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 .
DETAILED ACTION
1. This Office Action is responsive to the communication filed 2/10/2026.
Claim Status
2. Claims 1, 8, and 15 have currently been amended.
Response to Arguments
3. The applicant’s arguments filed 2/10/2026 have been taken into consideration, but are moot in view of new ground of rejection.
A. In response to the applicant’s argument (disclosed on pg. 1-2 of the remarks segment) that the double patenting rejection is moot in light of the amended claim language:
The amended claim language doesn’t overcome the obviousness-type double patenting rejection because the limitations disclosed within the amended claims of the instant application are still obvious in light of U.S. Patent No. 11,985,497 and, although the conflicting claims are not identical, the application claims are still not patentably distinct from the reference claims because the examined application claims are still either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claims of U.S. Patent No. 11,985,497.
B. In response to the applicant’s argument (disclosed on pg. 2 of the remarks segment) that the cited prior art fails to teach or suggest causing, by the network device, the UE to detach from the network after utilizing the UPU based on the UPU including an instruction that instructs the UE to detach after utilizing the UPU:
In light of the amended clam limitation, see newly cited prior art reference Tao et al (US 11,889,297), which discloses (in col. 2, lines 16-21 and col. 11, lines 45-47 of Tao et al) using a management device (e.g., network device) for triggering user equipment to detach from a 4G network, in an attempt to update a parameter associated with the user equipment (e.g., causing, by the network device, the UE to detach from the network after utilizing the UPU based on the UPU including an instruction that instructs the UE to detach after utilizing the UPU).
Double Patenting
4. The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claims because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claims. See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a nonstatutory double patenting ground provided the conflicting application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement.
Effective January 1, 1994, a registered attorney or agent of record may sign a terminal disclaimer. A terminal disclaimer signed by the assignee must fully comply with 37 CFR 3.73(b).
5. Claims 1-19 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-20, respectively of U.S. Patent No. 11,985,497. Although the conflicting claims are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because all limitations recited in claims 1-19 of the instant application are anticipated by limitations recited in claims 1-20 of the patent US 11,985,497, respectively (see table below).
Instant Application 18/646,491
Patent No. US 11,985,497
Claim 1:
A method, comprising:
receiving, by a network device, a request for authentication data, for a user equipment (UE) to register with a network, and an indication that a subscription concealed identifier (SUCI) associated with the UE is unencrypted;
providing, by the network device, to a data store, and based on the indication, a notification for the data store to push a UE parameters update (UPU);
receiving, by the network device and based on the notification, the UPU from the data store based on a registration process being completed using the authentication data;
causing, by the network device, the UE to detach from the network after utilizing the UPU based on the UPU including an instruction that instructs the UE to detach after utilizing the UPU; and
causing, by the network device, the UE to connect to the network using an encrypted SUCI.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data store is provided by a unified data repository associated with the network device.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: requesting, by the network device and from the data store, the authentication data for the UE based on the request for the authentication data; and
receiving, by the network device, the authentication data from the data store based on requesting the authentication data from the data store.
4. The method of claim 3, further comprising: completing, by the network device, the registration process for the UE based on receiving the authentication data.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification for the data store to push the UPU indicates for the data store to push the UPU based on the registration process being complete.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the UPU includes one or more of: a home network identifier for the UE, a protection scheme for the UE, or a home network public key identifier for the UE.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the UE is configured to update a universal subscriber identity module of the UE based on the UPU so that the UE generates the encrypted SUCI.
8. A network device, comprising:
one or more processors configured to:
receive a request for authentication data, for a user equipment (UE) to register with a network, and an indication that a subscription concealed identifier (SUCI) associated with the UE is unencrypted;
provide to a data store, and based on the indication, a notification for the data store to push a UE parameters update (UPU);
receive, based on the notification, the UPU from the data store based on a registration process being completed for the UE;
provide the UPU to the UE, wherein the UPU includes an instruction for the UE to detach from the network after executing the UPU; and
receive, from the UE, another registration request including an encrypted SUCI that is based on the UPU.
9. The network device of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
receive, from the UE, an acknowledgment that the UPU updated a universal subscriber identity module of the UE; and instruct, based on the acknowledgment, the data store to prevent future UPUs for the UE.
10. The network device of claim 8, wherein the network device is a unified data management device.
11. The network device of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
provide the authentication data to one or more other network devices configured to cause the registration process for the UE to be completed.
12. The network device of claim 8,
wherein the encrypted SUCI includes data identifying one or more of:
a SUCI type, a home network identifier for the UE, a routing indicator for the UE, a protection scheme for the UE, a home network public key identifier for the UE, a protection scheme output for the UE, or
a concealed subscription permanent identifier associated with the UE.
13. The network device of claim 12, wherein the SUCI type includes an international mobile subscriber identity for the UE or a network access identifier for the UE.
14. The network device of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: receive the authentication data from the data store based on requesting the authentication data from the data store; and complete the registration process for the UE based on the authentication data.
15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions comprising: one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a network device, cause the network device to:
receive a request for authentication data, for a user equipment (UE) to register with a network, and an indication that a subscription concealed identifier (SUCI) associated with the UE is unencrypted;
provide to a data store, and based on the indication, a notification for the data store to push a UE parameters update (UPU) once a registration process is complete for the UE;
receive, based on the notification, the UPU from the data store based on the registration process being completed;
cause, after the UPU is utilized to update a universal subscriber identity module of the UE, the UE to detach from the network based on the UPU including an instruction that instructs the UE to detach after utilizing the UPU
and cause the UE to connect to the network
using an encrypted SUCI that is based on the UPU.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the UE generates the encrypted SUCI based on the updated universal subscriber identity module.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more instructions further cause the network device to:
receive, from another network device, a request for access and mobility subscription data for the UE;
receive the access and mobility subscription data from the data store based on requesting the access and mobility subscription data from the data store;
and provide the access and mobility subscription data to the other network device.
18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the data store is provided by a unified data repository.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15,
wherein the UPU includes: a home network identifier for the UE, a protection scheme for the UE, and a home network public key identifier for the UE.
Claim 1:
A method, comprising:
receiving, by a network device, a request for authentication data, for a user equipment (UE) attempting to register with a network, and an indication that a subscription concealed identifier (SUCI) utilized by the UE is unencrypted;
providing, by the network device, to the data store, and based on the indication, a notification instructing the data store to push a UE parameters update (UPU);
receiving, by the network device and based on the notification, the UPU from the data store based on the registration process being completed;
causing, by the network device, the UE to detach from the network after utilizing the UPU; and
causing, by the network device, the UE to connect to the network based on a registration request generated by the UE and including an encrypted SUCI.
1. (cont.) wherein the data store is provided by a unified data repository associated with the network device.
1. (cont.) requesting, by the network device and from a data store, the authentication data for the UE based on the request for the authentication data;
1. (cont.) receiving, by the network device, the authentication data from the data store based on requesting the authentication data from the data store;
1. (cont.) completing, by the network device, the registration process for the UE based on the authentication data;
1. (cont.) a notification instructing the data store to push a UE parameters update (UPU) once a registration process is complete for the UE.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the UPU includes one or more of: a home network identifier for the UE, a protection scheme for the UE, or a home network public key identifier for the UE.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the UE is configured to utilize the UPU to update a universal subscriber identity module of the UE so that the UE generates the encrypted SUCI.
8. A network device, comprising:
one or more processors configured to:
receive a request for authentication data, for a user equipment (UE) attempting to register with a network, and an indication that a subscription concealed identifier (SUCI) utilized by the UE is unencrypted;
provide to the data store, and based on the indication, a notification instructing the data store to push a UE parameters update (UPU) once a registration process is complete for the UE;
receive, based on the notification, the UPU from the data store based on the registration process being completed;
cause the UE to detach from the network after utilizing the UPU;
cause the UE to connect to the network based on a registration request generated by the UE and including an encrypted SUCI.
1. (cont.)receive, from the UE, an acknowledgment that the UPU updated a universal subscriber identity module of the UE;
instruct, based on the acknowledgment, the data store to prevent future UPUs for the UE;
12. The network device of claim 8, wherein the network device is a unified data management device.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more instructions, that cause the network device to complete the registration process for the UE based on the authentication data, cause the network device to:
provide the authentication data to one or more other network devices configured to cause the registration process for the UE to be completed.
19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15,
wherein the encrypted SUCI includes data identifying one or more of:
a SUCI type, a home network identifier for the UE, a routing indicator for the UE, a protection scheme for the UE, a home network public key identifier for the UE, or a protection scheme output for the UE.
14. The network device of claim 8, wherein the encrypted SUCI includes a concealed subscription permanent identifier associated with the UE.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the SUCI type includes an international mobile subscriber identity for the UE or a network access identifier for the UE.
8.(cont.)
receive the authentication data from the data store based on requesting the authentication data from the data store; complete the registration process for the UE based on the authentication data
15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions, the set of instructions comprising: one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a network device, cause the network device to:
receive a request for authentication data, for a user equipment (UE) attempting to register with a network, and an indication that a subscription concealed identifier (SUCI) utilized by the UE is unencrypted;
request, from a data store, the authentication data for the UE based on the request for the authentication data;
provide to the data store, and based on the indication, a notification instructing the data store to push a UE parameters update (UPU) once a registration process is complete for the UE;
receive the authentication data from the data store based on requesting the authentication data from the data store;
complete the registration process for the UE based on the authentication data;
receive, based on the notification, the UPU from the data store based on the registration process being completed; cause the UE to detach from the network after utilizing the UPU; and
18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the network device is configured to utilize the UPU to update a universal subscriber identity module of the UE
15.(cont.) cause the UE to connect to the network
based on a registration request generated by the UE and including an encrypted SUCI.
so that the UE generates the encrypted SUCI.
16. updated a universal subscriber identity module of the UE.
20.(cont.) receive, from another network device, a request for access and mobility subscription data for the UE;
20.(cont.) receive the access and mobility subscription data from the data store based on requesting the access and mobility subscription data from the data store;
and provide the access and mobility subscription data to the other network device
1.(cont.)
wherein the data store is provided by a unified data repository
10. The network device of claim 8,
wherein the UPU includes one or more of: a home network identifier for the UE, a protection scheme for the UE, or a home network public key identifier for the UE.
Claim Rejections – 35 USC 103
5. 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.
6. Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 USC 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al (WO 2019158028 A1) in view of LY et al (US 2022/0240213), further in view of Tao et al (US 11,889,297).
Regarding claim 1, Li et al teaches a method, comprising:
receiving, by a network device, a request for authentication data (Abstract, 5-10, which discloses a network element authentication request), for a user equipment (UE) to register with a network (pg. 11, lines 34-35, “request registration from the AMF network element”), and an indication that a subscription concealed identifier (SUCI) associated with the UE is unencrypted (Abstract, 5-10, “network element and comprising the SUCI”); and
causing, by the network device, the UE to connect to the network using an encrypted SUCI (pg. 21, lines 24-30, which discloses using encrypted SUCI in the user authentication process).
Li et al does not explicitly teach providing, by the network device, to a data store, and based on the indication, a notification for the data store to push a UE parameters update (UPU); and receiving, by the network device and based on the notification, the UPU from the data store based on a registration process being completed using the authentication data.
However, LY et al teaches providing, by the network device, to a data store, and based on the indication, a notification for the data store to push a UE parameters update (UPU) (par [0434], lines 15-20, which discloses notifying a UE of policy updates, which may include periodic registration updates); and
receiving, by the network device and based on the notification, the UPU from the data store based on a registration process being completed using the authentication data (par [0359], Step 1216, lines 30-37, which discloses UE status being updated according to the ‘registered’ status being set); and
causing, by the network device, the UE to detach from the network after utilizing the UPU (par [0412-0416], which disclose performing a UE detach procedure upon the registration update request being implemented).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to be motivated to combine the teachings of LY et al within the disclosure of Li et al in order to provide the predictive result of improving UE SIM operations by allowing network components to have knowledge of UE capability to adjust functionality of each UE to ensure that each UE has full communication functionality (as disclosed in par [0445], lines 1-10 of LY et al).
Li et al and LY et al do not explicitly teach causing, by the network device, the UE to detach from the network after utilizing the UPU based on the UPU including an instruction that instructs the UE to detach after utilizing the UPU.
However, Tao et al further teaches causing, by the network device, the UE to detach from the network after utilizing the UPU based on the UPU including an instruction that instructs the UE to detach after utilizing the UPU (col. 2, lines 16-21, col. 2, lines 5-10, and col. 11, lines 45-47, which disclose using a management device for triggering user equipment to detach from a 4G network, in an attempt to update a parameter associated with the user equipment).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to be motivated to combine the teachings of Tao et al within the disclosure of Li et al and LY et al in order to provide the predictive result of improving upon adjusting user device capability parameters by allowing the user device to continue execution of functions seamlessly, while the device’s capability parameters have been updated (as disclosed in par col. 5, lines 53-57 of Tao et al).
Regarding claim 2, Li et al and LY et al teach the limitations of claim 1.
Li et al further teaches wherein the data store is provided by a unified data repository associated with the network device (pg. 20, lines 4-5, “unified data management network element”).
Regarding claim 3, Li et al and LY et al teach the limitations of claim 1.
Li et al further teaches requesting, by the network device and from the data store, the authentication data for the UE based on the request for the authentication data (pg. 3, lines 19-24, “request authentication from the AUSF network element”); and
receiving, by the network device, the authentication data from the data store based on requesting the authentication data from the data store (pg. 4, lines 19-36, “the AUSF network element receives the home network element UDM authentication vector”).
Regarding claim 4, Li et al does not explicitly teach completing, by the network device, the registration process for the UE based on receiving the authentication data.
However, LY et al teaches completing, by the network device, the registration process for the UE based on receiving the authentication data (par [0328], step S909, lines 10-15, “SIM1 has been authenticated and registered”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to be motivated to combine the teachings of LY et al within the disclosure of Li et al according to the motivation disclosed regarding claim 1.
Regarding claim 5, Li et al does not explicitly teach wherein the notification for the data store to push the UPU indicates for the data store to push the UPU based on the registration process being complete.
However, LY et al teaches wherein the notification for the data store to push the UPU indicates for the data store to push the UPU based on the registration process being complete (par [0359], step S1216, lines 10-15, which discloses communicating the updated status upon completion of the registration procedure).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to be motivated to combine the teachings of LY et al within the disclosure of Li et al according to the motivation disclosed regarding claim 1.
Regarding claim 6, Li et al and LY et al teach the limitations of claim 1.
Li et al further teaches wherein the UPU includes one or more of:
a home network identifier for the UE,
a protection scheme for the UE, or
a home network public key identifier for the UE (pg. 24, lines 16-18, “home network public key”).
Regarding claim 7, Li et al and LY et al teach the limitations of claim 1.
Li et al further teaches wherein the UE is configured to update a universal subscriber identity module of the UE based on the UPU so that the UE generates the encrypted SUCI (pg. 24, lines 9-10, “encrypting the SUPI by the USIM of the terminal or the terminal”).
Regarding claim 8, Li et al teaches a network device (Abstract, lines 1-2), comprising:
one or more processors (pg. 13, lines 30-35) configured to:
receive a request for authentication data (Abstract, 5-10, which discloses a network element authentication request), for a user equipment (UE) to register with a network (pg. 11, lines 34-35, “request registration from the AMF network element”), and an indication that a subscription concealed identifier (SUCI) associated with the UE is unencrypted (Abstract, 5-10, “network element and comprising the SUCI”); and
receive, from the UE, another registration request including an encrypted SUCI that is based on the UPU (pg. 21, lines 24-30, which discloses using encrypted SUCI in the user authentication process).
Li et al does not explicitly teach provide to a data store, and based on the indication, a notification for the data store to push a UE parameters update (UPU); receive, based on the notification, the UPU from the data store based on a registration process being completed for the UE; provide the UPU to the UE, wherein the UPU indicates for the UE to detach from the network after executing the UPU.
However, LY et al teaches providing to a data store, and based on the indication, a notification for the data store to push a UE parameters update (UPU) (par [0434], lines 15-20, which discloses notifying a UE of policy updates, which may include periodic registration updates); and
receiving, based on the notification, the UPU from the data store based on a registration process being completed using the authentication data (par [0359], Step 1216, lines 30-37, which discloses UE status being updated according to the ‘registered’ status being set).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to be motivated to combine the teachings of LY et al within the disclosure of Li et al in order to provide the predictive result of improving UE SIM operations by allowing network components to have knowledge of UE capability to adjust functionality of each UE to ensure that each UE has full communication functionality (as disclosed in par [0445], lines 1-10 of LY et al).
Li et al and LY et al do not explicitly teach providing the UPU to the UE, wherein the UPU includes an instruction for the UE to detach from the network after executing the UPU.
However, Tao et al further teaches providing the UPU to the UE, wherein the UPU includes an instruction for the UE to detach from the network after executing the UPU (col. 2, lines 16-21, col. 2, lines 5-10, and col. 11, lines 45-47, which disclose using a management device for triggering user equipment to detach from a 4G network, in an attempt to update a parameter associated with the user equipment).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to be motivated to combine the teachings of Tao et al within the disclosure of Li et al and LY et al in order to provide the predictive result of improving upon adjusting user device capability parameters by allowing the user device to continue execution of functions seamlessly, while the device’s capability parameters have been updated (as disclosed in par col. 5, lines 53-57 of Tao et al).
Regarding claim 9, Li et al does not explicitly teach wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
receive, from the UE, an acknowledgment that the UPU updated a universal subscriber identity module of the UE; and instruct, based on the acknowledgment, the data store to prevent future UPUs for the UE.
Li et al further teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
receive, from the UE, an acknowledgment that the UPU updated a universal subscriber identity module of the UE (par [0359], Step S4114, “multi-SIM policy…acknowledge the updated policy”); and
instruct, based on the acknowledgment, the data store to prevent future UPUs for the UE (par [0359], Step S4116).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to be motivated to combine the teachings of LY et al within the disclosure of Li et al according to the motivation disclosed regarding claim 8.
Regarding claim 10, Li et al and LY et al teach the limitations of claim 8.
Li et al further teaches wherein the network device is a unified data management device (pg. 20, lines 4-5, “unified data management network element”).
Regarding claim 11, Li et al and LY et al teach the limitations of claim 8.
Li et al further teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
provide the authentication data to one or more other network devices configured to cause the registration process for the UE to be completed (pg. 58, lines 7-15).
Regarding claim 12, Li et al and LY et al teach the limitations of claim 8.
Li et al further teaches wherein the encrypted SUCI includes data identifying one or more of:
a SUCI type, a
home network identifier for the UE (pg. 24, lines 16-18, “home network public key”),
a routing indicator for the UE, a protection scheme for the UE,
a home network public key identifier for the UE,
a protection scheme output for the UE, or
a concealed subscription permanent identifier associated with the UE.
Regarding claim 13, Li et al and LY et al teach the limitations of claim 8.
Li et al further teaches wherein the SUCI type includes an international mobile subscriber identity for the UE (pg. 2, lines 25-28) or a network access identifier for the UE.
Regarding claim 14, Li et al teaches wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
receive the authentication data from the data store based on requesting the authentication data from the data store (pg. 58, lines 10-15, “authentication from the home AUSF”).
Li et al does not explicitly teach completing the registration process for the UE based on receiving the authentication data.
However, LY et al teaches completing the registration process for the UE based on the authentication data (par [0328], step S909, lines 10-15, “SIM1 has been authenticated and registered”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to be motivated to combine the teachings of LY et al within the disclosure of Li et al according to the motivation disclosed regarding claim 8.
Regarding claim 15, Li et al teaches a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a set of instructions (pg. 17, lines 14-16), the set of instructions, comprising:
one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a network device, cause the network device to:
receive a request for authentication data (Abstract, 5-10, which discloses a network element authentication request), for a user equipment (UE) to register with a network (pg. 11, lines 34-35, “request registration from the AMF network element”), and an indication that a subscription concealed identifier (SUCI) associated with the UE is unencrypted (Abstract, 5-10, “network element and comprising the SUCI”); and
cause the UE to connect to the network using an encrypted SUCI that is based on the UPU (pg. 21, lines 24-30, which discloses using encrypted SUCI in the user authentication process).
Li et al does not explicitly teach providing to a data store, and based on the indication, a notification for the data store to push a UE parameters update (UPU); receiving, based on the notification, the UPU from the data store based on a registration process being completed; and cause the UE to detach from the network after the UPU is utilized to update a universal subscriber identity module of the UE.
However, LY et al teaches providing, by the network device, to a data store, and based on the indication, a notification for the data store to push a UE parameters update (UPU) (par [0434], lines 15-20, which discloses notifying a UE of policy updates, which may include periodic registration updates);
receiving, by the network device and based on the notification, the UPU from the data store based on a registration process being completed using the authentication data (par [0359], Step 1216, lines 30-37, which discloses UE status being updated according to the ‘registered’ status being set); and
causing the UE to detach from the network (par [0412-0416], which disclose performing a UE detach procedure upon the registration update request being implemented).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to be motivated to combine the teachings of LY et al within the disclosure of Li et al in order to provide the predictive result of improving UE SIM operations by allowing network components to have knowledge of UE capability to adjust functionality of each UE to ensure that each UE has full communication functionality (as disclosed in par [0445], lines 1-10 of LY et al).
Li et al and LY et al do not explicitly teach causing, after the UPU is utilized to update a universal subscriber identity module of the UE, the UE to detach from the network based on the UPU including an instruction that instructs the UE to detach after utilizing the UPU.
However, Tao et al further teaches causing, after the UPU is utilized to update a universal subscriber identity module of the UE, the UE to detach from the network based on the UPU including an instruction that instructs the UE to detach after utilizing the UPU (col. 2, lines 16-21, col. 2, lines 5-10, and col. 11, lines 45-47, which disclose using a management device for triggering user equipment to detach from a 4G network, upon the management device being utilized to update a parameter associated with the user equipment).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to be motivated to combine the teachings of Tao et al within the disclosure of Li et al and LY et al in order to provide the predictive result of improving upon adjusting user device capability parameters by allowing the user device to continue execution of functions seamlessly, while the device’s capability parameters have been updated (as disclosed in par col. 5, lines 53-57 of Tao et al).
Regarding claim 16, Li et al and LY et al teach the limitations of claim 15.
Li et al further teaches wherein the UE generates the encrypted SUCI based on the updated universal subscriber identity module (pg. 21, lines 37-41, “USIM of the terminal…encrypted SUCI”).
Regarding claim 17, Li et al does not explicitly teach wherein the one or more instructions further cause the network device to:
receive, from another network device, a request for access and mobility subscription data for the UE; receive the access and mobility subscription data from the data store based on requesting the access and mobility subscription data from the data store; and provide the access and mobility subscription data to the other network device.
Li et al further teaches wherein the one or more instructions further cause the network device to:
receive, from another network device, a request for access and mobility subscription data for the UE (par [0212]);
receive the access and mobility subscription data from the data store based on requesting the access and mobility subscription data from the data store (fig. 9 & par [0325], lines 1-8); and
provide the access and mobility subscription data to the other network device (par [0325], lines 1-8).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to be motivated to combine the teachings of LY et al within the disclosure of Li et al according to the motivation disclosed regarding claim 15.
Regarding claim 18, Li et al and LY et al teach the limitations of claim 15.
Li et al further teaches wherein the data store is provided by a unified data repository (pg. 20, lines 4-5, “unified data management (UDM) network element”).
Regarding claim 19, Li et al and LY et al teach the limitations of claim 15.
Li et al further teaches wherein the UPU includes:
a home network identifier for the UE,
a protection scheme for the UE, and
a home network public key identifier for the UE (pg. 24, lines 16-18, “home network public key”).
Regarding claim 20, Li et al does not explicitly teach wherein the one or more instructions further cause the network device to: indicate for the data store to prevent future UPUs for the UE based on providing the UPU to the UE based on the UE connecting to the network using the encrypted SUCI.
Li et al further teaches wherein the one or more instructions further cause the network device to:
indicate for the data store to prevent future UPUs for the UE based on providing the UPU to the UE based on the UE connecting to the network using the encrypted SUCI (par [0359], Step S1202 & Step S4116).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to be motivated to combine the teachings of LY et al within the disclosure of Li et al according to the motivation disclosed regarding claim 15.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new grounds 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 Randy A. Scott whose telephone number is (571) 272-3797. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday 7:30 am-5:00 pm, second Fridays 7:30 am-4pm.
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/RANDY A SCOTT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2439 20260311