DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
2. The instant application claims priority to the Foreign application Filed: 20210100513, filed 07/28/2021.
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted, IDS - 01/25/2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
4. The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: illegible texts in Table-1 [0133-0134] , Table-2 and Table-3 [0153].
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
5. 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.
6. Claim 33, 35 and 36 are 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 33 recites, “The network node of claim 32, wherein, based on the base station operating at a Frequency Range 1 (FR1) frequency band below a threshold, all beam representations of the plurality of beam representations comprise antenna configurations associated with the plurality of beams”.
A claim limitations, “threshold” used within the “frequency band 1 (FR1) below a threshold” or “above a threshold ” appeared in the Claims 33, 35 and 36 render indefinite.
The claim limitations, “threshold” further associated to “all beam representations of the plurality of beam representations comprise antenna configurations associated with the plurality of beams” in Claim 33 and 35. The “threshold” doesn’t give specific/distinct measurement in the frequency spectrum thus renders the claim indefinite.
And, also in Claim 36, “all of the plurality of beam representations comprise mappings of beam angles and beam gains of the plurality of beams.”
For clarity of the prosecution, the disclosure regarding the operating band available in the spec of ETSI-3GPP cited in PTO-892.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
7. 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.
8. 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
he 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:
• Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
• Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
• Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
• Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating
• obviousness or nonobviousness.
9. 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.
10. Claims 1, 22-28, 30-32, 38, 41 and 43 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Alaweih et al. (US-20230319772-A1), hereinafter “Alaweih” in view of Han et al. (US-12225495-B2) hereinafter “Han”.
Regarding Claim 1,
Alawieh discloses, ‘A method of communication performed by a network node, comprising:
transmitting, to a network entity, a plurality of beam representations for a corresponding plurality of beams, wherein each beam representation of the plurality of beam representations comprises an antenna configuration associated with a beam of the plurality of beams
or a mapping of beam angle and beam gain associated with the beam,
the antenna configuration including at least a number of antenna elements and an antenna element spacing’ (Discloses, the NW-node transmit a plurality of beam [0027] in Fig. 2. Features implemented [0025]. The antenna configuration associated with the beams and the plurality of beam between the NW-node and the NW-entity/LMF as part of antenna-config and angle per beam [0044-0045]. Determination a position includes antenna pattern i.e. steering-direction and gain [0068, 0070]. The antenna-config comprises array, panel and plurality of antenna-elements [0071, 0370]. The LMF receive one/more measurement of RAN/UE, disclosure claim 13 and [0119-0122]. In Fig 4 includes beam directional-estimation and the scan-angles [0208-0210]. Communication between the TRPs (part of the BS) and the LMF AoD method. And beam gain and angle associated to the plurality of the beams [0225-0226]. Also Fig. 5 includes beam angle/direction.);
And didn’t disclose, ‘antenna elements spacing’,
Han in the relevant art discloses, configuration of antenna and the antenna elements spacing Col 17 [0004-0005, 0008].
Therefore, a person in the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of
the claim invention would have recognized that the disclosure of Alawieh and to include
with that of Han to come up with the claim invention,
Alaweih includes determination position-based measurement and uses antenna pattern comprises antenna array, or antenna panel of plurality of antenna elements and directivity [0071]. For the antenna pattern includes gain and beam horizontal and vertical polarization [0241-0243]. An important motive to direct the beams to identify the LOS validity [0310] beam to achieve more antenna-gain. Han includes the motive directional antenna and use of MIMO technique for RF-transmission in the positioning method to measure and receive horizontal/vertical positioning accuracy Col. 20 [0018-0019, 0022] that would increase the data transmission rate.
Alawieh discloses, ‘and transmitting, to the network entity, a first mapping of one or more positioning reference signal (PRS) resources or PRS resource sets to the plurality of beam representations, wherein each of the one or more PRS resources or PRS resource sets is associated with a single beam representation of the plurality of beam representations.’ (Communication between the TRPs (part of the BS) and the LMF; beam gain and angle associated to the PRS-resource-set. The AoD method uses the PRS resource set-ID, PRS-beam-info and beam-ID [0147, 0225-0226])
Regarding Claim 22,
Identical to Claim 1 method claim disclosed above and Fig. 9 includes device, ‘A network node, comprising:
a memory; at least one transceiver; and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver, the at least one processor configured to:
transmit, via the at least one transceiver, to a network entity, a plurality of beam representations for a corresponding plurality of beams, wherein each beam representation of the plurality of beam representations comprises an antenna configuration associated with a beam of the plurality of beams or a mapping of beam angle and beam gain associated with the beam, the antenna configuration including at least a number of antenna elements and an antenna element spacing; and
transmit, via the at least one transceiver, to the network entity, a first mapping of one or more positioning reference signal (PRS) resources or PRS resource sets to the plurality of beam representations, wherein each of the one or more PRS resources or PRS resource sets is associated with a single beam representation of the plurality of beam representations.’
Regarding Claim 23,
‘The network node of claim 22’ (disclosed above),
Alawieh discloses, ‘wherein all beam representations of the plurality of beam representations comprise antenna configurations associated with the plurality of beams.’ (disclosed above in claim 1 [0044-0045].)
Regarding Claim 24,
‘The network node of claim 22’ (disclosed above),
Alawieh discloses, ‘wherein all beam representations of the plurality of beam representations comprise at least mappings of beam angles and beam gains associated with the plurality of beams.’ (disclosed above in claim 1)
Regarding Claim 25,
‘The network node of claim 22’ (disclosed above),
Alawieh discloses, ‘wherein: a first set of beam representations of the plurality of beam representations comprises antenna configurations associated with the plurality of beams, and a second set of beam representations of the plurality of beam representations comprises at least mappings of beam angles and beam gains associated with the plurality of beams.’ (In Fig. 2 and Fig. 5 includes the plurality of beams [0027-0028, 0080-0084]. Includes the antenna pattern information and the antenna-config to be used for the set of measurements. The information about the measurement of the RS or two or more RS of two or more measurements. Further includes level of gain of the beam and beam directed towards measurements [0101-0104, 0114]. And associated beam angles/gains [0225, 0234-0236]. The plurality of beams associated to the RS and the measurement for determination of the position [0163-0166, 0171]. Procedure includes the PRS-resource-set associated to the plurality of beams [0225-0237] and steps config->measurement->reporting-> assisted/provided by TRP/LMF-> accurate-AoD/beam level-gain [0241-0242]. )
Regarding Claim 26,
‘The network node of claim 22’ (disclosed above),
Alawieh discloses, ‘wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
transmit, via the at least one transceiver, to the network entity, an indication of a time period during which the first mapping is valid.’ (disclosure includes timing measurement to one or more PRS resource-set disclosure claim 1. PRS-resources-config includes resource-map, periodicity, time-slot-offset [0149]. Includes validity of one/more measurement associated-RS. The PRS is valid [0084-0086, 0117, 0217]. Time offset in the PRS-resource-set [0351-0353].)
Regarding Claim 27,
‘The network node of claim 26’ (disclosed above),
Alawieh discloses, ‘wherein the indication comprises: a timestamp indicating a time
until which the first mapping is valid or a timer indicating a length of the time period during which the first mapping is valid.’ (the PRS-resource-config includes one/more parameters: resource-mapping, periodicity, time-slot offset; periodicity and time-slot offset are specific time length and time-values [0149]. PRS perform/acquisition one/more measurements till valid and specific timing measurement [0084-0085, 0117-0118, 0310]. And, the PRS-resource-set and the PRS-config for the set of measurement/estimation and reporting procedures in the antenna-config/pattern [0072, 0225-0228] to provide more accuracy in the position method in the LoS directivity. Includes periodicity in the PRS-config. Includes estimation/measurement accuracy [0351-0363].)
Regarding Claim 28,
‘The network node of claim 26’ (disclosed above),
Alawieh discloses, ‘wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
transmit, via the at least one transceiver, to the network entity, a second mapping of the one or more PRS resources or PRS resource sets to the plurality of beam representations after expiration of the time period during which the first mapping is valid.’ (the PRS-config, periodicity and acquisition of one/more measurement disclosed above in Claim 27. The periodicity and timing measurement to identify the validity. The PRS-resource-set and multiple-PRS-resource-set [0147]. And, measurement of the best beam from a set of PRS-resource based on time-difference [0365-0366].)
Regarding Claim 30,
‘The network node of claim 22’ (disclosed above),
Alawieh discloses, ‘wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
receive, via the at least one transceiver, from the network entity, based on transmission of the plurality of beam representations, a request for the first mapping.’ (the PRS-config includes resource-mapping and the periodicity receive from the LMF [0081, 0149] and disclosure claim 13.)
Regarding Claim 31,
‘The network node of claim 22’ (disclosed above),
Alawieh discloses, ‘wherein the first mapping is transmitted autonomously in response to transmission of the plurality of beam representations.’ (based on the periodicity in the PRS-config [0149].)
Regarding Claim 32,
‘The network node of claim 22’ (disclosed above),
Alawieh discloses, ‘wherein: the network node is a base station, the network entity is a location server, and the one or more PRS resources or PRS resource sets are one or more downlink PRS resources or downlink PRS resource sets.’ (Fig. 2 includes the BS ad the LMF. And, DL-positioning-method includes PRS resource-sets [0029, 0146-0148].)
Regarding Claim 38,
‘The network node of claim 32’ (disclosed above),
Alawieh discloses, ‘wherein the plurality of beam representations comprise antenna configurations associated with the plurality of beams or the plurality of beam representations comprise mappings of beam angles and beam gains of the plurality of beams based on a type or a class of the base station.’ (Fig. 1 includes type/class of cells includes LTE, 5G and NR [0007].)
Regarding Claim 40,
‘ The network node of claim 22’ (disclosed above),
Alawieh discloses, ‘wherein:
the network node is a user equipment (UE),
the network entity is a location server or a serving base station, and
the one or more PRS resources or PRS resource sets are one or more uplink PRS resources or uplink PRS resource sets.’ (disclosure claim 1 and 13 [0029, 0152-0153].)
Regarding Claim 41,
‘The network node of claim 40’ (disclosed above),
Alawieh discloses, ‘wherein the plurality of beam representations is associated with a frequency’ (PRS-config includes parameters frequency-resource, combination size, resource bandwidth and the PRS-resource-set includes frequency layer [0147, 0149]),
And didn’t disclose, ‘Frequency band, a combination of frequency bands, or a frequency range.’
Han in the relevant art discloses, operate in the combination/different of frequency bands to perform the measurement Col. 15 [0020-0021] includes type of BSs of LTE/LTE-A, and 5G network Col. 1 [0037-0039] includes range, and type of BS/Network Col. 4 [0030- 0032, 0037-0039, 0045].
Therefore, a person in the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of
the claim invention would have recognized that the disclosure of Alawieh and to include
with that of Han to come up with the claim invention,
Alaweih discloses antenna config, antenna-pattern and beam-information/config, and the PRS-config to operate in frequency-resource and layer as part of positioning method. Alaweih motive to update specific-config/settings for the positioning method and Tx/Rx config [0251]; accurately perform measure direct/LoS beams in the positioning method [0008, 0263, 0310]; provides adequate coverage and operate in various type of BS/networks [0007].
Han includes similar motive of directional beams to increase accuracy in the beamform Col. 17 [0061-0063] and combination of RS/PRS to derive positioning. Includes the type of BS/Networks includes range Col. 1 [0037-0039], Col. 4 [0030- 0032, 0037-0039, 0045]. And, PRS-bandwidth that support a wide spectrum increases channel spectrum more frequency diversity Col. 6 [0001-0003] and can achieve more reliable communication.
Regarding Claim 43,
Identical to claim 1 disclosed above, ‘A network node, comprising:
means for transmitting, to a network entity, a plurality of beam representations for a corresponding plurality of beams, wherein each beam representation of the plurality of beam representations comprises an antenna configuration associated with a beam of the plurality of beams or a mapping of beam angle and beam gain associated with the beam, the antenna configuration including at least a number of antenna elements and an antenna element spacing; and
means for transmitting, to the network entity, a first mapping of one or more positioning reference signal (PRS) resources or PRS resource sets to the plurality of beam representations, wherein each of the one or more PRS resources or PRS resource sets is associated with a single beam representation of the plurality of beam representations.’ (transmit/receive between the entities as part of the positioning method and procedures includes plurality of the beams, antenna-config, pattern, measurement, reporting, and estimation [0028-0030, 0225-0237].)
11. Claims 33-37 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Alaweih et al. in view of Han et al. and further in view of ETSI-TS-138-104-V16.4.0 (2020-07) 5G; NR; Base Station (BS) radio transmission and reception; (3GPP TS 38.104 version 16.4.0 Release 16) (Year: 2020) hereinafter “ETSI-3GPP”.
Regarding Claim 33,
‘The network node of claim 32’ (disclosed above),
Alawieh discloses, ‘all beam representations of the plurality of beam representations comprise antenna configurations associated with the plurality of beams.’
And didn’t disclose,
‘wherein, based on the base station operating at a Frequency Range 1 (FR1) frequency band below a threshold,
ETSI-3GPP in the relevant art discloses, operating band and frequency FR1 and 3GPP requirements for the operating band for the BS type are defined in the spec, page-0030-0032. And, associated guard band and channel bandwidth includes SCS in the operating band, page-0033 to 0034. Specification includes specific transmit-power for the BS-type, page-48 section-6
Therefore, a person in the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention would have recognized that the disclosure of Alawieh, Han and to include with that of ETSI-3GPP to come up with the claim invention,
Alawieh includes LTE-A, 5G and NR includes different types cell/BS that is to provide adequate coverage in the operating bands [0003, 0007, 0023] and supports a wide variety of communication networks [0023]. PRS-resource set associated at frequency layer [0147] and frequency resource as part of PRS-config. Someone would take the motive of support wide variety of communication networks to include the operating bands associated channel bandwidth as defined in RF-spec of ETSI-3GPP page-30-32. This would ease the frequency resource channel allocation.
Regarding Claim 34,
‘The network node of claim 33’ (disclosed above),
ETSI-3GPP discloses, ‘wherein the base station is a type 1-C base station or a type 1-H base station.’ (BS-type page-0023 to 0025, section-4.3 to 4.4.).
Motive to include the specific BS-type as per spec of ETSI-3GPP would be identical as disclosed above in Claim 33 to provide wide coverage in the communication network and different types of cell and the BS as part of wireless communication network [0007, 0023]. While in specification Alawieh discloses radiation, radiation intensity and antenna gain as part of beam directional characteristics [0027, 0268]. Someone would include the type of BS as per spec of ETSI-3GPP in addition of variants/types of wireless communication LTE, 5G and NR etc. disclosed by Alawieh. This would comply additional parameters spectral density, transmitted power, radiation/EIRP and achieve the antenna gain, ETSI-3GPP, page-0236.
Regarding Claim 35,
‘The network node of claim 32’ (disclosed above),
Alawieh discloses,
‘all of the plurality of beam representations comprise antenna configurations associated with the plurality of beams, and
the antenna configurations further include antenna element patterns associated with the plurality of beams.’
And didn’t disclose, ‘wherein: based on the base station operating at an FR1 frequency band above a threshold or a Frequency Range 2 (FR2) frequency band’ ( ETSI-3GPP discloses BS-type page-0023 to 0025, section-4.3 to 4.4; disclosed above in Claim 33 and motive would be identical).
Regarding Claim 36,
‘The network node of claim 32’ (disclosed above),
Alawieh discloses, all of the plurality of beam representations comprise mappings of beam angles and beam gains of the plurality of beams.’,
And didn’t disclose, ‘‘wherein: based on the base station operating at an FR1 frequency band above a threshold or an FR2 frequency band’ ( ETSI-3GPP discloses and disclosed above in Claim 33 and motive would be identical).
Regarding Claim 37,
‘The network node of claim 36’ (disclosed above),
Alawieh discloses, ’wherein the base station is a type 1-O base station or a type 2-O base station.’(ETSI-3GPP discloses page-23 to 25 disclosed above in Claim 34 and motive would be identical to Claim 33).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to
applicant's disclosure:
Robin et al. (US20230345408A1), “Configuring positioning measurements and reports”; PRS design, for 3GPP Rel-16, a DL PRS Resource ID in a DL PRS Resource set is associated with a single beam transmitted from a single TRP. A TRP transmit one or more beams. A DL PRS occasion is one instance of periodically repeated time windows (consecutive slot(s)) where DL PRS is expected to be transmitted [0101].
Hasegawa et. (US-20250081142-A1), “Methods and devices for assisted positioning in wireless systems”; disclosures, validity timer configured by the LMF and the validity periodicity includes PRS-resource-validity [0167, 0169, 0185]. That conforms disclosure of Alawieh, the timing measurement in the PRS-resource-set and the PRS-config for the set of measurement/estimation and reporting procedures in the antenna-config/pattern [0072, 0225-0228] as part of the position method includes the LoS directivity.
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/S.A./Examiner, Art Unit 2466
/CHRISTOPHER M CRUTCHFIELD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2466