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 .
Specification
The Abstract of the Disclosure has been amended. The Objection to the specification is withdrawn.
Status of the Claims
In an amendment filed 2025-12-17 (“Remarks”), applicant amended claims 1-5, 8, 9, 11-16, 19, and 20 and cancelled claims 7 and 17. Claims 1-6, 8-16, and 18-20 are present for examination.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the new grounds of rejection do not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1, 2, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication No. 2022/0225083 to Borisoglebski et al. (“Borisoglebski”) in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2024/0276203 to Nagarajan et al. (“Nagarajan”).
As to claim 1, Borisoglebski discloses a device (Fig. 1, Host Device 110 and/or Network Access Element 100; ¶¶0061-0063), comprising: a processing system including a processor (Fig. 1, Processor 130; ¶¶0061-0063); and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations (Fig. 1, Computer-Readable Storage 120; ¶¶0061-0063), the operations comprising: selecting a first international mobile subscriber identifier (IMSI) from a pool of IMSIs that are not pre-provisioned with authentication credentials for a communication network (Fig. 4, steps 410c-d and ¶¶0085-0086. See also: ¶0031, "This may allow IMSIs for use in obtaining temporary bootstrap connectivity to be used and re-used. An IMSI need not be pre-provisioned to a network access element for exclusive use with that network access element"; Fig. 2, step 220 and ¶¶0065-0066); generating first bootstrap authentication credentials for the first IMSI; updating … with a first bootstrap profile comprising the first IMSI and the first generated bootstrap authentication credentials (Fig. 4, step 410f and ¶0086. See also: ¶0031, "This may allow IMSIs for use in obtaining temporary bootstrap connectivity to be used and re-used. An IMSI need not be pre-provisioned to a network access element for exclusive use with that network access element"; Fig. 1 and ¶0062 (the network access element may be a UICC, eUICC, iUICC, or soft SIM), and ¶0083); making a first attempt to register with the communication network using the first bootstrap profile (Fig. 4, steps 410g-k and ¶¶0087-0088); and responsive to the first attempt to register failing due to a collision of the first IMSI, selecting a second IMSI from the pool (Fig. 4, step 410m and ¶0089), generating second bootstrap authentication credentials for the second IMSI, updating … with a second bootstrap profile comprising the second IMSI and the second generated bootstrap authentication credentials (Fig. 4, steps 410m and 410f; ¶0089 and ¶0086. See also: ¶0031, "This may allow IMSIs for use in obtaining temporary bootstrap connectivity to be used and re-used. An IMSI need not be pre-provisioned to a network access element for exclusive use with that network access element"; Fig. 1 and ¶0062 (the network access element may be a UICC, eUICC, iUICC, or soft SIM), and ¶0083), and making a second attempt to register with the communication network using the second bootstrap profile (Fig. 4, steps 410m and 410g-k; ¶¶0087-0089). See also Fig. 3 and ¶¶0076-0077, "following a failed registration attempt, host device 340 comprising network access element 350 may perform a selection operation to select a further IMSI, IMSI-2 and may attempt to register 370 with the network 300 using IMSI-2".
Borisoglebski does not disclose: updating an electronic subscriber identity module (eSIM).
However, Nagarajan discloses: updating an electronic subscriber identity module (eSIM) (Fig. 12A and ¶0063, step 1224; see also Fig. 4 and ¶0039-41).
Borisoglebski and Nagarajan are considered to be similar to the claimed invention because they are in one or more of the same fields of: security arrangements, authentication, and/or protecting privacy or anonymity in wireless communication networks; security of mobile devices and/or applications, i.e. protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning; network data management, including processing at user equipment and/or transfer of user or subscriber data; and/or indexing scheme(s) associated with network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming, including details of telephone numbers. As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Borisoglebski to incorporate the teachings of Nagarajan to include: updating an electronic subscriber identity module (eSIM). Doing so would "provide for new and/or different services and/or updates for accessing extended features provided by MNOs … and … eliminate the need to include UICC-receiving bays in wireless devices" (Nagarajan, ¶0002), which would lower device costs and complexity. Further, "a configurable shared provisioning SIM/eSIM … advantageously can be reconfigured multiple times with different IMSI values if required in order to locate and connect to a cellular wireless network" (Nagarajan, ¶0039), which would increase usability and reliability, contributing to increased customer satisfaction.
As to claim 2, Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan discloses the device of claim 1, wherein the selecting the first IMSI from the pool of IMSIs comprises randomly selecting the first IMSI from the pool of IMSIs (Nagarajan, ¶0028).
As to claim 10, Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan discloses the device of claim 1, wherein the processing system comprises a plurality of processors operating in a distributed computing environment (Borisoglebski, Fig. 1 and ¶¶0061-0063, "at least one processor 130").
***
Claims 3, 8, 9, 11-13, 18, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan and further in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2022/0104013 to Lamberton et al. (“Lamberton”).
As to claim 3, Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan discloses the device of claim 1, wherein the generating the first bootstrap authentication credentials for the first IMSI comprises generating the first bootstrap authentication credentials (Borisoglebski, Fig. 4, step 410f and ¶0086. See also: ¶0031 and ¶0083).
Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan does not disclose: a master key associated with the pool of IMSIs.
However, Lamberton discloses: a master key associated with the pool of IMSIs (Fig. 3 and ¶0081-85).
Borisoglebski, Nagarajan, and Lamberton are considered to be similar to the claimed invention because they are in one or more of the same fields of: security arrangements, authentication, and/or protecting privacy or anonymity in wireless communication networks; security of mobile devices and/or applications, i.e. protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning; network data management, including processing at user equipment and/or transfer of user or subscriber data; and/or indexing scheme(s) associated with network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming, including details of telephone numbers. As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan to incorporate the teachings of Lamberton to include: a master key associated with the pool of IMSIs. Doing so would allow for "securely [attaching] a mobile device…to a server" (Lamberton, ¶0001), "reduce the quantity of encrypted data from the server … reduce maximally the data sent by the mobile as only a randomly chosen IMSI and an encrypted identifier has to be sent by the mobile … [and] ensure data privacy, integrity, authenticity and confidentiality for data payloads piggybacked into standard signaling messages" (Lamberton, ¶¶0025-0026).
As to claim 8, Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan discloses the device of claim 1, wherein the pool of IMSIs comprises a plurality of sets of non-overlapping IMSIs (Nagarajan, Figs. 6A-B and 10; ¶0043-44 and ¶0050-53).
Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan does not disclose: wherein each set includes an associated master key.
However, Lamberton discloses: wherein each set includes an associated master key (Fig. 3 and ¶0081-85).
Borisoglebski, Nagarajan, and Lamberton are considered to be similar to the claimed invention because they are in one or more of the same fields of: security arrangements, authentication, and/or protecting privacy or anonymity in wireless communication networks; security of mobile devices and/or applications, i.e. protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning; network data management, including processing at user equipment and/or transfer of user or subscriber data; and/or indexing scheme(s) associated with network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming, including details of telephone numbers. As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan to incorporate the teachings of Lamberton to include: wherein each set includes an associated master key. Doing so would allow for "securely [attaching] a mobile device…to a server" (Lamberton, ¶0001), "reduce the quantity of encrypted data from the server … reduce maximally the data sent by the mobile as only a randomly chosen IMSI and an encrypted identifier has to be sent by the mobile … [and] ensure data privacy, integrity, authenticity and confidentiality for data payloads piggybacked into standard signaling messages" (Lamberton, ¶¶0025-0026).
As to claim 9, Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan discloses the device of claim 1, wherein the pool of IMSIs is one of a plurality of pools of IMSIs that are not pre-provisioned with authentication credentials for the communication network (Borisoglebski, Fig. 4, steps 410c-d and ¶¶0085-0086. See also: ¶0031, "This may allow IMSIs for use in obtaining temporary bootstrap connectivity to be used and re-used. An IMSI need not be pre-provisioned to a network access element for exclusive use with that network access element"; Fig. 2, step 220 and ¶¶0065-0066), wherein each such pool of IMSIs includes a range of non-overlapping IMSIs (Nagarajan, Figs. 6A-B and 10; ¶0043-44 and ¶0050-53).
Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan does not disclose: a respective master key stored in the eSIM.
However, Lamberton discloses: a respective master key stored in the eSIM (Lamberton, Fig. 3 and ¶0081-85).
Borisoglebski, Nagarajan, and Lamberton are considered to be similar to the claimed invention because they are in one or more of the same fields of: security arrangements, authentication, and/or protecting privacy or anonymity in wireless communication networks; security of mobile devices and/or applications, i.e. protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning; network data management, including processing at user equipment and/or transfer of user or subscriber data; and/or indexing scheme(s) associated with network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming, including details of telephone numbers. As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan to incorporate the teachings of Lamberton to include: a respective master key stored in the eSIM. Doing so would allow for "securely [attaching] a mobile device…to a server" (Lamberton, ¶0001), "reduce the quantity of encrypted data from the server … reduce maximally the data sent by the mobile as only a randomly chosen IMSI and an encrypted identifier has to be sent by the mobile … [and] ensure data privacy, integrity, authenticity and confidentiality for data payloads piggybacked into standard signaling messages" (Lamberton, ¶¶0025-0026).
As to claim 11, Borisoglebski discloses a non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations (Fig. 1, Host Device 110, Network Access Element 100, Computer-Readable Storage 120, and Processor 130; ¶¶0061-0063), the operations comprising: selecting a first international mobile subscriber identifier (IMSI) from one of a plurality of pools of IMSIs, … wherein the IMSIs in the plurality of pools of IMSIs are not pre-provisioned with authentication credentials for a communication network (Fig. 4, steps 410c-d and ¶¶0085-0086. See also: ¶0031, "This may allow IMSIs for use in obtaining temporary bootstrap connectivity to be used and re-used. An IMSI need not be pre-provisioned to a network access element for exclusive use with that network access element"; Fig. 2, step 220 and ¶¶0065-0066); generating first bootstrap authentication credentials for the first IMSI; updating … with a first bootstrap profile comprising the first IMSI and the first generated bootstrap authentication credentials (Fig. 4, step 410f and ¶0086. See also: ¶0031, "This may allow IMSIs for use in obtaining temporary bootstrap connectivity to be used and re-used. An IMSI need not be pre-provisioned to a network access element for exclusive use with that network access element"; Fig. 1 and ¶0062 (the network access element may be a UICC, eUICC, iUICC, or soft SIM), and ¶0083); making a first attempt to register with the communication network using the first bootstrap profile (Fig. 4, steps 410g-k and ¶¶0087-0088); and responsive to the attempt to register failing due to a collision of the first IMSI, selecting a second IMSI from the one of the plurality of pools of IMSIs (Fig. 4, step 410m and ¶0089), generating second bootstrap authentication credentials for the second IMSI, updating … with a second bootstrap profile comprising the second IMSI and the second generated bootstrap authentication credentials (Fig. 4, steps 410m and 410f; ¶0089 and ¶0086. See also: ¶0031, "This may allow IMSIs for use in obtaining temporary bootstrap connectivity to be used and re-used. An IMSI need not be pre-provisioned to a network access element for exclusive use with that network access element"; Fig. 1 and ¶0062 (the network access element may be a UICC, eUICC, iUICC, or soft SIM), and ¶0083), and making a second attempt to register with the communication network using the second bootstrap profile (Fig. 4, steps 410m and 410g-k; ¶¶0087-0089). See also Fig. 3 and ¶¶0076-0077, "following a failed registration attempt, host device 340 comprising network access element 350 may perform a selection operation to select a further IMSI, IMSI-2 and may attempt to register 370 with the network 300 using IMSI-2".
Borisoglebski does not disclose: detecting an absence of an operational profile stored on an electronic subscriber identity module (eSIM); wherein each such pool of IMSIs includes a range of non-overlapping IMSIs and a respective master key; or updating the eSIM.
However, Nagarajan discloses: detecting an absence of an operational profile stored on an electronic subscriber identity module (eSIM) (Fig. 1 and ¶0035; the device detects whether it lacks an operational profile on its eSIM (e.g., upon initial power-up procedure) and if so enables only limited functionality until it is initialized to obtain "full functional eSIMs with which to access cellular wireless services"); wherein each such pool of IMSIs includes a range of non-overlapping IMSIs (Figs. 6A-B and 10; ¶0043-44 and ¶0050-53); and updating the eSIM (Fig. 12A and ¶0063, step 1224; see also Fig. 4 and ¶0039-41).
Additionally, Lamberton discloses: wherein each such pool of IMSIs includes … a respective master key (Fig. 3 and ¶0081-85).
Borisoglebski, Nagarajan, and Lamberton are considered to be similar to the claimed invention because they are in one or more of the same fields of: security arrangements, authentication, and/or protecting privacy or anonymity in wireless communication networks; security of mobile devices and/or applications, i.e. protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning; network data management, including processing at user equipment and/or transfer of user or subscriber data; and/or indexing scheme(s) associated with network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming, including details of telephone numbers. As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Borisoglebski to incorporate the teachings of Nagarajan to include: detecting an absence of an operational profile stored on an electronic subscriber identity module (eSIM); wherein each such pool of IMSIs includes a range of non-overlapping IMSIs; and updating the eSIM. Doing so would "provide for new and/or different services and/or updates for accessing extended features provided by MNOs … and … eliminate the need to include UICC-receiving bays in wireless devices" (Nagarajan, ¶0002), which would lower device costs and complexity. Further, "a configurable shared provisioning SIM/eSIM … advantageously can be reconfigured multiple times with different IMSI values if required in order to locate and connect to a cellular wireless network" (Nagarajan, ¶0039), which would increase usability and reliability, contributing to increased customer satisfaction.
Additionally, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Borisoglebski to incorporate the teachings of Lamberton to include: wherein each such pool of IMSIs includes … a respective master key. Doing so would allow for "securely [attaching] a mobile device…to a server" (Lamberton, ¶0001), "reduce the quantity of encrypted data from the server … reduce maximally the data sent by the mobile as only a randomly chosen IMSI and an encrypted identifier has to be sent by the mobile … [and] ensure data privacy, integrity, authenticity and confidentiality for data payloads piggybacked into standard signaling messages" (Lamberton, ¶¶0025-0026).
As to claim 12, Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan and Lamberton discloses the non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the first IMSI is randomly selected from the one of the plurality of pools of IMSIs (Nagarajan, ¶0028).
As to claim 13, Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan and Lamberton discloses the non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the generating the first bootstrap authentication credentials for the first IMSI comprises generating the first bootstrap authentication credentials (Borisoglebski, Fig. 4, step 410f and ¶0086. See also: ¶0031 and ¶0083) from a master key associated with the one of the plurality of pools of IMSIs (Lamberton, Fig. 3 and ¶0081-85).
As to claim 18, Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan and Lamberton discloses the non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the processing system comprises a plurality of processors operating in a distributed computing environment (Borisoglebski, Fig. 1 and ¶¶0061-0063, "at least one processor 130").
As to claim 19, Borisoglebski discloses a method, comprising: selecting, by a processing system including a processor (Fig. 1, Host Device 110, Network Access Element 100, Computer-Readable Storage 120, and Processor 130; ¶¶0061-0063), a first international mobile subscriber identifier (IMSI) from one of a plurality of pools of IMSIs (Fig. 4, steps 410c-d and ¶¶0085-0086. See also: ¶0031, "This may allow IMSIs for use in obtaining temporary bootstrap connectivity to be used and re-used. An IMSI need not be pre-provisioned to a network access element for exclusive use with that network access element"; Fig. 2, step 220 and ¶¶0065-0066) … wherein the IMSIs in the plurality of pools of IMSIs are not pre-provisioned with authentication credentials for a communication network (Fig. 4, steps 410c-d and ¶¶0085-0086. See also: ¶0031, "This may allow IMSIs for use in obtaining temporary bootstrap connectivity to be used and re-used. An IMSI need not be pre-provisioned to a network access element for exclusive use with that network access element"; Fig. 2, step 220 and ¶¶0065-0066); generating, by the processing system, first bootstrap authentication credentials for the first IMSI; updating, by the processing system … with a first bootstrap profile comprising the first IMSI and the first generated bootstrap authentication credentials (Fig. 4, step 410f and ¶0086. See also: ¶0031, "This may allow IMSIs for use in obtaining temporary bootstrap connectivity to be used and re-used. An IMSI need not be pre-provisioned to a network access element for exclusive use with that network access element"; Fig. 1 and ¶0062 (the network access element may be a UICC, eUICC, iUICC, or soft SIM), and ¶0083); making, by the processing system, a first attempt to register with the communication network using the first bootstrap profile (Fig. 4, steps 410g-k and ¶¶0087-0088); and responsive to the first attempt to register failing due to a collision of the first IMSI, by the processing system, selecting a second IMSI from the one of the plurality of pools of IMSIs (Fig. 4, step 410m and ¶0089), generating second bootstrap authentication credentials for the second IMSI, updating … with a second bootstrap profile comprising the second IMSI and the second generated bootstrap authentication credentials (Fig. 4, steps 410m and 410f; ¶0089 and ¶0086. See also: ¶0031, "This may allow IMSIs for use in obtaining temporary bootstrap connectivity to be used and re-used. An IMSI need not be pre-provisioned to a network access element for exclusive use with that network access element"; Fig. 1 and ¶0062 (the network access element may be a UICC, eUICC, iUICC, or soft SIM), and ¶0083), and making a second attempt to register with the communication network using the second bootstrap profile (Fig. 4, steps 410m and 410g-k; ¶¶0087-0089). See also Fig. 3 and ¶¶0076-0077, "following a failed registration attempt, host device 340 comprising network access element 350 may perform a selection operation to select a further IMSI, IMSI-2 and may attempt to register 370 with the network 300 using IMSI-2".
Borisoglebski does not disclose: wherein each such pool of IMSIs includes a range of non-overlapping IMSIs and a respective master key, wherein the selecting is responsive to an absence of wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) communications and an operational profile stored on an electronic subscriber identity module (eSIM); or updating the eSIM.
However, Nagarajan discloses: wherein each such pool of IMSIs includes a range of non-overlapping IMSIs (Figs. 6A-B and 10; ¶0043-44 and ¶0050-53), wherein the selecting is responsive to an absence of wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) communications (¶0054, "The shared provisioning SIM/eSIM 402 can be used when alternative communication means, e.g., non-cellular wireless access or hard-wired access, are not available to the wireless device 102 to perform the initialization or configuration procedure") and an operational profile stored on an electronic subscriber identity module (eSIM) (Fig. 1 and ¶0035; the device detects whether it lacks an operational profile on its eSIM (e.g., upon initial power-up procedure) and if so enables only limited functionality until it is initialized to obtain "full functional eSIMs with which to access cellular wireless services"); and updating the eSIM (Fig. 12A and ¶0063, step 1224; see also Fig. 4 and ¶0039-41).
Additionally, Lamberton discloses: wherein each such pool of IMSIs includes … a respective master key (Fig. 3 and ¶0081-85).
Borisoglebski, Nagarajan, and Lamberton are considered to be similar to the claimed invention because they are in one or more of the same fields of: security arrangements, authentication, and/or protecting privacy or anonymity in wireless communication networks; security of mobile devices and/or applications, i.e. protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning; network data management, including processing at user equipment and/or transfer of user or subscriber data; and/or indexing scheme(s) associated with network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming, including details of telephone numbers. As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Borisoglebski to incorporate the teachings of Nagarajan to include: wherein each such pool of IMSIs includes a range of non-overlapping IMSIs, wherein the selecting is responsive to an absence of wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) communications and an operational profile stored on an electronic subscriber identity module (eSIM); and updating the eSIM. Doing so would "provide for new and/or different services and/or updates for accessing extended features provided by MNOs … and … eliminate the need to include UICC-receiving bays in wireless devices" (Nagarajan, ¶0002), which would lower device costs and complexity. Further, "a configurable shared provisioning SIM/eSIM … advantageously can be reconfigured multiple times with different IMSI values if required in order to locate and connect to a cellular wireless network" (Nagarajan, ¶0039), which would increase usability and reliability, contributing to increased customer satisfaction.
Additionally, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Borisoglebski to incorporate the teachings of Lamberton to include: wherein each such pool of IMSIs includes … a respective master key. Doing so would allow for “securely [attaching] a mobile device…to a server” (Lamberton, ¶0001), “reduce the quantity of encrypted data from the server … reduce maximally the data sent by the mobile as only a randomly chosen IMSI and an encrypted identifier has to be sent by the mobile … [and] ensure data privacy, integrity, authenticity and confidentiality for data payloads piggybacked into standard signaling messages” (Lamberton, ¶¶0025-0026).
***
Claims 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan and further in view of U.S. Patent No. 11,431,842 to Grogan et al. (“Grogan”).
As to claim 4, Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan discloses the device of claim 1.
Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan does not disclose: wherein the operations further comprise adding the first IMSI to a wait list responsive to the first attempt to register failing.
However, Grogan discloses: wherein the operations further comprise adding the first IMSI to a wait list responsive to the first attempt to register failing (Figs. 1-2; Col. 1: lines 20-34; Col. 4: lines 45-44; numbers are added to an aging pool (i.e., wait list) prior to recycling into available inventory).
Borisoglebski, Nagarajan, and Grogan are considered to be similar to the claimed invention because they are in one or more of the same fields of: security arrangements, authentication, and/or protecting privacy or anonymity in wireless communication networks; security of mobile devices and/or applications, i.e. protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning; network data management, including processing at user equipment and/or transfer of user or subscriber data; and/or indexing scheme(s) associated with network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming, including details of telephone numbers. As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan to incorporate the teachings of Grogan to include: wherein the operations further comprise adding the first IMSI to a wait list responsive to the first attempt to register failing. Adding phone numbers to a waitlist "is intended to allow residual traffic to the telephone number to ebb so that when the telephone number is put back in service, it will be clean and its prior inbound calling history will have been mitigated such that new inbound traffic to the telephone number will be substantially independent from its prior use" (Grogan, Col. 1: lines 29-34). One of ordinary skill in the art would be similarly motivated to use such a system in eSIM profile updating so as to avoid potential collisions when using a randomly selected IMSI(s). Doing so would improve user experience and/or convenience, and/or improve system reliability.
As to claim 5, Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan and further in view of Grogan discloses the device of claim 4, wherein the operations further comprise removing the first IMSI from the wait list after a wait time (Grogan, Figs. 1-2; Col. 1: lines 20-34; Col. 4: lines 45-44; numbers are removed from the aging pool (i.e., wait list) after a minimum mandatory 45 day aging process (i.e., wait time)).
As to claim 6, Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan and further in view of Grogan discloses the device of claim 5, wherein the wait time is commensurate with a time period (Grogan, Figs. 1-2; Col. 1: lines 20-34; Col. 4: lines 45-44) to download an operational profile from the communication network (Borisoglebski, Fig. 2 and ¶0073, "Once a data plan, or an operational profile has been selected (either by the user of the host device 110 or by some process at the network) a further IMSI may be provisioned to the host device 110 to provide these operational services. This releases the selected IMSI and allows a further host device to select that IMSI to also get a further IMSI. In this way, these temporary IMSI may be used and re-used by multiple host devices 110 and so the reserve of available IMSIs may not be depleted due to the pre-provisioning of bootstrap profiles (and associated IMSIs) to host devices during manufacture").
***
Claims 14-16 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan and Lamberton and further in view of Grogan.
As to claim 14, Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan and Lamberton discloses non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 11.
Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan and Lamberton does not disclose: wherein the operations further comprise adding the first IMSI to a wait list responsive to the first attempt to register failing.
However, Grogan discloses: wherein the operations further comprise adding the first IMSI to a wait list responsive to the first attempt to register failing (Figs. 1-2; Col. 1: lines 20-34; Col. 4: lines 45-44; numbers are added to an aging pool (i.e., wait list) prior to recycling into available inventory).
Borisoglebski, Nagarajan, Lamberton, and Grogan are considered to be similar to the claimed invention because they are in one or more of the same fields of: security arrangements, authentication, and/or protecting privacy or anonymity in wireless communication networks; security of mobile devices and/or applications, i.e. protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning; network data management, including processing at user equipment and/or transfer of user or subscriber data; and/or indexing scheme(s) associated with network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming, including details of telephone numbers. As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan and Lamberton to incorporate the teachings of Grogan to include: wherein the operations further comprise adding the first IMSI to a wait list responsive to the first attempt to register failing. Adding phone numbers to a waitlist "is intended to allow residual traffic to the telephone number to ebb so that when the telephone number is put back in service, it will be clean and its prior inbound calling history will have been mitigated such that new inbound traffic to the telephone number will be substantially independent from its prior use" (Grogan, Col. 1: lines 29-34). One of ordinary skill in the art would be similarly motivated to use such a system in eSIM profile updating so as to avoid potential collisions when using a randomly selected IMSI(s). Doing so would improve user experience and/or convenience, and/or improve system reliability.
As to claim 15, Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan and Lamberton and further in view of Grogan discloses the non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise removing the first IMSI from the wait list after a wait time (Grogan, Figs. 1-2; Col. 1: lines 20-34; Col. 4: lines 45-44; numbers are removed from the aging pool (i.e., wait list) after a minimum mandatory 45 day aging process (i.e., wait time)).
As to claim 16, Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan and Lamberton and further in view of Grogan discloses the non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the wait time is commensurate with a time period (Grogan, Figs. 1-2; Col. 1: lines 20-34; Col. 4: lines 45-44) to download an operational profile from the communication network (Borisoglebski, Fig. 2 and ¶0073, "Once a data plan, or an operational profile has been selected (either by the user of the host device 110 or by some process at the network) a further IMSI may be provisioned to the host device 110 to provide these operational services. This releases the selected IMSI and allows a further host device to select that IMSI to also get a further IMSI. In this way, these temporary IMSI may be used and re-used by multiple host devices 110 and so the reserve of available IMSIs may not be depleted due to the pre-provisioning of bootstrap profiles (and associated IMSIs) to host devices during manufacture").
As to claim 20, Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan and Lamberton discloses the method of claim 19.
Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan and Lamberton does not disclose: adding, by the processing system, the first IMSI to a wait list responsive to the first attempt to register failing.
However, Grogan discloses: adding, by the processing system, the first IMSI to a wait list responsive to the first attempt to register failing (Figs. 1-2; Col. 1: lines 20-34; Col. 4: lines 45-44; numbers are added to an aging pool (i.e., wait list) prior to recycling into available inventory).
Borisoglebski, Nagarajan, Lamberton, and Grogan are considered to be similar to the claimed invention because they are in one or more of the same fields of: security arrangements, authentication, and/or protecting privacy or anonymity in wireless communication networks; security of mobile devices and/or applications, i.e. protecting application or service provisioning, e.g. securing SIM application provisioning; network data management, including processing at user equipment and/or transfer of user or subscriber data; and/or indexing scheme(s) associated with network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming, including details of telephone numbers. As such, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Borisoglebski in view of Nagarajan and Lamberton to incorporate the teachings of Grogan to include: adding, by the processing system, the first IMSI to a wait list responsive to the first attempt to register failing. Adding phone numbers to a waitlist "is intended to allow residual traffic to the telephone number to ebb so that when the telephone number is put back in service, it will be clean and its prior inbound calling history will have been mitigated such that new inbound traffic to the telephone number will be substantially independent from its prior use" (Grogan, Col. 1: lines 29-34). One of ordinary skill in the art would be similarly motivated to use such a system in eSIM profile updating so as to avoid potential collisions when using a randomly selected IMSI(s). Doing so would improve user experience and/or convenience, and/or improve system reliability.
References Cited
Borisoglebski, Igor et al. (2022). Network connectivity (US 2022/0225083 A1). Filed 2022-03-29.
Grogan, Annalyce et al. (2022). Techniques for managing an aging telephone number before returning to active service (US 11,431,842 B1). Filed 2022-01-24.
Lamberton, Marc et al. (2022). Ensuring secure attachment in size constrained authentication protocols (US 2022/0104013 A1). Filed 2019-11-21.
Nagarajan, Viswanath et al. (2024). On-device shared provisioning SIM/eSIM controller for a wireless device (US 2024/0276203 A1). Filed 2023-02-09.
Other Pertinent References
The following prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure:
Bouskila, Oren (2021). Method and system for fast initialization of an electronic subscriber identity module at multiple locations (US 2021/0044947 A1). Filed 2020-10-20.
Bouskila, Oren et al. (2022). System and method for provisioning enhanced sim profiles as standard euicc profiles (US 2022/0116763 A1). Filed 2021-10-13.
Dunn, David Seth et al. (2024). Mobile subscriber identity rotation (US 2024/0365126 A1). Filed 2023-04-27.
Indurkar, Dhananjay (2022). Electronic subscriber identity module (esim) profile provisioning (US 11,477,636 B1). Filed 2020-09-16.
Lee, Ji Hoon et al. (2024). Providing enhanced cellular communication in a facility (US 2024/0276204 A1). Filed 2022-05-11.
Padova, Jean-Marc et al. (2024). Dynamic bootstrap esim management for a wireless device (US 2024/0267722 A1). Filed 2023-02-08.
Scully, Michael N. B. (2015). Identifying recycled telephone numbers (US 9,167,083 B2). Filed 2014-11-17.
Shanker, Arun et al. (2019). Network communications for connected devices (US 2019/0342750 A1). Filed 2017-12-22.
Simic, Bojan et al. (2024). Device enrollment identity verification (US 12,041,059 B1). Filed 2023-07-11.
Ståhl, Per et al. (2024). Download of operational subscription profile (US 2024/0314538 A1). Filed 2021-02-05.
Ståhl, Per et al. (2025). Establishment of network connection for a communication device (US 2025/0106625 A1). Filed 2022-01-12.
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.
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/SAMUEL H. LEONARD/Examiner, Art Unit 2649 /YUWEN PAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2649