Prosecution Insights
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Application No. 18/290,983

SIMULTANEOUS UNIFIED TCI STATE UPDATE FOR A GROUP OF CELLS

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Jan 22, 2024
Priority
Jul 23, 2021 — nonprovisional of PCTCN2021108127
Examiner
ASRES, HERMON
Art Unit
2449
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Lenovo (Beijing) Limited
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
80%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
8m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 80% — above average
80%
Career Allowance Rate
297 granted / 371 resolved
+22.1% vs TC avg
Strong +19% interview lift
Without
With
+19.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 0m
Avg Prosecution
11 currently pending
Career history
392
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
2.5%
-37.5% vs TC avg
§103
80.6%
+40.6% vs TC avg
§102
14.2%
-25.8% vs TC avg
§112
1.2%
-38.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 371 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . DETAILED ACTION Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01/22/2024 and 02/20/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Allowable Subject Matter Claim 18-19, 21, 23-26, 29, 32 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. 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 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. Claims 16, 17, 20, 22, 27-31, and 33-35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zhou et al. (USPGPub 2022/0217751). As per claim 16, Zhou teaches a user equipment (UE) configured with a unified transmission configuration indicator (TCI) framework, (Zhou, see paragraph [0006], configuration indicator (TCI) state indication to a user equipment (UE)) comprising: a processor; (Zhou, see paragraph [0097], one or more processors 720) and a memory coupled with the processor, the processor configured to cause the UE to: receive a configuration of one or more component carrier (CC) lists, wherein simultaneous TCI state update is supported for all CCs in each CC list (Zhou, see paragraph [0005], receiving a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state indication from a network, wherein the TCI state indication comprises at least one common multi-channel TCI state. Also see paragraph [0084], a common TCI state application time, in some cases, the beam indication(s) may include a common TCI state indication to be applied to all indicated CCs) receive, for a CC list, an indication of common TCI state in one CC in the CC list to update TCI states of all CCs in the CC list, wherein TCI state ID(s) are included in an indication of common TCI state; (Zhou, see paragraph [0006], a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state indication to a user equipment (UE), wherein the TCI state indication comprises at least one common multi-channel TCI state and configuring a TCI state application time for the at least one common multi-channel TCI state based on one or more factors. Also see paragraph [0087], if the single CC belongs to a radio resource control (RRC) configured CC list, the TCI state indication (and beam indication) carried by the DCI may be applied to all CCs in that list. For example, when the single component carrier is associated with a RRC component carrier list) determine, for the CC list, an application time of the common TCI state, wherein the application time is based on a reference subcarrier spacing (SCS) (Zhou, see paragraph [0094], application time may be determined by a fixed rule while satisfying the largest TCI state application time among the individual TCI state application times for the different subsets of channel(s) and/or RS(s). In other words, in some cases, the TCI state application time is determined by a rule and is at least as long as the maximum channel-specific TCI state application time associated with a plurality of channels. Also see paragraph [0223], a subband may cover multiple RBs. NR may support a base subcarrier spacing (SCS) of 15 KHz and other SCS may be defined with respect to the base SCS (e.g., 30 kHz, 60 kHz, 120 kHz, 240 kHz) and apply the TCI state ID(s) included in the indication of common TCI state to all of CCs in the CC list after the determined application time (Zhou, see paragraph [0084], the TCI state application time is configured to be the same for the plurality of component carriers. In some cases, the TCI state application time may be configured for only a subset of the plurality of component carriers). As per claim 17, Zhou teaches the UE of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the UE to: receive a configuration of a reference CC in a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) configuration when the reference CC is not configured with a TCI state pool (Zhou, see paragraph [0065], for example, a UE-specific or non-UE specific PDCCH, PDSCH, PUCCH, and/or PUSCH. In some cases, the PDSCH/PUCCH/PUSCH target channels may be dynamically scheduled by DCI, semi-statically activated by DCI or MAC-CE). As per claim 20, Zhou teaches wherein one reference CC is configured for each CC list. (Zhou, see paragraph [0087], if the single CC belongs to a radio resource control (RRC) configured CC list, the TCI state indication (and beam indication) carried by the DCI). As per claim 22, [Rejection rational for claim 20 is applicable]. As per claim 27, Zhou teaches a base unite (Zhou, see paragraph [0006], a base station (BS)) comprising a processor; (Zhou, see paragraph [0097], one or more processors 720) and a memory coupled with the processor, the processor configured to cause the base unit to: transmit a configuration of one or more component carrier (CC) lists, wherein a simultaneous transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state update is supported for all CCs in each CC list; (Zhou, see paragraph [0005], receiving a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state indication from a network, the TCI state indication comprises at least one common multi-channel TCI state. Also see paragraph [0084], a common TCI state application time, in some cases, the beam indication(s) may include a common TCI state indication to be applied to all indicated CCs) wherein transmit, for a CC list, an indication of common TCI state in one CC in the CC list to update TCI states of all CCs in the CC list, wherein TCI state ID(s) are included in an indication of common TCI state; (Zhou, see paragraph [0084], the TCI state application time is configured to be the same for the plurality of component carriers. In some cases, the TCI state application time may be configured for only a subset of the plurality of component carriers). and determine, for the CC list, an application time of the common TCI state, wherein the application time is based on a reference subcarrier spacing (SCS). (Zhou, see paragraph [0094], application time may be determined by a fixed rule while satisfying the largest TCI state application time among the individual TCI state application times for the different subsets of channel(s) and/or RS(s). In other words, in some cases, the TCI state application time is determined by a rule and is at least as long as the maximum channel-specific TCI state application time associated with a plurality of channels. Also see paragraph [0223], a subband may cover multiple RBs. NR may support a base subcarrier spacing (SCS) of 15 KHz and other SCS may be defined with respect to the base SCS (e.g., 30 kHz, 60 kHz, 120 kHz, 240 kHz). As per claim 28, Zhou teaches the base unit of claim 27, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the base unit transmit a configuration of a reference CC in a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) configuration when the reference CC is not configured with a TCI state pool (PDSCH) configuration when the reference CC is not configured with a TCI state pool (Zhou, see paragraph [0065], for example, a UE-specific or non-UE specific PDCCH, PDSCH, PUCCH, and/or PUSCH. In some cases, the PDSCH/PUCCH/PUSCH target channels may be dynamically scheduled by DCI, semi-statically activated by DCI or MAC-CE). As per claim 29, [Rejection rational for claim 16 is applicable]. As per claim 30, Zhou teaches the processor of claim 29, wherein the controller is further configured to cause the processor to: receive a configuration of a reference CC in a Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) configuration when the reference CC is not configured with a TCI state pool. (PDSCH) configuration when the reference CC is not configured with a TCI state pool (Zhou, see paragraph [0065], for example, a UE-specific or non-UE specific PDCCH, PDSCH, PUCCH, and/or PUSCH. In some cases, the PDSCH/PUCCH/PUSCH target channels may be dynamically scheduled by DCI, semi-statically activated by DCI or MAC-CE). As per claim 31, and 33 [Rejection rational for claim 16 is applicable]. As per claim 34 and 35 [Rejection rational for claim 16 is applicable]. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HERMON ASRES whose telephone number is (571)272-4257. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 9AM to 5PM. 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, Vivek Srivastava can be reached at (571)272-7304. 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. /HERMON ASRES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2449
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jan 22, 2024
Application Filed
May 20, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12641321
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR LIVE MULTICASTING PERFORMANCES TO DEVICES
3y 6m to grant Granted May 26, 2026
Patent 12641007
OUT-OF-BAND SIGNALING AND ENERGY CONSUMPTION BASED ROUTING
3y 5m to grant Granted May 26, 2026
Patent 12641019
Circuit Style Segment Routing Policies with Compressed SID List
2y 4m to grant Granted May 26, 2026
Patent 12634258
INTERNET INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEM AND METHOD
10m to grant Granted May 19, 2026
Patent 12621224
Abstracting Network Traffic as Video for Representation Learning
3y 2m to grant Granted May 05, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

Strategy Recommendation AI-generated — please review before filing

Get a prosecution strategy drawn from examiner precedents, rejection analysis, and claim mapping.
Typically takes 5-10 seconds — AI-generated, attorney review required before filing

Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
80%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+19.2%)
3y 0m (~8m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 371 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

Sign in with your work email

Enter your email to receive a magic link. No password needed.

Personal email addresses (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.) are not accepted.

Free tier: 3 strategy analyses per month