DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA (or AIA ) first to invent provisions.
Response to Amendment
- The amendment filed on September 25, 2025 has been entered.
- Claims 1-4, 7-13 and 16-20 are pending.
- Claims 1, 10 and 19 have been amended.
- Claims 1-4, 7-13 and 16-20 are rejected.
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-4, 7, 10, 12-13, 16 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ivanov et al. (Pub. No. US 2021/0173039 A1; hereinafter Ivanov) in view of Rao et al. (Pub. No. US 2014/0200038 A1; hereinafter Rao).
Regarding claims 1 and 10, Ivanov discloses a user device, comprising: a radio transceiver; (inherent the device has transceiver in order to transmit and receive signals) at least one processing circuit; and memory, (See ¶0055, Processor 301 is configured to execute computer program code, including computer program code stored in memory 302) operatively connected to the at least one processing circuit and storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing circuit, (See ¶0055, Processor 301 is configured to execute computer program code, including computer program code stored in memory 302) cause the user device to perform a method, the method comprising: recording a characteristic of a radio signal environment; (2021/0173039-See ¶0084, mobile data collection device 300 assembles and stores data for a particular location of measurement. (action 408) The particular location of measurement may be the location of the latest measurements so that the indicated position may be assumed to correspond to the location of measurement.) generating a report based on the recorded characteristic; (See ¶0095, mobile data collection device 300 retrieves the stored data for the site from memory 304 and transmits the assembled data for the site to server) and causing communication of radio signal information, (See ¶0031, The mobile device collects data, which enables a generation of at least one radio map for a site; The collection of data comprises detecting at least one indication of a floor, at which a user is located at the site, in a user input to the mobile device ) wherein the radio signal information is based on the report. (See ¶0084, mobile data collection device 300 assembles and stores data for a particular location of measurement. (action 408) The particular location of measurement may be the location of the latest measurements so that the indicated position may be assumed to correspond to the location of measurement.)
Ivanov fails to disclose sending, by the user device, to a coordination system, the report; and
receiving, by the user device, from the coordination system, a portion of a regional radio environment model, wherein the regional radio environment model includes one or more polygons drawn around geographic map locations that illustrates at least the recorded characteristic.
Rao discloses sending, by the user device, to a coordination system, the report; (See ¶0063, mobile devices can report their geographical coordinates to the remote server along with network communication signal quality measurements pertaining to those coordinates) and receiving, by the user device, from the coordination system, a portion of a regional radio environment model, (See ¶0054, the mobile devices can periodically download the map data, or relevant portions thereof, from the remote server over a wireless network.) wherein the regional radio environment model includes one or more polygons drawn around geographic map locations that illustrates at least the recorded characteristic. (See ¶0064, crowd-sourced data can be transformed into a network communication service map. Using various measurements from different fields, regional polygons specifying service qualities in various regions of the map can be populated. Various filters can be applied to the measurements in populating the map. Various algorithms can be applied to generate the service quality levels for each regional polygon within the map)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify sending signal strength reports to the server to include the server takes the reports to generate regional polygons specifying service qualities. The motivation to combine is to efficiently map can be obtained by mobile devices that are located within the field and used to anticipate and compensate for potential entry into regions of low-quality or no service, such as by instructing applications executing on those mobile devices to buffer extra data packets prior to such potential entry (See ¶0064).
Regarding claims 3 and 12, Ivanov discloses the recording comprises recording a location and a time at which the radio signal environment was detected. (See ¶0084, mobile data collection device 300 assembles and stores data for a particular location of measurement. (action 408) The particular location of measurement may be the location of the latest measurements so that the indicated position may be assumed to correspond to the location of measurement; Additional information, like timestamps may be included as well in the assembled data.)
Regarding claims 4 and 13, Ivanov discloses the characteristic includes a signal strength of a WiFi access point station. (See ¶0049, Evaluating the received signal strength of signals transmitted by WLAN access points; See ¶0031, The mobile device collects data, which enables a generation of at least one radio map for a site. The collection of data comprises detecting at least one indication of a floor, at which a user is located at the site, in a user input to the mobile device; and performing measurements on radio signals to obtain for each of a plurality of locations of the site a set of characteristics of radio signals transmitted by terrestrial radio transmitters)
Regarding claims 7 and 16, Ivanov discloses the causing communication of radio signal information comprises at least one of causing display, by the user device, of the radio signal information See ¶0031, The mobile device collects data, which enables a generation of at least one radio map for a site; The collection of data comprises detecting at least one indication of a floor, at which a user is located at the site, in a user input to the mobile device; See ¶0039, A position indicated by a user may be a two-dimensional position. A position indicated by a user may defines a location of measurement in a plane, e.g. on a floor. The position may be indicated for instance by a user as a spot in a floor-map presented on a display of the mobile device ) or causing audible communication, by the user device, of the radio signal information.
Regarding claim 19, Ivanov discloses a system, comprising: at least one processing circuit; and memory, operatively connected to the at least one processing circuit and storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing circuit, (See ¶0108, stored on a computer-readable storage medium (e.g., disk, memory, or the like) to be executed by such a processor) cause the at least one processing circuit to perform a method, the method comprising: receiving, from a first user device, a first characteristic of a radio signal environment at a first location; (See ¶0009, The samples for the creation of a radio map may be collected in a continuous background process, in which mobile user devices of a large number of users are automatically reporting results of measurements along with associated information on the respective location of measurement to a server.) receiving, from a second user device, a second characteristic of a radio signal environment at a second location; (See ¶0009, The samples for the creation of a radio map may be collected in a continuous background process, in which mobile user devices of a large number of users are automatically reporting results of measurements along with associated information on the respective location of measurement to a server.) merging the first characteristic and the second characteristic into a regional radio environment model; (See ¶0009, The samples for the creation of a radio map may be collected in a continuous background process, in which mobile user devices of a large number of users are automatically reporting results of measurements along with associated information on the respective location of measurement to a server; See ¶0065, server 310 is configured to generate and store radio maps for a site and to support a positioning of mobile devices at the site using the generated radio maps) and sending, to the first user device, a portion of the regional radio environment model, the portion being based on the location of the first user device. (See ¶0074, Mobile data collection device 300 retrieves map data for the indicated site from server 310. (action 403) A map of the indicated initial floor, which is based on the retrieved map data, may be presented on the touchscreen of user interface 308. The map serves for orientation and enables the user to indicate positions; See ¶0097, If the request includes a positioning request comprising measurement results, server 310 may perform the required positioning computations. To this end, it may determine the location at the site, at which expected RSSIs for all radio transmitters 330 at the site fit best to the provided RSSIs. This location may then be provided as estimated position to mobile user device 330.)
Ivanov fails to disclose the regional radio environment model includes one or more polygons drawn around geographic map locations that illustrates at least the received first characteristic and second characteristic.
Rao discloses the regional radio environment model includes one or more polygons drawn around geographic map locations that illustrates at least the received first characteristic and second characteristic. (See ¶0064, crowd-sourced data can be transformed into a network communication service map. Using various measurements from different fields, regional polygons specifying service qualities in various regions of the map can be populated; See ¶0072, These maps can indicate the available throughput that is anticipated to be available for each region within the map)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify sending signal strength reports to the server to include the server takes the reports to generate regional polygons specifying service qualities. The motivation to combine is to efficiently map can be obtained by mobile devices that are located within the field and used to anticipate and compensate for potential entry into regions of low-quality or no service, such as by instructing applications executing on those mobile devices to buffer extra data packets prior to such potential entry (See ¶0064).
Regarding claim 20, Ivanov discloses the portion is further based on the capabilities of the first user device. (See ¶0096, Server 310 may generate for instance a grid based radio map for each radio transmitter 330 for which RSSIs have been received; interpreted the transmitters are the UEs capabilities which map is generated based on)
Claim(s) 2 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ivanov in view of Rao and further in view of Colban et al. (Pub. No. US 2015/0131483 A1; hereinafter Colban).
Regarding claims 2 and 11, Ivanov in view of Rao fails to disclose the characteristic includes a signal strength of a wireless signal and an identity of a carrier of the wireless signal.
Colban discloses the characteristic includes a signal strength of a wireless signal and an identity of a carrier of the wireless signal. (2015/0131483-See ¶0088, the network device 302 may obtain the AP coverage area radius data by letting the UEs 108 report the AP SSID of APs 202 within range, along with the received signal strength indication (RSSI) and the UE's 108 location; interpreted that SSID for the WLAN is the carrier identifier and RSSI is the signal strength)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify reporting location information to the network device to include the report contains specific SSID and RSSI. The motivation to combine is efficiently reports by one or more UEs so the network device can estimate the location of the AP (See ¶0082).
Claim(s) 8-9 and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ivanov in view of Rao and further in view of Mohammad Mirzaei et al. (Pub. No. US 2016/0088441 A1; hereinafter Moha).
Regarding claims 8 and 17, Ivanov in view of Rao fails to disclose the radio signal information comprises a radio environment diagram, the radio environment diagram including: a location symbol corresponding to a location at which radio connectivity is expected to be available; and a position identifying mark corresponding to the position of the user device.
Moha discloses the radio signal information comprises a radio environment diagram, the radio environment diagram including: a location symbol corresponding to a location at which radio connectivity is expected to be available; (2016/0088441Figure 3, heatmaps show symbol location all the access points available for the UE to connect) and a position identifying mark corresponding to the position of the user device. (Figure 3, shows the mobile location on the heatmap; See ¶0022, obtaining information for determining location information of a mobile device, especially in an indoor region. A mobile device may collect information for use in determining position of the mobile device, or another mobile device (for example, for use in producing and/or maintaining a map, referred to as a heatmap, of expected received signal strength indication (RSSI) as a function of position)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify discloses generating a map displayed on the UE to include the map has symbols for the UE to determine the location of itself and access points. The motivation to combine is to use a positioning engine uses RSSI or a range vector to calculate a position fix that best matches the predicted heatmap (See ¶0001).
Regarding claims 9 and 18, Ivanov in view of Rao fails to disclose the method further comprises causing display, with the location symbol, of an elevation difference between the location at which radio connectivity is expected to be available and the position of the user device.
Moha discloses the method further comprises causing display, with the location symbol, of an elevation difference between the location at which radio connectivity is expected to be available and the position of the user device. (See ¶0028, the second floor 22.sub.2,2 of the structure 20.sub.2, may contain many access points 20 distributed throughout the floor 22.sub.2,2. A heatmap for the floor will indicate signal strength expected to be received at various locations throughout the floor 22.sub.2,2 from each of the access points 20. The mobile device 12 may take multiple measurements, for example at different locations, of access point beacon signals to help improve the heatmap, and multiple mobile devices may take access point beacon signal measurements in order to crowdsource information for producing and improving/modifying the heatmap; interpreted the map shows the different floors between the user equipment on the first floor and the available access points on the second floor)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify discloses generating a map displayed on the UE to include the map has symbols for the UE to determine the location of itself and access points. The motivation to combine is to use a positioning engine uses RSSI or a range vector to calculate a position fix that best matches the predicted heatmap (See ¶0001).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect toward claim(s) 1, 10 and 19 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TEJIS DAYA whose telephone number is (571)270-7817. The examiner can normally be reached 6:30-4:30.
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/Tejis Daya/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2472