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
Claims 1-10,15-21 and 28-30 are pending.
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 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.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-10, 15-21, and 28-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Di Girolamo et al (US Pub. No. 2020/0322884), hereafter “Di Girolamo,” in view of Zhu et al (US Pub. No. 2021/0368342), hereafter, “Zhu.”
As to claim 1, Di Girolamo discloses a method performed by an application handling function (AHF) of a mobile core network (Abstract), the method comprising:
receiving a query message transmitted by an application server function (ASF), the query message comprising a first subscriber identifier for identifying a first subscriber ([0153], “In step 11, through its operator subscription manager, CellNet1a issues a Profile Download request to the remote SIM provisioning system entity. This request may include information such as: device identification (for example PEI/IMEI or EID; an MSISDN of a device; and an IP address of device.”);
using the first subscriber identifier to obtain a first user equipment (UE) profile associated with the first subscriber identifier ([0154], particularly, “In step 12 of FIG. 14, the remote SIM provisioning system entity creates a secure channel between itself and the IoT device and downloads the cellular operating profile. Once downloaded, the profile is enabled.”); and
transmitting towards the ASF a query response message responsive to the query message, the query response message comprising the first UE profile ([0154]-[0155], “In step 12 of FIG. 14, the remote SIM provisioning system entity creates a secure channel between itself and the IoT device and downloads the cellular operating profile. Once downloaded, the profile is enabled. In step 13, the remote SIM provisioning system entity confirms the status of the download and installation back to CellNet1a.”)
the first UE profile comprises i) a first UE identifier (ID) for a first UE of a first UE type ([0048], particularly, “This information is also referred to as the cellular operating profile. This includes the cellular network permanent identifier (SUPI or IMSI), the Permanent Equipment Identifier (PEI or IMEI), the profile identifier (ICCID), the authentication key (Ki), as well as cellular network preferences, IoT device (or UE) radio access capability (e.g., RATs supported, frequency bands supported) and IoT device (or UE) network capability (e.g., cellular IoT capability).”).
However, Di Girolamo does not explicitly disclose the first UE profile comprises a first command ID that identifies a first command that the ASF is authorized to invoke with respect to the first UE in connection with providing a service to the first subscriber.
But, Zhu discloses a first UE profile comprises a first command ID that identifies a first command that an ASF is authorized to invoke with respect to a first UE in connection with providing a service to a first subscriber ([0027]-[0028], particularly, “Transceiver circuitry 131 receives an authorization request for UE 110 from wireless access node 120 that indicates a network ID and a UE type (202). The UE type comprise model number, operating system ID, user application ID, and/or radio frequency ID. Authorization circuitry 132 retrieves a network list for the UE type (203). Authorization circuitry 132 compares the network ID from the authorization request to the network IDs from the network list for the UE type. When a match is detected (204), authorization circuitry 132 generates a positive authorization response for UE 110 (205). Transceiver circuitry 131 transfers the positive authorization response for UE 110 to wireless access node 120, and wireless access node 120 responsively delivers wireless data services to UE 110 (206). For example, wireless access node 120 may deliver an augmented-reality service to UE 110 in response to a special radio frequency that is used by UE 110.” “network list” reading on “a first UE profile comprises a first command ID”)
Therefore it would have been oblivious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the application to combine the teachings of Di Girolamo and Zhu in order to provide proactive means of obtaining authorization for specific commands so as to decrease the likelihood of unauthorized behavior.
As to claim 15, Di Girolamo discloses A method performed by an application server function (ASF) providing a service to subscribers (Abstract), the method comprising:
receiving an application request message comprising a first subscriber identifier associated with a first subscriber ([0149]-[0150], At some later time, an IoT device (Device ID1) is powered on, and it attempts to register with CellNet1a, as defined through its default provisioning profile. In step 9, the MME/AMF observes this event, and sends a notification to the Service Provider with the device identification.”)
transmitting to an application handling function (AHF) of a mobile core network a query message comprising the first subscriber identifier, the query message for causing the AHF to use the first subscriber identifier to obtain a first user equipment, (UE) profile associated with the first subscriber identifier ([0151]-[0153], “In step 11, through its operator subscription manager, CellNet1a issues a Profile Download request to the remote SIM provisioning system entity. This request may include information such as: device identification (for example PEI/IMEI or EID; an MSISDN of a device; and an IP address of device.”); and
receiving a query response message responsive to the query message, wherein the query response message comprises the first UE profile and was transmitted by the AHF ([0154]-[0155], “In step 12 of FIG. 14, the remote SIM provisioning system entity creates a secure channel between itself and the IoT device and downloads the cellular operating profile. Once downloaded, the profile is enabled. In step 13, the remote SIM provisioning system entity confirms the status of the download and installation back to CellNet1a.”), wherein
the first UE profile comprises i) a first UE identifier for a first UE of a first UE type ([0048], particularly, “This information is also referred to as the cellular operating profile. This includes the cellular network permanent identifier (SUPI or IMSI), the Permanent Equipment Identifier (PEI or IMEI), the profile identifier (ICCID), the authentication key (Ki), as well as cellular network preferences, IoT device (or UE) radio access capability (e.g., RATs supported, frequency bands supported) and IoT device (or UE) network capability (e.g., cellular IoT capability).”).
However, Di Girolamo does not explicitly disclose the first UE profile comprises a first command ID that identifies a first command that the ASF is authorized to invoke with respect to the first UE in connection with providing a service to the first subscriber.
But, Zhu discloses a first UE profile comprises a first command ID that identifies a first command that an ASF is authorized to invoke with respect to a first UE in connection with providing a service to a first subscriber ([0027]-[0028], particularly, “Transceiver circuitry 131 receives an authorization request for UE 110 from wireless access node 120 that indicates a network ID and a UE type (202). The UE type comprise model number, operating system ID, user application ID, and/or radio frequency ID. Authorization circuitry 132 retrieves a network list for the UE type (203). Authorization circuitry 132 compares the network ID from the authorization request to the network IDs from the network list for the UE type. When a match is detected (204), authorization circuitry 132 generates a positive authorization response for UE 110 (205). Transceiver circuitry 131 transfers the positive authorization response for UE 110 to wireless access node 120, and wireless access node 120 responsively delivers wireless data services to UE 110 (206). For example, wireless access node 120 may deliver an augmented-reality service to UE 110 in response to a special radio frequency that is used by UE 110.” “network list” reading on “a first UE profile comprises a first command ID”)
Therefore it would have been oblivious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the application to combine the teachings of Di Girolamo and Zhu in order to provide proactive means of obtaining authorization for specific commands so as to decrease the likelihood of unauthorized behavior.
As to claim 28, it is rejected by a similar rationale to that set forth in claim 1’s rejection.
As to claim 31, it is rejected by a similar rationale to that set forth in claim 15’s rejection.
As to claims 2 and 29, the teachings of Di Girolamo and Zhu as combined for the same reasons set forth in claim 1’s rejection further disclose the query message further comprises a first UE type identifier identifying the first UE type, and both the first subscriber identifier and the first UE type identifier are used to retrieve the first UE profile (Di Girolamo, [0153]-[0154]).
As to claim 3, the teachings of Di Girolamo and Zhu as combined for the same reasons set forth in claim 1’s rejection further disclose the query message further comprises a second UE type identifier, the first UE type identifier identifies a UE type manufactured by a first UE manufacturer, and the second UE type identifier identifies a UE type manufactured by the first or a second UE manufacturer (Di Girolamo, [0153]-[0154], see also [0098]).
As to claim 4, the teachings of Di Girolamo and Zhu as combined for the same reasons set forth in claim 1’s rejection further disclose using the first subscriber identifier and the second UE type identifier to retrieve a second UE profile associated with the first subscriber identifier and the second UE type identifier, wherein the query response message further comprises the second UE profile, and the second UE profile comprises i) a second UE identifier for a second UE of the second UE type and ii) a command identifier identifying a command that the ASF is authorized to invoke with respect to the second UE in connection with providing a service to the first subscriber (Di Girolamo, [0153]-[0154], see also [0098], and Zhu, [0027]-[0028]).
As to claim 5, the teachings of Di Girolamo and Zhu as combined for the same reasons set forth in claim 1’s rejection further disclose the query message further comprises a first set of one or more command identifiers associated with the first UE type identifier, the first set of one or more command identifiers comprising the first command (Di Girolamo, [0153]-[0154] and Zhu, [0027]-[0028]).
As to claim 6, the teachings of Di Girolamo and Zhu as combined for the same reasons set forth in claim 1’s rejection further disclose the first set of one or more command identifiers further comprises a second command identifier, and the first UE profile indicates that the ASF is not authorized to invoke the second command with respect to the first device (Di Girolamo, [0153]-[0154] and Zhu, [0027]-[0028]).
As to claim 7, the teachings of Di Girolamo and Zhu as combined for the same reasons set forth in claim 1’s rejection further disclose receiving a command message transmitted by the ASF, the command message comprising the first UE identifier identifying the first UE and the first command identifier identifying the first command (Di Girolamo, [0153]-[0154] and Zhu, [0027]-[0028]).
As to claim 8, the teachings of Di Girolamo and Zhu as combined for the same reasons set forth in claim 1’s rejection further disclose the command message further comprises the first subscriber identifier, and the method further comprises: after receiving the command message, determining whether the ASF is authorized by the first subscriber to invoke the first command with respect to the first device; and after determining that the ASF is authorized by the first subscriber to invoke the first command with respect to the first device, transmitting towards the first UE a second command message comprising the command identifier (Di Girolamo, [0153]-[0154] and Zhu, [0027]-[0028]).
As to claim 9, the teachings of Di Girolamo and Zhu as combined for the same reasons set forth in claim 1’s rejection further disclose receiving a first command response message responsive to the second command message, wherein the first command response message comprises data retrieved or generated by the first device; and transmitting towards the ASF a second command response message comprising said data (Di Girolamo, [0153]-[0154] and Zhu, [0027]-[0028]).
As to claim 10, the teachings of Di Girolamo and Zhu as combined for the same reasons set forth in claim 1’s rejection further disclose determining whether the ASF is authorized to invoke the first command with respect to the first UE comprises: retrieving authorization information using an application identifier associated with the ASF and the first subscriber identifier, wherein the authorization information indicates whether or not the ASF is authorized to invoke the first command with respect to the first device (Di Girolamo, [0153]-[0154] and Zhu, [0027]-[0028]).
As to claim 16, the teachings of Di Girolamo and Zhu as combined for the same reasons set forth in claim 15’s rejection further disclose the query message further comprises the first UE type identifier and a second UE type identifier, the first UE type identifier identifies a UE type manufactured by a first UE manufacturer, and the second UE type identifier identifies a UE type manufactured by the first or a second UE manufacturer (Di Girolamo, [0153]-[0154], see also [0098]).
As to claim 17, the teachings of Di Girolamo and Zhu as combined for the same reasons set forth in claim 15’s rejection further disclose the query message further causes the AHF to use the first subscriber identifier and the second UE type identifier to search for a second UE profile associated with the first subscriber identifier and the second UE type identifier, the query response message further comprises the second UE profile, the second UE profile comprises a second UE identifier for a second UE of the second UE type, and the second UE profile further comprises information identifying at least one command that the ASF is authorized to invoke with respect to the second UE in connection with providing a service to the first subscriber (Di Girolamo, [0153]-[0155] and Zhu, [0027]-[0028])..
As to claim 18, the teachings of Di Girolamo and Zhu as combined for the same reasons set forth in claim 15’s rejection further disclose the query message further comprises a first set of one or more command identifiers associated with the first UE type identifier, the first set of one or more command identifiers comprising the first command (Di Girolamo, [0153]-[0155] and Zhu, [0027]-[0028])..
As to claim 19, the teachings of Di Girolamo and Zhu as combined for the same reasons set forth in claim 15’s rejection further disclose the first set of one or more command identifiers further comprises a second command identifier, the first UE profile does not comprise the second command identifier, and the ASF determines that it is not authorized to invoke the second command with respect to the first UE as a result of determining that the first UE profile does not comprise the second command identifier (Di Girolamo, [0153]-[0155] and Zhu, [0027]-[0028]).
As to claim 20, the teachings of Di Girolamo and Zhu as combined for the same reasons set forth in claim 15’s rejection further disclose the ASF invoking the first command with respect to the first device (Di Girolamo, [0153]-[0155] and Zhu, [0027]-[0028]).
As to claim 21, the teachings of Di Girolamo and Zhu as combined for the same reasons set forth in claim 15’s rejection further disclose invoking the first command with respect to the first UE comprises the ASF transmitting to the AHF or to a second core network function of the mobile core network a command message comprising the first UE identifier and the first command identifier (Di Girolamo, [0153]-[0155] and Zhu, [0027]-[0028]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THOMAS J DAILEY whose telephone number is (571)270-1246. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30am-6:00pm.
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, Umar Cheema can be reached on 571-270-3037. 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.
/THOMAS J DAILEY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2458