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 .
Miscellaneous
The Applicant has cancelled claims 3, 15, 20-23 and 25-26; therefore, only claims 1-2, 4-14, 16-19 and 24 remain for this Office Action.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, 4-14, 16-19 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Brunel et al. (US 2019/0372630).
In regards to claim 1, Brunel discloses of a method for operating an antenna array, the antenna array comprising antenna elements and having a reconfigurable antenna array geometry (for example see arrays 102, 132), the method comprising: applying, as part of operating the antenna array for performing wireless communication, at least two antenna array geometries at the antenna array in which: (i) the at least two antenna array geometries are alternatingly applied when the antenna array is operated, (for example see Figs 8-9, 12A-12R, 13A-13R), at least two of the at least two antenna array geometries being cyclically applied when the antenna array is operated, the cycling taking into account at least one radiation direction to avoid having a side lobe positioned in (for example see Paragraphs 0167, 0286 and Figs 8-9, 12A-12R, 13A-13R, may be cyclically applied to the various geometries resulting in controlled beam steering directions of the main lobes, desired beam angles, and/or power control changing the magnitude of the bean with small changes to the main lobe and/or changes to the side lobes); (ii) each of the at least two antenna array geometries has a respective radiation pattern having a main lobe and a set of side lobes (for example see Figs 12A-12R, 13A-13R); (iii) the main lobes of all the radiation patterns have same pointing direction (for example see Figs 12A-12R, 13A-13R); and (iv) pointing directions of the side lobes differ between the radiation patterns of the at least two antenna array geometries (for example see Figs 12A-12R, 13A-13R).
In regards to claim 2, Brunel discloses of the method according to claim 1, wherein all of the at least two antenna array geometries have same constant number of active antenna elements (for example see Figs 12C-12D, 13C-13D (12 active),12G-12J, 13G-13J (8 active)).
In regards to claim 4, Brunel discloses of the method according to claim 1,wherein, when the antenna array is operated, the pointing directions of the side lobes change over time by the pointing directions of the side lobes in the radiation patterns differing between the at least two antenna array geometries (see Figs 12A-12R, 13A-13R).
In regards to claim 5, Brunel discloses of the method according to claim 1, wherein all active antenna elements have same amplitude of excitation (see Table 1 and Figs 12A-12R, 13A-13R).
In regards to claim 6, Brunel discloses of the method according to claim 1, wherein phase weights of the antenna elements having same position in each of the at least two antenna array geometries remain unchanged between the at least two antenna array geometries (see Paragraphs 0192-0193 and Figs 12A-12R, 13A-13R).
In regards to claim 7, Brunel discloses of the method according to claim 1, wherein wireless communication is performed between the antenna array and a user equipment located in a region (for example see Figs 1, 2A, 3A-C), wherein also other objects are located in the region, and wherein which at least two antenna array geometries that are applied depend on location of the other objects in the region (for example see Figs 1, 2A, 3A-C).
In regards to claim 8, Brunel discloses of the method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: directing, as part of operating the antenna array, the main lobes of the at least two antenna array geometries in a set of directions by applying beam steering at the antenna array (see Figs 12A-12R, 13A-13R and Paragraphs 0244-0285).
In regards to claim 9, Brunel discloses of the method according to claim 8, wherein each of the at least two antenna array geometries are applied when the main lobe is directed in each of the directions (see Figs 12A-12R, 13A-13R and Paragraphs 0244-0285).
In regards to claim 10, Brunel discloses of the method according to claim 1, wherein the antenna array is a two-dimensional antenna array (see Figs 8-9, 12A-12R, 13A-13R).
In regards to claim 11, Brunel discloses of the method according claim 1, wherein the antenna array is part of a transmission and reception point of an access network (for example see Paragraphs 0004, 0155, 0289).
In regards to claim 12, Brunel discloses of the method according to claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a controller (for example 157, see Fig 6) of the antenna array.
In regards to claim 13, Brunel discloses of a controller (for example 157, see Fig 6) for operating an antenna array (see antenna arrays 102, 132), the antenna array comprising antenna elements and having a reconfigurable antenna array geometry, the controller comprising processing circuitry, the processing circuitry being configured to cause the controller to: apply, as part of operating the antenna array for performing wireless communication, at least two antenna array geometries at the antenna array in which: (i) the at least two antenna array geometries are alternatingly applied when the antenna array is operated (for example see Figs 8-9, 12A-12R, 13A-13R), at least two of the at least two antenna array geometries being cyclically applied when the antenna array is operated, the cycling taking into account at least one radiation direction to avoid having a side lobe positioned in (for example see Paragraphs 0167, 0286 and Figs 8-9, 12A-12R, 13A-13R, may be cyclically applied to the various geometries resulting in controlled beam steering directions of the main lobes, desired beam angles, and/or power control changing the magnitude of the bean with small changes to the main lobe and/or changes to the side lobes); (ii) each of the at least two antenna array geometries has a respective radiation pattern having a main lobe and a set of side lobes (for example see Figs 12A-12R, 13A-13R); (iii) the main lobes of all the radiation patterns have same pointing direction (for example see Figs 12A-12R, 13A-13R); and (iv) pointing directions of the side lobes differ between the radiation patterns of the at least two antenna array geometries (for example see Figs 12A-12R, 13A-13R).
In regards to claim 14, Brunel discloses of the controller according to claim 13, wherein all of the at least two antenna array geometries have same constant number of active antenna elements (for example see Figs 12C-12D, 13C-13D (12 active),12G-12J, 13G-13J (8 active)).
In regards to claim 16, Brunel discloses of the controller according to claim 13, wherein, when the antenna array is operated, the pointing directions of the side lobes change over time by the pointing directions of the side lobes in the radiation patterns differing between the at least two antenna array geometries (see Figs 12A-12R, 13A-13R).
In regards to claim 17, Brunel discloses of the controller according to claim 13, wherein all active antenna elements have same amplitude of excitation (see Table 1 and Figs 12A-12R, 13A-13R).
In regards to claim 18, Brunel discloses of the controller according to claim 13, wherein phase weights of the antenna elements having same position in each of the at least two antenna array geometries remain unchanged between the at least two antenna array geometries (see Paragraphs 0192-0193 and Figs 12A-12R, 13A-13R).
In regards to claim 19, Brunel discloses of the controller according to claim 13, wherein wireless communication is performed between the antenna array and a user equipment located in a region (for example see Figs 1, 2A, 3A-C), wherein also other objects are located in the region, and wherein which at least two antenna array geometries that are applied depend on location of the other objects in the region (for example see Figs 1, 2A, 3A-C).
In regards to claim 24, Brunel discloses of a controller (for example 157, see Fig 6) for operating an antenna array (see antenna arrays 102, 132), the antenna array comprising antenna elements and having a reconfigurable antenna array geometry, the controller comprising: an apply module configured to apply, as part of operating the antenna array for performing wireless communication, at least two antenna array geometries at the antenna array in which: (i) the at least two antenna array geometries are alternatingly applied when the antenna array is operated (for example see Figs 8-9, 12A-12R, 13A-13R), at least two of the at least two antenna array geometries being cyclically applied when the antenna array is operated, the cycling taking into account at least one radiation direction to avoid having a side lobe positioned in (for example see Paragraphs 0167, 0286 and Figs 8-9, 12A-12R, 13A-13R, may be cyclically applied to the various geometries resulting in controlled beam steering directions of the main lobes, desired beam angles, and/or power control changing the magnitude of the bean with small changes to the main lobe and/or changes to the side lobes); (ii) each of the at least two antenna array geometries has a respective radiation pattern having a main lobe and a set of side lobes (for example see Figs 12A-12R, 13A-13R); (iii) the main lobes of all the radiation patterns have same pointing direction (for example see Figs 12A-12R, 13A-13R); and (iv) pointing directions of the side lobes differ between the radiation patterns
Conclusion
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/JASON M CRAWFORD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2844