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 § 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 11 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over OH et al (US 2023/0171729, hereinafter OH) and in view of Frank et al (US 8,605,615, hereinafter Frank).
Regarding claim 11, OH discloses a user equipment (UE, Para [0049]), comprising: one or more memories, one or more transceivers and one or more processors (memory, transceiver and processor, inherent) communicatively coupled to the one or more memories and the one or more transceivers, the one or more processors, either alone or in combination, configured to: decode, via the one or more transceivers, a plurality of ultra-wideband (UWB) messages transmitted over a UWB channel by a plurality of UWB anchor nodes, wherein the plurality of UWB messages include at least one UWB polling message transmitted by a UWB initiator anchor node of the plurality of UWB anchor nodes (UE overhears the messages of a plurality of anchor nodes, Para [0102], initiator anchor schedules ranging slots for responder anchors in a poll message, Para [0104], anchor nodes are UWB devices, Para [0103], UWB channel for UWB communication, Para [0098]), and wherein the at least one UWB polling message contains a ranging device management list (RDML) indicating a UWB transmission schedule for the plurality of UWB anchor nodes (ranging slot allocated to each responder is included in the poll message, sent by the initiator, Para [0273], RDM list includes scheduling information for corresponding responder anchor, Para [0376]); and transmit, via the one or more transceivers, a UWB transmission schedule report based at least on the RDML. Frank discloses a UE determines a high-low interference pattern, C: 18 R: 59-60 and transmits a high-low interference pattern to the base station, C: 19 R: 6-8, obvious that the UE can transmit the UWB schedule which would be the interference pattern. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Frank in the system of OH in order to improve coexistence of different RATs and reduce interference.
Regarding claim 14, OH discloses the UE of claim 11, but not wherein the one or more processors, either alone or in combination, are further configured to: receive, via the one or more transceivers, a request from a core network entity for the UWB transmission schedule report, wherein the UWB transmission schedule report is transmitted in response to the request (obvious to one of ordinary skill from core network to request a report and receive a report from the UE).
Claims 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 9 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over OH, in view of Frank and in view of Dayal et al (US 9,578,649, hereinafter Dayal).
Regarding claim 1, OH discloses a network entity (base station, Fig. 2 of Frank), comprising: one or more memories, one or more transceivers, and one or more processors (memory, transceiver and processor, inherent) communicatively coupled to the one or more memories and the one or more transceivers, the one or more processors, either alone or in combination, configured to: determine a pattern of time gaps in an ultra-wideband (UWB) transmission schedule for a plurality of UWB anchor nodes operating over a UWB channel. OH discloses UE overhears the messages of a plurality of anchor nodes, Para [0102], initiator anchor schedules ranging slots for responder anchors in a poll message, Para [0104], anchor nodes are UWB devices, Para [0103], ranging slot allocated to each responder is included in the poll message, sent by the initiator, Para [0273], RDM list includes scheduling information for corresponding responder anchor, Para [0376]. Frank discloses a UE determines a high-low interference pattern, C: 18 R: 59-60 and transmits a high-low interference pattern to the base station, C: 19 R: 6-8, obvious that the UE can transmit the UWB schedule which would be the interference pattern. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Frank in the system of OH in order to improve coexistence of different RATs and reduce interference; and does not disclose schedule cellular transmissions for one or more user equipments (UEs) during the pattern of time gaps in the UWB transmission schedule. Dayal discloses cellular system, C: 9 R: 63, with LTE on and off pattern, C: 15 R: 19, selecting a potential gap pattern configuration that reduces conflict between the first RAT and second RAT, C: 3 R: 4-5, obvious to one of ordinary skill the network will schedule cellular communication to avoid interference with UWB. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize the techniques taught by Dayal in the system of OH in view of Frank in order to further improve coexistence of different RATs and reduce interference.
Regarding claim 2, OH discloses the network entity of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors configured to determine the pattern of time gaps comprises the one or more processors, either alone or in combination, configured to: decode, by a UWB radio of the network entity, a ranging device management list (RDML) in a UWB polling message transmitted over the UWB channel by a UWB initiator anchor node of the plurality of UWB anchor nodes, wherein the RDML indicates the UWB transmission schedule; and determine the pattern of time gaps based on the UWB transmission schedule (overhearing the messages of a plurality of anchor nodes, Para [0102], initiator anchor schedules ranging slots for responder anchors in a poll message, Para [0104], anchor nodes are UWB devices, Para [0103], UWB channel for UWB communication, Para [0098], ranging slot allocated to each responder is included in the poll message, sent by the initiator, Para [0273], RDM list includes scheduling information for corresponding responder anchor, Para [0376]).
Regarding claim 4, OH discloses the network entity of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors, either alone or in combination, are further configured to: decode, by a UWB radio of the network entity, UWB messages transmitted among the plurality of UWB anchor nodes to obtain locations of the plurality of UWB anchor nodes (overhear messages transmitted by anchor nodes and calculate the distances between the anchor node and the device, Para [0102], obvious the AP can perform this function as well).
Regarding claim 6, OH discloses the network entity of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors configured to determine the pattern of time gaps comprises the one or more processors, either alone or in combination, configured to: scan, via the one or more transceivers, the UWB channel over a period of time to determine the pattern of time gaps (scanning a channel for a certain time duration is known in the art and would be obvious to one of ordinary skill).
Regarding claim 7, OH discloses the network entity of claim 6, wherein the one or more processors configured to determine the pattern of time gaps comprises the one or more processors, either alone or in combination, configured to: measure a duration of time for which an average signal strength detected on the UWB channel is below a threshold value; measure a time duration between two or more UWB polling messages having UWB response messages therebetween; or any combination thereof (measuring a channel for low signal strength, for interference purposes, is obvious to one ordinary skill).
Regarding claim 9, OH discloses the network entity of claim 6, wherein the network entity does not include a UWB radio (obvious variation for the network entity not to have a UWB radio).
Regarding claim 10, OH discloses the network entity of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors configured to determine the pattern of time gaps comprises the one or more processors, either alone or in combination, configured to: receive, via the one or more transceivers, the UWB transmission schedule, the pattern of time gaps, or both from a core network entity (CNE), a user equipment (UE), or a second network entity. Frank discloses a UE determines a high-low interference pattern, C: 18 R: 59-60 and transmits a high-low interference pattern to the base station, C: 19 R: 6-8, obvious that the UE can transmit the UWB schedule which would be the interference pattern.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15-20 are allowed.
Claims 3, 5, 8, 12 and 13 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN CUNNINGHAM whose telephone number is (571) 272-1765. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday 7:30-18:00 (EST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Vu can be reached on (571) 272-3155. The fax number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KEVIN M CUNNINGHAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2461
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