Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 02, 2026
Application No. 18/532,121

TRANSMISSION PRECODER DETERMINATION AND SPATIAL RELATION INDICATION

Final Rejection §103§112
Filed
Dec 07, 2023
Priority
Aug 12, 2022 — continuation of PCTCN2022112225
Examiner
CHOWDHURY, SHARMIN
Art Unit
2416
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
ZTE Corporation
OA Round
2 (Final)
89%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 89% — above average
89%
Career Allowance Rate
299 granted / 336 resolved
+31.0% vs TC avg
Strong +16% interview lift
Without
With
+16.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 7m
Avg Prosecution
15 currently pending
Career history
361
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
2.0%
-38.0% vs TC avg
§103
63.2%
+23.2% vs TC avg
§102
13.1%
-26.9% vs TC avg
§112
16.7%
-23.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 336 resolved cases

Office Action

§103 §112
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 This communication is in response to Applicant's response filed under 37 C.F.R. § 1.111 in response to a Non-Final Office Action. Claims 1, 2, 6, 12, 13, 16, 20, 22, 26, 29, and 32 amended; Claims 3-5, 7, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17-19, 21, 23-25, 27, 28, 30, 31, and 33-43 canceled; Claim 45-47 added; Claims 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 16, 20, 22, 26, 29, 32, and 44-47 are subject to examination. Acknowledgement is made to this application's amendment to claim 20 to obviate the previous objection. The previous objection to claim 20 is hereby withdrawn. Acknowledgement is made to this application's amendment to claim 1, 22, and 32 to obviate the previous 112(b) rejection. The previous 112(b) rejection to claim 1-2, 4-6, 8-9, 12-13, 16, 20, 22, 24-26, 29, 32-33, 35, and 44 is hereby withdrawn. Acknowledgement is made to this application's amendment to independent claims 1, 22, and 32 to obviate the previous double patenting rejection. The previous double patenting rejection is hereby withdrawn. Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims have been considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection. Claim Objections Claim 29 objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 29 recites “a number of configured SRS resources in the SRS resource set transmissions”. It is recommended to amend claim 29 to recite “a number of configured SRS resources in the SRS resource set . Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. Claim 32 and 47 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention. Claim 32 recites the limitation "transmitting, by the wireless device, codebook based on more than one PUSCH using the applied SRS resource indicator" in last limitations. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim(s) 47 are also rejected because it includes limitations of the claims 32. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 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. Claim 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 16, 22, 26, 29, 32, and 44-47 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KHOSHNEVISAN et al. (KHOSHNEVISAN hereinafter) (US 20240048327 A1) in view of Matsumura et al. (Matsumura hereinafter) (US 20250344221 A1). Regarding claim 1 and claim 45, KHOSHNEVISAN teaches, A method of wireless communication, comprising: determining, by a wireless device operating in a multiple transmission reception point (MTRP) wireless configuration with a network device, whether a condition for uplink transmission is satisfied (KHOSHNEVISAN; the multi-panel simultaneous transmission scheme 400 may support a PUSCH transmission from a single UE to multiple TRPs 205 of a network entity 105 via different directional beams 405, Par. 0153), wherein the condition includes that the wireless device is scheduled to transmit more than one physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) transmissions simultaneously such that, in a time domain, the more than one PUSCH transmissions at least partially overlap (KHOSHNEVISAN; Fig. 4; In accordance with the multi-panel transmission scheme 400, a single DCI may schedule a PUSCH with two sets of RBs to be transmitted from two different panels with different transmit beams 405, different precoders, Par. 0154), and each of the more than one PUSCH transmissions is associated with a corresponding sounding reference signal (SRS) resource set (KHOSHNEVISAN; two sets of RBs may be associated with two SRS resource sets, Par. 0154); applying, by the wireless device, precoding matrix to each of the more than one PUSCH transmissions (KHOSHNEVISAN; the DCI may include an SRS resource set indicator field, two SRI fields, and two TPMI indices, Par. 0154), wherein the applying occurs in response to the determining (KHOSHNEVISAN; single-DCI based FDM PUSCH, Par. 0153); and transmitting, by the wireless device, the more than one PUSCH transmissions using precoding matrix (KHOSHNEVISAN; two TPMI indices … multi-panel transmission scheme 400, a UE 115 may utilize the FDM scheme 410-a, Par. 0154-0155). Although KHOSHNEVISAN teaches one or more transmission precoding matrix indicator (TPMI) fields, but failed to explicitly teach, applying a precoding matrix; and PUSCH transmissions using the applied precoding matrix. However, in the same field of endeavor, Matsumura teaches, applying a precoding matrix (Matsumura; Fig. 21; the UE may apply precoder C obtained by combining precoders A and B, Par. 0226); and PUSCH transmissions using the applied precoding matrix (Matsumura; to improve UL throughput and reliability, it is studied to perform multi-beam/multi-panel simultaneous UL transmissions (for example, PUSCH transmissions) to one or more TRPs, Par. 0112). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of KHOSHNEVISAN to include the use of enhance TPMI field as taught by Matsumura in order to support larger number of layers for PUSCH transmission (Matsumura; Par. 0198). Specifically for claim 45, KHOSHNEVISAN teaches, An apparatus for wireless communication comprising one or more processors configured to cause the apparatus to implement the method recited in claim 1 (KHOSHNEVISAN; a single UE, Par. 0153). Regarding claim 22 and claim 46, KHOSHNEVISAN teaches, A method of wireless communication, comprising: determining, by a wireless device operating in a multiple transmission reception point (MTRP) wireless configuration with a network device, whether a condition for uplink transmission is satisfied (KHOSHNEVISAN; the multi-panel simultaneous transmission scheme 400 may support a PUSCH transmission from a single UE to multiple TRPs 205 of a network entity 105 via different directional beams 405, Par. 0153), wherein the condition includes that the wireless device is scheduled to transmit more than one physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) transmissions simultaneously such that, in a time domain, the more than one PUSCH transmissions at least partially overlap (KHOSHNEVISAN; Fig. 4; In accordance with the multi-panel transmission scheme 400, a single DCI may schedule a PUSCH with two sets of RBs to be transmitted from two different panels with different transmit beams 405, different precoders, Par. 0154), and each of the more than one PUSCH transmissions is associated with a corresponding sounding reference signal (SRS) resource set (KHOSHNEVISAN; two sets of RBs may be associated with two SRS resource sets, Par. 0154); applying, by the wireless device, sounding reference signal (SRS) resource indicator according to a rule to each of the more than one PUSCH transmissions (KHOSHNEVISAN; The two SRI fields may each indicate one SRS resource from a corresponding SRS resource set, Par. 0113; TABLE 10), wherein the applying occurs in response to the determining (KHOSHNEVISAN; single-DCI based FDM PUSCH, Par. 0153); and transmitting, by the wireless device, the more than one PUSCH transmissions using SRS resource indicator (KHOSHNEVISAN; two SRI fields … multi-panel transmission scheme 400, a UE 115 may utilize the FDM scheme 410-a, Par. 0154-0155). Although KHOSHNEVISAN teaches one or more SRI fields, but failed to explicitly teach, applying a sounding reference signal (SRS) resource indicator; and PUSCH transmissions using the applied SRS resource indicator. However, in the same field of endeavor, Matsumura teaches, applying a sounding reference signal (SRS) resource indicator (Matsumura; The UE may be configured with mapping of SRS resource indication codepoints of each SRS resource set and SRS resources may be configured by RRC/MAC CE, Par. 0139); and PUSCH transmissions using the applied SRS resource indicator (Matsumura; One SRS resource indicator field indicates one SRI for the first SRS resource set and another SRI for the second SRS resource set, Par. 0139). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of KHOSHNEVISAN to include the use of one SRI as taught by Matsumura in order to indicate SRS from two SRS resource sets (Matsumura; Par. 0139). Specifically for claim 46, KHOSHNEVISAN teaches, An apparatus for wireless communication comprising one or more processors configured to cause the apparatus to implement the method recited in claim 22 (KHOSHNEVISAN; a single UE, Par. 0153). Regarding claim 32 and claim 47, KHOSHNEVISAN teaches, A method of wireless communication, comprising: determining, by a wireless device operating in a multiple transmission reception point (MTRP) wireless configuration with a network device, whether a condition for uplink transmission is satisfied (KHOSHNEVISAN; the multi-panel simultaneous transmission scheme 400 may support a PUSCH transmission from a single UE to multiple TRPs 205 of a network entity 105 via different directional beams 405, Par. 0153), wherein the condition includes that the wireless device is scheduled to transmit more than one physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) transmissions simultaneously such that, in a time domain, the more than one PUSCH transmissions at least partially overlap (KHOSHNEVISAN; Fig. 4; In accordance with the multi-panel transmission scheme 400, a single DCI may schedule a PUSCH with two sets of RBs to be transmitted from two different panels with different transmit beams 405, different precoders, Par. 0154), and each of the more than one PUSCH transmissions is associated with a corresponding sounding reference signal (SRS) resource set (KHOSHNEVISAN; two sets of RBs may be associated with two SRS resource sets, Par. 0154); transmitting, by the wireless device, codebook based on more than one PUSCH using SRS resource indicator (KHOSHNEVISAN; FIG. 4 shows an example multi-panel transmission scheme 400 that supports techniques for interpreting DCI fields in codebook-based multi-panel deployments … two SRI fields … multi-panel transmission scheme 400, a UE 115 may utilize the FDM scheme 410-a, Par. 0152-0155). Although KHOSHNEVISAN teaches one or more SRI fields, but failed to explicitly teach, PUSCH transmissions using the applied SRS resource indicator. However, in the same field of endeavor, Matsumura teaches, PUSCH transmissions using the applied SRS resource indicator (Matsumura; for a codebook-based PUSCH, a plurality of SRS resource indicator fields may be present in DCI … One SRS resource indicator field indicates one SRI for the first SRS resource set and another SRI for the second SRS resource set. The UE may be configured with mapping of SRS resource indication codepoints of each SRS resource set and SRS resources may be configured by RRC/MAC CE, Par. 0139). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of KHOSHNEVISAN to include the use of one SRI as taught by Matsumura in order to indicate SRS from two SRS resource sets (Matsumura; Par. 0139). Specifically for claim 47, KHOSHNEVISAN teaches, An apparatus for wireless communication comprising one or more processors configured to cause the apparatus to implement the method recited in claim 32 (KHOSHNEVISAN; a single UE, Par. 0153). Regarding claim 2 and claim 26, KHOSHNEVISAN-Matsumura teaches, The method of claim 1 and The method of claim 22 respectively, wherein the more than one PUSCH transmissions comprise one or more PUSCH transmission occasions or one or more PUSCH transmission repetitions (KHOSHNEVISAN; PUSCH repetitions may be scheduled by a single DCI, Par. 0112). Regarding claim 6, KHOSHNEVISAN-Matsumura teaches, The method of claim 1, wherein the precoding matrix represents one or more precoding matrices represent a precoder used over one or more transmission layers (Matsumura; Fig. 24; When the second “enhanced TPMI” field indicates 4, two layers may be indicated for the second SRS resource set/UE coherent group, and precoder A in FIG. 24 may be indicated, Par. 0224). The rational and motivation for adding this teaching of Matsumura is the same as for Claim 1. Regarding claim 8, KHOSHNEVISAN-Matsumura teaches, The method of claim 1, wherein scheduling information is received in a downlink control information (DCI) that indicates precoding information or a field indicative of a number of layers (KHOSHNEVISAN; the DCI may include … two TPMI indices (with a same number of layers), Par. 0154). Regarding claim 9, KHOSHNEVISAN-Matsumura teaches, The method of claim 8, wherein an overhead of the precoding information and the field is dependent on at least one of: (1) a maximum number of transmission layers, (2) a maximum number of antenna ports (Matsumura; when eight antenna ports/layers are supported in UL, the correspondence between at least part of codepoints of a certain field of DCI and the number of layers/TPMI indices is configured in common for a plurality of codebook subsets. This can suppress an increase in overhead of the certain field of DCI, Par. 0191), or (3) a maximum coherence capability of antenna ports used by the wireless device for one or more PUSCH transmissions. The rational and motivation for adding this teaching of Matsumura is the same as for Claim 1. Regarding claim 12, KHOSHNEVISAN-Matsumura teaches, The method of claim 1, wherein a number of antenna ports used by the more than one PUSCH transmissions satisfy an antenna port number rule, wherein the antenna port number rule is at least one of: all of the more than one PUSCH transmissions use a same number of antenna ports (KHOSHNEVISAN; Fig. 3); the more than one PUSCH transmissions use different number of antenna ports; the more than one PUSCH transmissions use 1, 2,or 4 antennas ports; or the number of antenna ports for each PUSCH transmission is configured by a higher layer signaling. Regarding claim 13, KHOSHNEVISAN-Matsumura teaches, The method of claim 1, wherein a number of transmission layers of the precoding matrix satisfy a transmission layer rule, wherein the transmission layer rule specifies at least one of: a same number of transmission layers is used by each of the precoding matrix of the more than one PUSCH transmissions (KHOSHNEVISAN; Fig. 3); a maximum number of transmission layers used by the more than one PUSCH transmission layers is 2 or 4; or the maximum number of transmission layers used by the more than one PUSCH transmissions is 1 or 2. Regarding claim 16, KHOSHNEVISAN-Matsumura teaches, The method of claim 1, wherein in case that each of the more than one PUSCH transmissions uses a different transmission layer, then a different transmission layer is mapped to an antenna port (KHOSHNEVISAN; the multi-panel transmission schemes 300 and 301 may support a PUSCH transmission from a single UE to multiple TRPs 205 of a network entity 105 via … different layers 305, different PUSCH ports 315, Par. 0147). Regarding claim 29, KHOSHNEVISAN-Matsumura teaches, The method of claim 22, wherein an overhead of each SRS resource indicator field of each SRI depends on one or more of following factors: a maximum number of transmission layers of the more than one PUSCH transmissions; or a number of configured SRS resources in the SRS resource set transmissions (KHOSHNEVISAN; N.sub.SRS may be a number or quantity of configured SRS resources in an SRS resource set ... The size of the SRI field may be ┌log.sub.2(N.sub.SRS)┐ bits, Par. 0104). Regarding claim 44, KHOSHNEVISAN-Matsumura teaches, The method of claim 1, wherein a precoding matrix is used to indicate a precoder to be applied over one or more transmission layers (KHOSHNEVISAN; For each pair of (#of layers, #of PUSCH ports), a set of precoding matrices may be defined or supported with corresponding TPMI indices, Par. 0105). Claim 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KHOSHNEVISAN-Matsumura in view of Echigo et al. (Echigo hereafter) (US 20240259880 A1). Regarding claim 20, KHOSHNEVISAN-Matsumura teaches, The method of claim 1. KHOSHNEVISAN-Matsumura fails to explicitly teach, wherein a power ratio of the precoding matrix of the more than one PUSCH transmissions satisfies at least one of: a higher layer parameter for each PUSCH transmission is set to codebook; or a linear value corresponding to a total power of the PUSCH transmissions is scaled by a power ratio. However, in the same field of endeavor, Echigo teaches, wherein a power ratio of the precoding matrix of the more than one PUSCH transmissions satisfies at least one of: a higher layer parameter for each PUSCH transmission is set to codebook (Echigo; each power ratio associated with the codepoint may be defined in a specification in advance or may be specified/determined by higher layer signaling, physical layer signaling, or UE capability, or a combination of these, Par. 0119; Fig. 4B; The UE may determine a precoder to be used for the PUSCH transmission … The UE may be configured with a subset of the codebook specified by the TPMI, by codebookSubset, Par. 0048). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of KHOSHNEVISAN-Matsumura to include the use of power ratio as taught by Echigo in order to determine power ratio between layers (Echigo; Par. 0111). Conclusion Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHARMIN CHOWDHURY whose telephone number is (571)272-6419. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00 am - 5:00 pm. 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, Noel Beharry can be reached at 5712705630. 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. /SHARMIN CHOWDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2416
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Dec 07, 2023
Application Filed
Feb 13, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103, §112
May 11, 2026
Response Filed
Aug 10, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §103, §112 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
89%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+16.1%)
2y 7m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 336 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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