DETAILED ACTION
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 .
This Final rejection is in response to the amendment filed on 12/26/2025.
Claims 20-35 and 38 are pending. Claims 36 and 37 are cancelled. Claims 1-20 were cancelled previously.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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, 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 20-28, 30-32, 34- 35, and 38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yi et al. (US 2018/0324261 A1, hereinafter Yi) in view of Tingstrom et al. (US 2015/0143355 A1, hereinafter Tingstrom).
Regarding claim 20, Yi teaches a method of managing a network service in a communication network based on a Network Functions Virtualization, NFV, framework, the method comprising:
determining a descriptor of a network service, the descriptor comprising multiple constituents; wherein the descriptor is provided with information on dependency between at least two of the multiple constituents, [Par.[0202], Table 1 shows NSD base elements, version of NS descriptor, vnfd VNFs that is part of the Network Service, vnf_dependency describes dependency between VNFs];
Yi does not explicitly teach the information on version dependency identifies one or more of the constituents and, respectively for each of the identified constituents, indicates one or more versions of at least one other of the constituents on which the identified constituent depends;
Tingstrom in an analogous art, teaches the information on version dependency identifies one or more of the constituents and, respectively for each of the identified constituents, indicates one or more versions of at least one other of the constituents on which the identified constituent depends, [Par.[0054] VCS stores web service version information and dependencies between web services/versions (~VNFs); Par.[0064] web service version (~VNF version); Par.[0111] dependency information for the web services/versions; Par.[0087] forward dependency graph that indicates what web services/version a selected web service depends on, version information is an integral part of the web service];
it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yi to include version information in the VNF dependency. The motivation/suggestion would have been to facilitate error free version update of a service by notifying the user of further changes to other dependent services, [Tingstrom: Abstract].
Claim 35 corresponds to claim 20 and is rejected as above, [Figure 1 of Yi shows NFV framework].
Claim 38 corresponds to claim 20 and is rejected as above.
Regarding claim 21, Yi and Tingstrom disclose the method according to claim 20, comprising: a modified Yi teaches depending on the information on the version dependency, controlling management of the network service, [claim limitation is broad and it is not clear what specific limiting feature the claim recites; dependent claim is obvious over Yi in view of Tingstrom for the same reasons as in claim 20 and Tingstrom shows version of a web service/VNF in modified Yi will control other web services/versions/VNF based on the dependency].
Regarding claim 22, Yi and Tingstrom disclose the method according to claim 21, a modified Yi teaches wherein said controlling management of the network service comprises: receiving a request for management of the network service, [Abstract]; and Tingstrom teaches depending on the information on version dependency, deciding whether to accept the request, [dependent claim is obvious over Yi in view of Tingstrom for the same reasons as in claim 20; Abstract, accepts request if version change is acceptable to other web services/VNFs].
Regarding claim 23, Yi and Tingstrom disclose the method according to claim 21, Yi teaches wherein said management of the network service comprises instantiating the network service, [Par.[0201] references instantiating a network service using NSD, see Par.[0173]].
Regarding claim 24, Yi and Tingstrom disclose the method according to claim 21, Yi teaches wherein said management of the network service comprises updating the network service, [Par.[0024]-[0027] describes updating NS; [0172] Network Service instance lifecycle management: [0173] Network Service instantiation; [0174] Network Service instance update (e.g., update a VNF instant that is included in the Network Service instance)].
Regarding claim 25, Yi and Tingstrom disclose the method according to claim 24, Tingstrom teaches wherein said updating of the network service comprises replacing one of the constituents of the descriptor with another version of the same constituent, [dependent claim is obvious over Yi in view of Tingstrom for the same reasons as in claim 20; Abstract and elsewhere for version change of a web service/VNF].
Regarding claim 26, Yi and Tingstrom disclose the method according to claim 24, Tingstrom teaches wherein said updating of the network service comprises removing one of the constituents of the descriptor, [dependent claim is obvious over Yi in view of Tingstrom for the same reasons as in claim 20; Par.[0057] describes removing web service/VNF and a modified Yi would update the NSD reflecting that change, Table 1, Par.[0024]-[0025], [0208], [0238] update NSD].
Regarding claim 27, Yi and Tingstrom disclose the method according to claim 24, Tingstrom teaches wherein said updating of the network service comprises adding a new constituent of the descriptor, [claim limitation must recite to include a version information for the new constituent also; dependent claim is obvious over Yi in view of Tingstrom for the same reasons as in claim 20; Par.[0046] describes new web service version and a modified Yi would update the NSD reflecting that change, Table 1, Par.[0024]-[0025], [0208], [0238] update NSD].
Regarding claim 28, Yi and Tingstrom disclose the method according to claim 21, Tingstrom teaches wherein said management of the network service comprises modifying the information on version dependency, [claim language is incomplete because information on version dependency for which constituents is missing; dependent claim is obvious over Yi in view of Tingstrom for the same reasons as in claim 20; Par.[0009] version update will modify an operation of another web service/VNF, see Par.[0160]].
Regarding claim 30, Yi and Tingstrom disclose the method according to claim 20, Yi teaches further comprising: receiving at least a part of the information on the version dependency via a network service management interface, [see Par.[0299]-[0300]].
Regarding claim 31, Yi and Tingstrom disclose the method according to claim 20, Yi teaches wherein the constituents of the descriptor comprise at least one descriptor of a virtual network function for implementing the network service, [see Table 1]].
Regarding claim 32, Yi and Tingstrom disclose the method according to claim 20, Yi teaches wherein the constituents of the descriptor comprise at least one descriptor of a physical network function for implementing the network service, [see Par.[0299]-[0300], see PNFD info].
Regarding claim 34, Yi and Tingstrom disclose the method according to claim 20, Yi teaches wherein the method is performed by a Network Function Virtualisation Orchestrator, NFVO, [see Figure 4].
Claims 29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yi in view of Tingstrom and in further view of Thulasi et al. (US 2018/0316559 A1, hereinafter Thulasi).
Regarding claim 29, Yi and Tingstrom disclose the method according to claim 20, and they do not explicitly teach wherein the descriptor further comprises information identifying one or more of the constituents which are allowed to be replaced with another version of the same constituent;
Thulasi, in an analogous art, teaches wherein the descriptor further comprises information identifying one or more of the constituents which are allowed to be replaced with another version of the same constituent, [Par.[0039] describes generating an updated version of VNF based on an updated version of the orchestration template (info identifying which VNF needs to be replaced with another version); see also Par.[0041]-[0042]];
it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yi to include replacing VNF version when template version changes. The motivation/suggestion would have been to provide capabilities from the NFVO through the Network Service Orchestration functions and the capabilities may be exposed through interfaces used by NFV-MANO functional blocks or by authorized external entities such as the management of Network Services templates and VNF Packages, [Yi: Par.[0151]].
Claims 33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yi in view of Tingstrom and in further view of Li et al. (US 2020/0313969 A1, hereinafter Li).
Regarding claim 33, Yi and Tingstrom disclose the method according to claim 20, and they do not explicitly teach wherein the constituents of the descriptor comprise at least one descriptor of a nested network service for implementing the network service;
Li, in an analogous art, teaches wherein the constituents of the descriptor comprise at least one descriptor of a nested network service for implementing the network service, [Par.[0080]: It should be noted that the NS can support nesting. To be more specific, a set of some VNFs constitutes an NS, and then the NS and another NS or VNF constitute an NS with a larger range. When there is a nested NS, an NSD identifier (an NSD ID) of the nested NS may be indexed in an NSD]; it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yi to include nested NS into the NSD. The motivation/suggestion would have been to constitute an NS with a larger range, [Li: Par.[0080]].
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/26/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Independent claims are broad and are addressed by the prior art combination of Yi and Tingstrom. Constituent elements with different version dependencies and having to consider that fact with respect to an identified constituent is known in the prior art and Tingstrom establishes obviousness support for it in an analogous art to modify Yi which is in the same technological space as the claimed invention. As it stands the independent claim not amended from its previous recitation does not advance prosecution. Examiner suggests adding process related specifics as to how the version dependency among the multiple constituents changes the structure or the operation of the underlying NFV framework and not simply recite indicating version dependency among constituents.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
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/PADMA MUNDUR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2441