Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/840,662

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING TRANSMIT POWER OF SOUNDING REFERENCE SIGNAL IN MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Aug 22, 2024
Priority
Apr 25, 2022 — provisional 63/334,315 +1 more
Examiner
GONZALES, APRIL GUZMAN
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
MediaTek Inc.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
85%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
8m
Est. Remaining
91%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 85% — above average
85%
Career Allowance Rate
720 granted / 847 resolved
+25.0% vs TC avg
Moderate +6% lift
Without
With
+6.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 7m
Avg Prosecution
26 currently pending
Career history
876
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.5%
-38.5% vs TC avg
§103
62.0%
+22.0% vs TC avg
§102
32.5%
-7.5% vs TC avg
§112
1.6%
-38.4% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 847 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 submitted on 08/22/2024 and 05/08/2026 have been considered by the Examiner and made of record in the application file. 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)(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. Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liu et al. (US 2019/0230603 A1 herein Liu). Regarding claim 1, Liu teaches a method, comprising: determining, by a processor of an apparatus (read as UE includes a processor 21) (Liu – Figure 5, [0086]-[0087], [0144]-[0145]), a type of random access procedure (read as random access process) (Liu – [0088]); determining, by the processor, a transmit power control (TPC) command value according to the type of random access procedure (read as receiving, by the UE, a TPC command (transmit power control command) field sent by the network side device) (Liu – [0037], [0152]); obtaining, by the processor, a sounding reference signal (SRS) power control variable according to the TPC command value (read as uplink signal may be an uplink reference signal, and the uplink reference signal may be a sounding reference signal (Sounding Reference Signal, SRS)) (Liu – [0159]); and transmitting, by the processor, an SRS to a network node according to the SRS power control variable (read as the transmit power of the SRS when the power offset term caused by the change in the beamforming gain is considered) (Liu – [0159], [0179]-[0180], [0183]). Regarding claim 2 as applied to claim 1, Liu further teaches wherein the type of random access procedure comprises a Type-1 random access procedure or a Type-2 random access procedure (read as random access process) (Liu – [0088]). Regarding claim 3 as applied to claim 2, Liu further teaches wherein the Type-1 random access procedure comprises a 4-step random access channel (RACH), and wherein the Type-2 random access procedure comprises a 2-step RACH (read as random access channel, RACH) (Liu – [0088]). Regarding claim 4 as applied to claim 2, Liu further teaches wherein the TPC command value is indicated in a random access response grant corresponding to a physical random access channel (PRACH) transmission according to the Type-1 random access procedure (read as scheduling message of the RACH is indicated by the network side device to the UE by using a physical layer control command) (Liu – [0131]). Regarding claim 5 as applied to claim 2, Liu further teaches wherein the TPC command value is indicated in a random access response grant corresponding to MsgA transmissions according to the Type-2 random access procedure with a random access response (RAR) message for a fallback RAR (read as base station returns a random access response message to the UE) (Liu – [0088]). Regarding claim 6 as applied to claim 2, Liu further teaches wherein the TPC command value is indicated in a success random access response (RAR) corresponding to MsgA transmissions for the Type-2 random access procedure (read as base station returns a random access response message to the UE) (Liu – [0088]). Regarding claim 7 as applied to claim 1, Liu further teaches wherein the TPC command value comprises a δb,f,c, and wherein b denotes an active uplink bandwidth part, f denotes a carrier and c denotes a serving cell (Liu – [0161], [0180], [0184]). Regarding claim 8 as applied to claim 1, Liu further teaches further comprising: determining, by the processor, whether a nominal user equipment transmit power value or a fractional power control multiplier value is provided by the network node, wherein the SRS power control variable is obtained in an event that the nominal user equipment transmit power value or the fractional power control multiplier value is not provided by the network node (read as different power control parameter sets) (Liu – [0090]-[0091], [0112]-[0113], [0115]). Regarding claim 9 as applied to claim 1, Liu further teaches wherein the obtaining of the SRS power control variable comprises obtaining the SRS power control variable from a power ramp up value and the TPC command value (read as power control parameter) (Liu – [0090]-[0091], [0112]-[0113], [0115]). Regarding claim 10 as applied to claim 1, Liu further teaches wherein the transmitting of the SRS comprises adjusting or determining a power level of the SRS according to the SRS power control variable (read as dynamically adjust the transmit power) (Liu – [0120], [0147], [0153], [0185]). Regarding claim 11, Liu teaches an apparatus (Liu – Figure 5, [0086]-[0087], [0144]-[0145]), comprising: a transceiver which, during operation, wirelessly communicates with at least one network node of a network side (read as base station may be a base transceiver station (Base Transceiver Station, BTS) (Liu – [0086]-[0087]); and a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver such that (read as UE includes a processor 21) (Liu – Figure 5, [0086]-[0087], [0144]-[0145]), during operation, the processor performs operations comprising: determining a type of random access procedure (read as random access process) (Liu – [0088]); determining a transmit power control (TPC) command value according to the type of random access procedure (read as receiving, by the UE, a TPC command (transmit power control command) field sent by the network side device) (Liu – [0037], [0152]); obtaining a sounding reference signal (SRS) power control variable according to the TPC command value (read as uplink signal may be an uplink reference signal, and the uplink reference signal may be a sounding reference signal (Sounding Reference Signal, SRS)) (Liu – [0159]); and transmitting, via the transceiver, an SRS to a network node according to the SRS power control variable (read as the transmit power of the SRS when the power offset term caused by the change in the beamforming gain is considered) (Liu – [0159], [0179]-[0180], [0183]). Regarding claim 12 as applied to claim 11, Liu further teaches wherein the type of random access procedure comprises a Type-1 random access procedure or a Type-2 random access procedure (read as random access process) (Liu – [0088]). Regarding claim 13 as applied to claim 12, Liu further teaches wherein the Type-1 random access procedure comprises a 4-step random access channel (RACH), and wherein the Type-2 random access procedure comprises a 2-step RACH (read as random access channel, RACH) (Liu – [0088]). Regarding claim 14 as applied to claim 12, Liu further teaches wherein the TPC command value is indicated in a random access response grant corresponding to a physical random access channel (PRACH) transmission according to the Type-1 random access procedure (read as scheduling message of the RACH is indicated by the network side device to the UE by using a physical layer control command) (Liu – [0131]). Regarding claim 15 as applied to claim 12, Liu further teaches wherein the TPC command value is indicated in a random access response grant corresponding to MsgA transmissions according to the Type-2 random access procedure with a random access response (RAR) message for a fallback RAR (read as base station returns a random access response message to the UE) (Liu – [0088]). Regarding claim 16 as applied to claim 12, Liu further teaches wherein the TPC command value is indicated in a success random access response (RAR) corresponding to MsgA transmissions for the Type-2 random access procedure (read as base station returns a random access response message to the UE) (Liu – [0088]). Regarding claim 17 as applied to claim 11, Liu further teaches wherein the TPC command value comprises a δb,f,c, and wherein b denotes an active uplink bandwidth part, f denotes a carrier and c denotes a serving cell (Liu – [0161], [0180], [0184]). Regarding claim 18 as applied to claim 11, Liu further teaches wherein, during operation, the processor further performs operations comprising: determining whether a nominal user equipment transmit power value or a fractional power control multiplier value is provided by the network node, wherein, in obtaining the SRS power control variable, the processor obtains the SRS power control variable in an event that the nominal user equipment transmit power value or the fractional power control multiplier value is not provided by the network node (read as different power control parameter sets) (Liu – [0090]-[0091], [0112]-[0113], [0115]). Regarding claim 19 as applied to claim 11, Liu further teaches wherein, in obtaining the SRS power control variable, the processor obtains the SRS power control variable from a power ramp up value and the TPC command value (read as power control parameter) (Liu – [0090]-[0091], [0112]-[0113], [0115]). Regarding claim 20 as applied to claim 11, Liu further teaches wherein, in transmitting the SRS, the processor adjusts or determines a power level of the SRS according to the SRS power control variable (read as dynamically adjust the transmit power) (Liu – [0120], [0147], [0153], [0185]). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to APRIL GUZMAN GONZALES whose telephone number is (571)270-1101. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm 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, Wesley L. Kim can be reached at (571) 272-7867. 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. /APRIL G GONZALES/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2648
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Aug 22, 2024
Application Filed
Jun 03, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §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
85%
Grant Probability
91%
With Interview (+6.2%)
2y 7m (~8m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 847 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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