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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 11/04/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
While Song et al. (US 2021/0218453), hereinafter Song, is directed toward determining a single PDCCH scenario, the claimed invention merely takes this idea and applies it to a multi-PDCCH scenario. Utilizing a single PDCCH CPU occupancy time determination method and modifying it to apply to a multi-PDCCH CPU occupancy time determination method would have been obvious, especially since the claimed invention would use the exact same process with the only difference being that the method is applied to multiple instances of a PDCCH scheduling a PUSCH. Utilizing the disclosure of Song in view of Lee et al. (US 2020/0177254) hereinafter Lee, and Zhao (US 2016/0278124), both of which are concerned with multi-PDCCH scenarios.
Additionally, after further search the examiner has found new prior art of record Park et al. (US 2021/0028823), hereinafter Park, which is not relied upon as prior art in the current rejection however is noted as containing: “When the base station instructs to transmit aperiodic CSI report #X in uplink slot n′ through DCI using DCI format 0_1, the CPU occupation time (9-05) for CSI report #X transmitted in the uplink slot n′ may be defined from the next symbol of the last symbol occupied by the PDCCH (9-10) including the DCI indicating the aperiodic CSI report #X to the last symbol occupied by the PUSCH 9-15 including the CSI report #X transmitted in the link slot n′” (Park ¶ 0225), where multiple CSI reports can be configured meaning multiple PDCCHs would be needed, making this a multi-PDCCH scenario: “the base station may indicate a semi-persistent CSI report to the terminal through higher layer signaling or DCI using DCI format 0_1. The base station may activate or deactivate the semi-persistent CSI report through DCI scrambled with SP-CSI-RNTI or higher layer signaling including MAC CE signaling. When the semi-persistent CSI report is activated, the terminal may periodically report channel information according to a configured slot spacing” (Park ¶ 0199), which also teaches the “determining the CPU occupancy time based on the time domain position of the last PDCCH and a time domain position of a Physical Uplink Share Channel (PUSCH) scheduled by the currently received PDCCH.”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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.
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.
Claims 1, 6, and 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (US 2020/0177254) hereinafter Lee, Zhao (US 2016/0278124), and Song et al. (US 2021/0218453) hereinafter Song.
Regarding Claim 1, Lee teaches: A method for determining Channel state information Processing Unit (CPU) occupancy time for a multiple Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) repeated transmission scenario: “The CSI processing time may be determined based on one or more CSI processing time parameters. FIG. 4 illustrates an example 400 showing exemplary CSI processing time parameters when aperiodic CSI-RS and aperiodic CSI reporting are used” (Lee ¶ 0099 and Figs. 4-5 below) Fig 5 is a self-contained PDCCH slot as shown repeating in Fig. 4.
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Lee does not teach: in response to receiving a PDCCH currently, determining a time domain position of a last PDCCH based on the currently received PDCCH and configuration information for a plurality of PDCCH, wherein the currently received PDCCH and the last PDCCH belong to the plurality of PDCCHs, and the configuration information for the plurality of PDCCHs is used to configure candidate resource positions of each of the plurality of PDCCHs; and determining the CPU occupancy time based on the time domain position of the last PDCCH and a time domain position of a Physical Uplink Share Channel (PUSCH) scheduled by the currently received PDCCH.
Regarding Claim 1, Zhao teaches: in response to receiving a PDCCH currently, determining a time domain position of a last PDCCH based on the currently received PDCCH and configuration information for a plurality of PDCCH: “Alternatively, the step of determining the position in the time domain for the last repeated transmission over the timing-related physical channel includes: determining the position in the time domain for the last repeated transmission over the physical channel in accordance with a position in the time domain for the first repeated transmission over the physical channel and pre-defined retransmission times” (Zhao ¶ 0029) whereby determining the position in the time domain of the last PDCCH with the current PDCCH and the configuration information of the PDCCHs demonstrates that it is possible to determine the position in the time domain of the last PDCCH with the method described, wherein the currently received PDCCH and the last PDCCH belong to the plurality of PDCCHs, and the configuration information for the plurality of PDCCHs is used to configure candidate resource positions of each of the plurality of PDCCHs: “the time domain position determination module is configured to determine the position in the time domain for the last repeated transmission over the physical channel in accordance with a position in the time domain for the first repeated transmission over the physical channel and pre-defined retransmission times” (Zhao ¶ 0044).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to combine the disclosure of Lee with Zhao to achieve the predictable result of allowing an apparatus to perform timing maintenance (measuring time domain positions) on scheduled physical channels. According to Zhao: “An object of the present disclosure is to provide a method and an apparatus for timing maintenance under a coverage enhancement mechanism, so as to enable the timing maintenance related to a physical channel under the coverage enhancement mechanism” (Zhao ¶ 0014).
Zhao does not teach: determining the CPU occupancy time based on the time domain position of the last PDCCH and a time domain position of a Physical Uplink Share Channel (PUSCH) scheduled by the currently received PDCCH; wherein determining the CPU occupancy time based on the time domain position of the last PDCCH and a time domain position of a PUSCH scheduled by the currently received PDCCH comprises: determining a time period from an end of a last symbol of the last PDCCH to an end of a last symbol of a last PUSCH scheduled by the currently received PDCCH as the CPU occupancy time.
Regarding Claim 1, Song teaches: determining the CPU occupancy time based on the time domain position of the last PDCCH and a time domain position of a Physical Uplink Share Channel (PUSCH) scheduled by the currently received PDCCH: “when the time-domain characteristic of the CSI report is aperiodic, the determining the occupancy time of the CSI processing unit may include the occupancy time of the CSI processing unit starts from the 1st OFDM symbol after a physical downlink control channel (Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH) triggering the CSI report until the last OFDM symbol of a PUSCH transmitting the CSI report” (Song ¶ 0100-0101), where in Song the last PDCCH is the currently received PDCCH similar to embodiments of the application where the last PDCCH is the PDCCH which has had its time domain position determined by the UE; wherein determining the CPU occupancy time based on the time domain position of the last PDCCH and a time domain position of a PUSCH scheduled by the currently received PDCCH comprises: determining a time period from an end of a last symbol of the last PDCCH to an end of a last symbol of a last PUSCH scheduled by the currently received PDCCH as the CPU occupancy time: “when the time-domain characteristic of the CSI report is aperiodic, the determining the occupancy time of the CSI processing unit may include the occupancy time of the CSI processing unit starts from the 1st OFDM symbol after a physical downlink control channel (Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH) triggering the CSI report until the last OFDM symbol of a PUSCH transmitting the CSI report” (Song ¶ 0100-0101). Song Fig. 3 below shows this further, with the occupancy time of a CSI processing unit reaching from the end of the last PDCCH symbol to the end of the last PUSCH symbol.
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Song Fig. 3
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to combine the disclosures of Lee and Zhao with Song to achieve the predictable result of enabling the CSI occupancy time to be determined in beam management situations. According to Song: “Embodiments of this disclosure provide a method for determining an occupancy time of a channel state information (CSI) processing unit, and a terminal device, so as to resolve the problem that an occupancy time of a CSI processing unit cannot be determined in beam management” (Song ¶ 0005).
Regarding Claim 6, Lee and Song teach: The method according to claim 1.
Lee and Song fail to teach: the configuration information for the plurality of PDCCHs is carried by high- layer configuration information.
Regarding Claim 6, Zhao teaches: the configuration information for the plurality of PDCCHs is carried by high- layer configuration information: “Alternatively, the step of determining the position in the time domain for the last repeated transmission over the timing-related physical channel includes: determining the position in the time domain for the last repeated transmission over the physical channel in accordance with a position in the time domain for the first repeated transmission over the physical channel and pre-defined retransmission times, or in accordance with the position in the time domain for the first repeated transmission over the physical channel and retransmission times configured at a network side” (Zhao ¶ 0029).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to combine the disclosures of Lee and Song with Zhao to achieve the predictable result of allowing an apparatus to perform timing maintenance (measuring time domain positions) on scheduled physical channels. According to Zhao: “An object of the present disclosure is to provide a method and an apparatus for timing maintenance under a coverage enhancement mechanism, so as to enable the timing maintenance related to a physical channel under the coverage enhancement mechanism” (Zhao ¶ 0014).
Regarding Claim 8, Lee teaches: The method according to claim 1, wherein the multiple PDCCH repeated transmission is used to schedule at least one PUSCH: As seen in Fig. 5 the PDCCHs, which are repeated as seen in Fig. 4, are used to schedule PUSCHs; further clarified in Lee’s abstract: “The WTRU may determine a time gap between a last symbol of the PDCCH of which the aperiodic CSI reporting request is received and a first uplink symbol of a designated uplink channel for transmission of a corresponding aperiodic CSI report” (Lee abstract).
Regarding Claim 9, Lee teaches: The method according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of PDCCHs are used to schedule different PUSCHs respectively, and numbers of PUSCHs scheduled by different PDCCHs are the same or different: As seen in Fig. 4 and further clarified in Lee’s abstract: “The WTRU may determine a time gap between a last symbol of the PDCCH of which the aperiodic CSI reporting request is received and a first uplink symbol of a designated uplink channel for transmission of a corresponding aperiodic CSI report” (Lee abstract). The PUSCHs being the same or different from each other is noted to be non-limiting as this encompasses all possible scheduled PUSCHs in a group.
Regarding Claim 10, Lee teaches: The method according to claim 8 wherein: each of the plurality of PDCCHs is used to schedule at least one unsent PUSCH in the at least one PUSCH: As seen in Fig. 4 and further clarified in Lee’s abstract: “The WTRU may determine a time gap between a last symbol of the PDCCH of which the aperiodic CSI reporting request is received and a first uplink symbol of a designated uplink channel for transmission of a corresponding aperiodic CSI report” (Lee abstract). The PUSCHs that are scheduled have not been sent, as described in paragraph 0045 of the applicant’s specification: “Each PDCCH schedules K PUSCHs that have not been sent;” the examiner understands this to mean the PUSCHs have not yet been sent, as there is nothing within the specification which points to the idea of cancelling or not sending a scheduled PUSCH.
Claims 7 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee, Zhao, and Song as applied to claims 1-4 , and 8 above, and further in view of Kim et al. (US 2016/0285535) hereinafter Kim.
Regarding Claim 7, Lee, Zhao, and Song teach: The method according to claim 1.
Lee, Zhao, and Song fail to teach: the multiple PDCCH repeated transmission is used to trigger a same aperiodic Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) based aperiodic CSI.
Regarding Claim 7, Kim teaches: the multiple PDCCH repeated transmission is used to trigger a same aperiodic Channel State Information Reference Signal (CSI-RS) based aperiodic CSI: “For stable transmission of the PUSCH signal including the aperiodic CSI, the PUSCH signal may be transmitted repeatedly as many times as the number of repeatedly transmitted PDCCH signals or a predetermined number” (Kim ¶ 0315).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to combine the disclosures of Lee, Zhao, and Song with Kim to achieve the predictable result of allowing a base station to more accurately decode CSI. According to Kim: “since an MTC UE repeatedly transmits CSI, a Base Station (BS) can decode the CSI accurately” (Kim ¶ 0020).
Regarding Claim 11, Lee, Zhao, and Song teach: The method according to claim 8.
Lee, Zhao, and Song fail to teach: wherein each of the plurality of PDCCHs is used to schedule the same one or more PUSCHs.
Regarding Claim 11, Kim teaches: wherein each of the plurality of PDCCHs is used to schedule the same one or more PUSCHs: “For stable transmission of the PUSCH signal including the aperiodic CSI, the PUSCH signal may be transmitted repeatedly as many times as the number of repeatedly transmitted PDCCH signals or a predetermined number” (Kim ¶ 0315).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to combine the disclosures of Lee, Zhao, and Song with Kim to achieve the predictable result of allowing a base station to more accurately decode CSI. According to Kim: “since an MTC UE repeatedly transmits CSI, a Base Station (BS) can decode the CSI accurately” (Kim ¶ 0020).
Claims 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao and Song.
Regarding Claim 13, Zhao teaches: A non-transitory storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising computer instructions: “the present disclosure may be in the form of a computer program product executed on one or more computer-readable storage mediums (including but not limited to disk memory, Compact Disc Read-Only Memory (CD-ROM) and optical memory) including computer-readable program codes” (Zhao ¶ 0182), which, when executed by a processor: “These computer program instructions may be applied to a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, an embedded processor or any other processor of programmable data processing equipment, so as to form a machine” (Zhao ¶ 0183), cause the processor to: in response to receiving a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) currently, determine a time domain position of a last PDCCH based on the currently received PDCCH and configuration information for a plurality of PDCCHs: “Alternatively, the step of determining the position in the time domain for the last repeated transmission over the timing-related physical channel includes: determining the position in the time domain for the last repeated transmission over the physical channel in accordance with a position in the time domain for the first repeated transmission over the physical channel and pre-defined retransmission times” (Zhao ¶ 0029), wherein the currently received PDCCH and the last PDCCH belong to the plurality of PDCCHs, and the configuration information for the plurality of PDCCHs is used to configure candidate resource positions of each of the plurality of PDCCHs: “the time domain position determination module is configured to determine the position in the time domain for the last repeated transmission over the physical channel in accordance with a position in the time domain for the first repeated transmission over the physical channel and pre-defined retransmission times” (Zhao ¶ 0044).
Zhao does not teach: determine the CPU occupancy time based on the time domain position of the last PDCCH and a time domain position of a Physical Uplink Share Channel (PUSCH) scheduled by the currently received PDCCH; wherein said determining the CPU occupancy time based on the time domain position of the last PDCCH and the time domain position of the PUSCH scheduled by the currently received PDCCH comprises: determining a time period from an end of a last symbol of the last PDCCH to an end of a last symbol of a last PUSCH scheduled by the currently received PDCCH as the CPU occupancy time.
Regarding Claim 13, Song teaches: determine the CPU occupancy time based on the time domain position of the last PDCCH and a time domain position of a Physical Uplink Share Channel (PUSCH) scheduled by the currently received PDCCH: “when the time-domain characteristic of the CSI report is aperiodic, the determining the occupancy time of the CSI processing unit may include the occupancy time of the CSI processing unit starts from the 1st OFDM symbol after a physical downlink control channel (Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH) triggering the CSI report until the last OFDM symbol of a PUSCH transmitting the CSI report” (Song ¶ 0100-0101), where in Song the last PDCCH is the currently received PDCCH similar to embodiments of the application where the last PDCCH is the PDCCH which has had its time domain position determined by the UE; wherein said determining the CPU occupancy time based on the time domain position of the last PDCCH and the time domain position of the PUSCH scheduled by the currently received PDCCH comprises: determining a time period from an end of a last symbol of the last PDCCH to an end of a last symbol of a last PUSCH scheduled by the currently received PDCCH as the CPU occupancy time: “when the time-domain characteristic of the CSI report is aperiodic, the determining the occupancy time of the CSI processing unit may include the occupancy time of the CSI processing unit starts from the 1st OFDM symbol after a physical downlink control channel (Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH) triggering the CSI report until the last OFDM symbol of a PUSCH transmitting the CSI report” (Song ¶ 0100-0101). Song Fig. 3 above shows this further, with the occupancy time of a CSI processing unit reaching from the end of the last PDCCH symbol to the end of the last PUSCH symbol.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to combine the disclosure of Zhao with Song to achieve the predictable result of enabling the CSI occupancy time to be determined in beam management situations. According to Song: “Embodiments of this disclosure provide a method for determining an occupancy time of a channel state information (CSI) processing unit, and a terminal device, so as to resolve the problem that an occupancy time of a CSI processing unit cannot be determined in beam management” (Song ¶ 0005).
Regarding Claim 14, Zhao teaches: A terminal comprising a memory and a processor, wherein the memory stores one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising computer instructions, which, when executed by the processor: “These computer program instructions may be applied to a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, an embedded processor or any other processor of programmable data processing equipment, so as to form a machine” (Zhao ¶ 0183), cause the processor to: in response to receiving a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) currently, determine a time domain position of a last PDCCH based on the currently received PDCCH and configuration information for a plurality of PDCCHs : “Alternatively, the step of determining the position in the time domain for the last repeated transmission over the timing-related physical channel includes: determining the position in the time domain for the last repeated transmission over the physical channel in accordance with a position in the time domain for the first repeated transmission over the physical channel and pre-defined retransmission times” (Zhao ¶ 0029), wherein the currently received PDCCH and the last PDCCH belong to the plurality of PDCCHs, and the configuration information for the plurality of PDCCHs is used to configure candidate resource positions of each of the plurality of PDCCHs: “the time domain position determination module is configured to determine the position in the time domain for the last repeated transmission over the physical channel in accordance with a position in the time domain for the first repeated transmission over the physical channel and pre-defined retransmission times” (Zhao ¶ 0044).
Zhao does not teach: determine the CPU occupancy time based on the time domain position of the last PDCCH and a time domain position of a Physical Uplink Share Channel (PUSCH) scheduled by the currently received PDCCH; wherein said determining the CPU occupancy time based on the time domain position of the last PDCCH and the time domain position of the PUSCH scheduled by the currently received PDCCH comprises: determining a time period from an end of a last symbol of the last PDCCH to an end of a last symbol of a last PUSCH scheduled by the currently received PDCCH as the CPU occupancy time.
Regarding Claim 14, Song teaches: based on that the time domain position of the last PDCCH can be determined, determine the CPU occupancy time based on the time domain position of the last PDCCH and a time domain position of a Physical Uplink Share Channel (PUSCH) scheduled by the currently received PDCCH: “when the time-domain characteristic of the CSI report is aperiodic, the determining the occupancy time of the CSI processing unit may include the occupancy time of the CSI processing unit starts from the 1st OFDM symbol after a physical downlink control channel (Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH) triggering the CSI report until the last OFDM symbol of a PUSCH transmitting the CSI report” (Song ¶ 0100-0101), where in Song the last PDCCH is the currently received PDCCH similar to embodiments of the application where the last PDCCH is the PDCCH which has had its time domain position determined by the UE; wherein said determining the CPU occupancy time based on the time domain position of the last PDCCH and the time domain position of the PUSCH scheduled by the currently received PDCCH comprises: determining a time period from an end of a last symbol of the last PDCCH to an end of a last symbol of a last PUSCH scheduled by the currently received PDCCH as the CPU occupancy time: “when the time-domain characteristic of the CSI report is aperiodic, the determining the occupancy time of the CSI processing unit may include the occupancy time of the CSI processing unit starts from the 1st OFDM symbol after a physical downlink control channel (Physical Downlink Control Channel, PDCCH) triggering the CSI report until the last OFDM symbol of a PUSCH transmitting the CSI report” (Song ¶ 0100-0101). Song Fig. 3 above shows this further, with the occupancy time of a CSI processing unit reaching from the end of the last PDCCH symbol to the end of the last PUSCH symbol.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to combine the disclosure of Zhao with Song to achieve the predictable result of enabling the CSI occupancy time to be determined in beam management situations. According to Song: “Embodiments of this disclosure provide a method for determining an occupancy time of a channel state information (CSI) processing unit, and a terminal device, so as to resolve the problem that an occupancy time of a CSI processing unit cannot be determined in beam management” (Song ¶ 0005).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Park et al. (US 2021/0028823), hereinafter Park, teaches: “When the base station instructs to transmit aperiodic CSI report #X in uplink slot n′ through DCI using DCI format 0_1, the CPU occupation time (9-05) for CSI report #X transmitted in the uplink slot n′ may be defined from the next symbol of the last symbol occupied by the PDCCH (9-10) including the DCI indicating the aperiodic CSI report #X to the last symbol occupied by the PUSCH 9-15 including the CSI report #X transmitted in the link slot n′” (Park ¶ 0225), where multiple CSI reports can be configured meaning multiple PDCCHs would be needed, making this a multi-PDCCH scenario: “the base station may indicate a semi-persistent CSI report to the terminal through higher layer signaling or DCI using DCI format 0_1. The base station may activate or deactivate the semi-persistent CSI report through DCI scrambled with SP-CSI-RNTI or higher layer signaling including MAC CE signaling. When the semi-persistent CSI report is activated, the terminal may periodically report channel information according to a configured slot spacing” (Park ¶ 0199), corresponding to: in response to receiving a PDCCH currently, determining a time domain position of a last PDCCH based on the currently received PDCCH and configuration information for a plurality of PDCCH, wherein the currently received PDCCH and the last PDCCH belong to the plurality of PDCCHs, and the configuration information for the plurality of PDCCHs is used to configure candidate resource positions of each of the plurality of PDCCHs; and determining the CPU occupancy time based on the time domain position of the last PDCCH and a time domain position of a Physical Uplink Share Channel (PUSCH) scheduled by the currently received PDCCH.
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 BRADLEY DAVIS LYTLE whose telephone number is (703)756-4593. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM EST.
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/B.D.L./Examiner, Art Unit 2473
/BRADLEY D LYTLE JR./Examiner, Art Unit 2473
/JUTAI KAO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2473