DETAILED ACTION
Remarks
1. Pending claims for reconsideration are claims 1-17, 25-27. Applicant has amended claims 1, 16, and 26. Claims 18-24 and 28-32 have been cancelled.
Response to Amendment
2. Applicant's arguments filed 5/27/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In the remarks, applicant argues in substance:
That- claim 25 recites inter alia the circuitry of the non-public network
authentication-authorization-accounting server is configured to generate and encrypt an extended master session key based on the predetermined secret key; and the circuitry of the non-public network authentication-authorization-accounting server is configured to transfer the generated and encrypted extended master session key to an authentication server function entity via a wired interface. Applicant respectfully submits any combination of Suthar and Ben Henda at least fails to teach these features.
In response to applicants’ argument- The claims have been examined in their broadest most reasonable interpretation in light of the applicant’s specification. Ben Henda that teaches the claimed language, neither Suthar nor Ben Henda alone. As stated in the prior office action dated 03/06/2026, Ben Henda discloses "obtain a predetermined secret key stored in a secure memory. in advance" via an authentication architecture for non-public networks in which long-term subscription credentials and secret key material are provisioned and stored prior to session establishment (see, e.g. Abstract; Fig's 2-4 in which sections describing storage of authentication credentials in AUSF/AAA functions). During authentication, the server retrieves this pre-provisioned secret material to perform key derivation. This teaches obtaining a predetermined secret key stored in secure memory in advance. Ben Henda further discloses "Generate an extended master key session key(EMSK) based on the predetermined secret
key" by describing an EAP/5G-AKA-based hierarchical key derivation in which
master session keys, including EMSK, are derived from the underlying long term
secret credentials, because the EMSK is cryptographically derived from the
stored long-term secret, Ben Henda teaches generating an EMSK based on
predetermined secret key. While Ben Henda focuses on key derivation within the
authentication framework, Suthar expressly teaches protecting and securely
transmitting derived authentication keys between network entities using
encryption or cryptographic wrapping. Accordingly, Ben Henda(as to storage and
derivation) in combination with Suthar (as to encrypted key transfer) teaches or
renders obvious each claim limitation of claim 25.
Allowable Subject Matter
3. Claims 1-17, and 26-27 are allowed. claims 1-16, and 26 have been amended. Claims 18-24, and 28-32 have been cancelled.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The closest prior art issued to Patent No.: US 10,505,718 B1 to Suthar et al(hereafter referenced as Suthar) in view of Pub.No.: US 2022/0159460 A1 to Ben Henda et al (hereafter referenced as Ben Henda) fails to teach or suggest “the circuitry of the user equipment is configured to provide an authentication interface between the non-public network authentication-authorization-accounting server and an authentication server function entity in the mobile telecommunications system for authentication of at least another user equipment; the circuitry of the user equipment is configured to receive, via the authentication interface provided by the user equipment between the non-public network authentication-authorization-accounting server and the authentication server function entity, an authentication request from the at least another user equipment via the authentication server function entity; and the circuitry of the user equipment is configured to transmit, via the authentication interface provided by the user equipment between the non-public network authentication-authorization-accounting server and the authentication server function entity, the authentication request received from the at least another user equipment to the non-public network authentication-authorization-accounting server; and wherein the authentication interface that is provided by the user equipment for the authentication of the at least another user equipment is logically located between the non-public network authentication-authorization-accounting server and the authentication server function entity and provides a secure logical and physical channel between the non-public network authentication-authorization-accounting server and the authentication server function entity.”
Suthar in view of Ben Henda simply offers a user equipment that provides authentication via a core network node of a core network of a wireless communication system for authenticating a user equipment (UE) to the core network which includes receiving a first authentication request to authenticate the UE to the core network and network function ( NF ) entity in a communication network that determines a user equipment ( UE ) supporting a blockchain authentication procedure which exchanges authentication messages with a blockchain authentication, but does not address explicitly disclose “the circuitry of the user equipment is configured to provide an authentication interface between the non-public network authentication-authorization-accounting server and an authentication server function entity in the mobile telecommunications system for authentication of at least another user equipment; the circuitry of the user equipment is configured to receive, via the authentication interface provided by the user equipment between the non-public network authentication-authorization-accounting server and the authentication server function entity, an authentication request from the at least another user equipment via the authentication server function entity; and the circuitry of the user equipment is configured to transmit, via the authentication interface provided by the user equipment between the non-public network authentication-authorization-accounting server and the authentication server function entity, the authentication request received from the at least another user equipment to the non-public network authentication-authorization-accounting server; and wherein the authentication interface that is provided by the user equipment for the authentication of the at least another user equipment is logically located between the non-public network authentication-authorization-accounting server and the authentication server function entity and provides a secure logical and physical channel between the non-public network authentication-authorization-accounting server and the authentication server function entity” as cited in the amended claims.
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.
4. Claim 25 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Patent No.: US 10,505,718 B1 to Suthar et al(hereafter referenced as Suthar) in view of Pub.No.: US 2022/0159460 A1 to Ben Henda et al (hereafter referenced as Ben Henda) see provisional ap filed 2/27/2019.
Regarding claim 25, Suthar discloses “A non-public network authentication-authorization-accounting server” (i.e., mobile communications system [Fig 1] also see Authentication Server Function (AUSF) entity [Fig.2]).
Suthar does not explicitly disclose “comprising circuitry wherein the circuitry of the non-public network authentication -authorization -accounting server is configured to obtain a predetermined secret key stored in a secure memory in the non-public network authentication-authorization-accounting server in advance; the non-public network authentication -authorization -accounting server is configured to generate and encrypt an extended master session key based on the predetermined secret key; the non-public network authentication -authorization -accounting server is configured to transfer the generated and encrypted extended master session key to an authentication server function entity via a wired interface”
However, Ben Henda in an analogous art discloses “comprising circuitry wherein the circuitry of the non-public network authentication -authorization -accounting server is (AAA server on an non-public network Ben Henda[Fig.7]) configured to obtain a predetermined secret key stored in a secure memory in the non-public network authentication-authorization-accounting server in advance; the non-public network authentication -authorization -accounting server(AAA server on an non-public network Ben Henda[Fig.7]) is configured to generate and encrypt an extended master session key based on the predetermined secret key; the non-public network authentication -authorization -accounting server (AAA server on an non-public network Ben Henda[Fig.7]) is configured to transfer the generated and encrypted extended master session key to an authentication server function entity via a wired interface” (core network node includes a Authentication Server Function , AUSF , node , the master key includes a master session key , MSK , and the first key includes an AUSF security key , KAUSF Ben Henda [par.0019] also see AAA Ben Henda [Fig.7]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify Suthar’s registration procedure within a wireless network with Ben Henda’s Non-Public network authentication process. One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to combine because Suthar teaches user equipment for mobile system that utilizes a registration process, Ben Henda discloses a non-public network authentication process within a mobile system, and both are from the same field of endeavor.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL D ANDERSON whose telephone number is (571)270-5159. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9am-6pm.
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/MICHAEL D ANDERSON/Examiner, Art Unit 2433
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