DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
1. Claims 5-19 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on March 25, 2026.
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 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Papa et al. (US 2019/0141575).
Regarding claim 1, Papa et al. discloses a system, comprising:
a plurality of base stations (see Fig. 1, blocks 102 and 104, mesh base stations as disclosed in section 0004), each of the plurality of bases stations operating in a respective area (coverage area as disclosed in section 0003) and communicating with one or more mobile stations (user equipment (UE) as disclosed in section 0003, see also sections 0027-0028) in the respective area using a primary communication technique (radio frequency used between eNodeB and attached user equipment as disclosed in section 0023), wherein
one or more of the plurality of base stations are configured to communicate with a backhaul (backhaul connection 106 as disclosed in section 0027) using an ad-hoc radio frequency link (shared backhaul connection in ad-hoc wireless network as disclosed in section 0004) with another of the plurality of base stations, and
wherein the ad-hoc radio frequency link utilizes an independent radio and frequency band (such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or ZigBee as disclosed in section 0046) from the primary communication technique (LTE or radio frequency connection as disclosed in section 0023) with which the respective base station communicates with mobile stations.
Regarding claim 2, Papa et al. discloses wherein the one or more of the plurality of base stations further communicates with the backhaul using a dedicated connection (as disclosed in section 0046), comprising at least one of: (i) a microwave RF link, (ii) a wired electronic connection, (iii) an optical connection, or (iv) a satellite ground station connection.
Regarding claim 3, Papa et al. discloses wherein the optical connection comprises at least one of a fiber optic connection (as disclosed in section 0046) or an atmospheric optical connection.
Regarding claim 4, Papa et al. discloses wherein the ad-hoc radio frequency link is on a dedicated communications link (such as wired fiber backhaul connection 106 as disclosed in section 0027).
Conclusion
4. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Mehta (US 2020/0045757) also discloses base stations configured to communicate with a backhaul using an ad-hoc radio frequency link.
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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/CURTIS B ODOM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2631 April 2, 2026
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