Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/735,427

Carrier Aggregation Capability Advertisement

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Jun 06, 2024
Priority
Sep 20, 2018 — nonprovisional of PCTCN2018106724 +1 more
Examiner
ZHANG, ZHENSHENG
Art Unit
2474
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Apple Inc.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
76%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
7m
Est. Remaining
87%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 76% — above average
76%
Career Allowance Rate
299 granted / 393 resolved
+18.1% vs TC avg
Moderate +11% lift
Without
With
+11.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 8m
Avg Prosecution
26 currently pending
Career history
426
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.3%
-39.7% vs TC avg
§103
91.5%
+51.5% vs TC avg
§102
2.9%
-37.1% vs TC avg
§112
1.8%
-38.2% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 393 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
CTNF 18/735,427 CTNF 91488 Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-12-aia AIA (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. 07-15-03-aia AIA Claim (s) 21-29, 31-39 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Takahashi (US 20180019898) . Regarding claim 31, Takahashi discloses an apparatus comprising processing circuitry (Fig. 8, a base station eNB and associated circuitry/Fig. 12 Base station ) configured to: process, based on signals received from a user equipment (UE) ([0053], the user equipment UE transmits, to the base station eNB, CA band combination information indicating a combination of bands that can be supported for the base station eNB), an information element (IE) ([0053], CA band combination information) comprising a first representative carrier aggregation (CA) band combination, wherein the first representative CA band combination comprises a highest order CA band combination for a first set of bands ([0054] when the user equipment UE supports a CA band combination and all of its fallback band combinations, the user equipment UE omits reporting information indicating the fallback band combinations, and only reports information indicating the highest CA band combination) and a number of layers supported for each band ([0008] FIG. 2 illustrates a configuration example of a message for reporting a CA band combination . As illustrated in FIG. 2, for each CA band combination, various types of parameters can be reported individually for UL/DL by the message; and, furthermore, for each band of a CA band combination, various types of parameters can be reported. The supported MIMO-Capability is a parameter indicating a number of MIMO layers (for each of UL/DL) that can be supported by the user equipment ) in the first representative CA band combination ([0064] the user equipment UE reports, to the base station eNB, the CA band combination of No. 1 indicated by X in FIG. 9 (i.e., the highest CA band combination) and the CA band combination information in which only the various types of parameters in the CA band combination of No. 1 are set) and the IE does not include any other of the CA band combinations that include the first set of bands and the number of layers supported for each band in the first representative CA band combination ([0056] If information indicating a CA band combination is received from the user equipment UE and none of the information indicating its fallback band combination is received) ; and determine, based on the first representative CA band combination, other CA band combinations that include the first set of bands ([0056], if information indicating a CA band combination is received from the user equipment UE and none of the information indicating its fallback band combination is received, the base station eNB determines that the user equipment UE supports, in addition to the received CA band combination, all of its fallback band combinations; fig. 9, CA band combination, 3DL/2UL, 3DL/1UL) and the number of layers supported ([0063] Here, it is assumed that the user equipment UE supports all the 19 types of the CA band combinations; and that all the various types of parameters (the presence or absence of DC, the number of the MIMO layers , the CSI process number, etc.) are the same for respective CA band combinations) for each band in the first representative CA band combination supported by the UE ([0065] the base station eNB that receives the information only on the CA band combination of No. 1 among No. 1 through No. 19 from the user equipment UE determines that all of No. 1 through 19 are supported in the user equipment UE. Furthermore, for the various types of parameters in each of the CA band combinations from No. 2 through 19, a determination is made that they are the same as the various types of parameters included in the information on the CA band combination of No. 1). Claim 21 is rejected similarly with claim 31. Regarding claim 32, Takahashi discloses the apparatus of claim 31, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: generate, for transmission to the UE, a CA configuration comprising the first representative CA band combination or one of the other CA band combinations that include the first set of bands and the number of layers supported for each band in the first representative CA band combination supported by the UE ([0085-86], he DL signal transmitter 201 includes a function for generating various types of physical layer signals from higher layer information to be transmitted from the base station eNB, and for transmitting them to the user equipment UE . [0056], the base station eNB determines that the user equipment UE supports, in addition to the received CA band combination, all of its fallback band combinations; fig. 9, CA band combination, 3DL/2UL, 3DL/1UL ; [0063] Here, it is assumed that the user equipment UE supports all the 19 types of the CA band combinations; and that all the various types of parameters (the presence or absence of DC, the number of the MIMO layers , the CSI process number, etc.) are the same for respective CA band combination. Furthermore, for the various types of parameters in each of the CA band combinations from No. 2 through 19, a determination is made that they are the same as the various types of parameters included in the information on the CA band combination of No. 1). Claim 22 is rejected similarly with claim 32. Regarding claim 33, Takahashi discloses the apparatus of claim 31, wherein the IE further comprises a second representative CA band combination, wherein the second representative CA band combination comprises a highest order CA band combination for a second set of bands and a number of layers supported for each band in the second representative CA band combination, wherein the IE does not include any other of the plurality CA band combinations that include the second set of bands and the number of layers supported for each band in the second representative CA band combination (Fig. 9, the second representative CA band combination No. 8 can be 2DL/2UL. [0056] If information indicating a CA band combination is received from the user equipment UE and none of the information indicating its fallback band combination is received). Claim 23 is rejected similarly with claim 33. Regarding claim 34, Takahashi discloses the apparatus of claim 31, wherein a first band of the first set of bands comprises a plurality of sub-bands, wherein the first representative CA band combination further comprises a highest order sub-band of the first band and wherein the IE does not include any other of the plurality CA band combinations that include any lower order sub-bands of the first band of the first set of bands, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: determine, based on the first representative CA band combination, other CA band combinations that include any lower order sub-bands of the first band of the first set of bands supported by the LE ([0065] the base station eNB that receives the information only on the CA band combination of No. 1 among No. 1 through No. 19 from the user equipment UE determines that all of No. 1 through 19 are supported in the user equipment UE. Furthermore, for the various types of parameters in each of the CA band combinations from No. 2 through 19, a determination is made that they are the same as the various types of parameters included in the information on the CA band combination of No. 1) . Claim 24 is rejected similarly with claim 34. Regarding claim 35, Takahashi discloses the apparatus of claim 31, wherein the first set of bands consists of two bands (fig. 9, one can easily selectively use two frequency band, 800M and 1.5G). Claim 25 is rejected similarly with claim 35. Regarding claim 36, Takahashi discloses the apparatus of claim 31, wherein the first set of bands comprises four bands, wherein the IE does not include any other of the plurality CA band combinations comprising three bands that include any combination of the four bands of the first set of bands and the number of layers supported for each band in the first representative CA band combination, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: determine, based on the first representative CA band combination, other CA band combinations that include three bands that include any combination of the four bands of the first set of bands and the number of layers supported for each band in the first representative CA band combination (fig. 9, one can easily extend the frequency band to include one more additional band such 2.6G or 700M; , [0012], the four CA band combinations (BandCombinationParameters-rlO) shown in Fig.5; [0065] the base station eNB that receives the information only on the CA band combination of No. 1 among No. 1 through No. 19 from the user equipment UE determines that all of No. 1 through 19 are supported in the user equipment UE. Furthermore, for the various types of parameters in each of the CA band combinations from No. 2 through 19, a determination is made that they are the same as the various types of parameters included in the information on the CA band combination of No. 1). Claim 26 is rejected similarly with claim 36. Regarding claim 37, Takahashi discloses the apparatus of claim 31, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: process, based on signals received from the IE, a second IE comprising an identification of each of the bands of any CA band combinations supported by the UE (fig. 9, CA combination band, No. 1-19; [0065] the base station eNB that receives the information only on the CA band combination of No. 1 among No. 1 through No. 19 from the user equipment UE determines that all of No. 1 through 19 are supported in the user equipment UE). Claim 27 is rejected similarly with claim 37. Regarding claim 38, Takahashi discloses the apparatus of claim 37, wherein the second IE further comprises a number of layers supported by each of the bands of the CA band combinations supported by the UE ([0013], for each band of each of the CA combinations, the number of the MIMO layers that can be supported by the user equipment is indicated). Claim 28 is rejected similarly with claim 38. Regarding claim 39, Takahashi discloses the apparatus of claim 38, wherein the second IE further comprises a maximum number of supported layers based on a number of bands in each of the CA band combinations supported by the UE ([0013], for each band of each of the CA combinations, the number of the MIMO layers that can be supported by the user equipment is indicated, the maximum capacity of the UE an support includes the maximum number of layers supported). Claim 29 is rejected similarly with claim 39 . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 30 and 40 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 ZHENSHENG ZHANG whose telephone number is (571)270-1985. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 8:00am-6:00pm. 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, Michael Thier can be reached at 571-272-2832. 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. /ZHENSHENG ZHANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2474 Application/Control Number: 18/735,427 Page 2 Art Unit: 2474 Application/Control Number: 18/735,427 Page 3 Art Unit: 2474 Application/Control Number: 18/735,427 Page 4 Art Unit: 2474 Application/Control Number: 18/735,427 Page 5 Art Unit: 2474 Application/Control Number: 18/735,427 Page 6 Art Unit: 2474 Application/Control Number: 18/735,427 Page 7 Art Unit: 2474 Application/Control Number: 18/735,427 Page 8 Art Unit: 2474 Application/Control Number: 18/735,427 Page 9 Art Unit: 2474
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jun 06, 2024
Application Filed
Aug 18, 2025
Response after Non-Final Action
Jun 17, 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

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
76%
Grant Probability
87%
With Interview (+11.0%)
2y 8m (~7m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 393 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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