DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 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.
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.
Claims 1- 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 20230094062 A1, hereinafter Kim) in view of Unicom_EAS et al. (IDS provided NPL: “EAS (re)discovery procedure in roaming scenario”, S2-2202276).
Claim 1: Kim teaches A communication method (abstract), comprising:
obtaining, by a network device (Fig. 8, element H-PCF), first information (Fig. 8, element 6, Fig. 10, element 3) indicating at least one second network ([0190], the V-PCF may send a response message for step 0b to the H-PCF, [0189], EAS information can be provided to PCF of each HPLMN via V-PCF), the at least one second network (VPLMN is reading as the second network), the network device belonging to the first network (HPLMN is reading as the first network ), the at least one second network being a visited network of a terminal device, and the first network being a home network of the terminal device (Fig. 8, Fig. 10, [0248-0256], disclose the flow that the V-PCF (Visited Public Land Mobile Network-Policy Control Function) can efficiently perform edge computing by delivering updated Edge Application Server EAS information to each the H-PCF (Home Public Land Mobile Network-Policy Control Function ) of the UEs roaming to the PLMN to which the V-PCF belongs.);
determining, by the network device, that a network connected to the terminal device has switched from a third network to a fourth network (Fig. 8, element 7,10, 11, Fig. 10, element 4, wherein HPLMN is reading as a third network, VPLMN is reading as a fourth network,);
generating, by the network device, second information (Fig. 8, element 8, Fig. 10, element 4) based on the first information, the third network, and the fourth network ([0254], H-PCF may recognize that the EAS information is updated or modified. Then H-PCF may determine UE Route Selection Policy URSP rules, based on the notification message), wherein the second information is used for the terminal device to determine a first application server (Fig. 8 element 9, [0256], the terminal receives the URSP rules and connects to the edge application server to perform edge computing), and the first application server is an application server to which the terminal device has access ([0182], UE's serving network
for roaming scenario obtains the edge computing related information from the AF that locally locates and provides it to the UE);
and sending, by the network device, the second information to the terminal device (Fig. 8, element 8, Fig. 10, element 5, [0233-0234], the PCF may modify the URSP based on the EAS information updated or deleted by the AF and provide the modified URSP to the targeted UE. The UE may apply the modified URSP. The URSP including the EAS information may allow the roaming UE to determine the PDU Session to be used for edge application/service/traffic).
However, Kim does not explicitly teach second network in which local traffic routing is allowed by a first network.
Unicom_EAS, from the same or similar field of endeavor, teaches second network in which local traffic routing is allowed by a first network (Figure 6.X.2.1-1-1, element 7, 17, page 4, “H-SMF sends the IP address of H-EASDF and the DNS Query to V-SMF, in addition, H-SMF sends an EC enabling indicator to V-SMF to indicate that this DNS query needs to be resolved to EHE deployed in VPLMN”, “V-SMF returns a positive response related with EC enabling indicator lo H-SMF”).
Kim and Unicom_EAS are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of wireless communication. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the system of Kim and the features of indicating second network in which local traffic routing is allowed by a first network as taught by Unicom_EAS, for the benefit of allowing home network device determine which network support UE local traffic routing, and pick up the best DNN for UE Edge Application Servers (page 2, section 6.X.2.1).
Claim 9 is analyzed and rejected according to claim 1, and Kim further teaches a communication apparatus (Fig. 1, Fig. 3), comprising at least one processor (Fig. 3, element 120) coupled to at least one memory (Fig. 3, element 130) storing instructions ([0096], “the control unit 120 may control an electric/mechanical operation of each of the wireless devices 100 and 200 based on programs/code/commands/information stored in the memory unit 130”).
Claim 16 is analyzed and rejected according to claim 1 and Kim further teaches comprising a network device and a terminal device (Fig. 1, Fig. 8), and terminal device determine an address of the first application server based on the second information ([0159], UE determine URSP rule matching via checking whether the EAS IP address in the application layer service request matches with the destination address in the Traffic descriptor part of the URSP rule , if matched, establishes a new PDU session in order to enable User Plane communication with the DN where the DNS Server or the Edge
Application Server resides, [0203], When a plurality of EAS Address Information is included for one Traffic Descriptor in URSP, the UE may communicate using EAS IP addresses that are matched/mapped for each traffic/service.[0230], The UE may communicate with the EAS by using the EAS IP address).
Claim 2: Kim teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the generating, by the network device, second information based on the first information, the third network, and the fourth network comprises:
with the third network being the first network, and the fourth network being a visited network of the terminal device ([0224], the URSP rules can include DNN, S-NSSAI and other relevant network parameters to be used for matching Edge application traffic),
when the second network comprises the fourth network, the second information indicates the terminal device to initiate an edge application server rediscovery process, wherein the first application server is an edge application server determined during the edge application server rediscovery process ([0231], If the EAS IP address needs to be resolved from the FQDN of the Edge service, the UE may perform the EAS discovery by sending a DNS query for the FQDN of the Edge service.);
or when the second network does not comprise the fourth network, the second information indicates that the first application server is an application server corresponds to the first network (Fig. 8, element 9, 10, 11, [0203], When a plurality of EAS Address Information is included for one Traffic Descriptor in URSP, the UE may communicate using EAS IP addresses that are matched/mapped for each traffic/service, [0224], the URSP rules can include DNN, S-NSSAI and other relevant network parameters to be used for matching Edge application traffic, the H-PCF may include corresponding Location Criteria in the Route Selection Descriptor (RSD) part in the URSP rules).
Claim 10 is analyzed and rejected according to Claim 9 and claim 2.
Claim 17 is analyzed and rejected according to Claim 16 and claim 2.
Claim 3: Kim teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the generating, by the network device, second information based on the first information, the third network, and the fourth network comprises:
with the third network being a visited network of the terminal device, and the fourth network being a visited network of the terminal device ([0224], the URSP rules can include DNN, S-NSSAI and other relevant network parameters to be used for matching Edge application traffic),
when the second network comprises at least one of the third network and the fourth network, the second information indicates the terminal device to initiate an edge application server rediscovery process, wherein the first application server is an edge application server determined during the edge application server rediscovery process ([0231], If the EAS IP address needs to be resolved from the FQDN of the Edge service, the UE may perform the EAS discovery by sending a DNS query for the FQDN of the Edge service.);
or when the second network neither comprises the third network nor comprises the fourth network, the second information indicates that the first application server is an application server corresponds to the first network (Fig. 8, element 9, 10, 11, [0203], When a plurality of EAS Address Information is included for one Traffic Descriptor in URSP, the UE may communicate using EAS IP addresses that are matched/mapped for each traffic/service, [0224], the URSP rules can include DNN, S-NSSAI and other relevant network parameters to be used for matching Edge application traffic, the H-PCF may include corresponding Location Criteria in the Route Selection Descriptor (RSD) part in the URSP rules).
Claim 11 is analyzed and rejected according to Claim 9 and claim 3.
Claim 18 is analyzed and rejected according to Claim 16 and claim 3.
Claim 4: Kim teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the generating, by the network device, second information based on the first information, the third network, and the fourth network comprises:
with the third network being a visited network of the terminal device, and the fourth network being the first network ([0224], the URSP rules can include DNN, S-NSSAI and other relevant network parameters to be used for matching Edge application traffic, ),
when the second network comprises the third network, the second information indicates the terminal device to initiate an edge application server rediscovery process, wherein the first application server is an edge application server determined during the edge application server rediscovery process ([0231], If the EAS IP address needs to be resolved from the FQDN of the Edge service, the UE may perform the EAS discovery by sending a DNS query for the FQDN of the Edge service);
or when the second network does not comprise the third network, the second information indicates that the first application server is an application server corresponds to the first network (Fig. 8, element 9, 10, 11, [0203], When a plurality of EAS Address Information is included for one Traffic Descriptor in URSP, the UE may communicate using EAS IP addresses that are matched/mapped for each traffic/service, [0224], the URSP rules can include DNN, S-NSSAI and other relevant network parameters to be used for matching Edge application traffic, the H-PCF may include corresponding Location Criteria in the Route Selection Descriptor (RSD) part in the URSP rules).
Claim 12 is analyzed and rejected according to Claim 9 and claim 4.
Claim 19 is analyzed and rejected according to Claim 16 and claim 4.
Claim 5: Kim teaches The method according to claim 1, wherein the generating, by the network device, second information based on the first information, the third network, and the fourth network comprises: with the third network being the first network, and the fourth network being a visited network of the terminal device, the second information indicates the terminal device to initiate an edge application server rediscovery process, wherein the first application server is an edge application server determined during the edge application server rediscovery process ([0224], the URSP rules can include DNN, S-NSSAI and other relevant network parameters to be used for matching Edge application traffic).
Claim 13 is analyzed and rejected according to Claim 9 and claim 5.
Claim 20 is analyzed and rejected according to Claim 16 and claim 5.
Claim 6: Kim teaches The method according to claim 1, wherein the generating, by the network device, second information based on the first information, the third network, and the fourth network comprises: with the third network being a visited network of the terminal device, and the fourth network being the first network ([0224], the URSP rules can include DNN, S-NSSAI and other relevant network parameters to be used for matching Edge application traffic, [0203], When a plurality of EAS Address Information is included for one Traffic Descriptor in URSP, the UE may communicate using EAS IP addresses that are matched/mapped for each traffic/service, [0233], the PCF may modify the URSP based on the EAS information updated or deleted by the AF and provide the modified URSP to the targeted UE. The UE may apply the modified URSP) , the second information indicates the terminal device to initiate an edge application server rediscovery process, wherein the first application server is an edge application server determined during the edge application server rediscovery process ([0231], If the EAS IP address needs to be resolved from the FQDN of the Edge service, the UE may perform the EAS discovery by sending a DNS query for the FQDN of the Edge service, [0234], the URSP including the EAS information may allow the roaming UE to determine the PDU Session to be used for edge application/service/traffic, and when it is necessary to establish the PDU Session, it may indicate how to create the PDU Session).
Claim 14 is analyzed and rejected according to Claim 9 and claim 6.
Claim 7: The combination of Kim and Unicom_EAS teaches The method according to claim 1, wherein the network device is a session management function network element (Unicom_EAS, Figure 6.X.2.1-1, H-SMF. Kim, Fig. 8, H-PCF).
Claim 15 is analyzed and rejected according to Claim 9 and claim 7.
Claim 8: Kim teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: receiving, by the terminal device, the second information (Fig. 8, element 8, Fig. 10, element 5);
and determining, by the terminal device, an address of the first application server based on the second information (([0159], UE determine URSP rule matching via checking whether the EAS IP address in the application layer service request matches with the destination address in the Traffic descriptor part of the URSP rule , if matched, establishes a new PDU session in order to enable User Plane communication with the DN where the DNS Server or the Edge Application Server resides, [0203], When a plurality of EAS Address Information is included for one Traffic Descriptor in URSP, the UE may communicate using EAS IP addresses that are matched/mapped for each traffic/service. [0230], The UE may communicate with the EAS by using the EAS IP address).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 form. The closest prior art reference is Tao et al. (US 20230199480 A1, hereinafter Tao), which describes a system for providing edge service.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YONGHONG ZHAO whose telephone number is (571)272-4089. The examiner can normally be reached Monday -Friday 9:00 am - 5:00pm.
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/Y.Z./Examiner, Art Unit 2472
/NICHOLAS A JENSEN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2472
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