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 with respect to claim(s) 1-16 and 21-24 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 8, 21 and 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Khlat (US 2016/0352368) in view of Chen et al (US 2021/0409047)
For claim 1, Khlat teaches a device (Figures 2 and 3) comprising:
an amplifier (42);
a first inductor (58); and
a notch filter (52; “the acoustic filtering circuitry 52 may be a notch filter”, [28]) electrically coupled to the first inductor (as understood by examination of Figure 3);
wherein the amplifier is configured to amplify a plurality of radio frequency signals of a plurality of protocols received from an antenna (“[supports] the reception of a large number of operating bands”, [27]) and conveyed to the amplifier via the first inductor and the second inductor (as understood by examination of Figures 2 and 3), the amplifier configured to provide at least temporally overlapping spectral content for the plurality of protocols to signal processors to identify symbols of the plurality of protocols embedded in the radio frequency signal (“the receiver control circuitry 46 may adjust one or more aspects of the operation of the LNA 42 in order to optimize the performance of the LNA 42 for the operating band or operating bands of the secondary RF receive signals”, [26]),
wherein the notch filter has inductance and capacitance values selected to define a resonance at an interference frequency (“the acoustic filtering circuitry 52 may have a resonant frequency (and thus a filter notch)”, [30]; “The tunable notch filter 40 is configured to attenuate signals within an RF blocker frequency band, while passing signals outside of the RF blocker frequency band…the RF blocker frequency band corresponds to the operating band of one or more primary RF transmit signals provided from the primary transceiver circuitry 36. This is due to the fact that primary RF transmit signals are the largest source of distortion in the secondary receiver signal…” [25]),
Khlat fails to teach:
wherein the first inductor, the second inductor, and the notch filter are arranged in a tee-filter configuration that provides wideband input impedance matching for amplification of signals exceeding a threshold frequency outside the resonance, the threshold frequency being associated with a bandwidth of the plurality of radio frequency signals.
It is noted that Khlat’s invention relates to a single notch filter (see Figure 6) comprising acoustic filter circuitry 52, wherein the acoustic filtering circuitry is a notch filter ([28]).
However, Chen teaches that “inductor(s) can be included in series with a shunt capacitor(s) to form one or more harmonic traps. Such a shunt inductor can be mutually coupled with one or more series inductors. FIG. 8A illustrates an example of a shunt inductor arranged in series with a shunt capacitor, in which the shunt inductor is mutually coupled to series inductors” [131]
Furthermore, although Chen is directed to a notch filter having two notches (e.g., Figure 12), [140] teaches how a single notch can be formed by setting the two notches to overlap one another.
Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to substitute Khlat’s acoustic filter circuit 52 with Chen’s notch filter (Figure 8A) for the advantage of strong harmonic rejection (Chen, [5])
Furthermore, the substitution of one known element for another would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention.
The combination of Khlat and Chen as cited above teaches:
an amplifier (42, Khlat);
a first inductor (L1 of Chen within 52 of Khlat);
a second inductor (L2 of Chen within 52 of Khlat) magnetically coupled with the first inductor (K12) and electrically coupled with the amplifier (as understood by the combination of references); and
a notch filter (C3 and LS of Chen within 52 of Khlat) electrically coupled between the first inductor and the second inductor (as understood by the combination of references);
wherein the amplifier is configured to amplify a plurality of radio frequency signals of a plurality of protocols received from an antenna (“[supports] the reception of a large number of operating bands”, [27]) and conveyed to the amplifier via the first inductor (as understood by examination of Figures 2 and 3), the amplifier configured to provide at least temporally overlapping spectral content for the plurality of protocols to signal processors to identify symbols of the plurality of protocols embedded in the radio frequency signal (“the receiver control circuitry 46 may adjust one or more aspects of the operation of the LNA 42 in order to optimize the performance of the LNA 42 for the operating band or operating bands of the secondary RF receive signals”, [26]),
wherein the notch filter has inductance and capacitance values selected to define a resonance at an interference frequency (“the acoustic filtering circuitry 52 may have a resonant frequency (and thus a filter notch)”, [30]; “the tunable notch filter 40 is configured to attenuate signals within an RF blocker frequency band, while passing signals outside of the RF blocker frequency band…the RF blocker frequency band corresponds to the operating band of one or more primary RF transmit signals provided from the primary transceiver circuitry 36. This is due to the fact that primary RF transmit signals are the largest source of distortion in the secondary receiver signal…” [25]),
wherein the first inductor, the second inductor, and the notch filter are arranged in a tee-filter configuration (as understood by Chen’s Figure 8A) that provides wideband input impedance matching for amplification of signals exceeding a threshold frequency outside the resonance, the threshold frequency being associated with a bandwidth of the plurality of radio frequency signals (as understood by Khlat’s Figure 6)
For claim 2, Khlat in view of Chen teaches the limitations of claim 1 as cited above and further teaches:
the second inductor is directly coupled to a gate terminal of the amplifier (as understood by the combination as cited above).
For claim 8, Khlat teaches a system (Figures 2 and 3) comprising:
a first inductor (58), having a first terminal (left terminal) and a second terminal (right terminal);
a filter (52); and
an amplifier (42) to amplify a plurality of at least temporally overlapping and non-spectrally overlapping signals received via the first inductor from an antenna (as understood by examination of Figures 2 and 3), each signal of the plurality of signals corresponding with at least one center frequency and provide the plurality of amplified signals to signal processors to identify symbols embedded in the received signals (“[supports] the reception of a large number of operating bands”, [27]),
wherein the filter has inductance and capacitance values selected to define a resonance at an interference frequency (“the acoustic filtering circuitry 52 may have a resonant frequency (and thus a filter notch)”, [30]; “the tunable notch filter 40 is configured to attenuate signals within an RF blocker frequency band, while passing signals outside of the RF blocker frequency band…the RF blocker frequency band corresponds to the operating band of one or more primary RF transmit signals provided from the primary transceiver circuitry 36. This is due to the fact that primary RF transmit signals are the largest source of distortion in the secondary receiver signal…” [25]).
Khlat fails to teach:
wherein the first inductor, the second inductor, and the filter are arranged in a tee- filter configuration that provides wideband input impedance matching for amplification of signals exceeding a threshold frequency outside the resonance, the threshold frequency being associated with a bandwidth of the plurality of signals.
It is noted that Khlat’s invention relates to a single notch filter (see Figure 6) comprising acoustic filter circuitry 52, wherein the acoustic filtering circuitry is a notch filter ([28]).
However, Chen teaches that “inductor(s) can be included in series with a shunt capacitor(s) to form one or more harmonic traps. Such a shunt inductor can be mutually coupled with one or more series inductors. FIG. 8A illustrates an example of a shunt inductor arranged in series with a shunt capacitor, in which the shunt inductor is mutually coupled to series inductors” [131].
Furthermore, although Chen is directed to a notch filter having two notches (e.g., Figure 12), [140] teaches how a single notch can be formed by setting the two notches to overlap one another.
Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to substitute Khlat’s acoustic filter circuit 52 with Chen’s notch filter (Figure 8A) for the advantage of strong harmonic rejection (Chen, [5])
Furthermore, the substitution of one known element for another would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention.
The combination of Khlat and Chen as cited above teaches:
a first inductor (L1 of Chen within 52 of Khlat), having a first terminal (left terminal, i.e., input terminal) and a second terminal (right terminal, i.e., output terminal);
a second inductor (L2 of Chen within 52 of Khlat) having a first terminal (left terminal, i.e., input terminal) electrically coupled with the second terminal of the first inductor at a first node (as understood by the combination as cited above), the second inductor magnetically coupled with the first inductor (K12, Khlat);
a filter (C3 and LS of Chen within 52 of Khlat) coupled with the first node (as understood by the combination of references); and
an amplifier (42, Khlat) electrically coupled with a second terminal of the second inductor (as understood by the combination of references), the amplifier to amplify a plurality of at least temporally overlapping and non-spectrally overlapping signals (“[supports] the reception of a large number of operating bands”, [27]) received via the first inductor and the second inductor from an antenna (as understood by the combination of references), each signal of the plurality of signals corresponding with at least one center frequency and provide the plurality of amplified signals to signal processors to identify symbols embedded in the received signals (as understood by the combination of references as cited above),
wherein the filter has inductance and capacitance values selected to define a resonance at an interference frequency (“the acoustic filtering circuitry 52 may have a resonant frequency (and thus a filter notch)”, [30]; “the tunable notch filter 40 is configured to attenuate signals within an RF blocker frequency band, while passing signals outside of the RF blocker frequency band…the RF blocker frequency band corresponds to the operating band of one or more primary RF transmit signals provided from the primary transceiver circuitry 36. This is due to the fact that primary RF transmit signals are the largest source of distortion in the secondary receiver signal…” [25]), and
wherein the first inductor, the second inductor, and the filter are arranged in a tee- filter configuration (as understood by Chen’s Figure 8A) that provides wideband input impedance matching for amplification of signals exceeding a threshold frequency outside the resonance, the threshold frequency being associated with a bandwidth of the plurality of signals (as understood by Khlat’s Figure 6).
For claim 21, Khlat and Chen as defined above teaches the limitations of claim 1 and further teaches:
the first inductor is coupled with an antenna on an opposite end as the second inductor (as understood by the combination of references).
For claim 23, Khlat and Chen as defined above teaches the limitations of claim 8 and further teaches:
the first inductor is coupled with an antenna on an opposite end as the second inductor (as understood by the combination of references).
Claim(s) 9-10, 22 and 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Khlat and modified Chen.
For claims 9 and 10, Khlat in view of Chen teaches the limitations of claim 8 as cited above but fails to explicitly teach:
the plurality of signals comprise signals corresponding to center frequencies in a 5 GHz band and signals corresponding to center frequencies in a 6 GHz band; or
a first center frequency corresponding with a first signal of the plurality of signals exceeds five gigahertz (GHz); and
a second center frequency corresponding with a second signal of the plurality of signals exceeds the first center frequency by more than one GHz.
Khlat broadly teaches simultaneously transmitting and receiving signals within different wireless operating bands [3] but fails to distinctly disclose the range of said bands.
Chen teaches an antenna (Figure 1) operating on a plurality of RF operating bands wherein the plurality of bands include 5G signals ranging from 410 MHz to 7.125GHz [3], WIFI and Bluetooth [170].
Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to operate Khlat’s invention such that antennas 32A and 32B receive a plurality of 5G and Bluetooth signals in order to attenuate unwanted frequencies from 5g and Bluetooth signals.
Furthermore, the particular known technique was recognized as part of the ordinary capabilities of one skilled in the art, as evidenced by Chen.
For claims 22 and 24, the combination of Khlat and Chen as cited above teaches the limitations of claim 1 and 8 but fail to teach
the radio frequency signals comprise Bluetooth and Wi-Fi data received from the antenna ([0170]).
Khlat broadly teaches simultaneously transmitting and receiving signals within different wireless operating bands [3] but fails to distinctly disclose the range of said bands.
Chen teaches an antenna (Figure 1) operating on a plurality of RF operating bands wherein the plurality of bands include 5G signals ranging from 410 MHz to 7.125GHz [3], WIFI and Bluetooth [170].
Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to operate Khlat’s invention such that antennas 32A and 32B receive a plurality of 5G and Bluetooth signals in order to attenuate unwanted frequencies from 5g and Bluetooth signals.
Furthermore, the particular known technique was recognized as part of the ordinary capabilities of one skilled in the art, as evidenced by Chen.
Claim(s) 3-7 and 11-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Khlat, Chen and Cheng et al (US 2016/0308506).
For claim 3, the combination of Khlat and Chen as cited above teaches the limitations of claim 1 but fails to teach a multi-tap inductor as claimed.
However, Cheng teaches a multi-tap inductor (Figures 3 and 5), wherein:
a first tap pair of the multi-tap inductor (2, 3) corresponds to a first terminal of the first inductor and a second terminal of the first inductor (L2s’); and a second tap pair of the multi-tap inductor (1, 2) corresponds to a third terminal of the second inductor and a fourth terminal of the second inductor (L1s’).
Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to implement Chen’s first inductor and second inductor using a multi-tap spiral inductor for the advantages taught in [0031] of Cheng.
Furthermore, the particular known technique was recognized as part of the ordinary capabilities of one skilled in the art.
For claim 4, Khlat and Chen in view of Chang as defined above teaches the limitations of claim 3 and further teaches:
the first terminal couples with the third terminal (as understood by the combination of references);
a terminal of the notch filter couples with the first terminal and the third terminal (as understood by the combination of references); and
another terminal of the notch filter couples with a reference voltage (bottom terminal of Ls).
For claim 5, Khlat and Chen in view of Chang as defined above teaches the limitations of claim 4 and further teaches a capacitor (C3) having:
a first terminal which couples with the first terminal and the third terminal (as understood by examination of Chen’s Figure 8A); and
a second terminal which electrically couples with a third inductor (Ls), wherein the third inductor couples with a third tap pair of the multi-tap inductor (e.g., Cheng’s nodes 1 and 3, Figure 5).
For claim 6, Khlat and Chen in view of Chang as defined above teaches the limitations of claim 3 and further teaches:
the multi-tap inductor is a multi-tap spiral inductor (Cheng, Figure 3).
For claim 7, Khlat and Chen in view of Chang as defined above teaches the limitations of claim 6 and further teaches:
the device is formed along a planar surface of a semiconductor die (as understood by examination of Cheng’s [0031] and Figure 4).
For claim 11, the combination of Khlat and Chen teaches the limitations of claim 1 but fails to teach a multi-tap inductor as claimed.
However, Cheng teaches a multi-tap inductor (Figures 3 and 5), wherein:
a first tap (3) of the multi-tap inductor corresponds to the first terminal of the first inductor (L2s’);
a second tap of the multi-tap inductor corresponds to the second terminal of the first inductor (2);
a third tap of the multi-tap inductor (2) corresponds to the first terminal of the second inductor (L1s’); and
a fourth tap of the multi-tap inductor corresponds to the second terminal of the second inductor (1).
Before the effective filing date of the invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to implement all of Chen’s inductors in Figure 8A using a multi-tap spiral inductor for the advantages taught in [0031] of Cheng.
Furthermore, the particular known technique was recognized as part of the ordinary capabilities of one skilled in the art.
For claim 12, Khlat and Chen in view of Chang as defined above teaches the limitations of claim 11 and further teaches:
the second tap is coupled with the third tap (as understood by the combination of references); and
a filter separates the second tap and the third tap from a reference voltage (C3 and Ls, Chen).
For claim 13, Khlat and Chen in view of Chang as defined above teaches the limitations of claim 12 and further teaches:
the filter is a notch filter comprising a first capacitor (C3) and a third inductor (Ls), the third inductor comprising a first terminal (top) and a second terminal (bottom); and the reference voltage is a ground voltage (as understood by examination of Figure 8A).
For claim 14, Khlat and Chen in view of Chang as defined above teaches the limitations of claim 13 and further teaches:
the multi-tap inductor comprises a fifth tap corresponding to the first terminal of the third inductor (node between -M and Lp1 of Cheng’s Figure 5, corresponding to the top terminal of C3 of Chen), and a sixth tap corresponding to the second terminal of the third inductor (as understood by Figure 8A of Chen).
For claim 15, Khlat and Chen in view of Chang as defined above teaches the limitations of claim 13 and further teaches:
the multi-tap inductor is a multi-tap spiral inductor (Figure 3, Cheng).
For claim 16, Khlat and Chen in view of Chang as defined above teaches the limitations of claim 13 and further teaches:
the first inductor, the second inductor, and a third inductor are formed along a planar surface of a semiconductor die (as understood by examination of Cheng’s [0031] and Figure 4).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL CALRISSIAN PUENTES whose telephone number is (571)270-5070. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-6:30 (flex).
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/DANIEL C PUENTES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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