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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 08/21/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues, on page 22 first paragraph, that Ramachandran et al. does not disclose or suggest that a first apparatus receives at least one respective discovery response comprising a location information status from a candidate device. The examiner respectfully disagrees. Ramachandran [0189] discloses that the anchor UE can provide its capability during discovery … indicating that its position is known. The broadest reasonable interpretation of “location information status” includes the location sis known. Moreover, Ramachandran [0200] discloses how long the location remain valid. The broadest reasonable interpretation of “location information status” includes the location is valid. Ramachandran [0202] discloses whether the UE’s position is stable. The broadest reasonable interpretation of “location information status” includes the location is stable. Therefore, the above cited paragraph teaches the argued claim limitation.
Applicant argues, on page 22 last paragraph, that the location information status is not information included in a discovery response The examiner respectfully disagrees. Ramachandran [0164] discloses dynamic parameters exchange as part of negotiations during discovery and extending the Direct Communication Request and the related Direct Communication Response message with additional fields. Ramachandran[0199]-[0205] discuss location information provided during discovery. Therefore, Ramachandran discloses providing location information in a discovery response.
Applicant argues, on page 23 third paragraph, that this list is transmitted by the anchor UE to the target UE in a discovery response; it is not transmitted by the target UE to a second apparatus. The examiner respectfully disagrees. [0179] discloses the Target UE may report the Anchor UE identities that it has discovered and/or has performed ranging with to the LMF. Therefore, disclosing transmitting the list of anchor identities form the target UE to a second apparatus (interpreted as the LMF of Ramachandran).
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 08/21/2026, with respect to 102 rejection of claim 4 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 102 rejection of claim 4 has been withdrawn.
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ramachandran et al. (US 20250168808 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Ramacahndran et al. teach A first apparatus ([0006] a target mobile device) comprising:
at least one processor ([0214] processor unit); and
at least one memory storing instructions ([0215] a memory coupled to the processor including instructions ) that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the first apparatus at least to:
transmit a discovery request for device discovery via sidelink communication ([0061] device-to-device (e.g., sidelink) communication/discovery, [0175] a Target UE (or Anchor UE) may discover an Anchor UE (A1), [0220] a Device UE 10 may specifically provide a request /filter in it's discovery request messages over 701 to only discover Anchor UEs that are able to act as a proxy for a location/ranging service);
receive, from at least one candidate device, at least one respective discovery response ([0164] These dynamic parameters may be exchanged as part of a negotiation procedure (e.g. during discovery) comprising a location information status of a corresponding one of the at least one candidate device ([0199]-[0202] a ranging capable UE can determine and/or provide its (desired) role or at least its capability to perform a certain role (e.g. Anchor UE) already during discovery... Possible criteria/conditions to consider for a ranging capable UE to switch on/off its role as an Anchor UE and/or switch on/off indicating that its position is known or can be determined and/or switch on/off its ability/feature to provide a location service proxy include: Whether or not the UE has a position fix (e.g. through GNSS), how long the location is expected to remain valid..., Whether or not the UE's position is stable (e.g. UE is stationary or moving, [0207] an Anchor UE may indicate to a target UE, location service proxy, LMF and/or one or more other Anchor UEs an accuracy measure of its location estimate (e.g. maximum deviation)); and
transmit a candidate device list with the location information status to a second apparatus ([0175] an Anchor UE (A1), which may in its discovery response message ... provide to the Target UE (or Anchor UE) a list of identities ... of other Anchor UEs in vicinity) for localizing the first apparatus ([0177] Anchor UEs of a ranging constellation are configured/invited to participate in the ranging and/or location estimation of a Target UE, [0179] the Target UE (directly if in coverage or if out-of-coverage via an Anchor UE that may forward the message or issue a corresponding message) may report the Anchor UE identities that it has discovered and/or has performed ranging with to the LMF ... The LMF can use this information in the calculations to determine the Target UE's position . Note: the second apparatus is interpreted as the LMF).
Regarding claim 3, Ramacahndran et al. teach the first apparatus of claim 1, wherein the localizing is initiated by the second apparatus, and the second apparatus comprises a network device implementing location management function ([0176] ) the LMF (or other managing entity) instructs each invited Anchor UE to use the same session identifier or constellation identifier by including such identifier when setting up a connection or send a message to initiate ranging with the Target UE 10).
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 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ramacahndran et al. in view of Goss et al. (US 20110231623 A1)
Regarding claim 2, Ramacahndran et al. teach the first apparatus of claim 1, but do not teach
wherein the location information status is indicated by an indicator, a first value of the indicator indicates the location information status of the corresponding candidate device is valid, and a second different value of the indicator indicates the location information status of the corresponding candidate device is invalid.
In a similar endeavor, Goss et al. teach
wherein the location information status is indicated by an indicator, a first value of the indicator indicates the location information status of the corresponding candidate device is valid ([0045] a validity bit 192 is set to an appropriate value such as one, indicated that the LA at that PA is the most current version), and a second different value of the indicator indicates the location information status of the corresponding candidate device is invalid (Goss [0045] the previous physical location that contains a stale version of the LA has a corresponding validity bit programmed to an appropriate value such as logical zero to indicate that LA version is now out of date).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the examined application to have modified Ramacahndran et al. by incorporating Goss et al. validity bit to arrive at the invention
The motivation of doing so would have used a short indicator for efficient signaling.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-18 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the closest prior art to the claims is Ramachandran et al. (US 20250168808 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Ramacahndran et al. teach A third apparatus ([0124] anchor UE 14) comprising:
at least one processor ([0214] processor unit); and
at least one memory storing instructions ([0215] a memory coupled to the processor including instructions ) that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the third apparatus at least to:
receive, from a first apparatus, a discovery request for device discovery via sidelink communication ([0220] a Device UE 10 may specifically provide a request /filter in it's discovery request messages over 701 to only discover Anchor UEs that are able to act as a proxy for a location/ranging service);
upon receipt of an indication of additional device discovery from a second apparatus for location management ([0115] the set of other UEs of a ranging constellation may only be known by the LMF or other managing entity, [0154]-[0162] an LMF is used for the configuration of ranging capable UEs... Possible dynamically configurable parameters of a ranging-capable UE to consider are: ... identities (e.g. L2 identities or User Info IDs or PRUK IDs) of Anchor UEs working together to provide ranging/sidelink position service), perform the additional device discovery ([0174] if a request to initiate a ranging session is received by one of multiple anchor UEs in a ranging constellation, the anchor UE that receives the request may forward the request or issue a request to other anchor UEs in the ranging constellation), the indication comprising reference information about an additional device to be discovered ([0162] identities (e.g. L2 identities or User Info IDs or PRUK IDs) of Anchor UEs) ;
determine at least one additional device conforming the reference information ([0174] the anchor UE that receives the request may forward the request or issue a request to other anchor UEs in the ranging constellation); and
transmit an additional device list comprising the at least one additional device to the second apparatus ([0174] or may forward the request or issue a request to a ranging service or location service, [0175] an Anchor UE (A1), which may in its discovery response message ... provide to the Target UE (or Anchor UE) a list of identities ... of other Anchor UEs in vicinity) for localizing the first apparatus ([0177] Anchor UEs of a ranging constellation are configured/invited to participate in the ranging and/or location estimation of a Target UE, [0179] The LMF can use this information in the calculations to determine the Target UE's position)).
However, Ramachandran et al. fail to teach
transmit, to the first apparatus, a discovery response comprising an invalid location information status of the third apparatus.
Therefore, claim 4 is allowed.
Claims 5-10 are allowed for depending from claim 4.
Regarding claim 11, Ramachandran et al. teach A fourth apparatus ([0125] a location management function (LMF) 34 configured to manage positioning services) comprising:
at least one processor ([0214] processor unit); and
at least one memory storing instructions ([0215] a memory coupled to the processor including instructions ) that,, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the fourth apparatus at least to:
obtain at least one location information status of at least one candidate device via sidelink communication ([0207] an Anchor UE may indicate to a target UE, location service proxy, LMF and/or one or more other Anchor UEs an accuracy measure of its location estimate (e.g. maximum deviation));
determine, from the at least one candidate device ([0175] an Anchor UE (A1)), a plurality of terminal devices for localizing the fourth apparatus ([0175] multiple Anchor UEs 14 can work together to perform sidelink positioning of a Target UE 10... an Anchor UE (A1), which may in its discovery response message ... provide to the Target UE (or Anchor UE) a list of identities ... of other Anchor UEs in vicinity,;
transmit an indication of additional device discovery ([0154]-[0162] an LMF is used for the configuration of ranging capable UEs... Possible dynamically configurable parameters of a ranging-capable UE to consider are: ... identities (e.g. L2 identities or User Info IDs or PRUK IDs) of Anchor UEs working together to provide ranging/sidelink position service) with reference information about an additional device to be discovered ([0162] identities (e.g. L2 identities or User Info IDs or PRUK IDs) of Anchor UEs);
receive an additional device list comprising at least one additional device conforming the reference information ([0175] an Anchor UE (A1), which may in its discovery response message ... provide to the Target UE (or Anchor UE) a list of identities ... of other Anchor UEs in vicinity); and
localize, with an assistance of at least a part of the terminal devices with valid location information statuses and the at least one additional device, the fourth apparatus ([0177] Anchor UEs of a ranging constellation are configured/invited to participate in the ranging and/or location estimation of a Target UE, [0179] The LMF can use this information in the calculations to determine the Target UE's position)).
However, Ramachandran et al. fail to teach
at least one of the plurality of terminal devices being with invalid location information status;
receive the additional device list, from the at least one terminal device with the invalid location information status
transmit the indication, to the at least one terminal device with the invalid location information status.
Therefore, claim 11 is allowed
Claims 12-18 are allowed for depending from claim 11.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAID M ELNOUBI whose telephone number is (571)272-9732. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:30AM to 6:00PM ET.
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/SAID M ELNOUBI/Examiner, Art Unit 2644
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