DETAILED ACTION
The response filed December 31, 2025 has been entered.
No Claims are amended.
Claims 1-20 are pending this application.
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 –
(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, 4-8, 10-17, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Gum et al (US 2021/0333411 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Gum discloses a method for detecting satellite signal spoofing, the method comprising [figure 1 element 730]:
monitoring a plurality of satellite signals, from Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) satellites and Satellite-based Augmentation System (SBAS) satellites, with a GNSS receiver [0048 for having a GNSS receiver with correction data from a SBAS satellite];
obtaining a current time and satellite orbital parameters from the GNSS receiver, based on real-time satellite signals received from the GNSS and SBAS satellites through a GNSS antenna [0047-0048 for determining time and position];
computing satellite orbital positions for the GNSS and SBAS satellites based on the current time and satellite orbital parameters from the GNSS receiver [0047-0048 for determining time and position];
retrieving past satellite orbital parameters from the GNSS receiver stored in a memory [0047-0048, 0075, with 0101 for storing and reprocessing (having stored) data in memory];
calculating predicted satellite orbital positions for the GNSS and SBAS satellites based on the satellite orbital parameters with respect to the current time, and the past satellite orbital parameters stored in the memory [0047-0048 with 0101 for storing and reprocessing data in memory];
computing current satellite orbital positions for the GNSS and SBAS satellites based on current satellite signals from the GNSS and SBAS satellites received by the GNSS receiver [0047-0049 for determining range and positioning with correction data to determine location on earth];
determining at least one first distance value between two or more of the GNSS and/or SBAS satellites based on the predicted satellite orbital positions [0047-0049 for determining range];
determining at least one second distance value between two or more of the GNSS and/or SBAS satellites based on the current satellite orbital positions [0048 for means to calculate orbit error];
comparing the at least one first distance value and the at least one second distance value to obtain at least one discriminator value [0046 for having coarse orbits and 0047 for calculating pseudorange (discriminator) for receiver and three satellites, with 0064 for multiple orbit calculations such as Doppler shift and different orbits];
determining whether the at least one discriminator value is greater than a threshold level [0047, and 0099 for having the pseudorange (discriminator) difference beyond a threshold distance];
and outputting a spoofing alert signal when the at least one discriminator value is greater than the threshold level [0103].
Regarding Claim 11, Gum teaches a system comprising: at least one processor onboard a vehicle [0050 for calculation means, and 0101];
a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver onboard the vehicle and operatively coupled with the at least one processor [0050];
and a GNSS spoofing detection module onboard the vehicle [figure 1 element 730],
the GNSS spoofing detection module including instructions to perform a method comprising [0048 for having a GNSS receiver with correction data from a SBAS satellite]:
monitoring a plurality of satellite signals, from GNSS satellites and Satellite-based Augmentation System (SBAS) satellites, with the GNSS receiver [0047-0048 for determining time and position];
obtaining a current time and satellite orbital parameters from the GNSS receiver, based on real-time satellite signals received from the GNSS and SBAS satellites through a GNSS antenna [0047-0048 for determining time and position as well as orbit error];
computing satellite orbital positions for the GNSS and SBAS satellites based on the current time and satellite orbital parameters from the GNSS receiver [0047-0048 for determining time and position];
retrieving past satellite orbital parameters from the GNSS receiver stored in a memory [0047-0048, 0075, with 0101 for storing and reprocessing (having stored) data in memory];
calculating predicted satellite orbital positions for the GNSS and SBAS satellites based on the satellite orbital parameters with respect to the current time, and the past satellite orbital parameters stored in the memory [0047-0048 with 0101 for storing and reprocessing data in memory];
computing current satellite orbital positions for the GNSS and SBAS satellites based on current satellite signals from the GNSS and SBAS satellites received by the GNSS receiver [0047-0049 for determining range and positioning with correction data to determine location on earth];
determining at least one first distance value between two or more of the GNSS and/or SBAS satellites based on the predicted satellite orbital positions value [0046-0047 for calculating pseudorange (discriminator) for receiver and three satellites];
determining at least one second distance value between two or more of the GNSS and/or SBAS satellites based on the current satellite orbital positions [0048 for means to calculate orbit error];
comparing the at least one first distance value and the at least one second distance value to obtain at least one discriminator value [0046-0047 for calculating pseudorange (discriminator) for receiver and three satellites, with 0064 for multiple orbit calculations such as Doppler shift and different orbits];
determining whether the at least one discriminator value is greater than a threshold level [0047, and 0099 for having the pseudorange (discriminator) difference beyond a threshold distance also 0121];
and outputting a spoofing alert signal when the at least one discriminator value is greater than the threshold level [0048, 0103].
Regarding Claim 4, Gum teaches the at least one first distance value and the at least one second distance value are determined by distance information comprising [0046-0047 for calculating pseudorange (discriminator) for receiver and three satellites]:
distance information between the GNSS and SBAS satellites;
distance information between a GNSS satellite and one or more other GNSS satellites;
or distance information between multiple GNSS satellites of different constellations [0046-0047 for calculating pseudorange (discriminator) for receiver and three satellites].
Regarding Claim 5, Gum teaches the GNSS receiver is located in a vehicle comprising an aerial vehicle, a land vehicle, or a sea vehicle [0036, and 0055].
Regarding Claim 6 and 13, Gum teaches the GNSS receiver is located in an aerial vehicle comprising a manned aircraft, a helicopter, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) vehicle, an urban air mobility (UAM) vehicle, or a drone [0036].
Regarding Claim 7 and 14, Gum teaches the GNSS satellites comprise Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites, GALILEO satellites, BEIDOU satellites, GLONASS satellites, or combinations thereof [0148].
Regarding Claim 8 and 15, Gum teaches the SBAS satellites comprise Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) satellites, European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) satellites, GPS-Aided GEO Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) satellites, Multi-functional Satellite Augmentation System (MSAS) satellites, System for Differential Corrections and Monitoring (SDCM) satellites, or combinations thereof [0148].
Regarding Claim 10 and 20, Gum teaches the spoofing alert signal is made available for broadcast to other users that are airborne or on ground [0090-0091, 0113].
Regarding Claim 16, Gum teaches the at least one processor includes a standalone processor that hosts the GNSS spoofing detection module [0157].
Regarding Claim 17, Gum teaches the GNSS spoofing detection module is hosted by the GNSS receiver [0156].
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 2-3 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gum et al (US 2021/0333411 A1), as applied to Claim 1 and 11 above, in view of Soderholm et al (US 2021/0109231 A1).
Regarding Claim 2 and 12, Gum fails to explicitly teach determining whether the past satellite orbital parameters were updated at a time greater than a time period threshold; and if the past satellite orbital parameters were updated at a time greater than the time period threshold, then collecting real-time satellite orbital information for the GNSS and SBAS satellites from the GNSS receiver, and storing the real-time satellite orbital information in the memory.
Soderholm has a method for determining whether GNSS related positioning of a mobile device is expected or unexpected (abstract) and teaches determining whether the past satellite orbital parameters were updated at a time greater than a time period threshold [0052-0052 for having a time period that the GNSS signal must be received];
and if the past satellite orbital parameters were updated at a time greater than the time period threshold [0052-0053 for collecting clock data],
then collecting real-time satellite orbital information for the GNSS and SBAS satellites from the GNSS receiver, and storing the real-time satellite orbital information in the memory [0052-0053 for comparing GNSS data, 0074-0074 and 0150-0171 for using GNSS engine (memory means)].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the satellite position techniques, as disclosed by Gum further including the timing calculations as taught by Soderholm for the purpose to determine an orbital position of the GNSS satellite at a given time (Soderholm, 0053).
Regarding Claim 3, Gum teaches the past satellite orbital parameters are updated and stored for different timelines in separate storage locations of the memory [0100, 0104].
Claims 9 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gum et al (US 2021/0333411 A1), as applied to Claim 1 and 11 above, in view of Lemke et al (US 2022/0082704 A1).
Regarding Claim 9 and 19, Gum fails to explicitly teach the spoofing alert signal is sent to a cockpit display to notify a pilot of spoofing detection.
Hauswald has a method for detecting GNSS spoofing using inertial mixing data (abstract) and teaches the spoofing alert signal is sent to a cockpit display to notify a pilot of spoofing detection [0034 for sending an alert to the pilot in the cockpit].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the satellite position techniques, as disclosed by Gum further including the alert calculations as taught by Hauswald for the purpose to ensure the vehicle is not able to rely on GNSS technology (Hauswald, 0034).
Regarding Claim 18, Gum fails to explicitly teach the at least one processor is in a flight management system (FMS) of an aircraft, wherein the FMS hosts the GNSS spoofing detection module.
Hauswald has a method for detecting GNSS spoofing using inertial mixing data (abstract) and teaches the at least one processor is in a flight management system (FMS) of an aircraft, wherein the FMS hosts the GNSS spoofing detection module [0034 for sending an alert to the pilot in the cockpit].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the satellite position techniques, as disclosed by Gum further including the alert calculations as taught by Hauswald for the purpose to ensure the vehicle is not able to rely on GNSS technology (Hauswald, 0034).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments fail to comply with 37 CFR 1.111(b) because they amount to a
general allegation that the claims define a patentable invention without specifically pointing out how the language of the claims patentably distinguishes them from the references.
In applicant’s arguments page 5, second paragraph of applicant’s arguments, the applicant states that Gum does not explicitly teach the distance between two or more satellites. The examiner respectfully disagrees: Gum teaches calculating location, heading, and velocity of each GNSS satellite along with its Doppler offsets [Gum, 0075]. Furthermore, Gum also teaches using ephemeris data (orbit positions) for the satellite and also teaches demodulated ephemeris data for the satellite for determining position of mobile device (distance calculations) as well as the phase codes [Gum 0119-0120].
In applicant’s arguments page 5, last paragraph of applicant’s arguments, the applicant states that Gum does not explicitly teach the distance between two or more satellites but trilateration. The examiner respectfully disagrees: Calculating the distance between two satellites is calculating the distance between two points, trilateration is just using three or more satellites with known (orbit) positions [Gum, 0047].
The examiner acknowledges that this is a broader interpretation than Applicant’s.
However, examiners are not only allowed to apply broad interpretations, but are required to do so, as it reduces the possibility that the claims, once issued, will be interpreted more broadly than is justified. MPEP §2111. Patentability is determined by the “broadest reasonable interpretation
consistent with the specification” (MPEP §2111), not the narrowest reasonable interpretation. And Applicant does not have an explicit lexicographical statement in line with MPEP §2111.01
subsection IV requiring a specific interpretation of the relevant phrases which forces the examiner to interpret them only one way.
The express, implicit, and inherent disclosures of a prior art reference may be relied upon in the rejection of claims under 35 U.S.C. 102 or 103. "The inherent teaching of a prior art reference, a question of fact, arises both in the context of anticipation and obviousness." In re Napier, 55 F.3d 610, 613, 34 USPQ2d 1782, 1784 (Fed. Cir. 1995).
For applicant’s benefit, portions of the cited reference(s) have been cited to aid in the review of the rejection(s). While every attempt has been made to be thorough and consistent within the rejection it is noted that the PRIOR ART MUST BE CONSIDERED IN ITS ENTIRETY, including disclosures that teach away from the claims. See MPEP 2141.02 VI.
“The use of patents as references is not limited to what the patentees describe as their own inventions or to the problems with which they are concerned. They are part of the literature of the art, relevant for all they contain.” In re Heck, 699 F.2d 1331, 1332-33, 216 USPQ 1038, 1039 (Fed. Cir. 1983) (quoting In re Lemelson, 397 F.2d 1006, 1009, 158 USPQ 275, 277 (CCPA 1968)). A reference may be relied upon for all that it would have reasonably suggested to one having ordinary skill in the art, including non-preferred embodiments. Merck & Co. v.Biocraft Laboratories, 874 F.2d 804, 10 USPQ2d 1843 (Fed. Cir.), cert. denied, 493 U.S. 975 (1989). See also Upsher-Smith Labs. v. Pamlab, LLC, 412 F.3d 1319, 1323, 75 USPQ2d 1213, 1215 (Fed. Cir. 2005) See MPEP 2123.
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 SAMARINA MAKHDOOM whose telephone number is (703)756-1044. The examiner can normally be reached Monday – Thursdays from 8:30 to 5:30 pm eastern time.
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/SAMARINA MAKHDOOM/
Examiner, Art Unit 3648