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 .
This action is in response to Applicant’s amendment filed on September 16, 2025. Claims 1, 3-8, 10, 11, 13-18, 20 are still pending in the present application. This action is made FINAL.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed September 16, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The argument features Zhang does not disclose an SRS resource list within an SRS resource set item that contains SRS resource items, each SRS resource item including one piece of spatial relation information.
The examiner respectfully disagrees with the applicant’s statement and asserts that the independent claims only refer to the LMF transmitting a positioning request message to a base station and receiving a response message from the base station. Similarly, the base station receives a positioning request message from the LMF and transmits a response message to the LMF. The independent claims do not generate/configure what the applicant considers to be the novel aspect of the invention. In addition, the LMF independent claims indicate the base station requesting configuration of at least one SRS resource. Shouldn’t this be a separate step, performed by the base station, in the base station independent claim instead? Who requests the SRS transmission characteristic? In the transmitting step of the base station independent claim, SRS configuration information is determined based on the positioning request message. Who determines the configuration, and how? Using the broadest reasonable interpretation, it is known in the field of art for a LMF to transmit a position request message and for a base station to respond as disclosed by the Manolakos reference (par. 118, lines 8-17).
Further amendments will be needed in the independent claims indicating specifically, with separate limitations, what the LMF actually does in a novel way in the LMF independent claims. Similar amendments will be needed regarding solely what the base station does, in the base station independent claims, in a novel way.
In view of the above, the rejection using Manolakos and Zhang is maintained as repeated below.
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 of this title, 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, 3-8, 10, 11, 13-18, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Manolakos et al. (U.S. Patent Application Number: 2021/0067382) in view of Zhang et al. (U.S. Patent Application Number: 2019/0174466).
Consider claim 1; Manolakos discloses a method by a location management function (LMF) entity, the method comprising:
transmitting (par. 118, lines 8-13), to a base station (e.g. gNB), a positioning request message including information on a requested sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission characteristic (par. 118, lines 8-13) requesting configuration of at least one SRS resource by the base station for a terminal (par. 125) {this is a non-functional limitation because the configuring is performed by the base station not the LMF. See MPEP § 2111.04 and 2111.05}, wherein the information on the requested SRS transmission characteristic includes at least one of SRS resource set list (par. 116, lines 1-8), and each SRS resource set list includes at least one SRS resource set (par. 116, lines 1-8), and each SRS resource set includes the at least one SRS resource (par. 116, lines 1-8) and spatial relation information per at least one SRS resource (par. 118, lines 2-13) {this is a non-functional limitation because the LMF does not do anything with what the SRS transmission characteristic includes. In other words, what the SRS transmission characteristic includes has no bearing on the supposed patentable limitation of the LMF. What the SRS transmission characteristic includes is immaterial to the scope of the claim because it is not being determined as part of the claim. See MPEP § 2111.04 and 2111.05}; and
receiving (par. 118, lines 13-17), from the base station (e.g. gNB), a response message including SRS configuration information determined (par. 116, lines 1-8; par. 118, lines 13-17) based on the positioning request message (par. 118, lines 8-13).
Manolakos discloses the claimed invention except: wherein the spatial relation information per the at least one SRS resource requests that the base station configure spatial relation information corresponding to each SRS resource for the terminal {this is a non-functional limitation because the configuring is performed by the base station not the LMF. See MPEP § 2111.04 and 2111.05}.
In an analogous art Zhang discloses the spatial relation information per the at least one SRS resource requests that the base station configure spatial relation information corresponding to each SRS resource for the terminal (par. 264, lines 1-9; par. 267, lines 1-3).
It is an object of Manolakos’ invention to provide a method of SRS configuration. It is an object of Zhang’s invention to provide a method of SRS resource configuration. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of Manolakos by including spatial relation information, as taught by Zhang, for the purpose of effectively providing location information in a wireless system.
Consider claim 3, as applied in claim 1; Manolakos discloses the at least one of SRS resource set list respectively includes spatial relation information corresponding to the at least one SRS resource of a plurality of SRS resources (par. 116, lines 1-8; par. 118, lines 2-13).
Consider claim 4, as applied in claim 1; Manolakos discloses a maximum number of the at least one SRS resource set is 16 [as indicated in claim 5 and the specification, par. 130, the periodicity information corresponds to the plurality of SRS resources (par. 89, lines 1-3, 7-11; par. 118, lines 8-17)].
Consider claim 5, as applied in claim 1; Manolakos discloses identifying periodicity information per the at least one SRS resource (par. 89, lines 1-3, 7-11; par. 118, lines 8-17), wherein the positioning request message further includes the identified periodicity information (par. 89, lines 1-3, 7-11; par. 118, lines 8-13), and wherein a number of the periodicity information corresponds to a number of the at least one SRS resource set included in the at least one of SRS resource set list (par. 89, lines 1-3, 7-11; par. 118, lines 8-17).
Consider claim 6, as applied in claim 1; Manolakos discloses identifying periodicity information per the at least one SRS resource (par. 89, lines 1-3, 7-11; par. 118, lines 8-17), wherein the at least one of SRS resource set list respectively includes the periodicity information corresponding to the at least one SRS resource (par. 89, lines 1-3, 7-11; par. 118, lines 8-17).
Consider claim 7, as applied in claim 1; Manolakos discloses the spatial relation information per the at least one SRS resource included in the information on the requested SRS transmission characteristic indicates a corresponding uplink (UL) reference signal (RS) or downlink (DL) RS (par. 118, lines 2-17).
Consider claim 8; Manolakos discloses a method by a base station, the method comprising:
receiving (par. 118, lines 8-13), from a location management function (LMF) entity (par. 118, lines 8-13), a positioning request message including information on a requested sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission characteristic (par. 118, lines 8-13) for configuring at least one SRS resource by the base station for a terminal (par. 125), wherein the information on the requested SRS transmission characteristic includes at least one of SRS resource set list (par. 116, lines 1-8), and each SRS resource set list includes at least one SRS resource set (par. 116, lines 1-8), and each SRS resource set includes the at least one SRS resource (par. 116, lines 1-8) and spatial relation information per at least one SRS resource (par. 118, lines 2-13) {this is a non-functional limitation because the base station does not do anything with what the SRS transmission characteristic includes. In other words, what the SRS transmission characteristic includes has no bearing on the supposed patentable limitation of the base station. What the SRS transmission characteristic includes is immaterial to the scope of the claim because it is not being determined as part of the claim. See MPEP § 2111.04 and 2111.05}; and
transmitting (par. 118, lines 13-17), to the LMF entity (par. 118, lines 13-17), a response message including SRS resource configuration information determined (par. 118, lines 13-17) based on the position request message (par. 118, lines 8-13).
Manolakos discloses the claimed invention except: wherein the spatial relation information per the at least one SRS resource is used for configuring spatial relation information corresponding to each SRS resource for the terminal.
In an analogous art Zhang discloses the spatial relation information per the at least one SRS resource is used for configuring spatial relation information corresponding to each SRS resource for the terminal (par. 264, lines 1-9; par. 267, lines 1-3).
It is an object of Manolakos’ invention to provide a method of SRS configuration. It is an object of Zhang’s invention to provide a method of SRS resource configuration. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of Manolakos by including spatial relation information, as taught by Zhang, for the purpose of effectively providing location information in a wireless system.
Consider claim 10, as applied in claim 8; Manolakos discloses the at least one of SRS resource set list respectively includes spatial relation information corresponding to at least one SRS resource of a plurality of SRS resources (par. 118, lines 2-13), wherein a maximum number of the at least one SRS resource set is 16 [as indicated in claim 5 and the specification, par. 130, the periodicity information corresponds to the plurality of SRS resources (par. 89, lines 1-3, 7-11; par. 118, lines 8-17)], wherein the positioning request message further includes the identified periodicity information per the at least one SRS resource (par. 89, lines 1-3, 7-11; par. 118, lines 8-13), and wherein a number of the periodicity information corresponds to a number of the at least one SRS resource set included in the at least one of SRS resource set list (par. 89, lines 1-3, 7-11; par. 118, lines 8-17).
Consider claim 11; Manolakos discloses a location management function (LMF) entity, the LMF entity comprising:
a transceiver (par. 74, lines 20-34); and
at least one processor (par. 74, lines 20-34) configured to:
identify spatial relation information per a sounding reference signal (SRS) resource (par. 118, lines 2-13);
transmit (par. 118, lines 8-13), to a base station (e.g. gNB), a positioning request message including information on a requested sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission characteristic (par. 118, lines 8-13) requesting configuration of at least one SRS resource by the base station for a terminal (par. 125) {this is a non-functional limitation because the configuring is performed by the base station not the LMF. See MPEP § 2111.04 and 2111.05}, wherein the information on the requested SRS transmission characteristic includes at least one of SRS resource set list (par. 116, lines 1-8), and each SRS resource set list includes at least one SRS resource set (par. 116, lines 1-8), and each SRS resource set includes the at least one SRS resource (par. 116, lines 1-8) and spatial relation information per at least one SRS resource (par. 118, lines 2-13) {this is a non-functional limitation because the LMF does not do anything with what the SRS transmission characteristic includes. In other words, what the SRS transmission characteristic includes has no bearing on the supposed patentable limitation of the LMF. What the SRS transmission characteristic includes is immaterial to the scope of the claim because it is not being determined as part of the claim. See MPEP § 2111.04 and 2111.05}; and
receive (par. 118, lines 13-17), from the base station (e.g. gNB), a response message including SRS configuration information determined (par. 118, lines 13-17) based on the positioning request message (par. 118, lines 8-13).
Manolakos discloses the claimed invention except: wherein the spatial relation information per the at least one SRS resource requests that the base station configure spatial relation information corresponding to each SRS resource for the terminal {this is a non-functional limitation because the configuring is performed by the base station not the LMF. See MPEP § 2111.04 and 2111.05}.
In an analogous art Zhang discloses the spatial relation information per the at least one SRS resource requests that the base station configure spatial relation information corresponding to each SRS resource for the terminal (par. 264, lines 1-9; par. 267, lines 1-3).
It is an object of Manolakos’ invention to provide a method of SRS configuration. It is an object of Zhang’s invention to provide a method of SRS resource configuration. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of Manolakos by including spatial relation information, as taught by Zhang, for the purpose of effectively providing location information in a wireless system.
Consider claim 13, as applied in claim 11; Manolakos discloses the at least one of SRS resource set list respectively includes spatial relation information corresponding to the at least one SRS resource of a plurality of SRS resources (par. 116, lines 1-8; par. 118, lines 2-13).
Consider claim 14, as applied in claim 11; Manolakos discloses a maximum number of the at least one SRS resource set is 16 [as indicated in claim 5 and the specification, par. 130, the periodicity information corresponds to the plurality of SRS resources (par. 89, lines 1-3, 7-11; par. 118, lines 8-17)].
Consider claim 15, as applied in claim 11; Manolakos discloses identifying periodicity information per the at least one SRS resource (par. 89, lines 1-3, 7-11; par. 118, lines 8-17), wherein the positioning request message further includes the identified periodicity information (par. 89, lines 1-3, 7-11; par. 118, lines 8-13), and wherein a number of the periodicity information corresponds to a number of the at least one SRS resource set included in the at least one of SRS resource set list (par. 89, lines 1-3, 7-11; par. 118, lines 8-17).
Consider claim 16, as applied in claim 11; Manolakos discloses identifying periodicity information per the at least one SRS resource (par. 89, lines 1-3, 7-11; par. 118, lines 8-17), wherein the at least one of SRS resource set list respectively includes the periodicity information corresponding to the at least one SRS resource (par. 89, lines 1-3, 7-11; par. 118, lines 8-17).
Consider claim 17, as applied in claim 11; Manolakos discloses the spatial relation information per the at least one SRS resource included in the information on the requested SRS transmission characteristic indicates a corresponding uplink (UL) reference signal (RS) or downlink (DL) RS (par. 118, lines 2-17).
Consider claim 18; Manolakos discloses a base station comprising:
a transceiver (par. 74, lines 20-34); and
at least one processor (par. 74, lines 20-34) configured to:
receive (par. 118, lines 8-13), from a location management function (LMF) entity (par. 118, lines 8-13), a positioning request message including information on a requested sounding reference signal (SRS) transmission characteristic (par. 118, lines 8-13) for configuring at least one SRS resource by the base station for a terminal (par. 125), wherein the information on the requested SRS transmission characteristic includes at least one of SRS resource set list (par. 116, lines 1-8), and each SRS resource set list includes at least one SRS resource set (par. 116, lines 1-8), and each SRS resource set includes the at least one SRS resource (par. 116, lines 1-8) and spatial relation information per at least one SRS resource (par. 118, lines 2-13) {this is a non-functional limitation because the base station does not do anything with what the SRS transmission characteristic includes. In other words, what the SRS transmission characteristic includes has no bearing on the supposed patentable limitation of the base station. What the SRS transmission characteristic includes is immaterial to the scope of the claim because it is not being determined as part of the claim. See MPEP § 2111.04 and 2111.05}; and
transmit (par. 118, lines 13-17), to the LMF entity (par. 118, lines 13-17), a response message including SRS resource configuration information determined (par. 118, lines 13-17) based on the positioning request message (par. 118, lines 8-13).
Manolakos discloses the claimed invention except: wherein the spatial relation information per the at least one SRS resource is used for configuring spatial relation information corresponding to each SRS resource for the terminal.
In an analogous art Zhang discloses the spatial relation information per the at least one SRS resource is used for configuring spatial relation information corresponding to each SRS resource for the terminal (par. 264, lines 1-9; par. 267, lines 1-3).
It is an object of Manolakos’ invention to provide a method of SRS configuration. It is an object of Zhang’s invention to provide a method of SRS resource configuration. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of Manolakos by including spatial relation information, as taught by Zhang, for the purpose of effectively providing location information in a wireless system.
Consider claim 20, as applied in claim 18; Manolakos discloses the at least one of SRS resource set list respectively includes spatial relation information corresponding to at least one SRS resource of a plurality of SRS resources (par. 118, lines 2-13), wherein a maximum number of the at least one SRS resource set is 16 [as indicated in claim 5 and the specification, par. 130, the periodicity information corresponds to the plurality of SRS resources (par. 89, lines 1-3, 7-11; par. 118, lines 8-17)], wherein the positioning request message further includes the identified periodicity information per the at least one SRS resource (par. 89, lines 1-3, 7-11; par. 118, lines 8-13), and wherein a number of the periodicity information corresponds to a number of the at least one SRS resource set included in the at least one of SRS resource set list (par. 89, lines 1-3, 7-11; par. 118, lines 8-17).
Conclusion
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
extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
Examiner should be directed to Joel Ajayi whose telephone number is (571) 270-1091. The Examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday from 7:30am to 5:00pm and Friday 7:30am to 4:00 pm.
If attempts to reach the Examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Anderson can be reached on (571) 272-4177. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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/JOEL AJAYI/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2646