Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 02, 2026
Application No. 18/844,890

METHODS AND DEVICES FOR ENABLING UE TO ACCESS EDGE SERVICE

Final Rejection §102
Filed
Sep 06, 2024
Priority
Mar 21, 2022 — SE 2250349-4 +1 more
Examiner
LEE, BRYAN Y
Art Unit
2445
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Sony Group Corporation
OA Round
2 (Final)
67%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
1y 10m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 67% — above average
67%
Career Allowance Rate
228 granted / 339 resolved
+9.3% vs TC avg
Strong +41% interview lift
Without
With
+40.6%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 11m
Avg Prosecution
8 currently pending
Career history
346
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
7.2%
-32.8% vs TC avg
§103
56.4%
+16.4% vs TC avg
§102
23.2%
-16.8% vs TC avg
§112
11.2%
-28.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 339 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions. 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. Response to Remarks/Arguments This communication is considered fully responsive to the Amendment filed on 05/11/2026. The 102 rejection(s) of claim(s) 10 and 14 is/are maintained. The 112 rejection(s) to claim(s) 1-9, 14 and 22 is/are withdrawn since the claim(s) has/have been amended accordingly. Applicant's arguments to rejections of claim 10 and 22 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Claims are given their broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the specification. See In re Morris, 127 F.3d 1048, 44 USPQ2d 1023 (Fed. Cir. 1997). Furthermore, although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993). First, the prior art discloses an access address of the edge cloud application based in a source address. (Yang872; pg 6, para 2). A broad but reasonable interpretation of network interface would include access address. Therefore, the rejection has been maintained to claim 10. Secondly, Prior art Yang030 discloses interface address. Interface address teaches network interface. (Yang030; pg 11). Therefore, the rejection has been maintained to claim 22. 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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. (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) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Foreign Patent Publication CN 113746872 A to Yang et al (“Yang872”). As to claim 10, Yang872 disclose(s) a method for use in User Equipment, UE, for identifying a data network interface of a current wireless network for accessing an Edge service, (“...service access request sent by the user terminal through the scheduling server, and then according to the source address of the user terminal carried in the service access request is the access address of the edge cloud service application server which is distributed and matched with it; so that the user terminal can directly access newly allocated edge cloud service application server according to the access address...”) [Yang872 et al. page 6 para 1] the method comprising: transmitting, to at least one network node, a request message comprising an indication of the Edge service to obtain identification of the data network interface associated with the Edge service; (“...receiving the first service access request sent by the user terminal...Specifically, in addition to the source address of the user terminal in the service access request, it also can carry the service identifier....”) [Yang872 et al. para 2, 3] receiving, from one of said nodes, a response message comprising information enabling the UE to identify the data network interface for accessing the Edge service. (“...sending the first access address to the user terminal, so that the user terminal sends the second service access request to the edge cloud service application server according to the first access address...”) [Yang872 et al. para 4] Claim(s) 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Foreign Patent Publication CN 111629030 A to Yang (“Yang030”). As to claim 22, Yang030 disclose(s) a method for use in User Equipment, UE, for identifying a data network interface of a current wireless network for accessing an Edge service, service (“...the edge user plane function entity 1021 for the terminal device 101 of the service access request or service access request, edge application server 1022 for processing the service access request of the terminal device 101, providing the needed service data to the terminal device 101...”) [Yang page 6 para 1] the method comprising: transmitting, to a cloud Edge application server (EAS) a request message to obtain identification of the data network interface associated with the Edge service; (“...It should be noted that the service scheduling auxiliary module 1023 may be deployed independently of the edge application server 1022, and may also arrange the service scheduling auxiliary module 1023 in the edge application server 1022… the terminal device 101 can through the wireless access network sends the service access request to the edge user plane function entity 1021, the edge user plane function entity 1021 when detecting the service access request of the target address is the network address of the appointed service scheduling server. The service access request is sent to the service scheduling auxiliary module 1023...”) [Yang page 6 paras 2-3 – service scheduling auxiliary module and the edge application server (EAS) may be a single element, resulting in the service access request that is sent from the user terminal to the service scheduling auxiliary module reading on the claimed sending the request from the terminal to the EAS]; receiving, the cloud EAS, a response message comprising information enabling the UE to determine the data network interface for accessing the Edge service. (“...The service scheduling server 104 returns a service access response message containing the network address of the edge application server 1022 to the service scheduling server 104...the edge user plane function entity 1021 after receiving the service scheduling server 104 returns the service access response message, it can send the service access response message to the terminal device 101. Furthermore, the terminal device 101 may send a service access request to the edge application server 1022 according to the network address of the edge application server 1022 included in the service access response message...”) [Yang pages 6-7 paras 4-5] Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant: US-20240171647-A1 to Zhao discloses a method and an apparatus for discovering an edge application server (EAS) are provided. A session management function (SMF) network element that serves a session of a terminal apparatus obtains information about at least one EAS, or obtains indication information of an EAS that cannot serve the terminal apparatus; and the SMF network element determines first information based on the obtained information, where the first information is used to determine information about an extension mechanisms for domain name system client subnet (ECS) option, or the first information is used to determine an address of a local domain name system (DNS) server, and the information about the ECS option or the address of the local DNS server is used to determine an EAS that serves the terminal apparatus. The first information is determined when the information about the EAS or the EAS that cannot serve the terminal apparatus is considered. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRYAN LEE whose telephone number is (571)270-5606. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 9am-5pm. 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, OSCAR LOUIE can be reached on (571)270-1684. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see https://ppair-my.uspto.gov/pair/PrivatePair. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /BRYAN Y LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2445
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Sep 06, 2024
Application Filed
Feb 26, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102
May 11, 2026
Response Filed
Jul 28, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
67%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+40.6%)
3y 11m (~1y 10m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 339 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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