Prosecution Insights
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Application No. 18/612,502

Sensing Device Registration Method

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Mar 21, 2024
Priority
Sep 22, 2021 — CN 202111109354.6 +1 more
Examiner
NGUYEN, TU X
Art Unit
2642
Tech Center
2600 — Communications
Assignee
Vivo Mobile Communication Co., Ltd.
OA Round
2 (Non-Final)
85%
Grant Probability
Favorable
2-3
OA Rounds
5m
Est. Remaining
91%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 85% — above average
85%
Career Allowance Rate
767 granted / 903 resolved
+22.9% vs TC avg
Moderate +6% lift
Without
With
+6.5%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 7m
Avg Prosecution
21 currently pending
Career history
929
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.5%
-39.5% vs TC avg
§103
67.0%
+27.0% vs TC avg
§102
31.0%
-9.0% vs TC avg
§112
0.3%
-39.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 903 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
DETAILED ACTION Response to Amendment Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 3-5, 7-12, 15-18 and 20 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 § 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claims 1, 3-5, 7-12, 15-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Di Girolamo (US Pub. 2022/0022029). Regarding claim 1, Di Girolamo discloses a sensing device registration method, comprising: receiving, by a sensing function (SF) (par.028 “Each of the WTRUs may be…..a wireless sensor…….and the like”), first sensing device registration information sent by a first device, the first sensing device registration information being used for performing sensing device registration on a first sensing device (fig.5 “Registration Request”, par.086 “a UE may be configured to….detector”, par.0116 “These devices range from …..sensors….The device capability capabilities are describes in Table 1”, par.0225 “measurements”) , and the first sensing device comprising at least one of a sensing user equipment UE (par.028 “mobile subscriber unit”, par.086 “a UE”) or a sensing radio access network RAN (par.031 “The base station 114 may be part of the RAN”); and performing, by the SF according to the first sensing device registration information, sensing device registration on the first sensing device (fig. 5 “Register Capability Request”, par.0116 “These devices range from …..sensors….The device capability capabilities are describes in Table 1”); wherein the method further comprises: receiving, by the SF, sensing service information; determining, by the SF according to the sensing service information, that the first sensing device is a sensing device participating in a sensing service indicated by the sensing service information (par.066 “access authentication…authorization”, fig.5 “NonCellularCapabilityRegistration Request”); and sending, by the SF, first sensing configuration information to the first device, the first sensing configuration information being sensing configuration information of the first sensing device (par.0146-0157); wherein the method further comprises: receiving, by the SF, a second sensing measurement result from a second device, the second sensing measurement result being a measurement result corresponding to the sensing service indicated by the sensing service information (par.0159, fig.5 “NAS message to the core network NCMF via AMF”); wherein the second device comprises at least one of the following: the sensing UE, the sensing RAN or an access and mobility management function AMF (fig.5, par.0159 “At step2”, fig 1D elements 105, 172 and fig.5 “AMF”). Regarding claim 3, Di Girolamo discloses the first device is any one of the following: the sensing UE (par.086 “a UE”), the sensing RAN, and the AMF an access and mobility management function AMF. Regarding claim 4, Di Girolamo discloses the determining, by the SF according to the sensing service information, that the first sensing device is a sensing device participating in a sensing service indicated by the sensing service information, comprises: determining, by the SF according to the sensing service information, a sensing region for executing the sensing service (par.0225 “the non-cellular capability begins behaving as requested by the Application Server. Using the humidity sensor….humidity measurements….and reporting the results to server……an Application Server may want to have….a certain region”); sending, by the SF, an event exposure service request message (par.0225 “At step 12….as requested”, “the non-cellular capability begins behaving as requested by the Application Server. Using the humidity sensor….humidity measurements….and reporting the results to server……an Application Server may want to have….a certain region”) to the AMF (par.066), the event exposure service request message comprising indication information of the sensing region; receiving, by the SF, an event exposure response message from the AMF (par.0225); and determining, by the SF according to the event exposure response message, that a first sensing device among devices indicated by the event exposure response message is a sensing device participating in the sensing service indicated by the sensing service information (par.0160-0161). Regarding claim 5, Di Girolamo discloses a device indicated by the event exposure response message comprises at least one of the following: a sensing device located in the sensing region (par.002 “determine GPS location”); a device located in the sensing region (par.002 “determine GPS location”) or a sensing device having a capability to provide a sensing service for the sensing region (par.002-003 the capability of the user equipment….sense……..these capabilities are used mainly to provide some service”). Regarding claim 7, Di Girolamo discloses the second device comprises the sensing UE, and the first sensing device comprises the sensing UE; and the receiving, by the SF, a second sensing measurement result from a second device, comprises: receiving, by the SF, the second sensing measurement result from the sensing UE by means of a second sensing tunnel; wherein the second sensing tunnel is a sensing bearer or a sensing protocol data unit (PDU) session of the sensing UE (par.055 “bearer activation/deactivation, selecting a particular serving gateway”, par.0107 “a PDU”, par.066 “The AMF….tunnel configuration”); or the second device comprises the sensing RAN, the first sensing device comprises the sensing UE, and the method further comprises: establishing, by the SF, a third sensing tunnel between the SF and the sensing RAN; and the receiving, by the SF, a second sensing measurement result from a second device, comprises: receiving, by the SF, the second sensing measurement result from the sensing RAN by means of the third sensing tunnel (consideration is optional). Regarding claim 8, Di Girolamo discloses the first sensing device registration information comprises at least one of the following: an identifier of the sensing UE (par.0147-0148); a sensing capability of the sensing UE (par.0116 “These devices range from …..sensors….The device capability capabilities are describes in Table 1”, par.0225 “measurements”); location information of the sensing UE; an identifier of the sensing RAN; a sensing capability of the sensing RAN; or location information of the sensing RAN (consideration is optional). Regarding claim 9, Di Girolamo discloses sensing device registration method, comprising: sending, by a sensing user equipment (UE), sensing capability indication information of the sensing UE to a sensing radio access network (RAN) to make a network side device perform sensing device registration on the sensing UE, the sensing capability indication information of the sensing UE being used for indicating that the sensing UE has a sensing capability (fig.5 “Registration Request”, par.031 “The base station 114 may be part of the RAN”, par.086 “a UE may be configured to….detector”, par.0116 “These devices range from …..sensors….The device capability capabilities are describes in Table 1”, par.0225 “measurements”); wherein the method further comprises: receiving, by the sensing UE, sensing configuration information of the sensing UE from the sensing RAN (fig. 3 “UE is also told what Slices are configured in this Network that he can use”, par.0108); executing, by the sensing UE according to the sensing configuration information of the sensing UE, first sensing measurement to obtain a first sensing measurement result (par.0202 “The sensor’s control logic is configured to report its sensor reading”, par.0225 “humidity measurements and reporting”); and reporting, by the sensing UE, the first sensing measurement result (par.0202 “The sensor’s control logic is configured to report its sensor reading”, par.0225 “humidity measurements and reporting”); wherein the reporting, by the sensing UE, the first sensing measurement result, comprises: sending, by the sensing UE, a first message to the sensing RAN, the first message carrying the first sensing measurement result, and the first message being a non-access stratum (NAS) message (par.066 “The AMF 172 may…..route and forward NAS packets to/from the WTRUs”) or a radio resource control (RRC) message (consideration is optional); or sending, by the sensing UE, the first sensing measurement result to the sensing RAN by means of a first sensing tunnel, the first sensing tunnel being a sensing tunnel between the sensing UE and the sensing RAN; or sending, by the sensing UE, the first sensing measurement result to a sensing function (SF) by means of a second sensing tunnel, the second sensing tunnel being a sensing tunnel between the sensing UE and the SF (consideration is optional). Regarding claim 10, Di Girolamo discloses the sending, by a sensing UE, sensing capability indication information of the sensing UE to a sensing RAN, comprises: sending, by the sensing UE, a registration request message to the sensing RAN, the registration request message comprising sensing capability indication information of the sensing UE (fig.5 “Registration Request”, par.086 “a UE may be configured to….detector”, par.0116 “These devices range from …..sensors….The device capability capabilities are describes in Table 1”, par.0225 “measurements”). Regarding claims 11 and 17, Di Girolamo discloses the method further comprises: receiving, by the sensing UE, a registration acceptance message, the registration acceptance message comprising information indicating that the sensing UE is permitted to perform a sensing service (par.0108 “the network accepts the registration”). Regarding claim 12, Di Girolamo discloses sending, by the sensing UE, sensing request indication information to the sensing RAN the sensing request indication information being used for requesting to use the sensing capability which the sensing UE has (par.0116 “These devices range from …..sensors….The device capability capabilities are describes in Table 1”, par.0225 “measurements”). Regarding claim 15, Di Girolamo discloses receiving, by the sensing UE, tunnel establishment parameters of the first sensing tunnel from an access and mobility management function (AMF); and establishing, by the sensing UE according to the tunnel establishment parameters of the first sensing tunnel, the first sensing tunnel, the first sensing tunnel being a sensing radio bearer (par.055 “bearer activation/deactivation, selecting a particular serving gateway”, par.0107 “a PDU”, par.066 “The AMF….tunnel configuration”); or receiving, by the sensing UE, tunnel establishment parameters of the second sensing tunnel from an AMF; and establishing, by the sensing UE according to the tunnel establishment parameters of the second sensing tunnel, the second sensing tunnel; wherein the second sensing tunnel comprise any one of the following: a sensing bearer and a sensing protocol data unit (PDU) session (consideration is optional). Regarding claim 16, Di Girolamo discloses everything as claim 1 above, and further receiving, by the sensing RAN, a first message from an access and mobility management function (AMF), the first message comprising information indicating that the sensing UE is permitted to perform a sensing service (par.0101 “AMF….registration….authorization”, par.0108 “the network accepts the registration”). Regarding claim 18, Di Girolamo discloses the first sensing device comprises the sensing UE, and the method further comprises: receiving, by the sensing RAN, sensing capability indication information of the sensing UE from a third device, the sensing capability indication information of the sensing UE being used for indicating that the sensing UE has a sensing capability; wherein the third device comprises at least one of an access and mobility management function AMF (par.031 “The base station 114a may be part of the RAN”, par.0101 “AMF….registration….authorization”, par.0108 “the network accepts the registration” AMF reads on the third device) or the sensing UE (consideration is optional). Regarding claim 20, Di Girolamo discloses the first sensing device comprises the sensing UE, and the method further comprises: sending, by the sensing RAN, sensing configuration information of the sensing UE to the sensing UE; receiving, by the sensing RAN, a first sensing measurement result from the sensing UE; and sending, by the sensing RAN, the first sensing measurement result to the SF (par.066 “The AMF may be responsible forwarding….configuration information to the RAN…..NAS packets to/from the WTRUs”). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Examiner Tu Nguyen whose telephone number is (571)272-7883. The examiner can normally be reached on 8AM-5PM Eastern Time. 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 https://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor Rafael Perez-Gutierrez can be reached on 571-272-7915. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300 or mailed to: Commissioner for Patents P.O. Box 1450 Alexandria, VA 22313-1450 Hand-delivered responses should be brought to Customer Service Window Randolph Building 401 Delany Street Alexandria, VA 22314 Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /TU X NGUYEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2642
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Mar 21, 2024
Application Filed
Feb 23, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102
Apr 27, 2026
Response Filed
May 14, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (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

2-3
Expected OA Rounds
85%
Grant Probability
91%
With Interview (+6.5%)
2y 7m (~5m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 903 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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