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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-18 are presented for examination.
Claims 1-18 are amended.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after Abandonment. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, prosecution in this application has been reopened pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 9/22/2025 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Regarding claim objections applicant’s arguments, see page 7 paragraph 4, filed September 23, 2025, with respect to claims 13-18 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The claim objections of claims 13-18 have been withdrawn.
Regarding 35 U.S.C. 112 (a) applicant’s arguments, see page 7 paragraph 3, filed September 23, 2025, with respect to claims 1-18 have been fully considered and are not persuasive. The 35 U.S.C. 112 (a) rejections of claims 1-18 are maintained in view of the claim amendments.
Regarding 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 applicant’s arguments, see page 7 paragraph 5, filed September 23, 2025, with respect to claims 1-4, 6-10, 13-16 and 18 have been fully considered and are not persuasive.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-4, 6-10, 13-16 and 18 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Hence a new ground of rejection is further made in view of Oh (US Pub. No.:2020/0213909).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
Claims 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claim 1 has been amended to recite, " ... selecting, at the PGW control plane, a Forwarding Action Rules Identifier (FAR ID) from FAR IDs already installed at the PGW user plane for an existing Packet Detection Rule (PDR) for the existing PFCP session”. Neither the claim nor the specification further describe, “… selecting, at the PGW control plane, a Forwarding Action Rules Identifier (FAR ID) from FAR IDs already installed at the PGW user plane for an existing Packet Detection Rule (PDR) for the existing PFCP session”. Paragraphs 0017 of instant application disclose, “As shown in FIG. 2, the presently described FAR ID provisioning during dedicated bearer creation call flow 200 is that Control-plane, while installing new PDR(P) during Create Bearer Request, shall provision FAR ID of one of the installed FARs on the session.” The claims and the specification of the instant application does not describe the method/step, “... selecting, at the PGW control plane, a Forwarding Action Rules Identifier (FAR ID) from FAR IDs already installed at the PGW user plane for an existing Packet Detection Rule (PDR) for the existing PFCP session.” Therefore claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement
The subject matter was not described in the specification (see paragraphs 0015, 0017, 0019) in such a way as to enable one skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and /or use the invention.
Claims 7 and 13 are also rejected for the same reason as set forth above for claim 1.
Claims 2-6, 8-12, and 14-18 are also rejected since they are dependent on the rejected dependent claims 1, 7 and 13, respectfully, as set forth above.
Notice re prior art available under both pre-AIA and AIA
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 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.
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 of this title, 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.
Claims 1-2, 7-8, and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Skog et al. (US Pub. No.: 2020/0059992) and further in view of Oh (US Pub. No.:2020/0213909).
As per claim 1, Skog disclose A method for handling data traffic during Dedicated Bearer creation at a Packet Gate Way (PGW) (see Fig., para. 0003-0005, a network function instance is registered to a network repository function (NRF) function. Using the NRF, a network function instance can find other network function instances to communicate with. FIG. 1 illustrates an example 5G system architecture; see 3GPP TS 23.501 for further details. As shown in FIG. 1, functional entities (e.g., AMF, SMF, etc.) are connected to a logical communication bus. The Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) communicates with the radio access network (RAN) and one or more user equipment (UE), and the session management function (SMF) communicates with the user plane function (UPF), see also Fig.8, para. 0006, according to 3GPP TS 29.244, a PFCP session correspond, for the Evolved Packet Core to an individual Packet Data Network (PDN) connection, a Traffic Detection Function (TDF) session, or a standalone session not tied to any PDN connection or TDF session used e.g. for forwarding Radius, Diameter or DHCP signaling between the Packet Gateway control plane function (PGW-C) and the PDN, and for 5GC, to an individual Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session or a standalone PFCP session not tied to any PDU session), comprising:
receiving, at a PGW user plane from a PGW control plane, a Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) session modify request for an existing PFCP session (see Fig.5-7, para. 0013-0014, 0047-0055, determining whether a packet detection rule, PDR, associated with the PFCP session context needs to be modified or a new PDR needs to be created, transmitting a session modification request to a session management function, SMF, to provision the new PDR or a modified PDR at the UPF, see also para. 0024-0029, see also Fig.7A-B, para. 0056-0064, also per para. 0006, para. 0006, according to 3GPP TS 29.244, a PFCP session correspond, for the Evolved Packet Core to an individual Packet Data Network (PDN) connection, a Traffic Detection Function (TDF) session, TDF session used e.g. for forwarding Radius, Diameter or DHCP signaling between the Packet Gateway control plane function (PGW-C) and the PDN, see instant application specification, para. 0004);
creating a Packet Detection Rule (PDR) identified as (P1) (see para. 0013-0022, 0047-0055, the method further include generating the new or modified PDR associated with the PFCP session context, and the request to provision the new or modified PDR includes the new or modified PDR / creating P1 , see also Fig.7A-B, para. 0056-0064), wherein the PDR (P1) includes a Forwarding Action Rules Identifier (FAR ID) (see para. 0007-0009, each PDR shall contain a Packet Data Information (PDI), i.e. one or more match fields against which incoming packets are matched, and associated to the following rules providing the set of instructions to apply to packets matching the PDI …) defining the Forwarding Action Rules (FAR) to be applied on traffic matching the PDR (P1), see para. 0005, 0018-0019, the CP function controls the packet processing in the UP function by establishing, modifying or deleting PFCP Session contexts and by provisioning (i.e. adding, modifying or deleting) PDRs, FARs per PFCP session context.” FAR refers to a Forwarding Action Rule and the PDR is a packet data rule, while PFCP refers to the Packet Forwarding Control Protocol, also per para. 0056, when a packet is received, the UPF 110 identifies a PFCP session context associated with the data packet based on the source IP address (block 704) and then executes PDR script logic associated with the PFCP session context (block 706). The associated rules (e.g., FAR {(FAR ID) }, URR and QER) will be applied to the data packet by the UPF),
sending, from the PGW user plane to the control plane, a PFCP session modify response (see para. 0013-0023, 0047-0055, receiving a session modification response from the SMF, the session modification response provisioning the new or modified PDR for the PFCP session context at the UPF, and applying the new PDR or the modified PDR on the data packet, see also Fig.7A-B, para. 0056-0064);
Although Skog disclose creating a Packet Detection Rule (PDR) identified as (P1), wherein the PDR (P1) includes the selected FAR ID defining the Forwarding Action Rules (FAR) to be applied on traffic matching the PDR (P1);
Skog however does not explicitly disclose selecting, at the PGW control plane, a Forwarding Action Rules Identifier (FAR ID) from FAR IDs already installed at the PGW user plane for an existing Packet Detection Rule (PDR) for the existing PFCP session,
Oh however disclose selecting, at a PGW control plane, a Forwarding Action Rules Identifier (FAR ID) from FAR IDs already installed at the PGW user plane (see Fig.11, para. 0248-0254, the UP apply the rules selected from the detection rule list information identified based on the PDR set received from the CP, e.g., the UP acquires the information on the forwarding action rule / FAR IDs already installed, QoS enforcement rule, and usage reporting rule mapped to a detection rule and apply the rules to the session) for an existing Packet Detection Rule (PDR) for an existing PFCP session (see Fig.11, para. 0248-0254, Fig.12 para. 0257, a PFCP session establishment or modification message 1200 includes an Active PDRSET 1210 as an information element (IE) corresponding to session-related rule set information and an Active PDR 1220 as an IE corresponding to session-related multiple rules, see also Fig.12, at least one PDR to be associated to the PFCP see 3GPP Table 7.5.2.2-1, at least one FAR is associated to the PFCP session and FAR ID is associated to the PDR (page 84 of IDS submitted 5/25/2022 ETSI TS 129.244 V15.8.0 )).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the functionality of selecting, at the PGW control plane, a Forwarding Action Rules Identifier (FAR ID) from FAR IDs already installed at the PGW user plane for an existing Packet Detection Rule (PDR) for the existing PFCP session; as taught by Oh, in the system of Skog, so at to provide a core network that is capable of reducing a signaling message size and the number of signaling messages between the CP and the UP by allowing the CP and the UP to share a database containing session-specific rule sets and, when a session is to be established, exchange only the information on the session-specific rule set suitable for the session between the CP and the UP, see paras. 0007-0013.
As per claim 2, the combination of Skog and Oh disclose the method of claim 1.
Skog further disclose handling data traffic at the PGW using the selected FAR ID during Dedicated Bearer creation (see para. 0008, 0013-0019, 0043-0046, 0048, 0056, when a packet is received, the UPF 110 identifies a PFCP session context associated with the data packet based on the source IP address (block 704) and then executes PDR script logic associated with the PFCP session context (block 706). The associated rules (e.g., FAR, URR and QER) will be applied by the UPF); and
Oh further disclose handling data traffic at the PGW using the selected FAR ID during Dedicated Bearer creation (see para. 0097, 0135-0140, handling data traffic at the PGW using the selected forwarding action rule/FAR ID).
As per claim 7, claim 7 is rejected the same way as claim 1. Skog further disclose A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions for handling data traffic during Dedicated Bearer creation at a Packet Gate Way (PGW) (see para. 0073-0074, these computer program instructions may also be stored in a tangible computer-readable medium that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the functions/acts specified in the block diagrams and/or flowchart block or blocks).
As per claim 8, claim 8 is rejected the same way as claim 2.
As per claim 13, claim 13 is rejected the same way as claim 1. Skog further disclose A Packet Gate Way (PGW) (see Fig.2-4, Fig.8, a network node {a Packet Gate Way (PGW) } that implements a user plane function or a control plane function, see para. 0080) for handling data traffic during Dedicated Bearer creation (see para. 0011-0012, as used herein, a network node for implementing the UP-part is referred to as the User Plane Function (UPF). The UPF may include both PFCP functions that are part of the UPF engine as well as TDF functions (e.g., as described in 3GPP TS 29.212 (protocol), and 3GPP TS 29.213 (flows)). In the TDF, different service functions may be implemented on the user plan. For traffic that will be subject for additional services, the part of UPF that handles PFCP will send those packets to the TDF for further processing. The packets are sent using shared memory), comprising:
a processor (see Fig.8, Processor 803, see also para. 0082, Processing circuitry 803 comprise a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application-specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device);
a memory in communication with the processor (see Fig.8, Memory 805, see also para. 0083, 0084, the processing circuitry is configured to execute program code stored in memory, which include one or several types of memory /memories); a packet gateway having a user plane executed on the processor using the memory (see Fig.8, UPF Module 810, see also Fig.7A-B).
As per claim 14, claim 14 is rejected the same way as claim 2.
Claims 3-4, 9-10 and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Skog et al. (US Pub. No.: 2020/0059992), in view of Oh (US Pub. No.:2020/0213909) and further in view of Gundavelli (US Pub. No.:2021/0194728).
As per claim 3, the combination of Skog and Oh disclose the method of claim 2.
The combination of Skog and Oh however does not explicitly disclose wherein handling data traffic at the PGW using the selected FAR ID during Dedicated Bearer creation includes handling data traffic at the PGW using the selected FAR ID until a CREATE BEARER RESPONSE message is received at the PGW control plane.
Gundavelli however disclose wherein handling data traffic at the PGW using the selected FAR ID during Dedicated Bearer creation includes handling data traffic at the PGW using the selected FAR ID until a CREATE BEARER RESPONSE message is received at the PGW control plane (see Fig.4A, para. 0063, 0126, 0127, the BN 112 can install forwarding rules for the EID (IP+TS) based on the QFTs and CTF 130 determines the matching QFT from the bearer indicator in the VXLAN packet at 428, which triggers CTF 130 to initiate dedicated bearer creation for the client 102. As shown at 436, cellular AP 122 maintains a mapping between the client 102 IP address+QFI1 and RABID1 for the dedicated bearer. At 438, cellular AP sends an ERAB setup response to CTF 130 / a CREATE BEARER RESPONSE message is received at the PGW control plane).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the functionality of wherein handling data traffic at the PGW using the selected FAR ID during Dedicated Bearer creation includes handling data traffic at the PGW using the selected FAR ID until a CREATE BEARER RESPONSE message is received at the PGW control plane; as taught by Gundavalli, in the system of Skog and Oh, so at to efficiently manage communication resources, see Gundavalli paras. 0007-0013.
As per claim 4, the combination of Skog, Oh and Gundavelli disclose the method of claim 3.
Skog further disclose comprising updating the FAR with new forwarding parameters once the CREATE BEARER RESPONSE message is received at the PGW control plane (see para. 0043-0046,the SMF, after approval of the request / CREATE BEARER RESPONSE, will provision a new PDR, including FARs/ new forwarding parameters, QERs and URRs in the UPF, see also Fig.7A, para. 0056, the associated rules (e.g., FAR, URR and QER) will be applied to the by the UPF).
As per claim 9, claim 9 is rejected the same way as claim 3.
As per claim 10, claim 10 is rejected the same way as claim 4.
As per claim 15, claim 15 is rejected the same way as claim 3.
As per claim 16, claim 16 is rejected the same way as claim 4.
Claims 6, 12 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Skog et al. (US Pub. No.: 2020/0059992), in view of Oh (US Pub. No.:2020/0213909) and further in view of ZHU et al. (US Pub. No.: 2021/0176808).
As per claim 6, the combination of Skog and Oh disclose the method of claim 1.
The combination of Skog and Oh however does not explicitly disclose wherein selecting the FAR ID from FAR IDs already installed at the PGW user plane for an existing PDR for the existing PFCP session includes selecting a FAR ID corresponding to or based on the existing PDRs through which data traffic matching the service data flow (SDF) filters of the PDR (P1) was passing through before creating the PDR (P1).
Zhu however disclose wherein selecting the FAR ID from FAR IDs already installed at the PGW user plane for an existing PDR for the existing PFCP session includes selecting a FAR ID corresponding to or based on the existing PDRs through which data traffic matching the service data flow (SDF) filters of the PDR (P1) was passing through before creating the PDR (P1) (see Fig.4, para. 0079-0082, the address information of the initial PGW-U may comprise an IP address and a tunnel endpoint identifier of the initial PGW-U, and the instruction information sent to the additional PGW-U may comprise service data flow filter and/or application identity information associated with the specified part of uplink data. For example, PGW-C may include SDF filter and/or application ID information in one or more PDRs (Packet Detection Rules) which may be used to match the specified service such as LLC service in the uplink data and PGW-C may also include PDRs to match other service data in the uplink data. PGW-C may include the S5/8-U F-TEID of the initial PGW-U in one or more FARs (Forward Action Rules) which may be used for routing other service in the uplink data such as non-LLC service).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the functionality of wherein selecting the FAR ID from FAR IDs already installed at the PGW user plane for an existing PDR for the existing PFCP session includes selecting a FAR ID corresponding to or based on the existing PDRs through which data traffic matching the service data flow (SDF) filters of the PDR (P1) was passing through before creating the PDR (P1), as taught by Zhu, in the system of Skog and Oh, so that a PGW includes SDF filter and/or application ID information in one or more PDRs (Packet Detection Rules) which is used to match the specified service such as LLC service in the uplink data and PGW also include PDRs to match other service data in the uplink data, see Zhu, para. 0081.
As per claim 12, claim 12 is rejected the same way as claim 6.
As per claim 18, claim 18 is rejected the same way as claim 6.
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Second Rejection
Claims 1-2, 7-8, and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZHU et al. (US Pub. No.: 2021/0176808) and further in view of Oh (US Pub. No.:2020/0213909).
As per claim 1, Zhu disclose A method for handling data traffic during Dedicated Bearer creation at a Packet Gate Way (PGW) (see Fig.1-4, para. 0067-0069, 0075-0080), comprising:
receiving, at a PGW user plane from a PGW control plane, a Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) session modify request for an existing PFCP session (see para. 0065, Fig.2, Fig.4, para. 0078-0082, at block 410, PGW-C send address information of the additional PGW-U and instruction information to the SGW-C. The address information is any suitable address such as IP address, a tunnel endpoint identifier, etc. For example, PGW-C sends an update bearer request or modify bearer response (if mobility procedure is ongoing) to SGW-C);
creating a Packet Detection Rule (PDR) PDR identifier as (P1), wherein the PDR (P 1) includes a Forwarding Action Rules Identifier (FAR ID) defining the Forwarding Action Rules (FAR) to be applied on traffic matching the PDR (P I) (see Fig.4, para. 0079-0083, at block 412, PGW-C send, to the additional PGW-U, address information of the initial PGW-U and instruction information indicating the specified part of uplink data in the PDN connection is forwarded to the second data network and the other part of uplink data in the PDN connection is forwarded to the initial PGW-U. In an embodiment, the address information of the initial PGW-U may comprise an IP address and a tunnel endpoint identifier of the initial PGW-U, and the instruction information sent to the additional PGW-U may comprise service data flow filter and/or application identity information associated with the specified part of uplink data. For example, PGW-C may include SDF filter and/or application ID information in one or more PDRs (Packet Detection Rules) which may be used to match the specified service such as LLC service in the uplink data and PGW-C may also include PDRs to match other service data in the uplink data. PGW-C includes the S5/8-U F-TEID of the initial PGW-U in one or more FARs (Forward Action Rules) which is used for routing other service in the uplink data), and wherein the FAR ID is a FAR ID that is one of a plurality of installed FAR IDs on the existing PFCP session (see para. 0081, PGW-C include SDF filter and/or application ID information in one or more PDRs (Packet Detection Rules) which is used to match the specified service such as LLC service in the uplink data and PGW-C which includes PDRs to match other service data in the uplink data. PGW-C includes the S5/8-U F-TEID of the initial PGW-U in one or more FARs (Forward Action Rules) which may be used for routing other service in the uplink data such as non-LLC service, the PDR contain Forwarding Action Rules Identifier (FAR ID) which defines the Forwarding Action Rules (FAR) to be applied on traffic matching this PDR); and
sending, from the PGW user plane to the PGW control plane, a PFCP session modify response (see Fig.4, para. 0078-0082, after receiving the address information and the instruction information, SGW-C may initiate a PFCP session modification procedure towards the SGW-U and in the PFCP Session Modification Request message which may comprise address information such as the access side S5/8-U PGW F-TEID of the additional PGW-U and the instruction information. SGW-U then switches the S5/8-U tunnel from initial PGW-U to the additional PGW-U after receiving the address information and the instruction information).
Zhu however does not explicitly disclose selecting, at the PGW control plane, a Forwarding Action Rules Identifier (FAR ID) from FAR IDs already installed at the PGW user plane for an existing Packet Detection Rule (PDR) for the existing PFCP session,
Oh however disclose selecting, at a PGW control plane, a Forwarding Action Rules Identifier (FAR ID) from FAR IDs already installed at the PGW user plane (see Fig.11, para. 0248-0254, the UP apply the rules selected from the detection rule list information identified based on the PDR set received from the CP, e.g., the UP acquires the information on the forwarding action rule / FAR IDs already installed, QoS enforcement rule, and usage reporting rule mapped to a detection rule and apply the rules to the session) for an existing Packet Detection Rule (PDR) for an existing PFCP session (see Fig.11, para. 0248-0254, Fig.12 para. 0257, a PFCP session establishment or modification message 1200 includes an Active PDRSET 1210 as an information element (IE) corresponding to session-related rule set information and an Active PDR 1220 as an IE corresponding to session-related multiple rules, see also Fig.12, at least one PDR to be associated to the PFCP see 3GPP Table 7.5.2.2-1, at least one FAR is associated to the PFCP session and FAR ID is associated to the PDR (page 84 of IDS submitted 5/25/2022 ETSI TS 129.244 V15.8.0 )).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the functionality of selecting, at the PGW control plane, a Forwarding Action Rules Identifier (FAR ID) from FAR IDs already installed at the PGW user plane for an existing Packet Detection Rule (PDR) for the existing PFCP session; as taught by Oh, in the system of Zhu, so at to provide a core network that is capable of reducing a signaling message size and the number of signaling messages between the CP and the UP by allowing the CP and the UP to share a database containing session-specific rule sets and, when a session is to be established, exchange only the information on the session-specific rule set suitable for the session between the CP and the UP, see Oh, paras. 0007-0013.
As per claim 2, the combination of Zhu and Oh disclose the method of claim 1.
Zhu further disclose handling data traffic at the PGW using the selected FAR ID during Dedicated Bearer creation (see para. 0081, PGW-C include the S5/8-U F-TEID of the initial PGW-U in one or more FARs (Forward Action Rules) which may be used for routing other service in the uplink data, and see Fig.4, para. 0081, PGW-C include SDF filter and/or application ID information in one or more PDRs (Packet Detection Rules) which is used to match the specified service such as LLC service in the uplink data and PGW-C also include PDRs to match other service data in the uplink data during Dedicated Bearer creation); and
Oh further disclose handling data traffic at the PGW using the selected FAR ID during Dedicated Bearer creation (see para. 0097, 0135-0140, handling data traffic at the PGW using the selected forwarding action rule/FAR ID).
As per claim 7, claim 7 is rejected the same way as claim 1.
As per claim 8, claim 8 is rejected the same way as claim 2.
As per claim 13, claim13 is rejected the same way as claim 1.
As per claim 14, claim 12 is rejected the same way as claim 2.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 11 and 17 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
WO2020/085654A1 – see Fig.2, “First, various messages regarding control of packet delivery are transmitted between the UPF 100 and the SMF 200 through the N4 interface (PFCP) or the SBI 600 as described above. The delivered messages include, for example, request messages related to setup, modification (update) and release of association, and response messages and sessions for these request messages. Request messages for establishing, modifying, and releasing and response messages for these request messages, request messages for session reporting, and response messages for these request messages may be included. . In addition, although not shown in FIG. 2, a message related to QoS control or a message regarding packet usage as a basis for charging may be included”.
ETSI TS 129 244 v15.8.0 (2020-01) - See section 5.2.2.3 and 5.2.3, “The CP function shall provision one and only one FAR for each PDR provisioned in an PFCP session. The FAR provides instructions to the UP function on how to process the packets matching the PDR”.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAKERAM JANGBAHADUR whose telephone number is (571)272-1335. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 7 am - 4 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ian Moore can be reached on 571-272-3085. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LAKERAM JANGBAHADUR/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469