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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/18/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues, the Examiner asserts that Thomas discloses " obtaining, from the first UE of the plurality of UEs, capability information of each UE of the plurality of UEs (e.g., see at least 0131-0149 - "the capability information may be transmitted along with the ranging request and response messages. (emphasis added). Applicants respectfully disagree with the Examiner's interpretation and characterization of the cited portions in Thomas. Thomas specifically discloses: "In one embodiment, the capability information may be transmitted along with the ranging request and response messages." (Thomas, paragraph [0132], [0157], [0176], [0190])
(emphasis added) It is clear from the above-recited paragraph that Thomas does not disclose or suggest "obtaining, from the first UE of the plurality of UEs, capability information of each UE of the plurality of UEs". First of all, the ranging request and response messages are messages that are exchanged between the UEs or devices that participate in the sidelink ranging session (e.g., messages exchanged between the initiator device and the responder device in the sidelink ranging session as disclosed in Thomas). These are not messages that are exchanged between a UE and a location server. There is no disclosure that any particular UE (either the initiator device or the responder device) provides its capability information and also capability information of the other UE to a location server. There is no specific UE in Thomas that provides its capability
information and the capability information of other UEs to a location server. There is no
teaching or suggestion by Thomas that a location server obtains, from one particular UE in
a group of UEs, the capability information of each UE in the group of UEs that participate
in the sidelink ranging session. Similarly, there is no teaching or suggestion by Thomas that
any specific UE is configured to provide its capability information and the capability
information of other UEs to the location server. Transmitting capability information from one
UE to another UE in messages that are exchanged between the UEs is very different from
obtaining, by a location server via one particular UE, capability information of each UE in the
group of UEs that participate in the ranging session. In summary, Thomas only mentions that the UEs exchange capability information with each other. There is simply no teaching or suggestion by Thomas of any location server that obtains capability information of each UE in a group of UE via one particular UE. Similarly, there is simply no teaching or suggestion by Thomas of any specific UE that is designated or configured to provide the capability of each UE in a plurality of UEs to the location server.
However, The Examiner respectfully disagrees. It appears that the Applicant’s arguments are omitting key context regarding the ranging request, announcement, discover, etc. which provide for the capability information.
Paragraph 0091, “Accordingly, in one embodiment, the solutions described herein provide triggered ranging requests enable the lower layers to enable ranging based on a particular ranging service level. The ranging service level framework is designed to meet the ranging accuracy, directional accuracy and latency of a ranging location service request. In one embodiment, the proposed solution describes setup and closing procedures can cater for unicast, groupcast and broadcast ranging sessions. In one embodiment, the ranging discovery methods enable dynamic group management for ranging based on ranging service discovery messages.”
Paragraph 0094 teaches “Network Induced Ranging Request (“NI-RR”): Refers to a ranging request that is initiated by a serving AMF for a target pair of UEs/set of UE pairs depending on a particular service (e.g., regulatory, or public safety). • Mobile Terminated Ranging Request (“MT-RR”): Refers to a ranging request that is initiated by location services (“LCS”) client, an application function (“AF”), or a V2X/ProSe Application Layer that may be external to or internal to a serving public land mobile network (“PLMN”). These entities can trigger a ranging request to the PLMN (which may be the home PLMN (“HPLMN”) or visiting PLMN (“VPLMN”)) for the range of a target pair of UEs.”
Paragraph 0097 teaches “As shown in Figure 8A, at step 1 (see block 802), in one embodiment, the V2X/ProSe Application Layer can enable/disable ranging in a device via a triggered unicast LCS Ranging Request. This can be triggered by an LCS Client residing in the core network (“CN”) or within the device or an Application Function (“AF”). The LMF can forward the request to the V2X/ProSe Application Layer in the case that the LCS Client resides in the Core Network to enable relative positioning via a triggered request. The ranging or relative location information request can either be NI-RR, MT-RR or MO-RR as described above. Furthermore, such type of requests can either be I-RR or D-RR.”
Therefore, when taken in context with the reference as a whole it would appear that the claim would be anticipated by the prior art.
For the sake of the completeness and compact prosecution. The Examiner respectfully submits pertinent prior art of record not used in the rejection.
US 20250267737 A1 : Sidelink positioning may be accomplished by a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU). The WTRU may be configured to transmit a first message comprising sidelink positioning information associated with a group of WTRUs. The sidelink positioning information may comprise an indication of a sidelink positioning method for determining positions of the WTRUs in the group of WTRUs. The WTRU may be configured to transmit a second message comprising a request for sidelink positioning reference signal (SL-PRS) resources for the group of WTRUs. The WTRU may be configured to receive an indication of allocated SL-PRS resources for the group of WTRUs. The WTRU may be configured to send an indication of the allocated SL-PRS resources to the group of WTRUs.
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.
Claim(s) 1-57 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Thomas et al. WO 2022/180599, hereinafter, ‘Thomas’.
Consider Claims 1, and as applied to the method of the UE in claim 16, and as applied to the Server in claim 31, and as applied to the UE in claim 45, performed at a location server for supporting sidelink positioning of a plurality of user equipments (UEs) (e.g., see positioning architecture in at least figures 1 and 5- 0078, 0094-0098 “the following relative location requests (“LR”) are supported in the network to initiate ranging session:…” ), the method comprising: receiving a request for location related information for the plurality of UEs, the request associated with a first UE of the plurality of UEs, the request based on one of: (i) a Mobile Originated Location Request (MO-LR) sent by the first UE, or (ii) a Mobile Terminated Location Request (MT-LR) or a periodic or triggered MT-LR sent by an external client (, 0094-0098 “the following relative location requests (“LR”) are supported in the network to initiate ranging session:…”); obtaining, from the first UE of the plurality of UEs, capability information of each UE of the plurality of UEs (e.g., see at least 0131-0149 – “the capability information may be transmitted along with the ranging request and response messages”); obtaining the location related information (e.g., see information related to positioning in at least 0078, 0094-0094 and 0131-0149 ); and sending the location related information, wherein the sending comprises one of: sending the location related information to the first UE, responsive to the request of location related information being based on (i) MO-LR ( see at least 0094-0098 “the following relative location requests (“LR”) are supported in the network to initiate ranging session:…”), wherein the location related information supports the sidelink positioning of the plurality of UEs(e.g., see sidelink services supported in at least 0131-0149- see also 0073, 0078 and 0094-0098 regarding supported services); or sending the location related information to the external client, responsive to the request of location related information being based on (ii) MT-LR or periodic or triggered MT-LR, wherein the location related information is based on the sidelink positioning of the plurality of UEs(e.g., see sidelink services supported in at least 0131-0149- see also 0073, 0078 and 0094-0098 regarding supported services).
Consider Claims 2, 17, and 32, Thomas teaches the claimed invention wherein the location server does not communicate with any UEs of the plurality of UEs, other than the first UE, for the sidelink positioning of the plurality of UEs(i.e., see initiator and responder and unicast, group and broadcast messages in at least 0131-0149).
Consider Claims 3, 18, 33 and 46, Thomas teaches wherein the location related information comprises one or more location results for the sidelink positioning of the plurality of UEs, wherein a location result comprises one or more of: a range between a pair of UEs of the plurality of UEs (e.g., see positioning scenarios as noted in 0073,0078 and 0094-0098 ); a direction between one UE and another UE of the plurality of UEs; a location of a UE of the plurality of UEs(e.g., see motion events as noted in 0073,0078 and 0094-0098 ); a location of a one UE relative to the location of another UE of the plurality of UEs(e.g., see location including relative location as noted in 0073,0078 and 0094-0098 ); a velocity of a UE of the plurality of UEs(e.g., see motion events as noted in 0073,0078 and 0094-0098 ); or a velocity of one UE relative to the velocity of another UE of the plurality of UEs(e.g., see motion events as noted in 0073,0078 and 0094-0098 ).
Consider Claims 4, 19, 34 and 47, Thomas teaches wherein the location related information comprises at least one location result for each UE of the plurality of UEs(e.g., see location including relative location as noted in 0073,0078 and 0094-0098).
Consider Claims 5 and 35, Thomas teaches wherein obtaining the location related information comprises: sending a request for location measurements to the first UE, wherein the first UE coordinates the sidelink positioning of the plurality of UEs based on the request for the location measurements, wherein the first UE obtains the location measurements based on the sidelink positioning of the plurality of UEs(e.g., see sidelink positioning as supported by 0073, 0078, 0094-0098, and 0131-0149 ); receiving the location measurements from the first UE(e.g., see location reporting/response as supported by 0073,0078, 0094-0098, and 0131-0149 ); and calculating the location related information based on the location measurements(e.g., see location reporting/response as supported by 0073,0078, 0094-0098, and 0131-0149 ).
Consider Claims 6 and 36, Thomas teaches wherein obtaining the location related information comprises: sending a request for the location related information to the first UE, wherein the first UE coordinates the sidelink positioning of the plurality of UEs based on the request for the location related information, wherein the first UE obtains the location related information based on the sidelink positioning of the plurality of UEs(e.g., see sidelink positioning services as supported by 0073,0078, 0094-0098, and 0131-0149); and receiving the location related information from the first UE(e.g., see location reporting/response as supported by 0073,0078, 0094-0098, and 0131-0149).
Consider Claims 7, 20, 37 and 48, Thomas teaches wherein each UE of the plurality of UEs comprises a target UE (e.g., see target UEs in figure 5).
Consider Claims 8, 22, 38 and 50, Thomas teaches wherein the request is based on (i) the MO-LR sent by the first UE, wherein the location related information comprises assistance data (e.g., see MO and assistance data supported by 0073,0078, 0094-0098, and 0131-0149).
Consider Claims 9, 23, 39 and 51, Thomas teaches the claimed invention further comprising: receiving a request for specific assistance data from the first UE(e.g., see assistance data supported by 0073,0078, 0094-0098, and 0131-0149); determining the specific assistance data based at least in part on the request for the specific assistance data and the capability information of each UE of the plurality of UEs(e.g., see capability information and assistance data supported by 0073,0078, 0094-0098, and 0131-0149); and sending the specific assistance data to the first UE, wherein the specific assistance data enables the sidelink positioning of the plurality of UEs(e.g., see sidelink support assistance data supported by 0073,0078, 0094-0098, and 0131-0149).
Consider Claims 10 and 40, Thomas teaches wherein the request for location related information includes an application layer identity for each UE of the plurality of UEs(see Application layer function in at least 0094-0098).
Consider Claims 11 and 26, Thomas teaches wherein the request is based on (ii) the MT-LR or the periodic or triggered MT-LR sent by the external client (see at least 0094-0098 see triggers as noted in section beginning “the following relative location requests (“LR”) are supported in the network to initiate ranging session:…”), wherein the MT-LR or the periodic or triggered MT-LR is received by a GMLC (i.e., this is met based on the Network supported functionality and equivalent architecture noted with respect to 0073, 0078, and 0094-0098), wherein the GMLC determines the first UE based on at least one of: a preferred ordering of UEs of the plurality of UEs indicated in the MT-LR or the periodic or triggered MT-LR sent by the external client(as best understood by the Examiner this would be met based on the “Target UE/Responder”)(i.e., this is met based on the Network supported functionality noted with respect to 0073, 0078, and 0094-0098); the first UE having a same home PLMN as a PLMN for the GMLC; or the first UE being served by the same home PLMN as the PLMN for the GMLC(i.e., this is met based on the Network supported functionality and equivalent architecture noted with respect to 0073, 0078, and 0094-0098).
Consider Claims 12 and 41, Thomas teaches wherein the request is based on the periodic or triggered MT-LR sent by the external client, wherein the periodic or triggered MT-LR includes a periodic event or a trigger event, the trigger event based on ranges or relative velocities of UEs of the plurality of UEs(i.e., see triggered events in 0094-0098).
Consider Claims 13, 28, 42 and 55, Thomas teaches the claimed invention further comprising: obtaining the location related information at each of a succession of different times (i.e., see reporting times in 0094-0098); and sending the location related information to the external client in an event report at each of the succession of different times(i.e., see reporting times in 0094-0098).
Consider Claim 14, 29, 43 and 56, Thomas teaches wherein the request is based on (ii) the MT-LR or the periodic or triggered MT-LR sent by the external client(i.e., this is met based on the Network supported functionality and equivalent architecture noted with respect to 0073, 0078, and 0094-0098), and further comprising: prior to obtaining the capability information, sending a separate MT-LR request or a periodic or triggered MT-LR request to the first UE, the separate MT-LR request or the periodic or triggered MT-LR request including identities for other UEs of the plurality of UEs to enable the first UE to discover the other UEs of the plurality of UEs based on the identities for the other UEs of the plurality of UEs(e.g., see figures 8 and context of 0073, 0078, and 0094-0098); and receiving, from the first UE, an MT-LR response or a periodic or triggered MT-LR response, wherein the MT-LR response or the periodic or triggered MT-LR response indicates whether the first UE has discovered the other UEs of the plurality of UEs and whether the other UEs of the plurality of UEs are available for the sidelink positioning of the plurality of UEs(e.g., see figures 8 and context of 0073, 0078, 0094-0098, 0131-0149 – sidelink ranging).
Consider Claims 15, 30, 44 and 57, Thomas teaches further comprising, prior to obtaining the capability information of each UE of the plurality of UEs, sending a capability request to the first UE for the capability information of each UE of the plurality of UEs, wherein obtaining the capability information of each UE of the plurality of UEs is responsive to the capability request(e.g., see figures 8 and context of capabilities exchange).
Consider Claims 21 and 49, Thomas teaches wherein the message comprises a request for the location measurements or the location results and further comprising sending the location measurements or the location results to the location server in response to the request for the location measurements or the location results i.e., this is met based on the Network supported functionality and equivalent architecture noted with respect to 0073, 0078, and 0094-0098).
Consider Claims 25, Thomas teaches wherein the first UE performs the operation comprising (i) sending the MO-LR request for the location related information (i.e., see MO as supported based on the context of 0073, 0078, and 0094-0098), and wherein the method further comprises: obtaining an application layer identity for each UE of the plurality of UEs based on the discovering the other UEs of the plurality of UEs(i.e., see Application layer functionality and discovery as supported based on the context of 0073, 0078, and 0094-0098); and including the application layer identity for each UE of the plurality of UEs in the MO-LR request for the location related information(i.e., see Application layer functionality and discovery as supported based on the context of 0073, 0078, and 0094-0098).
Consider Claims 27 and 54, Thomas teaches wherein the first UE performs the operation comprising (ii) receiving the MT-LR request or the periodic or triggered MT-LR request, the MT-LR request comprising the periodic or triggered MT-LR request (e.g., see triggered events in at least 0094-0098); and wherein the periodic or triggered MT-LR request includes a periodic event or a trigger event, the trigger event based on ranges or relative velocities of the UEs of the plurality of UEs(e.g., see triggered events, relative location and motion in at least 0094-0098).
Consider Claims 24 and 52, Thomas teaches wherein: to perform the operation comprising (ii) receiving the MT-LR request or the periodic or triggered MT-LR request(e.g., see triggered events, relative location and motion in at least 0094-0098), the one or more processors are configured to receive, in the MT-LR request or the periodic or triggered MT-LR request for the location related information, an application layer identity for each UE of the plurality of UEs; and the one or more processors are configured to discover the other UEs of the plurality of UEs based on the application layer identity for each UE of the plurality of UEs(i.e., see Application layer functionality and discovery as supported based on the context of 0073, 0078, and 0094-0098).
Consider Claim 53, Thomas teaches wherein the one or more processors are configured to, prior to performing the operation comprising (i) sending the MO-LR request for the location related information: obtain an application layer identity for each UE of the plurality of UEs based on the discovering the other UEs of the plurality of UEs(e.g., see figures 8 and context of capabilities exchange); and include the application layer identity for each UE of the plurality of UEs in the MO-LR request for the location related information(i.e., see Application layer functionality and discovery as supported based on the context of 0073, 0078, and 0094-0098).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHARLES TERRELL SHEDRICK whose telephone number is (571)272-8621. The examiner can normally be reached 8A-5P.
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/CHARLES T SHEDRICK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2646