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 .
1.This action is responsive to the communication filed on July 07, 2025. At this time, claims 1- 20 are pending and addressed below.
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.
Examiner’s Note
Examiner urges applicant to submit the foreign priority documents.
Double Patenting
2. The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the "right to exclude" granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Omum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a nonstatutory double patenting ground provided the conflicting application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement.
Effective January 1, 1994, a registered attorney or agent of record may sign a terminal disclaimer. A terminal disclaimer signed by the assignee must fully comply with 37 CFR 3.73(b).
Claims 1-2, 9, 13 and 14 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-2, 4, 11 and 13 of US Patent number 12355884 B2. The conflicting claims are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the current application contains claims that are broader in scope than the claims of the patent number 12355884 B2 and are anticipated by the claims 1-2, 4, 11 and 13.
This is a Non-provisional double patenting rejection.
Claims Comparison Table
Application Number 19/233,474
Patent Number US 12355884 B2
1. A service authorization method comprising: sending, by a client and to a first server, a first request requesting an access token and comprising first slice information, wherein the first slice information comprises a network slice instance identifier list or a single network slice selection assistance information list, and wherein the client is a network function in a core network; and receiving, by the client and from the first server, a first response message comprising the access token, wherein the access token comprises the first slice information.
1. A service authorization method comprising: receiving, by a first server, a first request from a client that is a network element for performing a network function in a core network deployed using a service-based architecture, wherein the first request requests an access token, and wherein the first request comprises first slice information, and wherein the first slice information comprises a network slice instance (NSI) identifier (ID) list or a single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) list; performing, by the first server, authentication on the client; sending, by the first server, a first response message to the client when the client is authenticated, wherein the first response message comprises the access token, and wherein the access token comprises the first slice information; receiving, by a second server, a second request from the client, wherein the second request requests a function service, and wherein the second request comprises the access token; verifying, by the second server, the first slice information to obtain a verification result; and replying, by the second server, to the client based on the verification result.
2. The service authorization method of claim 1, wherein the access token further comprises an expected service name and type, an identifier of the client, or a type of the client.
2. The service authorization method of claim 1, wherein the access token further comprises an expected service name and type, a client identifier, and a client type.
9. An apparatus comprising at least one memory configured to store instructions; and at least ones processor coupled to the at least one memory and configured to execute the instructions to cause the apparatus to: send, to a first server, a first request requesting an access token and comprising first slice information, wherein the first slice information comprises a network slice instance identifier list or a single network slice selection assistance information list, and wherein the apparatus is a network function in a core network; and receive, from the first server, a first response message comprising the access token, wherein the access token comprises the first slice information.
4. A service authorization system comprising: a first server configured to: receive, from a client that is a network element for performing a network function in a core network deployed using a service-based architecture, a first request requesting an access token, wherein the first request comprises first slice information, and wherein the first slice information comprises a network slice instance (NSI) identifier (ID) list or a single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) list; perform authentication on the client; and send a first response message to the client when the client is authenticated, wherein the first response message comprises the access token, and wherein the access token comprises the first slice information; a second server in communication with the first server and configured to: receive, from the client, a second request requesting a function service, wherein the second request comprises the access token; verify the first slice information to obtain a verification result; and reply to the client based on the verification result; and a hardware processor configured to implement the first server or the second server.
13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause an apparatus to: send to a first server, a first request requesting an access token and comprising first slice information, wherein the first slice information comprises a network slice instance identifier list or a single network slice selection assistance information list, and wherein the apparatus is a network function in a core network; and receive, from the first server, a first response message comprising the access token, wherein the access token comprises the first slice information.
11. A server comprising: a receiver configured to receive a request from a client that is a network element for performing a network function in a core network deployed using a service-based architecture, wherein the request requests an access token, wherein the request comprises slice information, and wherein the slice information comprises a network slice instance (NSI) identifier (ID) list or a single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) list; a processor coupled to the receiver and configured to authenticate the client; and a transmitter coupled to the processor and configured to send a response message to the client when the client is authenticated, wherein the response message comprises the access token, and wherein the access token comprises the slice information.
14. A system comprising: a client that is a network function in a core network and is configured to: send a first request requesting an access token, and comprising first slice information, wherein the first slice information comprises a network slice instance identifier list or a single network slice selection assistance information list; and receive a first response message comprising the access token, wherein the access token comprises the first slice information; and a first server configured to: receive the first request; perform authentication on the client; and send, to the client, the first response message when the authentication is successful.
13. A server comprising: a receiver configured to receive a request from a client that is a network element for performing a network function in a core network deployed using a service-based architecture, wherein the request requests a function service, wherein the request comprises an access token, wherein the access token comprises first slice information, and wherein the first slice information comprises a network slice instance (NSI) identifier (ID) list or a single network slice selection assistance information (S-NSSAI) list; a processor coupled to the receiver and configured to verify the first slice information to obtain a verification result; and a transmitter coupled to the processor and configured to reply to the client based on the verification result.
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Ramanujan, US 10715327 B1 (IDS Submitted) does not disclose sending, by a client and to a first server, a first request requesting an access token and comprising first slice information, wherein the first slice information comprises a network slice instance identifier list or a single network slice selection assistance information list, and wherein the client is a network function in a core network; and receiving, by the client and from the first server, a first response message comprising the access token, wherein the access token comprises the first slice information. As similarly recited in independent claims 9, 13, 14.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Zhu, Lily, US20240205728, title “Systems and methods for management of network slice access.”
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Date: 9/28/2026
/JOSNEL JEUDY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2438
