DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to the application filed on 25 July 2024.
Claims 1-30 are under examination.
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 .
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant's cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(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.
Claims 1–5, 8–10, 17–18, 21–23, and 29–30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by 3rd Generation Partnership Project, Technical Specification Group Services and System Aspects; Study on Vehicle-Mounted Relays; Stage 1 (Release 18), 3GPP Draft S1-213200, Sept. 8, 2021 (hereinafter “3GPP”), as recited in the IDS.
Regarding claim 1, 3GPP teaches “A wireless communication device for wireless communication, comprising: a memory; and one or more processors, coupled to the memory, configured to:” a mobile base station relay mounted on a vehicle. 3GPP describes moving vehicles equipped with onboard base station relays that provide 5G coverage and communication to UEs and connect wirelessly to the 5G network via RAN donor nodes (3GPP, § 4, p. 8). The memory and one or more processors are inherent components of the disclosed 5G mobile base station relay for implementing the disclosed configuration and wireless communication functions.
3GPP further teaches “receive a vehicle-mounted relay (VMR) configuration, the VMR configuration including one or more operating parameters associated with performing communication relaying;” by disclosing that Operator A “configures initial relays operating parameters and conditions,” including radio spectrum, vehicle location/itinerary, time of day, transit/stop in target areas, and vehicle speed (3GPP, § 5.1.3, p. 9). 3GPP further teaches that the mobile base station relay registers with the 5G network and “obtains the necessary configuration information (e.g., operating frequency bands)” (3GPP, § 5.2.3, p. 11).
3GPP further teaches “perform communication relaying based at least in part on the one or more operating parameters indicated by the VMR configuration.” After Operator A configures the initial relay operating parameters and activates the relays, “5G traffic starts flowing through all activated vehicle relays,” and the relay operating parameters may thereafter be reconfigured based on observed 5G traffic and RAN performance (3GPP, § 5.1.3, p. 9). 3GPP additionally teaches configuration of the spectrum used by the mobile relay and relay operating conditions based on geographic areas or locations, specific time periods, vehicle speed, and itinerary (3GPP, § 5.1.6, p. 10).
Regarding claim 2, 3GPP further teaches “wherein the one or more operating parameters include a geography-based operating parameter.” 3GPP teaches configuring relay operating conditions based on “geographic areas or locations” (3GPP, § 5.1.6, p. 10), and further teaches dynamically configuring a mobile base station relay based on a permitted geographical area (3GPP, § 5.2.6, p. 11).
Regarding claim 3, 3GPP further teaches “wherein the one or more operating parameters include a subscription-based operating parameter.” 3GPP teaches relay access and operation based on user/UE subscription or permission, including that selection of and access through a mobile base station relay may be based on “user/UE subscription and/or permission” (3GPP, § 5.5.6, p. 15), and further teaches configuring and provisioning QoS for traffic relayed through a mobile base station relay based on the user's subscription (3GPP, § 5.10.6, p. 22).
Regarding claim 4, 3GPP further teaches “wherein the one or more operating parameters include a time-based operating parameter.” 3GPP expressly identifies “time of the day” as an initial relay operating parameter (3GPP, § 5.1.3, p. 9) and “specific time period(s)” as a configurable relay operating condition (3GPP, § 5.1.6, p. 10).
Regarding claim 5, 3GPP further teaches “wherein the one or more operating parameters include a speed-based operating parameter.” 3GPP expressly identifies vehicle speed as an initial relay operating parameter and further identifies the “vehicle's speed” as a configurable relay operating condition (3GPP, §§ 5.1.3, 5.1.6, pp. 9-10).
Regarding claim 8, 3GPP further teaches “wherein the VMR configuration further includes one or more radio configuration parameters.” 3GPP teaches configuration of “5G spectrum (licensed or unlicensed) used by the mobile relay, over the radio links toward UE and RAN” (3GPP, § 5.1.6, p. 10). 3GPP further teaches that the mobile base station relay obtains necessary configuration information including operating frequency bands (3GPP, § 5.2.3, p. 11).
Regarding claim 9, 3GPP further teaches “wherein the one or more radio configuration parameters include at least one of a frequency band or a cell identifier.” 3GPP expressly teaches that the mobile base station relay “obtains the necessary configuration information (e.g., operating frequency bands)” and further identifies frequency band as a dynamically configurable operating parameter (3GPP, §§ 5.2.3, 5.2.6, p. 11).
Regarding claim 10, 3GPP further teaches “wherein the one or more processors are further to transmit a request for the VMR configuration, wherein the VMR configuration is received after transmitting the request.” 3GPP teaches that when the vehicle starts, “the mobile base station relay registers to the 5G network and obtains the necessary configuration information (e.g., operating frequency bands)” (3GPP, § 5.2.3, p. 11). Thus, the mobile base station relay initiates registration with the 5G network and thereafter receives the necessary VMR configuration information.
Claim 17 recites substantially the same subject matter as claim 1 from the perspective of the network entity, including receiving an indication to transmit a VMR configuration and transmitting the VMR configuration for reception by the wireless communication device, wherein the VMR configuration includes one or more operating parameters associated with performing communication relaying. Accordingly, claim 17 is rejected for substantially the same reasons set forth above with respect to claim 1. In particular, 3GPP teaches that the operator configures initial relay operating parameters and conditions, including radio spectrum, vehicle location/itinerary, time of day, target areas, and vehicle speed, and thereafter activates and operates the vehicle relays (3GPP, § 5.1.3, p. 9). 3GPP further teaches that the mobile base station relay registers with the 5G network and obtains necessary configuration information, such as operating frequency bands (3GPP, § 5.2.3, p. 11).
Regarding claim 18, 3GPP further teaches “wherein the one or more operating parameters include at least one of a geography-based operating parameter, a subscription-based operating parameter, time-based operating parameter, or a speed-based operating parameter.” 3GPP expressly teaches geographic-area/location, time-period, vehicle-speed, itinerary, and subscription-based parameters for mobile relay operation (3GPP, §§ 5.1.6, 5.5.6, and 5.10.6, pp. 10, 15, and 22).
Regarding claim 21, 3GPP further teaches “wherein the VMR configuration further includes one or more radio configuration parameters.” 3GPP teaches configuration of 5G spectrum used by the mobile relay and that the relay obtains necessary configuration information including operating frequency bands (3GPP, §§ 5.1.6 and 5.2.3, pp. 10–11).
Regarding claim 22, 3GPP further teaches “wherein the one or more radio configuration parameters include at least one of a frequency band or a cell identifier.” 3GPP expressly teaches operating frequency bands as configuration information for the mobile base station relay (3GPP, § 5.2.3, p. 11).
Regarding claim 23, 3GPP further teaches “wherein the one or more processors are further to receive a request for the VMR configuration, wherein the VMR configuration is transmitted based at least in part on receiving the request.” 3GPP teaches that the mobile base station relay registers with the 5G network and thereafter obtains necessary configuration information from the network (3GPP, § 5.2.3, p. 11). Thus, from the network perspective, the network receives the relay-initiated registration request and provides the configuration information responsive thereto.
Claim 29 recites substantially the same subject matter as claim 1 in method form and is rejected for substantially the same reasons set forth above with respect to claim 1.
Claim 30 recites substantially the same subject matter as claim 17 in method form and is rejected for substantially the same reasons set forth above with respect to claim 17.
Claims 1–2, 4, 8–10, 17–18, 21–23, and 29–30 are alternatively rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Schmidt et al. (US 2023/0336239 A1, hereinafter “Schmidt”).
Regarding claim 1, Schmidt teaches “A wireless communication device for wireless communication, comprising: a memory; and one or more processors, coupled to the memory, configured to:” a mobile relay node, including a vehicle-mounted base station, for providing wireless communication to user equipment devices. Schmidt explains that mobile network infrastructure equipment, including relay nodes, may be mounted to vehicles, and that the relay node communicates wirelessly with a donor base station and provides wireless access links to UEs (Schmidt, ¶¶ [0002]–[0003]). The recited memory and one or more processors are inherent components of the disclosed mobile relay node for implementing the disclosed configuration, processing, and wireless communication operations.
Schmidt further teaches “receive a vehicle-mounted relay (VMR) configuration, the VMR configuration including one or more operating parameters associated with performing communication relaying;” by expressly teaching configuring mobile relay nodes, which may be realized as vehicle-mounted base stations, with location and/or direction-dependent configuration parameters. Schmidt teaches that the mobile relay node sends a request for configuration data, receives the location-dependent configuration data from an infrastructure node, and configures its radio transmission characteristics in accordance with the received configuration data (Schmidt, ¶¶ [0035]–[0038]). Schmidt expressly characterizes the disclosed parameters as “location dependent operation parameters” used to configure directional access links between the relay node and UEs.
Schmidt further teaches “perform communication relaying based at least in part on the one or more operating parameters indicated by the VMR configuration.” Schmidt teaches that the configuration parameters are applied upon receipt to configure the relay node's service area, maximum transmit power, bandwidth parts, and other radio settings (Schmidt, ¶ [0044]). Schmidt further explains that its invention configures vehicle-mounted relay nodes using location-dependent configuration parameters for operating relay antenna systems, forming radio beams, and directing access links to UE populations, such that operation of the mobile relay node is tailored to the demands at a particular location (Schmidt, ¶ [0048]). After receipt and application of the configuration response, the relay directs one or more access-link beams to UEs in the configured sector (Schmidt, ¶¶ [0082]–[0083]).
Regarding claim 2, Schmidt further teaches “wherein the one or more operating parameters include a geography-based operating parameter.” Schmidt expressly teaches provisioning a vehicle-mounted relay node with “location dependent operation parameters” and configuring the relay based on its geographic location (Schmidt, ¶¶ [0035]–[0040]). Schmidt further teaches allowed and forbidden sets of relay-operation parameters associated with a given geographical position (Schmidt, ¶ [0098]).
Regarding claim 4, Schmidt further teaches “wherein the one or more operating parameters include a time-based operating parameter.” Schmidt teaches that a set of configuration parameters may include a validity period, including examples such as “until 6:20pm,” “until 25 Aug. 2020,” “for the next three hours,” or “all weekend” (Schmidt, Table 2; ¶¶ [0079]–[0081]). Schmidt further states that a validity time may be included for each set of configuration parameters (Schmidt, ¶ [0085]).
Regarding claim 8, Schmidt further teaches “wherein the VMR configuration further includes one or more radio configuration parameters.” Schmidt's relay-node configuration response includes antenna characteristic, number of beams, beam width, beam tilt, main-lobe direction, beam range, beam transmit power, carrier frequency, system bandwidth, and bandwidth-part information (Schmidt, Table 2; ¶ [0079]). Schmidt additionally teaches location-specific relay-operation parameters including frequency bands, carrier frequencies, system bandwidth, bandwidth parts, maximum transmission power, and transmit/receive beam orientations (Schmidt, ¶ [0098]).
Regarding claim 9, Schmidt further teaches “wherein the one or more radio configuration parameters include at least one of a frequency band or a cell identifier.” Schmidt expressly teaches frequency bands and carrier frequencies among the allowed or preferred parameters for relay-node operation (Schmidt, ¶ [0098]). Because the claim recites the alternatives “at least one of a frequency band or a cell identifier,” the express disclosure of frequency bands satisfies the limitation.
Regarding claim 10, Schmidt further teaches “wherein the one or more processors are further to transmit a request for the VMR configuration, wherein the VMR configuration is received after transmitting the request.” Schmidt expressly teaches that the mobile relay node sends a request message to an infrastructure node requesting location-dependent configuration data, after which the mobile relay node receives the requested configuration data and configures its radio transmission characteristics in accordance therewith (Schmidt, ¶ [0036]). Schmidt further identifies the transmitted message as a “relay node configuration request” and the subsequent reply as a “relay node configuration response” carrying configuration details for application by the relay node (Schmidt, ¶¶ [0075]–[0079]).
Regarding claim 17, Schmidt teaches “A network entity for wireless communication, comprising: a memory; and one or more processors, coupled to the memory, configured to: receive an indication to transmit a vehicle-mounted relay (VMR) configuration for reception by a wireless communication device; and transmit the VMR configuration for reception by the wireless communication device based at least in part on the indication, wherein the VMR configuration includes one or more operating parameters associated with performing communication relaying.” Schmidt expressly teaches the corresponding network-side operation: an infrastructure node receives from a mobile relay node a request for location-dependent configuration data, uses the received information to generate configuration data for controlling the relay's communication with UEs, and transmits the resulting configuration data to the mobile relay node (Schmidt, ¶ [0037]). Schmidt further teaches that an infrastructure node processes the relay request, decides configuration parameters to be signaled back to the relay, and composes a configuration message containing location and/or direction-dependent parameters for transmission and reception of radio signals (Schmidt, ¶ [0085]). The memory and processors are inherent components of the disclosed network infrastructure node for carrying out these functions.
Regarding claim 18, Schmidt further teaches “wherein the one or more operating parameters include at least one of a geography-based operating parameter, a subscription-based operating parameter, time-based operating parameter, or a speed-based operating parameter.” Schmidt expressly teaches geography-based operating parameters, including location-dependent parameters and parameters associated with a given geographical position (Schmidt, ¶¶ [0035]–[0038], [0098]). Thus, at least one of the alternatively recited operating parameters is expressly disclosed.
Regarding claim 21, Schmidt further teaches “wherein the VMR configuration further includes one or more radio configuration parameters.” Schmidt teaches a relay-node configuration response containing radio configuration parameters including antenna characteristics, beam parameters, transmit power, carrier frequency, system bandwidth, and bandwidth parts, as discussed above with respect to claim 8 (Schmidt, Table 2; ¶ [0079]).
Regarding claim 22, Schmidt further teaches “wherein the one or more radio configuration parameters include at least one of a frequency band or a cell identifier.” Schmidt expressly identifies frequency bands as relay-node operating/configuration parameters (Schmidt, ¶ [0098]).
Regarding claim 23, Schmidt further teaches “wherein the one or more processors are further to receive a request for the VMR configuration, wherein the VMR configuration is transmitted based at least in part on receiving the request.” Schmidt expressly teaches that the infrastructure node receives a request message from the mobile relay node requesting location-dependent configuration data, generates the requested configuration data based on the information contained in the request, and transmits the configuration data to the mobile relay node (Schmidt, ¶ [0037]).
Claim 29 recites substantially the same subject matter as claim 1 in method form and is rejected for substantially the same reasons set forth above with respect to claim 1. Schmidt expressly teaches receiving at a mobile relay node location-dependent configuration data containing operation parameters and thereafter configuring and operating the relay's radio transmissions according to the received configuration (Schmidt, ¶¶ [0036]–[0038], [0044], [0048]).
Claim 30 recites substantially the same subject matter as claim 17 in method form and is rejected for substantially the same reasons set forth above with respect to claim 17. Schmidt expressly teaches receiving at an infrastructure node a request for relay configuration, generating the requested location-dependent configuration data, and transmitting the configuration to the mobile relay node for controlling its communication with UEs (Schmidt, ¶ [0037]).
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 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
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.
Claims 6–7, 15–16, 19-20, and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over 3GPP in view of European Telecommunications Standards Institute, 5G; NG-RAN; Architecture Description (3GPP TS 38.401 Version 16.8.0 Release 16), ETSI TS 138 401 V16.8.0, Jan. 21, 2022 (hereinafter “ETSI '401”).
Regarding claim 6, 3GPP teaches the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, but does not expressly teach “wherein the VMR configuration further includes one or more regional operations, administration, and maintenance (OAM) parameters.”
ETSI '401 further teaches OAM configuration of a wireless relay node. In particular, ETSI '401 teaches that an IAB node “receives commands, configuration data and software downloads” from its OAM system and that configuration messages are transmitted from OAM to the IAB node (ETSI '401, § 8.9.11, p. 60).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include OAM parameters in the configuration of 3GPP's mobile base station relay, as taught by ETSI '401, because ETSI '401 provides a known mechanism for configuring, administering, and managing a wireless relay node, thereby facilitating operator configuration and management of the relay.
Regarding claim 7, 3GPP in view of ETSI '401 teaches the limitations of claim 6 as discussed above. ETSI '401 further teaches OAM connectivity using the IAB-MT's PDU session via the 5G network (ETSI '401, § 8.9.11, p. 60). Regarding “wherein the one or more regional OAM parameters include at least one of an OAM server address, a data network name (DNN), or single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI),” it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to include a DNN associated with the PDU session among the OAM parameters because a DNN is a conventional 5G parameter used to identify the data network associated with a PDU session, thereby enabling establishment of the disclosed OAM transport connection.
Regarding claim 15, 3GPP teaches the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, but does not expressly teach “wherein the one or more processors are further to establish an operations, administration, and maintenance (OAM) packet data unit (PDU) session, wherein the VMR configuration is received via the OAM PDU session.”
ETSI '401 further teaches that an IAB node “receives commands, configuration data and software downloads” from its OAM system and that “the transport connection between the IAB-node and its OAM, using IP, is provided by the IAB-MT's PDU session via 5G network” (ETSI '401, § 8.9.11, p. 60). ETSI '401 further teaches configuration messages transmitted from OAM to the IAB node over this connection.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to establish an OAM PDU session for 3GPP's mobile base station relay and receive the VMR configuration through the OAM PDU session, as taught by ETSI '401, because ETSI '401 provides a known 5G mechanism for communicating OAM configuration data to a wireless relay node, thereby permitting the operator to configure and manage the relay through an established 5G PDU session.
Regarding claim 16, 3GPP in view of ETSI '401 teaches the limitations of claim 15 as discussed above. ETSI '401 teaches OAM connectivity using the IAB-MT's PDU session via the 5G network and teaches that OAM configuration information is communicated to the IAB node through that connection (ETSI '401, § 8.9.11, p. 60). Regarding “wherein the OAM PDU session is established based at least in part on one or more regional OAM parameters pre-configured on the wireless communication device, wherein the one or more regional OAM parameters include at least one of an OAM server address, a data network name (DNN), or single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI),” it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art implementing ETSI '401's OAM connectivity over a PDU session to preconfigure the wireless communication device with the DNN associated with the OAM data network and establish the OAM PDU session based on that DNN, because the DNN identifies the data network with which the disclosed PDU session is to be established.
Claims 19, 20, and 28 recite substantially identical subject matter as recited in claims 6, 7, and 15, respectively, and are thus similarly rejected.
Claims 11–14 and 24-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over 3GPP in view of European Telecommunications Standards Institute, 5G System (5GS); Non-Access-Stratum (NAS) Protocol for 5G System (5GS); Stage 3 (3GPP TS 24.501 Version 17.6.1 Release 17), ETSI TS 124 501 V17.6.1, Mar. 26, 2022 (hereinafter “ETSI '501”), as recited in the IDS.
Regarding claim 11, 3GPP teaches the limitations of claim 10 as discussed above, but does not expressly teach “wherein the request is transmitted by including a user equipment policy container in a registration request message.”
ETSI '501 further teaches that a UE initiates registration by sending a REGISTRATION REQUEST message and, when the UE needs to send a UE policy container to the network, the UE sets the Payload container type IE to “UE policy container” and includes a UE STATE INDICATION message in the Payload container IE of the REGISTRATION REQUEST message (ETSI '501, § 5.5.1.2.2). (iTecSpec)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to implement 3GPP's request for VMR configuration using ETSI '501's standardized UE-policy signaling mechanism, including transmitting a UE policy container in a registration request message, because ETSI '501 provides a standardized 5G mechanism for communicating UE-policy information from a wireless device to the network during registration.
Regarding claim 12, 3GPP teaches the limitations of claim 10 as discussed above, but does not expressly teach “wherein the request is transmitted by including a user equipment policy container in an uplink non-access stratum (NAS) transport message.”
ETSI '501 further teaches transmitting an UL NAS TRANSPORT message having its Payload container type IE set to “UE policy container,” whereupon the AMF sends the content of the Payload container IE to the PCF (ETSI '501, § 5.4.5.2.3). (iTecSpec)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to implement 3GPP's request for VMR configuration using ETSI '501's standardized UL NAS TRANSPORT mechanism carrying a UE policy container because the mechanism provides a standardized 5G signaling path for transmitting UE-policy information from a wireless device toward the network.
Regarding claim 13, 3GPP teaches receipt of the VMR configuration as discussed with respect to claim 1, but does not expressly teach “wherein the VMR configuration is received in a user equipment (UE) policy part information element (IE), wherein a UE policy part type field of the UE policy part IE includes an indication that the UE policy part IE includes the VMR configuration.”
ETSI '501 further teaches a UE policy part containing a “UE policy part type” field and “UE policy part contents.” ETSI '501 identifies different values of the UE policy part type field for different policy contents, including URSP, ANDSP, V2XP, and ProSeP, with other values reserved (ETSI '501, Annex D, § D.6.2, Fig. D.6.2.7 and Table D.6.2.1). (iTecSpec)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use ETSI '501's UE policy part to carry 3GPP's VMR configuration and to assign a UE policy part type value indicating that the UE policy part contains VMR configuration because ETSI '501 already uses the UE policy part type field to identify the type of information contained in the UE policy part, and using a reserved type value to identify VMR configuration would have been a predictable extension of the existing standardized type-field mechanism.
Regarding claim 14, 3GPP in view of ETSI '501 teaches the limitations of claim 13 as discussed above. ETSI '501 further teaches “wherein the UE policy part IE is included in a manage UE policy command that is carried in a downlink non-access stratum (NAS) transport message.” ETSI '501 teaches encoding UE policy sections to be added, modified, or deleted in a UE policy section management list IE, including that IE in a MANAGE UE POLICY COMMAND message, and sending the MANAGE UE POLICY COMMAND to the UE via the AMF (ETSI '501, Annex D, § D.2.1). ETSI '501 further teaches that a network-initiated NAS transport carrying a UE policy container is handled according to the UE policy delivery procedures of Annex D (ETSI '501, § 5.4.5.3.3). (iTecSpec)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to communicate the VMR configuration implemented as the UE policy part discussed with respect to claim 13 using ETSI '501's standardized MANAGE UE POLICY COMMAND carried via the downlink NAS transport mechanism because ETSI '501 provides the standardized network-to-UE mechanism for delivering UE-policy information.
Claims 24-27 recite substantially identical subject matter as recited in claims 11-14, respectively, and are thus similarly rejected.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure (see form 892).
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/Luat Phung/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2468
Prosecution Insights