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`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`17/294,330
`
`05/14/2021
`
`Rojan CHITRAKAR
`
`733456.641USPC
`
`5779
`
`Seed IP Law Group LLP/Panasonic (PIPCA)
`701 5th Avenue, Suite 5400
`Seattle, WA 98104
`
`VAN, JENKEY
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`ART UNIT
`
`2477
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`01/26/2024
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above-indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e-mail address(es):
`USPTOeAction @ SeedIP.com
`
`pairlinkdktg @seedip.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`17/294,330
`CHITRAKAR etal.
`
`Office Action Summary Art Unit|AIA (FITF)StatusExaminer
`JENKEY VAN
`2477
`Yes
`
`
`
`-- The MAILING DATEof this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORYPERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensionsof time may be available underthe provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply betimely filed after SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing
`date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, evenif timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`
`
`1) Responsive to communication(s) filed on 01/12/2024.
`C} A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
`2a)[¥) This action is FINAL.
`2b) (J This action is non-final.
`3) An election was madeby the applicant in responseto a restriction requirement set forth during the interview
`on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`4)(2) Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`20-33 is/are pending in the application.
`)
`Claim(s)
`5a) Of the above claim(s) _ is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`C} Claim(s)__ is/are allowed.
`Claim(s) 20-33 is/are rejected.
`(] Claim(s)__ is/are objectedto.
`C] Claim(s
`are subjectto restriction and/or election requirement
`)
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you maybeeligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPHfeedback@uspto.gov.
`
`) ) ) )
`
`Application Papers
`10) The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)0) The drawing(s) filedon__ is/are: a)(J accepted or b)( objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121(d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12)7) Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d)or (f).
`Certified copies:
`c)Z None ofthe:
`b)() Some**
`a)C All
`1.1.) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.2) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.1.) Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been receivedin this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`*“ See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1)
`
`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`2) (J Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3)
`
`4)
`
`(LJ Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`(Qj Other:
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20240122
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 2
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`Notice of Pre-AlA or AIA Status
`
`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013,
`
`is being examined
`
`underthefirst inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
`
`Acknowledgement is made of amendmentfiled on 01/12/2024. The
`
`amendments of Applicant are entered and have been considered by Examiner. Claims
`
`20-33 were previously pending. Claims 20, 27 have been amended. Claims 20-33 are
`
`currently pending.
`
`Response to Arguments
`
`Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 20-33 have been considered but
`
`are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on new prior art applied for
`
`any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
`
`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 madein this Office action:
`
`A person shall be entitled to a patent unless —
`
`(a)(1) the claimed invention waspatented, described in a printed publication, orin public use,
`on sale, or otherwise available to the public beforethe effectivefiling date of the claimed
`invention.
`
`Claim(s) 20-24, 27-31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being
`
`anticipated by US 2018/0205502 Aji to Merlin et al. (hereinafter “Merlin”)
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 3
`
`Regarding Claim 20, Merlin teaches A multi-band transmitter device
`
`comprising: (Figure 9 and [0114], discloses a wireless device 905 that supports multi-
`
`link BA management)
`
`a transmitter which, (Figure 9 and [0114], discloses wireless device 905
`
`comprising transmitter 920) in operation, transmits to a multi-band recipient device
`
`a plurality of MAC layer Protocol Data Units (MPDUs) over a plurality of frequency
`
`bandsto whicha Traffic Identifier (TID) is mapped; ([0045], discloses in some cases
`
`(e.g., for single link operation) each link may be associated with a unique transmitter
`
`address (TA), or a unique receiver (RA), or a unique (TID), or a combination of unique
`
`TA, RA, and/or TID. However, in some wireless communications systems supporting
`
`multi-link operation, each TID may be aggregated across multiple links. Figure 7 and
`
`[0098]-[0103], discloses a wireless device 705-a may format data into MPDUs and
`
`transmit the data units to wireless device 705-b via multiple links and multiple MAC
`
`entities) and
`
`a receiver (Figure 9 and [0114], discloses wireless device 905 comprising
`
`receiver 910) which, in operation, receives on a first frequency band a multi-band
`
`block ack frame indicating reception statuses of the plurality of MPDUs
`
`transmitted over the plurality of frequency bands, ([0103]-[0104], discloses At 730,
`
`wireless device 705-b may transmit one or more BAs(i.e. multi-oand block ack frame
`
`indicating reception statuses) in response to the transmissions received at 725.
`
`In some
`
`examples, the BAs received by wireless device 705-a at 730 may be received over one
`
`(e.g., a first) wireless link (i.e. receiving the multi-band block ack frame onafirst
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 4
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`frequency band) and the BAs maybe associated with data units sent, by the wireless
`
`device 705-a at 725, over both thefirst and second wireless links (i.e. MPDUs
`
`transmitted over the plurality of frequency bands)) wherein
`
`the receiver, in operation, receives a per-band block ack frameindicating a
`
`reception status of one or more MPDUs transmitted ona single frequency band
`
`among theplurality of frequency bands.
`
`([0005], discloses, a BA agreement may be
`
`established on a per-link basis. For example, a BA agreement mayestablish a
`
`transmitter address (TA), receiver address (RA), and/ortraffic identifier (TID) for one or
`
`moreindicated links. [0070], further discloses Further, additional SN sets may be used
`
`(e.g., on a per-link basis) in addition to a global SN set.
`
`In such cases, both a global
`
`scoreboard as well as per-link scoreboards may be maintained by a transmitting device.
`
`MPDUs maythuscarry both a per-link SN as well as a global SN (e.g., which may both
`
`be carried in a multi-link or enhanced MAC header). On each link, BAs may be used to
`
`acknowledge MPDUs basedonthe per-link SN. Scoreboarding may be maintained ona
`
`per-link basis (e.g., acting on the per-link SN, instead of the global SN) and single link
`
`BA mechanisms may be reused. [0085], further discloses FIG. 4 mayillustrate per-link
`
`(e.g., local) scoreboard management for multi-link BA procedures. For example, lower
`
`MAC layers 425 may handle processing and management of SNs identified in per-link
`
`BAsreceived (receiving a per-band block ack frame))
`
`Regarding Claim 21, Merlin teaches The multi-band transmitter device of
`
`Claim 20, wherein a single multi-band block ack agreementis established for the
`
`TID by exchanging an Add Block Ack (ADDBA) Request frame and an Add Block
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 5
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`Ack (ADDBA)Response frame on an enabled frequency band.
`
`([0045], discloses a
`
`BA agreement may beset up or established on a per TID basis. For example, an add
`
`BA (ADDBA) frame may be per <RA, TA> and per TID (e.g., per access category).
`
`However, in some wireless communications systems supporting multi-link operation,
`
`each TID may be aggregated across multiple links. Therefore, if each aggregated TID is
`
`associated with acommon BA agreement across multiple links, predefined mapping
`
`between <TA, RA, TID> and the BA agreement may beviolated (e.g., in cases where
`
`each link keeps a unique <TA, RA>). Thus, a BA agreement
`
`(i.e. single multi-oand
`
`block ack agreement) may establish a TA, RA, and/or TID for one or moreindicated
`
`links)
`
`Regarding Claim 22, Merlin teaches The multi-band transmitter device of
`
`Claim 20, wherein the receiver, in operation, receives a per-band Block Ack frame
`
`that indicates a reception status of a subset of the plurality of MPDUs received on
`
`a different frequency band. ([0059], discloses a BA agreement maybe established on
`
`a per-link basis. BAs may then be transmitted on one link or on multiple links by the
`
`receiving device. [0067], further discloses A receiving device may send multiple
`
`SU/single-TID BAsin order to span the extended multi-link BA window. The multiple
`
`SU/single-TID BAs may be sent on a same channel (e.g., a designated channel) or may
`
`be sent individually on any of the channels. [0071]. Further discloses some links 205
`
`may be reserved for uplink only or downlink only communication.
`
`In such examples STA
`
`115-a may receive downlink communications via links supporting downlink
`
`communications (e.g., including link 205-a), and may pass ACK information (e.g.,
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 6
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`received SNs) to other lower MACentities (e.g., associated with link 205-b) which may
`
`accumulate and transmit the associated BAsto the transmitting device (e.g., AP 105-a)
`
`[0074], further discloses selecting stable links for BA transmission and using weaklinks
`
`for data transmissions)
`
`Regarding Claim 23, Merlin teaches The multi-band transmitter device of
`
`Claim 20, wherein the plurality of MPDUsare transmitted on anyof the plurality of
`
`frequency bandsto which the TIDis mapped.
`
`([0045], discloses in some wireless
`
`communications systems supporting multi-link operation, each TID may be aggregated
`
`across multiple links. [0006], further discloses In cases where the BA agreementis
`
`established across multiple links, a transmitting device (e.g., a device transmitting
`
`packets or data units and receiving subsequent BAs) may assign each of the data units
`
`one of asingle set of sequence numbers (SNs) (e.g., a global set of SNs), and the data
`
`units may be sent overany of the wirelesslinks)
`
`Regarding Claim 24, Merlin teaches The multi-band transmitter device of
`
`Claim 20, wherein, in response to receiving the multi-band block ack frame that
`
`indicates failure of reception of a first MPDU transmitted on the first frequency
`
`band, the transmitter retransmits the first MPDU on a second frequency band
`
`different from the first frequency band.
`
`([0078], discloses The upper MAClayer 315
`
`may additionally or alternatively provide a single BA space (e.g., a single BA scoreboard
`
`and sequence space) such that MPDUs may be scheduled dynamically on a per-PPDU
`
`basis for each link (e.g., such that a given MPDU mayberetransmitted on a different
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 7
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`link from that on which it wasoriginally transmitted). [0097], further discloses As an
`
`example, each MPDU maybeassociated with one or more BAs. As shownin FIG. 6A,
`
`MPDU 4 (e.g., MPDU associated with Link 2 SN valueof ‘2’) and MPDU 5 (e.g., MPDU
`
`associated with Link 2 SN value of ‘2’, having Global SN value of ‘5’) may be
`
`unsuccessfully transmitted. FIG. 6Billustrates local or per-link scoreboard mapping to
`
`the global scoreboard mapping. For example, an MPDU with a local SN of ‘2’ may be
`
`indicated as unsuccessfully received on Link 2 via a BA. The transmitting device may
`
`map the value to a global scoreboard, and identify the fourth transmitted MPDU (e.g.,
`
`MPDU associated with global SN value of ‘4’) was unsuccessfully transmitted. As such,
`
`the transmitting device may transmit the fourth MPDU on anotherlink (e.g., ‘Link 1’).
`
`Further, the retransmitted MPDU with a local SN of ‘3’ maybeindicated as successfully
`
`received on Link 1 viaa BA. The transmitting device may mapthe value to a global
`
`scoreboard, and identify the fourth transmitted MPDU (e.g., MPDU associated with
`
`global SN ‘4’) was successfully retransmitted)
`
`Regarding Claim 27, Merlin teaches A communication methodfor a multi-
`
`band transmitter device, the communication method comprising:
`
`transmitting to a multi-band recipient device a plurality of MAC layer
`
`Protocol Data Units (MPDUs) over a plurality of frequency bands to which a
`
`Traffic Identifier (TID) is mapped; ([0045], discloses in some cases(e.g., for single
`
`link operation) each link may be associated with a unique transmitter address (TA), ora
`
`unique receiver (RA), or a unique (TID), or a combination of unique TA, RA, and/or TID.
`
`However, in some wireless communications systems supporting multi-link operation,
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 8
`
`each TID may be aggregated across multiple links. Figure 7 and [0098]-[0103],
`
`discloses a wireless device 705-a may format data into MPDUs andtransmit the data
`
`units to wireless device 705-b via multiple links and multiple MACentities)
`
`receiving on a first frequency band a multi-band block ack frameindicating
`
`reception statuses of the plurality of MPDUs transmitted overthe plurality of
`
`frequency bands; and ((0103]-[0104], discloses At 730, wireless device 705-b may
`
`transmit one or more BAs(i.e. multi-band block ack frame indicating reception statuses)
`
`in response to the transmissions received at 725. In some examples, the BAs received
`
`by wireless device 705-a at 730 maybe received overone(e.g., a first) wireless link
`
`(i.e. receiving the multi-band block ack frame ona first frequency band) and the BAs
`
`may be associated with data units sent, by the wireless device 705-a at 725, over both
`
`the first and second wireless links (i.e. MPDUs transmitted over the plurality of
`
`frequency bands))
`
`receiving a per-band block ack frame indicating a reception status of one
`
`or more MPDUs transmitted onasingle frequency band among theplurality of
`
`frequency bands.
`
`([0005], discloses, a BA agreement may be established on a per-
`
`link basis. For example, a BA agreement may establish a transmitter address (TA),
`
`receiver address (RA), and/or traffic identifier (TID) for one or more indicated links.
`
`[0070], further discloses Further, additional SN sets may be used (e.g., on a per-link
`
`basis) in addition to a global SN set. In such cases, both a global scoreboard as well as
`
`per-link scoreboards may be maintained by a transmitting device. MPDUs maythus
`
`carry both a per-link SN as well as a global SN (e.g., which may both be carried in a
`
`multi-link or enhanced MAC header). On each link, BAs may be used to acknowledge
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 9
`
`MPDUs based on the per-link SN. Scoreboarding may be maintained on a per-link basis
`
`(e.g., acting on the per-link SN, instead of the global SN) and single link BA
`
`mechanisms may be reused. [0085], further discloses FIG. 4 mayillustrate per-link
`
`(e.g., local) scoreboard management for multi-link BA procedures. For example, lower
`
`MAC layers 425 may handle processing and management of SNs identified in per-link
`
`BAsreceived (receiving a per-band block ack frame))
`
`Claims 28-31 are rejected for having the samelimitations as claims 21-24,
`
`respectively, except the claims are in method format.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 10
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
`
`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis forall
`
`obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
`
`A patent fora claimed invention may notbe obtained, notwithstanding thatthe claimed
`invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the
`claimed invention and the prior artare such that the claimed invention as a whole would have
`been obvious beforethe effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having
`ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall notbe
`negated by the mannerin whichthe invention was made.
`
`The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness
`
`under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized asfollows:
`
`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.
`
`Claim(s) 25 and 32 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable
`
`over Merlin in view of US 2021/0176019 A1 to Wang etal. (hereinafter “Wang’)
`
`Regarding Claim 25, Merlin teaches The multi-band transmitter device of
`
`Claim 20, wherein the transmitter, in operation, transmits a multi-band block ack
`
`requestframe ((0058], discloses transmitting device transmits a block
`
`acknowledgement request)
`
`Merlin does not explicitly teach the multi-band block ack request frame includes
`
`one or more per-band information fields, each of the one or more per-band
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 11
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`information fields comprising a TID field for indicating the TID for which the multi-
`
`band block ack responseis requested.
`
`However, in a similar field of endeavor, Wang discloses in [0005], a multi-band
`
`transmission method is provided, including: receiving, by a receive end, data packets in
`
`parallel from a transmit end using M frequency bands, wherethe data packets carried in
`
`the M frequency bands belong to a same traffic stream, and M is an integer greater than
`
`1; receiving, by the receive end, a block acknowledgment request (BAR) from the
`
`transmit end, where the BAR carries a starting sequence number (SSN), the BAR is
`
`used to request a receiving state of a data packet sent by the transmit end on the mth
`
`frequency band, and the mth frequency bandis any frequency band in the M frequency
`
`bands;
`
`Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill
`
`in the art before the
`
`effectivefiling date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Alpert to include
`
`the abovelimitations as suggested by Wang, to improve transmission efficiency of
`
`service data of a service using multi-band parallel transmission as indicated in [0004] of
`
`Wang.
`
`Claim 32 is rejected for having the samelimitations as claim 25, except the
`
`claim is in method format.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 12
`
`Claim(s) 26 and 33 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable
`
`over Merlin in view of US 2007/0002810 A‘ to Trainin et al. (hereinafter “Trainin’)
`
`Regarding Claim 26, Merlin teaches The multi-band transmitter device of
`
`Claim 20, wherein Merlin does not explicitly teach a single reordering buffer is
`
`maintained for each set of a MAC addressof the multi-band recipient device and
`
`the TID.
`
`However, in a similar field of endeavor, Trainin discloses in [0041],
`
`In next
`
`transmit opportunity 504, originator 510 starts to send data frames 530, 532 and 534 to
`
`RA1 and TID 2. Recipient 550 receives only frame 534, as shown, frames 530 and 532
`
`are not received. At this point, recipient 550 recognizes that the TID (TID2) differs from
`
`the former (TID1) and therefore resets the memoryallocated for bitmap 552 and starts
`
`the new bitmap 552 related to new TID2 in the same location. The BAR-BA exchange
`
`behavior of originator 510 and recipient 550 may be the same as described for TID1. In
`
`one embodiment, originator 510 has separate resources for bitmap 514, as well as for
`
`actual data frames per RA/TID; recipient 550 has separate reordering buffers 556 for
`
`data frames per TA/TID, but may include only single shared resourcefor bitmap 552.
`
`Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill
`
`in the art before the
`
`effectivefiling date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Merlin to include
`
`the abovelimitations as suggested by Trainin, thus enabling releasing of frames to
`
`upper layers and freeing related buffers, to reduce storage requirements of a recipient
`
`station as indicated in [0017] and [0044] of Trainin.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 13
`
`Claim 33 is rejected for having the samelimitations as claim 26, except the
`
`claim is in method format.
`
`Conclusion
`
`Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in
`
`this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP
`
`§ 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37
`
`CFR 1.136(a).
`
`A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE
`
`MONTHS from the mailing date of this action.
`
`In the event a first reply is filed within
`
`TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not
`
`mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTHshortened statutory period, then the
`
`shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any
`
`extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of
`
`the advisory action.
`
`Inno event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later
`
`than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
`
`Anyinquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to JENKEY VAN whosetelephone numberis (571)270-
`
`7160. The examiner can normally be reached Monday- Friday 9am - 5pm.
`
`Examinerinterviews are available via telephone,
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`in-person, and video
`
`conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an
`
`interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO AutomatedInterview Request
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`(AIR) at http:/Avwww.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/294,330
`Art Unit: 2477
`
`Page 14
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's
`
`supervisor, Chirag Shah can be reached on (571)272-3144. The fax phone numberfor
`
`the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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`Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be
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`obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Centeris
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`available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center,
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`visit: httos://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-
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