Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/525,259

SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR SIDELINK UNLICENSED CHANNEL ACCESS AND FEEDBACK OPERATIONS

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Nov 30, 2023
Examiner
JAGANNATHAN, MELANIE
Art Unit
2468
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
86%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
3y 0m
To Grant
92%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 86% — above average
86%
Career Allow Rate
659 granted / 762 resolved
+28.5% vs TC avg
Minimal +5% lift
Without
With
+5.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 0m
Avg Prosecution
25 currently pending
Career history
787
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
5.3%
-34.7% vs TC avg
§103
47.7%
+7.7% vs TC avg
§102
23.6%
-16.4% vs TC avg
§112
10.2%
-29.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 762 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . Claims 1-20 are pending. Claim Objections Claim 11 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 7, “AGC” should be changed to “automatic gain control (AGC)”. Appropriate correction is required. 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) 1-4, 10-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wang et al. US 20250220596. Regarding claim 11, A first UE device (first terminal device, Figure 5) comprising: a processor; and a memory including instructions, wherein when the instructions are executed by the processor, the first UE device is configured to: establishing a sidelink connection with a second UE device; receive from the second UE via radio resource control, an indication of a capability of the second UE to process multiple AGC symbols per transmission (first terminal device receives automatic gain control capability information of second terminal device, para. 0171-0173, 0175-0176); and determining, based on the received indication and the capability of the first UE to transmit multiple AGC symbols per transmission, whether to transmit a first AGC symbol and a second AGC symbol to the second UE device (duration within which a terminal device with the processing capability 1 performs AGC processing is less than or equal to 18 μs, and duration within which a terminal device with the processing capability 2 performs AGC processing is greater than or equal to 35 μs, more AGC resources need to be configured for the terminal device with the processing capability 2 and fewer AGC resources need to be configured for the terminal device with the processing capability 1, an AGC processing capability of the UE 1 is stronger than an AGC processing capability of the UE 2, para. 0176, the first terminal device may determine corresponding AGC processing duration based on different AGC processing capability of the second terminal device, and may further determine the first resource for transmitting sidelink information, para. 0179). Regarding claim 12, The first UE device of claim 11, wherein the first UE device is further configured to: transmit, based on the determination, the first AGC to the second UE device on a first AGC symbol and refrain from transmitting the second AGC symbol to the second UE device (the second terminal device has a strong AGC processing capability, namely, short AGC processing time such as when an SCS is 30 kHz, corresponding time of each symbol is 35.68 μs, and “1” indicates that AGC processing duration of the second terminal device is 16 μs, the second terminal device may occupy half a symbol to complete AGC, para. 0183). Regarding claim 13, The first UE device of claim 12 wherein the received indication includes information that the second UE does not have the ability to process multiple AGC symbols (duration within which a terminal device with the processing capability 1 performs AGC processing is less than or equal to 18 μs, and duration within which a terminal device with the processing capability 2 performs AGC processing is greater than or equal to 35 μs, more AGC resources need to be configured for the terminal device with the processing capability 2 and fewer AGC resources need to be configured for the terminal device with the processing capability 1, an AGC processing capability of the UE 1 is stronger than an AGC processing capability of the UE 2, para. 0176, the first terminal device may determine corresponding AGC processing duration based on different AGC processing capability of the second terminal device, and may further determine the first resource for transmitting sidelink information, para. 0179). Regarding claim 14, The first UE device of claim 12, wherein the determination is further based on a determination that a shared resource pool between the first UE and the second UE does not enable multiple AGC symbols to be utilized (for the second terminal device with the AGC processing capability 1, the first resource may occupy a second half part of a symbol 0, a symbol 1 to a symbol 9, and a first half part of a symbol 10 in a slot, the second resource is located in 0.5 symbols before the first resource, to be specific, occupies a first half part of the symbol 0 in the slot, the third resource occupies a symbol 12 in the slot, and the fourth resource occupies a symbol 11 in the slot and for the second terminal device with the AGC processing capability 2, the first resource occupies a symbol 1 to a symbol 9 and a first half part of a symbol 10 in a slot, the second resource is located in one symbol before the first resource, to be specific, occupies a symbol 0 in the slot, the third resource occupies a symbol 12 in the slot, and the fourth resource occupies a symbol 11 in the slot, Figure 9, para. 0243). Regarding claim 15, The first UE device of claim 11, wherein the indication of a capability of the second UE to process multiple AGC symbols per slot and whether it is necessary for the second UE to do so comprises two RRC parameters corresponding to whether the second UE can process multiple AGC symbols per slot (the base station may configure or preconfigure the AGC processing capability of the second terminal device by using RRC, a MAC CE, or DCI. For example, an AGC processing capability of a terminal device in a current communication system includes a processing capability 1 and a processing capability 2. Duration within which a terminal device with the processing capability 1 performs AGC processing is less than or equal to 18 μs, and duration within which a terminal device with the processing capability 2 performs AGC processing is greater than or equal to 35 μs, para. 0136). Regarding claim 16, The first UE device of claim 11, wherein transmission of the second AGC symbol can be enabled or disabled based on a resource configuration available to the first UE device and the second UE device in case of one or more of broadcast, unicast, and groupcast operations (configurations of SL slot structures for different AGC processing capabilities of the second terminal device based on the slot structure are determined, a second terminal device with an AGC processing capability 2 needs at least 35 μs to complete AGC, the first terminal device needs to set the 2.sup.nd symbol to be used for AGC, the 2.sup.nd symbol may be a duplication of the 3.sup.rd symbol, a second terminal device with an AGC processing capability 1 can complete AGC within time of less than 18 μs, the first terminal device may use the 2.sup.nd symbol for mapping a PSSCH, to increase resources available for data transmission and improve resource utilization, Figures 6-7, para. 0192). Claims 1-4, 17-20 are rejected under the same rationale. Regarding claim 10, The method of claim 1, wherein the indication is part of medium access control control element (MAC CE) and is carried in a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH) (the first indication information is carried in a physical sidelink control channel (PSCCH) or a physical sidelink shared channel (PSSCH), para. 0013). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 5-9 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MELANIE JAGANNATHAN whose telephone number is (571)272-3163. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5. 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, Marcus Smith can be reached at 571-270-1096. 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. /MELANIE JAGANNATHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2468
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Prosecution Timeline

Nov 30, 2023
Application Filed
Jan 09, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102
Apr 13, 2026
Applicant Interview (Telephonic)
Apr 13, 2026
Examiner Interview Summary

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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
86%
Grant Probability
92%
With Interview (+5.0%)
3y 0m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 762 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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