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 § 103
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.
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.
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.
Claims 1-3 and 24-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Eilertsen (US 2021/0209937) in view of Cavalcanti et al (US 2018/0295655)
Regarding claims 1 and 24. Eilertsen discloses an apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment, comprising: a processor; memory coupled with the processor; and instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to: receive, from a roadside unit, a message comprising an indication of a network address associated with a location-based service (see at least paragraph [0058]); access the location-based service over a connection with a network device, wherein the location-based service is accessed using the network address received from the roadside unit and based at least in part on a location of the UE (see at least paragraphs [0047] and [0058]); and receive location-based information from the location-based service over the connection with the network device (see at least paragraph [0046]).
Eilertsen discloses all the limitations of the claimed invention with the exception that message is a sidelink message, However, Cavalcanti, from the same field of endeavor, teaches RSUs and UEs exchanging sidelink communication services (see at least abstract and paragraph [0045]). Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the time of the invention to employ the teaching of Cavalcanti, as indicated, into the communication method Eilertsen for the purpose of establishing communication and extending network services.
Regarding claims 2 and 25, Eilertsen in view Cavalcanti discloses an apparatus wherein the sidelink message further indicates a set of one or more locations at which the UE accesses the location-based service to receive the location-based information, the location-based information comprising signal phase and timing information for a respective location of the set of one or more locations (see at least fig. 4, and paragraphs [0046], [0058]).
Regarding claim 3, Eilertsen in view Cavalcanti discloses an apparatus wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to compare the location of the UE to the set of one or more locations: and determine that the location of the UE matches a location of the set of one or more locations based at least in part on the comparison, wherein accessing the location-based service is based at least in part on the location of the UE matching the location of the set of one or more locations (see at least paragraphs [0047] and [0058]).
Claims 1-3 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Eilertsen (US 2021/0209937) in view of Yang et al (US 11,937,211, hereinafter referred to as Yang)
Regarding claims 1 and 24. Eilertsen discloses an apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment, comprising: a processor; memory coupled with the processor; and instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to: receive, from a roadside unit, a message comprising an indication of a network address associated with a location-based service (see at least paragraph [0058]); access the location-based service over a connection with a network device, wherein the location-based service is accessed using the network address received from the roadside unit and based at least in part on a location of the UE (see at least paragraphs [0047] and [0058]); and receive location-based information from the location-based service over the connection with the network device (see at least paragraph [0046]).
Eilertsen discloses all the limitations of the claimed invention with the exception that message is a sidelink message, However, Yang, from the same field of endeavor, teaches RSUs and UEs exchanging sidelink communication services (see at least Col.11, lines 20-33). Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the time of the invention to employ the teaching of Cavalcanti, as indicated, into the communication method Eilertsen for the purpose of establishing communication and extending network services.
Regarding claims 2 and 25, Eilertsen in view Yang discloses an apparatus wherein the sidelink message further indicates a set of one or more locations at which the UE accesses the location-based service to receive the location-based information, the location-based information comprising signal phase and timing information for a respective location of the set of one or more locations (see at least fig. 4, and paragraphs [0046], [0058]).
Regarding claim 3, Eilertsen in view Yang discloses an apparatus wherein the instructions are further executable by the processor to cause the apparatus to compare the location of the UE to the set of one or more locations: and determine that the location of the UE matches a location of the set of one or more locations based at least in part on the comparison, wherein accessing the location-based service is based at least in part on the location of the UE matching the location of the set of one or more locations (see at least paragraphs [0047] and [0058]).
Claims 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Eilertsen in view Cavalcanti/Yang and further in view of Yang et al (US 2021/0211850). Hereinafter referred to as Yang-850.
Regarding claims 10-12, Eilertsen in view Cavalcanti/Yang discloses all the limitations of the claimed invention with the exception that the sidelink message comprises application description/service type/commercial information specific to the location of the UE; and accessing the location-based service is based at least in part on the commercial information. However, Yang-850, from the same field of endeavor, teaches that the sidelink message comprises application description/service type/commercial information specific to the location of the UE; and accessing the location-based service is based at least in part on the commercial information (see at least paragraph [0056]). Thus, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the time of the invention to employ the teaching of Yang-850, as indicated, into the teaching of Eilertsen in view Cavalcanti/Yang for the purpose of extending network range.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-9, 13-14 and 26-27 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO_892.
In the case of amending the claimed invention, Applicant is respectfully requested to indicate the portion(s) of the specification which dictate(s) the structure relied on for proper interpretation and also to verify and ascertain the metes and bounds of the claimed invention.
When responding to this office action, applicants are advised to clearly point out the patentable novelty which they think the claims present in view of the state of the art disclosed by the references cited or the objections made. Applicants must also show how the amendments avoid such references or objections. See 37C.F.R 1.111(c). In addition, applicants are advised to provide the examiner with the line numbers and pages numbers in the application and/or references cited to assist examiner in locating the appropriate paragraphs.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOUNIR MOUTAOUAKIL whose telephone number is (571)270-1416. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10AM-4PM EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ayaz Sheikh can be reached at 571-272-3795. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/MOUNIR MOUTAOUAKIL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2476