DETAILED ACTION
This Action is in response to Applicant’s amendment filed on 2/26/2026. Claims 1-20 are still pending in the present application. This Action is made FINAL.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, line 8 states “parameter a terminal”. Suggest changing to maintain clarity. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-13 and 15-20, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Koskinen et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2023/0403680) in view of Bao et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0410063)
Referring to Claim 1, Koskinen et al. disclose a wireless communication method (pars 57, 62, 63, 66, and 97, communication), comprising determining, by a first communication device, first information based on second information (pars 57, 62, 63, 66, and 97, parameters determined based on received /configuration information); wherein the first information is related to at least one of a time window (pars 57, 62, 63, 66, and 97, DRX, occasion, time), the second information is related to a discontinuous reception (DRX) parameter a terminal device (pars 57, 62, 63, 66, and 97-99, DRX parameters).
However, Koskinen et al. do not disclose time window for sending a first signal or a time window for measuring first signal, and first signal is configured for positioning of terminal device.
In the same field of endeavor, Bao et al. disclose time window for sending a first signal or a time window for measuring first signal, and first signal is configured for positioning of terminal device (pars 120 and 132, DRX, PRS, measurement).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate time window for sending a first signal or a time window for measuring first signal, and first signal is configured for positioning of terminal device, as taught by Bao et al., in the method of Koskinen et al., for the purpose of configuring measurement behavior of UE to perform positioning (Bao et al., par 132).
Referring to Claim 2 as applied to Claim1 above, Koskinen et al. as modified disclose the wireless communication method, further comprising: receiving, by the first communication device, indication information from a second communication device (Koskinen et al., pars 57, 62, and 63, eDRX related indication/ information/ configuration parameters), wherein the indication information includes at least one of first indication information or second indication information (Koskinen et al., pars 57, 62, and 63, eDRX related indication/ information/ configuration parameters); wherein the first indication information indicates the first information when the second information is determined based on the first information (Koskinen et al., pars 57, 62, 63, 66, and 97, parameters determined based on received /configuration information), or the first indication information indicates the second information when the first information is determined based on the second information (Koskinen et al., pars 57, 62, 63, 66, and 97, other parameters determined based on other received/configuration information); and wherein the second indication information indicates a radio resource control (RRC) state of the terminal device (Koskinen et al., pars 38, 39 and 63, RRC state specific indication).
Referring to Claim 3 as applied to Claim 2 above, Koskinen et al. as modified disclose the wireless communication method (Koskinen et al., pars 57, 62, 63, 66, and 97).
However, Koskinen et al. do not disclose sending, by first communication device, at least one of a first request or a second request; wherein the first request comprises a request for acquisition of the first indication information, and the second request comprises a request for acquisition of the second indication information.
In the same field of endeavor, Bao et al. discloses sending, by first communication device, at least one of a first request or a second request; wherein the first request comprises a request for acquisition of the first indication information, and the second request comprises a request for acquisition of the second indication information (pars 139 and 130, request triggers process, reception).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate sending, by first communication device, at least one of a first request or a second request; wherein the first request comprises a request for acquisition of the first indication information, and the second request comprises a request for acquisition of the second indication information, as taught by Bao et al., in the method of Koskinen et al. and Bao et al., for the purpose of configuring measurement behavior of UE to perform positioning (Bao et al., par 132).
Referring to Claim 4 as applied to Claim 2 above, Koskinen et al. as modified disclose the wireless communication method, wherein the indication information is carried in one or more of signaling: (Koskinen et al., pars 57, 62, 63, 66, and 97, communication).
However, Koskinen et al. do not disclose a location positioning protocol (LPP) signaling, or a new radio positioning protocol a (NRPPa) signaling.
In the same field of endeavor, Bao et al. discloses a location positioning protocol (LPP) signaling, or a new radio positioning protocol a (NRPPa) signaling (par 76, LPP, NRPPa).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate a location positioning protocol (LPP) signaling, or a new radio positioning protocol a (NRPPa) signaling, as taught by Bao et al., in the method of Koskinen et al. and Bao et al., for the purpose of configuring measurement behavior of UE to perform positioning (Bao et al., par 132).
Referring to Claim 5 as applied to Claim 2 above, Koskinen et al. as modified disclose the wireless communication method (Koskinen et al., pars 57, 62, 63, 66, and 97).
However, Koskinen et al. do not disclose receiving, by the first communication device, the indication information from the second communication device comprises: receiving, by the first communication device, the indication information from the second communication device in response to an access network device or the first communication device receiving a positioning request from the terminal device; or receiving, by the first communication device, the indication information from the second communication device in response to completion of selection of a positioning server.
In the same field of endeavor, Bao et al. discloses receiving, by the first communication device, the indication information from the second communication device comprises: receiving, by the first communication device, the indication information from the second communication device in response to an access network device or the first communication device receiving a positioning request from the terminal device; or receiving, by the first communication device, the indication information from the second communication device in response to completion of selection of a positioning server (pars 139 and 130, request triggers process, reception).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate receiving, by the first communication device, the indication information from the second communication device comprises: receiving, by the first communication device, the indication information from the second communication device in response to an access network device or the first communication device receiving a positioning request from the terminal device; or receiving, by the first communication device, the indication information from the second communication device in response to completion of selection of a positioning server, as taught by Bao et al., in the method of Koskinen et al. and Bao et al., for the purpose of configuring measurement behavior of UE to perform positioning (Bao et al., par 132).
Referring to Claim 6 as applied to Claim 2 above, Koskinen et al. as modified disclose the wireless communication method, wherein before determining, by the first communication device, the first information based on the second information, the wireless communication method further comprises: determining, by the first communication device, the second information based on the RRC state and an identifier of the terminal device (Koskinen et al., pars 57, 62- 66, and 97-99, DRX parameters, RRC state and ID of terminal).
Referring to Claim 7 as applied to Claim 6 above, Koskinen et al. as modified disclose the wireless communication method, wherein determining, by the first communication device, the second information based on the RRC state and the identifier of the terminal device comprises: determining, by the first communication device, a time region corresponding to paging detection based on the identifier of the terminal device; and determining, by the first communication device, the second information based on the time region (Koskinen et al., pars 38, 57, 62- 66, and 97-99, DRX parameters, RRC state and ID of terminal).
Referring to Claim 8 as applied to Claim 1 above, Koskinen et al. as modified disclose the wireless communication method, wherein when the first information is determined based on the second information, the wireless communication method further comprises: sending, by the first communication device, the first information to the second communication device (Koskinen et al., pars 112 and 113, configuration status, synchronized).
Referring to Claim 9 as applied to Claim 8 above, Koskinen et al. as modified disclose the wireless communication method, wherein the first information is carried in a configuration reference message of the first signal or auxiliary information of the first signal (Koskinen et al., pars 112 and 113, configuration status, synchronized).
Referring to Claim 10 as applied to Claim 2 above, Koskinen et al. as modified disclose the wireless communication method, wherein the first communication device comprises a positioning server, and the second communication device comprises at least one of the terminal devices, an access network device corresponding to a neighboring cell of the terminal device, or an access network device corresponding to a serving cell of the terminal device (Koskinen et al., pars 112 and 113, network device).
Referring to Claim 11 as applied to Claim 1 above, Koskinen et al. as modified disclose the wireless communication method, wherein the first information comprises one or more of following information: a candidate time window for sending the first signal; a candidate time window for measuring the first signal; a start time of the time window; or a duration of the time window (Koskinen et al., pars 38, 57, 62, 63, 66, and 97, DRX).
Referring to Claim 12 as applied to Claim 11 above, Koskinen et al. as modified disclose the wireless communication method, wherein when the first information is determined based on the second information and the first information is related to the start time, the start time is determined based on a first offset, wherein the first offset is related to one or more of a DRX active period, a preconfigured processing window (PPW) parameter, or a paging cycle (Koskinen et al., pars 38, 57, 62, 63, 66, and 97-99, DRX, window, time, offset).
Referring to Claim 13 as applied to Claim 12 above, Koskinen et al. as modified disclose the wireless communication method, wherein when the time window is within the PPW, the first offset is a first value, or when the time window is outside the PPW, the first offset is a second value (Koskinen et al., pars 38, 57, 62, 63, 66, and 97-99, offset).
Referring to Claim 15 as applied to Claim 12 above, Koskinen et al. as modified disclose the wireless communication method, wherein a DRX activation time is a first time instance, and the start time precedes the first time instance by the first offset (Koskinen et al., pars 38, 57, 62, 63, 66, and 97-99, time, offset).
Referring to Claim 16 as applied to Claim 12 above, Koskinen et al. as modified disclose the wireless communication method, wherein the first offset is preset or determined by the first communication device (Koskinen et al., pars 38, 57, 62, 63, 66, and 97-99, offset, terminal device).
Referring to Claim 17 as applied to Claim 12 above, Koskinen et al. as modified disclose the wireless communication method, wherein the first offset is greater than or equal to the duration of the time window (Koskinen et al., pars 38, 57, 62, 63, 66, 91, and 97-100, offset, time - min).
Referring to Claim 18 as applied to Claim 17 above, Koskinen et al. as modified disclose the wireless communication method, wherein the first offset is less than or equal to a first duration threshold, wherein the first duration threshold is greater than the duration of the time window (Koskinen et al., pars 38, 57, 62, 63, 66, 91, and 97-100, threshold, time, longer).
Referring to Claim 19 as applied to Claim 1 above, Koskinen et al. as modified disclose the wireless communication method (Koskinen et al., pars 38, 57, 62, 63, 66, and 97-99).
However, Koskinen et al. do not disclose first signal includes at least one of a positioning reference signal (PRS) and a sounding reference signal (SRS).
In the same field of endeavor, Bao et al. disclose first signal includes at least one of a positioning reference signal (PRS) and a sounding reference signal (SRS) (pars 120 and 132, DRX, PRS, measurement).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate first signal includes at least one of a positioning reference signal (PRS) and a sounding reference signal (SRS), as taught by Bao et al., in the method of Koskinen et al., for the purpose of configuring measurement behavior of UE to perform positioning (Bao et al., par 132).
Referring to Claim 20, Koskinen et al. disclose a wireless communication method, comprising: sending, by a second communication device, indication information to a first communication device (pars 57, 62, and 63, eDRX related indication/ information/ configuration parameters), the indication information including at least one of first indication information or second indication information (pars 57, 62, and 63, eDRX related indication/ information/ configuration parameters); wherein when the first indication information indicates first information, the first information is configured to determine second information (pars 57, 62, 63, 66, and 97, parameters determined based on received /configuration information), wherein the first information is related to at least one of a time window (pars 38, 57, 62, 63, 66, and 97, eDRX, time), the second information is related to a discontinuous reception (DRX) parameter of a terminal device (pars 57, 62, 63, 66, and 97-99, DRX parameters), the second indication information indicates a radio resource control (RRC) state of the terminal device (pars 38, 39 and 63, RRC state specific indication), and when the first information is determined based on the second information (pars 57, 62, 63, 66, and 97, parameters), the RRC state and an identifier of the terminal device are configured to determine the second information (pars 57, 62- 66, and 97-99, DRX parameters, RRC state and ID of terminal).
However, Koskinen et al. do not disclose time window for sending a first signal or a time window for measuring first signal, and first signal is configured for positioning of terminal device.
In the same field of endeavor, Bao et al. disclose time window for sending a first signal or a time window for measuring first signal, and first signal is configured for positioning of terminal device (pars 120 and 132, DRX, PRS, measurement).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate time window for sending a first signal or a time window for measuring first signal, and first signal is configured for positioning of terminal device, as taught by Bao et al., in the method of Koskinen et al., for the purpose of configuring measurement behavior of UE to perform positioning (Bao et al., par 132).
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Koskinen et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2023/0403680) in view of Bao et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0410063) further in view of Zhang (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2024/0179679)
Referring to Claim 14 as applied to Claim 12 above, Koskinen et al. as modified disclose the wireless communication method, wherein a system frame number corresponding to the start time satisfies:(SFN + PF_offset) mod T = (T div N)x(UE ID mod N), wherein SFN represents the system frame number, T represents a cycle length of a DRX cycle of the terminal device, UE_ID represents an identifier of the terminal device, N represents a number of paging frames (PF) in the DRX cycle, and PF_offset represents a frame offset of the PF (par 98, SFN, offset).
However, Koskinen et al. do not explicitly disclose adding Pos_offset representing a first offset.
In the same field of endeavor, Zhang et al. discloses adding Pos_offset representing a first offset (par 130).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate adding Pos_offset representing a first offset, as taught by Zhang et al., in the method of Koskinen et al. and Bao et al., for the purpose of implementing a DRX mechanism (Zhang, Abstract).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 2/26/2026 have been fully considered but are moot in view of new grounds of rejection necessitated by amendment. See the above rejection for the relevant citations found in the cited prior art disclosing the amended limitations.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUHAIL KHAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7187. The examiner can normally be reached on M-TH 8:30am-6:30pm. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Rafael Perez-Gutierrez can be reached on 5712727915. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, Applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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/Suhail Khan/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2642