Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/607,229

POWER CONTROL SCHEMES FOR SIMULTANEOUS UPLINK TRANSMISSIONS

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Mar 15, 2024
Examiner
JIANG, ZAIHAN
Art Unit
2488
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
ZTE CORPORATION
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
83%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 6m
To Grant
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 83% — above average
83%
Career Allow Rate
520 granted / 626 resolved
+25.1% vs TC avg
Strong +25% interview lift
Without
With
+25.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 6m
Avg Prosecution
32 currently pending
Career history
658
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
5.1%
-34.9% vs TC avg
§103
49.5%
+9.5% vs TC avg
§102
13.2%
-26.8% vs TC avg
§112
21.0%
-19.0% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 626 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
DETAILED ACTION 1. The Office Action is in response to Application 18607229 filed on 03/15/2024. Claim 1-20 are pending. Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 2. 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 3. The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 03/15/2024, 08/12/2025, 09/10/2025, 10/13/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 5. 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. (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. 6. Claim 1-4, 6-7, 10, 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (2) as being anticipated by Jeon et al. ( US 20190215781). Regarding claim 1, Jeon teaches method of wireless communication (fig. 4), comprising: receiving, by a user device (fig. 4 , wireless device 406) scheduled to simultaneously transmit uplink transmissions which are fully or partially overlapped in a time domain (as shown in fig. 2, carrier A and carrier B are fully or partially overlapped in a time domain; paragraph 0055, … uplink transmissions may be organized into radio frames 201) and associated with respective transmission information (fig. 9, 901, 903), a message indicating one or more sets of power control parameters (fig. 31, step 3102) associated with at least one transmission information from a network (fig. 31, step 3106 and 3108); and determining, based on the message, transmission power of at least one of the uplink transmissions (fig. 31, step 3106; also shown in fig. 36). Regarding claim 15, Jeon teaches a communication apparatus (fig. 4, 406) comprising a processor (fig. 4, 408) configured to implement a method comprising a method (fig. 4), comprising: receiving, by a user device (fig. 4 , wireless device 406) scheduled to simultaneously transmit uplink transmissions which are fully or partially overlapped in a time domain (as shown in fig. 2, carrier A and carrier B are fully or partially overlapped in a time domain; paragraph 0055, … uplink transmissions may be organized into radio frames 201) and associated with respective transmission information (fig. 9, 901, 903), a message indicating one or more sets of power control parameters (fig. 31, 3102) associated with at least one transmission information from a network (fig. 31, step 3106 and 3108); and determining, based on the message, transmission power of at least one of the uplink transmissions (fig. 31, step 3106; also shown in fig. 36). Regarding claim 2, Jeon teaches the limitations recited in claim 1 as discussed above. In addition, Jeon further discloses that an uplink transmission comprises at least one of a transmission occasion of an uplink signal, a repetition of an uplink signal (fig. 9), or an uplink signal comprising PUCCH, PUSCH, SRS or PRACH (fig. 16), and wherein the transmission information comprises at least one of information grouping one or more reference signals, reference signal resource set, PUCCH resource set, panel related information, sub-array, antenna group, antenna port group, group of antenna ports, beam group, beam state, physical cell index(PCI), TRP related information, CORESET pool index, index of TC state in a TCI state codepoint, UE capability value or UE capability set (fig. 9; and fig. 16, PUSCH and PDSCH). Regarding claim 3, Jeon teaches the limitations recited in claim 1 as discussed above. In addition, Jeon further discloses that the determining of the transmission power comprises determining a total transmission power of the uplink transmissions or determining respective transmission power for each uplink transmission (fig. 31, step 3106, determining respective transmission power). Regarding claim 4, Jeon teaches the limitations recited in claim 3 as discussed above. In addition, Jeon further discloses that determining an actual value of a power control parameter used to determine the total transmission power, the actual value determined as one of an average, a sum, a weighted mean, or maximum or minimum of received values of the power control parameter associated with respective transmission information, determining the respective transmission power based on a plurality of power control parameters associated with the respective transmission information, or allocating the total transmission power to each uplink transmission based on the message associated with the at least one transmission information (as shown in fig. 31, step 3106; paragraph 0376, At step 3106, the wireless device may determine, based on a changed correction value, uplink transmit power of the transmission of the one or more SP CSI reports; which is determining the respective transmission power based on a plurality of power control parameters associated with the respective transmission information). Regarding claim 6, Jeon teaches the limitations recited in claim 1 as discussed above. In addition, Jeon further discloses that receiving, from the network, a message (fig. 31, step 3102) to indicate that the transmission power of an uplink transmission associated with a specific transmission information requires no scaling (fig. 31, step 3106-3108, in which, the transmission power of an uplink transmission associated with a specific transmission information requires no scaling); and determining a scaling factor of the transmission power of the uplink transmission associated with the specific transmission information (paragraph 0414, …The wireless device may adjust (e.g., scale) {circumflex over (P)}.sub.PUSCH,f,c(i, j.sub.SPCSI, q.sub.d, l) with a first scaling value and {circumflex over (P)}.sub.PUSCH,f,c(i, j.sub.data, q.sub.d,l) with a second scaling value. The first and second scaling values may be predefined and/or semi-statically configured) to have a value to skip scaling of the transmission power of the uplink transmission (fig. 31, 3106, in which, the transmission power of the uplink transmission is not scaled). Regarding claim 7, Jeon teaches the limitations recited in claim 1 as discussed above. In addition, Jeon further discloses that determining at least one scaling factor to limit the transmission power of at least one of the uplink transmissions when total transmission power of uplink transmissions exceeds a maximum output power in a transmission duration (paragraph 0414, …The wireless device may adjust (scale up or down, change, (re)calculate, or (re)determine) the total PUSCH transmission power such that the total PUSCH transmission power is smaller than the allowed power value, for example, if the total PUSCH transmission power exceeds (or higher than or equal to) an allowed power value on a carrier f of the cell c (e.g., P.sub.CMAX,f,c(i) and/or a linear value of P.sub.CMAX,f,c(i) ({circumflex over (P)}.sub.CMAX,f,c(i)))). Regarding claim 10, Jeon teaches the limitations recited in claim 1 as discussed above. In addition, Jeon further discloses that the power control parameter comprises at least one of a target receiving power value, a transmit power control (TPC) command, an index of a reference signal for pathloss measurement, a modulation and coding scheme, the number of an occupied physical resource, a channel format, or a bandwidth (fig. 21, TPC command), and wherein the message further includes at least one of a determined transmission power, an indication of weights, a default factor, a factor indication, an indication of a transmission information, the measured value of pathloss associated with a PL-RS, the number of SRS resource ports, the number of antenna ports, UE capability value, a predefined value or an index of a predefined value set (paragraph 0075, … wireless device may send its radio access capability information which may be static. A base station may request what capabilities for a wireless device to report based on band information. If allowed by a network, a temporary capability restriction request may be sent by the wireless device to signal the limited availability of some capabilities (e.g. due to hardware sharing, interference or overheating) to the base station. The base station may confirm or reject the request. The temporary capability restriction may be transparent to 5G). Regarding claim 16, Jeon teaches the limitations recited in claim 15 as discussed above. In addition, Jeon further discloses that the determining of the transmission power comprises determining a total transmission power of the uplink transmissions or determining respective transmission power for each uplink transmission (fig. 31, step 3106, determining respective transmission power). Regarding claim 17 Jeon teaches the limitations recited in claim 15 as discussed above. In addition, Jeon further discloses that receiving, from the network, a message (fig. 31, step 3102) to indicate that the transmission power of an uplink transmission associated with a specific transmission information requires no scaling (fig. 31, step 3106-3108, in which, the transmission power of an uplink transmission associated with a specific transmission information requires no scaling); and determining a scaling factor of the transmission power of the uplink transmission associated with the specific transmission information (paragraph 0414, …The wireless device may adjust (e.g., scale) {circumflex over (P)}.sub.PUSCH,f,c(i, j.sub.SPCSI, q.sub.d, l) with a first scaling value and {circumflex over (P)}.sub.PUSCH,f,c(i, j.sub.data, q.sub.d,l) with a second scaling value. The first and second scaling values may be predefined and/or semi-statically configured) to have a value to skip scaling of the transmission power of the uplink transmission (fig. 31, 3106, in which, the transmission power of the uplink transmission is not scaled). Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 7. 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 of this title, 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. 8. Claims 5, 8-9, 11-14, 18-20 are rejected are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeon et al. ( US 20190215781) and in view of Takeda et al. (US 20210007122). Regarding claim 11, Jeon teaches a method of wireless communication (fig. 4), comprising: transmitting, by a network (fig. 4, 401) to a user device (fig. 4, 406) a message at least including one or more sets of power control parameters (as shown in fig. 37A/37B, the UL SCH data is the message at least including one or more sets of power control parameters; also fig. 41, 4108; paragraph 0441, … The base station may transmit, to the wireless device, one or more power control parameters); and receiving, by the network from the user device (fig. 9), transmissions overlapping in time domain (as shown in fig. 2, carrier A and carrier B are fully or partially overlapped in a time domain) and associated with respective transmission information (fig. 9, 901, 903), the transmissions having transmission power that is determined and scaled based on the message associated with at least one transmission information (fig. 31, step 3102-3106, in which, the transmission power is determined and scaled based on the message associated with at least one transmission information received in 3102 and 3104). It is noticed that Jeon does not disclose explicitly of transmission power to have a value not greater than a maximum output power. Takeda discloses of transmission power to have a value not greater than a maximum output power (fig. 11, step 1215 to 1225; paragraph 0034, … first maximum transmission power is different… less than… the second maximum transmission power). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the technology that transmission power to have a value not greater than a maximum output power as a modification to the method for the benefit of that saving energy (paragraph 0034). Regarding claim 18, Jeon teaches a communication apparatus (fig. 4, 401) comprising a processor (fig. 4, 403) configured to implement a method communication (fig. 4), comprising: transmitting, by a network (fig. 4, 401) to a user device (fig. 4, 406) a message at least including one or more sets of power control parameters (as shown in fig. 37A/37B, the UL SCH data is the message at least including one or more sets of power control parameters; also fig. 41, 4108; paragraph 0441, … The base station may transmit, to the wireless device, one or more power control parameters); and receiving, by the network from the user device (fig. 9), transmissions overlapping in time domain (as shown in fig. 2, carrier A and carrier B are fully or partially overlapped in a time domain) and associated with respective transmission information (fig. 9, 901, 903), the transmissions having transmission power that is determined and scaled based on the message associated with at least one transmission information (fig. 31, step 3102-3106, in which, the transmission power is determined and scaled based on the message associated with at least one transmission information received in 3102 and 3104). It is noticed that Jeon does not disclose explicitly of transmission power to have a value not greater than a maximum output power. Takeda discloses of transmission power to have a value not greater than a maximum output power (fig. 11, step 1215 to 1225; paragraph 0034, … first maximum transmission power is different …e.g., less than… the second maximum transmission power). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the technology that transmission power to have a value not greater than a maximum output power as a modification to the apparatus for the benefit of that saving energy (paragraph 0034). Regarding claim 5, Jeon teaches the limitations recited in claim 1 as discussed above. It is noticed that Jeon does not disclose explicitly of limiting the transmission power of an uplink transmission to be not greater than a maximum output power associated with the at least one transmission information. Takeda discloses of limiting the transmission power of an uplink transmission to be not greater than a maximum output power associated with the at least one transmission information (fig. 11, step 1215 to 1225; paragraph 0034, … first maximum transmission power is different (e.g., less than) the second maximum transmission power). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the technology that limiting the transmission power of an uplink transmission to be not greater than a maximum output power associated with the at least one transmission information as a modification to the method for the benefit of that saving energy (paragraph 0034). Regarding claim 8, Jeon teaches the limitations recited in claim 7 as discussed above. It is noticed that Jeon does not disclose explicitly of the uplink transmissions satisfy at least one of following conditions: 1) a transmission power of an uplink transmission is scaled based on priorities of the uplink transmissions, 2) wherein transmission powers of certain multiple uplink transmissions with a same priority are scaled in case that a sum of transmission powers of uplink transmission with higher priorities and the certain multiple uplink transmissions satisfies a predetermined condition, or 3) wherein a scaling factor of an uplink transmission is determined based on the message associated with at least one transmission information . Takeda discloses of the uplink transmissions satisfy at least one of following conditions: 1) a transmission power of an uplink transmission is scaled based on priorities of the uplink transmissions, 2) wherein transmission powers of certain multiple uplink transmissions with a same priority are scaled in case that a sum of transmission powers of uplink transmission with higher priorities and the certain multiple uplink transmissions satisfies a predetermined condition, or 3) wherein a scaling factor of an uplink transmission is determined based on the message associated with at least one transmission information ((paragraph 0085, …. the UE 115 may use a maximum allowed transmission power per CG and may manage uplink transmission within each CG similar to conventional CA techniques…e.g., scaling down uplink transmission powers based on priority rules…). It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the technology that the uplink transmissions satisfy at least one of following conditions: 1) a transmission power of an uplink transmission is scaled based on priorities of the uplink transmissions, 2) wherein transmission powers of certain multiple uplink transmissions with a same priority are scaled in case that a sum of transmission powers of uplink transmission with higher priorities and the certain multiple uplink transmissions satisfies a predetermined condition, or 3) wherein a scaling factor of an uplink transmission is determined based on the message associated with at least one transmission information as a modification to the method for the benefit of that saving energy with priority (paragraph 0085). Regarding claim 9, the combination of Jeon and Takeda teaches the limitations recited in claim 8 as discussed above. In addition, Takeda further discloses that wherein the priorities are determined based on the message associated with the at least one transmission information, or wherein the uplink transmissions carry a same uplink control information (UCI) type and are associated with different transmission information (paragraph 0079, …. the secondary cell group (SCG) for NR has a lower priority and is faster; hence, the UE 115 can adapt its power based on the LTE decision). For NE-DC, NR may have a higher priority, so P.sub.LTE may be modified depending on whether a collision may happen or no…; which means the priorities are determined based on the message associated with the at least one transmission information ). The motivation of combination is the same as in claim 8’s rejection. Regarding claim 12, the combination of Jeon and Takeda teaches the limitations recited in claim 11 as discussed above. In addition, Jeon further discloses that transmitting, by the network to the user device, (fig. 31, step 3102) another message to indicate that transmission power of a certain transmission associated with a specific transmission information requires no scaling (fig. 31, step 3108, in which, the transmission power of an uplink transmission associated with a specific transmission information requires no scaling). Regarding claim 13, the combination of Jeon and Takeda teaches the limitations recited in claim 11 as discussed above. In addition, Jeon further discloses that the transmission power is determined based on at least one scaling factor for at least one transmission when total transmission power of the transmissions exceeds the maximum output power for a carrier component, the at least one scaling factor is determined based on the message (paragraph 0414, …The wireless device may adjust (scale up or down, change, (re)calculate, or (re)determine) the total PUSCH transmission power such that the total PUSCH transmission power is smaller than the allowed power value, for example, if the total PUSCH transmission power exceeds (or higher than or equal to) an allowed power value on a carrier f of the cell c (e.g., P.sub.CMAX,f,c(i) and/or a linear value of P.sub.CMAX,f,c(i) ({circumflex over (P)}.sub.CMAX,f,c(i)))). Regarding claim 14, the combination of Jeon and Takeda teaches the limitations recited in claim 11 as discussed above. In addition, Jeon further discloses that the transmission power of the transmissions is scaled based on a scaling factor to limit the transmission power of the transmissions when total transmission power of the transmissions exceeds the maximum output power in a transmission duration (paragraph 0414, …The wireless device may adjust (scale up or down, change, (re)calculate, or (re)determine) the total PUSCH transmission power such that the total PUSCH transmission power is smaller than the allowed power value, for example, if the total PUSCH transmission power exceeds (or higher than or equal to) an allowed power value on a carrier f of the cell c (e.g., P.sub.CMAX,f,c(i) and/or a linear value of P.sub.CMAX,f,c(i) ({circumflex over (P)}.sub.CMAX,f,c(i)))); Takeda further discloses that a transmission power of a transmission is scaled based on a priority rule and priorities of transmissions are determined based the message associated with the at least one transmission information, or wherein transmission powers of certain multiple uplink transmissions with a same priority are scaled in case that a sum of transmission powers of transmissions with higher priorities and the certain multiple uplink transmissions satisfies a predetermined condition (paragraph 0085, …. the UE 115 may use a maximum allowed transmission power per CG and may manage uplink transmission within each CG similar to conventional CA techniques…e.g., scaling down uplink transmission powers based on priority rules…). The motivation of combination is the same as in claim 11’s rejection. Regarding claim 19, the combination of Jeon and Takeda teaches the limitations recited in claim 18 as discussed above. In addition, Jeon further discloses that transmitting, by the network to the user device, (fig. 31, step 3102) another message to indicate that transmission power of a certain transmission associated with a specific transmission information requires no scaling (fig. 31, step 3108, in which, the transmission power of an uplink transmission associated with a specific transmission information requires no scaling). Regarding claim 20, the combination of Jeon and Takeda teaches the limitations recited in claim 18 as discussed above. In addition, Jeon further discloses that the transmission power is determined based on at least one scaling factor for at least one transmission when total transmission power of the transmissions exceeds the maximum output power for a carrier component, the at least one scaling factor is determined based on the message (paragraph 0414, …The wireless device may adjust (scale up or down, change, (re)calculate, or (re)determine) the total PUSCH transmission power such that the total PUSCH transmission power is smaller than the allowed power value, for example, if the total PUSCH transmission power exceeds (or higher than or equal to) an allowed power value on a carrier f of the cell c (e.g., P.sub.CMAX,f,c(i) and/or a linear value of P.sub.CMAX,f,c(i) ({circumflex over (P)}.sub.CMAX,f,c(i)))). Conclusion 9 The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See form 892. 10 Contact Information Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZAIHAN JIANG whose telephone number is (571)272-1399. The examiner can normally be reached on flexible. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sath Perungavoor can be reached on (571)272-7455. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-270-0655. 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. /ZAIHAN JIANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2488
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Prosecution Timeline

Mar 15, 2024
Application Filed
Feb 17, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
83%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+25.1%)
2y 6m
Median Time to Grant
Low
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