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 .
This office action is in response to the amendment filed on 01/26/2026. Claims 1-7, 9-14, 16-20, 28, 30 are pending in this application and have been considered below.
Response to Amendment
Applicant's arguments filed 01/26/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The examiner thoroughly reviewed Applicant’s arguments but firmly believes that the cited reference reasonably and properly meets the claimed limitation as rejected.
Applicant’s arguments: Claim 1 differs from Edge at least in that: obtaining a list of available PRS configuration information pre-configured by a location management function, LMF; and transmitting a PRS resource configuration request to the LMF based on the list of available PRS configuration information pre-configured.
The examiner’s response: Applicants are reminded that the Examiner is entitled to give the broadest reasonable interpretation to the language of the claim. The Examiner is not limited to Applicant’s definition, which is not specifically set fourth in the claims. In re Tanaka et al., 193 USPQ 139, (CCPA) 1977. The prior art Edge discloses “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 105 as assistance data in an LPP and/or NPP message via the NG-RAN 135 and the 5GC 140” in paragraph [0045]. Therefore, LMF configures PRS configuration information and sends such information to UE. Edge further discloses UE request a change in PRS resource allocation ([0050]) and LMF or another gNB or another ng-eNB, to transmit PRS using an increased quantity of resources ([0037]). A location server (e.g. an E-SMLC for EPS or LMF 120 for 5GC 140) could then provide the UE 105 with the background low resource PRS configuration for the reference and neighbor cells for OTDOA positioning and could also indicate whether switching to high PRS resource allocation was supported ([0050]). Therefore, the examiner believes the prior art Edge discloses the claimed “obtaining a list of available PRS configuration information pre-configured by a location management function, LMF; and transmitting a PRS resource configuration request to the LMF based on the list of available PRS configuration information pre-configured.”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 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.
Claim(s) 1-6, 9-12, 18, 20, 28, 30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Edge et al. (US 2020/0154240 A1) (Edge herein after).
Re Claim 1, Edge discloses a method for determining a positioning reference signal, PRS, resource, comprising:
obtaining a list of available PRS configuration information pre-configured by a location management function, LMF (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 105 as assistance data in an LPP and/or NPP message via the NG-RAN 135 and the 5GC [0045]); and
transmitting a PRS resource configuration request based on the list of available PRS configuration information pre-configured (gNBs 110 and/or ng-eNB 114 (alone or in combination with other modules/units of the communication system 100) may be configured, in response to receiving a request from a UE 105, LMF 120 or another gNB 110 or another ng-eNB 114, to transmit PRS using an increased quantity of resources ([0037]); UE 105 request for high PRS resource allocation could be sent using a Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol to a serving BS for UE 105 (e.g. a serving gNB 110 or ng-eNB 114 for UE 105 access to NG-RAN 135 or a serving eNB for UE 105 access to E-UTRAN). The serving BS may be configured to transfer or communicate the request to neighboring BSs. The request for high PRS resource allocation could be combined with a request by UE 105 for measurement gaps in the case that PRS is transmitted for some cells using a different frequency and/or different RAT to those for the serving cell for UE 105. A location server (e.g. an E-SMLC for EPS or LMF 120 for 5GC 140) could then provide the UE 105 with the background low resource PRS configuration for the reference and neighbor cells for OTDOA positioning and could also indicate whether switching to high PRS resource allocation was supported [0050]).
Edge discloses the claimed invention except explicitly teaches transmitting a PRS resource configuration request to the LMF based on the list of available PRS configuration information pre-configured.
However, Edge discloses UEs or other elements in a network may indicate to a controlling entity (e.g. a gNB or LMF) when downlink (DL) PRS transmission is needed for location determination. The controlling entity can then coordinate an increase in resource allocation for DL PRS transmission by increasing the overall duration during which DL PRS is transmitted (e.g. by increasing the number of subframes in each PRS positioning occasion and/or increasing the frequency of PRS positioning occasions) and/or by increasing the proportion of overall carrier bandwidth assigned to each (or all) DL PRS transmission ([0027]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time the invention was filed to utilize the teachings taught by Edge to achieve the same expected result of transmitting a PRS resource configuration request to the LMF based on the list of available PRS configuration information pre-configured and to further improve the channel usage efficiency.
Re Claim 2, Edge discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the PRS resource configuration request transmitted to the LMF comprises at least one or more of following: PRS configuration information selected by a user equipment based on the list of available PRS configuration information pre-configured; configuration information of a PRS resource requested for change, determined by a user equipment based on the list of available PRS configuration information pre-configured and a PRS resource obtained from the LMF; or configuration information related to a beam direction of a downlink positioning reference signal, DL-PRS, resource (the LMF 120 may determine directional PRS beams for each gNB 110 which should be received by the target UE 105 (or by any UE in a set of target UEs when the LMF 120 increases PRS transmission for multiple target UEs), and may provide a new PRS configuration only for these directional PRS beams [0068]).
Re Claim 3, Edge discloses the method according to claim 2, wherein the PRS configuration information selected by the user equipment comprises at least one or more of following: a bandwidth part, BWP, identity document, ID corresponding to a DL-PRS resource; a positioning frequency layer ID corresponding to a DL-PRS resource; a base station ID corresponding to a DL-PRS resource; a transmission reception point, TRP, ID corresponding to a DL-PRS resource; a DL-PRS resource list ID; a DL-PRS resource ID; a period of a DL-PRS resource; a quantity of repetitions used by a period of a DL-PRS resource; a muting pattern of a DL-PRS resource; a transmission time point of a DL-PRS resource; or a time duration of a DL-PRS resource (various PRS configuration parameters (e.g., N.sub.PRS, T.sub.PRS, muting sequence, frequency hopping sequence, code sequence, PRS ID, PRS bandwidth) [0136]).
Re Claim 4, Edge discloses the method according to claim 2, wherein the configuration information of the PRS resource requested for change comprises at least one or more of following: a BWP ID corresponding to a DL-PRS resource requested to be added or subtracted; a positioning frequency layer ID corresponding to a DL-PRS resource requested to be added or subtracted; a base station ID corresponding to a DL-PRS resource requested to be added or subtracted; a TRP ID corresponding to a DL-PRS resource requested to be added or subtracted; a DL-PRS resource list ID requested to be added or subtracted; a DL-PRS resource ID requested to be added or subtracted; a period of a DL-PRS resource requested to be added or subtracted; a quantity of repetitions used by a period of a DL-PRS resource requested to be added or subtracted; a muting pattern of a DL-PRS resource requested to be changed; a transmission time point of a DL-PRS resource requested to be added or subtracted; or a time duration of a DL-PRS resource requested to be added or subtracted (To support high resource allocation for PRS with Time Division Duplexing (TDD), increased PRS transmission may be dynamically increased by each base station (e.g. gNB 110 or ng-eNB 114) on a per-slot or per-subframe basis—e.g. by dynamically assigning more DL subframes for PRS transmission by certain gNBs 110 and/or ng-eNBs 114. To support high resource allocation for PRS with FDD, certain uplink subframes at certain gNBs 110 and/or ng-eNBs 114 may be temporarily reassigned for downlink PRS transmission [0053]).
Re Claim 5, Edge discloses the method according to claim 2, wherein the configuration information related to the beam direction of a DL-PRS resource comprises at least one or more of following: a base station ID corresponding to a DL-PRS resource; a TRP ID corresponding to a DL-PRS resource; a resource list ID corresponding to a DL-PRS resource; or a synchronization signal and physical broadcast channel block index, SSB_index, corresponding to a best beam receiving direction (request may also include a start time for each new PRS configuration and/or a duration and may include the PRS configurations and the identities for some or all of the gNBs 110 determined at stage 5 so that each gNB 110 can correctly include the PRS configurations for these gNBs 110 in SI messages sent by each gNB 110 at stage 9 [0090]).
Re Claim 6, Edge discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein after transmitting the PRS resource configuration request to the LMF, the method further comprises performing at least one or more of following operations: updating a quantity of times of initiating the PRS resource configuration request to the LMF; or turning on a timer according to configuration information of the timer transmitted by the LMF, wherein the timer comprises a first timer and/or a second timer (LMF 120 using NRPPa may include timing and configuration information for PRS transmission and location coordinates [0045]).
Re Claim 9, Edge discloses a method for determining a positioning reference signal, PRS, resource, comprising:
transmitting, by a location management function, LMF, a long term evolution location protocol, LPP, message to a user equipment (an LMC 117 may allow or support NG-RAN 135 determination of a UE 105 location which can be requested by the UE 105 (e.g. using RRC or LPP), by a serving AMF 154 (e.g., using NGAP), by another gNB 110 (e.g. using XnAP) or by an LMF 120 (e.g. using NRPPa) [0061]); and
receiving a PRS resource configuration request message transmitted by the user equipment (gNBs 110 and/or ng-eNB 114 (alone or in combination with other modules/units of the communication system 100) may be configured, in response to receiving a request from a UE 105, LMF 120 or another gNB 110 or another ng-eNB 114, to transmit PRS using an increased quantity of resources ([0037]); UE 105 request for high PRS resource allocation could be sent using a Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol to a serving BS for UE 105 (e.g. a serving gNB 110 or ng-eNB 114 for UE 105 access to NG-RAN 135 or a serving eNB for UE 105 access to E-UTRAN). The serving BS may be configured to transfer or communicate the request to neighboring BSs. The request for high PRS resource allocation could be combined with a request by UE 105 for measurement gaps in the case that PRS is transmitted for some cells using a different frequency and/or different RAT to those for the serving cell for UE 105. A location server (e.g. an E-SMLC for EPS or LMF 120 for 5GC 140) could then provide the UE 105 with the background low resource PRS configuration for the reference and neighbor cells for OTDOA positioning and could also indicate whether switching to high PRS resource allocation was supported [0050]).
Edge discloses the claimed invention except explicitly teaches receiving, by the LMF, a PRS resource configuration request message transmitted by the user equipment.
However, Edge discloses UEs or other elements in a network may indicate to a controlling entity (e.g. a gNB or LMF) when downlink (DL) PRS transmission is needed for location determination. The controlling entity can then coordinate an increase in resource allocation for DL PRS transmission by increasing the overall duration during which DL PRS is transmitted (e.g. by increasing the number of subframes in each PRS positioning occasion and/or increasing the frequency of PRS positioning occasions) and/or by increasing the proportion of overall carrier bandwidth assigned to each (or all) DL PRS transmission ([0027]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time the invention was filed to utilize the teachings taught by Edge to achieve the same expected result of receiving, by the LMF, a PRS resource configuration request message transmitted by the user equipment.
Re Claim 10, Edge discloses the method according to claim 9, wherein the LPP message comprises at least one of following: a pre-configured list of available PRS configuration information; a maximum quantity of times of a PRS request initiating a PRS change on a side of the user equipment; or configuration information of a timer related to a PRS change initiated by a side of the user equipment (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 105 as assistance data in an LPP and/or NPP message via the NG-RAN 135 and the 5GC [0045]).
Re Claim 11, Edge discloses the method according to claim 10, wherein the pre-configured list of available PRS configuration information is configured for the user equipment to initiate a dynamic PRS request, and comprises at least one or more of following: a bandwidth part, BWP, identity document, ID, corresponding to an available downlink positioning reference signal, DL-PRS, resource; a positioning frequency layer ID corresponding to an available DL-PRS resources; a base station ID corresponding to an available DL-PRS resource; a transmission reception point, TRP, ID corresponding to an available DL-PRS resource; an available DL-PRS resource list ID; an available DL-PRS resource ID; a list of periods of available DL-PRS resources; a list of a quantity of repetitions of available DL-PRS resources; or a list of muting patterns of available DL-PRS resources (e.g., N.sub.PRS, T.sub.PRS, muting sequence, frequency hopping sequence, code sequence, PRS ID, PRS bandwidth) [0136]).
Re Claim 12, Edge discloses the method according to claim 10, wherein the configuration information of the timer related to the PRS change initiated by the side of the user equipment comprises at least one or more of following: configuration information of a first timer, wherein the first timer is a response timer after the user equipment transmits the PRS resource configuration request message; or configuration information of a second timer, wherein the second timer is an interval timer between two consecutive PRS resource configuration request messages transmitted by the user equipment (LMF 120 sends an NRPPa PRS Reconfiguration Request message to each of the gNBs 110 determined at stage 4 and includes the new PRS configuration determined for that gNB 110. The request may also include a start time for each new PRS configuration and/or a duration [0069]).
Re Claim 18, Edge discloses a method for determining a positioning reference signal, PRS, resource, comprising:
receiving, by a base station, a downlink positioning reference signal, DL-PRS, reconfiguration message carrying PRS configuration information transmitted by a location management function, LMF (LMF 120 sends an NRPPa PRS Reconfiguration Request message to each of the gNBs 110 determined at stage 4 and includes the new PRS configuration determined for that gNB 110 [0069]); and
obtaining, by the base station, DL-PRS configuration information requested by a user equipment from the DL-PRS reconfiguration message (gNBs 110 and/or ng-eNB 114 (alone or in combination with other modules/units of the communication system 100) may be configured, in response to receiving a request from a UE 105, LMF 120 or another gNB 110 or another ng-eNB 114, to transmit PRS using an increased quantity of resources ([0037]), wherein the DL-PRS configuration information is from a PRS resource configuration request transmitted by the user equipment based on a list of available PRS configuration information pre-configured by the LMF (UE 105 request for high PRS resource allocation could be sent using a Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol to a serving BS for UE 105 (e.g. a serving gNB 110 or ng-eNB 114 for UE 105 access to NG-RAN 135 or a serving eNB for UE 105 access to E-UTRAN). The serving BS may be configured to transfer or communicate the request to neighboring BSs. The request for high PRS resource allocation could be combined with a request by UE 105 for measurement gaps in the case that PRS is transmitted for some cells using a different frequency and/or different RAT to those for the serving cell for UE 105. A location server (e.g. an E-SMLC for EPS or LMF 120 for 5GC 140) could then provide the UE 105 with the background low resource PRS configuration for the reference and neighbor cells for OTDOA positioning and could also indicate whether switching to high PRS resource allocation was supported [0050]).
Edge discloses the claimed invention except explicitly teaches wherein the DL-PRS configuration information is from a PRS resource configuration request transmitted by the user equipment to the LMF based on a list of available PRS configuration information pre-configured by the LMF.
However, Edge discloses UEs or other elements in a network may indicate to a controlling entity (e.g. a gNB or LMF) when downlink (DL) PRS transmission is needed for location determination. The controlling entity can then coordinate an increase in resource allocation for DL PRS transmission by increasing the overall duration during which DL PRS is transmitted (e.g. by increasing the number of subframes in each PRS positioning occasion and/or increasing the frequency of PRS positioning occasions) and/or by increasing the proportion of overall carrier bandwidth assigned to each (or all) DL PRS transmission ([0027]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time the invention was filed to utilize the teachings taught by Edge to achieve the same expected result of wherein the DL-PRS configuration information is from a PRS resource configuration request transmitted by the user equipment to the LMF based on a list of available PRS configuration information pre-configured by the LMF.
Re Claim 20, Edge discloses a device for determining a positioning reference signal, PRS, resource, comprising: a memory (memory [0181]), configured to store program instructions; and a processor (processor [0181]), configured to call the program instructions stored in the memory, and execute the method of claim 1 according to obtained program instructions.
Re Claim28, Edge discloses a device for determining a positioning reference signal, PRS, resource, comprising: a memory (memory [0181]), configured to store program instructions; and a processor (processor [0181]), configured to call the program instructions stored in the memory, and execute the method of claim 9 according to obtained program instructions.
Re Claim 30, Edge discloses a device for determining a positioning reference signal, PRS, resource, comprising: a memory (memory [0181]), configured to store program instructions; and a processor (processor [0181]), configured to call the program instructions stored in the memory, and executes the method of claim 18 according to an obtained program instructions.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 13-14, 16-17, 19 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
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 KENNETH T LAM whose telephone number is (571)270-1862. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Hannah S. Wang can be reached at (571) 272-9018. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KENNETH T LAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2631