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 § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 4, 6, 10-12, 15, 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ahmed et al. (U.S. 2015/8957734 B2).
Regarding Claim 1, Ahmed (fig. 1) discloses the claimed invention including, a power amplifier (101), comprising: a main power amplifier unit (117), an auxiliary power amplifier unit (123), an envelope acquisition unit (power/current sensing elements 153, 135, 151) and a power control unit (125); wherein an input end (109) of the main power amplifier unit (117) and an input end (131) of the auxiliary power amplifier unit (123) are connected to an electrical signal (107), and an output end of the main power amplifier unit (117) is coupled to an output end of the auxiliary power amplifier unit (123), so as to perform power amplification on the electrical signal (output node 153); and the power control unit (controller 125) comprises a first power control assembly (attenuation and phase adjustment elements (115, 113)), at least one the main power amplifier unit (117) is connected to the electrical signal through the first power control assembly (115, 113), and a control end of the first power control assembly (controller 125) is connected to the envelope acquisition unit (power/current sensing elements 153, 135, 151).
Regarding claim 4, 11 and 12, Ahmed, fig. 1, discloses adjustable attenuators in each signal path (elements 115, 119, labeled “ATTN ADJ.1” [claim 11] and “ATTN ADJ.2” [claim 12]). These attenuators are controlled by controller 125 to adjust signal amplitude. Such adjustable attenuators inherently function as voltage-variable attenuators, since attenuation is varied based on a control signal.
Therefore, Ahmed teaches that each power control assembly comprises a voltage variable attenuator, as claimed.
Regarding claim 6, Ahmed (fig. 1), discloses a power divider (105) configured to receive an input RF signal (107) and distribute the signal to multiple amplification paths (e.g., paths including elements 115/113 and 121/119). Since a power divider is a structure that splits an input signal into multiple signal paths, this corresponds to the claimed power split unit, as recited in the claim.
Regarding claim 10, Ahmed (fig. 1), discloses a power amplifier system configured to process RF input signals (107) and provide amplification through multiple signal paths, which corresponds to use within a communication arrangement, such as a base station for RF signal transmission. It is well understood in the art that such RF power amplifier systems are employed in communication base stations for transmitting radio-frequency signals. Thus, Ahmed teaches the claimed communication base station comprising the power amplifier, as recited in the claim.
Regarding claim 15, Ahmed (fig. 1), discloses a power divider (105) configured to receive an input RF input signal (107) and distribute the signal to multiple signal paths, including the first signal path associated with the first power control assembly. Since a power divider is a structure that splits an input signal into multiple signal paths, this corresponds to the claimed power split unit. Thus, the first power control assembly is connected to the electrical signal through the power split unit, as recited in the claim.
Regarding claim 16, Ahmed (fig. 1), discloses, a power divider (105) configured to receive an RF input signal (107) and distribute the signal to multiple signal paths, including the second signal path associated with the second power control assembly. Since a power divider is a structure that splits an input signal into multiple signal paths, this corresponds to the claimed power split unit. Thus, the second power control assembly is connected to the electrical signal through the power split unit, as recited in the claim.
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.
Claims 7, 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ahmed et al. (US 2015/8957734 B2) in view of Embar et al. (US 2017/9647611 B1).
Regarding claim 7, Ahmed (fig.1), discloses the power amplifier (101) and Embar (fig. 1) discloses a coupler (120); an input end of the power split unit (107) and an input end of the envelope acquisition unit (153, 135, 151) are connected to the electrical signal through the coupler.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Ahmed to include the coupler of Embar in order to provide coordinated routing of an input signal to multiple paths, thereby improving signal distribution and control.
Regarding claim 8, Ahmed (fig. 1), discloses the power amplifier (101) which is applied to a communication base station, the electrical signal is a radio-frequency signal (RFIN 107) and envelope acquisition unit (power/current sensing elements 153, 135, 151). Embar (fig. 1), discloses a conversion unit (digital interface 144) and signal processing circuitry (controller 142, micro controller 180), wherein the envelope acquisition unit of Ahmed (power/current sensing elements 153, 135, 151) is connected to an intermediate frequency signal through the conversion unit (144), and the radio-frequency signal is generated based on the intermediate frequency signal.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify Ahmed to include the conversation unit of Embar in order to convert signals between frequency domains and improve signal processing and control.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 3, 5,9, 13, 14 are 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NATASHA Y MARANO whose telephone number is (571) 272-9512. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 7:30am - 3:30pm.
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NATASHA Y. MARANO
Examiner
Art Unit 2843
/ANDREA LINDGREN BALTZELL/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2843
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