Detailed Action
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1-15 are pending in the application.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on applications filed in the Republic of Korea “KR” on September 27, 2023 and August 14, 2024. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the “10-2023-0130793” and “10-2024-0109152” applications as required by 37 CFR 1.55. The Office was not able to retrieve the documents under the priority document exchange program. See Office communication dated February 27, 2025.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on March 12, 2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97, and accordingly, the IDS has been considered by the examiner.
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, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao US Patent Publication No. 2025/0310429 (“Liao”) in view of Li et al. US Patent Publication No. 2025/0047609 (“Li”).
Regarding claim 1, Liao teaches a method performed by a policy control function (PCF) entity in a communication system, the method comprising:
receiving, from an application function (AF) entity, an AF session with a required quality of service (QoS), the AF session with the required QoS including QoS requirements for media flows (para. [0067] PDU Set QoS requirements to some traffic flows. AF request is an AFsessionWithQoS_Create message which includes PDU QOS requirements and a PDU Set handling indication. para. [0068] flow description(s) or external Application Identifier, PDU Set Handling Indication, PDU Set QoS requirements);
determining at least one primary component carrier (PCC) rule for the media flows (para. [0067] PCF generates PCC rules for PDU Set handling, and PDU Set QoS policy to SMF); and
transmitting, to a session management function (SMF) entity, the at least one PCC rule (para. [0067] PCF generates PCC rules for PDU Set handling, and PDU Set QoS policy to SMF. para. [0070] PCF issues a Npcf_SMPolicyControl_UpdateNotify request with updated policy information about the PDU Session. para. [0071] notifies SMF 366 via Npcf_SMPolicyControl_UpdateNotify message including PCC rules. PCC rules contain PFD(s), PDU Set QoS policy).
Liao does not expressly teach receiving an additional packet filter.
Liao discloses determining at least one PCC rule but not based on the additional packet filter.
Li discloses receiving, from an AF entity, an additional packet filter; based on the additional packet filter, determining at least one PCC rule; and transmitting, to a SMF entity, the at least one PCC rule (para. [0060] AF request may have… traffic filtering information. para. [0246] notification sent from the AF 202 to the PCF 206 may include a packet filter describing the traffic related to the target AS. PCF 206 may provide the packet filter to the SMF 204 by including the packet filter in a PCC rule that is generated… based on the AF notification, and the PCF 206 may then send the PCC rule including the packet filter to the SMF 204. para. [0246] SMF 204 may then provide the packet filter to a UPF 240 such as the PSA UPF of the corresponding PDU Session). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Liao with Li’s disclosure of receiving, from an AF entity, an additional packet filter and determining a PCC rule based on the additional packet filter. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so in order to have provided the capability to further manage application traffic and configured the UPF to control routing of traffic according to requested filtering (para. [0213]).
Regarding claim 9, Liao teaches a policy control function (PCF) entity in a communication system, the PCF entity comprising:
a transceiver; and a controller coupled with the transceiver, the controller configured to:
receive, from an application function (AF) entity, an AF session with a required quality of service (QoS), the AF session with the required QoS including QoS requirements for media flows (para. [0067] PDU Set QoS requirements to some traffic flows. AF request is an AFsessionWithQoS_Create message which includes PDU QOS requirements and a PDU Set handling indication. para. [0068] flow description(s) or external Application Identifier, PDU Set Handling Indication, PDU Set QoS requirements),
determine at least one primary component carrier (PCC) rule for the media flows (para. [0067] PCF generates PCC rules for PDU Set handling, and PDU Set QoS policy to SMF); and
transmit, to a session management function (SMF) entity, the at least one PCC rule (para. [0067] PCF generates PCC rules for PDU Set handling, and PDU Set QoS policy to SMF. para. [0070] PCF issues a Npcf_SMPolicyControl_UpdateNotify request with updated policy information about the PDU Session. para. [0071] notifies SMF 366 via Npcf_SMPolicyControl_UpdateNotify message including PCC rules. PCC rules contain PFD(s), PDU Set QoS policy).
Liao does not expressly teach receiving an additional packet filter.
Liao discloses determining at least one PCC rule but not based on the additional packet filter.
Li discloses receiving, from an application function (AF) entity, an additional packet filter; based on the additional packet filter, determining at least one primary component carrier (PCC) rule the media flows; and transmitting, to a session management function (SMF) entity, the at least one PCC rule (para. [0246] notification sent from the AF 202 to the PCF 206 may include a packet filter describing the traffic related to the target AS. PCF 206 may provide the packet filter to the SMF 204 by including the packet filter in a PCC rule that is generated… based on the AF notification, and the PCF 206 may then send the PCC rule including the packet filter to the SMF 204. para. [0246] SMF 204 may then provide the packet filter to a UPF 240 such as the PSA UPF of the corresponding PDU Session). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Liao with Li’s disclosure of receiving, from an AF entity, an additional packet filter and determining a PCC rule based on the additional packet filter. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so in order to have provided the capability to further manage application traffic and configured the UPF to control routing of traffic according to requested filtering (para. [0213]).
Regarding claim 5, Liao teaches a method performed by a session management function (SMF) entity in a communication system, the method comprising:
receiving, from a policy control function (PCF) entity, at least one primary component carrier (PCC) rule for media flows (para. [0067] PDU Set QoS requirements to some traffic flows. PCF generates PCC rules for PDU Set handling, and PDU Set QoS policy to SMF. para. [0070] PCF issues a Npcf_SMPolicyControl_UpdateNotify request with updated policy information about the PDU Session. para. [0071] notifies SMF 366 via Npcf_SMPolicyControl_UpdateNotify message including PCC rules. PCC rules contain PFD(s), PDU Set QoS policy); and
transmitting, to a user plane function (UPF) entity, quality of service (QoS) flows via an N4 message (para. [0029] traffic treatment rules (e.g. PDU Set QoS Enforcement Rule). para. [0061] N4 procedure used by the SMF 366 to provision… PFD(s) with PDU Set handling information. para. [0065] any PDU Set QOS Flow can be characterized by: (i) one or more UL and DL PDR(s) with PSICR(s) provided by the SMF to the UPF. para. [0072] based on the PCC rules received from the PCF, the SMF configures the UPF via N4 message including PDR).
Liao does not teach transmitting, to the UPF entity, an additional packet filter, wherein the at least one PCC rule is determined based on the additional packet filter.
Li discloses transmitting, to a UPF entity, an additional packet filter, wherein at least one PCC rule is determined based on the additional packet filter (para. [0246] notification sent from the AF 202 to the PCF 206 may include a packet filter describing the traffic related to the target AS. PCF 206 may provide the packet filter to the SMF 204 by including the packet filter in a PCC rule that is generated… based on the AF notification, and the PCF 206 may then send the PCC rule including the packet filter to the SMF 204. para. [0246] SMF 204 may then provide the packet filter to a UPF 240 such as the PSA UPF of the corresponding PDU Session). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Liao with Li’s disclosure of transmitting, to a UPF entity, an additional packet filter and determining a PCC rule based on the additional packet filter. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so in order to have provided the capability to further manage application traffic and configured the UPF to control routing of traffic according to requested filtering (para. [0213]).
Regarding claim 13, Liao teaches a session management function (SMF) entity in a communication system, the SMF entity comprising:
a transceiver; and a controller coupled with the transceiver, the controller configured to:
receive, from a policy control function (PCF) entity, at least one primary component carrier (PCC) rule for media flows (para. [0067] PDU Set QoS requirements to some traffic flows. PCF generates PCC rules for PDU Set handling, and PDU Set QoS policy to SMF. para. [0070] PCF issues a Npcf_SMPolicyControl_UpdateNotify request with updated policy information about the PDU Session. para. [0071] notifies SMF 366 via Npcf_SMPolicyControl_UpdateNotify message including PCC rules. PCC rules contain PFD(s), PDU Set QoS policy), and
transmit, to a user plane function (UPF) entity, quality of service (QoS) flows and an additional packet filter via an N4 message (para. [0029] traffic treatment rules (e.g. PDU Set QoS Enforcement Rule). para. [0061] N4 procedure used by the SMF 366 to provision or remove all PFD(s) with PDU Set handling information. para. [0065] any PDU Set QOS Flow can be characterized by: (i) one or more UL and DL PDR(s) with PSICR(s) provided by the SMF to the UPF. para. [0072] based on the PCC rules received from the PCF, the SMF configures the UPF via N4 message including PDR).
Liao does not teach transmitting, the UPF entity, an additional packet filter, wherein the at least one PCC rule is determined based on the additional packet filter.
Li discloses transmitting, a UPF entity, an additional packet filter, wherein at least one PCC rule is determined based on the additional packet filter (para. [0246] notification sent from the AF 202 to the PCF 206 may include a packet filter describing the traffic related to the target AS. PCF 206 may provide the packet filter to the SMF 204 by including the packet filter in a PCC rule that is generated… based on the AF notification, and the PCF 206 may then send the PCC rule including the packet filter to the SMF 204. para. [0246] SMF 204 may then provide the packet filter to a UPF 240 such as the PSA UPF of the corresponding PDU Session). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Liao with Li’s disclosure of transmitting, to a UPF entity, an additional packet filter and determining a PCC rule based on the additional packet filter. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so in order to have provided the capability to further manage application and configured the UPF to control routing of traffic (para. [0213]).
Regarding claim 3, Liao in view of Li teach the method of claim 1, wherein QoS flows are transmitted to an user plane function (UPF) entity via N4 rules (Liao: para. [0051] detection process at the UPF 370 identifies the packets belonging to a session, or a service data flow. para. [0065] any PDU Set QOS Flow can be characterized by: (i) one or more UL and DL PDR(s) with PSICR(s) provided by the SMF to the UPF. para. [0067] generates a set of rules in N4 message to configure UPF, whereby the rules include PDR and PSICR. para. [0072] based on the PCC rules received from the PCF, the SMF configures the UPF via N4 message including PDR. para. [0072] based on the PCC rules received from the PCF, the SMF configures the UPF via N4 message including PDR).
Regarding claim 7, Liao in view of Li teach the method of claim 5, wherein an application function (AF) session with a required QoS including QoS requirements for the media flows and the additional packet filter is received from the AF entity (Liao: para. [0067] PDU Set QoS requirements to some traffic flows. AF request is an AFsessionWithQoS_Create message which includes PDU QOS requirements and a PDU Set handling indication. para. [0068] flow description(s) or external Application Identifier, PDU Set Handling Indication, PDU Set QoS requirements. Li: para. [0246] notification sent from the AF 202 to the PCF 206 may include a packet filter).
Regarding claim 11, Liao in view of Li teach the PCF entity of claim 9, wherein QoS flows are transmitted to an user plane function (UPF) entity via N4 rules (Liao: para. [0051] detection process at the UPF 370 identifies the packets belonging to a session, or a service data flow. para. [0065] any PDU Set QOS Flow can be characterized by: (i) one or more UL and DL PDR(s) with PSICR(s) provided by the SMF to the UPF. para. [0067] generates a set of rules in N4 message to configure UPF, whereby the rules include PDR and PSICR. para. [0072] based on the PCC rules received from the PCF, the SMF configures the UPF via N4 message including PDR. para. [0072] based on the PCC rules received from the PCF, the SMF configures the UPF via N4 message including PDR).
Claims 2, 6, 10, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao in view of Li and Bhaskaran et al. US Patent Publication No. 2013/0040686 (“Bhaskaran”).
Regarding claim 2, Liao does not teach the method of claim 1, wherein the additional packet filter includes at least one of a synchronization source (SSRC), a payload type (PT) or a media identification (MID).
Bhaskaran discloses a packet filter that includes at least one of a synchronization source (SSRC), a payload type (PT) or a media identification (MID) (para. [0048] filter the media based on the synchronization source (SSRC) and payload type). Li discloses providing a packet filter that includes information describing application traffic (para. [0213],[0235]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Liao and Li with Bhaskaran’s disclosure such that the filter further includes at least one of SSRC or PT. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so in order to provided options for filtering media based on additional attributes.
Regarding claim 6, Liao does not teach the method of claim 5, wherein the additional packet filter includes at least one of a synchronization source (SSRC), a payload type (PT) or a media identification (MID).
Bhaskaran discloses a packet filter that includes at least one of a synchronization source (SSRC), a payload type (PT) or a media identification (MID) (para. [0048] filter the media based on the synchronization source (SSRC) and payload type). Li discloses providing a packet filter that includes information describing application traffic (para. [0213],[0235]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Liao and Li with Bhaskaran’s disclosure such that the filter further includes at least one of SSRC or PT. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so in order to provided options for filtering media based on additional attributes.
Regarding claim 10, Liao does not teach the PCF entity of claim 9, wherein the additional packet filter includes at least one of a synchronization source (SSRC), a payload type (PT) or a media identification (MID).
Bhaskaran discloses a packet filter that includes at least one of a synchronization source (SSRC), a payload type (PT) or a media identification (MID) (para. [0048] filter the media based on the synchronization source (SSRC) and payload type). Li discloses providing a packet filter that includes information describing application traffic (para. [0213],[0235]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Liao and Li with Bhaskaran’s disclosure such that the filter further includes at least one of SSRC or PT. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so in order to provided options for filtering media based on additional attributes.
Regarding claim 14, Liao does not teach the SMF entity of claim 13, wherein the additional packet filter includes at least one of a synchronization source (SSRC), a payload type (PT) or a media identification (MID).
Bhaskaran discloses a packet filter that includes at least one of a synchronization source (SSRC), a payload type (PT) or a media identification (MID). (para. [0048] filter the media based on the synchronization source (SSRC) and payload type) Li discloses providing a packet filter that includes information describing application traffic (para. [0213],[0235]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Liao and Li with Bhaskaran’s disclosure such that the filter further includes at least one of SSRC or PT. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so in order to provided options for filtering media based on additional attributes.
Claims 4, 8, 12, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liao in view of Li and Yang et al. US Patent Publication No. 2024/0414586 (“Yang”).
Regarding claim 4, Liao does not teach the method of claim 1, wherein the additional packet filter is used to differentiate the media flow among a multiple media flows that share the same legacy packet filter in UE.
Yang discloses an additional packet filter used to differentiate media flow among multiple media flows that share the same legacy packet filter in UE (para. [0051] UPF 515 processes the received packets using a Service Data Flow (SDF) traffic filter template, e.g., a packet filter. UPF 515 maps the IP flows to QoS flows based on packet detection rules (PDR). UPF 515 associates a QoS flow identifier (QFI) with the IP flows. para. [0085] UPF 1 715 is configured with one or more packet detection rules (PDR) by the SMF 73. para. [0089] UE 705 is configured with the QoS rules by the SMF 730. Qos rules may include parameters for processing the received IP flows, also including a packet filter). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Liao and Li with Yang’s disclosure. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so in order to have provided QoS support by further mapping flows to QoS flows (para. [0022],[0051]).
Regarding claim 8, Liao does not teach the method of claim 5, wherein the additional packet filter is used to differentiate the media flow among a multiple media flows that share the same legacy packet filter in UE.
Yang discloses an additional packet filter used to differentiate media flow among multiple media flows that share the same legacy packet filter in UE (para. [0051] UPF 515 processes the received packets using a Service Data Flow (SDF) traffic filter template, e.g., a packet filter. UPF 515 maps the IP flows to QoS flows based on packet detection rules (PDR). UPF 515 associates a QoS flow identifier (QFI) with the IP flows. para. [0085] UPF 1 715 is configured with one or more packet detection rules (PDR) by the SMF 73. para. [0089] UE 705 is configured with the QoS rules by the SMF 730. Qos rules may include parameters for processing the received IP flows, also including a packet filter). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Liao and Li with Yang’s disclosure. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so in order to have provided QoS support by further mapping flows to QoS flows (para. [0022],[0051]).
Regarding claim 12, Liao does not teach the PCF entity of claim 9, wherein the additional packet filter is used to differentiate the media flow among a multiple media flows that share the same legacy packet filter in UE.
Yang discloses an additional packet filter used to differentiate media flow among multiple media flows that share the same legacy packet filter in UE (para. [0051] UPF 515 processes the received packets using a Service Data Flow (SDF) traffic filter template, e.g., a packet filter. UPF 515 maps the IP flows to QoS flows based on packet detection rules (PDR). UPF 515 associates a QoS flow identifier (QFI) with the IP flows. para. [0085] UPF 1 715 is configured with one or more packet detection rules (PDR) by the SMF 73. para. [0089] UE 705 is configured with the QoS rules by the SMF 730. Qos rules may include parameters for processing the received IP flows, also including a packet filter). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Liao and Li with Yang’s disclosure. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so in order to have provided QoS support by further mapping flows to QoS flows (para. [0022],[0051]).
Regarding claim 15, Liao in view of Li teach the SMF entity of claim 5, wherein an application function (AF) session with a required QoS including QoS requirements for the media flows and the additional packet filter is received from the AF entity (Liao: para. [0067] PDU Set QoS requirements to some traffic flows. AF request is an AFsessionWithQoS_Create message which includes PDU QOS requirements and a PDU Set handling indication. para. [0068] flow description(s) or external Application Identifier, PDU Set Handling Indication, PDU Set QoS requirements. Li: para. [0246] notification sent from the AF 202 to the PCF 206 may include a packet filter). Liao does not teach wherein the additional packet filter is used to differentiate the media flow among multiple media flows that share the same legacy packet filter in UE.
Yang discloses an additional packet filter used to differentiate media flow among multiple media flows that share the same legacy packet filter in UE (para. [0051] UPF 515 processes the received packets using a Service Data Flow (SDF) traffic filter template, e.g., a packet filter. UPF 515 maps the IP flows to QoS flows based on packet detection rules (PDR). UPF 515 associates a QoS flow identifier (QFI) with the IP flows. para. [0085] UPF 1 715 is configured with one or more packet detection rules (PDR) by the SMF 73. para. [0089] UE 705 is configured with the QoS rules by the SMF 730. Qos rules may include parameters for processing the received IP flows, also including a packet filter). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Liao and Li with Yang’s disclosure. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do so in order to have provided QoS support by further mapping flows to QoS flows (para. [0022],[0051]).
Examiner’s Note
The following prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
Kahn et al. US Patent Publication No. 2022/0361047 (para. [0063] specify certain QoS related parameters and traffic pattern parameters, rather than just a QOS reference in the request for QoS. para. [0073] configuring and/or setting up an AF Session with required QoS procedures. para. [0074] receiving, at the PCF, a QoS request. QoS request comprises at least one of: one or more QoS parameters. para. [0075] QoS request is received at the PCF from a NEF, the QoS request having been generated by an AF. the QoS request is received at the PCF directly from the AF. para. [0079] apparatus, such as may be embodied by the PCF… for determining, by the PCF, a Policy and Charging Control (PCC) rule based on the selected one or more QoS parameters. para. [0079] PCF selects the QoS parameters to use and generates a PCC rule that comprises the selected QoS parameters to forward to the SMF).
Kahn et al. US Patent Publication No. 2025/0071605 (para. [0136] PCF instance receives the one or more AF messages indicating a plurality of QoS requirement options. PCF determines one or more policy and charging control (PCC) rules based on the one or more AF messages. sends the one or more PCC rules to the SMF instance associated with the UPF instance for the PDU session for the application)
Wei US Patent Publication No. 2025/0240668 (para. [0011] PCF obtains a flow description of a certain service data flow (e.g., between UE and N6 interface) together with service requirements from the Application Function (AF). para. [0104] PCF 601 derives an… list of PCC rules and QoS parameters, and provides them to the SMF 602. para. [0142] AF provides an (ordered) list of flow descriptions (service descriptions 402) and QoS requirements 403 to the PCF 601. PCF 601 provides derived PCC rules (including a list of sets of flow description(s) and QoS parameters) and a list of identifiers to the SMF 602 using policy association procedure).
Xue et al. US Patent Publication No. 2025/0024316 (para. [0034] SMF derives the QoS profile according to the PCC rule, generates a QoS flow, sends the QoS profile to the RAN, and sends the packet detection rule (PDR) to the UPF. para. [0044] PCF determines QoS policy such as PCC rules according to the obtained service requirements).
Wang US Patent Publication No. 2024/0089209 (para. [0169] PCF generates different PCC rules for the first video frame and the second video frame based on the QoS requirement provided by the AF. PCF may send a PCC rule to the SMF, and the SMF may generate, based on the PCC rule, a QoS parameter of a QoS flow)
Pateromichelakis et al. US Patent Publication No. 2026/0019353 (para. [0147] Meta Enabler 1152, acting as AF, sends to the 5GC 1140 (to SMF via NEF or to PCF via N5) a request for a change of the QoS profile mapped to the one or more network sessions… or the update of the PCC rules to apply the new traffic policy. para. [0154] MCNF 1243 provides the updated parameters for each session to the PCF/SMF 1242 to trigger the PCC rules update)
Conclusion
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/JOSHUA JOO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2445