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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lee (U.S. PG-PUB NO. 2023/0199704).
-Regarding claim 1, Lee discloses an information transmission method, wherein the method comprises: receiving, by a sensing network element, location information of a first area from a first network element (location request 1100c, FIG. 11); receiving, by the sensing network element, first sensing data from a first device, wherein a sensing area corresponding to the first sensing data comprises the first area, and the first device is configured to perform sensing (location request 1100a, FIG. 11); determining, by the sensing network element, first information based on the location information of the first area and the first sensing data, wherein the first information indicates that a first terminal is located in the first area (In case that the UE 101 is located within the surrounding target area 410, the AMF may include an indicator for operating the high accuracy positioning that satisfies the service quality in the location information request to be transferred to the RAN node 200 or 210 (1102), paragraph 210); and sending, by the sensing network element, the first information to the first network element (location response 1110, FIG. 11).
-Regarding claim 2, Lee further discloses determining, by the sensing network element, a target access network device based on the location information of the first area (the AMF 301 having received the location information request from the GMLC 310 or the NEF 305 may change the received target area to the mapped surrounding target area information 410, paragraph 209); and sending, by the sensing network element, a first sensing request message to the target access network device, wherein the first sensing request message is used to obtain the first sensing data (location reporting control message (1102), FIG. 11).
-Regarding claim 3, Lee further discloses obtaining, by the sensing network element, location information of the first terminal (location information service information, paragraph 185); and determining the first information comprises: determining, by the sensing network element, the first information based on the location information of the first area, the location information of the first terminal, and the first sensing data (surrounding target area information 420 may be preconfigured for the target area in which the high accuracy positioning service, being provided from the AMF 301, paragraph 209).
-Regarding claim 4, Lee further discloses obtaining the location information of the first terminal comprises: obtaining, by the sensing network element, the location information of the first terminal device when the first sensing data indicates that a first object enters or exits the first area (UE tracking operation may include at least one of sensing of the entry of the UE into the area of interest, paragraph 210).
-Regarding claim 5, Lee further discloses obtaining the location information of the first terminal when the first sensing data indicates that a first object enters or exits the first area comprises: sending, by the sensing network element, a positioning request message to a second network element, based on the first sensing data indicates that the first object enters or exits the first area (In case that the UE 101 is located within the surrounding target area 410, the AMF may include an indicator for operating the high accuracy positioning that satisfies the service quality in the location information request to be transferred to the RAN node 200 or 210 (1102), paragraph 210), wherein the positioning request message is used to trigger the second network element to execute a positioning process; and obtaining, by the sensing network element, the location information of the first terminal comprises: receiving, by the sensing network element, the location information of the first terminal from the second network element (in case that the location report triggering condition requested from the AMF 301 is satisfied, the RAN 200 may transfer the location report message to the AMF 301 in the procedure 1108, paragraph 217).
-Regarding claim 6, Lee further discloses the positioning request message comprises at least one of the location information of the first area or information about the sensing area corresponding to the first sensing data (location information service information, paragraph 185).
-Regarding claim 7, Lee further discloses receiving the location information of the first area comprises: receiving, by the sensing network element, a subscription request message from the first network element, wherein the subscription request message requests to obtain identification information of a terminal in the first area, and the subscription request message carries the location information of the first area (the location providing request message or the location information subscription request message received by the AMF 301, paragraph 185); and sending the first information to the first network element comprises: sending, by the sensing network element to the first network element, a subscription notification message in response to the subscription request message, wherein the subscription notification message carries the first information (procedure 1102, the AMF 301 having received the location information request from the GMLC 310 or the NEF 305 may change the received target area to the mapped surrounding target area information 410, paragraph 209).
-Regarding claim 8, Lee further discloses receiving, by the sensing network element, second sensing data from the first device (paragraph 178), wherein a sensing area corresponding to the second sensing data comprises the first area; determining, by the sensing network element, second information based on the location information of the first area and the second sensing data, wherein the second information indicates that the first terminal is located outside the first area (In case that the current location of the UE 101 is not included in the surrounding target area, the UE 101 may stop the activation of the UE positioning operation, paragraph 175); and sending, by the sensing network element, the second information to the first network element (the UE 101 may transfer the measured location information of the UE 101 to the LMF 303 through the base station and the AMF 301, paragraph 176).
-Regarding claim 9, Lee further discloses the first information comprises identification information of the first terminal (target UE identifier, paragraph 185).
-Regarding claim 10, Lee further discloses the first area is a service area of a local area data network, a service area of a network slice, or a communication restricted and forbidden area (paragraph 185).
-Regarding claim 11, Lee discloses an information transmission method, wherein the method comprises: sending, by a first network element, location information of a first area to a sensing network element (location request 1100b, FIG. 11); and receiving, by the first network element, first information from the sensing network element, wherein the first information indicates that a first terminal is located in the first area, the first information is determined based on the location information of the first area and first sensing data, and a sensing area corresponding to the first sensing data comprises the first area (In case that the UE 101 is located within the surrounding target area 410, the AMF may include an indicator for operating the high accuracy positioning that satisfies the service quality in the location information request to be transferred to the RAN node 200 or 210 (1102), paragraph 210).
-Regarding claim 12, Lee further discloses sending, by the first network element, first configuration information to the first terminal based on the first information, wherein the first configuration information is used to trigger the first terminal to send a service request message corresponding to a first service (1106-2 UE positioning procedure with LMC, FIG. 11).
-Regarding claim 13, Lee further discloses determining, by the first network element, a first device based on the location information of the first area (the AMF 301 having received the location information request from the GMLC 310 or the NEF 305 may change the received target area to the mapped surrounding target area information 410, paragraph 209), and sending, by the first network element, a second sensing request message to the first device to obtain the first sensing data (location reporting control message (1102), FIG. 11).
-Regarding claim 14, Lee further discloses sending the location information of the first area comprises: sending, by the first network element, a subscription request message to the sensing network element, wherein the subscription request message is a request to obtain identification information of a terminal in the first area, and the subscription request message carries the location information of the first area (the location providing request message or the location information subscription request message received by the AMF 301, paragraph 185); and receiving the first information from the sensing network element comprises: receiving, by the first network element from the sensing network element, a subscription notification message in response to the subscription request message, wherein the subscription notification message carries the first information (procedure 1102, the AMF 301 having received the location information request from the GMLC 310 or the NEF 305 may change the received target area to the mapped surrounding target area information 410, paragraph 209).
-Regarding claim 15, Lee further discloses receiving, by the first network element, second information from the sensing network element, wherein the second information indicates that the first terminal is located outside the first area, the second information is determined based on the location information of the first area and second sensing data (In case that the current location of the UE 101 is not included in the surrounding target area, the UE 101 may stop the activation of the UE positioning operation, paragraph 175), and a sensing area corresponding to the second sensing data comprises the first area (location information service information, paragraph 185).
-Regarding claim 16, Lee further discloses the method further comprises: sending, by the first network element, second configuration information to the first terminal, wherein the second configuration information is used triggers the first terminal to delete information corresponding to the first service (the UE 101 may transfer the measured location information of the UE 101 to the LMF 303 through the base station and the AMF 301, paragraph 176).
-Regarding claim 17, Lee further discloses the first information further comprises the identification information of the terminal (target UE identifier, paragraph 185).
-Regarding claim 18, Lee further discloses the first area is a service area of a local area data network, a service area of a network slice, or a communication restricted and forbidden area (paragraph 185).
-Regarding claim 19, Lee discloses a communication apparatus (NF device, FIG. 13), comprising a processor (NF processor 1311, FIG. 13) coupled to a memory (NF memory 1312, FIG. 13) configured to store a computer program or instructions, wherein the processor is configured to execute the computer program or the instructions: receive location information of a first area from a first network element (location request 1100c, FIG. 11); receive first sensing data from a first device, wherein a sensing area corresponding to the first sensing data comprises the first area (location request 1100a, FIG. 11); determine first information based on the location information of the first area and the first sensing data, wherein the first information indicates that a first terminal is located in the first area (In case that the UE 101 is located within the surrounding target area 410, the AMF may include an indicator for operating the high accuracy positioning that satisfies the service quality in the location information request to be transferred to the RAN node 200 or 210 (1102), paragraph 210); and send the first information to the first network element (location response 1110, FIG. 11).
-Regarding claim 20, Lee further discloses determine a target access network device based on the location information of the first area (AMF 301 may configure the area of interest for the target UE 101 as the surrounding target area 410 corresponding to the target area of the location information request (1102), paragraph 210); and send a first sensing request message to the target access network device , wherein the first sensing request message is used to obtain the first sensing data (he AMF may include an indicator for operating the high accuracy positioning that satisfies the service quality in the location information request to be transferred to the RAN node 200 or 210 (1102), paragraph 210).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/2/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
I. Applicant's Arguments Are Premised on a Correspondence Not Set Forth in the Office Action
At the outset, the Examiner notes that Applicant's Remarks proceed from a correlation of claim elements to the disclosure of Lee that is the inverse of the correlation actually set forth in the rejection.
The rejection of claim 1 cited location request 1100c of FIG. 11 for the limitation "receiving, by a sensing network element, location information of a first area from a first network element." As Applicant correctly observes at page 7 of the Remarks, procedure 1100c is the procedure in which "the location information request is received from the GMLC 310 or the NEF 305" (paragraph [0221]). The recipient of that request is the AMF 301. The correspondence set forth in the rejection is therefore:
Claim element
Lee
sensing network element
AMF 301
first network element
GMLC 310 / NEF 305
first device configured to perform sensing
the device transmitting in procedure 1100a
location information of a first area
target area of the location information request
Applicant instead substitutes procedure 1110c — the location response, which was not relied upon for this limitation — and on that substituted basis concludes that the rejection "maps … the AMF 301 to the first network element, and the GMLC 310 or the NEF 305 to the claimed sensing network element" (Remarks, page 7). That is not the correspondence of record.
The consequence is that several of Applicant's arguments are directed to a rejection that was not made. Specifically, the arguments that "this paragraph pertains to an action that the AMF 301 takes, not an action the GMLC 310 or the NEF 305 takes" (claim 1, third limitation) and that paragraph [0185] "shows the subscription request message going to the AMF 301" rather than issuing from it (claim 7) identify the AMF 301 as the acting element. Under the rejection as made, the AMF 301 is the claimed sensing network element. Applicant's observations therefore confirm, rather than rebut, the correspondence relied upon.
The Examiner further notes that claim 1 recites the sensing network element, the first network element, and the first device in purely functional terms. No structure, protocol, interface, or 3GPP network-function identity is recited for any of them. The sensing network element is defined by the four acts it performs; nothing in the claim requires it to be a GMLC or an NEF, and nothing excludes an AMF. Correspondence of terminology between a claim and a reference is not required for anticipation. In re Bond, 910 F.2d 831, 832 (Fed. Cir. 1990). Arguments not commensurate in scope with the claims are unpersuasive. In re Self, 671 F.2d 1344, 1348 (CCPA 1982).
Each argument is nonetheless addressed on its merits below.
II. Claim 1
A. "receiving, by a sensing network element, location information of a first area from a first network element" (location request 1100c)
Applicant argues that "[t]he location information request itself does not carry location information," and that location information is conveyed only in the subsequent response.
The examiner respectfully disagrees. Paragraph [0209] states that "the AMF 301 having received the location information request from the GMLC 310 or the NEF 305 may change the received target area to the mapped surrounding target area information 410" (emphasis added). The target area is thus received by the AMF 301 in the request of procedure 1100c. Paragraph [0185] confirms the content of that request, which includes the "5G enhanced positioning service area, for example, the 5G enhanced positioning service area index, 5G enhanced positioning service area identification number, GAD information of the 5G enhanced positioning service, and characteristic information of the 5G enhanced positioning service area."
Claim 1 recites the receipt of location information of a first area from the first network element. It does not recite the message type by which that information is conveyed, and it does not exclude conveyance in a request. The limitation is met.
B. "receiving, by the sensing network element, first sensing data from a first device" (location request 1100a)
First, Applicant argues that procedures 1100a, 1100b, and 1100c are mutually exclusive alternatives, relying on the disjunctive "or" of paragraphs [0181], [0200], and [0208], such that the AMF 301 cannot receive from both the UE 101 and the GMLC 310/NEF 305.
The examiner respectfully disagrees. Lee expressly contemplates the AMF receiving location information messages from multiple sources in a single procedure. Paragraph [0185] states: "The AMF 301 may receive a location information request message transferred from the UE 101, the base station 200, or the GMLC 310. In FIG. 9, in addition to the contents described at operations 900 a/900 b/900 c, the AMF 301 may receive the location information request message transferred from the NEF 305. Further, the AMF 301 may receive the location information subscription request from the UDM 302" (emphasis added). The phrases "in addition to" and "Further" establish cumulative receipt, not exclusive alternatives. Paragraph [0181] describes how the location service may be initiated; it does not state that receipt from one source forecloses receipt from another.
The Examiner further directs Applicant's attention to paragraphs [0204], [0205], and [0217], which disclose the AMF 301 receiving sensed presence information from the RAN node in procedures common to all three initiation alternatives: "The AMF 301 may receive the UE presence information for the area of interest from the RAN 200" (paragraph [0205]); "the RAN 200 may transfer the location report message to the AMF 301 in the procedure 1108" (paragraph [0217]). That the RAN node is a device configured to perform sensing is disclosed in the reference's own terms at paragraph [0210]: the UE tracking operation "may include at least one of sensing of the entry of the UE into the area of interest, sensing of the secession of the UE from the area of interest, or sensing of the change of the presence information" (emphasis added). The sensed area is the area of interest, configured as "the surrounding target area 410 corresponding to the target area of the location information request" (paragraph [0210]), which therefore comprises the first area.
Applicant further argues that the two recited receiving steps must be performed by the same sensing network element, and that in Lee the response of procedure 1110a is returned to the UE while the GMLC/NEF receives information in procedure 1110c, so that "[t]he information that is sent in these two steps are going to two different places."
The Examiner wants to point out that the receipts are at the same sensing network element is satisfied under the rejection as made. Procedure 1100a is received by the AMF 301, and procedure 1100c is received by the AMF 301. Both recited receipts occur at a single element. Applicant's "two different places" argument depends on treating the responses 1110a and 1110c as the recited receiving steps, and on treating the GMLC/NEF as the sensing network element — neither of which corresponds to the rejection.
C. "determining, by the sensing network element, first information … wherein the first information indicates that a first terminal device is located in the first area" (paragraph [0210])
Applicant argues that paragraph [0210] "pertains to an action that the AMF 301 takes, not an action the GMLC 310 or the NEF 305 takes."
The examiner respectfully disagrees for the reasons given in Section I: the AMF 301 is the claimed sensing network element under the rejection as made. Applicant's identification of the AMF 301 as the element performing the determination is therefore consistent with, and confirmatory of, the rejection.
The recited determination is disclosed at paragraph [0210] — "In case that the UE 101 is located within the surrounding target area 410, the AMF may include an indicator for operating the high accuracy positioning" — and at paragraph [0205] — "in case that the AMF 301 changes the UE presence in the area of interest to OUT, IN, or UNKNOWN, or the UE presence information is changed from OUT to IN, the AMF 301 may start the location information procedure." A presence determination of IN with respect to the area constitutes first information indicating that the terminal device is located in the first area. Claim 1 recites no particular format or encoding for that indication.
D. "sending, by the sensing network element, the first information to the first network element" (location response 1110)
Applicant argues that the Examiner cited location response 1110 "without particularly specifying any of the three alternatives," and that a target area, location QoS, and reporting type do not indicate that a terminal device is located in the first area.
The examiner respectfully disagrees. Consistent with the citation of procedure 1100c for the first limitation, the responsive procedure relied upon is 1110c, in which, per paragraph [0221], "[i]n case that the location information request is received from the GMLC 310 or the NEF 305 in procedure 1100 c, the AMF 301 may transmit a response by performing the procedure 1110 c." The AMF 301 (sensing network element) transmits to the GMLC 310 or NEF 305 (first network element).
As to content, paragraph [0222] states that "[t]he location information response message may include the contents that the AMF 301 has received from the RAN node 200" — that is, the presence and location reports of paragraphs [0204], [0205], and [0216], including "the UE location expressed by the GAD." Paragraph [0197] further discloses that "[t]he AMF 301 having received such an event may transfer the UE positioning information to the UE 101, the base station 210, the GMLC 310 or the NEF 305, which is a node having requested the location information," where the reported event includes "1) Enter into or secession from the target area" (paragraph [0218]). The information transmitted to the first network element accordingly indicates that the terminal device is located in the first area.
III. Claim 3
Applicant argues that paragraph [0209] does not disclose information determined on the basis of three inputs, because the surrounding target area information 420 is merely preconfigured.
The examiner respectfully disagrees. The third recited input — the location information of the first terminal device — was cited to paragraph [0185] ("location information service information") in the rejection, and is further disclosed at paragraph [0199]: "The AMF 301 may receive the location of the UE 101 in the 3GPP system, which is reported from the RAN 200, and in case that the entry of the UE 101 into the surrounding target area is sensed, the AMF 301 may transfer a request to start the high accuracy positioning" (emphasis added). See also paragraph [0205].
The determination performed by the AMF 301 is thus based on the target area received from the first network element, the sensed presence information, and the reported location of the UE. The transitional phrase "based on" is open-ended and does not require that the recited inputs be the exclusive inputs, nor does it exclude the use of preconfigured mapping information in arriving at the determination.
IV. Claim 7
Applicant argues that the further limitation of claim 7 "would be met if the GMLC 310 or the NEF 305 were to receive from the AMF 301 a subscription request message that carries the target area," but that paragraph [0185] instead "shows the subscription request message going to the AMF 301."
The examiner respectfully disagrees. Claim 7 requires the sensing network element to receive the subscription request message from the first network element. Under the rejection as made, the AMF 301 is the sensing network element. Paragraph [0185] discloses precisely the recited receipt: "the location providing request message or the location information subscription request message received by the AMF 301" (emphasis added). Applicant's argument reverses the recited direction only because it reverses the correspondence, as discussed in Section I.
Paragraph [0185] further discloses that the received message carries the location information of the first area (the 5G enhanced positioning service area information) and a "target UE identifier," corresponding to the recited identification information of a terminal device.
V. Claims 11 and 19, and Claims Argued by Dependency
Applicant argues claims 11 and 19 to be allowable for substantially the same reasons as claim 1. Those arguments are unpersuasive for the reasons set forth in Sections I and II.
With respect to claim 19, Lee additionally discloses the recited structure at paragraphs [0225] and [0226]: "An NF memory 1312 is an area for storing control information for performing the corresponding NF function" and "[a]n NF processor 1311 may be the subject to read the information stored in the NF memory 1312 and to perform the corresponding control operation." Paragraph [0224] confirms that this structure applies to the AMF 301.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PING Y HSIEH whose telephone number is (571)270-3011. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm.
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/PING Y HSIEH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2664
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