Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/683,509

METHOD FOR TRANSMITTING TIME-FREQUENCY RESOURCE CONFIGURATION INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION APPARATUS AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Feb 14, 2024
Examiner
PHAM, NHU
Art Unit
2479
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO., LTD.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
90%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
3y 2m
To Grant
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 90% — above average
90%
Career Allow Rate
17 granted / 19 resolved
+31.5% vs TC avg
Moderate +12% lift
Without
With
+12.5%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
3y 2m
Avg Prosecution
21 currently pending
Career history
40
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
3.5%
-36.5% vs TC avg
§103
52.0%
+12.0% vs TC avg
§102
36.0%
-4.0% vs TC avg
§112
8.5%
-31.5% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 19 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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. The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action. Claims 1-16,19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tang (US 20200229188) in view of Huang et al. (US 20220330266; hereinafter “Huang”). Regarding claims 1,9, Tang discloses: A method for transmitting time-frequency resource configuration information, performed by a network device, and comprising: ([0072] Accordingly, in the method for resource configuration of the embodiment of the application) determining time-frequency resource configuration information for user equipment based on inter-frequency simultaneous transmission capability of the user equipment; ([0072] the terminal device transmits the capability information to the network device to indicate that it has the capability in simultaneous transmission and reception on the multiple carriers (the first-type carrier and the second-type carrier), and the network device allocates the first transmission resource for the second-type carrier and the valid time of the first transmission resource.) wherein the inter-frequency simultaneous transmission capability is configured for indicating capability of the user equipment to transmit service data of a first communication interface and service data of a second communication interface simultaneously on a same time domain unit corresponding to different frequency points ([0142] In the operation 210, first information is transmitted to the network device; the first information may include capability information which is configured to indicate a capability in simultaneous transmission and reception on multiple carriers; the multiple carriers may include a first-type carrier and a second-type carrier, the first-type carrier being configured to transmit data on an SL and the second-type carrier being configured to transmit data on at least one of a UL, a DL and the SL; [0211] Optionally, if the transmitting power is larger than or equal to preset power, multiple carriers in the third transmission resource overlap in a time domain; [0138] Optionally, the terminal device may simultaneously transmit the data on resources of the PC5 carrier and a Uu carrier through the mixed carrier.) and sending the time-frequency resource configuration information to the user equipment. ( [0190] In the operation 320, second information is transmitted to the terminal device based on the first information; the second information may be for indicating a first transmission resource, allocated by the network device, for the first-type carrier and the second-type carrier and a valid time of the first transmission resource.) However, Tang does not disclose: … within a same licensed frequency band; Huang discloses: … within a same licensed frequency band; ([0007] In NR V2X, an NR V2X module and an LTE V2X module may exist in the same User Equipment (UE), and NR V2X and LTE V2X may work on different carriers of the same band (in-band). Resources for SL transmission (sending/receiving) on different carriers under the two RATs may overlap in the time domain. Due to a radio frequency capability of the UE and the limit of half duplex, the UE cannot simultaneously implement SL sending or simultaneously implement SL sending and reception on two carriers in the same band (simultaneous reception on two carriers can be implemented by the UE). Therefore, it is necessary to consider how to send signals/channels of NR V2X and LTE V2X in a case where resources on two carriers overlap; [0090] A wireless signal/channel sending method is described in the embodiment. Descriptions are made taking the sending of an SL signal and/or channel as an example, as shown in FIG. 3. LTE V2X and NR V2X exist in the same UE and work on different carriers (carrier 1 and carrier 2) of the same band respectively.) It would be obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to modify the teachings of Tang with the teachings of Huang, to include within a same licensed frequency band. The motivation would have been to send signals/channels of NR V2X and LTE V2X simultaneously in a case where resources on two carriers overlap in the same band. (Huang ¶ [0007]) Regarding claims 2,10, Tang discloses: wherein, a time domain resource corresponding to the first communication interface comprises an uplink time domain unit and a downlink time domain unit; ([0142] the second-type carrier being configured to transmit data on at least one of a UL, a DL and the SL.) a time domain resource corresponding to the second communication interface only comprises an uplink time domain unit; ([0142] the first-type carrier being configured to transmit data on an SL; Examiner’s Note: SL is an uplink-type transmission toward another terminal) and the same time domain unit is a same uplink time domain unit in the time domain resource corresponding to the first communication interface. ([0210] Optionally, the third transmission resource may be determined from the first transmission resource and/or the second transmission resource according to at least one of a CBR, the capability in simultaneous transmission and reception on the multiple carriers, transmitting power and priority of a transmitted service; [0211] Optionally, if the transmitting power is larger than or equal to preset power, multiple carriers in the third transmission resource overlap in a time domain; Examiner’s Note: the resource is defined as a transmission resource used by the UE for transmitting service data, the corresponding time-domain units correspond to uplink transmission units.) Regarding claims 3,11, Tang discloses: wherein, the first communication interface is a cellular communication interface ([0142] the second-type carrier being configured to transmit data on at least one of a UL, a DL and the SL.); and the second communication interface is a sidelink communication interface. ([0142] the first-type carrier being configured to transmit data on an SL) Regarding claims 4,14, Tang discloses: wherein, the inter-frequency simultaneous transmission capability of the user equipment comprises: ([0142] In the operation 210, first information is transmitted to the network device; the first information may include …) capability of sending the service data of the first communication interface and sending the service data of the second communication interface simultaneously on the same time domain unit corresponding to different frequency points within the same licensed frequency band; ([0142] the first information may include capability information which is configured to indicate a capability in simultaneous transmission and reception on multiple carriers; the multiple carriers may include a first-type carrier and a second-type carrier, the first-type carrier being configured to transmit data on an SL and the second-type carrier being configured to transmit data on at least one of a UL, a DL and the SL) and the time-frequency resource configuration information for the user equipment comprises: ([0142] In the operation 210, first information is transmitted to the network device; the first information may include capability information which is configured to indicate a capability in simultaneous transmission and reception on multiple carriers) an uplink time-domain resource corresponding to the first communication interface comprising an uplink time-domain resource of the second communication interface ([0142] the multiple carriers may include a first-type carrier and a second-type carrier, the first-type carrier being configured to transmit data on an SL and the second-type carrier being configured to transmit data on at least one of a UL, a DL and the SL; [0181] the network device allocates the first transmission resource for the first-type carrier and the second-type carrier and the valid time of the first transmission resource; Examiner’s Note: The network allocates one transmission resource for both carriers), and excluding a downlink time-domain resource of the second communication interface. ([0210] Optionally, the third transmission resource may be determined from the first transmission resource and/or the second transmission resource according to at least one of a CBR, the capability in simultaneous transmission and reception on the multiple carriers, transmitting power and priority of a transmitted service; [0211] Optionally, if the transmitting power is larger than or equal to preset power, multiple carriers in the third transmission resource overlap in a time domain; Examiner’s Note: the resource is defined as a transmission resource used by the UE for transmitting service data, the corresponding time-domain units correspond to uplink transmission units.) Regarding claims 5,15, Tang discloses: wherein, the inter-frequency simultaneous transmission capability of the user equipment comprises: capability of sending the service data of the first communication interface and sending the service data of the second communication interface simultaneously on the same time domain unit corresponding to different frequency points within the same licensed frequency band; ([0142] In the operation 210, first information is transmitted to the network device; the first information may include capability information which is configured to indicate a capability in simultaneous transmission and reception on multiple carriers; the multiple carriers may include a first-type carrier and a second-type carrier, the first-type carrier being configured to transmit data on an SL and the second-type carrier being configured to transmit data on at least one of a UL, a DL and the SL.) and capability of sending the service data of the first communication interface and receiving the service data of the second communication interface simultaneously on the same time domain unit corresponding to different frequency points within the same licensed frequency band; ([0142] In the operation 210, first information is transmitted to the network device; the first information may include capability information which is configured to indicate a capability in simultaneous transmission and reception on multiple carriers; the multiple carriers may include a first-type carrier and a second-type carrier, the first-type carrier being configured to transmit data on an SL and the second-type carrier being configured to transmit data on at least one of a UL, a DL and the SL.) and the time-frequency resource configuration information for the user equipment comprises at least one of following: an uplink time domain resource corresponding to the first communication interface comprising an uplink time domain resource of the second communication interface and a downlink time domain resource of the second communication interface; ([0210] Optionally, the third transmission resource may be determined from the first transmission resource and/or the second transmission resource according to at least one of a CBR, the capability in simultaneous transmission and reception on the multiple carriers, transmitting power and priority of a transmitted service; [0211] Optionally, if the transmitting power is larger than or equal to preset power, multiple carriers in the third transmission resource overlap in a time domain; Examiner’s Note: The UE can transmit on one carrier while receiving another carrier simultaneously (¶[0210]) and multiple carriers in the third transmission resource overlap in time domain, so an uplink time domain resource associated with one communication interface may overlap with both transmission and reception operations associated with another communication interface) an uplink time domain resource corresponding to the first communication interface comprising an uplink time domain resource of the second communication interface; ([0211] Optionally, if the transmitting power is larger than or equal to preset power, multiple carriers in the third transmission resource overlap in a time domain; Examiner’s Note: multiple carriers in the third transmission resource overlap in the time domain such overlapping transmission resources indicate that the UE may perform simultaneous transmissions on different carriers during the same time-domain resource) and an uplink time domain resource corresponding to the first communication interface comprising a downlink time domain resource of the second communication interface. ([0210] Optionally, the third transmission resource may be determined from the first transmission resource and/or the second transmission resource according to at least one of a CBR, the capability in simultaneous transmission and reception on the multiple carriers, transmitting power and priority of a transmitted service; [0211] Optionally, if the transmitting power is larger than or equal to preset power, multiple carriers in the third transmission resource overlap in a time domain; Examiner’s Note: The UE can transmit on one carrier while receiving another carrier simultaneously (¶[0210]) and multiple carriers in the third transmission resource overlap in time domain, so an uplink time domain resource associated with one communication interface may overlap with both transmission and reception operations associated with another communication interface) Regarding claims 6,16, Tang discloses: wherein, the inter-frequency simultaneous transmission capability of the user equipment excludes any one of following: capability of sending the service data of the first communication interface and sending the service data of the second communication interface simultaneously on the same time domain unit corresponding to different frequency points within the same licensed frequency band; and capability of sending the service data of the first communication interface and receiving the service data of the second communication interface simultaneously on the same time domain unit corresponding to different frequency points in the same licensed frequency band; and the time-frequency resource configuration information for the user equipment comprises: an uplink time domain resource corresponding to the first communication interface excluding an uplink time domain resource of the second communication interface, and excluding a downlink time domain resource of the second communication interface. (([0210] Optionally, the third transmission resource may be determined from the first transmission resource and/or the second transmission resource according to at least one of a CBR, the capability in simultaneous transmission and reception on the multiple carriers, transmitting power and priority of a transmitted service; [0211] Optionally, if the transmitting power is larger than or equal to preset power, multiple carriers in the third transmission resource overlap in a time domain; Examiner’s Note: the transmission resource depends on whether the UE supports simultaneous transmission and reception on the multiple carriers. When the capability for simultaneous operations is not supported and overlap condition are not met, the carriers do not overlap in the time domain. Therefore, the uplink time-domain resource corresponding to a first communication interface excludes both uplink and downlink time-domain resources of a second communication interface) Regarding claims 7,12, Tang discloses: wherein the method further comprises: sending a reporting command to the user equipment, wherein the reporting command is configured for instructing the user equipment to report the inter-frequency simultaneous transmission capability of the user equipment. ([0072] the terminal device transmits the capability information to the network device to indicate that it has the capability in simultaneous transmission and reception on the multiple carriers (the first-type carrier and the second-type carrier), and the network device allocates the first transmission resource for the second-type carrier and the valid time of the first transmission resource.) Regarding claims 8,13, Tang discloses: wherein the method further comprises: receiving a reporting result of the user equipment, wherein the reporting result is configured for indicating the inter-frequency simultaneous transmission capability of the user equipment. ([0072] the terminal device transmits the capability information to the network device to indicate that it has the capability in simultaneous transmission and reception on the multiple carriers (the first-type carrier and the second-type carrier), and the network device allocates the first transmission resource for the second-type carrier and the valid time of the first transmission resource.) Regarding claim 19, Tang discloses: A communication apparatus, comprising: ([0100] A fourteenth aspect provides a network device, which includes a processor, a memory) a processor and a memory; ([0100] A fourteenth aspect provides a network device, which includes) wherein the memory is configured to store a computer program; ([0100] The memory is configured to store an instruction) and the processor is configured to execute the computer program to implement method for transmitting time-frequency resource configuration information, comprising: ([0100] the processor is configured to execute the instruction … When the processor executes the instruction stored in the memory, such execution enables the processor to execute the method in the second aspect or any possible implementation mode of the second aspect.) Regarding claim 20, Tang discloses: A communication apparatus, comprising: ([0099] A thirteenth aspect provides a terminal device, which includes) a processor and a memory; ([0099] A thirteenth aspect provides a terminal device, which includes a processor, a memory) wherein the memory is configured to store a computer program; ([0099] The memory is configured to store an instruction) and the processor is configured to execute the computer program to implement the method according to claim 9 ([0099] the processor is configured to execute the instruction … When the processor executes the instruction stored in the memory, such execution enables the processor to execute the method in the second aspect or any possible implementation mode of the second aspect.) Regarding claim 21, Tang discloses: A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein an instruction is stored in the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and when the instruction is invoked and executed on a computer, the computer is enabled to perform the method according to claim 1. ([0323] The memory 1410 may include a Read-Only Memory (ROM) and a Random Access Memory (RAM) and provide an instruction and data for the processor 1430. A part of the memory 1410 may further include a nonvolatile RAM. For example, the memory 1410 may further store information of a device type.) Regarding claim 22, Tang discloses: A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, wherein an instruction is stored in the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and when the instruction is invoked and executed on a computer, the computer is enabled to perform the method according to claim 9. ([0323] The memory 1410 may include a Read-Only Memory (ROM) and a Random Access Memory (RAM) and provide an instruction and data for the processor 1430. A part of the memory 1410 may further include a nonvolatile RAM. For example, the memory 1410 may further store information of a device type.) Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NHU PHAM whose telephone number is (703)756-4511. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday: 8:30 am - 5 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, Jae Y. Lee can be reached at (571) 270-3936. 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. /NHU PHAM/Examiner, Art Unit 2479 /JAE Y LEE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2479
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Feb 14, 2024
Application Filed
Mar 13, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §103 (current)

Precedent Cases

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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
90%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+12.5%)
3y 2m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 19 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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