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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
This action is in response to an amendment filed June 25, 2026. Claims 1, 10, and 15 have been amended. Claims 1-3, 10, 13, and 15 remain pending in this application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed June 25, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicants are arguing in substance the following:
Arguments to Claims 1, 10, and 15 :
a) Applicant(s) contend- Duan does not disclose ‘inserting a priority indicator associated with the type of stream into the data stream, the priority indicator belonging to a group comprising at least one first indicator associated with the first type of stream and a second indicator associated with the second type of stream, the first priority indicator and the second priority indicator having different values’.
Response to argument a:
The Examiner respectfully disagrees. To begin, Duan discloses ‘inserting a priority indicator associated with the type of stream into the data stream’ in [0019]. In [0019], Duan discloses a first message which includes first information of one or more network slices that a terminal is subscribe to AND a priority corresponding to the first information is received by an access and mobility management function (AMF). Duan also discloses ‘the priority indicator belonging to a group comprising at least one first indicator associated with the first type of stream and a second indicator associated with the second type of stream’ in [0018]. In [0018], Duan discloses determining a priority of a service type for received service requests. Service requests (data streams), received by the AMF, are processed based on their priority of a service type of a service corresponding to the service requests. Finally, Duan discloses ‘the first priority indicator and the second priority indicator having different values’ in the Abstract and [0009]. In the Abstract and [0009], Duan discloses different priority values by disclosing higher priority service requests are processed prior to a lower priority service requests. Therefore, Duan discloses the features of the claimed limitation as outlined above.
The examiner has addressed arguments directed to claim limitations as stated only. Arguments not directed towards claim limitations have not been addressed. Applicant(s) is/are urged to direct arguments for claim limitations recited, because arguments not directed to claim limitations and statements are not given value since they do not appear in the claim. As to any claims not specifically discussed, the applicant(s) argued that it was patentable for one of the reasons discussed above. Please see response to above arguments for unspecified discussions.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-3, 10, 13, and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Duan et al. (US 2020/0077327 A1).
With respect to claim 1, Duan discloses a method for transmitting a data stream received from a software application running on a terminal apparatus ([0014]-[0015], terminal device sends a registration request message to an access and mobility management entity (AMF)), in a communication network to which said terminal apparatus is connected, said network being divided into a plurality of network slices (Abstract and [0002], network slicing), wherein said method is implemented at said terminal apparatus and comprises:
selecting a network slice from said plurality at least according to an item of information comprised in a header of the data stream ([0016], NSSAI (Network Slice Selection Assistance Information) is used by network device to select network slice);
obtaining a type of said stream, said type belonging to a group comprising at least one first type and a second type of stream ([0066], type of registration request amongst various types of data streams such as, initial registration, mobility registration update, and etc.);
inserting a priority indicator associated with the type of stream into the data stream, the priority indicator belonging to a group comprising at least one first indicator associated with the first type of stream and a second indicator associated with the second type of stream, the first priority indicator and the second priority indicator having different values (Abstract, [0019], [0021], and [0037], priority of first message includes a first or second priority such as high and low priorities); and
transmitting the data stream comprising the priority indicator in the selected network slice (Abstract, [0015], [0019], and [0020], AMF processes or forwards network slices based on priority).
With respect to claim 2, Duan discloses the method for transmitting a data stream according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises:
previously receiving at least one rule for routing a data stream transmitted by said software application, said rule comprising at least an identifier of said software application, said type of stream, said priority indicator associated with said type of stream and an identifier of a said network slice ([0066]-[0067]);
storing in memory said at least one routing rule ([0040] and [0067]); and
applying said at least one routing rule when implementing said selection and said insertion ([0066]-[0067]).
With respect to claim 3, Duan discloses the method for transmitting a data stream according to claim 2, wherein the method further comprises obtaining an operating mode of said software application, said operating mode belonging to a group comprising at least one first operating mode and a second operating mode, and wherein said at least one routing rule is associated with said operating mode ([0065] and [0150]).
With respect to claim(s) 10, 13, and 15, the device, terminal and non-transitory medium of claim(s) 10, 13, and 15 does/do not limit or further define over the method of claim(s) 1. The limitations of claim(s) 10, 13, and 15 is/are essentially similar to the limitations of claim(s) 1 Therefore, claim(s) 10, 13, and 15 is/are rejected for the same reasons as claim(s) 1. Please see rejection above.
Conclusion
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 ESTHER B. HENDERSON whose telephone number is (571)270-3807. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 6a-2p ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Umar Cheema can be reached at 571-270-3037. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ESTHER B. HENDERSON/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2458 August 21, 2026
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