Prosecution Insights
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Application No. 18/715,802

COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, COMMUNICATION METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Nov 25, 2024
Priority
Dec 16, 2021 — nonprovisional of PCTJP2021046446
Examiner
LA, ANH V
Art Unit
2685
Tech Center
2600 — Communications
Assignee
NEC Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
84%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
7m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 84% — above average
84%
Career Allowance Rate
969 granted / 1148 resolved
+22.4% vs TC avg
Moderate +14% lift
Without
With
+14.3%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Fast prosecutor
2y 1m
Avg Prosecution
18 currently pending
Career history
1167
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
2.7%
-37.3% vs TC avg
§103
61.0%
+21.0% vs TC avg
§102
11.7%
-28.3% vs TC avg
§112
1.0%
-39.0% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1148 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
DETAILED ACTION 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 . 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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claim(s) 1, 5, and 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sakakibara (US 9,648,415). Regarding claim 1, Sakakibara discloses a communication system comprising: a communication circuit 2 configured to communicate with a vehicle; and a detection circuit 1 configured to detect speed information associated with a speed of the vehicle, wherein, based on the speed information, the communication circuit communicates with the vehicle by using a first frequency 210b (high frequency) when the speed is a first speed (less than 20 km/h), and communicates with the vehicle by using a second frequency 210a (low frequency) lower than the first frequency when the speed is a second speed (exceeds 20 km/h) higher than the first speed (figure 6, column 7, line 49-col. 8, line 35). Regarding claim 5, Sakakibara discloses a communication method comprising: detecting 1 speed information associated with a speed of a vehicle; communicating 2 with the vehicle by using a first frequency 210b (high frequency) when the speed based on the speed information is a first speed (less than 20 km/h); and communicating with the vehicle by using a second frequency 210a (low frequency) lower than the first frequency when the speed based on the speed information is a second speed (exceeds 20 km/h) higher than the first speed (figure 6, col. 7, line 49-col. 8, line 35). Regarding claim 6, Sakakibara discloses a tangible and non-transitory storage medium storing a program (col. 4, lines 17-23) causing an information processing device 2 to execute: processing of detecting speed information 1 associated with a speed of a vehicle; processing of communicating with the vehicle by using a first frequency 210b (high frequency) when the speed based on the speed information is a first speed (less than 20 km/h); and processing of communicating with the vehicle by using a second frequency 210a (low frequency) lower than the first frequency when the speed based on the speed information is a second speed (exceeds 20 km/h) higher than the first speed (figure 6, col. 7, line 49-col. 8, line 35). 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(s) 2-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sakakibara in view of Hada (US 2012/0059574). Regarding claims 2-3, Sakakibara discloses all the claimed subject matter as set forth above in the rejection of claim 1, but does not disclose the detection circuit acquiring, from a traffic signal giving an instruction to the vehicle, the speed information associated with the instruction (claim 2); an imaging circuit configured to image the vehicle, wherein the detection circuit acquires the speed information, based on a video of the vehicle imaged by the imaging circuit (claim 3). Hada teaches the use of a detection circuit acquiring, from a traffic signal 14, 18, giving an instruction to a vehicle, speed information associated with the instruction (paragraph 19); an imaging circuit configured to image the vehicle, wherein the detection circuit acquires the speed information, based on a video of the vehicle imaged by the imaging circuit (p. 6, p. 54). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the detection circuit acquiring, from a traffic signal giving an instruction to the vehicle, the speed information associated with the instruction; an imaging circuit configured to image the vehicle, wherein the detection circuit acquires the speed information, based on a video of the vehicle imaged by the imaging circuit to the system of Sakakibara as taught by Hada for the purpose of effectively detecting speed information of the vehicle. Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sakakibara in view of Koshizen (US 2016/0314687). Regarding claim 4, Sakakibara discloses all the claimed subject matter as set forth above in the rejection of claim 1, but does not disclose a location information acquisition circuit configured to acquire location information of the vehicle, wherein the detection circuit acquires the speed information, based on the location information of the vehicle acquired by the location information acquisition circuit. Koshizen teaches the use of a location information acquisition circuit 13 configured to acquire location information of a vehicle, (S32, figure 11, p. 46), wherein a detection circuit 20 acquires speed information, based on the location information of the vehicle acquired by the location information acquisition circuit (figures 1, 9, and 11). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a location information acquisition circuit configured to acquire location information of the vehicle, wherein the detection circuit acquires the speed information, based on the location information of the vehicle acquired by the location information acquisition circuit to the system of Sakakibara as taught by Koshizen for the purpose of effectively detecting speed information of the vehicle. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Durie and Lei disclose vehicle monitoring systems. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANH V LA whose telephone number is (571)272-2970. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30 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, Quan-Zhen Wang can be reached at 571-272-3114. 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. /ANH V LA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2685 ANH V. LA Primary Examiner Art Unit 2685 Al January 2, 2026
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Nov 25, 2024
Application Filed
Jan 08, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103
Apr 08, 2026
Response Filed

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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
84%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+14.3%)
2y 1m (~7m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1148 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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