Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 25, 2026
Application No. 18/074,434

SPACE-FREQUENCY PRECODING FOR HYBRID FREQUENCY MULTI-HOP LINKS WITH LINE-OF-SIGHT MULTIPLE-INPUT AND MULTIPLE-OUTPUT ON AN INTERMEDIATE HOP

Non-Final OA §112
Filed
Dec 02, 2022
Examiner
DAVIS, CHRISTOPHER RYAN
Art Unit
2476
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Qualcomm Incorporated
OA Round
3 (Non-Final)
69%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 69% — above average
69%
Career Allowance Rate
25 granted / 36 resolved
+11.4% vs TC avg
Strong +36% interview lift
Without
With
+35.8%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 3m
Avg Prosecution
34 currently pending
Career history
70
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.7%
-38.3% vs TC avg
§103
45.6%
+5.6% vs TC avg
§102
30.7%
-9.3% vs TC avg
§112
19.7%
-20.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 36 resolved cases

Office Action

§112
DETAILED ACTION A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant’s submission filed on 1/2/2026 has been entered. SPECIFICATION The specification is objected to because The amendment filed 1/2/2026 is objected to under 35 U.S.C. 132 (a) because it introduces new matter into the disclosure. 35 U.S.C. 132(a) states that no amendment shall introduce new matter into the disclosure of the invention. The added material which is not supported by the original disclosure is as follows: Amendment to [0157], [0169], [0187], and [0195] changes “virtual data streams” to “spatial ports and virtual ports” which is different from and broader than the original disclosure. The original disclosure does not define or treat these terms as equivalents. For instance, [0061] states: “The component 198 may also be configured to receive a signal from a repeater comprising data precoded based on a space-frequency precoding scheme across a plurality of spatial ports and virtual ports and to derive separate virtual data streams by applying space-frequency MMSE combining of the received signal across multiple reception ports.” CLAIM REJECTIONS — 35 U.S.C. 112 The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(a): (a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention Claims 1-11 and 31-48 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. Independent claim 1 as amended recites “wherein the space-frequency precoding scheme is based on a representation of a first channel response over the first frequency and a second channel response over the second frequency.” Independent claims 31 and 42 as amended recite similar limitations. On page 12 of the Remarks Applicant stated “Support for the amendment can be found throughout the application as-filed, such as paragraphs [0l10]-[0112] of the specification as-filed.” However, the Examiner cannot find support for these amendments in those paragraphs of the specification as-filed (or as published) nor in the remainder of the disclosure. For instance, the term “channel response” does not appear in the specification. The phrase “response” only appears three times in the Specification and only in the context of discussing something being “in response to” something else. Furthermore, the phrase “representation” appears in the specification with respect to signals and virtual ports (see [0018], [0108], [0116], and [0118]) but not a “representation of a first channel response” as claimed. Independent claim 1 recites “the second frequency corresponds to a second frequency bandwidth between the repeater and an additional wireless device.” Independent claims 31 and 42 as amended recite similar limitations. On page 12 of the Remarks Applicant stated “Support for the amendment can be found throughout the application as-filed, such as paragraphs [0l10]-[0112] of the specification as-filed.” However, the Examiner cannot find support for these amendments in those paragraphs of the specification as-filed (or as published) nor in the remainder of the disclosure. For instance, the disclosure does not describe the “second frequency” as corresponding to a bandwidth between a repeated and “an additional wireless device.” While paragraphs [0159] and [0249] describe forwarding space-frequency precoded data to an additional wireless device, no portion of the specification disclosed “the second frequency corresponds to a second frequency bandwidth between the repeater and an additional wireless device.” Dependent claims 2-11, 32-41, and 43-48 are rejected by virtue of their dependency. RESPONSE TO ARGUMENTS The Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 1/2/2026, with respect to the rejections under §103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejections of the claims under §103 have been withdrawn. CONCLUSION Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Christopher Davis whose telephone number is 703-756-1832. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri from 11AM to 7PM ET. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ayaz Sheikh, can be reached at telephone number 571-272-3795. 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 Patent Center. Status information for published applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Patent Center to authorized users only. Should you have questions about access to the USPTO patent electronic filing system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). Examiner interviews are available via a variety of formats see MPEP § 713.01. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) Form at https://www.uspto.gov/InterviewPractice. /C.R.D./ Examiner, Art Unit 2476 /AYAZ R SHEIKH/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2476
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Prosecution Timeline

Dec 02, 2022
Application Filed
May 28, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §112
Sep 04, 2025
Response Filed
Oct 31, 2025
Final Rejection — §112
Jan 02, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Jan 15, 2026
Request for Continued Examination
Jan 24, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Mar 24, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §112 (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

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
69%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+35.8%)
3y 3m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 36 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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