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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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 non-obviousness.
Claim(s) 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Andreli-Fang et al. (US 2017/0359771)(hereafter Andreli) in view of Yunoki et al. (JP2020010226A)(hereafter Yunoki) (see IDS).
Regarding claim 1 , Andreli discloses a network selection system having a network selection device that selects a network which is a connection destination of each user terminal (see, Fig. 1, para [0007]), the network selection system comprising:
a network selection device configured to manage different areas according to position information of a user terminal (see, Fig. 1, network selection decision engine, 20, para [0007], The mobile device 18 may include a network selection decision engine 20 configured to assess performance parameters broadcasted by the various networks 12, 14, 16 prior to deciding which one or more of the wireless networks 12, 14, 16 should be connected to in order to support the desired wireless service flows, [0010] The network selection decision engine 20 may be configured in accordance with the present invention to facilitate assigning each required wireless service flow to one or more of the available wireless networks 12, 14, 16, [0014], The ability of the mobile device 18 to assess the capabilities of each of the plurality of wireless networks 12, 14, 16 prior to actually connecting to the wireless networks 12, 14, 16 may be beneficial in allowing the mobile device 18 to selectively choose an appropriate one or more of the wireless networks 12, 14, 16 to support one or more of the desired service flows in advance of actually connecting to the corresponding network 12, 14, 16).
But, does not explicitly disclose plurality of network selection devices and each network selection device notifies a user terminal present in an area managed by the device itself of an address on a network of the network selection device that manages an area of a movement destination of the user terminal based on the position information notified from the user terminal.
However, in same field of endeavor, Yunoki, para [0011] (6) One aspect of the present invention provides a communication service system having a plurality of edge host areas in which an edge host server having a function of providing a service to a terminal device is provided. Device, wherein when the terminal device moves between the edge host areas by handover between radio base stations, the terminal device, the edge host server receiving the provision of the service, the edge host area of the movement source of the edge host area A server switching notification unit that performs a server switching notification for switching from the edge host server to the edge host server in the destination edge host area of the movement destination. [0065], [0083], [0097]-[0110] teaches mobile edge computing in which functions of a host server for providing application services to terminal devices are distributed across a plurality of edge host areas. An edge host 1 is provided with a server switchover notification unit; the server switchover notification unit performs a server switchover notification (S304, S109c) for switching an edge host server, from which a terminal device UE moving between edge host areas is provided with a service, from the edge host 1 of an origin edge host area to an edge host 2 of a destination edge host area; and the server switchover notification comprises the IP address of the switchover destination edge host 2. Service HO processing, where a service provision state is handed over from the edge host 1 to the edge host 2, is performed, wherein the service HO processing is processing to hand over the service provision state of a service that the edge host server of the origin edge host area is providing to the terminal device UE from the edge host server of the origin edge host area to the edge host server of the destination edge host area in such a manner that the edge host server of the destination edge host area is able to provide the service to the terminal device UE without interruption, here edge host servers in different area performing handover of UE and connecting network to the UE after movement hence, multiple servers are to be interpreted as multiple network selection devices as mobile terminal after handover will connect to the network of that edge host server. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Yunoki with Andreli, as a whole, so as to switch the network based on the position of the mobile terminal, so that the edge host server of the destination edge host area is able to provide the service to the terminal device UE without interruption.
Regarding claim 2, the combined teachings further disclose the network selection system, wherein each network selection device transfers terminal information of the corresponding user terminal to the network selection device that manages the area of the movement destination of the user terminal (Andreli, see, Fig. 1, network selection decision engine, 20, para [0007], The mobile device 18 may include a network selection decision engine 20 configured to assess performance parameters broadcasted by the various networks 12, 14, 16 prior to deciding which one or more of the wireless networks 12, 14, 16 should be connected to in order to support the desired wireless service flows, [0010] The network selection decision engine 20 may be configured in accordance with the present invention to facilitate assigning each required wireless service flow to one or more of the available wireless networks 12, 14, 16, [0014], The ability of the mobile device 18 to assess the capabilities of each of the plurality of wireless networks 12, 14, 16 prior to actually connecting to the wireless networks 12, 14, 16 may be beneficial in allowing the mobile device 18 to selectively choose an appropriate one or more of the wireless networks 12, 14, 16 to support one or more of the desired service flows in advance of actually connecting to the corresponding network 12, 14, 16)), and
the network selection device that manages the area of the movement destination of the user terminal determines a network to be connected to the user terminal in the area managed by the device itself by using the acquired terminal information of the user terminal (see, Yunoki, para [0011] (6) One aspect of the present invention provides a communication service system having a plurality of edge host areas in which an edge host server having a function of providing a service to a terminal device is provided. Device, wherein when the terminal device moves between the edge host areas by handover between radio base stations, the terminal device, the edge host server receiving the provision of the service, the edge host area of the movement source of the edge host area A server switching notification unit that performs a server switching notification for switching from the edge host server to the edge host server in the destination edge host area of the movement destination. [0065], [0083], [0097]-[0110] teaches mobile edge computing in which functions of a host server for providing application services to terminal devices are distributed across a plurality of edge host areas. An edge host 1 is provided with a server switchover notification unit; the server switchover notification unit performs a server switchover notification (S304, S109c) for switching an edge host server, from which a terminal device UE moving between edge host areas is provided with a service, from the edge host 1 of an origin edge host area to an edge host 2 of a destination edge host area; and the server switchover notification comprises the IP address of the switchover destination edge host 2. Service HO processing, where a service provision state is handed over from the edge host 1 to the edge host 2, is performed, wherein the service HO processing is processing to hand over the service provision state of a service that the edge host server of the origin edge host area is providing to the terminal device UE from the edge host server of the origin edge host area to the edge host server of the destination edge host area in such a manner that the edge host server of the destination edge host area is able to provide the service to the terminal device UE without interruption).
Regarding claim 3, Andreli discloses a network selection method wherein in a network selection system having a network selection device that selects a network which is a connection destination of each user terminal, the network selection system includes a plurality of network selection devices configured to manage different areas according to position information of a user terminal (see, Fig. 1, network selection decision engine, 20, para [0007], The mobile device 18 may include a network selection decision engine 20 configured to assess performance parameters broadcasted by the various networks 12, 14, 16 prior to deciding which one or more of the wireless networks 12, 14, 16 should be connected to in order to support the desired wireless service flows, [0010] The network selection decision engine 20 may be configured in accordance with the present invention to facilitate assigning each required wireless service flow to one or more of the available wireless networks 12, 14, 16, [0014], The ability of the mobile device 18 to assess the capabilities of each of the plurality of wireless networks 12, 14, 16 prior to actually connecting to the wireless networks 12, 14, 16 may be beneficial in allowing the mobile device 18 to selectively choose an appropriate one or more of the wireless networks 12, 14, 16 to support one or more of the desired service flows in advance of actually connecting to the corresponding network 12, 14, 16),
But does not disclose each network selection device notifies a user terminal present in an area managed by the device itself of an address on a network of the network selection device that manages an area of a movement destination of the user terminal based on the position information notified from the user terminal.
However, in same field of endeavor, Yunoki, para [0011] (6) One aspect of the present invention provides a communication service system having a plurality of edge host areas in which an edge host server having a function of providing a service to a terminal device is provided. Device, wherein when the terminal device moves between the edge host areas by handover between radio base stations, the terminal device, the edge host server receiving the provision of the service, the edge host area of the movement source of the edge host area A server switching notification unit that performs a server switching notification for switching from the edge host server to the edge host server in the destination edge host area of the movement destination. [0065], [0083], [0097]-[0110] teaches mobile edge computing in which functions of a host server for providing application services to terminal devices are distributed across a plurality of edge host areas. An edge host 1 is provided with a server switchover notification unit; the server switchover notification unit performs a server switchover notification (S304, S109c) for switching an edge host server, from which a terminal device UE moving between edge host areas is provided with a service, from the edge host 1 of an origin edge host area to an edge host 2 of a destination edge host area; and the server switchover notification comprises the IP address of the switchover destination edge host 2. Service HO processing, where a service provision state is handed over from the edge host 1 to the edge host 2, is performed, wherein the service HO processing is processing to hand over the service provision state of a service that the edge host server of the origin edge host area is providing to the terminal device UE from the edge host server of the origin edge host area to the edge host server of the destination edge host area in such a manner that the edge host server of the destination edge host area is able to provide the service to the terminal device UE without interruption, here edge host servers in different area performing handover of UE and connecting network to the UE after movement hence, multiple servers are to be interpreted as multiple network selection devices as mobile terminal after handover will connect to the network of that edge host server. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Yunoki with Andreli, as a whole, so as to switch the network based on the position of the mobile terminal, so that the edge host server of the destination edge host area is able to provide the service to the terminal device UE without interruption.
Regarding claims 4 and 5, Andreli discloses a network selection device that selects a network which is a connection destination of a user terminal, wherein a predetermined area is managed according to position information of a user terminal (see, Fig. 1, network selection decision engine, 20, para [0007], The mobile device 18 may include a network selection decision engine 20 configured to assess performance parameters broadcasted by the various networks 12, 14, 16 prior to deciding which one or more of the wireless networks 12, 14, 16 should be connected to in order to support the desired wireless service flows, [0010] The network selection decision engine 20 may be configured in accordance with the present invention to facilitate assigning each required wireless service flow to one or more of the available wireless networks 12, 14, 16, [0014], The ability of the mobile device 18 to assess the capabilities of each of the plurality of wireless networks 12, 14, 16 prior to actually connecting to the wireless networks 12, 14, 16 may be beneficial in allowing the mobile device 18 to selectively choose an appropriate one or more of the wireless networks 12, 14, 16 to support one or more of the desired service flows in advance of actually connecting to the corresponding network 12, 14, 16), and
Andreoli further discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions that, upon execution of the instructions by a processor of a computer, cause the computer to function as the network selection device according to claim 5 (see, para [0010]).
But does not disclose a user terminal present in an area managed by the device itself is notified of an address on a network of the network selection device that manages an area of a movement destination of the user terminal based on the position information notified from the user terminal.
However, in same field of endeavor, Yunoki, para [0011] (6) One aspect of the present invention provides a communication service system having a plurality of edge host areas in which an edge host server having a function of providing a service to a terminal device is provided. Device, wherein when the terminal device moves between the edge host areas by handover between radio base stations, the terminal device, the edge host server receiving the provision of the service, the edge host area of the movement source of the edge host area A server switching notification unit that performs a server switching notification for switching from the edge host server to the edge host server in the destination edge host area of the movement destination. [0065], [0083], [0097]-[0110] teaches mobile edge computing in which functions of a host server for providing application services to terminal devices are distributed across a plurality of edge host areas. An edge host 1 is provided with a server switchover notification unit; the server switchover notification unit performs a server switchover notification (S304, S109c) for switching an edge host server, from which a terminal device UE moving between edge host areas is provided with a service, from the edge host 1 of an origin edge host area to an edge host 2 of a destination edge host area; and the server switchover notification comprises the IP address of the switchover destination edge host 2. Service HO processing, where a service provision state is handed over from the edge host 1 to the edge host 2, is performed, wherein the service HO processing is processing to hand over the service provision state of a service that the edge host server of the origin edge host area is providing to the terminal device UE from the edge host server of the origin edge host area to the edge host server of the destination edge host area in such a manner that the edge host server of the destination edge host area is able to provide the service to the terminal device UE without interruption, here edge host servers in different area performing handover of UE and connecting network to the UE after movement hence, multiple servers are to be interpreted as multiple network selection devices as mobile terminal after handover will connect to the network of that edge host server. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Yunoki with Andreli, as a whole, so as to switch the network based on the position of the mobile terminal, so that the edge host server of the destination edge host area is able to provide the service to the terminal device UE without interruption.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Unger et al. (US 8073441) discloses location based network selection method for a mobile device.
Uchida et al. (US 2008/0233951) discloses monitoring apparatus selectable optimum wireless communication method.
Niass et al. (US 2013/0005391) discloses intelligent network selection.
Karandikar et al. (US 10433234) discloses SDN controlled overlay network.
Sun (US2021/0250889) discloses network registration and network selection parameter.
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/DHAVAL V PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2631