Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/849,878

TERMINAL AND COMMUNICATION METHOD

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Sep 23, 2024
Priority
Mar 28, 2022 — nonprovisional of PCTJP2022015237
Examiner
MILLS, DONALD L
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
85%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 0m
Est. Remaining
95%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 85% — above average
85%
Career Allowance Rate
803 granted / 949 resolved
+24.6% vs TC avg
Moderate +11% lift
Without
With
+10.6%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 10m
Avg Prosecution
30 currently pending
Career history
972
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
3.1%
-36.9% vs TC avg
§103
55.0%
+15.0% vs TC avg
§102
28.6%
-11.4% vs TC avg
§112
4.0%
-36.0% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 949 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claim(s) 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee et al. (US 2021/0400634 A1), hereinafter referred to as D1. Regarding claims 1 and 6, D1 discloses a terminal and method for transmitting signal in a wireless communication system, which comprises: a receiving unit that receives a signal from another terminal on any subchannel included in a resource pool including non-contiguous frequency resources (Referring to Figures 1, 2, 9, and 10, UE in sidelink transmission, comprising receiving signals in a resource pool, may select a transmission resource on a continuous frequency resource group basis. In this case, a continuous frequency resource group is referred to as a subchannel. That is, the UE may select the transmission resource on a subchannel basis. When a plurality of subchannels are selected, contiguous subchannels may be selected. In another example, when one subchannel is mapped to physical frequency resources, one logical subchannel or a plurality of subchannels may be mapped to non-contiguous frequency resources (resource pool including contiguous and non-contiguous frequency resources). When the UE autonomously selects a transmission resource, the UE may signal the selected transmission resource to a neighboring UE in a control signal. The neighboring UE may recognize which frequency resources other UEs use by decoding control signals. See paragraphs 0126-0131.); a transmitting unit that transmits a signal to another terminal on any subchannel included in the resource pool (Referring to figures 1, 2, 9, and 10, When the UE autonomously selects a transmission resource, the UE may signal the selected transmission resource to a neighboring UE in a control signal. The neighboring UE may recognize which frequency resources other UEs use by decoding control signals. See paragraphs 0126-0131.); and a control unit that determines in which actual component carriers subchannels constituting the resource pool are included, wherein the control unit determines whether or not the resource pool is usable based on the terminal's own capability (Referring to Figures 1, 2, 9, and 10, The UE (comprising a control unit) may autonomously select contiguous resources in the frequency domain. The UE may select the resources according to sensing results, select the resources in a random manner, or select the resources based on other mechanisms. The other mechanisms may include a method by which another UE (e.g., a road side unit (RSU)) indicates the resources or a method by which a receiving UE indicates candidate resources. The UE may select a transmission resource on a continuous frequency resource group basis. In this case, a continuous frequency resource group is referred to as a subchannel. That is, the UE may select the transmission resource on a subchannel basis. When a plurality of subchannels are selected, contiguous subchannels may be selected. In another example, when one subchannel is mapped to physical frequency resources, one logical subchannel or a plurality of subchannels may be mapped to non-contiguous frequency resources (the control unit, UE, determines whether or not the resource pool is usable based on the terminal’s own capability). See paragraphs 0127-0131. The UE, control unit, determines the resource pool comprising component carriers and the corresponding subchannels. When a cell is related to a radio resource, the cell may be defined as a combination of DL and UL resources, i.e., a combination of DL and UL component carriers (CCs). The cell may be configured to include only DL resources or a combination of DL and UL resources. When carrier aggregation is supported, a linkage between the carrier frequency of a DL resource (or DL CC) and the carrier frequency of a UL resource (or UL CC) may be indicated by system information transmitted on a corresponding cell. The carrier frequency may be equal to or different from the center frequency of each cell or CC. See paragraphs 0044-0048.) Regarding claim 2, D1 discloses wherein the control unit determines that the resource pool is usable in a case where the capability allows use of all of the actual component carriers in which the resource pool is included (Referring to Figures 1, 2, 9, and 10, The UE (comprising a control unit) may autonomously select contiguous resources in the frequency domain (determines that the resource pool is usable in a case where the capability allows use of all of the actual cc in the resource pool is included). The UE may select the resources according to sensing results, select the resources in a random manner, or select the resources based on other mechanisms. The other mechanisms may include a method by which another UE (e.g., a road side unit (RSU)) indicates the resources or a method by which a receiving UE indicates candidate resources. The UE may select a transmission resource on a continuous frequency resource group basis. In this case, a continuous frequency resource group is referred to as a subchannel. That is, the UE may select the transmission resource on a subchannel basis. When a plurality of subchannels are selected, contiguous subchannels may be selected. In another example, when one subchannel is mapped to physical frequency resources, one logical subchannel or a plurality of subchannels may be mapped to non-contiguous frequency resources. See paragraphs 0127-0131.) Regarding claim 3, D1 discloses wherein the control unit determines that the resource pool is not usable in a case where the capability does not allow use of some of the actual component carriers in which the resource pool is included (Referring to Figures 1, 2, 9, and 10, The UE (comprising a control unit) may autonomously select resources in the frequency domain. The UE may select the resources according to sensing results, select the resources in a random manner, or select the resources based on other mechanisms. The other mechanisms may include a method by which another UE (e.g., a road side unit (RSU)) indicates the resources or a method by which a receiving UE indicates candidate resources. The UE may select a transmission resource on a continuous frequency resource group basis. In this case, a continuous frequency resource group is referred to as a subchannel. That is, the UE may select the transmission resource on a subchannel basis. When a plurality of subchannels are selected, contiguous subchannels may be selected. In another example, when one subchannel is mapped to physical frequency resources, one logical subchannel or a plurality of subchannels may be mapped to non-contiguous frequency resources (determines that the resource pool is not usable in a case where the capability does not allow use of some of the actual CC in which the resource pool is included, when a plurality of subchannels may be mapped to non-contiguous frequency resources as opposed to contiguous subchannels). See paragraphs 0127-0131.) Regarding claim 4, D1 discloses wherein the control unit determines that the resource pool is usable in a case where the capability allows use of some of the actual component carriers in which the resource pool is included (Referring to Figures 1, 2, 9, and 10, The UE (comprising a control unit) may autonomously select contiguous resources in the frequency domain (determines that the resource pool is usable in a case where the capability allows some of the actual cc in the resource pool is included). The UE may select the resources according to sensing results, select the resources in a random manner, or select the resources based on other mechanisms. The other mechanisms may include a method by which another UE (e.g., a road side unit (RSU)) indicates the resources or a method by which a receiving UE indicates candidate resources. The UE may select a transmission resource on a continuous frequency resource group basis. In this case, a continuous frequency resource group is referred to as a subchannel. That is, the UE may select the transmission resource on a subchannel basis. When a plurality of subchannels are selected, contiguous subchannels may be selected. In another example, when one subchannel is mapped to physical frequency resources, one logical subchannel or a plurality of subchannels may be mapped to non-contiguous frequency resources. See paragraphs 0127-0131.) Regarding claim 5, D1 discloses wherein the control unit determines that the resource pool is usable in a case where signal transmission and reception as well as resource reservation are performed by being confined within one of the actual component carriers (Referring to Figures 1, 2, 9, and 10, The UE (comprising a control unit) may autonomously select resources in the frequency domain. The UE may select the resources according to sensing results, select the resources in a random manner, or select the resources based on other mechanisms. The other mechanisms may include a method by which another UE (e.g., a road side unit (RSU)) indicates the resources or a method by which a receiving UE indicates candidate resources. The UE may select a transmission resource on a continuous frequency resource group basis. In this case, a continuous frequency resource group is referred to as a subchannel. That is, the UE may select the transmission resource on a subchannel basis. When a plurality of subchannels are selected, contiguous subchannels may be selected. In another example, when one subchannel is mapped to physical frequency resources, one logical subchannel or a plurality of subchannels may be mapped to non-contiguous frequency resources (determines that the resource pool is usable in a case where signal transmission and reception, reservation, are performed by being confined within one of the actual component carriers, when a plurality of subchannels may be mapped to non-contiguous frequency resources as opposed to contiguous subchannels). See paragraphs 0127-0131.) Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Hwang et al. (US 2023/0300862 A1) - The method includes receiving configuration information for a resource pool allocated for the unlicensed band, and transmitting the sidelink signal based on sub-channels included in the resource pool, wherein the sidelink signal includes at least one of a Physical Sidelink control Channel (PSCCH), a Physical Sidelink Shared Channel (PSSCH), or a Physical Sidelink Control Channel (PSFCH), and the unlicensed band includes a plurality of resource block sets, and the sub-channels are independently allocated for each of the plurality of resource block sets. Lee et al. (US 2021/0227508 A1) - Allowing the first terminal to receive control information from a base station; allowing the first terminal to select a transmission resource on the basis of the control information; and allowing the first terminal to communicate with a second terminal on the basis of the transmission resource, wherein the control information is transmitted to the first terminal and the second terminal by the base station, and the control information includes information. Kim et al. (US 2020/0275412 A1) - The method of a transmitter UE for transmitting sidelink data includes transmitting a radio resource allocation request message for requesting the allocation of a radio resource used for sidelink data transmission, receiving first radio resource information used for the sidelink data transmission and second radio resource information for sidelink data retransmission, and transmitting sidelink data based on the first radio resource information. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DONALD L MILLS whose telephone number is (571)272-3094. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday from 9-5 PM 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, Yemane Mesfin can be reached at 571-272-3927. 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. DONALD L. MILLS Primary Examiner Art Unit 2462 /Donald L Mills/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462
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Prosecution Timeline

Sep 23, 2024
Application Filed
Jul 01, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (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
95%
With Interview (+10.6%)
2y 10m (~1y 0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 949 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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