Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/408,049

SIGNALING ENHANCEMENTS TO INDICATE RF EXPOSURE DEPENDENCE ACROSS BANDS

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Jan 09, 2024
Priority
Jan 09, 2023 — provisional 63/479,164
Examiner
VUONG, QUOCHIEN B
Art Unit
2645
Tech Center
2600 — Communications
Assignee
Qualcomm Incorporated
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
90%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
90%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 90% — above average
90%
Career Allowance Rate
767 granted / 853 resolved
+27.9% vs TC avg
Minimal -0% lift
Without
With
+-0.3%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 5m
Avg Prosecution
15 currently pending
Career history
867
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.0%
-39.0% vs TC avg
§103
46.3%
+6.3% vs TC avg
§102
14.9%
-25.1% vs TC avg
§112
8.3%
-31.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 853 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 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 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action: A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made. This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention. Claim(s) 1, 2, 15 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bergljung et al. (US 11,856,527 B2) in view of Love et al. (US 9,413,395 B2). Regarding claim 1, Bergljung et al. (figures 1 and 2) disclose an apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) (Wireless Device 22), comprising: at least one memory (88); and at least one processor (86) coupled to the at least one memory and, based at least in part on information stored in the at least one memory (column 12, lines 35-61; and column 16, line 63 – column 7, line 19), the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is configured to cause the UE to transmit, to a network entity (Network Node 16), radio frequency (RF) information (power headroom report (PHR)) based on an RF exposure of the multiple bands (PHR based on transmission using first radio access technology (RAT) and transmission using second RAT) (Figures 7 and 8; Steps 140-142 and Step 134; column 22, lines 10-30 and column 21, lines 9-26; the UE determines PHR and the network entity receives the PHR implies that the UE sends the PHR to the network entity); and communicate, after providing the RF information, with the network entity through one or more of the multiple bands (Step 136 and 144; column 21, lines 26-31 and column 22, lines 30-35). Bergljung et al. do not explicitly disclose the RF information indicating coupling states of multiple bands of the UE based on an RF exposure of the multiple bands. However, Love et al. disclose a user equipment (wireless communication terminal) transmits to a network entity an RF information indicating coupling states (active state) of multiple bands of the UE based on an RF exposure of the multiple bands (column 8, lines 33-42). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adapt the information indicating coupling states of multiple bands of the UE of Love et al. to the RF information of Bergljung et al. for more properly allocating uplink resource. Regarding claim 2, Bergljung et al. and Love et al. disclose the apparatus of claim 1. In addition, Bergljung et al. further disclose a transceiver (figure 2, Radio interface 82) coupled to the at least one processor, wherein to transmit the RF information, the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is configured to cause the UE to transmit the RF information via the transceiver (column 16, line 63 – column 17, line 3). And Love et al. disclose wherein the coupling states of the multiple bands of the UE with the RF exposure indicates one or more of: two or more decoupled bands for the RF exposure from the multiple bands; or two or more coupled bands the RF exposure from the multiple bands (column 8, lines 33-42). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adapt the information indicating coupling states of multiple bands of the UE of Love et al. to the RF information of Bergljung et al. for more properly allocating uplink resource. Regarding claim 15, Bergljung et al. (figures 1 and 2) disclose an apparatus for wireless communication at a network entity (Network Node 16), comprising: at least one memory (72); and at least one processor (70) coupled to the at least one memory and, based at least in part on information stored in the at least one memory (column 12, lines 35-61; and column 15, line 62 – column 16, line 62), the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is configured to cause the network entity to receive, from a user equipment (UE) (Wireless Device 22), radio frequency (RF) information of multiple bands of the UE based on an RF exposure of the multiple bands (PHR based on transmission using first radio access technology (RAT) and transmission using second RAT) (Figure 7, Step 134; column 21, lines 9-26; the network entity receives the PHR). Bergljung et al. do not explicitly disclose the RF information indicating coupling states of multiple bands of the UE based on an RF exposure of the multiple bands; and schedule communication with the UE on one or more of the multiple bands. However, Love et al. disclose a network entity (base station) for receiving an RF information indicating coupling states (active state) of multiple bands of an UE (Wireless Terminal Device) based on an RF exposure of the multiple bands (column 8, lines 33-42); and schedule communication with the UE on one or more of the multiple bands (column 8, lines 33-42). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adapt the information indicating coupling states of multiple bands of the UE and schedule communication with the UE on one or more of the multiple bands of Love et al. to apparatus of Bergljung et al. for more properly allocating uplink resource. Regarding claim 16, Bergljung et al. and Love et al. disclose the apparatus of claim 1. In addition, Bergljung et al. further disclose a transceiver (figure 2, PHR Receiver Unit 32) coupled to the at least one processor, wherein to receive the RF information, the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is configured to cause the network entity to receive the RF information via the transceiver (column 13, lines 41-61). And Love et al. disclose wherein the coupling states of the multiple bands of the UE with the RF exposure indicates one or more of: two or more decoupled bands for the RF exposure from the multiple bands; or two or more coupled bands for the RF exposure from the multiple bands (column 8, lines 33-42). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adapt the information indicating coupling states of multiple bands of the UE of Love et al. to the RF information of Bergljung et al. for more properly allocating uplink resource. Claim(s) 7-9 and 21-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bergljung et al. (US 11,856,527 B2) in view of Love et al. (US 9,413,395 B2) and further in view of Yao et al. (CN 111436105 A – See English Text). Regarding claims 7 and 21, Bergljung et al. and Love et al. disclose the apparatus of claims 2 and 16, respectively above. In addition, Bergljung et al. disclose wherein the RF information is indicated in a power headroom report (PHR) (column 22, lines 10-35). Bergljung et al. and Love et al. do not explicitly disclose wherein the PHR includes a time duration associated with a power management maximum power reduction (P-MPR) value in the PHR. However, Yao et al. disclose a power headroom report (PHR) including a power management maximum power reduction (P-MPR) value (page 24, lines 24-30; “The UE … reporting the P-MPR or PHR to the base station”, “the UE carries the reported P-MPR in the PHR report”) and a time duration (duration ratio information) associated with the P-MPR value (page 11, lines 20-26). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adapt the PHR including P-MPR and the time duration of Yao et al. to the PHR report of Bergljung et al. and Love et al. for providing the time duration of the PHR. Regarding claims 8 and 22, Bergljung et al. and Love et al. disclose the apparatus of claims 7 and 21, respectively above. In addition, Yao et al. disclose wherein the time duration is indicated as an additional field in the PHR and corresponds to a time period during which the P-MPR value is effective. wherein the time duration is indicated as an additional field in the PHR and corresponds to a time period during which the P-MPR value is effective (page 11, lines 20-26). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adapt the time duration is indicated as an additional field in the PHR and corresponds to a time period during which the P-MPR value is effective of Yao et al. to the PHR report of Bergljung et al. and Love et al. for providing the time period for the P-MPR. Regarding claims 9 and 23, Bergljung et al. and Love et al. disclose the apparatus of claims 8 and 22, respectively above. In addition, Yao et al. disclose wherein the time duration is one of a set of predetermined values (page 11, lines 20-26, “duration ratio is effective from current transmission, continue at least one predefined time period”). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adapt the time duration as one of a set of predetermined values of Yao et al. to the PHR report of Bergljung et al. and Love et al. for providing the time duration for the PHR. Claim(s) 10 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bergljung et al. (US 11,856,527 B2) in view of Love et al. (US 9,413,395 B2) and Yao et al. (CN 111436105 A – See English Text) and further in view of Shen (US 11,528,669 B2). Regarding claims 10 and 24, Bergljung et al., Love et al. Yao et al. and Yao et al. disclose the apparatus of claims 8 and 22, respectively above. Bergljung et al., Love et al. Yao et al. and Yao et al. do not explicitly disclose wherein the additional field is a binary field comprising multiple binary bits. However, Shen disclose time duration indicated as an additional field in the PHR is a binary field comprising binary bit (column 5, line 63 – column 6, line 12, “number of one or more time slots used to generate the PHR in the first slot group is indicated using a bit reserved in a subheader of the MAC layer CE, and power headroom corresponding to one or more slot numbers is sequentially packaged into a payload of the MAC layer CE”). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adapt the teaching of using binary bit or multiple binary bits in case number of time slots is a large number of Shen to the additional field of Yao et al. and Kim et al. as a system design preference for serving the same function as indication the time duration of the PHR. Claim(s) 11-13 and 25-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yao et al. (CN 111436105 A – See English Text) in view of Kim et al. (US 9,686,706 B2). Regarding claim 11, Yao et al. (figure 1) disclose an apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) (mobile terminal 10), comprising: at least one memory (104); and at least one processor (102) coupled to the at least one memory and, based at least in part on information stored in the at least one memory (page 5, lines 8-23), the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is configured to cause the UE to: transmit, to a network entity (base station), a power headroom report (PHR) including a power management maximum power reduction (P-MPR) value (page 24, lines 24-30; “The UE … reporting the P-MPR or PHR to the base station”, “the UE carries the reported P-MPR in the PHR report”) and a time duration (duration ratio information) associated with the P-MPR value (page 11, lines 20-26). Yao et al. do not explicitly disclose receive scheduling from the network entity after providing the PHR with the P-MPR value and the time duration. However, Kim et al. (figure 4) disclose an apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) (UE 405) and network entity (ENB 410) comprising perform scheduling from the network entity (Step 445) after receiving the PHR from the UE (Step 440) (column 7, line 54 – column 9, line21), which if not inherent would be obvious for the network entity to send the uplink scheduling to the UE for the UE to receive the uplink scheduling from the network entity in order for the UE to transmit uplink within the uplink schedule. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adapt the teaching of receive scheduling from the network entity after providing the PHR of Kim et al. to the apparatus of Yao et al. for the UE to transmit uplink within the schedule. Regarding claim 12, Yao et al. and Kim et al. disclose the apparatus of claim 11. In addition, Yao et al. disclose a transceiver (transmission device 106, page 5, lines 24-28) coupled to the at least one processor, wherein to transmit the PHR, the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is configured to cause the UE to transmit the PHR via the transceiver, and wherein the time duration is indicated as an additional field in the PHR and corresponds to a time period during which the P-MPR value is effective (page 11, lines 20-26). Regarding claim 13, Yao et al. and Kim et al. disclose the apparatus of claim 12. In addition, Yao et al. disclose wherein the time duration is one of a set of predetermined values (page 11, lines 20-26, “duration ratio is effective from current transmission, continue at least one predefined time period”). Regarding claim 25, Yao et al. (figure 1) disclose an apparatus for wireless communication at a network entity (base station), comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory and, based at least in part on information stored in the at least one memory (inherently within the base station in order for the base station to operate and perform functions), the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is configured to: receive a power headroom report (PHR) of a user equipment (UE) (mobile terminal 10) including a power management maximum power reduction (P-MPR) value (page 24, lines 24-30; “The UE … reporting the P-MPR or PHR to the base station”, “the UE carries the reported P-MPR in the PHR report”), and a time duration (duration ratio information) associated with the P-MPR value (page 11, lines 20-26). Yao et al. do not explicitly disclose schedule the UE for communication on one or more of multiple bands based on the P-MPR value and the time duration. However, Kim et al. (figure 4) disclose an apparatus for wireless communication at a network entity (ENB 410) and a user equipment (UE) (UE 405) comprising schedule the UE for communication on one or more of multiple bands (Step 445) after receiving the PHR from the UE (Step 440) (column 7, line 54 – column 9, line21). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adapt the teaching of scheduling the UE for communication on one or more of multiple bands after receiving the PHR of Kim et al. to the apparatus of Yao et al. for the UE to transmit uplink within the schedule. Regarding claim 26, Yao et al. and Kim et al. disclose the apparatus of claim 25 above. In addition, Yao et al. disclose apparatus further inherently comprising a transceiver coupled to the at least one processor, wherein to receive the PHR, the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is configured to cause the network entity to receive the PHR via the transceiver (page 24, lines 24-25, “The UE … reporting the P-MPR or PHR to the base station”), and wherein the time duration is indicated as an additional field in the PHR and corresponds to a time period during which the P-MPR value is effective (page 11, lines 20-26). Regarding claim 27, Yao et al. and Kim et al. disclose the apparatus of claim 26 above. In addition, Yao et al. disclose wherein the time duration is one of a set of predetermined values (page 11, lines 20-26, “duration ratio is effective from current transmission, continue at least one predefined time period”). Claim(s) 14 and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yao et al. in view of Kim et al. and further in view of Shen (US 11,528,669 B2). Regarding claim 14, Yao et al. and Kim et al. disclose the apparatus of claim 12 above. Yao et al. and Kim et al. do not explicitly disclose wherein the additional field is a binary field comprising multiple binary bits. However, Shen disclose time duration indicated as an additional field in the PHR is a binary field comprising binary bit (column 5, line 63 – column 6, line 12, “number of one or more time slots used to generate the PHR in the first slot group is indicated using a bit reserved in a subheader of the MAC layer CE, and power headroom corresponding to one or more slot numbers is sequentially packaged into a payload of the MAC layer CE”). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adapt the teaching of using binary bit or multiple binary bits in case number of time slots is a large number of Shen to the additional field of Yao et al. and Kim et al. as a system design preference for serving the same function as indication the time duration of the PHR. Regarding claim 28, Yao et al. and Kim et al. disclose the apparatus of claim 26 above. Yao et al. and Kim et al. do not explicitly disclose wherein the additional field is a binary field comprising multiple binary bits. However, Shen disclose time duration indicated as an additional field in the PHR is a binary field comprising binary bit (column 5, line 63 – column 6, line 12, “number of one or more time slots used to generate the PHR in the first slot group is indicated using a bit reserved in a subheader of the MAC layer CE, and power headroom corresponding to one or more slot numbers is sequentially packaged into a payload of the MAC layer CE”). Therefore, it would have been obvious for one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adapt the teaching of using binary bit or multiple binary bits in case number of time slots is a large number of Shen to the additional field of Yao et al. and Kim et al. as a system design preference for serving the same function as indication the time duration of the PHR. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 3-6 and 17-20 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. Regarding claims 3-4 and 17-18, Bergljung et al. and Love et al. disclose the apparatus of claims 2 and 15, respectively. However, Bergljung et al. and Love et al. fail to further disclose the apparatus above wherein the RF information further comprises a preferred band combination for communicating with the network entity, wherein the preferred band combination comprises one or more bands of the multiple bands based on an RF exposure metric. Regarding claims 5-6 and 19-20, Bergljung et al. and Love et al. disclose the apparatus of claims 2 and 15, respectively. However, Bergljung et al. and Love et al. fail to further disclose the apparatus above wherein the RF information is indicated in a power headroom report (PHR) that further indicates a set of bands from the multiple bands, based on a carrier aggregation (CA) configuration associated with an RF exposure metric, for uplink transmission to the network entity. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. MolavianJazi et al. (US 10,945,216 B2) disclose a method includes receiving uplink power control parameters; the method includes determining a first transmit power for the first uplink transmission based on a corresponding first set of uplink power control parameters; determining a second transmit power for the second uplink transmission based on a corresponding second set of uplink power control parameters; performing the first uplink transmission using a first uplink transmission beam pattern or a first spatial domain transmission filter based on the first transmit power; performing the second uplink transmission using a second uplink transmission beam pattern or a second spatial domain transmission filter based on the second transmit power. Loehr et al. (US 11,122,524 B2) disclose an apparatus includes a processor that identifies a transmission occasion for AUL transmission on an unlicensed serving cell and generates a PHR MAC CE; the apparatus includes a transceiver that transmits the PHR MAC CE with an AUL transmission to a RAN node in the mobile communication network, wherein transmitting the PHR MAC CE includes indicating timing information corresponding to the PHR. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to QUOCHIEN B VUONG whose telephone number is (571)272-7902. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00-06:00PM M-F. 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, ANTHONY ADDY can be reached at 571-272-7795. 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. /QUOCHIEN B VUONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2645
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Prosecution Timeline

Jan 09, 2024
Application Filed
Apr 29, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
Jul 01, 2026
Interview Requested
Jul 13, 2026
Examiner Interview Summary
Jul 13, 2026
Applicant Interview (Telephonic)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
90%
Grant Probability
90%
With Interview (-0.3%)
2y 5m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
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