Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/270,144

WIRELESS DEVICE, FIRST NODE, AND METHODS PERFORMED THEREBY, FOR HANDLING A FIRST INDICATION

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Jun 28, 2023
Examiner
NGUYEN, PHUONGCHAU BA
Art Unit
2464
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ)
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
89%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 10m
To Grant
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 89% — above average
89%
Career Allow Rate
665 granted / 749 resolved
+30.8% vs TC avg
Strong +16% interview lift
Without
With
+15.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 10m
Avg Prosecution
26 currently pending
Career history
775
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
11.1%
-28.9% vs TC avg
§103
32.0%
-8.0% vs TC avg
§102
25.8%
-14.2% vs TC avg
§112
19.1%
-20.9% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 749 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . Election/Restrictions Claims 4-16 & 36-48 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species B1-D1, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 10-7-25. -It is suggested that the claim identifier of claim 43 should be changed from “Currently Amended” to ---Withdrawn (Currently Amended)--- -Note that claims 17-32 & 49-64 had been canceled in this election. Applicant’s election without traverse of Species A1 of claims 1-3 & 33-35 in the reply filed on 10-7-25 is acknowledged. Priority Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application, PCT/EP2022/050937 filed 1-18-22, which has Provisional Application 63/138,560 filed 1-18-21, under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 6-28-23. The submissions are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, these information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner. Drawings The drawings were received on 6-28-23. These drawings are acceptable. Specification The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status. 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. (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) 1-3 & 33-35 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1-2) as being anticipated by Zhu (US 2022/0140878 A1). Regarding Claim 1. A method performed by a wireless device, the method being for handling a first indication, the wireless device operating in a wireless communications network, the method comprising: obtaining a first indication {Zhu: UE obtains CSI resource setting A “comprising of two CSI-RS resource sets each corresponding to a TRP ({CMR #1, CMR #2, CMR #3, CMR #4, CMR #5} for TRP-1 and ({CMR #6, CMR #7, CMR #8, CMR #9, CMR #10”} for TRP-2), ¶0309} indicating that non-group based reporting is to be applied to any setting comprising the first indication, wherein the setting indicates how to report, to a respective node {Zhu: TRP1 & TRP 2}, information on one or more respective reference signals to be received from the respective node {Zhu: UE reporting CSI reporting setting 1 to TRP1 and CSI reporting setting 2 to TRP2}, wherein the reference signals use one or more respective beams of the respective node {Zhu: CSI resource setting A comprising beams CMR1-CMR5 for TRP1 & CMR6-CMR10 for TRP2}, wherein the respective node is comprised in a plurality of nodes comprising a first node and at least a second node {Zhu: TRP 1 & TRP 2} {Zhu (US 2022/0140878 A1): Fig.22 & ¶0309 wherein “the UE is configured by the network a single CSI resource setting (CSI resource setting A) comprising of two CSI-RS resource sets each corresponding to a TRP ({CMR #1, CMR #2, CMR #3, CMR #4, CMR #5} for TRP-1 and ({CMR #6, CMR #7, CMR #8, CMR #9, CMR #10} for TRP-2)”; In other words, UE-Fig.22 obtains CSI resource setting A of beams CMR#1-CMR#5 & beams CMR6-CMR#10 and reports CSI reporting setting I (CRI#1, CRI#8} & setting II (CRI#3, CRI#10) to the TRPs 1 & 2, respectively}, performing measurements on the one or more respective signals received from the respective nodes {Zhu (US 2022/0140878 A1): Fig.22 & ¶0308 wherein the wireless device UE inherently measures the received signals from each TRP then generating a report to the respective TRP, emphasis added}, and sending, based on the first indication, a non-group based report to the first node (Zhu: TRP1) {Zhu: Fig.22 & ¶0310 wherein “the UE determines two groups/pairs of CRIs {CRI #1, CRI #8} and {CRI #3, CRI #10}, and reports/sends them in a reporting instances according to CSI reporting setting I to TRP1}, the report {Zhu: CSI reporting setting 1 in Fig.22} comprising measurements on one or more first respective reference signals received from the first node {Zhu: ¶0310 wherein “That is, TRP-1 would obtain the two groups/pairs of CRIs {CRI #1, CRI #8} and {CRI #3, CRI #10} reported from the UE without backhaul coordination”}, and based on the same first indication {Zhu: CSI resource setting A} sending another non-group based report {Zhu: CSI reporting setting 2 in Fig.22} to the second node (Zhu: TRP2) {Zhu: Fig.22 & ¶0310 wherein “the UE determines two groups/pairs of CRIs {CRI #1, CRI #8} and {CRI #3, CRI #10}, and reports/sends them in a reporting instances according to CSI reporting setting 2 to TRP2}, the another non-group based report comprising measurements on one or more second respective reference signals received from the second node {Zhu: ¶310 wherein “That is, TRP-2 would obtain the two groups/pairs of CRIs {CRI #1, CRI #8} and {CRI #3, CRI #10} reported from the UE without backhaul coordination”} {Zhu (US 2022/0140878 A1): Fig.22 & ¶0310 wherein “the UE determines two groups/pairs of CRIs {CRI #1, CRI #8} and {CRI #3, CRI #10}, and reports/sends them in two separate reporting instances according to CSI reporting setting I and CSI reporting setting II, respectively to TRP1 & TRP2. That is, both TRP-1 and TRP-2 would obtain the two groups/pairs of CRIs {CRI #1, CRI #8} and {CRI #3, CRI #10} reported from the UE without backhaul coordination”, see also ¶0311-¶0348 and Fig.23 wherein UE transmit different report of the measurement of the received signal from each TRP to the respective TRPs (e.g. TRP-1 and TRP-2), ¶0350-¶0353}. Regarding Claim 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein each beam corresponds to a respective spatial filtering configuration of the respective node {Zhu (US 2022/0140878 A1): Fig.23 & ¶0351 wherein “As the UE could simultaneously receive CMR #1 from TRP-1 and CMR #8 from TRP-2 using either a single RX spatial filter/panel or multiple RX spatial filters/panels, the UE would report CRI #1 to TRP-1 according to CSI reporting setting I, and CRI #8 to TRP-2 according to CSI reporting setting II. The UE could indicate to the network that CSI reporting I and CSI reporting II (and therefore, the reporting instances configured therein) are associated”; In other words, the beam received from each TRP corresponding to a respective spatial filters, emphasis added}. Regarding Claim 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the first indication indicates that the wireless device is to ensure that the respective reference signals to be received, the respective reference signals using the respective spatial filtering configurations, are enabled to be received in the same time resources from the respective nodes, by the wireless device {Zhu (US 2022/0140878 A1): Fig.20 & ¶0301-¶0302 wherein “the UE could use their RX panel 1 to simultaneously receive CMR #4 and CMR #5 from TRP-1, and their RX panel 2 to simultaneously (the claimed same time resources) receive CMR #7 and CMR #8 from TRP-2”; Fig.22 & ¶0312 wherein “the UE is expected to simultaneously receive the beams/resources corresponding to the resource indicators such as SSBRIs/CRIs reported in separate associated reporting instances (corresponding to separate associated CSI-report's/CSI reporting settings) using either a single RX spatial filter/panel or multiple RX spatial filters/panels” and also ¶0341, ¶0343, ¶0345; and Fig.23 & ¶0351 wherein “As the UE could simultaneously (the claimed same time resources) receive CMR #1 from TRP-1 and CMR #8 from TRP-2 using either a single RX spatial filter/panel or multiple RX spatial filters/panels, the UE would report CRI #1 to TRP-1 according to CSI reporting setting I, and CRI #8 to TRP-2 according to CSI reporting setting II.”}. Regarding Claim 33. -Claim 33 is rejected with the same reasons as set forth in claim 1. A wireless device, for handling a first indication, the wireless device being configured to operate in a wireless communications network, the wireless device being further configured to: obtain a first indication configured to indicate that non-group based reporting is to be applied to any setting comprising the first indication, wherein the setting is configured to indicate how to report, to a respective node, information on one or more respective reference signals configured to be received from the respective node, wherein the reference signals are configured to use one or more respective beams of the respective node, wherein the respective node is configured to be comprised in a plurality of nodes configured to comprise a first node and at least a second node, perform measurements on the one or more respective signals configured to be received from the respective nodes, and send, based on the first indication, a non-group based report to the first node, the report being configured to comprise measurements on one or more first respective reference signals configured to be received from the first node, and based on the same first indication, send another non-group based report to the second node, the another non-group based report being configured to comprise measurements on one or more second respective reference signals configured to be received from the second node. Regarding Claim 34. The wireless device according to claim 33, wherein each beam is configured to correspond to a respective spatial filtering configuration of the respective node. -Claim 34 is rejected with the same reasons as set forth in claims 1-2 & 33. Regarding Claim 35. The wireless device according to claim 34, wherein the first indication is configured to indicate that the wireless device is to ensure that the respective reference signals configured to be received, the respective reference signals being configured to use the respective spatial filtering configurations, are enabled to be received in the same time resources from the respective nodes, by the wireless device. -Claim 35 is rejected with the same reasons as set forth in claims 1-3 & 33-34. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Park (US 20230269032 A1) discloses a method and an apparatus therefor, the method comprising the steps of: receiving control information for deactivating hybrid automatic repeat and request (HARQ) feedback; receiving a downlink signal on the basis of the HARQ feedback being deactivated; and transmitting, as channel state information (CSI), information on whether or not the downlink signal has been successfully decoded on the basis of a preset time point {Figs.5, 15-16}. Zhang (US 20200228297 A1) discloses a channel quality information reporting method, a terminal device, and a network device. The reporting method includes: receiving, by a terminal device, a first reference signal and a second reference signal that are sent by a network device; receiving, by the terminal device, first indication information sent by the network device, where the first indication information includes a quasi co-location (QCL) assumption relationship between the second reference signal and the first reference signal; and reporting, by the terminal device, second channel quality information to the network device based on the QCL assumption relationship, where the second channel quality information is channel quality information for the second reference signal. According to this application, resource overheads for reporting channel quality information can be reduced {Figs.1-3}. Hakola (US 20230403591 A1) discloses a method comprising receiving a message at a user equipment (UE) from a base station (BS) the message including a constraint threshold, receiving a message at the UE from the BS the message including a fallback beam reporting mode, performing by the UE downlink (DL) reference signal (RS) measurements, determining by the UE a difference between DL RS measurements, and in response to determining the difference between DL RS measurements is not less than the constraint threshold switch to the fallback beam reporting mode {Figs.2c-8}. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHUONGCHAU BA NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571) 272-3148. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 7:30 AM -5:30 PM. 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, RICKY NGO can be reached at 571-272-3139. 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. /PHUONGCHAU BA NGUYEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2464
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Prosecution Timeline

Jun 28, 2023
Application Filed
Dec 04, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §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
89%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+15.9%)
2y 10m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 749 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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