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
Examiner acknowledges Applicant’s claim to priority benefits of EP22177089.4 filed 6/2/2022.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 11/5/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) is/are being considered if signed and initialed by the Examiner.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are:
Claim 17: a wireless communication unit is configured to establish…
A specialized function must be supported in the specification to perform the claimed specialized function.
The following have been identified as the structure for wireless communication unit:
¶[008], ¶[009], ¶[025] of the published specification provides an algorithm that accomplishes the claimed function associated with the claimed wireless communication unit discloses the wireless communication devices on which the algorithm is processed. Therefore, there is sufficient structure for the wireless communication unit.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 17 recites “a master device.” It is not understood if “a master device” of claim 17 same or different than “a master device” of claim 1. The applicant needs to clarify.
Claim 17 recites “target devices.” It is not understood if “target devices” of claim 17 same or different than “target devices” of claim 1. The applicant needs to clarify.
Claim 17 recites “a clock of the master device.” It is not understood if “a clock of the master device” of claim 17 same or different than “a clock of the master device” of claim 1. The applicant needs to clarify.
Claim 17 recites “a wireless communication network.” It is not understood if “a wireless communication network” of claim 17 same or different than “a wireless communication network” of claim 1. The applicant needs to clarify.
Claim 17 recites “a client device.” It is not understood if “a client device” of claim 17 same or different than “a client device” of claim 1. The applicant needs to clarify.
Claim 17 recites “a position information of the client device.” It is not understood if “a position information of the client device” of claim 17 same or different than “position information of the client device” of claim 1. The applicant needs to clarify.
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 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.
For applicant’s benefit portions of the cited reference(s) have been cited to aid in the review of the rejection(s). While every attempt has been made to be thorough and consistent within the rejection it is noted that the PRIOR ART MUST BE CONSIDERED IN ITS ENTIRETY, INCLUDING DISCLOSURES THAT TEACH AWAY FROM THE CLAIMS. See MPEP 2141.02 VI.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-2 and 5-19er are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Markhovsky et al. (US 2019/0285722 A1), and further in view of Agrawala et al. (US 2011/0268097 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Markhovsky et al. (‘722) discloses “a method of determining position information of a client device (Figure 8: mobile device; paragraph 4: wireless communications and wireless networks systems and systems for a Radio Frequency (RF)-based identification, tracking and locating of objects, including RTLS (Real Time Locating Service), LTE based locating services, and Location-as-a-Service (Laas)),
wherein the client device and a plurality of reference devices communicate with one another over a wireless communication network, wherein the plurality of reference devices comprise a master device and target devices (paragraph 162: in half-duplex mode of operation the reader (often referred to as the “master”) and the tags (also referred to as “slaves” or “targets”) are controlled by a protocol that only allows the master or the slave to transmit at any given time…in this mode of operation the tags (target devices) serve as Transponders…the tags receive the ranging signal from a reader (master device), store it in the memory and then, after certain time (delay), re-transmit the signal back to the master; Figure 8),
wherein clocks of the target devices are synchronized with a clock of the master device based on one-way message information, such that a residual clock offset between the clocks of the target devices and the clock of the master device (paragraph 221: the master and the transponder units (devices) are capable of synchronizing clocks with any of the devices…a master device can serve as a reference…clock synchronization is accomplished by using the remote control communication channel, whereby under FPGA 150 control, the frequency of crystal oscillator TCXO 20 is adjusted…the frequency difference is measured at the output of the summer 270 of the master device while the selected transponder device is transmitting a carrier signal) is obtained representative of a sum of a transmit antenna delay of the master device and a receive antenna delay of the respective target device (paragraph 376: use multi-path mitigation algorithms, network reference/pilot and/or synchronization signals and network node (eNB)…these might be supplemented with RTT (Round Time Trip) measurements…the multi-path mitigation algorithms are implemented in UE and/or base station (eNB), or both: UE and eNB; paragraph 596: the UE position fix is relative to the LMUs antennas locations…unlike the DL-OTDOA, the eNB's (base station's) time synchronization in case of U-TDOA is not necessary—only the LMU(s) will need precision time synchronization for locating purposes),
the method comprising: determining for each of the target devices (paragraph 846: the signal processing unit may be configured to estimate the carrier frequency offset (CFO), utilizing one or more specific algorithms and/or techniques, which may allow the LSU's signal processing unit to track one or more moving wireless devices and to mitigate clock frequency mismatch between one or more the network's nodes and a wireless device…the CFO estimates are used to correct the snap-shots digital samples from which observables are calculated),
wherein the first time correction is determined based on performing a two-way ranging between the master device and the respective target device and comparing a measured time-of-flight with a predetermined time-of-flight calculated based on a known distance between the master device and the respective target device for both a forward and a return message (paragraph 362: in the Observed Time Difference of Arrival (OTDOA) technique the time of arrival of the signal coming from neighboring base stations (eNB) is calculated…the UE position can be estimated in the handset (UE-based method) or in the network (NT-based, UE-assisted method) once the signals from three base stations are received…the measured signal is the CPICH (Common Pilot Channel)…the propagation time of signals is correlated with a locally generated replica…the peak of correlation indicates the observed time of propagation of the measured signal…Time difference of arrival values between two base stations determines a hyperbola…at least three reference points are needed to define two hyperbolas…the location of the UE is in the intersection of these two hyperbolas (see FIG. 11)); paragraph 375: the system of the embodiment leverages User Equipment (UE), e.g. cell phone or smart phone, hardware/software as well as Base Station (Node B)/enhanced Base Station (eNB) hardware/software…a base station generally consists of transmitters and receivers in a cabin or cabinet connected to antennas by feeders; paragraph 519: a system for tracking and locating one or more wireless network devices in communication with a network comprises a user equipment receiver configured to receive multiple signals from two or more nodes in communication with the network, the multiple signals being modulated with a code determined by an identification of each node of the two or more nodes transmitting the multiple signals, the user equipment receiver including a detector configured to detect and isolate reference signals from the multiple signals based on the identification, and a processor configured to use the reference signals as ranging signals from each node for tracking and locating the one or more wireless network devices; paragraph 684: the TA (RTT) is available from the serving cell and represents an independent UE range estimate from the serving sector…the TA is not available from the UE…UE provides access to the receive-transmit timing difference, i.e. UE Rx−Tx. From the above the UE Rx−Tx=RTT−eNB Rx−Tx. On the other hand, from FIG. 37 and FIG. 38 when UE(s) TA(s) are adjusted the serving cell eNB Rx−Tx time difference will be the same for all UE(s)…the UE Rx−Tx measurement will still correspond to the RTT, but with a bias that will depend upon the cell tower antennas cables length and base station electronics);
timestamping, by each of a plurality of the target devices, a first message transmitted from, or received by the respective target device with a first timestamp corrected for the first time correction (paragraph 400: from time-stamping of one or more received reference signals, provided that 1) these time stamps of transmitting these signals by eNB are also known at the receiver (or vice versa), 2) the receiver and eNB clocks are well synchronized in time, and/or 3) by using multi-lateration techniques; paragraph 460: the time-stamped processed signal, for example the LTE frame start (could be other signals, especially in other networks), also includes the eNB (cell) location and/or cell ID, is sent via the Internet/Ethernet backhaul to a central TMO Server that creates, maintains and updates a data base of all eNBs); and
determining the position information of the client device based on time-of- flight information of the first messages utilizing the first timestamp corrected for the first time correction (paragraph 409: the Cell ID+RTT track-locate method accuracy is impacted by the multipath (RTT measurements) and the eNB (base station) antenna beamwidth; paragraph 839: Precision localization methods employing two-step location process, whereby the first step entails calculation of one or more observables (observation results): TOA, TDOA, TOF, AOA/DOA, Received Signal Phase, and associated with these results metrics (SNR, std. deviation, confidence, etc.). During second step the observation results and their metrics are utilized to determine the wireless device (target) position/navigation).”
Markhovsky et al. (‘722) does not explicitly disclose “a first time correction representative of a sum of a transmit antenna delay of the respective target device, a transmit antenna delay of the master device, a receive antenna delay of the respective target device and a receive antenna delay of the master device.”
Agrawala et al. (‘097) relates to system and method for synchronizing timing information. Agrawala et al. (‘097) teaches “a first time correction representative of a sum of a transmit antenna delay of the respective target device, a transmit antenna delay of the master device, a receive antenna delay of the respective target device and a receive antenna delay of the master device (paragraph 110: all clocks generally run with the same discrete precision..the local time
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may generally be expressed as:
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…the quantity
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is an integer, with the unit of time determined by the clock speed…the .
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value for a given clock is reflective of the clock being started independently at different time relative to the other clocks in the system…the
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value represents the running rate of a given clock (reflecting the fact that each individual clock runs at a slightly different rate)…a discretization error is modeled by a separate term e, along with intrinsic receive and send delays characteristic of a particular node, such that the local time is more completely expressed as:
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…the term d(a, b) in the local receive time expression accounts for the actual transmit time between the nodes a and b; paragraph 121: to find
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for an arbitrary time
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, the closest messages to
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are found, then a correction term for clock drift added…the clock drift term depends on the time elapsed between
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and the time of the
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measurement,
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…it is assumed that the error terms e for send and receive times are independent with standard deviation
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; paragraph 130: The send and receive times are modeled using a basic clock model which has been augmented with a send delay s and receive delay r for each card. If timestamping were perfectly executed, then s=r=0. In practice, however, actual card delays are nonzero).”
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill-in-the-art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Markhovsky et al. (‘722) with the teaching of Agrawala et al. (‘097) for more accurate clock synchronization (Agrawala et al. (‘097) – paragraph 16). In addition, both of the prior art references, (Markhovsky et al. (‘722) and Agrawala et al. (‘097)) teach features that are directed to analogous art and they are directed to the same field of endeavor, such as, applying synchronized timing of information in wireless network for combined use within a common frame of time reference in a time-based location system.
Regarding claim 2, which is dependent on independent claim 1, Markhovsky et al. (‘722)/Agrawala et al. (‘097) discloses the method of claim 1. Markhovsky et al. (‘722) further discloses “the first message is transmitted from the respective target device and is received by the client device (Figure 15; (paragraph 400: from time-stamping of one or more received reference signals, provided that 1) these time stamps of transmitting these signals by eNB are also known at the receiver (or vice versa), 2) the receiver and eNB clocks are well synchronized in time, and/or 3) by using multi-lateration techniques; paragraph 460: the time-stamped processed signal, for example the LTE frame start (could be other signals, especially in other networks), also includes the eNB (cell) location and/or cell ID, is sent via the Internet/Ethernet backhaul to a central TMO Server that creates, maintains and updates a data base of all eNBs)).”
Regarding claim 5, which is dependent on independent claim 1, Markhovsky et al. (‘722)/Agrawala et al. (‘097) discloses the method of claim 1. Markhovsky et al. (‘722) further discloses “the clocks of the target devices are offset by the first time correction such that the first timestamp is automatically corrected for the first time correction (paragraph 208: where TLB_M and TLB_AM are propagation delays through the master (M) and transponder (AM) TX and RX circuitries that are measured by placing devices in the loop-back mode…the master and the transponder devices can measure TLB_M and TLB_AM automatically).”
Regarding claim 6, which is dependent on independent claim 1, Markhovsky et al. (‘722)/Agrawala et al. (‘097) discloses the method of claim 1. Markhovsky et al. (‘722) further discloses “determining the position information of the client device is based on a time of flight position computation method selected from the group consisting of: one-way Time of arrival, Time difference of arrival, Two-way ranging, and Symmetrical double-sided two-way ranging (paragraph 684: the TA (RTT) is available from the serving cell and represents an independent UE range estimate from the serving sector…the TA is not available from the UE…UE provides access to the receive-transmit timing difference, i.e. UE Rx−Tx. From the above the UE Rx−Tx=RTT−eNB Rx−Tx. On the other hand, from FIG. 37 and FIG. 38 when UE(s) TA(s) are adjusted the serving cell eNB Rx−Tx time difference will be the same for all UE(s)…the UE Rx−Tx measurement will still correspond to the RTT, but with a bias that will depend upon the cell tower antennas cables length and base station electronics; paragraph 373: the embodiments significantly lower the error in the estimated ranging signal DLOS time-of-flight and consequently TOA, RTT and DTOA measurements).”
Regarding claim 7, which is dependent on independent claim 1, Markhovsky et al. (‘722)/Agrawala et al. (‘097) discloses the method of claim 1. Markhovsky et al. (‘722) further discloses “determining the position information of the client device is based on one-way time of arrival ranging messages. (paragraph 211: If necessary, the 2×φ.sub.F.sub.1.sup.MULT value (phase initial value) can be found by determining the TOA (Time Of Arrival) using the narrow-bandwidth ranging signal method; paragraph 373: the embodiments significantly lower the error in the estimated ranging signal DLOS time-of-flight and consequently TOA, RTT and DTOA measurements).”
Regarding claim 8, which is dependent on independent claim 1, Markhovsky et al. (‘722)/Agrawala et al. (‘097) discloses the method of claim 1. Markhovsky et al. (‘722) further discloses “the first message is broadcast by the respective target device- preferably wherein the first message is a one=way time of arrival ranging message. (paragraph 400: from time-stamping of one or more received reference signals, provided that 1) these time stamps of transmitting these signals by eNB are also known at the receiver (or vice versa), 2) the receiver and eNB clocks are well synchronized in time, and/or 3) by using multi-lateration techniques; paragraph 460: the time-stamped processed signal, for example the LTE frame start (could be other signals, especially in other networks), also includes the eNB (cell) location and/or cell ID, is sent via the Internet/Ethernet backhaul to a central TMO Server that creates, maintains and updates a data base of all eNBs).”
Regarding claim 9, which is dependent on independent claim 1, Markhovsky et al. (‘722)/Agrawala et al. (‘097) discloses the method of claim 1. Markhovsky et al. (‘722) further discloses “the client device and the plurality of reference devices communicate over the wireless communication network through ultra wideband signals (paragraph 128: for certain applications where operating range and/or mobility/portability are very important a higher RF frequencies/bands may be used, for example HF, VHF, UHF and UWB; paragraph 354: these wireless networks include wireless local area network (WLAN) such as WiFi and UWB).”
Regarding claim 10, which is dependent on independent claim 1, Markhovsky et al. (‘722)/Agrawala et al. (‘097) discloses the method of claim 1. Markhovsky et al. (‘722) further discloses “the clocks of the target devices are synchronized with the clock of the master device through the wireless communication network (paragraph 162: in half-duplex mode of operation the reader (often referred to as the “master”) and the tags (also referred to as “slaves” or “targets”) are controlled by a protocol that only allows the master or the slave to transmit at any given time…in this mode of operation the tags (target devices) serve as Transponders…the tags receive the ranging signal from a reader (master device), store it in the memory and then, after certain time (delay), re-transmit the signal back to the master; Figure 8).”
Regarding claim 11, which is dependent on independent claim 1, Markhovsky et al. (‘722)/Agrawala et al. (‘097) discloses the method of claim 1. Markhovsky et al. (‘722) further discloses “the first time correction is determined for each of the target devices periodically, optionally wherein the second time correction is determined periodically (paragraph 380: Once the channel response is determined (by periodic transmission of known reference signals), the channel distortion caused by multipath is mitigated by applying an amplitude and phase shift on a subcarrier-by-subcarrier basis; paragraph 400: times when UE periodically collects and reports measurements back to the UE, in which the DPCH frames are exchanged between the UE and different networks (base stations)….similar to RTT, TOA measurements provide the signal's time-of-flight (propagation delay); paragraph 440: these measurements are performed periodically and are reported to the higher layers and are used for a variety of purposes including timing measurements).”
Regarding claim 12, which is dependent on independent claim 1, Markhovsky et al. (‘722)/Agrawala et al. (‘097) discloses the method of claim 1. Markhovsky et al. (‘722) further discloses “the first timestamp corrected for the first time correction results in a residual time-of-flight offset error which is independent of the target devices (paragraph 221: the master and the transponder units (devices) are capable of synchronizing clocks with any of the devices…a master device can serve as a reference…clock synchronization is accomplished by using the remote control communication channel, whereby under FPGA 150 control, the frequency of crystal oscillator TCXO 20 is adjusted…the frequency difference is measured at the output of the summer 270 of the master device while the selected transponder device is transmitting a carrier signal).”
Regarding claim 13, which is dependent on claim 12, Markhovsky et al. (‘722)/Agrawala et al. (‘097) discloses the method of claim 12. Markhovsky et al. (‘722) further discloses “determining the position information of the client device comprises compensating for the residual time-of-flight offset error as a constant error (paragraph 178] Since all frequencies are generated from the system crystal oscillator 20 clocks, the master′ base-band I/Q DAC(s) 120 and 125 outputs are as follows: F.sub.1=γ.sup.M 20×10.sup.6×K.sub.F.sub.1 and F.sub.2=γ.sup.M 20×10.sup.6×K.sub.F.sub.2, where K.sub.F.sub.1 and K.sub.F.sub.2 are constant coefficients. Similarly, the output frequencies TX_LO and RX_LO from frequency synthesizer 25 (LO signals for mixers 50 and 85) can be expressed through constant coefficients. These constant coefficients are the same for the master (M) and the transponder (AM)—the difference is in the system crystal oscillator 20 clock frequency of each device).”
Regarding claim 14, which is dependent on claim 12, Markhovsky et al. (‘722)/Agrawala et al. (‘097) discloses the method of claim 12. Markhovsky et al. (‘722) further discloses “the clocks of the target devices are synchronized with the clock of the master device based on comparing a local time of the respective target device with a transmit timestamp from the master device added with a known actual time-of-flight of a one-way message from the master device to the respective target device (Figure 13: LSU collects data from NSAU(s) and analyze it, determining range and locations, and to convert it into a table, e.g. of phone/UEs IDs and location s at an instant of time…determines the difference (offset) between frame starts of each wireless network antennae).”
Regarding claim 15, which is dependent on claim 12, Markhovsky et al. (‘722)/Agrawala et al. (‘097) discloses the method of claim 12. Markhovsky et al. (‘722) further discloses “the wireless communication network is accessed by the client device and the plurality of reference devices according to a time division multiple access scheme (paragraph 434: in case of the TDD (Time Division Duplexing) improving the system coherency; paragraph 449: For LTE TDD (Time Division Duplexing) this time synchronization accuracy is limit is +/−1.5 microseconds).”
Regarding claim 16, which is dependent on claim 12, Markhovsky et al. (‘722)/Agrawala et al. (‘097) discloses the method of claim 12. Markhovsky et al. (‘722) further discloses “at least a portion of the plurality of reference devices are arranged indoors (paragraph 609: several multichannel LMU (e.g., LMU device 2800) with relaxed synchronization between these multichannel LMUs can be used for indoors and other GPS/GNSS denied environments; paragraph 888: various Nodes types include, indoor—4214; WLAN AP 4218, active DAS (indoor/campus)—4230 and passive DAS (indoors only)—4224; Terrestrial Beacon 4208 and LMU (Location Measurement/Management Unit): indoor—4220).”
Regarding claim 17, which is dependent on independent claim 1, Markhovsky et al. (‘722)/Agrawala et al. (‘097) discloses the method of claim 12. Markhovsky et al. (‘722) further discloses “a positioning system (Figure 8; Figure 11; paragraph 4: wireless communications and wireless networks systems and systems for a Radio Frequency (RF)-based identification, tracking and locating of objects, including RTLS (Real Time Locating Service), LTE based locating services, and Location-as-a-Service (Laas))), comprising:
a plurality of reference network devices comprising a master device and target devices (paragraph 162: in half-duplex mode of operation the reader (often referred to as the “master”) and the tags (also referred to as “slaves” or “targets”) are controlled by a protocol that only allows the master or the slave to transmit at any given time…in this mode of operation the tags (target devices) serve as Transponders…the tags receive the ranging signal from a reader (master device), store it in the memory and then, after certain time (delay), re-transmit the signal back to the master; Figure 8),
wherein clocks of the target devices are configured to be synchronized with a clock of the master device (paragraph 221: the master and the transponder units (devices) are capable of synchronizing clocks with any of the devices…a master device can serve as a reference…clock synchronization is accomplished by using the remote control communication channel, whereby under FPGA 150 control, the frequency of crystal oscillator TCXO 20 is adjusted…the frequency difference is measured at the output of the summer 270 of the master device while the selected transponder device is transmitting a carrier signal);
a wireless communication unit, wherein the wireless communication unit is configured to establish a wireless communication network allowing for communicating with a client device (Figure 12; Figures 14-17); and
a processing unit configured to determine a position information of the client device; wherein the positioning system is configured to carry out the method of claim 1 (paragraph 400: from time-stamping of one or more received reference signals, provided that 1) these time stamps of transmitting these signals by eNB are also known at the receiver (or vice versa), 2) the receiver and eNB clocks are well synchronized in time, and/or 3) by using multi-lateration techniques; paragraph 460: the time-stamped processed signal, for example the LTE frame start (could be other signals, especially in other networks), also includes the eNB (cell) location and/or cell ID, is sent via the Internet/Ethernet backhaul to a central TMO Server that creates, maintains and updates a data base of all eNBs); paragraph 409: the Cell ID+RTT track-locate method accuracy is impacted by the multipath (RTT measurements) and the eNB (base station) antenna beamwidth; paragraph 839: Precision localization methods employing two-step location process, whereby the first step entails calculation of one or more observables (observation results): TOA, TDOA, TOF, AOA/DOA, Received Signal Phase, and associated with these results metrics (SNR, std. deviation, confidence, etc.)…during second step the observation results and their metrics are utilized to determine the wireless device (target) position/navigation).”
Regarding claim 18, which is dependent on independent claim 1, Markhovsky et al. (‘722)/Agrawala et al. (‘097) discloses the method of claim 12. Markhovsky et al. (‘722) further discloses “the client device is configured to operate as a wireless receiver in the wireless communication network (Figure 12; Figures 14-17) and comprises a microprocessor programmed to determine the position information (paragraph 513: in a downlink embodiment, a system for tracking and locating one or more wireless network devices in communication with a network comprises a user equipment receiver configured to receive multiple signals from two or more nodes in communication with the network, the multiple signals being modulated with a code determined by an identification of each node of the two or more nodes transmitting the multiple signals, the user equipment receiver including a detector configured to detect and isolate reference signals from the multiple signals based on the identification, and a processor configured to use the reference signals as ranging signals from each node for tracking and locating the one or more wireless network devices).”
Regarding claim 19, which is dependent on independent claim 1, Markhovsky et al. (‘722)/Agrawala et al. (‘097) discloses the method of claim 12. Markhovsky et al. (‘722) further discloses “the first message is a one-way time of arrival ranging message (paragraph 642: he LSU may include a downlink signal processor configured to estimate the time of arrival (ToA/TDOA) and/or time of flight (ToF) of reference signals from the downlink reference signal data and other information sent by the UE).”
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 3 is 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.
Allowable Subject Matter:
“determining for the master device a second time correction representative of a sum of the transmit antenna delay of the master device and the receive antenna delay of the master device, wherein the second time correction is determined based on one-way ranging messages in a triangle between the master device, a first one of the target devices and a second one of the target devices, in which the first time correction is applied only once to the one-way ranging message between the first one and the second one of the target devices; timestamping, by the master device, a second message transmitted from, or received by the master device with a second timestamp corrected for the second time correction; and determining the position information of the client device further based on time-of- flight information of the second message utilizing the second timestamp corrected for the second time correction.”
Closet prior art found to be:
Markhovsky et al. (US 2019/0285722 A1) describes trilateration positioning algorithms can be also employed (paragraph 438); multilateration/trilateration methods are further enhanced by dividing the set of all detectable reference points (network's nodes) in subsets of three or more, determining the target position for each subset and performing target localization by applying location consistency algorithms, including machine learning algorithms, to the resulting multiple position estimates (paragraph 845).
Claims 4 and 20 depends on claim 3, and therefore are also objected to be allowable.
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Bartov et al. (US 2017/0131383 A1) describes client 310 which is a mobile device 310…central station…anchor stations (Figure 1); the plurality of active tags and the plurality of beacons are synchronized continuously to a common time base (claim 1); correction factor (paragraph 55); determining a position of an active tag using a system comprising an application server and a plurality of fixed location beacons (claim 9); a system such as system 600 in one embodiment has a global cycle time on the order tens of seconds…every cycle, each of the beacons 604 broadcasts a short synchronization message that includes that beacon's ID and coordinates…the synchronization message is sent in a predefined time slot in the cycle (in one embodiment a predefined offset time from the cycle start time)..the predefined time slot for a beacon 604 is assigned in one embodiment by the central application server 602 using an assignment protocol, such as TDMA (paragraph 52).
Ferrari et al. (US 2020/0267681 A1) describes position determination of a user equipment (UE) is supported using channel measurements obtained for Wireless Access Points (WAPs), wherein the channel measurements are for Line of Sight (LOS) and Non-LOS (NLOS) signals…based on WAP almanac information and the channel measurements, channel parameters indicative of positions of signal sources relative to a first position of a UE may be determined…using the first position of the UE and an association of the signal sources with corresponding channel parameters, a second position of the UE may be determined…the position of the UE may be a probability density function… position information for signal sources may be determined, such as a probability density function, as well as signal blockage probability and an antenna geometry and the WAP almanac information may be updated accordingly (paragraph 4).
Stanton et al. (US 2013/0145049 A1) describes a method is disclosed that comprises transmitting a first message at a first time from a master device to a target device to synchronize time between the master device and the target device arranged across a network, wherein the target device communicates to the master device through a PCIe interconnect, the first message including a message indicator…receiving a reply message at a subsequent time from the target device to the master device, the reply message including the message indicator (paragraph 12).
Jalali et al. (US 2014/0253388 A1) describes the anchor units are synchronized by determining their clock offsets through signals wirelessly transmitted between the anchor units. The clock offsets may be obtained when there is a clear line-of-sight (LOS) path between anchor units as well as when the LOS path is obstructed…the range measurements that produce the estimate of the location of the tag are then determined from information in the preamble signals sent by the tag and from the clock offsets determined for the anchor units (paragraph 6); identifying one of the anchor units as a reference anchor unit, and determining a clock offset between each of the other anchor units and the reference anchor unit based on the clock offsets between the anchor units (paragraph 10)
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/NUZHAT PERVIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3648
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