Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/846,956

METHOD FOR TIMING ADJUSTMENT, COMMUNICATION APPARATUS AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Sep 13, 2024
Priority
Mar 14, 2022 — nonprovisional of PCTCN2022080698
Examiner
AVELLINO, JOSEPH E
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
19%
Grant Probability
At Risk
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 2m
Est. Remaining
43%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants only 19% of cases
19%
Career Allowance Rate
14 granted / 75 resolved
-41.3% vs TC avg
Strong +24% interview lift
Without
With
+24.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
4y 0m
Avg Prosecution
8 currently pending
Career history
83
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.9%
-39.1% vs TC avg
§103
88.3%
+48.3% vs TC avg
§102
8.9%
-31.1% vs TC avg
§112
0.5%
-39.5% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 75 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
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 . Response to Amendment The Office Acknowledges the preliminary amendment dated 9/13/2024 cancelling claims 3, 12, 17, 20-23, and 26-27. This Office action will be in response to claim amendments presented in said amendment. Drawings The Office acknowledges the amendments to the drawings submitted 9/13/2024. They are hereby entered. Information Disclosure Statement IDS dated 9/13/2024 is acknowledged and considered. See attached. Claim Objections Claim 24 is objected to as the amendment recites “adjust an uplink transmission timing of the UE…”, however no UE is previously recited. For examination purposes it will be interpreted that the communication apparatus itself is the UE that self-adjusts the transmission timing. 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, 9-11, 13, 14, 16, 19, 20, 24, 25, 28, and 29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kazmi et al. (USPN 11997632) (hereinafter Kazmi). Regarding claim 1, Kazmi discloses a method for timing adjustment, performed by a user equipment (UE) (i.e. wireless device, WD), comprising: obtaining information sent by a network device (col. 21, line 59 to col. 22, line 22: WD receives, an indicator e.g. high speed indicator from NW 1, which indicates that the WD speed is equal to or above certain speed threshold) ; determining a timing adjustment scheme based on the information (col. 23, lines 1-22: determines at least one parameter associated with the determined information related to the WD speed; also see tables 1 and 2 shown in col. 24); and adjusting an uplink transmission timing of the UE based on the timing adjustment scheme (col. 28, lines 17-28: after adjusting the transmit timing the WD may transmit the signals in cell according to the adjusted timing). Regarding claim 9, Kazmi discloses obtaining set by the network device comprising obtaining a speed threshold sent by the network device (e.g. high speed indicator, HSI) ( col. 21, line 59 to col. 22, line 22). Regarding claim 10, Kazmi discloses determining a size relationship between a moving speed of the UE and the speed threshold (col. 22, lines 3-22: if the WD 22 receives an HSI, the WD may assume that the WD speed is equal to or above the speed threshold, and may assume if no HSI is received, the WD speed is below the speed threshold; also HSI may indicate the range of speeds, or multiple speed ranges e.g. HSI1 and HSI2); in response to the moving speed of the UE being less than the speed threshold (HSI = NO), determining that the timing adjustment scheme is a first timing adjustment scheme; and in response to the moving speed of the UE being greater than or equal to the speed threshold, determining that the timing adjustment scheme is a second timing adjustment scheme (HSI = YES); wherein a difference between the first and second timing adjustment schemes comprises a maximum adjustment rate of the second timing adjustment scheme being greater than a maximum adjustment rate of the first timing adjustment scheme (col. 24, Table 3 shows two schemes: HSI = no equivalent to the first timing adjustment scheme and HSI = yes being equivalent to the second timing adjustment scheme and the max magnitude of timing adjustment steps greater for instances with HSI = YES). Regarding claim 11, Kazmi discloses in response to the UE being in a connected state, obtaining the speed threshold sent by the network device through RRC signaling (col. 22, lines 63-67: WD can receive configuration message from network node via RRC; also see col. 23, lines 10-13 showing the rules can be configured by the network node 16). Claims 13, 14, 16, 19, 20, 24, 25, 28, and 29 are rejected for similar reasons as stated above. Furthermore, Kazmi discloses a network device (Fig 3 network node 16), and the UE comprises a processor and a memory (Fig. 3, refs 86 and 88). 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. Claim(s) 2, 4-8, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kazmi in view of Bai et al. (USPN 11388690) (hereinafter Bai). Referring to claim 2, Kazmi discloses the invention substantively as described above. Kazmi further discloses using RRC signaling to communicate between the network node and the UE, and that there is two UE types, wherein the first UE type moving speed is less than a moving speed of a UE of the second UE type (i.e. HSI; see claims above), however does not explicitly state that the UE reports a UE type of the UE to the network device. In analogous art, Bai discloses another timing adjustment scheme wherein the UE transmits a capability or mobility mode information to a base station. Wherein the base station may select a TA adjustment scheme in which the UE autonomously adjusts a TA value (e.g. abstract; col. 20, lines 3-27; UE reports mobility mode via RRC messaging). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the capability reporting schemes of Bai into the system of Kazmi in order to efficiently communicate configuration data back to the network node in an efficient manner. Referring to claim 4, Kazmi-Bai discloses when the UE type is the first UE type, obtaining first indication information sent by the network device, wherein the first indication information is used to indicate that the UE adjusts the uplink transmission timing of the UE based on a first timing adjustment scheme, and the first timing adjustment scheme matches the moving speed of the UE of the first UE type (Kazmi: col. 24, Table 3 shows two schemes: HSI = no equivalent to the first timing adjustment scheme and HSI = yes being equivalent to the second timing adjustment scheme and the max magnitude of timing adjustment steps greater for instances with HSI = YES; it is interpreted that the HSI indicator being on or off is equivalent to matching the moving speed of the UE). Claims 5-8, and 15 are rejected for similar reasons as stated above. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Joseph E Avellino whose telephone number is (571)272-3905. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:00am-3:00pm. 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. 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. JOSEPH E. AVELLINO Supervisory Patent Examiner Art Unit 2478 /JOSEPH E AVELLINO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2478
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Sep 13, 2024
Application Filed
Jul 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
19%
Grant Probability
43%
With Interview (+24.2%)
4y 0m (~2y 2m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 75 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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