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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species I sub-species A in the reply filed on 6/17/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim 1-4, 11, and 20-35 are examined below.
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 1-4 and 20-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Liu (US 2023/0266458).
Regarding Claim 1 and 20, Lui teaches a transmission and reception point (TRP) (Fig.1:102 and Par.69, UE can be a receiving node/TRP and implicitly has baseband circuitry), comprising: a memory; and one or more processors configured to, when executing instructions stored in the memory, cause the TRP to: receive a reference signal from a transmitting TRP (Fig.1:104 and Par.69 and Par.74:lines 14-19, Access node 104 is transmitting node/transmitting TRP. Reference signal is mapped to the transmitted signal); receive a modulated reference signal (Fig.1,) from a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) (Fig.1 and Par.36-37, Par.40, and Par.52, RIS 200 changes characteristic of incident signal, hence “the reflected signal may also be referred to as a modulated signal”), the modulated reference signal resulting from a modulation scheme applied to the reference signal of the transmitting TRP (Par.45 and Par.52, the reflection scheme dictates changes to characteristics of the signal, hence a modulation scheme); and determine a location of the TRP (Par.77 and Par.84, receiving node (UE) determines its position) based on a measurement of the reference signal (Par.75:lines 5-8 and Par.74:lines 26-33, direct signals used to measure TOA/TDOA/etc), a location of the transmitting TRP (Par.74:lines 1-7 and lines 14-20, determines position of device transmitting and Page 12:Col.2:Claims 3-4), a measurement of the modulated reference signal (Par.75:lines 3-5 and Par.74:lines 26-33, reflected signals used to measure TOA/TDOA/etc), and a location of the RIS (Par.73 and Par.74:lines 1-20, determines RIS location, this is used in location determination of the target node (UE)).
Regarding Claim 2 and 21, Liu teaches the TRP comprises at least one of: baseband circuitry, a user equipment (UE), or a base station (Fig.1:102 and Par.69, UE can be a receiving node/TRP).
Regarding Claim 3 and 22, Liu teaches the one or more processors are configured to cause the TRP to: determine the location of the TRP based further on a measurement of another modulated reference signal from another RIS and a location of the other RIS (Par.75:lines 9-11), the another modulated reference signal resulting from another modulation scheme applied to the reference signal of the transmitting TRP (Par.45 and Par.52, the reflection scheme dictates changes to characteristics of the signal, hence a modulation scheme).
Regarding Claim 4 and 23, Liu teaches the one or more processors are configured to cause the TRP to: determine that the modulated reference signal is associated with the RIS based on the modulation scheme of the RIS (Par.57 and Par.52, determines the reflected/modulated signal is associated with the RIS based on characteristics. It is established that the characteristics is based on the reflection scheme/modulation scheme of the RIS); and determine that the another modulated reference signal is associated with the another RIS based on the another modulation scheme of the another RIS (Par.75:lines 9-11, second RIS. Par.57 and Par.52, determines the reflected/modulated signal is associated with the RIS based on characteristics. It is established that the characteristics is based on the reflection scheme/modulation scheme of the RIS).
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.
Claim(s) 24, 26-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu (US 2023/0266458) and Sahraei (WO 2022/178747).
Regarding Claim 24, Liu teaches that it is well known for a sending node to transmit a packet to a node that indicates the position of communication nodes that have transmitted, will transmit, or will reflect (Par.69, Par74:lines 1-5, lines 14-19 Par.90, location of the TRP (transmitting device) is sent) however Lui does not teach the TRP to receive from the transmitting TRP the location of the RIS.
Sahraei teaches that it is well known for the TRP to receive from the transmitting TRP the location of the RIS (Par.78:lines 6-9). Therefore, to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to modify Liu with the teachings Sahraei such that the location of the transmitting TRP and the location of the RIS can be transmitted by the transmitting TRP/sending node to the TRP (i.e. receiving device/UE). This would provide an enhanced system which allows the TRP to utilize the locations of all devices that it receives signals from in determining location to provide the most accurate location estimation possible.
Regarding Claim 26, Liu teaches receiving from a control device an indication of the modulation scheme of the RIS (Par.52, reflection scheme/modulation scheme. Par.61, Par.63 control device controls reflection scheme). Liu is open ended on what the control device is and it is obvious that it could be the transmitting TRP/base station however Liu does not explicitly teach that the control device is a transmitting TRP.
Sahraei teaches that it is well known for a control device to be a transmitting TRP (Par.76, Base station sends RIS configuration information). Therefore, to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to modify Liu with the teachings Sahraei such that the control device is a base station which controls a RIS. Such a modification would provide an enhanced system that ensure a controlling device that can help to ensure that the RIS is configured in a manner to ensure high quality of service.
Regarding Claim 27, Liu teaches, wherein the indication of the modulation scheme of the RIS indicates a shift in one or more resource elements (REs) of the modulated reference signal (Par.40, phase shift is interpreted as a shift in REs of the modulated reference by changing directions and providing better reception).
Regarding Claim 28, Liu teaches, wherein the indication of the modulation scheme is specific to a reference signal type of the modulated reference signal (Par.61, Par.52, based on the signal transmitted there is an associated modulation scheme. Hence specific to type of signal).
Regarding Claim 29, Liu teaches wherein the indication of the modulation scheme is specific to the transmitting TRP (Par.61, Par.52, based on the signal transmitted by the transmitting TRP, there is an associated modulation scheme. Hence specific to the transmitting TRP).
Regarding Claim 30, Liu teaches wherein the indication of the modulation scheme is specific to a transmission time of the modulated reference signal (Par.61, Par.52, based on the time the reflected signal is transmitted, there is an associated modulation scheme).
Regarding Claim 31, Liu teaches the indication of the modulation scheme is specific to an uplink direction or a downlink direction of the modulated reference signal (Par.61, Par.52, based on direction of the transmitted signal, there is an associated modulation scheme).
Claim 25 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu (US 2023/0266458) and Wu (WO2024/060055).
Regarding Claim 25, Liu does not expressly teach but WU teaches receiving from the transmitting TRP an indication of a pattern of resource elements (REs) associated with the reference signal (Par.135). Therefore, to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to modify Liu with the teachings of Wu such that an enhanced system is provided where network resources are allocated in a controlled thoughtful manner permitting efficient network usage.
Claims 11, 32-35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu (US 2023/0266458) in view of Sahraei (WO 2022/178747) and Wu (WO2024/060055).
Regarding Claim 11, Liu teaches that it is well known for a sending node to transmit a packet to a node that indicates the position of communication nodes that have transmitted, will transmit, or will reflect (Par.69, Par74:lines 1-5, lines 14-19 Par.90, location of the TRP (transmitting device) is sent) and Liu teaches receiving from a control device an indication of the modulation scheme of the RIS (Par.52, reflection scheme/modulation scheme. Par.61, Par.63 control device controls reflection scheme). Liu is open ended on what the control device is and it is obvious that it could be the transmitting TRP/base station. Liu does not explicitly teach the TRP to receive from the transmitting TRP the location of the RIS and Lui does not teach that the control device is a transmitting TRP.
Sahraei teaches that it is well known for the TRP to receive from the transmitting TRP the location of the RIS (Par.78:lines 6-9). Therefore, to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to modify Liu with the teachings Sahraei such that the location of the transmitting TRP and the location of the RIS can be transmitted by the transmitting TRP/sending node to the TRP (i.e. receiving device/UE). This would provide an enhanced system which allows the TRP to utilize the locations of all devices that it receives signals from in determining location to provide the most accurate location estimation possible.
Sahraei further teaches that it is well known for a control device to be a transmitting TRP (Par.76, Base station sends RIS configuration information). Therefore, to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to modify Liu with the further teachings Sahraei such that the control device is a base station which controls a RIS. Such a modification would provide an enhanced system that ensure a controlling device that can help to ensure that the RIS is configured in a manner to ensure high quality of service. Liu and Sahraei does not expressly teach but WU teaches receiving from the transmitting TRP an indication of a pattern of resource elements (REs) associated with the reference signal (Par.135). Therefore, to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to modify Liu and Sahraei with the teachings of Wu such that an enhanced system is provided where network resources are allocated in a controlled thoughtful manner permitting efficient network usage.
Regarding Claim 32, Liu teaches, wherein the indication of the modulation scheme of the RIS indicates a shift in one or more resource elements (REs) of the modulated reference signal (Par.40, phase shift is interpreted as a shift in REs of the modulated reference by changing directions and providing better reception).
Regarding Claim 33, Liu teaches, wherein the indication of the modulation scheme is specific to a reference signal type of the modulated reference signal (Par.61, Par.52, based on the signal transmitted there is an associated modulation scheme. Hence specific to type of signal).
Regarding Claim 29, Liu teaches wherein the indication of the modulation scheme is specific to the transmitting TRP (Par.61, Par.52, based on the signal transmitted by the transmitting TRP, there is an associated modulation scheme. Hence specific to the transmitting TRP).
Regarding Claim 34, Liu teaches wherein the indication of the modulation scheme is specific to a transmission time of the modulated reference signal (Par.61, Par.52, based on the time the reflected signal is transmitted, there is an associated modulation scheme).
Regarding Claim 35, Liu teaches the indication of the modulation scheme is specific to an uplink direction or a downlink direction of the modulated reference signal (Par.61, Par.52, based on direction of the transmitted signal, there is an associated modulation scheme).
Conclusion
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/WESLEY L KIM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2648
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