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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 2-5, 7-10, 12-15, and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ),
second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential cooperative relationships,
such omission amounting to a gap between the necessary essential cooperative
relationships. What is/are the essential cooperative relationships of the claim limitation,
"Transmitting, by the LMF to a serving wireless communication node, a plurality of SRS configurations, wherein the LMF sending the plurality of SRS configurations cause the serving wireless communication node send to a wireless communication device, a first message indicating a plurality of Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) aggregates, wherein each of the plurality of SRS aggregates is associated with a respective cell identifier", with the other claimed limitations of independent claim 1? Dependent claims 3-4 are rejected for the same reasoning. Appropriated correction required.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ),
second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential cooperative relationships,
such omission amounting to a gap between the necessary essential cooperative
relationships. What is/are the essential cooperative relationships of the claim limitation,
" Responsive to the LMF transmitting position reference signal (PRS) index list for a positioning method corresponding to a PRS configuration for a wireless communication device, the PRS index value causes the wireless communication device to associate an on-demand request with the PRS index list for a positioning method corresponding to the PRS configuration", with the other claimed limitations of independent claim 1? Appropriated correction required.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ),
second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential cooperative relationships,
such omission amounting to a gap between the necessary essential cooperative
relationships. What is/are the essential cooperative relationships of the claim limitation,
" Responsive to transmitting the plurality of SRS configurations, transmitting, by the
wireless communication node to a wireless communication device, a first message indicating a plurality of Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) aggregates, wherein each of the plurality of SRS aggregates is associated with a respective cell identifier”, with the other claimed limitations of independent claim 6? Dependent claims 8-9 are rejected for the same reasoning Appropriated correction required.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ),
second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential cooperative relationships,
such omission amounting to a gap between the necessary essential cooperative
relationships. What is/are the essential cooperative relationships of the claim limitation,
" Transmitting, by the wireless communication node to a wireless communication device, a positioning reference signal (PRS) index list for a positioning method corresponding to a PRS configuration received from the LMF, wherein transmitting the PRS index list causes the wireless communication device to associate an on-demand request with the PRS index list for a positioning method corresponding to the PRS configuration”, with the other claimed limitations of independent claim 6? Appropriated correction required.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ),
second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential cooperative relationships,
such omission amounting to a gap between the necessary essential cooperative
relationships. What is/are the essential cooperative relationships of the claim limitation, “transmit, via the transmitter to a serving wireless communication node, the
plurality of SRS configurations, wherein the LMF sending the plurality of SRS configurations causes the serving wireless communication node to send to a wireless communication device, a first message indicating a plurality of Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) aggregates, wherein each of the plurality of SRS aggregates is associated with a respective cell identifier”, with the other claimed limitations of independent claim 11? Dependent claims 13-14 are rejected for the same reasoning. Appropriated correction required.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ),
second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential cooperative relationships,
such omission amounting to a gap between the necessary essential cooperative
relationships. What is/are the essential cooperative relationships of the claim limitation, “responsive to the LMF transmitting a positioning reference signal (PRS) index list for a positioning method corresponding to a PRS configuration for a wireless communication device, the PRS index causes the wireless communication device to associate[[s]] an on-demand request with the PRS index list for a positioning method corresponding to the PRS configuration”, with the other claimed limitations of independent claim 11? Appropriated correction required.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ),
second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential cooperative relationships,
such omission amounting to a gap between the necessary essential cooperative
relationships. What is/are the essential cooperative relationships of the claim limitation, “responsive to transmission of the plurality of SRS configurations, transmit, via the
transceiver to a wireless communication device, a first message indicating a plurality of
Sounding Reference Signal (SRS) aggregates, wherein each of the plurality of SRS aggregates is associated with a respective cell identifier”, with the other claimed limitations of independent claim 16? Dependent claims 18-19 are rejected for the same reasoning. Appropriated correction required.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ),
second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential cooperative relationships,
such omission amounting to a gap between the necessary essential cooperative
relationships. What is/are the essential cooperative relationships of the claim limitation, “transmit, via the transmitter to a wireless communication device, a positioning reference signal (PRS) index list for a positioning method corresponding to a PRS
configuration received from the LMF, wherein transmission of the PRS index causes the
wireless communication device to associate an on-demand request with the PRS a
positioning reference signal (PRS) index list for a positioning method corresponding to the PRS configuration”, with the other claimed limitations of independent claim 16?. Appropriated correction required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by SOPHIA-ANTIPOLIS (HUAWEI: "(TP to BL CR for TS 38.455) Completion of NRPPa", 3GPP DRAFT; R3-204969, 3RD GENERATION PARTNERSHIP PROJECT (3GPP), MOBILE COMPETENCE CENTRE ; 650, ROUTE DES LUCIOLES ; F-06921 SOPHIA-ANTIPOLIS CEDEX ; FRANCE, vol. RAN WG3, no. E-meeting; 20200817 - 20200828 6 August 2020 (2020-08-06), XP052398038).
As per claim 1, Sophia-Antipolis disclosed a wireless communication method, comprising transmitting, by a location management function (LMF) to a wireless communication node (see fig. 8.2.x2-1, NG-Ran node), a positioning request (see fig. 8.2.x2-1, positioning information request); receiving, by the LMF from the wireless communication node, a positioning information response that comprises a plurality of sounding reference signal (SRS) configurations (see fig. 8.2.x2-1, positioning information response, see discussion of section 8.2.x.2 Successful Operation; Also, see discussions of section 9.1.1.1.d, The Positioning Information Update message is used for updating the SRS configurations, plurality of SRS configurations, whenever the configuration has changed. It is similar to the UTDOA information update message in LTE, in which it is described that SRS configuration can change due to either a change in SRS configuration parameter, or a cell change has been triggered. Since LMF would select TRPs for measurements, it needs to know the cell information and then select proper neighbouring TRPs to request measurements. Thus, it is proposed to include the cell information along with the SRS configuration in the Positioning Information Update message. Then, when a cell change has been triggered, both updated SRS configurations and cell information can be sent to LMF, who can then update the measurement requests); wherein each of the plurality of SRS configuration comprises a cell identifier comprising a respective new radio (NR) cell global identifier (see discussions of section 9.1.1.1.d, Cell Information in POSITIONING INFORMATION UPDATE).
As per claim 6, see rejection above in claim 1, Sophia-Antipolis disclosed a wireless communication method, comprising receiving, by the wireless communication node from LMF, a positioning information request; transmitting, by the wireless communication node to LMF, a positioning information response that comprises a plurality of sounding reference signal (SRS) configurations; wherein each of the plurality of SRS configuration comprises a cell identifier comprising a respective new radio (NR) cell global identifier (CGI).
As per claim 11, see rejection above in claim 1, Sophia-Antipolis disclosed a location management function (LMF), comprising at least one processor configured to transmit, via a transmitter (inherently) to a wireless communication node, a positioning information request; receive, via a receiver (inherently) from a wireless communication node, a positioning information response that comprises a plurality of sounding reference signal (SRS) configurations; wherein each of the plurality of SRS configuration comprises a cell identifier comprising a respective new radio (NR) cell global identifier (CGI).
As per claim 16, see rejection above in claim 1, Sophia-Antipolis disclosed a wireless communication node, comprising at least one processor configured to receive, via a receiver (inherently) from LMF, a positioning information request; transmit, via a transmitter (inherently) to the LMF, a positioning information response that comprises a plurality of sounding reference signal (SRS) configurations; wherein each of the plurality of SRS configuration comprises a cell identifier comprising a respective new radio (NR) cell global identifier (CGI).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 05/12/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
As per claim 1, the Applicant’s stated that, “Huawei fails to disclose, much less teach or suggest, a LMF that receives a positioning information response that comprises a plurality of SRS configurations, where each of the plurality of SRS configurations comprise a cell identifier comprising a respective NR CGI as claimed. In response to the Applicant, see rejection above in claim 1.
.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 extension fee 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Pablo Tran whose telephone number is (571)272-7898. The examiner normal hours are 9:30 -5:00 (Monday-Friday). If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Jinsong Hu, can be reached at (571)272-3965. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571)273-8300.
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July 23, 2026
/PABLO N TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2643
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