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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant's amendment filed on 03/26/2026 has been entered. No claims have been amended, added or cancelled. Claims 1-3, 5, 9, 17-20 and 22-32 are still pending in this application, with claims 1, 17 and 26, being independent.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Applicant’s Remarks, filed 03/26/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-3, 5, 9, 17-20 and 22-32 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 Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn.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:
Claims 1-3, 5, 9, 17-20 and 22-32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Talebi Fard et al. (US 2021/0219357) in view of Qiao et al. (US 2019/0109823) and Varga et al. (US 2022/0312258).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 1-3, 5, 9, 17-20 and 22-32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Talebi Fard et al. (US 2021/0219357; hereinafter Talebi Fard) in view of Qiao et al. (US 2019/0109823; hereinafter Qiao) and Varga et al. (US 2022/0312258; hereinafter Varga).
Regarding claim 1, Talebi Fard shows a method for supporting port control (Figures 28 and 36 shows a method performed in part by a user plane function (UPF).), performed by a first communications device, comprising:
receiving Static Filtering Entry (Figures 28 and 36; Par. 0285, 0298, 0360; noted user plane function (UPF) receives a message from session management function (SMF). The message further comprises an identifier of the TSN bridge, an identifier of a port associated with the packet transmission, and/or the like. The message may also comprise a stream reservation protocol (SRP) parameters. UPF performs packet forwarding based on the Ethernet packet filter set and forwarding rule(s) based on the MAC address(es) and the mapping relationship.) and
performing a port related operation on a port according to the Static Filtering Entry (Figure 28; Par. 0278-0280, 0285, 0293; the UPF determines the right port pairs to serve a PDU session. The UPF may detect and forward Ethernet frames based on the Ethernet packet filter set and forwarding rule(s) received from the SMF.); wherein
the performing a port related operation on a port according to the Static Filtering Entry comprises:
forwarding a data flow carrying at least one of media access control (MAC) address related information or virtual local area network (VLAN) identification information through an UPF port, wherein at least one of the MAC address related information or VLAN identification information are included in the Static Filtering Entry (Figure 28; Par. 0278-0280, 0285, 0293; traffic scheduling in TSN bridge may be per traffic class, which is service level of packets transmission. When SMF selects the UPF for the PDU Session, it may consider the UE subscribed traffic classes and VLANs. UPF1 and UPF2 support different VLANs and traffic classes based on deployment. When UE1 and UE2 establish PDU session, the UPF1 and UPF2 are selected respectively to meet their subscribed VLANs and traffic classes. The UPF may determine the right port pairs (i.e. UPF port and UE port) to serve the PDU session. The SMF may provide to the UPF Ethernet packet filter set and forwarding rule(s) based on the MAC address(es) and the mapping relationship. The UPF may detect and forward Ethernet frames based on the Ethernet packet filter set and forwarding rule(s) received from the SMF.).
Talebi Fard shows all of the elements including the UPF performing the functions recited in the claim, as well as the static filtering entry, as discussed above. Talebi Fard does not specifically show wherein the Static Filtering Entry is an information form defined by 802.11Q. Also, Talebi Fard does not specifically show that the UPF is embodied as a network-side time-sensitive networking translator (NW- TT) and an NW-TT port.
However, the above-mentioned claim limitations are well-established in the art as evidenced by Qiao and Varga.
First, Qiao shows wherein the Static Filtering Entry is an information form defined by 802.11Q (Par. 0084; An SMF may provide, to a UPF, traffic filters based on the Ethernet frame structure. A packet filter set may support packet filtering (e.g., for an Ethernet PDU session type) based on one or more of: source MAC address and/or destination MAC address; Ethertype (e.g., such as set forth by IEEE 802.3); customer-virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tag (C-TAG) and/or service-VLAN tag (S-TAG) VLAN identifier (VID) fields (e.g., such as set forth in IEEE 802.1Q); C-TAG and/or S-TAG priority code point (PCP) and/or drop eligibility indicator (DEI) fields (e.g., such as set forth in IEEE 802.1Q); and/or IP packet filter set.).
In view of the above, having the system of Talebi Fard, then given the well-established teaching of Qiao, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Talebi Fard as taught by Qiao, in order to provide motivation to set up redundancy and therefore, also increases transmission reliability (Par. 0021, 0026 of Qiao).
Second, Varga shows a UPF embodied as a network-side time-sensitive networking translator (NW- TT) and an NW-TT port (Figure 2; Par. 0022-0023, 0026, 0030; a User Plane Function (UPF) 168, shown combined with the UPF-TSN Translator (UP-TT) 180 including ingress and egress ports used for forwarding traffic. Further, it is submitted, the UP-TT 180 implemented under 802.1Q.).
In view of the above, having the system of Talebi Fard, then given the well-established teaching of Varga, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Talebi Fard as taught by Varga, in order to provide motivation for optimizing RAN communications by meeting latency and reliability requirements (Par. 0026 of Varga).
Regarding claim 2, modified Talebi Fard shows wherein the performing, by the NW-TT, a port related operation further comprises at least one of the following:
configuring the port (Talebi Fard: Par. 0361 shows that the SMF may receive from the UPF an acknowledgment indicating successful configuration of the port for the packet transmission.),
controlling whether to forward a data flow (Talebi Fard: Figure 28; Par. 0278-0280, 0285, 0293; traffic scheduling in TSN bridge may be per traffic class, which is service level of packets transmission. When SMF selects the UPF for the PDU Session, it may consider the UE subscribed traffic classes and VLANs. UPF1 and UPF2 support different VLANs and traffic classes based on deployment. When UE1 and UE2 establish PDU session, the UPF1 and UPF2 are selected respectively to meet their subscribed VLANs and traffic classes. The UPF may determine the right port pairs to serve the PDU session. The UPF may detect and forward Ethernet frames based on the Ethernet packet filter set and forwarding rule(s) received from the SMF.),
controlling scheduling of a data flow (Talebi Fard: Figure 28; Par. 0278-0280, 0285, 0293; traffic scheduling in TSN bridge may be per traffic class, which is service level of packets transmission. When SMF selects the UPF for the PDU Session, it may consider the UE subscribed traffic classes and VLANs. UPF1 and UPF2 support different VLANs and traffic classes based on deployment. When UE1 and UE2 establish PDU session, the UPF1 and UPF2 are selected respectively to meet their subscribed VLANs and traffic classes. The UPF may determine the right port pairs to serve the PDU session. The UPF may detect and forward Ethernet frames based on the Ethernet packet filter set and forwarding rule(s) received from the SMF.),
controlling queuing of a data flow, or controlling regenerating of a priority of a data flow.
Regarding claim 3, modified Talebi Fard shows receiving a port related information container, wherein the Static Filtering Entry is in the port related information container (Talebi Fard: Par. 0360; noted the message is an N4 session establishment request which includes at least an identifier of the TSN bridge, an identifier of a port associated with the packet transmission, and/or the like.).
Regarding claim 5, modified Talebi Fard shows receiving at least one of the following: traffic class information (Talebi Fard: Figure 28; Par. 0278-0280, 0285, 0293; traffic scheduling in TSN bridge may be per traffic class, which is service level of packets transmission. When SMF selects the UPF for the PDU Session, it may consider the UE subscribed traffic classes and VLANs. UPF1 and UPF2 support different VLANs and traffic classes based on deployment. When UE1 and UE2 establish PDU session, the UPF1 and UPF2 are selected respectively to meet their subscribed VLANs and traffic classes. The UPF may determine the right port pairs to serve the PDU session. The UPF may detect and forward Ethernet frames based on the Ethernet packet filter set and forwarding rule(s) received from the SMF.),
priority regeneration related information, port transmission rate related information, bandwidth availability parameter related information, transmission selection algorithm related information,
or
port operation control information (Talebi Fard: Par. 0285, 0298, 0360; the message may comprise an identifier of the TSN bridge, an identifier of a port (i.e. a mapping of a port) associated with the packet transmission, and/or the like. The message may also comprise a stream reservation protocol (SRP). The SRP may comprise at least an identifier of the stream of data packets and data frame parameters. Per Par. 0293, the data frame parameters may be addressing information for the stream that will be used to configure the bridge's filtering tables for reservation entries. This parameter may further comprise a destination MAC address, a VLAN identifier, and/or the like. In an example, the destination MAC address may be the destination MAC address of streaming data packets. In an example, the destination MAC address may be a multicast or locally administered address. In an example, the VLAN Identifier may identify the VLAN that is employed for the streaming data packets.).
Regarding claim 9, modified Talebi Fard shows transmitting the static filtering entry in a case that a first condition is met (Talebi Fard: Par. 0361 shows that the UPF transmits, to the SMF, an acknowledgment indicating successful configuration of the port for the packet transmission.);
wherein the first condition comprises at least one of the following: that a read request for static filtering entry is received; that a port related protocol data unit (PDU) session is successfully established (Talebi Fard: Par. 0361 shows that the UPF transmits, to the SMF, an acknowledgment indicating successful configuration of the port for the packet transmission.); or that the port related control information is generated or updated.
Regarding claim 17, Talebi Fard shows a method for supporting port control (Figures 28 and 36 shows a method performed in part by a session management function (SMF).), applied to a second communications device comprising at least one of the following: an application function (AF), a policy control function (PCF), or a session management function (SMF), comprising:
transmitting Static Filtering Entry to a first communications device; wherein the first communications device (Figures 28 and 36; Par. 0285, 0298, 0360; noted session management function (SMF) transmits a message to the user plane function (UPF). The message further comprises an identifier of the TSN bridge, an identifier of a port associated with the packet transmission, and/or the like. The message may also comprise a stream reservation protocol (SRP) parameters. UPF performs packet forwarding based on the Ethernet packet filter set and forwarding rule(s) based on the MAC address(es) and the mapping relationship.);
at least one of media access control (MAC) address related information or virtual local area network (VLAN) identification information included in the Static Filtering Entry is configured to forward a data flow carrying the at least one of MAC address related information or VLAN identification information through the UPF port (Figure 28; Par. 0278-0280, 0285, 0293; traffic scheduling in TSN bridge may be per traffic class, which is service level of packets transmission. When SMF selects the UPF for the PDU Session, it may consider the UE subscribed traffic classes and VLANs. UPF1 and UPF2 support different VLANs and traffic classes based on deployment. When UE1 and UE2 establish PDU session, the UPF1 and UPF2 are selected respectively to meet their subscribed VLANs and traffic classes. The UPF may determine the right port pairs (i.e. UPF port and UE port) to serve the PDU session. The SMF may provide to the UPF Ethernet packet filter set and forwarding rule(s) based on the MAC address(es) and the mapping relationship. The UPF may detect and forward Ethernet frames based on the Ethernet packet filter set and forwarding rule(s) received from the SMF.).
Talebi Fard shows all of the elements including the UPF performing the functions recited in the claim, as well as the static filtering entry, as discussed above. Talebi Fard does not specifically show wherein the Static Filtering Entry is an information form defined by 802.11Q. Also, Talebi Fard does not specifically show that the UPF is embodied as a network-side time-sensitive networking translator (NW- TT) and an NW-TT port.
However, the above-mentioned claim limitations are well-established in the art as evidenced by Qiao and Varga.
First, Qiao shows wherein the Static Filtering Entry is an information form defined by 802.11Q (Par. 0084; An SMF may provide, to a UPF, traffic filters based on the Ethernet frame structure. A packet filter set may support packet filtering (e.g., for an Ethernet PDU session type) based on one or more of: source MAC address and/or destination MAC address; Ethertype (e.g., such as set forth by IEEE 802.3); customer-virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tag (C-TAG) and/or service-VLAN tag (S-TAG) VLAN identifier (VID) fields (e.g., such as set forth in IEEE 802.1Q); C-TAG and/or S-TAG priority code point (PCP) and/or drop eligibility indicator (DEI) fields (e.g., such as set forth in IEEE 802.1Q); and/or IP packet filter set.).
In view of the above, having the system of Talebi Fard, then given the well-established teaching of Qiao, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Talebi Fard as taught by Qiao, in order to provide motivation to set up redundancy and therefore, also increases transmission reliability (Par. 0021, 0026 of Qiao).
Second, Varga shows a UPF embodied as a network-side time-sensitive networking translator (NW- TT) and an NW-TT port (Figure 2; Par. 0022-0023, 0026, 0030; a User Plane Function (UPF) 168, shown combined with the UPF-TSN Translator (UP-TT) 180 including ingress and egress ports used for forwarding traffic. Further, it is submitted, the UP-TT 180 implemented under 802.1Q.).
In view of the above, having the system of Talebi Fard, then given the well-established teaching of Varga, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Talebi Fard as taught by Varga, in order to provide motivation for optimizing RAN communications by meeting latency and reliability requirements (Par. 0026 of Varga).
Regarding claim 18, modified Talebi Fard shows wherein the Static Filtering Entry further comprises: port operation control information, and the port operation control information is a port operation when a destination address and/or virtual local area network identifier (VID) of a data flow meets the MAC address related information and/or the VLAN identification information (Talebi Fard: Figure 28; Par. 0293; the data frame parameters may be addressing information for the stream that will be used to configure the bridge's filtering tables for reservation entries. This parameter may further comprise a destination MAC address, a VLAN identifier, and/or the like. In an example, the destination MAC address may be the destination MAC address of streaming data packets. In an example, the destination MAC address may be a multicast or locally administered address. In an example, the VLAN Identifier may identify the VLAN that is employed for the streaming data packets.);
wherein the port operation control information comprises at least one of the following: forwarding, filtering, and forwarding or filtering according to dynamic filtering information (Talebi Fard: Par. 0285; the SMF may provide to the UPF Ethernet packet filter set and forwarding rule(s) based on the MAC address(es) and the mapping relationship. The UPF may detect and forward Ethernet frames based on the Ethernet packet filter set and forwarding rule(s) received from the SMF.).
Regarding claim 19, this claim is rejected based on the same reasoning as presented in the rejection of claim 3.
Regarding claim 20, modified Talebi Fard shows receiving a read request for bridge related control information (Examiner elects this claim limitation for prosecution. Talebi Fard: Par. 0243, 0245; receiving by the SMF 160, an N11 message 1215, e.g., Nsmf_PDUSession_CreateSMContext request (comprising: SUPI or PEI, DNN, S-NSSAI, PDU session ID, AMF 155 ID, request type, N1 SM container (PDU session establishment request), user location information, access type, PEI, GPSI), or Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext request (SUPI, DNN, S-NSSAI, PDU session ID, AMF 155 ID, request type, N1 SM container (PDU session establishment request), user location information, access type, RAT type, PEI). In an example, if the AMF 155 may not have an association with the SMF 160 for the PDU session ID provided by the UE 100 (e.g. when request type indicates initial request), the AMF 155 may invoke the Nsmf_PDUSession_CreateSMContext request, but if the AMF 155 already has an association with an SMF 160 for the PDU session ID provided by the UE 100 (e.g. when request type indicates existing PDU session), the AMF 155 may invoke the Nsmf_PDUSession_UpdateSMContext request.).
and/or
a read request for Static Filtering Entry; and
transmitting the read request for Static Filtering Entry; wherein the read request for Static Filtering Entry comprises at least one of the following: a port identifier, traffic class information, a request for first routing information, a request for priority regeneration related information, a request for port transmission rate related information, a request for bandwidth availability parameter related information, and a request for transmission selection algorithm related information (Examiner submits that this group of claim limitations are part of the un-elected claim limitation based on the presented alternative language shown above.).
Regarding claim 22, modified Talebi Fard shows wherein the NW-TT is combined with a user plane function (UPF) (Figure 2; Par. 0022-0023; a User Plane Function (UPF) 168, shown combined with the UPF-TSN Translator (UP-TT) 180 including ingress and egress ports used for forwarding traffic.).
Regarding claim 23, this claim is rejected based on the same reasoning as presented in the rejection of claim 18.
Regarding claim 24, modified Talebi Fard shows wherein the at least one of Static Filtering Entry further comprises a port identifier; wherein the forwarding, by the NW-TT, a data flow carrying MAC address related information or VLAN identification information through an NW-TT port comprises: forwarding, by the NW-TT, the data flow carrying the at least one of MAC address related information or VLAN identification information through the NW-TT port corresponding to the port identifier (Talebi Fard: Figure 28; Par. 0278-0280, 0285, 0293; the UPF determines the right port pairs to serve a PDU session. The SMF may provide to the UPF Ethernet packet filter set and forwarding rule(s) based on the MAC address(es) and the mapping relationship. The UPF may detect and forward Ethernet frames based on the Ethernet packet filter set and forwarding rule(s) received from the SMF.).
Regarding claim 25, modified Talebi Fard shows wherein the port identifier comprises a port number (Talebi Fard: Par. 0307; port ID.).
Regarding claim 26, Talebi Fard shows a communications device (Figures 28 and 36 shows a method performed in part by a user plane function (UPF).), comprising
a processor, a memory, and a program stored in the memory and capable of running on the processor (Par. 0349; UPF includes instructions stored in memory and executed by a processor to perform the disclosed method.), wherein the communications device comprises
a user plane function (UPF) (Figures 28 and 36 shows a method performed in part by a user plane function (UPF).), and wherein when the program is executed by the processor, the following steps are implemented:
receiving Static Filtering Entry (Figures 28 and 36; Par. 0285, 0298, 0360; noted user plane function (UPF) receives a message from session management function (SMF). The message further comprises an identifier of the TSN bridge, an identifier of a port associated with the packet transmission, and/or the like. The message may also comprise a stream reservation protocol (SRP) parameters. UPF performs packet forwarding based on the Ethernet packet filter set and forwarding rule(s) based on the MAC address(es) and the mapping relationship.); and
performing a port related operation on a port according to the Static Filtering Entry (Figure 28; Par. 0278-0280, 0285, 0293; the UPF determines the right port pairs to serve a PDU session. The UPF may detect and forward Ethernet frames based on the Ethernet packet filter set and forwarding rule(s) received from the SMF.);
wherein the performing a port related operation on a port according to the Static Filtering Entry comprises: forwarding a data flow carrying at least one of media access control (MAC) address related information or virtual local area network (VLAN) identification information through a UPF port, wherein the at least one of MAC address related information or VLAN identification information is included in the Static Filtering Entry (Figure 28; Par. 0278-0280, 0285, 0293; traffic scheduling in TSN bridge may be per traffic class, which is service level of packets transmission. When SMF selects the UPF for the PDU Session, it may consider the UE subscribed traffic classes and VLANs. UPF1 and UPF2 support different VLANs and traffic classes based on deployment. When UE1 and UE2 establish PDU session, the UPF1 and UPF2 are selected respectively to meet their subscribed VLANs and traffic classes. The UPF may determine the right port pairs (i.e. UPF port and UE port) to serve the PDU session. The SMF may provide to the UPF Ethernet packet filter set and forwarding rule(s) based on the MAC address(es) and the mapping relationship. The UPF may detect and forward Ethernet frames based on the Ethernet packet filter set and forwarding rule(s) received from the SMF.).
Talebi Fard shows all of the elements including the UPF performing the functions recited in the claim, as well as the static filtering entry, as discussed above. Talebi Fard does not specifically show wherein the Static Filtering Entry is an information form defined by 802.11Q. Also, Talebi Fard does not specifically show that the UPF is embodied as a network-side time-sensitive networking translator (NW- TT) and an NW-TT port.
However, the above-mentioned claim limitations are well-established in the art as evidenced by Qiao and Varga.
First, Qiao shows wherein the Static Filtering Entry is an information form defined by 802.11Q (Par. 0084; An SMF may provide, to a UPF, traffic filters based on the Ethernet frame structure. A packet filter set may support packet filtering (e.g., for an Ethernet PDU session type) based on one or more of: source MAC address and/or destination MAC address; Ethertype (e.g., such as set forth by IEEE 802.3); customer-virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) tag (C-TAG) and/or service-VLAN tag (S-TAG) VLAN identifier (VID) fields (e.g., such as set forth in IEEE 802.1Q); C-TAG and/or S-TAG priority code point (PCP) and/or drop eligibility indicator (DEI) fields (e.g., such as set forth in IEEE 802.1Q); and/or IP packet filter set.).
In view of the above, having the system of Talebi Fard, then given the well-established teaching of Qiao, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Talebi Fard as taught by Qiao, in order to provide motivation to set up redundancy and therefore, also increases transmission reliability (Par. 0021, 0026 of Qiao).
Second, Varga shows a UPF embodied as a network-side time-sensitive networking translator (NW- TT) and an NW-TT port (Figure 2; Par. 0022-0023, 0026, 0030; a User Plane Function (UPF) 168, shown combined with the UPF-TSN Translator (UP-TT) 180 including ingress and egress ports used for forwarding traffic. Further, it is submitted, the UP-TT 180 implemented under 802.1Q.).
In view of the above, having the system of Talebi Fard, then given the well-established teaching of Varga, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Talebi Fard as taught by Varga, in order to provide motivation for optimizing RAN communications by meeting latency and reliability requirements (Par. 0026 of Varga).
Regarding claims 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 and 32, these claims are rejected based on the same reasoning as presented in the rejection of claims 2, 3, 5, 7, 23 and 24, respectively.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 11832123 B2 - Time-aware Quality-of-service In Communication Systems
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/REDENTOR PASIA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2413
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