Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/806,709

INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS, COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD AND PROGRAM

Non-Final OA §DP
Filed
Aug 16, 2024
Examiner
MCMAHON, DANIEL F
Art Unit
2111
Tech Center
2100 — Computer Architecture & Software
Assignee
Sony Group Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
90%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 2m
To Grant
92%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 90% — above average
90%
Career Allow Rate
911 granted / 1017 resolved
+34.6% vs TC avg
Minimal +2% lift
Without
With
+2.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 2m
Avg Prosecution
19 currently pending
Career history
1036
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
7.8%
-32.2% vs TC avg
§103
28.4%
-11.6% vs TC avg
§102
23.6%
-16.4% vs TC avg
§112
30.6%
-9.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1017 resolved cases

Office Action

§DP
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 Claims 1 – 20 are presented for examination. Priority Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 120 is acknowledged. Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. 18/372,153, filed on 10/17/2023. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/16/2024 was received. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Double Patenting The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the claims at issue are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969). A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a nonstatutory double patenting ground provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b). The USPTO internet Web site contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit http://www.uspto.gov/forms/. The filing date of the application will determine what form should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to http://www.uspto.gov/patents/process/file/efs/guidance/eTD-info-I.jsp. Claims 1 – 20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting over claims 1 – 20 of U.S. Patent No. 12/088,413 since the claims, if allowed, would improperly extend the “right to exclude” already granted in the patent. The subject matter claimed in the instant application is fully disclosed in the patent and is covered by the patent since the patent and the application are claiming common subject matter, as follows: Claim 1 – Application 18/806709 Claim 1 – Patent 12/088,413 An information processing apparatus, comprising: An information processing apparatus configured to operate as a wireless access point, comprising: circuitry configured to perform control for adding a notification information field to a request information field for requesting each of a plurality of different apparatuses for a confirmation response to specific data from among a plurality of data transmitted to the plurality of different apparatuses, the request information field regarding a start sequence number for the confirmation response, the notification information field regarding sequence numbers described in a bitmap of a variable length corresponding to the specific data from among the plurality of data for the confirmation response, the variable length being based on a set value of a compressed bitmap, and circuitry configured to perform control for adding a notification information field to a request information field for requesting each of a plurality of different apparatuses for a confirmation response to specific data from among a plurality of data transmitted to the plurality of different apparatuses, the request information field regarding a start sequence number for the confirmation response, the notification information field regarding sequence numbers described in a bitmap of a variable length corresponding to the specific data from among the plurality of data for the confirmation response, and transmitting the notification information field together with the request information field, to which the notification information field is added, and an indication that the notification information is added, to each of the plurality of different apparatuses. transmitting the notification information field together with the request information field, to which the notification information field is added, and an indication that the notification information is added, to each of the plurality of different apparatuses; one or more antenna elements configured to transmit and receive a wireless signal; and a wired communication interface configured to couple the information processing apparatus to a wired communication network. One of ordinary skill in the art would clearly recognize independent claim 1, of application 18/806709 is an obvious variation of the claimed subject matter of independent claim 1, of patent 12,088,413. Specifically, both claim 1, of the current application 18/806709, and claim 1, of patent 12,088,413 discloses: An information processing apparatus, comprising such steps as “perform control for adding a notification information field to a request information field for requesting each of a plurality of different apparatuses for a confirmation response to specific data from among a plurality of data transmitted to the plurality of different apparatuses”. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize the apparatus disclosed by claim 1, of the current application 18/806709, as a broad recitation of the operations performed by the apparatus disclosed in claim 1 of Patent 12,088,413. An apparatus performing operations and an apparatus capable of performing the disclosed operations would be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art as obvious variants of each other. One of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of filing, would find the additionally language “the variable length being based on a set value of a compressed bitmap” to be an obvious variation of claim 1 of patent 12/088,413. Specifically, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize as obvious to define the “a bitmap of a variable length” by the size of the bitmap, “based on a set value of a compressed bitmap”. Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize the apparatus of claim 1, of the current application 18/806709, as performing the operations of the apparatus of claim 1, of U.S. Patent 12,088,413, and as such are obvious variants of each other. Claim 2 – Application 18/806709 Claim 2 – Patent 12,088,413 Claim 3 – Application 18/806709 Claim 3 – Patent 12,088,413 Claim 4 – Application 18/806709 Claim 4 – Patent 12,088,413 Claim 5 – Application 18/806709 Claim 5 – Patent 12,088,413 Claim 6 – Application 18/806709 Claim 6 – Patent 12,088,413 Claim 7 – Application 18/806709 Claim 7 – Patent 12,088,413 Claim 8 – Application 18/806709 Claim 8 – Patent 12,088,413 Claim 9 – Application 18/806709 Claim 9 – Patent 12,088,413 Claim 10 – Application 18/806709 Claim 10 – Patent 12,088,413 Claim 11 – Application 18/806709 Claim 11 – Patent 12,088,413 Claim 12 – Application 18/806709 Claim 12 – Patent 12,088,413 Claim 13 – Application 18/806709 Claim 13 – Patent 12,088,413 Claim 14 – Application 18/806709 Claim 14 – Patent 12,088,413 Claim 15 – Application 18/806709 Claim 15 – Patent 12,088,413 Claim 16 – Application 18/806709 Claim 16 – Patent 12,088,413 Claim 17 – Application 18/806709 Claim 17 – Patent 12,088,413 Claim 18 – Application 18/806709 Claim 18 – Patent 12,088,413 Claim 19 – Application 18/806709 Claim 19 – Patent 12,088,413 Claim 20 – Application 18/806709 Claim 20 – Patent 12,088,413 Claims 1 – 20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting over claims 1 – 14 and 16 – 18 of U.S. Patent No. 11,791,940 since the claims, if allowed, would improperly extend the “right to exclude” already granted in the patent. The subject matter claimed in the instant application is fully disclosed in the patent and is covered by the patent since the patent and the application are claiming common subject matter, as follows: One of ordinary skill in the art would clearly recognize independent claim 1, of application 18/806709 is an obvious variation of the claimed subject matter of independent claim 1, of patent 11,791,940. Specifically, both claim 1, of the current application 18/806709, and claim 1, of patent 11,791,940 discloses: An information processing apparatus, comprising such steps as “perform control for adding a notification information field to a request information field for requesting each of a plurality of different apparatuses for a confirmation response to specific data from among a plurality of data transmitted to the plurality of different apparatuses”. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize the apparatus disclosed by claim 1, of the current application 18/806709, as a broad recitation of the operations performed by the apparatus disclosed in claim 1 of Patent 11,791,940. An apparatus performing operations and an apparatus capable of performing the disclosed operations would be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art as obvious variants of each other. Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize the apparatus of claim 1, of the current application 18/806709, as performing the operations of the apparatus of claim 1, of U.S. Patent 11,791,940, and as such are obvious variants of each other. Claim 1 – Application 18/806709 Claim 1 – Patent 11,791,940 Claim 2 – Application 18/806709 Claim 2 – Patent 11,791,940 Claim 3 – Application 18/806709 Claim 3 – Patent 11,791,940 Claim 4 – Application 18/806709 Claim 4 – Patent 11,791,940 Claim 5 – Application 18/806709 Claim 5 – Patent 11,791,940 Claim 6 – Application 18/806709 Claim 6 – Patent 11,791,940 Claim 7 – Application 18/806709 Claim 7 – Patent 11,791,940 Claim 8 – Application 18/806709 Claim 9 – Patent 11,791,940 Claim 9 – Application 18/806709 Claim 10 – Patent 11,791,940 Claim 10 – Application 18/806709 Claim 11 – Patent 11,791,940 Claim 11 – Application 18/806709 Claim 12 – Patent 11,791,940 Claim 12 – Application 18/806709 Claim 13 – Patent 11,791,940 Claim 13 – Application 18/806709 Claim 8 – Patent 11,791,940 Claim 14 – Application 18/806709 Claim 8 – Patent 11,791,940 Claim 15 – Application 18/806709 Claim 14 – Patent 11,791,940 Claim 16 – Application 18/806709 Claim 8 – Patent 11,791,940 Claim 17 – Application 18/806709 Claim 16 – Patent 11,791,940 Claim 18 – Application 18/806709 Claim 14 – Patent 11,791,940 Claim 19 – Application 18/806709 Claim 17 – Patent 11,791,940 Claim 20 – Application 18/806709 Claim 18 – Patent 11,791,940 Claims 1 – 20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting over claims 1 – 20 of U.S. Patent No. 11,374,690 since the claims, if allowed, would improperly extend the “right to exclude” already granted in the patent. The subject matter claimed in the instant application is fully disclosed in the patent and is covered by the patent since the patent and the application are claiming common subject matter. One of ordinary skill in the art would clearly recognize independent claim 1, of application 18/806709 is an obvious variation of the claimed subject matter of independent claim 1, of patent 11,374,690. Specifically, both claim 1, of the current application 18/806709, and claim 1, of patent 11,374,690 discloses: An information processing apparatus, comprising such steps as “perform control for adding a notification information field to a request information field for requesting each of a plurality of different apparatuses for a confirmation response to specific data from among a plurality of data transmitted to the plurality of different apparatuses”. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize the apparatus disclosed by claim 1, of the current application 18/806709, as a broad recitation of the operations performed by the apparatus disclosed in claim 1 of Patent 11,374,690. An apparatus performing operations and an apparatus capable of performing the disclosed operations would be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art as obvious variants of each other. Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize the apparatus of claim 1, of the current application 18/806709, as performing the operations of the apparatus of claim 1, of U.S. Patent 11,374,690, and as such are obvious variants of each other. Claim 1 – Application 18/806709 Claim 1 – Patent 11,374,690 Claim 2 – Application 18/806709 Claim 2 – Patent 11,374,690 Claim 3 – Application 18/806709 Claim 3 – Patent 11,374,690 Claim 4 – Application 18/806709 Claim 4 – Patent 11,374,690 Claim 5 – Application 18/806709 Claim 5 – Patent 11,374,690 Claim 6 – Application 18/806709 Claim 6 – Patent 11,374,690 Claim 7 – Application 18/806709 Claim 7 – Patent 11,374,690 Claim 8 – Application 18/806709 Claim 8 – Patent 11,374,690 Claim 9 – Application 18/806709 Claim 9 – Patent 11,374,690 Claim 10 – Application 18/806709 Claim 10 – Patent 11,374,690 Claim 11 – Application 18/806709 Claim 11 – Patent 11,374,690 Claim 12 – Application 18/806709 Claim 12 – Patent 11,374,690 Claim 13 – Application 18/806709 Claim 13 – Patent 11,374,690 Claim 14 – Application 18/806709 Claim 14 – Patent 11,374,690 Claim 15 – Application 18/806709 Claim 15 – Patent 11,374,690 Claim 16 – Application 18/806709 Claim 16 – Patent 11,374,690 Claim 17 – Application 18/806709 Claim 17 – Patent 11,374,690 Claim 18 – Application 18/806709 Claim 18 – Patent 11,374,690 Claim 19 – Application 18/806709 Claim 19 – Patent 11,374,690 Claim 20 – Application 18/806709 Claim 20 – Patent 11,374,690 Claims 1 – 20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting over claims 1 – 12 of U.S. Patent No. 10,992,421 since the claims, if allowed, would improperly extend the “right to exclude” already granted in the patent. The subject matter claimed in the instant application is fully disclosed in the patent and is covered by the patent since the patent and the application are claiming common subject matter. One of ordinary skill in the art would clearly recognize independent claim 1, of application 18/806709 is an obvious variation of the claimed subject matter of independent claim 1, of patent 10,992,421. Specifically, both claim 1, of the current application 18/806709, and claim 1, of patent 10,992,421 discloses: An information processing apparatus, comprising such steps as “perform control for adding a notification information field to a request information field for requesting each of a plurality of different apparatuses for a confirmation response to specific data from among a plurality of data transmitted to the plurality of different apparatuses”. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize the apparatus disclosed by claim 1, of the current application 18/806709, as a broad recitation of the operations performed by the apparatus disclosed in claim 1 of Patent 10,992,421. An apparatus performing operations and an apparatus capable of performing the disclosed operations would be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art as obvious variants of each other. Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize the apparatus of claim 1, of the current application 18/806709, as performing the operations of the apparatus of claim 1, of U.S. Patent 10,992,421, and as such are obvious variants of each other. Claim 1 – Application 18/806709 Claim 1 – Patent 10,992,421 Claim 2 – Application 18/806709 Claim 2 – Patent 10,992,421 Claim 3 – Application 18/806709 Claim 3 – Patent 10,992,421 Claim 4 – Application 18/806709 Claim 4 – Patent 10,992,421 Claim 5 – Application 18/806709 Claim 5 – Patent 10,992,421 Claim 6 – Application 18/806709 Claim 6 – Patent 10,992,421 Claim 7 – Application 18/806709 Claim 7 – Patent 10,992,421 Claim 8 – Application 18/806709 Claim 8 – Patent 10,992,421 Claim 9 – Application 18/806709 Claim 9 – Patent 10,992,421 Claim 10 – Application 18/806709 Claim 10 – Patent 10,992,421 Claim 11 – Application 18/806709 Claim 11 – Patent 10,992,421 Claim 12 – Application 18/806709 Claim 12 – Patent 10,992,421 Claim 13 – Application 18/806709 Claim 1 – Patent 10,992,421 Claim 14 – Application 18/806709 Claim 1 – Patent 10,992,421 Claim 15 – Application 18/806709 Claim 2 – Patent 10,992,421 Claim 16 – Application 18/806709 Claim 6 – Patent 10,992,421 Claim 17 – Application 18/806709 Claim 2 – Patent 10,992,421 Claim 18 – Application 18/806709 Claim 3 – Patent 10,992,421 Claim 19 – Application 18/806709 Claim 4 – Patent 10,992,421 Claim 20 – Application 18/806709 Claim 5 – Patent 10,992,421 Claims 1 – 20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting over claims 1 – 10 of U.S. Patent No. 10,574,397 since the claims, if allowed, would improperly extend the “right to exclude” already granted in the patent. The subject matter claimed in the instant application is fully disclosed in the patent and is covered by the patent since the patent and the application are claiming common subject matter. One of ordinary skill in the art would clearly recognize independent claim 1, of application 18/806709 is an obvious variation of the claimed subject matter of independent claim 1, of patent 10,574,397. Specifically, both claim 1, of the current application 18/806709, and claim 1, of patent 10,574,397 discloses: An information processing apparatus, comprising such steps as “perform control for adding a notification information field to a request information field for requesting each of a plurality of different apparatuses for a confirmation response to specific data from among a plurality of data transmitted to the plurality of different apparatuses”. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize the apparatus disclosed by claim 1, of the current application 18/806709, as a broad recitation of the operations performed by the apparatus disclosed in claim 1 of Patent 10,574,397. An apparatus performing operations and an apparatus capable of performing the disclosed operations would be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art as obvious variants of each other. Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize the apparatus of claim 1, of the current application 18/806709, as performing the operations of the apparatus of claim 1, of U.S. Patent 10,574,397, and as such are obvious variants of each other. Claim 1 – Application 18/806709 Claim 1 – Patent 10,574,397 Claim 2 – Application 18/806709 Claim 2 – Patent 10,574,397 Claim 3 – Application 18/806709 Claim 1 – Patent 10,574,397 Claim 4 – Application 18/806709 Claim 3 – Patent 10,574,397 Claim 5 – Application 18/806709 Claim 4 – Patent 10,574,397 Claim 6 – Application 18/806709 Claim 6 – Patent 10,574,397 Claim 7 – Application 18/806709 Claim 1 – Patent 10,574,397 Claim 8 – Application 18/806709 Claim 1 – Patent 10,574,397 Claim 9 – Application 18/806709 Claim 8 – Patent 10,574,397 Claim 10 – Application 18/806709 Claim 9 – Patent 10,574,397 Claim 11 – Application 18/806709 Claim 10 – Patent 10,574,397 Claim 12 – Application 18/806709 Claim 7 – Patent 10,574,397 Claim 13 – Application 18/806709 Claim 6 – Patent 10,574,397 Claim 14 – Application 18/806709 Claim 5 – Patent 10,574,397 Claim 15 – Application 18/806709 Claim 1 – Patent 10,574,397 Claim 16 – Application 18/806709 Claim 1 – Patent 10,574,397 Claim 17 – Application 18/806709 Claim 2 – Patent 10,574,397 Claim 18 – Application 18/806709 Claim 1 – Patent 10,574,397 Claim 19 – Application 18/806709 Claim 3 – Patent 10,574,397 Claim 20 – Application 18/806709 Claim 4 – Patent 10,574,397 Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Olsson; Patrik et al. US 20060067238 A1 Lim; Jaewon US 20140086204 A1 Nishibayashi; Yasuyuki et al. US 7924805 B2 perform control for adding a notification information field to a request information field for requesting each of a plurality of different apparatuses for a confirmation response to specific data from among a plurality of data transmitted to the plurality of different apparatuses Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL F MCMAHON whose telephone number is (571)270-3232. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 9am - 5pm EST. 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, Mark Featherstone can be reached at (571)270-3750. 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. /Daniel F. McMahon/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2111
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Aug 16, 2024
Application Filed
Jan 09, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §DP (current)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
90%
Grant Probability
92%
With Interview (+2.1%)
2y 2m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1017 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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