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 § 103
1. 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.
2. 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 of this title, 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.
3. Claims 1-2, 17-18, 20-32 and 38-39 and 41-46 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent No. US 7,586,438 to Lawrence et al. (hereinafter Lawrence) in view of U.S. Publication No, US 2024/0155374 Wei et al. (hereinafter Wei)
As to claims 1 and 41, Lawrence discloses a method for determining at least one of location or time offset of at least one receiver, the method comprising:
transmitting, by at least one satellite, at least one beam, which is a sweeping beam (Lawrence; Fi.1; Col. 8, lines 17-36 shows and discloses plurality of satellite 12 transmits plurality of beams corresponding to sweeping beams. Col. 6, lines 65-67 discloses the satellites 12 broadcast the information on appropriate beam 13 for use by the receivers 16), wherein each of the at least one beam comprises at least one signal used for at least one of positioning, navigation, or timing (Lawrence; Fi.1; Col. 8, lines 17-36, Col. 18, lines 16-26, Col. 6, lines 65-67 shows and discloses broadcasting the signal in the beam and also discloses data broadcast by the satellites 12 varies as a function of the location of the beam 13. Alternatively, the satellite 12 orients or repositions the beam 13 to maintain the footprint on a desired region for a given amount of time); and
wherein the at least one receiver receives at least one of the at least one signal (Lawrence; Fi.1; Col. 8, lines 17-36, Col. 18, lines 39-56 shows and discloses a receiver receives signal from a satellite), and
wherein at least one of the location or the time offset of at least one of the at least one receiver is determined by using at least one of the at least one signal (Lawrence; Col. 18, lines 39-56; Col.15, lines 23-35 discloses the receivers determine the position as a function of navigation signals from a navigation satellite, the differential corrections, and/or model data. The differential corrections allow the receivers to determine respective locations with differential accuracy. Here Lawrence is applied for the 1st alternative (i.e location)).
Lawrence discloses sweeping beam, but fails to disclose “varying, by the at least one satellite, at least one of data content, signal power, data coding gain, data rate, frequency, coding scheme, or modulation of the at least one signal based on optimization parameters, wherein the optimization parameters comprise a location of a beam footprint of at least one of the at least one beam.” However, Wei discloses
varying, by the at least one satellite, at least one of data content, signal power, data coding gain, data rate, frequency, coding scheme, or modulation of the at least one signal based on optimization parameters, wherein the optimization parameters comprise a location of a beam footprint of at least one of the at least one beam (Wei; Fig. 6; [0065]-[0070] shows and discloses a user equipment (UE) 120 traversing multiple beams from a satellite 310, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. In the example of FIG. 6, a base station (not shown) is present in the satellite 310. For NTN communications, the satellite 310 may use multiple antennas to form multiple spot beams (also referred to as SSB beams) including beams 610, 612, 614, 616 to cover different portions of a cell 305. In other words, one cell 305 may consist of multiple satellite beams, including beams 0-14, in this example. The multiple spot beams (e.g., beams 610, 612, 614, 616) of the satellite 310 may use different frequency intervals or different time intervals in the same BWP to reduce inter-beam interference for link budget improvement. An idle/inactive mode UE determines its location, and reports its location when sending a first uplink small data transmission to a base station (e.g., gNB). Based on the location, the network may preconfigure a beam switching time along with beam layout information to the UE. Since a base station is present in the satellite 310 means satellite is receiving this data content. Here Wei is applied for the 1st alternative)
It is obvious for a person of ordinary skilled in the art to combine the teachings before the effective filing date of the invention. One would be motivated to combine the teachings so that satellite may use different frequency intervals or different time intervals in the same BWP to reduce inter-beam interference for link budget improvement.
As to claim 2, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Lawrence-Wei discloses wherein the method further comprises generating, by an optimizer using the optimization parameters, specifications for at least one of the data content, the signal power, the data coding gain, the data rate, the frequency, coding scheme, or the modulation (Wei; Fig. 6; [0065]-[0070] shows and discloses a user equipment (UE) 120 traversing multiple beams from a satellite 310, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. In the example of FIG. 6, a base station (not shown) is present in the satellite 310. For NTN communications, the satellite 310 may use multiple antennas to form multiple spot beams (also referred to as SSB beams) including beams 610, 612, 614, 616 to cover different portions of a cell 305. In other words, one cell 305 may consist of multiple satellite beams, including beams 0-14, in this example. The multiple spot beams (e.g., beams 610, 612, 614, 616) of the satellite 310 may use different frequency intervals or different time intervals in the same BWP to reduce inter-beam interference for link budget improvement. An idle/inactive mode UE determines its location, and reports its location when sending a first uplink small data transmission to a base station (e.g., gNB). Based on the location, the network may preconfigure a beam switching time along with beam layout information to the UE. Since a base station is present in the satellite 310 means satellite is receiving this data content. Here Wei is applied for the 1st alternative)
As to claim 17, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Lawrence-Wei discloses wherein the optimization parameters further comprise at least one of a level of service (LoS) associated with at least one of the at least one receiver, a quality of service (QoS) associated with at least one of the at least one receiver, at least one region of service associated with at least one receiver of the at least one receiver, a broadcast type associated with at least one receiver of the at least one receiver, costs, receiver performance associated with at least one receiver of the at least one receiver, business constraints, input parameters, collective user receiver performance, service thresholds, system performance, system constraints, output parameters, service monitoring receiver data, or available resources (Lawrence; Col. 8, lines 37-50 discloses Each beam 13 includes information from different reference stations 14 based on the reference stations 14 covered by the given beam 13. Alternatively, each beam 13 of a same satellite 12 includes the information received from reference stations 14 in two or more of the beams 13 and corresponding footprints. Whether beam 13 or satellite 12 specific, the navigation measurements broadcast by the satellite may be locally optimized to provide corrections applicable to users in that beam or beams. Here Lawrence is applied for the 3rd alternative)
As to claim 18, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Lawrence-Wei discloses wherein the method further comprises varying, by the at least one satellite, at least one of beam scheduling or error correction of the at least one signal based on the optimization parameters (Wei; [0065]-[0070]).
As to claim 20, Wei at [0065]-[0070] discloses data content. Claim 20 is dependent on claim 18 and claim 18 is dependent on claim 1. For claim 1, 1st alternative (i.e. data content) is used to reject the claim limitation of claim 1 and therefore claim limitation “the signal power” of claim 20 is not considered here.
As to claim 21, Wei at [0065]-[0070] discloses data content. Claim 21 is dependent on claim 18 and claim 18 is dependent on claim 1. For claim 1, 1st alternative (i.e. data content) is used to reject the claim limitation of claim 1 and therefore claim limitation “the signal power” of claim 21 is not considered here.
As to claim 22, the rejection of claim 18 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Lawrence-Wei discloses wherein the data content comprises at least one of self-satellite information associated with at least one satellite of the at least one satellite, validation information associated with at least one satellite of the at least one satellite, authentication information associated with at least one satellite of the at least one satellite, authentication information associated with at least one receiver of the at least one receiver, or other-satellite information (Wei; Fig.3; [0056] discloses The UE 120 communicates with the satellite 310 via a service link. In some aspects, the satellite 310 communicates with another satellite 312 via an inter-satellite link (ISL). A base station may be located at either satellite 310, 312 means a satellite a can receive data from another satellite. Here Wei is applied for the last alternative)
As to claims 23-26, Wei at [0056] discloses data content received from another satellite. Claims 23-26 are dependent on claim 22. For claim 22, last alternative (i.e. other satellite information) is used to reject the claim limitation of claim 22 and therefore claim limitation of claims 23-16 are not considered here.
As to claim 27, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Lawrence-Wei discloses wherein when there is more than one of the at least one beam transmitted, at least one of the data content, the signal power, the data coding gain, the data rate, the frequency, the coding scheme, or the modulation of the at least one signal of at least some of the beams are varied one of similarly or differently (Wei; Fig. 6; [0065]-[0070] shows and discloses a user equipment (UE) 120 traversing multiple beams from a satellite 310, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. In the example of FIG. 6, a base station (not shown) is present in the satellite 310. For NTN communications, the satellite 310 may use multiple antennas to form multiple spot beams (also referred to as SSB beams) including beams 610, 612, 614, 616 to cover different portions of a cell 305. In other words, one cell 305 may consist of multiple satellite beams, including beams 0-14, in this example. The multiple spot beams (e.g., beams 610, 612, 614, 616) of the satellite 310 may use different frequency intervals or different time intervals in the same BWP to reduce inter-beam interference for link budget improvement. An idle/inactive mode UE determines its location, and reports its location when sending a first uplink small data transmission to a base station (e.g., gNB). Based on the location, the network may preconfigure a beam switching time along with beam layout information to the UE. Since a base station is present in the satellite 310 means satellite is receiving this data content. Here Wei is applied for the 1st alternative)
As to claim 28, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Lawrence-Wei discloses wherein the at least one satellite is a low earth orbit (LEO) satellite, a medium earth orbit (MEO) satellite, or a geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO) satellite (Lawrence; Abstract discloses LEO satellite. Here Lawrence is applied for the 1st alternative).
As to claim 29, Lawrence; Abstract discloses LEO satellite. Claim 29 is dependent on claim 28 and for claim 28, 1st alternative is used to reject the claim limitation of claim 28 and therefore claim limitations of claim 29 is not considered
As to claim 30, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Lawrence-Wei discloses wherein when there is more than one of the at least one satellite, the satellites are LEO satellites, MEO satellites, GEO satellites, or a combination thereof (Lawrence; Fig.1; Abstract; Col.7; lines 65-67 and Col.8, lines 1-4)
As to claim 31, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Lawrence-Wei discloses wherein the at least one satellite is within a satellite constellation (Lawrence; Fig.1; Abstract; Col.7; lines 65-67 and Col.8, lines 1-4)
As to claim 32, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Lawrence-Li discloses wherein when there is more than one of the at least one satellite, the satellites are within at least one satellite constellation (Lawrence; Fig.1; Abstract; Col.7; lines 65-67 and Col.8, lines 1-4)
As to claim 38, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Lawrence-Wei discloses wherein each of the beam footprint of the at least one beam is smaller in size than each satellite footprint of the at least one satellite on Earth (Lawrence; Abstract; Col. 8, lines 37-50)
As to claim 39, the rejection of claim 1 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Lawrence-Wei discloses wherein when there is more than one of the at least One beam transmitted, one of the beams is a leading beam that comprises at least a portion a first type of data, and another one of the beams is a trailing beam that comprises at least a portion of a second type of data (Lawrence; Fig.1; Col. 8, lines 17-36, Col. 18, lines 16-56 shows and discloses a satellite can transmit different data in a different beam in a different time)
As to claim 42, the rejection of claim 41 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Lawrence-Wei discloses wherein the at least one PNT processor is located in at least one of at least one of the at least one receiver, in at least one server, on at least one of the at least one satellite, or a combination thereof (Lawrence; Fig.2:28 discloses a processor in a receiver. Here Lawrence is applied for the 1st alternative).
As to claim 43, the rejection of claim 41 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Lawrence-Wei discloses wherein the system further comprises at least one optimizer processor configured to generate, by running an optimizer using the optimization parameters, specifications for at least one of the data content, the signal power, the data coding gain, the data rate, the frequency, the coding scheme, or the modulation (Wei; Fig. 6; [0065]-[0070] shows and discloses a user equipment (UE) 120 traversing multiple beams from a satellite 310, in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. In the example of FIG. 6, a base station (not shown) is present in the satellite 310. For NTN communications, the satellite 310 may use multiple antennas to form multiple spot beams (also referred to as SSB beams) including beams 610, 612, 614, 616 to cover different portions of a cell 305. In other words, one cell 305 may consist of multiple satellite beams, including beams 0-14, in this example. The multiple spot beams (e.g., beams 610, 612, 614, 616) of the satellite 310 may use different frequency intervals or different time intervals in the same BWP to reduce inter-beam interference for link budget improvement. An idle/inactive mode UE determines its location, and reports its location when sending a first uplink small data transmission to a base station (e.g., gNB). Based on the location, the network may preconfigure a beam switching time along with beam layout information to the UE. Since a base station is present in the satellite 310 means satellite is receiving this data content. Here Wei is applied for the 1st alternative).
As to claim 44, the rejection of claim 43 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Lawrence-Wei discloses wherein the optimizer performs at least one of a weighted parameter analysis or a cost function analysis (Lawrence; Col. 11, lines 4-35. Here Lawrence is applied for the 1st alternative).
As to claim 45, the rejection of claim 43 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Lawrence-Wei discloses wherein the optimizer comprises an intelligent broadcast scheduler configured to generate at least one broadcast schedule (Lawrence; Col.1; lines 52-67 and Col. 2, lines 1-8)
As to claim 46, the rejection of claim 43 as listed above is incorporated herein. In addition, Lawrence-Wei discloses wherein the optimizer comprises a region controller configured to specify at least one region to illuminate with at least one of the at least one beam (Lawrence; Col. 8, lines 37-50 discloses wherein a beam is scheduled for a small area or region).
4. Claims 36 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent No. US 7,586,438 to Lawrence et al. (hereinafter Lawrence) in view of U.S. Publication No, US 2024/0155374 Wei et al. (hereinafter Wei) in view of U.S. Publication No US 2021/0014850 to Rofougaran et al. (hereinafter Rofougaran)
As to claim 36, Lawrence-Wei discloses beam, but fails to disclose wherein each of the at least one beam is scanned by at least one of gimballing the at least one antenna or changing a phase of the at least one beam. However, Rofougaran discloses
wherein each of the at least one beam is scanned by at least one of gimballing the at least one antenna or changing a phase of the at least one beam (Rofougaran discloses
wherein each of the at least one beam is scanned by at least one of gimballing the at least one antenna or changing a phase of the at least one beam (Rofougara; [0056] discloses a first beam of the received plurality of different beams is switched at the Rx phase array to begin beam scan. Here Rofougara is applied for the 2nd alternative)
It is obvious for a person of ordinary skilled in the art to combine the teachings before the effective filing date of the invention. One would be motivated to combine the teachings in order to scan beam.
5. Claims 49 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent No. US 7,586,438 to Lawrence et al. (hereinafter Lawrence) in view of U.S. Publication No, US 2024/0155374 Wei et al. (hereinafter Wei) in view of U.S. Publication No, US 2023/0217285 to Cao et al. (hereinafter Cao)
As to claim 49, Lawrence-Wei discloses sweeping beam, but fails to disclose “wherein the sweeping of each of the at least one beam is achieved by at least one of the at least one satellite associated with each of the at least one beam moving across a surface of Earth or at least one antenna of the at least one satellite associated with each of the at least one beam scanning the at least one beam.” However, Cao discloses
wherein the sweeping of each of the at least one beam is achieved by at least one of the at least one satellite associated with each of the at least one beam moving across a surface of Earth or at least one antenna of the at least one satellite associated with each of the at least one beam scanning the at least one beam (Cao; [0026] discloses the beam of a satellite can sweep across a coverage area as the satellite moves along its orbit corresponding to the sweeping of each of the at least one beam is achieved by at least one of the at least one satellite associated with each of the at least one beam moving across a surface of Earth. Here Cao is applied for the 1st alternative).
It is obvious for a person of ordinary skilled in the art to combine the teachings before the effective filing date of the invention. One would be motivated to combine the teachings in order to determine the beam sweeping based on the movement of the satellite and thus change serving beams with the movement of the satellite.
6. Claims 50 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent No. US 7,586,438 to Lawrence et al. (hereinafter Lawrence) in view of U.S. Publication No, US 2024/0155374 Wei et al. (hereinafter Wei) in view of U.S. Publication No, US 2023/0217285 to Cao et al. (hereinafter Cao) in view of U.S. Publication No, US 2023/0136683 to Lee et al. (hereinafter Lee)
As to claim 50, Lawrence-Wei-Cao discloses MIMO antenna, but fails to disclose patch antenna However, Lee discloses wherein the at least one antenna comprises at least one of a reflector antenna, a patch antenna, a helix antenna, a cup-dipole antenna, a dipole antenna, a monopole antenna, a direct radiating array antenna, or a phased array antenna (Lee; [0074] discloses patch antenna. Here Lee is applied for the 2nd alternative)
It is obvious for a person of ordinary skilled in the art to combine the teachings before the effective filing date of the invention. One would be motivated to combine the teachings in order to provide to service for the patch antennas.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-16, 19, 33-34, 40 and 47-48 are objected, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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.
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/FAISAL CHOUDHURY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478