DETAILED ACTION
Applicant’s amendment and arguments filed December 18, 2025 is acknowledged.
Claim 11 has been amended.
Claims 1-20 are currently pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement submitted on March 16, 2026 has been considered by the Examiner and made of record in the application.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 12, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lee et al. (hereinafter Lee) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2022/0086794 A1).
Regarding claims 1, 12, and 20, Lee teaches and discloses a method for uplink positioning processing and a terminal (UE, figures 11, 13, and 15), comprising: a memory (memory, figures 13 and 15) storing a computer program; and a processor (processor/control unit, figures 13 and 15) coupled to the memory and configured to execute the computer program to perform operations comprising:
receiving, by a terminal (UE, figures 11, 13, and 15), first configuration information (control information; figures 10-11) transmitted by a network device (base station, figures 1 and 11) ([0132]; “…a method of measuring a location of a first user equipment (UE) in a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes the first UE receiving control information from at least one of a plurality of base stations (e.g., a first base station and a second base station) (S1010) and the first UE transmitting a first reference signal to the plurality of base stations based on the control information…”; teaches the UE receives control information transmitted by the BS related to transmission power); and
determining, by the terminal, target information of a first positioning reference signal based on the first configuration information, wherein the first configuration information comprises at least one of power configuration information or spatial relation configuration information ([0134]; “…information including at least one of resource for transmission of the reference signal, a reference cell identifier used to derive path loss for each resource, a reference beam identifier, a reference signal identifier or an SSB index may be transmitted from the first base station to the second base station through backhaul signaling…”),
the target information comprises a transmit power when the first configuration information comprises the power configuration information, the target information comprises a spatial relation when the first configuration information comprises a spatial relation configuration information ([0134]; “…information including at least one of resource for transmission of the reference signal, a reference cell identifier used to derive path loss for each resource, a reference beam identifier, a reference signal identifier or an SSB index may be transmitted from the first base station to the second base station through backhaul signaling…”; [0159]; “…power control is performed with respect to the UL PRS based on pathloss of a specific cell…”; teaches the UE receives control information transmitted by the BS related to transmission power and reference beam identifier), and
the first positioning reference signal is used for the terminal to perform uplink positioning in an idle state or an inactive state ([0136]; “…the reference signal may be transmitted by the first UE in a radio resource control (RRC) idle mode. That is, S1020 may be performed by the RRC idle mode UE…”; teaches the UE is in an idle state).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
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 of this title, 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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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 2-6 and 11-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (hereinafter Lee) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2022/0086794 A1) in view of Ly (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2019/0053071 A1).
Regarding claims 2 and 13, Lee discloses the UE receives control information transmitted by the BS related to transmission power and wherein the first configuration information comprises the power configuration information and determining a first bandwidth part (BWP) used for transmitting the first positioning reference signal; and determining a transmit power of the first positioning reference signal based on the power configuration information and the first BWP, but may not explicitly disclose determining, by the terminal, the target information of the first positioning reference signal based on the first configuration information.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Ly teaches and suggests determining, by the terminal, the target information of the first positioning reference signal based on the first configuration information ([0060]; “…Other power conservation techniques for UEs 115 include entering a power saving “deep sleep” mode when not engaging in active communications, or operating over a limited bandwidth (e.g., according to narrowband communications)…”; [0097]; “…a fixed power offset may be added into the transmit power of the UPRS. The power offset may be frequency band dependent and/or based on the duplexing mode used for transmission (e.g., TDD or FDD). Additionally or alternatively, the power offset may be signaled in system information (e.g., MIB, SIB)…”; [0117]; “…the UE 115-e may determine a transmit beam power for a UPRS. The transmit beam power may be determined from the received power configuration (e.g., transmitted by the base station 105-f at 515). Alternatively, the transmit beam power may be determined based on received synchronization signals or the power offset may be frequency band dependent and or duplexing mode dependent…”; teaches the configuration information includes power configuration information and determining transmission power based on the power configuration information).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the configuration information includes power configuration information and determining transmission power based on the power configuration information as taught by Ly with the method and apparatus for receives control information transmitted by the BS related to transmission power as disclosed by Lee for the purpose of providing efficient techniques for uplink-based positioning in multi-beam systems, as suggested by Ly.
Regarding claims 3 and 14, Lee, as modified by Ly, further teaches and discloses wherein the first BWP is an active BWP of the terminal when the terminal is in the idle state or the inactive state ([0070]; “…That is, the BS may set at least one DL/UL BWP for a UE associated with the wideband carrier, and at least one of DL/UL BWP(s) set at a specific time may be activated (by L1 signaling which is a physical layer control signal, a MAC control element (CE) which is a MAC layer control signal, or RRC signaling), switching to another set DL/UL BWP may be indicated (by L1 signaling, MAC CE, or RRC signaling), or a timer value may be set to switch a DL/UL BWP determined by the UE when the timer expires. The activated DL/UL BWP is particularly referred to an active DL/UL BWP. When the UE is in an initial access process or before RRC connection of the UE is established, the UE may not receive a configuration for the DL/UL BWP. In this situation DL/UL BWP assumed by the UE may be referred to as an initial active DL/UL BWP…”; [0136]; “…the reference signal may be transmitted by the first UE in a radio resource control (RRC) idle mode. That is, S1020 may be performed by the RRC idle mode UE…”; teaches active BWP and the UE is in an idle state).
Regarding claims 4 and 15, Lee, as modified by Ly, further teaches and discloses wherein the first BWP is at least one of: an initial BWP; a dedicated initial BWP, wherein the dedicated initial BWP is used for performing uplink positioning only when the terminal is in the idle state or the inactive state; or a positioning BWP ([0070]; “…That is, the BS may set at least one DL/UL BWP for a UE associated with the wideband carrier, and at least one of DL/UL BWP(s) set at a specific time may be activated (by L1 signaling which is a physical layer control signal, a MAC control element (CE) which is a MAC layer control signal, or RRC signaling), switching to another set DL/UL BWP may be indicated (by L1 signaling, MAC CE, or RRC signaling), or a timer value may be set to switch a DL/UL BWP determined by the UE when the timer expires. The activated DL/UL BWP is particularly referred to an active DL/UL BWP. When the UE is in an initial access process or before RRC connection of the UE is established, the UE may not receive a configuration for the DL/UL BWP. In this situation DL/UL BWP assumed by the UE may be referred to as an initial active DL/UL BWP…”; [0136]; “…the reference signal may be transmitted by the first UE in a radio resource control (RRC) idle mode. That is, S1020 may be performed by the RRC idle mode UE…”; teaches active BWP and the UE is in an idle state).
Regarding claims 5 and 16, Lee, as modified by Ly, further teaches and discloses receiving second configuration information transmitted by the network device, wherein the second configuration information comprises at least one of first configuration sub-information or second configuration sub-information used by the terminal in the idle state or the inactive state, the first configuration sub-information is a configuration of the initial BWP, and the second configuration sub-information is a configuration of the dedicated initial BWP or the positioning BWP ([0070]; “…That is, the BS may set at least one DL/UL BWP for a UE associated with the wideband carrier, and at least one of DL/UL BWP(s) set at a specific time may be activated (by L1 signaling which is a physical layer control signal, a MAC control element (CE) which is a MAC layer control signal, or RRC signaling), switching to another set DL/UL BWP may be indicated (by L1 signaling, MAC CE, or RRC signaling), or a timer value may be set to switch a DL/UL BWP determined by the UE when the timer expires. The activated DL/UL BWP is particularly referred to an active DL/UL BWP. When the UE is in an initial access process or before RRC connection of the UE is established, the UE may not receive a configuration for the DL/UL BWP. In this situation DL/UL BWP assumed by the UE may be referred to as an initial active DL/UL BWP…”; [0136]; “…the reference signal may be transmitted by the first UE in a radio resource control (RRC) idle mode. That is, S1020 may be performed by the RRC idle mode UE…”; teaches active BWP and the UE is in an idle state)..
Regarding claims 6 and 17, Lee, as modified by Ly, further teaches and discloses wherein the first configuration sub-information or the second configuration sub-information is activated when the terminal is in the idle state or the inactive state ([0070]; “…That is, the BS may set at least one DL/UL BWP for a UE associated with the wideband carrier, and at least one of DL/UL BWP(s) set at a specific time may be activated (by L1 signaling which is a physical layer control signal, a MAC control element (CE) which is a MAC layer control signal, or RRC signaling), switching to another set DL/UL BWP may be indicated (by L1 signaling, MAC CE, or RRC signaling), or a timer value may be set to switch a DL/UL BWP determined by the UE when the timer expires. The activated DL/UL BWP is particularly referred to an active DL/UL BWP. When the UE is in an initial access process or before RRC connection of the UE is established, the UE may not receive a configuration for the DL/UL BWP. In this situation DL/UL BWP assumed by the UE may be referred to as an initial active DL/UL BWP…”; [0136]; “…the reference signal may be transmitted by the first UE in a radio resource control (RRC) idle mode. That is, S1020 may be performed by the RRC idle mode UE…”; teaches active BWP and the UE is in an idle state).
Claims 7-11, 18, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (hereinafter Lee) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2022/0086794 A1) in view of Jeon et al. (hereinafter Jeon) (U.S. Patent Application Publication # 2025/0151074 A1).
Regarding claims 7 and 18, Lee teaches and discloses wherein: the power configuration information comprises at least one of the following: first power configuration sub-information, used for transmitting an SRS in a connected state; or a third enable state identifier, used for indicating whether associated power configuration sub-information is used for the idle state or the inactive state of the terminal ([0051]; [0070]; [0136]; [0159]), but may not explicitly disclose the power configuration information further comprises: second power configuration sub-information, used for transmitting an SRS in the idle state or the inactive state, wherein the first power configuration sub-information and the second power configuration sub-information meet at least one of the following: being power configurations of different positioning reference signals; or being power configurations of positioning reference signals in different states of the terminal.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Jeon further teaches and suggests the power configuration information further comprises: second power configuration sub-information, used for transmitting an SRS in the idle state or the inactive state, wherein the first power configuration sub-information and the second power configuration sub-information meet at least one of the following: being power configurations of different positioning reference signals; or being power configurations of positioning reference signals in different states of the terminal ([0256]; [0269]; teaches power configuration SRS in an RRC_inactive/RRC_idle state and the power configurations being of different SRSs).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate power configuration SRS in an RRC_inactive/RRC_idle state and the power configurations being of different SRSs as taught by Jeon with the method and apparatus for receives control information transmitted by the BS related to transmission power as disclosed by Lee for the purpose of providing information during the inactive state and/or during the idle state without requiring to return to the connected state, which may provide advantages such as reduced signaling overhead, reduced power consumption, and/or reduced latency, as suggested by Jeon.
Regarding claims 8 and 19, Lee discloses the UE receives control information transmitted by the BS related to transmission power, but may not explicitly disclose wherein the first power configuration sub-information is comprised in fourth information, and the second power configuration sub-information is comprised in RRC release information or third information, wherein the fourth information comprises serving cell configuration information, SRS configuration information, physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) configuration information, Rach configuration information, or MAC information, and the third information comprises serving cell configuration information, SRS configuration information, PUSCH configuration information, or Rach configuration information.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Jeon further teaches and suggests explicitly disclose wherein the first power configuration sub-information is comprised in fourth information, and the second power configuration sub-information is comprised in RRC release information or third information ([0275]; [0276]; teaches power configuration comprised in an RRC release message), wherein the fourth information comprises serving cell configuration information, SRS configuration information, physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) configuration information, Rach configuration information, or MAC information, and the third information comprises serving cell configuration information, SRS configuration information, PUSCH configuration information, or Rach configuration information ([0106]; [0109]; [0256]; [0266]; [0268]; teaches the information includes serving cell configuration information, SRS information, and PUSCH information).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate power configuration comprised in an RRC release message and the information includes serving cell configuration information, SRS information, and PUSCH information as taught by Jeon with the method and apparatus for receives control information transmitted by the BS related to transmission power as disclosed by Lee for the purpose of providing information during the inactive state and/or during the idle state without requiring to return to the connected state, which may provide advantages such as reduced signaling overhead, reduced power consumption, and/or reduced latency, as suggested by Jeon.
Regarding claim 9, Lee discloses wherein: the spatial relation configuration information comprises at least one of the following: first spatial relation configuration sub-information, used for a random access process; or a fourth enable state identifier, used for indicating whether associated spatial relation configuration sub-information is used for the idle state or the inactive state of the terminal, and the spatial relation configuration information further comprises: second spatial relation configuration sub-information used for an SRS ([0051]; [0070]; [0136]; [0159]), but may not explicitly disclose wherein the first spatial relation configuration sub-information and the second spatial relation configuration sub-information meet at least one of the following: being spatial relation configurations of different positioning reference signals; or being spatial relation configurations of positioning reference signals in different states of the terminal, wherein the first spatial relation configuration sub-information and the second spatial relation configuration sub-information further meet any one of the following: the first spatial relation configuration sub-information and the second spatial relation configuration sub-information are comprised in fourth information, wherein the fourth information is serving cell configuration information or medium access control (MAC) information; the first spatial relation configuration sub-information is comprised in fifth information, and the second spatial relation configuration sub-information is comprised in radio resource control (RRC) release information or third information, wherein the fifth information is system information block (SIB) information, MAC information, or random access channel (Bach) configuration information, and the third information comprises serving cell configuration information, SRS configuration information, physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) configuration information, or Rach configuration information; or a first part of information of a first object is comprised in Rach configuration information, and a second part of information other than the first part of information in the first object is comprised in the fifth information, wherein the first object comprises at least one of the following: the first spatial relation configuration sub-information or the second spatial relation configuration sub-information.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Jeon further teaches and suggests wherein the first spatial relation configuration sub-information and the second spatial relation configuration sub-information meet at least one of the following: being spatial relation configurations of different positioning reference signals; or being spatial relation configurations of positioning reference signals in different states of the terminal ([0268]; [0269]; [0291]; teaches spatial relation information including configuration of different reference signals and different states of the UE),
wherein the first spatial relation configuration sub-information and the second spatial relation configuration sub-information further meet any one of the following:
the first spatial relation configuration sub-information and the second spatial relation configuration sub-information are comprised in fourth information, wherein the fourth information is serving cell configuration information or medium access control (MAC) information; the first spatial relation configuration sub-information is comprised in fifth information, and the second spatial relation configuration sub-information is comprised in radio resource control (RRC) release information or third information, wherein the fifth information is system information block (SIB) information, MAC information, or random access channel (Bach) configuration information, and the third information comprises serving cell configuration information, SRS configuration information, physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) configuration information, or Rach configuration information; or a first part of information of a first object is comprised in Rach configuration information, and a second part of information other than the first part of information in the first object is comprised in the fifth information, wherein the first object comprises at least one of the following: the first spatial relation configuration sub-information or the second spatial relation configuration sub-information ([0268]; [0269]; [0276]; [0291]; teaches spatial relation information including information comprised in RRC release message, SIB information, and SRS configuration information).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate spatial relation information including configuration of different reference signals and different states of the UE and spatial relation information including information comprised in RRC release message, SIB information, and SRS configuration information as taught by Jeon with the method and apparatus for receives control information transmitted by the BS related to transmission power as disclosed by Lee for the purpose of providing information during the inactive state and/or during the idle state without requiring to return to the connected state, which may provide advantages such as reduced signaling overhead, reduced power consumption, and/or reduced latency, as suggested by Jeon.
Regarding claim 10, Lee discloses the UE receives control information transmitted by the BS related to transmission power, but may not explicitly disclose wherein the first spatial relation configuration sub-information is used for transmitting an SRS in a connected state, or the second spatial relation configuration sub-information is used for transmitting an SRS in the idle state or the inactive state.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Jeon further teaches and suggests wherein the first spatial relation configuration sub-information is used for transmitting an SRS in a connected state, or the second spatial relation configuration sub-information is used for transmitting an SRS in the idle state or the inactive state ([0268]; [0269]; [0276]; [0291]; teaches spatial relation information including information comprised in RRC release message, SIB information, and SRS configuration information).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate spatial relation information including configuration of different reference signals and different states of the UE and spatial relation information including information comprised in RRC release message, SIB information, and SRS configuration information as taught by Jeon with the method and apparatus for receives control information transmitted by the BS related to transmission power as disclosed by Lee for the purpose of providing information during the inactive state and/or during the idle state without requiring to return to the connected state, which may provide advantages such as reduced signaling overhead, reduced power consumption, and/or reduced latency, as suggested by Jeon.
Regarding claim 11, Lee discloses the UE receives control information transmitted by the BS related to transmission power, but may not explicitly disclose wherein a transmit power of the first positioning reference signal on the first BWP meets any one of the following: a first transmit power is determined based on an expected receive power value, a power adjustment coefficient, a transmission resource for the first positioning reference signal, a path loss value, or a maximum transmit power; a second transmit power is determined based on a second expected receive power, a maximum transmit power, a power ramping coefficient, or a counter, wherein the counter is used for recording the number of times of ramping based on the power ramping coefficient; or a third transmit power is determined based on a target transmit power or a power increment, wherein the target transmit power is the first transmit power, the second transmit power, or a predetermined transmit power, wherein the method further comprises: determining the path loss value based on a target reference signal, wherein the target reference signal is a reference signal indicated by the first configuration information or a preset reference signal, wherein when a receive power of the target reference signal is less than a preset value or the target reference signal is not detected, the method further comprises: stopping transmitting the first positioning reference signal; or transmitting the first positioning reference signal based on a maximum transmit power of the terminal.
Nonetheless, in the same field of endeavor, Jeon further teaches and suggests wherein a transmit power of the first positioning reference signal on the first BWP meets any one of the following: a first transmit power is determined based on an expected receive power value, a power adjustment coefficient, a transmission resource for the first positioning reference signal, a path loss value, or a maximum transmit power; a second transmit power is determined based on a second expected receive power, a maximum transmit power, a power ramping coefficient, or a counter, wherein the counter is used for recording the number of times of ramping based on the power ramping coefficient; or a third transmit power is determined based on a target transmit power or a power increment, wherein the target transmit power is the first transmit power, the second transmit power, or a predetermined transmit power, wherein the method further comprises: determining the path loss value based on a target reference signal, wherein the target reference signal is a reference signal indicated by the first configuration information or a preset reference signal, wherein when a receive power of the target reference signal is less than a preset value or the target reference signal is not detected, the method further comprises: stopping transmitting the first positioning reference signal; or transmitting the first positioning reference signal based on a maximum transmit power of the terminal ([0159]; [0268]; [0269]; [0276]; [0291]; teaches RACH parameters including power ramping power offset and determining pathloss for SRS).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate RACH parameters including power ramping power offset and determining pathloss for SRS as taught by Jeon with the method and apparatus for receives control information transmitted by the BS related to transmission power as disclosed by Lee for the purpose of providing information during the inactive state and/or during the idle state without requiring to return to the connected state, which may provide advantages such as reduced signaling overhead, reduced power consumption, and/or reduced latency, as suggested by Jeon.
Conclusion
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/Suk Jin Kang/
Examiner, Art Unit 2477
April 4, 2026