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's arguments filed on Jan. 28, 2026 with respect to claims 1, 10 – 23, 28, 36, 38, 40 and 42 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The applicants argument, “Uchino is totally silent about that a first network device sends, to a terminal and/or a second device, first information which includes a sending timing error value of the terminal or the base station and which is associated with sending and receiving timing delay or timing error I recited in amended independent claims”, on page 14.
The examiner’s response, “There are number of or in all the independent claims – i.e., having alternative language.
Uchino discloses, a base station used as a first base station in a radio communication system including the first base station, a second base station communicating via the first base station with a user device, and the user device communicating with the first base station. The base station includes a first receiver that receives an uplink signal transmitted from the user device; a measurer that measures a timing difference between a timing of receiving the uplink signal and a predetermined reference timing retained by the base station; and a first transmitter that transmits, to the user device, a command that is generated based on the timing difference and used to control a transmission timing at which the user device transmits the uplink signal – ABSTRACT, Figs. 1 – 5, paragraphs 0006 – 0019. The user device UE may be configured to transmit an uplink signal at a timing obtained by advancing the transmission timing indicated by the TA command by the amount of time indicated by the signal – paragraph 0127.
A TA command is sent to user equipment UE, the TA command requests the user device to advance the transmission timing of the uplink signal by “2α+2β” - paragraphs 0017, 0018, 0064. The RRU 2b generates a TA command - TA command UEb: X+(α2−T) indicating a timing that is obtained by advancing a TA-controlled timing X in FIG. 13, which is controlled according to the frame timing used for uplink signal reception, by “α2−T”, and transmits the TA command to the user device UEb, reads on the claimed feature, wherein the first information includes a sending timing error value of the terminal – paragraph 0126.
Please refer detailed rejection below”.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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, 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.
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 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 1, 10 – 16, 19 – 23, 28, 36, 38, 40 and 42 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
Uchino US PGPub: US 2018/0343633 A1 Nov. 29, 2018
and in view of
Soriaga US PGPub: US 2020/0229124 A1 Jul. 16, 2020.
Regarding claim 1, Uchino discloses,
an information processing method (a base station used as a first base station in a radio communication system including the first base station, a second base station communicating via the first base station with a user device, and the user device communicating with the first base station. The base station includes a first receiver that receives an uplink signal transmitted from the user device; a measurer that measures a timing difference between a timing of receiving the uplink signal and a predetermined reference timing retained by the base station; and a first transmitter that transmits, to the user device, a command that is generated based on the timing difference and used to control a transmission timing at which the user device transmits the uplink signal – ABSTRACT, Figs. 1 – 5, paragraphs 0006 – 0019. The user device UE may be configured to transmit an uplink signal at a timing obtained by advancing the transmission timing indicated by the TA command by the amount of time indicated by the signal – paragraph 0127), applied to a first network device (base station – paragraph 0006), comprising:
sending first information associated with sending (a TA command is sent to user equipment UE - paragraphs 0017, 0018, 0064) and receiving timing delay or timing error to a terminal (a TA command is sent to user equipment UE, the TA command requests the user device to advance the transmission timing of the uplink signal by “2α+2β” - paragraphs 0017, 0018, 0064. The RRU 2b generates a TA command - TA command UEb: X+(α2−T) indicating a timing that is obtained by advancing a TA-controlled timing X in FIG. 13, which is controlled according to the frame timing used for uplink signal reception, by “α2−T”, and transmits the TA command to the user device UEb – paragraph 0126. The user device UE may be configured to transmit an uplink signal at a timing obtained by advancing the transmission timing indicated by the TA command by the amount of time indicated by the signal – paragraph 0127. When TA control is not performed, the user device UE transmits an uplink signal D61 at the timing when the downlink signal D52 is received. Accordingly, the RRU 2 measures a reception timing error of “2β” that is a sum of a delay time β taken by the downlink signal D52 to reach the user device UE and a delay time β taken by the uplink signal D61 to reach the RRU 2 – paragraph 0059) and/or a second network device;
the first information is internal delay information or delay error information of the terminal or the base station (a TA command is sent to user equipment UE, the TA command requests the user device to advance the transmission timing of the uplink signal by “2α+2β”. The BBU measures a difference – i.e., reception timing error between the frame timing and the timing of receiving an uplink signal from each user device. In the examples of FIGS. 3A and 3B, it is assumed that the delay in the wired section FH between the BBU and the RRU is “α” and the delay in the wireless section between the RRU and the UE is “β” - paragraphs 0017, 0018, 0064),
wherein the first information includes a sending timing error value of the terminal (a TA command is sent to user equipment UE, the TA command requests the user device to advance the transmission timing of the uplink signal by “2α+2β” - paragraphs 0017, 0018, 0064. The RRU 2b generates a TA command - TA command UEb: X+(α2−T) indicating a timing that is obtained by advancing a TA-controlled timing X in FIG. 13, which is controlled according to the frame timing used for uplink signal reception, by “α2−T”, and transmits the TA command to the user device UEb – paragraph 0126. The user device UE may be configured to transmit an uplink signal at a timing obtained by advancing the transmission timing indicated by the TA command by the amount of time indicated by the signal – paragraph 0127. When TA control is not performed, the user device UE transmits an uplink signal D61 at the timing when the downlink signal D52 is received. Accordingly, the RRU 2 measures a reception timing error of “2β” that is a sum of a delay time β taken by the downlink signal D52 to reach the user device UE and a delay time β taken by the uplink signal D61 to reach the RRU 2 – paragraph 0059) or the base station,
but, does not disclose, wherein, the sending and receiving timing r delay error between an antenna unit of a base station and a baseband unit of the base station; and
the first network device is the base station, the second network device is a positioning server; or, the first network device is the positioning server, and the second network device is the base station.
Soriaga teaches, network calibration with round-trip-time RTT based positioning procedures, where an apparatus transmits a request to a first reference node to perform a first round-trip-time RTT procedure with a second reference node, determines a first distance between the first reference node and the second reference node based on the RTT procedure, determines relative locations of the first and second reference nodes with respect to each other, and determines absolute locations of the first and second reference nodes from their relative locations based on at least one of the first and second reference nodes having a known absolute location and at least one known angle-of-arrival AoA or angle-of-departure AoD of at least one reference signal (ABSTRACT, paragraphs 0006 - 0009).
On the base station 602 side, there is a transmission delay of T.sub.gNB,Tx between the time the base station's 602 baseband BB generates the RTT measurement signal 610 and the antenna Ant transmits the RTT measurement signal 610. On the base station 602 side, there is a reception delay of T.sub.gNB,Rx between the time the base station's 602 antenna receives/detects the RTT response signal 620 and the time the baseband processes the RTT response signal 620, reads on the claimed feature, wherein, the sending and receiving timing
On the UE 604 side, there is a reception delay of T.sub.UE,Rx between the time the UE's 604 antenna receives/detects the RTT measurement signal 610 and the time the baseband processes the RTT measurement signal 610. Similarly, for the RTT response signal 620, there is a transmission delay of T.sub.UE,Tx between the time the UE's 604 baseband generates the RTT response signal 620 and the antenna transmits the RTT response signal 620. A position estimate e.g., for a UE 504 may be referred to by other names, such as a location estimate, location, position, position fix, fix, or the like. A position estimate may be geodetic and comprise coordinates - e.g., latitude, longitude, and possibly altitude (paragraphs 0104, 0109).
The base stations 102 may collectively form a RAN and interface with a core network 170 - e.g., an evolved packet core EPC or next generation core NGC through backhaul links 122, and through the core network 170 to one or more location servers 172, reads on the claimed feature, the first network device is the base station, the second network device is a positioning server; or, the first network device is the positioning server, and the second network device is the base station (Fig. 1, paragraph 0044).
The location server 230 can be configured to support one or more location services for UEs 204 that can connect to the location server 230 via the core network, NGC 210, and/or via the Internet - not illustrated. Further, the location server 230 may be integrated into a component of the core network, or alternatively may be external to the core network (paragraph 0061).
Each stream may then be mapped to an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing OFDM subcarrier, multiplexed with a reference signal - e.g., pilot in the time and/or frequency domain, and then combined together using an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform IFFT to produce a physical channel carrying a time domain OFDM symbol stream (paragraph 0073).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the base station and timing control of Uchino (Uchino, ABSTRACT, Figs. 1 – 5, paragraphs 0006 – 0019) wherein the system of Uchino, would have incorporated, network calibration with round-trip-time RTT based positioning procedures (Soriaga, ABSTRACT, Figs. 1, 6A, 6B, paragraphs 0044, 0061, 0105, 0109) for the spectral efficiency of 5G mobile communications should be significantly enhanced compared to the current 4G standard; and furthermore, signaling efficiencies should be enhanced and latency should be substantially reduced compared to current standards (Soriaga, paragraph 0004).
Regarding claims 10, 28, Uchino discloses,
an information processing method; and an information processing method (a base station used as a first base station in a radio communication system including the first base station, a second base station communicating via the first base station with a user device, and the user device communicating with the first base station. The base station includes a first receiver that receives an uplink signal transmitted from the user device; a measurer that measures a timing difference between a timing of receiving the uplink signal and a predetermined reference timing retained by the base station; and a first transmitter that transmits, to the user device, a command that is generated based on the timing difference and used to control a transmission timing at which the user device transmits the uplink signal – ABSTRACT, Figs. 1 – 5, paragraphs 0006 – 0019. The user device UE may be configured to transmit an uplink signal at a timing obtained by advancing the transmission timing indicated by the TA command by the amount of time indicated by the signal – paragraph 0127), applied to a terminal; and applied to a second network device (user equipment UE – paragraph 0039. The user device UE may be configured to transmit an uplink signal at a timing obtained by advancing the transmission timing indicated by the TA command by the amount of time indicated by the signal – paragraph 0127), comprising:
receiving first information (a TA command is sent to user equipment UE – i.e., UE receives a TA command sent by a base station - paragraphs 0017, 0018, 0064) associated with sending and receiving timing delay or timing error sent by a first network device (a TA command is sent to user equipment UE, the TA command requests the user device to advance the transmission timing of the uplink signal by “2α+2β” - paragraphs 0017, 0018, 0064. The RRU 2b generates a TA command - TA command UEb: X+(α2−T) indicating a timing that is obtained by advancing a TA-controlled timing X in FIG. 13, which is controlled according to the frame timing used for uplink signal reception, by “α2−T”, and transmits the TA command to the user device UEb – paragraph 0126. When TA control is not performed, the user device UE transmits an uplink signal D61 at the timing when the downlink signal D52 is received. Accordingly, the RRU 2 measures a reception timing error of “2β” that is a sum of a delay time β taken by the downlink signal D52 to reach the user device UE and a delay time β taken by the uplink signal D61 to reach the RRU 2 – paragraph 0059);
compensating for a time-based positioning measurement value according to the first information (yhe RRU 2b generates a TA command - TA command UEb: X+(α2−T) indicating a timing that is obtained by advancing a TA-controlled timing X in FIG. 13, which is controlled according to the frame timing used for uplink signal reception, by “α2−T”, and transmits the TA command to the user device UEb – paragraph 0126. The user device UE may be configured to transmit an uplink signal at a timing obtained by advancing the transmission timing indicated by the TA command by the amount of time indicated by the signal – paragraph 0127. When TA control is not performed, the user device UE transmits an uplink signal D61 at the timing when the downlink signal D52 is received. Accordingly, the RRU 2 measures a reception timing error of “2β” that is a sum of a delay time β taken by the downlink signal D52 to reach the user device UE and a delay time β taken by the uplink signal D61 to reach the RRU 2 – paragraph 0059);
the first information is internal delay information or delay error information of the terminal or the base station (a TA command is sent to user equipment UE, the TA command requests the user device to advance the transmission timing of the uplink signal by “2α+2β”. The BBU measures a difference – i.e., reception timing error between the frame timing and the timing of receiving an uplink signal from each user device. In the examples of FIGS. 3A and 3B, it is assumed that the delay in the wired section FH between the BBU and the RRU is “α” and the delay in the wireless section between the RRU and the UE is “β” - paragraphs 0017, 0018, 0064),
wherein the first information includes a sending timing error value of the terminal (a TA command is sent to user equipment UE, the TA command requests the user device to advance the transmission timing of the uplink signal by “2α+2β” - paragraphs 0017, 0018, 0064. The RRU 2b generates a TA command - TA command UEb: X+(α2−T) indicating a timing that is obtained by advancing a TA-controlled timing X in FIG. 13, which is controlled according to the frame timing used for uplink signal reception, by “α2−T”, and transmits the TA command to the user device UEb – paragraph 0126. The user device UE may be configured to transmit an uplink signal at a timing obtained by advancing the transmission timing indicated by the TA command by the amount of time indicated by the signal – paragraph 0127. When TA control is not performed, the user device UE transmits an uplink signal D61 at the timing when the downlink signal D52 is received. Accordingly, the RRU 2 measures a reception timing error of “2β” that is a sum of a delay time β taken by the downlink signal D52 to reach the user device UE and a delay time β taken by the uplink signal D61 to reach the RRU 2 – paragraph 0059) or the base station,
but, does not disclose, wherein, the sending and receiving timing delay
the first network device is the base station, or, the first network device is the positioning server.
Soriaga teaches, network calibration with round-trip-time RTT based positioning procedures, where an apparatus transmits a request to a first reference node to perform a first round-trip-time RTT procedure with a second reference node, determines a first distance between the first reference node and the second reference node based on the RTT procedure, determines relative locations of the first and second reference nodes with respect to each other, and determines absolute locations of the first and second reference nodes from their relative locations based on at least one of the first and second reference nodes having a known absolute location and at least one known angle-of-arrival AoA or angle-of-departure AoD of at least one reference signal (ABSTRACT, paragraphs 0006 - 0009).
On the base station 602 side, there is a transmission delay of T.sub.gNB,Tx between the time the base station's 602 baseband BB generates the RTT measurement signal 610 and the antenna Ant transmits the RTT measurement signal 610. On the base station 602 side, there is a reception delay of T.sub.gNB,Rx between the time the base station's 602 antenna receives/detects the RTT response signal 620 and the time the baseband processes the RTT response signal 620, reads on the claimed feature, wherein, the sending and receiving timing
On the UE 604 side, there is a reception delay of T.sub.UE,Rx between the time the UE's 604 antenna receives/detects the RTT measurement signal 610 and the time the baseband processes the RTT measurement signal 610. Similarly, for the RTT response signal 620, there is a transmission delay of T.sub.UE,Tx between the time the UE's 604 baseband generates the RTT response signal 620 and the antenna transmits the RTT response signal 620. A position estimate e.g., for a UE 504 may be referred to by other names, such as a location estimate, location, position, position fix, fix, or the like. A position estimate may be geodetic and comprise coordinates - e.g., latitude, longitude, and possibly altitude (paragraphs 0104, 0109).
The base stations 102 may collectively form a RAN and interface with a core network 170 - e.g., an evolved packet core EPC or next generation core NGC through backhaul links 122, and through the core network 170 to one or more location servers 172, reads on the claimed feature, the first network device is the base station, or, the first network device is the positioning server (Fig. 1, paragraph 0044).
The location server 230 can be configured to support one or more location services for UEs 204 that can connect to the location server 230 via the core network, NGC 210, and/or via the Internet - not illustrated. Further, the location server 230 may be integrated into a component of the core network, or alternatively may be external to the core network (paragraph 0061).
Each stream may then be mapped to an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing OFDM subcarrier, multiplexed with a reference signal - e.g., pilot in the time and/or frequency domain, and then combined together using an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform IFFT to produce a physical channel carrying a time domain OFDM symbol stream (paragraph 0073).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the base station and timing control of Uchino (Uchino, ABSTRACT, Figs. 1 – 5, paragraphs 0006 – 0019) wherein the system of Uchino, would have incorporated, network calibration with round-trip-time RTT based positioning procedures (Soriaga, ABSTRACT, Figs. 1, 6A, 6B, paragraphs 0044, 0061, 0105, 0109) for the spectral efficiency of 5G mobile communications should be significantly enhanced compared to the current 4G standard; and furthermore, signaling efficiencies should be enhanced and latency should be substantially reduced compared to current standards (Soriaga, paragraph 0004).
Regarding claims 11, 20, Uchino discloses,
the information processing method according to claim 10, wherein the first information further includes at least one of the following information:
a sending and receiving timing delay value of the terminal or the base station (a TA command is sent to user equipment UE, the TA command requests the user device to advance the transmission timing of the uplink signal by “2α+2β”. The BBU measures a difference – i.e., reception timing error between the frame timing and the timing of receiving an uplink signal from each user device. In the examples of FIGS. 3A and 3B, it is assumed that the delay in the wired section FH between the BBU and the RRU is “α” and the delay in the wireless section between the RRU and the UE is “β” - paragraphs 0017, 0018, 0064);
sending and receiving timing uncertainty information of the terminal or the base station;
a sending and receiving timing error value of the terminal or the base station value;
a receiving timing delay value of the terminal or the base station;
receiving timing uncertainty information of the terminal or the base station;
a receiving timing error value of the terminal or the base station;
a sending timing delay value of the terminal or the base station;
sending timing uncertainty information of the terminal or the base station; or synchronization error information between the base stations.
Regarding claims 12, 21, Uchino discloses all the claimed features,
but, does not disclose specifically, the information processing method according to claim 10, wherein the antenna unit comprises at least one of the following: an antenna, an antenna connector, an antenna port, or an antenna panel.
Soriaga teaches, network calibration with round-trip-time RTT based positioning procedures, where an apparatus transmits a request to a first reference node to perform a first round-trip-time RTT procedure with a second reference node, determines a first distance between the first reference node and the second reference node based on the RTT procedure, determines relative locations of the first and second reference nodes with respect to each other, and determines absolute locations of the first and second reference nodes from their relative locations based on at least one of the first and second reference nodes having a known absolute location and at least one known angle-of-arrival AoA or angle-of-departure AoD of at least one reference signal (ABSTRACT, paragraphs 0006 - 0009).
On the base station 602 side, there is a transmission delay of T.sub.gNB,Tx between the time the base station's 602 baseband BB generates the RTT measurement signal 610 and the antenna Ant transmits the RTT measurement signal 610. On the base station 602 side, there is a reception delay of T.sub.gNB,Rx between the time the base station's 602 antenna receives/detects the RTT response signal 620 and the time the baseband processes the RTT response signal 620, (Figs. 6A, 6B, paragraphs 0105, 0109).
On the UE 604 side, there is a reception delay of T.sub.UE,Rx between the time the UE's 604 antenna receives/detects the RTT measurement signal 610 and the time the baseband processes the RTT measurement signal 610. Similarly, for the RTT response signal 620, there is a transmission delay of T.sub.UE,Tx between the time the UE's 604 baseband generates the RTT response signal 620 and the antenna transmits the RTT response signal 620, reads on the claimed feature, the information processing method according to claim 10, wherein the antenna unit comprises at least one of the following: an antenna (paragraphs 0104, 0109).
The base stations 102 may collectively form a RAN and interface with a core network 170 - e.g., an evolved packet core EPC or next generation core NGC through backhaul links 122, and through the core network 170 to one or more location servers 172 (Fig. 1, paragraph 0044).
The location server 230 can be configured to support one or more location services for UEs 204 that can connect to the location server 230 via the core network, NGC 210, and/or via the Internet - not illustrated. Further, the location server 230 may be integrated into a component of the core network, or alternatively may be external to the core network (paragraph 0061).
Each stream may then be mapped to an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing OFDM subcarrier, multiplexed with a reference signal - e.g., pilot in the time and/or frequency domain, and then combined together using an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform IFFT to produce a physical channel carrying a time domain OFDM symbol stream (paragraph 0073).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the base station and timing control of Uchino (Uchino, ABSTRACT, Figs. 1 – 5, paragraphs 0006 – 0019) wherein the system of Uchino, would have incorporated, network calibration with round-trip-time RTT based positioning procedures (Soriaga, ABSTRACT, Figs. 1, 6A, 6B, paragraphs 0044, 0061, 0105, 0109) for the spectral efficiency of 5G mobile communications should be significantly enhanced compared to the current 4G standard; and furthermore, signaling efficiencies should be enhanced and latency should be substantially reduced compared to current standards (Soriaga, paragraph 0004).
Regarding claims 13, 22, 23, Uchino discloses,
the information processing method according to claim 10, wherein the first information is product information or measurement information (the base station requests the user device to transmit an uplink signal at earlier timing UE# Tx in FIG. 1 according to the measurement result, and thereby performs timing control TA control so that the frame timing corresponding to the transmission timing of eNB# Tx in FIG. 1 and the reception timing eNB# Rx in FIG. 1 of the uplink signal from the user device are synchronized – paragraph 0010).
Regarding claim 14, Uchino discloses all the claimed features,
but, does not disclose, the information processing method according to claim 10, wherein the first information corresponds to a preset parameter, and different preset parameters correspond to different first information;
the preset parameter includes at least one of the following:
and/or an altitude.
Soriaga teaches, network calibration with round-trip-time RTT based positioning procedures, where an apparatus transmits a request to a first reference node to perform a first round-trip-time RTT procedure with a second reference node, determines a first distance between the first reference node and the second reference node based on the RTT procedure, determines relative locations of the first and second reference nodes with respect to each other, and determines absolute locations of the first and second reference nodes from their relative locations based on at least one of the first and second reference nodes having a known absolute location and at least one known angle-of-arrival AoA or angle-of-departure AoD of at least one reference signal (ABSTRACT, paragraphs 0006 - 0009).
On the base station 602 side, there is a transmission delay of T.sub.gNB,Tx between the time the base station's 602 baseband BB generates the RTT measurement signal 610 and the antenna Ant transmits the RTT measurement signal 610. On the base station 602 side, there is a reception delay of T.sub.gNB,Rx between the time the base station's 602 antenna receives/detects the RTT response signal 620 and the time the baseband processes the RTT response signal 620, (Figs. 6A, 6B, paragraphs 0105, 0109).
On the UE 604 side, there is a reception delay of T.sub.UE,Rx between the time the UE's 604 antenna receives/detects the RTT measurement signal 610 and the time the baseband processes the RTT measurement signal 610. Similarly, for the RTT response signal 620, there is a transmission delay of T.sub.UE,Tx between the time the UE's 604 baseband generates the RTT response signal 620 and the antenna transmits the RTT response signal 620. A position estimate e.g., for a UE 504 may be referred to by other names, such as a location estimate, location, position, position fix, fix, or the like. A position estimate may be geodetic and comprise coordinates - e.g., latitude, longitude, and possibly altitude reads on the claimed feature, the information processing method according to claim 10, wherein the first information corresponds to a preset parameter, and different preset parameters correspond to different first information; the preset parameter includes at least one of the following: and/or an altitude (paragraph, 0104, 0109).
The base stations 102 may collectively form a RAN and interface with a core network 170 - e.g., an evolved packet core EPC or next generation core NGC through backhaul links 122, and through the core network 170 to one or more location servers 172 (Fig. 1, paragraph 0044).
The location server 230 can be configured to support one or more location services for UEs 204 that can connect to the location server 230 via the core network, NGC 210, and/or via the Internet - not illustrated. Further, the location server 230 may be integrated into a component of the core network, or alternatively may be external to the core network (paragraph 0061).
Each stream may then be mapped to an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing OFDM subcarrier, multiplexed with a reference signal - e.g., pilot in the time and/or frequency domain, and then combined together using an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform IFFT to produce a physical channel carrying a time domain OFDM symbol stream (paragraph 0073).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the base station and timing control of Uchino (Uchino, ABSTRACT, Figs. 1 – 5, paragraphs 0006 – 0019) wherein the system of Uchino, would have incorporated, network calibration with round-trip-time RTT based positioning procedures (Soriaga, ABSTRACT, Figs. 1, 6A, 6B, paragraphs 0044, 0061, 0105, 0109) for the spectral efficiency of 5G mobile communications should be significantly enhanced compared to the current 4G standard; and furthermore, signaling efficiencies should be enhanced and latency should be substantially reduced compared to current standards (Soriaga, paragraph 0004).
Regarding claim 15, Uchino discloses,
the information processing method according to claim 10, wherein the time- based positioning measurement value includes at least one of the following:
downlink reference signal time difference;
uplink relative arrival time;
terminal sending and receiving time difference; or
base station sending and receiving time difference (a TA command is sent to user equipment UE, the TA command requests the user device to advance the transmission timing of the uplink signal by “2α+2β”. The BBU measures a difference – i.e., reception timing error between the frame timing and the timing of receiving an uplink signal from each user device. In the examples of FIGS. 3A and 3B, it is assumed that the delay in the wired section FH between the BBU and the RRU is “α” and the delay in the wireless section between the RRU and the UE is “β” - paragraphs 0017, 0018, 0064).
Regarding claim 16, Uchino discloses all the claimed features,
but, does not disclose, the information processing method according to claim 10, wherein information included in the first information is transmitted by means of
the combined transmission refers to at least two items of the information included in the first information are combined into one information for transmission.
Soriaga teaches, network calibration with round-trip-time RTT based positioning procedures, where an apparatus transmits a request to a first reference node to perform a first round-trip-time RTT procedure with a second reference node, determines a first distance between the first reference node and the second reference node based on the RTT procedure, determines relative locations of the first and second reference nodes with respect to each other, and determines absolute locations of the first and second reference nodes from their relative locations based on at least one of the first and second reference nodes having a known absolute location and at least one known angle-of-arrival AoA or angle-of-departure AoD of at least one reference signal (ABSTRACT, paragraphs 0006 - 0009).
On the base station 602 side, there is a transmission delay of T.sub.gNB,Tx between the time the base station's 602 baseband BB generates the RTT measurement signal 610 and the antenna Ant transmits the RTT measurement signal 610. On the base station 602 side, there is a reception delay of T.sub.gNB,Rx between the time the base station's 602 antenna receives/detects the RTT response signal 620 and the time the baseband processes the RTT response signal 620, (Figs. 6A, 6B, paragraphs 0105, 0109).
On the UE 604 side, there is a reception delay of T.sub.UE,Rx between the time the UE's 604 antenna receives/detects the RTT measurement signal 610 and the time the baseband processes the RTT measurement signal 610. Similarly, for the RTT response signal 620, there is a transmission delay of T.sub.UE,Tx between the time the UE's 604 baseband generates the RTT response signal 620 and the antenna transmits the RTT response signal 620. A position estimate e.g., for a UE 504 may be referred to by other names, such as a location estimate, location, position, position fix, fix, or the like. A position estimate may be geodetic and comprise coordinates - e.g., latitude, longitude, and possibly altitude (paragraph, 0104, 0109).
The base stations 102 may collectively form a RAN and interface with a core network 170 - e.g., an evolved packet core EPC or next generation core NGC through backhaul links 122, and through the core network 170 to one or more location servers 172 (Fig. 1, paragraph 0044).
The location server 230 can be configured to support one or more location services for UEs 204 that can connect to the location server 230 via the core network, NGC 210, and/or via the Internet - not illustrated. Further, the location server 230 may be integrated into a component of the core network, or alternatively may be external to the core network (paragraph 0061).
Each stream may then be mapped to an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing OFDM subcarrier, multiplexed with a reference signal - e.g., pilot in the time and/or frequency domain, and then combined together using an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform IFFT to produce a physical channel carrying a time domain OFDM symbol stream (paragraph 0073).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the base station and timing control of Uchino (Uchino, ABSTRACT, Figs. 1 – 5, paragraphs 0006 – 0019) wherein the system of Uchino, would have incorporated, network calibration with round-trip-time RTT based positioning procedures (Soriaga, ABSTRACT, Figs. 1, 6A, 6B, paragraphs 0044, 0061, 0105, 0109) for the spectral efficiency of 5G mobile communications should be significantly enhanced compared to the current 4G standard; and furthermore, signaling efficiencies should be enhanced and latency should be substantially reduced compared to current standards (Soriaga, paragraph 0004).
Regarding claim 19, Uchino discloses,
an information processing method (a base station used as a first base station in a radio communication system including the first base station, a second base station communicating via the first base station with a user device, and the user device communicating with the first base station. The base station includes a first receiver that receives an uplink signal transmitted from the user device; a measurer that measures a timing difference between a timing of receiving the uplink signal and a predetermined reference timing retained by the base station; and a first transmitter that transmits, to the user device, a command that is generated based on the timing difference and used to control a transmission timing at which the user device transmits the uplink signal – ABSTRACT, Figs. 1 – 5, paragraphs 0006 – 0019. The user device UE may be configured to transmit an uplink signal at a timing obtained by advancing the transmission timing indicated by the TA command by the amount of time indicated by the signal – paragraph 0127), applied to a terminal (user equipment UE – paragraph 0039. The user device UE may be configured to transmit an uplink signal at a timing obtained by advancing the transmission timing indicated by the TA command by the amount of time indicated by the signal – paragraph 0127), comprising:
sending first information associated with sending and receiving timing delay or timing error to a second network device (a TA command is sent to user equipment UE, the TA command requests the user device to advance the transmission timing of the uplink signal by “2α+2β” - paragraphs 0017, 0018, 0064. The RRU 2b generates a TA command - TA command UEb: X+(α2−T) indicating a timing that is obtained by advancing a TA-controlled timing X in FIG. 13, which is controlled according to the frame timing used for uplink signal reception, by “α2−T”, and transmits the TA command to the user device UEb – paragraph 0126. When TA control is not performed, the user device UE transmits an uplink signal D61 at the timing when the downlink signal D52 is received. Accordingly, the RRU 2 measures a reception timing error of “2β” that is a sum of a delay time β taken by the downlink signal D52 to reach the user device UE and a delay time β taken by the uplink signal D61 to reach the RRU 2 – paragraph 0059);
the first information is internal delay information or delay error information of the terminal or the base station (a TA command is sent to user equipment UE, the TA command requests the user device to advance the transmission timing of the uplink signal by “2α+2β”. The BBU measures a difference – i.e., reception timing error between the frame timing and the timing of receiving an uplink signal from each user device. In the examples of FIGS. 3A and 3B, it is assumed that the delay in the wired section FH between the BBU and the RRU is “α” and the delay in the wireless section between the RRU and the UE is “β” - paragraphs 0017, 0018, 0064),
wherein the first information includes a sending timing error value of the terminal (a TA command is sent to user equipment UE, the TA command requests the user device to advance the transmission timing of the uplink signal by “2α+2β” - paragraphs 0017, 0018, 0064. The RRU 2b generates a TA command - TA command UEb: X+(α2−T) indicating a timing that is obtained by advancing a TA-controlled timing X in FIG. 13, which is controlled according to the frame timing used for uplink signal reception, by “α2−T”, and transmits the TA command to the user device UEb – paragraph 0126. The user device UE may be configured to transmit an uplink signal at a timing obtained by advancing the transmission timing indicated by the TA command by the amount of time indicated by the signal – paragraph 0127. When TA control is not performed, the user device UE transmits an uplink signal D61 at the timing when the downlink signal D52 is received. Accordingly, the RRU 2 measures a reception timing error of “2β” that is a sum of a delay time β taken by the downlink signal D52 to reach the user device UE and a delay time β taken by the uplink signal D61 to reach the RRU 2 – paragraph 0059) or the base station,
but, does not disclose, wherein, the sending and receiving timing delay
the second network device is a positioning server; or, the second network device is the base station;
Soriaga teaches, network calibration with round-trip-time RTT based positioning procedures, where an apparatus transmits a request to a first reference node to perform a first round-trip-time RTT procedure with a second reference node, determines a first distance between the first reference node and the second reference node based on the RTT procedure, determines relative locations of the first and second reference nodes with respect to each other, and determines absolute locations of the first and second reference nodes from their relative locations based on at least one of the first and second reference nodes having a known absolute location and at least one known angle-of-arrival AoA or angle-of-departure AoD of at least one reference signal (ABSTRACT, paragraphs 0006 - 0009).
On the base station 602 side, there is a transmission delay of T.sub.gNB,Tx between the time the base station's 602 baseband BB generates the RTT measurement signal 610 and the antenna Ant transmits the RTT measurement signal 610. On the base station 602 side, there is a reception delay of T.sub.gNB,Rx between the time the base station's 602 antenna receives/detects the RTT response signal 620 and the time the baseband processes the RTT response signal 620, reads on the claimed feature, wherein, the sending and receiving timing delay
On the UE 604 side, there is a reception delay of T.sub.UE,Rx between the time the UE's 604 antenna receives/detects the RTT measurement signal 610 and the time the baseband processes the RTT measurement signal 610. Similarly, for the RTT response signal 620, there is a transmission delay of T.sub.UE,Tx between the time the UE's 604 baseband generates the RTT response signal 620 and the antenna transmits the RTT response signal 620. A position estimate e.g., for a UE 504 may be referred to by other names, such as a location estimate, location, position, position fix, fix, or the like. A position estimate may be geodetic and comprise coordinates - e.g., latitude, longitude, and possibly altitude (paragraphs 0104, 0109).
The base stations 102 may collectively form a RAN and interface with a core network 170 - e.g., an evolved packet core EPC or next generation core NGC through backhaul links 122, and through the core network 170 to one or more location servers 172, reads on the claimed feature, the second network device is a positioning server; or, the second network device is the base station (Fig. 1, paragraph 0044).
The location server 230 can be configured to support one or more location services for UEs 204 that can connect to the location server 230 via the core network, NGC 210, and/or via the Internet - not illustrated. Further, the location server 230 may be integrated into a component of the core network, or alternatively may be external to the core network (paragraph 0061).
Each stream may then be mapped to an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing OFDM subcarrier, multiplexed with a reference signal - e.g., pilot in the time and/or frequency domain, and then combined together using an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform IFFT to produce a physical channel carrying a time domain OFDM symbol stream (paragraph 0073).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the base station and timing control of Uchino (Uchino, ABSTRACT, Figs. 1 – 5, paragraphs 0006 – 0019) wherein the system of Uchino, would have incorporated, network calibration with round-trip-time RTT based positioning procedures (Soriaga, ABSTRACT, Figs. 1, 6A, 6B, paragraphs 0044, 0061, 0105, 0109) for the spectral efficiency of 5G mobile communications should be significantly enhanced compared to the current 4G standard; and furthermore, signaling efficiencies should be enhanced and latency should be substantially reduced compared to current standards (Soriaga, paragraph 0004).
Regarding claim 36, Uchino discloses,
a network device, being a first network device, including a memory, a transceiver, and a processor, wherein the memory is used to store computer programs; the transceiver is used to send and receive data under the control of the processor; the processor is used to read the computer programs in the memory and perform processing method according to claim 1 (Figs. 4/BBU, 4/RRU, 4/UE).
Regarding claim 38, Uchino discloses,
a terminal, including a memory, a transceiver, and a processor, wherein the memory is used to store computer programs; the transceiver is used to send and receive data under the control of the processor; the processor is used to read the computer programs in the memory and perform processing method according to claim 10 (Figs. 4/BBU, 4/RRU, 4/UE).
Regarding claim 40, Uchino discloses,
a terminal, including a memory, a transceiver, and a processor, wherein the memory is used to store computer programs; the transceiver is used to send and receive data under the control of the processor; the processor is used to read the computer programs in the memory and perform processing method according to claim 19 (Figs. 4/BBU, 4/RRU, 4/UE).
Regarding claim 42, Uchino discloses,
a network device, including a memory, a transceiver, and a processor, wherein the memory is used to store computer programs; the transceiver is used to send and receive data under the control of the processor; the processor is used to read the computer programs in the memory and perform processing method according to claim 28 (Figs. 4/BBU, Fig. 4/UE).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17 and 18 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, along with applicant's reply must either comply with all formal requirements or specifically traverse each requirement not complied with. See 37 CFR 1.111(b) and MPEP § 707.07(a).
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.
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/NIMESH PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2642