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 Amendment/Remarks
This communication is considered fully responsive to the amendment filed on 11/12/2025 .
Claims 1-7, 9-17, 19-22 are pending and are examined in this office action.
Claims -2, 9-12, 19-20 have been amended.
New claims 21-22 have been added and claims 8, 18 have been canceled.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed on 11/12/2025 , with respect to claims have been considered but are moot. The Examiner found features modified to claims, i.e claim 1 as “1. (Currently Amended) A device comprising: a processor to: receive, at a Network Exposure Function (NEF) node or a Service Capability Exposure Function (SCEF) node, a request from a User Equipment (UE) device to register termination information, which includes an Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned to an application hosted on the UE device, for the application when a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session or a Packet Data Network (PDN) session is established between the application and a network; insert the termination information into a routing table on the device in response to receiving the request ; receive data originating from the application on the UE device or from an application function (AF) node; translate the received data using the routing table; and forward the translated data to the application on the UE device or to the AF node.” that have changed the scope of the invention, Therefore, Applicant’s remarks regarding previous rejection under 35 U.S.C 103 for the claims are moot. Applicant's remarks are considered as forward looking statement for the newly reconstructed claims.
In view of the applicant’s amendment to the claims, the examiner has clarified and remapped the rejection to the argued claim limitations in details, using the prior art of record in the current prosecution of the claims as well a new prior art. See ZHAO et al. (US 20200275304 A1; hereinafter as “ZHAO ”).
Regarding all dependent claims: the applicant alleges that all dependent claims are allowable since they depend from all the independent claims above. The examiner respectfully disagrees in view of the above explanation of independent claims.
Priority
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged. Applicant has not complied with one or more conditions for receiving the benefit of an earlier filing date under 35 U.S.C. 35 U.S.C. 119(e) as follows:
The later-filed application must be an application for a patent for an invention which is also disclosed in the prior application (the parent or original nonprovisional application or provisional application). The disclosure of the invention in the parent application and in the later-filed application must be sufficient to comply with the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, except for the best mode requirement. See Transco Products, Inc. v. Performance Contracting, Inc., 38 F.3d 551, 32 USPQ2d 1077 (Fed. Cir. 1994).
The disclosure of the prior-filed application, U.S Application No. 16/109,926 ( Filing Date 08/23/2018), fails to provide adequate support or enablement in the manner provided by 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, first paragraph for one or more claims of this application. See MPEP § 211.05(I)(A).
In particular, the examiner fails to find support for “receive, at a Network Exposure Function (NEF) node or a Service Capability Exposure Function (SCEF) node, a request from a User Equipment (UE) device to register termination information, which includes an Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned to an application hosted on the UE device, for the application when a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session or a Packet Data Network (PDN) session is established between the application and a network” as required by independent claims 1, 11, 20.
Closest support in Fig. 1 shows that FEN/SCEF 220 receives IP path from UE Device 104, paragraphs 0032, 0062 shows that NEF/SCEF register UE device but it does show amendment claim as shown above.
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None of the priority documents explicitly or implicitly disclose claim limitations as required by all independent claims. Therefore, the effective filing date of the application has been deemed to be the filing date, 06/15/2023, of the instant application.
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 1-7, 9-17, 19-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZHAO et al. (US 20200275304 A1; hereinafter as “ZHAO ”) in view of ABRAHAM et al. (US 20190200414 A1; hereinafter as “ABRAHAM”).
Examiner’s note: in what follows, references are drawn to ZHAO unless otherwise mentioned.
With respect to independence claim:
Regarding claim 1, ZHAO teaches,
A device (see fig. 16, Fig. 17: SCEF or NEF of SWG ] ) comprising:
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a processor ( processor : [0056] ) to:
receive, at a Network Exposure Function (NEF) node or a Service Capability Exposure Function (SCEF) node (fig. 16 or Fig. 17: NEF or SCEF), a request (==Qos Request Message ) from a User Equipment (UE) device to register termination information (fig. 17 element 1708: aforesaid NEF/SCEF receives Application “QoS Request Message” from UE where an APP is executed in UE : “ UE 106 may transmit a QoS request message to the SCEF 1660 and/or PGW 716 (1708). The QoS request message may specify a desired QoS for communication between the UE 106 and the app server 320 for application traffic of the app 710.”: [0162]-[0163]; “ UE 106 may send a QoS message to the SCEF 1660 and/or PGW 716 indicating to release the dedicated bearer (==terminal information in claim ) (1804). The message may include an empty QoS specification, e.g., to indicate that a default bearer may be used and that the dedicated bearer is no longer desired.”: [0165]; “ It will be appreciated that the release process of FIG. 18 may be followed by establishing a new dedicated pipeline, e.g., with different (or possibly the same) QoS characteristics. For example, the QoS request 1802 may specify a change in the desired QoS. Accordingly, the initial dedicated pipeline may be released as shown and a new pipeline may be established with the changed QoS. For example, such a replacement pipeline may be established using messaging as described above with respect to 1708-1718.”: [0168]; see fig. 18 element 1802, 1804; [0169]; “ The App 710 may send a QoS release message to the UE 106 (1802). In response, the UE 106 may send a QoS message to the UPF 1910 and/or NEF 1920 indicating to release the enhanced QoS flow 1950 (1804). The message may include an empty QoS specification, e.g., to indicate that a default (or other) flow may be used and that the enhanced QoS flow 1950 is no longer desired. ”: [0180]; aforesaid Application QoS Request Message include, inter alia, Application ID, Name, Vendor, ie. Identify the APP and/or traffic of the APP (==termination information in claim , see dependent claim 9 where termination information, inter alia, UE ID, port number of application, FQDN, URL or URI or IP address ) : [0111]-[114]),
which includes an Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned to an application hosted on the UE device, for the application when a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session or a Packet Data Network (PDN) session is established between the application and a network (see fig. 10 where Application QoS Request Message include IP address as IPv4 or IPv6 : [0136]; Application QoS Request includes, inter alia, Application Information IPv2 or IPv6 , QOS information : [0141], “UE 106 and network may establish a default bearer and the SCEF 1660 and/or PGW 716 may transmit a notification of the attachment to the UE. The notification may be illustrated as “empty QoS” to indicate that no enhanced QoS is established at this time.”: [0161]; “ QoS request to the core network may specify the desired QoS characteristics for a dedicated pipeline (e.g., end-to-end bearer) for application traffic between the UE 106 and app server 320. The elements of the core network may check the application profile, and, in response to a successful verification, acknowledge the request (1714) and instruct the SCEF 1660 and/or PGW 716 (and in turn the RAN) to establish the dedicated bearer for the application data flow or flows between the UE 106 and the App server 320 (==network).”: [0163]);
insert the termination information into a routing table on the device in response to receiving the request ( “the request (==Application QoS Request Message) may indicate routing information associated with the requested QoS. For example, the request may indicate address information for one or more application servers 320.”: [0086]; “dedicated bearer, e.g., end-to-end bearer 350, may connect the UE to the application server 320 (e.g., according to routing information included in the request)”: [0095]; aforesaid Application Information/termination information is converted to “route Flows” (==routing table) associated to the applications : [0137]-[0138]);
receive data originating from the application on the UE device or from an application function (AF) node (aforesaid SCEF/NEF receives data originated from original application for UE device or from AP server , See Fig. 8 element Resv Req Over UDP ; “the QoS agent 712 may transmit an RSVP Resv request to the PGW 716/SGW 717 in the 3GPP core network (803). The request may be transmitted over user datagram protocol (UDP) port 3455, ”: [0111]; also “in response to a successful verification, acknowledge the request (1714) and instruct the SCEF 1660 and/or PGW 716 (and in turn the RAN) to establish the dedicated bearer for the application data flow or flows between the UE 106 and the App server 320”: [0163] );
translate the received data using the routing table (Application information converted to routing flows for the applications: [0138]; “ QoS request message includes a packet filter, the method further comprising: routing a plurality of packets on the dedicated pipeline based on the packet filter.”: {0201]).
While ZHAO teaches, “translate the received data using the routing table”;
ZHAO does not expressively disclose:
forward the translated data to the application on the UE device or to the AF node.
ABRAHAM, in the same field of endeavor, discloses:
forward the translated data to the application on the UE device or to the AF node (see fig. 5; “AF may have knowledge that a data session is complete rather than the UE being aware. Thus, in an example, the AF (e.g., 504) may provide the indication to the network to initiate the release of the UE. For example, the AF may provide an indication via T8 to the NEF (514) for the core network to release the control plane/user plane connection with the UE 712 after the data session/interaction is complete”: [0083); “Network Exposure Function (NEF) 514 may also terminate a T8 interface 513 from the AF 504 and may have an interface, e.g., an Nsm interface 515, to the SDC-SMF”: [0078].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of ZHAO to include the above recited limitations as taught by ABRAHAM. The suggestion/motivation would be to protection and integrity of shared key from UE to SMF/AF : (ABRAHAM; [0009]).
Regarding claim 11, ZHAO teaches,
A method comprising: receiving, at a Network Exposure Function (NEF) node or a Service Capability Exposure Function node, a request from a User Equipment (UE) device to register termination information, which includes an Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned to an application hosted on the UE device, for the application when a Protocol Data Unit (PDU)session or a Packet Data Network (PDN) session is established between the application and a network; inserting the termination information into a routing table on a device in response to receiving the request; receiving data originating from the application on the UE device or from an application function (AF) node; translating the received data using the routing table; and forwarding the translated data to the application on the UE device or to the AF node. (Regarding claim 11, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 1).
Regarding claim 20 , ZHAO teaches, A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions, which when executed by a processor causes the processor to: receive, at a Network Exposure Function (NEF) node or a Service Capability Exposure Function node, a request from a User Equipment (UE) device to register termination information, [[for an]] which includes an Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned to an application hosted on the UE device, for the application when a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session or a Packet Data Network (PDN) session is established between the application and a network; insert the termination information into a routing table on a device in response to receiving the request; receive data originating from the application on the UE device or from an application function (AF) node; translate the received data using the routing table; and forward the translated data to the application on the UE device or to the AF node( Regarding claim 20, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 1).
With respect to dependence claim:
Regarding claim 2, ZHAO in view of ABRAHAM teaches the invention of claim 1 as set forth above. Further, ZHAO teaches, The device of claim 1, wherein the UE device is configured to:
send a second request to register the termination information when the processor does not send an acknowledgment message in response to the request within a predetermined time ( timer setup to send another signal, “ A UE (e.g., UE 106 or other wireless device) may start an application (602). The application may execute on the UE, e.g., using one or more processors of the UE. The application may be initiated or launched by the user of the UE, or may be initiated based on other factors (e.g., a timer, a signal from an application server 320, etc.). The application may be any type of application, e.g., including music, video, voice or video calling, gaming, news, productivity, etc. The application may be configured to communicate with an application server 320 and may require or benefit from certain QoS characteristics for the communication of data between the UE and application server.”: [0083]).
Regarding claim 3, ZHAO in view of ABRAHAM teaches the invention of claim 1 as set forth above. Further, ZHAO teaches, wherein the network includes a User Plane Function (UPF) node and when the processor receives data originating from the application on the UE device, the processor is to: receive the data via the UPF node (see fig. 19: Core Network include UPF node : “ For example, 5G core network standards may allow an application server (e.g., 320) to connect to a user plane function (UPF) 1910 and/or network exposure function (NEF) 1920 and to send request for a specified QoS with a UE. However, such options may not be widely available or effective. For example, there may be no standard Protocol/Message/Context between server and UPF/NEF in 5G. Thus, interoperability issues may complicate deployment and scalability.”: [0171]).
Regarding claim 4, ZHAO in view of ABRAHAM teaches the invention of claim 1 as set forth above. Further, ZHAO teaches,
The device of claim 1, wherein the network includes a User Plane Function (UPF) node (see fig. 19: UPF and Code Network : [0171]) , and when the processor receives data originating from the AF node, the processor is to: forward the translated data to the UE device via the UPF node (use UPF to communicate with application server and core network : [0171]-[0172]).
Regarding claim 5, ZHAO in view of ABRAHAM teaches the invention of claim 4 as set forth above. Further, ZHAO teaches, the device of claim 4, wherein the UPF node is configured to:
receive a Policy and Charging Control (PCC) rule from a Policy Control Function (PCF) node included in the network, wherein the PCC rule instructs the UPF node to direct Internet Protocol (IP) data, to the device, to be translated and redirected to the AF node ( UPF/PGW to enforces rules: works with PCF: [0091]-[0095]).
Regarding claim 6, ZHAO in view of ABRAHAM teaches the invention of claim 1 as set forth above. Further, ABRAHAM teaches, The device of claim 1, wherein the received data includes an Internet Protocol (IP) data that originated from the UE device, and wherein the translated data includes T8 data (Core Network uses T8 interface from application server (AF) to core network: [0062]; [0078]).
Regarding claim 7, ZHAO in view of ABRAHAM teaches the invention of claim 1 as set forth above. Further, ABRAHAM teaches, the device of claim 1, wherein the received data includes T8 data that originated from the AF node, and wherein the translated data includes IP data (Core Network uses T8 interface from application server (AF) to core network: “ Network Exposure Function (NEF) 514 may also terminate a T8 interface 513 from the AF 504 and may have an interface, e.g., an Nsm interface 515, to the SDC-SMF. Thus, SDC-SMF provides an ingress point for data 501 from the AF”: [0062]; [0078]; “ All user Internet protocol (IP) packets are transferred through the UPF 195. The UPF 195 provides UE IP address allocation as well as other functions. The UPF 195 is connected to the IP Services 197. The IP Services 197 may include the Internet, an intranet, an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), a PS Streaming Service, and/or other IP services.”: [0041]).
Regarding claim 9, ZHAO in view of ABRAHAM teaches the invention of claim 1 as set forth above. Further, ZHAO teaches,
The device of claim 1, wherein the termination information further comprises at least one of:
an identifier (ID) of the UE device (UE ID); a port number associated with the application;
an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the application; a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of the AF node; a Universal Resource Locator (URL) or a Universal Resource Identifier (URI) of the AF node; a port number of the AF node; or an IP address of the AF node ( “ If the verification returns a positive result, the UE may determine to grant the request. Accordingly, the QoS agent 712 may transmit an RSVP Resv request to the PGW 716/SGW 717 in the 3GPP core network (803). The request may be transmitted over user datagram protocol (UDP) port 3455, among various possibilities. The request may be or include an RSVP Resv message with a 3GPP QoS object. The request message may include information for the QoS request and policy control. For example, the request may include any or all of:
[0112] Application information, such as Application ID, Name, Vendor, e.g., to identify the app and/or traffic of the app. ”: [0111]-[0112]).
Regarding claim 10, ZHAO in view of ABRAHAM teaches the invention of claim 1 as set forth above. Further, ZHAO teaches, The device of claim 1, wherein the processor: receives a second request, from the UE device when the PDU session or the PDN session ends, to deregister the termination information; and remove the termination from the routing table in response to receiving the second request ( “ release of the dedicated bearer. As shown, a dedicated bearer may be established between a UE 106 and SCEF 1660 and/or PGW 716 (1716) and may extend to app server 320 (not shown). The App 710 may send a QoS release message to the UE 106 (1802). Among various possibilities, such a release message may be sent through a QoS API. The release message may be sent in association with the user exiting the app, completing a game, or more generally the enhanced QoS being no longer required for the App 710.”: [0164]; “ the UE 106 may send a QoS message to the SCEF 1660 and/or PGW 716 indicating to release the dedicated bearer (1804). The message may include an empty QoS specification, e.g., to indicate that a default bearer may be used and that the dedicated bearer is no longer desired.”: [0165]-[0168]).
Regarding claim 12, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 2.
Regarding claim 13, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 3.
Regarding claim 14, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 4.
Regarding claim 15, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 5.
Regarding claim 16, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 6.
Regarding claim 17, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 7.
Regarding claim 19, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 9.
Regarding claim 21, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 2.
Regarding claim 22, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 3.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 M MOSTAZIR RAHMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-4785. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30am-5:00pm PST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Derrick Ferris can be reached at 571-272-3123. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/M Mostazir Rahman/Examiner, Art Unit 2411
/DERRICK W FERRIS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2411
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