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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/05/2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 1-4, 6-8, 11-13, 15, 16, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lai et al. (“Lai”) [PGPUB 2023/0354176].
Regarding claim 1, the Lai reference discloses a processor of a user equipment (UE) configured to perform operations, comprising: receiving an indication that a localized service is available at a non-public network(NPN) [ie. available network slice instances (“localized service”); Lai; figures 1 and 12; paragraphs 0006, 0052, 0056, and 0081-0082]; and
transmitting a registration request to the NPN [Lai; fig 9A; para 0052, 0080, and 0084].
Regarding claim 2, the Lai reference further discloses the indication that the localized service is available at the NPN is provided in broadcast information [Lai; fig 4, 12 and 14; para 0045, 0056, and 0075].
Regarding claim 3, the Lai reference further discloses the broadcast information is provided by the NPN [Lai; para 0045, 0056, and 0075].
Regarding claim 4, the Lai reference further discloses the broadcast information is provided by a second different NPN or a public land mobile network (PLMN) [Lai; fig 12; para 0008 and 0082].
Regarding claim 6, the Lai reference further discloses the indication identifies a specific type of localized service available at the NPN [claim broadly states “specific type”; Lai; para 0006-0007 and 0037-0038].
Regarding claim 7, the Lai reference further discloses the indication that the localized service is available at the NPN is provided in one or more non-access stratum (NAS) signals [Lai; para 0037-0038 and 0042].
Regarding claim 8, the Lai reference further discloses the indication that the localized service is available at the NPN is provided in response to the registration request and comprises a list of available localized services at the NPN [Lai; para 0006, 0052, 0056, and 0081-0082].
Regarding claim 11, the Lai reference further discloses the indication that the localized service is available at the NPN is provided during an application layer procedure performed after the UE is registered with the NPN [Lai; para 0052-0054].
Regarding claim 12, the Lai reference further discloses the indication that the localized service is available at the NPN comprises one or more time periods when access to the localized service is valid [Lai; para 0037-0038 and 0075-0077].
Regarding claim 13, the Lai reference further discloses the indication that the localized service is available at the NPN comprises a limited geographical area where the localized service is valid [Lai; para 0037-0038 and 0072-0074].
Regarding claim 15, the Lai reference further discloses the localized service is only valid in a limited geographical area, the operations further comprising: identifying that the UE has exited the limited geographical area, wherein the UE does not attempt to access the localized service outside of the limited geographical area and wherein the UE keeps a context active for subsequent use within the limited geographical area [Lai; para 0037-0038 and 0072-0074].
Regarding claim 16, the Lai reference further discloses the indication that the localized service is available at the NPN is provided in dedicated radio resource control (RRC) signaling [Lai; para 0042 and 0062].
Regarding claim 18, the Lai reference further discloses the UE identifies that the localized service is available based on an associated data network name (DNN), application ID or a single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) [ie. DNN; Lai; para 0037 and 0056].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 5, 9, 10, 14, 17, 19, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lai in view of Tsuda [PGPUB 2023/0337123].
Regarding claim 5, the Lai reference further discloses localized service is available [Lai; para 0052-0053 and 0056] but does not specifically disclose the indication is an information element (IE) configured to indicate that the localized service is available.
However, in the same field of endeavor, the Tsuda reference discloses the indication is an information element (IE) configured to indicate that the localized service is available [Tsuda; para 0003, 0106, 0176, 0188, and 0218]. The Lai and Tsuda references are analogous art, since they have similar problem solving area of managing network slices. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to combine the teaching of a information element, taught by Tsuda, into the system, taught by Lai. The motivation for doing so would have been to indicate availability.
Regarding claim 9, the Lai reference further discloses receiving, after transmitting the registration request, information for how to access the localized service [Lai; fig 9A; para 0052, 0080, and 0084] but does not specifically disclose the information comprising a single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI), a packet data unit (PDU) session ID corresponding to the localized service or an application identifier through which to access localized services.
However, in the same field of endeavor, the Tsuda reference discloses the information comprising a single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI), a packet data unit (PDU) session ID corresponding to the localized service or an application identifier through which to access localized services [Tsuda; fig 12; para 0214-0215 and 0239-0240]. The Lai and Tsuda references are analogous art, since they have similar problem solving area of managing network slices. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to combine the teaching of NSSAI, taught by Tsuda, into the system, taught by Lai. The motivation for doing so would have been to identify slice types.
Regarding claim 10, the Lai reference does not specifically disclose receiving a list of tracking areas (TAs) where access to one or more localized services are available, wherein transmitting the registration request to the NPN is triggered based on the UE entering one of the TAs where access to the one or more localized services are available.
However, in the same field of endeavor, the Tsuda reference discloses receiving a list of tracking areas (TAs) where access to one or more localized services are available, wherein transmitting the registration request to the NPN is triggered based on the UE entering one of the TAs where access to the one or more localized services are available [Tsuda; fig 12; para 0089, 0093, 0214-0215, and 0239-0240]. The Lai and Tsuda references are analogous art, since they have similar problem solving area of managing network slices. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to combine the teaching of tracking area, taught by Tsuda, into the system, taught by Lai. The motivation for doing so would have been to identify slice types areas.
Regarding claim 14, the Lai reference does not specifically disclose receiving a set of tracking areas (TAs) comprising one or more TAs where the localized service is valid, wherein the UE does not attempt to access the localized service outside of the one or more TAs.
However, in the same field of endeavor, the Tsuda reference discloses receiving a set of tracking areas (TAs) comprising one or more TAs where the localized service is valid, wherein the UE does not attempt to access the localized service outside of the one or more TAs [Tsuda; fig 12; para 0089, 0093, 0214-0215, and 0239-0240]. The Lai and Tsuda references are analogous art, since they have similar problem solving area of managing network slices. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to combine the teaching of tracking area, taught by Tsuda, into the system, taught by Lai. The motivation for doing so would have been to identify slice types areas.
Regarding claim 17, the Lai reference does not specifically discloses transmitting an RRC connection request message comprising an establishment cause configured to indicate that the UE intends to access one or more localized services.
However, in the same field of endeavor, the Tsuda reference discloses transmitting an RRC connection request message comprising an establishment cause configured to indicate that the UE intends to access one or more localized services [Tsuda; fig 12 and 15; para 0106-0107, 0198, and 0243-0244]. The Lai and Tsuda references are analogous art, since they have similar problem solving area of managing network slices. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to combine the teaching of RRC connection establishment, taught by Tsuda, into the system, taught by Lai. The motivation for doing so would have been to use the service on corresponding to a NSSAI.
Regarding claim 19, the Lai reference does not specifically discloses receiving a localized service information information element (IE) comprising one or more of data network names (DNNs), one or more application IDs and one or more single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) that may be used to access the localized service.
However, in the same field of endeavor, the Tsuda reference discloses receiving a localized service information information element (IE) comprising one or more of data network names (DNNs), one or more application IDs and one or more single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) that may be used to access the localized service [Tsuda; fig 12; para 0214-0215 and 0239-0240]. The Lai and Tsuda references are analogous art, since they have similar problem solving area of managing network slices. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to combine the teaching of NSSAI, taught by Tsuda, into the system, taught by Lai. The motivation for doing so would have been to identify slice types.
Regarding claim 20, the Lai reference does not specifically discloses the localized service information IE further comprises an indication of location or time restrictions related to the localized service.
However, in the same field of endeavor, the Tsuda reference discloses the localized service information IE further comprises an indication of location or time restrictions related to the localized service [Tsuda; fig 12; para 0088, 0106, 0176, and 0225-0229]. The Lai and Tsuda references are analogous art, since they have similar problem solving area of managing network slices. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to combine the teaching of a information element, taught by Tsuda, into the system, taught by Lai. The motivation for doing so would have been to indicate availability.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Liao et al. [PGPUB 2021/0345226] describes access control of NPNs.
Lin et al. [PGPUB 2023/0354181] describes stand-alone NPN for network slicing.
Speicher et al. [PGPUB 2025/0113321] describes selecting local services on a NPN.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Umar Cheema can be reached at 571-270-3037. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JASON D CARDONE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2458
