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 .
Examiner’s Remarks
Claims 1-6, 24-38, 74-83 and 87-91 are withdrawn as of December 15, 2025, with traverse.
Claims 10-12, and 14-20, are examined.
Claims 1-6, 24-38, 74-83 and 87-91 have been withdrawn for examination.
Claims 7-9, 13, 21-23, 39-73, 84-86 and 92-94 are formally canceled.
This application contains 1-6, 24-38, 74-83 and 87-91 are drawn to an invention nonelected with traverse.
Applicant is reminded that upon the cancellation of claims, 1-6, 24-38, 74-83 and 87-91, to a non-elected invention, the inventorship must be amended in compliance with 37 CFR 1.48(b) if one or more of the currently named inventors is no longer an inventor of at least one claim remaining in the application. Any amendment of inventorship must be accompanied by a request under 37 CFR 1.48(b) and by the fee required under 37 CFR 1.17(i).
Applicant is reminded that upon the cancellation of claims to a non-elected invention with Applicant’s amendment and response to this Non-final office action.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
This final office action is in response to the amendment and arguments filed on April 23, 2026. Examiner formally withdraws the Claim objections and the rejection under 35 USC 112, and 102. Applicant arguments have been considered. This office action is made final at this time.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-12 and 14-20 are allowed over the prior art made of record.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
In regards to Independent Claim 10, BRI (broadest reasonable interpretation) in light of the specification, Examiner finds the claimed invention is patentably distinct from the prior art of record, which sets forth in the following:
Wu et al., (US Patent Publication No. 20190380033 A1), the closes prior made of record relates to providing identity privacy over a trusted or untrusted non-3GPP access network in a wireless communication system are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of operation of a wireless device comprises sending a message to a gateway (ePDG, N3IWF or TWAG) where the message comprises an anonymous user identity; receiving a request for obfuscating the user identity wherein the request comprises a server certificate; and validating the server certificate and sending a response message back to the gateway, comprising the user identity obfuscated by a public key associated with the server certificate. Similar methods are provided on the gateway side and AAA server side. In this manner, the user identity is protected when establishing the connection to the core network and protects against a man in the middle attack.
However, Wu fails to show “receiving, from the Non-3GPP access element, a list of networks, by Non-3GPP access element at least has the support for the UE identity privacy; determining, based on the list of networks, whether UE identity privacy should be used for communication with a Non-3rd Generation Partnership Project 'Non-3GPP' access network for the UE; and depending on a result of the determination, transmitting, to a Non-3GPP access element in the Non-3GPP access network, a request message for access authentication that includes an identity of the UE.” … as claimed and supports throughout the specification.
Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Wu et al., (US Patent Publication No. 20190380033 A1), “User Identity Privacy Protection In Public Wireless Local Access Network, WLAN, Access” (December 12, 2019) discloses providing identity privacy over a trusted or untrusted non-3GPP access network in a wireless communication system are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of operation of a wireless device comprises sending a message to a gateway (ePDG, N3IWF or TWAG) where the message comprises an anonymous user identity; receiving a request for obfuscating the user identity wherein the request comprises a server certificate; and validating the server certificate and sending a response message back to the gateway, comprising the user identity obfuscated by a public key associated with the server certificate. Similar methods are provided on the gateway side and AAA server side. In this manner, the user identity is protected when establishing the connection to the core network and protects against a man in the middle attack.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
Communication
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DIANE D MIZRAHI whose telephone number is 571- 272-4079. The examiner can normally be reached on 7:30-3:30 PM (7:30 - 4:30 p.m.).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alison T. Slater can be reached on (571) 270-0375. The fax phone numbers for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned are (703) 872-9306 for regular communications and for After Final communication.
Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application or proceeding should be directed to the receptionist whose telephone number is (571) 272-2600.
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.qov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll free).
/DIANE D MIZRAHI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647
Diane.Mizrahi@USPTO.gov
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