CTNF 17/311,984 CTNF 80036 DETAILED ACTION 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. PTAB Decision dated 3/18/2026 is acknowledged. Rejections of claims 1, 3-11, 13, 14, and 16-22 under 35 USC 103 based on the combination of Scherzer, Pallas, and Ning have been affirmed. Rejection of claim 34 under 35 USC 102(a)(1) based on Scherzer is reversed. Claims 1, 3-11, 13, 14, and 16-22 stand rejected under 35 USC 103 as affirmed. Claim 34 as filed 11/1/2024 remains pending and is newly rejected, as further addressed below. Information Disclosure Statement 06-52 The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/22/2025 was filed after the filing date of the reply brief on 7/21/2025. See 37 CFR 41.35(d) and MPEP 1212. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. In view of the IDS filed on 10/22/2025, as noted above, PROSECUTION IS HEREBY REOPENED under 37 CFR 1.198. A new rejection is set forth below. A Technology Center (TC) Director and Supervisory Patent Examiner (SPE) has approved of reopening prosecution by signing below: /CHIRAG G SHAH/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2477 /DEBORAH J REYNOLDS/Director, Art Unit 2400 Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim 34 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Scherzer et al. (US20090124284A1), hereafter Scherzer, in view of Wuellner et al. (USP 9693276B1; cited in IDS filed 10/22/2025 ), hereafter Wuellner . Regarding independent claim 34, Scherzer discloses a method ( Fig. 2, 8, 9 ) performed by a user equipment ( Fig. 1, client 120; Fig. 4, mobile terminal 420 ) comprising receiving, from a network-suggesting entity, a wireless network suggestion requesting connection of the user equipment to a wireless local area network (WLAN) ( Fig. 2, 220; Fig. 8, step 815; Fig. 9, step 915; paragraph 163; instructions to client/receive AP data ). Scherzer shows reviewing connection performance data relating to previous network connections with the WLAN, the reviewing the connection performance data comprising reviewing received signal strength indicator (RSSI) signals ( paragraph 41-48, 96-98; determine both quality and accessibility of radio resources based on historical data of the user’s community including RSSI ), determining, based on the reviewed connection performance data, that the reviewed data satisfies a criterion, the determining that the reviewed data satisfies the criterion comprising determining whether RSSI signals from the WLAN are varying ( paragraph 47, 96, 111; quality of connection based on RSSI measurements ) and after determining that the reviewed data satisfies the criterion, deciding to not establish a wireless connection with the WLAN ( Fig. 2, step 235 “no”; Fig. 8, 830-840; Fig. 9, step 935-945; paragraphs 141, 162, 163; monitored connection quality/RSSI falls/varies below threshold, does not connect/tries another/next AP and/or notifies client/server ). As noted on pg. 4 the PTAB Decision, Scherzer as shown above discloses deciding not to establish a wireless connection after already being connected (based on the monitored connection quality falling below a threshold), but fails to expressly show deciding not to establish a connection based upon previously reviewed RSSI variability . However, provided analogous prior art to Wuellner ( Title: Intelligent Network Connection Selection ) discloses deciding not to establish an initial connection based upon previously reviewed RSSI variability ( Abstract; Fig. 2-3; Col. 3-4, lines 40-15; Col. 7, lines 44-55; Col. 9, lines 15-48, and Col. 9-10, line 55-33; historical connection information related to previous network connections including historical connectivity disruptions/i.e. variability considered in deciding not to select/establish an initial network connection ). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of effective filing to modify Scherzer by deciding not to establish a connection based upon previously reviewed RSSI variability, as shown by Wuellner, thereby providing more accurate selection of a stable network connection that minimizes connectivity disruptions in the future. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GREGORY B SEFCHECK whose telephone number is (571)272-3098. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 6AM-4PM. 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, Chirag Shah can be reached on 571-272-3144. 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. /GREGORY B SEFCHECK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477 Application/Control Number: 17/311,984 Page 2 Art Unit: 2477 Application/Control Number: 17/311,984 Page 3 Art Unit: 2477 Application/Control Number: 17/311,984 Page 4 Art Unit: 2477 Application/Control Number: 17/311,984 Page 5 Art Unit: 2477
Prosecution Insights