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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1, 3, 4, 7-12, 16-18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KUMAR et al. (US 2025/0039837) in view of LIU (US 2024/0314727).
Regarding claim 1, Kumar discloses an electronic device (Fig. 9, LMF 904), comprising:
a processing circuit (p. [0277]), configured to
obtain a plurality of pieces of positioning information of a user equipment respectively related to each of a plurality of base stations (p. [0182]-[0184], [0186], [0200], [0201], [0232]; each of the first and second gNBs (i.e., base stations) perform measurements and independently generate soft-information, e.g., a distribution of positioning parameters (i.e., positioning information) that is transmitted to the LMF), wherein the positioning information of the user equipment related to each base station is obtained based on a received signal of a reference signal transmitted between the base station and the user equipment (p. [0182]-[0183], [0200], [0201]; the gNBs perform measurements on received uplink SRS received from the UE), and wherein the plurality of pieces of positioning information of the user equipment have the same form as each other (p. [0228]; the positioning measurements by each of the access points/gNBs may be represented in a “coarse” or “soft” form); and
obtain a positioning result of the user equipment, based on the plurality of pieces of positioning information of the user equipment (p. [0189], [0208], [0232]; the LMF may use the soft information provided by the gNBs/access points to determine a location of the UE).
But, Kumar does not particularly disclose wherein the positioning information is obtained using a positioning model related to the base station.
However, Liu teaches obtaining positioning information using a positioning model related to the base station (abstract; p. [0004], [0063], [0065], [0067]; location information is obtained by processing measurement information based on a positioning model).Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Kumar with the teachings of Liu, since such a modification would improve the accuracy of the position information.
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Kumar and Liu disclose the electronic device according to claim 1, Liu discloses wherein the positioning model of each base station is pre-acquired through training using a received signal of a reference signal transmitted between the base station and one or more user equipments with known positions as training data (p. [0068], [0103], [0106]; In the embodiments of the present disclosure, artificial intelligence (AI) technology, such as deep learning, may be configured to solve the high-precision positioning problem in the NLOS scenario. An exemplary positioning method based on deep learning is shown in FIG. 8. The user measures channels from K base stations, obtains corresponding K pieces of measurement information, and uses it as input to the neural network to obtain the user's coordinate. The K pieces of measurement information may include complete CIR, or may include measurement information such as RSRP, RSRQ, RSSI, RSRQ dedicated to positioning signal measurement, RSRP dedicated to positioning signal measurement, or one or more types of spatial information, such as an angle of arrival. The neural network needs to be trained and converged by collecting many samples with user coordinate labels before deployment, such that it may complete high-precision positioning).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Kumar and Liu disclose the electronic device according to claim 3, Kumar discloses wherein the form of the positioning information includes at least one of: a position of the user equipment; a position of the user equipment and a confidence; and a probability distribution of positions of the user equipment (p. [0151], [0184], [0250]; the coarse position estimates, also referred to as soft information, may comprise range of values and/or discrete set of values and/or as a probability distribution).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Kumar and Liu disclose the electronic device according to claim 1, but does not particularly disclose wherein the electronic device is a first base station of the plurality of base stations (p. [0248], [0252], [0253], [0265]; a second apparatus (e.g., access point/gNB) may receive first soft positioning information and second soft positioning information from first apparatus (e.g., first access point/gNB)).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Kumar, Liu, and Matsumoto disclose the electronic device according to claim 7, Kumar discloses wherein the processing circuit is further configured to: obtain the positioning information of the user equipment related to the first base station, based on the received signal of the reference signal transmitted between the first base station and the user equipment (p. [0248], [0252], [0253], [0265]; a second apparatus (e.g., access point/gNB) may receive first soft positioning information and second soft positioning information from first apparatus (e.g., first access point/gNB)); and
receive the positioning information of the user equipment related to other base stations of the plurality of base stations except the first base station, from said other base stations (p. [0265]; the apparatus (e.g., access point/gNB) may receive soft position information obtained independently by each of the first and second apparatus).
But, Kumar does not particularly disclose wherein the positioning information is obtained using a positioning model related to the base station.
However, Liu teaches obtaining positioning information using a positioning model related to the base station (abstract; p. [0004], [0063], [0065], [0067]; location information is obtained by processing measurement information based on a positioning model).Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Kumar with the teachings of Liu, since such a modification would improve the accuracy of the position information.
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Kumar and Liu disclose the electronic device according to claim 1, Kumar discloses wherein the electronic device is a core network device (p. [0152]; i.e., LMF, positioning entity in the core network).
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Kumar and Liu disclose the electronic device according to claim 9, Kumar discloses wherein the processing circuit is further configured to: receive the positioning information of the user equipment related to each base station from the plurality of base stations respectively (p. [0152]-[0153], [0183], [0186], [0187]; each of the base stations/access points provide the soft positioning information to the LMF which includes a processing circuit).
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Kumar and Liu disclose the electronic device according to claim 7, Kumar discloses wherein the reference signal is an uplink reference signal (p. [0158], [0182]; each of the gNBs perform measurements on received uplink Sounding Reference Signal SRS received from the UE).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Kumar and Liu disclose the electronic device according to claim 11, Kumar discloses wherein the uplink reference signal received by at least one of the plurality of base stations from the user equipment satisfies at least one of the following conditions:
the uplink reference signal is an uplink reference signal in an uplink reference signal resource set that is repeatedly sent in the same period (p. [0181]; the UE transmit the configured SRS periodically); and
the uplink reference signal are uplink reference signals in a plurality of uplink reference signal resource sets that have the same time domain resource and are in the same partial bandwidth and are sent simultaneously.
Regarding claim 16, Kumar discloses an electronic device (p. [0248]; i.e., first apparatus may be an access point (e.g., a gNB or some other transmission-reception point)), comprising: a processing circuit configured to
obtain, based on a received signal of a reference signal transmitted between a subject base station and user equipment, positioning information of the user equipment related to the subject base station (p. [0249], [0225]; the apparatus performs first positioning measurements on transmissions made by a first user equipment UE, to obtain soft positioning information regarding the location of the first UE); and
provide the positioning information of the user equipment related to the subject base station to another electronic device (p. [0252]; the apparatus provides the first soft positioning information to at least one second apparatus (i.e., another electronic device)), so that said another electronic device can obtain a positioning result of the user equipment based on a plurality of pieces of positioning information of the user equipment respectively related to a plurality of base stations including the subject base station (p. [0260]-[0263]; the apparatus (i.e., another electronic device) receives the soft positioning information from the first apparatus, the apparatus determines the location of the first user equipment using a determined location of the first apparatus in combination with the soft positioning information; the apparatus may further refine a coarse location position for a UE provided by the soft positioning information obtained independently by each of the first and the second apparatus – p. [0265]), wherein the plurality of pieces of positioning information of the user equipment have the same form as each other (p. [0228]; the positioning measurements by each of the access points/gNBs may be represented in a “coarse” or “soft” form).
But, Kumar does not particularly disclose wherein the positioning information is obtained using a positioning model related to the base station.
However, Liu teaches obtaining positioning information using a positioning model related to the base station (abstract; p. [0004], [0063], [0065], [0067]; location information is obtained by processing measurement information based on a positioning model).Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Kumar with the teachings of Liu, since such a modification would improve the accuracy of the position information.
Regarding claim 17, the combination of Kumar and Liu disclose the electronic device according to claim 16, Kumar discloses wherein the electronic device is the subject base station of the plurality of base stations (p. [0248]-[0249]; first access point, e.g., a gNB (i.e., subject base station)).
Regarding claim 18, the combination of Kumar and Liu disclose the electronic device according to claim 16, Kumar discloses wherein the reference signal is an uplink reference signal (p. [0158], [0182]; each of the gNBs perform measurements on received uplink Sounding Reference Signal SRS received from the UE).
Regarding claim 20, Kumar discloses a method for wireless communication, comprising:
obtaining a plurality of pieces of positioning information of a user equipment respectively related to each of a plurality of base stations (p. [0182]-[0184], [0186], [0200], [0201], [0232]; each of the first and second gNBs (i.e., base stations) perform measurements and independently generate soft-information, e.g., a distribution of positioning parameters (i.e., positioning information) that is transmitted to the LMF), wherein the positioning information of the user equipment related to each base station is obtained based on a received signal of a reference signal transmitted between the base station and the user equipment (p. [0182]-[0183], [0200], [0201]; the gNBs perform measurements on received uplink SRS received from the UE), and wherein the plurality of pieces of positioning information of the user equipment have the same form as each other (p. [0228]; the positioning measurements by each of the access points/gNBs may be represented in a “coarse” or “soft” form); and
obtaining a positioning result of the user equipment, based on the plurality of pieces of positioning information of the user equipment (p. [0189], [0208], [0232]; the LMF may use the soft information provided by the gNBs/access points to determine a location of the UE).
But, Kumar does not particularly disclose wherein the positioning information is obtained using a positioning model related to the base station.
However, Liu teaches obtaining positioning information using a positioning model related to the base station (abstract; p. [0004], [0063], [0065], [0067]; location information is obtained by processing measurement information based on a positioning model).Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Kumar with the teachings of Liu, since such a modification would improve the accuracy of the position information.
Claims 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KUMAR et al. in views of LIU, and MATSUMOTO (US 2022/0132461).
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Kumar and Liu disclose the electronic device according to claim 1, but does not particularly disclose wherein the electronic device is the user equipment.
However, in an analogous art, Matsumoto teaches wherein the electronic device is the user equipment (Fig. 1, p. [0037]; the positioning apparats calculates the position of the terminal, however, in another configuration, a different device, e.g., base station or terminal, may acquire information necessary for calculating the position of the terminal and calculate its position).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the combination of Kumar and Liu with the teachings of Matsumoto, since such a modification would allow the user equipment to calculate its own position thus reducing the core network processing load and obtaining faster positioning results.
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Kumar, Liu, and Matsumoto disclose the electronic device according to claim 13, discloses wherein the processing circuit is further configured to: obtain, based on the received signal of the reference signal transmitted between each base station of the plurality of base stations and the user equipment (Matsumoto -p. [0034], [0036], [0037]; Kumar-p. [0185]-[0186]), the positioning information of the user equipment related to the base station (Matsumoto-p. [0036]; Kumar-[0189]).
But, Matsumoto and Kumar does not particularly disclose wherein the positioning information is obtained using a positioning model related to the base station.
However, Liu teaches obtaining positioning information using a positioning model related to the base station (abstract; p. [0004], [0063], [0065], [0067]; location information is obtained by processing measurement information based on a positioning model).Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Kumar and Matsumoto with the teachings of Liu, since such a modification would improve the accuracy of the position information.
Regarding claim 15, the combination of Kumar, Liu, and Matsumoto disclose the electronic device according to claim 13, Kumar discloses wherein the reference signal is a downlink reference signal (p. [0158]).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KUMAR et al. in views of LIU, and SALANDY-DEFOUR et al. (US 2019/0320061).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Kumar and Liu disclose the electronic device according to claim 1, but does not particularly disclose wherein the processing circuit is further configured to: obtain the positioning result of the user equipment by using a fusion model, based on the plurality of pieces of positioning information of the user equipment.
However, Salandy-Defour teaches obtain the positioning result of the user equipment by using a fusion model, based on the plurality of pieces of positioning information of the user equipment (p. [0032]-[0034]; fusion techniques/algorithm are used to combine position estimates to enable accurate positioning). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the combination of Kumar and Liu with the teachings of Sandy-Defour, since such a modification would improve the location accuracy of the UE.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 6, and 24 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARISOL FIGUEROA whose telephone number is (571)272-7840. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 8:00am-4:30pm.
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/MARISOL FIGUEROA/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2643
Prosecution Insights