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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 32 is objected to because of the following informalities:
As to claim 32, the examiner suggests deleting “incremental” to maintain consistency with the naming of the “assistance data” in claim 31. Appropriate correction is required.
It is noted that since ‘incremental’ is used as a label, it does not affect the scope of the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 41 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 41 recites the term “geographically relevant” which is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “geographically relevant” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. The claim is indefinite for failing to provide any limitations or sense of how one would determine or even what would be considered as “geographically relevant”.
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) 31-34, 36-39, and 42-46 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Manokolas et al. (2023/0156655) hereinafter “Manolakos”
As to claim 31, (New) Manolakos discloses A method (Fig 4) performed by a wireless device (305), the method comprising:
sending a periodic location report (ProvideAssistanceData) for a location management function (LMF) of a wireless communication network, in accordance with configuration information, wherein the periodic location report is sent while the wireless device is operating within a geographic area corresponding to first assistance data received by the wireless device and the periodic location report includes positioning measurement or location information (see [0066]-[0068]); and
receiving (ProvideLocationInformation) user equipment (UE)-specific assistance data (see [0064]-[0065]) for use by the wireless device in generating a next periodic location report, the UE-specific assistance data indicating a subset of transmission/reception points (TRPs), of the wireless communication network that are associated with the geographic area indicated in association with the first assistance data that are allowed to be used with respect to generation of the next periodic location report by the wireless device.
As to claim 32, (New) Manolakos discloses The method of claim 31, further comprising performing a positioning measurement or a location procedure with respect to the next periodic location report, according to the incremental assistance information. See [0068]: “periodic” and [0070]: “updated assistance data”.
As to claim 33, (New) Manolakos discloses The method of claim 31, wherein the first assistance data is received via broadcasting in one or more cells of the wireless communication network. See [0040], [0051],[0056], etc.
As to claim 34, (New) Manolakos discloses The method of claim 31, further comprising receiving the UE-specific assistance data via dedicated signaling from the wireless communication network, targeting the wireless device. See [0065]: “via unicast transport”.
As to claim 36, (New) Manolakos discloses A wireless device (UE) configured for operation in a wireless communications network, the wireless device comprising communication interface circuitry (1630) and comprising processing circuitry (1610), the processing circuitry being configured to perform the method of claim 31. See Fig. 16 & [0030].
As to claim 37, (New) Manolakos discloses A method performed by a network node (320) associated with a wireless communication network, the method (Fig 4) comprising:
receiving a periodic location report (ProvideLocationInformation) from a wireless device configured for periodical location reporting while operating within a geographic area corresponding to first assistance data received by the wireless device, the periodic location report including a positioning measurement or location information, see [0064]-[0068]; and
sending second assistance data (ProvideAssistanceData) for use by the wireless device in generating a next periodic location report, the second assistance data indicating a qualified subset of transmission/reception points (TRPs) of the wireless communication network that are associated with the geographic area and, with respect to generation of the next periodic location report by the wireless device, that are disallowed, allowed, or prioritized. See [0062]-[0068].
As to claim 38, (New) Manolakos discloses The method of claim 37, wherein the second assistance data indicates the qualified subset of TRPs using one or more of TRPs identifiers identifying respective TRPs of the wireless communication network, cell identifiers identifying respective cells of the wireless communication network, beam identifiers identifying respective beams used by the wireless communication network, and frequency identifiers identifying respective radio carrier frequencies used by wireless communication network. See [0065].
As to claim 39, (New) Manolakos discloses The method of claim 37, wherein the second assistance data is UE-specific assistance data and indicates a positioning method or measurement to be performed by the wireless device (target 305) for the next periodic location report. See [0062],[0068].
As to claim 42, (New) Manolakos discloses The method of claim 37, wherein the geographic area is an area for which deferred device-terminated or device-originated location requests are permitted. [0049]: “UE based”.
As to claim 43, (New) Manolakos discloses The method of claim 37, wherein the second assistance data is sent to a base station, via an NRPPa positioning message. See [0047]-[0048].
As to claim 44, (New) Manolakos discloses A network node (1700 – location server) configured for operation as a Location Management Function (LMF) in a wireless communications network, the network node comprising communication interface circuitry (1730) and comprising processing circuitry (1710), the processing circuitry configured to perform the method of claim 37. See Fig 17, [0031].
As to claim 45-46, (New) Manolakos discloses A network node (1700 – base station / TRP) configured for operation as a base station (gNB) in a wireless communications network (RAN), the network node comprising communication interface circuitry (1730) and comprising processing circuitry (1710), (see [0039]-[0045], [0059]-0060]) the processing circuitry configured to:
send first assistance data (ProvideAssistanceData) for use by a wireless device in generating a periodic location report while operating within a geographic area corresponding to the first assistance data (see [0059]-[0068], Figs 3-4, [0059] provides for link through base station); and
receive, in an NRPPa positioning message [0047]-[0048], second assistance (ProvideAssistanceData) data for use by the wireless device in generating a next periodic location report, the second assistance data indicating a qualified subset of transmission/reception points (TRPs) of the wireless communication network that are associated with the geographic area (0065]) and, with respect to generation of the next periodic location report by the wireless device, that are disallowed, allowed, or prioritized, ([0062],[0063] provides for multiple LPP sessions / subsequent transactions); and
perform UE associated measurement configuration (ProvideLocationInformation) based on the received second assistance data (see [0064]-[0065]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 35 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Manolakos as applied to claim 31 above, and further in view of Manolakos et al. (2024/0015501) hereinafter “Manolakos ‘501”.
As to claim 35, (New) Manolakos discloses The method of claim 31, further comprising sending capability information towards the LMF (ProvideCapabilities),
In an analogous art, Manolakos ‘501 discloses wherein it was well known in the art for indicating support for deferred positioning procedures (see [0102],[0119]). Before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Manolakos for indicating support for deferred positioning procedures for the purpose of achieving NR standards of release 16.
Claim(s) 40-41 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Manolakos as applied to claim 37/39 above, and further in view of Tao et al. (2024/0019533) hereinafter “Tao”.
As to claim 40, (New) Manolakos discloses The method of claim 39, is silent to yet in an analogous art Tao discloses wherein the method further comprises determining the positioning method or measurement to be performed by the wireless device for the next periodic location report in dependence on at least one of the following:
known or expected reception conditions of the wireless device for the next periodic location report, or a known or expected geographic or network topology experienced by the wireless device for the next periodic location report, or a known or expected location of the wireless device for the next periodic location report. See [0011],etc: “determining… assistance signaling based on the approximate location ”. Before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Manolakos by determining the positioning method or measurement to be performed by the wireless device for the next periodic location report in dependence on at least one of the following:
known or expected reception conditions of the wireless device for the next periodic location report, or a known or expected geographic or network topology experienced by the wireless device for the next periodic location report, or a known or expected location of the wireless device for the next periodic location report as taught by Tao for the purpose of improving the positioning results.
As to claim 41, (New) Manolakos discloses The method of claim 37, is silent to yet in an analogous art Tao discloses wherein the method further comprises predicting a location of the wireless device with respect to the next periodic location report ([0047]: “predict the RSTD value the UE is expected to measure”) and determining the second assistance data (“and provide a search window to the UE in assistance data”) in dependence on the predicted location and determining the qualified subset in dependence on TRPs of the wireless communication network that are geographically relevant to the predicted location [0014]. See [0011], [0029], etc. Before the effective filing date of the instant application it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Manolakos wherein the method further comprises predicting a location of the wireless device with respect to the next periodic location report and determining the second assistance data in dependence on the predicted location and determining the qualified subset in dependence on TRPs of the wireless communication network that are geographically relevant to the predicted location, as taught by Tao for the purpose of improving the resource usage.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Manolakos et al. (2024/0179669) additionally provide for the broadcasting of assistance data [0088].
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LESTER G. KINCAID
Primary Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2649
/LESTER G KINCAID/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2649