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 .
Response to Arguments/Amendments
Applicant's arguments filed 9/23/26 have been fully considered but they are moot due to the fact that all independent claims have been significantly amended to which the new ground rejection have been made as shown below.
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 1-13 19-21 and 23-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by D1 (3GPP S2-2007851, NPL dated 6/19/25, 9 pages) in view of Tiwari (US 20120171993 A1). For each dependent claims, the motivation is the same as stated in the corresponding parent claim unless otherwise state.
For claims 1 and 26, D1 discloses an information processing method (p2, Figure 6.5.1-1, “UE onboarding in non-public network”), comprising:
sending, by a terminal, a registration request to a core network (CN) network element of a first network which is a standalone non-public network (SNPN) (p6, 1st para “the UE provides an RRC indication that can be used by the NG-RAN to select an AMF for onboarding and an indication in the Registration Request indicating that the registration is for restricted onboarding service only. The UE may also provide additional information for selection of the PS and the SO-SNPN owing the subscription, such as a list of identities of SNPNs the UE can hear, the identity of O-SNPN, location of the UE, type of the UE, etc.” in light of Figure 6.5.2.2-1 and Figure 6.5.3.1-1 and the associated text);
the registration request comprises registration type information of the terminal for accessing the first network (p6, 1st para “the UE provides an RRC indication that can be used by the NG-RAN to select an AMF for onboarding and an indication in the Registration Request indicating that the registration is for restricted onboarding service only. The UE may also provide additional information for selection of the PS and the SO-SNPN owing the subscription, such as a list of identities of SNPNs the UE can hear, the identity of O-SNPN, location of the UE, type of the UE, etc.” in light of Figure 6.5.2.2-1 and Figure 6.5.3.1-1 and the associated text; note that “for restricted onboarding service only” is a type information of UE for accessing a SNPN);
the registration type information of the terminal for accessing the first network indicating that a registration associated with the registration request is for onboarding (p6, 1st para “the UE provides an RRC indication that can be used by the NG-RAN to select an AMF for onboarding and an indication in the Registration Request indicating that the registration is for restricted onboarding service only.”), and the onboarding comprises at least one of:
an access manner of accessing the first network to acquire a credential and/or subscription;
an access manner of accessing the first network with restriction (p6, 1st para “… the registration is for restricted onboarding service only. …”); or
an access manner of accessing the first network with a default credential (p3, 3rd item “- The O-SNPN operator has access to a Default Credential Server (DCS), which is used to verify that UE is subject to onboarding based on UE identifier and the associated default UE credentials. …”);
performing, by the terminal, a second operation, wherein the second operation comprises: adding the first network to a second list; wherein the second list comprises any one of the following: identifier information of the one or more SNPNs and/or SNPN groups (p3, last 2 items: “- The DCS makes a contract with the SO-SNPNs owning the subscription for provisioning the subscriptions to the UE and provides the SO-SNPN with the list of UE identifiers. - The O-SNPN broadcasts system information including an identity of O-SNPN, a Support for Onboarding Indication and optionally a list of ON Group IDs.”);
(claim 26 only) the user plane-based second list corresponding to the first object comprises: one or more SNPNs not allowing the terminal to acquire the credential and/or subscription of the first object through a user plane (p8, last two paras “Based on restricted/provisioning indication from AMF SMF sets appropriate user plane filters (PDR/FAR) with selected/onboarding designated UPF based on SM policy data received from PCF”).
D1 does not specifically state but Tiwari, in the same field of endeavor of wireless communication, discloses:
acquiring, by the terminal from a network, a first reject cause, wherein the first reject cause is used to indicate that access of the terminal is not allowed by the network (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0053] … the mobile communication device receiving a particular message from a service network, wherein the particular message may be an ATTACH REJECT message received during an attachment procedure, which contains a rejection cause indicating "PLMN not allowed", or may be a ROUTING AREA UPDATE REJECT/LOCATION UPDATING REJECT message received during a location registration procedure, which contains a rejection cause indicating "PLMN not allowed", …”; creating a "forbidden PLMN list" is a second operation based on “rejection cause”); and
performing, by the terminal, a second operation based on the first reject cause by adding the first network to a second list; wherein the second list comprises identifier information of the one or more SNPNs and/or SNPN groups (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0053] … the forbidden PLMN list may be a "forbidden PLMN list" storing the PLMN identities to which the mobile communication device are forbidden to access …”); and
(claim 26 only) the control plane-based second list corresponding to the first object comprises: one or more SNPNs not allowing the terminal to acquire a credential and/or subscription of the first object through a control plane (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0053] … the forbidden PLMN list may be a "forbidden PLMN list" storing the PLMN identities to which the mobile communication device are forbidden to access …”; note that forbidden PLMN list storing PLMN identities are control plan objects);
OOSA would have been motivated to apply the teaching of Tiwari above to the SNPNs specified by D1 to yield a predictable result of accessing network.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to OOSA before the effective filing date of the application to combine D1 and Tiwari for the benefit of network accessing management (p5, Figure 6.5.3.1-1, Step F of D1).
Claim 12 is rejected because it is a claim of the same method specified by claim 1 that is performed by a network-side device (instead of terminal side device of claim 1) and has the same subject matter.
Claim 19 is rejected because it is a generic terminal that performs the method of 1 and has the same subject matter.
Claim 20 is rejected because it is a generic communication device that performs the method of 12 and has the same subject matter.
As to claims 2 and 13, D1 in view of Tiwari discloses claims 1 and 12, Tiwari further discloses:
wherein the credential and/or subscription comprises at least one of the following: a credential and/or subscription of a first object, a credential and/or subscription for primary authentication and/or authorization, wherein the first object comprises the first object comprises a second network different from the first network (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0008] … The controller module starts a back-off timer in response to adding a PLMN identity to a forbidden PLMN list or in response to setting a subscriber identity card coupled to the mobile communication device as invalid, and forbids any access to the service network via the wireless module until the back-off timer expires …” or “[0028] … “forbidden PLMN list" or the "forbidden PLMN for GPRS service" list …”).
As to claim 3, D1 in view of Tiwari discloses claim 2, Tiwari further discloses:
wherein the second list is a second list corresponding to the first object, second lists corresponding to different first object, being the same or different (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0053] … the PLMN identities …” and “[0028] … “forbidden PLMN list" or the "forbidden PLMN for GPRS service" list …”).
As to claim 4, D1 in view of Tiwari discloses claim 3, Tiwari further discloses: wherein
the second list corresponding to the first object comprises: a control plane-based second list corresponding to the first object, and a user plane-based second list corresponding to the first object (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0053] … the PLMN identities …” and “[0028] … “forbidden PLMN list" or the "forbidden PLMN for GPRS service" list …”); wherein
the control plane-based second list corresponding to the first object is the same as or different from the user plane-based second list corresponding to the first object (“[0053] … the PLMN identities …” and “[0028] … “forbidden PLMN list" or the "forbidden PLMN for GPRS service" list …”; note that forbidden PLMN list may be considered as in user plane and forbidden PLMN for GPRS service list may be considered as in control place);
a network in the control plane-based second list corresponding to the first object comprises: a network not allowing the terminal to acquire a credential and/or subscription of the first object through a control plane (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0053] … this particular message may be a DETACH REQUEST message received during a network initiated detachment procedure, which contains a detachment type of "re-attach not required" and a detachment cause indicating “IMSI unknown in HLR" …”; note that each list may be used in both of the control plane and the user plane);
a network in the user plane-based second list corresponding to the first object comprises: a network not allowing the terminal to acquire a credential and/or subscription of the first object through a user plan (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0053] … the forbidden PLMN list may be a "forbidden PLMN list" storing the PLMN identities to which the mobile communication device are forbidden" …”).
As to claims 5 and 21, D1 in view of Tiwari discloses claims 2 and 19, Tiwari further discloses: wherein the performing the second operation comprises:
in a case that a third condition is satisfied, initiating deregistration to the first network (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0053] … this particular message may be a DETACH REQUEST message received during a network initiated detachment procedure, which contains a detachment type of "re-attach not required" and a detachment cause indicating “IMSI unknown in HLR" …”); wherein
the third condition comprises:
an intent of the terminal for accessing the first network is to acquire the credential and/or subscription of a first object via the first network (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0028] … the MS may request for access of the service network associated with the PLMN identity right after being powered on, …” in view of the parent claims);
the registration type information of accessing the first network by the terminal indicates that a registration associated with the registration request is for onboarding (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0053] … this particular message may be a DETACH REQUEST message received during a network initiated detachment procedure, which contains a detachment type of "re-attach not required" and a detachment cause indicating “IMSI unknown in HLR" …”); or
the terminal fails to acquire the credential and/or subscription of the first object via the first network (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0053] … the mobile communication device receiving a particular message from a service network, wherein the particular message may be an ATTACH REJECT message received during an attachment procedure, which contains a rejection cause indicating "PLMN not allowed", or may be a ROUTING AREA UPDATE REJECT/LOCATION UPDATING REJECT message received during a location registration procedure, which contains a rejection cause indicating ‘PLMN not allowed’, …”).
As to claim 6, D1 in view of Tiwari discloses claim 2, Tiwari further discloses:
wherein the second list comprises: a control plane-based second list corresponding to the first object, and a user plane-based second list corresponding to the first object (“[0053] … the PLMN identities …” and “[0028] … “forbidden PLMN list" or the "forbidden PLMN for GPRS service" list …”);
a network in the control plane-based second list corresponding to the first object comprises: an SNPN not allowing the terminal to acquire a credential and/or subscription of the first object through a control plane (“[0053] … the PLMN identities …” and “[0028] … “forbidden PLMN list" or the "forbidden PLMN for GPRS service" list …” in view of the parent claim); and
a network in the user plane-based second list corresponding to the first object comprises: an SNPN not allowing the terminal to acquire a credential and/or subscription of the first object through a user plane (“[0053] … the PLMN identities …” and “[0028] … “forbidden PLMN list" or the "forbidden PLMN for GPRS service" list …” in view of the parent claim; note that both of the control plane and the user plane);
wherein the adding the first network to a second list comprises:
when the first reject cause indicates that the access of the terminal to acquire the credential and/or subscription of the first object through the control plane is not allowed by the first network, adding the first network to the control plane-based second list corresponding to the first object (“[0008] … The controller module starts a back-off timer in response to adding a PLMN identity to a forbidden PLMN list or in response to setting a subscriber identity card coupled to the mobile communication device as invalid, and forbids any access to the service network via the wireless module until the back-off timer expires, …”);
when the first reject cause indicates that the access of the terminal to acquire the credential and/or subscription of the first object through the user plane is not allowed by the first network, adding the first network to the user plane-based second list corresponding to the first object (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0008] … The controller module starts a back-off timer in response to adding a PLMN identity to a forbidden PLMN list or in response to setting a subscriber identity card coupled to the mobile communication device as invalid, and forbids any access to the service network via the wireless module until the back-off timer expires, …”; and “[0053] … To begin the method, the mobile communication device starts the back-off timer in response to adding a PLMN identity to the forbidden PLMN list or in response to setting a subscriber identity card coupled to the mobile communication device as invalid (step S1110). In one embodiment, the forbidden PLMN list may be a "forbidden PLMN list" storing the PLMN identities to which the mobile communication device are forbidden to access for non-GPRS services, and the adding of the PLMN identity to the "forbidden PLMN list" may be triggered by the mobile communication device receiving a particular message from a service network, wherein the particular message may be an ATTACH REJECT message received during an attachment procedure, which contains a rejection cause indicating "PLMN not allowed", or may be a ROUTING AREA UPDATE REJECT/LOCATION UPDATING REJECT message received during a location registration procedure, which contains a rejection cause indicating "PLMN not allowed", or may be a SERVICE REJECT message received during a service request procedure, which contains a rejection cause indicating "PLMN not allowed". Alternatively, this particular message may be a DETACH REQUEST message received during a network initiated detachment procedure, which contains a detachment type of "re-attach not required" and a detachment cause indicating "PLMN not allowed". … the setting of the subscriber identity card as invalid may be triggered by the mobile communication device receiving a particular message from a service network, wherein the particular message may be a ROUTING AREA UPDATE REJECT/LOCATION UPDATING REJECT message received during a location registration procedure, which contains a rejection cause indicating "Illegal ME", or a CM SERVICE REJECT message received during a service request procedure or call re-establishment procedure, which contains a rejection cause indicating "Illegal ME". Alternatively, this particular message may be a DETACH REQUEST message received during a network initiated detachment procedure, which contains a detachment type of "re-attach not required" and a detachment cause indicating "IMSI unknown in HLR".”).
As to claims 7 and 23, D1 in view of Tiwari discloses claims 2 and 19, Tiwari further discloses:
wherein the performing a second operation ([0053]) comprises:
in a case that a fifth condition is satisfied, deleting the first network from a first list and/or adding the first network to the second list (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0053] … the adding of the PLMN identity to the "forbidden PLMN list" may be triggered by the mobile communication device receiving a particular message from a service network …”); wherein the fifth condition comprises:
the terminal fails to acquire a credential and/or subscription of the first object via the first network (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0053] … this particular message may be a DETACH REQUEST message received during a network initiated detachment procedure, which contains a detachment type of "re-attach not required" and a detachment cause indicating “IMSI unknown in HLR" …”).
As to claim 8, D1 in view of Tiwari discloses claim 5, D1 further discloses:
wherein that the terminal fails to acquire the credential and/or subscription of the first object via the first network comprises at least one of the following:
the terminal fails to acquire the credential and/or subscription of the first object through a control plane (Section 6.5.2.1, 2nd para, p4 “… If the UE fails to complete the remote provisioning through the selected O-SNPN (e.g. the UE fails the authentication by the DCS), the UE may select another O-SNPN to try the process again. …”);
the terminal fails to acquire the credential and/or subscription of the first object through a user plane (p9, Section 6.5.4, last item, “- trigger PDU Session release or de-registration when time duration is expired.”);
a timer expires or a waiting time expires, but no credential and/ or subscription of the first object has been received from a control plane of the first network (p7, “NOTE 8: The O-SNPN can monitor the time duration of the Configuration PDU Session or Onboarding Registration in order to prevent misuse. Based on the local configuration policy in the 5GC, the network can impose maximum time duration for the Configuration PDU session or Onboarding Registration, upon expiry of which the session is released or the de-registration is triggered. …”);
the initiated acquisition of the credential and/or subscription of the first object through a user plane fails (Section 6.5.2.1, 2nd para, p4 “… If the UE fails to complete the remote provisioning through the selected O-SNPN (e.g. the UE fails the authentication by the DCS), the UE may select another O-SNPN to try the process again. …”);
the terminal only supports acquisition of the credential and/or subscription of the first object through a control plane, but has not received a second credential and/or subscription from a control plane of the first network before a timer expires or a waiting time expires (p7, “NOTE 8: The O-SNPN can monitor the time duration of the Configuration PDU Session or Onboarding Registration in order to prevent misuse. Based on the local configuration policy in the 5GC, the network can impose maximum time duration for the Configuration PDU session or Onboarding Registration, upon expiry of which the session is released or the de-registration is triggered. …” and Section 6.5.2.1, 2nd para, p4 “… If the UE fails to complete the remote provisioning through the selected O-SNPN (e.g. the UE fails the authentication by the DCS), the UE may select another O-SNPN to try the process again. …”);
the terminal only supports acquisition of the credential and/or subscription of the first object through a user plane, and an initiated request for a second credential and/or subscription through a user plane fails (p7, “NOTE 8: The O-SNPN can monitor the time duration of the Configuration PDU Session or Onboarding Registration in order to prevent misuse. Based on the local configuration policy in the 5GC, the network can impose maximum time duration for the Configuration PDU session or Onboarding Registration, upon expiry of which the session is released or the de-registration is triggered. …” and Section 6.5.2.1, 2nd para, p4 “… If the UE fails to complete the remote provisioning through the selected O-SNPN (e.g. the UE fails the authentication by the DCS), the UE may select another O-SNPN to try the process again. …”);
the terminal supports acquisition of the credential and/or subscription of the first object through a control plane and a user plane, but has not received a second credential and/or subscription from a control plane of the first network before a timer expires or a waiting time expires, and the initiated acquisition of the credential and/or subscription of the first object through a user plane fails (Section 6.5.2.1, 2nd para, p4 “… If the UE fails to complete the remote provisioning through the selected O-SNPN (e.g. the UE fails the authentication by the DCS), the UE may select another O-SNPN to try the process again. …); or
the terminal supports acquisition of the credential and/or subscription through a control plane and a user plane, and the initiated acquisition of the credential and/or subscription of the first object through a user plane fails (p7, “NOTE 8: The O-SNPN can monitor the time duration of the Configuration PDU Session or Onboarding Registration in order to prevent misuse. Based on the local configuration policy in the 5GC, the network can impose maximum time duration for the Configuration PDU session or Onboarding Registration, upon expiry of which the session is released or the de-registration is triggered. …”).
Tiwari also discloses above limitations as explained in the previous non-final OA.
As to claims 9 and 24, D1 in view of Tiwari discloses claims 1 and 19, Tiwari further discloses:
wherein the second operation further comprises at least one of:
deleting the first network from a first list (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0010] … removes the forbidden PLMN list in response to a power-on of the mobile communication device after the power-off.”);
determining whether to initiate deregistration to the first network or not (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0053] … this particular message may be a DETACH REQUEST message received during a network initiated detachment procedure, which contains a detachment type of "re-attach not required"”);
initiating deregistration to the first network in a case that it is determined to initiate deregistration to the first network (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0053] … the forbidden PLMN list may be a "forbidden PLMN list" storing the PLMN identities to which the mobile communication device are forbidden to access for non-GPRS services … this particular message may be a DETACH REQUEST message received during a network initiated detachment procedure, which contains a detachment type of "re-attach not required" …”); or
selecting another network to acquire the credential and/or subscription (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as S1330 of FIG. 13 in view of “[0061] … the back-off timer is stopped when the mobile communication device is powered off. Note that, since the forbidden PLMN list and/or the invalidity setting of the subscriber identity card are not stored before the power-off, the mobile communication device may regard the PLMN identity to which the service network belongs as not forbidden and/or regard the subscriber identity card as valid, when the mobile communication device is powered on again. Thus, the mobile communication device may be able to obtain normal services by the proper handling of the back-off timer and the forbidden PLMN list and/or validity of the subscriber identity card.”);
wherein the first list comprises any one of the following: one or more network objects, and identifier information of one or more network objects (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0053] … the forbidden PLMN list may be a "forbidden PLMN list" storing the PLMN identities to which the mobile communication device are forbidden to access for non-GPRS services …”);
wherein a network in the first list is one of: a network allowing the terminal to access with restriction; a network allowing the terminal to acquire the credential and/or subscription; and a network allowing the terminal to access with the default credential (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as FIG. 1 in view of [0037], such as “… the mobile communication device 110 is powered on again, the mobile communication device 110 is allowed to access the service network …” and FIG. 3, S350 “removes or clears the "forbidden PLMN list"”).
As to claim 10, D1 in view of Tiwari discloses claim 1, Tiwari further discloses:
wherein the performing a second operation comprises:
in a case that a tenth condition is satisfied, deleting the first network from a first list for acquiring the credential and/or subscription through a user plane and/or adding the first network to a second list for acquiring a credential and/or subscription through the plane (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0053] … this particular message may be a DETACH REQUEST message received during a network initiated detachment procedure, which contains a detachment type of "re-attach not required" and a detachment cause indicating “IMSI unknown in HLR" …”); wherein
the tenth condition comprises the first reject cause has been acquired (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0053] … the mobile communication device are forbidden to access for non-GPRS services … this particular message may be a DETACH REQUEST message received during a network initiated detachment procedure …”); and
the first reject cause indicates not allowing or not supporting the terminal to the credential and/or subscription through the user plane (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0053] … this particular message may be a DETACH REQUEST message received during a network initiated detachment procedure, which contains a detachment type of "re-attach not required" and a detachment cause indicating “IMSI unknown in HLR" …”).
As to claim 11, D1 in view of Tiwari discloses claim 7, Tiwari further discloses:
wherein the credential and/or subscription based on restricted access (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0053] … this particular message may be a DETACH REQUEST message received during a network initiated detachment procedure, which contains a detachment type of "re-attach not required" and a detachment cause indicating “IMSI unknown in HLR" …”); or
the credential and/or subscription is acquired through a control plane (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0008] … The controller module starts a back-off timer in response to adding a PLMN identity to a forbidden PLMN list or in response to setting a subscriber identity card coupled to the mobile communication device as invalid, and forbids any access to the service network via the wireless module until the back-off timer expires, …”); or
credential and/or subscription is acquired through a user plane (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0008] … The controller module starts a back-off timer in response to adding a PLMN identity to a forbidden PLMN list or in response to setting a subscriber identity card coupled to the mobile communication device as invalid, and forbids any access to the service network via the wireless module until the back-off timer expires, …”).
As to claim 25, D1 in view of Tiwari discloses claim 24, Tiwari further discloses:
wherein the first list is a first list corresponding to a first object, first lists corresponding to different first objects being the same or different (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0008] … The controller module starts a back-off timer in response to adding a PLMN identity to a forbidden PLMN list or in response to setting a subscriber identity card coupled to the mobile communication device as invalid, and forbids any access to the service network via the wireless module until the back-off timer expires …”);
the first list corresponding to the first object comprises: a control plane-based first list corresponding to the first object, and a user plane-based first list corresponding to the first object (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as “[0053] … the forbidden PLMN list may be a "forbidden PLMN list" storing the PLMN identities to which the mobile communication device are forbidden to access …”); wherein
the control plane-based first list corresponding to the first object is the same as or different from the user plane-based first list corresponding to the first object (FIGs. 1-13 and associated text, such as “[0053], … the setting of the subscriber identity card as invalid may be triggered by the mobile communication device receiving a particular message from a service network, wherein the particular message may be a ROUTING AREA UPDATE REJECT/LOCATION UPDATING REJECT message received during a location registration procedure, which contains a rejection cause indicating "Illegal ME", or a CM SERVICE REJECT message received during a service request procedure or call re-establishment procedure, which contains a rejection cause indicating "Illegal ME". Alternatively, this particular message may be a DETACH REQUEST message received during a network initiated detachment procedure, which contains a detachment type of "re-attach not required" and a detachment cause indicating ‘IMSI unknown in HLR’”);
a network in the control plane-based first list corresponding to the first object comprises: a network allowing the terminal to acquire the credential and/or subscription of the first object through a control plane (FIGs. 1-13 and the associated text, such as FIG. 1 in view of [0037], such as “… the mobile communication device 110 is powered on again, the mobile communication device 110 is allowed to access the service network …” and FIG. 3, S350 “removes or clears the "forbidden PLMN list"”);
a network in the user plane-based first list corresponding to the first object comprises: a network allowing the terminal to acquire the credential and/or subscription of the first object through a user plane (FIGs. 1-13 and associated text, such as “[0053], … the setting of the subscriber identity card as invalid may be triggered by the mobile communication device receiving a particular message from a service network, wherein the particular message may be a ROUTING AREA UPDATE REJECT/LOCATION UPDATING REJECT message received during a location registration procedure, which contains a rejection cause indicating "Illegal ME", or a CM SERVICE REJECT message received during a service request procedure or call re-establishment procedure, which contains a rejection cause indicating "Illegal ME". Alternatively, this particular message may be a DETACH REQUEST message received during a network initiated detachment procedure, which contains a detachment type of "re-attach not required" and a detachment cause indicating ‘IMSI unknown in HLR’”).
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JIANYE WU whose telephone number is (571)270-1665. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 8am-6pm.
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/JIANYE WU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462
