Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 16, 2026
Application No. 17/791,256

Random Access for Low-Complexity User Equipment

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Jul 07, 2022
Priority
Jan 09, 2020 — provisional 62/958,990 +1 more
Examiner
KIM, CHONG G
Art Unit
2443
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
OA Round
4 (Non-Final)
84%
Grant Probability
Favorable
4-5
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
87%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 84% — above average
84%
Career Allowance Rate
371 granted / 444 resolved
+25.6% vs TC avg
Minimal +4% lift
Without
With
+3.5%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 8m
Avg Prosecution
30 currently pending
Career history
476
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
6.7%
-33.3% vs TC avg
§103
45.1%
+5.1% vs TC avg
§102
40.5%
+0.5% vs TC avg
§112
5.5%
-34.5% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 444 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . The office action is non-final due to a new ground of rejection in response to Applicant’s arguments filed on 2/20/2026. Response to Amendment The Amendment filed on 2/20/206 has been entered. Claims 39, 42-45, 48-51, 53-55, 57 and 58 remain pending in the application. Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments on pages 9-10 with respect to claims 39, 45, 51 and 55 have been considered but are moot upon a further consideration and a new ground of rejection made under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lee (US PGPub 2019/0007976). Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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 39, 42-45, 48-51, 53-55, 57 and 58 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lee (US PGPub 2019/0007976). Regarding claims 39 and 45, Lee teaches a method performed by a reduced capability (RedCap) wireless device (WD) (Lee, see paragraph 0022, The specific type of UE may be one of low-end UEs, low-cost UEs, machine type communication (MTC) devices, device to device communication (D2D) devices, low-cost MTC devices and low-cost D2D devices) capable of using a random access preamble to report that it is a RedCap WD (Lee, see figure 8 and paragraph 0087, If the UE is the specific type of UE, at step S110, the MAC layer of the UE performs the NB random access procedure by transmitting a random access preamble to the eNB. The random access preamble may contain a random access preamble ID dedicated to the specific type of UEs, which is selected from a set of random access preamble IDs included in the NB random access configuration) and a random access message 3 to report that it is a RedCap WD (Lee, see figure 8 and paragraph 0090, at step S140, the UE transmits an RRC connection request message to the eNB. If the UE is the specific type of UE, the UE may transmit the RRC connection request message to the eNB through a limited bandwidth based on the scheduling information included in the NB random access response. The RRC connection request message may indicate the eNB that the UE is the specific type of UE, e.g. low-end or low-cost device), the method comprising: obtaining an indication of how to report that it is a RedCap WD (Lee, see figure 8 and paragraphs 0083 and 0085, At step S100, an eNB broadcasts random access configurations via system information to a UE. the second random access configuration may be a narrowband (NB) random access configuration. The NB random access configuration may also contain radio resources used by the NB random access procedure, such as a set of random access preamble IDs, time/frequency resource for the NB random access procedure, and RA-RNTI2 used for the NB random access procedure); and based on the indication, reporting that it is a RedCap WD using at least one of the random access preamble and the random access message 3 (Lee, see figure 8 and paragraphs 0087 and 0090, If the UE is the specific type of UE, at step S110, the MAC layer of the UE performs the NB random access procedure by transmitting a random access preamble to the eNB. The random access preamble may contain a random access preamble ID dedicated to the specific type of UEs, which is selected from a set of random access preamble IDs included in the NB random access configuration. at step S140, the UE transmits an RRC connection request message to the eNB. If the UE is the specific type of UE, the UE may transmit the RRC connection request message to the eNB through a limited bandwidth based on the scheduling information included in the NB random access response. The RRC connection request message may indicate the eNB that the UE is the specific type of UE, e.g. low-end or low-cost device). Regarding claims 42 and 48, Lee teaches comprising: reporting that it is a RedCap WD using both the random access preamble and the random access message 3 (Lee, see figure 8 and paragraphs 0087 and 0090, If the UE is the specific type of UE, at step S110, the MAC layer of the UE performs the NB random access procedure by transmitting a random access preamble to the eNB. The random access preamble may contain a random access preamble ID dedicated to the specific type of UEs, which is selected from a set of random access preamble IDs included in the NB random access configuration. at step S140, the UE transmits an RRC connection request message to the eNB. If the UE is the specific type of UE, the UE may transmit the RRC connection request message to the eNB through a limited bandwidth based on the scheduling information included in the NB random access response. The RRC connection request message may indicate the eNB that the UE is the specific type of UE, e.g. low-end or low-cost device). Regarding claims 43 and 49, Lee teaches wherein the indication is obtained via system information base one (SIB 1) (Lee, see figure 8 and paragraphs 0083 and 0085, At step S100, an eNB broadcasts random access configurations via system information to a UE. the second random access configuration may be a narrowband (NB) random access configuration. The NB random access configuration may also contain radio resources used by the NB random access procedure, such as a set of random access preamble IDs, time/frequency resource for the NB random access procedure, and RA-RNTI2 used for the NB random access procedure). Regarding claims 44 and 50, Lee teaches wherein the indication is obtained via random access channel configuration (Lee, see figure 8 and paragraphs 0083 and 0085, At step S100, an eNB broadcasts random access configurations via system information to a UE. the second random access configuration may be a narrowband (NB) random access configuration. The NB random access configuration may also contain radio resources used by the NB random access procedure, such as a set of random access preamble IDs, time/frequency resource for the NB random access procedure, and RA-RNTI2 used for the NB random access procedure). Regarding claims 51 and 55, Lee teaches a method performed by a network node (Lee, see figure 8, an eNB), the method comprising: providing an indication for how reduced capability (RedCap) wireless devices (WDs) are to report that they are RedCap WDs (Lee, see figure 8 and paragraphs 0083 and 0085, At step S100, an eNB broadcasts random access configurations via system information to a UE. the second random access configuration may be a narrowband (NB) random access configuration. The NB random access configuration may also contain radio resources used by the NB random access procedure, such as a set of random access preamble IDs, time/frequency resource for the NB random access procedure, and RA-RNTI2 used for the NB random access procedure); receiving reporting from a RedCap WD that it is a RedCap WD (Lee, see paragraph 0022, The specific type of UE may be one of low-end UEs, low-cost UEs, machine type communication (MTC) devices, device to device communication (D2D) devices, low-cost MTC devices and low-cost D2D devices), wherein the RedCap WD is capable of using a random access preamble to report that it is a RedCap WD (Lee, see figure 8 and paragraph 0087, If the UE is the specific type of UE, at step S110, the MAC layer of the UE performs the NB random access procedure by transmitting a random access preamble to the eNB. The random access preamble may contain a random access preamble ID dedicated to the specific type of UEs, which is selected from a set of random access preamble IDs included in the NB random access configuration) and a random access message 3 to report that it is a RedCap WD (Lee, see figure 8 and paragraph 0090, at step S140, the UE transmits an RRC connection request message to the eNB. If the UE is the specific type of UE, the UE may transmit the RRC connection request message to the eNB through a limited bandwidth based on the scheduling information included in the NB random access response. The RRC connection request message may indicate the eNB that the UE is the specific type of UE, e.g. low-end or low-cost device), wherein the reporting uses at least one of the random access preamble to report that it is a RedCap WD and the random access message 3 to report that it is a RedCap WD (Lee, see figure 8 and paragraphs 0087 and 0090, If the UE is the specific type of UE, at step S110, the MAC layer of the UE performs the NB random access procedure by transmitting a random access preamble to the eNB. The random access preamble may contain a random access preamble ID dedicated to the specific type of UEs, which is selected from a set of random access preamble IDs included in the NB random access configuration. at step S140, the UE transmits an RRC connection request message to the eNB. If the UE is the specific type of UE, the UE may transmit the RRC connection request message to the eNB through a limited bandwidth based on the scheduling information included in the NB random access response. The RRC connection request message may indicate the eNB that the UE is the specific type of UE, e.g. low-end or low-cost device). Regarding claims 53 and 57, Lee teaches wherein the reporting uses both the random access preamble and the random access message 3 (Lee, see figure 8 and paragraphs 0087 and 0090, If the UE is the specific type of UE, at step S110, the MAC layer of the UE performs the NB random access procedure by transmitting a random access preamble to the eNB. The random access preamble may contain a random access preamble ID dedicated to the specific type of UEs, which is selected from a set of random access preamble IDs included in the NB random access configuration. at step S140, the UE transmits an RRC connection request message to the eNB. If the UE is the specific type of UE, the UE may transmit the RRC connection request message to the eNB through a limited bandwidth based on the scheduling information included in the NB random access response. The RRC connection request message may indicate the eNB that the UE is the specific type of UE, e.g. low-end or low-cost device). Regarding claim 54, Lee teaches wherein the indication is provided via at least one of system information bae one (SIB1) and random access channel configuration (Lee, see figure 8 and paragraphs 0083 and 0085, At step S100, an eNB broadcasts random access configurations via system information to a UE. the second random access configuration may be a narrowband (NB) random access configuration. The NB random access configuration may also contain radio resources used by the NB random access procedure, such as a set of random access preamble IDs, time/frequency resource for the NB random access procedure, and RA-RNTI2 used for the NB random access procedure). Regarding claim 58, Lee teaches wherein the indication is provided via at least one of SIB1 and random access channel configuration (Lee, see figure 8 and paragraphs 0083 and 0085, At step S100, an eNB broadcasts random access configurations via system information to a UE. the second random access configuration may be a narrowband (NB) random access configuration. The NB random access configuration may also contain radio resources used by the NB random access procedure, such as a set of random access preamble IDs, time/frequency resource for the NB random access procedure, and RA-RNTI2 used for the NB random access procedure). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHONG G KIM whose telephone number is (571)270-0619. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri @ 9am - 5pm. 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, Nicholas R. Taylor can be reached at 571-272-3889. 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. /CHONG G KIM/Examiner, Art Unit 2443 /CHRISTOPHER B ROBINSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2443
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Show 2 earlier events
Jan 14, 2025
Response Filed
Apr 03, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102
Jul 02, 2025
Response Filed
Oct 27, 2025
Examiner Interview Summary
Oct 27, 2025
Applicant Interview (Telephonic)
Nov 20, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102
Feb 20, 2026
Response Filed
May 13, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (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

4-5
Expected OA Rounds
84%
Grant Probability
87%
With Interview (+3.5%)
2y 8m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 444 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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