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 .
1-15. (Cancelled)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claim 16-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception (i.e., a law of nature, a natural phenomenon, or an abstract idea) without “significantly more”. Claim(s) 16-30 is/are directed to Abstract Idea such as an idea standing alone such as an instantiated concept, pan or scheme, as well as a mental process (thinking) that “can be performed in the human mind, or by a human using a pen and paper for example using measurement received from a mobile device, transmitting from the source relay node to a donor access node.
The apparatus and the method claim 16, 21, and 26 recites limitation, “wherein a hosting network that hosts a localized service comprises the AMF, determining a first time for a first UE (User Equipment) for deregistration based on end of the localized service; transmitting, to the first UE, a first deregistration request at the first time; wherein the first time is determined in a distributed manner in relation to other UEs, for the hosting network and a target network, wherein the first UE and the other UEs will return to the target network based on deregistration due to end of the localized service”. Since the claim is directed to a process and a machine, which is one of the statutory categories of the invention (Step 1: YES).
The claim is then analyzed to determine whether it is directed to any judicial exception. The claim recites determining a first time for a first UE (User Equipment) for deregistration based on end of the localized service; transmitting, to the first UE, a first deregistration request at the first time. The determining step based on end of the localized service and then transmitting a deregistration request recited in the claim is collecting information i.e., based on end of the localized service and then analyzing it i.e., determining a first time for the first UE for deregistration and then transmitting to the UE deregistration request recited in the claim is no more than an abstract idea i.e., mental process of "collecting information, analyzing it, and displaying certain results of the collection and analysis," where the data analysis steps are recited at a high level of generality such that they could practically be performed in the human mind, Electric Power Group v. Alstom, S.A., 830 F.3d 1350, 1353-54, 119 USPQ2d 1739, 1741-42 (Fed. Cir. 2016) (Step 2A: Prong One Abstract Idea=Yes).
The claim is then analyzed if it requires an additional elements or a combination of additional elements in the claim to apply, rely on, or use the judicial exception in a manner that imposes a meaningful limit on the judicial exception, such that the claim is more than a drafting effort designed to monopolize the exception – i.e., limitation that are indicative of integration into a practical application: improving to the functioning of a computer or to any other technology or technical field. In the current claims, there is no additional elements that would integrate the abstract idea into a practical application (Step 2A: Prong Two Abstract Idea=Yes).
Next the claim as a whole is analyzed to determine if there are additional limitation recited in the claim such that the claim amount to significantly more than an abstract idea. The claim requires the additional limitation of a computer with the central processing unit, memory, a printer, an input and output terminal and a program. These generic computer components are claimed to perform the basic functions of storing, retrieving and processing data through the program that enables. In the current scenario, there are no additional elements that would amount to significantly more than the abstract idea. Therefore, the claim does not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea itself (Step 2B: No). Accordingly, the claim is not patent eligible.
Further, dependent claims do not add any positive limitation or step that recite within the scope of the claim and does not carry patentable weight they are also rejected for the same reasons as independent claims.
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)(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.
Claim(s) 16-30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by 3GPP TR 23.700-08 v0.2.0 (2022-04) 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Services and System Aspects; Study on enhanced support of Non-Public Networks; Phase 2 (Release 18).
Regarding Claim 16, 3GPP teaches a method for performing communication (Sec 6.9.1, Introduction Line 1-7 and also see Fig. 6.9.3.2-1, The UEs that are registered to the local hosting network are deregistered in a staggered manner and completed before local hosting network goes out of service. The UEs are forced to enter into Network selection mode to choose the home network. In this manner the number of UE's triggering simultaneous de-registration (and consequently then registering back to its home) are in the range of manageable capacity by the home network without causing congestion or overload), performed by an AMF (Access and Mobility management Function) (Sec 6.9.1, Introduction and Page 28 Line 2, the AMF of the local hosting network), comprising:
wherein a hosting network that hosts a localized service comprises the AMF (Sec 6.9.2, High-level Description and Page 28 Line 5-6, when a UE registers to the local hosting network, the AMF of the local hosting network, based on the valid duration of the local hosting services, will start a "Network/service availability timer" for the UE),
determining a first time for a first UE (User Equipment) for deregistration based on end of the localized service (Sec 6.9.2, High-level Description and Page 28 Line 7-8, The timer will have a random value and is based on the time at which the UE registers to the local hosting network and the duration for which such local hosting service will be available and also see Sec 6.9.3 Page 30 Step 2 AMF assigns an appropriate "service availability timer" considering the service available timer (as configured by the OAM) and ensuring that all the UEs does not trigger de-registration at the same time. Thus, ensuring the UE also does not cause signaling overload at the home network when the UE connects back. AMF includes the "Network/service availability timer" in the Registration accept message as it is configured to send this timer in Registration accept message. As an example, one of the methods is illustrated below to show how the "Network/service availability timer" is derived by AMF a. Network/service availability timer = (Time at which the Hosting Network ends service) – (Time of UE registration) + x where x is chosen a random value to avoid all UEs accessing the Home Network at the same time);
transmitting, to the first UE, a first deregistration request at the first time (Fig. 6.9.3.2-1 Page 32 Step 8, AMF sends De-registration Request to the UE with cause code (e.g.: 5G Services going out of Service) indicating that local services are going to be terminated soon i.e., based on step 5 "Network/service availability timer" for CM-Idle State expires at AMF i.e., a first deregistration request at the first time);
wherein the first time is determined in a distributed manner in relation to other UEs, for the hosting network and a target network (Sec 6.9.2 High-level Description Page 28 Line 17-20, the timer values are chosen such that the de-registration procedures from the local hosting network are timed in a staggered manner and completed before the local hosting services terminates and the number of UE's triggered to initiate simultaneous de-registration (and consequently then registration back to its home network) are in the range of manageable capacity by the home network without causing overload build up at the home network i.e., the first time is determined in a distributed manner in relation to other UEs, for the hosting network and a target network),
wherein the first UE and the other UEs will return to the target network based on deregistration due to end of the localized service (Fig. 6.9.3.2-1 Page 32 Step 10 and 11, UE moves hosting network identity to the list of "temporarily forbidden SNPNs" or temporary unavailable list, if the local hosting network is SNPN, or move the CAG Identifiers of local hosting network out of "CAG Information list", if the local hosting network is a PNI-NPN. UE would change the Network Selection mode to Automatic if it had connected to the hosting network through Manual mode and select network based on PLMN selection procedure as defined in clause 4.4 of TS 23.122 [6]. UE will initiate Registration to the Home / Serving Network as defined in clause 4.2.2.2.2 of TS 23.502 [4] i.e., the first UE and the other UEs will return to the target network based on deregistration due to end of the localized service).
Regarding Claim 17, 3GPP teaches wherein the first time is determined so that signaling load on a target network cannot exceed a maximum value for the target network (Page 30 Line 7-11).
Regarding Claim 18, 3GPP teaches wherein the first time is determined so that the number of returning UEs to the target network cannot exceed the configured maximum number of the target network at the first time (Page 30 Line 7-11).
Regarding Claim 19, 3GPP teaches wherein the first deregistration request includes indication on end of the localized service (Page 32 Step 8).
Regarding Claim 20, 3GPP teaches wherein the target network is a network serving the first UE prior to the hosting network (Page 32 Step 10 and 11).
Regarding Claim 21, it has been rejected for the same reasons as claim 1 and further teaches an AMF (Access and Mobility management Function) comprising: a transceiver; and a processor (inherently AMF should have processor and transceiver in order to communicate with UE).
Regarding Claim 22, it has been rejected for the same reasons as claim 2. Regarding Claim 23, it has been rejected for the same reasons as claim 3.
Regarding Claim 24, it has been rejected for the same reasons as claim 4.
Regarding Claim 25, it has been rejected for the same reasons as claim 5.
Regarding Claim 26, 3GPP teaches a method for performing communication performed by a first UE (User Equipment), comprising (Fig. 6.9.3.2-1, UE in CM-Connected state and AMF not configured to send "Network / Service Availability" timer),
: transmitting, to an AMF (Access and Mobility management Function), a first registration request (Fig. 6.9.3.2-1 and Page 31 Step 1, UE initiates registration with the local hosting network);
wherein a hosting network that hosts a localized service comprises the AMF (Sec 6.9.2, High-level Description and Page 28 Line 5-6, when a UE registers to the local hosting network, the AMF of the local hosting network, based on the valid duration of the local hosting services, will start a "Network/service availability timer" for the UE),
receiving, from the AMF, a first registration accept (Fig. 6.9.3.2-1 and Page 31 Step 2, AMF assigns an appropriate "service availability timer" considering the service available timer (as configured by the OAM) and ensuring that all the UEs does not trigger de-registration at the same time. Thus, ensuring the UE also does not cause signalling overload at the home network when the UE connects back. AMF does not include the "Network/service availability timer" in the Registration accept message as it is not configured to send this timer in Registration accept message i.e., receiving, from the AMF, a first registration accepts);
receiving, to the AMF, a first deregistration request at a first time, based on end of the localized service (Fig. 6.9.3.2-1 and Page 32 and Step 9, UE sends De-registration complete to the AMF based on Step 8 where AMF sends De-registration Request to the UE with cause code (e.g.: 5G Services going out of Service) indicating that local services are going to be terminated soon);
performing deregistration with the hosting network, based on the first deregistration request (Fig. 6.9.3.2-1 and Page 32 and Step 10, UE moves hosting network identity to the list of "temporarily forbidden SNPNs" or temporary unavailable list, if the local hosting network is SNPN, or move the CAG Identifiers of local hosting network out of "CAG Information list", if the local hosting network is a PNI-NPN),
register to a target network, based on the first deregistration request (Fig. 6.9.3.2-1 and Page 32 and Step 11, UE would change the Network Selection mode to Automatic if it had connected to the hosting network through Manual mode and select network based on PLMN selection procedure as defined in clause 4.4 of TS 23.122 [6]. UE will initiate Registration to the Home / Serving Network as defined in clause 4.2.2.2.2 of TS 23.502 [4]. Since the de-registration from the hosting network and Registration to the Home/Serving Network happens in a staggered manner, the Home/Serving Network does not get overloaded)
wherein the first time is distributed with the deregistration time of other UEs (Sec 6.9.2 High-level Description Page 28 Line 17-20, the timer values are chosen such that the de-registration procedures from the local hosting network are timed in a staggered manner and completed before the local hosting services terminates and the number of UE's triggered to initiate simultaneous de-registration (and consequently then registration back to its home network) are in the range of manageable capacity by the home network without causing overload build up at the home network i.e., the first time is determined in a distributed manner in relation to other UEs, for the hosting network and a target network),
wherein the first UE and the other UEs will return to the target network based on deregistration due to end of the localized service (Fig. 6.9.3.2-1 Page 32 Step 10 and 11, UE moves hosting network identity to the list of "temporarily forbidden SNPNs" or temporary unavailable list, if the local hosting network is SNPN, or move the CAG Identifiers of local hosting network out of "CAG Information list", if the local hosting network is a PNI-NPN. UE would change the Network Selection mode to Automatic if it had connected to the hosting network through Manual mode and select network based on PLMN selection procedure as defined in clause 4.4 of TS 23.122 [6]. UE will initiate Registration to the Home / Serving Network as defined in clause 4.2.2.2.2 of TS 23.502 [4] i.e., the first UE and the other UEs will return to the target network based on deregistration due to end of the localized service).
Regarding Claim 27, it has been rejected for the same reasons as claim 17.
Regarding Claim 28, it has been rejected for the same reasons as claim 18.
Regarding Claim 29, it has been rejected for the same reasons as claim 19.
Regarding Claim 30, 3GPP teaches storing the hosting network in forbidden list for registration, based on the first deregistration request (Fig. 6.9.3.2-1 Page 32 Step 10).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Chiba et al. Pub. No. US 20240073803 A1 - USER EQUIPMENT (UE) AND COMMUNICATION CONTROL METHOD
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NIZAR N. SIVJI
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2647
/NIZAR N SIVJI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647
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