DETAILED ACTION
Claim(s) 1-4 and 6-20 have been examined and are pending.
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 Remarks/Arguments
The status of the claim(s) as of the Non-Final Rejection mailed December 19, 2025 was as follows: Claim 4 was objected to because of a typographic error. Claim(s) 1 was rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by HE (US 20210051649 A1). Claim(s) 2-4 were rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HE (US 20210051649 A1) in view of Fröberg Olsson (US 20220183025 A1). Claim(s) 6, 7, 14, and 15, were rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HE (US 20210051649 A1) in view of Fröberg Olsson (US 20220183025 A1) in view of Intel (“Further analysis and details of intra-UE multiplexing and prioritization” cited in IDS received November 8, 2023). Claim 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20, were 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.
Responsive to the Non-Final Rejection, claim 4 has been amended, correcting the typographic error. Claim 1 has been amended to incorporate the allowable subject matter of claim 5. Claim 5 has been cancelled. Claim(s) 2 and 14 have been amended in order to resolve minor issues involving the form of the claims. Claim 6 has been amended to now depend on claim 4, instead of claim 1. In response to the amendments made to independent claim 1, the prior art rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-4, 6-7, and 14-15 are withdrawn. However, the while amendment to claim 1 incorporates the allowable subject matter of claim 5, it does not include the limitation(s) found in intervening claim(s) 2, 3, and 4. Furthermore the Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) submitted May, 8, 2026, has been deemed to cite prior art that is directed to features found in the claimed invention. For these reasons a new ground of rejection has been made in view of CHOI (USPGPub No. 20230284227).
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(s) 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, and 17, 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.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "the alpha offset". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the alpha offset". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 9 recites the limitation "the beta offset indicator value". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 10 recites the limitation "the alpha offset". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "the alpha offset". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "the beta offset indicator value". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "the alpha offset". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 16 recites the limitation "the alpha offset". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 17 recites the limitation "the beta offset indicator value". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HE (US 20210051649 A1) in view of CHOI (US 20230284227 A1)
In regards to claim 1, HE (US 20210051649 A1) teaches a method of multiplexing uplink control information (UCI) by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system that includes a base station, the method performed by the UE and comprising: determining a physical layer priority and a UCI multiplexing type (HE discloses multiplexing a PUSCH with a HARQ-ACK and CSI part 1, CSI Part 2, where the PUSCH has a physical layer priority, priority level of the PUSCH, and where the HARQ-ACK and CSI Parts having UCI multiplexing type (i.e. CSI part 1, CSI Part 2, HARQ-ACK, and their corresponding priorities, “[0154] FIG. 11 is a flowchart of a method in accordance with this third procedure. With reference to FIG. 11, the UE may determine that two or more transmissions (e.g., and/or sets/groups of transmissions) collide for a slot (1110). One or more of the transmissions may be UCI such as HARQ-ACK information and/or CSI. Another transmission may include data, e.g., to be transmitted on PUSCH. The two transmissions may have different priority levels...” ); and selecting a selected group from among a plurality of groups of beta offset sets based on the physical layer priority and the UCI multiplexing type (“[0154]…The UE may determine what, if any, resources to use for the transmission (1120). For example, the UE may determine a set index for each transmission (e.g., based on the priority level of the HARQ-ACK and/or CSI report information) and which beta-offset value within the indicated set (e.g., based on the number of bits of the HARK-ACK and/or CSI) to determine the number and/or location of resources for UCI transmission, e.g., multiplexed with the data.”).
The uplink control information (UCI) multiplexing feature of HE (US 20210051649 A1) differs from that of claim 1, in that HE is silent on wherein when the UCI multiplexing type comprises a low priority (LP) UCI for all of the UCI and the physical layer priority comprises a LP physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH), the selected group comprises a first group of beta offset sets, and wherein when the UCI multiplexing type comprises a high priority (HP) UCI for all of the UCI and the physical layer priority comprises a HP PUSCH, the selected group comprises a second group of beta offset sets. Despite these differences similar features have been seen in other prior involving UCI multiplexing.
CHOI (US 20230284227 A1) for example teaches a feature wherein when a UCI multiplexing type comprises a low priority (LP) UCI for all of the UCI and the physical layer priority comprises a LP physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH), a selected group comprises a first group of beta offset sets, and wherein when the UCI multiplexing type comprises a high priority (HP) UCI for all of the UCI and the physical layer priority comprises a HP PUSCH, the selected group comprises a second group of beta offset sets (See [Fig. 37] also read where it recites with respect to the figure, “[0589] The UE may determine a set of beta offsets and a scaling value based on the priority of the PUSCH. The UE may be may receive one beta offset set and scaling value per PUSCH priority. If the UE can receive indication or configuration of 0 (low priority) and 1 (high priority) as the priority of the PUSCH, the base station may configure a beta offset set (LP beta offset set in FIG. 37) and a scaling value that correspond to a low priority and a beta offset set (HP beta offset set in FIG. 37) and a scaling value that correspond to a high priority to the UE. As mentioned above, since the UE can obtain information about the priority of the PUSCH, the UE can determine the beta offset set and the scaling value suitable for the priority. [0590] One beta offset set per priority may include up to four beta offset values. Also, each beta offset set may include a different number of beta offset values. In this case, the length of bits of the beta offset indicator in the DCI format may be determined based on the beta offset set having the largest number among the beta offset sets, and a value of beta offset may be indicated according to the value of the bits of the DCI format. [0591] For example, a first beta offset set for low priority configured to the UE may include 4 beta offset values, and a second beta offset for high priority configured to the UE may include 2 beta offset values. A 2-bit beta offset indicator may be included in the DCI format based on the first beta offset set including a larger number of beta offset values. [0592] If the DCI format schedules a low priority PUSCH, a beta offset value should be determined in order to multiplex LP UCI on the REs on the PUSCH. In this case, the first beta offset set for low priority may be selected as a beta offset set, and one beta offset value of the first beta offset set may be indicated through the 2-bit beta offset indicator of DCI format. Here, as the value of the 2-bit beta offset indicator, ‘00’ is a first beta offset value of the first beta offset set, ‘01’ is a second beta offset value of the first beta offset set, ‘10’ is a third beta offset value of the first beta offset set, and ‘11’ is a fourth beta offset value of the first beta offset set. [0593] If the DCI format schedules a high priority PUSCH, the beta offset value should be determined in order to multiplex HP UCI on REs on the PUSCH. In this case, the second beta offset set for high priority is selected as a beta offset set, and one value of the second beta offset set may be indicated through the 2-bit beta offset indicator of DCI format. Here, as the value of the 2-bit beta offset indicator, ‘00’ is a first beta offset value of the second beta offset set, and ‘01’ is a second beta offset value of the second beta offset set, and the remaining values may not have a corresponding beta offset value. For reference, the UE may not expect that 2 bits of the DCI format indicate that there is no corresponding beta offset value. [0594] The UE may calculate the number of REs used for transmitting UCI by inserting the determined beta offset value β.sup.PUSCH.sub.offset and scaling value α into Equation 1. [0595] In Rel-17, multiplexing between different priorities can be supported. More specifically, LP UCI may be multiplexed on resources on the low priority PUSCH. HP UCI can be multiplexed on resources on the high priority PUSCH. In addition, LP UCI can be multiplexed on resources on the high priority PUSCH. HP UCI can be multiplexed on resources on the low priority PUSCH.”).
Thus, based upon the teachings of CHOI it would have been obvious to modify the UCI multiplexing feature of HE (US 20210051649 A1), by incorporating features seen in the priority based UCI multiplexing feature of CHOI, to thus arrive at wherein when the UCI multiplexing type comprises a low priority (LP) UCI for all of the UCI and the physical layer priority comprises a LP physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH), the selected group comprises a first group of beta offset sets, and wherein when the UCI multiplexing type comprises a high priority (HP) UCI for all of the UCI and the physical layer priority comprises a HP PUSCH, the selected group comprises a second group of beta offset sets, and thus arrive at claim 1. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification in order to provide a benefit of multiplexing between different priorities in accordance with 3GPP Release 17 standard.
Claim(s) 2-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HE (US 20210051649 A1) in view of CHOI (US 20230284227 A1) in view of Fröberg Olsson (US 20220183025 A1)
In regards to claim 2, The combination of HE (US 20210051649 A1) in view of CHOI (US 20230284227 A1) suggests the method of claim 1, further comprising: (HE teaches determining a first beta offset for a HARQ-ACK, a second beta offset for a CSI Part 1, and a third beta offset, for a CSI Part 2, from the selected group based on a beta offset indicator value such as set index. HE also teaches determining the first beta offset, the second beta offset, and the third beta offset from selected group based on RRC signaling from the base station, “[0152] In some embodiments, the set index and the beta offset value within the indicated set that are used for multiplexing HARQ-ACK or CSI parts may be signaled to a UE either by a DCI format scheduling the PUSCH transmission or by higher layers, e.g., higher layer signaling such as RRC.
[0153] In another embodiment, the beta offset value within the indicated set that are used for multiplexing HARQ-ACK or CSI parts may be signaled to a UE either by a DCI format scheduling the PUSCH transmission or by higher layers. However, the set index may be determined based on the priority order (e.g., of the transmission(s) being adjusted based on the beta offset value), which may be signaled by POI field in DCI Format and/or configured by RRC signaling. More specifically, one set of beta offset values may be configured or implicitly determined to be used for PUSCH with a particular service type. As one example, the set 0 may be used for HARQ-ACK or CSI feedback of URLLC service (e.g., targeting a higher reliability transmission) while, the 2nd set (e.g., set 1) may be used for HARQ-ACK or CSI associated with eMBB service (e.g., with a lower reliability target).”).
The combination of HE in view of CHOI differs from claim 2, in that the combination is silent on where for a dynamic grant (DG) physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH), determining the first beta offset, the second beta offset, and the third beta offset from the selected group based on the beta offset indicator value; and for a configured grant (CG) PUSCH, determining the first beta offset, the second beta offset, and the third beta offset from the selected group based on radio resource configuration (RRC) signaling from the base station. Despite these differences similar features have been seen in other prior art involving the multiplexing of uplink control information. Fröberg Olsson (US 20220183025 A1) teaches a feature for UCI multiplexing where for a dynamic grant PUSCH, beta offsets are indicated based on a beta offset indicator value and where for a configured grant PUSCH, beta offsets are indicated by RRC signaling from a base station (“[0009] Radio Resource Control (RRC) configuration of beta and scaling factors of UCI for dynamically scheduled PUSCH is as follows…[0010] RRC configuration of beta and scaling factors of UCI for Configured Grant (CG) scheduled PUSCH is as follows…”).
Thus based upon the teachings of Fröberg Olsson it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify UCI multiplexing feature of The combination of HE in view of CHOI, by adopting use of a DG PUSCH and a CG PUSCH in order to transmit uplink information such as UCI, to thus arrive at a claim 2, in order to provide a benefit of a reliable delivery of uplink information through the use of well-defined uplink channel configurations (i.e. CG PUSCH and/or DG PUSCH).
In regards to claim 3, The combination of HE in view of CHOI in view of Fröberg Olsson suggest the method of claim 2, further comprising: mapping, based at least in part on the first beta offset, the second beta offset, and the third beta offset, the UCI to UCI multiplexing resources and transmitting, to the base station, the UCI using the UCI multiplexing resources via a PUSCH corresponding to the physical layer priority (See where HE recites “[0136]…In this approach, a UE may be configured with different beta offset values for different priority orders. The different beta offset values may be used by the UE to determine a number of resources (e.g., a number of resource elements (RE) and/or other time/frequency resources) and/or a location of the resources... [0143] A third procedure for (e.g., inter-priority) collisions may relate to HARQ ACKs/NACKs and/or channel state information (CSI) (e.g., UCI other than SR) and data. In case of collision between an ACK/NACK or CSI (e.g., to be transmitted on PUCCH or potentially PUSCH) with data, a variety of UE behaviors may be applied, e.g., to adjust one or more UL transmissions to fit selected resources. [0144] As one example, a number of sets of beta offset values given by: β.sub.offset.sup.HARQ-ACK,I [0145] may be configured by higher layers for HARQ-ACK (e.g., and/or NACK) multiplexing in PUSCH according to separate beta offset values (e.g., tables of offset values), wherein i is the set index. Each set: β.sub.offset.sup.HARQ-ACK,I [0146] may include a number of elements e.g.: β.sub.offset,0.sup.HARQ-ACK,i, β.sub.offset,1.sup.HARQ-ACK,iβ.sub.offset,2.sup.HARQ-ACK,I [0147] for the UE to use if the UE multiplexes HARQ-ACK in the PUSCH. The respective elements may be used if the UE multiplexes up to 2 HARQ-ACK bits, more than 2 and up to 11 bits, and more than 11 bits in the PUSCH, respectively. It will be appreciated that any ranges/thresholds for the number of HARQ-ACK bits may be used as desired and that different numbers of beta offset elements (e.g., potentially more than 3) may be used. For example, depending on the number of bits of HARQ-ACK (e.g., and/or NACK) information to transmit, and further depending on the relative priority of the HARQ-ACK information relative to the PUSCH data, the UE may determine the resources to use to multiplex the HARQ-ACK information with the PUSCH data. Similar to the (e.g., second) procedure for SR transmissions, if the HARQ-ACK information is higher priority, then the beta offset set may provide more and/or earlier resources for the HARQ-ACK information, and may thus achieve better latency and/or reliability performance.”);.
In regards to claim 4, The combination of HE in view of CHOI in view of Fröberg Olsson suggest the method of claim 3, wherein the mapping is further based on an alpha offset and one more UCI encoding sequences. The combination of HE in view of CHOI in view of Fröberg Olsson suggest the method of claim 3, for reasons provided with respect to claim 3, above. With respect to the remaining features of claim 4, HE and CHOI are silent on wherein the mapping is further based on an alpha offset and one or more UCI encoding sequences.
Despite these differences similar features have been seen in other prior art involving the multiplexing of uplink control information. Fröberg Olsson (US 20220183025 A1) where the mapping is based on an alpha offset, a, and one more UCI encoding sequences, a number of coded modulation symbols
[0012] For HARQ-ACK transmission on PUSCH with Uplink (UL)-Shared Channel (SCH), the number of coded modulation symbols per layer for HARQ-ACK transmission, denoted as Q′ACK, is determined as follows:
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Thus, based upon the teachings of Fröberg Olsson it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify UCI multiplexing feature of the combination of HE in view of CHOI, by adopting use of a scaling factor alpha/alpha offset, a and UCI encoding sequences for the mapping to thus arrive at a claim 4, in order to provide a benefit of a reliable delivery of the uplink control information.
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HE (US 20210051649 A1) in view of CHOI (US 20230284227 A1) in view of Intel (“Further analysis and details of intra-UE multiplexing and prioritization” cited in IDS received November 8, 2023)
In regards to claim 6, the combination of HE (US 20210051649 A1) in view of CHOI (US 20230284227 A1) is silent on the method of claim 1, wherein when the UCI multiplexing type comprises a high priority (HP) UCI and the physical layer priority comprises a low priority (LP) PUSCH, the selected group comprises a third group of beta offset sets. Despite these differences similar features have been seen in other prior art involving multiplexing of uplink control information. For example, Intel (“Further analysis and details of intra-UE multiplexing and prioritization” cited in IDS received November 8, 2023) teaches for UCI multiplexing, where for a UCI multiplexing type comprising a high priority UCI and a physical layer priority comprising a LP PUSCH, a group of beta offset entries is provided.
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Thus based upon the teachings of Intel it would have been further obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify UCI multiplexing feature of the combination of HE (US 20210051649 A1) in view of CHOI (US 20230284227 A1), to arrive at the method of claim 4, wherein when the UCI multiplexing type comprises a high priority (HP) UCI and the physical layer priority comprises a low priority (LP) PUSCH, the selected group comprises a third group of beta offset sets, as similarly seen in Intel in order to provide the benefit of a resource mapping for the HP UCI multiplexing type and LP PUSCH priority type.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HE (US 20210051649 A1) in view of CHOI (US 20230284227 A1) in view of Intel (“Further analysis and details of intra-UE multiplexing and prioritization” cited in IDS received November 8, 2023) in view of in view of Fröberg Olsson (US 20220183025 A1).
In regards to claim 7, the combination of HE (US 20210051649 A1) in view of CHOI (US 20230284227 A1) in view of INTEL is silent on the method of claim 6, wherein for the third group of beta offset sets the alpha offset is semi-statically configured.
Despite these differences similar features have been seen in other prior art involving the multiplexing of uplink control information. Fröberg Olsson (US 20220183025 A1) where mapping UCI to UCI multiplexing resources is based on an alpha offset, a, and one more UCI encoding sequences, such as a number of coded modulation symbols
“[0012] For HARQ-ACK transmission on PUSCH with Uplink (UL)-Shared Channel (SCH), the number of coded modulation symbols per layer for HARQ-ACK transmission, denoted as Q′ACK, is determined as follows:
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”
Furthermore, regarding use of a semi-static configuration, Fröberg Olsson (US 20220183025 A1) teaches a feature for UCI multiplexing where configuration parameters for mapping of UCI such as beta offsets are semi-statically configured (“[0005] According to clause 9.3 in the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Technical Specification (TS) 38.213, separate beta offset values for Channel State Information (CSI) and HARQ-ACK are indicated in DCI or semi-statically configured by higher layer parameters. For dynamic indication in DCI, DCI format 0_1 contains a 2-bit beta offset indicator pointing to a set of beta offsets for HARQ-ACK and CSI according to the mapping in Table 9.3-3. If the DCI scheduling PUSCH does not contain a beta offset indicator, the UE applies beta offsets following the configured values according to the higher layer parameter.”)
Thus, based upon the teachings of Fröberg Olsson (US 20220183025 A1), it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the claimed invention to modify the UCI multiplexing feature of HE, by adopting by using semi-static configuration in order to configure parameters used for mapping the UCI (i.e. such as the beta and alpha offsets), to thus arrive at the method of claim 6, wherein for the third group of beta offset sets the alpha offset is semi-statically configured. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make such a modification in order to take advantage of the benefits yielded by semi-static configuration such as a more flexible configuration as opposed to a static configuration and in order to provide a reliable means to map UCI to UCI multiplexing resources.
Claim(s) 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HE (US 20210051649 A1) in view of CHOI (US 20230284227 A1) in view of Fröberg Olsson (US 20220183025 A1) in view of Intel (“Further analysis and details of intra-UE multiplexing and prioritization” cited in IDS received November 8, 2023).
In regards to claim 14, the combination of HE (US 20210051649 A1) in view of CHOI (US 20230284227 A1) in view of Fröberg Olsson (US 20220183025 A1) is silent on the method of claim 4, wherein the UCI multiplexing type comprises a low priority (LP) UCI and the physical layer priority comprises a high priority (HP) PUSCH, the selected group comprises a fourth group of beta offset sets. Despite these differences similar features have been seen in other prior art involving multiplexing of uplink control information. For example, Intel (“Further analysis and details of intra-UE multiplexing and prioritization” cited in IDS received November 8, 2023) teaches for UCI multiplexing, where for a UCI multiplexing type comprising a low priority UCI and a physical layer priority comprising a HP PUSCH, a group of beta offset entries is provided.
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Thus based upon the teachings of Intel it would have been further obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify UCI multiplexing feature of the combination of HE (US 20210051649 A1) in view of CHOI (US 20230284227 A1) in view of Fröberg Olsson (US 20220183025 A1), to arrive at the method of claim 4, wherein the UCI multiplexing type comprises a low priority (LP) UCI and the physical layer priority comprises a high priority (HP) PUSCH, the selected group comprises a fourth group of beta offset sets, as similarly seen in Intel in order to provide the benefit of a resource mapping for the LP UCI multiplexing type and HP PUSCH priority type.
In regards to claim 15, the method of claim 14, wherein for the fourth group of beta offset sets the alpha offset is semi-statically configured. However, the combined teachings of the combination of HE (US 20210051649 A1) in view of CHOI (US 20230284227 A1) in view of Fröberg Olsson (US 20220183025 A1) in view of Intel, are believed to arrive at the third group of beta offsets and the alpha offset for the same reasons provided to motivate the combination of to arrive at claim 14 above. Furthermore, regarding use of a semi-static configuration, similar features have been seen in other prior art involving the multiplexing of uplink control information. Fröberg Olsson (US 20220183025 A1) teaches a feature for UCI multiplexing where configuration parameters for mapping of UCI such as beta offsets are semi-statically configured (“[0005] According to clause 9.3 in the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Technical Specification (TS) 38.213, separate beta offset values for Channel State Information (CSI) and HARQ-ACK are indicated in DCI or semi-statically configured by higher layer parameters. For dynamic indication in DCI, DCI format 0_1 contains a 2-bit beta offset indicator pointing to a set of beta offsets for HARQ-ACK and CSI according to the mapping in Table 9.3-3. If the DCI scheduling PUSCH does not contain a beta offset indicator, the UE applies beta offsets following the configured values according to the higher layer parameter.”)
Thus based upon the teachings of Fröberg Olsson (US 20220183025 A1), it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the claimed invention to further modify the UCI multiplexing feature of HE (US 20210051649 A1) in view of CHOI (US 20230284227 A1) in view of Fröberg Olsson (US 20220183025 A1) in view of Intel, by adopting by using semi-static configuration in order to configure parameters used for mapping the UCI (i.e. such as the beta and alpha offsets), to thus arrive at the method of claim 14, wherein for the fourth group of beta offset sets the alpha offset is semi-statically configured, in order to take advantage of the benefits yielded by semi-static configuration such as a more flexible configuration as opposed to a static configuration.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20, 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
Applicant's submission of an information disclosure statement under 37 CFR 1.97(c) with the timing fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(p) on May 8, 2026 prompted the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 609.04(b). 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
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/TARELL A HAMPTON/Examiner, Art Unit 2476 /AYAZ R SHEIKH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2476
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