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 with respect to claims 1-20 have been considered but are moot due to the new ground of rejection.
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 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 nonobviousness.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peng et al. (US 2021/0328906 A1) in view of Dong et al. (US 2020/0128445 A1).
Regarding claim 1-2, 9, and 16, Peng discloses a method, comprising: obtaining, by a third network device (first node), a first segment identifier (SID), wherein the first segment identifier comprises a first identifier (paragraph [0020]-[0022]; [0025]; [0027]-[0033]; [0045]-[0051]; [0055]; [0060]-[0061]; [0064]-[0066]; [0069]-[0071]; [0086]-[0087]; [0091]-[0093]; [0112]-[0113]; and so on, illustrating receiving by first node SID comprising such as local and VPN SID and so on); and sending, by the third network device (first node), a route advertisement message comprising the first segment identifier and a first destination route prefix to a second network device (border node) (paragraph [0004]-[0006]; [0025]-[0027]; [0047]-[0050]; [0064]-[0068]; [0079]; [0087]; [0093]; [0101]-[0111]; [0116]-[0126]; [0131]-[0140]; [0142]-[0151]; [0157]-[0163]; and so on, explaining transmitting by the first node to the border node an advertisement comprising a segment identifier and destination prefix), wherein the second network device generates a forwarding entry comprising the first destination route prefix and the first segment identifier, the forwarding entry is used the second network device to send a packet to a first network device (second node) by using the first network slice (paragraph [0020]; [0025]; [0045]-[0051]; [0054]-[0061]; [0064]-[0077]; [0086]-[0096]; [0111]-[0114]; [0116]-[0119]; [0121]-[0129]; and etc., describing the border node creating SID forwarding entry including destination prefix and the received SID, and transmitting a packet to second node therefrom).
Peng doesn’t explicitly disclose a network between a second network device and a first network device is divided into a plurality of network slices, and the first identifier corresponds to a first network slice of the plurality of network slices.
Dong teaches a network between a second network device and a first network device is divided into a plurality of network slices, and the first identifier corresponds to a first network slice of the plurality of network slices (paragraph [0038]; [0084]-[0087]; [0070]-[0078]; and so on).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use a network between a second network device and a first network device is divided into a plurality of network slices, and the first identifier corresponds to a first network slice of the plurality of network slices as taught by Dong into Peng in order to improve resource allocation and to reduce congestion.
Regarding claim 8 and 15, the claims include features identical to the subject matter mentioned in the rejection to claim 1. The claims are mere reformulation of claim 1 in order to define the corresponding an apparatus and a non-transitory storage medium, and the rejection to claim 1 is applied hereto.
Regarding claim 3, 10, and 17, Peng discloses wherein the first segment identifier comprises a location locator address of the third network device, the first segment identifier is a subnet prefix of the locator address, and the method further comprises: further obtaining, by the third network device, a second segment identifier, wherein the second segment identifier comprises the locator address; and sending, by the third network device, a route advertisement message comprising the second segment identifier and a second destination route prefix to the second network device (paragraph [0099]-[0114]; [0116]-[0127]; [0020]; [0057]-[0060]; [0075]-[0076]; [0090]-[0091]; [0096]; [0131]-[0140]; [0142]-[0151]; [0157]-[0163]; and so on).
Pen doesn’t explicitly disclose the identifier of the first network slice, and a second identifier, and the second identifier corresponds to a second network slice.
Dong teaches the identifier of the first network slice, and a second identifier, and the second identifier corresponds to a second network slice (paragraph [0038]; [0084]-[0087]; [0070]-[0078]; and so on).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the identifier of the first network slice, and a second identifier, and the second identifier corresponds to a second network slice as taught by Dong into Peng in order to improve resource allocation and to reduce congestion.
Regarding claim 4, 11, and 18, Peng discloses wherein the method further comprises: sending, by the second network device, a route prefix comprising the locator address to the first network device (paragraph [0121]-[0127]; [0131]-[0140]; [0142]-[0151]; [0157]-[0163]; and so on).
Regarding claim 5, 12, and 19, Peng discloses wherein the first segment identifier comprises a virtual private network segment identifier (VPN SID) (paragraph [0004]-[0006]; [0020]-[0022]; [0025]; [0032]-[0034]; [0038]-[0045]; [0053]-[0055]; [0083]-[0091]; and so on).
Regarding claim 6, 13, and 20, Peng discloses wherein the first segment identifier comprises a function part (paragraph [0025]; [0046]; [0099]; [0103]; [0107]; [0112]-[0114]; [0122]; [0127]; [0141]; [0147]; [0153]; and etc.).
Peng doesn’t explicitly disclose the function part indicates to obtain an identifier of a network slice from the first segment identifier.
Dong teaches the function part indicates to obtain an identifier of a network slice from the first segment identifier (paragraph [0038]; [0084]-[0087]; [0070]-[0078]; and so on).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the function part indicates to obtain an identifier of a network slice from the first segment identifier as taught by Dong into Peng in order to improve resource allocation and to reduce congestion.
Regarding claim 7 and 14, Peng discloses wherein the second network device and the third network device are border gateway protocol peers (e.g. figs. 4-7).
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 KIBROM T HAILU whose telephone number is (571)270-1209. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM.
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/KIBROM T HAILU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461