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 .
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.
Claims 1, 3-4, 7 and 11-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xu (US 2024/0364605) in view of Li (WO 2021/215886).
Regarding claim 1, Xu describes a network slice adjustment method (para. 8, slice adjustment), comprising:
receiving, by a slice configuration network element, service experience information from a terminal device, the service experience information comprises quality of service indicator information and/or service user experience information (fig. 1-2 & para. 75, regarding communication between wireless device 100 being handheld device (UE) 100d & wireless device 200 being BS 200, RAN (BS) node/BS receives Quality of Experience (QoE) report (service experience information) from UE (terminal device),
Xu fails to further explicitly describe:
wherein the service experience information comprises identifier information of a base station and identifier information of a network slice corresponding to a service,
determining, by the slice configuration network element based on the service experience information, that the base station corresponding to an identifier of the base station cannot meet the service;
adjusting, by the slice configuration network element based on a determined result that the base station cannot meet the service, a network slice supported by the base station.
Li also describes UE transmitting QoE-based report to the network via base station (para. 237-240), further describing:
wherein the service experience information comprises identifier information of a base station and identifier information of a network slice corresponding to a service (para. 240-245, QoE-based QMC report for the particular QoE measurement comprises S-NSSAI indicating the network slice information & Cell ID indicating cell (base station));
determining, by the slice configuration network element based on the service experience information, that the base station corresponding to an identifier of the base station cannot meet the service, and adjusting, by the slice configuration network element based on a determined result that the base station cannot meet the service, a network slice supported by the base station (para. 270 in view of para. 240-245, from QMC report comprising cell (base station) ID, network side (slice configuration network element) evaluates problems including whether capacity of the network slice [through such cell] is sufficient, for taking action to improve or guarantee the QoE of users, para. 54).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to specify that the service experience information of Xu to including slice and base station IDs for determine if service can be fulfilled by slice and to adjust slice for such fulfillment as in Li.
The motivation for combining the teachings is that by guaranteeing & improving QoE of users, users’ loyalty is enhanced & operator earnings will further increase (Li, para. 54).
Regarding claim 3, Xu and Li combined describe:
wherein that the base station cannot meet the service comprises that network slice resources supported by the base station are insufficient (Li, para. 270 in view of para. 240-245, from QMC report comprising cell (base station) ID, network side (slice configuration network element) evaluates problems including whether capacity of the network slice [through such cell] is sufficient).
Regarding claim 4, Xu and Li combined describe:
wherein when the base station does not support the network slice corresponding to the service, the adjusting, by the slice configuration network element, the network slice supported by the base station comprises:
generating, by the slice configuration network element for the base station, information used to support the network slice corresponding to the service; and sending, by the slice configuration network element, the information used to support the network slice corresponding to the service (para. 159 + para. 228-232, AI model at Node with AI/ML function determines slice adjustment (fig. 10 step S1004) and then output its AI/ML function (fig. 11 step S1103b) to NG-RAN to performs slice adjustment for the specific UE service, para. 8).
Regarding claim 7, Xu and Li combined describe:
wherein when the network slice resources supported by the base station are insufficient, the adjusting, by the slice configuration network element based on the determined result that the base station cannot meet the service, the network slice supported by the base station comprises:
generating, by the slice configuration network element for the base station, information used to allocate the network slice supported by the base station; and sending, by the slice configuration network element, the information used to allocate the network slice supported by the base station (para. 159 + para. 228-232, AI model at Node with AI/ML function determines slice adjustment (fig. 10 step S1004) and then output its AI/ML function (fig. 11 step S1103b) to NG-RAN to performs slice adjustment).
Regarding claim 11, Xu and Li combined describe:
sending, by the slice configuration network element to the terminal device, indication information for periodically sending the service experience information to the slice configuration network element (Li, fig. 4, Access Network Node 402 (slice configuration network element) sends QMC configuration information to EM 403 prompting EM 403 to sending QoE Measurement result on a periodic basis, para. 30).
Regarding claim 12, Xu and Li combined describe:
wherein the receiving, by a slice configuration network element, service experience information from a terminal device comprises: periodically receiving, by the slice configuration network element, the service experience information from the terminal device (Li, fig. 4, Access Network Node 402 (slice configuration network element) sends QMC configuration information to EM 403 prompting EM 403 to sending QoE Measurement result on a periodic basis, para. 30).
Regarding claim 13, Xu and Li combined describe:
wherein the indication information comprises at least one of the following information of the terminal device: a quality of service indicator (fig. 4, QoE (Quality of Experience) sent by EM to access network node = quality of service indicator).
Regarding claim 14, Xu and Li combined describe:
sending, by the slice configuration network element, threshold information to the terminal device, wherein the threshold information indicates to send the service experience information to the slice configuration network element when the quality of service indicator information and/or the service user experience information are/is lower than or equal to a preset threshold (Li, fig. 4, para. 101 & 106-107, QMS configuration sent to EM for QoE reporting per thresholds for RSRP (power levels) & RSRQ (reception quality)).
Regarding claims 15 and 20, Xu describes a network slice adjustment method/apparatus, comprising:
[memory, and one or more processors coupled to the memory, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute a computer program stored in the memory to cause the network slice adjustment apparatus to perform steps of:] (fig. 2, processors 102 & 202 and memories 104 & 204)
generating, by a terminal device, service experience information, and the service experience information further comprises quality of service indicator information and/or service user experience information; and sending, by the terminal device, the service experience information to a slice configuration network element (fig. 1-2 & para. 75, regarding communication between wireless device 100 being handheld device (UE) 100d & wireless device 200 being BS 200, RAN (BS) node/BS receives Quality of Experience (QoE) report (service experience information) from UE (terminal device),
Xu fails to further explicitly describe:
wherein the service experience information comprises identifier information of a base station and identifier information of a network slice corresponding to a service,
determining, by the slice configuration network element based on the service experience information, that the base station corresponding to an identifier of the base station cannot meet the service;
adjusting, by the slice configuration network element based on a determined result that the base station cannot meet the service, a network slice supported by the base station.
Li also describes UE transmitting QoE-based report to the network via base station (para. 237-240), further describing:
wherein the service experience information comprises identifier information of a base station and identifier information of a network slice corresponding to a service (para. 240-245, QoE-based QMC report for the particular QoE measurement comprises S-NSSAI indicating the network slice information & Cell ID indicating cell (base station));
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to specify that the service experience information of Xu to including slice and base station IDs as in Li.
The motivation for combining the teachings is that by guaranteeing & improving QoE of users, users’ loyalty is enhanced & operator earnings will further increase (Li, para. 54).
Regarding claim 16, Xu and Li combined describe:
receiving, by the terminal device from the slice configuration network element, indication information for periodically sending the service experience information to the slice configuration network element (Li, fig. 4, Access Network Node 402 (slice configuration network element) sends QMC configuration information to EM 403 prompting EM 403 to send QoE Measurement result on a periodic basis, para. 30).
Regarding claim 17, Xu and Li combined describe:
wherein the sending, by the terminal device, the service experience information to a slice configuration network element comprises: periodically sending, by the terminal device, the service experience information to the slice configuration network element (Li, fig. 4, Access Network Node 402 (slice configuration network element) sends QMC configuration information to EM 403 prompting EM 403 to send QoE Measurement result on a periodic basis, para. 30).
Regarding claim 18, Xu and Li combined describe:
wherein the indication information comprises at least one of the following information of the terminal device: a quality of service indicator (fig. 4, QoE (Quality of Experience) sent by EM to access network node = quality of service indicator).
Regarding claim 19, Xu and Li combined describe:
receiving, by the terminal device, threshold information from the slice configuration network element, wherein the threshold information indicates to send the service experience information to the slice configuration network element when the quality of service indicator information and/or the service user experience information are/is lower than or equal to a preset threshold (Li, fig. 4, para. 101 & 106-107, QMS configuration sent to EM for QoE reporting per thresholds for RSRP (power levels) & RSRQ (reception quality)).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 5-6, 8-10 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.
Regarding claim 2, the prior art fails to further explicitly describe:
wherein the determining, by the slice configuration network element based on the service experience information, that the base station corresponding to an identifier of the base station cannot meet the service comprises:
receiving, by the slice configuration network element, network performance indicator information from a network slice management function network element, wherein the network performance indicator information comprises a success rate of establishing a protocol data unit (PDU) session by the network slice supported by the base station and/or resource utilization of the network slice supported by the base station; and
determining, by the slice configuration network element based on the service experience information and the network performance indicator information, that the base station cannot meet the service.
The closest prior art, Velev (US 2023/0036993) describing monitoring attribute of a network slice of quota parameter, in combination with Xu and Li, fail to render the above additional features as a whole obvious.
Regarding claim 5, the prior art fails to further explicitly describe:
wherein the information used to support the network slice corresponding to the service comprises identifier information used to support the network slice corresponding to the service and/or resource configuration information used to support the network slice corresponding to the service, the identifier information used to support the network slice corresponding to the service comprises an identifier of the network slice supported by the base station and an identifier of an operator of the base station, and the resource configuration information used to support the network slice corresponding to the service comprises resource configuration of the network slice supported by the base station and/or a dedicated resource of the network slice supported by the base station.
Regarding claim 6, the prior art fails to further explicitly describe:
receiving, by the slice configuration network element, response information of the information used to support the network slice corresponding to the service, wherein the response information of the information used to support the network slice corresponding to the service indicates that the base station has completed adjustment.
Regarding claim 8, the prior art fails to further explicitly describe:
wherein the information used to allocate the network slice supported by the base station comprises identifier information used to allocate the network slice supported by the base station and/or resource configuration information used to allocate the network slice supported by the base station, the identifier information used to allocate the network slice supported by the base station comprises an identifier of the network slice supported by the base station and an identifier of an operator of the base station, and the resource configuration information used to allocate the network slice supported by the base station comprises resource configuration of the network slice supported by the base station and/or a dedicated resource of the network slice supported by the base station.
Regarding claim 9, the prior art fails to further explicitly describe:
receiving, by the slice configuration network element, response information of the information used to allocate the network slice supported by the base station, wherein the response information of the information used to allocate the network slice supported by the base station indicates that the base station has completed adjustment.
For claims 5-6 and 8-9, the closest prior art, Li describing different values to include in the QMC configuration (para. 240-245), in combination with Xu, fails to further explicitly describe the above additional features as a whole obvious.
Regarding claim 10, the prior art fails to further explicitly describe:
wherein after the receiving, by the slice configuration network element, response information of the information used to support the network slice corresponding to the service or response information of the information used to allocate the network slice supported by the base station, the method further comprises:
updating, by the slice configuration network element, a topological relationship of the service, wherein the topological relationship of the service comprises an association relationship among the identifier of the network slice corresponding to the service, an application identifier, the identifier of the base station, and an identifier of a core network element.
The closest prior art, Seetharaman (US 2022/0021590) describing adaptive determination of network slice configuration and resource requirements mentioning relationship association of database components (para. 85 in view of para. 91), in combination with Xu and Li, fail to render the above additional features as s whole obvious.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Senarath (US 10,742,522) describing modification of shareable slice instances (title) where MNO attempts to ensure that both the) KPI of the network, the QoE of the services provided by the NSI and the QoE of the customer's individual end users are satisfied by monitoring the NSI (detx17), Watfa (US 2019/0223093) describing network slice reselection (title), Bansal (US 2024/0430165) describing cellular network slice is modified (440) based on the request from cloud-based application regarding change to PoS parameter (abstract), Guo (US 2023/0397051) describing switching from the default network of a terminal to a data network corresponding to a preset network slicing is performed when network slice information is changed to network slice information corresponding to a preset network slice (abstract), Gupta (US 11,310,733) describing computing device sends request comprising QoS requirement to network to reserve a network slice having the QoS requirement (abstract), Tiwari (US 2021/0352534) describing device monitors performance of the network slice in association with the QoS profile, and the device causes a network slice orchestrator to update an instantiation of the network slice according to the slice modification and the network slice template, Zhang (US 2017/0054595) describing receiving (1302) an indication of a set of requirements to be satisfied by a communication network for one or more customers at a slice creation and management entity (SCME), and Seetharaman (US 2022/0021590) describing adaptive determination of network slice configuration and resource requirement (abstract).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WARNER WONG whose telephone number is (571)272-8197. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7am - 3:30pm.
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, Ian Moore can be reached at 571-272-3085. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
WARNER WONG
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2469
/WARNER WONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469
Prosecution Insights