Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 17, 2026
Application No. 18/825,480

METHOD AND APPARATUS OF PERFORMING UE BASED UPLINK TIMING ADJUSTMENT FOR LAYER 1/2 TRIGGERED MOBILITY IN THE NEXT COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Sep 05, 2024
Priority
Sep 26, 2023 — RE 10-2023-0128999
Examiner
LEE, CHI HO A
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
92%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
4m
Est. Remaining
97%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 92% — above average
92%
Career Allowance Rate
1269 granted / 1378 resolved
+32.1% vs TC avg
Minimal +5% lift
Without
With
+4.6%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 3m
Avg Prosecution
38 currently pending
Career history
1408
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
4.6%
-35.4% vs TC avg
§103
43.6%
+3.6% vs TC avg
§102
21.9%
-18.1% vs TC avg
§112
14.6%
-25.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1378 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)(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. Claims 1-4, 6-9, 11-14 and 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by KIM et al PG PUB 2026/0019901. Re Claims 1, 6, 11 and 16, KIM et al teaches in figure 32, a wireless device (a UE comprising a memory and processor) receiving from Serving DU (a base station comprising a transceiver and controller) a RRC reconfiguration includes a LTM configuration indicating a configuration of candidate target cell(s) for LTM (at least one candidate cell) [0531] wherein the configuration includes a target cell 1 (information) associated with UE-based TA measurement for a cell 1 (a candidate cell) [0538]; based on the configuration, the wireless device identifying that the UE-based TA measurement is configured for the target cell 1(the candidate cell) among the candidate target cells; the wireless device receiving a 2nd L1/L2 signal (MAC CE) from the serving DU (the base station) indicating a cell switch (a first information…a LTM cell switch) to the candidate target cell identified by cell 1 (a configuration ID of the candidate cell) and TAC (a second information…TA command) [0548]; the wireless device identifying TA validation based on the TAC [0611] and in a case that the TA value is valid, applying the TA for the LTM cell switch to the cell 1 (the candidate cell). Re Claims 2, 7, 12, 17 and 18, KIM et al teaches in figure 32, Early TA procedure for performing a TA measurement based on the configuration of candidate target cell for LTM (the identification…the UE-based TA measurement is configured for the candidate cell); the candidate DU obtaining a TA value based on the TA measurement; the wireless device determines whether the TA value is valid based on whether the TAT is running [0609] when the TA value is not valid, obtains a valid TA value based on the TAC to be applied for the LTM cell switch to the candidate DU (candidate cell). Re Claims 3, 8, 13, KIM et al teaches in figure 32, starting a TAT in response to the TAC associated with the candidate DU (cell) [0609] wherein the TA measurement is performed before a reception of the 2nd L1/L2 signal (MAC CE) wherein the RRC reconfiguration (the information) includes the identity of the target candidate cell (an ID of a cell) for which the wireless device to perform the UE-based TA measurement. Re Claims 4, 14, KIM et al teaches the wireless device can be configured to support RACH-less HO procedure for the LTM cell switch [0427]; wherein the LTM cell switch to the target cell is completed, in the case PUSCH (first uplink data) is transmitted to the candidate cell successfully. Re Claims 9 and 19, KIM et al teaches in figure 32, a CU transmitting to Serving DU (at the late one candidate cell) a DL RRC message transfer (a first message) indicating configuration information for the LTM cell switch; wireless device receiving a RRC reconfiguration (a second message) in response to the DL RRC message transfer (the first message). 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. Claims 5, 10, 15 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIM et al PG PUB 2026/0019901 in view of HE et al PG PUB 2026/0164474. Re Claims 5, 10, 15 and 20, KIM et al teaches the wireless device receiving from a serving CU (the base station) a UE capability enquiry message [0549] and based on the inquiry, the UE transmitting a UE capability information. KIM et al fails to explicitly teach “information indicating that the UE supports the UE-based TA measurement.”. However, HE et al teaches the UE capability information indicating a support the UE-based TA measurement [0042]. One skilled in the art would have been motivated to have determined the support for the UE-based TA measurement for interoperability. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled to have combined the teachings. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW LEE whose telephone number is (571)272-3130. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30AM-5PM ET. 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, KASSIM KHALAD can be reached at 5712703770. 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. /ANDREW LEE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2475
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Sep 05, 2024
Application Filed
Jul 21, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103 (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
92%
Grant Probability
97%
With Interview (+4.6%)
2y 3m (~4m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1378 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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