DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . This Office Action is in response to the submission filed 2025-12-08 (herein referred to as the Reply) where claim(s) 2-10 are pending for consideration.
Election/Restrictions
Claim(s) 1, 47-56 is/are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the Reply.
35 USC §102 - Claim Rejections
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.
Claim(s) is/are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being unpatentable over TR2370040v17 (NPL - 3GPP TR 23.700-40 V17.0.0)
Claim(s) 2
TR2370040v17 teaches
obtaining information that indicates whether a Radio Access Network, RAN, node supports Slice Maximum Bit Rate, S-MBR, enforcement; Clause 6.22.2: " ... Each slice (S-NSSAI) per UE is associated with the following aggregate rate limit QoS parameter: - Slice Maximum Bitrate (SMBR) ... The (R)AN enforces the SMBR ... "; page 115, para. 17-18, clause 6.22.3.0: " ... add SMBR as a new parameter as following. The AMF retrieves the Access and Mobility Subscription data ... Subscribed SMBR is included in Access and Mobility Subscription data ... the AMF sends Subscribed SMBR to the PCF."; page 116, para. 5-9, clause 6.22.3.1: " ... 1-2. The AMF retrieves subscribed SMBR per S-NSSAI from UOM", " ... 3. The AMF may provide ... the subscribed SMBR for each S-NSSAI in the Allowed NSSAI to PCF.") <FIGs. 6.22.3.2-1,3-1,4-1, 6.37.3.1-1,2-1; Section: 6.22.3.x, 6.37.2, 3, 6.43 >
making a determination of whether to apply a mechanism to enforce an S-MBR for one or more Protocol Data Unit, PDU, sessions of a wireless communication device on a network slice in the core network based on whether the RAN node supports S-MBR enforcement as indicated by the obtained information; and information Page 116, para. 5-9, clause 6.22.3.1: " ... 4. The PCF may authorize the subscribed SMBR", " ... 5. If received from PCF, the AMF sends the Authorized SMBR per S-NSSAI to (R)AN when needed. Otherwise, the AMF sends the Subscribed SMBR per S-NSSAI obtained from the UOM to (R)AN ... ") <FIGs. 6.22.3.2-1,3-1,4-1, 6.37.3.1-1,2-1; Section: 6.22.3.x, 6.37.2, 3, 6.43 >
operating in accordance with the determination. (page 116, para. 5-9, clause 6.22.3.1: "… .4. The PCF may authorize the subscribed SMBR and send the dynamic serving network SMBR for each S-NSSAI in the Allowed NSSAI to the AMF”, " ... 5. If received from PCF, the AMF sends the Authorized SMBR per S-NSSAI to (R)AN when needed. Otherwise the AMF sends the Subscribed SMBR per S-NSSAI obtained from the UOM to (R)AN ... ") <FIGs. 6.22.3.2-1,3-1,4-1, 6.37.3.1-1,2-1; Section: 6.22.3.x, 6.37.2, 3, 6.43 >
Claim(s) 3
TR2370040v17 teaches
wherein the core network node is an Access and Mobility Management Function, AMF
Claim(s) 6
TR2370040v17 teaches
wherein the core network node is a Policy and Control Function, PCF. <FIGs. 6.22.3.2-1; Section: 6.22.1 >
Claim(s) 7
TR2370040v17 teaches
wherein obtaining the information comprises receiving a message that comprises information that indicates whether the RAN node supports S-MBR enforcement. In roaming case, the AMF sends Subscribed SMBR to the PCF for authorization. PCF will send the authorized SMBR to the AMF. <FIG. 6.22.2-1, 3-1 Section: 6.22.3.0>
Claim(s) 8
TR2370040v17 teaches
wherein receiving the message comprises receiving the message from an Access and Mobility Management Function, AMF. The AMF retrieves the Access and Mobility Subscription data and other subscription data using Nudm_SDM_Get service operation. Subscribed SMBR is included in Access and Mobility Subscription data (same as Subscribed UE AMBR). In roaming case, the AMF sends Subscribed SMBR to the PCF <FIG. 6.22.2-1, 3-1 Section: 6.22.3.0>
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) is/are indicated as having allowable subject matter and objected to.
Claim(s) 4-5, 9-10
The claim(s) is/are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The claims require either “information that indicates that that RAN node does not support S-MBR enforcement” and “making the determination to not apply the mechanism to enforce S-MBR in the core network.” Closest prior art TR2370040v17 teaches scenarios in which it appears SMBR is always supported and always enforced.
Relevant Cited References
JEONG - US20210105652 teaches a response message including a maximum bit rate (requested NS-AMBR) in units of network slices which is applied by a UPF.
Examiner’s Notes
TR2370040v17 (NPL - 3GPP TR 23.700-40 V17.0.0) was disclosed in IDS submitted 2023-10-10 (NPL citation No. 2).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDRE TACDIRAN whose telephone number is 571-272-1717. The examiner can normally be reached on M-TH, 10-5PM EST. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jeffrey Rutkowski can be reached on 571-270-1215. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANDRE TACDIRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2415