DETAILED ACTION
This Office action is in response to the RCE filed 22 June 2026. Claims 1-11, 13-17, and 19-20 are pending in this 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 22 June 2026 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-11, 13-17, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
For Claim 1 (line 5), Claim 8 (line 6), “one or more spatial relations” appears to have antecedent basis in “a plurality of spatial relations”.
For Claim 1 (lines 8-9), Claim 15 (line 8), “one or more spatial relations” appears to have antecedent basis in “a plurality of spatial relations”.
For Claim 1 (lines 8-9), Claim 8 (lines 9-10), Claim 15 (lines 10-11), it is unclear what is meant by the spatial relations being a positioning reference signal when the spatial relations are previously indicated as being “of a positioning reference signal”. Also, it is not clear if “a positioning reference signal” has antecedent basis in the claim.
For Claim 1 (line 11), Claim 8 (line 12), Claim 15 (line 13), “the positioning reference signal” may have multiple possible antecedents.
For Claim 2, Claim 9, Claim 16, “one or more spatial relations for a positioning reference signal” should probably be corrected to ---the plurality of spatial relations for the positioning reference signal---.
For Claim 2, Claim 9, Claim 16, “the first information comprises” should probably be corrected to ---the first information further comprises---.
For Claim 4 (line 2), Claim 10 (line 2), Claim 17 (line 2), “one or more spatial relations” should probably be corrected to ---the plurality of spatial relations---.
For Claim 5 (line 2), Claim 11 (line 2), “a positioning reference signal” appears to have antecedent basis in the claim.
For Claim 8 (lines 16-18), Claim 15 (lines 17-19), the claim recites “at least one of the following”, but there is only one item listed. A possible amendment could be --- configuring
For Claim 15 (line 8), “a positioning reference signal” appears to have antecedent basis in the claim.
For Claim 15 (line 11), “the one or more spatial relations” should probably be corrected to ---the plurality of spatial relations---.
Remaining claims are rejected as depending from a rejected claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 1-3, 8-9, and 15-16, as understood in light of rejections under 35 USC 112, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Michalopoulos et al. (US 2022/0173857) in view of Liu et al. (US 2022/0326334) and Da et al. (US 2021/0328747).
For Claim 1, Michalopoulos teaches a spatial relation indication method, comprising:
sending, by a terminal, a request message to an LMF, the request message is used to request to configure spatial relations of a positioning reference signal (see paragraphs 15, 16, 75);
receiving, by the terminal, first information from the LMF, wherein the first information is used for configuring one or more spatial relations for the positioning reference signal (see abstract, paragraph 62, 79-80; also paragraphs 63-67: QCL information);
wherein the positioning reference signal is an on-demand positioning reference signal (see paragraph 75); wherein the one or more spatial relations is a positioning reference signal (see paragraph 69);
wherein in a case that the first information is used for configuring the spatial relations for the positioning reference signal, the first information is further used for indicating the following: a plurality of positioning reference signals in a positioning reference signal resource set have a same spatial relation (see paragraphs 63-67);
wherein the on-demand positioning reference signal is associated with one or more positioning reference signals (see paragraphs 75-76).
Michalopoulos as applied above is not explicit as to, but Liu teaches a plurality of spatial relations being configured for a positioning reference signal (see paragraphs 7, 152, 156, 315); and
that the first information comprises: a physical cell identifier (PCI); the first information is used for configuring the on-demand positioning reference signal (see paragraphs 156, 315).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed for the LMF to include the PRS information as in Liu when configuring the on-demand positioning reference signal as in Michalopoulos. The motivation would be to provide the UE with information necessary for improving positioning accuracy.
With regards to communications between a terminal and an LMF, it is well known in the art that a terminal communicates with core network devices via an access node such as a base station. As can be seen in Da (abstract, paragraph 130), requests by the UE to the LMF are necessarily forwarded to the LMF by the base station serving the UE.
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to have the interaction between the terminal and the LMF as in Michalopoulos take place via the serving base station as in Da, as is well known in the art. One of ordinary skill would have been able to implementing these communications with the reasonably predictable result of providing a functional path between a terminal and an LMF which may not even be in physical proximity.
For Claims 8 and 15, Michalopoulos teaches a spatial relation indication method, and a network-side device, comprising a processor, a memory, and a program or instructions stored in the memory and capable of running on the processor, wherein when the program or instructions are executed by the processor (see paragraph 5), the method comprising:
receiving, by a network-side device, a request message from a terminal, the request message is used to request to configure spatial relations of a positioning reference signal (see paragraphs 15, 16, 75);
sending, by the network-side device, first information, wherein the first information is used for configuring one or more spatial relations for the positioning reference signal (see abstract, paragraph 62, 79-80; also paragraphs 63-67: QCL information);
wherein the positioning reference signal is an on-demand positioning reference signal (see paragraph 75); wherein the one or more spatial relations is a positioning reference signal (see paragraph 69);
wherein in a case that the first information is used for configuring the spatial relations for the positioning reference signal, the first information is further used for indicating the following: a plurality of positioning reference signals in a positioning reference signal resource set have a same spatial relation (see paragraphs 63-67);
wherein the on-demand positioning reference signal is associated with one or more positioning reference signals (see paragraphs 75-76).
Michalopoulos as applied above is not explicit as to, but Liu teaches a plurality of spatial relations being configured for a positioning reference signal (see paragraphs 7, 152, 156, 315); and
that the first information comprises: a physical cell identifier (PCI); the first information is used for configuring the on-demand positioning reference signal (see paragraphs 156, 315).
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed for the LMF to include the PRS information as in Liu when configuring the on-demand positioning reference signal as in Michalopoulos. The motivation would be to provide the UE with information necessary for improving positioning accuracy.
With regards to communications between a terminal and an LMF, it is well known in the art that a terminal communicates with core network devices via an access node such as a base station. As can be seen in Da (abstract, paragraph 130), requests by the UE to the LMF are necessarily forwarded to the LMF by the base station serving the UE.
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to have the interaction between the terminal and the LMF as in Michalopoulos take place via the serving base station as in Da, as is well known in the art. One of ordinary skill would have been able to implementing these communications with the reasonably predictable result of providing a functional path between a terminal and an LMF which may not even be in physical proximity.
For Claims 2, 9, and 16, Michalopoulos teaches the method, wherein in a case that the first information is used for configuring one or more spatial relations for a positioning reference signal (see abstract, paragraph 63), the first information comprises at least one of the following:
a spatial relation list, wherein the spatial relation list comprises one or more spatial relations or one or more reference signals; or
one or more spatial relations (see paragraphs 63-66: QCL).
For Claim 3, Michalopoulos teaches the method, wherein a mapping relationship between the positioning reference signal and the spatial relation list comprises one of the following:
one positioning reference signal corresponds to one spatial relation list (see paragraphs 63-66: PRS mapping with QCL; paragraph 68: grouping information);
one positioning reference signal corresponds to a plurality of spatial relation lists;
a plurality of positioning reference signals correspond to one spatial relation list; and
a plurality of positioning reference signals correspond to a plurality of spatial relation lists.
Claim(s) 4, 10, and 17, as understood in light of rejections under 35 USC 112, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Michalopoulos et al. (US 2022/0173857), Liu et al. (US 2022/0326334), and Da et al. (US 2021/0328747) as applied to claims 1, 8 and 15 above, and further in view of Duan et al. (US 2024/0056129).
For Claims 4, 10, and 17, Michalopoulos as applied above is not explicit as to, but Duan teaches the method, wherein in a case that the first information is used for configuring one or more spatial relations for the positioning reference signal, the first information is further used for indicating at least one of the following:
a plurality of positioning reference signals have a same first spatial relation but different second spatial relations (see paragraphs 161-163, 184, 206: different QCL types, different common parameters);
a plurality of positioning reference signals are associated with a first reference signal, wherein a spatial range of the first reference signal is larger than a spatial range of the plurality of positioning reference signals;
a positioning reference signal is associated with a first reference signal and a second reference signal, wherein a spatial range of the first reference signal is larger than a spatial range of the second reference signal; or
a positioning reference signal is associated with a first reference signal and N second reference signals, wherein a spatial range of the first reference signal is larger than or equal to a spatial range of the N second reference signals, and N is a positive integer.
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to employ different spatial relations among plural positioning reference signals as in Duan when implementing the method of Michalopoulos. The motivation would have been to allow for diversity in the measurements by the UE.
Claim(s) 5 and 11, as understood in light of rejections under 35 USC 112, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Michalopoulos et al. (US 2022/0173857), Liu et al. (US 2022/0326334), and Da et al. (US 2021/0328747) as applied to claims 1 and 8 above, and further in view of Qi (US 2022/0014329.
For Claims 5 and 11, the references as applied above are not explicit as to, but Qi teaches the method, wherein in a case that the first information is used for configuring the plurality of spatial relations for a positioning reference signal, the first information is further used for indicating at least one of the following:
a plurality of positioning reference signals in a positioning reference signal resource set have a same first spatial relation but different second spatial relations (see paragraph 97);
a plurality of positioning reference signals in a positioning reference signal resource set are associated with a first reference signal, and a spatial range of the first reference signal is larger than a spatial range of the plurality of positioning reference signals;
a second positioning reference signal in a second positioning reference signal resource set has an integer relation with a first positioning reference signal in a first positioning reference signal resource set;
a second positioning reference signal in a second positioning reference signal resource set has an integer relation with a first positioning reference signal in a first positioning reference signal resource subset; or
in a case that second positioning reference signals in a second positioning reference signal resource set have a same first spatial relation with first positioning reference signals in a first positioning reference signal resource set, a quantity of the second positioning reference signals has an integer relation with a quantity of the first positioning reference signals.
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to establish different spatial relations for PRSs in a resource set as in Qi when configuring spatial relations for a PRS as in Michalopoulos. The motivation would be to allow for the different spatial relationships necessary for the positioning operations among the UEs in the cell.
Claim(s) 6, as understood in light of rejections under 35 USC 112, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Michalopoulos et al. (US 2022/0173857), Liu et al. (US 2022/0326334), and Da et al. (US 2021/0328747) as applied to claims 1 and 5 above, and further in view of Khoryaev et al. (US 2022/0191830).
For Claim 6, Michalopoulos as applied above is not explicit as to, but Khoryaev teaches the method according, wherein the first information is used for indicating at least one of the following:
one positioning reference signal has a plurality of repetitions, wherein the plurality of repetitions are mapped to different antenna ports and/or precoding information (see paragraphs 36, 48, 61);
the plurality of positioning reference signals in the positioning reference signal resource set are mapped to different antenna ports and/or precoding information;
the positioning reference signal has a plurality of periods, wherein the plurality of periods are mapped to different antenna ports and/or precoding information;
one positioning reference signal has a plurality of repetitions, wherein the plurality of repetitions are associated with different spatial relations;
the plurality of positioning reference signals in the positioning reference signal resource set are associated with different spatial relations; and
the positioning reference signal has a plurality of periods, wherein the plurality of periods are associated with different spatial relations.
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to use plural antenna ports for a PRS as in Khoryaev when implementing the method of Michalopoulos. One of ordinary skill would have been able to do so with the reasonably predictable result of improving performance with increased transmit diversity.
Claim(s) 7, 13, and 19, as understood in light of rejections under 35 USC 112, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Michalopoulos et al. (US 2022/0173857), Liu et al. (US 2022/0326334), and Da et al. (US 2021/0328747) as applied to claims 1, 8, 15, and 18 above, and further in view of Manolakos et al. (US 2024/0137901).
For Claims 7, 13, and 19, Michalopoulos as applied above is not explicit as to, but Manolakos teaches the method 1, wherein the first information is used for configuring at least one of the following for the on-demand positioning reference signal:
a spatial relation list, wherein the spatial relation list comprises one or more spatial relations (see paragraphs 117-118, 124);
one or more spatial relations;
one or more pieces of expected angle of departure AoD direction information and/or width information (see paragraph 123: AoD); and
one or more pieces of expected angle of arrival AoA direction information and/or width information.
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to establish spatial relations for an on-demand PRS as in Manolakos when implementing the method of Michalopoulos. The motivation would be to ensure the PRS parameters are provided in the case of conserving bandwidth by performing on-demand signaling.
Claim(s) 14 and 20, as understood in light of rejections under 35 USC 112, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Michalopoulos et al. (US 2022/0173857), Liu et al. (US 2022/0326334), and Da et al. (US 2021/0328747) as applied to claims 8 and 15 above, and further in view of Rao et al. (US 2024/0015686).
For Claims 14 and 20, Michalopoulos as applied above is not explicit as to, but Rao teaches the method, wherein in a case that a spatial relation of a downlink positioning reference signal is updated (see paragraphs 97-98, 105), the method further comprises: performing, by the network-side device, at least one of the following actions on an uplink signal that uses the downlink positioning reference signal as a spatial relation:
updating, based on the updated spatial relation of the downlink positioning reference signal, spatial information corresponding to the uplink signal (see paragraphs 97-98, 105: update; paragraphs 143, 308: configuration includes QCL);
sending first signaling to a location management function, LMF, wherein the first signaling comprises the spatial relation of the downlink positioning reference signal and/or the spatial relation of the uplink signal; or
receiving the uplink signal based on the spatial relation of the downlink positioning reference signal when the uplink signal is configured.
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the application was filed to update spatial relations in the configuration information for both UL and DL signals when the configuration is updated. One of ordinary skill would have been able to do so with the reasonably predictable result of ensuring that the PRS remains current even as network conditions change.
Response to Arguments
The amendment filed 22 June 2026 has been entered.
The amendments have resulted in new rejections under 35 USC 112.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to rejections under 35 USC 103 have been fully considered, but are either not persuasive or moot in view of the new grounds of rejection introduced herein. The claims remain rejected under 35 USC 103.
With regards to teachings of Michalopoulos, paragraph 63 does indicated shared spatial relations in a group of positioning reference signals.
With regards to “different spatial relations to a plurality of resources while adopting the same QCL for different resources”, this is not claimed.
With regards to “one or more spatial relations is a positioning reference signal”, please see the 112 rejections.
With regards to effects of establishing a correlation between an on-demand PRS and the PRSs, please note that this is not claimed.
Da and Manolakos are not relied on for matter taught in other references
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Ren et al. (US 2022/0150866) and Gunnarsson et al. (US 2023/0156654) teach an LMF providing PRS spatial information to a UE.
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/CASSANDRA L DECKER/Examiner, Art Unit 2466 7/13/2026
/FARUK HAMZA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2466
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