Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 18, 2026
Application No. 18/248,892

METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROL OF APERIODIC SIGNALS AND REPORTS IN POSITIONING

Final Rejection §102
Filed
Apr 13, 2023
Priority
Oct 16, 2020 — provisional 63/092,866 +1 more
Examiner
SHAHEED, KHALID W
Art Unit
2643
Tech Center
2600 — Communications
Assignee
Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
OA Round
4 (Final)
83%
Grant Probability
Favorable
5-6
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
98%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 83% — above average
83%
Career Allowance Rate
714 granted / 860 resolved
+21.0% vs TC avg
Moderate +15% lift
Without
With
+15.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 7m
Avg Prosecution
33 currently pending
Career history
902
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
6.8%
-33.2% vs TC avg
§103
53.2%
+13.2% vs TC avg
§102
28.0%
-12.0% vs TC avg
§112
9.4%
-30.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 860 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
Detailed Action 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 . Response to Arguments Applicant submits “the piecemeal rejection of Applicant’s claim based on certain keywords being found sprinkled throughout Manolakos fails to give credence to the overall combination of elements recited in the claim”. Here, Applicant is referring to claim 1. Applicant further recites “Appellant respectfully submits that Manolakos does not disclose teach or suggest ‘receiving, from a first network, node, at least one information element that indicates at least one resource type associated with at east one DL RS,’ as recited in Claim 1”. Examination respectfully disagrees with Applicant’s assertions. Manolakos (US 2022/0007349 A1). Manolakos cohesively discloses reference transmission reception for resource and for positioning reference signals and Channel state information reference signals, inter alia. The instant application, Manolakos et al. (US 2022/0007349 A1) specifically relates to a resource type indicates type of DL RS comprising one of PRS, CSI-RS and TRS. Throughout Manolakos, there are uniform disclosures of the claimed subject matter. Wherein minor differences of wording and format between Manolakos and the instant application claims. Therefore, a handful of paragraphs were sited to achieve the most coherent claim mapping. Here, examiner has further clarified the claims to more expressly recite teachings in lieu of the claim limitations. Manolakos discloses a method by a wireless device capable of Receiver-Transmitter Rx-Tx, Time Difference measurement and supporting a choice of downlink (DL), reference signal, RS, for positioning and a method by a first network node for Receiver-Transmitter, Rx-Tx, Time Difference measurement and supporting a choice of downlink, DL, reference signal, RS, for positioning, the methods comprising: receiving, from a first network node (see with emphasis base station fig. 1 below)/transmitting to a wireless device (see with emphasis fig. 1 below, with wireless devices receiving from base station), at least one information element (see resource element [0118]) that indicates at least one resource type associated with at least one DL RS (see DL reference signals, [0118]), wherein the at least one DL RS is associated with a set of resources (see PRS resource set [0119]), and wherein the at least one resource type indicates one type of DL RS (see DL PRS-based positioning as an indicated resource type [0131]) selected ([0183], discloses selects a PRS resource type) from the a choice of DL RS for positioning (see [0120] “ type of reference signal that can be used for positioning, such as but not limited to, PRS ”), comprising one of: Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) (see selects PRS [0183]); Channel State Information-Reference Signa (CSI-RS) (see CSI-RS, [0120]); and Signal (TRS). PNG media_image1.png 802 548 media_image1.png Greyscale Furthermore, [0120] discloses “unless otherwise indicated, the terms “positioning reference signal” and “PRS” refer to any type of reference signal that can be used for positioning, such as but not limited to, PRS signals in LTE or NR, navigation reference signals (NRSs) in 5G, transmitter reference signals (TRSs), cell-specific reference signals (CRSs), channel state information reference signals (CSI-RSs), primary synchronization signals (PSSs), secondary synchronization signals (SSSs), SSB, etc.” Here, Manolakos discloses amongst the selected reference signals include PRS and CSI-RS. Which is the primary solution offered by representative claim 1. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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. (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. Claim(s) 1-4, 7, 10-11, 23-24, 27-29, 34-38, 47-48 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Manolakos et al. (US 2022/0007349 A1). Regarding claims 1 & 22, Manolakos discloses a method by a wireless device capable of Receiver-Transmitter Rx-Tx, Time Difference measurement and supporting a choice of downlink (DL), reference signal, RS, for positioning and a method by a first network node for Receiver-Transmitter, Rx-Tx, Time Difference measurement and supporting a choice of downlink, DL, reference signal, RS, for positioning, the methods comprising: receiving, from a first network node (see with emphasis base station fig. 1 below)/transmitting to a wireless device (see with emphasis fig. 1 below, with wireless devices receiving from base station), at least one information element (see resource element [0118]) that indicates at least one resource type associated with at least one DL RS (see DL reference signals, [0118]), wherein the at least one DL RS is associated with a set of resources (see PRS resource set [0119]), and wherein the at least one resource type indicates one type of DL RS (see DL PRS-based positioning as an indicated resource type [0131]) selected ([0183], discloses selects a PRS resource type) from the a choice of DL RS for positioning (see [0120] “ type of reference signal that can be used for positioning, such as but not limited to, PRS ”), comprising one of: Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) (see selects PRS [0183]); Channel State Information-Reference Signa (CSI-RS) (see CSI-RS, [0120]); and Signal (TRS). PNG media_image1.png 802 548 media_image1.png Greyscale Regarding claims 2 & 23, Manolakos discloses the method of Claim 1 & 22, wherein the information element comprises at least one value of a plurality of values (see [0119], “where each PRS resource has a PRS resource ID”), each of the plurality of values being associated with an RS configuration for a PRS configuration (see “PRS configuration”, [0116]), a TRS configuration, or CSI-RS configuration (see “configured…CSI-RS”, [0142]). Regarding claims 3 & 24, Manolakos discloses the method of Claim 1 & 22, wherein the at least one information element indicating the at least one resource type triggers a type of reporting selected from periodic, aperiodic (see aperiodic [0131]), or semipersistent (see [0140], “aperiodic/semi-persistent/periodic”). Regarding claim 4, Manolakos discloses the method of Claim 1, wherein the first network node is operating as a location management function (network component to include location server, abstract). Regarding claim 7, Manolakos discloses the method of Claim 1, wherein the at least one information element is received according to a Radio Resource Control (RRC) configuration (see [0182], “he configuration at 1220 can be transmitted via RRC signaling”). Regarding claim 10, Manolakos discloses the method of Claim 2, further comprising: based on the RS configuration, performing, by the wireless device, a User Equipment (UE) UE, Rx-Tx Time difference measurement (see time difference measurements [0159]); and based on the RS configuration, transmitting, to the first network node and/or another network node, at least one measurement report (see measurement report [0059]). Regarding claim 11, Manolakos discloses the method of Claim 10, wherein the at least one measurement comprises at least one of: a Reference Signal Time Difference (RSTD) (see RSTD, [0029]); a Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) (see RSRP, [0029]); a Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ) (RSRQ [0029]); and a UE RX-TX. Regarding claim 27, Manolakos discloses the method of Claim 22, further comprising: receiving at least one RS configuration (see configuration transmitted to UE [0030]) from at least one other network node operating as a gNodeB; and based on the at least one RS configuration received from the at least one other network node, transmitting the assistance information comprising the resource type (see [0112], “PRS included in observed time difference of arrival (OTDOA) assistance data”). Regarding claim 28, Manolakos discloses the method of Claim 27, further comprising transmitting, to each of the at least one other network nodes, at least one request for the at least one RS configuration (see UE 104 in fig. 1, with requests to two BS). Regarding claim 29, Manolakos discloses the method of Claim 27, wherein the at least one other network node comprises a serving gNodeB associated with a serving (see serving [0059]) cell of the wireless device (see gNodeB in [0058]). Regarding claim 34, Manolakos discloses the method of Claim 22, wherein the network node is a serving gNodeB (see gNodeB [0058]) associated with a serving cell (see serving cell, [0074]) and the resource type associated with the RS is associated with a RS configuration of the network node (see configuration is received from network node [0006]). Regarding claim 35, Manolakos discloses the method of Claim 22, wherein the assistance information is transmitted to the wireless device according to a Radio Resource Control (RRC), protocol (see RRC [0074]). Regarding claim 36, Manolakos discloses the method of Claim 22, wherein the at least one information element is for a downlink control information (DCI), that indicates at least one RS configuration (see DCI, [0110]). Regarding claim 37, Manolakos discloses the method of Claim 36, further comprising: receiving, from the wireless device, at least one measurement report based on the at least one RS configuration, the at least one measurement report comprising a value associated with at least one measurement performed by the wireless device (see [0059] “measurement report from the UE”). Regarding claim 38, Manolakos discloses the method of Claim 37, wherein the at least one measurement comprises at least one of: a Reference Signal Time Difference (RSTD) (see RSTD [0029]); a Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP)(RSRP, [0029]); a Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ) (see RSRQ [0071]); and a UE RX-TX. Regarding claim 47, Manolakos discloses a wireless device adapted to perform the method of claim 1 (see method involving UE in [0006]). Regarding claim 48, Manolakos discloses a network node adapted to perform the method of claim 22 (see base station, regarding method in [0030]). Conclusion Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 K. WILFORD SHAHEED whose telephone number is (469) 295-9175. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 9 am-6pm; CST; ALT Friday. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. The examiner’s Supervisor, Jinsong Hu, can be reached at (571)272-3965, where attempts to reach the examiner are unsuccessful. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /KHALID W SHAHEED/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2643
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Prosecution Timeline

Show 1 earlier event
Jun 04, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102
Aug 19, 2025
Response Filed
Nov 10, 2025
Final Rejection mailed — §102
Feb 10, 2026
Request for Continued Examination
Feb 23, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Mar 02, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102
May 26, 2026
Response Filed
Jun 10, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

5-6
Expected OA Rounds
83%
Grant Probability
98%
With Interview (+15.0%)
2y 7m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 860 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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