DETAILED ACTION
This Office action is in response to Amendment filed on 4/23/2026. Claims 1, 6, 10, and 14 have been
amended. Claims 1-20 remain pending in the application.
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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 4/23/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The Amendment filed on 4/23/2026 has been entered.
Response to Remarks/Arguments
Applicant’s remarks/arguments (page 10-15), filed on 4/03/2026, with respect to the 103 rejections of
claim 1 have been fully considered but are moot based on newly added limitations in the amendment and new ground of rejections using a newly introduced references (DUAN et al. US 2022/0039050 Al) are applied in the current 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 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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that
are applied 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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (US 2018/0124787 Al, hereinafter “Wang”) in view of MANOLAKOS et al. (US 2022/0085945 Al, hereinafter “Manolakos”) and in further view of DUAN et al. (US 2022/0039050 Al, hereinafter “Duan”).
Regarding claim 1, Wang discloses:
A wireless communication method, comprising (method, performed by a wireless device, Wang: [0018]):
receiving, by a terminal device, first signaling transmitted by a network device (receiving module 2102 is configured to receive the PRSs from the base station at the wireless device, Wang: [0143]-[0145]),
wherein the first signaling is used to indicate one or more first downlink positioning signal sets, each of the one or more first downlink positioning signal sets comprising a plurality of downlink positioning signals occupying different frequency domain resources (individual ones of the PRSs are mapped onto different groups of time-frequency resources according to different respective PRS patterns. PRS patterns of subframes within one group of time-frequency resources may be frequency shifted relative to one another. For example, at least one of the different groups of time-frequency resources spans at least two subframes in time and wherein the base station may map PRSs onto time-frequency resources of each of the at least two subframes according to respective PRS patterns that are frequency shifted relative to one another, Wang: Fig. 13, [0143]-[0145]),
wherein the plurality of downlink positioning signals comprised in the first downlink positioning signal set satisfies the following conditions (individual ones of the PRSs are mapped onto different groups of time-frequency resources according to different respective PRS patterns, Wang: Fig. 13, [0143]-[0145]):
Wang does not explicitly disclose:
the plurality of downlink positioning signals being used jointly to implement a positioning function,
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to a same Resource Element (RE) offset on a first symbol;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to a same starting symbol of a slot;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals has a same number of symbols;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to same guasi-colocation information;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to a same quasi-colocation type; and
the plurality of downlink positioning signals is aligned on symbols.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Duan teaches:
the plurality of downlink positioning signals being used jointly to implement a positioning function (the positioning session processing capability comprises a number of positioning sessions which the UE can process concurrently. FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary PRS configuration 500 for a cell supported by a wireless node (such as a base station 102). FIG. 5 shows how PRS positioning occasions are determined by a system frame number (SFN), a cell specific subframe offset, and the PRS periodicity. The collection of resource elements can span multiple PRBs in the frequency domain and N (e.g., 1 or more) consecutive symbol(s) within a slot in the time domain. Referring to Table 3 and FIGS. 9-10, a DL PRS resource within a slot may span 2, 4, 6, or 12 consecutive symbols with a fully frequency-domain staggered pattern. Duan: Fig. 5, Fig. 10, [0018], [0133]- [0135], [0139], [0197]),
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the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to a same Resource Element (RE) offset on a first symbol (in SFN-synchronous networks, all cells supported by the various wireless nodes may use the same PRS configuration index for any particular frequency of PRS transmission. the PRS resources in a PRS resource set are associated with the same transmission-reception point (TRP). A PRS resource is described by the parameter of resource element offset in the frequency domain, Duan: [0137]-[0140]);
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to a same starting symbol of a slot (in SFN-synchronous networks, all cells supported by the various wireless nodes may use the same PRS configuration index for any particular frequency of PRS transmission. the PRS resources in a PRS resource set are associated with the same transmission-reception point (TRP). A PRS resource is described by the parameter of starting slot and starting symbol, Duan: [0137]-[0140]);
the plurality of downlink positioning signals has a same number of symbols (in SFN-synchronous networks, all cells supported by the various wireless nodes may use the same PRS configuration index for any particular frequency of PRS transmission. the PRS resources in a PRS resource set are associated with the same transmission-reception point (TRP). A PRS resource is described by the parameter of number of symbols per PRS resource (i.e., the duration of the PRS resource), comb size-N, Duan: [0137]-[0140]);
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to same guasi-colocation information (in SFN-synchronous networks, all cells supported by the various wireless nodes may use the same PRS configuration index for any particular frequency of PRS transmission. the PRS resources in a PRS resource set are associated with the same transmission-reception point (TRP). A PRS resource is described by the parameter of QCL information (e.g., QCL with other DL reference signals), Duan: [0137]-[0140]);
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to a same quasi-colocation type (in SFN-synchronous networks, all cells supported by the various wireless nodes may use the same PRS configuration index for any particular frequency of PRS transmission. the PRS resources in a PRS resource set are associated with the same transmission-reception point (TRP). A PRS resource is described by the parameter of QCL information (e.g., QCL with other DL reference signals). Support of DL PRS from serving/neighbor cell as QCL source of a DL PRS (e.g., Type-D support for FR2), Duan: [[0137]-[0140], [0225]-[0228]); and
the plurality of downlink positioning signals is aligned on symbols (The comb size indicates the number of subcarriers in each symbol carrying PRS. For example, a comb-size of comb-4 means that every fourth subcarrier of a given symbol carries PRS, Duan: [0139],).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang in view of Duan in order to further modify the plurality of downlink positioning signals being used jointly to implement a positioning function, and the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to a same Resource Element (RE) offset on a first symbol, a same starting symbol of a slot, a same number of symbols, same guasi-colocation information, a same quasi-colocation type, and the plurality of downlink positioning signals is aligned on symbol from the teachings of Duan.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because various parameters associated with positioning can impact power consumption at the UE. By accurately modeling the power consumption of the UE, various power saving features and/or performance enhancing features can be utilized in a predictive manner so as to improve the user experience (Duan: [0181]).
Yet, Wang in view of Duan does not explicitly disclose:
wherein the plurality of downlink positioning signals comprised in the first downlink positioning signal set belongs to a same positioning frequency layer,
However, in the same field of endeavor, Manolakos teaches:
wherein the plurality of downlink positioning signals comprised in the first downlink positioning signal set belongs to a same positioning frequency layer (The corresponding positioning frequency layer (PFL) may be explicitly indicated (e.g., by a specific PFL (e.g., determined from PRS configuration information)) or implicitly indicated (e.g., by indicating a frequency band, or band combination, or band in band combination with an implicit indication all PFLs within the corresponding frequencies), Manolakos: [0130]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang and Duan in view of Manolakos in order to further modify the plurality of downlink positioning signals which comprised in the first downlink positioning signal set belongs to a same positioning frequency layer from the teachings of Manolakos.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because a weaker (at the UE) PRS signal may be more easily detected by the UE without a stronger PRS signal interfering with the weaker PRS signal (Manolakos: [0088]).
Regarding claim 2, Wang-Duan-Manolakos teaches all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Wang in view of Duan does not explicitly disclose:
The method according to claim 1, wherein the first signaling is used to indicate at least one Transmission/Reception Point (TRP), some or all of downlink positioning signals corresponding to TRPs in the at least one TRP belonging to the one or more first downlink positioning signal sets.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Manolakos teaches:
wherein the first signaling is used to indicate at least one Transmission/Reception Point (TRP), some or all of downlink positioning signals corresponding to TRPs in the at least one TRP belonging to the one or more first downlink positioning signal sets (PRS signals sent by multiple TRPs are measured and the arrival times of the signals, known transmission times, and known locations of the TRPs used to determine ranges from a UE to the TRPs, Manolakos: [0088]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang and Duan in view of Manolakos in order to further modify the first signaling that is used to indicate at least one Transmission/Reception Point (TRP) and downlink positioning signals corresponding to TRPs in the at least one TRP belonging to the one or more first downlink positioning signal sets from the teachings of Manolakos.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because a weaker (at the UE) PRS signal may be more easily detected by the UE without a stronger PRS signal interfering with the weaker PRS signal (Manolakos: [0088]).
Regarding claim 3, Wang-Duan-Manolakos teaches all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 2 above.
Wang in view of Duan does not explicitly disclose:
The method according to claim 2, wherein the first signaling is used to indicate positioning frequency layers to which the some or all of downlink positioning signals corresponding to TRPs in the at least one TRP belonging to the one or more first downlink positioning signal sets belong.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Manolakos teaches:
wherein the first signaling is used to indicate positioning frequency layers to which the some or all of downlink positioning signals corresponding to TRPs in the at least one TRP belonging to the one or more first downlink positioning signal sets belong (the capability indication includes the path quantity and the path quantity is a minimum quantity of the receive-signal paths of the user equipment from each of which a respective one of the plurality of positioning reference signals of a corresponding positioning frequency layer will be processed, Manolakos: [0130]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang and Duan in view of Manolakos in order to further modify the first signaling that is used to indicate positioning frequency layers to which the some or all of downlink positioning signals corresponding to TRPs in the at least one TRP belonging to the one or more first downlink positioning signal sets belong from the teachings of Manolakos.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because a weaker (at the UE) PRS signal may be more easily detected by the UE without a stronger PRS signal interfering with the weaker PRS signal (Manolakos: [0088]).
Regarding claim 4, Wang-Duan-Manolakos teaches all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 2 above.
Wang in view of Duan does not explicitly disclose:
The method according to claim 2, wherein the first signaling is used to indicate a resource set index to which the some or all of downlink positioning signals corresponding to TRPs in the at least one TRP belonging to the one or more first downlink positioning signal sets belong.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Manolakos teaches:
wherein the first signaling is used to indicate a resource set index to which the some or all of downlink positioning signals corresponding to TRPs in the at least one TRP belonging to the one or more first downlink positioning signal sets belong (The TRP may be configured to send one or more PRS resource sets. The start Physical Resource Block (PRB) parameter defines the starting PRB index of the DL PRS resource with respect to reference Point A, Manolakos: [0090]-[0091]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang and Duan in view of Manolakos in order to further modify the first signaling that is used to indicate a resource set index to which the some or all of downlink positioning signals corresponding to TRPs in the at least one TRP belonging to the one or more first downlink positioning signal sets belong from the teachings of Manolakos.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because a weaker (at the UE) PRS signal may be more easily detected by the UE without a stronger PRS signal interfering with the weaker PRS signal (Manolakos: [0088]).
Regarding claim 5, Wang-Duan-Manolakos teaches all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 2 above.
Wang in view of Duan does not explicitly disclose:
The method according to claim 2, wherein the first signaling is used to indicate the some or all of downlink positioning signals corresponding to TRPs in the at least one TRP belonging to the one or more first downlink positioning signal sets.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Manolakos teaches:
wherein the first signaling is used to indicate the some or all of downlink positioning signals corresponding to TRPs in the at least one TRP belonging to the one or more first downlink positioning signal sets (Positioning reference signals (PRS) include downlink PRS (DL PRS, often referred to simply as PRS) and uplink PRS (UL PRS) (which may be called SRS (Sounding Reference Signal) for positioning). PRS resource set is identified by a PRS resource set ID and may be associated with a particular TRP (identified by a cell ID) transmitted by an antenna panel of a base station, Manolakos: [0089]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang and Duan in view of Manolakos in order to further modify the first signaling that is used to indicate the some or all of downlink positioning signals corresponding to TRPs in the at least one TRP belonging to the one or more first downlink positioning signal sets from the teachings of Manolakos.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because a weaker (at the UE) PRS signal may be more easily detected by the UE without a stronger PRS signal interfering with the weaker PRS signal (Manolakos: [0088]).
Regarding claim 6, Wang-Duan-Manolakos teaches all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Wang further discloses:
The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of downlink positioning signals comprised in the first downlink positioning signal set satisfies one or more of the following conditions (individual ones of the PRSs are mapped onto different groups of time-frequency resources according to different respective PRS patterns, Wang: Fig. 13, [0143]-[0145]):
the plurality of downlink positioning signals has a same subcarrier spacing;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals has a same comb size;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to a same type of cyclic prefix;
reference Resource Blocks (RBs) corresponding to the plurality of downlink positioning signals have a same absolute frequency domain position;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals has a same periodicity;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals has a same slot offset in one periodicity (the transmission periodicity of PRSs mapped onto one of the different groups may be the same. Also, examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features to be mapped because of the presence of “one or more” in the limitation, Wang: [0058]);
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to a same repetition factor;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals has a same bandwidth;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to a same time domain offset with respect to a System Frame Number 0 (SFN0) slot 0 of a reference cell;
muting patterns 1 corresponding to the plurality of downlink positioning signals have a same configuration;
muting patterns 2 corresponding to the plurality of downlink positioning signals have a same configuration;
sequences corresponding to the plurality of downlink positioning signals have a same initial value;
the sequences corresponding to the plurality of downlink positioning signals are obtained by using a same generation method of an original sequence, and by selecting different parts of the original sequence based on different frequency domain positions of the downlink positioning signals;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to a same starting slot with respect to downlink positioning signal resource sets in which the plurality of downlink positioning signals is located;
source reference signals in the quasi-colocation information corresponding to the plurality of downlink positioning signals are mutually quasi-co-located;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to a same TRP;
downlink positioning signal resource sets corresponding to the plurality of downlink positioning signals have a same identity;
downlink positioning signal resources corresponding to the plurality of downlink positioning signals have a same identity;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals is located in a same slot;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals is located in a first time length, the first time length being in unit of one of symbol, slot, second, millisecond, microsecond, and nanosecond;
symbols occupied by one of the plurality of downlink positioning signals which has a minimum number of symbols overlap others of the plurality of downlink positioning signals;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals is contiguous in a frequency domain, or the plurality of downlink positioning signals occupies contiguous RBs in the frequency domain;
a gap in the frequency domain between two of the plurality of downlink positioning signals that are adjacent to each other in the frequency domain is smaller than a first threshold value; and
the plurality of downlink positioning signals is in a same measurement gap.
Regarding claim 7, Wang-Duan-Manolakos teaches all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Wang further discloses:
The method according to claim 1, wherein the first signaling comprises frequency domain indication information, the frequency domain indication information being used to indicate frequency domain information of the plurality of downlink positioning signals (the frequency-domain allocation is in terms of location and size of Physical Resource Blocks (PRBs), Wang: [0093]).
Regarding claim 8, Wang-Duan-Manolakos teaches all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 7 above.
Wang further discloses:
The method according to claim 7, wherein the frequency domain indication information is used to indicate one or more of:
frequency domain starting positions of the plurality of downlink positioning signals,
frequency domain offset information of the plurality of downlink positioning signals,
and frequency domain bandwidths of the plurality of downlink positioning signals (the new PRS, a new parameter is configured by higher layer signaling to indicate the bandwidth of new PRS. Also, examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features to be mapped because of the presence of “one or more” in the limitation, Wang: [0093]).
Regarding claim 9, Wang-Duan-Manolakos teaches all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 8 above.
Wang further discloses:
The method according to claim 8, wherein
the frequency domain offset information is used to indicate a frequency domain gap between different downlink positioning signals (Legacy PRS has been configured to transmit over one part of the bandwidth. The new PRS may use another part of bandwidth that does not overlap with that of legacy PRS. Also, examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features to be mapped because of the presence of “or” in the limitation, Wang: Fig. 13, [0093]); or
the frequency domain off set information is used to indicate a frequency domain gap between a downlink positioning signal other than a first downlink positioning signal of the plurality of downlink positioning signals and the first downlink positioning signal; or
the frequency domain off set information is used to indicate a frequency domain gap between two adjacent starting positions of the plurality of downlink positioning signals.
Regarding claim 10, Wang discloses:
A wireless communication method, comprising (method, performed by a base station. method, performed by a positioning network node, Wang: [0017, [0019]]):
transmitting, by a network device, first signaling to a terminal device (transmitting module 2004 is configured to transmit the PRSs in the cell, Wang: [0139], [0151], [0158]),
wherein the first signaling is used to indicate one or more first downlink positioning signal sets, each of the one or more first downlink positioning signal sets comprising a plurality of downlink positioning signals occupying different frequency domain resources (individual ones of the PRSs are mapped onto different groups of time-frequency resources according to different respective PRS patterns. PRS patterns of subframes within one group of time-frequency resources may be frequency shifted relative to one another. For example, at least one of the different groups of time-frequency resources spans at least two subframes in time and wherein the base station may map PRSs onto time-frequency resources of each of the at least two subframes according to respective PRS patterns that are frequency shifted relative to one another, Wang: Fig. 13, [0143]-[0145]),
wherein the plurality of downlink positioning signals comprised in the first downlink positioning signal set satisfies the following conditions (individual ones of the PRSs are mapped onto different groups of time-frequency resources according to different respective PRS patterns, Wang: Fig. 13, [0143]-[0145]):
Wang does not explicitly disclose:
the plurality of downlink positioning signals being used jointly to implement a positioning function,
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to a same Resource Element (RE) off set on a first symbol;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to a same starting symbol of a slot;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals has a same number of symbols;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to same guasi-colocation information;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to a same quasi-colocation type; and
the plurality of downlink positioning signals is aligned on symbols.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Duan teaches:
the plurality of downlink positioning signals being used jointly to implement a positioning function (the positioning session processing capability comprises a number of positioning sessions which the UE can process concurrently. FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary PRS configuration 500 for a cell supported by a wireless node (such as a base station 102). FIG. 5 shows how PRS positioning occasions are determined by a system frame number (SFN), a cell specific subframe offset, and the PRS periodicity. The collection of resource elements can span multiple PRBs in the frequency domain and N (e.g., 1 or more) consecutive symbol(s) within a slot in the time domain. Referring to Table 3 and FIGS. 9-10, a DL PRS resource within a slot may span 2, 4, 6, or 12 consecutive symbols with a fully frequency-domain staggered pattern. Duan: Fig. 5, Fig. 10, [0018], [0133]- [0135], [0139], [0197]),
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to a same Resource Element (RE) offset on a first symbol (in SFN-synchronous networks, all cells supported by the various wireless nodes may use the same PRS configuration index for any particular frequency of PRS transmission. the PRS resources in a PRS resource set are associated with the same transmission-reception point (TRP). A PRS resource is described by the parameter of resource element offset in the frequency domain, Duan: [0137]-[0140]);
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to a same starting symbol of a slot (in SFN-synchronous networks, all cells supported by the various wireless nodes may use the same PRS configuration index for any particular frequency of PRS transmission. the PRS resources in a PRS resource set are associated with the same transmission-reception point (TRP). A PRS resource is described by the parameter of starting slot and starting symbol, Duan: [0137]-[0140]);
the plurality of downlink positioning signals has a same number of symbols (in SFN-synchronous networks, all cells supported by the various wireless nodes may use the same PRS configuration index for any particular frequency of PRS transmission. the PRS resources in a PRS resource set are associated with the same transmission-reception point (TRP). A PRS resource is described by the parameter of number of symbols per PRS resource (i.e., the duration of the PRS resource), comb size-N, Duan: [0137]-[0140]);
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to same guasi-colocation information (in SFN-synchronous networks, all cells supported by the various wireless nodes may use the same PRS configuration index for any particular frequency of PRS transmission. the PRS resources in a PRS resource set are associated with the same transmission-reception point (TRP). A PRS resource is described by the parameter of QCL information (e.g., QCL with other DL reference signals), Duan: [0137]-[0140]);
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to a same quasi-colocation type (in SFN-synchronous networks, all cells supported by the various wireless nodes may use the same PRS configuration index for any particular frequency of PRS transmission. the PRS resources in a PRS resource set are associated with the same transmission-reception point (TRP). A PRS resource is described by the parameter of QCL information (e.g., QCL with other DL reference signals). Support of DL PRS from serving/neighbor cell as QCL source of a DL PRS (e.g., Type-D support for FR2), Duan: [[0137]-[0140], [0225]-[0228]); and
the plurality of downlink positioning signals is aligned on symbols (The comb size indicates the number of subcarriers in each symbol carrying PRS. For example, a comb-size of comb-4 means that every fourth subcarrier of a given symbol carries PRS, Duan: [0139],).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang in view of Duan in order to further modify the plurality of downlink positioning signals being used jointly to implement a positioning function, and the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to a same Resource Element (RE) offset on a first symbol, a same starting symbol of a slot, a same number of symbols, same guasi-colocation information, a same quasi-colocation type, and the plurality of downlink positioning signals is aligned on symbol from the teachings of Duan.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because various parameters associated with positioning can impact power consumption at the UE. By accurately modeling the power consumption of the UE, various power saving features and/or performance enhancing features can be utilized in a predictive manner so as to improve the user experience (Duan: [0181]).
Yet, Wang in view of Duan does not explicitly disclose:
wherein the plurality of downlink positioning signals comprised in the first downlink positioning signal set belongs to a same positioning frequency layer,
However, in the same field of endeavor, Manolakos teaches:
wherein the plurality of downlink positioning signals comprised in the first downlink positioning signal set belongs to a same positioning frequency layer (The corresponding positioning frequency layer (PFL) may be explicitly indicated (e.g., by a specific PFL (e.g., determined from PRS configuration information)) or implicitly indicated (e.g., by indicating a frequency band, or band combination, or band in band combination with an implicit indication all PFLs within the corresponding frequencies), Manolakos: [0130]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang and Duan in view of Manolakos in order to further modify the plurality of downlink positioning signals which comprised in the first downlink positioning signal set belongs to a same positioning frequency layer from the teachings of Manolakos.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because a weaker (at the UE) PRS signal may be more easily detected by the UE without a stronger PRS signal interfering with the weaker PRS signal (Manolakos: [0088]).
Regarding claim 11, Wang-Duan-Manolakos teaches all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 10 above.
Wang in view of Duan does not explicitly disclose:
The method according to claim 10, wherein the first signaling is used to indicate at least one TRP, some or all of downlink positioning signals corresponding to TRPs in the at least one TRP belonging to the one or more first downlink positioning signal sets.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Manolakos teaches:
wherein the first signaling is used to indicate at least one TRP, some or all of downlink positioning signals corresponding to TRPs in the at least one TRP belonging to the one or more first downlink positioning signal sets (PRS signals sent by multiple TRPs are measured and the arrival times of the signals, known transmission times, and known locations of the TRPs used to determine ranges from a UE to the TRPs, Manolakos: [0088]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang and Duan in view of Manolakos in order to further modify the first signaling that is used to indicate at least one Transmission/Reception Point (TRP) and downlink positioning signals corresponding to TRPs in the at least one TRP belonging to the one or more first downlink positioning signal sets from the teachings of Manolakos.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because a weaker (at the UE) PRS signal may be more easily detected by the UE without a stronger PRS signal interfering with the weaker PRS signal (Manolakos: [0088]).
Regarding claim 12, Wang-Duan-Manolakos teaches all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 11 above.
Wang in view of Duan does not explicitly disclose:
The method according to claim 11, wherein the first signaling is used to indicate positioning frequency layers to which the some or all of downlink positioning signals corresponding to TRPs in the at least one TRP belonging to the one or more first downlink positioning signal sets belong.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Manolakos teaches:
wherein the first signaling is used to indicate positioning frequency layers to which the some or all of downlink positioning signals corresponding to TRPs in the at least one TRP belonging to the one or more first downlink positioning signal sets belong (the capability indication includes the path quantity and the path quantity is a minimum quantity of the receive-signal paths of the user equipment from each of which a respective one of the plurality of positioning reference signals of a corresponding positioning frequency layer will be processed, Manolakos: [0130]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang and Duan in view of Manolakos in order to further modify the first signaling that is used to indicate positioning frequency layers to which the some or all of downlink positioning signals corresponding to TRPs in the at least one TRP belonging to the one or more first downlink positioning signal sets belong from the teachings of Manolakos.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because a weaker (at the UE) PRS signal may be more easily detected by the UE without a stronger PRS signal interfering with the weaker PRS signal (Manolakos: [0088]).
Regarding claim 13, Wang-Duan-Manolakos teaches all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 11 above.
Wang in view of Duan does not explicitly disclose:
The method according to claim 11, wherein the first signaling is used to indicate a resource set index to which the some or all of downlink positioning signals corresponding to TRPs in the at least one TRP belonging to the one or more first downlink positioning signal sets belong.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Manolakos teaches:
wherein the first signaling is used to indicate a resource set index to which the some or all of downlink positioning signals corresponding to TRPs in the at least one TRP belonging to the one or more first downlink positioning signal sets belong (The TRP may be configured to send one or more PRS resource sets. The start Physical Resource Block (PRB) parameter defines the starting PRB index of the DL PRS resource with respect to reference Point A, Manolakos: [0090]-[0091]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang and Duan in view of Manolakos in order to further modify the first signaling that is used to indicate a resource set index to which the some or all of downlink positioning signals corresponding to TRPs in the at least one TRP belonging to the one or more first downlink positioning signal sets belong from the teachings of Manolakos.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because a weaker (at the UE) PRS signal may be more easily detected by the UE without a stronger PRS signal interfering with the weaker PRS signal (Manolakos: [0088]).
Regarding claim 14, Wang-Duan-Manolakos teaches all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 10 above.
Wang further discloses:
The method according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of downlink positioning signals comprised in the first downlink positioning signal set satisfies one or more of the following conditions (individual ones of the PRSs are mapped onto different groups of time-frequency resources according to different respective PRS patterns, Wang: Fig. 13, [0143]-[0145]):
the plurality of downlink positioning signals has a same subcarrier spacing;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals has a same comb size;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to a same type of cyclic prefix;
reference Resource Blocks (RBs) corresponding to the plurality of downlink positioning signals have a same absolute frequency domain position;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals has a same periodicity (the transmission periodicity of PRSs mapped onto one of the different groups may be the same. Also, examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features to be mapped because of the presence of “one or more” in the limitation, Wang: [0058]);
the plurality of downlink positioning signals has a same slot offset in one periodicity;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to a same repetition factor;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals has a same bandwidth;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to a same time domain offset with respect to a System Frame Number 0 (SFN0) slot 0 of a reference cell;
muting patterns 1 corresponding to the plurality of downlink positioning signals have a same configuration;
muting patterns 2 corresponding to the plurality of downlink positioning signals have a same configuration;
sequences corresponding to the plurality of downlink positioning signals have a same initial value;
the sequences corresponding to the plurality of downlink positioning signals are obtained by using a same generation method of an original sequence, and by selecting different parts of the original sequence based on different frequency domain positions of the downlink positioning signals;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to a same starting slot with respect to downlink positioning signal resource sets in which the plurality of downlink positioning signals is located;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to a same starting slot with respect to downlink positioning signal resource sets in which the plurality of downlink positioning signals is located;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals corresponds to a same TRP;
downlink positioning signal resource sets corresponding to the plurality of downlink positioning signals have a same identity;
downlink positioning signal resources corresponding to the plurality of downlink positioning signals have a same identity;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals is located in a same slot;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals is located in a first time length, the first time length being in unit of one of symbol, slot, second, millisecond, microsecond, and nanosecond;
symbols occupied by one of the plurality of downlink positioning signals which has a minimum number of symbols overlap others of the plurality of downlink positioning signals;
the plurality of downlink positioning signals is contiguous in a frequency domain, or the plurality of downlink positioning signals occupies contiguous RBs in the frequency domain;
a gap in the frequency domain between two of the plurality of downlink positioning signals that are adjacent to each other in the frequency domain is smaller than a first threshold value; and
the plurality of downlink positioning signals is in a same measurement gap.
Regarding claim 15, Wang-Duan-Manolakos teaches all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 10 above.
Wang further discloses:
The method according to claim 10, wherein a total equivalent bandwidth of the plurality of downlink positioning signals comprised in the first downlink positioning signal set is smaller than or equal to a second threshold value (In LTE, the frequency-domain allocation is in terms of location and size of Physical Resource Blocks. the new PRS, a new parameter is configured by higher layer signaling to indicate the bandwidth of new PRS (PRBs), Wang: Fig. 13, [0093]).
Regarding claim 16, Wang-Duan-Manolakos teaches all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 15 above.
Wang further discloses:
The method according to claim 15, wherein the second threshold value is preconfigured, or agreed upon in a protocol, or determined based on a terminal capability (For legacy PRS, the bandwidth for positioning reference signals NRBPRS is configured by higher layers. For the new PRS, a new parameter is configured by higher layer signaling to indicate the bandwidth of new PRS. The different respective PRS patterns of the different groups of time-frequency resources may be configured for different radio environments and/or may further be configured for different UE capabilities, for example, capability in terms of receiving bandwidth or capability to read the non-legacy PRS pattern, Wang: [0093], [0124], [0128]).
Regarding claim 17, Wang-Duan-Manolakos teaches all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 16 above.
Wang further discloses:
The method according to claim 16, wherein the second threshold value is preconfigured with respect to a frequency bandwidth or agreed upon in a protocol with respect to the frequency bandwidth (the new PRS and the legacy PRS are assigned to different parts of the system bandwidth of the cell. For the new PRS, a new parameter is configured by higher layer signaling to indicate the bandwidth of new PRS, Wang: [0093]); or
Regarding claim 18, Wang-Duan-Manolakos teaches all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 15 above.
Wang further discloses:
The method according to claim 15, wherein the second threshold value is determined based on terminal capability reporting information of the terminal device (For legacy PRS, the bandwidth for positioning reference signals NRBPRS is configured by higher layers. For the new PRS, a new parameter is configured by higher layer signaling to indicate the bandwidth of new PRS. The different respective PRS patterns of the different groups of time-frequency resources may be configured for different radio environments and/or may further be configured for different UE capabilities, for example, capability in terms of receiving bandwidth or capability to read the non-legacy PRS pattern, Wang: [0093], [0124], [0128]).
Regarding claim 19, Wang-Duan-Manolakos teaches all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 15 above.
Wang in view of Duan does not explicitly disclose:
The method according to claim 15, wherein the total equivalent bandwidth of the plurality of downlink positioning signals is a sum of bandwidths of the plurality of downlink positioning signals; or
the total equivalent bandwidth of the plurality of downlink positioning signals is a bandwidth between a lowest frequency position of the plurality of downlink positioning signals and a highest frequency position of the plurality of downlink positioning signals.
However, in the same field of endeavor, Manolakos teaches:
wherein the total equivalent bandwidth of the plurality of downlink positioning signals is a sum of bandwidths of the plurality of downlink positioning signals (The larger effective bandwidth, which may be referred to as the bandwidth of an aggregated PRS or the frequency bandwidth of an aggregated PRS, provides for better time-domain resolution (e.g., of TDOA). An aggregated PRS includes a collection of PRS resources. Also, examiner interprets that only one of the claimed features to be mapped because of the presence of “or” in the limitation, Manolakos: [0093]); or
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang and Duan in view of Manolakos in order to further modify the total equivalent bandwidth of the plurality of downlink positioning signals that is a sum of bandwidths of the plurality of downlink positioning signals from the teachings of Manolakos.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated because an aggregated PRS includes a collection of PRS resources and each PRS resource of an aggregated PRS may be called a PRS component, and each PRS component may be transmitted on different component carriers, bands, or frequency layers, or on different portions of the same band (Manolakos: [0093]).
Regarding claim 20, Wang-Duan-Manolakos teaches all the claimed limitations as set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above.
Wang further discloses:
A terminal device, comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the memory has a computer program stored thereon, and the processor is configured to invoke and execute the computer program stored in the memory to perform the method according to claim 1 (comprise the instructions which, when executed on at least one processor. computer-readable storage medium 2105, having stored thereon the computer program, may comprise the instructions which, when executed on at least one processor. wireless device 36 further comprises a memory 2106. The memory comprises one or more units to be used to store data, Wang: Fig.21, [0146]-[0147]).
Conclusion
In the case of amendments, applicant is respectfully requested to indicate the portion(s) of the
specification which dictate(s) the structure relied on for proper interpretation and support, for ascertaining the metes and bounds of the claimed invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SANG C LEE whose telephone number is (703)756-1461. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00AM-5:00PM ET.
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/S.C.L./Examiner, Art Unit 2467
/MOHAMMED S CHOWDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2467
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