341DETAILED 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 .
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, 3-4, 6-8, 10, 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sachs et al. (hereinafter Sachs)(US 2011/0096688).
Regarding claim 1, Sachs teaches a method for selecting at least one access network, the method implemented by a terminal configured to be connected to several access networks, the method comprising(P[0028], select an access network): receiving at least one information packet, from a device for providing characteristic information of an access network, the terminal being connected to the access network, the characteristic information of an access network including at least information on parameters of a user account of the terminal on the access network, said parameters (P[0028], steering information provides parameters as basis for access network selection; selection is initiated by the terminal)comprising at least information among: i) at least a reference date for an update of accounting of traffic emitted and/or received by the terminal(P[0025], traffic demand on a given access network; P[0067-0068], sport events; times of day); and ii) at least information on consumption of the terminal and on consumption of a group of terminals to which said terminal belongs(P[0025], power consumption assessment; number of mobile terminals being served by the access network in a specific are, a change in such a number, a power consumption per mobile terminal served); and based on the characteristic information said at least reference date or said at least information on consumption of the terminal or consumption of a group of terminals, obtained from the information packet(P[0025], on going evaluation of parameters relevant for power consumption assessment (at regularly scheduled intervals); power consumption assessment; number of mobile terminals; a power consumption per mobile terminal served); , at least one step among: maintaining a connection to at least one access network to which the terminal is already connected; and connecting to at least another access network of different technology(P[0027], mobile terminals do not lose connectivity; P[0071], different access networks and technologies; P[0071], performing the steering operation; selecting the access networks or technologies).
Regarding claim 3, Sachs teaches a method for providing characteristic information of an access network, the method implemented by a device of a network including said access network, the method (abstract)comprising:
inserting the characteristic information in a field of an information packet, the characteristic information including at least one information among: i) at least a reference date for an update of accounting of traffic emitted and/or received by the terminal(P[0025], traffic demand on a given access network; P[0067-0068], sport events; times of day); and ii) at least information on consumption of the terminal and on consumption of a group of terminals to which said terminal belongs(P[0025], power consumption assessment; number of mobile terminals being served by the access network in a specific are, a change in such a number, a power consumption per mobile terminal served); and
sending the information packet to a terminal connected to the access network, wherein the information packet is sent to enable the terminal to select an access network based on said at least a reference date for an update of accounting of traffic or said at least information on consumption of the terminal and on consumption of a group of terminals(abstract, P[0040], sending steering information to the mobile terminal; P[0067-0068], power consumption based on history; power consumption figures of single access network at specific times of day or in conjunction with specific events; P[0068], sports events).
Regarding claim 4, Sachs teaches the method, wherein the method is implemented following at least one event among: a receipt by the device of a query packet including a request for the characteristic information; a change in an activity state of an interface of connection of the device to a WAN network, the device being comprised in the access network; an evolution of a bandwidth allocated by the access network to the terminal(P[0086], carrier bandwidth); an evolution at a charging module for an account of the user of the terminal; an evolution of a network aggregation function allowing connecting the device to a WAN network; a detection of a change in the traffic volumetry to be handled by the device(P[0078], traffic demand and traffic requirements; P[0025], on-going evaluation of parameters relevant for power assessment at regular scheduled intervals traffic demand on a given access network); a connection or a renewal of connection of a terminal on a LAN connection interface of the device, the device being comprised in the access network; a change in a number of NAPT-type entries at the device; a receipt by the device of a Router Solicitation type message; a detection of a Neighbor Discovery or Neighbor Solicitation type message(P[0051], access network discovery and selection function); and an elapse of a determined period of time since the last time an information packet has been sent(P[0052], assessing and setting entity may conduct power consumption assessment periodically after a predetermined time has elapsed).
Claim 7, 10 are rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 3.
Claim 6, 8 are rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 1.
Regarding claim 12, Sachs teaches a system for providing characteristic information of an access network including at least one terminal of claim 8 and device for providing characteristic information of an access network, the device being comprised in a network including the access network, the device comprising a processor, the device configured to: insert the characteristic information in a field of an information packet; and send the information packet to a terminal connected to the access network, the characteristic information including at least information representative of the user account of the terminal on the access network(P[0026], steering information is transferred to mobile terminals; steering information may comprise an identifier; steering information for the terminals in an access area).
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) 5, 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sachs et al. (hereinafter Sachs)(US 2011/0096688) in view of Rune et al. (hereinafter Rune)(US 2010/0214955).
Regarding claim 5, Sachs teaches all the particulars of the claim except the method wherein the query packet and/or the information packet conform to the ICMP protocol. However, Rune teaches in an analogous art wherein the query packet and/or the information packet conform to the ICMP protocol(P[0073], ICMP protocol). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the method wherein the query packet and/or the information packet conform to the ICMP protocol in order to efficiently acquire data characteristics of the access network.
Claim 13 is rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 5.
Claim(s) 2, 9 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sachs et al. (hereinafter Sachs)(US 2011/0096688) in view of Yin et al. (hereinafter Yin)(EP 2919529).
Regarding claim 2, Sachs teaches all the particulars of the claim except the method further comprising: inserting, in a field of a query packet, a type of requested characteristic information; sending the query packet to the device, the information packet being received in response to the query packet. However, Yin teaches in an analogous art the method, further comprising: inserting, in a field of a query packet, a type of requested characteristic information; sending the query packet to the device, the information packet being received in response to the query packet(Yin: item s203 in Fig. 2). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the method further comprising: inserting, in a field of a query packet, a type of requested characteristic information; sending the query packet to the device, the information packet being received in response to the query packet in order to have improved efficiency.
Claim 9 and 11 are rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 2.
Claim(s) 14, 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sachs et al. (hereinafter Sachs)(US 2011/0096688) in view of Raliegh et al. (hereinafter Raleigh)(US 2013/0304616).
Regarding claim 14, Sachs teaches all the particulars of the claim except the method, wherein said step of maintaining or connecting is performed to manage data consumption for a group of terminals sharing a user account to which the terminal belongs. However, Raleigh teaches in an analogous art wherein said step of maintaining or connecting is performed to manage data consumption for a group of terminals sharing a user account to which the terminal belongs(P[0331], single user account; family account; P[0221], data usage allow data and account for data usage; percentage of plan limit). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the method wherein said step of maintaining or connecting is performed to manage data consumption for a group of terminals sharing a user account to which the terminal belongs in order to efficiently acquire data characteristics of the access network.
Claim 15 is rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 14.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments file 12/16/2025 have been fully considered but they are moot in view of new grounds of rejection.
Conclusion
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/MUTHUSWAMY G MANOHARAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647