Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/432,928

Timing Service Type for Timing Resiliency Service

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Feb 05, 2024
Examiner
GHAFOERKHAN, FAIYAZKHAN
Art Unit
2476
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Ofinno LLC
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
87%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 10m
To Grant
95%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 87% — above average
87%
Career Allow Rate
486 granted / 560 resolved
+28.8% vs TC avg
Moderate +8% lift
Without
With
+8.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 10m
Avg Prosecution
20 currently pending
Career history
580
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
5.2%
-34.8% vs TC avg
§103
41.6%
+1.6% vs TC avg
§102
29.7%
-10.3% vs TC avg
§112
15.0%
-25.0% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 560 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
DETAILED ACTION Claims 1-20 have been examined. 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 . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status. 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 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. 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. Claim(s) 1-2 and 5-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2024/0192385 A1 to Hwang et al. (hereinafter “Hwang”) and US 2014/0179366 A1 to A1 to Levin et al. (hereinafter “Levin”). As per claim 1, Hwang discloses a wireless device (Hwang Fig. 5) comprising: one or more processors (Hwang Fig. 5); and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors (Hwang Fig. 5 and [0133]), cause the wireless device to perform: sending a first message comprising a parameter indicating a requested time key performance indicator (KPI) (Hwang Fig. 7 and [0035-0036], [0169] In operation 701, a location service request may be initiated by an external entity because it is a case of MT-LR. Not only in the case that the location service request is performed by the external entity but also in a case that the location service request is performed by another entity or the UE, the LMF may start a positioning operation, i.e., start LPP signaling. In this case, an entity that requests a location service may deliver information for determining a PI related KPI in the service to the LMF. [0170] In operation 703, based on the information for determining the PI related KPI, the LMF may determine KPI values related to the requested service for the UE.), wherein the requested time KPI indicates a requested accuracy of time service for the wireless device; and receiving a second message comprising an allowed time KPI in response to the requested time KPI (Hwang Fig. 7 and [0168-0178]). Hwang may not explicitly disclose, but Levin, which is in the same field of endeavor, discloses wherein the requested time KPI indicates a requested accuracy of time service for the wireless device (Levin [0017-0018, 0027, 0047-0048]). The purpose of Levin is to enable accurate time KPIs preservation (Levin [0017-0018, 0027, 0047-0048]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Levin with Hwang, to enable accurate time KPIs preservation (Levin [0017-0018, 0027, 0047-0048]). As per claim 2, Hwang and Levin disclose the wireless device of claim 1, wherein the first message is sent to a network function (Hwang Fig. 7), and the second message is received from the network function (Hwang Fig. 7). As per claim 5, Hwang and Levin disclose the wireless device of claim 1, wherein the first message is sent to a base station (Hwang Fig. 1 and 7), and the second message is received from the base station (Hwang Fig. 1 and 7). As per claim 6, Hwang and Levin disclose the wireless device of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the wireless device further to perform receiving the time service based on one or more of the requested time KPI and/or the allowed time KPI (Hwang Fig. 7 and [0035-0036], [0169] In operation 701, a location service request may be initiated by an external entity because it is a case of MT-LR. Not only in the case that the location service request is performed by the external entity but also in a case that the location service request is performed by another entity or the UE, the LMF may start a positioning operation, i.e., start LPP signaling. In this case, an entity that requests a location service may deliver information for determining a PI related KPI in the service to the LMF. [0170] In operation 703, based on the information for determining the PI related KPI, the LMF may determine KPI values related to the requested service for the UE.). As per claim 7, Hwang discloses a network function (Hwang Fig. 6 and 7) comprising: one or more processors (Hwang Fig. 6); and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors (Hwang Fig. 6 and [0140]), cause the network function to perform: receiving, from a wireless device, a first message comprising a parameter indicating a requested time key performance indicator (KPI) (Hwang Fig. 7 and [0035-0036], [0169] In operation 701, a location service request may be initiated by an external entity because it is a case of MT-LR. Not only in the case that the location service request is performed by the external entity but also in a case that the location service request is performed by another entity or the UE, the LMF may start a positioning operation, i.e., start LPP signaling. In this case, an entity that requests a location service may deliver information for determining a PI related KPI in the service to the LMF. [0170] In operation 703, based on the information for determining the PI related KPI, the LMF may determine KPI values related to the requested service for the UE.), wherein the requested time KPI indicates a requested accuracy of time service for the wireless device; and sending, to the wireless device, a second message comprising an allowed time KPI in response to the requested time KPI (Hwang Fig. 7 and [0168-0178]). Hwang may not explicitly disclose, but Levin, which is in the same field of endeavor, discloses wherein the requested time KPI indicates a requested accuracy of time service for the wireless device (Levin [0017-0018, 0027, 0047-0048]). The purpose of Levin is to enable accurate time KPIs preservation (Levin [0017-0018, 0027, 0047-0048]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Levin with Hwang, to enable accurate time KPIs preservation (Levin [0017-0018, 0027, 0047-0048]). As per claim 8, Hwang and Levin disclose the network function of claim 7, wherein the requested time KPI indicates one or more of: a requested interval of time service for the wireless device (Hwang Fig. 7 and [0035-0036,0150,0169-0170]); and/or a requested coverage area of time service for the wireless device. As per claim 9, Hwang and Levin disclose the network function of claim 7, wherein the allowed time KPI indicates one or more of: an allowed accuracy of time service for the wireless device; an allowed interval of time service for the wireless device; and/or an allowed coverage area of time service for the wireless device. Hwang may not explicitly disclose, but Levin, which is in the same field of endeavor, discloses an allowed accuracy of time service for the wireless device (Levin [0017-0018, 0027, 0047-0048]). The purpose of Levin is to enable accurate time KPIs preservation (Levin [0017-0018, 0027, 0047-0048]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Levin with Hwang, to enable accurate time KPIs preservation (Levin [0017-0018, 0027, 0047-0048]). As per claim 10, Hwang and Levin disclose the network function of claim 7, wherein the message comprises a requested time service type indicating a requested service type for time service (Hwang Fig. 7 and [0035-0036,0150,0169-0170]). As per claim 11, Hwang and Leven disclose the network function of claim 10, wherein the requested time service type comprises one or more of: a requested premium timing service; a requested commercial timing service; a requested regular timing service (Hwang Fig. 7 and [0035-0036,0150,0169-0170]; and/or a requested dedicated timing service (Hwang Fig. 7 and [0035-0036,0150,0169-0170]. As per claim 12, Hwang discloses the network function of claim 10, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network function further to perform sending, to the wireless device, an indication that the requested time service type is allowed (Hwang Fig. 7 and [0035-0036,0150,0169-0170]. As per claim 13, Hwang and Levin disclose the network function of claim 7, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network function further to perform sending, to the wireless device, an indication of an allowed time service type (Hwang Fig. 7 and [0035-0036,0150,0169-0170]. As per claim 14, Hwang discloses a network element (Hwang Fig. 6 and 7) comprising: one or more processors (Hwang Fig. 6 and 7); and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors (Hwang Fig. 6 and [0140]), cause the network element to perform: receiving, from a network function, a first message comprising a parameter indicating a requested time key performance indicator (KPI) (Hwang Fig. 7 and [0035-0036], [0169] In operation 701, a location service request may be initiated by an external entity because it is a case of MT-LR. Not only in the case that the location service request is performed by the external entity but also in a case that the location service request is performed by another entity or the UE, the LMF may start a positioning operation, i.e., start LPP signaling. In this case, an entity that requests a location service may deliver information for determining a PI related KPI in the service to the LMF. [0170] In operation 703, based on the information for determining the PI related KPI, the LMF may determine KPI values related to the requested service for the UE.), wherein the requested time KPI indicates a requested accuracy of time service for a wireless device; and sending, to the network function, a second message comprising an allowed time KPI in response to the requested time KPI (Hwang Fig. 7 and [0168-0178]). Hwang may not explicitly disclose, but Levin, which is in the same field of endeavor, discloses wherein the requested time KPI indicates a requested accuracy of time service for a wireless device (Levin [0017-0018, 0027, 0047-0048]). The purpose of Levin is to enable accurate time KPIs preservation (Levin [0017-0018, 0027, 0047-0048]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Levin with Hwang, to enable accurate time KPIs preservation (Levin [0017-0018, 0027, 0047-0048]). As per claim 15, Hwang and Levin disclose the network element of claim 14, wherein the requested time KPI indicates one or more of: a requested interval of time service for the wireless device (Hwang Fig. 7 and [0035-0036,0150,0169-0170]); and/or a requested coverage area of time service for the wireless device. As per claim 16, Hwang and Levin disclose the network element of claim 14, wherein the message comprises a requested time service type indicating a requested service type for time service (Hwang Fig. 7 and [0035-0036,0150,0169-0170]). As per claim 17, Hwang and Levin disclose the network element of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network element further to perform sending, to the network function, an indication that the requested time service type is allowed (Hwang Fig. 7 and [0035-0036,0150,0169-0170]). As per claim 18, Hwang and Levin disclose the network element of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network element further to perform sending, to the network function, an indication of an allowed time service type (Hwang Fig. 7 and [0035-0036,0150,0169-0170]). As per claim 19, Hwang and Levin disclose the network element of claim 14, wherein the first message further comprises a request of coordinated universal time for the wireless device. Hwang may not explicitly disclose, but Levin, which is in the same field of endeavor, discloses a request of coordinated universal time for the wireless device (Levin [0017-0018, 0027, 0047-0048]). The purpose of Levin is to enable accurate time KPIs preservation (Levin [0017-0018, 0027, 0047-0048]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Levin with Hwang, to enable accurate time KPIs preservation (Levin [0017-0018, 0027, 0047-0048]). As per claim 20, Hwang and Levin disclose the network element of claim 14, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the network element further to perform providing, to the network function, the time service (Hwang Fig. 7 and [0035-0036,0150,0169-0170]). Claim(s) 3-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hwang and Levin as applied to claims 1-2 and 5-20 above, and further in view of US 2021/0204164 A1 to Yavuz et al. (hereinafter “Yavuz”). As per claim 3, Hwang and Levin disclose the wireless device of claim 2, wherein the network function is an access and mobility management function. Hwang may not explicitly disclose, but Yavuz, which is in the same field of endeavor, discloses wherein the network function is an access and mobility management function (Yavuz [0019] and table on page 12). The purpose of Yavuz is to enable slicing the network to allow network administrators and businesses and other enterprises to more closely tailor network access with communication needs, and provide a way to more efficiently use network resources (Yavuz [0002]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Yavuz with Hwang, to enable slicing the network to allow network administrators and businesses and other enterprises to more closely tailor network access with communication needs, and provide a way to more efficiently use network resources (Yavuz [0002]). As per claim 4, Hwang and Levin disclose the wireless device of claim 2, wherein the network function is a session management function. Hwang may not explicitly disclose, but Yavuz, which is in the same field of endeavor, discloses wherein the network function is a session management function (Yavuz [0019] and table on page 12). The purpose of Yavuz is to enable slicing the network to allow network administrators and businesses and other enterprises to more closely tailor network access with communication needs, and provide a way to more efficiently use network resources (Yavuz [0002]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Yavuz with Hwang, to enable slicing the network to allow network administrators and businesses and other enterprises to more closely tailor network access with communication needs, and provide a way to more efficiently use network resources (Yavuz [0002]). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FAIYAZKHAN GHAFOERKHAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7161. The examiner can normally be reached Flex. 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, Ayaz R Sheikh can be reached at (571) 272-3795. 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. FAIYAZKHAN GHAFOERKHAN Primary Examiner Art Unit 2476 /FAIYAZKHAN GHAFOERKHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2476
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Prosecution Timeline

Feb 05, 2024
Application Filed
Mar 07, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §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

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
87%
Grant Probability
95%
With Interview (+8.2%)
2y 10m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 560 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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