CTNF 18/843,013 CTNF 72319 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 § 112 07-30-02 AIA The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. 07-34-01 Claim 36 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Regarding claim 13 , the limitation “wherein the configuration information includes information as to how each of the one or more identified hosting networks maps to the respective identified one or more hosting networks” is unclear because it does not reasonably inform a person of ordinary skill in the art what elements are being mapped to what corresponding elements. The recited mapping relationship is self-referential and ambiguous, rendering the scope of the claim uncertain. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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. 07-12-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1, 21, 24, 27, 30, 32, 37 & 40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Chaponniere (US 20170156174 A1) . Regarding claim 21, Chaponniere teaches a network-side system associated with a connectivity provider and/or service provider that creates, maintains, and provisions preferred network information for use by a UE in network selection (See Chaponniere, Abstract; [0030]; [0032]; [0095]-[0097]; [0142]-[0145]). More specifically, Chaponniere teaches at least one network node in that the preferred network information is generated and maintained by provider-side functionality rather than by the UE alone. Chaponniere discloses that connectivity providers and/or service providers create and maintain preferred networks lists that are provisioned to UEs (See paragraph [0030]). Chaponniere further teaches a provisioning module that generates a preferred list containing network-identifying information, such as network ID and RAT combinations, for delivery to the UE (See [0095]-[0097]). Chaponniere also teaches that the generated preferred network information is provisioned to the UE for use in selecting among available networks (See Abstract; [0032]; [0142]-[0145]). Accordingly, Chaponniere teaches “At least one network node” ( the provider-side provisioning functionality that creates and maintains preferred network lists and provides them to the UE); “of a home network of a user equipment (UE)” (Chaponniere’s provider-side network entity associated with the UE’s connectivity/service provider that provisions preferred network information to that UE); “one or more processors arranged to determine that the UE has to be arranged to allow the UE to use a localized service in a hosting network” (Chaponniere’s provider-side determination of preferred candidate networks for UE service use, including network entries associated with supported services and selection for use by the UE, as taught in [0030], [0055], and [0095]-[0097]); “and generate configuration information” (Chaponniere’s provisioning module generating the preferred network list, [0095]-[0097]); “the configuration information containing a list of one or more preferred hosting networks for the localized service” (Chaponniere’s preferred network list generated by the provider and provisioned to the UE, including preferred network entries used for service-related selection, Abstract; [0030]; [0032]; [0055]; [0142]-[0145]); and “a transmitter arranged to send the generated configuration information to the UE” ( Chaponniere’s provisioning of the preferred network list from the provider-side entity to the UE, [0030]; [0095]-[0097]; [0142]-[0145]). Regarding claims 24, 1, & 37, Chaponniere discloses a user equipment (UE) for wireless communication including at least one memory and at least one processor configured to perform the claimed operations (See Paragraph [0060]-[0064] , which discloses a UE 102 including a processor 302, memory 304, and a network selection module 308). More specifically, Chaponniere discloses “obtain configuration information comprising a list of one or more preferred hosting networks for a localized service” (Chaponniere discloses that providers maintain preferred networks lists that are provisioned to UEs. See Abstract: “Providers maintain preferred networks lists provisioned to UEs.” Paragraph [0030]: “connectivity providers … may create and maintain preferred networks lists that are provisioned to one or more UEs.” Paragraph [0055]: each preferred networks list may include a network ID, RAT, coverage area, and services supported. Paragraphs [0058]-[0059] and [0095]-[0097]: the preferred networks list is provisioned/updated to the UE. Under BRI, Chaponniere’s provisioned preferred networks list constitutes the claimed configuration information, and the listed service-supporting network entries constitute the claimed preferred hosting networks. Further, because the list includes supported services and coverage area information, the list is for a service that is localized in the broad sense of being associated with service and location/coverage constraints. See Paragraphs [0055], [0076]-[0080], [0197]; “determine one or more available networks”. Chaponniere discloses that the UE scans/searches for network/RAT combinations available to support the initiated service. See Abstract: “The remaining entries are scanned and a network/RAT combination selected.” Paragraph [0032]: the UE may “build a list of possible network/RAT combinations” and then search/scan. Paragraph [0105]: the UE “searches, or scans, the filtered constructed list.” Paragraph [0128]: the UE “proceeds with scanning the remaining entries on the prioritized list(s).” These disclosures teach determining available networks); “identify one or more hosting networks of the one or more available networks that are on the list of the one or more preferred hosting networks” ( Chaponniere discloses building a list from the preferred networks list, filtering that list based on whether entries support the initiated service and current UE context, and then scanning the remaining entries. See Paragraph [0032]: the UE builds a list of network/RAT combinations and filters out options that do not support the newly initiated service. Paragraph [0075]-[0077]: the network selection module constructs one or more lists from the preferred networks list and filters entries. Paragraph [0076]: the UE filters entries that do not support the initiated service. Paragraphs [0079]-[0080]: the UE filters based on location/mobility context. Paragraphs [0104] and [0125]-[0127]: the UE removes entries that do not offer the selected service or are unsuitable for the UE context. Under BRI, Chaponniere’s remaining filtered network entries are the claimed hosting networks … that are on the list of the one or more preferred hosting networks); “select a hosting network from the identified one or more hosting networks” (Chaponniere expressly discloses selecting a network from the preferred networks list after scanning/filtering. See Abstract: “a network/RAT combination [is] selected.” Paragraph [0033]: “the UE may select a particular network/RAT combination.” Para [0085]: the network selection module “may select the entry that is ranked highest.” Para [0105] and [0130]: the UE selects an entry from the prioritized list. The selected network/RAT combination is the claimed hosting network); and “establish a network connection with the selected hosting network” (Chaponniere discloses that after selection, the UE registers on the selected network/RAT combination and initiates the service on that network. See Paragraph [0033]: “If no interruption is possible, the UE then registers on the new network/RAT combination.” Paragraph [0050]: the UE may select network 108a and “register with network 108a.” Paragraph [0107]: the UE “registers on the selected network ID+RAT and initiates the new service.” Paragraph [0140]: the UE “proceeds with registering on the selected network ID+RAT.” Registering on the selected network constitutes establishing the claimed network connection.) Regarding claims 27 & 40, Chaponniere discloses that a provider provisions a preferred networks list to the UE, where each list entry includes a network ID , RAT , coverage area , and services supported (See paragraphs [0055] , [0095]-[0097]) . Chaponniere further teaches using these per-entry parameters to filter and rank candidate networks for service selection (See paragraphs [0076]-[0085] , [0104] , [0125]-[0127] . Thus, Chaponniere teaches a list including one or more network identifiers and one or more associated selection criteria, where the selection criteria are associated with respective network IDs. Under a broad reading, these network IDs correspond to the claimed hosting network IDs , and the associated parameters correspond to the claimed selection criteria . Regarding claim 30, Chaponniere teaches that preferred network configuration information is provisioned to the UE , including when the UE is activated, thereby teaching that the UE is pre-configured with the configuration information (See Abstract, paragraphs [0030], [0095]-[0097], [0145]). So Chaponniere’s provisioned preferred networks list corresponds to the claimed configuration information. Regarding claim 32, Chaponniere teaches a UE that maintains a preferred networks list and filters candidate networks to generate a narrowed list for selection (See Abstract, paragraphs [0032], [0075]-[0077], [0102]-[0105], [0125]-[0128].) Chaponniere further teaches scanning/searching for available network/RAT combinations and selecting from the remaining entries (See paragraphs [0049], [0105], [0128]). Thus, Chaponniere teaches filtering available networks to generate a filtered list containing only networks that are also in the preferred networks list. So Chaponniere’s preferred networks list corresponds to the claimed list of preferred hosting networks . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 25, 26, 28, 29, 31, 33, 34-36, 38, 39 & 41 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as being unpatentable over Chaponniere (US 2017/0156174 A1) in view of Qualcomm, S1-211483, “Proposal on consolidated requirements for FS_PALS” . Regarding claims 25 & 38, Chaponniere teaches a UE selecting service-specific networks and, for a second service, using a second radio to establish a second communication link with another selected network (See Abstract; Paragraphs [0031]-[0033], [0052]-[0054], [0160]-[0166]). Chaponniere fails teach “ the UE to route localized service data traffic to the selected hosting network” . In the same field of endeavor, Qualcomm teaches that localized services are provided via a hosting network and that a UE may simultaneously use localized services through a hosting network while maintaining home-network services (Qualcomm [PR.5.4.6-2], [PR.5.4.6-3], [PR.5.4.6-4]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the claimed invention to adapt Chaponniere’s second- service/second-connection arrangement so that, where the service is a localized service, the UE routes the localized service data traffic to the selected hosting network via the second network connection, in order to support simultaneous localized-service and home-network service operation and improve service-specific traffic handling. Regarding claims 26 & 39, Chaponniere teaches determining available networks based at least in part on scanning. See Abstract; Paragraphs [0049]; [0105]; [0128]. Chaponniere also teaches using service-related information in filtering/selecting candidate networks. See [0055]; [0076]. Chaponniere fails to teach “ identifying an application that uses the localized service”. In the same field of endeavor, Qualcomm teaches that localized-service access and provisioning depend on service/application context, including service-operator/3rd party service requests and application of localized-service requirements. See [PR.5.3.6-1]; [PR.5.4.6-2]; [PR.5.5.6-1]; [PR.5.5.6-2]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Chaponniere so that the UE’s scan-based determination of available networks also considers identification of an application using the localized service, in order to improve service-specific network selection for localized services. Regarding claims 28 & 41, Chaponniere teaches network selection using provisioned criteria and preferred network entries that may include supported services and coverage area (See paragraph [0055]. Chaponniere further teaches filtering candidate networks based on service-related considerations, including removing entries that do not support a newly initiated service (See paragraph [0076]. Chaponniere also teaches using UE mobility/context and coverage area in assessing candidate networks (See paragraphs [0079]-[0080], [0125]-[0127]. Chaponniere does not expressly teach that the one or more selection criteria include an indication of an application associated with the UE and using a localized service, a time duration during which a hosting network may be selected, or a location of the UE at which the hosting network may be selected in the context of localized services and hosting networks. In the same field of endeavor, Qualcomm teaches localized-service and hosting-network selection based on service/application context and specific time and location conditions (See [PR.5.3.6-1], [PR.5.3.6-2], [PR.5.5.6-1], [PR.5.5.6-2], and [PR.5.11.6-1]). Qualcomm’s FFS text further reinforces time/location validity and service/application-based access conditions (See, e.g., [PR.5.6.6-2 A/B/C], [PR.5.6.6-3 A/B], and [PR.5.y.6-1 A/B]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Chaponniere’s selection criteria to include at least one of application/service indication, time duration, or location criteria as taught by Qualcomm in order to improve selection of appropriate hosting networks for localized services based on the relevant service context, time window, and UE location. Regarding claim 29, Chaponniere teaches obtaining configuration information for network selection, including provider-maintained preferred network lists provisioned to the UE (See Abstract; paragraphs [0030]; [0032]; [0095]-[0097]; [0142]-[0145]. Chaponniere does not expressly teach that the configuration information is received from a home network via a pre-existing network connection . In the same field of endeavor, Qualcomm teaches a home network coordinating, steering, and providing service-related control for a UE in relation to a hosting network (See [PR.5.3.6-2], [PR.5.3.6-5], [PR.5.4.6-3], [PR.5.4.6-4], and [PR.5.11.6-1]. Qualcomm further teaches scenarios in which the UE remains connected for home-network services while accessing or being steered to hosting-network localized services, suggesting delivery of such information using an existing connection context. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Chaponniere so that the UE receives the configuration information from the home network via a pre-existing network connection in order to allow the home network to efficiently provision and control preferred hosting-network information for localized services using already-established connectivity, thereby improving coordination and reducing signaling overhead. Regarding claim 31, Chaponniere teaches obtaining configuration information for network selection, including preferred network information provisioned to the UE by a provider for use in selecting candidate networks (See Abstract; Paragraphs [0030]; [0032]; [0055]; [0095]-[0097]; [0142]-[0145 ] . Chaponniere does not expressly teach that the UE receives the configuration information via an application or from an application server . In the same of endeavor, Qualcomm teaches localized-service provisioning driven by service operators and 3rd party service providers, including requesting and provisioning localized service requirements, event information for discovery, IP connectivity, routing policies, and other service-specific information via standard mechanisms (See [PR.5.5.6-1], [PR.5.5.6-2], [PR.5.5.6-4], and [PR.5.4.6-2]). Qualcomm further suggests provision of 3rd-party configuration information for UE discovery and access to hosting networks and localized services (See [PR.5.6.6-1 A/C] and [PR.5.6.6-2 A/B/C]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Chaponniere so that the UE receives the configuration information via an application from an application server in order to support application-specific provisioning of localized-service network-selection information and improve coordination between the application using the localized service and the UE’s hosting-network selection. Regarding claim 33, Chaponniere teaches preferred network configuration information maintained by a provider and provisioned to the UE, where each preferred entry includes a network ID and RAT information, corresponding to a selector with an access technology list (See Abstract, paragraphs [0030], [0055], [0095], [0142]-[0145]). Qualcomm further teaches that home and hosting networks for localized services may be PLMNs or NPNs. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the claimed configuration information based on an operator-controlled PLMN/NPN selector with access technology list. Regarding claim 34, Chaponniere teaches configuration information including a provider-maintained preferred network list that steers UE selection toward preferred candidate networks (See Abstract, paragrphs [0030], [0055], [0075]-[0085], [0095]-[0097], [0142]-[0145]). Qualcomm teaches home-network steering of a UE to a hosting network. See [PR.5.11.6-1]. Thus, it would have been obvious for the configuration information to include steering-of-roaming information. Regarding claim 35, Chaponniere teaches configuration information in the form of preferred network entries having associated parameters, including coverage area , that are used by the UE in filtering and selecting networks (Abstract; paragraphs [0055], [0075]-[0085], [0125]-[0127]). Qualcomm teaches that localized-service access may be subject to time and location conditions, including access at a specific period of time and location and validity tied to time/location ([PR.5.3.6-1], [PR.5.3.6-2], [PR.5.5.6-1], and related FFS text). It would have been obvious one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include such availability conditions, including at least a validity time period or location, in the configuration information used by the UE. Regarding claim 36, Chaponniere teaches configuration information including preferred network entries with network identifier and RAT information (See paragraph [0055]). Chaponniere further teaches provisioning a list of network ID and RAT combinations to the UE ([0095]-[0097]) and scanning/searching for available network/RAT combinations so that identified available networks can be matched against the configured preferred entries (See Abstract; paragraphs [0049]; [0105]; [0128]. Thus, Chaponniere teaches or at least suggests a correspondence between identified available networks and the respective configured network entries used by the UE. Chaponniere does not expressly describe the networks as hosting networks in a localized-service context or explicitly describe the correspondence as mapping information . Qualcomm teaches that localized-service candidate networks are hosting networks and teaches configuration/discovery information for hosting-network access and localized services (See Section 6, Note 1; [PR.5.3.6-1]; [PR.5.5.6-2]; [PR.5.11.6-1]; [PR.5.6.6-1 A/C]; [PR.5.6.6-2 A/B/C]; [PR.5.6.6-3 A/B]). Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Chaponniere in view of Qualcomm so that the configured correspondence between scanned network identifiers and provisioned preferred entries is applied to localized-service hosting networks , thereby providing information indicating how identified hosting networks correspond to the respective configured hosting-network entries. This would have predictably improved identification and selection of hosting networks for localized services. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RICKY QUOC NGO whose telephone number is (571)272-3139. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM. 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. 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. /RICKY Q NGO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2464 Application/Control Number: 18/843,013 Page 2 Art Unit: 2464 Application/Control Number: 18/843,013 Page 3 Art Unit: 2464 Application/Control Number: 18/843,013 Page 4 Art Unit: 2464 Application/Control Number: 18/843,013 Page 5 Art Unit: 2464 Application/Control Number: 18/843,013 Page 6 Art Unit: 2464 Application/Control Number: 18/843,013 Page 7 Art Unit: 2464 Application/Control Number: 18/843,013 Page 8 Art Unit: 2464 Application/Control Number: 18/843,013 Page 9 Art Unit: 2464 Application/Control Number: 18/843,013 Page 10 Art Unit: 2464 Application/Control Number: 18/843,013 Page 11 Art Unit: 2464 Application/Control Number: 18/843,013 Page 12 Art Unit: 2464 Application/Control Number: 18/843,013 Page 13 Art Unit: 2464 Application/Control Number: 18/843,013 Page 14 Art Unit: 2464 Application/Control Number: 18/843,013 Page 15 Art Unit: 2464
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