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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 06/16/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed on 06/16/2026, have been fully considered but are moot in view of new ground(s).
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.
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) 21, 23-29, 31-38, 43-44 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rao et al. (US 20230379860) in view of Fischer et al. (US 20220120841).
Regarding claim 21, Rao discloses a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising a processor, communication circuitry, a memory, and computer-executable instructions stored in the memory (Fig. 1A) which, when executed by the processor, cause the WTRU to:
receive a first Positioning Reference Signal (PRS) configuration; receive, from a base station (gNB), a first PRS in accordance with the first PRS configuration (Figs. 2-7. WTRU may be initially configured with one or more PRS and/or SRSp configurations. The different PRS/SRSp (pre)configurations may be assigned with an identifier. In addition, the WTRU may also be configured with a positioning validity tag associated with the PRS/SRSp configurations; [0205]);
perform one or more measurements of the first PRS (the WTRU may verify the conditions in the validity tag to determine if the (pre)configured PRS/SRSp is still valid; [0209]);
send, to an apparatus performing a Location Management Function (LMF), a PRS reconfiguration request to modify the first PRS configuration (if the positioning measurement accuracy (e.g., RSRP level of a PRS measurement) is lower than a threshold, the WTRU may perform a first positioning mode of operation; otherwise, the WTRU may perform a second positioning mode of operation. The positioning measurement accuracy metric may include at least one of RSRP, L1-RSRP, existence of LoS path, beam quality, number of beams used for PRS transmission, etc; [0150-0152].
In the case when at least one of the conditions in the validity tag is not satisfied, the WTRU may send a request for reconfiguring the PRS/SRS configurations; [0209]),
wherein the PRS reconfiguration request comprises a cell ID, PRS transmission configuration parameters (the WTRU may assist the network in correlating the TA/RNA configurations and the parameters associated with the PRS/SRSp configurations. when the WTRU sends indication for aligning the parameters in TA/RNA and in PRS/SRSp configurations, the WTRU may include Parameters related to PRS/SRSp configuration: For example, the WTRU may indicate the identifiers of PRS/SRSp configurations that may be currently aligned or to be reconfigured for aligning with the TA/RNA, Parameters related to TA/RNA: For example, when sending the indication to the LMF/RAN, the WTRU may indicate the one or more parameters including number of cells and/or cell IDs associated with PRS/SRSp that may be different from those in the TA/RNA; [0459-0467]),
receive, from the LMF, a second PRS configuration after sending the PRS reconfiguration request; and receive, from the gNB, a second PRS in accordance with the second PRS configuration (The WTRU may receive the PRS/SRSp (re)configurations upon determining the expiry of the validity tag; [0209]).
Rao does not expressly disclose wherein the PRS reconfiguration request comprises a time window.
In an analogous art, Fischer discloses wherein the PRS reconfiguration request comprises a time window (the UE 105 is configured to send an MO-LR Request message included in an UL NAS TRANSPORT message to the serving AMF 115 including a request for a change in DL-PRS transmission. The request may include the DL-PRS capabilities of the UE 105 (e.g. in an embedded LPP Provide Capabilities message) and parameters for preferred DL-PRS configurations (which may include a preferred DL-PRS bandwidth, a preferred duration of DL-PRS positioning occasions. The MO-LR Request may also include (e.g. in an embedded LPP Provide Location Information message) RSRP measurements (e.g., per beam) of DL signals received by the UE (e.g., an E-CID Location Measurement Report) to assist an LMF 120 in determining nearby gNBs and/or beam directions for DL-PRS; [0103]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add the features taught by Fischer into the system of Rao in order to allow a mobile device to request downlink positioning reference signals or provide uplink positioning reference signal on-demand, and thus enable a communication network to change positioning reference signal resource allocation dynamically (Fischer; [0028]).
Regarding claim 23, the combination of Rao and Fischer, particularly Rao discloses wherein an indication of priority indicates a priority of the PRS reconfiguration request with respect to at least one other PRS reconfiguration request to be processed by the LMF (WTRU may be assigned with a priority value associated with an SRB when sending measurement reports and/or location information to the network in small data transmission (SDT) while in RRC Inactive/idle mode. For sending the measurement report and/or location information in an SDT to the RAN/LMF via the control plane (via AMF) in one or more NAS messages/PDUs, the WTRU may use the priority value assigned to either SRB1, SRB2 or any SRB; [0361]).
Regarding claim 24, the combination of Rao and Fischer, particularly Rao discloses cause the WTRU to calculate a position of the WTRU based on the second PRS (Upon reception of an indication for positioning in a paging occasion, the WTRU may determine the related configuration for PRS or SRSp, perform the related positioning measurements, and/or report the related position or positioning report (part of a PUSCH transmission in a RACH procedure or on a configured grant applicable in the current serving cell); [0158]).
Regarding claim 25, the combination of Rao and Fischer, particularly Rao discloses wherein the PRS reconfiguration request comprises an indication of a required positioning accuracy (different types of measurement reports that may be sent by the WTRU may be associated with different positioning accuracies; [0372]).
Regarding claim 26, the combination of Rao and Fischer, particularly Rao discloses wherein the PRS reconfiguration request comprises an indication of a required quality of service, of a service that uses a WTRU position (the WTRU may receive one or more positioning configurations (e.g., assistance information, positioning reporting configuration) containing an update to the QoS requirements associated with positioning, including positioning accuracy and/or latency, based on the information sent by the WTRU to the network about its RRC state; [0374].
The accuracy and/or latency requirements may be related to the positioning QoS indicated by higher layers/application (e.g., LCS client) associated with the WTRU; [0514]).
Regarding claim 27, the combination of Rao and Fischer, particularly Rao discloses wherein the PRS reconfiguration request comprises an indication of a required latency of a WTRU position calculation (the WTRU may receive one or more positioning configurations (e.g., assistance information, positioning reporting configuration) containing an update to the QoS requirements associated with positioning, including positioning accuracy and/or latency, based on the information sent by the WTRU to the network about its RRC state; [0374].
The accuracy and/or latency requirements may be related to the positioning QoS indicated by higher layers/application (e.g., LCS client) associated with the WTRU; [0514]).
Regarding claim 28, the combination of Rao and Fischer, particularly Rao discloses wherein the PRS reconfiguration request comprises an indication of signal measurements and/or a position estimate of the WTRU (the WTRU may send an indication to the network requesting PRS/SRSp (re)configuration. In addition to the request for PRS/SRSp, the WTRU may also transmit SRSp and other messages including measurement reports (e.g., for WTRU assisted positioning); [0192]).
Regarding claim 29, the combination of Rao and Fischer, particularly Rao discloses wherein the PRS reconfiguration request comprises an indication of a capability of the WTRU (the request for positioning information (i.e., LCS request) may be sent to the network, either in a control plane NAS message (e.g., sent via AMF to LMF) or a user plane message (e.g., sent via UPF to LMF). In addition to the LCS request, the WTRU in RRC inactive/idle mode may also send one or more of the following to the network: [0436] WTRU capability information for positioning [0437] For example, the WTRU may send the capability to support one or more positioning methods and/or configurations; [0435-0436]).
Regarding claim 31, the combination of Rao and Fischer, particularly Rao discloses wherein the second PRS configuration comprises an indication of a period of time in which the second PRS configuration is to be used (positioning validity tag may contain one or more of the following information/conditions: Time validity: For example, a time duration may be associated with individual PRS and/or SRSp (pre)configurations in the WTRU; [0205-0206]).
Regarding claim 32, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the reasons cited in claim 21.
Regarding claim 34, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the reasons cited in claim 23.
Regarding claim 35, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the reasons cited in claim 24.
Regarding claim 36, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the reasons cited in claim 25.
Regarding claim 37, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the reasons cited in claim 26.
Regarding claim 38, the combination of Rao and Fischer, particularly Rao discloses wherein the PRS reconfiguration request comprises at least one of an indication of a required latency of a WTRU position calculation, an indication of signal measurements and/or a position estimate of the WTRU, or an indication of a capability of the WTRU (the WTRU may receive one or more positioning configurations (e.g., assistance information, positioning reporting configuration) containing an update to the QoS requirements associated with positioning, including positioning accuracy and/or latency, based on the information sent by the WTRU to the network about its RRC state; [0374].
The accuracy and/or latency requirements may be related to the positioning QoS indicated by higher layers/application (e.g., LCS client) associated with the WTRU; [0514]).
Regarding claim 43, the combination of Rao and Fischer, particularly Rao discloses wherein the PRS reconfiguration further comprises a time delay (the WTRU may receive information related to the cell ID, global cell ID, or TRP ID which is associated with PRS. For example, the TRP which transmits PRS is identified by the TRP ID, which may belong to a cell identified by the cell ID. The WTRU may be configured with timing information such as System Frame Number (SFN) offset for PRS or SRSp transmission. The offset is introduced to prevent the WTRU from receiving overlapping PRS in the time domain; [0138]).
Regarding claim 44, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the reasons cited in claim 43.
Claim(s) 30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rao in view of Fischer, and in view of Edge et al. (US 20200137715).
Regarding claim 30, the combination of Rao and Fischer does not expressly disclose wherein the first PRS configuration and the second PRS configuration are sent using New Radio Positioning Protocol A (NRPPa).
In an analogous art, Edge discloses wherein the first PRS configuration and the second PRS configuration are sent using New Radio Positioning Protocol A (NRPPa) (Information provided by the gNBs 110 and/or ng-eNB 114 to the LMF 120 using NRPPa may include timing and configuration information for PRS transmission and location coordinates. The LMF 120 can then provide some or all of this information to the UE 102 as assistance data in an LPP and/or NPP message via the NG-RAN 135 and the 5GC 140; [0064]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add the features taught by Edge into the system of Rao and Fischer in order to improve the support of different position methods to better enable synergies and other means of reducing the cost and complexity of implementation (Edge; [0004]).
Claim(s) 41-42 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rao in view of Fischer, and in view of Edge et al. (US 20190037338).
Regarding claim 41, the combination of Rao and Fischer does not expressly disclose wherein the second PRS configuration is an emergency service PRS configuration.
In an analogous art, Edge discloses wherein the second PRS configuration is an emergency service PRS configuration (the increased quantity of location-related information may be an increase pre-configured in each wireless node (and not conveyed in detail) for the various resources allocated for broadcasting location-related information (e.g., increased bandwidth allocated to transmitting PRS signals, increased frequency or duration of PRS positioning occasions, and/or a transmission of PRS using an uplink carrier frequency). With such pre-configuration, the first request at block 610 and/or any second request sent to a third wireless node may request an increased quantity of location-related information but may not specify the exact increase, since this may be pre-configured in each wireless node. the increased quantity of location-related information broadcast at block 620 and/or indicated in a second request sent to a third wireless node may be higher when a greater number of UEs have requested the increased quantity of location-related information and/or when the requests received from some UEs have higher priority (e.g. such as a request from a UE with an emergency call); [0101]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to add the features taught by Edge into the system of Rao and Fischer in order to reduce the amount of resource usage by a network and/or a mobile device to achieve a preferred level of location support (Edge; [0002]).
Regarding claim 42, the claim is interpreted and rejected for the reasons cited in claim 41.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Dong et al. (US 12593299), “Receiving a first request message carrying a recommended positioning reference signal (PRS) configuration; determining a target PRS configuration according to the recommended PRS configuration; and sending a PRS to a user equipment by using the target PRS configuration.”
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OUSSAMA ROUDANI whose telephone number is (571)272-4727. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM.
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/OUSSAMA ROUDANI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2413
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