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 Applicant Arguments/Remarks, filed 01/16/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-30 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Medra et al. (US 2022/0094310 A1 herein Medra) in view of Husain et al. (US 2023/0126116 A1 herein Husain).
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 1-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Medra et al. (US 2022/0094310 A1 herein Medra), and further in view of Husain et al. (US 2023/0126116 A1 herein Husain).
Regarding claim 1, Medra teaches a system for wireless communications (Medra – [0007], and [0106]), comprising:
a low-noise amplifier (LNA) (read as amplifier circuit may include one or more amplifiers such as low-noise amplifier (LNAs) configured to amplify RF signals; amplifier circuit 215) (Medra – Figure 3, [0026] [0031]-[0032]), comprising:
a first transistor (read as first transistor 310) (Medra – Figure 3, [0037]);
a first source inductor coupled to a source of the first transistor (read as source-degeneration inductor 315 coupled between the source of the first transistor 310 and ground) (Medra – Figure 3, and [0037]);
a second transistor (read as second transistor 340) (Medra – Figure 3, [0040]), wherein a source of the second transistor is coupled to a drain of the first transistor, a gate of the second transistor is coupled to a bias circuit (read as bias circuit 370 coupled to the gate of the second transistor 340) (Medra – Figure 3, and [0045]), and a drain of the second transistor is coupled to an output of the LNA (read as output 222 of the amplifier circuit 215) (Figure 3, and [0043]); and
an output inductor (read as load inductor 352) (Medra – Figure 3, and [0043]) coupled between a supply rail and the output of the LNA (read as load inductor 352 is coupled to the output 222 and voltage supply rail Vdd) (Medra – Figure 3, [0040], and [0043]).
However, Medra fails to teach wherein the output inductor is magnetically coupled with the first source inductor.
In the related art, Husain teaches wherein the output inductor is magnetically coupled with the first source inductor (read as first load inductor L1 is magnetically coupled with the second inductor L2) (Husain – Figure 6, and [0051]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate the teachings of Husain into the teachings of Medra for the purpose of magnetically coupling or inductively coupling two inductors to allow transfer of RF signal power from the first inductor to the second inductor.
Regarding claim 2 as applied to claim 1, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches wherein the output inductor is arranged next to the first source inductor to achieve a magnetic coupling between the output inductor and the first source inductor (read as first load inductor L1 is magnetically coupled with the second inductor L2) (Husain – Figure 6, and [0051]; Medra – Figure 3).
Regarding claim 3 as applied to claim 1, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches wherein a magnetic coupling coefficient between the output inductor and the first source inductor is between 0.05 and 0.3 (Husain – [0065], [0069], [0076], and [0086]).
Regarding claim 4 as applied to claim 1, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches wherein the first source inductor is placed next to the output inductor (read as first load inductor L1 is magnetically coupled with the second inductor L2) (Husain – Figure 6, and [0051]; Medra – Figure 3).
Regarding claim 5 as applied to claim 4, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches wherein at least one side of the first source inductor is adjacent to at least one side of the output inductor (read as first load inductor L1 is magnetically coupled with the second inductor L2) (Husain – Figure 6, and [0051]; Medra – Figure 3).
Regarding claim 6 as applied to claim 1, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches wherein the first source inductor and the output inductor have opposite polarities (read as load inductor Ld and inductor Lf have opposite polarities) (Husain – [0066]).
Regarding claim 7 as applied to claim 1, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches wherein the first source inductor and the output inductor are weakly magnetically coupled (read as first load inductor L1 is magnetically coupled with the second inductor L2) (Husain – Figure 6, and [0051]; Medra – Figure 3).
Regarding claim 8 as applied to claim 1, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches further comprising a filter coupled to a gate of the first transistor (Medra – [0093]-[0094]; Husain – [0030]).
Regarding claim 9 as applied to claim 8, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches wherein the LNA further comprises a gate inductor coupled between the filter and the gate of the first transistor (read as gate inductor 320) (Medra – Figure 3, Figure 5, [0037], and [0051]).
Regarding claim 10 as applied to claim 1, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches wherein the first source inductor partially overlaps the output inductor (read as first load inductor L1 is magnetically coupled with the second inductor L2) (Husain – Figure 6, and [0051]; Medra – Figure 3).
Regarding claim 11 as applied to claim 1, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches wherein the first source inductor is coupled between the source of the first transistor and a ground (read as source-degeneration inductor 315 is coupled between the source of the first transistor 310 and ground) (Medra – Figure 3, and [0037]).
Regarding claim 12 as applied to claim 1, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches wherein the LNA further comprises: a third transistor (read as third transistor 510) (Medra – [0051]), wherein a drain of the third transistor is coupled to the source of the second transistor; and a second source inductor coupled to a source of the third transistor, wherein the output inductor is magnetically coupled with the second source inductor (Husain – Figure 6, and [0051]).
Regarding claim 13 as applied to claim 12, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches wherein the output inductor is arranged next to the second source inductor to achieve a magnetic coupling between the output inductor and the second source inductor (read as first load inductor L1 is magnetically coupled with the second inductor L2) (Husain – Figure 6, and [0051]; Medra – Figure 3).
Regarding claim 14 as applied to claim 12, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches wherein a first magnetic coupling coefficient between the output inductor and the first source inductor is between 0.05 and 0.3, and a second magnetic coupling coefficient between the output inductor and the second source inductor is between 0.05 and 0.3 (Husain – [0065], [0069], [0076], and [0086]).
Regarding claim 15 as applied to claim 12, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches wherein each of the first source inductor and the second source inductor is placed next to the output inductor (read as first load inductor L1 is magnetically coupled with the second inductor L2) (Husain – Figure 6, and [0051]; Medra – Figure 3).
Regarding claim 16 as applied to claim 15, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches wherein a first side of the output inductor is adjacent to the first source inductor, and a second side of the output inductor is adjacent to the second source inductor (read as first load inductor L1 is magnetically coupled with the second inductor L2) (Husain – Figure 6, and [0051]; Medra – Figure 3).
Regarding claim 17 as applied to claim 16, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches wherein the first side and the second side are opposing sides of the output inductor (read as first load inductor L1 is magnetically coupled with the second inductor L2) (Husain – Figure 6, and [0051]; Medra – Figure 3).
Regarding claim 18 as applied to claim 12, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches wherein the first source inductor and the output inductor have opposite polarities, and the second source inductor and the output inductor have opposite polarities (read as load inductor Ld and inductor Lf have opposite polarities) (Husain – [0066]).
Regarding claim 19 as applied to claim 12, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches further comprising: a first filter coupled to a gate of the first transistor, wherein the first filter is configured to pass a first radio frequency (RF) signal in a first frequency band; and a second filter coupled to a gate of the third transistor, wherein the second filter is configured to pass a second RF signal in a second frequency band different from the first frequency band (Medra – [0093]-[0094]; Husain – [0030]).
Regarding claim 20 as applied to claim 19, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches wherein the LNA further comprises: a first gate inductor coupled between the first filter and the gate of the first transistor (read as gate inductor 320) (Medra – Figure 3, [0037]); and a second gate inductor coupled between the second filter and the gate of the third transistor (read as gate inductor 320) (Medra – Figure 3, Figure 5, [0037], and [0051]).
Regarding claim 21 as applied to claim 12, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches further comprising one or more mixers coupled to the output of the LNA (read as mixer 1015) (Medra – [0093]-[0094]).
Regarding claim 22 as applied to claim 12, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches wherein the first source inductor partially overlaps the output inductor, and the second source inductor partially overlaps the output inductor (read as first load inductor L1 is magnetically coupled with the second inductor L2) (Husain – Figure 6, and [0051]; Medra – Figure 3).
Regarding claim 23 as applied to claim 12, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches wherein the first source inductor is coupled between the source of the first transistor and a ground, and the second source inductor is coupled between the source of the third transistor and the ground (Medra – Figure 3; Husain – Figure 6, Figure 11).
Regarding claim 24, Medra teaches a system for wireless communications (Medra – [0007], and [0106]), comprising:
a low-noise amplifier (LNA) (read as amplifier circuit may include one or more amplifiers such as low-noise amplifier (LNAs) configured to amplify RF signals; amplifier circuit 215) (Medra – Figure 3, [0026] [0031]-[0032]), comprising:
a first transistor (read as first transistor 310) (Medra – Figure 3, [0037]);
a first source inductor coupled to a source of the first transistor (read as source-degeneration inductor 315 coupled between the source of the first transistor 310 and ground) (Medra – Figure 3, and [0037]);
a second transistor, wherein a source of the second transistor is coupled to a drain of the first transistor (read as second transistor 340) (Medra – Figure 3, [0040]), a gate of the second transistor is coupled to a bias circuit (read as bias circuit 370 coupled to the gate of the second transistor 340) (Medra – Figure 3, and [0045]), and a drain of the second transistor is coupled to an output of the LNA (read as output 222 of the amplifier circuit 215) (Figure 3, and [0043]); and
an output inductor (read as load inductor 352) (Medra – Figure 3, and [0043]) coupled between a supply rail and the output of the LNA (read as load inductor 352 is coupled to the output 222 and voltage supply rail Vdd) (Medra – Figure 3, [0040], and [0043]); and a receiver coupled to the output of the LNA (Medra – [0008], [0111]).
However, Medra fails to teach a radio frequency front-end (RFFE) circuit coupled to one or more antennas; and wherein the output inductor is magnetically coupled with the first source inductor.
In the related art, Husain teaches a radio frequency front-end (RFFE) circuit (read as RF front-end module 210) (Husain – Figure 2, [0036]) coupled to one or more antennas (read as RF signals received by one or more antennas) (Husain – [0030]); and wherein the output inductor is magnetically coupled with the first source inductor (read as first load inductor L1 is magnetically coupled with the second inductor L2) (Husain – Figure 6, and [0051]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate the teachings of Husain into the teachings of Medra for the purpose of magnetically coupling or inductively coupling two inductors to allow transfer of RF signal power from the first inductor to the second inductor.
Regarding claim 25 as applied to claim 24, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches wherein the output inductor is arranged next to the first source inductor to achieve a magnetic coupling between the output inductor and the first source inductor (read as first load inductor L1 is magnetically coupled with the second inductor L2) (Husain – Figure 6, and [0051]; Medra – Figure 3).
Regarding claim 26 as applied to claim 24, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches wherein a magnetic coupling coefficient between the output inductor and the first source inductor is between 0.05 and 0.30 (Husain – [0065], [0069], [0076], and [0086]).
Regarding claim 27 as applied to claim 24, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches wherein the first source inductor partially overlaps the output inductor (read as first load inductor L1 is magnetically coupled with the second inductor L2) (Husain – Figure 6, and [0051]; Medra – Figure 3).
Regarding claim 28, Medra teaches a method for operating a wireless communications system (Medra – [0007], and [0106]) including a low-noise amplifier (LNA) (read as amplifier circuit may include one or more amplifiers such as low-noise amplifier (LNAs) configured to amplify RF signals; amplifier circuit 215) (Medra – Figure 3, [0026] [0031]-[0032]), the LNA comprising a first transistor (read as first transistor 310) (Medra – Figure 3, [0037]), a first source inductor coupled to a source of the first transistor (read as source-degeneration inductor 315 coupled between the source of the first transistor 310 and ground) (Medra – Figure 3, and [0037]), a second transistor (read as second transistor 340) (Medra – Figure 3, [0040]) coupled between an output of the LNA and a drain of the first transistor (read as output 222 of the amplifier circuit 215) (Figure 3, and [0043]), and an output inductor (read as load inductor 352) (Medra – Figure 3, and [0043]) coupled between a supply rail and the output of the LNA, the method comprising:
biasing a gate of the second transistor with a bias voltage (read as bias circuit 370 coupled to the gate of the second transistor 340) (Medra – Figure 3, and [0045]);
receiving a first radio frequency (RF) signal in a first frequency band (read as wireless device may transmit and receive RF signals in one or more wireless networks such as LTE network, 5G network, WLAN, etc.) (Medra – [0023]);
inputting the first RF signal to a gate of the first transistor (read as input 220) (Medra – Figure 3, and [0032]); and
However, Medra fails to teach magnetically coupling the first source inductor with the output inductor.
In the related art, Husain teaches magnetically coupling the first source inductor with the output inductor (read as first load inductor L1 is magnetically coupled with the second inductor L2) (Husain – Figure 6, and [0051]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate the teachings of Husain into the teachings of Medra for the purpose of magnetically coupling or inductively coupling two inductors to allow transfer of RF signal power from the first inductor to the second inductor.
Regarding claim 29 as applied to claim 28, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches wherein the output inductor is arranged next to the first source inductor to achieve a magnetic coupling between the output inductor and the first source inductor (read as first load inductor L1 is magnetically coupled with the second inductor L2) (Husain – Figure 6, and [0051]; Medra – Figure 3).
Regarding claim 30 as applied to claim 28, Medra as modified by Husain further teaches wherein magnetically coupling the first source inductor with the output inductor comprises magnetically coupling the first source inductor with the output inductor with a magnetic coupling coefficient between 0.05 and 0.3 (Husain – [0065], [0069], [0076], and [0086]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to APRIL GUZMAN GONZALES whose telephone number is (571)270-1101. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm EST. The examiner’s email address is april.guzman@uspto.gov.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Wesley L. Kim can be reached at (571) 272-7867. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/APRIL G GONZALES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2648
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