DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-18 are pending in the application.
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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on September 17, 2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-15 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 1-12 are directed to an information processing method, which is a process. A process defines “actions,” i.e., an invention that is claimed as an act or step, or a series of acts or steps. The acts or steps recited in independent claim 1 include a notifying act and a performing act. However, these acts are recited as being included in “the second management function.” Thus, the information processing method of claims 1-12 does not appear to comprise any act or step. Claims 1-12 should be amended to clearly recite the acts or steps that the information processing method comprises or consists of.
Claims 13-15 recite a similar format of the claims with respect to the first management function and are, therefore, objected to for the same or similar reasons as claims 1-12.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 2 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 2, the limitation “allocating the second IP address resource so as not to overlap the plurality of private networks” is not clearly define because it is unclear in which way an allocated IP address resource is capable of overlapping private networks.
Regarding claim 14, the limitation “allocates the second IP address resource so as not to overlap the plurality of private networks” is not clearly define because it is unclear in which way an allocated IP address resource is capable of overlapping private networks.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 8, 13, 14, and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Number 12,261,821 (hereinafter “Zhang”).
Zhang discloses, teaches, or suggests:
regarding claims 1 and 16, an information processing method executed by an information processing device connected to a first management function of managing inter-private network communication of a plurality of private networks connected to each other by secure communication (see at least Figs. 1 and 2, SMF and UPF correspond to the information processing device and DN-AAA corresponds to the first management function), the information processing device having at least one of second management functions respectively disposed in the plurality of private networks (see at least Fig. 2, UPF-1 is connected to Cell-1 and UPF-2 is connected to Cell-2), wherein
the second management function manages a plurality of IP address resources each including a plurality of IP addresses (see at least column 10 lines 7-25, each UPF manages a private IP address range including a plurality of IP addresses and a public IP address range including a plurality of IP addresses),
the plurality of IP address resources managed by the second management function include one or a plurality of first IP address resources and one or a plurality of second IP address resources, the one or plurality of first IP address resources being used for intra-private network communication, the one or plurality of second IP address resources being used for the inter-private network communication (see at least column 9 lines 35-47 and column 10 lines 7-25, each UPF uses a NAT technology to manage a private IP address range including a plurality of IP addresses and a public IP address range including a plurality of IP addresses, where the private IP address range 10.0.*.* is used for intra-network communication (i.e., communication within the respective cell) and the public IP address range 202.106.1.* is used for inter-network communication), and
the second management function includes:
notifying the first management function of information on the one or plurality of second IP address resources (see at least column 11 lines 1-10 and column 28 lines 48-51, the SMF may determine an IP address pool ID based on UPF ID, S-NSSAI, DNN, and IP version and includes the IP address pool ID within 3GPP-IP-Address-Pool-Id and send it to the DN-AAA); and
performing, based on information on the IP address resource allocated from the first management function, setting regarding an IP address for the inter-private network communication (see at least column 28 line 51 – column 29 line 21, the SMF receives an Access-Accept message indicating a selection of the IP address pool or its corresponding UPF and the SMF informs the AMF of the allocated IP address);
regarding claim 2, the first management function includes a function of allocating the second IP address resource so as not to overlap the plurality of private networks (see at least column 10 lines 7-26, all of the UEs may communicate with the Internet with a limited number of public IP addresses, where the public IP addresses “202.106.1.*” do not overlap the private IP addresses “10.0.*.*” used in the plurality of the private networks), and
the second management function acquires, from the first management function, information on the second IP address resource allocated to the private network to which a user himself or herself belongs (see at least column 10 lines 7-26, all of the UEs in the private networks may communicate with the Internet with a limited number of public IP addresses allocated by the UPFs according to a NAT rule); and
regarding claim 8, the one or plurality of first IP address resources and the one or plurality of second IP address resources managed by the second management function are IP address resources selected from IP address resources shared by the plurality of private networks (see at least column 10 lines 7-26, all of the UEs may communicate with the Internet with a limited number of public IP addresses, where the public IP addresses are shared by the plurality of private networks (i.e., cells)).
Zhang discloses, teaches, or suggests:
regarding claim 13, an information processing method executed by an information processing device having a first management function of managing inter-private network communication of a plurality of private networks connected to each other by secure communication (see at least Figs. 1 and 2, SMF and UPF correspond to the information processing device and DN-AAA corresponds to the first management function),
wherein each of the plurality of private networks has a second management function disposed therein (see at least Fig. 2, UPF-1 is connected to Cell-1 and UPF-2 is connected to Cell-2), the second management function managing a plurality of IP address resources each including a plurality of IP addresses (see at least column 10 lines 7-25, each UPF manages a private IP address range including a plurality of IP addresses and a public IP address range including a plurality of IP addresses),
the plurality of IP address resources managed by the second management function include one or a plurality of first IP address resources and one or a plurality of second IP address resources, the one or plurality of first IP address resources being used for intra-private network communication, the one or plurality of second IP address resources being used for the inter-private network communication (see at least column 9 lines 35-47 and column 10 lines 7-25, each UPF uses a NAT technology to manage a private IP address range including a plurality of IP addresses and a public IP address range including a plurality of IP addresses, where the private IP address range 10.0.*.* is used for intra-network communication (i.e., communication within the respective cell) and the public IP address range 202.106.1.* is used for inter-network communication), and
the first management function includes:
acquiring information on the one or plurality of second IP address resources from the second management function (see at least column 11 lines 1-10 and column 28 lines 48-51, the SMF may determine an IP address pool ID based on UPF ID, S-NSSAI, DNN, and IP version and includes the IP address pool ID within 3GPP-IP-Address-Pool-Id and send it to the DN-AAA); and
allocating, based on the acquired information, an IP address resource to be used for the inter-private network communication to the second management function (see at least column 28 line 51 – column 29 line 21, the SMF receives an Access-Accept message indicating a selection of the IP address pool or its corresponding UPF and the SMF informs the AMF of the allocated IP address); and
regarding claim 14, the first management function allocates the second IP address resource so as not to overlap the plurality of private networks (see at least column 10 lines 7-26, all of the UEs may communicate with the Internet with a limited number of public IP addresses, where the public IP addresses “202.106.1.*” do not overlap the private IP addresses “10.0.*.*” used in the plurality of the private networks).
Zhang discloses, teaches, or suggests:
regarding claim 18, an information processing system comprising a first information processing device and a second information processing device, the first information processing device having a first management function of managing inter-private network communication of a plurality of private networks connected to each other by secure communication (see at least Figs. 1 and 2, SMF and UPF correspond to the information processing device and DN-AAA corresponds to the first management function), the second information processing device being connected to the first management function and having at least one of second management functions respectively disposed in the plurality of private networks (see at least Fig. 2, UPF-1 is connected to Cell-1 and UPF-2 is connected to Cell-2), wherein
the second management function manages a plurality of IP address resources each including a plurality of IP addresses (see at least column 10 lines 7-25, each UPF manages a private IP address range including a plurality of IP addresses and a public IP address range including a plurality of IP addresses),
the plurality of IP address resources managed by the second management function include one or a plurality of first IP address resources and one or a plurality of second IP address resources, the one or plurality of first IP address resources being used for intra-private network communication, the one or plurality of second IP address resources being used for the inter-private network communication (see at least column 9 lines 35-47 and column 10 lines 7-25, each UPF uses a NAT technology to manage a private IP address range including a plurality of IP addresses and a public IP address range including a plurality of IP addresses, where the private IP address range 10.0.*.* is used for intra-network communication (i.e., communication within the respective cell) and the public IP address range 202.106.1.* is used for inter-network communication), and
the second management function notifies the first management function of information on the one or plurality of second IP address resources (see at least column 11 lines 1-10 and column 28 lines 48-51, the SMF may determine an IP address pool ID based on UPF ID, S-NSSAI, DNN, and IP version and includes the IP address pool ID within 3GPP-IP-Address-Pool-Id and send it to the DN-AAA);
the first management function acquires the information on the one or plurality of second IP address resources from the second management function (see at least column 11 lines 1-10 and column 28 lines 48-51, the SMF may determine an IP address pool ID based on UPF ID, S-NSSAI, DNN, and IP version and includes the IP address pool ID within 3GPP-IP-Address-Pool-Id and send it to the DN-AAA) and allocates, based on the acquired information, an IP address resource to be used for the inter-private network communication to the second management function (see at least column 28 line 51 – column 29 line 21, the SMF receives an Access-Accept message indicating a selection of the IP address pool or its corresponding UPF and the SMF informs the AMF of the allocated IP address); and
the second management function performs, based on information on the IP address resource allocated from the first management function, setting regarding an IP address for the inter-private network communication (see at least column 28 line 51 – column 29 line 21, the SMF receives an Access-Accept message indicating a selection of the IP address pool or its corresponding UPF and the SMF informs the AMF of the allocated IP address).
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.
Claims 3 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang in view of U.S. Patent Number 9,608,930 (hereinafter “Brandwine”).
Regarding claims 3 and 15, Zhang discloses all of the subject matter of the invention of claims 1 and 13, respectively, as described above, except the first management including a function of notifying the second management of information for specifying unallocated IP address resources, and the second management function selecting one or a plurality of IP address resources selected from among the unallocated IP address resources and requesting the first management function to allocate the selected IP address resource.
However, in an analogous art, Brandwine teaches or suggests the first management including a function of notifying the second management of information for specifying unallocated IP address resources, and the second management function selecting one or a plurality of IP address resources selected from among the unallocated IP address resources and requesting the first management function to allocate the selected IP address resource (see at least column 9 lines 32-62, allocation server receives a request for an IP address , where blocks are examined to determine which block has the most contiguous unallocated IP addresses and the lowest unallocated IP address is allocated).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to implement the IP address allocation technique as taught by Brandwine in to the invention of Zhang in order to allocate IP addresses using a technique that minimizes fragmentation of the IP addresses.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang in view of U.S. Pub. No. 2019/0158605 (hereinafter “Markuze”).
Regarding claim 12, Zhang discloses all of the subject matter of the invention of claim 1, as described above, except the second management function setting, when a transmission source IP address of a packet is included in the second IP address resource, a routing table so as to transmit the packet to another private network corresponding to a destination IP address of the packet.
However, in an analogous art, Markuze teaches or suggests setting, when a transmission source IP address of a packet is included in the second IP address resource, a routing table so as to transmit the packet to another private network corresponding to a destination IP address of the packet (see at least paragraphs 208-215, when a device wants to communicate with a device outside of its internal private network, its traffic typically passes through an Internet gateway that performs a NAT operation to replace the source IP address of this traffic with the public source IP address of the Internet gateway and this traffic is associated with a public destination IP address associated with an external device of another private network).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to implement the routing technique as taught by Markuze in to the invention of Zhang in order to reduce the number of IP addresses for devices in a plurality of private networks.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-7 and 9-11 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S. Pub. No. 2017/0093790 (Banerjee et al.) – IP address allocation using subnet selective randomization.
U.S. Pub. No. 2019/0281011 (Pang et al.) – dynamic orthogonal IP pools for wireless access points.
U.S. Pub. No. 2020/0366642 (Zong et al.) – IP address pool management by user plane function (UPF).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Pawaris Sinkantarakorn whose telephone number is (571)270-1424. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Hadi Armouche can be reached at (571) 270-3618. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PAO SINKANTARAKORN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2409 07/24/2026
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