Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/560,278

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPERATION OF REMOTE UE RELATED TO RLF AND RECOVERY OF RELAY UE IN WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

Final Rejection §112
Filed
Nov 10, 2023
Examiner
TACDIRAN, ANDRE GEE
Art Unit
2415
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
LG Electronics Inc.
OA Round
2 (Final)
79%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
2y 11m
To Grant
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 79% — above average
79%
Career Allow Rate
314 granted / 396 resolved
+21.3% vs TC avg
Strong +24% interview lift
Without
With
+23.5%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 11m
Avg Prosecution
36 currently pending
Career history
432
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
2.4%
-37.6% vs TC avg
§103
66.8%
+26.8% vs TC avg
§102
4.9%
-35.1% vs TC avg
§112
15.6%
-24.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 396 resolved cases

Office Action

§112
DETAILED ACTION The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . This Office Action is in response to the submission filed 2026-03-05 (herein referred to as the Reply) where claim(s) 1-13 are pending for consideration. 35 USC §112(b) – Claim Rejections 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. Claim(s) is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) for not particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter of the invention. Claim(s) 12 The claim is directed to the statutory category of a machine (a processor). A machine is a "concrete thing, consisting of parts, or of certain devices and combination of devices." Digitech, 758 F.3d at 1348-49, 111 USPQ2d at 1719 (quoting Burr v. Duryee, 68 U.S. 531, 570, 17 L. Ed. 650, 657 (1863)). However, the claim’s body is not directed to the parts of subcomponents of the machine, but rather recites a list of functionalities as if claim was a method claim. Accordingly, it is unclear as to what the claimed machine consistent of (i.e., parts of the claimed machine). Allowable Subject Matter Claim(s) is/are indicated as having allowable subject matter and is considered allowable. Claim(s) 1, 11, 13 and 2-10 The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The independent claims incorporate previously indicated allowable subject matter. Consequently, the claims are allowable for the same reasons provided previously in action mailed 2025-12-05. A refreshed/updated search was performed; no new anticipatory art was discovered. In addition to the explicit reasons given herein, allowability is also determined in view of the combination of references required for obviousness, the inter-relationship between other claimed limitations, and the claimed invention as a whole. Accordingly, amendments that do not incorporate the allowable claims into the base/intervening claims in its entirely, are not allowable. This includes amendments that incorporate the allowable claims into the base/intervening claims in part or in a non-narrowing manner (i.e., changing the scope of the subject matter). Response to Arguments The Reply’s arguments have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to the rejection(s), which was necessitated by the Applicant’s amendments, being used in the current rejection. Conclusion 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. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDRE TACDIRAN whose telephone number is 571-272-1717. The examiner can normally be reached on M-TH, 10-5PM EST. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jeffrey Rutkowski can be reached on 571-270-1215. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. /ANDRE TACDIRAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2415
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Nov 10, 2023
Application Filed
Nov 14, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §112
Mar 05, 2026
Response Filed
Mar 18, 2026
Final Rejection — §112 (current)

Precedent Cases

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
79%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+23.5%)
2y 11m
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 396 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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