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 .
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it contains international publication data. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/23/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-15 and 19-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ferdi et al. (US 2022/0369363 A1), hereinafter referred to as Ferdi.
Regarding claim 1, Ferdi teaches a method of wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) (Ferdi – Paragraph [0004], note method for WTRU (may include a user equipment, see Paragraph [0031]) authentication and authorization), comprising:
transmitting signaling indicating the UE is associated with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) (Ferdi – Fig. 5; Paragraph [0008], note a registration request that comprises a UAV identifier associated with the WTRU may be sent; Paragraph [0109], note at 502a, the WTRU may send a registration request message, which may include one or more of a WTRU id, a UAV id, UAV capabilities, and/or the like);
receiving signaling indicating availability, in a network, of a network-based aviation service (Ferdi – Fig. 5; Paragraph [0110], note a network may send a registration accept message, the network (e.g., via an AMF implemented by the network) may obtain a WTRU profile, for example, via a unified data management (UDM), and/or may validate that UAS (associated with UAS service supplier, see Paragraph [0010]) functionality is allowed); and
performing a registration procedure, with a network entity, to participate in the network- based aviation service (Ferdi – Fig. 5; Paragraph [0110], note an AMF may reply with a registration accept message, the WTRU may be authorized to access the network at the end of 502).
Regarding claim 2, Ferdi teaches wherein the signaling indicating the UE is associated with the UAV indicates a subscription for an aerial UE (Ferdi – Paragraph [0008], note a registration request that comprises a UAV identifier associated with the WTRU may be sent; Paragraph [0102], note a UAV id may include one or more of a generic public subscription identifier (GPSI), such as an MSISDN or an external identifier provided by a UAS system or a manufacturer serial number (e.g., a permanent equipment identifier (PEI), such as an international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) or MAC address), provisioned by a UAV device or known (e.g., being aware of) by the UAV device).
Regarding claim 3, Ferdi teaches wherein the network entity comprises an access and mobility management function (AMF) (Ferdi – Paragraph [0110], note the network (e.g., via an AMF implemented by the network), an AMF may reply with a registration accept message, the WTRU may be authorized to access the network).
Regarding claim 4, Ferdi teaches wherein the network entity comprises a session management function (SMF) (Ferdi – Paragraph [0111], note a WTRU may set up a PDU session (e.g., during WTRU (UAV) registration, authentication, authorization, and/or C2 communication), a WTRU may send a PDU session establishment request message (e.g., to a network, represented by an AMF/SMF implemented by the network)).
Regarding claim 5, Ferdi teaches wherein the registration procedure comprises an unmanned aerial service (UAS) service suppliers (USS) UAV authorization/authentication (UUAA) procedure (Ferdi – Paragraph [0095], note a subset of the UTM functionality may be provided by a UAS server (e.g., from a UAS service supplier (USS)), a UAV/UAV-C may communicate with a USS, a UAS server may perform authentication and authorization of a UAV for UAS operations; Paragraph [0113], note a WTRU may authenticate with the UAS server over the user plane (e.g., during WTRU (UAV) registration, authentication, authorization, and/or C2 communication)).
Regarding claim 6, Ferdi teaches wherein the signaling indicating the UE is associated with the UAV indicates a capability of the UE to support the network-based aviation service (Ferdi – Paragraph [0015], note the network registration request may further comprise, for example, a UAV capability indication, whether the WTRU is associated with unmanned aerial access may be determined based on the UAV capability indication, a network subscription, and a UAV identifier associated with the WTRU; Paragraph [0109], note the WTRU may send a registration request message, which may include one or more of a WTRU id, a UAV id, UAV capabilities, and/or the like, a WTRU may be configured to send information regarding the WTRU's support for communication capabilities designed for UAS operation, e.g., including UAV capabilities).
Regarding claim 7, Ferdi teaches the method further comprising exchanging information with the network-based aviation service if the UE is authorized after performing the registration procedure (Ferdi – Fig. 4, Fig. 5; Paragraph [0099], note at 404, a WTRU may perform authentication and/or authorization to use UAS services, at 406, a WTRU may perform UAS authentication, flight authorization, and/or other UTM services authorization, at 408, a WTRU may obtain an authorization grant, for example, with information to communicate with a UAV-C).
Regarding claim 8, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as claim 1 above, except the claim is written from the perspective of the network entity.
Regarding claim 9, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as claim 2 above.
Regarding claim 10, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as claim 3 above.
Regarding claim 11, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as claim 4 above.
Regarding claim 12, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as claim 5 above.
Regarding claim 13, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as claim 6 above.
Regarding claim 14, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as claim 7 above.
Regarding claim 15, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as claim 1 above, except the claim is written in an apparatus claim format, which is taught by Ferdi (Ferdi – Paragraph [0007], note methods may be implemented (e.g., in whole or in part), for example, by one or more devices, apparatuses, and/or systems (e.g., a WTRU, such as a UAV, a peer WTRU, such as a UAV-C, a network node or function, a UAS, a UTM, and/or the like), which may comprise one or more processors configured to execute the methods (e.g., in whole or in part) as computer executable instructions that may be stored on a computer readable medium or a computer program product, that, when executed by the one or more processors, performs the methods).
Regarding claim 19, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as claim 2 above.
Regarding claim 20, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as claim 3 above.
Regarding claim 21, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as claim 4 above.
Regarding claim 22, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as claim 5 above.
Regarding claim 23, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as claim 6 above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Xiang (US 2022/0277657 A1) discloses an AMF initiating UUAA procedure.
Nayak et al. (US 2023/0101453 A1) discloses an AMF receiving a registration request message including a UAV identifier for accessing a UAS service, and sending a registration reject message when the UAS service is not available to the UAV.
So (WO 2022/212063 A1) discloses UUAA-MM procedure for UAV registration with a USS.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BAILOR C HSU whose telephone number is (571)272-1729. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri. 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Vu can be reached at (571)-272-3155. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BAILOR C HSU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461
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