DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. This actions is responsive to communication filed on 01/02/2026. Claim(s) 2, 6, 10 & 14 have been cancelled. Claim(s) 1, 3-5, 7-9, 11-13 & 15 have been amended. Claim(s) 1, 3-5, 7-9, 11-13 & 15 are currently pending examination. The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Response to Amendment
2. The applicant filed amendment(s) to claim(s) on 11/18/2025 to remedy the rejection(s).
Response to Arguments
3. Applicant’s arguments, see Page(s) 6-9, filed 01/02/2026, with respect to Claim(s) 1, 3-5, 7-9, 11-13 & 15 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The USC 102 & 103 of Claim(s) 1, 3-5, 7-9, 11-13 & 15 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 3-5, 7-9, 11-13 & 15 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.
Double Patenting
4. The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim either is anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim. See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP §§ 706.02(l) (1) - 706.02(l) (3) for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
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5. Claim(s) 1, 3-5, 7-9, 11-13 & 15 is/are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim(s) 1 of U.S. Patent No: US 12,047,348 B2. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because Claim(s) 1, 3-4, 7-9, 11-13, & 15 of the current application matches directly to every element of Claim 1, 3-5, 7-9, 11-13 & 15 of Patent No: US 12,047,348 B2.
6. In addition, specifically Independent Claims 1, 5, 9 & 13, is/are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being rejected over claim(s) 1, 3-5, 7-9, 11-13 & 15 of Patent No: 12,047,348 B2.
7. The table below shows only a sample of how each of these claims is anticipated by claims such as Claim 1 of Patent No. US 12,047,348 B2.
Instant Application 18/779,704
Patent No. US 12,047,348 B2
1. (Currently Amended) A method performed by a mobile-termination (MT), the method comprising:
transmitting, to a donor central unit (CU), a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message to request an allocation of an Internet Protocol (IP) address, the RRC message including information associated with IP version 4 or IP version 6;
in response to the transmitting the RRC message,
receiving, from the donor CU, an RRC reconfiguration message including first configuration information for a Master cell group (MCG) and second configuration information for a secondary cell group (SCG) in a multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC);
identifying whether the second configuration information includes an IP address for the SCG in the MR-DC; and
in case that the second configuration information includes the IP address for the SCG in the MR-DC,
adding the IP address for the SCG.
1. A method performed by a mobile-termination (MT), the method comprising:
transmitting, to a donor central unit (CU), a first message related to an allocation of an IP address, the first message including information associated with IP version 4 or IP version 6;
receiving, from the donor CU, a second message including a first IP address for secondary cell group (SCG) in a multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC); and
adding the first IP address for the SCG.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second message is a radio resource control (RRC) message.
3. (Currently Amended) The method of claim 1, further comprising:
changing an IAB-MT configuration associated with the IP address for the SCG in case that the IP address for the SCG is part of the IAB-MT configuration.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
changing the current IAB-MT configuration associated with the first IP address in case that the first IP address for the SCG is part of the current IAB-MT configuration.
4. (Currently Amended) The method of claim 1,wherein the RRC message is a ULInformationTransferMRDC message in case that the RRC message is transmitted via a node associated with an E-UTRAN (Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network).
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message is a ULInformationTransferMRDC message in case that the first message is transmitted via a node associated with MR-DC.
5. (Currently Amended) A method performed by a donor central unit (CU), the method comprising: receiving, from a mobile-termination (MT), a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message to request an allocation of an Internet Protocol (IP) address, the RRC message including information associated with IP version 4 or IP version 6; and in response to the receiving the RRC message, transmitting, to the MT, an RRC reconfiguration message including first configuration information for a Master cell group (MCG) and second configuration information for a secondary cell group (SCG) in a multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC),wherein a IP address for the SCG in the MR-DC is added in case that the second configuration information includes the IP address for the SCG in the MR-DC.
5. A method performed by a donor central unit (CU), the method comprising: receiving, from a mobile-termination (MT), a first message related to an allocation of an IP address, the first message including information indicating one of associated with IP version 4 or IP version 6; and transmitting, to the MT, a second message including a first IP address for secondary cell group (SCG) in a multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC), wherein the first IP address for the SCG is added.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second message is a radio resource control (RRC) message.
7. (Currently Amended) The method of claim 5, wherein an IAB-MT configuration associated with the IP address for the SCG is changed in case that the IP address for the SCG is part of the IAB-MT configuration.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein the current IAB-MT configuration associated with the first IP address is changed in case that the first IP address for the SCG is part of the current IAB-MT configuration.
8. (Currently Amended) The method of claim 5, wherein the RRC message is a ULInformationTransferMRDC message in case that the RRC message is received via a node associated with an E-UTRAN (Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network).
8. The method of claim 5, wherein the first message is a ULInformationTransferMRDC message in case that the first message is received via a node associated with MR-DC.
9. (Currently Amended) A mobile-termination (MT), the MT comprising: a transceiver capable of transmitting and receiving at least one signal; and a controller coupled to the transceiver, wherein the controller is configured to: transmit, to a donor central unit (CU), a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message to request an allocation of an Internet Protocol (IP) address, the RRC message including information associated with IP version 4 or IP version 6,in response to the transmitting the RRC message, receive, from the donor CU, an RRC reconfiguration message including first configuration information for a Master cell group (MCG) and second configuration information for a secondary cell group (SCG) in a multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC),identify whether the second configuration information includes an IP address for the SCG in the MR-DC, and in case that the second configuration information includes the IP address for the SCG in the MR-DC, add the IP address for the SCG.
9. A mobile-termination (MT), the MT comprising: a transceiver capable of transmitting and receiving at least one signal; and a controller coupled to the transceiver, wherein the controller is configured to: transmit, to a donor central unit (CU), a first message related to an allocation of an IP address, the first message including information associated with IP version 4 or IP version 6, receive, from the donor CU, a second message including a first IP address for secondary cell group (SCG) in a multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC), and add the first IP address for the SCG.
10. The MT of claim 9, wherein the second message is a radio resource control (RRC) message.
11. (Currently Amended) The MT of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to:
change an IAB-MT configuration associated with the IP address for the SCG in case that the IP address for the SCG is part of the IAB-MT configuration.
11. The MT of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to:
change the current IAB-MT configuration associated with the first IP address in case that the first IP address for the SCG is part of the current IAB-MT configuration.
12. (Currently Amended) The MT of claim 9,wherein the RRC message is a ULInformationTransferMRDC message in case that the RRC message is transmitted via a node associated with an E-UTRAN (Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network).
12. The MT of claim 9, wherein the first message is a ULInformationTransferMRDC message in case that the first message is transmitted via a node associated with MR-DC.
13. (Currently Amended) A donor central unit (CU), the donor CU comprising: a transceiver capable of transmitting and receiving at least one signal; and a controller coupled to the transceiver, wherein the controller is configured to: receive, from a mobile-termination (MT), a Radio Resource Control (RRC) message to request an allocation of an Internet Protocol (IP) address, the RRC message including information associated with IP version 4 or IP version in response to the receiving the RRC message, transmit, to the MT, an RRC reconfiguration message including first configuration information for a Master cell group (MCG) and second configuration information for a secondary cell group (SCG) in a multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC),wherein a IP address for the SCG in the MR-DC is added in case that the second configuration information includes the IP address for the SCG in the MR-DC.
13. A donor central unit (CU), the donor CU comprising: a transceiver capable of transmitting and receiving at least one signal; and a controller coupled to the transceiver, wherein the controller is configured to: receive, from a mobile-termination (MT), a first message related to an allocation of an IP address, the first message including information associated with IP version 4 or IP version 6, and transmit, to the MT, a second message including a first IP address for secondary cell group (SCG) in a multi-radio dual connectivity (MR-DC), wherein the first IP address for the SCG is added.
14. The donor CU of claim 13, wherein the second message is a radio resource control (RRC).
15. (Currently Amended) The donor CU of claim 13, wherein an IAB-MT configuration associated with the first IAB IP address for the SCG is changed in case that the IP address for the SCG is part of the IAB-MT configuration, and wherein the RRC message is a ULInformationTransferMRDC message in case that the RRC message is received via a node associated with an E-UTRAN (Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network).
15. The donor CU of claim 13, wherein current IAB-MT configuration associated with the first IP address in accordance with the information is changed in case that the first IP address for the SCG is part of the current IAB-MT configuration, and wherein the first message is a ULInformationTransferMRDC message in case that the first message is received via a node associated with MR-DC.
Conclusion
8. 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER B ROBINSON whose telephone number is (571)270-0702. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00-3:00 EST.
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/CHRISTOPHER B ROBINSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2443