DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after 16 March 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This action is in reply to papers filed on 09 October 2024. Claims 1, 11, 21, and 30 are independent. Claims 1-30 are pending.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of Applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). This application is the National Stage of International Application No. PCT/US2023/021977, filed 12 May 2023, which claims the foreign priority of foreign patent application GR20220100499, filed 16 June 2022. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09 October 2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The Specification was amended via Preliminary Amendment submitted on 09 October 2024. The amendments have been received and entered. The Specification is proper and conforms to 37 CFR 1.125(b) and (c).
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that use the word “means,” and are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. Such claim limitation(s) is/are:
“… means for obtaining …” in claim 21.
“… means for transmitting …” in claims 21, 23-24, 26, and 28-29.
“… means for receiving …” in claims 23 and 25.
“… means for determining …” in claim 28.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-3, 5, 11-13, 15, 21-23, 25, and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sierra et al., US 2020/0336303 A1 (hereinafter, “Sierra ‘303”), in view of Saur et al., US 2019/0230618 A1 (hereinafter, “Saur ‘618”).
As per claim 1: Sierra ‘303 discloses:
A first wireless communication device (a first device 102, such as a smartphone, tablet computer, or wearable device, capable of performing secure ranging with a second device 103 [Sierra ‘303, ¶¶25-26; Figs.1A-1B]) comprising:
a transceiver (a ranging radio (RR 108) and associated antenna 109 of device 102, where the ranging radio includes an RF transceiver 427 for transmitting and receiving signals [Sierra ‘303, ¶¶26, 29, 50, 53; Figs.1A, 4]); a memory (a memory 129 on device 121, where the memory stores cryptographic values or parameters, such as a device certificate (dev. cert 130A) and a ranging radio certificate (RR cert 130B) [Sierra ‘303, ¶33; Fig.1B]); and
a processor, communicatively coupled to the transceiver and the memory, configured to: (a secure processor (SP 107) of device 102, communicatively coupled to ranging radio (RR 108) through a secure interface 405, and coupled to memory 129, where the secure processor performs cryptographic operations for secure ranging [Sierra ‘303, ¶¶26, 28-29, 33, 50; Figs.1A-1B, 4])
obtain first security material comprising a ranging cryptographic key, or one or more cryptographic certificates, or a combination thereof (obtaining, at device 102, security material comprising a ranging session key, where the session key is key material defining a secure ranging communication session, and where a derived ranging key (dRK 522) is derived from the session key via a key derivation function (KDF) cascade; and further obtaining cryptographic certificates, including a device certificate (dev. cert 130A) and a ranging radio certificate (RR cert 130B), stored in memory 129 for use in cryptographic operations to authenticate or secure communications between devices [Sierra ‘303, ¶¶33, 39-40, 51, 58-59, 62; Figs.1B, 4-5]); and
transmit, via the transceiver, to a second wireless communication device, that is based on at least a first portion of the first security material, or based on second security material, or a combination thereof (transmitting, from device 102 to a second device 103, a ciphered code sequence comprising a secure preamble, where the secure preamble is generated using a cryptographically secure pseudo-random number generator (CSPRNG) from the derived ranging key (dRK 522) and an anti-replay counter value, and where the dRK is derived from the ranging session key via the KDF cascade [Sierra ‘303, ¶¶41, 44, 48, 53, 58, 65; Figs.3A-3B, 4-5]).
As stated above, while Sierra ‘303 discloses transmitting secure waveforms, such as ciphered code sequences and secure preambles, between devices during ultra-wideband (UWB) ranging operations, Sierra ‘303 does not explicitly disclose the limitation “… transmit, via the transceiver, to a second wireless communication device, a ranging signal …” where the ranging signal is a positioning reference signal transmitted from a first wireless communication device to a second wireless communication device via a sidelink transmission in a cellular network context, as recited in claim 1.
Saur ‘618, however, discloses:
… transmit, via the transceiver, to a second wireless communication device, a ranging signal (transmitting, via a transceiver 613 of a supporting user equipment (S-UE), to a target user equipment (T-UE), a supporting positioning reference signal (S-PRS) via sidelink transmission, where the sidelink transmission is a device-to-device transmission between the S-UE and the T-UE in a cellular network environment, such as LTE, NR, or 5G [Saur ‘618, ¶¶2, 22, 25, 44, 64, 71; Figs.1-2, 6]) …
Sierra ‘303 and Saur ‘618 are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor, namely that of wireless ranging and positioning between devices. Prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Sierra ‘303 and Saur ‘618 before them, to modify the method in Sierra ‘303 to include the teachings of Saur ‘618, namely to implement the secure ranging signal transmission of Sierra ‘303 in the context of a cellular sidelink positioning framework, as disclosed in Saur ‘618, where a supporting user equipment (S-UE) transmits a positioning reference signal (S-PRS) to a target user equipment (T-UE) via sidelink transmission, such that the transmitted ranging signal is a positioning reference signal generated based on the security material of Sierra ‘303. A motivation for doing so would be to improve the positional accuracy of a target user equipment in a cellular network by supplementing base station positioning reference signals with additional sidelink-based positioning reference signals from supporting user equipment, while also protecting the integrity and authenticity of such ranging signals against adversarial attacks such as spoofing, thereby ensuring accurate and trustworthy positioning estimation (see Saur ‘618, ¶¶2, 22, 25, 37).
As per claim 2: Sierra ‘303 in view of Saur ‘618 discloses all limitations of claim 1, as stated above, from which claim 2 is dependent upon. Furthermore, Sierra ‘303 discloses:
wherein the first security material comprises the ranging cryptographic key that is a symmetric cryptographic key (the security material comprises a derived ranging key (dRK 522), where the dRK is a symmetric cryptographic key derived from a message session key (mSK 517) via a key derivation function (KDF) cascade, and where the mSK is derived from a session key using key derivation functions based on AES-CMAC, a symmetric cipher-based message authentication code [Sierra ‘303, ¶¶58-59, 61-62; Fig.5]),
and wherein the ranging signal comprises a modified and the ranging cryptographic key (the ranging signal comprises a modified waveform, such as a secure preamble, that is generated based on the derived ranging key (dRK 522) and an anti-replay counter value using a cryptographically secure pseudo-random number generator (CSPRNG), where the secure preamble is an unpredictable signal derived from the ranging key material [Sierra ‘303, ¶¶41, 48, 58, 65; Figs.3B, 5]).
As stated above, while Sierra ‘303 discloses generating a modified ranging waveform based on the ranging cryptographic key, Sierra ‘303 does not explicitly disclose that the modified ranging signal is a “… positioning reference signal that is based on a base positioning reference signal …” as recited in claim 2.
Saur ‘618, however, discloses:
... the ranging signal comprises a modified positioning reference signal that is based on a base positioning reference signal and the ranging cryptographic key (the supporting positioning reference signal (S-PRS) transmitted by the supporting user equipment (S-UE) via sidelink may be the same as the PRS transmitted by the base station, and a modified or enhanced PRS signal may be defined for NR systems [Saur ‘618, ¶¶50, 59-60]) …
Sierra ‘303 and Saur ‘618 are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor, namely that of wireless ranging and positioning between devices. Prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Sierra ‘303 and Saur ‘618 before them, to modify the method in Sierra ‘303 to include the teachings of Saur ‘618, namely to implement the key-based ranging signal modification of Sierra ‘303 in the context of a base positioning reference signal, as disclosed in Saur ‘618, such that the S-PRS transmitted by the S-UE is a modified version of a base PRS that has been cryptographically modified using the ranging cryptographic key. A motivation for doing so would be to enable secure positioning in a cellular network by applying cryptographic modification to a known base positioning reference signal, thereby allowing a receiving target user equipment to detect and authenticate the ranging signal while maintaining compatibility with existing positioning reference signal frameworks (see Saur ‘618, ¶¶50, 59).
As per claim 3: Sierra ‘303 in view of Saur ‘618 discloses all limitations of claim 1, as stated above, from which claim 3 is dependent upon. Furthermore, Sierra ‘303 discloses:
wherein the first security material comprises a first cryptographically-signed certificate comprising a first asymmetric cryptographic key (each device stores certificates, such as a device certificate (dev. cert 130A) and a ranging radio certificate (RR cert 130B), which can be used in cryptographic operations to authenticate or encrypt communications within and between the devices [Sierra ‘303, ¶33; Figs.1A-1B]; and where the cryptographic engines within the devices implement asymmetric cryptographic algorithms including Rivest Shamir Adleman (RSA) and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) [Sierra ‘303, ¶¶73, 78]; under the broadest reasonable interpretation, a certificate used in cryptographic authentication operations and associated with asymmetric cryptographic algorithms such as RSA or ECC is a cryptographically-signed certificate comprising an asymmetric cryptographic key), and wherein the processor is further configured to:
transmit, via the transceiver to the second wireless communication device, the first cryptographically-signed certificate; and receive, via the transceiver from the second wireless communication device, a second cryptographically-signed certificate comprising a second asymmetric cryptographic key (during mutual authentication, the devices exchange device identifiers, keys, certificates, or other information that enables mutual authentication between the devices over an established communication link [Sierra ‘303, ¶¶39-40]);
wherein to transmit the ranging signal the processor is configured to transmit the ranging signal as an encrypted unicast ranging signal that has been encrypted based on a symmetric cryptographic key that is based on the first asymmetric cryptographic key and the second asymmetric cryptographic key (the session key generated during mutual authentication is the key material defining a secure ranging communication session, where secure processors in each device can gain knowledge of a public key associated with the other device to generate the session key [Sierra ‘303, ¶40], and where the derived ranging key (dRK 522) is derived from the session key via a key derivation cascade and is used to encrypt data transmitted during the ranging session [Sierra ‘303, ¶¶47, 58-59, 62; Fig.5]; the encrypted ranging session is conducted exclusively between two mutually authenticated paired devices, namely the mobile device and the ranging module equipped device [Sierra ‘303, ¶¶36, 38-40, 47; Figs.2-3]; under the broadest reasonable interpretation, an encrypted ranging signal transmitted between two specific mutually authenticated devices in a point-to-point ranging session is an encrypted unicast ranging signal).
As per claim 5: Sierra ‘303 in view of Saur ‘618 discloses all limitations of claim 1, as stated above, from which claim 5 is dependent upon. Furthermore, Sierra ‘303 discloses:
wherein the processor is further configured to receive, via the transceiver, the ranging cryptographic key (the secure processor (SP 107) of device 102 is configured to receive, via a Bluetooth radio 125 or other wireless communication channel, key material exchanged during a secure key exchange between device 121 and device 122, where the key material is used to derive or generate ranging keys, including a session key from which a derived ranging key (dRK) is obtained [Sierra ‘303, ¶¶31-32, 34, 39-40, 51; Figs.1B, 2, 4]), and
wherein the second security material comprises the ranging cryptographic key (the ranging signal, such as the secure preamble and ciphered code sequence, is based on the derived ranging key (dRK 522), where the dRK is derived from the received session key material, and where the dRK constitutes the security material upon which the ranging signal is generated [Sierra ‘303, ¶¶58-59, 62, 65; Figs.4-5]).
As per claims 11-13 and 15: Claims 11-13 and 15 define a positioning session signaling method that recites substantially similar subject matter as the first wireless communication device of claims 1-3 and 5, respectively. Specifically, claims 11-13 and 15 are directed to a positioning session signaling method comprising obtaining security material and transmitting a ranging signal, where the method may be performed by the first wireless communication device of claims 1-3 and 5, respectively. Thus, the rejection of claims 1-3 and 5 is equally applicable to claims 11-13 and 15, respectively.
As per claims 21-23 and 25: Claims 21-23 and 25 define a first wireless communication device comprising means for performing functions that recites substantially similar subject matter as the first wireless communication device of claims 1-3 and 5, respectively. Specifically, claims 21-23 and 25 are directed to a first wireless communication device comprising means for obtaining security material and means for transmitting a ranging signal, corresponding to the first wireless communication device of claims 1-3 and 5, respectively. Thus, the rejection of claims 1-3 and 5 is equally applicable to claims 21-23 and 25, respectively.
As per claim 30: Claim 30 defines a non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium that recites substantially similar subject matter as the first wireless communication device of claim 1. Specifically, claim 30 is directed to a non-transitory, processor-readable storage medium comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause a processor of a first wireless communication device to obtain security material and transmit a ranging signal, corresponding to the first wireless communication device of claim 1. Thus, the rejection of claim 1 is equally applicable to claim 30.
Claims 4, 14, and 24 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sierra ‘303, in view of Saur ‘618, and further in view of Bellur et al., US 2009/0235071 A1 (hereinafter, “Bellur ‘071”).
As per claim 4: Sierra ‘303 in view of Saur ‘618 discloses all limitations of claims 1 and 3, as stated above, from which claim 4 is dependent upon. Sierra ‘303 in view of Saur ‘618 does not explicitly disclose the limitations of claim 4.
Bellur ‘071, however, discloses:
the processor is configured to transmit the first cryptographically-signed certificate based on a present location of the first wireless communication device being within a validity region associated with the first cryptographically-signed certificate (each certificate Cert(obu, X) includes a geographic region X as a certificate field (i.e., a validity region associated with the certificate); the OBU 12 receives location information from a GPS receiver 14 to determine its current geographic position GPS(obu) (i.e., a present location of the first wireless communication device); OBUs on vehicles are constrained to append signed messages using the certificate corresponding to their current geographic region, such that the OBU signs the message with its private key and appends the signed message with a certificate corresponding to only its current geographic region (i.e., transmit the cryptographically-signed certificate based on the present location being within the validity region associated with the certificate) [Bellur ‘071, ¶¶7, 22, 24, 27, 30, 33, 39; Figs.1-4]).
Sierra ‘303 (modified by Saur ‘618) and Bellur ‘071 are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor, namely that of secure wireless communication between devices using a public key infrastructure. Prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Sierra ‘303 (modified by Saur ‘618) and Bellur ‘071 before them, to modify the method in Sierra ‘303 (modified by Saur ‘618) to include the teachings of Bellur ‘071, namely to configure the certificate exchange process of Sierra ‘303 such that the first wireless communication device transmits its cryptographically-signed certificate based on a determination that its present location is within a geographic validity region associated with the certificate, as disclosed in Bellur ‘071. A motivation for doing so would be to reduce the complexity of managing the public key infrastructure by confining certificate validity to geographic regions, thereby reducing the size of certificate revocation lists that need to be processed and stored at each device and enabling different administrative policies for different regions (see Bellur ‘071, ¶¶13-14, 21-22, 27-28).
As per claim 14: Claim 14 defines a positioning session signaling method that recites substantially similar subject matter as the first wireless communication device of claim 4. Specifically, claim 14 is directed to a positioning session signaling method wherein the first cryptographically-signed certificate is transmitted based on a present location of the first wireless communication device being within a validity region associated with the first cryptographically-signed certificate, corresponding to the first wireless communication device of claim 4. Thus, the rejection of claim 4 is equally applicable to claim 14.
As per claim 24: Claim 24 defines a first wireless communication device comprising means for performing functions that recites substantially similar subject matter as the first wireless communication device of claim 4. Specifically, claim 24 is directed to a first wireless communication device comprising means for transmitting the first cryptographically-signed certificate based on a present location of the first wireless communication device being within a validity region associated with the first cryptographically-signed certificate, corresponding to the first wireless communication device of claim 4. Thus, the rejection of claim 4 is equally applicable to claim 24.
Claims 6-10, 16-20, and 26-29 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sierra ‘303, in view of Saur ‘618, and further in view of Stojanovski et al., US 2018/0234827 A1 (hereinafter, “Stojanovski ‘827”).
As per claim 6: Sierra ‘303 in view of Saur ‘618 discloses all limitations of claim 1, as stated above, from which claim 6 is dependent upon. Sierra ‘303 in view of Saur ‘618 does not explicitly disclose the limitations of claim 6. Stojanovski ‘827, however, discloses:
wherein the processor is further configured to transmit, via the transceiver to the second wireless communication device, a discovery message that is based on at least a second portion of the first security material (the first user equipment (UE 105) is configured to transmit, via a transmitter 120, to a second user equipment (UE 125), a discovery message in a device-to-device (D2D) discovery channel, where the discovery message includes an asserted identity and a message integrity code (MIC), and where the MIC is computed using a Discovery Key that is derived from a ProSe Discovery Group Key (PDGK) via a Key Derivation Function (KDF), such that the discovery message is based on the cryptographic key material [Stojanovski ‘827, ¶¶14, 17, 20-21, 27-29, 49, 52, 54; Figs.1-2]).
Sierra ‘303 (modified by Saur ‘618) and Stojanovski ‘827 are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor, namely that of secure wireless communication between devices. Prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Sierra ‘303 (modified by Saur ‘618) and Stojanovski ‘827 before them, to modify the method in Sierra ‘303 (modified by Saur ‘618) to include the teachings of Stojanovski ‘827, namely to implement a device-to-device discovery phase, as disclosed in Stojanovski ‘827, prior to the secure ranging signal transmission of Sierra ‘303, where the first wireless communication device transmits a discovery message to the second wireless communication device in a D2D discovery channel, and where the discovery message includes a message integrity code computed using a cryptographic key derived from shared security material. A motivation for doing so would be to enable the first wireless communication device to securely discover and authenticate neighboring devices prior to initiating ranging operations, thereby ensuring that ranging sessions are established only with verified and trusted devices and mitigating the risk of spoofing or impersonation attacks in proximity-based services (see Stojanovski ‘827, ¶¶14, 25, 49-51, 94).
As per claim 7: Sierra ‘303 in view of Saur ‘618, and further in view of Stojanovski ‘827 discloses all limitations of claims 1 and 6, as stated above, from which claim 7 is dependent upon. Sierra ‘303 in view of Saur ‘618 does not explicitly disclose the limitations of claim 7. Stojanovski ‘827, however, discloses:
wherein the first portion of the first security material is identical to the second portion of the first security material (the ProSe Discovery Group Key (PDGK) used to derive the Discovery Key for protecting discovery messages may be the same as the ProSe Group Key (PGK) used for one-to-many ProSe Direct Communication, such that the same root key material is used across both discovery and direct communication functions between the UEs, and where the Discovery Group ID and ProSe Group Layer-2 ID are used interchangeably [Stojanovski ‘827, ¶¶28-29, 51-52]).
Sierra ‘303 (modified by Saur ‘618) and Stojanovski ‘827 are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor, namely that of secure wireless communication between devices. Prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Sierra ‘303 (modified by Saur ‘618) and Stojanovski ‘827 before them, to modify the method in Sierra ‘303 (modified by Saur ‘618) to include the teachings of Stojanovski ‘827, namely to implement the secure discovery and ranging processes of Sierra ‘303 such that the same root key material is used to derive both the key protecting the discovery message and the key protecting the ranging signal, as disclosed in Stojanovski ‘827, where the ProSe Discovery Group Key used for discovery may be the same as the ProSe Group Key used for direct communication. A motivation for doing so would be to reduce the complexity of key management between devices by deriving keys for both discovery and ranging operations from a common root key, thereby minimizing the number of key exchanges required and streamlining the establishment of secure proximity-based services (see Stojanovski ‘827, ¶¶28, 51).
As per claim 8: Sierra ‘303 in view of Saur ‘618, and further in view of Stojanovski ‘827 discloses all limitations of claim 1, as stated above, from which claim 8 is dependent upon. Sierra ‘303 in view of Saur ‘618 does not explicitly disclose the limitations of claim 8. Stojanovski ‘827, however, discloses:
wherein the first security material comprises the ranging cryptographic key, and the processor is further configured to: transmit, via the transceiver to the second wireless communication device, an indication for the second wireless communication device to contact a network entity for the ranging cryptographic key (the first user equipment (UE 105) transmits, via a transmitter 120, to a second user equipment (UE 125), a discovery message in a device-to-device (D2D) discovery channel, where the discovery message includes a Discovery Group ID that is a pointer to a corresponding Discovery Key in the discovery group attributes [Stojanovski ‘827, ¶¶17, 20, 27; Figs.1-2], and where each UE is configured with the ProSe Discovery Group Key (PDGK) for a given Discovery Group ID by the ProSe Key Management Function [Stojanovski ‘827, ¶28], such that the Discovery Group ID transmitted in the discovery message serves as an indication for the second UE to obtain the corresponding PDGK from the ProSe Key Management Function for that Discovery Group); and
determine the ranging cryptographic key based on a base cryptographic key stored at the first wireless communication device (the Discovery Key is calculated using a specified Key Derivation Function (KDF), where a primary input to the KDF is the PDGK that is stored at the UE, and where one or all of the Group Member Identity, Discovery Key Identity, and Discovery Group ID are additional inputs to the KDF [Stojanovski ‘827, ¶¶28-29]).
Sierra ‘303 (modified by Saur ‘618) and Stojanovski ‘827 are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor, namely that of secure wireless communication between devices. Prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Sierra ‘303 (modified by Saur ‘618) and Stojanovski ‘827 before them, to modify the method in Sierra ‘303 (modified by Saur ‘618) to include the teachings of Stojanovski ‘827, namely to implement a network-assisted key provisioning process, as disclosed in Stojanovski ‘827, where the first wireless communication device transmits a discovery message including a Discovery Group ID to the second wireless communication device, the Discovery Group ID serving as a pointer indicating the corresponding key material, and where the ranging cryptographic key is locally derived at the first wireless communication device from a base cryptographic key (PDGK) stored at the device using a Key Derivation Function, as disclosed in Stojanovski ‘827. A motivation for doing so would be to enable scalable and secure key distribution for proximity-based ranging services by leveraging a network-based key management function to provision base key material to devices, while allowing each device to locally derive session-specific keys, thereby reducing the signaling overhead required for direct key exchange between devices (see Stojanovski ‘827, ¶¶25, 28-29, 51).
As per claim 9: Sierra ‘303 in view of Saur ‘618 discloses all limitations of claim 1, as stated above, from which claim 9 is dependent upon. Furthermore, Sierra ‘303 discloses:
the first security material comprises a plurality of cryptographically-signed certificates that include a public cryptographic key of the first wireless communication device cryptographically signed by an entity separate from the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device (each device 121, 122 stores a plurality of certificates, such as a device certificate (dev. cert 130A) and a ranging radio certificate (RR cert 130B), where devices with multiple ranging radios may each have a separate certificate; the certificates are used in cryptographic operations to authenticate or encrypt communications between the devices, and the cryptographic engines implement asymmetric cryptographic algorithms such as RSA and ECC, and therefore the certificates inherently contain public cryptographic keys; under the broadest reasonable interpretation, a certificate used in asymmetric cryptographic authentication (RSA/ECC) is a public key signed by an issuing certificate authority (CA), where the CA is an entity separate from both the first and second communicating devices [Sierra ‘303, ¶¶33, 39-40, 73, 78; Figs.1B, 7]);
the processor is further configured to transmit via the transceiver to the second wireless communication device, (the first device 121 transmits, to the second device 122, a message comprising at least one of the plurality of certificates during mutual authentication, where the Bluetooth link is used to exchange device identifiers, keys, certificates, or other information that enables mutual authentication between the devices [Sierra ‘303, ¶¶33, 35, 39; Figs.1B, 2]).
As stated above, Sierra ‘303 in view of Saur ‘618 does not explicitly disclose the limitations “… a discovery message cryptographically signed by the first wireless communication device and comprising at least one of the plurality of cryptographically-signed certificates based on a certificate selection policy …”.
Stojanovski ‘827, however, discloses:
… a discovery message cryptographically signed by the first wireless communication device and comprising at least one of the plurality of cryptographically-signed certificates based on a certificate selection policy (UE 105 (first wireless communication device) transmits a discovery message to UE 125 (second wireless communication device) via a D2D discovery channel, where the discovery message includes a message integrity code (MIC) computed using a UE-specific Discovery Key over the message fields, where the MIC cryptographically protects the discovery message (i.e., “cryptographically signed by the first wireless communication device”); in the unaffiliated scenario, UE 105 presents a proof-of-identity in the format of a digital signature or digital certificate during mutual authentication over the ProSe/D2D communication channel; the ProSe Key Management Function provides the UE with supported encryption and MIC algorithms for each Discovery Group based on a local policy, and the UE may be configured with one or more Discovery Group IDs, such that the UE selects the appropriate credential and corresponding certificate for a given discovery based on the local policy (i.e., “based on a certificate selection policy”) [Stojanovski ‘827, ¶¶17, 20-21, 27-29, 48-52, 54, 63, 86-87; Figs.1-2, 4]) …
Sierra ‘303 (modified by Saur ‘618) and Stojanovski ‘827 are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor, namely that of secure wireless communication between devices. Prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Sierra ‘303 (modified by Saur ‘618) and Stojanovski ‘827 before them, to modify the method in Sierra ‘303 (modified by Saur ‘618) to include the teachings of Stojanovski ‘827, namely to implement the certificate exchange process of Sierra ‘303 to include a discovery message that is cryptographically signed by the transmitting device using a message integrity code, where the discovery message comprises a certificate, and where the certificate is selected based on a local policy associated with a Discovery Group configuration, as disclosed in Stojanovski ‘827. A motivation for doing so would be to enable secure discovery between devices that may not share prior security associations, by allowing a transmitting device to assert its identity and cryptographically protect discovery messages, and to select the appropriate credential based on a locally configured policy for each Discovery Group, thereby facilitating efficient and secure device-to-device discovery in proximity-based communication scenarios (see Stojanovski ‘827, ¶¶14, 28, 48-50).
As per claim 10: Sierra ‘303 in view of Saur ‘618, and further in view of Stojanovski ‘827 discloses all limitations of claims 1 and 9, as stated above, from which claim 10 is dependent upon. Furthermore, Sierra ‘303 discloses:
the processor is further configured to negotiate the ranging cryptographic key with the second wireless communication device (the secure processors 401, 403, through a setup process 402, perform a secure key exchange to exchange key material that is used to generate a session key (i.e., negotiate the ranging cryptographic key), where the session key is generated by the secure processors on the mobile device and the ranging module equipped device using a shared secret or a public key associated with the other device [Sierra ‘303, ¶¶38-40, 51; Figs.2, 4]), and
wherein the ranging signal comprises a modified positioning reference signal that is based on a base positioning reference signal, or the ranging cryptographic key, or a freshness parameter, or a combination of two or more thereof (the secure preambles 540 are generated using a cryptographically secure pseudo-random number generator (CSPRNG 536) from the anti-replay counter 531, salted hash 514, and dRK 522 (i.e., the ranging signal is based on the ranging cryptographic key (dRK) and a freshness parameter (anti-replay counter)), where the anti-replay counter value 531 is used as input to generate the secure preambles 540, and where the anti-replay counter value is periodically incremented [Sierra ‘303, ¶¶41, 58-59, 62-63, 65; Fig.5]),
wherein the freshness parameter comprises a timer, a counter, a system frame number, a slot number, a symbol number, or any combination of two or more thereof (the anti-replay counter value 531 is a counter that is periodically incremented during timeslots in which transmission or receipt of a type 1 frame is expected (i.e., the freshness parameter comprises a counter) [Sierra ‘303, ¶¶41, 58; Fig.5]).
As stated above, Sierra ‘303 in view of Saur ‘618 does not explicitly disclose the limitation “… negotiate the ranging cryptographic key with the second wireless communication device during group formation …”.
Stojanovski ‘827, however, discloses
… negotiate the ranging cryptographic key with the second wireless communication device during group formation (the UE is configured with a ProSe Discovery Group Key (PDGK) for a given Discovery Group ID by the ProSe Key Management Function, where the Discovery Key is derived from the PDGK using a KDF, and where the UE may be configured with one or more Discovery Group IDs (i.e., key provisioning during group formation); additionally, in the unaffiliated scenario, UE-C triggers mutual authentication with UE-A, where the two UEs establish a security association and exchange their UE-specific Discovery Keys (i.e., negotiate the cryptographic key with the second device during formation of a security group) [Stojanovski ‘827, ¶¶13, 28-29, 50-51, 86-87; Figs.1, 4])
Sierra ‘303 (modified by Saur ‘618) and Stojanovski ‘827 are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor, namely that of secure wireless communication between devices. Prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, having the teachings of Sierra ‘303 (modified by Saur ‘618) and Stojanovski ‘827 before them, to modify the method in Sierra ‘303 (modified by Saur ‘618) to include the teachings of Stojanovski ‘827, namely to implement the key exchange process of Sierra ‘303 within a group formation context, as disclosed in Stojanovski ‘827, where the key negotiation between devices is performed as part of configuring UEs within a ProSe Discovery Group and establishing a security association between the devices. A motivation for doing so would be to enable devices to securely establish shared cryptographic keys as part of a structured group formation process, thereby allowing multiple devices to participate in secure proximity-based communications using group-specific credentials provisioned by a key management function (see Stojanovski ‘827, ¶¶13-14, 28-29, 50-51).
As per claims 16-20: Claims 16-20 define a positioning session signaling method that recites substantially similar subject matter as the first wireless communication device of claims 6-10, respectively. Specifically, claims 16-20 are directed to a positioning session signaling method comprising obtaining security material and transmitting a ranging signal, where the method may be performed by the first wireless communication device of claims 6-10, respectively. Thus, the rejection of claims 6-10 is equally applicable to claims 16-20, respectively.
As per claims 26-29: Claims 26-29 define a first wireless communication device comprising means for performing functions that recites substantially similar subject matter as the first wireless communication device of claims 6-9, respectively. Specifically, claims 26-29 are directed to a first wireless communication device comprising means for obtaining security material and means for transmitting a ranging signal, corresponding to the first wireless communication device of claims 6-9, respectively. Thus, the rejection of claims 6-9 is equally applicable to claims 26-29, respectively.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
Wang et al., US 20200322805 A1: a base-station-location server 264 provides protection against a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) spoofing attack or a cellular-network spoofing attack by auditing processed locations 504 of base stations 120 within a cellular network.
Benson et al., US 20170357523 A1: provide a method for a trusted (or originator) device to modify the security state of a target device (e.g., unlocking the device) based on a securing ranging operation (e.g., determining a distance, proximity, etc.). The method of some embodiments exchanges messages as a part of a ranging operation.
Hauck et al., US 20190116619 A1: use a secure processing system to deliver one or more ranging keys to a ranging radio on a device, and the ranging radio can derive locally at the system ranging codes based on the ranging keys. A deterministic random number generator can derive the ranging codes using the ranging key.
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/ALAN L KONG/
Examiner, Art Unit 2494
/JUNG W KIM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2494