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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This office action is a response to application no. 18/544,246 filed on 12/18/2023.
Claims 1 – 20 are pending and ready for examination.
Priority
This application claims priority to US Provisional Application no. 63/433,667, filed on 12/19/2022.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/27/2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 4, 11, 18 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claims 1, 11 and 18 recite in line 8, line 7 and line 6, respectively “according to a duty cycle”; and the later recite in subsequent lines “the duty cycling”. To keep consistency of the recitation the later recitation should read as “the duty cycle”.
Claim 4 recites in line 2, “one period of time” and again recites in line 3, “one period of time”. Here, recitation of “one period of time” in line 3 raises an ambiguity issue and it should be corrected as “another period of time” or “different period of time” in line 3 to distinguish from the first recitation.
Claim 18 recites in line 1, “method of operating a mobile device” and again recites in line 3, “a first radio frequency circuit of a mobile device”. Here, recitation of “a mobile device” in line 3 raises an ambiguity issue and it should be corrected as “a first radio frequency circuit of [[a]]the mobile device” in line 3.
Appropriate corrections are required.
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.
Claims 11 – 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "the front-end module" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim, as “front-end module” has not been recited in previous statement. The previous statement recites “a radio frequency front-end system”. Claims 12 – 16 depend on claim 11; therefore, same rational applies to them. Accordingly, claims 11 – 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b). For the purpose of this examination, it is considered as if the limitation is recited as “the radio frequency front-end system”.
Claim 17 recites the limitation "The radio frequency communication device of claim 1 " in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim, as the claim 1 is directed to a mobile device. Accordingly, claims 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b). For the purpose of this examination, it is considered as if the limitation is recited as “The radio frequency communication device of claim 11”.
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 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 of this title, 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.
Claims 1, 4, 6 – 11, 14 and 16 – 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mansour et al. (Mansour hereinafter referred to Mansour) (US 2023/0071403 A1) in view of Reja et al. (Reja hereinafter referred to Reja) (US 10,979,036 B1).
Regarding claim 1, Mansour teaches (Title, Passive Intermodulation Distortion Filtering) a mobile device (Fig.1 and [0020], computing device 102), comprising:
an antenna (Fig.1 and [0026], antenna 118);
a radio frequency front-end module ([0025] and [0049], wireless transceiver 116 of the computing device 102 is described with respect to FIG. 3-1; [0052], radio-frequency front-end circuit 310) coupled to the antenna (Fig.3-1 and [0050], The transmitter 302 is coupled to a first feed 306-1 of the antenna 118. The receiver 304 is coupled to a second feed 306-2 of the antenna 118), the front-end module including a first radio frequency circuit (Fig.3-2 and [0066], transmit-receive circuits 338-1 to 338-T are implemented as part of the radio-frequency front-end circuit 310; the transmit-receive circuits 338-1 to 338-T respectively condition the radio-frequency transmit signals 328-1 to 328-N and the radio-frequency receive signals 336-1 to 336-M; [0065], The variable T represents a positive integer that is equal to the larger one of N or M. Here, T is considered as 2; therefore, the transmit-receive circuits 338-1 is considered as a first radio frequency circuit) configured to transmit and receive over a first frequency division duplex communication band ([0002] and [0015], base station employs frequency-division duplexing (FDD) to enable concurrent transmission and reception on different frequency bands; [0065], The transmit-receive circuit 338-1 represents a set of transmit and receive chains, which conditions signals associated with communication band 340-1. Here, the base station employs FDD; therefore, the communication device 102 (i.e. the transmit-receive circuits 338-1 to 338-T) is configured to use the FDD; therefore, the communication band 340-1 is considered as a first frequency division duplex communication band), and a second radio frequency circuit (Regarding Fig.3-2 and [0066], the transmit-receive circuits 338-T is considered as a second radio frequency circuit) configured to transmit and receive over a second frequency division duplex communication band ([0065], The transmit-receive circuit 338-T includes another set of transmit and receive chains, which conditions signals associated with communication band 340-T. Here, the communication band 340-T is considered as a second frequency division duplex communication band); and
one or more processors (Fig.1, processor 108) configured: to cause the first radio frequency circuit to transmit (Fig.3-2 and [0066], the transmit-receive circuits 338-1 conditions intermediate-frequency or baseband versions of the radio-frequency transmit signal 328-1) according to a duty cycle ([0051], the wireless transceiver 116 and the antenna 118 concurrently transmit and receive radio-frequency signals associated with different frequency bands (e.g., transmit and receive radio-frequency signals during a same time interval). Here, transmission is carried in a time interval; i.e. the transmission is on in the time interval; therefore, it is obvious to consider that the first radio frequency circuit transmits according to a duty cycle); to analyze a signal received by the first radio frequency circuit (Fig.3-2 and [0066], the transmit-receive circuits 338-1 conditions intermediate-frequency or baseband versions of the radio-frequency receive signal 336-1) or by the second radio frequency circuit (Fig.3-2 and [0066], the transmit-receive circuits 338-T conditions intermediate-frequency or baseband versions of the radio-frequency receive signals 336-M); and, based on the analysis, to calculate intermodulation distortion between the first radio frequency circuit and the second radio frequency circuit (Fig.2, 3-1 and [0036], the wireless transceiver 116 concurrently transmits within the transmit frequency bands 202-1 and 202-2 and receives within the receive frequency band 204; the transmit frequency bands 202-1 and 202-2 are considered aggressor bands that generate the passive intermodulation distortion 132, and the receive frequency band 204 is considered a victim frequency band that is impacted by the passive intermodulation distortion 132. Here, the passive intermodulation distortion (PIMD) 132 is generated/ determined/ calculated based on evaluation/ analysis of the receive frequency band 204 (as it is a victim frequency band). Since, the transmit frequency bands 202-1 and 202-2 are considered aggressor bands that generate the PIMD 132; therefore, the intermodulation distortion is between the first radio frequency circuit and the second radio frequency circuit).
Mansour does not specifically teach
a signal received during the duty cycling.
However, Reja teaches a mobile device (Col.2: line 42, a mobile device comprising the transceiver; Fig.5 and Col.6: line 4 – 5, a transceiver 500 incorporating a frequency divider 502) configured to
transmit according to a duty cycle (Fig.5 and Col.6: line 9 – 12, a frequency divider 502, namely a Tx/Rx divider, being able to provide both receive (Rx) and transmit (Tx) outputs, at 25% duty cycle and 50% duty cycles respectively. Col.8: line 1 – 2, generating 50% duty-cycle LO signal for a transmitter. Here, transmission is carried according to 50% duty cycle); a signal received during the duty cycling (Col.8: line 2 – 3, generating 25% or 50% LO signal for a receiver. Here, reception of signal is carried according to 25% or 50% duty cycle. Considering 50% duty cycle, a signal is received during the duty cycling of 50%); and, based on the analysis, to calculate intermodulation distortion (Col.1: line 54 – 56, A receiver uses 50% duty-cycle LO signals to reduce intermodulation distortion and so to increase receiver (Rx) linearity. Here, the receiver receives signal at 25% or 50% duty cycle; but the intermodulation distortion is reduced using the 50% duty-cycle; therefore, calculation of the intermodulation distortion is carried based on an analysis of received signal duty cycle).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Mansour as mentioned above and further incorporate the teaching of Reja. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide a frequency divider which uses common circuitry to switch between different duty cycle outputs, these advantages allow for changing on-fly receiver functionality in a trade-off of sensitivity with linearity in a receiver (Reja, Abstract and Col.8: line 1 – 9).
Regarding claims 6, combination of Mansour and Reja teaches all the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
Mansour further teaches
wherein the front-end module further includes a multiplexer (Fig,3-1, multiplexer 124 is inside the RFFE circuit 310) coupled between the first and second radio frequency circuits and the antenna ([0055], The transmit filter circuit 318 includes multiplexer 124 that represents a multi-input single-output circuit with multiple filters. Each filter within the multiplexer 124 is cascaded with the passive-intermodulation-distortion filter 122 between the multiplexer 124 and the feed 306-1 of the antenna 118. Regarding Fig.3-1, the multiplexer 124 is in between the antenna 118 and the RF transmit signals 328-1 to 328-N; i.e. it is coupled between the first and second radio frequency circuits and the antenna).
Regarding claims 7, combination of Mansour and Reja teaches all the features with respect to claim 6 as outlined above.
Mansour further teaches
wherein the multiplexer (Fig.3-1 and [0030], multiplexers 124 include a diplexer 126, that includes two band-pass filters) includes a first filter (Fig.4 and [0069], band-pass filters 402-1 is in transmit filter circuit 318) having a pass band that encompasses the first frequency division duplex communication band ([0070], band-pass filter 402-1 has a frequency response that passes the transmit frequency band 202-1) and a second filter (Fig.4 and [0069], band-pass filters 402-2 is in transmit filter circuit 318) having a pass band that encompasses the second frequency division duplex communication band ([0070], band-pass filter 402-2 has a frequency response that passes the transmit frequency band 202-2).
Regarding claims 8 and 17, combination of Mansour and Reja teaches all the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
Mansour further teaches
wherein the first frequency division duplex communication band is a fourth generation (4G) band and the second frequency division duplex communication band is a fifth generation (5G) band ([0022], The wireless link 106 is implemented using any suitable communication protocol or standard, such as 2nd-generation (2G), 3rd-generation (3G), 4th-generation (4G), or 5th-generation (5G) cellular; [0037] Techniques for frequency-division duplexing utilizes a variety of communication bands (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE) and 5G NR bands). Here, the frequency division duplex communication utilizes 4G and 5G bands; therefore, it is obvious to consider the first frequency division duplex communication band is a 4G band and the second frequency division duplex communication band is a 5G band).
Regarding claims 9, combination of Mansour and Reja teaches all the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
Mansour further teaches
wherein the one or more processors reside within a baseband processor of the mobile device (Fig.1 and [0023], the computing device 102 includes a processor 108; the processor 108 includes any type of processor, such as a multi-core processor. Therefore, it is obvious to consider the one or more processors 108 reside within a baseband processor of the mobile device ).
Regarding claims 10, combination of Mansour and Reja teaches all the features with respect to claim 9 as outlined above.
Mansour further teaches
a transceiver coupled between the baseband processor and the front-end module (Fig.1, 3-1 and [0052], the wireless transceiver 116 is implemented using multiple circuits, including the radio-frequency front-end circuit 310 and a transceiver circuit (not shown). As such, the components that form the transmitter 302 and the receiver 304 are distributed across multiple circuits. Also, some components of the wireless transceiver 116 is implemented by the processor 108, a digital signal processor, or a modem. Here, the transceiver 116, the processor 108 and the front-end module 310 of the mobile device work together, i.e. interconnected; therefore, it is obvious to consider that a transceiver is coupled between the baseband processor and the front-end module).
Regarding claim 11, Mansour teaches (Title, Passive Intermodulation Distortion Filtering) a radio frequency communication device (Fig.1 and [0020], computing device 102), comprising:
a radio frequency front-end system ([0025] and [0049], wireless transceiver 116 of the computing device 102 is described with respect to FIG. 3-1; [0052], radio-frequency front-end circuit 310), the radio frequency front-end module including a first radio frequency circuit (Fig.3-2 and [0066], transmit-receive circuits 338-1 to 338-T are implemented as part of the radio-frequency front-end circuit 310; the transmit-receive circuits 338-1 to 338-T respectively condition the radio-frequency transmit signals 328-1 to 328-N and the radio-frequency receive signals 336-1 to 336-M; [0065], The variable T represents a positive integer that is equal to the larger one of N or M. Here, T is considered as 2; therefore, the transmit-receive circuits 338-1 is considered as a first radio frequency circuit) configured to transmit and receive over a first frequency division duplex communication band ([0002] and [0015], base station employs frequency-division duplexing (FDD) to enable concurrent transmission and reception on different frequency bands; [0065], The transmit-receive circuit 338-1 represents a set of transmit and receive chains, which conditions signals associated with communication band 340-1. Here, the base station employs FDD; therefore, the communication device 102 (i.e. the transmit-receive circuits 338-1 to 338-T) is configured to use the FDD; therefore, the communication band 340-1 is considered as a first frequency division duplex communication band), and a second radio frequency circuit (Regarding Fig.3-2 and [0066], the transmit-receive circuits 338-T is considered as a second radio frequency circuit) configured to transmit and receive over a second frequency division duplex communication band ([0065], The transmit-receive circuit 338-T includes another set of transmit and receive chains, which conditions signals associated with communication band 340-T. Here, the communication band 340-T is considered as a second frequency division duplex communication band); and
one or more processors (Fig.1, processor 108) configured: to cause one of the first radio frequency circuit or the second radio frequency circuit to transmit (Fig.3-2 and [0066], the transmit-receive circuits 338-1 conditions intermediate-frequency or baseband versions of the radio-frequency transmit signal 328-1. Due to alternative language, “one of the” in the claim, examiner addresses one limitation only) according to a duty cycle ([0051], the wireless transceiver 116 and the antenna 118 concurrently transmit and receive radio-frequency signals associated with different frequency bands (e.g., transmit and receive radio-frequency signals during a same time interval). Here, transmission is carried in a time interval; i.e. the transmission is on in the time interval; therefore, it is obvious to consider that the first radio frequency circuit transmits according to a duty cycle); to analyze a signal received by the first radio frequency circuit (Fig.3-2 and [0066], the transmit-receive circuits 338-1 conditions intermediate-frequency or baseband versions of the radio-frequency receive signal 336-1) or by the second radio frequency circuit (Fig.3-2 and [0066], the transmit-receive circuits 338-T conditions intermediate-frequency or baseband versions of the radio-frequency receive signals 336-M); and, based on the analysis, to calculate intermodulation distortion (Fig.2, 3-1 and [0036], the wireless transceiver 116 concurrently transmits within the transmit frequency bands 202-1 and 202-2 and receives within the receive frequency band 204; the transmit frequency bands 202-1 and 202-2 are considered aggressor bands that generate the passive intermodulation distortion 132, and the receive frequency band 204 is considered a victim frequency band that is impacted by the passive intermodulation distortion 132. Here, the passive intermodulation distortion (PIMD) 132 is generated/ determined/ calculated based on evaluation/ analysis of the receive frequency band 204, as it is a victim frequency band).
Mansour does not specifically teach
a signal received during the duty cycling.
However, Reja teaches a mobile device (Col.2: line 42, a mobile device comprising the transceiver; Fig.5 and Col.6: line 4 – 5, a transceiver 500 incorporating a frequency divider 502) configured to
transmit according to a duty cycle (Fig.5 and Col.6: line 9 – 12, a frequency divider 502, namely a Tx/Rx divider, being able to provide both receive (Rx) and transmit (Tx) outputs, at 25% duty cycle and 50% duty cycles respectively. Col.8: line 1 – 2, generating 50% duty-cycle LO signal for a transmitter. Here, transmission is carried according to 50% duty cycle); a signal received during the duty cycling (Col.8: line 2 – 3, generating 25% or 50% LO signal for a receiver. Here, reception of signal is carried according to 25% or 50% duty cycle. Considering 50% duty cycle, a signal is received during the duty cycling of 50%); and, based on the analysis, to calculate intermodulation distortion (Col.1: line 54 – 56, A receiver uses 50% duty-cycle LO signals to reduce intermodulation distortion and so to increase receiver (Rx) linearity. Here, the receiver receives signal at 25% or 50% duty cycle; but the intermodulation distortion is reduced using the 50% duty-cycle; therefore, calculation of the intermodulation distortion is carried based on an analysis of received signal duty cycle).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Mansour as mentioned above and further incorporate the teaching of Reja. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide a frequency divider which uses common circuitry to switch between different duty cycle outputs, these advantages allow for changing on-fly receiver functionality in a trade-off of sensitivity with linearity in a receiver (Reja, Abstract and Col.8: line 1 – 9).
Regarding claims 4 and 14, combination of Mansour and Reja teaches all the features with respect to claims 1 and 11, respectively as outlined above.
Mansour further teaches
analyze the signal received during the duty cycling for at least one period of time when both the first and second radio frequency circuits are transmitting and for at least one period of time when only the second radio frequency circuit is transmitting (/and for at least another period of time when only one of the first radio frequency circuit and the second radio frequency circuit is transmitting) (Fig.1, 2 and [0051], the wireless transceiver 116 and the antenna 118 can concurrently transmit and receive radio-frequency signals associated with different frequency bands (e.g., transmit and receive radio-frequency signals during a same time interval). These different frequency bands include transmit frequency bands 202-1 to 202-N and receive frequency bands 204-1 to 204-M. Here, the radio-frequency signals associated with different frequency bands are transmit and receive during a same time interval (i.e. at least one period of time); therefore, it is obvious that the received signal is analyzed when both or one radio frequency circuit transmits).
Regarding claims 16, combination of Mansour and Reja teaches all the features with respect to claim 11 as outlined above.
Mansour does not specifically teach
wherein the one or more processors are configured to periodically cause the duty cycling.
However, Reja teaches
wherein the one or more processors are configured to periodically cause the duty cycling (Col.3: line 57 – 59, disclosure provides a technique of generating two or more divided-frequency LO signals with different duty cycles using a single or common divider circuit: Col.5: line 18 – 20, The divider 200 generates four phases (quadrature) (0°, 180°, & 90°, 270°) 25% fixed duty-cycle divided-frequency LO signals).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified combination of Mansour and Reja as mentioned in claim 11 and further incorporate the teaching of Reja. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide a frequency divider which uses common circuitry to switch between different duty cycle outputs, these advantages allow for changing on-fly receiver functionality in a trade-off of sensitivity with linearity in a receiver (Reja, Abstract and Col.8: line 1 – 9).
Regarding claim 18, Mansour teaches (Title, Passive Intermodulation Distortion Filtering) a method of operating a mobile device (Fig.1 and [0020], computing device 102), the method comprising:
transmitting and receiving over a first frequency division duplex communication band ([0002] and [0015], base station employs frequency-division duplexing (FDD) to enable concurrent transmission and reception on different frequency bands; [0065], The transmit-receive circuit 338-1 represents a set of transmit and receive chains, which conditions signals associated with communication band 340-1. Here, the base station employs FDD; therefore, the communication device 102 (i.e. the transmit-receive circuits 338-1 to 338-T) is configured to use the FDD; therefore, the communication band 340-1 is considered as a first frequency division duplex communication band) with a first radio frequency circuit of a mobile device (Fig.3-2 and [0066], transmit-receive circuits 338-1 to 338-T are implemented as part of the radio-frequency front-end circuit 310; the transmit-receive circuits 338-1 to 338-T respectively condition the radio-frequency transmit signals 328-1 to 328-N and the radio-frequency receive signals 336-1 to 336-M; [0065], The variable T represents a positive integer that is equal to the larger one of N or M. Here, T is considered as 2; therefore, the transmit-receive circuits 338-1 is considered as a first radio frequency circuit);
transmitting and receiving over a second frequency division duplex communication band ([0065], The transmit-receive circuit 338-T includes another set of transmit and receive chains, which conditions signals associated with communication band 340-T. Here, the communication band 340-T is considered as a second frequency division duplex communication band) with a second radio frequency circuit of the mobile device (Regarding Fig.3-2 and [0066], the transmit-receive circuits 338-T is considered as a second radio frequency circuit);
causing the first radio frequency circuit to transmit (Fig.3-2 and [0066], the transmit-receive circuits 338-1 conditions intermediate-frequency or baseband versions of the radio-frequency transmit signal 328-1) according to a duty cycle ([0051], the wireless transceiver 116 and the antenna 118 concurrently transmit and receive radio-frequency signals associated with different frequency bands (e.g., transmit and receive radio-frequency signals during a same time interval). Here, transmission is carried in a time interval; i.e. the transmission is on in the time interval; therefore, it is obvious to consider that the first radio frequency circuit transmits according to a duty cycle);
with one or more processors (Fig.1, processor 108), analyzing a signal received by the first radio frequency circuit (Fig.3-2 and [0066], the transmit-receive circuits 338-1 conditions intermediate-frequency or baseband versions of the radio-frequency receive signal 336-1) or by the second radio frequency circuit (Fig.3-2 and [0066], the transmit-receive circuits 338-T conditions intermediate-frequency or baseband versions of the radio-frequency receive signals 336-M); and
based on the analysis, calculating, with the one or more processors, intermodulation distortion between the first radio frequency circuit and the second radio frequency circuit (Fig.2, 3-1 and [0036], the wireless transceiver 116 concurrently transmits within the transmit frequency bands 202-1 and 202-2 and receives within the receive frequency band 204; the transmit frequency bands 202-1 and 202-2 are considered aggressor bands that generate the passive intermodulation distortion 132, and the receive frequency band 204 is considered a victim frequency band that is impacted by the passive intermodulation distortion 132. Here, the passive intermodulation distortion (PIMD) 132 is generated/ determined/ calculated based on evaluation/ analysis of the receive frequency band 204 (as it is a victim frequency band). Since, the transmit frequency bands 202-1 and 202-2 are considered aggressor bands that generate the PIMD 132; therefore, the intermodulation distortion is between the first radio frequency circuit and the second radio frequency circuit).
Mansour does not specifically teach
a signal received during the duty cycling.
However, Reja teaches a method of operating a mobile device (Col.2: line 42, a mobile device comprising the transceiver; Fig.5 and Col.6: line 4 – 5, a transceiver 500 incorporating a frequency divider 502), the method comprising:
transmit according to a duty cycle (Fig.5 and Col.6: line 9 – 12, a frequency divider 502, namely a Tx/Rx divider, being able to provide both receive (Rx) and transmit (Tx) outputs, at 25% duty cycle and 50% duty cycles respectively. Col.8: line 1 – 2, generating 50% duty-cycle LO signal for a transmitter. Here, transmission is carried according to 50% duty cycle);
a signal received during the duty cycling (Col.8: line 2 – 3, generating 25% or 50% LO signal for a receiver. Here, reception of signal is carried according to 25% or 50% duty cycle. Considering 50% duty cycle, a signal is received during the duty cycling of 50%); and
based on the analysis, calculating, intermodulation distortion (Col.1: line 54 – 56, A receiver uses 50% duty-cycle LO signals to reduce intermodulation distortion and so to increase receiver (Rx) linearity. Here, the receiver receives signal at 25% or 50% duty cycle; but the intermodulation distortion is reduced using the 50% duty-cycle; therefore, calculation of the intermodulation distortion is carried based on an analysis of received signal duty cycle).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Mansour as mentioned above and further incorporate the teaching of Reja. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide a frequency divider which uses common circuitry to switch between different duty cycle outputs, these advantages allow for changing on-fly receiver functionality in a trade-off of sensitivity with linearity in a receiver (Reja, Abstract and Col.8: line 1 – 9).
Claims 2 – 3, 12 – 13 and 19 – 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mansour in view of Reja and further in view of Perraud et al. (Perraud hereinafter referred to Perraud) (US 2009/0097601 A1).
Regarding claims 2, 12 and 19, combination of Mansour and Reja teaches all the features with respect to claims 1, 11 and 18, respectively as outlined above.
Mansour does not specifically teach
calculate the intermodulation by determining a transfer function corresponding to the intermodulation distortion (/ calculate a transfer function corresponding to the intermodulation distortion).
However Perraud teaches (Title, MULTI-DYNAMIC MULTI-ENVELOPE RECEIVER)
calculate the intermodulation by determining a transfer function corresponding to the intermodulation distortion ([0006], invention relates to a system and a method for performing post distortion processing in the receiver, using an efficient digitization of signals leading to the decoding of the desired portion of the signal while suppressing the inter-modulation products generated by blocker signals; [0007], calculation of the inter-modulation product is performed using high-resolution signal-processing, i.e., the non-linear transfer function from the blockers to the inter-modulation product within the desired frequency channel must be known with high resolution. Here, the inter-modulation product is the intermodulation distortion; therefore, the intermodulation is calculated by determining a transfer function corresponding to the intermodulation distortion) (/ calculate a transfer function corresponding to the intermodulation distortion) ([0027], By eliminating inter-modulation products, the resulting signal is the desired channel. The process for eliminating the inter-modulation products is performed by first calibrating a linear transfer function from Path B to Path A, and then by calibrating the non-linear frequency transfer function of the Path A. Therefore, a transfer function is required to calculate corresponding to the intermodulation distortion).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified combination of Mansour and Reja as mentioned in claims 1, 11 and 18 and further incorporate the teaching of Perraud. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide a system and a method for performing post distortion processing in a receiver, using an efficient digitization of signals leading to decoding of desired portion of the signal while suppressing the inter-modulation products generated by blocker signals, that improves linearity of the demodulator, a process that also improves the probability the signal to be decoded correctly (Perraud, [0006] and [0012]).
Regarding claims 3, 13 and 20, combination of Mansour and Reja teaches all the features with respect to claims 1, 11 and 18, respectively as outlined above.
Mansour does not specifically teach
remove or reduce intermodulation from a received signal based on the calculated intermodulation distortion.
However Perraud teaches (Title, MULTI-DYNAMIC MULTI-ENVELOPE RECEIVER)
remove or reduce intermodulation from a received signal based on the calculated intermodulation distortion ([0012], desired channel is extracted from a first portion of a signal by removing any inter-modulation products based on the blockers derived from the second portion of the signal; [0027], By eliminating inter-modulation products, the resulting signal is the desired channel. [0025], When canceling for third order inter-modulation, pairs of blockers are used to calculate their inter-modulation product falling in the desired band. Once these inter-modulation products are calculated, they are removed from the inter-modulation product of a first converted signal).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified combination of Mansour and Reja as mentioned in claims 1, 11 and 18 and further incorporate the teaching of Perraud. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide a system and a method for performing post distortion processing in a receiver, using an efficient digitization of signals leading to decoding of desired portion of the signal while suppressing the inter-modulation products generated by blocker signals, that improves linearity of the demodulator, a process that also improves the probability the signal to be decoded correctly (Perraud, [0006] and [0012]).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mansour in view of Reja and further in view of ZHANG (CN 107135012 A, Eng. translation is attached).
Regarding claim 5, combination of Mansour and Reja teaches all the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
Mansour further teaches
wherein the first radio frequency circuit (Fig.3-2 and [0067], the transmit-receive circuit 338-1 is coupled to the amplifiers 316-1 and 324-1) and the second radio frequency circuit (Fig.3-2 and [0067], the transmit-receive circuit 338-T is coupled to the amplifiers 316-N and 324-M) each include a transmit amplifier (Fig.3-1 and [0053], The dedicated transmit paths 312-1 to 312-N include respective amplifiers 316-1 to 316-N), a receive amplifier (Fig.3-1 and [0053], The dedicated receive paths 320-1 to 320-M include respective amplifiers 324-1 to 324-N. Here, the first radio frequency circuit 338-1 includes a transmit amplifier 316-1, a receive amplifier 324-1 and second radio frequency circuit 338-T includes a transmit amplifier 316-N, a receive amplifier 324-M).
Mansour does not specifically teach
wherein the first radio frequency circuit and the second radio frequency circuit each include a duplexer.
However ZHANG teaches (Title, A Carrier Aggregation Radio Frequency Circuit And Mobile Terminal)
wherein the first radio frequency circuit (Fig.3, first circuit board 41) and the second radio frequency circuit (Fig.3, second circuit board 42) each include amplifier and a duplexer (Fig.3 and Pg.6: 2nd para, first power amplifier 221 and the first duplexer 212 is provided on the first circuit board 41; the second power amplifier 221 and the second duplexer 222 is set on the second circuit board).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified combination of Mansour and Reja as mentioned in claim 1 and further incorporate the teaching of ZHANG. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide a radio frequency circuit and mobile terminal carrier aggregation to improve the radio frequency circuit of signal quality (ZHANG, Abstract).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 15 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior arts made of record and not relied upon are considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kim et al. (Pub. No. US 2007/0190959 A1) – “Apparatus And Method For Frequency Conversion With Minimized Intermodulation Distortion” discloses a frequency conversion unit including a local oscillator, a phase compensator, and a mixer. The local oscillator generates differential original oscillating signals. The phase compensator generates differential compensated oscillating signals mixed with differential received signals by the mixer to generate differential baseband signals. The respective duty cycles of the compensated oscillating signals are adjusted for minimizing intermodulation distortion in the baseband signals.
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/ROWNAK ISLAM/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2474