Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/410,545

COMMUNICATION CONTROL METHOD

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Jan 11, 2024
Examiner
TAHA, SHUKRI ABDALLAH
Art Unit
2478
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Kyocera Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
84%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
3y 0m
To Grant
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 84% — above average
84%
Career Allow Rate
738 granted / 881 resolved
+25.8% vs TC avg
Strong +19% interview lift
Without
With
+18.7%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 0m
Avg Prosecution
35 currently pending
Career history
916
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
7.3%
-32.7% vs TC avg
§103
63.0%
+23.0% vs TC avg
§102
12.0%
-28.0% vs TC avg
§112
6.8%
-33.2% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 881 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
Detailed Action The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . This is a Non-final action for application number 18/410,545 in response to an original application filed on 01/11/2024. Claims 1-10 are currently pending and have been considered below. Claims 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 are independent claims. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS), submitted on 01/11/2024 and 03/07/2024, are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Priority Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed on 02/20/2024. Claim Objections Claims 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 are objected to because of the following informalities: [. Appropriate correction is required. 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claims 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wang et al. (US 2023/0074899 A1). Regarding claims 1, 3 and 7, a cellular communication system, [Wang et al., Figure 7 shows a cellular communication system] comprising: a relay node, [Figure 7, 1st Relay and 2nd Relay], a first user equipment, [Figure 7, UE1] and a second user equipment, [Figure 7, UE1] wherein the relay node relays data between the first user equipment and the second user equipment, [As shown in FIG. 6, the UE1 and UE2 establish unicast connection and forward data through an L2 first relay (relay 1), (Wang et al., Paragraph 68)], and the relay node determines an egress RLC channel based on identification information regarding to communication between the first user equipment and the second user equipment, [The UE1 and the UE2 maintain the end-to-end PC5-S/PC5-RRC and end-to-end service data adaptation protocol (SDAP) or PDCP, and forward data through a PC5 backhaul (BH) RLC bearer with the relay 1, (Wang et al., Paragraph 68)], and performs the relay of a layer 2 relay by using the egress RLC channel, [As shown in FIG. 6, the UE1 and UE2 establish unicast connection and forward data through an L2 first relay (relay 1), See Figure 7, Ref # (Wang et al., Paragraph 68)]. Regarding claims 2, 4 and 8, the cellular communication system wherein the relay node includes a function of a user equipment, [Relay transmission of layer 2 (access layer) is routing forward of control plane and user plane data in the access layer by relay UE, which allows operators (i.e., core network elements and base stations) to manage remote UE more efficiently, (Wang et al., Paragraph 28)]. Regarding claims 5 and 9, a relay node, [Figure 5, Ref # Relay 1], comprising a transceiver circuitry and a processing circuitry operatively associated with the transceiver circuitry, [The block diagram of any logic process in the drawings of the present disclosure may represent program steps, or may represent interconnected logic circuits, modules and functions, or may represent a combination of program steps and logic circuits, modules and functions, (Wang et al., Paragraph 236)], and configured to execute process of: relaying data between a first user equipment and a second user equipment, [As shown in FIG. 6, the UE1 and UE2 establish unicast connection and forward data through an L2 first relay (relay 1), (Wang et al., Paragraph 68)], wherein the relaying includes determining an egress RLC channel based on identification information regarding to communication between the first user equipment and the second user equipment, [The UE1 and the UE2 maintain the end-to-end PC5-S/PC5-RRC and end-to-end service data adaptation protocol (SDAP) or PDCP, and forward data through a PC5 backhaul (BH) RLC bearer with the relay 1, (Wang et al., Paragraph 68)], and performing the relay of a layer 2 relay by using the egress RLC channel, [As shown in FIG. 6, the UE1 and UE2 establish unicast connection and forward data through an L2 first relay (relay 1), See Figure 7, Ref # (Wang et al., Paragraph 68)]. Regarding claims 6 and 10, the relay node wherein the relay node includes a function of a user equipment, [Relay transmission of layer 2 (access layer) is routing forward of control plane and user plane data in the access layer by relay UE, which allows operators (i.e., core network elements and base stations) to manage remote UE more efficiently, (Wang et al., Paragraph 28)]. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Shukri Taha whose telephone number is 571-270-1921. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:30am-5pm Mon-Fri. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joseph Avellino can be reached on 571-272-3905. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). /SHUKRI TAHA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478
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Prosecution Timeline

Jan 11, 2024
Application Filed
Feb 12, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102 (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

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
84%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+18.7%)
3y 0m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 881 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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