Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/586,357

Efficiently Utilizing Fine Timing Measurements Within Large Multi-User Channels

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Feb 23, 2024
Examiner
RAYNAL, ASHLEY BROWN
Art Unit
3648
Tech Center
3600 — Transportation & Electronic Commerce
Assignee
Cisco Technology Inc.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
78%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 9m
To Grant
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 78% — above average
78%
Career Allow Rate
28 granted / 36 resolved
+25.8% vs TC avg
Strong +23% interview lift
Without
With
+22.7%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 9m
Avg Prosecution
33 currently pending
Career history
69
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
7.5%
-32.5% vs TC avg
§103
48.4%
+8.4% vs TC avg
§102
19.6%
-20.4% vs TC avg
§112
24.6%
-15.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 36 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
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 . Status of Claims The following is a non-final, first office action in response to the communication filed 02/23/2024. Claims 1-20 are currently pending and have been examined. Priority Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged. Claims 1-20 have support in PRO 63/614,304, and the instant application is entitled to the benefit of the provisional application, with an effective filing date of 12/22/2023. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 11/04/2024 and 05/12/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner. Specification The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: in paragraph [0002], “FTM” is defined to be an abbreviation for “time timing measurement” rather than “fine timing measurement”. Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action: A person shall be entitled to a patent unless – (a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claims 1-11, 13 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) as being anticipated by Yang (US-20180310194-A1; hereinafter Yang). Regarding claim 1, Yang discloses: A client device (see at least Fig. 14, communications device 1100), comprising: a processor (see at least Fig. 14, processor 1120); at least one network interface controller (see at least [0266]; The processor 1120 is configured to execute the instruction stored in the memory, to control the transceiver 1110 to receive or send information.”) configured to provide access to a network (see at least [0109]; “A communications device and a response device may both communicate with one or more core networks by using a radio access network (RAN). Each of the communications device and the response device may be a mobile terminal such as a mobile phone (or referred to as a “cellular” phone) or a computer with a mobile terminal. For example, each of the communications device and the response device may be a portable, pocket-sized, handheld, computer built-in, or in-vehicle mobile apparatus, which exchanges voice or data with the radio access network or may exchange voice and data at the same. Each of the communications device and the response device may also be a device such as an access point AP (Access Point) or a base station. Generally, a terminal having a Wi-Fi function may be a communications device or a response device.” See also [0277] – [0278]); and a memory (see at least Fig. 14, memory 1130) communicatively coupled to the processor (see at least [0266]; “The processor 1120 is configured to execute the instruction stored in the memory, to control the transceiver 1110 to receive or send information.”), wherein the memory comprises a fine timing measurement (FTM) logic that is configured to: receive an FTM frame via a multi-user (MU) frame (see at least [0267]; “The transceiver 1110 is configured to: send a fine timing measurement FTM request frame to a response device; and receive a first FTM measurement frame that is sent by the response device according to the FTM request frame, where the first FTM measurement frame includes a measurement parameter of each of at least two devices and identifier information used to indicate each device.”); transmit an acknowledgement (ACK) frame based on the MU frame (see at least [0269]; “Optionally, the first FTM measurement frame received by the transceiver 1120 includes feedback indication information, and the feedback indication information is used to indicate a time interval at which the communications device sends response information after the communications device receives the first FTM measurement frame. Optionally, the transceiver 1110 is further configured to: send the response information to the response device according to the first FTM measurement frame…”); and calculate a round-trip time (RTT) associated with a network device and the client device based on the FTM frame or the ACK frame (see at least Eq. 1 in [0128], where the numerator of the fraction represents the RTT before being scaled by the speed of light to find a distance. See also [0128]; “After receiving the two FTM request frames, the response device may broadcast a first FTM measurement frame, and a moment of sending the first FTM measurement frame by the response device is T1. The first FTM measurement frame may include a first measurement parameter of the first communications device, a second measurement parameter of the second communications device, first identifier information used to indicate the first communications device, and second identifier information used to indicate the second communications device. After receiving the first FTM measurement frame, the first communications device may obtain the first measurement parameter of the first communications device according to the first identifier information. A moment of receiving the first FTM measurement frame by the first communications device is T2. The first communications device sends first ACK to the response device, and a moment of sending the first ACK by the first communications device is T3. The response device receives the first ACK sent by the first communications device, and a moment of receiving the first ACK is T4…After receiving the second FTM measurement frame, the first communications device can learn of, by using the first identifier information, the receiving moment T4 corresponding to the first communications device.”). Regarding claim 2, Yang discloses the client device of claim 1. Yang further teaches: wherein the MU frame is received from the network device (see at least Fig. 3, where S220 FTM measurement frame is sent from the response device to multiple communications devices. Lists of network devices that can embody the response device are given in [0109].), and the ACK frame is transmitted to the network device (see at least Fig. 3, where the Response Information S240 is sent from the communications device to the response device). Regarding claim 3, Yang discloses the client device of claim 2. Yang further teaches: wherein the MU frame is associated with a first transmit time and a first receive time (see at least [0128]; “After receiving the two FTM request frames, the response device may broadcast a first FTM measurement frame, and a moment of sending the first FTM measurement frame by the response device is T1. The first FTM measurement frame may include a first measurement parameter of the first communications device, a second measurement parameter of the second communications device, first identifier information used to indicate the first communications device, and second identifier information used to indicate the second communications device. After receiving the first FTM measurement frame, the first communications device may obtain the first measurement parameter of the first communications device according to the first identifier information. A moment of receiving the first FTM measurement frame by the first communications device is T2.”), the ACK frame is associated with a second transmit time and a second receive time (see at least [0128]; “The first communications device sends first ACK to the response device, and a moment of sending the first ACK by the first communications device is T3. The response device receives the first ACK sent by the first communications device, and a moment of receiving the first ACK is T4-”), and the RTT is calculated based on one or more of the first transmit time, the first receive time, the second transmit time, or the second receive time (see at least Eq. 1 in paragraph [0128], where the RTT is calculated using T1 through T4). Regarding claim 4, Yang discloses the client device of claim 1. Yang further teaches: wherein the FTM logic is further configured to determine a distance between the network device and the client device based on the RTT (see at least Eq. 1 in paragraph [0128], to determine the distance between the response device and communications device). Regarding claim 6, Yang discloses the client device of claim 1. Yang further teaches: wherein the FTM logic is further configured to: transmit an FTM request frame to the network device (see at least Fig. 3, S210 FTM request frame transmitted from communications device to response device), the FTM request frame comprising an indication of support for an MU mode (see at least [0142]; “Optionally, in the measurement method 200, at least one of the FTM request frame or the first FTM measurement frame may include function indication information used to indicate that the communications device supports multi-user measurement.”). Regarding claim 7, Yang discloses the client device of claim 6. Yang further teaches: wherein the FTM logic is further configured to: receive an FTM response frame from the network device, the FTM response frame comprising an indication of the MU mode (see at least [0142]; “Optionally, in the measurement method 200, at least one of the FTM request frame or the first FTM measurement frame may include function indication information used to indicate that the communications device supports multi-user measurement. That is, the FTM request frame may include the function indication information; or the first FTM measurement frame may include the function indication information; or both the FTM request frame and the first FTM measurement frame include the function indication information.”). Regarding claim 8, Yang discloses the client device of claim 6. Yang further teaches: wherein the FTM request frame further comprises an indication of a requested channel bandwidth that is greater than a threshold (see at least [0142] – [ 0143]; “That is, the FTM request frame may include the function indication information… The function indication information may be carried in the measurement parameter field. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the measurement parameter field (e.g., Fine Timing Measurement Parameters Field Format). As shown in FIG. 5, the measurement parameter field may include… an FTM format and bandwidth used to indicate an FTM frame type and an occupied bandwidth (for example, the type is an 11n type or an 11ac type, and the bandwidth is 20 M, or 40 M, or 80 M); and a measurement group period (e.g., Burst period) used to indicate duration of a measurement group (burst).”). Regarding claim 9, Yang discloses the client device of claim 1. Yang further teaches: wherein the FTM frame occupies a subset of a plurality of resource units (RUs) of the MU frame (see at least Fig. 4 and [0140]; “FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an action field in an FTM measurement frame… The first FTM measurement frame may be understood as a measurement frame including public information and dedicated information. The public information is information that can be shared by multiple communications devices, and the dedicated information is dedicated information of each communications device. The dedicated information may include a measurement parameter of each communications device.”). Regarding claim 10, Yang discloses the client device of claim 9. Yang further teaches: wherein one or more RUs in the plurality of RUs not occupied by the FTM frame comprise data destined for one or more other client devices different from the client device (see at least Fig. 4 and [0140]; “FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an action field in an FTM measurement frame… The first FTM measurement frame may be understood as a measurement frame including public information and dedicated information. The public information is information that can be shared by multiple communications devices, and the dedicated information is dedicated information of each communications device. The dedicated information may include a measurement parameter of each communications device.”). Regarding claim 11, Yang discloses the client device of claim 1. Yang further teaches: wherein the MU frame is associated with a channel bandwidth that is at least 80 MHz (see at least [0143]; “…an FTM format and bandwidth used to indicate an FTM frame type and an occupied bandwidth (for example, the type is an 11n type or an 11ac type, and the bandwidth is 20 M, or 40 M, or 80 M)…”). Regarding claim 13, Yang discloses the client device of claim 1. Yang further teaches: wherein the network device comprises an access point (see at least [0109]; “Each of the communications device and the response device may also be a device such as an access point AP (Access Point) or a base station.”). Regarding claim 20, Yang discloses: A method for wireless ranging (see at least [0128]; “It can be learned according to a formula (1) that, by means of the method, a distance between the first communications device and the response device can be obtained; and similarly, a distance between second communications device and the response device can be obtained…”), comprising: receiving a fine timing measurement (FTM) frame via a multi-user (MU) frame (see at least [0267]; “The transceiver 1110 is configured to: send a fine timing measurement FTM request frame to a response device; and receive a first FTM measurement frame that is sent by the response device according to the FTM request frame, where the first FTM measurement frame includes a measurement parameter of each of at least two devices and identifier information used to indicate each device.”); transmitting an acknowledgement (ACK) frame based on the MU frame (see at least [0269]; “Optionally, the first FTM measurement frame received by the transceiver 1120 includes feedback indication information, and the feedback indication information is used to indicate a time interval at which the communications device sends response information after the communications device receives the first FTM measurement frame. Optionally, the transceiver 1110 is further configured to: send the response information to the response device according to the first FTM measurement frame…”); and calculating a round-trip time (RTT) associated with a network device and a client device based on the FTM frame or the ACK frame (see at least Eq. 1 in [0128], where the numerator of the fraction represents the RTT before being scaled by the speed of light to find a distance. See also [0128]; “After receiving the two FTM request frames, the response device may broadcast a first FTM measurement frame, and a moment of sending the first FTM measurement frame by the response device is T1. The first FTM measurement frame may include a first measurement parameter of the first communications device, a second measurement parameter of the second communications device, first identifier information used to indicate the first communications device, and second identifier information used to indicate the second communications device. After receiving the first FTM measurement frame, the first communications device may obtain the first measurement parameter of the first communications device according to the first identifier information. A moment of receiving the first FTM measurement frame by the first communications device is T2. The first communications device sends first ACK to the response device, and a moment of sending the first ACK by the first communications device is T3. The response device receives the first ACK sent by the first communications device, and a moment of receiving the first ACK is T4…After receiving the second FTM measurement frame, the first communications device can learn of, by using the first identifier information, the receiving moment T4 corresponding to the first communications device.”). 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. Claims 14-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang in view of Ramasamy et al. (US-20180310133-A1; hereinafter Ramasamy). Regarding claim 14, Yang discloses: A network device (see at least Fig. 12, communications device 900), comprising: a processor (see at least Fig. 12, processor 920); at least one network interface controller (see at least [0244]; “The processor 920 is configured to execute the instruction stored in the memory, to control the transceiver 910 to receive or send information.”) configured to provide access to a network (see at least [0109]; “A communications device and a response device may both communicate with one or more core networks by using a radio access network (RAN).”); and a memory (see at least Fig. 12, memory 930) communicatively coupled to the processor (see at least [0244]; “The processor 920 is configured to execute the instruction stored in the memory…”), wherein the memory comprises a fine timing measurement (FTM) logic that is configured to: receive an FTM request frame (see at least [0245]; “The transceiver 910 is configured to receive fine timing measurement FTM request frames sent by at least two communications stations…”), the FTM request frame comprising an indication of support for an MU mode at a client device (see at least [0019]; “In one embodiment, at least one of the FTM request frame or the first FTM measurement frame includes function indication information used to indicate that the communications device supports multi-user measurement.”); transmit an FTM response frame (see at least Fig. 3, “ACK” sent by response device in response to S210 FTM request frame), transmit a multi-user (MU) frame, the MU frame comprising an FTM frame for the client device (see at least [0245]; “The transceiver 910 is configured to receive fine timing measurement FTM request frames sent by at least two communications stations; and is configured to send a first FTM measurement frame according to the FTM request frame, where the first FTM measurement frame includes a measurement parameter of each of the at least two communications stations and identifier information used to indicate each communications station, so that each communications station obtains the measurement parameter of each communications station according to the identifier information.”); and receive an acknowledgement (ACK) frame based on the MU frame (see at least [0247]; “Optionally, the transceiver 910 is further configured to receive the response information that is sent by each communications station according to the first FTM measurement frame.”). However, Yang does not explicitly teach the FTM response frame comprising an indication of the MU mode for the client device. Yang discloses a FTM method where frames are communicated to multiple users, and Ramasamy is directed to wireless network positioning methods, including methods involving FTM. Ramasamy teaches: receive an FTM request frame, the FTM request frame comprising an indication of support for a mode at a client device (see at least [0127]; “In some embodiments, STA 100 may initiate negotiation phase 420 by transmitting FTM request (FTM_REQ) frame 425 to AP 240. In addition to signaling or requesting the ranging operation 400, the FTM_REQ frame 425 may be used to request the number of ranging parameters and capabilities.”); transmit an FTM response frame (see at least [0127]; “AP 240 may receive FTM_REQ frame 425 and may acknowledge the requested ranging operation by transmitting an FTM acknowledgement (ACK) frame 427 to STA 100.”), the FTM response frame comprising an indication of the mode for the client device (see at least [0127]; “In some embodiments, ACK frame 427 may be used to indicate the capabilities of AP 240 (as described above), and may accept a number of the ranging parameters requested by STA 100.”); transmit an FTM frame for the client device (see at least Fig. 4, where AP 240 sends an FTM frame 432 after sending the ACK 427 frame). Both Yang and Ramasamy teach FTM measurements following a similar sequency: receiving a FTM request frame, sending an acknowledgement, and subsequently sending FTM measurement frames. Yang does not explicitly teach what is contained in the sent acknowledgement. Ramasamy teaches that the acknowledgement may be used to indicate the AP capabilities. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the acknowledgement of Yang to also indicate the available capabilities, as taught by Ramasamy. Because one of the available capabilities the “response device” of Yang is multi-user mode capabilities, it would likewise have been obvious to indicate this capability in the acknowledgement. Regarding claim 15, Yang in view of Ramasamy teaches the network device of claim 14. Yang further teaches: wherein the FTM request frame and the ACK frame are received from the client device (see at least Fig. 3, where FTM request frame S219 and Response information S240 are received from the communications device). Regarding claim 16, Yang in view of Ramasamy teaches the network device of claim 14. Yang further teaches: wherein the FTM request frame further comprises an indication of a requested channel bandwidth that is greater than a threshold (see at least [0142] – [ 0143]; “That is, the FTM request frame may include the function indication information… The function indication information may be carried in the measurement parameter field. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the measurement parameter field (e.g., Fine Timing Measurement Parameters Field Format). As shown in FIG. 5, the measurement parameter field may include… an FTM format and bandwidth used to indicate an FTM frame type and an occupied bandwidth (for example, the type is an 11n type or an 11ac type, and the bandwidth is 20 M, or 40 M, or 80 M); and a measurement group period (e.g., Burst period) used to indicate duration of a measurement group (burst).”). Regarding claim 17, Yang in view of Ramasamy teaches the network device of claim 14. Yang further teaches: wherein the FTM frame occupies a subset of a plurality of resource units (RUs) of the MU frame (see at least Fig. 4 and [0140]; “FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an action field in an FTM measurement frame… The first FTM measurement frame may be understood as a measurement frame including public information and dedicated information. The public information is information that can be shared by multiple communications devices, and the dedicated information is dedicated information of each communications device. The dedicated information may include a measurement parameter of each communications device.”). Regarding claim 18, Yang in view of Ramasamy teaches the network device of claim 17. Yang further teaches: wherein one or more RUs in the plurality of RUs not occupied by the FTM frame comprise data destined for one or more other client devices different from the client device (see at least Fig. 4 and [0140]; “FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an action field in an FTM measurement frame… The first FTM measurement frame may be understood as a measurement frame including public information and dedicated information. The public information is information that can be shared by multiple communications devices, and the dedicated information is dedicated information of each communications device. The dedicated information may include a measurement parameter of each communications device.”). Regarding claim 19, Yang in view of Ramasamy teaches the network device of claim 14. Yang further teaches: wherein the MU frame is associated with a channel bandwidth that is at least 80 MHz (see at least [0143]; “…an FTM format and bandwidth used to indicate an FTM frame type and an occupied bandwidth (for example, the type is an 11n type or an 11ac type, and the bandwidth is 20 M, or 40 M, or 80 M)…”). Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang in view of Ramasamy and Cariou et al. (US-20200015041-A1; hereinafter Cariou). Regarding claim 12, Yang discloses the client device of claim 1. Yang further teaches: wherein the FTM logic is further configured to: transmit a first FTM request frame to a first network device (see at least Fig. 3, S210 FTM request frame transmitted from communications device to response device), the FTM request frame comprising an indication of support for an MU mode (see at least [0142]; “Optionally, in the measurement method 200, at least one of the FTM request frame or the first FTM measurement frame may include function indication information used to indicate that the communications device supports multi-user measurement.”); receive an FTM response frame from the first network device (see at least Fig. 3, “ACK” sent by response device in response to S210 FTM request frame), receive a first FTM frame via a first MU frame from the first network device (see at least Fig. 3, First FTM measurement frame S220 sent from response device to both communications devices); transmit a first ACK frame based on the first MU frame to the first network device (see at least [0269]; “Optionally, the first FTM measurement frame received by the transceiver 1120 includes feedback indication information, and the feedback indication information is used to indicate a time interval at which the communications device sends response information after the communications device receives the first FTM measurement frame. Optionally, the transceiver 1110 is further configured to: send the response information to the response device according to the first FTM measurement frame…”); and calculate a first RTT associated with the first network device and the client device based on the first FTM frame or the first ACK frame (see at least Eq. 1 in [0128], where the numerator of the fraction represents the RTT before being scaled by the speed of light to find a distance. See also [0128]; “After receiving the two FTM request frames, the response device may broadcast a first FTM measurement frame, and a moment of sending the first FTM measurement frame by the response device is T1. The first FTM measurement frame may include a first measurement parameter of the first communications device, a second measurement parameter of the second communications device, first identifier information used to indicate the first communications device, and second identifier information used to indicate the second communications device. After receiving the first FTM measurement frame, the first communications device may obtain the first measurement parameter of the first communications device according to the first identifier information. A moment of receiving the first FTM measurement frame by the first communications device is T2. The first communications device sends first ACK to the response device, and a moment of sending the first ACK by the first communications device is T3. The response device receives the first ACK sent by the first communications device, and a moment of receiving the first ACK is T4…After receiving the second FTM measurement frame, the first communications device can learn of, by using the first identifier information, the receiving moment T4 corresponding to the first communications device.”). However, Yang does not explicitly teach the FTM response frame comprising an indication of the MU mode and an association identifier (AID) for the client device. Yang discloses a FTM method where frames are communicated to multiple users, and Ramasamy is directed to wireless network positioning methods, including methods involving FTM. Ramasamy teaches: transmit an FTM request frame, the FTM request frame comprising an indication of support for a mode (see at least [0127]; “In some embodiments, STA 100 may initiate negotiation phase 420 by transmitting FTM request (FTM_REQ) frame 425 to AP 240. In addition to signaling or requesting the ranging operation 400, the FTM_REQ frame 425 may be used to request the number of ranging parameters and capabilities.”); receive an FTM response frame from the first network device (see at least [0127]; “AP 240 may receive FTM_REQ frame 425 and may acknowledge the requested ranging operation by transmitting an FTM acknowledgement (ACK) frame 427 to STA 100.”), the FTM response frame comprising an indication of the mode for the client device (see at least [0127]; “In some embodiments, ACK frame 427 may be used to indicate the capabilities of AP 240 (as described above), and may accept a number of the ranging parameters requested by STA 100.”); receive an FTM frame from the first network device (see at least Fig. 4, where AP 240 sends an FTM frame 432 after sending the ACK 427 frame). Both Yang and Ramasamy teach FTM measurements following a similar sequency: receiving a FTM request frame, sending an acknowledgement, and subsequently sending FTM measurement frames. Yang does not explicitly teach what is contained in the sent acknowledgement. Ramasamy teaches that the acknowledgement may be used to indicate the AP capabilities. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the acknowledgement of Yang to also indicate the available capabilities, as taught by Ramasamy. Because one of the available capabilities the “response device” of Yang is multi-user mode capabilities, it would likewise have been obvious to indicate this capability in the acknowledgement. However, neither Yang nor Ramasamy explicitly teach the FTM response frame comprising an association identifier (AID) for the client device. Cariou is directed to enhanced location service negotiation. Cariou teaches the FTM negotiation phase messages comprising an association identifier (AID) for the client device (see at least [0016]; “Conventionally, the negotiation phase comprises the STA performing an FTM negotiation with each AP in the APs to determine an identification (e.g., unique IDs (UIDs), associated IDs (AIDs), ranging AIDs (R-AIDs), etc.) that the STA can use during a subsequent measurement phase with the APs. In other words, a conventional FTM procedure is mostly used as a single input single output protocol.”). Yang teaches using an association identifier AID as identification information in a FTM measurement frame (see at least [0115]). Yang furthermore teaches a negotiation phase preceding the measurement phase (see Fig. 3; the FTM request frame and ACK message correspond to the negotiation phase. Compare to the negotiation phase of Ramasamy Fig. 4.). Cariou teaches that the negotiation phase prior to FTM measurements is conventionally used to determine AIDs used in the measurement phase. It would therefore have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the claimed invention to perform the AID determination taught by Cariou in the negotiation phase taught by Yang, such that the ACK message in the negotiation phase of Yang would include AID information. Allowable Subject Matter Claim 5 is 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. The subject matter of claim 5 requires requesting a reduction of bandwidth after determining a distance based on the measurement quality being higher than the required threshold. Cha et al. (US-20230020648-A1) teaches requesting a reduction in bandwidth based on not needing high accuracy (see at least [0453]), but does not teach making this request after the calculation of a location, as required by claim 5. A modification would require significant redesign, and therefore it would not be reasonable to modify. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Ashley B. Raynal whose telephone number is (703)756-4546. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8 AM - 4 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, Vladimir Magloire can be reached at (571) 270-5144. 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. /ASHLEY BROWN RAYNAL/Examiner, Art Unit 3648 /VLADIMIR MAGLOIRE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3648
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Feb 23, 2024
Application Filed
Jan 13, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §103
Mar 04, 2026
Applicant Interview (Telephonic)
Mar 04, 2026
Examiner Interview Summary

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Expected OA Rounds
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Grant Probability
99%
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2y 9m
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