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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 12 13 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the at least one transmitted attribute" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 13 depends on claim 12.
Claim 18 recites the limitation "the second set of configuration parameters " in line 11. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-5, 11-13 and 18-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by US 2023/0379168 (Fu et al.).
As to claim 1, Fu teaches a method for operating a communication system including a primary station (NG-RAN, fig 6) linked to a core network, said primary station serving a cell, a relay station (Relay UE, fig 6) served by the primary station and a secondary station (Remote UE, fig 6) served by the primary station, the method comprising the steps of
establishing, by the relay station, a connection with the primary station, including receiving in at least one first secure message from the primary station a first set of configuration parameters including service codes (see step 0, fig 6 and paragraphs 76-86, auth token comprises indication of services the relay UE can provide including relay services),
establishing, by the secondary station, a connection with the primary station, including receiving from the primary station in at least one second secure message a second set of configuration parameters, including relay service codes linked to an upcoming data session (see step 0, fig 6 and paragraphs 76-86, auth token comprises indication of services the remote UE can provide including relay services),
transmitting, by the relay station, at least one transmitted service code from the first set of configuration parameters (see step 1, fig 6 and paragraphs 87-88, relay UE announces auth certificate that comprises the indication of services);
establishing, by the secondary station, a direct communication with the relay station upon determination that the transmitted service code is included in the second set of configuration parameters (see step 3, fig 6 and paragraphs 79-89 and 92, a PC5 link is established if remote UE decides it can use the relay service provided by the relay UE).
As claims 18 and 20, Fu teaches a relay station (relay UE, fig 6 and 900 fig 9) adapted for communicating in a network, including a primary station linked to the core network (NG-RAN, fig 6), said primary station serving a cell, and a secondary station (remote UE, fig 6) served by the primary station, wherein the relay station is served by the primary station, the relay station comprising; a transmitter, a receiver,
a controller adapted to establish a connection with the primary station, including configuring the receiver for receiving in at least one first secure message from the primary station a first set of configuration parameters including attributes or service codes (see step 0, fig 6 and paragraphs 76-86, auth token comprises indication of services the relay UE can provide including relay services),
the transmitter being configured for transmitting at least one transmitted attribute or service code from the first set of configuration parameters (see step 1, fig 6 and paragraphs 87-88, relay UE announces auth certificate that comprises the indication of services),
wherein the controller is configured for establishing a direct communication with the secondary station using the public key upon request from the secondary station, said request being based on the transmitted service message (see step 3, fig 6 and paragraphs 79-90 and 92, a PC5 link is established if remote UE decides it can use the relay service provided by the relay UE).
As to claims 18 and 20, Fu teaches a secondary station (remote UE, fig 6 and 900, fig 9) adapted for communicating in a communication system including a primary station linked to the core network (NG-RAN, fig 6), said primary station serving a cell, a relay station (relay UE, fig 6) served by the primary station, wherein the secondary station is served by the primary station, the secondary station comprising; a transmitter, a receiver,
a controller adapted to establish a connection with the primary station, including configuring the receiver for receiving from the primary station in at least one second secure message a second set of configuration parameters including attributes or relay service codes linked to an upcoming data exchange with at least one relay station (see step 0, fig 6 and paragraphs 76-86, auth token comprises indication of services the remote UE can provide including relay services),
the receiver being adapted for receiving at least one transmitted attribute or service code from the relay station (see step 1, fig 6 and paragraphs 87-88, relay UE announces auth certificate that comprises the indication of services),
wherein the controller is configured for determining whether the transmitted attribute or service code is included in the second set of configuration parameters or fulfil a policy in it and causing the transmitter to establish a direct communication with the relay station upon determination that the transmitted service code is included in the second set (see step 3, fig 6 and paragraphs 79-89 and 92, a PC5 link is established if remote UE decides it can use the relay service provided by the relay UE).
As to claim 2, Fu further teaches wherein the first secure message further includes a relay public encryption key and the corresponding relay private encryption key (see paragraph 76).
As to claim 3, Fu further teaches wherein the second secure message further includes a secondary station public encryption key, and the corresponding secondary station private encryption key (see paragraph 76).
As to claim 4, Fu further teaches wherein the at least one first secure message includes at least one first core network signature from the core network generated at least on -the relay public encryption key and -on at least an attribute of the first set of configuration parameters or one of the service codes of the first set of configuration parameters, and the at least one second secure message includes at least one second core network signature from the core network generated at least on- the secondary station public encryption key, and -on at least an attribute of the second set of configuration parameters or one of the service codes of the second set of configuration parameters (see paragraphs 76-86).
As to claim 5, Fu further teaches wherein the at least one first secure message includes at least one first core network signature from the core network generated at least on - the relay public encryption key and - on at least an attribute of the first set of configuration parameters or one of the service codes of the first set of configuration parameters, and the at least one second secure message includes at least one second core network signature from the core network generated at least on - parameters relative to the upcoming data session, said parameters being included in the second secure message, the secondary station public encryption key, and - on at least an attribute of the second set of configuration parameters or one of the service codes of the second set of configuration parameters (see paragraphs 76-86).
As to claim 11, Fu further teaches wherein the step of establishing a direct communication includes: a. the secondary station generating or selecting a secondary station encryption public key, a secondary station encryption private key and a secondary station nonce, sending a direct communication request to the relay station, b. the relay station responding to the direct communication request by a response message including a relay public encryption key and/or a first core network signature and/or and a response message signature where this response message is encrypted using the public key received in step a. c. the secondary station decrypting the response message and checking the first core network signature included in the response message and the response message signature (see paragraphs 87-90).
As to claim 12, Fu further teaches wherein the relay station transmitting the at least one transmitted attribute of the first set of configuration parameters or a service code from the first set of configuration parameters and at least one of the following further information: a data session policy, a data session parameter, the first core network signature, a relay public encryption key, and wherein the secondary station establishing a direct communication with the relay station upon determination that the transmitted attribute of the first set of configuration parameters or the transmitted service code is included in the second set of configuration parameters and that the further information is compatible for the upcoming data session (see paragraphs 77-88).
As to claim 13, Fu further teaches wherein the transmitted message from the relay station includes a signature applied at least on a time stamp (see paragraphs 77, 81 and 88).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 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.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fu in view of Applicant Submitted NPL titled “3GPP TR 33.833 V1.5.0 (2015-08)” (herein referred to as 3GPP.
As to claim 14, what is lacking from Fu is wherein the at least one transmitted service code from the first set of configuration parameters is the result of a hashed service code of the first set combined with a transmit nonce, and the relay station further transmit the transmit nonce.
In analogous art, 3GPP teaches producing a transmitting ProSe code (~relay service code) by applying that code and a UTC counter output (~nonce) to a hash function (see 3GPP, page 151, 8.3.2.3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the arts before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply this teaching to Fu, so as to better secure the initial communication between the relay and remote UEs.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-10 and 15-17 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2022/0109996 (Lee et al.). US 2023/0370839 (Wifvesson).
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/MAZDA SABOURI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2641