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 .
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 5, 11, and 13 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Claims 3, 5, 11, and 13 all relate to a unique combination of switches and inductors, in particular the switches being controlled between positive and negative sub-inductors in relation to the reference voltage. This is particularly clear through what is shown in regards to Fig. 3.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4, 6-10, 12, and 14-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Trotskovsky (US 2017/0366146).
Regarding Claim 1, Trotskovsky teaches a radio frequency (RF) front-end circuit of a wireless communication device (Elements 254 and 300 (wherein 300 is the same as 254) and paragraphs 27 and 35), comprising:
a receiving amplifier (Element 322), configured to amplify a RF received signal to generate an amplified received signal (Paragraph 37, wherein the signal can be amplified);
a down-converter (Element 324), coupled to the receiving amplifier (as shown in Fig. 3), configured to down-convert the amplified received signal according to a local oscillation (LO) signal to generate a down-converted received signal (Paragraph 37, wherein the mixer is a down-converter that down converts the signal);
an up-converter (Element 312), configured to up-convert a transmitted signal according to the LO signal to generate an up-converted transmitted signal (Paragraph 36, wherein the signal is upconverted by the mixer 312);
a transmitting amplifier (Elements 314 and 316), coupled to the up-converter (As shown in Fig. 3), configured to amplify the up-converted transmitted signal to generate an amplified transmitted signal (Paragraph 36, wherein the signals are amplified); and
an output driver (Element 316, wherein the power amplifier can be an output driver), coupled to the transmitting amplifier (As shown in Fig. 3), configured to output a driving transmitted signal according to the amplified transmitted signal (Paragraph 36, wherein the signal is outputted);
wherein at least one of the receiving amplifier, the up-converter and the transmitting amplifier comprises a transformer load (Paragraphs 42 and 48, wherein there is a transformer load), and the transformer load comprises a switchable inductor (Paragraphs 48 and 49, wherein the load can be an inductor or transformer load); when the wireless communication device is set to operate in a first mode, the LO signal is set to have a first frequency, and the switchable inductor is set to have a first inductance; and when the wireless communication device is set to operate in a second mode, the LO signal is set to have a second frequency, and the switchable inductor is set to have a second inductance (Paragraphs 49 and 50, wherein the switches are set depending on the wireless communication mode, which would set the frequency differently).
Regarding Claim 2, Trotskovsky further teaches wherein the up-converter comprises the transformer load, and the transformer load comprises:
a first inductor, coupled to output terminals of an up-converting core circuit of the up-converter (Paragraph 40 and Fig. 4A, wherein there is an inductor coupled to the output); and
a second inductor, coupled to input terminals of the transmitting amplifier (Paragraph 40 and Fig. 4A, wherein there is an inductor coupled to the input);
wherein one of the first inductor and the second inductor represents the switchable inductor (Paragraph 40, wherein the inductor can switch depending on the signal).
Regarding Claim 4, Trotskovsky further teaches wherein the transmitting amplifier comprises the transformer load, and the transformer load comprises:
a first inductor, coupled to output terminals of an amplifier core circuit of the transmitting amplifier (Paragraph 40 and Fig. 4A, wherein there is an inductor coupled to the output); and
a second inductor, coupled to input terminals of the output driver (Paragraph 40 and Fig. 4A, wherein there is an inductor coupled to the input);
wherein one of the first inductor and the second inductor represents the switchable inductor (Paragraph 40, wherein the inductor can switch depending on the signal).
Regarding Claim 6, Trotskovsky further teaches wherein the output driver comprises:
a transconductance stage, configured to receive the amplified transmitted signal from the transmitting amplifier (Paragraph 41 and 42, wherein there is transconductance);
a first output stage, coupled to the transconductance stage, configured to output a first driving transmitted signal according to the amplified transmitted signal when the wireless communication device is set to operate in the first mode (Paragraphs 41-47, wherein the switches are set depending on the wireless communication mode, which would set the frequency differently); and
a second output stage, coupled to the transconductance stage, configured to output a second driving transmitted signal according to the amplified transmitted signal when the wireless communication device is set to operate in the second mode (Paragraphs 41-47, wherein the switches are set depending on the wireless communication mode, which would set the frequency differently);
wherein the driving transmitted signal comprises the first driving transmitted signal and the second driving transmitted signal (Paragraphs 41-47, wherein the switches are set depending on the wireless communication mode, which would set the frequency differently).
Regarding Claim 7, Trotskovsky further teaches wherein the receiving amplifier comprises the transformer load, and the transformer load comprises:
a first inductor, coupled to an output terminal of an amplifier core circuit of the receiving amplifier (Paragraph 40 and Fig. 4A, wherein there is an inductor coupled to the output); and
a second inductor, coupled to input terminals of the down-converter (Paragraph 40 and Fig. 4A, wherein there is an inductor coupled to the input);
wherein the first inductor represents the switchable inductor (Paragraph 40, wherein the inductor can switch depending on the signal).
Regarding Claim 8, Trotskovsky further teaches wherein the switchable inductor comprises:
a first sub-inductor, wherein a first end of the first sub-inductor is coupled to the output terminal of the amplifier core circuit (Fig. 5, wherein there is an inductor coupled to the output terminal);
a first switch, coupled between a reference voltage and a second end of the first sub-inductor (Element 506, wherein there is a switch coupled to the inductor and voltage);
a second sub-inductor, wherein a first end of the second sub-inductor is coupled to the second end of the first sub-inductor (Fig. 5, wherein there are inductors coupled to the end of the other inductor); and
a second switch, coupled between the reference voltage and a second end of the second sub-inductor (Element 510, wherein there are more switches coupled to the inductors and voltage, paragraph 50);
wherein:
when the wireless communication device is set to operate in the first mode, the first switch is turned off and the second switch is turned on (Fig. 5A-5C, wherein it is shown that some switches can be open and some can be closed, in particular switch 506 and 510 are not open at the same time); and
when the wireless communication device is set to operate in the second mode, the first switch is turned on and the second switch is turned off (Fig. 5A-5C, wherein it is shown that some switches can be open and some can be closed, in particular switch 506 and 510 are not open at the same time).
Regarding Claim 9, Trotskovsky teaches a radio frequency (RF) front-end circuit of a wireless communication device (Elements 254 and 300 (wherein 300 is the same as 254) and paragraphs 27 and 35), comprising:
an up-converter (Element 312), configured to up-convert a transmitted signal according to a local oscillation (LO) signal to generate an up-converted transmitted signal (Paragraph 36, wherein the signal is upconverted by the mixer 312);
a transmitting amplifier (Elements 314 and 316), coupled to the up-converter (As shown in Fig. 3), configured to amplify the up-converted transmitted signal to generate an amplified transmitted signa (Paragraph 36, wherein the signals are amplified)l; and
an output driver (Element 316, wherein the power amplifier can be an output driver), coupled to the transmitting amplifier, configured to output a driving transmitted signal according to the amplified transmitted signal (Paragraph 36, wherein the signal is outputted);
wherein at least one of the up-converter and the transmitting amplifier comprises a transformer load (Paragraphs 42 and 48, wherein there is a transformer load), and the transformer load comprises a switchable inductor (Paragraphs 48 and 49, wherein the load can be an inductor or transformer load); when the wireless communication device is set to operate in a first mode, the LO signal is set to have a first frequency, and the switchable inductor is set to have a first inductance; and when the wireless communication device is set to operate in a second mode, the LO signal is set to have a second frequency, and the switchable inductor is set to have a second inductance (Paragraphs 49 and 50, wherein the switches are set depending on the wireless communication mode, which would set the frequency differently).
Regarding Claim 10, Trotskovsky further teaches wherein the up-converter comprises the transformer load coupled to output terminals of an up-converting core circuit of the up-converter, and the transformer load comprises:
a first inductor, coupled to the output terminals of the up-converting core circuit (Paragraph 40 and Fig. 4A, wherein there is an inductor coupled to the output); and
a second inductor, coupled to input terminals of the transmitting amplifier (Paragraph 40 and Fig. 4A, wherein there is an inductor coupled to the input);
wherein one of the first inductor and the second inductor represents the switchable inductor (Paragraph 40, wherein the inductor can switch depending on the signal).
Regarding Claim 12, Trotskovsky further teaches wherein the transmitting amplifier comprises the transformer load coupled to output terminals of an amplifier core circuit of the transmitting amplifier, and the transformer load comprises:
a first inductor, coupled to the output terminals of the amplifier core circuit (Paragraph 40 and Fig. 4A, wherein there is an inductor coupled to the output); and
a second inductor, coupled to input terminals of the output driver (Paragraph 40 and Fig. 4A, wherein there is an inductor coupled to the input);
wherein one of the first inductor and the second inductor represents the switchable inductor (Paragraph 40, wherein the inductor can switch depending on the signal).
Regarding Claim 14, Trotskovsky further teaches wherein the output driver comprises:
a transconductance stage, configured to receive the amplified transmitted signal from the transmitting amplifier (Paragraph 41 and 42, wherein there is transconductance);
a first output stage, coupled to the transconductance stage, configured to output a first driving transmitted signal according to the amplified transmitted signal when the wireless communication device is set to operate in the first mode (Paragraphs 41-47, wherein the switches are set depending on the wireless communication mode, which would set the frequency differently); and
a second output stage, coupled to the transconductance stage, configured to output a second driving transmitted signal according to the amplified transmitted signal when the wireless communication device is set to operate in the second mode (Paragraphs 41-47, wherein the switches are set depending on the wireless communication mode, which would set the frequency differently);
wherein the driving transmitted signal comprises the first driving transmitted signal and the second driving transmitted signal (Paragraphs 41-47, wherein the switches are set depending on the wireless communication mode, which would set the frequency differently).
Regarding Claim 15, Trotskovsky teaches a radio frequency (RF) front-end circuit of a wireless communication device (Elements 254 and 300 (wherein 300 is the same as 254) and paragraphs 27 and 35), comprising:
a receiving amplifier (Element 322), configured to amplify a RF received signal to generate an amplified received signal (Paragraph 37, wherein the signal can be amplified); and
a down-converter (Element 324), coupled to the receiving amplifier (as shown in Fig. 3), configured to down-convert the amplified received signal according to a local oscillation (LO) signal to generate a down-converted received signal (Paragraph 37, wherein the mixer is a down-converter that down converts the signal);
wherein the receiving amplifier comprises a transformer load (Paragraphs 42 and 48, wherein there is a transformer load), and the transformer load comprises a switchable inductor (Paragraphs 48 and 49, wherein the load can be an inductor or transformer load); when the wireless communication device is set to operate in a first mode, the LO signal is set to have a first frequency, and the switchable inductor is set to have a first inductance; and when the wireless communication device is set to operate in a second mode, the LO signal is set to have a second frequency, and the switchable inductor is set to have a second inductance (Paragraphs 49 and 50, wherein the switches are set depending on the wireless communication mode, which would set the frequency differently).
Regarding Claim 16, Trotskovsky further teaches wherein the transformer load comprises:
a first inductor, coupled to an output terminal of an amplifier core circuit of the receiving amplifier (Paragraph 40 and Fig. 4A, wherein there is an inductor coupled to the output); and
a second inductor, coupled to input terminals of the down-converter (Paragraph 40 and Fig. 4A, wherein there is an inductor coupled to the input);
wherein the first inductor represents the switchable inductor (Paragraph 40, wherein the inductor can switch depending on the signal).
Regarding Claim 17, Trotskovsky further teaches wherein the switchable inductor comprises:
a first sub-inductor, wherein a first end of the first sub-inductor is coupled to the output terminal of the amplifier core circuit (Fig. 5, wherein there is an inductor coupled to the output terminal);
a first switch, coupled between a reference voltage and a second end of the first sub-inductor (Element 506, wherein there is a switch coupled to the inductor and voltage);
a second sub-inductor, wherein a first end of the second sub-inductor is coupled to the second end of the first sub-inductor (Fig. 5, wherein there are inductors coupled to the end of the other inductor); and
a second switch, coupled between the reference voltage and a second end of the second sub-inductor (Element 510, wherein there are more switches coupled to the inductors and voltage, paragraph 50);
wherein:
when the wireless communication device is set to operate in the first mode, the first switch is turned off and the second switch is turned on (Fig. 5A-5C, wherein it is shown that some switches can be open and some can be closed, in particular switch 506 and 510 are not open at the same time); and
when the wireless communication device is set to operate in the second mode, the first switch is turned on and the second switch is turned off (Fig. 5A-5C, wherein it is shown that some switches can be open and some can be closed, in particular switch 506 and 510 are not open at the same time).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NICHOLAS PACHOL whose telephone number is (571)270-3433. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th: 8-4.
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/NICHOLAS PACHOL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2699