DETAILED ACTION
Response to Arguments
1. Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-4 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 § 102
2. 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.
3. Claims 1-4 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wolf et al. (US 2014/0185497).
Regarding claim 1, Wolf et al. discloses a system (see Fig. 1, sections 0035-0034), comprising:
a plurality of base stations (elements 105), each of the plurality of bases stations operating in a respective area and communicating with one or more mobile stations (elements 115) in the respective area using a primary communication technique (radio access technologies as disclosed in section 0033, see also section 0088), wherein
a first base station (see Fig. 4, 305-c) of the plurality of base stations is configured to communicate with a backhaul (as disclosed in sections 0035, and 0063-0065) using an ad-hoc radio frequency link (PTP communication link over an unlicensed spectrum band as disclosed in section 0064) with a second base station (305-d) of the plurality of base stations,
wherein the ad-hoc radio frequency link utilizes an independent radio and frequency band (unlicensed spectrum bands as disclosed in section 0064) from the primary communication technique with which the respective base station communicates with mobile stations, and
wherein the first base station and the second base station each comprise:
a main transceiver (see Fig. 4, block 420, WLAN transceiver, see sections 0059, 0062-0065, and 0094) configured to provide base station functions using the primary communication technique (such as LTE/LTE-A as disclosed in sections 0053 and 0094); and
a mesh network transceiver (Fig. 4, block 410, backhaul transceiver, see sections 0062-0065) that is separate from the main transceiver,
wherein the mesh network transceiver of the first base station communicates with the mesh network transceiver of the second base station (see sections 0062, see also sections 0058-0059) using a communication protocol (TDD or FDD as disclosed in section 0055) that is different from a communication protocol associated with the primary communication technique (such as LTE/LTE-A as disclosed in sections 0053 and 0094) to establish the ad-hoc radio frequency link.
Regarding claim 2, Wolf et al. discloses the one or more of the plurality of base stations further communicates with the backhaul using a dedicated connection (backhaul link 134 as disclosed in section 0035), comprising at least one of: (i) a microwave RF link (see section 0035), (ii) a wired electronic connection (see section 0035), (iii) an optical connection (fiber as disclosed in section 0035), or (iv) a satellite ground station connection.
Regarding claim 3, Wolf et al. discloses the optical connection comprises at least one of a fiber optic (as disclosed in section 0035) connection or an atmospheric optical connection (see section 0103).
Regarding claim 4, Wolf et al. discloses the ad-hoc radio frequency link is on a dedicated communications link (backhaul link 134 as disclosed in section 0035, see also backhaul link 332 as disclosed in sections 0058-0059 and PTP communication link between the base stations as disclosed in section 0064).
Regarding claim 20, Wolf et al. discloses the mesh network transceivers (backhaul transceiver as disclosed in sections 0062-0065) are dedicated to communications between the base stations (as disclosed in sections 0063, see also sections 0083-0085) and are not configured to communicate with the mobile stations (by using a PTP communication link between the base stations not configured for communication with mobile stations as disclosed in section 0064).
Conclusion
4. 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.
5. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CURTIS B ODOM whose telephone number is (571)272-3046. The examiner can normally be reached 8-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Hannah S Wang can be reached at (571)-272-9018. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CURTIS B ODOM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2631 September 10, 2026
