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 § 102
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.
Claims 1-9, 12-17 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Velev et al. (US 20240073802 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Velev teaches a method (method for requesting to collect information of Fig. 5), comprising:
generating, by a network device of a network, a request for network slice status information associated with a plurality of user equipments (UEs) registered with the network (NSACF 210 sends a request to the CHF 205 to create a charging data record (“CDR”) for a specific network slice attribute. The request may include a network slice ID (e.g., S-NSSAI) and network slice attribute identifier (e.g., AttributeID). The AttributeID may be mandatory if multiple controlled slice attributes have been configured for the network slice. For example, the NSACF 210 may send the CHF 205 a Charging Data Request [Initial] (SliceID=S-NSSAI-1, AttributeID, AttributeStatus). The AttributeID parameter identifies the network slice attribute (e.g., number of UEs concurrently registered, or number of number of PDU Sessions in the S-NSSAI-1). The AttributeStatus parameter may indicate the current status of the attribute, [0152]);
providing, by the network device, the request for the network slice status information to another network device of the network (NSACF 210 sends a request to the CHF 205 to create a charging data record (“CDR”) for a specific network slice attribute see messaging 515, step 1, [0152]);
receiving, by the network device and based on the request, the network slice status information from the other network device (CHF 205 responds with Charging Data Response [Initial] (SliceID=S-NSSAI-1, AttributeID, AttributeQuotas) (see messaging 525) , step 3, [0154]);
determining, by the network device, a modified policy for the plurality of UEs based on the network slice status information (The AttributeQuotas parameter indicates a response the NSACF 210 is to take. In one embodiment, the AttributeQuotas parameter indicates a new quota value for the reached network slice parameter. In another embodiment, the AttributeQuotas parameter indicates a policy to be applied while the quota is consumed, [0154]); and
causing, by the network device, the modified policy to be implemented for the plurality of UEs (which means that the NSACF 210 may enforce start of rejection for new UEs to register or new PDU Sessions to be established, [0154]).
Regarding claim 2, Velev teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the network device includes a policy control function (CHF 205 of Fig. 5) and the other network device includes a network slice admission control function (NSACF of Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 3, Velev teaches the method of claim 1, wherein generating the request for the network slice status information associated with the plurality of UEs comprises: generating the request for the network slice status information associated with the plurality of UEs based on a trigger (For example, the NSACF 210 may determine to trigger the reporting when the quota is about 99%, [0136]).
Regarding claim 4, Velev teaches the method of claim 3, wherein the trigger includes one or more of: a registration of a new UE with the network, a creation of a protocol data unit session with the network, or a receipt of configuration information for the network (When the “ReportingGranularity” is sent to “1”, the reporting NF should send a notification to the NSACF 210 for new registered UEs, or new established PDU Sessions or new increased UL/DL throughput, [0133]).
Regarding claim 5, Velev teaches the method of claim 1, wherein determining the modified policy for the plurality of UEs based on the network slice status information comprises: determining to increase a maximum quantity of UEs to be registered with the network (If a UE moves from one AMF to another (e.g., inter-AMF mobility), the AMF may not immediately send notification to the NSACF 210, as the status of the attribute would be reduced in one NF (e.g., source AMF) and increased in another NF (e.g., target AMF), [0133] and .
Regarding claim 6, Velev teaches the method of claim 1, wherein determining the modified policy for the plurality of UEs based on the network slice status information comprises: determining to decrease a maximum quantity of UEs to be registered with the network (If a UE moves from one AMF to another (e.g., inter-AMF mobility), the AMF may not immediately send notification to the NSACF 210, as the status of the attribute would be reduced in one NF (e.g., source AMF) and increased in another NF (e.g., target AMF), [0133] and The slice attributes may be: Number of terminals, i.e., the number of UEs concurrently registering for a network slice, [0084]).
Regarding claim 7, Velev teaches the method of claim 1, wherein determining the modified policy for the plurality of UEs based on the network slice status information comprises: determining to increase a maximum quantity of protocol data unit sessions for the plurality of UEs (If it is not exceeded, the PDU session is accepted and the count for “Nb of PDU sessions” is increased by one, [0070]).
Regarding claim 8, Velev teaches a network device (network apparatus 700 of Fig. 7 performing method of Fig. 5) of a network, comprising: one or more processors (processor 705) configured to:
generate a request for network slice status information associated with a plurality of user equipments (UEs) registered with the network based on a trigger (NSACF 210 sends a request to the CHF 205 to create a charging data record (“CDR”) for a specific network slice attribute. The request may include a network slice ID (e.g., S-NSSAI) and network slice attribute identifier (e.g., AttributeID). The AttributeID may be mandatory if multiple controlled slice attributes have been configured for the network slice. For example, the NSACF 210 may send the CHF 205 a Charging Data Request [Initial] (SliceID=S-NSSAI-1, AttributeID, AttributeStatus). The AttributeID parameter identifies the network slice attribute (e.g., number of UEs concurrently registered, or number of number of PDU Sessions in the S-NSSAI-1). The AttributeStatus parameter may indicate the current status of the attribute, [0152]; For example, the NSACF 210 may determine to trigger the reporting when the quota is about 99%, [0136]);
provide the request for the network slice status information to another network device of the network (NSACF 210 sends a request to the CHF 205 to create a charging data record (“CDR”) for a specific network slice attribute see messaging 515, step 1, [0152]);
receive, based on the request, the network slice status information from the other network device (CHF 205 responds with Charging Data Response [Initial] (SliceID=S-NSSAI-1, AttributeID, AttributeQuotas) (see messaging 525) , step 3, [0154]);
determine a modified policy for the plurality of UEs based on the network slice status information (The AttributeQuotas parameter indicates a response the NSACF 210 is to take. In one embodiment, the AttributeQuotas parameter indicates a new quota value for the reached network slice parameter. In another embodiment, the AttributeQuotas parameter indicates a policy to be applied while the quota is consumed, [0154]); and
cause the modified policy to be implemented for the plurality of UEs (which means that the NSACF 210 may enforce start of rejection for new UEs to register or new PDU Sessions to be established, [0154]).
Regarding claim 9, Velev teaches the network device of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors, to determine the modified policy for the plurality of UEs based on the network slice status information, are configured to: determine to decrease a maximum quantity of protocol data unit sessions for the plurality of UEs (If it is not exceeded, the PDU session is accepted and the count for “Nb of PDU sessions” is increased by one, [0070]).
Regarding claim 12, Velev teaches the network device of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors, to cause the modified policy to be implemented for the plurality of UEs, are configured to one or more of: update a session management policy associated with the plurality of UEs; or update an access and mobility policy associated with the plurality of UEs (SMF 143 may create or update the charging record in the CHF 148 during the PDU Session establishment procedure.. If it is not exceeded, the PDU session is accepted and the count for “Nb of PDU sessions” is increased by one. Otherwise, if the number of PDU Sessions is exceeded, then the PDU Session is rejected. In some embodiments, the SMF 143 may update the CHF 148 during the PDU session release procedure, [0070]).
Regarding claim 13, Velev teaches the network device of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors, to cause the modified policy to be implemented for the plurality of UEs, are configured to: cause a network slice access control procedure to be performed that increases or decreases a maximum quantity of UEs to be registered with the network (If a UE moves from one AMF to another (e.g., inter-AMF mobility), the AMF may not immediately send notification to the NSACF 210, as the status of the attribute would be reduced in one NF (e.g., source AMF) and increased in another NF (e.g., target AMF), [0133] and The slice attributes may be: Number of terminals, i.e., the number of UEs concurrently registering for a network slice, [0084]).
Regarding claim 14, Velev teaches the network device of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors, to cause the modified policy to be implemented for the plurality of UEs, are configured to: cause a network slice access control procedure to be performed that increases or decreases a maximum quantity of protocol data unit sessions for the plurality of UEs (If it is not exceeded, the PDU session is accepted and the count for “Nb of PDU sessions” is increased by one, [0070]).
Regarding claim 15, Velev teaches a non-transitory computer-readable medium (memory 710 of Fig. 7) storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions comprising: one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a network device of a network, cause the network device to:
generate a request for network slice status information associated with a plurality of user equipments (UEs) registered with the network based on one or more of: a registration of a new UE with the network, a creation of a protocol data unit session with the network, or a receipt of configuration information for the network (NSACF 210 sends a request to the CHF 205 to create a charging data record (“CDR”) for a specific network slice attribute. The request may include a network slice ID (e.g., S-NSSAI) and network slice attribute identifier (e.g., AttributeID). The AttributeID may be mandatory if multiple controlled slice attributes have been configured for the network slice. For example, the NSACF 210 may send the CHF 205 a Charging Data Request [Initial] (SliceID=S-NSSAI-1, AttributeID, AttributeStatus). The AttributeID parameter identifies the network slice attribute (e.g., number of UEs concurrently registered, or number of number of PDU Sessions in the S-NSSAI-1). The AttributeStatus parameter may indicate the current status of the attribute, [0152]);
provide the request for the network slice status information to another network device of the network (NSACF 210 sends a request to the CHF 205 to create a charging data record (“CDR”) for a specific network slice attribute see messaging 515, step 1, [0152]);
receive, based on the request, the network slice status information from the other network device (CHF 205 responds with Charging Data Response [Initial] (SliceID=S-NSSAI-1, AttributeID, AttributeQuotas) (see messaging 525) , step 3, [0154]);
determine a modified policy for the plurality of UEs based on the network slice status information (The AttributeQuotas parameter indicates a response the NSACF 210 is to take. In one embodiment, the AttributeQuotas parameter indicates a new quota value for the reached network slice parameter. In another embodiment, the AttributeQuotas parameter indicates a policy to be applied while the quota is consumed, [0154]); and
cause the modified policy to be implemented for the plurality of UEs (which means that the NSACF 210 may enforce start of rejection for new UEs to register or new PDU Sessions to be established, [0154]).
Regarding claim 16, Velev teaches the non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more instructions, which cause the network device to determine the modified policy for the plurality of UEs based on the network slice status information, cause the network device to: determine to increase or decrease a maximum quantity of UEs to be registered with the network (If a UE moves from one AMF to another (e.g., inter-AMF mobility), the AMF may not immediately send notification to the NSACF 210, as the status of the attribute would be reduced in one NF (e.g., source AMF) and increased in another NF (e.g., target AMF), [0133] and The slice attributes may be: Number of terminals, i.e., the number of UEs concurrently registering for a network slice, [0084]).
Regarding claim 17, Velev teaches the non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more instructions, that cause the network device to determine the modified policy for the plurality of UEs based on the network slice status information, cause the network device to: determine to increase or decrease a maximum quantity of protocol data unit sessions for the plurality of UEs (If it is not exceeded, the PDU session is accepted and the count for “Nb of PDU sessions” is increased by one., [0070]).
Regarding claim 20, Velev teaches the non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more instructions, that cause the network device to cause the modified policy to be implemented for the plurality of UEs, cause the network device to one or more of: update a session management policy associated with the plurality of UEs; or update an access and mobility policy associated with the plurality of UEs (SMF 143 may create or update the charging record in the CHF 148 during the PDU Session establishment procedure … If it is not exceeded, the PDU session is accepted and the count for “Nb of PDU sessions” is increased by one. Otherwise, if the number of PDU Sessions is exceeded, then the PDU Session is rejected. In some embodiments, the SMF 143 may update the CHF 148 during the PDU session release procedure, [0070].
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.
Claims 10-11 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Velev in view of Ianev et al. (US 20240373481 A1).
Regarding claim 10, Velev teaches the network device of claim 8.
However, Velev does not teach wherein the one or more processors, to determine the modified policy for the plurality of UEs based on the network slice status information, are configured to: identify one or more of the plurality of UEs that are impacted by the network slice status information; and update a user equipment route selection policy for the one or more of the plurality of UEs that are impacted by the network slice status information.
In an analogous art, Ianev teaches wherein the one or more processors, to determine the modified policy for the plurality of UEs based on the network slice status information, are configured to: identify one or more of the plurality of UEs that are impacted by the network slice status information (When a UE triggers Registration Request with the AMF, the AMF checks if any network slice(s) in the Requested NSSAI of the Registration Request message by the UE are tagged as overflown in the AMF, [0384]); and update a user equipment route selection policy for the one or more of the plurality of UEs that are impacted by the network slice status information (If one or more network slices from the Requested NSSAI(s) are found by the AMF to be overflown, the AMF forwards these overflown network slices to the PCF and the PCF updates the URSP rules for the UE so that the overflown S-NSSAI(s) is with lowest possible priority for selecting by the applications in the UE, [0384]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the slice status of Velev with the URSP of UEs of Ianev to provide a mechanism for allocating/managing UP resources per a network slice to improve slice registration as suggested, Ianev [0013].
Regarding claim 11, Velev teaches the network device of claim 8.
However, Velev does not teach wherein the one or more processors, to determine the modified policy for the plurality of UEs based on the network slice status information, are configured to: identify one or more protocol data unit sessions, of the plurality of UEs, that are impacted by the network slice status information; and update a user equipment route selection policy for the one or more protocol data unit sessions that are impacted by the network slice status information.
In an analogous art, Ianev teaches wherein the one or more processors, to determine the modified policy for the plurality of UEs based on the network slice status information, are configured to: identify one or more protocol data unit sessions, of the plurality of UEs, that are impacted by the network slice status information (When a UE triggers Registration Request with the AMF, the AMF checks if any network slice(s) in the Requested NSSAI of the Registration Request message by the UE are tagged as overflown in the AMF, [0384]); and update a user equipment route selection policy for the one or more protocol data unit sessions that are impacted by the network slice status information (If one or more network slices from the Requested NSSAI(s) are found by the AMF to be overflown, the AMF forwards these overflown network slices to the PCF and the PCF updates the URSP rules for the UE so that the overflown S-NSSAI(s) is with lowest possible priority for selecting by the applications in the UE, [0384]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the slice status of Velev with the URSP of UEs of Ianev to provide a mechanism for allocating/managing UP resources per a network slice to improve slice registration as suggested, Ianev [0013].
Regarding claim 18, Velev teaches the non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15.
However, Velev does not teach wherein the one or more instructions, that cause the network device to determine the modified policy for the plurality of UEs based on the network slice status information, cause the network device to: identify one or more of the plurality of UEs that are impacted by the network slice status information; and update a user equipment route selection policy for the one or more of the plurality of UEs that are impacted by the network slice status information.
In an analogous art, Ianev teaches wherein the one or more instructions, that cause the network device to determine the modified policy for the plurality of UEs based on the network slice status information, cause the network device to: identify one or more of the plurality of UEs that are impacted by the network slice status information (When a UE triggers Registration Request with the AMF, the AMF checks if any network slice(s) in the Requested NSSAI of the Registration Request message by the UE are tagged as overflown in the AMF, [0384]); and update a user equipment route selection policy for the one or more of the plurality of UEs that are impacted by the network slice status information (If one or more network slices from the Requested NSSAI(s) are found by the AMF to be overflown, the AMF forwards these overflown network slices to the PCF and the PCF updates the URSP rules for the UE so that the overflown S-NSSAI(s) is with lowest possible priority for selecting by the applications in the UE, [0384]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the slice status of Velev with the URSP of UEs of Ianev to provide a mechanism for allocating/managing UP resources per a network slice to improve slice registration as suggested, Ianev [0013].
Regarding claim 19, Velev teaches the non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15.
However, Velev does not teach wherein the one or more instructions, that cause the network device to determine the modified policy for the plurality of UEs based on the network slice status information, cause the network device to: identify one or more protocol data unit sessions, of the plurality of UEs, that are impacted by the network slice status information; and update a user equipment route selection policy for the one or more protocol data unit sessions that are impacted by the network slice status information.
In an analogous art, Ianev teaches wherein the one or more instructions, that cause the network device to determine the modified policy for the plurality of UEs based on the network slice status information, cause the network device to: identify one or more protocol data unit sessions, of the plurality of UEs, that are impacted by the network slice status information (When a UE triggers Registration Request with the AMF, the AMF checks if any network slice(s) in the Requested NSSAI of the Registration Request message by the UE are tagged as overflown in the AMF, [0384]); and update a user equipment route selection policy for the one or more protocol data unit sessions that are impacted by the network slice status information (If one or more network slices from the Requested NSSAI(s) are found by the AMF to be overflown, the AMF forwards these overflown network slices to the PCF and the PCF updates the URSP rules for the UE so that the overflown S-NSSAI(s) is with lowest possible priority for selecting by the applications in the UE, [0384]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the slice status of Velev with the URSP of UEs of Ianev to provide a mechanism for allocating/managing UP resources per a network slice to improve slice registration as suggested, Ianev [0013].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Kiss et al. (US 20250310860 A1: A primary network slice admission control function (NSACF) configured to determine a global quota comprising a first number of user equipments (UEs) or protocol data unit (PDU) sessions that are allowed to be registered to a network slice, receive, from a first local NSACF, an indication of a second number of UEs or PDU sessions currently registered to the network slice by the first local NSACF, wherein the first local NSACF is configured with a first local quota comprising a third number of UEs or PDU sessions that are allowed to be registered to the network slice by the first local NSACF, compare the second number to a local quota usage threshold for the first local NSACF and determine, based on the comparing, whether the first local quota for the first local NSACF is to be updated by decreasing the third number.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NICOLE M LOUIS-FILS whose telephone number is (571)270-0671. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday.
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/NICOLE M LOUIS-FILS/Examiner, Art Unit 2641
/GOLAM SOROWAR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2641