DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Status of Claims
2. Claims 50-69 are pending. Claims 50, 53, 60, and 64 are in independent forms. Claims 1-49 has been canceled.
Response to Arguments
3. Applicant’s arguments filed 04 February 2026 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of .
Drawings
4. The drawings filed on 06/13/2023 are accepted by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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.
6. Claims 50-54, 59-65 and 69 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rajadurai et al. US Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0129500 (hereinafter Rajadurai) in view of Rasal WO 2014/154935 (hereinafter Rasal) in further view of Kunz et al. US Patent Application Publication No. 2023/0262463 (hereinafter Kunz).
Regarding claim 50, Rajadurai discloses a method performed by a communication device, the method comprising:
“obtaining a subscription identity wherein the content of the subscription identity comprises a subscription to a first communication network” (see Rajadurai par. 0047, 0085, The TE 104 sends the request message to the MT using ATtension (AT) command or any other local interface specific message to obtain Subscriber Identity (IMSI). At step 404, the first communication device receives a first request from a second communication device to get a subscription identity and capabilities of subscription for accessing the communication network using subscription of the first communication device. In an embodiment, the first request also includes a device identity associated with the second communication device);
“transmitting the subscription identity” (see Rajadurai par. 0009, the method includes sending a request to a first communication device to get a subscription identity and capabilities of a subscription for accessing the communication network using subscription of the first communication device. The request may include a device ID associated with the second communication device);
Rajadurai does not explicitly discloses wherein the subscription identity includes a first network identity wherein the content of the first network identity comprises an identity of the first communication network and includes a second network identity that includes an identity of a second communication network that serves the first communication network.
However, in analogues art, Rasal discloses wherein the subscription identity includes a first network identity wherein the content of the first network identity comprises an identity of the first communication network and includes a second network identity that includes an identity of a second communication network that serves the first communication network (see Rasal page 37, lines 5-27, At block 802, the apparatus receives an indication of an intent to exchange service data with a separate apparatus by way of a communication network, similarly as described regarding block 502 of FIGURE 5. At block 804, the apparatus determines that a first subscription identity device, associated with a first communication network, and a second subscription identity device, associated with a second network, are capable of providing for the exchange of the service data. At block 806, the apparatus establishes a first communication channel with a first communication network as directed by the first subscription identity device).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Rasal into the system of Rajadurai to receive an indication of an intent to exchange service data with a separate apparatus by way of a communication network, determining that a first subscription identity device, associated with a first communication network, and a second subscription identity device, associated with a second network, are capable of providing for the exchange of the service data (see Rasal page 1, lines 23-25).
wherein the subscription identity (see Rajadurai par. 0008, receives a first request from a second communication device to get a subscription identity and capabilities of subscription for accessing the communication network using subscription of the first communication device); but Kunz in view of Rasal does not explicitly discloses conceals the first network identity.
However, in analogous art, Kunz discloses conceals the first network identity (see Kunz par. 0093, the concealed identifier for the apparatus 300 that is sent in the first authentication message to the network function comprises a subscription concealed identifier).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Kunz into the system of Rajadurai and Rasal to include an authentication with a mobile core network using a concealed identity, includes sending a first authentication message to a network function to authenticate with the mobile communication network via the non-3GPP access network. Here, the first authentication message includes a concealed identifier for the apparatus (see Kunz par. 0005).
Regarding claims 51 and 61, Rajadurai in view of Rasal in further view of Kunz discloses the method of claim 50, the method of claim 60,
Kunz further discloses wherein the first network identity is concealed with a cryptographic key associated with the second communication network (see Kunz par. 0098, the memory 310 stores data relating to supporting authentication with a mobile core network using a concealed identity, for example storing security keys, IP addresses, and the like. In certain embodiments, the memory 310 also stores program code and related data, such as an operating system (“OS”) or other controller algorithms operating on the user equipment apparatus 300 and one or more software applications).
Regarding claims 52 and 62, Rajadurai in view of Rasal in further view of Kunz discloses the method of claim 50, the method of claim 60,
Kunz further discloses wherein the second network identity is not concealed (see Kunz par. 0037, the procedure in 3GPP TS 33.402 for trusted non-3GPP access foresees that a UE sends its international mobile subscriber identity (“IMSI”) in clear text, e.g., an unencrypted, over the air interface and to a AAA server in a core network).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Kunz into the system of Rajadurai and Rasal to include an authentication with a mobile core network using a concealed identity, includes sending a first authentication message to a network function to authenticate with the mobile communication network via the non-3GPP access network. Here, the first authentication message includes a concealed identifier for the apparatus (see Kunz par. 0005).
Regarding claim 53, Rajadurai discloses a method performed by a communication device, the method comprising:
“obtaining a subscription identity wherein the content of the subscription identity comprises a subscription to a first communication network” (see Rajadurai par. 0047, 0085, The TE 104 sends the request message to the MT using ATtension (AT) command or any other local interface specific message to obtain Subscriber Identity (IMSI). At step 404, the first communication device receives a first request from a second communication device to get a subscription identity and capabilities of subscription for accessing the communication network using subscription of the first communication device. In an embodiment, the first request also includes a device identity associated with the second communication device);
“transmitting the subscription identifier” (see Rajadurai par. 0009, the method includes sending a request to a first communication device to get a subscription identity and capabilities of a subscription for accessing the communication network using subscription of the first communication device. The request may include a device ID associated with the second communication device);
Rajadurai does not explicitly discloses wherein the subscription identity includes a first network identity wherein the content of the first network identity comprises an identity of the first communication network and includes a second network identity that includes an identity of a second communication network that serves the first communication network.
However, in analogues art, Rasal discloses wherein the subscription identity includes a first network identity wherein the content of the first network identity comprises an identity of the first communication network and includes a second network identity that includes an identity of a second communication network that serves the first communication network (see Rasal page 37, lines 5-27, At block 802, the apparatus receives an indication of an intent to exchange service data with a separate apparatus by way of a communication network, similarly as described regarding block 502 of FIGURE 5. At block 804, the apparatus determines that a first subscription identity device, associated with a first communication network, and a second subscription identity device, associated with a second network, are capable of providing for the exchange of the service data. At block 806, the apparatus establishes a first communication channel with a first communication network as directed by the first subscription identity device).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Rasal into the system of Rajadurai to receive an indication of an intent to exchange service data with a separate apparatus by way of a communication network, determining that a first subscription identity device, associated with a first communication network, and a second subscription identity device, associated with a second network, are capable of providing for the exchange of the service data (see Rasal page 1, lines 23-25).
Rajadurai in view of Rasal does not explicitly discloses wherein the subscription identity is an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) or is a Network Access Identifier (NAI) that includes the first network identity in a username part of the NAI.
However, in analogues art, Kunz discloses wherein the subscription identity is an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) or is a Network Access Identifier (NAI) that includes the first network identity in a username part of the NAI (see Kunz par. 0111, wherein the subscription identifier is an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) or is a Network Access Identifier (NAI) that includes the first network identifier in a username part of the NAI);
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Kunz into the system of Rajadurai and Rasal to include a processor detects the concealed identifier in a username portion of a network access identifier (“NAI”) that is received as part of the first authentication message (see Kunz par. 0170).
Regarding claims 54 and 65, Rajadurai in view of Rasal in further view of Kunz discloses the method of claim 53, the method of claim 64,
Rajadurai further discloses wherein the subscription identity is an IMSI (see Rajadurai par. 0050, at step 206, the USIM 110 returns identity of the subscription, for example IMSI or the temporary identity (stored for this device identity, if any) to the MT 108.).
Regarding claims 59 and 69, Rajadurai in view of Rasal in further view of Kunz discloses the method of claim 53, the method of claim 64,
Kunz further discloses wherein the subscription identity is an NAI that includes the first network identifier in a username part of the NAI (see Kunz par. 0065, In step 5, the AAA proxy 211 in the VPLMN 210 sends the EAP-Response to the 3GPP AAA server 217 (see messaging 233) in the HPLMN 215 based on the realm/domain of the NAI. The message that is forwarded to the AAA proxy 211 may include the NAI as the username, an identifier for the VPLMN, and the EAP payload, e.g., SWd AAA Request (Username=NAI, Visited-Network-Identifier, EAP payload)).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Kunz into the system of Rajadurai and Rasal to include an authentication with a mobile core network using a concealed identity, includes sending a first authentication message to a network function to authenticate with the mobile communication network via the non-3GPP access network. Here, the first authentication message includes a concealed identifier for the apparatus (see Kunz par. 0005).
Regarding claim 60, Rajadurai discloses a method performed by a network node, the method comprising:
“receiving a subscription identity wherein the content of the subscription identity comprises a subscription to a first communication network” (see Rajadurai par. 0085, At step 404, the first communication device receives a first request from a second communication device to get a subscription identity and capabilities of subscription for accessing the communication network using subscription of the first communication device. In an embodiment, the first request also includes a device identity associated with the second communication device);
Rajadurai does not explicitly discloses wherein the subscription identity includes a first network identity wherein the content of the first network identity comprises an identity of the first communication network and includes a second network identity that includes an identity of a second communication network that serves the first communication network.
However, in analogues art, Rasal discloses wherein the subscription identity includes a first network identity wherein the content of the first network identity comprises an identity of the first communication network and includes a second network identity that includes an identity of a second communication network that serves the first communication network (see Rasal page 37, lines 5-27, At block 802, the apparatus receives an indication of an intent to exchange service data with a separate apparatus by way of a communication network, similarly as described regarding block 502 of FIGURE 5. At block 804, the apparatus determines that a first subscription identity device, associated with a first communication network, and a second subscription identity device, associated with a second network, are capable of providing for the exchange of the service data. At block 806, the apparatus establishes a first communication channel with a first communication network as directed by the first subscription identity device).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Rasal into the system of Rajadurai to receive an indication of an intent to exchange service data with a separate apparatus by way of a communication network, determining that a first subscription identity device, associated with a first communication network, and a second subscription identity device, associated with a second network, are capable of providing for the exchange of the service data (see Rasal page 1, lines 23-25).
wherein the subscription identity (see Rajadurai par. 0008, receives a first request from a second communication device to get a subscription identity and capabilities of subscription for accessing the communication network using subscription of the first communication device); but Rajadurai in view of Rasal does not explicitly discloses conceals the first network identity.
However, in analogous art, Kunz discloses conceals the first network identity (see Kunz par. 0093, the concealed identifier for the apparatus 300 that is sent in the first authentication message to the network function comprises a subscription concealed identifier).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Kunz into the system of Rajadurai and Rasal to include an authentication with a mobile core network using a concealed identity, includes sending a first authentication message to a network function to authenticate with the mobile communication network via the non-3GPP access network. Here, the first authentication message includes a concealed identifier for the apparatus (see Kunz par. 0005).
Regarding claim 63, Rajadurai in view of Rasal in further view of Kunz discloses the method of claim 60,
Kunz further discloses wherein the network node is in the second communication network, and wherein the method further comprises: de-concealing the first network identity (see Kunz par. 0007, the method includes selecting a second network function based on the concealed identifier. Here, the second network function configured to de-conceal the concealed identifier); based on the de-concealed first network identity, determining that the subscription identity by the subscription identifier is a subscription to the first communication network (see Kunz par. 0121, the processor 405 detects that the identifier is a concealed identifier for the remote unit 105. Here, the concealed identifier indicates that the remote unit 105 is 5G capable. In various embodiments, the processor 405 de-conceals the concealed identifier to determine a permanent identifier for the remote unit 105. In certain embodiments, the processor 405 creates an authentication vector response message comprising the de-concealed permanent identifier for the remote unit 105 and an authentication method, where the authentication type specifies an authentication method. In various embodiments, the processor 405 sends (e.g., via transceiver 425) the authentication vector response message to the network function); and transmitting the subscription identity to the first communication network (see Kunz par. 0005, One method of a UE, e.g., for supporting authentication with a mobile core network using a concealed identity, includes sending a first authentication message to a network function to authenticate with the mobile communication network via the non-3GPP access network. Here, the first authentication message includes a concealed identifier for the apparatus).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Kunz into the system of Rajadurai and Rasal to include an authentication with a mobile core network using a concealed identity, includes sending a first authentication message to a network function to authenticate with the mobile communication network via the non-3GPP access network. Here, the first authentication message includes a concealed identifier for the apparatus (see Kunz par. 0005).
Regarding claim 64, Rajadurai discloses a method performed by a network node, the method comprising:
“receiving a subscription identity wherein the content of the subscription identity comprises a subscription to a first communication network (see Rajadurai par. 0085, At step 404, the first communication device receives a first request from a second communication device to get a subscription identity and capabilities of subscription for accessing the communication network using subscription of the first communication device. In an embodiment, the first request also includes a device identity associated with the second communication device);
Rajadurai does not explicitly discloses wherein the subscription identity includes a first network identity wherein the content of the first network identity comprises an identity of the first communication network and includes a second network identity that includes an identity of a second communication network that serves the first communication network.
However, in analogues art, Rasal discloses wherein the subscription identity includes a first network identity wherein the content of the first network identity comprises an identity of the first communication network and includes a second network identity that includes an identity of a second communication network that serves the first communication network (see Rasal page 37, lines 5-27, At block 802, the apparatus receives an indication of an intent to exchange service data with a separate apparatus by way of a communication network, similarly as described regarding block 502 of FIGURE 5. At block 804, the apparatus determines that a first subscription identity device, associated with a first communication network, and a second subscription identity device, associated with a second network, are capable of providing for the exchange of the service data. At block 806, the apparatus establishes a first communication channel with a first communication network as directed by the first subscription identity device).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Rasal into the system of Rajadurai to receive an indication of an intent to exchange service data with a separate apparatus by way of a communication network, determining that a first subscription identity device, associated with a first communication network, and a second subscription identity device, associated with a second network, are capable of providing for the exchange of the service data (see Rasal page 1, lines 23-25).
Rajadurai in view of Rasal does not explicitly discloses wherein the subscription identity is an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) or is a Network Access Identifier (NAI) that includes the first network identity in a username part of the NAI.
However, in analogues art, Kunz discloses wherein the subscription identity is an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) or is a Network Access Identifier (NAI) that includes the first network identity in a username part of the NAI (see Kunz par. 0111, wherein the subscription identifier is an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) or is a Network Access Identifier (NAI) that includes the first network identifier in a username part of the NAI);
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Kunz into the system of Rajadurai and Rasal to include a processor detects the concealed identifier in a username portion of a network access identifier (“NAI”) that is received as part of the first authentication message (see Kunz par. 0170).
7. Claims 55-58, and 66-68 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rajadurai et al. US Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0129500 (hereinafter Rajadurai) in view of Rasal WO 2014/154935 (hereinafter Rasal) in further view of Kunz et al. US Patent Application Publication No. 2023/0262463 (hereinafter Kunz) in further view of Lamberton et al. US Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0335831 (hereinafter Lamberton).
Regarding claims 55 and 66, Rajadurai in view of Rasal in further view of Kunz discloses the method of claim 54, the method of claim 65,
Rajadurai in view of Rasal in further view of Kunz does not explicitly discloses wherein the first network identity is indicated by 2 or 3 digits of the subscription identifier.
However, in analogues art, Lamberton discloses wherein the first network identifier is indicated by 2 or 3 digits of the subscription identifier (see Lamberton par. 0056, a subscription identifier IMSI typically comprises 14 or 15 digits, also referred to as digital characters. These digits are distributed as illustrated in three first mobile country code (MCC) digits, followed by two (in Europe) or three (in North America) mobile network code (MNC) digits).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Lamberton into the system of Rajadurai, Rasal, and Kunz to include a subscription or USIM card is identified uniquely by a subscription identifier or international mobile subscription identity, or IMSI. Such a subscription identifier IMSI typically comprises 14 or 15 digits, also referred to as digital characters (see Lamberton par. 0056).
Regarding claims 56 and 67, Rajadurai in view of Rasal in further view of Kunz discloses the method of claim 53, the method of claim 64,
Rajadurai in view of Rasal in further view of Kunz does not explicitly discloses wherein the subscription identity further includes a Mobile Subscription Identification Number that identifies the subscription within the first communication network, wherein the Mobile Subscription Identification Number is indicated by 8 or less digits of the subscription identifier.
However, in analogues art, Lamberton discloses wherein the subscription identifier further includes a Mobile Subscription Identification Number that identifies the subscription within the first communication network, wherein the Mobile Subscription Identification Number is indicated by 8 or less digits of the subscription identifier (see Lamberton par. 0056, These digits are distributed as illustrated in three first mobile country code (MCC) digits, followed by two (in Europe) or three (in North America) mobile network code (MNC) digits, themselves followed by eight mobile subscription identification number (MSIN) digits uniquely identifying a subscription).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Lamberton into the system of Rajadurai, Rasal, and Kunz to include a subscription or USIM card is identified uniquely by a subscription identifier or international mobile subscription identity, or IMSI. Such a subscription identifier IMSI typically comprises 14 or 15 digits, also referred to as digital characters (see Lamberton par. 0056).
Regarding claim 57, Rajadurai in view of Rasal in further view of Kunz discloses the method of claim 53,
Rajadurai in view of Rasal in further view of Kunz does not explicitly discloses wherein the subscription identity comprises 16 or more digits.
However, in analogues art, Lamberton discloses wherein the subscription identifier comprises 16 or more digits (see Lamberton par. 0057, A terminal is identified uniquely by a terminal identifier or international mobile equipment identity (IMEI). As illustrated in FIG. 2, such a terminal identifier IMEI typically comprises 15 or 17 digits).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Lamberton into the system of Rajadurai, Rasal, and Kunz to include a subscription or USIM card is identified uniquely by a subscription identifier or international mobile subscription identity, or IMSI. Such a subscription identifier IMSI typically comprises 14 or 15 digits, also referred to as digital characters (see Lamberton par. 0056).
Regarding claims 58 and 68, Rajadurai in view of Rasal in further view of Kunz discloses the method of claim 53, the method of claim 64,
Rajadurai in view of Rasal in further view of Kunz does not explicitly discloses wherein at least a portion of the subscription identity comprises one or more hexadecimal digits or one or more characters.
However, in analogues art, Lamberton discloses wherein at least a portion of the subscription identity comprises one or more hexadecimal digits or one or more characters (see Lamberton par. 0056, A subscription or USIM card is identified uniquely by a subscription identifier or international mobile subscription identity, or IMSI. As illustrated in FIG. 1, such a subscription identifier IMSI typically comprises 14 or 15 digits, also referred to as digital characters. These digits are distributed as illustrated in three first mobile country code (MCC) digits, followed by two (in Europe) or three (in North America) mobile network code (MNC) digits, themselves followed by eight mobile subscription identification number (MSIN) digits uniquely identifying a subscription).
Therefore it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teachings of Lamberton into the system of Rajadurai, Rasal, and Kunz to include a subscription or USIM card is identified uniquely by a subscription identifier or international mobile subscription identity, or IMSI. Such a subscription identifier IMSI typically comprises 14 or 15 digits, also referred to as digital characters (see Lamberton par. 0056).
Conclusion
8. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Schreiner et al. (US 2012/0302224 A1): discloses A mobile device can send a mobile operator identification request to a mobile operator identification server to determine the mobile network operator for a mobile device. The request comprises mobile operator identifier data, which can include data stored at mobile device smart cards and in mobile device memory. The identification server comprises an identification engine that determines whether the identifier data satisfies one of a plurality of mobile operator rules. If a rule is satisfied, mobile operator identification data is sent to and stored at the mobile device. The mobile device can share the mobile operator identification data with mobile device provider online marketplaces to take advantage of business relationships between the mobile operator and the mobile device provider. Identification of the mobile operator is also useful for determining the appropriate billing methods and ensuring the proper mobile operator branding information is presented at the mobile device.
Wang et al. (US 2019/0029075 A1): discloses The present invention relates to the communications field, and in particular, to a message exchange method, a device, and a system. The method may include: receiving, by a core network device, a message, where the message carries a message identifier; obtaining, by the core network device, a service rule set, where a service rule in the service rule set includes the message identifier and a corresponding network function module identifier; determining, by the core network device, a corresponding target network function module identifier in the service rule set; and sending the message to a network function module of the corresponding target network function module identifier. The service rule in the service rule set may be changed.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAMUEL AMBAYE whose telephone number is (571)270-7635. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jeffrey Pwu can be reached at (571) 272-6798. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SAMUEL AMBAYE/Examiner, Art Unit 2433
/JEFFREY C PWU/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2433
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