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 – 16 are pending.
Claims 4 – 16 are withdrawn from further consideration.
Any references to applicant’s specification are made by way of applicant’s U.S. pre-grant printed patent publication.
This action is in response to the communication filed on 3/19/26.
All objections and rejections not set forth below have been withdrawn.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 3/19/26 has been entered.
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 1 – 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Jin et al. (Jin), US 2024/0340751 A1.
Regarding claim 1, Jin discloses:
An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform (e.g. Jin, fig. 13; claim 9)
obtaining at least one secondary node counter list (e.g. Jin, Abstract – sk-counter list; fig. 6:620; fig. 7:720, 730; par. 13, 162, 175, 176, 238 – at least one or more SN configurations, each including a sk-counter list, corresponding to one or more secondary nodes, e.g. 604, 605 and/or 703, 704, 705), wherein each of the at least one secondary node counter list is specific to a respective secondary node (e.g. Jin, par. 13, 15, 161, 162, 231 – 236, 238; fig. 6 – a plurality of secondary nodes 603, 604, 605) of a plurality of secondary nodes (e.g. Jin, fig. 6 – a plurality of secondary nodes 603, 604, 605), and comprises a plurality of secondary node counter values for successive accesses to the respective secondary node (e.g. Jin, par. 14, 15, 155, 156, 219, 238),
obtaining an indication of a secondary node of the plurality of secondary nodes (e.g. Jin, par. 162, 164, 193 – terminal receives a CPC related condition for a specific SN).
generating a secondary node key at least partially based on the at least one obtained secondary node counter list and the indication of the secondary node (e.g. Jin, Abstract; par. 162, 165, 219, 220, 222, 224, 234, 235, 238; fig. 9 – the security key for access to the SN is generated based upon the specific SN’s configuration data, comprising the counter list, and the indication of which SN configuration data to be applied for the identified SN), and
accessing the secondary node using the generated secondary node key (e.g. Jin, Abstract; par. 238; fig. 9).
Regarding claim 2, Jin discloses:
wherein the apparatus is further caused to perform: counting a number of accesses of the apparatus to a respective secondary node, wherein generating the secondary key is further based on the counted number of accesses (e.g. Jin, par. 224, 238, 243, 244).
Regarding claim 3, Jin discloses:
wherein at least one of each of the at least one secondary node counter list comprises a non-monotonic sequence of secondary node counter values (e.g. Jin, par. 246, 247, 253 – alternatively to an increasing sequence, the counter values are random or sequenced according to a predetermined rule), or each of the at least one secondary node counter list mutually differ from one another (e.g. Jin, par. 237, 238, 256, 264, 265).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 - 3 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JEFFERY L WILLIAMS whose telephone number is (571)272-7965. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30 am - 4:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Farid Homayounmehr can be reached on 571-272-3739. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JEFFERY L WILLIAMS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2495