DETAILED ACTION
This action is responsive to claims filed on 26 April 2023 and Information Disclosure Statements filed on 10 September 2024, and 27 September 2024. Claims 29, 31-36, 49-61 are pending for examination.
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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Response to Amendment
Applicant’s arguments filed 07/11/2025 have been entered. The claims have been amended, canceled, and added as follows: I. Claims are amended: 29, 34, 36. II. Claims cancelled: 30, 37-48. III. Claims are Previously presented: 31-33, 35 IV. Claims are added: 49-61.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 07/11/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. I.) Applicant arguing that previously list prior art are not teaching amended claim 29 especially state information indicates whether RRC idle or inactive reads on any information conveyed in the authorization/camping relay procedure that identifies which RRC state applies. Examiner respectfully disagree with applicant Amended claim 29 is rejected with are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. in view of Chen. Chen states that after a remote UE that is RRC_IDLE/INACTIVE receives paging (MT) or initiates MO traffic, the remote UE may establish an RRC connection with the gNB, and Chen describes determining which path to use for RRC connection establishment. This is an explicit discloser that the UE is operating in non- connected RRC states (IDLE/INACTIVE) when the procedure is triggered. And the remote UE and serving cell maintain a paging path status (camped via Uu vs via PC%) and that once UE performs cell reselection, it may indicate to the gNB whether it is camped via PC5 or Uu (including event-driven reporting when status changes) this teaches that UE status is communicated as an indication to the network, Chen teaches the relay UE us not in the RRC connect state, the gNB may first set up an RRC connection with the relay UE. This scenario explains the rely UE may be in a non-connected condition that must be accounted for procedurally (consistent with IDLE/INACTIVE as the non-connected state.).¶[0103], [0152]-[0157], [0295]-[0297], [0303], [0307]. Liu’s authorization request information is a container of UE specific information (including UE identification and other parameters) exchanged to obtain an authorization allow or deny decision.
Based on the above reasons, the examiner maintains prior art rejection based on previously cited art.
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.
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.
Claims 29, 33, 35, 49, 52, 54, 56, 59, and 61 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al (US 20220124500 A1) in view of Chen (US 20230397100 A1). With regarding Claim 29, Liu discloses a method, comprising: receiving, by a first network device, first information from a second terminal device or a third network device, (See FIG. 6, 2, and ¶[0182], [0188], [0268], [0119]- [0120], ¶[0155], [0221]-[0222], [0199]-[0200], [0055], [0005], [0050][0182] In an implementation, the network device is an AMF, the authorization information is the first authorization information, and the method 200 further includes: the AMF receives the first authorization information sent by the PCF.[0188] the AMF receives authorization request information sent by the terminal device, and the authorization request information is used to request authorization to serve as a relay terminal device and/or a remote terminal device; the AMF sends the authorization request information to the PCF; and the AMF receives authorization request response information sent by the PCF, and the authorization request response information is used to indicate whether the authorization request of the terminal device is allowed.[0182] the network device is an AMF, the authorization information is the first authorization information, and the method 200 further includes: the AMF receives the first authorization information sent by the PCF[0221] In an implementation, the first authorization information includes at least one of the following:
[0222] identification information of the terminal device;). sending, by the first network device, the identifier of the first terminal device to a second network device, wherein the identifier of the first terminal device is usable to determine whether the first terminal device is authorized to provide a relay service (See FIG. 4, and ¶[0007], [0186], [0054]-[0057], [0009]-[0010], [0141], [0178], [0203]-[0204], [0007] In a second aspect, there is provided a communication method, including: sending, by a network device, authorization information whose target object is a terminal device, and the authorization information is used to indicate whether to authorize the terminal device to serve as a relay terminal device and/or a remote terminal device.[0178] In an implementation, the method 200 further includes: the PCF receives the authorization request information sent by the AMF, and the authorization request information is used to request authorization to serve as a relay terminal device and/or a remote terminal device; the PCF determines whether to allow the authorization request of the terminal device based on the authorization request information; and the PCF sends authorization request response information to the AMF, and the authorization request response information is used to indicate whether the authorization request is allowed.[0223] whether the terminal device is authorized to serve as a relay terminal device and/or a remote terminal device;); and receiving, by the first network device, second information from the second network device, wherein the second information indicates whether or not the first terminal device is authorized to provide the relay service (See FIG 7, and ¶[0182], [0163], [0118], [0222]-[0223], [0164], [0007], [0159]-[0162], [0090].[0163] S380: after receiving the first authorization information, the AMF encapsulates the first authorization information into a NAS PDU and transmits it to the terminal device.[0164] In this embodiment of the present application, the terminal device receives the authorization information sent by the core network device, and the authorization information is used to indicate whether to authorize the terminal device to serve as a relay terminal device and/or a remote terminal device, thereby realizing relay authorization for the terminal device.).
Liu may not explicitly disclose the first information further comprises state information of the first terminal device, the state information of the first terminal device indicates whether the first terminal device is in a radio resource control (RRC) inactive state or is in an RRC idle state; and the third network device is a network device on which the second terminal device camps: However, in analogous art, Chen disclose the first information further comprises state information of the first terminal device, the state information of the first terminal device indicates whether the first terminal device is in a radio resource control (RRC) inactive state or is in an RRC idle state, (See FIG. 14-16 and ¶[0178]-[0179], [0192], [0103], [0152]-[0157], [0295]-[0297], [0303]-[0307]. Disclosed the UE in RRC_IDLE/INACTIVE at the time the RRC connection procedure is triggered, and the relay UE not being in RRC_CONNECTED(i.e., non-connected), requiring the gNB to first set up an RRC connection with the relay UE).[0178] 112. The first device of embodiment 109, wherein the device reselects a new serving cell while camping on a serving cell it has selected via the second device over Uu interface. [0179] 113. The first device of embodiment 109, wherein the first device selects a path to receive paging message from the second device or to exchange RRC connection establishment message with the second device based on information received from the second device or the third device[0103] Another issue addressed by the techniques disclosed herein is that after a remote UE that is in RRC IDLE/RRC INACTIVE receives a paging message or its upper layer initiates a Mobile Originated traffic, the remote UE needs to establish RRC connection with the gNB. However, there may be more than one direct and in-direct path between a remote UE and the gNB. Therefore, methods are needed to determinate the path(s) to establish the RRC connection between the gNB and remote UE.). the third network device is a network device on which the second terminal device camps (See FIG. 7, 14, and ¶[0262], [0085]-[0087], [0075][0262] FIG. 7 shows an example call flow for a message exchange 700. The message exchange in the example of FIG. 7 is between a remote UE 701, a relay UE 702, a gNB of cell 2 703, and a gNB of cell 1 704 for a serving cell reselection when the remote UE has selected a serving cell via a relay UE. At step 710, remote UE 701 and relay UE 702 may perform sidelink discovery. At step 711, the gNB of cell 1 704 may send system information to relay UE 702. At step 712, the relay UE 702 may send the system information to the remote UE 701. At step 713, the gNB of cell 1 704 may send the system information to relay UE 701. At step 714, the remote UE 701 may perform the cell reselection.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use Liu teaches receiving identifiers, sending them to a second network device, and determining relay service authorization, and Chen teaches that the second terminal device determines in-coverage status by detecting and camping on a third network device. This combination would be predictably improvement to ensure that relay authorization is granted in scenarios where the second terminal device is actually camped on the third network device, thereby increasing network efficiency and service reliability.
With regarding Claim 33, Liu and Chen disclose the method according to claim 29, Liu disclose wherein the second information comprises at least a portion of a context of the first terminal device. discloses the second information is information indicating whether the first terminal device is authorized to provide the relay service (4500) (See ¶[0222]-[0223], [0056]-[0057], [0147], [0182].[0129] After determining whether to apply the first authorization information, the terminal device may send first feedback information to the AMF, and the first feedback information includes a result of whether to apply the first authorization information determined by the terminal device. After receiving the first feedback information, the AMF may send the first feedback information to the PCF.[0147] After receiving the authorization request information, the AMF can send the authorization request information to the PCF. The PCF can determine whether to allow the authorization request of the terminal device based on both the authorization request information and the authorization assistance information. After determining whether the authorization request of the terminal device is allowed, the PCF may send the authorization request response information to the AMF, and the authorization request response information is used to indicate whether the authorization request of the terminal device is allowed.). Liu may not explicitly disclose wherein the second information comprises at least a portion of a context of the first terminal device. However, in analogous art, Chen disclose wherein the second information comprises at least a portion of a context of the first terminal device. (See ¶[0132]-[0135][0132] The serving cell of the third device is part of either the selected PLMN or the registered PLMN or PLMN of the Equivalent PLMN list of the first device. [0133] The PC5 link quality exceeds a configured threshold. [0134] The serving cell of the third device is not barred as the serving cell of the first device. [0135] The serving cell of the third device is part of at least one TA that is not part of the list of “Forbidden Tracking Areas”, which belongs to a PLMN of the first device that fulfils the first bullet above. [0136] 5. The first device of embodiment 1, wherein the device first attempts to select a suitable cell via Uu and a suitable relay via PC5 which has the strongest signal.), or Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use Chen to modify Liu in order to incorporate authorization information that specifically indicates whether a terminal device is authorized to provide relay service. One would have been motivated to do this, because Liu teaches that explicit authorization information provides a reliable mechanism for network-controlled relay functionality.
With regarding Claim 35, Liu and Chen disclose the method according to claim 29, Liu may not explicitly disclose wherein the method further comprises: generating, by the first network device, a paging message, wherein the paging message is usable to page the first terminal device. However, in analogous are Chen disclose wherein the method further comprises: generating, by the first network device, a paging message, wherein the paging message is usable to page the first terminal device (See ¶[0143]-[0145], [0187]-[0189][0143] 12. The first device of embodiment 1, wherein selecting a path to receive paging message from the second device based on information received from the second device and the third device. [0144] 13. The first device of embodiment 12, wherein initiating a paging path selection using information provided by the second device. [0145] 14. The first device of embodiment 13, wherein receiving system information from the second device including the criteria to select its paging path.[0187] 121. The third device of embodiment 113, wherein the third device receives paging message based on the paging reception parameters received from the first device. [0188] 122. The third device of embodiment 113, wherein the third device receives paging message based on the paging reception parameters received from the second device. [0189] 123. The third device of embodiment 122, wherein the third device receives system information from the second device including the criteria to decide whether to forward paging message to the first device.; and sending, by the first network device, the paging message (7100) (See ¶ [0147], [0150], [0283]-[0284], Claim 37, 39.[0147] 16. The first device of embodiment 13, wherein sending a paging path selection request to the third device to inform its paging parameters or stop monitoring and forwarding paging messages.[0150] 19. The third device of embodiment 18, wherein receiving system information from the second device including the criteria to decide whether to forward paging message to the first device.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use Chen to modify the system of Liu. Chen teaches that the first device decides the path for paging reception or for the exchange of RRC connection establishment messages based on the comparison of the quality of its Uu link with second device and the quality of it PC5 link to the third device, and Chen teaches paging operation as part of the overall relay/sidelink setup. This combination ensure continuous connectivity even when direct communication with the network is suboptimal. With regarding Claim 49, Liu discloses a communication apparatus comprising: at least one processor (See FIG. 10-11 and ¶[0331]); and a memory with instructions thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, enable the communication apparatus to perform(See FIG. 10-11 and ¶[0331] and see claim 29): With regarding Claim 56, Liu discloses a non-transitory computer readable medium with instructions thereon, wherein the instructions, when executed by at least one processor, enable the at least one processor to perform (See FIG. 10-11 and ¶[0331] and see claim 29): With regarding Claim 52 and 59, through of a different scope, the limitations of claim 52 are substantially similar or identical to those of claim 33, and is rejected under the same reasoning. With regarding Claim 54 and 61, through of a different scope, the limitations of claim 54 are substantially similar or identical to those of claim 35, and is rejected under the same reasoning.
10. Claims 31-32, 50-51, 57-58 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu and Chen as applied to claim 29 above in in view of Wang (US 20220400378 A1).
With regarding Claim 31, Liu modified by/in view of Chen disclose the method according to claim 29, Chen disclose wherein when the second information indicates that the first terminal device is authorized to provide the relay service. the method further comprises: sending, by the first network device, a first RRC message, wherein the first RRC message comprises first configuration information, and the first configuration information is usable to configure the second terminal device to access a network by using the first terminal device (See ¶[0179]-[0182], [0163],[0179] 113. The first device of embodiment 109, wherein the first device selects a path to receive paging message from the second device or to exchange RRC connection establishment message with the second device based on information received from the second device or the third device. [0180] 114. The first device of embodiment 113, wherein the first device selects a path for paging reception or for the exchange of RRC connection establishment messages using information provided by the second device.) Chen may not explicitly disclose wherein when the second information indicates that the first terminal device is authorized to provide the relay service. However, in analogous art, Wang disclose wherein when the second information indicates that the first terminal device is authorized to provide the relay service. (See ¶ [0007], [0104]-[0105], [0080] Claim 2-3, 13, 15, 17)[0007] receiving an authorization and policy parameter for relay communication sent by a second network function, where the authorization and policy parameter for relay communication is generated based on the relay communication capability information and/or the terminal policy container.[0104] Specifically, for the UE-to-UE relay UE in the UE-to-UE relay communication, that is, when the terminal is a relay terminal, the authorization and policy parameter for relay communication may include at least one of the following:
[0105] an authorization policy for serving as a terminal-to-terminal relay, such as public land mobile network (PLMN) information for authorizing as the relay UE for the UE-to-UE relay communication;[0080] After the receiving a registration request message from the terminal, the method further includes: determining, based on subscription information of the terminal, whether the terminal authorizes terminal-to-terminal relay communication; and storing the relay communication capability information and the subscription information when the authorization is successful.) , and Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use Wang to modify Liu and Chen, Liu teaches that authorization information includes whether the terminal device is authorized to serve as a relay terminal device and Wang teaches determining , based on subscription information of the terminal, whether the terminal authorizes terminal to terminal relay communication, which is provides the concrete implementation mechanism. One would have been motivated to do this, because Liu’s configuration delivery process by using Wang’s RRC-based delivery method. Do would implement Liu’s authorization to provide relay service. With regarding Claim 32, Liu as modified by/ in view of Chen as modified by/in view of Wang the method according to claim 31, Chen disclose wherein the first RRC message further comprises first indication information (See FIG. 11 and ¶[0155]-[0157][0155] 24. The first device of embodiment 22, wherein receiving a RACH response message from the second device indicating the path to use to establish RRC connection. [0156] 25. The first device of embodiment 22, where receiving a paging message from the second device indicating the path to use to establish RRC connection. [0157] 26. The first device of embodiment 22, where receiving a paging message from the third device indicating the path to use to establish RRC connection.), and the first indication information indicates to trigger the first terminal device to enter an RRC connected state (See ¶[0152]-[0154], [0191]-[0192][0152] 21. The first device of embodiment 1, wherein choosing a path to establish RRC connection to the second device based on information received from the second device and the third device. [0153] 22. The first device of embodiment 21, wherein determining a RRC connection based on the information provided by the second device and the third device. [0154] 23. The first device of embodiment 22, wherein selects a direct path or indirect path based on QoS of the traffic, link quality between the second device, link quality between the third device and traffic load, uplink rate and downlink rate of the third device) Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use combine Chen to Liu and Wang combination where Chen teaches that terminals receives messages “indicating the path to use to establish RRC connection and performs RRC connection based on information provided. Wang teaches that the terminal policy container carries terminal to terminal relay communication policy or parameter indication information. And Liu teaches that RRC resume request messages contain indication information about state transitions. One would have been motivated to this, because Chen’s state-triggering indication into the RRC message of Liu and Wang. This would ensure that the authorized relay UE is in the proper connected state to execute the relay service. With regarding Claim 50 and 57, through of a different scope, the limitations of claim 50 and 57 are substantially similar or identical to those of claim 31, and is rejected under the same reasoning. With regarding Claim 51 and 58, through of a different scope, the limitations of claim 51 and 58 are substantially similar or identical to those of claim 32, and is rejected under the same reasoning.
Claim 34, 53, and 60 is rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 as being unpatentable over Liu and Chen as applied to claim 29 above, in view of Back et al. (US 20230079552 A1).
With regarding Claim 34, Liu and Chen disclose the method according to claim 29, Liu may not explicitly disclose wherein when the first terminal device is in an RRC inactive state, the second network device is an anchor network device of the first terminal device. However, in analogous art, Chen disclose wherein when the first terminal device is in an RRC inactive state, the second network device is an anchor network device of the first terminal device (See ¶[0178], [0176], [0181]-[0182][0178] 112. The first device of embodiment 109, wherein the device reselects a new serving cell while camping on a serving cell it has selected via the second device over Uu interface [0181] 115. The first device of embodiment 113, wherein the first device receives system information from the second device or the third device, wherein the received system information includes the criteria to select its paging path. [0182] 116. The first device of embodiment 113, wherein the first device decides the path for paging reception or for the exchange of RRC connection establishment messages based on the comparison of the quality of its Uu link with the second device and the quality of it PC5 link to the third device. .[0103] Another issue addressed by the techniques disclosed herein is that after a remote UE that is in RRC IDLE/RRC INACTIVE receives a paging message or its upper layer initiates a Mobile Originated traffic, the remote UE needs to establish RRC connection with the gNB. However, there may be more than one direct and in-direct path between a remote UE and the gNB. Therefore, methods are needed to determinate the path(s) to establish the RRC connection between the gNB and remote UE.); or Liu and Chen may not explicitly disclose when the first terminal device is in an RRC idle state, the second network device is a core network device However, in analogous art, Back discloses when the first terminal device is in an RRC idle state, the second network device is a core network device (See ¶[0071], [0303][0071] Once an RRC connection is established between the RRC layer of the UE and the RRC layer of the E-UTRAN, the UE is placed in RRC_CONNECTED state, and otherwise, the UE is placed in RRC_IDLE state. In NR, RRC_INACTIVE state is additionally defined. A UE in the RRC_INACTIVE state may maintain a connection to a core network, while releasing a connection from an eNB.);. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use Back to modify the system of Liu and Chen in order to incorporate the specific relationship between RRC states and network device roles into the paging path selection and cell reselection mechanisms teaches in Chen. This ensure efficient network resources utilization by directing authorization and control functions to the appropriate network entity based on the UE’s RRC state. This combination of Chen and Back teaches when the first terminal device is in an RRC idle state, the second network device is a core network device. With regarding Claim 53, through of a different scope, the limitations of claim 53 are substantially similar or identical to those of claim 34, and is rejected under the same reasoning. With regarding Claim 60, through of a different scope, the limitations of claim 60 are substantially similar or identical to those of claim 34, and is rejected under the same reasoning.
Claim 36 and 55 are rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 as being unpatentable over Liu and Chen as applied to claim 35 above, in view of Xu et al. (US 20220303943 A1).
With regarding Claim 36, Liu as modified by/in view of Chen disclose the method according to claim 35, Liu in view of Chen may not explicitly disclose wherein when a state of the first terminal device is an RRC inactive state, the paging message comprises an I-RNTI of the first terminal device. However, in analogous art, Xu disclose wherein when a state of the first terminal device is an RRC inactive state, the paging message comprises an I-RNTI of the first terminal device (See ¶[0087]. [0087] in some instances, radio access network (RAN) initiated paging may be supported in RRC inactive, using I-RNTI as the UE ID for paging); or when the state of the first terminal device is an RRC idle state, the paging message comprises a 5G-S-TMSI of the first terminal device (3943) (See ¶[0087], Claim 17[0087] Note that at least some paging parameters may differ for different operating modes. For example, in some instances, core network (CN) initiated paging may be supported in RRC idle, using 5G-S-TMSI as the UE ID for paging.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use Xu to modify the system of Liu, and Chen in order to implement the appropriate UE identifier in paging message based on the terminal device’s RRC state. One would have been motivated to do this, because Xu teaches that different paging parameters are used for different operating modes, thereby yield improved network efficiency by ensuring proper identification of terminal device during paging procedures. This combination teaches complete relay authorization framework, camping relationship, and padding message generation/transmission to the first terminal device, and first terminal device is in RRC_INACTIVIVE, the paging message include its I-RNTI and when in RRC_IDLE, the paging message includes its 5G-S-TMSI.
With regarding Claim 55, through of a different scope, the limitations of claim 55 are substantially similar or identical to those of claim 36, and is rejected under the same reasoning.
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 SHIVAKRISHNA VALLAMDASU whose telephone number is (571)272-5249. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM EST.
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/SHIVAKRISHNA VALLAMDASU/Examiner, Art Unit 2468
/MARCUS SMITH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2468