Appeal No. 96-3366
Application 08/292,700
The invention pertains to a method and apparatus for a communications unit to alert a user
when the unit is approaching the limits of a transmitting source’s coverage area. Claim 1 is illustrative
and reads as follows:
1. A method for a communication unit to alert a user, in such a manner so as not to degrade
audio quality, when the communication unit is approaching limits of a transmitting source's coverage
area, the method comprises the steps of:
a) monitoring, by the communication unit, error correction of received digital signals, wherein
the received digital signals are transmitted by the transmitting source;
b) determining, by the communication unit, results of the error correction;
c) comparing, by the communication unit, the results of the error correction with a first
predetermined threshold, wherein the first predetermined threshold is set within a range of optimal error
correction rate to non-operable error correction rate; and
d) generating, by the communication unit, an indication that the results of the error correction
exceeds the first predetermined threshold such that the user of the communication unit is alerted that the
communication unit is approaching the limits of the transmitting source's coverage area, where the
indication is a simulated analog RF channel noise signal.
The reference relied upon by the examiner as evidence of obviousness is:
Marui et al. (Marui) 4,996,715 Feb. 26, 1991
The appealed claims stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Marui.
The respective positions of the examiner and the appellants with regard to the propriety of these
rejections are set forth in the final rejection (Paper No. 5) and the examiner's answer (Paper No. 10)
and the appellants’ substitute brief (Paper No. 12).
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