CTNF 18/834,138 CTNF 91690 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Priority 02-26 AIA Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statements (IDS) were submitted on 29 July 2024, 12 June 2025, and 14 November 2025. The submissions are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner. Specification 06-11 AIA The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. 07-30-03-h AIA Claim Interpretation 07-30-03 AIA The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f): (f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof. The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph: An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof. 07-30-05 The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked. As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph: (A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function; (B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and (C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function. Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function. Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function. Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. 07-30-06 This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “first control unit configured to establish,” “first communication unit configured to provide,” “second control unit configured to establish,” and “second communication unit configured to provide” in claim 1. Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification (¶¶60-70; figure 15) as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof. If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1 and 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Hirai et al. WO 2021/002044 A1 (hereinafter referred to as “Hirai”) . As to claim 1 , Hirai teaches a wireless communication system (¶¶13-14 and 40; figures 1-2) comprising: a non-terrestrial device and a terrestrial device (¶¶14, 21, and 40-42; figures 1-2: HAPS relay unit and GW station), wherein the non-terrestrial device includes: a first control unit configured to establish a service link with a terminal and establish a feeder link with the terrestrial device (¶¶19-23 and 40-42; figures 1-2: service link communication unit establishes service link with terminal and feeder link communication unit establishes feeder link with GW station, both controlled by control unit); and a first communication unit configured to provide a relay between the service link and the feeder link (¶¶13-23 and 40-42; figures 1-2: feeder link communication unit, service link communication unit, and control communication unit are controlled by control unit for HAPS to function as relay unit between GW station via feeder link and terminal via service link), and the terrestrial device includes: a second control unit configured to establish the feeder link with the non-terrestrial device and establish a fronthaul with a base station (¶¶21-23 and 25; figure 1: GW station establishes feeder link with HAPS relay unit via GW antenna and establishes fronthaul link with base station/RRH/BBU via optical fiber line); and a second communication unit configured to provide conversion between a signal of the fronthaul and a signal of the feeder link (¶¶21 and 25-26; figure 1: GW station receives, from BBU, and converts the OFDM signal into an analog/RF signal for transmission to the HAPS relay unit via the feeder link). As to claim 6 , claim 6 is rejected the same way as claim 1 . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 2 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hirai in view of Konishi et al. US 2022/0173794 A1 (hereinafter referred to as “Konishi”) . As to claim 2 , Hirai teaches the wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the service link is a direct access, the first control unit establishes a plurality of service links in a first band and establishes the feeder link in a second band, the first communication unit applies a beam to each service link of the plurality of service links to be simultaneously transmitted and received, the second control unit establishes the feeder link in the second band (¶¶14-27; figure 1: service link frequency F2 and feeder link frequency F1 and the HAPS relay unit uses beams for direct communication with terminals). Although Hirai teaches “The wireless…the second band,” Hirai does not explicitly disclose “the second…and received”. However, Konishi teaches the second communication unit bundles signals corresponding to the plurality of service links to be transmitted and received (¶¶63-64; figures 2-3: single feeder link supports multiple service links). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to improve upon the system described in Hirai by including “the second…and received” as taught by Konishi because it provides Hirai’s system with the enhanced capability of increasing communication capacity (Konishi, ¶¶63-65; figures 2-3). As to claim 5 , Hirai teaches the wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1. Although Hirai teaches “The wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1,” Hirai does not explicitly disclose “in a case…in advance”. However, Konishi teaches in a case where quality of the feeder link is lowered, the first control unit switches the terrestrial device for establishing the feeder link to another terrestrial device, and establishes a new feeder link or uses a feeder link that has been established with the another terrestrial device in advance (¶68; figure 2: in response to deteriorated status with first GW station, transfer communication to second GW station for backup, the feeder link with the second GW station having been established prior to deteriorated status with the first GW station). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to improve upon the system described in Hirai by including “in a case…in advance” as taught by Konishi because it provides Hirai’s system with the enhanced capability of maintaining communication quality on the service links (Konishi, ¶68; figure 2) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 3-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hirai in view of Konishi in view of 3GPP S1-214107 “Discussion paper of new SID on enhancing 5G system integrating with satellite” (hereinafter referred to as “3GPP”). Note: 3GPP was cited by the applicant in the IDS received 29 July 2024 . As to claim 3 , Hirai teaches the wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first control unit establishes a plurality of service links in a second band and establishes the feeder link in the second band, the first communication unit applies a beam to each service link of the plurality of service links to be simultaneously transmitted and received, the second control unit establishes the feeder link in the second band (¶¶14-27; figure 1: service link frequency F2 and feeder link frequency F1 and the HAPS relay unit uses beams for direct communication with terminals). Although Hirai teaches “The wireless…wherein the first…the second band,” Hirai does not explicitly disclose “the service link is formed as a CBH (Cellular Backhaul)” and “the second…and received”. However, Konishi teaches the second communication unit bundles signals corresponding to the plurality of service links to be transmitted and received (¶¶63-64; figures 2-3: single feeder link supports multiple service links). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to improve upon the system described in Hirai by including “the second…and received” as taught by Konishi because it provides Hirai’s system with the enhanced capability of increasing communication capacity (Konishi, ¶¶63-65; figures 2-3). Although Hirai in view of Konishi teaches “The wireless…wherein the first…and received,” Hirai in view of Konishi does not explicitly disclose “the service link is formed as a CBH (Cellular Backhaul)”. However, 3GPP teaches the service link is formed as a CBH (Cellular Backhaul) (page 1: form satellite service link as backhaul for 5GC). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to improve upon the system described in Hirai in view of 3GPP by including “the service link is formed as a CBH (Cellular Backhaul)” as taught by 3GPP because it provides Hirai in view of Konishi’s system with the enhanced capability of increasing 5G coverage, enhancing navigation, etc. (3GPP, pages 1-5). As to claim 4 , Hirai teaches the wireless communication system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first service link is formed as a direct access, the first control unit establishes a first plurality of service links in a first band, establishes a second plurality of service links in a second band, and establishes the feeder link in the second band, the first communication unit applies a beam to each service link of the first plurality of service links to be simultaneously transmitted and received, and applies a beam to each service link of the second plurality of service links to be simultaneously transmitted and received, the second control unit establishes the feeder link in the second band (¶¶14-27; figure 1: service link frequency F2 and feeder link frequency F1 and the HAPS relay unit uses beams for direct communication with terminals). Although Hirai teaches “The wireless…wherein the first…the second band,” Hirai does not explicitly disclose “the service link is formed as a CBH” and “the second…and received”. However, Konishi teaches the second communication unit bundles signals corresponding to the first plurality of service links and signals corresponding to the second plurality of service links to be transmitted and received (¶¶63-64; figures 2-3: single feeder link supports multiple service links). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to improve upon the system described in Hirai by including “the second…and received” as taught by Konishi because it provides Hirai’s system with the enhanced capability of increasing communication capacity (Konishi, ¶¶63-65; figures 2-3). Although Hirai in view of Konishi teaches “The wireless…wherein the first…and received,” Hirai in view of Konishi does not explicitly disclose “the service link is formed as a CBH”. However, 3GPP teaches the service link is formed as a direct access and CBH (page 1: form satellite service link as direct user link and backhaul for 5GC). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to improve upon the system described in Hirai in view of 3GPP by including “the service link is formed as a CBH” as taught by 3GPP because it provides Hirai in view of Konishi’s system with the enhanced capability of increasing 5G coverage, enhancing navigation, etc. (3GPP, pages 1-5) . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure : Yu et al., US 2022/0240151 A1 – Satellite Radio Access Network (SAT RAN) Beam and Gateway Seamless Handover Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUSTIN T VAN ROIE whose telephone number is (571)270-0308. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ian N Moore can be reached at 571-272-3085. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /JUSTIN T VAN ROIE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469 Application/Control Number: 18/834,138 Page 2 Art Unit: 2469 Application/Control Number: 18/834,138 Page 3 Art Unit: 2469 Application/Control Number: 18/834,138 Page 4 Art Unit: 2469 Application/Control Number: 18/834,138 Page 5 Art Unit: 2469 Application/Control Number: 18/834,138 Page 6 Art Unit: 2469 Application/Control Number: 18/834,138 Page 7 Art Unit: 2469 Application/Control Number: 18/834,138 Page 8 Art Unit: 2469 Application/Control Number: 18/834,138 Page 9 Art Unit: 2469 Application/Control Number: 18/834,138 Page 10 Art Unit: 2469 Application/Control Number: 18/834,138 Page 11 Art Unit: 2469
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