DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Response to Amendment
This communication is in response to the amendment of 12/02/2025. Accordingly, Claims 1-17 and 19 are currently pending in the application. Claims 18 and 20 withdrawn.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Group I. (claims 1-17 and 19) in the reply filed on 12/02/2025 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that there would be no serious burden on Examiner. This is not found persuasive because Group I is shown to have separate utility such as obtaining, by a terminal, a first channel monitoring budget… and performing, by the terminal, a first operation on at least part of control resources in first control resources according to a second channel monitoring budget; wherein the second channel monitoring budget comprises at least one channel monitoring budget in the first channel monitoring budget, and the first operation comprises at least one of the following operations: allocation or monitoring (figure 5) and Group II is shown to have separate utility such as configuring or allocating, by a network-side device, a first control resource according to a second channel monitoring budget (figure 6).
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the subject matter of “obtaining, by a terminal, a first channel monitoring budget; wherein a first cell supports being scheduled by M cells, and M is an integer greater than 1; the M cells comprise the first cell and the first channel monitoring budget comprises at least one of the following: a channel monitoring budget corresponding to at least one cell in the M cells, or a joint channel monitoring budget corresponding to at least two cells in the M cells; or, the M cells do not comprise the first cell and the first channel monitoring budget comprises at least one of the following: a channel monitoring budget corresponding to the first cell, a channel monitoring budget corresponding to at least one cell in the M cells, or a joint channel monitoring budget corresponding to at least two cells in the M cells and wherein the second channel monitoring budget comprises at least one channel monitoring budget in the first channel monitoring budget,” and the subject matter of “ the first operation comprises at least one of the following operations: allocation or monitoring.”
must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 1 (dependent claims also being rejected since they are dependent upon rejected claims set forth), 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Independent claim 1 recites the subject matter of “obtaining, by a terminal, a first channel monitoring budget; wherein a first cell supports being scheduled by M cells, and M is an integer greater than 1; the M cells comprise the first cell and the first channel monitoring budget comprises at least one of the following: a channel monitoring budget corresponding to at least one cell in the M cells, or a joint channel monitoring budget corresponding to at least two cells in the M cells; or, the M cells do not comprise the first cell and the first channel monitoring budget comprises at least one of the following: a channel monitoring budget corresponding to the first cell, a channel monitoring budget corresponding to at least one cell in the M cells, or a joint channel monitoring budget corresponding to at least two cells in the M cells and wherein the second channel monitoring budget comprises at least one channel monitoring budget in the first channel monitoring budget,” It is however unclear on exactly what is meant by such subject matter. Examiner suggests clarifying such subject matter. Similar rationale is applied to independent claim 19 reciting similar subject matter.
Claim 4 recites the limitation "the number of first blind detection objects" and “the number of blind detection objects” in lines 1-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "the number of second blind detection objects" and “the number of blind detection objects” in lines 1-2 and lines 8-9. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 6 recites the limitation “droppingat”, “USS”, and “CSS” in line 4 and line 16. It is however unclear on what is meant by such terms. Examiner suggests clarifying such terms.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "the second cell” in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the number of third blind detection objects", “the second cell” and “the number of blind detection objects” in lines 1-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 9 recites the limitation “the second cell”, “the channel monitoring budget corresponding to the second cell”, “the network-side device”, “the second control resources” in lines 2-3, line 11, and line 27. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 9 recites the limitation “N4” in line 28. It is however unclear on what is meant by such terms. Examiner suggests defining such term.
Claim 9 recites the subject matter of “wherein the M cells comprise the first cell and the second cell, and the channel monitoring budget corresponding to the second cell comprises the channel monitoring budget corresponding to the first cell; or wherein the M cells comprise a third cell, and a channel monitoring budget corresponding to the third cell is a third channel monitoring budget that is determined based on at least one of the following: a channel monitoring budget supported by the terminal; a pre-configured channel monitoring budget; a protocol-predefined channel monitoring budget; a channel monitoring budget configured by the network-side device; a fourth channel monitoring budget determined based on a second control resource; or a seventh channel monitoring budget determined based on at least one of at least one fifth channel monitoring budget or at least one sixth channel monitoring budget, wherein the fifth channel monitoring budget is a channel monitoring budget corresponding to a fourth cell, the fourth cell is a cell different from the third cell in the M cells, and the sixth channel monitoring budget is a joint channel monitoring budget corresponding to at least two cells in the M cells; wherein the third channel monitoring budget is one of the following: the channel monitoring budget supported by the terminal; the pre-configured channel monitoring budget; the protocol-predefined channel monitoring budget; the channel monitoring budget configured by the network-side device; the fourth channel monitoring budget, wherein the fourth channel monitoring budget is a maximum, minimum, average, or weighted value of N4 quantities of fourth blind detection objects; wherein each quantity of the fourth blind detection objects is determined based on blind detection objects in at least one control resource of the second control resources in each time unit of N4 time units; the seventh channel monitoring budget; and a maximum, minimum, average, or weighted value of at least two of the following: the channel monitoring budget supported by the terminal, the pre-configured channel monitoring budget, the protocol-predefined channel monitoring budget, the channel monitoring budget configured by the network-side device, the fourth channel monitoring budget, and the seventh channel monitoring budget”. It is however unclear on exactly what is meant by such subject matter. Examiner suggests clarifying such subject matter.
Claim 10 recites the limitation “the number of blind detection objects in one control resource” and “the number of blind detection objects in at least two of the second control resources” in lines 2 and lines 6-7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 10 recites the limitation “N4 time unitson” and the subject matter of “the number of blind detection objects in at least two of the second control resources in each time unit” in lines 3-7. It is however unclear on what is meant by such terms. Examiner suggests clarifying such subject matter.
Claim 11 recites the subject matter “wherein the N4 time units are N4 time units corresponding to a first reference subcarrier spacing; wherein the M cells comprise the first cell, and the first reference subcarrier spacing is one of the following: a subcarrier spacing of a cell in the M cells; a maximum subcarrier spacing in subcarrier spacings of the M cells; a minimum subcarrier spacing in subcarrier spacings of the M cells; a pre-configured subcarrier spacing; a protocol-predefined subcarrier spacing; and a subcarrier spacing configured by the network-side device; or wherein the M cells do not comprise the first cell, and the first reference subcarrier spacing is one of the following: a subcarrier spacing of the first cell; a subcarrier spacing of a cell in the M cells; the subcarrier spacing of the first cell and a maximum subcarrier spacing of subcarrier spacings of the M cells; the subcarrier spacing of the first cell and a minimum subcarrier spacing of subcarrier spacings of the M cells; a pre-configured subcarrier spacing; a protocol-predefined subcarrier spacing; and a subcarrier spacing configured by the network-side device.” It is however unclear on exactly what is meant by such subject matter. Examiner suggests clarifying such subject matter.
Claim 12 recites the limitation “the third cell” and “the second control resource” in lines 1-2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 recites the subject matter of “the third cell is the first cell”. It is however unclear on what is meant by such terms. Examiner suggests clarifying such subject matter.
Claim 14 recites the limitation “the third cell” and “the second control resource” in lines 1-2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 7, 9, 15, 16, 17, 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by MolavianJazi et al. (US 2022/0053522).
Regarding claim 1, 19, MolavianJazi discloses a control channel monitoring method (a UE which is configured with CA operation, can be configured with two or more scheduling cells for at least one serving/scheduled cell. additionally, for a scheduled cell configured with two more scheduling cells, the UE expects that at least one of the configured scheduling cells is “active” or an “active scheduling cell” for that scheduled cell, meaning that, the UE monitors PDCCH for the scheduled cell on that scheduling cell, [0130] and [0407]-[0409] and [0093] and figure 3), comprising:
obtaining, by a terminal, a first channel monitoring budget (determination of “maximum” limits for PDCCH BD (Blind decoding) is provided when operating in cross-carrier scheduling mode with at least two active scheduling cells is provided…an aggregate number of PDCCH candidates/non-overlapped CCEs across both active scheduling cells is collectively limited by the UE's BD/CCE budget, [0145]-[0147] and [0372] and [0389] and [0397] and [0407]-[0409]); wherein a first cell supports being scheduled by M cells, and M is an integer greater than 1 (configured with two or more scheduling cells for at least one serving/scheduled cell. additionally, for a scheduled cell configured with two more scheduling cells, the UE expects that at least one of the configured scheduling cells is “active” or an “active scheduling cell” for that scheduled cell, meaning that, the UE monitors PDCCH for the scheduled cell on that scheduling cell, [0130]); the M cells comprise the first cell and the first channel monitoring budget comprises at least one of the following: a channel monitoring budget corresponding to at least one cell in the M cells, or a joint channel monitoring budget corresponding to at least two cells in the M cells; or, the M cells do not comprise the first cell and the first channel monitoring budget comprises at least one of the following: a channel monitoring budget corresponding to the first cell, a channel monitoring budget corresponding to at least one cell in the M cells, or a joint channel monitoring budget corresponding to at least two cells in the M cells (when a joint/collective limit on the number of PDCCH candidates and/or non-overlapped CCEs is applied across the two active scheduling cells. A UE budget for BD/CCE can is allocated to common SS sets configured to a first scheduling cell. A remaining UE budget for BD/CCE is then allocated to UE-specific SS sets on a scheduling cell with higher priority in an increasing order of SS sets, starting from SS set index j=0, and within a same SS set index, a remaining UE budget for BD/CCE, if sufficient, is allocated to UE-specific SS sets on a scheduling cell with a lower priority, and the UE budget for BD/CCE is reduced accordingly, [0407]-[0409] and [0145]-[0147] and [0372] and [0389] and [0397]); and
performing, by the terminal, a first operation on at least part of control resources in first control resources according to a second channel monitoring budget; wherein the second channel monitoring budget comprises at least one channel monitoring budget in the first channel monitoring budget, and the first operation comprises at least one of the following operations: allocation or monitoring (the scheduled cell is associated with at least two active scheduling cells, an SS set for the scheduled cell associated with a CORESET (control resource set, [0163]) in a scheduling cell can be configured with a priority level…According to this embodiment, the UE can monitor a first SS set on an active scheduling cell (e.g., a first scheduling cell) with higher priority before monitoring a second SS set on another active scheduling cell (e.g., a second scheduling cell) with a lower priority. In addition, if a UE budget (as specified in the specifications) for monitoring PDCCH candidates and/or non-overlapped CCEs is consumed with SS sets with higher priority, the UE can drop a/some SS set(s) with lower priority and A UE budget for BD/CCE is allocated to common SS sets configured to a first scheduling cell. A remaining UE budget for BD/CCE is then allocated to UE-specific SS sets on a scheduling cell with higher priority in an increasing order of SS sets, starting from SS set index j=0, and within a same SS set index, a remaining UE budget for BD/CCE, if sufficient, is allocated to UE-specific SS sets on a scheduling cell with a lower priority, and the UE budget for BD/CCE is reduced accordingly , [0397] and [0407]-[0409] and [0145]-[0147] and [0372] and [0389]).
Regarding claim 2, MolavianJazi discloses wherein the M cells comprise the first cell, and the second channel monitoring budget comprises the channel monitoring budget corresponding to the first cell, or the second channel monitoring budget comprises a channel monitoring budget corresponding to a second cell, and the second cell is a cell different from the first cell in the M cells (on a scheduling cell which is a PCell, when the corresponding scheduled cell has another active scheduling cell which is a secondary cell, and when a joint/collective limit on the number of PDCCH candidates and/or non-overlapped CCEs is applied across the two active scheduling cells. A UE budget for BD/CCE is allocated to common SS sets configured to a first scheduling cell. A remaining UE budget for BD/CCE is then allocated to UE-specific SS sets on a scheduling cell with higher priority in an increasing order of SS sets, starting from SS set index j=0, and within a same SS set index, a remaining UE budget for BD/CCE, if sufficient, is allocated to UE-specific SS sets on a scheduling cell with a lower priority, and the UE budget for BD/CCE is reduced accordingly , [0407]-[0409] and [0397] and [0145]-[0147] and [0372] and [0389]).
Regarding claim 3, MolavianJazi discloses wherein the first control resource comprises one of the following: a control resource of the first cell (the scheduled cell is associated with at least two active scheduling cells, an SS set for the scheduled cell associated with a CORESET in a scheduling cell, [0397] and [0409]); a control resource usable for self-scheduling of the first cell; a control resource dedicated to self-scheduling of the first cell; a specific control resource of the first cell; at least one common search space (CSS) of the first cell; at least one UE-specific search space (USS) of the first cell; at least one CSS and at least one USS that are of the first cell; or a specific search space SS of the first cell (a serving cell can be configured with self-carrier scheduling for a first SS set type such as common SS (CSS) sets and configured with cross-carrier scheduling for a second SS set type such as UE-specific SS (USS) sets, [0248] and [0182] and [0407]-[0409]).
Regarding claim 7, MolavianJazi discloses wherein the second cell is a cell different from the first cell in the M cells, and the first control resource comprises any one of the following: a control resource of the second cell; a control resource usable for scheduling the first cell by the second cell; a control resource dedicated to scheduling of the first cell by the second cell; or a specific control resource of the second cell (an SS set for the scheduled cell can be associated with two CORESETs (as opposed to one CORESET, in the current standards) from two different active scheduling cells. In such a case, combined limits for blind decoding (BD) and non-overlapped CCEs are applied across the two scheduling cells, [0409] and [0248] and [0182] and [0407]).
Regarding claim 9, MolavianJazi discloses wherein the M cells comprise the first cell and the second cell, and the channel monitoring budget corresponding to the second cell comprises the channel monitoring budget corresponding to the first cell (when a joint/collective limit on the number of PDCCH candidates and/or non-overlapped CCEs is applied across the two active scheduling cells. A UE budget for BD/CCE can is allocated to common SS sets configured to a first scheduling cell. A remaining UE budget for BD/CCE is then allocated to UE-specific SS sets on a scheduling cell with higher priority in an increasing order of SS sets, starting from SS set index j=0, and within a same SS set index, a remaining UE budget for BD/CCE, if sufficient, is allocated to UE-specific SS sets on a scheduling cell with a lower priority, and the UE budget for BD/CCE is reduced accordingly, [0407]-[0409] and [0145]-[0147] and [0372] and [0389] and [0397]); or
wherein the M cells comprise a third cell (a first cell can be scheduled by a second cell, and the second cell can be scheduled by a third cell, wherein the first and second and third cells are different, [0249] and [0262]), and a channel monitoring budget corresponding to the third cell is a third channel monitoring budget that is determined based on at least one of the following:
a channel monitoring budget supported by the terminal;
a pre-configured channel monitoring budget;
a protocol-predefined channel monitoring budget;
a channel monitoring budget configured by the network-side device;
a fourth channel monitoring budget determined based on a second control resource (the number of PDCCH candidates/non-overlapped CCEs in each active scheduling cell can be individually limited by a UE's BD/CCE budget or capability, or by a scaled version of a UE's BD/CCE budget or capability, [0146]-[0147] and [0372] and [0390] and [0407]); or
a seventh channel monitoring budget determined based on at least one of at least one fifth channel monitoring budget or at least one sixth channel monitoring budget, wherein the fifth channel monitoring budget is a channel monitoring budget corresponding to a fourth cell, the fourth cell is a cell different from the third cell in the M cells, and the sixth channel monitoring budget is a joint channel monitoring budget corresponding to at least two cells in the M cells; wherein the third channel monitoring budget is one of the following: the channel monitoring budget supported by the terminal; the pre-configured channel monitoring budget; the protocol-predefined channel monitoring budget; the channel monitoring budget configured by the network-side device; the fourth channel monitoring budget, wherein the fourth channel monitoring budget is a maximum, minimum, average, or weighted value of N4 quantities of fourth blind detection objects; wherein each quantity of the fourth blind detection objects is determined based on blind detection objects in at least one control resource of the second control resources in each time unit of N4 time units; the seventh channel monitoring budget; and a maximum, minimum, average, or weighted value of at least two of the following: the channel monitoring budget supported by the terminal, the pre-configured channel monitoring budget, the protocol-predefined channel monitoring budget, the channel monitoring budget configured by the network-side device, the fourth channel monitoring budget, and the seventh channel monitoring budget.
Regarding claim 15, MolavianJazi discloses wherein the joint channel monitoring budget corresponding to at least two cells in the M cells comprises a joint channel monitoring budget corresponding to N cells, the N cells are any N cells in the M cells, N is an integer greater than 1 and less than or equal to M (determination of “maximum” limits for PDCCH BD (Blind decoding) is provided when operating in cross-carrier scheduling mode with at least two active scheduling cells is provided…an aggregate number of PDCCH candidates/non-overlapped CCEs across both active scheduling cells is collectively limited by the UE's BD/CCE budget, [0145]-[0147] and [0372] and [0389] and [0397] and [0407]-[0409]);, and the joint channel monitoring budget corresponding to the N cells is a first joint channel monitoring budget determined based on at least one of the following:
a joint channel monitoring budget supported by the terminal;
a pre-configured joint channel monitoring budget;
a protocol-predefined joint channel monitoring budget;
a joint channel monitoring budget configured by a network-side device (the number of PDCCH candidates/non-overlapped CCEs in each active scheduling cell can be individually limited by a UE's BD/CCE budget or capability, or by a scaled version of a UE's BD/CCE budget or capability, [0146]-[0147] and [0372] and [0390] and [0407]);
a second joint channel monitoring budget determined based on a control resource corresponding to at least one cell in the N cells, wherein the N cells comprise the first cell, and the second joint channel monitoring budget comprises one of the following: a carrier aggregation-limited monitoring budget corresponding to the first cell and a non-carrier aggregation-limited monitoring budget corresponding to the first cell;
a third joint channel monitoring budget determined based on a reference configuration, wherein the reference configuration comprises a second reference subcarrier spacing, and the third joint channel monitoring budget comprises a maximum channel monitoring budget in at least one channel monitoring budget corresponding to the second reference subcarrier spacing (setting a same BD/CCE budget limit based on a minimum or maximum SCS/numerology and the time pattern can be based on a reference SCS/numerology, such as a default SCS/numerology based on a frequency range (for example, 15 kHz for FR1, 60 kHz for FR2, and so on), or such as a minimum or maximum of SCS s/numerologies for the scheduling cells for a scheduled cell. , [0385] and [0344]-[0347] and [0393]-[0394] and [0168] and [0196]-[0199] and page 60 claim 6); or
a fourth joint channel monitoring budget determined based on a channel monitoring budget corresponding to at least one cell in the N cell.
Regarding claim 16, MolavianJazi discloses wherein the first joint channel monitoring budget comprises one of the following:
a joint channel monitoring budget supported by the terminal;
a pre-configured joint channel monitoring budget;
a protocol-predefined joint channel monitoring budget;
a joint channel monitoring budget configured by the network-side device (the number of PDCCH candidates/non-overlapped CCEs in each active scheduling cell can be individually limited by a UE's BD/CCE budget or capability, or by a scaled version of a UE's BD/CCE budget or capability, [0146]-[0147] and [0372] and [0390] and [0407]).;
the second joint channel monitoring budget;
a third joint channel monitoring budget;
a fourth joint channel monitoring budget; and
a maximum, minimum, average, or weighted value of at least two of the following: the joint channel monitoring budget supported by the terminal, the pre-configured joint channel monitoring budget, the protocol-predefined joint channel monitoring budget, the joint channel monitoring budget configured by the network-side device, the second joint channel monitoring budget, the third joint channel monitoring budget, and the fourth joint channel monitoring budget.
Regarding claim 17, MolavianJazi discloses wherein the second reference subcarrier spacing comprises one of the following:
a subcarrier spacing of a cell of the N cells;
a maximum subcarrier spacing in subcarrier spacings of the N cells; and
a minimum subcarrier spacing in subcarrier spacings of the N cells (setting a same BD/CCE budget limit based on a minimum or maximum SCS/numerology and the time pattern can be based on a reference SCS/numerology, such as a default SCS/numerology based on a frequency range (for example, 15 kHz for FR1, 60 kHz for FR2, and so on), or such as a minimum or maximum of SCS s/numerologies for the scheduling cells for a scheduled cell. , [0385] and [0344]-[0347] and [0393]-[0394] and [0168] and [0196]-[0199] and page 60 claim 6);.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Saleh et al. (US 2021/0160002) disclosing The apparatus may determine a first monitoring budget corresponding to the first set of cells based on the first PDCCH monitoring capability and a second monitoring budget corresponding to the second set of cells based on the second PDCCH monitoring capability. The apparatus may perform a PDCCH monitoring according to the first monitoring budget and the second monitoring budget (abstract).
Shi et al. (US 2023/0199752) disclosing the BD/CCE scaling factors (or cell weight factors, representing the scheduled PCell number counted for its scheduling cell of the PCell and the SCell respectively) of the two scheduling cells of the PCell indicated in the DCI is configured ([0067]).
Saleh et al. (US 2024/0187129) disclosing When a UE supports carrier aggregation (CA), in case that the UE is configured with a number of cells N.sub.cells.sup.DL≤4, the UE is not required to monitor on one specific carrier more than the maximum CCE budget of C.sub.PDCCH.sup.max,slot CCEs and the maximum BD budget of M.sub.PDCCH.sup.max,slot BDs ([0006]).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NGUYEN HOANG NGO whose telephone number is (571)272-8398. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.
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, Kwang Yao can be reached at 571-272-3182. 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.
/NGUYEN H NGO/ Examiner, Art Unit 2473