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 Objections
Claim 37 is objected to because of the following informalities: the acronyms VGA, PA and LNA need to be spelled out. Appropriate correction is required.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-11, 17-22 and 32-37 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
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 1-3, 12-16, 23 and 26-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (US 2021/0013632 A1).
Claim 1. Lee et al. disclose A phased array antenna system (read as plurality of antenna arrays [0010]. FIG. 8) comprising:
a beamformer (BF) comprising a plurality of BF input/outputs (IOs) (read as different beam subsets among all beams which can be formed by the electronic device 101 [0099]);
a plurality of antenna elements associated with a particular BF IO of the plurality of BF IOs (read as the first antenna array and the second antenna array may be used to form different beam subsets among all beams which can be formed by the electronic device 101 [0099]); and
a serially fed front end (FE) network (FIG. 8, RF chains 842a-1 connected in series) comprising:
a first FE comprising a first FE IO of the first FE electrically coupled (the term “electrically coupled” can be interpreted as coupled at a distance and not directly and physically connected) to the particular BF IO (read as beams which can be formed by the electronic device 101 [0099]. ), a second FE IO of the first FE (FIG. 8, RF chains 842a-1 have first and second IOs), a first antenna IO coupled to a first antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements (FIG. 8, first and second array antennas have multiple IOs); and
a second FE comprising a first FE IO of the second FE electrically coupled to the second FE IO of the first FE (FIG 8 shows multiple RF chains connected in series), a second FE IO of the second FE (FIG. 8, RF chains 842a-1 have first and second IOs), and a second antenna IO coupled to a second antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements (FIG 8 shows multiple RF chains connected to first and second antenna array), wherein the first FE is configured to communicatively couple the particular BF IO of the plurality of BF IOs to the first antenna IO and the second FE IO of the first FE (read as antenna feeding points and RF chains may be allowed on the basis of the fact that two antenna arrays are not simultaneously used. For example, the first antenna array and the second antenna array may be used to form different beam subsets among all beams which can be formed by the electronic device 101. For example, when the electronic device 101 is able to form 20 beams having different directions, the first antenna array may be used to form 5 beams among the 20 beams, and the second antenna array may be used to form 5 other beams among the 20 beams. Unless one RF module simultaneously forms two beams, the first antenna array and the second antenna array may not be used at the same time [0099]. FIG. 8, shows multiple RF chains that are connected in series as well coupled to antennas and beamformer circuit.).
The combined teaching of multiple embodiments, disclosed by Lee et a., were used in the rejection of the claimed invention.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was filed, to use the teaching of Lee et al. in order to realize all limitations of the claimed invention namely the idea of identifying an antenna array to be used for communication among a plurality of antenna arrays, connecting antenna elements of the identified antenna array with RF chains, and processing signals through the RF chains (Lee et al. [0010]). The motivation is related to reducing the size of a circuit for processing RF signals through the use of the number of Radio Frequency (RF) chains smaller than the number of antennas Lee et al. [0011]).
Claim 2. The phased array antenna system of claim 1, Lee et al. disclose wherein the second FE is configured to communicatively couple a signal from the second FE IO of the first FE received at the first FE IO of the second FE to the second antenna IO (FIG. 8, RF chains in item 740 receive signals from RF chains in item 730 and provide then to first and second antenna).
Claim 3. The phased array antenna system of claim 1, Lee et al. disclose wherein the BF is communicatively coupled by the serially fed FE network to transmit RF signals to and/or receive RF signals from the first and second antenna elements of the plurality of antenna elements (read as antenna feeding points and RF chains may be allowed on the basis of the fact that two antenna arrays are not simultaneously used. For example, the first antenna array and the second antenna array may be used to form different beam subsets among all beams which can be formed by the electronic device 101 [0099]. FIG. 8, RF chains receive signal from beamformer and provide it to antennas.).
Claim 12. The phased array antenna system of claim 1, Lee et al. disclose wherein the serially fed FE network comprises a plurality of individual FEs, and the plurality of individual FEs comprises the first FE and the second FE (FIG. 8, plurality of serially connected RF chains shown).
Claim 13. The phased array antenna system of claim 12, Lee et al. disclose wherein a last FE of the plurality of individual FEs includes a first FE IO of the last FE coupled to a second FE IO of another individual FE of the plurality of individual FEs and a second FE IO of the last FE is terminated (FIG. 8, plurality of serially connected RF chains shown).
Claim 14. The phased array antenna system of claim 12, Lee et al. disclose further comprising a distribution network disposed between the particular BF IO of the plurality of BF IOs and the first FE IO of the first FE of the serially fed FE network (read as antenna feeding points and RF chains may be allowed on the basis of the fact that two antenna arrays are not simultaneously used. For example, the first antenna array and the second antenna array may be used to form different beam subsets among all beams which can be formed by the electronic device 101 [0099]. FIG. 8, RF chains receive signal from beamformer and provide it to antennas.).
Claim 15. The phased array antenna system of claim 14, Lee et al. disclose wherein the distribution network communicatively couples the particular BF IO of the plurality of BF IOs to the serially fed FE network and at least one additional serially fed FE network (read as the RFIC 330 is a circuit for processing an RF signal, and may include a signal distribution circuit and/or RF chains… [0064]).
Claim 16. The phased array antenna system of claim 15, Lee et al. disclose wherein the distribution network comprises a combiner/divider configured to equally divide a transmitted RF signal to the serially fed FE network and the at least one additional serially fed FE network (read as the RFIC 330 is a circuit for processing an RF signal, and may include a signal distribution circuit and/or RF chains. The RFIC 330 may correspond to the signal-processing circuit 252 of FIG. 2. The RFIC 330 may include a plurality of RF chains. Each of the plurality of RF chains may include a Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) 332 and a Power Amplifier (PA) 334 [0064]).
Claim 23. The phased array antenna system of claim 1, Lee et al. disclose
further comprising a carrier having a first side and a second side opposing the first side, wherein the BF and the serially fed FE network are disposed on at least one of the first side of the carrier or the second side of the carrier (FIG. 1-10, show block diagrams of the system which could represent the real circuit board. The figures show the RF chains located on one while the rest of the circuit is on the other. The claimed invention does not disclose why the locations are chosen as recited.).
Claim 26. Lee et al. disclose A serially fed front end (FE) network (FIG. 8, serially connected RF chains shown) comprising:
a first FE comprising a first FE input/output (IO(FIG. 8, RF chains 842a-1 have first and second IOs) electrically coupled to a particular beamformer (BF) IO of a BF (read as different beam subsets among all beams which can be formed by the electronic device 101 [0099]), a first FE IO of the first FE (FIG. 8, RF chains 842a-1 have first and second IOs), a second FE IO of the first FE (FIG. 8, RF chains 842a-1 have first and second IOs), and a first antenna IO coupled to a first antenna element of a plurality of antenna elements (FIG. 8, First and second antenna arrays including multiple IOs); and
a second FE comprising a first FE IO of the second FE electrically coupled to the second FE IO of the first FE (FIG. 8, serially connected RF chains shown), a second FE IO of the second FE (FIG. 8, RF chains 842a have first and second IOs), and a second antenna IO coupled to a second antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements (FIG. 8, First and second antenna arrays including multiple IOs), wherein the particular BF IO is communicatively coupled, by the serially fed FE network, to transmit signals to and/or receive signals from the first and second antenna elements of the plurality of antenna elements through the first FE IO of the first FE (read as antenna feeding points and RF chains may be allowed on the basis of the fact that two antenna arrays are not simultaneously used. For example, the first antenna array and the second antenna array may be used to form different beam subsets among all beams which can be formed by the electronic device 101. For example, when the electronic device 101 is able to form 20 beams having different directions, the first antenna array may be used to form 5 beams among the 20 beams, and the second antenna array may be used to form 5 other beams among the 20 beams. Unless one RF module simultaneously forms two beams, the first antenna array and the second antenna array may not be used at the same time [0099]. FIG. 8, shows multiple RF chains that are connected in series as well coupled to antennas and beamformer circuit.).
The combined teaching of multiple embodiments, disclosed by Lee et a., were used in the rejection of the claimed invention.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was filed, to use the teaching of Lee et al. in order to realize all limitations of the claimed invention namely the idea of identifying an antenna array to be used for communication among a plurality of antenna arrays, connecting antenna elements of the identified antenna array with RF chains, and processing signals through the RF chains (Lee et al. [0010]). The motivation is related to reducing the size of a circuit for processing RF signals through the use of the number of Radio Frequency (RF) chains smaller than the number of antennas Lee et al. [0011]).
Claim 27. The serially fed FE network of claim 26, Lee et al. disclose
the first FE further comprising one or more signal conditioning components configured to provide a transmit gain between the first FE IO of the first FE and the first FE IO of the first FE in a transmit mode and/or provide a receive gain between the second FE IO of the first FE and the second FE IO of the first FE in a receive mode (read as the RFIC 330 is a circuit for processing an RF signal, and may include a signal distribution circuit and/or RF chains. The RFIC 330 may correspond to the signal-processing circuit 252 of FIG. 2. The RFIC 330 may include a plurality of RF chains. Each of the plurality of RF chains may include a Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) 332 and a Power Amplifier (PA) 334 [0064]).
Claim 28. The serially fed FE network of claim 27, Lee et al. disclose
wherein the transmit gain is configured to produce an equal signal gain at the first FE IO of the first FE and the first FE IO of the second FE (read as The RFIC 330 may include a plurality of RF chains. Each of the plurality of RF chains may include a Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) 332 and a Power Amplifier (PA) 334 [0064]). The LNAs and Power Amplifiers are controlled by the RFIC and can be programmed to any desired gain.).
Claim 29. The serially fed FE network of claim 27, Lee et al. disclose
wherein the receive gain is configured to produce an equal gain at the second FE IO of the first FE and the second FE IO of the second FE (read as The RFIC 330 may include a plurality of RF chains. Each of the plurality of RF chains may include a Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) 332 and a Power Amplifier (PA) 334 [0064]). The LNAs and Power Amplifiers are controlled by the RFIC and can be programmed to any desired gain.).
Claim 30. The serially fed FE network of claim 26, Lee et al. disclose
the first FE further comprising one or more first signal conditioning components and the second FE further comprising one or more second signal conditioning components, wherein:
the one or more first signal conditioning components are configured to provide a common gain between the first FE IO of the first FE and the first antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements (read as the RFIC 330 is a circuit for processing an RF signal, and may include a signal distribution circuit and/or RF chains. The RFIC 330 may correspond to the signal-processing circuit 252 of FIG. 2. The RFIC 330 may include a plurality of RF chains. Each of the plurality of RF chains may include a Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) 332 and a Power Amplifier (PA) 334 [0064]); and
the one or more second signal conditioning components are configured to provide the common gain between the first FE IO of the first FE and the second antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements (read as the RFIC 330 is a circuit for processing an RF signal, and may include a signal distribution circuit and/or RF chains. The RFIC 330 may correspond to the signal-processing circuit 252 of FIG. 2. The RFIC 330 may include a plurality of RF chains. Each of the plurality of RF chains may include a Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) 332 and a Power Amplifier (PA) 334 [0064]).
Claim 31. The serially fed FE network of claim 27, Lee et al. disclose
wherein the one or more signal conditioning components comprise at least one of a variable gain amplifier (VGA), power amplifier (PA), low-noise amplifier (LNA), or a phase shifter (read as the RFIC 330 is a circuit for processing an RF signal, and may include a signal distribution circuit and/or RF chains. The RFIC 330 may correspond to the signal-processing circuit 252 of FIG. 2. The RFIC 330 may include a plurality of RF chains. Each of the plurality of RF chains may include a Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) 332 and a Power Amplifier (PA) 334 [0064]).
24.-25 and 38.-58. (Canceled)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Refer to PTO-892.
PTO-892 includes several prior art that could be used to provide the teaching of the claimed invention. For example Orhan et al. (CN 119210542 A) disclose the idea of a system including multiple RFIC circuits (Fig. 9A) coupled to different antennas to generate different beams.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMMED RACHEDINE whose telephone number is (571)272-9249. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew D. Anderson can be reached at (571)272-4177. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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MOHAMMED . RACHEDINE
Examiner
Art Unit 2649
/MOHAMMED RACHEDINE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2646