DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the Amendments filed on 01/02/2026.
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
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 11, 16 and 20 have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds/interpretation of the reference as detailed below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1, 11, 16 and 20 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.
on 01/02/2026.
Claim 1 recites the limitation “..from the address of the AUSF.” There is a lack of antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 11, 16 and 20 are rejected for the same rationale as claim 1 above.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-5, 9, 11-12, 15-17 and 19-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Henda et al. (WO 2020/173863 A1-hereinafter Henda).
Regarding claim 1, Henda discloses a default credential server (DCS)(at least figure 7, [0075], a network function such as unified data management (UDM), comprising:
at least one memory (at least [0040], memory); and
at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory (at least [0040], processor circuit) and configured to cause the DCS to:
communicate with a user equipment (UE) via an authentication server function (AUSF)(at least figure 7, communicates with UE via AUSF);
receive an authentication request from the AUSF (at least figure 7, step 706, authentication request is received from AUSF); and
transmit a response message to the AUSF, wherein the response message comprises a provisioning server address, and wherein the provisioning server address is different from the address of the AUSF (at least figures 5 & 7, step 710 [0086][0097]-[0098][0108][0111], provides address of target AAA entity, wherein the address of the target AAA entity is different from the address of the AUSF because the target AAA entity is external to the AUSF/5G network).
Regarding claim 2, Henda discloses the DCS of claim 1. Henda also discloses the at least one processor is configured to cause the DCS to derive a provisioning key (KPro) from a master session key (MSK) taking a permanent equipment identifier (PEI) of the UE as an input to a key derivation function (KDF) (at least figure 6A, wherein UDM/ARPF derives security key KAUSF based on the long-term key K).
Regarding claim 3, Henda discloses the DCS of claim 2. Henda also discloses the at least one processor is configured to cause the DCS to transmit a provisioning key message to a second network function, wherein the provisioning key message comprises the Kpro and an onboarding subscription permanent identifier (SUPI) (at least figure 7, step 706, authentication request message 706 is sent to the target entity, the authentication request message comprises the KAUSF & SUPI).
Regarding claim 4, Henda discloses the DCS apparatus of claim 3. Henda also discloses the at least one processor is configured to cause the DCS to receive a response message from the second network function based on transmitting the provisioning key message (at least figure 7, step 710, [0102], a message indicating a successful authentication is received).
Regarding claim 5, Henda discloses the DCS of claim 4. Henda also discloses he at least one processor is configured to cause the DCS to verify a successful provisioning and deactivates or deletes an onboarding profile related to the onboarding SUPI (at least figure 8, [0120]-[0122], revocation status of certificates associated with UE is checked/verified).
Regarding claim 9, Henda discloses the DCS of claim 3. Henda also discloses the second network function comprises a provisioning server (at least [0097]-[0098][0100][0102], AAA server).
Regarding claim 11, Henda discloses a user equipment (UE) (at least figure 1, element 100, UE) comprising:
at least one memory (at least [0047], memory); and
at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory (at least [0047], processor circuit) and configured to cause the UE to:
communicate with an authentication server function (AUSF) (at least figure 7, [0102], communicates with at least AUSF);
receive a registration accept message comprising a provisioning server address (at least [0097]-[0098][0102], successful authentication message is received, the successful authentication message comprising target AAA entity address), wherein the provisioning server address is different from the address of the AUSF (wherein the address of the target AAA entity is different from the address of the AUSF because the target AAA entity is external to the AUSF/5G network); and
derive a provisioning key (KPro) from a master session key (MSK) taking a permanent equipment identifier (PEI) of the apparatus UE as an input to a key derivation function (KDF) (at least figure 6B, [0009][0093], security key KAUSF is derived based on long-term key K as input).
Regarding claim 12, Henda discloses the UE of claim 11. Henda also discloses the at least one processor is configured to cause the UE to communicate with a second network function to setup an internet protocol (IP) security (IPSec) tunnel using the KPro (at least [0102], EAP authentication message is exchanged between the UE and the AAA for establishing an IPsec communication channel/tunnel, the message is exchanged via the AUSF using KAUSF key), wherein the second network function comprises a provisioning server (at least [0102], AAA server).
Regarding claim 15, Henda discloses the UE of claim 11. Henda also discloses the at least one processor is configured to cause the UE to transmit a registration request message prior to receiving the registration accept message (at least figure 7, [0096]-[0102], initial registration request is transmitted prior to receiving successful authentication response).
Regarding claim 16, Henda discloses a processor for wireless communication (at least figure 1, element 100, [0047], processor of a UE), comprising:
at least one controller (at least [0040], i.e.: program instructions) coupled with at least one memory and configured to cause the processor to:
communicate with an authentication server function (AUSF) (at least figure 7, [0102], communicates with at least AUSF);
receive a registration accept message comprising a provisioning server address (at least [0102], successful authentication message is received, which include address of AAA), wherein the provisioning server address is different from the address of the AUSF (at least [0097]-[0098][0108], wherein the address of the target AAA entity is different from the address of the AUSF because the target AAA entity is external to the AUSF/5G network); and
derive a provisioning key (KPro) from a master session key (MSK) taking a permanent equipment identifier (PEI) of a user equipment (UE) as an input to a key derivation function (KDF) (at least figures 6A & 6B, [0009][0093], security key KAUSF is derived based a MSK taking the long-term key K as input).
Regarding claim 17, Henda discloses the processor of claim 16. Henda also discloses the at least one controller is configured to cause the processor to communicate with a second network function to setup an internet protocol (IP) security (IPSec) tunnel using the Kpro (at least [0102], EAP authentication message is exchanged between the UE and the AAA for establishing an IPsec communication channel/tunnel, the message is exchanged via the AUSF using KAUSF key), wherein the second network function comprises a provisioning server (at least [0102], AAA server).
Regarding claim 19, Henda discloses the processor of claim 16. Henda also discloses the at least one controller is configured to cause the processor to transmit a registration request message prior to receiving the registration accept message (at least figure 7, [0096]-[0102], initial registration request is transmitted prior to receiving successful authentication response) .
Regarding claim 20, Henda discloses a method performed by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:
communicating with an authentication server function (AUSF) (at least figure 7, [0102], UE communicates with at least AUSF);
receiving a registration accept message comprising a provisioning server address (at least [0102], successful authentication message is received, which includes address of AAA), wherein the provisioning server address is different from the address of the AUSF(at least [0097]-[0098][0108], wherein the address of the target AAA entity is different from the address of the AUSF because the target AAA entity is external to the AUSF/5G network); and
deriving a provisioning key (KPro) from a master session key (MSK) taking a permanent equipment identifier (PEI) of the UE as an input to a key derivation function (KDF) (at least figure 6A & 6B, [0009][0093], security key KAUSF is derived based a MSK taking the long-term key K as input).
Regarding claim 21, Henda discloses the method of claim 20. Henda also discloses communicating with a second network function to setup an internet protocol (IP) security (IPSec) tunnel using the KPro (at least [0102], EAP authentication message is exchanged between the UE and the AAA for establishing an IPsec communication channel/tunnel, the message is exchanged via the AUSF using KAUSF key), wherein the second network function comprises a provisioning server (at least [0102], AAA server).
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 PHY ANH TRAN VU whose telephone number is (571)270-7317. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7 am-1 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Taghi T Arani can be reached at (571) 272-3787. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PHY ANH T VU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2438
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