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 .
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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1-3, 5-12, 14-20, and 34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception (i.e., a law of nature, a natural phenomenon, or an abstract idea) without significantly more. The claim( s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because the generically recited computer elements do not add a meaningful limitation to the abstract idea and the function(s) performed by such generic computer elements would be routine, conventional , and well-understood to one of ordinary skill in the computer arts.
Using the two-step inquiry, it is clear that the independent claims are directed to an abstract ideas as shown below:
STEP 1, Do the claims falls within the statutory categories of invention? Yes. Regarding independent claims 1 and 14, the claims recite a series of steps and, therefore, is a process, which falls within the statutory categories of invention.
STEP 2A, (Prong 1): Is a Judicial Exception Recited? Yes. Regarding independent claims 1 and 14, the claims include the limitations of “obtaining analysis information of a target network, wherein the analysis information of the target network comprises at least one analysis information of a first network (HPLMN) or analysis information of a second network (VPLMN), and performing based on the analysis information of the target network, management of a Protocol Data Unit session in a roaming scenario” which are concepts relating to “organizing or analyzing information in a way that can be performed mentally or human activity that can be performed in the human mind/mental processes”. That is, other than reciting, “a second function entity” and “third function entity” on claims 10, 11, 14, 17, 18, 20, and 28, nothing in the claims precludes the steps from practically being performed in the human mind.
STEP 2A, (Prong 2): Integration into a Practical Application? No. The claim recites generic computer components (i.e., “a second function entity” and “third function entity”) to perform the abstract idea. Accordingly, these additional elements do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or provide technological improvements.
STEP 2B: Does it recite “Significantly More”? No. The claim recites obtaining analysis information from a HPLMN and a VPLMN, and performing management of a PDU session based on analysis information, which merely recites the abstract idea of collecting data and managing a session within a specific technological environment (i.e., wireless/cellular network). The claim as a whole does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. The claims are not patent eligible.
Claim 34 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The claim(s) does/do not fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter because the claim is directed to non-statutory subject matter.
Claim 34 is directed to “a processor-readable storage medium”, the storage medium is
defined in the specification in paragraph [0522] as: the processor-readable storage medium may be any available media or data storage device that the processor can access, including but not limited to magnetic storage (such as floppy disks, hard disks, magnetic tapes, Magneto-Optical disks (MO), etc.), optical storage (such as Compact Disc (CD), Digital Versatile Disc (DVD), Blu-ray Disc (BD), High-definition Versatile Disc (HVD), etc.), and semiconductor memories (such as Read-Only Memory (ROM), Erasable Programmable ROM (EPROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM), non-volatile memory (NAND FLASH), Solid State Drive (SSD)), etc. In summary, the specification describes the “processor readable storage medium” to include various non-transitory tangible media but also describes that the “processor readable storage medium” may be any available media and is not limited to magnetic storage examples described in the specification. Thus, the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim drawn to the “processor-readable storage medium” may include both forms of non-transitory tangible media and transitory propagating signals per se in view of the description of the specification and given that the specification does not limit the definition of “processor-readable storage medium” to only non-transitory subject matter. When the broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim covers a signal per se, the claim must be rejected under 35 U.S.C 101 as covering non-statutory subject matter (See MPEP 2111.01). A claim drawn to such a computer readable medium that covers both transitory and non-transitory embodiments may be amended to narrow the claim to cover only statutory embodiments by adding the limitation "non-transitory" to the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1, 9, 10, 14, 16-20, 28, and 34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by VELEV et al. (US 2023/0036993).
Regarding claim 1, Velev discloses a network analysis method, comprising:
obtaining analysis information of a target network (p. [0041], [0062], [0064]-[0066], [0069]; the NWDAF provides data analytics regarding a quota of maximum number of (UEs or PDUs) for an S-NSSAI), wherein the analysis information of the target network comprises at least one of the followings: analysis information of a first network, or analysis information of a second network (p. [0062], [0064], [0069]; the NDWDAF requests all AMFs in the home PLMN to report data about a particular network slice attribute and also from an AMF in a visited PLMN); wherein the first network is a Home Public Land Mobile Network (HPLMN) (p. [0062]; NWDAF request data from home PLMN), and the second network is a Visited Public Land Mobile Network (VPLMN) (p. [0062]; NWDAF request data from VPLMN); or, the first network is a VPLMN, and the second network is an HPLMN;
performing, based on the analysis information of the target network, management of a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session in a roaming scenario (p. [0063], lines 8-end; upon reception of data analytics from the NWDAF, the UDM notifies the AMFs about the action to perform (e.g., do not allow new UEs or PDUs sessions to the S-NSSAIx).
Regarding claim 9, Velev discloses the network analysis method according to claim 1, wherein the analysis information comprises at least one of the followings: performance analysis information, service experience analysis information, load analysis information, congestion analysis information, resource analysis information, or state analysis information (p. [0041], [0062], [0064]-[0066], [0069]; the NWDAF provides data analytics regarding a quota of maximum number of (UEs or PDUs) for an S-NSSAI (i.e., resource (i.e., NSSAI) analysis, load/congestion analysis)).
Regarding claim 10, Velev discloses the network analysis method according to claim 1, wherein the obtaining the analysis information of the target network, comprises: obtaining, the analysis information of the target network from a second function entity, or obtaining through a third function entity, the analytics information of the target network from the second function entity (p. [0041], [0062], [0064]-[0066], [0069]; analytics data is obtained from the NWDAF (i.e., function entity)).
Regarding claim 14, Velev discloses a network analysis method, performed by a second function entity or a third function entity, comprising:
obtaining analysis information of a target network (p. [0041], [0062], [0063]; the NWDAF (i.e., second or third function entity) provides data analytics regarding a quota of maximum number of (UEs or PDUs) for an S-NSSAI), wherein the analysis information of the target network comprising at least one of the followings: analysis information of a first network, or analysis information of a second network (p. [0062], [0064], [0069]; the NDWDAF requests all AMFs in the home PLMN to report data about a particular network slice attribute and also from an AMF in a visited PLMN); the first network is a Home Public Land Mobile Network (HPLMN) (p. [0062]; NWDAF request data from home PLMN), and the second network is a Visited Public Land Mobile Network (VPLMN) (p. [0062]; NWDAF request data from VPLMN); or, the first network is a VPLMN, and the second network is an HPLMN;
sending the analysis information of the target network to a first function entity (p. [0063]; the UDM (i.e., first function entity) request from NWDAF data analytics for the network slice attributes, the UDM receives the data analytics from the NWDAF, thus the NWDAF (i.e., second or third function entity) sends the analytics data), wherein the analysis information of the target network is used by the first function entity to perform management of a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session in a roaming scenario (p. [0063], lines 8-end; upon reception of data analytics from the NWDAF, the UDM (i.e., first function entity) notifies the AMFs about the action to perform (e.g., do not allow new UEs or PDUs sessions to the S-NSSAIx).
Regarding claim 16, Velev discloses the network analysis method according to claim 14, wherein the analysis information comprises at least one of the followings: performance analysis information, service experience analysis information, load analysis information, congestion analysis information, resource analysis information, or state analysis information (p. [0041], [0062], [0064]-[0066], [0069]; the NWDAF provides data analytics regarding a quota of maximum number of (UEs or PDUs) for an S-NSSAI (i.e., resource (i.e., NSSAI) analysis, load/congestion analysis)).
Regarding claim 17, Velev discloses the network analysis method according to claim 14,wherein obtaining the analysis information of the target network comprises:
obtaining, by the second function entity, the analysis information of the target network (p. [0041], [0062], [0063]; the NWDAF (i.e., second function entity) provides data analytics regarding a quota of maximum number of (UEs or PDUs) for an S-NSSAI), or obtaining, the third function entity, the analysis information of the target network from the second function entity;
wherein the second function entity is a first network data analysis function (p. [0041]), a first network data collection function, or a first network data storage function;
wherein the first function entity belongs to the first network (Fig. 3C; i.e., NWDAF 201), the second function entity belongs to the second network (Fig. 3C; i.e., UDM 211), and the analysis information of the target network comprises the analysis information of the second network (p. [0062]; the NWDAF may receive data from an AMF in a visited PLMN); or, the first function entity belongs to the second network, the second function entity belongs to the first network, and the analysis information of the target network comprises the analysis information of the first network.
Regarding claim 18, Velev discloses the network analysis method according to claim 17, wherein the obtaining, by the third function entity, the analysis information of the target network from the second function entity (note that claim 17, recites obtaining, by the second function entity….or obtaining, by the third function entity, the claim language “or” makes the steps of “obtaining by the third function entity” optional but does not require the steps to be performed, therefore, these limitations are disregarded as they belong to optional steps in the previous claim), comprising:
receiving, by the third function entity, a first request sent by the first function entity, the first request carrying information of the first network and information of the second network; sending, by the third function entity based on the first request, a second request to the second function entity, wherein the second request carries the information of the second network for requesting the analysis information of the second network (note that claim 17, recites obtaining, by the second function entity….or obtaining, by the third function entity, the claim language “or” makes the steps of “obtaining by the third function entity” optional but does not require the steps to be performed, therefore, these limitations are disregarded as they belong to optional steps in the previous claim);
receiving, by the third function entity, a first response sent by the second function entity based on the second request, the first response comprising the analysis information of the second network (note that claim 17, recites obtaining, by the second function entity….or obtaining, by the third function entity, the claim language “or” makes the steps of “obtaining by the third function entity” optional but does not require the steps to be performed, therefore, these limitations are disregarded as they belong to optional steps in the previous claim).
Regarding claim 19, Velev discloses the network analysis method according to claim 18, wherein the information of the first network comprises information of a first network slice in the first network; the information of the second network comprises information of a second network slice in the second network (p. [0062], [0064], [0069]; the NDWDAF requests all AMFs in the home PLMN to report data about a particular network slice attribute and also from an AMF in a visited PLMN).
Regarding claim 20, Velev discloses a function entity, wherein the function entity is a first function entity (p. [0041]; i.e., NWDAF), comprising:
a memory, a transceiver, and a processor, wherein the memory is configured to store a computer program (p. [0170]-[0171]); the transceiver is configured to receive and send data under the control of the processor (p. [0171]); the processor is configured to read the computer program in the memory and perform the following operations:
obtaining analysis information of a target network (p. [0041], [0062], [0064]-[0066], [0069]; the NWDAF provides data analytics regarding a quota of maximum number of (UEs or PDUs) for an S-NSSAI), wherein the analysis information of the target network comprises at least one of the followings: analysis information of a first network, or analysis information of a second network (p. [0062], [0064], [0069]; the NDWDAF requests all AMFs in the home PLMN to report data about a particular network slice attribute and also from an AMF in a visited PLMN); wherein the first network is a Home Public Land Mobile Network (HPLMN) (p. [0062]; NWDAF request data from home PLMN), and the second network is a Visited Public Land Mobile Network (VPLMN) (p. [0062]; NWDAF request data from VPLMN); or, the first network is a VPLMN, and the second network is an HPLMN;
performing, based on the analysis information of the target network, management of a Protocol Data Unit (PDU) session in a roaming scenario (p. [0063], lines 8-end; upon reception of data analytics from the NWDAF, the UDM notifies the AMFs about the action to perform (e.g., do not allow new UEs or PDUs sessions to the S-NSSAIx).
Regarding claim 28, Velev discloses a function entity, wherein the function entity is a second function entity or a third function entity, comprising: a memory, a transceiver, and a processor, wherein the memory is configured to store a computer program (p. [0170]); the transceiver is configured to receive and send data under the control of the processor (p. [0171]); the processor is configured to read the computer program in the memory and perform the steps of the network analysis method according to claim 14 (see rejection of claim 14, above).
Regarding claim 34, Velev discloses a processor-readable storage medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program is used to cause a processor to execute the steps of the network analysis method according to claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1, above).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARISOL FIGUEROA whose telephone number is (571)272-7840. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 8:00am-4:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jinsong Hu can be reached at 571-272-3965. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MARISOL FIGUEROA/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2643
Prosecution Insights