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 .
DETAILED ACTION
The amendment filed 01/29/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-2, 4-7, 9-15, and 17-23 are pending. Claims 1, 14, and 17 have been amended. Claims 3 and 16 have been cancelled. Claims 22 and 23 have been added.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 02/09/2026 was in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 01/29/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In that remark, the applicant argued in substance:
That: Khasnabish fails to disclose “process a target service request belonging to the target service and comprising a first identifier of a fifth-generation (5G) service and a second identifier of a low-latency quality of service (QoS); identify the target service request from among the service requests based on the first identifier and the second identifier”
In response to the applicant’s argument Khasnabish in [0114], teaches process may include determining (at 854) access by the particular UE to a service. For instance, the particular UE may issue a request for service access and/or one or more messages related to an accessed service using the first allocation of spectrum, [0114]), in [0051], a live event may occur within a coverage area of 5G RAN and other UEs may be accessing a particular latency-sensitive service associated with the live event, in [0048]), the first RAT based on the latency requirement of the requested service. For example, the first block of spectrum of the first allocation may include a high frequency block of mid-band or high-band spectrum for use with a 5G RAT for low latency service access, in [0045], the first allocation may be based on service optimization controller determining that UE is to access the particular stateful service via 5G RAN, determining that the particular stateful service corresponds to a latency-sensitive service and in [0114], determine access to the service based on a request URL (the latency requirement for a service may be specified in the request URL, [0047]) and a service identifier.
Therefore, Khasnabish clearly teaches a UE issue a request for two types of services such as 5G service (latency-sensitive or latency-insensitive) and low-latency service and a service identifier is used to determine what kind of service is requested. Regarding the first and second identifiers, requesting a service by indicating 5G service (latency-sensitive or latency-insensitive) and low-latency service can be used as identifiers to the services and based on the latency requirement specified in the request URL, the request can be determined. Khasnabish also discusses, the UE accessing a first and second services by indicating latency requirements for the services in requests URLs and the latency requirements can be used as identifiers of the services.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 22-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter.
Regarding claim 22, the claim lacks the necessary physical articles or objects to constitute a machine or a manufacture within the meaning of 35 U.S.C. 101. They are clearly not a series of steps or acts to be a process nor are they a combination of chemical compounds to be a composition of matter. As such, they fail to fall within a statutory category.
With respect to claims 22-23, since the metes and bounds of " a computer- readable storage medium” does not positively limit the invention to non-transitory media, the " a computer- readable storage medium" is thus interpreted to include a transitory type medium; as such the claim is drawn to a form of energy. Energy is not one of the four categories of invention and therefore the claim(s) is/are not statutory. Energy is not a series of steps or acts and thus is not a process. Energy is not a physical article or object and as such is not a machine or manufacture. Energy is not combination of substances and therefore not a composition of matter.
Claims 23, further depending from the claim 22, are likewise rejected.
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) 1-4, 9-17 and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Khasnabish et al. (US 20210329466) hereinafter Khasnabish in view of YOU et al. (US 20210273987) hereinafter YOU.
Regarding claim 1, Khasnabish teaches a multi-access edge computing network (i.e. Multi-Access Edge Computing facilities (“MECs”), [0021]), comprising: application instances, comprising a target application instance (i.e. stateful services may include autonomous driving services, robotic control services, virtual reality or augmented reality applications, or other suitable services or applications, [0016]) configured to: process a target service whose required latency is lower than a target threshold (i.e. Some stateful services may be “latency-sensitive services.” Latency-sensitive services may include services that require latency below a threshold level (e.g., less than 20 milliseconds (“ms”) of latency, less than 10 ms, or some other threshold value), [0017]); and process a target service request belonging to the target service (i.e. Process 850 may include determining (at 854) access by the particular UE to a service. For instance, the particular UE may issue a request for service access and/or one or more messages related to an accessed service using the first allocation of spectrum, [0114]), and comprising a first identifier of a fifth-generation (5G) service (i.e. a live event may occur within a coverage area of 5G RAN 109 and other UEs may be accessing a particular latency-sensitive service associated with the live event, [0051]) and a second identifier of a low-latency quality of service (QoS) (i.e. the first RAT based on the latency requirement of the requested service. For example, the first block of spectrum of the first allocation may include a high frequency block of mid-band or high-band spectrum for use with a 5G RAT for low latency service access, [0048]); a forwarding device (Service optimization controller) configured to: receive service requests (i.e. UE 101 may issue (at 120) a request using the allocated first block of spectrum and/or first RAT. Service optimization controller 105 may receive (at 122) an indication of the request, and may determine that the request is for accessing a service from network 103, [0046] and service optimization controller 105 may receive (at 312) a request from UE 303 to access a first service upon UE 303 establishing a network connection via eNB 301. the first service is determined to be a latency-insensitive service, [0061]-[0062]), wherein the service requests comprise the target service request (i.e. UEs may be accessing a particular latency-sensitive service associated with the live event, [0051]); identify the target service request from among the service requests based on the first identifier and the second identifier (i.e. the first allocation may be based on service optimization controller 105 determining that UE 101 is to access the particular stateful service via 5G RAN 109, determining that the particular stateful service corresponds to a latency-sensitive service, [0045]).
However, Khasnabish does not explicitly disclose receive service requests from a user plane function network element; preferentially forward the target service request to the target service.
However, YOU teaches receive service requests from a user plane function network element (i.e. the UPF 200 receives the first HTTP service request retransmitted by the terminal, and forwards the first HTTP service request to the edge cloud gateway 210 in response to determining that the destination address in the first HTTP service request is the edge-application VIP, [0049]); preferentially forward the target service request to the target service (i.e. The processing circuitry is also configured to determine a corresponding MEC processing server according to the first HTTP service request and a preset offloading policy, and offload the first HTTP service request to the corresponding MEC processing server, [0005]).
Based on Khasnabish in view of YOU, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teaching of YOU to the system of Khasnabish in order to provide users higher processing and transmission rates of communication services, (YOU, [0003]).
Regarding claim 2, Khasnabish teaches wherein the target service is a fifth-generation (5G) mobile communication technology service (i.e. UEs that access latency-sensitive services may be allocated higher frequency spectrum (e.g., high-band or higher frequency mid-band spectrum) and/or a 5G RAT, [0037]).
Regarding claim 3, Khasnabish teaches wherein the target service request comprises a first identifier of a fifth-generation (5G) service (i.e. a live event may occur within a coverage area of 5G RAN 109 and other UEs may be accessing a particular latency-sensitive service associated with the live event, [0051]) and a second identifier of a low-latency quality of service (QoS) (i.e. the first RAT based on the latency requirement of the requested service. For example, the first block of spectrum of the first allocation may include a high frequency block of mid-band or high-band spectrum for use with a 5G RAT for low latency service access, [0048]), and wherein the forwarding device is further configured to identify the target service request from the service requests based on the first identifier and the second identifier (i.e. the first allocation may be based on service optimization controller 105 determining that UE 101 is to access the particular stateful service via 5G RAN 109, determining that the particular stateful service corresponds to a latency-sensitive service, [0045]).
Regarding claim 4, Khasnabish teaches wherein the forwarding device is further configured to: determine, based on the first identifier and/or the second identifier, that a first priority of the target service request is higher than a second priority of another service request in the service requests (i.e. he autonomous driving and gaming services may be classified as latency-sensitive services. However, service optimization controller 105 may prioritize high frequency and lower latency spectrum for the autonomous driving services during the first time, and may therefore identify any high frequency spectrum that is allocated and/or reserved for UEs with a high probability of accessing the gaming service during the first time, and may instead allocate and/or reserve lower frequency spectrum for those UEs, thereby reserving the high frequency spectrum for UEs accessing the autonomous driving services during the first time, [0081]).
However, Khasnabish does not explicitly disclose preferentially forward the target service request based on the first priority.
However, YOU teaches preferentially forward the target service request based on the first priority (i.e. the service request may further be forwarded to a MEC processing server that processes a corresponding service type according to a service type of the domain name request in the service request, and a specific domain name or resource type stored on each MEC processing server, for example, a specific domain name or resource type representing a service type of processing an image or video, [0059]). Therefore, the limitations of claim 4 are rejected in the analysis of claim 1 above, and the claim is rejected on that basis.
Regarding claim 9, Khasnabish teaches a gateway configured to: receive the target service request (i.e. service optimization controller 105 may receive (at 312) a request from UE 303 to access a first service upon UE 303 establishing a network connection via eNB 301. the first service is determined to be a latency-insensitive service, [0061]-[0062]).
However, Khasnabish does not explicitly disclose forward the target service request; and a container network configured to receive the target service request from the gateway; and forward the target service request to the target application instance, wherein the gateway preferentially forwards the target service request, the container network preferentially forwards the target service request, or both the gateway and the container network preferentially forward the target service request.
However, YOU teaches forward the target service request (i.e. The processing circuitry is also configured to determine a corresponding MEC processing server according to the first HTTP service request and a preset offloading policy, and offload the first HTTP service request to the corresponding MEC processing server, [0005]); and a container network configured to receive the target service request from the gateway (i.e. selecting a MEC node is provided mainly for a 5G mobile communication network, [0026] and when receiving the first HTTP DNS request transmitted by the edge cloud gateway 210, the GSLB 220 returns the first HTTP DNS response to the edge cloud gateway 210, [0040]); and forward the target service request to the target application instance, wherein the gateway preferentially forwards the target service request, the container network preferentially forwards the target service request, or both the gateway and the container network preferentially forward the target service request (i.e. a corresponding MEC processing server is determined according to the first HTTP service request and a preset offloading policy, and the first HTTP service request is offloaded to the corresponding MEC processing server, [0063] and the edge cloud gateway, may offload a service to the nearest MEC processing server with higher accuracy so as to select a MEC node and reduce latency, thereby achieving service acceleration, [0117]). Therefore, the limitations of claim 9 are rejected in the analysis of claim 1 above, and the claim is rejected on that basis.
Regarding claim 10 Khasnabish does not explicitly disclose the user plane function network element, wherein the user plane function network element is configured to receive the target service request from a radio access network element.
However, YOU teaches the user plane function network element, wherein the user plane function network element is configured to receive the target service request from a radio access network element (i.e. Fig. 2, The UPF is configured to receive a first HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) service request from radio access networks). Therefore, the limitations of claim 10 are rejected in the analysis of claim 1 above, and the claim is rejected on that basis.
Regarding claim 11, Khasnabish does not explicitly disclose the user plane function network element, wherein the user plane function network element is configured to receive the target service request from user equipment
However, YOU teaches the user plane function network element, wherein the user plane function network element is configured to receive the target service request from user equipment (i.e. The UPF is configured to receive a first HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) service request transmitted by a terminal, [0006]). Therefore, the limitations of claim 11 are rejected in the analysis of claim 1 above, and the claim is rejected on that basis.
Regarding claim 12, Khasnabish teaches wherein the target application instance is an application container (i.e. stateful services may include autonomous driving services, robotic control services, virtual reality or augmented reality applications, or other suitable services or applications, [0016]).
Regarding claim 13, Khasnabish teaches an information collection network element configured to establish a protocol data unit session for a user equipment to enable the forwarding device to receive the target service request from the user equipment service optimization controller 105 may receive (at 312) a request from UE 303 to access a first service upon UE 303 establishing a network connection via eNB 301. the first service is determined to be a latency-insensitive service, [0061]-[0062]).
Regarding claims 14-17 and 21-23, the limitations of claims 14-17 and 21-23 are similar to the limitations of claims 1-4 and 9 above. further teaches a computer program product comprising instructions that are stored on a computer- readable storage medium (i.e. ). Therefore, the limitations of claims 14-17 and 21-23 are rejected in the analysis of claims 1-4 and 9 above, and the claim is rejected on that basis.
Claim(s) 5-7 and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Khasnabish et al. (US 20210329466) hereinafter Khasnabish in view of YOU et al. (US 20210273987) hereinafter YOU and further in view of FILIPPOU et al (US 20220353732) hereinafter FILIPPOU.
Regarding claim 5, Khasnabish in view of YOU teach the limitations of claim 1 above.
However, Khasnabish in view of YOU do not explicitly disclose wherein the forwarding device is further configured to obtain a first bandwidth for preferentially forwarding the target service request.
However, FILIPPOU teaches wherein the forwarding device is further configured to obtain a first bandwidth for preferentially forwarding the target service request (i.e. The BWMS provides for the allocation of bandwidth to certain traffic routed to and from MEC Apps 2526, and specify static/dynamic up/down bandwidth resources, [0263]).
Based on Khasnabish in view of YOU and further in view of FILIPPOU, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teaching of FILIPPOU to the system of Khasnabish and YOU in order to improve total cost of ownership, reduce application and network latency, reduce network backhaul traffic and associated energy consumption, improve service capabilities, and improve compliance with security or data privacy requirements, (FILIPPOU, [0004]).
Regarding claim 6, Khasnabish in view of YOU do not explicitly disclose wherein the first bandwidth is higher than a second bandwidth for forwarding another service request of the service requests.
However, FILIPPOU teaches wherein the first bandwidth is higher than a second bandwidth for forwarding another service request of the service requests (i.e. static/dynamic up/down bandwidth resources, including bandwidth size and bandwidth priority. MEC Apps 2526 may use the BWMS to update/receive bandwidth information to/from the MEC platform 2532, [0263]). Therefore, the limitations of claim 6 are rejected in the analysis of claim 5 above, and the claim is rejected on that basis.
Regarding claim 7, Khasnabish in view of YOU do not explicitly disclose wherein the forwarding device is further configured to preempt the second bandwidth to forward the target service request
However, FILIPPOU teaches wherein the forwarding device is further configured to preempt the second bandwidth to forward the target service request (i.e. he BWMS includes a bandwidth management (BWM) API to allowed registered applications to statically and/or dynamically register for specific bandwidth allocations per session/application, [0263]). Therefore, the limitations of claim 7 are rejected in the analysis of claim 5 above, and the claim is rejected on that basis.
Regarding claims 18-20, the limitations of claims 18-20 are similar to the limitations of claims 5-7 above. Therefore, the limitations of claims 18-20 are rejected in the analysis of claims 5-7 above, and the claim is rejected on that basis.
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 AYELE F WOLDEMARIAM whose telephone number is (571)270-5196. The examiner can normally be reached M_F 8:30AM-5:00PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joon H Hwang can be reached at 571-272-4036. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AW/
AYELE F. WOLDEMARIAM
Examiner
Art Unit 2447
4/23/2026
/SURAJ M JOSHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2447
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