DETAILED ACTION
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 § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 1, the language “the pedestrian device ensuring that the vehicle is within a sufficiently narrow range of the pedestrian device that the received offset is applicable to the pedestrian device either by employing a Bluetooth™ protocol that permits mutual communication only within said narrow range or by relating only to signals from a passing vehicle whose measured signal strength exceeds a predetermined threshold” fails to clearly and distinctly define the subject matter due to the numerous phrases associated with the different “that” statements. Additionally, the language “a sufficiently narrow range” is understood and interpreted as being within a range, in its broadest reasonable interpretation, wherein the pedestrian is capable of detecting a Bluetooth signal. In the alternative, “relating to signals” is similarly understood and interpreted in the same manner, i.e. that the Bluetooth signal from the vehicle is capable of being detected by the pedestrian device.
Regarding claims 11-12, the claims are indefinite since they represent multiple different categories of invention. They are directed to a product but dependent upon a method.
Other claims are also rejected based on their dependency of the defected parent claim(s).
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1, 7-10, and 12 rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 3-6, and 8 of U.S. Patent No. 12,078,735. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because even though there are variations in the wording of the claims, the differences in the claims would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made.
Application 18/769,308
Claim 1. A method for improving accuracy of a raw GPS positioning of an untargeted pedestrian device, the method comprising:
(a) the pedestrian device receiving from a nearby vehicle device in Bluetooth™ communication range a message containing a calculated offset between a raw GPS location of the vehicle and a corrected location of the vehicle, the message being a popup notification that encapsulates the calculated offset and is received without a need for pairing between the two devices;
(b) the pedestrian device ensuring that the vehicle is within a sufficiently narrow range of the pedestrian device that the received offset is applicable to the pedestrian device either by employing a Bluetoothᵀ protocol that permits mutual communication only within said narrow range or by relating only to signals from a passing vehicle whose measured signal strength exceeds a predetermined threshold;
(c) the pedestrian device decoding said message to extract the calculated offset; and
(d) applying the calculated offset to the raw GPS positioning of the pedestrian device so as to obtain a more accurate location of the pedestrian device.
Claim 7. The method according to claim 1, further including the following operations carried out by the pedestrian device:
(a) receiving multiple respective signals from different vehicles in communication range of the pedestrian, each signal containing a respective offset {ΔX, ΔY};
(b) for each received signal determining a respective signal intensity (Received Signal Strength Indication, RSSI); and
(c) using the respective offset {ΔX, ΔY} from whichever of said signals has maximal RSSI.
Claim 8. The method according to claim 1 for allowing a vehicle to locate a pedestrian, the method further including:
(a) receiving from the pedestrian device a corrected location; and
(b) locating the pedestrian based on the received corrected location.
Claim 9. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the pedestrian device and the vehicle device filters out fluctuating satellite signals by:
(a) receiving from at least four satellites respective GPS signals identifying time of transmission;
(b) determining a time of receipt of said GPS signals;
(c) computing an effective time of transit and a pseudo-range between the satellite and the pedestrian device and/or vehicle device;
(d) repeating (a) to (c) for successive signals so as to obtain successive values of the pseudo-range between each satellite and the pedestrian device and/or vehicle device;
(e) computing fluctuations between the successive values of the pseudo-range for each satellite; and
(f) while an amplitude of the fluctuations or a function thereof for a given satellite exceeds a preset threshold, ignoring the signals from said satellite.
Claim 10. The method according to claim 9, wherein ignoring the fluctuating signals is achieved by setting a signal SNR of said signals to a preset value below a threshold in which the signals are ignored by GPS positioning software in the pedestrian and vehicle devices.
Claim 12. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer program instructions which when executed by a pedestrian positioning device cause the device to carry out the method according to claim 1.
U.S. Patent No. 12,078,735
Claim 1. A method for improving accuracy of a raw GPS positioning of an untargeted pedestrian device, the method comprising:
(a) providing a vehicle device, nearby to the untargeted pedestrian device, comprising an identifying name field of the vehicle device, wherein the identifying name field comprises information that identifies the vehicle device and a calculated offset between a raw GPS location of the vehicle device and a corrected location of the vehicle device;
(b) the untargeted pedestrian device receiving from the vehicle device nearby in Bluetooth™ communication range a message containing the identifying name field, and is received without a need for pairing between the two devices;
(c) the untargeted pedestrian device ensuring the vehicle device is within a sufficiently respective narrow range of the untargeted pedestrian device so the calculated offset is applicable to the untargeted pedestrian device, wherein the sufficiently respective narrow range is within a range capable of detecting a Bluetooth signal, wherein the detecting the Bluetooth signal is selected from a group of detecting methods comprising: employing a Bluetooth™ protocol that permits mutual communication only within the sufficiently respective narrow range; and relating only to respective signals from a passing vehicle whose measured respective signal strength exceeds a predetermined threshold;
(d) the untargeted pedestrian device decoding the message to extract the calculated offset; and (e) applying the calculated offset to the raw GPS positioning of the untargeted pedestrian device so as to obtain a more accurate location of the untargeted pedestrian device.
Claim 3. The method according to claim 1, further including the following operations carried out by the untargeted pedestrian device:
(a) receiving multiple respective signals from different vehicles in communication range of the untargeted pedestrian device, each signal containing a respective offset {ΔX, ΔY};
(b) for each received signal determining a respective signal intensity (Received Signal Strength Indication, RSSI); and
(c) using the respective offset {ΔX, ΔY} from whichever of the signals has maximal RSSI.
Claim 4. The method according to claim 1 for allowing a vehicle to locate a pedestrian, the method further including:
(a) receiving from the untargeted pedestrian device a corrected location; and
(b) locating the pedestrian based on the received corrected location.
Claim 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the untargeted pedestrian device and the vehicle device filters out fluctuating satellite signals by:
(a) receiving from at least four satellites respective GPS signals identifying time of transmission;
(b) determining a time of receipt of the GPS signals;
(c) computing an effective time of transit and a pseudo-range between the satellite and the untargeted pedestrian device and/or the vehicle device;
(d) repeating (a) to (c) for successive signals so as to obtain successive values of the pseudo-range between each satellite and the pedestrian device and/or vehicle device;
(e) computing fluctuations between the successive values of the pseudo-range for each satellite; and
(f) while an amplitude of the fluctuations or a function thereof for a given satellite exceeds a preset threshold, ignoring the signals from the given satellite.
Claim 6. The method according to claim 5, wherein ignoring the fluctuating signals is achieved by setting a signal SNR of the signals to a preset value below a threshold in which the signals are ignored by GPS positioning software in the untargeted pedestrian and vehicle devices.
Claim 8. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer program instructions which when executed by a pedestrian positioning device cause the pedestrian positioning device to:
(a) receive from a nearby vehicle device in Bluetooth™ communication range a message containing an identifying name field without a need for pairing between the pedestrian positioning device and the vehicle device;
(b) ensure the vehicle is within a sufficiently respective narrow range of the pedestrian positioning device so a received offset is applicable to the pedestrian positioning device, wherein the sufficiently respective narrow range is within a range capable of detecting a Bluetooth signal, wherein the detecting the Bluetooth signal is selected from a group of detecting methods comprising employing a Bluetooth™ protocol that permits mutual communication only within the sufficiently narrow range; and relating only to respective signals from a passing vehicle whose measured respective signal strength exceeds a predetermined threshold;
(c) decode the message to extract the received offset; and
(d) apply the received offset to the raw GPS positioning of the pedestrian positioning device so as to obtain a more accurate location of the pedestrian positioning device.
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.
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.
Claims 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Allison et al (US 20070159388) in view of Jendbro et al (US 20070225016) and Gildea (US 5,523,761).
Allison et al disclose the conventionality of distributing localized GPS assistance GPS between first and second mobile terminals comprising respective GPS receivers via an ad hoc link that is a Bluetooth communication link ([0038]-[0040], [0058]). The localized assistance information is any “suitable information that assists, facilitates, improves, enables or speeds up the determination of a location estimate based on the signals from the GPS satellites 105 the satellite information may comprise satellite information data including correction terms or compensation parameters that may be included in the location determination” ([0065]) and “information that improves the accuracy of the location estimate” ([0066]). The ad-hoc communication link is preferably a short range communication link such as that of an IEEE 802.11b or Bluetooth system since this will ensure that communication terminals exchanging satellite information data are sufficiently close for the satellite information data to be appropriate for the receiving communication unit. In some embodiments, the communication terminals may explicitly determine a distance between the communication terminals and only request satellite information data if the distance is sufficiently low ([0103]). FIG. 1 shows a first mobile device 101 with a GPS/GNSS receiver 109 responsive to satellite signals from a plurality of GPS/GNSS satellites 105 and a location processor 111 operable to determine a GPS location estimate. A second mobile device 103 is similarly designed. A data store 113 stores satellite information data that can be received from an ad hoc communication link formed between one or more additional ad hoc devices wherein the satellite information may comprise satellite information data including correction terms or compensation parameters that improve the accuracy of the location estimate.
Jendbro et al disclose the conventionality of sharing satellite positioning system assistance information over a short range, ad hoc wireless network, such as Bluetooth, wherein the provision is either in response to a request or by repeated broadcast of the information ([0020], [0021], [0072]). It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Allison et al by the teachings of Jendbro et al because a person of ordinary skill in the art would have motivated to combine the prior art to achieve the claimed invention associated with the request and/or broadcast reception of the shared assistance information and there would have been a reasonable expectation of success in doing so since the combination yields nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art.
Gildea discloses the conventionality of the format of differential corrections as offsets as stated therein, “method of GPS location correction involves computation and transmission of a location correction in Cartesian coordinates (Δx, Δy, Δz), which is then received and applied by a mobile GPS station. These location corrections can be expressed in an ECEF coordinate frame corrections, or as longitude, latitude and altitude corrections, or in any other suitable correction format. This method allows transmission of less data, but the inaccuracy, as applied to correction of the mobile station’s location, grows quickly as the separation distance between the reference station and the mobile station increases” (page 12, line 46+). It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Allison et al by the teachings of Gildea because a person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the prior art to achieve the claimed invention and there would have been a reasonable expectation of success in doing so since the combination yields nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. The substitution of BLE as a well-known form of Bluetooth would have been obvious at the time of filing due to its well-known advantages and uses.
While patent drawings are not drawn to scale, relationships clearly shown in the drawings of a reference patent cannot be disregarded in determining the patentability of claims. See In re Mraz, 59 CCPA 866, 455 F.2d 1069, 173 USPQ 25 (1972).
Claims 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Feldhaus et al (US 20140292567) in view of Gildea.
Feldhaus et al (20140292567) disclose a method and system for determining position of a handset comprising a vehicle having a positioning signal receiver (i.e. GPS 40) ([0025]) for receiving signals of the satellites of a satellite positioning system (42) and an electronic processor which generates a local correction signal by means of which the accuracy of a position determined by means of the signals of a positioning signal receiver can be improved. A portable handset (62, e.g. a smartphone/tablet) carried by an operator (60, i.e. pedestrian) is equipped with a positioning signal receiver for receiving signals of the satellites of the positioning system and an electronic processor which, in operation, receives position signals from the positioning signal receiver of the handset, derives from these raw position data of the handset and uses these raw position data for determining the position of the handset. The raw position data of the handset are corrected by means of the local correction signal provided by the processor of the vehicle ([0014]). The electronic processor of the handset is connected in a wireless manner, via a data transmission device (30), to the electronic processor of the vehicle and receives the local correction signals of the electronic processor of the vehicle and corrects the raw position data of the handset by means of these correction signals ([0017]). The hand-held handset 62 comprises an electronic processor 64, a touch-sensitive display device 66, a positioning signal receiver 68, a first transmitting and receiving unit 70 and a second transmitting and receiving unit 72, all of which are connected to the electronic processor 64. The first transmitting and receiving unit 70 is used for receiving and transmitting signals via telecommunication links such as GSM, UMTS or LTE. The second transmitting and receiving unit 72 is used for transmitting and receiving signals via a short-range wireless link, e.g. via WLAN or Bluetooth and is connected to a corresponding second transmitting and receiving unit 74 of the vehicle 10 ([0027]). A processor 64 of the handset 62 receives via the second transmitting and receiving unit 72, 74 the local correction signals from the processor 38 of the vehicle 10 which are as current as possible. The processor 64 receives position signals from the positioning signal receiver 68 and initially calculates uncorrected raw position data into which the correction signals do not yet flow. By means of the raw position data and the local correction signals, the processor 64 then determines the current position of the handset 62 which corresponds to the position to be mapped and stores it in a memory of the handset 62 ([0032]). Since the communication from the vehicle to the operator handset is encompassed by Bluetooth communication, it is inherent that the operator handset is within a sufficiently narrow range of the operator handset such that the local correction is applicable. As the operator handset is of a form of a smartphone/tablet, the provision of a display of messages including the availability of a neighboring BT device are conventional whether via advertisements or pairing requests; as such the mere display of a different message is within the scope of the prior art and the skill of the artisan. While Feldhaus et al disclose differential corrections, the specification of “an offset” is not specifically identified. While such is considered to be the concept of differential corrections and thus encompassed by Feldhaus et al, the prior art to Gildea et al is further provided for completeness to show the conventionality of using a positional offset in the form of offsets (Δx, Δy, Δz).
Gildea discloses the conventionality of the format of differential corrections as offsets as stated therein, “method of GPS location correction involves computation and transmission of a location correction in Cartesian coordinates (Δx, Δy, Δz), which is then received and applied by a mobile GPS station. These location corrections can be expressed in an ECEF coordinate frame corrections, or as longitude, latitude and altitude corrections, or in any other suitable correction format. This method allows transmission of less data, but the inaccuracy, as applied to correction of the mobile station’s location, grows quickly as the separation distance between the reference station and the mobile station increases” (page 12, line 46+). It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Feldhaus et al by the teachings of Gildea because a person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the prior art to achieve the claimed invention and there would have been a reasonable expectation of success in doing so since the combination yields nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. The use of signal strength/SNR as a determining characteristic to use or not use a radio positioning signal is old and well known and does not represent an inventive concept. The substitution of BLE as a well-known form of Bluetooth would have been obvious at the time of filing due to its well-known advantages and uses.
As to limitations which are considered to be inherent in a reference, note the case law of In re Ludtke, 169 U.S.P.Q. 563; In re Swinehart, 169 U.S.P.Q. 226; In re Fitzgerald, 205 U.S.P.Q. 594; In re Best et al, 195 U.S.P.Q. 430; and In re Brown, 173 U.S.P.Q. 685, 688.
Claims 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cheng et al (US 2009/0115657) in view of Garello et al (“Peer-to-Peer Cooperative Positioning, Part I: GNSS- Aided Acquisition”) and Gildea.
Cheng et al disclose a GNSS receiver system and method including a first mobile GNSS receiver and a second GNSS mobile receiver wherein the first mobile GNSS receiver determines at least an assisted data associated with positioning of the second mobile GNSS receiver according to satellite signals and then outputs the assisted data; and receiving the assisted data from the first mobile GNSS receiver and referring to the assisted data and satellite signals for determining the positioning information of the second mobile GNSS receiver. Referring to FIG. 1, the mobile GNSS receivers 102 and 104 can be disposed on or attached to any mobile apparatus, such as cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and automobiles ([0013]) and thus encompasses an embodiment wherein the first mobile device is a vehicle and the second mobile device is a user cell phone. Respective receiver logic 112, 122 is capable of performing normal GNSS receiver functions, i.e. determining position information ([0014]). Data provider logic 114, 124 is implemented to provide at least an assisted data according to the positioning related information obtained by the receiver logic 112; the data provider logic 114, 124 selectively provides the assisted data to the communication interface 118, 128 when requested on demand or automatically broadcasts the assisted data through the communication interface 118, 128, e.g. via advertisement messages. The assisted data given by the data provider logic 114, 124 includes, but is not limited to, identification information of the tracked satellites, almanac, ephemeris of the currently tracked satellites, current universal coordinated time (UTC), position of the GNSS receiver 102, 104 on which the data provider logic 114, 124 is disposed, the PRN code of each satellite visible in the geographic arca, healthy satellite information, and/or Doppler and code chip information. However, these are for illustrative purposes only ([0014]). The communication interfaces 118 and 128 establish a wireless communication link through a WLAN connection, a Bluetooth connection, an IrDA connection, or an Ad-Hoc network connection ([0015]). In the broadcast mode, the data provider logic 114 generates advertisement message(s) according to positioning related information available in the receiver logic 112 ([0027]). Cheng et al do not specify the assistance data comprising position offsets/corrections.
Garello et al disclose the conventionality of peer devices sharing GNSS information that does not require a fixed infrastructure and may better take into account the local environment. FIG. 3 depicts a scheme for peer-to-peer cooperative positioning which exploits GNSS aiding data by neighboring users. A list of conventional GNSS aiding data is described, including augmentation system assistance/differential corrections (page 57, 1st column). Garello et al surmise that in the near future of 2012, both portable devices and cars will exchange data with their neighbors in an opportunistic way (page 57, middle column).
Gildea discloses the conventionality of the format of differential corrections as offsets as stated therein, “method of GPS location correction involves computation and transmission of a location correction in Cartesian coordinates (Δx, Δy, Δz), which is then received and applied by a mobile GPS station. These location corrections can be expressed in an ECEF coordinate frame corrections, or as longitude, latitude and altitude corrections, or in any other suitable correction format. This method allows transmission of less data, but the inaccuracy, as applied to correction of the mobile station’s location, grows quickly as the separation distance between the reference station and the mobile station increases” (page 12, line 46+).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Cheng et al by the teachings of Garello et al because a person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the prior art to achieve the claimed invention and there would have been a reasonable expectation of success in doing so since the combination yields nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art wherein differential correction data is shared to aid in the position of peer devices. Furthermore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Cheng et al to generate differential corrections in the form of positional offsets (Δx, Δy, Δz) in view of the conventionality of such as taught by Gildea. The substitution of BLE as a well-known form of Bluetooth would have been obvious at the time of filing due to its well-known advantages and uses.
While patent drawings are not drawn to scale, relationships clearly shown in the drawings of a reference patent cannot be disregarded in determining the patentability of claims. See In re Mraz, 59 CCPA 866, 455 F.2d 1069, 173 USPQ 25 (1972).
For applicant's benefit, portions of the cited reference(s) have been cited to aid in the review of the rejection(s). While every attempt has been made to be thorough and consistent within the rejection it is noted that the PRIOR ART MUST BE CONSIDERED IN ITS ENTIRETY, including disclosures that teach away from the claims. See MPEP 2141.02 VI.
Conclusion
The cited prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 2022/0295229 discloses a method for creating a correction function for improving the accuracy of a GPS device collects multiple time samples at multiple known locations wherein each time sample consists of GPS coordinates and associated satellite data from multiple satellites. The satellite data includes or permits determination of (i) satellite azimuth and elevation of an associated satellite, (ii) Signal-to-Noise Ratio of a received signal from the associated satellite, and optionally (iii) pseudo-range. For each time sample a respective error between the known location and the corresponding GPS coordinates is computed and an error correction function is created as a function of the respective GPS coordinates and the satellite data by applying deep learning/machine learning techniques to the multiple time samples.
US 2021/0072405 discloses an apparatus and method for generating distribution information may include periodically generating GNSS information including GNSS positioning information and a positioning time, generating image information including an image of at least one or more facility object, at the positioning time, while a vehicle drives, obtaining precise positioning information for a capturing position at the positioning time based on the image information, a high-definition map, and the GNSS information, calculating a positioning difference which is a difference between the GNSS positioning information and the precise positioning information, and generating distribution information including the GNSS information, the positioning difference, and the precise positioning information. The high-definition map includes information for feature point spatial coordinates and a property for each facility object.
US 9,332,384 discloses a method obtains a geographical position of a mobile device, which comprises a Bluetooth transceiver and a storage unit for storing an offline map. The mobile device establishes Bluetooth capability in order to enable a Bluetooth connection with the mobile device. The mobile device, via the Bluetooth connection, requests geographical coordinates using two bits of a Frequency Hopping Synchronization data packet of the Bluetooth protocol. The mobile device, via the Bluetooth connection, receives geographical coordinates, and maps the received geographical coordinates to the offline map in order to obtain the geographical position of the mobile device in the offline map.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHUONG P NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-3445. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri, 10:00-10:00 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, JACK KEITH can be reached at (571) 272-6878. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHUONG P NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3646
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