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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-9, and 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by 3rg Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Services and System Aspects; Study on Enhanced Support of Non-Public Networks (NPN) (Release 17); (provided by Applicant; hereinafter references as “3GPP”).
Consider Claim 1, 3GPP shows an apparatus (see figure 6.38.3-1); (read as UDM), comprising:
(a) A transceiver; and a processor coupled to the transceiver, the processor configured to cause the apparatus to: send, to a Secured Packet Application Function (“SP-AF”), a request for a credential related to a device and a service descriptor (see figure 6.38.3-1; pages 166-167); (The apparatus is read as UDM; the “SP-AF” is read as AF/E-PS; the AF/E-PS can either initiate Device Triggering procedure towards the UE, or send an MT SMS in order to trigger the application in the UE to use IP connectivity for provisioning of the PNI-NPN identity and credentials).
(b) Receive, from the SP-AF, a secured packet and credential information comprising: a subscriber identity corresponding to the device, a lifetime for the Secured Packet, a network service identifier, a device storage requirement indication, or a combination thereof (see page 167); (In one option, the AF/E-PS may use Nspaf API to send a secure packet to UDM.
Afterward, the UDM send the PNI-NPN identity and credentials to UE over existing UPU procedure).
(c) Store the secured packet and the credential information, the secured packet comprising a valid credential; and provision the secured packet to the device via an update procedure (see page 167); (The UDM/UDR stores UE Subscription Data where the parameters related with the PNI-NPN requiring SAA should be "inactive" in the subscription data).
Consider Claim 8, 3GPP shows an apparatus (see figure 6.38.3-1); (read as UDM), comprising:
(a) A transceiver; and a processor coupled to the transceiver, the processor configured to cause the apparatus to: receiving, from a network function, a request for a credential related to a device and a service descriptor; determining whether a valid credential exists for the device and the service descriptor (see figure 6.38.3-1; pages 166-167); (The apparatus is read as UDM; the “SP-AF” is read as AF/E-PS; the AF/E-PS can either initiate Device Triggering procedure towards the UE, or send an MT SMS in order to trigger the application in the UE to use IP connectivity for provisioning of the PNI-NPN identity and credentials).
(b) Sending, to the network function, a failure indication in response to determining that the valid credential does not exist for the device and the service descriptor; generating a secured packet in response to determining that the valid credential exists for the device and the service descriptor, the secured packet comprising the valid credential (see page 167); (In one option, the AF/E-PS may use Nspaf API to send a secure packet to UDM. Afterward, the UDM send the PNI-NPN identity and credentials to UE over existing UPU procedure).
(c) Sending, to the network function, the secured packet and credential information comprising: a subscriber identity corresponding to the device, a lifetime for the Secured Packet, a network service identifier, a device storage requirement indication, or a combination thereof (see page 167); (In one option, the AF/E-PS may use Nspaf API to send a secure packet to UDM. Afterward, the UDM send the PNI-NPN identity and credentials to UE over existing UPU procedure).
Consider Claim 13, 3GPP shows an apparatus (see figure 6.38.3-1); comprising:
(a) A transceiver; and a processor coupled to the transceiver, the processor configured to cause the apparatus to: receive, from a network function, a first request message for a credential related to a device and a service descriptor, the first request message comprising a destination address (see figure 6.38.3-1; pages 166-167); (The apparatus is read as UDM; the “SP-AF” is read as AF/E-PS; the AF/E-PS can either initiate Device Triggering procedure towards the UE, or send an MT SMS in order to trigger the application in the UE to use IP connectivity for provisioning of the PNI-NPN identity and credentials).
(b) Send, to a Secured Packet Application Function (“SP-AF”) using the destination address, a second request message for the credential related to the device and the service descriptor; receive, from the SP-AF, a first response message comprising a secured packet and credential information comprising: a subscriber identity corresponding to the device, a lifetime for the Secured Packet, a network service identifier, a device storage requirement indication, or a combination thereof (see page 167); (In one option, the AF/E-PS may use Nspaf API to send a secure packet to UDM. Afterward, the UDM send the PNI-NPN identity and credentials to UE over existing UPU procedure).
(c) Send, to the network function, a second response message comprising the secured packet and the credential information (see page 167); (The UDM/UDR stores UE Subscription Data where the parameters related with the PNI-NPN requiring SAA should be "inactive" in the subscription data).
Consider Claim 2, 3GPP shows that the processor is configured to cause the apparatus to invoke a Secured Packet Request, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to determine to invoke the Secured Packet Request based on: a local policy, a lifetime of a credential, a non-availability of a credential, or a combination thereof (see figure 6.38.3-1); (The authorization of the UE in the AF/E-PS can expire).
Consider Claim 3, 3GPP shows that the requested credential comprises a credential for Network Slice Authentication and Authorization (“NSAA”), and wherein, to send the request for the credential for NSAA, the processor is configured to cause the apparatus to send, to the SP-AF, a HyperText Transport Protocol (“HTTP”) POST Request comprising a network slice identifier (see figure 6.38.3-1; and page 167); (If PNI-NPN identity and credentials are to be provisioned to the UE, the AF/E-PS may use Remote SIM Provisioning (RSP) mechanism by sending an SMS PUSH to enable the U-plane provisioning of the eUICC via HTTPS).
Consider Claim 4, 3GPP shows that the requested credential comprises a credential for Secondary Authentication, and wherein, to send the request for the credential for Secondary Authentication, the processor is configured to cause the apparatus to send, to the SP-AF, a HyperText Transport Protocol (“HTTP”) POST Request comprising: a data network specific identifier, a data network name, or a combination thereof (see figure 6.38.3-1; and page 167); (If PNI-NPN identity and credentials are to be provisioned to the UE, the AF/E-PS may use Remote SIM Provisioning (RSP) mechanism by sending an SMS PUSH to enable the U-plane provisioning of the eUICC via HTTPS).
Consider Claim 5, 3GPP shows that to send the request for the credential, the processor is configured to cause the apparatus to send the request via a network exposure function (“NEF”), wherein the subscriber identity comprises a Generic Public Subscription Identifier corresponding to the device (see figure 6.38.3-1; and page 167); (The C-plane communication is used to provision the PNI-NPN identity and credentials to the UE. The communication between the AF/E-PS and UE is on the path AF NEF UDM UE. The signaling between the UDM UE is via the AMF and is similar to the UE parameters update procedure, which may be updated to carry PNI-NPN identity and credentials for SAA).
Consider Claim 6, 3GPP shows that to send the request for the credential, the processor is configured to cause the apparatus to invoke a Nnef service operation, wherein the request for the credential comprises: an identifier of the SP-AF, network address information of the SP-AF, or a combination thereof (see figure 6.38.3-1; pages 166-167); (The apparatus is read as UDM; the “SP-AF” is read as AF/E-PS; the AF/E-PS can either initiate Device Triggering procedure towards the UE, or send an MT SMS in order to trigger the application in the UE to use IP connectivity for provisioning of the PNI-NPN identity and credentials).
Consider Claim 7, 3GPP shows that the subscriber identity comprises a Subscription Permanent Identifier corresponding to the device (see figure 6.38.3-1; pages 166-167); (see service subscription ID).
Consider Claim 9, 3GPP shows that the service descriptor comprises: external network slice information, single network slice selection assistance information, a network access identifier, a data network specific identifier, a data network name, an identity of an authentication, authorization, and accounting (“AAA”) server, or a combination thereof (see figure 6.38.3-1; pages 166-167); (see network access authentication, step 3; or external ID, step 7).
Consider Claim 14, 3GPP shows that the first response message and the second response message each comprise a success indication indicating availability of a secured packet, and wherein the secured packet comprises at least one credential for the subscriber identity and the service descriptor (see page 167); (In one option, the AF/E-PS may use Nspaf API to send a secure packet to UDM. Afterward, the UDM send the PNI-NPN identity and credentials to UE over existing UPU procedure).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 10, 11, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over 3GPP in view of Cakulev et al (Publication number: US 2021/0385302).
Consider Claim 10, 3GPP does not specifically show that the subscriber identity corresponding to the device comprises at least a Generic Public Subscription Identifier and one of: an IPv4 address, an IPV6 address, an International Mobile Equipment Identity (“IMEI”), an IPv4v6 address, or a Medium Access Control (“MAC”) address.
In related art, Cakulev et al shows that the subscriber identity corresponding to the device comprises at least a Generic Public Subscription Identifier and one of: an IPv4 address, an IPV6 address, an International Mobile Equipment Identity (“IMEI”), an IPv4v6 address, or a Medium Access Control (“MAC”) address (see paragraphs 30 and 31).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teaching of Cakulev et al into 3GPP in order to provide information relating to access and mobility management (see Cakulev et al; paragraphs 30 and 31).
Consider Claim 11, 3GPP does not specifically show that the subscriber identity corresponding to the device comprises at least a Subscription Permanent Identifier and one of: an IPv4 address, an IPV6 address, an International Mobile Equipment Identity (“IMEI”), an IPv4v6 address, or a Medium Access Control (“MAC”) address.
In related art, Cakulev et al shows that the subscriber identity corresponding to the device comprises at least a Generic Public Subscription Identifier and one of: an IPv4 address, an IPV6 address, an International Mobile Equipment Identity (“IMEI”), an IPv4v6 address, or a Medium Access Control (“MAC”) address (see paragraphs 30 and 31).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teaching of Cakulev et al into 3GPP in order to provide information relating to access and mobility management (see Cakulev et al; paragraphs 30 and 31).
Consider Claim 15, 3GPP does not specifically show that the first request message and the second response message each comprise a subscription permanent identifier (“SUPI”) corresponding to the device, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to translate the SUPI to a generic public subscription identifier (“GPSI”) corresponding to the device, and wherein the second request message and first response message each comprise the GPSI.
In related art, Cakulev et al shows that the first request message and the second response message each comprise a subscription permanent identifier (“SUPI”) corresponding to the device, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the apparatus to translate the SUPI to a generic public subscription identifier (“GPSI”) corresponding to the device, and wherein the second request message and first response message each comprise the GPSI (see paragraphs 30 and 31).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teaching of Cakulev et al into 3GPP in order to provide information relating to access and mobility management (see Cakulev et al; paragraphs 30 and 31).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over 3GPP in view of an official notice taken by the USPTO.
Consider Claim 12, 3GPP does not specifically show that the request for the credential for NSAA comprises a Hyper Text Transport Protocol (“HTTP”) POST request message, wherein the failure indication comprises a 404 Not Found message or a HTTP POST response message, and wherein, to send the secured packet and the credential information, the processor is configured to cause the apparatus to send a 200 OK message. However, the USPTO takes official notice that it is well known and expected in the art that the request for the credential for NSAA comprises a Hyper Text Transport Protocol (“HTTP”) POST request message, wherein the failure indication comprises a 404 Not Found message or a HTTP POST response message, and wherein, to send the secured packet and the credential information, the processor is configured to cause the apparatus to send a 200 OK message indicate to the user the status of the request.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL A FARAGALLA whose telephone number is (571)270-1107. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00-5:00.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Eason can be reached at 571-270-7230. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/MICHAEL A FARAGALLA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2624 03/02/2026