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 claim(s) 18-37 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 18-37 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wane (US Pub No. 2020/0128393) in view of Fan et al. (US Pub No. 2023/0308861.
Claim 18, Wane discloses a method for managing subscriber profiles stored in an embedded universal integrated circuit card, eUICC (See Fig. 1A, and par [0014, 0057, 0058, 0070] utilized an embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) enable a single device to connected to connect to a plurality of different networks, which may store a set of MNO profile metadata 218 relating to the MNO profiles 112 stored on corresponding hard-eUICCs or soft-eUICCs. This locally-stored MNO profile metadata 218 may be accessible without requiring the use of a separate profile manager), comprising an issuer security domain root component (par [0101] the standard eUICC architecture as with the embodiment shown in FIG. 4A, in FIG. 4B the profile manager may comprise an ISD-R 402), ISD-R, wherein an application programming interface, API (par [0066] applied Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), is implemented on the eUICC that provides for executing or executes via the ISD-R a profile management operation concerning a subscriber profile of the eUICC (par [0066, 0079, 0115, 0118] disclosed in specifically of which implemented on the eUICC that provides for executing or executes via the ISD-R a profile management operation through a subscriber profile of the eUICC). However, Wane does not disclose wherein the API provides for profile switch operations that are automatically triggered by events detected on or by the eUICC. In the same filed on invention, Fan clearly discloses wherein the API provides for profile switch operations that are automatically triggered by events detected on or by the eUICC (See Fig. 2b; and par [0180-0181] the eUICC service may provide an API related to a card operation for an upper-layer card management application. The upper-layer card management application may implement a corresponding card management function by invoking the API related to the card operation. For example, the card management application may invoke a related API according to settings of the eSIM module by the user, and perform corresponding configuration on the eSIM module by using the eUICC manager and an eUICC service, for example: the card management application may further invoke a local profile download (LPD) service according to a user operation by using a profile management service, to download a profile from a profile server (for example, subscription data manager-data preparation (subscription manager-data preparation+, SM-DP+)), and may write the downloaded profile into the eUICC by invoking a related API and by using the eUICC manager and the eUICC service in cooperation with the eSIM protocol”). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide of Fan to the system of Wane in order to provide of the profile transfer method and apparatus.
Claim 19, Wane further discloses the method according to claim 18, wherein the API is implemented on the eUICC as an interface to the ISD-R and provides for executing via the ISD-R a profile management operation that performs a profile management function (See par [0100, 0101] in FIG. 4B the profile manager may comprise an ISD-R 402 and may use a shareable interface to access ISD-Ps 404, sub-profile architecture extends the standard eUICC architecture in a novel manner) defined in the GSMA SGP.02 Specification "Remote Provisioning Architecture for Embedded UICC", where-as according to the GSMA SGP.02 Specification said profile management function being instructed via the ES5 interface and/or via the ES8 interface and/or via the ESx interface (the GSMA SGP.02 Specification is a standard without inventive merit. Par [0066-0067] of Wane disclosed in specifically of Smartcard API that implements GSMA's Open Mobile API specifications, for example: the trusted UI mobile client 104 may be an iPhone, Firefox, Blackberry, Java ME, Windows Phone-based client or any client application provided it has the corresponding Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) used by its Android counterpart, and device user interface presented by the trusted UI client 104 is described in greater detail in association with FIG. 5; also see citation: ANONYMOUS: "GSM Association: SGP.02 Remote Provisioning Architecture for Embedded UICC Technical Specification", INTERNET CITATION, 7 July 2020 (2020-07-07), pages 1-452, XP009534881, Retrieved from the Internet: URL:https://www.gsma.com/esim/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/SGP.02- v4.2.pdf ).
Claim 20, Wane further discloses the method according to claim 18, wherein the API provides for executing or executes via the ISD-R a profile management operation that activates or deactivates the subscription profile, that retrieves a status or switches a subscriber profile stored in the eUICC. (See Fig. 1A, and par [0014, 0057, 0058, 0070] utilized an embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) enable a single device to connected to connect to a plurality of different networks, which may store a set of MNO profile metadata 218 relating to the MNO profiles 112 stored on corresponding hard-eUICCs or soft-eUICCs. This locally-stored MNO profile metadata 218 may be accessible without requiring the use of a separate profile manager).
Claim 21, 36, Wane further discloses the method according to claim 18, wherein the API provides for executing or executes a profile management operation in relation to a FALLBACK operation, a ROLLBACK operation, or a FALLBACK FROM ROLLBACK operation addressing a loss of connectivity on the subscriber profile, or a SWITCHBACK operation activating the subscriber profile (par [0057, 0070, 0089, 0096, 0103] disclosed to perform interface 500 provided by the trusted UI client 104 to enable a user to utilize the trusted subscription management platform to provision various MNO profiles 112 to enable an operation of connectivity on the subscriber profile, and applied, and Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) used by its Android counterpart, and device user interface par [0103]).
Claim 22, 31, Wane further discloses the method according to claim 18, wherein an application is installed on the eUICC, the application instructing the API to execute the profile management operation concerning the subscriber profile (par [0014, 0057, 0058, 0070] utilized an embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) enable a single device to connected to connect to a plurality of different networks, which may store a set of MNO profile metadata 218 relating to the MNO profiles 112 stored on corresponding hard-eUICCs or soft-eUICCs).
Claim 23, Wane further disclose the method according to claim 22, wherein the application checks if predetermined criteria are met and, in the affirmative, instructs the API to execute as the profile management operation a profile change operation concerning the subscriber profile (par [0058, 0061, 0066] applied the API to execute as the profile management operation a profile change operation concerning the subscriber profile).
Claim 24, Wane further discloses the method according to claim 22, wherein at least one further application is installed on the eUICC, whereas the application and the at least one further application instructing the API to execute different profile management operations concerning one or more subscriber profiles stored in the eUICC. (par [0014, 0057, 0066, 0058, 0070] utilized an embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) enable a single device to connected to connect to a plurality of different networks, which may store a set of MNO profile metadata 218 relating to the MNO profiles 112 stored on corresponding hard-eUICCs or soft-eUICCs).
Claim 25, 30, Wane further disclcoses the method according to claim 22, wherein the application is associated to an issuer or manufacturer of the eUICC or to an issuer or manufacturer of a device in which the eUICC is embedded, and instructs the API to execute profile management operations in relation to a use case defined by or involving the issuer or manufacturer of the eUICC or the issuer or manufacturer of the device. (par [0014, 0057, 0066, 0058, 0070] utilized an embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) enable a single device to connected to connect to a plurality of different networks, which may store a set of MNO profile metadata 218 relating to the MNO profiles 112 stored on corresponding hard-eUICCs or soft-eUICCs, for example implements GSMA's Open Mobile API specifications. Alternatively, the trusted UI client 104 may be an iPhone, Firefox, Blackberry, Java ME, Windows Phone-based client or any client application provided it has the corresponding Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) used by its Android counterpart to involving the issuer or manufacturer of the eUICC or the issuer or manufacturer of the device).
Claim 26, Wane further discloses the method according to claim 22, wherein the application, being a JavaCard applet, calling a method provided by the API, being a JavaCard interface, thereby instructing the API to execute the profile management operation (par [0066, 0090, 0115-0116] by the Java Card Runtime Environment, an API get SIMStatus( ) call) to the eUICC via a profile manager).
Claim 27, Wane further discloses the method according to claim 22, wherein a device, in which the eUICC is embedded, requests the application to instruct via the API the profile management operation and that the application receives from the API a response to the instructed profile management operation and forwards the response and/or data derived from the response to the device (par [0066, 0090, 0115-0116] mobile client 106 receives a network ping from a cell tower or other access point via a listening thread associated with a virtual SIM card. In operation 1104, the trusted baseband client transmits a sanity check (e.g., an API get SIMStatus( )) call) to the eUICC via a profile manager (or in some embodiments, directly), in response to which the eUICC response with an answer (e.g., “SIM Ready”).
Claim 28, the claim is rejected for the same reasons as set forth in claim 18.
Claim 29, Wane further discloses the eUICC according to claim 28, wherein on the eUICC an application is installed, the application being configured to instruct the API to execute the profile management operation concerning the at least one subscriber profile (par [0079-0080] profile manager is post-personalized into the eUICC, the MNOHUB server 102 is the only entity with the capacity of exchanging data with them, as a mutual-authentication procedure is always required before provisioning (e.g., CREATE PROFILE, INSTALL PROFILE, DELETE PROFILE).
Claim 32, Wane further discloses a device having embedded therein an embedded universal integrated circuit card, eUICC, according to claim 28, the eUICC being configured to realize a a method for managing subscriber profiles stored in an embedded universal integrated circuit card, eUICC, comprising an issuer security domain root component, ISD-R, wherein an application programming interface, API, is implemented on the eUICC that provides for executing or executes via the ISD-R a profile management operation concerning a subscriber profile of the eUICC; wherein the device is a mobile or terminal device (par [0014, 0057, 0058, 0066, 0070, 0101] utilized an embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card (eUICC) enable a single device to connected to connect to a plurality of different networks, which may store a set of MNO profile metadata 218 relating to the MNO profiles 112 stored on corresponding hard-eUICCs or soft-eUICCs. This locally-stored MNO profile metadata 218 may be accessible without requiring the use of a separate profile manager).
Claim 33, Wane further discloses a computer program product representing an application programming interface, API, that is implementable on an embedded universal integrated circuit card, eUICC, according to claim 28, the computer program product comprising instructions which, when executed on the eUICC, cause the eUICC to carry out steps of a method for managing subscriber profiles stored in an embedded universal integrated circuit card, eUICC, comprising an issuer security domain root component, ISD-R, wherein an application programming interface, API, is implemented on the eUICC that provides for executing or executes via the ISD-R a profile management operation concerning a subscriber profile of the eUICC; wherein the computer program product is a JavaCard interface (par [0066, 0090, 0115-0116] by the Java Card Runtime Environment, an API get SIMStatus( ) call) to the eUICC via a profile manager).
Claim 34, Wane further discloses a computer program product representing an application installable on an embedded universal integrated circuit card, eUICC, according to claim 28, the computer program product comprising instructions which, when executed on the eUICC, cause the eUICC to carry out steps of a method for managing subscriber profiles stored in an embedded universal integrated circuit card, eUICC, comprising an issuer security domain root component, ISD-R, wherein an application programming interface, API, is implemented on the eUICC that provides for executing or executes via the ISD-R a profile management operation concerning a subscriber profile of the eUICC; wherein an application is installed on the eUICC, the application instructing the API to execute the profile management operation concerning the subscriber profile; Wherein the computer program product is a JavaCard applet (par [0066, 0090, 0115-0116] by the Java Card Runtime Environment, an API get SIMStatus( ) call) to the eUICC via a profile manager, and implemented on the eUICC that provides for executing or executes via the ISD-R a profile management operation through a subscriber profile of the eUICC to include Java Card applets (SIM, USIM, etc ) par [0099]).
Claim 35, Fan further discloses the method according to claim 23, wherein the predetermined criteria comprise occurrence of a predetermined operating-system event on the eUICC, wherein the application is registered with an operating system of the eUICC to receive a notification upon occurrence of the predetermined operating-system event and, in response to receiving the notification, automatically instructs the API to execute the profile change operation as a profile switch operation (par [0180-0182] the card management application may further invoke a local profile download (LPD) service according to a user operation by using a profile management service, to download a profile from a profile server (for example, subscription data manager-data preparation (subscription manager-data preparation+, SM-DP+)), and may write the downloaded profile into the eUICC by invoking a related API and by using the eUICC manager and the eUICC service in cooperation with the eSIM protocol).
Claim 37, Fan further discloses the eUICC according to claim 29, further comprising an operating system, wherein the application is registered with the operating system to receive a notification upon occurrence of a predetermined operating-system event and is configured, in response to receiving the notification, to automatically instruct the API to execute a profile switch operation (par [0032, 0058, 0109, 0124, 0141, 0177, 0249] the application program may be developed by using a Java language, and is completed by invoking an application programming interface (application programming interface, API) provided by an application program framework layer, interact with a bottom layer (for example, a hardware abstraction layer or a kernel layer) of an operating system by using the application program framework, to develop an application program of the developer. The application program framework layer mainly includes a series of services and management systems of the operating system; the to-be-transferred profile in the eUICC may be deleted based on the LPA because the LPA is a system-level App, security is relatively high. The LPA ensures that profiles can be successfully deleted which performs to automatically instruct the API to execute a profile switch operation as example).
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 PHUOC HUU DOAN whose telephone number is (571)272-7920. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00AM - 4:00PM.
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/PHUOC H DOAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2646
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