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
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung (US 2021/0013919) in view of Rofougaran (US 2008/0081567) in view of Zander et al. (US 2023/0063345) in view of Caimi et al. (US 2007/0222697), and further in view in view of Qin et al. (US 2020/0099491).
Regarding claim 1, Chung teaches a wireless communication apparatus, comprising: an antenna group comprising a first antenna, a second antenna, a third antenna, a fourth antenna, and a fifth antenna; a radio frequency front-end circuit comprising a combiner, wherein the combiner is coupled to the first antenna (Paragraphs 0018-0019; claims 2 and 3, ……. four pairs of antennas are a first antenna A1 and a second antenna A2, a third antenna A3 and a fourth antenna A4, a fifth antenna B1 and a sixth antenna B2, and a seventh antenna B3 and an eighth antenna B4 respectively. The first antenna A1, the second antenna A2, the third antenna A3, and the fourth antenna A4 are connected on a first connection position where a first radio frequency (RF) signal combiner 4 is arranged, and an end of the first RF signal combiner 4 is coupled with a first output end 10. The fifth antenna B1, the sixth antenna B2, the seventh antenna B3, and the eighth antenna B4 are connected on a second connection position where a second radio frequency (RF) signal combiner 5 is arranged, and an end of the second RF signal combiner 5 is coupled with a second output end 30 which is coupled with a predetermined audio receiver), but does not specifically teach a radio frequency front-end circuit comprising a combiner and a first switch, wherein the first switch is coupled between the combiner and each of the first antenna and the second antenna, such that the combiner is coupled to the first antenna and the second antenna through the first switch; and a processing circuit, coupled to the combiner and the antenna group, and configured to: transmit a first signal from the third antenna, the fourth antenna, and the fifth antenna in turn; and send the first signal and a second signal to the combiner, and transmit the first signal and the second signal from the first antenna by using the combiner, wherein the first signal is a sounding reference signal of a first network, and the second signal is a signal of a second network.
However, in related art, Rofougaran teaches a radio frequency front-end circuit comprising a combiner (Fig. 1C, combiner 134 and 136) and a first switch 135 or 137, wherein the first switch 135 or 137 is coupled between the combiner 134 and 136 and each of the first antenna 138 or 140 and the second antenna 139 or 141, such that the combiner 134 and 136 is coupled to the first antenna 138 or 140 and the second antenna 139 or 141 through the first switch 135 or 137 (Paragraph 0059…….Referring to FIG. 1C, the RF system 170 may comprise a dedicated physical channel (DPCH) block 126, a plurality of mixers 128, 130 and 132, a plurality of combiners 134 and 136, a first antenna switch (SW1) 135, a second antenna switch (SW2) 137, a first group of transmit antennas 138 and 140, a second group of antenna 139 and 141). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was made to use (pre-AIA ) or before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to use Rofougaran’s teaching about a radio frequency front-end circuit comprising a combiner and a first switch, wherein the first switch is coupled between the combiner and each of the first antenna and the second antenna, such that the combiner is coupled to the first antenna and the second antenna through the first switch with Chung’s invention in order to transmit communication signals from the plurality of antennas.
The combination of Chung and Rofougaran fail to teach a processing circuit, coupled to the combiner and the antenna group, and configured to: transmit a first signal from the third antenna, the fourth antenna, and the fifth antenna in turn; and send the first signal and a second signal to the combiner, and transmit the first signal and the second signal from the first antenna by using the combiner, wherein the first signal is a sounding reference signal of a first network, and the second signal is a signal of a second network.
However, in related art, Zander teaches a processing circuit, coupled to the combiner and the antenna group, and configured to: transmit a first signal from the third antenna, the fourth antenna, and the fifth antenna in turn (Paragraph 0024…. the plurality of antenna elements is also known as antenna array. This means that from each antenna element a raw pilot signal is transmitted. The raw pilot signals may be transmitted from the antenna elements sequentially one after the other, i.e. first, a raw pilot signal is transmitted from a first antenna element while the remaining antenna elements of the plurality of antenna elements are silent, and then a raw pilot signal is transmitted from a second antenna element while the remaining antenna elements of the plurality of antenna elements are silent, and then a raw pilot signal is transmitted from a third antenna element while the remaining antenna elements of the plurality of antenna elements are silent, and so on. This is continued until a raw pilot signal is sent from the last antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements while the remaining antenna elements of the plurality of antenna elements are silent. The raw pilot signals may be transmitted simultaneously from the antenna elements, i.e. a raw pilot signal is transmitted from a first antenna element simultaneously with a transmission of a raw pilot signal from a second antenna element simultaneously with a transmission of a raw pilot signal from a third antenna element and so on. The raw pilot signals may also be transmitted partially simultaneously and partially sequentially). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was made to use (pre-AIA ) or before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to use Zander’s teaching about a processing circuit, coupled to the combiner and the antenna group, and configured to: transmit a first signal from the third antenna, the fourth antenna, and the fifth antenna in turn with Chung’s and Rofougaran’s invention for communicating signals between the terminal device and the network node.
The combination of Chung, Rofougaran, and Zander fail to teach send the first signal and a second signal to the combiner, and transmit the first signal and the second signal from the first antenna by using the combiner, wherein the first signal is a sounding reference signal of a first network, and the second signal is a signal of a second network.
However, in related art, Caimi teaches send the first signal and a second signal to the combiner, and transmit the first signal and the second signal from the first antenna by using the combiner (Claim 36……. a first antenna having a resonant frequency in a first frequency band; a second antenna having a resonant frequency in a second frequency band, the first and the second antennas presenting an antenna impedance less than about 50 ohms at a respective resonant frequency; a signal combiner connected to the first and the second antennas; a first and a second power amplifier respectively supplying a first and a second signal for transmitting; and a first switching element for switchably supplying the first or the second signal for transmitting to the signal combiner, the signal combiner supplying the first or the second signal for transmitting to the first antenna or to the second antenna responsive to the frequency of the first and the second signal for transmitting). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was made to use (pre-AIA ) or before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to use Caimi’s teaching about send the first signal and a second signal to the combiner, and transmit the first signal and the second signal from the first antenna by using the combiner with Chung’s, Rofougaran’s, and Zander’s invention in order to obtain a desired beam forming to the final signal transmitted from the antenna device.
The combination of Chung, Rofougaran, Zander, and Caimi fail to teach wherein the first signal is a sounding reference signal of a first network, and the second signal is a signal of a second network.
However, in related art, Qin teaches wherein the first signal is a sounding reference signal of a first network, and the second signal is a signal of a second network (Claims 1, 6, 11, and 16). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was made to use (pre-AIA ) or before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to use Qin’s teaching about wherein the first signal is a sounding reference signal of a first network, and the second signal is a signal of a second network with Chung’s, Rofougaran’s, Zander’s, and Caimi’s invention so that the base station performs an operation such as uplink channel quality estimation based on the received SRS (See Qin, paragraph 0003).
Claims 6 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zander et al. (US 2023/0063345) in view of Caimi et al. (US 2007/0222697) in view of Rofougaran (US 2008/0081567), and further in view of Qin et al. (US 2020/0099491).
Regarding claim 6, Zander teaches a signal transmission method, comprising: transmitting, by a processing circuit of a wireless communication apparatus, a first signal from a third antenna, a fourth antenna, and a fifth antenna in turn (Paragraph 0024…. the plurality of antenna elements is also known as antenna array. This means that from each antenna element a raw pilot signal is transmitted. The raw pilot signals may be transmitted from the antenna elements sequentially one after the other, i.e. first, a raw pilot signal is transmitted from a first antenna element while the remaining antenna elements of the plurality of antenna elements are silent, and then a raw pilot signal is transmitted from a second antenna element while the remaining antenna elements of the plurality of antenna elements are silent, and then a raw pilot signal is transmitted from a third antenna element while the remaining antenna elements of the plurality of antenna elements are silent, and so on. This is continued until a raw pilot signal is sent from the last antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements while the remaining antenna elements of the plurality of antenna elements are silent. The raw pilot signals may be transmitted simultaneously from the antenna elements, i.e. a raw pilot signal is transmitted from a first antenna element simultaneously with a transmission of a raw pilot signal from a second antenna element simultaneously with a transmission of a raw pilot signal from a third antenna element and so on. The raw pilot signals may also be transmitted partially simultaneously and partially sequentially), but does not specifically teach sending the first signal and a second signal to a combiner, and transmitting the first signal and the second signal from a first antenna by using the combiner and a switch, wherein the first switch is coupled between the combiner and each of the first antenna and the second antenna, such that the combiner is coupled to the first antenna and the second antenna through the first switch, the first signal is a sounding reference signal of a first network, and the second signal is a signal of a second network.
However, in related art, Caimi teaches sending the first signal and a second signal to a combiner, and transmitting the first signal and the second signal from a first antenna by using the combiner (Claim 36……. a first antenna having a resonant frequency in a first frequency band; a second antenna having a resonant frequency in a second frequency band, the first and the second antennas presenting an antenna impedance less than about 50 ohms at a respective resonant frequency; a signal combiner connected to the first and the second antennas; a first and a second power amplifier respectively supplying a first and a second signal for transmitting; and a first switching element for switchably supplying the first or the second signal for transmitting to the signal combiner, the signal combiner supplying the first or the second signal for transmitting to the first antenna or to the second antenna responsive to the frequency of the first and the second signal for transmitting). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was made to use (pre-AIA ) or before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to use Caimi’s teaching about sending the first signal and a second signal to a combiner, and transmitting the first signal and the second signal from a first antenna by using the combiner with Zander’s invention in order to obtain a desired beam forming to the final signal transmitted from the antenna device.
The combination of Zander, and Caimi fail to teach wherein the first switch is coupled between the combiner and each of the first antenna and the second antenna, such that the combiner is coupled to the first antenna and the second antenna through the first switch, the first signal is a sounding reference signal of a first network, and the second signal is a signal of a second network.
However, in related art, Rofougaran teaches wherein the first switch (Fig. 1C, switch 135 or 137) is coupled between the combiner 134 and 136 and each of the first antenna 138 or 140 and the second antenna 139 or 141, such that the combiner 134 and 136 is coupled to the first antenna 138 or 140 and the second antenna 139 or 141 through the first switch 135 or 137 (Paragraph 0059…….Referring to FIG. 1C, the RF system 170 may comprise a dedicated physical channel (DPCH) block 126, a plurality of mixers 128, 130 and 132, a plurality of combiners 134 and 136, a first antenna switch (SW1) 135, a second antenna switch (SW2) 137, a first group of transmit antennas 138 and 140, a second group of antenna 139 and 141). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was made to use (pre-AIA ) or before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to use Rofougaran’s teaching about wherein the first switch is coupled between the combiner and each of the first antenna and the second antenna, such that the combiner is coupled to the first antenna and the second antenna through the first switch with Zander’s and Caimi’s invention in order to transmit communication signals from the plurality of antennas.
The combination of Zander, Caimi, and Rofougaran fail to teach the first signal is a sounding reference signal of a first network, and the second signal is a signal of a second network.
However, in related art, Qin teaches wherein the first signal is a sounding reference signal of a first network, and the second signal is a signal of a second network (Claims 1, 6, 11, and 16). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was made to use (pre-AIA ) or before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to use Qin’s teaching about wherein the first signal is a sounding reference signal of a first network, and the second signal is a signal of a second network with Zander’s, Caimi’s, and Rofougaran’s invention so that the base station performs an operation such as uplink channel quality estimation based on the received SRS (See Qin, paragraph 0003).
Regarding claim 15, Zander teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program to be executed on a computer or a processor, the computer program comprising instructions to transmit, by a processing circuit of a wireless communication apparatus, a first signal from a third antenna, a fourth antenna, and a fifth antenna in turn (Paragraph 0024…. the plurality of antenna elements is also known as antenna array. This means that from each antenna element a raw pilot signal is transmitted. The raw pilot signals may be transmitted from the antenna elements sequentially one after the other, i.e. first, a raw pilot signal is transmitted from a first antenna element while the remaining antenna elements of the plurality of antenna elements are silent, and then a raw pilot signal is transmitted from a second antenna element while the remaining antenna elements of the plurality of antenna elements are silent, and then a raw pilot signal is transmitted from a third antenna element while the remaining antenna elements of the plurality of antenna elements are silent, and so on. This is continued until a raw pilot signal is sent from the last antenna element of the plurality of antenna elements while the remaining antenna elements of the plurality of antenna elements are silent. The raw pilot signals may be transmitted simultaneously from the antenna elements, i.e. a raw pilot signal is transmitted from a first antenna element simultaneously with a transmission of a raw pilot signal from a second antenna element simultaneously with a transmission of a raw pilot signal from a third antenna element and so on. The raw pilot signals may also be transmitted partially simultaneously and partially sequentially), but does not specifically teach send the first signal and a second signal to a combiner, and transmit the first signal and the second signal from a first antenna by using the combiner and a switch, wherein the wireless communication apparatus comprises a radio frequency front-end circuit that comprises the combiner and the first switch, the first switch is coupled between the combiner and the first antenna, such that the combiner is coupled to the first antenna through the first switch, the first signal is a sounding reference signal of a first network, and the second signal is a signal of a second network.
However, in related art, Caimi teaches send the first signal and a second signal to a combiner, and transmit the first signal and the second signal from a first antenna by using the combiner (Claim 36……. a first antenna having a resonant frequency in a first frequency band; a second antenna having a resonant frequency in a second frequency band, the first and the second antennas presenting an antenna impedance less than about 50 ohms at a respective resonant frequency; a signal combiner connected to the first and the second antennas; a first and a second power amplifier respectively supplying a first and a second signal for transmitting; and a first switching element for switchably supplying the first or the second signal for transmitting to the signal combiner, the signal combiner supplying the first or the second signal for transmitting to the first antenna or to the second antenna responsive to the frequency of the first and the second signal for transmitting). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was made to use (pre-AIA ) or before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to use Caimi’s teaching about send the first signal and a second signal to a combiner, and transmitting the first signal and the second signal from a first antenna by using the combiner with Zander’s invention in order to obtain a desired beam forming to the final signal transmitted from the antenna device.
The combination of Zander, and Caimi fail to teach wherein the wireless communication apparatus comprises a radio frequency front-end circuit that comprises the combiner and the first switch, the first switch is coupled between the combiner and the first antenna, such that the combiner is coupled to the first antenna through the first switch, the first signal is a sounding reference signal of a first network, and the second signal is a signal of a second network.
However, in related art, Rofougaran teaches wherein the wireless communication apparatus comprises a radio frequency front-end circuit that comprises the combiner (Fig. 1C, combiner 134 and 136) and the first switch 135 or 137, the first switch 135 or 137 is coupled between the combiner 134 and 136 and the first antenna 138 or 140, such that the combiner 134 and 136 is coupled to the first antenna through the first switch 135 or 137 (Paragraph 0059…….Referring to FIG. 1C, the RF system 170 may comprise a dedicated physical channel (DPCH) block 126, a plurality of mixers 128, 130 and 132, a plurality of combiners 134 and 136, a first antenna switch (SW1) 135, a second antenna switch (SW2) 137, a first group of transmit antennas 138 and 140, a second group of antenna 139 and 141). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was made to use (pre-AIA ) or before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to use Rofougaran’s teaching about wherein the wireless communication apparatus comprises a radio frequency front-end circuit that comprises the combiner and the first switch, the first switch is coupled between the combiner and the first antenna, such that the combiner is coupled to the first antenna through the first switch with Zander’s and Caimi’s invention in order to transmit communication signals from the plurality of antennas.
The combination of Zander, Caimi, and Rofougaran fail to teach the first signal is a sounding reference signal of a first network, and the second signal is a signal of a second network.
However, in related art, Qin teaches the first signal is a sounding reference signal of a first network, and the second signal is a signal of a second network (Claims 1, 6, 11, and 16). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the invention was made to use (pre-AIA ) or before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to use Qin’s teaching about wherein the first signal is a sounding reference signal of a first network, and the second signal is a signal of a second network with Zander’s, Caimi’s, and Rofougaran’s invention so that the base station performs an operation such as uplink channel quality estimation based on the received SRS (See Qin, paragraph 0003).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-5, 7-11, and 16-19 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.
Regarding claim 2, the prior art of record fails to teach the wireless communication apparatus according to the wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the radio frequency front-end circuit further comprises a second switch, the combiner is coupled to the first switch, and the second switch is coupled to the third antenna, the fourth antenna, the fifth antenna, and the combiner; and the processing circuit is further coupled to the first switch and the second switch, and is configured to: control a status of the second switch, and transmit the first signal from the third antenna, the fourth antenna, and the fifth antenna in turn; control the status of the second switch, send the first signal to the combiner, and send the second signal to the combiner; and control a status of the first switch, and transmit the first signal and the second signal from the first antenna by sequentially using the combiner and the first switch.
Regarding claim 7, the prior art of record fails to teach the method according to claim 6, wherein the wireless communication apparatus comprises a radio frequency front-end circuit that further comprises a first switch and a second switch; wherein the transmitting comprises controlling, by the processing circuit, a status of the second switch, and transmitting the first signal from the third antenna, the fourth antenna, and the fifth antenna in turn; and wherein the sending further comprises controlling, by the processing circuit, the status of the second switch, sending the first signal to the combiner, and sending the second signal to the combiner; and controlling a status of the first switch, and transmitting the first signal and the second signal from the first antenna by sequentially using the combiner and the first switch.
Regarding claim 11, the prior art of record fails to teach the wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the radio frequency front-end circuit comprises a first switch, a second switch, a third switch, and the combiner, wherein the second switch is separately coupled to a processing circuit, a third antenna, a fourth antenna, a fifth antenna, and the combiner, and is configured to: in a first communication scenario, receive a first signal from the processing circuit, and send the first signal to the third antenna, the fourth antenna, the fifth antenna, and the combiner in turn based on control of the processing circuit; the third switch is separately coupled to the processing circuit, the combiner, and the first switch, and is configured to: in the first communication scenario, receive a second signal from the processing circuit, and send the second signal to the combiner based on control of the processing circuit; and in a second communication scenario, receive a second signal from the processing circuit, and send the second signal to the first switch based on control of the processing circuit; the combiner is separately coupled to the first switch, the second switch, and the third switch, and is configured to: in the first communication scenario, receive the second signal from the third switch, receive the first signal from the second switch, combine the first signal and the second signal, and send a combined signal obtained through combination to the first switch; and the first switch is separately coupled to the combiner, the third switch, a first antenna, and a second antenna, and is configured to: in the first communication scenario, receive the combined signal, and transmit the combined signal from the first antenna based on control of the processing circuit; and in the second communication scenario, receive the second signal, and transmit the second signal from the first antenna based on control of the processing circuit.
Regarding claim 16, the prior art of record fails to teach the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim15, wherein the radio frequency front-end circuit further comprises a second switch, wherein the instructions to transmit further comprise instructions to control, by the processing circuit, a status of the second switch, and transmit the first signal from the third antenna, the fourth antenna, and the fifth antenna in turn, and wherein the instructions to send comprise instructions to control, by the processing circuit, the status of the second switch, send the first signal to the combiner, and send the second signal to the combiner and control a status of the first switch, and transmit the first signal and the second signal from the first antenna by sequentially using the combiner and the first switch.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-11 and 15-19 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.
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.
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/DOMINIC E REGO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2648 Tel 571-272-8132
Prosecution Insights