Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/833,320

COMMUNICATION METHOD AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Jul 25, 2024
Priority
Jan 26, 2022 — nonprovisional of PCTCN2022074055
Examiner
SLOMS, NICHOLAS
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
68%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 5m
Est. Remaining
78%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 68% — above average
68%
Career Allowance Rate
408 granted / 597 resolved
+8.3% vs TC avg
Moderate +10% lift
Without
With
+10.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 5m
Avg Prosecution
25 currently pending
Career history
631
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.8%
-39.2% vs TC avg
§103
91.8%
+51.8% vs TC avg
§102
2.3%
-37.7% vs TC avg
§112
2.9%
-37.1% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 597 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
CTNF 18/833,320 CTNF 86093 DETAILED ACTION The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Claims 1-13, 19, and 20-24 are currently pending. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 & 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status. 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 – 07-12-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. 07-20-aia AIA 4. 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. 07-23-aia AIA 5. The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows: 1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. 2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. 3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. 4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness. 6. Claims 1, 2, 7, 8, 18, 21, and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as anticipated by the non-patent literature document titled 802.11 Task Group bf WLAN Sensing (hereinafter “Han”) 1 . Regarding claims 1, 7, 18, and 24: Han discloses a communication method, performed by an access point (AP), wherein the method comprises: sending a first radio frame, wherein the first radio frame comprises proxy response information indicating that the AP rejects a sensing measurement proxy request of an initiator or accepts the sensing measurement proxy request (see, e.g., pp. 17, 72, 76, 87; an SBP Response frame is sent to accept or reject a request) , and wherein the sensing measurement proxy request indicates that the AP sets up a wireless local area network (WLAN) sensing measurement as a proxy of the initiator (see, e.g., pp. 17, 72, 76, 87; the request invokes SBP and WLAN sensing) . The rationale set forth above regarding the method of claim 1 is applicable to the methods and device of claims 7, 18, and 24, respectively. Regarding claims 2 and 8: Han further discloses receiving a second radio frame, wherein the second radio frame comprises the sensing measurement proxy request (see, e.g., pp. 17, 72, 76, 87; an AP STA receives an SBP request frame) . The rationale set forth above regarding the method of claim 2 is applicable to the method of claim 8. Regarding claim 21: Han further discloses wherein the sensing measurement proxy request is sent through a sensing by proxy (SBP) request frame (see, e.g., p. 72) . 07-21-aia AIA 7. Claim s 3-5, 9-12, 20, and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han, in view of either U.S. Publication No. 2024/0349024 (hereinafter Luo`024) or U.S. Publication No. 2024/0314590 (hereinafter Zhou) . Regarding claims 3 and 10: Han further discloses wherein the proxy response information indicates that the AP rejects the sensing measurement proxy request (see, e.g., p. 72) , but does not explicitly state “[wherein] the first radio frame comprises a rejection identification, and wherein the rejection identification indicates a reason code that the AP rejects the sensing measurement proxy request.” However, this feature is taught by Luo`024 (see, e.g., [0150], [0163], [0206]-[0209]; note also overlapping teachings with respect to SBP request and response signaling [0107], [0122]-[0128]) . It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate features from the system of Luo`024, such as the signaling functionality, within the system of Han, in order to improve sensing by proxy management. Alternatively, the said feature is taught by Zhou (see, e.g., [0187], [0191]-[0194]; note also overlapping teachings with respect to SBP request and response signaling – figures 3A-B, 6A-D) . It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate features from the system of Zhou, such as the signaling functionality, within the system of Han, in order to improve sensing by proxy management. The rationale set forth above regarding the method of claim 3 is applicable to the method of claim 10. Regarding claims 4 and 11: Han modified by Luo`024 or Zhou further teaches wherein the rejection identification comprises a first identification or a second identification, and wherein the first identification indicates that the AP does not satisfy an operation parameter requirement in the sensing measurement proxy request, and the second identification indicates that the AP provides optional operation parameter information for the initiator (see, e.g., Han p. 72; Luo`024 [0099], [0124], [144], [0163; and/or Zhou [0177], [0191]-[0194]; note operating parameter indication) . The motivation for modification set forth above regarding claim 3 is applicable to claim 4. The rationale set forth above regarding the method of claim 4 is applicable to the method of claim 11. Regarding claims 5 and 12: Han further discloses wherein the proxy response information indicates that the AP accepts the sensing measurement proxy request, and the first radio frame comprises a sensing measurement setup identification or a WLAN session identification of the WLAN sensing measurement (see, e.g., Han pp. 17-18. 44-45) . To the extent these features are not inherent to Han, they are nevertheless taught in Luo`024 (see, e.g., [0097]-[0098], [0216]-[0265]) . It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate features from the system of Luo`024, such as the signaling functionality, within the system of Han, in order to improve sensing by proxy management. Alternatively, the said feature is taught by Zhou (see, e.g., [0062]-[0070]) . It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate features from the system of Zhou, such as the signaling functionality, within the system of Han, in order to improve sensing by proxy management. The rationale set forth above regarding the method of claim 5 is applicable to the method of claim 12. Regarding claims 9 and 20: Han further discloses receiving an acknowledgement (ACK) message sent by the AP (see, e.g., p. 86; note ACK frame) ; [and setting up the WLAN measurement] (i.e. claim 20) (see, e.g., p. 72) . To the extent these features are not inherent to Han they are nevertheless taught in Luo`024 (see, e.g., [0200]-[0201]) . It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate features from the system of Luo`024, such as the signaling functionality, within the system of Han, in order to improve sensing by proxy management. Alternatively, the said feature is taught by Zhou (see, e.g., [0170]-[0171], [0185]) . It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate features from the system of Zhou, such as the signaling functionality, within the system of Han, in order to improve sensing by proxy management. The rationale set forth above regarding the method of claim 9 is applicable to the method of claim 20. Regarding claim 23: Han further discloses wherein the proxy response information indicates that the AP accepts the sensing measurement proxy request, and the first radio frame comprises an acceptance identification (see, e.g., p. 45) . To the extent these features are not inherent to Han they are nevertheless taught in Luo`024 (see, e.g., [0097], [0098], [0216], [0373]) . It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate features from the system of Luo`024, such as the signaling functionality, within the system of Han, in order to improve sensing by proxy management. Alternatively, the said feature is taught by Zhou (see, e.g., [0175], [0188], [0196]-[0199]) . It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate features from the system of Zhou, such as the signaling functionality, within the system of Han, in order to improve sensing by proxy management . 07-21-aia AIA 8. Claim s 6 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han, in view of U.S. Publication No. 2024/03357653 (hereinafter Luo`653) . Regarding claims 6 and 13: Han discloses the method as set forth above regarding claim 1, but does not explicitly state wherein the first radio frame is a pubic action frame, and wherein the public action frame comprises a public action field corresponding to the first radio frame. However, this feature is taught by Luo`653 (see, e.g., [0311]-[0315], [0363], [0364], [0422]) . It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate features from the system of Luo`653, such as the signaling functionality, within the system of Han, in order to securely transmit frames. The rationale set forth above regarding the method of claim 6 is applicable to the method of claim 13 . 07-21-aia AIA 9. Claim 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han, in view of U.S. Publication No. 2024/03357653 (hereinafter Luo`653) . Regarding claim 22: Han modified by Luo`024 or Zhou further teaches wherein the operation parameter requirement comprises a bandwidth for sensing by proxy (see, e.g., Luo`024 [0128]) , but does not explicitly state the feature of “number spatial stream (NSS) information.” However, both of these features are taught by Lim (see, e.g., [0099], [0119], [0136]-[0137], [0153]) . It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate features from the system of Lim, such as the parameter and/or signaling functionality, within the system of Han modified by Luo`024 or Zhou, in order to increase the accuracy of sensing operations. Relevant Art 10. The following prior art not relied upon in this Office action is considered pertinent to Applicant's disclosure: See form PTO-892. Conclusion 11. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NICHOLAS SLOMS whose telephone number is (571)270-7520. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 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, Ayaz Sheikh can be reached at (571)272-3795. 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. /NICHOLAS SLOMS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2476 Application/Control Number: 18/833,320 Page 2 Art Unit: 2476 Application/Control Number: 18/833,320 Page 3 Art Unit: 2476 Application/Control Number: 18/833,320 Page 4 Art Unit: 2476 Application/Control Number: 18/833,320 Page 5 Art Unit: 2476 Application/Control Number: 18/833,320 Page 6 Art Unit: 2476 Application/Control Number: 18/833,320 Page 7 Art Unit: 2476 Application/Control Number: 18/833,320 Page 8 Art Unit: 2476 Application/Control Number: 18/833,320 Page 9 Art Unit: 2476 1 Han was cited in Applicant’s Information Disclosure Statement submitted July 26, 2024 (Other References, cite no. 23).
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jul 25, 2024
Application Filed
Jun 17, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
68%
Grant Probability
78%
With Interview (+10.2%)
3y 5m (~1y 5m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 597 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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