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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7-29-2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding applicant’s argument: “3GPP does not teach or even suggest receiving a register request comprising a profile of a proxy call session control function (P-CSCF) from the P-CSCF, wherein the profile comprises address information of the P-CSCF for an Mw interface and address information of the P-CSCF for a Gm interface as recited in claim 13, and so withdrawal of this rejection is respectfully requested.”; the examiner agree that the 3GPP only store a Gm address in the profile; however, the examiner’s position is that repeating the process to store another interface address such as Mw it is within the knowledge of one of the ordinary skills in the art, since it involve repeating the step for storing and additional address and it will bring the same predictable result of providing address information for the desired interface. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to repeat the teaching of the Gm interface in another interface such as Mw interface for the simple purpose of using and having compatibility with the desired interface.
The rest of the arguments fall for the same reasons as shown above. The rejection of record stands.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 13-19, 21, 30-39 and 47 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0.
As to claim 13, 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 discloses a method performed by a first network repository function (NRF) (see section 5.2), comprising: receiving a register request (see section 5.2.2.2) comprising a profile of a proxy call session control function (P-CSCF) from the P-CSCF, wherein the profile comprises address information of the P-CSCF for a Gm interface [IPv4 address(es) of the P-CSCF for the Gm interface IPv6 address(es) of the P-CSCF for the Gm interface] (see 6.1.6.2.53); storing the profile of the P-CSCF [Nnrf_NFManagement required to access registered data] (see 5.2.1-5.2.2.3.1); and sending a register response to the P-CSCF [Heartbeat timer … shall be included in responses from NRF to registration requests] (See Table 6.1.6.2.2-1: Definition of type NFProfile). 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 fails to disclose address information of the P-CSCF for an Mw interface; however, since 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 already discloses comprises address information of the P-CSCF for a Gm interface, adding the other address will bring the same predictable result of addressing/identifying the desired interface. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to repeat the teaching of the Gm interface in another interface such as Mw interface for the simple purpose of using and having compatibility with the desired interface.
As to claims 14 and 16, 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 discloses the method according to claim 13, wherein the register request is Nnrf_NFManagement_NFRegister Request [The services operations defined for the Nnrf_NFManagement service are as follows: NFRegister] (see 5.2.2.1), wherein the update request is Nnrf_NFManagementNFUpdate Request [The services operations defined for the Nnrf_NFManagement service are as follows: NFUdate] (see 5.2.2.1). 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 fail to discloses the specific responses; however, it would be obvious to use the corresponding response of its request to allow the system to know which request is been answered. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to combine the teachings for the simple purpose of identifying the correct reply.
As to claim 15, 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 discloses the method according to claim 13, further comprising: receiving an update request comprising an updated profile of the P-CSCF from the P-CSCF, wherein the updated profile comprises updated address information of the P-CSCF for the Mw interface and/or updated address information of the P-CSCF for the Gm interface (see section 5.2.2.3, 6.1.6.2.53); storing the updated profile of the P-CSCF; and sending an update response to the P-CSCF [Heartbeat timer … shall be included in responses from NRF to registration requests] (See Table 6.1.6.2.2-1: Definition of type NFProfile).
As to claim 17, 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 discloses the method according to claim 13, wherein the address information of the P-CSCF for the interface comprises at least one of: Internet protocol version 4 address of the P-CSCF for the interface, Internet protocol version 6 address of the P-CSCF for the interface (see 6.1.6.2.53), or fully qualified domain name of the P-CSCF for the interface. 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 fails to disclose address information of the P-CSCF for an Mw interface; however, since 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 already discloses comprises address information of the P-CSCF for a Gm interface, adding the other address will bring the same predictable result of addressing/identifying the desired interface. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to repeat the teaching of the Gm interface in another interface such as Mw interface for the simple purpose of using and having compatibility with the desired interface.
As to claim 18, 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 discloses the method according to claim 15,wherein the address information of the P-CSCF for the Gm interface comprises at least one of: Internet protocol version 4 address of the P-CSCF for the Gm interface, Internet protocol version 6 address of the P-CSCF for the Gm interface, or fully qualified domain name of the P-CSCF for the Gm interface; and/or wherein the Gm interface defines an interface between a P-CSCF [IPv4 address(es) of the P-CSCF for the Gm interface IPv6 address(es) of the P-CSCF for the Gm interface] (see 6.1.6.2.53) and a user equipment and the Mw interface defines an interface between a P-CSCF and other CSCF.
As to claim 19, 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 discloses the method according to claim 13,further comprising: receiving a request for discovering P-CSCF from a network function (NF); determining at least one P-CSCF matching the request; and sending a response comprising respective profile of the at least one P-CSCF to the NF, wherein the respective profile of the at least one P-CSCF comprises respective address information of the at least one P-CSCF for respective Mw interface and respective address information of the at least one P-CSCF for respective Gm interface [IPv4 address(es) of the P-CSCF for the Gm interface IPv6 address(es) of the P-CSCF for the Gm interface] (see 6.1.6.2.53); and/or wherein the request is Nnrf NFDiscovery Request (see 5.3) and the response is Nnrf NFDiscovery Request (see 5.3.2.2.2). 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 does not use the words “Nnrf NFDiscovery Request Response”; however, it would be obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art that a response to a Nnrf NFDiscovery Request would be a Nnrf NFDiscovery Request Response since it is responding the Nnrf NFDiscovery Request. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to combine the teachings for the simple purpose of identifying the correct reply and compatibility with existing standards.
As to claim 21, 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 discloses the method according to claim 19, wherein the NF comprises at least one of: a service communication proxy (SCP) (see section 4), a session management function (SMF), a second NRF (see section 5.2.2.2.3), a policy control function (PCF), a serving CSCF (S-CSCF), or a unified data management (UDM).
As to claim 30, 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 discloses a method performed by a network function (NF), comprising:
receiving a discovery response message from a network repository function (NRF) (see section 5.3) indicating a NF profile information of at least one P-CSCF, wherein the NF profile information of the at least one P-CSCF comprises respective address information of the at least one P-CSCF for respective address information of the at least one P-CSCF for respective Gm interface.
[IPv4 address(es) of the P-CSCF for the Gm interface IPv6 address(es) of the P-CSCF for the Gm interface] (see 6.1.6.2.53); storing the profile of the P-CSCF [Nnrf_NFManagement required to access registered data] (see 5.2.1-5.2.2.3.1); and sending a register response to the P-CSCF [Heartbeat timer … shall be included in responses from NRF to registration requests] (See Table 6.1.6.2.2-1: Definition of type NFProfile). 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 fails to disclose address information of the P-CSCF for an Mw interface; however, since 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 already discloses comprises address information of the P-CSCF for a Gm interface, adding the other address will bring the same predictable result of addressing/identifying the desired interface. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to repeat the teaching of the Gm interface in another interface such as Mw interface for the simple purpose of using and having compatibility with the desired interface.
As to claims 31 and 33, 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 discloses the method according to claim 30, wherein the discovery response message is a response to a Nnrf_NFDiscoveryRequest (see section 5.3.2.2.2). 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 does not use the words “Nnrf NFDiscovery Request Response”; however, it would be obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art that a response to a Nnrf NFDiscovery Request would be a Nnrf NFDiscovery Request Response since it is responding the Nnrf NFDiscovery Request. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to combine the teachings for the simple purpose of identifying the correct reply and compatibility with existing standards.
As to claim 32, 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 discloses the method according to claim 30, further comprising: sending a request for discovering proxy call session control function (P-CSCF) to the NRF (see section 5.2.2.3, 5.3.2.2.2, 6.1.6.2.53).
As to claim 34, 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 discloses the method according to claim 30, further comprising:
sending a subscribe request for subscribing to be notified of a newly registered or updated P-CSCF instance to the NRF (see section 5.2.1-52.2); and
receiving a notification about the newly registered or updated P-CSCF instance from the NRF, wherein the notification comprises a profile or a profile change of the newly registered or updated P-CSCF instance (see section 5.2.2.3, 6.1.6.2.53), wherein the profile or the profile change of the newly registered or updated P-CSCF instance comprises address information of the newly registered or updated P-CSCF instance for Mw interface and/or address information of the newly registered or updated P-CSCF instance for Gm interface [IPv4 address(es) of the P-CSCF for the Gm interface IPv6 address(es) of the P-CSCF for the Gm interface] (see 6.1.6.2.53).
As to claim 35, 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 discloses the method according to claim 34, wherein the subscribe request is Nnrf_NFManagementNFStatusSubscribe Request and the notification is Nnrf_NFManagement_NFStatusNotify (see section 5.2.2.1).
As to claim 36, 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 discloses the method according to claim 30, wherein the NF comprises at least one of:
a service communication proxy (SCP) (see section 4), a session management function (SMF), a second NRF (see section 5.2.2.2.3), a policy control function (PCF), a serving CSCF (S-CSCF), or a unified data management (UDM).
As to claim 37, 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 discloses the method according to claim 30, wherein address information of a P-CSCF for interface comprises at least one of: Internet protocol version 4 address of the P-CSCF for the interface, Internet protocol version 6 address of the P-CSCF for the interface (see 6.1.6.2.53), or fully qualified domain name of the P-CSCF for the interface. 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 fails to disclose address information of the P-CSCF for an Mw interface; however, since 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 already discloses comprises address information of the P-CSCF for a Gm interface, adding the other address will bring the same predictable result of addressing/identifying the desired interface. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to repeat the teaching of the Gm interface in another interface such as Mw interface for the simple purpose of using and having compatibility with the desired interface.
As to claim 38, 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 discloses the method according to claim 30, wherein address information of a P-CSCF for Gm interface comprises at least one of: Internet protocol version 4 address of the P-CSCF for the Gm interface, Internet protocol version 6 address of the P-CSCF for the Gm interface[IPv4 address(es) of the P-CSCF for the Gm interface IPv6 address(es) of the P-CSCF for the Gm interface] (see section 6.1.6.2.53), or fully qualified domain name of the P-CSCF for the Gm interface.
As to claim 39, 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 discloses the method according to claim 30, wherein when the NF is a session management node [a Session Management (SM) node is any network function that participates in establishing, modifying, and releasing PDU sessions (in 5G) or bearers] (see section 4).
Regarding claim 47 is the corresponding network function claim of method claim 30. Therefore, claim 47 is rejected for the same reasons as shown above.
Claim(s) 40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 in view of Corona 20220124091.
As to claim 40, 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 discloses the method according to claim 30, wherein the Gm interface defines an interface between a P-CSCF and a user equipment (see section 6.1.6.2.53) and the Mw interface defines an interface between a P-CSCF and other CSCF. 3GPP TS29510 V17.4.0 fails to disclose the Mw interface. In an analogous art, Corona discloses the Mw interface defines an interface between a P-CSCF and other CSCF [The P-CSCF 276 can be coupled to the S-CSCF 226 via an Mw interface 284] (see par. 0028, 0064). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to combine the teachings for the simple purpose of compatibility with existing standards.
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 MARCOS L TORRES whose telephone number is (571)272-7926. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM M-F.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alison Slater can be reached at (571)270-0375. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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MARCOS L. TORRES
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2647
/MARCOS L TORRES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647
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