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 § 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 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.
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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over 3GPP, "3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Services and System Aspects; Charging management; Network slice management charging in the 5G System (5GS); Stage 2 (Release 16)", 3GPP TS 28.202 V16.1.0, December 2020, pages 1-25, hereinafter, ‘3GPP’ in view of Yao et al. US Patent Pub. No.:2024/0007314 A1, hereinafter, ‘Yao’.
Consider Claims 1, (Claims 11, 12, and 16 claim similar subject matter and are rejected for Similar rationale of Claim 1) 3GPP teaches a management service (MnS) entity (e.g., this would be met by the CTF/CEF entity), comprising: configured to cause the network entity to: receive a first event notification for generating a charging data record (“CDR”) (e.g., this is met based on 5.2.2 message flows -in particular flow 3ch-a. Charging Data Request[Event] ) for generating a charging data record ("CDR") from a second entity ( = CTF/ CEF of the communication network, section 5.2.2.2 teaches NSI Creation - PEC.. .3ch-a. Charging Data Request[Event] 3ch-b. Create CDR as outline in Figure 5.2.2.2.1: NSI Creation – Internal CTF - PEC 1. The Service Producer (CTF) receives an NSI Creation Request from an MnS consumer, Figure 5.2.2.2.2 teaches NSI creation - CEF - PEC and step 9. NSI Creation completed. 9ch-b. Create CDR 9. NSI Creation completed 9ch-a. The CEF sends Charging Data Request [Event] to CHF associated to the NSI Creation transaction. 9ch-b. The CHF creates a CDR for this NSI Creation transaction); generate the CDR in response to the first event notification, the CDR comprising information associated with access to a management service (e.g., this is met based on the message flows noted 5.2.2 pages 13- 15); and transmit a second event notification comprising the generated CDR(e.g., this is met based on the message flows noted 5.2.2 pages 13- 15).
3GPP does not explicitly illustrate the hardware including at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory.
The Examiner notes the above noted hardware components are notoriously well known in the art. Yao teaches in at least figure 12 hardware including at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to include the above noted hardware components for the purpose of computing the functions outlined in 3GPP.
Consider Claims 2, 13 and 17, 3GPP teaches wherein the network entity comprises a charging function (“CHF”) and the first event notification comprises a charging data request to the CHF Figure 5.2.2.2.1: NSI Creation – Internal CTF - PEC 1.
Consider Claims 3 and 14, 3GPP teaches wherein transmitting the second event notification comprises transmitting a charging data response to a charging trigger function (“CTF”) see section 5.2.2.2 -Figure 5.2.2.2.1: NSI Creation – Internal CTF - PEC 1.
Consider Claims 4 and 19, 3GPP teaches wherein transmitting the second event notification comprises transmitting a charging data response to a charging enablement function (“CEF”) see section 5.2.2.2 -Figure 5.2.2.2.1: NSI Creation – Internal CTF - PEC 1.
Consider Claims 5, 15 and 20, 3GPP teaches wherein the first event notification for generating the CDR is triggered by: a number of times the management service is accessed over a time interval; changes requested in access to the management service and a number of times the changes are requested; types of access to the management service; types of data accessed from the management service; or a combination thereof (e.g., see at least 5.2.2.1 General – “… subscribed to for charging purposes.” Section 5.2.2.2 NSI Creation - PEC., Figure 5.2.2.2.1: NSI Creation - Internal CTF - PEC 1, §Table 6.1.1.2.1: Charging Data Request message contents.)
Consider Claims 6, 3GPP teaches wherein the types of access to the management service comprises a subscription to one or more of periodic notifications, periodic data, or periodic insights (e.g., see at least 5.2.2.1 General – “… subscribed to for charging purposes.” Section 5.2.2.2 NSI Creation - PEC., Figure 5.2.2.2.1: NSI Creation - Internal CTF - PEC 1, §Table 6.1.1.2.1: Charging Data Request message contents.).
Consider Claims 7, 3GPP teaches wherein the types of data accessed from the management service comprises managed object instances (“MOIs”), fully qualified domain names (“FQDNs”), master information blocks (“MIBS”), or key performance indicators (“KPIs”) (e.g., see section 5.1.3
Network Slice Management charging information - KPI Monitoring.)
Consider Claims 8, 3GPP teaches wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the network entity to configure the management service to provide charging information for the CDR Figure 5.2.2.2.1: NSI Creation – Internal CTF - PEC 1..
Consider Claims 9, 3GPP teaches wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the network entity to derive reporting requirements for charging based on existing business level agreements, wherein the business level agreements comprise service level agreements (“SLAs”), service level specifications (“SLSs”), generic network slice templates (“GSTs”), a network slice type (“NEST”), a ServiceProfile, or a NetworkSlice profile(e.g., see section 5.1.3 Network Slice Management charging information).
Consider Claims 10, 3GPP teaches wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the network entity to include in the charging data record charges for possible errors due to incorrect usage of the management service(e.g., see section 5.1.3 Network Slice Management charging information - KPI Monitoring.)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 20240187827 A1 teaches transmitting, a charging service request from a first network apparatus related to a user equipment converged charging system to a second network apparatus related to a tenant converged charging system, the charging service request comprising an indication for at least one parameter related to network slice level charging information of a network slice, an identifier of the network slice and an identifier of a user equipment; receiving, at the first network apparatus, a charging service response corresponding to the charging service request from the second network apparatus, the charging service response comprising the at least one parameter related to the network slice level charging information; and determining, by the first network apparatus, a charging criterion of the user equipment based on the received charging service response.
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US 20240283870 A1 teaches transmitting the charging information to the network-side equipment includes: transmitting the charging information to a charging trigger function (Charging Trigger Function, CTF) or a charging enablement function (Charging Enablement Function, CEF) of the network-side equipment, where the charging information is forwarded to a CHF by the CTF or the CEF, and the charging information is used for the CHF to charge for the ProSe that occurs.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHARLES TERRELL SHEDRICK whose telephone number is (571)272-8621. The examiner can normally be reached 8A-5P.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew D Anderson can be reached at 571 272 4177. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHARLES T SHEDRICK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2646
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