DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to the initial filing filed on April 9, 2024 Claims 1-20 havebeen examined in this application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) filed on 4/9/2024 have been acknowledged.
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 § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-3, 6, 11-13, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al (CN 112954589 A) in view of Zhao et al (US 2019/0360813 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Li teaches a method for estimating a position of an object, the method comprising [0035 for improving position accuracy]:
receiving a motion event signal indicating a motion type of the object, the motion type being determined based on sensing data provided by one or more sensors [0036 for S101 getting receiver movement];
receiving one or more ranging measurements for distances between the object and one or more anchor points from a ranging device [0038-0039 for getting round trip time (ranging measurement) using routers (anchors)];
determining a mode among a plurality of positioning modes based on the motion event and the one or more ranging measurements [0027 for WIFI round trip time with 0031 for using dynamic positioning for motion tracking by calculating distance between phone and routers];
and estimating a position of the object using the determined mode [0038 for performing position calculations for a given error threshold].
Li fails to explicitly teach determining a plurality of position modes.
Zhao has a computer program product directed to dead reckoning for pedestrian navigation (“pedestrian dead reckoning”) and robust heading estimation in pedestrian dead reckoning (abstract) and teaches determining a plurality of position modes [0031 for using pedestrian dead-reckoning PDR and 0032-0034 for calculating step lengths (both PDR and step length positioning modes)].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the indoor position techniques, as disclosed by Li, further including the orientation calculations as taught by Zhao for the purpose for mapping integration with other positioning signals (Zhao, 0034).
Regarding Claim 11, Li teaches a device for estimating a position of the device, comprising [0035 for improving position accuracy]:
one or more sensors configured to provide sensing data [0027 and 0032 for using inertial sensors];
and a processor coupled to the one or more sensors, the processor configured to cause [0032-0034]:
receiving a motion event signal indicating a motion type of the device, the motion type being determined based on sensing data provided by the one or more sensors [0036 for S101 getting receiver movement];
measuring distances between the device and one or more anchor points [0038-0039 for getting round trip time (ranging measurement) using routers (anchors)];
determining a mode among a plurality of positioning modes based on the motion event signal and one or more measurements of the distances [0027 for WIFI round trip time with 0031 for using dynamic positioning for motion tracking by calculating distance between phone and routers];
and estimating a position of the device using the determined mode [0038 for performing position calculations for a given error threshold].
Li fails to explicitly teach determining a plurality of position modes.
Zhao has a computer program product directed to dead reckoning for pedestrian navigation (“pedestrian dead reckoning”) and robust heading estimation in pedestrian dead reckoning (abstract) and teaches determining a plurality of position modes [0031 for using pedestrian dead-reckoning PDR and 0032-0034 for calculating step lengths (both PDR and step length positioning modes)].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the indoor position techniques, as disclosed by Li, further including the orientation calculations as taught by Zhao for the purpose for mapping integration with other positioning signals (Zhao, 0034).
Regarding Claim 2 and 12, Li fails to explicitly teach the sensing data are associated with at least one of acceleration, orientation, rotational velocity, step size or step heading.
Zhao has a computer program product directed to dead reckoning for pedestrian navigation (“pedestrian dead reckoning”) and robust heading estimation in pedestrian dead reckoning (abstract) and teaches the sensing data are associated with at least one of acceleration, orientation, rotational velocity, step size or step heading [0029 for using an accelerometer and gyroscope, with 0034-0035].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the indoor position techniques, as disclosed by Li, further including the orientation calculations as taught by Zhao for the purpose to estimate of angular position of the device (Zhao, 0029).
Regarding Claim 3 and 13, Li teaches and the second positioning mode estimates a position of the object based on round trip time (RTT) based distance measurement [0027 for using round trip timing].
Li fails to explicitly teach wherein the plurality of positioning modes includes a first positioning mode and a second positioning mode, wherein: the first positioning mode estimates a position of the object based on a combination of the ranging measurements for the distances and the sensor data associated with step size and step heading.
Zhao has a computer program product directed to dead reckoning for pedestrian navigation (“pedestrian dead reckoning”) and robust heading estimation in pedestrian dead reckoning (abstract) and teaches wherein the plurality of positioning modes includes a first positioning mode and a second positioning mode, wherein: the first positioning mode estimates a position of the object based on a combination of the ranging measurements for the distances and the sensor data associated with step size and step heading [0031 for using pedestrian dead-reckoning PDR and 0032-0034 for calculating step lengths (both PDR and step length positioning modes)].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the indoor position techniques, as disclosed by Li, further including the orientation calculations as taught by Zhao for the purpose for mapping integration with other positioning signals (Zhao, 0034).
Regarding Claim 6 and 16, Li teaches the determining the mode comprises: switching from the first positioning mode to the second positioning mode when a difference between a position estimate based on the first positioning mode and a position estimate based on the second positioning mode is larger than a threshold [0036-0038 for having RTT error smaller than a threshold value].
Claims 4-5 and 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al (CN 112954589 A) in view of Zhao et al (US 2019/0360813 A1), as applied to Claims 1 and 11 above, and further in view of Kim et al (WO 2023/022305 A1).
Regarding Claim 4 and 14, Li teaches the determining the mode comprises [0030-0031 for using static and dynamic positioning].
Li fails to explicitly teach switching from the second positioning mode to the first positioning mode when a motion event signal indicating that the object moves in a straight line is received.
Kim has an indoor positioning apparatus and method for pedestrians (abstract) and teaches switching from the second positioning mode to the first positioning mode when a motion event signal indicating that the object moves in a straight line is received [0011-0012].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the indoor position techniques, as disclosed by Li, further including the selection calculations as taught by Kim for the purpose for obtaining the initial local angle based on the estimated step length and bias (Kim, 0011).
Regarding Claim 5 and 15, Li teaches the determining the mode comprises [0030-0031 for using static and dynamic positioning].
Li fails to explicitly teach switching from the first positioning mode to the second positioning mode when a motion event signal indicating stop, fluctuation, or change in a heading of the object is received.
Kim has an indoor positioning apparatus and method for pedestrians (abstract) and teaches switching from the first positioning mode to the second positioning mode when a motion event signal indicating stop, fluctuation, or change in a heading of the object is received [0011-0012].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the indoor position techniques, as disclosed by Li, further including the selection calculations as taught by Kim for the purpose for obtaining the initial local angle based on the estimated step length and bias (Kim, 0011).
Claims 7-9 and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al (CN 112954589 A) in view of Zhao et al (US 2019/0360813 A1), as applied to Claims 1 and 11 above, and further in view of Bruemmer et al (US 2017/0023659A1).
Regarding Claim 7 and 17, Li fails to explicitly teach the plurality of positioning modes further includes a third positioning mode that estimates a position of the object using a trilateration algorithm.
Bruemmer has a method for directing and tracking position, motion and orientation of mobile vehicles, people (abstract) and teaches the plurality of positioning modes further includes a third positioning mode that estimates a position of the object using a trilateration algorithm [0064].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the indoor position techniques, as disclosed by Li, further including the ranging calculations as taught by Bruemmer for the purpose to ensure objects do not enter a certain region (Bruemmer, 0064).
Regarding Claim 8 and 18, Li fails to explicitly teach the determining the mode comprises: switching from the first positioning mode or the second positioning mode to the third positioning mode when a number of ranging measurements for the distances is smaller than a predetermined number.
Zhao has a computer program product directed to dead reckoning for pedestrian navigation (“pedestrian dead reckoning”) and robust heading estimation in pedestrian dead reckoning (abstract) and teaches determining the mode comprises: switching from the first positioning mode or the second positioning mode to the third positioning mode when a number of ranging measurements for the distances is smaller than a predetermined number [0043-0045 for using PDR, walking direction, device orientation, and magnetometer measurements].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the indoor position techniques, as disclosed by Li, further including the orientation calculations as taught by Zhao for the purpose for mapping integration with other positioning signals (Zhao, 0034).
Regarding Claim 9 and 19, Li fails to explicitly teach the plurality of positioning modes further includes a fourth positioning mode that estimates a position of the object using a positioning algorithm based on step size and step heading.
Zhao has a computer program product directed to dead reckoning for pedestrian navigation (“pedestrian dead reckoning”) and robust heading estimation in pedestrian dead reckoning (abstract) and teaches the plurality of positioning modes further includes a fourth positioning mode that estimates a position of the object using a positioning algorithm based on step size and step heading [0043-0045 for using PDR, walking direction, device orientation, and magnetometer measurements].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the indoor position techniques, as disclosed by Li, further including the orientation calculations as taught by Zhao for the purpose for mapping integration with other positioning signals (Zhao, 0034).
Claims 10 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al (CN 112954589 A) in view of Zhao et al (US 2019/0360813 A1) and Bruemmer et al (US 2017/0023659A1), as applied to Claim 1 and 11 above, and further in view of Kim et al (WO 2023/022305 A1).
Regarding Claim 10 and 20, Li teaches the determining the mode comprises [0030-0031 for using static and dynamic positioning].
Li fails to explicitly teach switching from the first positioning mode or the second positioning mode to the fourth positioning mode when a number of ranging measurements for the distances is smaller than a predetermined number.
Kim has an indoor positioning apparatus and method for pedestrians (abstract) and teaches switching from the first positioning mode or the second positioning mode to the fourth positioning mode when a number of ranging measurements for the distances is smaller than a predetermined number [0011-0012].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the indoor position techniques, as disclosed by Li, further including the selection calculations as taught by Kim for the purpose for obtaining the initial local angle based on the estimated step length and bias (Kim, 0011).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Chao et al (US 2015/0354969 A1) has various techniques for identifying a position uncertainty of a mobile device, such as, based, at least in part, on a measure of potential hindrance of an estimated trajectory.
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/SAMARINA MAKHDOOM/
Examiner, Art Unit 3648