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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 11/25/2025 and 01/08/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 16 has been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
Claims 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ammar (US 20040140863, hereinafter “Ammar”), and further in view of Drogi et al. (US 20110140777, hereinafter “Drogi”).
Regarding claim 16, Ammar discloses,
A method of operating an electronic device package (see Fig. 7 and Fig. 8A), the method comprising:
driving a first antenna and a second antenna using a first power amplifier and a second power amplifier respectively (FIGS. 7 and 8A are respective plan and fragmentary side elevation views of a power amplifier, such as shown in FIG. 5. The power amplifiers 54, 62, 66 are illustrated as preferably formed as microwave monolithic integrated circuits (MMIC) and connected to the respective microstrip transmission lines 60, 64, [0038]), wherein the first antenna and the second antenna (92 and 122) are positioned to excite a transition cavity (see Figs. 7-8A and pars. 38, 41, i.e. two opposing microstrip launchers 92 that extend into the waveguide transition 68 and are connected to the amplifiers 62 and 66, wherein each microstrip launcher 92 is a probe according to fig. 8B and [0042]), the transition cavity defined by a dielectric medium, the transition cavity sized and shaped (98; figs. 8A-8B and [0039]) for mechanical coupling with a waveguide structure (68 in fig. 7 and par. 38; and 90A in fig. 88 and par. 42).
However, Ammar does not disclose, receiving, from an electromagnetic probe electrically coupled with the transition cavity, a signal representative of an electromagnetic field in the transition cavity; and adjusting, based at least in part upon the received signal from the electromagnetic probe, at least one of the first power amplifier or the second power amplifier. In the same field of endeavor, Drogi discloses, receiving, from an electromagnetic probe (Note that FIG. 11A also shows that the RF input signal 204 and the RF output signal 110 can be sensed through couplers 1010, 1012, [0082]) electrically coupled with the transition cavity (Fig. 11A shows coupler 1012 a PA output, which samples RF output signal from PA 104), a signal representative of an electromagnetic field (Referring to FIG. 3A, the amplitude of the RF input signal 204 is monitored through the amplitude detector 302 and compared by the comparator 308 with the amplitude at the output 110 of the PA 104 as attenuated 326 by the adjusted variable attenuator (RFFA) 306, seen through a matched amplitude detector 304, [0055]) in the transition cavity (i.e., at output 110 of PA 104 in transmission path); and adjusting, based at least in part upon the received signal from the electromagnetic probe, a parameter of at least one of the first power amplifier or the second power amplifier (adjust the supply voltage of the PA 104 [0073] and the variable gain amplifier 502 are added to provide an additional means to control the efficiency of the PA 104 and the overall RF transmitter system [0071]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ammar by specifically providing receiving, from an electromagnetic probe electrically coupled with the transition cavity, a signal representative of an electromagnetic field in the transition cavity; and adjusting, based at least in part upon the received signal from the electromagnetic probe, at least one of the first power amplifier or the second power amplifier, as taught by Drogi for the purpose of providing a PA controller that can correct the AM to PM effects, while not relying on a PA specially designed for low AM to PM at the expense of efficiency [0013].
Regarding claim 17, the combination of Ammar and Drogi discloses everything claimed as applied above (see claim 16), further Ammar discloses, wherein the first power amplifier and the second power amplifier respectively include multiple output ports, and wherein respective output signals associated with the multiple output ports are combined using respective planar power combiners, and using spatial combination of the fields established by the first antenna and the second antenna in the transition cavity (the power amplifiers 54, 62, 66 are formed as MMIC chips or other amplifiers and associated with respective microstrip transmission lines. The power amplifiers have a phase that is adjusted based on the location of microstrip launchers (probes) 92 at the transition 68. For example, in the example of FIGS. 7 and 8 as shown in the schematic circuit diagram of FIG. 5, two microstrip launchers 92 are opposed to each other, i.e., positioned 180 degrees apart, and the power amplifiers are phase adjusted for 180 degrees, [0038]-[0043]).
Regarding claim 18, the combination of Ammar and Drogi discloses everything claimed as applied above (see claim 17), further Ammar discloses, wherein the two or more channels of the first power combiner are independently operable, wherein the two or more channels of the second power combiner are independently operable (the power amplifiers 54, 62, 66 are formed as MMIC chips or other amplifiers and associated with respective microstrip transmission lines. The power amplifiers have a phase that is adjusted based on the location of microstrip launchers (probes) 92 at the transition 68. For example, in the example of FIGS. 7 and 8 as shown in the schematic circuit diagram of FIG. 5, two microstrip launchers 92 are opposed to each other, i.e., positioned 180 degrees apart, and the power amplifiers are phase adjusted for 180 degrees, [0038]-[0043]).
Regarding claim 19, the combination of Ammar and Drogi discloses everything claimed as applied above (see claim 18), further Ammar discloses, tuning one or more channels of the first power amplifier or the second power amplifier by operating a single channel at a time and using the signal representative of the electromagnetic field in the transition cavity to adjust one or more parameters of the channel being tuned (the power amplifiers 54, 62, 66 are formed as MMIC chips or other amplifiers and associated with respective microstrip transmission lines. The power amplifiers have a phase that is adjusted based on the location of microstrip launchers (probes) 92 at the transition 68. For example, in the example of FIGS. 7 and 8 as shown in the schematic circuit diagram of FIG. 5, two microstrip launchers 92 are opposed to each other, i.e., positioned 180 degrees apart, and the power amplifiers are phase adjusted for 180 degrees, [0038]-[0043]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 3-15, 20 and 21 are allowed.
Statement of Reasons for Allowance
The following is an Examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
With respect to the allowed independent claim 1:
The closest prior art, Ammar (US 20040140863, hereinafter “Ammar”), teaches:
“An electronic device package (see Fig. 7 and Fig. 8A), comprising: a substrate comprising a dielectric medium (dielectric substrate 90, Fig. 7 and [0038]); a transition cavity (68 in fig. 7 and par. 38; and 90A in fig. 88 and par. 42) defined by the dielectric medium (Fig. 8A; 90), the transition cavity sized and shaped for mechanical coupling with a waveguide structure (98; figs. 8A-8B and [0039]); a first antenna and a second antenna (see Figs. 7-8A and pars. 38, 41, i.e. two opposing microstrip launchers 92 that extend into the waveguide transition 68 and are connected to the amplifiers 62 and 66, wherein each microstrip launcher 92 is a probe according to fig. 8B and [0042]), the first antenna and the second antenna (92 and 122) positioned to excite the transition cavity (68, 90A), the first antenna fed by a first transmission line and the second antenna fed by a second transmission line (see figs. 7-8A and [0038], i.e. the transmission lines that connect the amplifiers 62 and 66 to the corresponding launchers 92 of the waveguide transition 68, wherein, according to fig. 88 and [0042], each transmission line is a microstrip transmission line 120 formed by a planar conductor on the dielectric substrate 90).”
However, Ammar, does not teach or suggest the following novel features:
“the device comprising an electromagnetic probe electrically coupled with the transition cavity; wherein the electromagnetic probe interacts with an electromagnetic field in the transition cavity and provides an electrical signal representative of the electromagnetic field in the transition cavity; wherein the first transmission line comprises a first planar conductor and the second transmission line comprises a second planar conductor, the first planar conductor and the second planar conductor supported by at least one dielectric layer defining the dielectric medium, wherein the first planar conductor and the second planar conductor are buried within the dielectric medium between respective dielectric layers defining the dielectric medium” in combination with all the recited limitations of the claim 1.
Dependent claims 3-15 and 21 are allowed as those inherit the allowable subject matter from claim 1.
With respect to the allowed independent claim 21:
The closest prior art, Ammar (US 20040140863, hereinafter “Ammar”), teaches:
“An electronic device package (see Fig. 7 and Fig. 8A), comprising: a substrate comprising a dielectric medium (dielectric substrate 90, Fig. 7 and [0038]); a transition cavity (68 in fig. 7 and par. 38; and 90A in fig. 88 and par. 42) defined by the dielectric medium (Fig. 8A; 90), the transition cavity sized and shaped for mechanical coupling with a waveguide structure (98; figs. 8A-8B and [0039]); a first antenna and a second antenna (see Figs. 7-8A and pars. 38, 41, i.e. two opposing microstrip launchers 92 that extend into the waveguide transition 68 and are connected to the amplifiers 62 and 66, wherein each microstrip launcher 92 is a probe according to fig. 8B and [0042]), the first antenna and the second antenna (92 and 122) positioned to excite the transition cavity (68, 90A), the first antenna fed by a first transmission line and the second antenna fed by a second transmission line (see figs. 7-8A and [0038], i.e. the transmission lines that connect the amplifiers 62 and 66 to the corresponding launchers 92 of the waveguide transition 68, wherein, according to fig. 88 and [0042], each transmission line is a microstrip transmission line 120 formed by a planar conductor on the dielectric substrate 90); and a conductive cap (Fig. 7-8A; 94, 96, 100) located on a surface of the dielectric medium (Fig. 7-8A; 90) overlapping with the transition cavity (Fig. 7-8A; 68) opposite a surface of the dielectric medium (Fig. 7-8A; 90) defining an output of the transition cavity (Fig. 7-8A; 68) used for mechanical coupling with a waveguide structure (Fig. 7-8A; 98, 98a, 99).”
However, Ammar, does not teach or suggest the following novel features:
“the device comprising an electromagnetic probe electrically coupled with the transition cavity; wherein the electromagnetic probe interacts with an electromagnetic field in the transition cavity and provides an electrical signal representative of the electromagnetic field in the transition cavity; wherein the first transmission line comprises a first planar conductor and the second transmission line comprises a second planar conductor, the first planar conductor and the second planar conductor supported by at least one dielectric layer defining the dielectric medium, wherein the first planar conductor and the second planar conductor are buried within the dielectric medium between respective dielectric layers defining the dielectric medium” in combination with all the recited limitations of the claim 21.
Prior Art of the Record:
The prior art made of record not relied upon and considered pertinent to
Applicant’s disclosure:
US 20250149457: he present disclosure relates to an electronic device that includes a first electronic component, a second electronic component, an interconnection structure below the first electronic component and the second electronic component and electrically connecting the first electronic component to the second electronic component, and a first waveguide below the first electronic component and the second electronic component and configured to transmit electromagnetic waves.
US 20240322775: An electronic assembly may include a first die, comprising a first transmission line, and a second die, comprising a second transmission line. Each die includes a first face and an opposing second face, and the second die is stacked above the first die so that the first face of the second die is coupled to the second face of the first die.
US 20240275061: The present disclosure provides an electronic device. The electronic device includes a radio frequency (RF) circuit region and an antenna region. The RF circuit region has a first circuit density. The antenna region includes a circuit structure. The circuit structure defines a waveguide. The circuit structure has a second circuit density less than the first circuit density.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GOLAM SOROWAR whose telephone number is (571)270-3761. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri: 8:30AM-5PM.
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/GOLAM SOROWAR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2641