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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 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 of this title, 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 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. PGPub. No. 20200214131 to Wu et al. in further view of U.S. PGPub. No. 20230262485 to Annavajjala et al.
As to Claim 5, Wu discloses a circuit structure for a radio unit, comprising (Fig. 2, Fig. 3, paragraph [0001]):
a plurality of printed circuit boards (PCBs) (Fig. 1B, Fig. 9, paragraph [0006, 0026], where multiple PCBs are used for RF communication),
wherein at least a PCB comprises an antenna module (Fig. 1B, Fig. 9, paragraph [0026], where the communication board includes the antennas),
at least a PCB comprises a power module, the data and/or signals transmitted between the PCBs through any form and any number of unidirectional or bidirectional digital interfaces and/or analog interfaces (Fig. 1B, Fig. 9, paragraph [0026, 0045], where the interconnection is used for communication between different layers of PCBs and powered by the power distribution and source board).
Wu disclose all of the subject matter as described above for multiple PCBs for power, antenna, and RF communication (Fig. 1B, Fig. 9, paragraph [0006, 0026]) except for digital signal processing module comprises not only digital to analog converter (DAC), analog to digital converter (ADC), digital down converter (DDC), digital up converter (DUC), inverse fast Fourier Transform (IFFT), Cyclic Prefix Addition (CP Addition), Crest Factor Reduction(CFR), Digital Pre-Distortion (DPD), Cyclic Prefix Removal (CP Removal), and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), but also at least one or a combination of following modules: antenna calibration, Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) processing, Automatic Gain Control (AGC), OFDM phase compensation, and in-phase and quadrature (I/Q) signal c compression and decompression.
However, Annavajjala in the same field of endeavor teaches the digital to analog converter (DAC), analog to digital converter (ADC), digital down converter (DDC), digital up converter (DUC), inverse fast Fourier Transform (IFFT), Cyclic Prefix Addition (CP Addition), crest factor reduction (CFR), digital pre-distortion (DPD), Cyclic Prefix Removal (CP Removal), and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), digital down conversion, digital up-conversion, physical random access channel (PRACH) filter, automatic gain control (AGC), sample compression and de-compression (implicitly for baseband signals after digital conversion), antenna port calibration (Fig. 3, Fig. 7, Fig. 9, paragraph [0012, 0014, 0022, 0023, 0027, 0038, 0039]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinarily skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention use commonly known communication system components as taught by Annavajjala to modify the radio frequency signal system of Wu to enhance the communication of the system.
As to Claim 11, Wu disclose a circuit structure for a base station and a satellite system, comprising (Fig. 2, Fig. 3, paragraph [0001, 0029, 0046], where communication system support including 5G (implicitly including base station) and satellite device):
a plurality of printed circuit boards (PCBs) (Fig. 1B, Fig. 9, paragraph [0006, 0026], where multiple PCBs are used for RF communication),
wherein at least a PCB comprises an antenna module (Fig. 1B, Fig. 9, paragraph [0026], where the communication board includes the antennas),
at least a PCB comprises a power module, the data and/or signals transmitted between the PCBs through any form and any number of unidirectional or bidirectional digital interfaces and/or analog interfaces (Fig. 1B, Fig. 9, paragraph [0026, 0045], where the interconnection is used for communication between different layers of PCBs and powered by the power distribution and source board).
Wu disclose all of the subject matter as described above for multiple PCBs for power, antenna, and RF communication (Fig. 1B, Fig. 9, paragraph [0006, 0026]) except for digital signal processing module comprises not only digital to analog converter (DAC), analog to digital converter (ADC), digital down converter (DDC), digital up converter (DUC), inverse fast Fourier Transform (IFFT), Cyclic Prefix Addition (CP Addition), Crest Factor Reduction(CFR), Digital Pre-Distortion (DPD), Cyclic Prefix Removal (CP Removal), and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), but also at least one or a combination of following modules: antenna calibration, Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) processing, Automatic Gain Control (AGC), OFDM phase compensation, and in-phase and quadrature (I/Q) signal c compression and decompression.
However, Annavajjala in the same field of endeavor teaches the digital to analog converter (DAC), analog to digital converter (ADC), digital down converter (DDC), digital up converter (DUC), inverse fast Fourier Transform (IFFT), Cyclic Prefix Addition (CP Addition), crest factor reduction (CFR), digital pre-distortion (DPD), Cyclic Prefix Removal (CP Removal), and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), digital down conversion, digital up-conversion, physical random access channel (PRACH) filter, automatic gain control (AGC), sample compression and de-compression (implicitly for baseband signals after digital conversion), antenna port calibration (Fig. 3, Fig. 7, Fig. 9, paragraph [0012, 0014, 0022, 0023, 0027, 0038, 0039]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinarily skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention use commonly known communication system components as taught by Annavajjala to modify the 5G radio frequency signal system of Wu to enhance the communication of the system.
Claims 1-4, 6-10, and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. PGPub. No. 20200214131 to Wu et al. in further view of U.S. PGPub. No. 20210243617 to Cooper et al. and U.S. PGPub. No. 20230262485 to Annavajjala et al.
As to Claim 1, Wu disclose a circuit structure for a radio unit, comprising (Fig. 2, Fig. 3, paragraph [0001]):
a plurality of printed circuit boards (PCBs) (Fig. 1B, Fig. 9, paragraph [0006, 0026], where multiple PCBs are used for RF communication),
wherein at least a PCB comprises an antenna module (Fig. 1B, Fig. 9, paragraph [0026], where the communication board includes the antennas),
at least a PCB comprises the data and/or signals transmitted between the PCBs through any form and any number of unidirectional or bidirectional digital interfaces and/or analog interfaces (Fig. 1B, Fig. 9, paragraph [0026], where the interconnection is used for communication between different layers of PCBs).
Wu disclose all of the subject matter as described above (Fig. 1B, Fig. 9, paragraph [0006, 0026]) except for fronthaul interface module.
However, Cooper in the same field of endeavor teaches various configuration of communication devices including custom embedded printed circuit board having distributed unit supporting multiple fronthaul connection (Fig. 2-7, Fig. 15, Fig. 19, paragraph [0005, 0037, 0042, 0082, 0110, 0118]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinarily skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to support fronthaul connection for various configuration of communication devices as taught by Cooper to modify the circuit structure of Wu to provide the enhanced network deployment for various communication systems (Cooper - paragraph [0003, 0004]).
Wu disclose all of the subject matter as described above for multiple PCBs for power, antenna, and RF communication (Fig. 1B, Fig. 9, paragraph [0006, 0026]) except for digital signal processing module comprises not only digital to analog converter (DAC), analog to digital converter (ADC), digital down converter (DDC), digital up converter (DUC), inverse fast Fourier Transform (IFFT), Cyclic Prefix Addition (CP Addition), Crest Factor Reduction(CFR), Digital Pre-Distortion (DPD), Cyclic Prefix Removal (CP Removal), and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), but also at least one or a combination of following modules: antenna calibration, Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) processing, Automatic Gain Control (AGC), OFDM phase compensation, and in-phase and quadrature (I/Q) signal c compression and decompression.
However, Annavajjala in the same field of endeavor teaches the digital to analog converter (DAC), analog to digital converter (ADC), digital down converter (DDC), digital up converter (DUC), inverse fast Fourier Transform (IFFT), Cyclic Prefix Addition (CP Addition), crest factor reduction (CFR), digital pre-distortion (DPD), Cyclic Prefix Removal (CP Removal), and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), digital down conversion, digital up-conversion, physical random access channel (PRACH) filter, automatic gain control (AGC), sample compression and de-compression (implicitly for baseband signals after digital conversion), antenna port calibration (Fig. 3, Fig. 7, Fig. 9, paragraph [0012, 0014, 0022, 0023, 0027, 0038, 0039]). Also Cooper in the same field of endeavor teaches IFFT, CP addition, digital to analog converter, analog to digital converter, FFT, equalization (filtering), applying amplitude and phase offsets (Fig. 7, Fig. 10, paragraph [0058, 0076, 0082, 0083, 0096-0100])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinarily skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention use commonly known communication system components as taught by Annavajjala to modify the 5G radio frequency signal system of Wu and Cooper to enhance the communication of the system.
As to Claim 7, Wu disclose a circuit structure for a radio unit, comprising (Fig. 2, Fig. 3, paragraph [0001]):
a plurality of printed circuit boards (PCBs) (Fig. 1B, Fig. 9, paragraph [0006, 0026], where multiple PCBs are used for RF communication),
wherein at least a PCB comprises an antenna module (Fig. 1B, Fig. 9, paragraph [0026], where the communication board includes the antennas),
at least a PCB comprises the data and/or signals transmitted between the PCBs through any form and any number of unidirectional or bidirectional digital interfaces and/or analog interfaces (Fig. 1B, Fig. 9, paragraph [0026], where the interconnection is used for communication between different layers of PCBs).
Wu disclose all of the subject matter as described above for various devices including satellite and 5G network implicitly including base station (Fig. 1B, Fig. 9, paragraph [0006, 0026, 0029, 0046]) except for baseband digital circuit module.
However, Cooper in the same field of endeavor teaches various configuration of communication devices including custom embedded printed circuit board having distributed unit supporting baseband functions (Fig. 2-7, Fig. 15, Fig. 19, paragraph [0005, 0042, 0083, 0110]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinarily skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to support baseband functions for various configuration of communication devices as taught by Cooper to modify the circuit structure of Wu to provide the enhanced network deployment for various communication systems (Cooper - paragraph [0003, 0004]).
Wu disclose all of the subject matter as described above for multiple PCBs for power, antenna, and RF communication (Fig. 1B, Fig. 9, paragraph [0006, 0026]) except for digital signal processing module comprises not only digital to analog converter (DAC), analog to digital converter (ADC), digital down converter (DDC), digital up converter (DUC), inverse fast Fourier Transform (IFFT), Cyclic Prefix Addition (CP Addition), Crest Factor Reduction(CFR), Digital Pre-Distortion (DPD), Cyclic Prefix Removal (CP Removal), and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), but also at least one or a combination of following modules: antenna calibration, Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) processing, Automatic Gain Control (AGC), OFDM phase compensation, and in-phase and quadrature (I/Q) signal c compression and decompression.
However, Annavajjala in the same field of endeavor teaches the digital to analog converter (DAC), analog to digital converter (ADC), digital down converter (DDC), digital up converter (DUC), inverse fast Fourier Transform (IFFT), Cyclic Prefix Addition (CP Addition), crest factor reduction (CFR), digital pre-distortion (DPD), Cyclic Prefix Removal (CP Removal), and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), digital down conversion, digital up-conversion, physical random access channel (PRACH) filter, automatic gain control (AGC), sample compression and de-compression (implicitly for baseband signals after digital conversion), antenna port calibration (Fig. 3, Fig. 7, Fig. 9, paragraph [0012, 0014, 0022, 0023, 0027, 0038, 0039]). Also Cooper in the same field of endeavor teaches IFFT, CP addition, digital to analog converter, analog to digital converter, FFT, equalization (filtering), applying amplitude and phase offsets (Fig. 7, Fig. 10, paragraph [0058, 0076, 0082, 0083, 0096-0100])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinarily skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention use commonly known communication system components as taught by Annavajjala to modify the 5G radio frequency signal system of Wu and Cooper to enhance the communication of the system.
As to Claim 2, Wu in view of Cooper and Annavajjala further discloses the circuit structure, wherein the PCB comprising the antenna module further comprises a radio frequency front-end module (Wu – Fig. 1B (130)) (Cooper – Fig. 2-7, paragraph [0008], where radio unit perform radio frequency functions),
the PCB comprising the fronthaul interface module further comprises a radio frequency (RF) module, a communicating digital signal processing module, and beamforming module (Cooper – Fig. 2-7, paragraph [0011, 0013], where various functions include digital processing, beamforming, RF functions),
wherein the RF front-end module comprise one or more transmit and receive switch(es), power amplifier(s), and low-noise amplifier(s) (Cooper – Fig. 2-7, paragraph [0073, 0075, 0112], where component including selecting various antennas (implicitly supporting switching) and amplification components (implicitly including power amplification and low noise)) (Annavajjala - Fig. 3, Fig. 7, Fig. 9, paragraph [0012, 0014, 0022, 0023, 0027, 0038, 0039])).
The suggestion/motivation is the same as that used in the rejection for claim 1.
As to Claim 3, Wu in view of Cooper and Annavajjala further discloses the circuit structure, wherein the PCB comprising the antenna module further comprises a radio frequency front-end module and RF module (Wu – Fig. 1B (130)) (Cooper – Fig. 2-7, paragraph [0008, 0085], where radio unit perform radio frequency functions in front end),
the PCB comprising the fronthaul interface module further comprises a radio frequency (RF) module, a communicating digital signal processing module, and beamforming module (Cooper – Fig. 2-7, paragraph [0011, 0013], where various functions include digital processing, beamforming, RF functions),
wherein the RF front-end module comprise one or more transmit and receive switch(es), power amplifier(s), and low-noise amplifier(s) (Cooper – Fig. 2-7, paragraph [0073, 0075, 0112], where component including selecting various antennas (implicitly supporting switching) and amplification components (implicitly including power amplification and low noise));
the RF module comprises one or more upconvert(s), downconverter(s), filter(s), and amplifiers(s) and/or attenuators(s) (Cooper – Fig. 2-7, paragraph [0011, 0076, 0085, 0112], where functions including conversions (implicitly including up and down conversion for RF) and amplifications (implicitly including amplification and attenuation)) (Annavajjala - Fig. 3, Fig. 7, Fig. 9, paragraph [0012, 0014, 0022, 0023, 0027, 0038, 0039])).
The suggestion/motivation is the same as that used in the rejection for claim 1.
As to Claim 4, Wu further discloses the circuit structure further comprising at lease a PCB, wherein the PCB comprise a power module (Fig. 1B, Fig. 9, paragraph [0026, 0045], where the interconnection is used for communication between different layers of PCBs and powered by the power distribution and source board).
As to Claim 6, Wu disclose all of the subject matter as described above claim 5 (Fig. 1B, Fig. 9, paragraph [0006, 0026]) except for RF front-end module, RF module, a communication digital signal processing module, and a beamforming module, wherein the RF front-end module comprises one or more transmit and receive switches, power amplifiers, low noise amplifiers, RF module comprises one or more upconverts, downconverters, filters, amplifiers, and/or attenuates, and the communication digital signal processing module comprises lease one or more combination of following: IFFT, CP addition, CFR, DPD, DUC, DAC, ADC,DDC, CP removal, FFT, PRACH filter processing, AGC, IQ data compression and decompression, antenna calibration and OFDM phase compensation.
However, Cooper in the same field of endeavor teaches various configuration of communication devices including custom embedded printed circuit board having distributed unit supporting multiple fronthaul connection (Fig. 2-7, Fig. 15, Fig. 19, paragraph [0005, 0037, 0042, 0082, 0110, 0118]), and
a radio frequency front-end module and RF module (Cooper – Fig. 2-7, paragraph [0008, 0085], where radio unit perform radio frequency functions in front end),
the PCB comprising the fronthaul interface module further comprises a radio frequency (RF) module, a communicating digital signal processing module, and beamforming module (Cooper – Fig. 2-7, paragraph [0011, 0013], where various functions include digital processing, beamforming, RF functions),
wherein the RF front-end module comprise one or more transmit and receive switch(es), power amplifier(s), and low-noise amplifier(s) (Cooper – Fig. 2-7, paragraph [0073, 0075, 0112], where component including selecting various antennas (implicitly supporting switching) and amplification components (implicitly including power amplification and low noise));
the RF module comprises one or more upconvert(s), downconverter(s), filter(s), and amplifiers(s) and/or attenuators(s) (Cooper – Fig. 2-7, paragraph [0011, 0076, 0085, 0112], where functions including conversions (implicitly including up and down conversion for RF) and amplifications (implicitly including amplification and attenuation)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinarily skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to support various configuration of communication devices and various functions as taught by Cooper to modify the circuit structure of Wu to provide the enhanced network deployment for various communication systems (Cooper - paragraph [0003, 0004]).
As to Claim 8, Wu in view of Cooper and Annavajjala further discloses the circuit structure, wherein the PCB comprising the antenna module further comprises a radio frequency front-end module (Wu – Fig. 1B (130)) (Cooper – Fig. 2-7, paragraph [0008], where radio unit perform radio frequency functions),
the PCB comprising the baseband digital circuit module further comprises a radio frequency (RF) module, and beamforming module (Cooper – Fig. 2-7, paragraph [0011, 0013], where various functions include beamforming, RF functions),
wherein the RF front-end module comprise one or more transmit and receive switch(es), power amplifier(s), and low-noise amplifier(s) (Cooper – Fig. 2-7, paragraph [0073, 0075, 0112], where component including selecting various antennas (implicitly supporting switching) and amplification components (implicitly including power amplification and low noise));
the RF module comprises one or more upconvert(s), downconverter(s), filter(s), and amplifiers(s) and/or attenuators(s) (Cooper – Fig. 2-7, paragraph [0011, 0076, 0085, 0112], where functions including conversions (implicitly including up and down conversion for RF) and amplifications (implicitly including amplification and attenuation)).
The suggestion/motivation is the same as that used in the rejection for claim 1.
As to Claim 9, Wu in view of Cooper and Annavajjala further discloses the circuit structure, wherein the PCB comprising the antenna module further comprises a radio frequency front-end module and RF module (Wu – Fig. 1B (130)) (Cooper – Fig. 2-7, paragraph [0008, 0085], where radio unit perform radio frequency functions in front end),
the PCB comprising the baseband digital circuit module further comprises a radio frequency (RF) module, and beamforming module (Cooper – Fig. 2-7, paragraph [0011, 0013], where various functions include beamforming, RF functions),
wherein the RF front-end module comprise one or more transmit and receive switch(es), power amplifier(s), and low-noise amplifier(s) (Cooper – Fig. 2-7, paragraph [0073, 0075, 0112], where component including selecting various antennas (implicitly supporting switching) and amplification components (implicitly including power amplification and low noise));
the RF module comprises one or more upconvert(s), downconverter(s), filter(s), and amplifiers(s) and/or attenuators(s) (Cooper – Fig. 2-7, paragraph [0011, 0076, 0085, 0112], where functions including conversions (implicitly including up and down conversion for RF) and amplifications (implicitly including amplification and attenuation)).
The suggestion/motivation is the same as that used in the rejection for claim 1.
As to Claim 10, Wu further discloses the circuit structure further comprising at lease a PCB, wherein the PCB comprise a power module (Fig. 1B, Fig. 9, paragraph [0026, 0045], where the interconnection is used for communication between different layers of PCBs and powered by the power distribution and source board).
As to Claim 12, Wu disclose all of the subject matter as described above claim 11 (Fig. 1B, Fig. 9, paragraph [0006, 0026]) except for RF front-end module, RF module, a beamforming module, a baseband digital circuit module, wherein the RF front-end module comprises one or more transmit and receive switches, power amplifiers, low noise amplifiers, and the RF module comprises one or more upconverts, downconverters, filters, amplifiers, and/or attenuators.
However, Cooper in the same field of endeavor teaches various configuration of communication devices including custom embedded printed circuit board having distributed unit supporting multiple fronthaul connection (Fig. 2-7, Fig. 15, Fig. 19, paragraph [0005, 0037, 0042, 0082, 0110, 0118]), and
a radio frequency front-end module and RF module (Cooper – Fig. 2-7, paragraph [0008, 0085], where radio unit perform radio frequency functions in front end),
the PCB comprising the antenna module further comprises a radio frequency (RF) module, a communicating digital signal processing module, and beamforming module (Cooper – Fig. 2-7, paragraph [0011, 0013], where various functions include digital processing, beamforming, RF functions),
wherein the RF front-end module comprise one or more transmit and receive switch(es), power amplifier(s), and low-noise amplifier(s) (Cooper – Fig. 2-7, paragraph [0073, 0075, 0112], where component including selecting various antennas (implicitly supporting switching) and amplification components (implicitly including power amplification and low noise));
the RF module comprises one or more upconvert(s), downconverter(s), filter(s), and amplifiers(s) and/or attenuators(s) (Cooper – Fig. 2-7, paragraph [0011, 0076, 0085, 0112], where functions including conversions (implicitly including up and down conversion for RF) and amplifications (implicitly including amplification and attenuation)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinarily skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to support various configuration of communication devices and various functions as taught by Cooper to modify the circuit structure of Wu to provide the enhanced network deployment for various communication systems (Cooper - paragraph [0003, 0004]).
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.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUNG S AHN whose telephone number is (571)270-3706. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F: 9-6.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Hannah Wang can be reached on 571-272-9018. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SUNG S AHN/Examiner, Art Unit 2631 (571)-270-3706
sung.ahn@uspto.gov
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