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
Foreign priority is not filed for the instant examining application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05/16/2026, 02/06/2025, 08/21/2024 and 03/21/2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 & 16 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In Claim 1 & 16, the recitation of “an other” should correctly be ---another---.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-5 & 9-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Embar et al. (US 9,647,611 B1, of record, hereinafter, Embar).
Regarding claim 1:
Embar discloses in Fig. 2, a Doherty amplifier (Abstract, Doherty power amplifier), comprising:
a radio frequency (RF) input (terminal 101) of the Doherty amplifier for receiving an RF signal (RF IN from signal source 202);
a main amplifier (162) coupled to the RF input;
an auxiliary amplifier (164) coupled to the RF input;
a phase lag component (adjusting phase of element 136 ) connected between the RF input and one of either the main amplifier (162) or the auxiliary amplifier (164); and
a phase lead component (adjusting phase of element 134) connected between the RF input (101) and another one of either the main amplifier (162) or the auxiliary amplifier (164).
Regarding claim 2:
Embar discloses in Fig. 2, wherein the Doherty amplifier is a non-inverting Doherty amplifier (a phase delay element 176 ,e.g., a quarter wave length transmission line, and hybrid coupler 110 having first terminal connected to input terminal 121 and second terminal coupled to ground, third terminal connected to main amplifier and fourth terminal connected auxiliary amplifier) wherein: the phase lead component (adjusting phase 134 in order to lead) is connected between the RF input of the Doherty amplifier and the main amplifier (162); and the phase lag component (adjusting phase of elements 136 in order to lag) is connected between the RF input of the Doherty amplifier and the auxiliary amplifier.
Regarding claim 3:
Embar discloses in Fig. 2, further comprising:
an RF output (node 105) of the Doherty amplifier for outputting the RF signal after amplification; and
a quarter wave component (178 and related text, “typically a value of 90 degrees, using a phase delay element 176, e.g., a quarter wave length transmission line”) connected between the main amplifier (162) and the RF output (node 105) of the Doherty amplifier.
Regarding claim 4:
Embar discloses in Fig. 2, further comprising a splitter (divider 120)
having an input terminal (node 121), a first output terminal (123), and a second output terminal (124), wherein:
the input terminal (121) is coupled to the RF input of the Doherty amplifier; the first output terminal (123) is coupled to an input of the main amplifier (input node of the amplifier 162); and the second output terminal (124) is coupled to an input of the auxiliary amplifier (input terminal of the amplifier 164).
Regarding claim 5:
Embar discloses in Fig. 2, further comprising a hybrid coupler (divider 120 may be hybrid coupler which includes terminals 121, 123, 122 and 124) having a first terminal (121), a second terminal (122), a third terminal (123), and a fourth terminal (124), wherein: the first terminal (121) is coupled to the RF input of the Doherty amplifier; the second terminal (122) is coupled to ground (ground); the third terminal (123) is coupled to an input of the main amplifier (amplifier 162); and the fourth terminal (124) is coupled to an input of the auxiliary amplifier (amplifier 164).
Regarding claim 9:
Embar discloses wherein the Doherty amplifier is an inverting Doherty amplifier (Figs.2 & 3, and related text, Doherty amplifier having arranged in an inverting Doherty amplifier, quarter element 176 connected to output terminal 104) wherein:
the phase lead component (e.g., phase shifter 136 which phase can be changed in order to lead) is connected between the RF input of the Doherty amplifier and the auxiliary amplifier (164); and
the phase lag component (phase shifter 134 which phase can be changed in order to lag) is connected between the RF input of the Doherty amplifier and the main amplifier (162).
Regarding claim 10:
Embar discloses further comprising:
an RF output (104) of the Doherty amplifier for outputting the RF signal after amplification; and a quarter wave component (176) connected between the main amplifier (162) and the RF output (105) of the Doherty amplifier.
Regarding claim 11:
Embar discloses further comprising:
a splitter (110) having an input terminal (121), a first output terminal (123), and a second output terminal (124), wherein: the input terminal (121) is coupled to the RF input of the Doherty amplifier; the first output terminal is coupled to an input of the main amplifier (162); and the second output terminal is coupled to an input of the auxiliary amplifier (164).
Regarding claim 12:
Embar discloses further comprising:
a hybrid coupler (e.g., 120) having a first terminal (121), a second terminal (122), a third terminal (123), and a fourth terminal (124), wherein:
the first terminal (121) is coupled to the RF input of the Doherty amplifier; the second terminal (122) is coupled to ground; the third terminal (123) is coupled to an input of the main amplifier (162); and the fourth terminal (124) is coupled to an input of the auxiliary amplifier (164).
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.
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 6-8 & 13-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Embar et al. (hereinafter, Embar).
Regarding claims 6, 13, 18 & 20:
Embar discloses the limitations as applied in claim 3 and further discloses the phase lead component provides a first phase shift (134) such that a phase lead within a frequency band at an input of the main amplifier and the phase lag component provides a second phase shift (136) such that a phase lag within the frequency band at an input of the auxiliary amplifier except for equal to +(1-α)β and equal to - α(β) or -90- α(β)
Although, Embar does not explicitly discloses parameters equal to +(1-α)β and equal to - α(β) or -90- α(β), these parameters are well-known int the in the Doherty Amplifier, see example reference, US 20090206926 A1, Abstract and para 51, well-known symbols α (alpha) and β (beta) being used in Doherty amplifier and where +(1-α)β is well-known for represents a dynamic phase compensation technique.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have chosen or setting the phase lead component provides a first phase shift such that a phase lead within a frequency band at an input of the main amplifier is equal to +(1-α)β; and the phase lag component provides a second phase shift such that a phase lag within the frequency band at an input of the auxiliary amplifier is equal to - α(β) or -90- α(β), since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
Regarding claims 7 & 14:
Embar discloses in Fig. 2, a Doherty amplifier which may be used in telecommunication systems and the Doherty power amplifiers are suitable for use in such applications because the amplifiers include separate amplification paths (e.g., a main path and a peaking path) thus wherein the frequency band is defined by a third generation partnership project (3GPP), see US 20080204146 A1, the third generation partnership project (3GPP), or a federal communications commission (FCC), see US 20140125416 A, Federal Communication Commission (FCC) wireless spectrum regulations may be promoted by better linearizing the BTS power amplifier 108.
Regarding claims 8 & 15:
Embar discloses the limitations as applied in claim 3 and further discloses in Fig. 2,wherein a first phase shift (134) and a second phase shift (136) except for set such that a maximum output power at the RF output of the Doherty amplifier, resulting from power of the main amplifier and power from the auxiliary amplifier, is between plus or minus .5dB of a target power over a frequency band. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to
set such that a maximum output power at the RF output of the Doherty amplifier, resulting from power of the main amplifier and power from the auxiliary amplifier, is between plus or minus .5dB of a target power over a frequency band, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Regarding claim 16:
Embar discloses in Fig. 2, a Doherty amplifier, comprising:
a radio frequency (RF) input (terminal 101) of the Doherty amplifier for receiving an RF signal (signal provides by RF IN 202);
a main amplifier (162) coupled to the RF input (101);
an auxiliary amplifier (164) coupled to the RF input (101);
a phase lag component providing a first phase shift (136), the phase lag component being connected between the RF input (101)and one of either the main amplifier (162) or the auxiliary amplifier (164);
a phase lead component providing a second phase shift (134), the phase lead component being connected between the RF input (101) and another one of either the main amplifier( 162) or the auxiliary amplifier (164); and except for wherein the first phase shift and the second phase shift are set such that a maximum output power at an RF output of the Doherty amplifier, resulting from power of the main amplifier and power from the auxiliary amplifier, is between plus or minus .5dB of a target power over a frequency band. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to characterize the first phase shift and the second phase shift are set such that a maximum output power at an RF output of the Doherty amplifier, resulting from power of the main amplifier and power from the auxiliary amplifier, is between plus or minus .5dB of a target power over a frequency band, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Regarding claim 17:
Embar discloses in Fig. 2, wherein the Doherty amplifier is a non-inverting Doherty amplifier wherein: the phase lead component (134) is connected between the RF input of the Doherty amplifier and the main amplifier (162); and the phase lag component (136) is connected between the RF input of the Doherty amplifier and the auxiliary amplifier (164).
Regarding claim 19:
Embar discloses in Fig. 2, wherein the Doherty amplifier is an inverting Doherty amplifier wherein: the phase lead component (adjusting phase element 136 in order to lead) is connected between the RF input of the Doherty amplifier and the auxiliary amplifier (164); and the phase lag component (adjusting phase element 134 in order to lag) is connected between the RF input of the Doherty amplifier and the main amplifier (162).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KHIEM D NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-3941. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:00 AM-5:00 PM EST.
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/KHIEM D NGUYEN/Examiner, Art Unit 2843
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