DETAILED ACTION
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 January 13, 2026 has been entered.
Claims 1 and 10 are amended.
Claim 20 is new.
Claims 1-20 are pending this application.
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 1-2, 5, 8, 10-12, 15, and 17--20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rao et al (US 2018/0231652 A1) in view of Matsuo (WO 2012/166315 A2).
Regarding Claim 1, Rao teaches a radar system comprising [0035 for a radar system 0040]:
receive circuitry configured to process an analog radar pulse that is digital phase modulated [0032, and 0040-0041 for quantizing the received signal and using phase modulated radar PMCW];
and correlator circuitry configured to: [0041 correlator element 500 and using samples (pulses)];
receive a bitstream to integrate the received radar pulse [Abstract for sample stream, 0032-0033 and 0041 for received samples (pulse) for object detection];
perform a correlation function on the received radar pulse based on the bitstream [0041, 0043].
Rao fails to explicitly teach a correlator to receive the analog radar pulse, and perform a correlation function on the received analog radar pulse based on the bitstream to generate a correlated analog signal and output the correlated analog signal to digital conversion circuitry.
Matsuo has a radar sensing system for a vehicle includes a transmitter (abstract) and teaches a correlator to receive the analog radar pulse [0066-0067 for using multiplier to receive PCR pulse in the analog domain],
and perform a correlation function on the received analog radar pulse based on the bitstream to generate a correlated analog signal [0068 for using an analog correlator],
and output the correlated analog signal to digital conversion circuitry [0072].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar circuit techniques, as disclosed by Rao, further including the signal processing calculations as taught by Matsuo for the purpose to match with a code bit of the replicated PCR pulse (Matsuo, 0067).
Regarding Claim 2, Rao teaches the correlator circuitry comprises: a multiplier [0041 for signal is correlated and multiplied];
and an integrator, wherein the combination of the multiplier and the integrator is configured to realize a transfer function of a linear matched filter [0041, and 0042, 0044].
Regarding Claim 5, Rao teaches the received analog radar pulse is a radar echo signal reflected from a target [0030].
Regarding Claim 8, Rao teaches the bitstream received by the correlator circuitry is based on a transmitted radar pulse from a radar transmitter, and wherein the transmitted radar pulse is time delayed before the correlator circuitry receives the transmitted radar pulse [0040-0041].
Regarding Claim 10, Rao teaches device implemented in circuitry comprising [0035, 0040]:
receive circuitry configured to process an analog radar pulse that is digital phase modulated [0032, and 0040-0041 for quantizing the received signal and using phase modulated radar PMCW];
correlator circuitry configured to: [0041 correlator element 500 and using samples (pulses)];
receive a bitstream to process the received analog radar pulse [Abstract for sample stream, and 0041 for received samples (pulse) for object detection];
perform a correlation function on the received analog radar pulse based on the bitstream [0043].
Rao fails to explicitly teach a correlator to receive the analog radar pulse, and perform a correlation function on the received analog radar pulse based on the bitstream to generate a correlated analog signal and output the correlated analog signal to digital conversion circuitry.
Matsuo has a radar sensing system for a vehicle includes a transmitter (abstract) and teaches a correlator to receive the analog radar pulse [0066-0067 for using multiplier to receive PCR pulse in the analog domain],
and perform a correlation function on the received analog radar pulse based on the bitstream to generate a correlated analog signal [0068 for using an analog correlator],
and output the correlated analog signal to digital conversion circuitry [0072].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar circuit techniques, as disclosed by Rao, further including the signal processing calculations as taught by Matsuo for the purpose to match with a code bit of the replicated PCR pulse (Matsuo, 0067).
Regarding Claim 11, Rao teaches the circuitry is implemented on an integrated circuit [0046 for using CMOS semiconductors].
Regarding Claim 12, Rao teaches the correlator circuitry comprises: a multiplier [0040-0041];
and an integrator, wherein the combination of the multiplier and the integrator is configured to realize a transfer function of a linear matched filter [0041-0042, 0044].
Regarding Claim 15, Rao teaches the bitstream received by the correlator circuitry is based on a transmitted radar pulse from a radar transmitter, and wherein the transmitted radar pulse is time delayed before the correlator circuitry receives the transmitted radar pulse [0040-0041].
Regarding Claim 17, Rao teaches a method comprising [0040]:
receiving, by correlator circuitry, a digitally phase modulated radar pulse [0040-0041 for quantizing the received signal and using phase modulated radar PMCW];
receiving, by the correlator circuitry [0041 correlator element 500 and using samples (pulses)],
a bitstream to process the received radar pulse [Abstract for sample stream, and 0041 for received samples (pulse) for object detection];
performing, by the correlator circuitry, a correlation function on the received radar pulse based on the received bitstream [0043].
Rao fails to explicitly teach a correlator to receive the analog radar pulse, and perform a correlation function on the received analog radar pulse based on the bitstream to generate a correlated analog signal and output the correlated analog signal to digital conversion circuitry.
Matsuo has a radar sensing system for a vehicle includes a transmitter (abstract) and teaches a correlator to receive the analog radar pulse [0066-0067 for using multiplier to receive PCR pulse in the analog domain],
and perform a correlation function on the received analog radar pulse based on the bitstream to generate a correlated analog signal [0068 for using an analog correlator],
and output the correlated analog signal to digital conversion circuitry [0072].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar circuit techniques, as disclosed by Rao, further including the signal processing calculations as taught by Matsuo for the purpose to match with a code bit of the replicated PCR pulse (Matsuo, 0067).
Regarding Claim 18, Rao teaches the radar pulse is reflected from a target [0044].
Regarding Claim 19, Rao teaches the bitstream is based on a transmitted radar pulse from transmit circuitry operatively coupled to the correlator circuitry, wherein the transmit circuitry is: configured to transmit the analog radar pulse via a transmit antenna, and the transmitted radar pulse is the digitally phase modulated radar pulse [0040-0041].
Regarding Claim 20, Rao teaches mixing circuitry configured to mix the received analog radar pulse with a signal from an oscillator [0039 and figure 4],
wherein to receive the analog radar pulse, the correlator circuitry is further configured to receive the analog radar pulse [0066 for having multiplier receiving analog pulse].
Rao fails to explicitly teach as mixed with the signal from the oscillator, and wherein to perform the correlation function on the received analog radar pulse, the correlator circuitry is further configured to perform the correlation function prior to digital conversion by the digital conversion circuitry.
Matsuo has a radar sensing system for a vehicle includes a transmitter (abstract) and teaches as mixed with the signal from the oscillator [0066],
and wherein to perform the correlation function on the received analog radar pulse, the correlator circuitry is further configured to perform the correlation function prior to digital conversion by the digital conversion circuitry [0068 for using an analog correlator].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar circuit techniques, as disclosed by Rao, further including the signal processing calculations as taught by Matsuo for the purpose to match with a code bit of the replicated PCR pulse (Matsuo, 0067).
Claims 3-4, 6-7, and 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rao et al (US 2018/0231652 A1) in view of Matsuo (WO 2012/166315 A2) and further in view of Iizuka (US 2005/0089122 A1).
Regarding Claim 3 and 13, Rao fails to explicitly teach the correlator circuitry further comprises: a quantizer, configured to receive the output from the integrator; a counter, configured to receive the output from the quantizer, wherein the quantizer and counter extend a linear dynamic range of the integrator.
Iizuka has a correlator which can be adapted to a receiver for impulse radio (abstract) and teaches the correlator circuitry further comprises [0039 for integrator and quantizer for impulse train]:
a quantizer, configured to receive the output from the integrator [0039, with 0042];
a counter, configured to receive the output from the quantizer, wherein the quantizer and counter extend a linear dynamic range of the integrator [0017 for using SNR for signal and 0021 to decrease quantizer error (dynamic range)].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar circuit techniques, as disclosed by Rao, further including the signal processing calculations as taught by Iizuka for the purpose to decrease quantization error outputted (Iizuka, 0017).
Regarding Claim 4 and 14, Rao fails to explicitly teach the correlator is arranged to compress digital data based on the received analog radar pulse by sampling the received analog radar pulse.
Matsuo has a radar sensing system for a vehicle includes a transmitter (abstract) and teaches the correlator is arranged to compress digital data based on the received analog radar pulse by sampling the received analog radar pulse [0072 also 0078 for fine tuning detection process].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar circuit techniques, as disclosed by Rao, further including the signal processing calculations as taught by Matsuo for the purpose to match with a code bit of the replicated PCR pulse (Matsuo, 0067).
Regarding Claim 6, Rao teaches the received analog radar pulse is received directly from a radar transmitter that transmits signals that are digital phase modulated [0040, 0047].
Regarding Claim 7, Rao teaches the radar system comprises both the receive circuitry and the radar transmitter [0040].
Claims 9 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rao et al (US 2018/0231652 A1) in view of Matsuo (WO 2012/166315 A2) and further in view of Kim (US 20130038401 A1) and Dandu et al (US 2020/0076380 A1).
Regarding Claim 9 and 16, Rao fails to explicitly teach wherein the correlator circuitry receives the analog radar pulse via a power splitter.
Kim has a balun includes a first port connected with a port connection part (abstract) and teaches wherein the correlator circuitry receives the analog radar pulse via a power splitter [0031].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar circuit techniques, as disclosed by Rao, further including the pulse calculations as taught by Kim for the purpose to synthesizing the signals having the phase difference (Kim, 0023).
Rao fails to explicitly teach and a differential amplifier that drives two differential paths connected to the correlator circuitry, and wherein the differential amplifier provides reverse isolation to isolate the two differential paths.
Dandu has differential amplifier circuits and variable neutralization circuits for providing an adjustable neutralization impedance between an amplifier input node and an amplifier output node (abstract) and teaches and a differential amplifier that drives two differential paths connected to the correlator circuitry [0023-0024 for having a differential pair circuit deliver a differential output signal VO],
and wherein the differential amplifier provides reverse isolation to isolate the two differential paths [0035 for using neutralization operation for isolation].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar circuit techniques, as disclosed by Rao, further including the pulse calculations as taught by Dandu for the purpose to reduces the differential amplifier gain across the illustrated frequency range (Dandu, 0035).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-20 have 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.
In Applicant’s Arguments, page 6, third paragraph, applicant argues that Rao does not teach an analog radar pulse. The Examiner respectfully disagrees: New reference Matsuo teaches using analog radar pulses for correlation [Matsuo, 0072].
In Applicant’s Arguments, page 7, fourth paragraph, applicant argues that Rao does not output a correlated analog signal to digital circuitry. The Examiner respectfully disagrees: New reference Matsuo teaches using analog radar pulses for correlation before digital conversion [Matsuo, 0072].
Conclusion
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/SAMARINA MAKHDOOM/
Examiner, Art Unit 3648