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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55 with the benefit of a prior-filed application with the priority of Chinese Patent Application No. 202210760237.4 filed on June 29, 2022.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on December 18, 2024, and November 10, 2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claims 17 and 19 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 17, “VSEEP” is cited in line 2 of the instant claim. It is suggested to replace “VSEEP” with “VSEPP” for clarification and consistency.
Regarding claim 19, “HSEEP” is cited in line of the instant claim. It is suggested to replace “HSEEP” with “HSEPP” for clarification and consistency.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
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.
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.
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 – 7, and 11 – 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Konstantin Livanos (US Patent Application Publication 2020/0036754), and further in view of Long Ma (US Patent Application Publication 2023/0269579). Hereinafter Livanos, and Ma.
Regarding claim 1, Livanos discloses a message routing method, applied to a visited public land mobile network security edge protection proxy (VSEPP), comprising:
receiving a service request message and a first routing parameter sent by a first network function (NF) (the NF service consumer sends a discovery request to the NRF in the serving (visiting) PLMN, i.e. vNRF, where the vNRF determines the hNRF for the hConsumer, and the vNRF forwards the discovery request to the vSEPP, paragraphs [0043], [0049]), wherein the first routing parameter carries a network repository function (NRF) discovery parameter and a user identifier (the NF service consumer sends a discovery request to the NRF in the serving (visiting) PLMN, i.e. vNRF, where the vNRF determines the hNRF for the hConsumer, and the vNRF forwards the discovery request to the vSEPP, where the discover request is Nnrf-NFDiscovery, paragraphs [0043], [0049]; the SUPI (Subscriber Permanent Identifier) is used as optional input parameter in the request, paragraph [0048]), and the first NF resides in a visited public land mobile network (VPLMN) (the NF service consumer sends a discovery request to the NRF in the serving (visiting) PLMN, i.e. vNRF, where the vNRF determines the hNRF for the hConsumer, and the vNRF forwards the discovery request to the vSEPP, paragraphs [0043], [0049]; the NF is in VPLMN); and
routing the service request message and the NRF discovery parameter to a home public land mobile network security edge protection proxy (HSEPP) according to the user identifier (the vSEPP forwards the discovery request to the hSEPP, where the NRF in the serving (visiting) PLMN identifies the NRF in home PLMN, i.e., hNRF, based on the home PLMN ID, and it requests “NF Discovery” service from NRF in home PLMN according the procedure shown in FIG. 5, to get the expected NF instance(s) or NF service instance(s) deployed in the home PLMN, paragraphs [0042] – [0044], [0049]), wherein the second NF resides in a home public land mobile network (HPLMN) (the vSEPP forwards the discovery request to the hSEPP, where the NRF in the serving (visiting) PLMN identifies the NRF in home PLMN, i.e., hNRF, based on the home PLMN ID, and it requests “NF Discovery” service from NRF in home PLMN according the procedure shown in FIG. 5, to get the expected NF instance(s) or NF service instance(s) deployed in the home PLMN, paragraphs [0042] – [0044], [0049]; the expected NF (i.e. second NF) is in HPLMN).
While Livanos teaches the hSEPP applies security policies to proxied communications and forwards the communications to the hProducer (paragraph [0054]), Livanos does not explicitly disclose “routing the service request message to HSEPP, so that the HSEPP routes the service request message to a second NF according to the NRF discovery parameter.”
Ma discloses the second SEPP device determines whether the roaming request message can be processed, where the second SEPP obtains second signaling message and sends the second signaling message to the second NF when the second SEPP device can process the roaming request message, so that the second NF performs the corresponding roaming service based on the second signaling message (paragraphs [0136], [0144]).
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Lavinos and Ma before him or her, to incorporate the SEPP roaming request processing determination as taught by Ma, to improve the SEPP of Lavinos for roaming request processing. The motivation for doing so would have been to improve utilization of the system resource, and to avoid a waste of the system resource (paragraph [0008] of Ma).
Regarding claim 2, Lavinos and Ma disclose the method according to claim 1, Lavinos discloses wherein after routing the service request message and the NRF discovery parameter to the home public land mobile network security edge protection proxy (HSEPP) according to the user identifier, the method further comprises:
receiving a response message from the second NF returned by the HSEPP, wherein the response message is a response message generated by the second NF after receiving the service request message and completing service processing (the hNRF selects a producer NF, and forwards a discovery response to the hSEPP, where the hSEPP forwards the discovery response to the vSEPP, and the vSEPP forwards the discovery response to the vNRF, where the vNRF stores the hSEPP id allocated by the hNRF for the NF producer, paragraphs [0044] – [0045]); and
sending the response message to the first NF (the vSEPP forwards the discovery response to the vNRF, where the vNRF stores the hSEPP id allocated by the hNRF for the NF producer, and the vNRF sends the identifier information of the NF producer and of the vSEPP to the hConsumer, paragraphs [0044] – [0045]).
Regarding claim 3, Lavinos and Ma disclose the method according to claim 1, but Lavinos does not explicitly disclose wherein the receiving the service request message and the first routing parameter sent by the first network function (NF) comprises:
receiving an HTTP2 Service Request message sent by the first NF, wherein the service request message comprises the HTTP2 Service Request message, and the HTTP2 Service Request message carries the first routing parameter.
Ma discloses the first SEPP device sends a roaming request message that includes a request header and request body, where the request header includes at least an HTTP/2 protocol version used to exchange messages between the first SEPP device and the second SEPP device, and the request body includes the roaming request message (paragraphs [0112] – [0114], [0132] – [0134]).
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Lavinos and Ma before him or her, to incorporate the roaming request message as taught by Ma, to improve the SEPP of Lavinos for roaming request processing. The motivation for doing so would have been to improve utilization of the system resource, and to avoid a waste of the system resource (paragraph [0008] of Ma).
Regarding claim 4, Lavinos and Ma disclose the method according to claim 3, Lavinos discloses wherein the HTTP2 Service Request message carries the following first routing parameters: subscription permanent identifier (SUPI) of visited UE, authorization identifier, and NRF discovery identifier, the authorization identifier is configured to indicate a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) or an IP address of the VSEPP that interacts with the HPLMN to which the subscription permanent identifier (SUPI) belongs, and the NRF discovery identifier is configured to indicate a discovery parameter required by the first NF to discover the second NF (the NF service consumer sends a discovery request (Nnrf_NFDiscovery_Request) to the NRF that authorizes Nnrf_NFDiscovery_Request, where the information includes: FQDN, IP address, or end point addresses (i.e. URLs) for the set of discovered NF instance(s) or NF service instance(s), the UDR instance(s) that matches the optional input SUPI when the target NF is a User Data repository (UDR), all applicable UDR instance(s) (e.g. based on the Data Set Id, NF type) if the SUPI is not provided in the request, and the information of the range of SUPI(s) and/or Data Set Id each instance is supporting if applicable, paragraph [0048]).
Regarding claim 5, Lavinos discloses a message routing method, applied to a home public land mobile network security edge protection proxy (HSEPP), comprising:
receiving a service request message and a second routing parameter routed by a visited public land mobile network security edge protection proxy (VSEPP) (the vSEPP forwards the discovery request to the hSEPP, where the NRF in the serving (visiting) PLMN identifies the NRF in home PLMN, i.e., hNRF, based on the home PLMN ID, and it requests “NF Discovery” service from NRF in home PLMN according the procedure shown in FIG. 5, to get the expected NF instance(s) or NF service instance(s) deployed in the home PLMN, paragraphs [0042] – [0044], [0049]);
routing the service request message (the hSEPP applies security policies to proxied communications and forwards the communications to the hProducer, paragraph [0054]), wherein the second NF resides in a home public land mobile network (HPLMN) (the vSEPP forwards the discovery request to the hSEPP, where the NRF in the serving (visiting) PLMN identifies the NRF in home PLMN, i.e., hNRF, based on the home PLMN ID, and it requests “NF Discovery” service from NRF in home PLMN according the procedure shown in FIG. 5, to get the expected NF instance(s) or NF service instance(s) deployed in the home PLMN, paragraphs [0042] – [0044], [0049]; the expected NF (i.e. second NF) is in HPLMN);
receiving a response message returned by the second NF based on the service request message (the hNRF selects a producer NF, and forwards a discovery response to the hSEPP, where the hSEPP forwards the discovery response to the vSEPP, and the vSEPP forwards the discovery response to the vNRF, where the vNRF stores the hSEPP id allocated by the hNRF for the NF producer, paragraphs [0044] – [0045]); and
sending the response message to the VSEPP (the hNRF selects a producer NF, and forwards a discovery response to the hSEPP, where the hSEPP forwards the discovery response to the vSEPP, and the vSEPP forwards the discovery response to the vNRF, where the vNRF stores the hSEPP id allocated by the hNRF for the NF producer, paragraphs [0044] – [0045]).
However, Livanos does not explicitly disclose “routing the service request message to a second network function (NF) according to the second routing parameter.”
Ma discloses the second SEPP device determines whether the roaming request message can be processed, where the second SEPP obtains second signaling message and sends the second signaling message to the second NF when the second SEPP device can process the roaming request message, so that the second NF performs the corresponding roaming service based on the second signaling message (paragraphs [0136], [0144]).
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Lavinos and Ma before him or her, to incorporate the SEPP roaming request processing determination as taught by Ma, to improve the SEPP of Lavinos for roaming request processing. The motivation for doing so would have been to improve utilization of the system resource, and to avoid a waste of the system resource (paragraph [0008] of Ma).
Regarding claim 6, Lavinos and Ma disclose the method according to claim 5, Lavinos discloses wherein the routing the service request message to the second network function (NF) according to the second routing parameter comprises:
creating a discovery request message by using the second routing parameter, wherein the second routing parameter carries the following parameters: a network repository function (NRF) discovery parameter, a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) or an IP address of the NRF in the HPLMN (the NF service consumer sends a discovery request (Nnrf_NFDiscovery_Request) to the NRF that authorizes Nnrf_NFDiscovery_Request, where the information includes: FQDN, IP address, or end point addresses (i.e. URLs) for the set of discovered NF instance(s) or NF service instance(s), the UDR instance(s) that matches the optional input SUPI when the target NF is a User Data repository (UDR), all applicable UDR instance(s) (e.g. based on the Data Set Id, NF type) if the SUPI is not provided in the request, and the information of the range of SUPI(s) and/or Data Set Id each instance is supporting if applicable, paragraph [0048]);
sending the request message to the NRF in the HPLMN (the vSEPP forwards the discovery request to the hSEPP, where the NRF in the serving (visiting) PLMN identifies the NRF in home PLMN, i.e., hNRF, based on the home PLMN ID, and it requests “NF Discovery” service from NRF in home PLMN according the procedure shown in FIG. 5, to get the expected NF instance(s) or NF service instance(s) deployed in the home PLMN, paragraphs [0042] – [0044], [0049]).
However, Livanos does not explicitly disclose “routing the service request message to the second NF according to a discovery result returned by the NRF.”
Ma discloses the second SEPP device determines whether the roaming request message can be processed, where the second SEPP obtains second signaling message and sends the second signaling message to the second NF when the second SEPP device can process the roaming request message, so that the second NF performs the corresponding roaming service based on the second signaling message (paragraphs [0136], [0144]).
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Lavinos and Ma before him or her, to incorporate the SEPP roaming request processing determination as taught by Ma, to improve the SEPP of Lavinos for roaming request processing. The motivation for doing so would have been to improve utilization of the system resource, and to avoid a waste of the system resource (paragraph [0008] of Ma).
Regarding claim 7, Lavinos and Ma disclose the method according to claim 6, Lavinos discloses wherein the routing the service request message to the second NF according to the discovery result returned by the NRF comprises:
receiving several second NF identifiers returned by the NRF based on the request message (the hNRF selects a producer NF, and forwards a discovery response to the hSEPP, where the hSEPP forwards the discovery response to the vSEPP, and the vSEPP forwards the discovery response to the vNRF, where the vNRF stores the hSEPP id allocated by the hNRF for the NF producer, paragraphs [0044] – [0045]); and
selecting a target second NF from the several second NF identifiers, and sending the service request message to the target second NF (the hNRF selects a producer NF, and forwards a discovery response to the hSEPP, where the hSEPP forwards the discovery response to the vSEPP, and the vSEPP forwards the discovery response to the vNRF, where the vNRF stores the hSEPP id allocated by the hNRF for the NF producer, paragraphs [0044] – [0045]).
Regarding claim 11, Lavinos and Ma disclose a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program is configured to perform the method according to claim 1 when executed (Lavinos: the apparatus includes computer processor(s), memory, and persistent storage, where one or more programs are stored in persistent storage for execution by one or more of the respective computer processors via one or more memories of memory, paragraphs [0070] – [0073]; see rejection of claim 1).
Regarding claim 12, Lavinos and Ma discloses an electronic device (computing or networking entity/device/apparatus), comprising:
a memory (the apparatus includes memory, paragraph [0070]); and
a processor (the apparatus includes computer processor(s), paragraph [0070]),
wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor is configured to run the computer program to perform the method according to claim 1 (the apparatus includes computer processor(s), memory, and persistent storage, where one or more programs are stored in persistent storage for execution by one or more of the respective computer processors via one or more memories of memory, paragraphs [0070] – [0073]; see rejection of claim 1).
Regarding claim 13, Lavinos and Ma disclose the method according to claim 1, Lavinos discloses wherein the user identifier is a subscription permanent identifier (SUPI) (the NF service consumer sends a discovery request to the NRF in the serving (visiting) PLMN, i.e. vNRF, where the vNRF determines the hNRF for the hConsumer, and the vNRF forwards the discovery request to the vSEPP, where the discover request is Nnrf-NFDiscovery, paragraphs [0043], [0049]; the SUPI (Subscriber Permanent Identifier) is used as optional input parameter in the request, paragraph [0048]).
Regarding claim 14, Lavinos and Ma disclose the method according to claim 13, Lavinos discloses wherein the first NF is connected to a user equipment (UE), and when the UE initiates a service request to the first NF, the UE carries its own SUPI (the NF service consumer sends a discovery request to the NRF in the serving (visiting) PLMN, i.e. vNRF, where the vNRF determines the hNRF for the hConsumer, and the vNRF forwards the discovery request to the vSEPP, where the discover request is Nnrf-NFDiscovery, paragraphs [0043], [0049]; the SUPI (Subscriber Permanent Identifier) is used as optional input parameter in the request, paragraph [0048]).
Regarding claim 15, Lavinos and Ma disclose the method according to claim 13, Lavinos discloses wherein the first NF interacts with the second NF, and the first NF determines that a user belongs to the HPLMN based on the SUPI (the NF service consumer sends a discovery request to the NRF in the serving (visiting) PLMN, i.e. vNRF, where the vNRF determines the hNRF for the hConsumer, and the vNRF forwards the discovery request to the vSEPP, where the discover request is Nnrf-NFDiscovery, paragraphs [0043], [0049]; the SUPI (Subscriber Permanent Identifier) is used as optional input parameter in the request, paragraph [0048]).
Regarding claim 16, Lavinos and Ma disclose the method according to claim 1, Lavinos discloses wherein the VPLMN comprises Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), Access Network (AN), Radio Access Network (RAN), User Plane Function (UPF), Network Slice Selection Function (NSSF), Network Exposure Function (NEF), NF Repository Function (NRF), Policy Control Function (PCF), VSEPP, and other network elements (the vPLMN includes AMF, vPCF, vNRF, SMF, paragraphs [0018] – [0022]; the SEPP Registration with the NRF includes NRF service Consumer such as AMF, SMF, UDM, AUSF, NEF, PCF, SMSF, NSSF, UPF, BSF, SEPP, Table 1 and 2, paragraphs [0055] – [0056]).
Regarding claim 17, Lavinos and Ma disclose the method according to claim 16, Lavinos discloses wherein the first NF is a network element other than VSEEP in VPLMN that initiates service requests (the AMF in the vPLMN needs to discover the UDM in the hPLMN, paragraph [0042]).
Regarding claim 18, Lavinos and Ma disclose the method according to claim 1, Lavinos discloses wherein the HPLMN comprises UDM, NRF, NEF, NSSF, HSEPP, SMF, Authentication Server Function (AUSF), PCF, Application Function (AF), Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization Function (NSSAAF), UPF, Data network (DN), and other network elements (the hPLMN includes AUSF, UDM, hPCF, hNRF, paragraphs [0023] – [0027]; the SEPP Registration with the NRF includes NRF service Consumer such as AMF, SMF, UDM, AUSF, NEF, PCF, SMSF, NSSF, UPF, BSF, SEPP, Table 1 and 2, paragraphs [0055] – [0056]).
Regarding claim 19, Lavinos and Ma disclose the method according to claim 18, Lavinos discloses wherein the second NF is a network element other than HSEEP in HPLMN that processes service requests (the AMF in the vPLMN needs to discover the UDM in the hPLMN, paragraph [0042]).
Regarding claim 20, Lavinos and Ma disclose the e method according to claim 1, but Lavinos does not explicitly disclose wherein the first NF is configured to directly send an HTTP2 Service Request message to the VPLMN SEPP in the VPLMN network for inter-PLMN message routing, carrying an NRF Discovery parameter.
Ma discloses the first SEPP device sends a roaming request message that includes a request header and request body, where the request header includes at least an HTTP/2 protocol version used to exchange messages between the first SEPP device and the second SEPP device, and the request body includes the roaming request message (paragraphs [0112] – [0114], [0132] – [0134]).
Before the effective filing date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Lavinos and Ma before him or her, to incorporate the roaming request message as taught by Ma, to improve the SEPP of Lavinos for roaming request processing. The motivation for doing so would have been to improve utilization of the system resource, and to avoid a waste of the system resource (paragraph [0008] of Ma).
Regarding claim 21, Lavinos and Ma disclose the method according to claim 5, Lavinos discloses wherein the second routing parameter comprises FQDN or IP address of the HSEPP (the NF service consumer sends a discovery request (Nnrf_NFDiscovery_Request) to the NRF that authorizes Nnrf_NFDiscovery_Request, where the information includes: FQDN, IP address, or end point addresses (i.e. URLs) for the set of discovered NF instance(s) or NF service instance(s), the UDR instance(s) that matches the optional input SUPI when the target NF is a User Data repository (UDR), all applicable UDR instance(s) (e.g. based on the Data Set Id, NF type) if the SUPI is not provided in the request, and the information of the range of SUPI(s) and/or Data Set Id each instance is supporting if applicable, paragraph [0048]).
Regarding claim 22, Lavinos and Ma disclose a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, wherein the computer program is configured to perform the method according to claim 5 when executed (Lavinos: the apparatus includes computer processor(s), memory, and persistent storage, where one or more programs are stored in persistent storage for execution by one or more of the respective computer processors via one or more memories of memory, paragraphs [0070] – [0073]; see rejection of claim 5).
Regarding claim 23, Lavinos and Ma disclose an electronic device, comprising:
a memory (Lavinos: the apparatus includes memory, paragraph [0070]); and
a processor (Lavinos: the apparatus includes computer processor(s), paragraph [0070]),
wherein the memory stores a computer program, and the processor is configured to run the computer program to perform the method according to claim 5 (Lavinos: the apparatus includes computer processor(s), memory, and persistent storage, where one or more programs are stored in persistent storage for execution by one or more of the respective computer processors via one or more memories of memory, paragraphs [0070] – [0073]; see rejection of claim 5).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Cheng WANG (US Patent Application Publication 2022/0060548) – the first network function receives a request for proxy discovery from a second network function, determines at least one proxy for the second network function based on the request for proxy discovery and one or more proxy profiles available at the first network function, and sends first information about the at least one proxy to the second network function
BARTOLOME RODRIGO et al (US Patent Application Publication 2022/0200847) – the redirect server receives configuration signaling indicating that a location of a resource or service in the SBA (service-based architecture) domain has changed from an old location to a new location, receives a request that targets the old location of the resource or service in the SBA domain from a requestor in the SBA domain, and transmits a response that redirects the requestor to the new location of the resource or service in the SBA domain responsive to the request from the redirect server to the requestor
Guoqiang SHAO (US Patent Application Publication 2022/0225075) – the visited core network device adds an identifier of a home core network device and an identifier of a visited SEPP into the roaming signaling message after receiving a roaming signaling message, and then sends a roaming signaling message including the identifier of the home core network device and the identifier of the visited SEPP to the visited SEPP, so that the visited SEPP can forward the roaming signaling message to a home network based on the identifier of the home core network device
BARTOLOME RODRIGO et al (US Patent Application Publication 2022/0393971) – the network node having at least one service communication proxy (SCP) deployed between a first network node and a second network node receives a request for routing information to signal a message from the first network node to the second network node, provides a response to a network node that sent the request wherein the response identifies at least a portion of a routing path for the message based on a routing path configuration responsive to the request from the first network node
KELLER et al (US Patent Application Publication 2024/0080651) – the Home Network Repository Function (H-NRF) in an HPLMN of a telecommunications network obtains information about a Home Control Network Function (NF) and a Roaming Control NF, where a Visited NF in a Visited Public Land Mobile Network (VPLMN) sends a discovery request to the H-NRF in the HPLMN, and the H-NRF receives the discovery request from the Visited NF in the VPLMN, determines RVAS is applicable for the discovery request and the VPLMN, selects the Roaming Control NF and the Home Control NF for the discovery request, and transmits, a response to the discovery request to the Visited NF that includes an address of the selected Roaming Control NF instead of an address of the selected Home Control NF
NILSSON et al (US Patent Application Publication 2024/0187972) – the first Network Repository Function (NRF) receives a discovery request from a NF service consumer for one or more NF profiles of one or more NF instances deployed in a separate entity, the discovery request comprising a realm or domain name of an associated User Equipment (UE), and identifies a second NRF in a separate entity based on the realm or domain name of the associated UE and sending a discovery request to the second NRF for the one or more NF profiles of the one or more NF instances deployed in the separate entity
ISHIKAWA et al (US Patent Application Publication 2024/0340978) – the reception section receives a first control signal including information indicating an application of connection requested by the service-user-side network node, where the control section determines whether the connection for the application is permitted, and the transmission section transmits a second control signal including information indicating a result of the determination to the service-user-side network node
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KAI J CHANG whose telephone number is (571)270-5448. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 10AM-6PM EST.
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, Marcus Smith can be reached at (571)270-1096. 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.
/Kai Chang/Examiner, Art Unit 2468
/Thomas R Cairns/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2468
Prosecution Insights