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 Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed February 19, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Examiner respectfully disagrees with Applicants’ assertion Edge does not teach the feature-transmitting, to the positioning node, one or more requests for PRS transmission by the RAN, wherein the one or more requests include the one or more configuration indices that are associated with the selected one or more configurations-for the same reasons detailed in the Office Action dated November 19, 2025. Edge teaches wherein the UE transmits to the node one or more requests for increased quantity of location related information, which includes increased frequency of positioning (PRS) occasions (See Edge Section 0098, 0102). The PRS occasions are based on the periodicity indicated in the PRS index (See Edge Section 0089) thus said PRS index, which reads on the configuration index, is effectively a part of the request for location related information). Edge therefore teaches the limitations in question.
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.
Claim(s) 61 – 63, 65 – 73, 75 – 82, 84, 85 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Edge et al. (US 2019/0037338).
Regarding Claim 61, Edge teaches a method for a user equipment (UE) configured for positioning in a radio access network (RAN), the method comprising: receiving the following from a positioning node associated with the RAN (Figure 1A, Section 0085, OTDOA assistance data provided by the location server, which is the positioning node): a plurality of configurations for positioning reference signals (PRS) transmitted by the RAN (PRS configuration index is received (Section 0092), said configuration index indicates a configuration, PRS configuration indexes (Section 0089, Table 1) indicate a plurality of configurations), and a corresponding plurality of configuration indices associated with the plurality of configurations (PRS configuration indexes (Section 0089, Table 1) indicate a plurality of configurations); determining a need for receiving PRS and selecting one or more of the plurality of configurations based on one or more selection rules (need to receive PRSs based on for example: increased PRS bandwidth, increased frequency of PRS occasions, and increased number of separate PRS signals (Section 0102)); and transmitting, to the positioning node, one or more requests for PRS transmission by the RAN, wherein the one or more requests include the one or more configuration indices that are associated with the selected one or more configurations (receiving PRS requests, which are requests for location related information, from UE (Sections 0098, 0099, 0100), request for increased frequency of positioning (PRS) occasions (Section 0102), said PRS occasions are based on the periodicity indicated in the PRS index (Section 0089) thus said PRS index is effectively a part of the request for location related information).
Regarding Claim 71, Edge teaches a method for a positioning node associated with a radio access network, RAN, the method comprising: determining a plurality of configurations for positioning reference signals (PRS) transmitted by RAN nodes (PRS configuration index is received (Section 0092), said configuration index indicates a configuration, PRS configuration indexes (Section 0089, Table 1) indicate a plurality of configurations), wherein the plurality of configurations are associated with a corresponding plurality of configuration indices (PRS configuration indexes (Section 0089, Table 1) indicate a plurality of configurations); sending, to the RAN nodes and to a user equipment (UE) operating in the RAN, the plurality of configurations and the associated plurality of configuration indices (Figure 1A, Section 0085, OTDOA assistance data provided by the location server, location server also communicates with RAN thus rendering a scenario wherein location data is sent to the RAN); and receiving from the UE one or more requests for PRS transmission by the RAN, wherein the one or more requests include one or more of the plurality of configuration indices that are associated with one or more of the plurality of configurations that were selected by the UE (receiving PRS requests, which are requests for location related information, from UE (Sections 0098, 0099, 0100), request for increased frequency of positioning (PRS) occasions (Section 0102), said PRS occasions are based on the periodicity indicated in the PRS index (Section 0089) thus said PRS index is effectively a part of the request for location related information).
Regarding Claim 84, Edge teaches a user equipment (UE) configured for positioning in a radio access network (RAN), the UE comprising: communication interface circuitry configured to communicate with RAN nodes and with a positioning node associated with the RAN (Figure 1A, Section 0085, OTDOA assistance data provided by the location server, which is the positioning node, typical UEs comprise communication interface circuitry); and processing circuitry operatively coupled to the communication interface circuitry, whereby the processing circuitry and the communication interface circuitry are configured to: receive the following from the positioning node: a plurality of configurations for positioning reference signals (PRS) transmitted by the RAN (PRS configuration index is received (Section 0092), said configuration index indicates a configuration, PRS configuration indexes (Section 0089, Table 1) indicate a plurality of configurations, Figure 1A, typical UEs comprise processors), and a corresponding plurality of configuration indices associated with the plurality of configurations (PRS configuration indexes (Section 0089, Table 1) indicate a plurality of configurations); determine a need for receiving PRS and selecting one or more of the plurality of configurations based on one or more selection rules (need to receive PRSs based on for example: increased PRS bandwidth, increased frequency of PRS occasions, and increased number of separate PRS signals (Section 0102)); and transmit, to the positioning node, one or more requests for PRS transmission by the RAN, wherein the one or more requests include the one or more configuration indices that are associated with the selected one or more configurations (receiving PRS requests, which are requests for location related information, from UE (Sections 0098, 0099, 0100), request for increased frequency of positioning (PRS) occasions (Section 0102), said PRS occasions are based on the periodicity indicated in the PRS index (Section 0089) thus said PRS index is effectively a part of the request for location related information).
Regarding Claim 85, Edge teaches a positioning node configured to operate with a radio access network (RAN), the positioning node comprising: communication interface circuitry configured to communicate with RAN nodes and with a user equipment (UE) operating in the RAN (Figure 1A, Section 0085, OTDOA assistance data provided by the location server, location server also communicates with RAN thus rendering a scenario wherein location data is sent to the RAN, typical location servers comprise communication interface circuitry for the purpose of communicating with other entities); and processing circuitry operatively coupled to the communication interface circuitry, whereby the processing circuitry and the communication interface circuitry are configured to: determine a plurality of configurations for positioning reference signals (PRS) transmitted by the RAN nodes (PRS configuration index is received (Section 0092), said configuration index indicates a configuration, PRS configuration indexes (Section 0089, Table 1) indicate a plurality of configurations, Figure 1A, typical location servers comprises processors), wherein the plurality of configurations are associated with a corresponding plurality of configuration indices (PRS configuration indexes (Section 0089, Table 1) indicate a plurality of configurations); send, to the RAN nodes and to the UE, the plurality of configurations and the associated plurality of configuration indices (Figure 1A, Section 0085, OTDOA assistance data provided by the location server, location server also communicates with RAN thus rendering a scenario wherein location data is sent to the RAN); and receive from the UE one or more requests for PRS transmission by the RAN, wherein the one or more requests include one or more of the plurality of configuration indices that are associated with one or more of the plurality of configurations that were selected by the UE (receiving PRS requests, which are requests for location related information, from UE (Sections 0098, 0099, 0100), request for increased frequency of positioning (PRS) occasions (Section 0102), said PRS occasions are based on the periodicity indicated in the PRS index (Section 0089) thus said PRS index is effectively a part of the request for location related information).
Regarding Claims 62, 72, Edge teaches all of the claimed limitations recited in Claims 61, 71. Edge further teaches wherein the plurality of configurations are differentiated from each other based on one or more of the following characteristics or parameters: PRS transmission periodicity; PRS transmission bandwidth; number of PRS transmission frequency layers used; particular PRS transmission frequency layers used; number of RAN nodes that transmit PRS; particular RAN nodes that transmit PRS; geographic arrangement of RAN nodes that transmit PRS; number of PRS resource sets per node; number of PRS per PRS resource set; energy consumption and/or signaling overhead associated with transmitting PRS according to the configuration; relevant geographic area; positioning spatial dimension; positioning accuracy quality of service (QoS); and positioning latency QoS (Section 0089, PRS periodicity).
Regarding Claims 63, 73, Edge teaches all of the claimed limitations recited in Claims 62, 72. Edge further teaches receiving, from the positioning node, an indication of the characteristics or parameters by which the plurality of configurations are differentiated, wherein selecting one or more of the plurality of configurations is further based on the indicated characteristics or parameters (Section 0089, cell-specific subframe offset is a characteristic or parameter for differentiation).
Regarding Claims 65, 75, Edge teaches all of the claimed limitations recited in Claims 64, 74. Edge further teaches wherein: the first configuration is received/send via a broadcast first system information block (SIB); the one or more further configurations are received/sent via a broadcast second SIB (Section 0113, OTDOA received via SIBs, Section 0092, OTDOA comprises the PRS configurations); and the first SIB indicates that the first configuration is one of the following: a default configuration, or an active configuration (Section 0092, the PRS configurations can be active configurations).
Regarding Claims 66, 78, Edge teaches all of the claimed limitations recited in Claims 61, 77. Edge further teaches wherein each request includes one index associated with one selected configuration/selected by the UE (Section 0089, Table 1, plurality of indexes).
Regarding Claims 67, 79, Edge teaches all of the claimed limitations recited in Claims 66, 77. Edge further teaches wherein the one or more requests include an initial request and one or more subsequent requests, and the selection rules include: a first rule identifying a first subset of configurations that can be requested by the UE in the initial request (Section 0102, increased PRS bandwidth); and a second rule identifying a second subset of configurations that can be requested by the UE in the subsequent requests (Section 0102, increased frequency of PRS position occasions).
Regarding Claims 68, 80, Edge teaches all of the claimed limitations recited in Claims 67, 79. Edge further teaches the first subset of configurations includes a first configuration that requires lowest energy to transmit PRS (Section 0076, reduced resource allocation which comprises bandwidth requires less energy); and the second subset includes at least one configuration that requires more energy to transmit PRS than the first configuration (Section 0102, increased PRS bandwidth requires more energy).
Regarding Claim 69, 81, Edge teaches all of the claimed limitations recited in Claims 68, 80. Edge further teaches wherein selecting one or more of the plurality of configurations based on one or more selection rules comprises: determining whether positioning based on PRS transmissions according to the first configuration will satisfy a positioning quality of service (QoS) threshold; selecting the first configuration when it is determined that the positioning QoS threshold will be satisfied (Section 0026, 0102, reduced PRS bandwidth if latency is satisfied); and selecting a configuration of the second subset when it is determined that the positioning QoS threshold will not be satisfied (Section 0026, 0102, increased PRS bandwidth when latency is not satisfied), wherein the positioning QoS threshold is related to one or more of the following: accuracy and latency (Section 0026, accuracy and/or latency).
Regarding Claims 70, 82, Edge teaches all of the claimed limitations recited in Claims 68, 80. Edge further teaches wherein: the second subset includes a second configuration that requires more energy than the first configuration and a third configuration that requires more energy than the second configuration (Section 0102, increased PRS bandwidth renders another request for increased PRS bandwidth thus more energy); the one or more subsequent requests include a first subsequent request and a second subsequent request after the first subsequent request; and the second rule identifies that the second configuration can be selected for the first subsequent request and that the third configuration can be selected for the second subsequent request (Section 0120, a plurality of requests for increased PRS bandwidth can occur thus rendering the scenario of one or more subsequent requests include a first subsequent request and a second subsequent request after the first subsequent request; and the second rule identifies that the second configuration can be selected for the first subsequent request and that the third configuration can be selected for the second subsequent request).
Regarding Claim 76, Edge teaches all of the claimed limitations recited in Claim 71. Edge further teaches comprising configuring the RAN nodes to transmit PRS according to one of the following: the one or more configurations selected by the UE, or one or more further configurations selected by the positioning node (Section 0102, plurality of different configurations select by the UE such as: increased PRS bandwidth, an increased frequency of PRS positioning occasions, an increased duration for a PRS positioning occasion, and an increased number of separate PRS signals (or separate PRS configurations).
Regarding Claim 77, Edge teaches all of the claimed limitations recited in Claim 71. Edge further teaches further teaches sending, to the UE, selection rules for selecting among the plurality of configurations (Section 0102, increased PRS bandwidth, increased frequency of PRS position occasions).
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) 64, 65, 74 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Edge et al. (US 2019/0037338) in view of Dong (US 2023/0224848).
Regarding Claims 64, 74, Edge teaches all of the claimed limitations recited in Claims 61, 71. Edge does not teach a first configuration that includes default values for configuration parameters; and one or more further configurations, with each further configuration including only ones of the configuration parameters that have different values than the default values.
Dong, which also teaches the use of PRS configurations, teaches a first configuration that includes default values for configuration parameters; and one or more further configurations, with each further configuration including only ones of the configuration parameters that have different values than the default values (Section 0177, PRS configurations can have default values and the PRS configurations can have values different from the default values thereby rendering the scenario wherein and one or more further configurations, with each further configuration including only ones of the configuration parameters that have different values than the default values).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Edge with the above features of Dong for the purpose of effectively processing PRS configurations as taught by Dong.
Regarding Claim 65, Edge in view of Dong teaches all of the claimed limitations recited in Claim 64. Edge further teaches wherein: the first configuration is received via a broadcast first system information block (SIB); the one or more further configurations are received via a broadcast second SIB (Section 0113, OTDOA received via SIBs, Section 0092, OTDOA comprises the PRS configurations); and the first SIB indicates that the first configuration is one of the following: a default configuration, or an active configuration (Section 0092, the PRS configurations can be active configurations).
Claim(s) 83 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Edge et al. (US 2019/0037338) in view of Dong (US 2023/0224848) and in further view of Shreevastav et al. (US 2021/0297216)
The applied reference has a common assignee with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2).
This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C.102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B); or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement. See generally MPEP § 717.02.
Regarding Claim 83, Edge teaches all of the claimed limitations recited in Claim 71. Edge further teaches wherein determining the plurality of configurations comprises: capabilities of the nodes (Section 0102, different nodes using different muting sequences); and one or more differentiating characteristics or parameters (Section 0089, cell-specific subframe offset is a characteristic or parameter for differentiation).
Edge does not teach obtaining a default configuration for PRS transmission; and determining the plurality of configurations based on the following: measurements made by UEs on PRS transmitted according to the default configuration; numbers of UEs operating in the RAN.
Dong, which also teaches the use of PRS configurations, teaches obtaining a default configuration for PRS transmission and determining the plurality of configurations based on the following: measurements made by UEs on PRS transmitted according to the default configuration (Section 0177, PRS configurations can have default values)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Edge with the above features of Dong for the purpose of effectively processing PRS configurations as taught by Dong.
Edge in view of Dong does not teach numbers of UEs operating in the RAN.
Shreevastav, which also teach the use of PRS configurations, teaches numbers of UEs operating in the RAN (Section 0118).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Edge in view of Doing with the above features of Shreevastav for the purpose of providing efficient dynamic PRS configuration to cater to different radio propagation characteristics as taught by Shreevastav.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RAYMOND S DEAN whose telephone number is (571)272-7877. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 6:00-2:30, EST.
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/RAYMOND S DEAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2645 Raymond S. Dean
April 8, 2026
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