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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 12/05/25, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-20 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Ching-Yu (WO 2022109184 A1) further in view of Qiao (Pub No 20200145538) and newly cited Chen (WO 2021115464 A1).
Regarding claim 1,
The applicant argues that the prior art does not teach the amended limitation regarding the use of a mapping table.
The examiner relies on newly cited Chen which teaches using the mapping table.
All other arguments are fully addressed above.
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) 1-3, 11-13, 16-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ching-Yu (WO 2022109184 A1) further in view of Qiao (Pub No 20200145538) and Chen (WO 2021115464 A1)
Regarding claim 1 and 12 and 16,
Ching-Yu teaches A method comprising:
a memory; one or more network interfaces configured to enable network communication; and One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by one or more computer processors, cause one or more processors coupled to the one or more network interfaces and to the memory, wherein the one or more processors are configured to perform operations including: (see pg. 27 line 16-25)
configuring one or more service function chaining policies in a visiting network for local breakout roaming traffic associated with a user device that has roamed to the visiting network from a home network, by sending one or more service function chaining policies of the home network to the visiting network; and directing the local breakout roaming traffic for the user device in the visiting network to a service function chain determined based on the mapping. (interpreted as In case of roaming with local breakout, the HPLMN shall be able to provide the traffic steering policies and service function chaining policies to the VPLMN providing local breakout with support of service function chaining in which the policies are exchanged via N24 between home policy control function (hPCF) of Home PLMN and visiting policy control function (vPCF) of visiting PLMN, see pg. 12 line 1-5)
However Ching-Yu does not teach mapping the policy of the home network to the visiting network;
Qiao teaches mapping the policy of the home network to the visiting network; (interpreted as the visited charging policy information may be the same as the home charging policy information. As an example, the visited charging policy information may be different from the home charging policy information. As an example, the V-SMF may determine the visited charging method/charging type (e.g. converged charging) based on the home charging method/charging type (e.g. online charging), see para [0276])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the sending of the policy between networks as taught by Ching-Yu with the mapping of the policy between networks as taught by Qiao with the motivation being to use similar/equivalent policies to provide the same services to the user as it moves between networks.
However Ching-Yu in view of Qiao do not teach the mapping includes translating using metadata in a mapping table;
Chen teaches the mapping includes translating using metadata in a mapping table; (interpreted as the roaming mapping table includes a mapping relationship between the subscription NSSAI of the user and the allowed NSSAI of the user, the subscription NSSAI of the user is the NSSAI of the network slice instance subscribed by the user, and the allowed NSSAI of the user includes the NSSAI of the network slice instance that allows the user to access in the first region, see para [0078])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the sending of the mapping as taught by Ching-Yu in view of Qiao with the mapping table as taught by Chen with the motivation being to equate the configuration/policies to the roaming/visiting network.
Regarding claim 2,
Ching-Yu teaches The method of claim 1, wherein configuring includes: a visiting network policy control function obtaining from a home network policy control function the one or more service function chaining policies of the home network. (interpreted as In case of roaming, the HPLMN shall be able to apply traffic steering policies and service function chaining polices for home routed traffic, in which the policies are exchanged via N24 between home policy control function (hPCF) of Home PLMN and visiting policy control function (vPCF) of visiting PLMN, see pg. 11 line 30-35)
Regarding claim 3 and 13 and 17,
Ching-Yu teaches The method of claim 2, wherein mapping includes the visiting network policy control function determining an appropriate service function chain in the visiting network based on a service data flow/application associated with traffic for the user device. (interpreted as In case of roaming, the HPLMN shall be able to apply traffic steering policies and service function chaining polices for home routed traffic, in which the policies are exchanged via N24 between home policy control function (hPCF) of Home PLMN and visiting policy control function (vPCF) of visiting PLMN, see pg. 11 line 30-35)
Regarding claim 11,
Ching-Yu teaches method of claim 1, further comprising: configuring a data management entity in the home network with service function chaining rules for the visiting network that has a roaming agreement in place with the home network for the user device. (interpreted as Example 8 may include the method of example 7 or some other example herein, whereby subject to agreement between network operators of PLMN and SNPN for local breakout, the 5G network enables support of continuing same policy for service function chaining for an application as the UE moves between a PLMN and a SNPN and between SNPNs with local breakout. Example 9 may include the method of example 8 or some other example herein, whereby, for home routed traffic, the Home Service provider of PLMN or SNPN applies traffic steering policies and service function chaining polices for home routed traffic in which the policies are exchanged viaN24 between home policy control function (hPCF) and visiting policy control function (vPCF), see pg. 30 line 29-35)
Claim(s) 4, 14, 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ching-Yu (WO 2022109184 A1) further in view of Qiao (Pub No 20200145538), Chen (WO 2021115464 A1), and Ahmed (Pub No 20230123074)
Regarding claim 4 and 14 and 18,
Ching-Yu teaches The method of claim 3, wherein determining includes identifying the appropriate service function chain in the visiting network. (interpreted as In case of roaming with local breakout, the HPLMN shall be able to provide the traffic steering policies and service function chaining policies to the VPLMN providing local breakout with support of service function chaining in which the policies are exchanged via N24 between home policy control function (hPCF) of Home PLMN and visiting policy control function (vPCF) of visiting PLMN, see pg. 12 line 1-5)
However Ching-Yu does not teach by using the metadata in the mapping table.
Chen teaches by using the metadata in the mapping table, (interpreted as the roaming mapping table includes a mapping relationship between the subscription NSSAI of the user and the allowed NSSAI of the user, the subscription NSSAI of the user is the NSSAI of the network slice instance subscribed by the user, and the allowed NSSAI of the user includes the NSSAI of the network slice instance that allows the user to access in the first region, see para [0078])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the sending of the mapping as taught by Ching-Yu in view of Qiao with the mapping table as taught by Chen with the motivation being to equate the configuration/policies to the roaming/visiting network.
However Ching-Yu in view of QIao and Chen do not teach based on traffic provisioning and conditions in the visiting network.
Ahmed teaches based on traffic provisioning and conditions in the visiting network. (interpreted as The response time can change over the course of successive observations given the dynamics in network conditions, and the ABO-based approaches described herein according to aspects of the disclosed technology can account for these dynamic network conditions and continue to determine the optimal SFC selection despite the changing network conditions, see para [0048]. Also see with each VNF instance having a different capacity depending on the amount of provisioned resources—different SFCs formed from those VNF instances may also have different capacities for handling requests associated with a given network service type, see para [0014])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the system as taught by Ching-Yu in view of Qiao with the mapping of the visiting network parameters as taught by Ahmed with the motivation being to optimize communications by adjusting the SFC according to the visiting network conditions.
Claim(s) 9-10, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ching-Yu (WO 2022109184 A1) further in view of Qiao (Pub No 20200145538), Chen (WO 2021115464 A1), and Purnadi (Pub No 20060141995)
Regarding claim 9 and 20,
Ching-Yu in view of Qiao and Chen teaches The method of claim 1, however does not teach wherein configuring comprises: determining if a new service function chain is deployed and available in the visiting network and not available in the home network; and making the new service function chain in the visiting network available based on a roaming agreement and subscription profile for the user device.
Purnadi teaches wherein configuring comprises: determining if a new service function chain is deployed and available in the visiting network and not available in the home network; (interpreted as The policy in the visited network may be taken into account, for example, if the local policy does not support data encryption, then the new user policy should take that into account, even though the home network of the subscriber may require encryption, see para [0048]) and making the new service function chain in the visiting network available based on a roaming agreement and subscription profile for the user device. (interpreted as Thereafter the access network control server 118 configures a user profile or user policy for the mobile terminal 108. This user profile may be based on the subscriber profile for the mobile terminal obtained from the home network, the roaming agreement between the visited network and the home network, and/or the local policy of the visited network, para [0045)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the system as taught by Ching-Yu in view of Qiao and Chen with the new profile as taught by Purnadi with the motivation being to dynamically generate new profiles to adjust to differences in the visiting network and home network.
Regarding claim 10,
Ching-Yu in view of Qiao and Chen teaches The method of claim 1, however does not teach wherein if no mapping is found to service function chain in the visiting network, configuring comprises configuring a default service function in the visiting network for the user device.
Purnadi teaches wherein if no mapping is found to service function chain in the visiting network, configuring comprises configuring a default service function in the visiting network for the user device. (interpreted as The policy in the visited network may be taken into account, for example, if the local policy does not support data encryption, then the new user policy should take that into account, even though the home network of the subscriber may require encryption, see para [0048])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the system as taught by Ching-Yu in view of Qiao and Chen with the new profile as taught by Purnadi with the motivation being to dynamically generate new profiles to adjust to differences in the visiting network and home network.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 5-8, 15, 19 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.
Regarding claim 5 and 15 and 19,
The prior art does not teach The method of claim 4, wherein the visiting network policy control function further performing mapping of service function chain identifiers to traffic steering identifiers configured in the visiting network.
Regarding claim 6,
The prior art does not teach The method of claim 5, further comprising: the visiting network policy control function providing the traffic steering identifiers to a visiting network session management function; and the visiting network session management function creating a forwarding action rule with a forwarding policy parameters set for the traffic steering identifiers.
Regarding claim 7,
The prior art does not teach The method of claim 6, further comprising: the visiting network session management function configuring a visiting network user plane function based on the forwarding action rule; and the visiting network user plane function using the traffic steering identifiers to steer the traffic for the user device to the user device to one or more service functions in the appropriate service function chain.
Regarding claim 8,
The prior art does not teach The method of claim 7, wherein the visiting network user plane function further performs actions to enforce the forwarding policy parameters set including performing packet encapsulation, packet marking and routing of the traffic towards the one or more service functions.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 BAO G NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-7732. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10pm - 6:30pm.
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/BAO G NGUYEN/Examiner, Art Unit 2461
/HUY D VU/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2461