DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-20 have been examined and are rejected.
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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 07/24/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
The Applicant argues (see page 13) that without acquiescing to the Office's characterizations, Applicant respectfully submits that You and Zhu420, whether taken alone or in combination, fail to disclose or suggest "determining, based on cached data at a user plane function (UPF), an Internet protocol (IP) address corresponding to the domain name, the cached data being stored at the UPF and comprising one or more mapping relationships between one or more domain names and one or more IP addresses, the UPF being located in a core network of a cellular telecommunication system; generating, at the UPF, a DNS response based on the cached data, the DNS response comprising the IP address corresponding to the domain name.. (emphasis added)," as recited in amended claim 1.
In response to the Applicant’s response, a new ground of rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over You et al. (U.S. PGPub 2021/0352042) in view of Zhu et al. (WO 2021/051420, see the English translated copy, hereafter “Zhu420”) further in view of Zhao et al. (CN 113795014, see the English translated copy) is made in view of the amendments made to the claims. The combination of You, Zhu420 and the new reference, Zhao, is now relied upon to teach all of the features of claim 1.
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.
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over You et al. (U.S. PGPub 2021/0352042) in view of Zhu et al. (WO 2021/051420, see the English translated copy ( “Zhu420”)) further in view of Zhao et al. (CN 113795014, see the English translated copy).
Regarding claims 1, 9 and 17, You teaches A domain name query method, performed by a computer device, the method comprising: receiving a domain name system (DNS) query request from a terminal device, (You, see figs. 3-5; see paragraph 0139 where edge cloud gateway receives a domain name request initiated from the terminal and forwarded by a UPF…; see paragraph 0013 where receive a domain name request forwarded by the UPF, in the domain name request)
the DNS query request comprising a domain name; (You, see figs. 3-5; see abstract where receiving a domain name request initiated by a terminal forwarded by the UPF, the domain name request comprising at least one of: a domain name…; see paragraph 0123 where domain name request of which a request type is a DNS request, and obtain a domain name in the DNS request...)
comprising one or more mapping relationships between one or more domain names and one or more IP addresses, (You, see paragraph 0054 Domain name system (DNS): As a distributed database that can map a domain name and an Internet Protocol (IP) address to each other…; see paragraph 0137 mapping from the original domain name to an edge-application VIP...)
transmitting a DNS response to the terminal device, the DNS response comprising the IP address corresponding to the domain name. (You, see figs. 3-5; see paragraph 0156 Return a domain name response to a terminal by using the UPF, the domain name response including at least the edge-application VIP…; see paragraph 0180 response includes at least the edge-application VIP, the edge-application VIP being determined by the GSLB according to the IP address of the edge cloud gateway and the service acceleration domain name)
However, You does not explicitly teach determining, based on cached data at a user plane function (UPF), an Internet protocol (IP) address corresponding to the domain name,
the UPF being located in a core network of a cellular telecommunication system; generating, at the UPF, a DNS response based on the cached data, the DNS response comprising the IP address corresponding to the domain name; and
Zhu420 teaches determining, based on cached data at a user plane function (UPF), an Internet protocol (IP) address corresponding to the domain name; (Zhu420, see page 28, paragraphs 2-3 where UPF determines, according to the first indication information sent by SMF in step 1003', that the application corresponding to the domain name requested by the UE is deployed on the MEC platform, and the IP address included in the DNS query response is an anycast address, and UPF sets the first TTL Modified to the second TTL...; It is noted the limitation "cached data at a user plane function (UPF)" does not require that the cached data be stored at the user plane function and the limitation is interpreted as cached data that is received at the user plane function)
the UPF being located in a core network of a cellular telecommunication system; generating, at the UPF, a DNS response based on the cached data, the DNS response comprising the IP address corresponding to the domain name; and (Zhu420, see page 11, paragraphs 3-4 The core network element here can be UPF…; see page 28, paragraphs 2-3 where UPF determines, according to the first indication information sent by SMF in step 1003', that the application corresponding to the domain name requested by the UE is deployed on the MEC platform, and the IP address included in the DNS query response is an anycast address, and UPF sets the first TTL Modified to the second TTL....the UPF sends the second TTL and the IP address corresponding to the domain name to the UE through the DNS query response...)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was filed, to combine You and Zhu420 to provide the technique of determining, based on cached data at a user plane function (UPF), an Internet protocol (IP) address corresponding to the domain name, the UPF being located in a core network of a cellular telecommunication system and generating, at the UPF, a DNS response based on the cached data, the DNS response comprising the IP address corresponding to the domain name of Zhu420 in the system of You in order to improve communication efficiency (Zhu420, see page 16, paragraph 3).
However, You-Zhu420 does not explicitly teach the cached data being stored at the UPF and
Zhao teaches the cached data being stored at the UPF and (Zhao, see page 7, paragraphs 3-4 indicating the user plane function network element caching DNS query information from the terminal device for the first full-defined domain name FQDN…; see page 37 paragraphs 9-13 ...S531, UPF detecting the DNS query information, and caching the DNS query information. Specifically, the UPF receives the UE re-initiated DNS query information, caching the DNS query information...)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was filed, to combine You-Zhu420 and Zhao to provide the technique of the cached data being stored at the UPF of Zhao in the system of You-Zhu420 in order to improve the service quality of the system (Zhao, see page 2 where method for discovering edge application server, which can improve the service quality of EAS).
Regarding claims 2, 10 and 18, You-Zhu420-Zhao teaches the determining, based on cached data at the UPF, the IP address corresponding to the domain name comprises: generating, in response to the cached data at the UPF comprising the IP address corresponding to the domain name, (Zhu420, see page 11, paragraphs 3-4 The core network element here can be UPF…; see page 28, paragraphs 2-3 where UPF determines, according to the first indication information sent by SMF in step 1003', that the application corresponding to the domain name requested by the UE is deployed on the MEC platform, and the IP address included in the DNS query response is an anycast address, and UPF sets the first TTL Modified to the second TTL....the UPF sends the second TTL and the IP address corresponding to the domain name to the UE through the DNS query response...)
the DNS response based on the IP address corresponding to the domain name. (You, see figs. 3-5; see paragraph 0156 Return a domain name response to a terminal by using the UPF, the domain name response including at least the edge-application VIP…; see paragraph 0180 response includes at least the edge-application VIP, the edge-application VIP being determined by the GSLB according to the IP address of the edge cloud gateway and the service acceleration domain name) The motivation regarding to the obviousness to claims 1, 9 and 17 is also applied to claims 2, 10 and 18.
Regarding claims 3, 11 and 19, You-Zhu420-Zhao teaches the determining, based on cached data at the UPF, the IP address corresponding to the domain name comprises: (Zhu420, see page 28, paragraphs 2-3 where UPF determines, according to the first indication information sent by SMF in step 1003', that the application corresponding to the domain name requested by the UE is deployed on the MEC platform, and the IP address included in the DNS query response is an anycast address, and UPF sets the first TTL Modified to the second TTL...; It is noted the limitation "cached data at a user plane function (UPF)" does not mean that the cached data is stored at the user plane function and the limitation is interpreted as cached data that is received at the user plane function)
transmitting the DNS query request to a DNS server in response to the cached data at the UPF not comprising the IP address corresponding to the domain name; and (Zhu420, see page 14, paragraphs 10-12 where ...Replace the destination address in the DNS query request received from the UE with the address of the DNS server…; see page 24, paragraphs 3-5 where the UE initiates a DNS query request. The DNS query request carries the domain name requested by the UE,...After the UPF receives the UE’s DNS query request, it sends it to DNS server, and receives a DNS query response from the DNS server, which carries the IP address...)
receiving the DNS response from the DNS server, the UPF being located in a core network, and the data network being connected to the core network. (Zhu420, see page 19, paragraphs 1-3 where after receiving the DNS query request from the UE...UPF receives After the DNS query request of the UE, the DNS query request is sent to the SMF for processing according to the forwarding rule sent by the SMF in step 703. The SMF sends the query request to the DNS server,...; see page 20, paragraph 1 where he SMF sends the first indication information to the UPF..) The motivation regarding to the obviousness to claims 1, 9 and 17 is also applied to claims 3, 11 and 19.
Regarding claims 4, 12 and 20, You-Zhu420-Zhao teaches further comprising: storing, in the cached data of the UPF, the IP address corresponding to the domain name in the DNS response. (Zhu420, see page 20, paragraphs 2-4 where UPF can store configuration information, the configuration information includes which domain names...the UPF sends the second TTL and the IP address corresponding to the domain name to the UE through the DNS query response...) The motivation regarding to the obviousness to claims 1, 9 and 17 is also applied to claims 4, 12 and 20.
Regarding claims 5 and 13, You-Zhu420-Zhao teaches wherein the receiving the DNS response from the DNS server comprises: receiving a data packet from the DNS server, a destination address of the data packet being an address of the terminal device; and (You, see figs. 3-5; see paragraph 0023 where resolve, when the request type of the domain name request is the DNS request...Forward the domain name request in which the destination address is the IP address…)
extracting the DNS response from the data packet; and (You, see figs. 3-5; see paragraph 0023 where resolve, when the request type of the domain name request is the DNS request, the domain name request to obtain the domain name in the domain name request, and re-encapsulate the resolved domain name request into a second HTTP DNS request...; see paragraphs 0092-0094 where resolve the DNS request to check a domain name in the DNS request. That is, in the first pre-configuration rule, the UPF 200 may have a function of resolving or parsing a DNS request to check a domain name in the DNS request...)
the method further comprises: resolving, from the DNS response, the IP address corresponding to the domain name. (You, see figs. 3-5; see paragraph 0023 where resolve, when the request type of the domain name request is the DNS request, the domain name request to obtain the domain name in the domain name request, and re-encapsulate the resolved domain name request into a second HTTP DNS request...; see paragraphs 0092-0094 where resolve the DNS request to check a domain name in the DNS request. That is, in the first pre-configuration rule, the UPF 200 may have a function of resolving or parsing a DNS request to check a domain name in the DNS request...)
Regarding claims 6 and 14, You-Zhu420-Zhao teaches wherein the receiving the DNS query request from the terminal device comprises: receiving an uplink data packet transmitted from the terminal device, a destination address of the uplink data packet being an address of the DNS server; and (You, see figs. 3-5; see paragraph 0023 where resolve, when the request type of the domain name request is the DNS request...Forward the domain name request in which the destination address is the IP address…)
extracting the DNS query request from the uplink data packet; and (You, see figs. 3-5; see paragraph 0023 where resolve, when the request type of the domain name request is the DNS request, the domain name request to obtain the domain name in the domain name request, and re-encapsulate the resolved domain name request into a second HTTP DNS request...; see paragraphs 0092-0094 where resolve the DNS request to check a domain name in the DNS request. That is, in the first pre-configuration rule, the UPF 200 may have a function of resolving or parsing a DNS request to check a domain name in the DNS request...)
the method further comprises: resolving the domain name from the DNS query request, the DNS server being located in the data network, and the data network being connected to the core network. (You, see figs. 3-5; see paragraph 0023 where resolve, when the request type of the domain name request is the DNS request, the domain name request to obtain the domain name in the domain name request, and re-encapsulate the resolved domain name request into a second HTTP DNS request...; see paragraphs 0092-0094 where resolve the DNS request to check a domain name in the DNS request. That is, in the first pre-configuration rule, the UPF 200 may have a function of resolving or parsing a DNS request to check a domain name in the DNS request...)
Regarding claims 7 and 15, You-Zhu420-Zhao teaches wherein the cached data at the UPF is from the DNS server, and the DNS server is located in the data network. (Zhu420, see page 24, paragraphs 3-4 where After the UPF receives the UE’s DNS query request, it sends it to DNS server, and receives a DNS query response from the DNS server...UPF can store configuration information, the configuration information includes which domain names...) The motivation regarding to the obviousness to claims 1, 9 and 17 is also applied to claims 7 and 15.
Regarding claims 8 and 16, You-Zhu420-Zhao teaches wherein the DNS query request comprises at least one of the following: a user datagram protocol (UDP) based DNS query request; a transmission control protocol (TCP) based DNS query request; or a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) based DNS query request. (You, see figs. 3-5; see paragraph 0101 where a preset protocol port is required to be a user datagram protocol (UDP) port 53. If it is determined that the protocol port information is the UDP port 53, indicating that the domain name request is a DNS request, the domain name request is forwarded to the edge cloud gateway 210)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. This includes:
U.S. PGPub 2022/0109633, which describes methods and system for supporting traffic steering through a service function chain.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MENG VANG whose telephone number is (571)270-7023. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8AM-2PM, 3PM-5PM.
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, NICHOLAS TAYLOR can be reached at (571) 272-3889. 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.
/MENG VANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2443
Prosecution Insights