DETAILED ACTION
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 May 15, 2026 has been entered.
Claim 24 is 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 1-7 and 10-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wigard et al (WO 2020/160775 A1) in view of Cho et al (US 2004/0145519 A1) and Hannigan et al (US 4203115 A).
Regarding Claim 1, Wigard teaches 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].
Wigard 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).
Cho has method for determining or estimating position using GPS signals (abstract) and teaches receiving at least two reference signals at different occasions from the same satellite-based access node at different satellite trajectory positions [0024 for using reference signal 11 and 12 at times t1 and 52],
and wherein the same satellite-based access node is a Non-terrestrial Network Transmission Reception Point (NTN TRP) [0024-0025 and claims 1],
and wherein the at least two reference signals are in a reference signal group [0028-0031 for using pseudo range at different times for position estimation using GPS satellite].
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 Wigard, further including the signal point calculations as taught by Cho for the purpose to indicate the position of a GPS satellite at time (Cho, 0024).
Wigard 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.
Hannigan has system for locating forward observation posts with respect to a base station (abstract) and teaches 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 [col 13, lines 45-55 for whereby the position of said observer means at the intersection of perpendiculars to the horizontal subtrack of the projectile trajectories relative to the initial launching position of said projectiles may be determined].
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 Wigard, further including the signal point calculations as taught by Hannigan for the purpose to determine the position of the observer (Hannigan, col 13, lines 40-50).
Regarding Claim 2, Wigard 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, Wigard discloses said signal identity information comprises an access node identity [page 8, last two paragraph for identifier for cells (access nodes)].
Regarding Claim 4, Wigard discloses said signal identity information comprises a resource identity [page 27, first two paragraphs].
Regarding Claim 5, Wigard 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, Wigard 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, Wigard 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 10, Wigard 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, Wigard discloses determining configuration information of said reference signals [page 5 first paragraph for getting RSTD measurement and quality].
Regarding Claim 12, Wigard discloses said configuration information identifies periodic transmission of reference signals [page 4, first 3 paragraphs].
Regarding Claim 13, Wigard 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, Wigard 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)].
Wigard 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).
Cho has method for determining or estimating position using GPS signals (abstract) and teaches receiving at least two reference signals at different occasions from the same satellite-based access node at different satellite trajectory positions [0024 for using reference signal 11 and 12 at times t1 and 52],
and wherein the same satellite-based access node is a Non-terrestrial Network Transmission Reception Point (NTN TRP) [0024-0025 and claims 1],
and wherein the at least two reference signals are in a reference signal group [0028-0031 for using pseudo range at different times for position estimation using GPS satellite].
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 Wigard, further including the signal point calculations as taught by Cho for the purpose to indicate the position of a GPS satellite at time (Cho, 0024).
Wigard fails to explicitly teach wherein each reference signal is affected by a doppler shift.
Hannigan has system for locating forward observation posts with respect to a base station (abstract) and teaches 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 [col 13, lines 45-55 for whereby the position of said observer means at the intersection of perpendiculars to the horizontal subtrack of the projectile trajectories relative to the initial launching position of said projectiles may be determined].
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 Wigard, further including the signal point calculations as taught by Hannigan for the purpose to determine the position of the observer (Hannigan, col 13, lines 40-50).
Regarding Claim 15, Wigard 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, Wigard teaches said signal identity information comprises an access node identity [page 8, last two paragraph for identifier for cells (access nodes)].
Regarding Claim 17, Wigard teaches said signal identity information comprises a resource identity [page 27, first two paragraphs].
Regarding Claim 18, Wigard 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, Wigard 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].
Claims 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wigard et al (WO 2020/160775 A1) in view of Cho et al (US 2004/0145519 A1) and Hannigan et al (US 4203115 A) and as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Qaise et al (WO 2020/074747 A1).
Regarding Claim 8, Wigard fails to explicitly teach transmitting signal source information, determined based on at least one of the received reference signals, to the access network; and obtaining, in response, access node information identifying trajectory information and reference signal configuration for at least said satellite-based access node.
Qaise has a method and an architecture for deploying non-terrestrial cellular network base stations (abstract) and teaches transmitting signal source information, determined based on at least one of the received reference signals, to the access network [page 15, lines 20-35 for the use gave shall initiate a location service request];
and obtaining, in response, access node information identifying trajectory information and reference signal configuration for at least said satellite-based access node [page 15, lines 20-35 for the UE to prepare preemptively the location assistance data].
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 Wigard, further including the signal point calculations as taught by Qaise for the purpose to to accumulate multiple measurements of the positioning reference signal (Qaise, page 15, lines 30-45).
Claims 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wigard et al (WO 2020/160775 A1) in view of Cho et al (US 2004/0145519 A1) and Hannigan et al (US 4203115 A) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Xu et al (US 2020/0313817 A1).
Regarding Claim 9, Wigard fails to explicitly teach determining a location of the UE in a predetermined region; configuring a receiver in the UE to receive said reference signals based on the determined region.
Xu has a method designs for reference signals for beam management in non-terrestrial networks (abstract) and teaches determining a location of the UE in a predetermined region [0131-0132 for grouped into cells of different sizes and configurations based on the associated frequency range];
configuring a receiver in the UE to receive said reference signals based on the determined region [0118-0120 for monitoring the at least one frequency resource may include tuning an RF of the wireless communication].
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 Wigard, further including the region calculations as taught by Xu for the purpose to reference signals designs for beam management (Xu, 0132).
Claims 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wigard et al (WO 2020/160775 A1) in view Qaise et al (WO 2020/074747 A1).
Regarding Claim 24, Wigard 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)].
Wigard 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 and obtaining a variation in doppler shift compensation associated with the at least two reference signals.
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]
and obtaining a variation in doppler shift compensation associated with the at least two reference signals [page 2, lines 30-40 for estimating position using Doppler drift, Doppler shift and propagation delays].
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 Wigard, 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).
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 8, first paragraph, the applicant states that Hadad fails to teach the calculation nor estimation of the UE position. The examiner respectfully disagrees, Cho teaches calculating the UE position [Cho, claim 1 for determining a position of the receiver using the first and second GPS signals with 0078 for having a position calculation unit].
On applicant’s arguments page 8, second paragraph, the applicant states that Hadad fails to teach using Doppler values to calculate the UE position. The examiner respectfully disagrees, Hannigan teaches using Doppler values to calculate position [Hannigan, Claim 1].
On applicant’s arguments page 8, third paragraph, the applicant states that the motivation to combine Kovacs and Hadad is lacking. The examiner respectfully disagrees, the new rejection does not use Hadad and Qaise.
Conclusion
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/SAMARINA MAKHDOOM/
Examiner, Art Unit 3648
Prosecution Insights