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
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.
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.
Claims 1-5, 7, and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu’859 et al. (US 2023/0254859, hereinafter Yu’859) in view of Sun (US 2025/0175433)
Regarding claim 1, Yu’859 discloses
A method of operating an electronic device performing access and mobility management function (AMF) in a mobile communication system (¶ [0117]: AMF), the method comprising:
obtaining information … of a radio access network (RAN) in the mobile communication system (¶ [0117]: the RAN may report the configuration information of the radio resource and a corresponding cell ID to an AMF in an NG setup process, and the SMF may obtain the configuration information of the radio resource and the cell ID from the AMF); and
transmitting the obtained information to a second electronic device (¶ [0117]: the RAN may report the configuration information of the radio resource and a corresponding cell ID to an AMF in an NG setup process, and the SMF may obtain the configuration information of the radio resource and the cell ID from the AMF),
wherein the second electronic device is … session management function (SMF) (¶ [0117]: SMF).
Yu’859 discloses all the subject matter of the claimed invention with the exception of obtaining information about the time sensitive network (TSN) talker and listener capabilities of a radio access network (RAN) in the mobile communication system … wherein the second electronic device is an electronic device performing centralized user configuration (CUC) co-located with session management function (SMF). Sun from the same or similar fields of endeavor discloses obtaining information about the time sensitive network (TSN) talker and listener capabilities of a radio access network (RAN) in the mobile communication system … wherein the second electronic device is an electronic device performing centralized user configuration (CUC) co-located with session management function (SMF) (¶ [0185]: FIG. 10 shows a currently used TSN configuration procedure by using an example in which an SMF serves as a CUC; ¶ [0189]: If a RAN and a UPF support a TL (Talker/Listener) function, the RAN and the UPF can report interface capability (InterfaceCapabilities) information to the SMF. For example, a transparent container may be used for reporting. The transparent container may represent that network elements such as the RAN, the UPF, and the SMF may not need to understand content of the transparent container, and the content is processed by a talker/listener or the CUC). Therefore, it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the AMF-to-SMF information reporting method of Yu’859 to include the reporting of TSN Talker and Listener capabilities of the RAN to an SMF performing CUC functions, as taught by Sun. The motivation would have been to enable centralized TSN configuration and management within the 5G core network. Specifically, integrating Sun’s Talker/Listener capability reporting into Yu’859’s AMF-to-SMF signaling framework allows the SMF/CUC to discover and manage TSN terminals, obtain necessary interface capabilities, and properly configure the 5G system as a TSN bridge to support reliable, time-sensitive communications (Sun ¶¶ [0088], [0185]).
Regarding claim 2, Yu’859 discloses all the subject matter of the claimed invention with the exception of wherein the information about the capabilities includes information on whether the RAN can perform function of TSN Talker and Listener. Sun from the same or similar fields of endeavor discloses wherein the information about the capabilities includes information on whether the RAN can perform function of TSN Talker and Listener (¶ [0185]: FIG. 10 shows a currently used TSN configuration procedure by using an example in which an SMF serves as a CUC; ¶ [0189]: If a RAN and a UPF support a TL (Talker/Listener) function, the RAN and the UPF can report interface capability (InterfaceCapabilities) information to the SMF. For example, a transparent container may be used for reporting. The transparent container may represent that network elements such as the RAN, the UPF, and the SMF may not need to understand content of the transparent container, and the content is processed by a talker/listener or the CUC). Therefore, it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the RAN-AMF-to-SMF information reporting method of Yu’859 to include the reporting of TSN Talker and Listener capabilities of the RAN to an SMF performing CUC functions, as taught by Sun. The motivation would have been to enable centralized TSN configuration and management within the 5G core network. Specifically, integrating Sun’s Talker/Listener capability reporting into Yu’859’s AMF-to-SMF signaling framework allows the SMF/CUC to discover and manage TSN terminals, obtain necessary interface capabilities, and properly configure the 5G system as a TSN bridge to support reliable, time-sensitive communications (Sun ¶¶ [0088], [0185]).
Regarding claim 3, Yu’859 discloses all the subject matter of the claimed invention with the exception of wherein the obtaining step comprises receiving the information about the capabilities from the RAN. Sun from the same or similar fields of endeavor discloses wherein the obtaining step comprises receiving the information about the capabilities from the RAN (¶ [0185]: FIG. 10 shows a currently used TSN configuration procedure by using an example in which an SMF serves as a CUC; ¶ [0189]: If a RAN and a UPF support a TL (Talker/Listener) function, the RAN and the UPF can report interface capability (InterfaceCapabilities) information to the SMF. For example, a transparent container may be used for reporting. The transparent container may represent that network elements such as the RAN, the UPF, and the SMF may not need to understand content of the transparent container, and the content is processed by a talker/listener or the CUC). Therefore, it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the RAN-AMF-to-SMF information reporting method of Yu’859 to include the reporting of TSN Talker and Listener capabilities of the RAN to an SMF performing CUC functions, as taught by Sun. The motivation would have been to enable centralized TSN configuration and management within the 5G core network. Specifically, integrating Sun’s Talker/Listener capability reporting into Yu’859’s AMF-to-SMF signaling framework allows the SMF/CUC to discover and manage TSN terminals, obtain necessary interface capabilities, and properly configure the 5G system as a TSN bridge to support reliable, time-sensitive communications (Sun ¶¶ [0088], [0185]).
Regarding claim 4, Yu’859 discloses
wherein the receiving step comprises receiving the information through next generation application protocol (NGAP) with the RAN (¶ [0117]: the RAN may report the configuration information of the radio resource and a corresponding cell ID to an AMF in an NG setup process).
Regarding claim 5, Yu’859 discloses
wherein the receiving the information through the NGAP comprises receiving an NG setup request message including the information from the RAN (¶ [0117]: the RAN may report the configuration information of the radio resource and a corresponding cell ID to an AMF in an NG setup process).
Regarding claim 7, Yu’859 discloses
wherein the receiving step comprises receiving the information from a base station of the RAN (¶ [0076]: The access network element 102 may be a transmission reception point (TRP), may be an evolved NodeB (eNB or eNodeB) in an LTE system, may be a home base station; ¶ [0117]: the RAN may report the configuration information of the radio resource and a corresponding cell ID to an AMF in an NG setup process, and the SMF may obtain the configuration information of the radio resource and the cell ID from the AMF).
Regarding claim 13, Yu’859 discloses
An electronic device for performing access and mobility management function (AMF) in a mobile communication system, the device comprising: a processor; one or more hardware-based transceivers; and a computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the device (FIG 14: Processor, Memory, Communication Interface; ¶ [0117]: AMF)to perform the method of claim 1 (See the rejection for claim 1).
Claims 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu’859 et al. (US 2023/0254859, hereinafter Yu’859) in view of Sun (US 2025/0175433) as applied to claim 4, and further in view of Yu’859 et al. (US 2024/0323130, hereinafter Yu’130).
Regarding claim 6, Yu’859 in view of Sun discloses all the subject matter of the claimed invention with the exception of wherein the receiving the information through the NGAP comprises receiving a RAN configuration update message including the information from the RAN. Yu’130 from the same or similar fields of endeavor discloses wherein the receiving the information through the NGAP comprises receiving a RAN configuration update message including the information from the RAN (¶ [0234] For example, in response to the first device being the session management network element, the access network device may send a setup request (NG Setup Request) message to an access and mobility management function network element in response to establishing a connection to the access and mobility management function network element, where the NG setup request message carries the processing time information of the second device. Alternatively, the access network device may send a configuration update (RAN Configuration Update) message to an access and mobility management function network element, where the RAN configuration update message carries the processing time information of the second device). Therefore, it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the AMF signaling of Yu ’859 and Sun to include receiving the TSN Talker and Listener capabilities of the RAN via a RAN Configuration Update message, as taught by Yu ’130. The motivation would have been to allow the RAN to dynamically update its TSN capabilities and processing information after the initial NG connection has been established. Because an NG Setup Request is typically only used during initial connection establishment, enabling the use of a RAN Configuration Update message allows the system to flexibly report changes in RAN capabilities or processing times without having to tear down and re-establish the entire connection. This ensures that the core network (e.g., the SMF performing CUC functions) continuously maintains the most accurate and up-to-date capability information required for precise TSN scheduling and coordination.
Claims 8-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun (US 2025/0175433) in view of Yu’859 et al. (US 2023/0254859, hereinafter Yu’859).
Regarding claim 8, Sun discloses
A method of operating an electronic device performing centralized user configuration (CUC) co-located with session management function (SMF) with session management function (SMF) in a mobile communication system (¶ [0185]: FIG. 10 shows a currently used TSN configuration procedure by using an example in which an SMF serves as a CUC), the method comprising:
receiving information about the time sensitive network (TSN) Talker and Listener capabilities of a radio access network (RAN) in the mobile communication system … (¶ [0189]: If a RAN and a UPF support a TL (Talker/Listener) function, the RAN and the UPF can report interface capability (InterfaceCapabilities) information to the SMF. For example, a transparent container may be used for reporting. The transparent container may represent that network elements such as the RAN, the UPF, and the SMF may not need to understand content of the transparent container, and the content is processed by a talker/listener or the CUC); and
configuring a time-sensitive transport network by interworking with a third electronic device based on the received information, … and the third electronic device is an electronic device performing centralized network configuration (CNC) deployed in a transport network (¶ [0193] Step 1004: The SMF sends the talker/listener group information (or referred to as the merged stream requirements) to the TN CNC; ¶ [0194]: Step 1005: The TN CNC returns status (status) information to the SMF. The status (status) information is also referred to as a merged end station communication-configuration (merged end station communication-configuration); ¶ [0195]: Step 1006 and step 1007: The SMF configures the talker and the listener based on the status information returned by the TN CNC).
Sun discloses all the subject matter of the claimed invention with the exception of receiving information … of a radio access network (RAN) in the mobile communication system from a second electronic device … wherein the second electronic device is an electronic device performing access and mobility management function (AMF). Yu’859 from the same or similar fields of endeavor discloses receiving information … of a radio access network (RAN) in the mobile communication system from a second electronic device … wherein the second electronic device is an electronic device performing access and mobility management function (AMF (¶ [0117]: the RAN may report the configuration information of the radio resource and a corresponding cell ID to an AMF in an NG setup process, and the SMF may obtain the configuration information of the radio resource and the cell ID from the AMF). Therefore, it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the TSN Talker and Listener capability reporting method of Sun to route the RAN capability information to the SMF/CUC via the AMF, as taught by Yu ’859. The motivation would have been to utilize the standard 5G control-plane signaling architecture to reliably deliver RAN capabilities to the session management layer. Because the AMF serves as the primary control-plane interface between the RAN and the core network (via NG setup/NGAP signaling), routing the RAN’s TSN Talker/Listener capabilities through the AMF ensures seamless integration of TSN configuration data without requiring non-standard, direct RAN-to-SMF interfaces. Furthermore, centralizing this capability reporting through the AMF/SMF pathway facilitates coordinated scheduling, which helps reduce scheduling delays on the access network element side and guarantees end-to-end delay requirements for time-sensitive service packets (Yu ’859 ¶ [0004]).
Regarding claim 9, Sun discloses
wherein the configuring the time-sensitive transport network comprises communicating with a fourth electronic device and a fifth electronic device (¶ [0307]: A RAN is a listener/talker (an AN-TL shown in the figure) in an access network, a UPF is a listener/talker (a CN-TL shown in the figure) in a core network). by interworking with the third electronic device to configure the time-sensitive transport network (¶ [0193] Step 1004: The SMF sends the talker/listener group information (or referred to as the merged stream requirements) to the TN CNC; ¶ [0194]: Step 1005: The TN CNC returns status (status) information to the SMF. The status (status) information is also referred to as a merged end station communication-configuration (merged end station communication-configuration); ¶ [0195]: Step 1006 and step 1007: The SMF configures the talker and the listener based on the status information returned by the TN CNC), wherein the fourth electronic device is an electronic device performing access network talker and listener (AN-TL) function, and the fifth electronic device is an electronic device performing core network talker and listener (CN-TL) function (¶ [0307]: A RAN is a listener/talker (an AN-TL shown in the figure) in an access network, a UPF is a listener/talker (a CN-TL shown in the figure) in a core network).
Regarding claim 10, Sun discloses
wherein the configuring the time-sensitive transport network comprises the electronic device
performing the CUC providing the third electronic device with stream requirements in the transport network based on QoS flow-based stream requirements, and the third electronic device configuring paths and schedules for the time-sensitive transport network based on the provided stream requirements (¶ [0191]: The SMF establishes a QoS flow according to the PCC rule, and sends information corresponding to the QoS flow to the RAN and the UPF; ¶ [0192]: [0192]: Step 1003: The SMF performs parameter mapping to obtain talker/listener group information. The parameter mapping refers to determining talker/listener group information based on information reported by the talker and information reported by the listener. The talker/listener group information may also be referred to as merged stream requirements (merged stream requirements); ¶ [0193] Step 1004: The SMF sends the talker/listener group information (or referred to as the merged stream requirements) to the TN CNC; ¶ [0194]: Step 1005: The TN CNC returns status (status) information to the SMF. The status (status) information is also referred to as a merged end station communication-configuration (merged end station communication-configuration); ¶ [0195]: Step 1006 and step 1007: The SMF configures the talker and the listener based on the status information returned by the TN CNC).
Regarding claim 11, Sun discloses
wherein the second electronic device receives the information from the RAN (¶ [0189]: If a RAN and a UPF support a TL (Talker/Listener) function, the RAN and the UPF can report interface capability (InterfaceCapabilities) information to the SMF) and provides the received information to the electronic device performing the CUC (¶ [0191]: The SMF establishes a QoS flow according to the PCC rule, and sends information corresponding to the QoS flow to the RAN and the UPF; ¶ [0192]: [0192]: Step 1003: The SMF performs parameter mapping to obtain talker/listener group information. The parameter mapping refers to determining talker/listener group information based on information reported by the talker and information reported by the listener. The talker/listener group information may also be referred to as merged stream requirements (merged stream requirements); ¶ [0193] Step 1004: The SMF sends the talker/listener group information (or referred to as the merged stream requirements) to the TN CNC; ¶ [0194]: Step 1005: The TN CNC returns status (status) information to the SMF. The status (status) information is also referred to as a merged end station communication-configuration (merged end station communication-configuration); ¶ [0195]: Step 1006 and step 1007: The SMF configures the talker and the listener based on the status information returned by the TN CNC).
Regarding claim 12, Sun discloses all the subject matter of the claimed invention with the exception of wherein the second electronic device receives the information through next generation application protocol (NGAP). Yu’859 from the same or similar fields of endeavor discloses wherein the second electronic device receives the information through next generation application protocol (NGAP) (¶ [0117]: the RAN may report the configuration information of the radio resource and a corresponding cell ID to an AMF in an NG setup process, and the SMF may obtain the configuration information of the radio resource and the cell ID from the AMF). Therefore, it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the TSN Talker and Listener capability reporting method of Sun to route the RAN capability information to the SMF/CUC via the AMF, as taught by Yu ’859. The motivation would have been to utilize the standard 5G control-plane signaling architecture to reliably deliver RAN capabilities to the session management layer. Because the AMF serves as the primary control-plane interface between the RAN and the core network (via NG setup/NGAP signaling), routing the RAN’s TSN Talker/Listener capabilities through the AMF ensures seamless integration of TSN configuration data without requiring non-standard, direct RAN-to-SMF interfaces. Furthermore, centralizing this capability reporting through the AMF/SMF pathway facilitates coordinated scheduling, which helps reduce scheduling delays on the access network element side and guarantees end-to-end delay requirements for time-sensitive service packets (Yu ’859 ¶ [0004]).
Conclusion
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/JAE Y LEE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2479
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