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
Applicant’s arguments with respect to amended claims 16 and 23 are moot in view of new grounds of rejection based on a new reference Schmidt ("Network Selection During Disaster Situations", WO 2021151811 A1, pub. date 2021-08-05).
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.
Claims 16, 18-19, 23, and 25-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chun ("Method for Allowing Registration to Network in Wireless Communication System, and Device Therefor", WO2020141964A1, pub. date 2020-07-09) in view of a first embodiment of Tiwari ("Procedure to Provide Integrity Protection to a UE Parameter During UE Configuration Update Procedure", WO 2020208996 A1, pub. date 2020-10-15), further in view of a second embodiment of Tiwari ("Procedure to Provide Integrity Protection to a UE Parameter During UE Configuration Update Procedure", WO 2020208996 A1, pub. date 2020-10-15), and further in view of Schmidt ("Network Selection During Disaster Situations", WO 2021151811 A1, pub. date 2021-08-05).
Regarding claim 16, Chun teaches a method performed by a user equipment (UE) in a communication system, the method comprising (pg. 4, par. 4, “The present specification provides a method for a terminal (~a method performed by a user equipment (UE)) to access a network in a wireless communication system (~in a communication system). Specifically, a method of performing a network access by a terminal in a wireless communication system includes:”):
receiving an indication of whether disaster roaming is enabled in the UE (pg. 3, par. 7, “a disaster-related message indicating that the disaster roaming service is provided (~indication of whether disaster roaming is enabled - disaster roaming service is only provided to the UE if disaster roaming is enabled in the UE) is received by the terminal due to a disaster related to the first PLMN or an area in which the terminal is located”);
performing a verification (pg. 3, par. 1, “Checking (~performing a verification) whether the terminal can receive the disaster roaming service based on the disaster-related message”); and
determining whether to use or discard the indication of whether the disaster roaming is enabled in the UE based on the verification (pg. 3, par. 1, “Selecting a second PLMN that provides the disaster roaming service (~determining whether to use the indication that a disaster roaming (service) is provided (~enabled)) if the terminal can receive the disaster roaming service as a result of the check (~based on the verification)”).
Chun does not explicitly teach receiving a message authentication code for integrity (MAC-I) related to a UE parameters update (UPU) and that the performing the verification is of the MAC-I related to the UPU.
However, the first embodiment of Tiwari teaches receiving a message authentication code for integrity (MAC-I) ([0029-0031], “7. The AUSF sends the Nausf_SoRProtection_Response message containing SoRMAC-Iausf, Counter SoR and optionally SoR-XMAC-Iue to the UDM. 8. The +UDM sends Nudm_SDM_Get_Response containing List, SoR-MAC-I and SoR-Counter to the AMF. 9. The AMF sends Registration Accept message containing at least one of the parameter List, SoR hearder, SoR-MAC-I (~a message authentication code for integrity (MAC-I)) and SoR-Counter to the UE (~receiving by UE)”) and
performing a verification of a MAC-I ([0032], “UE subsequently verifies the integrity protection by verifying the SoR-MAC-IAUSF”);
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of the first embodiment of Tiwari with the teaching of Chun in order to ensure data integrity and data origin authenticity; and allow for the recipient to actively confirm the message's reliability for defending against active attacks, such as message tampering and unauthorized data insertion.
The combination does not explicitly teach that the MAC-I is MAC-I related to a UE parameters update (UPU).
However, the second embodiment of Tiwari teaches a MAC-I related to a UE parameters update (UPU) ([0052], “AMF delivers the UPU data, UPU-MAC-Iausf (~MAC-I related to a UE parameters update (UPU)), Counterupu to the UE in DL NAS Transport message”).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of the second embodiment of Tiwari with the teaching of Chun as modified by the first embodiment of Tiwari in order to provide integrity protection and authentication for the UPU information, ensuring it hasn't been tampered with and genuinely comes from the network, preventing unauthorized configuration changes by verifying the UPU header and data using keys shared with the UE.
The combination does not explicitly teach wherein the indication is protected by at least one secured packet.
However, Schmidt teaches wherein an indication is protected by at least one secured packet (pg. 7, lines 78-12, “receiving from the second network information that the second network is available for connection with the 10 UE device for disaster roaming, wherein the information received from the second network is either (i) encrypted and the UE decrypts the information using cryptographic
information”).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Schmidt with the teaching of Chun as modified by the first and the second embodiment of Tiwari in order to ensure that critical commands or data between a network and a secure hardware device remains authentic, tamper-proof, and confidential. By verifying sender identity and preventing unauthorized access or modification during transmission.
Regarding claim 18, Chun in view of the first embodiment of Tiwari, further in view of the second embodiment of Tiwari, and further in view of Schmidt teaches the method of claim 16,
wherein the indication of whether the disaster roaming is enabled in the UE is received via a non-access stratum (NAS) message (Chun pg. 3, par. 7, “a disaster-related message indicating that the disaster roaming service is provided (~indication of whether disaster roaming is enabled - disaster roaming service is only provided to the UE if disaster roaming is enabled in the UE) is received by the terminal due to a disaster related to the first PLMN or an area in which the terminal is located”; pg. 60, pars. 5-8, “As shown in FIG. 13, first, the terminal may perform registration to the first PLMN through the first base station (S1301). Subsequently, when a disaster is applied to the first PLMN, the terminal may receive information related to the disaster applied to the first network from the first base station (S1303). Then, the terminal may transmit a registration request message including information related to whether the disaster roaming service is applied to the terminal to the second PLMN (S1305). Subsequently, the terminal may receive a response message to the registration request message from the second PLMN” (~response is an NAS message indicating that the disaster roaming service is applied to the UE (~indicating whether disaster roaming is enabled - disaster roaming service is only applied to the UE if disaster roaming is enabled in the UE)); pg. 60, par. 6, pg. 61, par. 3, “terminal 1520 includes a processor 1521, a memory 1522, and a communication module (or RF unit) 1523 (transceiver). The processor 1521 implements the functions, processes and/or methods proposed in FIGS. 1 to 14 (~pg. 3, par. 7’s disaster-related message is part of FIGS. 1 to 14 including a NAS layer for messaging indicating that the disaster roaming service is provided (~indicating whether disaster roaming is enabled - disaster roaming service is only provided to the UE if disaster roaming is enabled in the UE)) above. Layers of the air interface protocol may be implemented by the processor 1521. In particular, the processor may include a NAS layer”, wherein a non-access stratum (NAS) message is received via the NAS layer).
The combination of Chun, the first embodiment of Tiwari, and Schmidt does not explicitly teach wherein the MAC-I related to the UPU is received via a non-access stratum (NAS) message.
However, the second embodiment of Tiwari further teaches wherein a MAC-I related to a UPU is received via a non-access stratum (NAS) message (pg. 12, par. 4, “6. The AMF delivers the UPU data, UPU-MAC-Iausf, Counterupu to the UE in DL NAS Transport message”).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of the second embodiment of Tiwari with the teaching of Chun as modified by the first embodiment of Tiwari, the second embodiment of Tiwari, and Schmidt in order to ensure a message's integrity and authenticity by verifying it hasn't been tampered with during transit between a UE and a network, confirming the sender and data accuracy for critical procedures like authentication, registration, or session setup.
Regarding claim 19, Chun in view of the first embodiment of Tiwari, further in view of the second embodiment of Tiwari, and further in view of Schmidt teaches the method of claim 16,
further comprising, upon a disaster condition, in case that the indication indicates that the disaster roaming is enabled in the UE, performing the disaster roaming (Chun pg. 3, pars. 5-6, “Receiving a message related to a disaster indicating that a disaster roaming service is provided (~indication indicating that the disaster roaming is enabled in the UE); ... Selecting a second PLMN that provides the disaster roaming service (~performing the disaster roaming) ... a disaster-related message indicating that the disaster roaming service is provided is received by the terminal due to a disaster related to the first PLMN or an area in which the terminal is located”).
Regarding claim 23, Chun teaches a user equipment (UE) in a communication system, the UE comprising (pg. 4, par. 4, “The present specification provides a method for a terminal (~user equipment (UE)) to access a network in a wireless communication system. Specifically, a method of performing a network access by a terminal in a wireless communication system includes:”):
a transceiver (pg. 15, par. 9, “communication unit 110 may transmit and receive data with external devices such as other AI devices 100a to 100e or the AI server 200 using wired/wireless communication technology”); and
a processor (pg. 15, par. 8, “FIG. 1, the terminal 100 includes a communication unit 110, an input unit 120, a learning processor 130”) configured to: receive, via the transceiver (pg. 15, par. 9, “communication unit 110 may transmit and receive data with external devices such as other AI devices 100a to 100e or the AI server 200 using wired/wireless communication technology”), an indication of whether disaster roaming is enabled in the UE (pg. 3, par. 7, “a disaster-related message indicating that the disaster roaming service is provided (~indication of whether disaster roaming is enabled - disaster roaming service is only provided to the UE if disaster roaming is enabled in the UE) is received by the terminal due to a disaster related to the first PLMN or an area in which the terminal is located”),
perform a verification (pg. 3, par. 1, “Checking (~performing a verification) whether the terminal can receive the disaster roaming service based on the disaster-related message”), and
determine whether to use or discard the indication of whether the disaster roaming is enabled in the UE based on the verification (pg. 3, par. 1, “Selecting a second PLMN that provides the disaster roaming service (~determining whether to use the indication that a disaster roaming (service) is provided (~enabled)) if the terminal can receive the disaster roaming service as a result of the check (~based on the verification)”).
Chun does not explicitly teach a transceiver; and a processor configured to: receive, via the transceiver, receiving a message authentication code for integrity (MAC-I) related to a UE parameters update (UPU) and that the performing the verification is of the MAC-I related to the UPU.
However, the first embodiment of Tiwari teaches a transceiver; and a processor ([0120], “A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor”) configured to: receive, via the transceiver ([0114], “UE includes a transceiver circuit which is operable to transmit signals to and to receive signals from the connected node(s) via one or more antenna”), receiving a message authentication code for integrity (MAC-I) ([0029-0031], “7. The AUSF sends the Nausf_SoRProtection_Response message containing SoRMAC-Iausf, Counter SoR and optionally SoR-XMAC-Iue to the UDM. 8. The +UDM sends Nudm_SDM_Get_Response containing List, SoR-MAC-I and SoR-Counter to the AMF. 9. The AMF sends Registration Accept message containing at least one of the parameter List, SoR hearder, SoR-MAC-I (~a message authentication code for integrity (MAC-I)) and SoR-Counter to the UE (~receiving by UE)”) and
perform a verification of a MAC-I ([0032], “UE subsequently verifies the integrity protection by verifying the SoR-MAC-IAUSF”).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of the first embodiment of Tiwari with the teaching of Chun in order to ensure data integrity and data origin authenticity; and allow for the recipient to actively confirm the message's reliability for defending against active attacks, such as message tampering and unauthorized data insertion.
The combination does not explicitly teach that the MAC-I is MAC-I related to a UE parameters update (UPU).
However, the second embodiment of Tiwari teaches a MAC-I related to a UE parameters update (UPU) ([0052], “AMF delivers the UPU data, UPU-MAC-Iausf (~MAC-I related to a UE parameters update (UPU)), Counterupu to the UE in DL NAS Transport message”).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of the second embodiment of Tiwari with the teaching of Chun as modified by the first embodiment of Tiwari in order to provide integrity protection and authentication for the UPU information, ensuring it hasn't been tampered with and genuinely comes from the network, preventing unauthorized configuration changes by verifying the UPU header and data using keys shared with the UE.
The combination does not explicitly teach wherein the indication is protected by at least one secured packet.
However, Schmidt teaches wherein an indication is protected by at least one secured packet (pg. 7, lines 78-12, “receiving from the second network information that the second network is available for connection with the 10 UE device for disaster roaming, wherein the information received from the second network is either (i) encrypted and the UE decrypts the information using cryptographic
information”).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Schmidt with the teaching of Chun as modified by the first and the second embodiment of Tiwari in order to ensure that critical commands or data between a network and a secure hardware device remains authentic, tamper-proof, and confidential. By verifying sender identity and preventing unauthorized access or modification during transmission.
Regarding claim 25, Chun in view of the first embodiment of Tiwari, further in view of the second embodiment of Tiwari, and further in view of Schmidt teaches the UE of claim 23,
wherein the indication of whether the disaster roaming is enabled in the UE is received via a non-access stratum (NAS) message (Chun pg. 3, par. 7, “a disaster-related message indicating that the disaster roaming service is provided (~indication of whether disaster roaming is enabled - disaster roaming service is only provided to the UE if disaster roaming is enabled in the UE) is received by the terminal due to a disaster related to the first PLMN or an area in which the terminal is located”; pg. 60, pars. 5-8, “As shown in FIG. 13, first, the terminal may perform registration to the first PLMN through the first base station (S1301). Subsequently, when a disaster is applied to the first PLMN, the terminal may receive information related to the disaster applied to the first network from the first base station (S1303). Then, the terminal may transmit a registration request message including information related to whether the disaster roaming service is applied to the terminal to the second PLMN (S1305). Subsequently, the terminal may receive a response message to the registration request message from the second PLMN” (~response is an NAS message indicating that the disaster roaming service is applied to the UE (~indicating whether disaster roaming is enabled - disaster roaming service is only applied to the UE if disaster roaming is enabled in the UE)); pg. 60, par. 6, pg. 61, par. 3, “terminal 1520 includes a processor 1521, a memory 1522, and a communication module (or RF unit) 1523 (transceiver). The processor 1521 implements the functions, processes and/or methods proposed in FIGS. 1 to 14 (~pg. 3, par. 7’s disaster-related message is part of FIGS. 1 to 14 including a NAS layer for messaging indicating that the disaster roaming service is provided (~indicating whether disaster roaming is enabled - disaster roaming service is only provided to the UE if disaster roaming is enabled in the UE)) above. Layers of the air interface protocol may be implemented by the processor 1521. In particular, the processor may include a NAS layer”, wherein a non-access stratum (NAS) message is received via the NAS layer).
The combination of Chun, the first embodiment of Tiwari, and Schmidt does not explicitly teach wherein the MAC-I related to the UPU is received via a non-access stratum (NAS) message.
However, the second embodiment of Tiwari further teaches wherein a MAC-I related to a UPU is received via a non-access stratum (NAS) message (pg. 12, par. 4, “6. The AMF delivers the UPU data, UPU-MAC-Iausf, Counterupu to the UE in DL NAS Transport message”).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of the second embodiment of Tiwari with the teaching of Chun as modified by the first embodiment of Tiwari, the second embodiment of Tiwari, and Schmidt in order to ensure a message's integrity and authenticity by verifying it hasn't been tampered with during transit between a UE and a network, confirming the sender and data accuracy for critical procedures like authentication, registration, or session setup.
Regarding claim 26, Chun in view of the first embodiment of Tiwari, further in view of the second embodiment of Tiwari, and further in view of Schmidt teaches the UE of claim 23,
wherein the processor (Chun pg. 15, par. 8, “FIG. 1, the terminal 100 includes a communication unit 110, an input unit 120, a learning processor 130”) is further configured to, upon a disaster condition, in case that the indication indicates that the disaster roaming is enabled in the UE, perform the disaster roaming (Chun pg. 3, pars. 5-6, “Receiving a message related to a disaster indicating that a disaster roaming service is provided (~indication indicating that the disaster roaming is enabled in the UE); ... Selecting a second PLMN that provides the disaster roaming service (~performing the disaster roaming) ... a disaster-related message indicating that the disaster roaming service is provided is received by the terminal due to a disaster related to the first PLMN or an area in which the terminal is located”).
Claims 17 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chun in view of the first embodiment of Tiwari, further in view of the second embodiment of Tiwari, further in view of Schmidt, and further in view of 3GPP TR 24.811 ("3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Core Network and Terminals; Study on the support for minimization of service interruption; (Release 17)", 3GPP TR 24.811 V0.2.0 (2021-02), pub. date 2021-02).
Regarding claim 17, Chun in view of the first embodiment of Tiwari, further in view of the second embodiment of Tiwari, and further in view of Schmidt teaches the method of claim 16.
The combination does not explicitly teach wherein the indication is generated by a unified data management (UDM) entity related to a home public land mobile network (HPLMN) of the UE.
However, 3GPP TR 24.811 teaches wherein an indication is generated by a unified data management (UDM) entity related to a home public land mobile network (HPLMN) of the UE (sect. 6.20.1.1, pg. 45, “This solution also enables UDM of the HPLMN of the UE (~unified data management (UDM) entity related to a home public land mobile network (HPLMN) of the UE) to determine that the UE is roaming using disaster roaming so that the UDM can provide (~generated) the AMF with UE's subscription data applicable for disaster roaming (~indication)”).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of 3GPP TR 24.811 with the teaching of Chun as modified by the first embodiment of Tiwari, the second embodiment of Tiwari, and Schmidt in order for the home network to manage, update, and enforce its roaming and access policies on a UE, regardless of its current location.
Regarding claim 24, Chun in view of the first embodiment of Tiwari, further in view of the second embodiment of Tiwari, and further in view of Schmidt teaches the UE of claim 23.
The combination does not explicitly teach wherein the indication is generated by a unified data management (UDM) entity related to a home public land mobile network (HPLMN) of the UE.
However, 3GPP TR 24.811 teaches wherein an indication is generated by a unified data management (UDM) entity related to a home public land mobile network (HPLMN) of the UE (sect. 6.20.1.1, pg. 45, “This solution also enables UDM of the HPLMN of the UE (~unified data management (UDM) entity related to a home public land mobile network (HPLMN) of the UE) to determine that the UE is roaming using disaster roaming so that the UDM can provide (~generated) the AMF with UE's subscription data applicable for disaster roaming (~indication)”).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of 3GPP TR 24.811 with the teaching of Chun as modified by the first embodiment of Tiwari, the second embodiment of Tiwari, and Schmidt in order for the home network to manage, update, and enforce its roaming and access policies on a UE, regardless of its current location.
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 ALEXANDER J. YI whose telephone number is (571)270-7696. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday: 8:00AM to 5PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jinsong Hu can be reached at (571)272-3965. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ALEXANDER J YI/Examiner, Art Unit 2643
/JINSONG HU/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2643
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