DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
Claim(s) 1-3, 5, 7-23 are currently pending examination. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Page(s) 7-17, filed 05/27/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-3, 5, 7-24 under 35 USC 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Qiu et al. (US 2010/0034085 A1) and further in view of MEIROSU et al. (US 2011/0122779 A1) detailed in this updated Office Action below.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 10, 18-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qiu et al. (US 2010/0034085 A1) and further in view of MEIROSU et al. (US 2011/0122779 A1).
Re Claim 1 & 18, Qiu teaches a method comprising:
receiving, by a first computing device configured to count user device registrations for a plurality of computing devices, a message indicating that a user device has registered with a second computing device, of the plurality of computing devices; (Qiu; FIG. 1-5; Background, Summary, ¶ [0017]-[0029], [0031]-[0052]; The embodiment(s) detail device registration, count registration information and tracking registration data.)
based on the message, determining, by the first computing device, that a quantity of user devices that are currently registered with the second computing device exceeds a threshold; and (Qiu; FIG. 1-5; Background, Summary, ¶ [0017]-[0029], [0031]-[0052]; The collection of customer registration counts, tracking the count, detecting a increase in the number of registered user, determining when a count has reached/exceeded a threshold and determining when a failover or re-homing event has occurred.)
Qiu does not explicitly suggest based on the determination that the quantity of the user devices that are currently registered with the second computing device exceeds a threshold, causing at least one user device, of the user devices that are currently registered with the second computing device, to register with a third computing device, of the plurality of computing devices, instead of the second computing device, for one or more services.
However, in analogous art, MEIROSU teaches based on the determination that the quantity of the user devices that are currently registered with the second computing device exceeds a threshold, causing at least one user device, of the user devices that are currently registered with the second computing device, to register with a third computing device, of the plurality of computing devices, instead of the second computing device, for one or more services. (MEIROSU; FIG. 1-13; Background, Summary, ¶ [0047]-[0053], [0060]-[0085], [0102]-[0111]; The cited embodiment(s) detail comparable methodology such as determining the number of registered user, in addition to the number of maximum registered used that caused a load/overload. When the system detects/determines an overload, the system decides to offload registered devices. The system utilizes a bulk move operation on an active or inactive user device and transfers it. The user device is redistributed to another networked related device and the functions/operations are transferred.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify Qiu in view of MEIROSU to re-register user devices when a limit is exceeded for the reasons of offloading subscribers devices when a limit is exceeded. (MEIROSU Abstract & Summary)
Re Claim 10, 19 & 20, Qui-MEIROSU discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the causing the at least one user device to register with the third computing device, instead of the second computing device, for the one or more services comprises one or more of:
causing an update of one or more domain name server addressing priorities to deprioritize registration with the second computing device, (MEIROSU; FIG. 1-13; Background, Summary, ¶ [0047]-[0053], [0060]-[0085], [0102]-[0111]; The system determines that user devices should be offloaded to another MME.)
causing an update of one or more domain name server addressing priorities to prioritize registration with the third computing device,
initiating a re-registration request for the user device,
updating a registration status of the user device, (MEIROSU; FIG. 1-13; Background, Summary, ¶ [0047]-[0053], [0060]-[0085], [0102]-[0111]; A user device is transferred and registered at another MME.)
or
initiating a network-initiated deregistration for the user device.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify Qiu in view of MEIROSU to re-register user devices when a limit is exceeded for the reasons of offloading subscribers devices when a limit is exceeded. (MEIROSU Abstract & Summary)
Re Claim 21, Qui-MEIROSU discloses the method of claim 18, wherein the causing comprises:
sending, to the one or more user devices, a notification that the second computing device is at maximum capacity. (MEIROSU; FIG. 1; Background, Summary, ¶ [0060]-[0072]; A notification related to a max capacity.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify Qiu in view of MEIROSU to re-register user devices when a limit is exceeded for the reasons of offloading subscribers devices when a limit is exceeded. (MEIROSU Abstract & Summary)
Re Claim 22, Qui-MEIROSU discloses the method of claim 18, wherein the comparing the quantity with the second threshold further comprises comparing, based on a determination that the quantity exceeds the first threshold, the quantity with the second threshold. (Qiu; FIG. 1-5; Background, Summary, ¶ [0017]-[0029], [0031]-[0052]; The collection of customer registration counts, tracking the count, detecting a increase in the number of registered user, determining when a count has reached/exceeded a threshold and determining when a failover or re-homing event has occurred.)
Re Claim 23, Qui-MEIROSU discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the determination that the quantity of the user devices that are currently registered with the second computing device exceeds the threshold comprises a determination, by the first computing device, that the quantity is greater than 1. (Qiu; FIG. 1-5; Background, Summary, ¶ [0017]-[0029], [0031]-[0052]; The collection of customer registration counts, tracking the count, detecting a increase in the number of registered user, determining when a count has reached/exceeded a threshold and determining when a failover or re-homing event has occurred.)
Re Claim 24, Qui-MEIROSU discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the quantity of the user devices comprises a quantity of the user devices associated with a plurality of users. (Qiu; FIG. 1-5; Background, Summary, ¶ [0017]-[0029], [0031]-[0052]; The collection of customer registration counts, tracking the count, detecting a increase in the number of registered user, determining when a count has reached/exceeded a threshold and determining when a failover or re-homing event has occurred.)
Claim(s) 2-3, 5, 7, 9, 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qiu et al. (US 2010/0034085 A1), in view of MEIROSU et al. (US 2011/0122779 A1) and further in view of BUCKLEY et al. (US 2017/0134444 A1).
Re Claim 2, Qui-MEIROSU discloses the method of claim 1, yet does not explicitly suggest wherein the second computing device comprises a Call Session Control Function (CSCF) computing device.
However, in analogous art, BUCKLEY teaches wherein the second computing device comprises a Call Session Control Function (CSCF) computing device. (BUCKLEY; FIG. 1; ¶ [0060]; A Call Session Control Function.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify Qiu-MEIROSU in view of BUCKLEY to include CSCF for the reasons of providing the IMS network with the ability to handle and route network SIP messages. (BUCKLEY ¶ [0060])
Re Claim 3, Qui-MEIROSU discloses the method of claim 1, yet does not explicitly suggest wherein the message indicates the user device by indicating one or more of: an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Private Identity (IMPI) or an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Public Identity (IMPU).
However, in analogous art, BUCKLEY teaches wherein the message indicates the user device by indicating one or more of:
an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Private Identity (IMPI) (BUCKLEY; FIG. 1-2; ¶ [0077]-[0088]; An IMPI.)
or
an Internet Protocol (IP) Multimedia Public Identity (IMPU). (BUCKLEY; FIG. 1-2; ¶ [0077]-[0088]; IMPU.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify Qiu-MEIROSU in view of BUCKLEY to include IMPI/IMPU for the reasons of implementing SIP related functionality associated with a user network identity. (BUCKLEY ¶ [0078])
Re Claim 5, Qui-MEIROSU discloses the method of claim 1, yet does not explicitly suggest wherein the message indicates the second computing device by indicating one or more of: a Proxy Call Session Call Function (P-CSCF)assigned to the user device or a Call Session Control Function (CSCF) Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned to the user device.
However, in analogous art, BUCKLEY teaches wherein the message indicates the second computing device by indicating one or more of:
a Proxy Call Session Call Function (P-CSCF)assigned to the user device (BUCKLEY; FIG. 1; ¶ [0060]; A Proxy Call Session Control Function.)
or
a Call Session Control Function (CSCF) Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned to the user device.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify Qiu-MEIROSU in view of BUCKLEY to include CSCF for the reasons of providing the IMS network with the ability to handle and route network SIP messages. (BUCKLEY ¶ [0060])
Re Claim 7, Qui-MEIROSU discloses the method of claim 1, yet does not explicitly suggest wherein the determining comprises: updating, based on a determination that the user device was previously registered in a user database, information in the user database for one or more Call Session Control Function (CSCF) computing devices previously associated with the user device.
However, in analogous art, BUCKLEY teaches wherein the determining comprises:
updating, based on a determination that the user device was previously registered in a user database, (BUCKLEY; FIG. 1; ¶ [0036]-[0038], [0059]-[0064]; A user device is registered with the network, before it is registered with the IMS network.)
information in the user database for one or more Call Session Control Function (CSCF) computing devices previously associated with the user device. (BUCKLEY; FIG. 1; ¶ [0074]-[0090]; User information/data from a previous association is used for the CSCF.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify Qiu-MEIROSU in view of BUCKLEY to include CSCF for the reasons of providing the IMS network with the ability to handle and route network SIP messages. (BUCKLEY ¶ [0060])
Re Claim 9, Qui-MEIROSU discloses the method of claim 1, yet does not explicitly suggest further comprising causing, after the determining, a confirmation message to be sent to the user device, wherein the confirmation message confirms registration with at least one Call Session Control Function (CSCF) device.
However, in analogous art, BUCKLEY teaches further comprising:
causing, after the determining, a confirmation message to be sent to the user device, wherein the confirmation message confirms registration with at least one Call Session Control Function (CSCF) device. (BUCKLEY; FIG. 1-2, 6; ¶ [0089]-[0093]; The sending of a confirmation/register message with a CSCF.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify Qiu-MEIROSU in view of BUCKLEY to include CSCF for the reasons of providing the IMS network with the ability to handle and route network SIP messages. (BUCKLEY ¶ [0060])
Re Claim 12, Qui-MEIROSU discloses the method of claim 1, yet does not explicitly suggest wherein the determining comprises: updating, based on a determination that the user device was previously registered with the first computing device, information for one or more Call Session Control Function (CSCF) computing devices associated with the user device.
However, in analogous art, BUCKLEY teaches wherein the determining comprises:
updating, based on a determination that the user device was previously registered with the first computing device, information for one or more Call Session Control Function (CSCF) computing devices associated with the user device. (BUCKLEY; FIG. 1; ¶ [0036]-[0038], [0059]-[0064], [0074]-[0090]; A user device is registered with the network, before it is registered with the IMS network. User information/data from a previous association is used for the CSCF.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify Qiu-MEIROSU in view of BUCKLEY to include CSCF for the reasons of providing the IMS network with the ability to handle and route network SIP messages. (BUCKLEY ¶ [0060])
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qiu et al. (US 2010/0034085 A1), in view of MEIROSU et al. (US 2011/0122779 A1) and further in view of Trammel et al. (US 2014/0032477 A1).
Re Claim 8, Qui-MEIROSU discloses the method of claim 1, yet does not explicitly suggest wherein the determining comprises increasing the quantity of user devices, and the method further comprising: based on a determination that the user device was previously registered in a user database, decreasing a quantity corresponding to a fourth computing device via which the one or more services are provided.
However, in analogous art, Trammel teaches wherein the determining comprises increasing the quantity of user devices, and the method further comprising: (Trammel; FIG. 1-5; Background, Summary, ¶ [0038]-[0056]; Comparable methodology such as maintaining an accounting of assigned user devices which are registered. The number is collected and increased based on user assignment and registration.)
based on a determination that the user device was previously registered in a user database, decreasing a quantity corresponding to a fourth computing device via which the one or more services are provided. (Trammel; FIG. 1-5; Background, Summary, ¶ [0038]-[0056], [0057]-[0062]; The user identifiers are used to determine the account numbers and previous assignment based on past registration. In addition, the assignment table is decreased when a user identifier/account is deleted and services are no longer provided.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify Qiu-MEIROSU in view of Trammel to increase/decrease user accounts registered to the system for the reasons of optimizing a user experience of services provided by periodically load balancing the number of user assigned to a system. (Trammel Abstract & Summary)
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qiu et al. (US 2010/0034085 A1), in view of MEIROSU et al. (US 2011/0122779 A1) and further in view of Killadi et al. (US 2018/0376385 A1).
Re Claim 11, Qui-MEIROSU discloses the method of claim 1, yet does not explicitly suggest further comprising: comparing, by the first computing device at predefined intervals, the quantity with a second threshold; and causing, based on a determination that the quantity exceeds the second threshold, deregistration of one or more user devices for one or more services provided via the second computing device.
However, in analogous art, Killadi teaches further comprising:
comparing, by the first computing device at predefined intervals, the quantity with a second threshold; and (Killadi; FIG. 1-5; Background, Summary, ¶ [0026]-[0046]; The access point determines the number of client connections and compares the number with the permitted threshold. In addition, real time network evaluation at various times.)
causing, based on a determination that the quantity exceeds the second threshold, deregistration of one or more user devices for one or more services provided via the second computing device. (Killadi; FIG. 1-5; Background, Summary, ¶ [0026]-[0046]; The system determines if a threshold is exceeded, the system de-authenticates a connected client device in which services are provided.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify Qiu-MEIROSU in view of Killadi to compare threshold values for the reasons of establishing and managing user access connections to an access point. (Killadi Abstract)
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qiu et al. (US 2010/0034085 A1) and further in view of Jackson et al. (US 2015/0381719 A1).
Re Claim 13, Qiu teaches a method comprising:
receiving, by a first computing device configured to count user device registrations for a plurality of computing devices, a message indicating that a user device has registered with one or more second computing devices, of the plurality of computing devices; (Qiu; FIG. 1-5; Background, Summary, ¶ [0017]-[0029], [0031]-[0052]; The embodiment(s) detail device registration, count registration information and tracking registration data.)
based on the message, determining, by the first computing device, that a quantity of devices that are currently registered to receive one or more services via the one or more second computing devices exceeds a threshold; and (Qiu; FIG. 1-5; Background, Summary, ¶ [0017]-[0029], [0031]-[0052]; The collection of customer registration counts, tracking the count, detecting a increase in the number of registered user, determining when a count has reached/exceeded a threshold and determining when a failover or re-homing event has occurred.)
Qiu does not explicitly suggest teaches based on the determination that the quantity of devices that are currently registered to receive the one or more services via the one or more second computing devices exceeds a threshold, causing an update of one or more domain name server addressing priorities to deprioritize the one or more second computing devices.
However, in analogous art, Jackson teaches based on the determination that the quantity of devices that are currently registered to receive the one or more services via the one or more second computing devices exceeds a threshold, (Jackson; FIG. 1-4; Background, Summary, ¶ [0023]-[0042]; The embodiment(s) detail a max number of registrations and exceeding a threshold.)
causing an update of one or more domain name server addressing priorities to deprioritize the one or more second computing devices. (Jackson; FIG. 1-4; Background, Summary, ¶ [0023]-[0042]; Updating and modifying the DNS when the threshold is exceeded.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify Qiu in view of Jackson to modifying device registration when a threshold is exceeded for the reasons of implementing a method of prevent and controlling registration overload in a DNS. (Jackson Abstract)
Claim(s) 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qiu et al. (US 2010/0034085 A1), in view of Jackson et al. (US 2015/0381719 A1) and further in view of BUCKLEY et al. (US 2017/0134444 A1).
Re Claim 14, Qiu-Jackson discloses the method of claim 13, yet does not explicitly suggest wherein the one or more second computing devices comprise one or more Call Session Control Function (CSCF) computing devices.
However, in analogous art, BUCKLEY teaches wherein the one or more second computing devices comprise one or more Call Session Control Function (CSCF) computing devices. (BUCKLEY; FIG. 1; ¶ [0060]; A Call Session Control Function.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify Qiu-Jackson in view of BUCKLEY to include CSCF for the reasons of providing the IMS network with the ability to handle and route network SIP messages. (BUCKLEY ¶ [0060])
Re Claim 15, Qiu-Jackson discloses the method of claim 13, further comprising:
causing, based on a determination that the quantity exceeds a second threshold, (Qiu; FIG. 1-5; Background, Summary, ¶ [0017]-[0029], [0031]-[0052]; The collection of customer registration counts, tracking the count, detecting a increase in the number of registered user, determining when a count has reached/exceeded a threshold and determining when a failover or re-homing event has occurred.)
deregistration of one or more devices of the devices that are currently registered to receive the one or more services via the one or more second computing devices. (Qiu; FIG. 1-5; Background, Summary, ¶ [0017]-[0029], [0031]-[0052]; The collection of customer registration counts, tracking the count, detecting a increase in the number of registered user, determining when a count has reached/exceeded a threshold and determining when a failover or re-homing event has occurred.)
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qiu et al. (US 2010/0034085 A1), in view of Jackson et al. (US 2015/0381719 A1) and further in view of MEIROSU et al. (US 2011/0122779 A1).
Re Claim 16, Qiu-Jackson discloses the method of claim 14, yet does not explicitly suggest wherein the determining comprises increasing a first quantity of devices registered to receive the one or more services via the one or more second computing devices, and the method further comprising:
decreasing a second quantity corresponding to another CSCF computing device.
However, in analogous art, MEIROSU teaches wherein the determining comprises increasing a first quantity of devices registered to receive the one or more services via the one or more second computing devices, and the method further comprising:
decreasing a second quantity corresponding to another CSCF computing device. (MEIROSU; FIG. 1-13; Background, Summary, ¶ [0047]-[0053], [0060]-[0085], [0102]-[0111]; The cited embodiment(s) detail comparable methodology such as determining the number of registered user, in addition to the number of maximum registered used that caused a load/overload. When the system detects/determines an overload, the system decides to offload registered devices. The system utilizes a bulk move operation on an active or inactive user device and transfers it. The user device is redistributed to another networked related device and the functions/operations are transferred.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify Qiu-Jackson in view of MEIROSU to re-register user devices when a limit is exceeded for the reasons of offloading subscribers devices when a limit is exceeded. (MEIROSU Abstract & Summary)
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qiu et al. (US 2010/0034085 A1), in view of Jackson et al. (US 2015/0381719 A1) and further in view of Mutikainen et al. (US 2006/0018272 A1).
Re Claim 17, Qiu-Jackson discloses the method of claim 13, yet does not explicitly suggest wherein the message indicates the one or more second computing devices by indicating a Call Session Control Function (CSCF) Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned to the user device.
However, in analogous art, Mutikainen teaches wherein the message indicates the one or more second computing devices by indicating a Call Session Control Function (CSCF) Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned to the user device. (Mutikainen; FIG. 1-6; Background, Summary, ¶ [0035]-[0085]; The embodiment(s) detail a SIP registration process, CSCF, IP address of a user device.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify Qiu-Jackson in view of Mutikainen include CSCF for the reasons of uniquely identifying user equipment. (Mutikainen Abstract)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER B ROBINSON whose telephone number is (571)270-0702. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00-3:00 EST.
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/CHRISTOPHER B ROBINSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2443
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