Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/890,759

ELECTRONIC APPARATUS USING USB TYPE-C PORT AND COMPATIBILITY ABNORMAL ELIMINATION METHOD THEREOF

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Sep 20, 2024
Priority
Jun 04, 2024 — TW 113120692
Examiner
PANDEY, KESHAB R
Art Unit
2176
Tech Center
2100 — Computer Architecture & Software
Assignee
Acer Incorporated
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
88%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
7m
Est. Remaining
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 88% — above average
88%
Career Allowance Rate
324 granted / 370 resolved
+32.6% vs TC avg
Moderate +8% lift
Without
With
+8.4%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 5m
Avg Prosecution
16 currently pending
Career history
381
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
4.7%
-35.3% vs TC avg
§103
69.3%
+29.3% vs TC avg
§102
12.8%
-27.2% vs TC avg
§112
7.3%
-32.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 370 resolved cases

Office Action

§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 § 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) 1,7-8, 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vajravel [10394722], in view of Narendran [8554215] As to claim 1, Vajravel [10394722] An electronic apparatus, using a USB Type-C port, comprising: a USB Type-C port; a processor [summary, col. 6, line 15-20: “computer program products for managing Alt-Mode interfaces of a USB Type-C device”]; and a power delivery controller [col. 8, line 47: 52: : “The on-board controller of USB Type-C device 440 will respond with a listing of the supported alternate modes. In accordance with the UCSI, each supported alternate mode will be defined by the combination of a 16 bit Standard or Vendor ID (SVID) and a 32 bit Mode ID (MID) ” controller is equivalent to power controller and col. 8, line 11-15: “USB Type-C driver 381b will perform while initializing a USB Type-C device 440 whether it is locally connected or redirected. As represented in step 1a, as part of the initialization process, USB Type-C driver 381b will query USB Type-C device 440 for its supported alternate modes. In accordance with the UCSI, this can be accomplished using the GET_ALTERNATE_MODES command. In a Windows implementation, USB Type-C driver 381b can issue the GET_ALTERNATE_MODES command by calling the IoBuildDeviceIoControlRequest function to create a device control request 401 having an I/O control code (IOCTL) of IOCTL_ACPI_EVAL_METHOD ”] sending a mode request of a first transmission protocol to the processor in response to receiving a first protocol mode message sent by an external apparatus via the USB Type-C port, wherein the external apparatus supports the first transmission protocol and a second transmission protocol [summary col 6, line 27-32: “Upon completion of a device control request that includes a command to obtain supported alternate modes of the USB Type-C device, the filter driver evaluates a response to the command. The filter driver determines that the response identifies one or more alternate modes that the USB Type-C device supports. For each alternate mode that the USB Type-C device supports, the filter driver determines whether the alternate mode is allowed ” and col. 1, line 10-15: “Alt-Mode references the fact that the pins can be used to implement non-USB (i.e., alternate) protocols such as DisplayPort and Thunderbolt 3 between the host and the device. ” and col. 5, line 26-32: “The USB interfaces of USB Type-C devices can be redirected in much the same manner as described above. However, even when the USB interfaces are redirected, the Alt-Mode interfaces are kept local. FIG. 3 illustrates an example of the client-side architecture that would exist when a USB Type-C device is redirected to server 104.”], the power delivery controller executes a second configuration procedure of the second transmission protocol according to a notification signal, so as to communicate with the external apparatus according to the second transmission protocol [col. 5, line 60-67: “When a USB Type-C device is connected locally or redirected to a computing device, the USB Type-C device will be initialized on the computing device. As part of this initialization, USB Type-C driver 381b will initiate requests for determining which alternate modes the USB Type-C device supports in accordance with the UCSI. If the USB Type-C device supports any alternate modes, USB Type-C driver 381b will report these modes so that the operating system or other components on the computing device can employ them to communicate with the USB Type-C device” col. 5, line 28-32: “FIG. 3 illustrates an example of the client-side architecture that would exist when a USB Type-C device is redirected to server 104. ”- requesting with alternate mode is equivalent to signal]. Further teaches selecting the requested protocol, which bypasses first protocol. But it does not explicitly teach omitting the protocol However, Narendran [8554215] teaches omits a first configuration procedure of the first transmission protocol and [ col. 17, line 53 -57: “when an access terminal operating in an idle state sends an EVDO access request to its serving base station, the AT will determine (or will have previously determined) whether its serving base station is macro-type base station or a micro-type base station. If the serving base station is a macro-type base station, the AT will generate and transmit an access request according to protocol convention for EVDO; i.e., an access request that omits the AT's IMSI. If, instead, the serving base station is a micro-type base a femtocell (or other micro-type base station), the AT will generate and transmit an EVDO access request that includes the AT's unique IMSI. Advantageously, this will allow the receiving femtocell to establish a uniquely-identified A10/A11 connection with a PDSN, and thereby eliminate possible IMSI collision. When sending a 1X-RTT access request, the AT will operate according to protocol convention, since 1X-RTT access requests include the IMSI.”] It would have been obvious to person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine teaching of Vajravel and Narendran because both are directed toward accessing using interface. Furthermore, Narendran improves upon teaching of Vajravel by being able to transmit the data using new requested protocol and omitting previous such that the data can be efficiently transmitted using designated protocol without any issue. As to claim 7, Vajravel teaches 7. The electronic apparatus using the USB Type-C port of claim 1, wherein the first transmission protocol is a Thunderbolt protocol, and the second transmission protocol is a USB protocol [col. 1, line 10-15: “Alt-Mode references the fact that the pins can be used to implement non-USB (i.e., alternate) protocols such as DisplayPort and Thunderbolt 3 between the host and the device. ”] As to claim 8, Combination of Vajravel and Narendran teach this claim according to the reasoning set forth in claim 1 supra. As to claim 14, Combination of Vajravel and Narendran teach this claim according to the reasoning set forth in claim 7 supra. Allowable Subject Matter Claim 2-6, 9-13 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 KESHAB R PANDEY whose telephone number is (571)270-0176. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00-5:00(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, Jaweed Abbaszadeh can be reached at (571) 270-1640. 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. /KESHAB R PANDEY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2176
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Prosecution Timeline

Sep 20, 2024
Application Filed
Apr 09, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §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
88%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+8.4%)
2y 5m (~7m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 370 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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