DETAILED ACTION
Notice of 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 .
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.
Priority
No domestic benefit or foreign priority is claimed by this Application.
Response to Arguments
The Reply finds Chen fails to teach the most recent claim amendments to the independent claims. Reply, 2-3. In particular, the Reply alleges “Chen does not describe limiting types of services able to use MPS,” but instead “merely describes that a Boolean-type parameter . . . indicates whether ‘legacy MPS’ services are enabled.” Reply, 2. The Examiner contends the alleged Boolean-type parameters of Chen can “limit types of services that are able to use MPS.” For example, when the “legacy MPS indication” is “set” and the “MPS for message” is “clear,” then all services except SMS over NAS are able to use MPS. Chen, ¶49 (table 1). This constitutes a “limit” on the services able to use MPS as required by the claimed invention.
As for the other portion of the claim amendment - parameters that “identify different priority levels” - Chen teaches the subscription data shown in table 1 “may further indicate a priority level to be applied” where “priority level 1 may indicate higher priority than priority level 2.” Chen, ¶50. This further indication constitutes a parameter that “identif[ies] different priority levels.” As result, the anticipation rejections are maintained.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 4-7, 9, 12-16, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Chen (WO 2025149971), which incorporates by reference 3GPP TS 23.502 (a 2021 copy of this technical specification is attached and cited on the PTO-892).
Regarding claims 1, 9, and 16, Chen teaches a method, a network device comprising a processor, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions, which, when executed by a processor of a network device, cause the processor to perform the method, comprising:
receiving, by a network device and from a user equipment (UE) device, a registration request including a request for high priority access (Chen, figure 5 (step 1) and ¶46 – UE transmits registration request with an establishment cause, such as for MPS, to AMF);
obtaining, by the network device, subscriber profile data for the UE device (Chen, ¶48 – AMF receives subscription data from UDM), wherein the subscriber profile data includes parameters for granular multimedia priority service (MPS) service priority (Chen, ¶49 – subscription data includes parameters that indicate MPS);
wherein the parameters limit types of services able to use MPS and identify priority treatment levels to be enforced for the types of services using the MPS (Chen, ¶49 – table 1 defines two parameters, Legacy MPS indication and MPS for message, and the combination of the two parameters may define whether MPS applies to particular types of services [e.g. all services, except SMS over NAS, may receive MPS treatment when the two parameters are set to “set” and “clear,” respectively]; Chen, ¶50 – subscription data may “further indicate a priority level to be applied” when MPS treatment is applied);
providing, by the network device and to the UE device, a registration response based on the subscriber profile data (Chen, figure 5 (step 9) and ¶56 – e.g. AMF accepts MPS treatment requested by UE);
receiving, by the network device and from the UE device, a session establishment request to establish a protocol data unit (PDU) session (Chen, figure 6 (step 1) and ¶58 – UE sends service request defined in clause 4.2.3.2 of TS 23.502, which recites in part “After the establishment of the signalling connection to an AMF, the UE or network may send signalling messages, e.g. PDU Session establishment from UE to the SMF, via the AMF.” [pg. 47, section 4.2.3.2]); and
sending, by the network device and based on the session establishment request, context data to a consumer function for the PDU session (Chen, figure 6 (step 2b) and ¶60 – AMF sends SMS message to SMSF, where the message includes the UE context),
wherein the context data includes the parameters for the granular MPS service priority. Chen, ¶60 (priority information based on MPS is provided in the message header determined based on the UE context).
Regarding claims 4 and 12, Chen also teaches sending, from the network device and to a unified data management (UDM) function, a request for access management data relating to the UE device, and receiving, from the UDM function, an MPS priority indicator and the parameters for the granular MPS service priority. Chen, figure 5 (step 2 – incorporating by reference registration procedure in figure 4.2.2.2.2-1 of TS 23.502); TS 23.502, pgs. 27 and 34 (step 14b – “If the AMF does not have subscription data for the UE, the AMF retrieves the Access and Mobility Subscription data, SMF Selection Subscription data, UE context in SMF data and LCS mobile origination using Nudm_SDM_Get” where step 14b is a message from the AMF to the UDM).
Regarding claims 5, 13, and 19, Chen also teaches sending, by the UDM function, a request for access management data relating to the UE device (TS 23.502, pg. 34 – “This requires that UDM may retrieve this information from UDR by Nudr_DM_Query,” where “this information” refers to “Access and Mobility Subscription data”); and receiving, from a unified data repository (UDR) function, the MPS priority indicator and the parameters for the granular MPS service priority via an N8 interface. TS 23.502, pg. 34 (“If the UE is subscribed to MPS in the serving PLMN, "MPS priority" is included in the Access and Mobility Subscription data provided to the AMF.”); Chen, figure 2 and ¶36 (AMF communicates with UDM over N8 reference point). Only claim 13 receives the MPS indicator and the parameters “via an N8 interface.”
Regarding claims 6, Chen also teaches enforcing, by the consumer function, the MPS service priority for selected services accessed by the UE device, based on the parameters. Chen, ¶62 (if the subscription data allows the SMS delivery, the SMSF forwards the SMS message based on the priority header set based on the MPS message information).
Regarding claims 7, 15, and 18, Chen also teaches storing, by a unified data repository (UDR) function, the subscriber profile data with the parameters for granular MPS service priority. Chen, ¶53 (UDM stores subscription data and UE context in UDR); see e.g. id. at ¶50 (subscription data includes priority level for MPS).
Regarding claims 14 and 20, Chen also teaches wherein the network device comprises an access and mobility management function (AMF). Chen, figures 5 and 6 (AMF 200).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 2, 3, 10, 11, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (of record) in view of Rasanen (US 20130273876).
Regarding claims 2, 10 and 17, Chen teaches the method of claim 1, the device of claim 9, the medium of claim 16, and subscriber data including service priority “under MPS.” Chen, ¶49 (subscription data includes parameters that indicate MPS). However, Chen does not explicitly teach subscriber data that includes “multiple types of network services associated with a subscriber, and a priority level for each type of the types of network services.” However, Rasanen teaches subscriber profile information that includes a subscriber’s allowed services and each priority on a per PDN basis. Rasanen, ¶¶41-43, 49-50. At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have the MPS subscription data, taught by Chen, include a priority level for each allowed service type, as taught by Rasanen, in order to provide prioritized access based on the type of data session requested. Id. at ¶2
Regarding claim 3 and 11, the combination of Chen and Rasanen also teaches wherein the multiple types of network services include data service. Chen, ¶44 (SMS over NAS); alternatively, TS 23.502, which is incorporated by reference, teaches “Reliable Data Service.” TS 23.502, e.g. pg. 92,4th paragraph (PDU Session Establishment Request message from UE includes its capability to support a reliable Data Service) and pg. 99, 2nd paragraph (RDS is enabled for the PDU session). Claim 11 is broader than claim 3 by including “an application function (AF)” as a type of network service.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (of record) in view of TS 23.502 (of record and incorporated by reference by Chen).
Regarding claim 8, Chen explicitly teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the network device comprises an access and mobility management function (AMF) (Chen, figures 5 and 6 - AMF 200), but does not explicitly teach “wherein the consumer function comprises a session management function (SMF).” Instead, Chen explicitly teaches the SMSF 220 as the consumer function. Ibid. However, TS 23.502 explicitly teaches an SMF providing packet detection, enforcement, and reporting rules for a PDU session. TS 23.502, pg. 97, lines 1-2. At the time of the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to substitute the SMF, taught by TS 23.502, for the SMSF, as taught by Chen, in order to implement a generic PDU session instead of specific SMS session. Id. at pg. 526 (sections 5.2.8.1 and 5.2.8.2 – Nsmf_PDUSession); contra Chen, figure 6 (message 2b is a Nsmsf_SMSService_UplinkSMS).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure includes figure 3 of Suh and figures 17 and 18 of Talebi Fard.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BENJAMIN S LAMONT whose telephone number is (571)270-7514. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7am to 3pm EST.
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/Benjamin Lamont/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461
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