DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. 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 § 102
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Claims 1-3 and 9-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Park et al. (US 2022/0330233 A1, hereinafter “Park”).
Regarding claims 1 and 10-12, Park teaches a method performed by a user equipment (UE) (figs. 6, 15, ¶ [0562]), the method comprising: multiplexing a plurality of uplink control information (UCI)s with different priorities including a first UCI with a first priority index and a second UCI with a second priority index which is lower than the first priority index, based on the UE being configured to multiplex the plurality of UCIs with different priorities on a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH); and transmitting the PUSCH in which the plurality of UCIs are multiplexed ( figs. 6, 7, ¶ [0336], ¶ [0340], ¶ [0341], ¶ [0342], there is a method in which HP HARQ-ACK and LP HARQ-ACK are concurrently multiplexed in one PUCCH or PUSCH. Accordingly, in case that multiplexed in a PUCCH or PUSCH, HP HARQ-ACK and LP HARQ-ACK are possible to be multiplexed together with existing CSI part 1 and CSI part 2, ¶ [0349]), wherein, in the multiplexing of the first UCI and the second UCI on the PUSCH, based on the PUSCH being associated with the second priority index (¶ [0336], generally URLLC service is prioritized over eMBB, and thus in case that at least one symbol among channels allocated with eMBB overlaps a channel allocated with URLLC, the terminal selects at least one of URLLC or eMBB channel to transmit. The PUCCH or PUSCH indicated by 0 may be considered for eMBB and the PUCCH or PUSCH indicated by 1 may be considered for URLLC. ¶ [0342], a method in which HP HARQ-ACK and LP HARQ-ACK are concurrently multiplexed in one PUCCH or PUSCH. Accordingly, in case that multiplexed in a PUCCH or PUSCH, HP HARQ-ACK and LP HARQ-ACK are possible to be multiplexed together with existing CSI part 1 and CSI part 2. In other words, the PUSCH or PUCCH resources are allocated for eMBB/second priority and/or URLLC/high priority. Therefore, the PUCCH or PUSCH is associated with the first priority and the second priority. The UE selects one of the first priority or second priority PUSCH resource/channel (where the PUSCH is associated with the first priority and the second priority). The UE multiplexes the first UCI and the second UCI based on the selected PUSCH being associated with the second and the first priority), the first UCI including first hybrid automatic repeat request-acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) information, and the second UCI including second HARQ-ACK information: the first HARQ-ACK information of the first UCI is allocated with a first resource amount by taking the first HARQ-ACK information as a first UCI type for HARQ-ACK, and the second HARQ-ACK information of the second UCI is allocated with a second resource amount by taking the second HARQ-ACK information as a second UCI type for a channel state information (CSI) part 1, the second resource amount being determined based on a plurality of values including a first value which is obtained based on a deduction of the first resource amount (figs. 8-12, ¶ [0289], three pieces of uplink control information, that is HARQ-ACK, CSI part 1, and CSI part 2 may be transmitted via the uplink data channel, and each piece of uplink control information may be mapped to PUSCH according to a predetermined multiplexing rule, ¶ [0296], claim 2. ¶ [0313], ¶ [0336], ¶ [0339], assuming that a resource of PUCCH or PUSCH finally determined through a PUCCH or PUSCH overlapping and having a low priority refers to a second PUCCH or second PUSCH and a PUCCH or PUSCH having higher priority refers to a first PUCCH or first PUSCH, the terminal cancels the transmission of the second PUCCH and second PUSCH in case that the second PUCCH or second PUSCH overlap the first PUCCH or first PUSCH from the perspective of time resource. ¶ [0344]- ¶ [0348], ¶ [0363]-¶ [0366], ¶ [0379] In case that there is HP HARQ-ACK information to be transmitted to a PUSCH, rate matching is performed. That is, the coded bits of HP HARQ-ACK information are mapped in the frequency-first scheme from a first symbol immediately after a symbol in which a first DMRS exists among resources to which a PUSCH has been allocated. ¶ [0383] In case that there are HP HARQ-ACK information and LP HARQ-ACK information to be transmitted to a PUSCH, rate matching is performed for the LP HARQ-ACK. That is, coded bits of LP HARQ-ACK information are mapped in the frequency-first scheme from a first symbol excluding resources to which DMRS or HP HARQ-ACK information-coded bits have been allocated among resources to which a PUSCH has been allocated. ¶ [0385] In case that there is CSI part information to be transmitted to a PUSCH, rate matching is performed. CSI part 1 is mapped in the frequency-first manner from a first symbol immediately after excluding resources to which DMRS and HP HARQ-ACK information allocated in the previous steps have been allocated, among resources to which a PUSCH has been allocated. In other words, when HP HARQ-ACK information and LP HARQ-ACK information to be transmitted to a PUSCH the LP HARQ-ACK is allocated with a second resource amount as a second UCI type for a channel state information (CSI) part).
Regarding claim 2, Park teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the first UCI with a first/larger priority index does not include any HARQ-ACK information, the UE performs resource element (RE) reservation for potential HARQ-ACK related to the first priority index on the PUSCH (figs. 7, 12A, 12B, ¶ [0290], ¶ [0336], ¶ [0353], ¶ [0356], ¶ [0376]).
Regarding claim 3, Park teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein, based on the PUSCH being associated with the first priority index, and the first UCI with the first/larger priority index does not include any HARQ-ACK information, the UE performs the multiplexing, assuming that a potential HARQ-ACK related to the first priority index is the first type (figs. 7, 12A, 12B, ¶ [0290], ¶ [0353], ¶ [0356], ¶ [0376]).
Regarding claim 9, Park teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein two-part CSI including the CSI part 1 and CSI part 2 is related to aperiodic CSI reporting (¶ [0285], The aperiodic CSI reporting may include at least one or all of CSI part 1 and CSI part 2, and in case that the aperiodic CSI reporting is transmitted through a PUSCH, the aperiodic CSI reporting may be multiplexed to a transport block).
Regarding claims 13 and 14, Park teaches a method performed by base station (BS) (figs. 6, 14, 16, ¶ [0562]), the method comprising: receiving a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) from a user equipment; obtaining a plurality of uplink control information (UCI)s with different priorities including a first UCI with a first priority index and a second UCI with a second priority index which is lower than the first priority index, based on the BS has configured the UE to multiplex the plurality of UCIs with different priorities on a PUSCH( figs. 6, 7, ¶ [0340], ¶ [0341], ¶ [0342], there is a method in which HP HARQ-ACK and LP HARQ-ACK are concurrently multiplexed in one PUCCH or PUSCH. Accordingly, in case that multiplexed in a PUCCH or PUSCH, HP HARQ-ACK and LP HARQ-ACK are possible to be multiplexed together with existing CSI part 1 and CSI part 2, ¶ [0349]), wherein, in the obtaining of the first UCI and the second UCI from the PUSCH, ]), wherein, in the multiplexing of the first UCI and the second UCI on the PUSCH, based on the PUSCH being associated with the second priority index (¶ [0336], generally URLLC service is prioritized over eMBB, and thus in case that at least one symbol among channels allocated with eMBB overlaps a channel allocated with URLLC, the terminal selects at least one of URLLC or eMBB channel to transmit. The PUCCH or PUSCH indicated by 0 may be considered for eMBB and the PUCCH or PUSCH indicated by 1 may be considered for URLLC. ¶ [0342], a method in which HP HARQ-ACK and LP HARQ-ACK are concurrently multiplexed in one PUCCH or PUSCH. Accordingly, in case that multiplexed in a PUCCH or PUSCH, HP HARQ-ACK and LP HARQ-ACK are possible to be multiplexed together with existing CSI part 1 and CSI part 2. In other words, the PUSCH or PUCCH resources are allocated for eMBB/second priority and/or URLLC/high priority. Therefore, the PUCCH or PUSCH is associated with the first priority and the second priority. The UE selects one of the first priority or second priority PUSCH resource/channel (where the PUSCH is associated with the first priority and the second priority). The UE multiplexes the first UCI and the second UCI based on the selected PUSCH being associated with the second and the first priority), the first UCI including first hybrid automatic repeat request-acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) information, and the second UCI including second HARQ-ACK information: the first HARQ-ACK information of the first UCI is obtained based on a first resource amount by taking the first HARQ-ACK information as a first UCI type for HARQ-ACK, and the second HARQ-ACK information of the second UCI is obtained based on a second resource amount by taking the second HARQ-ACK information as a second UCI type for a channel state information (CSI) part 1, the second resource amount being determined based on a plurality of values including a first value which is obtained based on a deduction of the first resource amount (figs. 8-12, ¶ [0289], three pieces of uplink control information, that is HARQ-ACK, CSI part 1, and CSI part 2 may be transmitted via the uplink data channel, and each piece of uplink control information may be mapped to PUSCH according to a predetermined multiplexing rule, ¶ [0313], ¶ [0336], ¶ [0339], assuming that a resource of PUCCH or PUSCH finally determined through a PUCCH or PUSCH overlapping and having a low priority refers to a second PUCCH or second PUSCH and a PUCCH or PUSCH having higher priority refers to a first PUCCH or first PUSCH, the terminal cancels the transmission of the second PUCCH and second PUSCH in case that the second PUCCH or second PUSCH overlap the first PUCCH or first PUSCH from the perspective of time resource ¶ [0344] ¶ [0348], ¶ [0363]-¶ [0366], ¶ [0379] In case that there is HP HARQ-ACK information to be transmitted to a PUSCH, rate matching is performed. That is, the coded bits of HP HARQ-ACK information are mapped in the frequency-first scheme from a first symbol immediately after a symbol in which a first DMRS exists among resources to which a PUSCH has been allocated. ¶ [0383] In case that there are HP HARQ-ACK information and LP HARQ-ACK information to be transmitted to a PUSCH, rate matching is performed for the LP HARQ-ACK. That is, coded bits of LP HARQ-ACK information are mapped in the frequency-first scheme from a first symbol excluding resources to which DMRS or HP HARQ-ACK information-coded bits have been allocated among resources to which a PUSCH has been allocated. ¶ [0385] In case that there is CSI part information to be transmitted to a PUSCH, rate matching is performed. CSI part 1 is mapped in the frequency-first manner from a first symbol immediately after excluding resources to which DMRS and HP HARQ-ACK information allocated in the previous steps have been allocated, among resources to which a PUSCH has been allocated. In other words, when HP HARQ-ACK information and LP HARQ-ACK information to be transmitted to a PUSCH the LP HARQ-ACK is allocated with a second resource amount as a second UCI type for a channel state information (CSI) part).
Regarding claim 15, Park teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the smaller priority index is an integer 0, and the larger priority index is an integer 1 (¶ [0336], the priority information may be indicated by higher-layer signaling or L1 signaling and priority information value may be 0 or 1. ¶ [0341] ).
Regarding claims 16-18, Park teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein, based on the PUSCH being associated with the second priority index, and the first UCI including the first HARQ-ACK information, the second UCI including the second HARQ-ACK information and CSI part 1 information: the CSI part 1 information of the second UCI is multiplexed on the PUSCH, based on a third UCI type related to a CSI part 2 (figs. 8-12, ¶ [0289], three pieces of uplink control information, that is HARQ-ACK, CSI part 1, and CSI part 2 may be transmitted via the uplink data channel, and each piece of uplink control information may be mapped to PUSCH according to a predetermined multiplexing rule, ¶ [0313], ¶ [0363]-¶ [0366], ¶ [0379], ¶ [0383], ¶ [0385]).
Regarding claims 19 and 20, Park teaches the method according to claim 13, wherein, based on the PUSCH being associated with the second priority index, and the first UCI including the first HARQ-ACK information, the second UCI including the second HARQ-ACK information and CSI part 1 information: the CSI part 1 information of the second UCI is obtained from the stage PUSCH, based on a third UCI type related to a CSI part 2 (figs. 8-12, ¶ [0289], three pieces of uplink control information, that is HARQ-ACK, CSI part 1, and CSI part 2 may be transmitted via the uplink data channel, and each piece of uplink control information may be mapped to PUSCH according to a predetermined multiplexing rule, ¶ [0313], ¶ [0363]-¶ [0366], ¶ [0379], ¶ [0383], ¶ [0385]).
5. Claims 1-3 and 10-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yang et al. (US 2022/0167348 A1, hereinafter “Yang”).
Note: all citations refer to provisional application # 63/118549.
Regarding claims 1 and 10-12, Yang teaches a method performed by a user equipment (UE) ((figs. 3-6, ¶ [0009]), the method comprising: multiplexing a plurality of uplink control information (UCI)s with different priorities including a first UCI with a first priority index and a second UCI with a second priority index which is lower than the first priority index, based on the UE being configured to multiplex the plurality of UCIs with different priorities on a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH); and transmitting the PUSCH in which the plurality of UCIs are multiplexed ( figs. 3-6, ¶ [0006], ¶ [0120], ¶ [0121], ¶ [0123], multiplex high priority and low priority UCI transmissions on an uplink shared channel. ¶ [0126], An uplink transmission may be associated with a priority index of 0 or 1, where priority index 1 may have a higher priority than priority index 0. The high priority UCI transmission 205 and low priority UCI transmission 210 may be examples of a HARQ acknowledgment transmission or a CSI transmission. ¶ [0128]), wherein, in the multiplexing of the first UCI and the second UCI on the PUSCH, based on the PUSCH being associated with the second priority index (¶ [0136], a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) or PUSCH transmission of higher priority (e.g., with a larger priority index) that would overlap a PUCCH or PUSCH transmission of lower priority (e.g., with a lower priority index), ¶ [0137]. Where the PUSCH is associated with the first/high and/or second second/low priority index. In other words, the PUCCH or PUSCH is associated with the first/high priority and the second/low priority. The UE multiplexes the first UCI and the second UCI based on the selected PUSCH being associated with the second and the first priority), the first UCI including first hybrid automatic repeat request-acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) information, and the second UCI including second HARQ-ACK information: the first HARQ-ACK information of the first UCI is allocated with a first resource amount by taking the first HARQ-ACK information as a first UCI type for HARQ-ACK, and the second HARQ-ACK information of the second UCI is with a second resource amount by taking the second HARQ-ACK information as a second UCI type for a channel state information (CSI) part 1, the second resource amount being determined based on a plurality of values including a first value which is obtained based on a deduction of the first resource amount (figs. 3-6, ¶ [0006], ¶ [0131], [0133], ¶ [0138], ¶ [0144], both the high priority HARQ ACK transmission and the low priority HARQ ACK transmission may have a payload size which is less than or equal to the threshold bit size. The UE 115 may determine a first set of resources 305 for the high priority HARQ ACK transmission. The UE 115 may then determine a second set of resources 310 for the low priority UCI transmission, where the second set of resources 310 are non-overlapping with the first set of resources 305. The first set of resources 305 may be reserved for the high priority HARQ ACK transmission, and the second set of resources 310 may be reserved for the low priority HARQ ACK transmission. In other words, when HP HARQ-ACK information and LP HARQ-ACK information to be transmitted to a PUSCH the LP HARQ-ACK is allocated with a second resource amount as a second UCI type for a channel state information (CSI) part, ¶ [0145]- ¶ [0146]).
Regarding claim 2, Yang teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the first UCI with a first/larger priority index does not include any HARQ-ACK information, the UE performs resource element (RE) reservation for potential HARQ-ACK related to the first priority index on the PUSCH (¶ [0122], a certain amount of reserved HARQ ACK resource elements. The first part of the CSI transmission may not be mapped on the reserved HARQ ACK resource elements. ¶ [0133]).
Regarding claim 3, Yang teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein, based on the PUSCH being associated with the first priority index, and the first UCI with the first/larger priority index does not include any HARQ-ACK information, the UE performs the multiplexing, assuming that a potential HARQ-ACK related to the first priority index is the first type (¶ [0122], a certain amount of reserved HARQ ACK resource elements. The first part of the CSI transmission may not be mapped on the reserved HARQ ACK resource elements. ¶ [0133]).
Regarding claims 13 and 14, Yang teaches a method performed by base station (BS) (figs. 4, ¶ [0037]), the method comprising: receiving a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) from a user equipment; obtaining a plurality of uplink control information (UCI)s with different priorities including a first UCI with a first priority index and a second UCI with a second priority index which is lower than the first priority index, based on the BS has configured the UE to multiplex the plurality of UCIs with different priorities on a PUSCH (figs. 3-6, ¶ [0120], ¶ [0121], ¶ [0123], multiplex high priority and low priority UCI transmissions on an uplink shared channel. ¶ [0126], An uplink transmission may be associated with a priority index of 0 or 1, where priority index 1 may have a higher priority than priority index 0. The high priority UCI transmission 205 and low priority UCI transmission 210 may be examples of a HARQ acknowledgment transmission or a CSI transmission. ¶ [0128], ¶ [0130], ¶ [0133]), wherein, in the obtaining of the first UCI and the second UCI from the PUSCH, based the PUSCH being associated with the second priority index (¶ [0136], a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) or PUSCH transmission of higher priority (e.g., with a larger priority index) that would overlap a PUCCH or PUSCH transmission of lower priority (e.g., with a lower priority index), ¶ [0137]. Where the PUSCH is associated with the first/high and/or second second/low priority index. In other words, the PUCCH or PUSCH is associated with the first/high priority and the second/low priority. The UE multiplexes the first UCI and the second UCI based on the selected PUSCH being associated with the second and/or the first priority), the first UCI including first hybrid automatic repeat request-acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) information, and the second UCI including second HARQ-ACK information: the first HARQ-ACK information of the first UCI is obtained based on a first resource amount allocated for a first UCI type for HARQ-ACK, and the second HARQ-ACK information of the second UCI is obtained based on a second resource amount allocated for a second UCI type for a channel state information (CSI) part 1, the second resource amount being determined based on a plurality of values including a first value which is obtained based on a deduction of the first resource amount (figs. 3-6, ¶ [0006], ¶ [0131], [0133], ¶ [0138], ¶ [0144], both the high priority HARQ ACK transmission and the low priority HARQ ACK transmission may have a payload size which is less than or equal to the threshold bit size. The UE 115 may determine a first set of resources 305 for the high priority HARQ ACK transmission. The UE 115 may then determine a second set of resources 310 for the low priority UCI transmission, where the second set of resources 310 are non-overlapping with the first set of resources 305. The first set of resources 305 may be reserved for the high priority HARQ ACK transmission, and the second set of resources 310 may be reserved for the low priority HARQ ACK transmission. In other words, when HP HARQ-ACK information and LP HARQ-ACK information to be transmitted to a PUSCH the LP HARQ-ACK is allocated with a second resource amount as a second UCI type for a channel state information (CSI) part, ¶ 0145]-¶ [0148]).
Regarding claim 15, Yang teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the smaller priority index is an integer 0, and the larger priority index is an integer 1 (¶ [0126], An uplink transmission may be associated with a priority index of 0 or 1, where priority index 1 may have a higher priority than priority index 0).
Regarding claims 16-18, Yang teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein, based on the PUSCH being associated with the second priority index, and the first UCI including the first HARQ-ACK information, the second UCI including the second HARQ-ACK information and CSI part 1 information: the CSI part 1 information of the second UCI is multiplexed on the PUSCH, based on a third UCI type related to a CSI part 2 (figs. 3-6, ¶ [0122], ¶ [0145]).
Regarding claims 19 and 20, Yang teaches the method according to claim 13, wherein, based on the PUSCH being associated with the second priority index, and the first UCI including the first HARQ-ACK information, the second UCI including the second HARQ-ACK information and CSI part 1 information: the CSI part 1 information of the second UCI is obtained from the stage PUSCH, based on a third UCI type related to a CSI part 2 (figs. 3-6, ¶ [0122], ¶ [0145]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
6. 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.
7. The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
8. This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
9. Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang in view of Park.
Regarding claim 9, Yang teaches the method according to claim 1.
Yang does not explicitly teach wherein the first part of the CSI with the larger priority index and the second part of the CSI are related to aperiodic CSI reporting
Park teaches a first part of the CSI with the larger priority index and the second part of the CSI are related to aperiodic CSI reporting (¶ [0285], The aperiodic CSI reporting may include at least one or all of CSI part 1 and CSI part 2, and in case that the aperiodic CSI reporting is transmitted through a PUSCH, the aperiodic CSI reporting may be multiplexed to a transport block).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize aperiodic CSI (the first part of the CSI with the larger priority index and the second part of the CSI) reporting in the system of Yang to improve industrial applicability.
Response to Arguments
10. Applicant’s arguments, with respect to rejection under 35 U.S.C §112 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection under 35 U.S.C §112 has been withdrawn.
11. Applicant’s arguments with respect 35 U.S.C §§ 102 and 103 have been considered but are not persuasive.
Examiner submits that although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
In this case, the claims require “wherein, in the multiplexing of the first UCI and the second UCI on the PUSCH, based on the PUSCH being associated with the second priority index…”
The PUSCH resources are allocated for first/high priority and second/low priority data. Therefore, the PUSCH itself is associated with the high priority and low priority. And the claims do not limit the PUSCH only for low priority or only for high priority, or how the multiplexing of the first UCI and the second UCI on the PUSCH performed based on the PUSCH resource being high priority or low priority.
Therefore, using the broadest reasonable interpretation, the amended claims 1 and 11-14 are anticipated by Park and Yang, as set forth above.
Conclusion
11. 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.
12. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MANDISH RANDHAWA whose telephone number is (571)270-5650. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday (9 AM-7 PM). 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.
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/MANDISH K RANDHAWA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2477