Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6, 13-14, 16-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Sato (2018/0252818).
Regarding claim 1, Sato discloses An apparatus for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) (Fig.3), comprising: at least one memory (Fig. 3: 154); and
at least one processor (Fig. 3: 153) coupled to the at least one memory,
the at least one processor, individually or in any combination, is configured
to: identify a maximum number of global navigation satellite system (GNSS)
signals to be used by the UE for GNSS positioning (par. 0003);
prioritize a set of available GNSS signals for the GNSS positioning based
on one or more conditions (Fig. 4: S13 and S15; Fig. 5; p. 3, I. 15-27; );
and select the maximum number of GNSS signals to be used for the GNSS
positioning from the prioritized set of GNSS signals (par. 0132-0135).
Regarding claim 16, Sato discloses a method for wireless communications at a user equipment (UE, Figure 3) comprising: identifying a maximum number of global navigation satellite system (GNSS)signals to be used by the UE for GNSS positioning (par. 0003); prioritizing a set of available GNSS signals for the GNSS positioning based
on one or more conditions (Fig. 4: S13 and S15; Fig. 5; p. 3, I. 15-27; );
and selecting the maximum number of GNSS signals to be used for the GNSS
positioning from the prioritized set of GNSS signals (par. 0132-0135).
Regarding claim 20, Sato discloses a computer-readable medium storing computer executable code at a user equipment (UE, Figure 3), the code when executed by at least one processor causes the at least one processor to (para 190, 191): : identifying a maximum number of global navigation satellite system (GNSS)signals to be used by the UE for GNSS positioning (par. 0003); prioritizing a set of available GNSS signals for the GNSS positioning based on one or more conditions (Fig. 4: S13 and S15; Fig. 5; p. 3, I. 15-27; ); and selecting the maximum number of GNSS signals to be used for the GNSS
positioning from the prioritized set of GNSS signals (par. 0132-0135).
Regarding claims 2 and 17, Sato discloses wherein to identify the maximum number of signals, the at least one processor is configured to: identify the signals to be used by the UE for the GNSS positioning based at least on one of: a location of the UE (para 3).
Regarding claims 6 and 19, Sato further discloses wherein the prioritize the set of available GNSS signals is based on one or more conditions, and ordering the set is based on at least one of the elevation angles of the set of available GNSS signals (para 107-108) or visibilities of the available GNSS signals (para 124, visibility)
Regarding claims 3-4, and 18, Sato further discloses: identifying the maximum number of GNSS signals based on the number of resources that can be used (para 132-135). Sato also disclose determining a number of resources that can be used for processing the GNSS signals (para 126-129, quality evaluation and determining whether number of satellites is less than maximum are both resources used in the positioning process).
Regarding claims 13-14, Sato further discloses performing the GNSS positioning based on the maximum number of signals selected from the prioritized number (para 132-135 refers to a maximum/upper limit and the results are prioritized because satellites with low quality are removed, S43 Figure 3) and that the UE position is estimated based on the measurement of the GNSS signals (para 3 – GNSS estimates the position of a user terminal).
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.
Claim(s) 11-12 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sato in view of Baruch (2014/0085142).
Regarding claims 11-12 and 15, Sato discloses all the particulars of the claim except for receiving from a network entity information related to GNSS signals or wherein to output the indication of the location of the UE transmits the location of the UE. However, Baruch teaches in an analogous art, the use of a network entity (assisted GPS reference station and server, 120, 150, Figure 1) that provide information related to indication of a set of conditions related to GNSS signals (para 13, ephemeris data and almanac data relates to conditions of GPS satellites.) Baruch also teaches transmitting the location of the UE (Figure 3, para 23). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include location of the UE as well as condition information related to GNSS signals in order to denote an exact location of the UE and provide assistance data to improve location accuracy, respectively.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sato in view of Park (6,727,850).
Regarding claim 5, Sato discloses detecting a number of signals exceeds a maximum number of signals to be use for GNSS positioning (upper limit, para 132-15). Sato fails to disclose the prioritization of set is based on the detection of available signals exceeds the maximum number of signals to be used by the UE in GNSS positioning. However, Park teaches that a GNSS (GPS) positioning system, in which a maximum number of signals used by the UE is less than the total number of signals available (Col 9;54-Col 10;5 – using less than the maximum number of signals due to the UE only needing an optimal number of signals for positioning. This shows a ranking of signals as well). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to utilize less than the maximum number of signals in order to reduce processing by the user terminal when locating a position.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-10 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The closest prior art of Sato discloses ranking of satellite up to a maximum level with respect to GNSS positioning of a user terminal. Secondary arts of Park and Baruch disclose utilizing the maximum level of a user terminal’s capabilities which is less than the max number of satellites measured for positioning as well as reporting the UE location. However the cited art of record does not disclose nor fairly suggest “determine a first order of the set of available GNSS signals based on the visibilities or the signal strengths of the set of available GNSS signals; reorder the first order of the set of available GNSS signals based on the elevation angles of the set of available GNSS signals to obtain a second order of the set of available GNSS signals; and reorder the second order of the set of available GNSS signals based on the types of the set of available GNSS signals to obtain a third order of the set of available GNSS signals.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Niles (6278404) discloses reordering a set of satellites based on quality rankings and orthogonality to a backplane.
Sheynblat (CN 101950022) discloses ordering of a constellation of satellites for positioning.
Lu (2026/0006630) discloses use of utilization rankings for determining satellite communications based on a user’s location
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WILLIAM GEORGE TROST IV
Primary Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2641
/WILLIAM G TROST IV/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2641
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