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 .
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.
Claims 1-3, 5-7, 11-13, 20, 61 and 63 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wifvesson et al (US 2024/0080650, hereinafter Wifvesson) and in view of Wu (US 2023/0319556, hereinafter Wu).
Regarding claim 1, Wifvesson discloses a method for processing information, performed by a first network element, and comprising: receiving a first request message sent by a device (UE sends a key request to the 5GDDNMF, Para [0150]); wherein the first request message is configured to request an key from the first network element, and the relay discovery key is configured for security protection of mutual discovery between a User Equipment (UE)-to-Network (U2N) relay and a remote UE (the request is for a discovery key, Para [0160], DDNMF provides UE with necessary security material to protect discovery messages, Para [0085]); but does not disclose the request is for an intermediate key, where the intermediate key is configured to determine a relay discovery key. Wu discloses the AUSF network element can generate a key for the terminal, Para [0192] and the key response includes a key derivation function which is an algorithm for generating a key, Para [0193] and a root key can be generated by using the intermediate key as an input for the KDF, Para [0262], where it is obvious the UE can be given an intermediate key and KDF to generate another key, in this case a discovery key. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Wu in the system of Wifvesson in order to ensure communication security between a remote UE and relay UE.
Regarding claim 2, Wifvesson discloses the method according to claim 1, further comprising: sending, according to the first request message, a first response message comprising the intermediate key to the device. Wu discloses the network element generates a key and sends it in a response to the terminal, Para [0192-195].
Regarding claim 3, Wifvesson discloses the method according to claim 2, further comprising: determining whether the device is authorized to obtain the intermediate key; sending, according to the first request message, the first response message comprising the intermediate key to the device comprises: when the device is authorized to obtain the intermediate key, sending, according to the first request message, the first response message comprising the intermediate key to the device; wherein determining whether the device is authorized to obtain the intermediate key comprises: when the device is the U2N relay, determining whether the U2N relay is authorized to provide a relay service; or, when the device is the remote UE, determining whether the remote UE is authorized to obtain the relay service. Wifvesson discloses checking the UE is authorized to receive keys for requested discoveries using the UE identity, Para [0115] and determining if remote UE or relay UE is authorized, Para [0149]. Wu also discloses the remote UE and relay UE have to be authorized, Para [0357].
Regarding claim 5, Wifvesson discloses the method according to claim 3, wherein the first request message comprises an identity of the device and a Relay Service Code (RSC); and determining whether the device is authorized to obtain the intermediate key comprises: sending a query request to a second network element, wherein the query request at least comprises the identity of the device; receiving a query result returned based on the query request; and determining, according to the query result, whether the device is authorized to obtain the relay service. Wu discloses a key request with identify of the UE and RSC and another network element authorizes the remote and relay UEs, Fig. 9b.
Regarding claim 6, Wifvesson discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the first request message at least comprises a Relay Service Code (RSC); the method further comprises: generating the intermediate key according to the RSC (key request includes relay service code, Para [0151-155], generating the key according to relay service code, Para [0160]. Wu also discloses generating keys based on RSC, Para [0071]).
Regarding claim 7, Wifvesson discloses the method according to claim 2, wherein the first request message further comprises security capability information indicating a security capability of the device; the method further comprises: when the device is the U2N relay, determining, according to the security capability information of the U2N relay, a security algorithm for the U2N relay to provide relay service discovery, wherein an algorithm identity of the security algorithm is carried in the first response message and returned to the U2N relay (optional based on if the device is a U2N relay).
Regarding claim 11, Wifvesson discloses a method for processing information, performed by a remote User Equipment (UE), and comprising: sending a first request message to a first network element (UE sends a key request to the 5GDDNMF, Para [0150]); wherein the first request message is configured to request an key from the first network element, , and the relay discovery key is configured for security protection of mutual discovery between a UE-to-Network (U2N) relay and the remote UE (the request is for a discovery key, Para [0160], DDNMF provides UE with necessary security material to protect discovery messages, Para [0085]); but does not disclose the request is for an intermediate key, where the intermediate key is configured to determine a relay discovery key. Wu discloses the AUSF network element can generate a key for the terminal, Para [0192] and the key response includes a key derivation function which is an algorithm for generating a key, Para [0193] and a root key can be generated by using the intermediate key as an input for the KDF, Para [0262], where it is obvious the UE can be given an intermediate key and KDF to generate another key, in this case a discovery key. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Wu in the system of Wifvesson in order to ensure communication security between a remote UE and relay UE.
Regarding claim 12, Wifvesson discloses the method according to claim 11, wherein the first request message comprises an identity of the remote UE and a Relay Service Code (RSC), and the identity of the remote UE and the RSC are used by the first network element to determine whether the remote UE is authorized to obtain a relay service identified by the RSC; the method further comprises: receiving a first response message returned based on the first request message, wherein the first response message comprising the intermediate key is returned in a case where it is determined by the first network element that the remote UE is authorized to obtain the relay service identified by the RSC. Wifvesson discloses checking the UE is authorized to receive keys for requested discoveries using the UE identity, Para [0115] and determining if remote UE or relay UE is authorized, Para [0149]. Wu also discloses the remote UE and relay UE have to be authorized, Para [0357] and a key request with identify of the UE and RSC and another network element authorizes the remote and relay UEs, Fig. 9b.
Regarding claim 13, Wifvesson discloses the method according to claim 12, wherein the first request message further comprises security capability information indicating a security capability of the remote UE; and wherein the first response message comprising the intermediate key and an algorithm identity is returned in a case where a security algorithm supported by the remote UE is comprised in a security algorithm for a potential U2N relay to provide relay service discovery, and the algorithm identity indicates the security algorithm for the potential U2N relay to provide the relay service discovery; and wherein the method further comprises: generating the relay discovery key according to the intermediate key and the algorithm identity; and protecting, according to the relay discovery key, discovery of the potential U2N relay providing the relay service. Wifvesson discloses the UE includes discovery security capabilities in the key request message, Para [0110] and UE is provided with security material to protect discovery messages, Para [0085]. Wu discloses the AUSF network element can generate a key for the terminal, Para [0192] and the key response includes a key derivation function which is an algorithm for generating a key, Para [0193] and a root key can be generated by using the intermediate key as an input for the KDF, Para [0262] to ensure communication security, Para [0005].
Regarding claim 20, Wifvesson discloses a method for processing information, performed by a UE-to-Network (U2N) relay, and comprising: sending a first request message to a first network element, wherein the first request message is configured to request an key from the first network element (UE sends a key request to the 5GDDNMF, Para [0150]); and the relay discovery key is configured for security protection of mutual discovery between the U2N relay and a remote UE (the request is for a discovery key, Para [0160], DDNMF provides UE with necessary security material to protect discovery messages, Para [0085]); but does not disclose the request is for an intermediate key, where the intermediate key is configured to determine a relay discovery key. Wu discloses the AUSF network element can generate a key for the terminal, Para [0192] and the key response includes a key derivation function which is an algorithm for generating a key, Para [0193] and a root key can be generated by using the intermediate key as an input for the KDF, Para [0262], where it is obvious the UE can be given an intermediate key and KDF to generate another key, in this case a discovery key. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Wu in the system of Wifvesson in order to ensure communication security between a remote UE and relay UE.
Regarding claim 21, Wifvesson discloses the method according to claim 20, wherein the first request message comprises an identity of the U2N relay and a Relay Service Code (RSC), and the identity of the U2N relay and the RSC are used by the first network element to determine whether the U2N relay is authorized to provide a relay service identified by the RSC; the method further comprises: receiving a first response message returned based on the first request message, wherein the first response message comprising the intermediate key is returned in a case where it is determined by the first network element that the U2N relay is authorized to provide the relay service identified by the RSC. Wifvesson discloses checking the UE is authorized to receive keys for requested discoveries using the UE identity, Para [0115] and determining if remote UE or relay UE is authorized, Para [0149]. Wu also discloses the remote UE and relay UE have to be authorized, Para [0357] and a key request with identify of the UE and RSC and another network element authorizes the remote and relay UEs, Fig. 9b.
Regarding claim 22, Wifvesson discloses the method according to claim 21, wherein the first request message further comprises security capability information indicating a security capability of the U2N relay, the security capability information is used by the first network element to select a security algorithm for the U2N relay to provide relay service discovery, and an algorithm identity of the security algorithm selected by the first network element for the U2N relay to provide the relay service discovery is carried in the first response message; and wherein the method further comprises: generating the relay discovery key according to the intermediate key and the algorithm identity. Wifvesson discloses the UE includes discovery security capabilities in the key request message, Para [0110] and UE is provided with security material to protect discovery messages, Para [0085]. Wu discloses the AUSF network element can generate a key for the terminal, Para [0192] and the key response includes a key derivation function which is an algorithm for generating a key, Para [0193] and a root key can be generated by using the intermediate key as an input for the KDF, Para [0262] to ensure communication security, Para [0005].
Regarding claim 61, Wifvesson discloses a communication device (CN node, Para [0196]), comprising: a processor, a transceiver, and a memory (processor, network interface and memory, Para [0196]) storing an executable program, wherein the processor performs the method according to claim 1 when executing the executable program (see claim 1).
Regarding claim 63, Wifvesson discloses a communication device (UE, Para [0191]), comprising: a processor, a transceiver, and a memory (processor, network interface and memory, Para [0191]) storing an executable program, wherein the processor performs the method according to claim 11 when executing the executable program (see claim 11).
Claims 27 and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wifvesson, in view of Wu and in view of Wifvesson et al (US 2023/0397000, hereinafter Wifvesson2).
Regarding claim 27, Wifvesson discloses the method according to claim 22, further comprising: broadcasting a relay discovery announcement message which is protected using the relay discovery key. Wifvesson2 discloses broadcasting a discovery announcement message that is encrypted by the discovery key, Para [0069]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Wifvesson2 in the system of Wifvesson and in view of Wu in order to secure discovery communications by encrypting messages.
Regarding claim 28, Wifvesson discloses the method according to claim 22, further comprising: receiving a relay discovery request message; decrypting and verifying the relay discovery request message using the relay discovery key; and when the relay discovery request message is successfully decrypted and verified, broadcasting a relay discovery response message which is protected using the relay discovery key. Wifvesson2 discloses transmitting a discovery request message that is encrypted and the other UE will decrypt the message using the discovery key and transmit a discovery response message that is also encrypted, Para [0070], broadcasting the response would be an obvious variation to one of ordinary skill in the art.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8, 15, 18 and 24 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN CUNNINGHAM whose telephone number is (571) 272-1765. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday 7:30-18:00 (EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Vu can be reached on (571) 272-3155. The fax number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KEVIN M CUNNINGHAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461
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