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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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, 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(s) 1, 7-10 and 16-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fitzpatrick et al (US 6266517 B1) in view of Robinson (US 20050017802 A1).
As per claim 1, Fitpatrick et al teaches an apparatus comprising: a transmitter integrated circuit (IC) having a serial data communications interface (see fig.2 or 7 element 200 or 700 and col.6, lines 23-25 for… The operation of transmitter 200 is as follows in accordance with the preferred embodiment), at least a first digital signal processing circuit (see fig.2 or 7 element 208) and a second digital signal processing circuit (see fig.2 or 7 element 248), and at least a first digitally controlled modulator (see fig.2 or 3 element 214 and col.6, lines 55-65 for…Predistorted input signal 211 is conveyed by PISG 208 to input quadrature modulator 214. Input quadrature modulator 214 upconverts, preferably to a desired frequency of output signal 220, and combines in-phase component 210 and quadrature component 212 of predistorted input signal 211 to produce a modulated predistorted input signal 216.)) and a second digitally controlled modulator (see fig.2 or 3 element 252 and col.14, lines 44-49 for….quadrature modulator 252 upconverts and combines in-phase component 249 and quadrature component 251 to produce a quadrature modulated input signal 254 at the same frequency as attenuated output signal 256. The preferred embodiment of feedforward loop quadrature modulator 252 is described in FIG. 3), the transmitter IC configured to receive a baseband in-phase and quadrature (IQ)(see fig.2 element 102) digital signal via the serial data communications interface and to responsively generate, using the first digital signal processing circuit and the first digitally controlled modulator, a first analog radio frequency (RF) modulated signal, and, using the second digital signal processing circuit and the second digitally controlled modulator (see col.6, lines 25-30 for….Information source 102 generates a baseband digital input signal 205, preferably a quadrature amplitude modulation signal. Input signal 205 includes an in-phase (I) component 204 and a quadrature (Q) component 206 (which in-phase component 204 and quadrature component 206 represent a cartesian representation of input signal 205).), a second analog RF modulated signal that is a phase-offset replica of the first analog RF modulated signal (see fig.2 elements 246-254 and col.5,lines 60-63 for….a phase offset 246, a feedforward loop polar-to-cartesian converter 248 also coupled to magnitude scaler 244 and to phase offset 246, a feedforward loop quadrature modulator 252 coupled to polar-to-cartesian converter 248 and col.14, lines 23-27 for…The phase component is conveyed to phase offset 246, where a phase offset is introduced that results in a modulated signal produced by feedforward loop quadrature modulator 252,); a first amplifier, operably coupled to the transmitter IC and configured to receive the first analog RF signal and to output, at a first amplifier output, an amplified analog RF signal and attenuated output signal (see fig.2 element 218 and col.6, lines 60-63 for….Modulated predistorted input signal 216 is then conveyed to RF power amplifier 218.); a first signal coupler, operably coupled to the first amplifier output and configured to generate a reduced-power signal comprising a reduced-power amplified analog RF signal and a reduced-power attenuated output signal (see fig.2 element 256 and col.14, lines10-11 for …. Signal coupler 250, preferably a directional coupler,)); a first signal combiner, operably coupled to the transmitter IC and to the first signal coupler, and configured to cancel the reduced-power amplified RF signal using the second analog RF modulated signal and output a distortion cancellation signal (see fig.2 element 258 and col.15,lines 16-20 for… Combiner 258 combines quadrature modulated input signal 254 and attenuated output signal 256 and produces an error signal 260 based on a difference between the two signals 254, 256); a second amplifier, operably coupled to the first signal combiner and configured to generate an amplified distortion cancellation signal by amplifying the distortion cancellation signal (see fig.2 element 262 and col.15, lines 23-27 for… The phase and amplitude adjusted error signal is conveyed to error amplifier 262, where the phase and amplitude adjusted error signal is amplified to a suitable power level to produce an amplified error signal); a second signal combiner, operably coupled to the second amplifier and to the first amplifier and configured to cancel signal using the amplified distortion cancellation signal and to output the amplified analog RF signal with reduced (see fig.2 element 222 and col.5,lines 25-26 for…. an output signal comparator 222, preferably a subtractor and col.19, lines 9-14 for… Residual distortion that is introduced by RF power amplifier 218 and not cancelled by predistorted input signal 216 is cancelled by comparator 222 to produce a highly linear amplified and upconverted version of the input signal.).
However Fitpatrick does not explicitly teach first amplifier output, an amplified analog RF signal and an out-of-band distortion signal and coupler to generate a reduced-power signal comprising a reduced-power amplified analog RF signal and a reduced-power out-of-band distortion signal and a second signal combiner, operably coupled to the second amplifier and to the first amplifier and configured to cancel the out-of-band distortion.
Robinson teaches first amplifier output, an amplified analog RF signal and an out-of-band distortion signal and coupler to generate a reduced-power signal comprising a reduced-power amplified analog RF signal and a reduced-power out-of-band distortion signal and a second signal combiner, operably coupled to the second amplifier and to the first amplifier and configured to cancel the out-of-band distortion (see fig.5 or 6 and para [0025] for…. The present invention provides a technique for reducing signal distortion and suppressing OOB emissions for multi-component amplifiers and para [0069] for… The inverted error signal and the delayed version of the output of the power amplifier 218 is combined through a summer 220 to remove OOB emissions and reduce distortion levels associated with the subband signal..).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of filing or before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify, Fitpatrick to include first amplifier output, a coupler and a second signal combiner, operably coupled to the second amplifier and to the first amplifier and configured to cancel the out-of-band distortion so that shaping of the data pulses would mitigate out-of-band emissions from occurring into adjacent channels but produce time-varying envelopes by polar processor. The processor would detect the envelope of the incoming signal to produce a pair of baseband amplitude modulated (AM) and phase modulated (PM) signal paths. Furthermore the OBB emissions would be controlled by calibrating delay along the two paths to synchronize the reconstitution of the signal and by detecting the envelope of the output and supplying feedback to the path amplifying the envelope (the AM path). Such modification would enhance the transmitter integrated circuit to monitor any residual distortion that would be introduced by the RF power and not canceled by the predistortion signal loop would then be further reduced by the feedforward correction loop so that the signal output by the RF power amplifier would include only a desired amplified version of the input signal.
As per claims 7 and 16, Fitpatrick and Robinson in combination would teach wherein the first amplifier is a Doherty amplifier, and the second amplifier has adjustable gain and phase (see Robinson para [0032] for….. The coupler 14 provides an attenuated version of the power amplifier output to an amplitude and phase control component 17. The amplitude and phase control component 17 provides the attenuated signal to a summer 20 and para [0065] for….. The digital cross-cancellation technique of the present invention can be employed in other amplifier types such as an envelope tracking amplifier, Doherty amplifier) so that shaping of the data pulses would mitigate out-of-band emissions from occurring into adjacent channels but produce time-varying envelopes by polar processor. The processor would detect the envelope of the incoming signal to produce a pair of baseband amplitude modulated (AM) and phase modulated (PM) signal paths. Furthermore the OBB emissions would be controlled by calibrating delay along the two paths to synchronize the reconstitution of the signal and by detecting the envelope of the output and supplying feedback to the path amplifying the envelope (the AM path). Such modification would enhance the transmitter integrated circuit to monitor any residual distortion that would be introduced by the RF power and not canceled by the predistortion signal loop would then be further reduced by the feedforward correction loop so that the signal output by the RF power amplifier would include only a desired amplified version of the input signal.
As per claims 8 and 17, Fitpatrick and Robinson in combination would teach wherein the first amplifier is a Doherty amplifier, and the second amplifier is a Doherty amplifier (see Robinson para [0065] for….. The digital cross-cancellation technique of the present invention can be employed in other amplifier types such as an envelope tracking amplifier, Doherty amplifier) so that shaping of the data pulses would mitigate out-of-band emissions from occurring into adjacent channels but produce time-varying envelopes by polar processor. The processor would detect the envelope of the incoming signal to produce a pair of baseband amplitude modulated (AM) and phase modulated (PM) signal paths. Furthermore the OBB emissions would be controlled by calibrating delay along the two paths to synchronize the reconstitution of the signal and by detecting the envelope of the output and supplying feedback to the path amplifying the envelope (the AM path). Such modification would enhance the transmitter integrated circuit to monitor any residual distortion that would be introduced by the RF power and not canceled by the predistortion signal loop would then be further reduced by the feedforward correction loop so that the signal output by the RF power amplifier would include only a desired amplified version of the input signal.
As per claims 9 and 18, Fitpatrick and Robinson in combination would teach wherein the second amplifier is a balanced amplifier so that shaping of the data pulses would mitigate out-of-band emissions from occurring into adjacent channels but produce time-varying envelopes by polar processor. The processor would detect the envelope of the incoming signal to produce a pair of baseband amplitude modulated (AM) and phase modulated (PM) signal paths. Furthermore the OBB emissions would be controlled by calibrating delay along the two paths to synchronize the reconstitution of the signal and by detecting the envelope of the output and supplying feedback to the path amplifying the envelope (the AM path). Such modification would enhance the transmitter integrated circuit to monitor any residual distortion that would be introduced by the RF power and not canceled by the predistortion signal loop would then be further reduced by the feedforward correction loop so that the signal output by the RF power amplifier would include only a desired amplified version of the input signal.
As per claim 10 Robinson teaches combining the amplified distortion cancellation signal and a delayed version of the amplified signal to output an amplified version of the first signal with reduced distortion (see fig.5. element 138 and para [0063] for….. the inverted error signal is recombined with a delayed version of the output of the power amplifier 150 via a delay component 138 through a summer or coupler 140 to remove OOB emissions and reduce distortion levels) and it is rejected under the same rational as described in claim 1 above.
-----Claim(s) 2-6 and 11-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fitzpatrick et al (US 6266517 B1) in view of Robinson (US 20050017802 A1) and in further view of Sahlman (US 20020048326 A1)
As per claims 2 and 11, a Fitzpatrick and Robinson in combination do not teach second signal coupler, operably coupled to the first signal combiner output and configured to generate a monitor signal from the distortion cancellation signal, wherein a value of phase offset is adjusted based on a measured power of the distortion cancellation signal.
Sahlman teaches second signal coupler (see fig.4 or 13 element 414 or 1333), operably coupled to the first signal combiner (see fig.4 or 13 element 407 and para [0037-0038] for…. . The output signal produced by the comparator 407 is an error signal resulting from the difference of the two inputs. The error signal is supplied to a wide-band FF loop that amplifies the error signal and combines the amplified error signal in anti-phase with the output of the MPA 405 to cancel the wide-band distortion. In the error path of the wide-band FF loop, a sampling device, such as a coupler 414, samples the error signal from the comparator 407) output and configured to generate a monitor signal from the distortion cancellation signal, wherein a value of phase offset is adjusted based on a measured power of the distortion cancellation signal (see fig.4 or 13 chain elements 421, 408 and 409,410 or chain elements 1322, 1313,1311,1312 and para [0039-0040] for…. The sampled distortion signal is provided to a measurement RF down-converter 408 through a RF switch 420 and a programmable wide-band signal attenuator 421. The attenuator 421 adjusts the measurement levels to achieve optimal resolution within the measurement down-converter's 408 dynamic range…..the RF down-converter 408 provides the DSP 422, via the ADCs 409, 410 and controller 402, with a measure of the optimal adjustment of the error loop, including fine-tuned gain and phase adjustments of the error loop gain and phase adjuster 415.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of filing or before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify, Fitpatrick and Robinson to include second signal coupler, operably coupled to the first signal combiner output and configured to generate a monitor signal in order to accomplish dump load power minimization, and power boost capability by polar processor. The processor would detect the envelope of the incoming signal to produce a pair of baseband amplitude modulated (AM) and phase modulated (PM) signal paths. Furthermore the OBB emissions would be controlled by calibrating delay along the two paths to synchronize the reconstitution of the signal and by detecting the envelope of the output and supplying feedback to the path amplifying the envelope (the AM path). Such modification would enhance the transmitter integrated circuit to monitor any residual distortion that would be introduced by the RF power and not canceled by the predistortion signal loop would then be further reduced by the feedforward correction loop so that the signal output by the RF power amplifier would include only a desired amplified version of the input signal.
As per claims 3 and 12, Fitpatrick, Robinson and Sahlman in combination would teach wherein the value of phase offset is adjusted until a magnitude of the distortion cancellation signal is reduced (see Sahlman para [0040] for….. The gain and phase adjuster 415 corrects minimum gain and phase ripple errors between an EPA 416 and the delay element 417 to achieve optimum distortion cancellation in the signal combiner 413….and para [0060] for…. The adjustable delay, phase, and gain blocks are adaptively updated during operation of the circuit.) in order to accomplish dump load power minimization, and power boost capability by polar processor. The processor would detect the envelope of the incoming signal to produce a pair of baseband amplitude modulated (AM) and phase modulated (PM) signal paths. Furthermore the OBB emissions would be controlled by calibrating delay along the two paths to synchronize the reconstitution of the signal and by detecting the envelope of the output and supplying feedback to the path amplifying the envelope (the AM path). Such modification would enhance the transmitter integrated circuit to monitor any residual distortion that would be introduced by the RF power and not canceled by the predistortion signal loop would then be further reduced by the feedforward correction loop so that the signal output by the RF power amplifier would include only a desired amplified version of the input signal.
As per claims 4 and 13, Fitpatrick, Robinson and Sahlman in combination would teach wherein the transmitter IC performs monitoring and adjusting of the value of the phase offset (see Sahlman fig.4 chain elements 421, 408 and 409,410 and para [0039-0040] for…. The sampled distortion signal is provided to a measurement RF down-converter 408 through a RF switch 420 and a programmable wide-band signal attenuator 421. The attenuator 421 adjusts the measurement levels to achieve optimal resolution within the measurement down-converter's 408 dynamic range…..the RF down-converter 408 provides the DSP 422, via the ADCs 409, 410 and controller 402, with a measure of the optimal adjustment of the error loop, including fine-tuned gain and phase adjustments of the error loop gain and phase adjuster 415.).) in order to accomplish dump load power minimization, and power boost capability by polar processor. The processor would detect the envelope of the incoming signal to produce a pair of baseband amplitude modulated (AM) and phase modulated (PM) signal paths. Furthermore the OBB emissions would be controlled by calibrating delay along the two paths to synchronize the reconstitution of the signal and by detecting the envelope of the output and supplying feedback to the path amplifying the envelope (the AM path). Such modification would enhance the transmitter integrated circuit to monitor any residual distortion that would be introduced by the RF power and not canceled by the predistortion signal loop would then be further reduced by the feedforward correction loop so that the signal output by the RF power amplifier would include only a desired amplified version of the input signal.
As per claims 5 and 14, Fitpatrick, Robinson and Sahlman in combination would teach wherein the transmitter IC further comprises a third digital signal processing circuit (see Sahlman fig.4 or 13 element 422 or 1340 and para [0040] for… The RF down-converter 408 provides the DSP 422, via the ADCs 409, 410 and controller 402, with a measure of the optimal adjustment of the error loop,) and a demodulator (figs.4 and 7B element 750, wherein the third digital signal processing circuit and the demodulator process the monitor signal into the phase offset that is input to the first digital signal processing circuit for utilization in generating the phase-offset replica of the first analog RF modulated signal (see Sahlman fig.4 or 7B and para [0051] for….The block diagram of FIG. 7B illustrates the correction of an analog demodulator circuit used in a receiver for down conversion of an IF- or RF-signal. The demodulator corrections can be resolved by measuring a signal provided by a digital IF-source having a precise numerically made modulator as described in FIG. 7A. The corrections are resolved by first comparing the original input signals with the received I-and Q-signals from the demodulator and para [0052] for….an IF or RF signal is supplied to a demodulator 750. The resulting I-and Q-signals are each supplied to a respective ADC 758, 759 via low-pass filters 755, 756. The I- and Q- signals are multiplied by gain correction factors 761, 762 to minimize any introduced errors. The orthogonal error in the analog I- and Q- signals emerging from the errors in the 0 and 90 degree splitter of the IF local oscillator is corrected by phase rotation 765 of the Q-signal performed by multiplying Q-signal with a complex phase rotation vector A+ jB having a magnitude equal to one.) in order to accomplish dump load power minimization, and power boost capability by polar processor. The processor would detect the envelope of the incoming signal to produce a pair of baseband amplitude modulated (AM) and phase modulated (PM) signal paths. Furthermore the OBB emissions would be controlled by calibrating delay along the two paths to synchronize the reconstitution of the signal and by detecting the envelope of the output and supplying feedback to the path amplifying the envelope (the AM path). Such modification would enhance the transmitter integrated circuit to monitor any residual distortion that would be introduced by the RF power and not canceled by the predistortion signal loop would then be further reduced by the feedforward correction loop so that the signal output by the RF power amplifier would include only a desired amplified version of the input signal.
As per claims 6 and 15, Fitpatrick, Robinson and Sahlman in combination would teach wherein the third digital signal processing circuit performs a fast Fourier transform (see Sahlman fig.13 element 1340 and para [0083] for…. In a similar manner as used for the receiver calibration, data, such as FFT-data, is output after signal processing in the AEP 1340) to measure power of the monitor signal in order to accomplish dump load power minimization, and power boost capability by polar processor. The processor would detect the envelope of the incoming signal to produce a pair of baseband amplitude modulated (AM) and phase modulated (PM) signal paths. Furthermore the OBB emissions would be controlled by calibrating delay along the two paths to synchronize the reconstitution of the signal and by detecting the envelope of the output and supplying feedback to the path amplifying the envelope (the AM path). Such modification would enhance the transmitter integrated circuit to monitor any residual distortion that would be introduced by the RF power and not canceled by the predistortion signal loop would then be further reduced by the feedforward correction loop so that the signal output by the RF power amplifier would include only a desired amplified version of the input signal.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 7034614 B2 or US 6934341 B2 or US 20040263249 A1 or US 6359504 B1 or US 20050110567 A1.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EMMANUEL BAYARD whose telephone number is (571)272-3016. The examiner can normally be reached 6-9.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ahn K Sam can be reached on 571-272-3044. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/EMMANUEL BAYARD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2633
Prosecution Insights