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
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(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.
Claims 1-4, 6, 9-11, 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)-(a)(2) as being anticipated by Marshall et al. (US Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0324111).
Regarding claim 1, Marshall teaches a method of a satellite (Fig. 1), comprising:
transmitting a request signal requesting a terminal to periodically report assistance information for round-trip time calculation (BS 172 asks UE 112 to frequently report assistance info for RTT [Paragraphs 20, 22, 75-77, 94-96, 100, 117-118, 121, 125, 186, 190, 350-351]);
receiving the assistance information periodically reported from the terminal (UE 112 reporting the assistance info to BS 172 [Paragraphs 20, 22, 75-77, 94-96, 100, 117-118, 121, 125, 186, 190, 350-351]);
calculating round-trip times based on the assistance information (RTT is then estimated based on the assistance info [Paragraphs 20, 22, 75-77, 94-96, 100, 117-118, 121, 125, 186, 190, 350-351]); and
estimating a location of the terminal using the round trip times (then the location of UE 112 is determined [Paragraphs 20, 22, 75-77, 94-96, 100, 117-118, 121, 125, 186, 190, 350-351]).
Regarding claim 2, Marshall further teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the assistance information is a required transmission time (transmission time is part of the assistance info [Paragraphs 38-39, 101]), which is a time difference between an arrival time of a downlink signal transmitted from the satellite to the terminal and a transmission time of an uplink signal in response to the downlink signal (time difference between uplinks and downlinks signals is part of the transmission time of the assistance info [Paragraphs 54, 121]), and in the calculating of the round-trip times based on the assistance information, the satellite calculates the round-trip times using the required transmission times which are the periodically reported assistance information (RTT calculated based on the time difference in the transmissions of the uplinks and downlinks signals [Paragraphs 125, 369]).
Regarding claim 3, Marshall further teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the assistance information is a timing advance ([Paragraph 38]), and in the calculating of the round-trip times based on the assistance information, the satellite calculates the round-trip times using the timing advances which are the periodically reported assistance information (RTT calculated based on the timing advances [Paragraphs 125, 369]).
Regarding claim 4, Marshall further teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the estimating of the location of the terminal using the round trip times comprises:
calculating distances between the terminal and the satellite using the round-trip times (distances calculated using RTT between UE and BS [Paragraphs 125, 369]); and
estimating the location of the terminal based on the distances ([Paragraphs 4, 128]).
Regarding claim 6, Marshall further teaches the method according to claim 4, further comprising:
when a plurality of locations are estimated, acquiring a location of another terminal having round trip times closest to the calculated round trip times (second UE is used for the calculation of locations using the RTT [Paragraphs 20, 22, 75-77, 94-96, 100, 117-118, 121, 125, 186, 190, 350-351]); and
obtaining one actual location from the plurality of locations based on the acquired location of the another terminal (then the actual location is determined for each of the UEs[Paragraphs 20, 22, 75-77, 94-96, 100, 117-118, 121, 125, 186, 190, 350-351]).
Regarding claim 9, Marshall teaches a method of a terminal (Fig. 1), comprising:
receiving, from a satellite, a request signal requesting to periodically report assistance information for round-trip time calculation (BS 172 asks UE 112 to frequently report assistance info for RTT [Paragraphs 20, 22, 75-77, 94-96, 100, 117-118, 121, 125, 186, 190, 350-351]), the request signal including a reporting periodicity and a type of assistance information (UE 112 reporting the assistance info to BS 172 [Paragraphs 20, 22, 75-77, 94-96, 100, 117-118, 121, 125, 186, 190, 350-351]);
generating the assistance information according to the request signal (UE 112 then provides the assistance info for the BS 172 [Paragraphs 20, 22, 75-77, 94-96, 100, 117-118, 121, 125, 186, 190, 350-351]); and
periodically reporting the generated assistance information to the satellite (UE 112 constantly reports the assistance info to BS 172 [Paragraphs 20, 22, 75-77, 94-96, 100, 117-118, 121, 125, 186, 190, 350-351]).
Regarding claim 10, Marshall further teaches the method according to claim 9, wherein when the type of assistance information is a required transmission time, the generating of the assistance information according to the request signal comprises:
receiving a downlink signal from the satellite base station (UE receives the DL signals from BS);
calculating an arrival time of the downlink signal (DL TOA is estimated [Paragraphs 54, 121]);
calculating a transmission time of a response signal to the downlink signal (UL TOT is estimated in response to the DL TOA [Paragraphs 54, 121]); and
calculating the required transmission time, which is a time difference between the arrival time and the transmission time, as the assistance information (time difference between uplinks and downlinks signals is part of the transmission time of the assistance info [Paragraphs 54, 121]).
Regarding claim 11, Marshall further teaches the method according to claim 9, wherein when the type of assistance information is a timing advance (TA), the terminal uses a TA with respect to the satellite as the assistance information (RTT calculated based on the timing advances [Paragraphs 125, 369]).
Regarding claim 14, Marshall teaches a terminal comprising a processor (Fig. 1),
wherein the processor causes the terminal to perform ([Paragraph 8]):
receiving, from a satellite, a request signal requesting to periodically report assistance information for round-trip time calculation (BS 172 asks UE 112 to frequently report assistance info for RTT [Paragraphs 20, 22, 75-77, 94-96, 100, 117-118, 121, 125, 186, 190, 350-351]), the request signal including a reporting periodicity and a type of assistance information (UE 112 reporting the assistance info to BS 172 [Paragraphs 20, 22, 75-77, 94-96, 100, 117-118, 121, 125, 186, 190, 350-351]);
generating the assistance information according to the request signal (UE 112 generates the assistance info [UE 112 reporting the assistance info to BS 172 [Paragraphs 20, 22, 75-77, 94-96, 100, 117-118, 121, 125, 186, 190, 350-351]]); and
periodically reporting the generated assistance information to the satellite (UE 112 constantly reports the assistance info to BS 172 [Paragraphs 20, 22, 75-77, 94-96, 100, 117-118, 121, 125, 186, 190, 350-351]).
Regarding claim 15, Marshall further teaches the terminal according to claim 14, wherein when the type of assistance information is a required transmission time, in the generating of the assistance information according to the request signal, the processor further causes the terminal to perform:
receiving a downlink signal from the satellite base station (UE receives the DL signals from BS);
calculating an arrival time of the downlink signal (DL TOA is estimated [Paragraphs 54, 121]);
calculating a transmission time of a response signal to the downlink signal (UL TOT is estimated in response to the DL TOA [Paragraphs 54, 121]); and
calculating the required transmission time, which is a time difference between the arrival time and the transmission time, as the assistance information (time difference between uplinks and downlinks signals is part of the transmission time of the assistance info [Paragraphs 54, 121]).
Regarding claim 16, Marshall further teaches the terminal according to claim 14, wherein when the type of assistance information is a timing advance (TA), the terminal uses a TA with respect to the satellite as the assistance information (RTT calculated based on the timing advances [Paragraphs 125, 369]).
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 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.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Marshall et al. (US Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0324111) in view of Van Diggelen et al. (US Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0004877).
Regarding claim 5, Marshall teaches all the limitations recited in claim 4.
However, Marshall does not explicitly mention: when a plurality of locations are estimated, calculating an angle of arrival for an uplink signal transmitted from the terminal; and determining one actual location from the plurality of locations using the calculated angle of arrival.
Van Diggelen teaches, in a similar field of endeavor of communication systems, the following:
when a plurality of locations are estimated, calculating an angle of arrival for an uplink signal transmitted from the terminal; and determining one actual location from the plurality of locations using the calculated angle of arrival (location of the UE is determined based on AOA [Paragraphs 19, 21, 30, 33]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the communication system (as taught by Marshall) by using AOA (as taught by Van Diggelen) for the purpose of proper location determination (Van Diggelen – Paragraph 2).
Claims 7, 12, 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Marshall et al. (US Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0324111) in view of Lasagabaster et al. (US Patent Application Publication No. 2011/0148700).
Regarding claim 7, Marshall teaches all the limitations recited in claim 1.
However, Marshall does not explicitly mention: transmitting ephemeris information of the satellite to the terminal, wherein the assistance information is information calculated by the terminal based on predicted locations of the satellite based on the ephemeris information.
Lasagabaster teaches, in a similar field of endeavor of communication systems, the following:
transmitting ephemeris information of the satellite to the terminal, wherein the assistance information is information calculated by the terminal based on predicted locations of the satellite based on the ephemeris information (location of the UE is determined based on ephemeris info [Paragraphs 13, 16, 34]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the communication system (as taught by Marshall) by using ephemeris info (as taught by Lasagabaster) for the purpose of speeding up the process of communication (Lasagabaster – Paragraph 4).
Regarding claim 12, Marshall teaches all the limitations recited in claim 9.
However, Marshall does not explicitly mention: receiving ephemeris information from the satellite, and the generating of the assistance information according to the request signal comprises: predicting movement locations of the satellite based on the ephemeris information; and generating the assistance information based on the predicted locations of the satellite.
Lasagabaster teaches, in a similar field of endeavor of communication systems, the following:
receiving ephemeris information from the satellite, and the generating of the assistance information according to the request signal comprises: predicting movement locations of the satellite based on the ephemeris information; and generating the assistance information based on the predicted locations of the satellite (location of the UE is determined based on ephemeris info [Paragraphs 13, 16, 34]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the communication system (as taught by Marshall) by using ephemeris info (as taught by Lasagabaster) for the purpose of speeding up the process of communication (Lasagabaster – Paragraph 4).
Regarding claim 17, Marshall teaches all the limitations recited in claim 14.
However, Marshall does not explicitly mention: receiving ephemeris information from the satellite, and in the generating of the assistance information according to the request signal, the processor further causes the terminal to perform: predicting movement locations of the satellite based on the ephemeris information; and generating the assistance information based on the predicted locations of the satellite.
Lasagabaster teaches, in a similar field of endeavor of communication systems, the following:
receiving ephemeris information from the satellite, and in the generating of the assistance information according to the request signal, the processor further causes the terminal to perform: predicting movement locations of the satellite based on the ephemeris information; and generating the assistance information based on the predicted locations of the satellite (location of the UE is determined based on ephemeris info [Paragraphs 13, 16, 34]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the communication system (as taught by Marshall) by using ephemeris info (as taught by Lasagabaster) for the purpose of speeding up the process of communication (Lasagabaster – Paragraph 4).
Claims 8, 13, 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Marshall et al. (US Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0324111) in view of Kim et al. (US Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0049291).
Regarding claim 8, Marshall teaches all the limitations recited in claim 1.
However, Marshall does not explicitly mention: transmitting information on a virtual location of the satellite to the terminal, wherein the assistance information is information calculated by the terminal based on the information on the virtual location of the satellite.
Kim teaches, in a similar field of endeavor of communication systems, the following:
transmitting information on a virtual location of the satellite to the terminal, wherein the assistance information is information calculated by the terminal based on the information on the virtual location of the satellite (location of the UE is determined based on virtual info [Paragraphs 13-20]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the communication system (as taught by Marshall) by using virtual location (as taught by Kim) for the purpose of tracking locations properly (Kim – Paragraph 3).
Regarding claim 13, Marshall teaches all the limitations recited in claim 9.
However, Marshall does not explicitly mention: receiving information on a virtual location of the satellite from the satellite, and the generating of the assistance information according to the request signal comprises: identifying the virtual location of the satellite; and generating the assistance information based on the virtual location of the satellite.
Kim teaches, in a similar field of endeavor of communication systems, the following:
receiving information on a virtual location of the satellite from the satellite, and the generating of the assistance information according to the request signal comprises: identifying the virtual location of the satellite; and generating the assistance information based on the virtual location of the satellite (location of the UE is determined based on virtual info [Paragraphs 13-20]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the communication system (as taught by Marshall) by using virtual location (as taught by Kim) for the purpose of tracking locations properly (Kim – Paragraph 3).
Regarding claim 18, Marshall teaches all the limitations recited in claim 14.
However, Marshall does not explicitly mention: receiving information on a virtual location of the satellite from the satellite, and in the generating of the assistance information according to the request signal, the processor further causes the terminal to perform: identifying the virtual location of the satellite; and generating the assistance information based on the virtual location of the satellite.
Kim teaches, in a similar field of endeavor of communication systems, the following:
receiving information on a virtual location of the satellite from the satellite, and in the generating of the assistance information according to the request signal, the processor further causes the terminal to perform: identifying the virtual location of the satellite; and generating the assistance information based on the virtual location of the satellite (location of the UE is determined based on virtual info [Paragraphs 13-20]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the communication system (as taught by Marshall) by using virtual location (as taught by Kim) for the purpose of tracking locations properly (Kim – Paragraph 3).
Conclusion
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February 2, 2026
/FABRICIO R MURILLO GARCIA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2633