Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 17, 2026
Application No. 18/375,532

Wireless Access Systems and Methods

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Oct 01, 2023
Examiner
BROWN, VERNAL U
Art Unit
2686
Tech Center
2600 — Communications
Assignee
unknown
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
70%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
3y 2m
To Grant
80%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 70% — above average
70%
Career Allow Rate
817 granted / 1173 resolved
+7.7% vs TC avg
Moderate +10% lift
Without
With
+10.4%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 2m
Avg Prosecution
49 currently pending
Career history
1222
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
3.4%
-36.6% vs TC avg
§103
52.7%
+12.7% vs TC avg
§102
27.5%
-12.5% vs TC avg
§112
8.0%
-32.0% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1173 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §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 The application of Christopher Babcock for Wireless Access Systems and Method filed 10/01/23 has been examined. Claims 1-23 are pending. It appears the inventor(s) filed the current application pro se (i.e., without the benefit of representation by a registered patent practitioner). While inventors named as applicants in a patent application may prosecute the application pro se, lack of familiarity with patent examination practice and procedure may result in missed opportunities in obtaining optimal protection for the invention disclosed. The inventor(s) may wish to secure the services of a registered patent practitioner to prosecute the application, because the value of a patent is largely dependent upon skilled preparation and prosecution. The Office cannot aid in selecting a patent practitioner. A listing of registered patent practitioners is available at https://oedci.uspto.gov/OEDCI/. Applicants may also obtain a list of registered patent practitioners located in their area by writing to Mail Stop OED, Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, VA 22313-1450. Specification The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it include more than 1 page (there is a blank sheet of paper associated with the abstract). A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b). Claim Objections The numbering of claims is not in accordance with 37 CFR 1.126 which requires the original numbering of the claims to be preserved throughout the prosecution. When claims are canceled, the remaining claims must not be renumbered. When new claims are presented, they must be numbered consecutively beginning with the number next following the highest numbered claims previously presented (whether entered or not). Misnumbered claim 13 been renumbered 14, Claim 14 been renumbered 15 Claim 15 been renumbered 16 Claim 16 been renumbered 17 Claim 17 been renumbered 18 Claim 18 been renumbered 19 Claim 19 been renumbered 20 Claim 20 been renumbered 21 Claim 21 been renumbered 22 Claim 22 been renumbered 23 Claim 23 been renumbered 24. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action: A person shall be entitled to a patent unless – (a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claim(s) 1-10,13-14, and 16-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ho et al. US Patent Application Publication 20210319639. Regarding claim 1, Ho et al. teaches a perimeter access system comprising: a plurality of entry devices (multiple entry points secured by lock, paragraph 047); at least one gateway (170, paragraph 015); at least one radio link enabling the plurality of entry devices to be in radio communication with the at least one gateway (paragraph 015,021); and at least one network server operatively coupled to the at least one gateway by way of an IP connection (paragraph 017,021-022, 049), wherein the one or more gateways act as a transparent bridge (gateway provide the bridge between the lock and the internet network, fig. 3). Regarding claim 2, Ho et al. teaches the perimeter access system comprises a Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) perimeter access system (paragraph 049). Regarding claim 3, Ho et al. teaches the LPWAN perimeter access system utilizes an LPWAN standard protocol (paragraph 049). Regarding claim 4, Ho et al. teaches the perimeter access system grants access to a secured perimeter (paragraph 053). Regarding claim 5, Ho et al. teaches the secured perimeter comprises an enclosed outdoor space (paragraph 07,056). Regarding claim 6, Ho et al. teaches the enclosed outdoor space comprises a hotel room (paragraph 047). -33- Regarding claim 7, Ho teaches the entry device is provided on a moveable barrier (paragraph 073). Regarding claim 8, Ho teaches the moveable barrier comprises a hotel room door (paragraph 047,073). Regarding claim 9, Ho teaches the gateway converts converting Radio Frequency (RF) packets to IP packets (wireless signal from the lock is converted to IP packet, fig. 3). Regarding claim 10, Ho teaches the perimeter access system is configured as a LoRaWAN network architecture deployed in a star-of-stars topology (paragraph 061). Regarding claim 13, Ho et al. teaches the perimeter access system comprises a Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) perimeter access system (paragraph 061). Regarding claim 14, Ho et al. teaches a method of providing remote access to an entry device, comprising: accessing a perimeter access system by an authorized user (paragraph 043,045,050); requesting an entry device configuration by the authorized user (paragraph 050); validating the request (paragraph 051); authorizing the request and applying the requested entry device configuration to the entry device (paragraph 053-054). Regarding claim 16, Ho et al. teaches the authorized user comprises a hotel administrator (paragraph 047,054). Regarding claim 17, Ho teaches the entry device is provided on a moveable barrier (paragraph 073). Regarding claim 18, Ho teaches the moveable barrier comprises a hotel room door (paragraph 047,073). Regarding claim 19, Ho et al. teaches the step of accessing the perimeter access system utilizing a mobile computing device (paragraph 045). Regarding claim 20, Ho et al. teaches the mobile computing device comprises a smartphone (paragraph 045). Regarding claim 21, Ho et al. teaches the step of validating the request by determining a status of an area related to the barrier to entry (lock battery status, paragraph 059). Regarding claim 22, Ho et al. teaches the step of sending a message to an authorized user indicating a status of the request (paragraph 059).. Regarding claim 23, Ho et al. teaches the step of monitoring a status of the entry device (battery status of the lock, paragraph 059). Regarding claim 24, Ho et al. teaches the step of reconfiguring the entry device (paragraph 045,050). 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. Claim(s) 11-12,15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ho et al. US Patent Application Publication 20210319639 in view of Bari US Patent Application Publication 20230091179. Regarding claim 11-12,15, Ho et al. is silent on teaching the network server comprises a cloud-based platform solution. Bari in an analogous art teaches the network server comprises a cloud-based platform solution and teaches the perimeter access system comprises a mesh perimeter access system (paragraph 051). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the system of Ho et al. as disclosed by Bari because such modification represents an improvement over the system of Ho in order to increase the storage capacity and the security of the access control system. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VERNAL U BROWN whose telephone number is (571)272-3060. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8AM-5PM, EST. 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, Steven Lim can be reached on 571 270 1210. 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. /VERNAL U BROWN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2686
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Oct 01, 2023
Application Filed
Apr 18, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §103
Nov 12, 2025
Response after Non-Final Action

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12604195
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DUAL LAYER AUDIO DEVICE PAIRING AUTHENTICATION WITH VOICE PATTERN RECOGNITION
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 14, 2026
Patent 12585899
AUTOMATED SECURE ALLOCATION OF SCANNING DEVICES
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 24, 2026
Patent 12566833
CRITICAL AREA SAFETY DEVICE AND METHODS OF USE
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 03, 2026
Patent 12555424
DATACENTER DETECTION AND AUTHENTICATION TECHNIQUES
2y 5m to grant Granted Feb 17, 2026
Patent 12540491
ELECTRONIC LOCK SYSTEM
2y 5m to grant Granted Feb 03, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

AI Strategy Recommendation

Get an AI-powered prosecution strategy using examiner precedents, rejection analysis, and claim mapping.
Powered by AI — typically takes 5-10 seconds

Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
70%
Grant Probability
80%
With Interview (+10.4%)
3y 2m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1173 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

Sign in for Full Analysis

Enter your email to receive a magic link. No password needed.

Free tier: 3 strategy analyses per month