DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-17 and 19-21 are presented for examination.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claims 1-4, 17 and 19-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by KIM et al. (US 2022/0191776 A1).
As to claim 1, KIM teaches a network equipment (NE) for wireless communication (the edge enabling server; Fig. 2 and paragraph [0090]), comprising:
at least one memory (a memory 214; Fig. 2 and paragraph [0090]); and
at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to
cause the NE to (controller 212; Fig. 2 and paragraph [0090] and The edge enabler server controller 1110 may be implemented by at least one processor and may perform the above-described control operation; paragraph [0286]):
receive a service parameter of at least one network service of a wireless communication system (the UEs 110 and 120 uses the MEC service to the 5G mobile communication system via the PCF 135 or the NEF 134 through negotiation with the PCF 135 or the NEF 134 of the 3GPP network.; paragraph [0078] and For example, a service of identifying the location of the UE, a service of identifying a connection state of the UE, and the like may be included; paragraph [0079]), wherein the wireless communication system comprises one or more platforms for providing network services (In the first edge data network 161, the first UE 110 and the second UE 120 may perform wireless communication through different base stations 151 and 152; paragraph [0074] and 3GPP network control plane node, 3GPP network user plane node, Edge Management Server; Fig. 2); and
determine a platform-independent application programming interface ("API") based on the service parameter for the at least one network service of the wireless communication system (“The edge enabling server 210 may provide a capability exposure service to the Edge App being executed in the edge computing platform 200 on the basis of the function”; paragraph [0079] and “the edge application server 201 may call an edge service API provided by the edge enabling server 210 to the edge enabling server 210 in operation 322. In the specification according to the disclosure, the edge service API may be an API that provides a capability exposure function for an edge computing service to the 3rd application server 201 operating in edge computing infrastructure of the edge data network to which the edge enabling server 210 belongs. For example, there may be a location API for detecting the location of the UE 110, a management API for managing resources of the UE 110, and a traffic steering API for modifying a data path of the UE 110. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the edge application server 201 may detect edge service APIs provided by the edge enabling server 210 through an API discovery procedure or a Common API Framework (CAPIF) function. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, when making a request for the edge service API to the edge enabling server 210, the edge application server 201 may include the IP address of the UE 110 which accessed itself since the edge application server cannot know the identifier of the UE 110”; paragraphs [0132]-[0133]).
As to claim 2, KIM teaches the NE of claim 1, further-comprising wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the NE to publish the platform-independent API to an API invoker for use by end applications across different wireless communication systems (“the edge application server 201 may call an edge service API provided by the edge enabling server 210 to the edge enabling server 210 in operation 322. In the specification according to the disclosure, the edge service API may be an API that provides a capability exposure function for an edge computing service to the 3rd application server 201 operating in edge computing infrastructure of the edge data network to which the edge enabling server 210 belongs. For example, there may be a location API for detecting the location of the UE 110, a management API for managing resources of the UE 110, and a traffic steering API for modifying a data path of the UE 110. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the edge application server 201 may detect edge service APIs provided by the edge enabling server 210 through an API discovery procedure or a Common API Framework (CAPIF) function”; paragraphs [0132]-[0133]).
As to claim 3, KIM teaches the NE of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the NE to register with the at least one network service for gaining access to invoke at least one service API (“The MEC system structure may include the UEs 110 and 120, the edge enabling server 210, and the edge management server 140. The edge enabling server 210 may be a server configuring an edge computing platform 200 of an edge data network. The edge enabling server 210 may be a server which the UE accesses to use the MEC service and may know in advance which third application server 201, 202, or 203 is operating within the corresponding edge computing platform 200”; paragraph [0067], and “the edge application server 201 may detect edge service APIs provided by the edge enabling server 210 through an API discovery procedure or a Common API Framework (CAPIF) function”; paragraph [0168]).
As to claim 4, KIM teaches the NE of claim 3, wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the NE to determine the platform-independent API based on a mapping to at least one platform-dependent API (Edge application servers (hereafter, referred to as Edge Apps) 201, 202, and 203 are 3rd application servers operating within the MEC system. In other words, the edge application server may be a 3rd application server operating on infra-structure provided by the edge computing platform 200. The 3rd application server may provide a service at a location close to the UE 110 or 120 and thus provide a super low-latency service. The Edge Apps 201, 202, and 203 may acquire information required for providing a service to the UE by using a capability exposure API provided by the edge computing platform 200 or provide the same to the edge computing platform 200. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, although it is illustrated that the edge enabling server 210 provides the capability exposure API to the Edge Apps 201, 202, and 203, another function within the edge computing platform 200 may provide the corresponding API. In the embodiment of FIG. 1A, the edge enabling server 210 provides the capability exposure API to the Edge Apps 201, 202, and 203 for convenience.; paragraph [0070]).
As to claim 17, KIM teaches the NE of claim 4, further comprising wherein the at least
one processor is configured to cause the NE to:
request the service parameter from a service management orchestrator ("SMO") for the at least one network service, the service parameter based on at least one of a type of the at least one network service, an authorization to access the at least one network service, or a combination
thereof (“the edge enabling server 210 directly transmits the request to the PCF 135, the edge enabling server 210 may acquire information on the PCF 135 serving the corresponding IP address through the BSF. The edge enabling server 210 may directly configure and transmit the request message to the PCF 135 according to the Npcf service operation. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the request message which the edge enabling server 210 transmits to the PCF 135 through the NEF 134 or the edge enabling server 210 directly transmits to the PCF 135 may be a request for identifying the GPSI of the UE 110 or a request message for transmitting policy information or a user profile which can be used by the UE 110 for the MEC service with respect to the IP address of the corresponding UE; paragraphs [0154]-[0155]); and
receive a message from the SMO comprising the service parameter for the
at least one network service for at least one of a service, a slice, an application type, or a combination thereof (the PCF 135 receiving the request may acquire the GPSI corresponding to the IP address of the UE. According to another embodiment of the disclosure, the PCF 135 may configure policy information or a parameter for the MEC service with respect to the corresponding GPSI. According to another embodiment of the disclosure, when the request message received by the PCF 135 includes service provider ID information, the PCF 135 may configure a response message by policy information, a parameter, or a profile of the UE 110 corresponding to the service provider ID. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the PCF 135 may configure the information as a response message and transmit the response message to the edge enabling server 210 in operation 410; paragraphs [0156]-[0157]).
As to claim 19, KIM teaches the NE of claim 1, wherein the service parameter comprises
at least one of an exposure level for the at least one network service, an accessibility of the
at least one network service, an availability of the at least one network service, or
a combination thereof (the PCF 135 receiving the request may acquire the GPSI corresponding to the IP address of the UE. According to another embodiment of the disclosure, the PCF 135 may configure policy information or a parameter for the MEC service with respect to the corresponding GPSI. According to another embodiment of the disclosure, when the request message received by the PCF 135 includes service provider ID information, the PCF 135 may configure a response message by policy information, a parameter, or a profile of the UE 110 corresponding to the service provider ID; paragraph [0156] and the edge enabling server 210 may call a 3GPP network capability exposure API for supporting the edge service API requested by the edge application server 201 in operation 422 by using the mapped GPSI information as the ID of the UE 110 in operation 426; paragraph [017-]).
As to claim 20, KIM teaches a method performed by a network equipment (NE) (The present disclosure relates to a method and device for providing an edge computing service to a user equipment (UE) in a communication system; abstract), the method comprising:
receiving a service parameter of at least one network service of a wireless communication system (the UEs 110 and 120 uses the MEC service to the 5G mobile communication system via the PCF 135 or the NEF 134 through negotiation with the PCF 135 or the NEF 134 of the 3GPP network.; paragraph [0078] and For example, a service of identifying the location of the UE, a service of identifying a connection state of the UE, and the like may be included; paragraph [0079]), wherein the wireless communication system comprises one or more platforms for providing network services (In the first edge data network 161, the first UE 110 and the second UE 120 may perform wireless communication through different base stations 151 and 152; paragraph [0074] and 3GPP network control plane node, 3GPP network user plane node, Edge Management Server; Fig. 2); and
determining a platform-independent application programming interface ("API") based on the service parameter for the at least one network service of the wireless communication system (“The edge enabling server 210 may provide a capability exposure service to the Edge App being executed in the edge computing platform 200 on the basis of the function”; paragraph [0079] and “the edge application server 201 may call an edge service API provided by the edge enabling server 210 to the edge enabling server 210 in operation 322. In the specification according to the disclosure, the edge service API may be an API that provides a capability exposure function for an edge computing service to the 3rd application server 201 operating in edge computing infrastructure of the edge data network to which the edge enabling server 210 belongs. For example, there may be a location API for detecting the location of the UE 110, a management API for managing resources of the UE 110, and a traffic steering API for modifying a data path of the UE 110. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the edge application server 201 may detect edge service APIs provided by the edge enabling server 210 through an API discovery procedure or a Common API Framework (CAPIF) function. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, when making a request for the edge service API to the edge enabling server 210, the edge application server 201 may include the IP address of the UE 110 which accessed itself since the edge application server cannot know the identifier of the UE 110”; paragraphs [0132]-[0133]).
As to claim 21, KIM teaches a processor for wireless communication (The edge enabler server controller 1110 may be implemented by at least one processor and may perform the above-described control operation; paragraph [0286]), comprising:
at least one controller (controller 212; Fig. 2) coupled with at least one memory (memory 214; Fig. 2) and configured to cause the processor to (The edge enabler server controller 1110 may be implemented by at least one processor and may perform the above-described control operation; paragraph [0286]):
receive a service parameter of at least one network service of a wireless communication system, wherein the wireless communication system comprises one or more platforms for providing network services (the UEs 110 and 120 uses the MEC service to the 5G mobile communication system via the PCF 135 or the NEF 134 through negotiation with the PCF 135 or the NEF 134 of the 3GPP network.; paragraph [0078] and For example, a service of identifying the location of the UE, a service of identifying a connection state of the UE, and the like may be included; paragraph [0079]), wherein the wireless communication system comprises one or more platforms for providing network services (In the first edge data network 161, the first UE 110 and the second UE 120 may perform wireless communication through different base stations 151 and 152; paragraph [0074] and 3GPP network control plane node, 3GPP network user plane node, Edge Management Server; Fig. 2); and
determine a platform-independent application programming interface ("API") based on the service parameter for the at least one network service of the wireless communication system (“The edge enabling server 210 may provide a capability exposure service to the Edge App being executed in the edge computing platform 200 on the basis of the function”; paragraph [0079] and “the edge application server 201 may call an edge service API provided by the edge enabling server 210 to the edge enabling server 210 in operation 322. In the specification according to the disclosure, the edge service API may be an API that provides a capability exposure function for an edge computing service to the 3rd application server 201 operating in edge computing infrastructure of the edge data network to which the edge enabling server 210 belongs. For example, there may be a location API for detecting the location of the UE 110, a management API for managing resources of the UE 110, and a traffic steering API for modifying a data path of the UE 110. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, the edge application server 201 may detect edge service APIs provided by the edge enabling server 210 through an API discovery procedure or a Common API Framework (CAPIF) function. According to an embodiment of the disclosure, when making a request for the edge service API to the edge enabling server 210, the edge application server 201 may include the IP address of the UE 110 which accessed itself since the edge application server cannot know the identifier of the UE 110”; paragraphs [0132]-[0133]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-16 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
As to claims 5-6, the prior art of record does not teach or render obvious the limitations recited in claims 5-6, when taken in the context of the claims as a whole, specific to the one processor is configured to cause the NE to detect a trigger event associated with the platform-dependent API and update the platform-dependent API in response to the trigger event while ensuring compatibility with the platform-independent API.
As to claim 7, the prior art of record does not teach or render obvious the limitations recited in claim 7, when taken in the context of the claims as a whole, specific to a mapping of the at least one service API for the at least one network service to the at least one platform-dependent API is based on determining an availability of service APIs by at least one of: receiving a periodic heartbeat message from the at least one network service associated with the at least one service API; and checking an API enablement service for the at least one network service.
As to claims 8-16, the prior art of record does not teach or render obvious the limitations recited in claim 8, when taken in the context of the claims as a whole, specific to the service parameter of the at least one network service is for a network slice instance ("NSI") of a vertical customer of the wireless communication system; and the at least one platform-dependent API comprises a software development kit API that is customized for the vertical customer.
Moreover, evidence for modifying the prior art teachings by one of ordinary skill level in the art was not uncovered so as to result in the invention as recited in claims 5-18.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Poston et al. (US 2014/0122601 A1) teaches systems and methods for delivering
and displaying reconfigured media inputs with uniform and standardized user interfaces and functionality across different video players.
Kwok et al. (US 11,432,201 B2) teaches a method to provide access to Fifth Generation (5G) wireless communication services via an Application Programming Interface (API) is described. In an example, a request for 5G wireless communication services associated with a 5G wireless communication service provider can be received via the API. The 5G wireless communication service provider can determine that it can accommodate the request and can cause a notification to be presented via the application, wherein the notification includes an indication that the 5G wireless communication services are available. Based at least in part
on receiving an indication of an input associated with the notification, the 5G wireless communication services can provide 5G wireless communication services to a user
device via the API.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DIEM K CAO whose telephone number is (571)272-3760. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, April Blair can be reached at 571-270-1014. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DIEM K CAO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2196
DC
March 3, 2026