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
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.
Claims 1-12, 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ge et al (US 20240121672 A1) in view of Xu (US 20240056906 A1).
Regarding claim 1, 2, 12, Ge et al discloses a method (figs. 5-6: a context relocation method) for managing an application context relocation procedure (application context relocation procedure ; paragraph 0006) by an edge enabler server (an edge configuration server, an edge enabler server, or an edge application server; paragraph 0024) in an edge data network (an edge data network may detect and initiate an application context relocation procedure; paragraph 0467), the method comprising: identifying (the ACR mode information indicates an identifier of an application client and an ACR method determined by a server for the application client, and the server; paragraph 0024) that a first ACR procedure is initiated (the EEC or the AC initiates application context transmission ; paragraph 0258); and based on the first ACR procedure being initiated (an EEC initiates an ACR procedure corresponds to initiation by EEC using regular EAS discovery; paragraph 0746), sending (the EEC sends an application context relocation request message to an S-EES ; paragraph 0254) a first notification message (the EES may send a notification message to the EEC; the EES may provide expiration time to indicate to the EAS when registration automatically expires; note that the EAS profile may also include proposed expiration time for registration ; paragraph 0747, 0280, 0293) indicating a start of the first ACR procedure to a first entity (the EES sends an AC information notification message to the EAS, where the information elements may be included in the AC information notification message; furthermore, the EEC sends a first message to the EES, where the first message includes an AC ID and/or an EEC ID; the EES may provide expiration time to indicate to the EAS when registration automatically expires ; paragraph 0321-0322, 0289, 0558) in the edge data network (sending a service provisioning notification to the core network ; an EDGE-1 is an interface between the EES and the EEC, and supports EEC registration/deregistration with the EES, and edge application server discovery in the edge data network; paragraph 0201, 0317), wherein upon receiving the first notification message (the AC receives the ACR mode information from the EEC through an EDGE-5 interface; paragraph 0441-0442).
However, Ge et al, does not specifically teach that the first entity does not trigger execution of a second ACR procedure until the first ACR procedure is completed
On the other hand, Xu, from the same field of endeavor, discloses the features of sending the first notification message (the S-EES sends the ACR Notify message (e.g. as notification for “ACR facilitation” event) to the S-EAS to initiate ACT between the S-EAS and the T-EAS; a detection entity detects that application context relocation; detection entity, detecting or predicting the need of ACR ; paragraph 0010-0011, 0014, 0203-0204) indicating the start of the first ACR procedure to the second entity in the edge data network (read as: detecting the start of the first ACR procedure ; the detection entity, knows whether it is a planned service continuity ; a decision-making entity determines that ACR is required and instructs the execution entity to perform ACR ; paragraph 0023, 0103-0106; paragraph 0107-0108), where the second entity does not trigger the second ACR procedure (read as: the ACR is triggered for service continuity planning, the EEC indicates it in the ACR request message to the S-EES; determining whether the ACR has been triggered for service continuity planning based on the information element indicating the type of service continuity; when the ACR has been triggered for service continuity planning and after a user equipment related to the ACR moves to an expected location, sending an ACR complete message to the edge enabler server to confirm that the ACR has completed ; paragraph 0196, 0047, 0158-0162) until the completion of first ACR procedure (the S-EES sends the ACR information notification message to the EEC to confirm that the ACR has completed as specified in clause 8.8.3.5.3 of 3GPP TS 23.558 V2.1.0; the T-EES sends the ACR Notify message to the T-EAS; the EEC also subscribes to receive ACR information notifications for ACR complete events from the T-EES; furthermore, the edge application server is operative to determine whether the ACR has been triggered for service continuity planning based on the information element indicating the type of service continuity; the edge application server is further operative to send an ACR complete message to the edge enabler server to confirm that the ACR has completed when the ACR has been triggered for service continuity planning and after a user equipment related to the ACR moves to an expected location; paragraph 0050, 0053; paragraph 0210-0211, 0221-0222). Note that the ACR has been triggered for service continuity planning, if the UE does not move to the predicted location the EEC does not connect to T-EES, the AC does not connect to the T-EAS; paragraph 0225-0245, 0259-0260). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to apply the technique of Xu to the communication system of Ge in order to provide a method and an edge enabler server for service continuity procedure execution.
Regarding claim 3, Ge et al as modified discloses a method (figs. 5-6: a context relocation method) for managing an application context relocation procedure (paragraph 0006) by an edge enabler server (an edge configuration server, an edge enabler server, or an edge application server; paragraph 0024) in an edge data network (an edge data network may detect and initiate an application context relocation procedure; paragraph 0467), wherein the first entity is one of an edge enabler client (the terminal may be an edge enabler client; paragraph 0007), an edge application server and the EES (the S-EES initiates application context transmission; an edge data network may detect and initiate an application context relocation procedure; paragraph 0055, 0467).
Regarding claim 4, Ge et al as modified discloses a method (figs. 5-6: a context relocation method) for managing an application context relocation procedure (paragraph 0006) by an edge enabler server (an edge configuration server, an edge enabler server, or an edge application server; paragraph 0024) in an edge data network (an edge data network may detect and initiate an application context relocation procedure; paragraph 0467), wherein the first ACR procedure is initiated by a second entity (a notification message, corresponding to a subscription related to an EDGE-3, and an ACR management event message) to the EES, where the message includes the ACR capability information supported by the EAS and/or the second ACR method request information; and an edge data network may detect and initiate an application context relocation procedure ; paragraph 0022-0023, 0571).
Regarding claim 5, Ge et al as modified discloses a method (figs. 5-6: a context relocation method) for managing an application context relocation procedure (paragraph 0006) by an edge enabler server (an edge configuration server, an edge enabler server, or an edge application server; paragraph 0024) in an edge data network (an edge data network may detect and initiate an application context relocation procedure; paragraph 0467), wherein the second entity is one of an edge enabler client, an edge application server and the EES (the EES performs registration authorization check, to verify whether the EAS has authorization to register on the EES; the EES sends an EAS registration response message to the EAS ; paragraph 0273, 0291, 0292).
Regarding claim 6, Ge et al as modified discloses a method (figs. 5-6: a context relocation method) for managing an application context relocation procedure (paragraph 0006) by an edge enabler server (an edge configuration server, an edge enabler server, or an edge application server; paragraph 0024) in an edge data network (an edge data network may detect and initiate an application context relocation procedure; paragraph 0467), wherein when an edge enabler client operates as the second entity, an edge application server operates as the first entity (an EEC receives information about an EES, the EEC sends an EAS discovery message to the EES ; the EES sends a second message to the EEC; paragraph 0298-0300, 0764-0765).
Regarding claim 7, Ge et al as modified discloses a method (figs. 5-6: a context relocation method) for managing an application context relocation procedure (paragraph 0006) by an edge enabler server (an edge configuration server, an edge enabler server, or an edge application server; paragraph 0024) in an edge data network (an edge data network may detect and initiate an application context relocation procedure; paragraph 0467), wherein when the EEC operates as the second entity, the EES sends an ACR management event notification with an ACT start event as the first notification message to the EAS (sending a service provisioning notification to the core network ; an EDGE-1 is an interface between the EES and the EEC, and supports EEC registration/deregistration with the EES, and edge application server discovery in the edge data network; paragraph 0201, 0317).
Regarding claim 8, Ge et al as modified discloses a method (figs. 5-6: a context relocation method) for managing an application context relocation procedure (paragraph 0006) by an edge enabler server (an edge configuration server, an edge enabler server, or an edge application server; paragraph 0024) in an edge data network (an edge data network may detect and initiate an application context relocation procedure; paragraph 0467), wherein when an edge application server (EAS) operates as the second entity, an edge enabler client (EEC) operates as the first entity (the EES sends an AC information notification message to the EAS, where the information elements may be included in the AC information notification message; furthermore, the EEC sends a first message to the EES, where the first message includes an AC ID and/or an EEC ID; the EES may provide expiration time to indicate to the EAS when registration automatically expires ; paragraph 0321-0322, 0289, 0558).
Regarding claim 9, Ge et al as modified discloses a method (figs. 5-6: a context relocation method) for managing an application context relocation procedure (paragraph 0006) by an edge enabler server (an edge configuration server, an edge enabler server, or an edge application server; paragraph 0024) in an edge data network (an edge data network may detect and initiate an application context relocation procedure; paragraph 0467), wherein when the EAS operates as the second entity, the EES sends an ACR information notification as the first notification message to the EEC (when the AC subscribes to ACR-related notification information such as an ACR information notification from the EES, the AC requests the EEC to send, to the AC, the ACR mode information carried in the ACR-related notification information such as an ACR information notification after the EEC obtains the ACR mode information; paragraph 0445, 0447).
Regarding claim 10, Ge et al as modified discloses a method (figs. 5-6: a context relocation method) for managing an application context relocation procedure (paragraph 0006) by an edge enabler server (an edge configuration server, an edge enabler server, or an edge application server; paragraph 0024) in an edge data network (an edge data network may detect and initiate an application context relocation procedure; paragraph 0467), wherein when the EES operates as the second entity, an edge application server (EAS) or an edge enabler client (EEC) operate as the first entity (the EES sends an AC information notification message to the EAS, where the information elements may be included in the AC information notification message; furthermore, the EEC sends a first message to the EES, where the first message includes an AC ID and/or an EEC ID; the EES may provide expiration time to indicate to the EAS when registration automatically expires ; paragraph 0321-0322, 0289, 0558).
Regarding claim 11, Ge et al as modified discloses a method (figs. 5-6: a context relocation method) for managing an application context relocation procedure (paragraph 0006) by an edge enabler server (an edge configuration server, an edge enabler server, or an edge application server; paragraph 0024) in an edge data network (an edge data network may detect and initiate an application context relocation procedure; paragraph 0467), wherein when the EES operates as the second entity, the EES sends an ACR management event notification with an ACT start event as the first notification message to the EAS and the ACR information notification as the first notification message to the EEC (the EES may send a notification message to the EEC; the EES may provide expiration time to indicate to the EAS when registration automatically expires; note that the EAS profile may also include proposed expiration time for registration ; paragraph 0747, 0280, 0293).
Regarding claims 14, 15, Ge et al discloses an apparatus (figs. 5-6: a context relocation method) of an edge enabler server (an edge configuration server, an edge enabler server, or an edge application server; paragraph 0024) for managing an application context relocation procedure (application context relocation procedure ; paragraph 0006), the apparatus comprising: a memory; and at least one processor coupled to the memory, wherein the at least one processor is configured to: identify that a first ACR procedure is initiated (the ACR mode information indicates an identifier of an application client and an ACR method determined by a server for the application client, and the server; paragraph 0024), and based on the first ACR procedure being initiated (an EEC initiates an ACR procedure corresponds to initiation by EEC using regular EAS discovery; paragraph 0746), send (the EEC sends an application context relocation request message to an S-EES ; paragraph 0254) a first notification message (the EES may send a notification message to the EEC; the EES may provide expiration time to indicate to the EAS when registration automatically expires; note that the EAS profile may also include proposed expiration time for registration ; paragraph 0747, 0280, 0293) indicating a start of the first ACR procedure (the EES sends an AC information notification message to the EAS, where the information elements may be included in the AC information notification message; furthermore, the EEC sends a first message to the EES, where the first message includes an AC ID and/or an EEC ID; the EES may provide expiration time to indicate to the EAS when registration automatically expires ; paragraph 0321-0322, 0289, 0558) to a first entity in the edge data network (sending a service provisioning notification to the core network ; an EDGE-1 is an interface between the EES and the EEC, and supports EEC registration/deregistration with the EES, and edge application server discovery in the edge data network; paragraph 0201, 0317), wherein upon receiving the first notification message (the AC receives the ACR mode information from the EEC through an EDGE-5 interface; paragraph 0441-0442).
However, Ge et al, does not specifically teach that the first entity does not trigger execution of a second ACR procedure until the first ACR procedure is completed
On the other hand, Xu, from the same field of endeavor, discloses the features of sending the first notification message (the S-EES sends the ACR Notify message (e.g. as notification for “ACR facilitation” event) to the S-EAS to initiate ACT between the S-EAS and the T-EAS; a detection entity detects that application context relocation; detection entity, detecting or predicting the need of ACR ; paragraph 0010-0011, 0014, 0203-0204) indicating the start of the first ACR procedure to the second entity in the edge data network (read as: detecting the start of the first ACR procedure ; the detection entity, knows whether it is a planned service continuity ; a decision-making entity determines that ACR is required and instructs the execution entity to perform ACR ; paragraph 0023, 0103-0106; paragraph 0107-0108), where the second entity does not trigger the second ACR procedure (read as: the ACR is triggered for service continuity planning, the EEC indicates it in the ACR request message to the S-EES; determining whether the ACR has been triggered for service continuity planning based on the information element indicating the type of service continuity; when the ACR has been triggered for service continuity planning and after a user equipment related to the ACR moves to an expected location, sending an ACR complete message to the edge enabler server to confirm that the ACR has completed ; paragraph 0196, 0047, 0158-0162) until the completion of first ACR procedure (the S-EES sends the ACR information notification message to the EEC to confirm that the ACR has completed as specified in clause 8.8.3.5.3 of 3GPP TS 23.558 V2.1.0; the T-EES sends the ACR Notify message to the T-EAS; the EEC also subscribes to receive ACR information notifications for ACR complete events from the T-EES; furthermore, the edge application server is operative to determine whether the ACR has been triggered for service continuity planning based on the information element indicating the type of service continuity; the edge application server is further operative to send an ACR complete message to the edge enabler server to confirm that the ACR has completed when the ACR has been triggered for service continuity planning and after a user equipment related to the ACR moves to an expected location; paragraph 0050, 0053; paragraph 0210-0211, 0221-0222). Note that the ACR has been triggered for service continuity planning, if the UE does not move to the predicted location the EEC does not connect to T-EES, the AC does not connect to the T-EAS; paragraph 0225-0245, 0259-0260). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to apply the technique of Xu to the communication system of Ge in order to provide a method and an edge enabler server for service continuity procedure execution.
Regarding claim 16, Ge et al as modified discloses an apparatus (figs. 5-6: a context relocation method) of an edge enabler server (an edge configuration server, an edge enabler server, or an edge application server; paragraph 0024) for managing an application context relocation procedure (application context relocation procedure ; paragraph 0006), wherein the first entity is one of an edge enabler client, an edge application server and the EES (the S-EES initiates application context transmission; an edge data network may detect and initiate an application context relocation procedure; paragraph 0055, 0467).
Regarding claim 17, Ge et al as modified discloses an apparatus (figs. 5-6: a context relocation method) of an edge enabler server (an edge configuration server, an edge enabler server, or an edge application server; paragraph 0024) for managing an application context relocation procedure (application context relocation procedure ; paragraph 0006), wherein the first ACR procedure is initiated by a second entity, and wherein the second entity is one of an edge enabler client , an edge application server and the EES (the EES performs registration authorization check, to verify whether the EAS has authorization to register on the EES; the EES sends an EAS registration response message to the EAS ; paragraph 0273, 0291, 0292).
Regarding claim 18, Ge et al as modified discloses an apparatus (figs. 5-6: a context relocation method) of an edge enabler server (an edge configuration server, an edge enabler server, or an edge application server; paragraph 0024) for managing an application context relocation procedure (application context relocation procedure ; paragraph 0006), wherein, when the EEC operates as the second entity, the EAS operates as the first entity, and the EES sends an ACR management event notification with an ACT start event as the first notification message to the EAS (the EES sends an AC information notification message to the EAS, where the information elements may be included in the AC information notification message; furthermore, the EEC sends a first message to the EES, where the first message includes an AC ID and/or an EEC ID; the EES may provide expiration time to indicate to the EAS when registration automatically expires ; paragraph 0321-0322, 0289, 0558).
Regarding claim 19, Ge et al as modified discloses an apparatus (figs. 5-6: a context relocation method) of an edge enabler server (an edge configuration server, an edge enabler server, or an edge application server; paragraph 0024) for managing an application context relocation procedure (application context relocation procedure ; paragraph 0006), wherein, when the EAS operates as the second entity, the EEC operates as the first entity, and the EES sends an ACR information notification as the first notification message to the EEC (the EES sends an AC information notification message to the EAS, where the information elements may be included in the AC information notification message; furthermore, the EEC sends a first message to the EES, where the first message includes an AC ID and/or an EEC ID; the EES may provide expiration time to indicate to the EAS when registration automatically expires ; paragraph 0321-0322, 0289, 0558).
Regarding claim 20, Ge et al as modified discloses an apparatus (figs. 5-6: a context relocation method) of an edge enabler server (an edge configuration server, an edge enabler server, or an edge application server; paragraph 0024) for managing an application context relocation procedure (application context relocation procedure ; paragraph 0006), wherein, when the EES operates as the second entity, the EAS or the EEC operate as the first entity, and the EES sends an ACR management event notification with an ACT start event as the first notification message to the EAS and the ACR information notification as the first notification message to the EEC (the EES may send a notification message to the EEC; the EES may provide expiration time to indicate to the EAS when registration automatically expires; note that the EAS profile may also include proposed expiration time for registration ; paragraph 0747, 0280, 0293).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 13 is 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
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MARCEAU MILORD
Examiner
Art Unit 2641
/MARCEAU MILORD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2641