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 allowance or after an Office action under Ex Parte Quayle, 25 USPQ 74, 453 O.G. 213 (Comm'r Pat. 1935). 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, prosecution in this application has been reopened pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 1/26/2026 has been entered.
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 1-3, 5-6, 11-18, 20-21, 24-26, and 28-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cha et al. (US 20230412336 A1) in view of Forenza, Antonio (WO 2014055294 A1).
Considering claim 1, Cha teaches a method of wireless positioning performed by a user equipment (UE) ([0007]), comprising:
receiving a positioning reference signal (PRS) configuration indicating one or more PRS resources transmitted on one or more antenna ports (antenna port 6) of at least one antenna panel of a base station (Fig.9A-B, [0049], [0155] PRS may be transmitted through an antenna port 6);
receiving a antenna array ([0205] arrangement of an antenna array) configuration for the one or more PRS resources (Fig.15-18, [0210], [0212] UE may receive information related to a PRS resource configuration from the BS or the location server), wherein the antenna array configuration indicates a set of angles (Fig.22-25) over which the UE is expected to search for the one or more PRS resources (Fig.15-18, [0210] Specific information included in the report and a specific method of transmitting… information including a notification of using an SS/PBCH block and/or a CSI-RS as PRS resources or for the purpose of determining a Tx/Rx beam for transmitting/receiving PRS resources, [0374] Tx beam and/or Tx beam group information may include information about the angle of each Tx beam, [0378]);
measuring the one or more PRS resources over the set of angles (Fig.22-25, [0228] UE which receives a plurality of PRSs on different Tx beams, measurements of the PRSs such as time of arrivals (ToAs), [0229], [0369] The information about the Tx beam direction may be information about an angle of the Tx beam direction. For this purpose, the BS/location server may configure or indicate for or to the location server/BS to use only specific PRS resource(s) from among resource set(s) or PRS resource(s) so that only one or more specific PRS resources are used among PRS resource sets or PRS resources available to be used by a specific TP/gNB/cell); and
determining an angle of the set of angles over (Fig.22-25) which at least one PRS resource of the one or more PRS resources was measured as a downlink angle-of-departure (DL-AoD) between the base station and the UE ([0228] measurements of the PRSs such as time of arrivals (ToAs), [0374] information about the angle may be information about an AoA or angle of departure (AoD), [0387] measurements and/or reports of a ToA, an RSTD, and angle information such as an AoA/AoD using a PRS by the UE may be classified into the following levels).
Cha do not clearly teach a virtual antenna array.
Forenza teaches a virtual antenna array ([0008]).
Therefore, It would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide above teaching of Forenza to Cha, in order to increase diversity and improve link quality.
Considering claim 14, Cha teaches a method of wireless positioning performed by a base station, comprising:
transmitting, to a user equipment (UE) {0021] UE for receiving a PRS in a wireless communication system), a positioning reference signal (PRS) configuration for a plurality of PRS resources to be transmitted to the UE for a positioning session (Fig.9A-B, [0021], [0155] PRS may be transmitted through an antenna port 6), wherein the PRS configuration includes a antenna array configuration for the plurality of PRS resources (Fig.15-18, [0212] UE may receive information related to a PRS resource configuration from the BS or the location server), and wherein the antenna array configuration indicates a set of angles over which the UE is expected to search for the plurality of PRS resources (Fig.15-18 [0215] determining a Tx/Rx beam for transmitting/receiving PRS resources, [0222] configure a specific PRS for a UE, [0374] information about a Tx beam and/or Tx beam group on which a PRS is transmitted from a reference cell/TP/BS and/or a neighbour cell/TP/BS. The Tx beam and/or Tx beam group information may include information about the angle of each Tx beam);
transmitting, to the UE, the plurality of PRS resources on a plurality of antenna ports (Fig.9A-B) of at least one antenna panel of the base station, wherein each of the plurality of PRS resources are transmitted on a corresponding one of the plurality of antenna ports (Fig.9A-B, [0021], [0155] PRS may be transmitted through an antenna port 6), and wherein each of the plurality of PRS resources are identically beamformed ([0382], [0399]); and
receiving, from the UE, an indication of a downlink angle-of-departure (DL-AoD) between the base station and the UE ([0228] measurements of the PRSs such as time of arrivals (ToAs), [0374] information about the angle may be information about an AoA or angle of departure (AoD), [0387] measurements and/or reports of a ToA, an RSTD, and angle information such as an AoA/AoD using a PRS by the UE may be classified into the following levels).
Cha do not clearly teach a virtual antenna array.
Forenza teaches a virtual antenna array ([0008]).
Therefore, It would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide above teaching of Forenza to Cha, in order to increase diversity and improve link quality.
Considering claim 26, Cha teaches a user equipment (UE), comprising:
one or more memories ;one or more transceivers; and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the one or more memories and the one or more transceivers, the one or more processors ([412]), either alone or in combination, configured to:
receive, via the one or more transceivers, a positioning reference signal (PRS) configuration indicating one or more PRS resources transmitted on one or more antenna ports (antenna port 6) of at least one antenna panel of a base station (Fig.9A-B, [0049], [0155] PRS may be transmitted through an antenna port 6);
receive, via the one or more transceivers, a antenna array ([0205] arrangement of an antenna array) configuration for the one or more PRS resources (Fig.15-18, [0210], [0212] UE may receive information related to a PRS resource configuration from the BS or the location server), wherein the antenna array configuration indicates a set of angles (Fig.22-25) over which the UE is expected to search for the one or more PRS resources (Fig.15-18, [0210] Specific information included in the report and a specific method of transmitting… information including a notification of using an SS/PBCH block and/or a CSI-RS as PRS resources or for the purpose of determining a Tx/Rx beam for transmitting/receiving PRS resources, [0374] Tx beam and/or Tx beam group information may include information about the angle of each Tx beam, [0378]);
measure the one or more PRS resources over a set of angles (Fig.22-25, [0228] UE which receives a plurality of PRSs on different Tx beams, measurements of the PRSs such as time of arrivals (ToAs), [0229], [0369] The information about the Tx beam direction may be information about an angle of the Tx beam direction. For this purpose, the BS/location server may configure or indicate for or to the location server/BS to use only specific PRS resource(s) from among resource set(s) or PRS resource(s) so that only one or more specific PRS resources are used among PRS resource sets or PRS resources available to be used by a specific TP/gNB/cell); and
measure the one or more PRS resources over the set of angles (Fig.22-25, [0228] UE which receives a plurality of PRSs on different Tx beams, measurements of the PRSs such as time of arrivals (ToAs), [0229], [0369] The information about the Tx beam direction may be information about an angle of the Tx beam direction. For this purpose, the BS/location server may configure or indicate for or to the location server/BS to use only specific PRS resource(s) from among resource set(s) or PRS resource(s) so that only one or more specific PRS resources are used among PRS resource sets or PRS resources available to be used by a specific TP/gNB/cell); and
determine an angle of the set of angles over (Fig.22-25) which at least one PRS resource of the one or more PRS resources was measured as a downlink angle-of-departure (DL-AoD) between the base station and the UE ([0228] measurements of the PRSs such as time of arrivals (ToAs), [0374] information about the angle may be information about an AoA or angle of departure (AoD), [0387] measurements and/or reports of a ToA, an RSTD, and angle information such as an AoA/AoD using a PRS by the UE may be classified into the following levels).
Cha do not clearly teach a virtual antenna array.
Forenza teaches a virtual antenna array ([0008]).
Therefore, It would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide above teaching of Forenza to Cha, in order to increase diversity and improve link quality.
Considering claim 30, Cha teaches a base station ([0419]), comprising:
one or more memories ;one or more transceivers; and one or more processors communicatively coupled to the one or more memories and the one or more transceivers, the one or more processors ([0419]), either alone or in combination, configured to:
transmit, via the one or more transceivers ([0419]), to a user equipment (UE) {0021] UE for receiving a PRS in a wireless communication system), a positioning reference signal (PRS) configuration for a plurality of PRS resources to be transmitted to the UE for a positioning session (Fig.9A-B, [0021], [0155] PRS may be transmitted through an antenna port 6), wherein the PRS configuration includes a antenna array configuration for the plurality of PRS resources (Fig.15-18, [0212] UE may receive information related to a PRS resource configuration from the BS or the location server) , and wherein the antenna array configuration indicates a set of angles over which the UE is expected to search for the plurality of PRS resources (Fig.15-18 [0215] determining a Tx/Rx beam for transmitting/receiving PRS resources, [0222] configure a specific PRS for a UE, [0374] information about a Tx beam and/or Tx beam group on which a PRS is transmitted from a reference cell/TP/BS and/or a neighbour cell/TP/BS. The Tx beam and/or Tx beam group information may include information about the angle of each Tx beam);
transmit, via the one or more transceivers ([0419]), to the UE, the plurality of PRS resources on a plurality of antenna ports (Fig.9A-B) of at least one antenna panel of the base station, wherein each of the plurality of PRS resources are transmitted on a corresponding one of the plurality of antenna ports (Fig.9A-B, [0021], [0155] PRS may be transmitted through an antenna port 6), and wherein each of the plurality of PRS resources are identically beamformed ([0382], [0399]); and
receive, via the one or more transceivers ([0419]), from the UE, an indication of a downlink angle-of-departure (DL-AoD) between the base station and the UE ([0228] measurements of the PRSs such as time of arrivals (ToAs), [0374] information about the angle may be information about an AoA or angle of departure (AoD), [0387] measurements and/or reports of a ToA, an RSTD, and angle information such as an AoA/AoD using a PRS by the UE may be classified into the following levels).
Cha do not clearly teach a virtual antenna array.
Forenza teaches a virtual antenna array ([0008]).
Therefore, It would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide above teaching of Forenza to Cha, in order to increase diversity and improve link quality.
Considering claim 2, Cha and Forenza teach reporting the angle as the DL-AoD to a positioning entity, wherein the positioning entity comprises a location server, a third-party client, or a serving base station (Cha: [0374]).
Considering claims 3, 16, Cha and Forenza teach wherein the DL-AoD is reported to the positioning entity as a differential value from a previously determined DL-AoD for the base station (Cha: [0382], [0387]).
Considering claims 5, 20, Cha and Forenza teach wherein the virtual antenna array configuration indicates at least a number of the one or more antenna ports (Cha: Fig.9A-B) and a spacing (Forenza: [0006]) between the one or more antenna ports (Cha: Fig.9A-B, [0155], Forenza: [00140])
Considering claims 6, 21, 28, Cha and Forenza teach wherein: the PRS configuration comprises at least one codebook (Forenza: [00270]), and the at least one codebook indicates the set of angles over which the UE is expected to search for the one or more PRS resources (Cha: [0374], [0381] he Tx beam direction of the PRS may be predetermined or preconfigured according to the index of the PRS resource, [0387], Forenza: [00270]).
Considering claims 11, 25, Cha and Forenza teach wherein each of the one or more PRS resources have a same spatial quasi-co-location (QCL) relation (Cha: [0379]).
Considering claims 12, 24, 29, Cha and Forenza teach wherein: the base station has a plurality of antenna panels having different orientations (Cha: Fig.22-25, [0382], Forenza: Fig.16, [0091]), and the PRS configuration comprises a relative orientation difference between each of the plurality of antenna panels (Cha: Fig.22-25, Forenza: Fig.16, [0091]).
Considering claim 13, Cha and Forenza teach combining the one or more PRS resources across the one or more antenna ports to determine the at least one PRS resource having a highest received signal strength (Cha: [0155], [0384]).
Considering claim 15, Cha and Forenza teach forwarding the indication to a positioning entity (Cha: [0219]).
Considering claim 17, Cha and Forenza teach wherein the DL-AoD is associated with a PRS resource of the plurality of PRS resources having a highest received signal strength at the UE (Cha: [0155], [0384]).
Considering claim 18, Cha and Forenza teach wherein the PRS configuration further indicates a granularity for the DL-AoD (Cha: [0387]-[0393]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-10 and 22-23 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KHAI MINH NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-7923. The examiner can normally be reached 6-3.
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/KHAI M NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2641