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 10/28/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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) 50, 52, and 55-56 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hoang et al. (US 2024/0188153 A1; “Hoang”).
Regarding claim 50, Hoang teaches an apparatus, comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:
receive, by a second user device from a first user device, sidelink control information including at least one of an indication that the first user device is performing sessionless positioning, a user device identifier of the first user device, a user device identifier of the second user device, or sidelink-positioning reference signal (SL-PRS) identification information associated with sidelink-positioning reference signal transmitted by the second user device [Hoang ¶ 0093, Fig. 4: 430, the WTRU may transmit an SL-PRS transmission/reception request using the destination ID (i.e. ID of second user device) to at least one other WTRU requesting the at least one WTRU to transmit SL-PRS (i.e. indication first wireless device is performing positioning), the request including include at least one of validity time, type of SL-PRS transmission request (i.e. indication that a type of positioning is performed), set of anchor WTRUs, a set of SL-PRS resources, a requested SL-PRS pattern (i.e. SL-PRS identification information), and priority of a request message; ¶ 0132: when the WTRU requests SL-PRS transmission/reception, the WTRU may indicate the configured destination ID in the message (i.e. user device identifier of the second user device), e.g., in the second SCI; Examiner’s Note: the limitations are written in the alternative, therefore, it is only necessary that one of the alternative limitations be taught by the applied references];
determine, by the second user device, based on the user device identifier of the second user device, that the sidelink control information is addressed to the second user device [Hoang ¶ 0132: WTRUs, including an anchor WTRU, involving in the sidelink positioning service may monitor the sidelink resource pool and use the destination ID to detect any request message]; and
continue to transmit or make an adjustment of a transmission of, by the second user device, the sidelink-positioning reference signal associated with the SL-PRS identification information [Hoang ¶ 0071: WTRU may broadcast/groupcast the SL-PRS transmission request using the destination ID associated with the positioning service, wherein the request message may include one or more of the validity time of the request including the expected time of the first SL-PRS transmission, the type of SL-PRS transmission request, such as aperiodic and periodic SL-PRS transmission, the set of anchor WTRUs and/or the set of SL-PRS resources, the requested SL-PRS pattern including offset, periodicity, and number of repetitions, and the priority of the request message (here, the preceding PRS configuration parameters would inform the transmitting WTRU, i.e., second user device, of how to transmit further PRS, e.g., making adjustments to PRS transmission)].
Regarding claim 52, Hoang teaches the apparatus of claim 50, wherein causing the apparatus to continue to transmit or make an adjustment comprises causing the apparatus to: continue to transmit or make the adjustment of a transmission of, by the second user device, the sidelink- positioning reference signal associated with the SL-PRS identification information based on the received sidelink control information [Hoang ¶ 0071: WTRU may broadcast/groupcast the SL-PRS transmission request using the destination ID associated with the positioning service, wherein the request message may include one or more of the validity time of the request including the expected time of the first SL-PRS transmission, the type of SL-PRS transmission request, such as aperiodic and periodic SL-PRS transmission, the set of anchor WTRUs and/or the set of SL-PRS resources, the requested SL-PRS pattern including offset, periodicity, and number of repetitions, and the priority of the request message (here, the preceding PRS configuration parameters would inform the transmitting WTRU, i.e., second user device, of how to transmit further PRS, e.g., making adjustments to PRS transmission)].
Regarding claim 55, Hoang teaches the apparatus of claim 50, wherein the SL-PRS identification information associated with the sidelink-positioning reference signal transmitted by the second user device comprises at least one of the following: a sidelink-positioning reference signal sequence identifier associated with the sidelink-positioning reference signal transmitted by the second user device; or
a sidelink-positioning reference signal resource identifier indicating or associated with resources for the sidelink-positioning reference signal transmitted by the second user device [Hoang ¶ 0093, Fig. 4: 430, the WTRU may transmit an SL-PRS transmission/reception request using the destination ID (i.e. ID of second user device) to at least one other WTRU requesting the at least one WTRU to transmit SL-PRS (i.e. indication first wireless device is performing positioning), the request including a set of SL-PRS resources (i.e. resource identifier) and a requested SL-PRS pattern (i.e. sequence identifier); Examiner’s Note: the limitations are written in the alternative, therefore, it is only necessary that one of the alternative limitations be taught by the applied references].
Regarding claim 56, Hoang apparatus of claim 50, further causing the apparatus to: receive, by the second user device, at least one of the following:
one or more user device identifiers of user devices for which the second user device should monitor the sidelink control information [Hoang ¶ 0132: a WTRU, including a target WTRU, may be (pre-)configured by the network (e.g., gNB/LMF) one ID (e.g., destination ID) to send/receive SL-PRS transmission/reception request message (i.e. the second user device receives a destination ID from the network that is used for monitoring SCI)];
an indication of a time window, within which the second user device should monitor the sidelink control information from the one or more user devices; or
an indication that the second user device should maintain a sidelink-positioning reference signal transmission associated with a sidelink-positioning reference signal identification information indicated in the sidelink control information, only if there is a threshold number of user devices that indicate within their sidelink control information that sessionless positioning is performed based on the sidelink- positioning reference signal [Examiner’s Note: the limitations are written in the alternative, therefore, it is only necessary that one of the alternative limitations be taught by the applied references].
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) 43, 45-49, and 60-62 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoang in view of Edge (US 2024/0057027 A1; “Edge”).
Regarding claim 43, Hoang teaches an apparatus, comprising:
at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor [Hoang ¶ 0318, Fig. 23: method(s) discussed above may be implemented as code and/or instructions in memory 2360 that are executable by the UE 2300, e.g., processor(s) 2310 or DSP 2320 within UE 2300], cause the apparatus at least to:
receive, by a first user device in a wireless network that is performing positioning based on sidelink-positioning reference signal (SL-PRS), a user device identifier of a second user device in a vicinity of the first user device that is transmitting sidelink-positioning reference signal and SL-PRS identification information associated with the sidelink-positioning reference signal transmitted by the second user device [Hoang ¶ 0093, Fig. 4: 420, the WTRU may receive DL-PRS and measurement reporting configuration from a network; ¶ 0097: configuration may include destination ID provided by the network (i.e. the destination ID of the second user device is included in the received sidelink positioning configuration)];
transmit, by the first user device, sidelink control information including at least one of an indication that the first user device is performing positioning, a user device identifier of the first user device, the user device identifier of the second user device, or the SL-PRS identification information [Hoang ¶ 0093, Fig. 4: 430, the WTRU may transmit an SL-PRS transmission/reception request using the destination ID (i.e. ID of second user device) to at least one other WTRU requesting the at least one WTRU to transmit SL-PRS (i.e. indication first wireless device is performing positioning), the request including include at least one of validity time, type of SL-PRS transmission request (i.e. indication that a type of positioning is performed), set of anchor WTRUs, a set of SL-PRS resources, a requested SL-PRS pattern (i.e. SL-PRS identification information), and priority of a request message; ¶ 0132: when the WTRU requests SL-PRS transmission/reception, the WTRU may indicate the configured destination ID in the message (i.e. user device identifier of the second user device), e.g., in the second SCI; Examiner’s Note: the limitations are written in the alternative, therefore, it is only necessary that one of the alternative limitations be taught by the applied references]; and
perform, by the first user device, at least one measurement on the sidelink-positioning reference signal transmitted by the second user device for positioning of the first user device [Hoang ¶ 0093, Fig. 4: transmitting (SL-PRS) may include one of broadcasting and group casting using the associated destination ID. At 440, the WTRU may perform a PRS measurement and report the measurement to the network. The performing a PRS measurement may include one of a SL-PRS and a DL (downlink)-PRS].
However, Hoang does not explicitly disclose the first user device in a wireless network that is performing sessionless positioning; the control information including at least one of an indication that the first user device is performing sessionless positioning; and performing sessionless sidelink positioning.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Edge teaches the first user device in a wireless network that is performing sessionless positioning [Edge ¶ 0236, Fig. 19: signal flow 1900 illustrates signal flow for session-less sideling positioning using PRS];
the control information including at least one of an indication that the first user device is performing sessionless positioning [Edge ¶ 0237, Fig. 19: Each UE 105 may determine to perform SL positioning for the sessionless mode of SLPP based on receiving SLPP messages (i.e. sidelink control message) from other UEs indicating sessionless mode SLPP positioning and including a L2 source ID (i.e. ID of first user device)]; and
performing sessionless sidelink positioning [Edge Fig. 19 shows a sessionless sidelink positioning procedure being performed at UEs 105].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of configuring an anchor UE with SL PRS configuration for performing sidelink positioning measurements on PRS received from a target UE as taught by Hoang, with the method of indicating that a sidelink positioning is a sessionless sidelink positioning in control information that schedules PRS transmission and performing the sessionless sidelink positioning according to the configuration as taught by Edge. The motivation to combine these references would be to avoid the need for UEs to discover one another which can further reduce the amount of signaling, reduce latency, and allow a greater number of UEs to participate in a SL positioning operation [Edge ¶ 0235].
Regarding claim 45, Hoang in view of Edge teaches the apparatus of claim 43, wherein causing the apparatus to perform comprises causing the apparatus to: detect, by the first user device, sidelink-positioning reference signal from the second user device; and perform, by the first user device, at least one measurement on the detected sidelink-positioning reference signal for positioning of the first user device [Hoang ¶ 0093, Fig. 4: the WTRU may perform a PRS measurement on SL-PRS and report the measurement to the network; see also ¶ 0151 showing measurement and reporting of SL PRS].
However, Hoang does not explicitly disclose the detected sidelink-positioning reference signal for sessionless positioning.
However, Edge teaches he detected sidelink-positioning reference signal for sessionless positioning [Edge ¶ 0236, Fig. 19: signal flow 1900 illustrates signal flow for session-less sidelink positioning using PRS].
The motivation to combine these references is illustrated in the rejection of claim 43 above.
Regarding claim 46, Hoang in view of Edge teaches the apparatus of claim 43, further causing the apparatus to: transmit, by the first user device to a server user device or a location management function, at least one of a request to perform sessionless positioning, or a user device identifier of one or more second user devices that the first user device has detected or received signal from [Hoang ¶ 0092: WTRU may transmit one message to the network (e.g., NAS or RRC message) to indicate its interest in the sidelink positioning service. The WTRU may then implicitly/explicitly indicate an identity (e.g., destination ID) associated with the sidelink positioning service to the network; Examiner’s Note: the limitations are written in the alternative, therefore, it is only necessary that one of the alternative limitations be taught by the applied references].
Regarding claim 47, Hoang in view of Edge teaches the apparatus of claim 43, wherein the SL-PRS identification information associated with the sidelink-positioning reference signal transmitted by the second user device comprises at least one of the following: a sidelink-positioning reference signal sequence identifier associated with the sidelink-positioning reference signal transmitted by the second user device; or
a sidelink-positioning reference signal resource identifier indicating or associated with resources for the sidelink-positioning reference signal transmitted by the second user device [Hoang ¶ 0093, Fig. 4: 430, the WTRU may transmit an SL-PRS transmission/reception request using the destination ID (i.e. ID of second user device) to at least one other WTRU requesting the at least one WTRU to transmit SL-PRS (i.e. indication first wireless device is performing positioning), the request including a set of SL-PRS resources (i.e. resource identifier) and a requested SL-PRS pattern (i.e. sequence identifier); Examiner’s Note: the limitations are written in the alternative, therefore, it is only necessary that one of the alternative limitations be taught by the applied references].
Regarding claim 48, Hoang in view of Edge teaches the apparatus of claim 43, further causing the apparatus to: receive, by the first user device, information indicating a period or periodicity that the first user device should transmit, the sidelink control information [Hoang ¶¶ 0117-0118: the PRS configuration, from the LMF, includes DL-PRS periodicity, wherein the WTRU may determine whether to request other WTRU to transmit/receive SL-PRS (see ¶ 0113: request transmitted in SCI), and/or triggers SL-PRS transmission (i.e. when to transmit SCI) based on the periodicity of DL-PRS].
Regarding claim 49, Hoang in view of Edge teaches the apparatus of claim 43, further causing the apparatus to: receive, by the first user device from a server user device or a location management function, a message indicating information that the first user device should include within its sidelink control information [Hoang ¶ 0093, Fig. 4: 420, the WTRU may receive DL-PRS and measurement reporting configuration from a network; ¶ 0097: configuration may include destination ID provided by the network; ¶ 0132: when the WTRU requests SL-PRS transmission/reception, the WTRU may indicate the configured destination ID in the message (i.e. user device identifier of the second user device), e.g., in the second SCI].
Regarding claim 60, Hoang teaches a method, comprising:
receiving, by a first user device in a wireless network that is performing positioning based on sidelink-positioning reference signal (SL-PRS), a user device identifier of a second user device in a vicinity of the first user device that is transmitting sidelink-positioning reference signal and SL-PRS identification information associated with the sidelink-positioning reference signal transmitted by the second user device [Hoang ¶ 0093, Fig. 4: 420, the WTRU may receive DL-PRS and measurement reporting configuration from a network; ¶ 0097: configuration may include destination ID provided by the network (i.e. the destination ID of the second user device is included in the received sidelink positioning configuration)];
transmitting, by the first user device, sidelink control information including at least one of an indication that the first user device is performing positioning, a user device identifier of the first user device, the user device identifier of the second user device, or the SL-PRS identification information [Hoang ¶ 0093, Fig. 4: 430, the WTRU may transmit an SL-PRS transmission/reception request using the destination ID (i.e. ID of second user device) to at least one other WTRU requesting the at least one WTRU to transmit SL-PRS (i.e. indication first wireless device is performing positioning), the request including include at least one of validity time, type of SL-PRS transmission request (i.e. indication that a type of positioning is performed), set of anchor WTRUs, a set of SL-PRS resources, a requested SL-PRS pattern (i.e. SL-PRS identification information), and priority of a request message; ¶ 0132: when the WTRU requests SL-PRS transmission/reception, the WTRU may indicate the configured destination ID in the message (i.e. user device identifier of the second user device), e.g., in the second SCI; Examiner’s Note: the limitations are written in the alternative, therefore, it is only necessary that one of the alternative limitations be taught by the applied references]; and
performing, by the first user device, at least one measurement on the sidelink-positioning reference signal transmitted by the second user device for positioning of the first user device [Hoang ¶ 0093, Fig. 4: transmitting (SL-PRS) may include one of broadcasting and group casting using the associated destination ID. At 440, the WTRU may perform a PRS measurement and report the measurement to the network. The performing a PRS measurement may include one of a SL-PRS and a DL (downlink)-PRS].
However, Hoang does not explicitly disclose the first user device in a wireless network that is performing sessionless positioning; the control information including at least one of an indication that the first user device is performing sessionless positioning; and performing sessionless sidelink positioning.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Edge teaches the first user device in a wireless network that is performing sessionless positioning [Edge ¶ 0236, Fig. 19: signal flow 1900 illustrates signal flow for session-less sideling positioning using PRS];
the control information including at least one of an indication that the first user device is performing sessionless positioning [Edge ¶ 0237, Fig. 19: Each UE 105 may determine to perform SL positioning for the sessionless mode of SLPP based on receiving SLPP messages (i.e. sidelink control message) from other UEs indicating sessionless mode SLPP positioning and including a L2 source ID (i.e. ID of first user device)]; and
performing sessionless sidelink positioning [Edge Fig. 19 shows a sessionless sidelink positioning procedure being performed at UEs 105].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of configuring an anchor UE with SL PRS configuration for performing sidelink positioning measurements on PRS received from a target UE as taught by Hoang, with the method of indicating that a sidelink positioning is a sessionless sidelink positioning in control information that schedules PRS transmission and performing the sessionless sidelink positioning according to the configuration as taught by Edge. The motivation to combine these references would be to avoid the need for UEs to discover one another which can further reduce the amount of signaling, reduce latency, and allow a greater number of UEs to participate in a SL positioning operation [Edge ¶ 0235].
Regarding claim 62, Hoang in view of Edge teaches the method of claim 60, wherein the performing comprises: detecting, by the first user device, sidelink-positioning reference signal from the second user device; and perform, by the first user device, at least one measurement on the detected sidelink-positioning reference signal for positioning of the first user device [Hoang ¶ 0093, Fig. 4: the WTRU may perform a PRS measurement on SL-PRS and report the measurement to the network; see also ¶ 0151 showing measurement and reporting of SL PRS].
However, Hoang does not explicitly disclose the detected sidelink-positioning reference signal for sessionless positioning.
However, Edge teaches he detected sidelink-positioning reference signal for sessionless positioning [Edge ¶ 0236, Fig. 19: signal flow 1900 illustrates signal flow for session-less sidelink positioning using PRS].
The motivation to combine these references is illustrated in the rejection of claim 60 above.
Claim(s) 44, 54, and 61 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoang in view of Edge in view of Manolakos et al. (US 2025/0048393 A1; “Manolakos”).
Regarding claim 44, Hoang in view of Edge teaches the apparatus of claim 43, wherein causing the apparatus to transmit the sidelink control information comprises causing the apparatus to: transmit, by the first user device, the side link control information including the indication that the first user device is performing positioning, the user device identifier of the second user device as a destination of the sidelink control information, and the SL-PRS identification information [Hoang ¶ 0093, Fig. 4: 430, the WTRU may transmit an SL-PRS transmission/reception request using the destination ID (i.e. ID of second user device) to at least one other WTRU requesting the at least one WTRU to transmit SL-PRS (i.e. indication first wireless device is performing positioning), the request including include at least one of validity time, type of SL-PRS transmission request (i.e. indication that a type of positioning is performed), set of anchor WTRUs, a set of SL-PRS resources, a requested SL-PRS pattern (i.e. SL-PRS identification information), and priority of a request message; ¶ 0132: when the WTRU requests SL-PRS transmission/reception, the WTRU may indicate the configured destination ID in the message (i.e. user device identifier of the second user device), e.g., in the second SCI].
However, Hoang does not explicitly disclose transmit, by the first user device, the control information including the indication that the first user device is performing sessionless positioning.
However, Edge teaches transmit, by the first user device, the control information including the indication that the first user device is performing sessionless positioning [Edge ¶ 0237, Fig. 19: Each UE 105 may determine to perform SL positioning for the sessionless mode of SLPP based on receiving SLPP messages (i.e. sidelink control message) from other UEs indicating sessionless mode SLPP positioning and including a L2 source ID (i.e. ID of first user device)].
The motivation to combine these references is illustrated in the rejection of claim 43 above.
However, Hoang in view of Edge does not explicitly disclose the sidelink control information including the user device identifier of the first user device as a source of the sidelink control information.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Manolakos teaches the sidelink control information including the user device identifier of the first user device as a source of the sidelink control information [Manolakos ¶ 0035: the SCI-2 may be include a plurality of blocks configured to provide source ID information, destination ID information, positioning type session information, PRS triggering information, or a combination thereof, to one or more destination UEs].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of configuring an anchor UE with SL PRS configuration for performing sidelink positioning measurements on PRS received from a target UE as taught by Hoang, with the method of indicating, in sidelink control information, a source identifier of the transmitting UE as taught by Manolakos. The motivation to combine these references would be to use SCI for providing SL PRS configuration, thereby reducing overhead and improving system efficiency [Manolakos ¶ 0036].
Regarding claim 54, Hoang teaches the apparatus of claim 50, wherein causing the apparatus to receive sidelink control information comprises causing the apparatus to: receive, by the second user device from the first user device, sidelink control information including the indication that the first user device is performing positioning, the user device identifier of the second user device as a destination of the sidelink control information, and the sidelink-positioning reference signal (SL-PRS) identification information [Hoang ¶ 0093, Fig. 4: 430, the WTRU may transmit an SL-PRS transmission/reception request using the destination ID (i.e. ID of second user device) to at least one other WTRU requesting the at least one WTRU to transmit SL-PRS (i.e. indication first wireless device is performing positioning), the request including include at least one of validity time, type of SL-PRS transmission request (i.e. indication that a type of positioning is performed), set of anchor WTRUs, a set of SL-PRS resources, a requested SL-PRS pattern (i.e. SL-PRS identification information), and priority of a request message; ¶ 0132: when the WTRU requests SL-PRS transmission/reception, the WTRU may indicate the configured destination ID in the message (i.e. user device identifier of the second user device), e.g., in the second SCI].
However, Hoang does not explicitly disclose the control information including the indication that the first user device is performing positioning.
However, Edge teaches the control information including the indication that the first user device is performing positioning [Edge ¶ 0237, Fig. 19: Each UE 105 may determine to perform SL positioning for the sessionless mode of SLPP based on receiving SLPP messages (i.e. sidelink control message) from other UEs indicating sessionless mode SLPP positioning and including a L2 source ID (i.e. ID of first user device)].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of configuring a target UE with SL PRS configuration for transmitting SL PRS as taught by Hoang, with the method of indicating that a sidelink positioning is a sessionless sidelink positioning in control information that schedules PRS transmission and performing the sessionless sidelink positioning according to the configuration as taught by Edge. The motivation to combine these references would be to avoid the need for UEs to discover one another which can further reduce the amount of signaling, reduce latency, and allow a greater number of UEs to participate in a SL positioning operation [Edge ¶ 0235].
However, Hoang in view of Edge does not explicitly disclose the user device identifier of the first user as a source of the sidelink control information.
However, Manolakos teaches the user device identifier of the first user as a source of the sidelink control information [Manolakos ¶ 0035: the SCI-2 may be include a plurality of blocks configured to provide source ID information, destination ID information, positioning type session information, PRS triggering information, or a combination thereof, to one or more destination UEs].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of configuring a target UE with SL PRS configuration for transmitting SL PRS as taught by Hoang, with the method of indicating, in sidelink control information, a source identifier of the transmitting UE as taught by Manolakos. The motivation to combine these references would be to use SCI for providing SL PRS configuration, thereby reducing overhead and improving system efficiency [Manolakos ¶ 0036].
Regarding claim 61, Hoang in view of Edge teaches the method of claim 60, wherein the transmitting sidelink control information comprises: transmitting, by the first user device, the side link control information including the indication that the first user device is performing positioning, the user device identifier of the second user device as a destination of the sidelink control information, and the SL-PRS identification information [Hoang ¶ 0093, Fig. 4: 430, the WTRU may transmit an SL-PRS transmission/reception request using the destination ID (i.e. ID of second user device) to at least one other WTRU requesting the at least one WTRU to transmit SL-PRS (i.e. indication first wireless device is performing positioning), the request including include at least one of validity time, type of SL-PRS transmission request (i.e. indication that a type of positioning is performed), set of anchor WTRUs, a set of SL-PRS resources, a requested SL-PRS pattern (i.e. SL-PRS identification information), and priority of a request message; ¶ 0132: when the WTRU requests SL-PRS transmission/reception, the WTRU may indicate the configured destination ID in the message (i.e. user device identifier of the second user device), e.g., in the second SCI].
However, Hoang does not explicitly disclose transmitting, by the first user device, the control information including the indication that the first user device is performing sessionless positioning.
However, Edge teaches transmitting, by the first user device, the control information including the indication that the first user device is performing sessionless positioning [Edge ¶ 0237, Fig. 19: Each UE 105 may determine to perform SL positioning for the sessionless mode of SLPP based on receiving SLPP messages (i.e. sidelink control message) from other UEs indicating sessionless mode SLPP positioning and including a L2 source ID (i.e. ID of first user device)].
The motivation to combine these references is illustrated in the rejection of claim 43 above.
However, Hoang in view of Edge does not explicitly disclose the sidelink control information including the user device identifier of the first user device as a source of the sidelink control information.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Manolakos teaches the sidelink control information including the user device identifier of the first user device as a source of the sidelink control information [Manolakos ¶ 0035: the SCI-2 may be include a plurality of blocks configured to provide source ID information, destination ID information, positioning type session information, PRS triggering information, or a combination thereof, to one or more destination UEs].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of configuring an anchor UE with SL PRS configuration for performing sidelink positioning measurements on PRS received from a target UE as taught by Hoang, with the method of indicating, in sidelink control information, a source identifier of the transmitting UE as taught by Manolakos. The motivation to combine these references would be to use SCI for providing SL PRS configuration, thereby reducing overhead and improving system efficiency [Manolakos ¶ 0036].
Claim(s) 51 and 53 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoang in view of Xue et al. (US 2022/0279482 A1; “Xue”).
Regarding claim 51, Hoang teaches the apparatus of claim 50, however, does not explicitly disclose further causing the apparatus to: receive, by the second user device, a signal power or signal quality threshold, above which a received sidelink control information is considered to be valid; and determine that the received sidelink control information is valid based on a signal power or a signal quality of the received sidelink control information.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Xue teaches receive, by the second user device, a signal power or signal quality threshold, above which a received sidelink control information is considered to be valid; and determine that the received sidelink control information is valid based on a signal power or a signal quality of the received sidelink control information [Xue ¶ 0109: first UE may transmit the SCI (e.g., broadcast the SCI for detection by other UEs), wherein the SCI may include a proximity discovery request, which may include the ID and the RSRP threshold; ¶ 0117: if the second UE determines that the first UE transmitted the SCI using the valid SL-RNTI, the second UE may determine an RSRP from a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) of the first UE, and, when the RSRP is less than the RSRP threshold, the second UE may skip the proximity discovery request (i.e. the SCI is invalid), or, when the RSRP is equal to or more the RSRP threshold, the second UE may compute an index in the proximity discovery resource using a hashed value of the SL-RNTI (i.e. the SCI is valid)].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of configuring a target UE with SL PRS configuration for transmitting SL PRS as taught by Hoang, with the method of determining if SCI from another user device is valid based on a configured RSRP threshold as taught by Xue. The motivation to combine these references would be to validate SCI based on proximity of the transmitting device, thereby improving proximity based operations [Xue ¶ 0117].
Regarding claim 53, Hoang teaches the method of claim 50, wherein causing the apparatus to continue to transmit or make an adjustment comprises: continue to transmit or make the adjustment of a transmission of, by the second user device, the sidelink- positioning reference signal associated with the SL-PRS identification information [Hoang ¶ 0071: WTRU may broadcast/groupcast the SL-PRS transmission request using the destination ID associated with the positioning service, wherein the request message may include one or more of the validity time of the request including the expected time of the first SL-PRS transmission, the type of SL-PRS transmission request, such as aperiodic and periodic SL-PRS transmission, the set of anchor WTRUs and/or the set of SL-PRS resources, the requested SL-PRS pattern including offset, periodicity, and number of repetitions, and the priority of the request message (here, the preceding PRS configuration parameters would inform the transmitting WTRU, i.e., second user device, of how to transmit further PRS, e.g., making adjustments to PRS transmission)] based on the determination that the received sidelink control information is addressed to the second user device [Hoang ¶ 0132: WTRUs, including an anchor WTRU, involving in the sidelink positioning service may monitor the sidelink resource pool and use the destination ID to detect any request message].
However, Hoang does not explicitly disclose making a determination that the received sidelink control information is valid and addressed to the second user device.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Xue teaches making a determination that the received sidelink control information is valid and addressed to the second user device [Xue ¶ 0109: first UE may transmit the SCI (e.g., broadcast the SCI for detection by other UEs), wherein the SCI may include a proximity discovery request, which may include the ID and the RSRP threshold; ¶ 0117: if the second UE determines that the first UE transmitted the SCI using the valid SL-RNTI, the second UE may determine an RSRP from a demodulation reference signal (DMRS) of the first UE, and, when the RSRP is less than the RSRP threshold, the second UE may skip the proximity discovery request (i.e. the SCI is invalid), or, when the RSRP is equal to or more the RSRP threshold, the second UE may compute an index in the proximity discovery resource using a hashed value of the SL-RNTI (i.e. the SCI is valid)].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of configuring a target UE with SL PRS configuration for transmitting SL PRS as taught by Hoang, with the method of determining if SCI from another user device is valid based on a configured RSRP threshold as taught by Xue. The motivation to combine these references would be to validate SCI based on proximity of the transmitting device, thereby improving proximity based operations [Xue ¶ 0117].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 57-59 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.
Conclusion
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/BRIAN P COX/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2474
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