Two characterizations of the family of secant lines of an ovoid of \(\mathrm{PG}(3,q)\) (Q2312357)

The author gives two new characterizations of the family of secant lines to an ovoid of $\mathrm{PG}(3,q)$. Namely, he proves the following two results. (1) Let $ \mathcal{F}$ be a family of lines of $\mathrm{PG}(3,q)$, $q$ odd, and let $n$ be an integer with $n \neq q^2-q$. Assume that through any point of $\mathrm{PG}(3,q)$ there are $q^2$ or $n$ lines of $\mathcal{F}$ and any plane of $\mathrm{PG}(3,q)$ contains either $0$ or $n+q$ lines of $\mathcal{F}$. Then $n= (q^2-q)/2$ and $ \mathcal{F}$ is the family of secant lines to an elliptic quadric of $\mathrm{PG}(3,q).$ (2) Let $ \mathcal{F} $ be a family of lines of $\mathrm{PG}(3,q)$, $q>2$, and let $n$ be an integer. Assume that through any point of $\mathrm{PG}(3,q)$ there are either $q^2$ or $n$ lines of $\mathcal{F}$; any plane of $\mathrm{PG}(3,q)$ contains either $0$ or $n+q$ lines of $\mathcal{F}$; and there is at least one plane with no line in $\mathcal{F} $ containing at least one point which belongs to $q^2$ lines of $\mathcal{F}$. Then $n= (q^2-q)/2$ and $ \mathcal{F} $ is the family of secant lines of an ovoid in $\mathrm{PG}(3,q)$.