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 .
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11, 13, 14, and 26 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.
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) 1-9, 12, 15-24, and 27-30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Priyanto et al. (US 2023/0056394) (“Priyanto”).
For claims 1, 18, 19, and 30; Priyanto discloses: receive, from a second wireless device, one or more of an indication of a maximum number of measurement reports or an indication of a threshold probability associated with at least one of a line-of-sight (LOS) probability or a non-line-of-sight (NLOS) probability for a plurality of signal or beam paths (paragraph 69-70: the first wireless node may select the measurements to be included in the measurement report based on one or more thresholds, such as an RSRP threshold and/or a LoS quality threshold. The first wireless node may e.g. only select measurements where the measured LoS quality and/or measured RSRP exceeds the corresponding threshold. The one or more thresholds may be received from the network node or may be preconfigured in the first wireless node); calculate at least one of an LOS probability or an NLOS probability of at least one signal or beam path of the plurality of signal or beam paths (paragraph 47, 55-56, 63, 64: determination of whether the PRS is received on a LoS or a NLoS component on the signal may be based on an analysis of measured statistical channel properties, such as a Ricean-K factor, an excess delay and/or power-based features …measurement report may comprise a path status field, to indicate whether a path, over which a reference signal is received, is LoS or NLoS. Furthermore, the path status field may be extended so that the wireless device can report the LoS quality. The LoS quality may be represented in, for example, two bits as shown in the following table); and transmit, to the second wireless device, one or more indications of signal or beam information associated with the at least one signal or beam path based on one or more of the maximum number of measurement reports or the threshold probability, the one or more indications of signal or beam information including at least one of the LOS probability or the NLOS probability (paragraph 70: the first wireless node may select the measurements to be included in the measurement report based on one or more thresholds, such as an RSRP threshold and/or a LoS quality threshold. The first wireless node may e.g. only select measurements where the measured LoS quality and/or measured RSRP exceeds the corresponding threshold).
For claims 2 and 20; Priyanto discloses: wherein the first wireless device is a user equipment (UE) or a positioning reference device, and wherein the second wireless device is a network that corresponds to at least one of a location management function (LMF), a base station, or a transmission-reception point (TRP) (paragraph 38, 81: A first wireless node, such as the wireless device WD (when positioning is performed in DL) or the base station (when positioning is performed in UL), receives reference signals transmitted by a second wireless node, such as the base station (when positioning is performed in DL) (such as an eNB and/or a gNBs) or the wireless device WD (when positioning is performed in UL), transmits reference signals. The reference signals may be dedicated reference signals configured to be used for positioning measurements, such as Positioning Reference Signals (PRSs). The reference signals may also be reference signals intended to assist communication, that may be used by the second wireless node, such as a wireless device or a base station, for positioning purposes (such as Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) or Channel State Information-Reference Signal (CSI-RS) for DL based positioning; or Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) or enhanced SRS for UL based positioning)).
For claims 3 and 21; Priyanto discloses: wherein the first wireless device is a user equipment (UE) or a network that corresponds to at least one of a location management function (LMF), a base station, or a transmission-reception point (TRP), and wherein the second wireless device is a UE (paragraph 38, 81: A first wireless node, such as the wireless device WD (when positioning is performed in DL) or the base station (when positioning is performed in UL), receives reference signals transmitted by a second wireless node, such as the base station (when positioning is performed in DL) (such as an eNB and/or a gNBs) or the wireless device WD (when positioning is performed in UL), transmits reference signals. The reference signals may be dedicated reference signals configured to be used for positioning measurements, such as Positioning Reference Signals (PRSs). The reference signals may also be reference signals intended to assist communication, that may be used by the second wireless node, such as a wireless device or a base station, for positioning purposes (such as Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) or Channel State Information-Reference Signal (CSI-RS) for DL based positioning; or Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) or enhanced SRS for UL based positioning)).
For claim 4; Priyanto discloses: herein the at least one of the LOS probability or the NLOS probability is calculated based on one or more positioning reference signals (PRSs) or sounding reference signals (SRSs) received from the second wireless device (paragraph 55-57: measurement report may comprise an indication of a quality of a determination whether the positioning measurement is performed on the LoS component of the reference signal. The quality of the determination whether the positioning measurement is performed on the LoS component may herein also be referred to as LoS quality. The LoS quality indicates a certainty of the LoS determination, e.g. a probability of the LoS determination being correct, e.g. a confidence score).
For claims 5 and 22; Priyanto discloses: wherein the one or more indications of signal or beam information further include at least one of an angle, a timing, a phase, or a power associated with the at least one signal or beam path (paragraph 47: The wireless device 300 may further determine whether the reference signals are received over a LoS component of the reference signal or over a NLoS component of the reference signal, which may also be referred to as LoS detection. The positioning measurements may be e.g. ToA and/or Reference Signal Receive Power (RSRP)).
For claims 6; Priyanto discloses: wherein the at least one processor is further configured to: determine whether the at least one of the LOS probability or the NLOS probability of the at least one signal or beam path is greater than or equal to the threshold probability (paragraph 70: the first wireless node may select the measurements to be included in the measurement report based on one or more thresholds, such as an RSRP threshold and/or a LoS quality threshold. The first wireless node may e.g. only select measurements where the measured LoS quality and/or measured RSRP exceeds the corresponding threshold. The one or more thresholds may be received from the network node or may be preconfigured in the first wireless node).
For claims 7 and 23; Priyanto discloses: wherein the one or more indications of signal or beam information include multiple LOS probabilities or multiple NLOS probabilities that are associated with multiple signal or beam paths of the plurality of signal or beam paths (paragraph 68: selecting S109A one or more positioning measurements to report based on the quality of the determination whether the positioning measurement is performed on the LoS component of the reference signal. Reporting of a positioning measurement based on a higher-quality determination of a first LoS component may be prioritized over a positioning measurement based on a lower-quality determination of a second LoS component).
For claims 8 and 24; Priyanto discloses: wherein to transmit the one or more indications of signal or beam information associated with the at least one signal or beam path, the at least one processor is further configured to: transmit the multiple LOS probabilities in a decreasing order or the multiple NLOS probabilities in an increasing order (paragraph 68: selecting S109A one or more positioning measurements to report based on the quality of the determination whether the positioning measurement is performed on the LoS component of the reference signal. Reporting of a positioning measurement based on a higher-quality determination of a first LoS component may be prioritized over a positioning measurement based on a lower-quality determination of a second LoS component).
For claims 9; Priyanto discloses: wherein to transmit the one or more indications of signal or beam information associated with the at least one signal or beam path, the at least one processor is further configured to: exclude one or more LOS probabilities from the multiple LOS probabilities or exclude one or more NLOS probabilities from the multiple NLOS probabilities based on a payload capacity of a measurement report (paragraph 69: Measurement reports are typically limited in the number of measurements that may be reported (e.g. measurements on up to N base-stations). Measurements of LoS components, although available to the first wireless node, may thus not be included in the measurement report).
For claims 12 and 27; Priyanto discloses: wherein the one or more indications of signal or beam information includes the LOS probability or the NLOS probability that is associated with a first signal or beam path of the plurality of signal or beam paths (paragraph 55-57: The measurement report may comprise an indication of a quality of a determination whether the positioning measurement is performed on the LoS component of the reference signal. The quality of the determination whether the positioning measurement is performed on the LoS component may herein also be referred to as LoS quality. The LoS quality indicates a certainty of the LoS determination, e.g. a probability of the LoS determination being correct, e.g. a confidence score).
For claims 15 and 28; Priyanto discloses: where in the at least one processor is further configured to: determine whether the at least one signal or beam path has a reference signal received power (RSRP) exceeding at least one RSRP threshold, and wherein the one or more indications of signal or beam information includes the at least one of the LOS probability or the NLOS probability of the at least one signal or beam path that exceeds the at least one RSRP threshold (paragraph 68-69: xxx).
For claim 16; Priyanto discloses: where in the at least one processor is further configured to: receive, from the second wireless device, a configuration for the at least one RSRP threshold (paragraph 70: the first wireless node may select the measurements to be included in the measurement report based on one or more thresholds, such as an RSRP threshold and/or a LoS quality threshold. The first wireless node may e.g. only select measurements where the measured LoS quality and/or measured RSRP exceeds the corresponding threshold. The one or more thresholds may be received from the network node or may be preconfigured in the first wireless node).
For claims 17 and 29; Priyanto discloses: wherein to transmit the one or more indications of signal or beam information associated with the at least one signal or beam path, the at least one processor is further configured to: transmit the one or more indications of signal or beam information in an order that is based on a reference signal received power (RSRP), the at least one of the LOS probability or the NLOS probability (paragraph 70: the first wireless node may select the measurements to be included in the measurement report based on one or more thresholds, such as an RSRP threshold and/or a LoS quality threshold. The first wireless node may e.g. only select measurements where the measured LoS quality and/or measured RSRP exceeds the corresponding threshold), an angle, a timing, a phase, or a power associated with the at least one signal or beam path (paragraph 47: The wireless device 300 may further determine whether the reference signals are received over a LoS component of the reference signal or over a NLoS component of the reference signal, which may also be referred to as LoS detection. The positioning measurements may be e.g. ToA and/or Reference Signal Receive Power (RSRP)).
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.
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) 10 and 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Priyanto in view of Lee (US 2023/0256997).
For claims 10 and 25; Priyanto discloses the subject matter in claim xx as described above in the office action.
Priyanto does not expressly disclose, but Lee from similar fields of endeavor teaches: wherein a highest LOS probability in the multiple LOS probabilities or a lowest NLOS probability in the multiple NLOS probabilities does not meet the threshold probability (paragraph 318-322: If the blockage event occurs (Yes' in S1330), the first vehicle may select some of a plurality of candidate NLOS paths based on feature information of an object related to the NLOS path). Thus it would have been obvious to the person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to implement the path selection as described by Lee in the positioning signaling as described by Priyanto. The motivation is to improve location monitoring.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Hasegawa et al. (US 2025/0081142); Hasegawa discloses the UE may determine to include a metric that indicates likelihood of LOS (Line of Sight) or NLOS (Non Line of Sight) in a measurement report. For example the indicator may be a value from 0 to 1, inclusive, and the UE may receive a configuration information from the network (e.g., gNB, LMF) to select from values between 0 and 1. For example, the UE may select a value among 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1 to indicate likelihood of LOS, i.e. a LOS indicator, with 0 and 1 indicating lowest and highest likelihood of LOS, respectively.
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/JOHN D BLANTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2466