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 .
Claim Objections
The numbering of claims is not in accordance with 37 CFR 1.126 which requires the original numbering of the claims to be preserved throughout the prosecution. When claims are canceled, the remaining claims must not be renumbered. When new claims are presented, they must be numbered consecutively beginning with the number next following the highest numbered claims previously presented (whether entered or not).
Misnumbered claims 24 and 25 have been renumbered 27 and 28.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Group II (claims 9-15, 17-18, 21, & 28) in the reply filed on 4/29/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that the special technical features distinguish over the prior art. This is not found persuasive because the features are found in the newly cited prior art. Further, the consideration is only for the overlapping subject matter. Further it is noted that groups I and III are not merely claiming the same method from different perspectives but entail additional steps requiring further search and consideration.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the parameter processing method wherein "the positioning reference parameter(s) comprise: location parameter(s) of the candidate reference device(s) and accuracy indication parameter(s) of the location parameter(s)" must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 15 and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 15 is dependent on claim 11 and recites: (underlining added for emphasis) “wherein the positioning the terminal device to obtain the location estimate value of the terminal device…”, however there is no antecedent basis for any step of “positioning the terminal device” found in claims 9 or 11.
Claim 28 is dependent on claim 15 and recites: (underlining added for emphasis) “wherein the obtaining the quality indication parameter of the location estimate value…” however there is no antecedent basis for any step of “obtaining the quality indication parameter” found in claims 9, 11, or 15.
For compact prosecution, claim 15 will be treated as depending from claim 14 to thereby provide the proper antecedents.
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)(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.
(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) 9, 11-12, 14-15, 18, and 28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) or (a)(2) as being anticipated by Duan et al. (2024/0118370), hereinafter “Duan”.
As to claim 9, (Currently Amended) Duan discloses A parameter processing method, applied to a candidate reference device ([0125]: “FIG 7 shows a flowchart for an exemplary method 700 for selecting an anchor UE for positioning of a target UE… The exemplary method 700 may be performed by any suitable device of a wireless network, such as a target UE 104 or a location server 172…”), comprising:
determining a positioning reference parameter ([0126]: “At block 702, a device obtains, from one or more of a plurality of candidate anchor UEs, one or more position measurements and a measurement quality metric of each of the one or more position measurements…” );
sending the positioning reference parameter to a Location Management Function (LMF) network element (block 702 being performed by location server is evidence of “sending”)
wherein the positioning reference parameter is sent through at least one of the following:
sent by the candidate reference device autonomously; sent when receiving first indication information sent by a first network-side device, wherein the first indication information is sent by the first network-side device which is instructed by the LMF; and sent when a preset signaling message sent by the LMF is received; [0122]+[0124] at least provides for evidence of “autonomously sending”
wherein the positioning reference parameter comprises: a location parameter of the candidate reference device and an accuracy indication parameter of the location parameter (see [0126] (above), [0130]: “… For example, an NR-based positioning measurement report (such as defined in release 16 of the 3GPP set of standards associated with 5G NR) configured to include the measurement quality metric”). Also see [0095]-[0097].
10. (Cancelled)
As to claim 11, (Currently Amended) Duan discloses The parameter processing method according to claim 9, wherein the location parameter comprises at least one of the following: a location estimate value ([0109]: “… UE 104 determines an estimate of its position…”), a velocity estimate value, a device capability parameter, and a positioning method parameter of the candidate reference device ([0128]: “… the measurement quality may include an indication that GNSS based locationing is used instead of terrestrial…”).
As to claim 12, (Original) Duan discloses The parameter processing method according to claim 11, wherein the accuracy indication parameter comprises at least one of the following: a quality indication parameter of the location estimate value, an error range parameter of the location estimate value, an uncertainty parameter of the location estimate value, and a reliability parameter of the positioning method parameter. See [0095], [0109], [0122]-[0132].
As to claim 14, (Original) Duan discloses The parameter processing method according to claim 12, wherein when the location parameter comprises the location estimate value, the determining the positioning reference parameter comprises:
when the candidate reference device comprises a network-side device, (inherently) obtaining a location estimate value of the network-side device and/or a quality indication parameter of the location estimate value;
when the candidate reference device comprises a terminal device (UE), positioning the terminal device to obtain a location estimate value of the terminal device, and obtaining a quality indication parameter of the location estimate value. [0139] is further evidence in the processes in [0122]-[0132].
As to claim 15, (Currently Amended) Duan discloses The parameter processing method according to claim 11/14, wherein the positioning the terminal device to obtain the location estimate value of the terminal device comprises:
positioning the terminal device according to a preset positioning method to obtain the location estimate value of the terminal device; the preset positioning method comprises at least one of the following:
a laser mapping method, a RAT-independent UE-based positioning, and a RAT-dependent UE-based positioning ([0127]).
As to claim 18, (Original) Duan discloses The parameter processing method according to claim 9, wherein subsequent to the sending the positioning reference parameter to the LMF network element, the method comprises:
when the candidate reference device is the target reference device, receiving positioning assistance data sent by the LMF; measuring a positioning measurement value according to the positioning assistance data, and sending the positioning measurement value to the LMF (see [0040]: “… During a location session, a location server may request position capabilities of the UE… may provide assistance data to the UE… may request a location estimate… Assistance data may be used by a UE to acquire and measure…”). Also see [0112].
As to claim 28, (New) Duan discloses The parameter processing method according to claim 15, wherein the obtaining the quality indication parameter of the location estimate value comprises:
determining the quality indication parameter of the location estimate value based on the preset positioning method (see [0127]) and/or
a location attribute of the terminal device's location estimate value; wherein the location attribute comprises: the location estimate value indicates a preset position and/or a location of a transmission-reception point of a target network-side device ([0126]).
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.
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Duan and Ko et al. (2022/0326335), hereinafter “Ko”.
As to claim 13, (Previously Presented) Duan discloses The parameter processing method according to claim 12, is silent to yet in an analogous art Ko discloses wherein when the accuracy indication parameter comprises the error range parameter of the location estimate, the error range parameter comprises a first error range parameter and/or a second error range parameter; wherein the first error range parameter comprises a first error of a location estimate value of the candidate reference device; the first error comprises an error value and/or an error resolution; the second error range parameter comprises a second error of the candidate reference device, wherein the second error is an error of the location estimate value and/or a positioning measurement value. See [0224]. Before the effective filing date of the instant invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to allow Duan to operate wherein when the accuracy indication parameter comprises the error range parameter of the location estimate, the error range parameter comprises a first error range parameter and/or a second error range parameter; wherein the first error range parameter comprises a first error of a location estimate value of the candidate reference device; the first error comprises an error value and/or an error resolution; the second error range parameter comprises a second error of the candidate reference device, wherein the second error is an error of the location estimate value and/or a positioning measurement value as taught by Ko for the purpose of improving positioning results.
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Duan and Manolakos et al. (2023/0171055), hereinafter “Manolakos”.
As to claim 17, (Original) Duan discloses The parameter processing method according to claim 9, wherein the sending the positioning reference parameter to the LMF network element comprises:
when the candidate reference device comprises a terminal device, sending the positioning reference parameter to the LMF network element based on a Long Term Evolution (LTE) positioning protocol signaling (see [0045]-[0046]) is silent to yet in an analogous art Manolakos discloses
when the candidate reference device comprises a network-side device, sending the positioning reference parameter to the LMF network element based on a New Radio (NR) positioning protocol A signaling, see (0052]). Before the effective filing date of the instant invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to allow Duan for sending the positioning reference parameter to the LMF network element based on a New Radio (NR) positioning protocol A signaling when the candidate reference device comprises a network-side device as taught by Manolakos for the purpose of implementing new technologies in an accepted manner.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Liu et al. (2023/0080149) provide for a transceiver that sends its location and error / integrity level of the measurements [0452].
Cha et al. (2022/0338203) provide for a UE and LMF and informing the LMF of the quality of the measurements through LPP [0261]-[0270].
Thomas et al. (2024/0210514) provide for autonomously reporting location to LMF [0061]-[0065].
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LESTER KINCAID whose telephone number is (571)272-7922. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th: 7-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Yuwen Pan can be reached at 571-272-7855. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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LESTER G. KINCAID
Primary Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2649
/LESTER G KINCAID/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2649
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