DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Preliminary Amendment Acknowledgement
The Preliminary Amendment filed on 06/28/2024 has been acknowledged and considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-14 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lei et al. (Pub. No. US 2024/0179614).
Regarding claim 1. (Original) Lei teaches a method for performing communication, performed by a primary NSACF (Network Slice Admission Control Function) (Lei, the Abstract), comprising:
receiving, from a local NSACF, an update request for a network slice (Lei, Fig. 3, pp [157]-[158]: NSACF receives an update request related to network slice; Fig. 5, S501, pp [239]-[241]: the update request includes parameter information such as a terminal device identifier UE ID, an identifier S-NSSAI of a first network slice, a flag of first indication information, and an access type);
wherein the update request includes ID of a UE (User Equipment), information on the network slice, information on a serving network for the UE and an update flag (Lei, Fig. 3, pp [157]-[158]: NSACF receives an update request related to network slice; Fig. 5, S501, pp [239]-[241]: the update request includes parameter information such as a terminal device identifier UE ID, an identifier S-NSSAI of a first network slice, a flag of first indication information, and an access type);
requesting, to an UDM (Unified Data Management), a result of authentication of the UE for the serving network, based on the update request (Lei, Fig. 5, S502, S503 and S504, pp [244]-[248]: UDM performs authentication request from NSACF and verifies for the subscription of UE id, subscription status);
receiving, from the UDM, a result of authentication of the UE for the serving network (Lei, Fig. 5, S505 and S506, pp [263]-[265]: UDM returns the authentication request response);
determining whether the update request is trustworthy, based on the received result of authentication (Lei, Fig. 5, S505 and S506, pp [263]-[265]: UDM returns the authentication request response with verification of all information succeeds and update for network slice admission);
performing NSAC (Network Slice Admission Control), based on the update request being trustworthy (Lei, Fig. 5, S506-S507, pp [265]-[269]: NSACF performs admission control);
transmitting, to the local NSACF, a response of the update request, wherein the response of the update request includes a result of the NSAC, based on the update request being trustworthy (Lei, Fig. 6, S601-S602, pp [273]-[276]: the response of the update request transmitted to the NSACF after the verified authentication for further admission control procedure).
Regarding claim 9. (Original) Lei teaches a primary NSACF (Network Slice Admission Control Function), to perform communication (Lei, the Abstract), comprising:
a transceiver; and a processor (Lei, Fig. 9, processing unit 901, transceiver unit 902), wherein the processor performs operation comprising:
receiving, from a local NSACF, an update request for a network slice (Lei, Fig. 3, pp [157]-[158]: NSACF receives an update request related to network slice; Fig. 5, S501, pp [239]-[241]: the update request includes parameter information such as a terminal device identifier UE ID, an identifier S-NSSAI of a first network slice, a flag of first indication information, and an access type);
wherein the update request includes ID of a UE (User Equipment), information on the network slice, information on a serving network for the UE and an update flag (Lei, Fig. 3, pp [157]-[158]: NSACF receives an update request related to network slice; Fig. 5, S501, pp [239]-[241]: the update request includes parameter information such as a terminal device identifier UE ID, an identifier S-NSSAI of a first network slice, a flag of first indication information, and an access type);
requesting, to an UDM (Unified Data Management), a result of authentication of the UE for the serving network, based on the update request (Lei, Fig. 5, S502, S503 and S504, pp [244]-[248]: UDM performs authentication request from NSACF and verifies for the subscription of UE id, subscription status);
receiving, from the UDM, a result of authentication of the UE for the serving network (Lei, Fig. 5, S505 and S506, pp [263]-[265]: UDM returns the authentication request response);
determining whether the update request is trustworthy, based on the received result of authentication (Lei, Fig. 5, S505 and S506, pp [263]-[265]: UDM returns the authentication request response with verification of all information succeeds and update for network slice admission);
performing NSAC (Network Slice Admission Control), based on the update request being trustworthy (Lei, Fig. 5, S506-S507, pp [265]-[269]: NSACF performs admission control);
transmitting, to the local NSACF, a response of the update request, wherein the response of the update request includes a result of the NSAC, based on the update request being trustworthy (Lei, Fig. 6, S601-S602, pp [273]-[276]: the response of the update request transmitted to the NSACF after the verified authentication for further admission control procedure).
Regarding claim 17. (Original) Lei teaches a method for performing communication, performed by an UDM (Unified Data Management) (Lei, the Abstract), comprising:
storing a result of authentication of a UE (User Equipment), based on the authentication of the UE being performed (Lei, Fig. 5, S502, S503 and S504, pp [244]-[248]: UDM performs authentication request from NSACF and verifies for the subscription of UE id, subscription status);
wherein the UE is roaming in a serving network (Lei, pp [149], [192], [261]: the UE roams in a serving network),
receiving, from a primary NSACF (Network Slice Admission Control Function), a request for the result of authentication of the UE for the serving network (Lei, Fig. 5, S502, S503 and S504, pp [244]-[248]: UDM performs authentication request from NSACF and verifies for the subscription of UE id, subscription status);
wherein the request includes information on the serving network (Lei, Fig. 3, pp [157]-[158]: NSACF receives an update request related to network slice; Fig. 5, S501, pp [239]-[241]: the update request includes parameter information such as a terminal device identifier UE ID, an identifier S-NSSAI of a first network slice, a flag of first indication information, and an access type);
transmitting, to the primary NSACF, the result of authentication, based on the request (Lei, Fig. 6, S601-S602, pp [273]-[276]: the response of the update request transmitted to the NSACF after the verified authentication for further admission control procedure).
Regarding claim 2. (Original) Lei teaches the method of claim 1,
wherein the update flag includes information on requesting to increase or decrease a maximum number of registered UEs that the local NSACF can manage for the network slice (Lei, pp [142]-[143], [149], [151]-[153], [279]);
wherein the NSAC comprises step of increasing or decreasing the maximum number of registered UEs, based on the update request being trustworthy (Lei, pp [142]-[143], [149], [151]-[153], [279]);
wherein the response of the update request includes the increased maximum number of registered UEs or the decreased maximum number of registered UEs (Lei, pp [142]-[143], [149], [151]-[153], [279]).
Regarding claim 3. (Original) Lei teaches the method of claim 2,
wherein the update request is based on registration procedure, deregistration procedure or configuration update procedure for the UE (Lei, pp [145]-[143], [261]-[263]).
Regarding claim 4. (Original) Lei teaches the method of claim 1,
wherein the update flag includes information on requesting to increase or decrease a maximum number of PDU (Protocol Data Unit) sessions that the local NSACF can manage for the network slice (Lei, pp [142]-[143]),
wherein the NSAC comprises step of increasing or decreasing the maximum number of PDU sessions, based on the update request being trustworthy (Lei, pp [142]-[143]),
wherein the response of the update request includes the increased maximum number of PDU sessions or the decreased maximum number of PDU sessions (Lei, pp [142]-[143]).
Regarding claim 5. (Original) Lei teaches the method of claim 4,
wherein the update request is based on PDU session establishment procedure or PDU session deregistration procedure for the UE (Lei, pp [4]-[5], [143], [270]).
Regarding claim 6. (Currently Amended) Lei teaches the method of claims 1, wherein the response of the update request includes information on determination that the update request not being trustworthy (Lei, pp [157]-[158]).
Regarding claim 7. (Currently Amended) Lei teaches the method of claim 1 wherein the information on the serving network includes ID of PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network) for the UE (Lei, pp [160]-[161]).
Regarding claim 8. (Currently Amended) Lei teaches the method of claim 1 wherein the result of authentication of the UE includes the time when the UE was authenticated (Lei, pp [271]-[272]).
Regarding claim 10. (Original) Lei teaches the primary NSACF of claim 9,
wherein the update flag includes information on requesting to increase or decrease a maximum number of registered UEs that the local NSACF can manage for the network slice (Lei, pp [142]-[143], [149], [151]-[153], [279]);
wherein the NSAC comprises step of increasing or decreasing the maximum number of registered UEs, based on the update request being trustworthy (Lei, pp [142]-[143], [149], [151]-[153], [279]);
wherein the response of the update request includes the increased maximum number of registered UEs or the decreased maximum number of registered UEs (Lei, pp [142]-[143], [149], [151]-[153], [279]).
Regarding claim 11. (Original) Lei teaches the primary NSACF of claim 10,
wherein the update request is based on registration procedure, deregistration procedure or configuration update procedure for the UE (Lei, pp [145]-[143], [261]-[263]).
Regarding claim 12. (Original) Lei teaches the primary NSACF of claim 9,
wherein the update flag includes information on requesting to increase or decrease a maximum number of PDU (Protocol Data Unit) sessions that the local NSACF can manage for the network slice (Lei, pp [142]-[143]),
wherein the NSAC comprises step of increasing or decreasing the maximum number of PDU sessions, based on the update request being trustworthy (Lei, pp [142]-[143]),
wherein the response of the update request includes the increased maximum number of PDU sessions or the decreased maximum number of PDU sessions (Lei, pp [142]-[143]).
Regarding claim 13. (Original) Lei teaches the primary NSACF of claim 12,
wherein the update request is based on PDU session establishment procedure or PDU session deregistration procedure for the UE (Lei, pp [4]-[5], [143], [270]).
Regarding claim 14. (Currently Amended) Lei teaches the primary NSACF of claim 9,
wherein the response of the update request includes information on determination that the update request not being trustworthy (Lei, pp [157]-[158]).
Relevant References to the claims but not used in the rejection above
Foti et al (Pub. No. US 2025/0113216), teaches systems and methods are disclosed for dynamic retrieval of Network Slice Admission Control (NSAC) information in a Visited Public Land Mobile Network (VPLMN) of a User Equipment (UE). In one embodiment, a method performed by a network node in a VPLMN of a UE comprises receiving, from the UE, a request comprising information indicating a particular network slice that is subject to NSAC. The method further comprises obtaining subscription data that comprises information that indicates whether VPLMN or Home Public Land Mobile Network (HPLMN) control should be applied for NSAC and sending an update request to a Network Slice Admission Control Function (NSACF) in the VPLMN of the UE, wherein the update request comprises the information that indicates whether VPLMN or HPLMN control should be applied for NSAC.
Lee et al. (Pub. No. US 2022/0312305), teaches a communication method and system for converging a 5G communication system for supporting higher data rates beyond a 4G system with a technology for IoT. The disclosure may be applied to intelligent services based on the 5G communication technology and the IoT-related technology such as smart homes, smart buildings, smart cities, smart cars, connected cars, health care, digital education, smart retail, and security and safety services. A method performed by an SMF includes determining to update network slice availability; transmitting, to an NSACF, a network slice availability update request message including a UE ID and a PDU session ID; and receiving, from the NSACF, a network slice availability update response message including a result indication. The result indication is associated with updating a number of PDU sessions per network slice based on the UE ID and the PDU session ID.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HUY C HO whose telephone number is (571)270-1108. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8AM-5PM.
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/HUY C HO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2644
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