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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 06/24/2024 and 04/21/2026 have been considered by the examiner.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that use the word “means” or “step” but are nonetheless not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph because the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure, materials, or acts to entirely perform the recited function. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: means for receiving, means for transmitting, means for performing in claims 51 and 52 refer to the means for receiving and means for transmitting.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are not being interpreted to cover only the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant intends to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to remove the structure, materials, or acts that performs the claimed function; or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) does/do not recite sufficient structure, materials, or acts to perform the claimed function.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1, 4, 6, 7, 9-11, 13-26, 29, 31, 32, 34-36, 38-46, and 49-54 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over D1 (Nokia et al. “Signaling for Positioning Integrity Support”, 3GPP TSG-RAN WG2 Meeting #112; R2-2009761; Dated November 02-13, 2020; Cited in IDS) in view of D2 (Qualcomm Inc “Remaining Issues on Potential Enhancements for DL-AoD Positioning”, 3GPP TSG RAN WG1 Meeting #102-e; R1-2112219; Dated November 11-19, 2021; Cited in IDS).
Regarding claims 1, 26, and 51 , D1 discloses a user equipment (UE) and a method of wireless communication performed by the (UE), comprising:
receiving, from a location server, one or more positioning parameters to enable the UE to perform a radio access technology (RAT)-dependent positioning procedure involving at least one transmission-reception point (TRP) (Section 2.1; proposal 1; e.g., to support positioning integrity in 3GPP framework, a new field may be introduced in LPP for the LMF to provide the UE assistance information, which enables integrity computation at the UE side),
receiving, from the location server, one or more integrity parameters related to the one or more positioning parameters (Section 2.2; Option 1; e.g., the LMF should first provide some assistance information to the UE. In addition, the LMF should deliver parameters that are needed to calculate the protection level (PL)); and
determining an integrity indication for the one or more positioning parameters based on the one or more integrity parameters (Section 2.2; Option 1; e.g., eth UE may report the calculated PL back to eh LMF for the LCS client ot determine if the positioning system is available).
D1 fails to specifically disclose wherein the one or more positioning parameters comprise a boresight direction associated with a positioning reference signal (PRS) resource transmitted by the at least one TRP, per-angle beam information associated with the at least one TRP, an expected angle associated with the PRS resource, one or more transmit timing error group (Tx-TEG) margins associated with the UE, reference point information associated with a location of the at least one TRP, line-of-sight (LOS) information associated with the PRS resource, or any combination thereof.
However, D2 discloses the positioning parameters comprise a boresight direction associated with a positioning reference signal (PRS) resource transmitted by the at least one TRP (Section 6; Option 3; e.g., the LMF includes boresight directions of each PRS resource in the assistance data) and (Section 7; Proposal 7, Option 2; e.g., for each PRS resource, the boresight direction information, and optionally an the expectedDLAoD for each TRP).
It is noted that limitation “wherein the one or more positioning parameters comprise per-angle beam information associated with the at least one TRP, an expected angle associated with the PRS resource, one or more transmit timing error group (Tx-TEG) margins associated with the UE, reference point information associated with a location of the at least one TRP, line-of-sight (LOS) information associated with the PRS resource, or any combination thereof” is omitted to address due to alternative claim such as “one or more positioning parameters”.
Therefore, taking the teachings of D1 in combination of D2 as a whole, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention by applicant to have the positioning parameters comprise a boresight direction associated with a positioning reference signal (PRS) resource transmitted by the at least one TRP in order to enable the UE to measure/report a PRS resource with prioritization of assistance data for DL-AoD.
Regarding claims 21, 46 and 52, D1 discloses a method of communication performed by a location server and the location server, the method comprising:
transmitting, to a user equipment (UE), one or more positioning parameters for a radio access technology (RAT)-dependent positioning procedure involving at least one transmission-reception point (TRP) (Section 2.1; proposal 1; e.g., to support positioning integrity in 3GPP framework, a new field may be introduced in LPP for the LMF to provide the UE assistance information, which enables integrity computation at the UE side),
transmitting, to the UE, one or more integrity parameters related to the one or more positioning parameters (Section 2.2; Option 1; e.g., the LMF should first provide some assistance information to the UE. In addition, the LMF should deliver parameters that are needed to calculate the protection level (PL)).
D1 fails to specifically disclose wherein the one or more positioning parameters comprise a boresight direction associated with a positioning reference signal (PRS) resource transmitted by the at least one TRP, per-angle beam information associated with the at least one TRP, an expected angle associated with the PRS resource, one or more transmit timing error group (Tx-TEG) margins associated with the UE, reference point information associated with a location of the at least one TRP, line-of-sight (LOS) information associated with the PRS resource, or any combination thereof.
However, D2 discloses the positioning parameters comprise a boresight direction associated with a positioning reference signal (PRS) resource transmitted by the at least one TRP (Section 6; Option 3; e.g., the LMF includes boresight directions of each PRS resource in the assistance data) and (Section 7; Proposal 7, Option 2; e.g., for each PRS resource, the boresight direction information, and optionally an the expectedDLAoD for each TRP).
It is noted that limitation “wherein the one or more positioning parameters comprise per-angle beam information associated with the at least one TRP, an expected angle associated with the PRS resource, one or more transmit timing error group (Tx-TEG) margins associated with the UE, reference point information associated with a location of the at least one TRP, line-of-sight (LOS) information associated with the PRS resource, or any combination thereof” is omitted to address due to alternative claim such as “one or more positioning parameters”.
Therefore, taking the teachings of D1 in combination of D2 as a whole, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention by applicant to have the positioning parameters comprise a boresight direction associated with a positioning reference signal (PRS) resource transmitted by the at least one TRP in order to enable the UE to measure/report a PRS resource with prioritization of assistance data for DL-AoD.
Regarding claims 4 and 29, D1 in combination with D2 discloses the method of claims 1 and 26, wherein the one or more integrity parameters comprise a probability distribution for an error of the boresight direction of the PRS resource (D2: Section 6; Option 3).
Regarding claims 6 and 31, D1 in combination with D2 discloses the method and the UE of claims 4 and 29 , wherein: the probability distribution is associated with the at least one TRP, and the probability distribution applies to all PRS resources of all PRS resource sets of the at least one TRP (D1: Section 2.2).
Regarding claims 7 and 32, D1 in combination with D2 discloses the method and the UE of claims 1 and 26, wherein the one or more integrity parameters comprise a probability distribution for an error for the per-angle beam information (D2: Section 4, Proposal 6).
Regarding claims 9 and 34, D1 in combination with D2 discloses the method and the UE of claims 7 and 32, wherein: the per-angle beam information defines a plurality of angle intervals, and the probability distribution applies to all angle intervals of the plurality of angle intervals (D2: Section 4, Proposal 6).
Regarding claims 10 and 35, D1 in combination with D2 discloses the method and the UE of claims 1 and 26, wherein: the expected angle comprises expected angle-of-departure (AoD) and expected AoD uncertainty parameters, and the one or more integrity parameters comprise a probability distribution for an error for the expected AoD and expected AoD uncertainty parameters (D2: Section 4; Proposal 6) and (D2: Section 6, Proposal 3.1.c; Option 1).
Regarding claims 11 and 36, D1 in combination with D2 discloses the method and the UE of claims 1 and 26, wherein the one or more integrity parameters comprise a probability distribution for an error for the Tx-TEG margins (D1: Section 2.1).
Regarding claims 13 and 38, D1 in combination with D2 discloses the method and the UE of claims 1 and 26, wherein the one or more integrity parameters comprise a probability distribution for an error for the reference point information (D1: Section 2.1).
Regarding claims 14 and 39, D1 in combination with D2 discloses the method and the UE of claims 13 and 38, wherein the reference point information is for: a positioning frequency layer (PFL), a location of the at least one TRP within the PFL, a PRS resource set of the at least one TRP, a PRS resource of the PRS resource set, or any combination thereof (D1: Section 2.2).
Regarding claims 15 and 40, D1 in combination with D2 discloses the method and the UE of claims 1 and 26, wherein the one or more integrity parameters are received in one or more Long-Term Evolution (LTE) positioning procedure (LPP) Request Location Information messages (D1: Section 2.2).
Regarding claims 16 and 41, D1 in combination with D2 discloses the method and the UE of claims 1 and 26, wherein the one or more positioning parameters are received in one or more LPP Provide Assistance Data messages (D1: Section 2.2; Option 1).
Regarding claims 17 and 42, D1 in combination with D2 discloses the method and the UE of claims 1 and 26, wherein the RAT-dependent positioning procedure comprises a downlink angle-of-departure (DL-AoD) positioning procedure (D2: Section 4; Option 1).
Regarding claims 18, 22, and 43, D1 in combination with D2 discloses the method and the UE of claims 1, 21, and 26, further comprising: transmitting the integrity indication for the one or more positioning parameters to the location server (D1: Section 2.2 Option 1).
Regarding claims 19, 23, and 44, D1 in combination with D2 discloses the method and the UE of claims 18, 22, and 43, wherein: the integrity indication comprises a protection level (PL) determined by the UE, or the integrity indication comprises an integrity state of the one or more positioning parameters (D1: Section 2.2).
Regarding claims 20 and 45, D1 in combination with D2 discloses the method and the UE of claims 18 and 43, wherein the integrity indication is transmitted in one or more LPP Provide Location Information messages (D1: Section 2.2, Option 2).
Claims 24 and 25 are rejected with the same reasons set forth to claims 15 and 20.
Claim 53 is drawn to a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a user equipment (UE) comprising code means for generating steps of claim 1. Therefore, the same rationale applied to claim 1 applies. In addition, D1 in combination with D2 inherently discloses a computer program product, i.e., given that D1/D2 discloses a process, the process would be implemented by a processor that requires a computer program product, e.g., a RAM, to function.
Claim 54 is drawn to a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a location server comprising code means for generating steps of claim 21. Therefore, the same rationale applied to claim 21 applies. In addition, D1 in combination with D2 inherently discloses a computer program product, i.e., given that D1/D2 discloses a process, the process would be implemented by a processor that requires a computer program product, e.g., a RAM, to function.
Claim(s) 2, 3, 27, 28, 47, and 48 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over D1 in combination with D2, in view of Modarres et al. (US 2023/0180171).
Regarding claims 2, 27, and 47, D1 in combination with D2 discloses the method and the location server of claims 1, 26, and 46, fails to specifically disclose wherein the one or more integrity parameters comprise a probability distribution for an error of the one or more positioning parameters.
However, Modarres discloses the one or more integrity parameters comprise a probability distribution for an error of the one or more positioning parameters (paragraph [0027]; e.g., is the statistical error bound computed to guarantee that the probability of the absolute position error exceeding the said number is smaller than or equal to the target integrity risk).
Therefore, taking the teachings of D1 in combination of D2 and Modarres as a whole, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention by applicant to have the one or more integrity parameters comprise a probability distribution for an error of the one or more positioning parameters in order to assist in assessing the integrity level associated with a positioning estimation (Modarres: Abstract).
Regarding claims 3, 28, and 48, D1 in combination with D2 discloses the method and the location server of claims 2, 27, and 47, wherein the probability distribution comprises a mean and standard deviation (Modarres: paragraph [0038]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 8, 12, 30, 33, and 37 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.
As to claims 5 and 30, the prior arts of records fail to teach, or render obvious, alone or in combination, a method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE), comprising the claimed means and their components, relationships, and functionalities as specifically recited in claims 4, 5, 29, and 30 and independent claims 1 and 26, respectively that claims 5 and 30 depend on.
As to claims 8 and 33, the prior arts of records fail to teach, or render obvious, alone or in combination, a method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE), comprising the claimed means and their components, relationships, and functionalities as specifically recited in claims 7, 8, 32, and 33 and independent claims 1 and 26, respectively that claims 8 and 33 depend on.
As to claims 12 and 37, the prior arts of records fail to teach, or render obvious, alone or in combination, a method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment (UE), comprising the claimed means and their components, relationships, and functionalities as specifically recited in claims 12, 37, and independent claims 1 and 26, respectively that claims 12 and 37 depend on.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TIMOTHY X PHAM whose telephone number is (571)270-7115. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri: 8:30-5:00.
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/TIMOTHY X PHAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3648
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