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 .
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) 1-12 and 19-26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Bayesteh et al. US Patent Pub. No.:2021/0302561 A1, hereinafter, ‘Bayesteh’.
Consider Claim 1, Bayesteh teaches a positioning method, comprising: acquiring parameter information of at least one Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS) (see claim 1 e.g., “reflected reference signal…”)and parameter information of a base station (e.g., this is met based on claim 7 another node), wherein the at least one RIS comprises a first RIS(e.g., see reflector noted in at least claim 1); acquiring Angle of Arrival (AOA) information corresponding to at least two signal transmission paths (e.g., see at least claims 1, 7, 8 and 10 and paragraphs 0051, 0086, 0099 and figures 8 and 11- see signals measured and angle of arrival information), wherein the at least two signal transmission paths comprise a first reflection path, the first reflection path comprising a path for signal transmission between the base station and a target terminal device via the first RIS(e.g., see at least claims 1, 4 and figure 11); and obtaining location information of the target terminal device according to the parameter information of the RIS, the parameter information of the base station, and the AOA information corresponding to the at least two signal transmission paths (e.g., see at least clams 7 and 8).
Consider Claim 5, Bayesteh teaches a positioning method, comprising: acquiring parameter information of at least one Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS) and parameter information of a base station (e.g., see at least claims 1 and 7), wherein the at least one RIS comprises a first RIS(e.g., see reflector noted in at least claim 1); sending a positioning signal, the positioning signal being transmitted to a target terminal device through at least two signal transmission paths, wherein the at least two signal transmission paths comprise a first reflection path, the first reflection path comprising a path for signal transmission between the base station and the target terminal device via the first RIS; acquiring Angle of Arrival (AOA) information corresponding to the at least two signal transmission paths, wherein the AOA information corresponding to the at least two signal transmission paths comprises AOA information of the first reflection path(e.g., see at least claims 1, 7, 8 and 10 and paragraphs 0051, 0086, 0099 and figures 8 and 11- see signals measured and angle of arrival information); and obtaining location information of the target terminal device according to the parameter information of the RIS, the parameter information of the base station, and the AOA information corresponding to the at least two signal transmission paths(e.g., see at least clams 7 and 8).
Claim 10 is rejected based on the same rationale as independent Claims 1 and 5
Consider Claims 2, 6, 11 and as applied to claim 25, Bayesteh teaches wherein: the at least two signal transmission paths further comprise a Line of Sight (LOS) path, the LOS path comprising a path for direct signal transmission between the base station and the target terminal device paths (e.g., see at least claims 1, 7, 8 and 10 and paragraphs 0051, 0086, 0099 and figures 8 and 11- see direct signal and signals measured and angle of arrival information); AOA information of the first reflection path is AOA information of the target terminal device relative to the first RIS paths (e.g., see at least claims 1, 7, 8 and 10 and paragraphs 0051, 0086, 0099 and figures 8 and 11- see signals measured and angle of arrival information); and AOA information of the LOS path is AOA information of the target terminal device relative to the base station paths (e.g., see at least claims 1, 7, 8 and 10 and paragraphs 0051, 0086, 0099 and figures 8 and 11- see node and signals measured and angle of arrival information).
Consider Claims 3, 7, 12 and 26, Bayesteh teaches wherein: the at least one RIS further comprises a second RIS; the at least two signal transmission paths further comprise a second reflection path, the second reflection path comprising a path for signal transmission between the base station and the target terminal device via the second RIS; and AOA information corresponding to the first reflection path is AOA information of the target terminal device relative to the first RIS; and AOA information corresponding to the second reflection path is AOA information of the target terminal device relative to the second RIS (e.g., see context of second reflected signal noted in claim 5 ).
Consider Claims 4 and 22-23, Bayesteh teaches wherein: the parameter information of the RIS comprises at least one of: array configuration information of the RIS and geographical location information of the RIS (e.g., see at least claims 1-2, 7 and paragraph 0098); and the parameter information of the base station comprises at least geographical location information of the base station(e.g., see at least claims 1-2, 7 and paragraph 0098).
Consider Claims 8, Bayesteh teaches the claimed invention further comprising: obtaining a target paired beam between the base station and the RIS according to the parameter information of the RIS and the parameter information of the base station (e.g., see context of multiple beams claims 8-10 and 0123-0128, figures 8-9 and 11).
Consider Claims 9 and 24, Bayesteh teaches the claimed invention further comprising: performing beam training on the target terminal device to obtain a target paired beam between the base station and the target terminal device, and a target paired beam among the base station, the RIS, and the target terminal device(i.e., finding the best directional angles - see context of multiple beams claims 8-10 and 0123-0128, figures 8-9 and 11).
Consider Claim 19, Bayesteh teaches a positioning device, comprising: a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable by the processor; wherein the computer program, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the positioning method of any one of claim 1 (e.g., see at least figure 2A and 2B).
Consider Claim 20, Bayesteh teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, storing computer-executable instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform the positioning method of any one of claim1(e.g., see at least figure 2A and 2B).
Consider Claim 21, Bayesteh teaches a computer program product, comprising a computer program or computer instructions stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, a processor of a computer device reads the computer program or the computer instructions from the non- transitory computer-readable storage medium which, when executed by the processor, causes the computer device to perform the positioning method of any one of claim(e.g., see at least figure 2A and 2B).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US Patent Pub. No.:20240236920 A1 teaches a user equipment (UE) receives, from a location server, positioning reference signal (PRS) configuration information identifying one or more PRS resources transmitted by at least one transmission-reception point (TRP) to be measured by the UE, the PRS configuration information indicating that at least one PRS resource of the one or more PRS resources are reflected by a reflector, and performs one or more positioning measurements of the one or more PRS resources.
US Patent Pub. No.:20220247480 teaches estimating one or more user terminal locations over a target coverage area by wireless signals transmitted by one or more access points and reflected by one or more reconfigurable intelligent surface panels. The method includes transmission of one or more pilot signals by each of the one or more access points, reflecting, by at least one of the one or more reconfigurable intelligent surface panels, the one or more pilot signals according to one or more predetermined reflection patterns, receiving the reflections by the user terminal, extracting one or more features from the reflections, and estimating of a user terminal location by a method based on a database comprising pairs of locations and the one or more features.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHARLES TERRELL SHEDRICK whose telephone number is (571)272-8621. The examiner can normally be reached 8A-5P.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew D 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.
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/CHARLES T SHEDRICK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2646
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