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 § 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)(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) 19-23, 27-30, 34-35, and 38 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zhu et al., CN 110381548 (hereinafter Zhu).
Regarding independent claims 19 and 34, Zhu discloses a network function (NF) for wireless communication, comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory [reproduced from translation: “the UE comprises a processor, a memory and a transceiver, a memory for storing program code, a processor for executing the program code, a transceiver for communicating with the other communication device”]; and operable to cause the NF to: generate a policy that specifies one or more conditions under which a user equipment (UE) is to be registered with a network slice[“policy framework PCF network mainly provides uniform to control the network behavior, and provide the policy rules to the control layer network function, and is responsible for obtaining user subscription information associated with the policy decision”; “the communication method may include the following steps. 501, UE network element sends a registration request message to the AMF.
wherein the step 501 and step 301 are the same, detailed description referring to step 301, which will not be repeated here. 502, the AMF network element sends the policy request to the PCF message.
In this embodiment, AMF network after receiving the registration request message from the UE, to the PCF element sends the policy request message, the policy obtaining request message carries the identifier of the UE. 503, the PCF network to UDM network element sends a subscription data request message.”]; and transmit an indication of the policy [“In the embodiment, the PCF network element receives the policy request message from the AMF network element after the PCF element can firstly judging whether the PCF network sends the policy information to the UE, when the PCF network element sends the policy information to the UE”].
Regarding independent claims 35 and 38, Zhu discloses a user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory [“the UE comprises a processor, a memory and a transceiver, a memory for storing program code, a processor for executing the program code, a transceiver for communicating with the other communication device.“] and operable to cause the UE to: receive an indication of a policy that specifies one or more conditions under which the UE is to be registered with a network slice and perform one or more of slice registration or slice deregistration based at least in part on the policy [“policy framework PCF network mainly provides uniform to control the network behavior, and provide the policy rules to the control layer network function, and is responsible for obtaining user subscription information associated with the policy decision”; “the communication method may include the following steps. 501, UE network element sends a registration request message to the AMF. wherein the step 501 and step 301 are the same, detailed description referring to step 301, which will not be repeated here. 502, the AMF network element sends the policy request to the PCF message. In this embodiment, AMF network after receiving the registration request message from the UE, to the PCF element sends the policy request message, the policy obtaining request message carries the identifier of the UE. 503, the PCF network to UDM network element sends a subscription data request message.”].
Regarding claim 20, Zhu discloses wherein the NF comprises one or more of an access and mobility management function (AMF) or a network slice selection function (NSSF) [“the AMF element comprises means for performing any possible of the first aspect or the first aspect of implementation unit of the communication method is provided.”].
Regarding claim 21, Zhu discloses wherein the policy is generated based at least in part on a request from the UE for registration with a network which comprises network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) [“For example, when the NSSAI UE is allowed access is determined AMF, the AMF element can according to the identifier of the UE from the UDM network element subscription data for obtaining UE, subscription data of the UE may include subscription slice types allows the UE to access; after the NSSAI and subscription request of UE is allowed access of the determined slice type NSSAI the UE is allowed access, for example, the NSSAI and subscription request allows intersection of the slice type of access of the UE is determined to be NSSAI the UE is allowed access.
when the UE is allowed NSSAI access is a NSSF network element is determined, the AMF element can be the NSSAI of subscription data and the request of UE to the NSSF network, the NSSF network allows the slice types of access of determining the NSSAI UE is allowed access of the UE according to NSSAI and subscription request after sending NSSAI to AMF element allowing the UE to access.
“].
Regarding claim 22, Zhu discloses wherein the policy comprises a condition that the UE registers with a network slice when an application of the UE is to send or receive data over the network slice [“the policy information can be: when AMF element registered by the UE to the MME that existing communication interface, NSSAI and allows the UE to access comprises a S-NSSAI of the first network slice, UE network element registered to the AMF sends the session establishing request message, UE sending session establishing request message to the AMF element can be sending the session establishing request message to the AMF element according to the policy information. UE registration after SMF element can initiate a session establishment request message to the AMF element according to policy information sent by the AMF network to AMF corresponding network element can be the UE selection session; so as to trigger the SMF network establishes a session for the UE, therefore, the MME in the 4G network can through the AMF obtained UE network element in the 5G network session context information SMF generated by network element, so that the UE can realize switching from the 5G network to the 4G network through the TAU procedure.”].
Regarding claim 23, Zhu discloses wherein the policy comprises an indication that an application of the UE is to send or receive data over a protocol data unit (PDU) via the network slice [“the policy information can be: when AMF element registered by the UE to the MME that existing communication interface, NSSAI and allows the UE to access comprises a S-NSSAI of the first network slice, UE network element registered to the AMF sends the session establishing request message, UE sending session establishing request message to the AMF element can be sending the session establishing request message to the AMF element according to the policy information. UE registration after SMF element can initiate a session establishment request message to the AMF element according to policy information sent by the AMF network to AMF corresponding network element can be the UE selection session; so as to trigger the SMF network establishes a session for the UE, therefore, the MME in the 4G network can through the AMF obtained UE network element in the 5G network session context information SMF generated by network element, so that the UE can realize switching from the 5G network to the 4G network through the TAU procedure.” Further wherein it is inherent in the art to utilize a PDU].
Regarding claim 27, Zhu discloses wherein the network slice is associated with one or more default services for which network slice registration is to be requested [“the AMF network element of the first network receives the register request message from the UE, obtain allowing the UE to access the network slice auxiliary information (Network Slicing Selection AssistanceInformation, NSSAI), and when the first condition is satisfied, indicating the UE to initiate a session establishment request message, the session establishing request message can establish the session with the first network slice. wherein, the first condition may include the at least one MME AMF network element and the second network communication interface; the at least one MME in the MME not supporting the first function, the first function is: UE executes attachment process is not established public data network (Public Data Network (PDN) connection, and NSSAI allows the UE to access the single network for network slice comprises the first slice auxiliary information (Single Network Slice SelectionAssistance Information, S-NSSAI).”].
Regarding claim 28, Zhu discloses wherein the NF is configured with a set of network slices for which the policy applies [“The configuration information can be as follows: when AMF network and the MME registered by the UE communication interface, and NSSAI allows the UE to access comprises a S-NSSAI of the first network slice, the UE sending session establishing request message to the network element registered to the AMF. wherein the first network slice may include eMBB slices, and may also include an mMTC slice, further comprising uRLLC slices, and may further comprise eMBB slice, mMTC slice and a uRLLC slice of at least two kinds.”].
Regarding claim 29, Zhu discloses wherein the policy is based at least in part on a UE subscription to the network slice [“NSSF network responsible for NSSAI UE according to request and the subscription data of the UE to determine NSSAI the UE is allowed access, responsible for determining a network slice instance, selecting a target AMF element.”].
Regarding claim 30, Zhu discloses wherein the at least one processor is operable to cause the NF to: transmit a request for UE subscription data [“after the NSSAI and subscription request of UE is allowed access of the determined slice type NSSAI the UE is allowed access, for example, the NSSAI and subscription request allows intersection of the slice type of access of the UE is determined to be NSSAI the UE is allowed access”]; and receive the UE subscription data, wherein the UE subscription data comprises an indication of a set of network slices for which the policy applies [“NSSF network responsible for NSSAI UE according to request and the subscription data of the UE to determine NSSAI the UE is allowed access, responsible for determining a network slice instance, selecting a target AMF element.”].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 24-26, 31-33, and 36-37 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.
Li, US Patent Application Publication Number 2021/0084582, discloses a method and apparatus for allocating resource to network slice.
Talebi Fard et al., US Patent Number 12,550,206, disclose a user plane function selection for isolated network slice.
Wang et al., CN 113038477, disclose a slice routing rule tamper-proof method, terminal, network element and medium.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIKA WASHINGTON whose telephone number is (571)272-7841. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday.
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, Kathy Wang-Hurst can be reached at 571-270-5371. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/EAW/
September 22, 2026
/ERIKA A WASHINGTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2644
Prosecution Insights