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 .
Claims 1-54 were cancelled. Claims 55-72 are pending for examination in this application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/25/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Abstract
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words. It is important that the abstract not exceed 150 words in length since the space provided for the abstract on the computer tape used by the printer is limited. The form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as "means" and "said," should be avoided. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, "The disclosure concerns," "The disclosure defined by this invention," "The disclosure describes," etc.
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.
Claims 56, 58-59, and 61 are 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
In claims 56 and 58, it is unclear and ambiguous to recite similar features in both claims. What is the purpose of claiming similar features in both claims that depend on the same claim 55?
Similarly for claims 59 and 61.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC §103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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 non-obviousness.
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 55 and 63 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Liao et al. (US 20210345226 A1), hereinafter referred to as Liao, in view of Kotay et al. (US 20220109988 A1), hereinafter referred to as Kotay.
Regarding claim 55:
Liao discloses an apparatus (RAN node, element 111 in Fig.1) comprising:
at least one processor (applications circuitry, element 202 in Fig.2 or [0020-0021]); and
at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor (memory, element 204G in Fig.2 or [0056]) cause the apparatus at least to:
broadcast, via a 3GPP cell, a standalone non-public-network network identifier value (broadcast, via 3GPP network, information including a non-public network {NPN} indicator {NID}, [0046, 0037], wherein NPN is standalone non-public-network network [0033, lines 18-25]); and
an indication of support for access to an external network via the 3GPP cell (information including ID of supported service network {SN} corresponding to respective external service networks [0062], e.g., data network [0046, 0062]).
Liao does not explicitly disclose the external service network can be an Ethernet network and access to an Ethernet network via the 3GPP cell is supported without a 3GPP network subscription identifier; which are known in the art and commonly applied in communications field for data communications, as suggested in Kotay ’s disclosure as below.
Kotay, from the same field of endeavor, discloses the external service network can be an Ethernet network (network is Ethernet [0050, lines 17-20]) and access to an Ethernet network via the 3GPP cell is supported (connecting to a wired network, e.g., Ethernet, using wireless 5G, e.g., 3GPP [0037]) without a 3GPP network subscription identifier (connecting to {Ethernet} network by using second network function when UE is unable to connect to first network, due to lack of information of SSID, cellular, LTE information, e.g., without 3GPP network subscription identifier [0050]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time before the claimed invention was filed to broadcast, via a 3GPP cell, a standalone non-public-network network identifier value and an indication of support for access to an Ethernet network via the 3GPP without a 3GPP network subscription identifier; thus facilitating connections among user devices, standalone non-public-network network, and Ethernet network for data communications– Kotay [0048].
Regarding claim 63:
Liao in view of Kotay discloses all limitations of claim 55, and –
Liao does not, while Kotay discloses broadcasting, via the 3GPP cell, an indication of support for access to the Ethernet network via an access point operating according to an IEEE 802.11 standard (access point operated in Wi-Fi, e.g., IEEE 802.11 standard, [0063]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time before the claimed invention was filed to also implement an access point operating according to an IEEE 802.11 standard into the access support mechanism; thus increasing throughput and avoiding interference while using dual access protocols, e.g., 3GPP and IEEE 802.11 – Kotay [0053].
Claims 56-58, 60, 65, and 67-70 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Liao in view of Kotay, as applied to claim 55 above, and further in view of Qiao et al. (US 20190109823 A1), hereinafter Qiao.
Regarding claim 56:
Liao in view of Kotay discloses all limitations of claim 55, and –
Liao further discloses registering to the non-public network [0042, lines 1-4] and Kotay further determines UE MAC address is used to facilitate interaction between UE and network [0042, lines 7-16].
However, Liao in view of Kotay does not explicitly disclose receiving, via the 3GPP cell, a registration request message from a user equipment, the registration request message indicating a MAC address for the user equipment; which is known in the art and commonly applied in communications field for data communications, as suggested in Qiao ’s disclosure as below.
Qiao, from the same field of endeavor, discloses receiving, via the 3GPP cell, a registration request message from a user equipment (receiving a registration request from wireless device [0079, lines 1-3]), the registration request message indicating a MAC address for the user equipment (registration request comprises … a source, e.g., user equipment {UE} MAC address [0109, lines 11-21]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time before the claimed invention was filed to receive the registration request message indicating a MAC address for the user equipment; thus obtaining information necessary to serve communications for the wireless device– Qiao [0077].
Regarding claim 57:
Liao in view of Kotay discloses all limitations of claim 55, and –
Liao further discloses the indication comprises an indication of support for pre-shared key mode access to the Ethernet network via the 3GPP cell ( connecting to network ID {NID} and performing corresponding authentication procedure, e.g., pre-shared key mode access [0055]).
Liao in view of Kotay does not explicitly disclose indicating support for open mode; which is known in the art and commonly applied in communications field for data communications, as suggested in Qiao ’s disclosure as below.
Qiao, from the same field of endeavor, discloses the access is in open mode (devices are not authenticated [0083, lines 13-15]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time before the claimed invention was filed to support Ethernet network access via the 3GPP by using open mode access or pre-shared key mode access; thus being able to obtain desired services using Ethernet over wireless communications – Qiao [0002].
Regarding claim 58:
Liao in view of Kotay and Qiao discloses all limitations of claim 57, and –
Liao and Kotay do not, while Qiao further discloses receiving, via the 3GPP cell, a registration request message from a user equipment (receiving a registration request from wireless device [0079, lines 1-3]), the registration request message indicating a MAC address for the user equipment (registration request message indicating a MAC address for UE (registration request comprises … a source {UE} MAC address [0109, lines 11-21]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time before the claimed invention was filed to receive the registration request message indicating a MAC address for the user equipment; thus obtaining information necessary to serve communications for the wireless device– Qiao [0077].
Regarding claim 60:
Liao in view of Kotay and Qiao discloses all limitations of claim 58, and –
Liao in view of Kotay does not, while Qiao further discloses authorizing the user equipment to request a PDU session limited to said MAC address (supporting PDU connectivity service via PDU sessions being established, after request from wireless device [0065]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time before the claimed invention was filed to authorize the user equipment to request a PDU session limited to said MAC address; thus providing UE the function of establishing PDU sessions suitable to its specific applications – Qiao [0066].
Regarding claim 65:
Liao in view of Kotay and Qiao discloses all limitations of claim 55, and –
Liao does not, while Kotay further discloses broadcasting, via the 3GPP cell, an indication of support for access to the Ethernet network via an access point operating according to an IEEE 802.11 standard (access point operated in Wi-Fi, e.g., IEEE 802.11 standard, [0063]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time before the claimed invention was filed to also implement an access point operating according to an IEEE 802.11 standard into the access support mechanism; thus increasing throughput and avoiding interference while using dual access protocols, e.g., 3GPP and IEEE 802.11 – Kotay [0053].
Regarding claim 67:
Liao discloses an apparatus (UE, element 101 in Fig.1) comprising:
at least one processor (applications circuitry, element 202 in Fig.2 or [0020-0021]); and
at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor (memory, element 204G in Fig.2 or [0056]) cause the apparatus at least to:
detect, via a 3GPP cell, a standalone non-public-network network identifier value (receiving, via 3GPP network, information including a non-public network {NPN} indicator {NID}, [0046, 0037], wherein NPN is standalone non-public-network network [0033, lines 18-25]); and
an indication of support for access to an external network via the 3GPP cell (information including ID of supported service network {SN} corresponding to respective external service networks [0062], e.g., data network [0046, 0062]);
establish an RRC connection via the 3GPP (communicate with RAN node using orthogonal frequency-division Multiplexing {OFDM} communication channels [0017], which is known to be generated by layer 3 comprising RRC layer [0033]).
Liao does not explicitly disclose the external service network can be an Ethernet network and access to an Ethernet network via the 3GPP cell is supported without a 3GPP network subscription identifier; which are known in the art and commonly applied in communications field for data communications, as suggested in Kotay ’s disclosure as below.
Kotay, from the same field of endeavor, discloses the external service network can be an Ethernet network (network is Ethernet [0050, lines 17-20]) and access to an Ethernet network via the 3GPP cell is supported (connecting to a wired network, e.g., Ethernet, using wireless 5G [0037]) without a 3GPP network subscription identifier (connecting to {Ethernet} network by using second network function when UE is unable to connect to first network due to lack of information of SSID, cellular, LTE information, e.g., without 3GPP network subscription identifier [0050]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time before the claimed invention was filed to broadcast a standalone non-public-network network identifier value and an indication of support for access to an Ethernet network; thus facilitating connections among user devices, standalone non-public-network network, and Ethernet network for data communications– Kotay [0048].
However, Liao in view of Kotay does not explicitly disclose transmitting, via the 3GPP cell, a registration request message from a user equipment, the registration request message indicating a MAC address for the user equipment; which is known in the art and commonly applied in communications field for data communications, as suggested in Qiao ’s disclosure as below.
Qiao, from the same field of endeavor, discloses transmitting, via the 3GPP cell, a registration request message from a user equipment (transmitting a registration request from wireless device, e.g., UE [0079, lines 1-3]), the registration request message indicating a MAC address for the user equipment (registration request comprises … a source MAC address [0109, lines 11-21]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time before the claimed invention was filed to receive the registration request message indicating a MAC address for the user equipment, after detecting necessary information for Ethernet access and establishing RRC connection via 3GPP cell; thus being able to provide necessary information for UE to perform Ethernet communications suitable its applications – Qiao [0077].
Regarding claim 68:
Liao in view of Kotay and Qiao discloses all limitations of claim 67, and –
Claim 68 is rejected for substantially same reason as applied to claim 57 above, except that claim 68 is recited from UE.
Regarding claim 69:
Liao in view of Kotay and Qiao discloses all limitations of claim 68, and –
Liao in view of Kotay does not, while Qiao further discloses the MAC address comprises a MAC address also used for access to the Ethernet network via an IEEE 802.11 wireless access point (MAC address is associated with PDU session established for Ethernet [0107, lines 31-34] via WiFi access point [0060, lines 23-26]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time before the claimed invention was filed to use a MAC address to determine the Ethernet network access via an IEEE 802.11 wireless access point; thus improving network performance by providing the capability to access to the Ethernet network for establishing PDU sessions – Qiao [0107].
Regarding claim 70:
Liao in view of Kotay and Qiao discloses all limitations of claim 68, and –
Liao further discloses access to the Ethernet network via the 3GPP cell uses a pre-shared key (connecting to NID and performing corresponding authentication procedure, e.g., pre-shared key mode access [0055]).
Liao does not explicitly disclose, while Kotay discloses a pre-shared key is also valid for access to the Ethernet network via an IEEE 802.11 access point (connecting to a second network through Wi-Fi access point using passcode, password, security element [0027 and 0002] or encryption key, e.g., pre-shared key [0046])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time before the claimed invention was filed to use a valid pre-shared key for access to the Ethernet network via the 3GPP cell and IEEE 802.1 cell; thus enabling the wireless device to access a dedicated/ particular network – Kotay [0005].
Claims 59 and 61 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Liao in view of Kotay and Qiao, as applied to claim 58 above, and further in view of Huang et al. (US 20180367539 A1), hereinafter Huang.
Regarding claim 59:
Liao in view of Kotay and Qiao discloses all limitations of claim 58, and –
Liao in view of Kotay does not, while Qiao further discloses sending, via the 3GPP cell, a registration accept message to the user equipment (sending registration acceptance [0132]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time before the claimed invention was filed to determine the indication of support for access to said Ethernet network via an access point operating according to an IEEE 802.11 standard in the registration acceptance; thus providing information necessary to serve communications for the wireless device– Qiao [0077].
However, Liao in view of Kotay and Qiao does not explicitly disclose the registration accept message includes indication of support for access to said Ethernet network via an access point operating; which is known in the art and commonly applied in communications field for data communications, as suggested in Huang ’s disclosure as below.
Huang, from the same field of endeavor, discloses the registration accept message includes indication of support for access to said Ethernet network via an access point operating (access response message includes SSID and a password {being sent by access point}, and based on which, device {having WiFi function} accesses a network [0012, lines 20-25] and [0006]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time before the claimed invention was filed to determine the indication of support for access to said Ethernet network via an access point in the registration acceptance; thus improving the wireless device access efficiency for subsequent data communications – Huang [0010].
Regarding claim 61:
Liao in view of Kotay and Qiao discloses all limitations of claim 58, and –
Liao in view of Kotay does not, while Qiao further discloses sending, via the 3GPP cell, a registration accept message to the user equipment (sending registration acceptance to UE [0132]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time before the claimed invention was filed to determine the indication of support for access to said Ethernet network via an access point operating according to an IEEE 802.11 standard in the registration acceptance; thus providing information necessary to serve communications for the wireless device– Qiao [0077].
However, Liao in view of Kotay and Qiao does not disclose the registration accept message includes indication of support for access to said Ethernet network via an access point operating according to an IEEE 802.11 standard; which is known in the art and commonly applied in communications field for data communications, as suggested in Huang ’s disclosure as below.
Huang, from the same field of endeavor, teaches the registration accept message includes indication of support for access to said Ethernet network via an access point operating according to an IEEE 802.11 standard (access response message includes SSID and a password {being sent by access point}, and based on which, device {having WiFi function, e.g., IEEE 802.11} accesses a network [0012, lines 20-25] and [0006]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time before the claimed invention was filed to determine the indication of support for access to said Ethernet network via an access point in the registration acceptance; thus improving the wireless device access efficiency for subsequent data communications – Huang [0010].
Claim 62 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Liao in view of Kotay and Qiao and Huang, as applied to claim 61 above, and further in view of Jiao et al. (US 20230077413 A1), hereinafter Jiao.
Regarding claim 62:
Liao in view of Kotay and Qiao and Huang discloses all limitations of claim 61, and –
Liao in view of Kotay and Qiao and Huang does not disclose the registration accept message indicates support for access to the Ethernet network via an IEEE 802.11 wireless access point having a service set identifier value matching the standalone-non-public-network network identifier value; which is known in the art and commonly applied in communications field for data communications, as suggested in Jiao ’s disclosure as below.
Jiao, from the same field of endeavor, discloses the registration accept message indicates support for access to the Ethernet network via an IEEE 802.11 wireless access point having a service set identifier value matching the standalone-non-public-network network identifier value (onboarding trigger SSID {transmitted by access point apparatus}, e.g., registration accept message, is used to establish a network connection between wireless device and a wireless network [0018]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time before the claimed invention was filed that the registration accept message indicates support for access to the Ethernet network via an IEEE 802.11 wireless access point having a service set identifier value matching the standalone-non-public-network network identifier value; thus securely associating a wireless device to a network in accordance to SSID – Jiao [0004].
Claim 64 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Liao in view of Kotay, as applied to claim 63 above, and further in view of Jiao.
Regarding claim 64:
Liao in view of Kotay discloses all limitations of claim 63, and –
Liao does not, while Kotay further discloses broadcasting, via the 3GPP cell, an indication of support for access to the Ethernet network via an IEEE 802.11 access point (access point operated in Wi-Fi, e.g., IEEE 802.11 standard, [0063]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time before the claimed invention was filed to broadcast a standalone non-public-network network identifier value and an indication of support for access to an Ethernet network; thus facilitating connections among user devices, standalone non-public-network network, and Ethernet network for data communications– Kotay [0048].
Liao in view of Kotay does not teach the wireless access point having a service set identifier value matching the standalone-non-public-network network identifier value; which is known in the art and commonly applied in communications field for data communications, as suggested in Jiao ’s disclosure as below.
Jiao, from the same field of endeavor, teaches the wireless access point having a service set identifier value matching the standalone-non-public-network network identifier value (onboarding trigger SSID {transmitted by access point apparatus}, e.g., registration accept message, is used to establish a network connection between wireless device and a wireless network [0018]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time before the claimed invention was filed to determine the wireless access point having a service set identifier value matching the standalone-non-public-network network identifier value, when broadcasting, via the 3GPP cell, an indication of support for access to the Ethernet network via an IEEE 802.11 access point; thus securely associating a wireless device to a network in accordance to SSID – Jiao [0004].
Claim 66 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Liao in view of Kotay and Qiao, as applied to claim 65 above, and further in view of Jiao.
Regarding claim 66:
Liao in view of Kotay and Qiao discloses all limitations of claim 63, and –
Liao does not, while Kotay further discloses broadcasting, via the 3GPP cell, an indication of support for access to the Ethernet network via an IEEE 802.11 access point (access point operated in Wi-Fi, e.g., IEEE 802.11 standard, [0063]).
Liao in view of Kotay and Qiao does not explicitly disclose the wireless access point having a service set identifier value matching the standalone-non-public-network network identifier value; which is known in the art and commonly applied in communications field for data communications, as suggested in Jiao ’s disclosure as below.
Jiao, from the same field of endeavor, teaches the wireless access point having a service set identifier value matching the standalone-non-public-network network identifier value (onboarding trigger SSID {transmitted by access point apparatus}, e.g., registration accept message, is used to establish a network connection between wireless device and a wireless network [0018]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time before the claimed invention was filed to determine the wireless access point having a service set identifier value matching the standalone-non-public-network network identifier value, when broadcasting, via the 3GPP cell, an indication of support for access to the Ethernet network via an IEEE 802.11 access point; thus securely associating a wireless device to a network in accordance to SSID – Jiao [0004].
Claims 71-72 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Kotay and Jiao.
Regarding claim 71:
Kotay discloses an apparatus (user device, element 102 in Fig.1) comprising:
at least one processor (device identifier, element 108 in Fig.1); and
at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor ([0022]), cause the apparatus to:
in response to detecting, from a 3GPP cell transmission, an indication of support for access to the Ethernet network via an IEEE 802.11 access point (access point operated in Wi-Fi, e.g., IEEE 802.11 standard, [0063]).
Kotay does not explicitly disclose the wireless access point having a service set identifier value matching the standalone-non-public-network network identifier value; which is known in the art and commonly applied in communications field for data communications, as suggested in Jiao ’s disclosure as below.
Jiao, from the same field of endeavor, discloses the wireless access point having a service set identifier value matching the standalone-non-public-network network identifier value (onboarding trigger SSID {transmitted by access point apparatus}, e.g., registration accept message, is used to establish a network connection between wireless device and a wireless network [0018]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time before the claimed invention was filed to determine the wireless access point having a service set identifier value matching the standalone-non-public-network network identifier value, when broadcasting, via the 3GPP cell, an indication of support for access to the Ethernet network via an IEEE 802.11 access point; thus securely associating a wireless device to a network in accordance to SSID – Jiao [0004].
Regarding claim 72:
Kotay and Jiao disclose all limitations of claim 71, and –
Kotay further teaches access to the Ethernet network via the 3GPP cell uses a pre-shared key (connect to a wired and/or wireless network using LTE, 4G, 5G [0066] using encryption key [0046] according to a pre-shared key access mode using a pre-shared key that is also valid for accessing the Ethernet network via an 3GGP cell (connecting to a second network through LTE/ 5G access point using passcode, password, security element [0027 and 0002] or encryption key [0046]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Gorey (US 20150358807 A1 [0030]),
Kim (US 20110151861 A1 [0017, 0026]),
Kim (US 20240196222 A1 [0239, 0243, 0282]),
Lai (US 20190364607 A1 [0029, 0048,0050]),
Speicher (US 20210105712 A1 [0043, 0050, 0061]),
Zhang (US 20150334615 A1 [0049]), and
Zhu (US 20220263674 A1 [0112,])
are all cited to show that broadcasting, via a 3GPP cell, a standalone non-public-network network identifier value, and an indication of support for access to an Ethernet network via the 3GPP cell without a 3GPP network subscription identifier – would facilitate connections among user devices, standalone non-public-network network, and Ethernet network for data communications – similar to the claimed invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CAMQUYEN THAI whose telephone number is (571)270-7245. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:30pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and videoconferencing 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, Ayman A. Abaza, can be reached at 571-270-0422. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/C.Q.T./
/AYMAN A ABAZA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2465