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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114.
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 05/20/26 has been entered.
The amendment filed on 05/20/26 has been acknowledged.
Amendment Summary
Claims 1, 3, 17 and 20 are amended.
Claim 21 is new.
Claim 2 is canceled herein.
Response to Arguments/Amendment
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims # 1, 3-20 have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to the combination of the references being used for the current rejection of the above claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 1 and 3-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the following limitation:
wherein the LDR-PNT signal includes the characteristics of the satellite for HDR communication.
The term “wherein the LDR-PNT signal includes the characteristics of the satellite for HDR communication” is not appropriate in the following limitation as a signal can only comprises the characteristic of another signal but not of a satellite. Applicant is advised to rewrite the above limitation if applicant wants to convey other interpretation.
Claim 20 comprises similar features and is also rejected under 112th (b).
Theirs dependent claims are also rejected.
Note:
Even though the claims are rejected under 112th(b), they will be examined as per examiner own interpretation.
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, 4, 5, 7 and 8-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable by Kossin (US 2024/0329256 A1) in view of Tong (US 10523312 B1) and further in view of Zhu (CN 106571863 A)
Regarding Claim 1, 20
Kossin discloses a system (See [Abstract]; The present invention provides a global, cislunar, interplanetary, local navigation system that can provide position, navigation, and/or time (PNT) to users) , comprising:
a transmitter of a satellite (See [0008]; Users and satellite sources can establish bilateral links and perform two-way time transfer (TWTT) to provide users with range and time correction, through a transmitter);
a receiver of the satellite; (See [0008]; Users and satellite sources can establish bilateral links and perform two-way time transfer (TWTT) to provide users with range and time correction, through a receiver);
a processor configured to:
transmit, using the transmitter, an LDR-PNT signal using an LDR signaling (See [0026-0027]; The instant invention provides systems for and methods of providing PNT and low-data rate communication to users on Earth, a particular part of Earth, the Moon ("cislunar")),
receive a network entry request using the receiver (See [0008 Users and satellite sources can establish bilateral links and perform two-way time transfer (TWTT) to provide users with range and time correction), and
provide acknowledgement of network entry for the communication (See [0008]; provides a means for allowance and/or denial of access).
But Kossin fails to explicitly recite
wherein the LDR-PNT signal includes the characteristics of the satellite for HDR communication;
wherein the network entry request is for changing communication from the LDR signaling to a different LDR signaling or an HDR signaling; and
However in an analogous art,
Tong teaches about a H2Sat that is a geostationary satellite that can
provide both high data-rate and low data-rate data relay communication links (See Fig.3; column 7, lines (14-27)). The H2Sat receives signals from multiple LEO satellites and transmits them to a ground station using HDR or LDR (See Fig.3; column 7, lines (14-27)). The converted signals from the H2Sat comprises similar information whether HDR or LDR.
Kossin and Tong are analogous art because they all pertain to satellite communication technology. Kossin teaches about a system for providing low data rate communication for position navigation and timing information. Tong teaches about satellite communication link with high speed transmission and low speed transmission. Kossin could use Tong features to also provides high data and low data rate information to its users. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time of the filling of the application to combine Kossin and Tong as to obtain a system that can provide LDR and HDR to its users.
But Kossin and Tong fail to explicitly recite
wherein the network entry request is for changing communication from the LDR signaling to a different LDR signaling or an HDR signaling;
However in an analogous art,
Zhu teaches about a flexible and efficient for new multi-service mixed exchange wireless resource unified management method in a satellite communication systems that is able to adjust output signal type (LDR, MDR, HDR) depending on signal application received (See p.3, [4-10]).
Kossin, Tong and Zhu are analogous art because they all pertain to satellite communication technology. Kossin teaches about a system for providing low data rate communication for position navigation and timing information. Tong teaches about satellite communication link with high speed transmission and low speed transmission. Zhu teaches about a flexible and efficient for new multi-service mixed exchange wireless resource unified management method in a satellite communication systems that is able to adjust output signal type (LDR, MDR, HDR) depending on signal application received. Kossin and Tong could use Zhu features provides high data or low data rate information to its users depending on the type of signal entry application. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time of the filling of the application to combine Kossin, Tong and Zhu as to obtain a system that can provide LDR or HDR depending on application request entry.
Regarding Claim 3,
Kossin, Tong and Zhu teach all the features with respect to claim 1 and Tong further teaches
wherein the HDR communication comprises communication using an HDR link (See Fig.3; Column 7, lines (14-27); 300. The H2Sat 300 is a geostationary satellite that can provide both high data-rate and low data-rate data relay communication links).
Regarding Claim 4,
Kossin, Tong and Zhu teach all the features with respect to claim 1 and Kossin further teaches
wherein the LDR-PNT signal includes control data (See [0029]; authentication is applied in the communication link).
Regarding Claim 5,
Kossin, Tong and Zhu teach all the features with respect to claim 4 and Kossin further teaches
wherein the control data comprises
time synchronization (See [0029]; time synchronization is used).
Regarding Claim 8,
Kossin, Tong and Zhu teach all the features with respect to claim 1 and Kossin further teaches
wherein the LDR-PNT signal includes service messages (See [0008]; [0038]; time correction services, registration , paid services).
Regarding Claim 9,
Kossin, Tong and Zhu teach all the features with respect to claim 8 and Kossin further teaches
wherein the service messages include a satellite almanac (See [0027-0028]; [0032-0033]; providing PNT and measurement of distance and trajectory).
Regarding Claim 10,
Kossin, Tong and Zhu teach all the features with respect to claim 8 and Kossin further teaches
wherein the service messages include broadcast messages (See [0008-0009]; [0028-0029]; user received INS messages to maintain accurate timing).
Regarding Claim 11,
Kossin, Tong and Zhu teach all the features with respect to claim 8 and Kossin further teaches
wherein the service messages include encrypted group messages (See [0008]; [0016]; [0029]; users are assigned cryptographic keys when receiving group messages).
Regarding Claim 12,
Kossin, Tong and Zhu teach all the features with respect to claim 8 and Kossin further teaches
wherein the service messages include encryption keys (See [0008]; [0016]; [0029]; users are assigned cryptographic keys when receiving group messages).
Regarding Claim 13,
Kossin, Tong and Zhu teach all the features with respect to claim 1 and Kossin further teaches
wherein the network entry request includes a node ID of a terminal (See [0008]; [0033]; terminal merely need some type of identify to access network) .
Regarding Claim 14,
Kossin, Tong and Zhu teach all the features with respect to claim 1 and Kossin further teaches
wherein the network entry request includes authentication information (See {0008]; [0016]; [0029]; authentication is required for entry)
Regarding Claim 15,
Kossin, Tong and Zhu teach all the features with respect to claim 1 and Kossin further teaches
wherein the network entry request includes a terminal location (See [0029-0030]; location is required for access) .
Regarding Claim 16,
Kossin, Tong and Zhu teach all the features with respect to claim 1 and Kossin further teaches
wherein the acknowledgement of network entry comprises
a satellite ID (See [0008]; [0029-0030]; ID is provided through authentication).
Regarding Claim 17,
Kossin, Tong and Zhu teach all the features with respect to claim 1 and Kossin further teaches
wherein the acknowledgement of network entry comprises
a time to expect HDR handshake (See [0029]; two way time transfer is synchronized. There is no weight to the claim whether the communication link is HDR or LDR).
Regarding Claim 18,
Kossin, Tong and Zhu teach all the features with respect to claim 1 and Kossin further teaches
wherein the communication is scheduled at a scheduled time with a terminal (See [0028]; [0031]; update timing period is used for high gain transmission).
Regarding Claim 19,
Kossin, Tong and Zhu teach all the features with respect to claim 18 and Kossin further teaches
wherein a high gain aperture beam is directed at the terminal at
the scheduled time (See [0028]; [0031]; high gain is achieved at specific scan timing) .
Regarding Claim 7,
Kossin, Tong and Zhu teach all the features with respect to claim 4 and Tong further teaches
wherein the control data comprises an HDR link state (See Column 7, lines (14-27); High data-rate communication links are unidirectional communication links via a multi-beam receiving antenna 310. For example, the multi-beam receiving antenna 310 can provide a unidirectional link from a LEO satellite to the H2Sat 300 using Ka-band frequencies).
Regarding Claim 21,
Kossin, Tong and Zhu teach all the features with respect to claim 1 and Tong further teaches
wherein the characteristics of the satellite for HDR communication comprise one or more of
an HDR link state (See Column 7, lines (14-27); High data-rate communication links are unidirectional communication links via a multi-beam receiving antenna 310. For example, the multi-beam receiving antenna 310 can provide a unidirectional link from a LEO satellite to the H2Sat 300 using Ka-band frequencies)
and
an HDR media access control (MAC) parameter.
(One or more term is used)
Claim(s) 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kossin (US 2024/0329256 A1) in view of Tong (US 10523312 B1) in view of Zhu (CN 106571863 B) and further in view of Henry (US 2020/0314799 A1)
Regarding Claim 6,
Kossin and Tong teach all the features with respect to claim 4
But Kossin and Tong fail to explicitly recite
wherein the control data comprises
a rendezvous time for an HDR link
However in an analogous art,
Henry teaches the control data comprises a rendezvous time (See [0017-0020]; synchronization of time) for an HDR link (See [0015-0016]; High speed transmission is described)).
Kossin, Tong, Zhu and Henry are analogous art because they all pertain to satellite communication technology. Kossin teaches about a system for providing low data rate communication for position navigation and timing information. Henry teaches the control data comprises a rendezvous time for an HDR link. Kossin, Zhu and Tong could use Henry features to also provides high data rate information to its users at synchronization time. Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time of the filling of the application to combine Kossin, Tong, Zhu and Henry as to obtain a system that can provide LDR and HDR to its users.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GARY LAFONTANT whose telephone number is (571)272-3037. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00AM -6:00PM.
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/GARY LAFONTANT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2646