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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(b) the invention was patented or described in a printed publication in this or a foreign country or in public use or on sale in this country, more than one year prior to the date of application for patent in the United States.
Claims [1,3-7,9-12,14-15, and 17] are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a) as being anticipated by Chiba (US 20210084529 A1).
In regards to claims 1 and 12, Chiba teaches a first User Equipment, UE, for applying policy enforcement for data traffic in an Uplink, UL, session, which UL data session is from the first UE to a data network via a Radio Access Network, RAN, a Core Network, CN , and a first Network Slice, NS, in a radio communications network (100), [0335] Here, the 12th to the 15th behaviors may be congestion control initiated and performed by the UE_A 10 based on rules and/or policies within the UE_A 10. Specifically, for example, the UE_A 10 may include, in a storage unit and/or a controller within the UE_A 10, a policy (UE policy) and/or a rule, a management function of the policy and/or the rule, a policy enforcer that causes the UE_A 10 to operate based on the policy and/or the rule, one or more applications, and a session management instances (session manager) for managing one or more PDU sessions to be established or attempted to be established based on a request from each application, and may implement congestion control initiated by the UE_A 10 by performing any of the 12th to the 15th behaviors as the fourth process based on the above elements, the method comprising: obtaining first information from a CN node in the CN, which first information relates to: - policy enforcement data for the first NS, [0010] A User Equipment (UE) includes a controller configured to start a timer with a back-off timer value in a case that the UE receives the back-off timer value and a cause value to start the timer for a Single Network Slice Selection Assistance Information (S-NSSAI) based congestion control on a per S-NSSAI basis, and - data traffic from second UEs via the RAN, the CN and second NSs, which data traffic information relates to a radio coverage area associated with the location of the first UE , [0149] The first congestion control in the present embodiment indicates control signal congestion control directed to parameters of the DNN. For example, in a case that congestion on a DNN #A is detected on an NW and the NW recognizes it as a UE-initiated session management request directed to parameters only of the DNN #A, the NW can apply the first congestion control, upon establishing the UL data session, measuring data traffic performance and radio conditions in the RAN, [0173] A 15th behavior in the present embodiment may be a behavior of performing, by the UE_A 10, first identification process to identify which type of congestion control to apply among the congestion controls from the first congestion control to the fourth congestion control and second identification process to identify the DNN and/or the S-NSSAI associated with the congestion control to be applied, predicting available resources for transmitting data from the first UE towards the data network via the RAN , the CN, and the first NS, based on the obtained first information, the measured data traffic performance and radio conditions in the RAN , [0140] A first timer in the present embodiment is a timer to initiate a procedure for session management, such as a PDU session establishment procedure, and/or to manage transmission of an Session Management (SM) message such as a PDU session establishment request message, and may be information indicating a value of a back-off timer for managing session management behaviors. Hereinafter, the first timer and/or the back-off timer may be referred to as a timer. While the first timer is running, the initiation of the procedure for session management and/or the transmission and/or reception of the SM message of each apparatus may be prohibited and applying policy enforcement for the data traffic in the UL data session based on the prediction. [0161] In more detail, a PDU session of which a new PDU session establishment request in the third behavior is not transmitted may be a PDU session to which congestion control associated with the first timer is applied. More specifically, the third behavior may be a behavior of transmitting no new PDU session establishment request of a PDU session, the PDU session being connectivity depending on a type of congestion control associated with the first timer and using the DNN and/or the S-NSSAI associated with the congestion control.
In regards to claim 3, Chiba teaches wherein the policy enforcement data for the first NS comprises any one or more out of: - location information of the first UE , - a QoS priority level to use, - maximum throughput to use in the first and/or second area, - a time of day which policy enforcement to use, - if the policy enforcement activated or not. [0171] A 13th behavior in the present embodiment may be a behavior of managing, by the UE, a timer based on priority management rules for back-off timers in a case that a plurality of different congestion controls are activated for one or a plurality of PDU session establishments by the same UE and a plurality of timers are provided from the network.
In regards to claim 4 and 14, Chiba teaches obtaining from the CN node a command to start or stop the process for predicting available resources, [0220] A 16th behavior in the present embodiment is a behavior of stopping the first timer, by the UE, in a case that the NW-initiated session management procedure is performed with the first timer activated, and applying policy enforcement for the data traffic in the UL data session based on the prediction. [0222] The 17th behavior in the present embodiment may be a behavior of identifying, by the UE, congestion control of which application is to be stopped among one or more congestion controls that the UE is applying based on the reception of a control message transmitted by the core network.
In regards to claim 7 and 15 Chiba teaches a Core Network, CN, node, for assisting a first User Equipment, UE, in applying policy enforcement for data traffic in an Uplink, UL, session, which UL data session is from the first UE to a data network via a Radio Access Network, RAN, a Core Network, CN and a first Network Slice, NS, in a radio communications network , [0325] As described above, the core network_B 190 transmits a PDU session reject message to notify the UE_A 10 of congestion control to be applied. Note that the core network_B 190 thus may notify the application of the congestion control to the UE_A 10, and/or indication to the UE_A 10 that the congestion control is to be performed, and/or information for identifying the type of congestion control to be applied, the method comprising: collecting policy enforcement data for the first NS, [0292] More particularly, the UE_A 10 may associate the first identification information with the second identification information and transmit them to request establishment of a PDU session belonging to a network slice in a PDU session established for a DN identified with the second identification information, to indicate a network slice to which the PDU session belongs requested by the UE_A 10, or to indicate a network slice to which the PDU session is to belong, collecting information relating to data traffic from second UEs via the RAN , the CN and second NSs, which data traffic information relates to a radio coverage area associated with the location of the first UE, [0149] The first congestion control in the present embodiment indicates control signal congestion control directed to parameters of the DNN. For example, in a case that congestion on a DNN #A is detected on an NW and the NW recognizes it as a UE-initiated session management request directed to parameters only of the DNN #A, the NW can apply the first congestion control, assisting the first UE, by sending a first information to the first UE , which first information relates to the collected: - policy enforcement data for the specific NS, and - data traffic from the second UEs via the RAN, the CN and second NSs, [0316] Here, the SMF_A 230 may include one or more pieces of identification information among the 11th identification information to the 18th identification information in the PDU session establishment reject message, or may indicate that a request of the UE_A 10 has been rejected by including these pieces of identification information, which sent information assists the first UE to predict available resources for transmitting data traffic in the UL data session based on the sent information, and apply the policy enforcement for the data traffic in the UL data session based on the prediction [0342] Furthermore, in the fourth process, processing may be performed to identify which type of congestion control to be applied among the congestion controls from the first congestion control to the fourth congestion control and to identify the DNN and/or the S-NSSAI associated with the congested management to be applied based on one or more pieces of identification information among pieces of identification information from the 11th identification information to the 18th identification information.
In regards to claim 9 and 17, Chiba teaches sending to the first UE, a command to start the process for predicting available resources, and applying policy enforcement for the data traffic in the UL data session based on the prediction. [0360] Specifically, the apparatus in the core network_B 190 transmits a network-initiated session management request message to the UE_A (S1202). Here, the apparatus in the core network_B 190 may include the 21st identification information in the network-initiated session management request message, or may indicate a request of the core network_B 190 by including the identification information.
In regards to claim 10, Chiba teaches a computer program comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform actions according to any of the claims 7-9. [0371] A program running on an apparatus according to the present invention may serve as a program that controls a Central Processing Unit (CPU) and the like to cause a computer to operate in such a manner as to implement the functions of the above-described embodiment according to the present invention.
In regards to claim 11, Chiba teaches a carrier comprising the computer program of claim 10, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, an optical signal, an electromagnetic signal, a magnetic signal, an electric signal, a radio signal, a microwave signal, or a computer- readable storage medium. [0372] Note that a program for implementing such functions of the embodiment according to the present invention may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. This configuration may be implemented by causing a computer system to read the program recorded on the recording medium for execution.
Claim [2,8,13 and 16] is rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 as being unpatentable over Chiba (US 20210084529 A1) in view of Yami (US 20200367109 A1)
In regards to claims 2, 8, 13 and 16 Chiba teach the limitations of the parent claims.
Chiba also teaches when the first UE is moving into a second location, [0265] The UE_A 10 may initiate the present procedure at a time when the UE_A 10 applies mobility across TAs. In other words, the UE_A 10 may initiate the present procedure at a time when the UE_A 10 moves to a TA different from the TA indicated on a TA list that the UE_A 10 holds, obtaining second information from the CN node in the CN [0086] In a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, receiving the network-slice information is specifically: receiving the network-slice information from a core-network node, an access-network node, and/or a network administration-and-management entity,
Chiba does not teach obtaining second information from the CN node in the CN , which second information relates to: - data traffic from second UEs via the RAN the CN and second NSs, which data traffic information relates to a radio coverage area associated with the second location of the first UE when being located in the second area, measuring data traffic performance and radio conditions in the RAN, predicting second available resources for transmitting data from the first UE towards the data network via the RAN , the CN, and the first NS, based on the policy enforcement data for the first NS obtained in the first information, the obtained second information, the data traffic performance and radio conditions in the RAN measured when being located in the second area, and reapplying policy enforcement for the data traffic in the UL data session based on the prediction of the second available resources.
However Yami does teach which second information relates to: data traffic from second UEs via the RAN, the CN and second NSs, which data traffic information relates to a radio coverage area associated with the second location of the first UE , [0089] In a specific embodiment of the present disclosure, the access-network node is a base station including a centralized unit (CU) and a distributed unit (DU). Receiving the network-slice information is specifically: receiving network-slice information from a core network by the centralized unit; and/or receiving network-slice information from a neighboring access-network node by the centralized unit; and/or receiving network-slice information from the network administration-and-management entity by the centralized unit and/or the distributed unit, when being located in the second area, measuring data traffic performance and radio conditions in the RAN , [0156] a network-slice packet-error-rate index of a network slice; if a requirement on the packet-error-rate index is low, the DU can reduce a packet transmission delay by reducing retransmission and queuing; e) a reflection quality-of-service indicator (RQI) of a network slice, which is a parameter at a slice level, predicting second available resources for transmitting data from the first UE towards the data network via the RAN, the CN and the first NS, [0150] the access network may make a decision on whether mapping of an uplink QoS traffic flow to a DRB (Data Radio Bearer) is determined by referring to a mapping mode of the same downlink QoS traffic flow, that is, whether the access network also adopts the quality-of-service reflection mode based on the policy enforcement data for the first NS obtained in the first information, the obtained second information, the data traffic performance and radio conditions in the RAN measured when being located in the second area, [0156] when the indicator is 1, it indicates that all QoS traffic flows of the user adopt quality-of-service reflection; information from CN, i.e., mapping of an uplink IP traffic flow to a QoS traffic flow, is determined by referring to a mapping mode of a same downlink IP traffic flow and reapplying policy enforcement for the data traffic in the UL data session based on the prediction of the second available resources. [0150] network-slice notification control information, which indicates that for a specific session of a network slice, if the DU is incapable of meeting a demand of the session, incapability of the DU needs to be fed back to a CU, and if a capability of the DU is recovered, the CU is informed of this capability again, wherein the notification control information at a slice level herein describes that for any session or any traffic flow inside the network slice.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, having the teachings of Chiba and Yami before him or her, to modify the method of Chiba to include policy enforcement as taught by Yami.
The motivation for doing so would be to improve core network QoS. (Paragraph 0129 by Yami).
Response to Argument
Applicant’s arguments filed on 06/23/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The applicant essentially argues with respect to claim 1 on page 4 of the remark’s files on 06/23/2025 that “Chiba [0140] fails to teach “predicting available resources for transmitting data from the first UE towards the data network via the RAN, the CN , and the first NS, based on the obtained first information, the measured data traffic performance and radio conditions in the RAN, and applying policy enforcement for the data traffic in the UL data session based on the prediction””.
However, the examiner respectfully disagrees.
In response to applicant’s argument, it is noted that the feature “predicting available resources for transmitting data from the first UE towards the data network via the RAN, the CN , and the first NS, based on the obtained first information, the measured data traffic performance and radio conditions in the RAN, and applying policy enforcement for the data traffic in the UL data session based on the prediction” is included in [0140] and further explained in 0149 “ A first timer in the present embodiment is a timer to initiate a procedure for session management, such as a PDU session establishment procedure, and/or to manage transmission of an Session Management (SM) message such as a PDU session establishment request message, and may be information indicating a value of a back-off timer for managing session management behaviors. Hereinafter, the first timer and/or the back-off timer may be referred to as a timer. While the first timer is running, the initiation of the procedure for session management and/or the transmission and/or reception of the SM message of each apparatus may be prohibited” and “ The first congestion control in the present embodiment indicates control signal congestion control directed to parameters of the DNN. For example, in a case that congestion on a DNN #A is detected on an NW and the NW recognizes it as a UE-initiated session management request directed to parameters only of the DNN #A, the NW can apply the first congestion control.” Paragraph 0140 shows a predictive resource management mechanism with a back off timer and 0149 describes a congestion control based on detected network conditions which includes resource utilization measurements and together its shows a system that measure network performance to detect congestion and predict resource availability through the timer mechanisms and enforces policies.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHEHAB A ALAWDI whose telephone number is (571)270-3203. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, [ Hamza, Faruk ] can be reached at [ (571) 272-7969 ]. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SHEHAB A ALAWDI/Examiner, Art Unit 2466
/JAY P PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2466