Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 01, 2026
Application No. 18/857,354

INDICATION METHOD AND DEVICE/STORAGE MEDIUM/APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL CHANNEL REPEAT TRANSMISSION

Non-Final OA §102§112
Filed
Oct 16, 2024
Priority
Apr 20, 2022 — nonprovisional of PCTCN2022088002
Examiner
CERLANEK, RACHEL ELIZABETH
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Beijing Xiaomi Mobile Software Co., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
97%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
11m
Est. Remaining
95%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 97% — above average
97%
Career Allowance Rate
69 granted / 71 resolved
+37.2% vs TC avg
Minimal -2% lift
Without
With
+-1.8%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 10m
Avg Prosecution
14 currently pending
Career history
88
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
2.3%
-37.7% vs TC avg
§103
52.5%
+12.5% vs TC avg
§102
32.2%
-7.8% vs TC avg
§112
11.5%
-28.5% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 71 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §112
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 . DETAILED ACTION This action is in response to communications filed 10/16/2024. Claims 1-6, 8, 10-15, 17-18, 20, 22-23, 26-27 are pending. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 10/16/2024, 10/16/2025, and 04/29/2026 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner. Claim Objections Claims 18, 20, and 23 are objected to because of the following informalities: The first time an acronym is mentioned in a claim set, it should be spelled out. For example: downlink control information (DCI). Claim 23 recites: “PUSCH”, “PDSCH”, “PUCCH”, and “PDCCH”. This is the first instance of these acronyms in the claim set and they should be spelled out. Claims 18 and 20 recite: “SPS”. This is the first instance of this acronym in the claim set and therefore should be spelled out. Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. Claim 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Claim 22 in part recites: “receiving the repetition transmission from the UE”. However, the parent claims to claim 22 are directed towards the UE itself and in claim 13, which claim 22 is dependent on, recites performing repetition transmission. Therefore, the claims as written recite the same component, the UE, both transmitting and receiving the repetition transmission. For this reason, the claim is indefinite. The claim is being interpreted the UE indicating repetition transmission, as that is the previously recited intent. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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 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. Claims 1-6, 8, 10-15, 17-18, 20, 22-23, 26-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Fukui (Pub. No.: US 2024/0406973 A1). Regarding claim 1, Fukui teaches A method for indicating repetition transmission of a physical channel, performed by a user equipment (UE) (Fukui [0001] and [0008]: method for terminal apparatus (user equipment); Fukui [0297-0308], [0059], [0104], and [0340]: repetition transmission of physical channel), comprising: receiving configuration information for repetition transmission sent by a network device (Fukui [0133], [0068], [0290-0291], [0297-0308], and [0095]: terminal (UE) receiving configuration information from the base station (network device); Fukui [0083]: PDSCH, PDCCH and CSI-RS received by terminal apparatus (UE) from base station apparatus (network device), [0147]: PDCCH used for transmitting DCI); determining a transmission resource for the repetition transmission according to the configuration information, wherein the transmission resource is discontinuous in time (Fukui [0305]: number of repetitions indicating the number of repetitions for the repetition transmission; [0291]: first field in DCI may be a time domain resource assignment field; Fukui [0329]: In the time division duplex, the two or more configured time domain windows need not be continuous; [0333]: One or more actual time domain windows may be determined in the configured time domain windows. The multiple actual time domain windows need not be continuous with each other; [0337]: discontinuous PUSCHs); and determining a repetition transmission opportunity according to the transmission resource (Fukui [0324]: time domain window corresponding to the transmission opportunity to which the repetition type is applied; Fukui [0327]: one of the one or multiple window lengths may be determined based on a time domain resource assignment field included in the DCI). Regarding claim 2, Fukui teaches The method according to claim 1 (the limitations of parent claim 1 as indicated above), wherein receiving the configuration information for the repetition transmission sent by the network device comprises: receiving a corresponding relationship between indication information and the transmission resource sent by the network device via a first signaling; and receiving the indication information sent by the network device via a second signaling. (Fukui [0334]: configuration of time domain window (relationship between indication information and transmission resource via first signaling) and then an event including reception of indication information (receiving indication information via second signaling); [0068]: RRC layer managing configuration information; [0095]: RRC parameters based on RRC message received from base station; [0133-0137]: BS transmitting channel; Fukui [0083]: PDSCH, PDCCH and CSI-RS received by terminal apparatus (UE) from base station apparatus (network device); Fukui [0305]: number of repetitions indicating the number of repetitions for the repetition transmission) Regarding claim 3, Fukui teaches The method according to claim 2 (the limitations of parent claim 2 as indicated above), wherein the transmission resource comprises at least one of: a total number of the repetition transmission (Fukui [0305]: number of repetitions indicating the number of repetitions for the repetition transmission); a time interval between each repetition transmission opportunity; a number of the repetition transmission transmitted at each repetition transmission opportunity; or pattern information of the repetition transmission. Regarding claim 4, Fukui teaches The method according to claim 3 (the limitations of parent claim 3 as indicated above), wherein determining the transmission resource for the repetition transmission according to the configuration information comprises: determining a corresponding transmission resource based on the corresponding relationship in the first signaling and the indication information comprised in the second signaling (Fukui [0334]: configuration of time domain window (relationship between indication information and transmission resource via first signaling) and then an event including reception of indication information (receiving indication information via second signaling); Fukui [0305]: number of repetitions indicating the number of repetitions for the repetition transmission (the relationship and the indication information are both related to transmission resource)). Regarding claim 5, Fukui teaches The method according to claim 1 (the limitations of parent claim 1 as indicated above), wherein the configuration information comprises the transmission resource for the repetition transmission; and the transmission resource comprises at least one of: a total number of the repetition transmission (Fukui [0305]: number of repetitions indicating the number of repetitions for the repetition transmission); a time interval between each repetition transmission opportunity; a number of the repetition transmission transmitted at each repetition transmission opportunity; or pattern information of the repetition transmission. Regarding claim 6, Fukui teaches The method according to claim 5 (the limitations of parent claim 5 as indicated above), wherein receiving the configuration information for the repetition transmission sent by the network device comprises: receiving the configuration information sent by the network device via a third signaling, wherein the third signaling is an RRC signaling (Fukui [0068] and [0095]: RRC message received from base station (network device) configuration information via RRC signaling; [0068]: RRC layer managing configuration information); receiving the configuration information sent by the network device via the third signaling comprises any one of: receiving the configuration information sent by the network device via an RRC signaling for configuring semi-persistent scheduling (SPS); receiving the configuration information sent by the network device via an RRC signaling for configuring a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) configured grant Type 1 (Fukui [0324], [0305-0307], [0179], and [0340]: PUSCH repetition type A (type 1), RRC layer reporting); and receiving the configuration information sent by the network device via an RRC signaling for configuring a physical channel. Regarding claim 8, Fukui teaches The method according to claim 5 (the limitations of parent claim 5 as indicated above), wherein receiving the configuration information for the repetition transmission sent by the network device comprises: receiving the configuration information sent by the network device via a fourth signaling, wherein the fourth signaling is a DCI signaling (Fukui [0304]: scheduled by DCI; [0009-0012] and [0147]: DCI is from base station (network device) to terminal apparatus (UE)); receiving the configuration information sent by the network device via the DCI signaling comprises any one of: receiving the configuration information sent by the network device via a DCI signaling for activating SPS; and receiving the configuration information sent by the network device via a DCI signaling for activating PUSCH configured grant type 2 (Fukui [0304]: PUSCH repetition type B (type 2), based on DCI format). Regarding claim 10, Fukui teaches The method according to claim 1 (the limitations of parent claim 1 as indicated above), wherein in response to the transmission resource comprised in the configuration information being a total number of the repetition transmission (Fukui [0305]: number of repetitions indicating the number of repetitions for the repetition transmission), determining the transmission resource for the repetition transmission according to the configuration information comprises: determining the transmission resource according to predefined information and the configuration information; (Fukui [0305]: number of repetitions indicating the number of repetitions for the repetition transmission; [0291]: first field in DCI may be a time domain resource assignment field; Fukui [0133], [0068], [0290-0291], [0297-0308], [0324], and [0095]: terminal (UE) receiving configuration information from the base station (network device); Fukui [0083]: PDSCH, PDCCH and CSI-RS received by terminal apparatus (UE) from base station apparatus (network device), [0147]: PDCCH used for transmitting DCI; plurality of information received, being both the configuration information and additional signaling information (predefined information)) wherein the predefined information is configured to determine at least one of: a time interval between each repetition transmission opportunity (Fukui [0324], [0291], and [0375-0376]: time domain window between repetition transmissions); a number of the repetition transmission transmitted at each repetition transmission opportunity; or pattern information of the repetition transmission. Regarding claim 11, Fukui teaches The method according to claim 2 (the limitations of parent claim 2 as indicated above), wherein the transmission resource corresponding to the indication information carried in the configuration information comprises a total number of the repetition transmission (Fukui [0305]: number of repetitions indicating the number of repetitions for the repetition transmission), and determining the transmission resource for the repetition transmission according to the configuration information comprises: determining the transmission resource according to predefined information and the configuration information; (Fukui [0305]: number of repetitions indicating the number of repetitions for the repetition transmission; [0291]: first field in DCI may be a time domain resource assignment field; Fukui [0133], [0068], [0290-0291], [0297-0308], [0324], and [0095]: terminal (UE) receiving configuration information from the base station (network device); Fukui [0083]: PDSCH, PDCCH and CSI-RS received by terminal apparatus (UE) from base station apparatus (network device), [0147]: PDCCH used for transmitting DCI; plurality of information received, being both the configuration information and additional signaling information (predefined information)) wherein the predefined information is configured to determine at least one of: a time interval between each repetition transmission opportunity (Fukui [0324], [0291], and [0375-0376]: time domain window between repetition transmissions); a number of the repetition transmission transmitted at each repetition transmission opportunity; or pattern information of repetition transmission. Regarding claim 12, Fukui teaches The method according to claim 1 (the limitations of parent claim 1 as indicated above), wherein the repetition transmission of the physical channel comprises at least one of: repetition transmission of a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) (Fukui [0324] and [0290]: repetition transmission of a PUSCH); repetition transmission of a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH); repetition transmission of a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH); or repetition transmission of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH). Regarding claim 13, Fukui teaches The method according to claim 1 (the limitations of parent claim 1 as indicated above), further comprising: performing the repetition transmission based on the repetition transmission opportunity (Fukui [0324]: repetition transmission based on transmission opportunity). Regarding claim 14, Fukui teaches A method for indicating repetition transmission of a physical channel, performed by a network device (Fukui [0001] and [0008]: method for base station apparatus (network device); Fukui [0297-0308], [0059], [0104], and [0340]: repetition transmission of physical channel), comprising: sending configuration information for repetition transmission to a UE (Fukui [0133], [0068], [0324], [0340], and [0095]: base station (network device) sending configuration information to terminal (UE); Fukui [0297-0308], [0059], [0104], and [0340]: repetition transmission of physical channel; [0240]: “RRC parameter is a higher layer parameter capable of providing a unique configuration to each of the terminal apparatuses [UE]”). Regarding claim 15, Fukui teaches The method according to claim 14 (the limitations of parent claim 14 as indicated above), wherein sending the configuration information for the repetition transmission to the UE comprises: sending a corresponding relationship between indication information and a transmission resource to the UE via a first signaling; and sending the indication information to the UE via a second signaling, (Fukui [0334]: configuration of time domain window (relationship between indication information and transmission resource via first signaling) and then an event including reception of indication information (receiving indication information via second signaling); [0068]: RRC layer managing configuration information; [0095]: RRC parameters based on RRC message received from base station; [0133-0137]: BS transmitting channel; Fukui [0083]: PDSCH, PDCCH and CSI-RS received by terminal apparatus (UE) from base station apparatus (network device); Fukui [0305]: number of repetitions indicating the number of repetitions for the repetition transmission) wherein the transmission resource comprises at least one of: a total number of the repetition transmission (Fukui [0305]: number of repetitions indicating the number of repetitions for the repetition transmission); a time interval between each repetition transmission opportunity; a number of the repetition transmission transmitted at each repetition transmission opportunity; or pattern information of the repetition transmission. Regarding claim 17, Fukui teaches The method according to claim 14 (the limitations of parent claim 14 as indicated above), wherein the configuration information comprises a transmission resource for the repetition transmission; and the transmission resource comprises at least one of: a total number of the repetition transmission (Fukui [0305]: number of repetitions indicating the number of repetitions for the repetition transmission); a time interval between each repetition transmission opportunity; a number of the repetition transmission transmitted at each repetition transmission opportunity; or pattern information of the repetition transmission. Regarding claim 18, Fukui teaches The method according to claim 17 (the limitations of parent claim 17 as indicated above), wherein sending the configuration information for the repetition transmission to the UE comprises: sending the configuration information to the UE via a third signaling (Fukui [0133], [0068], [0324], [0340], and [0095]: base station (network device) sending configuration information to terminal (UE); [0240]: “RRC parameter is a higher layer parameter capable of providing a unique configuration to each of the terminal apparatuses [UE]”), wherein the third signaling is an RRC signaling (Fukui [0133], [0068], [0324], [0340], and [0095]: base station (network device) sending configuration information to terminal (UE); [0240]: “RRC parameter is a higher layer parameter capable of providing a unique configuration to each of the terminal apparatuses [UE]”); sending the configuration information to the UE via the third signaling comprises any one of: sending the configuration information to the UE via an RRC signaling for configuring SPS; sending the configuration information to the UE via an RRC signaling for configuring a PUSCH configured grant Type 1 (Fukui [0324], [0305-0307], [0179], and [0340]: PUSCH repetition type A (type 1), RRC layer reporting); and sending the configuration information to the UE via an RRC signaling for configuring a physical channel. Regarding claim 20, Fukui teaches The method according to claim 17 (the limitations of parent claim 17 as indicated above), wherein sending the configuration information for the repetition transmission to the UE comprises: sending the configuration information to the UE via a fourth signaling, wherein the fourth signaling is a DCI signaling (Fukui [0128-0131], [0147]: DCI signaling; Fukui [0304]: scheduled by DCI; [0009-0012] and [0147]: DCI is from base station (network device) to terminal apparatus (UE)), sending the configuration information to the UE via the fourth signaling comprises any one of: sending the configuration information to the UE via a DCI signaling for activating SPS; and sending the configuration information to the UE via a DCI signaling for activating a PUSCH configured grant type 2 (Fukui [0304]: PUSCH repetition type B (type 2), based on DCI format). Regarding claim 22, Fukui teaches The method according to claim 13 (the limitations of parent claim 13 as indicated above), further comprising: receiving the repetition transmission from the UE. (Fukui [0324]: repetition transmission based on transmission opportunity) Regarding claim 23, Fukui teaches The method according to claim 14 (the limitations of parent claim 14 as indicated above), wherein the repetition transmission of the physical channel comprises at least one of: repetition transmission of a PUSCH (Fukui [0324] and [0290]: repetition transmission of a PUSCH); repetition transmission of a PDSCH; repetition transmission of a PUCCH; or repetition transmission of a PDCCH. Regarding claim 26, Fukui teaches A communication apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises a processor and a memory, a computer program is stored in the memory, and the processor executes the computer program stored in the memory to cause the apparatus to perform (Fukui [0386] and [0389]: apparatus comprising a memory and processor to execute stored programs): receiving configuration information for repetition transmission sent by a network device (Fukui [0133], [0068], [0290-0291], [0297-0308], and [0095]: terminal (UE) receiving configuration information from the base station (network device); Fukui [0083]: PDSCH, PDCCH and CSI-RS received by terminal apparatus (UE) from base station apparatus (network device), [0147]: PDCCH used for transmitting DCI); determining a transmission resource for the repetition transmission according to the configuration information, wherein the transmission resource is discontinuous in time (Fukui [0305]: number of repetitions indicating the number of repetitions for the repetition transmission; [0291]: first field in DCI may be a time domain resource assignment field; Fukui [0329]: In the time division duplex, the two or more configured time domain windows need not be continuous; [0333]: One or more actual time domain windows may be determined in the configured time domain windows. The multiple actual time domain windows need not be continuous with each other; [0337]: discontinuous PUSCHs); and determining a repetition transmission opportunity according to the transmission resource (Fukui [0324]: time domain window corresponding to the transmission opportunity to which the repetition type is applied; Fukui [0327]: one of the one or multiple window lengths may be determined based on a time domain resource assignment field included in the DCI). Regarding claim 27, Fukui teaches A communication apparatus, wherein the apparatus comprises a processor and a memory, a computer program is stored in the memory, and the processor executes the computer program stored in the memory (Fukui [0386] and [0389]: apparatus comprising a memory and processor to execute stored programs) to cause the apparatus to perform the method according to claim 1 (the limitations of parent claim 1 as indicated above). Conclusion The following prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure. Matsummura (Pub. No.: US 2025/0133568 A1) discloses receiving information related to repetition transmission and resource allocation for a physical channel. Wang (Pub. No.: US 2024/0080818 A1) teaches number of repetitions, obtaining indication that is preconfigured, and obtaining indication information through RRC and DCI. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RACHEL E CERLANEK whose telephone number is (703)756-1309. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:30am-5:30pm. 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, Charles C Jiang can be reached at (571)270-7191. 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. /R.E.C./Examiner, Art Unit 2412 /CHARLES C JIANG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2412
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Oct 16, 2024
Application Filed
Sep 23, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §112 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
97%
Grant Probability
95%
With Interview (-1.8%)
2y 10m (~11m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 71 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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