DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-19 are presented for 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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d).
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01/07/2025, 06/02/2025, 10/22/2025, and 06/15/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 09/27/2024. These drawings are acceptable.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested:
“COMMUNICATION METHOD, TERMINAL DEVICE, AND CORE NETWORK DEVICE FOR THE CONTROL AND USE OF NETWORK SLICES”.
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.
Claim(s) 1-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhu et al., (hereinafter Zhu), U.S. Publication No. 2021/0037426.
As per claim 1, Zhu discloses a method performed by a terminal device [paragraphs 0011, 0080, 0122, 0137, a method performed by a terminal device (method may be implemented by a UE)], the method comprising:
determining that a condition associated with triggering a registration procedure is satisfied, wherein the condition comprises that a second tracking area (TA) supports a first slice, the second TA belongs to a current registration area (RA) of the terminal device, and the first slice is rejected in the current RA, wherein the terminal device is in the second TA [fig. 7, 9, paragraphs 0046-0048, 0069, 0086, 0090, 0097, 0126, 0144, determining that a condition associated with triggering a registration procedure is satisfied, wherein the condition comprises that a second tracking area (TA) supports a first slice, the second TA belongs to a current registration area (RA) of the terminal device, and the first slice is rejected in the current RA, wherein the terminal device is in the second TA (initial UE context setup request message may include allowed NSSAI that indicates requested network slices that are allowed in the tracking area; UE 115 may request for a particular network slice in a network registration request message; network slice request may indicate a first set of network slices supported by a current tracking area associated with a BS and indicate a second set of network slices not supported by the current tracking area; the network slice capability of one or more BSs included in one or more tracking areas)]; and
in response to the determination, sending a second registration request message to a core network device, wherein the second registration request message requests to access the first slice, and the second registration request message comprises information about the first slice [paragraphs 0069, 0097, 0100, 0116, 0125, 0126, 0128, 0133, 0144, 0145, 0158, in response to the determination, sending a second registration request message to a core network device, wherein the second registration request message requests to access the first slice, and the second registration request message comprises information about the first slice (forward the network registration request to the core network, receive, a network registration response indicating at least a first network slice of the one or more requested network slices is available on-demand or is allowed; the UE transmits registration request message to the core network may include requested-NSSAI indicating the slice A and the slice B; the core network includes the slice B in the allowed NSSAI when responding to the NAS registration request)].
As per claim 2, Zhu discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein determining that the condition associated with triggering the registration procedure is satisfied comprises:
determining, based on a first indication information, that the condition is satisfied, wherein the first indication information indicates that the second TA supports the first slice, and the first indication information is carried in a registration accept message received in the registration procedure initiated by the terminal device when the terminal device is in a first TA [paragraphs 0086, 0133, 0134, 0138, 0144, 0145, determining, based on a first indication information, that the condition is satisfied, wherein the first indication information indicates that the second TA supports the first slice, and the first indication information is carried in a registration accept message received in the registration procedure initiated by the terminal device when the terminal device is in a first TA (response to the NAS registration request message, the core network may transmit a NAS registration accept or response message to the UE; registration response message may include allowed NSSAI indicating the slice A and include rejected NSSAI indicating slice B; a slice that is requested by the UE and supported by the core network in the allowed NSSAI if the slice is supported by the current tracking area)].
As per claim 3, Zhu discloses the method according to claim 2,
wherein the first indication information comprises an identifier of the second TA and an identifier of the first slice [paragraphs 0081, 0086, 0089, 0128, 0133, 0144, 0160, wherein the first indication information comprises an identifier of the second TA and an identifier of the first slice (request message may include requested-NSSAI indicating the requested slices that are or are not supported by the current tracking; the allowed NSSAI if the slice is supported by the current tracking area and/or TAI; slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) list per tracking area)].
As per claim 4, Zhu discloses the method according to claim 2, the method further comprising:
sending a first registration request message to the core network device, wherein the terminal device is in the first TA; and receiving the registration accept message, wherein the registration accept message responds to the first registration request message [paragraphs 0019, 0048, 0127, 0144, 0159, sending a first registration request message to the core network device, wherein the terminal device is in the first TA; and receiving the registration accept message, wherein the registration accept message responds to the first registration request message (UE may request the network for the interested network slice over the first cell frequency .. allowed NSSAI may indicate the network slices that are supported by the current tracking area .. current tracking area may refer to the tracking area in which the UE is located and being served)].
As per claim 5, Zhu discloses the method according to claim 4,
wherein the first registration request message comprises a first capability indication information indicating that the terminal device has a capability of receiving the first indication information [paragraphs 0007, 0048, 0100, 0126, 0128, 0129, 0131, 0160, wherein the first registration request message comprises a first capability indication information indicating that the terminal device has a capability of receiving the first indication information (a request for capability information associated with the UE; UE radio capability check procedure may allow the network to check whether the UE's requested network slice(s) can be supported)].
As per claim 6, Zhu discloses a method performed by a core network device [paragraphs 0011, 0080, 0122, 0137, a method performed by a terminal device (method may be implemented by a UE, a BS A, and a core network)], the method comprising:
receiving a first registration request message from a terminal device, wherein the terminal device is in a first tracking area (TA) [fig. 7, 9, paragraphs 0046-0048, 0069, 0086, 0090, 0097, 0126, 0144, receiving a first registration request message from a terminal device, wherein the terminal device is in a first tracking area (initial UE context setup request message may include allowed NSSAI that indicates requested network slices that are allowed in the tracking area; UE 115 may request for a particular network slice in a network registration request message; network slice request may indicate a first set of network slices supported by a current tracking area associated with a BS and indicate a second set of network slices not supported by the current tracking area; the network slice capability of one or more BSs included in one or more tracking areas)];
sending a registration accept message to the terminal device, wherein the registration accept message responds to the first registration request message [paragraphs 0086, 0133, 0134, 0138, 0144, 0145, sending a registration accept message to the terminal device, wherein the registration accept message responds to the first registration request message (response to the NAS registration request message, the core network may transmit a NAS registration accept or response message to the UE; registration response message may include allowed NSSAI indicating the slice A and include rejected NSSAI indicating slice B; a slice that is requested by the UE and supported by the core network in the allowed NSSAI if the slice is supported by the current tracking area)], and the registration accept message comprises first indication information, wherein the first indication information indicates that a second TA supports a first slice, the second TA belongs to a first registration area (RA), and the first slice is rejected in the first RA [paragraphs 0047, 0049, 0082, 0086, 0090, 0123, 0133, 0134, 0138, 0144, 0145, the registration accept message comprises first indication information, wherein the first indication information indicates that a second TA supports a first slice, the second TA belongs to a first registration area (RA), and the first slice is rejected in the first RA (providing an indication of available network slices that are not supported by a first current tracking area, but are supported by a second tracking area different from the first tracking area; registration response message may include allowed NSSAI indicating the slice A and include rejected NSSAI indicating slice B; a slice that is requested by the UE and supported by the core network in the allowed NSSAI if the slice is supported by the current tracking area; response may include allowed NSSAI indicating a first set of slices supported by the current tracking area and include rejected NSSAI indicating a second set of slices)]; and
receiving a second registration request message from the terminal device, wherein the second registration request message requests the terminal device in the second TA to access the first slice, and the second registration request message comprises information about the first slice [paragraphs 0069, 0097, 0100, 0116, 0125, 0126, 0128, 0133, 0144, 0145, 0158, receiving a second registration request message from the terminal device, wherein the second registration request message requests the terminal device in the second TA to access the first slice, and the second registration request message comprises information about the first slice (forward the network registration request to the core network, receive, a network registration response indicating at least a first network slice of the one or more requested network slices is available on-demand or is allowed; the UE transmits registration request message to the core network may include requested-NSSAI indicating the slice A and the slice B; the core network includes the slice B in the allowed NSSAI when responding to the NAS registration request)].
As per claim 7, Zhu discloses the method according to claim 6,
wherein the first indication information comprises an identifier of the second TA and an identifier of the first slice; or the first indication information comprises the identifier of the second TA [paragraphs 0081, 0086, 0089, 0128, 0133, 0144, 0160, wherein the first indication information comprises an identifier of the second TA and an identifier of the first slice (request message may include requested-NSSAI indicating the requested slices that are or are not supported by the current tracking; the allowed NSSAI if the slice is supported by the current tracking area and/or TAI; slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) list per tracking area)].
As per claim 8, Zhu discloses the method according to claim 6, further comprising:
receiving first capability indication information from the terminal device, wherein the first capability indication information indicates that the terminal device has a capability of receiving the first indication information [paragraphs 0007, 0048, 0100, 0126, 0128, 0129, 0131, 0160, receiving first capability indication information from the terminal device, wherein the first capability indication information indicates that the terminal device has a capability of receiving the first indication information (a request for capability information associated with the UE; UE radio capability check procedure may allow the network to check whether the UE's requested network slice(s) can be supported)], and
wherein sending the registration accept message to the terminal device comprises: sending the registration accept message to the terminal device based on the first capability indication information [fig. 7, paragraphs 0049, 0086, 0100, 0128, 0133, 0159, 0160, wherein sending the registration accept message to the terminal device comprises: sending the registration accept message to the terminal device based on the first capability indication information (the network may determine capability information associated with the UE based on the UE's network slice request and communicate a response indicating the capability information associated with the UE; registration accept message including the allowed NSSAI)].
As per claim 9, Zhu discloses the method according to claim 8,
wherein the first capability indication information is carried in the first registration request message [paragraphs 0007, 0048, 0100, 0126, 0128, 0129, 0131, 0160, wherein the first capability indication information is carried in the first registration request message (a request for capability information associated with the UE; UE radio capability check procedure may allow the network to check whether the UE's requested network slice(s) can be supported)].
As per claim 10, Zhu discloses the method according to claim 6, wherein before sending the registration accept message to the terminal device, the method further comprises:
determining that the second TA belongs to the first RA and supports the first slice [fig. 7, 9, paragraphs 0046-0048, 0069, 0086, 0090, 0097, 0126, 0144, determining that the second TA belongs to the first RA and supports the first slice (initial UE context setup request message may include allowed NSSAI that indicates requested network slices that are allowed in the tracking area; UE 115 may request for a particular network slice in a network registration request message; network slice request may indicate a first set of network slices supported by a current tracking area associated with a BS and indicate a second set of network slices not supported by the current tracking area; the network slice capability of one or more BSs included in one or more tracking areas)].
As per claim 11, Zhu discloses an apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises a terminal device or a chip disposed in the terminal device [paragraphs 0011, 0080, 0122, 0137, an apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises a terminal device or a chip disposed in the terminal device (a UE)], and the apparatus comprises at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is coupled to at least one memory, and is configured to read and execute instructions in the at least one memory [fig. 6, paragraphs 0112, 0114, 0165, the apparatus comprises at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is coupled to at least one memory, and is configured to read and execute instructions in the at least one memory (the UE 600 may include a processor 602, a memory 604; instructions 606 may include instructions that, when executed by the processor 602, cause the processor 602 to perform operations)], to cause the apparatus to:
determining that a condition for triggering a registration procedure is satisfied, wherein the condition comprises that a second tracking area (TA) supports a first slice, the second TA belongs to a current registration area (RA) of the terminal device, and the first slice is rejected in the current RA, wherein the terminal device is in the second TA [fig. 7, 9, paragraphs 0046-0048, 0069, 0086, 0090, 0097, 0126, 0144, determining that a condition for triggering a registration procedure is satisfied, wherein the condition comprises that a second tracking area (TA) supports a first slice, the second TA belongs to a current registration area (RA) of the terminal device, and the first slice is rejected in the current RA, wherein the terminal device is in the second TA (initial UE context setup request message may include allowed NSSAI that indicates requested network slices that are allowed in the tracking area; UE 115 may request for a particular network slice in a network registration request message; network slice request may indicate a first set of network slices supported by a current tracking area associated with a BS and indicate a second set of network slices not supported by the current tracking area; the network slice capability of one or more BSs included in one or more tracking areas)]; and
in response to the determination, sending a second registration request message to a core network device, wherein the second registration request message requests to access the first slice, and the second registration request message comprises information about the first slice [paragraphs 0069, 0097, 0100, 0116, 0125, 0126, 0128, 0133, 0144, 0145, 0158, in response to the determination, sending a second registration request message to a core network device, wherein the second registration request message requests to access the first slice, and the second registration request message comprises information about the first slice (forward the network registration request to the core network, receive, a network registration response indicating at least a first network slice of the one or more requested network slices is available on-demand or is allowed; the UE transmits registration request message to the core network may include requested-NSSAI indicating the slice A and the slice B; the core network includes the slice B in the allowed NSSAI when responding to the NAS registration request)].
As per claim 12, Zhu discloses the apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to read and execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to:
determine, based on a first indication information, that the condition is satisfied, wherein the first indication information indicates that the second TA supports the first slice, and the first indication information is carried in a registration accept message received in a registration procedure initiated by the terminal device when the terminal device is in a first TA [paragraphs 0086, 0133, 0134, 0138, 0144, 0145, determine, based on a first indication information, that the condition is satisfied, wherein the first indication information indicates that the second TA supports the first slice, and the first indication information is carried in a registration accept message received in a registration procedure initiated by the terminal device when the terminal device is in a first TA (response to the NAS registration request message, the core network may transmit a NAS registration accept or response message to the UE; registration response message may include allowed NSSAI indicating the slice A and include rejected NSSAI indicating slice B; a slice that is requested by the UE and supported by the core network in the allowed NSSAI if the slice is supported by the current tracking area)].
As per claim 13, Zhu discloses the apparatus according to claim 12,
wherein the first indication information comprises an identifier of the second TA and an identifier of the first slice [paragraphs 0081, 0086, 0089, 0128, 0133, 0144, 0160, wherein the first indication information comprises an identifier of the second TA and an identifier of the first slice (request message may include requested-NSSAI indicating the requested slices that are or are not supported by the current tracking; the allowed NSSAI if the slice is supported by the current tracking area and/or TAI; slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) list per tracking area)].
As per claim 14, Zhu discloses the apparatus according to claim 12, the at least one processor is further configured to read and execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to:
send a first registration request message to the core network device, wherein the terminal device is in the first TA; and receive the registration accept message, wherein the registration accept message responds to the first registration request message [paragraphs 0019, 0048, 0127, 0144, 0159, send a first registration request message to the core network device, wherein the terminal device is in the first TA; and receive the registration accept message, wherein the registration accept message responds to the first registration request message (UE may request the network for the interested network slice over the first cell frequency .. allowed NSSAI may indicate the network slices that are supported by the current tracking area .. current tracking area may refer to the tracking area in which the UE is located and being served)].
As per claim 15, Zhu discloses the apparatus according to claim 14,
wherein the first registration request message comprises a first capability indication information indicating that the terminal device has a capability of receiving the first indication information [paragraphs 0007, 0048, 0100, 0126, 0128, 0129, 0131, 0160, wherein the first registration request message comprises a first capability indication information indicating that the terminal device has a capability of receiving the first indication information (a request for capability information associated with the UE; UE radio capability check procedure may allow the network to check whether the UE's requested network slice(s) can be supported)].
As per claim 16, Zhu discloses an apparatus [paragraphs 0011, 0080, 0122, 0137, an apparatus (a BS A, and a core network)], comprising at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is coupled to at least one memory, and is configured to read and execute instructions in the at least one memory [paragraphs 0092, 0094, 0105, 0107, at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is coupled to at least one memory, and is configured to read and execute instructions in the at least one memory (e.g., the network unit 500 may include a processor 502, a memory 504; instructions may include instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations)], to cause the apparatus to:
receiving a first registration request message from a terminal device, wherein the terminal device is in a first tracking area (TA) [fig. 7, 9, paragraphs 0046-0048, 0069, 0086, 0090, 0097, 0126, 0144, receiving a first registration request message from a terminal device, wherein the terminal device is in a first tracking area (initial UE context setup request message may include allowed NSSAI that indicates requested network slices that are allowed in the tracking area; UE 115 may request for a particular network slice in a network registration request message; network slice request may indicate a first set of network slices supported by a current tracking area associated with a BS and indicate a second set of network slices not supported by the current tracking area; the network slice capability of one or more BSs included in one or more tracking areas)];
sending a registration accept message to the terminal device, wherein the registration accept message responds to the first registration request message [paragraphs 0086, 0133, 0134, 0138, 0144, 0145, sending a registration accept message to the terminal device, wherein the registration accept message responds to the first registration request message (response to the NAS registration request message, the core network may transmit a NAS registration accept or response message to the UE; registration response message may include allowed NSSAI indicating the slice A and include rejected NSSAI indicating slice B; a slice that is requested by the UE and supported by the core network in the allowed NSSAI if the slice is supported by the current tracking area)], and the registration accept message comprises first indication information, wherein the first indication information indicates that a second TA supports a first slice, the second TA belongs to a first registration area (RA), and the first slice is rejected in the first RA [paragraphs 0047, 0049, 0082, 0086, 0090, 0123, 0133, 0134, 0138, 0144, 0145, the registration accept message comprises first indication information, wherein the first indication information indicates that a second TA supports a first slice, the second TA belongs to a first registration area (RA), and the first slice is rejected in the first RA (providing an indication of available network slices that are not supported by a first current tracking area, but are supported by a second tracking area different from the first tracking area; registration response message may include allowed NSSAI indicating the slice A and include rejected NSSAI indicating slice B; a slice that is requested by the UE and supported by the core network in the allowed NSSAI if the slice is supported by the current tracking area; response may include allowed NSSAI indicating a first set of slices supported by the current tracking area and include rejected NSSAI indicating a second set of slices)]; and
receiving a second registration request message from the terminal device, wherein the second registration request message requests the terminal device in the second TA to access the first slice, and the second registration request message comprises information about the first slice [paragraphs 0069, 0097, 0100, 0116, 0125, 0126, 0128, 0133, 0144, 0145, 0158, receiving a second registration request message from the terminal device, wherein the second registration request message requests the terminal device in the second TA to access the first slice, and the second registration request message comprises information about the first slice (forward the network registration request to the core network, receive, a network registration response indicating at least a first network slice of the one or more requested network slices is available on-demand or is allowed; the UE transmits registration request message to the core network may include requested-NSSAI indicating the slice A and the slice B; the core network includes the slice B in the allowed NSSAI when responding to the NAS registration request)].
As per claim 17, Zhu discloses the apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to read and execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to:
receive first capability indication information from the terminal device, wherein the first capability indication information indicates that the terminal device has a capability of receiving the first indication information [paragraphs 0007, 0048, 0100, 0126, 0128, 0129, 0131, 0160, receive first capability indication information from the terminal device, wherein the first capability indication information indicates that the terminal device has a capability of receiving the first indication information (a request for capability information associated with the UE; UE radio capability check procedure may allow the network to check whether the UE's requested network slice(s) can be supported)], and
send the registration accept message to the terminal device based on the first capability indication information [fig. 7, paragraphs 0049, 0086, 0100, 0128, 0133, 0159, 0160, send the registration accept message to the terminal device based on the first capability indication information (the network may determine capability information associated with the UE based on the UE's network slice request and communicate a response indicating the capability information associated with the UE; registration accept message including the allowed NSSAI)].
As per claim 18, Zhu discloses the apparatus according to claim 17,
wherein the first capability indication information is carried in the first registration request message [paragraphs 0007, 0048, 0100, 0126, 0128, 0129, 0131, 0160, wherein the first capability indication information is carried in the first registration request message (a request for capability information associated with the UE; UE radio capability check procedure may allow the network to check whether the UE's requested network slice(s) can be supported)].
As per claim 19, Zhu discloses the apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to read and execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to:
determine that the second TA belongs to the first RA and supports the first slice [fig. 7, 9, paragraphs 0046-0048, 0069, 0086, 0090, 0097, 0126, 0144, determine that the second TA belongs to the first RA and supports the first slice (initial UE context setup request message may include allowed NSSAI that indicates requested network slices that are allowed in the tracking area; UE 115 may request for a particular network slice in a network registration request message; network slice request may indicate a first set of network slices supported by a current tracking area associated with a BS and indicate a second set of network slices not supported by the current tracking area; the network slice capability of one or more BSs included in one or more tracking areas)].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Wei et al., U.S. Publication No. 2020/0205065 discloses network entity is adapted to transmit, to the user equipment, slice support information for at least one slice support area of the communication network.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JACKIE ZUNIGA ABAD whose telephone number is (571)270-7194. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:00pm.
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/JACKIE ZUNIGA ABAD/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469
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