DETAILED ACTION
The amendment filed March 12, 2026 has been entered.
Claims 1, 14, and 24 are amended.
Claim 20-23 are cancelled
Claims 1-19 and 24 are pending this application.
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.
Claims 1-19 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kovacs et al (WO 2020/160775 A1) in view of Qaise et al (WO 2020/074747 A1) and Hadad et al (US 2010/0290356 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Kovacs discloses a method carried out in a user equipment (UE) [figure 5 element NTN UE and page 22 last two paragraph],
for facilitating positioning of the UE in a communication network comprising [page 22 last two paragraphs, with page 23 2nd paragraph]:
a non-terrestrial access network of satellite-based access nodes, the method comprising [figure 5 element SAT11 and page 7 last paragraph and page 22, first 3 paragraphs for using a NTN with the UE]:
receiving at least two reference signals [page 5, first two paragraphs for using reference signal time difference (RSTD) for reference cell and neighbor cell measurements with figure 4 element MinSatMovePeriod]
and wherein the same satellite-based access node is a Non-terrestrial Network [page 21, last 3 paragraphs for using an NTN UE];
and wherein the at least two reference signals having a certain duration of time and an associated periodic reference signal pattern [page 24 first paragraph for multiple measurement reporting intervals (duration of time)]
and obtaining, for each received reference signal [page 20, last paragraph],
a time stamp of reception and a reference signal occasion identifier conveyed in the reference signal [page 18, last paragraph for getting identifier of the satellite and time, and page 30 5th paragraph],
for calculation of a UE position [page 22 last paragraph and page 23 last paragraph].
Kovacs fails to explicitly teach receiving at least two reference signals at different occasions from the same satellite-based access node at different satellite trajectory positions and wherein the same satellite-based access node is a Non-terrestrial Network Transmission Reception Point (NTN TRP).
Qaise has a method and an architecture for deploying non-terrestrial cellular network base stations (abstract) and teaches receiving at least two reference signals at different occasions from the same satellite-based access node at a different satellite trajectory positions [page 3, lines 20-40 for using spaceborne base stations for synchronizing reference signals],
and wherein the same satellite-based access node is a Non-terrestrial Network Transmission Reception Point (NTN TRP) [page 3, lines 20-40 for using spaceborne base stations for with accumulated arrival times],
and wherein the at least two reference signals are in a reference signal group [page 3, lines 20-40 for using spaceborne base stations for synchronizing reference signals].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the UE determining position techniques, as disclosed by Kovacs, further including the signal point calculations as taught by Qaise for the purpose to synchronize future data transmission and/or data reception to/from said base station (Qaise, page 3, lines 30-35).
Kovacs fails to explicitly teach obtaining a variation in doppler shift compensation associated with the at least two reference signals in the reference signal group, for calculation of UE position.
Hadad has one or more Satellites and Mobile Stations MS connected therebetween, and wherein the mobile station includes means to calculate Doppler frequency shifts (abstract) and teaches obtaining a variation in doppler shift associated with the at least two reference signals in the reference signal group, for calculation of UE position [0046-0054 for using Doppler shifts to synchronize signals and using pilot signals].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the UE determining position techniques, as disclosed by Kovacs, further including the Doppler calculations as taught by Hadad for the purpose of improved Doppler estimations (Hadad, 0043).
Regarding Claim 2, Kovacs discloses identifying, for each received reference signal, signal identity information conveyed in the reference signal, to determine a correspondence between the received reference signals [page 4, last two paragraph to page 5 first two paragraphs].
Regarding Claim 3, Kovacs discloses said signal identity information comprises an access node identity [page 8, last two paragraph for identifier for cells (access nodes)].
Regarding Claim 4, Kovacs discloses said signal identity information comprises a resource identity [page 27, first two paragraphs].
Regarding Claim 5, Kovacs discloses transmitting, to a positioning node in the communication network, a measurement report based on the determined time stamps for calculation of the UE position [page 14, last two paragraphs],
identifying at least one determined reference signal occasion identifier [page 14, last paragraph].
Regarding Claim 6, Kovacs discloses obtaining access node information identifying trajectory information and reference signal configuration, for at least said satellite-based access node [page 17, first two paragraphs];
calculating the UE position based on said time stamps and associated access node positions determined by said access node information [page 17, last two paragraphs].
Regarding Claim 7, Kovacs discloses obtaining further positioning information, for distinguishing between two separate locations determined based on the obtained time stamp of reception and reference signal occasion identifier [page 17, first two paragraphs].
Regarding Claim 8, Kovacs discloses transmitting signal source information, determined based on at least one of the received reference signals, to the access network [page 18, first 3 paragraphs for absolute time signals and location reference information];
and obtaining, in response, access node information identifying trajectory information and reference signal configuration for at least said satellite-based access node [page18, first 3 paragraphs].
Regarding Claim 9, Kovacs discloses determining a location of the UE in a predetermined region [page 14, last paragraph know UE region and regulations also page 19, last paragraph];
configuring a receiver in the UE to receive said reference signals based on the determined region [page 14, last paragraph to tailor architecture and NTN location precision control].
Regarding Claim 10, Kovacs discloses determining, based on the reference signal occasion identifier, that one received reference signal is a last reference signal transmitted in a period of reference signal transmissions [page 22 last paragraph with page 30, 5th paragraph];
determining time stamp of reception for at least two subsequent reference signals within the same subsequent period [page 20, last paragraph, page 22, last paragraph].
Regarding Claim 11, Kovacs discloses determining configuration information of said reference signals [page 5 first paragraph for getting RSTD measurement and quality].
Regarding Claim 12, Kovacs discloses said configuration information identifies periodic transmission of reference signals [page 4, first 3 paragraphs].
Regarding Claim 13, Kovacs discloses said configuration information identifies a predetermined number of reference signal occasions within a period of transmission of reference signals [page 20, last paragraph to page 21 second paragraph].
Regarding Claim 14, Kovacs teaches a method for facilitating positioning of a user equipment UE [figure 5 element NTN UE and page 22 last two paragraph],
in a communication network [page 22 last two paragraphs],
carried out in a satellite-based access node of a non-terrestrial access network of the communication network, the method comprising [figure 5 element SAT11 and page 7 last paragraph and page 22, first 3 paragraphs]:
transmitting, at each of a plurality of reference signal occasions as the satellite-based access node travels through different trajectory positions, one or more reference signals for reception in the UE [page 22, first 3 paragraphs for received signal with reporting, location and satellite orbits];
wherein each reference signal conveys a reference signal occasion identifier [page 17, first paragraph, and page 30 5th paragraph],
wherein the at least two of the reference signal are having a certain duration of time and an associated periodic reference signal pattern [page 24 first paragraph for multiple measurement reporting intervals (duration of time)].
Kovacs fails to explicitly teach mapped to associated configured resources of the reference signal including an indication as to which number in a sequence of reference signal occasions the received reference signal is in a reference signal group and wherein the same satellite-based access node is a Non-terrestrial Network Transmission Reception Point (NTN TRP).
Qaise has a method and an architecture for deploying non-terrestrial cellular network base stations (abstract) and teaches mapped to associated configured resources of the reference signal including an indication as to which number in a sequence of reference signal occasions the received reference signal is in a reference signal group [page 19, lines 22-30 for having a Doppler and delay map to increase accuracy]
wherein the same satellite-based access node is a Non-terrestrial Network Transmission Reception Point (NTN TRP) [page 19, lines 20-30 for space borne base stations].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the UE determining position techniques, as disclosed by Kovacs, further including the signal point calculations as taught by Qaise for the purpose to synchronize future data transmission and/or data reception to/from said base station (Qaise, page 3, lines 30-35).
Kovacs fails to explicitly teach wherein each reference signal is affected by a doppler shift.
Hadad has one or more Satellites and Mobile Stations MS connected therebetween, and wherein the mobile station includes means to calculate Doppler frequency shifts (abstract) and teaches wherein each reference signal is affected by a doppler shift [0046-0054 for using Doppler shifts to synchronize signals and using pilot signals].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the UE determining position techniques, as disclosed by Kovacs, further including the Doppler calculations as taught by Hadad for the purpose of improved Doppler estimations (Hadad, 0043).
Regarding Claim 15, Kovacs teaches each reference signal comprises signal identity information, identifying a correspondence between the reference signals [page 4, last two paragraph to page 5 first two paragraphs].
Regarding Claim 16, Kovacs teaches said signal identity information comprises an access node identity [page 8, last two paragraph for identifier for cells (access nodes)].
Regarding Claim 17, Kovacs teaches said signal identity information comprises a resource identity [page 27, first two paragraphs].
Regarding Claim 18, Kovacs teaches receiving, from the UE, a measurement report based on the time stamps determined upon reception in the UE of the reference signals from the access node [page 17, first paragraph, with page 21, second paragraph];
transmitting the measurement report to a positioning node in the communication network for calculation of the UE position [page 20 last two paragraphs].
Regarding Claim 19, Kovacs teaches providing configuration information of said reference signals, and trajectory information of the access node, to the positioning node [page 5 first 3 paragraphs and page 6, first paragraph].
Regarding Claim 24, Kovacs discloses method carried out in a positioning node for positioning of a user equipment (UE) [figure 5 element NTN UE and page 22 last two paragraph],
in a communication network, comprising [page 22 last two paragraphs]:
receiving, from a satellite-based access node of a non-terrestrial access network of the communication network [figure 5 element SAT11 and page 7 last paragraph and page 22, first 3 paragraphs],
configuration information for each of a plurality of reference signal occasions [page 5, first two paragraphs for using reference signal time difference (RSTD) for reference cell and neighbor cell measurements],
each instance of configuration information transmitted from the satellite-based access node at different satellite trajectory positions [page 20, last paragraph, page 22, last paragraph];
obtaining information of said satellite trajectory positions [page 20 second paragraph];
triggering the UE to make reference signal measurements for a measurement report [page 20, 2nd and 3rd paragraphs];
receiving the measurement report, originating from the UE, which measurement report identifies [page 23, first two paragraphs],
for at least two of said reference signals transmitted during a positioning occasion: - a time stamp determined upon reception in the UE [page 17, first paragraph also page 20, last paragraph, page 22, last paragraph],
and- a reference signal occasion identifier [page 17, first paragraph also page 20, last paragraph, page 22, last paragraph];
and calculating a position of the UE based on said measurement report [page 22 last paragraph and page 23 last paragraph]
wherein the at least two of the reference signal are having a certain duration of time and an associated periodic reference signal pattern [page 24 first paragraph for multiple measurement reporting intervals (duration of time)].
Kovacs fails to explicitly teach wherein the same satellite-based access node is a Non-terrestrial Network Transmission Reception Point (NTN TRP), and wherein the at least two reference signals are in a reference signal group.
Qaise has a method and an architecture for deploying non-terrestrial cellular network base stations (abstract) and teaches wherein the same satellite-based access node is a Non-terrestrial Network Transmission Reception Point (NTN TRP) [page 19, lines 22-30 for having a Doppler and delay map to increase accuracy]
and wherein the at least two reference signals are in a reference signal group [page 19, lines 20-30 for space borne base stations].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the UE determining position techniques, as disclosed by Kovacs, further including the signal point calculations as taught by Qaise for the purpose to synchronize future data transmission and/or data reception to/from said base station (Qaise, page 3, lines 30-35).
Kovacs fails to explicitly teach obtaining a variation in doppler shift compensation associated with the at least two reference signals.
Hadad has one or more Satellites and Mobile Stations MS connected therebetween, and wherein the mobile station includes means to calculate Doppler frequency shifts (abstract) and teaches a variation in doppler shift compensation associated with the at least two reference signals [0046-0054 for using Doppler shifts to synchronize signals and using pilot signals].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the UE determining position techniques, as disclosed by Kovacs, further including the Doppler calculations as taught by Hadad for the purpose of improved Doppler estimations (Hadad, 0043).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-19 and 24 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.
On applicant’s arguments page 7, fifth paragraph, that all references are silent to two reference signals having a certain duration of time and a reference signal pattern. The examiner respectfully disagrees, Kovacs teaches repeated signal observations over defined window TAU and measurements performed repeatedly over time with configured reporting intervals [Kovacs, page17, sections 1 and 2]. Also see figure 4 for MinSATMove period requiring multiple observations separated in time [Kovacs, figure 4].
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAMARINA MAKHDOOM whose telephone number is (703)756-1044. The examiner can normally be reached Monday – Thursdays from 8:30 to 5:30 pm eastern time.
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/SAMARINA MAKHDOOM/
Examiner, Art Unit 3648