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
This action is in response to a restriction requirement that was mailed November 7, 2025. An election was made “with” traverse, January 7, 2026, electing examination of Group I, consisting of claims 1-3, 10, 13, and 15. Group II, consisting of claims 4-9 and 11-12 was NOT elected. Claims 4-9 and 11-12 are hereby withdrawn from further consideration. Claim 14 has been cancelled. Claims 1-3, 10, 13, and 15 are now pending in this application.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Group I, consisting of claims 1-3, 10, 13, and 15 in the reply filed on January 7, 2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that Group II, consisting of claims 4-9 and 11-12 would not lead to a serious burden to search both groupings because the groupings are related in subject matter. This is not found persuasive because Group II includes subject matter that is not recited in Group II. For example, Group II evaluates a level of resources available in a network slice and performs an action of whether to let a data stream pass or is blocked based on the level of available resources. This subject matter is not disclosed in the teachings of Group I.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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 to an execution entity of the network configured to manage routing of data streams transmitted by the terminal apparatus in at least one segment of the communication network (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
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/ESTHER B. HENDERSON/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2458 March 19, 2026