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 amendments filed on April 02th 2026 have been entered. Claims 1-20 are currently pending. Applicants’ amendments to the drawings and claims have overcome the objections set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed on January 9th 2025.
Claim Objections
Claim 10 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 10 – “secondar” should be corrected to “secondary”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 8-11, and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Henry et al. (US 11949150 B1) in view of Nugent et al. (US 20150041598 A1) and Willistein et al. (US 9407000 B1).
Regarding Claim 1, Henry et al. discloses a pop-up HF antenna system (Unmanned antenna aircraft system which can be used for high frequency; Paragraph 8 and figure 1-3 of Henry et al.) comprising:
a primary UAS associated with a feed point of a pop-up HF antenna, the primary UAS having a first input configured to receive an RF signal and a second input configured to receive a DC power signal from a ground station (Center UAS 30 serves as a primary UAS wherein it is configured to receive RF/DC power through tether 20 to inputs in control system 36 of the primary UAS and/or to an input of Mux/DeMux in system 36 and said DC power is received from a ground station comprising the ground components like ground 129 wherein said ground station may be on a ship; Paragraph 14-36 and figure 1-3 of Henry et al.);
at least one secondary UAS associated with an endpoint of the pop-up HF (A secondary UAS 30 may be connected to an endpoint of antenna system as seen in figure 2b-2d of Henry et al.);
a wire configured to interconnect the primary UAS to the at least one secondary UAS and to provide the DC power signal to the at least one secondary UAS and the RF signal from the primary UAS toward the at least one secondary UAS (A tether 20 comprises a coaxial cable that interconnects a primary UAS and a secondary UAS such that a RF/DC signal is provided from the primary UAS to the secondary UAS; Paragraph 14-36 and figure 1-3 of Henry et al.); and
at least one antenna interface circuit UAS and configured to connect the primary UAS to the wire and to combine the DC power signal and the RF signal for transmission to the connected secondary UAS over the wire (Antenna interface circuit 12 combines RF and DC power signal to be transmitted to the UAS including the secondary UAS 30 and also connects the wire to the Control circuit 30 on the primary UAS; Paragraph 14-36 and figure 1-3 of Henry et al.);
wherein the wire is configured to provide simultaneous differential mode DC transmission and common-mode RF transmission between the primary UAS and the connected secondary UAS (Tether can be a coaxial tether 30 that comprises differential DC transmission and common-mode RF transmission wherein said tether can be between the primary UAS and the secondary; Paragraph 34-35 and figure 2e of Henry et al.).
Henry et al. fails to explicitly disclose a pair of wires and at least one antenna interface circuit located at the primary UAS and the connected secondary UAS remains untethered to the ground station.
However, Nugent et al. does disclose a pair of wires and at least one antenna interface circuit located at the primary UAS (Aerial antenna system includes tethers 300, which can be used as tethers 820, that may transmit both power and RF signals via metallic wires like 332 and coaxial cables like 334 and these tethers 820 may connect to an antenna interface circuit in the form of receiver 122 which is located in the primary UAS 810 and a secondary UAS above it wherein UAS may comprise a payload 570 that may be an antenna that is supplied by receiver 122; Paragraph 37-58 and 87-100 as well as figure 3-5 and 8 of Nugent et al.).
Willistein et al. further discloses the connected secondary UAS remains untethered to the ground station (Primary UAS 302 may be connected to two secondary UAS 402/404 wherein the primary UAS 302 is tethered to a ground station and the secondary UAS 402/404 are not directly tethered to a ground station; Columns 3-8 and figure 1-4 of Willistein et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Henry et al. to have a pair of wires and at least one antenna interface circuit located at the primary UAS as taught by Nugent et al. so that the antenna interface circuit may receive power and signals via the tether and supply them to the different components of the aerial devices (Paragraph 35-37 of Henry et al.) and since the location of the circuit makes it easier to connect to other components.
It would have been further obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Henry et al. and Nugent et al. to have the connected secondary UAS remains untethered to the ground station as taught by Willistein et al. so the ends of the antenna system can be made to float so every important characteristic of the antenna can be modified by controlling the positions of the UAS (Columns 7-8 of Willistein et al.).
Examiners note - Claim 1 recites the limitation “while the connected secondary UAS remains untethered to the ground station” which is unclear. The secondary UAS is connected to a primary UAS which is directly tethered to the ground station so the secondary UAS would also be considered tethered to the ground station. Thus the secondary UAS cannot really be considered untethered, however it can be considered directly untethered since there is no direct connected form the secondary UAS to the ground station. For the purposes of examination, the examiner, as best understood, will interpret claim 1 to mean “while the connected secondary UAS remains directly untethered to the ground station” to bring the claim more in line with what is taught in the specifications and drawings.
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Regarding Claim 2, Henry et al. further discloses wherein the at least one secondary UAS comprises a plurality of secondary UAS (There may be a plurality of secondary UAS 30 as seen in figure 2b-2d of Henry et al.);
wherein the system further comprises additional wire, each additional wire connecting the primary UAS to a secondary UAS of the plurality of secondary UAS (Additional wires may be used to connect the primary UAS 30 to the secondary UAS; Paragraph 14-36 and figure 1-3 of Henry et al.); and
Henry et al. fails to explicitly disclose additional pairs of wires and wherein the at least one antenna interface circuit comprises additional antenna interface circuits, each additional antenna interface circuit configured to connect the primary UAS to the pair of wires and to combine the DC power signal and the RF signal for transmission to a connected secondary UAS of the plurality of secondary UAS.
However, Nugent et al. does disclose additional pairs of wires and wherein the at least one antenna interface circuit comprises additional antenna interface circuits, each additional antenna interface circuit configured to connect the primary UAS to the pair of wires and to combine the DC power signal and the RF signal for transmission to a connected secondary UAS of the plurality of secondary UAS (Aerial antenna system tethers 820 that may connect to an antenna interface circuit like controller 530 and additional antenna interface circuits like receiver 122 which is located in the primary UAS 810 and a secondary UAS above it wherein UAS may comprise a payload 570 that may be an antenna that is supplied by receiver 122 and there can be a plurality of secondary UAS which can comprise a plurality of tethers 820 that include wire pairs and multiple antenna interface circuits in the form of receivers 122; Paragraph 37-58 and 87-100 as well as figure 3-5 and 8 of Nugent et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Henry et al. to have additional pairs of wires and wherein the at least one antenna interface circuit comprises additional antenna interface circuits, each additional antenna interface circuit configured to connect the primary UAS to the pair of wires and to combine the DC power signal and the RF signal for transmission to a connected secondary UAS of the plurality of secondary UAS as taught by Nugent et al. so that the antenna interface circuit may receive power and signals via the tether and supply them to the different components of the aerial devices (Paragraph 35-37 of Henry et al.) and since the location of the circuit makes it easier to connect to other components.
Regarding Claim 3, Henry et al. fails to explicitly disclose a fiber optic cable associated with the pair of wires connecting the primary UAS to the at least one secondary UAS and configured to provide a high-speed data connection therebetween.
However, Nugent et al. does disclose a fiber optic cable associated with the pair of wires connecting the primary UAS to the at least one secondary UAS and configured to provide a high-speed data connection therebetween (Tether can include optical fiber cable that is used to transfer data thus providing a high speed data connection wherein said tether can be connecting a primary and secondary UAS; Paragraph 47-58 and 91-93 as well as figure 7 of Nugent et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Henry et al. to have a fiber optic cable associated with the pair of wires connecting the primary UAS to the at least one secondary UAS and configured to provide a high-speed data connection therebetween as taught by Nugent et al. to transfer data to the aerial devices (Paragraph 91-93 of Nugent et al.).
Regarding Claim 8, Henry et al. further discloses a ground unit connected to the primary UAS via a wired connection and configured to provide the RF signal and the DC power signal to the primary UAS via the wired connection (Ground unit formed by landing platform 24 and its connected electronics including the RF source 10 and Power source 14 which feed the RF/DC power to the primary UAS via a wired tether 20; Paragraph 14-25 and figure 1-2 of Henry et al.).
Regarding Claim 9, Henry et al. further discloses a wireless connection between the ground unit and the at least one secondary UAS and configured to provide a data connection therebetween (UAS 30 including at least two secondary UAS may be configured to transmit or receive signals wirelessly from the ground unit wherein in this communication can be in the form of data like control commands; Paragraph 16-28 and figure 1-3 of Henry et al.).
Regarding Claim 10, Henry et al. further discloses a method for distributing power within a pop-up HF antenna system (Unmanned antenna aircraft system which can be used for high frequency and a method of using it; Paragraph 8 and figure 1-3 of Henry et al.) comprising:
receiving an RF signal at a first input of a primary UAS at a feed point of a pop-up HF antenna;
receiving a DC power signal at a second input of the primary UAS at the feed point of the pop-up HF antenna (Center UAS 30 serves as a primary UAS wherein it is configured to receive RF/DC power through tether 20 to inputs in control system 36 of the primary UAS and/or to an input of Mux/DeMux in system 36; Paragraph 14-36 and figure 1-3 of Henry et al.);
providing the DC power signal and the RF signal from the primary UAS to at least one secondary UAS using wire between the primary UAS and the at least one secondary UAS and using an antenna interface circuit to combine the DC power signal and the RF signal for transmission toward the at least one secondary UAS (A tether 20 comprises a coaxial cable that interconnects a primary UAS and a secondary UAS such that a RF/DC signal is provided from the primary UAS to the secondary UAS; Paragraph 14-36 and figure 1-3 of Henry et al.); and
providing simultaneous differential-mode DC transmission to the at least one secondary UAS and common-mode RF transmission from the primary UAS toward the at least one secondary UAS over the wire connecting the primary UAS and the at least one secondar UAS (Tether can be a coaxial tether 30 that comprises differential DC transmission and common-mode RF transmission wherein said tether can be between the primary UAS and the secondary; Paragraph 34-35 and figure 2e of Henry et al.).
Henry et al. fails to explicitly disclose a pair of wires connecting the primary UAS and the at least one secondar UAS.
However, Nugent et al. does disclose a pair of wires connecting the primary UAS and the at least one secondar UAS (Aerial antenna system includes tethers 300, which can be used as tethers 820, that may transmit both power and RF signals via metallic wires like 332 and coaxial cables like 334 and these tethers 820 may connect to an antenna interface circuit in the form of receiver 122 which is located in the primary UAS 810 and a secondary UAS above it wherein UAS may comprise a payload 570 that may be an antenna that is supplied by receiver 122 and pair of wires can connect the primary UAS and secondary UAS; Paragraph 37-58 and 87-100 as well as figure 3-5 and 8 of Nugent et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Henry et al. to have a pair of wires as taught by Nugent et al. so that the antenna interface circuit may receive power and signals via the tether and supply them to the different components of the aerial devices (Paragraph 35-37 of Henry et al.) and since the location of the circuit makes it easier to connect to other components.
Examiners note - Claim 1 recites the limitation “while the connected secondary UAS remains untethered to the ground station” which is unclear. The secondary UAS is connected to a primary UAS which is directly tethered to the ground station so the secondary UAS would also be considered tethered to the ground station. Thus the secondary UAS cannot really be considered untethered, however it can be considered directly untethered since there is no direct connected form the secondary UAS to the ground station. For the purposes of examination, the examiner, as best understood, will interpret claim 1 to mean “while the connected secondary UAS remains directly untethered to the ground station” to bring the claim more in line with what is taught in the specifications and drawings.
Regarding Claim 11, Henry et al. fails to explicitly disclose using a fiber optic cable associated with the pair of wires connecting the primary UAS to the at least one secondary UAS in order to provide a high-speed data connection therebetween.
However, Nugent et al. does disclose using a fiber optic cable associated with the pair of wires connecting the primary UAS to the at least one secondary UAS in order to provide a high-speed data connection therebetween (Tether can include optical fiber cable that is used to transfer data thus providing a high speed data connection wherein said tether can be connecting a primary and secondary UAS; Paragraph 47-58 and 91-93 as well as figure 7 of Nugent et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Henry et al. to use a fiber optic cable associated with the pair of wires connecting the primary UAS to the at least one secondary UAS in order to provide a high-speed data connection therebetween as taught by Nugent et al. to transfer data to the aerial devices (Paragraph 91-93 of Nugent et al.).
Regarding Claim 16, Henry et al. further discloses providing the RF signal and the DC power signal to the primary UAS from a ground unit connected via a wired connection (Ground unit formed by landing platform 24 and its connected electronics including the RF source 10 and Power source 14 which feed the RF/DC power to the primary UAS via a wired tether 20; Paragraph 14-25 and figure 1-2 of Henry et al.).
Regarding Claim 17, Henry et al. discloses a pop-up HF antenna system (Unmanned antenna aircraft system which can be used for high frequency; Paragraph 8 and figure 1-3 of Henry et al.) comprising:
a primary feed point of the antenna system, the primary feed point including a first input configured to receive an RF signal and a second input configured to receive a DC power signal(Center UAS 30 serves as a primary UAS and a primary feed point of the antenna wherein it is configured to receive RF/DC power through tether 20 to inputs in control system 36 of the primary UAS and/or to an input of Mux/DeMux in system 36 wherein said RF/DC inputs would be a first and second input; Paragraph 14-36 and figure 1-3 of Henry et al.);
at least one secondary endpoint of the antenna system (A secondary UAS 30 may be connected to an endpoint of antenna system as seen in figure 2b-2d of Henry et al.);
a wire configured to interconnect the primary feed point to the at least one secondary endpoint and to provide the DC power signal to the at least one secondary endpoint and the RF signal from the primary feed point to the at least one secondary endpoint (A tether 20 comprises a coaxial cable that interconnects a primary feed point UAS and a secondary endpoint UAS such that a RF/DC signal is provided from the primary UAS to the secondary UAS; Paragraph 14-36 and figure 1-3 of Henry et al.); and
at least one antenna interface circuit configured to connect the primary feed point to the pair of wires and to combine the DC power signal and the RF signal for transmission to the connected at least one secondary endpoint over the pair of wires (Antenna interface circuit 12 combines RF and DC power signal to be transmitted to the primary feed point UAS and to the secondary endpoint UAS 30 and also connects the wire to the Control circuit 30 on the primary UAS; Paragraph 14-36 and figure 1-3 of Henry et al.); and
wherein the pair of wires is configured to provide simultaneous differential-mode DC transmission and common-mode RF transmission between the primary feed point and the at least one connected secondary end point (Tether can be a coaxial tether 30 that comprises differential DC transmission and common-mode RF transmission wherein said tether can be between the primary feed point UAS and the secondary end point; Paragraph 34-35 and figure 2e of Henry et al.).
Henry et al. fails to explicitly disclose a pair of wires.
However, Nugent et al. does disclose a pair of wires (Aerial antenna system includes tethers 300, which can be used as tethers 820, that may transmit both power and RF signals via metallic wires like 332 and coaxial cables like 334 and these tethers 820 may connect to an antenna interface circuit in the form of receiver 122 which is located in the primary UAS 810 and a secondary UAS above it wherein UAS may comprise a payload 570 that may be an antenna that is supplied by receiver 122; Paragraph 37-58 and 87-100 as well as figure 3-5 and 8 of Nugent et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Henry et al. to have a pair of wires located at the primary UAS as taught by Nugent et al. so that the antenna interface circuit may receive power and signals via the tether and supply them to the different components of the aerial devices (Paragraph 35-37 of Henry et al.) and since the location of the circuit makes it easier to connect to other components.
Regarding Claim 18, Henry et al. further discloses wherein the at least one secondary endpoint comprises a plurality of endpoints (There may be a plurality of secondary UAS 30 as seen in figure 2b-2d of Henry et al.);
wherein the system further comprises additional wires, each additional wires connecting the primary feed point to a secondary endpoint of the at least one secondary endpoint (Additional wires may be used to connect the primary UAS 30 to the secondary UAS; Paragraph 14-36 and figure 1-3 of Henry et al.); and
Henry et al. fails to explicitly disclose additional pairs of wires and the at least one antenna interface circuit comprises additional antenna interface circuits, each additional antenna interface circuit configured to connect the primary feed point to the pair of wires and to combine the DC power signal and the RF signal for transmission to a connected secondary endpoint of the at least one secondary endpoint.
However, Nugent et al. does disclose additional pairs of wires and the at least one antenna interface circuit comprises additional antenna interface circuits, each additional antenna interface circuit configured to connect the primary feed point to the pair of wires and to combine the DC power signal and the RF signal for transmission to a connected secondary endpoint of the at least one secondary endpoint (Aerial antenna system tethers 820 that may connect to an antenna interface circuit in the form of receiver 122 which is located in the primary UAS 810 and a secondary UAS above it wherein UAS may comprise a payload 570 that may be an antenna that is supplied by receiver 122 and there can be a plurality of secondary UAS which can comprise a plurality of tethers 820 that include wire pairs and multiple antenna interface circuits in the form of receivers 122; Paragraph 37-58 and 87-100 as well as figure 3-5 and 8 of Nugent et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Henry et al. to have additional pairs of wires and the at least one antenna interface circuit comprises additional antenna interface circuits, each additional antenna interface circuit configured to connect the primary feed point to the pair of wires and to combine the DC power signal and the RF signal for transmission to a connected secondary endpoint of the at least one secondary endpoint as taught by Nugent et al. so that the antenna interface circuit may receive power and signals via the tether and supply them to the different components of the aerial devices (Paragraph 35-37 of Henry et al.) and since the location of the circuit makes it easier to connect to other components.
Claim(s) 4, 12, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Henry et al. (US 11949150 B1) in view of Nugent et al. (US 20150041598 A1), Willistein et al. (US 9407000 B1), and Cha et al. (WO 2018135896 A1).
Regarding Claim 4, Henry et al., Nugent et al., and Willistein et al. fail to explicitly disclose a power divider circuit connected to a second input of the primary UAS and configured to divide the received DC power signal and provide a first DC power signal for the primary UAS and a second DC power signal for the at least one secondary UAS.
However, Cha et al. does disclose a power divider circuit connected to a second input of the primary UAS and configured to divide the received DC power signal and provide a first DC power signal for the primary UAS and a second DC power signal for the at least one secondary UAS (Signal distributor 33 serves as a signal splitter, like a T-junction splitter, that can split to provide a first DC signal to one of the UAS 10 and a second signal to a secondary UAS wherein said UAS take both RF and DC and would comprise two inputs; Pg 7-10 and figure 1-2 of Cha et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Henry et al., Nugent et al., and Willistein et al. to have a power divider circuit connected to a second input of the primary UAS and configured to divide the received DC power signal and provide a first DC power signal for the primary UAS and a second DC power signal for the at least one secondary UAS as taught by Cha et al. to provide a signal to multiple different UAS devices (Pg. 7-10 and figure 1-2 of Cha et al.).
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Regarding Claim 12, Henry et al., Nugent et al., and Willistein et al. fail to explicitly disclose dividing the received DC power signal using a power divider circuit connected to the second input of the primary UAS; and providing a first DC power signal for the primary UAS and a second DC power signal for the at least one secondary UAS.
However, Cha et al. does disclose dividing the received DC power signal using a power divider circuit connected to the second input of the primary UAS; and providing a first DC power signal for the primary UAS and a second DC power signal for the at least one secondary UAS (Signal distributor 33 serves as a signal splitter, like a T-junction splitter, that can split to provide a first DC signal to one of the UAS 10 and a second signal to a secondary UAS wherein said UAS take both RF and DC and would comprise two inputs; Pg 7-10 and figure 1-2 of Cha et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Henry et al., Nugent et al., and Willistein et al. to divide the received DC power signal using a power divider circuit connected to the second input of the primary UAS; and providing a first DC power signal for the primary UAS and a second DC power signal for the at least one secondary UAS as taught by Cha et al. to provide a signal to multiple different UAS devices (Pg. 7-10 and figure 1-2 of Cha et al.).
Regarding Claim 19, Henry et al., Nugent et al., and Willistein et al. fail to explicitly disclose a power divider circuit connected to a second input of the primary feed point and configured to divide the received DC power signal and provide a first DC power signal for the primary feed point and a second DC power signal for the at least one secondary endpoint.
However, Cha et al. does disclose a power divider circuit connected to a second input of the primary feed point and configured to divide the received DC power signal and provide a first DC power signal for the primary feed point and a second DC power signal for the at least one secondary endpoint (Signal distributor 33 serves as a signal splitter, like a T-junction splitter, that can split to provide a first DC signal to one of the UAS 10 and a second signal to a secondary UAS wherein said UAS take both RF and DC and would comprise two inputs; Pg 7-10 and figure 1-2 of Cha et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Henry et al., Nugent et al., and Willistein et al. to have a power divider circuit connected to a second input of the primary feed point and configured to divide the received DC power signal and provide a first DC power signal for the primary feed point and a second DC power signal for the at least one secondary endpoint as taught by Cha et al. to provide a signal to multiple different UAS devices (Pg. 7-10 and figure 1-2 of Cha et al.).
Claim(s) 7 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Henry et al. (US 11949150 B1) in view of Nugent et al. (US 20150041598 A1), Willistein et al. (US 9407000 B1), and McCorkle et al. (US 20190061938 A1).
Regarding Claim 7, Henry et al., Nugent et al., and Willistein et al. fail to explicitly disclose wherein the at least one antenna interface circuit comprises a pair of bias tee circuits associated with the pair of wires.
However, McCorkle et al. does disclose wherein the at least one antenna interface circuit comprises a pair of bias tee circuits associated with the pair of wires (UAS like 105A comprise a tether with multiple wires for RF and DC power wherein the antenna interface circuit comprise two bias t circuits to couple the RF signal; Paragraph 95-100 and figure 1 and 10 of McCorkle et al.).
The effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Henry et al., Nugent et al., and Willistein et al. to have the at least one antenna interface circuit comprises a pair of bias tee circuits associated with the pair of wires as taught by McCorkle et al. to allow both DC power and RF signals to pass through the tether (Paragraph 99 of McCorkle et al.).
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Regarding Claim 15, Henry et al., Nugent et al., and Willistein et al. fail to explicitly disclose providing the DC power signal and the RF signal further comprises providing the DC power signal and the RF signal using a pair of bias tee circuits associated with the pair of wires.
However, McCorkle et al. does disclose providing the DC power signal and the RF signal further comprises providing the DC power signal and the RF signal using a pair of bias tee circuits associated with the pair of wires (UAS like 105A comprise a tether with multiple wires for RF and DC power wherein the antenna interface circuit comprise two bias t circuits to couple the RF signal and DC power to the UAS; Paragraph 95-100 and figure 1 and 10 of McCorkle et al.).
The effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Henry et al., Nugent et al., and Willistein et al. to provide the DC power signal and the RF signal further comprises providing the DC power signal and the RF signal using a pair of bias tee circuits associated with the pair of wires as taught by McCorkle et al. to allow both DC power and RF signals to pass through the tether (Paragraph 99 of McCorkle et al.).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 5-6, 13-14, and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claims 5 and 13, patentability exists, at least in part, with the claimed features of “a balun circuit connected to receive the second DC power signal; the balun circuit further connected to each of a plurality of pairs of bias tee circuits” and “receiving the second DC power signal at a balun circuit; and providing the second DC power signal to each of a pairs of bias tee circuits” as recited in claim 5 and 13.
Regarding claims 6, 14, and 20 patentability exists, at least in part, with the claimed features of “a spool with slip-ring interfaces associated with the pair of wires connected to the at least one secondary UAS and configured to selectively lengthen and shorten the pair of wires connected thereto; and wherein a frequency of the pop-up HF antenna is increased by shortening the pair of wires connected to the spool and decreased by lengthening the pair of wires connected to the spool” and “selectively lengthening and shortening the pair of wires connected to the at least one secondary UAS via a spool with slip-ring interfaces; increasing a frequency of the pop-up HF antenna by shortening the pair of wires connected to the spool; and decreasing the frequency of the pop-up HF antenna by lengthening the pair of wires connected to the spool” as recited in claim 6/20 and 14.
Henry et al. and Nugent et al. are cited as teaching some of the elements of the claimed invention including a pop up HF antenna system with a primary UAS, a secondary UAS, a pair of wires, an antenna interface circuit, RF/DC transmission, fiber optic cable, power divider circuit, a spool, and a ground unit. However, Henry et al. and Nugent et al. fail to explicitly disclose a pair of bias tee circuits and a spool with slip-ring interfaces designed to shorten or lengthen the pair of wires.
However, the prior art, when taken alone, or, in combination, cannot be construed as reasonably teaching or suggesting all of the elements of the claimed invention as arranged, disposed, or provided in the manner as claimed by the Applicant.
Claims 5-6, 13-14, and 20 will also only be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action for claim 1 and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Additional Comments Regarding the Claim Rejections
Examiner’s note – Regarding claims 1-4, 6, 8-9, and 17-20, the recitation that an element is “configured to” perform a function, it is the position of the office that such limitations are not positive structural limitations, and thus, only require the ability to so perform. In this case the prior art applied herein is construed as at least possessing such ability. When the structure recited in the reference is substantially identical to that of the claims, claimed properties or functions are presumed to be inherent. The Courts have held that it is well settled that where there is a reason to believe that a functional characteristic would be inherent in the prior art, the burden of proof then shifts to the applicant to provide objective evidence to the contrary. See In re Schreiber, 128 F.3d at 1478, 44 USPQ2d at 1478, 44 USPQ2d at 1432 (Fed. Cir. 1997) (see MPEP § 2112.01, I.).
Response to Arguments
“Claim 1 is distinguishable from the Henry reference because Henry fails to disclose a pair of wires configured to simultaneously provide differential mode DC transmissions and common mode RF transmissions between the primary UIS and the connected secondary UAS. Henry does not disclose a configuration wherein a pair of wires provides differential mode DC transmissions and common mode RF transmissions in this manner. While Henry does disclose the ability to multiplex the differential mode DC voltage produced by the DC power supply 14 with a preferably common mode RF voltage 122, this multiplexed differential mode voltage and common mode RF voltage is being transmitted between the power source via a tether 20 to the main/primary UAS 30 as illustrated in Figures 2C and 2D as shown below.
Henry does not disclose transmissions between the primary UAS and the connected secondary UAS as recited in Claim 1. The connecting member 40 between the primary UAS and the secondary UAS may be conducting or nonconducting but is not described as carrying both DC power and RF signals. Modifying the connecting member 40 between the primary UAS and secondary UAS to force it to simultaneously provide differential-mode DC transmission and common-mode RF transmission between connected UAS in Henry would deviate from the teachings of Henry. As such, Henry fails to teach, disclose or suggest "wherein the pair of wires is configured to provide simultaneous differential- mode DC transmission and common-mode RF transmission between the primary UAS and the connected secondary UAS" as recited in amended Claim 1. The Nugent, Cha and McCorkle references do not overcome this shortcoming.”
Applicant's arguments filed April 02th 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The examiner respectfully disagrees that Henry et al. fail to disclose “transmissions between the primary UAS and the connected secondary UAS as recited in Claim 1”.
The examiner agrees that conductive wires 40 fail to explicitly disclose transmitting RF+DC signals, however the embodiment of figure 2c is only one of the embodiments. In figure 2b of Henry et al. we can see a primary UAS and a secondary UAS wherein both are connected by a tether 20 that is designed to carry RF + DC signals. As such one can see in that configuration RF+DC signal would be transmitted between a primary UAS and a connected secondary UAS. This would meet the requirements of claim 1 since the primary UAS is connected to the ground station 24 and a secondary UAS lies on an endpoint of the HF pop up system on the opposite side. As such, giving the limitation the broadest reasonable interpretation (BRI), once can see that Henry et al. does read on it.
Conclusion
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.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure
US 11545038 B1 (Fluhler; Herbert U.) discloses an aerial drone system wherein said tethers of drones are used as antenna and comprise both power and radio lines.
US 20240363997 A1 (Williams; Ryan P.) discloses an aerial drone system wherein wire connection drones serve as antennas and the antenna interface circuit can be integrated into a primary drone.
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/DAMEON E LEVI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2845
/GURBIR SINGH/Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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