DETAILED ACTION
This communication is responsive to Application No. #18/861,301 filed on October 29, 2024. Claims 1-20 are subject to 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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 6, 8-11, 17, and 19-20 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claims 1, 6, 8-11, 17, and 19-20 2, the following acronyms are undefined within the claim set(s): AMF, MB-SMF, MBS, RAN, and NGAP.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
Claims 5, 8-9, 15-16, and 19-20 are 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding claims 5, 8, and 19, the claim recites the limitations, " the other AMF”, “the MB-SMF”, and “the broadcast session”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim.
Regarding claims 15-16 and 19, the claims recite the limitations, “a first a first AMF fails to serve …”, “a notification of a change of the profile”, and “a second AMF, an eleventh message …” (Emphases added). It is unclear if these are intended to be different instances of the elements previously recited. For purposes of examination, the Examiner has interpreted the limitations to read, ““the first a first AMF fails to serve …”, “the notification of the change of the profile”, and “the second AMF, an eleventh message …” (Emphases added).
Regarding claims 9 and 20, claim 9 depends on independent claim 8, and claim 20 depends on independent claim 19 and therefore, inherit the 35 U.S.C. 112(b) issues of the 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 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, 5-10, 14, and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by “Ericsson, Nokia, Nokia Shanghai Bell, Restoration of a Broadcast MBS session upon NG-RAN failure with or without restart, 3GPP TSG-CT WG4 Meeting #109-e E-Meeting, 06th –12th April 2022, C4-222349”, hereinafter, “NPL-1”. Also, in Applicant’s IDS).
Regarding claim 1, NPL-1 teaches:
A method at an AMF for facilitating an MB-SMF in restoring a broadcast session, the method comprising (NPL-1: Figure 8.x.2.3-1: Broadcast MBS session restoration by MB-SMF upon NG-RAN failure with restart … 1. The NG-RAN has failed with restart … 2. The AMF detects the NG-RAN has failed with restart, e.g., upon receiving NG Setup Request message …):
receiving, from the MB-SMF, an eleventh message comprising an indication that the eleventh message is to provide information associated with the broadcast session to be used only for subsequent restoration of the broadcast session when one or more RAN nodes would have restarted (NPL-1: [Figure 8.x.2.3-1]: … 1. The NG-RAN has failed with restart. 2. The AMF detects the NG-RAN has failed with restart, e.g., upon receiving NG Setup Request message. 3. The AMF sends Namf_MBSBroadcast_ContextStatusNotify Request message to the MB-SMF for each affected MBS session including the MBS Session ID, the NG-RAN ID and an indication of the event, either NG-RAN restart …. 6. The MB-SMF sends Namf_MBSBroadcast_ContextUpdate Request message [i.e., eleventh message] to the AMF to (re)start the MBS session in the related NG-RAN including the MBS Session Information Request Transfer IE and the NG-RAN ID received in the step 3 … [Section 8.x.2.3] When the AMF detects an NG-RAN restart … it shall report such event to the MB-SMF for each of MBS session(s) affected by this event, to enable the MB-SMF to (re)start the MBS session(s) in the concerning NG-RAN as further described in the Figure 8.x.2.3-1 ...).
Regarding claim 8, NPL-1 teaches:
A first network node, comprising (NPL-1: Figure 8.x.2.3-1: Broadcast MBS session restoration by MB-SMF upon NG-RAN failure with restart … 1. The NG-RAN has failed with restart … 2. The AMF [i.e., first network node] detects the NG-RAN has failed with restart, e.g., upon receiving NG Setup Request message …):
a processor;
a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receive, from the MB-SMF, an eleventh message comprising an indication that the eleventh message is to provide information associated with the broadcast session to be used only for subsequent restoration of the broadcast session when one or more RAN nodes would have restarted (NPL-1: [Figure 8.x.2.3-1]: … 1. The NG-RAN has failed with restart. 2. The AMF detects the NG-RAN has failed with restart, e.g., upon receiving NG Setup Request message. 3. The AMF sends Namf_MBSBroadcast_ContextStatusNotify Request message to the MB-SMF for each affected MBS session including the MBS Session ID, the NG-RAN ID and an indication of the event, either NG-RAN restart …. 6. The MB-SMF sends Namf_MBSBroadcast_ContextUpdate Request message [i.e., eleventh message] to the AMF to (re)start the MBS session in the related NG-RAN including the MBS Session Information Request Transfer IE and the NG-RAN ID received in the step 3 … [Section 8.x.2.3] When the AMF detects an NG-RAN restart … it shall report such event to the MB-SMF for each of MBS session(s) affected by this event, to enable the MB-SMF to (re)start the MBS session(s) in the concerning NG-RAN as further described in the Figure 8.x.2.3-1 ...).
Regarding claim 10, NPL-1 teaches:
A method at an MB-SMF for restoring a broadcast session, the method comprising (NPL-1: Figure 8.x.2.3-1: Broadcast MBS session restoration by MB-SMF upon NG-RAN failure with restart … 1. The NG-RAN has failed with restart … 2. The AMF detects the NG-RAN has failed with restart, e.g., upon receiving NG Setup Request message …):
determining whether a first AMF fails to serve the broadcast session (NPL-1: Figure 8.x.2.3-1: … 1. The NG-RAN has failed with restart. 2. The AMF detects the NG-RAN has failed with restart, e.g., upon receiving NG Setup Request message. 3. The AMF sends Namf_MBSBroadcast_ContextStatusNotify Request message to the MB-SMF for each affected MBS session including the MBS Session ID, the NG-RAN ID and an indication of the event, either NG-RAN restart, or NG-RAN failure without restart, or a (new) NG-RAN getting into service to serve a TAI that is part of the MBS session service area …);
determining a second AMF to take over the broadcast session from the first AMF (NPL-1: Figure 8.x.2.3-1: … 6. The MB-SMF sends Namf_MBSBroadcast_ContextUpdate Request message to the AMF to (re)start the MBS session in the related NG-RAN including the MBS Session Information Request Transfer IE and the NG-RAN ID received in the step 3 …); and
transmitting, to a second AMF, an eleventh message comprising an indication that the eleventh message is to provide information associated with the broadcast session to be used only for subsequent restoration of the broadcast session when one or more RAN nodes would have restarted (NPL-1: [Figure 8.x.2.3-1]: … 1. The NG-RAN has failed with restart. 2. The AMF detects the NG-RAN has failed with restart, e.g., upon receiving NG Setup Request message. 3. The AMF sends Namf_MBSBroadcast_ContextStatusNotify Request message to the MB-SMF for each affected MBS session including the MBS Session ID, the NG-RAN ID and an indication of the event, either NG-RAN restart …. 6. The MB-SMF sends Namf_MBSBroadcast_ContextUpdate Request message [i.e., eleventh message] to the AMF to (re)start the MBS session in the related NG-RAN including the MBS Session Information Request Transfer IE and the NG-RAN ID received in the step 3 … [Section 8.x.2.3] When the AMF detects an NG-RAN restart … it shall report such event to the MB-SMF for each of MBS session(s) affected by this event, to enable the MB-SMF to (re)start the MBS session(s) in the concerning NG-RAN as further described in the Figure 8.x.2.3-1 ...).
Regarding claims 5 and 14, NPL-1 discloses on the features with respect to claims 1 and 10 as outlined above.
NPL-1 further teaches:
transmitting, to the MB-SMF, a twelfth message acknowledging the eleventh message and indicating that the AMF has taken over the broadcast session from the other AMF (NPL-1: Figure 8.x.2.3-1: … 7. The AMF sends the N2 MBS Session Setup Request message to the NG-RAN including the MBS Session Information Request Transfer IE. 8. The MBS session is created/restored in the NG-RAN … 11. The AMF responds with Namf_MBSBroadcast_ContextUpdate Response message [i.e., twelfth message] with a MBS Session Information Response Transfer IE if received … [Section 8.x.2.3] When the AMF detects an NG-RAN restart … it shall report such event to the MB-SMF for each of MBS session(s) affected by this event, to enable the MB-SMF to (re)start the MBS session(s) in the concerning NG-RAN as further described in the Figure 8.x.2.3-1 ...).
Regarding claims 6 and 17, NPL-1 discloses on the features with respect to claims 1 and 10 as outlined above.
NPL-1 further teaches:
wherein the broadcast session is an MBS session (NPL-1: Figure 8.x.2.3-1: Broadcast MBS session restoration by MB-SMF upon NG-RAN failure with restart …).
Regarding claims 7 and 18, NPL-1 discloses on the features with respect to claims 1 and 10 as outlined above.
NPL-1 further teaches:
where at least one of following is true:
the eleventh message is an Namf_MBSBroadcast_ContextUpdate Request message; and
the twelfth message is an Namf_MBSBroadcast_ContextUpdate Response message (NPL-1: [Figure 8.x.2.3-1]: … 6. The MB-SMF sends Namf_MBSBroadcast_ContextUpdate Request message [i.e., eleventh message] to the AMF to (re)start the MBS session in the related NG-RAN including the MBS Session Information Request Transfer IE and the NG-RAN ID received in the step 3 … 11. The AMF responds with Namf_MBSBroadcast_ContextUpdate Response message [i.e., twelfth message] with a MBS Session Information Response Transfer IE if received ...).
Regarding claim 9, NPL-1 discloses on the features with respect to claim 8 as outlined above.
NPL-1 further teaches:
wherein an AMF is hosted at the first network node (NPL-1: Figure 8.x.2.3-1: Broadcast MBS session restoration by MB-SMF upon NG-RAN failure with restart … 1. The NG-RAN has failed with restart … 2. The AMF [i.e., first network node] detects the NG-RAN has failed with restart, e.g., upon receiving NG Setup Request message …).
Regarding claim 19, NPL-1 teaches:
A second network node, comprising (NPL-1: Figure 8.x.2.3-1: Broadcast MBS session restoration by MB-SMF [i.e., second network node] upon NG-RAN failure with restart …):
a processor;
a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
determine whether a first AMF fails to serve the broadcast session (NPL-1: Figure 8.x.2.3-1: … 1. The NG-RAN has failed with restart. 2. The AMF detects the NG-RAN has failed with restart, e.g., upon receiving NG Setup Request message. 3. The AMF sends Namf_MBSBroadcast_ContextStatusNotify Request message to the MB-SMF for each affected MBS session including the MBS Session ID, the NG-RAN ID and an indication of the event, either NG-RAN restart, or NG-RAN failure without restart, or a (new) NG-RAN getting into service to serve a TAI that is part of the MBS session service area …);
determine a second AMF to take over the broadcast session from the first AMF (NPL-1: Figure 8.x.2.3-1: … 6. The MB-SMF sends Namf_MBSBroadcast_ContextUpdate Request message to the AMF to (re)start the MBS session in the related NG-RAN including the MBS Session Information Request Transfer IE and the NG-RAN ID received in the step 3 …); and
transmit, to a second AMF, an eleventh message comprising an indication that the eleventh message is to provide information associated with the broadcast session to be used only for subsequent restoration of the broadcast session when one or more RAN nodes would have restarted (NPL-1: [Figure 8.x.2.3-1]: … 1. The NG-RAN has failed with restart. 2. The AMF detects the NG-RAN has failed with restart, e.g., upon receiving NG Setup Request message. 3. The AMF sends Namf_MBSBroadcast_ContextStatusNotify Request message to the MB-SMF for each affected MBS session including the MBS Session ID, the NG-RAN ID and an indication of the event, either NG-RAN restart …. 6. The MB-SMF sends Namf_MBSBroadcast_ContextUpdate Request message [i.e., eleventh message] to the AMF to (re)start the MBS session in the related NG-RAN including the MBS Session Information Request Transfer IE and the NG-RAN ID received in the step 3 … [Section 8.x.2.3] When the AMF detects an NG-RAN restart … it shall report such event to the MB-SMF for each of MBS session(s) affected by this event, to enable the MB-SMF to (re)start the MBS session(s) in the concerning NG-RAN as further described in the Figure 8.x.2.3-1 ...).
Regarding claim 20, NPL-1 discloses on the features with respect to claim 19 as outlined above.
NPL-1 further teaches:
wherein an MB-SMF is hosted at the second network node (NPL-1: Figure 8.x.2.3-1: Broadcast MBS session restoration by MB-SMF [i.e., second network node] upon NG-RAN failure with restart …).
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.
Claims 2-3 and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NPL-1 in view of Chen et.al. (US Patent Application Publication, 20240334525, hereinafter, “Chen”).
Regarding claims 2 and 11, NPL-1 discloses on the features with respect to claims 1 and 10 as outlined above.
NPL-1 further teaches:
wherein the eleventh message indicates at least one of:
an identifier of the broadcast session (NPL-1: [Figure 8.x.2.3-1]: … 3. The AMF sends Namf_MBSBroadcast_ContextStatusNotify Request message to the MB-SMF for each affected MBS session including the MBS Session ID, the NG-RAN ID and an indication of the event, either NG-RAN restart …. 6. The MB-SMF sends Namf_MBSBroadcast_ContextUpdate Request message [i.e., eleventh message] to the AMF to (re)start the MBS session in the related NG-RAN including the MBS Session Information Request Transfer IE and the NG-RAN ID received in the step 3 ...).
NPL-1 does not explicitly teach:
wherein the eleventh message indicates at least one of:
a service area associated with the broadcast session;
information required for subsequent restorations of the broadcast session; and
a restoration indication indicating that the AMF is not to trigger any NG Application Protocol (NGAP) signaling to the one or more RAN nodes for restoring the broadcast session.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Chen teaches:
wherein the eleventh message indicates at least one of:
a service area associated with the broadcast session;
information required for subsequent restorations of the broadcast session; and
a restoration indication indicating that the AMF is not to trigger any NG Application Protocol (NGAP) signaling to the one or more RAN nodes for restoring the broadcast session (Chen: [0033] In process 101, the NG-RAN transmits an N2 suspend request message to the AMF to trigger the connection suspend process. The AMF enters the connection management CM-IDLE state and records that the UE's connection has been suspended. The NG-RAN, the UE, and the AMF need to save the next generation application protocol (NGAP) UE association, UE context, and protocol data unit (PDU) session context-related data required to resume the connection.).
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 the invention of NPL-1 to include the features as taught by Chen above in order to provide service coverage of UEs in certain specific areas. (Chen, ¶ [0124]).
Regarding claims 3 and 12, NPL-1-Chen discloses on the features with respect to claims 2 and 11 as outlined above.
Chen further teaches:
wherein when the restoration indication is set to "true" and the service area is indicated by the eleventh message, the AMF is requested to not trigger any NGAP signaling towards one or more NG-RAN nodes covering the indicated service area (Chen: [0131] In process 402, the AMF, upon receiving the first connection resume request, determines whether the RAN corresponding to the connection to be resumed is reachable based on the RAN UE NGAP ID of the NG-RAN stored in the mobility management (MM) context.).
The rationale and motivation for adding this teaching of Chen is the same as the rationale and motivation for claims 2 and 11.
Claims 4 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NPL-1 in view of Landais et.al. (US Patent Application Publication, 20230254929, hereinafter, “Landais”).
Regarding claims 4 and 13, NPL-1 discloses on the features with respect to claims 1 and 10 as outlined above.
NPL-1 does not explicitly teach:
wherein the AMF and another AMF, which was used for restoration of the broadcast session, belong to a same AMF set and/or a same AMF service set.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Landais teaches:
wherein the AMF and another AMF, which was used for restoration of the broadcast session, belong to a same AMF set and/or a same AMF service set (Landais: [0035] The MB-SMF may store identities of AMFs handling a multicast or broadcast session. The AMF may be aware of RAN nodes involved in a multicast or broadcast MBS session and may store their identities).
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 the invention of NPL-1 to include the features as taught by Landais above in order to provide restoration of multicast/broadcast service. (Landais, ¶ [0002]).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NPL-1 in view of Xu et.al. (Chinese Patent Application Publication, CN121501436A, hereinafter, “Xu”).
Regarding claim 15, NPL-1 discloses on the features with respect to claim 10 as outlined above.
NPL-1 does not explicitly teach:
detecting whether the first AMF fails to serve the broadcast session by using a Hypertext Transfer Protocol Version 2 (HTTP/2) Ping Frame.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Xu teaches:
detecting whether the first AMF fails to serve the broadcast session by using a Hypertext Transfer Protocol Version 2 (HTTP/2) Ping Frame (Xu: [n0027] HTTP/2 PING is an application-layer mechanism used to detect and manage the health of HTTP/2 connections, including verifying the validity of the connection, measuring round-trip latency, and triggering a response from the other party to confirm that bidirectional communication is normal …).
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 the invention of NPL-1 to include the features as taught by Xu above in order to achieve efficient resource utilization and low-latency response.. (Xu, ¶ [0003]).
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over NPL-1 in view of Landais (US Patent Application Publication, 20210306211, hereinafter, “Landais ‘211”).
Regarding claim 16, NPL-1 discloses on the features with respect to claim 10 as outlined above.
NPL-1 does not explicitly teach:
subscribing, to a Network Repository Function (NRF), to receive a notification of a change of a profile of the first AMF,
wherein the step of determining whether a first AMF fails to serve the broadcast session comprises: receiving, from the NRF, a notification of a change of the profile of the first AMF, which indicates that the first AMF fails to serve the broadcast session.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Landais ‘211 teaches:
subscribing, to a Network Repository Function (NRF), to receive a notification of a change of a profile of the first AMF (Landais ‘211: [0032] ... AMFs (and other NFs [Network Functions]) may also subscribe to the NRF to be notified regarding NF instance status changes (such as NF Profile changes and/or NF deregistration events.),
wherein the step of determining whether a first AMF fails to serve the broadcast session comprises: receiving, from the NRF, a notification of a change of the profile of the first AMF, which indicates that the first AMF fails to serve the broadcast session (Landais ‘211: [0031] … enable AMFs (and, more generally, other NFs) to be notified by an NRF about a restart of an SMF instance and/or a restart of an SMF service instance (and, for example, about a restart of other NF service producers) ... The NRF may then notify any subscribed NFs of any change in the recoveryTime attribute using a service operation, such as the existing NFStatusNotify operation, and/or any other operation that is suitable for conveying a change in an attribute to a subscribed NF. In some such example implementations, to allow the AMFs to identify the resources that may be impacted by an SMF restart, the SMF can return a new timestamp attribute during the establishments of the PDU session (such as in connection with the creation of the individual SM context and/or PDU session resource, for example). Resources older than the recoveryTime attribute notified by the NRF for the SMF (or PDUSession service, depending on the situation, for example) instance can be considered as lost in the SMF. In some example implementations, when detecting the SMF (or PDUSession service) instance failure and/or restart, the AMF may trigger additional actions to attempt to recover the service ...).
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 the invention of NPL-1 to include the features as taught by Landais ‘211 above in order to detect and respond to failures. (Landais ‘211, ¶ [0003]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LIEM H NGUYEN whose telephone number is (408) 918-7636. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday, 8:30AM-5:00PM PT.
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/LIEM H. NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2416
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