Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/683,987

SYNCHRONIZATION SIGNAL BLOCK (SSB) PROVISION ADAPTATION FOR WIRELESS DEVICES

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Feb 15, 2024
Examiner
NGO, CHUONG A
Art Unit
2645
Tech Center
2600 — Communications
Assignee
Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ)
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
85%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 5m
To Grant
97%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 85% — above average
85%
Career Allow Rate
733 granted / 863 resolved
+22.9% vs TC avg
Moderate +12% lift
Without
With
+12.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 5m
Avg Prosecution
19 currently pending
Career history
882
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
7.7%
-32.3% vs TC avg
§103
41.0%
+1.0% vs TC avg
§102
31.8%
-8.2% vs TC avg
§112
6.3%
-33.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 863 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 Office Action is in response to the Applicants' communication filed on 2/15/2024. In virtue of this communication, claims 1, 9-11, 14, 21, 22, 24, 27, 34, 35, 37, 40, 48, 53 are currently presented in the instant application. 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 of this title, 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 nonobviousness. Claims 1, 9-11, 14, 22, 24, 27, 35, 37, 40, 48 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Application Publication 20180220360 (hereinafter referred to as Sheng) in view of US Patent Application Publication 20230189333 (hereinafter referred to as Liu). Consider claim 1, Sheng discloses a first network node configured to communicate with at least one wireless device in a cell (see at least ¶ [0050], “…radio access node 22A…”), the first network node comprising: processing circuitry (see at least ¶ [0050], “…node processor circuitry (“node processor 30”)…”) configured to: cause transition from a first synchronization signal block, SSB, provision scheme to a second SSB provision scheme in a cell based at least on signaling associated with the at least one wireless device in the cell, the second SSB provision scheme being different from the first SSB provision scheme (see at least ¶ [0055], “…receives one or more synchronization signal blocks of differing type in a series of synchronization signal block transmissions …” and see at least ¶ [0058], “…the synchronization signal block generator 60 generates plural types of synchronization signal blocks, and each type of synchronization signal block comprises a unique combination of types of information…” and see at least ¶ [0072], “…The terminal receiver circuitry 46 receives, in at least partially interspersed manner, synchronization signal blocks of differing types over the radio interface from an access node…” and further see at least ¶ [0087], “…synchronization signal block generator 60E of access node 22E may generate a first set of differing synchronization signal block types in a first frequency band, according to first SSB scheme 81, and also generate a second set of synchronization signal block types, according to a second SSB scheme 82…” and see at least ¶ [0090], “…the node processor of the access node 22F may provide synchronization signal block type identification using an index, or a combination of two or more indexes, which is/are mapped to the synchronization signal block structure. A synchronization signal block type-indicating index may be of several types: synchronization signal block index; synchronization signal burst index; synchronization signal burst set index. The concepts of synchronization signal block, synchronization signal block burst, and synchronization signal block burst set are understood with reference to FIG. 3, for example. Thus, the indication of a synchronization signal block type may comprise one or more of a synchronization signal block index, a synchronization signal block burst index, and a synchronization signal block burst set index…”); cause transmission of at least one SSB based at least on the second SSB provision scheme (see at least ¶ [0055], “…receives one or more synchronization signal blocks of differing type in a series of synchronization signal block transmissions …” and see at least ¶ [0058], “…the synchronization signal block generator 60 generates plural types of synchronization signal blocks, and each type of synchronization signal block comprises a unique combination of types of information…” and see at least ¶ [0087], “…synchronization signal block generator 60E of access node 22E may generate a first set of differing synchronization signal block types in a first frequency band, according to first SSB scheme 81, and also generate a second set of synchronization signal block types, according to a second SSB scheme 82…, … the second set the synchronization signal block type 2 may be the standard synchronization signal block…”); and the signaling associated with the at least one wireless device in the cell (see at least ¶ [0089], “…the access node may provide for each synchronization signal block an indication of its synchronization signal block type, and such indication of synchronization signal block type may be detectable by a receiving wireless terminal…”) including at least one of: at least one polling response; or a first request for a SSB provision scheme transition (see at least ¶ [0086], “…an access node 22E in which the synchronization signal block generator 60E generates different synchronization signal block schemes for different frequency bands, each synchronization signal block scheme having a different set of differing synchronization signal block types…”). Sheng disclose all the subject matters of the claimed invention concept. However, Sheng does not particularly disclose polling response. In an analogous field of endeavor, attention is directed to Liu, which teaches polling response (see Liu, at least ¶ [0088], “…network node 16 is configured to include a polling unit 32 which is configured to transmit a polling request, the polling request indicating a request for the WD's uplink buffer status; and as a result of the polling request, receive a polling response. A wireless device 22 is configured to include a determination unit 34 which is configured to receive a polling request, the polling request indicating a request for the WD's…”, and see at least ¶ [0119], “…the WDs 22 may be configured to respond to the polling requests by transmitting polling responses in the specified physical uplink channel resource…” and see at least ¶ [0120], “…the network node 16 (e.g., gNB) transmits 16 SSBs in 16 beam directions, with WD-A 22 and WD-B 22 located in SSB2 and SSB15 coverage areas, …the network node 16 (e.g., gNB) sends polling requests to the WDs 22 in different SSB coverage areas in e.g., a round-robin manner…”). Therefore, it would have been obvious a finding that one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention could have combined the elements as claimed by the know method, and that in combination. Each element merely performs the same function as it does separately; Sheng disclosed invention, and have polling response, as taught by Liu, thereby, to provide the operating frequency of wireless networks increases and moves to millimeter wave territory, data transmission between nodes suffers from high propagation loss, which is proportional to the square of the carrier frequency, as discussed by Liu, (see at least ¶ [0025]). Consider claim 14, Sheng discloses a method implemented in a first network node configured to communicate with at least one wireless device in a cell, the method comprising: processing circuitry (see at least ¶ [0050], “…node processor circuitry (“node processor 30”)…”) configured to: causing transition from a first synchronization signal block, SSB, provision scheme to a second SSB provision scheme in a cell based at least on signaling associated with the at least one wireless device in the cell, the second SSB provision scheme being different from the first SSB provision scheme (see at least ¶ [0055], “…receives one or more synchronization signal blocks of differing type in a series of synchronization signal block transmissions …” and see at least ¶ [0058], “…the synchronization signal block generator 60 generates plural types of synchronization signal blocks, and each type of synchronization signal block comprises a unique combination of types of information…” and see at least ¶ [0072], “…The terminal receiver circuitry 46 receives, in at least partially interspersed manner, synchronization signal blocks of differing types over the radio interface from an access node…” and further see at least ¶ [0087], “…synchronization signal block generator 60E of access node 22E may generate a first set of differing synchronization signal block types in a first frequency band, according to first SSB scheme 81, and also generate a second set of synchronization signal block types, according to a second SSB scheme 82…” and see at least ¶ [0090], “…the node processor of the access node 22F may provide synchronization signal block type identification using an index, or a combination of two or more indexes, which is/are mapped to the synchronization signal block structure. A synchronization signal block type-indicating index may be of several types: synchronization signal block index; synchronization signal burst index; synchronization signal burst set index. The concepts of synchronization signal block, synchronization signal block burst, and synchronization signal block burst set are understood with reference to FIG. 3, for example. Thus, the indication of a synchronization signal block type may comprise one or more of a synchronization signal block index, a synchronization signal block burst index, and a synchronization signal block burst set index…”); causing transmission of at least one SSB based at least on the second SSB provision scheme (see at least ¶ [0055], “…receives one or more synchronization signal blocks of differing type in a series of synchronization signal block transmissions …” and see at least ¶ [0058], “…the synchronization signal block generator 60 generates plural types of synchronization signal blocks, and each type of synchronization signal block comprises a unique combination of types of information…” and see at least ¶ [0087], “…synchronization signal block generator 60E of access node 22E may generate a first set of differing synchronization signal block types in a first frequency band, according to first SSB scheme 81, and also generate a second set of synchronization signal block types, according to a second SSB scheme 82…, … the second set the synchronization signal block type 2 may be the standard synchronization signal block…”); and the signaling associated with the at least one wireless device in the cell (see at least ¶ [0089], “…the access node may provide for each synchronization signal block an indication of its synchronization signal block type, and such indication of synchronization signal block type may be detectable by a receiving wireless terminal…”) including at least one of: at least one polling response; or a first request for a SSB provision scheme transition (see at least ¶ [0086], “…an access node 22E in which the synchronization signal block generator 60E generates different synchronization signal block schemes for different frequency bands, each synchronization signal block scheme having a different set of differing synchronization signal block types…”). Sheng disclose all the subject matters of the claimed invention concept. However, Sheng does not particularly disclose polling response. In an analogous field of endeavor, attention is directed to Liu, which teaches polling response (see Liu, at least ¶ [0088], “…network node 16 is configured to include a polling unit 32 which is configured to transmit a polling request, the polling request indicating a request for the WD's uplink buffer status; and as a result of the polling request, receive a polling response. A wireless device 22 is configured to include a determination unit 34 which is configured to receive a polling request, the polling request indicating a request for the WD's…”, and see at least ¶ [0119], “…the WDs 22 may be configured to respond to the polling requests by transmitting polling responses in the specified physical uplink channel resource…” and see at least ¶ [0120], “…the network node 16 (e.g., gNB) transmits 16 SSBs in 16 beam directions, with WD-A 22 and WD-B 22 located in SSB2 and SSB15 coverage areas, …the network node 16 (e.g., gNB) sends polling requests to the WDs 22 in different SSB coverage areas in e.g., a round-robin manner…”). Therefore, it would have been obvious a finding that one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention could have combined the elements as claimed by the know method, and that in combination. Each element merely performs the same function as it does separately; Sheng disclosed invention, and have polling response, as taught by Liu, thereby, to provide the operating frequency of wireless networks increases and moves to millimeter wave territory, data transmission between nodes suffers from high propagation loss, which is proportional to the square of the carrier frequency, as discussed by Liu, (see at least ¶ [0025]). Consider claim 27, Sheng discloses a wireless device in a cell configured to communicate with a first network node, the wireless device (see at least ¶ [0054], “…the transmission of information between radio access node 22A and wireless terminal 26 over radio interface 24, the node processor 30 and terminal processor 40…”) comprising: processing circuitry (see at least ¶ [0051], “…terminal processor 40 and terminal transceiver circuitry 42…”) configured to: receive at least one first synchronization signal block, SSB, from the first network node according to a first SSB provision scheme (see at least ¶ [0079], “…receives and, using synchronization signal block type detector 70, decodes a synchronization signal block of a standard synchronization signal block type that comprises a predetermined number of fields which respectively correspond to a predetermined number of different types of information in conformance with the standard synchronization signal block type…”); determine that the first network node has transitioned from the first SSB provision scheme to a second SSB provision scheme (see at least ¶ [0079], “…receives and … decodes a non-standard synchronization signal block type wherein only a subset of the fields include information in conformance with the standard synchronization signal block type…”), the transition being based on signaling associated with at least one wireless device in the cell, the second SSB provision scheme being different from the first SSB provision scheme (see at least ¶ [0055], “…receives one or more synchronization signal blocks of differing type in a series of synchronization signal block transmissions …” and see at least ¶ [0058], “…the synchronization signal block generator 60 generates plural types of synchronization signal blocks, and each type of synchronization signal block comprises a unique combination of types of information…” and see at least ¶ [0072], “…The terminal receiver circuitry 46 receives, in at least partially interspersed manner, synchronization signal blocks of differing types over the radio interface from an access node…” and further see at least ¶ [0087], “…synchronization signal block generator 60E of access node 22E may generate a first set of differing synchronization signal block types in a first frequency band, according to first SSB scheme 81, and also generate a second set of synchronization signal block types, according to a second SSB scheme 82…” and see at least ¶ [0090], “…the node processor of the access node 22F may provide synchronization signal block type identification using an index, or a combination of two or more indexes, which is/are mapped to the synchronization signal block structure. A synchronization signal block type-indicating index may be of several types: synchronization signal block index; synchronization signal burst index; synchronization signal burst set index. The concepts of synchronization signal block, synchronization signal block burst, and synchronization signal block burst set are understood with reference to FIG. 3, for example. Thus, the indication of a synchronization signal block type may comprise one or more of a synchronization signal block index, a synchronization signal block burst index, and a synchronization signal block burst set index…”); receive at least one second SSB based on the second SSB provision scheme (see at least ¶ [0055], “…receives one or more synchronization signal blocks of differing type in a series of synchronization signal block transmissions …” and see at least ¶ [0058], “…the synchronization signal block generator 60 generates plural types of synchronization signal blocks, and each type of synchronization signal block comprises a unique combination of types of information…” and see at least ¶ [0087], “…synchronization signal block generator 60E of access node 22E may generate a first set of differing synchronization signal block types in a first frequency band, according to first SSB scheme 81, and also generate a second set of synchronization signal block types, according to a second SSB scheme 82…, … the second set the synchronization signal block type 2 may be the standard synchronization signal block…”); and the signaling associated with the at least one wireless device in the cell (see at least ¶ [0089], “…the access node may provide for each synchronization signal block an indication of its synchronization signal block type, and such indication of synchronization signal block type may be detectable by a receiving wireless terminal…”) includes at least one of: at least one polling response; or a first request for a SSB provision scheme transition (see at least ¶ [0086], “…an access node 22E in which the synchronization signal block generator 60E generates different synchronization signal block schemes for different frequency bands, each synchronization signal block scheme having a different set of differing synchronization signal block types…”). Sheng disclose all the subject matters of the claimed invention concept. However, Sheng does not particularly disclose polling response. In an analogous field of endeavor, attention is directed to Liu, which teaches polling response (see Liu, at least ¶ [0088], “…network node 16 is configured to include a polling unit 32 which is configured to transmit a polling request, the polling request indicating a request for the WD's uplink buffer status; and as a result of the polling request, receive a polling response. A wireless device 22 is configured to include a determination unit 34 which is configured to receive a polling request, the polling request indicating a request for the WD's…”, and see at least ¶ [0119], “…the WDs 22 may be configured to respond to the polling requests by transmitting polling responses in the specified physical uplink channel resource…” and see at least ¶ [0120], “…the network node 16 (e.g., gNB) transmits 16 SSBs in 16 beam directions, with WD-A 22 and WD-B 22 located in SSB2 and SSB15 coverage areas, …the network node 16 (e.g., gNB) sends polling requests to the WDs 22 in different SSB coverage areas in e.g., a round-robin manner…”). Therefore, it would have been obvious a finding that one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention could have combined the elements as claimed by the know method, and that in combination. Each element merely performs the same function as it does separately; Sheng disclosed invention, and have polling response, as taught by Liu, thereby, to provide the operating frequency of wireless networks increases and moves to millimeter wave territory, data transmission between nodes suffers from high propagation loss, which is proportional to the square of the carrier frequency, as discussed by Liu, (see at least ¶ [0025]). Consider claim 40, Sheng discloses a method implemented in a wireless device in a cell configured to communicate with a first network node (see at least ¶ [0054], “…the transmission of information between radio access node 22A and wireless terminal 26 over radio interface 24, the node processor 30 and terminal processor 40…”), the method comprising: receiving at least one first synchronization signal block, SSB, from the first network node according to a first SSB provision scheme (see at least ¶ [0079], “…receives and, using synchronization signal block type detector 70, decodes a synchronization signal block of a standard synchronization signal block type that comprises a predetermined number of fields which respectively correspond to a predetermined number of different types of information in conformance with the standard synchronization signal block type…”); determining that the first network node has transitioned from the first SSB provision scheme to a second SSB provision scheme (see at least ¶ [0079], “…receives and … decodes a non-standard synchronization signal block type wherein only a subset of the fields include information in conformance with the standard synchronization signal block type…”), the transition being based on signaling associated with at least one wireless device in the cell, the second SSB provision scheme being different from the first SSB provision scheme (see at least ¶ [0055], “…receives one or more synchronization signal blocks of differing type in a series of synchronization signal block transmissions …” and see at least ¶ [0058], “…the synchronization signal block generator 60 generates plural types of synchronization signal blocks, and each type of synchronization signal block comprises a unique combination of types of information…” and see at least ¶ [0072], “…The terminal receiver circuitry 46 receives, in at least partially interspersed manner, synchronization signal blocks of differing types over the radio interface from an access node…” and further see at least ¶ [0087], “…synchronization signal block generator 60E of access node 22E may generate a first set of differing synchronization signal block types in a first frequency band, according to first SSB scheme 81, and also generate a second set of synchronization signal block types, according to a second SSB scheme 82…” and see at least ¶ [0090], “…the node processor of the access node 22F may provide synchronization signal block type identification using an index, or a combination of two or more indexes, which is/are mapped to the synchronization signal block structure. A synchronization signal block type-indicating index may be of several types: synchronization signal block index; synchronization signal burst index; synchronization signal burst set index. The concepts of synchronization signal block, synchronization signal block burst, and synchronization signal block burst set are understood with reference to FIG. 3, for example. Thus, the indication of a synchronization signal block type may comprise one or more of a synchronization signal block index, a synchronization signal block burst index, and a synchronization signal block burst set index…”); receiving at least one second SSB based on the second SSB provision scheme (see at least ¶ [0055], “…receives one or more synchronization signal blocks of differing type in a series of synchronization signal block transmissions …” and see at least ¶ [0058], “…the synchronization signal block generator 60 generates plural types of synchronization signal blocks, and each type of synchronization signal block comprises a unique combination of types of information…” and see at least ¶ [0087], “…synchronization signal block generator 60E of access node 22E may generate a first set of differing synchronization signal block types in a first frequency band, according to first SSB scheme 81, and also generate a second set of synchronization signal block types, according to a second SSB scheme 82…, … the second set the synchronization signal block type 2 may be the standard synchronization signal block…”); and the signaling associated with the at least one wireless device in the cell (see at least ¶ [0089], “…the access node may provide for each synchronization signal block an indication of its synchronization signal block type, and such indication of synchronization signal block type may be detectable by a receiving wireless terminal…”) includes at least one of: at least one polling response; or a first request for a SSB provision scheme transition (see at least ¶ [0086], “…an access node 22E in which the synchronization signal block generator 60E generates different synchronization signal block schemes for different frequency bands, each synchronization signal block scheme having a different set of differing synchronization signal block types…”). Sheng disclose all the subject matters of the claimed invention concept. However, Sheng does not particularly disclose polling response. In an analogous field of endeavor, attention is directed to Liu, which teaches polling response (see Liu, at least ¶ [0088], “…network node 16 is configured to include a polling unit 32 which is configured to transmit a polling request, the polling request indicating a request for the WD's uplink buffer status; and as a result of the polling request, receive a polling response. A wireless device 22 is configured to include a determination unit 34 which is configured to receive a polling request, the polling request indicating a request for the WD's…”, and see at least ¶ [0119], “…the WDs 22 may be configured to respond to the polling requests by transmitting polling responses in the specified physical uplink channel resource…” and see at least ¶ [0120], “…the network node 16 (e.g., gNB) transmits 16 SSBs in 16 beam directions, with WD-A 22 and WD-B 22 located in SSB2 and SSB15 coverage areas, …the network node 16 (e.g., gNB) sends polling requests to the WDs 22 in different SSB coverage areas in e.g., a round-robin manner…”). Therefore, it would have been obvious a finding that one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention could have combined the elements as claimed by the know method, and that in combination. Each element merely performs the same function as it does separately; Sheng disclosed invention, and have polling response, as taught by Liu, thereby, to provide the operating frequency of wireless networks increases and moves to millimeter wave territory, data transmission between nodes suffers from high propagation loss, which is proportional to the square of the carrier frequency, as discussed by Liu, (see at least ¶ [0025]). Consider claims 9, 22 (depends on at least claims 1, 14), Sheng in view of Liu discloses the limitations of claims 1, 14 as applied to claim rejection 1, 14 above and further discloses: Sheng teaches wherein at least one of the at least one polling response is associated with a number of wireless devices in the cell being in at least one of an inactive state and an idle state (see at least ¶ [0142], “…the UE is in inactive state or when the UE is in idle mode, the structure of detected SS block can also be updated by broadcast signaling…”). Consider claim 10 (depends on at least claim 1), Sheng in view of Liu discloses the limitations of claim 1 as applied to claim rejection 1 above and further discloses: Sheng teaches wherein at least one of the at least one polling response is associated with a group of wireless devices in the cell (see at least ¶ [0042], “…group of devices, or sub-system in a telecommunication network that provides services to users of the telecommunications network…” and see at least ¶ [0142], “…the UE is in inactive state or when the UE is in idle mode, the structure of detected SS block can also be updated by broadcast signaling…”). Consider claims 11, 24 (depends on at least claims 1, 14), Sheng in view of Liu discloses the limitations of claims 1, 14 as applied to claim rejection 1, 14 above and further discloses: Sheng teaches wherein the first request for the SSB provision scheme transition is received from one of: the at least one wireless device in the cell; and at least one neighboring network node (see at least ¶ [0046], “…Configured cells can include cells of which a UE terminal is aware and in which it is allowed by a base station to transmit or receive information …”). Consider claims 35, 48 (depends on at least claims 27, 40), Sheng in view of Liu discloses the limitations of claims 27, 40 as applied to claim rejection 27, 40 above and further discloses: Sheng teaches wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: receive a polling request from at least one of the first network node and a neighboring network node (see at least ¶ [0006], Fig. 2, “…This means multiple TRPs can share the same NR cell ID, or each transmission and reception point (TRP) may have its own identifier…”). Sheng disclose all the subject matters of the claimed invention concept. However, Sheng does not particularly disclose cause transmission of at least one of the at least one polling response based on the received polling request. In an analogous field of endeavor, attention is directed to Liu, which teaches cause transmission of at least one of the at least one polling response based on the received polling request (see Liu, at least ¶ [0088], “…network node 16 is configured to include a polling unit 32 which is configured to transmit a polling request, the polling request indicating a request for the WD's uplink buffer status; and as a result of the polling request, receive a polling response. A wireless device 22 is configured to include a determination unit 34 which is configured to receive a polling request, the polling request indicating a request for the WD's…”, and see at least ¶ [0119], “…the WDs 22 may be configured to respond to the polling requests by transmitting polling responses in the specified physical uplink channel resource…” and see at least ¶ [0120], “…the network node 16 (e.g., gNB) transmits 16 SSBs in 16 beam directions, with WD-A 22 and WD-B 22 located in SSB2 and SSB15 coverage areas, …the network node 16 (e.g., gNB) sends polling requests to the WDs 22 in different SSB coverage areas in e.g., a round-robin manner…”). Therefore, it would have been obvious a finding that one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention could have combined the elements as claimed by the know method, and that in combination. Each element merely performs the same function as it does separately; Sheng disclosed invention, and have cause transmission of at least one of the at least one polling response based on the received polling request, as taught by Liu, thereby, to provide the operating frequency of wireless networks increases and moves to millimeter wave territory, data transmission between nodes suffers from high propagation loss, which is proportional to the square of the carrier frequency, as discussed by Liu, (see at least ¶ [0025]). Consider claim 37 (depends on at least claim 35), Sheng in view of Liu discloses the limitations of claim 35 as applied to claim rejection 35 above and further discloses: Sheng teaches wherein: the wireless device is associated with a group of wireless devices in the cell (see at least ¶ [0042], “…group of devices, or sub-system in a telecommunication network that provides services to users of the telecommunications network…” and see at least ¶ [0142], “…the UE is in inactive state or when the UE is in idle mode, the structure of detected SS block can also be updated by broadcast signaling…”). Sheng disclose all the subject matters of the claimed invention concept. However, Sheng does not particularly disclose the polling request being associated with the group of wireless devices. In an analogous field of endeavor, attention is directed to Liu, which teaches the polling request being associated with the group of wireless devices (see Liu, at least ¶ [0088], “…network node 16 is configured to include a polling unit 32 which is configured to transmit a polling request, the polling request indicating a request for the WD's uplink buffer status; and as a result of the polling request, receive a polling response. A wireless device 22 is configured to include a determination unit 34 which is configured to receive a polling request, the polling request indicating a request for the WD's…”, and see at least ¶ [0119], “…the WDs 22 may be configured to respond to the polling requests by transmitting polling responses in the specified physical uplink channel resource…” and see at least ¶ [0120], “…the network node 16 (e.g., gNB) transmits 16 SSBs in 16 beam directions, with WD-A 22 and WD-B 22 located in SSB2 and SSB15 coverage areas, …the network node 16 (e.g., gNB) sends polling requests to the WDs 22 in different SSB coverage areas in e.g., a round-robin manner…”). Therefore, it would have been obvious a finding that one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention could have combined the elements as claimed by the know method, and that in combination. Each element merely performs the same function as it does separately; Sheng disclosed invention, and have the polling request being associated with the group of wireless devices, as taught by Liu, thereby, to provide the operating frequency of wireless networks increases and moves to millimeter wave territory, data transmission between nodes suffers from high propagation loss, which is proportional to the square of the carrier frequency, as discussed by Liu, (see at least ¶ [0025]). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 21, 34, 53 are 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. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHUONG A NGO whose telephone number is (571)270-7264. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday from 5:30AM-3:30PM. 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, Anthony S Addy can be reached at (571) 272-7795. 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. /CHUONG A NGO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2645
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Feb 15, 2024
Application Filed
Feb 20, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
85%
Grant Probability
97%
With Interview (+12.0%)
2y 5m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 863 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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