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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Interpretation
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.
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.
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: “a device (DD) for extracting …” in claim 1. Since, the GNSS ‘receiver’ is considered hardware in the art, the claim(s) as a whole has structure.
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 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.
Note: The claims as a whole integrate the concept of extracting and decrypting received satellite signals for authentication integrates into a practical utility, hence they are patent eligible w.r.t. 35 USC 101.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1 – 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Psiaki; Mark (US 20120121087), Ps and Reid et al (US 20230130388), Rei.
Claim 1: Ps teaches a guidance and navigation system for an aircraft comprising a GNSS receiver (R) configured to receive GNSS signals, as well as SBAS signals in at least one SBAS service area, these signals comprising GNSS and SBAS messages provided with at least one authentication information item encrypted by means of at least one private key; ([06, 08, 19, Figs. 1-2]: allow a specially equipped GNSS receiver ... perhaps one that uses GNSS signals; UE is depicted as being carried aboard the aircraft; UE can include, but is not limited to including, a standard GPS receiver that receives the GPS civilian C/A signal on L1 from GPS transmitter. [08] information is transmitted from the ground station to the user receiver via a radio link. This link can be a WAAS-type link (i.e., WAAS is a type of SBAS signal) in which the ground station first sends the information about the encrypted signal to a geosynchronous Earth orbiting (GEO) relay satellite. [075] the steps of receiving a GNSS signal having a first frequency and a second frequency, the first frequency having first frequency encrypted signals, the second frequency having unencrypted signals and second frequency encrypted signals. This relay satellite then broadcasts the information, and the UE receives it via a separate radio link. This information is digitally signed using a private-key/public-key system ...).
and the receiver (R) comprising a signal processing module (SP) provided with a module (ETM) for extracting and for transmitting said messages, comprising: a device (DD) for extracting said at least one authentication information item for the messages, which is transmitted by the signal processing module (SP) and for decrypting it, by means of at least one public key, configured to output at least one validity/invalidity information item for the messages received; ([018-19] Antenna extracts a segment of true characteristic features from the received encrypted signal. System further includes digital signer authenticating the segment with private key encryption … public key decrypter verifying the authenticity of the received truth values of the encrypted segment ... transmission to the UE via GEO transceiver and public-key decryption by public key descriptor in order to authenticate their digital signature ... Summation of segments of this mixed signal in integrate-and-dump register provides detection statistic that determines whether the true P(Y) signal is present. [073] generate spoofing alert signal if spoofing has been detected).
Though by design the decrypter shall be internally integrated into a processing circuitry or be externally kept is a design choice by one of skilled in the art. However, for clarity of record purpose Rei teaches the extraction and decryption device (DD) being integrated into a system which is external to the GNSS receiver. ([050, 0255] enabling the client device to process signals transmitted by the satellites to extract ... precision orbit data, clock data, and/or other data from the signals; decryption employed by the global positioning receiver 904 and or the processing system 920, [608] processing unit implements one or more of its functions ... may be external to, the circuitry comprising the state machine, analog circuitry, digital circuitry, and/or logic circuitry).
Therefore, it is prima facie obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Ps to include the idea of external decrypter as taught by Rei in order to securely lock on to the ranging signal and/further to extract the data therefrom and securely decrypt the received signals.
Claim 2: the combination of Ps and Rei teaches the system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device (DD) for extracting and for decrypting said at least one validity/invalidity information item for the one or more messages is configured to deliver said validity/invalidity information item for the one or more messages to the GNSS receiver (R). (Ps: Figs. 1-2: public key decrypter 29; [020-21]: Detection statistic 41 is compared to a threshold value in spoofing detector 43 to determine whether or not the true P(Y) signal was present in the received signal. Switches 45 upstream of mixer 47 indicate that mixer 47 and integrate-and-dump register 27 operate intermittently; system 100 can process intermittent segments of P(Y) code... UE GPS receiver 25 can process about a 20 MHz bandwidth about L1. UE receiver 31 can receive signals at a second frequency that can carry the broadcasts of the delayed, digitally-signed segments of W-code truth values. These digitally-signed segments could be transmitted on a pseudo-GPS signal).
Claim 3: the combination of Ps and Rei teaches the system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the device (DD) for extracting and for decrypting at least one validity/invalidity information item for the one or more messages is configured to deliver said validity/invalidity information item for the one or more messages to other devices (D) of the aircraft. (Ps: [018] Antenna 11 can extract a segment of true characteristic features from the received encrypted signal. System 100 can still further include digital signer 14 authenticating the segment with private key encryption, secure uplink means 15 transmitting the authenticated segment, GEO broadcast transceiver 17 re-broadcasting the authenticated segment to UE, truth data receiver 31 receiving the encrypted segment, public key decrypter 29 verifying the authenticity of the received truth values of the encrypted segment, mixer 47 mixing the authenticated true characteristic features with the estimated characteristic features, integrate-and-dump register 27 calculating detection statistic 41 from the mixed characteristic features, and spoofing detector 43 comparing detection statistic 41 with a threshold to detect spoofing of the received signal. Characteristic features can optionally include W-bits of the GPS P(Y) code, GPS M code chips, or Galileo E1A code chips).
Claim 4: the combination of Ps and Rei teaches the system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the GNSS receiver (R) is configured to provide at least one validity information item for the GNSS solution and/or the SBAS augmented solution, said validity information item being consolidated, taking into account the validity/invalidity information item for each message or group of messages. (Ps: [19-20] Summation of segments of this mixed signal in integrate-and-dump register 27 can provide detection statistic 41 that can determine whether the true P(Y) signal is present. Antenna 11, digital signer 14, secure uplink 15, and GEO transceiver 17, together determine and transmit W.sub.truek 37 to UE receiver 31 and public key decrypter 29 via radio link. W.sub.truek 37 are mixed with the UE's semi-codeless W.sub.estk 35 and summed in integrate-and-dump register 27).
Claim 5: the combination of Ps and Rei teaches the system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the GNSS receiver (R) is configured to transmit the validity/invalidity information item for the GNSS solution and, in an SBAS service area, the SBAS augmented solution, to other devices of the aircraft. (Rei: [220] Satellite monitoring can be accomplished through systems known as Satellite Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS). In existing systems, reference stations in a region of interest can use these measurements to estimate the different error sources that may be present. These error estimates are then passed to central processing facilities where they are then then broadcast to users via a satellite link from a geostationary satellite. These systems are able to detect satellite faults and broadcast alerts to users, for example, within 6 seconds of the beginning of such faults).
Therefore, it is prima facie obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Ps to include the idea of transmit validity result as taught by Rei so that storing, processing, and/or display of this information received from one or multiple client devices can be facilitated by the server system and/or another computing device, via its own at least one processor and/or at least one memory.
Claim 6: the combination of Ps and Rei teaches the system as claimed in claim 2, wherein another device (D) of the aircraft is a cockpit display device for the pilot of the aircraft. (Rei: [081] Data transmitted by the navigation signal transmitter can be received by one or more backhaul satellites, one or more ground stations, one or more satellite processing systems onboard other satellites, and/or one or more client devices which can include, for example, ..., aircraft, ..., autonomous or highly automated vehicles, UAVs, and/or other client devices).
Therefore, it is prima facie obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Ps to include the idea of display device as taught by Rei so that storing, processing, and/or display of this information received from one or multiple client devices can be facilitated by the server system and/or another computing device, via its own at least one processor and/or at least one memory.
Claim 7: the combination of Ps and Rei teaches the system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extraction and decryption device (DD) is integrated into a flight management system (FMS). (Rei: [077] Satellite processing system 300 can include at least one processing module 320 implemented utilizing one or more processors ([073] a satellite is presented that includes a satellite processing system 300, a satellite power system 301 and a satellite flight control system 302) [088] The operations of the processing module 320 can further include, ..., demodulating and decoding the ranging signals to generate and extract the associated navigation messages from the GNSS satellites).
Therefore, it is prima facie obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Ps to include the idea of decryption device as taught by Rei in order to securely lock on to the ranging signal and/further to extract the data therefrom and securely decrypt the received signals.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Badri Champakesan whose telephone number is (571)270-3867. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8.30am-4.30pm (EST). 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, Jung Kim can be reached at (571) 272-3804. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/BADRINARAYANAN /Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2494.
Prosecution Insights