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
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, 4, 8, 11-14, 17 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over [Garrett et al (Fig. 1B); 12,160,208] in view of [Li et al (Fig. 1); 9,037,102].
Regarding claims 1 and 14, Garrett et al discloses an amplifier circuit comprising at least one capacitor (C1-C3) included in a switched capacitor circuit (34) which is configured to generate a plurality of discrete voltages (V1-V3) based on an input voltage (VIN), an IC chip (Fig. 1B) including at least one switch (S0-S3) included in the switched capacitor circuit (34), and at least one switch (Sm1-Sm3) included in a supply modulator (36) which is configured to selectively output at least one (V1 or V2 or V3) of the plurality of discrete voltages (V1-V3) to a power amplifier (40) and wherein the at least one capacitor (C1-C3) is stacked on the IC chip (Fig. 1B). As described above, Garrett et al discloses all the limitations in claim 1 except for that a board and wherein the IC chip disposed on the board. Li et al discloses an integrated circuit (Fig. 1) being disposed on the board (100). The board construction is well-known means for mounting and connecting electronic devices to form an Integrated Circuit (IC). Therefore, it would have been obvious to have integrated the IC chip of Garrett et al on the board, such as taught by Li et al because such a modification would have considered a mere application of well-known conventional board construction.
Regarding claims 4 and 17, wherein the at least one capacitor (C1-C3) includes at least one flying capacitor which overlaps the IC chip (Fig. 1B) in a plan view in a thickness direction of the board.
Regarding claims 8 and 19, wherein the at least one capacitor (C1-C3) includes at least one smoothing capacitor that overlaps the IC chip (Fig. 1B) in a plan view in a thickness direction of the board.
Regarding claim 11, wherein the power amplifier (40) connected to the tracker module (34, 36).
Regarding claim 12, wherein a signal processing circuit (34, 36, 38) connected to the RF system (32).
Regarding claim 13, Garrett et al discloses an amplifier circuit comprising at least one capacitor (C1-C3) included in a switched capacitor circuit (34) which is configured to generate a plurality of discrete voltages (V1-V3) based on an input voltage (VIN), an IC chip (30) located between the at least one capacitor (C1-C3) and the board (100) and the IC chip (30) including at least one switch (S1-S3) included in the switched capacitor circuit (34) and at least one switch (Sm1-Sm3) included in a supply modulator (36) which is configured to selectively output at least one (V1 or V2 or V3) of the plurality of discrete voltages (V1-V3) to a power amplifier (40). As described above, Garrett et al discloses all the limitations in claim 1 except for that a board and wherein the IC chip disposed on the board. Li et al discloses an integrated circuit (Fig. 1) being disposed on the board (100). The board construction is well-known means for mounting and connecting electronic devices to form an Integrated Circuit (IC). Therefore, it would have been obvious to have integrated the IC chip of Garrett et al on the board, such as taught by Li et al because such a modification would have considered a mere application of well-known conventional board construction.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 3, 5-7, 9, 10, 15, 16, 18 and 20 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
9,948,240 teaches an amplifier circuit with a switched capacitor circuit.
2015/0155895 also teaches an amplifier circuit with a switched capacitor circuit.
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/HENRY CHOE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2843
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