DETAILED ACTION
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 1/26/2026 has been entered.
Claims 1-10 are pending with claims 1 and 6 having been amended.
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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d). The certified copy has been received.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 7/17/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of amended claim(s) 1 and 6 under 103 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 Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn.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 “3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Services and System Aspects; Security architecture and procedures for 5G system (Release 17)” 3GPP TS 33.501 list on IDS 9/15/2023 in view of Kuge (US 2022/0256450).
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.
Claims 1, 5, 6 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over “3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Services and System Aspects; Security architecture and procedures for 5G system (Release 17)” 3GPP TS 33.501 list on IDS 9/15/2023 in view of Kuge (US 2022/0256450).
With respect to claim 1, 3GPP TS 33.501 teaches a method performed by a network slice specific authentication and authorization function (NSSAAF), the method comprising:
receiving, from a unified data management (UDM), information on a first access and mobility management function (AMF) and a second AMF that are serving a user equipment (UE) (see 3GPP TS 33.501 section 16.2 Authorization for network slice access i.e. 3. AMP shall determine whether NSSAA is required for each of S-NSSAIs, based on information stored locally or from UDM. For example, the NSSAA for an S-NSSAI may be omitted);
determining to perform a network slice specific authentication and authorization (NSSAA) procedure associated with a network slice through the first access and mobility management function (AMF); performing the NSSAA procedure through the first AMF (see 3GPP TS 33.501 section 16.2 Authorization for network slice access i.e. This clause specifies the relationship between primary authentication (as described in Clause 6.15 and authorization for network slice access (as described in TS 23.502 [8] fora UE. Authorization from a home/serving PLMN is required for a UE to gain access to a network slice, identified by an S-NSSAL An authorized S-NSSAI Gc. allowed S-NSSAD shall be granted to a UE only after the UE has completed successfully primary authentication. At the end of the primary authentication, the AMF and UE may receive a list of allowed S-NSSAIL which the DE is authorized to access. For certain S-NSSAIs, additional Network Slice Specific Authentication and Authorization (NSSAA) is required. This clause in addition specifies the pre-requisite for an NSSAA procedure that is described in clause 16.3, with reference to the following figure 16.2-1);
identifying whether the NSSAA procedure through the first AMF is successful or not (see 3GPP TS 33.501 section 16.3 Network slice specific authentication and authorization i.e. The NSSAAF sends the Nnssaaf_NSSAA_Authenticate Response (EPA-success/Failure, S-NSSAI, GPSI) to AMF); and
performing one of: skipping an NSSAA procedure through the second AMF as a response to identifying that the NSSAA procedure through the first AMF is successful (see 3GPP TS 33.501 section 16.4 AAA Server triggered Network Slice-Specific Re- authentication and Re-authorization procedure i.e. The NSSAF request the relevant AMF to re-authenticate/re-authorize the S-NSSAI for the UE using the Nnssaaf_NSSAA_Re-authenticationNotification service operation); or
transmitting, to the second AMF, a message for deleting network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) related to the network slice from an allowed list of network slices as a response to identifying that the NSSAA procedure through the first AMF is unsuccessful (see 3GPP TS 33.501 section 16.5 AAA server triggered Slice-Specific Authorization Revocation i.e. The AMF provides a new Allowed NSSAI to the UE by removing the S-NSSAI for which authorization has been revoked).
While 3GPP TS 33.501 teaches performing a network slice specific authentication and authorization (NSSAA) procedure associated with a network slice through a first access and mobility management function (AMF) it does not disclose based on obtaining the information on the first AMF and the Second AMF determining to perform a network slice specific authentication and authorization (NSSAA) procedure associated with a network slice through the first AMF of the two AMFs.
Kuge teaches determining to perform a network slice specific authentication and authorization (NSSAA) procedure associated with a network slice through the first AMF of the two AMFs (see Kuge paragraph 0157-0158 i.e. In response to receiving the RRC message including the registration request message, the 5G AN (or the gNB) selects the AMF to which the registration request message is to be transferred (S602). Note that the 5G AN (or the gNB) can select the AMF based on one or multiple pieces of identification information included in the registration request message and/or the RRC message including the registration request message. Specifically, the 5G AN (or gNB) may select the new AMF to which the registration request message is transmitted based on at least one piece of identification information of the first to the third identification information. For example, the 5G AN (or gNB) may select, based on the first identification information, the AMF with the Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization function and/or the AMF with connectivity to a network with the Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization function).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify 3GPP TS 33.501 in view of Kuge to have selected the AMF based on the first identification information, the AMF with the Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization function or the AMF with connectivity to a network with the Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization function (see Kim paragraph 0157-0158). Therefore one would have been motivated to have selected the first or second AMF based on the first identification information.
With respect to claim 6, 3GPP TS 33.501 teaches a system comprising: a processor configured to execute computer-readable instructions; and a network slice specific authentication and authorization function (NSSAAF) configured to:
receiving, from a unified data management (UDM), information on a first access and mobility management function (AMF) and a second AMF that are serving a user equipment (UE) (see 3GPP TS 33.501 section 16.2 Authorization for network slice access i.e. 3. AMP shall determine whether NSSAA is required for each of S-NSSAIs, based on information stored locally or from UDM. For example, the NSSAA for an S-NSSAI may be omitted);
determine to perform a network slice specific authentication and authorization (NSSAA) procedure associated with a network slice through a first access and mobility management function (AMF); perform the NSSAA procedure through the first AMF (see 3GPP TS 33.501 section 16.2 Authorization for network slice access i.e. This clause specifies the relationship between primary authentication (as described in Clause 6.15 and authorization for network slice access (as described in TS 23.502 [8] fora UE. Authorization from a home/serving PLMN is required for a UE to gain access to a network slice, identified by an S-NSSAL An authorized S-NSSAI Gc. allowed S-NSSAD shall be granted to a UE only after the UE has completed successfully primary authentication. At the end of the primary authentication, the AMF and UE may receive a list of allowed S-NSSAIL which the DE is authorized to access. For certain S-NSSAIs, additional Network Slice Specific Authentication and Authorization (NSSAA) is required. This clause in addition specifies the pre-requisite for an NSSAA procedure that is described in clause 16.3, with reference to the following figure 16.2-1);
identifying whether the NSSAA procedure through the first AMF is successful or not (see 3GPP TS 33.501 section 16.3 Network slice specific authentication and authorization i.e. The NSSAAF sends the Nnssaaf_NSSAA_Authenticate Response (EPA-success/Failure, S-NSSAI, GPSI) to AMF); and
performing one of: skipping a NSSAA procedure through the second AMF as a response to identifying that the NSSAA procedure through the first AMF is successful (see 3GPP TS 33.501 section 16.4 AAA Server triggered Network Slice-Specific Re- authentication and Re-authorization procedure i.e. The NSSAF request the relevant AMF to re-authenticate/re-authorize the S-NSSAI for the UE using the Nnssaaf_NSSAA_Re-authenticationNotification service operation); and
transmitting, to the second AMF, a message for deleting network slice selection assistance information (NSSAI) related to the network slice from an allowed list of network slices as a response to identifying that the NSSAA procedure through the first AMF is unsuccessful (see 3GPP TS 33.501 section 16.5 AAA server triggered Slice-Specific Authorization Revocation i.e. The AMF provides a new Allowed NSSAI to the UE by removing the S-NSSAI for which authorization has been revoked).
While 3GPP TS 33.501 teaches performing a network slice specific authentication and authorization (NSSAA) procedure associated with a network slice through a first access and mobility management function (AMF) it does not disclose based on obtaining the information on the first AMF and the Second AMF determining to perform a network slice specific authentication and authorization (NSSAA) procedure associated with a network slice through the first AMF of the two AMFs.
Kuge teaches determining to perform a network slice specific authentication and authorization (NSSAA) procedure associated with a network slice through the first AMF of the two AMFs (see Kuge paragraph 0157-0158 i.e. In response to receiving the RRC message including the registration request message, the 5G AN (or the gNB) selects the AMF to which the registration request message is to be transferred (S602). Note that the 5G AN (or the gNB) can select the AMF based on one or multiple pieces of identification information included in the registration request message and/or the RRC message including the registration request message. Specifically, the 5G AN (or gNB) may select the new AMF to which the registration request message is transmitted based on at least one piece of identification information of the first to the third identification information. For example, the 5G AN (or gNB) may select, based on the first identification information, the AMF with the Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization function and/or the AMF with connectivity to a network with the Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization function).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify 3GPP TS 33.501 in view of Kuge to have selected the AMF based on the first identification information, the AMF with the Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization function or the AMF with connectivity to a network with the Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization function (see Kim paragraph 0157-0158). Therefore one would have been motivated to have selected the first or second AMF based on the first identification information.
Claims 2 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over “3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Services and System Aspects; Security architecture and procedures for 5G system (Release 17)” 3GPP TS 33.501 list on IDS 9/15/2023 in view of in view of Kuge (US 2022/0256450) in view of “3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Services and System Aspects; Procedures for the 5G System (5GS); stage 2 (Release 16)” 3GPP TS 23.502 list on IDS 9/15/2023.
With respect to claim 2, 3GPP TS 33.501 and Kuge teach the method of claim 1, but does not disclose further comprising: receiving, from an authentication, authorization, and accounting-server (AAA- S), a request message including a generic public subscription identifier (GPSI) and single - network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI), wherein the NSSAA procedure through the first AMF is triggered by the AAA-S.
3GPP TS 23.502 teaches further comprising: receiving, from an authentication, authorization, and accounting-server (AAA- S), a request message including a generic public subscription identifier (GPSI) and single - network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI), wherein the NSSAA procedure through the first AMF is triggered by the AAA-S (see 3GPP TS 23.502 section 4.2.9.3 AAA Server triggered Network Slice-Specific Re-authentication and Re- authorization procedure i.e. The AAAS requests the re-authentication and re-authorization for the Network Slice specified by the S-NSSAI in the AAA protocol Re-Auth Request message, for the UE identified by the GPSI in this message).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify 3GPP TS 33.501 and Kim in further view of 3GPP TS 23.502 to have the AMF trigger a Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization procedure for an S-NSSAI requiring Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization with an AAA Server (AAA-S) when AMF determines that Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization is requires for an S-NSSAT in the current Allowed NSSAI (e.g. subscription change), or when the AAA Server that authenticated the Network Slice triggers a re-authentication (see 3GPP TS 23.502 section 4.2.9.1). Therefore one would have been motivated to have the AMF trigger a Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization procedure for an S-NSSAI requiring Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization with an AAA Server (AAA-S).
With respect to claim 7, 3GPP TS 33.501 and Kuge teaches the system of claim 6, but do not disclose wherein the NSSAAF is further configured to receive, from an authentication, authorization, and accounting-server (AAA-S), a request message including a generic public subscription identifier (GPSI) and single - network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI), and wherein the NSSAA procedure through the first AMF is triggered the AAA-S.
3GPP TS 23.502 teaches wherein the NSSAAF is further configured to receive, from an authentication, authorization, and accounting-server (AAA-S), a request message including a generic public subscription identifier (GPSI) and single - network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI), and wherein the NSSAA procedure through the first AMF is triggered the AAA-S (see 3GPP TS 23.502 section 4.2.9.3 AAA Server triggered Network Slice-Specific Re-authentication and Re- authorization procedure i.e. The AAAS requests the re-authentication and re-authorization for the Network Slice specified by the S-NSSAI in the AAA protocol Re-Auth Request message, for the UE identified by the GPSI in this message).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify 3GPP TS 33.501 and Kim in further view of 3GPP TS 23.502 to have the AMF trigger a Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization procedure for an S-NSSAI requiring Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization with an AAA Server (AAA-S) when AMF determines that Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization is requires for an S-NSSAT in the current Allowed NSSAI (e.g. subscription change), or when the AAA Server that authenticated the Network Slice triggers a re-authentication (see 3GPP TS 23.502 section 4.2.9.1). Therefore one would have been motivated to have the AMF trigger a Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization procedure for an S-NSSAI requiring Network Slice-Specific Authentication and Authorization with an AAA Server (AAA-S).
Claims 5 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over “3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Services and System Aspects; Security architecture and procedures for 5G system (Release 17)” 3GPP TS 33.501 list on IDS 9/15/2023 in view of in view of Kuge (US 2022/0256450) in view of Kim et al (US 2022/0240174).
With respect to claim 5, 3GPP TS 33.501 and Kuge teach the method of claim 1, but do not disclose wherein the first AMF is a 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) AMF and the second AMF is non-3GPP(N3GPP) AMF.
Kim further teaches wherein the first AMF is a 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) AMF and the second AMF is non-3GPP(N3GPP) AMF (see Kim paragraph 0169 i.e. When the UE is connected to the two AMFs belonging to different PLMN via 3GPP access and non-3GPP access then the PDU Session status indicates the established PDU Session of the current PLMN in the UE).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify 3GPP TS 33.501 in further view of Kim to allow the UE to connect to two different AMFs since the allowed NSSAI and rejected NSSAI for the current registration area are managed per access type independently, i.e., 3GPP access or non-3GPP access (see Kim paragraph 0169). Therefore one would have been motivated to have provided both 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) AMF and non-3GPP (N3GPP) AMF based on different use cases.
With respect to claim 10, 3GPP TS 33.501 and Kuge teaches the system of claim 6 but do not disclose wherein the first AMF is a 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) AMF and the second AMF is non-3GPP(N3GPP) AMF.
Kim further teaches wherein the first AMF is a 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) AMF and the second AMF is non-3GPP (N3GPP) AMF (see Kim paragraph 0169 i.e. When the UE is connected to the two AMFs belonging to different PLMN via 3GPP access and non-3GPP access then the PDU Session status indicates the established PDU Session of the current PLMN in the UE).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify 3GPP TS 33.501 in further view of Kim to allow the UE to connect to two different AMFs since the allowed NSSAI and rejected NSSAI for the current registration area are managed per access type independently, i.e., 3GPP access or non-3GPP access (see Kim paragraph 0169). Therefore one would have been motivated to have provided both 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) AMF and non-3GPP (N3GPP) AMF based on different use cases.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-4 and 8-9 are 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.
With respect to claim 3 the prior art does not teach the method of claim 1, wherein the first AMF is selected based on: determining a presence of a slice context ("SliceAuthContext") at the NSSAAF, wherein the "SliceAuthContext" comprises addresses of the first AMF and the second AMF; checking the NSSAI associated with the network slice and a UE Identification (ID) received from an Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting-Server (AAA-S) upon determining that the NSSAAF includes the "SliceAuthContext"; fetching the address of the first AMF from the "SliceAuthContext" based on the NSSAI and the UE ID; and selecting the first AMF amongst the first AMF and the second AMF in response to fetching the address of the first AMF.
With respect to claim 4 the prior art does not teach requesting the UDM to share addresses of the first AMF and the second AMF, wherein the information on the first AMF and the second AMF includes the addresses of the first AMF and the second AMF.
With respect to claim 8 the prior art does not teach the system of claim 6, wherein the first AMF is selected based on: determining a presence of a slice context ("SliceAuthContext") at the NSSAAF, wherein the "SliceAuthContext" comprises addresses of the first AMF and the second AMF; checking the NSSAI associated with the network slice and a UE Identification (ID) received from an Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting-Server (AAA-S) upon determining that the NSSAAF includes the "SliceAuthContext"; fetching the address of the first AMF from the "SliceAuthContext" based on the NSSAI and the UE ID; and selecting the first AMF amongst the first AMF and the second AMF in response to fetching the address of the first AMF.
With respect to claim 9 the prior art does not teach requesting the UDM to share addresses of the first AMF and the second AMF, wherein the information on the first AMF and the second AMF includes the addresses of the first AMF and the second AMF.
Prior Art
Zhu et al (US 2021/0227392) titled “NETWORK SLICE ACCESS CONTROL METHOD AND APPARATUS”.
Zhu et al (US 2022/0132311) titled “COMMUNICATION METHOD AND NETWORK ELEMENT”.
Taft et al (US 2023/0106668) titled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR UE-INITIATED NSSAA PROCEDURES”.
Tamura et al (US 12,075,241) titled “AMF Node And Method Thereof”.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DEVIN E ALMEIDA whose telephone number is (571)270-1018. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday from 7:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. The examiner can also be reached on alternate Fridays from 7:30 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Rupal Dharia, can be reached on 571-272-3880. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DEVIN E ALMEIDA/Examiner, Art Unit 2492