Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 01, 2026
Application No. 18/654,185

SENSING METHOD, APPARATUS, AND SYSTEM

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
May 03, 2024
Priority
Nov 05, 2021 — CN 202111309033.0 +1 more
Examiner
CHOWDHURY, SHARMIN
Art Unit
2416
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
89%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 89% — above average
89%
Career Allowance Rate
299 granted / 336 resolved
+31.0% vs TC avg
Strong +16% interview lift
Without
With
+16.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 7m
Avg Prosecution
13 currently pending
Career history
361
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
2.0%
-38.0% vs TC avg
§103
63.2%
+23.2% vs TC avg
§102
13.1%
-26.9% vs TC avg
§112
16.7%
-23.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 336 resolved cases

Office Action

§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 . DETAILED ACTION This communication is responsive to Application # 18654185 filed 05/03/2024. Claims 1-20 are subject to examination. Allowable Subject Matter Claim 7-8 and 18-19 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. 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. Claim 1-4, 6, 9-15, 17, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Trainin et al. (Trainin hereinafter) (US 20230009140 A1) in view of JANG et al. (JANG hereinafter) (US 20250142616 A1). Regarding claim 1, 10, and 12, Trainin teaches, A sensing method comprising: generating first indication information, wherein the first indication information indicates that measurement setup (Trainin; the AP negotiates one or more sets of sensing parameters with the first responder device rSTA1, and assigns one or more roles to the first responder device rSTA1. The AP assigns the Measurement setup ID to identify the set of sensing parameters and roles (922, 923) ... The AP assigns the Measurement setup ID to identify the one or more sensing parameters and roles (924, 925), Par. 0121) share a first measurement instance (Trainin; FIG. 10A shows a timing diagram illustrating ... one measurement instance 1001, Par. 0123); and sending the first indication information (Trainin; AP transmitting a null data packet announcement (NDPA) 1042 on the one or more wireless channels to the responder devices rSTA1-rSTA3 ... the NDPA 1042 may include the Measurement Instance ID of the corresponding measurement instance 1001 and the Measurement Setup ID assigned to the set of parameters, Par. 0127-0128). Although Trainin teaches setting up sensing parameters per STAs in Fig. 9B and same measurement ID indicates respective parameters for each STA, but failed to explicitly teach, a first measurement setup and a second measurement setup. However, in the same field of endeavor, JANG teaches, a first measurement setup and a second measurement setup (JANG; when a sensing initiator performs sensing-related setup for a plurality of sessions during one frame exchange process, it may be included as a different ID value per measurement setup in a user information field for each STA, Par. 0279; in order to transmit independent setup-related request information for each STA, an existing reserved bit of a user information field may be used, Par. 0248). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Trainin to include the use of different measurement setup ID as taught by JANG in order to use it for different STAs (JANG; Par. 0279). Specifically for claim 10, Trainin teaches, A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, configured to store storing a computer program, wherein the computer program comprises instructions for, upon execution by a processor, performing operations comprising (Trainin; the AP, Par. 0121). Specifically for claim 12, Trainin teaches, A communication apparatus comprising a processor configured to run a computer program or instructions, so that the communication apparatus is at least configured to (Trainin; the AP, Par. 0121). Regarding claim 2, claim 11, and claim 13, Trainin- JANG teaches, The method according to claim 1, The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 10, and The communication apparatus according to claim 12 respectively, wherein the first measurement setup is used to configure a first parameter for a first station, and the second measurement setup is used to configure a second parameter for a second station (Trainin; the AP negotiates one or more sets of sensing parameters with the first responder device rSTA1, and assigns one or more roles to the first responder device rSTA1. The AP assigns the Measurement setup ID to identify the set of sensing parameters and roles (922, 923) ... The AP assigns the Measurement setup ID to identify the one or more sensing parameters and roles (924, 925), Par. 0121). Regarding claim 3 and claim 14, Trainin- JANG teaches, The method according to claim 2 and The communication apparatus according to claim 13 respectively, wherein the first indication information comprises a first identifier and a second identifier, the first identifier is a part or all of bits of an identifier of the first measurement setup, and the second identifier is a part or all of bits of an identifier of the second measurement setup (JANG; a different ID value per measurement setup in a user information field for each STA, Par. 0279). The rational and motivation for adding this teaching of JANG is the same as for Claim 1. Regarding claim 4 and claim 15, Trainin- JANG teaches, The method according to claim 3 and The communication apparatus according to claim 14 respectively, wherein the first indication information further comprises a third identifier, and the third identifier is a part or all of bits of an identifier of the first measurement instance (Trainin; the NDPA 1042 may include the Measurement Instance ID of the corresponding measurement instance 1001, Par. 0128). Regarding claim 6 and claim 17, Trainin- JANG teaches, The method according to claim 3 and The communication apparatus according to claim 14 respectively, wherein the sending of the first indication information comprises: sending the first indication information by using a frame, wherein the first identifier is carried in a first special user field in the frame, and the second identifier is carried in a second special user field in the frame (Trainin; AP transmitting a null data packet announcement (NDPA) 1042, Par. 0127 & JANG; a different ID value per measurement setup in a user information field for each STA, Par. 0279). The rational and motivation for adding this teaching of JANG is the same as for Claim 1. Regarding claim 9 and claim 20, Trainin- JANG teaches, The method according to claim 3 and The communication apparatus according to claim 14 respectively, wherein the sending of the first indication information comprises: sending the first indication information by using a frame, wherein the first identifier is carried in a user field that is in the frame and that corresponds to the first station, and the second identifier is carried in a user field that is in the frame and that corresponds to the second station (Trainin; AP transmitting a null data packet announcement (NDPA) 1042, Par. 0127 & JANG; a different ID value per measurement setup in a user information field for each STA, Par. 0279); or the first identifier and the second identifier are carried in a common field in the frame. The rational and motivation for adding this teaching of JANG is the same as for Claim 1. Claim 5 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Trainin in view of LUO et al. (LUO hereinafter) (US 20240187905 A1). Regarding claim 5 and claim 16, Trainin- JANG teaches, The method according to claim 3 and The communication apparatus according to claim 14 respectively. Although JANG teaches in Par. 0201 that “A sensing session may include at least one TXOP. A TXOP may correspond to a measurement instance”, Trainin- JANG fail to explicitly teach, wherein the first indication information does not comprise an identifier of the first measurement instance. However, in the same field of endeavor, LUO teaches, wherein the first indication information does not comprise an identifier of the first measurement instance (LUO; the first trigger frame includes at least one of following: measurement setup ID, measurement instance ID, or information of a device which will perform the measurement, Par. 0262; Measurement setup ID field, it is configured to indicate the measurement instance ID, Par. 0417). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Trainin- JANG to include the use of Measurement setup ID as taught by LUO in order to Measurement instance ID (LUO; Par. 0279). Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Prior art LIM et al. (US 20240022934 A1) teaches 2 special field in Fig. 21, wherein the Measurement Information field can contain information about the measurement setup ID and Sounding Dialog Token field may be used to indicate a measurement instance. Prior art JANG et al. (US 20250133430 A1) teaches sensing session including transmission opportunity in Fig. 16. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHARMIN CHOWDHURY whose telephone number is (571)272-6419. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Noel Beharry can be reached at 5712705630. 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. /SHARMIN CHOWDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2416
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

May 03, 2024
Application Filed
Aug 29, 2024
Response after Non-Final Action
Jun 23, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (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
89%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+16.1%)
2y 7m (~2m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 336 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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