DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 16, 18-21, 26-28, and 35-36, and 40-41 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Carlin et al. (hereinafter “Carlin”, US Pat No. 6,898,235) and in view of Shi et al. (hereinafter “Shi”, US Pat No. 2005/01105500).
As per claims 16 and 39, Carlin discloses a PNT sensor (see fig. 1b) comprising at least one antenna (see at least fig. 1b & 11b, 5..5”), wherein each of the at least one antenna receive an independent analog signal (see at least fig. 1b, each antenna 5..5” receives independent analog signal); at least one electronic frequency conversion module (see at least fig. 1b & 11b, 10 & 20) connected to each of the at least one antenna, and configured to receive at least one signal (analog signals received from antenna 5) and convert the at least one analog signal to a digital format (see abstract), wherein conversion process filters a predetermined band of analog signals and reduces image response (see col. 20/ln. 25-45); and a processing unit (see at least fig. 1b, 40 fig. 11b, 40 & 60) connected to the electronic frequency conversion module and connected to a display (see col. 18/ln. 21), wherein at least one PNT measurement is calculated from the received at least one signal (see col. 30/ln. 24-50) and the at one PNT measurement is used to calculate a position (see col. 30/ln. 24-39, col.31/ln. 66-col. 32/ln.12, and claims 58-59); and an independent power source (inherently in order to power the communications system) connected to the at least one electronic frequency conversion module and the processing unit.
Carlin disclose that the frequency conversion module comprising receivers (see at least fig. 1b & 11b) but not explicitly the circuitries within the receiver. However, such receiver comprising filters and other components are well-known in the art, as claimed is taught by Shi (see fig. 3). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention for Carlin to adopt the ZIF receiver as taught by Shi in order to improve the selectivity of the analog signals of the receiver while improve image signal rejection.
The communication system of Carlin and Shi further discloses the electronic frequency conversion module comprising of at least one band pass filter (see Shi, fig. 3, RF BPF) connected to each of the at least one antenna; at least one low noise amplifier (see Shi, fig. 3, LNA) connected to the at least one band pass filter; at least a SAW low-pass filter connected to each of the at least one LNA (see fig. 3, LPF); at least one oscillator (see Shi, fig. 3, LO); a programable gain amplifier (see Shi, fig. 3, BB VGA); a driver (see Shi, fig. 3, BB DRIVER); at least one analog to digital converter connected to the at least one driver (see Shi, 0008); and at least one clock connected to the at least one electronic conversion module (see at least Carlin, col. 29/ln. 14-17. see Shi, 0005).
The improved communication system of Carlin and Shi disclosed a display but not specifically the arrangement of the display. However, such an arrangement of the display whether internal or external is obvious in order to reduce cost and/or space.
As per claim 18, the improved communication system of Carlin and Shi do not explicitly disclose that the modules are arranged into a single circuit board or independent circuit boards which are electrically and mechanically connected. However, such is notoriously well known in the art that the examiner takes Official Notice of such. Therefore, such an arrangement, as claimed, can be easily integrated in order to reduce space and/or cost.
As per claims 19 and 27-28, the improved communication system of Carlin and Shi further discloses a frequency reference (see col. 2/ln. 64-col. 3/ln. 20, col. 22/ln. 46-63) component which is in communication with the at least one electronic frequency conversion module.
As per claim 20, the improved communication system of Carlin and Shi further discloses a plurality of processing units are integrated into the PNT sensor and the at least one electronic frequency conversion modules are each connected to a different processing unit (see fig. 1b, module 20 electrically connected to module 40 and module 20’ electrically connected to module 40’).
As per claim 21, the improved communication system of Carlin and Shi further discloses each of the at least one antenna are designed to receive a signal within a predetermined frequency range (see col. 23, ln. 62-64).
As per claims 26 and 40-41, as rejected above in claim 1, the improved communication system of Carlin and Shi further discloses the PNT sensor comprise plurality of receiver branches (see Carlin, at least fig. 11b, branch 5…5”, Also, as rejected above in claim 1) and wherein each receiver branch comprises all the circuitries within the receiver, as claimed (see Shi , fig. 3). Furthermore, the improved communication system of Carlin and Shi further discloses that the receiver is of a direct-conversion receivers or zero intermediate frequency (ZIF) receivers (see Shi, 0002); Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention that such a conventional ZIF receiver comprise an IF amplifier so that the received RF signal which is first down-converted to a lower frequency signal therefore the receiver has low local oscillator leakage, reducing interference caused to adjacent channels.
As per claim 35, the improved communication system of Carlin and Shi further discloses a PNT filter connected to the processing unit (see fig. 8a, 614).
As per claim 36, the improve communication system of Carlin and Shi further disclose at least one demodulator (see at least fig. 1b, 20) connected to the processing unit.
Claim(s) 22-23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the improved communication system of Carlin and Shi and further in view of Fudge et al. (hereinafter “Fudge”, US Pat No. 2007/0081578).
As per claim 22, the improved communication system of Carlin and Shi does not discloses that the wideband receiver is of heterodyne receiver. However, such type of receiver is well-known in the art, such as taught by Fudge (see 0005 & 0050). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention for the improved communication system of Carlin and Shi to adopt the claimed receiver as taught by Fudge in order to improve performance in spur performance, tuning speed, and phase noise.
As per claim 23, the improved communication system of Carlin and Shi does not discloses that the wideband receiver that sampling within the specific Nyquist zone. However, such type of receiver that sampling within the specific Nyquist zone is well-known in the art, such as taught by Fudge (see abstract, 0009 and at least 0031). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention for the improved communication system of Carlin and Shi to adopt the claimed receiver as taught by Fudge in order to provide advantageous for monitoring very large bandwidths with fairly sparse signal environments.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 1 and 26 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Pablo Tran whose telephone number is (571)272-7898. The examiner normal hours are 9:30 -5:00 (Monday-Friday). If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Jinsong Hu, can be reached at (571)272-3965. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571)273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the
Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) System. Status information for
Published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR.
Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only.
For more information about the PAIR system, see httpr//pair-directauspto.gov. Should
You have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic
Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (in USA or CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
October 30, 2025
/PABLO N TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2643