DETAILED ACTION
1. The following Office Action is based on the preliminary amendment filed on 11 July 2024, having claims 1-15 and drawing figures 1-5.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
2. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Objections
3. Claims 1-15 are objected to because of the following informalities:
The phrase “able to” recited in claims 1 and 10-13 must be replaced by the phrase “configured to” to render the claims affirmative.
The term “and/or” recited in claim 4 must be replaced by the word “or” or the phrase “at least one of” to render the claim affirmative.
The phrase “on the basis of” recited in claims 1 and 10-13 must be replaced by the phrase “based on” to render the claims affirmative.
The phrase “capable of” recited in lines 4 and 6 of claim 11 must be replaced by the phrase “configured to” to render the claim affirmative.
The phrase “capable of” recited in lines 4 and 6 of claim 12 must be replaced by the phrase “configured to” to render the claim affirmative.
Claim 13 is an improper dependent claim because it is a system claim dependent upon an apparatus claim. Claim 13 must be written in independent form.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
4. 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.
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.
Claims 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kodaypak et al. (US 2017/0311244 A1) (reference disclosed by applicant).
For claims 1, 11, and 14-15, Kodaypak discloses a device for modifying a communication infrastructure (Fig 2, system 200) able to provide a communication service to a terminal (Fig 2, UE 112) via a plurality of virtualized functions, implemented in a management device (Fig 2, MME) of the communication infrastructure (abstract) and comprising:
a receiver capable of receiving information relating to the attachment or detachment of said terminal to or from an access station of the communication infrastructure ([0049] MME receives information on attachment, detachment, and movements of UEs from operators MVNOS),
the device capable of determining an adaptation of the plurality of virtualized functions on the basis of the location of the access station to which the terminal is attached or a location of the terminal ([0056] virtualized functions VNFs are instantiated or modified based on the reported locations of UEs).
For claim 2, Kodaypak discloses the information relating to the attachment follows a change of access station of the communication infrastructure to which the terminal is attached terminal ([0034] home PLMN or visiting PLMN).
For claim 3, Kodaypak discloses the adaptation comprises at least one of the following operations: deploying a virtualized function in the communication infrastructure, moving a virtualized function in the communication infrastructure, removing a virtualized function from the communication infrastructure, or modifying a virtualized function in the communication infrastructure terminal ([0049] adding or remove VNFs based on roaming location of UE).
For claim 4, Kodaypak discloses the adaptation of the plurality of virtualized functions comprises adding and/or moving and/or removing and/or modifying a component of at least one virtualized function of the plurality of virtualized functions ([0049] adding or removing VNFs).
For claim 5, Kodaypak discloses transmitting beforehand, to a mobility management device of said terminal, a request to subscribe to information relating to the attachment of the terminal to an access station ([0442-0044] roaming subscribers for profile of UE)
For claim 6, Kodaypak discloses comparing an identifier of said terminal with a list of identifiers of terminals suitable for benefiting from the modification method ([0022] user is assigned a GUTI during attach procedures).
For claim 7, Kodaypak discloses configuring a function capable of interacting with a virtualized function of the adapted plurality of virtualized functions following the attachment or detachment of the terminal ([0049] adding or removing VNFs).
For claim 8, Kodaypak discloses receiving an item of data relating to a session of said terminal and determining the adaptation as a function of the received data ([0042] policy information to determine the level of service to be applied for the roaming UE).
For claims 9, Kodaypak discloses transmitting at least one configuration message to an orchestration device and/or to the virtualized function of the plurality of virtualized functions impacted by the determined action terminal ([0059] MME sends message to orchestrator for instantiating or modifying VNFs based on the location of the UE).
For claims 10 and 12, Kodaypak discloses device for adapting a communication infrastructure able to provide a communication service to a terminal via a plurality of virtualized functions, said device being implemented in a virtualized function or an orchestration device of the plurality of virtualized functions ([0059] MME sends message to orchestrator for instantiating or modifying VNFs based on the location of the UE), and comprising:
a receiver capable of receiving, from a management device (Fig 2 , MME), a configuration message for configuring at least one virtualized function of the plurality of virtualized functions, the configuration message being associated with an adaptation ([0076-0077] the device receives a grant message from the MME comprising configuration information for VNFs), determined by the management device of the plurality of virtualized functions, on the basis of a location of an access station to which the terminal is attached or a location of the terminal ([0049] adding or remove VNFs based on roaming location of UE), the device capable of updating said at least one virtualized function relating to the received configuration message ([0056] virtualized functions VNFs are instantiated or modified based on the reported locations of UEs).
For claim 13, Kodaypak discloses system (Fig 2, system 200) for modifying a communication infrastructure (abstract) able to provide a communication service to a terminal (Fig 2, UE 112) via a plurality of virtualized functions [0049], characterized in that it comprises the system comprising:
the modification device of claim 11, and at least one adaptation device for adapting the communication infrastructure able to provide the communication service to the terminal via the plurality of virtualized functions, said adaptation device being implemented in a virtualized function or an orchestration device of the plurality of virtualized functions ([0059] MME sends message to orchestrator for instantiating or modifying VNFs based on the location of the UE), and comprising
a receiver capable of receiving, from the management device (Fig 2, MME), a configuration message for configuring at least one virtualized function of the plurality of virtualized functions, the configuration message being associated with an adaptation, determined by the management, of the plurality of virtualized functions ([0076-0077] the device receives a grant message from the MME comprising configuration information for VNFs),, on the basis of a location of an access station to which the terminal is attached or a location of the terminal ([0049] adding or remove VNFs based on roaming location of UE), the adaptation device capable of updating said at least one virtualized function relating to the received configuration message ([0056] virtualized functions VNFs are instantiated or modified based on the reported locations of UEs).
Conclusion
5. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 form.
6. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Elisabeth B Magloire whose telephone number is (571)272-5601. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 AM-5 PM ET.
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, Sujoy K Kundu can be reached at 571-272-8586. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ELISABETH BENOIT MAGLOIRE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2471
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