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 .
This office action is in response to Remarks filed on Ju. 10, 2026.
Claims 20 and 22-24 have been canceled.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-19 and 21 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 § 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.
Claims 1-19 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Bao et al. (2023/0422200)
Regarding claim 1, Bao discloses a method performed by a network node, for enabling communication with a discoverable wireless device (WD) wherein the method comprises (see abstract, fig7, elements 534, 510, paragraphs [0027] and its description): transmitting, to an aiding WD, a configuration message (see abstract, fig.7, elements 534, 520, step 754, paragraphs [0027], [0126-0127] and its description), wherein the configuration message configures the aiding WD to transmit a Synchronization Signal Block (SSB) signal (see abstract, fig.7, elements 534, 520, step754, fig.8, paragraphs [0027-0028], [0119], [0126-0127] and its description), the SSB signal being indicative of an Uplink (UL) resource for communicating a response to the SSB signal (see abstract, fig7, elements 534, 520, step 767, paragraphs [0027], [0119], [0126-0127] and its description).
Regarding claim 2, Bao further discloses wherein the configuration message is indicative of one or more resources for transmitting the SSB signal (see fig.8, element 850, paragraphs [0115], [0119]).
Regarding claim 3, Bao further discloses wherein the configuration message configures the aiding WD to transmit the SSB signal by broadcasting the SSB signal (see abstract, fig7, elements 520, 510, step 762, paragraphs [0027], [0119], [0126-0127] and its description).
Regarding claim 4, Bao further discloses wherein the UL resource is a dedicated resource for communicating reference signals to the network node (see abstract, paragraphs [0005-0006], [0009]).
Regarding claim 5, Bao further discloses wherein the SSB signal is indicative of one or more of: a time resource for communicating the response to the SSB signal, a frequency resource for communicating the response to the SSB signal, a timing advance (TA) for communicating the response to the SSB signal, a transmit power control (TPC) parameter for communicating the response to the SSB signal, and a position of the network node (see abstract, fig7, elements 534, 520, step 767, paragraphs [0027], [0119], [0126-0127] and its description).
Regarding claim 6, Bao further discloses wherein the SSB signal is indicative of the SSB signal being transmitted by the aiding WD (see abstract, fig7, step 762, paragraphs [0027], [0119], [0126-0127] and its description).
Regarding claim 7, Bao further discloses wherein the SSB signal is indicative of a unique identifier assigned to the SSB signal (see paragraph [0007]).
Regarding claim 8, Bao further discloses wherein the method further comprises: assigning the unique identifier to the SSB signal (see paragraph [0007]. [0011]).
Regarding claim 9, Bao further discloses wherein the SSB signal is indicative of where the discoverable WD is to transmit the response to the SSB signal (see paragraph [0013-0014], [0119]).
Regarding claim 10, Bao further discloses wherein the configuration message configures the SSB signal to be transmitted via a predefined interface (see fig.2, element 214, paragraphs [0064] [0119] and its description).
Regarding claim 11, Bao further discloses wherein the method further comprises: receiving, from the aiding WD, a capability indication indicating to the network node that the aiding WD is capable of transmitting SSB signals (see abstract, fig7, step 762, paragraphs [0027], [0119], [0126-0127] and its description).
Regarding claim 12, Bao further discloses wherein the method further comprises: determining the UL resource for communicating the response to the SSB signal (see abstract, fig7, elements 534, 520, step 767, paragraphs [0027], [0119], [0126-0127] and its description).
Regarding claim 13, Bao further discloses wherein determining comprises configuring a dedicated resource for communicating reference signals to the network node (see abstract, paragraphs [0005-0006], [0009]).
Regarding claim 14, Bao further discloses wherein the method further comprises: listening for a signal from the discoverable WD (it’s inherent in telecommunication systems).
Regarding claims 16-19 and 21 recite limitations substantially similar to claims 1-14. Therefore, these claims were rejected for similar reasons as stated above.
Examiner's Note: Examiner has cited particular columns and line numbers in the references applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
When responding to this Office Action, Applicant is advised to clearly point out the patentable novelty which he or she thinks the claims present, in view of the state of the art disclosed by the references cited or the objections made. He or she must also show how the amendments avoid such references or objections See 37 CFR 1.111(c).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CongVan Tran whose telephone number is (571) 272-7871. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Th.
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UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
/CONGVAN TRAN/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647
Prosecution Insights