DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 7, 8, 12, 18, 19 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(2) as being anticipated by Yao et al. (US2026/0029548) (hereafter Yao).
Regarding claim 1, Yao discloses a method, comprising:
transmitting, by a processor of a user equipment (UE), a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) position fix time duration and a GNSS validity duration to a network node during an initial access (see, Fig. 4, step 401 , transmit from the UE, to a network device, GNSS measurement related information, see, Fig. 3, the 302, the report GNSS measurements related information which includes a GNSS validity duration , a GNSS measurement gap and other assistance information);
receiving, by the processor, a configuration based on the GNSS position fix time duration and the GNSS validity duration from the network node in a connected mode (see, Fig. 4, step 402, receive, at the UE, configuration for the GNSS measurement gap from the network device, see, Fig. 3, 303, receive a configuration for the GNSS measurement, Fig. 4, step 403, perform at the UE, the GNSS measurement in the connected state);
performing, by the processor, a GNSS measurement based on the configuration (see, Fig. 4, step 403, perform at the UE, the GNSS measurement in the connected state during the GNSS measurement gap with the periodicity); and
transmitting, by the processor, a new GNSS validity duration to the network node in the connected mode in an event that the UE completes the GNSS measurement (see, fig. 5, the transmit from the UE, the updated configuration for the GNSS measurement gap modified by the network device, step 502 , updated configuration for the GNSS measurement gap which is interpreted to be new validity duration).
Regarding claims 7 and 18, Yao further discloses the method, wherein the new GNSS validity duration is transmitted through a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) (see, para [0108], dedicated medium access control (MAC), control element (CE)).
Regarding claim 8, Yao further discloses the method, further comprising: entering, by the processor, the initial access or triggering, by the processor, a radio link failure in an event that the UE is not able to transmit the new GNSS validity duration to the network node successfully (see, para [0016], receive a configuration for a Radio Link Failure (RLF) procedure, wherein the configuration comprises a threshold which represents a maximum allowable number for Out-of-Sync indications and a timer used for radio link failure and recovery, and wherein the timer has a time period accounted for a GNSS measurement; detect whether a number of the Out-of-Sync indications reaches the threshold; in response to the detection that the number of the Out-of-Sync indications reaches the threshold, start the timer; and perform the GNSS measurement during the RLF procedure).
Regarding claim 12, Yao discloses an apparatus, comprising:
a transceiver which, during operation (see, Fig. 2, the UE device, 202 has transceiver, 210), wirelessly communicates with at least one network node (Fig. 2, network device, 218); and
a processor communicatively coupled to the transceiver such that, during operation (see, Fig. 2, the processor, 202), the processor performs operations comprising:
transmitting, via the transceiver, a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) position fix time duration and a GNSS validity duration to the network node during an initial access (see, Fig. 4, step 401 , transmit from the UE, to a network device, GNSS measurement related information, see, Fig. 3, the 302, the report GNSS measurements related information which includes a GNSS validity duration , a GNSS measurement gap and other assistance information);
receiving, via the transceiver, a configuration based on the GNSS position fix time duration and the GNSS validity duration from the network node in a connected mode (see, Fig. 4, step 402, receive, at the UE, configuration for the GNSS measurement gap from the network device, see, Fig. 3, 303, receive a configuration for the GNSS measurement, Fig. 4, step 403, perform at the UE, the GNSS measurement in the connected state);
performing a GNSS measurement based on the configuration (see, Fig. 4, step 403, perform at the UE, the GNSS measurement in the connected state during the GNSS measurement gap with the periodicity); and
transmitting, via the transceiver, a new GNSS validity duration to the network node in the connected mode in an event that the apparatus completes the GNSS measurement (see, fig. 5, the transmit from the UE, the updated configuration for the GNSS measurement gap modified by the network device, step 502 , updated configuration for the GNSS measurement gap which is interpreted to be new validity duration).
Regarding claim 19, Yao discloses a method, comprising:
receiving, by a processor (see, Fig. 2, processor, 220) of a network node (see, Fig. 2, the network node, 218), a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) position fix time duration and a GNSS validity duration from a user equipment (UE) during an initial access (step 401, transmit from UE, the a network device, GNSS measurement related information, see, Fig. 3, report GNSS measurement related information includes a GNSS validity duration, a GNSS measurement gap and other assistance information);
transmitting, by the processor, a configuration based on the GNSS position fix time duration and the GNSS validity duration to the UE in a connected mode (see, 402, the receiver at the UE, the configuration for the GNSS measurement gap from the network device, see, step 401, perform GNSS measurement in connected state); and
receiving, by the processor, a new GNSS validity duration from the UE in the connected mode (see, Fig. 4, step 403, UE perform GNSS measurement in connected state, see, Fig. 5, an updated configuration for the GNSS measurement gap modified by the network device, which is interpreted as new GNSS validity duration from UE).
Regarding claims 22, Yao further discloses the method, wherein the new GNSS validity duration is received through a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) (see, para [0108], dedicated medium access control (MAC), control element (CE)).
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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 non-obviousness.
10. Claim(s) 2 and 13 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yao in view of Shrestha et al. (US 2023/0213661)(hereafter Shrestha).
Regarding claims 2 and 13, Yao does not explicitly disclose the method of Claim 1, wherein the GNSS position fix time duration and the GNSS validity duration are transmitted through a Message 5 (Msg5) message or a Message 3 (Msg3) message. However, in same field of endeavor, Shrestha teaches in para [0128], the GNSS validity report may be transmitted, at 612, in the RRC message based on a Msg5 without the integrity protection (e.g., encryption, at 610). In a second example, a Msg3 may be utilized if the transmission, at 612, includes available space/resources for the Msg3, or in a Msg5 without integrity protection (e.g., encryption, at 610). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Shrestha with the Yao, as a whole, so as to use the Msg3 or MSg5 as claimed to transmit GNSS fix time and validity duration, the motivation is to transmit GNSS validity report in non-terrestrial network.
Claim(s) 5 , 9 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yao in view of Yao et al. (US2025/0330857) (hereafter Yao’857).
Regarding claims 5 and 16, Yao does not disclose the method, wherein the configuration comprises a connected-mode discontinuous-reception (C-DRX), and wherein the GNSS measurement is autonomously performed during an inactive state of the C-DRX. However, in same field of endeavor, Yao’857 teaches in Fig. 6A, the connected discontinuous reception (C-DRX) cycle as shown and the GNSS measurement periodicity 2 has measurement gap 2 which is performed during the sleep period of the C-DRX cycle, which is in inactive state of the C-DRX. [0080] According to some other embodiments, the GNSS measurements in the remaining GNSS measurement periodicities within a sleep period of the C-DRX cycle (not shown) are suspended in this case, i.e., when the time slot gap is smaller than the predefined threshold. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Yao ‘857 with the Yao, as a whole, so as to perform GNSS measurement during inactive state of the Connected DRX cycle, the motivation is to perform enhanced GNSS measurement.
Regarding claim 9, Yao does not explicitly disclose the method, further comprising: receiving, by the processor, an uplink (UL) grant from the network node; and transmitting, by the processor, the new GNSS validity duration through resources indicated by the UL grant. However, in same field of endeavor, Yao’857 teaches in para [0106], the trigger for the GNSS measurement may comprise Radio Resource Control (RRC) configuration, Downlink Control Information (DCI) or Random Access Response Uplink (UL) Grant, and the second GNSS measurement parameter may be transmitted via Radio Resource Control (RRC) signaling. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Yao ‘857 with the Yao, as a whole, so as to perform GNSS measurement using UL grant and generate the parameter and transmit using RRC signaling, the motivation is to perform enhanced GNSS measurement.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 4, 6, 10, 11, 14-15, 17, 20 and 21 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Zhu (US2025/0155582) discloses measurement method and apparatus for global navigation satellite system (GNSS).
Hasegawa et al. (US 2025/0081142) discloses method and device for assisted positioning in wireless systems.
Ma et al. (US2023/0094902) discloses techniques for global navigation satellite system positioning.
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/DHAVAL V PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2631