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 .
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4, 9-10 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HUAWEI ET AL (S2-2205141) (sited by Applicant) in view of 3GPP (TS 23.503).
Regarding claim 1, HUAWEI ET AL discloses, a method for providing localized service by a policy control function (PCF, fig. 6.13.3.1-1) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising (fig. 6.13.3.1-1):
receiving, from a localized service provider (AF (localized service provider)), first information including at least one of quality of service (bandwidth, latency) profiles for users, and information for time of service (fig. 6.13.3.1-1, step 1, page 7); and
transmitting, to an access and mobility management function (AMF), second information related to authentication of the at least one user equipment (UE) which is connecting for the localized service (fig. 6.13.3.1-1, step 4-5, page 7).
HUAWEI ET AL does not specifically disclose QoS profiles for different users.
In the same field of endeavor, 3GPP discloses, QoS profiles for different users (clause 6.1.1, the PCF assigning QoS profiles (e.g., 5QI, ARP) based on subscription data or AF input via NEF, inherently supporting user differentiation where data varies. In HUAWEI ET AL, the LSP (AF) provides QoS requirements (Step 1), and a natural optimization would be to extend this to user specific profiles (e.g., premium vs. standard users) using existing mechanisms, especially for localized services with diverse user needs. clause 6.2.1, providing policies tied to UE authorization (e.g., Allowed
NSSAI). HUAWEI ET AL PCF-AMF update (Step 4) already enforces access conditions, and including authentication-related information (e.g., as a condition for policy application) aligns with this role. Given that NPN localized services require validated UE access). Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claim invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the device of HUAWEI ET AL by specifically adding feature in order to enhance system performance to improving signaling overhead of mobility management and PCF-LSP-AMF interaction provides a foundation for policy-based service provisioning. Extending this to user-specific QoS and authentication coordination follows
known trends in 5G for personalized and secure service delivery as taught by 3GPP.
Regarding claims 2, 10, HUAWEI ET AL discloses, wherein the first information further includes information for authentication authorization accounting (AAA) server (clause 6.13.2; 6.13.3.1, Step 1, HUAWEI ET AL does not explicitly label this as part of the "first information," it is common practice in 5G systems to include AAA server details in service provisioning for external authentication (TS 23.501 clause 5.30.2). A person skilled in the art would find it obvious to extend LSP-PCF interaction to explicitly include AAA server information in the "first information" to support Credentials Holder authentication, a routine design choice.).
Regarding claims 4, 12, HUAWEI ET AL discloses, further comprising: receiving, from the AMF, a policy association request message before transmitting the second information (clause 6.13.3.1, Step 4, implying a prior AM Policy Association request from the AMF. While HUAWEI ET AL does not explicitly detail this request, it is standard 5G practice for the AMF to initiate policy association with the PCF before receiving updates ( also see TS 23.503, clause 6.2.1).
Regarding claim 9, HUAWEI ET AL discloses, a policy control function (PCF) for providing localized service in a wireless communication system, the PCF comprising:
a transceiver (UE); and a controller coupled with the transceiver (UE) and configured to control to: receive, from a localized service provider (LSP), first information including at least one of quality of service (QoS) profiles for users (fig. 6.13.3.1-1, step 1, page 7), and
information for time of service, and transmit, to an access and mobility management function (AMF), second information related to authentication of the at least one user equipment (UE) which is connecting for the localized service (fig. 6.13.3.1-1, step 4-5, page 7).
HUAWEI ET AL does not specifically disclose QoS profiles for different users.
In the same field of endeavor, 3GPP discloses, QoS profiles for different users (clause 6.1.1, the PCF assigning QoS profiles (e.g., 5QI, ARP) based on subscription data or AF input via NEF, inherently supporting user differentiation where data varies. In HUAWEI ET AL, the LSP (AF) provides QoS requirements (Step 1), and a natural optimization would be to extend this to user specific profiles (e.g., premium vs. standard users) using existing mechanisms, especially for localized services with diverse user needs. clause 6.2.1, providing policies tied to UE authorization (e.g., Allowed
NSSAI). HUAWEI ET AL PCF-AMF update (Step 4) already enforces access conditions, and including authentication-related information (e.g., as a condition for policy application) aligns with this role. Given that NPN localized services require validated UE access). Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claim invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the device of HUAWEI ET AL by specifically adding feature in order to enhance system performance to improving signaling overhead of mobility management and PCF-LSP-AMF interaction provides a foundation for policy-based service provisioning. Extending this to user-specific QoS and authentication coordination follows
known trends in 5G for personalized and secure service delivery as taught by 3GPP.
Claim(s) 3, 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HUAWEI ET AL (S2-2205141) in view of 3GPP (TS 23.503) and ERICSSON (S2-2205144) (sited by Applicant).
Regarding claim 3, 11, HUAWEI ET AL discloses the PCF updating the SMF to enforce network rules for localized services (D1, 6.13.3.1, Step 4), implying a policy association. It is common practice in 5G for the PCF to send PCC rules to the SMF, including redirection URLs for service access (TS 23.503, clause 6.1.3).
HUAWEI ET AL and 3GPP do not specifically disclose a captive portal URL.
In the same field of endeavor, ERICSSON discloses, a captive portal URL (providing a "local service captive portal address" to the UE (clause 6.x.1). HUAWEI ET AL PCF-AMF update (Step 4) already enforces access conditions, and including authentication-related information (e.g., as a condition for policy application) aligns with this role. Given that NPN localized services require validated UE access). Therefore, before the effective filing date of the claim invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the device of HUAWEI ET AL and 3GPP by specifically adding feature in order to enhance system performance to improving signaling overhead of mobility management and captive portal concept, adding a URL in the policy association response as a standard session
management enhancement as taught by 3GPP.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KHAWAR IQBAL whose telephone number is (571)272-7909. The examiner can normally be reached M-F.
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/KHAWAR IQBAL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2643