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 .
Claims 1-9 are pending.
Figure 1 of the application illustrates the claimed invention.
PNG
media_image1.png
494
779
media_image1.png
Greyscale
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Mouser et al. (US 2024/0154685 A1), referring to Provisional application No. 63/422,778, filed on Nov. 4, 2022.
Regarding claims 1, 6 and 8, Mouser et al. discloses a repeater system for transmitting or receiving a signal based on cross division duplex (XDD), comprising ([0261]: “a repeater can be a frequency division duplex (FDD)/time division duplex (TDD) integrated repeater.”):
a donor antenna (Donor Antenna 2304) configured to receive a frequency division duplex (FDD) downlink signal from a base transceiver station (BTS), transmit the FDD downlink signal to a first downlink path through a downlink of a donor duplexer, receive a time division duplex (TDD) downlink signal from the BTS, transmit the TDD downlink signal to a second downlink path through an uplink of the donor duplexer, receive a TDD uplink signal that has been output through a first uplink path through the donor duplexer, transmit the TDD uplink signal to the BTS, receive an FDD uplink signal that has been output through a second uplink path through the donor duplexer, and transmit the FDD uplink signal to the BTS;
a server antenna (e.g., s server antenna 2302) configured to transmit the FDD downlink signal that has been output through the first downlink path to a terminal, transmit the TDD downlink signal that has been output through the second downlink path to the terminal, receive the TDD uplink signal from the terminal, transmit the TDD uplink signal to the first uplink path through a downlink of a server duplexer, receive the FDD uplink signal from the terminal, and transmit the FDD uplink signal to the second uplink path through an uplink of the server duplexer (see para.[0261]-[0268], ; and
a digital signal processor configured to receive the FDD downlink signal that has been transmitted through the first downlink path, the TDD downlink signal that has been transmitted through the second downlink path, that TDD uplink signal that has been transmitted through the first uplink path, and the FDD uplink signal that has been transmitted through the second uplink path and to perform filtering suitable for a signal bandwidth on each of the FDD downlink signal, the TDD downlink signal, the TDD uplink signal and the FDD uplink signal (controller 2306 and TDD sync Detection Module 2310), see figure 23.
PNG
media_image2.png
593
877
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Regarding claims 2, 7 and 9, Mouser et al. teaches wherein input/output stages of the first downlink path, the second downlink path, the first uplink path, and the second uplink path each further comprises a path configuration unit configured to change paths of an FDD signal to a TDD signal. See figure 23.
Regarding claim 3, Mouser et al. teaches wherein the path configuration unit comprises at least one of a circulator, an RF switch, and a relay. ([0003]: “The repeater can amplify the downlink signal and then provide an amplified downlink signal to the wireless device. In other words, the repeater can act as a relay between the wireless device and the wireless communication access point.”)
Regarding claim 4, Mouser et al. teaches a TDD sync signal generator configured to generate a TDD switching signal capable of separating uplink and downlink (see TDD Sync Detection Module 2310, figure 23).
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.
Claim(s) 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mouser et al. (US 2024/0154685 A1), referring to Provisional application No. 63/422,778, filed on Nov. 4, 2022, in view of WO2007/102707 A1), hereinafter referred as D1.
Regarding claim 5, Mouser et al. fails to explicitly teach wherein the digital signal processor is configured to perform a digital pre-distortion function.
D1, in the same field of invention, teaches this feature.
D1 teaches (“controlling a linear power amplification of the forward repeater signal by using predistortion information in linkage with a predistortion signal processor; the distortion signal processor linked with the AFEC apparatus and linearly power-amplifying the forward repeater signal from the AFEC apparatus based on the predistortion information power.”)
For the above reason, it would have been obvious to those having ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine D1 with Mouser et al.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant disclosure.
Ashworth et al. (US 2022/0109493 A1) discloses a bi-directional repeater system comprises a signal booster, such as a cellular signal repeater connected to a first antenna and a second antenna. The first antenna can be a donor antenna and the second antenna can be a server antenna in an FDD repeater. Alternatively, the donor antenna and server antenna can be a TDD repeater.
PNG
media_image3.png
476
709
media_image3.png
Greyscale
LEE et al. (US 2024/0073832 A1) discloses a digital frequency division duplex (FDD) repeater in FIG. 2, but also by other types of repeaters, such as a digital TDD repeater, or a hybrid repeater with mixed analog and digital circuits.
PNG
media_image4.png
325
779
media_image4.png
Greyscale
CA 3213668 discloses dual path switchable repeater.
PNG
media_image5.png
469
810
media_image5.png
Greyscale
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRENDA H PHAM whose telephone number is (571)272-3135. The examiner can normally be reached 571-272-3135.
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, Charles Jiang can be reached at 571-270-7191. 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.
BRENDA H. PHAM
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2412
/BRENDA H PHAM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2412