Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/692,403

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IMPLEMENTING WRITING CONFIGURATION CHANGES IN A NON-REAL-TIME RADIO ACCESS NETWORK INTELLIGENCE CONTROLLER (NRT-RIC) ARCHITECTURE WITHIN A TELECOMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

Non-Final OA §112
Filed
Sep 26, 2024
Examiner
BARRY, LANCE LEONARD
Art Unit
2457
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Rakuten Mobile Inc.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
85%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 11m
To Grant
90%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 85% — above average
85%
Career Allow Rate
335 granted / 395 resolved
+26.8% vs TC avg
Moderate +6% lift
Without
With
+5.6%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 11m
Avg Prosecution
27 currently pending
Career history
422
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
12.0%
-28.0% vs TC avg
§103
44.4%
+4.4% vs TC avg
§102
2.9%
-37.1% vs TC avg
§112
29.3%
-10.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 395 resolved cases

Office Action

§112
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 . Authorization for Internet Communication In the interest of compact prosecution, the Examiner recommends filing a written authorization for Internet communication. Doing so would permit the USPTO to communicate using Internet e-mail to schedule interviews or discuss other aspects of the application. Without a written authorization in place, the USPTO cannot respond to Internet e-mail correspondence. The preferred method of providing authorization is by filing form PTO/SB/439, available at: https://www.uspto.gov/patent/forms/forms. See MPEP § 502.03. Authorizations in an Internet e-mail do not have the same effect as filing the form in the record. Status of Claims The instant Office action responds to the filing of April 25, 2025. Claims 1-20 are pending.Claims 1-20 are rejected. Information Disclosure Statement Applicant is respectfully reminded of the duty under 37 C.F.R. 1.56 to disclose all pertinent information and material pertaining to the patentability of the instant invention, by submitting in a timely manner PTO-1449, Information Disclosure Statement (IDS), with the filing of an application or thereafter. For example, any art cited, or report issued, in the search or examination of the PCT on which priority is based would seem to be pertinent and material. Specification The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which the applicant(s) may become aware. The abstract is objected to for not being descriptive as it could be. It could mention a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium in addition to systems and methods. 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. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Regarding claims 1, 8, and 15, the relation between the plural recitations of “an R1 interface” is unclear. Regarding claims 1-4, 6, 8-13, and 15-20, the meaning of the acronym “O-RAN” is unclear. This could be overcome by spelling-out each acronym the first time used in each independent claim. Regarding claims 1, 5, 8, and 15, the relation between “create a job,” “job creating,” and “a job” is unclear. Regarding claims 3, 4, and 6, “the at least one processor” and “the apparatus” lack antecedent basis. Regarding claim 5, the meaning of “the apparatus is configured to create a job for writing the configuration is further configured to” is unclear. Other Art The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to the instant disclosure. For example, WO 2024076355 discloses an application protocol for an R1 interface in a non-real-time radio access network intelligence controller (NRT-RIC), and more particularly to procedures of an application protocol to access different services offered by an NRT-RIC platform to an rApp over an R1 interface (¶ 0002). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Lance Leonard Barry whose telephone number is (571) 272-5856. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 730-1630. 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 email the Examiner. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ario Etienne can be reached on 571-272-4001. 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. /LANCE LEONARD BARRY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2457
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Prosecution Timeline

Sep 26, 2024
Application Filed
Feb 26, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §112 (current)

Precedent Cases

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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
85%
Grant Probability
90%
With Interview (+5.6%)
2y 11m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 395 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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