Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/297,212

POWER GUIDANCE FOR BATTERY-POWERED IOT AND SMART DEVICES

Final Rejection §103
Filed
Apr 07, 2023
Priority
Jul 11, 2022 — IN 202241039823
Examiner
OHRI, ROMANI
Art Unit
2413
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Cisco Technology Inc.
OA Round
2 (Final)
85%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 85% — above average
85%
Career Allowance Rate
393 granted / 460 resolved
+27.4% vs TC avg
Strong +16% interview lift
Without
With
+16.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 9m
Avg Prosecution
24 currently pending
Career history
491
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
2.4%
-37.6% vs TC avg
§103
87.0%
+47.0% vs TC avg
§102
2.9%
-37.1% vs TC avg
§112
4.2%
-35.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 460 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 . DETAILED ACTION Response to Amendment Applicant’s amendment, filed 02/05/2026, has been entered and carefully considered. Claims 1, 3, 9, 10, 15, and 16 are amended. Claims 1-20 are currently pending. Response to Arguments Applicant's arguments filed 02/05/2026have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Regarding claim 1, applicant argued that the combination of Agarwal and Zeine do not teach or suggest “an action frame defined by a wireless communication protocol", nor "providing power to the station via signaling defined by the wireless communication protocol". Examiner respectfully disagrees. Zeine discloses paragraphs 0072-0074, the wireless power transmission system provides wireless power delivery parameters to the existing RF communication interface 610 of electronic device 600. The existing RF communication interface 610 provides the wireless power delivery parameters to the RF power interface 620 of the electronic device which, in turn, processes the wireless power delivery parameters. The wireless power delivery parameters can include, among other information, receive power information, code information and beacon timing information. The beacon timing information can be determined from a beacon schedule information, e.g., Beacon Beat Schedule (BBS). Once configured, the timing interface 630 generates and sends the beacon notifications to the RF power interface 620 in accordance with the beacon timing information. Optionally, the timing interface 630 can also generate and send power reception notifications to the RF communication interface 610 in accordance with the power schedule information. The power reception notifications direct the RF communication interface 610 to anticipate reception of wireless power from the wireless power transmission system during an upcoming power cycle. Paragraphs 0026, 0039, 0066, 0068, 0076, 0079, FIG. 6, the electronic device 600 includes an existing radio frequency (RF) communication interface 610 that is configured to transmit and receive communications over one or more antennas via a data communications protocol. the RF power interface 620 is coupled to the RF communication interface and configured to receive and process the wireless power delivery parameters, direct antenna 622 to transmit beacon signals to a wireless power transmission system responsive to beacon notifications from the timing interface and to process directed (or retrodirective) wireless power received. Examiner recommend to disclose the type of message that station sends to the access point as disclosed in specification in Fig. 5a, in block 504, if the current power condition is ‘PowerBelowThreshold,’ station 234 wakes up its radio interface in block 506 and sends a ‘batteryPowerNotification PDU’ message to its access point 202, which the access point 202 receives in block 304 of FIG. 3. The access point 202 responds to the ‘batteryPowerNotification PDU’ according to blocks 306, 308, 310 in FIG. 3A. If the power condition is ‘PowerAboveThreshold,’ in block 514, station 234 sends a ‘notice’ of this condition to its access point, and in block 516, readjusts the TWT with its access point 202. The readjustment restores the TWT to the original period, removing the ‘battery preservation mode’ operation. Station 234 operates with its full-charge communication parameters, e.g., two simultaneous radio links and 1024 QAM are resumed (US PG PUB 2024/0015660 A1, paragraphs 0039-0041). Thus, rejection of claim 1 is maintained under 35 U.S.C. 103. Similar arguments are applied to claims 1, 9 and 15. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action: A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, 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. 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 1-2, 9 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Agarwal et al. (Patent number 6,108,316) in view of Zeine et al. (US 2016/0359380 A1). Regarding claims 1, 9 and 15, Agarwal discloses a system/ a method/ a non-transitory computer readable medium for managing battery power of a station in a wireless network, the system/ the method/ the non-transitory computer readable medium comprising: at least one station configured to connect to the wireless network; and at least one access point configured to connect to the wireless network; wherein the at least one access point is configured to (Fig. 2, discloses a mobile station comprises a processor, transmitter and receiver to perform the necessary functions, Fig. 3-4 discloses a base station comprises a processor, transmitter and receiver to perform the necessary functions): receive a message from the at least one station operating in a power savings mode, the message indicating that the battery power at the at least one station has fallen below a threshold and that the at least one station can receive power over the wireless network (Parag. (13-14) description, a base station, within the system, receives battery power level information and other setup information from mobile terminals operating within the service area of the base station during call setup procedures. Based on the battery power level information and other setup information, the base station adapts scheduling priorities for the mobile terminals to expedite wireless transmissions from those mobile terminals reporting low battery power levels) wherein the at least one station, in response to the battery power having fallen below the threshold, wakes up a radio interface of the at least one station to send the message (Parag. (8, 13-14) description, method begins by receiving at the base station a signal from a mobile station that its battery power is below a threshold value. In response to this, the base station changes a mobile transmission schedule to cause transmission of messages from the mobile station to occur before transmission of messages from other stations. The base station then transmits the schedule to the mobile stations. By advancing the scheduled transmission of messages from a mobile station whose battery power is low). Agarwal does not explicitly disclose the mechanism of transmit, in response to the message, an action frame defined by a wireless communication protocol to the at least one station indicating a channel and parameters for the at least one station to receive power over the wireless network; and provide power to the at least one station via signaling defined by the wireless communication protocol over the wireless network according to the action frame. In an analogous art, Zeine discloses transmit, in response to the message, an action frame defined by a wireless communication protocol to the at least one station indicating a channel and parameters for the at least one station to receive power over the wireless network; and provide power to the at least one station via signaling defined by the wireless communication protocol over the wireless network according to the action frame (Paragraphs 0072-0074 disclose the wireless power transmission system provides wireless power delivery parameters to the existing RF communication interface 610 of electronic device 600. The existing RF communication interface 610 provides the wireless power delivery parameters to the RF power interface 620 of the electronic device which, in turn, processes the wireless power delivery parameters. The wireless power delivery parameters can include, among other information, receive power information, code information and beacon timing information. The beacon timing information can be determined from a beacon schedule information, e.g., Beacon Beat Schedule (BBS). Once configured, the timing interface 630 generates and sends the beacon notifications to the RF power interface 620 in accordance with the beacon timing information. Optionally, the timing interface 630 can also generate and send power reception notifications to the RF communication interface 610 in accordance with the power schedule information. The power reception notifications direct the RF communication interface 610 to anticipate reception of wireless power from the wireless power transmission system during an upcoming power cycle. Paragraphs 0026, 0039, 0066, 0068, 0076, 0079, FIG. 6, the electronic device 600 includes an existing radio frequency (RF) communication interface 610 that is configured to transmit and receive communications over one or more antennas via a data communications protocol. the RF power interface 620 is coupled to the RF communication interface and configured to receive and process the wireless power delivery parameters, direct antenna 622 to transmit beacon signals to a wireless power transmission system responsive to beacon notifications from the timing interface and to process directed (or retrodirective) wireless power received). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Zeine to the system of Agarwal to provide Techniques are described herein for leveraging these existing components of electronic devices with wireless or internet connectivity to reduce cost, size and complexity of electronic devices while enabling wireless power transfer. The techniques described herein can also be utilized to new low cost dual-function devices that utilize one or more of the same components for both wireless connectively and wireless power transfer (Abstract, Zeine). Regarding claim 2, Agarwal discloses wherein providing power to the station includes an access point wirelessly coupled to the station and providing the power (Paragraphs 0027-0029 discloses The power receiver clients 102a-102n and/or the wireless power transmission systems 101a-101n are configured to operate in a multipath wireless power delivery environment. That is, the power receiver clients 102a-102n and the wireless power transmission systems 101a-101n are configured to utilize reflective objects 106 such as, for example, walls or other RF reflective obstructions within range to transmit beacon (or calibration) signals and/or receive wireless power and/or data within the wireless power delivery environment). Claims 3-4, 10-11 and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Agarwal et al. (Patent number 6,108,316) in view of Zeine et al. (US 2016/0359380 A1) and further in view of Koc et al. (US 9609565 B2). Regarding claims 3, 10, 16, AGARWAL wherein providing power to the station comprises sending a message to another access point wirelessly coupled to the station to provide power to the station, wherein the message includes a channel and a basic service set id of the another access point. Zeine discloses Wireless network as disclosed above in independent claims (Paragraphs 0026, 0039, 0066, 0068, 0076, 0079, FIG. 6, the electronic device 600 includes an existing radio frequency (RF) communication interface 610 that is configured to transmit and receive communications over one or more antennas via a data communications protocol. the RF power interface 620 is coupled to the RF communication interface and configured to receive and process the wireless power delivery parameters, direct antenna 622 to transmit beacon signals to a wireless power transmission system responsive to beacon notifications from the timing interface and to process directed (or retrodirective) wireless power received). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Zeine to the system of Agarwal to provide Techniques are described herein for leveraging these existing components of electronic devices with wireless or internet connectivity to reduce cost, size and complexity of electronic devices while enabling wireless power transfer. The techniques described herein can also be utilized to new low cost dual-function devices that utilize one or more of the same components for both wireless connectively and wireless power transfer (Abstract, Zeine). Agarwal and Zeine do not explicitly disclose wherein providing power to the station comprises sending a message via the wireless network to another access point wirelessly coupled to the station to provide power to the station, wherein the message includes a channel and a basic service set id of another access point In an analogous art, Koc discloses wherein providing power to the station comprises sending a message via the wireless network to another access point wirelessly coupled to the station to provide power to the station, wherein the message includes a channel and a basic service set id of another access point (Parag. (13-17) discloses a user equipment (UE) for initiating offloading from a cellular network to a WiFi network, the cellular network connecting through an evolved NodeB (eNB), the WiFi network connecting through a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), the method comprising: sending a Power Preference Indication (PPI) message to the eNB to indicate that the UE has a low power; receiving from the eNB an offload instruction for triggering the UE to offload to a single WLAN specified in the offload instruction, wherein the offload instruction includes a command to offload and a basic service set identification (BSSID) of the single WLAN and wherein the UE has not established a previous connection with the single WLAN prior to receiving the offload instruction; scanning for the single WLAN specified in the offload instruction and associated with the received BSSID and refraining from scanning for other WLANs; and connecting to the single WLAN associated with the received BSSID by communicating an offload initiation instruction) Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Koc to the modified system of Agarwal and Zeine to provide a technique that allows the UE to indicate its power saving needs to the cellular network. In response, the cellular network can lower (or raise) a particular threshold, so that the UE now exceeds (or no longer exceeds) the threshold, and initiates offloading (Abstract, Koc). Regarding claims 4, 11, 17, Agarwal and Zeine do not explicitly disclose wherein the message indicates that the station associate a link of the another access point to obtain power from the another access point. In an analogous art, Koc discloses wherein the message indicates that the station associate a link of the another access point to obtain power from the another access point (Parag. (13-17) discloses a user equipment (UE) for initiating offloading from a cellular network to a WiFi network, the cellular network connecting through an evolved NodeB (eNB), the WiFi network connecting through a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN), the method comprising: sending a Power Preference Indication (PPI) message to the eNB to indicate that the UE has a low power; receiving from the eNB an offload instruction for triggering the UE to offload to a single WLAN specified in the offload instruction, wherein the offload instruction (link) includes a command to offload and a basic service set identification (BSSID) of the single WLAN and wherein the UE has not established a previous connection with the single WLAN prior to receiving the offload instruction; scanning for the single WLAN specified in the offload instruction and associated with the received BSSID and refraining from scanning for other WLANs; and connecting to the single WLAN associated with the received BSSID by communicating an offload initiation instruction) Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the technique of Koc to the modified system of Agarwal and Zeine to provide a technique that allows the UE to indicate its power saving needs to the cellular network. In response, the cellular network can lower (or raise) a particular threshold, so that the UE now exceeds (or no longer exceeds) the threshold, and initiates offloading (Abstract, Koc). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 5-8, 12-14 and 18-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Chen et al. (US 2010/0061284 A1) discloses FIG. 7 illustrates an example of multi-carrier sleep mode operation of a mobile station using wakeup indication method. The mobile station supports four RF carriers, one primary carrier and three secondary carriers with logic indexes #1, #2, and #3 respectively. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the mobiles station receives wakeup indication messages from the serving base station on its primary carrier during each of the listening windows. The wakeup indication message may be in the form of a bitmap, with each bit representing whether an associated RF carrier needs to be awakened in the upcoming listing window (Abstract). Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 ROMANI OHRI whose telephone number is (571)272-5420. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00am-5:00pm. 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, UN C CHO can be reached at 5712727919. 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. /ROMANI OHRI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2413
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Prosecution Timeline

Apr 07, 2023
Application Filed
Nov 05, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
Feb 05, 2026
Response Filed
Feb 10, 2026
Applicant Interview (Telephonic)
Feb 10, 2026
Examiner Interview Summary
Jun 01, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
85%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+16.1%)
2y 9m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 460 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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