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.
Claims 1-6, 8-14, and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hua et al. US 2020 0008046 A1 (hereinafter “Hua”) in view of Cutler et al. US 2011 0302457 A1 (hereinafter “Cutler”).
Regarding Claim 1, Hua teaches a method comprising:
receiving, by a mobility management node of a telecommunications network (Page 4, Paragraph 41, MME), a master subscription profile from a central repository of the telecommunications network (Pages 3-4, Paragraphs 22, 35-39, HSS, user profile database, shared service profile database, MME sharing list), the master subscription profile including data that is shared across subscribers (Page 3, Paragraphs 35-36, shared profile distribution manager, shared service profile contents);
caching, by the mobility management node in a cache of the mobility management node, the master subscription profile (Page 4, Paragraphs 41-44, MME, local profile manager, local user database, local shared service profile database, shared profile download or update, received complete profile data);
when registering a user equipment (UE) with the telecommunications network (Page 5, Paragraph 51, MME performs authentication procedure 610, retrieve UE profile data from HSS 130), signaling, by the mobility management node, support for an alias for the master subscription profile to a subscription database of the telecommunications network (Pages 5-6, Paragraphs 50-56, previously stored shared profile, update to shared service profile); and
receiving, by the mobility management node and from the subscription database, the alias in place of the master subscription profile (Paragraphs 59-64, providing user profile with shared service profile, shared profile identifier)
Hua fails to fully teach the limitation:
a cache of the mobility management node
However, Cutler teaches the limitation:
a cache of the mobility management node (Cutler, Page 3, Paragraph 36, subscriber cache, collocated with policy and charging rules node [PCRN])
Although Hua addresses the remaining limitations of claim 1, Cutler demonstrates the following limitations of a method comprising:
receiving, by a mobility management node of a telecommunications network (Cutler, Pages 2-3, Paragraph 24, PCRN), a master subscription profile from a central repository of the telecommunications network (Cutler, Page 4, Paragraph 39, 330 network subscriber database), the master subscription profile including data that is shared across subscribers (Cutler, Pages 3-4, Paragraph 35, subscriber record requests; Paragraph 38-41, network subscriber database);
caching, by the mobility management node in a cache of the mobility management node, the master subscription profile (Cutler, Pages 3-4, Paragraph 34, SPR client may be PCRN or a component thereof, subscriber cache; Paragraph 36, subscriber cache management; Paragraph 40, update subscriber cache);
when registering a user equipment (UE) with the telecommunications network (Cutler, Pages 2-3, Paragraphs 23-25, PCRN 136, user equipment 110; Paragraph 35, PCRN, record requests, transmit subscriber records), signaling, by the mobility management node, support for an alias for the master subscription profile (Cutler, Page 4, Paragraph 40, subscriber record, subscriber identifier; Page 6, Paragraph 65, unique subscriber associated with a set of subscription identifiers) to a subscription database of the telecommunications network (Cutler, Pages 2-3, Paragraph 26, subscription profile repository [SPR]; Paragraph 37, subscriber database); and
receiving, by the mobility management node and from the subscription database, the alias in place of the master subscription profile (Cutler, Pages 3-5, Paragraph 37, subscriber database; Paragraphs 42-46, subscription ID, record ID; Paragraphs 59-60, format subscriber record, PCRN).
Cutler and Hua are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of network data management and the processing of subscriber data. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Hua to incorporate the teachings of Cutler for caching, by the mobility management node in a cache of the mobility management node, the master subscription profile. Doing so would allow the system to quickly resolve requests through utilization of a cache and an alias for the master subscription profile.
Regarding Claim 10, Hua in view of Cutler teaches a system comprising:
one or more processors; and
a plurality of programming instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause a subscription database of a telecommunications network (Hua, Page 3, Paragraphs 29-30, HSS< processor; Cutler, Page 6, Paragraphs 66-67, processor) to perform operations including:
receiving a master subscription profile and an alias for the master subscription profile from a central repository of the telecommunications network, the master subscription profile including data that is shared across subscribers (Hua, Page 2, Paragraph 22, subscriber profiles that include pointers to separate shared service profiles; Page 5, Paragraph 51, UE profile data, UE information and UE subscription information; Cutler, Page 4, Paragraphs 39-40, network subscriber database, subscriber cache, subscriber record, identifiers);
receiving, from a mobility management node of the telecommunications network, a plurality of messages from a corresponding plurality of user equipment (UE) (Hua, Page 5, Paragraphs 59-61, HSS receives message[s] from MME, determines if UE is associated with shared service profile; Cutler, Page 2-4, Paragraphs 22-25, PCRN 136, service request; Paragraphs 29-30, Fig. 2, PCRN receiving multiple messages from a plurality of devices; Paragraph 40, record request, subscriber database);
when one of the messages indicates support for the alias, providing the alias in place of the master subscription profile (Hua, Page 6, Paragraph 63, shared profile identifier; Cutler, Pages 3-5, Paragraph 37, subscriber database queries; Paragraphs 42-46, subscription ID, record ID; Paragraphs 59-60, format subscriber record to match format used by PCRN); and
when another of the messages does not indicate support for the alias, providing the master subscription profile (Hua, Page 6, Paragraph 64, complete set of profile data; Cutler, Page 6, Paragraph 75, unique subscribed associated with a set of subscription identifiers).
Regarding Claim 16, it differs from Claim 1 only in that it is non-transitory computer storage medium having a plurality of programming instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors, cause a mobility management node of a telecommunications network to perform the method of Claim 1 (Hua in view of Cutler teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium in Hua, Page 3, Paragraph 33 and Cutler, Page 6, Paragraph 66-67). It recites similar limitations as in Claim 1 and Hua in view of Cutler discloses them.
Regarding Claim 2, Hua in view of Cutler teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the master subscription profile includes at least one of an access point name (APN), a quality-of-service (QoS), a radio access restriction type, a maximum bandwidth, a speed, steering of roaming (SOR), shared data, or context data (Hua, Page 2, Paragraph 22, shared service profiles; Cutler, Page 2, Paragraph 26, subscription information).
Regarding Claim 3, Hua in view of Cutler teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the master subscription profile is common to UEs associated with a common service plan or to UEs that are associated with a specific access point name (APN) and quality-of-service (QoS) pair (Hua, Page 2, Paragraph 22, shared service profile, service data that may apply to multiple subscribers; Cutler, Page 4, Paragraphs 42-46, subscriber data).
Regarding Claim 4, Hua in view of Cutler teaches the method of claim 1, wherein receiving the alias comprises receiving both the alias and unique subscriber information associated with the UE from the subscription database, the unique subscriber information including at least one of a mobile station international subscriber directory number (MSISDN) or an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) (Hua, Page 4, Paragraphs 44-45, user-specific data, identification information for the UE; Cutler, Page 3, Paragraph 30, subscriber ID, IMSI, MSISDN).
Regarding Claim 5, Hua in view of Cutler teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising periodically refreshing the cache with the master subscription profile from the subscription database or the central repository (Hua, Page 4, Paragraph 40-42, HSS, local profile manager 410, store or update shared profile data; Cutler, Page 3, Paragraph 36, subscriber cache, store recently requested subscriber records).
Regarding Claim 6, Hua in view of Cutler teaches the method of claim 5, wherein periodically refreshing the cache comprises pulling the master subscription profile from the subscription database or the central repository or receiving the master subscription profile in a push distribution from the subscription database or the central repository (Hua, Page 4, Paragraph 36, shared profile distribution manager, shared service profiles and/or shared service profile updates; Cutler, Pages 5-6, Paragraphs 62-65, subscriber record request, subscriber cache query).
Regarding Claim 8, Hua in view of Cutler teaches the method of claim 1. Hua does not teach the method of claim 8. Cutler teaches the method of claim 8, further comprising determining if remaining cache of the mobility management node is below a threshold,
wherein signaling the support for the alias is performed conditionally based on whether the remaining cache is below the threshold (Cutler, Page 3, Paragraph 36, subscriber cache, data management for reduction of search time; Page 4, Paragraph 40, update subscriber cache).
Regarding Claim 9, Hua does not teach the method of claim 8. Cutler teaches the method of claim 8, further comprising receiving an indication of the threshold from the central repository with the master subscription profile (Cutler, Page 5, Paragraph 57, subscriber cache management).
Regarding Claim 11, Hua in view of Cutler teaches the system of claim 10, wherein the master subscription profile includes at least one of an access point name (APN), a quality-of-service (QoS), a radio access restriction type, a maximum bandwidth, or a speed (Hua, Page 2, Paragraph 22, shared service profiles; Cutler, Page 2, Paragraph 26, subscription information).
Regarding Claim 12, Hua in view of Cutler teaches the system of claim 10, wherein the master subscription profile is common to UEs associated with a common service plan or to UEs that are associated with a specific access point name (APN) and quality-of-service (QoS) pair (Hua, Page 2, Paragraph 22, shared service profile, service data that may apply to multiple subscribers; Cutler, Page 4, Paragraphs 42-46, subscriber data).
Regarding Claim 13, Hua in view of Cutler teaches the system of claim 10, wherein providing the alias or the master subscription profile comprises also providing unique subscriber information associated with the UE to the mobility management node, the unique subscriber information including at least one of a mobile station international subscriber directory number (MSISDN) or an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) (Hua, Page 4, Paragraphs 44-45, user-specific data, identification information for the UE; Cutler, Page 3, Paragraph 30, subscriber ID, IMSI, MSISDN).
Regarding Claim 14, Hua in view of Cutler teaches the system of claim 10, wherein the operations include periodically refreshing the master subscription profile from the central repository (Hua, Page 4, Paragraph 40-42, HSS, local profile manager 410, store or update shared profile data; Cutler, Page 3, Paragraph 36, subscriber cache, store recently requested subscriber records).
Regarding Claim 17, Hua in view of Cutler teaches the non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 16, wherein the master subscription profile includes at least one of an access point name (APN), a quality-of-service (QoS), a radio access restriction type, a maximum bandwidth, or a speed (Hua, Page 2, Paragraph 22, shared service profiles; Cutler, Page 2, Paragraph 26, subscription information).
Regarding Claim 18, Hua in view of Cutler teaches the non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 16, wherein receiving the alias comprises receiving both the alias and unique subscriber information associated with the UE from the subscription database, the unique subscriber information including at least one of a mobile station international subscriber directory number (MSISDN) or an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) (Hua, Page 4, Paragraphs 44-45, user-specific data, identification information for the UE; Cutler, Page 3, Paragraph 30, subscriber ID, IMSI, MSISDN).
Regarding Claim 19, Hua in view of Cutler teaches the non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 16, wherein the operations further comprise periodically refreshing the cache with the master subscription profile from the subscription database or the central repository (Hua, Page 4, Paragraph 40-42, HSS, local profile manager 410, store or update shared profile data; Cutler, Page 3, Paragraph 36, subscriber cache, store recently requested subscriber records).
Regarding Claim 20, Hua in view of Cutler teaches the non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 16. Hua does not teach the non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 20. Cutler teaches the non-transitory computer storage medium of claim 20, wherein the operations further comprise determining if remaining cache of the mobility management node is below a threshold, wherein signaling the support for the alias is performed conditionally based on whether the remaining cache is below the threshold (Cutler, Page 5, Paragraph 57, subscriber cache management).4. Claims 7 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hua as modified by Cutler and further in view of Castellanos Zamora et al. US 2019 0394633 A1 (hereinafter “Castellanos”).
Regarding Claim 7, Hua in view of Cutler teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the telecommunications network is a fourth generation (4G) network, the mobility management node is a mobility management entity (MME), and the subscription database is a home subscriber server (HSS) (Hua, Page 2, Paragraph 22, HSS device 130; Page 4, Paragraph 41, Fig. 4, MME 125).
Hua in view of Cutler fails to teach the limitation: wherein the telecommunications network is a fifth generation (5G) network, the mobility management node is an access and mobility management function (AMF), and the subscription database is a unified data management (UDM)
However, Castellanos teaches the limitation:
wherein the telecommunications network is a fifth generation (5G) network, the mobility management node is an access and mobility management function (AMF), and the subscription database is a unified data management (UDM) (Castellanos, Page 4, Paragraphs 83-84, first network node, UDM; second network node, AMF)
Castellanos, Cutler and Hua are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of network data management and the processing of subscriber data. Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Hua to incorporate the teachings of Castellanos wherein the telecommunications network is a fifth generation (5G) network, the mobility management node is an access and mobility management function (AMF), and the subscription database is a unified data management (UDM). Doing so would enable for the reduction of traffic caused by transmissions of redundant data to be adapted for 4G and 5G network technologies.
Regarding Claim 15, Hua as modified by Cutler and further in view of Castellanos teaches the system of claim 10, wherein the telecommunications network is a fifth generation (5G) network, the mobility management node is an access and mobility management function (AMF), and the subscription database is a unified data management (UDM) (Castellanos, Page 4, Paragraphs 83-84, first network node, UDM; second network node, AMF); or
wherein the telecommunications network is a fourth generation (4G) network, the mobility management node is a mobility management entity (MME), and the subscription database is a home subscriber server (HSS) (Hua, Page 2, Paragraph 22, HSS device 130; Page 4, Paragraph 41, Fig. 4, MME 125).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GABRIELLE N DAI whose telephone number is (571)272-6693. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Thu. 8:30am - 5:30pm.
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/GABRIELLE N DAI/ Examiner, Art Unit 2681
/AKWASI M SARPONG/ SPE, Art Unit 2681 02/09/26