DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement
2. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/16/2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
3. 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.
Please note: Examiner has cited particular columns, line numbers, and figures in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teaching of the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well.
Applicants are reminded that MPEP 2141.02 states:
A prior art reference must be considered in its entirety, i.e., as a whole, including portions that would lead away from the claimed invention. W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. v. Garlock, Inc., 721 F.2d 1540, 220 USPQ 303 (Fed. Cir. 1983), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 851 (1984).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
4. 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.
5. Claims 1, 8, 11, 15, 22, 25 and 29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Khoryaev et al. (US 20160095080) (hereinafter Khoryaev).
Regarding claims 1, 15 and 29:
As shown in figures 1-8, Khoryaev discloses an apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) (see wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) in figures 1-5), comprising:
at least one processor (820 in figure 8); and
a memory (830 in figure 8) coupled with the at least one processor (820 in figure 8) and storing processor-readable code that, when executed by the at least one processor (820 in figure 8), is configured to perform operations including (par 0079-0084):
receiving, by the UE (310 in figure 3), a plurality of first transmissions (see a plurality of first transmissions 372-380 in figure 3) from a plurality of nodes (see a plurality of nodes 320-360 in figure 3), each first transmission of the plurality of first transmissions received by the UE (310 in figure 3) from a respective node of the plurality of nodes (see a plurality of nodes 320-360 in figure 3) at a respective time (in par 0047 Khoryaev teaches “target UE 310 may receive positioning reference signals from eNBs 340-360 and anchor UEs 320 and 330. The positioning reference signals from anchor UEs 320 and 330 may include signals transmitted over direct Sidelink channels. The positioning reference signals from eNBs 340-360 may include signals transmitted over the cellular links associated with wireless network 220. In one implementation, the positioning reference signal received by target UE 310 may include timing information. Timing information interpreted to be a respective time);
obtaining, based on the respective times at which the first transmissions are received from each respective node of the plurality of nodes, at least one timing advance (TA) configuration (in par 0015 Khoryaev teaches “determine, based on the first positioning reference signals, first position metrics that relate to a position of the UE with respect to the other UEs. Positioning metric interpreted to be timing advance (TA) configuration. Also, in par 0047, Khoryaev teaches “the positioning reference signal received by target UE 310 may include timing information, which may relate to a distance between target UE 310 and the transmitting source. For example, differences in the timing information from the various sources (e.g., eNBs 340-360 and anchor UEs 320 and 330) and/or signal time of arrival values may correspond to a distance of target UE 310 from the transmitting source”. Also see par 0055, 0059) for a sidelink (SL)-positioning reference signal (PRS) transmission to be transmitted from at least one node of the plurality of nodes to the UE (see figures 3-5, par 0020, 0022, 0026, 0028-0029, claim 10); and
transmitting the at least one TA configuration to the at least one node of the of the plurality of nodes (see figures 3-5) (par 0020, 0067-0069, claim 10).
Regarding claims 8 and 22:
As shown in figures 1-8, Khoryaev discloses an apparatus (see figure 8) for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) (see wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) in figures 1-5), comprising:
at least one processor (820 in figure 8); and
a memory (830 in figure 8) coupled with the at least one processor (820 in figure 8) and storing processor-readable code that, when executed by the at least one processor (820 in figure 8), is configured to perform operations including (par 0079-0084):
transmitting (see figure 3), by the UE (310 in figure 3), at least one transmission (transmission 372-380 in figure 3) to at least one node (320, 330 in figure 3), each transmission of the at least one transmission transmitted by the UE (310 in figure 3) to a respective node of the at least one node (320-360 in figure 3) at a respective transmit time (in par 0020 Khoryaev teaches “transmit, to the second UE and over the Sidelink channel, a first positioning reference signal from which first timing information”. Timing information interpreted to be a respective transmit time);
obtaining by the UE (310 in figure 3), at least one timing advance (TA) value to be used by the UE to transmit a sidelink (SL)-positioning reference signal (PRS) to one or more nodes of the at least one node (in par 0015 Khoryaev teaches “determine, based on the first positioning reference signals, first position metrics that relate to a position of the UE with respect to the other UEs. Positioning metric interpreted to be timing advance (TA) configuration. Also, in par 0047, Khoryaev teaches “the positioning reference signal received by target UE 310 may include timing information, which may relate to a distance between target UE 310 and the transmitting source. For example, differences in the timing information from the various sources (e.g., eNBs 340-360 and anchor UEs 320 and 330) and/or signal time of arrival values may correspond to a distance of target UE 310 from the transmitting source”. Also see par 0055, 0059); and
transmitting the SL-PRS to each of the one or more nodes using a respective TA value, wherein using the respective TA value includes advancing the transmission of the SL-PRS to the respective node by a time period equal to the TA value (see figures 3-5) (par 0020, 0047, 0055, 0058-0059, 0066-0070, claim 10).
Regarding claims 11 and 25:
As shown in figures 1-8, Khoryaev discloses wherein transmitting the SL-PRS to each of the one or more nodes using a respective TA value includes transmitting a plurality of SL-PRS transmissions to a plurality of nodes of the one or more nodes (see figures 3-5) (par 0020, 0047, 0055, 0058-0059, 0066-0070, claim 10), wherein each SL-PRS of the plurality of SL-PRS transmissions is transmitted in a respective resource of at least one resource pool (par 0055, 0067. Spectrum resource interpreted to be a respective resource of at least one resource pool).
Allowable Subject Matter
6. Claims 2-7, 9-10, 12-14, 16-21, 23-24, 26-28 and 30-35 are 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.
7. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The prior art of record, Khoryaev does not teach or suggest wherein obtaining the at least one TA configuration includes: receiving the SL-PRS transmission from the at least one node of the plurality of nodes, the SL-PRS transmission transmitted by the at least one node at a transmit time using a TA determined by the at least one node based at least in part on the TA offset of the at least one TA configuration and the respective first transmission received from the at least one node of the plurality of nodes; determining a TA offset for modifying, by the at least one node, the SL-PRS transmission from the at least one node, the modification by the at least one node being based at least in part on the TA offset and the respective first transmission received from the at least one node of the plurality of nodes; and including, in the at least one TA configuration transmitted to the at least one node, the determined TA offset.
The prior art of record, Khoryaev also does not teach or suggest wherein transmitting the at least one TA configuration to the at least one node of the of the plurality of nodes includes: transmitting the at least one TA configuration to a network node, wherein the network node is configured to determine a TA offset, based on the at least one TA configuration, to be used by the at least one node for modifying the SL-PRS transmission relative to the respective first transmission from the at least one node, and to transmit the TA offset to the at least one node.
The prior art of record, Khoryaev also does not teach or suggest wherein the respective first transmission received from each node of a plurality of nodes includes one or more of: a discovery message request, a discovery message response, or a sidelink (SL) synchronization signal block (SL-SSB) message and further comprising: determining, by the UE, whether a TA configuration update condition has occurred, wherein the TA configuration update condition includes one or more of: determining, by the UE, that the position of the UE has changed; determining, by the UE, that reception of SL-PRS transmissions from one or more nodes of the plurality of nodes are misaligned; an indication that the position of the one or more nodes of the plurality of nodes has changed; or an indication that SL-PRS transmissions from one or more nodes of the plurality of nodes are misaligned with respect to the UE; updating, based on a determination that a TA configuration update condition has occurred, the TD configuration for SL-PRS transmissions from the at least one node; and transmitting the updated TA configuration to the at least one node.
The prior art of record, Khoryaev also does not teach or suggest wherein each of the at least one TA value is based on a TA offset determined by a respective node of the one or more nodes to which the SL-PRS is to be transmitted using a respective TA value, the method further comprising one or more of: receiving, the TA offset determined by the respective node of the one or more nodes to which the SL-PRS is to be transmitted using the respective TA value, from one or more of: a network node and the respective node of the one or more nodes; and determining each of the at least one TA value based on the TA offset.
The prior art of record, Khoryaev also does not teach or suggest wherein: obtaining the at least one TA value includes: obtaining a first TA value to be used for transmitting the SL-PRS to a first node of the one or more nodes; and obtaining a second TA value to be used for transmitting the SL-PRS to a second node of the one or more nodes; and transmitting the SL-PRS to each of the one or more nodes using a respective TA value includes: transmitting, by the UE, the SL-PRS to the first node using the first TA value, wherein using the first TA value includes advancing the transmission of the SL-PRS to the first node by a time period equal to the first TA value; and transmitting, by the UE, the SL-PRS to the second node using the second TA value, wherein using the second TA value includes advancing the transmission of the SL-PRS to the second node by a time period equal to the second TA value.
The prior art of record, Khoryaev also does not teach or suggest wherein transmitting the plurality of SL-PRS transmissions to the plurality of nodes includes: transmitting a first SL-PRS of the plurality of SL-PRS transmissions in a first resource of the resource pool, wherein the first SL-PRS is transmitted using a first TA value; transmitting a second SL-PRS of the plurality of SL-PRS transmissions in a second resource of the resource pool, wherein the second SL-PRS is transmitted using a second TA value; and including a transmission gap between transmitting the first SL-PRS in the first resource and transmitting the second SL-PRS in the second resource, wherein the first TA value is different from the second TA value.
The prior art of record, Khoryaev also does not teach or suggest wherein transmitting the plurality of SL-PRS transmissions to the plurality of nodes includes: transmitting a first SL-PRS of the plurality of SL-PRS transmissions in a first resource of the resource pool, wherein the first SL-PRS is transmitted using a first TA value; transmitting data in a second resource of the resource pool, wherein the data is not transmitted using the first TA value; and including a transmission gap between transmitting the first SL-PRS in the first resource and transmitting the data in the second resource
The prior art of record, Khoryaev also does not teach or suggest wherein at least one transmission includes one or more of: a discovery message request, a discovery message response, or a sidelink (SL) synchronization signal block (SL-SSB) message, the method further comprising: receiving, by the UE, at least one updated TA configuration from one or more the nodes of the plurality of nodes, wherein the at least one updated TA configuration is transmitted from the one or more nodes based on a determination by the one or more nodes that a TA configuration update condition has occurred; and transmitting at least one SL-PRS to the one or more nodes using the at least one updated TA configuration.
Conclusion
8. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Chae et al. (US 20150181366) disclose a method for achieving synchronization for the device-to-device (D2D) communication of a first terminal in a wireless communication system, comprising the steps of: calculating a time advance of a second terminal using the information relating to the transmission timing of a second transmission point, the downlink transmission timing of a first transmission point, timing the receipt of a downlink signal from the second transmission point; and receiving a signal from the second terminal using the timing advance of the second terminal.
ZHANG et al. (US 20180231648) disclose a method for measuring UE-to-UE distance based on D2D sidelink channel or signal. The network configures the two UEs to perform both transmission and reception of D2D sidelink channel or signal; the UEs determine in time domain the cycle boundaries of the same cycle duration and use the cycle boundaries as the timing references to measure transmission timing and receiving timing; each UE reports to network one transmission timing and one or more receiving timings, or one or more modulo transmission-to-reception time differences; each UE reports to network one transmission identity associated with transmitted D2D sidelink channel or signal and one or more transmission identities each of which associated with a received D2D sidelink channel or signal; the network obtaining the reports from the two UEs matches the timing information based on the associated transmission identities and calculates the UE-to-UE distance based on the matched timing information.
9. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KABIR A TIMORY whose telephone number is (571)270-1674. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 7:00 AM-3:00 PM.
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/KABIR A TIMORY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2631