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 .
Acknowledgment
The Preliminary Amendment filed on 01/19/2024 has been received and placed of record. Accordingly, claims 10, 20, 21, 24 and 25 have been cancelled and claims 1-9, 11-19, 22 and 23 are pending in the instant application.
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.
Claims 1-9, 11-19, 22 and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hasegawa et al (US 2024/0187903).
Regarding independent claim 1, Hasegawa teaches a usage indication method, performed by a network device, the method comprising: transmitting a set of positioning reference signal (PRS) configurations to a terminal ([0505], [0512], [0513] and [0515]); and indicating a usage of the set of PRS configurations to the terminal ([0505], [0512], [0513] and [0515]).
Regarding independent claims 11 and 22, the claims recite similar subject matter as in claim 1. Therefore, similar rationale is applied as for claim 1.
Regarding dependent claims 2 and 12, Hasegawa further teaches wherein indicating the usage of the set of PRS configurations to the terminal comprises one of: indicating to the terminal that a PRS configuration in the set of PRS configurations serves as a PRS configuration requested by the terminal on-demand and a PRS configuration in the set of PRS configurations serves as a PRS configuration preconfigured for the terminal; indicating to the terminal that a PRS configuration in the set of PRS configurations serves as a PRS configuration requested by the terminal on-demand;
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indicating to the terminal that a PRS configuration in the set of PRS configurations serves as a PRS configuration preconfigured for the terminal. See [0505], [0512], [0513] and [0515].
Regarding dependent claims 3 and 13, Hasegawa further teaches wherein indicating to the terminal that a PRS configuration in the set of PRS configurations serves as a PRS configuration preconfigured for the terminal comprises: indicating to the terminal that a plurality of PRS configurations in the set of PRS configurations serve as PRS configurations preconfigured for the terminal; or indicating to the terminal that a PRS configuration in the set of PRS configurations serves as a PRS configuration requested by the terminal on-demand and a PRS configuration in the set of PRS configurations serves as a PRS configuration preconfigured for the terminal comprises: indicating to the terminal that a plurality of PRS configurations in the set of PRS configurations serve as PRS configurations preconfigured for the terminal and a PRS configuration corresponding to the set of PRS configurations serves as a PRS configuration requested on-demand. See [0505], [0512], [0513] and [0515].
Regarding dependent claims 4 and 14, Hasegawa further teaches wherein the usage indication method further comprises: transmitting positioning request information to the terminal, wherein the positioning request information carries indication information, and the indication information is configured to indicate that a first target PRS configuration among the plurality of PRS configurations serves as a PRS configuration. See [0505], [0512], [0513] and [0515].
Regarding dependent claims 5 and 15, Hasegawa further teaches wherein indicating to the terminal that a PRS configuration in the set of PRS configurations serves as a PRS configuration requested by the terminal on-demand and a PRS configuration in the set of PRS configurations serves as a PRS configuration preconfigured for the terminal comprises: indicating to the terminal that one or more PRS configurations in the set of PRS configurations serve as PRS configurations preconfigured for the terminal and a PRS configuration corresponding to the set of PRS configurations serves as a PRS configuration requested on-demand. See [0505], [0512], [0513] and [0515].
Regarding dependent claims 6, Hasegawa further teaches receiving a PRS configuration request transmitted by the terminal; and transmitting to the terminal a PRS configuration requested by the terminal. See [0505], [0512], [0513] and [0515].
Regarding dependent claim 7, Hasegawa further teaches wherein the usage indication method further comprises: determining the usage of the set of PRS provided for the terminal; indicating the usage of the set of PRS configurations to the terminal comprises: in the case that the set of PRS configurations provided for the terminal serves as a PRS configuration requested on-demand and as a PRS configuration preconfigured for the terminal, indicating to the terminal that a PRS configuration in the set of PRS configurations serves as a PRS configuration requested by the terminal on-demand and a PRS configuration in the set of PRS configurations serves as a PRS configuration preconfigured for the terminal; in the case that the set of PRS configurations provided for the terminal serves as an on-demand PRS configuration, indicating to the terminal that a PRS configuration in the set of PRS configurations serves as a PRS configuration requested by the terminal on-demand; and in the case that the set of PRS configurations provided for the terminal merely serves as a PRS configuration preconfigured for the terminal, indicating to the terminal that a PRS configuration in the set of PRS configurations serves as a PRS configuration preconfigured for the terminal. See [0505], [0512], [0513] and [0515].
Regarding dependent claim 8, Hasegawa further teaches wherein indicating the usage of the set of PRS configurations to the terminal comprises: indicating the usage of the set of PRS configurations to the terminal in at least one of an explicit manner or an implicit manner. See [0515].
Regarding dependent claims 9, 18 and 19, Hasegawa further teaches least one of: wherein the network side device comprises a core network, wherein the core network is configured to indicate to the terminal an indication information indicating the usage of the set of PRS configurations, and the indication information is carried in a LTE Positioning Protocol Message transmitted by the core network to the terminal; or wherein the network device comprises a base station, wherein the base station is configured to indicate to the terminal indication information, wherein the indication information indicating the usage of the set of PRS configurations, and the indication information is carried in a positioning system message broadcast by the base station. See [0505], [0512], [0513] and [0515].
Regarding dependent claim 16, Hasegawa further teaches in the case that the preconfigured PRS configurations do not meet requirements, transmitting a PRS configuration request to the network side device for requesting for a PRS configuration other than the preconfigured PRS configurations in the set of PRS configurations. See [0392], and [0402] - [0404].
Regarding dependent claim 17, Hasegawa further teaches wherein it is determined, according to the indication of the network device, that a plurality of PRS configurations in the set of PRS configurations serve as the preconfigured PRS configurations, and the method further comprises: determining, according to positioning request information of the network device, that a second target PRS configuration among the plurality of PRS configurations serves as a PRS configuration; and in the case that the second target PRS configuration does not meet requirements, transmitting a PRS configuration request to the network side device for requesting for a PRS configuration other than the second target PRS configuration in the set of PRS configurations. See [0392], and [0402] - [0404].
Regarding dependent claim 23, Hasegawa further teaches processor and memory storing a computer program to perform the method of claim 11. See [0663].
Conclusion
Examiner's note: Examiner has cited particular columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant, in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. References Pon et al (US 2018/0213350), Ryden et al (US 2019/0353748), Michalopoulos et al (US 2022/0173857), Si (US 2022/0231816) and Rao (US 2024/0192304) are cited because they are pertinent to the method and apparatus for indicating to the terminal a usage of PRS.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DON NGUYEN VO whose telephone number is (571) 272-3018. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 6:30PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kenneth N Vanderpuye, can be reached on 571-272-3078. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DON N VO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2634