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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-7 in the reply filed on Jul. 30, 2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 8-42 have been canceled.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 1-3 and 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Talebi Fard et al. (2024/0284146).
Regarding claim 1, Talebi discloses a computer-implemented method, performed by a first node, for handling information, the first node operating in a communications system (see abstract, fig.2, element 155, paragraphs [0004], [0035-0037] and its description), the method comprising: sending a first indication to a second node operating in the communications system, the first indication indicating a capability of the a first node to receive a notification indicating a change to information pertaining to an integrity of a group of devices operating in the communications system (see abstract, fig.2, elements 155, 160, step N11, fig.12, elements 155, 160, step 1215, fig.20, elements UE, AMF, SMF, paragraphs [0004], [0014], [0022], [0035-0037], [0170], [0235] and its description), and receiving, based on the sent first indication, a first notification from a third node operating in the communications system, the first notification indicating a first change to the information pertaining to the group of devices, the first change affecting two or more of the devices in the group of devices (see abstract, fig.2, elements 155, 160, step N11, fig.12, elements 155, 160, step 1215, fig.20, elements UE, AMF, SMF, UDM/UDR paragraphs [0004], [0014], [0022], [0035-0037], [0170], [0235-0236] and its description).
Regarding claim 2, Talebi further discloses wherein the first indication further indicates an address to which the notification is to be sent, and wherein the receiving is at the indicated address (see abstract, fig.2, elements 155, 160, step N11, fig.12, elements 155, 160, step 1215, paragraph [0178] and its description).
Regarding claim 3, Talebi further discloses wherein the change is one of: a. an addition or removal of the two or more devices from the group of devices, b. a removal of the group of devices, and c. a change to group data of a virtual network (see paragraph [0207]).
Regarding claim 6, Talebi further discloses wherein one of: a. the first node is a Unified Data Management, UDM, the second node is a Network Repository Function, NRF, and the third node is a Unified Data Repository, UDR, and b. the first node is an Access and Mobility Management Function, AMF, the second node is an NRF, and the third node is a UDM (see fig.20, AMF, SMS/NRF UDM/URD and claim 7 of this prior art and its description).
Regarding claim 7, Talebi further discloses wherein at least one of: a. the first node is the UDM, the second node is the NRF, the third node is the UDR, the first indication is an Nnrf Register message, the first notification is a Nudr_Notification message, and the change is one of: an addition or removal of devices from the group of devices, and the removal of the group of devices, and b. the first node is the AMF, the second node is the NRF, the third node is the UDM, the first indication is an Nnrf Register message, the first notification is a Nudm_Subscriber Data Management, SDM, Notification message, and the change is one of: the addition or removal of devices from the group of devices, the removal of the group of devices, and the change to group data of the virtual network (see abstract, fig.2, elements 155, 160, step N11, fig.12, elements 155, 160, step 1215, fig.20, AMF, SMS/NRF UDM/URD and claim 7 of this prior art, paragraphs [0004], [0014], [0022], [0035-0037], [0170], [0235] and its description).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-5 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.
Examiner's Note: Examiner has cited particular columns and line numbers in the references applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
When responding to this Office Action, Applicant is advised to clearly point out the patentable novelty which he or she thinks the claims present, in view of the state of the art disclosed by the references cited or the objections made. He or she must also show how the amendments avoid such references or objections See 37 CFR 1.111(c).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CongVan Tran whose telephone number is (571) 272-7871. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Th.
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UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
/CONGVAN TRAN/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647
