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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
Acknowledgement is made of the Response to Election/Restriction filed on December 10, 2025, in which:
Applicant elects Group I, Claims 1-8, without traverse.
Claims 9-20 are withdrawn.
Claims 1-8 are currently pending and an Office action on the merits follows.
Drawings
The drawings submitted on December 15, 2022 have been reviewed and accepted by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claim(s) 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
The claim(s) as a whole recite(s) a mental processes. The claim(s) recite receiving information and acquiring information by a generic computer. Thus, the claim recites an abstract idea.
The limitation of “transmitting, by a first network function device included in a core network, a request for discovery of a unified data management (UDM) device included in the core network” as drafted, is a process that, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind but for the recitation of generic computer components. That is, other than reciting “by a first network function device included in a core network,” nothing in the claim element precludes the step from practically being performed in the mind. For example, but for the “by a first network function device included in a core network” language, “transmitting” in the context of this claim encompasses the user manually speaking or showing the recited information. Similarly, the limitation of “receiving, by the first network function device and based on the request, an indication of: a UDM group identifier associated with the UDM device and a user data repository (UDR) group identifier associated with a UDR device that is associated with the UDM device,” as drafted, is a process that, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind but for the recitation of generic computer components. For example, but for the “by the first network function device” language, “receiving” in the context of this claim encompasses the user hearing or observing the recited information. Furthermore, the limitation of “providing, by the first network function device and to one or more second network function devices included in the core network, access to at least one of the UDM group identifier or the UDR group identifier,” as drafted, is a process that, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind but for the recitation of generic computer components. For example, but for the “by the first network function device” language, “providing” in the context of this claim encompasses the user speaking or showing the recited information. If a claim limitation, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind but for the recitation of generic computer components, then it falls within the “Mental Processes” grouping of abstract ideas. Accordingly, the claim recites an abstract idea.
This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. In particular, the claim only recites one additional element – using a first network function device to perform both the transmitting, receiving, and providing steps. The terminal device in both steps is recited at a high-level of generality (i.e., as a generic terminal device performing a generic computer function of receiving and acquiring information) such that it amounts no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Accordingly, this additional element does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because it does not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. The claim is directed to an abstract idea.
The claim does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional element of using a first network function device to perform transmitting, receiving, and providing amounts to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Mere instructions to apply an exception using a generic computer component cannot provide an inventive concept. The claim is not patent eligible.
Claim(s) 2-8 is/are rejected for at least the same reason(s) set forth in claim 1. That is, claims 2-8 fail to integrate the judicial exception into a practical application and fail to amount to significantly more or an inventive concept for the same reasons set for the in claim 1.
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, and 5-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Pub No.: US-20240015683-A1 (herein “Merono Vazquez”).
Consider claim 1, Merono Vazquez a method, comprising:
transmitting, by a first network function device included in a core network, a request for discovery of a unified data management (UDM) device included in the core network (see Merono Vazquez Fig. 7A, [0077] note In operations 8-10, the AMF 106 needs to contact a UDM 108 to manage the communication device 100 registration. To discover which UDM(s) can serve the request for the related SUPI, the AMF 106 performs a query towards NRF);
receiving, by the first network function device and based on the request, an indication of:
a UDM group identifier associated with the UDM device (see Merono Vazquez Fig. 7A, [0077] note The NRF 112 performs a SUPI lookup, finds the associated GroupID for the SUPI range matching the SUPI, and returns all UDMs which registered the same GroupID. Each UDM instance profile returned indicates (in addition to the GroupID) that the GroupID mapping is hosted in the NRF 112.), and
a user data repository (UDR) group identifier associated with a UDR device that is associated with the UDM device (see Merono Vazquez Fig. 7C, [0083] note In operation 18, when the UDM 108 receives the registration request from the AMF 106, the UDM 108 selects a UDR 110 with the same exact GroupID as the UDM 108. Zero SUPI lookups are performed and the NRF 112 is not contacted at all. Thus, since the UDM 108 belongs to a GroupID, no matter the SUPI received, the UDM 108 selects one of the UDRs 110 having registered in the NRF 112 (as part of the UDR NF profile) with the same GroupID the UDM 108 belongs to. The registration data is stored in the UDR 110. In operation 19, the AMF 106 receives information on the UDR 110 selected by the UDM 108); and
providing, by the first network function device and to one or more second network function devices included in the core network, access to at least one of the UDM group identifier or the UDR group identifier (see Merono Vazquez Fig. 7C, [0104], [0105] note In operation 20, the AMF 106 stores the GroupID as associated to the SUPI-1 as part of the AMF context data for the communication device 100. In operation 21, the process of operations 7-15 are repeated whenever a SUPI not falling within the range of cached ranges in the AMF 106 for the cached Group information is received.).
Consider claim 2, Merono Vazquez teaches wherein transmitting the request for the indication of the UDM device comprises:
transmitting an indication of a subscription permanent identifier (SUPI) associated with a user profile that is associated with a user device, wherein the user profile is assigned to the UDM device, and wherein the SUPI is associated with the UDM group identifier and the UDR group identifier (see Merono Vazquez Fig. 7A, [0077] note To discover which UDM(s) can serve the request for the related SUPI, the AMF 106 performs a query towards NRF. The query includes the target NF type (in this case, UDM) and the SUPI. The NRF 112 performs a SUPI lookup, finds the associated GroupID for the SUPI range matching the SUPI, and returns all UDMs which registered the same GroupID).
Consider claim 5, Merono Vazquez teaches wherein transmitting the request comprises: transmitting the request to a network repository function (NRF) device included in the core network (see Merono Vazquez Fig. 7A, [0077] note In operations 8-10, the AMF 106 needs to contact a UDM 108 to manage the communication device 100 registration. To discover which UDM(s) can serve the request for the related SUPI, the AMF 106 performs a query towards NRF); and wherein receiving the indication of the UDM group identifier and the UDR group identifier comprises: receiving the indication of the UDM group identifier and the UDR group identifier from the NRF device (see Merono Vazquez [0069], [0076] note UDM and UDR grouped together).
Consider claim 6, Merono Vazquez teaches wherein the request explicitly indicates for the NRF device to provide the UDM group identifier and the UDR group identifier (see Merono Vazquez Fig. 7A, [0076], [0077] note The NRF 112 performs a SUPI lookup, finds the associated GroupID for the SUPI range matching the SUPI, and returns all UDMs which registered the same GroupID. Each UDM instance profile returned indicates (in addition to the GroupID) that the GroupID mapping is hosted in the NRF 112 where the UDM and UDR are grouped together).
Consider claim 7, Merono-Vazquez teaches wherein the request explicitly indicates for the NRF device to provide only the UDM group identifier (see Merono Vazquez Fig. 7A, [0077] note The NRF 112 performs a SUPI lookup, finds the associated GroupID for the SUPI range matching the SUPI, and returns all UDMs which registered the same GroupID. Each UDM instance profile returned indicates (in addition to the GroupID) that the GroupID mapping is hosted in the NRF 112).
Consider claim 8, Merono-Vazquez teaches wherein receiving the indication of the UDM group identifier and the UDR group identifier comprises: receiving the UDM group identifier from a network repository function (NRF) device (see Merono Vazquez Fig. 7A, [0077] note The NRF 112 performs a SUPI lookup, finds the associated GroupID for the SUPI range matching the SUPI, and returns all UDMs which registered the same GroupID. Each UDM instance profile returned indicates (in addition to the GroupID) that the GroupID mapping is hosted in the NRF 112); and receiving the UDR group identifier from the UDM device (see Merono Vazquez Fig. 7C, [0083] note operation 18, when the UDM 108 receives the registration request from the AMF 106, the UDM 108 selects a UDR 110 with the same exact GroupID as the UDM 108. Since the UDM 108 belongs to a GroupID, no matter the SUPI received, the UDM 108 selects one of the UDRs 110 having registered in the NRF 112 (as part of the UDR NF profile) with the same GroupID the UDM 108 belongs to. The registration data is stored in the UDR 110. In operation 19, the AMF 106 receives information on the UDR 110 selected by the UDM 108).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Merono Vazquez, and further in view of Pub No.: US-20230164523-A1 (herein “Wu”).
Consider claim 3, Merono Vazquez teaches wherein the first network function device comprises an access and mobility management function (AMF) device (see Merono Vazquez Fig. 7A, note AMF 106).
Merono Vazquez fails to teach wherein providing access to the at least one of the UDM group identifier or the UDR group identifier to the one or more second network function devices comprises: transmitting the indication of the at least one of the UDM group identifier or the UDR group identifier to at least one of: a policy control function (PCF) device, or a session management function (SMF) device. However, Wu explains that the UDM may send a correspondence between the data type and a group identifier to the AMF, and then the AMF sends the correspondence to the PCF, so that the PCF may generate a corresponding policy for the first terminal device to use (see Wu [0254]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Merono Vazquez to include the recited teaching of Wu. Such a modification would improve Merono Vazquez by allowing the PCF to accurately obtain data corresponding to a group to which a terminal device belongs and to further generate a policy of the terminal device (see Wu [0006]).
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Merono Vazquez, and further in view of Pub No.: US-20220124079-A1 (herein “Patil”)
Consider claim 4, Merono Vazquez fails to teach wherein the first network function device comprises an authentication server function (AUSF) device; and wherein providing access to the at least one of the UDM group identifier or the UDR group identifier to the one or more second network function devices comprises: transmitting the indication of the at least one of the UDM group identifier or the UDR group identifier to an access and mobility management function (AMF) device. Patil teaches an AUSF sending discovery request to the NRF for identify a UDM to decode a SUCI to obtain a SUPI to identifying a UDM that handles authentication for the particular SUPI. Upon discovery of the UDM, the AUSF sending the GET SUPI to the UDM before sending the SUPI to the AMF with authentication response (see Patil Fig. 4, Fig. 5, [0044]-[0447]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Merono Vazquez to include the recited teaching of Patil. Such a modification would improve Merono Vazquez by identifying a UDM that handles authentication successfully (see Patil [0046]-[0047])
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARCUS C HAMMONDS whose telephone number is (571)270-3193. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10:00AM-6:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, ALISON T. SLATER can be reached at (571)270-0375. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MARCUS HAMMONDS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647