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 .
Priority
Claims have priority date of provisional application filed on 04/29/2022.
Election/Restriction
Claims 1-19 and 30 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected inventions, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 10/27/2025.
Response to Amendment
Office action in response to remarks filed 2/20/2026. No claims are amended, canceled, or added.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 2/20/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant submits that:
Siomina does not teach, suggest, or disclose "transmitting a request assistance data message to a location server, the request assistance data message requesting the location server to configure the UE to report a confidence metric associated with a positioning estimate derived by the UE from a machine learning model applied to one or more measurements of a wireless channel between the UE and a network node" as recited in independent claim 20.
Remarks pg. 1-2.
Examiner respectfully disagrees.
Applicant reasons that Siomina ¶40-42 and ¶64-65, as cited by office action, do not teach the limitation because of allegedly distinguishable machine learning processing performed by the UE. That is not persuasive. In response to applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., “(i) generating a positioning estimate using a machine learning model applied to wireless channel measurements, (ii) deriving a confidence metric associated with that ML-based estimate, or (iii) transmitting a request assistance data message to configure the UE to report such a confidence metric.” Remarks pg. 3.) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
Applicant asserts that such features are implied by the “concrete protocol-level interactions and affirmative operational steps between defined network entities” Remarks pg. 4. However, those protocol elements and actions such as the server configuration message and the UE data element sent in response are met by Siomina’s disclosure as cited.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 / 103
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
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.
Claim(s) 20-25 and 27-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over CN 102783188 A SIOMINA, I et al.
Regarding Claim 20, SIOMINA teaches A method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE) (Figs 1-8, ¶35 LPP protocol; ¶40-42,¶60-61), comprising:
transmitting a request assistance data message to a location server ( ¶42 “position information transmission is a two-way process, that is, it can by initiated from the request of any side, when enabled”; Thus UE transmits request to received by MME ¶65), the request assistance data message requesting the location server to configure the UE to report a confidence metric associated with a positioning estimate derived by the UE from a machine learning model applied to one or more measurements of a wireless channel between the UE and a network node ( ¶64 “ the UE indicated in the location request including the client terminal type or service type of expanding with a given commercial location-based service corresponding to it.”, ¶93 “ UE positioning capability or QoS information may also be transmitted in the location request message.” where disclosed structure of indicating techniques meets intended function1);
receiving a provide assistance data message from the location server (¶41 “[0041] optionally transmits the location information request comprises at least one of the following information ), the provide assistance data message configuring the UE to report at least the confidence metric (¶41 “a location information type (preferably of estimation, the estimated claim, to the measurements and the like); . . . a location type [position estimation for defining target can return a Boolean indicator sequence, wherein the estimation is one of following positions: type one or several ellipsoid point (elIipsoidPoint). point with uncertainty circle ellipsoidPointWithUncertaintyCircle), with uncertainty of point ellipsoidPointWithUncertaintyEllipse). polygon (polygon), with a height of the point (elIipsoidPointWithAltitude), having a height and uncertainty point (elIipsoidPointWithAltitudeAndUncertaintyEllipsoid) or catching the ball arc (elIipsoidArc)), and
a speed type (horizontal velocity, with and horizontal speed without uncertainty, with and without horizontal and vertical speed uncertainty).”); and
transmitting a location information message to the location server (¶66 “method 120 further comprises in response to the location request based on the client terminal or service type mapping of the expansion to the specific positioning sequence, determining a specific positioning sequence (step 124) providing location information of the specific positioning sequence is a type of location-based service with the client terminal or the service type of the expansion defined by corresponding commercial. Furthermore, the method 120 further includes performing a specific positioning sequence to determine the location information (step 126), and sends one or more messages (step 128) loading the positioning information”), the location information message including the positioning estimate and the confidence metric (¶67 “ carrier location information of one or more message report confidence value in association . . . as part of the report to report type of confidence value of the confidence value based on the statistical model; [0011] confidence due to radio propagation characteristics, using the obtained terminal position of statistical profiles is standard. then using a confidence parameter for describing the statistical error confidence is defined inside the area the probability of terminal is reported. obtaining the confidence in different manners, and the reason is that different statistical mode).
Regarding Claim 21, SIOMINA teaches The method of claim 20, wherein the provide assistance data message indicates a type of the confidence metric and a format of the confidence metric (¶40-41 “a location type [position estimation for defining target can return a Boolean indicator sequence, wherein the estimation is one of following positions: type one or several ellipsoid point (elIipsoidPoint). point with uncertainty circle (ellipsoidPointWithUncertaintyCircle), with uncertainty of point (ellipsoidPointWithUncertaintyEllipse). polygon (polygon), with a height of the point (elIipsoidPointWithAltitude), having a height and uncertainty point (elIipsoidPointWithAltitudeAndUncertaintyEllipsoid) or catching the ball arc (elIipsoidArc)), and
a speed type (horizontal velocity, with and horizontal speed without uncertainty, with and without horizontal and vertical speed uncertainty).”) .
Regarding Claim 22, SIOMINA teaches The method of claim 21, wherein the type of the confidence metric comprises: a confidence interval for an average of a plurality of positioning estimates, including the positioning estimate, or an inverse covariance of the positioning estimate (¶40-41 “a location type [position estimation for defining target can return a Boolean indicator sequence, wherein the estimation is one of following positions: type one or several ellipsoid point (elIipsoidPoint). point with uncertainty circle (ellipsoidPointWithUncertaintyCircle), with uncertainty of point (ellipsoidPointWithUncertaintyEllipse). polygon (polygon), with a height of the point (elIipsoidPointWithAltitude), having a height and uncertainty point (elIipsoidPointWithAltitudeAndUncertaintyEllipsoid) or catching the ball arc (elIipsoidArc)), and
a speed type (horizontal velocity, with and horizontal speed without uncertainty, with and without horizontal and vertical speed uncertainty).”).
Regarding Claim 23, SIOMINA teaches The method of claim 20, wherein the provide assistance data message includes: a reporting flag triggering the UE to report the confidence metric, a reporting condition, and a reporting quantity (¶41 a periodic report (quantity and reporting interval)).
Regarding Claim 24, SIOMINA teaches The method of claim 23, wherein the reporting condition is periodic or event-triggered (¶41 a periodic report (quantity and reporting interval)).
Regarding Claim 25, SIOMINA teaches The method of claim 23, wherein the reporting quantity comprises: a single confidence metric value, a batch of confidence metric values, statistics of a plurality of confidence metric values, or confidence metric values for only positioning estimates associated with an error greater than a threshold (¶67 “, the method includes as part of the report to report type of confidence value of the confidence value based on the statistical model.”).
Regarding Claim 27, SIOMINA teaches The method of claim 20, wherein the network node is: a transmission-reception point (TRP), or a second UE (¶54 “the network node 10 (e.g., a Mobility Management Entity or MME in the LTE network) from the mobile terminal 12 or other item of user equipment (UE)).
Regarding Claim 28, SIOMINA teaches The method of claim 20, wherein: the one or more measurements comprise one or more positioning measurements, one or more radio frequency fingerprint (RFFP) measurements, or both of the wireless channel between the UE and the network node (¶94 “preferred positioning method. value will need to include A-GNSS (covering UE assisted/based on UE all variants), 0TD0A, fingerprint (Fingerprinting), ECID, cell ID and reserved. convincing (32) value (5 bits) sufficient for encoding”), and
the one or more positioning estimates comprise one or more geographic location estimates of the UE ( (¶94 “preferred positioning method. value will need to include A-GNSS (covering UE assisted/based on UE all variants), 0TD0A, fingerprint (Fingerprinting), ECID, cell ID and reserved. convincing (32) value (5 bits) sufficient for encoding”),
Regarding Claim 29, SIOMINA teaches The method of claim 20, wherein: the one or more measurements comprise one or more radio frequency fingerprint (RFFP) measurements of the wireless channel between the UE and the network node (¶94 “preferred positioning method. value will need to include A-GNSS (covering UE assisted/based on UE all variants), 0TD0A, fingerprint (Fingerprinting), ECID, cell ID and reserved. convincing (32) value (5 bits) sufficient for encoding”), and
the one or more positioning estimates comprise one or more positioning measurements of the wireless channel between the UE and the network node (¶94 “provides for signal notification preferably locating method for any given positioning request.” ¶94 “ signalling field indicative of preferred positioning method. value will need to include A-GNSS (covering UE assisted/based on UE all variants), 0TD0A, fingerprint (Fingerprinting), ECID, cell ID and reserved. convincing (32) value (5 bits) sufficient for encoding. “).
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 26 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over in view of KIM US 20220053443 A1.
Regarding Claim 26, SIOMINA teaches The method of claim 20,
SIOMINA does not teach wherein the machine learning model is generated by a network entity.
KIM teaches wherein the machine learning model is generated by a network entity (¶101 , the AI server 200 may train an ANN according to a machine learning algorithm on behalf of the AI devices 100a to 100e and directly store or transmit a learning model to the AI devices 100a to 100e.).
KIM also teaches steps related to the invention requesting and receiving assistance data(¶248 “the UE may transmit a request for the location assistance data to the LMF and indicate particular location assistance data needed to the LMF. Then, the LMF may transfer corresponding location assistance data to the UE and transfer additional assistance data to the UE in one or more additional LTE positioning protocol (LPP) messages.” ¶317 “A UE may configure a location and range of a PRS search window using an expected RSTD value, and expected RSTD uncertainty, an expected RSTD compensation value and an expected RSTD uncertainty compensation value received from a location server. “)
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art, to modify the invention of SIOMINA to include the noted teachings of Kim in order to UE may raise accuracy of UE's positioning (Kim ¶19)
Pertinent Prior Art(s)
The prior art made of record though not relied upon in the current rejection is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 20220070028 A1 YERRAMALLI; Srinivas et al.
US 20210012180 A1 Saadallah; Ahmed
WO 2021213376 A1 SI Y et al.
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.
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UMAIR AHSAN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2647
/UMAIR AHSAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647
1 Examiner notes applicant must positively recite and claim the downstream effects of the request assistance data message, applicant cannot simply attribute a series of the downstream effects of a message to the message. Each step must be positively recited to have patentable weight.