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)(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) 9-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Xiao et al. (hereinafter Xiao)(US 2022/0279310).
Regarding claim 9, Xiao teaches a positioning information reporting method comprising: receiving, by a second terminal device, a measurement request from a first terminal device, wherein the measurement request comprises angle assistance information, and the angle assistance information indicates an angle at which a signal sent by between the first terminal device is to be measured by the second terminal device; measuring, by the second terminal device based on the angle assistance information, a signal sent by the first terminal device to obtain a measurement result; and sending, by the second terminal device, the measurement result to the first terminal device(Fig. 1; P[0036-0040]; P[0033], positioning assistance information includes AoA, AoD, ZoD, ZoA; P[0045], positioning assistance information may include angle of departure, angle of arrival, zenith angle of arrival).
Regarding claim 10, Xiao teaches the method according to claim 9, wherein the angle assistance information further indicates an angle of a straight line between the first terminal device and the second terminal device (P[0045], positioning assistance data may include an angle of departure, an angle of arrival) and comprises azimuth angle information and/or zenith angle information, the azimuth angle information indicates an included angle that is on a horizontal plane and between the first terminal device and the second terminal device, and the zenith angle information indicates an included angle between a zenith direction and a direction of the first terminal device relative to the second terminal device(P[0033], positioning assistance information includes AoA, AoD, ZoD, ZoA; P[0034], azimuth angle; pitch angle).
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Regarding claim 11, Xiao teaches the method according to claim 10, wherein the azimuth angle information further indicates an angle of a straight line between the first terminal device and the second terminal device and comprises: an azimuth angle value, an azimuth angle range, a first value, preset azimuth angle value information, and/or preset azimuth angle range information; and the azimuth angle range is obtained by adding or subtracting the azimuth angle value and the first value, the preset azimuth angle value information indicates the azimuth angle value, and the preset azimuth angle range information indicates the azimuth angle range (P[0034], horizontal azimuth angle).
Regarding claim 12, Xiao teaches the method according to claim 10, wherein the zenith angle information comprises: a zenith angle value, a zenith angle range, another value, preset zenith angle value information, and/or preset zenith angle range information; and the zenith angle range is obtained by adding or subtracting the zenith angle value and the another value, the preset zenith angle value information indicates the zenith angle value, and the preset zenith angle range information indicates the zenith angle range(P[0033], zenith angle; ZoD, ZoA; P[0034], pitch angle).
Claims 13-16 are rejected for the same reason as set forth in claims 9-12 respectively.
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.
Claim(s) 1-8, 17-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gunnarsson et al. (hereinafter Gunnarsson)(US 2023/0076306) in view of Raghavan et al. (hereinafter Raghavan)(US 11277180).
Regarding claim 1, Gunnarsson teaches a positioning information reporting method, comprising: obtaining, by a terminal device, location assistance information from a location management network element(P[0084], UE performs measurements with assistance from the network), wherein the request location information comprises angle assistance information, and the angle assistance information indicates an angle between an access network element and the terminal device(P[0085], assistance data may include information about beam directions);
measuring, by the terminal device based on the angle assistance information, a signal sent by the access network element to obtain a measurement result(P0083], UE performs measurements and sends these measurements to the server); and sending, by the terminal device, provide location information to the location management network element, wherein the provide location information comprises the measurement result(P[0069], positioning measurements reported to the network; P[0076], LCS server processes and serves requests and sends the positioning results to the client ).
Gunnarson did not teach specifically obtaining, by a terminal device angle assistance information from a location management network element, wherein, and the angle assistance information indicates an angle at which a signal sent by between an access network element and is to be measured by the terminal device. However, Raghavan teaches in an analogous art obtaining, by a terminal device angle assistance information from a location management network element, wherein, and the angle assistance information indicates an angle at which a signal sent by between an access network element and is to be measured by the terminal device(col. 21, lines 1-35; assistance data may include a mapping of the beam identification to a nominal angle of departure (AoD), the azimuth and elevation angles of each beam, which may be provided in reference to an absolute coordinate system, such as a global coordinate system (GCS), or may be local coordinate system (LCS), e.g., relative to the antenna orientation, and the antenna orientation may be provided. The assistance data may further include beam width information, such as one or more of the beam width, the boresight direction uncertainty, the beam width uncertainty, side lobe and/or back lobe power level, side lobe and/or back lobe power level, side lobe and/or back lobe angles, or a combination thereof). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the method obtaining, by a terminal device angle assistance information from a location management network element, wherein, and the angle assistance information indicates an angle at which a signal sent by between an access network element and is to be measured by the terminal device in order to have improved precision.
Regarding claim 2, Gunnarsson in view of Raghavan teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the angle assistance information further indicates an angle of a straight line between the access network element and the terminal device and comprises azimuth angle information and/or zenith angle information, the azimuth angle information indicates an included angle that is on a horizontal plane and between the access network element and the terminal device, and the zenith angle information indicates an included angle between a zenith direction and a direction of the access network element relative to the terminal device(Gunnarson: P[0024], azimuth angles and elevation angles of the one or more beams transmitted by the TRP; Raghavan: col. 21, lines 1-35; assistance data may include local coordinate system (LCS), e.g., relative to the antenna orientation, and the antenna orientation may be provided).
Regarding claim 3, Gunnarsson in view of Raghavan teaches the method according to claim 2, wherein the azimuth angle information comprises: an azimuth angle value, an azimuth angle range, a first value, preset azimuth angle value information, and/or preset azimuth angle range information; and the azimuth angle range is obtained by adding or subtracting the azimuth angle value and the first value, the preset azimuth angle value information indicates the azimuth angle value, and the preset azimuth angle range information indicates the azimuth angle range(P[0024], azimuth angles of the one or more beams transmitted by the TRP).
Regarding claim 4, Gunnarsson in view of Raghavan teaches the method according to claim 2, wherein the zenith angle information comprises: a zenith angle value, a zenith angle range, another value, preset zenith angle value information, and/or preset zenith angle range information; and the zenith angle range is obtained by adding or subtracting the zenith angle value and the another value, the preset zenith angle value information indicates the zenith angle value, and the preset zenith angle range information indicates the zenith angle range(P[0024], elevation angles of the one or more beams transmitted by the TRP).
Claims 5-8 are rejected for the same reason as set forth in claims 1-5 respectively. Also refer P[0104], for capability request, positioning measurement request and assistance data to the UE from the positioning node).
Regarding claim 17, Gunnarsson in view of Raghavan teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein: the provide location information further comprises indication information corresponding to the measurement result; and the indication information indicates whether an angle corresponding to the measurement result is within an angle indicated by the angle assistance information(P[0020], configuration information includes azimuth angles and respective elevation angles).
Claim 18 is rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 17.
Regarding claim 19, Gunnarsson in view of Raghavan teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein: the measuring, by the terminal device based on the angle assistance information, of the signal sent by the access network element to obtain the measurement result comprises: measuring, in an angle indicated by the angle assistance information, the signal sent by the access network element, to narrow down an angle search range(P[0020], configuration information includes azimuth angles and respective elevation angles).
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xiao et al. (hereinafter Xiao)(US 2022/0279310) in view of Seyed et al. (hereinafter Seyed)(US 2022/0322035).
Regarding claim 20, Xiao teaches the method according to claim 9, wherein the measuring, by the second terminal device based on the angle assistance information, the signal sent by the first terminal device to obtain the measurement result is performed to narrow down an angle search range(P[0034], relative orientations between different terminals).
Xiao did not teach specifically measurement result is performed to narrow down an angle search range of the second terminal device. However, Seyed teaches in an analogous art measurement result is performed to narrow down an angle search range of the second terminal device(P[0124], measurements are performed within the window; down link angle of departure). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the method measurement result is performed to narrow down an angle search range of the second terminal device in order to have improved efficiency.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 4/3/2026 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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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/MUTHUSWAMY G MANOHARAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647
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