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 .
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.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR
1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued
examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the
finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's
submission filed on 12/17/2025 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filled 11/14/2025 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any
teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. The following features are absent from the drawings: Claim 11, “another first type signal transmitted as a beacon signal by the second user equipment, wherein transmitting the lower power type signal as the beacon signal is in response to receiving the beacon signal transmitted by the second user equipment” No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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, 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 1-7, 10-13, 15, 23-25 and 47 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JANG(US20200305142A1) in view of Ekbal(US20110292819A1).
Regarding claim 1, JANG disclosesA method of operating a first user equipment for allowing one or both of the user equipment (“the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102, the electronic device 104, or the server 108) “ [0041]) and a second user equipment to determine an estimate of a distance between the first user equipment and the second user equipment (“user equipment 710 (e.g., the electronic device 101 )” [0115]), the method comprising; […] receiving, by the first user equipment, the second type signal (FIG.6, Step 620), sent from the second user equipment in response (“At step 620, the processor 120 may transmit a first response message” [0107]) to the first type signal (FIG.6, Step.610), the second type signal being a first synchronization signal (“At step 620, the processor 120 may transmit a first response message, including information indicating a positioning communication period “ [0107]), determining a first time at which the second type signal is received from the second user equipment (“The external electronic device 102 may include time information (e.g., a time value) indicating the period of time that the external electronic device 102 spends processing the first positioning start message (e.g., generating a response message) in the response message, and may transmit the response message to the electronic device 101”[0100]), and in response to receiving the first synchronization signal, transmitting, by the first user equipment, a second synchronization (“ The external electronic device 102 may include time information (e.g., a time value) indicating the period of time that the external electronic device 102 spends processing the first response message (e.g., generating the final message) in the final message, and may transmit the final message to the electronic device 101.” [0108]) signal at a second time (FIG.6, Step.630), wherein one or both of the first user equipment and the second user equipment are able to determine the estimate of the distance between the first user equipment and the user equipment (“At step 640, the processor 120 may calculate the distance between the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 102” [0109]), the estimate of the distance is based on a first duration and a second duration, the first duration is time period between the first time and the second time (“the processor 120 may calculate the distance between the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 102 based on the point in time at which the first response message is transmitted, the point in time at which the final message is received, and the time information” [0109]), and the second duration is a time period between a time of transmission by the second user equipment of the first synchronization signal and a time of reception by the second user equipment of the second synchronization signal (“on the point in time at which the first response message is transmitted, the point in time at which the final message is received” [0109]).
JANG discloses the transmission and reception of a first signal type, a first synchronization signal, and a second synchronization signal in order to estimate a distance between a first and second device. Jang does not explicitly disclose nor limit a low power mode, a high power mode, or wherein the first type signal is an explicit beacon signal. Ekbal discloses the method wherein, while operating in a low power mode of operation (“a relatively simple form of gain control may be employed (e.g., to maintain low power consumption)” [0038]), transmitting, by the user equipment, a first type signal as a beacon signal (“ the device 202 may send messages to the device 204 to request initiation of a ranging operation” [0033]) requesting the second user equipment to transmit a second type signal being a synchronization signal, the first type signal being decodable by the second user equipment when the second user equipment is operating in the low power mode of operation (“the device 204 may send messages to the device 202 to respond to the ranging request” [0033]) after transmitting the first type signal, operating in a high power mode of operation (“to facilitate highly accurate leading edge detection (e.g., to enable ranging accuracy on the order of one foot or less), a more robust form of gain control may be invoked during ranging operations.” [0038]) in which the first user equipment monitors for the second type signal transmitted by the second user equipment in response to the first type signal (“ by specifying that certain packets are sent at specific times relative to the sending or receipt of other packets, the devices may more efficiently monitor for received packets.” [0041]), a power consumption of the first user equipment when in the low power mode of operation is lower than a power consumption of the first user equipment when in the high power mode of operation (“a relatively simple form of gain control may be employed (e.g., to maintain low power consumption). However, to facilitate highly accurate leading edge detection (e.g., to enable ranging accuracy on the order of one foot or less), a more robust form of gain control may be invoked during ranging operations”[0038]).
Ekbal teaches in the same field of endeavor wireless communication systems. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify JANG with the teachings of Ekbal to incorporate the features of a low power mode, high power mode, and a beacon signal so as to gain the advantage of improving accuracy and reducing total power consumption [0038]. Also, since it has been held that if a technique has been used to improve one device, and a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that it would improve similar devices in the same way, using the technique is obvious unless its actual application is beyond his or her skill (MPEP 2143).
Regarding claim 2, Jang as modified by Ekbal discloses
The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining the estimate of the distance between the first user equipment and the second user equipment based on the first duration and the second duration(“the processor 120 may calculate the distance between the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 102 based on the point in time at which the first response message is transmitted, the point in time at which the final message is received, and the time information” [0109]).
Regarding claim 3, Jang as modified by Ekbal discloses
The method according to claim 2, wherein determining the estimate of the distance between the first user equipment and the second user equipment based on the first duration and the second duration comprises receiving an indication of the estimate of the distance, the indication transmitted by the second user equipment (“ At step 670, the processor 120 may transmit a second response message, including information indicating the determined period and the calculated distance, to the external electronic device 102 “ [0112]).
Regarding claim 4, Jang as modified by Ekbal discloses
The method according to claim 3, wherein the indication of the estimate of the distance is received from an infrastructure equipment of a wireless communications network (“FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an electronic device 101 in a network environment 100” [0025])).
Regarding claim 5, Jang as modified by Ekbal discloses
The method according to claim 2, further comprising receiving, by the first user equipment, an indication of the second duration, the indication of the second duration being transmitted by the second user equipment (FIG.6, Step 670).
Regarding claim 6, Jang as modified by Ekbal discloses
The method according to claim 1, wherein the first duration is a predetermined duration (“The external electronic device 102 may operate in the sleep state during a predetermined period of sleep time (during a period of time corresponding to the positioning communication period) “ [0108]).
Regarding claim 7, Jang as modified by Ekbal discloses
The method according to claim 1 further comprising transmitting an indication of the first duration to the second user equipment (“ At step 670, the processor 120 may transmit a second response message, including information indicating the determined period and the calculated distance, to the external electronic device 102 “ [0112]).
Regarding claim 10, Jang as modified by Ekbal discloses
The method according to claim 1, wherein the first type signal is a Bluetooth Low Energy beacon signal (“an electronic device according to an embodiment may use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) communication” [0007]).
Regarding claim 11, Jang as modified by Ekbal discloses
The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving, […], another first type signal transmitted […] by the second user equipment (“The processor 120 may establish a wireless communication channel for positioning communication with the external electronic device 102, and may transmit a message indicating the start of positioning to the external electronic device 102” [0106], wherein transmitting [the first type signal] […] is in response to receiving the […] signal transmitted by the second user equipment (“The external electronic device 102 may transmit the first positioning start message to the electronic device 101 in response to reception of the message” [0106])
JANG discloses the transmission of an additional first type signal by the second device before the transmission of the initial first type signal. Jang does not explicitly disclose nor limit a low power mode, or wherein the first type signal is an explicit beacon signal. As explained in detail above, Ekbal discloses the use of an initial low power mode [0038] and wherein the first type signals are beacon signals [0033].
Ekbal teaches in the same field of endeavor wireless communication systems. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify JANG with the teachings of Ekbal to incorporate the features of an initial low power mode and wherein the first type signals are beacon signals so as to gain the advantage of improving accuracy and reducing total power consumption [0038]. Also, since it has been held that if a technique has been used to improve one device, and a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that it would improve similar devices in the same way, using the technique is obvious unless its actual application is beyond his or her skill (MPEP 2143).
Regarding claim 12, Jang as modified by Ekbal discloses
The method according to claim 11, further comprising determining a received power level associated with the other first type signal (“The processor 120 may recognize a changing trend based on variation in the strength (e.g., received signal strength indicator (RSSI))” [0059]), wherein transmitting the first type signal as the beacon signal is in response to determining that the received power level associated with the other first type signal is above a predetermined threshold (“If the strength (e.g., RSSI) of a received signal is greater than a predetermined threshold value, the processor 120 may determine to activate positioning communication using UWB communication” [0065]).
Regarding claim 13, Jang as modified by Ekbal discloses
The method according to claim 1, wherein the first user equipment is configured to transmit and receive signals on a wireless access interface provided by an infrastructure equipment of a wireless communications network (“The antenna module 197 may transmit or receive a signal or power to or from the outside (e.g., the external electronic device) of the electronic device 101” [0041] &FIG.1, Part.102), and the method further comprises receiving a signal having a same structure as the second type signal, the signal transmitted by the infrastructure equipment for allowing the first wireless communications device to synchronize with the infrastructure equipment or for determining a location of the first user equipment (“At step 610, the processor 120 receives a first positioning start message from the external electronic device 102 via a wireless communication channel (e.g., UWB communication channel) established using the wireless communication module 192” [0106]).
Regarding claim 15, Jang as modified by Ekbal discloses
The method according to claim 1, wherein the first user equipment is configured to transmit and receive signals on a wireless access interface provided by an infrastructure equipment of a wireless communications network (“The antenna module 197 may transmit or receive a signal or power to or from the outside (e.g., the external electronic device) of the electronic device 101” [0041] &FIG.1, Part.102), and the second type signal has a same structure as a random access preamble for transmission on a random access channel of the wireless access interface (“At step 620, the processor 120 may transmit a first response message, including information indicating a positioning communication period, to the external electronic device “ [0107]).
Regarding claim 23, JANG discloses
A method of operating a first user equipment for allowing one or both of the first user equipment (“the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device (e.g., the electronic device 102, the electronic device 104, or the server 108) “ [0041]) and a second user equipment to determine an estimate of a distance between the first user equipment and the second user equipment (“user equipment 710 (e.g., the electronic device 101 )” [0115]), the method comprising:[…] receiving, by the first user equipment, the second type signal sent from the second user equipment in response to the first type signal (FIG.6, Step 620), the second type signal being a first synchronization signal (“information indicating a positioning communication period“ [0107]), determining a first time at which the second type signal is received from the second user equipment (“The external electronic device 102 may include time information (e.g., a time value) indicating the period of time that the external electronic device 102 spends processing the first positioning start message (e.g., generating a response message) in the response message, and may transmit the response message to the electronic device 101”[0100]), repeating, a number of times (“The external electronic device 102 may calculate the distance between the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 102 by performing the same steps as steps 610, 620, 630, and 640.” [0113]), the steps of: In response to receiving the first synchronization signal or a further synchronization signal, transmitting a synchronization signal, and receiving a further synchronization signal, Andin response to receiving a further synchronization signal, transmitting the first user equipment, a final synchronization signal at a second time (FIG.6, Step.630), wherein one or both of the first user equipment and the second user equipment are able to determine the estimate of the distance between the first user equipment and the second user equipment (“At step 640, the processor 120 may calculate the distance between the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 102” [0109]), the estimate of the distance is based on a first duration and a second duration, the first duration is a time period between the first time and the second time (“the processor 120 may calculate the distance between the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 102 based on the point in time at which the first response message is transmitted, the point in time at which the final message is received, and the time information” [0109]), and the second duration is a time period between a time of transmission by the second user equipment of the first synchronization signal and a time of reception by the second user equipment of the final synchronization signal (“on the point in time at which the first response message is transmitted, the point in time at which the final message is received” [0109]).
JANG discloses the transmission and reception of a first signal type, a first synchronization signal, and a second synchronization signal in order to estimate a distance between a first and second device. Jang does not explicitly disclose nor limit a low power mode, a high power mode, or wherein the first type signal is an explicit beacon signal. Ekbal discloses the method wherein, while operating in a low power mode of operation (“a relatively simple form of gain control may be employed (e.g., to maintain low power consumption)” [0038]), transmitting, by the first user equipment, a first type signal as a beacon signal (“ the device 202 may send messages to the device 204 to request initiation of a ranging operation” [0033]) requesting the second user equipment to transmit a second type signal being a synchronization signal, the first type signal being decodable by the second user equipment when the second user equipment is operating in the low power mode of operation (“the device 204 may send messages to the device 202 to respond to the ranging request” [0033]) after transmitting the first type signal, operating in a high power mode of operation (“to facilitate highly accurate leading edge detection (e.g., to enable ranging accuracy on the order of one foot or less), a more robust form of gain control may be invoked during ranging operations.” [0038]) in which the first user equipment monitors for the second type signal transmitted by the second user equipment in response to the first type signal (“ by specifying that certain packets are sent at specific times relative to the sending or receipt of other packets, the devices may more efficiently monitor for received packets.” [0041]) a power consumption of the first user equipment when in the low power mode of operation is lower than a power consumption of the first user equipment when in the high power mode of operation (“a relatively simple form of gain control may be employed (e.g., to maintain low power consumption). However, to facilitate highly accurate leading edge detection (e.g., to enable ranging accuracy on the order of one foot or less), a more robust form of gain control may be invoked during ranging operations”[0038]).
Ekbal teaches in the same field of endeavor wireless communication systems. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify JANG with the teachings of Ekbal to incorporate the features of a low power mode, high power mode, and a beacon signal so as to gain the advantage of improving accuracy and reducing total power consumption [0038]. Also, since it has been held that if a technique has been used to improve one device, and a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that it would improve similar devices in the same way, using the technique is obvious unless its actual application is beyond his or her skill (MPEP 2143).
Regarding claim 24, Jang as modified by Ekbal discloses
A method according to claim 23, wherein the number of times is a predetermined number of times (“The external electronic device 102 may calculate the distance between the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 102 by performing the same steps as steps 610, 620, 630, and 640.” [0113]).
Regarding claim 25, Jang as modified by Ekbal discloses
A method according to claim 23, wherein in one repetition of the steps, receiving a further synchronization signal comprises receiving an indication that no additional further synchronization signal will be transmitted by the second wireless communications device (“If the state of the user equipment 710, which stops moving, is maintained during a predetermined period of time […] positioning communication may be suspended or deactivated” [0121])
Regarding claim 47, JANG discloses
Circuitry for a user equipment, the circuitry comprising; transmitter (FIG.8, Part.260) circuitry configured to transmit first type signals and second type signals (FIG.6, Steps.610&620) , receiver circuitry (FIG.8, Part.822) configured to receive second type signals(FIG.6, Step.620), and controller circuitry configured to control the transmitter circuitry and the receiver circuitry so that the user equipment is operable (“The processor 120 may perform transmission or reception of a signal with the UWB communication circuit 220 via an SPI communication scheme” [0124]): […]to receive the second type signal sent from the other user equipment in response to the first type signal, the second type signal being a first synchronization signal (“information indicating a positioning communication period“ [0107]), to determine a first time at which the second type signal is received from the other user equipment (“The external electronic device 102 may include time information (e.g., a time value) indicating the period of time that the external electronic device 102 spends processing the first positioning start message (e.g., generating a response message) in the response message, and may transmit the response message to the electronic device 101”[0100]), and in response to receiving the first synchronization signal, to transmit a second synchronization signal at a second time (FIG.6, Step.630), wherein one or both of the user equipment and the other user equipment are able to determine [[the]] an estimate of [[the]] a distance between the user equipment and the other user equipment (“At step 640, the processor 120 may calculate the distance between the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 102” [0109]), the estimate of the distance is based on a first duration and a second duration, the first duration is a time period between the first time and the second time (“the processor 120 may calculate the distance between the electronic device 101 and the external electronic device 102 based on the point in time at which the first response message is transmitted, the point in time at which the final message is received, and the time information” [0109]), and the second duration is a time period between a time of transmission by the other user equipment of the first synchronization signal and a time of reception by the other user equipment of the second synchronization signal (“on the point in time at which the first response message is transmitted, the point in time at which the final message is received” [0109]).
JANG discloses the transmission and reception of a first signal type, a first synchronization signal, and a second synchronization signal in order to estimate a distance between a first and second device. Jang does not explicitly disclose nor limit a low power mode, a high power mode, or wherein the first type signal is an explicit beacon signal. Ekbal discloses the method wherein, while operating in a low power mode of operation (“a relatively simple form of gain control may be employed (e.g., to maintain low power consumption)” [0038]), to transmit a first type signal as a beacon signal equipment (“ the device 202 may send messages to the device 204 to request initiation of a ranging operation” [0033]) requesting another user equipment to transmit a second type signal being a synchronization signal, the first type signal being decodable by the other user equipment when the other user equipment is operating in the low power mode of operation (“the device 204 may send messages to the device 202 to respond to the ranging request” [0033]), after transmitting the first type signal, to operate in a high power mode of operation (“to facilitate highly accurate leading edge detection (e.g., to enable ranging accuracy on the order of one foot or less), a more robust form of gain control may be invoked during ranging operations.” [0038]) in which the user equipment monitors for the second type signal transmitted by the other user equipment in response to the first type signal (“ by specifying that certain packets are sent at specific times relative to the sending or receipt of other packets, the devices may more efficiently monitor for received packets.” [0041]), a power consumption of the first user equipment when in the low power mode of operation is lower than a power consumption of the first user equipment when in the high power mode of operation (“a relatively simple form of gain control may be employed (e.g., to maintain low power consumption). However, to facilitate highly accurate leading edge detection (e.g., to enable ranging accuracy on the order of one foot or less), a more robust form of gain control may be invoked during ranging operations”[0038]).
Ekbal teaches in the same field of endeavor wireless communication systems. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify JANG with the teachings of Ekbal to incorporate the features of a low power mode, high power mode, and a beacon signal so as to gain the advantage of improving accuracy and reducing total power consumption [0038]. Also, since it has been held that if a technique has been used to improve one device, and a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that it would improve similar devices in the same way, using the technique is obvious unless its actual application is beyond his or her skill (MPEP 2143).
Claims 8, 9, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JANG(US20200305142A1) as modified by Ekbal(US20110292819A1), as applied in claims 1, 23, and 47 above, and further in view of Kuechler(US10559149B1).
Regarding claim 8, JANG as modified by Ekbal discloses all of the limitations of claim 1. JANG fails to set forth the method of claim 8. Kuechler discloses the method further comprising, selecting one of a plurality of predetermined durations (“polling timer (e.g., implemented within the controller 306) may be configured to perform a “wake up” of the initiator when a predetermined time period has passed “ [Col.9, ll.1-3] of Samuelsson), and before transmitting the second synchronization signal, determining the second time based on the first time and the selected one of the plurality of predetermined durations (“ The ToF between the Initiator and Responder 3 may then be estimated from the roundtrip duration and response duration” [Col.13, ll.41-44] of Samuelsson).
Kuechler teaches in the same field of endeavor wireless communication system ranging. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify JANG as modified by Ekbal with the teachings of Kuechler to incorporate the features of selecting a predetermined duration and determining a second time so as to gain the advantage of improving ranging estimation and reducing power consumption [Col.10, Par.2, Kuechler]. Also, since it has been held that if a technique has been used to improve one device, and a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that it would improve similar devices in the same way, using the technique is obvious unless its actual application is beyond his or her skill (MPEP 2143).
Regarding claim 9, JANG as modified by Ekbal discloses all of the limitations of claim 1. JANG fails to set forth the method of claim 9. Kuechler discloses the method wherein, the beacon signal is transmitted at a power level, and the method further comprises determining the power level based a use case to which the estimate of the distance is to be provided (“In the process block 903, the signal quality detector 1103 in the initiator will measure the predetermined metric (e.g., determine the strength of the signal transmitting the response packet) and associate it with the particular transmitting responder. “[Cols.11-12, ll.66-4] of Samuelsson).
Kuechler teaches in the same field of endeavor wireless communication system ranging. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify JANG as modified by Ekbal with the teachings of Kuechler to incorporate the features of application dependent variable beacon signal power so as to gain the advantage of improving ranging estimation and reducing power consumption [Col.10, Par.2, Kuechler]. Also, since it has been held that if a technique has been used to improve one device, and a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that it would improve similar devices in the same way, using the technique is obvious unless its actual application is beyond his or her skill (MPEP 2143).
Regarding claim 17, JANG as modified by Ekbal discloses all of the limitations of claim 1. JANG fails to set forth the method of claim 17. Kuechler discloses the method wherein, the beacon signal is selected from one of a plurality of beacon signal sequences (“The message contained in the beacon may vary based on each transmitter zone.” [ Col.6, ll33-34] of Kuechler).
Kuechler teaches in the same field of endeavor wireless communication system ranging. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify JANG as modified by Ekbal with the teachings of Kuechler to incorporate the features of a plurality of beacon signal sequences so as to gain the advantage of improving the flexibility of the beacon signal [Col.6, Par.2, Kuechler]. Also, since it has been held that if a technique has been used to improve one device, and a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that it would improve similar devices in the same way, using the technique is obvious unless its actual application is beyond his or her skill (MPEP 2143).
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JANG(US20200305142A1) as modified by Ekbal(US20110292819A1), as applied in claims 1, 23, and 47 above, and further in view of Novak(US20140334388A1).
Regarding claim 14, JANG as modified by Ekbal discloses all of the limitations of claim 13. JANG fails to set forth the method of claim 14. Novak discloses the method wherein, the signal transmitted by the infrastructure equipment is one of a primary synchronization signal (PSS), a secondary synchronization signal (SSS), or a positioning reference signal (PRS) (“the Prox-RS may be applied to an existing signal, such as primary and secondary synchronization signals (PSS/SSS), or other reference signals or beacons [0037]).
Novak teaches in the same field of endeavor wireless communication systems. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify JANG as modified by Ekbal with the teachings of Novak to incorporate the features of a primary synchronization signal (PSS), a secondary synchronization signal (SSS), or a positioning reference signal (PRS) so as to gain the advantage of improving detection [0083]. Also, since it has been held that if a technique has been used to improve one device, and a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that it would improve similar devices in the same way, using the technique is obvious unless its actual application is beyond his or her skill (MPEP 2143).
Documents Considered but not Relied Upon
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to the applicant’s Disclosure.
Lee(US20200182996A1) is considered analogous art to the instant application as it discloses in [0148] “in operation 810, the first electronic device 210 may start a ranging operation (Ranging poll) by transmitting a data frame including RCDT(0) IE to the second electronic device 220”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CLAYTON PAUL RIDDER whose telephone number is (571)272-2771. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday ET.
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, Jack Keith can be reached on (571) 272-6878. 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.
/C.P.R./Examiner, Art Unit 3646
/JACK W KEITH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3646