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 .
Response to Amendment
Receipt is acknowledged of the amendment filed 11/17/2023. Claims 19-31, 33-54 and 56-60 have been canceled. No claims have been added. Claims 1-18, 32 and 55 are pending.
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.
Claim 32 is 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 32 recites the limitation "the infrastructure equipment" in the claim limitation which recites “to transmit the reference signals to the infrastructure equipment and/or one or more of the other communications devices in accordance with the determined reference signal characteristics, and” and also in the final claim limitation of claim 32. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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, 5, 6, 32 and 55 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shrestha et al. US 2023/0296722 (hereinafter Shrestha), in view of Noorshams et al. US 2016/0066157 (hereinafter Noors).
Regarding claim 1, Shrestha teaches a method of operating a communications device for transmitting signals to and/or receiving signals from an infrastructure equipment of wireless communications network and transmitting signals to and/or receiving signals from one or more other communications devices in accordance with Device-to-Device, D2D, communications, the method comprising
([Shrestha, Figs. 3, 8 and 10, ¶35] The Wireless Communication Device (WCD) is a User Equipment (UE) that communicates with a network node (shown as a TRP which is interpreted as the claimed infrastructure equipment of the wireless communication network) and with another UE in a cellular or mobile communication system (interpreted respectively as the recited claim limitations “transmitting signals to and/or receiving signals from an infrastructure equipment of the wireless communications network” and “transmitting signals to and or receiving signals from one or more other communications devices in accordance with D2D communications”))
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determining that the communications device is to transmit one or more reference signals in accordance with one or more reference signal characteristics,
([Shrestha, Figs. 3, 8 and 10, ¶36, ¶77, ¶79-¶80] The claimed determination occurs when the WCD/UE receives configuration of uplink (UL) transmission(s) comprising the UL reference signal that are to be transmitted by the WCD/UE in accordance with UTDOA positioning occasion and will be a positioning reference signal (PRS) reference signal which are interpreted as the claimed “reference signal characteristics” of a transmission time resource during which the UL reference signal transmissions are transmitted.)
transmitting the reference signals to the infrastructure equipment and/or one or more of the other communications devices in accordance with the determined reference signal characteristics, and
([Shrestha, Figs. 3, 8 and 10, ¶36, ¶77, ¶79-¶80] The claimed transmitting of the reference signals to the wireless communication network comprising the network node occurs during the UTDOA positioning occasions and will be a PRS reference signal and a SRS references signal which are interpreted as the claimed “reference signal characteristics” of a reference signal type and transmission time resource during which the UL reference signal transmissions are transmitted.
performing measurements on the basis of signals received in response to the transmitted reference signals and/or other reference signals received from one or more of the other communications devices,
([Shrestha, Fig. 8, ¶79-¶81] The WCD/UE performs measurements on the basis of the signals received in response to the transmitted one or more reference signals which is depicted in Figs. 8 in operation 303 and Fig. 10)
However, Shrestha does not teach wherein the performed measurements are used to update a local map associated with at least one of the communications device and the infrastructure equipment on the basis of the performed measurements, wherein the local map describes an environment of the at least one of the communications device and the infrastructure equipment.
However, Noors teaches wherein the performed measurements are used to update a local map associated with at least one of the communications device and the infrastructure equipment on the basis of the performed measurements, wherein the local map describes an environment of the at least one of the communications device and the infrastructure equipment. ([Noors, ¶22-23 and ¶44] According to Noors, performed measurements on received reference signals are used to create and maintain a local map (for example a SLAM map) on the mobile device (the mobile device of Noors is interpreted as being WCD/UE as found in Shrestha) associated with at least one of the mobile device and transmitters (base stations – interpreted as the infrastructure equipment) on the basis of the performed measurements, wherein the local map describes an environment of the at least one of the mobile device and the transmitters using the relative positions of the transmitters to the mobile device’s estimated position)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Shrestha, indicating that a WCD/UE operating as a mobile device may transmit uplink reference signal transmissions to perform measurements of the transmitted signals, with the teachings of Noors, indicating that performed measurements of received reference signals are used to create and maintain a local map (SLAM map), wherein the local map describes the relative positions of the transmitters to the mobile device’s position. The resulting benefit of the combination would have been the ability to determine more accurate positioning of the mobile device and the associated transmitters within a location [Noors, ¶39 and also see ¶67].
Regarding claim 32, Shrestha teaches a communications device comprising transceiver circuitry configured to transmit signals to and/or to receive signals from a wireless communications network and to transmit signals to and/or to receive signals from one or more other communications devices in accordance with Device-to-Device, D2D, communications, and
([Shrestha, Figs. 10 and 14, ¶35 and ¶140] The Wireless Communication Device (WCD) is a User Equipment (UE) comprising transceiver circuitry 1422 of Fig. 14 that communicates with a network node 1460/1460b (shown as a TRP in Fig. 10 which is interpreted as the infrastructure equipment of the wireless communication network) and with another UE in a cellular or mobile communication system (“in accordance with supported D2D communications”))
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controller circuitry configured in combination with the transceiver circuitry to determine that the communications device is to transmit one or more reference signals in accordance with one or more reference signal characteristics, ([Shrestha, Figs. 3, 8, 10 and 14, ¶36, ¶77, ¶79-¶80 and ¶140] The claimed controller circuitry is shown as the processing circuitry 1420 which is configured in combination with the transceiver 1422 to perform the determination that occurs when the WCD/UE receives configuration of uplink (UL) transmission(s) comprising the UL reference signal that are to be transmitted by the WCD/UE in accordance with UTDOA positioning occasion and will be a positioning reference signal (PRS) reference signal which are interpreted as the claimed “reference signal characteristics” of a transmission time resource during which the UL reference signal transmissions are transmitted.)
to transmit the reference signals to the infrastructure equipment and/or one or more of the other communications devices in accordance with the determined reference signal characteristics, and
([Shrestha, Figs. 3, 8 and 10, ¶36, ¶77, ¶79-¶80] The claimed transmitting of the reference signals to the infrastructure equipment/TRP of the wireless communication network comprising the network node occurs during the UTDOA positioning occasions and will be a PRS reference signal and a SRS references signal which are interpreted as the claimed “reference signal characteristics” of a reference signal type and transmission time resource during which the UL reference signal transmissions are transmitted.
to perform measurements on the basis of signals received in response to the transmitted reference signals and/or other reference signals received from one or more of the other communications devices, ([Shrestha, Fig. 8, ¶79-¶81] The WCD/UE performs measurements on the basis of the signals received in response to the transmitted one or more reference signals which is depicted in Figs. 8 in operation 303 and Fig. 10)
However, Shrestha does not teach wherein the performed measurements are used to update a local map associated with at least one of the communications device and the infrastructure equipment on the basis of the performed measurements, wherein the local map describes an environment of the at least one of the communications device and the infrastructure equipment.
However, Noors teaches wherein the performed measurements are used to update a local map associated with at least one of the communications device and the infrastructure equipment on the basis of the performed measurements, wherein the local map describes an environment of the at least one of the communications device and the infrastructure equipment.
([Noors, ¶22-23 and ¶44] According to Noors, performed measurements on received reference signals are used to create and maintain a local map (for example a SLAM map) on the mobile device (the mobile device of Noors is interpreted as being WCD/UE as found in Shrestha) associated with at least one of the mobile device and transmitters (base stations – interpreted as the infrastructure equipment) on the basis of the performed measurements, wherein the local map describes an environment of the at least one of the mobile device and the transmitters using the relative positions of the transmitters to the mobile device’s estimated position)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Shrestha, indicating that a WCD/UE operating as a mobile device may transmit uplink reference signal transmissions to perform measurements of the transmitted signals, with the teachings of Noors, indicating that performed measurements of received reference signals are used to create and maintain a local map (SLAM map), wherein the local map describes the relative positions of the transmitters to the mobile device’s position. The resulting benefit of the combination would have been the ability to determine more accurate positioning of the mobile device and the associated transmitters within a location [Noors, ¶39 and also see ¶67].
Regarding claim 55, Shrestha teaches an infrastructure equipment forming part of a wireless communications network, comprising transceiver circuitry configured to transmit signals to and/or to receive signals from a plurality of communications devices, and controller circuitry configured in combination with the transceiver circuitry to receive, from each of at least one of the plurality of communications devices, one or more reference signals in accordance with one or more reference signal characteristics, and
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([Shrestha, Figs. 10-11 and 14, ¶35 ¶76-¶77and ¶140] The network node 1460/1460b (also referenced as a TRP in Fig. 11) is an infrastructure equipment forming part of a wireless communications network as shown in Figs. 10 and 14, comprising transceiver circuitry 1472 of Fig. 14 that transmits signals to and/or to receive signals from a plurality of communication devices 1410/1410b/1410c, and a processing circuitry 1470 serving as the claimed controller circuitry configured in combination with the transceiver circuitry 1472 to receive, from each of a least one of the plurality of communication devices, uplink (UL) transmission(s) comprising the UL reference signal that are to be transmitted by the WCD/UE in accordance with UTDOA positioning occasion and will be a positioning reference signal (PRS) reference signal which are interpreted as the claimed “reference signal characteristics” of a transmission time resource during which the UL reference signal transmissions are transmitted.)
to perform measurements on the basis of the received reference signals,
([See Shrestha Figs. 3 and 11] Fig. 11 shows the network node performing position measurement of the UL reference signal transmission sent by the WCD/UE, wherein Step 302 of Fig. 3 indicates that the UL reference signal transmission comprises the transmission of more than one UL reference signal by the WCD/UE)]
wherein the performed measurements are used to update a local map associated with at least one of the infrastructure equipment and the plurality of communications devices on the basis of the performed measurements, wherein the local map describes an environment of the at least one of the infrastructure equipment and the plurality of communications devices.
([See Shrestha Figs. 3 and 11, ¶33] Fig. 11 shows the network node performing position measurement of the UL reference signal transmissions uses the measurements obtained by the TRP/network node to map the environment comprising the TRP and the UEs via a digital twin of the environment.)
But, Shrestha does not teach wherein the performed measurements are used to update a local map.
However, Noors teaches wherein the performed measurements are used to update a local map associated with at least one of the infrastructure equipment and the plurality of communications device on the basis of the performed measurements, wherein the local map describes an environment of the at least one of the infrastructure equipment and the plurality of communications devices.
([Noors, ¶22-24 (local map), ¶26 and ¶44] According to Noors, performed measurements on received reference signals are used to create and maintain a local map (for example a SLAM map) associated with a plurality of the mobile devices and transmitters (base stations – interpreted as the infrastructure equipment) on the basis of the performed measurements, wherein the local map describes an environment of the mobile devices and the transmitters using the relative positions of the transmitters to the mobile devices’ estimated position)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Shrestha, indicating that a TRP/network node operating as a infrastructure equipment may perform measurements of the transmitted signals, with the teachings of Noors, indicating that performed measurements of received reference signals are used to create and maintain a local map (SLAM map), wherein the local map describes the relative positions of the transmitters to the mobile device’s position. The resulting benefit of the combination would have been the ability to determine more accurate positioning of the mobile device and the associated transmitters within a location [Noors, ¶39 and also see ¶67].
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Shrestha, in view of Noors teaches a method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitted reference signals are Sounding Reference Signals, SRS.
([Shrestha, Figs. 3, 8 and 10, ¶36] The claimed transmitting of the reference signals to the wireless communication network comprises SRS.)
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Shrestha, in view of Noors teaches a method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitted reference signals are positioning reference signals, PRS, used for positioning.
([Shrestha, Figs. 3, 8 and 10, ¶36] The claimed transmitting of the reference signals to the wireless communication network comprises PRS.)
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shrestha, in view of Noors as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Celik et al. US 2023/0113017 (Celik).
Regarding claim 7, Shrestha, in view of Noors teaches method according to claim 1, wherein the WCD/UE supports D2D communication by implementing 3GPP standard for sidelink communication, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V), vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I), vehicle-to-everything (V2X) and may in this case be referred to as a D2D communication device [Shrestha, ¶135],
but it does not teach wherein the transmitted reference signals are sidelink synchronization signals, SLSS, used for synchronisation.
However, Celik teaches wherein the transmitted reference signals are sidelink synchronization signals, SLSS, used for synchronization [Celik, ¶129].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Shrestha, in view of Noors indicating that a WCD/UE may support D2D communication and also operate to transmit reference signal transmissions to perform measurements of the transmitted signals, with the teachings of Celik, indicating that the transmitted reference signals are sidelink synchronization signals, SLSS, used for synchronization. The resulting benefit of the combination would have been the ability to synchronize with other D2D UEs for maintaining direct communications with the other UEs [Celik, ¶129].
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shrestha, in view of Noors as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Franke et al. US 2022/0095296 (hereinafter Franke).
Regarding claim 15, Shrestha, in view of Noors teaches a method according to claim 1, wherein the determining that the communications device is to transmit the reference signals comprises determining that the communications device is to transmit the reference signals ([Shrestha, Figs. 3, 8 and 10, ¶36, ¶77, ¶79-¶80] The claimed determination occurs when the WCD/UE receives configuration of uplink (UL) transmission(s) comprising the UL reference signal that are to be transmitted by the WCD/UE in accordance with UTDOA positioning occasion and will be a positioning reference signal (PRS) reference signal which are interpreted as the claimed “reference signal characteristics” of a transmission time resource during which the UL reference signal transmissions are transmitted.)
But it does not teach that the transmission is in accordance with a preconfigured periodicity.
However, Franke teaches but it does not teach that the transmission is in accordance with a preconfigured periodicity [Franke, ¶92].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Shrestha, in view of Noors indicating that a WCD/UE may operate to transmit reference signal transmissions to perform measurements of the transmitted signals, with the teachings of Franke, indicating that the reference signals are transmitted periodically. The resulting benefit of the combination would have been the ability to support one of many different positioning solutions [Franke, ¶17].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-4, 8-14 and 16-18 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The Examiner has conducted a prior art search of the available Patent and Non-Patent Literature and was unable to find any prior art which teaches either solely or in combination with another reference the claim limitations of claim 2 reciting “A method according to claim 1, wherein each of the transmitted reference signals comprises an indication that the reference signal is for a Simultaneous Localization and Mapping, SLAM, process being performed by the communications device.”, claim 4 reciting “A method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitted reference signals are discovery signals.”, claim 8 reciting “A method according to claim 1, wherein the determining that the communications device is to transmit the reference signals comprises receiving a command from either the infrastructure equipment or a relay node configured to relay signals between the communications device and the infrastructure equipment, wherein the command indicates that the communications device is to transmit the reference signals.”, claim 13 reciting “A method according to claim 1, wherein the determining that the communications device is to transmit the reference signals comprises determining that the local map comprises a blind spot.” claim 14 reciting “A method according to claim 1, wherein the determining that the communications device is to transmit the reference signals comprises determining that the local map has not been updated for longer than a threshold time.”, claim 16 reciting “A method according to claim 1, wherein the determining that the communications device is to transmit the reference signals comprises determining the one or more reference signal characteristics in accordance with which the reference signals are to be transmitted on the basis of an indication of the one or more reference signal characteristics which has been previously received by the communications device.”, claim 17 reciting “A method according to claim 1, wherein each of the transmitted reference signals comprises an indication that only a specified subset of the other communications devices are to receive the reference signal and to transmit to the communications device a response to the reference signal.” and claim 18 reciting “A method according to claim 1, wherein each of the transmitted reference signals comprises an indication of a location and/or a velocity of the communications device.”, in combination with all the other claim limitations of their respective parent claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
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/LONNIE V SWEET/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2467