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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed on 06/17/2026, with respect to the claim objection of claim 14 have been fully considered and are persuasive in view of the amendment filed on 06/17/2026. The claim objection of claim 14 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-19 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.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-4 and 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2017/0272180 A1 to Jitsukawa et all (hereafter refers as Jitsukawa) in view of US 2023/0361463 A1 to Maruyama et al. (hereafter refers as Maruyama) and further in view of US 2020/0112096 A1 to Mochizuki.
Regarding claim 1, Jitsukawa teaches an antenna calibration system (an antenna calibration system, Fig. 4, 7A-7B), wherein the antenna calibration system comprises a baseband processing unit (antenna calibration system comprises a BBU, Fig. 4, 7A-7B), a remote radio unit (RRH, Fig. 4, 7A-7B), an antenna (one of the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2, connected to the RRH, Fig. 4, 7A-7B), and a coupled antenna (another one of the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2, coupled to the RRH, and further coupled to a BBU, i.e. via self calibrator, Fig. 4, 7A-7B), wherein the baseband processing unit, the remote radio unit, the antenna, and the coupled antenna are located within a same base station (wherein the BBU and RRH are parts of a single/same Node B, paragraph [46], wherein the RRH comprises the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2, Fig. 4, 7A-7B), and wherein
wherein the baseband processing unit is connected to a first end of the remote radio unit (wherein the BBU is connected to a first end of RRH 102#1, Fig. 4, 7A, 7B), and the antenna (one of the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2, is connected to a second end of RRH, i.e. antennas 304 #1 and 304#2, Fig. 4, 7A-7B) and the coupled antenna are respectively connected to a second end of the remote radio unit (another one of the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2, coupled to the second end of the RRH 102#1, Fig. 4, 7A, 7B);
the antenna is configured to:
send, to a wireless network, a radio frequency calibration signal sent by the baseband processing unit (one of the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2, sends to a wireless network, a calibration signal(s), which is sent by a self-calibrator of the BBU, paragraphs [88, 92, 103, 104, 106, 118]), or
receive the radio frequency calibration signal, and transmit a coupled signal corresponding to the radio frequency calibration signal to the baseband processing unit (one of the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2, receives the calibration signals sent by the BBU, paragraphs [86, 88, 92, 103, 104, 106, 118], and transmit a calibration signal corresponding to the calibration signal, to the BBU, paragraphs [86, 89, 92-94, 103-107, 116-118]),
wherein the antenna comprises a plurality of transmission ports (wherein the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2 include a plurality of transmission ports, Fig. 4, 7A, 7B);
the remote radio unit is configured to provide a plurality of transmission channels (RRH includes a plurality of transmission channels/paths, Fig. 7A, paths 701-702, and paragraphs [54-56, 86-89]), wherein the plurality of transmission channels correspond to the plurality of transmission ports (wherein the plurality of transmission channels/paths correspond to the plurality of transmission ports/antennas, Fig. 7A and paragraphs [54-56, 86-89]);
the coupled antenna is configured to:
receive, in the wireless network, the radio frequency calibration signal sent by the baseband processing unit (another one of the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2, coupled to the second end of the RRH 102#1, Fig. 4, 7A, 7B, receives the calibration signal sent by the BBU, paragraphs [82, 86, 91-93]), and transmit the coupled signal corresponding to the radio frequency calibration signal to the baseband processing unit (and transmits the calibration signal(s) correspond to the calibration signal to the BB, paragraphs [89, 93-94, 103-107, 116-118]), or
send the radio frequency calibration signal to the wireless network (one of the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2, coupled to the second end of the RRH 102#1, Fig. 4, 7A, 7B, send the calibration signal to the wireless network, paragraphs [86, 91-93]); and
the baseband processing unit is configured to calibrate, based on the radio frequency calibration signal and the coupled signal, a plurality of to-be-sent baseband signals corresponding to the plurality of transmission channels (the BBU calculates a calibration coefficient for each to-be-sent baseband signal, i.e. signal to be precoded by the baseband, based on channel state of transmitted calibration signal(s) and channel state of received calibration signal(s), and thereby the BBU calibrates the plurality of to-be-sent baseband signals using the calibration coefficients, paragraphs [67-71,90-93, 117-121, 125]).
However, Jitsukawa does not explicitly teach the antenna is an antenna “array”.
Maruyama teaches an antenna calibration system (an antenna calibration system, Fig. 1, 5-7 and paragraphs [22, 59, 64]), wherein the antenna calibration system comprises a processing unit (signal processing unit 15, Fig. 1, 5-7), an antenna array (antenna array comprising antennas 2a,2 to 2d,2, Fig. 1, 5-7), and a coupled antenna (a coupled antenna 12, Fig. 1, 5-7 and paragraphs [24, 31-33]), wherein the processing unit, the antenna array, and the coupled antenna are located within a same station (wherein the signal processing unit 15, antenna array and coupled antenna 12 are located within a same station, Fig. 1, 5-7), and
wherein the antenna array and the coupled antenna are receptively connected to an end of a radio unit (wherein the antenna array 2a,2 to 2d,2 and the coupled antenna 12 are connected to an end of a radio unit, Fig. 1, 5-7),
the antenna array is configured to:
send, to a wireless network, a radio frequency calibration signal sent by the processing unit (the antenna array, 2a,2 to 2d,2, send to a wireless network, a radio wave(s) sent by the signal processing unit, which is a baseband signal, paragraphs [31, 50-52]),
wherein the antenna array comprises a plurality of transmission ports (wherein the antenna array comprises a plurality of transmission ports, i.e. ports 5, Fig. 1, 5-7);
the coupled antenna is configured to:
receive, in the wireless network, the radio frequency calibration signal sent by the processing unit (wherein the coupled antenna 12 receives, in the wireless network, the radio wave(s), sent by the signal processing unit 15, Fig. 1, 5-7, paragraphs [31, 50-52]), and transmit the coupled signal corresponding to the radio frequency calibration signal to the processing unit (wherein the coupled antenna 12 forwards the radio wave(s), to the signal processing unit 15, Fig. 1, 5-7, paragraphs [31, 50-52]),
the processing unit is configured to calibrate, based on the radio frequency calibration signal and the coupled signal, a plurality of to-be-sent baseband signals corresponding to the plurality of transmission channels (wherein the signal processing unit including a calibration processing unit configured to calibrate, based on the radio wave and the radio wave reflected, a plurality of to be sent baseband signals corresponding to a plurality of transmission channels, paragraphs [31-34, 36-41, 52, 53-55]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of the antenna array configured to send, to a wireless network, a radio frequency calibration signal sent by the processing unit as taught by Maruyama, with the teachings of the antenna configured to send, to a wireless network, the radio frequency calibration signal sent by the baseband processing unit as taught by Jitsukawa, for a purpose of increase efficiency by using a plurality of antennas, i.e. antenna array, for transmitting the radio frequency calibration signal and the coupled dedicated/separated antenna to receive the radio frequency calibration signal, thus allowing the system to perform the steps of transmitting and receiving at similar time, thereby allowing the coupled antenna to receive the radio frequency calibration signal as soon as the radio frequency calibration signal being sent (see Maruyama, paragraphs [31-34, 36-41, 52, 53-55] and Fig. 1, 5-7).
However, the combination Jitsukawa and Maruyama does not explicitly teach the calibration is based on “a difference” between the radio frequency calibration signal and the coupled signal.
Mochizuki teaches a baseband processing unit is configured to calibrate, based on a difference the radio frequency calibration signal and the coupled signal, a plurality of to-be-sent baseband signals corresponding to the plurality of transmission channels (a baseband processing device calibrates signals based on calibrate weights, which are determined from a difference between an input signal and an output signal, paragraphs [57-59, 66, 70, 72, 115-116, 133]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of baseband processing unit is configured to calibrate, based on a difference the radio frequency calibration signal and the coupled signal, a plurality of to-be-sent baseband signals corresponding to the plurality of transmission channels as taught by Mochizuki, with the teachings of baseband processing unit is configured to calibrate, based on the radio frequency calibration signal and the coupled signal, a plurality of to-be-sent baseband signals corresponding to the plurality of transmission channels as taught by combination Jitsukawa and Maruyama, for a purpose of increase efficiency in determining the calibration coefficients/weights by simply using the difference between the radio frequency calibration signal and the coupled signal, thus reduce complexity in determining the calibration coefficients/weights (see Mochizuki, paragraphs [57-59, 66, 70, 72, 115-116, 133]).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Jitsukawa, Maruyama and Mochizuki further teaches wherein the plurality of transmission channels comprise a plurality of signal transmission channels and at least one calibration channel (wherein the plurality of channels comprises a plurality of signal transmission channels and at least one channel for transmitting calibration signal, see Jitsukawa, paragraphs [89, 93-94, 103-107, 116-118] and Fig. 7A, 7B, 9-10), wherein the plurality of transmission ports correspond to the plurality of signal transmission channels (wherein the plurality of channels corresponds to a plurality of antennas, see Jitsukawa, Fig. 7A, 7B, 9-10, see Maruyama, Fig. 1, 5-7, ports 5), and the coupled antenna corresponds to the at least one calibration channel (wherein one of the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2 is configured to receive calibration signal, see Jitsukawa, Fig. 7A, 7B, 9 and 10, see Maruyama, Fig. 1, 5-7, paragraphs [31, 50-52]).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Jitsukawa, Maruyama and Mochizuki further teaches wherein when the antenna calibration system is used for downlink signal calibration (when the antenna calibration system is used for downlink signal calibration, see Jitsukawa, paragraphs [47-49, 57, 60, 92, 101]), the baseband processing unit is configured to send the radio frequency calibration signal through the plurality of signal transmission channels (the self-calibrator of the BBU sends the calibration signal(s) via the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2 to the wireless network, see Jitsukawa, paragraphs [88, 92, 103, 104, 106, 118], see Maruyama, Fig. 1, 5-7], paragraphs [31, 50-52]); and
the coupled antenna is configured to couple the radio frequency calibration signal to the calibration channel (one of the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2 receives the calibration signal, see Jitsukawa, paragraphs [82, 89, 92-94, 103-107, 116-118], see Maruyama, Fig. 1, 5-7, paragraphs [31, 50-52]), and transmit the coupled signal of the radio frequency calibration signal to the baseband processing unit through the calibration channel (and transmits the calibration signal to the BBU, see Jitsukawa, paragraphs [89, 93-94, 103-107, 116-118], see Maruyama, Fig. 1, 5-7, paragraphs [31, 50-52]).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Jitsukawa, Maruyama and Mochizuki further teaches wherein when the antenna calibration system is used for uplink signal calibration (when the antenna calibration system is used for uplink signal calibration, see Jitsukawa, paragraphs [47-49, 57, 60, 144-146]), the baseband processing unit is configured to send the radio frequency calibration signal through the calibration channel (the BBU configured to send the calibration signal, see Jitsukawa, Fig. 16 and paragraphs [144-146]); and the coupled antenna is configured to couple the radio frequency calibration signal to the signal transmission channel (one of the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2 receives the calibration signal, see Jitsukawa, paragraphs [82, 89, 92-94, 103-107, 116-118], see Maruyama, Fig. 1, 5-7, paragraphs [31, 50-52]), and transmit the coupled signal of the radio frequency calibration signal to the baseband processing unit through the signal transmission channel (transmits the calibration signal to the BBU, see Jitsukawa, paragraphs [89, 93-94, 103-107, 116-118], see Maruyama, Fig. 1, 5-7, paragraphs [31, 50-52]).
Regarding claim 14, Jitsukawa teaches a base station comprising an antenna calibration system (a Node B comprises an antenna calibration system, Fig. 4, 7A-7B and paragraphs [2, 4-6, 41, 44-46]),
wherein the antenna calibration system comprises a baseband processing unit (antenna calibration system comprises a BBU, Fig. 4, 7A-7B), a remote radio unit (RRH Fig. 4, 7A-7B), an antenna (one of the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2 connected to RRH, Fig. 4, 7A-7B), and a coupled antenna (another one of the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2, coupled to the RRH, and further coupled to a BBU, i.e. via self calibrator, Fig. 4, 7A-7B), wherein the baseband processing unit, the remote radio unit, the antenna, and the coupled antenna are located within a same base station (wherein the BBU and RRH are parts of a single/same Node B, paragraph [46], wherein the RRH comprises the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2, Fig. 4, 7A-7B), and
the baseband processing unit is connected to a first end of the remote radio unit (wherein the BBU is connected to a first end of RRH, Fig. 4, 7A, 7B), and the antenna (one of the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2, is connected to a second end of RRH, i.e. antennas 304 #1 and 304#2, Fig. 4, 7A-7B) and the coupled antenna are respectively connected to a second end of the remote radio unit (another one of the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2, coupled to the second end of the RRH 102#1, Fig. 4, 7A, 7B);
the antenna is configured to:
send, to a wireless network, a radio frequency calibration signal sent by the baseband processing unit (one of the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2, sends to a wireless network, a calibration signal(s), which is sent by a self-calibrator of the BBU, paragraphs [88, 92, 103, 104, 106, 118]), or
receive the radio frequency calibration signal, and transmit a coupled signal corresponding to the radio frequency calibration signal to the baseband processing unit (one of the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2, receives the calibration signals sent by the BBU, paragraphs [86, 88, 92, 103, 104, 106, 118], and transmit a calibration signal corresponding to the calibration signal, to the BBU, paragraphs [86, 89, 92-94, 103-107, 116-118]),
wherein the antenna comprises a plurality of transmission ports (wherein the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2 include a plurality of transmission ports, Fig. 4, 7A, 7B);
the remote radio unit is configured to provide a plurality of transmission channels (RRH includes a plurality of transmission channels/paths, Fig. 7A, paths 701-702, and paragraphs [54-56, 86-89]), wherein the plurality of transmission channels correspond to the plurality of transmission ports (wherein the plurality of transmission channels/paths correspond to the plurality of transmission ports/antennas, Fig. 7A and paragraphs [54-56, 86-89]);
the coupled antenna is configured to:
receive, in the wireless network, the radio frequency calibration signal sent by the baseband processing unit (another one of the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2, coupled to the second end of the RRH 102#1, Fig. 4, 7A, 7B, receives the calibration signal sent by the BBU, paragraphs [82, 86, 91-93]), and transmit the coupled signal corresponding to the radio frequency calibration signal to the baseband processing unit (and transmits the calibration signal(s) correspond to the calibration signal to the BB, paragraphs [89, 93-94, 103-107, 116-118]), or
send the radio frequency calibration signal to the wireless network (one of the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2, coupled to the second end of the RRH 102#1, Fig. 4, 7A, 7B, send the calibration signal to the wireless network, paragraphs [86, 91-93]); and
the baseband processing unit is configured to calibrate, based on the radio frequency calibration signal and the coupled signal, a plurality of to-be-sent baseband signals corresponding to the plurality of transmission channels (the BBU calculates a calibration coefficient for each to-be-sent baseband signal, i.e. signal to be precoded by the baseband, based on channel state of transmitted calibration signal(s) and channel state of received calibration signal(s), and thereby the BBU calibrate the plurality of to-be-sent baseband signals using the calibration coefficients, paragraphs [67-71,90-93, 117-121, 125]).
However, Jitsukawa does not explicitly teach the antenna is antenna “array”.
Maruyama teaches a station comprising an antenna calibration system (a station comprising an antenna calibration system, Fig. 1, 5-7 and paragraphs [22, 59, 64]), wherein the antenna calibration system comprises a processing unit (signal processing unit 15, Fig. 1, 5-7), an antenna array (antenna array comprising antennas 2a,2 to 2d,2, Fig. 1, 5-7), and a coupled antenna (a coupled antenna 12, Fig. 1, 5-7 and paragraphs [24, 31-33]), wherein the processing unit, the antenna array, and the coupled antenna are located within a same station (wherein the signal processing unit 15, antenna array and coupled antenna 12 are located within a same station, Fig. 1, 5-7), and
wherein the antenna array and the coupled antenna are receptively connected to an end of a radio unit (wherein the antenna array 2a,2 to 2d,2 and the coupled antenna 12 are connected to an end of a radio unit, Fig. 1, 5-7),
the antenna array is configured to:
send, to a wireless network, a radio frequency calibration signal sent by the processing unit (the antenna array, i.e. antennas 2a,2 to 2d,2, send to a wireless network, a radio wave(s) sent by the signal processing unit, which is a baseband signal, paragraphs [31, 50-52]),
wherein the antenna array comprises a plurality of transmission ports (wherein the antenna array comprises a plurality of transmission ports, i.e. ports 5, Fig. 1, 5-7);
the coupled antenna is configured to:
receive, in the wireless network, the radio frequency calibration signal sent by the processing unit (wherein the coupled antenna 12 receives, in the wireless network, the radio wave(s), sent by the signal processing unit 15, Fig. 1, 5-7, paragraphs [31, 50-52]), and transmit the coupled signal corresponding to the radio frequency calibration signal to the processing unit (wherein the coupled antenna 12 forwards the radio wave(s), to the signal processing unit 15, Fig. 1, 5-7, paragraphs [31, 50-52]),
the processing unit is configured to calibrate, based on the radio frequency calibration signal and the coupled signal, a plurality of to-be-sent baseband signals corresponding to the plurality of transmission channels (wherein the signal processing unit including a calibration processing unit configured to calibrate, based on the radio wave and the radio wave reflected, a plurality of to be sent baseband signals corresponding to a plurality of transmission channels, paragraphs [31-34, 36-41, 52, 53-55]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of the antenna array configured to send, to a wireless network, a radio frequency calibration signal sent by the processing unit as taught by Maruyama, with the teachings of the antenna configured to send, to a wireless network, the radio frequency calibration signal sent by the baseband processing unit as taught by Jitsukawa, for a purpose of increase efficiency by using a plurality of antennas, i.e. antenna array, for transmitting the radio frequency calibration signal and the coupled dedicated/separated antenna to receive the radio frequency calibration signal, thus allowing the system to perform the steps of transmitting and receiving at similar time, thereby allowing the coupled antenna to receive the radio frequency calibration signal as soon as the radio frequency calibration signal being sent (see Maruyama, paragraphs [31-34, 36-41, 52, 53-55] and Fig. 1, 5-7).
However, the combination Jitsukawa and Maruyama does not explicitly teach the calibration is based on “a difference” between the radio frequency calibration signal and the coupled signal.
Mochizuki teaches a baseband processing unit is configured to calibrate, based on a difference between a radio frequency calibration signal and a coupled signal, a plurality of to-be-sent baseband signals corresponding to the plurality of transmission channels (a baseband processing device calibrates signals based on calibrate weights, which are determined from a difference between an input signal and an output signal, paragraphs [57-59, 66, 70, 72, 115-116, 133]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of baseband processing unit is configured to calibrate, based on a difference the radio frequency calibration signal and the coupled signal, a plurality of to-be-sent baseband signals corresponding to the plurality of transmission channels as taught by Mochizuki, with the teachings of baseband processing unit is configured to calibrate, based on the radio frequency calibration signal and the coupled signal, a plurality of to-be-sent baseband signals corresponding to the plurality of transmission channels as taught by combination Jitsukawa and Maruyama, for a purpose of increase efficiency in determining the calibration coefficients/weights by simply using the difference between the radio frequency calibration signal and the coupled signal, thus reduce complexity in determining the calibration coefficients/weights (see Mochizuki, paragraphs [57-59, 66, 70, 72, 115-116, 133]).
Regarding claim 15, the combination of Jitsukawa, Maruyama and Mochizuki further teaches wherein the plurality of transmission channels comprise a plurality of signal transmission channels and at least one calibration channel (wherein the plurality of channels comprises a plurality of signal transmission channels and at least one channel for transmitting calibration signal, see Jitsukawa, paragraphs [89, 93-94, 103-107, 116-118] and Fig. 7A, 7B, 9-10), wherein the plurality of transmission ports correspond to the plurality of signal transmission channels (wherein the plurality of channels corresponds to a plurality of antennas, see Jitsukawa, Fig. 7A, 7B, 9-10, see Maruyama, Fig. 1, 5-7, ports 5), and the coupled antenna corresponds to the at least one calibration channel (wherein one of the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2 is configured to receive calibration signal, see Jitsukawa, Fig. 7A, 7B, 9 and 10, see Maruyama, Fig. 1, 5-7, paragraphs [31, 50-52]).
Regarding claim 16, the combination of Jitsukawa, Maruyama and Mochizuki further teaches wherein when the antenna calibration system is used for downlink signal calibration (when the antenna calibration system is used for downlink signal calibration, see Jitsukawa, paragraphs [47-49, 57, 60, 92, 101]), the baseband processing unit is configured to send the radio frequency calibration signal through the plurality of signal transmission channels (the self-calibrator of the BBU sends the calibration signal(s) via the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2 to the wireless network, see Jitsukawa, paragraphs [88, 92, 103, 104, 106, 118], see Maruyama, Fig. 1, 5-7], paragraphs [31, 50-52]); and
the coupled antenna is configured to couple the radio frequency calibration signal to the calibration channel (one of the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2 receives the calibration signal, see Jitsukawa, paragraphs [82, 89, 92-94, 103-107, 116-118], see Maruyama, Fig. 1, 5-7, paragraphs [31, 50-52]), and transmit the coupled signal of the radio frequency calibration signal to the baseband processing unit through the calibration channel (and transmits the calibration signal to the BBU, see Jitsukawa, paragraphs [89, 93-94, 103-107, 116-118], see Maruyama, Fig. 1, 5-7, paragraphs [31, 50-52]).
Claims 5-6 and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2017/0272180 A1 to Jitsukawa et all (hereafter refers as Jitsukawa) in view of US 2023/0361463 A1 to Maruyama et al. (hereafter refers as Maruyama) and US 2020/0112096 A1 to Mochizuki as applied to claims above, and further in view of US 2018/0040964 A1 to Benjebbour et al. (hereafter refers as Benjebbour).
Regarding claims 5 and 17, the combination of Jitsukawa, Maruyama and Mochizuki further teaches wherein the antenna calibration system further comprises a digital phase shifter (the antenna calibration system comprises a digital phase shifter, see Maruyama, paragraphs [24, 32, 37, 38] and Fig. 1)
However, the combination of Jitsukawa, Maruyama and Mochizuki does not explicitly teach the coupled antenna is connected to a calibration channel by “using” the digital phase shifter.
Benjebbour teaches an antenna calibration system further comprises a digital phase shifter (an antenna calibration system comprises a digital phase controller, paragraphs [94, 96, 128]), and a coupled antenna is connected to a calibration channel by using the digital phase shifter (wherein an antenna is connected to a calibration channel using a digital phase shifter, Fig. 8, 11 and paragraphs [94-96, 128-130]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of the antenna calibration system further comprises the digital phase shifter as taught by Benjebbour, with the teachings of combination of Jitsukawa, Maruyama and Mochizuki, for a purpose of increase efficiency in phase shifting the baseband signals by using the digital phase shifter, thus reduce complexity of circuitry by digitally modify the phase while provide orthogonality for baseband signals (see Benjebbour, Fig. 8, 11 and paragraphs [94-96, 139]).
Regarding claims 6 and 18, the combination of Jitsukawa, Maruyama, Mochizuki and Benjebbour further teaches wherein a quantity of coupled antennas is equal to a quantity of calibration channels (wherein a quantity of antennas is equal to a quantity of calibration channels, see Jitsukawa, Fig. 4, 13-14, see Benjebbour, Fig. 8-10); and when the antenna calibration system is used for downlink signal calibration, each coupled signal corresponding to each coupled antenna is transmitted to the baseband processing unit through one calibration channel (a response calibration signal is transmitted to the BB through one calibration channel, see Jitsukawa, Fig. 7A and paragraphs [88-90]).
Claims 8-11 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2017/0272180 A1 to Jitsukawa et all (hereafter refers as Jitsukawa) in view of US 2020/0112096 A1 to Mochizuki.
Regarding claim 8, Jitsukawa teaches an antenna calibration method (an antenna calibration method, Fig. 5, 7A-7B, 8), wherein the method comprises:
receiving a radio frequency calibration signal from a wireless network by using a coupled antenna (one of the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2, coupled to an RRH 102#1, Fig. 4, 7A, 7B, receives a calibration signal sent by the BBU, paragraphs [82, 86, 91-93]),
wherein the radio frequency calibration signal is sent by a baseband processing unit to the wireless network through transmission channels in a remote radio unit (wherein the calibration signal is sent by a self-calibrator of BBU to the wireless network through transmission paths in a RRH, paragraphs [88, 92, 103, 104, 106, 118], Fig. 4-8), wherein the coupled antenna and the baseband processing unit are located within a same base station (wherein the BBU and RRH are parts of a single/same Node B, paragraph [46], wherein the RRH comprises the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2, Fig. 4, 7A-7B)
backhauling a coupled signal corresponding to the radio frequency calibration signal to the baseband processing unit through the transmission channels (backhauling a response calibration signal corresponding to the calibration signal, to the BBU through a plurality of channels, Fig. 7A-7B, paragraphs [87-90]); and
calibrating a plurality of to-be-sent baseband signals in the baseband processing unit based on the coupled signal and the radio frequency calibration signal (calibrating a plurality of to-be-sent baseband signals in the BBU based on the channel state of transmitted calibration signal(s) and channel state of received calibration signal(s), paragraphs [67-71,90-93, 117-121, 125]).
However, Jitsukawa does not explicitly teach the calibrating is based on “a difference” between the radio frequency calibration signal and the coupled signal.
Mochizuki teaches calibrating a plurality of to-be-sent baseband signals in the baseband processing unit based on a difference between a coupled signal and a radio frequency calibration signal (a baseband processing device calibrates signals based on calibrate weights, which are determined from a difference between an input signal and an output signal, paragraphs [57-59, 66, 70, 72, 115-116, 133]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of calibrating a plurality of to-be-sent baseband signals in the baseband processing unit based on a difference between a coupled signal and a radio frequency calibration signal as taught by Mochizuki, with the teachings of calibrating a plurality of to-be-sent baseband signals in the baseband processing unit based on the radio frequency calibration signal and the coupled signal as taught by Jitsukawa, for a purpose of increase efficiency in determining the calibration coefficients/weights by simply using the difference between the radio frequency calibration signal and the coupled signal, thus reduce complexity in determining the calibration coefficients/weights (see Mochizuki, paragraphs [57-59, 66, 70, 72, 115-116, 133]).
Regarding claim 9, Jitsukawa further teaches wherein the transmission channels comprise a plurality of signal transmission channels and at least one calibration channel (wherein the plurality of channels comprises a plurality of signal transmission channels and at least one channel for receiving calibration signal, paragraphs [82, 89, 93-94, 103-107, 116-118] and Fig. 7A, 7B, 9-10), and the coupled antenna is connected to the at least one calibration channel (wherein one of the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2, is configured to receive the calibration signal, Fig. 7A, 7B, 9 and 10).
Regarding claim 10, Jitsukawa further teaches wherein when the radio frequency calibration signal is sent by the baseband processing unit to the wireless network through the plurality of signal transmission channels (the self-calibrator of the BBU sends the calibration signal(s) via the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2 to the wireless network, paragraphs [88, 92, 103, 104, 106, 118]), transmitting the coupled signal corresponding to the radio frequency calibration signal to the baseband processing unit through the transmission channels comprises (the antennas 304 #1 and 304#2, transmits the calibration signal from the self-calibrator 403, paragraphs [89, 93-94, 103-107, 116-118]): transmitting the coupled signal corresponding to the radio frequency calibration signal to the baseband processing unit through the at least one calibration channel (and transmits the calibration signal to the BBU, through the calibration channel, paragraphs [82, 89, 93-94, 103-107, 116-118]).
Regarding claim 11, Jitsukawa further teaches wherein when the radio frequency calibration signal is sent by the baseband processing unit to the wireless network through the at least one calibration channel (the calibration signal sent by the baseband processing unit to wireless network via the calibration channel, paragraphs [82, 89, 93-94, 103-107, 116-118]), transmitting the coupled signal corresponding to the radio frequency calibration signal to the baseband processing unit through the transmission channels comprises: transmitting the coupled signal corresponding to the radio frequency calibration signal to the baseband processing unit through the plurality of transmission channels (and transmits the calibration signal to the BBU, through a plurality of channels, paragraphs [82, 89, 93-94, 103-107, 116-118] and Fig. 7A-7B).
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Jitsukawa and Mochizuki further teaches wherein the calibrating a plurality of to-be-sent baseband signals in the baseband processing unit comprises: calibrating phases and amplitudes of the plurality of to-be-sent baseband signals in the baseband processing unit (the baseband processing device calibrates phases and amplitudes of the plurality of to-be-sent baseband signals, see Jitsukawa, paragraphs [67-71,90-93, 117-121, 125], see Mochizuki, paragraphs [82, 115-117]).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2017/0272180 A1 to Jitsukawa et all (hereafter refers as Jitsukawa) in view of US 2020/0112096 A1 to Mochizuki as applied to claims above, and further in view of US 2018/0040964 A1 to Benjebbour et al. (hereafter refers as Benjebbour).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Jitsukawa and Mochizuki does not “adjusting, based on phase information of the radio frequency calibration signal, a phase of the coupled signal by using a digital phase shifter, wherein the digital phase shifter is located between the coupled antenna and the at least one calibration channel”.
Benjebbour teaches adjusting, based on phase information of the radio frequency calibration signal, a phase of the coupled signal by using a digital phase shifter (adjusting, based on a phase information of calibration signal, a phase of a signal using a digital phase shifter, paragraphs [94, 96, 128]), wherein the digital phase shifter is located between the coupled antenna and the at least one calibration channel (wherein an antenna is connected to a calibration channel using a digital phase shifter, Fig. 8, 11 and paragraphs [94-96, 128-130]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of adjusting, based on phase information of the radio frequency calibration signal, a phase of the coupled signal by using a digital phase shifter, wherein the digital phase shifter is located between the coupled antenna and the at least one calibration channel as taught by Benjebbour, with the teachings of combination of Jitsukawa and Mochizuki, for a purpose of increase efficiency in phase shifting the baseband signals by using the digital phase shifter, thus reduce complexity of circuitry by digitally modify the phase while provide orthogonality for baseband signals (see Benjebbour, Fig. 8, 11 and paragraphs [94-96, 139]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7 and 19 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 2018/0054264 A1 discloses a BBU transmits a calibration signal via array antennas (Fig. 4) and BBU calibrates signals based on a phase difference between a first signal and a first reception signal and a second phase difference between a second signal and a second reception signal (abstract and paragraphs [43-44, 50, 54-56, 73-77]).
US 2018/045660 A1 discloses a digital phase shifter is used for calibrate signals (see paragraphs [43-45, 48, 64-66, 68, 72]).
US 11,115,136 B1 discloses a system comprising an antenna array for transmit calibration signal(s) and a coupling antenna for receive the calibration signal(s), wherein the coupling antenna forwards the calibration signal to a calibration processor for calibrate the antenna array (see Fig. 17).
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/DUNG B HUYNH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2469 August 13, 2026
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