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 responsive to the response filed June 10, 2026.
Status of Claims
Applicant's election without traverse of Group I (claims 1-9,11-13,21,22) in the reply filed on 6/10/26 is acknowledged.
Accordingly Group II (claims 14-17,19,20) are non-elected and considered withdrawn.
Claims 1-9,11-13,21,22 remain pending examination.
Drawings
The drawings filed on 6/27/24 are acceptable.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
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 1-4,7-9,11-13,21,22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu et al (US Publication 20210219206) in view of 3GPP (“ETSI TS 123 501 v16.11.0”, January 2022).
In reference to claim 1, Zhu teaches a wireless communication method performed by a first Session Management Function (SMF) of a wireless core network, comprising:
receiving a first virtual network (VN) session request from a second SMF, the first VN session request comprising at least one of a virtual network (VN) identifier (ID) of a VN, first routing information, or first data communication tunnel information for a first VN data communication session; (see Zhu, at least ¶s 161-163,165, which teaches a first SMF2 receiving a network session request from a second LSMF, and at least ¶ 134,140,146 teaches the session information including routing information for a network LAN group and virtual network identifier of the network)
sending a first VN session response comprising at least one of the VN ID, second routing information of the first SMF, or second data communication tunnel information for the first VN data communication session; (see Zhu, at least ¶s 172,173, which teaches sending a network session response) and
configuring, according to the first routing information, a first User Plane Function (UPF) associated with the first SMF to forward data packets of the first VN data communication session. (see Zhu, at least ¶s 168-171, which teaches configuring a UPF associated with the SMF according to the routing/communication information)
Zhu fails to explicitly teach configuring, according to the first routing information, a first packet detection rule (PDR) and a first forwarding action rule (FAR) for a first User Plane Function (UPF) associated with the first SMF to forward data packets of the first VN data communication session. However, 3GPP teaches system architecture and operations for various communication scenarios in 5G systems (see 3GPP, at least Abstract & column 6 lines 34-43 and column 8 lines 26-35). And 3GPP discloses configuring UPF with PDR and FAR rules related to the session communication (see 3GPP, at least pgs 183-185 §5.8.2.13.0 to 5.8.2.13.2). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Zhu based on the teachings of 3GPP for the purpose of ensuring proper management and connectivity between client terminals in 5G systems.
In reference to claim 2, Zhu teaches the routing information of the second LSMF and tunnel information allocated by a second UPF (see Zhu, at least ¶s 167-170).
In reference to claim 3, Zhu teaches the routing information is information of a third SMF1, where the second LSMF is between the first SMF2 and the third SMF1, and the tunnel information is allocated by a second UPF associated with the second LSMF (see Zhu, at least ¶s 145,146,150). Zhu fails to explicitly recite iSMF. Howecver, 3GPP teaches iSMF, see 3GPP at least pg 333 §5.34.1. It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Zhu based on the teachings of 3GPP for the purpose as given in claim 1 above.
In reference to claim 4, Zhu teaches the first virtual network session is between the first SMF2 and the second LSMF (see Zhu, at least ¶s 151-153).
In reference to claim 7, Zhu teaches sending a session update request to the second LSMF, the session update comprising the network ID and updated routing information (see Zhu, at least ¶s 207,208).
In reference to claim 8, 3GPP teaches, see 3GPP at least pgs 183-185 §5.8.2.13.0 to 5.8.2.13.2. It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Zhu based on the teachings of 3GPP for the purpose as given in claim 1 above.
In reference to claim 9, Zhu teaches the updated routing information is information related to the second LSMF, and is updated information of a third SMF1 while the second LSMF serves as an intermediary between the SMFs (see Zhu, at least ¶s 211-216). Furthmore, 3GPP teaches iSMF, see 3GPP at least pg 333 §5.34.1. It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Zhu based on the teachings of 3GPP for the purpose as given in claim 1 above.
In reference to claim 11, 3GPP teaches SMF discovery, see 3GPP at least pg 336. It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Zhu based on the teachings of 3GPP for the purpose as given in claim 1 above.
In reference to claim 12, Zhu teaches the first session request from an AMF which assigns the second LSMF (see Zhu, at least ¶s 133-139).
In reference to claim 13, Zhu teaches the first session request is in response to a second session request sent from a third SMF1 which requests an AMF to assign the second LSMF (see Zhu, at least ¶s 133-139,145,153).
Claims 21,22 are slight variations of the rejected claims above, and are therefore rejected based on the same rationale.
Claims 5,6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu et al (US Publication 20210219206) in view of 3GPP (“ETSI TS 123 501 v16.11.0”, January 2022) in view of Gu et al (US Publication 20240356991).
In reference to claim 5, Zhu teaches TEID (see Zhu, at least ¶ 159). Zhu fails to explicitly teach fully qualified TEID. However, Gu teaches session management for 5G systems and discloses tunnel establishment for the 5G session utilizing F-TEID (see Gu, at least Abstract, Summary & ¶ 139). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Zhu based on the teachings of Gu for the purpose of including sufficient session related information when performing session management.
In reference to claim 6, Zhu teaches TEID (see Zhu, at least ¶ 159). Zhu fails to explicitly teach fully qualified TEID. However, Gu teaches session management for 5G systems and discloses the routing information comprising address information of the PDU sessions related to the client terminals communications (see Gu, at least Abstract, Summary & ¶s 132,137,139). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Zhu based on the teachings of Gu based on the rationale given for claim 5 above.
Conclusion
For any subsequent response that contains new/amended claims, Applicant is required to cite its corresponding support in the specification. (See MPEP chapter 2163.03 section (I.) and chapter 2163.04 section (I.) and chapter 2163.06) Applicant may not introduce any new matter to the claims or to the specification.
In formulating a response/amendment, Applicant is encouraged to take into consideration the prior art made of record but not relied upon, as it is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See attached Form 892.
Contact & Status
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RAMY M OSMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-4008. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri, 9AM-5PM.
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/Ramy M Osman/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2457
August 13, 2026
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