NODE SELECTION METHOD, TERMINAL, AND NETWORK SIDE DEVICE

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 Status This office action is in response to the communication(s) filed on 06/26/2026. Claim(s) 1, 3, 5-6, 10-15, 17, and 19-20 is/are currently presenting for examination. Claim(s) 1 and 15 is/are independent claim(s). Claim(s) 1, 3, 5-6, 10-15, 17, and 19-20 is/are rejected. This action has been made FINAL. Response to Arguments Applicant's arguments filed on 06/26/2026 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection. 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. 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. This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention. Claim(s) 1, 3, 5-6, 11-15, 17, and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US_20190239181_A1_Gangakhedkar in view of US_20220381872_A1_Vassilovski. Regarding claim 1, Gangakhedkar teaches a node selection method, comprising: selecting, by a first node, a second, wherein the second node is used for performing positioning together with the first node (Gangakhedkar figures 1, 3, abstract, paragraphs 39. One of the target nodes is corresponding to the claimed “first node”, and one of the anchor nodes is corresponding to the claimed “second node”), first information is carried in a request message to the second node for establishing a PC5 unicast link or the first information is broadcasted to the second node (Gangakhedkar figure 3, step 301, paragraph 68, “…CP request may be unicast or broadcast…”,and paragraph 64, “…It contains an identifier for the target node and specifies a “CP mode”…”); and receiving, by the first node, second information sent by the second node when a first condition is met (Gangakhedkar figure 3, S305, “Anchor nodes provide positioning support”, paragraph 69, “…a set of anchor nodes is selected to meet that request (step S302).…” ), wherein the first condition comprises: when the first information comprises a first requirement, the second node meets the first requirement in the first information (Gangakhedkar figure 3, paragraph 8, “…The transmitter enables the node to transmit the request for positioning support at a time that suits the node, in dependence on its own situation and the requirements of any applications it might be running...”, paragraph 69, “…a set of anchor nodes is selected to meet that request (step S302).…”), but does not teach wherein the second node comprises a node that needs to establish a connection to the first node, wherein when the second node is a node that needs to establish a connection to the first node, selecting, by the first node, the second node is performed in a process of establishing a connection between the first node and the second node, wherein when selecting, by the first node, the second node is performed in the process of establishing the connection between the first node and the second node Vassilovski from the same or similar fields of endeavor teaches: wherein the second node comprises a node that needs to establish a connection to the first node (Vassilovski figures 3, steps 320 to 330-b, paragraphs 108-109, initiator UE 315-a attempts to establish connections with the target UEs 315-b to 315-n), wherein when the second node is a node that needs to establish a connection to the first node (Vassilovski figures 3, steps 320 to 330-b, paragraphs 108-109, initiator UE 315-a attempts to establish connections with the target UEs 315-b to 315-n), selecting, by the first node, the second node is performed in a process of establishing a connection between the first node and the second node, wherein when selecting, by the first node, the second node is performed in the process of establishing the connection between the first node and the second node (Vassilovski figures 3-6, any of the target UEs 315-b to 315-n which sent back the direct communication accept message will be selected for the sidelink ranging sessions). Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the teachings of Vassilovski into Gangakhedkar, since Gangakhedkar suggests a technique for positioning support from the anchor nodes, and Vassilovski suggests the beneficial way of selecting target UEs for positioning support when establishing sidelink connections so that/thus selects proper target UEs in the analogous art of communication. Regarding claim 3, Gangakhedkar and Vassilovski teach the node selection method according to claim 1, and Vassilovski further teaches wherein establishing the connection between the first node and the second node comprises at least one of the following: sending, by the first node, the request message for establishing the PC5 unicast link to the second node in the PC5 broadcast manner (Vassilovski figures 3, step 320, and paragraph 108, “At 320, the initiator UE 315-a may transmit (e.g., broadcast), via at least one sidelink connection to one or more target UEs 315…the initiator UE 315-a may broadcast the PC5-S message…”); or sending, by the first node, a request message for establishing the PC5 unicast link to the second node in a PC5 unicast manner. Regarding claim 5, Gangakhedkar and Vassilovski teach the node selection method according to claim 3, and Vassilovski further teaches wherein the request message for establishing the PC5 unicast link comprises at least one of the following: a Direct Communication Request message (Vassilovski figures 3, step 320, paragraph 108, direct communication request or PC5-S message); a newly defined request message for establishing a PC5 unicast link (Vassilovski figures 3, step 320, paragraph 108, direct communication request or PC5-S message); or a message related to establishment security of the second node (Vassilovski figures 3, step 325-a to 325-b). Regarding claim 6, Gangakhedkar and Vassilovski teach the node selection method according to claim 3, and Vassilovski further teaches wherein: when the request message for establishing the PC5 unicast link is a Direct Communication Request message (Vassilovski paragraph 108, “… the initiator UE 315-a may transmit a direct communication request or a PC5-S message, which may include a service identifier (e.g., sidelink ranging service identifier) initiating a sidelink-based ranging session with the target UEs 315 (e.g., UE 315-b through UE 315-n). In some cases, the service identifier may be or otherwise include a V2X service identifier. In some examples, the group sidelink communication request may be a broadcast sidelink communication request. For example, the initiator UE 315-a may broadcast the PC5-S message which includes the sidelink-based ranging session service identifier”), the second information is carried in a Direct Communication Accept message (Vassilovski paragraph 109, “…At 330, the target UEs 315 (e.g., UE 315-b through UE 315-n) may each transmit a communication acceptance message to the initiator UE 315-a which may indicate to the initiator UE 315-a that the target UEs 315 accept the sidelink-based ranging session request”); when the request message for establishing the PC5 unicast link is a newly defined request message for establishing a PC5 unicast link, the second information is carried in a newly defined request message for responding to establishment of the PC5 unicast link; or when the request message for establishing the PC5 unicast link is a message related to establishment security of the second node, the second information is carried in a message related to establishment security of the first node. Regarding claim 11, Gangakhedkar and Vassilovski teach the node selection method according to claim 10, and Vassilovski further teaches wherein: when selecting, by the first node, the second node is performed in the process of establishing the connection between the first node and the second node, the second information is carried in a Direct Communication Request message (Vassilovski figures 3, step 320, paragraph 108, direct communication request or PC5-S message); when selecting, by the first node, the second node is performed in the process of establishing the connection between the first node and the second node, the second information is carried in a newly defined request message for establishing a PC5 unicast link (Vassilovski figures 3, step 320, paragraph 108, direct communication request or PC5-S message); when selecting, by the first node, the second node is performed in the process of establishing the connection between the first node and the second node, the second information is carried in a message related to establishment security of the first node; or when the second node does not need to establish the connection to the first node, the second information is carried in a broadcast message other than a request message for establishing a PC5 unicast link. Regarding claim 12, Gangakhedkar and Vassilovski teach the node selection method according to claim 1, and Vassilovski further teaches wherein selecting, by the first node, the second node comprises: selecting, by the first node, the second node according to a first rule, wherein the first rule is agreed on in a protocol (Vassilovski figures 3, paragraphs 105, 108, PC5-S protocol) or depends on an implementation of the first node (Vassilovski figures 3, paragraph 109, “…At 330, the target UEs 315 (e.g., UE 315-b through UE 315-n) may each transmit a communication acceptance message to the initiator UE 315-a which may indicate to the initiator UE 315-a that the target UEs 315 accept the sidelink-based ranging session request…”, paragraph 110, “ At 335, the initiator UE 315-a may transmit to the target UEs 315 (e.g., UE 315-b through UE 315-n), via the at least one sidelink connection, one or more PRS requests…”. That means, the initiator UE selects those target UEs which transmitted back the communication acceptance message, and the initiator UE transmits one or more PRS requests to those target UEs), wherein after selecting, by the first node, the second node, the method further comprises: at least one of the following: sending, by the first node, the third information to a selected second node (Vassilovski figures 3, steps 3325-a to 335-b, the PRS request is corresponding to the claimed “third information”); or sending, by the first node, the third information to an unselected second node. Regarding claim 13, Gangakhedkar and Vassilovski teach the node selection method according to claim 12, and Gangakhedkar further teaches wherein the third information comprises at least one of the following: when the first node sends the third information to a selected second node, information used for indicating that the second node is selected by the first node as a node used for performing positioning (Gangakhedkar figure 3, step S303, paragraph 75, “In step S303 an instruction is transmitted to the selected anchor nodes asking them to provide the target node with positioning support…”); when the first node sends the third information to an unselected second node, information used for indicating that the second node is not selected by the first node as a node used for performing positioning; information used for indicating that the second node is not selected by the first node as a node used for performing positioning; or information used for indicating that the second node is selected by the first node as a node used for performing positioning (Gangakhedkar figure 3, step S303, paragraph 75, “In step S303 an instruction is transmitted to the selected anchor nodes asking them to provide the target node with positioning support…”). Regarding claim 14, Gangakhedkar and Vassilovski teach the node selection method according to claim 1, and Gangakhedkar further teaches wherein selecting, by the first node, the second node comprises: selecting, by the first node, the second node according to first indication information sent by a third node, wherein the third node is one of the following: a base station (Gangakhedkar paragraph 12, “The selection unit may be configured to select the set of anchor nodes in dependence on information about the plurality of anchor nodes that it receives from those anchor nodes and/or from a network node…”, paragraph 41, “…A network node could be a base station…”); or a core network function (Gangakhedkar paragraph 12, “The selection unit may be configured to select the set of anchor nodes in dependence on information about the plurality of anchor nodes that it receives from those anchor nodes and/or from a network node…”, paragraph 40, “…These network nodes may form part of the core network…”). Regarding claim 15, Gangakhedkar and Vassilovski teach the limitations as set forth in claim 1, and Vassilovski further teaches a terminal, comprising a processor; a memory having a computer program or an instruction stored thereon, wherein the computer program or the instruction, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform operations (Vassilovski figures 8). Regarding claim 17, Gangakhedkar and Vassilovski teach the limitations as set forth in claim 3. Regarding claim 19, Gangakhedkar and Vassilovski teach the limitations as set forth in claim 5. Regarding claim 20, Gangakhedkar and Vassilovski teach the limitations as set forth in claim 6. Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US_20190239181_A1_Gangakhedkar in view of US_20220381872_A1_Vassilovski and US_20240118370_A1_Duan. Regarding claim 10, Gangakhedkar and Vassilovski teach the node selection method according to claim 1, and Gangakhedkar further teaches wherein: the first condition further comprises when the first information comprises positioning-related information, the second node is interested in the positioning-related information in the first information (Gangakhedkar paragraph 51 “…In summary, the flowchart of FIG. 3 comprises a target node transmitting a request for positioning support (step S301), followed by a step of selecting a set of anchor nodes for meeting that request (step S302). This triggers the transmission of a positioning instruction to anchor nodes in the selected set (step S303). In some embodiments, the anchor nodes can choose whether or not to comply with that instruction (step S304). The anchor nodes then provide positioning support to the target node via the sidelink (step S305)”), Gangakhedkar and Vassilovski do not teach wherein content of the second information comprises at least one of the following:  Zone information of the second node;  a Reference Signal Receiving Power (RSRP) value measured by the second node;  movement state information of the second node, wherein the movement state information comprises at least one of the following: a static state or a moving state, a movement speed value, a level of a movement speed, a movement speed is not lower than a fifth threshold or not higher than a sixth threshold, or an interval of a movement speed value;  a network coverage state of the second node, wherein the network coverage state comprises at least one of the following: being located in a coverage range of a base station, or not being located in a coverage range of a base station;  a PC5 unicast link state of the second node, wherein the PC5 unicast link state comprises at least one of the following:  having established a PC5 unicast link to other terminals or having not established a PC5 unicast link to other terminals,  when being a PC5 unicast link state of the second node, having established a PC5 unicast link to other terminals other than the first node or having not established a PC5 unicast link to other terminals other than the first node,  a quantity of other terminals to which a PC5 unicast link has been established is not lower than a seventh threshold,  when being a PC5 unicast link state of the second node, a quantity of other terminals other than the first node to which a PC5 unicast link has been established is not lower than an eighth threshold,  a quantity of other terminals to which a PC5 unicast link has been established is not higher than a ninth threshold,  when being a PC5 unicast link state of the second node, a quantity of other terminals other than the first node to which a PC5 unicast link has been established is not higher than a tenth threshold,  a set of a quantity of other terminals to which a PC5 unicast link has been established; or  when being a PC5 unicast link state of the second node, a set of a quantity of other terminals other than the first node to which a PC5 unicast link has been established; or  positioning-related capability information of the second node, wherein the positioning-related capability information comprises at least one of the following: having an absolute positioning capability, having a relative positioning capability, having a Radio Access Technology-dependent (RAT-dependent) positioning capability, having an RAT-independent positioning capability, having a capability of performing positioning through a sidelink, positioning precision, or a capability having positioning integrity,  wherein:  the first requirement comprises at least one of the following:  a capability requirement on the second node, wherein the capability requirement on the second node comprises at least one of the following: having an absolute positioning capability, having a relative positioning capability, having an RAT-dependent positioning capability, having an RAT-independent positioning capability, having a capability of performing positioning through a sidelink, positioning precision, or a capability having positioning integrity;  an RSRP threshold value;  a requirement on Zone information of the second node;  a movement state requirement on the second node, wherein the movement state requirement on the second node comprises at least one of the following: being in a static state, being in a moving state, a static state is prior to a moving state, a movement speed is not higher than a first threshold, a movement speed is a value in a set, a movement speed is not lower than a second threshold, or a level of a movement speed;  a network coverage state requirement on the second node, wherein the network coverage state requirement on the second node comprises at least one of the following that: the second node needs to be located in a coverage range of a base station, or the second node does not need to be located in a coverage range of a base station; or  a PC5 unicast link state requirement on the second node, wherein the PC5 unicast link state requirement on the second node comprises at least one of the following: needing to have established a PC5 unicast link to other terminals other than the first node, not needing to have established a PC5 unicast link to other terminals other than the first node, a quantity of other terminals to which a PC5 unicast link has been established is not lower than a third threshold, a quantity of other terminals to which a PC5 unicast link has been established is not higher than a fourth threshold, or a set or interval of a quantity of other terminals to which a PC5 unicast link has been established,  the positioning-related information comprises at least one of the following:  positioning precision/accuracy;  positioning integrity;  a positioning type;  a positioning update cycle; or  a positioning technology, or  the information about the first node or the information about the second node comprises at least one of the following:  Zone information of the first node or the second node;  movement state information;  a network coverage state;  a PC5 unicast link state; or positioning-related capability information. Duan discloses wherein content of the second information comprises at least one of the following:  Zone information of the second node;  a Reference Signal Receiving Power (RSRP) value measured by the second node (Duan figure 11, element 1104, measurement quality metric of each of the one or more position measurements of the candidate anchor UE, paragraph 49, “…a measurement quality metric (such as a receive signal (RS) receive power (RSRP)…”);  movement state information of the second node (Duan figure 11, element 1106, mobility status of the candidate anchor UE) wherein the movement state information comprises at least one of the following: a static state or a moving state, a movement speed value, a level of a movement speed, a movement speed is not lower than a fifth threshold or not higher than a sixth threshold, or an interval of a movement speed value (Duan figure 11, element 1106, paragraph 139, “At block 802, the device obtains, for one or more of a plurality of candidate anchor VEs, a mobility status of the candidate anchor UE… The movement may be a velocity, speed, acceleration, displacement, or other indication of a mobility of the candidate anchor UE...”);  a network coverage state of the second node, wherein the network coverage state comprises at least one of the following: being located in a coverage range of a base station, or not being located in a coverage range of a base station;  a PC5 unicast link state of the second node, wherein the PC5 unicast link state comprises at least one of the following:  having established a PC5 unicast link to other terminals or having not established a PC5 unicast link to other terminals,  when being a PC5 unicast link state of the second node, having established a PC5 unicast link to other terminals other than the first node or having not established a PC5 unicast link to other terminals other than the first node,  a quantity of other terminals to which a PC5 unicast link has been established is not lower than a seventh threshold,  when being a PC5 unicast link state of the second node, a quantity of other terminals other than the first node to which a PC5 unicast link has been established is not lower than an eighth threshold,  a quantity of other terminals to which a PC5 unicast link has been established is not higher than a ninth threshold,  when being a PC5 unicast link state of the second node, a quantity of other terminals other than the first node to which a PC5 unicast link has been established is not higher than a tenth threshold,  a set of a quantity of other terminals to which a PC5 unicast link has been established; or  when being a PC5 unicast link state of the second node, a set of a quantity of other terminals other than the first node to which a PC5 unicast link has been established; or  positioning-related capability information of the second node, wherein the positioning-related capability information comprises at least one of the following: having an absolute positioning capability, having a relative positioning capability, having a Radio Access Technology-dependent (RAT-dependent) positioning capability, having an RAT-independent positioning capability, having a capability of performing positioning through a sidelink, positioning precision, or a capability having positioning integrity,  wherein:  the first requirement comprises at least one of the following:  a capability requirement on the second node, wherein the capability requirement on the second node comprises at least one of the following: having an absolute positioning capability, having a relative positioning capability, having an RAT-dependent positioning capability, having an RAT-independent positioning capability, having a capability of performing positioning through a sidelink, positioning precision, or a capability having positioning integrity;  an RSRP threshold value;  a requirement on Zone information of the second node;  a movement state requirement on the second node, wherein the movement state requirement on the second node comprises at least one of the following: being in a static state, being in a moving state, a static state is prior to a moving state, a movement speed is not higher than a first threshold, a movement speed is a value in a set, a movement speed is not lower than a second threshold, or a level of a movement speed;  a network coverage state requirement on the second node, wherein the network coverage state requirement on the second node comprises at least one of the following that: the second node needs to be located in a coverage range of a base station, or the second node does not need to be located in a coverage range of a base station; or  a PC5 unicast link state requirement on the second node, wherein the PC5 unicast link state requirement on the second node comprises at least one of the following: needing to have established a PC5 unicast link to other terminals other than the first node, not needing to have established a PC5 unicast link to other terminals other than the first node, a quantity of other terminals to which a PC5 unicast link has been established is not lower than a third threshold, a quantity of other terminals to which a PC5 unicast link has been established is not higher than a fourth threshold, or a set or interval of a quantity of other terminals to which a PC5 unicast link has been established,  the positioning-related information comprises at least one of the following:  positioning precision/accuracy;  positioning integrity;  a positioning type;  a positioning update cycle; or  a positioning technology, or  the information about the first node or the information about the second node comprises at least one of the following:  Zone information of the first node or the second node;  movement state information;  a network coverage state;  a PC5 unicast link state; or positioning-related capability information. Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the teachings of Duan’s the target UE obtaining information associated with one or more of: position measurements and measurement quality metrics from one or more candidate anchor user equipments (UEs), mobility statuses for one or more candidate anchor UEs, or geometric dilution of precisions (GDOPs) associated with one or more candidate anchor UEs in Gangakhedkar and Vassilovski’s system to identify the best subsets of candidate anchor UEs for positioning of the target UE (Duan paragraph 151). This method for improving the system of Gangakhedkar and Vassilovski was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Duan. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Gangakhedkar, Vassilovski and Duan to obtain the invention as specified in claim 10. Conclusion Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action. 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To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /W.H/Examiner, Art Unit 2471 /SUJOY K KUNDU/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2471