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 .
Response to Arguments/Amendment
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims # 1-20 have been considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Claim 1 recites "determining an overlap area between the first terrestrial coverage area and the second terrestrial coverage area" and the Examiner's sole argument for finding this element in the cited reference cites to [0082] and [0112] of Speidel and "overlap between orbital and terrestrial coverage". The Examiner has failed to explain where in those paragraphs,
or any other portions of Speidel, it describes determining an overlap area, much less an overlap area between the first terrestrial coverage area and the second terrestrial coverage area.
Examiner respectfully disagrees with applicant remarks and arguments as Speidel teaches about when overlapping footprint of coverage occurred, the central communication management system coordinates the frequencies for the terrestrial Network and the Orbital System to use in order to avoid interference (See [0049-0050]). [0082]; [0112] described how overlap coverage can occur and how even adjacent frequency parameters can cause interference. Therefore the central management system described in [0049-0050] become essential in the coordination of frequencies used to communicate with base station.
Therefore for each of these about reasons, Speidel does teach all of the limitations of claim 1. Claim 14 contain similar features as claim 1, therefore it is subject to all explanations above. The rejections on the dependent claims with respective to claim 1 and claim 14 remain.
Therefore, Applicant requests that this art ground of rejection of these claims under 35 U.S.C. §102 to be withdrawn has been denied.
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 the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Speidel (US 2019/0334615 A1)
Regarding Claims 1, 14
Speidel discloses a method (See [Abstract]; coordination between terrestrial base station and orbital base station) for coordinating network services from a network controller (See [0049-0050]; central communication management system manage both TCB and OBS) in a communication network (Fig.1) used by mobile terminals (Fig.1(102)) to communicate via base stations (Fig.1(106)) using a protocol supported by the mobile terminals for communications with terrestrial base stations and orbital base stations (See [0045]; [0078]; common protocol is used for both terrestrial and orbital base station),
the method comprising:
determining a first terrestrial coverage area over which a first terrestrial base station is able to close links between the first terrestrial base station and a first set of mobile terminals that are within the first terrestrial coverage area (See [0078]; the mobile stations use the same protocol or similar protocols to communicate with terrestrial base stations and orbital base stations);
determining a second terrestrial coverage area over which a first orbital base station is able to links between the first orbital base station and a second set of mobile terminals that are within the second terrestrial coverage area (See [0078]; common set of mobile stations, and the mobile stations use the same protocol or similar protocols to communicate with terrestrial base stations and orbital base stations);
determining an overlap area between the first terrestrial coverage area and the second terrestrial coverage area (See [0082]; [0112]; overlap between orbital and terrestrial coverage);
determining a first network parameter set for use at least in the overlap area for communications between the mobile terminals in the first set of mobile terminals and the first terrestrial base station (See [0082]; [0112]; frequency parameter among others is used for establishing link between mobile terminals in a set of mobile terminal and terrestrial station);
determining a second network parameter set for use at least in in the overlap area for communications between the mobile terminals in the second set of mobile terminals and the first orbital base station (See [0082]; [0112]; timing parameter among others is used as one of the resources for establishing link between mobile terminals in a set of mobile terminal and orbital station));
wherein at least a portion of the first network parameter set (See [0082]; [0112]; different frequencies) and/or a portion of the second network parameter set (See [0082]; [0112]; time slot) are specified to avoid or reduce interference between simultaneous communications in the overlap area with the first terrestrial base station and with the first orbital base station (See [0049-0050]; [0082]; [0112]; central communication management system determines that an orbital base station would have a particular footprint, it might direct an orbital base station to use a first set of frequencies and/or
a first set of timeslots and direct the TCBSs that are in that footprint to use a second set of frequencies and/or a second set of timeslots, so as to reduce interference);
conveying, from the network controller (See [0049-0050]; central communication management system manage both TCB and OBS), a first network parameter set message to the first terrestrial base station (See [0082]; [0105]; [0111-0112]; multiple frequencies can be conveyed to the terrestrial network) wherein the first network parameter set message includes a representation of the first network parameter set (See [0049-0050]; [0082]; [0105]; [0111-0112]; multiple frequencies can be conveyed to the terrestrial network); and
conveying, from the network controller (See [0049-0050]; central communication management system manage both TCB and OBS), a second network parameter set message to the first orbital base station (See [0082]; [0105]; [0111-0112]; time slots can be conveyed to the orbital network).wherein the second network parameter set message includes a representation of the second network parameter set (See [0049-0050]; [0082]; [0105]; [0111-0112]; time slots can be conveyed to the orbital network).
Regarding Claim 2, 15
Speidel teaches all the features with respect to claim 1, 14 and Speidel further teaches
wherein the first network parameter set includes a first specification of which frequency blocks of a plurality of frequency blocks usable according to the protocol that the first terrestrial base station is to use for communications with
mobile terminals found to be located in the overlap area (See [0082]; [0111-0112]; set of frequencies can be used for both network type coverage) and the second network parameter set includes a second specification of which frequency blocks of the plurality of frequency blocks that the first orbital base station is to use for communications with mobile terminals found to be located in the overlap area (See [0082]; [0111-0112]; set of timing slots can be used for both network type coverage).
Regarding Claim 3, 16
Speidel teaches all the features with respect to claim 2, 15 and Speidel further teaches
wherein the plurality of frequency blocks is allocated among a plurality of terrestrial base stations (See [0082]; [0111-0112]; set of frequencies can be used for terrestrial network type coverage) and a plurality of orbital base stations (See [0082]; [0111-0112]; set of frequencies can be used for orbital network type coverage) based at least upon static locations of the plurality of terrestrial base stations (See [0109]; [0111-0112]; location dependent) and a current time location of the plurality of orbital base stations to reduce or eliminate multiple use of a given frequency block by multiple base stations that have overlapping coverage areas (See [0109]; [0111-0112]; unique set of frequency is allocated to different type of base station orbital or terrestrial).
Regarding Claim 4, 17
Speidel teaches all the features with respect to claim 1, 14 and Speidel further teaches
wherein the overlap area is determined by measurement of signal strength of signals from base stations at a mobile terminal location (See [0082]; signal determined coverage).
Regarding Claim 5, 18
Speidel teaches all the features with respect to claim 1, 14 and Speidel further teaches
wherein network parameter sets are assigned to base stations wherein at least one base station has a coverage area comprising a plurality of subregions (See [0107]; region divided with different sectors) with each subregion corresponding to a portion of the coverage area that meets a set of performance parameters (See [0107]; region divided with different sectors with just different direction).
Regarding Claim 6, 19
Speidel teaches all the features with respect to claim 5, 18 and Speidel further teaches
wherein the set of performance parameters for a subregion corresponds to signal strength within the subregion (See [0107]; overlapping for seamless handover).
Regarding Claim 7, 20
Speidel teaches all the features with respect to claim 5, 18 and Speidel further teaches
determining an actual or estimated signal strength within subregions of the plurality of subregions (See [0133-0134]; signal strength can be determined through measurement), determined by experiment, by estimation, and/or by processing of signals from mobile terminals in the subregions (See [0133-0134]; signal strength can be determined through measurement).
Regarding Claim 8,
Speidel teaches all the features with respect to claim 1 and Speidel further teaches
wherein the first terrestrial coverage area and the second terrestrial coverage area are defined within a footprint of coverage on the Earth's surface (See [0088]; [0116-0117]).
Regarding Claim 9,
Speidel teaches all the features with respect to claim 1 and Speidel further teaches
wherein at least the second terrestrial coverage area is defined within a three-dimensional space (See [0111]; [0114]; [0116]; surface of the earth perceived in three dimension).
Regarding Claim 10,
Speidel teaches all the features with respect to claim 1 and Speidel further teaches
wherein determining the second terrestrial coverage area comprises:
initiating communications between the first orbital base station and a particular mobile terminal (See {0116-0117]; The minimum elevation angle is defined as the angle above the horizon that the satellite must be in order for
the mobile station to communicate with the orbital base station) ;
determining, from the communications, a distance between the first orbital base station and the particular mobile terminal (See [0118-0119])
determining, from the communications, a direction of the particular mobile terminal relative to the first orbital base station (See {0118-0119]); and
determining a containing area of the particular mobile terminal based on a determined location of the particular mobile terminal (See {0118-0119]),
whereby a set of network parameters specific to the containing area are allocated for use by the first orbital base station (See {0118-0120]).
Regarding Claim 11,
Speidel teaches all the features with respect to claim 10 and Speidel further teaches
wherein the determined location of the particular mobile terminal is determined based on
(1) a detected signal delay for communications between the particular mobile terminal and the first orbital base station (See {0126] delay create by propagation signal from the orbital to the mobile station on earth), and
(2) a detected Doppler shift of the communications between the particular mobile terminal and the first orbital base station (See [0114]; [0126]; doppler effect create by the earth movement toward the firs satellite).
Regarding Claim 12,
Speidel teaches all the features with respect to claim 1 and Speidel further teaches
wherein a network parameter set specifies
frequency band use (See [0009-0010]; spectrum band),
protocol use (See [0007-0008]; common protocol),
beam direction (See [0117]; direction of signals),
lobe shape (See {0106]; [0111]; earth shape is considered as a parameter in communication calculation), and/or
base station location (See [0007]; [0009]; base station location) .
Regarding Claim 13,
Speidel teaches all the features with respect to claim 1 and Speidel further teaches
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, which when executed by at least one processor of a computer system 1 (See [0037-0038]).
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 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GARY LAFONTANT whose telephone number is (571)272-3037. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00AM -5:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lester Kincaid can be reached on 571-272-7922. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GARY LAFONTANT/Examiner, Art Unit 2646