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 .
Acknowledgment
The Preliminary Amendment filed on 11/08/2024 has been received and placed of record. Accordingly, claims 22-24 have been cancelled and claims 1-21 are pending in the instant application.
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)(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 1-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liao (US 2021/0329460).
Regarding independent claim 1, Liao teaches a method of wireless communication at a source radio access network (RAN) node, comprising: receiving signaling indicating a user equipment (UE) is associated with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) ([0104], [0105] and [0144], “the UEs in the UAV 502 and UAV-C 504 are pre-configured with the UAS operation authorization parameters. In a 3GPP registration procedure 518, the UEs in UAV 502 and UAV-C 504 both register to the 5GC with indications to enable UAS operation service if the UEs have corresponding UAS subscriptions. In a PDU Session Establishment procedure 520 with UTM-DNN (data network name), the UEs in the UAV 502 and UAV-C 504 request to establish PDU session for a specific UAS-DNN”); transmitting signaling to the UE indicating availability, at the source RAN node, of a first server that supports a network-based aviation service ([0104], [0105] and [0144]); and transmitting context information for the UE to a target RAN node that has a second server that supports the network-based aviation service ([0181], “The mobility support may include context transfer from an old (source) serving (R)AN node 1108 to new (target) serving (R)AN node 1108; and control of user plane tunnels between old (source) serving (R)AN node 1108 to new (target) serving (R)AN node 1108.”).
Regarding independent claims 12 and 21, the claims recite similar subject matter as in claim 1. Therefore, similar rationale is applied as for claim 1.
Regarding dependent claims 2 and 13, Liao further teaches wherein the context information indicates whether the UE is authorized to use network-based aviation service. See [0104], [0105] and [0144].
Regarding dependent claims 3 and 14, Liao further teaches wherein the context information indicates an ID of the UAV. See [0030] and [0040].
Regarding dependent claims 4 and 15, Liao further teaches wherein the ID comprises at least one of a Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) level UAV ID or a remote ID. See [0030], [0040] and [0094].
Regarding dependent claims 5 and 16 Liao further teaches wherein the context information indicates one or more event subscriptions to at least one of a unmanned aircraft system (UAS) network function (NF) or a network data analytics function (NWDAF). See [0040], [0094] and [0097].
Regarding dependent claims 6 and 17, Liao further teaches wherein transmitting the context information for the UE to the target RAN node comprises transmitting the context information for the UE to an access and mobility management function (AMF) associated with the target RAN node. See [0061] and [0101].
Regarding dependent claims 7 and 18, Liao further teaches wherein the source RAN node transmits the context information for the UE to the target RAN node when a condition based on the UAV location is met. See [0181].
Regarding dependent claim 8, Liao further teaches wherein the condition involves at least one of: the UAV entering a service area of the source RAN node or target RAN node; or the UAV leaving a service area of the source RAN node or target RAN node. See [0181].
Regarding dependent claim 9, Liao further teaches wherein the source RAN node transmits the context information for the UE to the target RAN node in response to receiving a query from the target RAN node. See [0181].
Regarding dependent claims 10 and 19, Liao further teaches wherein the context information indicates public information of UAV retrieved from an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) service suppliers (USS). See [0099], [0113], [0212] and claim 2.
Regarding dependent claims 11 and 20, Liao further teaches wherein the context information indicates at least one event that at least one of the first server or the second server has subscribed to. See [0109] and [0161].
Conclusion
Examiner's note: Examiner has cited particular columns and line numbers in the references as 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 the 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.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. References Cirkic et al (US 2021/0044995), Hong (US 2021/0351840), De Rosa et al (US 2022/0045747) and Atarius et al (US 2025/0168903) are cited because they are pertinent to the method and apparatus for assisting network mobility.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DON NGUYEN VO whose telephone number is (571) . The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 6:30PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kenneth N Vanderpuye, can be reached on 571-272-3078. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DON N VO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2634
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