Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 17, 2026
Application No. 18/905,989

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OBTAINING A TIMING USING A NETWORK TIME PROTOCOL AND A SYSTEM FRAME NUMBER

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Oct 03, 2024
Examiner
LI, GUANG W
Art Unit
2478
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Verizon Communications Inc.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
78%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 6m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 78% — above average
78%
Career Allowance Rate
505 granted / 647 resolved
+20.1% vs TC avg
Strong +24% interview lift
Without
With
+24.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 4m
Avg Prosecution
23 currently pending
Career history
676
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
5.8%
-34.2% vs TC avg
§103
49.7%
+9.7% vs TC avg
§102
20.7%
-19.3% vs TC avg
§112
16.7%
-23.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 647 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
DETAILED ACTION Claims 1-20 are pending in this application. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . Oath/Declaration The applicant’s oath/declaration has been reviewed by the examiner and is found to conform to the requirements prescribed in 37 C.F.R. 1.63. Drawings The applicant’s drawings submitted are acceptable for examination purposes. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action: (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. Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Corley et al. (US 2019/0289561 A1). Regarding claim 1, Corley teaches a method, comprising: receiving, by a device, a synchronization signal (UE receives reference timing (corresponding synchronization signal) from base station at 1302 see Corley: Fig.13; ¶[0109]); synchronizing, by the device, with a wireless communication network based on the synchronization signal (UE synchronizing based in reference signal and continues refreshed the save timing information at step 1306 see Corley: ¶[0111]) , wherein the device is associated with a radio frame based on the synchronization signal, and the radio frame is associated with a system frame number (UE synchronization with timing fingering database entry 1200 which includes SFN-DFN offset 1216 see Corley: Fig.12; ¶[0094-0095]); receiving, by the device, a time reference associated with a network time protocol (NTP) ( the UE may receive a GNSS synchronization reference signal from a GPS satellite while being camped on a base station see Corley: ¶[0109]; Fig.13 step 1308); and obtaining, by the device, a timing based on the SFN and the NTP (UE SCI message include timing based on SFN-DFN offset and current DFN timing information “In block 1318, the UE uses the SFN-DFN offset and derives current DFN timing information and attempts to decode a sidelink control information (SCI) 1 message” see Corley: Fig.13A step 1318; ¶[0116]). Regarding claim 2, Corley taught the method of claim 1 as described hereinabove. Corley further teaches wherein the SFN is set according to a global positioning system (GPS) time, and wherein the GPS time is based on the time reference associated with the NTP (DFN is based on SFN, where SFN normalizing for time differences “If the cumulative Tuncertainty during GNSS being in a fade condition is <±5 msec during the GNSS fade condition, the DFN of the UE can be calculated using the base station SFN # normalizing for timing advance (TA) differences between the time that the subject timing fingerprint is generated and saved and the current time” see Corley: ¶[0107]). Regarding claim 3, Corley taught the method of claim 2 as described hereinabove. Corley further teaches wherein the GPS time is estimated based on the SFN and an unknown positive integer, representing an ambiguity in a number of SFN cycles that have elapsed since a GPS time zero (GNSSunc timing based on SFN-DFN offset and quality of the GPS signals “The term GNSSunc refers to a timing uncertainty associated with the current GPS-provided timing that the UE decodes from a satellite signal. The GNSSunc value is determined based on the quality of the GPS signal, the number of satellites from which the GNSS time is obtained, etc. The term Tunc_MAX refers to the 12*Ts error limit mentioned above” see Corley: ¶[0112]). Regarding claim 4, Corley taught the method of claim 3 as described hereinabove. Corley further comprising: determining, by the device, an estimated GPS time at an SFN boundary from the SFN in accordance with the SFN and the unknown positive integer representing the ambiguity in the number of SFN cycles that have elapsed since the GPS time zero (GNSS timing estimated at time period 1446 and SFN-DFN offset when camped on each cell see Corley: ¶[0121]; Fig.14) Regarding claim 5, Corley taught the method of claim 4 as described hereinabove. Corley further comprising: calculating, by the device, the unknown positive integer representing the ambiguity, for a current SFN cycle, based on an estimated GPS time at an SFN = 0 boundary from the NTP (compute GNSS time and SFN-DFN offset from camped cell based on timing fingerprint offset and correction for timing advance see Corley: ¶[0121]; Fig.14). Regarding claim 6, Corley taught the method of claim 5 as described hereinabove. Corley further comprising: calculating, by the device, a time difference between the estimated GPS time at the SFN boundary from the SFN and the estimated GPS time at the SFN = 0 boundary from the NTP, wherein the time difference is associated with the timing based on the SFN and the NTP (compute GNSS time and SFN-DFN offset from camped cell based on timing fingerprint offset and correction for timing advance see Corley: ¶[0121]; Fig.14). Regarding claim 7, Corley taught the method of claim 6 as described hereinabove. Corley further comprising: updating, by the device, a system time based on the time difference, wherein a synchronization of the device with the wireless communication network is based on the time difference (In block 1324, the UE continues V2X communications using the estimated GNSS timing to communicate sidelink data and other timing inconsistency between fingerprinted time and current time at block 1314 see Corley: Fig.13A-13B). Regarding claim 8, Corley taught the method of claim 6 as described hereinabove. Corley further comprising: providing, by the device, the time difference to an application running on the device (provide time delta to vehicles see Corley: ¶0161-0162]; Fig.15). Regarding claim 9, Corley taught the method of claim 1 as described hereinabove. Corley further teaches wherein the synchronization signal is a primary synchronization signal (PSS), a secondary synchronization signal (SSS), or a physical broadcast channel (PBCH) signal (UE performs synchronization source selection based on primary sidelink synchronization signal/secondary sidelink synchronization signal (PSSS/SSSS) and physical sidelink broadcast channel (PSBCH) demodulation see Corley: ¶[0091]). Regarding claim 10, Corley taught the method of claim 1 as described hereinabove. Corley further teaches wherein the wireless communication network is a time division duplexing (TDD)-based wireless communication network (OFDM is used on the DL and SC-FDMA is used on the UL to support both frequency division duplex (FDD) and time division duplex (TDD) see Corley: ¶[0039]). Regarding claims 11-19, they are rejected for the same reason as claims 1-9 as set forth hereinabove. Regarding claims 11-19, they recite a device (see Corley: Figs.7-9) that perform the same functionalities as method of claim 1 as described hereinabove. Regarding claim 20, claim 20 is rejected for the same reason as claim 1 as set forth hereinabove. Regarding claim 20, claim 20 recites a non-transitory computer-readable medium (see Corley: Figs.7-9) that perform the same functionalities as method of claim 1 as described hereinabove. Conclusion Prior art made of record, but not relied upon includes: 永井 (JP-6438993-B2); (Note: Google Patent translation see attachment). Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GUANG W LI whose telephone number is (571)270-1897. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Thursday 7AM-5PMET. 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, Joseph Avellino can be reached on (571) 272-3905. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see https://ppair-my.uspto.gov/pair/PrivatePair. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. GUANG W. LI Primary Examiner Art Unit 2478 July 20, 2026 /GUANG W LI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Oct 03, 2024
Application Filed
Jul 22, 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
78%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+24.0%)
3y 4m (~1y 6m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 647 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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