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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDSs) submitted on February 10, 2025 and March 14, 2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hashmi et al. (Hashmi), U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2023/0015471.
Regarding claims 1, 8 and 14, Hashmi discloses an apparatus of a user equipment (UE), the apparatus comprising processing circuitry (see circuitry in figure 7) configured to: configure transceiver circuitry (see circuitry in figure 7) to transmit a packet data network (PDN) connectivity request to a first network (the UE 204, at step 212, may move to the LTE network (i.e., there is an intersystem change) and initiate a Packet Data Network (PDN) connection request at step 214) (0050); inherently decode, from signaling received from the first network, an activate default evolved packet system (EPS) bearer context request message comprising an Extended Protocol Configuration Option (ePCO) indicating the UE can access a network slice on a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) or a Standalone Non-Public Network (SNPN); configure transceiver circuitry to transmit a registration request comprising the network slice and a default list of configured network slices to a second network of the PLMN or SNPN (At step 216, the LTE PLMN-A 202 network may send the ACTIVATE DEFAULT EPS BEARER CONTEXT REQUEST message. Upon receipt of the ACTIVATE DEFAULT EPS BEARER CONTEXT REQUEST message, if one of the S-NSSAI or the PLMN ID that this S-NSSAI relates to are provided in the Protocol Configuration Options (PCO) Information Element (IE) or the Extended PCO IE, the UE 204, at step 218, may remove the S-NSSAI from the rejected NSSAI list optionally for the corresponding PLMN or equivalent PLMN to ensure service in LTE and service continuity while moving back to the 5GC PLMN-A 206.) (0050); and inherently decode, from signaling received from the second network, a registration accept message comprising an indication the registration request for the network slice has been accepted by the second network and a list of configured network slices for the second network (In an embodiment, when the UE 204, at step 308, receives the S-NSSAI(s) included in the rejected NSSAI in one of the REGISTRATION ACCEPT message, the REGISTRATION REJECT message, the DEREGISTRATION REQUEST message, the CONFIGURATION UPDATE COMMAND message, or in any other NAS message, the UE 204, at step 310 may be configured to store the rejected S-NSSAI(s) into the rejected NSSAI list and the mapped S-NSSAI(s) for the rejected NSSAI based on the associated rejection cause(s) which are received along with the NAS message.) (0058).
Regarding claims 2, 9 and 15, Hashmi discloses wherein the registration request comprises an initial registration request for the second network (For a UE configured to connect to a 5GC and LTE PLMN networks, the UE may request for a slice/service from such networks.) (0011; see also 0012).
Regarding claims 3, 10 and 16, Hashmi discloses the apparatus of claim 2, wherein transmitting the default list of configured network slices is based on the UE having no configured network slices for the second network of the PLMN or SNPN (Further, another problem is related to updating the allowed NSSAI list on the Activate Default EPS bearer message. The UE 104 in LTE 102 may initiate a PDN connection request. Upon receipt of the Activate Default EPS Bearer Context Request message, if an S-NSSAI and the PLMN ID that this S-NSSAI relates to are provided in the protocol configuration options IE or extended protocol configuration options IE and the S-NSSAI is not a part of the allowed NSSAI, the UE 104 upon moving to 5G will never send that NSSAI in the requested NSSAI list. This might cause service discontinuity or non-usage of the provided slice in 5G, as the UE 104 will never include that slice in the requested slice IE.) (0022).
Regarding claims 4, 11 and 17, Hashmi discloses the apparatus of claim 2, wherein transmitting the default list of configured network slices is based on the UE having configured network slices that contain only the network slice received from the first network in the activate default EPS bearer context request message (Further, another problem is related to updating the allowed NSSAI list on the Activate Default EPS bearer message. The UE 104 in LTE 102 may initiate a PDN connection request. Upon receipt of the Activate Default EPS Bearer Context Request message, if an S-NSSAI and the PLMN ID that this S-NSSAI relates to are provided in the protocol configuration options IE or extended protocol configuration options IE and the S-NSSAI is not a part of the allowed NSSAI, the UE 104 upon moving to 5G will never send that NSSAI in the requested NSSAI list. This might cause service discontinuity or non-usage of the provided slice in 5G, as the UE 104 will never include that slice in the requested slice IE.) (0022).
Regarding claims 5, 12 and 18, Hashmi discloses wherein the registration request comprises a mobility registration request for the second network (Specifically, the requested NSSAI IE (or requested mapped NSSAI IE) includes S-NSSAI(s), and if available, the associated mapped S-NSSAI(s) for each PDN connection that is established in the S1 mode, when the UE 204 is operating in the single-registration mode and the UE 204 is performing an inter-system change from the S1 mode to the N1 mode while performing a mobility registration update procedure in 5GS even though those are part of the Rejected NSSAI list.) (0064).
Regarding claim 6, 13 and 19, Hashmi discloses the apparatus of claim 5, wherein transmitting the default list of configured network slices is based on the UE having configured network slices that contain only the network slice received from the first network in the activate default EPS bearer context request message (Further, another problem is related to updating the allowed NSSAI list on the Activate Default EPS bearer message. The UE 104 in LTE 102 may initiate a PDN connection request. Upon receipt of the Activate Default EPS Bearer Context Request message, if an S-NSSAI and the PLMN ID that this S-NSSAI relates to are provided in the protocol configuration options IE or extended protocol configuration options IE and the S-NSSAI is not a part of the allowed NSSAI, the UE 104 upon moving to 5G will never send that NSSAI in the requested NSSAI list. This might cause service discontinuity or non-usage of the provided slice in 5G, as the UE 104 will never include that slice in the requested slice IE.) (0022).
Regarding claims 7 and 20, Hashmi discloses wherein the first network is a
Long Term Evolution (LTE) network and second network is a Fifth Generation New Radio (5G NR) network (The UE 204 may be configured to connect with the LTE PLMN-A 202 and the 5GC PLMN-A 206. The UE 204 may include, but not limited to, a mobile phone, a smart watch, a tablet, and any other electronic device which can connect to a 4G and/or 5G network, such as, LTE PLMN-A 202 and the 5GC PLMN-A 206.) (0048).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Huang-Fu, U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2022/0369192 discloses session continuity for 3GPP and non-3GPP interworking.
Ryu et al. U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2022/0338155 discloses uplink data indication.
Niemi et al. U.S. Patent Pub. No. 2022/0132411 discloses registration to slices with mapped S-NSSAIS alone in a 5G system.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TEMICA M. BEAMER whose telephone number is (571)272-7797. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday; 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew D. Anderson can be reached at 571-272-4177. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TEMICA M BEAMER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2646
