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
The Amendment filed 04/07/2026 has been fully considered and entered into record. Claims 1
20 remain pending in the application. Claims 1, 11, 15, and 18 are amended
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-20 have been considered but are moot because
the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102
and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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
Claims 1-2, 8, 11, 14-15, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. $103 as being unpatentable
over Guo (US 11019453 B2, hereinafter “Guo”), and in view of Jianwei (WO 2017054284 A1, hereinafter “Jianwei”)
Regarding Claim 1, for purposes of this rejection, Guo’s terminal device A corresponds to the claimed first terminal device; Guo’s terminal device B1 corresponds to the claimed second terminal device; Guo’s terminal device B2 corresponds to the claimed third terminal device; Point LA corresponds to terminal device A, point LB1 corresponds to terminal device B1, and point LB2 corresponds to terminal device B2.
Guo teaches a method for determining relative locations among terminal devices, “An implementation of the present application provides a method for determining a relative location, including: generating, by a first terminal device, reference location information of the first terminal device; sending the reference location information to a second terminal device” [Col. 1, lines 55-59].
receiving, by a first terminal device, a first message from a second terminal device, “receiving the marked location information sent by the second terminal device” [Col. 1, lines 63-64], and “At 706, the marked location information transmitted by the second terminal device is received by the first terminal device” [Col. 12, lines 26-28]
the first target location comprises at least one of the following: a first relative location, “the reference location information reflects the current location of the first terminal device , and the marked location information reflects the current location of the second terminal device . Therefore , the relative locations of the first terminal device and the second terminal device can be determined” [Col. 4, lines 60-65]
the first relative location represents a relative location between the third terminal device and the first terminal device, “terminal device A can determine relative locations of the three terminal devices in the same group based on the reference location (point LA) of terminal device A and the received marked location information (point LB1 and point LB2) of terminal device B1 and terminal device B2.” [Col. 6,7, lines 65-67, 1-3].
and the second relative location represents a relative location between the third terminal device and the second terminal device, “determining, by the first terminal device, relative locations of the first terminal device and each second terminal device in the group, based on the received marked location information” [Col. 5, lines 57-60], and “All terminal devices in a group can learn relative locations of each other in such method.” [Col. 5, lines 63-64], and [point LA, point LB1, and point LB2 in FIG. 3B].
sending, by the first terminal device, a second message to the second terminal device based on the first message, “S102. Send the reference location information to a second terminal device, so that the second terminal device sets location information of the second terminal device based on the reference location information, and uses the location information as marked location information.” [Col. 4, lines 17-21], and “After generating the reference location information of the first terminal device, the first terminal device sends the reference location information to the second terminal device.” [Col. 6, lines 31-34]
wherein the second message comprises the first target location, “the reference location information reflects the current location of the first terminal device” [Col. 4, lines 60-61], and “sending a positioning interface including the reference location information to the second terminal device.” [Col. 12, lines 22-24]
However, Guo does not teach, wherein the first message is used to request a first target location; or sending, by the first terminal device, a third message, wherein the third message is used to broadcast information about a terminal device that establishes a communication connection to the first terminal device, or the third message is used to broadcast information about a terminal device whose location has been learned by the first terminal device.
In the same field of endeavor, Jianwei teaches receiving a query instruction requesting information associated with target terminal, the first message is used to request a first target location, “Receive query instructions sent by the first terminal carrying the network ID of the second terminal” [0006], and “query whether the network identity of the second terminal exists in the prestored terminal device information set” [0007], and further “the first terminal sends a communication connection request carrying the network identifier of the first terminal to the second terminal” [0010].
sending, by the first terminal device, a third message, wherein the third message is used to broadcast information about a terminal device that establishes a communication connection to the first terminal device, “generating broadcast information, and the broadcast information comprising the resource information of the spectrum resources, the network identifier of the first terminal and the network identifier of the second terminal” [0009], and “broadcast the broadcast information, so that the first terminal sends a communication connection request carrying the network identifier of the first terminal to the second terminal” [0010].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Guo with Jianwei’s query/request and broadcast-connection teachings in order to allow terminal devices to request target terminal information and broadcast communication-connection information, thereby improving coordination and communication quality among terminal devices.
Regarding Claim 2, Guo and Jianwei disclose the limitations of claim 2 as recited above in the rejection of claim 1. In addition, Guo further teaches, determining, by the first terminal device, the first target location, wherein the first target location corresponds to the relative location determined from point LA (location of terminal device A) and received marked location information including point LB1 and /or point Lb2, Guo teaches: “S104 . Determine relative locations of the first terminal device and the second terminal device based on the reference location information and the received marked location information” [Col. 4, lines 56-59], and “the reference location information reflects the current location of the first terminal device, and the marked location information reflects the current location of the second terminal device. Therefore, the relative locations of the first terminal device and the second terminal device can be determined.” [Col. 4, lines 60-65]
Regarding Claim 8, Guo and Jianwei disclose the limitations of claim 8 as recited above in the rejection of claim 1. In addition, Jianwei teaches query instruction carrying the network identifier corresponds to the claimed first information, wherein the first message comprises first information, “the receiving unit 401 first receives a query instruction sent by the first terminal carrying the network identifier of the second terminal.” [0103]
the first information is used to trigger the first terminal device to send the first target location to the third terminal device “Generate unit 404, which is used to generate broadcast information containing resource information containing spectrum resources, network identifier of the first terminal, and network identifier of the second terminal.” [0108], and “Broadcast unit 405, which is used to broadcast the broadcast information” [0109]. Thus, receipt of the query instruction trigger subsequent generation and transmission operations.
sending, by the first terminal device, the first target location to the third terminal device, “the first terminal sends a communication connection request carrying the network identifier of the first terminal to the second terminal on the spectrum resource according to the broadcast information” [0109].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Guo with Jianwei’s trigger-based communication and broadcast transmission techniques in order to enable a received information to trigger transmission of target location information to another terminal device, thereby improving wireless terminal coordination and information sharing in D2D/V2X communication scenarios.
Regarding Claim 11, The terminal-device and location correspondence discussed in the rejection of claim 1 is applied to claim 11. Guo teaches, a method, comprising: “An implementation of the present application provides a method for determining a relative location” [Col. 1, lines 55-56]
sending, by a second terminal device, a first message to a first terminal device, “The second terminal device sends the location information ( that is , the marked location information ) of the second terminal device to the first terminal device” [Col. 4, lines 50-52]
the first target location comprises at least one of the following: a first relative location, “S104 . Determine relative locations of the first terminal device and the second terminal device based on the reference location information and the received marked location information” [Col. 4, lines 56-59]
the first relative location represents a relative location between the third terminal device and the first terminal device, “ terminal device A can determine relative locations of the three terminal devices in the same group based on the reference location (point LA) of terminal device A and the received marked location information (point LB1 and point LB2) of terminal device B1 and terminal device B2.” [Col. 6,7, lines 65-67, 1-3]
and the second relative location represents a relative location between the third terminal device and the second terminal device, “determining, by the first terminal device, relative locations of the first terminal device and each second terminal device in the group, based on the received marked location information” [Col. 5, lines 57-60], and “All terminal devices in a group can learn relative locations of each other in such method.” [Col. 5, lines 63-64]
receiving, by the second terminal device, a second message from the first terminal device, wherein the second message comprises the first target location, “After generating the reference location information of the first terminal device, the first terminal device sends the reference location information to the second terminal device” [Col. 6, lines 31-34], and “sending a positioning interface including the reference location information to the second terminal device.” [Col. 12, lines 22-24]
obtaining, by the second terminal device, the first target location based on the second message, “the second terminal device sets location information of the second terminal device based on the reference location information” [Col. 4, lines 18-20]
However, Guo does not teach, wherein the first message is used to request a first target location; or sending, by the first terminal device, a third message, wherein the third message is used to broadcast information about a terminal device that establishes a communication connection to the first terminal device, or the third message is used to broadcast information about a terminal device whose location has been learned by the first terminal device.
In the same field of endeavor, Jianwei teaches receiving a query instruction requesting information associated with target terminal, wherein the first message is used to request a first target location, “Receive query instructions sent by the first terminal carrying the network ID of the second terminal” [0006], and “query whether the network identity of the second terminal exists in the prestored terminal device information set” [0007], and further “the first terminal sends a communication connection request carrying the network identifier of the first terminal to the second terminal” [0010].
sending, by the first terminal device, a third message, wherein the third message is used to broadcast information about a terminal device that establishes a communication connection to the first terminal device, or the third message is used to broadcast information about a terminal device whose location has been learned by the first terminal device, “S104. Generate broadcast information, which includes the resource information of spectrum resources, the network identifier of the first terminal and the network identifier of the second terminal” [0062], and “S105. Broadcast the broadcast information, so that the first terminal sends a communication connection request carrying the network identifier of the first terminal to the second terminal on the spectrum resource according to the broadcast information, and the first terminal and the second terminal establish a communication connection on the spectrum resource.” [0063], and “the broadcast information includes the resource information of spectrum resources, the network identification of the user terminal” [0123]
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Guo with the broadcast communication teaching of Jianwei in order to enable terminal device to broadcast communication-connection information and improve device-to-device communication coordination and communication quality.
Regarding Claim 14, Guo and Jianwei disclose the limitations of the claim 14 as recited above in the rejection of claim 11. In addition, Guo further teaches, wherein the second relative location comprises at least one of the following: a distance or an angle, “the relative locations of the first terminal device and the second terminal device” [Col. 5, lines 9-11], and “terminal device A can determine relative locations of the three terminal devices in the same group based on the reference location (point LA) of terminal device A and the received marked location information (point LB1 and point LB2)” [Col. 6, line 65 – Col. 7 line 2], and “the two-dimensional coordinate system shown in FIG. 2a to FIG. 2d can also display coordinates of the locations” [Col. 7, lines 5-7], and “coordinates of point LA are ( 0,0 ) , and coordinates of point LB1 are ( 1 , 1 )” [Col. 7, lines 7-8]
Regarding Claim 15, The correspondence between terminal devices A, B1, and B2 and location LA, LB1, and LB2 established in claim 1 is applied herein. Guo teaches, an apparatus, comprising: a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions; and one or more processors in communication with the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, “Implementations of the present application provide a method and an apparatus for determining a relative location” [Col. 1, lines 51-52], and “An implementation of the present application provides an apparatus for determining a relative location” [Col. 2, lines 13-14], and “In typical configuration, a computing device includes one or more processors (CPU), an input/output interface, a network interface, and a memory.” [Col. 10, lines 56-58], and “The memory can include a non-persistent storage, a random access memory (RAM), a nonvolatile memory, and/or another form that are in a computer readable medium” [Col. 10, lines 59-61], and “The memory is an example of the computer readable medium” [Col. 10, lines 63-64], and “The computer readable medium includes persistent , non-persistent , movable , and unmovable media that can implement information storage” [Col. 10, lines 65-67], and “Processors for execution of a computer program include, by way of example, both general- and special-purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer” [Col. 13, lines 54-57]
wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to: receive a first message from a second terminal device, “S103 . Receive the marked location information sent by the second terminal device” [Col. 4, lines 48-49]
the first target location comprises at least one of the following: a first relative location, “S104 . Determine relative locations of the first terminal device and the second terminal device based on the reference location information and the received marked location information” [Col. 4, lines 56-59]
the first relative location represents a relative location between the third terminal device and the first terminal device, “terminal device A can determine relative locations of the three terminal devices in the same group based on the reference location (point LA) of terminal device A and the received marked location information (point LB1 and point LB2) of terminal device B1 and terminal device B2.” [Col. 6,7, lines 65-67, 1-3]
and the second relative location represents a relative location between the third terminal device and the second terminal device, “determining, by the first terminal device, relative locations of the first terminal device and each second terminal device in the group, based on the received marked location information” [Col. 5, lines 57-60], and “All terminal devices in a group can learn relative locations of each other in such method.” [Col. 5, lines 63-64]
send a second message to the second terminal device based on the first message, wherein the second message comprises the first target location, “After generating the reference location information of the first terminal device, the first terminal device sends the reference location information to the second terminal device” [Col. 6, lines 31-34], and “sending a positioning interface including the reference location information to the second terminal device.” [Col. 12, lines 22-24]
However, Guo does not teach, wherein the first message is used to request a first target location; or sending, by the first terminal device, a third message, wherein the third message is used to broadcast information about a terminal device that establishes a communication connection to the first terminal device, or the third message is used to broadcast information about a terminal device whose location has been learned by the first terminal device.
In the same field of endeavor, Jianwei teaches receiving a query instruction requesting information associated with target terminal, wherein the first message is used to request a first target location, “Receive query instructions sent by the first terminal carrying the network ID of the second terminal” [0006], and “query whether the network identity of the second terminal exists in the prestored terminal device information set” [0007], and further “the first terminal sends a communication connection request carrying the network identifier of the first terminal to the second terminal” [0010].
sending, by the first terminal device, a third message, wherein the third message is used to broadcast information about a terminal device that establishes a communication connection to the first terminal device, or the third message is used to broadcast information about a terminal device whose location has been learned by the first terminal device, “S104. Generate broadcast information, which includes the resource information of spectrum resources, the network identifier of the first terminal and the network identifier of the second terminal” [0062], and “S105. Broadcast the broadcast information, so that the first terminal sends a communication connection request carrying the network identifier of the first terminal to the second terminal on the spectrum resource according to the broadcast information, and the first terminal and the second terminal establish a communication connection on the spectrum resource.” [0063], and “the broadcast information includes the resource information of spectrum resources, the network identification of the user terminal” [0123]
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Guo with the broadcast communication teaching of Jianwei in order to enable terminal device to broadcast communication-connection information and improve device-to-device communication coordination and communication quality.
Regarding Claim 18, The correspondence between terminal devices and locations established in claim 11 (and claim 1) is applied herein. Guo teaches, an apparatus, comprising: a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions; and one or more processors in communication with the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, “Implementations of the present application provide a method and an apparatus for determining a relative location” [Col. 1, lines 51-52], and “An implementation of the present application provides an apparatus for determining a relative location” [Col. 2, lines 13-14], and “In typical configuration, a computing device includes one or more processors (CPU), an input/output interface, a network interface, and a memory.” [Col. 10, lines 56-58], and “The memory can include a non-persistent storage, a random access memory (RAM), a nonvolatile memory, and/or another form that are in a computer readable medium” [Col. 10, lines 59-61], and “The memory is an example of the computer readable medium” [Col. 10, lines 63-64], and “The computer readable medium includes persistent , non-persistent , movable , and unmovable media that can implement information storage” [Col. 10, lines 65-67], and “Processors for execution of a computer program include, by way of example, both general- and special-purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer” [Col. 13, lines 54-57]
wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to: send a first message to a first terminal device, “S102 . Send the reference location information to a second terminal device” [Col. 4, lines 17-18]
the first target location comprises at least one of the following: a first relative location, “S104 . Determine relative locations of the first terminal device and the second terminal device based on the reference location information and the received marked location information” [Col. 4, lines 56-59]
the first relative location represents a relative location between the third terminal device and the first terminal device, “terminal device A can determine relative locations of the three terminal devices in the same group based on the reference location (point LA) of terminal device A and the received marked location information (point LB1 and point LB2) of terminal device B1 and terminal device B2.” [Col. 6,7, lines 65-67, 1-3]
and the second relative location represents a relative location between the third terminal device and the second terminal device, “determining, by the first terminal device, relative locations of the first terminal device and each second terminal device in the group, based on the received marked location information” [Col. 5, lines 57-60], and “All terminal devices in a group can learn relative locations of each other in such method.” [Col. 5, lines 63-64]
receiving, by the second terminal device, a second message from the first terminal device, wherein the second message comprises the first target location, “S103 . Receive the marked location information sent by the second terminal device “ [Col. 4, lines 48-49], and “The second terminal device sends the location information ( that is , the marked location information ) of the second terminal device to the first terminal device” [Col. 4, lines 50-52]
obtaining, by the second terminal device, the first target location based on the second message, “S104 . Determine relative locations of the first terminal device and the second terminal device based on the reference location information and the received marked location information” [Col. 4, lines 56-59]
However, Guo does not teach, wherein the first message is used to request first target location; or sending, by the first terminal device, a third message, wherein the third message is used to broadcast information about a terminal device that establishes a communication connection to the first terminal device, or the third message is used to broadcast information about a terminal device whose location has been learned by the first terminal device.
In the same field of endeavor, Jianwei teaches receiving a query instruction requesting information associated with target terminal, wherein the first message is used to request a first target location, “Receive query instructions sent by the first terminal carrying the network ID of the second terminal” [0006], and “query whether the network identity of the second terminal exists in the prestored terminal device information set” [0007], and further “the first terminal sends a communication connection request carrying the network identifier of the first terminal to the second terminal” [0010].
sending, by the first terminal device, a third message, wherein the third message is used to broadcast information about a terminal device that establishes a communication connection to the first terminal device, or the third message is used to broadcast information about a terminal device whose location has been learned by the first terminal device, “S104. Generate broadcast information, which includes the resource information of spectrum resources, the network identifier of the first terminal and the network identifier of the second terminal” [0062], and “S105. Broadcast the broadcast information, so that the first terminal sends a communication connection request carrying the network identifier of the first terminal to the second terminal on the spectrum resource according to the broadcast information, and the first terminal and the second terminal establish a communication connection on the spectrum resource.” [0063], and “the broadcast information includes the resource information of spectrum resources, the network identification of the user terminal” [0123]
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Guo with the broadcast communication teaching of Jianwei in order to enable terminal device to broadcast communication-connection information and improve device-to-device communication coordination and communication quality.
Claims 3-7, 9-10, 12-13, 16-17, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. $103 as being
unpatentable over Guo (US11019453B2, hereinafter “Guo”), in view of Jianwei (WO 2017054284 A1, hereinafter “Jianwei”), and further in view of Wang et al. (WO 2018028073 A1, hereinafter “Wang”)
Regarding Claim 3, Guo and Jianwei disclose the limitations of claim 3 as recited above in the rejection of claim 2. In addition, Guo further teach, wherein the first target location comprises the second relative location, “terminal device A can determine relative locations of the three terminal devices in the same group based on the reference location (point LA) of terminal device A and the received marked location information (point LB1 and point LB2) of terminal device B1 and terminal device B2.” [Col. 6,7, lines 65-67, 1-3]
determining, by the first terminal device, the first target location comprises: “determining relative locations of the first terminal device and the second terminal device based on the reference location information and the received marked location information.” [Col. 1, lines 64-67]
However, Guo and Jianwei do not fully teach, determining, by the first terminal device, the first relative location; determining, by the first terminal device, a third relative location, wherein the third relative location represents a relative location between the second terminal device and the first terminal device; and determining, by the first terminal device, the second relative location based on the first relative location and the third relative location.
In the same field of endeavor, Wang teaches, determining, by the first terminal device, the first relative location, “the location information also includes the relative distance between the second terminal and the first terminal” [0040]
determining, by the first terminal device, a third relative location, wherein the third relative location represents a relative location between the second terminal device and the first terminal device, “The first terminal calculates its current location information by combining the selected three target location information and the corresponding three relative distances” [0050]
and determining, by the first terminal device, the second relative location based on the first relative location and the third relative location, “The first terminal calculates the coordinates of the intersection of the three circles as its current position information.” [0052]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Guo and Jianwei with the relative-location calculation teaching of Wang in order to enable to determination of relative locations based on multiple relative location/distances and improve positioning accuracy among terminal devices.
Regarding Claim 4, Guo and Jianwei disclose the limitations of claim 4 as recited above in the rejection of claim 2. In addition, Guo further teaches, wherein the first target location comprises the second relative location, “S104 . Determine relative locations of the first terminal device and the second terminal device based on the reference location information and the received marked location information” [Col. 4, lines 56-59], and “The second terminal device sends the location information (that is, the marked location information) of the second terminal device to the first terminal device, so that the first terminal device determines relative locations of the terminal devices.” [Col. 4, lines 50-54]
and the determining, by the first terminal device, the first target location comprises: “S104 . Determine relative locations of the first terminal device and the second terminal device based on the reference location information and the received marked location information” [Col. 4, lines 56-59]
However, Guo and Jianwei do not fully teach, obtaining, by the first terminal device, an absolute location of the second terminal device; obtaining, by the first terminal device, the absolute location of the third terminal device; and determining, by the first terminal device, the second relative location based on the absolute location of the second terminal device and the absolute location of the third terminal device.
In the same field of endeavor, Wang teaches, obtaining, by the first terminal device, an absolute location of the second terminal device, “the feedback location information includes longitude and latitude.” [0037]
obtaining, by the first terminal device, the absolute location of the third terminal device, “The first terminal selects the location information in at least three positioning request responses as the target location information from the multiple positioning request responses received” [0047]
determining, by the first terminal device, the second relative location based on the absolute location of the second terminal device and the absolute location of the third terminal device, “The first terminal calculates its current location information by combining the selected three target location information and the corresponding three relative distances” [0050], and “The computing module 43 in the terminal is configured to select the location information in at least three positioning request responses as the target location information from the multiple positioning request responses received, and calculate its own location information based on the longitude, latitude, and relative distance” [0117]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Guo and Jianwei with multiple-location determination teaching of Wang in order to enable relative-location determination using multiple terminal absolute locations and improve location calculation accuracy and coordination among terminal devices.
Regarding Claim 5, Guo and Jianwei disclose the limitations of claim 5 as recited above in the rejection of claim 2. In addition, Guo further teaches, wherein the first target location comprises the absolute location of the third terminal device, “the reference location information reflects the current location of the first terminal device” [Col. 4, lines 60-61], and “The second terminal device sends the location information (that is, the marked location information) of the second terminal device to the first terminal device, so that the first terminal device determines relative locations of the terminal devices.” [Col. 4, lines 50-54]
and the determining, by the first terminal device, the first target location comprises: “S104 . Determine relative locations of the first terminal device and the second terminal device based on the reference location information and the received marked location information” [Col. 4, lines 56-59]
determining, by the first terminal device, the first relative location, “determining relative locations of terminal devices” [Col. 11, lines 51-52]
However, Guo and Jianwei do not fully teach, determining, by the first terminal device, the absolute location of the third terminal device based on the first relative location and an absolute location of the first terminal device.
In the same field of endeavor, Wang teaches determining a location based on relative distance information and known location information, determining, by the first terminal device, the absolute location of the third terminal device based on the first relative location and an absolute location of the first terminal device, “The first terminal calculates its current location information by combining the selected three target location information and the corresponding three relative distances” [0050], and “the first terminal takes the coordinates determined by the longitude and latitude of the three position information as the center of the circle, and determines the three circles with the corresponding three relative distances as the radius” [0051], and further “The first terminal calculates the coordinates of the intersection of the three circles as its current position information” [0052]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Guo and Jianwei with the location-calculation teaching of Wang in order to determine terminal absolute locations using relative-location information and known terminal position information and improve location determination accuracy among communicating terminal devices.
Regarding Claim 6, Guo and Jianwei disclose the limitations of claim 6 as recited above in the rejection of claim 1. However, Guo and Jianwei do not teach, wherein the first message comprises accuracy of the first target location, and the method further comprises: determining, by the first terminal device, the first target location based on the accuracy of the first target location.
In the same field of endeavor, Wang teaches, wherein the first message comprises accuracy of the first target location, “When the positioning accuracy is relatively high, the second terminal can be required to use satellite positioning for positioning, and the feedback location information includes longitude and latitude” [0037],
and the method further comprises: determining, by the first terminal device, the first target location based on the accuracy of the first target location, “When the first endpoint determines that the response to the location request received is less than three, or the valid location information received is less than three, the location request can be re-initiated, and then the above process is repeated” [0048], and “When the first terminal receives more than three valid location information, it can select three from the received location information according to certain selection principles” and “and then calculate the multiple sets of location information of the first terminal, and take the average value of multiple sets of location information as the final location information of the first terminal.” [0049]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Guo and Jianwei with the positioning-accuracy teachings of Wang in order to determine target location information based on location accuracy and validity and improve location determination reliability in terminal-device communications.
Regarding Claim 7, Guo, Jianwei, and Wang disclose the limitations of claim 7 as recited above in the rejection of claim 6. However, Guo and Jianwei do not teach, wherein the first target location comprises the second relative location, and the method further comprises: obtaining, by the first terminal device, first accuracy and second accuracy based on the accuracy of the first target location; and the determining, by the first terminal device, the first target location based on the accuracy of the first target location comprises: determining, by the first terminal device, the first relative location based on the first accuracy; determining, by the first terminal device, a third relative location based on the second accuracy; and determining, by the first terminal device, the second relative location based on the first relative location and the third relative location.
Wang teaches, wherein the first target location comprises the second relative location, “The first terminal selects the location information in at least three positioning request responses as the target location information from the multiple positioning request responses received, and calculates its current location information based on the longitude, latitude, and relative distance in the selected at least three positioning request responses” [0047]
obtaining, by the first terminal device, first accuracy and second accuracy based on the accuracy of the first target location, “When the positioning accuracy is relatively high, the second terminal can be required to use satellite positioning for positioning, and the feedback location information includes longitude and latitude” [0037], and “When the first terminal receives more than three valid location information, it can select three from the received location information according to certain selection principles (such as selecting the location information with the largest difference between three locations, etc.), or select multiple groups of three location information from the received location information according to a certain selection principle, and then calculate the multiple sets of location information of the first terminal,” [0049]
and the determining, by the first terminal device, the first target location based on the accuracy of the first target location comprises, “When the positioning accuracy is relatively high, the second terminal can be required to use satellite positioning for positioning, and the feedback location information includes longitude and latitude” [0037], and “When the first terminal receives more than three valid location information, it can select three from the received location information according to certain selection principles (such as selecting the location information with the largest difference between three locations, etc.), or select multiple groups of three location information from the received location information according to a certain selection principle, and then calculate the multiple sets of location information of the first terminal” [0049]
determining, by the first terminal device, the first relative location based on the first accuracy, “When the positioning accuracy is relatively high, the second terminal can be required to use satellite positioning for positioning, and the feedback location information includes longitude and latitude” [0037], and “The first terminal selects the location information in at least three positioning request responses as the target location information from the multiple positioning request responses received, and calculates its current location information based on the longitude, latitude, and relative distance in the selected at least three positioning request responses” [0047]
determining, by the first terminal device, a third relative location based on the second accuracy, “When the positioning accuracy is relatively high, the second terminal can be required to use satellite positioning for positioning, and the feedback location information includes longitude and latitude” [0037], and “The first terminal calculates its current location information by combining the selected three target location information and the corresponding three relative distances,” [0050]
and determining, by the first terminal device, the second relative location based on the first relative location and the third relative location, “The first terminal calculates its current location information by combining the selected three target location information and the corresponding three relative distances,” [0050], and “the coordinates (x1, y1), (x2, y2), and (x3, y3) of the first terminal are determined by the longitude and latitude contained in the three position information, and the three circles are determined by the radius of the corresponding three relative distances d1, d2, and d3, and the coordinates of the intersection of the three circles (x0, y0) are the position information of the first terminal itself.” [0053]
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Guo and Jianwei with Wang’s accuracy-based positioning techniques in order to determine relative locations and target location information based on positioning accuracy and validity of received location information, because Wang teaches selecting valid positioning information and calculating location information using multiple relative distances and positioning information sets having different positioning accuracies, thereby improving positioning reliability and accuracy in D2D/V2X communication scenarios.
Regarding Claim 9, Guo and Jianwei disclose the limitations of claim 9 as recited above in the rejection of claim 1. However, Guo and Jianwei do not teach, the first message comprises a threshold of the second relative location; sending, by the first terminal device, the second message to the second terminal device based on the second relative location and the threshold of the second relative location, wherein the second message comprises the second relative location.
In the same field of endeavor, Wang teaches, the first message comprises a threshold of the second relative location, “When the first endpoint determines that the response to the location request received is less than three, or the valid location information received is less than three, the location request can be re-initiated, and then the above process is repeated.” [0048]
sending, by the first terminal device, the second message to the second terminal device based on the second relative location and the threshold of the second relative location, “When the first terminal receives more than three valid location information, it can select three from the received location information according to certain selection principles”, and “take the average value of multiple sets of location information as the final location information of the first terminal” [0049]
wherein the second message comprises the second relative location, “take the average value of multiple sets of location information as the final location information of the first terminal.” [0049]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Guo and Jianwei with Wang’s validity-threshold-based location-selection techniques in order to selectively transmit location information based on validity criteria and positioning thresholds, thereby improving positioning reliability and communication efficiency in D2D/V2X communication systems.
Regarding Claim 10, Guo and Jianwei disclose the limitations of claim 10 as recited above in the rejection of claim 1. However, Guo and Jianwei do not teach, wherein the first relative location comprises at least one of the following: a distance or an angle; and the second relative location comprises at least one of the following: a distance or an angle.
In the same field of endeavor, Wang teaches, wherein the first relative location comprises at least one of the following: a distance, “The first terminal selects the location information in at least three positioning request responses as the target location information from the multiple positioning request responses received, and calculates its current location information based on the longitude, latitude, and relative distance in the selected at least three positioning request responses” [0047]
and the second relative location comprises at least one of the following: a distance, “The first terminal calculates its current location information by combining the selected three target location information and the corresponding three relative distances.” [0050]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Guo and Jianwei with Wang’s relative-distance positioning techniques in order to represent relative locations using distance-based positioning information, thereby improving relative-location determination between terminal devices.
Regarding Claim 12, Guo and Jianwei disclose the limitations of claim 12 as recited above in the rejection of claim 11. In addition, Jianwei further teaches, first information; wherein the first information is used to trigger the first terminal device to send the first target location to the third terminal device, “the receiving unit 401 first receives a query instruction sent by the first terminal carrying the network identifier of the second terminal.” [0103], and “the first terminal sends a communication connection request carrying the network identifier of the first terminal to the second terminal on the spectrum resource according to the broadcast information” [0109]
However, Guo and Jianwei do not expressly teach, accuracy of the first target location; a threshold of the second relative location.
In the same field of endeavor, Wang teaches, accuracy of the first target location, “When the positioning accuracy is relatively high, the second terminal can be required to use satellite positioning for positioning, and the feedback location information includes longitude and latitude” [0037]
a threshold of the second relative location, “When the first endpoint determines that the response to the location request received is less than three, or the valid location information received is less than three, the location request can be re-initiated, and then the above process is repeated.” [0048]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Guo and Jianwei with Wang’s positioning-accuracy and threshold-based location determination teachings in order to improve reliability and accuracy of terminal positioning communications.
Regarding Claim 13, Guo and Jianwei disclose the limitations of claim 13 as recited above in the rejection of claim 11. However, Guo and Jianwei do not expressly teach, if a relative location between the third terminal device and the second terminal device that is stored in the second terminal device does not satisfy a preset condition, sending, by the second terminal device, the first message to the first terminal device.
In the same field of endeavor, Wang teaches condition-based re-initiating of location request, if a relative location between the third terminal device and the second terminal device that is stored in the second terminal device does not satisfy a preset condition, sending, by the second terminal device, the first message to the first terminal device, “When the first endpoint determines that the response to the location request received is less than three, or the valid location information received is less than three, the location request can be re-initiated, and then the above process is repeated.” [0048], and “When the positioning accuracy is relatively high, the second terminal can be required to use satellite positioning for positioning, and the feedback location information includes longitude and latitude” [0037]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Guo and Jianwei with Wang’s condition-based location request triggering techniques in order to selectively initiate transmission of location request messages when stored or received relative-location information does not satisfy required positioning conditions, thereby improving positioning reliability and communication efficiency.
Regarding Claim 16, Guo and Jianwei disclose the limitations of claim 16 as recited above in the rejection of claim 15. In addition, Guo further teach, wherein the first target location comprises the second relative location, “terminal device A can determine relative locations of the three terminal devices in the same group based on the reference location (point LA) of terminal device A and the received marked location information (point LB1 and point LB2) of terminal device B1 and terminal device B2.” [Col. 6,7, lines 65-67, 1-3]
determining, by the first terminal device, the first target location comprises: “determining relative locations of the first terminal device and the second terminal device based on the reference location information and the received marked location information.” [Col. 1, lines 64-67]
However, Guo and Jianwei do not fully teach, determine the first relative location; determine a third relative location, wherein the third relative location represents a relative location between the second terminal device and the first terminal device; and determine the second relative location based on the first relative location and the third relative location.
In the same field of endeavor, Wang teaches, determine the first relative location, “the location information also includes the relative distance between the second terminal and the first terminal” [0040]
determine a third relative location, wherein the third relative location represents a relative location between the second terminal device and the first terminal device, “The first terminal calculates its current location information by combining the selected three target location information and the corresponding three relative distances” [0050]
and determine the second relative location based on the first relative location and the third relative location, “The first terminal calculates the coordinates of the intersection of the three circles as its current position information.” [0052]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Guo and Jianwei with the relative-location calculation teaching of Wang in order to enable to determination of relative locations based on multiple relative location/distances and improve positioning accuracy among terminal devices.
Regarding Claim 17, Guo and Jianwei disclose the limitations of claim 17 as recited above in the rejection of claim 15. However, Guo and Jianwei do not teach, wherein the first message comprises accuracy of the first target location, and the one or more processors is further configured to: determine the first target location based on the accuracy of the first target location.
In the same field of endeavor, Wang teaches, wherein the first message comprises accuracy of the first target location, “When the positioning accuracy is relatively high, the second terminal can be required to use satellite positioning for positioning, and the feedback location information includes longitude and latitude” [0037],
and the one or more processors is further configured to: determine the first target location based on the accuracy of the first target location, “When the first endpoint determines that the response to the location request received is less than three, or the valid location information received is less than three, the location request can be re-initiated, and then the above process is repeated” [0048], and “When the first terminal receives more than three valid location information, it can select three from the received location information according to certain selection principles” and “and then calculate the multiple sets of location information of the first terminal, and take the average value of multiple sets of location information as the final location information of the first terminal.” [0049]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Guo and Jianwei with the positioning-accuracy teachings of Wang in order to determine target location information based on location accuracy and validity and improve location determination reliability in terminal-device communications.
Regarding Claim 19, Guo and Jianwei disclose the limitations of claim 19 as recited above in the rejection of claim 18. However, Guo and Jianwei do not expressly teach, if a relative location between the third terminal device and the second terminal device that is stored in the second terminal device does not satisfy a preset condition, sending, by the second terminal device, the first message to the first terminal device.
In the same field of endeavor, Wang teaches, if a relative location between the third terminal device and the second terminal device that is stored in the second terminal device does not satisfy a preset condition, sending, by the second terminal device, the first message to the first terminal device, “When the first endpoint determines that the response to the location request received is less than three, or the valid location information received is less than three, the location request can be re-initiated, and then the above process is repeated.” [0048], and “When the positioning accuracy is relatively high, the second terminal can be required to use satellite positioning for positioning, and the feedback location information includes longitude and latitude” [0037]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Guo and Jianwei with Wang’s condition-based location-request triggering techniques in order to selectively initiate transmission of location request messages when stored or received positioning information fails to satisfy required positioning conditions, thereby improving positioning reliability and communication efficiency.
Regarding Claim 20, Guo and Jianwei disclose the limitations of claim 20 as recited above in the rejection of claim 18. In addition, Jianwei further teaches, first information; wherein the first information is used to trigger the first terminal device to send the first target location to the third terminal device, “the receiving unit 401 first receives a query instruction sent by the first terminal carrying the network identifier of the second terminal.” [0103], and “the first terminal sends a communication connection request carrying the network identifier of the first terminal to the second terminal on the spectrum resource according to the broadcast information” [0109]
However, Guo and Jianwei do not expressly teach, accuracy of the first target location; a threshold of the second relative location.
In the same field of endeavor, Wang teaches, accuracy of the first target location, “When the positioning accuracy is relatively high, the second terminal can be required to use satellite positioning for positioning, and the feedback location information includes longitude and latitude” [0037]
a threshold of the second relative location, “When the first endpoint determines that the response to the location request received is less than three, or the valid location information received is less than three, the location request can be re-initiated, and then the above process is repeated.” [0048]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify Guo and Jianwei with Wang’s positioning-accuracy and threshold-based location determination teachings in order to improve reliability and accuracy of terminal positioning communications.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record not relied upon and considered pertinent to Applicant’s disclosure:
Ledvina et al. (US 20200106877 A1) discloses Ranging between mobile devices.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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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SANG PHUOC. LE
Examiner
Art Unit 2641
/SANG PHUOC LE/Examiner, Art Unit 2641
/CHARLES N APPIAH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2641
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