Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/533,273

MOBILE DEVICE FOR BOOSTING SHORT-RANGE WIRELESS CONNECTION, WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM INCLUDING MOBILE DEVICE, AND METHOD OF OPERATING MOBILE DEVICE

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Dec 08, 2023
Examiner
AHMED, ATIQUE
Art Unit
2413
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
80%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 10m
To Grant
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 80% — above average
80%
Career Allow Rate
369 granted / 460 resolved
+22.2% vs TC avg
Strong +16% interview lift
Without
With
+15.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 10m
Avg Prosecution
37 currently pending
Career history
497
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
4.2%
-35.8% vs TC avg
§103
66.6%
+26.6% vs TC avg
§102
11.4%
-28.6% vs TC avg
§112
11.4%
-28.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 460 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
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 . 2. This office action is a response to an application filed on 12/08/2023 where claims 1-24 are pending. Information Disclosure Statement 3. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/08/2023 has been considered by the examiner. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37CFR 1.97. Drawings 4. The drawings were received on 12/08/2023. These drawing are acceptable. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 5. 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, 2, 8, 16, 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Uchiyama et al. (US 20220116933 A1)hereinafter Uchiyama As to claim 1. Uchiyama teaches method of operating a mobile device, the method comprising: ([0065] Fig. 1, terminal apparatus perform uplink and downlink wireless communication with the base station apparatus) establishing a main channel between a first mobile device and a host device; ([0065] Fig. 1, terminal apparatus 300 form a link to perform uplink and downlink wireless communication with the base station apparatus 100 e.g., direct link ) establishing a sub channel between the first mobile device and the host device via a second mobile device;([0066] Fig. 1, UE communicate with base station 100 via relay UE 200, by establishing sidelink to Relay UE 200 and a backhaul link to base station 100 ) and communicating between the first mobile device and the host device using one of the main channel and the sub channel. ([0131] Fig. 6, UE 300 communicate directly using direct link with base station 100 and communicate indirectly via relay UE 200 with base station) As to claim 2 Uchiyama teaches , wherein the main channel and the sub channel are established according to a short-range wireless communication protocol. ([0075][0131]Fig. 2, direct link and indirect links are established in short range communication) As to claim 8. Uchiyama teaches further comprising: determining a connection mode of wireless communication. ([0073] Fig. 1, Some UEs 115 may be configured to employ operating modes that reduce power consumption, a power saving deep sleep mode when not engaging in active communications, etc.) As to claim 16. Uchiyama teaches A wireless communication system comprising: ([0063]Fig 1, a wireless system comprising terminal apparatus) a first mobile device configured to communicate with a host device; ,([0063] Fig. 1, terminal apparatus 300 communicates with base station 100) and a second mobile device configured to communicate with the host device,([0063] Fig. 1, terminal apparatus 200 communicates with base station 100) wherein the first mobile device is configured to establish a main channel between the first mobile device and the host device according to a direct connection, ([0065] Fig. 1, terminal apparatus 300 form a link to perform uplink and downlink wireless communication with the base station apparatus 100 e.g., direct link ) and to establish a sub channel between the first mobile device and the host device according to an interconnection through the second mobile device. ;([0066] Fig. 1, UE communicate with base station 100 via relay UE 200, by establishing sidelink to Relay UE 200 and a backhaul link to base station 100 ) As to claim 18 Uchiyama teaches wherein the host device and the first mobile device are configured to establish the main channel , ([0065] Fig. 1, terminal apparatus 300 form a link to perform uplink and downlink wireless communication with the base station apparatus 100 e.g., direct link ) and the sub channel;([0066] Fig. 1, UE communicate with base station 100 via relay UE 200, by establishing sidelink to Relay UE 200 and a backhaul link to base station 100 ) via a short- range wireless communication pairing process. ([0075][0131]Fig. 2, direct link and indirect links are established in short range communication) Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 6. 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. Claim(s) 3-7, 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uchiyama and further in view of Cheng et al. (US 20240007922 A1) hereinafter Cheng As to claim 3. Uchiyama teaches wherein the communicating includes: communicating between the first mobile device and the host device using the main channel; ; ([0065] Fig. 1, terminal apparatus 300 form a link to perform uplink and downlink wireless communication with the base station apparatus 100 e.g., direct link ) Uchiyama does not teach determining a likelihood of disconnection to the main channel; and communicating with the host device using the sub channel, when the likelihood of disconnection has a value greater than or equal to a reference value. Cheng teaches determining a likelihood of disconnection to the main channel;([0051] a user equipment (UE) may be outside the coverage area of a base station or may otherwise experience a poor channel quality (e.g., below a channel quality threshold) associated with direct communications with base station e.g., determine likely to fail connection)) and communicating with the host device using the sub channel,([0051] the UE may communicate with the base station via a relay UE e.g., use sub-channel) when the likelihood of disconnection has a value greater than or equal to a reference value. ([0097] Fig. 1, If the channel metric for the current relay connection fails to satisfy the threshold value (e.g., a sidelink RSRP for the serving relay UE 115-e is below a threshold RSRP value), a channel metric for the current relay connection failing to satisfy a first threshold value and a channel metric for a candidate relay satisfying a second threshold value (e.g., a candidate relay sidelink RSRP is greater than or equal to the second threshold value). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine teaching of Cheng with the teaching of Uchiyama because Cheng teaches that switching the relay paths may allow the device to transmit with a higher code rate, perform fewer retransmissions, thereby channel overhead.(Cheng [0126]) As to claim 4. Uchiyama does not teach , further comprising: setting a connection boosting mode supporting the sub channel. Cheng teaches further comprising: setting a connection boosting mode supporting the sub channel. ([0084] Fig. 1, , the UE 115 may be a remote UE or the UE 115 may experience relatively poor channel conditions (e.g., below one or more channel quality metrics) between the UE 115 and a base station 105. The UE 115 may discover a relay UE and may use the relay UE as a UE-to-network relay. The UE 115 may transmit messages to the selected relay UE, and the relay UE 115 may relay the messages to a base station 105/connection enhancement mode). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine teaching of Cheng with the teaching of Uchiyama because Cheng teaches that switching the relay paths may allow the device to transmit with a higher code rate, perform fewer retransmissions, thereby channel overhead.(Cheng [0126]) As to claim 5. The combination of Uchiyama and Cheng specifically Cheng teaches wherein the establishing the sub channel includes establishing the sub channel when an operation mode is the connection boosting mode. ([0084] Fig. 1, UE 115 may be a remote UE or the UE 115 may experience relatively poor channel conditions (e.g., below one or more channel quality metrics) between the UE 115 and a base station 105. The UE 115 may discover a relay UE and may use the relay UE as a UE-to-network relay. The UE 115 may transmit messages to the selected relay UE, and the relay UE 115 may relay the messages to a base station 105/connection enhancement mode). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine teaching of Cheng with the teaching of Uchiyama because Cheng teaches that switching the relay paths may allow the device to transmit with a higher code rate, perform fewer retransmissions, thereby channel overhead.(Cheng [0126]) As to claim 6. The combination of Uchiyama and Cheng specifically Uchiyama teaches determining whether a signal strength level of a signal transmitted from the main channel has a value less than a reference value. ([0187] Fig. 1, terminal apparatus may determine its own position on the basis of, for example, RSRP (Reference Signal Received Power) from the base station apparatus 100; may determine to be positioned at a cell edge in a case where the RSRP is smaller than the threshold value). As to claim 7. The combination of Uchiyama and Cheng specifically Cheng teaches, wherein the communicating includes communicating with the host device using the sub channel, when the signal strength level of the signal has the value less than the reference value. ([0084] Fig. 1, UE 115 may be a remote UE or the UE 115 may experience relatively poor channel conditions (e.g., below one or more channel quality metrics) between the UE 115 and a base station 105. The UE 115 may discover a relay UE and may use the relay UE as a UE-to-network relay. The UE 115 may transmit messages to the selected relay UE, and the relay UE 115 may relay the messages to a base station 105 e.g., when s/connection enhancement mode). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine teaching of Cheng with the teaching of Uchiyama because Cheng teaches that switching the relay paths may allow the device to transmit with a higher code rate, perform fewer retransmissions, thereby channel overhead.(Cheng [0126]) As to claim 10. The combination of Uchiyama and Cheng specifically Uchiyama teaches wherein communication is performed using one of the main channel ([0065] Fig. 1, terminal apparatus 300 form a link to perform uplink and downlink wireless communication with the base station apparatus 100 e.g., direct link )and the sub channel, ;([0066] Fig. 1, UE communicate with base station 100 via relay UE 200, by establishing sidelink to Relay UE 200 and a backhaul link to base station 100 ) Uchiyama does not teach when the connection mode is a connection boosting mode. Cheng teaches when the connection mode is a connection boosting mode. ([0084] Fig. 1, UE 115 may be a remote UE or the UE 115 may experience relatively poor channel conditions (e.g., below one or more channel quality metrics) between the UE 115 and a base station 105. The UE 115 may discover a relay UE and may use the relay UE as a UE-to-network relay. The UE 115 may transmit messages to the selected relay UE, and the relay UE 115 may relay the messages to a base station 105/connection enhancement mode). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine teaching of Cheng with the teaching of Uchiyama because Cheng teaches that switching the relay paths may allow the device to transmit with a higher code rate, perform fewer retransmissions, thereby channel overhead.(Cheng [0126]) Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uchiyama, Cheng and further in view of Lee et al. (US 20150327046 A1) hereinafter Lee As to claim 9. The combination of Uchiyama and Cheng does not teach, wherein direct communication is performed using the main channel directly connected to the host device without establishing the sub channel, when the connection mode is a power reduction mode. Lee teaches wherein direct communication is performed using the main channel directly connected to the host device without establishing the sub channel, when the connection mode is a power reduction mode ([0060] relative to communication between devices via a base station, by allowing devices which are located at a short distance from each other or have good channel statuses, to perform direct communication through a direct link therebetween to save power ) Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine teaching of Lee with the teaching of Uchiyama and Cheng because Lee teaches that direct communication between device and node would save power or radio resources. (Lee [0060]) Claim(s) 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uchiyama and further in view of Liu et al. (US 20250386396 A1) hereinafter Liu As to claim 11. Uchiyama teaches A mobile device comprising: ([0268] Fig. 23, a smartphone ) a memory device configured to store transmission data or reception data; ([0269] Fig. 23, The memory 902 includes a RAM and a ROM, and stores a program to be executed by the processor 901 and data. ) and a communication chip configured to transmit the transmission data to an external host device via wireless communication or receive the reception data from the host device via the wireless communication,([0269][0271] Fig. 23, a CPU or an SoC (System on Chip), stores a program to be executed by processor 901 and data, e RF circuit 914 transmits and receives radio signals/data via the antenna 916). wherein the communication chip ([0269] Fig. 23, a CPU or an SoC (System on Chip), and controls functions of an application layer and the other layers of the smartphone 900) and communicates with the host device using one of the main channel and the sub channel. ([0131] Fig. 6, UE 300 communicate directly using direct link with base station 100 and communicate to indirectly via relay UE 200 with base station) Uchiyama does not teach establishes a main channel with the host device via a layer connection with the host device or establishes a sub channel with the host device via an interconnection with another mobile device Liu teaches establishes a main channel with the host device via a layer connection with the host device or establishes a sub channel with the host device via an interconnection with another mobile device ([0092] [0095]Fig. 6, When communicating directly with a network node (e.g., via a Uu interface), a UE (e.g., a remote UE) may communicate at an NR-RLC sub-layer, an NR-MAC sub-layer, and an NR-PHY layer; when a remote UE communicates with network node via relay UE indirect link (e.g., Layer 2 configuration parameters). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine teaching of Liu with the teaching of Uchiyama because Liu teaches that using direct link and indirect link to communicate with network node would improve network performance and increase reliability by providing the UE with link diversity for communicating with the network node. ([0081]). As to claim 12. The combination of Uchiyama and Liu specifically Uchiyama teaches wherein: the wireless communication is short-range wireless communication, ([0075][0131]Fig. 2, direct link and indirect links are established in short range communication) and the other mobile device is connected to the host device to perform a hub function. ([0131] Fig. 6, UE 300 communicate directly using direct link with base station 100 and communicate to indirectly via relay UE 200 with base station e.g., relay UE perform a hub function) Claim(s) 13, 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uchiyama, Liu and further in view of Xu et al. (US 20220167263 A1) hereinafter Xu As to claim 13. The combination of Uchiyama and Liu, further comprising: a communication mode selector configured to set a connection mode of the wireless communication. Xu teaches further comprising: a communication mode selector configured to set a connection mode of the wireless communication. ([0048] Fig. 3, remote UE 110 may apply the link selection criteria to the set of suitable base stations and relay UEs detected in 310, the remote UE 110 may camp on a relay link of a relay UE, camp on a Uu link of a base station or camp on both a relay link and a Uu link). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine teaching of Xu with the teaching of Uchiyama and Liu because Xu teaches that link selection including, managing link selection criteria received from the network, collecting measurement data, selecting a link for camping and selecting a link would allow to utilize for network access. (Xu [0030] As to claim 14. The combination of Uchiyama, Liu and Xu specifically Xu teaches wherein: the connection mode includes a power reduction mode ([0019] the remote UE is in a low power mode and is not exchanging data with the network). and a connection boosting mode([0058] Fig. 5a-5b, Relay UE provide solicitation signal may indicate to the remote UE 110 that the relay UE 112 is capable of providing a relay link and may include a relayID and a cell ID corresponding to the base station the relay UE 110 is camped on/connection boosting mode.) , only the main channel is established in the power reduction mode,([0019] UE is operating in the RRC idle state the remote UE may listen for transmissions from the network; remote UE is in a low power mode and is not exchanging data with the network) and both the main channel and the sub channel are established in the connection boosting mode. ([0053] Fig. 4a-Fig. 4C, the link selection criteria indicates that a Uu link is to be prioritized over a relay link, the remote UE 110 may not select the relay UE 112 for camping/select main channel; if the link selection criteria indicates that a relay link is to be prioritized over a Uu link, the remote UE 110 may be configured to camp on a relay UE regardless of whether the remote UE and the relay UE are within the coverage area of the same base station/direct and indirect links enhance connections) . Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine teaching of Xu with the teaching of Uchiyama and Liu because Xu teaches that link selection including, managing link selection criteria received from the network, collecting measurement data, selecting a link for camping and selecting a link would allow to utilize for network access. (Xu [0030] Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uchiyama, Liu Xu and further in view of Cheng As to claim 15. The combination of Uchiyama, Liu and Xu specifically Uchiyama teaches wherein the communication chip ([0269] Fig. 23, a CPU or an SoC (System on Chip), and controls functions of an application layer and the other layers of the smartphone 900) performs communication using the sub channel, ([0131] Fig. 6, UE 300 communicate directly using direct link with base station 100 and communicate to indirectly via relay UE 200 with base station) The combination of Uchiyama, Liu and Xu does not teach when a possibility of disconnection of communication using the main channel has a value greater than or equal to a reference value when a possibility of disconnection of communication using the main channel has a value greater than or equal to a reference value ([0097] Fig. 1, If the channel metric for the current relay connection fails to satisfy the threshold value (e.g., a sidelink RSRP for the serving relay UE 115-e is below a threshold RSRP value), a channel metric for the current relay connection failing to satisfy a first threshold value and a channel metric for a candidate relay satisfying a second threshold value (e.g., a candidate relay sidelink RSRP is greater than or equal to the second threshold value). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine teaching of Cheng with the teaching of Uchiyama, Liu because Cheng teaches that switching the relay paths may allow the device to transmit with a higher code rate, perform fewer retransmissions, thereby channel overhead.(Cheng [0126]) Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uchiyama, and further in view of Szeto (US 20180113669 A1)hereinafter Szeto As to claim 17. Uchiyama does not teach wherein the host device is a smartphone each of the first mobile device and the second mobile device is one of an earphone, a headset, a speaker, a charger, an external battery, and a smartwatch. Szeto teaches wherein the host device is a smartphone each of the first mobile device and the second mobile device is one of an earphone, a headset, a speaker, a charger, an external battery, and a smartwatch.([0056][0103] Fig. 4, VR host computer 112 for smartphone, headphone as UE and speaker as relay) Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine teaching of Szeto with the teaching of Uchiyama because Szeto teaches that virtual smartphone to reduce a complexity of system and would reduce computational demands upon VR host computer. (Szeto [0081]) Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uchiyama, and further in view of Lee As to claim 19. Uchiyama does not teach , wherein the first mobile device establishes only the main channel without establishing the sub channel, when a connection mode is a power reduction mode. Lee teaches , wherein the first mobile device establishes only the main channel without establishing the sub channel, when a connection mode is a power reduction mode. ([0060] relative to communication between devices via a base station, by allowing devices which are located at a short distance from each other or have good channel statuses, to perform direct communication through a direct link therebetween to save power ) Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine teaching of Lee with the teaching of Uchiyama and Cheng because Lee teaches that direct communication between device and node would save power or radio resources. (Lee [0060]) Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uchiyama, and further in view of Jacobs et al. (US 20200245384 A1) hereinafter Jacobs As to claim 20 Uchiyama teaches wherein the first mobile device simultaneously establishes the main channel and the sub channel, and communicates with the host device using one of the main channel and the sub channel, when a connection mode is a connection boosting mode. Jacobs teaches wherein the first mobile device simultaneously establishes the main channel and the sub channel, and communicates with the host device using one of the main channel and the sub channel, ([0112] Fig. 8 consumer device can directly communicate with a cellular base station 107a using its own cellular modem, such that the consumer device 103 is communicating over a cellular network directly and indirectly (e.g., through two or more extender devices 105) within a period of time (e.g., simultaneously, or substantially simultaneously) when a connection mode is a connection boosting mode ([0078] Fig. 2, he information relating to the transfer of tokens from the consumer device 103 to the extender device 105 can be done using any type of a communication channel directly (e.g., Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and the like), or indirectly (e.g., via the MVNO 115), between the devices/extension mode ) Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine teaching of Jacobs with the teaching of Uchiyama because Jacobs teaches that two or more of the extender devices can communicate with the base station over different channels, which may increase communication performance. (Jacobs [0112]) Claim(s) 21-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uchiyama, and further in view of Otsu et al. (US 20180287688 A1) hereinafter Otsu As to claim 21. Uchiyama teaches A method of operating a wireless communication device, the method comprising: ([0065] Fig. 1, terminal apparatus perform uplink and downlink wireless communication with the base station apparatus) performing a first connection between a master device and a first slave device; ([0065] Fig. 1, terminal apparatus 300 form a link to perform uplink and downlink wireless communication with the base station apparatus 100 e.g., direct link ) performing a second connection between the master device and a second slave device; ;([0066] Fig. 1, UE communicate with base station 100 via relay UE 200, by establishing sidelink to Relay UE 200 and a backhaul link to base station 100 ) Uchiyama does not teach and performing an interconnection for data synchronization between the first slave device and the second slave device so that one of the first slave device and the second slave device serves as a hub connection between the master device and the other of the first slave device and the second slave device. Otsu teaches and performing an interconnection for data synchronization between the first slave device and the second slave device so that one of the first slave device and the second slave device serves as a hub connection between the master device and the other of the first slave device and the second slave device. ([0048] Fig. 1, the first radio relay device 21 transmits the time synchronization packet received from the master device 13 through the wired transmission path 31 to the second radio relay device 22 through the radio transmission path 33; first relay and second relay serve as connection hub) Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine teaching of Otsu with the teaching of Uchiyama because Otsu teaches that time synchronization would provide radio relay devices to maintain accuracy of a correction value that perform time synchronization using a time synchronization packet. (Otsu [0030]) As to claim 22. The combination of Uchiyama and Otsu specifically Uchiyama teaches , wherein the first slave device communicates with the master device using a direct channel according to the first connection. ([0065] Fig. 1, terminal apparatus 300 form a link to perform uplink and downlink wireless communication with the base station apparatus 100 e.g., direct link ) As to claim 23. The combination of Uchiyama and Otsu specifically Uchiyama teaches, wherein the first slave device communicates with the master device using an indirect channel based on the interconnection. ;([0066] Fig. 1, UE communicate with base station 100 via relay UE 200, by establishing sidelink to Relay UE 200 and a backhaul link to base station 100 e.g., indirect communication ) Claim(s) 21-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uchiyama, Otsu and Jacobs As to claim 24. The combination of Uchiyama and Otsu does not teach wherein the first slave device simultaneously communicates with the master device using a direct channel according to the first connection and an indirect channel according to the second connection and the interconnection. Jacobs teaches wherein the first mobile device simultaneously establishes the main channel and the sub channel, and communicates with the host device using one of the main channel and the sub channel, ([0112] Fig. 8 consumer device can directly communicate with a cellular base station 107a using its own cellular modem, such that the consumer device 103 is communicating over a cellular network directly and indirectly (e.g., through two or more extender devices 105) within a period of time (e.g., simultaneously, or substantially simultaneously) when a connection mode is a connection boosting mode ([0078] Fig. 2, he information relating to the transfer of tokens from the consumer device 103 to the extender device 105 can be done using any type of a communication channel directly (e.g., Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and the like), or indirectly (e.g., via the MVNO 115), between the devices/extension mode ) Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine teaching of Jacobs with the teaching of Uchiyama because Jacobs teaches that two or more of the extender devices can communicate with the base station over different channels, which may increase communication performance. (Jacobs [0112]) Conclusion 7. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Srivatsa; Akshay Mangalam et al. [US 20160360341 A1] Cloud-Based Proximity Pairing and Switching for Peer-to-Peer Devices SONOBE; Satoshi [US 20220159591 A1] COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, COMMUNICATION METHOD, AND COMMUNICATION PROGRAM Jiang; Yi et al. [US 20220158692 A1] Relay Dock and Base Station with Position Information Based Directional Wave Forming Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ATIQUE AHMED whose telephone number is (571)272-6244. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30 - 7:30 PM M-F Eastern. 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, Un Cho can be reached at 5712727919. 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. /ATIQUE AHMED/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2413
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Dec 08, 2023
Application Filed
Feb 21, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §103
Apr 10, 2026
Applicant Interview (Telephonic)
Apr 10, 2026
Examiner Interview Summary

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
80%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+15.9%)
2y 10m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 460 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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