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 .
This Office Action is based on the Preliminary Amendment Claims submitted on September 06, 2024. Claims 1-5, 7-15 amended, 16-20 newly added. Claims 1-20 are pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) filed on December 05, 2024 has been 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.
Claims 1-2, 12-13, 15-16 are rejected under 35 USC § 102(a)(2) as anticipated by Bao et al. (US 20220201774 A1, hereinafter “Bao”)
Regarding Claim 1, Bao teaches, a first user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory, “Referring to FIG. 6, with further reference to FIGS. 1-5, a UE 600 includes a processor 610, an interface 620, and a memory 630 communicatively coupled to each other by a bus 640.” [0100], and further “Also or alternatively, the UEs 510, 520 may be examples of the UE 600.” [0100], and “The description herein may refer only to the processor 610 performing a function, but this includes other implementations such as where the processor 610 executes software (stored in the memory 630) and/or firmware. The description herein may refer to the UE 600 performing a function as shorthand for one or more appropriate components (e.g., the processor 610 and the memory 630) of the UE 600 performing the function.” [0101].
configured to cause the first UE to:
receive sidelink (SL) positioning configuration information from a second UE, wherein the first UE helps the second UE to acquire a position of the second UE, “The UE-UE PRS unit 650 may be configured to provide SL PRS-related data to another UE, to request SL PRS-related data, to receive SL PRS-related data, and/or to use SL PRS-related data to obtain and measure SL PRS from another UE, e.g., the anchor UE 520, for use in determining a position of a target UE, e.g., the UE 510 which may be an example of the UE 600.” [0101], and “Referring again to FIG. 5, with further reference to FIGS. 1-4 and 6, the UEs 510, 520 (and possibly one or more other UEs) are configured to exchange SL PRS-related data and SL PRS. The SL PRS-related data may be used by one or more of the UEs 510, 520 to send and/or receive and help with measuring SL PRS. Assistance data may include data such as quasi co-location (QCL) information (e.g., antenna port, beam, etc.), a reference signal source (e.g., a reference signal source ID), an expected RSTD window (e.g., an expected RSTD and an RSTD uncertainty, or an expected RSTD window beginning and an expected RSTD window end), configuration information (e.g., transmission pattern (e.g., including offset(s) (e.g., time, frequency, symbol, etc.), comb number, repetition factor, etc.), muting pattern, etc.).” [0102], and “At stage 730, the target UE 510 may transmit and/or receive (e.g., in response to a request) SL PRS-related data for use in SL PRS exchange with (transmission to and/or reception from) the anchor UE 520” [0110]
transmit a location information report to the second UE based on the positioning configuration information, “the anchor UE 520 may transmit a measurement report 766 to the target UE 510 in response to the anchor UE 520 receiving and measuring the SL PRS 756, and if the target UE 510 is to determine position information from SL PRS measurement(s) by the anchor UE 520 (e.g., to facilitate SL Tx-based positioning).” [0114], and further “At stages 770, 780, 790, position information for the target UE 510 may be determined, e.g., using one or more positioning techniques (e.g., discussed above) based on one or more PRS measurements.” [0115]
Bao’s “measurement report 766” corresponds to the claimed “location information report.”
Regarding Claim 2, Bao discloses the limitations of claim 2 as recited above in the rejection of claim 1. In addition, Bao further teach, receive a location information request from the second UE, wherein the location information request is used to request positioning measurements or a position estimate from the first UE, “ target UE 510 may send an SL PRS-related data request 726 to the anchor UE 520,” [0109], and “The target UE may provide some or all of the SL PRS configuration information or may request/trigger some or all of the SL PRS configuration information to be provided from the anchor UE” [0028].
Bao’s “SL PRS-related data request 726” corresponds to the claimed “location information request”
transmit the location information report to the second UE further based on the location information request, “At stage 780, the target UE 510 may determine position information for the target UE 510, e.g., based on measurement(s) of the SL PRS 754 and/or the measurement report 766” [0115].
Bao’s “measurement report 766” corresponds to the claimed “location information report”
Regarding Claim 12, Bao teaches a second user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory, “Referring to FIG. 6, with further reference to FIGS. 1-5, a UE 600 includes a processor 610, an interface 620, and a memory 630 communicatively coupled to each other by a bus 640.” [0100], and further “Also or alternatively, the UEs 510, 520 may be examples of the UE 600.” [0100]
Bao’s target UE 510, as an example of UE 600 comprising processor 610 and memory 630, corresponds to the claimed second UE comprising at least one processor coupled with at least one memory.
transmit sidelink (SL) positioning configuration information to a first UE, wherein the first UE helps the second UE to acquire a position of the second UE, “Referring again to FIG. 5, with further reference to FIGS. 1-4 and 6, the UEs 510, 520 (and possibly one or more other UEs) are configured to exchange SL PRS-related data and SL PRS. The SL PRS-related data may be used by one or more of the UEs 510, 520 to send and/or receive and help with measuring SL PRS. Assistance data may include data such as quasi co-location (QCL) information (e.g., antenna port, beam, etc.), a reference signal source (e.g., a reference signal source ID), an expected RSTD window (e.g., an expected RSTD and an RSTD uncertainty, or an expected RSTD window beginning and an expected RSTD window end), configuration information (e.g., transmission pattern (e.g., including offset(s) (e.g., time, frequency, symbol, etc.), comb number, repetition factor, etc.), muting pattern, etc.)” [0102], and “At stage 730, the target UE 510 may transmit and/or receive (e.g., in response to a request) SL PRS-related data for use in SL PRS exchange with (transmission to and/or reception from) the anchor UE 520” [0110], and further “The anchor UE 520 may coordinate the SL PRS configuration. For example, the anchor UE 520 (e.g., the UE-UE PRS unit 650 of the anchor UE 520) may provide SL PRS-related data to the target UE 510 and one or more of the other UEs 551-553 to coordinate the SL PRS configuration in the star topology 560 of UEs.” [0111]
Bao’s “SL PRS-related data” corresponds to the claimed “sidelink positioning configuration information”
receive a location information report from the first UE based on the positioning configuration information, “the anchor UE 520 may transmit a measurement report 766 to the target UE 510 in response to the anchor UE 520 receiving and measuring the SL PRS 756, and if the target UE 510 is to determine position information from SL PRS measurement(s) by the anchor UE 520 (e.g., to facilitate SL Tx-based positioning)” [0114], and further “At stages 770, 780, 790, position information for the target UE 510 may be determined, e.g., using one or more positioning techniques (e.g., discussed above) based on one or more PRS measurements.” [0115]
Bao’s “measurement report 766” corresponds to the claimed “location information report”
Regarding Claim 13, Bao discloses the limitations of claim 13 as recited above in the rejection of claim 12. In addition, Bao further teaches:
transmit a location information request to the first UE, wherein the location information request is used to request positioning measurements or a position estimate from the first UE, “At stage 720, provision of SL PRS-related data may be initiated. For example, one or more requests for SL PRS-related data may be sent by the target UE 510 to trigger provision of SL PRS-related data” [0109], and “the target UE 510 may send an SL PRS-related data request 726 to the anchor UE 520” [0109], and further “the target UE 510 (e.g., the UE-UE PRS unit 650) may be configured to send a generic request to the anchor UE 520 and/or to one or more other entities such as one or more of the TRPs 531-533 and/or the server 540 for SL PRS-related data.” [0104], and further “An explicit request for SL PRS-related data may include one or more requested SL PRS assistance data values (e.g., QCL values such as antenna port and/or beam(s)), or expected RSTD and uncertainty, and/or one or more SL PRS configuration data values.” [0109]
Bao’s “SL PRS-related data request 726” corresponds to the claimed “location information request”
receive the location information report from the first UE further based on the location“At stage 760, the target UE 510 and/or the anchor UE 520 may transmit one or more measurement reports as appropriate. For example, the target UE 510 may transmit a measurement report 762 to the anchor UE 520 in response to the target UE 510 receiving and measuring the SL PRS 754” [0114], and further “the anchor UE 520 may transmit a measurement report 766 to the target UE 510 in response to the anchor UE 520 receiving and measuring the SL PRS 756, and if the target UE 510 is to determine position information from SL PRS measurement(s) by the anchor UE 520 (e.g., to facilitate SL Tx-based positioning)” [0114], and “At stages 770, 780, 790, position information for the target UE 510 may be determined, e.g., using one or more positioning techniques (e.g., discussed above) based on one or more PRS measurements.” [0115]
Bao’s “measurement report 766” corresponds to the claimed “location information report”
Regarding Claim 15, Bao teaches a method performed by a first user equipment (UE), “Referring also to FIG. 7, a processing and signal flow 700 for determining position information includes the stages shown. The flow 700 is an example, and stages may be added to, removed from, and/or rearranged in the flow 700.” [0107]
receiving sidelink (SL) positioning configuration information from a second UE, wherein the first UE helps the second UE to acquire a position of the second UE, “Referring again to FIG. 5, with further reference to FIGS. 1-4 and 6, the UEs 510, 520 (and possibly one or more other UEs) are configured to exchange SL PRS-related data and SL PRS. The SL PRS-related data may be used by one or more of the UEs 510, 520 to send and/or receive and help with measuring SL PRS. Assistance data may include data such as quasi co-location (QCL) information (e.g., antenna port, beam, etc.), a reference signal source (e.g., a reference signal source ID), an expected RSTD window (e.g., an expected RSTD and an RSTD uncertainty, or an expected RSTD window beginning and an expected RSTD window end), configuration information (e.g., transmission pattern (e.g., including offset(s) (e.g., time, frequency, symbol, etc.), comb number, repetition factor, etc.), muting pattern, etc.).” [0102], and “At stage 730, the target UE 510 may transmit and/or receive (e.g., in response to a request) SL PRS-related data for use in SL PRS exchange with (transmission to and/or reception from) the anchor UE 520” [0110], and further “the anchor UE 520 may transmit a measurement report 766 to the target UE 510 in response to the anchor UE 520 receiving and measuring the SL PRS 756, and if the target UE 510 is to determine position information from SL PRS measurement(s) by the anchor UE 520 (e.g., to facilitate SL Tx-based positioning).” [0114]
Bao’s “SL PRS-related data” corresponds to the claimed “sidelink positioning configuration information”
transmitting a location information report to the second UE based on the positioning configuration information, “the anchor UE 520 may transmit a measurement report 766 to the target UE 510 in response to the anchor UE 520 receiving and measuring the SL PRS 756, and if the target UE 510 is to determine position information from SL PRS measurement(s) by the anchor UE 520 (e.g., to facilitate SL Tx-based positioning).” [0114], and further “At stages 770, 780, 790, position information for the target UE 510 may be determined, e.g., using one or more positioning techniques (e.g., discussed above) based on one or more PRS measurements.” [0115]
Bao’s “measurement report 766” corresponds to the claimed “location information report”
Regarding Claim 16, Bao teaches a processor for wireless communication, comprising: at least one controller coupled with at least one memory, “Referring to FIG. 6, with further reference to FIGS. 1-5, a UE 600 includes a processor 610, an interface 620, and a memory 630 communicatively coupled to each other by a bus 640.” [0100], and further “The description herein may refer only to the processor 610 performing a function, but this includes other implementations such as where the processor 610 executes software (stored in the memory 630) and/or firmware. The description herein may refer to the UE 600 performing a function” [0101], and “The processor 210 may include one or more intelligent hardware devices, e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a microcontroller, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc.” [0058]
Bao’s processor 610 corresponds to the claimed processor comprising at least one controller coupled with at least one memory.
and configured to cause the processor to:
receive sidelink (SL) positioning configuration information from a user equipment (UE), wherein the processor helps the UE to acquire a position of the UE, “The UE-UE PRS unit 650 may be configured to provide SL PRS-related data to another UE, to request SL PRS-related data, to receive SL PRS-related data, and/or to use SL PRS-related data to obtain and measure SL PRS from another UE, e.g., the anchor UE 520, for use in determining a position of a target UE, e.g., the UE 510 which may be an example of the UE 600.” [0101], and “Referring again to FIG. 5, with further reference to FIGS. 1-4 and 6, the UEs 510, 520 (and possibly one or more other UEs) are configured to exchange SL PRS-related data and SL PRS. The SL PRS-related data may be used by one or more of the UEs 510, 520 to send and/or receive and help with measuring SL PRS. Assistance data may include data such as quasi co-location (QCL) information (e.g., antenna port, beam, etc.), a reference signal source (e.g., a reference signal source ID), an expected RSTD window (e.g., an expected RSTD and an RSTD uncertainty, or an expected RSTD window beginning and an expected RSTD window end), configuration information (e.g., transmission pattern (e.g., including offset(s) (e.g., time, frequency, symbol, etc.), comb number, repetition factor, etc.), muting pattern, etc.).” [0102], and “At stage 730, the target UE 510 may transmit and/or receive (e.g., in response to a request) SL PRS-related data for use in SL PRS exchange with (transmission to and/or reception from) the anchor UE 520” [0110], and further “the anchor UE 520 may transmit a measurement report 766 to the target UE 510 in response to the anchor UE 520 receiving and measuring the SL PRS 756, and if the target UE 510 is to determine position information from SL PRS measurement(s) by the anchor UE 520 (e.g., to facilitate SL Tx-based positioning).” [0114]
Bao’s “SL PRS-related data” corresponds to the claimed “sidelink positioning configuration information”
transmit a location information report to the UE based on the positioning configuration information, “the anchor UE 520 may transmit a measurement report 766 to the target UE 510 in response to the anchor UE 520 receiving and measuring the SL PRS 756, and if the target UE 510 is to determine position information from SL PRS measurement(s) by the anchor UE 520 (e.g., to facilitate SL Tx-based positioning).” [0114], and further “At stages 770, 780, 790, position information for the target UE 510 may be determined, e.g., using one or more positioning techniques (e.g., discussed above) based on one or more PRS measurements.” [0115]
Bao’s “measurement report 766” corresponds to the claimed “location information report”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 3 and 17 are rejected under 35 USC § 103 as being unpatentable over Bao et al. (US 20220201774 A1, hereinafter “Bao”), and further in view of Kwon et al. (US 20220046601 A1, hereinafter “Kwon”)
Regarding Claim 3, Bao discloses the limitations of claim 3 as recited above in the rejection of claim 2. In addition, Bao further teach, receive a resource configuration indicating a dedicated reporting resource for transmitting the location information report to the second UE, wherein the resource configuration is received along with the location information request, or included in the location information request, “In a mode commonly referred to as mode 2, the serving TRP assigns a resource pool and the UEs 510, 520 determine how to use the resource pool, e.g., for SL PRS exchange.” [0103], and “ the target UE 510 (e.g., the UE-UE PRS unit 650) may be configured to send a generic request to the anchor UE 520 …the target UE 510 may be configured to request one or more specific items of SL PRS-related data, e.g., requesting one or more specific QCL values, one or more SL PRS configuration parameter values” [0104], and further “An explicit request for SL PRS-related data may include one or more requested SL PRS assistance data values … and/or one or more SL PRS configuration data values” [0109]
However, Bao does not expressly teach a resource configuration indicating a dedicated reporting resource for transmitting the location information report to the second UE, wherein the resource configuration is received along with the location information request, or included in the location information request.
Kwon teaches, a resource configuration indicating a dedicated reporting resource for transmitting the location information report to the second UE, wherein the resource configuration is received along with the location information request, or included in the location information request, “That is, a requesting occasion 515 may be associated with a reporting occasion 520 that is to be used for responding to a request for inter-UE coordination information that was transmitted in the requesting occasion 515.” [0085], and “A UE may be configured with a mapping between requesting resources 505 and reporting resources 510, such as in a sidelink resource pool configuration. The mapping may indicate particular reporting resource(s) 510 that are to be used for responding to a request for inter-UE coordination information that was transmitted in a particular requesting resource 505” [0086]
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate Kwon’s dedicated sidelink reporting resource linked to the requesting resource into Bao’s SL PRS request and measurement report framework, in order to provide a dedicated resource for transmitting the location information report based on the location information request received from the second UE, thereby reducing resource contention among multiple anchor UEs reporting simultaneously.
Regarding Claim 17, Bao discloses the limitations of claim 17 as recited above in the rejection of claim 16. In addition, Bao further teaches:
receive a location information request from the UE, wherein the location information request is used to request positioning measurements or a position estimate from the processor, “At stage 720, provision of SL PRS-related data may be initiated. For example, one or more requests for SL PRS-related data may be sent by the target UE 510 to trigger provision of SL PRS-related data.” [0109], and further “the target UE 510 (e.g., the UE-UE PRS unit 650) may be configured to send a generic request to the anchor UE 520 and/or to one or more other entities such as one or more of the TRPs 531-533 and/or the server 540 for SL PRS-related data.” [0104]
Bao’s “SL PRS-related data request” corresponds to the claimed “location information request”
transmit the location information report to the UE further based on the location information request, “the anchor UE 520 may transmit a measurement report 766 to the target UE 510 in response to the anchor UE 520 receiving and measuring the SL PRS 756, and if the target UE 510 is to determine position information from SL PRS measurement(s) by the anchor UE 520 (e.g., to facilitate SL Tx-based positioning).” [0114]
Bao’s “measurement report 766” corresponds to the claimed “location information report”
However, Bao does not explicitly teach:
receive a resource configuration indicating a dedicated reporting resource for transmitting the location information report to the UE, wherein the resource configuration is received along with the location information request, or included in the location information request.
Kwon teaches receive a resource configuration indicating a dedicated reporting resource for transmitting the location information report to the UE, wherein the resource configuration is received along with the location information request, or included in the location information request, “That is, a requesting occasion 515 may be associated with a reporting occasion 520 that is to be used for responding to a request for inter-UE coordination information that was transmitted in the requesting occasion 515.” [0085], and “A UE may be configured with a mapping between requesting resources 505 and reporting resources 510, such as in a sidelink resource pool configuration. The mapping may indicate particular reporting resource(s) 510 that are to be used for responding to a request for inter-UE coordination information that was transmitted in a particular requesting resource 505” [0086]
Kwon’s reporting resource 510 corresponds to the claimed dedicated reporting resource.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Bao’s sidelink positioning request/report procedure to incorporate Kwon’s dedicated reporting resource configuration because both references are directed to sidelink positioning procedures between user equipment in 5G NR networks. Incorporating Kwon’s dedicated reporting resource – delivered to the anchor UE along with or within the location information request – into Bao’s framework predictably reduces resource collision among multiple anchor UEs responding to the same requesting UE, improving the reliability and efficiency of location information delivery.
Claims 4 and 18 are rejected under 35 USC § 103 as being unpatentable over Bao et al. (US 20220201774 A1, hereinafter “Bao”), and further in view of Kung et al. (US 11316622 B2, hereinafter “Kung”)
Regarding Claim 4, Bao discloses the limitations of claim 4 as recited above in the rejection of claim 2. However, Bao does not explicitly teach:
receive a groupcast signaling or broadcast signaling from the second UE or a system information block (SIB) information, wherein the groupcast signaling or broadcast signaling from the second UE or the SIB information includes a mapping relationship between a set of reporting resources and a set of UE identifications including an identification of the first UE; and
determine a dedicated reporting resource from the set of reporting resources for transmitting the location information report to the second UE based on the mapping relationship and the identification of the first UE.
Kung teaches receive a groupcast signaling or broadcast signaling from the second UE or a system information block (SIB) information, wherein the groupcast signaling or broadcast signaling from the second UE or the SIB information includes a mapping relationship between a set of reporting resources and a set of UE identifications including an identification of the first UE, “The information could contain a list of the association between sidelink feedback resource(s) and UE(s). Each entry of the list could contain an identifier of a UE and an identifier used to identify a sidelink feedback resource for the UE.” [Col. 24, lines 33-37], and “The information could contain a mapping between the identifiers in the first group and the identifiers in the second group. Additionally or alternatively, the information could contain a mapping between each of the one or more UEs and one or more sidelink feedback resource(s) associated with groupcast communications.” [Col. 24, lines 49-54], and further “The message could be transmitted by the leader UE via groupcast transmission and/or via broadcast transmission” [Col. 25, lines 61-62]
Kung’s mapping between UE identifiers and sidelink feedback resources corresponds to the claimed mapping relationship between a set of reporting resources and a set of UE identifications.
determine a dedicated reporting resource from the set of reporting resources for transmitting the location information report to the second UE based on the mapping relationship and the identification of the first UE, “The one or more UEs in the group could determine sidelink feedback resource(s) associated with groupcast transmission transmitted from other UEs in the group at least based on the information provided by the leader UE. Additionally or alternatively, the one or more UEs in the group could determine sidelink feedback resource(s) associated with groupcast transmission transmitted from other UEs in the group at least based on an identifier (e.g., source layer-2 ID, member ID in the group or etc.) associated with the one or more UEs.” [Col. 24, lines 23-32], and “A receiver UE could determine a feedback resource for transmitting a HARQ feedback to a transmitter UE in response to a groupcast transmission from the transmitter UE at least based on the transmitter UE and the mapping for the receiver UE.” [Col. 25, lines 28-33]
Kung’s determination of a sidelink feedback resource based on the received mapping corresponds to determining a dedicated reporting resources based on the mapping relationships and the identification of the first UE.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Bao’s sidelink positioning request/report procedure in incorporate Kung’s UE identifier-to-resource mapping mechanism because both references are directed to sidelink communication procedures between user equipment in 5G NR networks. Kung teaches a well-established technique of distributing a mapping between UE identifies and dedicated sidelink resources through sidelink signaling, allowing each receiving UE to independently determine its own dedicated resource based on its own identifier. Incorporating this mechanism into Bao’s sidelink positioning framework would predictably eliminate resource collision among multiple anchor UEs responding to the same location information request, improving the reliability and efficiency of location information delivery. A skilled artisan would have found it straightforward to apply Kung resource mapping technique – which operates in the same NR sidelink domain – to Bao’s positioning reporting procedure with a reasonable expectation of success.
Regarding Claim 18, Bao discloses the limitations of claim 18 as recited above in the rejection of claim 16. In addition, Bao further teaches:
receive a location information request from the UE, wherein the location information request is used to request positioning measurements or a position estimate from the processor, “At stage 720, provision of SL PRS-related data may be initiated. For example, one or more requests for SL PRS-related data may be sent by the target UE 510 to trigger provision of SL PRS-related data.” [0109], and “the target UE 510 may send an SL PRS-related data request 726 to the anchor UE 520” [0109], and further “the target UE 510 (e.g., the UE-UE PRS unit 650) may be configured to send a generic request to the anchor UE 520 and/or to one or more other entities such as one or more of the TRPs 531-533 and/or the server 540 for SL PRS-related data.” [0104]
Bao’s “SL PRS-related data request 726” corresponds to the claimed “location information request”
transmit the location information report to the UE further based on the location information request, “the anchor UE 520 may transmit a measurement report 766 to the target UE 510 in response to the anchor UE 520 receiving and measuring the SL PRS 756, and if the target UE 510 is to determine position information from SL PRS measurement(s) by the anchor UE 520 (e.g., to facilitate SL Tx-based positioning).” [0114], and “At stages 770, 780, 790, position information for the target UE 510 may be determined, e.g., using one or more positioning techniques (e.g., discussed above) based on one or more PRS measurements.” [0115]
However, Bao does not explicitly teach:
receive a groupcast signaling or broadcast signaling from the UE or a system information block (SIB) information, wherein the groupcast signaling or broadcast signaling from the UE or the SIB information includes a mapping relationship between a set of reporting resources and a set of UE identifications including an identification of a UE that includes the processor; and
determine a dedicated reporting resource from the set of reporting resources for transmitting the location information report to the UE based on the mapping relationship and the identification of the UE that includes the processor.
Kung teaches receive a groupcast signaling or broadcast signaling from the UE or a system information block (SIB) information, wherein the groupcast signaling or broadcast signaling from the UE or the SIB information includes a mapping relationship between a set of reporting resources and a set of UE identifications including an identification of a UE that includes the processor, “The information could contain a list of the association between sidelink feedback resource(s) and UE(s). Each entry of the list could contain an identifier of a UE and an identifier used to identify a sidelink feedback resource for the UE.” [Col. 24, lines 33-37], and “The information could contain a mapping between the identifiers in the first group and the identifiers in the second group. Additionally or alternatively, the information could contain a mapping between each of the one or more UEs and one or more sidelink feedback resource(s) associated with groupcast communications.” [Col. 24, lines 49-54], and further “The message could be transmitted by the leader UE via groupcast transmission and/or via broadcast transmission” [Col. 25, lines 61-62]
Kung’s mapping between UE identifiers and sidelink feedback resources corresponds to the claimed mapping relationship between the reporting resources and UE identifications.
determine a dedicated reporting resource from the set of reporting resources for transmitting the location information report to the UE based on the mapping relationship and the identification of the UE that includes the processor, “The one or more UEs in the group could determine sidelink feedback resource(s) associated with groupcast transmission transmitted from other UEs in the group at least based on the information provided by the leader UE. Additionally or alternatively, the one or more UEs in the group could determine sidelink feedback resource(s) associated with groupcast transmission transmitted from other UEs in the group at least based on an identifier (e.g., source layer-2 ID, member ID in the group or etc.) associated with the one or more UEs.” [Col. 24, lines 23-32], and “A receiver UE could determine a feedback resource for transmitting a HARQ feedback to a transmitter UE in response to a groupcast transmission from the transmitter UE at least based on the transmitter UE and the mapping for the receiver UE.” [Col. 25, lines 28-33]
Kung’s determination of a sidelink feedback resource based on the received mapping corresponds to determining the dedicated reporting resource based on the mapping relationship and the identification of the UE that includes the processor.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Bao’s sidelink positioning request/report procedure in incorporate Kung’s UE identifier-to-resource mapping mechanism because both references are directed to sidelink communication procedures between user equipment in 5G NR networks. Kung teaches a well-established technique of distributing a mapping between UE identifies and dedicated sidelink resources through sidelink signaling, allowing each receiving UE to independently determine its own dedicated resource based on its own identifier. Incorporating this mechanism into Bao’s sidelink positioning framework would predictably eliminate resource collision among multiple anchor UEs responding to the same location information request, improving the reliability and efficiency of location information delivery. A skilled artisan would have found it straightforward to apply Kung resource mapping technique – which operates in the same NR sidelink domain – to Bao’s positioning reporting procedure with a reasonable expectation of success.
Claims 5 and 19 are rejected under 35 USC § 103 as being unpatentable over Bao et al. (US 20220201774 A1, hereinafter “Bao”), and further in view of Baghel et al. (US 20210321430 A1, hereinafter “Baghel”)
Regarding Claim 5, Bao discloses the limitations of claim 5 as recited above in the rejection of the claim 2. In addition, Bao further teach, receive inter-UE coordination information from the second UE, wherein the inter-UE coordination information indicates a dedicated reporting resource for transmitting the location information report to the second UE, “In a mode commonly referred to as mode 2, the serving TRP assigns a resource pool and the UEs 510, 520 determine how to use the resource pool, e.g., for SL PRS exchange.” [0103]
However, Bao does not expressly teach inter-UE coordination information from the second UE, wherein the inter-UE coordination information indicates a dedicated reporting resource for transmitting the location information report to the second UE.
Baghel teaches, inter-UE coordination information from the second UE, wherein the inter-UE coordination information indicates a dedicated reporting resource for transmitting the location information report to the second UE, “A UE 115 may receive resource map from a second UE 115. The resource map may indicate time and frequency resources having scheduled transmissions, a priority level of the scheduled transmissions, and a parameter used to generate the resource map” [0095], and “the first UE 115-a may receive first resource information from a second UE 115-b. The first resource information may indicate a first sidelink transmission scheduled within a first time and frequency resource …Upon receiving the resource information, the first UE 115-a may communicate a second sidelink transmission within the resource allocation for a sidelink channel based on the first resource information.” [0108], and further “upon receiving the resource map from the second UE 115-b, the first UE 115-a may identify the time and frequency resources (e.g., resources associated with upcoming sidelink communications) to be occupied in a future time window. The first UE 115-a my then transmit or receive the second sidelink transmission based on identifying the second time and frequency resource” [0109]
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate Baghel’s inter-UE coordination mechanism – wherein the first UE receives resource information from the second UE indicating time and frequency resources, and uses that resource information to communicate a sidelink transmission – into Bao’s SL positioning reporting framework, in order to provide a dedicated reporting resource to the anchor UE (first UE) for transmitting the location information report to the target UE (second UE), thereby reducing resource conflicts among multiple anchor UEs reporting simultaneously during the same sidelink positioning session.
Regarding Claim 19, Bao discloses the limitations of claim 19 as recited above in the rejection of claim 16. In addition, Bao further teach receive a location information request from the UE, wherein the location information request is used to request positioning measurements or a position estimate from the processor, “At stage 720, provision of SL PRS-related data may be initiated. For example, one or more requests for SL PRS-related data may be sent by the target UE 510 to trigger provision of SL PRS-related data” [0109], and “the target UE 510 may send an SL PRS-related data request 726 to the anchor UE 520” [0109], and further “the target UE 510 (e.g., the UE-UE PRS unit 650) may be configured to send a generic request to the anchor UE 520 and/or to one or more other entities such as one or more of the TRPs 531-533 and/or the server 540 for SL PRS-related data.” [0104]
Bao’s “SL PRS-related data request 726” corresponds to the claimed “location information request”
transmit the location information report to the UE further based on the location information request, “the anchor UE 520 may transmit a measurement report 766 to the target UE 510 in response to the anchor UE 520 receiving and measuring the SL PRS 756, and if the target UE 510 is to determine position information from SL PRS measurement(s) by the anchor UE 520 (e.g., to facilitate SL Tx-based positioning).” [0114], and further “At stages 770, 780, 790, position information for the target UE 510 may be determined, e.g., using one or more positioning techniques (e.g., discussed above) based on one or more PRS measurements.” [0115]
Measurement report 766 corresponds to the claimed “location information report transmitted further based on the location information request.
However, Bao does not explicitly teach receive inter-UE coordination information from the UE, wherein the inter-UE coordination information indicates a dedicated reporting resource for transmitting the location information report to the UE.
Baghel teaches receive inter-UE coordination information from the UE, wherein the inter-UE coordination information indicates a dedicated reporting resource for transmitting the location information report to the UE, “A UE 115 may receive resource map from a second UE 115. The resource map may indicate time and frequency resources having scheduled transmissions, a priority level of the scheduled transmissions, and a parameter used to generate the resource map” [0095], and “the first UE 115-a may receive first resource information from a second UE 115-b. The first resource information may indicate a first sidelink transmission scheduled within a first time and frequency resource …Upon receiving the resource information, the first UE 115-a may communicate a second sidelink transmission within the resource allocation for a sidelink channel based on the first resource information.” [0108], and further “upon receiving the resource map from the second UE 115-b, the first UE 115-a may identify the time and frequency resources (e.g., resources associated with upcoming sidelink communications) to be occupied in a future time window. The first UE 115-a my then transmit or receive the second sidelink transmission based on identifying the second time and frequency resource” [0109]
Baghel’s resource map exchanged between UEs corresponds to the claimed inter-UE coordination information indicating a dedicated reporting resource for transmitting the location information report.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Bao’s sidelink positioning request/report procedure to incorporate Baghel’s inter-UE resource coordination information mechanism because both references are directed to sidelink communication procedures between user equipment in 5G NR networks. Baghel teaches that resource maps exchanged between UEs over the sidelink enable the receiving UE to receive inter-UE resource coordination information identifying the resource to be used for subsequent sidelink transmission, thereby coordinating resource usage across multiple UEs. Incorporating this mechanism into Bao’s sidelink positioning framework would predictably allow the anchor UE processor to receive coordination information from the target UE indicating which dedicated reporting resource to use for transmitting the location information report, thereby reducing resource collision among multiple anchor UEs responding to the same location information request and improving the reliability and timeless of location information delivery.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 USC § 103 as being unpatentable over Bao et al. (US 20220201774 A1, hereinafter “Bao”), and further in view of Jiang et al. (US 9998872 B2, hereinafter “Jiang”)
Regarding Claim 6, Bao discloses the limitations of claim 6 as recited above the rejection of the claim 2. However, Bao does not explicitly teach that the location information request includes a response time specific for the first UE for a location service.
Jiang teaches, the location information request includes a response time specific for the first UE for a location service, “In one implementation, the message transmitted at block 250 may contain a response time for the early position fix” [Col. 15, lines 26-28], and “A value for responseTimeEarlyFix IE may specify a timer value (e.g., in the range 1 to 128 seconds) indicating a time by which UE 280 should return an early location fix to location server 282” [Col. 16, lines 25-29], and further “Message 290 may also include a timer value in the responseTime IE indicating a time by which a final location fix should be returned.” [Col. 16, lines 29-31]
Jiang’s responseTime IE and responseTimeEarlyFix IE corresponds to the claimed location information request including a response time specific for the first UE for a location service.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Bao’s sidelink positioning request to include Jiang’s UE-specific response time parameter because both references are directed to wireless positioning request/report procedures in which a requesting entity specifies a time by which the responding UE must return location information. Jiang’s response time mechanism is a standard wireless positioning protocol technique that is not limited to any particular communication interface, and one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the same response time parameter concept is equally applicable to UE-to-UE sidelink positioning request/report procedures as taught by Bao. Incorporating Jiang’s UE-specific response time into Bao’s location information request enables the requesting UE to control the timeliness of the location information report returned by the first UE, thereby improving the reliability and latency of sidelink positioning.
Claims 7 and 20 are rejected under 35 USC § 103 as being unpatentable over Bao et al. (US 20220201774 A1, hereinafter “Bao”), and further in view of Hahn et al. (US 20200077380 A1, hereinafter “Hahn”)
Regarding Claim 7, Bao discloses the limitations of claim 7 as recited above in the rejection of claim 2. In addition, Bao further teach, receive, from the second UE, a first configuration indicating an area associated with the first UE and a second configuration indicating that the area is associated with a dedicated reporting resource or a dedicated resource pool, “In a mode commonly referred to as mode 2, the serving TRP assigns a resource pool and the UEs 510, 520 determine how to use the resource pool, e.g., for SL PRS exchange.” [0103]
However, Bao does not expressly teach, a first configuration indicating an area associated with the first UE and a second configuration indicating that the area is associated with a dedicated reporting resource or a dedicated resource pool.
Hahn teaches a first configuration indicating an area associated with the first UE and a second configuration indicating that the area is associated with a dedicated reporting resource or a dedicated resource pool, “geographical zones may be configured for the sidelink communication, and a resource pool for each of the zones may be configured. A user equipment (UE) belonging to a zone may perform sidelink communication using a resource pool mapped to the zone.” [0006], and “the base station may configure a resource pool for each of the zones (S820). The configuration information of the resource pool (i.e., resource pool configuration information)” [0105], and “The base station may be configured to transmit a second message including the zone configuration information and the resource pool configuration information to the UE (S830). The second message may be transmitted via one or more of system information, an RRC message, a MAC CE, and a DCI.” [0106], and further “The UE may be configured to receive the second message from the base station, and identify the zone configuration information and the resource pool configuration information which are included in the second message.” [0093]
transmit the location information report to the second UE on the dedicated reporting resource or on a reporting resource in the dedicated resource pool, “The UE may be configured to select a resource pool mapped to the zone ID determined in the step S840 among the resource pools indicated by the second message, and perform sidelink communication with another UE using the selected resource pool” [0108]
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate Hahn’s zone-based resource pool configuration – wherein a first configuration identifies the area (zone) associated with the UE and a second configuration maps that area to a dedicated resource pool – into Bao’s SL positioning reporting framework, in order to assign area-specific dedicated reporting resources to the anchor UE (first UE) for transmitting location information reports to the target UE (second UE), thereby reducing resource contention and improving positioning efficiency in geographically distributed anchor UE deployments.
Regarding Claim 20, Bao discloses the limitations of claim 20 as recited above in the rejection of claim 16. In addition, Bao further teach:
receive a location information request from the UE, wherein the location information request is used to request positioning measurements or a position estimate from the processor, “At stage 720, provision of SL PRS-related data may be initiated. For example, one or more requests for SL PRS-related data may be sent by the target UE 510 to trigger provision of SL PRS-related data.” [0109], and further “the target UE 510 (e.g., the UE-UE PRS unit 650) may be configured to send a generic request to the anchor UE 520 and/or to one or more other entities such as one or more of the TRPs 531-533 and/or the server 540 for SL PRS-related data.” [0104]
transmit the location information report to the UE further based on the location information request, “the anchor UE 520 may transmit a measurement report 766 to the target UE 510 in response to the anchor UE 520 receiving and measuring the SL PRS 756, and if the target UE 510 is to determine position information from SL PRS measurement(s) by the anchor UE 520 (e.g., to facilitate SL Tx-based positioning).” [0114], and “At stages 770, 780, 790, position information for the target UE 510 may be determined, e.g., using one or more positioning techniques (e.g., discussed above) based on one or more PRS measurements.” [0115]
Measurement report 766 corresponds to the claimed location information report transmitted further based on the location information request.
However, Bao does not explicitly teach:
receive, from the UE, a first configuration indicating an area associated with the processor and a second configuration indicating that the area is associated with a dedicated reporting resource or a dedicated resource pool; and
transmit the location information report to the UE on the dedicated reporting resource or on a reporting resource in the dedicated resource pool.
Hahn teaches receive, from the UE, a first configuration indicating an area associated with the processor and a second configuration indicating that the area is associated with a dedicated reporting resource or a dedicated resource pool, “The base station may be configured to transmit a second message that includes the configuration information of the zones (i.e., zone configuration information) and the configuration information of the resource pools (i.e., resource pool configuration information) to the UE (S730). The second message may be transmitted via one or more of system information, an RRC message, a MAC control element (CE), and downlink control information (DCI). For example, the second message may be a system information block (SIB) 21.” [0091], and further “The UE may be configured to determine an ID of the selected zone (S750). For example, the UE may be configured to determine the zone ID using Equation 1. In particular, the variables L, W, Nx, and Ny in Equation 1 may be obtained from the zone configuration information included in the second message. In Equation 1, x and y may be calculated based on the current position of the UE and the geographical coordinate (0, 0)” [0095]
transmit the location information report to the UE on the dedicated reporting resource or on a reporting resource in the dedicated resource pool, “The UE may be configured to select a resource pool mapped to the zone ID determined in the step S750 among the resource pools indicated by the second message, and perform sidelink communication with another UE using the selected resource pool (S770). Since the resource pool configuration information includes zone IDs corresponding to resource pools, the UE may be configured to identify the configuration information including the same zone ID as the zone ID determined in the step S750, and perform the sidelink communication using the resource pool corresponding to the configuration information.” [0096]
Hahn’s UE performing sidelink communication with another UE using the resource pool selected based on the determined zone corresponds to the claimed processor transmitting the location information report to the UE on a reporting resource in the dedicated resource pool associated with the area indicated with the area indicated by the first configuration.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Bao’s sidelink positioning request/report procedure to incorporate Hahn’s zone-based resource pool configuration information because both references are directed to sidelink communication procedures between user equipment in wireless communication networks. Hahn teaches that zone configuration information and resource pool configuration information can be provided to a UE to enable it to determine its geographic area and select the corresponding dedicated resource pool for sidelink communication. Bao already teaches a UE-to-UE sidelink framework in which the target UE provides positioning-related configuration information directly to the anchor UE over the sidelink. It would have been obvious to apply Hahn’s zone-based resource pool configuration information to Bao’s existing UE-to-UE positioning signaling, such that the target UE provides the configuration information used by the anchor UE processor to identify its associated area and determine the corresponding dedicated reporting resource or resource pool. This combination would predictably eliminate resource collision among multiple anchor UEs responding to the same location information request and improve the reliability and efficiency of location information delivery.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 USC § 103 as being unpatentable over Bao et al. (US 20220201774 A1, hereinafter “Bao”), in view of Kung et al. (US 11316622 B2, hereinafter “Kung”), and further in view of Hahn (US 20200077380 A1, hereinafter “Hahn”)
Regarding Claim 8, Bao discloses the limitations of claim 8 as recited above in the rejection of claim 2. However, Bao does not explicitly teach:
obtain an area mapping relationship between a set of areas and a set of UE identifications including an identification of the first UE, wherein the area mapping relationship is configured by the second UE or broadcasted in a system information block (SIB) information
Kung teaches obtain an area mapping relationship between a set of areas and a set of UE identifications including an identification of the first UE, wherein the area mapping relationship is configured by the second UE or broadcasted in a system information block (SIB) information, “The information could contain a list of the association between sidelink feedback resource(s) and UE(s). Each entry of the list could contain an identifier of a UE and an identifier used to identify a sidelink feedback resource for the UE.” [Col. 24, lines 33-37], and “The information could contain a mapping between the identifiers in the first group and the identifiers in the second group. Additionally or alternatively, the information could contain a mapping between each of the one or more UEs and one or more sidelink feedback resource(s) associated with groupcast communications.” [Col. 24, lines 49-54], and further “The message could be transmitted by the leader UE via groupcast transmission and/or via broadcast transmission” [Col. 25, lines 61-62]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary sill in the art before the effective filling date to modify Bao’s sidelink positioning request/report procedure to incorporate Kung’s UE identifier mapping mechanism because both references are directed to sidelink communication procedures between user equipment in 5G NR networks. Incorporating Kung’s UE-identifier-based mapping – distributed via groupcast, broadcast, or SIB – into Bao’s framework provides each anchor UE with a mechanism to identify its associated reporting resource based on its own UE identifier, laying the foundation for per-UE resource differentiation and collision-free location information delivery.
The combination of Bao and Kung does not explicitly teach:
obtain a resource mapping relationship between the set of areas and a set of reporting resources or a set of resource pools, wherein the resource mapping relationship is configured by the second UE or broadcasted in the SIB information;
determine an area associated with the first UE from the set of areas based on the area mapping relationship and the identification of the first UE, and determine a dedicated reporting resource from the set of reporting resources or a dedicated resource pool from the set of resource pools based on the area associated with the first UE and the resource mapping relationship;
transmit the location information report to the second UE on the dedicated reporting resource or on a reporting resource in the dedicated resource pool.
Hahn teaches obtain a resource mapping relationship between the set of areas and a set of reporting resources or a set of resource pools, wherein the resource mapping relationship is configured by the second UE or broadcasted in the SIB information, “when the configuration of the zones is completed, the base station may configure one or more resource pools for each of the zones (S720). The configuration information of the resource pool (referred to as ‘resource pool configuration information’) may be defined as shown in Table 5 below.” [0088], and “The base station may be configured to transmit a second message that includes the configuration information of the zones (i.e., zone configuration information) and the configuration information of the resource pools (i.e., resource pool configuration information) to the UE (S730). The second message may be transmitted via one or more of system information, an RRC message, a MAC control element (CE), and downlink control information (DCI). For example, the second message may be a system information block (SIB) 21.” [0091]
Hahn’s zone configuration information and resource pool configuration information transmitted via SIB teaches a resource mapping relationship between a set of geographic areas (zones) and a set of resource pools, broadcast in SIB information, which corresponds to the claimed resource mapping relationship between the set of areas and a set of resource pools broadcasted in the SIB information.
determine an area associated with the first UE from the set of areas based on the area mapping relationship and the identification of the first UE, and determine a dedicated reporting resource from the set of reporting resources or a dedicated resource pool from the set of resource pools based on the area associated with the first UE and the resource mapping relationship, “The UE may be configured to determine an ID of the selected zone (S750). For example, the UE may be configured to determine the zone ID using Equation 1. In particular, the variables L, W, Nx, and Ny in Equation 1 may be obtained from the zone configuration information included in the second message. In Equation 1, x and y may be calculated based on the current position of the UE and the geographical coordinate (0, 0).” [0095], and further “The UE may be configured to select a resource pool mapped to the zone ID determined in the step S750 among the resource pools indicated by the second message, and perform sidelink communication with another UE using the selected resource pool (S770). Since the resource pool configuration information includes zone IDs corresponding to resource pools, the UE may be configured to identify the configuration information including the same zone ID as the zone ID determined in the step S750, and perform the sidelink communication using the resource pool corresponding to the configuration information.” [0096]
transmit the location information report to the second UE on the dedicated reporting resource or on a reporting resource in the dedicated resource pool, “The UE may be configured to select a resource pool mapped to the zone ID determined in the step S750 among the resource pools indicated by the second message, and perform sidelink communication with another UE using the selected resource pool” [0096]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to further modify the combination of Bao and Kung by incorporating Hahn’s zone-based resource pool selection mechanism because all three references are directed to sidelink communication procedures in 5G NR networks. Hahn teaches that geographic areas (zones) can be mapped to specific resource pool to use based on the area it occupies. Applying Hahn’s area-to-resource-pool mapping – together with Kung’s UE-identifier mapping mechanism – into Bao’s sidelink positioning framework would predictably assign each anchor UE a dedicated reporting resource pool based on both its UE identification and its geographic area, improving reporting efficiency, preventing resource collision, and enabling scalable location information delivery in a multi-anchor-UE positioning group.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 USC § 103 as being unpatentable over Bao et al. (US 20220201774 A1, hereinafter “Bao”), in view of Jiang et al. (US 9998872 B2, hereinafter “Jiang”), and further in view of Blumstein et al. (US 8983499 B2, hereinafter “Blumstein”)
Regarding Claim 9, Bao discloses the limitations of claim 9 as recited above in the rejection of claim 2. However, Bao does not explicitly teach:
start a timer in response to receiving the location information request, wherein a value of the timer is set based on a response time included in the location information request;
stop the timer in response to transmitting the location information report to the second UE;
in a case that the first UE fails to transmit the location information report before the timer expires: transmit an error indication to the second UE;
Jiang teaches start a timer in response to receiving the location information request, wherein a value of the timer is set based on a response time included in the location information request, “A value for responseTimeEarlyFix IE may specify a timer value (e.g., in the range 1 to 128 seconds) indicating a time by which UE 280 should return an early location fix to location server 282” [Col. 16, lines 25-29]
stop the timer in response to transmitting the location information report to the second UE, “Either before or as any timer value in a responseTimeEarlyFix IE that was received in message 290 expires, UE 280 may send message 292 containing an LPP Provide Location Information message to location server 282 to transfer early location parameters.” [Col. 16, lines 36-40]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate Jiang’s response time timer mechanism into Bao’s SL positioning request framework, in order to enforce latency-bounded location information reporting from the anchor UE to the target UE, ensuring timely delivery of positioning measurements.
The combination of Bao and Jiang does not explicitly teach that in a case that the first UE fails to transmit the location information report before the timer expires: transmit an error indication to the second UE.
Bumstein teaches that in a case that the first UE fails to transmit the location information report before the timer expires: transmit an error indication to the second UE, “The LS sends a downlink LPP Error message including the type of error and the request of acknowledgement from the UE, i.e., ackRequest is set to True. The LS starts the Tack timer.” [Col. 7, lines 33-36], and further “After the expiration of the Tack timer, the LS retransmits the downlink LPP Error message and re-starts the Tack timer (step e.g., and i), up to 3 times.” [Col. 7, lines 42-45]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to further incorporate Blumstein’s LPP Error message mechanism into the combination of Bao and Jiang, in order to notify the target UE (second UE) when the anchor UE (First UE) fails to transmit the location information report within the response time, thereby allowing the target UE to take corrective action. All three references are in the same field of LPP-based positioning in wireless communication systems and their combination yields predictable results.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 USC § 103 as being unpatentable over Bao et al. (US 20220201774 A1, hereinafter “Bao”), and further in view of Zhou et al. (US 20130065535 A1, hereinafter “Zhou”)
Regarding Claim 10, Bao discloses the limitations of claim 10 as recited above in the rejection of claim 1. However, Bao does not explicitly teach:
start a timer in response to that the location information report becomes valid at the first
stop the timer in response to transmitting the location information report to the second UE; and
in a case that the first UE fails to transmit the location information report before the timer expires, cancel the location information report, and perform measurements in order to transmit a new location information report when the new location information report becomes valid.
Zhou teaches start a timer in response to that the location information report becomes valid at the first UE, wherein a value of the timer is pre-configured for the first UE, “According to an embodiment of the present invention, if immediate MDT reporting is adopted, one validity time threshold, hereinafter referred to as T-MDT, for each kind of MDT measurement is defined. This validity time threshold T-MDT is configured with every immediate MDT measurement configuration” [0045], and “Before the UE performs immediate reporting of the MDT measurement result, it verifies, for every MDT measurement result, whether the validity time threshold T-MDT has exceeded” [0046], and further “The UE will be configured with a T-MDT timer, which can be measurement specific and which shall be used to determine whether the measurement is outdated or not. The result is considered outdated when the timer started at the measurement exceeds the T-MDT time value before the report is sent.” [0062]
Here, Zhou teaches a validity timer T-MDT that is pre-configured with the measurement configuration and started at the time of measurement result becomes available and valid at the UE. The correspond to the claimed timer started in response to the location information report becoming valid at the first UE, wherein the timer value is pre-configured for the first UE.
stop the timer in response to transmitting the location information report to the second UE, “Before the UE performs immediate reporting of the MDT measurement result, it verifies, for every MDT measurement result, whether the validity time threshold T-MDT has exceeded.” [0046], and further “if the validity time threshold is not exceeded, reporting the MDT measurement result.” [0013], and “a verifying unit configured to verify, prior to reporting one of the MDT measurement results, whether the validity time threshold defined for the respective MDT measurement result to be reported, is exceeded” [0024]
Here, Zhou teaches that the validity timer governs whether the report remains reportable at the time of transmission. Once the report is transmitted before expiration of the timer, the timer has fulfilled its intended purpose.
It would have been an obvious implementation detail for one of ordinary skill in the art to terminate or stop the timer after successful report transmission because no further validity determination for that report is required.
in a case that the first UE fails to transmit the location information report before the timer expires, cancel the location information report, and perform measurements in order to transmit a new location information report when the new location information report becomes valid, “if the validity time threshold is exceeded, deleting the corresponding MDT measurement result” [0015], and further “a deleting unit configured to delete, if the validity time threshold is exceeded, the corresponding MDT measurement result” [0027]
Here, Zhou expressly teaches deleting measurement results that have become outdated after expiration of the validity timer, which corresponds to the claimed cancellation of the location information report upon timer expiry.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Bao’s sidelink positioning reporting procedure to incorporate Zhou validity timer mechanism because both references are directed to wireless communication systems in which a reporting UE must deliver measurement results within a bounded time to ensure the reported data remains current and useful. Zhou teaches that a pre-configured validity timer started when a measurement becomes available at the UE ensures that only non-outdated measurement results are reported, and that expired results are cancelled to prevent the receiving entity from acting on stale data. Bao at [0082] expressly recognizes latency as a critical design criterion for positioning systems, noting that latency is the time elapsed between the triggering of position-related data and its availability at the positioning interface. Incorporating Zhou’s pre-configured validity timer into Bao’s anchor UE sidelink positioning framework would predictably ensure that the target UE receives only fresh, valid location information reports from the anchor UE, directly improving the accuracy and reliability of sidelink positioning. One of ordinary skill in the art would have found it straightforward to apply Zhou’s well-established validity timer mechanism – which operates on a UE measurement report – information to Bao’s anchor UE location information report with a reasonable expectation of success.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 USC § 103 as being unpatentable over Bao et al. (US 20220201774 A1, hereinafter “Bao”), and further in view of Manolakos et al. (US 20240163955 A1, hereinafter “Manolakos”)
Regarding Claim 11, Bao discloses the limitations of claim 11 as recited above in the rejection of claim 1. However, Bao does not explicitly teach:
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the first UE to transmit a leaving indication to the second UE when at least one of:
a measured reference signal receiving power (RSRP) of sidelink positioning reference signal (SL-PRS) between the second UE and the first UE is smaller than or equal to a threshold within a time window;
a distance between the first UE and the second UE is larger than or equal to a threshold within a time window;
a channel busy ratio (CBR) or a channel occupancy ratio (CR) measured by the first UE is larger than or equal to a threshold within a time window; or
the first UE moves to a different area.
Manolakos teaches wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause the first UE to transmit a leaving indication to the second UE when at least one of: a measured reference signal receiving power (RSRP) of sidelink positioning reference signal (SL-PRS) between the second UE and the first UE is smaller than or equal to a threshold within a time window, “In some aspects, terminating the SL positioning session comprises sending, to the second UE, a message indicating that the SL positioning session is immediately terminated.” [0110], and “In some aspects, the first UE notifies the second UE that a condition has changed, e.g., such that a requirement previously met is no longer being met.” [0112], and “A UE may be required to send a terminate message (or a QoS update message) when any of conditions described above (e.g., if SINR or RSRP or RSSI is below a threshold, TOA quality metric is smaller than a threshold, processing delay does not satisfy a response time threshold, UE's speed or doppler estimate is large, UE's location is not known, etc.) exist for a specified period of time.” [0123], and “Expiration timers at the target UE may be involved in the SL-positioning termination procedures.” [0124], and “For example, in some aspects, if the target UE receives PRS, after the SINR/RSRP/Quality-metric is lower than a threshold for a period of time, an expiration timer starts, during which period, the target UE will try to reconfigure the positioning session to free-up the assisting UE from transmitting.” [0124]
Manolakos teaches that the first UE transmits sidelink positioning session termination signaling to the second UE – specifically a message indicating that the SL positioning session is immediately terminated – when condition such as RSRP falling below a threshold have existed for a specified period of time.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Bao’s sidelink positioning framework to incorporate Manolakos’ termination-message mechanism because both references are directed to sidelink positioning procedures between user equipment in 5G NR networks. Manolakos teaches that when sidelink positioning signal quality – including RSRP – falls below a threshold for a period of time, the assisting UE sends a termination message to the target UE notifying it that the SL positioning session is ending. Incorporating Manolakos’ termination message mechanism into Bao’s sidelink positioning framework would predictably allow the anchor UE (first UE) to notify the target UE (second UE) when RSRP conditions degraded below an acceptable threshold for a period time, thereby avoiding stale or unreliable positioning measurements and reducing unnecessary sidelink signaling.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 USC § 103 as being unpatentable over Bao et al. (US 20220201774 A1, hereinafter “Bao”), in view of Jiang et al. (US 9998872 B2, hereinafter “Jiang”), and further in view of Edge et al. (US 20140073347 A1, hereinafter “Edge”)
Regarding Claim 14, Bao discloses the limitations of claim 14 as recited above in the rejection of claim 13. However, Bao does not explicitly teach:
wherein a value of the timer is set based on a response time included in the location information request;
Jiang teaches wherein a value of the timer is set based on a response time included in the location information request, “In one implementation, the message transmitted at block 250 may contain a response time for the early position fix” [Col. 15, lines 26-28], and “A value for responseTimeEarlyFix IE may specify a timer value (e.g., in the range 1 to 128 seconds) indicating a time by which UE 280 should return an early location fix to location server 282.” [Col. 16, lines 25-29], and further “Message 290 may also include a timer value in the responseTime IE indicating a time by which a final location fix should be returned.” [Col. 16, lines 29-31]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Bao’s sidelink positioning request/report procedure to incorporate Jiang’s response-time parameter because both references related to wireless positioning request/report procedures. Jiang’s response-time mechanism is a standard wireless positioning protocol technique that is not limited to any particular communication interface, and one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the same response-time parameter concept is equally applicable to UE-to-UE sidelink positioning request/report procedures as taught by Bao. Incorporating Jiang’s response-time parameter enables the requesting UE to determine an appropriate timer value corresponding to the requested positioning response, thereby improving the timeliness and reliability of sidelink positioning.
The combination of Bao and Jiang does not explicitly teach:
start a timer in response to transmitting the location information request;
stop the timer in response to receiving the location information report from the first UE;
and retransmit the location information request in response to expiration of the timer;
Edge teaches start a timer in response to transmitting the location information request, “The current acknowledgement procedure described in the TS 36.355 specification requires that, if no acknowledgement is received in response to the request message sent in stage 205, the mobile device 110 stays in the wait-for-acknowledgement state until a “timeout period” expiry at which time the mobile device 110 retransmits the LPP Request Assistance Data message to once again request the assistance data from the location server 140” [0054], and further “if neither the acknowledgement from the mobile device in response to the first protocol session message nor the second protocol session message is received by the mobile device prior to expiration of a retransmission timer.” [0021]
stop the timer in response to receiving the location information report from the first UE, “The mobile device 110 can be configured to accept the second protocol session messages as a substitute/implicit acknowledgement to the first protocol session message, since the second protocol session message includes information that was requested in the first protocol session message.” [0086], and further “receive a second protocol session message associated with a second protocol session, the second protocol session message not being the acknowledgement from the location server in response to the first protocol session message, the second protocol session message including information requested in the first protocol session message, exit the wait-for-acknowledgement state responsive to receiving the second protocol session message, and perform an action using the information received in the second protocol session message.” [0016]
retransmit the location information request in response to expiration of the timer, “The current acknowledgement procedure described in the TS 36.355 specification requires that, if no acknowledgement is received in response to the request message sent in stage 205, the mobile device 110 stays in the wait-for-acknowledgement state until a “timeout period” expiry at which time the mobile device 110 retransmits the LPP Request Assistance Data message to once again request the assistance data from the location server 140.” [0054], and further “When an LPP message which requires acknowledgement is sent and not acknowledged, the LPP message is resent up to three times by the sender following a timeout period.” [0010]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to further modify the combination of Bao and Jiang by incorporating Edge’s retransmission timer mechanism because all three references relate to exchanging positioning information using request/response message procedures. Edge teaches maintaining a wait-for-acknowledgement procedure governed by a retransmission timer, retransmitting the request upon timeout, and exiting the wait-for-acknowledgement state when the requested information is received. Incorporating these teachings into Bao’s sidelink positioning request/report procedure would have predictably improved the reliability of location information delivery by enabling the requesting UE to manage response timing, retransmit unanswered requests, and terminate the retransmission waiting procedure upon receipt of the requested location information report.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record not relied upon and considered pertinent to Applicant’s disclosure:
KESHAVAMURTHY et al. (US 20240272294 A1) - Assisted sl-rtt method switch, discloses anchor user device is disclosed comprising: receiving a first target sidelink positioning reference signal; transmitting a first anchor sidelink positioning reference signal; performing a receiver-transmitter time difference measurement based on the first target sidelink positioning reference signal and the first anchor sidelink positioning reference signal; transmitting an indication of a suggestion to switch from a first sidelink round-trip time positioning method to a second round-trip time positioning method based on the receiver-transmitter time difference measurement. Further, inter-alia a method performed by a target user device is disclosed as well as respective anchor and target user devices.
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SANG PHUOC. LE
Examiner
Art Unit 2641
/SANG PHUOC LE/Examiner, Art Unit 2641
/CHARLES N APPIAH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2641
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