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 .
DETAILED ACTION
a. Claims 1-20 in the present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, are being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
b. This is a first action on the merits based on Applicant’s claims submitted on 08/06/2024.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/06/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(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.
Claims 1, 6-8, 13-15, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being unpatentable over Ly et al. US Pub 2023/0056442, claiming provisional application 62967125 priority 2020-01-29 (hereinafter “Ly”).
Regarding claim 1
Ly discloses a method for wireless communication (“Methods, systems, and devices may assist in enhancements to PMF protocol and new ATSSS steering modes to enable support for analytics driven or multi-USIM steering” [Abstract]) at a network entity (“Core Network (CN)” in Fig. 1; [0003]), comprising:
transmitting control signaling (“Session Management Function (SMF): The SMF is responsible for session management involved with establishing PDU sessions to allow UEs to send data to Data Networks (DNs) such as the internet or to an application server and other session management related functions.” [0006]) indicating a configuration for a multiple access protocol data unit session (“The MA PDU session establishment procedure is based on the PDU Session Establishment procedure shown in FIG. 3” [0015]) associated with a plurality of access links (see Fig. 4), the plurality of access links associated with a first type of access (e.g. “3GPP access”), a second type of access (e.g. non-3GPP access“), or a combination thereof (“FIG. 2 shows the 5G architectural support for the Access Traffic Steering, Switching, Splitting (ATSSS) feature in Rel-16. This feature allows both the UE and the CN to steer, switch, and split traffic between 3GPP and non-3GPP accesses. In other words, the UE uses ATSSS rules to determine whether to send UL data over 3GPP access or over non-3GPP access, or over both accesses.” [0013]); and
receiving allocated data flow (i.e.” traffic”) over the plurality of access links (see Fig. 4) associated with the two types of access based at least in part on the transmitted control signaling (“The steering mode tells the UPF how to route traffic between 3GPP and Non-3GPP accesses (e.g., See FIG. 2 for what is meant by “access”). In this case, we state that the UPF “steer the DL data from the PDU session associated with USIM A to the PDU session associated with USIM B”. Step 234 provides the details of which access is assigned to which USIM and step 236 explains why the UPF is steering the data using the new steering mode.” [0162]).
Regarding claim 6
Ly previously discloses the method of claim 1,
Ly further discloses wherein the configuration is received from a session management function (SMF) (“Session Management Function (SMF): The SMF is responsible for session management involved with establishing PDU sessions to allow UEs to send data to Data Networks (DNs) such as the internet or to an application server and other session management related functions” [0006]).
Regarding claim 7
Ly previously discloses the method of claim 1,
Ly further discloses wherein the configuration comprises a set of access traffic steering, switching, splitting (ATSSS) rules (“FIG. 2 shows the 5G architectural support for the Access Traffic Steering, Switching, Splitting (ATSSS) feature in Rel-16. This feature allows both the UE and the CN to steer, switch, and split traffic between 3GPP and non-3GPP accesses.” [0013]).
Regarding claim 8
Ly discloses a network entity (“core network entities” [0317]), comprising:
one or more processors (“processor” [0317]);
one or more memories coupled with the one or more processors (“computer-executable instructions (software) stored in a memory” [0317]); and
instructions stored in the one or more memories and executable by the one or more processors to cause the network entity to:
transmit control signaling indicating a configuration for a multiple access protocol data unit session associated with a plurality of access links, the plurality of access links associated with a first type of access, a second type of access, or a combination thereof; and
receive allocated data flow over the plurality of access links associated with the two types of access based at least in part on the transmitted control signaling.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 8 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 1. Therefore apparatus claim 8 corresponds to method claim 1 and is rejected for the same reasons of anticipation as used in claim 1 rejection above.
Regarding claim 13
The network entity of claim 8, wherein the configuration is received from a session management function (SMF).
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 13 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 6. Therefore apparatus claim 13 corresponds to method claim 6 and is rejected for the same reasons of anticipation as used in claim 6 rejection above.
Regarding claim 14
The network entity of claim 8, wherein the configuration comprises a set of access traffic steering, switching, splitting (ATSSS) rules.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 13 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 6. Therefore apparatus claim 13 corresponds to method claim 6 and is rejected for the same reasons of anticipation as used in claim 6 rejection above.
Regarding claim 15
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing code for wireless communication, the code comprising instructions executable by one or more processors to:
transmit control signaling indicating a configuration for a multiple access protocol data unit session associated with a plurality of access links, the plurality of access links associated with a first type of access, a second type of access, or a combination thereof; and
receive allocated data flow over the plurality of access links associated with the two types of access based at least in part on the transmitted control signaling.
The scope and subject matter of non-transitory computer readable medium claim 15 is drawn to the computer program product of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 1. Therefore computer program product claim 15 corresponds to method claim 1 and is rejected for the same reasons of anticipation as used in claim 1 rejection above.
Regarding claim 20
The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the configuration is received from a session management function (SMF).
The scope and subject matter of non-transitory computer readable medium claim 20 is drawn to the computer program product of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 6. Therefore computer program product claim 20 corresponds to method claim 6 and is rejected for the same reasons of anticipation as used in claim 6 rejection above.
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 of this title, 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.
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 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.
Claims 2, 9, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ly et al. US Pub 2023/0056442, claiming provisional application 62967125 priority 2020-01-29 (hereinafter “Ly”), and in view of Intel NPL “Solution of ATSSS rule in URSP”, S2-185243, 28 May - 01 June, 2018 (hereinafter “Intel”).
Regarding claim 2
Ly previously discloses the method of claim 1,
Ly does not specifically teach wherein the configuration comprises an information element indicating forwarding action information associated with the plurality of access links.
In an analogous art, Intel discloses wherein the configuration comprises an information element (i.e. “Data Flow Filter Descriptor”) indicating forwarding action information associated with the plurality of access links (“Data Flow Filter Descriptor: this information is further used to indicate the data flow filter for selecting data flows which is currently associated to the selected access type” section 1).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Ly’s method of supporting Access Traffic Steering, Switching, Splitting (ATSSS), to include Intel’s method of supporting ATSSS rule in URSP, in order to effectively establish Multiple-Access PDU session for enforcing traffic steering/switching/splitting over 3GPP access, or non-3GPP access, or both accesses (Intel, section 1). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Intel’s method of supporting ATSSS rule in URSP into Ly’s method of supporting Access Traffic Steering, Switching, Splitting (ATSSS) since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 9
The network entity of claim 8, wherein the configuration comprises an information element indicating forwarding action information associated with the plurality of access links.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 9 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 2. Therefore apparatus claim 9 corresponds to method claim 2 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 2 rejection above.
Regarding claim 16
The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the configuration comprises an information element indicating forwarding action information associated with the plurality of access links.
The scope and subject matter of non-transitory computer readable medium claim 16 is drawn to the computer program product of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 2. Therefore computer program product claim 16 corresponds to method claim 2 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 2 rejection above.
Claims 3-5, 10-12, and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ly, and in view of Lu et al. US Pub 2022/0330080, claiming domestic priority 2019-12-25 (hereinafter “Lu”).
Regarding claim 3
Ly previously discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising:
Ly further discloses determining a first access link and a second access link of the plurality of access links (see Fig. 4) associated with the first type of access (“FIG. 2 shows the 5G architectural support for the Access Traffic Steering, Switching, Splitting (ATSSS) feature in Rel-16. This feature allows both the UE and the CN to steer, switch, and split traffic between 3GPP and non-3GPP accesses. In other words, the UE uses ATSSS rules to determine whether to send UL data over 3GPP access or over non-3GPP access, or over both accesses.” [0013]); and
determining first forwarding action information associated with the first access link and second forwarding action information associated with the second access link (“The Per-Access Forwarding Action information is provided per access type (e.g., 3GPP access or Non-3GPP access)” Table 3 and furthermore “the Forwarding Action Rule ID identifies a forwarding FAR ID represents the FAR Action ID action that has to be applied. associated with the other information access” Table 3),
Ly does not specifically teach wherein transmitting the control signaling indicating the configuration for the multiple access protocol data unit session is further based at least in part on the first forwarding action information associated with the first access link and the second forwarding action information associated with the second access link.
In an analogous art, Lu discloses wherein transmitting the control signaling indicating the configuration for the multiple access protocol data unit session is further based at least in part on the first forwarding action information associated with the first access link and the second forwarding action information associated with the second access link (“In a multi-access protocol data unit (MA-PDU) session scenario, data flows of one MA-PDU session is transmitted on data transmission channels of two different access technologies.” [0002] and furthermore “A session management network element determines that a first session is a multi-access protocol data unit MA-PDU session, where data flows of the first session are transmitted on a data transmission channel of a first access technology and data transmission channels of a second access technology” [0011]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Ly’s method of supporting Access Traffic Steering, Switching, Splitting (ATSSS), to include Lu’s method of supporting ATSSS, in order to effectively establish Multiple-Access PDU session for enforcing traffic steering/switching/splitting over 3GPP access, or non-3GPP access, or both accesses (Lu [0002]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Lu’s method of supporting ATSSS into Ly’s method of supporting Access Traffic Steering, Switching, Splitting (ATSSS) since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 4
Ly previously discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising:
Ly further discloses determining a first access link and a second access link of the plurality of access links (see Fig. 4) associated with the second type of access (“FIG. 2 shows the 5G architectural support for the Access Traffic Steering, Switching, Splitting (ATSSS) feature in Rel-16. This feature allows both the UE and the CN to steer, switch, and split traffic between 3GPP and non-3GPP accesses. In other words, the UE uses ATSSS rules to determine whether to send UL data over 3GPP access or over non-3GPP access, or over both accesses.” [0013]); and
determining first forwarding action information associated with the first access link and second forwarding action information associated with the second access link (“The Per-Access Forwarding Action information is provided per access type (e.g., 3GPP access or Non-3GPP access)” Table 3 and furthermore “the Forwarding Action Rule ID identifies a forwarding FAR ID represents the FAR Action ID action that has to be applied. associated with the other information access” Table 3),
Ly does not specifically teach wherein transmitting the control signaling indicating the configuration for the multiple access protocol data unit session is further based at least in part on the first forwarding action information associated with the first access link and the second forwarding action information associated with the second access link.
In an analogous art, Lu discloses wherein transmitting the control signaling indicating the configuration for the multiple access protocol data unit session is further based at least in part on the first forwarding action information associated with the first access link and the second forwarding action information associated with the second access link (“In a multi-access protocol data unit (MA-PDU) session scenario, data flows of one MA-PDU session is transmitted on data transmission channels of two different access technologies.” [0002] and furthermore “A session management network element determines that a first session is a multi-access protocol data unit MA-PDU session, where data flows of the first session are transmitted on a data transmission channel of a first access technology and data transmission channels of a second access technology” [0011]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Ly’s method of supporting Access Traffic Steering, Switching, Splitting (ATSSS), to include Lu’s method of supporting ATSSS, in order to effectively establish Multiple-Access PDU session for enforcing traffic steering/switching/splitting over 3GPP access, or non-3GPP access, or both accesses (Lu [0002]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Lu’s method of supporting ATSSS into Ly’s method of supporting Access Traffic Steering, Switching, Splitting (ATSSS) since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 5
Ly previously discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising:
Ly further discloses determining a first access link of the plurality of access links (see Fig. 4) associated with the first type of access and a second access link and a third access link of the plurality of access links associated with the second type of access (“FIG. 2 shows the 5G architectural support for the Access Traffic Steering, Switching, Splitting (ATSSS) feature in Rel-16. This feature allows both the UE and the CN to steer, switch, and split traffic between 3GPP and non-3GPP accesses. In other words, the UE uses ATSSS rules to determine whether to send UL data over 3GPP access or over non-3GPP access, or over both accesses.” [0013]); and
determining first forwarding action information associated with the first access link, second forwarding action information associated with the second access link (“The Per-Access Forwarding Action information is provided per access type (e.g., 3GPP access or Non-3GPP access)” Table 3 and furthermore “the Forwarding Action Rule ID identifies a forwarding FAR ID represents the FAR Action ID action that has to be applied. associated with the other information access” Table 3), and third forwarding action information associated with the third access link (“The NWDAF 205 may present the analytics data to the UPF 206 as a percentage of traffic that is split between 3GPP and non-3GPP access. The split percentages may be specified as the weight of the Forwarding Action on a per-access basis within the structure of the MAR rules. Alternatively, the UPF may determine the splitting percentages based on analytics provided by the NWDAF 205 or performance measurements obtained by the UPF 206.” [0151]),
Ly does not specifically teach wherein transmitting the control signaling indicating the configuration for the multiple access protocol data unit session is further based at least in part on the first forwarding action information associated with the first access link, the second forwarding action information associated with the second access link, and the third forwarding action information associated with the third access link.
In an analogous art, Lu discloses wherein transmitting the control signaling indicating the configuration for the multiple access protocol data unit session is further based at least in part on the first forwarding action information associated with the first access link, the second forwarding action information associated with the second access link, and the third forwarding action information associated with the third access link (“In a multi-access protocol data unit (MA-PDU) session scenario, data flows of one MA-PDU session is transmitted on data transmission channels of two different access technologies.” [0002] and furthermore “A session management network element determines that a first session is a multi-access protocol data unit MA-PDU session, where data flows of the first session are transmitted on a data transmission channel of a first access technology and data transmission channels of a second access technology” [0011]).
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Ly’s method of supporting Access Traffic Steering, Switching, Splitting (ATSSS), to include Lu’s method of supporting ATSSS, in order to effectively establish Multiple-Access PDU session for enforcing traffic steering/switching/splitting over 3GPP access, or non-3GPP access, or both accesses (Lu [0002]). Thus, a person of ordinary skill would have appreciated the ability to incorporate Lu’s method of supporting ATSSS into Ly’s method of supporting Access Traffic Steering, Switching, Splitting (ATSSS) since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Regarding claim 10
The network entity of claim 8, wherein the instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to cause the network entity to:
determine a first access link and a second access link of the plurality of access links associated with the first type of access; and
determine first forwarding action information associated with the first access link and second forwarding action information associated with the second access link,
wherein transmitting the control signaling indicating the configuration for the multiple access protocol data unit session is further based at least in part on the first forwarding action information associated with the first access link and the second forwarding action information associated with the second access link.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 10 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 3. Therefore apparatus claim 10 corresponds to method claim 3 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 3 rejection above.
Regarding claim 11
The network entity of claim 8, wherein the instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to cause the network entity to:
determine a first access link and a second access link of the plurality of access links associated with the second type of access; and
determine first forwarding action information associated with the first access link and second forwarding action information associated with the second access link,
wherein transmitting the control signaling indicating the configuration for the multiple access protocol data unit session is further based at least in part on the first forwarding action information associated with the first access link and the second forwarding action information associated with the second access link.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 11 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 4. Therefore apparatus claim 11 corresponds to method claim 4 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 4 rejection above.
Regarding claim 12
The network entity of claim 8, wherein the instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to cause the network entity to:
determine a first access link of the plurality of access links associated with the first type of access and a second access link and a third access link of the plurality of access links associated with the second type of access; and
determine first forwarding action information associated with the first access link, second forwarding action information associated with the second access link, and third forwarding action information associated with the third access link,
wherein transmitting the control signaling indicating the configuration for the multiple access protocol data unit session is further based at least in part on the first forwarding action information associated with the first access link, the second forwarding action information associated with the second access link, and the third forwarding action information associated with the third access link.
The scope and subject matter of apparatus claim 12 is drawn to the apparatus of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 5. Therefore apparatus claim 12 corresponds to method claim 5 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 5 rejection above.
Regarding claim 17
The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to:
determine a first access link and a second access link of the plurality of access links associated with the first type of access; and
determine first forwarding action information associated with the first access link and second forwarding action information associated with the second access link,
wherein transmitting the control signaling indicating the configuration for the multiple access protocol data unit session is further based at least in part on the first forwarding action information associated with the first access link and the second forwarding action information associated with the second access link.
The scope and subject matter of non-transitory computer readable medium claim 17 is drawn to the computer program product of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 3. Therefore computer program product claim 17 corresponds to method claim 3 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 3 rejection above.
Regarding claim 18
The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to:
determine a first access link and a second access link of the plurality of access links associated with the second type of access; and
determine first forwarding action information associated with the first access link and second forwarding action information associated with the second access link,
wherein transmitting the control signaling indicating the configuration for the multiple access protocol data unit session is further based at least in part on the first forwarding action information associated with the first access link and the second forwarding action information associated with the second access link.
The scope and subject matter of non-transitory computer readable medium claim 18 is drawn to the computer program product of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 4. Therefore computer program product claim 18 corresponds to method claim 4 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 4 rejection above.
Regarding claim 19
The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to:
determine a first access link of the plurality of access links associated with the first type of access and a second access link and a third access link of the plurality of access links associated with the second type of access; and
determine first forwarding action information associated with the first access link, second forwarding action information associated with the second access link, and third forwarding action information associated with the third access link,
wherein transmitting the control signaling indicating the configuration for the multiple access protocol data unit session is further based at least in part on the first forwarding action information associated with the first access link, the second forwarding action information associated with the second access link, and the third forwarding action information associated with the third access link.
The scope and subject matter of non-transitory computer readable medium claim 19 is drawn to the computer program product of using the corresponding method claimed in claim 5. Therefore computer program product claim 19 corresponds to method claim 5 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used in claim 5 rejection above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHUONG M NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-8184. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10:00am - 6:30pm.
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/CHUONG M NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2411
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