DETAILED ACTION
Status of Claims
Claims 1-20 are currently pending and have been examined in this application. This NON-FINAL communication is the first action on the merits.
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 § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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 –
(a)(1) 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.
Claims 1, 5-6, 8-9, 13-14, 16, 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jones (US 20210109227).
Regarding Claims 1, 9, Jones discloses the following limitations:
A Global Positioning System (GPS) or global navigation satellite system (GNSS) comprising at least: (Jones - [0028] FIG. 1 illustrates an example global navigation satellite system (GNSS) 100 according to this disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, the GNSS 100 includes multiple satellites 102, where the satellites 102 transmit wireless position signals 104. The satellites 102 here support any suitable satellite navigation system, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS),)
A Global Positioning System (GPS) or global navigation satellite system (GNSS) method, (Jones – [0028], [0007] a method for identifying spoofed navigation signals includes receiving a plurality of navigation signals at a multi-element antenna.)
antenna electronics configured to provide signals to a GPS or GNSS receiver, (Jones - [0082] The expected gain vectors can be determined in any suitable manner, such as based on platform attitude, a rough location of the receiver 106 or azimuths and elevations obtained from a GNSS receiver, and an antenna array manifold.)
wherein the signals comprise GPS or GNSS satellite signals received from a set of GPS or GNSS satellites and/or one or more falsified signals; (Jones - [0038] the GNSS 100 may include any suitable number of satellites 102 in any suitable configuration, and the satellites 102 that are visible to any given receiver 106 at any specific time can vary. In addition, depending on the circumstances, there may be any number of spoofing transmitters on the ground or in the air for a given environment.)
a digital signal processor (DSP) configured to determine, based on an expected location of a respective GPS or GNSS satellite of the set of GPS or GNSS satellites, an expected gain or expected power for a respective signal of the signals; and (Jones - [0035] the receiver 106 may determine if gain vectors for received GNSS signals correspond to expected gain vectors based on known or expected satellite positions. [0043] The processor 204 includes any suitable processing device or devices configured to analyze at least GNSS signals to identify and suppress spoofed GNSS signals. For example, the processor 204 may include one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors (DSPs),)
the GPS or GNSS receiver, wherein the GPS or GNSS receiver is configured to measure a power of the respective signal, compare the measured power to the expected gain or expected power, and (Jones - [0035])
determine whether the respective signal is falsified based on the comparison. (Jones - [0035], [0036] The receiver 106 can use any GNSS signal that is determined to be legitimate in order to identify a position of the receiver 106, meaning any GNSS signal that is determined not to be spoofed.)
Regarding Claims 5, 13, 19, Jones further discloses:
wherein to determine whether the respective signal is falsified based on the comparison further comprises to determine whether the respective signal is falsified based on a change over time in one or more of: (Jones – [0033], [0035-0036])
the expected location of the respective GPS or GNSS satellite, (Jones – [0035])
an attitude or orientation of a GPS or GNSS antenna array, or (Jones – [0035])
a disparity in expected gain among the signals on an antenna beam. (Jones – [0035])
Regarding Claims 6, 14, 20, Jones further discloses:
wherein to determine the expected gain or expected power for the respective signal is based on a set of weights. (Jones – [0035], [0062] Each of the amplitude and phase adjusters 332 includes any suitable structure for adjusting the amplitude and phase of a signal, such as a weighting network. Note that the signals received by the amplitude and phase adjusters 332 may represent the pre-processed GNSS signals. Also note that the processor 204 can use the identification of genuine and spoofed GNSS signals in other ways, such as to identify a direction to a potential or actual spoofer based on the gain vectors that are determined to be substantially similar.)
Regarding Claim 8, Jones further discloses:
wherein: the respective signal is authentic and originates from the respective GPS or GNSS satellite; or (Jones – [0035-0036])
the respective signal is falsified and originates from one or more of a satellite spoofer, an aircraft spoofer, a drone spoofer, a maritime spoofer, or a land based spoofer. (Jones – [0035-0036])
Regarding Claim 16, Jones teaches the following limitations:
A system, comprising a Global Positioning System (GPS) or global navigation satellite system (GNSS) antenna array configured to receive signals, (Jones - [0028], [0038])
wherein the signals comprise GPS or GNSS satellite signals received from a set of GPS or GNSS satellites and/or one or more falsified signals; (Jones - [0038])
antenna electronics configured to provide the signals comprising the GPS or GNSS satellite signals to a GPS or GNSS receiver, and (Jones - [0082])
a GPS or GNSS digital signal processor (DSP) configured to determine, based on an expected location of a respective GPS or GNSS satellite of the set of GPS or GNSS satellites, an expected gain or expected power for a respective signal of the signals; and (Jones - [0035], [0043])
the GPS or GNSS receiver, wherein the GPS or GNSS receiver is configured to: measure a power of the respective signal; compare the expected gain or expected power to the measured power; and (Jones - [0035])
determine whether the respective signal is falsified based on the comparison. (Jones - [0035], [0036])
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 2-4, 7, 10-12, 15, 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jones (US 20210109227) in view of Wang (CN 103176191).
Regarding Claims 2, 10, 17, Jones further teaches:
wherein to provide the signals comprises to provide a set of antenna beams formed based on the signals, (Jones - [0035] an antenna array manifold (which identifies how gains and phases of the multi-element antenna vary with direction). Jones does not explicitly teach “antenna beams”.)
the expected gain or expected power for the respective signal is based on an expected gain for a respective antenna beam of the set of antenna beams at the expected location of the respective GPS or GNSS satellite, (Jones - [0035])
the measured power of the respective signal comprises a measured power of the respective signal while the respective signal is tracked on the respective antenna beam. (Jones - [0051] Multiple tracking channels 304 receive the electrical signals output by the antenna elements 302a-302n and process the electrical signals to identify GNSS signals. Each tracking channel 304 generally attempts to identify a GNSS signal from a single satellite 102, and different tracking channels 304 generally attempt to identify different GNSS signals from different single satellites 102. However, as noted above, one or more of the tracking channels 304 may identify spoofed GNSS signals, which would otherwise interfere with the operation of a receiver. Using the techniques disclosed in this patent document, these spoofed GNSS signals can be suppressed so that only valid GNSS signals identified by the tracking channels 304 are used.)
Jones does not explicitly teach the following limitations, however Wang, in the same field of endeavor, teaches:
the respective antenna beam is steered to a respective steering location, and (Wang – [Abstract] Signals received by an antenna array are subjected to A/D (analog/digital) sampling, bandpass filtering, amplitude-phase error correction, covariance matrix and inverse matrix calculation, MUSIC (multiple signal classification) direction finding, pseudo-satellite and navigation satellite signal power estimation, calculation of constraint response vectors corresponding to the direction of pseudo-satellite signals, calculation of multi-constrained beam forming weight, digital beam forming, and navigation solution, so that local position is obtained finally. [claim 1] associate matrix of steering vector corresponding to Pseudolite signal direction, a (βk) be steering vector corresponding to Pseudolite signal direction,)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the antenna array and processor of Jones with the beamforming and steering vectors of Wang in order to obtain consistent and strong navigational signal power (Wang – [pg. 10 para. 14]).
Regarding Claims 3, 11, Jones further teaches:
wherein the GPS or GNSS receiver is further configured to track the respective signal on the set of antenna beams. (Jones - [0051] Jones does not explicitly teach “antenna beams”.)
Jones does not explicitly teach the following limitations, however Wang, in the same field of endeavor, teaches:
antenna beams (Wang – [Abstract])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the antenna array and processor of Jones with the beamforming of Wang in order to obtain consistent and strong navigational signal power (Wang – [pg. 10 para. 14]).
Regarding Claims 4, 12, 18, Jones further teaches:
wherein the GPS or GNSS receiver is further configured to rank the expected gain or expected power relative to a second expected gain or second expected power for a second antenna beam, and (Jones – [0033] the receiver 106 may calculate the squared cross-correlation magnitude between each pair of gain vectors and compare each squared cross-correlation magnitude value to a threshold value. A squared cross-correlation magnitude value that exceeds the threshold may indicate that a spoofer is transmitting multiple GNSS signals from the same location. [0035] similarities of these expected gain vectors to the gain vectors for the received GNSS signals can be determined (such as based on squared cross-correlation magnitude). Here, higher similarities would indicate that received GNSS signals have gain vectors that are more similar to expected gain vectors. Jones does not explicitly teach “antenna beams”.)
rank the measured power relative to a second measured power for the second antenna beam, and (Jones – [0033], [0035])
to compare the measured power to the expected gain or expected power is based on the rankings. (Jones – [0033], [0035])
Jones does not explicitly teach the following limitations, however Wang, in the same field of endeavor, teaches:
antenna beams (Wang – [Abstract])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the antenna array and processor of Jones with the beamforming of Wang in order to obtain consistent and strong navigational signal power (Wang – [pg. 10 para. 14]).
Regarding Claims 7, 15, Jones further teaches:
further comprising adder and/or multiplier circuitry configured to compute a covariance matrix specifying spatial cross-correlations of antenna elements, and (Jones – [0033], [0035-0036], [0043] Jones does not explicitly teach “a covariance matrix”.)
Jones does not explicitly teach the following limitations, however Wang, in the same field of endeavor, teaches:
wherein the set of weights is based on an inverse of the covariance matrix, and a beam constraint matrix. (Wang – [claim 1] Steps F-H)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the antenna array and processor of Jones with the multiple constraint beamforming algorithm of Wang in order to obtain consistent and strong navigational signal power (Wang – [pg. 10 para. 14]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's
disclosure or directed to the state of art is listed on the enclosed PTO-892.
The following is a brief description for relevant prior art that was cited but not applied:
Levanon (US 6327534) discloses that an optimal accuracy is obtained if the weight matrix is chosen as the inverse of the measurement error covariance matrix in a satellite positioning system.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRANDON JAMES HENSON whose telephone number is (703)756-1841. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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/BRANDON JAMES HENSON/Examiner, Art Unit 3648
/RESHA DESAI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3648
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