Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 18, 2026
Application No. 18/300,977

Method for Quickly Starting Application Service, and Terminal

Final Rejection §103
Filed
Apr 14, 2023
Priority
Jun 11, 2014 — continuation of PCTCN2014079660 +2 more
Examiner
XIA, XUYANG
Art Unit
2143
Tech Center
2100 — Computer Architecture & Software
Assignee
Honor Device Co., Ltd.
OA Round
2 (Final)
72%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 72% — above average
72%
Career Allowance Rate
346 granted / 480 resolved
+17.1% vs TC avg
Strong +53% interview lift
Without
With
+52.7%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 2m
Avg Prosecution
27 currently pending
Career history
513
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
13.1%
-26.9% vs TC avg
§103
66.0%
+26.0% vs TC avg
§102
16.7%
-23.3% vs TC avg
§112
3.0%
-37.0% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 480 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 . The double patenting rejection is maintained and is not repeated herein. 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, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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, 21-22, 25-29, 31-35, 38-39 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nelson Aguilar “How to Bypass an iPhine’s Lock Screen Using Siri in iOS 7.02 to Send Messages (youtube) 10/1/2013 in view of Wang et al. (Wang) EP 2838246 A1 and Shultz et al. (Shultz) US 2014/0232633 In regard to claim 1, Nelson disclose A method, (the method of accessing an iphone) comprising: receiving, by a terminal when a display screen of the terminal is in a locked state, a first operation from a user, (press the button under the touch screen by a user while displaying the lock screen, the display screen is in a locked state, see youtube at 0:35/2:09) wherein personal information stored in the terminal is protected in the locked state; (the screen is locked and information is protected on the iphone and the screen is on, see youtube at 0:35-0:40/2:09) starting a voice service application in response to the first operation; (start a voice service when the button is pressed down, see youtube at 0:35-0:40/2:09) receiving a voice instruction that is associated with contact information stored in the terminal, wherein the contact information is associated with a remote device; (receive a voice input to call Justin (which contact information is stored at the iphone, it is well known to the people with the skill in the art) at youtube 0:38-0:42/2:09) dialing the remote device in response to the voice instruction; (the calling is made with Justin’s device at youtube 0:47-0:54/2:09) But Nelson fail to explicitly disclose “and by maintaining the display screen in the locked state both while dialing the remote device and during a call with the remote device.” Wang disclose and by maintaining the display screen in the locked state both while dialing the remote device and during a call with the remote device. ([0018]-[0023][0060]-[0064] dial the number and establish a link and made the phone calls when the lock screen is maintained, and to maintain the function of the lock screen) It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention was made to Wang’s locking screen while making a call into Nelson’s invention as they are related to the same field endeavor of method of voice communication and displaying information on a user interface. The motivation to combine these arts, as proposed above, at least because Wang’s locking screen while making a call would help to protect information while making a call to Nelson’s system. Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention was made that locking screen while making a call would help to provide more intuitive ways to manipulate with the mobile device and therefore improve the user experience using the mobile device. But Nelson and Wang fail to explicitly disclose “wherein the personal information stored in the terminal is protected from access by the user while the display screen is in the locked state; preventing the user from accessing personal information stored in the terminal when the display screen is in the locked state.” Shultz disclose wherein the personal information stored in the terminal is protected from access by the user while the display screen is in the locked state; preventing the user from accessing personal information stored in the terminal when the display screen is in the locked state. ([0003][0020]-0021] [0030]-[0031] the information is prevented to access by the user while the screen is in the locked state) It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention was made to Shultz’s mobile application information into Wang and Nelson’s invention as they are related to the same field endeavor of method of mobile application. The motivation to combine these arts, as proposed above, at least because Shultz’s preventing access information in a locked screen would help to protect information into Wang and Nelson’s system. Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention was made that protecting information while in a locked state would help to provide information protection with the mobile device and therefore improve the user experience using the mobile device. In regard to claim 21, Nelson and Wang, Shultz disclose The method of claim 1, Nelson disclose wherein while dialing the remote device, the method further comprises: displaying the contact information on the display screen; (the screen is locked while dialing the number at 0:46-0:48, the lock screen is displayed again before change and displaying the name of called and keep the screen locked during the call and displaying the lock interface at youtube 1:00-1:04) But Nelson and Shultz fail to explicitly disclose “and preventing the user from accessing personal information stored in the terminal by maintaining the display screen in the locked state while displaying the contact information on the display screen.” Wang disclose and preventing the user from accessing personal information stored in the terminal by maintaining the display screen in the locked state while displaying the contact information on the display screen. ([0018]-[0023][0060]-[0064] dial the number and made the phone calls when the lock screen is maintained, and to maintain the function of the lock screen to prevent other operations which inherently disclose to prevent accessing the information stored which is an operation) It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention was made to Wang’s locking screen while making a call into Shultz and Nelson’s invention as they are related to the same field endeavor of method of voice communication and displaying information on a user interface. The motivation to combine these arts, as proposed above, at least because Wang’s locking screen while making a call would help to protect information while making a call to Shultz and Nelson’s system. Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention was made that locking screen while making a call would help to provide more intuitive ways to manipulate with the mobile device and therefore improve the user experience using the mobile device. In regard to claim 22, Nelson and Wang, Shultz disclose The method of claim 1, Nelson disclose wherein the contact information comprises a name of a called party or a call number. (the screen is locked while dialing the number at 0:46-0:48, the lock screen is displayed again before change and displaying the name of called and keep the screen locked during the call and displaying the lock interface at youtube 1:00-1:04) In regard to claim 25, Nelson and Wang, Shultz disclose The method of claim 21, Nelson disclose wherein while dialing the remote device, the method further comprises: receiving a user input on a call hang-up button on the terminal; and aborting the dialing in response to the user input. (tapping on the end button on the screen and aborting the call in response to the input, at youtube 0:50-0:54) In regard to claim 26, Nelson and Wang, Shultz disclose The method of claim 25, Nelson disclose wherein after aborting the dialing, the method further comprises displaying a first interface to indicate that the display screen is in the locked state. (display the lock screen interface after ending the call youtube at youtube 1:05 or push the ending button and the display the lock screen using iPhone with iOS 7.02) In regard to claim 27, Nelson and Wang, Shultz disclose The method of claim 1, Nelson disclose further comprising notifying the user to input the voice instruction by playing an alert tone or providing a vibration. (provide a prompt “what can I help you with” on the screen at youtube 0:40-0:42) In regard to claim 28, Nelson and Wang, Shultz disclose The method of claim 1, Nelson disclose wherein the first operation from the user comprises an operation of pressing and holding a button. (press and hold the button on the iphone under the touch screen to receive input from a user while displaying the lock screen and the screen is on state, see youtube at 0:35-0:38/2:09) In regard to claim 29, Nelson and Wang, Shultz disclose The method of claim 28, Nelson disclose wherein the button is of the terminal or of a headset connected to the terminal. (press and hold the button on the iphone under the touch screen to receive input from a user while displaying the lock screen and the screen is on state, see youtube at 0:35-0:38/2:09) In regard to claim 31, Nelson and Wang, Shultz disclose The method of claim 29, But Nelson and Shultz fail to explicitly disclose “wherein the headset is a Bluetooth headset or a wired headset.” Wang disclose wherein the headset is a Bluetooth headset or a wired headset. (col. 5, line 11-29, the headset is a Bluetooth headset) It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention was made to Wang’s Bluetooth headset into Shultz and Nelson’s invention as they are related to the same field endeavor of method of voice communication and displaying information on a user interface. The motivation to combine these arts, as proposed above, at least because Wang’s Bluetooth headset would help to control the mobile using the headset into Shultz and Nelson’s system. Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention was made that controlling the mobile using the headset would improve the user experience using the mobile device. In regard to claim 32, Nelson and Wang, Shultz disclose The method of claim 1, But Nelson and Shultz fail to explicitly disclose “wherein the personal information comprises address book data.” Wang disclose wherein the personal information comprises address book data. (col. 5, line 28-37, col. 11, line 65-col. 12, line 13, contact list) It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention was made to Wang’s locking screen into Shultz and Nelson’s invention as they are related to the same field endeavor of method of voice communication and displaying information on a user interface. The motivation to combine these arts, as proposed above, at least because Wang’s locking screen would help to prevent content being accessed into Shultz and Nelson’s system. Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention was made that preventing content being accessed when displaying lock screen would improve the user experience using the mobile device. In regard to claims 33-35, 38-39, claims 33-35, 38-39 are terminal claims corresponding to the method claims 1, 21-22, 25-26 above and, therefore, are rejected for the same reasons set forth in the rejections of claims 1, 21-22, 25-26. Claims 23-24, 36-37 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nelson Aguilar “How to Bypass an iPhine’s Lock Screen Using Siri in iOS 7.02 to Send Messages (youtube) 10/1/2013 and Wang et al. (Wang) EP 2838246 A1, Shultz et al. (Shultz) US 2014/0232633 as applied to claim 1, further in view of Arrehn et al. (Arrehn) US 9152309 In regard to claim 23, Nelson and Wang, Shultz disclose The method of claim 21, But Nelson and Wang, Shultz fail to explicitly disclose “wherein after ending the call to the remote device, the method further comprises: displaying a first interface to indicate that the display screen is in the locked state; and preventing the user from accessing personal information stored in the terminal while displaying the first interface.” Arrehn disclose wherein after ending the call to the remote device, the method further comprises: displaying a first interface to indicate that the display screen is in the locked state; and preventing the user from accessing personal information stored in the terminal while displaying the first interface. (col. 4, line 1-13, col. 8, line 17-38, col. 10, line 39-52, after ending the call, display the locked screen which prevent the user from input and then prevent access the information in the terminal) It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention was made to Arrehn’s locking screen after ending the call into Shultz, Wang and Nelson’s invention as they are related to the same field endeavor of method of voice communication and displaying information on a user interface. The motivation to combine these arts, as proposed above, at least because Arrehn’s locking screen after ending the call would help to protect information during the calling process to Shultz, Wang and Nelson’s system. Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention was made that locking screen after the call would help to provide more intuitive ways to manipulate with the mobile device and therefore improve the user experience using the mobile device. In regard to claim 24, Nelson, Wang, Shultz and Arrehn disclose The method of claim 23, Nelson disclose wherein the display screen is in a screen-on state while receiving the voice instruction, while dialing the remote device, during the call with the remote device, and while displaying the first interface, and wherein the display screen is powered-on in the screen-on state. (the lock screen is displayed and information is protected on the iphone and the screen is on, see youtube at 0:35-0:59 when receiving voice instruction, dialing and during the call) In regard to claims 36-37, claims 36-37 are terminal claims corresponding to the method claims 23-24 above and, therefore, are rejected for the same reasons set forth in the rejections of claims 23-24. Claim 30 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nelson Aguilar “How to Bypass an iPhine’s Lock Screen Using Siri in iOS 7.02 to Send Messages (youtube) 10/1/2013 and Wang et al. (Wang) EP 2838246 A1, Shultz et al. (Shultz) US 2014/0232633 as applied to claim 1, further in view of Xie CN103369143A In regard to claim 30, Nelson and Wang, Shultz disclose The method of claim 29, But Nelson and Wang, Shultz fail to explicitly disclose “wherein the button of the terminal is a volume down button, a volume up button, or a power button.” Xie disclose “wherein the button of the terminal is a volume down button, a volume up button, or a power button. (abstract, [0003] the user presses a power button) It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention was made to Xie’s power button into Shultz, Wang and Nelson’s invention as they are related to the same field endeavor of method of mobile device. The motivation to combine these arts, as proposed above, at least because Xie’s method of using power button to provide input would help to provide more input methods to Shultz, Wang and Nelson’s system. Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing data of the claimed invention was made that using power button to provide input would help to provide more intuitive ways to interact with the mobile device. Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 21-39 filed on 5/26/2026 have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to the current rejection. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to Applicant's disclosure. U.S. Patent Documents PATENT DATE INVENTOR(S) TITLE US 2015/0002441 2015-01-01 Brunet et al. Method For Changing The Detection Range Of A Touch Sensor Brunet et al. disclose In one embodiment, a method for changing the detection range of a touch sensor includes receiving a signal associated with an operation of a device having a touch sensor, and in response to the signal, determining that a detection mode of the touch sensor associated with the device is to be changed. In response to the determination, decreasing sensitivity of a portion, but not all, of the touch sensor… see 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 XUYANG XIA whose telephone number is (571)270-3045. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-4pm. 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, Jennifer Welch can be reached at 571-272-7212. 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. XUYANG XIA Primary Examiner Art Unit 2143 /XUYANG XIA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2143
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Apr 14, 2023
Application Filed
Mar 13, 2025
Response after Non-Final Action
Mar 03, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
May 14, 2026
Interview Requested
May 21, 2026
Examiner Interview Summary
May 21, 2026
Applicant Interview (Telephonic)
May 26, 2026
Response Filed
Jun 25, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
72%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+52.7%)
3y 2m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 480 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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