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 . 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 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.
Claims 1-18 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Regarding claims 1 and 10:
Claims 1 and 10 recited generating a SUCI “in a network access identifier (NAI) format by using an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI), wherein the SUCI comprises indication information, and the indication information indicates an access manner of non-seamless wireless local area network offloading (NSWO)”. The specification does not provide written-description support for any SUCI structure capable of including such indication information. As shown in Fig.3 and the accompanying description (¶¶116-118), the SUCI consists only of the 3GPP-standard fields (SUPI type, home network identifier, routing identifier, protection scheme identifier, home-network public-key identifier, encrypted MSIN, and optional MAC). The cited disclosure does not describe any modification to these fields or any additional field within the SUCI that could carry NSWO access-manner indication information, nor does it provide any example of a SUCI containing such information. The paragraphs discussing NSWO determination (¶¶91-94) merely describe how the UE identifies an NSWO scenario and do not disclose placing this information into the SUCI. ¶¶171-177 refer generally to “indication information” but do not describe any structural placement within the SUCI or any format by which such information could be incorporated, and ¶15 provides only a high-level conceptual overview. Further, ¶¶303-304 address indication information in the context of a service network name, not within the SUCI. Furthermore, incorporating NSWO indication into the SUCI would require altering the fixed SUCI structure defined by the 3GPP standard, and the specification provides no disclosure of any such modification. Accordingly, the specification does not demonstrate possession of a SUCI comprising the recited indication information, and claims 1 and 10 lack written-description support under 35 U.S.C. §112(a).
Regarding claim 4:
Claim 4 recites “wherein the indication information is in a domain network example part of the NAI format”. The specification never discloses placing indication information specifically in the domain/realm portion of the SUCI, nor provides any example or species of such placement, and therefore does not demonstrate possession of this limitation.
Regarding claim 7:
Claim 7 recites “generating, by the proxy, a service network name…”. The specification lists information that may be included in a service network name but does not disclose any method, structure, example or species showing how such a SN name is actually generated, and therefore does not demonstrate possession of this limitation.
Claims 13 and 16 are rejected for the same reasons set forth for claims 4 and 7 above, respectively, as each recites subject matter for which the specification fails to provide corresponding written-description support demonstrating possession of the claimed limitations.
Claims 2-6, 8-9, 11-15 and 17-18 fail to cure the deficiency of their parent claims , claims 1, 7, 10 and 16 respectively, on which they depend, and therefore likewise do not satisfy the written-description requirement under 35 U.S.C. §112(a).
For examination purpose examiner interpreting as the eNB 30 determines which WiFi APs are within the network of the eNB and, based on the determination, generates the parameter, WiFi SSID list. Please see prior art rejection below.
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 4 and 13 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.
Claims 4 and 13 recite that “the indication information is in a domain name example part of the NAI format”. The specification does not define the term “domain name example part”, and a person of ordinary skill in the art would not understand its scope with reasonable certainty. In the 3GPP-defined SUCI-in-NAI structure, the SUCI occupies the username portion of the NAI, while the domain/realm portion is external to the SUCI. The specification provides no disclosure identifying any “domain name example part” within the SUCI or describing how indication information could be placed there. As written, the limitation refers to a structure that does not exist in the SUCI format and is not described in the application.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 4-6 and 10-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over RAJADURAI et al. (U. S. PGPub. No. 2024/0298174 A1) (hereinafter “Rajadurai”), and further in view of LIU et al. (U. S. PGPub. No. 2021/0306849 A1) (hereinafter “Liu”).
Regarding Claim 1, Rajadurai teaches:
establishing, by a terminal device, a connection with a wireless access point (Rajadurai: [0019], establishing a connection by the UE with the non-3GPP network AP. [0067], Once the UE 206 establishes the connection with the non-3GPP network AP 220);
receiving, by the terminal device, an extensible authentication protocol (EAP) request or an authentication message from the wireless access point (Rajadurai: [0105] the WLAN AP 220 (=wireless access point) forwards the EAP request-identity message (=EAP request) to the UE 206 (=terminal device));
generating, by the terminal device, a subscription concealed identifier (SUCI) in a network access identifier (NAI) format (Rajadurai: [0132], The UE 206 may construct the SUCI as specified in the clause 6.12.2 of the 3GPP TS 33.501, if a registration initiated by the UE 206 is an initial registration or the 5G-GUTI is included in the NAI) by using an international mobile subscriber identity (IMSI) (Rajadurai: [0176] At step 3, the UE 206 sends the EAP response/identity message to the WLAN AP 220. The UE 206 sends the identity complying with the NAI to the WLAN AP 220. The UE 206 always sends the SUCI in the NAI/NAI format (i.e., username@realm format…[0178] the SUCI of the type IMSI for a NULL protection scheme may be composed of: [0179] 0 or x, 678, 0, 0,0999999999@234),
and sending, by the terminal device, an EAP response or an identity message to the wireless access point (Rajadurai: [0068] In response to the sent identity request, the non-3GPP network AP 220 receives an identity response from the UE 206), wherein the EAP response or the identity message comprises the SUCI (Rajadurai: [0068], The identity response of the UE 206 indicates an identity/subscriber identity of the UE 206 in the NAI format. [0069], The identity response of the UE 206 indicates an identity/subscriber identity of the UE 206 in the NAI format).
Rajadurai does not explicitly disclose:
wherein the SUCI comprises indication information and the indication information indicates an access manner of non-seamless wireless local area network offloading (NSWO);
However, in an analogous art, Liu disclose:
wherein the SUCI comprises indication information and the indication information indicates an access manner of non-seamless wireless local area network offloading (NSWO) (Liu: [0075] After reception of the Nudm_UEAuthentication_Get Request, the UDM/ARPF chooses the authentication method, based on the subscription data. For example, an EAP-AKA′ mutual authentication type protocol as modified herein may be executed between the UE and AUSF. [0076] The UDM/ARPF generates an authentication vector and sends this authentication vector AV′ (RAND, AUTN, XRES, CK′, IK′) to the AUSF from which it received the Nudm_UEAuthentication_Get Request. The UDM/ARPF also transmits an indication that the authentication vector AV′ is to be used for EAP-AKA′ using a Nudm_UEAuthentication_Get Response message.)
It would be obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify Rajadurai’s method of generating SUCI in NAI format using IMSI by applying Liu’s method of UDM choose the authentication method i.e EAP-AKA′ and transmitting the indication to use EAP-AKA’ authentication method, in order session establishment by user equipment over a plurality of heterogeneous access networks (Liu: [0001])
Regarding Claim 2, Rajadurai in view of Liu teaches:
The method of claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1 above),
wherein the establishing, by a terminal device, a connection with a wireless access point comprises (Rajadurai” [0019], establishing a connection by the UE with the non-3GPP network AP. [0067], Once the UE 206 establishes the connection with the non-3GPP network AP 220):
in a process of establishing the connection between the terminal device and the wireless access point (Rajadurai: [0066] For accessing the non-3GPP services from the non-3GPP network 204, the UE 206 establishes a connection with the non-3GPP network AP 220 of the non-3GPP network 206. The UE 206 establishes the connection with the non-3GPP network AP 220 using a non-3GPP related technology specific procedure),
receiving, by the terminal device, a message from the wireless access point (Rajadurai: [0067] Once the UE 206 establishes the connection with the non-3GPP network AP 220, the non-3GPP network AP 220 sends an identity request to the UE 206. In an embodiment, the identity request includes an Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) identity request message. Embodiments herein use the terms “identity request”, “EAP request”, “EAP request-identity message”, “EAP identity request message”, and so on, interchangeably through the document),
and determining, by the terminal device, that the terminal device accesses a network in the NSWO manner (Rajadurai: [0187] At step 6, the AUSF 212 (also be referred as an EAP authentication server) sends the EAP response identity request to the UDM 214 including the SUCI and the WLAN-Auth or the Auth-Ind indication. In an embodiment, the UE Authentication Get Request message is being a new message (new service provided by UDM 214) and the new message is the implicit indication depicting that the authentication procedure is triggered for the non-seamless WLAN offload purposes)
Regarding Claim 4, Rajadurai in view of Liu teaches:
The method of claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1 above),
wherein the indication information is in a domain name example part of the NAI format (Rajadurai: [0178] the SUCI of the type IMSI for a NULL protection scheme may be composed of: [0180] 0 or x, 678, 0, 0, 0999999999@example.com, where example.com is the domain name)
Regarding Claim 5, Rajadurai in view of Liu teaches:
The method of claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1 above),
verifying, by the terminal device, authenticity of a network side (Rajadurai: [0074], The authentication server 212 verifies that the authentication initiated with the UE 206 is successful, if the received response value from the UE 206 matches with the stored expected response value);
generating, by the terminal device, a master session key (MSK) after the verification succeeds (Rajadurai: [0075] On verifying that the authentication initiated with the UE 206 is successful, the authentication server 212 generates a Master Session Key (MSK) specific to the non-3GPP network access authentication);
and accessing, by the terminal device, a network in the NSWO manner (Rajadurai: [0187] At step 6, the AUSF 212 (also be referred as an EAP authentication server) sends the EAP response identity request to the UDM 214 including the SUCI and the WLAN-Auth or the Auth-Ind indication. In an embodiment, the UE Authentication Get Request message is being a new message (new service provided by UDM 214) and the new message is the implicit indication depicting that the authentication procedure is triggered for the non-seamless WLAN offload purposes)
wherein an intermediate key Kausf is not generated (Rajadurai: [0146], the AUSF 212 does not receive an indication to not to store a key KAUSF, as a NAS procedure is not performed. [0191], When the UE 206 is using the NSWO, the UE 206 does not generate the key KAUSF. [0193], At step 17, when the AUSF 212 performs the NSWO specific authentication, the AUSF 212 does not generate the key KAUSF).
Regarding Claim 6, Rajadurai in view of Liu teaches:
The method of claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1 above),
wherein the terminal device ignores a locally stored security context and 5G globally unique temporary identity (5G-GUTI) when generating the SUCI (Rajadurai: [0184] In an embodiment, the UE 206 may always send the SUCI in the NAI format, if the UE 206 is about to perform the WLAN access authentication (even though the valid 5G-GUTI is available, as the AMF 216 is not involved or to avoid (=ignores) a new procedure of retrieval of the SUPI from the 5G-GUTI).
Regarding Claim 10, this claim contains identical limitations found within that of claim 1 above albeit directed to a different statutory category (apparatus medium). For this reason the same grounds of rejection are applied to claim 10.
Regarding Claim 11, this claim contains identical limitations found within that of claim 2 above albeit directed to a different statutory category (apparatus medium). For this reason the same grounds of rejection are applied to claim 11.
Regarding Claim 12, this claim contains identical limitations found within that of claim 3 above albeit directed to a different statutory category (apparatus medium). For this reason the same grounds of rejection are applied to claim 12.
Regarding Claim 13, this claim contains identical limitations found within that of claim 4 above albeit directed to a different statutory category (apparatus medium). For this reason the same grounds of rejection are applied to claim 13.
Regarding Claim 14, this claim contains identical limitations found within that of claim 5 above albeit directed to a different statutory category (apparatus medium). For this reason the same grounds of rejection are applied to claim 14.
Regarding Claim 15, this claim contains identical limitations found within that of claim 6 above albeit directed to a different statutory category (apparatus medium). For this reason the same grounds of rejection are applied to claim 15.
Claim(s) 7-9, 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over RAJADURAI et al. (U. S. PGPub. No. 2024/0298174 A1) (hereinafter “Rajadurai”) in view of LIU et al. (U. S. PGPub. No. 20210306849 A1) (hereinafter “Liu”); and further in view of NIU et al. (US. PGPub. No. 2017/0223698 A1) (hereinafter “Niu”)
Regarding Claim 7, Rajadurai in view of Liu teaches:
receiving, by a proxy of an authentication server function entity, a message from a wireless access point (Rajadurai: [0106] At step 10, the WLAN AP 220 forwards the EAP response-identity message to the AUSF/AAA-S 212 through the N3IWF 218);
and sending, by the proxy, a terminal device authentication request message to the authentication server function entity (Rajadurai: [0186] At step 5, the IWF 218 sends the UE Authentication Request message (for example, Nausf_UEAuthentication_Authenticate Request) with the SUCI, a serving network name and the WLAN-Auth or the Auth-Ind indication towards the AUSF/AAA-S 212. The UE Authentication Request message is routed towards the designated AUSF 212 based on the realm part of the NAI and/or the routing identifier), wherein the terminal device authentication request message comprises a subscription concealed identifier (SUCI) of the terminal device and the service network name (Rajadurai: [0187] At step 6, the AUSF 212 (also be referred as an EAP authentication server) sends the EAP response identity request to the UDM 214 including the SUCI and the WLAN-Auth or the Auth-Ind indication. In an embodiment, the UE Authentication Get Request message is being a new message (new service provided by UDM 214) and the new message is the implicit indication depicting that the authentication procedure is triggered for the non-seamless WLAN offload purposes.
Rajadurai in view of Liu does not explicitly disclose:
generating, by the proxy, a service network name, wherein the service network name comprises an identifier of an access network and access method indication information,
the access network is a network where the wireless access point is located.
and the access method indication information indicates that a network access manner used by a terminal device is non-seamless wireless local area network offloading (NSWO);
However, in an analogous art, Niu teaches:
generating, by the proxy, a service network name, wherein the service network name comprises an identifier of an access network and access method indication information,
the access network is a network where the wireless access point is located (Niu: [0046], The eNB 30 determines which WiFi APs are within the network of the eNB and, based on the determination, generates the parameter, WiFi SSID list. In this example, the WiFi SSID list includes two entries, SSID1 (for WiFi AP 32) and SSID2 (for WiFi AP 90)),
and the access method indication information indicates that a network access manner used by a terminal device is non-seamless wireless local area network offloading (NSWO) (NIu: [0029] Between the WiFi AP 32 and the Internet 20 is a dedicated channel, the non-seamless WLAN offload (NSWO) 38. The NSWO 30 is 3GPP technology parlance for WiFi offloading. Once a WiFi connection is available, the UE 40 is offloaded from the LTE network to the WLAN, in some embodiments);
A person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, would have found it obvious to modify Rajadurai in view of Liu by applying the well-known technique as disclosed by applying Niu’s method of determining which Wi-Fi access point are within the network by generating the SSID’s. The motivation is to control the UL traffic for improved optimization of the overall system (Niu: [0010]).
Regarding Claim 8, Rajadurai in view of Liu and Niu teaches:
The method of claim 7 (see rejection of claim 7 above),
wherein the method further comprises: receiving, by the proxy, a terminal device authentication response message from the authentication server function entity (Rajadurai: [0193], The AUSF 212 sends the Nausf_UEAuthentication_Authenticate Response message with an EAP-success message (i.e.., the success message) along with the MSK key to IWF 218.).
Regarding Claim 9, Rajadurai in view of Liu and Niu teaches:
The method of claim 7 (see rejection of claim 7 above),
forwarding, by the proxy, an authentication vector and the service network name to the terminal device by using an extensible authentication protocol (EAP) request message (Rajadurai: [0073],The UDM 214 generates the AV based on the obtained SUPI. In an embodiment, the AV includes an Extensible Authentication Protocol Method for 3rd Generation Authentication and Key Agreement (EAP-AKA′) based AV. The UDM 214 sends the AV to the authentication server 212 in an authentication get response message. [0190] At step 9, the IWF 218 sends the EAP request to the WLAN AP 220. At step 10, the WLAN AP 220 forwards the EAP request message to the UE 206);
and receiving, by the proxy, an EAP response message from the terminal device (Rajadurai: [0192] At step 12, the UE 206 sends the EAP response message to the WLAN AP 220. At step 13, the WLAN AP 220 forwards the EAP response message to the IWF 218(=proxy)).
[0119], At step 7, the UE 206 sends the EAP response message to the WLAN AP 220, wherein the EAP response message includes an acknowledgement. At step 8, the WLAN AP 220 relays the EAP response message of the UE 206 to the AAA-S/AUSF/UDM).
Regarding Claim 16, this claim contains identical limitations found within that of claim 7 above albeit directed to a different statutory category (apparatus medium). For this reason the same grounds of rejection are applied to claim 16.
Regarding Claim 17, this claim contains identical limitations found within that of claim 8 above albeit directed to a different statutory category (apparatus medium). For this reason the same grounds of rejection are applied to claim 17.
Regarding Claim 18, this claim contains identical limitations found within that of claim 9 above albeit directed to a different statutory category (apparatus medium). For this reason the same grounds of rejection are applied to claim 18.
Claim(s) 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over RAJADURAI et al. (U. S. PGPub. No. 2024/0298174 A1) (hereinafter “Rajadurai”) in view of LIU et al. (U. S. 2021/0306849 A1) (hereinafter “Liu”); further in view of Chauhan et al. (U. S. PGPub. No. 2021/0068048 A1) (hereinafter “Chauhan”).
Regarding claim 3, Rajadurai in view of Liu teaches:
The method of claim 2 (see rejection of claim 2 above),
wherein the determining, by the terminal device, that the terminal device accesses a network in the NSWO manner comprises (Rajadurai: [0187] At step 6, the AUSF 212 (also be referred as an EAP authentication server) sends the EAP response identity request to the UDM 214 including the SUCI and the WLAN-Auth or the Auth-Ind indication. In an embodiment, the UE Authentication Get Request message is being a new message (new service provided by UDM 214) and the new message is the implicit indication depicting that the authentication procedure is triggered for the non-seamless WLAN offload purposes)
Rajadurai in view of Liu does not explicitly disclose:
determining, by the terminal device based on a locally stored service set identifier (SSID) list, that the NSWO manner is used for an SSID in the list.
However, in an analogous art, Chaudhari teach:
determining, by the terminal device based on a locally stored service set identifier (SSID) list, that the NSWO manner is used for an SSID in the list (Chauhan: [0007], a typical policy defined at the server has a list of the Service Set Identifier (SSID) which is simply the name of the Wi-Fi network and list of mobile operator network cell IDs as a possible source of Wi-Fi offload destination. The ANDSF client makes use of a background Wi-Fi scans from an Operating System (OS) of the user device and takes a decision to automatically offload on policy preferred SSID if in an acceptable range. Also, as an alternative, the ANDSF client can periodically check if the user is in the expected network Cell ID coverage, turns ON Wi-Fi on the device and attempts to connect to preferred SSID if in an acceptable range).
A person having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, would have found it obvious to modify Rajadurai in view of Liu by applying the well-known technique as disclosed by Chauhan of defining a policies which include SSID connecting to preferred SSID and decides to automatically attempt to connect preferred SSID. The motivation is to create a solution to provide automatic offload in multi SIM devices (Chauhan: [Abstract]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Refer to PTO-892, Notice of References Cited for a listing of analogous art.
Salkintzis (U. S. PGPub. No. 2019/0215691 A1): Apparatuses, methods, and systems are disclosed for attaching a remote unit to a mobile core network via a non-3GPP access network. One apparatus includes a processor that initiates a first authentication procedure with a remote unit over the access network and sends an attach request to the core network on behalf of the remote unit. The processor receives an attachment authentication request from the core network and transforms the attachment authentication request into authentication request of the first authentication procedure. The processor further uses an authentication response of the first authentication procedure to complete attachment to the core network. In certain embodiments, the apparatus also includes first and second network interfaces that communicate with the remote unit over the access network and with the core network, respectively.
So et al. (U. S. PGPub. No. 2013/0308531 A1): A communications system includes a trusted wireless access gateway, a broadband network gateway and a user equipment. The user equipment is configured to transmit an attachment request. The broadband network gateway is configured to receive the attachment request from the user equipment and determine whether the attachment request is an extensible authentication protocol (EAP) authentication request and forward to the trusted wireless gateway the attachment request when is determined that the attachment request is an EAP authentication request. The trusted wireless access gateway is configured to fulfill the attachment request based on a type of the attachment request.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RUPALI DHAKAD whose telephone number is (571)270-3743. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-5:30.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alexander Lagor can be reached at 5712705143. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/R.D./Examiner, Art Unit 2437
/ALEXANDER LAGOR/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2437