Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/293,163

TERMINAL, RADIO COMMUNICATION METHOD, AND BASE STATION

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Jan 29, 2024
Examiner
SOROWAR, GOLAM
Art Unit
2641
Tech Center
2600 — Communications
Assignee
NTT Docomo Inc.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
81%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 10m
To Grant
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 81% — above average
81%
Career Allow Rate
709 granted / 875 resolved
+19.0% vs TC avg
Strong +18% interview lift
Without
With
+18.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 10m
Avg Prosecution
52 currently pending
Career history
927
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
2.4%
-37.6% vs TC avg
§103
53.4%
+13.4% vs TC avg
§102
21.6%
-18.4% vs TC avg
§112
12.5%
-27.5% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 875 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 . Response to Amendment This action is in response to the Preliminary Amendment filed 0n 07/07/2025. Claims 7-11 are pending. Specification The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. The following title is suggested: PROVIDING A TERMINAL, A RADIO COMMUNICATION METHOD, AND A BASE STATION THAT PERFORM TRANSMISSION POWER CONTROL FOR A UL CHANNEL/SIGNAL. 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 person shall be entitled to a patent unless – (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 7-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being (a)(2) by anticipated Nilsson et al. (US 20240259950, hereinafter “Nilsson”). Regarding claim 7, Nilsson discloses, A terminal comprising: a receiver that receives: configuration information regarding a list of uplink (UL) transmission configuration indication (TCI) states ([0052]-[0054: To facilitate UL beam selection for UEs equipped with multiple panels, a unified TCI framework for UL fast panel selection is to be evaluated and introduced in NR Rel-17. Similar to DL, where TCI states are used to indicate DL beams/TRPs, TCI states may also be used to select UL panels and beams used for UL transmissions (i.e., PUSCH, PUCCH, and SRS)..…[0071]: the information is comprised explicitly in a list or other data structure that provides mappings between the two or more power control states and the two or more TCI states and Fig. 13 and Fig. 14 explicit UL TCI state associations); a first set of transmission power control (TPC) parameters for a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) ([0030]-[0035]: describes PUSCH power control parameter…[[0162]: describes power control state IE per UL channel. Fig. 11 shows single IE covering all UL channels and Fig. 12 shows per UL channel power control state IE); a second set of TPC parameters for a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) ([0036]-[0037]: describes PUCCH power (P0, closed loop index)..[0168]: US applies PUCCH-specific power control state when triggered. Fig. 14 shows PUCCH spatial relation and Fig. 15 shows PUCCH configures points to power control state); and a third set of TPC parameters for a sounding reference signal ([0027]-[0029]: describes SRS power control parameters..[0168]-[0169]: SRS configuration IE pointing to power control state and Fig. 15 and Fig. shows SRS configuration IE), the first set, the second set, and the third set corresponding for each UL TCI state ID configured by the configuration information (above citations describes First set of TPC parameters for PUSCH; second set of TPC parameter for PUCCH and third set of TPC parameters for SRS); and a processor that controls PUCCH transmission power, based on the configuration information and the second set ([0054] describes UE performs UL transmission based on associations..[0074]-[0075] describes UE applies power control state for UL transmission..[0168]: when a UE is triggered with PUCCH transmission, the UE applies the power control parameters included in the power control state indicated in PUCCH Config IE (i.e., Power control state ID 2 in the example of FIG. 15).) Regarding claim 8, Nilsson discloses, wherein the first set (first set = PUSCH power control parameters, per claim dependency) includes: a parameter regarding P0; a parameter regarding α; and a parameter regarding a closed loop index ([0031]: “For dynamically scheduled PUSCH... a UE is configured by RRC with a list of P0-PUSCH-Alpha sets...” and “Each SRI-PUSCH-PowerControl IE consists of a ... closed-loop index, and a PO-PUSCH-AlphaSet...” [0030]-[0035]: PUSCH open-loop and closed-loop power control equations explicitly include: PO, α (fractional pathloss compensation factor) closed-loop index. FIG. 6; Illustrates PUSCH-specific power control configuration, including PO-PUSCH-Alpha sets and closed-loop index. ), and the second set (second set = PUCCH power control parameters) includes: a parameter regarding P0; and a parameter regarding a closed loop index ([0036]-[0037]: “For PUCCH, P0= P0,nominal_PUCCH + P0, UE_PUCCH and α= 1...”…. For closed loop power adjustment for PUCCH, up to two control loops may be configured.) [0068]-[0070]: the information comprises configuration of one or more identifiers of one or more power control states in the configuration is applicable to PUCCH and Fig. 4 shows PUCCH spatial relation IE including P0 selection and closed-loop index), and does not include a parameter regarding α (with respect to the second set/ PUCCH. The exclusion of α from PUCCH power control is explicitly supported: [0036): “For PUCCH... α = 1” This means: α is fixed, not configurable, and not included as a selectable parameter in the PUCCH power control set. In contrast: α is explicitly configurable for PUSCH via PO-PUSCH-Alpha sets see, [0031] and FIG. 6). Regarding claim 9, Nilsson discloses, A radio communication method for a terminal, comprising receiving: configuration information regarding a list of uplink (UL) transmission configuration indication (TCI) states ([0052]-[0054: To facilitate UL beam selection for UEs equipped with multiple panels, a unified TCI framework for UL fast panel selection is to be evaluated and introduced in NR Rel-17. Similar to DL, where TCI states are used to indicate DL beams/TRPs, TCI states may also be used to select UL panels and beams used for UL transmissions (i.e., PUSCH, PUCCH, and SRS)..…[0071]: the information is comprised explicitly in a list or other data structure that provides mappings between the two or more power control states and the two or more TCI states and Fig. 13 and Fig. 14 explicit UL TCI state associations); a first set of transmission power control (TPC) parameters for a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) ([0030]-[0035]: describes PUSCH power control parameter…[[0162]: describes power control state IE per UL channel. Fig. 11 shows single IE covering all UL channels and Fig. 12 shows per UL channel power control state IE); a second set of TPC parameters for a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) ([0036]-[0037]: describes PUCCH power (P0, closed loop index)..[0168]: US applies PUCCH-specific power control state when triggered. Fig. 14 shows PUCCH spatial relation and Fig. 15 shows PUCCH configures points to power control state); and a third set of TPC parameters for a sounding reference signal ([0027]-[0029]: describes SRS power control parameters..[0168]-[0169]: SRS configuration IE pointing to power control state and Fig. 15 and Fig. shows SRS configuration IE), the first set, the second set, and the third set corresponding for each UL TCI state ID configured by the configuration information (above citations describes First set of TPC parameters for PUSCH; second set of TPC parameter for PUCCH and third set of TPC parameters for SRS); and controlling PUCCH transmission power, based on the configuration information and the second set ([0054] describes UE performs UL transmission based on associations..[0074]-[0075] describes UE applies power control state for UL transmission..[0168]: when a UE is triggered with PUCCH transmission, the UE applies the power control parameters included in the power control state indicated in PUCCH Config IE (i.e., Power control state ID 2 in the example of FIG. 15).) Regarding claim 10, Nilsson discloses, A base station comprising: a transmitter that transmits: configuration information regarding a list of uplink (UL) transmission configuration indication (TCI) states ([0052]-[0054: To facilitate UL beam selection for UEs equipped with multiple panels, a unified TCI framework for UL fast panel selection is to be evaluated and introduced in NR Rel-17. Similar to DL, where TCI states are used to indicate DL beams/TRPs, TCI states may also be used to select UL panels and beams used for UL transmissions (i.e., PUSCH, PUCCH, and SRS)..…[0071]: the information is comprised explicitly in a list or other data structure that provides mappings between the two or more power control states and the two or more TCI states and Fig. 13 and Fig. 14 explicit UL TCI state associations); a first set of transmission power control (TPC) parameters for a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) ([0030]-[0035]: describes PUSCH power control parameter…[[0162]: describes power control state IE per UL channel. Fig. 11 shows single IE covering all UL channels and Fig. 12 shows per UL channel power control state IE); a second set of TPC parameters for a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) ([0036]-[0037]: describes PUCCH power (P0, closed loop index)..[0168]: US applies PUCCH-specific power control state when triggered. Fig. 14 shows PUCCH spatial relation and Fig. 15 shows PUCCH configures points to power control state); and a third set of TPC parameters for a sounding reference signal ([0027]-[0029]: describes SRS power control parameters..[0168]-[0169]: SRS configuration IE pointing to power control state and Fig. 15 and Fig. shows SRS configuration IE), the first set, the second set, and the third set corresponding for each UL TCI state ID configured by the configuration information (above citations describes First set of TPC parameters for PUSCH; second set of TPC parameter for PUCCH and third set of TPC parameters for SRS); and a processor that indicates PUCCH transmission power, using on the configuration information and the second set ([0054] describes UE performs UL transmission based on associations..[0074]-[0075] describes UE applies power control state for UL transmission..[0168]: when a UE is triggered with PUCCH transmission, the UE applies the power control parameters included in the power control state indicated in PUCCH Config IE (i.e., Power control state ID 2 in the example of FIG. 15).) Regarding claim 11, Nilsson discloses, A system comprising a base station and a terminal (FIG. 10 illustrates one example of a cellular communications system 1000), wherein the base station comprising: a transmitter that transmits: configuration information regarding a list of uplink (UL) transmission configuration indication (TCI) states ([0052]-[0054: To facilitate UL beam selection for UEs equipped with multiple panels, a unified TCI framework for UL fast panel selection is to be evaluated and introduced in NR Rel-17. Similar to DL, where TCI states are used to indicate DL beams/TRPs, TCI states may also be used to select UL panels and beams used for UL transmissions (i.e., PUSCH, PUCCH, and SRS)..…[0071]: the information is comprised explicitly in a list or other data structure that provides mappings between the two or more power control states and the two or more TCI states and Fig. 13 and Fig. 14 explicit UL TCI state associations); a first set of transmission power control (TPC) parameters for a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) ([0030]-[0035]: describes PUSCH power control parameter…[[0162]: describes power control state IE per UL channel. Fig. 11 shows single IE covering all UL channels and Fig. 12 shows per UL channel power control state IE); a second set of TPC parameters for a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) ([0036]-[0037]: describes PUCCH power (P0, closed loop index)..[0168]: US applies PUCCH-specific power control state when triggered. Fig. 14 shows PUCCH spatial relation and Fig. 15 shows PUCCH configures points to power control state); and a third set of TPC parameters for a sounding reference signal ([0027]-[0029]: describes SRS power control parameters..[0168]-[0169]: SRS configuration IE pointing to power control state and Fig. 15 and Fig. shows SRS configuration IE), the first set, the second set, and the third set corresponding for each UL TCI state ID configured by the configuration information (above citations describes First set of TPC parameters for PUSCH; second set of TPC parameter for PUCCH and third set of TPC parameters for SRS); and the terminal comprising: a receiver that receives: the configuration information ([0052]-[0054: To facilitate UL beam selection for UEs equipped with multiple panels, a unified TCI framework for UL fast panel selection is to be evaluated and introduced in NR Rel-17. Similar to DL, where TCI states are used to indicate DL beams/TRPs, TCI states may also be used to select UL panels and beams used for UL transmissions (i.e., PUSCH, PUCCH, and SRS)..…[0071]: the information is comprised explicitly in a list or other data structure that provides mappings between the two or more power control states and the two or more TCI states and Fig. 13 and Fig. 14 explicit UL TCI state associations); the first set, the second set, and the third set (above citations describes First set of TPC parameters for PUSCH; second set of TPC parameter for PUCCH and third set of TPC parameters for SRS); and a processor that controls PUCCH transmission power, based on the configuration information and the second set ([0054] describes UE performs UL transmission based on associations..[0074]-[0075] describes UE applies power control state for UL transmission..[0168]: when a UE is triggered with PUCCH transmission, the UE applies the power control parameters included in the power control state indicated in PUCCH Config IE (i.e., Power control state ID 2 in the example of FIG. 15).) Prior Art of the Record: The prior art made of record not relied upon and considered pertinent to Applicant’s disclosure: US 11902910: Methods and apparatuses for power control of multiple uplink transmissions. A method for operating a user equipment includes receiving information for first parameters and for second parameters, determining a first power for a first channel with a first spatial setting to a first reception point of a serving cell using the first parameters, and determining a second power for a second channel with a second spatial setting to a second reception point of the serving cell using the second parameters. US 20230254854: A wireless device may communicate with a base station by using overlapping transmissions. A transmission such as a power headroom report may be multiplexed in a repetition of a transmission such as a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) transmission. A rule may be applied to indicate/determine a value/parameter associated with a transmission. For example, the rule may be used to indicate/determine a value of a power headroom report that may indicate a pathloss reference signal used to determine the power headroom report. US 20230141329: A method according to an embodiment of the present application may include: receiving a mapping pattern and a configuration of a plurality of power control parameter sets for a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) transmission, which is configured to be transmitted in a plurality of time intervals repeatedly; receiving a downlink control information (DCI) for scheduling the PUSCH transmission, wherein the DCI includes a sounding reference signal resource indicator (SRI) field. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GOLAM SOROWAR whose telephone number is (571)270-3761. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri: 8:30AM-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, Charles Appiah can be reached at (571) 272-7904. 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. /GOLAM SOROWAR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2641
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Prosecution Timeline

Jan 29, 2024
Application Filed
Jan 05, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102
Mar 30, 2026
Response Filed
Mar 30, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action

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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
81%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+18.1%)
2y 10m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 875 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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