Appeal No. 2003-0289 Application No. 09/234,702 Page 6 in a satellite communication system in which path diversity is provided between a user terminal and at least two satellites through gateways (earth stations). These gateways then determine the diversity paths (e.g. selection of a radio path to interrupt). In the examiner's opinion, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the system in Chennakeshu with the teachings of Sherman to include “earth stations” to decide on diversity paths (e.g. selection of a radio path to interrupt) (answer, page 5). Appellant asserts that both independent claims 1 and 8, containing similar language, require the user terminal to assess which of at least two satellites presents the highest radio path attenuation and to interrupt that path to assess another satellite (brief, page 5). Appellant further asserts (id.) that Chennakeshu does not interrupt one link of a diversity pair of links, rather it scans for an alternative satellite during “idle time slots of the TDMA link” (col. 5, lines 6-7). If the signal quality of one satellite connected to the user terminal falls below a first threshold, and the signal quality of a second satellite would be above a second threshold, the mobile unit will then establish a communication link with the second satellitePage: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 NextLast modified: November 3, 2007