Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 02, 2026
Application No. 18/360,558

SEGMENT BASED FEEDBACK CODEBOOK

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Jul 27, 2023
Examiner
LI, GUANG W
Art Unit
2478
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Qualcomm Incorporated
OA Round
3 (Non-Final)
78%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
2m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 78% — above average
78%
Career Allowance Rate
509 granted / 651 resolved
+20.2% vs TC avg
Strong +24% interview lift
Without
With
+23.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 4m
Avg Prosecution
29 currently pending
Career history
679
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
5.6%
-34.4% vs TC avg
§103
50.0%
+10.0% vs TC avg
§102
20.9%
-19.1% vs TC avg
§112
16.5%
-23.5% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 651 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
DETAILED ACTION It is hereby acknowledged that the following papers have been received and placed of record in the file: Amendment date 07/31/2026. Claims 1-30 are presented for examination. Response to Arguments Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 1-30 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection. 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(a) 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. Claim 1-10 and 12-30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsai et al. (US 2020/0106568 A1) in view of Cao et al. (US 2017/0288817 A1). Regarding claim 1, Tsai teaches a user equipment (UE) (User equipment 110 see Tsai: Fig.1), comprising: one or more memories storing processor-executable code; and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories that individually or collectively execute the code to cause the UE (Apparatus 1200 include memory 1220 and processing circuitry 1210 see Tsai: Fig.12) to: receive control signaling to report feedback information for a segment of resources (UE receive DCI that are associate with first downlink transmissions and carrier a first group index (GI) value for first HARQ feedback group (corresponding to segment), where the group-based HARQ-feedback includes HARQ-ACK information bits (ACK or NACK bit for each PDSCH resource) see Tsai: Fig.7 steps s710-s720; ¶[0075-0076]; ¶[0078]; ¶[0104]; Fig.6); generate a feedback codebook associated with a plurality of segments based at least in part on the control signaling (UE generate codebook associate with HARQ-ACK feedback for all downlink transmissions belonging to the group with the GI Value “the UE 110 can generate the group-based HARQ-ACK feedback for acknowledging receptions of downlink transmissions in the first HARQ-ACK feedback group in response to receiving the request at S720” see Tsai: Fig.7 step S730; ¶[0078]; Fig.6 codebook; ¶[0091]); and transmit the feedback codebook for the plurality of segments based at least in part on generating the feedback codebook (transmit group HARQ-ACK feedback based on codebook “At S740, the group-based HARQ-ACK feedback is transmitted over the first HARQ-ACK TxOP indicated by the request” see Tsai: Fig.7 step S740; ¶[0079]), the feedback codebook comprising the one bit of the feedback information associated with the segment according to the feedback codebook (HARQ-ACK codebook include GI value 0 or 1 see Tsai: Fig.6; ¶[0045-0046]). Tasi does not explicitly teaches the segment being associated with one bit of the feedback information comprising an acknowledgment bit or a negative-acknowledgment bit of a hybrid automatic repeat request feedback, wherein: a plurality of message are scheduled within the segment, or a single message spans over two or more segments including the segment. However, Cao teaches the segment being associated with one bit of the feedback information comprising an acknowledgment bit or a negative-acknowledgment bit of a hybrid automatic repeat request feedback (The group ACK may comprise a single ACK payload protected by a CRC and the group ACK may be one bit: “0” for ACK and “1” for N/A, or vice versa see Cao: ¶[0090]), wherein: a plurality of message are scheduled within the segment, or a single message spans over two or more segments including the segment (Chase combining is performed at the base station 100 using all received transmissions for which activity detection is successful. An ACK is sent to UE 102a once decoding of the data is successful, where base station combine into single message at Fig.15 see Cao: ¶[0117]; Fig.15; ¶[0111]; ¶[0130]) in order to enhance decoding the data when UE sends a grant-free uplink transmission (see Cao: ¶[0007]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to create the invention of Tsai to include (or to use, etc.) the segment being associated with one bit of the feedback information comprising an acknowledgment bit or a negative-acknowledgment bit of a hybrid automatic repeat request feedback, wherein: a plurality of message are scheduled within the segment, or a single message spans over two or more segments including the segment. as taught by Cao in order to enhance decoding the data when UE sends a grant-free uplink transmission (see Cao: ¶[0007]). Regarding claim 2, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 1 as described hereinabove. Tsai further teaches wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further execute the code to cause the UE to: receive one or more grants scheduling one or more messages in the segment, wherein generating the feedback codebook is based at least in part on receiving the one or more grants (receiving uplink grant for transmission and generate HARQ-ACK for group “a DCI 401 scheduling an uplink grant for transmission of a PUSCH #0 is used as the request” see Tsai: ¶[0064]; Fig.4). Regarding claim 3, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 1 as described hereinabove. Tsai further teaches wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further execute the code to cause the UE to: determine a quantity of messages scheduled for the resources that comprise the segment based at least in part on offsets between a time when the quantity of messages are received and an uplink occasion to transmit the feedback information associated with the feedback codebook, (determine HARQ-ACK feedback groups based on GI value and C-DAI and T-DAI value and slot offset “separate HARQ-ACK feedback groups (new group and previous group) can be identified even the HARQ-ACK feedback groups have the same GI value” and “the DCI can carry a PDSCH-to-HARQ-timing-indicator to indicate a slot offset between the PDSCH reception and the corresponding TxOP #0 or #1” see ¶[0033]; Fig.4-6; ¶[0048]), wherein generating the feedback codebook is based at least in part on determining the quantity of messages (UE generate codebook associate with HARQ-ACK feedback for all downlink transmissions belonging to the group with the GI Value “the UE 110 can generate the group-based HARQ-ACK feedback for acknowledging receptions of downlink transmissions in the first HARQ-ACK feedback group in response to receiving the request at S720” see Tsai: Fig.7 step S730; ¶[0078]; Fig.6 codebook; ¶[0091]; Figs.4-5). Regarding claim 4, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 3 as described hereinabove. Tsai further teaches wherein the one bit of the feedback information associated with the segment comprises information for the quantity of the messages (GI value= 0 or 1 associated with the HARQ-ACK groups see Tsai: Fig.6 ). Regarding claim 5, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 3 as described hereinabove. Tsai further teaches wherein, to transmit the feedback codebook, the one or more processors individually or collectively further execute the code to cause the UE to: transmit the one bit of the feedback information comprising the acknowledgment bit based at least in part on each of the quantity of messages being successfully decoded (The HARQ-ACK information can be a signal bit indicating positive acknowledgement (ACK) or negative acknowledgement (NACK) see Tsai: ¶[0026]; ¶[0051]). Regarding claim 6, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 3 as described hereinabove. Tsai further teaches wherein, to transmit the feedback codebook, the one or more processors individually or collectively further execute the code to cause the UE to: transmit the one bit of the feedback information comprising the negative-acknowledgment bit based on at least in part on at least one of the quantity of messages failing to be successfully decoded (The HARQ-ACK information can be a signal bit indicating positive acknowledgement (ACK) or negative acknowledgement (NACK) see Tsai: ¶[0026]; ¶[0038]). Regarding claim 7, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 1 as described hereinabove. Tsai further teaches wherein, to generate the feedback codebook, the one or more processors individually or collectively further execute the code to cause the UE to: determine a discontinuity of values of downlink assignment index indicators received as part of grants (C-DAI and T-DAI value indicator see Tsai: ¶0036]); and assign a negative acknowledgement to the segment in the feedback codebook based at least in part on determining the discontinuity of the values (the UE 110 can determine which downlink transmission is missed, and feedback a NACK bit corresponding to the missed downlink transmission see Tsai: ¶[0038]). Regarding claim 8, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 1 as described hereinabove. Tsai further teaches wherein the one or more processors individually or collectively further execute the code to cause the UE to: receive a grant for a first message to be communicated during the segment (receiving uplink grant for transmission and generate HARQ-ACK for group “a DCI 401 scheduling an uplink grant for transmission of a PUSCH #0 is used as the request” see Tsai: ¶[0064]; Fig.4), the grant comprising a first downlink assignment index indicator associated with the segment, wherein generating the feedback codebook is based at least in part on the first downlink assignment index indicator (C-DAI and T-DAI value indicator see Tsai: ¶0036]); and assign a negative acknowledgement to the segment in the feedback codebook based at least in part on determining the discontinuity of the values (the UE 110 can determine which downlink transmission is missed, and feedback a NACK bit corresponding to the missed downlink transmission see Tsai: ¶[0038]; Fig.6 C-DAI and T-DAI). Regarding claim 9, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 8 as described hereinabove. Tsai further teaches wherein the one or more processors individually or collectively further execute the code to cause the UE to: receive a second grant for a second message to be communicated during the segment, the second grant comprising a second downlink assignment index indicator associated with the segment and different than the first downlink assignment index indicator; and receive a third grant for a third message to be communicated during the segment, the third grant comprising a third downlink assignment index indicator associated with the segment and different than the first downlink assignment index indicator and the second downlink assignment index indicator (different C-DAI and different T-DAI associated with each PDSCH see Tsai: Figs. 4-6; ¶[0061-0064]). Regarding claim 10, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 1 as described hereinabove. Tsai further teaches wherein the one or more processors individually or collectively further execute the code to cause the UE to: determine a start parameter and a length parameter for a message scheduled to be communicated via the resources that comprise the segment, wherein generating the feedback codebook is based at least in part on determining the start parameter and the length parameter (Each DCI carries a C-DAI value, a T-DAI value, a GI value, and a NGI bit, where the C-DAI is the counter which corresponding to start parameter see Tsai: ¶[0070]; Fig.6). Regarding claim 12, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 1 as described hereinabove. Tsai further teaches wherein the one or more processors individually or collectively further execute the code to cause the UE to: determine whether a message scheduled to be communicated via the resources that comprise the segment was not successfully detected, wherein generating the feedback codebook is based at least in part on determining whether the message was not successfully detected (the UE 110 can determine which downlink transmission is missed, and feedback a NACK bit corresponding to the missed downlink transmission see Tsai: ¶[0038]). Regarding claim 13, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 1 as described hereinabove. Tsai further teaches wherein the one or more processors individually or collectively further execute the code to cause the UE to: receive second control signaling comprising an indication of a maximum quantity of messages that the UE supports being scheduled to be communicated via the resources that comprise the segment, wherein generating the feedback codebook is based at least in part on receiving the second control signaling (Each DCI (which include second DCI) carries a C-DAI value, a T-DAI value, a GI value where T-DAI is the total downlink assignment indicator see Tsai: Fig.6; ¶[0070]). Regarding claim 14, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 13 as described hereinabove. Tsai further teaches wherein the one or more processors individually or collectively further execute the code to cause the UE to: transmit signaling to indicate a maximum quantity of messages that the UE supports being scheduled in the resources that comprise the segment, wherein receiving the second control signaling is based at least in part on transmitting the signaling (Each DCI (which include second DCI) carries a C-DAI value, a T-DAI value, a GI value where T-DAI is the total downlink assignment indicator see Tsai: Fig.6; ¶[0070]). Regarding claim 15, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 1 as described hereinabove. Tsai further teaches wherein the one or more processors individually or collectively further execute the code to cause the UE to: receive second control signaling comprising an indication of a maximum quantity of grants that support scheduling messages to be communicated via the resources that comprise the segment, wherein generating the feedback codebook is based at least in part on receiving the second control signaling (Each DCI (which include second DCI) carries a C-DAI value, a T-DAI value, a GI value where T-DAI is the total downlink assignment indicator and DCI trigger a group based HARQ-ACK feedback see Tsai: Fig.6; ¶[0070]; ¶[0036]). Regarding claim 16, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 1 as described hereinabove. Tsai further teaches wherein, to receive the control signaling, the one or more processors individually or collectively further execute the code to cause the UE to: receive a grant for a first message to be communicated during the segment, the grant comprising a message quantity indicator associated with a quantity of messages scheduled to be communicated via the resources that comprise the segment, wherein generating the feedback codebook is based at least in part on the message quantity indicator (receiving uplink grant for transmission and generate HARQ-ACK for group and Total downlink assignment indicator value (T-DAI) “a DCI 401 scheduling an uplink grant for transmission of a PUSCH #0 is used as the request” see Tsai: ¶[0064]; Fig.4; ¶[0036]). Regarding claim 17, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 16 as described hereinabove. Tsai further teaches wherein, to receive the control signaling, the one or more processors individually or collectively further execute the code to cause the UE to: receive the grant for the first message to be communicated during the segment, the grant comprising a segment index indicator associated with the segment and the message quantity indicator associated with the quantity of messages scheduled to be communicated via the resources that comprise the segment; and receive a second grant for a second message to be communicated during the segment, the second grant comprising the segment index indicator and the message quantity indicator, wherein generating the feedback codebook is based at least in part on the segment index indicator and the message quantity indicator (receiving uplink grant for transmission for different HARQ-ACK for Group 1 and 2 and generate HARQ-ACK for group and Total downlink assignment indicator value (T-DAI) “a DCI 401 scheduling an uplink grant for transmission of a PUSCH #0 is used as the request” see Tsai: ¶[0064]; Fig.4; ¶[0036]; Fig.5). Regarding claim 18, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 16 as described hereinabove. Tsai further teaches wherein the resources that comprise the segment are defined over time domain resources and one or more component carriers of a plurality of component carriers (The process 100 can start from S130. At S130, a set of downlink transmissions 140-150 can be performed sequentially in time domain and the UE 110 can determine a size of the codebook at this point in time by receiving at least one component carrier see Tsai: ¶[0028]; ¶[0038]). Regarding claim 19, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 18 as described hereinabove. Tsai further teaches wherein the one or more processors individually or collectively further execute the code to cause the UE to: receive second control signaling to report the feedback information for a second segment of resources (Each DCI carries a C-DAI value, a T-DAI value, a GI value, and a NGI bit, where the C-DAI is the counter which corresponding to start parameter see Tsai: ¶[0070]; Fig.6), the resources that comprise the second segment are defined over second time domain resources that at least partially overlaps with the time domain resources and at least one component carrier different than the one or more component carriers (multiple serving cell #0-3 and with associated feedback HARQ-ACK TxOP#1 see Tsai: Fig.2; ¶[0037]), wherein generating the feedback codebook is based at least in part on the second control signaling (Each DCI (which include second DCI) carries a C-DAI value, a T-DAI value, a GI value where T-DAI is the total downlink assignment indicator see Tsai: Fig.6; ¶[0070]). Regarding claim 20, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 18 as described hereinabove. Tsai further teaches wherein the one or more processors individually or collectively further execute the code to cause the UE to: generate a feedback codebook of dynamic length, wherein generating the feedback codebook is based at least in part on generating the feedback codebook of dynamic length (UE determine a size of codebook by receiving at least one component carrier, which different size based on T-DAI value “the UE 110 can determine a size of the codebook at this point in time by receiving at least one component carrier and detecting the respective T-DAI value” see Tsai: ¶[0038]). Regarding claim 21, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 20 as described hereinabove. Tsai further teaches wherein, to generate the feedback codebook of dynamic length, the one or more processors individually or collectively further execute the code to cause the UE to: receive one or more grants scheduling one or more messages in the plurality of segments, the one or more grants comprising a segment index indicator (Each DCI (which include second DCI) carries a C-DAI value, a T-DAI value, a GI value where T-DAI is the total downlink assignment indicator and DCI trigger a group based HARQ-ACK feedback see Tsai: Fig.6; ¶[0070]; ¶[0036]); determine a discontinuity of values of segment index indicators received as part of grants; and assign a negative acknowledgement to at least one segment in the feedback codebook based at least in part on determining the discontinuity of the values (NGI bit determine different group with each DCI carries HARQ-ACK acknowledgement “Each DCI carries a C-DAI value, a T-DAI value, a GI value, and a NGI bit, where the C-DAI is the counter which corresponding to start parameter” see Tsai: ¶[0070]; Fig.6; ¶[0058]; ¶[0064]). Regarding claim 22, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 1 as described hereinabove. Tsai further teaches wherein a plurality of messages is received via the resources that comprise the segment (each DRI message include GI value and NGI value (corresponding to segment) see Tsai: Fig.4;¶[0064]). Regarding claim 23, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 1 as described hereinabove. Tsai further teaches wherein the segment comprises one or more slots, one or more portions of a slot, or a combination thereof (PDSCH with GI group 0 are allocation in different slots see Tsai: Fig.4; ¶[0046]). Regarding claim 24, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 1 as described hereinabove. Tsai further teaches wherein a first size of a first segment is different than a second size of a second segment (C-DAI and T-DAI values in the DCIs are accumulated within each HARQ-ACK feedback group are different in each group see Tsai: ¶[0048]). Regarding claim 25, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 1 as described hereinabove. Tsai further teaches wherein the resources that comprise the segment are defined by a slot index, a symbol index, or any combination thereof (C-DAI is counter downlink assignment indicator and T-DAI is total downlink assignment indicator “C-DAI and T-DAI values in the DCIs are accumulated within each HARQ-ACK feedback group are different in each group” see Tsai: ¶[0048]). Regarding claim 26, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 1 as described hereinabove. Tsai further teaches wherein the resources that comprise the segment are defined by a physical uplink control channel transmission occasion (a DCI 401 scheduling an uplink grant for transmission of a PUSCH #0 is used as the request see Tsai: ¶[0064]). Regarding claim 27, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 1 as described hereinabove. Tsai further teaches wherein the resources that comprise the segment are associated with a time domain, a frequency domain, or any combination thereof (The process 100 can start from S130. At S130, a set of downlink transmissions 140-150 can be performed sequentially in time domain and the UE 110 can determine a size of the codebook at this point in time by receiving at least one component carrier see Tsai: ¶[0028]; ¶[0038]). Regarding claim 28, Tsai teaches a network entity, comprising: one or more memories storing processor-executable code; and one or more processors coupled with the one or more memories (apparatus 1200 include memory 1220 and processing circuitry 1210 see Tsai: Fig.12) that individually or collectively execute the code to cause the network entity to: transmit control signaling to report feedback information for a segment of resources (transmitting DCI to UE which each DCI include first GI value “At S810, one or more DCIs can be transmitted from the BS 120. Each DCI can be associated with a first downlink transmission. Each DCI can carry a first GI value of a first HARQ-ACK feedback group” see Tsai: Fig.8 step S810-S820); and receive a feedback codebook associated with a plurality of segments based at least in part on the control signaling, the feedback codebook comprising the one bit of the feedback information associated with the segment according to the feedback codebook (receive the group HARQ-ACK feedback based on codebook “at S830, the group-based HARQ-ACK feedback for acknowledging receptions of downlink transmissions in the first HARQ-ACK feedback group can be received over the first HARQ-ACK TxOP indicated by the request” see Fig.8 step 0083). Tasi does not explicitly teaches the segment being associated with one bit of the feedback information comprising an acknowledgment bit or a negative-acknowledgment bit of a hybrid automatic repeat request feedback, wherein: a plurality of message are scheduled within the segment, or a single message spans over two or more segments including the segment. However, Cao teaches the segment being associated with one bit of the feedback information comprising an acknowledgment bit or a negative-acknowledgment bit of a hybrid automatic repeat request feedback (The group ACK may comprise a single ACK payload protected by a CRC and the group ACK may be one bit: “0” for ACK and “1” for N/A, or vice versa see Cao: ¶[0090]), wherein: a plurality of message are scheduled within the segment, or a single message spans over two or more segments including the segment (Chase combining is performed at the base station 100 using all received transmissions for which activity detection is successful. An ACK is sent to UE 102a once decoding of the data is successful, where base station combine into single message at Fig.15 see Cao: ¶[0117]; Fig.15; ¶[0111]; ¶[0130]) in order to enhance decoding the data when UE sends a grant-free uplink transmission (see Cao: ¶[0007]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to create the invention of Tsai to include (or to use, etc.) the segment being associated with one bit of the feedback information comprising an acknowledgment bit or a negative-acknowledgment bit of a hybrid automatic repeat request feedback, wherein: a plurality of message are scheduled within the segment, or a single message spans over two or more segments including the segment. as taught by Cao in order to enhance decoding the data when UE sends a grant-free uplink transmission (see Cao: ¶[0007]). Regarding claim 29, claim 29 is rejected for the same reason as the user equipment of claim 1 as set forth hereinabove. Claim 29 recites a method that perform the same functionalities as the UE of claim 1 as described hereinabove. Regarding claim 30, claim 30 is rejected for the same reason as the user equipment of claim 28 as set forth hereinabove. Claim 30 recites a method that perform the same functionalities as the UE of claim 28 as described hereinabove. Claim 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsai et al. (US 2020/0106568 A1) in view of Cao et al. (US 2017/0288817 A1) and further in view of Rastegardoost et al. (US 2022/0322314 A1). Regarding claim 11, the modified Tsai taught the UE of claim 1 as described hereinabove. The modified Tsai does not explicitly teaches wherein the one or more processors individually or collectively further execute the code to cause the UE to: determine whether a quantity of grants received for the resources that comprise the segment satisfies a threshold, wherein generating the feedback codebook is based at least in part on determining whether the quantity of grants received satisfies the threshold. However, Rastegardoost teaches the wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further execute the code to cause the UE to: determine whether a quantity of grants received for the resources that comprise the segment satisfies a threshold, wherein generating the feedback codebook is based at least in part on determining whether the quantity of grants received satisfies the threshold (maximum number of preamble transmission and thresholds for determine preamble groups A and B based on threshold “the one or more RACH parameters may indicate: a preamble format; a maximum number of preamble transmissions; and/or one or more thresholds for determining one or more preamble groups (e.g., group A and group B)” see Rastegardoost: ¶[0174]; ¶[0177-0178]) in order to determine contention resolution is successful in the random access procedure (see Rastegardoost: ¶[0178]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to create the invention of the modified Tsai to include (or to use, etc.) the wherein the one or more processors are individually or collectively further execute the code to cause the UE to: determine whether a quantity of grants received for the resources that comprise the segment satisfies a threshold, wherein generating the feedback codebook is based at least in part on determining whether the quantity of grants received satisfies the threshold as taught by Rastegardoost in order to determine contention resolution is successful in the random access procedure (see Rastegardoost: ¶[0178]). Conclusion 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 GUANG W LI whose telephone number is (571)270-1897. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 7AM-5PMET. 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, Joseph Avellino can be reached at (571) 272-3905. 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. GUANG W. LI Primary Examiner Art Unit 2478 September 19, 2026 /GUANG W LI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478
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Prosecution Timeline

Jul 27, 2023
Application Filed
Dec 10, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
Mar 06, 2026
Response Filed
Jun 03, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §103
Jul 31, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Sep 02, 2026
Request for Continued Examination
Sep 14, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Sep 23, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
78%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+23.9%)
3y 4m (~2m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 651 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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