Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 01, 2026
Application No. 18/826,606

UE ASSISTED INFORMATION FOR DUAL ACCESS/STEER FEATURE

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Sep 06, 2024
Priority
Sep 11, 2023 — provisional 63/581,704
Examiner
WYCHE, MYRON
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
MediaTek Inc.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
85%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
5m
Est. Remaining
98%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 85% — above average
85%
Career Allowance Rate
723 granted / 851 resolved
+25.0% vs TC avg
Moderate +13% lift
Without
With
+12.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 6m
Avg Prosecution
13 currently pending
Career history
856
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
5.4%
-34.6% vs TC avg
§103
63.0%
+23.0% vs TC avg
§102
23.1%
-16.9% vs TC avg
§112
5.3%
-34.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 851 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, 3, 6, 9, 11, 13, 16 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US Patent Application Publication No. 20220053600 (Ganig et al). Regarding claim 1, Ganig et al. discloses: “a method of wireless communication of a mobile device ([0042]: “FIGS. 10a and 10b are example sequence diagrams depicting switching between various access mode on the UE”), comprising: registering to a first network access of a first public land mobile network (PLMN) ([0142]: “the UE 206 is registered on the normal PLMN (for example, a PLMN 1) in the automatic PLMN selection mode”); after registering to the first network access, determining, based on a first information (FIG. 10a; [0142]: “At step 1001, the user of the UE 206/UE 206 initiates the trigger for enabling the SNPN access mode. In such a scenario, at step 1002, the UE 206 saves the information about the PLMN access mode and the configurations of the PLMN 1 with which the UE 206 is registered”), whether a second network access of a PLMN or a Standalone Non-Public Network (SNPN) is allowed for the mobile device to register thereto (FIG. 10a; [0142]: “At step 1003, the UE 206 activates the SNPN access mode and allows the user to perform the SNPN search procedure”); and in response to determining the second network access is allowed, selecting the second network access based on the first information, and registering to the second network access” (FIG. 10a; [0143]: “At step 1004, the user of the UE 206 performs the SNPN selection procedure manually and selects the SNPN (for example, a SNPN1). At step 1005, the user notifies the UE 206 about the selected SNPN 1. At step 1006, the UE 206 registers on the selected SNPN 1”). With respect to claim 11, Ganig et al. discloses: “an apparatus for wireless communication, the apparatus being a mobile device (FIG. 3: UE 206; [0053]: “Examples of the UE 206 may be, but are not limited to, a mobile phone”), comprising: a memory; and at least one processor coupled to the memory ([0085]: “The UE 206 includes a memory 302, … the AP 310, and the CP 312”; [0090]: “The AP 310 and the CP 312 include at least one of, a single processer, a plurality of processors”) and configured to: register to a first network access of a first public land mobile network (PLMN) ([0142]: “the UE 206 is registered on the normal PLMN (for example, a PLMN 1) in the automatic PLMN selection mode”); after registering to the first network access, determine, based on first information (FIG. 10a; [0142]: “At step 1001, the user of the UE 206/UE 206 initiates the trigger for enabling the SNPN access mode. In such a scenario, at step 1002, the UE 206 saves the information about the PLMN access mode and the configurations of the PLMN 1 with which the UE 206 is registered”), whether a second network access of a PLMN or a Standalone Non-Public Network (SNPN) is allowed for the mobile device to register thereto (FIG. 10a; [0142]: “At step 1003, the UE 206 activates the SNPN access mode and allows the user to perform the SNPN search procedure”); and in response to determining the second network access is allowed, select the second network access based on the first information, and register to the second network access” (FIG. 10a; [0143]: “At step 1004, the user of the UE 206 performs the SNPN selection procedure manually and selects the SNPN (for example, a SNPN1). At step 1005, the user notifies the UE 206 about the selected SNPN 1. At step 1006, the UE 206 registers on the selected SNPN 1”). Regarding claims 3 and 13, Ganig et al. discloses: “the first information includes: one or more network identifications (IDs) ([0009]: “A combination of a PLMN Identifier (ID) and a Network Identifier (NID) identifies the SNPN”); and one or more radio access technologies (RATs)” ([0047]: “The PLMN 202 includes a plurality of Radio Access Networks (RANs)/public RANs 202a and one or more Core Networks (CNs) 202b. The RANs 202a and the one or more CNs 202b may support various Radio Access Technologies (RATs)”). With respect to claims 6 and 16, Ganig et al. discloses: “the registering to the first network access of the first PLMN includes: “transmitting a registration request message for registering to the first network access of the first PLMN; and receiving a registration response message” ([0061]: “the registration request of the UE 206 and sends a registration accept to the UE 206”). Regarding claim 9 and 19, Ganig et al. discloses: “the first information is stored in the mobile device” ([0078]: “The UE 206 uses the saved information about the previous access mode and the associated configurations to return to the previous access mode”). 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 2 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ganig et al. in view of US Patent Application Publication No. 20240205863 (Nassar et al). Claims 2 and 12 are dependent upon claims 1 and 11, respectively. As discussed above, claims 1 and 11 are disclosed by Ganig et al. Thus, those limitations of claims 1 and 11 that are recited in claims 2 and 12, respectively, are also disclosed by Ganig et al. However, Ganig et al. does not clearly disclose the remaining limitations of the claims. To that end, Nassar et al. discloses: “the second network access is a network access of the first PLMN ([0074]: “with regard to the limitations of current networks, the lack of support means that a network (e.g., PLMN or SNPN) that includes a 5GS and an EPS is not capable of providing connectivity services to a UE that is dual registered with two networks via an access type”), or a network access of a second PLMN different from the first PLMN or the SNPN” [0076]: “It should be noted that the UE cannot remain dual registered or multi registered with a mobile network comprising a 5GS and an EPS because the EPS does not support (i.e., is not capable of) dual registration”). It is respectfully submitted that it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to combine Ganig et al. with the invention of Nassar et al. in order to prevent dual registration (i.e., see Nassar et al. @ [0076]). Claims 8 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ganig et al. in view of US Patent Application Publication No. 20240147403 (Sugawara et al). Claims 8 and 18 are dependent upon claims 1 and 11, respectively. As discussed above, claims 1 and 11 are disclosed by Ganig et al. Thus, those limitations of claims 1 and 11 that are recited in claims 8 and 18, respectively, are also disclosed by Ganig et al. However, Ganig et al. does not clearly disclose the remaining limitations of the claims. To that end, Sugawara et al. discloses: “first information is configured or pre- configured by the first PLMN” ([Claim 2]: “in a registration accept message or a configuration update command message, first information which is applied to a first PLMN”). It is respectfully submitted that it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to combine Ganig et al. with the invention of Sugawara et al. in order to provide first information (e.g., see Sugawara et al. @ [Claim 2]). Claims 10 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ganig et al. in view of US Patent Application Publication No. 20240089720 (Guo et al). Claims 10 and 20 are dependent upon claims 1 and 11, respectively. As discussed above, claims 1 and 11 are disclosed by Ganig et al. Thus, those limitations of claims 1 and 11 that are recited in claims 10 and 20, respectively, are also disclosed by Ganig et al. However, Ganig et al. does not clearly disclose the remaining limitations of the claims. To that end, Guo et al. discloses: “first information is updated by the first PLMN via a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message ([0180]: “The first PLMN set is configured by using a preconfiguration method, or is configured through a terminal device configuration update procedure, or is configured by using a NAS message”). It is respectfully submitted that it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to combine Ganig et al. with the invention of Guo et al. in order to update/configure the a first PLMN with a NAS message (e.g., see Guo et al. @ [0180]). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 4, 5, 7, 14, 15 and 17 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 MYRON K WYCHE whose telephone number is (571)272-3390. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30 am - 3:30 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, Kathy Wang-Hurst can be reached at 571-270-5371. 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. /Myron Wyche/ 03 September 2026 Primary Examiner AU2644
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Prosecution Timeline

Sep 06, 2024
Application Filed
Sep 08, 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
85%
Grant Probability
98%
With Interview (+12.9%)
2y 6m (~5m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 851 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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