DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed on 05/26/2026 has been entered and considered by Examiner. Claims 1 - 20 are presented for examination. This Action is made FINAL.
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rybak (US Pub. 20070254628 A1) in view of Noureddin et al. (US Pub. 20160127210 A1) in further view of Panikkar et al. (US Pub. 20220342952 A1).
For claims 1, 11, and 18, Rybak discloses a method comprising:
calculating, by an account management device (central plan information server 109), pre-authorized consumption limits for multiple distributed account management network devices in different core network data centers (Figs. 1, 4, and 8, a central plan information server 109 coupled to networks (enterprise, internet, relay, or wireless networks), which can track/monitor usage profiles using different networked devices based on a preauthorized/preset usage limit.) [0017-23, 0051-53, 0058, 0062],
wherein each of the pre-authorized consumption limits is a different portion of a total amount from a shared consumption plan for wireless network services (Figs. 1, 4, and 8, monitoring group/department-level wireless usage, via an enterprise admin tool monitoring a set of employees on a company account, and checking preset resource limits based on a common corporate account overview) [0022, 0051-53, 0059], and
wherein each of the pre-authorized consumption limits is calculated based on a number of user devices associated with the shared consumption plan, geographical distribution of the user devices, and a number of network locations that will provide service for the shared consumption plan (Figs. 1, 4, and 8, tracking preset limits for a set of users/employees equipped with user devices and notes that enterprise networks can encompass multiple "geographic sites". It also mentions structural wireless packet networks like GPRS/GSM/EDGE which utilize different network nodes/entities.) [0017-22, 0051-53];
allocating, to multiple distributed account management network devices and by the account management device, the pre-authorized consumption limits (Figs. 4 and 8, steps 400-434) [0013, 0031-38, 0058];
wherein each of the pre-authorized consumption limits is available to multiple user devices associated with the shared consumption plan (Figs. 4 and 8, steps 400-434) [0013, 0031-38, 0058];
But Rybak doesn’t explicitly teach receiving, by the account management device and from one of the multiple distributed account management network devices, a request for an additional consumption limit from the shared consumption plan;
allocating, to the one of the multiple distributed account management network devices and by the account management device, the additional consumption limit; and
updating, by the account management device, an account balance for the shared consumption plan based on allocating the additional consumption limit.
However, Noureddin discloses receiving, by the account management device and from one of the multiple distributed account management network devices, a request for an additional consumption limit (488/414) from the shared consumption plan (Step 254, request to add more data to increase the data limit, Fig 30 further shows pre-authorized usage limits for multiple users using a common usage tracker for a share plan) [0208, 0372, 0264];
allocating, to the one of the multiple distributed account management network devices and by the account management device, the additional consumption limit (Figs. 30-31; adding data to the users tied to the shared plan by adjusting the limit) [0264, 0281]; and
updating, by the account management device, an account balance for the shared consumption plan based on allocating the additional consumption limit (Figs. 30-31; displaying real-time tracking, updated, monitoring of the usage and usage limit/balance info) [0004, 0206-208, 0007].
Noureddin also discloses allocating, to multiple distributed account management network devices and by the account management device (18/190/12/52), the pre-authorized consumption limits (usage thresholds) (Fig. 30, 1500, shared plan that shows pre-authorized usage limits for multiple users using a common usage tracker) [0212, 0227, 0281, 0405];
wherein each of the pre-authorized consumption limits is available to multiple user devices associated with the shared consumption plan (Fig. 30, limits for different users that includes a total overall usage limit and the available limits left for each user for the share plan) [0004, 0206-208, 0007, 0400];
Since, all are analogous arts addressing telecommunication techniques use in a network device; Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Rybak with Noureddin to ensure the network can obtain critical information from various data nodes, thus, improving system efficiency.
But Noureddin and Rybak don’t explicitly teach a number of edge network locations;
However, Panikkar discloses a number of edge network locations that will provide service for the shared consumption plan (tracking usage limits on edge locations for the mobile users) [0044-45].
Since, all are analogous arts addressing telecommunication techniques use in a network device; Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Rybak, as modified by Noureddin with Panikkar to ensure the network can actively and accurately predict the usage needs in various edge networks, thus, improving data traffic management.
Claim 11 differs from claim 1 only by the additional recitation of the following limitation, which is also taught by the cited prior arts. Rybak as modified by Noureddin and Panikkar, Noureddin further discloses a system comprising: multiple distributed account management network devices; and a account management device, the account management device including one or more processors (Figs. 2-4) [0221]. All other identical limitations are rejected based on the same rationale as shown above.
Claim 18 differs from claim 1 only by the additional recitation of the following limitation, which is also taught by the cited prior arts. Rybak as modified by Noureddin and Panikkar, Noureddin further discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions executable by at least one processor, the computer-readable medium comprising one or more instructions to cause the at least one processor (Figs. 2-4) [0217-220, 0133]. All other identical limitations are rejected based on the same rationale as shown above.
For claims 2 and 15, Rybak as modified by Noureddin and Panikkar, Noureddin further discloses receiving, by the one of the multiple distributed account management network devices, data usage information for one of the user devices using the shared consumption plan [0206-208, 0007]; and
storing, by the one of the multiple distributed account management network devices, the data usage information [0269-273]. See motivation to combine the references from the above.
For claim 3, Rybak as modified by Noureddin and Panikkar, Noureddin further discloses sending, by the one of the multiple distributed account management network devices, the request for the additional consumption limit when one of the pre-authorized consumption limits reaches an exhaustion threshold (Fig. 31, 1552, request to adjust usage limit that had reached a threshold) [0406, 0281]. See motivation to combine the references from the above.
For claims 4 and 16, Rybak as modified by Noureddin and Panikkar, Noureddin further discloses sending, by the one of the multiple distributed account management network devices, an account usage report on a periodic basis when one of the pre-authorized consumption limits fails to reach an exhaustion threshold (Figs. 30-31; displaying real-time tracking, updated, monitoring of the usage and usage limit/balance info after reaching a threshold) [0004, 0206-208, 0007]. See motivation to combine the references from the above.
For claims 5 and 19, Rybak as modified by Noureddin and Panikkar, Noureddin further discloses the shared consumption plan includes a consumption limit shared among the user devices (Figs. 30-31) [0208, 0372, 0264]. See motivation to combine the references from the above.
For claim 6, 14, and 20, Rybak as modified by Noureddin and Panikkar, Panikkar further discloses the multiple distributed account management network devices are associated with one or more of the edge network locations (tracking edge for the mobile users) [0044-45]. See motivation to combine the references from the above.
For claim 7, Rybak as modified by Noureddin and Panikkar, Noureddin further discloses receiving the request for the additional consumption limit includes receiving the request via a standardized interface between the account management device and the one of the distributed account management network devices (Figs. 30-31; displaying real-time tracking, updated, monitoring of the usage and usage limit/balance info between mobile users) [0004, 0206-208, 0007]. See motivation to combine the references from the above.
For claims 8 and 17, Rybak as modified by Noureddin and Panikkar, Panikkar further discloses calculating, by the account management device, the pre-authorized consumption limit based on predicted usage of edge locations by the user devices in the shared consumption plan (tracking usage limits on edge locations for the mobile users) [0044-45]. See motivation to combine the references from the above.
For claim 9, Rybak as modified by Noureddin and Panikkar, Noureddin further discloses each of the multiple distributed account management network device is included within a regional Converged Charging System (the data connection/charging provider can be a local area network provider) [0212, 0298, 0342]. See motivation to combine the references from the above.
For claim 10, Rybak as modified by Noureddin and Panikkar, Panikkar further discloses allocating the pre-authorized consumption limits includes predicting edge data centers to be used by the user devices on the shared consumption plan [0044-45]. See motivation to combine the references from the above.
For claim 12, Rybak as modified by Noureddin and Panikkar, Rybak further discloses the account management device is included in a core network (Fig. 1) [0025, 0017]. See motivation to combine the references from the above.
For claim 13, Rybak as modified by Noureddin and Panikkar, Noureddin further discloses when updating the account balance, the one or more processors is further to: update a charging data record (CDR) for the shared consumption plan (Record for billing 409) [0263-265]. See motivation to combine the references from the above.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to all the claims have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
In view of amendment, a new rejection using new explanations and/or new reference citations have been used for new ground of rejections.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
Inquiries
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to PAKEE FANG whose telephone number is (571)270-3633. The Examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 9:00AM-5:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the Examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner’s supervisor, Armouche, Hadi can be reached on 571-270-3618. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PAKEE FANG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2409
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