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 Amendment
The amendment to the claims filed on 06/10/2026 has been entered. Applicant’s amendments to the claims are fully responsive and have overcome the combination of references presented in the non-final action dated 03/11/2026
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Widmer (EP-1091506-A2), in view of Ulupinar et al. (US-20160323800 -A1) hereinafter Ulupinar.
For examination purposes, claims 1-10 referring to a method and claims 11-20 referring to a system are henceforth grouped together for claims mirroring the same limitations or which disclose analogous art to the invention as claimed.
Regarding Claims 1 and 11, Widmer discloses a process and system for enhancing a user uplink for satellite communications (Widmer par. 4; It is an object of the invention to provide a process as defined in the introductory part which is applicable to any satellite communication system with known orbit and constellation types (LEO, Ellipso, MEO, HEO, GEO)), comprising: maintaining a serving reception of the user uplink at a serving satellite (Widmer, par. 57; If a fast seamless hand-off is required from one satellite to another, it is advantageous, that the user terminal - while performing communication with a primary satellite - maintains an idling link to a secondary satellite of the satellite system for synchronization and power control purposes); selecting a diversity satellite moving into a competitive position (Widmer, pars. 265; In a non-geostationary orbit satellite system, the service areas of the satellites are continuously moving) as compared to an elevation angle of the serving satellite (Widmer, pars. 266; In a multiple-satellite coverage scenario, there will in principle be multiple choice to assign an UT to an orthogonal group. However, since the primary satellite whose BS controls the UT is of living importance for an UT, it is reasonable to choose the satellite with highest elevation angle as primary satellite); forming a diversity reception of the user uplink at the diversity satellite (Widmer, par. 71; Satellite macro path diversity reception may enhance the detection of the user terminal signal, thus increasing system user capacity and power efficiency); and diversity combining the serving reception and the diversity reception to enhance the user uplink for a period longer than a handoff period (Widmer, par. 71; To exploit diversity on the return link, the base station combines the signal of a user terminal received via the primary satellite with the signal received via at least one secondary satellite. The BS (Base Station) performs quasi-coherent demodulation of each receive signal and combines the demodulated signals in the sense of maximal ratio combining), wherein the diversity combining is performed while a signal strength difference between the serving reception and the diversity reception is less than or equal to a predefined limit ,and wherein the diversity combining extends a duration for make before break handoff.
Widmer does not explicitly disclose the diversity combining a method where the diversity combining is performed while a signal strength differences stays within a predetermined threshold and wherein the diversity combining extends the duration based on stablishing a new link before handoff. However, in analogous art, Ulupinar discloses handoff procedures for satellite systems and user terminals which measures and compares signal quality thresholds to modify satellite and cell transitions (Ulupinar, fig. 35, par. 363; The circuit/module for determining whether to modify 3528 may include circuitry and/or programming (e.g., code for determining whether to modify 3548 stored on the storage medium 3504) adapted to perform several functions relating to, for example, determining whether to modify the satellite and cell transition information … For example, the circuit/module for determining whether to modify 3528 may compare signal quality information contained in a measurement message with one or more signal quality thresholds) see also pars. 196, 215, 267, and 405 and further teaches a method for delaying a handoff procedure when this determination is made (Ulupinar, fig. 35, par. 363; Finally, the circuit/module for determining whether to modify 3528 generates an indication of this determination (e.g., indicative of advancement of a handoff or delay of a handoff)) see also fig. 8 pars. 159-161.
Therefore a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention seeking to optimize handoff procedures would have been motivated to combine Widmer’s teachings for achieving power efficiency during the forward link (Up-Link) on a diversity satellite communication system with Ulupinar’s teachings for handoff procedures in satellite communication to enhance forward link establishment in a communication network.
Claims 2-10 and 12-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Widmer (EP-1091506-A2), in view of Ulupinar et al. (US-20160323800 -A1) hereinafter Ulupinar and further in view of Shioya et al. (US-20090080580 -A1, published: 2009-03-26) hereinafter Shioya.
Regarding claims 2 and 12, the combination of Widmer and Ulupinar discloses the method and system according to claim 1 and 11, wherein the predefined limit is 4 dB (Ulupinar, fig. 35, par. 363; The circuit/module for determining whether to modify 3528 may include circuitry and/or programming (e.g., code for determining whether to modify 3548 stored on the storage medium 3504) adapted to perform several functions relating to, for example, determining whether to modify the satellite and cell transition information … For example, the circuit/module for determining whether to modify 3528 may compare signal quality information contained in a measurement message with one or more signal quality thresholds) see also pars. 196, 215, 267, and 405.
The combination of Widmer and Ulupinar does not explicitly teach the predefined limit being 4dB, However, in analogous art, Shioya discloses a diversity receiver which halts the diversity operation according to a predefined signal strength parameter wherein the predetermined value is 4 dB (Shioya, par. 64; in a case wherein a difference between the reception levels A and B is greater than the predetermined value X=2 dB, the decision is NO and program control is shifted to step S9. At step S9, a predetermined value W is set to 4 dB, for example, so as to establish the predetermined value X<W, and then, a difference in the reception qualities (the difference Y1 in FIG. 2 or the difference Y2 in FIG. 3) is compared with the predetermined value W, which is used to determine whether desired diversity effects are available. In a case, as shown in FIG. 2, wherein the difference Y1 is greater than the predetermined value W=4 dB, the decision is NO, and program control is shifted to step S7. On the other hand, in a case, as shown in FIG. 3, wherein the difference Y2 is equal to or smaller than the predetermined value W=4 dB, the decision is YES, and program control is shifted to step S10) examiner notes, applicants’ specification further states the predefined limit is the value where the diversity gain diminishes beyond usability and the limit can be set arbitrarily, see par 60.
Therefore a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention seeking to enhance diversity receiver operations based on reception qualities would have been motivated to combine Widmer’s teachings for achieving power efficiency during the forward link (Up-Link) on a diversity satellite communication system with Ulupinar’s teachings for handoff procedures in satellite communication and Shioya’s teachings for diversity receiver operations to enhance power consumption efficiency during diversity combining operations.
Regarding claims 3 and 13, the combination of Widmer, Ulupinar and Shioya discloses the method and system according to claim 1 and 11, wherein the diversity combining enhances the user uplink by at least 1.4 dB at a serving receiver (Widmer, par. 188; Although there is some performance loss in the order of 1 dB in a linear □/4-QPSK BS receiver, there may be an overall gain of 1 ― 2 dB).
Regarding claims 4 and 14, the combination of Widmer, Ulupinar and Shioya discloses the method and system according to claim 1 and 11, wherein the diversity combining is performed at a serving receiver for the user uplink (Shioya, par. 45; FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the configuration of a diversity receiver according to embodiment 1 of the present invention. While referring to this drawing, the diversity receiver of this embodiment receives, for example, a terrestrial digital broadcast, and includes two branches, i.e., a reception branch 13a and a reception branch 13b. The reception branch 13a includes: an antenna 1a; a receiver 2a for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal captured by the antenna 1a, and for converting the RF signal into a baseband signal and outputting the baseband signal; and a demodulator 3a, for demodulating a baseband signal transmitted by the receiver 2a and outputting a digital signal. The reception branch 13b, as well as the reception branch 13a, includes: an antenna 1b, a receiver 2b, for receiving a radio frequency (RF) signal captured by the antenna 1b and for converting the RF signal into a baseband signal and outputting the baseband signal; and a demodulator 3b, for demodulating a baseband signal transmitted by the receiver 2b and outputting a digital signal. The receivers 2a and 2b transmit reception signals S8a and S8b to a reception quality difference detector 5) see also Widmer par. 258.
Regarding claims 5 and 15, the combination of Widmer, Ulupinar and Shioya discloses the method and system according to claim 4 and 14, wherein the serving receiver performs a channel estimation (Widmer, par 219; If the BS has successfully captured the random access burst, it estimates time and frequency (measures residual timing and frequency errors) and sends a channel assignment, as well as timing and frequency corrections to the UT using a CCPCH). and a Doppler compensation on the serving reception and accepts the diversity reception from a diversity receiver, prior to the diversity combining (Widmer, par. 207; In addition to feeder uplink Doppler precompensation, the BS, knowing the position of the satellite in use, may also precompensate the service forward link carrier frequency so that zero Doppler shift ideally results for a non-moving observer on the earth's surface located at the beam center point).
Regarding claims 6 and 16, the combination of Widmer, Ulupinar and Shioya discloses the method and system according to claims 1 and 11, wherein a diversity receiver performs a channel estimation (Widmer, par 219; If the BS has successfully captured the random access burst, it estimates time and frequency (measures residual timing and frequency errors) and sends a channel assignment, as well as timing and frequency corrections to the UT using a CCPCH). and a Doppler compensation on the diversity reception prior to the diversity combining (Widmer, par. 207; In addition to feeder uplink Doppler precompensation, the BS, knowing the position of the satellite in use, may also precompensate the service forward link carrier frequency so that zero Doppler shift ideally results for a non-moving observer on the earth's surface located at the beam center point).
Regarding claims 7 and 17, the combination of Widmer, Ulupinar and Shioya discloses the method and system according to claims 1 and 11, wherein the diversity reception is communicated via an Inter-Satellite Link (ISL) for the diversity combining (Widmer, par. 97; The satellite W-C/TDMA scheme described herein also supports satellite path or beam diversity with maximum ratio combining, seamless intra-satellite beam hand-off, as well as seamless inter-satellite beam hand-off in a multiple beam/satellite scenario) see also Widmer section 9.9.2 par. 253, section 9.9.3 par. 267 and Ulupinar par. 178, 182.
Regarding claims 8 and 18, the combination of Widmer, Ulupinar and Shioya discloses the method and system according to claims 1 and 11, wherein the diversity reception is established as the serving reception when the signal strength difference is less than the predefined limit (Widmer, par. 219; The UT is allowed to access the BS only after having successfully established forward link synchronization).
Regarding claims 9 and 19, the combination of Widmer, Ulupinar and Shioya discloses the method and system according to claims 1 and 11, wherein one user downlink to a user device is paired with the serving reception and the diversity reception (Widmer, par. 71; Satellite macro path diversity reception may enhance the detection of the user terminal signal, thus increasing system user capacity and power efficiency. To exploit diversity on the return link, the base station combines the signal of a user terminal received via the primary satellite with the signal received via at least one secondary satellite).
Regarding claims 10 and 20, the combination of Widmer, Ulupinar and Shioya discloses the method and system according to claims 1 and 11, wherein the maintaining of the serving reception is terminated to conserve a transmission power of the serving satellite (Ulupinar, par. 106; In inter-satellite handoff, a UT is handed-off from the current serving satellite (referred to as the source satellite) to another satellite (referred to as the target satellite)) Examiner notes, in accordance with applicants remarks for claims 10 and 20 dated 06/10/2026, examiner interpreted the termination of service reception as a soft inter satellite handover as during the handover the serving satellite terminates the current connection and transfers the service to a different satellite, see also Widmer section 253.
Claims 21-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Widmer (EP-1091506-A2), in view of Ulupinar et al. (US-20160323800 -A1) hereinafter Ulupinar, further in view of Shioya et al. (US-20090080580-A1, published: 2009-03-26) hereinafter Shioya and further in view of Jayasimha et al (US-20170086255-A1, published: 2017-03-23) hereinafter Jayasimha.
Regarding claim 21, the combination of Widmer, Ulupinar and Shioya discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein when the serving satellite is descending towards a lower elevation angle and the diversity satellite selected by the selecting is ascending towards a higher elevation angle (Ulupinar, par. 106; In inter-satellite handoff, a UT is handed-off from the current serving satellite (referred to as the source satellite) to another satellite (referred to as the target satellite). For example, a UT may be handed-off to the target satellite as the source satellite moves away from the UT and the target satellite moves toward the UT) see also Widmer pars. 265-271.
The combination of references does not explicitly disclose the selection of the diversity satellite as the serving satellite descends towards a lower elevation angle and the diversity satellite ascends towards a higher elevation angle. However in analogous art, Jayasimha discloses a method for make before break handoff communications over non-geostationary satellites, wherein terrestrial antennas are used to switch communications between an ascending and descending satellite (Jayasimha, par. 17; Multiple antennas are used at an earth station to switch communications from the satellite that is leaving the field of view (descending satellite) to the satellite that is entering the field of view (ascending satellite)) see also figs. 2(a)-2(j) pars. 21-27.
Therefore, a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention seeking to have dynamic satellite service selection during handoff procedures would have found it obvious to combine the Widmer’s teachings for achieving power efficiency during the forward link (Up-Link) on a diversity satellite communication system, with Ulupinar’s teachings for handoff procedures in satellite communication, with Shioya’s teachings for diversity receiver operations and Jayasimha’s physical layer hand-off procedures and diversity combining for non-geostationary satellites to enhance seamless handoff connectivity.
Regarding claim 21, the combination of Widmer, Ulupinar, Shioya and Jayashima discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the diversity satellite forms an unpaired receive beam towards a user equipment to support the diversity reception (Jayashima, par. 25; the first antenna A.sub.1 is responsible for the full path of that satellite 5, from when it first ascends to when it has descended. Thus, at Prepare for Handover (FIG. 2(e), the first antenna A.sub.1 remains with the descending antenna, and only the second antenna A.sub.2 is available to track the newly ascending satellite, which it acquires at Handover in the odd pass (FIG. 2(f)). The third antenna A.sub.3 operates as a backup in the event of a failure of the first antenna A.sub.1, so the third antenna A.sub.3 remains with the descending satellite and the first and third antennas A.sub.1, A.sub.3 only switch to the ascending satellite after the descending satellite has fully descended and the signal lost) examiner notes, examiner interpreted “forms an unpaired receive beam” to mean to stablish a connection with any available diversity combining antenna.
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It is noted that any citations to specific pages, columns, lines or figures in the prior art
references and any interpretation of the reference should not be considered limiting in any way. A
reference is relevant for all it contains and may be relied upon for all that it would have reasonably
suggested to a person of ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2123
Other Pertinent References Not Relied Upon
Blumenthal (US-20220271824-A1), System And Method For Selection Of Transmit Array, 2022. A system and method for selecting antenna panels for communicating with satellites. The receive panels directed towards a location in the sky where the satellite is expected to be. When the signal from the satellite is received by the panels, parameters of the signals are checked against a threshold. All the panels having the parameters above the threshold are grouped together as a receive group. The parameters of the signals at the receive groups are compared to determine the best receive panel, and the transmit panel associate with the receive panel is selected as the transmit panel.
Antonio et al. (US-6208858-B1), System And Method For Reducing Call Dropping Rates In A Multi-beam Communication System, 2001. A method for reducing call dropping rates in a multi-beam communication system. The multi-beam communication system includes a user terminal, a gateway, and a plurality of beam sources, where each beam source projects a plurality of beams, and where a communication link between the user terminal and the gateway is established on one or more beams. The method according to the present invention relies on a messaging protocol between the gateway and the user terminal. Based on messages sent from the user terminal to the gateway, preferably on a preselected periodic basis, the gateway can determine the more desirable beam(s) for transmitting data or information to the user terminal. The messages sent from the user terminal to the gateway contain values representing beam strengths as measured at the user terminal. The gateway uses the user terminal measured beam strengths to select the beams that should be used for transmitting data or information to the user terminal. The beams that should be used are the beams that if used will decrease the call dropping rates and provide a desired level of beam source diversity.
Ulupinar et al. (US-20160323032-A1), Handoff For Non-Geosynchronous Satellite Communication, 2016. Various aspects of the disclosure relate to handoff of a user terminal in communication with a gateway through a satellite in a non-geosynchronous satellite communication system. In some aspects, a gateway and a user terminal use a satellite and beam transition table to determine when to handoff the user terminal from one beam to another and/or from one satellite to another. In some aspects, a user terminal sends capability information, location information, or other information to a gateway whereby, based on this information, the gateway generates a satellite and beam transition table and/or selects a handoff procedure for the user terminal. In some aspects, handoff of a user terminal to a different satellite involves the user terminal conducting satellite signal measurements and sending a measurement message to the gateway. In some aspects, the gateway generates a new satellite and beam transition table as a result of receiving a measurement message.
Sriram (US-9130644-B2), Power booster in an MEO setting, 2015. A customer satellite terminal provides seamless hand-off from a descending satellite to an ascending satellite in an equatorial MEO constellation at RF. The hand-off from the descending satellite to the ascending satellite is conducted when the propagation delay from the ascending satellite and the descending satellite are equal, by aligning first and second amplitudes, first and second frequency offsets, and first and second phases.
Juan et al. (US-20060160539-A1), Handoff Control Methods And Related Devices, 2006. Handoff control methods. User equipment measures the strength of a first pilot signal in an active set. The first pilot signal is transmitted from a base station currently providing services to the user equipment. Handoff parameters for handoff are dynamically set according to the strength of the first pilot signal, and handoff thresholds are determined corresponding to the handoff parameters. If the total strength of other pilot signals other than the first pilot signal in the active set is below a predetermined value, the handoff parameters are further adjusted.
Karabinis et al. (US-20080268836-A1), Space-Based Network Architectures For Satellite Radiotelephone Systems. A space-based network for a satellite radiotelephone system includes at least one receive-only satellite and at least one transmit satellite. The transmit satellite can be a transmit-only satellite or a transmit and receive satellite. The receive-only satellite(s) are configured to receive wireless communications from a radiotelephone at a location over a satellite frequency band. The transmit satellite(s) are configured to transmit wireless communications to the radiotelephone at the location over the satellite frequency band. By providing at least one receive-only satellite and at least one transmit satellite, space-based networks can offer a significant link margin, without the need to undesirably burden the radiotelephones themselves to achieve this link margin.
Karabinis et al. (WO-0154314-A1) Diversity System In A Satellite Telecommunication Network For Diversity Combining Of Up-link Signal Frames From Each Of The User Terminals At The Visible Satellites, 2001. Visible satellites (110) receive transmissions from plural user terminals (120) in an up-link region (130) and the bursts (140) from the user terminals are received preferably at all visible satellites without time overlap. Each visible satellite transmits a sequence of received up-link bursts to a ground station (150), which are combined by a diversity combiner (17), while a guard time is established between adjacent user terminal bursts according to the arrival time differences of adjacent up-link bursts so that all signals can be used.
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 MARIO R CAMPERO MIRAMONTES whose telephone number is (571)272-5792. The examiner can normally be reached Monday -Thursday 0600 - 1600.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Yuwen (Kevin) Pan can be reached at (571) 272-7855. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MARIO R CAMPERO MIRAMONTES/Examiner, Art Unit 2649 /YUWEN PAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2649
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