Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/603,397

INTERLEAVER AND DEINTERLEAVER WITH DELAY MEMORY FOR A TRANSMITTER OR RECEIVER

Non-Final OA §112
Filed
Mar 13, 2024
Examiner
MILLER, BRANDON J
Art Unit
2647
Tech Center
2600 — Communications
Assignee
Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
88%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 5m
To Grant
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 88% — above average
88%
Career Allow Rate
929 granted / 1062 resolved
+25.5% vs TC avg
Moderate +9% lift
Without
With
+8.6%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 5m
Avg Prosecution
34 currently pending
Career history
1096
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
5.2%
-34.8% vs TC avg
§103
39.4%
-0.6% vs TC avg
§102
16.1%
-23.9% vs TC avg
§112
23.1%
-16.9% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1062 resolved cases

Office Action

§112
DETAILED ACTION I. This office action is in response to the correspondence filed March 13, 2024. Claims 1-20 are pending and being examined. Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status II. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . Allowable Subject Matter III. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The closest prior art found is Tzannes et al. (US 2006/0088054 A1); Birnbaum et al. (US 2017/0054527 A1); and Shen (US 2004/0081261 A1). Tzannes teaches a wireless transceiver comprising: an interleaver that receives input data stream; a shared memory; and a deinterleaver (see Fig. 1), wherein a first wireless transceiver transmits to a second transceiver (see paragraph [0048]). Birnbaum teaches optical data transmission through the atmosphere by a multi-channel system that can have a transmitter for transmitting data streams that are encoded in laser beams (see paragraph [0024]), wherein symbols of codewords can be interleaved by channel interleavers into interleaved codewords, and wherein the interleaved and modulated codewords can be transmitted from the transmitter to a receiver through independent transmission medium channels, e.g., using multiple laser beams across air or space (see paragraph [0027] and Figs. 2-3C). Shen teaches an interleaver that receives input data values, the interleaver rearranging the order of the data values within a row, wherein whole columns in buffer 88 are rearranged according to a predetermined pattern (see paragraph [0034]) and Fig. 3); transferring a column of data from buffer 88 by a read circuit into a column register 96, wherein the first column is read out of the buffer 88 (see paragraph [0036] and Fig. 3); and the data in column register 96 is read out and input into decoder 82, wherein the data positions in each column of buffer 88 is rearranged (see paragraphs [0037] – [0037] and Fig. 3). Claim 1 contains allowable subject matter because Tzannes, Birnbaum, and Shen do not teach a wireless transceiver comprising: an interleaver that receives an input data stream comprising codewords formed of a combination of input data and error correction codes, the interleaver comprising: delay memory; an ingress module; an egress module; a memory controller that controls operations of the delay memory; and a wireless transmitter as specifically recited in claim 1. Claims 2-16 contain allowable subject matter based on their dependence on independent claim 1. Claim 17 contains allowable subject matter because Tzannes, Birnbaum, and Shen do not teach a system for wirlessly transmitting data over a link, the system comprising: a first transceiver comprising: an error correction inserter; an interleaver comprising: delay memory; an ingress module; an egress module; and a memory controller that controls operations of the delay memory of the interleaver; and a wireless transmitter; a second transceiver comprising; a wireless receiver; a deinterleaver comprising: delay memory; an ingress module; an egress module; and a memory controller that controls operations of the delay memory of the deinterleaver; and an error corrector that detects and corrects errors in the deinterleaved data stream as specifically recited in claim 17. Claim 18 contains allowable subject matter based on their dependence on independent claim 17. Claim 19 may be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action. 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. IV. Claims 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor regards as the invention. Claim 19 recites “and the data words received at the write interface of the delay memory are rearranged in a predetermined and reversible pattern to provide an egress stream of data words at an read interface of the delay memory that have a different order than the data words of the ingress steam of data words received at the write interface of the delay memory; receiving, at an egress module of the interleaver, an egress stream of data words from the delay memory at an interleaver size and rate that satisfies an interleaver read threshold that defines a portion of the predetermined size and rate of the delay memory or the interleaver and outputs an interleaved data stream; reordering, by an egress module of the interleaver, the egress stream of data words to provide an interleaved data stream” in lines 13-23. First, it is unclear whether the phrase “an egress stream of data words” in line 18 is the same “an egress stream of data words” in line 15 or some other egress stream of data words. Second, it is unclear whether the phrase “an egress module of the interleaver” in line 22 is the same “an egress module of the interleaver” in line 18 or some other egress module of the interleaver. Third, it is unclear whether the phrase “an interleaved data stream” in line 23 is the same “an interleaved data stream” in line 23 or some other interleaved data stream. The limitations render the claim indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor regards as the invention. Claim 20 is dependent on claim 19 and is rejected for indefiniteness as well under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) for the same reasons given above regarding claim 19. Conclusion V. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRANDON J MILLER whose telephone number is (571)272-7869. The examiner can normally be reached M-F. 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, Alison Slater can be reached at 571-270-0375. 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. /BRANDON J MILLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647 February 25, 2026
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Mar 13, 2024
Application Filed
Feb 25, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §112 (current)

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

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
88%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+8.6%)
2y 5m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1062 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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