Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 27, 2026
Application No. 18/859,767

REGULATION AND CONTROL METHOD, INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD, SIGNAL REGULATION APPARATUS, AND DEVICE AND MEDIUM

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Oct 24, 2024
Priority
Apr 27, 2022 — CN 202210453625.8 +1 more
Examiner
TILAHUN, ALAZAR
Art Unit
2424
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
ZTE Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
71%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
11m
Est. Remaining
86%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 71% — above average
71%
Career Allowance Rate
491 granted / 688 resolved
+13.4% vs TC avg
Moderate +14% lift
Without
With
+14.3%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 11m
Avg Prosecution
16 currently pending
Career history
710
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
7.3%
-32.7% vs TC avg
§103
59.6%
+19.6% vs TC avg
§102
19.5%
-20.5% vs TC avg
§112
5.2%
-34.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 688 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 . Priority Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on May 18, 2026, August 18, 2025 and October 24, 2024 are being considered by the examiner. Preliminary Amendment Claims 13, 20-26 and 29 have been canceled. Claims 1-12, 14-19 and 27-28 are pending. 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. Claim(s) 1, 14, 18 and 27-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ZHOU et al. Pub. No.: US 20230318177 (Hereinafter “ZHOU”) in view of Dou et al. Pub. No.: US 20230292277 (Hereinafter “Dou”). Regarding Claim 1, ZHOU discloses a method for tuning for a device for signal tuning, the method comprising: acquiring indication information (see paragraphs [0101, 0113]); determining at least one measurement and tuning parameter set according to the indication information, wherein the at least one measurement and tuning parameter set comprises measurement and tuning information of a plurality of devices for signal tuning comprising the device for signal tuning (see paragraphs [0114, 0123]); ZHOU fails to disclose: tuning an electromagnetic characteristic of an electromagnetic unit in the device for signal tuning according to the measurement and tuning information, to allow the electromagnetic unit to reflect pilot information to a second communication apparatus, to measure the target and tuning information of the device for signal tuning. In analogous art, Dou teaches: tuning an electromagnetic characteristic of an electromagnetic unit in the device for signal tuning according to the measurement and tuning information, to allow the electromagnetic unit to reflect pilot information to a second communication apparatus, to measure the target and tuning information of the device for signal tuning (see paragraphs [0046, 0058, 0186]). It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of ZHOU with the teaching as taught by DOU. Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to apply the teachings of Dou to the measurement and tuning framework of ZHOU because the modification would merely constitute the use of a known electromagnetic tuning and pilot-reflection technique in a known signal-tuning system to achieve the predictable result of obtaining measurement information for tuning the device. Regarding Claim 14, ZHOU discloses a method for information processing, applied to a second communication apparatus, the method comprising: sending feedback information to a first communication apparatus (see abstract), on the other hand, Dou teaches in response to pilot information sent by a device for signal tuning, to measure target and tuning information of a device for signal tuning (see paragraph [0007]), wherein the pilot information is sent by the device for tuning by carrying out the method as claimed in claim 1. Regarding Claim 18, Dou discloses a method for information processing, applied to a first communication apparatus, the method comprising: sending pilot information, to allow a device for signal tuning to reflect the pilot information to a second communication apparatus (see paragraph [0014]) by carrying out the method as claimed in claim 1; acquiring feedback information from the second communication apparatus; and obtaining target and tuning information through calculation according to the feedback information, a measurement and tuning parameter set, and a set pattern of the measurement and tuning parameter set (see paragraph [0007]). Regarding Claim 27, ZHOU (see paragraph [0020]) in view of Dou (see paragraph [0023]) teach device for signal tuning, comprising: a first memory, a first processor, and a computer program stored in the first memory and executable by the first processor, wherein the computer program, when executed by the first processor, causes the first processor to perform a method for tuning for a device for signal tuning as discussed in the rejection of claim 1. Regarding Claim 28, ZHOU (see paragraph [0020]) in view of Dou (see paragraph [0007, 0023]) teach a communication apparatus, comprising: a second memory, a second processor, and a computer program stored in the second memory and executable by the second processor, wherein the computer program, when executed by the second processor, causes the second processor to perform a method for information processing, applied to a second communication apparatus, the method comprising: sending feedback information to a first communication apparatus in response to pilot information sent by a device for signal tuning, to measure target and tuning information of a device for signal tuning, wherein the pilot information is sent by the device for tuning by carrying out a method for tuning for a device for signal tuning as discussed in the rejection of claim 1. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 2-12, 15-17 and 19 are 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 Alazar Tilahun whose telephone number is (571)270-5712. The examiner can normally be reached Monday -Friday, From 9:00 AM-6:00 PM. 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, Benjamin Bruckart can be reached at 571-272-3982. 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. /ALAZAR TILAHUN/ Primary Examiner Art Unit 2424 /A.T/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2424
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Oct 24, 2024
Application Filed
Aug 19, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (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
71%
Grant Probability
86%
With Interview (+14.3%)
2y 11m (~11m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 688 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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