Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 18, 2026
Application No. 18/844,575

METHODS AND APPARATUS OF CODEBOOK ENHANCEMENT FOR COHERENT JOINT TRANSMISSION

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Sep 06, 2024
Priority
Apr 29, 2022 — nonprovisional of PCTCN2022090255
Examiner
NOWLIN, ERIC
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Lenovo (United States) Inc.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
88%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
4m
Est. Remaining
94%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 88% — above average
88%
Career Allowance Rate
820 granted / 928 resolved
+28.4% vs TC avg
Moderate +6% lift
Without
With
+5.7%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 4m
Avg Prosecution
41 currently pending
Career history
951
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
5.4%
-34.6% vs TC avg
§103
45.2%
+5.2% vs TC avg
§102
22.9%
-17.1% vs TC avg
§112
17.5%
-22.5% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 928 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 . Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09 September 2024 and 16 September 2025 was filed after the mailing date of the patent application on 09 September 2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Drawings The drawings, received on 09 September 2024, are acceptable for examination. Specification The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification. 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 factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows: 1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. 2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. 3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. 4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness. Claims 1-4 and 14-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hao et al. (US 20210320704 A1; hereinafter referred to as “Hao”) in view of Rahman et al. (US 20220116090 A1; hereinafter referred to as “Rahman”). Regarding Claim 1, Hao discloses an apparatus for wireless communication, comprising: at least one memory (¶94-96 & Fig. 9, Hao discloses a communications device 900 comprising a computer-readable medium/memory 912); and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the apparatus (¶94-96 & Fig. 9, Hao discloses that the communications device 900 further includes a processor 904 coupled to the computer-readable medium/memory 912 where the processor is configured to cause the communication device to perform a method) to: receive a configuration signaling (¶86-88 & Fig. 8 (802 & 804), Hao discloses receiving a channel state information (CSI) report configuration and a list of codebooks associated with the CSI report configuration) for a first codebook and a second codebook (¶89 & Fig. 8 (802 & 804), Hao discloses that the CSI report configuration and the list of codebooks is for a first codebook and a second codebook), wherein the first codebook is for Channel State Information (CSI) reporting to a first transmitting-receiving entity (¶89 & Fig. 8 (802 & 804), Hao discloses that the first codebook is for channel state information (CSI) reporting for a first transmit/receive point (TRP)), and the second codebook is for CSI reporting to a second transmitting-receiving entity (¶89 & Fig. 8 (802 & 804), Hao discloses that the second codebook is for channel state information (CSI) reporting for a second TRP); determine a Precoder Matrix Indicator (PMI) based on the second codebook (¶87 & Fig. 8 & ¶89, Hao determining the PMI for transmitting the PMI based on a second codebook when a CSI resource indicator (CRI) has a particular value); and transmit the PMI in reporting of CSI (¶87 & Fig. 8 (806), Hao discloses transmitting the PMI in reporting the CSI). However, Hao does not disclose that the PMI comprising one or more phase adjustment coefficients. Rahman, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, teaches the PMI comprising one or more phase adjustment coefficients (¶235-238, Rahman discloses a codebook that is generated using a precoder matrix indicator (PMI) using a coefficients {c.sub.l,i,f}). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to modify Hao by requiring that the PMI comprising one or more phase adjustment coefficients as taught by Rahman because channel state information (CSI) reporting based on a codebook in a wireless communication system is improved by enabling selection of appropriate communication parameters to efficiently and effectively perform wireless data communication with the UE (Rahman, ¶3-4). Regarding Claim 2, Hao in view of Rahman discloses the apparatus of claim 1. Rahman, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, further teaches wherein the second codebook is generated with phase adjustment coefficients for selected beams or beamformed channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) ports (¶235-238, Rahman discloses a codebook that is generated using a precoder matrix indicator (PMI) using a coefficients {c.sub.l,i,f} for the selected SD-FD port pairs {(a.sub.i, b.sub.l,f). Examiner correlates the coefficients to “one or more phase adjustment coefficients” and correlates selected port pairs to “CSI-RS ports”). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to modify Hao in view of Rahman by requiring that the second codebook is generated with phase adjustment coefficients for selected beams or beamformed channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) ports as taught by Rahman because channel state information (CSI) reporting based on a codebook in a wireless communication system is improved by enabling selection of appropriate communication parameters to efficiently and effectively perform wireless data communication with the UE (Rahman, ¶3-4). Regarding Claim 3, Hao in view of Rahman discloses the apparatus of claim 2. Rahman, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, further teaches the PMI is determined based on P= W 1 W 2 ~ W f H (¶235-238, Rahman discloses a codebook that is generated using a precoder matrix indicator (PMI) using Formula 31) where W1 = [] (¶235-238, Rahman discloses that W.sub.1 is a port-selection matrix X); {vi}L-1i=0 denotes the selected beams of selected beamformed CSI-RS ports (¶235-238, Rahman discloses that W.sub.1 is a port-selection matrix X comprising a.sub.i is the i-th column of the port-selection matrix X, and b.sub.l,f is the f-th column of the matrix W.sub.f); and Θ0,0, …, ΘL-1,0, …., Θ0,1, …., ΘL-1,1 are phase adjustment coefficients for the selected beams or selected beamformed CSI-RS ports (¶235-238, Rahman discloses a codebook that is generated using the PMI includes coefficients {c.sub.l,i,f}). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to modify Hao in view of Rahman by requiring that the PMI is determined based on P=W_1 (W_2 ) ̃W_f^H where W1 = []; {vi}L-1i=0 denotes the selected beams of selected beamformed CSI-RS ports; and Θ0,0, …, ΘL-1,0, …., Θ0,1, …., ΘL-1,1 are phase adjustment coefficients for the selected beams or selected beamformed CSI-RS ports as taught by Rahman because channel state information (CSI) reporting based on a codebook in a wireless communication system is improved by enabling selection of appropriate communication parameters to efficiently and effectively perform wireless data communication with the UE (Rahman, ¶3-4). Regarding Claim 4, Hao in view of Rahman discloses the apparatus of claim 1. Rahman, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, further teaches wherein the second codebook is generated with phase adjustment coefficients for each subband (¶235-238 & ¶163, Rahman discloses that the PMI may be generated with coefficients for particular subbands). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to modify Hao in view of Rahman by requiring that the second codebook is generated with phase adjustment coefficients for each subband as taught by Rahman because channel state information (CSI) reporting based on a codebook in a wireless communication system is improved by enabling selection of appropriate communication parameters to efficiently and effectively perform wireless data communication with the UE (Rahman, ¶3-4). Regarding Claim 14, Hao discloses an apparatus for wireless communication, comprising: at least one memory (¶94-96 & Fig. 9, Hao discloses a communications device 900 comprising a computer-readable medium/memory 912); and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the apparatus (¶94-96 & Fig. 9, Hao discloses that the communications device 900 further includes a processor 904 coupled to the computer-readable medium/memory 912 where the processor is configured to cause the communication device to perform a method) to: transmit a configuration signaling (¶86-88 & Fig. 8 (802 & 804), Hao discloses receiving a channel state information (CSI) report configuration and a list of codebooks associated with the CSI report configuration) for a first codebook and a second codebook (¶89 & Fig. 8 (802 & 804), Hao discloses that the CSI report configuration and the list of codebooks is for a first codebook and a second codebook), wherein the first codebook is for Channel State Information (CSI) reporting to a first transmitting-receiving entity (¶89 & Fig. 8 (802 & 804), Hao discloses that the first codebook is for channel state information (CSI) reporting for a first transmit/receive point (TRP)), and the second codebook is for CSI reporting to a second transmitting-receiving entity (¶89 & Fig. 8 (802 & 804), Hao discloses that the second codebook is for channel state information (CSI) reporting for a second TRP); receive a Precoder Matrix Indicator (PMI) (¶87 & Fig. 8 (806), Hao discloses receiving the PMI in reporting the CSI), wherein the PMI is determined based on the second codebook (¶87 & Fig. 8 & ¶89, Hao discloses receiving the PMI based on a second codebook when a CSI resource indicator (CRI) has a particular value). However, Hao does not disclose that the PMI comprising one or more phase adjustment coefficients. Rahman, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, teaches the PMI comprising one or more phase adjustment coefficients (¶235-238, Rahman discloses a codebook that is generated using a precoder matrix indicator (PMI) using a coefficients {c.sub.l,i,f}). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to modify Hao by requiring that the PMI comprising one or more phase adjustment coefficients as taught by Rahman because channel state information (CSI) reporting based on a codebook in a wireless communication system is improved by enabling selection of appropriate communication parameters to efficiently and effectively perform wireless data communication with the UE (Rahman, ¶3-4). Regarding Claim 15, Claim 15 is rejected on the same basis as Claim 1. Regarding Claim 16, Hao discloses a processor for wireless communication, comprising: at least one controller coupled with at least one memory and configured to cause the processor (¶94-96 & Fig. 9, Hao discloses that the communications device 900 further includes a processor 904 coupled to the computer-readable medium/memory 912 where the processor is configured to cause the communication device to perform a method) to: receive a configuration (¶86-88 & Fig. 8 (802 & 804), Hao discloses receiving a channel state information (CSI) report configuration and a list of codebooks associated with the CSI report configuration) for a first codebook and a second codebook (¶89 & Fig. 8 (802 & 804), Hao discloses that the CSI report configuration and the list of codebooks is for a first codebook and a second codebook), wherein the first codebook is for Channel State Information (CSI) reporting to a first transmitting-receiving entity (¶89 & Fig. 8 (802 & 804), Hao discloses that the first codebook is for channel state information (CSI) reporting for a first transmit/receive point (TRP)), and the second codebook is for CSI reporting to a second transmitting-receiving entity (¶89 & Fig. 8 (802 & 804), Hao discloses that the second codebook is for channel state information (CSI) reporting for a second TRP); determine a Precoder Matrix Indicator (PMI) based on the second codebook (¶87 & Fig. 8 & ¶89, Hao discloses transmitting the PMI based on a second codebook when a CSI resource indicator (CRI) has a particular value) transmitting the PMI in reporting of CSI (¶87 & Fig. 8 (806), Hao discloses transmitting the PMI in reporting the CSI). However, Hao does not disclose that the PMI comprising one or more phase adjustment coefficients. Rahman, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, teaches the PMI comprising one or more phase adjustment coefficients (¶235-238, Rahman discloses a codebook that is generated using a precoder matrix indicator (PMI) using a coefficients {c.sub.l,i,f}). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to modify Hao by requiring that the PMI comprising one or more phase adjustment coefficients as taught by Rahman because channel state information (CSI) reporting based on a codebook in a wireless communication system is improved by enabling selection of appropriate communication parameters to efficiently and effectively perform wireless data communication with the UE (Rahman, ¶3-4). Regarding Claim 17, Claim 17 is rejected on the same basis as Claim 4. Claims 13, 19, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hao in view of Rahman in further view of Ly et al. (US 20240413874 A1; hereinafter referred to as “Ly”). Regarding Claim 13, Hao in view of Rahman discloses the apparatus of claim 1. However, Hao in view of Rahman does not disclose wherein the first codebook and the second codebook are configured with one or more common configuration parameters, including of: channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) port number and corresponding N1 and N2, selected beam number L, frequency compression ratio p, or subband PMI number per subband Channel Quality Indicator (CQI). Ly, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, teaches the first codebook and the second codebook are configured with one or more common configuration parameters, including of: channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) port number and corresponding N1 and N2 (¶116, Ly discloses that the control signaling corresponding to a first codebook and a second codebook includes a first number of antenna ports, a second number of antenna ports less than the first number of antenna ports, N.sub.1 antenna port configuration, and N.sub.2 antenna port configuration), selected beam number L, frequency compression ratio p, or subband PMI number per subband Channel Quality Indicator (CQI). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to modify Hao in view of Rahman by requiring that the first codebook and the second codebook are configured with one or more common configuration parameters, including of: channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) port number and corresponding N1 and N2 as taught by Ly because management of codebooks is improved in situations where the codebook configuration is changed or may be changed (Ly, ¶4). Regarding Claim 19, Claim 19 is rejected on the same basis as Claim 13. Regarding Claim 20, Claim 20 is rejected on the same basis as Claim 19. Claim 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hao in view of Rahman in further view of Sun et al. (US 20250192959 A1 using the provisional filing date of 16 March 2022 corresponding to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/269,445). Regarding Claim 6, Hao in view of Rahman discloses the apparatus of claim 1. However, Hao in view of Rahman does not disclose wherein the second codebook is generated with phase adjustment coefficients for linear combination coefficients. Sun, a prior art reference in the same field of endeavor, teaches wherein the second codebook is generated with phase adjustment coefficients for linear combination coefficients (Abstract, Sun discloses that the codebook for a different TRP is generated with linear combination coefficients). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the invention to modify Hao by requiring that the first codebook and the second codebook are configured with one or more common configuration parameters, including of: channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) port number and corresponding N1 and N2 as taught by Sun because multi-TRP CJT CSI feedback is improved by reducing signaling feedback (Sun, ¶37). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 5, 7-12, and 18 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIC NOWLIN whose telephone number is (313)446-6544. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 12:00PM-10:00PM. 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, Michael Thier can be reached at (571) 272-2832. 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. /ERIC NOWLIN/Examiner, Art Unit 2474
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Prosecution Timeline

Sep 06, 2024
Application Filed
Jul 15, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
88%
Grant Probability
94%
With Interview (+5.7%)
2y 4m (~4m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 928 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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