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 .
Art Unit- Location
The Art Unit location of your application in the USPTO has changed. To aid in correlating any papers for this application, all further correspondence regarding this application should be directed to Art Unit 2642.
Claim status
The Claims 25-26, 29-32, 35-37, 40-49, 96-97, 100-103, 106-108, and 111-120 are pending. The Claims 1-2, 5, 50-55, 62-66, 72-73, 76, 121-125 and 131-135 are Withdrawn.
Response to Amendment
This Action is in response to Applicant’s amendment filed on 07/22/2026. Claims 25-26, 29-32, 35-37, 40-49, 96-97, 100-103, 106-108, and 111-120 are still pending in the present application. This Action is made FINAL.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 25-26, 29-32, 35-37, 40-49, 96-97, 100-103, 106-108, and 111-120 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
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:
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.
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.
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.
17. Claims 25-26, 29-32, 35-37, 40-41, 44-46, 48-49, 96-97, 100-103, 106-108, 111-112, 115-117 and 119-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being un-patentable over Cha US Patent No. :( US 11,901,964 B2) hereinafter referred as Cha, in view of Xiong US Patent Application No.:( US 2021/0282106 A1) hereinafter referred as Xiong.
For Claim 25, Cha discloses a method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising: receiving a positioning resource configuration that defines an aggregate positioning resource ( 2503 fig. 25) column 2, lines 11-14 discloses the measurement value of the positioning containing the measurement value to the positioning RS which defines the configuration describing a synthetic positioning resource and how the user equipment (UE) utilizes this information for positioning measurements); and performing a positioning measurement using the aggregate positioning resource (column 13, lines 37-44 disclosing the Position Reference Signal ). However, Cha discloses all the subject matter of the claimed invention with the exemption of the plurality of positioning resource blocks that differ from each other in at least a frequency domain and that are associated together as the aggregate positioning resource as recited in claim 25.
Xiong from the same or analogous art teaches the plurality of positioning resource blocks that differ from each other in at least a frequency domain and that are associated together as the aggregate positioning resource ( see fig. 5) (Paragraph [0003], lines 49-59), (Paragraph [0011], lines 1-9) (Paragraph [0012], lines 6-14), (Paragraph [0018], lines 1-14), (Paragraph [0056], lines 1-8) and (Paragraph [0069], lines 1-6). Therefore, it would have been obvious for the person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filling to use the plurality of positioning resource blocks that differ from each other in at least a frequency domain and that are associated together as the aggregate positioning resource as taught by Xiong into the receiving signal in wireless communication system of Cha.
The plurality of positioning resource blocks that differ from each other in at least a frequency domain and that are associated together as the aggregate positioning resource can be modify/implemented by combining the plurality of positioning resource blocks that differ from each other in at least a frequency domain and that are associated together as the aggregate positioning resource with the device. This process is implemented as a hardware solution or as firmware solutions of Xiong into the receiving signal in wireless communication system of Cha. As disclosed in Xiong, the motivation for the combination would be to use the positioning resource block allocating the positioning reference signals grouped together that will help the selection and association becoming more efficient and reliable for a better communication.
For Claim 26, Cha discloses the method, wherein performing a positioning measurement using the aggregate positioning resource comprises receiving one or more reference signals within the aggregate positioning resource according to the positioning resource configuration and performing a measurement of the one or more reference signals (column 15, lines 58-61) and (column 17, lines 23-31 and 46-50).
For Claim 29, Cha discloses the method, wherein the positioning resource configuration comprises an information element (IE) that associates the plurality of positioning resources together to form the aggregate positioning resource (column 21, lines 30-31) - (column 22, lines 1-5).
For Claim 30, Cha discloses the method, wherein the positioning resource configuration comprises a list of the plurality of positioning resource blocks that comprise the aggregate positioning resource (see table 3 and table 4)(column 10, lines 10-24).
For Claim 31, Cha discloses the method, wherein receiving the positioning resource configuration comprises receiving parameters that define: a positioning resource block; a number of times the positioning resource block is repeated; and an offset in the time domain, an offset in the frequency domain, or both, for each repetition of the positioning resource block, to produce the plurality of positioning resource blocks that comprise the aggregate positioning resource(column 38, lines 35-43) and (column 42, lines 42-47).
For Claim 32, Cha discloses the method, wherein receiving the positioning resource configuration further comprises receiving parameters that define: a bandwidth of each positioning resource block; a frequency gap between repetitions of the positioning resource block; a time gap between repetitions of the positioning resource block; or a positioning resource block comb pattern (column 10, lines 47-64), (column 41, lines 12-16) and (column 11, lines 11-17).
For Claim 35, Cha discloses the method, wherein the aggregate positioning resource is associated with its own positioning resource identifier (column 29, lines 33-41).
For Claim 36, Cha discloses the method, wherein each positioning resource block comprises a downlink (DL) positioning reference signal (PRS) block or an uplink (UL) sounding reference signal (SRS) block (column 24, lines 18-22).
For Claim 37, Cha discloses the method, wherein the positioning resource configuration is received from a positioning server comprising a location management function (LMF) or a secure user plane location (SUPL) location platform (SLP), or from a serving base station (column 26, lines 20-23).
For Claim 40, Cha discloses the method, wherein the positioning resource configuration associates a set of frequency layers (FLs) or bandwidth parts (BWPs) to each other (see fig. 8)(column 13, lines 39-44)(column 54, lines 1-12).
For Claim 41, Cha discloses the method, wherein all positioning resource sets within the set of FLs or BWPs are associated to each other, all positioning resources within the FLs or BWPs are associated to each other, or combinations thereof (column 14, lines 57-60) and (column 13, lines 39-44).
For Claim 44, Cha discloses the method, wherein the positioning resource configuration associates a set of positioning resource sets to each other (column 30, lines 51-63 disclosing the UE may be configured/indicated with reference configuration information related to a DL PRS resource to be used as a reference for measurement of a DL RSTD. The reference configuration information may include a list (reference PRS resource ID) of a cell/BS/TRP ID ).
For Claim 45, Cha discloses the method, wherein all positioning resources within the set of positioning resource sets are associated to each other (column 21, lines 30-31) - (column 22, lines 1-5 and 16-26).
For Claim 46, Cha discloses the method, wherein, among the set of positioning resource sets, only positioning resources having the same positioning resource ID are associated to each other (column 42, lines 26-32).
For Claim 48, Cha discloses the method, wherein the positioning resource configuration associates a set of positioning resources to each other (column 30, lines 51-63 disclosing the UE may be configured/indicated with reference configuration information related to a DL PRS resource to be used as a reference for measurement of a DL RSTD. The reference configuration information may include a list (reference PRS resource ID) of a cell/BS/TRP ID ).
For Claim 49, Cha discloses the method, wherein the positioning resource configuration: associates a frequency layers (FL) or bandwidth part (BWP) with another FL or BWP; associates a FL or BWP with a positioning resource set in another FL or BWP; associates a FL or BWP with a positioning resource in another positioning resource set in the same FL or BWP or in a different FL, or BWP; or combinations thereof (column 13, lines 39-44) and (column 43, lines 43-55).
For Claim 96, Cha discloses a user equipment (UE), comprising:
a memory (230 fig. 27);
at least one transceiver (235 fig. 27); and
at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver (210 fig. 27), the at least one processor configured to:
receive a positioning resource configuration that defines an aggregate positioning resource ( 2503 fig. 25) column 2, lines 11-14 discloses the measurement value of the positioning containing the measurement value to the positioning RS which defines the configuration describing a synthetic positioning resource and how the user equipment (UE) utilizes this information for positioning measurements); and
perform a positioning measurement using the aggregate positioning resource (column 13, lines 37-44 disclosing the Position Reference Signal). However, Cha discloses all the subject matter of the claimed invention with the exemption of the plurality of positioning resource blocks that differ from each other in at least a frequency domain and that are associated together as the aggregate positioning resource as recited in claim 96.
Xiong from the same or analogous art teaches the plurality of positioning resource blocks that differ from each other in at least a frequency domain and that are associated together as the aggregate positioning resource ( see fig. 5) (Paragraph [0003], lines 49-59), (Paragraph [0011], lines 1-9) (Paragraph [0012], lines 6-14), (Paragraph [0018], lines 1-14), (Paragraph [0056], lines 1-8) and (Paragraph [0069], lines 1-6). Therefore, it would have been obvious for the person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filling to use the plurality of positioning resource blocks that differ from each other in at least a frequency domain and that are associated together as the aggregate positioning resource as taught by Xiong into the receiving signal in wireless communication system of Cha.
The plurality of positioning resource blocks that differ from each other in at least a frequency domain and that are associated together as the aggregate positioning resource can be modify/implemented by combining the plurality of positioning resource blocks that differ from each other in at least a frequency domain and that are associated together as the aggregate positioning resource with the device. This process is implemented as a hardware solution or as firmware solutions of Xiong into the receiving signal in wireless communication system of Cha. As disclosed in Xiong, the motivation for the combination would be to use the positioning resource block allocating the positioning reference signals grouped together that will help the selection and association becoming more efficient and reliable for a better communication.
For Claim 97, Cha discloses a user equipment (UE), wherein, to perform the positioning measurement using the aggregate positioning resource, the at least one processor is configured to receive one or more reference signals within the aggregate positioning resource according to the positioning resource configuration and performing a measurement of the one or more reference signals (column 15, lines 58-61) and (column 17, lines 23-31 and 46-50).
For Claim 100, Cha discloses a user equipment (UE), wherein the positioning resource configuration comprises an information element (IE) that associates the plurality of positioning resources together to form the aggregate positioning resource (column 21, lines 30-31) - (column 22, lines 1-5).
For Claim 101, Cha discloses a user equipment (UE), wherein the positioning resource configuration comprises a list of the plurality of positioning resource blocks that comprise the aggregate positioning resource (see table 3 and table 4) (column 10, lines 10-24).
For Claim 102, Cha discloses a user equipment (UE), wherein the positioning resource configuration comprises parameters that define: a positioning resource block; a number of times the positioning resource block is repeated; and an offset in the time domain, an offset in the frequency domain, or both, for each repetition of the positioning resource block, to produce the plurality of positioning resource blocks that comprise the aggregate positioning resource (column 38, lines 35-43) and (column 42, lines 42-47).
For Claim 103, Cha discloses a user equipment (UE), wherein the positioning resource configuration further comprises parameters that define: a bandwidth of each positioning resource block; a frequency gap between repetitions of the positioning resource block; a time gap between repetitions of the positioning resource block; or a positioning resource block comb pattern (column 10, lines 47-64), (column 41, lines 12-16) and (column 11, lines 11-17).
For Claim 106, Cha discloses a user equipment (UE), wherein the aggregate positioning resource is associated with its own positioning resource identifier (column 29, lines 33-41).
For Claim 107, Cha discloses a user equipment (UE), wherein each positioning resource block comprises a downlink (DL) positioning reference signal (PRS) block or an uplink (UL) sounding reference signal (SRS) block (column 24, lines 18-22).
For Claim 108, Cha discloses a user equipment (UE), wherein the positioning resource configuration is received from a positioning server comprising a location management function (LMF) or a secure user plane location (SUPL) location platform (SLP), or from a serving base station (column 26, lines 20-23).
For Claim 111, Cha discloses a user equipment (UE), wherein the positioning resource configuration associates a set of frequency layers (FLs) or bandwidth parts (BWPs) to each other (see fig. 8)(column 13, lines 39-44)(column 54, lines 1-12).
For Claim 112, Cha discloses a user equipment (UE), wherein all positioning resource sets within the set of FLs or BWPs are associated to each other, all positioning resources within the FLs or BWPs are associated to each other, or combinations thereof (column 14, lines 57-60) and (column 13, lines 39-44).
For Claim 115, Cha discloses a user equipment (UE), wherein the positioning resource configuration associates a set of positioning resource sets to each other (column 30, lines 51-63 disclosing the UE may be configured/indicated with reference configuration information related to a DL PRS resource to be used as a reference for measurement of a DL RSTD. The reference configuration information may include a list (reference PRS resource ID) of a cell/BS/TRP ID ).
For Claim 116, Cha discloses a user equipment (UE), wherein all positioning resources within the set of positioning resource sets are associated to each other.
For Claim 117, Cha discloses a user equipment (UE), wherein, among the set of positioning resource sets, only positioning resources having the same positioning resource ID are associated to each other (column 42, lines 26-32).
For Claim 119, Cha discloses a user equipment (UE), wherein the positioning resource configuration associates a set of positioning resources to each other (column 30, lines 51-63 disclosing the UE may be configured/indicated with reference configuration information related to a DL PRS resource to be used as a reference for measurement of a DL RSTD. The reference configuration information may include a list (reference PRS resource ID) of a cell/BS/TRP ID ).
For Claim 120, Cha discloses a user equipment (UE), wherein the positioning resource configuration: associates a frequency layers (FL) or bandwidth part (BWP) with another FL or BWP; associates a FL or BWP with a positioning resource set in another FL or BWP; associates a FL or BWP with a positioning resource in another positioning resource set in the same FL or BWP or in a different FL, or BWP; or combinations thereof (column 13, lines 39-44) and (column 43, lines 43-55).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 42-43, 47, 113-114 and 118 are objected as being dependent upon a rejected base claim but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH AREVALO whose telephone number is (571)270-3121. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:30-5:00 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, Applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Rafael Perez-Gutierrez can be reached on (571)272-7915. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOSEPH AREVALO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2642
