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 the claim(s) 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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 3-6, 8, 10-13, 15, and 17-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shpak (2025/0247812), Kang et al. (2022/0359983) hereinafter “Kang”, and Rickett et al. (2002/0180639) hereinafter “Rickett”.
As to claim 1, Shpak discloses A receiving device (AP1) for determining an angle of arrival of a radiofrequency signal received at the receiving device and transmitted by a target device ([0072]: “…Alternatively, at this step, a multi-antenna receiver, again at AP1 for example, receives signals from one or more antennas of a transmitter, such as a mobile station 28…”), the receiving device comprising:
a first antenna (34 / TX1) [[array configured to adjust a first steering angle of the first antenna array]] in a first plane;
a second antenna (34 / TX2) [[array configured to adjust a second steering angle of the second antenna array]] in a second plane;
a phase difference of arrival calculator communicatively coupled to the first antenna array and the second antenna array and configured to determine a first phase shift between the first antenna array and the target device, a second phase shift between the second antenna array and the target device, and a phase difference of arrival between the first phase shift and the second phase shift ([0057]: “… access points 22, 24, 26,…, at different locations may measure CPD between the respective signals received by their antennas 34 from mobile station 28 in order to measure angles of arrival”, [0061]:”… if the receiver itself has multiple antennas, it may apply phased detection in distinguishing the signals received from
each of antennas 34 of the transmitter, and thus measure the CPD between the signals.”); and
a target device tracking circuit (79) electrically coupled (78) to the phase difference of arrival calculator (77) and configured to determine the angle of arrival (theta i) of the radiofrequency signal at the receiving device based on the phase difference of arrival between the first phase shift and the second phase shift ([0064]: “…The map also indicates a respective orientation angle (theta i) for each access point… may use angles of arrival…”, Fig 6, [0080]-[0081]).
In an analogous art, Kang discloses a receiving device with
a first antenna (11) array configured to adjust a first steering angle of the first antenna array in a first plane (vertical);
a second antenna (12) array configured to adjust a second steering angle of the second antenna array in a second plane (horizontal). See [0021], [0032]-[0034]. Before the effective filing date of the instant invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Shpak by utilizing steerable antenna arrays as taught by Kang for the purpose of enabling reception of signals from any direction as taught by Kang in [0009]-[0010].
Shpak fail to explicitly recite yet in an analogous art Rickett discloses phase shifter circuitry (14-1 to 14-7 Fig 1, 48 Fig 3) configured to dynamically scan the first steering angle and the second steering angle over a range of steering angles to identify, for the first antenna array and the second antenna array, steering angles corresponding to maximum received signal strength of the radiofrequency signal, wherein the first phase shift and the second phase shift are determined based on the steering angles.
See [0033] -[0036]
[0033] The direction(s) of maximum response of the antenna of the present invention may be scanned across a certain angle by adjusting the phase shifts applied to the signals from/to each antenna element.
[0034] In a method or an antenna according to the present invention, the direction(s) of maximum response of the antenna may be scanned across a certain angle by adjusting the phase shifts applied to the signals from/to each sub-array.
[0035] The method according to the present invention may further comprise the steps of scanning the direction(s) of maximum response through an angle in order to locate an object, then tracking the location of that object by suitable adjusting the phase shifts applied to the antenna element signals and/or the sub-array signals, thereby to maintain a maximum response in a direction substantially corresponding to the direction of the location of the object…
[0036] In accordance with the present invention, each sub-array may be controlled so that the phase delay applied to each signal produced by an elemental antenna is adjusted to direct the maximum sensitivity of the sub-array in a different direction from the maximum sensitivity of other sub-arrays.
Before the effective filing date of the instant invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Shpak by including the phase shift circuitry of Rickett for the purpose of aiding the tracking of an object.
As to claim 3, the discloses The receiving device of claim 1, Kang further discloses:
phase shifter circuitry (21) configured to adjust the first steering angle by adjusting a phase of a control signal supplied to at least one antenna of the first antenna array and to adjust the second steering angle by adjusting a phase of a control signal supplied to at least one antenna of the second antenna array. See [0037]-[0042].
As to claim 4, the combination of Shpak, Kang, and Rickett discloses The receiving device of claim 1, is silent to yet the examiner takes official notice that before the effective filing date of the instant invention it was well known in the art to choose wherein the second plane is substantially parallel to the first plane and it would have been a design choice to implement such.
It is noted that the BRI of the claim is such that the plane configuration of the first and second antenna arrays are independent from the calculator and tracking circuit.
As to claim 5, the combination of Shpak, Kang, and Rickett discloses The receiving device of claim 1, Shpak discloses wherein the angle of arrival is determined in a third plane substantially orthogonal to the first plane and the second plane. See [0069].
As to claim 6. the combination of Shpak, Kang, and Rickett discloses The receiving device of claim 1, Kang discloses wherein the antenna (51) includes at least a first antenna (521) and a second antenna (522-524) aligned in the first plane, see [0048]. Before the effective filing date of the instant invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Shpak by implementing the antennas a arrays including first and second / third and fourth antennas for the purpose of achieving a phase offset to detect the angle of arrival.
As to claim 21, the combination of Shpak, Kang, and Rickett discloses The receiving device of claim 1, further it is considered that the steering angles corresponding to maximum received signal strength are identified prior to determining the first phase shift, the second phase shift, and the phase difference of arrival, since the steering angles are used to determine the phase shifts between.
Claims 8 and 10-13, 22 recite method claims corresponding the device of claims 1 and 3-6, 21 respectively.
Claims 15 and 17-19, 23 recite a device corresponding to but broader than claims 1 and 4-6, 21 respectively.
Claim(s) 2, 9, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shpak, Kang, and Rickett as applied to claim 1/8/15 above, and further in view of Meyer et al. (2019/0131703) hereinafter “Meyer”.
The combination of Shpak, Kang, and Rickett discloses The receiving device of claim 1/8/15, is silent to yet in an analogous art Meyer discloses a tilt sensor (120) configured to detect a tilt angle of the receiving device with
respect to a reference (see [0021]); and phase shifter circuitry (130) configured to adjust the first steering angle to offset the tilt angle detected by the tilt sensor and to adjust the second steering angle to offset the tilt angle detected by the tilt sensor (see [0022]-[0024]). Before the effective filing date of the instant invention it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Shpak by including a tilt sensor and phase shifter circuitry as taught by Meyer for the purpose of adjusting for sway.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LESTER KINCAID whose telephone number is (571)272-7922. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th: 7-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Yuwen Pan can be reached at 571-272-7855. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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LESTER G. KINCAID
Primary Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2649
/LESTER G KINCAID/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2649
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