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 .
Request of Continued Examination
This action is in response to applicant’s request of Continued Examination (RCE) filed on 07/15/2026 on amendments/arguments filed on 07/15/2026. Claims 3-4, 10-15, 18-21 and 27 have been canceled. Claims 1, 2, 6-8 and 16 have been amended. Currently, claims 1-2, 5-9, 16-17, 22-26 and 28 are pending for consideration.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments/amendments with respect to amended claims 1, 16 and 23 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
a). on line 24 of claim 1, replace “a first of the radiating element” with -- a first of the radiating elements --;
a). on line 28 of claim 1, replace “a second of the radiating element” with -- a second of the radiating elements --.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “a multi-beam device configured to generate an output signal according to the phase shifted first beam signal and the phase shifted second beam signal” in claim 1 with corresponding structures found in figure 1 and par [0054]-[0058] of instant application US PGPub.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Response to Amendments
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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
Claims 1-2 and 5-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zimmerman (US 20200044345 A1) (hereinafter Zimmerman ‘345) in view of Fitzgerald et al. (US 20200411984 A).
Consider claim 1, Zimmerman ‘345 discloses a base station antenna (read as base station antenna 400, which includes multiband ports, phase shifters, beam-forming networks, diplexers and a shared radiating element array, figure 6, par [0095]-[0096]), comprising:
an array of radiating elements, including multiple columns of radiating elements with each column including multiple radiating elements (read as array 330 having columns 332, with multiple wideband radiating elements 340 in each column, individually or within sub-array 342, figures 4 and 6, par [0087]-[0096]);
a power divider that has an input that is coupled to a beam forming radio (read as first frequency band port 310, in the radio system (figure 6) having composite beam-forming network 260 through an individual network 360, providing an RF signal to power divider 470, which divides the signal into two branch sub-components, figure 6, par [0096]; also, beam-forming radio having multiple radio ports, with the radio separately setting the amplitude and phase of the radio frequency signal supplied through each port so that the associated array column form and scan a focused antenna beam, which corresponds to respective radio port source for each low-band port 310 used by figure 4 beam-forming paths, par [0008]);
a first phase shifter that is coupled to a first output of the power divider, the first phase shifter configured to impart a phase progression to a plurality of first sub-components of a first frequency band radio frequency (RF) signal a that is received from the beam forming radio (read as the first output branch of power divider 470-1 feeding low-band phase shifter 450-1, which provides multiple relatively phase controlled low band signals for the associated column from the signal received at port 310-a in the radio system having composite beam-forming network 260 through an individual network 360, figure 6, par [0088] and [0096]-[0097]);
a second phase shifter that is coupled to a second output of the power divider, the second phase shifter configured to impart a phase progression to a plurality of second sub-components of the first frequency band RF signal (read as second output branch of power divider 470-1 feeding low-band phase shifter 450-2, which provides a second plurality of relatively phase controlled low band signals, figure 6, par [0088] and [0096]-[0097]);
a third phase shifter configured to impart a phase progression to sub-components of a second frequency band RF signal for transmission in a multi- beam mode, wherein the second frequency band is different from the first frequency band, the second frequency band RF signal including a first beam signal and a second beam signal (read as the combination of high-band phase shifter stage 354-1 and 354-2, which apply respective phase settings to plurality sub-components of the first and second high-band beam signals before multi-beam transmission; this high band differs from the low band processed by power divider 470 and phase shifters 450, figures 4 and 6, par [0090]-[0091] and [0096]);
a multi-beam device configured to generate an output signal according to the phase shifted first beam signal and the phase shifted second beam signal (read as composite beam-forming network 260, formed from the individual beam-forming networks 360, receiving the phase controlled first and second high band signals and producing distributed output signals for the two oppositely directed beams, figures 4 and 5, par [0090]-[0093]);
a first diplexer having a first input coupled to a first output of the first phase shifter, a second input coupled to a first output of the multi-beam device, and an output coupled to at least a first of the radiating elements in a first of the columns of radiating elements (read as first diplexer 380 receiving one output from phase shifter 450-1 and one output from composite beam-forming network 260 through an individual network 360; the common output provides to a sub-array 342 containing at least one radiating element 340 in column 332-1, figure 6, par [0094]-[0096]); and
a second diplexer having a first input coupled to a first output of the second phase shifter, a second input coupled to a second output of the multi-beam device, and an output coupled to at least a second of the radiating elements in a second of the columns of radiating elements (read as second diplexer 380 receiving an output from phase shifter 450-2 and a different output from composite beam-forming network 260 through an individual network 360; the common output provides another radiating element sub-array 342 in column 332-2, figure 6, par [0094]-[0096]).
However, Zimmerman ‘345 discloses the claimed invention above but does not specifically disclose the output coupled to at least the second of the radiating elements in the first of the columns of radiating elements.
Nonetheless, Fitzgerald discloses transceiver 120, corresponds to a column radio path, providing RF input signal 234 to splitter 340; the initial power division forms branches 356-1 and 356-2 containing respective phase shifters 130-1 and 130-2, and each phase shifter produces plural phase-controlled outputs for different antenna elements paths (110-1 to 110-4) in the same antenna column, figures 1 and 3A, par [0045], [0050] and [0062]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Fitzgerald into the teachings of Zimmerman ‘345, to configure the radio system using Fitzgerald’s same antenna column coupled splitter having two phase shifter branches design, in order to provide distinct phase settings for separate radiating element subsets within one same antenna column (see par [0062] of Fitzgerald).
Consider claim 2, as applied to claim 1 above, Zimmerman ‘345, as modified by Fitzgerald, discloses wherein the third phase shifter comprises a first beam phase shifter configured to change a phase of the first beam signal; and a second beam phase shifter configured to change a phase of the second beam signal (read as the first and second high-band phase shifters 354-1 and 354-2 provide the first beam and second beam phase shifting functions within the collective third phase shifter stage, figure 4, par [0090]-[0091]).
Consider claim 5, as applied to claim 1 above, Zimmerman ‘345, as modified by Fitzgerald, discloses wherein the multi-beam device is a Butler matrix (read as beam-forming networks implemented using 4x4 Butler Matrix 366, figure 5, par [0093]).
Consider claim 6, as applied to claim 5 above, Zimmerman ‘345, as modified by Fitzgerald, discloses wherein the first and second diplexers are part of a plurality of diplexers, and the Butler matrix includes a first input port, a second input port and a plurality of first output ports, the first input port receives the phase shifted first beam signal, the second input port receives the phase shifted second beam signal, and the plurality of first output ports are respectively coupled to corresponding radiating elements through the plurality of diplexers (read as each individual beam-forming network 360 includes first and second input ports coupled outputs of first and second high-band phase shifters 354-1 and 354-2 that provide phase-shifted first and second beam signals (figure 4, par [0090]), that the beam-forming network is implemented using a 4x4 Butler Matrix 366 having a plurality of output ports (figure 5, par [0093]), and that each Butler Matrix output is coupled via respective diplexer 380 to a sub-array 342 of radiating elements (figures 4-6, par [0094]).
Consider claim 7, as applied to claim 6 above, Zimmerman ‘345, as modified by Fitzgerald, discloses wherein the Butler Matrix is one of a plurality of Butler Matrices, and the array of radiating elements comprises a plurality of rows, and the plurality of output ports of each Butler matrix are coupled to corresponding radiating elements in the same row (read as one individual beam-forming network of the plurality of beam-forming networks (each corresponds to a Butler matrix) is provided per row and that all outputs of the network feed sub-arrays in the same row, figures 4-5, par [0092]-[0093]).
Consider claim 8, as applied to claim 6 above, Zimmerman ‘345, as modified by Fitzgerald, discloses wherein, the first diplexer comprises a third input port, a fourth input port and a second output port, and the third input port receives the phase shifted RF signal of the first frequency band, the fourth input port is coupled to the first output port of the Butler matrix, and the second output port is coupled to the corresponding radiating element (read as each diplexer 380 includes a first input coupled to power dividers 370 carrying phase-shifted first-frequency band signals, a second input coupled to the beam-forming network 360 including Butler Matrix outputs, and a single output coupled to respective sub-array 342 of radiating elements, figures 4-5, par [0094]).
Consider claim 9, as applied to claim 1 above, Zimmerman ‘345, as modified by Fitzgerald, discloses wherein the first phase shifter comprises a plurality of third output ports which are respectively coupled to corresponding radiating elements in the same column (read as each first frequency (low) band adjustable phase shifter and power divider circuit 350 includes multiple outputs that are routed via power divider network 370 to sub-arrays 342 located in specific columns 332 of the array, figure 4, par [0087]-[0088]).
Claims 16-17 and 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zimmerman (US 20200044345 A1) (hereinafter Zimmerman ‘345) in view of Fitzgerald et al. (US 20200411984 A), and in further view of Zimmerman et al. (US 20180323516 A1) (hereinafter Zimmerman ‘516).
Consider claim 16, Zimmerman ‘345 discloses a base station antenna (read as base station 400, which includes multiband ports, phase shifters, beam-forming networks, diplexers and a shared multi-column radiating element array, figure 6, par [0095]-[0096]) comprising:
a plurality of sector splitting ports that include a first sector-splitting port and a second sector-splitting port (read as first and second high-band ports 320-1 and 320-2 providing the two signal paths used by beam-forming networks 360 to generate oppositely directed sector-splitting beams, par [0011] and [0090]-[0091]);
a plurality of beam forming ports that are coupled to respective ports of a beam forming radio (read as multiple first frequency band ports 310 as column feed ports and identifies different radio ports having radio controlled amplitude and phase as inputs used for multi-column beam forming, par [0087] and [0096]);
a multi-column array of radiating elements, with each column including multiple radiating elements (read as four-column array 330 with multiple wideband radiating elements 340 in each column 332, figures 4 and 6, par [0087] and [0096]);
a plurality of first phase shifters that are coupled between the respective beam forming ports and the columns of the array of radiating elements, the plurality of first phase shifters together having a plurality of first phase shifter outputs (read as plural low-band phase shifters 450 indirectly coupled through power dividers 470 between first frequency band ports 310 and columns 332; the phase shifters 450 collectively provide plural phase controlled outputs to the column diplexer paths, figure 6, par [0096]-[0097]);
a second phase shifter having an input port that is coupled to the first sector-splitting port and a plurality of second phase shifter outputs (read as high-band phase shifter 351-1 receiving the signal from first sector-splitter port 320-1 and providing plural phase controlled outputs to respective beam-forming network 360, figures 4 and 6, par [0090]);
a third phase shifter having an input port that is coupled to the second sector-splitting port and a plurality of third phase shifter outputs (read as high-band phase shifter 351-2 receiving the signal from first sector-splitter port 320-2 and providing plural phase controlled outputs to respective beam-forming network 360, figures 4 and 6, par [0090]);
a plurality of multi-beam devices, each multi-beam device coupled to a respective one of the second phase shifter outputs and a respective one of the third phase shifter outputs, the plurality of multi-beam devices together having a plurality of multi-beam device outputs (read as multiple individual beam-forming networks 360, reach receiving one respective output from phase shifter 354-1 and one respective output from phase shifter 354-2 and providing plural outputs toward the radiating element paths, figures 4 and 5, par [0090]-[0093]); and
a plurality of diplexers, each diplexer having a first input port that is coupled to a respective one of the first phase shifter outputs, a second input port that is coupled to a respective one of the multi-beam device outputs, and an output port that is coupled to a respective one of the radiating elements in the array of radiating elements (read as respective diplexers 380 whose first inputs receiving outputs of first frequency band phase shifters 450, whose second inputs receive outputs of individual beam-forming networks 360, and whose common outputs supply respective sub-arrays 342 containing radiating elements 340, figure 6, par [0094]-[0096]),
wherein the radiating elements are dual-polarized radiating elements that each have a first polarization radiator and a second polarization radiator (read as cross-polarized radiating elements having respective -45 degrees and +45 degrees radiators, which provide the first and second polarization radiators, together with duplicated polarization feed paths, figures 3A and 3B, par [0082]-[0084]), and
wherein a first of the first phase shifters is coupled to the first polarization radiators of a first subset of the radiating elements in a first column of the multi-column array of radiating elements and a second of the first phase shifters is coupled to the first polarization radiators of a second subset of the radiating elements in a second column of the multi-column array of radiating elements (read as first polarization phase shifter 450-1 providing a first group of first polarization radiators in column 332-1 and first polarization phase shifter 450-2 providing a second group in column 332-2, figure 6, par [0083]-[0084] and [0096]), and
wherein the number of beam-forming ports in the plurality of beam forming ports is equal to the number of sector splitting ports in the plurality of sector-splitting ports (read as equal numbers of first frequency band and sector splitting ports for a selected polarization: two ports 310 and two ports 320, par [0085] and [0087]).
However, discloses the claimed invention above but does not specifically disclose the second of the first phase shifters is coupled to the first polarization radiators of the second subset of the radiating elements in the first column.
Nonetheless, Fitzgerald discloses transceiver 120 with phase array apparatus 100, corresponds to a column radio path, providing RF input signal 234 to splitter 340; the initial power division forms branches 356-1 and 356-2 containing respective phase shifters 130-1 and 130-2 that supply separate element subsets in the same column for beam steering, and each phase shifter produces plural phase-controlled outputs for different antenna elements paths (110-1 to 110-4) in the same antenna column, figures 1 and 3A, par [0045], [0050] and [0062]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Fitzgerald into the teachings of Zimmerman ‘345, to configure the radio system using Fitzgerald’s same antenna column coupled splitter having two phase shifter branches design, in order to provide distinct phase settings for separate radiating element subsets within one same antenna column (see par [0062] of Fitzgerald).
However, Zimmerman ‘345, as modified by Fitzgerald, discloses the claimed invention above but does not specifically disclose wherein the number of beam forming ports in the plurality of beam forming ports is twice the number of sector splitting ports in the plurality of sector-splitting ports.
Nonetheless, Zimmerman ‘516 discloses one shared four-column antenna having four independently fed phase controlled column ports for its multi-column beamforming band and two ports for other band, establishing an four-to-two port count relationship, figure 6, par [0004] and [0031]-[0033].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Zimmerman ‘516 into the teachings of Zimmerman ‘345, which modified by Fitzgerald, to configure the first frequency band column feed using Zimmerman ‘345’s four independently driven beam-forming ports while retaining two sector-splitting ports design, in order to match the different spatial-feed requirements of the two bands on one shared four-column antenna system (see par [0004] and [0031]-[0034] of Zimmerman ‘516).
Consider claim 17, as applied to claim 16 above, Zimmerman ‘345, as modified by Fitzgerald and Zimmerman ‘516, discloses wherein the multi-beam devices are Butler Matrices (read as each individual beam-forming network is implemented using a 4x4 Butler Matrix, figure 5, par [0093]).
Consider claim 22, as applied to claim 16 above, Zimmerman ‘345, as modified by Fitzgerald and Zimmerman ‘516, discloses wherein the array of radiating elements comprises a plurality of rows, and the plurality of multi-beam device outputs of each multi-beam devices are coupled to corresponding radiating elements in the same row (read as the duplication of the low band feed networks, including phase shifter paths, for −45° and + 45° polarizations feeding the same columns, figures 3A-3B, par [0084]-[0085]).
Claims 23-26 and 28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zimmerman (US 20200044345 A1) (hereinafter Zimmerman ‘345) in view of Zimmerman (US 20160134412 A1) (hereinafter Zimmerman ‘412).
Consider claim 23, Zimmerman ‘345 discloses a base station antenna (read as base station antenna 300, which includes low-band and high-band antenna ports, phase controlled feed paths, diplexers 380 and array 330 of wideband radiating elements 340, figure 4, par [0086]-[0087] and [0094]) comprising:
a first sector-splitting port (read as high-band port 320-1 provides radio frequency signal used by the individual beam-forming networks 360 to generate the first antenna beam of the multi-beam sector-splitting antenna, figure 4, par [0059] and [0091]);
a second sector-splitting port (read as high-band port 320-2 provides radio frequency signal used by the individual beam-forming networks 360 to generate the second antenna beam pointing opposite the first antenna beam relative to the boresight of array 330, figure 4, par [0091]);
a plurality of beam forming ports (read as low-band ports 310, each providing a radio frequency signal to a respective adjustable phase shifter and power divider circuit 350; adjustable phase shifter and power divider circuit 350 varies the relative phases of signal sub-components and power divider 370 distribute those components across selected array columns to form an antenna beam having controlled elevation tilt and azimuth beam width, figure 4, par [0087]-[0089]);
a multi-beam device having first and second inputs that are coupled to the respective first and second sector-splitting ports and a plurality of multi-beam device outputs (read as Butler Matrix 366 as the multi-beam device within individual beam-forming network 360, figure 5 shows the signal from high-band phase shifter output HBPS 1-5 divided into two inputs of Butler Matrix 366 and the signal from HBPS 2-5 divided into two other matrix inputs; thus, the matrix has at least one first input coupled through phase shifter 354-1 to high-band port 320-1 and at least one second input coupled through phase shifter 354-2 to high-band port 320-2; its four outputs provide the amplitude and phase distributions used to form the two antenna beams and are coupled to respective sub-arrays 342, figures 4-5, par [0090] and [0093]; Note: “coupled” can be interpreted as “directly coupled” or “indirectly coupled”);
a plurality of phase shifters, the plurality of phase shifters together having a plurality of phase shifter outputs (read as multiple adjustable phase shifter and power divider circuits 350 and 354, with each of them providing multiple phase controlled outputs, figure 4, par [0088] and [0090]);
a plurality of diplexers, each diplexer having a first input port that is coupled to a respective one of the beam forming ports, a second input port that is coupled to a respective one of the multi-beam device outputs, and an output port that is coupled to a respective one of the sub-arrays (read as the four diplexers 380 in the row with the individual beam-forming network 360; each first diplexer input receives a low-band signal from a respective low-band port 310 through circuit 350 and power divider 370; each second diplexer input receives a respective output of Butler Matrix 366 through the corresponding output of network 360; each diplexer output then provides to its respective sub-array 342, figures 4-5, par [0088] and [0092]-[0094);
a multi-column array of radiating elements, with each column including multiple radiating elements (read as array 330 having four column 332 with each containing multiple wideband radiating elements 340 on sub-arrays 342; each sub-array contains two radiating elements, figure 4, par [0087]);
wherein each diplexer output is coupled to a respective one of the sub-arrays in the array of radiating elements (read as each selected diplexer 380 output provided to one respective sub-array 342, whose radiating element 340 transmit the combined low-band and high-band signal, figure 47, par [0094]).
However, Zimmerman ‘345 discloses the claimed invention above but does not specifically disclose an output port of the plurality of diplexer output ports coupled to a respective one of the phase shifters, and that the plurality of phase shifter outputs respectively coupled to radiating elements.
Nonetheless, Zimmerman ‘412 disclose respective multi-output fine phase shifter after each diplexer, which diplexer 505 coupled to the input of fine phase shifter 509 and diplexer 507 coupled to the input of fine phase shifter 551; find phase shifter 509 outputting signals to radiating elements 502 and 504 and fine phase shifter 511 outputting signals to radiating element 506 and 508, figures 5A-5C.
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Zimmerman ‘412 into the teachings of Zimmerman ‘345, to configure the four diplexer output paths using Zimmerman ‘412’s respective post diplexer multi-output fine phase shifters technique, in order to replace fixed phase offset within the sub-arrays with adjustable common fine phase control to improve elevation pattern quality (see par [0025] of Zimmerman ‘412).
Consider claim 24, as applied to claim 23 above, Zimmerman ‘345, as modified by Zimmerman ‘412, discloses wherein the multi-beam device is a Butler Matrix (read as each individual beam-forming network is implemented using a 4x4 Butler Matrix, figure 5, par [0093]).
Consider claim 25, as applied to claim 23 above, Zimmerman ‘345, as modified by Zimmerman ‘412, discloses wherein the array of radiating elements comprises a plurality of rows, and the plurality of multi-beam device outputs of each multi-beam devices are coupled to corresponding radiating elements in the same row of the array of radiating elements (read as one beam-forming network per row, with all outputs feeding sub-array and radiating elements in that same row, figures 4-5, par [0087] and [0092]-[0093]).
Consider claim 26, as applied to claim 23 above, Zimmerman ‘345, as modified by Zimmerman ‘412, discloses the claimed invention above but does not specifically disclose wherein each of the phase shifters includes a plurality of phase shifter outputs, and the plurality of the phase shifter outputs of each phase shifter are respectively coupled to the corresponding radiating elements in the same column of the array of radiating elements.
Nonetheless, Zimmerman ‘412 disclose respective multi-output fine phase shifter after each diplexer, which diplexer 505 coupled to the input of fine phase shifter 509 and diplexer 507 coupled to the input of fine phase shifter 551; find phase shifter 509’s outputs outputting signals to radiating elements 502 and 504 and fine phase shifter 511’outputs outputting signals to radiating element 506 and 508, figures 5A-5C.
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Zimmerman ‘412 into the teachings of Zimmerman ‘345, to configure the four diplexer output paths using Zimmerman ‘412’s respective post diplexer multi-output fine phase shifters technique, in order to replace fixed phase offset within the sub-arrays with adjustable common fine phase control to improve elevation pattern quality (see par [0025] of Zimmerman ‘412).
Consider claim 28, as applied to claim 23 above, Zimmerman ‘345, as modified by Zimmerman ‘412, discloses wherein each beam forming port is coupled to a respective port of a beam forming radio (read as beam-forming radio having multiple radio ports, with the radio separately setting the amplitude and phase of the radio frequency signal supplied through each port so that the associated array column form and scan a focused antenna beam, which corresponds to respective radio port source for each low-band port 310 used by figure 4 beam-forming paths, par [0008]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Junpeng Chen whose telephone number is (571) 270-1112. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Thursday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, Applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anthony S Addy can be reached on 571-272-7795. 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 http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
/Junpeng Chen/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2645
Prosecution Insights