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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. GR20220100463, filed on 01 June 2022.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 and 21 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.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 2-3, 12, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tsai et al. (US 2022/0086780 A1) (hereinafter as Tsai).
Regarding Claim 1. Tsai teaches a method at a user equipment (UE) of reporting time advance of the UE for non-terrestrial network (NTN) positioning in a data communication network (par [0002]), the method comprising:
determining, at the UE, a UE-specific timing advance adjustment value (" the UE may compensate for the UE-specific delay", par [0185]), wherein:
the UE-specific timing advance adjustment value is indicative of a propagation delay between a non-terrestrial vehicle of the NTN and the UE ("The NTN-capable UEs may calculate the propagation delay from the UE to the satellite based on the UE location(s) obtained via GNSS capabilities and satellite locations via ephemeris data", par [0186]), and the propagation delay is determined based on a distance between an estimated location of the UE and an estimated location of the non-terrestrial vehicle (in addition to the UE-specific delay calculated by the UE via, for example, a distance from the UE to the satellite", par [0185]); and
sending the UE-specific timing advance adjustment value in a message to a network node of the data communication network ("Under the UE autonomous/specific TA, reporting the TA-related information (e.g., calculated/determined by UE)"; Figure 10 #1008, par [0188]).
Regarding Claim 2. Tsai teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the network node comprises a next generation radio access network (NG-RAN) node of the data communication network ("A base station may include, but is not limited to, a next-generation Node B (gNB) as in the 5G Access Network (5G-AN), and any other apparatus capable of controlling radio communication and managing radio resources within a cell.", par [0130]).
Regarding Claim 3. Tsai teaches the method of claim 2, wherein sending the UE-specific timing advance adjustment value to the NG-RAN node comprises including the UE-specific timing advance adjustment value in a media access control - control element (MAC- CE) ("In some implementations, UE-specific TA report may be transmitted by a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE) included in the UL message.", par [0191])
Regarding Claim 12. Tsai teaches a method at a next generation radio access network (NG-RAN) node of reporting time advance of a user equipment (UE) for non-terrestrial network (NTN) positioning in a data communication network (par [0002]), the method comprising:
receiving from the UE, at the NG-RAN node, a UE-specific timing advance adjustment value ((" the UE may compensate for the UE-specific delay", par [0185]), wherein:
the UE-specific timing advance adjustment value is indicative of a propagation delay between a non-terrestrial vehicle of the NTN and the UE, and the propagation delay is reflective of a distance between an estimated location of the UE and an estimated location of the non-terrestrial vehicle (The NTN-capable UEs may calculate the propagation delay from the UE to the satellite based on the UE location(s) obtained via GNSS capabilities and satellite locations via ephemeris data", par [0186]; and
sending the UE-specific timing advance adjustment value in an Enhanced Cell ID (ECID) message to a location server of the data communication network (Under the UE autonomous/specific TA, reporting the TA-related information (e.g., calculated/determined by UE)"; Figure 10 #1008, par [0188]).
Regarding Claims 18-20 these claims comprise limitations substantially the same, as those discussed in claims 1-3 above, same rationale of rejection is applicable respectively. Tsai further teaches transceiver, memory, and processor(s) (see pars [0272-0274]).
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 5-6 and 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsai and in further view of Wu et al. (US 2022/0124795) (hereinafter as Wu).
Regarding Claim 5. Tsai teaches the method of claim 3 as discussed above.
Tsai does not teach wherein including the UE-specific timing advance adjustment value in the MAC-CE is responsive to receiving an uplink grant.
However, Wu discloses a UE and Base Station in a wireless communication system including
wherein including the UE-specific timing advance adjustment value in the MAC-CE is responsive to receiving an uplink grant ([0136]: "always report the estimated TA or TA for PRACH compensation to the base station through a MAC CE or RRC signaling in Msg3.", Msg3 is a response to a Msg2/ RAR comprising an UL Grant, see Figure 7).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings of Wu in Tsai to always respond to an UL grant. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Tsai/Wu to achieve higher data rates and lower propagation loss.
Regarding Claim 6. Wu further teaches wherein including the UE-specific timing advance adjustment value in the MAC-CE is responsive to receiving a request in a separate MAC-CE, from an NG-RAN node, for the UE-specific timing advance adjustment value (Wu: "receiving an instruction of triggering the reporting of a timing advance indicated by the base station through a MAC CE.", par [0325]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings of Wu in Tsai to always respond to an UL grant. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Tsai/Wu to achieve higher data rates and lower propagation loss.
Regarding Claim 10. Wu further teaches wherein the method further comprising performing a plurality of random access attempts, wherein the UE-specific timing advance adjustment value corresponds with a successful one of the plurality of random access attempts (random access procedures as the initial TA (see for example paragraph [0338]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings of Wu in Tsai to always respond to an UL grant. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Tsai/Wu to achieve higher data rates and lower propagation loss.
Regarding Claim 11. Wu further teaches storing the UE- specific timing advance adjustment value responsive to an indication to store the UE- specific timing advance adjustment value received in downlink control information (DCI) of a corresponding physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) order for performing a plurality of random-access attempts (example 1-3,
paragraph [0238]: "a UE determines an initial TA according to a common TA indicated by the base station and an estimated TA estimated by itself", In this case, the reception of a common TA can be considered an indication to determine and store an estimated TA, and after that the initial TA value itself. A MAC CE carrying the common TA (see paragraph [0217]) would be transmitted in the PDCCH).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings of Wu in Tsai to always respond to an UL grant. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Tsai/Wu to achieve higher data rates and lower propagation loss.
Claims 7-9 and 13-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsai and in further view of Tripathi et al. (US 2022/0046490 A1) (hereinafter as Tripathi).
Regarding Claim 7. Tsai teaches the method of claim 1 as discussed above.
Tsai does not explicitly teach wherein the network node comprises a location server of the data communication network and the message comprises a long- term evolution (LTE) positioning protocol (LPP) Enhanced Cell ID (ECID) message.
However, Tripathi in a similar field of endeavor discloses signaling and trigger mechanisms for handover including wherein the network node comprises a location server of the data communication network and the message comprises a long- term evolution (LTE) positioning protocol (LPP) Enhanced Cell ID (ECID) message (Tripathi discloses in Figure 11 and paragraph [0129] how the 5G NR network supports location services).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement 5G services supporting location. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Tsai/Tripathi to improve handover.
Regarding Claim 8. Tripathi further teaches receiving an ECID request from the location server, wherein sending the UE-specific timing advance adjustment value in the LPP ECID message is responsive to the ECID request (Tripathi: Figure 11 F11S10 and [0129]: "In an example embodiment of this disclosure, the UE provides one or more of these NTN measurements for the serving cell and/or the neighbor cells: Timing Advance, signal strength measurements (e.g., RSRP, RSRQ, and SINR), elevation angles, and Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA).", message F11S10 is sent responsive to receiving F11S91 as shown in Figure 11).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement 5G services supporting location. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Tsai/Tripathi to improve handover.
Regarding Claim 9. Tripathi further teaches prior to sending the UE-specific timing advance adjustment value in the LPP ECID message, sending capability information to the location server indicative of a capability of the UE for sending the UE-specific timing advance adjustment value in the LPP ECID message (Tripathi: paragraph [0060] and Figure 3 #360 that the UE is capable of transmitting a capability information including information indicating support of enhanced signaling mechanisms;" and as specified in [0267] in particular support for distance estimation using TA: "In another embodiment of the disclosure, the UE may indicate its support for the distance estimation using the TA.". Furthermore, in Figure 14 and paragraph [0148] a set of UE capability parameters is shared: "As illustrated in FIG. 14, a gNB receives information regarding UE and BS capabilities, QoS requirements, resource utilization, BSRs, and NTN type, as well as implementation processing information").
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement 5G services supporting location. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Tsai/Tripathi to improve handover.
Regarding Claim 13. Tripathi further teaches wherein the ECID message is sent in accordance with new radio (NR) positioning protocol annex (NRPPa) (([0129]: "In support of the location services, the UE and the Location Server (e.g., Location Management Function or LMF) exchange LTE Positioning Protocol (LPPa)/NR Positioning Protocol (NPPa) messages.")
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement 5G services supporting location. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Tsai/Tripathi to improve handover.
Regarding Claim 14. Tripathi further teaches wherein receiving the UE-specific timing advance adjustment value from the UE comprises receiving the UE-specific timing advance adjustment value in a media access control - control element (MAC- CE) (Claim 9: "wherein the information indicating to report the terminal-specific TA is transmitted via at least one of downlink control information
(DCI), a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE), or a radio resource control (RRC) message." and [0456], [0457])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement 5G services supporting location. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Tsai/Tripathi to improve handover.
Regarding Claim 15. Tripathi further teaches sending request to the UE, in a separate MAC-CE, for the UE-specific timing advance adjustment value (Claim 9: "wherein the information indicating to report the terminal-specific TA is transmitted via at least one of downlink control information (DCI), a medium access control (MAC) control element (CE), or a radio resource control (RRC) message." and [0456], [0457]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement 5G services supporting location. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Tsai/Tripathi to improve handover.
Regarding Claim 16. Tripathi further teaches including a group common timing advance adjustment value, a timing advance value, or both, in the ECID message (Tsai: see Timing Advance Groups (TAGs), see for instance pars [0132] and [0136]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement 5G services supporting location. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Tsai/Tripathi to improve handover.
Regarding Claim 17. Tripathi further teaches sending an indication to the UE to store the UE-specific timing advance adjustment value, wherein the indication is sent in downlink control information (DCI) of a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) order for performing a random access (compensating for link delay between the base station and the terminal, and determining a TA of the terminal based on the common TA and the terminal-specific TA.", par [0453]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement 5G services supporting location. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have been motivated to combine the teachings of Tsai/Tripathi to improve handover.
Regarding Claims 22-30, these claims comprise limitations substantially the same, as those discussed in claims 5-17 above, same rationale of rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 are applicable respectively. Tsai further teaches transceiver, memory, and processor(s) (see pars [0272-0274]).
Conclusion
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/ANTHONY MEJIA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2451
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