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 .
Claims 1-3, 6-7, 10-11, 13-16, 19, 21-23, and 29 are pending.
Claims 1, 3, 6, 11, 13 and 29 were amended.
Claims 1, 7, 10, 13, 19, 22 and 29 are independent.
This application was revived following abandonment and petition for unintentional abandonment. This paper is responsive to the response to office action filed coterminously with the petition for revival.
Response to Amendment
The reply filed on February 23, 2026 appears to be bona fide, and the amendments to the claims are accepted.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed February 23, 2026 have been fully considered. Applicant' s arguments with respect to amended claims 1, 7, 10, 13, 19, 22 and 29 have been considered but are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that the it is not obvious to modify the Senarath message that is part of a SLA registration from a customer with the message of Young that includes an identifier of a UE, which is also for implementing an SLA. Each of Senarath and Young are in the field of network slices and both Young and Senarath address “end user” UEs. (See, e.g., Senarath para. [0093] “requirements may also include the authentication related information for the customer’s end users,” and Young para. [0027]-[0032] describing UE identification for slice services and SLAs associated with the wireless network.) The claim element wherein said first message further comprises an identifier of a User Equipment that is consuming said at least one customer facing service and its associated at least one resource facing service is mapped to Senarath, Figure 4 which teaches service instance 408 on behalf of an end-user population 410 is sent to CSMF 404 which would identify end users 410. Fig. 4 illustrates that the functions are in network service provider 402, which may be implemented as providing core network slice as described in para. [0043]. Likewise, Young teaches interacting via AMF in a core network illustrated in Fig. 1C:
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Fig. 1C of Young illustrates that the Core Network contains the management function that receives the UE identifier.
As such, Senarath and Young both implement management functions of a core network to identify a User Equipment consuming slice services, which are customer facing and resource facing. Applicant’s arguments that Senarath and Young teach different nodes ignores that the management functions of both Senarath and Young may be core network functions. Both Senarath and Young teach implementation of SLAs in the context of implementing slices. Further, one of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine Young and Senarath in order to improve flexibility as taught in para. [0058] of Young.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-3, 6-7, 10-11, 13-16, 19, 21-23, and 29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US. Pat. Pub. 20180316564 to Nimal Gamini Senarath (hereinafter Senarath) in view of US Pat. Pub. 20200196227 to T. Kristen Young et al. (hereinafter Young).
Regarding claim 1, Senarath teaches A method of provisioning a communication service instance to a customer, the method being performed at a network slice management function and comprising:
receiving, from a communications service management function (Senarath ,Fig. 9, Step 914, paras. [0131]-[0147]), a first message requesting an operation on at least one network slice instance, the first message comprising attributes and their values defining at least one service profile; (Senarath para. [0147] teaches CSMF 404 prepares network slice subnet requirements according to SLA and provides them to NSMF 412) and
sending to a network slice subnet management function, (Senarath para. [0148] teaches that NSMF provides network slice subnet requirements to NSSMF 414 in Step 916) a second message requesting an operation on at least one network slice subnet instance, (Senarath para. [0148] teaches that in Step 918, NSSMF may create a new NSSI as per the SLA).
the second message comprising attributes and their values defining at least one slice profile, wherein the at least one slice profile is based on attributes and their values defining profiles of at least one customer facing service. (Senarath paras. [0046]-[0047] teaches using management functions (CSMF, NSMF, NSSMF) to provide NSI and NSSI as a service for customers who “are having their own user pool, slicing for multiple customers in isolation”. Senarath further teaches in para. [0052] which implements NSSI 304 with data related to the service instance “such as performance, traffic volume and charging, for example). To enable the attributes reaching the NSMF, Figures 5 and 6 of Senarath teaches NSMF 412 and NSSI 304 and NSI 302 wherein the NSSI is a service to a customer. Figure 9 of Senarath illustrates the subnet requirements are generated as part of a negotiated SLA 912 from a customer. Examiner interprets the subnet requirements and SLA data as “attributes” and values.)
wherein the first message comprises attributes and their values defining at least one customer facing service and at least one resource facing service associated with said at least one customer facing service; and (Senarath para. [0087] teaches in step 708 the CSMF 404 determines admissibility of a customer service with NSMF 412 by providing “network slice related requirements to the service requirements” and if a customer service needs to be exclusively served by an NSI, NSMF 412 determines resources.) Examiner interprets requirements as attributes and exclusivity as a resource facing service associated with a customer facing service.)
wherein said first message further comprises an identifier of a User Equipment that is consuming said at least one customer facing service and its associated at least one resource facing service. (Senarath, Figure 4 illustrates “customer’s end users 410” which is referenced as “customers of a specific Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO)” para. [0013]). Senarath para. [0093] “requirements may also include the authentication related information for the customer’s end users,” Examiner interprets end users of MVNOs having “user equipment” and the “authentication related information” as a UE identifier. Further, Senarath, Figure 4 teaches service instance 408 on behalf of an end-user population 410 is sent to CSMF 404 which would identify end users 410.)
However, Senarath does NOT specifically teach “an identifier of a User Equipment”.
In the analogous art of 3GPP 5G wireless communications, Young teaches an identifier indicative of a User Equipment consuming said at least one customer facing service and its associated at least one resource facing service. (Young teaches single-network slice selection assistance information associated with a user equipment associated with service level agreements (SLAs) and para. [0028] teaches that the “the AMF can perform the authentication process to authenticate the request and/or verify that the request was received from the UE identified in the request. Furthermore, the AMF can perform the authorization process to authorize the UE to register and/or communicate as part of the wireless network based on the S-NSSAI and/or one or more other characteristics of the UE.” The request is mapped to the first message.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective date of the invention to have combined Senarath and Young in that each reference is in the field of network slicing. One would be motivated to combine Young with Senarath to enable allocation of computer resources to implement functions of a core network in a flexible manner as taught in para. [0058] of Young.
Regarding claim 2, Senarath teaches The method according to claim 1, wherein the requested operation on a network slice instance comprises an operation of allocating a new network slice instance or an operation of modifying an existing network slice instance. (Senarath para. [0087] “the NSMF 412 may determine whether a new shared slice instance can be created to provide the service.”) Examiner notes that the “or” in the claim language negates requiring both elements in a reference.
Regarding claim 3, Senarath teaches The method according to claim 1, wherein the requested operation on a network slice subnet instance comprises an operation of allocating a new network slice subnet instance or an operation of modifying an existing network slice subnet instance. (Senarath para. [0097] teaches “the NSSMF 414 may identify the NSSI(s) to be reused and the NSSIs to be created” with reference of an allocation of a new network slice subnet instance.)
Regarding claim 6, Senarath does not teach The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one slice profile is also based on an identifier of a User Equipment that is consuming said at least one customer facing service
In the analogous art of 3GPP 5G wireless communications, Young teaches wherein the at least one slice profile is also based on an identifier indicative of a User Equipment consuming said at least one customer facing service(Young teaches a slice profile configuration for a user equipment according to an SLA and para. [0028] teaches that the request identifies the user equipment.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective date of the invention to have combined Senarath and Young in that each reference is in the field of network slicing. One would be motivated to combine Young with Senarath to enable allocation of computer resources to implement functions of a core network in a flexible manner as taught in para. [0058] of Young.
Regarding Claim 7, Senarath teaches A method of provisioning a communication service instance to a customer, the method being performed at a communications service management function; and comprising:
sending, to a network slice management function, a first message requesting an operation on at least one network slice instance, (Senarath para. [0052] CSMF 404 negotiates SLA by interacting with NSMF 412) the first message comprising:
attributes and their values defining at least one customer facing service(Senarath para. [0052] “based on the request received from the NSMF 412 a Network Slice Subnet Management Function 414 may implement (e.g. by creating or modifying ) one or more Network Slice Subnet Instances (NSSIs) 304 to provide the requested resources.)and at least one resource facing service associated with said at least one customer facing service (Senarath para. [0052] teaches that data related to the service instance such as performance, traffic volume may be provided to the customer by the communication service provider.)
Senarath does not specifically teach:
wherein said first message further comprises an identifier indictive of a User Equipment consuming said at least one customer facing service and its associated at least one resource facing service. (Senarath, Figure 4 illustrates “customer’s end users 410” which is referenced as “customers of a specific Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO)” para. [0013]). Senarath para. [0093] “requirements may also include the authentication related information for the customer’s end users,” Examiner interprets end users of MVNOs having “user equipment” and the “authentication related information” as a UE identifier. Further, Senarath, Figure 4 teaches service instance 408 on behalf of an end-user population 410 is sent to CSMF 404 which would identify end users 410.)
In the analogous art of 3GPP 5G wireless communications, Young teaches wherein said first message further comprises an identifier indictive of a User Equipment consuming said at least one customer facing service and its associated at least one resource facing service. (Young teaches single-network slice selection assistance information associated with a user equipment associated with service level agreements (SLAs) and para. [0028] teaches that the “the AMF can perform the authentication process to authenticate the request and/or verify that the request was received from the UE identified in the request. Furthermore, the AMF can perform the authorization process to authorize the UE to register and/or communicate as part of the wireless network based on the S-NSSAI and/or one or more other characteristics of the UE.” The request is mapped to the first message.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective date of the invention to have combined Senarath and Young in that each reference is in the field of network slicing. One would be motivated to combine Young with Senarath to enable allocation of computer resources to implement functions of a core network in a flexible manner as taught in para. [0058] of Young.
Regarding claim 10, Senarath teaches A method of provisioning a communication service instance to a customer, the method being performed at a network slice subnet management function (Senarath Fig. 5, element 414) ,
receiving, from a network slice management function, (Senarath Fig. 5, element 412)
a second message requesting an operation on at least one network slice subnet instance wherein the at least one slice profile is based on attributes and their values defining profiles of at least one customer facing service (Senarath paras. [0046]-[0047] teaches using management functions (CSMF, NSMF, NSSMF) to provide NSI and NSSI as a service for customers who “are having their own user pool, slicing for multiple customers in isolation”. Senarath further teaches in para. [0052] which implements NSSI 304 with data related to the service instance “such as performance, traffic volume and charging, for example). To enable the attributes reaching the NSMF, Figures 5 and 6 of Senarath teaches NSMF 412 and NSSI 304 and NSI 302 wherein the NSSI is a service to a customer. Figure 9 of Senarath illustrates the subnet requirements are generated as part of a negotiated SLA 912 from a customer. Examiner interprets the subnet requirements and SLA data as “attributes” and values) ; and
performing the requested operation on the at least one network slice subnet instance. (Senarath para [0049] teaches that the NSI provides the service after CSMF provides the NSMF with network slice requirements corresponding to service requirements, and multiple service instances can use the same NSI. Senarath para. [0105] teaches in Step 734 “The SNF 700 may then send a Service Response message to the Customer as a response to the Service Request (step 704). Providing an NSI to a Customer which can be used by the Customer to provide communication services to its end users.”)
Senarath does not teach wherein the at least one slice profile is also based on an identifier indicative of a User Equipment consuming said at least one customer facing service and its associated at least one resource facing service (Senarath, Figure 4 illustrates “customer’s end users 410” which is referenced as “customers of a specific Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO)” para. [0013]). Senarath para. [0093] “requirements may also include the authentication related information for the customer’s end users,” Examiner interprets end users of MVNOs having “user equipment” and the “authentication related information” as a UE identifier. Further, Senarath, Figure 4 teaches service instance 408 on behalf of an end-user population 410 is sent to CSMF 404 which would identify end users 410.)
In the analogous art of 3GPP 5G wireless communications, Young teaches wherein the at least one slice profile is also based on an identifier indictive of a User Equipment consuming said at least one customer facing service and its associated at least one resource facing service. (Young teaches single-network slice selection assistance information associated with a user equipment associated with service level agreements (SLAs) and para. [0028] teaches that the “the AMF can perform the authentication process to authenticate the request and/or verify that the request was received from the UE identified in the request. Furthermore, the AMF can perform the authorization process to authorize the UE to register and/or communicate as part of the wireless network based on the S-NSSAI and/or one or more other characteristics of the UE.” The request is mapped to the first message.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective date of the invention to have combined Senarath and Young in that each reference is in the field of network slicing. One would be motivated to combine Young with Senarath to enable allocation of computer resources to implement functions of a core network in a flexible manner as taught in para. [0058] of Young.
Regarding claim 11, Senarath teaches The method according to claim 10, wherein the requested operation on a network slice subnet instance comprises an operation of allocating a new network slice subnet instance or an operation of modifying an existing network slice subnet instance (Senarath para. [0052] provides “In order to provide the required resources, the NSMF 412 may implement (e.g. by creating or modifying) a network slice instance (NSI) 302. If required, the NSMF 412 may request network slice subnet resources to support the NSI 302. Based on the request received from the NSMF 412, a Network Slice Subnet Management Function 414 may implement (e.g. by creating or modifying) one or more Network Slice Subnet Instances (NSSIs) 304 to provide the requested resources.”)
Regarding claim 13 Senarath teaches A first network element implementing a network slice management function (NSMF), ( Senarath Fig. 5 element 412) the first network element comprising
a processing circuitry (Senarath Fig. 1 CPU 114) and
a memory, (Senarath Fig. 1 memory 108) the memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry such that the first network element is operative to:
receive, from a communications service management function (Senarath Fig. 5, element 404 CSMF), a first message requesting an operation on at least one network slice instance, (Senarath para. [0049] teaches that for end to end communication services, “CSMF will provide the NSMF with network slice requirements that corresponds with the service requirements” the first message comprising attributes and their values defining at least one service profile (Senarath para. [0049] teaches slice requirements corresponding to end to end service requirements) ; and
sends to a network slice subnet management function wherein the at least one slice profile is based on attributes and their values defining profiles of at least one customer facing service and at least one resource facing service associated with said at least one customer facing service. (Senarath para. [0087] teaches in step 708 the CSMF 404 determines admissibility of a customer service with NSMF 412 by providing “network slice related requirements to the service requirements” and if a customer service needs to be exclusively served by an NSI, NSMF 412 determines resources.) Examiner interprets requirements as attributes and exclusivity as a resource facing service associated with a customer facing service).
Senarath further teaches “based on attributes and their values defining profiles of at least one customer facing servicein para. [0052] which implements NSSI 304 with data related to the service instance “such as performance, traffic volume and charging, for example). To enable the attributes reaching the NSMF, Figures 5 and 6 of Senarath teaches NSMF 412 and NSSI 304 and NSI 302 wherein the NSSI is a service to a customer. Figure 9 of Senarath illustrates the subnet requirements are generated as part of a negotiated SLA 912 from a customer. Examiner interprets the subnet requirements and SLA data as “attributes and values”.)
Senarath does not teach:
wherein the at least one slice profile is also based on an identifier indicative of a User Equipment consuming said at least one customer facing service and its associated at least one resource facing service. (Senarath, Figure 4 illustrates “customer’s end users 410” which is referenced as “customers of a specific Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO)” para. [0013]). Senarath para. [0093] “requirements may also include the authentication related information for the customer’s end users,” Examiner interprets end users of MVNOs having “user equipment” and the “authentication related information” as a UE identifier. Further, Senarath, Figure 4 teaches service instance 408 on behalf of an end-user population 410 is sent to CSMF 404 which would identify end users 410.)
In the analogous art of 3GPP 5G wireless communications, Young teaches wherein the at least one slice profile is also based on an identifier indictive of a User Equipment consuming said at least one customer facing service and its associated at least one resource facing service. (Young teaches single-network slice selection assistance information associated with a user equipment associated with service level agreements (SLAs) and para. [0028] teaches that the “the AMF can perform the authentication process to authenticate the request and/or verify that the request was received from the UE identified in the request. Furthermore, the AMF can perform the authorization process to authorize the UE to register and/or communicate as part of the wireless network based on the S-NSSAI and/or one or more other characteristics of the UE.” The request is mapped to the first message.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective date of the invention to have combined Senarath and Young in that each reference is in the field of network slicing. One would be motivated to combine Young with Senarath to enable allocation of computer resources to implement functions of a core network in a flexible manner as taught in para. [0058] of Young.
Regarding claim 14 Senarath teaches The first network element according to claim 13, wherein in the requested operation on a network slice instance. (Senarath para. [0097] teaches “the NSSMF 414 may identify the NSSI(s) to be reused and the NSSIs to be created” with reference of an allocation of a new network slice subnet instance).
Regarding claim 15 Senarath teaches The first network element according to claim 13, wherein in the requested operation on a network slice subnet instance. (Senarath para. [0052] provides “In order to provide the required resources, the NSMF 412 may implement (e.g. by creating or modifying) a network slice instance (NSI) 302. If required, the NSMF 412 may request network slice subnet resources to support the NSI 302. Based on the request received from the NSMF 412, a Network Slice Subnet Management Function 414 may implement (e.g. by creating or modifying) one or more Network Slice Subnet Instances (NSSIs) 304 to provide the requested resources.”)
Regarding claim 16 Senarath teaches The first network element according claim 13, wherein the first message comprises attributes and their values defining at least one customer facing service. (Senarath paras. [0046]-[0047] teaches using management functions (CSMF, NSMF, NSSMF) to provide NSI and NSSI as a service for customers who “are having their own user pool, slicing for multiple customers in isolation”. Senarath further teaches “based on attributes and their values defining profiles of at least one customer facing service in para. [0052] which implements NSSI 304 with data related to the service instance “such as performance, traffic volume and charging, for example). To enable the attributes reaching the NSMF, Figures 5 and 6 of Senarath teaches NSMF 412 and NSSI 304 and NSI 302 wherein the NSSI is a service to a customer. Figure 9 of Senarath illustrates the subnet requirements are generated as part of a negotiated SLA 912 from a customer. Examiner interprets the subnet requirements and SLA data as “attributes” and values.
Regarding claim 19 Senarath combined with Young teaches A second network element for implementing a communications service management function (Senarath Fig. 5, element 404 CSMF) , the second network element comprising a processing circuitry (Senarath Fig. 1, CPU 114) and a memory, (Senarath Fig. 1 memory 108) the memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry such that the second network element is operative to:
send to a network slice management function, (Senarath para. [0052] teaches a CSMF 404 sending a message to NSMF 412) a first message requesting an operation on at least one network slice instance, (Senarath para. [0049] teaches that for end to end communication services, “CSMF will provide the NSMF with network slice requirements that corresponds with the service requirements”) the first message comprising attributes and their values defining at least one customer facing service and at least one resource facing service associated with said at least one customer facing service, (Senarath paras. [0046]-[0047] teaches using management functions (CSMF, NSMF, NSSMF) to provide NSI and NSSI as a service for customers who “are having their own user pool, slicing for multiple customers in isolation”. Figure 9 of Senarath teaches that the subnet requirements are generated as part of a negotiated SLA 912 from a customer. Examiner interprets the subnet requirements and SLA data as “attributes” and “values” defining at least one customer facing service and resource facing service according to an SLA. )
Examiner notes that claim 19 recites a second network element but does not provide antecedent basis for a first network element. Under the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim, identifying the only message in an independent claim as a “second” network element provides no patentable distinction as being “second”.
Senarath does NOT specifically teach wherein said first message further comprises an identifier of a User Equipment that is consuming said at least one customer facing service and its associated at least one resource facing service. (Senarath, Figure 4 illustrates “customer’s end users 410” which is referenced as “customers of a specific Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO)” para. [0013]). Senarath para. [0093] “requirements may also include the authentication related information for the customer’s end users,” Examiner interprets end users of MVNOs having “user equipment” and the “authentication related information” as a UE identifier. Further, Senarath, Figure 4 teaches service instance 408 on behalf of an end-user population 410 is sent to CSMF 404 which would identify end users 410.)
However, Senarath does not specifically teach “an identifier of a User Equipment”.
In the analogous art of 3GPP 5G wireless communications, Young teaches an identifier indicative of a User Equipment consuming said at least one customer facing service and its associated at least one resource facing service. (Young teaches single-network slice selection assistance information associated with a user equipment associated with service level agreements (SLAs) and para. [0028] teaches that the “the AMF can perform the authentication process to authenticate the request and/or verify that the request was received from the UE identified in the request. Furthermore, the AMF can perform the authorization process to authorize the UE to register and/or communicate as part of the wireless network based on the S-NSSAI and/or one or more other characteristics of the UE.” The request is mapped to the first message.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective date of the invention to have combined Senarath and Young in that each reference is in the field of network slicing. One would be motivated to combine Young with Senarath to enable allocation of computer resources to implement functions of a core network in a flexible manner as taught in para. [0058] of Young.
Regarding claim 21, Senarath teaches The second network element according to claim 19, wherein the requested operation on a network slice instance comprises an operation of allocating a new network slice instance or an operation of modifying an existing network slice instance. (Senarath para. [0087] “the NSMF 412 may determine whether a new shared slice instance can be created to provide the service.”) Examiner notes that the “or” in the claim language negates requiring both elements in a reference.
Regarding claim 22, Senarath teaches A third network element for implementing a network slice subnet management function, (Senarath Fig. 5, NSSMF 414) the third network element comprising
a processing circuitry (Senarath Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate CPU 114 in Figure 1 and hardware resources 206 in Fig. 2 for information processing) and
a memory, (Senarath Fig. 1 memory 108) the memory containing instructions executable by the processing circuitry such that the third network element is operative to:
receive, from a network slice management function, (Senarath Fig. 5, element 412) , a second message requesting an operation on at least one network slice subnet instance(Senarath para. [0052] “Based on the request received from the NSMF 412, a Network Slice Subnet Management Function 414 may implement (e.g. by creating or modifying) one or more Network Slice Subnet Instances (NSSIs) 304 to provide the requested resources.”) wherein the at least one slice profile is based on attributes and their values defining profiles of at least one customer facing service and at least one resource facing service associated with said at least one customer facing service; (Senarath para. [0052] teaches “Data related to the service instance (such as performance, traffic volume and charging, for example) may be provided to the customer by the CSP.” Figure 9 of Senarath illustrates the subnet requirements are generated as part of a negotiated SLA 912 from a customer. Examiner interprets the subnet requirements and SLA data as “attributes” and “values”.)
and
perform the requested operation on the at least one network slice subnet instance using the attributes and their values defining the at least one slice profile identified in the second message. (Senarath para [0049] teaches that the NSI provides the service after CSMF provides the NSMF with network slice requirements corresponding to service requirements, and multiple service instances can use the same NSI. Senarath para. [0105] teaches in Step 734 “The SNF 700 may then send a Service Response message to the Customer as a response to the Service Request (step 704). Providing an NSI to a Customer which can be used by the Customer to provide communication services to its end users.”)
Senarath does not specifically teach:
wherein the at least one slice profile is also based on an identifier indicative of a User Equipment consuming said at least one customer facing service and its associated at least one resource facing service. (Senarath, Figure 4 illustrates “customer’s end users 410” which is referenced as “customers of a specific Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO)” para. [0013]). Senarath para. [0093] “requirements may also include the authentication related information for the customer’s end users,” Examiner interprets end users of MVNOs having “user equipment” and the “authentication related information” as a UE identifier. Further, Senarath, Figure 4 teaches service instance 408 on behalf of an end-user population 410 is sent to CSMF 404 which would identify end users 410.)
In the analogous art of 3GPP 5G wireless communications, Young teaches wherein the at least one slice profile is also based on an identifier indictive of a User Equipment consuming said at least one customer facing service and its associated at least one resource facing service. (Young teaches single-network slice selection assistance information associated with a user equipment associated with service level agreements (SLAs) and para. [0028] teaches that the “the AMF can perform the authentication process to authenticate the request and/or verify that the request was received from the UE identified in the request. Furthermore, the AMF can perform the authorization process to authorize the UE to register and/or communicate as part of the wireless network based on the S-NSSAI and/or one or more other characteristics of the UE.” The request is mapped to the first message.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective date of the invention to have combined Senarath and Young in that each reference is in the field of network slicing. One would be motivated to combine Young with Senarath to enable allocation of computer resources to implement functions of a core network in a flexible manner as taught in para. [0058] of Young.
Regarding claim 23, Senarath teaches The third network element according to claim 22, wherein the requested operation on a network slice subnet instance comprises an operation of allocating a new network slice subnet instance or an operation of modifying an existing network slice subnet instance. (Senarath para. [0087] “the NSMF 412 may determine whether a new shared slice instance can be created to provide the service.”) Examiner notes that the “or” in the claim language negates requiring both elements in a reference.)
Regarding claim 29, Senarath combined with Young teaches A method of provisioning a communication service instance to a customer, the method being performed at a network slice management function and comprising:
receiving, from a communications service management function, (Senarath Fig. 4., CSMF 404) a third message requesting an operation on at least one existing network slice instance, (Senarath para. [0087] Step 708 Fig. 7 CSMF provides NSMF with network slice related requirements) the third message comprising
attributes and their values defining at least one service profile to be associated with the at least one existing network slice instance; (Senarath para. [0087] Step 708 Fig. 7 CSMF provides NSMF with network slice related requirements)
associating the at least one service profile with the at least one existing network slice instance; (If CSMF 404 did not specify the exclusive use of an NSI for the service, NSMF 412 may determine whether an existing sharable network slice instance can serve the customer service) and
sending to a network slice subnet management function, a fourth message requesting an operation on at least one existing network slice subnet instance, (Senarath Fig. 7 step 724 NSMF 412 may request a corresponding NSSMF 414 to modify the NSSI) the fourth message comprising
attributes and their values defining at least one slice profile to be associated with the at least one existing network slice subnet instance, wherein the at least one slice profile is based on attributes and their values defining profiles of at least one customer facing service and at least one resource facing service associated with said at least one customer facing service. (Senarath paras. [0046]-[0047] teaches using management functions (CSMF, NSMF, NSSMF) to provide NSI and NSSI as a service for customers who “are having their own user pool, slicing for multiple customers in isolation”. Senarath further teaches in para. [0052] which implements NSSI 304 with data related to the service instance “such as performance, traffic volume and charging, for example). To enable the attributes reaching the NSMF, Figures 5 and 6 of Senarath teaches NSMF 412 and NSSI 304 and NSI 302 wherein the NSSI is a service to a customer. Figure 9 of Senarath illustrates the subnet requirements are generated as part of a negotiated SLA 912 from a customer. Examiner interprets the subnet requirements and SLA data as “attributes” and values.)
wherein the third message comprises attributes and their values defining said at least one customer facing service and said at least one resource facing service associated with said at least one customer facing service; (Senarath para. [0087] teaches in step 708 the CSMF 404 determines admissibility of a customer service with NSMF 412 by providing “network slice related requirements to the service requirements” and if a customer service needs to be exclusively served by an NSI, NSMF 412 determines resources.) Examiner interprets requirements as attributes and exclusivity as a resource facing service associated with a customer facing service.)
and
Senarath does NOT specifically teach:
wherein said third message further comprises an identifier indicative of a User Equipment consuming said at least one customer facing service and its associated at least one resource facing service. (Senarath, Figure 4 illustrates “customer’s end users 410” which is referenced as “customers of a specific Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO)” para. [0013]). Senarath para. [0093] “requirements may also include the authentication related information for the customer’s end users,” Examiner interprets end users of MVNOs having “user equipment” and the “authentication related information” as a UE identifier. Further, Senarath, Figure 4 teaches service instance 408 on behalf of an end-user population 410 is sent to CSMF 404 which would identify end users 410.)
In the analogous art of 3GPP 5G wireless communications, Young teaches wherein said third message further comprises an identifier indicative of a User Equipment consuming said at least one customer facing service and its associated at least one resource facing service. (Young teaches single-network slice selection assistance information associated with a user equipment associated with service level agreements (SLAs) and para. [0028] teaches that the “the AMF can perform the authentication process to authenticate the request and/or verify that the request was received from the UE identified in the request. Furthermore, the AMF can perform the authorization process to authorize the UE to register and/or communicate as part of the wireless network based on the S-NSSAI and/or one or more other characteristics of the UE.” The request is mapped to the first message.)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective date of the invention to have combined Senarath and Young in that each reference is in the field of network slicing. One would be motivated to combine Young with Senarath to enable allocation of computer resources to implement functions of a core network in a flexible manner as taught in para. [0058] of Young.
Conclusion
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/MARGARET MARIE ANDERSON/Examiner, Art Unit 2412