Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/694,695

POWER CONTROL PARAMETER INDICATION IN CONNECTION WITH A TRANSMISSION CONFIGURATION INDICATOR STATE

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Mar 22, 2024
Examiner
LOPATA, ROBERT J
Art Unit
2471
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
Qualcomm Incorporated
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
89%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 6m
To Grant
91%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 89% — above average
89%
Career Allow Rate
851 granted / 953 resolved
+31.3% vs TC avg
Minimal +2% lift
Without
With
+1.5%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 6m
Avg Prosecution
24 currently pending
Career history
977
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
8.2%
-31.8% vs TC avg
§103
26.1%
-13.9% vs TC avg
§102
38.8%
-1.2% vs TC avg
§112
13.6%
-26.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 953 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 3/22/24. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action: A person shall be entitled to a patent unless – (a)(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. Claim(s) 1 – 19, 29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Bai et al. (US Publication 2025/0106781). The applied reference has a common assignee with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2). This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B) if the same invention is not being claimed; or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed in the reference and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement. Regarding claims 1 and 29, Bai teaches a method and a user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising: a memory; and one or more processors, coupled to the memory, (i.e. fig. 2 shows a UE (120) comprising a processor, memory and transceiver for wireless communications and executing programmed instructions; see paragraphs 52, 53) configured to: receive information indicating a set of power control parameters associated with a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state for an uplink channel, wherein the uplink channel is associated with a particular service; (i.e. fig. 5 shows a UE may receive a power control configuration comprising a set of parameters comprising a TCI state for an uplink channel (505); see paragraphs 84, 91, 92, 94 - 96) (See Also; Bai discloses the UE may receive information identifying power control parameters for different types of uplink traffic associated with different services; see paragraph 94) and transmit, on the uplink channel, a communication associated with the particular service in accordance with the set of power control parameters, wherein one or more other communications associated with one or more other services on the uplink channel are associated with one or more other power control parameters. (i.e. fig. 5 shows the UE may transmit on a communication channel in accordance with the power control configuration parameters (515); see paragraphs 98) Regarding claims 2, Bai teaches the UE of claim 1, wherein the particular service is an enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) service or an ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC) service. (i.e. Bai discloses an uplink traffic service type may include URLLM or EMBB traffic types; see paragraph 94) Regarding claims 3, Bai teaches the UE of claim 1, wherein the set of power control parameters includes at least one of: a P0 parameter, an alpha parameter, a delta parameter, or a closed loop index parameter. (i.e. Bai discloses the power parameters may include a PO, alpha or closed loop index parameters; see paragraph 87) Regarding claims 4, Bai teaches the UE of claim 1, wherein the uplink channel is at least one of: a physical uplink control channel, a sounding reference signal (SRS) channel, or a physical uplink shared channel. (i.e. Bai discloses power control parameters may correspond to different uplink channels such as PRACH, PUCCH, PUSCH or SRS; see paragraph 94) Regarding claims 5, Bai teaches the UE of claim 1, wherein the TCI state is associated with a plurality of subsets of power control parameters for a plurality of types of the uplink channel. (i.e. TCI state may be associated with different power configuration parameters for different uplink channel types; see paragraph 95, 96) Regarding claims 6, Bai teaches the UE of claim 1, wherein the TCI state is associated with a single set of power control parameters common to a plurality of types of the uplink channel. (i.e. TCI state may be associated with a single set or a plurality different power configuration parameters for different uplink channel types; see paragraph 79, 95, 96, 97, 101) Regarding claims 7, Bai teaches the UE of claim 1, wherein the TCI state is associated with a plurality of subsets of power control parameters for a plurality of types of services for the particular service. (i.e. the TCI state is associated with sets power configuration parameters for different service types; see paragraph 94) Regarding claims 8, Bai teaches the UE of claim 1, wherein the TCI state is associated with one or more first power control parameters, of the set of power control parameters, common to a plurality of types of services for the particular service and a plurality of sets of one or more second power control parameters, of the set of power control parameters, corresponding to the plurality of types of services. . (i.e. the TCI state is associated with sets power configuration parameters for different service types; see paragraph 94) (See Also; the power control parameters are associated with different service types such as URLLC or eMBB traffic types; see paragraphs 94, 95) Regarding claims 9, Bai teaches the UE of claim 1, wherein at least one of the set of power control parameters is TCI-specific for each available type of the uplink channel. (i.e. the UE may receive a power control configuration with a set of power parameters configured for a particular TCI state; see paragraph 93, 94) (See Also; For example, UE may receive information identifying power control configurations corresponding to PRACH communications, PUCCH communications, PUSCH communications, or SRS communications, meaning the parameters can configured for a specific TCI state; see paragraph 94) Regarding claims 10, Bai teaches the UE of claim 1, wherein at least one of the set of power control parameters is TCI-common across available types of the uplink channel. (i.e. the UE may receive a power control configuration with a set of power parameters configured for a particular TCI state; see paragraph 93, 94) (See Also; s. A beam indication may indicate a separate uplink common TCI state to indicate a common beam for at least two uplink channels or resources for uplink reference signals. See paragraphs 82, 83) Regarding claims 11, Bai teaches the UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: receive downlink control information associated with selecting or indicating one or more power control parameters of the set of power control parameters. (i.e. Bai discloses the power parameter configuration signaling may be done via a DCI; see paragraph 93) Regarding claims 12, Bai teaches the UE of claim 11, wherein the downlink control information selects or indicates the set of power control parameters for the particular service of a plurality of sets of power control parameters for a plurality of services. (i.e. DCI may indicate the power control parameters corresponding to different types of uplink channels, in addition to a priority of different types of uplink traffic on a type of channel; see paragraphs 93 - 95) Regarding claims 13, Bai teaches the UE of claim 11, wherein the downlink control information selects or indicates a subset of power control parameters, of the set of power control parameters, for the particular service of a plurality of sets of power control parameters for a plurality of services. (i.e. DCI may indicate the power control parameters corresponding to different types of uplink channels, in addition to a priority of different types of uplink traffic (services) on a type of channel, the different services or traffic types include URLLC or eMBB; see paragraphs 93 - 95) Regarding claims 14, Bai teaches the UE of claim 11, wherein the downlink control information selects or indicates a subset of power control parameters, of the set of power control parameters, to be applied for the uplink channel. . (i.e. DCI may comprise signaling indicate the power control parameters corresponding to different types of uplink channels, such as PRACH, PUCCH, PUSCH, SRS; see paragraphs 92, 93) (See Also; the power parameters may be configured per TCI state which indicates subsets of the parameters for the different uplink channels; see paragraph 95) Regarding claims 15, Bai teaches a base station for wireless communication, comprising: a memory; and one or more processors, coupled to the memory, (i.e. fig. 2 shows a base station (110) comprising a processor, memory and transceiver for wireless communications and executing programmed instructions; see paragraphs 52, 53) configured to: transmit information indicating a set of power control parameters associated with a transmission configuration indicator (TCI) state for an uplink channel, wherein the uplink channel is associated with a particular service; (i.e. fig. 5 shows a UE may receive a power control configuration comprising a set of parameters comprising a TCI state for an uplink channel (505); see paragraphs 84, 91, 92, 94 - 96) (See Also; Bai discloses the UE may receive information identifying power control parameters for different types of uplink traffic associated with different services; see paragraph 94) and receive, on the uplink channel, a communication associated with the particular service in accordance with the set of power control parameters, wherein one or more other communications associated with one or more other services on the uplink channel are associated with one or more other power control parameters. (i.e. fig. 5 shows the UE may transmit on a communication channel in accordance with the power control configuration parameters (515); see paragraphs 98) Regarding claims 16, Bai teaches the base station of claim 15, wherein the particular service is an enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) service or an ultra-reliable low-latency communication (URLLC) service. (i.e. Bai discloses an uplink traffic service type may include URLLM or EMBB traffic types; see paragraph 94) Regarding claims 17, Bai teaches the base station of claim 15, wherein the set of power control parameters includes at least one of: a P0 parameter, an alpha parameter, a delta parameter, or a closed loop index parameter. (i.e. Bai discloses the power parameters may include a PO, alpha or closed loop index parameters; see paragraph 87) Regarding claims 18, Bai teaches the base station of claim 15, wherein the uplink channel is at least one of: a physical uplink control channel, a sounding reference signal (SRS) channel, or a physical uplink shared channel. (i.e. Bai discloses power control parameters may correspond to different uplink channels such as PRACH, PUCCH, PUSCH or SRS; see paragraph 94) Regarding claims 19, Bai teaches the base station of claim 15, wherein the TCI state is associated with a plurality of subsets of power control parameters for a plurality of types of the uplink channel. (i.e. TCI state may be associated with different power configuration parameters for different uplink channel types; see paragraph 95, 96) Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT J LOPATA whose telephone number is (571)270-5158. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 10-7 EST. 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, Sujoy Kundu can be reached at (571)272-8586. 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. ROBERT J. LOPATA Primary Examiner Art Unit 2471 /ROBERT J LOPATA/ March 16, 2026Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2471
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Prosecution Timeline

Mar 22, 2024
Application Filed
Mar 16, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102 (current)

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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
89%
Grant Probability
91%
With Interview (+1.5%)
2y 6m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 953 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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