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 .
Preliminary amendment
Claims 1-4, 6, 8, 12, 15, 18, 19, 37, and 38 are amended in the preliminary amendment filed 12/30/2024. Claims 5, 7, 20-36, 39, and 40 are cancelled. Claim 41 is new. Therefore, claims 1-4, 6, 8-19, 37-38, and 41 are pending for examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted 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 § 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6, 8-17, 19, 37-38 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tarradell et al. (2017/0086165, hereinafter “Tarradell”), in view of Chen et al. (US 20240187990, hereinafter “Chen”).
Claims 1, 19, 37. Tarradell discloses a method and a node for negotiating a paging, performed by a first node, comprising (paging negotiation between eNB (first node) and MME (second node) for UEs, including use of S1-AP messages, see [0031], [0033], [0045], [0057], [0063], [0077]):
sending auxiliary information to a second node (eNB sends information element (IE) or paging IE to MME; includes category indicator or radio access capability structure , see [0045], [0084]),
wherein the auxiliary information indicates is configured to indicate an access capability (category indicator and/or radio access capability structure; eNB generates and sends these to MME , see [0038], [0039], [0044], [0045], [0084]).
Tarradell discloses access capability but does not explicitly mention access stratum (AS), even though category indicator and/or radio access capability structure are forms of AS capability.
In a similar endeavor, Chen discloses access stratum ([0053]).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify the teachings of the cited references, to address the same issue by applying the solution used in older network into new radio network.
The motivation/suggestion for doing so would have been to perform network functions including power saving associated with new radio (NR) user equipment (UE) and NR reduced capabilities UEs.
Claim 2. Tarradell in view of Chan discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein sending the auxiliary information to the second node comprises: sending the auxiliary information to the second node in a non-UE-associated service process (Describes eNB sending category support/capability info to MME via S1-AP Setup/Config messages, not tied to a specific UE , see [0050], [0052]), wherein the auxiliary information indicates is configured to indicate a base station AS capability (eNB transmits support/capability for “category-A” UEs (i.e., base station’s AS capability) , see Tarradell [0052]).
Claim 3. Tarradell in view of Chan discloses the method according to claim 2, wherein the first node is a base station and the second node is a network function in a core network, wherein sending the auxiliary information to the second node in the non-UE-associated service process comprises at least one of:
sending the auxiliary information to the second node in a next generation (NG) interface setup process or an NG interface update process in a new radio (NR) system (see Chan [0046]);
sending the auxiliary information to the second node in an Xn interface setup process or an Xn interface update process in an NR system; or
sending the auxiliary information to the second node in an F1 application protocol (F1AP) interface setup process or an FlAP interface update process in an NR system.
The motivation is the same as stated in claim 1.
Claim 4. Tarradell in view of Chan discloses the method according to claim 3, wherein sending the auxiliary information to the second node in the NG interface setup process or the NG interface update process in the NR system comprises: sending the auxiliary information to the second node via an NG setup request message (see Chen [0060][0062][0063]); or, sending the auxiliary information to the second node via a radio access configuration update message.
The motivation is the same as stated in claim 1.
Claim 6. Tarradell in view of Chan discloses the method according to claim 53,wherein sending the auxiliary information to the second node in the Xn interface setup process or the Xn interface update process in the NR system comprises (see Chen [0076][0077] [0104] [0187]): sending the auxiliary information to the second node via an Xn setup request message; or, sending the auxiliary information to the second node via an Xn setup response message (see Chen [0076][0077] [0104] [0187]); or, sending the auxiliary information to the second node via a next generation-radio access network (NG-RAN) node configuration update message (see Chen [0059][0071]); or, sending the auxiliary information to the second node via an NG-RAN node configuration update response message.
The motivation is the same as stated in claim 1.
Claim 8. Tarradell in view of Chan discloses the method according to claim 3, wherein sending the auxiliary information to the second node in the F1AP interface setup process or the F1AP interface update process in the NR system comprises: sending the auxiliary information to the second node via an F1 setup request message; or, sending the auxiliary information to the second node via a next generation node B- distributed unit (GNB-DU) configuration update message (see Chen [0073]).
The motivation is the same as stated in claim 1.
Claim 9. Tarradell in view of Chan discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary information indicates the AS capability with a base station as a granularity; (eNB sends category-A (AS capability) support information for itself (i.e., at base station level) to MME via S1-AP messages (e.g., Setup, Configuration Update) , see Tarradell [0052])
or, the auxiliary information indicates the AS capability with a cell as a granularity (eNB/cell broadcasts category-A support indicator; MME/eNB can track which cells support category-A (AS capability), see Tarradell [0032], [0052], [0054]).
Claim 10. Tarradell in view of Chan discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary information indicates an identifier of whether a predefined type terminal is allowed or not allowed to access (see Tarradell [0032][0055]).
Claim 11. Tarradell in view of Chan discloses the method according to claim 10, wherein the identifier is determined based on at least one of following system messages: a master indication block (MIB); a system information block 1 (SIB 1); or an SIB1-bis (see Tarradell [0055]).
Claim 12. Tarradell in view of Chan discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein sending the auxiliary information to the second node comprises: sending the auxiliary information to the second node in a non-UE-associated service process, wherein the auxiliary information indicates is configured to indicate a terminal AS capability (see Tarradell [0038], [0039], [0044], [0045], [0084]).
Claim 13. Tarradell in view of Chan discloses the method according to claim 12, wherein sending the auxiliary information to the second node comprises: sending the auxiliary information to the second node via a UERadioPagingInformation message; or, sending the auxiliary information to the second node via a paging message (see Tarradell [0038], [0039], [0044], [0045], [0084]).
Claim 14. Tarradell in view of Chan discloses the method according to claim 13, wherein sending the auxiliary information to the second node via the paging message comprises: sending the auxiliary information to the second node via a core network paging message; or, sending the auxiliary information to the second node via a radio access network paging message (see Tarradell [0031], [0033], [0045], [0057], [0063], [0077]).
Claim 15. Tarradell in view of Chan discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein sending the auxiliary information to the second node comprises: sending the auxiliary information to the second node in a UE-associated service process, wherein the auxiliary information indicates is configured to indicate a base station AS capability (see Tarradell, [0041][0045][0052]).
Claim 16. Tarradell in view of Chan discloses the method according to claim 15, wherein the first node is a base station and the second node is a network function of a core network, sending the auxiliary information to the second node in the UE-associated service process comprises: sending the auxiliary information to the second node in an NG-based handover process in an NR system (see Chen [0060][0096][0101][0144]).
The motivation is the same as stated in claim 1.
Claim 17. Tarradell in view of Chan discloses the method according to claim 15, wherein the first node is a target base station and the second node is a service base station, sending the auxiliary information to the second node in the UE-associated service process comprises: sending the auxiliary information to the second node in an Xn-based handover process in an NR system (see Chen [0060][0096][0101][0144]).
The motivation is the same as stated in claim 1.
Claim 38. Tarradell in view of Chen discloses an apparatus for negotiating a paging A second node, comprising: a memory; and a processor, connected with the memory, configured to perform the method according to claim 19. a receiving module, configured to receive auxiliary information sent by a first node, wherein the auxiliary information is configured to indicate an access stratum (AS) capability (see Tarradell, [0041][0045][0052] Fig. 1).
Claim(s) 18 and 41 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tarradell, in view of Chen, and further in view of YOUN et al. (US 20220361054, hereinafter YOUN).
Claims 18, 41. Tarradell in view of Chan discloses the method according to claim 16 or 17, but does not disclose wherein sending the auxiliary information to the second node comprises: sending the auxiliary information to the second node via a handover failure message.
In a similar endeavor, YOUN discloses sending the auxiliary information to the second node comprises: sending the auxiliary information to the second node via a handover failure message (see YOUN [0371][0373][0383][0384]).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art to modify the teachings of the cited references, to address handover failures by sending network access information.
The motivation/suggestion for doing so would have been to ensure that the service is supported seamlessly, even if handover between 3GPP access and non-3GPP access fails, as suggested by YOUN (see YOUN [0358]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KATHY W WANG-HURST whose telephone number is (571)270-5371. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/KATHY W WANG-HURST/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2644
Prosecution Insights