DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
This is in response to Applicants Request for Continued Examination (RCE) filed 01/16/2026 which has been entered. Claims 1-4, 6, 8-11, 13-15, 17, 18 and 20 have been amended. Claims 5, 16 and 19 have been cancelled. Claims 21-23 have been added. Claims 1-4, 6-15, 17, 18 and 20-23 are still pending in this application, with Claims 1, 8 and 14 being independent.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to Claim(s) 1-4, 6, 8-11, 13-15, 17, 18 and 20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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) 1-4, 6-15, 17, 18 and 20-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jagannatha et al (10,602,422 B1) in view of Guduru et al (2023/0284089 A1).
As per Claim 1, Jagannatha teaches a method comprising: determining a traffic descriptor element of a user equipment routing selection policy (URSP) for traffic based at least in part on an application associated with the traffic or a service type associated with the traffic, the traffic descriptor element including an indication of connection capabilities; and generating a communication for transmission, the communication including an indication of the traffic descriptor element (Figure 3; Abstract; Column 8, Line 22 – Column 9, Line 38).
(Note: In the abstract Jagannatha describes a device that uses an application policy handler [APH] to determine based on the type of data session a user equipment route selection policy [URSP] rule associated with the utilized application. The device identifies a network slice specified by the USRP rule and establishes a data session using the network slice and the data network specified by the identified USRP rule)
(Note: In Column 8, Lines 22-52; Jagannatha describes a plurality of URSP rules, wherein each rule specifies one or more traffic descriptors and one or more route selection descriptors. Jagannatha indicates traffic descriptors may identify an application type associated with the application [i.e. productivity, streaming media, social media, etc.]. This allows the APH to navigate URSP rules to identify the traffic descriptors associated with individual URSP rules. Jagannatha also indicates route parameters may include among other things: an SSC mode parameter, network slice parameter, data network parameter, access type parameter, etc.)
Jagannatha does not teach a real-time interactive traffic descriptor element. However, Guduru does teach a real-time interactive traffic descriptor element (Figure 6 – Reference 601, 603 and 605; Page 1, Paragraphs [0013] – [0015]; Page 2, Paragraph [0019]; Page 4, Paragraphs [0036] and [0038]). (Note: In paragraphs [0013] – [0015], Guduru describes the dynamic adjustment of maximum transmission unit [MTU] parameters in a network [e.g. wireless network])
(Note: In paragraph [0014], Guduru describes adjusting MTU size for different QoS parameters, Service Level Agreements [SLAs], network slices, traffic or application type [e.g. voice traffic, content streaming, data traffic, etc.], terminal location, and/or other factors. In paragraph [0015], Guduru indicates that adjusting MTU parameters optimize efficiency and/or help make it possible top achieve QoS thresholds and comply with SLAs. Guduru also indicates adjusting MTU parameters reduce fragmentation, reduces the number of dropped packets or other errors)
(Note: In paragraph [0019], Guduru indicates communication sessions may be a protocol data unit [PDU] session, an Internet Protocol [IP] session, a Transmission Control Protocol [TCP] session, etc. Guduru also indicates requested communication sessions may be associated with one or more network slices, SLAs, QoS parameters which may specify or indicate particular performance metrics, thresholds, goals [e.g. throughput, latency, etc.] for the requested session)
(Note: In paragraph [0022], Guduru indicates that QoS parameters may be based on performance thresholds, traffic or application type; and that QoS parameters may be determined based on models/mappings to terminal information, network slice information, session information or other information)
(Note: In paragraph [0036], Guduru describes traffic type as including traffic types, categories, classification or labels associated with particular traffic types [i.e. voice call, data, content streaming] and indicates it may include or be based on URSP rules. In paragraphs [0038] and [0039], Guduru describes slice, SLA, QoS identifiers)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught by Jagannatha with the method taught by Guduru to enable user equipment [UE] to select the best or most appropriate network slice for specific applications without relying on manually configuration, optimizing overall performance of the network – i.e. a user terminal selecting a low latency slice for gaming while using a standard latency slice for background updates.
As per Claims 2-4, the combination of Jagannatha and Guduru teaches wherein the real-time interactive traffic descriptor element is determined based at least in part on URSP rules; wherein determining the real-time interactive traffic descriptor element for the traffic includes determining the real-time interactive traffic descriptor element based at least in part on the application associated with the traffic; and wherein the application associated with the traffic includes a real time interactive application as described in Claim 1.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught by Jagannatha with the method taught by Guduru to enable user equipment [UE] to select the best or most appropriate network slice for specific applications without relying on manually configuration, optimizing overall performance of the network – i.e. a user terminal selecting a low latency slice for gaming while using a standard latency slice for background updates.
As per Claim 6, the combination of Jagannatha and Guduru teaches wherein the real-time interactive traffic descriptor element indicates a routing for the traffic as described in Claim 1. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught by Jagannatha with the method taught by Guduru to enable user equipment [UE] to select the best or most appropriate network slice for specific applications without relying on manually configuration, optimizing overall performance of the network – i.e. a user terminal selecting a low latency slice for gaming while using a standard latency slice for background updates.
As per Claim 7, Jagannatha teaches wherein the communication is to be transmitted prior to transmission of the traffic as described in Claim 1. (Note: As described in the abstract, a communication device receives a request for a data session and proceeds to evaluate URSP rules to determine which actions to take. Having identified the actions required a communication including the transmission descriptor element is sent prior to the actual traffic is transmitted as the parameters must be know prior to the traffic transmission per the URSP rule)
As per Claim 8, the combination of Jagannatha and Guduru teaches a method as described in Claim 1. Jagannatha also teaches processing circuitry (Figure 5 – Reference 520; Column 11, Lines 29-55) to: determine a real-time interactive traffic descriptor element of a user equipment routing selection policy (URSP) for traffic based at least in part on at least one QoS attribute associated with the traffic, the real-time interactive traffic descriptor element including an indication of connection capabilities (Jagannatha: Column 8, Line 22 – Column 9, Line 38).
The combination of Jagannatha and Guduru also teaches generate a communication for transmission, the communication including an indication of the real-time interactive traffic descriptor element; and interface circuitry coupled with the processing circuitry, the interface circuitry to transmit the communication (Jagannatha: Figure 5 – References 510 and 570; Column 11, Lines 40-55; Column 12, Lines 7-19).
(Note: In Column 9, Lines 32-38; Jagannatha describes URSP rules specifying route selection description priority. In Column 6, Lines 1-10; Jagannatha indicates communication service priorities may be determined based on performance requirements for the application and may include latency, throughput, reliability of the like [i.e. QoS requirements])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method and apparatus taught by Jagannatha with the method and apparatus taught by Guduru to enable user equipment [UE] to select the best or most appropriate network slice for specific applications without relying on manually configuration, optimizing overall performance of the network – i.e. a user terminal selecting a low latency slice for gaming while using a standard latency slice for background updates.
As per Claim 9, the combination of Jagannatha and Guduru teaches wherein the at least one QoS attribute includes a latency attribute, and wherein the real-time interactive traffic descriptor element includes a low latency indicator for the traffic based at least in part on the latency attribute as described in Claims 1and 8.
(Note: The prioritization based on application type described by Jagannatha [i.e. streaming media application versus productivity application]. The latency requirement associated with a productivity application versus what is required for streaming media is significant and is considered when examining the URSP rules)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method and apparatus taught by Jagannatha with the method and apparatus taught by Guduru to enable user equipment [UE] to select the best or most appropriate network slice for specific applications without relying on manually configuration, optimizing overall performance of the network – i.e. a user terminal selecting a low latency slice for gaming while using a standard latency slice for background updates.
As per Claim 10, the combination of Jagannatha and Guduru teaches wherein the real-time interactive traffic descriptor element includes an QoS indicator for the traffic based at least in part on the at least one QoS attribute as described in Claims 1, 8 and 9. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method and apparatus taught by Jagannatha with the method and apparatus taught by Guduru to enable user equipment [UE] to select the best or most appropriate network slice for specific applications without relying on manually configuration, optimizing overall performance of the network – i.e. a user terminal selecting a low latency slice for gaming while using a standard latency slice for background updates.
As per Claims 11 and 12, the combination of Jagannatha and Guduru teaches wherein the real-time interactive traffic descriptor element indicates a routing for the traffic; and wherein the communication is to be transmitted prior to transmission of the traffic as described in Claims 6 and 7 respectively.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method and apparatus taught by Jagannatha with the method and apparatus taught by Guduru to enable user equipment [UE] to select the best or most appropriate network slice for specific applications without relying on manually configuration, optimizing overall performance of the network – i.e. a user terminal selecting a low latency slice for gaming while using a standard latency slice for background updates.
As per Claim 13, the combination of Jagannatha and Guduru teaches wherein to determine the real-time interactive traffic descriptor element for the traffic includes to determine the real-time interactive traffic descriptor element based at least in part on an application associated with the traffic as described in Claim 1.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method and apparatus taught by Jagannatha with the method and apparatus taught by Guduru to enable user equipment [UE] to select the best or most appropriate network slice for specific applications without relying on manually configuration, optimizing overall performance of the network – i.e. a user terminal selecting a low latency slice for gaming while using a standard latency slice for background updates.
As per Claim 14, the combination of Jagannatha and Guduru teaches a method as described in Claim 1. The combination of Jagannatha and Guduru also teaches identifying a user equipment (UE) for provision of at least one user equipment route selection policy (URSP) rule related to a real-time interactive traffic descriptor element with an indication of connection capabilities; and generating a message to configure the UE with the at least one URSP rule (Jagannatha: Column 8, Line 22 – Column 9, Line 38).
(Note: In Column 8, Lines 45-67; Jagannatha describes an SSC mode parameter that specifies how a network address [e.g. IP address, port identifier, etc.] assigned to the UE [identifying a UE] as being part of every URSP rule which includes at least one traffic descriptor element with an indication of connection capabilities as described in Claim 1. Additionally, the generating of a message to configure the UE with the at least one URSP rule is also described above in Claim 1.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method and apparatus taught by Jagannatha with the method and apparatus taught by Guduru to enable user equipment [UE] to select the best or most appropriate network slice for specific applications without relying on manually configuration, optimizing overall performance of the network – i.e. a user terminal selecting a low latency slice for gaming while using a standard latency slice for background updates.
As per Claims 15, 17, 18, 20 and 21, the combination of Jagannatha and Guduru teaches wherein the real-time interactive traffic descriptor element is for a real time interactive application associated with a corresponding application; wherein the real-time interactive traffic descriptor element indicates a routing for traffic; wherein the real-time interactive traffic descriptor element is associated with a quality of service (QoS) attribute; wherein the real-time interactive traffic descriptor element defines a latency, loss, and bandwidth for the traffic as described in Claim 1 above.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method and apparatus taught by Jagannatha with the method and apparatus taught by Guduru to enable user equipment [UE] to select the best or most appropriate network slice for specific applications without relying on manually configuration, optimizing overall performance of the network – i.e. a user terminal selecting a low latency slice for gaming while using a standard latency slice for background updates.
As per Claims 22 and 23, the combination of Jagannatha and Guduru teaches wherein the real-time interactive traffic descriptor element indicates that the traffic is to be provided a low level of latency, a normal loss amount, and a low bandwidth amount; and wherein the real-time interactive traffic descriptor element indicates a priority, a packet delay, a packet error rate, a burst volume, or an averaging window for the traffic as described in Claim 1.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method and apparatus taught by Jagannatha with the method and apparatus taught by Guduru to enable user equipment [UE] to select the best or most appropriate network slice for specific applications without relying on manually configuration, optimizing overall performance of the network – i.e. a user terminal selecting a low latency slice for gaming while using a standard latency slice for background updates.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. NIGLEKHU et al (2022/0272620 A1), ASTHANA et al (2022/0124609 A1), Panchal et al (2022/0264540 A1), DAO et al (2019/0394279 A1), DAO et al (2018/0262924 A1), Wang et al (11,071,055 B1), Jagannatha et al (11,606,303 B1), Guduru et al (2023/0284089 A1) and Jagannatha et al (2022/0141713 A1). Each of these describes systems and methods for routing traffic in packet-based networks.
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KHARYE POPE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2693
/KHARYE POPE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2693