Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 01, 2026
Application No. 18/776,685

MEASUREMENT REPORTING METHOD AND COMMUNICATION APPARATUS

Final Rejection §103
Filed
Jul 18, 2024
Priority
Jan 19, 2022 — CN 202210061984.9 +2 more
Examiner
CUNNINGHAM, KEVIN M
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.
OA Round
2 (Final)
72%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
6m
Est. Remaining
83%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 72% — above average
72%
Career Allowance Rate
434 granted / 605 resolved
+11.7% vs TC avg
Moderate +11% lift
Without
With
+11.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 9m
Avg Prosecution
42 currently pending
Career history
648
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
3.2%
-36.8% vs TC avg
§103
59.8%
+19.8% vs TC avg
§102
11.8%
-28.2% vs TC avg
§112
21.8%
-18.2% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 605 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 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. Claims 1 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kumar et al (US 2022/0046457, hereinafter Kumar) and in view of Gao et al (WO 2020/083369, hereinafter Gao). Regarding claim 1, Kumar discloses a measurement reporting method, comprising: obtaining, by a first device, M types of measurement results for a first signal, wherein the first signal is used to detect a target object or a spatial channel (UE is configured with M measurement types, Para [0096], UE performs plurality of measurements, Para [0079], network quality and radio link measurements, Para [0088], used to detect, is intended use); and sending, by the first device, N types of measurement results in the M types of measurement results to a second device, wherein M and N are positive integers, and N is less than or equal to M (UE response to network device, includes first measurement results based on measurement filter and excludes second measurement results based on the measurement filter, Para [0007], which means sending a subset of the measurement results); but does not disclose the first signal is an echo signal obtained after a sensing signal sent by the first device is reflected by the target object. Gao discloses the application can be installed in any device, where a device transmits a detection signal and receives a reflected signal by the target object and obtain measurements from the reflected signal, page 4-5. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Gao in the system of Kumar in order to effectively use limited bandwidth resources to design a waveform for efficient work of radar. Regarding claim 15, Kumar discloses communication apparatus (UE, Fig. 4), comprising: at least one processor and a memory (processor and memory, Fig. 4) storing programming instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the communication apparatus to: obtain M types of measurement results for a first signal, wherein the first signal is used to detect a target object or a spatial channel (UE is configured with M measurement types, Para [0096], UE performs plurality of measurements, Para [0079], network quality and radio link measurements, Para [0088], used to detect, is intended use); and send N types of measurement results in the M types of measurement results to a second device, wherein M and N are positive integers, and N is less than or equal to M (UE response to network device, includes first measurement results based on measurement filter and excludes second measurement results based on the measurement filter, Para [0007], which means sending a subset of the measurement results); but does not disclose the first signal is an echo signal obtained after a sensing signal sent by the first device is reflected by the target object. Gao discloses the application can be installed in any device, where a device transmits a detection signal and receives a reflected signal by the target object and obtain measurements from the reflected signal, page 4-5. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Gao in the system of Kumar in order to effectively use limited bandwidth resources to design a waveform for efficient work of radar. Claims 2-14 and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kumar, in view of Gao and in view of Tooher et al (US 2019/0074953, hereinafter Tooher). Regarding claims 5, 12 and 19, Kumar discloses the measurement reporting method/apparatus according to claim 4/11/18, but not further comprising: sending, by the first device, second indication information to the second device, wherein the second indication information indicates whether a feedback condition is met. Tooher discloses UE only reports feedback that achieves a threshold, Para [0130], trigger threshold can be when the difference between a current measurement and a previous reported measurement is greater than a threshold amount, Para [0132], if the UE is reporting feedback than that means the feedback condition is met. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Tooher in the system of Kumar in view with Gao in order to reduce overhead when reporting feedback. Regarding claims 2, 9 and 16, Kumar discloses the measurement reporting method/apparatus according to claim 1/8/15, wherein the M types of measurement results comprise of: a first type of measurement result comprising one or more of information about the first signal or information about the spatial channel (measurement type is a radio link measurement, Para [0088]), wherein the information about the spatial channel indicates a feature of the spatial channel corresponding to the first signal; a second type of measurement result comprising one or more of a time domain measurement result, a space domain measurement result, or a frequency domain measurement result, wherein the time domain measurement result indicates speed information of the target object, the space domain measurement result indicates angle information of the target object, and the frequency domain measurement result indicates distance information of the target object; a third type of measurement result comprising one or more of a target detection probability, a target false alarm probability, a target missed detection probability, first information, or a channel quality indicator, wherein the target detection probability is a probability that the target object is detected, the target false alarm probability is a probability that a target object that actually does not exist is determined as a target object that exists, the target missed detection probability is a probability that no target object that actually exists is detected, the first information indicates whether the target object is detected, and the channel quality indicator indicates quality of the spatial channel corresponding to the first signal: or a fourth type of measurement result comprising one or more of the speed information, the angle information, or the distance information of the target object. Regarding claims 3, 10 and 17, Kumar discloses the measurement reporting method/apparatus according to claim 1/8/15, further comprising: receiving, by the first device, first indication information, wherein the first indication information indicates a type of a measurement result that needs to be reported. Kumar discloses UE receives a request indicating one or more measurement filters, Para [0083], UE can select first measurements but not second measurement results, Para [0085] and UE sends a response, Para [0089]. Regarding claims 4, 11 and 18, Kumar discloses the measurement reporting method/apparatus according to claim 1/8/15, further comprising: receiving, by the first device, a first request message, wherein the first request message is used to request to report a measurement result for the first signal; and sending, by the first device, a response message, wherein the response message comprises the N types of measurement results. Kumar discloses UE receives a request indicating one or more measurement filters, Para [0083], UE can select first measurements but not second measurement results, Para [0085] and UE sends a response, Para [0089]. Regarding claims 6, 13 and 20, Kumar discloses the measurement reporting method/apparatus according to claim 4/11/18, further comprising: receiving, by the first device, third indication information, wherein the third indication information is used to trigger reporting of the measurement result. Kumar discloses UE receives a request indicating one or more measurement filters, Para [0083], UE can select first measurements but not second measurement results, Para [0085] and UE sends a response, Para [0089]. Regarding claims 7 and 14, Kumar discloses the measurement reporting method according to claim 5/12, but not wherein the feedback condition comprises that the measurement result is greater than or equal to a reporting threshold, or the feedback condition comprises that a change rate of the measurement result is within a preset range, wherein the change rate of the measurement result is a difference between an (i+1).sup.th measurement result and an i.sup.th measurement result, and i is an integer greater than or equal to 1. Tooher discloses UE only reports feedback that achieves a threshold, Para [0130], trigger threshold can be when the difference between a current measurement and a previous reported measurement is greater than a threshold amount, Para [0132]. Regarding claim 8, Kumar discloses a measurement reporting method, comprising: receiving, by a second device, N types of measurement results from a first device, wherein the N types of measurement results belong to M types of measurement results for a first signal, the first signal is used to detect a target object or a spatial channel, M and N are positive integers, and N is less than or equal to M (UE is configured with M measurement types, Para [0096], UE performs plurality of measurements, Para [0079], network quality and radio link measurements, Para [0088], used to detect, is intended use, UE response to network device, includes first measurement results based on measurement filter and excludes second measurement results based on the measurement filter, Para [0007], which means sending a subset of the measurement results); and determining attribute information of the target object or the spatial channel based on the N types of measurement results (the network device can adjust network performance, make scheduling decisions or change transmission mode based on the measurement data results, Para [0100], obvious to one of ordinary skill a determination had been made on the channel based on the results); but does not disclose the first signal is an echo signal obtained after a sensing signal sent by the first device is reflected by the target object. Gao discloses the application can be installed in any device, where a device transmits a detection signal and receives a reflected signal by the target object and obtain measurements from the reflected signal, page 4-5. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Gao in the system of Kumar in order to effectively use limited bandwidth resources to design a waveform for efficient work of radar. Response to Arguments Applicant's arguments filed 8/25/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant adds a new limitation to the claims and argues the references do not disclose the amended limitations. Applicant argues Kumar does not disclose the first signal is an echo signal obtained after sensing signal is sent by a first device and is reflected by the target object. In response, argument is moot in view of a new reference being used in the current office action. 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 KEVIN CUNNINGHAM whose telephone number is (571) 272-1765. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday 7:30-18:00 (EST). If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Vu can be reached on (571) 272-3155. The fax number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. 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. /KEVIN M CUNNINGHAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jul 18, 2024
Application Filed
Aug 26, 2024
Response after Non-Final Action
May 26, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
Aug 25, 2026
Response Filed
Sep 23, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
72%
Grant Probability
83%
With Interview (+11.2%)
2y 9m (~6m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 605 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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