DETAILED ACTION
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 4/10/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that Zhang does not teach amended claims. However, examiner disagrees. Amended claims are discussed below as taught by Zhang in the rejection below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-6, 8-10, 12-19, 21, 22 and 24-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Zhang et al. (USPN 12,256,246).
Regarding claim 1, Zhang teaches a method performed by a target user equipment for performing positioning, the method comprising: receiving a control message from a network entity, the control message identifying a type of a measurement report and a set of measurement time windows in which to perform measurements of one or more signals [Col. 13, lines 45-52, measurement gap configuration message identifies measurement gaps which are measurement time windows], the set of measurement time windows being associated with the type of the measurement report [Col. 29, line 49 – Col. 30, line 15, measurement time period is associated with the type of measurement to be done]; performing the measurements of the one or more signals within the set of measurement time windows [Col. 13, lines 53-67, performs measurement in the measurement time gap/window]; and transmitting the measurement report to the network entity, the measurement report comprising the measurements of the one or more signals performed within the set of measurement time windows [Col. 20, lines 27-43, measurement report is transmitted once measurement is completed].
Regarding claims 2 and 30, Zhang teaches accessing a table that includes a set of measurement time windows [Fig. 4, measurement gap is selected from a set of configured gaps].
Regarding claims 3 and 31, Zhang teaches receiving an initial control message from the network entity that includes an initial set of measurement time windows, wherein the set of measurement time windows are selected from the initial set of measurement time windows [Col. 18, lines 22-64, measurement gaps are preconfigured using control message].
Regarding claims 4 and 32, Zhang teaches sending a capability message indicating that the target user equipment supports receiving the initial control message that identifies the initial set of measurement time windows [Col. 18, lines 22-35, sends information about available time-frequency resources to configure measurement gaps].
Regarding claims 5 and 33, Zhang teaches at least one measurement time window of the set of measurement time windows corresponds to a measurement gap [Col. 13, lines 45-52].
Regarding claims 6 and 34, Zhang teaches at least one measurement time window of the set of measurement time windows is associated with multiple component carriers [Fig. 4].
Regarding claims 8 and 24, Zhang teaches a base station [Fig. 1, Network device]; and the control message comprises a Downlink Control Information message [Col. 20, lines 1-8].
Regarding claim 9, Zhang teaches identifies component carriers or bands on which the set of measurement time windows are scheduled [Col. 20, lines 1-26].
Regarding claim 10, Zhang teaches a Reference Signal Time Difference (RSTD) measurement; a Reference Signal Received Power measurement; a roundtrip time measurement; an Angle-of-Departure (AoD) measurement; a phase-difference based measurement; a line-of-sight (LOS) identifier; a non-line-of-sight (NLOS) identifier; a power delay profile measurement; or any combination thereof [Col. 14, line 64 – Col. 15, line 8].
Regarding claims 12, 25 and 38, Zhang teaches a position of a measurement request field in the control message identifies the type of the measurement report from a plurality of types of measurement reports [Col. 19, lines 55-65].
Regarding claims 13, 26, 35 and 39, Zhang teaches each measurement time window of the set of measurement time windows is specified using an absolute time window [Fig. 4].
Regarding claims 14, 27, 36 and 40, Zhang teaches each measurement time window of the set of measurement time windows is specified using a start time relative to reception of the control message or relative to a slot carrying the control message [Fig. 4].
Regarding claim 15, Zhang teaches a slot-offset-start and either a slot-offset-end or a duration [Fig. 4].
Regarding claim 16, Zhang teaches the slot-offset-start is specified relative to a slot carrying the control message, relative to a fixed frame boundary, or relative to a subframe boundary [Col. 15, lines 18-51].
Regarding claim 17, Zhang teaches an instance-offset-start and either an instance-offset-end or a number-of-instances. relative to the control message [Fig. 4].
Regarding claim 18, Zhang teaches the number-of-instances relative to the control message corresponds to available slots [Fig. 4].
Regarding claim 19, Zhang teaches the available slots are configured using semi-static downlink signaling [Col. 20, lines 1-8].
Regarding claim 21, Zhang teaches the target user equipment prioritizes performing the measurements of the one or more signals within the set of measurement time windows over other measurement time windows signaled via higher layer signaling [Col. 13, lines 53-67].
Regarding claim 22, Zhang teaches a method performed by a network entity for performing positioning, the method comprising: sending a control message to a target user equipment, the control message identifying a type of a measurement report and a set of measurement time windows in which to perform measurements associated with the measurement report [Col. 13, lines 45-52, measurement gap configuration message identifies measurement gaps which are measurement time windows], the set of measurement time windows being associated with the type of the measurement report [Col. 29, line 49 – Col. 30, line 15, measurement time period is associated with the type of measurement to be done]; and receiving the measurement report comprising the measurements performed within the set of measurement time windows from the target user equipment [Col. 20, lines 27-43, measurement report is transmitted once measurement is completed].
Regarding claim 28, Zhang teaches each measurement time window of the set of measurement time windows comprises a slot-offset-start and either a slot-offset-end or a duration [Fig. 4]; and the slot-offset-start is specified relative to a slot carrying the control message or relative to a fixed frame boundary or a subframe boundary [Col. 15, lines 18-51].
Regarding claim 29, Zhang teaches a target user equipment, comprising: a memory [Fig. 16, 820]; at least one transceiver [Fig. 16, 830]; and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver, the at least one processor configured to: receive, via the at least one transceiver, a control message from a network entity, the control message identifying a type of a measurement report and a set of measurement time windows in which to perform measurements of one or more signals [Col. 13, lines 45-52, measurement gap configuration message identifies measurement gaps which are measurement time windows], the set of measurement time windows being associated with the type of the measurement report [Col. 29, line 49 – Col. 30, line 15, measurement time period is associated with the type of measurement to be done]; perform the measurements of the one or more signals within the set of measurement time windows [Col. 13, lines 53-67, performs measurement in the measurement time gap/window]; and transmit, via the at least one transceiver, the measurement report to the network entity, the measurement report comprising the measurements of the one or more signals performed within the set of measurement time windows [Col. 20, lines 27-43, measurement report is transmitted once measurement is completed].
Regarding claim 37, Zhang teaches a network entity, comprising: a memory [Fig. 18, 920]; at least one transceiver [Fig. 18, 930]; and at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory and the at least one transceiver, the at least one processor configured to: send, via the at least one transceiver, a control message to a target user equipment, the control message identifying a type of a measurement report and a set of measurement time windows in which to perform measurements associated with the measurement report [Col. 13, lines 45-52, measurement gap configuration message identifies measurement gaps which are measurement time windows], the set of measurement time windows being associated with the type of the measurement report [Col. 29, line 49 – Col. 30, line 15, measurement time period is associated with the type of measurement to be done]; and receive, via the at least one transceiver, the measurement report comprising the measurements performed within the set of measurement time windows from the target user equipment [Col. 20, lines 27-43, measurement report is transmitted once measurement is completed].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claims 7 and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over anticipated by Zhang et al. (USPN 12,256,246) in view of Miao et al. (US-PGPUB 2022/0264478).
Regarding claims 7 and 23, Zhang teaches a requesting user equipment [Fig. 2, Terminal Device].
However, Zhang does not teach a Sidelink Control Information (SCI) message.
Miao teaches a Sidelink Control Information (SCI) message [Para 101].
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention use SCI message so that indication for measurement reports can be transmitted using SCI messages.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 20 is 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
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.
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/Chandrahas B Patel/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2464
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