Office Action Predictor
Last updated: April 15, 2026
Application No. 18/329,291

PILOT TRANSMISSION METHOD AND APPARATUS, NETWORK SIDE DEVICE, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Jun 05, 2023
Examiner
VAN ROIE, JUSTIN T
Art Unit
2469
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Vivo Mobile Communication Co., LTD.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
83%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 7m
To Grant
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 83% — above average
83%
Career Allow Rate
285 granted / 345 resolved
+24.6% vs TC avg
Strong +41% interview lift
Without
With
+40.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 7m
Avg Prosecution
45 currently pending
Career history
390
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
2.0%
-38.0% vs TC avg
§103
44.6%
+4.6% vs TC avg
§102
24.6%
-15.4% vs TC avg
§112
17.5%
-22.5% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 345 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 . 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. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statements (IDS) were submitted on 5 June 2023 and 15 August 2024. The submissions are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner. Priority Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. 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. 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)(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. Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lenovo et al. 3GPP R1-1801819 “Remaining issues on CSI-RS” (hereinafter referred to as “Lenovo”). Note: Lenovo was cited by the applicant in the IDS received 15 August 2024. As to claim 1, Lenovo teaches a pilot transmission method, wherein the method comprises: performing, by a network side device, orthogonal processing on a pilot base sequence, and determining pilots corresponding to a plurality of antenna ports (§§1-2: apply OCC to CSI-RS sequence, and the CSI-RSs are for ports 0-3); and mapping, by the network side device, the pilots corresponding to the plurality of antenna ports to a pilot resource block, wherein a pilot corresponding to one antenna port is mapped to one pilot resource block (§§1-2: map CSI-RS ports to resource elements of CSI-RS PRB). As to claim 2, Lenovo teaches the pilot transmission method according to claim 1, wherein the performing, by a network side device, orthogonal processing on a pilot base sequence comprises: performing, by the network side device, orthogonal processing on pilot base sequences of the plurality of antenna ports based on an orthogonal coverage code (§§1-2). As to claim 3, Lenovo teaches the pilot transmission method according to claim 2, wherein pilot base sequences used by antenna ports mapped to a same pilot resource block are the same, and pilot base sequences used by antenna ports mapped to different pilot resource blocks are different; and the performing, by the network side device, orthogonal processing on pilot base sequences of the plurality of antenna ports based on an orthogonal coverage code comprises: performing, by the network side device based on different orthogonal coverage codes, orthogonal processing on the pilot base sequences used by the antenna ports mapped to the same pilot resource block (§§1-2). As to claim 4, Lenovo teaches the pilot transmission method according to claim 2, wherein pilot base sequences used by antenna ports mapped to a same pilot resource block are different; and the performing, by the network side device, orthogonal processing on pilot base sequences of the plurality of antenna ports based on an orthogonal coverage code comprises: performing, by the network side device based on different orthogonal coverage codes, orthogonal processing on the pilot base sequences used by the antenna ports mapped to the same pilot resource block; or performing, by the network side device based on a same orthogonal coverage code, orthogonal processing on the pilot base sequences used by the antenna ports mapped to the same pilot resource block (§§1-2). As to claim 5, Lenovo teaches the pilot transmission method according to claim 2, wherein pilot base sequences used by antenna ports mapped to a same pilot resource block are different; and the method further comprises: not performing, by the network side device, orthogonal processing on the pilot base sequences used by the antenna ports mapped to the same pilot resource block (§§1-2). As to claim 6, Lenovo teaches the pilot transmission method according to claim 2, wherein the performing, by the network side device, orthogonal processing on pilot base sequences of the plurality of antenna ports based on an orthogonal coverage code comprises: performing, by the network side device, one-dimensional orthogonal processing on the pilot base sequences of the plurality of antenna ports based on the orthogonal coverage code (§§1-2). As to claim 7, Lenovo teaches the pilot transmission method according to claim 6, wherein the performing, by the network side device, one-dimensional orthogonal processing on the pilot base sequences of the plurality of antenna ports comprises: for a target antenna port in the plurality of antenna ports, obtaining, by the network side device, a first orthogonal coverage code corresponding to the target antenna port; modulating, by the network side device, a pilot base sequence of the target antenna port based on a length L of the first orthogonal coverage code, to generate a first pilot sequence of length M; and performing, by the network side device, dot multiplication on the first pilot sequence and a first target orthogonal coverage code of length M, wherein the first target orthogonal coverage code comprises n first orthogonal coverage codes, wherein M=n×L and n≥1; or wherein the performing, by the network side device, one-dimensional orthogonal processing on the pilot base sequences comprises: for a target antenna port in the plurality of antenna ports, obtaining, by the network side device, a second orthogonal coverage code corresponding to the target antenna port; modulating, by the network side device, a pilot base sequence of the target antenna port based on a length P of the second orthogonal coverage code, to generate a second pilot sequence corresponding to the target antenna port, wherein the second pilot sequence comprises one or more second pilot subsequences of length Q; and sequentially performing, by the network side device, dot multiplication on the plurality of second pilot subsequences and a second target orthogonal coverage code of length Q, wherein the second target orthogonal coverage code comprises r second orthogonal coverage codes, wherein Q=r×P and r≥1 (§§1-2). As to claim 8, Lenovo teaches the pilot transmission method according to claim 7, wherein in a case that RE resources of second pilot subsequences of different second pilot sequences are orthogonal in a delay-Doppler domain, orthogonal coverage codes corresponding to the second pilot subsequences of the different second pilot sequences are the same or different; or in a case that RE resources of second pilot subsequences of different second pilot sequences are not orthogonal in a delay-Doppler domain, orthogonal coverage codes corresponding to the second pilot subsequences of the different second pilot sequences are different (§§1-2). As to claim 9, Lenovo teaches the pilot transmission method according to claim 7, wherein the obtaining, by the network side device, a second orthogonal coverage code corresponding to the target antenna port comprises: in a case that the second pilot sequence is mapped row-wise to a pilot resource block, obtaining, by the network side device, a second orthogonal coverage code corresponding to the target antenna port in a delay domain, wherein the sequentially performing, by the network side device, dot multiplication on the plurality of second pilot subsequences and a second target orthogonal coverage code of length Q comprises: performing dot multiplication on the second target orthogonal coverage code and a second pilot subsequence in each row of the pilot resource block (§§1-2). As to claim 10, Lenovo teaches the pilot transmission method according to claim 8, wherein the obtaining, by the network side device, a second orthogonal coverage code corresponding to the target antenna port comprises: in a case that the second pilot sequence is mapped column-wise to a pilot resource block, obtaining, by the network side device, a second orthogonal coverage code corresponding to the target antenna port in a Doppler domain, wherein the sequentially performing, by the network side device, dot multiplication on the plurality of second pilot subsequences and a second target orthogonal coverage code of length Q comprises: performing dot multiplication on the second target orthogonal coverage code and a second pilot subsequence in each column of the pilot resource block (§§1-2). As to claim 11, Lenovo teaches the pilot transmission method according to claim 7, wherein the obtaining, by the network side device, a second orthogonal coverage code corresponding to the target antenna port comprises: in a case that the second pilot sequence is mapped row-wise to a pilot resource block, obtaining, by the network side device, a second orthogonal coverage code corresponding to the target antenna port in a Doppler domain, wherein the sequentially performing, by the network side device, dot multiplication on the plurality of second pilot subsequences and a second target orthogonal coverage code of length Q comprises: performing dot multiplication on the second target orthogonal coverage code and a second pilot subsequence in each row of the pilot resource block (§§1-2). As to claim 12, Lenovo teaches the pilot transmission method according to claim 11, wherein the obtaining, by the network side device, a second orthogonal coverage code corresponding to the target antenna port comprises: in a case that the second pilot sequence is mapped column-wise to a pilot resource block, obtaining, by the network side device, a second orthogonal coverage code corresponding to the target antenna port in a delay domain, wherein the sequentially performing, by the network side device, dot multiplication on the plurality of second pilot subsequences and a second target orthogonal coverage code of length Q comprises: performing dot multiplication on the second target orthogonal coverage code and a second pilot subsequence in each column of the pilot resource block (§§1-2). As to claim 13, Lenovo teaches the pilot transmission method according to claim 2, wherein the performing, by the network side device, orthogonal processing on pilot base sequences of the plurality of antenna ports based on an orthogonal coverage code comprises: performing, by the network side device, two-dimensional orthogonal processing on the pilot base sequences of the plurality of antenna ports based on the orthogonal coverage code, wherein the performing, by the network side device, two-dimensional orthogonal processing on the pilot base sequences of the plurality of antenna ports comprises: modulating, by the network side device, the pilot base sequence based on a length a of a pilot resource block to which the antenna port is mapped in a delay domain and a length b of the pilot resource block in a Doppler domain, to generate a third pilot sequence of length R, wherein R=2k, a=2α, b=2β, and α+β=k; mapping, by the network side device, the third pilot sequence row-wise or column-wise to the pilot resource block; obtaining, by the network side device based on the length a of the pilot resource block in a delay domain and the length b of the pilot resource block in a Doppler domain, an orthogonal coverage code of length c in a delay domain and an orthogonal coverage code of length d in a Doppler domain, wherein a=e×c, b=f×d, e≥1, and f≥1; and performing, by the network side device, dot multiplication row-wise on the orthogonal coverage code of length c and the third pilot sequence in the pilot resource block, and performing dot multiplication column-wise on the orthogonal coverage code of length d and the third pilot sequence in the pilot resource block (§§1-2). As to claim 14, Lenovo teaches the pilot transmission method according to claim 6, wherein the method further comprises: obtaining, by the network side device, the orthogonal coverage code based on an orthogonal coverage code preconfiguration table (§§1-2). As to claim 15, Lenovo teaches the pilot transmission method according to claim 2, wherein the orthogonal coverage code comprises: a Walsh-Hadamard code, wherein the pilot base sequence comprises: a PN sequence or a ZC sequence (§§1-2). As to claim 16, Lenovo teaches the pilot transmission method according to claim 3, wherein the method further comprises: generating, by the network side device, the pilot base sequence based on a protocol stipulation (§§1-2). As to claim 17, Lenovo teaches the pilot transmission method according to claim 15, wherein in a case that the pilot base sequence comprises a PN sequence, the pilot base sequence is associated with a pilot resource block ID or a pilot signal block group ID or a pilot ID of a corresponding pilot resource block by using first association information, wherein the pilot ID is in a one-to-one correspondence with an antenna port number, and the pilot ID is in a one-to-one correspondence with a receive end UE ID; and the first association information comprises any one or a combination of the following: an initial value of a linear feedback shift register; a cyclic shift value of a generated sequence; and an intercept location of a pilot in a shift register output sequence; or wherein in a case that the pilot base sequence comprises a ZC sequence, the pilot base sequence is associated with a pilot resource block ID or a pilot signal block group ID or a pilot ID of a corresponding pilot resource block by using second association information, wherein the pilot ID is in a one-to-one correspondence with an antenna port number, and the pilot ID is in a one-to-one correspondence with a receive end UE ID; and the second association information comprises any one or a combination of the following: a ZC sequence root value; and a cyclic shift value (§§1-2). As to claim 18, Lenovo teaches the pilot transmission method according to claim 17, wherein in a case that pilot base sequences used by antenna ports mapped to a same pilot resource block are the same, and pilot base sequences used by antenna ports mapped to different pilot resource blocks are different, an orthogonal coverage code corresponding to the pilot base sequence is associated with the antenna port number, or wherein in a case that pilot base sequences used by antenna ports mapped to a same pilot resource block are different, an orthogonal coverage code corresponding to the pilot base sequence is associated with the pilot resource block ID, the pilot signal block group ID, or the antenna port number (§§1-2). As to claim 19, claim 19 is rejected the same way as claim 1. As to claim 20, claim 20 is rejected the same way as claim 1. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUSTIN T VAN ROIE whose telephone number is (571)270-0308. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm. 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, Ian N Moore can be reached at 571-272-3085. 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. /JUSTIN T VAN ROIE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469
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Prosecution Timeline

Jun 05, 2023
Application Filed
Sep 30, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §102
Apr 04, 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
83%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+40.9%)
2y 7m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 345 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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