Appeal No. 2003-0289
Application No. 09/234,702 Page 2
path attenuation. An understanding of the invention can be
derived from a reading of exemplary claim 1, which is reproduced
as follows:
1. A satellite communications system wherein a user terminal
may be in radio contact with at least one earth station through
at least one radio path to at least two satellites and wherein
another satellite may potentially be included among said at least
two satellites, said system being characterized by said user
terminal being operable to assess which of said at least two
satellites presents the highest radio path attenuation to said
user terminal and to interrupt the radio path between said user
terminal and that one of said at least two satellites which
presents the highest path attenuation for said user terminal to
assess information related to synchronization and information
related to the signal quality of said another satellite.
The prior art references of record relied upon by the
examiner in rejecting the appealed claims are:
Chennakeshu et al. (Chennakeshu) 5,661,724 Aug. 26, 1997
Sherman et al. (Sherman) 6,091,933 Jul. 18, 2000
(filed Jan. 3, 1997)
Diekelman 6,104,911 Aug. 15, 2000
(filed Nov. 14, 1997)
Claims 1-4 and 8-11 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a)
as being unpatentable over Chennakeshu in view of Sherman.
Claims 5-7 and 12-14 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a)
as being unpatentable over Chennakeshu in view of Sherman and
Diekelman.
Rather than reiterate the conflicting viewpoints advanced by
the examiner and appellant regarding the above-noted rejections,
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