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 .
Priority
The instant application claims foreign priority to 10-2022-0128724, filed 10/07/2022.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted, IDS - 10/05/2023, 01/24/2024 and 03/05/2026. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement er being considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed 02/09/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-16 remain pending
in the application Claims 1-15 were amended. A new Claim 16 were added and no claims were cancelled.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL —The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim[ 1, 5, 9, and 13 ] are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention specific to a first threshold and a second threshold to the UE-to-NW serving and an another UE-to-NW. And, specification are not distinctly identified by the applicant and the amendments includes new claim subject matter found [0064] doesn’t provide specific detail and descriptions.
Claim 1, 5, 9, and 13 recites claim limitations, the first threshold and the second threshold includes limitations of measurement configuration further includes,
“measurement configuration, wherein the measurement configuration includes an event triggering configuration for a layer 2 (L2) UE-to-network (U2N) relay measurement reporting, and the event triggering configuration includes a first threshold and a second threshold for the L2 U2N relay measurement reporting”,
and “the first measurement result of the serving L2 U2N relay UE is below the first threshold and a second measurement result of another L2 U2N relay UE is above the second threshold”.
Written description are also required for the amendments claims, MPEP 2163(II)(A)(3)(a)-(b).
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 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)(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.
(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- 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated
by Tayeb et al. (US-20240080697-A1) hereinafter “Tayeb”.
Regarding Claim 1,
Tayeb discloses, ‘A method performed by a base station reconfiguration messagea measurement configuration, wherein the measurement configuration includes an event triggering configuration for a layer 2 (L2) UE-to-network (U2N) relay measurement reporting, and the event triggering configuration includes a first threshold and a second threshold for the L2 U2N relay measurement reporting ‘(Disclosure, the RRC-reconfiguration for the measurement-configuration and WTRU-to-NW relay [0026, 0125-0126] and in Fig. 14. The measurement-configuration Includes the SL-report-configuration and SL-event-trigger/configuration and the threshold [0087-0088] and Table 1.
Measurement configuration [Wingdings font/0xE0] event trigger conditions and/or events to report the serving and/or neighbor. Includes SL RSRP/RSRQ and thresholds [0027]; scaling SL measurements; determine trigger conditions and/or events measurements are fulfilled [0026].
Event trigger -> first threshold WTRU-to-NW relay measurement report that is present WTRU-to-NW relay is less than configured threshold [0097, 0149].
Event trigger -> second threshold U2N-relay measurement report [0096, 0154].
Reselection procedures of WTRU-to-NW relay measurements are performed among all WTRU-to-NW relay to identify the best relay based on the radio measurement and configured threshold [0096-0097]. Disclosure provide enhanced measurement and/or reporting relay WTRU to WTRU relay in Fig. 12 and the WTRU-to-NW relay in Fig. 13 [0180-0181] to identify the best link [0096] and report measurement based on conditions and/or events of serving/neighbors RSRP and the threshold-radio conditions [0027].
And Tayeb discloses, ‘and receiving, from the UE,
a measurement report message including a first measurement result of a serving L2 U2N relay UE based on the measurement configuration’ (the WTRU send measurement report of serving cell based on the threshold associated with the trigger event [0097] [0147-0148]),
And discloses, ‘wherein an entering condition for an event associated with the measurement report message is satisfied, if the first measurement result of the serving L2 U2N relay UE is below the first threshold and a second measurement result of another L2 U2N relay UE is above the second threshold.’ (Measurement-configuration disclosed above,
and measures current cells and/or neighbor cells report quantity based on threshold and event conditions when the current cell less than a first threshold and a neighbor cell measures more than a second threshold i.e. new cell becomes more than current/present [0148, 0154].)
Regarding Claim 2,
‘The method of claim 1’ (disclosed above),
Tayeb discloses, ‘wherein
a measurement quantity associated with the first measurement result includes a sidelink reference signal received power (SL-RSRP) or a sidelink discovery reference signal received power (SD-RSRP).’ (disclosure include SL measurement configuration: the measurement-object, the report-configuration and the measurement-identity [0163-0167]; discovery remote/relay WTRU for the WTRU-to-Network relay and SL-RSRP [0118, 0120].).
Regarding Claim 3,
‘The method of claim 1’ (disclosed above),
Tayeb discloses ‘
wherein the event triggering configuration further includes a hysteresis for the L2 U2N relay measurement reporting, and the first measurement result and the second measurement result are associated with the hysteresis.’ (hysteresis that is an event-triggered-measurement based on certain conditions [0147-0149, 0154] and table 1 includes measurement report-configuration; The event-report-trigger-condition includes the threshold and hysteresis [0171]. )
Regarding Claim 4,
‘The method of claim 2’ (disclosed above),
‘
wherein the measurement report message further includes the second measurement result of the another L2 U2N relay UE.’ (Fig. 12-15 and [0088, 0180-0181])
Regarding Claim 5,
Identical to Claim 1 disclosed above of method Claim, ‘A base station (BS) base station at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one transceiver; and at least one memory, communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, storing instructions executable by the at least one processor individually or in any combination to cause the base station to: transmit, to a user equipment (UE), a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message including measurement configuration information through a direct path or an indirect path via a relay UE a measurement configuration, wherein the measurement configuration includes an event triggering configuration for a layer 2 (L2) UE-to-network (U2N) relay measurement reporting, and the event triggering configuration includes a first threshold and a second threshold for the L2 U2N relay measurement reporting, and receive, from the UE, a MeasurementReport message including measurement result through the direct path or the indirect path via the relay UE, wherein the measurement result includes a first measurement result for PC5 link and a second measurement result for Uu link a measurement report message including a first measurement result of a serving L2 U2N relay UE based on the measurement configuration, wherein an entering condition for an event associated with the measurement report message is satisfied, if the first measurement result of the serving L2 U2N relay UE is below the first threshold and a second measurement result of another L2 U2N relay UE is above the second threshold.’ (transceiver and processor [0030-0031, 0217].)
Regarding Claim 6,
‘The base station of the base station’ (disclosed above),
Identical to Claim 2 disclosed above, ‘a measurement quantity associated with the first measurement result includes a sidelink reference signal received power (SL-RSRP) or a sidelink discovery reference signal received power (SD-RSRP).’
Regarding Claim 7,
‘The base station of the base station’ (disclosed above),
Identical to Claim 3 disclosed above, ‘wherein the event triggering configuration further includes a hysteresis for the L2 U2N relay measurement reporting, and the first measurement result and the second measurement result are associated with the hysteresis.’
Regarding Claim 8,
‘The base station of claim 5’ (disclosed above),
Identical to Claim 4 disclosed above, ‘wherein the measurement report message further includes the second measurement result of the another L2 U2N relay UE.’
Regarding Claim 9,
‘A method performed by a user equipment (UE) which is a remote UE in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
receiving, from a base station (BS), a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message including measurement configuration information through a direct path or an indirect path via a relay UE a measurement configuration’, (The remote WTRU may be configured to receive configuration information. The remote WTRU may be configured to obtain measurement(s) (e.g., perform measurement(s), receive measurement(s)) [0006]; the WTRU perform SL-measurements [0093, 0148, 0159] and the RRC-reconfiguration.);
Identical to Claim 1 disclosed above, ‘wherein the measurement configuration includes an event triggering configuration for a layer 2 (L2) UE-to-network (U2N) relay measurement reporting, and the event triggering configuration includes a first threshold and a second threshold for the L2 U2N relay measurement reporting; performing a measurement based on the measurement configuration; identifying that an entering condition for an event is satisfied, if a first measurement result of a serving L2 U2N relay UE is below the first threshold and a second measurement result of another L2 U2N relay UE is above the second threshold; and transmitting, to the base station, a measurement report message including the first measurement result of the serving L2 U2N relay UE.’
Regarding Claim 10,
‘The method of claim 9’ (disclosed above),
Identical to Claim 2 disclosed above, ‘wherein a measurement quantity associated with the first measurement result includes a sidelink reference signal received power (SL-RSRP) or a sidelink discovery reference signal received power (SD-RSRP).’
Regarding Claim 11,
‘The method of the method’ (disclosed above),
Identical to Claim 3 disclosed above, ‘wherein the first measurement result indicates a result that satisfies a first reporting condition for the PC5 link, and wherein the second measurement result indicates a result that satisfies a second reporting condition for the Uu link wherein the event triggering configuration further includes a hysteresis for the L2 U2N relay measurement reporting, and the first measurement result and the second measurement result are obtained by considering the hysteresis.’
Regarding Claim 12,
‘The method of claim 9’ (disclosed above),
Identical to Claim 4 disclosed above, ‘wherein the measurement report message further includes the second measurement result of the another L2 U2N relay UE.’
Regarding Claim 13,
Identical to method Claim 9 disclosed above, ‘A user equipment (UE) which is a remote UE in a wireless communication system, the UE comprising: at least one transceiver; at least one processor communicatively coupled to the at least one transceiver; and at least one memory, communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, storing instructions executable by the at least one processor individually or in any combination to cause the UE to: receive, from a base station (BS), a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message including a measurement configuration, wherein the measurement configuration includes an event triggering configuration for a layer 2 (L2) UE-to-network (U2N) relay measurement reporting, and the event triggering configuration includes a first threshold and a second threshold for the L2 U2N relay measurement reporting, and perform a measurement based on the measurement configuration, identify that an entering condition for an event is satisfied, if a first measurement result of a serving L2 U2N relay UE is below the first threshold and a second measurement result of another L2 U2N relay UE is above the second threshold, and transmit, to the BS base station, a measurement report message including the first measurement result of the serving L2 U2N relay UE.’ (Fig. 1B illustrates and includes the UE transceiver and the processor).
Regarding Claim 14,
‘The UE of claim 13’ (disclosed above),
Identical to Claim 10 and Claim 12 disclosed above, ‘wherein
a measurement quantity associated with the first measurement result includes a sidelink reference signal received power (SL-RSRP) or a sidelink discovery reference signal received power (SD-RSRP).’
Regarding Claim 15,
‘The UE of the UE’ (disclosed above),
Identical to Claim 11 disclosed above, ‘wherein the event triggering configuration further includes a hysteresis for the L2 U2N relay measurement reporting, and the first measurement result and the second measurement result are obtained by considering the hysteresis.’
Regarding Claim 15,
The UE of claim 13’ (disclosed above),
Identical to claim 8 disclosed above, ‘wherein the measurement report message further includes the second measurement result of the another L2 U2N relay UE.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 02/09/2026 have been fully considered but they are
not persuasive. Applicant’s arguments do not comply with 37 CFR 1.111(c) because they do not clearly point out the patentable novelty which he or she thinks the claims present in view of the state of the art disclosed by the references cited or the objections made. Further, they do not show how the amendments avoid such references or objections.
Arguments:
II. Rejections of Claims 1-15 Under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2)
Claims 1-15 have been rejected under 35 U.S.C. §102(a)(2) as anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2024/0080697 to Tayeb et al. (hereinafter Tayeb). Applicants respectfully traverse these rejections.
It is well settled that a claim is anticipated only if each and every element set forth in the claim is found, either expressly or inherently described, in a single prior art reference. See MPEP§ 2131. Despite the Office Action's assertions, Tayeb does not teach each and every feature presently recited in claim 1.
Independent Claim 1
Independent claim 1 recites:
A method performed by a base station in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), a radio resource
control (RRC) reconfiguration message including a measurement configuration, wherein the measurement configuration includes an event triggering configuration for a layer 2 (L2) UE-to-network (U2N) relay measurement reporting, and the event triggering configuration includes a first threshold and a second threshold for the L2 U2N relay measurement reporting; and
receiving, from the UE, a measurement report message including a first measurement result of a serving L2 U2N relay UE based on the measurement configuration,
wherein an entering condition for an event associated with the measurement report message is satisfied, if the first measurement result of the serving L2 U2N relay UE is below the first threshold and a second measurement result of another L2
U2N relay UE is above the second threshold.
Applicant submits that Tayeb fails to disclose the presently claimed combination of features recited in independent claim 1. For example, Applicant submits that Tayeb fails to disclose transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message including a measurement configuration, wherein the measurement configuration includes an event triggering configuration for a layer 2 (L2) UE-to-network (U2N) relay measurement reporting, and the event triggering configuration includes a first threshold and a second threshold for the L2 U2N relay measurement reporting; and receiving, from the UE, a measurement report message including a first measurement result of a serving L2 U2N relay UE based on the measurement configuration, wherein an entering condition for an event associated with the measurement report message is satisfied, if the first measurement result of the serving L2 U2N relay UE is below the first threshold and a second measurement result of another L2 U2N relay UE is above the second threshold, as recited in claim 1.
The claimed features include: 1) measurement configuration includes an event triggering configuration for a layer 2 (L2) UE-to-network (U2N) relay measurement reporting, and the event triggering configuration includes a first threshold and a second threshold for the L2 U2N relay measurement reporting, 2) performing a measurement based on the measurement configuration, 3) identifying that an entering condition for an event is satisfied, if a first measurement result of a serving L2 U2N relay UE is below the first threshold and a second measurement result of another L2 U2N relay UE is above the second threshold, and 4) a measurement report message including the first measurement result of the serving L2 U2N relay UE.
Tayeb discloses systems, methods, and instrumentalities are described herein associated with relay usage (e.g., new radio (NR) relays used as an example herein) where handovers between sidelink (SL) and direct link and/or between sidelinks may be based on consideration of end-to-end radio and/or load conditions. Handover decisions may be determined, for example, based on measurements of direct connections, sidelink connections, and/or backhaul connections. Handover decisions may be optimized, for example, based on measurement reporting behavior. A remote wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) (e.g., a WTRU that may be configured to connect to a network, for example, using a relay WTRU) in sidelink relay operation with a relay WTRU may determine measurement reporting behavior (e.g., associated with performed measurements of the direct connections, sideline connections, and/or backhaul connections), for example, while considering the sidelink quality associated with the relay WTRU.
Tayeb discloses the remote WTRU may receive a link quality indication from the relay WTRU, for example, indicating the link quality (e.g., backhaul link quality) between the relay WTRU and the gNB. The remote WTRU may consider the measurement related information of a Uu link between a relay WTRU and a gNB.
Tayeb fails to disclose that "the UE receives a measurement configuration including an event triggering configuration for U2N relay measurement reporting" and "identifying that an entering condition for an event is satisfied, if ~". Especially, the detailed trigger conditions (related to a first threshold and a second threshold) in the invention are not disclosed in the Tayeb.
As such Applicants submit, there is no mention of transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), a radio resource control (RRC) reconfiguration message including a measurement configuration, wherein the measurement configuration includes an event triggering configuration for a layer 2 (L2) UE-to-network (U2N) relay measurement reporting, and the event triggering configuration includes a first threshold and a second threshold for the L2 U2N relay measurement reporting; and receiving, from the UE, a measurement report message including a first measurement result of a serving L2 U2N relay UE based on the measurement configuration, wherein an entering condition for an event associated with the measurement report message is satisfied, if the first measurement result of the serving L2 U2N relay UE is below the first threshold and a second measurement result of another L2 U2N relay UE is above the second threshold, as recited in Tayeb.
Therefore, the applied references fail to disclose or render obvious the above- identified claim features recited in independent claim 1. As such, the rejection of claim
1 under 35 U.S.C. § 102 is improper.
Accordingly, withdrawal of the rejection is respectfully requested.
Independent Claims 5, 9, and 13
With respect to claim 5, its rejection should be withdrawn for at least the reasons given above with respect to claim 1.
With respect to claim 9, its rejection should be withdrawn for at least the reasons given above with respect to claim 1.
With respect to claim 13, its rejection should be withdrawn for at least the reasons given above with respect to claim 1.
Dependent Claim 2-4, 6-8, 10-12, and 14-15
Claims 2-4, 6-8, 10-12, and 14-15 depend from independent claims 1, 5, 9, and 13. Because the applied reference fails to disclose or render obvious the features presently recited in independent claims 1, 5, 9, and 13, dependent claims 2-4, 6-8, 10- 12, and 14-15 are patentable for at least the reasons that claims 1, 5, 9, and 13 are patentable, as well as for the additional features recited therein.
Accordingly, withdrawal of the rejections is respectfully requested.
III. New Claim 16
Claim 16 is added.
Claim 16 depends from claim 1. Because the applied references fail to disclose or render obvious the features presently recited in independent claims 1, dependent claim 16 is patentable for at least the reasons that claim 1 is patentable, as well as for the additional features recited therein.
Accordingly, allowance of the claims is respectfully requested.
Examiners response:
With respect to applicant’s arguments/remarks, examiner responses are:
Examiner reviewed the applicant’s arguments/remarks and further amended claims and provided required disclosures in the office actions from the closest and relevant prior arts that covers the subject matters. Addressed all the claims and applicant’s
argument/remarks disclosed from the presented prior arts “Tayeb”.
Applicant original claim, RRC configuration includes measurement configuration through a directed or an indirect path further includes measurement report a first measurement-direct-PC5-link and a second measurement result for Uu link. And, dependent claims measurement object, report configuration and report condition.
In the amendment claims the amendments includes new subject matter and didn’t provide distinctly specification regarding the amendments claims that is also included under USC 112(a) rejections.
Regarding the amendments claims, for details the relevant disclosures from the above OA. And, summarized here,
Measurement configuration [Wingdings font/0xE0] Event trigger [0027]
Event trigger -> first/second threshold WTRU-to-NW relay measurement report
Receive measurement report -> first measurement result of serving-WTRU-to-NW relay
Disclosure [0026, 0125-0126]. The measurement-configuration Includes the event-trigger/configuration and the threshold [0087-0088].
Event condition -> measurement report
-> if first measured-result serving WTRU-to-NW relay below first threshold
-> second measured-result another WTRU-to-NW relay above second threshold
[0096-0097, 0149, 0154]
Measure-quantity ->first measurement SL-RSRP/SD-RSRP [0118, 0120]
Event-trigger-config-> hyst-U2N-relay measurement-report
First/second measurement-result->hysteresis event-condition table 1 [0171].
Event-triggered-measurement includes hysteresis [0147-149, 0154] and table 1.
Measurement-report -> second-measure-result-> another WTRU-to-NW-relay [0148, 154]. And, an enhanced measurement and/or reporting relay WTRU to WTRU relay in Fig. 12 and the WTRU-to-NW relay in Fig. 13 [0180-0181] to identify the best link [0096] and report measurement based on conditions and/or events of serving/neighbors RSRP and the threshold-radio conditions [0027].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to
applicant's disclosure:
ETSI; LTE; Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); Radio Resource Control (RRC); Protocol specification (3GPP TS 36.331 version 16.9.0 Release 16); Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); Radio Resource Control (RRC); (Year: 2022)Sidelink relay UE threshold conditions, section-5.10.10.4, page-351; Selection and reselection of sidelink relay UE, prose-relay, discovery-RSRP, section-5.10.11.4, page-352; SL-RRC-reconfiguration, page-354;
ETSI TS 138 331 V15.3.0, 5G NR; Radio Resource Control (RRC) Protocol specification (2018-10) (Year: 2018); Disclosure specification for Measurement: measurement objects, report configurations, measurement identities, quantity configurations; Measurement configurations in section 5.5; Perform measurements RRC_connected, section 5.5.3; Layer 3 filtering; Derivation of cell measurement results; Measurement reporting trigger includes parameters: cell specific object, measurement results neighbor cell/SPcell, Hys is the hysteresis parameter for an event, also includes RSRP/RSRQ/SINR in dB/dBm page 83 to 89.
ETSI TS 138 300 V16.4.0 5G- NR, NR and NG-RAN Overall description; Stage-2 (2021-01) (Year: 2021); SL PC5/UU , page 127 to 133.
Tayeb et al. (US20240178947A1), “Method and apparatus for path selection and duplication via sidelink and direct link”; Fig. 15 illustrates path selection procedures based on network conditions include: SL / direct link [0177].
Lee et al. (US-20220408294-A1), “Method and apparatus for performing measurements in nr v2x”; Disclosure Claim 1, A method for performing wireless communication by a first device, the method comprising: transmitting, to a second device, a measurement configuration including a measurement object, a measurement identity, a reporting configuration and a quantity configuration, wherein the reporting configuration includes information related to a first report interval; and receiving, from the second device based on the first report interval, a plurality of measurement report messages including measurement results obtained based on the measurement configuration.
Xu et al. (US20190313315A1), “Electronic apparatus for wireless communication and wireless communication method”; Disclosure Claim 1 to Claim 3, configuration for a user equipment obtains a communication service from a current cell via a current relay equipment, acquire information related to candidate links comprising a cellular link to another cell and a relay link via another relay equipment; and select a communication link to be applied to the user equipment from the candidate links based on the information; While HO/switch procedure to perform the selection of the communication link comprises: determining priorities of the candidate links based on the information; and selecting the communication link from the candidate links based on the determined priorities.
Wang-Min et al. (US-20240049028-A1), “Terminal Device, Network Node, and Methods Therein For Measurement Reporting”, Disclosure Claim 47, A method in a first terminal device, comprising: obtaining a first measurement result for a first link between the first terminal device and a second terminal device and a second measurement result for a second link between the first terminal device and a network node; and transmitting the first measurement result and the second measurement result to the network node;
wherein the first measurement result is obtained by receiving from the second terminal device, and the second measurement result is obtained by measuring the second link;
wherein the first link and the second link are measured in accordance with separate measurement configurations.
Disclosure Claim 48, Measurement configuration comprises: measurement quantities/ object / identities, one or more time/frequency resources to be measured.
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
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/S.A./Examiner, Art Unit 2466
/CHRISTOPHER M CRUTCHFIELD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2466
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