CTNF 18/837,267 CTNF 77638 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-20-02-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA 1. Claim s 16-21, 23-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pan et al (2014/0284388) in view of Kazeminejad et al (9,537,547) or Cirik et al (2023/0035143) . Regarding clams 16 and 23. Pan teaches a method and a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), comprising: a processor (figure 2, item 204, 0030 – UE comprises transceiver, processor and memory) configured to : receive configuration information indicating a first sounding reference signal for positioning (SRSp) configuration associated with a first positioning area and a second SRSp configuration associated with a second positioning area, wherein the first positioning area is associated with a first set of cell IDs and the second positioning area is associated with a second set of cell IDs (0046-0049, 0091 – UE configured with multiple SRS configurations with different cell identifiers (IDs) in a list of cells wherein the multiple SRS configurations can be used by the UE to transmit SRS in different physical cells) ; select an SRSp configuration, wherein the selected SRSp configuration is the first SRSp configuration or the second SRSp configuration, and wherein the selection is based on at least the first positioning area, the second positioning area (0047 – if the UE relocates/moves/repositions/traverses into at least one of the cells in the configured cell list, the UE transmits the SRS following/based on/according to the corresponding SRS configuration in response to/after/subsequent to the UE acquiring/obtaining/receiving the Cell ID associated with the respective cell) , and a location of the WTRU ; and transmit an SRSp using the selected SRSp configuration (0047-0048 – if the UE relocates/moves/repositions/traverses into at least one of the cells in the configured cell list, the UE transmits the SRS following/based on/according to the corresponding SRS configuration in response to/after/subsequent to the UE acquiring/obtaining/receiving the Cell ID associated with the respective cell) . Pan does not explicitly teach using a location of the UE. Kazeminejad teaches using UE location, speed, heading and other parameters to select SRS configuration and transmits the SRS (figure 5, col. 4 lines 21-55) which saves network resources (col. 1 lines 33-39). Cirik teaches selecting SRS resource set among a plurality of SRS resource sets, for example, based on a pre-defined rule (e.g., selection criteria, such as location/speed/position of the UE, power saving status, battery level of the UE, and the like) (0272). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Pan to use UE location, speed, heading, power saving status, battery level, and the like for selecting SRS configurations as taught by Kazeminejad or Cirik which reduces the burden on the network thereby saving valuable network resources. Regarding claims 17 and 24. Pan does not teach wherein the processor is further configured to: deactivate the first SRSp configuration or the second SRSp configuration that is not selected. Cirik teaches selecting SRS resource set among a plurality of SRS resource sets, for example, based on a pre-defined rule (e.g., selection criteria, such as location/speed/position of the UE, power saving status, battery level of the UE, and the like) (0272). Cirik teaches using one or more MAC control elements (CEs) for activating/deactivating SRS (0074, 0115) . It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Pan to use one or more MAC control elements (CEs) as taught by Cirik which increases system performance (Cirik at 0006). Regarding claims 18 and 25. Pan teaches wherein the processor is further configured to: determine whether a cell ID is in the first set of cell IDs or in the second set of cell IDs, wherein the selection of the SRSp configuration is further based on the determination of whether the cell ID is in the first set of cell IDs or in the second set of cell IDs (0046-0049, 0091 – UE configured with multiple SRS configurations with different cell identifiers (IDs) in a list of cells wherein the multiple SRS configurations can be used by the UE to transmit SRS in different physical cells). Regarding claims 19 and 26. Pan teaches wherein: the first SRSp configuration is selected if the cell ID is detected as being in the first set of cell IDs, and the second SRSp configuration is selected if the cell ID is detected as being in the second set of cell IDs (0046-0049, 0091 – UE configured with multiple SRS configurations with different cell identifiers (IDs) in a list of cells wherein the multiple SRS configurations can be used by the UE to transmit SRS in different physical cells). Regarding claims 20 and 27. Pan teaches wherein the processor is further configured to: receive an RRC release message; and based on receiving the RRC release message, transition to a low power operation, wherein the transmission of the SRSp is performed during the low power operation (0019 – UE receives an indication from the BS which indicates whether the UE should transmit the SRS during upcoming RRC_INACTIVE (e.g. low power operation) or RRC_IDLE (e.g., low power operation) and the indication may be embedded in a RRCRelease message, 0057-0058, 0060, 0097 – UE is configured with SRS configuration in RRC_INACTIVE/RRC_IDLE (e.g. in RRCRelease message)). Regarding claims 21 and 28. Pan teaches wherein the low power operation is an inactive or idle operation (0019 – UE receives an indication from the BS which indicates whether the UE should transmit the SRS during upcoming RRC_INACTIVE (e.g. low power operation) or RRC_IDLE (e.g., low power operation) and the indication may be embedded in a RRCRelease message, 0057-0058, 0060, 0097 – UE is configured with SRS configuration in RRC_INACTIVE/RRC_IDLE (e.g. in RRCRelease message)) . 07-21-aia AIA 2. Claim s 22 and 29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pan in view of Kazeminejad or Cirik further in view of Hao et al (2013/0337139) . Regarding claims 22 and 29. Pan in view of Kazeminejad or Cirik do not teach wherein the configuration information is received in an RRC reconfiguration message. Hao teaches configuring the UE with SRS information by using RRC message, for example, an RRC reconfiguration message which enables the UE to continue to send SRS in a low power mode (e.g., non-connected state) (0215, 0239, 0257). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Pan in view of Kazeminejad or Cirik to use an RRC reconfiguration message as taught by Hao in order to provide the UE with SRS configuration information before the UE enters low-power mode transmission of the SRS . Conclusion 07-96 AIA 3. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. ---(2022/0069959) Zarifi teaches using MAC CE message to activate and/or update SRS configuration information (0008, 0013). 4. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BARRY W TAYLOR whose telephone number is (571)272-7509. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday: 7-5. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Anderson can be reached at 571-272-4177. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /BARRY W TAYLOR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2646 Application/Control Number: 18/837,267 Page 2 Art Unit: 2646 Application/Control Number: 18/837,267 Page 3 Art Unit: 2646 Application/Control Number: 18/837,267 Page 4 Art Unit: 2646
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