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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) 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.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-5 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: due to the amendment of claim 1, the steps of claim 3 carry patentable weight.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 6, 10-17, 21-22, 53, and 67-68 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang (2020/0128450) and Jia et al. (2024/0080931) hereinafter “Jia”.
As to claim 1 and 67, (Currently Amended) Wang discloses A method performed by a first (intermediate) session management function (SMF), comprising:
sending to a second (anchor) SMF a first request (step 208/308) comprising a state of a user plane connection or an indication, wherein the state or the indication indicates whether there is an ongoing procedure during which the first SMF is not able to handle update request from the second SMF; and
receiving a first response (step 210/310) from the second SMF. See [0080]-[0084], [0106]-[0110], [0120]-[0124], Fig.2, etc.
Wang fails to explicitly recite yet in an analogous art Jia discloses A method performed by a first session management function (SMF), comprising:
generating a first request comprising a state of a user plane connection, the state indicating whether there is an ongoing procedure during which the first SMF is not able to handle update request from a second SMF, the state of the user plane connection comprising at least one of ACTIVATED, DEACTIVATED, ACTIVATING, SUSPENDED, or a list of protocol data unit (PDU) sessions to be activated (see S501-S502, [0156]-[0163] ), (as well as: sending to the second SMF the first request comprising the state of the user plane connection. S502, [0161]-[0163]).
Before the effective filing date of the instant invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Wang to generate the first request as taught by Jia for the purpose of enabling a multicast session and/or modify Jia to include the step of “receiving” as taught by Wang for the purpose of providing a response as taught by Wang.
As to claim 67, the indications are considered inherent.
As to claim 6, (Previously Presented) The combination of Wang and Jia discloses the method according to claim 1, Wang discloses wherein the first request is a PDU session update request and the first response is a PDU session update response. See Fig 2-3.
As to claim 10, (Previously Presented) The combination of Wang and Jia discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the first request is sent and the first response is received during a procedure of UE triggered service request with intermediate SMF (I-SMF) insertion or change, a procedure of UE triggered service request without I-SMF change or removal, inter access and mobility function (AMF) idle mobility with user plane (UP) connection activation with intermediate SMF (I-SMF) insertion or change, intra AMF idle mobility with UP connection activation with intermediate SMF (I-SMF) insertion or change, or Evolved Packet System (EPS) to Fifth Generation System (5GS) Idle mode mobility using N26 interface. See Wang Figs 2-3.
As to claim 11, (Previously Presented) The combination of Wang and Jia discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the first SMF is an I-SMF and the second SMF is an SMF, the first SMF is a visited SMF and the second SMF is a home SMF, or the first SMF is an I-SMF and the second SMF is a Packet Data Network Gateway control plane (PGW-C) combined with SMF. See Wang Figs 2-3.
Claims 12-17 and 68 reciprocally correspond to claims 1-4 and 67 (claims 14-16 to claim 3) and are treated the same.
As to claims 21 and 22, Wang and Jia disclose The method according to claim 14, wherein the first request further comprises information on policy control request trigger condition (claim 21) wherein the information on policy control request trigger condition comprises at least one of: user equipment (UE) location information, a UE time zone, or a serving network function identifier (claim 22), as at least some type of UE location information and/or serving network function identifier are considered inherent.
As to claim 53, (Currently Amended) the combination of Wang and Jia discloses A first session management function (SMF), comprising:
a processor (inherent); and a memory (inherent) coupled to the processor, said memory containing instructions executable by said processor, whereby said first SMF is operative to perform the method as applied above to claim 1.
Claim(s) 1, 6-7, 10-17, 21-22, 53, and 67-68 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gan et al. (2021/0136864), hereinafter “Gan” and Jia.
As to claim 1, (Currently Amended) Gan discloses A method performed by a first session management function (SMF), comprising:
sending to a second SMF a first request (PDUSession_Create Request / PDUSession_Update Request) comprising a state of a user plane connection or an indication (indicator), wherein the state or the indication indicates whether there is an ongoing procedure during which the first SMF is not able to handle update request from the second SMF; and
receiving a first response (PDUSession_Create Response / PDUSession_Update Response) from the second SMF. See Figs 7-13, [0145]-[0148], [0181]-[0189], etc.
Gan fails to explicitly recite yet in an analogous art Jia discloses A method performed by a first session management function (SMF), comprising:
generating a first request comprising a state of a user plane connection, the state indicating whether there is an ongoing procedure during which the first SMF is not able to handle update request from a second SMF, the state of the user plane connection comprising at least one of ACTIVATED, DEACTIVATED, ACTIVATING, SUSPENDED, or a list of protocol data unit (PDU) sessions to be activated (see S501-S502, [0156]-[0163] ), (as well as: sending to the second SMF the first request comprising the state of the user plane connection. S502, [0161]-[0163]).
Before the effective filing date of the instant invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Gan to generate the first request as taught by Jia for the purpose of enabling a multicast session and/or modify Jia to include the step of “receiving” as taught by Gan for the purpose of providing a response.
As to claim 67, the indications are considered inherent.
As to claim 6, (Currently Amended) Gan and Jia discloses The method according to claim 1, wherein the first request is a PDU session update request and the first response is a PDU session update response. See Fig.9. (Gan)
As to claim 7, (Currently Amended) Gan and Jia discloses The method according to claim 1, wherein the first request is a PDU session create request and the first response is a PDU session create response. See Gan Figs 7-13.
As to claim 10, (Currently Amended) Gan and Jia discloses The method according to claim 1,wherein the first request is sent and the first response is received during a procedure of UE triggered service request with intermediate SMF (I-SMF) insertion or change, a procedure of UE triggered service request without I-SMF change or removal, inter access and mobility function (AMF) idle mobility with user plane (UP) connection activation with intermediate SMF (I-SMF) insertion or change, intra AMF idle mobility with UP connection activation with intermediate SMF (I-SMF) insertion or change, or Evolved Packet System (EPS) to Fifth Generation System (5GS) Idle mode mobility using N26 interface. See Gan Figs 7-13.
As to claim 11, (Currently Amended) Gan and Jia discloses The method according to claim 1, wherein the first SMF is an I-SMF and the second SMF is an SMF, the first SMF is a visited SMF and the second SMF is a home SMF, or the first SMF is an I-SMF and the second SMF is a Packet Data Network Gateway control plane (PGW-C) combined with SMF. See Gan Figs 7-13.
Claims 12-17 and 68 reciprocally correspond to claims 1-4 and 67 (claims 14-16 to claim 3) and are treated the same.
As to claims 21 and 22, Wang and Jia disclose The method according to claim 14, wherein the first request further comprises information on policy control request trigger condition (claim 21) wherein the information on policy control request trigger condition comprises at least one of: user equipment (UE) location information, a UE time zone, or a serving network function identifier (claim 22), as at least some type of UE location information and/or serving network function identifier are considered inherent.
As to claim 53, (Currently Amended) Gan and Jia discloses A first session management function (SMF), comprising:
a processor (1470); and a memory (1480) coupled to the processor, said memory containing instructions executable by said processor, whereby said first SMF is operative as applied above to claim 1.
Claim(s) 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over either Wang/Jia or Gan/Jia as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Dao (2020/0329008).
As to claim 8, (Currently Amended) Either Wang/Jia or Gan/Jia disclose The method according to claim 1, is silent to yet in an analogous art Dao discloses wherein the first request further comprises information on policy control request trigger condition and (claim 9) wherein the information on policy control request trigger condition comprises at least one of: user equipment (UE) location information, a UE time zone, or a serving network function identifier. See [0392]-[0394]. Before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the methods of either Wang or Gan wherein the first request further comprises information on policy control request trigger condition (claim 8) and (claim 9) wherein the information on policy control request trigger condition comprises at least one of: user equipment (UE) location information, a UE time zone, or a serving network function identifier as taught by Dao for the purpose of enabling policy updates / conveyance.
Conclusion
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LESTER KINCAID whose telephone number is (571)272-7922. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th: 7-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Yuwen Pan can be reached at 571-272-7855. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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LESTER G. KINCAID
Primary Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2649
/LESTER G KINCAID/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2649
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