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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 33- 49, and 52 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kim et al (US 20240381068)- (Foreign App. Priority- 10-2021-0094480 filed July, 19 2021).
As to claim 33 and 41 Kim discloses a wireless transmit and receive unit (WTRU) and a method, the WTRU comprising (Kim 110 of Fig.1, ¶0044- 1st sentence- the edge enabler server 133 may perform a function of connecting an application client 111 in a UE 110 to the edge application server 131 in the edge hosting environment by negotiating with the UE 110. 301 of Fig. 3; Fig.6): a processor configured to (Kim Fig. 6, ¶0083-2nd sentence- the UE may include a transceiver 610, a memory 620, and a processor 630. The transceiver 610, the processor 630, and the memory 620 may operate according to the aforementioned communication method of the UE): send a first message to a network node associated with a first public land mobile network (PLMN), the first message indicating a request for service provisioning (Kim ¶0055- 1st and 2nd sentences- Referring to FIG. 3, in operation 310, an EEC 301 may transmit a service provisioning request message to a hECS 303. In an embodiment, the EEC 301 may use hECS address information stored in the UE to request information about an edge computing service available in the VPLMN from the hECS 303.); receive a second message from the network node, the second message comprising an identifier of an edge configuration server (ECS) in a second PLMN serving the WTRU and comprising a data network name (DNN) for establishing a PDU session for contacting the ECS in the second PLMN (Kim ¶0061- 1st and 2nd sentences- In operation 330, a hECS 305 may transmit, to the EEC 310, a response to the request message received from the EEC of operation 310. The response message may include vECS information (identifier and address information, provider ID (ECSP ID) information, a data network name (DNN) and network slice information required to establish a PDU session to access the vECS, etc.) available in the VPLMN, to which the UE currently makes access and is registered); and establish a PDU session with the ECS in the second PLMN using the DNN (Kim ¶0061- 2nd sentence).
As to claims 34 and 42 Kim discloses the WTRU and method of claims 33 and 41 respectively, wherein the processor configured to send the first message to the network node associated with a first PLMN is further configured to send the first message to an ECS in the first PLMN (Kim ¶0055- 1st sentence- Referring to FIG. 3, in operation 310, an EEC 301 may transmit a service provisioning request message to a hECS 303..)
As to claims 35 and 43 Kim discloses the WTRU and method of claims 34 and 42 respectively, wherein the ECS in the first PLMN is a home ECS (Kim ¶0051- last sentence- in operation 240, the EEC may determine whether information about a home edge configuration server (hECS, an ECS available in a home PLMN) is yet stored.).
As to claims 36 and 44 Kim discloses the WTRU and method of claims 33 and 41 respectively, wherein the first message comprises a service provisioning subscription request (Kim Fig. 4, ¶0064- 1st and 2nd sentence- in operation 410, an EEC 401 may transmit a service provisioning subscribe request message to a hECS 403. In an embodiment, the service provisioning subscribe request message may include a roaming status event indicator (or a roaming event indicator).
As to claims 37 and 45 Kim discloses the WTRU and method of claims 33 and 41 respectively, wherein the second message from the network node comprises a notification to redirect the WTRU to the ECS in the second PLMN (Kim ¶0061- In operation 330, a hECS 305 may transmit, to the EEC 310, a response to the request message received from the EEC of operation 310. The response message may include vECS information (identifier and address information, provider ID (ECSP ID) information, a data network name (DNN) and network slice information required to establish a PDU session to access the vECS, etc.) available in the VPLMN, to which the UE currently makes access and is registered. When the message transmitted by the EEC in operation 310 is a service provisioning request message, a message that the hECS responds to the EEC may include an indicator indicating a service provisioning failure and a need of redirection due to roaming as a failure cause, and provide vECS information indicating where to redirect as well.).
As to claims 38 and 46 Kim discloses the WTRU and method of claims 33 and 41 respectively, wherein the identifier of the ECS in the second PLMN serving the WTRU comprises an address of the ECS in the second PLMN serving the WTRU (¶0061- 2nd sentence- The response message may include vECS information (identifier and address information, provider ID (ECSP ID) information, a data network name (DNN) and network slice information required to establish a PDU session to access the vECS, etc.) available in the VPLMN).
As to claim 39 and 47 Kim discloses the WTRU and method of claims 33 and 41 respectively, wherein the processor configured to establish the PDU session with the ECS in the second PLMN using the DNN is further configured to establish the PDU session with the ECS in the second PLMN using the DNN (Kim ¶0061- 1st and 2nd sentences- In operation 330, a hECS 305 may transmit, to the EEC 310, a response to the request message received from the EEC of operation 310. The response message may include vECS information (identifier and address information, provider ID (ECSP ID) information, a data network name (DNN) and network slice information required to establish a PDU session to access the vECS, etc.) available in the VPLMN, to which the UE currently makes access and is registered).
As to claim 40 Kim discloses The WTRU of claim 33, wherein the WTRU comprises an edge enabler client (EEC) (Kim 113 of Fig.1, ¶0043-¶0044- the edge enabler server 133 may perform a function of connecting an application client 111 in a UE 110 to the edge application server 131 in the edge hosting environment by negotiating with the UE 110; Fig. 2, ¶0048- ¶0050- the UE may select a new PLMN and perform a registration procedure)
As to claim 48 Kim discloses a network node comprising (Kim Fig. 7): a processor configured to (Kim ¶0090): receive a first message from a wireless transmit and receive unit (WTRU) associated with a first public land mobile network (PLMN), the first message indicating a request for service provisioning (Kim ¶0055- 1st and 2nd sentences; ¶0064- 1st sentence- in operation 410, an EEC 401 may transmit a service provisioning subscribe request message to a hECS 403.); send a request to subscribe to a roaming status of the WTRU( Kim ¶0067- When the hECS 403 determines that a roaming status of the UE having the EEC needs to be monitored in operation 420, the hECS 403 may transmit a roaming status event notification service subscribe request message to a UDM 407 in operation 430.; receive an indication the WTRU is roaming and an identity of a second PLMN serving the WTRU(Kim ¶0069- In operation 450, the UDM 403 may provide hECS with an indicator indicating that the UE is roaming and ID information of the VPLMN to which the UE is registered in the roaming status event notification service message, when the roaming status change event has occurred for the UE, the roaming status of which is to be monitored in operation 430 (e.g., when the UE accesses and registers in the VPLMN).; determine an edge configuration server (ECS) in the second PLMN serving the WTRU; send a second message to the WTRU (¶0071- In operation 470, the hECS 403 may transmit, to the EEC 401,) the second message comprising an identifier of the ECS in the second PLMN serving the WTRU and comprising a data network name (DNN) for establishing a PDU session for contacting the ECS in the second PLMN (Kim ¶0071- In operation 470, the hECS 403 may transmit, to the EEC 401, an indicator indicating that roaming has occurred, and vECS information available in the roaming VPLMN (identifier and address information, provider ID information, a DNN and network slice information required to establish a PDU session to access the vECS, etc.).
As to claim 49 Kim discloses the network node of claim 48, wherein the processor configured to receive the first message from the WTRU associated with the first PLMN is further configured to receive a service provisioning subscription request(Kim Fig. 4, ¶0064- 1st and 2nd sentence- in operation 410, an EEC 401 may transmit a service provisioning subscribe request message to a hECS 403. In an embodiment, the service provisioning subscribe request message may include a roaming status event indicator (or a roaming event indicator)..
As to claim 52 Kim discloses the network node of claim 48, wherein the identifier of the ECS in the second PLMN serving the WTRU comprises an address of the ECS in the second PLMN serving the WTRU (Kim ¶0071- In operation 470, the hECS 403 may transmit, to the EEC 401, an indicator indicating that roaming has occurred, and vECS information available in the roaming VPLMN (identifier and address information, provider ID information, a DNN and network slice information required to establish a PDU session to access the vECS, etc.).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 50 and 51 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim in view of Kim et al (US 20200337093) hereinafter “RYU”.
As to claim 50 Kim discloses the network node of claim 48, however silent wherein the processor configured to send the request to subscribe to the roaming status of the WTRU is further configured to invoke a network exposure function (NEF) to subscribe to the roaming status of the WTRU. However, in an analogous art RYU remedies this deficiency: RYU ¶0502- 1st sentence- The AS (LADN DN/AF) may subscribe to the locating-related event (network service operation, event of locating a specific UE) for the UE through the NEF to grasp the location of the UE to provide the LADN service. During this course, not only for the relevant UE but also for the UEs subscribing to a specific PLMN (e.g., where the location of a roaming subscriber is grasped; RYU ¶0503- 2nd sentence- the AS (LADN DN/AF) may include such information, as a separate parameter, in a specific message (e.g., a Nnef_EventExposure_Subscribe request); RYU ¶0506-1st and 2nd sentences- The NEF discovers and contacts/accesses the UDM including the UE subscriber information received from the AS. That is, the NEF may contact/access the UDM of the HPLMN based on the information received from the AS and, as described above in connection with step 1, subscribe to the locating-related event (network service operation and, in this case, an event for locating a specific UE) for all the UEs of a specific PLMN and/or a specific UE). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the teachings of Kim with that of RYU for the purpose of notifying an ECS of roaming by the WTRU and the PLMN ID of the WTRU.
As to claim 51 Kim discloses the network node of claim 48, however silent wherein the processor configured to receive the indication the WTRU is roaming and the identity of the second PLMN serving the WTRU is further configured to receive an NEF notification comprising the indication the WTRU is roaming and the identity of the second PLMN serving the WTRU (RYU ¶502- 2nd sentence- for the UEs subscribing to a specific PLMN (e.g., where the location of a roaming subscriber is grasped, all inbound roamers from a specific PLMN where the roaming agreement has been entered into), the locating-related event (network service operation) may be subscribed to. For example, when the AS subscribes to the event (network service operation) through the NF, it may include information for explicitly/implicitly recognizing/identifying the PLMN in a specific message (e.g., a Nnef_EventExposure_Subscribe request) and send it (e.g., including specific PLMN (identification) information). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the teachings of Kim with that of RYU for the purpose of notifying an ECS of roaming by the WTRU and the PLMN ID of the WTRU.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hu et al – Method for Determining Edge Configuration Server and Apparatus- US 20240022469, ¶0033.
Liu- Method and Apparatus for Exposing User Equipment Address Information- US 20240155334, ¶0345.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DERRICK V ROSE whose telephone number is (571)270-7460. The examiner can normally be reached 9am- 6pm.
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/DERRICK V ROSE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462
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