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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 11/11/2025 has been entered.
Remarks
2. This office action is in response to applicant's Arguments/ Remarks filed on 11/11/2025. Claims 1,2, 4-7 and 9-10 are pending; and claims 3 and 8 are cancelled.
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 04/28/2025 and 11/20/2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
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4. Claims 1-2, 4, 6, 7 and 9 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,308,873. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because both application and issued patent claims a wireless signal receiving device and the present application of claims 1-2, 4, 6-7 and 9 include substantially the same features as in part of claim 1 of the patent.
Claims 1-2, 4, 6-7 and 9 of instant application are met by claim 1 of patent.
Please see the direct clam comparison below:
Instant application No. 17/963,060
Patent No. 12,308,873
1. A wireless signal receiving device, comprising: a first antenna (I.e., a third antenna), for receiving wireless signals in a plurality of frequency bands (i.e., L1 and L5 bands), wherein the first antenna serves as an external antenna and is arranged on an outer surface of the wireless signal receiving device; at least one second antenna (i.e., a first antenna), for receiving first wireless signals in a predetermined frequency band (i.e., L1 band), wherein the at least one second antenna serves as an internal antenna and is arranged in an accommodating space of the wireless signal receiving device; a filter (i.e., a first signal splitting device), coupled to the first antenna (i.e., the third antenna) , for splitting the wireless signals received via the first antenna (i.e., the third antenna) in the plurality of frequency bands into second wireless signals in the predetermined frequency band supported by the at least one second antenna (i.e., the first antenna); and at least one switching device, coupled to the filter and the at least one second antenna (i.e., the first antenna), for outputting the first wireless signals and the second wireless signals, respectively
1. A wireless signal receiving device, comprising: a first antenna, for receiving a first wireless signal in a Global Positioning System (GPS) L1 band; a second antenna, for receiving a second wireless signal in a GPS L5 band; a third antenna, for receiving an external antenna wireless signal including the GPS L1 band and the GPS L5 band; a first signal splitting device, coupled to the third antenna, for splitting the external antenna wireless signal into a third wireless signal in the GPS L1 band and a fourth wireless signal in the GPS L5 band; a first signal switching device, coupled to the first antenna, coupled to the first signal splitting device, for individually switching and outputting the first wireless signal and the third wireless signal; a second signal switching device, coupled to the second antenna, coupled to the first signal splitting device, for individually switching and outputting the second wireless signal and the fourth wireless signal; a first module switching device, coupled to the first signal switching device, for switching an output route of the first wireless signal or the third wireless signal; a second module switching device, coupled to the second signal switching device, for switching an output route of the second wireless signal or the fourth wireless signal; and a first signal combination device, coupled to the first module switching device and the second module switching device, for combining wireless signals received from the first module switching device and the second module switching device into a fifth wireless signal.
Patent No. 12,308,873 silent to wherein the first antenna is arranged on an outer surface of the wireless signal receiving device; and wherein the at least one second antenna serves as an internal antenna and is arranged in an accommodating space of the wireless signal receiving device. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to arrange the first antenna on an outer surface and the second antenna in the internal accommodating space of the wireless signal receiving device, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involved only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950).
5. Claims 5 and 10 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 1 of U.S. Patent No. 12,308,873 in view of Mori (U.S. Patent No. US 2017/0180030 A1).
Patent No. 12,308,873 does not disclose wherein the switching device further comprises: a wireless signal intensity analysis unit, for analyzing intensities of the first wireless signals and the second wireless signals, and outputting corresponding wireless signal intensity analysis results, respectively; wherein, the switching device outputs the first wireless signals and the second wireless signals according to the corresponding wireless signal intensity analysis results, respectively.
Mori discloses a switching device (figure 1, an antenna selector 6; paragraph 0031) comprises: a wireless signal intensity analysis unit (figure 1, measurers 5; paragraph 0031), for analyzing intensities of a plurality wireless signals(paragraph 0031. “The plurality of measurers 5 measures a signal intensity of each of the frequency domain signals inputted from the corresponding frequency domain signal generators 4”), and outputting corresponding wireless signal intensity analysis results, respectively; wherein, the switching device outputs the first wireless signals and the second wireless signals according to the corresponding wireless signal intensity analysis results ( paragraphs 0040-0041, “… measured by the measurer 5 of the elements, of the frequency domain signal are inputted to the antenna selector 6. … the antenna selector 6 selects the antenna having the maximum signal intensity….In this case, the plurality of antennas may be selected. The antenna 1 exhibiting the second or third largest signal intensity may also be selected.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Mori in to the apparatus of Patent No. 12,308,873, such that the switching device could be comprised a wireless signal intensity analysis unit, for analyzing intensities of the first wireless signals and the second wireless signals, and outputting corresponding wireless signal intensity analysis results, respectively; wherein, the switching device outputs the first wireless signals and the second wireless signals according to the corresponding wireless signal intensity analysis results in order to improve the power efficiency and communication performance of the wireless communication device.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
6. Claim(s) 1, 2, 4, 6, 7 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hu et al (U.S. Patent No. US 2022/0214460 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Hu et al discloses a wireless signal receiving device (figure 3, a terminal device 300; paragraph 0056), comprising: a first antenna (figure 3, an antenna 3031; paragraph 0056), for receiving wireless signals in a plurality of frequency bands (paragraphs 0054 and 0060, “…a signal received by the antenna 3031 is a hybrid signal including the positioning signal a and the positioning signal b.”), wherein the first antenna serves as an external antenna and is arranged on an outer surface of the wireless signal receiving device; at least one second antenna (figure 3, an antenna 3032; paragraph 0056), for receiving first wireless signals in a predetermined frequency band (paragraph 0064, “… the antenna 3032 is configured to receive the positioning signal b.”; and paragraph 0054, Table 1, “… Frequency band 2, Positioning signal a; Frequency band 1 Positioning signal b”), wherein the at least one second antenna serves as an internal antenna and is arranged in an accommodating space of the wireless signal receiving device (paragraphs 0049-0059, “…one or two antennas are mounted in the terminal device”); a filter (figure 3, a filter unit 3021; paragraph 0054), coupled to the first antenna (see figure 3, the filter unit 3021, the filter unit 3021 is coupled to the first antenna(i.e., the antenna 3031) , for splitting the wireless signals received via the first antenna in the plurality of frequency bands into second wireless signals in the predetermined frequency band supported by the at least one second antenna (paragraph 0068, “…the filter unit 3021 filters the signal (in this case, the signal is the hybrid signal) received by the antenna 3031, to obtain the positioning signal a and the positioning signal b, provides the positioning signal a for the interface A, and provides the positioning signal b for the interface B.”); and at least one switching device (figure 3, a switch unit 3022; paragraph 0054), coupled to the filter and the at least one second antenna (paragraph 0056, “…one end of the port 3023b of the preprocessing module 302 is connected to the first switch unit 3022, and the other end of the port 3023b of the preprocessing module 302 is suspended, or the other end of the port 3023b of the preprocessing module 302 is configured to connect to a first antenna (an antenna 3032) of a terminal device. The first switch unit 3022 is connected to the filter unit 3021.” The switching device (i.e., the switch unit 3022) is coupled to the filter (i.e. the filter unit 3021), and the at least one second antenna (i.e., the antenna 3032)), for outputting the first wireless signals and the second wireless signals, respectively (paragraph 0064, “…he antenna 3031 and the antenna 3032 are configured in the terminal device 300. The antenna 3031 is configured to receive the positioning signal a, and the antenna 3032 is configured to receive the positioning signal b.”).
Hu et al does not disclose wherein the first antenna serves as an external antenna and is arranged on an outer surface of the wireless signal receiving device.
However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to arrange the first antenna on an outer surface of the wireless signal receiving device, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involved only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950).
Regarding claim 2, and as applied claim 1 above, Hu et al discloses wherein the wireless signals in the plurality of frequency bands, the first wireless signals in the predetermined frequency band and the second wireless signals in the predetermined frequency band comprise wireless signals in an L1 frequency band or an L5 frequency band of a Global Positioning System (GPS) Paragraphs 0042-0043 and 0049-0050).
Regarding claim 4, and as applied claim 1 above, Hu et al discloses wherein wireless signal frequency bands of the first wireless signals in the predetermined frequency band and the second wireless signals in the predetermined frequency band are the same frequency band (paragraphs 0042-0043 and 0049-0050, GPS frequency band).
Regarding claim 6, claim 6 is similar in scope to the claim 1 and thus the rejection to claim 1 hereinabove is also applicable to claim 6.
Regarding claim 7, and as applied to the claim 6 above, claim 7 is similar in scope to the claim 2 and thus the rejection to claim 2 hereinabove is also applicable to claim 7.
Regarding claim 9, and as applied to the claim 6 above, claim 9 is similar in scope to the claim 4 and thus the rejection to claim 4 hereinabove is also applicable to claim 9.
7. Claim(s) 5 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hu et al (U.S. Patent No. US 2022/0214460 A1) in view of Mori (U.S. Patent No. US 2017/0180030 A1).
Regarding claim 5, and as applied claim 1 above, Hu et al does not disclose
wherein the switching device further comprises: a wireless signal intensity analysis unit, for analyzing intensities of the first wireless signals and the second wireless signals, and outputting corresponding wireless signal intensity analysis results, respectively; wherein, the switching device outputs the first wireless signals and the second wireless signals according to the corresponding wireless signal intensity analysis results, respectively.
Mori discloses a switching device (figure 1, an antenna selector 6; paragraph 0031) comprises: a wireless signal intensity analysis unit (figure 1, measurers 5; paragraph 0031), for analyzing intensities of a plurality wireless signals(paragraph 0031. “The plurality of measurers 5 measures a signal intensity of each of the frequency domain signals inputted from the corresponding frequency domain signal generators 4”), and outputting corresponding wireless signal intensity analysis results, respectively; wherein, the switching device outputs the first wireless signals and the second wireless signals according to the corresponding wireless signal intensity analysis results ( paragraphs 0040-0041, “… measured by the measurer 5 of the elements, of the frequency domain signal are inputted to the antenna selector 6. … the antenna selector 6 selects the antenna having the maximum signal intensity….In this case, the plurality of antennas may be selected. The antenna 1 exhibiting the second or third largest signal intensity may also be selected.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Mori in to the apparatus of Hu et al, such that the switching device could be comprised a wireless signal intensity analysis unit, for analyzing intensities of the first wireless signals and the second wireless signals, and outputting corresponding wireless signal intensity analysis results, respectively; wherein, the switching device outputs the first wireless signals and the second wireless signals according to the corresponding wireless signal intensity analysis results in order to improve the power efficiency and communication performance of the wireless communication device.
Regarding claim 10, and as applied to the claim 6 above, claim 10 is similar in scope to the claim 5 and thus the rejection to claim 5 hereinabove is also applicable to claim 10.
Conclusion
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/FATUMA G SHERIF/Examiner, Art Unit 2649 /YUWEN PAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2649