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 Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “high-frequency filter module being used to” in claim 1, a first frequency band switching unit for switching, a second frequency band switching unit for switching, the first RF front-end unit being used for, the second RF front-end unit being used for, a first filter unit being used for, a second filter unit being used for in claim 6, intermediate-frequency switching unit being used for, intermediate-frequency filter module being used for in Claim 9, and low-frequency transceiver unit used for, intermediate-frequency transceiver unit being used for, third filter unit being used for, fourth filter unit and used for, fifth filter unit being used for in Claim 10
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Please Note: Regarding the claimed high-frequency filter module, first and second frequency band switching units, first and second RF front-end units, first, second, third, fourth, fifth filter units, and intermediate-frequency filter module, Paragraphs 0039, 0045, and 0048 of Applicants’ disclosure reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention and discloses the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the entire claimed function and to clearly link the structure, material, or acts to the function. 35 U.S.C. 112 a and b are therefore met.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 9 – 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. While the specification of the instant application does teach the claimed “intermediate-frequency switching unit” via Figure 9 (intermediate-frequency switching unit (23)), said specification does not specifically recite or teach the corresponding structure of the claimed “intermediate-frequency switching unit”. The diagrams or figures that show said intermediate-frequency switching unit do not adequately teach the corresponding structure as said unit is shown in the figures as just a rectangle with a label or name. While the specification of the instant application does teach the claimed “low-frequency transceiver unit” via Figure 10 (low-frequency transceiver unit (211)), said specification does not specifically recite or teach the corresponding structure of the claimed “low-frequency transceiver unit”. The diagrams or figures that show said low-frequency transceiver unit do not adequately teach the corresponding structure as said unit is shown in the figures as just a box with labels. While the specification of the instant application does teach the claimed “intermediate-frequency transceiver unit” via Figure 10 (intermediate-frequency transceiver unit (212)), said specification does not specifically recite or teach the corresponding structure of the claimed “intermediate-frequency transceiver unit”. The diagrams or figures that show said intermediate-frequency transceiver unit do not adequately teach the corresponding structure as said unit is shown in the figures as just a box with labels. All claims that depend from Claims 9 and 10 are rejected for the same reasons set forth above.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim limitation “intermediate-frequency switching unit” invokes 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. However, the written description fails to disclose the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the entire claimed function and to clearly link the structure, material, or acts to the function. While the specification of the instant application does teach the claimed “intermediate-frequency switching unit” via Figure 9 (intermediate-frequency switching unit (23)), said specification does not specifically recite or teach the corresponding structure of the claimed “intermediate-frequency switching unit”. The diagrams or figures that show said intermediate-frequency switching unit do not adequately teach the corresponding structure as said unit is shown in the figures as just a rectangle with a label or name. Claim limitation “low-frequency transceiver unit” invokes 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. However, the written description fails to disclose the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the entire claimed function and to clearly link the structure, material, or acts to the function. While the specification of the instant application does teach the claimed “low-frequency transceiver unit” via Figure 10 (low-frequency transceiver unit (211)), said specification does not specifically recite or teach the corresponding structure of the claimed “low-frequency transceiver unit”. The diagrams or figures that show said low-frequency transceiver unit do not adequately teach the corresponding structure as said unit is shown in the figures as just a box with labels. Claim limitation “intermediate-frequency transceiver unit” invokes 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. However, the written description fails to disclose the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the entire claimed function and to clearly link the structure, material, or acts to the function. While the specification of the instant application does teach the claimed “intermediate-frequency transceiver unit” via Figure 10 (intermediate-frequency transceiver unit (212)), said specification does not specifically recite or teach the corresponding structure of the claimed “intermediate-frequency transceiver unit”. The diagrams or figures that show said intermediate-frequency transceiver unit do not adequately teach the corresponding structure as said unit is shown in the figures as just a box with labels. Therefore, the claim is indefinite and is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph.
Applicant may:
(a) Amend the claim so that the claim limitation will no longer be interpreted as a limitation under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph;
(b) Amend the written description of the specification such that it expressly recites what structure, material, or acts perform the entire claimed function, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)); or
(c) Amend the written description of the specification such that it clearly links the structure, material, or acts disclosed therein to the function recited in the claim, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)).
If applicant is of the opinion that the written description of the specification already implicitly or inherently discloses the corresponding structure, material, or acts and clearly links them to the function so that one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize what structure, material, or acts perform the claimed function, applicant should clarify the record by either:
(a) Amending the written description of the specification such that it expressly recites the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function and clearly links or associates the structure, material, or acts to the claimed function, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)); or
(b) Stating on the record what the corresponding structure, material, or acts, which are implicitly or inherently set forth in the written description of the specification, perform the claimed function. For more information, see 37 CFR 1.75(d) and MPEP §§ 608.01(o) and 2181.
All claims that depend from Claims 9 and 10 are rejected for the same reasons set forth above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 – 8 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Rambeau et al. (US 2011/0189959) Section 0006 teaches RF front-end circuitry comprising a band-pass filter that filters a frequency band based on a control voltage, Huang et al. (US 2018/0184354) teaches a multiband extender (Section 0004), Lee et al. (US 2010/0157858) Figure 2, Section 0042 teaches a dual-band transceiver system with switches and filters, Kang et al. (US 2016/0338065) Section 0004 teaches a dual band range extender, and Zhenbiao et al. (US 2005/0248402) Figure 1, Section 0023 teaches a dual-band RF front-end with filters and switches. The prior art of record however fails to teach or render obvious the following features:
Regarding Claim 1, wherein, the high-frequency switching extender has a transmission mode and a reception mode; in the transmission mode, the high-frequency transceiver module transmits the transmission signal to the high-frequency switching module, the high-frequency switching module switches the transmission signal to the preset frequency band based on the control voltage, and the transmission signal switched to the preset frequency band is amplified through the high-frequency RF front-end module and filtered by the high-frequency filter module to remove signals outside the preset frequency band, then transmitted to the high-frequency antenna for transmission via the high-frequency antenna switching unit; in the reception mode, the high-frequency antenna receives and transmits the receiving signal to the high-frequency antenna switching unit, and the high-frequency antenna switching unit switches the receiving signal to the preset frequency band based on the control voltage, and the receiving signal switched to the preset frequency band is filtered by the high-frequency filter module to remove signals outside the preset frequency band and amplified by the high-frequency RF front-end module, then transmitted to the high-frequency switching module and subsequently to the high-frequency transceiver module. Claims 2 – 8, which depend from Claim 1, are allowable for the same reasons set forth above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Montemurro et al. (US 9,686,690) Table 3 teaches 5 GHz segments 5785 and 5640 and Rana et al. (US 2015/0378385) Figure 8, Section 0046 teaches a GPIO (general-purpose input output) with a high impedance state both of which are disclosed in Applicants’ specification but not claimed.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RAYMOND S DEAN whose telephone number is (571)272-7877. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 6:00-2:30, EST.
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/RAYMOND S DEAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2645 Raymond S. Dean
March 31, 2026
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