Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/565,874

USER EQUIPMENT, SCHEDULING NODE, METHOD FOR USER EQUIPMENT, AND METHOD FOR SCHEDULING NODE

Final Rejection §103
Filed
Nov 30, 2023
Priority
Jun 04, 2021 — EU 21177810.5 +1 more
Examiner
HUYNH, DUNG B.
Art Unit
2469
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Panasonic Holdings Corporation
OA Round
2 (Final)
81%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
4m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 81% — above average
81%
Career Allowance Rate
487 granted / 604 resolved
+22.6% vs TC avg
Strong +28% interview lift
Without
With
+27.5%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 12m
Avg Prosecution
22 currently pending
Career history
623
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.5%
-39.5% vs TC avg
§103
88.1%
+48.1% vs TC avg
§102
2.2%
-37.8% vs TC avg
§112
2.9%
-37.1% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 604 resolved cases

Office Action

§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 . Priority Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. The foreign application has been submitted in English on 05/16/2025. Response to Amendment The amendment to the specification filed on 03/02/2026 has been entered for examination. Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed on 03/02/026, with respect to the specification objection in view of the title have been fully considered and are persuasive in view of the amendment to the specification filed on 03/02/2026. The specification objection in view of the title has been withdrawn. Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed on 03/02/026, with respect to the claim objection of claim 16 have been fully considered and are persuasive in view of the amendment to the claims filed on 03/02/2026. The claim objection of claim 16 has been withdrawn. Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-10, 12, 14 and 16 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 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. The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows: 1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. 2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. 3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. 4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness. This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention. Claims 1-3, 8, 14 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2018/0175973 A1 to Rosa et al. (hereafter refers as Rosa) in view of US 2019/0327726 A1 to Zhang et al. (hereafter refers Zhang) and further in view of US 2023/0232380 A1 to Bhamri et al. (hereafter refers as Bhamri). Regarding claims 1, 14 and 16, Rosa teaches a user equipment (UE) (UE, paragraphs [59-60, 72]), a method (the UE perform a method, Fig. 9B and paragraph [72]) and an integrated circuit for controlling operation of a user equipment (UE) (the UE includes an integrated circuit to perform the functions of the UE, paragraphs [60-63]), comprising: circuitry which, in operation (the UE includes a circuitry to perform the functions of the UE, paragraphs [60-63]): obtains an indication indicating a plurality of transmission opportunities for transmission of Uplink Control Information (UCI) (the UE with the circuitry obtains scheduling information indicating a plurality of transmission opportunities for transmission of UCI, abstract and paragraphs [38-39, 44-45, 58, 71-72]), determines that UCI is available for transmission (the UE with the circuitry determines to transmit the UCI, thus, the UCI is available for transmission, paragraphs [65-66, 73-74]), and determines whether or not to use a transmission opportunity among the plurality of transmission opportunities for transmitting the available UCI (UE with the circuitry determines whether to use a transmission opportunity of the plurality of transmission opportunities, based on one or more conditions, paragraphs [68, 73-76]), and a transceiver (the UE includes a transceiver, paragraphs [59, 62] and Fig. 8B), which, in operation, uses the transmission opportunity for transmitting the available UCI if it is determined that the transmission opportunity is to be used for transmitting the available UCI (uses the transmission opportunity to transmit the UCI if determined to transmit the UCI in the transmission opportunity, paragraphs [73-76] and Fig. 9B), wherein the circuitry, in operation, determines to transmit the available UCI in each of two or more of the transmission opportunities (the UE with the circuitry determines to transmit the available UCI in each of the two or more transmission opportunities, paragraphs [36, 38, 56-58, 70-71]). However, Rosa does not explicitly teach determines whether or not to use a transmission opportunity among the plurality of transmission opportunities for transmitting the available UCI, “based on priority criteria associated with the available UCI”. Zhang teaches a user equipment (UE) (a UE/terminal device, paragraphs [147, 159] and Fig. 1, 5-6), a method (a UE/terminal device for performing a method, paragraphs [147, 152-153, 159] and Fig. 1-2) and integrated circuit for controlling operation of a user equipment (UE) (the UE includes an integrated circuit to perform the functions of the UE, paragraphs [252-253]), comprising: circuitry (circuitry to perform the functions of the UE, paragraphs [252-253]) which, in operation: obtains an indication indicating a transmission opportunity for transmission of Uplink Control Information (UCI) (the UE obtains an indication information indicating at least sending period for PUCCH for transmitting UCI, paragraphs [156, 161]), determines that UCI is available for transmission (determines to transmit an UCI, i.e. ACK/NACK, paragraphs [225-231]), and determines, based on priority criteria associated with the available UCI, whether or not to use a transmission opportunity for transmitting the available UCI (the UE determines, whether to transmit the UCI in the sending period based on priority of the UCI, i.e. transmitting higher priority UCI, paragraphs [167, 190-191, 229-232] and Fig. 2, step s201), and a transceiver (including transmitter and receiver, Fig. 6 and paragraphs [252-254]) which, in operation, uses the transmission opportunity for transmitting the available UCI if it is determined that the transmission opportunity is to be used for transmitting the available UCI (transmitting the UCI if determined to transmit the UCI in the sending period, paragraphs [167, 190-191, 229-232] and Fig. 2, step s202). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of determining, based on priority criteria associated with the available UCI, whether or not to use a transmission opportunity for transmitting the available UCI as taught by Zhang, with the teachings of Rosa, for a purpose of effectively preventing a UCI reporting conflict, ensuring a UCI reporting success rate and effectively ensuring data transmission performance and service requirements (see Zhang, paragraphs [165-168]). However, the combination of Rosa and Zhang does not explicitly teach determines, “based on the priority criteria, whether or not to repeatedly transmit” the available UCI. Bhamri teaches a user equipment (UE) (UE/remote Unit, paragraphs [47, 49] and Fig. 1, provisional 63/034,881, paragraphs [54, 56] and Fig. 1), a method (the UE perform a method, Fig. 10 and paragraph [207-208] and provisional 63/034,881, paragraphs [181-182] and Fig. 9) and an integrated circuit for controlling operation of a user equipment (UE) (the UE includes an integrated circuit or processor and memory to perform the functions of the UE, paragraphs [164, 166, 207], provisional 63/034,881, paragraphs [150-153, 163-164]), comprising: circuitry which, in operation (processor and memory to perform the functions of the UE, paragraphs [164, 166, 207], provisional 63/034,881, paragraphs [150-153, 163-164]): obtains an indication indicating a plurality of transmission opportunities for transmission of Uplink (the UE obtains scheduling information indicating a plurality of transmission opportunities/occasions, paragraphs [168-170], provisional 63/034,881, paragraphs [154-155, 182-183]), a transceiver (the UE includes a transceiver, paragraphs [163-165], provisional 63/034,881, paragraphs [150-152] and Fig. 7), which, in operation, uses the transmission opportunity for transmitting the available UCI (to uses one or more transmission opportunities/slots to transmit the available uplink, paragraph [208] and provisional 63/034,881, paragraphs [155-158, 168-169, 182-184], wherein the circuitry, in operation, determines, based on the priority criteria, whether or not to repeatedly transmit the available UCI in each of two or more of the transmission opportunities (the UE determines whether or not to apply repetition transmission for the uplink in each of the two or more transmission opportunities/slots, based on priority criteria, i.e. such as when the priority of the uplink is more than a threshold, paragraphs [125, 175, 198, 217] and provisional 63/034,881, paragraphs [133, 161]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of determining, based on the priority criteria, whether or not to repeatedly transmit the available UCI in each of two or more of the transmission opportunities as taught by Bhamri, with the teachings of transmitting the available UCI in each of the two or more transmission opportunities as taught by combination of Rosa and Zhang, for a purpose of increase efficiency in transmitting the UCI by allowing the UCI to be repeatedly transmitted to satisfy the wireless requirements while reducing the number of repetitions by determining whether to repeat the transmissions of UCI based on priority criteria (see Bhamri, paragraph [38-40125, 175, 198, 217] and provisional 63/034,881, paragraphs [50-53, 133, 161]). Regarding claim 2, Zhang further teaches wherein the available UCI includes a plurality of pieces of UCI (the UCI includes a plurality of pieces of UCI, Fig. 2 and paragraphs [165-168]); the priority criteria include, for each of the pieces of UCI, a respective priority (priority for each piece, paragraphs [162, 168, 178]); and the priority of one of the pieces of the UCI depends on: a type and/or content of the one piece of the UCI (priority for each piece is depended on a type of UCI, paragraphs [24, 162, 168, 178]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of wherein the available UCI includes a plurality of pieces of UCI; the priority criteria include, for each of the pieces of UCI, a respective priority; and the priority of one of the pieces of the UCI depends on: a type and/or content of the one piece of the UCI as taught by Zhang, with the teachings of Rosa, for a purpose of increase efficiency in identify the priority of each piece of UCI by using the type of the piece to determine the priority (see Zhang, paragraphs [24, 162, 168, 178]). Regarding claim 3, Zhang further teaches wherein the circuitry, in operation, if it is determined that the transmission opportunity is to be used for transmitting the available UCI and a payload size of the available UCI is larger than a payload size of the transmission opportunity, determines, based on the priority criteria, which of the plurality of pieces of UCI are to be transmitted in the transmission opportunity (determines to transmit the higher priority UCI(s) when payload size of available UCI is larger than a payload size of the sending period, paragraphs [167-169, 225-227, 231]); and/or, if it is determined that the transmission opportunity is to be used for transmitting the available UCI and a payload size of the available UCI is equal to or smaller than a payload size of the transmission opportunity, determines that all of the plurality of pieces of UCI are to be transmitted in the transmission opportunity (determines to transmit the all pieces of UCI when payload size of available UCI is equal to or smaller than a payload size of the sending period, paragraphs [167-169, 225-230]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of if it is determined that the transmission opportunity is to be used for transmitting the available UCI and a payload size of the available UCI is larger than a payload size of the transmission opportunity, based on the priority criteria, which of the plurality of pieces of UCI are to be transmitted in the transmission opportunity; and/or, if it is determined that the transmission opportunity is to be used for transmitting the available UCI and a payload size of the available UCI is equal to or smaller than a payload size of the transmission opportunity, that all of the plurality of pieces of UCI are to be transmitted in the transmission opportunity as taught by Zhang, with the teachings of Rosa, for a purpose of effectively preventing a UCI reporting conflict, ensuring a UCI reporting success rate and effectively ensuring data transmission performance and service requirements (see Zhang, paragraphs [165-168]). Regarding claim 8, the combination of Rosa, Zhang and Bhamri further teaches wherein the transceiver, in operation, receives an indication indicating the priority criteria: in a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) (as part of PDSCH channel, see Zhang, paragraph [152], see Rosa, paragraph [35]), and/or in a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) (as part of PDCCH channel, see Zhang, paragraph [152]). Claims 4-7 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2018/0175973 A1 to Rosa et al. (hereafter refers as Rosa) in view of US 2019/0327726 A1 to Zhang et al. (hereafter refers Zhang) and US 2023/0232380 A1 to Bhamri et al. (hereafter refers as Bhamri) as applied to claims above, and further in view of US 2023/0370209 A1 to Wang et al. (hereafter refers as Wang). Regarding claim 4, the combination of Rosa, Zhang and Bhamri further teaches the available UCI comprises one or more hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) reports (wherein the UCI includes at least one HARQ feedback, see Rosa, paragraphs [33, 35, 37, 39, 48, 56]). However, the combination of Rosa, Zhang and Bhamri does not explicitly teach “reports, wherein each HARQ report is associated with downlink (DL) traffic of a certain HARQ process ID” and the priority criteria include, for each of the HARQ reports, a priority of the HARQ report, wherein the priority of the HARQ report depends on: “a priority of said DL traffic associated with the HARQ report”. Wang teaches an available UCI comprises one or more hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) reports (an UE transmits HARQ reports/feedbacks in PUCCH, paragraphs [24, 40-43]), wherein each HARQ report is associated with downlink (DL) traffic of a certain HARQ process ID (wherein each HARQ report/feedback is associated with SPS PDSCH, of a certain HARQ process ID, paragraphs [124, 127-131, 135]); and the priority criteria include, for each of the HARQ reports, a priority of the HARQ report, wherein the priority of the HARQ report depends on: a priority of said DL traffic associated with the HARQ report (wherein an priority for each HARQ report/feedback is determined based on a priority of associated PDSCH, paragraphs [71-72, 116, 135]) and Fig. 4E). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of herein each HARQ report is associated with downlink (DL) traffic of a certain HARQ process ID; and, the priority criteria include, for each of the HARQ reports, a priority of the HARQ report, wherein the priority of the HARQ report depends on: the priority of said DL traffic associated with the HARQ report as taught by Wang, with the teachings of combination of Rosa, Zhang and Bhamri, for a purpose of increase efficiency in determining the priority for the HARQ report by associating with the priority of the DL traffic (see Wang, paragraphs [71-72, 116, 135]) and Fig. 4E). Regarding claim 5, Wang further teaches wherein, for each of the HARQ reports, the priority of the HARQ report: increases with increasing priority of the DL traffic associated with the HARQ report (high priority HARQ feedbacks is associated with a high priority PDSCHs, paragraph [72] and Fig. 4E). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of wherein, for each of the HARQ reports, the priority of the HARQ report: increases with increasing priority of the DL traffic associated with the HARQ report as taught by Wang, with the teachings of combination of Rosa, Zhang and Bhamri, for a purpose of increase efficiency in determining the priority for the HARQ report by associating with the priority of the DL traffic (see Wang, paragraphs [71-72, 116, 135]) and Fig. 4E). Regarding claim 6, Wang further teaches wherein the UE is configured with one or more Semi-Persistent Scheduling (SPS) configurations (wherein the UE is configured with one or more SPS configurations, Fig. 4E and paragraph [72]), wherein the configured SPS configurations correspond to respective DL SPS traffics and are associated with respective certain HARQ process IDs (wherein the SPS configurations are associated with respective SPS PDSCHs, paragraphs [71-72], and are associated with respective HARQ process IDs, paragraphs [124-127]); and the DL traffics which are associated with the HARQs are the DL SPS traffics (SPS PDSCHs are associated with the HARQs, Fig. 4E and paragraphs [71-72, 124-127]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of the UE is configured with one or more Semi-Persistent Scheduling (SPS) configurations, wherein the configured SPS configurations correspond to respective DL SPS traffics and are associated with respective certain HARQ process IDs and the DL traffics which are associated with the HARQs are the DL SPS traffics as taught by Wang, with the teachings of combination of Rosa, Zhang and Bhamri, for a purpose of increase efficiency in determining the priority for the HARQ report by associating with the priority of the DL traffic (see Wang, paragraphs [71-72, 116, 135]) and Fig. 4E). Regarding claim 7, the combination of Rosa, Zhang and Bhamri further teaches wherein the available UCI comprises one or more hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) (wherein the UCI includes at least one HARQ feedback, see Rosa, paragraphs [33, 35, 37, 39, 48, 56]). However, the combination of Rosa and Zhang does not explicitly teach “reports wherein each HARQ report is associated with downlink; (DL); traffic of a certain HARQ process ID”; and “the priority criteria include, for each of the HARQ reports, a sequence of offset values that is associated with the HARQ process ID and indicates, relative to a time of reception of the DL traffic, a corresponding sequence of transmission times for transmitting the HARQ report; the circuitry, in operation, determines that the transmission opportunity is to be used for transmitting the available UCI if the transmission opportunity corresponds to a first transmission time in one or more of the sequences of transmission times of the HARQ reports that does not collide with any DL symbol; and the transceiver, in operation, uses, the transmission opportunity for transmitting a HARQ report for which the transmission opportunity correspond to a first transmission time”. Wang teaches an available UCI comprises one or more hybrid automatic repeat request; (HARQ); reports wherein each HARQ report is associated with downlink (DL) traffic of a certain HARQ process ID (an UE transmits HARQ reports/feedbacks in PUCCH, paragraphs [24, 40-43]), wherein each HARQ report/feedback is associated with SPS PDSCH, of a certain HARQ process ID, paragraphs [124, 127-131, 135]); and the priority criteria include, for each of the HARQ reports, a sequence of offset values that is associated with the HARQ process ID (for each HARQ report, a sequence of offset value is associated with the HARQ process ID, paragraphs [39-40, 54-57]) and indicates, relative to a time of reception of the DL traffic, a corresponding sequence of transmission times for transmitting the HARQ report (indicating timing for transmitting the HARQ report from a time of reception of the PDSCH, paragraphs [39-40, 54-57]); the circuitry, in operation, determines that the transmission opportunity is to be used for transmitting the available UCI if the transmission opportunity corresponds to a first transmission time in one or more of the sequences of transmission times of the HARQ reports that does not collide with any DL symbol (determines a slot is available for transmitting the HARQ reports when the slot indicated by the offset does not collide with any DL slot/symbols, paragraphs [53-57, 71-76]); and the transceiver, in operation, uses, the transmission opportunity for transmitting a HARQ report for which the transmission opportunity correspond to a first transmission time (the UE transmits the HARQ reports in the slot that does not collide with any downlink slot/symbols, paragraphs [53-57, 71-76, 154-158]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of reports wherein each HARQ report is associated with downlink (DL) traffic of a certain HARQ process ID and the priority criteria include, for each of the HARQ reports, a sequence of offset values that is associated with the HARQ process ID and indicates, relative to a time of reception of the DL traffic, a corresponding sequence of transmission times for transmitting the HARQ report; the circuitry, in operation, determines that the transmission opportunity is to be used for transmitting the available UCI if the transmission opportunity corresponds to a first transmission time in one or more of the sequences of transmission times of the HARQ reports that does not collide with any DL symbol; and the transceiver, in operation, uses, the transmission opportunity for transmitting a HARQ report for which the transmission opportunity correspond to a first transmission time as taught by Wang, with the teachings of combination of Rosa, Zhang and Bhamri, for a purpose of reducing interference for the HARQ feedback by using the transmission opportunity for transmitting a HARQ report when there is no collision with any DL symbol in the transmission opportunity (see Wang, paragraphs [53-57, 71-76, 154-158]). Regarding claim 12, the combination of Rosa, Zhang and Bhamri further teaches the UE is operating in Time Division Duplex (TDD) (UE is operated in TDD, see Rosa, paragraphs [5, 29, 36]). However, the combination of Rosa, Zhang and Bhamri does not explicitly teach “the circuitry, in operation, determines, if the transmission opportunity collides with one or more DL symbols that the transmission opportunity is not to be used for transmitting the available UCI”. Wang teaches an UE is operating in Time Division Duplex (TDD) (UE is operating in TDD, paragraphs [3, 40, 55, 80, 97, 172]), the circuitry, in operation, determines, if the transmission opportunity collides with one or more DL symbols that the transmission opportunity is not to be used for transmitting the available UCI (if the transmission resource/slot collides with one or more DL slot/symbols, the transmission slot is not used for transmitting UCI, abstract and paragraphs [53-55, 69, 73-77, 118-120]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of the circuitry, in operation, determines, if the transmission opportunity collides with one or more DL symbols that the transmission opportunity is not to be used for transmitting the available UCI as taught by Wang, with the teachings of combination of Rosa, Zhang and Bhamri, for a purpose of reducing interference for the available UCI by using the transmission opportunity for transmitting the UCI when there is no collision with any DL symbol in the transmission opportunity (see Wang, paragraphs [53-57, 71-76, 154-158]). Claims 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2018/0175973 A1 to Rosa et al. (hereafter refers as Rosa) in view of US 2019/0327726 A1 to Zhang et al. (hereafter refers Zhang) and US 2023/0232380 A1 to Bhamri et al. (hereafter refers as Bhamri) as applied to claims above, and further in view of US 2022/0103304 A1 to Elshafie et al. (hereafter refers as Elshafie). Regarding claim 9, the combination of Rosa, Zhang and Bhamri does not explicitly teach “wherein the transmission opportunity is a next transmission opportunity among the transmission opportunities; and the circuitry, in operation, determines, based on the priority criteria, whether or not to defer transmission of any UCI until another UCI becomes available for transmission, wherein the other UCI is an UCI different from the available UCI”. Elshafie teaches a transmission opportunity is a next transmission opportunity among the transmission opportunities (identify a transmission opportunity as a next transmission opportunity among a plurality of transmission opportunities, paragraphs [87, 96, 101, 105], provisional 63/085,435, paragraphs [82, 93, 98, 101]); and the circuitry, in operation, determines, based on the priority criteria, whether or not to defer transmission of any UCI until another UCI becomes available for transmission, wherein the other UCI is an UCI different from the available UCI (determines to defer a transmission of a low priority UCI to a next available transmission opportunity, paragraphs [87, 96, 101, 105], provisional 63/085,435, paragraphs [82, 93, 98, 101]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of a transmission opportunity is a next transmission opportunity among the transmission opportunities and the circuitry, in operation, determines, based on the priority criteria, whether or not to defer transmission of any UCI until another UCI becomes available for transmission, wherein the other UCI is an UCI different from the available UCI as taught by Elshafie, with the teachings of combination of Rosa, Zhang and Bhamri, for a purpose of reducing collision between the UCIs by defer the UCI based on the priority of the UCI, to a next available transmission opportunity, when there is collision between the UCIs in the transmission opportunity (see Elshafie, paragraphs [87, 96, 101, 105], provisional 63/085,435, paragraphs [82, 93, 98, 101]). Regarding claim 10, Elshafie further teaches the circuitry, in operation, determines, after the transmission opportunity: that the other UCI is available for transmission (determines that the UCI is available for transmission, i.e. stored in a buffer, paragraphs [85-87, 96-97], provisional 63/085,435, paragraphs [82-83, 93-95]), and to use a subsequent transmission opportunity to transmit the available UCI and the other UCI, wherein the subsequent transmission opportunity is a transmission opportunity among the transmission opportunities that is after the transmission opportunity (to use a next transmission opportunity to transmit the deferred UCI, i.e. stored in the buffer, and other UCI, paragraphs [85-87, 96-97], provisional 63/085,435, paragraphs [82-83, 93-95]); and the transceiver, in operation, uses the subsequent transmission opportunity to transmit the available UCI and the other UCI (transmits the UCIs in the next transmission opportunity, paragraphs [85-87, 96-97], provisional 63/085,435, paragraphs [82-83, 93-95]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of the circuitry, in operation, determines, after the transmission opportunity: that the other UCI is available for transmission, and to use a subsequent transmission opportunity to transmit the available UCI and the other UCI, wherein the subsequent transmission opportunity is a transmission opportunity among the transmission opportunities that is after the transmission opportunity; and the transceiver, in operation, uses the subsequent transmission opportunity to transmit the available UCI and the other UCI as taught by Elshafie, with the teachings of combination of Rosa, Zhang and Bhamri, for a purpose of reducing collision between the UCIs by defer the UCI based on the priority of the UCI, to a next available transmission opportunity, when there is collision between the UCIs in the transmission opportunity (see Elshafie, paragraphs [87, 96, 101, 105], provisional 63/085,435, paragraphs [82, 93, 98, 101]). Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2022/0386362 A1 discloses if a number of UCI parts for transmission exceeds a total number of Res occupied by the UCIs, remove part(s) of UCI based on priority (paragraphs [62-65]). US 2024/0023081 A1 discloses postponing one or more UCIs based on priority (see paragraphs [67, 72, 73, 75, 80] and Fig. 6-11). US 2021/0385833 A1 discloses a number of SR transmissions (repetition of SR transmission) is configured for high priority traffic and no SR repetition is configured for low priority traffic (paragraphs [100-105]). 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 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. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DUNG B. HUYNH whose telephone number is (571)270-7642. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM. 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, Ian N. Moore can be reached at 571-272-3085. 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. /DUNG B HUYNH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469 May 21, 2026
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Prosecution Timeline

Nov 30, 2023
Application Filed
Dec 12, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
Mar 02, 2026
Response Filed
May 28, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
81%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+27.5%)
2y 12m (~4m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 604 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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