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 the following data:
Parent data
19102567 filed 02/10/2025 is a National Stage entry of PCT/IB2023/058063, International Filing Date: 08/09/2023
PCT/IB2023/058063 Claims Priority from Provisional Application 63396828, filed 08/10/2022
PCT/IB2023/058063 Claims Priority from Provisional Application 63396839, filed 08/10/2022.
Status of the Application
This Non-final office action is in response to Applicant’s amendment received by the Office on 10 February 2025. Claims 1-40 have been presented in the application, of which, claims 1-20 are cancelled, and claims 21-40 are new. Accordingly, pending claims 21-40 are addressed herein.
Information Disclosure statements
The information disclosure statements (IDS) were submitted and filed on 05/09/2025, 05/27/2026 and 08/01/2026. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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 21-40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nam et al (US 2023/0232363) in view of Tenny (US 2008/0318596).
Regarding claim 21, Nam et al discloses user equipment (UE) (fig. 1A, item 105, UE) for wireless communication comprising (FIG. 1A shows an architecture of communication system including a number of UEs, a Radio Access Network (RAN), and a 5G Core Network (5GC), [0022], lines 1-2):
at least one memory (at least one memory, [0278], line 2); and
at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the UE to (network entity configured for supporting positioning of a target user equipment (UE), comprising: an external interface configured to communicate with entities in a wireless network; at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the external interface and the at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor, [0278], lines 1-3):
determine information for positioning of a device (Base stations 110a, 110b, 114 that receive uplink reference signals from a UEs 105, 106 may perform positioning measurements, such as one or more of a time of arrival (TOA), reception to transmission difference (UE Rx-Tx); thus is seen as base stations 110a, 110b, 114 receive positioning measurements (information) associated with a position of UEs 105, 106 (first device), [0060], lines 3-5); and
Nam et al does not specifically discloses concept of transmit the information.
However, Tenny specifically teaches concept of transmit the information (UE 110 may then send a position report containing the position estimate for the UE to home base station 120 (step e), [0032], lines 13-14).
At the time the invention was filed, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified system of Nam et al with concept of transmit the information of Tenny. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to improve techniques for performing positioning in a cellular communication network, (Tenny, [0003], lines 1-2).
Regarding claim 22, Nam et al discloses UE (fig. 1A, item 105, UE), wherein the information comprises a velocity associated with the device (positioning assistance data may include one of a velocity or Doppler information for the mobile anchor node, so that the target UE may determine the SL PRS configuration based on velocity or Doppler information, [0145], lines 11-13).
Regarding claim 23, Nam et al discloses UE (fig. 1A, item 105, UE), wherein the velocity comprises a horizontal velocity, a vertical velocity, or a combination thereof (motion information, for example, may be represented by one of a path of motion, a surface of motion, or a volume of motion. Additionally, the positioning assistance data may include one of a velocity or Doppler information for the mobile anchor node, so that the target UE may determine the SL PRS configuration based on velocity or Doppler information, [0163], lines 6-9).
Regarding claim 24, Nam et al discloses UE (fig. 1A, item 105, UE), wherein the information comprises an accuracy associated with the positioning of the device (if the UEs have good channel condition, the use of anchor nodes 106 may improve the overall positioning accuracy by providing additional measurements, [0088], lines 1-2).
Regarding claim 25, Nam et al discloses UE (fig. 1A, item 105, UE), wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the UE to (network entity configured for supporting positioning of a target user equipment (UE), comprising: an external interface configured to communicate with entities in a wireless network; at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the external interface and the at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor, [0278], lines 1-3):
transmit or receive a positioning reference signal (PRS),wherein the information associated with the positioning of the device is determined based at least in part on the transmitted or received PRS (target UE, for example, may receive SL PRS over a plurality of PRS occasions, and may generate positioning measurements based on the restriction. For example, the target UE may restrict measurement of SL PRS from the mobile anchor node to only one PRS occasion, [0036], lines 7-9).
Regarding claim 26, Nam et al discloses UE (fig. 1A, item 105, UE), wherein the at least one processor (network entity configured for supporting positioning of a target user equipment (UE), comprising: an external interface configured to communicate with entities in a wireless network; at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the external interface and the at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor, [0278], lines 1-3) is configured to cause the UE to receive the information from a location management function (LMF) (FIG. 1A, the NG-RAN 135 includes a Location Management Function (LMF) 120, gNBs 110a, 110b and the ng-eNB 114 are communicatively coupled to each other, are each configured wirelessly communicate to bi-directionally with the UE 105 and UE 106, and are each communicatively coupled to, and configured to bi-directionally communicate with, the AMF 115. The AMF 115, the SMF 117, the LMF 120, and the GMLC 125 are communicatively coupled to each other, and the GMLC 125 is communicatively coupled to an external client 130, [0043], lines 1-8).
Regarding claim 27, Nam et al discloses UE (fig. 1A, item 105, UE), wherein the information indicates a mobility of the device (gNBs 110a, 110b and the ng-eNB 114 may communicate with the AMF 115, which, for positioning functionality, communicates with the LMF 120. The AMF 115 may support mobility of the UEs 105, 106, including cell change and handover and may participate in supporting a signaling connection to the UEs 105, 106 and possibly data and voice bearers for the UEs 105, 106, [0065], lines 1-4).
Regarding claim 28, Nam et al discloses UE (fig. 1A, item 105, UE), wherein the information indicates a position reliability for a plurality of spatial dimensions (for conventional TDOA measurements, very accurate and reliable knowledge of the network node locations is important. The gNBs 110a and 110b are stationary and thus their locations may be precisely known and do not change. In general, the location of the anchor node 106 may also be known, e.g., through GNSS or other positioning measurements for the anchor node 106, [0108], lines 1-4).
Regarding claim 29, Nam et al discloses method (fig. 1A, method) performed by a user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, the method comprising:
determining information for positioning of a device (Base stations 110a, 110b, 114 that receive uplink reference signals from a UEs 105, 106 may perform positioning measurements, such as one or more of a time of arrival (TOA), reception to transmission difference (UE Rx-Tx); thus is seen as base stations 110a, 110b, 114 receive positioning measurements (information) associated with a position of UEs 105, 106 (first device), [0060], lines 3-5); and
Nam et al does not specifically discloses concept of transmitting the information.
However, Tenny specifically teaches concept of transmitting the information (UE 110 may then send a position report containing the position estimate for the UE to home base station 120 (step e), [0032], lines 13-14).
At the time the invention was filed, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified system of Nam et al with concept of transmitting the information of Tenny. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to improve techniques for performing positioning in a cellular communication network, (Tenny, [0003], lines 1-2).
Regarding claim 30, Nam et al discloses method (fig. 1A, method), wherein the information comprises a velocity associated with the device (positioning assistance data may include one of a velocity or Doppler information for the mobile anchor node, so that the target UE may determine the SL PRS configuration based on velocity or Doppler information, [0145], lines 11-13).
Regarding claim 31, Nam et al discloses method (fig. 1A, method), wherein the velocity comprises a horizontal velocity, a vertical velocity, or a combination thereof (motion information, for example, may be represented by one of a path of motion, a surface of motion, or a volume of motion. Additionally, the positioning assistance data may include one of a velocity or Doppler information for the mobile anchor node, so that the target UE may determine the SL PRS configuration based on velocity or Doppler information, [0163], lines 6-9).
Regarding claim 32, Nam et al discloses method (fig. 1A, method), wherein the information comprises an accuracy associated with the positioning of the device (if the UEs have good channel condition, the use of anchor nodes 106 may improve the overall positioning accuracy by providing additional measurements, [0088], lines 1-2).
Regarding claim 33, Nam et al discloses method (fig. 1A, method), further comprising transmitting or receiving a positioning reference signal (PRS), wherein the information associated with the positioning of the device is determined based at least in part on the transmitted or received PRS (target UE, for example, may receive SL PRS over a plurality of PRS occasions, and may generate positioning measurements based on the restriction. For example, the target UE may restrict measurement of SL PRS from the mobile anchor node to only one PRS occasion, [0036], lines 7-9).
Regarding claim 34, Nam et al discloses method (fig. 1A, method), further comprising receiving the information from a location management function (LMF) (FIG. 1A, the NG-RAN 135 includes a Location Management Function (LMF) 120, gNBs 110a, 110b and the ng-eNB 114 are communicatively coupled to each other, are each configured wirelessly communicate to bi-directionally with the UE 105 and UE 106, and are each communicatively coupled to, and configured to bi-directionally communicate with, the AMF 115. The AMF 115, the SMF 117, the LMF 120, and the GMLC 125 are communicatively coupled to each other, and the GMLC 125 is communicatively coupled to an external client 130, [0043], lines 1-8).
Regarding claim 35, Nam et al discloses method (fig. 1A, method), wherein the information indicates a mobility of the device (gNBs 110a, 110b and the ng-eNB 114 may communicate with the AMF 115, which, for positioning functionality, communicates with the LMF 120. The AMF 115 may support mobility of the UEs 105, 106, including cell change and handover and may participate in supporting a signaling connection to the UEs 105, 106 and possibly data and voice bearers for the UEs 105, 106, [0065], lines 1-4).
Regarding claim 36, Nam et al discloses wherein the information indicates a position reliability for a plurality of spatial dimensions (for conventional TDOA measurements, very accurate and reliable knowledge of the network node locations is important. The gNBs 110a and 110b are stationary and thus their locations may be precisely known and do not change. In general, the location of the anchor node 106 may also be known, e.g., through GNSS or other positioning measurements for the anchor node 106, [0108], lines 1-4).
Regarding claim 37, Nam et al discloses base station (fig. 1a, item 110a, base station) for wireless communication (FIG. 1A shows an architecture of communication system including a number of UEs, a Radio Access Network (RAN), and a 5G Core Network (5GC), [0022], lines 1-2), comprising:
at least one memory (at least one memory, [0278], line 2); and
at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the base station to (network entity configured for supporting positioning of a target user equipment (UE), comprising: an external interface configured to communicate with entities in a wireless network; at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the external interface and the at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor, [0278], lines 1-3):
receive information associated with a position of a first device (Base stations 110a, 110b, 114 that receive uplink reference signals from a UEs 105, 106 may perform positioning measurements, such as one or more of a time of arrival (TOA), reception to transmission difference (UE Rx-Tx); thus is seen as base stations 110a, 110b, 114 receive positioning measurements (information) associated with a position of UEs 105, 106 (first device), [0060], lines 3-5); and
Nam et al does not specifically discloses concept of estimate a second position of a second device based at least in part on the received information associated with the position of the first device.
However, Tenny specifically teaches concept of estimate a second position of a second device based at least in part on the received information associated with the position of the first device (base station 130 (and/or some other network entity) may be responsible for collecting position estimates for UEs within radio coverage of home base station 120 and for determining the position of the home base station based on the UE position estimates; thus is seen as base station 130 determining (estimates) the position of the home base station (second device) based on the UE (first device) position estimates collected, [0043], lines 1-3).
At the time the invention was filed, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified system of Nam et al with concept of estimate a second position of a second device based at least in part on the received information associated with the position of the first device of Tenny. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to improve techniques for performing positioning in a cellular communication network, (Tenny, [0003], lines 1-2).
Regarding claim 38, Nam et al discloses method (fig. 1A, method) performed by a base station for wireless communication, the method (network entity configured for supporting positioning of a target user equipment (UE), comprising: an external interface configured to communicate with entities in a wireless network; at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the external interface and the at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor, [0278], lines 1-3) comprising:
receiving information associated with a position of a first device (Base stations 110a, 110b, 114 that receive uplink reference signals from a UEs 105, 106 may perform positioning measurements, such as one or more of a time of arrival (TOA), reception to transmission difference (UE Rx-Tx); thus is seen as base stations 110a, 110b, 114 receive positioning measurements (information) associated with a position of UEs 105, 106 (first device), [0060], lines 3-5); and
Nam et al does not specifically discloses concept of estimating a second position of a second device based at least in part on the received information.
However, Tenny specifically teaches concept of estimating a second position of a second device based at least in part on the received information (base station 130 (and/or some other network entity) may be responsible for collecting position estimates for UEs within radio coverage of home base station 120 and for determining the position of the home base station based on the UE position estimates; thus is seen as base station 130 determining (estimates) the position of the home base station (second device) based on the UE (first device) position estimates collected, [0043], lines 1-3).
At the time the invention was filed, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified system of Nam et al with concept of estimating a second position of a second device based at least in part on the received information of Tenny. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to improve techniques for performing positioning in a cellular communication network, (Tenny, [0003], lines 1-2).
Regarding claim 39, Nam et al discloses method (fig. 1A, method), wherein the information comprises a velocity associated with the first device (positioning assistance data may include one of a velocity or Doppler information for the mobile anchor node, so that the target UE may determine the SL PRS configuration based on velocity or Doppler information, [0145], lines 11-13).
Regarding claim 40, Nam et al discloses method (fig. 1A, method), wherein the velocity comprises a horizontal velocity, a vertical velocity, or a combination thereof (motion information, for example, may be represented by one of a path of motion, a surface of motion, or a volume of motion. Additionally, the positioning assistance data may include one of a velocity or Doppler information for the mobile anchor node, so that the target UE may determine the SL PRS configuration based on velocity or Doppler information, [0163], lines 6-9).
Conclusion
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/FRANTZ BATAILLE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2681
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