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 .
This Office Action is in response to communications filed on 3/19/2026.
Claims 1-19 & 21 are pending and presented for examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 4/1/2026 was filed after the mailing date of the Non-Final Rejection on 12/22/2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
Claim 20 has been cancelled.
Amendments to figure 3C have been accepted.
Claims 1, 2, 4-10, 12, 13, 15-17 & 19 have been amended.
Claim 21 has been added and is presented for examination.
Objections to claims 9 & 10 have been withdrawn based on amendments to these claims.
Rejections to claims 1-19 under 35 USC 103 made in the prior record non-final rejection dated 12/22/2025 have been withdrawn based on amendments to claims 1, 2, 4-10, 12, 13, 15-17 & 19. However, new grounds of rejections to claims 1-19 under 35 USC 103 have been introduced based on new references Bhatnagar et al. (US 2021/0099871)(herein after “Bhatnagar) and Bestermann et al. (US 12058514)(herein after “Bestermann”) and Boutros et al. (US 2019/0306036)(herein after “Boutros) and Wu et al. (WO 2019/196860)(herein after “Wu”) and Minokuchi et al. (US 2025/0310747)(herein after “Minokuchi”) based on amendments to claims 1, 2, 4-10, 12, 13, 15-17 & 19.
Rejections to claims 9 & 15 under 35 USC 112(b) have been introduced based on amendments to these claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see “Remarks”, filed 3/19/2026, with respect to the rejections of claims 1-19 under 35 USC 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, these rejections have been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new grounds of rejections are made in view of Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu and Minokuchi based on amendments to claims 1, 2, 4-10, 12, 13, 15-17 & 19.
Regarding claim 1, applicant submits that amendments to this claim traverses the rejection of this claim under 35 USC 103 made in the prior record non-final rejection dated 12/22/2025. Examiner agrees and withdraws rejection of this claim under 35 USC 103 made in the prior record non-final rejection dated 12/22/2025. However, upon further consideration, examiner introduces a new ground of rejection to this claim under 35 USC 103 in view of new references Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu. Applicant’s arguments with respect to this claim have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Regarding claims 12 & 16, applicant submits that based on amendments and arguments made to these claims that are similar to those made for claim 1, these claims traverse the rejections of these claims under 35 USC 103 made in the prior record non-final rejection dated 12/22/2025. Examiner agrees and withdraws rejections of these claims under 35 USC 103 made in the prior record non-final rejection dated 12/22/2025. However, for the same reasons as discussed above, examiner introduces new grounds of rejections to these claims under 35 USC 103 in view of new references Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu.
Regarding claims 2-9, 11, 13-15 & 17-19, applicant submits that based on amendments and arguments made to claims 1, 12 & 16, and due to their dependency on claims 1, 12 or 16, these claims traverse the rejections of these claims under 35 USC 103 made in the prior record non-final rejection dated 12/22/2025. Examiner agrees and withdraws rejections of these claims under 35 USC 103 made in the prior record non-final rejection dated 12/22/2025. However, for the same reasons as discussed above, examiner introduces new grounds of rejections to these claims under 35 USC 103 in view of new references Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu.
Regarding claim 10, applicant submits that amendments to this claim and claim 1, upon which this claim is dependent, traverses the rejection of this claim under 35 USC 103 made in the prior record non-final rejection dated 12/22/2025. Examiner agrees and withdraws rejection of this claim under 35 USC 103 made in the prior record non-final rejection dated 12/22/2025. However, upon further consideration, examiner introduces new grounds of rejections to these claims under 35 USC 103 in view of new references Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu and Minokuchi. Applicant’s arguments with respect to this claim, and claim 1, have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant's arguments filed 3/19/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues on page 16, third paragraph, that Erta’s mobile nodes 310a and 310b allegedly describe a first tenant and a second tenant but does not assert that these nodes have wired connections to Erta’s gateway 306, but rather that wireless APs 308a and 308b have wired connections to Erta’s gateway 306. Examiner has clarified in this office action that wireless AP 308a is of a first tenant and wireless AP 308b is of a second tenant. Thus, Erta discloses of a first wireless AP 308a of a first tenant that has a wired connection to gateway 306 and second wireless AP 308b of a second tenant that has a wired connection to gateway 306.
Claim Interpretation
Several of the claims in the present application recite Markush groups in the format of “at least one of A, B or C” (see MPEP §2117). For the purpose of this review, the examiner is interpreting these Markush claims as a single element selection from a closed group of elements consisting of alternatives A, B or C.
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 9 & 15 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.
Claim 9 recites “providing, by the gateway, the identifier for the first tenant enterprise in a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Tunneling Protocol (GTP) header for data plane communications involving the first wireless device and the mobile core network for the first WWAN PDU session”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For the purpose of this review, examiner is interpreting this limitation as “providing, by the gateway, the first identifier for the first tenant enterprise in a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Tunneling Protocol (GTP) header for data plane communications involving the first wireless device and the mobile core network for the first WWAN PDU session”.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "wherein the first WWAN PDU session and the second WWAN PDU session are established at a user plane function (UPF) of the mobile core network and the identifier for the first tenant enterprise is included in charging information for the first WWAN PDU session and the second identifier for the second tenant enterprise is included in charging information for the second WWAN PDU session”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For the purpose of this review, examiner is interpreting this limitation as "wherein the first WWAN PDU session and the second WWAN PDU session are established at a user plane function (UPF) of the mobile core network and the first identifier for the first tenant enterprise is included in charging information for the first WWAN PDU session and the second identifier for the second tenant enterprise is included in charging information for the second WWAN PDU session”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-3, 12-14 & 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Erta et al. (US 2022/0345985)(herein after “Erta”) in view of Salkintzis et al. (US 2020/0092790)(herein after “Salkintzis”), and further in view of Bhatnagar et al. (US 2021/0099871)(herein after “Bhatnagar) and Bestermann et al. (US 12058514)(herein after “Bestermann”) and Boutros et al. (US 2019/0306036)(herein after “Boutros) and Wu et al. (WO 2019/196860)(herein after “Wu”).
Regarding claims 1, 12 & 16, Erta discloses one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations ([0076] discloses that the components and/or elements of the disclosed inventions may be implemented as software being stored on non-transitory computer readable medium having program instructions executing on a computer, hardware, firmware or a combination thereof. Fig 2 & [0030] disclose a processor that may execute the software programs.), and a system (Fig 2 & [0030] disclose a device with an operating system 242), and a method (Claims 1-10 disclose a method for the inventions disclosed by Erta.) comprising:
establishing a first wireline tunnel between a first wireless local area network (WLAN) access point (AP) of a first tenant and a gateway, the gateway being capable of a connection with a mobile core network (Fig 3 & [0041] discloses comprising establishment of a first tunnel connection 316a between a first wireless AP 308a (i.e. a first WLAN AP of a first tenant) supporting a first mobile node MN1 310a (i.e. of the first tenant) and a gateway (GW) 306. Fig 2 & [0028]-[0029] disclose that nodes/devices such as AP 308a and GW 306 may have wired connections, and thus first tunnel connection 316a may be a first wireline tunnel between first wireless AP 308a and GW 306. [0040] discloses that GW 306 is capable of connecting to the internet or any type of external network (e.g. a mobile core network) through a Layer-3 (L3) backhaul system (i.e. a WWAN).); and
establishing a second wireline tunnel between a second WLAN AP of a second tenant and the gateway, wherein the first tenant and the second tenant are different tenants (Fig 3 & [0041] discloses establishment of a second tunnel connection 316b between a second wireless AP 308b (i.e. a second WLAN AP of a second tenant) supporting a second mobile node MN2 310b (i.e. of the second tenant) and GW 306, wherein in MN2 310b is different than MN1 310a (i.e. MN1 310a and MN2 310b are of different tenants). Fig 2 & [0028]-[0029] disclose that nodes/devices such as AP 308b and GW 306 may have wired connections, and thus second tunnel connection 316b may be a second wireline tunnel between second wireless AP 308b and GW 306.); and
upon a first wireless device establishing a WLAN connection with the first WLAN AP of the first tenant, causing, by the gateway, establishment of a first WWAN data flow for the first tenant with the mobile core network for communications involving the first wireless device and the mobile core network (Fig 3, [0035] & [0041] disclose that user devices (e.g. a first wireless device) may connect to AP 308a of first MN1 310a (i.e. the first tenant) through first Onboard Wireless Device (OWD1) 314a and L2 switch 312. Fig 4 & [0053] disclose that the connection between a user device and AP 308a may cause gateway 306 to establish a first WWAN flow of data packet 404 from the user devices (e.g. the first wireless device) to the L3-routed network (i.e. the mobile core network).),
wherein the first WWN data flow is to serve communications for a first plurality of wireless devices, including the first wireless device of the first tenant (Fig 3, [0035] & [0041] discloses that any number of onboard devices, including the first wireless device, can be connected to AP 308a through MN 310a, L2 Switch 312 and OWD1 314a.).
Erta fails to disclose wherein the data flow is a protocol data unit (PDU) session, wherein the PDU session is associated with an identifier for the first tenant.
However, Salkintzis teaches wherein the data flow is a protocol data unit (PDU) session for the first tenant (Fig 1 and [0066], [0077] & [0079] discloses establishment of PDU sessions for data packet routing from a UE to a mobile communication network (i.e. to Mobile Core Network 130).).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a non-transitory computer readable storage media, or a system, or a method comprising: establishing a first wireline tunnel between a first wireless local area network (WLAN) access point (AP) of a first tenant and a gateway, the gateway being capable of a connection with a mobile core network; establishing a second wireline tunnel between a second WLAN AP of a second tenant and the gateway, wherein the first tenant and the second tenant are different tenants; upon a first wireless device establishing a WLAN connection with the first tenant, causing, by the gateway, establishment of a first WWAN data flow for the first tenant with the mobile core network, wherein the first WWN data flow is to serve communications for a first plurality of wireless devices, including the first wireless device of the first tenant, as disclosed by Erta, wherein the data flow is a protocol data unit (PDU) session for the first tenant, as taught by Salkintzis. The motivation to do so would have been to have a non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for, or a system for, or a method for, a mobile network operator to provide multi-tenancy connectivity to two different enterprise entities that may be co-located by using network slicing that provides two different network slices to the two different tenants/enterprise entities through a common gateway, located at the location of the tenants/enterprise entities, using a first tunnel from the common gateway to a first AP for the first tenant/enterprise entity and a second tunnel from the common gateway to a second AP for the second tenant/enterprise entity, and establishing PDU sessions specific to each tenant/enterprise entity through each tenants/enterprise entities respective tunnel and AP by identifying each PDU session with network slicing attributes specific to each tenants/enterprise entities network slice, so that isolation and security can be provided to the two different tenants/enterprise entities.
Erta fails to disclose but Bhatnagar further teaches wherein the first WLAN AP is operated at a first location and the second WLAN AP is operated at a second location (Fig 2 & [0097] disclose an AP deployment where multiple Wi-Fi APs 205 may be scattered throughout different indoor and outdoor locations (e.g. a first WLAN AP for at a first location and a second WLAN AP at a second location).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a non-transitory computer readable storage media, or a system, or a method comprising: establishing a first wireline tunnel between a first wireless local area network (WLAN) access point (AP) of a first tenant and a gateway, establishing a second wireline tunnel between a second WLAN AP of a second tenant and the gateway, wherein the first tenant and the second tenant are different tenants, and upon a first wireless device establishing a WLAN connection with the first tenant, causing, by the gateway, establishment of a first WWAN data flow for the first tenant with the mobile core network, as discloses by Erta, wherein the first WLAN AP is operated at a first location and the second WLAN AP is operated at a second location, as further taught by Bhatnagar. The motivation to do so would have been to have a non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for, or a system for, or a method for, a wireless gateway to be able to provide a first tunnel to a first WLAN AP in a first location (e.g. inside a hotel) for a first tenant and a second tunnel to a second WLAN AP in a second location (e.g. on a street light outside the hotel) for a second tenant so that a user device of the first tenant inside the hotel can connect through the first WLAN AP through the first tunnel to the wireless gateway to receive a certain set of services (e.g. advertisements from the hotel) while a user device for the second tenant outside the hotel can connect through the second WLAN AP through the second tunnel to the wireless gateway to receive a different set of services (e.g. traffic information).
Erta fails to disclose but Bestermann further teaches wherein the first WLAN AP at the first location is for the first tenant of a first enterprise and the second WLAN AP at the second location is for the second tenant of a second enterprise, the first tenant enterprise and second tenant enterprise are different (Fig 1, Col 3, lines 35-46 disclose numerous access points 12 located throughout a multiple dwelling unit (MDU) property 10. Col 1, lines 6-13 disclose that the MDU property may be a hotel, apartment complex, dormitory buildings or campus (i.e. enterprise properties). Col 2, lines 60-67 & col 3, lines 1-2 disclose multiple unrelated (i.e. different) entities or tenants on the MDU property sharing a WiFi managed infrastructure. Fig 3, col 3, lines 63-67 & col 4, lines 1-10 disclose a first tenant 1 with multiple devices that is assigned first Personal Network (PN1 associated with VLAN 200) and a second tenant 2 with multiple devices that is assigned a second Personal Network (PN2 associated with VLAN 199). Thus disclosed is wherein a first WiFi AP at a first location 12 in fig 1 is associated with a first tenant of an enterprise MDU property, and a second WiFi AP at a second location 12 in fig 1 is associated with an unrelated second tenant of the enterprise MDU property.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a non-transitory computer readable storage media, or a system, or a method comprising: establishing a first wireline tunnel between a first wireless local area network (WLAN) access point (AP) of a first tenant at a first location and a gateway, establishing a second wireline tunnel between a second WLAN AP of a second tenant at a second location and the gateway, wherein the first tenant and the second tenant are different tenants, and upon a first wireless device establishing a WLAN connection with the first tenant, causing, by the gateway, establishment of a first WWAN data flow for the first tenant with the mobile core network, as discloses by Erta in view of Bhatnagar, wherein the first WLAN AP at the first location is for the first tenant of a first enterprise and the second WLAN AP at the second location is for the second tenant of a second enterprise, the first tenant enterprise and second tenant enterprise are different, as further taught by Bestermann. The motivation to do so would have been to have a non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for, or a system for, or a method for, a wireless gateway to be able to provide a first tunnel to a first WLAN AP in a first location for a first tenant associated with a first enterprise (e.g. a first enterprise business renting a first block of hotel rooms at an industry event) and a second tunnel to a second WLAN AP in a second location (e.g. a first enterprise business renting a first block of hotel rooms at an industry event) so that employees of the first enterprise business can securely connect through the wireless gateway to access private information for the first enterprise business while employees of the second enterprise business can securely connect through the wireless gateway to access private information for the second enterprise business without having to worry about security issues associated with each businesses private information being accessible by other businesses.
Erta fails to disclose but Boutros further teaches wherein the gateway stores a first identifier for the first tenant enterprise and a second identifier for the second tenant enterprise ([0027] discloses a gateway device that appends a context to data messages sent to a service node with a tenant identifier such as a VLAN tag that is associated with a particular tenant’s policies. The tenant identifier for each tenant would have been stored in the gateway in order for the gateway to append the tenant identifier information to the data messages.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a non-transitory computer readable storage media, or a system, or a method comprising: establishing a first wireline tunnel between a first wireless local area network (WLAN) access point (AP) of a first tenant enterprise at a first location and a gateway, establishing a second wireline tunnel between a second WLAN AP of a second tenant enterprise at a second location and the gateway, wherein the first tenant enterprise and the second tenant enterprise are different tenant enterprises, as disclosed by Erta in view of Bhatnagar and Bestermann, wherein the gateway stores a first identifier for the first tenant enterprise and a second identifier for the second tenant enterprise, as further taught by Boutros. The motivation to do so would have been to have a non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for, or a system for, or a method for, a wireless gateway to be able to provide a first tunnel to a first WLAN AP in a first location for a first tenant associated with a first enterprise (e.g. a first enterprise business renting a first block of hotel rooms at an industry event) and a second tunnel to a second WLAN AP in a second location (e.g. a first enterprise business renting a first block of hotel rooms at an industry event), wherein the gateway stores a first identifier mapping first policies for the first enterprise business and a second identifier mapping second policies for the second enterprise business, so that employees of the first enterprise business can be provided services according to the first policies associated with the first enterprise business when connecting through the wireless gateway to access information for the first enterprise business and the second enterprise business can be provided services according to the second policies associated with the second enterprise business when connecting through the wireless gateway to access information for the second enterprise business, so that each enterprise business can be provide different services according to the specific policies mapped to each enterprise businesses identifier stored in the gateway.
Erta fails to disclose but Wu further teaches wherein the capability of the gateway to connect to the mobile core network is through a wireless wide area network (WWAN) wireless connection, and wherein the establishment of the first WWAN PDU session for the first tenant enterprise with the mobile core network is via the WWAN wireless connection of the gateway with the mobile core network (Fig 1 & page 2, lines 19-28 disclose a 5G Residential Gateway (5G-RG) that can connect to a 5G core network (5GC) wirelessly through a Wireline 5G Access Network (W-5GAN). Figs 9 & 10 and page 16 lines 29-32 & page 17, lines 1-22 disclose a PDU session establishment procedure for connecting a UE (i.e. a first tenant enterprise) to the 5GC through the W-5GAN via the wireless connections between the 5G-RG and the W-5GAN.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a non-transitory computer readable storage media, or a system, or a method comprising: establishing a first wireline tunnel between a first wireless local area network (WLAN) access point (AP) of a first tenant enterprise at a first location and a gateway, the gateway being capable of a connection with a mobile core network, and upon a first wireless device establishing a WLAN connection with the first WLAN AP of the first tenant enterprise, causing, by the gateway, establishment of a first WWAN PDU session for the first tenant enterprise with the mobile core network for communications involving the first wireless device and the mobile core network, as disclosed by Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann, wherein the capability of the gateway to connect to the mobile core network is through a wireless wide area network (WWAN) wireless connection, and wherein the establishment of the first WWAN PDU session for the first tenant enterprise with the mobile core network is via the WWAN wireless connection of the gateway with the mobile core network, as further taught by Wu. The motivation to do so would have been to have a non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for, or a system for, or a method for, a wireless gateway to be able to provide a first tunnel to a first WLAN AP in a first location for a first tenant associated with a first enterprise (e.g. a first enterprise business renting a first block of hotel rooms at an industry event), and connect wirelessly to a mobile core network and establish a PDU session between a user device connected through a WLAN connection to the first WLAN AP and the mobile core network so that communications involving the user device and the mobile core network can be established by having the wireless gateway located near the first WLAN AP and still be able to connect to a mobile core network without requiring a wireline connection.
Regarding claims 2, 13 & 17, Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu disclose the method of claim 1, the non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 12 and the system of claim 16.
Erta discloses further comprising: upon a second wireless device establishing a WLAN connection with the second WLAN AP of the second tenant enterprise, causing, by the gateway, establishment of a second WWAN data flow for the second tenant enterprise, wherein the second WWAN data flow is to facilitate communications for a second plurality of wireless devices, including the second wireless device, at the second location of the second tenant enterprise (Fig 3 & [0035] disclose that user devices (e.g. a second wireless device) may connect to AP 308b of second MN1 310b (i.e. the second tenant enterprise) through second Onboard Wireless Device (OWD2) 314b and L2 switch 312. Fig 4 & [0053] disclose that the connection between a user device and AP 308b may cause gateway 306 to establish a second WWAN flow of data packet 404 from the user devices (e.g. the second wireless device) to the L3-routed network (i.e. the mobile core network). Fig 3, [0035] & [0041] discloses that any number of onboard devices, including the first wireless device, can be connected to AP 308b through MN 310b, L2 Switch 312 and OWD1 314b.).
Regarding claims 3, 14 & 18 Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu disclose the method of claim 2, the non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 13 and the system of claim 17.
Erta discloses wherein the mobile core network is a first mobile core network ([0040] discloses that GW 306 is capable of connecting to the internet or any type of external network (e.g. a first mobile core network) through a Layer-3 (L3) backhaul system.).
Erta fails to disclose wherein the first mobile core network is operated by a first mobile network provider, and the second WWAN PDU session is established with a second mobile core network operated by a second mobile network provider.
However, Salkintzis teaches wherein the first mobile core network is operated by a first mobile network provider, and the second WWAN PDU session is established with a second mobile core network operated by a second mobile network provider (Fig 1 & [0073] disclose that mobile core network 130 may be a 5G packet core or an evolved packet core (EPC), and that each mobile core network belongs to a single PLMN (i.e. a single mobile network provider). Thus, first mobile core network disclosed by Erta may be a 5G packet core of a first PLMN for a first mobile network provider, and the second WWAN PDU session may be established through an EPC with a second PLMN for a second mobile network provider.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 13, or the system of claim 17, or the method of claim 2, wherein the mobile core network is a first mobile core network, as disclosed by Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu, wherein the first mobile core network is operated by a first mobile network provider, and the second WWAN PDU session is established with a second mobile core network operated by a second mobile network provider, as taught by Salkintzis. The motivation to do so would have been to have a non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for, or a system for, or a method for, two different mobile network operators, each providing connectivity to different enterprise entities that may be co-located, through their respective mobile core networks, by using RAN sharing with network slicing that provides two different network slices to the two different tenants/enterprise entities through a shared, common gateway, located at the location of the tenants/enterprise entities, using a first tunnel from the common gateway to a first AP for the first tenant/enterprise entity and a second tunnel from the common gateway to a second AP for the second tenant/enterprise entity, and establishing PDU sessions specific to each tenant/enterprise entity through each tenants/enterprise entities respective tunnel to each tenants/enterprise entities respective AP and to each tenants/enterprises respective mobile network core by identifying each PDU session with network slicing attributes specific to each tenants/enterprise entities network slice, so that isolation and security can be provided to the two different tenants/enterprise entities and between the two different mobile network providers.
Claims 4 & 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Erta et al. (US 2022/0345985)(herein after “Erta”) in view of Salkintzis et al. (US 2020/0092790)(herein after “Salkintzis”) and Bhatnagar et al. (US 2021/0099871)(herein after “Bhatnagar) and Bestermann et al. (US 12058514)(herein after “Bestermann”) and Boutros et al. (US 2019/0306036)(herein after “Boutros) and Wu et al. (WO 2019/196860)(herein after “Wu”), as applied to claims 2 & 17 respectively, and further in view of Miklos et al. (US 2022/0070625)(herein after “Miklos”).
Regarding claims 4 & 19, Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu disclose the method of claim 2 and the system of claim 17.
Erta fails to disclose but Miklos further teaches wherein the first WWAN PDU session and the second WWAN PDU session are established at a user plane function (UPF) of the mobile core network and the first identifier for the first tenant enterprise is included in charging information for the first WWAN PDU session and the second identifier for the second tenant enterprise is included in charging information for the second WWAN PDU session (Fig 5 & [0059] disclose PDU sessions established at UPF 314 of a 3GPP network (i.e. a mobile core network) including a multicast MAC address identifier for a UE (i.e. a tenant) associated with a particular PDU session. [0006] discloses that the UPF may report the use of the multicast MAC address associated with the particular PDU session to an SMF that enables the setup of specific QoS or charging filters for the particular PDU session. The teachings of Miklos can be applied so that the first WWAN PDU session and the second WWAN PDU sessions are established at a UPF of a mobile core network, and a first multicast MAC address identifier for a first UE (i.e. a first tenant) is included in charging filters for the first WWAN PDU session and a second multicast MAC address identifier for a second UE (i.e. a second tenant) is included in charging filters for the second WWAN PDU session).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the method of claim 2 or the system of claim 17, as disclosed by Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu, wherein the first WWAN PDU session and the second WWAN PDU session are established at a user plane function (UPF) of the mobile core network and the first identifier for the first tenant enterprise is included in charging information for the first WWAN PDU session and the second identifier for the second tenant enterprise is included in charging information for the second WWAN PDU session, as further taught by Miklos. The motivation to do so would have been to have a method for, or a system for, a mobile network operator to provide multi-tenancy connectivity to two different enterprise entities that may be co-located by using network slicing that provides two different network slices to the two different tenants/enterprise entities through a common gateway, located at the location of the tenants/enterprise entities, to a UPF, using a first tunnel from the common gateway to a first AP for the first tenant/enterprise entity and a second tunnel from the common gateway to a second AP for the second tenant/enterprise entity, and establishing PDU sessions specific to each tenant/enterprise entity through each tenants/enterprise entities respective tunnel and AP by identifying each PDU session with network slicing attributes specific to each tenants/enterprise entities network slice, and wherein the UPF reports the network slicing attributes to an SMF so that charging and QoS traffic flow of PDU sessions can be performed in isolation and securely between the two different tenants/enterprise entities.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Erta et al. (US 2022/0345985)(herein after “Erta”) in view of Salkintzis et al. (US 2020/0092790)(herein after “Salkintzis”) and Bhatnagar et al. (US 2021/0099871)(herein after “Bhatnagar) and Bestermann et al. (US 12058514)(herein after “Bestermann”) and Boutros et al. (US 2019/0306036)(herein after “Boutros) and Wu et al. (WO 2019/196860)(herein after “Wu”), as applied to claim 13, and further in view of Miklos et al. (US 2022/0070625)(herein after “Miklos”).
Regarding claim 15, Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu disclose the media of claim 13.
Erta fails to disclose but Miklos further teaches wherein the first WWAN PDU session and the second WWAN PDU session are established at a user plane function (UPF) of the mobile core network and the identifier for the first tenant enterprise is included in charging information for the first WWAN PDU session and the second identifier for the second tenant enterprise is included in charging information for the second WWAN PDU session (Fig 5 & [0059] disclose PDU sessions established at UPF 314 of a 3GPP network (i.e. a mobile core network) including a multicast MAC address identifier for a UE (i.e. a tenant) associated with a particular PDU session. [0006] discloses that the UPF may report the use of the multicast MAC address associated with the particular PDU session to an SMF that enables the setup of specific QoS or charging filters for the particular PDU session. The teachings of Miklos can be applied so that the first WWAN PDU session and the second WWAN PDU sessions are established at a UPF of a mobile core network, and a first multicast MAC address identifier for a first UE (i.e. a first tenant) is included in charging filters for the first WWAN PDU session and a second multicast MAC address identifier for a second UE (i.e. a second tenant) is included in charging filters for the second WWAN PDU session).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the media of claim 13, as disclosed by Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu, wherein the first WWAN PDU session and the second WWAN PDU session are established at a user plane function (UPF) of the mobile core network and the identifier for the first tenant enterprise is included in charging information for the first WWAN PDU session and the second identifier for the second tenant enterprise is included in charging information for the second WWAN PDU session, as further taught by Miklos. The motivation to do so would have been to have a non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations for a mobile network operator to provide multi-tenancy connectivity to two different enterprise entities that may be co-located by using network slicing that provides two different network slices to the two different tenants/enterprise entities through a common gateway, located at the location of the tenants/enterprise entities, to a UPF, using a first tunnel from the common gateway to a first AP for the first tenant/enterprise entity and a second tunnel from the common gateway to a second AP for the second tenant/enterprise entity, and establishing PDU sessions specific to each tenant/enterprise entity through each tenants/enterprise entities respective tunnel and AP by identifying each PDU session with network slicing attributes specific to each tenants/enterprise entities network slice, and wherein the UPF reports the network slicing attributes to an SMF so that charging and QoS traffic flow of PDU sessions can be performed in isolation and securely between the two different tenants/enterprise entities.
Claims 5 & 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Erta et al. (US 2022/0345985)(herein after “Erta”) in view of Salkintzis et al. (US 2020/0092790)(herein after “Salkintzis”) and Bhatnagar et al. (US 2021/0099871)(herein after “Bhatnagar) and Bestermann et al. (US 12058514)(herein after “Bestermann”) and Boutros et al. (US 2019/0306036)(herein after “Boutros) and Wu et al. (WO 2019/196860)(herein after “Wu”) and Miklos et al. (US 2022/0070625)(herein after “Miklos”), as applied to claim 4, and further in view of Gundavelli et al. (US 2013/0139221)(herein after “Gundavelli”).
Regarding claim 5, Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu and Miklos disclose the method of claim 4.
Erta discloses obtaining a first data packet involving a data plane communication for the first wireless device (Fig 4 & [0053] disclose a data packet 404 (i.e. a first data packet) sent by an endpoint device aboard a mobile system 302 (i.e. a first wireless device). [0013] disclose that communication of data packets are based on protocols such as TCP/IP and UDP (i.e. involving data plane communication).).
Erta fails to disclose wherein the obtaining of a first data packet is by the UPF via the first WWAN PDU session.
However, Miklos further teaches wherein the obtaining of a first data packet is by the UPF via the first WWAN PDU session (Fig 5 & [0059] disclose PDU sessions established at UPF 314. [0003] discloses that PDU sessions carry Ethernet frames (e.g. a first data packet). Thus, a first data packet would be obtained for a first PDU session by UPF 314.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the method of claim 4, and obtaining a first data packet involving a data plane communication for the first wireless device, as disclosed by Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu and Miklos, wherein the obtaining of a first data packet is by the UPF via the first WWAN PDU session, as further taught by Miklos. The motivation to do so would have been to have a method to obtain a first data packet of a first WWAN PDU session from a first UE device at a gateway that forwards the packet to a UPF, so that the UPF can separate user plane and control plane data to enable lower latency, improve scalability and enhance efficiency through Mobile Edge Computing type deployments.
Erta fails to disclose further comprising: providing a redirect rule; initiating, based on the redirect rule, authentication of the first tenant enterprise for the first WWAN PDU session via an internet web portal; and removing the redirect rule for the first WWAN PDU session upon successful authentication of the first tenant enterprise.
However, Gundavelli further teaches further comprising: providing a redirect rule (Fig 5 & [0028] disclose a redirect rule.);
initiating, based on the redirect rule, authentication of the first tenant enterprise for the first WWAN PDU session via an internet web portal ([0014] discloses that the redirect rule is used (i.e. initiated) when a request is received from a first mobile wireless device (i.e. a first tenant for the first WWAN PDU session). Fig 5 and [0028] disclose that, based on the redirect rule, the first mobile wireless device may complete web-based authentication. Fig 4 & [0027] disclose that the authentication is performed via a web portal 13. [0003] discloses that the authentication is for internet access. Thus, web portal 13 would provide authentication for internet access making web portal 13 an internet web portal.); and
removing the redirect rule for the first WWAN PDU session upon successful authentication of the first tenant enterprise ([0059] discloses that redirect rule is removed after the first mobile node (i.e. the first mobile wireless device) is authenticated.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the method of claim 4, as disclosed by Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu and Miklos, further comprising: providing a redirect rule; initiating, based on the redirect rule, authentication of the first tenant enterprise for the first WWAN PDU session via an internet web portal; and removing the redirect rule for the first WWAN PDU session upon successful authentication of the first tenant enterprise, as further taught by Gundavelli. The motivation to do so would have been to have a method for providing secure authentication for PDU sessions of a first tenant device in a mobile communication system, including a gateway connected to a UPF, by providing a redirect rule to initiate an internet web portal based authentication process to authenticate the first tenant device upon reception of a first PDU session packet in order to protect the first tenant’s device from attackers attempting to intercept sensitive authentication information sent by the first tenant’s device.
Regarding claim 6, Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu and Miklos disclose the method of claim 4.
Erta discloses obtaining a first data packet involving a data plane communication for the second wireless device (Fig 4 & [0053] disclose a data packet 404 (i.e. a first data packet) sent by an endpoint device aboard a mobile system 302 (i.e. a second wireless device). [0013] disclose that communication of data packets are based on protocols such as TCP/IP and UDP (i.e. involving data plane communication).).
Erta fails to disclose wherein the obtaining of a first data packet is by the UPF via the first WWAN PDU session.
However, Miklos further teaches wherein the obtaining of a first data packet is by the UPF via the second WWAN PDU session (Fig 5 & [0059] disclose PDU sessions established at UPF 314. [0003] discloses that PDU sessions carry Ethernet frames (e.g. a first data packet). Thus, a first data packet would be obtained for a second PDU session by UPF 314.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the method of claim 4, and obtaining a first data packet involving a data plane communication for the second wireless device, as disclosed by Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu and Miklos, wherein the obtaining of a first data packet is by the UPF via the second WWAN PDU session, as further taught by Miklos. The motivation to do so would have been to have a method to obtain a first data packet of a second WWAN PDU session from a second UE device at a gateway that forwards the packet to a UPF, so that the UPF can separate user plane and control plane data to enable lower latency, improve scalability and enhance efficiency through Mobile Edge Computing type deployments.
Erta fails to disclose further comprising: providing a redirect rule; initiating, based on the redirect rule, authentication of the second tenant enterprise for the second WWAN PDU session via an internet web portal; and removing the redirect rule for the second WWAN PDU session upon successful authentication of the second tenant enterprise.
However, Gundavelli further teaches further comprising: providing a redirect rule (Fig 5 & [0028] disclose a redirect rule.);
initiating, based on the redirect rule, authentication of the second tenant enterprise for the second WWAN PDU session via an internet web portal ([0014] discloses that the redirect rule is used (i.e. initiated) when a request is received from a second mobile wireless device (i.e. a second tenant for the second WWAN PDU session). Fig 5 and [0028] disclose that, based on the redirect rule, the second mobile wireless device may complete web-based authentication. Fig 4 & [0027] disclose that the authentication is performed via a web portal 13. [0003] discloses that the authentication is for internet access. Thus, web portal 13 would provide authentication for internet access making web portal 13 an internet web portal.); and
removing the redirect rule for the second WWAN PDU session upon successful authentication of the second tenant enterprise ([0059] discloses that redirect rule is removed after the second mobile node (i.e. the second mobile wireless device) is authenticated.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the method of claim 4, as disclosed by Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu and Miklos, further comprising: providing a redirect rule; initiating, based on the redirect rule, authentication of the second tenant enterprise for the second WWAN PDU session via an internet web portal; and removing the redirect rule for the first WWAN PDU session upon successful authentication of the second tenant enterprise, as further taught by Gundavelli. The motivation to do so would have been to have a method for providing secure authentication for PDU sessions of a second tenant device in a mobile communication system, including a gateway connected to a UPF, by providing a redirect rule to initiate an internet web portal based authentication process to authenticate the second tenant device upon reception of a second PDU session packet in order to protect the second tenant’s device from attackers attempting to intercept sensitive authentication information sent by the second tenant’s device.
Claims 7 & 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Erta et al. (US 2022/0345985)(herein after “Erta”) in view of Salkintzis et al. (US 2020/0092790)(herein after “Salkintzis”) and Bhatnagar et al. (US 2021/0099871)(herein after “Bhatnagar) and Bestermann et al. (US 12058514)(herein after “Bestermann”) and Boutros et al. (US 2019/0306036)(herein after “Boutros) and Wu et al. (WO 2019/196860)(herein after “Wu”), as applied to claim 2, and further in view of Wang et al. (US 2019/0150219)(herein after “Wang”).
Regarding claim 7, Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu disclose the method of claim 2.
Erta fails to disclose but Wang further teaches further comprising: obtaining, by the gateway, a first Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) prefix for the first WWAN PDU session for the first tenant enterprise and a second IPv6 prefix for the second WWAN PDU session for the second tenant enterprise ([0104] disclose a WTRU obtaining, by UPF anchors or user plane gateways, a source IP address that may apply to IPv6 type PDU sessions, and for EPC systems, obtaining an IPv6 prefix for a PDN session (i.e. PDU session). The teachings of Wang can be applied to obtain, by the gateway, a first Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) prefix for the first WWAN PDU session for the first tenant and a second IPv6 prefix for the second WWAN PDU session for the second tenant.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the method of claim 2, as disclosed by Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu, further comprising: obtaining, by the gateway, a first Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) prefix for the first WWAN PDU session for the first tenant enterprise and a second IPv6 prefix for the second WWAN PDU session for the second tenant enterprise, as further taught by Wang. The motivation to do so would have been to have a method for providing, by a gateway, IPv6 prefixes for PDU sessions of first and second tenant devices in a mobile communication system, in order to take advantage of the vast address space offered by IPv6 and eliminate complexities associated with Network Address Translation (NAT) inherent to IPv4.
Regarding claim 8, Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu and Wang disclose the method of claim 7.
Erta fails to disclose but Wang further teaches further comprising: maintaining, by the gateway, a mapping between the first wireline tunnel or the first IPv6 prefix and the first WWAN PDU session for the first tenant enterprise; and maintaining, by the gateway, a mapping between the second wireline tunnel or the second IPv6 prefix and the second WWAN PDU session for the second tenant enterprise (Fig 3 and [0073] & [0089] disclose that a UPF, acting as a PDU session anchor as part of gateway PGW-U, may be maintained for the life of a PDU session to provide IP continuity (i.e. IPv6 prefix for the PDU session would be maintained.) The teachings of Wang may be applied to maintaining, by the gateway, a mapping between the first wireline tunnel or the first IPv6 prefix and the first WWAN PDU session for the first tenant, and maintaining, by the gateway, a mapping between the second wireline tunnel or the second IPv6 prefix and the second WWAN PDU session for the second tenant.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the method of claim 7, as disclosed by Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu and Wang, further comprising: maintaining, by the gateway, a mapping between the first wireline tunnel or the first IPv6 prefix and the first WWAN PDU session for the first tenant enterprise; and maintaining, by the gateway, a mapping between the second wireline tunnel or the second IPv6 prefix and the second WWAN PDU session for the second tenant enterprise, as further taught by Wang. The motivation to do so would have been to have a method for maintaining, by a gateway, IPv6 prefixes for PDU sessions of first and second tenant devices in a mobile communication system, in order to take provide session continuity as the tenant devices move and change their point of attachment to the mobile network.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Erta et al. (US 2022/0345985)(herein after “Erta”) in view of Salkintzis et al. (US 2020/0092790)(herein after “Salkintzis”) and Bhatnagar et al. (US 2021/0099871)(herein after “Bhatnagar) and Bestermann et al. (US 12058514)(herein after “Bestermann”) and Boutros et al. (US 2019/0306036)(herein after “Boutros) and Wu et al. (WO 2019/196860)(herein after “Wu”) and Wang et al. (US 2019/0150219)(herein after “Wang”), as applied to claim 8, and further in view of Head et al. (US 2015/0350912)(herein after “Head”).
Regarding claim 9, Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu and Wang disclose the method of claim 8.
Erta discloses comprising at least one of: providing, by the gateway, for the first tenant enterprise a tunnel for WWAN data plane communications involving the first wireless device and the mobile core network for the first WWAN PDU session (Fig 3 & [0041] discloses establishment of a first tunnel connection 316a between a first wireless AP 308a (i.e. a first WLAN AP) supporting a first mobile node MN1 310a (i.e. of a first tenant) and a gateway (GW) 306. [0040] discloses that GW 306 is capable of connecting to the internet or any type of external network (e.g. a mobile core network) through a Layer-3 (L3) backhaul system (i.e. a WWAN PDU session as taught by Salkintzis).); or
providing, by the gateway, for the second tenant enterprise a tunnel for WWAN data plane communications involving and the mobile core network for the second WWAN PDU session (Fig 3 & [0041] discloses establishment of a second tunnel connection 316b between a second wireless AP 308b (i.e. a second WLAN AP) supporting a second mobile node MN2 310b (i.e. of a second tenant) and GW 306. [0040] discloses that GW 306 is capable of connecting to the internet or any type of external network (e.g. a mobile core network) through a Layer-3 (L3) backhaul system (i.e. a WWAN PDU session as taught by Salkintzis).).
Erta fails to disclose wherein the identifier is in a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Tunneling Protocol (GTP) header and wherein the second identifier is in a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Tunneling Protocol (GTP) header.
However, Head further teaches wherein the identifier is in a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Tunneling Protocol (GTP) header (Fig 4A & [0060] discloses an Access Gateway 408A with a GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP) header including identifiers of an electronic device (i.e. a tenant device) such as IMSI and MSISDN. The teachings of Head can be applied to comprise at least one of: providing, by the gateway, the identifier for the first tenant in a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Tunneling Protocol (GTP) header for data plane communications involving the first wireless device and the mobile core network for the first WWAN PDU session; or providing, by the gateway, the second identifier for the second tenant in a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Tunneling Protocol (GTP) header for data plane communications involving and the mobile core network for the second WWAN PDU session.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the method of claim 8, comprising providing, by the gateway, for the first tenant enterprise a tunnel for WWAN data plane communications involving the first wireless device and the mobile core network for the first WWAN PDU session; or providing, by the gateway, for the second tenant enterprise a tunnel for WWAN data plane communications involving and the mobile core network for the second WWAN PDU session, as disclosed by Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu and Wang, wherein the identifier is in a General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) Tunneling Protocol (GTP) header, as further taught by Head. The motivation to do so would have been to have a method for a mobile network operator to provide multi-tenancy connectivity to two different enterprise entities that may be co-located by using network slicing that provides two different network slices to the two different tenants/enterprise entities through a common gateway, located at the location of the tenants/enterprise entities, using a first GPRS tunnel from the common gateway to a first AP for the first tenant/enterprise entity and a second GPRS tunnel from the common gateway to a second AP for the second tenant/enterprise entity, and establishing PDU sessions specific to each tenant/enterprise entity through each tenants/enterprise entities respective tunnel and AP by identifying each PDU session with network slicing attributes specific to each tenants/enterprise entities network slice in GTP headers, so that isolation and security can be provided to the two different tenants/enterprise entities using well defined and standardized GPRS protocols and GTP headers for insuring interoperability.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Erta et al. (US 2022/0345985)(herein after “Erta”) in view of Salkintzis et al. (US 2020/0092790)(herein after “Salkintzis”) and Bhatnagar et al. (US 2021/0099871)(herein after “Bhatnagar) and Bestermann et al. (US 12058514)(herein after “Bestermann”) and Boutros et al. (US 2019/0306036)(herein after “Boutros) and Wu et al. (WO 2019/196860)(herein after “Wu”), as applied to claim 1, and further in view of Krishnan et al. (US 8681695)(herein after “Krishnan”) and Minokuchi et al. (US 2025/0310747)(herein after “Minokuchi”).
Regarding claim 10, Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu disclose the method of claim 1.
Erta discloses a second wireless device connecting to the second WLAN AP of the second tenant enterprise (Fig 3 & [0041] discloses establishment of a second tunnel connection 316b between a second wireless AP 308b (i.e. a second WLAN AP) supporting a second mobile node MN2 310b (i.e. of a second tenant) and GW 306. Fig 3 & [0035] disclose that user devices (e.g. a second wireless device) may connect to AP 308b of second MN2 310b through second Onboard Wireless Device (OWD2) 314b and L2 switch 312.);
facilitating first WWAN data plane communications involving the first wireless device (Fig 3 & [0041] discloses establishment of a first tunnel connection 316a between a first wireless AP 308a (i.e. a WLAN AP) supporting a first mobile node MN1 310a (i.e. of a first tenant) and a gateway (GW) 306. Fig 3 & [0035] disclose that user devices (e.g. a first wireless device) may connect to AP 308a of first MN1 310a through first Onboard Wireless Device (OWD1) 314a and L2 switch 312, facilitating data plane communications involving the first wireless device. [0040] discloses that GW 306 is capable of connecting to the internet or any type of external network (e.g. a mobile core network) through a Layer-3 (L3) backhaul system (i.e. a WWAN).); and
facilitating second WWAN data plane communications involving the second wireless device (Fig 3 & [0041] discloses establishment of a second tunnel connection 316b between a second wireless AP 308b (i.e. a WLAN AP) supporting a second mobile node MN2 310b (i.e. of a second tenant) and a gateway (GW) 306. Fig 3 & [0035] disclose that user devices (e.g. a second wireless device) may connect to AP 308b of first MN2 310b through second Onboard Wireless Device (OWD2) 314b and L2 switch 312, facilitating data plane communications involving the second wireless device . [0040] discloses that GW 306 is capable of connecting to the internet or any type of external network (e.g. a mobile core network) through a Layer-3 (L3) backhaul system (i.e. a WWAN).).
Erta fails to disclose wherein the facilitating of the first WWAN data plane communications is for the first WWAN PDU session; and wherein the facilitating of the second WWAN data plane communications is for a second WWAN PDU session.
However, Salkintzis teaches wherein the facilitating of the first WWAN data plane communications is for the first WWAN PDU session (Fig 2 and [0077] & [0080]-[0082] discloses establishment of PDU sessions that facilitate data packet routing. The teachings of Salkintzis may be applied to facilitating of the first WWAN data plane communications for the first PDU session involving the first wireless device.); and
wherein the facilitating of the second WWAN data plane communications is for a second WWAN PDU session (Fig 2 and [0077] & [0080]-[0082] discloses establishment of PDU sessions that facilitate data packet routing. The teachings of Salkintzis may be applied to facilitating of the second WWAN data plane communications for a second PDU session involving the second wireless device.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a method of claim 1, with a second wireless device connecting to the second WLAN AP of the second tenant; facilitating first WWAN data plane communications involving the first wireless device; and facilitating second WWAN data plane communications involving the second wireless device, as disclosed by Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu, wherein the facilitating of the first WWAN data plane communications is for the first WWAN PDU session; and wherein the facilitating of the second WWAN data plane communications is for a second WWAN PDU session, as taught by Salkintzis. The motivation to do so would have been to have a method for a mobile network operator to provide multi-tenancy connectivity to two different wireless devices in two corresponding different enterprise entities that may be co-located by using network slicing that provides two different network slices to the two different tenants/enterprise entities through a common gateway, located at the location of the tenants/enterprise entities, using a first tunnel from the common gateway to a first AP for the first tenant/enterprise entity and a second tunnel from the common gateway to a second AP for the second tenant/enterprise entity, and establishing PDU sessions specific to each tenant/enterprise entity through each tenants/enterprise entities respective tunnel and AP by identifying each PDU session with network slicing attributes specific to each tenants/enterprise entities network slice, to facilitate data plane communications between each tenant’s wireless device and the mobile core network, so that isolation and security can be provided to the data plane communications for two different tenants/enterprise entities wireless devices.
Erta fails to discloses further comprising: obtaining, by the gateway through establishment of the first WWAN PDU session, an Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) prefix;
However, Wang further teaches further comprising: obtaining, by the gateway through establishment of the first WWAN PDU session, an Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) prefix ([0104] disclose a WTRU obtaining, by UPF anchors or user plane gateways, a source IP address that may apply to IPv6 type PDU sessions, and for EPC systems, obtaining an IPv6 prefix for a PDN session (i.e. PDU session). The teachings of Wang can be applied to obtain, by the gateway, a first Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) prefix for the first WWAN PDU session for the first tenant and a second IPv6 prefix for the second WWAN PDU session for the second tenant.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the method of claim 1, as disclosed by Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu, further comprising: obtaining, by the gateway through establishment of the first WWAN PDU session, an Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) prefix, as further taught by Wang. The motivation to do so would have been to have a method for providing, by a gateway, IPv6 prefixes for a first PDU session in a mobile communication system, in order to take advantage of the vast address space offered by IPv6 and eliminate complexities associated with Network Address Translation (NAT) inherent to IPv4.
Erta fails to disclose apportioning a first subset of IP addresses for the IPv6 prefix to the first tenant enterprise; upon a second wireless device connecting, apportioning a second subset of IP addresses for the IPv6 prefix to the second tenant enterprise; wherein the first wireless device is associated with a first IP address of the first subset of IP addresses; and wherein the second wireless device is associated with a second IP address of the second subset of IP addresses.
However, Krishnan further teaches apportioning a first subset of IP addresses for the IPv6 prefix to the first tenant enterprise (Col 10, lines 28-45 disclose an IPv6 prefix (e.g. a first IPv6 prefix) identifying (i.e. apportioning) a subset (e.g. a first subset) of addresses within an IPv6 address space to a device (e.g. a first device of a first a tenant).);
upon a second wireless device connecting, apportioning a second subset of IP addresses for the IPv6 prefix to the second tenant enterprise (col 5, lines 64-67, col 6, lines 1-14 & col 10, lines 28-45 disclose that, upon a subscriber connecting to a computer network, a device of the subscriber (e.g. a second device of a second tenant) may be allocated a subset (e.g. a second subset) of addresses within the IPv6 address space identified by an IPv6 prefix (e.g. a second IPv6 prefix).);
wherein the first wireless device is associated with a first IP address of the first subset of IP addresses (Col 10, lines 28-45 disclose that the IPv6 addresses of an IPv6 prefix (e.g. first IPv6 prefix) may be assigned to a device. The teachings of Krishnan may be applied to assign a first IP address from the subset of IP addresses identified by the first IPv6 prefix to the first wireless device.);
wherein the second wireless device is associated with a second IP address of the second subset of IP addresses (Col 10, lines 28-45 disclose that the IPv6 addresses of an IPv6 prefix (e.g. second IPv6 prefix) may be assigned to a device. The teachings of Krishnan may be applied to assign a second IP address from the subset of IP addresses identified by the second IPv6 prefix to the second wireless device.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the method of claim 1, comprising: obtaining, by the gateway through establishment of the first PDU session, an Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) prefix, as disclosed by Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu and Wang, further comprising: apportioning a first subset of IP addresses for the IPv6 prefix to the first tenant enterprise; upon a second wireless device connecting, apportioning a second subset of IP addresses for the IPv6 prefix to the second tenant enterprise; wherein the first wireless device is associated with a first IP address of the first subset of IP addresses; and wherein the second wireless device is associated with a second IP address of the second subset of IP addresses, as further taught by Krishnan. The motivation to do so would have been to have a method for a mobile service provider to provide, by a gateway, a first IPv6 prefix identifying a subset of IPv6 addresses for a first PDU session for a first network slice of a first tenant and a second IPv6 prefix identifying a subset of IPv6 addresses a second PDU session for a second network slice of a second tenant in a mobile communication system, in order to for the mobile service provider to provide isolation, security and independent service delivery within a shared infrastructure for two different tenants.
Erta fails to disclose but Minokuchi further teaches wherein the first WWAN PDU session is a shared WWAN PDU session that is shared between the first tenant enterprise and the second tenant enterprise ([0042] discloses a shared PDU session where a multiple terminals supporting a plurality of users (e.g. first and second tenant enterprises) share the shared PDU session.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the method of claim 1, comprising: obtaining, by the gateway through establishment of the first PDU session, an Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) prefix, as disclosed by Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu and Wang, wherein the first WWAN PDU session is a shared WWAN PDU session that is shared between the first tenant enterprise and the second tenant enterprise, as further taught by Minokuchi. The motivation to do so would have been to have a method for a mobile service provider to provide, by a gateway, a first IPv6 prefix identifying a subset of IPv6 addresses for a shared PDU session for a first network slice of a first enterprise tenant and a second IPv6 prefix identifying a subset of IPv6 addresses a shared PDU session for a second network slice of a second enterprise tenant in a mobile communication system, in order to for the mobile service provider to provide isolation, security and independent service delivery within a shared infrastructure for two different enterprise tenants while reducing signaling overhead that would be associated with having separate PDU sessions for each enterprise tenant.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Erta et al. (US 2022/0345985)(herein after “Erta”) in view of Salkintzis et al. (US 2020/0092790)(herein after “Salkintzis”) and Bhatnagar et al. (US 2021/0099871)(herein after “Bhatnagar) and Bestermann et al. (US 12058514)(herein after “Bestermann”) and Boutros et al. (US 2019/0306036)(herein after “Boutros) and Wu et al. (WO 2019/196860)(herein after “Wu”), as applied to claim 1, and further in view of Cox et al. (US 2017/0208032)(herein after “Cox”).
Regarding claim 11, Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu disclose the method of claim 1.
Erta fails to disclose wherein the first wireline tunnel is a first Ethernet over General Routing Encapsulation (EoGRE) tunnel via a first wired connection with the gateway and the second wireline tunnel is a second EoGRE tunnel via a second wired connection with the gateway.
However, Cox further teaches wherein the first wireline tunnel is a first Ethernet over General Routing Encapsulation (EoGRE) tunnel via a first wired connection with the gateway and the second wireline tunnel is a second EoGRE tunnel via a second wired connection with the gateway (Fig 1 & [0018]-[0020] disclose an EoGRE tunnel that is a wireline tunnel from a gateway 16 to an access point 10. The teachings of Cox may be applied to the first wireline tunnel being an EoGRE tunnel via a first wired connection with the gateway and the second wireline tunnel being an EoGRE tunnel via a second wired connection with the gateway.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the method of claim 1, as disclosed by Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu, wherein the first wireline tunnel is a first Ethernet over General Routing Encapsulation (EoGRE) tunnel via a first wired connection with the gateway and the second wireline tunnel is a second EoGRE tunnel via a second wired connection with the gateway, as further taught by Cox. The motivation to do so would have been to have a method for a mobile network operator to provide multi-tenancy connectivity to two different enterprise entities that may be co-located by using network slicing that provides two different network slices to the two different tenants/enterprise entities through a common gateway, located at the location of the tenants/enterprise entities, using a first EoGRE tunnel from the common gateway to a first AP for the first tenant/enterprise entity and a second EoGRE tunnel from the common gateway to a second AP for the second tenant/enterprise entity, and establishing PDU sessions specific to each tenant/enterprise entity through each tenants/enterprise entities respective tunnel and AP by identifying each PDU session with network slicing attributes specific to each tenants/enterprise entities network slice associated with each EoGRE tunnel, so that isolation and security can be provided to the two different tenants/enterprise entities, while enabling the extension of Ethernet networks over IP, by using well defined and standardized EoGRE protocols.
Claim 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Erta et al. (US 2022/0345985)(herein after “Erta”) in view of Salkintzis et al. (US 2020/0092790)(herein after “Salkintzis”) and Bhatnagar et al. (US 2021/0099871)(herein after “Bhatnagar) and Bestermann et al. (US 12058514)(herein after “Bestermann”) and Boutros et al. (US 2019/0306036)(herein after “Boutros) and Wu et al. (WO 2019/196860)(herein after “Wu”), as applied to claim 1, and further in view of Liao et al. (US 2021/0368341)(herein after “Liao”).
Regarding claim 21, Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu the method of claim 1,
Erta fails to disclose but Liao further teaches further comprising: prior to the first wireless device establishing the WLAN connection with the first WLAN AP operated at the first location of the first tenant enterprise, performing, by the gateway, a registration with the mobile core network based on a WWAN subscription profile configured for the gateway and subscription information for the gateway stored by the mobile core network (Figs 3A-3C & [0067]-[0068] discloses a 5RG/ERG residential gateway connected to a PIN device such as a media server or smart TV. The 5RG/ERG and PIN device together may be interpreted as a gateway that connects to a 5G network (i.e. a 5G mobile core). [0091]-[0092] disclose that a user can configure the ERG with user profiles indicating user identities, PIN devices and services provided by PIN devices. [0089], [0095]-[0096] discloses that prior to a user device accessing services provided by the PIN device (Step 3), when a PIN device is turned on and the eRG discovers and connects to the PIN device for a first time, the eRG determines if the PIN device is authorized, and if so initiates a registration with the serving 5G network based on the User identities of active services, credentials and service related information for active services, entered by the user, and provided by the PIN device (i.e. a WWAN subscription profile configured for the gateway and subscription information for the gateway.). [0098] discloses that the serving network authenticates the User identity of the PIN devices based on its credentials and updates the user profiles of the services (i.e. the user profiles configured in the eRG are stored in the core network).).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the method of claim 1, as disclosed by Erta in view of Salkintzis and Bhatnagar and Bestermann and Boutros and Wu, further comprising: prior to the first wireless device establishing the WLAN connection with the first WLAN AP operated at the first location of the first tenant enterprise, performing, by the gateway, a registration with the mobile core network based on a WWAN subscription profile configured for the gateway and subscription information for the gateway stored by the mobile core network, as further taught by Liao. The motivation to do so would have been to have a method for establishing a first wireline tunnel between a first wireless local area network (WLAN) access point (AP) of a first tenant enterprise at a first location and a gateway, the gateway being capable of a connection with a mobile core network, and prior to a first wireless device establishing a WLAN connection with the first WLAN AP, performing, by the gateway, a registration with the mobile core network based on a user profile configured for the gateway and subscription information for the gateway including user identities of active users, credentials and service related information, that is updated and stored by the mobile core network, so that only authorized wireless devices whose user identities and credentials stored in the mobile core network may be allowed to access authorized services through the gateway.
Conclusion
The following prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Spinelli et al. (WO 2009/055827) discloses an Interworking Gateway for Mobile Nodes.
Crohas et al. (WO 2017/108747) discloses a Gateway with Solar Power Supply for LPWAN Network.
Koodli et al. (US 2013/0191257) discloses a Connectivity System for Multi-Tenant Access Networks.
Rodriguez et al. (US 7821987) discloses a Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN) Mobile Gateway with Communication Protocol Management.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
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/JAMES P SEYMOUR/Examiner, Art Unit 2419
/Nishant Divecha/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2419