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, filed 1/9/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-4 and 6-18 under 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Ross.
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 0102, 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) 1-4, 6 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schneider (US Patent Pub. 20230108626) in view of Ross (US Patent Publication 2021/0295077).
As per claim 1: Apparatus comprising:
at least one processor (fig 11-13; element 1101; 1201; 1301); and
at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform (fig 11-13; element 1102; 1202; 1302):
based on a request for a network function instance of a core domain of a mobile communication system to authenticate a digital asset, and based on a configuration of the network function instance (Paragraph 97; the Authentication server function (AUSF) and the security Anchor function (SEAF), (which can be part of an AMF/NFI). The AUSF/SEAF receives a request to authenticate the user/equipment credential (The digital asset) as part of the overall connection process),
initiating by the network function instance an authentication process to authenticate the digital asset (Paragraph 31-32; discuss the network function (The AMF) being configured to check for the presence of certain tokens, such as an Authentication Token and performing calculations based on that information. This configurations dictates the authentication process flow);
responding by the network function instance to the request based on a result of the authentication process (Paragraph 32; Transmitting the second message comprises transmitting the second message containing the authentication token and the random number toward the user equipment (describes the network function transmitting a second message containing the authentication token)).
However Schneider does not specifically disclose wherein the request comprises a digital image and the authentication process comprises creating a digital representation of at least part of the digital image and comparing the digital representation against an authentication reference (See Ross; Paragraph 22; intermediate data (for example, digital image data) may be transmitted over a network to a remote processor to generate one or more digital fingerprints from the image data); (See Ross; Paragraph 43; If this is an authentication acquisition, the digital fingerprints are sent to the authentication system, match results are obtained, and the system operator presented with the results).
Therefore, it 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, having the teachings of Schneider and Ross in its entirety, to modify the technique of Schneider for AUSF/SEAF receives a request to authenticate the user/equipment credential (The digital asset) by adopting Ross's teaching for digital fingerprints are sent to the authentication system, match results are obtained, and the system operator presented with the results. The motivation would have been to improve digital asset authentication.
As per claim 2: The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the authentication process comprises:
invoking one or more application programming interfaces that the network function instance is configured to use for digital asset authentication (Paragraph 97; SEAF 1202 transmits an authentication request (i.e., Nausf UEAuthentication Authenticate Request) to AUSF 210 containing the SUCI and other desired information. In response to the authentication request, AUSF 210 verifies that the serving network 320 requesting the authentication service is authorized. Upon success, AUSF 210 transmits an authentication request (i.e., Nudm_UEAuthentication_Get Request) to UDM 218 containing the SUCI and other desired information).
As per claim 3: The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the authentication process comprises:
invoking one or more application programming interfaces that the network function is configured to use for acquiring one or more application programming interfaces for digital asset authentication (Paragraph 97; SEAF 1202 transmits an authentication request (i.e., Nausf UEAuthentication Authenticate Request) to AUSF 210 containing the SUCI and other desired information. In response to the authentication request, AUSF 210 verifies that the serving network 320 requesting the authentication service is authorized. Upon success, AUSF 210 transmits an authentication request (i.e., Nudm_UEAuthentication_Get Request) to UDM 218 containing the SUCI and other desired information).
As per claim 4: The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the one or more application programming interfaces for digital asset authentication comprise one or more of:
one or more application programming interfaces for interaction with one or more document issuing authorities; or one or more application programming interfaces for interaction with one or more digital certificate authorities (Paragraph 25; calculate a message authentication code of an authentication token based on the random nonce).
As per claim 6: The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
receive a message sent by a management function instance of an operations, administration and maintenance system for the mobile communication system, wherein the message configures the network function instance to create one or more resources for one or more user profiles for one or more users, wherein the user profiles indicate one or more types of digital asset for which the network function instance is to provide a digital asset authentication service (Paragraph 81; UE 106 also includes a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) 660, which is an integrated circuit that provides security and integrity functions for UE 106 (e.g., SIM card, Universal SIM (USIM), etc.). SIM 660 includes or is provisioned with one or more subscription profiles for UE 106. A subscription profile has an associated subscription, subscription parameters, subscription credentials, etc. Subscription credentials are a set of values that includes a public key of its home network, a long-term secret key (K), and a subscription identifier (e.g., SUPI) used to uniquely identify a subscription and to mutually authenticate the UE 106 and a network).
As per claim 9: The apparatus according to claim 1;
wherein the request to authenticate a digital asset includes the digital asset; and wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to: store, by the network function instance, the digital asset (Paragraph 31; generating the challenge response comprises calculating a message authentication code of an authentication token based on the random nonce, and transmitting the second message comprises transmitting the second message containing the authentication token toward the user equipment).and an authentication status for the digital asset based on a result of the authentication process to authenticate the digital asset (Paragraph 32; calculating the message authentication code comprises selecting a random number, calculating the message authentication code by inputting an exclusive- OR of the random number and the random nonce into a function that calculates the message authentication code).
Claim(s) 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schneider (US Patent Pub. 20230108626) in view of Ross (US Patent Publication 2021/0295077) and in view of Zhang (WIPO Publication 2019222995).
As per claim 7: The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to: based on a request for a network function instance of a core domain of a mobile communication system to authenticate a digital asset, and based on a configuration of the network function instance (Paragraph 97; the Authentication server function (AUSF) and the security Anchor function (SEAF), (which can be part of an AMF/NFI). The AUSF/SEAF receives a request to authenticate the user/equipment credential (The digital asset) as part of the overall connection process).
However, Schneider in view of Ross do not specifically disclose receive a message sent by a management function instance of an operations, administration and maintenance system for the mobile communication system, wherein the message configures the network function instance for one or more digital asset authentication processes for the digital asset authentication service (See Zhang; Fig. 3-4; Paragraph 166, 172; During initial deployment, each AMF is also provided a list of all other AMFs within the AMF set by OAM but no backup AMF information is configured through OAM during initial AMF deployment (the OAM serves as a management function instance)).
Therefore, it 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, having the teachings of Schneider, Ross and Zhang in its entirety, to modify the technique of Schneider for AUSF/SEAF receives a request to authenticate the user/equipment credential (The digital asset) by adopting Zhang's teaching for OAM serves as a management function instance. The motivation would have been to improve digital asset authentication.
Claim(s) 8 and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schneider (US Patent Pub. 20230108626) in view of Ross (US Patent Publication 2021/0295077) and in view of Rajput (US Patent 10833938).
As per claim 8: The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to: based on a request for a network function instance of a core domain of a mobile communication system to authenticate a digital asset, and based on a configuration of the network function instance (Paragraph 97; the Authentication server function (AUSF) and the security Anchor function (SEAF), (which can be part of an AMF/NFI). The AUSF/SEAF receives a request to authenticate the user/equipment credential (The digital asset) as part of the overall connection process),
However, Schneider in view of Ross do not specifically send by the network function instance a request for a network repository function instance to create one or more resources profiling services provided by the network function instance (See Rajput; Col 1, lines 24-26; The NF repository function (NRF) is the network entity that maintains the NF profiles of available NF instances and their supported services); wherein the one or more resources indicate one or more types of digital asset for which the network function instance provides a digital asset authentication service, and one or more digital asset authentication processes used by the network function instance for the digital asset authentication service (See Rajput; claim 19; The NF profile is the set of information maintained by the NRF. The profile inherently includes service type and supported features/capabilities. For an AUSF, these capabilities logically encompass the types of credentials (digital assets it handles)).
Therefore, it 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, having the teachings of Schneider, Ross and Rajput in its entirety, to modify the technique of Schneider for AUSF/SEAF receives a request to authenticate the user/equipment credential (The digital asset) by adopting Rajput’s teaching for NF profile is the set of information maintained by the NRF. The profile inherently includes service type and supported features/capabilities. The motivation would have been to improve digital asset authentication.
As per claim 16: Apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform:
receiving by the network repository function instance a request by an application function instance to provide information regarding one or more network function instances of the core domain exposing one or more digital asset authentication services (Paragraph 31-32; discuss the network function (The AMF) being configured to check for the presence of certain tokens, such as an Authentication Token and performing calculations based on that information. This configurations dictates the authentication process flow).
However Schneider does not specifically disclose wherein the request comprises a digital image and the authentication process comprises creating a digital representation of at least part of the digital image and comparing the digital representation against an authentication reference (See Ross; Paragraph 22; intermediate data (for example, digital image data) may be transmitted over a network to a remote processor to generate one or more digital fingerprints from the image data); (Paragraph 43; If this is an authentication acquisition, the digital fingerprints are sent to the authentication system, match results are obtained, and the system operator presented with the results).
Therefore, it 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, having the teachings of Schneider and Ross in its entirety, to modify the technique of Schneider for AUSF/SEAF receives a request to authenticate the user/equipment credential (The digital asset) by adopting Ross's teaching for digital fingerprints are sent to the authentication system, match results are obtained, and the system operator presented with the results. The motivation would have been to improve digital asset authentication.
Additionally, Schneider in view of Ross does not specifically creating, by a network repository function instance, resources profiling services provided by network function instances of a core domain of a mobile communication system (See Rajput; Col 1, lines 24-26; The NF repository function (NRF) is the network entity that maintains the NF profiles of available NF instances and their supported services); and sending by the network repository function instance a response to the request based on the resources (Paragraph 97; the Authentication server function (AUSF) and the security Anchor function (SEAF), (which can be part of an AMF/NFI). The AUSF/SEAF receives a request to authenticate the user/equipment credential (The digital asset) as part of the overall connection process).
Therefore, it 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, having the teachings of Schneider, Ross and Rajput in its entirety, to modify the technique of Schneider for AUSF/SEAF receives a request to authenticate the user/equipment credential (The digital asset) by adopting Rajput’s teaching for NF profile is the set of information maintained by the NRF. The profile inherently includes service type and supported features/capabilities. The motivation would have been to improve digital asset authentication.
As per claim 17: The apparatus according to claim 16: wherein the resources created by the network repository function instance indicate one or more digital asset authentication processes used by the one or more network function instances exposing the one or more digital asset authentication services; and the response for the application function instance indicates the one or more digital asset authentication processes (Paragraph 97; the Authentication server function (AUSF) and the security Anchor function (SEAF), (which can be part of an AMF/NFI). The AUSF/SEAF receives a request to authenticate the user/equipment credential (The digital asset) as part of the overall connection process).
As per claim 18: The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein creating the resources is based on one or more requests by the one or more network function instances of the core domain exposing the one or more digital asset authentication services (See Rajput; Col 1, lines 24-26; The NF repository function (NRF) is the network entity that maintains the NF profiles of available NF instances and their supported services).
Claim(s) 10-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schneider (US Patent Pub. 20230108626) in view of Ross (US Patent Publication 2021/0295077) and in view of Li (US Patent Publication 20220060388).
As per claim 10: Apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform:
receiving, by an application function instance configured to consume one or more services of one or more network functions of a core domain of a mobile communication system, a request from a user equipment regarding authentication of a digital asset (Paragraph 97; the Authentication server function (AUSF) and the security Anchor function (SEAF), (which can be part of an AMF/NFI). The AUSF/SEAF receives a request to authenticate the user/equipment credential (The digital asset) as part of the overall connection process);
determining a network function instance of the core domain of the mobile communication system exposing a service relating to authentication of the digital asset (Paragraph 31-32; discuss the network function (The AMF) being configured to check for the presence of certain tokens, such as an Authentication Token and performing calculations based on that information. This configurations dictates the authentication process flow);
However Schneider does not specifically disclose wherein the request comprises a digital image and the authentication process comprises creating a digital representation of at least part of the digital image and comparing the digital representation against an authentication reference (See Ross; Paragraph 22; intermediate data (for example, digital image data) may be transmitted over a network to a remote processor to generate one or more digital fingerprints from the image data); (See Ross; Paragraph 43; If this is an authentication acquisition, the digital fingerprints are sent to the authentication system, match results are obtained, and the system operator presented with the results).
Therefore, it 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, having the teachings of Schneider and Ross in its entirety, to modify the technique of Schneider for AUSF/SEAF receives a request to authenticate the user/equipment credential (The digital asset) by adopting Ross's teaching for digital fingerprints are sent to the authentication system, match results are obtained, and the system operator presented with the results. The motivation would have been to improve digital asset authentication.
However Schneider in view of Ross do not specifically disclose sending by the application function instance a request for the determined network function instance of the mobile communication system to provide the service; and
sending by the application function instance a message to the user equipment based on a response to the request for the determined network function instance to provide the service (See Li, Paragraph 172; based on an analytics filtering parameter carried in the analytics service request, the analytics service type needs to collect data of which location areas, cells, network function instances, application functions, or applications, that is, determine the data collection range from an analytics filtering parameter range that needs to be supported. Because the NWDAF instance itself cannot directly collect data, a data collection task is decomposed based on the first analytics filtering information).
Therefore, it 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, having the teachings of Schneider, Ross and Li in its entirety, to modify the technique of Schneider for AUSF/SEAF receives a request to authenticate the user/equipment credential (The digital asset) by adopting Li’s teaching analytics service request, the analytics service type needs to collect data of which location areas, cells, network function instances, application functions, or applications... The motivation would have been to improve digital asset authentication.
As per claim 11: The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the determining comprises:
sending a request for a network repository function of the core domain of the mobile communication system to provide the application function instance with information about one or more network function instances of the core domain exposing the service for the digital asset (Paragraph 97; the Authentication server function (AUSF) and the security Anchor function (SEAF), (which can be part of an AMF/NFI). The AUSF/SEAF receives a request to authenticate the user/equipment credential (The digital asset) as part of the overall connection process).
As per claim 12: The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the at least one memory and computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
formulate the request for the determined network function instance of the mobile communication system to provide the service, based on information provided by the network repository function instance regarding one or more authentication processes used by the determined network function instance (Paragraph 97; the Authentication server function (AUSF) and the security Anchor function (SEAF), (which can be part of an AMF/NFI). The AUSF/SEAF receives a request to authenticate the user/equipment credential (The digital asset) as part of the overall connection process).
As per claim 13: The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the service comprises authenticating the digital asset (Paragraph 31-32; discuss the network function (The AMF) being configured to check for the presence of certain tokens, such as an Authentication Token and performing calculations based on that information. This configurations dictates the authentication process flow).
As per claim 14: The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the service comprises providing an indication of the authentication status recorded by the network function instance for the digital asset (Paragraph 97; the Authentication server function (AUSF) and the security Anchor function (SEAF), (which can be part of an AMF/NFI). The AUSF/SEAF receives a request to authenticate the user/equipment credential (The digital asset) as part of the overall connection process).
As per claim 15: The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the request by the application function instance to provide the service is sent via a network exposure function of the core domain of the mobile communication system (Paragraph 31-32; discuss the network function (The AMF) being configured to check for the presence of certain tokens, such as an Authentication Token and performing calculations based on that information. This configurations dictates the authentication process flow).
Relevant Prior Art References
The following prior art is cited as being of interest to the claimed invention but has not been applied in any of the current rejections.
Riehl et al. US Patent Publication 2020/0401699- The prior art teaches secure fingerprint image system.
Schulz et al. US Patent Publication 10,967,837- The prior art teaches security device using sequence of fingerprints.
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.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANTHONY D BROWN whose telephone number is (571)270-1472. The examiner can normally be reached 730-330pm.
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/ANTHONY D BROWN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2408