DETAILED ACTION
1. It is hereby acknowledged that 17/995846 the following papers have been received and placed of record in the file: Amendment date 11/24/25
2. Claims 16-31 presented for examination. Claims 16, 24 and 31 are being amended.
Response to Arguments
3. Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 16-31 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
4. 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) A patent may not be obtained through the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
5. Claims 16-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as being unpatentable over NPL- ETRI SA WG2 Meeting #S2-137E S2-2002237 24 - 27 February, 2020 in view of Yashuo (JP2023072093A) ) in further view of NAOAKI (WO2020/06712A1),
Regarding claim 16, ETRI teaches a method performed by an access and mobility management function (AMF) entity in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: receiving, from a base station, a registration request message including requested network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI); (see ETRI page 1 and page 5 explains…. If the Requested NSSAI includes S-NSSAIs which map to S-NSSAIs of the HPLMN subject to Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization, the AMF shall include in the Registration Accept message an Allowed NSSAT containing only those S-NSSAIs that are not to be subject to Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization…) identifying whether all of single-NSSAIs (S-NSSAIs) in the requested NSSAI are subject to a network slice-specific authentication and authorization (NSSAA);(see ETRI page 5 explains…. If the Requested NSSAI includes S-NSSAIs which map to S-NSSAIs of the HPLMN subject to Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization, the AMF shall include in the Registration Accept message an Allowed NSSAT containing only those S-NSSAIs that are not to be subject to Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization…) based on identifying that all of S-NSSAIs in the requested NSSAI are subject to the NSSAA, transmitting to a user equipment (UE), a registration accept message including empty allowed NSSAIT;( see ETRI page 5-6… If: - all the S-NSSAI(s) in the Requested NSSAT are still to be subject to Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization; or no Requested NSSAI was provided or none of the S-NSSAIs in the Requested NSSAI matches any of the Subscribed S-NSSAIs, and all the S-NSSAI(s) marked as default in the Subscribed S-NSSAIs are to be subject to Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization; the AMF shall provide an empty Allowed NSSAI to the UE in the Registration Accept message. Upon receiving an empty Allowed NSSAI, the UE is registered) performing the NSSAA procedure for each S-NSSAI among the S-NSSAIs; (see ETRI page 6 ) performing the NSSAA procedure for each S-NSSAI among the S-NSSAIs; (see ETRI page 6 ) [[and]] determining whether default S-NSSAI is available to be added in a new allowed NSSAI, determining whether default S-NSSAI is available to be added in a new allowed NSSAI, based on of a re-authentication procedure being performed; (see ETRI page 6 discloses…. if the AMF determines that no S-NSSAI can be provided in the Allowed NSSAI for the UE, which is already authenticated and authorized successfully by a PLMN, and if no default S-NSSAI(s) could be added as described in step (A), the AMF shall execute the Network- initiated Deregistration procedure…) and based on determining that no default S-NSSAI is available to be added in the new allowed NSSAI, transmitting, to the UE, a network-initiated deregistration message. (see ETRI discloses…. if the AMF determines that no S-NSSAI can be provided in the Allowed NSSAI for the UE, which is already authenticated and authorized successfully by a PLMN, and if no default S-NSSAI(s) could be added as described in step (A), the AMF shall execute the Network- initiated Deregistration procedure…)
While it is well known and can be understood to include, ETRI does not explicitly disclose a base station,
However to further show this see analogous art Yashuo page 25 paragraph [0009] explains a base station device may send a registration request message. Further explains an S-NSSAI included in the requested NSSAI may be expressed as a requested S-NSSAI, among other similar limitations from claims .
including It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling data of the claimed invention to combine the modified ETRI with Yashuo. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification before the effective filling data of the claimed invention to improve authentication in an network (See page 4 paragraphs [0003]-[0005] )
While it can be understood 3GPP explains based on a re-authentication procedure being performed(see 3GPP page 6)
However to further clarify Naoaki is introduced and explains …Also, the AMF 31 replaces the S-NSSAI provided to the UE 20 with Allowed @ N-SSAI when the secondary authentication for the S-NSSAI of the UE 20 has failed or succeeds in the secondary authentication, and replaces the S-NSSAI with another S-NSSAI to the UE 20. May be provided. For example, the replaced S-NSSAI may be the default S-NSSAI….(see page 10 paragraph [0004])
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification before the effective filling data of the claimed invention to further improve authentication in an network (See background paragraphs [0002],[0003])
Regarding claim 17, the modified ETRI taught method of claim 16, as described above. The modified ETRI further teaches wherein the S-NSSAIs that are subject to the NSSAA are included in pending NSSAI, and
wherein the pending NSSAI indicates one or more S-NSSAIs for which the NSSAA is pending. (see ETRI page 1 discloses….the UE can know that the NSSAA starts if receiving the list of Pending S-NSSAls in the Registration Accept message…. page 5-6 discloses….The AMF shall also provide the list of Rejected S-NSSAIs, each of them with the appropriate rejection cause value. The S-NSSAIs for which Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization needs to be performed shall be included in the list of Pending S-NSSAIs. The UE shall not attempt re-registration with those S-NSSAIs included in the list of Pending S-NSSAIs, regardless of Access Type, until the Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization procedure has been completed…. if the AMF determines that no S-NSSAI can be provided in the Allowed NSSAI for the UE, which is already authenticated and authorized successfully by a PLMN, and if no default S-NSSAI(s) could be added as described in step (A), the AMF shall execute the Network- initiated Deregistration procedure…)
Regarding claim 18, the modified ETRI taught method of claim 16, as described above. The modified ETRI further teaches further comprising:
transmitting, to a unified data management (UDM) entity, a request message for subscription data for the UE. (see ETRI page 3… the AMF may query the UDM to retrieve UE subscription information including the Subscribed S-NSSAIs…)
Regarding claim 19, the modified ETRI taught method of claim 18, as described above. The modified ETRI further teaches further comprising comprises:
receiving, from the UDM entity, a response message including the subscription data for the UE. (see ETRI page 3… the AMF may query the UDM to retrieve UE subscription information including the Subscribed S-NSSAIs…)
Regarding claim 20, the modified ETRI taught method of claim 19, as described above. The modified ETRI further teaches wherein the subscription data for the UE includes information related to subscribed S-NSSAIs, information indicating whether the subscribed S- NSSAIs are default S-NSSAIs, and information indicating whether the subscribed S-NSSAIs are subject to the NSSAA. (see ETRI page 5-6 discloses…. if the AMF determines that no S-NSSAI can be provided in the Allowed NSSAI for the UE, which is already authenticated and authorized successfully by a PLMN, and if no default S-NSSAI(s) could be added as described in step (A), the AMF shall execute the Network- initiated Deregistration procedure…)
Regarding claim 21, the modified ETRI taught method of claim 16, as described above. The modified ETRI further teaches wherein the allowed NSSAI includes that at least one S-NSSAI that is successfully authenticated and authorized during the NSSAA. (see ETRI page 5-6 discloses…. if the AMF determines that no S-NSSAI can be provided in the Allowed NSSAI for the UE, which is already authenticated and authorized successfully by a PLMN, and if no default S-NSSAI(s) could be added as described in step (A), the AMF shall execute the Network- initiated Deregistration procedure…)
Regarding claim 22, the modified ETRI taught method of claim 20, as described above. The modified ETRI further teaches further comprising: determining the empty allowed NSSAI based on the requested NSSAI and the subscription data for the UE. ( see ETRI page 5-6… If all the S-NSSAI(s) in the Requested NSSAT are still to be subject to Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization; or no Requested NSSAI was provided or none of the S-NSSAIs in the Requested NSSAI matches any of the Subscribed S-NSSAIs, and all the S-NSSAI(s) marked as default in the Subscribed S-NSSAIs are to be subject to Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization; the AMF shall provide an empty Allowed NSSAI to the UE in the Registration Accept message. Upon receiving an empty Allowed NSSAI, the UE is registered)
Regarding claim 23, the modified ETRI taught method of claim 17, as described above. The modified ETRI further teaches wherein the registration accept message further includes the pending NSSAI. (see ETRI page 1 discloses….the UE can know that the NSSAA starts if receiving the list of Pending S-NSSAls in the Registration Accept message…. page 5-6 discloses….The AMF shall also provide the list of Rejected S-NSSAIs, each of them with the appropriate rejection cause value. The S-NSSAIs for which Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization needs to be performed shall be included in the list of Pending S-NSSAIs. The UE shall not attempt re-registration with those S-NSSAIs included in the list of Pending S-NSSAIs, regardless of Access Type, until the Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization procedure has been completed…. if the AMF determines that no S-NSSAI can be provided in the Allowed NSSAI for the UE, which is already authenticated and authorized successfully by a PLMN, and if no default S-NSSAI(s) could be added as described in step (A), the AMF shall execute the Network- initiated Deregistration procedure…)
Regarding claim 24, ETRI teaches an access and mobility management function (AMF) entity in a wireless communication system, the AMF entity comprising: a transceiver; and at least one processor coupled with the transceiver and configured to: receive, from a base station, a registration request message including requested network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI); (see ETRI page 1 and page 5 explains…. If the Requested NSSAI includes S-NSSAIs which map to S-NSSAIs of the HPLMN subject to Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization, the AMF shall include in the Registration Accept message an Allowed NSSAT containing only those S-NSSAIs that are not to be subject to Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization…) identify whether all of single-NSSAIs (S-NSSAIs) in the requested NSSAI are subject to a network slice-specific authentication and authorization (NSSAA); (see ETRI page 5 explains…. If the Requested NSSAI includes S-NSSAIs which map to S-NSSAIs of the HPLMN subject to Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization, the AMF shall include in the Registration Accept message an Allowed NSSAT containing only those S-NSSAIs that are not to be subject to Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization…) based on identifying that all of S-NSSAIs in the requested NSSAI are subject to the NSSAA transmit to a user equipment (UE), a registration accept message including empty allowed NSSAIT; perform the NSSAA for each S-NSSAIT among the S-NSSAIs; see ETRI page 6) and based on determining that no default S-NSSAI is available to be added in the new allowed NSSAI, transmit, to the UE, a network-initiated deregistration message. (see ETRI discloses…. if the AMF determines that no S-NSSAI can be provided in the Allowed NSSAI for the UE, which is already authenticated and authorized successfully by a PLMN, and if no default S-NSSAI(s) could be added as described in step (A), the AMF shall execute the Network- initiated Deregistration procedure…)
While it is well known and can be understood to include, ETRI does not explicitly disclose a base station,
However to further show this see analogous art Yashuo page 25 paragraph [0009] explains a base station device may send a registration request message. Further explains an S-NSSAI included in the requested NSSAI may be expressed as a requested S-NSSAI, among other similar limitations from claims .
including It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling data of the claimed invention to combine the modified ETRI with Yashuo. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification before the effective filling data of the claimed invention to improve authentication in an network (See page 4 paragraphs [0003]-[0005] )
determine whether default S-NSSAI is available to be added in a new allowed NSSAI, based on a re-authentication procedure being performed;
While it can be understood 3GPP explains based on a re-authentication procedure being performed(see 3GPP page 6)
However to further clarify Naoaki is introduced and explains …Also, the AMF 31 replaces the S-NSSAI provided to the UE 20 with Allowed @ N-SSAI when the secondary authentication for the S-NSSAI of the UE 20 has failed or succeeds in the secondary authentication, and replaces the S-NSSAI with another S-NSSAI to the UE 20. May be provided. For example, the replaced S-NSSAI may be the default S-NSSAI….(see page 10 paragraph [0004])
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification before the effective filling data of the claimed invention to further improve authentication in an network (See background paragraphs [0002],[0003])
Regarding claim 25, the modified ETRI taught AMF entity of claim 24, as described above. The modified ETRI further teaches wherein the S-NSSAIs that are subject to the NSSAA are included in pending NSSAI, and
wherein the pending NSSAI indicates one or more S-NSSAIs for which the NSSAA is pending. (see ETRI page 1 discloses….the UE can know that the NSSAA starts if receiving the list of Pending S-NSSAls in the Registration Accept message…. page 5-6 discloses….The AMF shall also provide the list of Rejected S-NSSAIs, each of them with the appropriate rejection cause value. The S-NSSAIs for which Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization needs to be performed shall be included in the list of Pending S-NSSAIs. The UE shall not attempt re-registration with those S-NSSAIs included in the list of Pending S-NSSAIs, regardless of Access Type, until the Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization procedure has been completed…. if the AMF determines that no S-NSSAI can be provided in the Allowed NSSAI for the UE, which is already authenticated and authorized successfully by a PLMN, and if no default S-NSSAI(s) could be added as described in step (A), the AMF shall execute the Network- initiated Deregistration procedure…)
Regarding claim 26, the modified ETRI taught AMF entity of claim 24, as described above. The modified ETRI further teaches wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
transmit, to a unified data management (UDM) entity, a request message for subscription data for the UE. . (see ETRI page 3… the AMF may query the UDM to retrieve UE subscription information including the Subscribed S-NSSAIs…)
Regarding claim 27, the modified ETRI taught AMF entity of claim 26, as described above. The modified ETRI further teaches wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
receive, from the UDM entity, a response message including the subscription data for the UE. (see ETRI page 3… the AMF may query the UDM to retrieve UE subscription information including the Subscribed S-NSSAIs…)
Regarding claim 28, the modified ETRI taught AMF entity of claim 27, as described above. The modified ETRI further teaches the subscription data for the UE includes information related to subscribed S-NSSAIs, information indicating whether the subscribed S-NSSAIs are default S-NSSAIs, and information indicating whether the subscribed S- NSSAIs are subject to the NSSAA. (see ETRI page 5-6 discloses…. if the AMF determines that no S-NSSAI can be provided in the Allowed NSSAI for the UE, which is already authenticated and authorized successfully by a PLMN, and if no default S-NSSAI(s) could be added as described in step (A), the AMF shall execute the Network- initiated Deregistration procedure…)
Regarding claim 29, the modified ETRI taught AMF entity of claim 24, as described above. The modified ETRI further teaches wherein in case that the allowed NSSAT includes at least one S-NSSATI that is successfully authenticated and authorized during the NSSAA. (see ETRI page 5-6 discloses…. if the AMF determines that no S-NSSAI can be provided in the Allowed NSSAI for the UE, which is already authenticated and authorized successfully by a PLMN, and if no default S-NSSAI(s) could be added as described in step (A), the AMF shall execute the Network- initiated Deregistration procedure…)
Regarding claim 30, the modified ETRI taught the AMF entity of claim 28, as described above. The modified ETRI further teaches wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
determine the empty allowed NSSAI, based on the requested NSSAI and
the subscription data for the UE. ( see ETRI page 5-6… If all the S-NSSAI(s) in the Requested NSSAT are still to be subject to Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization; or no Requested NSSAI was provided or none of the S-NSSAIs in the Requested NSSAI matches any of the Subscribed S-NSSAIs, and all the S-NSSAI(s) marked as default in the Subscribed S-NSSAIs are to be subject to Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization; the AMF shall provide an empty Allowed NSSAI to the UE in the Registration Accept message. Upon receiving an empty Allowed NSSAI, the UE is registered)
6. Claim 31 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103 as being unpatentable over NPL- ETRI SA WG2 Meeting #S2-137E $2-2002237 24 - 27 February, 2020 in view of Yoko (JP2021166360A), in further view of NAOAKI (WO2020/06712A1),
Regarding claim 31, ETRI teaches a method performed by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: transmitting, to a base station, a registration request message including requested network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI);(see ETRI page 1 explains….the UE shall provide to the network in AS layer and NAS layer a Requested NSSAI containing the S-NSSAI(s) corresponding to the slice(s) to which the UE wishes to register…. page 5-6 explains….the UE indicated that the Requested NSSAT is based on the Default Configured NSSAI, the AMF may update the UE slice configuration in…) receiving, from an access and mobility management function (AMF) entity, a registration accept message including empty allowed NSSAI, wherein all of single-NSSAIs (S-NSSAIs) in the requested NSSAI are subject to a network slice-specific authentication and authorization (NSSAA); ( see ETRI page 5-6… If: - all the S-NSSAI(s) in the Requested NSSAT are still to be subject to Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization; or - no Requested NSSAI was provided or none of the S-NSSAIs in the Requested NSSAI matches any of the Subscribed S-NSSAIs, and all the S-NSSAI(s) marked as default in the Subscribed $-NSSAIs are to be subject to Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization; the AMF shall provide an empty Allowed NSSAI to the UE in the Registration Accept message. Upon receiving an empty Allowed NSSAI, the UE is registered) and receiving, from the AMF entity, a network-initiated deregistration message, no default S- NSSAT is available to be added in a new allowed NSSAT when a reauthentication procedure is performed. (see ETRI discloses…. if the AMF determines that no S-NSSAI can be provided in the Allowed NSSAI for the UE, which is already authenticated and authorized successfully by a PLMN, and if no default S-NSSAI(s) could be added as described in step (A), the AMF shall execute the Network- initiated Deregistration procedure…)
ETRI does not explicitly disclose a base station
However see analogous art Yoko page 21 paragraph [0007] explains a request to a GNB
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling data of the claimed invention to combine the modified ETRI with Yoko. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification before the effective filling data of the claimed invention to improve authentication in an network (See page 4 paragraphs [0003]-[0005] )
While it can be understood 3GPP explains when a re-authentication procedure is performed(see 3GPP page 6)
However to further clarify Naoaki is introduced and explains …Also, the AMF 31 replaces the S-NSSAI provided to the UE 20 with Allowed @ N-SSAI when the secondary authentication for the S-NSSAI of the UE 20 has failed or succeeds in the secondary authentication, and replaces the S-NSSAI with another S-NSSAI to the UE 20. May be provided. For example, the replaced S-NSSAI may be the default S-NSSAI….(see page 10 paragraph [0004])
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification before the effective filling data of the claimed invention to further improve authentication in an network (See background paragraphs [0002],[0003])
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Gerald Smarth whose telephone number is (571) 270-1923. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday 6am-4:30pm ET. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joseph Avellino can be reached on 571-272-7784. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/GERALD A SMARTH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478