Appeal 2007-1280
Application 10/894,950
communication links in Lenormand’s figure 3 comprising the various orbits
of the 96 satellites depicted in figure 1. There are sixteen orbits, which are
organized in pairs, 8 pairs of orbits with 6 satellites per orbit. Initially, we
find that it readily would have been apparent to an artisan that the 6 satellites
comprising one orbit may comprise a claimed network and that any nearby
satellite such as a satellite in a paired orbit may comprise the claimed
gateway satellite. An additional network may be the example discussed
beginning at column 3, line 60, in Lenormand with respect to the
predetermined link or network between respective satellites beginning in
orbit B to one in orbit F. Additional variations of gateway satellites may be
appreciated by understanding the discussion of redundant links at the top of
column 4. It is also worthy of noting that “if two satellites are at a
sufficiently short distance apart, they can communicate directly” as stated at
column 3, lines 58 and 59. Therefore, consistent with Appellants’ remarks
in the Reply Brief, any momentarily link can comprise a network or many
other variations not only of the claimed invention but also of the teachings in
Lenormand.
Additionally, with respect to each of the four noted independent
claims on appeal, the Examiner’s reliance upon the figure 6 showing of
Lenormand to comprise the claimed sorters and reshaping circuits and the
like is noted with agreement. Figure 6 appears to represent the internal
structure of any of the satellites discussed in Lenormand including what may
be momentarily considered to be a network satellite or a so-called gateway
satellite. Because each of the satellites is said to communicate optically
among each other, there is a showing in figure 6 of converting optical
6
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