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 .
Examiner’s Notes
A minor typographical error has been corrected in the forthcoming action. In previous actions, dependent claims 2 and 17 have been inadvertently inserted into the language of independent claim 16. Applicant’s understanding regarding the clear context of claim 16 in comparison with the other independent claims is appreciated.
In line with previous indications of potential allowability, claims 3 and 18 are hereby deemed objected to as allowable.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 05/14/2026 has been entered.
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.
Claims 1-2, 4, 7, 9-10, 14-17, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Opshaug et al (Publication number: US 2021/0067990) in view of VejIgaard et al (Publication number: US 2022/0159612) in view of Chervyakov et al (Publication number: US 2021/0329618).
Consider Claim 1, Opshaug et al shows a wireless communication method (see figures 1 and 5B), comprising:
(a) Sending, by a wireless communication entity, a first request to a user equipment (UE) to provide location information (see figures 1, 5A, and 5B; paragraphs 96-99); (At stage 1, the location server 501 sends an LPP Request Capabilities message to the UE 115, e.g., to request the positioning capabilities of the UE 115).
(b) Providing, by the wireless communication entity, a measurement gap to a wireless communication node or the UE (see figures 1, 5A, and 5B; paragraphs 100-105); (At stage 7, the UE 115 sends a request measurement gap message to the serving base station indicating that a measurement gap for intra-frequency positioning measurements outside the DL BWP of the UE 115 is desired. At stage 8, the location server 501 assigns a measurement gap for intra-frequency positioning measurements outside the DL BWP of the UE 115 and provides the configuration of the measurement gap to the UE 115).
However, Opshaug et al does not specifically show that the wireless communication entity comprising a location management function (LMF); receiving by receiving, by the wireless communication entity, from the wireless communication node or the UE, frequency information of at least one serving cell of the UE: and providing, by the wireless communication entity to a neighbor wireless communication node, the frequency information of the at least one serving cell of the UE.
In the same field of endeavor, VejIgaard et al shows that the wireless communication entity comprising a location management function (LMF); receiving by receiving, by the wireless communication entity, from the wireless communication node or the UE, frequency information of at least one serving cell of the UE: and providing, by the wireless communication entity to a neighbor wireless communication node, the frequency information of the at least one serving cell of the UE (see figure 2; and paragraphs 78 and 84-85); (The UE 106 reports, to LMF 100X, that the UE 106 has multi-USIM capability and is connected to network Y. The UE 106 may send the capability and connection report using, for example, LPP signaling between the LMF 100X and the UE 106 in network X. At 208, the serving gNB 102X configures the neighbor gNB 104X to receive the uplink SRS transmissions from the UE 106. In one example, the serving gNB 102X configures and/or assigns, at the neighbor gNB 104X, the uplink SRS sequence as well as time and frequency (physical) resources for uplink SRS transmission by the UE 106 such that the neighbor gNB 104X is able to receive the uplink SRS transmissions from the UE 106. The configuration of the neighbor gNB 104X corresponds to the configuration of the UE 106).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate LMF 100x of VejIgaard et al into the network shown in figure 5A of Opshaug et al in order to estimate the position of a user equipment from at least two different networks (see VejIgaard et al; paragraphs 3-6).
However, Opshaug et al in view of VejIgaard et al do not specifically show that the measurement gap includes at least a portion of a measurement gap configuration, and wherein the measurement gap configuration includes at least one of: an Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number (ARFCN) value; a measurement gap periodicity and offset of the measurement gap for performing the location information; or a measurement gap length of the measurement gap for performing the location information; wherein the frequency information includes frequency information of one or more Bandwidth Parts (BWPs) of the at least one serving cell of the UE.
In related art, Chervyakov et al shows that the measurement gap includes at least a portion of a measurement gap configuration, and wherein the measurement gap configuration includes at least one of: an Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number (ARFCN) value; a measurement gap periodicity and offset of the measurement gap for performing the location information; or a measurement gap length of the measurement gap for performing the location information; wherein the frequency information includes frequency information of one or more Bandwidth Parts (BWPs) of the at least one serving cell of the UE (see figure 5; and paragraphs 28, 73, and 97); (The UE 102 can be configured with multiple BWPs where each BWP configuration has a different SCS. When a BWP change is indicated to the UE 102, the SCS of the transmission is changed. At operation 516, the serving gNB 504 may send a message to the UE to configure the UE with the dedicated, preferred RSTD measurement gap pattern for PRS measurement, wherein the message corresponds to a radio resource control (RRC) information element. At operation 518, the UE may perform the PRS measurement within a gap corresponding with the preferred RSTD measurement gap pattern (e.g. measurement gap length (MGL)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teaching of Chervyakov et al into the teaching of Opshaug et al and VejIgaard et al in order to save power (see Chervyakov et al; paragraph 28).
Consider Claim 14, Opshaug et al shows a wireless communication method (see figures 1 and 5B), comprising:
(a) Receiving, by a user equipment (UE) from a wireless communication entity, a request to provide location information (see figures 1, 5A, and 5B; paragraphs 96-99); (At stage 1, the location server 501 sends an LPP Request Capabilities message to the UE 115, e.g., to request the positioning capabilities of the UE 115).
(b) Receiving, by the UE from the wireless communication entity, a measurement gap (see figures 1, 5A, and 5B; paragraphs 100-105); (At stage 7, the UE 115 sends a request measurement gap message to the serving base station indicating that a measurement gap for intra-frequency positioning measurements outside the DL BWP of the UE 115 is desired. At stage 8, the location server 501 assigns a measurement gap for intra-frequency positioning measurements outside the DL BWP of the UE 115 and provides the configuration of the measurement gap to the UE 115).
However, Opshaug et al does not specifically show that the wireless communication entity comprising a location management function (LMF); receiving by receiving, by the wireless communication entity, from the wireless communication node or the UE, frequency information of at least one serving cell of the UE: and providing, by the wireless communication entity to a neighbor wireless communication node, the frequency information of the at least one serving cell of the UE.
In the same field of endeavor, VejIgaard et al shows that the wireless communication entity comprising a location management function (LMF); receiving by receiving, by the wireless communication entity, from the wireless communication node or the UE, frequency information of at least one serving cell of the UE: and providing, by the wireless communication entity to a neighbor wireless communication node, the frequency information of the at least one serving cell of the UE (see figure 2; and paragraphs 78 and 84-85); (The UE 106 reports, to LMF 100X, that the UE 106 has multi-USIM capability and is connected to network Y. The UE 106 may send the capability and connection report using, for example, LPP signaling between the LMF 100X and the UE 106 in network X. At 208, the serving gNB 102X configures the neighbor gNB 104X to receive the uplink SRS transmissions from the UE 106. In one example, the serving gNB 102X configures and/or assigns, at the neighbor gNB 104X, the uplink SRS sequence as well as time and frequency (physical) resources for uplink SRS transmission by the UE 106 such that the neighbor gNB 104X is able to receive the uplink SRS transmissions from the UE 106. The configuration of the neighbor gNB 104X corresponds to the configuration of the UE 106).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate LMF 100x of VejIgaard et al into the network shown in figure 5A of Opshaug et al in order to estimate the position of a user equipment from at least two different networks (see VejIgaard et al; paragraphs 3-6).
However, Opshaug et al in view of VejIgaard et al do not specifically show that the measurement gap includes at least a portion of a measurement gap configuration, and wherein the measurement gap configuration includes at least one of: an Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number (ARFCN) value; a measurement gap periodicity and offset of the measurement gap for performing the location information; or a measurement gap length of the measurement gap for performing the location information; wherein the frequency information includes frequency information of one or more Bandwidth Parts (BWPs) of the at least one serving cell of the UE.
In related art, Chervyakov et al shows that the measurement gap includes at least a portion of a measurement gap configuration, and wherein the measurement gap configuration includes at least one of: an Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number (ARFCN) value; a measurement gap periodicity and offset of the measurement gap for performing the location information; or a measurement gap length of the measurement gap for performing the location information; wherein the frequency information includes frequency information of one or more Bandwidth Parts (BWPs) of the at least one serving cell of the UE (see figure 5; and paragraphs 28, 73, and 97); (The UE 102 can be configured with multiple BWPs where each BWP configuration has a different SCS. When a BWP change is indicated to the UE 102, the SCS of the transmission is changed. At operation 516, the serving gNB 504 may send a message to the UE to configure the UE with the dedicated, preferred RSTD measurement gap pattern for PRS measurement, wherein the message corresponds to a radio resource control (RRC) information element. At operation 518, the UE may perform the PRS measurement within a gap corresponding with the preferred RSTD measurement gap pattern (e.g. measurement gap length (MGL)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teaching of Chervyakov et al into the teaching of Opshaug et al and VejIgaard et al in order to save power (see Chervyakov et al; paragraph 28).
Consider Claim 15, Opshaug et al shows a user equipment (UE) (see figures 1 and 5B), comprising:
(a) At least one processor configured to: receive, via a receiver from a wireless communication entity, a request to provide location information (see figures 1, 5A, and 5B; paragraphs 96-99); (At stage 1, the location server 501 sends an LPP Request Capabilities message to the UE 115, e.g., to request the positioning capabilities of the UE 115).
(b) Receive, via the receiver from the wireless communication entity, a measurement gap (see figures 1, 5A, and 5B; paragraphs 100-105); (At stage 7, the UE 115 sends a request measurement gap message to the serving base station indicating that a measurement gap for intra-frequency positioning measurements outside the DL BWP of the UE 115 is desired. At stage 8, the location server 501 assigns a measurement gap for intra-frequency positioning measurements outside the DL BWP of the UE 115 and provides the configuration of the measurement gap to the UE 115).
However, Opshaug et al does not specifically show that the wireless communication entity comprising a location management function (LMF); receiving by receiving, by the wireless communication entity, from the wireless communication node or the UE, frequency information of at least one serving cell of the UE: and providing, by the wireless communication entity to a neighbor wireless communication node, the frequency information of the at least one serving cell of the UE.
In the same field of endeavor, VejIgaard et al shows that the wireless communication entity comprising a location management function (LMF); receiving by receiving, by the wireless communication entity, from the wireless communication node or the UE, frequency information of at least one serving cell of the UE: and providing, by the wireless communication entity to a neighbor wireless communication node, the frequency information of the at least one serving cell of the UE (see figure 2; and paragraphs 78 and 84-85); (The UE 106 reports, to LMF 100X, that the UE 106 has multi-USIM capability and is connected to network Y. The UE 106 may send the capability and connection report using, for example, LPP signaling between the LMF 100X and the UE 106 in network X. At 208, the serving gNB 102X configures the neighbor gNB 104X to receive the uplink SRS transmissions from the UE 106. In one example, the serving gNB 102X configures and/or assigns, at the neighbor gNB 104X, the uplink SRS sequence as well as time and frequency (physical) resources for uplink SRS transmission by the UE 106 such that the neighbor gNB 104X is able to receive the uplink SRS transmissions from the UE 106. The configuration of the neighbor gNB 104X corresponds to the configuration of the UE 106).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate LMF 100x of VejIgaard et al into the network shown in figure 5A of Opshaug et al in order to estimate the position of a user equipment from at least two different networks (see VejIgaard et al; paragraphs 3-6).
However, Opshaug et al in view of VejIgaard et al do not specifically show that the measurement gap includes at least a portion of a measurement gap configuration, and wherein the measurement gap configuration includes at least one of: an Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number (ARFCN) value; a measurement gap periodicity and offset of the measurement gap for performing the location information; or a measurement gap length of the measurement gap for performing the location information; wherein the frequency information includes frequency information of one or more Bandwidth Parts (BWPs) of the at least one serving cell of the UE.
In related art, Chervyakov et al shows that the measurement gap includes at least a portion of a measurement gap configuration, and wherein the measurement gap configuration includes at least one of: an Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number (ARFCN) value; a measurement gap periodicity and offset of the measurement gap for performing the location information; or a measurement gap length of the measurement gap for performing the location information; wherein the frequency information includes frequency information of one or more Bandwidth Parts (BWPs) of the at least one serving cell of the UE (see figure 5; and paragraphs 28, 73, and 97); (The UE 102 can be configured with multiple BWPs where each BWP configuration has a different SCS. When a BWP change is indicated to the UE 102, the SCS of the transmission is changed. At operation 516, the serving gNB 504 may send a message to the UE to configure the UE with the dedicated, preferred RSTD measurement gap pattern for PRS measurement, wherein the message corresponds to a radio resource control (RRC) information element. At operation 518, the UE may perform the PRS measurement within a gap corresponding with the preferred RSTD measurement gap pattern (e.g. measurement gap length (MGL)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teaching of Chervyakov et al into the teaching of Opshaug et al and VejIgaard et al in order to save power (see Chervyakov et al; paragraph 28).
Consider Claim 16, Opshaug et al shows wireless communication entity (see figures 1 and 5B), comprising:
(a) At least one processor configured to: send, via a transceiver. a first request to a user equipment (UE) to provide location information (see figures 1, 5A, and 5B; paragraphs 96-99); (At stage 1, the location server 501 sends an LPP Request Capabilities message to the UE 115, e.g., to request the positioning capabilities of the UE 115).
(b) Provide, via the transceiver, a measurement gap to a wireless communication node or the UE (see figures 1, 5A, and 5B; paragraphs 100-105); (At stage 7, the UE 115 sends a request measurement gap message to the serving base station indicating that a measurement gap for intra-frequency positioning measurements outside the DL BWP of the UE 115 is desired. At stage 8, the location server 501 assigns a measurement gap for intra-frequency positioning measurements outside the DL BWP of the UE 115 and provides the configuration of the measurement gap to the UE 115).
However, Opshaug et al does not specifically show that the wireless communication entity comprising a location management function (LMF); receiving by receiving, by the wireless communication entity, from the wireless communication node or the UE, frequency information of at least one serving cell of the UE: and providing, by the wireless communication entity to a neighbor wireless communication node, the frequency information of the at least one serving cell of the UE.
In the same field of endeavor, VejIgaard et al shows that the wireless communication entity comprising a location management function (LMF); receiving by receiving, by the wireless communication entity, from the wireless communication node or the UE, frequency information of at least one serving cell of the UE: and providing, by the wireless communication entity to a neighbor wireless communication node, the frequency information of the at least one serving cell of the UE (see figure 2; and paragraphs 78 and 84-85); (The UE 106 reports, to LMF 100X, that the UE 106 has multi-USIM capability and is connected to network Y. The UE 106 may send the capability and connection report using, for example, LPP signaling between the LMF 100X and the UE 106 in network X. At 208, the serving gNB 102X configures the neighbor gNB 104X to receive the uplink SRS transmissions from the UE 106. In one example, the serving gNB 102X configures and/or assigns, at the neighbor gNB 104X, the uplink SRS sequence as well as time and frequency (physical) resources for uplink SRS transmission by the UE 106 such that the neighbor gNB 104X is able to receive the uplink SRS transmissions from the UE 106. The configuration of the neighbor gNB 104X corresponds to the configuration of the UE 106).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate LMF 100x of VejIgaard et al into the network shown in figure 5A of Opshaug et al in order to estimate the position of a user equipment from at least two different networks (see VejIgaard et al; paragraphs 3-6).
However, Opshaug et al in view of VejIgaard et al do not specifically show that the measurement gap includes at least a portion of a measurement gap configuration, and wherein the measurement gap configuration includes at least one of: an Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number (ARFCN) value; a measurement gap periodicity and offset of the measurement gap for performing the location information; or a measurement gap length of the measurement gap for performing the location information; wherein the frequency information includes frequency information of one or more Bandwidth Parts (BWPs) of the at least one serving cell of the UE.
In related art, Chervyakov et al shows that the measurement gap includes at least a portion of a measurement gap configuration, and wherein the measurement gap configuration includes at least one of: an Absolute Radio Frequency Channel Number (ARFCN) value; a measurement gap periodicity and offset of the measurement gap for performing the location information; or a measurement gap length of the measurement gap for performing the location information; wherein the frequency information includes frequency information of one or more Bandwidth Parts (BWPs) of the at least one serving cell of the UE (see figure 5; and paragraphs 28, 73, and 97); (The UE 102 can be configured with multiple BWPs where each BWP configuration has a different SCS. When a BWP change is indicated to the UE 102, the SCS of the transmission is changed. At operation 516, the serving gNB 504 may send a message to the UE to configure the UE with the dedicated, preferred RSTD measurement gap pattern for PRS measurement, wherein the message corresponds to a radio resource control (RRC) information element. At operation 518, the UE may perform the PRS measurement within a gap corresponding with the preferred RSTD measurement gap pattern (e.g. measurement gap length (MGL)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teaching of Chervyakov et al into the teaching of Opshaug et al and VejIgaard et al in order to save power (see Chervyakov et al; paragraph 28).
Consider Claims 2 and 17, Opshaug et al shows receiving, by the wireless communication entity from the wireless communication node or the UE, capability information of the UE for determining the measurement gap (see figure 5B; paragraphs 99 and 100); (At stage 2, the UE 115 returns an LPP Provide Capabilities message to the location server 501 to provide the positioning capabilities of the UE 115. The positioning capabilities may include, e.g., information about which frequency bands are supported by the UE).
Consider Claims 4 and 19, Opshaug et al shows receiving, by the wireless communication entity or the UE, a previously configured measurement gap for the UE, wherein the measurement gap includes at least a portion of a measurement gap configuration (see paragraphs 31 and 32; figure 9).
Consider Claim 9, Opshaug et al shows receiving, by the wireless communication entity from the wireless communication node or the UE, a first message; wherein the first message is configured to at least one of: confirm that the measurement gap provided by the wireless communication entity has been configured for the UE; or provide at least a measurement gap configuration determined by the wireless communication node for the UE (see paragraphs 102-107); (At stage 8, the location server 501 assigns a measurement gap for intra-frequency positioning measurements outside the DL BWP of the UE 115 and provides the configuration of the measurement gap to the UE).
Consider Claim 10, Opshaug et al shows providing, by the wireless communication entity to a neighbor wireless communication node, a second message, wherein the second message includes at least one of: at least a measurement gap configuration for the UE; capability information of the UE for determining the measurement gap; or a previously configured measurement gap for the UE (see figure 5B; paragraphs 99 and 100); (At stage 2, the UE 115 returns an LPP Provide Capabilities message to the location server 501 to provide the positioning capabilities of the UE 115. The positioning capabilities may include, e.g., information about which frequency bands are supported by the UE).
Consider Claim 7, Chervyakov et al shows that the measurement gap configuration includes at least one of: a measurement gap length (MGL) of the measurement gap; a measurement gap repetition period (MGRP) of the measurement gap; a measurement gap offset of the measurement gap pattern indicated by the MGL and the MGRP; or a measurement gap timing advance (MGTA) (see figure 5; and paragraphs 28, 73, and 97); (The UE 102 can be configured with multiple BWPs where each BWP configuration has a different SCS. When a BWP change is indicated to the UE 102, the SCS of the transmission is changed. At operation 516, the serving gNB 504 may send a message to the UE to configure the UE with the dedicated, preferred RSTD measurement gap pattern for PRS measurement, wherein the message corresponds to a radio resource control (RRC) information element. At operation 518, the UE may perform the PRS measurement within a gap corresponding with the preferred RSTD measurement gap pattern (e.g. measurement gap length (MGL)).
Claims 5 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Opshaug et al (Publication number: US 2021/0067990) in view of VejIgaard et al and Chervyakov et al in view of Yiu (Publication number: US 2019/0230550).
Consider Claims 5 and 20, Opshaug et al in view of VejIgaard et al and Chervyakov et al do not specifically show receiving, by the wireless communication entity, configurations of reference signals, wherein the reference signals include at least one of SSB (Synchronization Signal and PBCH Block) or CSI-RS (Channel State Information Reference Signal).
In related art, Yiu shows receiving, by the wireless communication entity, configurations of reference signals, wherein the reference signals include at least one of SSB (Synchronization Signal and PBCH Block) or CSI-RS (Channel State Information Reference Signal) (see figure 4; paragraphs 40-45).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to incorporate the teaching of Yiu into the teaching of Opshaug et al and VejIgaard et al and Chervyakov et al in order for the UE to choose any BWP to measure for a given frequency (see Yiu; paragraphs 40-45).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3 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.
Conclusion
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/MICHAEL A FARAGALLA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2624 05/25/2026
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