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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed on 08/11/2023 has been considered and
placed in the application file.
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.
Claims 1-8 and 11-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al. (U.S. 11,722,109) in view of Berchtold et al. (U.S. 8,525,595) in view of Berchtold et al. (U.S. 8,525,595).
Regarding claim 1, Zhang et al. (hereinafter, Ref~109) discloses (please see Figs. 2-4 and related text for details) a system that facilitates control of supply voltage levels, comprising:
a group of amplifier components (e.g., 202 of Fig. 2), comprising an amplifier component (210 and/or 212 of Fig. 2), wherein the group of amplifier components receives an input signal (signal from 220 of Fig. 2), wherein the group of amplifier components generates a voltage signal (output signal from 212 of Fig. 2) based at least in part on the input signal, and wherein an output signal (output from DAC 214 of Fig. 2) of the system is based at least in part on the voltage signal;
an automatic gain control component (AGC 218 of Fig. 2) associated with the group of amplifier components, wherein the automatic gain control component determines (via DSP 216) a state value associated with the automatic gain control component, based at least in part on an analysis of the output signal; and
a supply voltage controller component (Ref~109 teaches that the path 222 of Fig. 2 be used the DSP circuit 204 to provide and regulate supply voltage to the amplifier circuit 202, and in particular, to the front stage 210 and to the latter stage 212 as described in col. 4, between lines 1-5, thus requiring a regulated supply voltage from, for instance, a generic LDO as also shown in Fig. 4) that receives state information indicative of the state value from the automatic gain control component (218 of Fig. 2) and controls a supply voltage level of a supply voltage supplied by an amplifier regulator component to the amplifier component based at least in part on the state value and a threshold supply voltage level associated with a threshold state value (please note that a typical LDO would be configured to provide a regulated voltage based on a threshold as shown/disclosed, for instance, in the embodiment of Fig. 3 of Berchtold et al. U.S. 8,525,595), meeting claim 1.
Regarding claim 2, Ref~109 discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the supply voltage controller component compares (via 18 of Fig. 3 and/or via 34 of Fig. 3 of Berchtold et al.) the state value to the threshold state value and, based at least in part on a result of the comparison of the state value to the threshold state value, determines whether the state value satisfies the threshold state value, meeting claim 2.
Regarding claim 3, Ref~109 discloses the system of claim 2, wherein the supply voltage controller component controls the supply voltage level to maintain the supply voltage level at, or adjust the supply voltage level to, the threshold supply voltage level based at least in part on the result indicating that the state value does not satisfy the threshold state value, since it is configured in the same manner compared to the claimed one, meeting claim 3.
Regarding claim 4, Ref~109 discloses the system of claim 2, wherein, based at least in part on the result indicating that the state value satisfies the threshold state value, the supply voltage controller component determines a specified supply voltage level associated with the state value based at least in part on the state value and a mapping that indicates respective supply voltage levels as a function of respective state values, and controls the supply voltage level to maintain the supply voltage level at, or adjust the supply voltage level to, the specified supply voltage level, since it is configured to operate in the same manner compared to the claimed one. Specifically, the second feedback path 34 of Fig. 3 can be configured to be ON/OFF to adjust the overall feedback resistance, as described in col. 7, between lines 10-25, meeting claim 4.
Regarding claim 5, Ref~109 supports the claimed “wherein the amplifier component is a transimpedance amplifier component (TIA 202 of Fig. 2), wherein the threshold supply voltage level is a threshold high supply voltage level, and wherein the specified supply voltage level is lower than the threshold high supply voltage level and higher than a threshold low supply voltage level, in accordance with the state value and the mapping”, since these are normal design parameters/features in the field. Specifically ,Ref~109 teaches that the gain could be allocated properly between the front and the later stages to best balance the impact from the noise and THD as described in col. 5, thus each stage would have different threshold depending on custom specifications, meeting claim 5.
Regarding claim 6, Ref~109 does not expressly disclose “wherein the amplifier component is a voltage gain amplifier component, wherein the threshold supply voltage level is a threshold low supply voltage level, and wherein the specified supply voltage level is higher than the threshold low supply voltage level and lower than a threshold high supply voltage level, in accordance with the state value and the mapping”. However, these are normal design parameters/features in the field depending on custom specifications related to the gain allocation between stages of an intended system/application, meeting claim 6.
Regarding claim 7, Ref~109 does not expressly disclose “wherein the amplifier component is a transimpedance amplifier component (please see TIA 202 of Fig. 2), wherein the threshold supply voltage level is a threshold high supply voltage level, wherein the threshold state value is a threshold lower state value, wherein, based at least in part on the result indicating that the state value satisfies the threshold lower state value and a threshold higher state value that is associated with a threshold low supply voltage level, the supply voltage controller component controls the supply voltage level to maintain the supply voltage level at, or adjust the supply voltage level to, the threshold low supply voltage level, in accordance with a mapping that indicates respective supply voltage levels as a function of respective state values”. However, these are normal design parameters/features in the field depending on custom specifications, meeting claim 7.
Regarding claim 8, Ref~109 does not expressly disclose “wherein the amplifier component is a voltage gain amplifier component, wherein the threshold supply voltage level is a threshold low supply voltage level, wherein the threshold state value is a threshold lower state value, wherein, based at least in part on the result indicating that the state value satisfies the threshold lower state value and a threshold higher state value that is associated with a threshold high supply voltage level, the supply voltage controller component controls the supply voltage level to maintain the supply voltage level at, or adjust the supply voltage level to, the threshold high supply voltage level, in accordance with a mapping that indicates respective supply voltage levels as a function of respective state values”. However, these are normal design parameters/features in the field depending on custom specifications, meeting claim 8.
Regarding claim 11, similarly, Ref~109 discloses a device that facilitates management of supply voltage levels, comprising:
a group of amplifier components (202 of Fig. 2), comprising an amplifier component (210 and/or 212 of Fig. 2), wherein the group of amplifier components receives an input signal (output signal from 220 of Fig. 2), wherein the group of amplifier components generates a voltage signal (output signal from 212 of Fig. 2) based at least in part on the input signal, and wherein an output signal (output signal from ADC 214 of Fig. 2) associated with the group of amplifier components is based at least in part on the voltage signal;
an automatic gain control component (218 of Fig. 2) associated with the group of amplifier components, wherein the automatic gain control component determines (via DSP 216 of Fig. 2) a state value associated with the automatic gain control component, based at least in part on an analysis of the output signal (provided to DSP via ADC 214); and
a supply voltage controller component (LDO or the like as broadly described in col. 4, between lines 1-5) that receives a state signal indicative of the state value from the automatic gain control component and manages a supply voltage level of a supply voltage supplied by an amplifier regulator component to the amplifier component based at least in part on a result of a determination of whether the state value satisfies a threshold state value associated with a threshold supply voltage level (as described above in claim 1 in view of Berchtold et al.), meeting claim 11.
Regarding claim 12, Ref~109 does not expressly suggest “wherein the group of amplifier components comprises a transimpedance amplifier component and a voltage gain amplifier component associated with the transimpedance amplifier component, wherein the amplifier component is the transimpedance amplifier component, wherein the amplifier regulator component is a first amplifier regulator component, wherein the supply voltage controller component is a first supply voltage controller component, wherein the supply voltage level is a first supply voltage level, wherein the supply voltage is a first supply voltage, wherein the result is a first result, wherein the determination is a first determination, wherein the threshold state value is a first threshold state value, wherein the threshold supply voltage level is a first threshold supply voltage level, and wherein the device further comprises: a second supply voltage controller component that receives the state signal indicative of the state value from the automatic gain control component and manages a second supply voltage level of a second supply voltage supplied by a second amplifier regulator component to the voltage gain amplifier component based at least in part on a second result of a second determination of whether the state value satisfies a second threshold state value associated with a second threshold supply voltage level”. However, these are normal design parameters/features in the field depending on gain allocation between stages as described in col. 5, thus obviating various threshold being used for various stages, meeting claim 12.
Regarding claim 13, Ref~109 does not expressly suggest “wherein the first supply voltage controller component manages the first supply voltage level to maintain the first supply voltage level at, or adjust the supply voltage level to, the first threshold supply voltage level based at least in part on the first result indicating that the state value does not satisfy the first threshold state value, in accordance with a first function that indicates respective first supply voltage levels in relation to respective state values; and wherein the second supply voltage controller component manages the second supply voltage level to maintain the second supply voltage level at, or adjust the supply voltage level to, the second threshold supply voltage level based at least in part on the second result indicating that the state value does not satisfy the second threshold state value, in accordance with a second function that indicates respective second supply voltage levels in relation to respective state values, wherein the first threshold supply voltage level is a threshold high supply voltage level, and wherein the second threshold supply voltage level is a threshold low supply voltage level that is lower than the threshold high supply voltage level”. However, these are normal design parameters/features in the field depending on gain allocation between stages as described in col. 5, thus obviating various supply threshold level being used for various stages to obtain desired gain level for each stage, meeting claim 13.
Regarding claim 14, Ref~109 does not expressly suggest “wherein, based at least in part on the first result indicating that the state value satisfies the first threshold state value, the first supply voltage controller component determines a specified supply voltage level associated with the state value based at least in part on the state value and a first function that indicates respective first supply voltage levels in relation to respective state values, and manages the first supply voltage level to maintain the first supply voltage level at, or adjust the first supply voltage level to, the specified supply voltage level, wherein the first threshold supply voltage level is a threshold high supply voltage level, and wherein the specified supply voltage level is lower than the threshold high supply voltage level and higher than a threshold low supply voltage level, in accordance with the state value and the first function”. However, these are normal design parameters/features in the field depending on gain allocation between stages as described/suggested in col. 5, thus obviating various supply threshold level being employed for various/VGA stages depending on custom specifications, meeting claim 14.
Regarding claim 15, Ref~109 does not expressly suggest “wherein, based at least in part on the second result indicating that the state value satisfies the second threshold state value, the second supply voltage controller component determines a specified supply voltage level associated with the state value based at least in part on the state value and a second function that indicates respective second supply voltage levels in relation to respective state values, and manages the second supply voltage level to maintain the second supply voltage level at, or adjust the second supply voltage level to, the specified supply voltage level, wherein the second threshold supply voltage level is a threshold low supply voltage level, and wherein the specified supply voltage level is higher than the threshold low supply voltage level and lower than a threshold high supply voltage level, in accordance with the state value and the second function ”. However, these are normal design parameters/features in the field depending on gain allocation between stages as described in col. 5, thus obviating various threshold being used for various stages, meeting claim 15.
Regarding claim 16, Ref~109 does not expressly suggest “wherein the amplifier component is a transimpedance amplifier component (TIA 202 of Fig. 2), wherein the threshold supply voltage level is a threshold high supply voltage level, wherein the threshold state value is a threshold lower state value, wherein, based at least in part on the result indicating that the state value satisfies the threshold lower state value and a threshold higher state value that is associated with a threshold low supply voltage level, the supply voltage controller component manages the supply voltage level to maintain the supply voltage level at, or adjust the supply voltage level to, the threshold low supply voltage level, in accordance with a function that indicates respective supply voltage levels in relation to respective state values”. However, these are normal design parameters/features in the field depending on gain allocation between stages as described in col. 5, thus obviating various threshold being used for various stages, meeting claim 12.
As to claims 17-20, these claims are merely the method to operate the circuit having structure recited in claims 1-8 and 11-16 and . Since Ref~109 teaches the structure, the method to operate such a circuit is inherently disclosed, meeting claims 17-20.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-10 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HIEU P NGUYEN whose telephone number is 571-272-8577. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8:30AM-6:00PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Andrea Lindgren Baltzell can be reached on 571-272-5918. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 703-872-9306.
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/HIEU P NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2843