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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
As required by M.P.E.P. 609(c), the Applicant's submissions of the Information Disclosure Statement is acknowledged by the examiner and the cited references have been considered in the examination of the claims now pending. As required by M.P.E.P. 609 C(2), a copy of the PTOL-1449 initialed and dated by the examiner is attached to the instant office action.
Applicant’s Information Disclosure Statement has been received, entered into the record, and considered. See attached form PTO-1449.
Claims 1-7 are canceled.
Claims 8-15 are presented for examination.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 8, 10 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Aggarwal et al. (US Patent Publication No. 2022/0158847 A1 and Aggarwal hereinafter).
The applied reference has a common assignee with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2). This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B) if the same invention is not being claimed; or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed in the reference and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement.
Regarding Claims 8 and 15, Aggarwal teaches an apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform: determining whether to route signaling for establishing a protocol data unit session (i.e., suitable interworking function for protocol translations between, for example, diameter and REST API JSON. While described herein primarily using terminology of 5G systems, the principles of the invention are applicable also to other communication networks using edge nodes/gateways as described herein, such as non-3GPP network) Para [0028] for a first service for user equipment to a target public land mobile network (i.e., public land mobile networks, PLMNs, 110, 112, each equipped with a network function, NF, 120, 122. A network function may refer to an operational and/or a physical entity. A network function may be a specific network node or element, or a specific function or set of functions carried out by one or more entities, such as virtualized network functions, VNFs, or container-based network functions, CNFs. One physical node may be configured to perform plural NFs. Examples of such network functions include a resource control or management function, session management or control function, interworking, data management or storage function, authentication function or a combination of one or more of these functions) Para [0027] based on at least one of following: a data network name associated with the first service (i.e., an operator's network that may be configured to receive a message, such as an HTTP request or HTTP response from an NF, to apply protection for sending and to forward the reformatted message towards a receiving SEPP. The forwarding may traverse at least one intermediate node, such as IP eXchange, IPX. The receiving SEPP receives a message sent by the sending SEPP and forwards the message towards an NF within its operator's network, e.g. the AUSF. The SEPP may make additional security validations. An end-to-end protocol connection may be established between SEPPs 130, 132. Such an end-to-end connection may be based on transport layer security, TLS, for example. A TLS version 1.1, version 1.2 or version 1.3 connection may be used) Para [0029], subscription data associated with the user equipment, or an identity of a visitor public land mobile network serving the user equipment, (i.e., connect users with terminals registered to the PLMN by arranging communication pathways switched together to convey information between the terminals. To obtain connectivity between communicating entities registered in different networks, the networks need inter-network interfaces to convey information across their respective boundaries) Para [0002] and (i.e., complex public-key infrastructure covering all network function consumer instances in visited networks between the home and visited networks needed with asymmetric key based signatures, or a shared database between the home and visited networks containing a complete set of the shared secrets required for HMAC symmetric key based signatures, the network function consumer's signature would be difficult to verify in the home network) Para [0026] wherein the user equipment is registered with a visitor public land mobile network (i.e., complex public-key infrastructure covering all network function consumer instances in visited networks between the home and visited networks needed with asymmetric key based signatures, or a shared database between the home and visited networks containing a complete set of the shared secrets required for HMAC symmetric key based signatures, the network function consumer's signature would be difficult to verify in the home network) Para [0026] wherein the first service is hostable by the target public land mobile network and a home public land mobile network (i.e., complex public-key infrastructure covering all network function consumer instances in visited networks between the home and visited networks needed with asymmetric key based signatures, or a shared database between the home and visited networks containing a complete set of the shared secrets required for HMAC symmetric key based signatures, the network function consumer's signature would be difficult to verify in the home network) Para [0026] and (i.e., two public land mobile networks, PLMNs, 110, 112, each equipped with a network function, NF, 120, 122. A network function may refer to an operational and/or a physical entity. A network function may be a specific network node or element, or a specific function or set of functions carried out by one or more entities, such as virtualized network functions, VNFs, or container-based network functions, CNFs. One physical node may be configured to perform plural NFs. Examples of such network functions include a resource control or management function, session management) Para [0027]; and (i.e., a session management function, SMF, a network slice selection function, NSSF, a network exposure function, NEF, a network repository function, NRF, a unified data management) Para [0028] and based on the determining, routing signaling for establishing the protocol data unit session at the target public land mobile network (i.e., end-to-end protocol connection may be established between SEPPs 130, 132. Such an end-to-end connection may be based on transport layer security, TLS, for example. A TLS version 1.1, version 1.2 or version 1.3 connection may be used, for example. Establishing such a protocol connection may comprise an exchange of certificates between the edge nodes, enabling the edge nodes to verify cryptographic signatures generated by each other) Para [0029]; (i.e. communication may be applied between NFc 120 and NFp 122 for an NF service, or NF service communication may be performed indirectly via SCP(s) 150. In direct communication, the NFc 120 performs discovery of the target NFp 122 by local configuration or via local NRF, cNRF 140. In indirect communication, the NFc 120 may delegate the discovery of the target NFp 122 to at least one SCP. In the latter case, the SCP(s) may use the parameters provided by NFc 120 to perform discovery and/or selection of the target NFp, for example with reference to one or more NRF(s).) Para [0032] and Para [0033].
Regarding Claim 10, Aggarwal teaches wherein the instructions, when executed by at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to perform: using, at a network repository function of the home public land mobile network, a stored configuration comprising an indication of a serving public land mobile network and a data network name mapped to the target public land mobile network (i.e., enable verification of the signature in the token in the home network, it is herein suggested that the SEPPs in the visited and home networks, respectively, establish a trust relationship, for example by exchanging public-key certificates (for example, public-key certificates sharing via N32-c. Using other, out-of-band mechanisms or establishing a specific HTTPS based retrieval service in association with the X.509 information is also possible). This exchange may take place in connection with establishing the protocol connection between the SEPPs, or edge nodes in more generic terms. The exchange may take place in connection with establishing a N32 connection between the edge nodes. As noted above, this may comprise establishment of a TLS or mTLS connection. The shared certificates establish a trust relationship between the SEPPs, enabling verification of the signature) Para [0038].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9 and 11-14 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
In regard to dependent Claims 9 and 11-14, BRI (broadest reasonable interpretation) in light of the specification, Examiner finds the claimed invention is patentably distinct from the prior art of record, which sets forth in the following:
Aggarwal et al. (US Patent Publication No. 2022/0158847 A1) relates to determining whether a cryptographic signature of a token received in the apparatus from a network function consumer is valid, obtain a cryptographic signature of the apparatus of the token responsive to the cryptographic signature of the token being valid, and provide the token to a peer entity of the apparatus, the cryptographic signature of the apparatus is either included into the token or provided in a header external to the token, wherein the peer entity in a second network is different from a first network. The request may serve a user equipment, directly or indirectly.
However, Aggarwal fails to show data network name associated with the first service, subscription data associated with the user equipment, the user equipment is registered with a visitor public land mobile network, wherein the first service is hostable by the target public land mobile network and a home public land mobile network; and based on the determining, routing signaling for establishing the protocol data unit session at the target public land mobile network; encapsulating an N4 message in a service request message from the session management function of the home public land mobile network to a session management function of the target public land mobile network; support for roaming value added service routing value added service routing; data network name supports roaming value added services routing to a target public land mobile network, and providing, based on a received request from a session management function of the target public land mobile network, session management function selection subscription data for the user equipment to the target land mobile network.” … as claimed (supports in Applicant’s specification).
Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Aggarwal et al. (US Patent Publication No. 2022/0158847 A1), “Security procedure” (May 19, 2022) discloses determine whether a cryptographic signature of a token received in the apparatus from a network function consumer is valid, obtain a cryptographic signature of the apparatus of the token responsive to the cryptographic signature of the token being valid, and provide the token to a peer entity of the apparatus, the cryptographic signature of the apparatus is either included into the token or provided in a header external to the token, wherein the peer entity in a second network is different from a first network. The request may serve a user equipment, directly or indirectly.
Communication
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DIANE D MIZRAHI whose telephone number is 571- 272-4079. The examiner can normally be reached on 7:30-3:30 PM (7:30 - 4:30 p.m.).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alison T. Slater can be reached on (571) 270-0375. The fax phone numbers for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned are (703) 872-9306 for regular communications and for After Final communication.
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/DIANE D MIZRAHI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647
Diane.Mizrahi@USPTO.gov
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