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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 22 December 2025 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-6 and 22-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 1-6 and 22-23 recite “the acceptable number of lost data packets in the target group is a first number of lost data packets in the target group when the target group is transmitted from a target service server to a user plane function (UPF) network element, the acceptable number of lost data packets in the target group is a second number of lost data packets in the target group when the target group is transmitted from the UPF network element to a network device, the second number being different from the first number”. Since the claim requires that the “target group” “includes” “ a plurality of target data packets” and wherein there are also “lost data packets in the target group”, it is unclear what “data packets” of the “target group” are being referred to in these limitations.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-6 and 22-23 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claims 1-6 and 22-23 recite a method and apparatus comprising the steps/functionality of obtaining a target data detection rule and a target processing rule for a target service flow, the target data detection rule indicating a target group identifier of a target group of the target service flow, the target group including a plurality of target data packets, the target processing rule indicating a target-group data packet loss threshold; determining data packet loss information of the target group, the data packet loss information of the target group indicating a number of lost target data packets in the target group; and determining that the target group is a target to-be-discarded group when the number of lost target data packets in the target group indicated by the data packet loss information of the target group is larger than an acceptable number of lost data packets in the target group indicated by the target-group data packet loss threshold, wherein the acceptable number of lost data packets in the target group is a first number of lost data packets in the target group when the target group is transmitted from a target service server to a user plane function (UPF) network element, the acceptable number of lost data packets in the target group is a second number of lost data packets in the target group when the target group is transmitted from the UPF network element to a network device, the second number being different from the first number. The limitations, after further search and consideration as best understood in light of the above raised issues, are distinguished from the cited prior art.
This indication of allowable subject matter is contingent upon the anticipated resolution of the remaining issues detailed in this action.
In the event that any amendment made to the claims changes the scope of the indicated allowable subject matter, further reconsideration of whether the claims continue to distinguish from the prior art and/or are subject to further rejection under applicable statutes may be deemed necessary.
As allowable subject matter has been indicated, applicant's reply must either comply with all formal requirements or specifically traverse each requirement not complied with. See 37 CFR § 1.111(b) and MPEP § 707.07(a).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to G. C. Neurauter, Jr. whose telephone number is (571)272-3918. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm Eastern Time.
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, Tonia Dollinger, can be reached at 571-272-4170. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/G. C. Neurauter, Jr./Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2459