CTNF 18/748,691 CTNF 84613 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Double Patenting 08-33 AIA The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg , 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman , 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi , 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum , 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel , 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington , 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969). A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b). The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13. The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA/25, or PTO/AIA/26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer. 08-34 AIA Claim s 6, 7, 13 and 14 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim s 11-14 of U.S. Patent No. 12,047,246 . Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because : Regarding claim 6, U.S. Patent No. 12,047,246 recites a method performed by a network data analytics function, NWDAF, of a plurality of NWDAFs, in a telecommunication system (Claim 11, A method of performed by a network data analytics function (NWDAF) of a plurality of NWDAFs, in a wireless communication system) , the method comprising: receiving, from a first network function, data (Claim 11, receiving, from a first network function, data) ; generating, first analytics data based on the received data (Claim 1, generating, first analytics data based on the received data) ; and transmitting, to an analytics data consumer, a first message associated with the first analytics data, the first message including information on a first time period (Claim 11, transmitting, to an analytics data consumer, a first message associated with the first analytics data, the first message including information on a first time period) , wherein the first time period is used to update a dynamic timer (Claim 11, wherein the first time period is used by the analytics data consumer to update a dynamic timer) , and wherein the dynamic timer indicates a minimum waiting time for receiving analytics from the plurality of NWDAFs (Claim 11, wherein the dynamic timer indicates a minimum waiting time for receiving analytics data from the plurality of NWDAFs by the analytics data consumer). Regarding claim 7, U.S. Patent No. 12,047,246 recites wherein the first analytics data is generated in the NWDAF based on a processing of data of the first network function (Claim 12, wherein the first analytics data is generated in a first NWDAF based on a processing of first data of the first network function) , and wherein the first message indicates a notification associated with the first analytics data (Claim 12, wherein the first message indicates a notification associated with the first analytics data). Regarding claim 13, U.S. Patent No. 12,047,246 recites a network data analytics function, NWDAF, of a plurality of NWDAFs, in a telecommunication system (Claim 13, An apparatus of a network data analytics function (NWDAF) of a plurality of NWDAFs, in a wireless communication system) , the NWDAF comprising: at least one transceiver (Claim 13, at least one transceiver) ; and at least one processor coupled to the at least one transceiver (Claim 13, at least one processor coupled to the at least one transceiver) , configured to: receive, from a first network function, data (Claim 13, receive, from a first network function, data) generate first analytics data based on the received data (Claim 13, generate, first analytics data based on the received data) , and transmit, to an analytics data consumer, a first message associated with the first analytics data, the first message including information on a first time period (Claim 13, transmit, to an analytics data consumer, a first message associated with the first analytics data, the first message including information on a first time period) , wherein the first time period is used to update a dynamic timer (Claim 13, wherein the first time period is used by the analytics data consumer to update a dynamic timer) , and wherein the dynamic timer indicates a minimum waiting time for receiving analytics from the plurality of NWDAFs (Claim 13, wherein the dynamic timer indicates a minimum waiting time for receiving analytics data from the plurality of NWDAFs by the analytics data consumer). Regarding claim 14, U.S. Patent No. 12,047,246 recites wherein the first message indicates a notification associated with the first analytics data (Claim 14, wherein the first message indicates a notification associated with the first analytics data) . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-23-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 1, 5-8 and 12-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dao et al. (US 2020/0228420, IDS Reference) in view of Singh et al. (US 2019/0281103, IDS Reference) . Regarding claims 1 and 8, Dao et al. disclose a method performed by an analytics data consumer (Paragraph 22, unified data manager function (UDM); Figure 10 and paragraph 449, an architecture 1000 of a computing system that may be used for implementing the devices and methods disclosed herein) in a telecommunication system (Figure 8A), the analytics data consumer comprising and the method comprising: At least one transceiver (Figure 10 and paragraph 449, network communication interface 1010); and At least one processor coupled to the at least one transceiver (Figure 10 and paragraph 449, microprocessor 1005 coupled to network interface 1010), configured to: Receive, from a NWDAF of a plurality of NWDAFs (Figure 8A, NWDAF set 310 comprising plurality of NWDAF instances 311, 312; Figure 1, NWDAF set 110 comprising plurality of NWDAF instances 111, 112; Paragraphs 357 and 359, UDM receives analytical results from NWDAFs), a first message associated with first analytics data, the first message including information on a first time period (Paragraph 433, when the NWDAF sends analytical results to the UDM, it also sends associated time information, the time information [first time period] being described by a start time and end time). Dao et al. do not disclose the following limitations disclosed by Singh et al.: receiving while a dynamic timer is running (Singh et al., Paragraph 157, report-collection interval employed as constant or varying) and updating the dynamic timer based on the first time period (Singh et al., Paragraph 157 and figure 2A, reporting entity [corresponds analytics data consumer] collects observation reports from plurality of monitoring entities [corresponds to plurality of NWDAFs]. The reporting entity employs varying report-collection intervals [timer] which can be dynamically adjusted based on OWD (one way delay) between the monitoring entity and the reporting entity as shown in paragraph 170; Paragraph 170, OWD from different monitoring entities to the reporting entity may be different due to different paths and latencies. The OWD from a given monitoring entity to the reporting entity is time-varying due to presence or absence of network congestion at different times. As a result, overall latency in collecting the plurality of observation reports at the reporting entity from different monitoring entities is usually time-varying. In order to determine correlation between the observation reports, the reporting entity takes the delays into consideration) , wherein the dynamic timer indicates a minimum waiting time for receiving analytics coming from the plurality of NWDAFs (Singh et al., Paragraph 157, reporting entity collections observation reports from monitoring entities in accordance with the report-collection interval; Paragraph 164, the at least one reporting entity optionally takes into consideration a waiting time for which the at least one reporting entity waited to collect the plurality of observation reports (namely, the waiting time for which the at least one reporting entity collected the plurality of observation reports prior to reconciling and processing the observation reports…) wherein the analytic data consumer waits until the dynamic timer expires (Singh et al., Paragraph 157, reporting entity collections observation reports from monitoring entities in accordance with the report-collection interval [waiting time]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Dao et al. with the cited disclosure from Singh et al. by allowing the UDM to collect data from the NWDAFs in accordance with varying report-collection intervals that can be dynamically adjusted based on one way delay between the UDM and respective NWDAFs, in order to provide a common reference point in time for analyzing the reports (Singh et al., Paragraph 155). Regarding claim 5, Singh et al. disclose wherein the dynamic timer expires when the dynamic timer equals a value of the updated dynamic timer (Paragraph 157 and figure 2A, reporting entity [corresponds analytics data consumer] collects observation reports from plurality of monitoring entities [corresponds to plurality of NWDAFs]. The reporting entity employs varying report-collection intervals [timer] which can be dynamically adjusted based on OWD (one way delay) [time period] between the monitoring entity and the reporting entity as shown in paragraph 170; Paragraph 170, OWD from different monitoring entities to the reporting entity may be different due to different paths and latencies. The OWD from a given monitoring entity to the reporting entity is time-varying due to presence or absence of network congestion at different times. As a result, overall latency in collecting the plurality of observation reports at the reporting entity from different monitoring entities is usually time- varying. In order to determine correlation between the observation reports, the reporting entity takes the delays into consideration). Regarding claim 12, Singh et al. disclose wherein the dynamic timer expires when the dynamic timer equals a value of the updated dynamic timer (Paragraph 157 and figure 2A, reporting entity [corresponds analytics data consumer] collects observation reports from plurality of monitoring entities [corresponds to plurality of NWDAFs]. The reporting entity employs varying report-collection intervals [timer] which can be dynamically adjusted based on OWD (one way delay) [time period] between the monitoring entity and the reporting entity as shown in paragraph 170; Paragraph 170, OWD from different monitoring entities to the reporting entity may be different due to different paths and latencies. The OWD from a given monitoring entity to the reporting entity is time-varying due to presence or absence of network congestion at different times. As a result, overall latency in collecting the plurality of observation reports at the reporting entity from different monitoring entities is usually time-varying. In order to determine correlation between the observation reports, the reporting entity takes the delays into consideration). Regarding claims 6 and 13, Dao et al. disclose a method performed by a NWDAF of a plurality of NWDAFs, in a telecommunication system (Figure 8A, NWDAF set 310 comprising plurality of NWDAF instances 311, 312; Figure 1, NWDAF set 110 comprising plurality of NWDAF instances 111, 112; Figure 10 and paragraph 449, an architecture 1000 of a computing system that may be used for implementing the devices and methods disclosed herein), the NWDAF comprising and the method comprising: At least one transceiver (Figure 10 and paragraph 449, network communication interface 1010); and At least one processor coupled to the at least one transceiver (Figure 10 and paragraph 449, microprocessor 1005 coupled to network interface 1010), configured to: Receive, from a first network function, data (Figure 1, NWDAF instances received messages containing collected data from NFs); Generate first analytics data based on the received data (Paragraphs 4 and 432, NWDAFs provide traffic/data analytics); and Transmit, to an analytics data consumer, a first message associated with first analytics data, the first message including information on a first time period (Paragraph 433, when the NWDAF sends analytical results to the UDM [analytics data consumer], it also sends associated time information, the time information [first time period] being described by a start time and end time). Dao et al. do not disclose the following limitations disclosed by Singh et al.: wherein the first time period is used to update a dynamic timer (Singh et al., Paragraph 157 and figure 2A, reporting entity [corresponds analytics data consumer] collects observation reports from plurality of monitoring entities [corresponds to plurality of NWDAFs]. The reporting entity employs varying report-collection intervals [timer] which can be dynamically adjusted based on OWD (one way delay) [time period] between the monitoring entity and the reporting entity as shown in paragraph 170; Paragraph 170, OWD from different monitoring entities to the reporting entity may be different due to different paths and latencies. The OWD from a given monitoring entity to the reporting entity is time-varying due to presence or absence of network congestion at different times. As a result, overall latency in collecting the plurality of observation reports at the reporting entity from different monitoring entities is usually time-varying. In order to determine correlation between the observation reports, the reporting entity takes the delays into consideration) , wherein the dynamic timer indicates a minimum waiting time for analytics coming from the plurality of NWDAFs (Singh et al., Paragraph 157, reporting entity collections observation reports from monitoring entities in accordance with the report-collection interval [waiting time]; Paragraph 164, the at least one reporting entity optionally takes into consideration a waiting time for which the at least one reporting entity waited to collect the plurality of observation reports (namely, the waiting time for which the at least one reporting entity collected the plurality of observation reports prior to reconciling and processing the observation reports…). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Dao et al. with the cited disclosure from Singh et al. by allowing the UDM to collect data from the NWDAFs in accordance with varying report-collection intervals that can be dynamically adjusted based on one way delay between the UDM and respective NWDAFs, in order to provide a common reference point in time for analyzing the reports (Singh et al., Paragraph 155). Regarding claim 7, Dao et al. disclose wherein the first analytics data is generated in the first NWDAF based on a processing of first data of the first network function (Paragraph 4, NWDAF provides analytical information based on information received from NF; Paragraphs 353, 367, 385 data analytic results produced by the NWDAF), and wherein the first message indicates a notification associated with the first analytics data (Paragraph 433, NWDAF sends analytical results to UDM; Paragraph 427, UDM receives notifications for one or more types of analytical data from NWDAF) Regarding claim 14, Dao et al. disclose wherein the first message indicates a notification associated with the first analytics data (Paragraph 433, NWDAF sends analytical results to UDM; Paragraph 427, UDM receives notifications for one or more types of analytical data from NWDAF) . 07-22-aia AIA Claim (s) 4 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dao et al. in view of Singh et al . as applied to claim 1 and 8 above, and further in view of Liao (US 2021/0075631, IDS Reference) . Regarding claims 4 and 11, Dao et al. in view of Sing et al. disclose the claimed invention above as well as the dynamic timer (See independent claim rejections over Singh et al.) and supported analytics type (Dao et al., Paragraph 26, receiving unified data at the plurality of NDWAF SIs, the data being unified for transmission and storage in accordance with at least a data type identification and a data collection attribute), but do not disclose the following limitations disclosed by Liao: associated with an analytics ID, wherein the analytics ID is used to identify a type of supported analytics that the NWDAF generates (Liao, Paragraph 161, multiple instances of NWDAF, and analytics ID information element is used to identify the type of supported analytics that the NWDAF can generate). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Dao et al. and Singh et al. with the cited disclosure from Liao in order to further implement multiple NWDAFs able to provide different types of analytics (Liao, Paragraph 161) . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 2, 3, 9 and 10 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. 13-03-01 AIA The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: regarding claims 2 (with further dependent claim 3) and 9 (with further dependent claim 10), the prior art does not disclose or adequately suggest receiving a second message including a second time period from a second NWDAF, the second time period being used as basis to further update the dynamic timer . Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OTIS L THOMPSON, JR whose telephone number is (571)270-1953. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 6:30am - 7:00pm. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /OTIS L THOMPSON, JR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477 April 16, 2026 Application/Control Number: 18/748,691 Page 2 Art Unit: 2477 Application/Control Number: 18/748,691 Page 3 Art Unit: 2477 Application/Control Number: 18/748,691 Page 4 Art Unit: 2477 Application/Control Number: 18/748,691 Page 5 Art Unit: 2477 Application/Control Number: 18/748,691 Page 6 Art Unit: 2477 Application/Control Number: 18/748,691 Page 7 Art Unit: 2477 Application/Control Number: 18/748,691 Page 8 Art Unit: 2477 Application/Control Number: 18/748,691 Page 9 Art Unit: 2477 Application/Control Number: 18/748,691 Page 10 Art Unit: 2477 Application/Control Number: 18/748,691 Page 11 Art Unit: 2477 Application/Control Number: 18/748,691 Page 12 Art Unit: 2477 Application/Control Number: 18/748,691 Page 13 Art Unit: 2477 Application/Control Number: 18/748,691 Page 14 Art Unit: 2477 Application/Control Number: 18/748,691 Page 15 Art Unit: 2477
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