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
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s arguments filed August 21, 2026. Claims 1-36 cancelled. Claims 37-62 have been presented for examination.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
2. 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.
3. The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) 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.
4. Claims 49 and 51-55 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over YAO (US 20240007314 A1) (hereinafter YAO) in view of CHAI (WO 2021022916 A1) (hereinafter CHAI).
Regarding claim 49, YAO discloses a method of charging control for a communication network, the method performed by a charging node associated with the communication network (para 02, wireless communications. For example, some embodiments may relate to solutions for converged charging for edge enabling infrastructure resource usage, para 28, generates charging data related to the collected performance data and sends charging data request for the CHF to process the related charging data for CDR generation purpose) and comprising:
receiving a request originating from an edge Charging Function (eCHF) (para 24, The charging for edge enabling infrastructure resources supported with CTF embedded in the MnS producer or with CEF to enable the charging, para 208, cause performance assurance management services (MnS) producer supporting a charging trigger function (CTF) to receive measurement report information from a network),
requesting a quota for authorizing consumption by a first user terminal of an edge service provided by the communication network (para 31, Request operational state if the quota of the edge enabling infrastructure resource, para 60, The CHF configured with quota and reporting threshold for 5GS inter-provider charging, para 62, Charging Data Request [Initial, quota Requested]: the SW′ sends request to the CHF),
the first user terminal being a member of a defined group of affiliated user terminals (para 93, ANs of the RAN 1004 may each manage one or more cells, cell groups, component carriers, etc. to provide the UE 1002 with an air interface for network access, para 274, Cell group” refers to the subset of serving cells comprising the PSCell and zero or more secondary cells for a UE);
granting a group quota usable for authorizing consumption of the edge service by members of the defined group (para 72, Charging Data response [Update, Quota Granted]: CHF grants quota to SMF for service, with the reserved number of units, para 49, sends charging data request to the CHF for request Granting, para 65, Charging Data Response [Initial, Quota Granted]: CHF Grants reserved number of units).
YAO specifically fails to disclose sending a response intended for the eCHF, indicating the granted group quota.
In analogous art, CHAI discloses sending a response intended for the eCHF, indicating the granted group quota (para 04, The quota is the quota granted by system to CTF, indicating whether quota is based on whether the quota is applied to the charging system and charging system grants the quota based on application, para 67, CTF device 101 sending a first charging request to the CHF device 207, para 62, Quota usage reporting refers to: for granted quotas, reporting quota usage information, para 138, The first charging response carries the first event charging determined by CHF device and determined by CHF device is quota grant).
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 teaching of aggregation of 5GS usage by CHF requires the CHF to be responsible for charging for the whole PLMN disclosed by YAO to use CHF device to determines event charging processing mode according to the event charging information, and processes the charging request according to the event charging processing mode as taught by CHAI to includes CHF device determines the event charging processing method according to the event charging information where CHF device obtains user information according to the user ID, and then CHF device determines the event according to the indication information indicating event charging, the user information and the parameter indicating the service category Billing processing method, where event billing processing method is direct deduction, offline event reporting or event quota application [CHAI, paragraph 012].
Regarding claim 51, YAO discloses the method according to claim 49, wherein granting the group quota is performed responsive to the charging node further determining that the first user terminal belongs to the defined group, based on accessing a data store that indicates group memberships for individual user terminals (para 72, Charging Data Response [Update, Quota granted]: CHF grants quota to SMF for service, with reserved number of units, para 65, Charging Data Response [Initial, Quota granted]: the CHF grants reserved number of units, para 93, ANs of RAN 1004 manage cells, cell groups, component carriers, etc. to provide UE 1002 ).
Regarding claim 52, YAO discloses the method according to claim 49, further comprising determining that the eCHF is operative to decide locally-granted quotas based on the request indicating that the eCHF is operative to decide locally-granted quotas (para 65, Charging Data Response [Initial, Quota granted]: the CHF grants the reserved number of units, para 72, Charging Data Response [Update, Quota granted]: The CHF grants quota to SMF for the service, with reserved number of units, para 35, data to report the usage of edge enabling infrastructure resources. The CHF needs to create measurement job and subscribes to notifications for performance data reporting, para 58, CHF to support charging for 5GS supporting edge computing per edge application, para 141, method of a CHF supported by processors, and to Receive from Charging Data Request related to charging for edge enabling infrastructure resources).
Regarding claim 53, YAO discloses the method according to claim 49, wherein the response identifies the defined group and the user terminals that are members in the defined group, for use by the eCHF in locally identifying other members of the defined group that connect, or are connected, to the communication network at an edge location associated with the eCHF (para 07, FIG. 3 charging for usage of edge enabling infrastructure resources supporting a CTF, para 21, 5GS usage by CHF requires the CHF to be responsible for charging for the whole PLMN, para 65, Charging Data Response [Initial, Quota Granted]: the CHF grants number of units).
Regarding claim 54, YAO fails to discloses the method according to claim 49, wherein the charging node comprises an Account Balance Management Function (ABMF) that includes or communicates with a Rating Function (RF) that determines the granted group quota.
In analogous art, CHAI discloses the method according to claim 49, wherein the charging node comprises an Account Balance Management Function (ABMF) that includes or communicates with a Rating Function (RF) that determines the granted group quota (para 04, The quota is the quota granted by system to CTF, indicating whether quota is based on applied to the charging system, para 138, The first charging response carries the first event charging determined by CHF device and determined by CHF device is quota grant, para 57, The charging system 31 includes account balance management function (ABMF) device and a rating function (RF) device required performing charging. The ABMF device is used to store and manage user's account).
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 teaching of aggregation of 5GS usage by CHF requires the CHF to be responsible for charging for the whole PLMN disclosed by YAO to use CHF device to determines event charging processing mode according to the event charging information, and processes the charging request according to the event charging processing mode as taught by CHAI to includes CGF device can be integrated in the charging system as a part of the charging system, or integrated in the billing device, as part of the billing device, or as an independent network element. [CHAI, para 57].
Regarding claim 55, YAO discloses the method according to claim 49, further comprising deciding a size of the granted group quota based on at least one of: the edge service, or a known or estimated number of the affiliated user terminals at an edge location associated with the eCHF (para 72, Charging Data Response [Update, Quota granted]: The CHF grants quota to SMF for the service, with the reserved number of units, para 65, Charging Data Response [Initial, Quota granted]: the CHF grants the reserved number of units).
Allowable Subject Matter
5. Claims 37-48 and 56-62 are allowed.
Claim 50 is 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.
Response to Arguments
6. Applicant's arguments filed August 21, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
On page 13, lines 9-14, the applicant argues that the reference(s) do not teach or even suggest each and every limitations as claimed.
The examiner respectfully disagrees and points out that the YAO teaches wireless communications for converged charging for edge enabling infrastructure resource usage [02] and, system generates charging data related to the collected performance data and sends charging data request for the CHF to process the related charging data for CDR generation purpose [028] and the charging for edge enabling infrastructure resources supported with CTF embedded in the MnS producer or with CEF to enable the charging [024] and , cause performance assurance management services (MnS) producer supporting a charging trigger function (CTF) to receive measurement report information from a network [208] and The CHF configured with quota and reporting threshold for 5GS inter-provider charging, and Charging Data Request [Initial, quota Requested]: the SW′ sends request to the CHF [060, 062] and RAN 1004 may each manage one or more cells, cell groups, component carriers, etc. to provide the UE 1002 with an air interface for network access [093] and Charging Data response [Update, Quota Granted]: The CHF grants quota to SMF for the service, with the reserved number of units, and sends the charging data request to the CHF for request Granting [049, 072] and, Charging Data Response [Initial, Quota Granted]: the CHF Grants the reserved number of units [065], and
CHAI teaches the quota is the quota granted by system to CTF, indicating whether quota is based on whether the quota is applied to the charging system and charging system grants the quota based on application [04] and, CTF device 101 sending a first charging request to the CHF device 207 [067] and, Quota usage reporting refers to: for granted quotas, reporting quota usage information [062] and, The first charging response carries the first event charging determined by CHF device and determined by CHF device is quota grant [0138].
Thus, YAO (US 20240007314 A1) (hereinafter YAO) in view of CHAI (WO 2021022916 A1) disclose the applicant’s whole invention.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Mirza Alam whose telephone number is (469) 295-9286. The examiner can be reached on Monday-Thursday 7:30AM-6:00PM (EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Lim can be reached on 571-270-1210. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MIRZA F ALAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2688
