Transaction management module 30 sets timeout counter 34 and/or failure duration timer 36 equal to zero. The transaction management module 30 may set timeout counter 34 and/or failure duration timer 36 to zero when a new registration is completed with a new proxy server 20 (40 (Figs. 2/20, 2/28, 3/40, paragraph 0060).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the using a counter to count the number of times a terminal device re-initiates a registration request due to an anomaly during the current registration process of accessing a network; and according to said number of times, determining whether to suspend the current registration process of the terminal device of Mao (Mao, ABSTRACT, paragraphs 0046, 0047, 0071, 0079, 0117) wherein the system of Mao, would have incorporated, transaction timeout handling in communication session management, where a communication device 14A, handling transaction timeouts (Ginde, paragraph 0060), for signaling and control protocols provide several functions for the setup, modification and termination of the communication sessions, and when no response is received for the request within a particular period of time, the transaction is considered to have experienced a timeout (Ginde, paragraphs 0003, 0005).
Regarding claims 2, 19, Mao discloses,
the UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the UE to: start a new registration procedure based at least in part on a second duration relative to transmission of a last registration request retry message in the set of registration request retry messages, wherein the second duration is based at least in part on the condition associated with the UE (when the sum of the counts obtained by the shared counter equals the total preset count threshold, the current registration process of the terminal device is stopped, a waiting time is set and the timer starts, and after the waiting time expires, the terminal device is controlled to re-initiate the registration request and the initial value of the shared counter is reset to 0 – paragraph 0106. The terminal device will continuously reinitiate new registration requests until the registration is successful – paragraph 0073).
Regarding claim 9, Mao discloses,
the UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the UE to: start a new registration procedure based at least in part on the transmission of the set of registration request retry messages being completed and expiration of a second duration (when the sum of the counts obtained by the shared counter equals the total preset count threshold, the current registration process of the terminal device is stopped, a waiting time is set and the timer starts, and after the waiting time expires, the terminal device is controlled to re-initiate the registration request and the initial value of the shared counter is reset to 0 – paragraph 0106. The terminal device will continuously reinitiate new registration requests until the registration is successful – paragraph 0073).
Regarding claim 10, Mao discloses,
the UE of claim 1, wherein the condition associated with the UE comprises at least one of a type of the UE, a battery status of the UE, a current network condition, a network operator associated with the UE,
a tracking area of the UE (the NAS layer of the terminal device receives an indication that the registration completion message failed, and the current TAI of the terminal device changes – paragraph 0117),
a cell identifier of a cell associated with the UE,
a location of the UE (the location of the terminal device in the TA changes – paragraph 0150. The serving cell currently selected by the terminal device; the TA currently in which the terminal device is located – paragraph 0122),
a user preference associated with the UE, a data need associated with the UE, a data latency associated with the UE, a radio access technology RAT associated with the UE, or a registration area associated with the UE.
Regarding claim 11, Mao discloses,
the UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the UE to detect the registration failure associated with the registration request in association with at least one of an artificial intelligence model (receivers, terminal equipment, smart terminal equipment, cellular phones, wireless equipment, handheld devices, mobile units, vehicle-mounted equipment, network equipment, cloud equipment, artificial intelligence equipment, etc., - paragraph 0181) or a machine learning model associated with the UE.
Regarding claim 12, Mao discloses,
the UE of claim 1, wherein: the duration between transmissions within the set of registration request retry messages comprises a first duration between a first set of successive transmissions, and a second duration between a second set of successive transmissions within the set of registration request retry messages is different than the first duration (when the sum of the counts obtained by the shared counter equals the total preset count threshold, the current registration process of the terminal device is stopped, a waiting time is set and the timer starts, and after the waiting time expires, the terminal device is controlled to re-initiate the registration request and the initial value of the shared counter is reset to 0 – paragraph 0106).
Regarding claim 13, Mao discloses,
the UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the UE to: cease remaining transmissions of the set of registration request retry messages based on at least one of a different network operator becoming available for a registration procedure with the UE or
an emergency service requirement associated with the UE (the registration type indicates whether the terminal device wishes to perform initial registration, mobility registration update, periodic registration update, or emergency
registration, etc., - paragraph 0047. when a terminal device initiates a registration request to the network for emergency call services, even if an anomaly occurs, the counter will not be used to count accordingly. That is, the counter will not count for anomalies in emergency registration, in order to improve the success rate of users obtaining emergency call services – paragraph 0090).
Regarding claim 14, Mao discloses,
the UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further operable to execute the code to cause the UE to: reset the quantity of registration request retry messages based on at least one of a different network operator becoming available for a registration procedure with the UE or
an emergency service requirement associated with the UE ((the registration type indicates whether the terminal device wishes to perform initial registration, mobility registration update, periodic registration update, or emergency
registration, etc., - paragraph 0047. when a terminal device initiates a registration request to the network for emergency call services, even if an anomaly occurs, the counter will not be used to count accordingly. That is, the counter will not count for anomalies in emergency registration, in order to improve the success rate of users obtaining emergency call services – paragraph 0090).
Regarding claim 15, Mao discloses,
the UE of claim 1, wherein, to detect the registration failure, the one or more processors are individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the UE to: receive a registration request reject message within a registration timer duration after transmission of the registration request (5U2 NOT UPDATED is used to indicate that the last registration or service request attempt failed, such as not receiving a response or rejection message from the AMF network element – paragraph 0068. The NAS layer of the terminal device receives an indication that the registration completion message failed – paragraphs 0099, 0157).
Regarding claim 16, Mao discloses,
the UE of claim 1, wherein, to detect the registration failure, the one or more processors are individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the UE to: detect a failure to receive a registration request reject message within a registration timer duration after transmission of the registration request (5U2 NOT UPDATED is used to indicate that the last registration or service request attempt failed, such as not receiving a response or rejection message from the AMF network element – paragraph 0068. The NAS layer of the terminal device receives an indication that the registration completion message failed – paragraphs 0099, 0157).
Regarding claim 17, Mao discloses,
the UE of claim 1, wherein, to detect the registration failure, the one or more processors are individually or collectively operable to execute the code to cause the UE to: receive a radio resource control RRC message identifying a failure to register the UE according to the registration request (5U2 NOT UPDATED is used to indicate that the last registration or service request attempt failed, such as not receiving a response or rejection message from the AMF network element – paragraph 0068. The NAS layer of the terminal device receives an indication that RRC connection is suspended form the lower layer – paragraphs 0099, 0156).
Regarding claim 18, Mao discloses,
a method for wireless communications at a user equipment UE (UE - Figs. 1, 2, 5. A communication device comprising: a transceiver; a memory; and a processor, which are respectively connected to the transceiver and the memory, and configured to control the transmission and reception of wireless signals of the transceiver by executing computer-executable instructions on the memory – paragraph 0028), comprising:
transmitting a registration request to a network entity that requests registration of the UE on a wireless network associated with the network entity (the terminal device sends a registration request message to the Radio Access
Network RAN – Fig. 1/step 1, paragraph 0046);
detecting a registration failure associated with the registration request (if sending a Registration Request message from the Access Stratum AS to the NAS layer
fails, - paragraph 0067), the registration failure being associated with a condition associated with the UE (the Registration Complete message failed to be delivered, indicating that the current TAI has changed – paragraph 0069. If the current TAI changes, but the changed current TAI is still included in the terminal device's TAI list, how to rerun the ongoing process depends on the terminal device's configuration – paragraph 0071); and
transmitting a set of registration request retry messages based at least in part on the registration failure (in the above-mentioned exception handling process for the registration process - such as initial registration, registration update, or timed registration, etc., such as the three registration exceptions A, B, and C mentioned above, the terminal device will continuously reinitiate new registration requests until the registration is successful. – paragraph 0073), wherein at least one of a quantity of registration request retry messages in the set of registration request retry messages (use a counter to count the number of times a terminal device re-initiates a registration request due to an anomaly during the current registration process of accessing the network – paragraph 0077. A registration attempt counter is pre-set, and a preset threshold number of attempts is set for the counter – paragraph 0079) or a duration between transmissions within the set of registration request retry messages is based at least in part on the condition associated with the UE (the counter is a counter corresponding to a
predetermined registration exception. When the counter reaches the cumulative number corresponding to the predetermined registration exception, which is equal to the preset number threshold corresponding to the predetermined registration exception, the current registration process of the terminal device corresponding to the predetermined registration exception is terminated – paragraph 0117. Terminating the current registration process of the terminal device corresponding to the predetermined registration anomaly includes: controlling the terminal device to no longer initiate registration requests to the network at the current access location – paragraph 0121. When the cumulative number of registration exceptions b equals the preset threshold for registration exception b, the terminal device suspends the current registration process corresponding to registration exception b, sets a waiting time and starts timing. After the waiting time expires, the terminal device is controlled to re-initiate the registration request and the initial value of the counter for registration exception b is reset to 0 – paragraph 0125),
but, fails to disclose, registration request retry messages or duration between transmissions is selected by the UE.
Ginde teaches, transaction timeout handling in communication session management, where a communication device 14A, handling transaction timeouts in accordance with the techniques of this disclosure. Transaction management module 30 sets timeout counter 34 and/or failure duration timer 36 equal to zero. The transaction management module 30 may set timeout counter 34 and/or failure duration timer 36 to zero when a new registration is completed with a new proxy server 20 (40 (Figs. 2/20, 2/28, 3/40, paragraph 0060).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the using a counter to count the number of times a terminal device re-initiates a registration request due to an anomaly during the current registration process of accessing a network; and according to said number of times, determining whether to suspend the current registration process of the terminal device of Mao (Mao, ABSTRACT, paragraphs 0046, 0047, 0071, 0079, 0117) wherein the system of Mao, would have incorporated, transaction timeout handling in communication session management, where a communication device 14A, handling transaction timeouts (Ginde, paragraph 0060), for signaling and control protocols provide several functions for the setup, modification and termination of the communication sessions, and when no response is received for the request within a particular period of time, the transaction is considered to have experienced a timeout (Ginde, paragraphs 0003, 0005).
Regarding claim 20, Mao discloses,
a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for wireless communications at a user equipment UE (UE - Figs. 1, 2, 5. A communication device comprising: a transceiver; a memory; and a processor, which are respectively connected to the transceiver and the memory, and configured to control the transmission and reception of wireless signals of the transceiver by executing computer-executable instructions on the memory – paragraph 0028), the code comprising instructions executable by one or more processors to:
transmit a registration request to a network entity that requests registration of the UE on a wireless network associated with the network entity (the terminal device sends a registration request message to the Radio Access
Network RAN – Fig. 1/step 1, paragraph 0046);
detect a registration failure associated with the registration request (if sending a Registration Request message from the Access Stratum AS to the NAS layer
fails, - paragraph 0067), the registration failure being associated with a condition associated with the UE (the Registration Complete message failed to be delivered, indicating that the current TAI has changed – paragraph 0069. If the current TAI changes, but the changed current TAI is still included in the terminal device's TAI list, how to rerun the ongoing process depends on the terminal device's configuration – paragraph 0071); and
transmit a set of registration request retry messages based at least in part on the registration failure (in the above-mentioned exception handling process for the registration process - such as initial registration, registration update, or timed registration, etc., such as the three registration exceptions A, B, and C mentioned above, the terminal device will continuously reinitiate new registration requests until the registration is successful. – paragraph 0073), wherein at least one of a quantity of registration request retry messages in the set of registration request retry messages (use a counter to count the number of times a terminal device re-initiates a registration request due to an anomaly during the current registration process of accessing the network – paragraph 0077. A registration attempt counter is pre-set, and a preset threshold number of attempts is set for the counter – paragraph 0079) or a duration between transmissions within the set of registration request retry messages is based at least in part on the condition associated with the UE (the counter is a counter corresponding to a
predetermined registration exception. When the counter reaches the cumulative number corresponding to the predetermined registration exception, which is equal to the preset number threshold corresponding to the predetermined registration exception, the current registration process of the terminal device corresponding to the predetermined registration exception is terminated – paragraph 0117. Terminating the current registration process of the terminal device corresponding to the predetermined registration anomaly includes: controlling the terminal device to no longer initiate registration requests to the network at the current access location – paragraph 0121. When the cumulative number of registration exceptions b equals the preset threshold for registration exception b, the terminal device suspends the current registration process corresponding to registration exception b, sets a waiting time and starts timing. After the waiting time expires, the terminal device is controlled to re-initiate the registration request and the initial value of the counter for registration exception b is reset to 0 – paragraph 0125),
but, fails to disclose, registration request retry messages or duration between transmissions is selected by the UE.
Ginde teaches, transaction timeout handling in communication session management, where a communication device 14A, handling transaction timeouts in accordance with the techniques of this disclosure. Transaction management module 30 sets timeout counter 34 and/or failure duration timer 36 equal to zero. The transaction management module 30 may set timeout counter 34 and/or failure duration timer 36 to zero when a new registration is completed with a new proxy server 20 (40 (Figs. 2/20, 2/28, 3/40, paragraph 0060).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the using a counter to count the number of times a terminal device re-initiates a registration request due to an anomaly during the current registration process of accessing a network; and according to said number of times, determining whether to suspend the current registration process of the terminal device of Mao (Mao, ABSTRACT, paragraphs 0046, 0047, 0071, 0079, 0117) wherein the system of Mao, would have incorporated, transaction timeout handling in communication session management, where a communication device 14A, handling transaction timeouts (Ginde, paragraph 0060), for signaling and control protocols provide several functions for the setup, modification and termination of the communication sessions, and when no response is received for the request within a particular period of time, the transaction is considered to have experienced a timeout (Ginde, paragraphs 0003, 0005).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3 – 8 are 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.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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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/NIMESH PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2642
