DETAILED ACTION
This communication is responsive to Application No. 18/934,167 filed on 11 August 2026. Claims 1-13 are subject to examination.
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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because Step 702 in Fig. 7 is described in paragraph [0231] as ".
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 7 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding Claims 7 and 12, Claims 7 and 12 each recite the limitation “in response to the first indication information indicating to the first user plane network element to delay the reporting of the first data, reporting the first data based on the reporting time information” (Emphasis Added). This limitation renders the claim indefinite because claims 5 and 9 respectively have the limitation “the first reporting information comprises first indication information or reporting time information” (Emphasis Added) which limits the first reporting information to one of indication information or reporting time information but not both. It is unclear, in the independent claims 5 and 9, that the first reporting information can comprise both first indication information and reporting time information.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(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.
Claims 1-2 and 4-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Xin et al. (WO 2021155579 A1, hereinafter "Xin").
Regarding Claim 1, Xin teaches A data reporting method performed by a data analytics network element, comprising:
sending a first message to a first user plane network element (Xin: Step 707: The data analysis network element 10 sends a first message to the analysis consumer network function network element 20, and correspondingly, the data analysis network element 10 receives the first message from the analysis consumer network function network element 20; The analysis consumer network function network element 20 may be one or more of ... a user plane network element, see Paragraphs 194 and 127), wherein the first message comprises first reporting information (Xin: In a possible implementation manner, the first message further includes one or more of data analysis information or report information, see Paragraph 197), the first message is for requesting the first user plane network element to report first data based on the first reporting information (Xin: In a possible implementation manner, the first message further includes one or more of data analysis information or report information, and the report information is used to determine a parameter of the feedback effect information, see Paragraph 197. [Examiner contends that effect information is first data]), the first data is to be generated when the first user plane network element detects that a first event is triggered (Xin: Step 709: Analyze the use effect achieved by the consumer's network function network element 20 to evaluate the data analysis information in the first application range, as effect information, see Paragraph 208. [Examiner contends that the use effect is a first event]), the first reporting information comprises first indication information or reporting time information (Xin: In a possible implementation manner, the first message further includes one or more of data analysis information or report information; Exemplarily, the report information includes one or more of the following information: threshold, deviation, period, time period, or maximum number of reports, see Paragraphs 197 and 202. [Examiner contends that threshold and deviation are first indication information and time period is reporting time information]), the first indication information indicates whether the first user plane network element is capable of delaying reporting of the first data (Xin: the threshold is used to indicate that when the effect information meets the threshold, the effect information is sent; the deviation is used In order to indicate the range within which the effect information is allowed to fluctuate up and down the threshold, see Paragraph 202. [Examiner contends that the presence or absence deviation information indicates the capability of delaying reporting]), and the reporting time information indicates a time condition for the first user plane network element to report the first data (Xin: the time period is used to indicate The effect information is sent during this time period, see Paragraph 202); and
receiving the first data from the first user plane network element (Xin: Step 710 is the same as step 602; Step 602: The first network element sends effect information to the data analysis network element 10. Accordingly, the data analysis network element 10 receives the effect information of the data analysis information from the first network element, see Paragraphs 211 and 158).
Regarding Claim 2, Xin teaches The method according to claim 1, wherein the reporting time information comprises deadline information (Xin: the time period is used to indicate The effect information is sent during this time period, see Paragraph 202. [Examiner contends that the end of a time period is a deadline]), wherein the deadline information indicates a last time for the first user plane network element reporting the first data to the data analytics network element (Xin: the time period is used to indicate The effect information is sent during this time period, see Paragraph 202. [Examiner contends that the end of a time period is a deadline]).
Regarding Claim 4, Xin teaches The method according to claim 1, wherein the first indication information indicates to the first user plane network element not to delay the reporting of the first data (Xin: the threshold is used to indicate that when the effect information meets the threshold, the effect information is sent; the deviation is used In order to indicate the range within which the effect information is allowed to fluctuate up and down the threshold, see Paragraph 202. [Examiner contends that the presence or absence deviation information indicates the capability of delaying reporting]), or the first indication information indicates to the first user plane network element to delay the reporting of the first data (Xin: the threshold is used to indicate that when the effect information meets the threshold, the effect information is sent; the deviation is used In order to indicate the range within which the effect information is allowed to fluctuate up and down the threshold, see Paragraph 202. [Examiner contends that the presence or absence deviation information indicates the capability of delaying reporting]).
Regarding Claim 5, Xin teaches A data reporting method performed by a first user plane network element, comprising:
receiving a first message from a data analytics network element (Xin: Step 707: The data analysis network element 10 sends a first message to the analysis consumer network function network element 20, and correspondingly, the data analysis network element 10 receives the first message from the analysis consumer network function network element 20; The analysis consumer network function network element 20 may be one or more of ... a user plane network element, see Paragraphs 194 and 127), wherein the first message comprises first reporting information (Xin: In a possible implementation manner, the first message further includes one or more of data analysis information or report information, see Paragraph 197), the first message requests the first user plane network element to report first data based on the first reporting information (Xin: In a possible implementation manner, the first message further includes one or more of data analysis information or report information, and the report information is used to determine a parameter of the feedback effect information, see Paragraph 197. [Examiner contends that effect information is first data]), the first data is data to be generated when the first user plane network element detects that a first event is triggered (Xin: Step 709: Analyze the use effect achieved by the consumer's network function network element 20 to evaluate the data analysis information in the first application range, as effect information, see Paragraph 208. [Examiner contends that the use effect is a first event]), the first reporting information comprises first indication information or reporting time information (Xin: In a possible implementation manner, the first message further includes one or more of data analysis information or report information; Exemplarily, the report information includes one or more of the following information: threshold, deviation, period, time period, or maximum number of reports, see Paragraphs 197 and 202. [Examiner contends that threshold and deviation are first indication information and time period is reporting time information]), the first indication information indicates whether the first user plane network element is capable of delaying reporting of the first data (Xin: the threshold is used to indicate that when the effect information meets the threshold, the effect information is sent; the deviation is used In order to indicate the range within which the effect information is allowed to fluctuate up and down the threshold, see Paragraph 202. [Examiner contends that the presence or absence deviation information indicates the capability of delaying reporting]), and the reporting time information indicates a time condition for the first user plane network element reporting the first data (Xin: the time period is used to indicate The effect information is sent during this time period, see Paragraph 202);
obtaining the first data (Xin: Step 709: Analyze the use effect achieved by the consumer's network function network element 20 to evaluate the data analysis information in the first application range, as effect information, see Paragraph 208. [Examiner contends that the effect information is first data]); and
reporting the first data to the data analytics network element based on the first reporting information (Xin: Step 710 is the same as step 602; Step 602: The first network element sends effect information to the data analysis network element 10. Accordingly, the data analysis network element 10 receives the effect information of the data analysis information from the first network element; It should be noted that if the analysis consumer network function network element 20 receives the report information, the analysis consumer network function network element 20 sends effect information to the data analysis network element 10 according to the report information, see Paragraphs 211, 158, and 212).
Regarding Claim 6, Xin teaches The method according to claim 5, wherein the reporting time information comprises deadline information (Xin: the time period is used to indicate The effect information is sent during this time period, see Paragraph 202. [Examiner contends that the end of a time period is a deadline]) indicating a last time for the first user plane network element reporting the first data to the data analytics network element (Xin: the time period is used to indicate The effect information is sent during this time period, see Paragraph 202. [Examiner contends that the end of a time period is a deadline]).
Regarding Claim 7, Xin teaches The method according to claim 5, wherein the step of reporting the first data to the data analytics network element comprising:
in response to the first indication information indicating to the first user plane network element to delay the reporting of the first data, reporting the first data based on the reporting time information after detecting that the first event is triggered (Xin: Step 710 is the same as step 602; Step 602: The first network element sends effect information to the data analysis network element 10. Accordingly, the data analysis network element 10 receives the effect information of the data analysis information from the first network element; if the analysis consumer network function network element 20 receives the report information, the analysis consumer network function network element 20 sends effect information to the data analysis network element 10 according to the report information, see Paragraphs 211, 158, and 212).
Regarding Claim 8, Xin teaches The method according to claim 5, wherein the first indication information indicates to the first user plane network element not to delay the reporting of the first data (Xin: the threshold is used to indicate that when the effect information meets the threshold, the effect information is sent; the deviation is used In order to indicate the range within which the effect information is allowed to fluctuate up and down the threshold, see Paragraph 202. [Examiner contends that the presence or absence deviation information indicates the capability of delaying reporting]), or the first indication information indicates to the first user plane network element to delay the reporting of the first data (Xin: the threshold is used to indicate that when the effect information meets the threshold, the effect information is sent; the deviation is used In order to indicate the range within which the effect information is allowed to fluctuate up and down the threshold, see Paragraph 202. [Examiner contends that the presence or absence deviation information indicates the capability of delaying reporting]).
Regarding Claim 9, Xin teaches A communication system comprising:
a first user plane network element; and
a data analytics network element communicating with the first user plane network element (Xin: Step 707: The data analysis network element 10 sends a first message to the analysis consumer network function network element 20, and correspondingly, the data analysis network element 10 receives the first message from the analysis consumer network function network element 20; The analysis consumer network function network element 20 may be one or more of ... a user plane network element, see Paragraphs 194 and 127),
wherein the data analytics network element is configured to:
send a first message to the first user plane network element (Xin: Step 707: The data analysis network element 10 sends a first message to the analysis consumer network function network element 20, and correspondingly, the data analysis network element 10 receives the first message from the analysis consumer network function network element 20; The analysis consumer network function network element 20 may be one or more of ... a user plane network element, see Paragraphs 194 and 127), wherein the first message comprises first reporting information (Xin: In a possible implementation manner, the first message further includes one or more of data analysis information or report information, see Paragraph 197), the first message is for requesting the first user plane network element to report first data based on the first reporting information (Xin: In a possible implementation manner, the first message further includes one or more of data analysis information or report information, and the report information is used to determine a parameter of the feedback effect information, see Paragraph 197. [Examiner contends that effect information is first data]), the first data is data to be generated when the first user plane network element detects that a first event is triggered (Xin: Step 709: Analyze the use effect achieved by the consumer's network function network element 20 to evaluate the data analysis information in the first application range, as effect information, see Paragraph 208. [Examiner contends that the use effect is a first event]), the first reporting information comprises first indication information or reporting time information (Xin: In a possible implementation manner, the first message further includes one or more of data analysis information or report information; Exemplarily, the report information includes one or more of the following information: threshold, deviation, period, time period, or maximum number of reports, see Paragraphs 197 and 202. [Examiner contends that threshold and deviation are first indication information and time period is reporting time information]), the first indication information indicates whether the first user plane network element is capable of delaying reporting of the first data (Xin: the threshold is used to indicate that when the effect information meets the threshold, the effect information is sent; the deviation is used In order to indicate the range within which the effect information is allowed to fluctuate up and down the threshold, see Paragraph 202. [Examiner contends that the presence or absence deviation information indicates the capability of delaying reporting]), and the reporting time information indicates a time condition for the first user plane network element to report the first data (Xin: the time period is used to indicate The effect information is sent during this time period, see Paragraph 202),
wherein the first user plane network element is configured to:
receive the first message (Xin: Step 707: The data analysis network element 10 sends a first message to the analysis consumer network function network element 20, and correspondingly, the data analysis network element 10 receives the first message from the analysis consumer network function network element 20; The analysis consumer network function network element 20 may be one or more of ... a user plane network element, see Paragraphs 194 and 127);
obtain the first data (Xin: Step 709: Analyze the use effect achieved by the consumer's network function network element 20 to evaluate the data analysis information in the first application range, as effect information, see Paragraph 208. [Examiner contends that the effect information is first data]); and
report the first data to the data analytics network element based on the first reporting information (Xin: Step 710 is the same as step 602; Step 602: The first network element sends effect information to the data analysis network element 10. Accordingly, the data analysis network element 10 receives the effect information of the data analysis information from the first network element; It should be noted that if the analysis consumer network function network element 20 receives the report information, the analysis consumer network function network element 20 sends effect information to the data analysis network element 10 according to the report information, see Paragraphs 211, 158, and 212), and
wherein the data analytics network element is further configured to:
receive the first data (Xin: Step 710 is the same as step 602; Step 602: The first network element sends effect information to the data analysis network element 10. Accordingly, the data analysis network element 10 receives the effect information of the data analysis information from the first network element, see Paragraphs 211 and 158).
Regarding Claim 10, Xin teaches The system according to claim 9, wherein the reporting time information comprises deadline information (Xin: the time period is used to indicate The effect information is sent during this time period, see Paragraph 202. [Examiner contends that the end of a time period is a deadline]) indicating a last time for the first user plane network element reporting the first data to the data analytics network element (Xin: the time period is used to indicate The effect information is sent during this time period, see Paragraph 202. [Examiner contends that the end of a time period is a deadline]).
Regarding Claim 11, Xin teaches The system according to claim 9, wherein the first user plane network element is further configured to:
in response to the first indication information indicating to the first user plane network element not to delay the reporting of the first data, report the first data to the data analytics network element when detecting that the first event is triggered (Xin: Step 710 is the same as step 602; Step 602: The first network element sends effect information to the data analysis network element 10. Accordingly, the data analysis network element 10 receives the effect information of the data analysis information from the first network element; if the analysis consumer network function network element 20 receives the report information, the analysis consumer network function network element 20 sends effect information to the data analysis network element 10 according to the report information, see Paragraphs 211, 158, and 212).
Regarding Claim 12, Xin teaches A system according to claim 9, wherein the first user plane network element is further configured to:
in response to the first indication information indicating to the first user plane network element to delay the reporting of the first data, report the first data based on the reporting time information after detecting that the first event is triggered (Xin: Step 710 is the same as step 602; Step 602: The first network element sends effect information to the data analysis network element 10. Accordingly, the data analysis network element 10 receives the effect information of the data analysis information from the first network element; if the analysis consumer network function network element 20 receives the report information, the analysis consumer network function network element 20 sends effect information to the data analysis network element 10 according to the report information, see Paragraphs 211, 158, and 212).
Regarding Claim 13, Xin teaches A system according to claim 9, wherein the first indication information indicates to the first user plane network element not to delay the reporting of the first data (Xin: the threshold is used to indicate that when the effect information meets the threshold, the effect information is sent; the deviation is used In order to indicate the range within which the effect information is allowed to fluctuate up and down the threshold, see Paragraph 202. [Examiner contends that the presence or absence deviation information indicates the capability of delaying reporting]), or the first indication information indicates to the first user plane network element to delay the reporting of the first data (Xin: the threshold is used to indicate that when the effect information meets the threshold, the effect information is sent; the deviation is used In order to indicate the range within which the effect information is allowed to fluctuate up and down the threshold, see Paragraph 202. [Examiner contends that the presence or absence deviation information indicates the capability of delaying reporting]).
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.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xin in view of Zhou et al. (WO 2021017550 A1, hereinafter "Zhou").
Regarding Claim 3, Xin teaches The method according to claim 1, further comprising: obtaining a first analytics identifier from a consumer network element (Xin: Step 701 ... the data analysis network element 10 receives the first request from the analysis consumer network function network element 20, see Paragraph 166), wherein the first analytics identifier is for requesting an analytics result or a machine learning model corresponding to the first analytics identifier (Xin: Step 701 ... the first request is used to request data analysis information; Exemplarily, the first request may carry one or more of data analysis identification (AnalyticsID), analysis filtering information (AnalyticsFilter), or analysis reporting information (AnalyticsReportingInformation), see Paragraphs 166 and 167);
obtaining the first event identifier based on the first analytics identifier (Xin: the data analysis identifier is used to identify the type of data analysis information. For example, the data analysis network element 10 of the analysis consumer network function network element 20 indicates the type of data analysis information required for the analysis of the consumer network function network element 20, see Paragraph 168);
Xin fails to explicitly teach, and
obtaining, from a second network element based on the first event identifier, information about one or more user plane network elements that support the first event identifier, wherein the one or more user plane network elements comprise the first user plane network element.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Zhou teaches,
and
obtaining, from a second network element based on the first event identifier, information about one or more user plane network elements that support the first event identifier (Zhou: Step 517: The SMF sends an N4 session modification request to the UPF. The N4 session modification request includes the notification address and the event identifier. Correspondingly, the UPF can receive the N4 session modification request; Step 518: UPF sends an N4 session modification response to SMF. Correspondingly, the SMF can receive the N4 session modification response, see Paragraphs 265 and 270. [Examiner contends that a notification address is information about one or more user plane network elements]), wherein the one or more user plane network elements comprise the first user plane network element (Zhou: For the convenience of explanation, this application uses … user plane network elements as the above-mentioned … UPF are taken as examples for description, see Paragraph 106).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify the method of Xin to include the teachings of Zhou as above, in order to improve the timeliness of incident reports (Zhou: Paragraph 14).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEX YEOH whose telephone number is (571)270-0890. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. ET.
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/A.Y./Examiner, Art Unit 2416
/NOEL R BEHARRY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2416
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