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 § 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.
Claim(s) 12-14, 16, 18, 19, 23, 51 and 52 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wang et al. (US 2026/0095815 A1 with effective filing date 03/07/2023 of provisional 63/319016).
Wang teaches the extended reality (paragraph 0025) service request with the QoS generated by the policy control function (Figure 6).
With respect to the claims, references to the prior art appear in parenthesis.
Claims
12. (Original) A method for processing an extended reality multimedia service (XRM) (Wang, US 2026/0095815 A1, paragraphs 0025 and 0028), wherein the method is performed by an application function (AF) (AR Apps 655 in Figure 6) , the method comprising:
sending a request message to a network exposure function (NEF), wherein the request message carries XRM service information (Figure 6, step S606 AR session EST Req sent to ARSCF 654 (i.e. a network exposure function NEF)) .
13. (Original) The method according to claim 12, wherein the XRM service information comprises at least one of: an XRM service identification; an XRM service group identification; or a specific parameter of the XRM service provided by the AF to a terminal associated with the XRM service (AR session EST request may include service that is authorized, UE/app correlation ID, final negotiated service type, final negotiated QoS, final negotiated service modes, an identifier of an application server instance, user plane capability requested, etc. in paragraph 0114) .
14. (Currently amended) The method according to claim 13, wherein the XRM service group identification is configured to identify each terminal associated with the XRM service; or the specific parameter comprises at least one of: service description, a service parameter, a terminal identification, a terminal group identification, or a subscription to event (AR session EST request may include service that is authorized, UE/app correlation ID, final negotiated service type, final negotiated QoS, final negotiated service modes, an identifier of an application server instance, user plane capability requested, etc. in paragraph 0114) .
16. (Currently amended) The method according to claim 12, further comprising one of:
sending a first request to the NEF, wherein the first request comprises an XRM service event trigger; and receiving information corresponding to the XRM service event trigger reported by the NEF (Wang teaches network element policy/session management (P/S Management 653 in Figure 6) step S604 AR service request to the ARSCF 654 (i.e. network exposure function) which is an AR service event trigger which results in step S607 AR session EST request reported by the ARSCF 654): sending a second request to a unified data repository (UDR), wherein the second request comprises an XRM service event trigger: and receiving information corresponding to the XRM service event trigger reported by the UDR.
18. (Currently amended) A method for processing an extended reality multimedia service (XRM) (Wang, US 2026/0095815 A1, paragraphs 0025 and 0028), wherein the method is performed by a policy control function (PCF) device (Policy/session management function (P/S Management 653 in Figure 6)), the method comprising:
receiving XRM service information associated with a terminal (Step S603 AR service request in Figure 6);
generating at least one of a quality of service (Qos) rule or a terminal access and routing policy according to the XRM service information (Steps S608-1 and S608-2 with AR session EST Req with QoS and final Qos) ; and
sending the at least one of the Qos rule or the terminal access and routing policy to the terminal (Step S608-2 AR session EST Req with final Qos that is sent to UE 651) .
19. (Currently amended) The method according to claim 18, further comprising one of: sending a first request to a network exposure function (NEF), wherein the first request comprises an XRM service event trigger; and receiving information corresponding to the XRM service event trigger reported by the NEF (Step S604 AR service request to the ARSCF 654 (i.e. network exposure function) which is an AR service event trigger which results in step S607 AR session EST request reported by the ARSCF 654) : or sending a second request to a unified data repository (UDR), wherein the second request comprises an XRM service event trigger; and receiving information corresponding to the XRM service event trigger reported by the UDR.
23. (Original) The method according to claim 18, further comprising: in response to an application function (AF) requesting an execution result notification of an XRM service-related policy, sending an execution result to the AF via an NEF (Execution result notification is steps S610 AR session Established and S611 AR session Established sent to AR Apps 655 (i.e. application function AF) .
51. (New) A communication device, comprising: a processor; and a memory, the memory having stored therein a computer program, wherein the processor is configured to perform the method according to claim 12 (Wang’s Computing System 314 in Figure 3) .
52. (New) A communication device, comprising: a processor; and a memory, the memory having stored therein a computer program, wherein the processor is configured to perform the method according to claim 18 (Wang’s Computing System 314 in Figure 3) .
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 7-9, 11, 21, 22 and 49 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (US 2026/0095815 A1 with effective filing date 03/07/2023 of provisional 63/319016) in view of Xiong (US 2023/0083175 A1 with effective filing date 02/10/2021 of foreign priority document CN 202110184915.2) .
Wang teaches a communication flow for establishing an extended reality service (paragraph 0025 and Figures 5-9). Wang does not teach using a unified data repository for data management. However, in the same field of mobile application services, Xiong teaches the use of a unified data repository for data management (Figure 6 and paragraphs 0006-0007). Therefore, it 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 to provide the unified data repository of Xiong for the data management (P/S Management 653 in Figure 6) in Wang for the reason that a skilled artisan would have been motivated to adopt known techniques for the predictable result of providing a unified data repository for data management.
With respect to the claims, references to the prior art appear in parenthesis.
Claims
1. (Currently amended) A method for processing an extended reality multimedia (XRM) service (Wang, US 2026/0095815 A1, paragraphs 0025 and 0028), wherein the method is performed by a network exposure function (NEF) (Wang’s ARSCF 654 in Figure 6 is the network exposure function), the method comprising:
receiving a request message sent by an application function (AF), wherein the request message carries XRM service information (Wang’s step S606 AR session EST Req in Figure 6 that is received by the ARSCF 654) ; and
updating information of an XRM service in a unified data repository (UDR) according to the XRM service information carried in the request message, and subscription information corresponding to the XRM service information (Wang teaches providing the AR service to the P/S Management 653 in Figure 6, where the service Information includes subscription Information in paragraphs 0109-0110. Xiong teaches a data repository for storing and updating mobile application subscription in paragraphs 0091-0093 and Figure 13. It 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 to provide a unified data repository taught by Xiong for the reason that a skilled artisan would have been motivated to adopt known techniques for the predictable result of storing mobile application subscription Information ) .
2. (Original) The method according to claim 1, wherein the XRM service information comprises at least one of: an XRM service identification; an XRM service group identification; or a specific parameter of the XRM service provided by the AF to a terminal associated with the XRM service (Wang teaches the AR session EST request may include service that is authorized, UE/app correlation ID, final negotiated service type, final negotiated QoS, final negotiated service modes, an identifier of an application server instance, user plane capability requested, etc. in paragraph 0114).
3. (Currently amended) The method according to claim 2, wherein the XRM service group identification is configured to identify each terminal associated with the XRM service, or wherein the specific parameter comprises at least one of: service description, a service parameter, a terminal identification, a terminal group identification, or a subscription to event (Wang teaches the AR session EST request may include service that is authorized, UE/app correlation ID, final negotiated service type, final negotiated QoS, final negotiated service modes, an identifier of an application server instance, user plane capability requested, etc. in paragraph 0114).
7. (Original) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: determining a characteristic parameter corresponding to the XRM service (Wang teaches the AR session EST request may include service that is authorized, UE/app correlation ID, final negotiated service type, final negotiated QoS, final negotiated service modes, an identifier of an application server instance, user plane capability requested, etc. in paragraph 0114).
8. (Currently amended) The method according to claim 7, further comprising at least one of: storing the characteristic parameter corresponding to the XRM service to the UDR; or, sending the characteristic parameter corresponding to the XRM service to a policy control function (PCF) (Wang teaches the AR session EST request may include service that is authorized, UE/app correlation ID, final negotiated service type, final negotiated QoS, final negotiated service modes, an identifier of an application server instance, user plane capability requested, etc. in paragraph 0114 which is sent to the Policy/Session Management 653 in step S607 in Figure 6) .
9. (Currently amended) The method according to claim 8, wherein the XRM service is associated with a plurality of terminals, the method further comprising: sending the characteristic parameter to the PCF corresponding to each of the plurality of terminals; wherein subscription data of the plurality of terminals is associated via at least one of: an XRM service identification or an XRM service group identification (Wang teaches the UE can be associated with a group of users in paragraph 0064) .
11. (Currently amended) The method according to claim 1, further comprising: receiving a first request sent by a network element device, wherein the first request comprises an XRM service event trigger; and in response to the XRM service event trigger being triggered, reporting information corresponding to the XRM service event trigger to the network element device, wherein the network element device comprises at least one of: the AF, a PCF, a session management function (SMF), or an access and mobility management function (AMF) (Wang teaches network element policy/session management (P/S Management 653 in Figure 6) step S604 AR service request to the ARSCF 654 (i.e. network exposure function) which is an AR service event trigger which results in step S607 AR session EST request reported by the ARSCF 654).
21. (Currently amended) The method according to claim 18, wherein receiving the XRM service information associated with the terminal comprises: receiving a change notification of subscription information of the terminal sent by a unified data repository (UDR), wherein the change notification carries the XRM service information (Xiong teaches data management (DM) notification by the UDR of updated subscription Information (paragraph 0006-0008) that is sent to policy control function (Figure 6) , where it 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 to provide a unified data repository taught by Xiong for the reason that a skilled artisan would have been motivated to adopt known techniques for the predictable result of storing mobile application subscription Information).
22. (Original) The method according to claim 21, further comprising: in response to a change of the subscription information corresponding to the terminal, storing a changed parameter to the UDR (Xiong teaches updating data management (DM) Information (paragraph 0006-0008) that is stored in the UDR (Figure 6) , where it 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 to provide a unified data repository taught by Xiong for the reason that a skilled artisan would have been motivated to adopt known techniques for the predictable result of storing mobile application subscription Information).
49. (Currently amended) A communication device, comprising; a processor; and a memory, the memory having stored therein a computer program, wherein the processor is configured to perform the method according to claim 1 (Wang’s Computing System 314 in Figure 3) .
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (US 2026/0095815 A1 with effective filing date 03/07/2023 of provisional 63/319016) in view of Xiong (US 2023/0083175 A1 with effective filing date 02/10/2021 of foreign priority document CN 202110184915.2) as applied to claim 3 above, and further in view of Wang (US 2024/0089209 A1).
Wang’815 and Xiong do not teach mapping of data network name and network slice selection assistance Information. In the same field of mobile application services, Wang’209 teaches mapping of data network name and network slice selection assistance Information (QoS Flow Mapping in paragraph 0046 where the configuration is based on the network slice selection assistance Information and data network name for extended reality service in paragraphs 0079-0081). Therefore, it 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 to improve Wang’815 extended reality system by adopting the mapping of data flows based on network slice assistance Information and data network name taught by Wang’209 for the reason that a skilled artisan would have been motivated to adopt known techniques for the predictable result of providing extended reality services.
With respect to the claims, references to the prior art appear in parenthesis.
Claims
5. (Currently amended) The method according to claim 3, further comprising:
determining core network mapping information corresponding to the XRM service information; wherein determining the core network mapping information corresponding to the XRM service information comprises at least one of:
determining a data network name (DNN) and network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) corresponding to the XRM service identification (Wang’209 teaches mapping of data network name and network slice selection assistance Information (QoS Flow Mapping in paragraph 0046 where the configuration is based on the network slice selection assistance Information and data network name for extended reality service in paragraphs 0079-0081). Therefore, it 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 to improve Wang’815 extended reality system by adopting the mapping of data flows based on network slice assistance Information and data network name taught by Wang’209 for the reason that a skilled artisan would have been motivated to adopt known techniques for the predictable result of providing extended reality services ); determining a core network (CN) application identification corresponding to an external application identification, wherein the external application identification is configured to identify the XRM service; determining a terminal identification in a CN corresponding to the terminal identification according to subscription information corresponding to the XRM service; or determining an XRM service group identification in a CN corresponding to the XRM service group identification according to subscription information corresponding to the XRM service.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MELVIN C MARCELO whose telephone number is (571)272-3125. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30-6:00.
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MELVIN C. MARCELO
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2463
/MELVIN C MARCELO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2463 August 30, 2026