Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 31, 2026
Application No. 18/183,996

DATA SECURITY IN LOW EARTH ORBIT DATA CENTERS

Final Rejection §103
Filed
Mar 15, 2023
Examiner
ACOLATSE, KODZOVI
Art Unit
2478
Tech Center
2400 — Computer Networks
Assignee
International Business Machines Corporation
OA Round
3 (Final)
84%
Grant Probability
Favorable
4-5
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 84% — above average
84%
Career Allowance Rate
781 granted / 933 resolved
+25.7% vs TC avg
Strong +21% interview lift
Without
With
+21.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 6m
Avg Prosecution
45 currently pending
Career history
988
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.4%
-39.6% vs TC avg
§103
84.9%
+44.9% vs TC avg
§102
12.2%
-27.8% vs TC avg
§112
0.9%
-39.1% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 933 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 . Claims 1-20 are pending in this office action. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 15-20 are allowed. Claims 7 and 14 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. Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments with respect to the amendment filed 05/28/2026 have been considered but are moot in view of new grounds of rejection. 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 1-6 and 8-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al (US 2014/0354810 A1) in view of Rakshit (US 2021/0364648 A1) in further view of Kim (US 2025/0085112 A1). Regarding claim 1, Wang teaches a method for securing data stored in a low earth orbit (LEO) data center, comprising: obtaining physical characteristics of a data center (Wang: Fig. 1; [0008]-[0009] obtaining moving state of a moving data center 30); obtaining physical characteristics of one or more celestial objects (Wang: Fig. 1; [0008]-[0009] obtaining moving state of a moving object); comparing the physical characteristics of the one or more celestial objects and the data center (Wang: Fig.1; [0010] determining whether the moving data center will collide with moving object); based on a determination that the one or more celestial objects pose a risk to the LEO data center, backing up one or more data items stored on the data center to another data center in communication with the data center (Wang: Fig. 1; [0010], backup data from the moving data center to a remote data center in communication with the moving data center). Wang does not explicitly disclose that the data center is a low earth orbit (LEO) data center. Rakshit teaches low earth orbit (LEO) data center (Rakshit: Fig. 1; [0003]-[0005] space-based data center formed by LEO satellites). It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Wang wherein the data center is a low earth orbit (LEO) data center as disclosed by Rakshit to provide a system for coordinated smart contract-based satellite operation (Rakshit: Abstract). Wang in view of Rakshit does not explicitly disclose the physical characteristics including a size, a speed, and a trajectory of the one or more celestial objects. Kim teaches the physical characteristics including a size, a speed, and a trajectory of the one or more celestial objects (Kim: Fig. 10, [0102]). It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Wang in view of Ralshit wherein the physical characteristics including a size, a speed, and a trajectory of the one or more celestial objects as disclosed by Kim to provide a system for collision avoidance in the space (Kim: Abstract). Regarding claim 8, Wang teaches a computing system having a memory having computer readable instructions and one or more processors for executing the computer readable instructions, the computer readable instructions controlling the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: obtaining physical characteristics of a data center (Wang: Fig. 1; [0008]-[0009] obtaining moving state of a moving data center 30); obtaining physical characteristics of one or more celestial objects (Wang: Fig. 1; [0008]-[0009] obtaining moving state of a moving object); comparing the physical characteristics of the one or more celestial objects and the data center (Wang: Fig.1; [0010] determining whether the moving data center will collide with moving object); based on a determination that the one or more celestial objects pose a risk to the LEO data center, backing up one or more data items stored on the data center to another data center in communication with the data center (Wang: Fig. 1; [0010], backup data from the moving data center to a remote data center in communication with the moving data center). Wang does not explicitly disclose that the data center is a low earth orbit (LEO) data center. Rakshit teaches low earth orbit (LEO) data center (Rakshit: Fig. 1; [0003]-[0005] space-based data center formed by LEO satellites). It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Wang wherein the data center is a low earth orbit (LEO) data center as disclosed by Rakshit to provide a system for coordinated smart contract-based satellite operation (Rakshit: Abstract). Wang in view of Rakshit does not explicitly disclose the physical characteristics including a size, a speed, and a trajectory of the one or more celestial objects. Kim teaches the physical characteristics including a size, a speed, and a trajectory of the one or more celestial objects (Kim: Fig. 10, [0102]). It would have been obvious to a person having an ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Wang in view of Ralshit wherein the physical characteristics including a size, a speed, and a trajectory of the one or more celestial objects as disclosed by Kim to provide a system for collision avoidance in the space (Kim: Abstract). Regarding claims 2 and 9, Wang in view of Rakshit teaches wherein the physical characteristics of the LEO data center include orbit details of the LEO data center including a distance from an earth surface, a trajectory vector, and a speed of travel (Wang: [0009], Rakshit: [0030]). Regarding claims 3 and 10, Wang in view of Rakshit teaches wherein the physical characteristics of the one or more celestial objects are obtained from a celestial object detection service of a space station (Wang: Fig. 1; [0009], obtaining moving states/characteristic of a moving object). Regarding claims 4 and 11, Wang in view of Rakshit teaches wherein the determination that the one or more celestial objects pose the risk to the LEO data center is based on one of determining that an interference area exists between the one or more celestial objects and the LEO data center and determining that at least one of the one or more celestial objects will come within a threshold distance of the LEO data center (Wang: Fig.1; [0009]-[0010] determining whether the moving data center will collide with moving object). Regarding claims 5 and 12, Wang in view of Rakshit teaches wherein the threshold distance is a distance that is set by an administrator of the LEO data center (Wang: Fig.1; [0009]-[0010] determining whether the moving data center will collide with moving object; system 10 design by an administrator). Regarding claims 6 and 13, Wang in view of Rakshit teaches wherein backing up the one or more data items stored on the LEO data center to another LEO data center in communication with the LEO data center comprises: querying a network of connected LEO data centers, including the another LEO data center, to obtain an available storage capacity for each of the network of connected LEO data centers; obtaining physical characteristics of each of the network of connected LEO data centers; and selecting the another data center from the network of connected LEO based on the available storage capacity and the physical characteristics of each of the network of connected LEO data centers (Wang: Fig. 1; [0010], backup data from the moving data center to a remote data center in communication with the moving data center). 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. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KODZOVI ACOLATSE whose telephone number is (571)270-1999. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 10 am to 6pm. 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. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Avellino Joseph can be reached at (571) 272-3905. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /KODZOVI ACOLATSE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2478
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Show 2 earlier events
Jan 07, 2026
Response Filed
Mar 13, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
May 20, 2026
Interview Requested
May 27, 2026
Applicant Interview (Telephonic)
May 27, 2026
Examiner Interview Summary
May 28, 2026
Response Filed
Jun 24, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §103
Jul 29, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

4-5
Expected OA Rounds
84%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+21.1%)
2y 6m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 933 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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