Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 18, 2026
Application No. 17/607,465

TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING AN INDICATION

Final Rejection §103
Filed
Oct 29, 2021
Priority
Apr 30, 2019 — CN PCT/CN2019/085244 +1 more
Examiner
ACOLATSE, KODZOVI
Art Unit
2478
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
OA Round
7 (Final)
84%
Grant Probability
Favorable
8-9
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 84% — above average
84%
Career Allowance Rate
783 granted / 935 resolved
+25.7% vs TC avg
Strong +21% interview lift
Without
With
+21.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 6m
Avg Prosecution
50 currently pending
Career history
989
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
5.5%
-34.5% vs TC avg
§103
54.9%
+14.9% vs TC avg
§102
22.3%
-17.7% vs TC avg
§112
9.1%
-30.9% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 935 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 . Claims 1, 5, 8, 14, 20, 22, 40, 42, 44, 46 and 55-57 are pending in this office action. Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments with respect to the amendment filed 07/16/2026 have been considered but are moot in view of new grounds of rejection. 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, 5, 14, 20, 22, 40, 42 and 46 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun et al (US 2018/0014298 A1) in view of Zhang et al (US 2019/0373607 A1). Regarding claim 1, Sun teaches a method in a wireless communication device (WCD), the method comprising: the WCD receiving from a base station serving the WCD information indicating a plurality of transmission resources for a first channel between the WCD and the serving base station that have been allocated to the WCD, wherein the plurality of transmission resources allocated to the WCD comprises a first transmission occasions allocated to the WCD and one or more second transmission occasions allocated to the WCD (Sun: Fig. 4B; [0109]-[0110], UE receives multi-TTI grant from the bae station; the multi-TTI grant comprising TTI3 to TTI10 (8 TTIs/slots)/first slot and TTI0 to TTI2/second slot). Sun does not explicitly disclose prior to the occurrence of the one or more second transmission occasions, the WCD transmitting to the network node uplink control information (UCI), wherein the UCI transmitted by the WCD explicitly identifies at least one of the one or more second transmission occasions allocated to the WCD that the WCD will not use to transmit any information on the first channel. Zhang teaches prior to the occurrence of the one or more second transmission occasions, the WCD transmitting to the network node uplink control information (UCI), wherein the UCI transmitted by the WCD explicitly identifies at least one of the one or more second transmission occasions allocated to the WCD that the WCD will not use to transmit any information on the first channel (Zhang: Figs. 4-5; [0138], [0162]-[0175] early termination of transmission in a multi-grant TTI disclosed). It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Sun wherein prior to the occurrence of the one or more second transmission occasions, the WCD transmitting to the network node uplink control information (UCI), wherein the UCI transmitted by the WCD explicitly identifies at least one of the one or more second transmission occasions allocated to the WCD that the WCD will not use to transmit any information on the first channel as disclosed by Zhang to provide a system for early feedback for transmission in a set of consecutive transmission time intervals (Zhang: Abstract). Regarding claims 5 and 42, Sun in view of Zhang teaches wherein transmitting the indication comprises transmitting the indication on a second channel different to than the first channel (Zhang: Figs. 4-5; UCI on control channels 430 and 530). Regarding claim 14, Sun teaches wherein the transmission resources comprise transmission resources of a PUSCH transmission (Sun: [0112]). Regarding claim 20, Sun teaches a method performed by a base station, the method comprising: allocating to a wireless communication device (WCD) a plurality of transmission resources of a first channel between the base station and the WCD for use by the WCD to transmit information to the base station via the first channel, wherein the plurality of transmission resources allocated to the WCD comprises a first transmission occasion allocated to the WCD and a and one or more second transmission occasions allocated to the WCD, wherein the first transmission resource comprises a first slot and the second transmission resource comprises a second slot (Sun: Fig. 4B; [0109]-[0110], UE receives multi-TTI grant from the bae station; the multi-TTI grant comprising TTI3 to TTI10 (8 TTIs/slots)/first slot and TTI0 to TTI2/second slot). Sun does not explicitly disclose prior to the occurrence of the one or more second transmission occasions, the WCD transmitting to the network node uplink control information (UCI), wherein the UCI transmitted by the WCD explicitly identifies at least one of the one or more second transmission occasions allocated to the WCD that the WCD will not use to transmit any information on the first channel. Zhang teaches prior to the occurrence of the one or more second transmission occasions, the WCD transmitting to the network node uplink control information (UCI), wherein the UCI transmitted by the WCD explicitly identifies at least one of the one or more second transmission occasions allocated to the WCD that the WCD will not use to transmit any information on the first channel (Zhang: Figs. 4-5; [0138], [0162]-[0175] early termination of transmission in a multi-grant TTI disclosed). It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Sun wherein prior to the occurrence of the one or more second transmission occasions, the WCD transmitting to the network node uplink control information (UCI), wherein the UCI transmitted by the WCD explicitly identifies at least one of the one or more second transmission occasions allocated to the WCD that the WCD will not use to transmit any information on the first channel as disclosed by Zhang to provide a system for early feedback for transmission in a set of consecutive transmission time intervals (Zhang: Abstract). Regarding claim 22, Sun in view of Zhang teaches before receiving the indication, sending to the WCD a message comprising information indicating the plurality of transmission resources allocated to the WCD (Zhang: Figs. 4-5; PDCCH 410, 510). Regarding claim 40, Sun teaches A wireless communications device (WCD), the WCD comprising: a receiver for receiving from a base station serving the WCD information indicating a plurality of transmission resources for a first channel between the WCD and the serving base station that have been allocated to the WCD, wherein the plurality of transmission resources allocated to the WCD comprises a first transmission occasions allocated to the WCD and one or more second transmission occasions allocated to the WCD (Sun: Fig. 4B; [0109]-[0110], UE receives multi-TTI grant from the bae station; the multi-TTI grant comprising TTI3 to TTI10 (8 TTIs/slots)/first slot and TTI0 to TTI2/second slot). Sun does not explicitly disclose prior to the occurrence of the one or more second transmission occasions, the WCD transmitting to the network node uplink control information (UCI), wherein the UCI transmitted by the WCD explicitly identifies at least one of the one or more second transmission occasions allocated to the WCD that the WCD will not use to transmit any information on the first channel. Zhang teaches prior to the occurrence of the one or more second transmission occasions, the WCD transmitting to the network node uplink control information (UCI), wherein the UCI transmitted by the WCD explicitly identifies at least one of the one or more second transmission occasions allocated to the WCD that the WCD will not use to transmit any information on the first channel (Zhang: Figs. 4-5; [0138], [0162]-[0175] early termination of transmission in a multi-grant TTI disclosed). It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Sun wherein prior to the occurrence of the one or more second transmission occasions, the WCD transmitting to the network node uplink control information (UCI), wherein the UCI transmitted by the WCD explicitly identifies at least one of the one or more second transmission occasions allocated to the WCD that the WCD will not use to transmit any information on the first channel as disclosed by Zhang to provide a system for early feedback for transmission in a set of consecutive transmission time intervals (Zhang: Abstract). Regarding claim 46, Sun teaches A base station (BS), the BS comprising: a processor; and a memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processor such that the BS is operable to perform a method comprising: allocating to a wireless communication device (WCD) a plurality of transmission resources of a first channel between the base station and the WCD for use by the WCD to transmit information to the base station via the first channel, wherein the plurality of transmission resources allocated to the WCD comprises a first transmission occasion allocated to the WCD and a and one or more second transmission occasions allocated to the WCD, wherein the first transmission resource comprises a first slot and the second transmission resource comprises a second slot (Sun: Fig. 4B; [0109]-[0110], UE receives multi-TTI grant from the bae station; the multi-TTI grant comprising TTI3 to TTI10 (8 TTIs/slots)/first slot and TTI0 to TTI2/second slot). Sun does not explicitly disclose prior to the occurrence of the one or more second transmission occasions, the WCD transmitting to the network node uplink control information (UCI), wherein the UCI transmitted by the WCD explicitly identifies at least one of the one or more second transmission occasions allocated to the WCD that the WCD will not use to transmit any information on the first channel. Zhang teaches prior to the occurrence of the one or more second transmission occasions, the WCD transmitting to the network node uplink control information (UCI), wherein the UCI transmitted by the WCD explicitly identifies at least one of the one or more second transmission occasions allocated to the WCD that the WCD will not use to transmit any information on the first channel (Zhang: Figs. 4-5; [0138], [0162]-[0175] early termination of transmission in a multi-grant TTI disclosed). It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Sun wherein prior to the occurrence of the one or more second transmission occasions, the WCD transmitting to the network node uplink control information (UCI), wherein the UCI transmitted by the WCD explicitly identifies at least one of the one or more second transmission occasions allocated to the WCD that the WCD will not use to transmit any information on the first channel as disclosed by Zhang to provide a system for early feedback for transmission in a set of consecutive transmission time intervals (Zhang: Abstract). Claims 8 and 44 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun et al (US 2018/0014298 A1) in view of Zhang et al (US 2019/0373607 A1) in further view of Mukherjee et al (US 2020/0267752 A1). Regarding claims 8 and 44, Sun in view of Zhang does not teach but Mukherjee teaches wherein the method further comprises the WCD determining, based on a buffer status, an amount of information to be transmitted in a transmission occasion, a number of earlier Listen Before Talk (LBT) failures, and/or a channel occupancy of the first channel, that the second transmission resource allocated to the WCD can be allocated to another WCD (Mukherjee: Fig. 13; [0040], [0085]). It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Sun in view of Zhang wherein the method further comprises the WCD determining, based on a buffer status, an amount of information to be transmitted in a transmission occasion, a number of earlier Listen Before Talk (LBT) failures, and/or a channel occupancy of the first channel, that the second transmission resource allocated to the WCD can be allocated to another WCD as disclosed by Mukherjee to provide a system for efficient scheduling of uplink resources (Mukherjee: Abstract). Conclusion THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KODZOVI ACOLATSE whose telephone number is (571)270-1999. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 10 am to 6pm. 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, Avellino Joseph can be reached at (571) 272-3905. 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. /KODZOVI ACOLATSE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478
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Prosecution Timeline

Show 12 earlier events
Aug 06, 2025
Final Rejection mailed — §103
Dec 05, 2025
Response after Non-Final Action
Dec 30, 2025
Request for Continued Examination
Jan 13, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Jan 16, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
Apr 16, 2026
Applicant Interview (Telephonic)
Jul 16, 2026
Response Filed
Aug 05, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

8-9
Expected OA Rounds
84%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+21.1%)
2y 6m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 935 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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