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 .
Double Patenting
Applicant’s response: In reference to the Double Patenting Rejection, the applicant’s response is as follows: “Applicant notes that all claims stand rejected in the current office action and that, in further prosecution, the claims may be amended in a manner that renders the rejections moot. Applicant respectfully requests that the double patenting rejections be held in abeyance until the indication of allowable subject matter”.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The reasons are set forth below:
The applicant’s arguments and the examiner’s response:
The applicant’s argument 1: Applicant’s argument recite, in page 10-11, “Applicant submits that Benoit does not teach "provisioning the headless device using the
information received by the headless device from the mediator device" since Benoit, at paragraphs [0029]-[0030] states that the network device uses the client public key to produce a shared key using an enrollment protocol. The client public key is provided to the network device via the configurator device according to Benoit. Furthermore, Benoit lacks any description of "receiving, by the headless device from the mediator device in response to the subscription plan selection, provisioning server selected m the user interface of the mediator device." In Benoit, the configurator device does not play a role in provisioning the client device. The network device provisions the client device in Benoit. Paragraph [0027] of Benoit is instructive: information to proceed with the provisioning of the headless device, wherein the information received by the headless device from the mediator device comprises an identifier of a selected: includes:
i) "receiving, by a headless device that is without an available user interface and that
is to be provisioned for access to a network;" Office Action, page 13.
ii) "sending by the headless device to a mediator device with a user interface ... at
least a portion of the received information from the network node;" Office Action at page 14;
iii) "sending from the headless device to the mediator device; Id.
The examiner’s response regarding (i): In response to argument (i) “receiving, by headless device that is without an available user interface and that is to be provisioned for access to a network;" Office Action, page 13”, the examiner respectfully disagrees. The examiner’s rejection is based on the recited claim limitation and the examiner must interpret the claims under BRI (broadest reasonable interpretation). The client device 110 may be equivalent to “headless device” described in fig 1, do not have graphical user interface which may be equivalent to “without an available user interface”. In order to provisioning communication between the client device 110 and the network 120, an “Initial network configuration of a headless device (client device 110) may be difficult due to the lack of a graphical user interface”, para [0005], to over come this problem, in fig 1, para [0008], where, “The configurator device may serve as an intermediary between a new client device and a network device. For example, an exchange of public keys between the client device and the network device may be facilitated by a configurator device having a trust relationship with the network device. The trust relationship may be established using an out-of-band communication”). Therefore, Benoit teaches exactly what the claim limitations demanded. Therefore the arguments are traversed and maintained the rejection.
The examiner’s response regarding (ii): In response to argument (ii) "sending by the headless device to a mediator device with a user interface ... at least a portion of the received information from the network node;" Office Action at page 14”; Benoit teaches: para [0007], fig 2, where, “device provisioning to facilitate enrollment of a device being introduced to a network. Device provisioning may be enhanced using concepts from public key cryptography, in which the public keys are exchanged between devices using a device provisioning protocol. The device provisioning protocol may be directly between two devices, or may involve a third device referred to as a configurator device”. Therefore, Benoit teaches exactly what the claim limitations demanded. Therefore the arguments are traversed and maintained the rejection.
The examiner’s response regarding (iii) In response to the argument "sending from the headless device to the mediator device”; Id. Benoit teaches: para [0046], fig 2, where, “Establishing the trust relationship may include steps for the configurator device 130 to set up a trust relationship key for the trust relationship 225”. Client Device 110 equivalent to “headless device” sends the client public key 254 to the configurator device equivalent to “mediator device”. Therefore, Benoit teaches exactly what the claim limitations warranted. Therefore the arguments are traversed and maintained the rejection.
All the remaining arguments are based on the arguments above and are responded to in full.
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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1, 3-4, 8-10, 12, 14-16, 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Benoit et al (US 2015/0229475 A1), hereinafter, “Benoit” in view of Chu et al (US 2016/0080351 A1), hereinafter, “Chu”.
Regarding claim 1, Benoit teaches: A method (Benoit: para [0027], device provisioning which works according to a method) comprising: receiving (Benoit: para [0029], an enrollment process between a network and a client device during which exchange is taking place between the entities and shared key which is necessary for enrollment process being provided to client device (i.e. headless device) and para [0004]-[0005], a new device i.e. headless device), by a headless device (client device 110 is equivalent to “headless device”) that is without an available user interface and that is to be provisioned for access to a network (Benoit: para [0004]-[0005], a new device i.e. headless device [0028] information exchange between client and network device, where, “a configurator device 130 (may be equivalent to “mediator device”) may obtain (equivalent to “provisioned”) a client public key associated with the client device and send the client public key to the network device”), information relating to provisioning of the headless device (Benoit: para [0028] configurator device obtaining client public key i.e. information relating to provisioning of the client device i.e. headless device and the information is associated with the client device 120 i.e. headless device), the information received from a network node in the network (Benoit: para [0029], the shared public key i.e. information relating to provisioning of the network device being obtained by client device via exchange between client device and network 100);
Sending (Benoit: para [0004]-[0005], a new device i.e. headless device (i.e. any device capable of communicating with the network –“Headless device might include sensors, light bulbs, cameras, actuators, appliances, game controllers, audio equipment or other communication devices that are capable of communicating via the communication network but which may not have a graphical user interface due to commercial or technical limitations” and [0030] configurator device obtaining public key client device i.e. information being sent to mediator by client device i.e. headless device), by the headless device to a mediator device (Network 12 equivalent to mediator device”) with a user interface (Benoit: para [0004]-[0005], a new device i.e. headless device i.e. any device capable of communicating with the network and [0030], configurator device obtaining public key client device i.e. information being sent to mediator by client device i.e. headless device), at least a portion of the received information from the network node (Benoit: para [0031], devices and associated public keys reside in network which was received by client device i.e. headless device);
Sending (Benoit: para [0004]-[0005], a new device i.e. headless device i.e. any device capable of communicating with the network and [0030] configurator device obtaining public key client device i.e. information being sent to mediator by client device i.e. headless device), from the headless device to the mediator device (Benoit: para [0004]-[0005], a new device i.e. headless device i.e. any device capable of communicating with the network and [0030], configurator device obtaining public key client device i.e. information being sent to mediator by client device i.e. headless device), and
provisioning the headless device (Benoit: para [0033], mediator device sending to the client device information to related to the provisioning and a trust relationship being established being client device i.e. headless device, configurator fig. 5 step 521 a beacon initiating the provisioning step 528 a beacon being received from mediator device allowing the provisioning to take place), using the information received by the headless device from the mediator device (Benoit: para [0033], mediator device sending to the client device information to related to the provisioning fig. 5 step 521 a beacon initiating the provisioning step 528 a beacon being received from mediator device allowing the provisioning to take place), the provisioning comprising configuring the headless device with a security credential that is useable by the headless device to establish connectivity with the network (Benoit: para [0038] information such as public key or private key of the headless or client device 110 which is used by the network device 120 in order to enroll client device and see fig. 1 step 154, 156,158 and enrollment message having identifier of network device i.e. OSU provider and [0078], fig 7, configurator device 130 reading or acquiring information from i.e. from headless device using QR code or tag reader and identifier (ID) of network device i.e. OSU server and see also supporting paragraph [0027] provisioning of a client device i.e. headless device with a network device); Benoit does not explicitly teach: information of the headless device to allow subscription plan selection made in the user interface of the mediator device, the subscription plan selection comprising a selection of a selected subscription plan from among a plurality of different subscription plans relating to use of the network;
receiving, by the headless device from the mediator device in response to the subscription plan selection, information to proceed with the provisioning of the headless device,
wherein the information received by the headless device from the mediator device comprises an identifier of a selected provisioning server selected in the user interface of the mediator device;
Chu teaches: information of the headless device to allow subscription plan selection made in the user interface of the mediator device, the subscription plan selection comprising a selection of a selected subscription plan from among a plurality of different subscription plans relating to use of the network (Chu: fig 2 and 3A-B, para [0030], “The mobile device 102 is then permitted to securely communicate with the OSU server 116 solely for HTTPS server-side authentication, as represented by signal(s) 312 (one or more signals, in either or both directions, may be involved). The OSU server 116 sends one or more subscription options and presents one or more plan rates to the mobile device 102, represented by signal(s) 314, and a user of the mobile device 102 selects a subscription and accepts the associated rate presented. The selected subscription option is then sent from the mobile device 102 to the OSU server 116”);
receiving, by the headless device from the mediator device in response to the subscription plan selection, information to proceed with the provisioning of the headless device (Chu: fig 2 and 3A-B, para [0030]-[0031], “The OSU server 116 sends one or more subscription options and presents one or more plan rates to the mobile device 102, represented by signal(s) 314, and a user of the mobile device 102 selects a subscription and accepts the associated rate presented. The selected subscription option is then sent from the mobile device 102 to the OSU server 116”),
wherein the information received by the headless device from the mediator device comprises an identifier of a selected provisioning server selected in the user interface of the mediator device (Chu: fig 2 and 3A-B, para [0032]-[0033] and para [0040], “With the dual SSID proposal discussed above, one SSID plus one BSSID is used for online sign up and another, different SSID plus another, different BSSID is used for accessing the service provider's network. Provisioning and enrollment proceed as depicted in FIG. 3A and, after enrollment, the client device connects to secure WLAN network using the provisioned credential as illustrated by FIG. 3B”).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skills before the effective filling date of the application to combine the teaching of Chu and the teaching of Benoit to send or display provisioning information. Because Chu teaches a two-step enrollment of devices thus providing more security (Chu: para [0003]-[0006]).
Regarding claims 12 and 19, the claim includes features identical to the subject matter mentioned in the rejection to claim 1 above. The claims are mere reformulation of claim 1 in order to define the corresponding information processing apparatus, a mediator device, and the rejection to claim 1 is applied hereto.
Regarding claims 3 and 14, Benoit modified by Chu teaches: wherein the information received by the headless device from the mediator device (Benoit: para [0033], mediator device sending to the client device information to related to the provisioning fig. 5 step 521 a beacon initiating the provisioning step 528 a beacon being received from mediator device allowing the provisioning to take place), comprises information indicating a confirmation to proceed with the provisioning of the headless device (Benoit: para [0033], mediator device sending to the client device information to related to the provisioning fig. 5 step 521 a beacon initiating the provisioning step 528 a beacon being received from mediator device allowing the provisioning to take place).
Regarding claim 4, Benoit modified by Chu teaches: The method of claim 1, further comprising: connecting, by the headless device (Benoit: para [0033], mediator device sending to the client device information to related to the provisioning and a trust relationship being established being client device i.e. headless device, configurator fig. 5 step 521 a beacon initiating the provisioning step 528 a beacon being received from mediator device allowing the provisioning to take place), with the selected provisioning server identified by the information received by the headless device from the mediator device (Benoit: para [0033], mediator device sending to the client device information to related to the provisioning fig. 5 step 521 a beacon initiating the provisioning step 528 a beacon being received from mediator device allowing the provisioning to take place) and receiving, by the headless device, provisioning information from the selected provisioning server to which the headless device has connected (Benoit: para [0038] information such as public key or private key of the headless or client device which is used by the network device in order to enroll client device and see fig. 1 step 154, 156,158 and enrollment message having identifier of network device i.e. OSU provider and [0078] configurator device reading or acquiring information from i.e. from headless device using QR code or tag reader and identifier of network device i.e. OSU server and see also supporting paragraph [0027] provisioning of a client device i.e. headless device with a network device); wherein the provisioning of the headless device is based on the provisioning information (Benoit: para [0028] configurator device obtaining client public key i.e. information relating to provisioning of the client device i.e. headless device and the information is associated with the client device i.e. headless device).
Regarding claims 8 and 18, Benoit modified by Chu teaches: wherein the selected provisioning server comprises an online signup (OSU) provider (Chu: fig 1-2, para [0019], where, “The hotspot 104 includes storage (e.g., a memory) 113, an Authentication, Authorization and Accounting (AAA) function 110, and an online sign-up (OSU) function 112. In the example shown, the AAA function 110 and the OSU function 112 are coupled to common storage 113. The AP(s) 114 within hotspot 104 are configured to perform at least one authentication, authorization and accounting process with the cooperation of the AAA function 110 and an online sign-up process using the OSU function 112. The AAA function 110 and the OSU function 112 may need to communicate with the counterpart AAA function 115 and OSU function 116 within the service provider network 108”).
Regarding claim 9, Benoit modified by Chu teaches: The method of claim 1, further comprising sending, by the headless device to the mediator device (Benoit: para [0033], mediator device sending to the client device information to related to the provisioning fig. 5 step 521 a beacon initiating the provisioning step 528 a beacon being received from mediator device allowing the provisioning to take place) an identity of the headless device and an indication that the provisioning of the headless device is complete (Benoit: para [0027]-[0028], where, indicated a completion of provisioning).
Regarding claim 10, Benoit modified by Chu teaches: The method of claim 1, further comprising disconnecting (Chu: fig 3B, para [0032], where, “Once authorized to connect to AP 114, a PASSPOINT™ connection is to be established and the mobile station 102 will disconnect from the online sign-up server 116, requiring a new connection to be re-established. Thus, after enrollment is completed and the connection to the OSU server 116 is dropped (i.e., disconnected), the mobile device 102 connects to the secured WLAN network's AP 114 using a second SSID plus a second BSSID and using the provisioned credentials issued by the CA 118 in FIG. 3A”), by the headless device, from the mediator device in response to a completion of the provisioning of the headless device (Benoit: para [0027]-[0028], where, indicated a completion of provisioning).
Regarding claim 15, Benoit modified by Chu teaches: The mediator device of claim 12, wherein the received information further comprises an identifier of the headless device (Benoit: fig 2, para [0048], where, “the enrollment message 256 may include information regarding how the client public key 254 was obtained, a timestamp, an identifier of the network device 120, an enrollment request identifier, and/or other information. In one embodiment, the signature, the nonce, or both, may be encrypted using the trust relationship key”).
Regarding claim 16, Benoit modified by Chu teaches: The mediator device of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor (Benoit: fig 1, para [0036], where, “configurator device 130 is a mobile device having a camera, processor, and network interface”) is configured to receive, from the headless device (Benoit: para [0033], mediator device sending to the client device information to related to the provisioning fig. 5 step 521 a beacon initiating the provisioning step 528 a beacon being received from mediator device allowing the provisioning to take place), a message to disconnect from the mediator device, responsive to the headless device transitioning to a provisioned state (Chu: fig 3B, para [0032], where, “Once authorized to connect to AP 114, a PASSPOINT™ connection is to be established and the mobile station 102 will disconnect from the online sign-up server 116, requiring a new connection to be re-established. Thus, after enrollment is completed and the connection to the OSU server 116 is dropped (i.e., disconnected), the mobile device 102 connects to the secured WLAN network's AP 114 using a second SSID plus a second BSSID and using the provisioned credentials issued by the CA 118 in FIG. 3A”).
Claims 5, 6, 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Benoit et al (US 2015/0229475 A1), hereinafter, “Benoit” in view of Chu et al (US 2016/0080351 A1), hereinafter, “Chu” further in view of Wang et all (US 2009/0016333 A1), hereinafter, “Wang”.
Regarding claims 5 and 17, The combination of Benoit and Chu does not explicitly teach: The method of claim 1, wherein the selected provisioning server comprises a Device Provisioning Protocol (DPP) configurator.
Wang teaches: wherein the selected provisioning server comprises a Device Provisioning Protocol (DPP) configurator (Wang: para [0526], where, a system having multiple server).
Therefore, it will have been obvious to a person of ordinary skills before the effective filling date of the application to combine the teaching of Wang and the combined teaching of Benoit and Chu to use multiple DPP configurators in order to make a selection. Because Liu teaches a method for interoperability among multiple system (Wang: para [0526], multiple DPP servers).
Regarding claim 6, Benoit modified by Chu further modified by Wang teaches: The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving, by the headless device, a public key of the DPP configurator from the mediator device (Wang: para [0526], where, a system having multiple server).
Claims 2, 7, 11, 13 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Benoit et al (US 2015/0229475 A1), hereinafter, “Benoit” in view of Chu et al (US 2016/0080351 A1), hereinafter, “Chu” further in view of Abdul et al (US 2016/0088026 A1), hereinafter, “Abdul”.
Regarding claims 2, 13 and 20, The combination of Benoit modified by Chu does not teach: wherein the plurality of different subscription plans relate to usage of the network for different time lengths.
However, Abdul from a similar field of endeavor teaches: wherein the plurality of different subscription plans relate to usage of the network for different time lengths (Abdul: para [0111], where, “resources may be allocated to users in different time zones. For example, cloud infrastructure system 902 may enable a first set of users in a first time zone to utilize resources of the cloud infrastructure system for a specified number of hours and then enable the re-allocation of the same resources to another set of users located in a different time zone, thereby maximizing the utilization of resources”).
Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skills before the effective date of the application to combine the teaching of Abdul and the combined teaching of Benoit and Chu to send information once provisioning is done. Because Abdul teaches an improved techniques to enroll wireless device (Abdul [0004]).
Regarding claim 7, Benoit modified by Chu further modified by Abdul teaches: wherein the security credential configured by the provisioning comprises a password (Abdul: fig 2, para [0046], where, “device authentication engine 212 may specify a particular authentication mechanism to be used for authenticating user device 202. For instance, device authentication engine 212 may specify, in the enrollment request, that authentication information in the form of user credentials have to be specified by a user of user device 202 to authenticate user device 202”).
Regarding claim 11, Benoit modified by Chu further modified by Abdul teaches: The method of claim 1, wherein the information received by the headless device from the network node (Benoit: para [0033], mediator device sending to the client device information to related to the provisioning fig. 5 step 521 a beacon initiating the provisioning step 528 a beacon being received from mediator device allowing the provisioning to take place), further comprises information selected from among an identity of the headless device, a date of manufacture of the headless device, a date of last provisioning or revocation of settings of the headless device, a current power level, a control code, an error code, and a provisioning data structure (Abdul [0078] an encrypted identification of the headless device being received [0062] a decision being made based on whether fingerprint matches that of headless device and [0068] fingerprint information generated by the gateway device).
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 NIZAM U AHMED whose telephone number is (571)272-9561. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fry, 7:00 AM-6:00 PM PST.
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/NIZAM U AHMED/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461