Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 18, 2026
Application No. 18/294,776

BEAM DETERMINATION FOR MULTIPLE PDSCH TRANSMISSIONS OR PUSCH TRANSMISSIONS SCHEDULED BY ONE DCI

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Feb 02, 2024
Examiner
ELMEJJARMI, ABDELILLAH
Art Unit
2462
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Lenovo (Beijing) Limited
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
305 granted / 377 resolved
+22.9% vs TC avg
Strong +28% interview lift
Without
With
+27.8%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 10m
Avg Prosecution
23 currently pending
Career history
400
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
4.2%
-35.8% vs TC avg
§103
49.3%
+9.3% vs TC avg
§102
21.3%
-18.7% vs TC avg
§112
15.4%
-24.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 377 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
DETAILED ACTION The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted are 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 18-22 and 28 are 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 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 1-3, 11, 13-15, and 23-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lee et al (US20220132545). Regarding claim 1, the cited reference Lee discloses a method performed by a User Equipment (UE) (¶0006 discloses a method of receiving a signal by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, may comprises receiving one or more physical downlink control channels (PDCCHs) each carrying downlink control information (DCI)), the method comprising: receiving a first Downlink control information (DCI) that schedules multiple Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) transmissions each of which carries one or multiple transport blocks (TBs) (¶0006 discloses receiving a signal by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, may comprises receiving one or more physical downlink control channels (PDCCHs) each carrying downlink control information (DCI) … and receiving, based the one or more PDCCHs, one or more of a plurality of physical downlink shared channels (PDSCHs). The plurality of PDSCHs can be configured to carry a same transport block (TB)), and the first DCI indicating a transmission configuration indication (TCI) or Uplink (UL) TCI state update (¶0006 receiving a signal by a user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system, may comprises receiving one or more physical downlink control channels (PDCCHs) each carrying downlink control information (DCI) including a field indicating a transmitting configuration index (TCI) state); and determining application time of the TCI or UL TCI state update indicated by the first DCI based on at least one Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource carrying HybridAutomatic Repeat Request (HARQ) - Acknowledge (ACK) information (¶0006 discloses that the UE may determine, for each TCI state, whether a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) operation is enabled or disabled, and transmit HARQ-acknowledgement (ACK) information for the same TB through a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) associated with an HARQ operation-enabled TCI state) for at least one of the TBs carried in all PDSCH transmissions scheduled by the first DCI (¶0006 discloses that the plurality of PDSCHs can be configured to carry a same transport block (TB)). Regarding claim 2, the cited reference Lee discloses all limitations of claim 1. Lee further discloses one ACK for any TB indicates an ACK for the first DCI (¶0141 discloses HARQ feedback on successful … reception of the previous DL transmission… Each HARQ process is identified by a HARQ process ID where ¶0134 discloses that HARQ process number (4 bits), which indicates the HARQ process ID (Identity) for data (e.g., PDSCH , TB)). Regarding claim 3, the cited reference Lee discloses all limitations of claim 1. Lee further discloses Negative Acknowledge (NACKs for all TBs of all PDSCH transmissions scheduled by the first DCI indicate a NACK for the first DCI (¶0141 discloses HARQ feedback on unsuccessful … reception of the previous DL transmission… Each HARQ process is identified by a HARQ process ID where ¶0134 discloses that HARQ process number (4 bits), which indicates the HARQ process ID (Identity) for data (e.g PDSCH, TB)). Regarding claim 11, the cited reference Lee discloses a User Equipment (UE) for wireless communication comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory (Fig. 15 and ¶0265) and configured to cause the UE to perform substantially the same features of the method of claim 1. Therefore, the claim is subject to the same rejection as claim 1. Regarding claim 13, the cited reference Lee discloses a base unit for wireless communication comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory (Fig. 15, ¶0264 and ¶0266) and configured to cause the base unit to perform substantially the same features of the method of claim 1. Therefore, the claim is subject to the same rejection as claim 1. Regarding claim 14, the claim is drawn to the UE performing substantially the same features of the method of claim 2. Therefore, the claim is subject to the same rejection as claim 2. Regarding claim 15, the claim is drawn to the UE performing substantially the same features of the method of claim 3. Therefore, the claim is subject to the same rejection as claim 3. Regarding claim 23, the cited reference Zhou discloses a processor for wireless communication, comprising: at least one controller coupled with at least one memory (Fig. 15, ¶0264 and ¶0266) and configured to cause the processor to perform substantially the same features of the method of claim 1. Therefore, the claim is subject to the same rejection as claim 1. Regarding claim 24, the claim is drawn to the processor performing substantially the same features of the method of claim 2. Therefore, the claim is subject to the same rejection as claim 2. Regarding claim 25, the claim is drawn to the processor performing substantially the same features of the method of claim 3. Therefore, the claim is subject to the same rejection as claim 3. Claims 1-3, 11, 13-17, and 23-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zhou et al (US20230337233). Regarding claim 1, the cited reference Zhou discloses a method performed by a User Equipment (UE) (¶0204 discloses a UE and a base station may exchange control signaling… The control signaling may comprise downlink control signaling transmitted from the base station to the UE), the method comprising: receiving a first Downlink control information (DCI) that schedules multiple Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) transmissions each of which carries one or multiple transport blocks (TBs) (¶0281 discloses a wireless device may receive a DCI during the PDCCH monitoring in a slot. The DCI may comprise a set of downlink assignments (or uplink grants) indicating a plurality PDSCH resources (or PUSCH resources) for transmission of a plurality of TBs. The DCI may schedule the plurality of TBs… Each for the plurality of TBs may be transmitted in a corresponding slot indicated by one of the PDSCH resources associated with the TB), and the first DCI indicating a transmission configuration indication (TCI) or Uplink (UL) TCI state update (¶0177 discloses the base station may indicate one or more TCI states to the UE (e.g., via a DCI)); and determining application time of the TCI or UL TCI state update indicated by the first DCI based on at least one Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) resource carrying Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) - Acknowledge (ACK) information for at least one of the TBs carried in all PDSCH transmissions scheduled by the first DCI (Fig. 33 and ¶0300 discloses that based on the receiving the plurality of TBs, the wireless device may generate a plurality of HARQ-ACK information for the plurality of TBs, each one of the plurality of HARQ-ACK information corresponding to a respective one of the plurality of TBs where ¶0301 discloses that the DCI may further comprise a PUCCH resource indicator... The PUCCH resource indicator may indicate a PUCCH resource for HARQ-ACK feedback). Regarding claim 2, the cited reference Zhou discloses all limitations of claim 1. Lee further discloses one ACK for any TB indicates an ACK for the first DCI (¶0300, ¶0302, and ¶0303 and Figs 33/34/35). Regarding claim 3, the cited reference Zhou discloses all limitations of claim 1. Zhou further discloses Negative Acknowledge (NACKs for all TBs of all PDSCH transmissions scheduled by the first DCI indicate a NACK for the first DCI (¶0300, ¶0313, and ¶0346). PNG media_image1.png 524 901 media_image1.png Greyscale Regarding claim 11, the cited reference Zhou discloses a User Equipment (UE) for wireless communication comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory (Fig. 15 and ¶0223-¶0225) and configured to cause the UE to perform substantially the same features of the method of claim 1. Therefore, the claim is subject to the same rejection as claim 1. Regarding claim 13, the cited reference Zhou discloses a base unit for wireless communication comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory (Fig. 15, ¶0264 and ¶0266) and configured to cause the base unit to perform substantially the same features of the method of claim 1. Therefore, the claim is subject to the same rejection as claim 1. Regarding claim 14, the claim is drawn to the UE performing substantially the same features of the method of claim 2. Therefore, the claim is subject to the same rejection as claim 2. Regarding claim 15, the claim is drawn to the UE performing substantially the same features of the method of claim 3. Therefore, the claim is subject to the same rejection as claim 3. Regarding claims 16 and 17, the cited reference Zhou discloses all limitations of claim 11. Zhou further discloses wherein, the at least one processor is configured to cause the UE to determine the application time of the TCI or UL TCI state update indicated by the first DCI based on a PUCCH resource carrying HARQ-ACK information including HARQ-ACK information for a last PDSCH transmission scheduled by the first DCI and an ACK for any TB of the scheduled PDSCH transmissions and wherein, the at least one processor is configured to cause the UE to determine the application time of the TCI or UL TCI state update indicated by the first DCI based on a first PUCCH resource carrying an ACK for any TB of any PDSCH transmission scheduled by the first DCI (¶0296 discloses that a wireless device may receive a DCI scheduling a plurality of TBs via a plurality of PDSCHs in multiple slots, wherein the DCI comprises a PDSCH-to-HARQ feedback timing indicator indicating a value of K1 and the multiple slots start in slot x+1 and end in slot x+N…the wireless device may transmit, via a first PUCCH resource, a first HARQ-ACK for a first TB of the plurality of TBs at a first slot (slot x+1+K1) determined based on a value of K1 and slot x+1 on which the first TB is received. The wireless device may transmit, via a second PUCCH resource, a second HARQ-ACK for a second TB of the plurality of TBs at a second slot (slot x+2+K1) determined based on K1 and slot x+2 on which the second TB is received where the first slot (slot x+1+K1) is interpreted as the first PUCCH resource and the second slot (slot x+2+K1) is interpreted as the last PUCCH resource if only two TBs (i.e. two PDSCHs) are sent in DCI). Regarding claim 23, the cited reference Zhou discloses a processor for wireless communication, comprising: at least one controller coupled with at least one memory (Fig. 15 and ¶0223-¶0225) and configured to cause the processor to perform substantially the same features of the method of claim 1. Therefore, the claim is subject to the same rejection as claim 1. Regarding claim 24, the claim is drawn to the processor performing substantially the same features of the method of claim 2. Therefore, the claim is subject to the same rejection as claim 2. Regarding claim 25, the claim is drawn to the processor performing substantially the same features of the method of claim 3. Therefore, the claim is subject to the same rejection as claim 3. Regarding claims 26 and 27, the claims are drawn to the processor performing substantially the same features of the method performed by the UE of claims 16 and 17 respectively. Therefore, the claim is subject to the same rejection as claims 16 and 17 respectively. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ABDELILLAH ELMEJJARMI whose telephone number is (571)270-1656. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri: 8AM-5PM EST. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Yemane Mesfin can be reached on (571)272-3927. 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 the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. Respectfully submitted, /ABDELILLAH ELMEJJARMI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462
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Prosecution Timeline

Feb 02, 2024
Application Filed
Apr 01, 2026
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
81%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+27.8%)
2y 10m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 377 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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