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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 03/04/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding claim 1, applicant's arguments fail to comply with 37 CFR 1.111(b) because they amount to a general allegation that the claims define a patentable invention without specifically pointing out how the language of the claims patentably distinguishes them from the references.
Further, they do not show how the amendments avoid such references. Datta et al. (US 2023/0402988 A1), hereinafter Datta, discloses, in figure 3, the amended language of claim 1. See the rejection below.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 3-4, & 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Datta et al. (US 2023/0402988 A1), hereinafter Datta.
Regarding claim 1, Datta discloses, in figure 3, a system, comprising:
a primary coil including a first end and a second end (Para [0047], “primary coil 1A”);
a first series combination comprising a first conducting wire and a first capacitor coupled in series (conducting wire 5A and capacitor 1D constituting the first series combination), wherein a first end of the first series combination is coupled to the first end of the primary coil (first end of the first series combination 5A & 1D are coupled to a first end of the primary coil 1A);
a second conducting wire (conducting wire 4A), wherein a first end of the second conducting wire is coupled to the first end of the primary coil (first end of wire 4A is coupled to the first end of primary coil 1A), and a second end of the second conducting wire is coupled to a second end of the first series combination (second end of wire 4A is coupled to the second end of series combination 5A & 1D); and
a secondary coil including a first end and a second end (Para [0048], “secondary coil 1B”), wherein the first end of the secondary coil is coupled to an output end (Para [0048], “secondary coil…is connected at the output side of the balun transformer circuit 1”);
the first end of the first capacitor is coupled to the first end of the primary coil (first end of capacitor 1D is coupled to the first end of the primary coil 1A via wire 5A);
the second end of the first capacitor is coupled to the first end of the first conducting wire (second end of the first capacitor 1D is coupled to the first end of the first conducting wire 5A via the second end of the first conducting wire 5A); and
the second end of the first conducting wire is coupled to the second end of the second conducting wire (second of the first conducting wire 5A is coupled to the second end of the second conducting wire 4A via capacitor 1D).
Regarding claim 3, Datta discloses the system of claim 1, and continues to disclose, in figure 3, a third conducting wire (conducting wire 4B), wherein a first end of the third conducting wire is coupled to the second end of the primary coil (conducting wire 4B is coupled to the second end of primary coil 1A); and
a second series combination comprising a fourth conducting wire and a second capacitor coupled in series (conducting wire 5B and capacitor 1E constituting the second series combination), wherein a first end of the second series combination is coupled to the second end of the primary coil (first end of second series combination 5B & 1E is coupled to the second of the primary coil 1A), and a second end of the second series combination is coupled to a second end of the third conducting wire (second end of second series combination 5B & 1E is coupled to the second end of third wire 4B).
Regarding claim 4, Datta discloses the system of claim 3, and continues to disclose, in figure 3, a first end of the fourth conducting wire is coupled to the second end of the primary coil (first end of wire 5B is coupled to the second end of primary coil 1A), a second end of the fourth conducting wire is coupled to a first end of the second capacitor (second end of wire 5B is coupled to the first end of capacitor 1E), and a second end of the second capacitor is coupled to the second end of the third conducting wire (second end of capacitor 1E is coupled to the second end of wire 4B); or
the first end of the second capacitor is coupled to the second end of the primary coil (first end of capacitor 1E is coupled to the second end of the primary coil 1A), the second end of the second capacitor is coupled to the first end of the fourth conducting wire (second end of capacitor 1E is coupled to the first end of wire 5B), and the second end of the fourth conducting wire is coupled to the second end of the third conducting wire (second end of wire 5B is coupled to the second end of wire 4B via capacitor 1E).
Regarding claim 6, Datta discloses the system of claim 1, and continues to disclose, in figure 3, wherein the second conducting wire generates an inductive impedance (Para [0040], “the leakage inductance and the inductance L.sub.CE of the conductor elements 4A, 4B, upconvert the real impedance presented by the balun transformer circuit 1”), and the first conducting wire and the first capacitor together generate a capacitive impedance which reduces the inductive impedance (Para [0053], “RF capacitors 1D, 1E are connected in parallel to both conductor elements 4A, 4B of the differential output of the differential power amplifier 2 to compensate at least partially the leakage inductance of the balun transformer circuit 1. FIG. 3 illustrates a broadband series inductor cancellation by means of the RF capacitors 1D, 1E being connected to associated conductor elements 4A, 4B such as wire bonds”).
Regarding claim 7, Datta discloses the system of claim 1, and continues to disclose, in figure 3, the first conducting wire is a first bonding wire which is wire-bonded between a first chip and a second chip (Para [0057], “module 10 can be a multi-chip module…balun transformer circuit 1 can be a laminated balun transformer circuit having a primary coil 1A is connected via conductor elements 4A, 4B [and wires 5A, 5B] (e.g., flip chip bumps or wire bonds) to the differential power amplifier 2 integrated in the power amplifier chip package”);
a first pad is disposed on the first chip and connected to a first end of the first bonding wire (first pad disposed on the power amplifier package 2 and coupled to the first end of the first bonding wire [i.e., wire 5A]);
a second pad is disposed on the second chip and connected to a second end of the first bonding wire (second pad disposed on the laminated balun transformer circuit [i.e., chip] and connected to the second end of the first bonding wire [i.e., wire 5A]); and
the second conducting wire is a second bonding wire which is wire-bonded between the first chip and the second chip (DC wire-bond 4A between the first chip and second chip).
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.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Datta in view of Tsutsui et al. (US 2022/0189936 A1), hereinafter Tsutsui.
Regarding claim 5, Datta discloses the system of claim 1, but fails to disclose wherein the primary coil comprises a center tap coupled to a power voltage.
However, Tsutsui discloses, in figure 1, wherein the primary coil comprises a center tap coupled to a power voltage (Para [0032], “a power supply voltage Vcc is applied to a center tap of the primary coil [of balun 35]”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the center tap of Tsutsui in the primary coil of Datta, to achieve the benefit of providing a balanced system with reduced noise and prevented oscillation while maintaining linearity (Tsutsui, Para [0032]).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Datta in view of Marbell (US 2023/0207496 A1).
Regarding claim 8, Datta discloses the system of claim 1, but fails to disclose wherein the first conducting wire is a first trace; and
the second conducting wire is a second trace.
However, Marbell discloses, in figure 2, wherein the first conducting wire is a first trace (Para [0076], “the one or more interconnects 104 may utilize…a trace”); and
the second conducting wire is a second trace (Para [0076], “the one or more interconnects 104 may utilize…a trace”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the trace of Marbell in the conducting wires of Datta, since all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions [i.e., utilizing a different interconnecting structure in packaged integrated circuits], and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. (KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415‐421, 82 USPQ2d 1385).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-20 are allowed.
Regarding claim 9, Datta discloses, in figure 3, a system, comprising:
a primary coil including a first end and a second end (Para [0047], “primary coil 1A”);
a first bonding wire including a first end coupled to the first end of the primary coil (first wire 4A coupled to the primary coil 1A);
a first series combination comprising a second bonding wire and a first capacitor coupled in series (conducting wire 5A and capacitor 1D constituting the first series combination), wherein a first end of the first series combination is coupled to the first end of the primary coil (first end of the first series combination 5A & 1D are coupled to a first end of the primary coil 1A);
a second series combination comprising a third bonding wire and a second capacitor coupled in series (conducting wire 5B and capacitor 1E constituting the second series combination), wherein a first end of the second series combination is coupled to the second end of the primary coil (first end of the second series combination 5B & 1E is coupled to the second end of the primary coil 1A);
a fourth bonding wire including a first end coupled to the second end of the primary coil (first end of wire 4B coupled to the second end of the primary coil 1A); and
a secondary coil including a first end and a second end (Para [0048], “secondary coil 1B”), wherein the first end of the secondary coil is coupled to an output end (Para [0048], “secondary coil…is connected at the output side of the balun transformer circuit 1”).
However, Datta, alone or in combination, does not disclose nor render obvious wherein the second end of the second series combination is coupled to a second end of the first bonding wire, and the second end of the fourth bonding wire is coupled to the second end of the first series combination.
Regarding claim 20, Datta discloses, in figure 3, a system, comprising:
a primary coil including a first end and a second end (Para [0047], “primary coil 1A”);
a first wire including a first end coupled to the first end of the primary coil (first wire 4A coupled to the primary coil 1A);
a first series combination comprising a second wire and a first capacitor coupled in series (conducting wire 5A and capacitor 1D constituting the first series combination), wherein a first end of the first series combination is coupled to the first end of the primary coil (first end of the first series combination 5A & 1D are coupled to a first end of the primary coil 1A);
a second series combination comprising a third wire and a second capacitor coupled in series (conducting wire 5B and capacitor 1E constituting the second series combination), wherein a first end of the second series combination is coupled to the second end of the primary coil (first end of the second series combination 5B & 1E is coupled to the second end of the primary coil 1A);
a fourth wire including a first end coupled to the second end of the primary coil (wire 4B includes a first end coupled to the second end of primary coil 1A); and
a secondary coil including a first end and a second end (Para [0048], “secondary coil 1B”), wherein the first end of the secondary coil is coupled to an output end (Para [0048], “secondary coil…is connected at the output side of the balun transformer circuit 1”).
Barbell discloses, in figure 2, wherein the wires are a trace (Para [0076], “the one or more interconnects 104 may utilize…a trace”).
However, Datta and Barbell, alone or in combination, do not disclose nor render obvious wherein the second end of the second series combination is coupled to the second end of the first wire, and the second end of the fourth wire is coupled to the second end of the first series combination.
Conclusion
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TYLER J PERENY whose telephone number is (571)272-4189. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-5.
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/TYLER J PERENY/Examiner, Art Unit 2843
/ANDREA LINDGREN BALTZELL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2843