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 .
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ly et al. (US 2023/0413114 A1). Regarding claims 1, 20, Ly et al. discloses a method, comprising: receiving, by a terminal device, first policy information from a session management network element, wherein the first policy information comprises a first processing method for an uplink traffic flow (Para 71 “The SMF returns a response to the MA PDU request encapsulated in an N2 message and sent through the AMF to the RAN node. The response may include one or more Adaptive Traffic Steering Rules (ATSR) in which the UE must follow when adapting data traffic. In addition, or alternatively, the response may include an indication that the UE is allowed to dynamically adapt traffic steering for the MA PDU. The details of these rules will be provided hereinafter. As previously stated, the adaptive traffic steering rules may be incorporated into the ATSSS rules that are generated for the UE and into N4 rules generated for the UPF”.); in response to the terminal device meeting a first condition (Para 60 teaches of overload condition and UE requesting adaption of traffic steering base on the measurements provided by the UE), determining, by the terminal device, a second processing method for the uplink traffic flow; and sending, by the terminal device, first notification information to a user plane network element, wherein the first notification information is for notifying the user plane network element to determine a processing method for a downlink traffic flow corresponding to the uplink traffic flow (Para 66-67 and Para 69-72 teaches of dynamically adapting the uplink and down link traffic modes. Para 66 “UE may request “adaptive” steering mode(s) from the network in which the UE is able to dynamically adapt uplink and/or downlink traffic steering based on the steering mode(s).”) Regarding claim 2, Ly et al. discloses a method, wherein the receiving the first policy information further includes receiving the first policy information including first indication information, wherein the first indication information indicates that the terminal device is capable of determining a processing method for the uplink traffic flow. (Para 69 teaches “Step 1: A UE makes either an MA PDU session establishment or modification request and includes an Adaptive Traffic Steering Capability (ATSC) indication to notify the network that the UE has adaptive traffic steering capability and would like to enable adaptive traffic steering functionality for the MA PDU session. The ATSC indication may be included in addition to a steering mode which represent the fact that the UE can adapt data traffic while using the steering mode”). Regarding claim 3, Ly et al. discloses a method, wherein the sending the first notification information includes sending: reason information based on which the terminal device determines to process the uplink traffic flow by using the second processing method; and/or first duration information in which the terminal device determines that the second processing method is valid. (Para 69 teaches “The UE may also include other information of the requirements and use of the MA PDU session to assist the network with granting the MA PDU session and allowing for adaptive traffic steering. The information may include the types of application or the application ID using this MA PDU session, the minimum bandwidth requirements, whether the UE will be mobile, the current signal strengths of 3GPP and non-3GPP access networks, identifiers of available non-3GPP networks (e.g., SSID), the steering modes that the UE is willing and able to support, the types of analytics and performance measurements the UE has access to, etc.”). Regarding claim 4, Ly et al. discloses a method, wherein the sending the first notification information further includes sending information about the second processing method. (Para 69 teaches “The UE may also include other information of the requirements and use of the MA PDU session to assist the network with granting the MA PDU session and allowing for adaptive traffic steering. The information may include the types of application or the application ID using this MA PDU session, the minimum bandwidth requirements, whether the UE will be mobile, the current signal strengths of 3GPP and non-3GPP access networks, identifiers of available non-3GPP networks (e.g., SSID), the steering modes that the UE is willing and able to support, the types of analytics and performance measurements the UE has access to, etc.”). Regarding claim 5, Ly et al. discloses a method, wherein the sending the information about the second processing method includes sending: description information and steering information of the uplink traffic flow (Para 126 teaches “The UE then sends a traffic adaptation message through the RAN node to the UPF. The traffic adaptation message may include the QFI of the traffic under consideration, the UL steering percentages for 3GPP and non-3GPP accesses, a request to have DL traffic adaptation to reflect the UL traffic adaptation, the reason for this traffic adaptation (e.g., based on error condition in applying threshold value), and measurement and adaptation periods the UE will use for adapting future traffic. The UE may also include other information about the error condition, such as a time stamp of when the error condition was detected, an identifier for the measurement, the measurement values from both 3GPP and non-3GPP accesses, the threshold value used in the detection of the error condition, and the traffic adaptation that was performed.”). Regarding claim 6, Ly et al. discloses a method, wherein the method further comprises: in response to the terminal device meeting a second condition, determining, by the terminal device, to process the uplink traffic flow by using the first processing method. (Para 126 teaches “The UE then sends a traffic adaptation message through the RAN node to the UPF. The traffic adaptation message may include the QFI of the traffic under consideration, the UL steering percentages for 3GPP and non-3GPP accesses, a request to have DL traffic adaptation to reflect the UL traffic adaptation, the reason for this traffic adaptation (e.g., based on error condition in applying threshold value), and measurement and adaptation periods the UE will use for adapting future traffic. The UE may also include other information about the error condition, such as a time stamp of when the error condition was detected, an identifier for the measurement, the measurement values from both 3GPP and non-3GPP accesses, the threshold value used in the detection of the error condition, and the traffic adaptation that was performed.”). Regarding claim 7, Ly et al. discloses a method, wherein the method further comprises: sending, by the terminal device, third notification information to the user plane network element, to notify that the terminal device processes the uplink traffic flow by using the first processing method. (Para 129 teaches, “The UPF may respond to the UE an acknowledgement of the traffic adaptation request. In the response, the UPF may provide new measurement and adaptation periods that the UE should use while adapting future traffic. These values may be the same as the ones provided by the UE in step 2 or the values may be new values that the UPF provides to the UE to override the previously sent values”) Regarding claim 8, Ly et al. discloses a method, traffic flow processing method, comprising: receiving, by a user plane network element, second policy information from a session management network element, wherein the second policy information comprises a fourth processing method for a downlink traffic flow of a terminal device (Para 193 teaches “The UPF 176a and UPF 176b may provide the WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c with access to a Packet Data Network (PDN), such as the Internet 110, to facilitate communications between the WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c and other devices. The UPF 176a and UPF 176b may also provide the WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c with access to other types of packet data networks. For example, Other Networks 112 may be Ethernet Networks or any type of network that exchanges packets of data. The UPF 176a and UPF 176b may receive traffic steering rules from the SMF 174 via the N4 interface. The UPF 176a and UPF 176b may provide access to a packet data network by connecting a packet data network with an N6 interface or by connecting to each other and to other UPFs via an N9 interface. In addition to providing access to packet data networks, the UPF 176 may be responsible packet routing and forwarding, policy rule enforcement, quality of service handling for user plane traffic, downlink packet buffering.”); processing, by the user plane network element, the downlink traffic flow by using the fourth processing method (Para 65 teaches “the UE may use an adaptive steering operational mode, in conjunction with existing and future steering modes defined for ATSSS; and 2) the UE may request “adaptive” steering mode(s) from the network in which the UE is able to dynamically adapt uplink and/or downlink traffic steering based on the steering mode(s). When the UE indicates to the network that it supports adaptive steering operation mode, the UE may additionally indicate which steering modes it supports.”); receiving, by the user plane network element, first notification information from the terminal device, wherein the first notification information is for notifying the user plane network element to determine a processing method for the downlink traffic flow. (Para 69 teaches “The UE may also include other information of the requirements and use of the MA PDU session to assist the network with granting the MA PDU session and allowing for adaptive traffic steering. The information may include the types of application or the application ID using this MA PDU session, the minimum bandwidth requirements, whether the UE will be mobile, the current signal strengths of 3GPP and non-3GPP access networks, identifiers of available non-3GPP networks (e.g., SSID), the steering modes that the UE is willing and able to support, the types of analytics and performance measurements the UE has access to, etc.”); and determining, by the user plane network element based on the first notification information, to process the downlink traffic flow by using a third processing method. (Para 66-67 and Para 69-72 teaches of dynamically adapting the uplink and down link traffic modes). Regarding claim 9, Ly et al. discloses a method, wherein the receiving the second policy information further includes receiving second indication information, wherein the second indication information indicates that the user plane network element is capable of modifying the processing method for the downlink traffic flow (Para 69 teaches “Step 1: A UE makes either an MA PDU session establishment or modification request and includes an Adaptive Traffic Steering Capability (ATSC) indication to notify the network that the UE has adaptive traffic steering capability and would like to enable adaptive traffic steering functionality for the MA PDU session. The ATSC indication may be included in addition to a steering mode which represent the fact that the UE can adapt data traffic while using the steering mode”). Regarding claim 10, Ly et al. discloses a method, wherein the receiving the first notification information includes receiving: reason information based on which the terminal device determines to process an uplink traffic flow by using a second processing method (Para 69 teaches “The UE may also include other information of the requirements and use of the MA PDU session to assist the network with granting the MA PDU session and allowing for adaptive traffic steering. The information may include the types of application or the application ID using this MA PDU session, the minimum bandwidth requirements, whether the UE will be mobile, the current signal strengths of 3GPP and non-3GPP access networks, identifiers of available non-3GPP networks (e.g., SSID), the steering modes that the UE is willing and able to support, the types of analytics and performance measurements the UE has access to, etc.”).
Regarding claim 11, Ly et al. discloses a method, wherein the determining, by the user plane network element, the processing method for the downlink traffic flow based on the first notification information, includes: determining, by the user plane network element, the processing method for the downlink traffic flow based on the reason information and the second indication information. (Para 69 teaches “The UE may also include other information of the requirements and use of the MA PDU session to assist the network with granting the MA PDU session and allowing for adaptive traffic steering. The information may include the types of application or the application ID using this MA PDU session, the minimum bandwidth requirements, whether the UE will be mobile, the current signal strengths of 3GPP and non-3GPP access networks, identifiers of available non-3GPP networks (e.g., SSID), the steering modes that the UE is willing and able to support, the types of analytics and performance measurements the UE has access to, etc.”). Regarding claim 12, Ly et al. discloses a method, wherein the receiving the first notification information further includes receiving: description information and steering information of an uplink traffic flow corresponding to the downlink traffic flow; or flow description information and steering information of the downlink traffic flow. (Para 126 teaches “The UE then sends a traffic adaptation message through the RAN node to the UPF. The traffic adaptation message may include the QFI of the traffic under consideration, the UL steering percentages for 3GPP and non-3GPP accesses, a request to have DL traffic adaptation to reflect the UL traffic adaptation, the reason for this traffic adaptation (e.g., based on error condition in applying threshold value), and measurement and adaptation periods the UE will use for adapting future traffic. The UE may also include other information about the error condition, such as a time stamp of when the error condition was detected, an identifier for the measurement, the measurement values from both 3GPP and non-3GPP accesses, the threshold value used in the detection of the error condition, and the traffic adaptation that was performed.”). Regarding claim 13, Ly et al. discloses a method, wherein the determining, by user plane network element, the processing method for the downlink traffic flow based on the first notification information, includes: determining, by the user plane network element, the processing method for the downlink traffic flow based on the description information and the steering information of the uplink traffic flow or the flow description information and the steering information of the downlink traffic flow. (Para 126 teaches “The UE then sends a traffic adaptation message through the RAN node to the UPF. The traffic adaptation message may include the QFI of the traffic under consideration, the UL steering percentages for 3GPP and non-3GPP accesses, a request to have DL traffic adaptation to reflect the UL traffic adaptation, the reason for this traffic adaptation (e.g., based on error condition in applying threshold value), and measurement and adaptation periods the UE will use for adapting future traffic. The UE may also include other information about the error condition, such as a time stamp of when the error condition was detected, an identifier for the measurement, the measurement values from both 3GPP and non-3GPP accesses, the threshold value used in the detection of the error condition, and the traffic adaptation that was performed.”). Regarding claim 14, Ly et al. discloses a method, wherein the determining, by the user plane network element based on the first notification information, to process the downlink traffic flow by using a third processing method includes determining a priority of the third processing method is higher than that of the fourth processing method. (Para 79 teaches “Similarly, if the steering mode octet were set as “10000100”, the UE would be able to adaptively steer traffic while using Priority based steering mode. The adaptation in both cases may be triggered based on communication, performance measurement exceeding certain thresholds, or triggered by analytics, as proposed in the Steering mode information octet. In the Reflective adaptation case, bits may be defined such that the adaptation performed in the UL direction may be requested to be performed on the DL direction as well. Thus, the steering mode employ, and the ranges of adaptation would be mirrored between the UL and DL data traffic.”).
Regarding claim 15, Ly et al. discloses a method, wherein the method further comprises: determining, by the user plane network element, second duration information for using the third processing method. n addition, an adaptation period may be specified of the duration that traffic adaptation made be in effect. (Para 81 teaches “An alternative enumeration for the adaptation period shown in Table 3 of the Appendix may also include the measurement period for obtaining performance measurement that are used for adaptive traffic steering. The network may provide both measurement and adaptation periods to configure the UE and the UPF with specifying the frequency that performance measurement should be obtain and the frequency that adaptation may be made. The on-demand adaptation may provide an indication that the UE and UPF may adapt traffic as needed, e.g., based on connection quality of access or other criteria, such as low battery level or overloading conditions”)
Regarding claim 16, Ly et al. discloses a method, wherein the receiving the first notification information further include receiving: first duration information in which the terminal device determines that the second processing method is valid (Para 141-142 “The UE and network may further use user plane signaling using PMF protocol to exchange information regarding traffic steering. Indications may be made in a PMFP traffic adaptation request message, for example, that includes an indication of a new steering mode, the direction for the requested adaptation, possibly an adaptation rule with which to perform the traffic adaptation, an identifier the traffic adaptation is applied to, the adaptive steering percentages, request for reflective DL steering percentages, indicator that adaptation was made due to error condition with threshold value, and the measurement and adaptation frequency, etc”)
Regarding claim 17, Ly et al. discloses a method, wherein the determining second duration information for using the third processing method includes: determining, by the user plane network element, the second duration information based on the first duration information. (Para 72 teaches “The SMF may also include adaptive traffic steering rules or ATSSS rules provided in step 3 and the UE stores the rules internally for use when the UE wants to adapt data traffic. The rules will guide the UE on when to adapt traffic steering, what steering modes to use, the range in which traffic steering may be made, the duration in which traffic steering may be adapted, etc”). Regarding claim 18, Ly et al. discloses a method, wherein the method further comprises: receiving, by the user plane network element, third notification information from the terminal device, wherein the third notification information is for notifying that the terminal device processes the traffic flow by using a first processing method. (Para 126 teaches “The UE then sends a traffic adaptation message through the RAN node to the UPF. The traffic adaptation message may include the QFI of the traffic under consideration, the UL steering percentages for 3GPP and non-3GPP accesses, a request to have DL traffic adaptation to reflect the UL traffic adaptation, the reason for this traffic adaptation (e.g., based on error condition in applying threshold value), and measurement and adaptation periods the UE will use for adapting future traffic. The UE may also include other information about the error condition, such as a time stamp of when the error condition was detected, an identifier for the measurement, the measurement values from both 3GPP and non-3GPP accesses, the threshold value used in the detection of the error condition, and the traffic adaptation that was performed.”). Regarding claim 19, Ly et al. discloses a method ,wherein the method further comprises: processing, by the user plane network element, the traffic flow by using the fourth processing method (Para 66-67 and Para 69-72 teaches of dynamically adapting the uplink and down link traffic modes. Para 66 “UE may request “adaptive” steering mode(s) from the network in which the UE is able to dynamically adapt uplink and/or downlink traffic steering based on the steering mode(s).”).
Conclusion
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/AJAY CATTUNGAL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2467