Detailed Action
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This is a Non-final action for application number 18/690,207 in response to an original application filed on 03/07/2024.
Claims 1-15 are currently pending and have been considered below.
Claims 1, 7, 11, 12, 13 and 14 are independent claims.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS), submitted on 03/07/2024, 10/04/2024, 02/14/2025, 07/29/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claims 2-5 are objected to because of the following informalities: [Please replace "A device" to "The device"]. Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 8-10 are objected to because of the following informalities: [. Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-5 and 7-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho et al. (US 2019/0053044 A1) in view of Manja Ppallan et al. (US 2022/0369153 A1).
Regarding claim 1, a device for transmitting data over a data radio bearer associated with a first data flow, [Figure 12, Ref UE and eNB], the device comprising at least one processor configured to: determine one or more quality-of-service requirements of one or more applications, [A bearer is an IP packet flow with a specific Quality of Service (QoS) between the gateway and the UE. The E-UTRAN and EPC together set up and release the bearers as required by applications, (Cho et al., Paragraph 79)],
create a request, [Figure 12, Ref # S12010 “Access Request”], specifying the one or more quality-of-service requirements, [The MME transmits a session creation request message (second request message) to the S-GW to create an EPS session (EPS bearer) on the basis of the QoS profile received from the HSS, and the S-GW transmits the session creation request message to the P-GW S12060, (Cho et al., Paragraph 283)],
transmit the request to a system for establishing data flows, [Figure 12 Step # A12010 wherein the UE transmits the access request to eNB to establish data flows “session creation”, (Cho et al., Paragraph 265)],
receive, from the system for establishing data flows, a response indicating whether the request has been accepted or rejected, [Figure 12, Ref # S12070, Session request response, The S-GW also creates an EPS bearer (GTP tunnel) on the basis of the final QoS profile received from the P-GW and transmits a session creation response message (a second response message) including the final QoS profile to the MME S12070, (Cho et al., Paragraph 289)],
and transmit data to a base station over the data radio bearer associated with the first data flow if the request has been accepted, [Afterwards, since the UE 1 and the UE 2 have received the same IP address, the UE 1 and the UE 2 may transceive packets with the same P-GW to provide the same service. For example, the eNB may transmit a plurality of packets constituting the SDF for providing a service from the P-GW by dividing the plurality of packets into the UE 1 and the UE 2, (Cho et al., Paragraph 292)],
Cho et al. fails to explicitly teach admit a group of at least two data flows with one or more joint quality-of-service requirements, the group of data flows comprising the first data flow,
Manja et al. taches The network condition is evaluated upon classifying the plurality of data flows related to at least one application into one of the QoS class, (Manja et al., Paragraph 43),
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to modify Cho et al. by admitting a group of at least two data flows with one or more joint quality-of-service requirements, the group of data flows comprising the first data flow, (Manja et al., Paragraph 43), in order to ensure network performance for higher priority applications, (Manja et al., Paragraph 32).
Regarding claim 2, the device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the request comprises device identifiers of devices in a group of devices, the group of devices comprising the device, [As shown in FIGS. 13(a) and (b), since the UE 1 and 2 are linked to one user platform, each context information includes the same GW IP and the same UE IP address (UE fixed IP), (Cho et al., Paragraph 271)].
Regarding claim 3, the device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the request comprises a flag, the flag uniquely identifying the group of data flows and/or a group of devices, [Referring to FIG. 8, the wireless communication system applies QoS policy on the SDF (Service Data Flow) basis and on the EPS bearer basis. The SDF (Service Data Flow) includes one or more IP flows as classified based on the service type. The EPS bearer acts as a logical path along which one or more SDFs are transmitted, (Cho et al., Paragraph 190)].
Regarding claim 4, the device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the request to admit the group of data flows comprises a request to establish the first data flow, [When a network establishes/modifies an EPS session for the user equipment, it determines a control policy for the allocation of a network resource to QoS and applies it while the EPS session is maintained, (Cho et al., Paragraph 147)].
Regarding claim 5, the device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to create a further request to establish the first data flow and transmit the further request to the system for establishing data flows before transmitting the data to the base station, [Figure 12, Ref # 12010 Access Request].
Regarding claim 7, a system for establishing data flows, the system comprising at least one processor, [Figure 20, Ref # 2011], configured to:
receive, from a device, a request, [Figure 12, Ref # S12010 “Access Request”],
the request specifying the one or more joint quality of service requirements, [A bearer is an IP packet flow with a specific Quality of Service (QoS) between the gateway and the UE. The E-UTRAN and EPC together set up and release the bearers as required by applications, (Cho et al., Paragraph 79)],
determine whether the one or more joint quality-of-service requirements can be accepted, [Figure 12, Ref # S12070, Session request response, The S-GW also creates an EPS bearer (GTP tunnel) on the basis of the final QoS profile received from the P-GW and transmits a session creation response message (a second response message) including the final QoS profile to the MME S12070, (Cho et al., Paragraph 289)],
and transmit, to the device, a response that the request has been accepted if it is determined that the one or more joint quality-of-service requirements can be accepted or a response that the request has been rejected otherwise, [Afterwards, since the UE 1 and the UE 2 have received the same IP address, the UE 1 and the UE 2 may transceive packets with the same P-GW to provide the same service. For example, the eNB may transmit a plurality of packets constituting the SDF for providing a service from the P-GW by dividing the plurality of packets into the UE 1 and the UE 2, (Cho et al., Paragraph 292)],
Cho et al. fails to explicitly teach admit a group of at least two data flows with one or more joint quality-of-service requirements, the group of data flows comprising the first data flow,
Manja et al. taches The network condition is evaluated upon classifying the plurality of data flows related to at least one application into one of the QoS class, (Manja et al., Paragraph 43),
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to modify Cho et al. by admitting a group of at least two data flows with one or more joint quality-of-service requirements, the group of data flows comprising the first data flow, (Manja et al., Paragraph 43), in order to ensure network performance for higher priority applications, (Manja et al., Paragraph 32).
Regarding claim 8, the system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one processor is configured to determine one or more individual quality-of-service requirements for each of the devices in a group of devices based on the one or more joint quality-of-service requirements, [A bearer is an IP packet flow with a specific Quality of Service (QoS) between the gateway and the UE. The E-UTRAN and EPC together set up and release the bearers as required by applications, (Cho et al., Paragraph 79)], and ask the base station whether the base station can accept the individual quality-of-service requirements for the group of devices, [A main object of an ARP is for determining whether the establishment or modification request of a bearer has to be accepted or rejected if a resource is restricted, (Cho et al., Paragraph 154)].
Regarding claim 9, the system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the at least one processor is configured to ask the base station whether the base station can accept the one or more joint quality-of-service requirements for the group of devices, [The MME transmits an attach accept message including the IP address to be used by the UE and the final QoS profile to the UE S12080, (Cho et al., Paragraph 291)].
Regarding claim 10, the system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the request to admit the group of data flows comprises a request to establish a first data flow from the group of data flows, [Figure 12, Ref # S12010 “Access Request”], and the at least one processor is configured to establish the first data flow if it is determined that the one or more joint quality-of-service requirements can be accepted, [A main object of an ARP is for determining whether the establishment or modification request of a bearer has to be accepted or rejected if a resource is restricted, (Cho et al., Paragraph 154)].
Regarding claims 11 and 14, a base station, [Figure 2, eNB], for allocating resources for transmitting data from a device to the base station over a data radio bearer associated with a data flow, [A base station performs the following function. (1) radio resource management (RRM) functions, such as radio bearer control, radio admission control, connection mobility control, and dynamic resource allocation to a user equipment, (Cho et al., Paragraph 99)], the base station comprising at least one processor configured to:
receive a scheduling request from the device, [Figure 12, UE transmit access request to eNB],
the scheduling request requesting the base station to allocate resources for transmitting data from the device to the base station over the data radio bearer associated with the data flow, [a UE making an access request during the initial access process is one making an access request for the first time among linked UEs, a dynamic IP address is allocated to the UE through a gateway and is stored in the context information of the UE, (Cho et al., Paragraph 296)], the group of data flows having been assigned one or more joint quality-of-service requirements, [A bearer is an IP packet flow with a specific Quality of Service (QoS) between the gateway and the UE. The E-UTRAN and EPC together set up and release the bearers as required by applications, (Cho et al., Paragraph 79)],
allocate the resources to the device based on the one or more joint quality-of-service requirements, [The MME stores the context information of the UE 1 received from the HSS and allocates the ID of an EPS bearer to generate the EPS bearer on the basis of the QoS profile included in the context information, (Cho et al., Paragraph 277)],
and transmit a scheduling grant message to the device, the scheduling grant message informing the device of the allocated resources, [A base station performs the following functions, the scheduling and transmission of a paging message, (5) the scheduling and transmission of broadcast information, and (6) measurement for mobility and scheduling and a measurement report configuration, Figure 12 Ref # S12070, (Cho et al., Paragraph 99)],
Cho et al. fails to explicitly teach that the data flow being associated with a group of at least two data flows for use by a group of devices,
Manja et al. taches The network condition is evaluated upon classifying the plurality of data flows related to at least one application into one of the QoS class, (Manja et al., Paragraph 43),
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to modify Cho et al. by admitting a group of at least two data flows with one or more joint quality-of-service requirements, the group of data flows comprising the first data flow, (Manja et al., Paragraph 43), in order to ensure network performance for higher priority applications, (Manja et al., Paragraph 32).
Regarding claim 12, a method of transmitting data over a data radio bearer associated with a data flow, the method comprising:
determining one or more quality-of-service requirements of one or more applications, [A bearer is an IP packet flow with a specific Quality of Service (QoS) between the gateway and the UE. The E-UTRAN and EPC together set up and release the bearers as required by applications, (Cho et al., Paragraph 79)],
creating a request specifying the one or more quality-of-service requirements, [Figure 12, Ref # S12010 “Access Request”],
transmitting the request to a system for establishing data flows, [Figure 12 Step # A12010 wherein the UE transmits the access request to eNB to establish data flows “session creation”, (Cho et al., Paragraph 265)],
receiving, from the system for establishing data flows, a response indicating whether the request has been accepted or rejected, [Figure 12, Ref # S12070, Session request response, The S-GW also creates an EPS bearer (GTP tunnel) on the basis of the final QoS profile received from the P-GW and transmits a session creation response message (a second response message) including the final QoS profile to the MME S12070, (Cho et al., Paragraph 289)],
and transmitting data to a base station over the data radio bearer associated with the first data flow if the request has been accepted, [Afterwards, since the UE 1 and the UE 2 have received the same IP address, the UE 1 and the UE 2 may transceive packets with the same P-GW to provide the same service. For example, the eNB may transmit a plurality of packets constituting the SDF for providing a service from the P-GW by dividing the plurality of packets into the UE 1 and the UE 2, (Cho et al., Paragraph 292)],
Cho et al. fails to explicitly teach admit a group of at least two data flows with one or more joint quality-of-service requirements, the group of data flows comprising the first data flow,
Manja et al. taches The network condition is evaluated upon classifying the plurality of data flows related to at least one application into one of the QoS class, (Manja et al., Paragraph 43),
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to modify Cho et al. by admitting a group of at least two data flows with one or more joint quality-of-service requirements, the group of data flows comprising the first data flow, (Manja et al., Paragraph 43), in order to ensure network performance for higher priority applications, (Manja et al., Paragraph 32).
Regarding claim 13, a method of establishing data flows, the method comprising:
receiving, from a device, a request, [Figure 12, Ref # S12010 “Access Request”],
the request specifying the one or more joint quality of service requirements, [A bearer is an IP packet flow with a specific Quality of Service (QoS) between the gateway and the UE. The E-UTRAN and EPC together set up and release the bearers as required by applications, (Cho et al., Paragraph 79)],
determining whether the one or more joint quality-of-service requirements can be accepted, [A bearer is an IP packet flow with a specific Quality of Service (QoS) between the gateway and the UE. The E-UTRAN and EPC together set up and release the bearers as required by applications, (Cho et al., Paragraph 79)],
and transmitting, to the device, a response that the request has been accepted if it is determined that the one or more joint quality-of-service requirements can be accepted or a response that the request has been rejected otherwise, [Afterwards, since the UE 1 and the UE 2 have received the same IP address, the UE 1 and the UE 2 may transceive packets with the same P-GW to provide the same service. For example, the eNB may transmit a plurality of packets constituting the SDF for providing a service from the P-GW by dividing the plurality of packets into the UE 1 and the UE 2, (Cho et al., Paragraph 292)],
Cho et al. fails to explicitly teach admit a group of at least two data flows with one or more joint quality-of-service requirements, the group of data flows comprising the first data flow,
Manja et al. taches The network condition is evaluated upon classifying the plurality of data flows related to at least one application into one of the QoS class, (Manja et al., Paragraph 43),
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to modify Cho et al. by admitting a group of at least two data flows with one or more joint quality-of-service requirements, the group of data flows comprising the first data flow, (Manja et al., Paragraph 43), in order to ensure network performance for higher priority applications, (Manja et al., Paragraph 32).
Regarding claim 15, a computer program or suite of computer programs comprising at least one software code portion or a computer program product storing at least one software code portion, the software code portion, when run on a computer system, being configured for performing the method of claim 12, [The communication unit may include a base-band circuit for processing a radio signal. When the embodiment is implemented in software, the aforementioned methods may be implemented with a module (process, function, etc.) for performing the aforementioned functions, (Cho et al., Paragraph 382)].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6 is 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Shukri Taha whose telephone number is 571-270-1921. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:30am-5pm Mon-Fri.
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/SHUKRI TAHA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478