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 .
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
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Claims 1-20 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-20 of copending Application No. 18/618,287 (reference application). Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because:
Instant Application 18/619,853
U.S. Patent Application 18/618,287
Claim 1.
A tracker module comprising: a module laminate; a power inductor on the module laminate; and at least one integrated circuit on the module laminate and including: at least one switch included in a pre-regulator circuit that is configured to convert an input voltage into a first voltage using the power inductor, at least one switch included in a switched-capacitor circuit that is configured to generate a plurality of discrete voltages based on the first voltage, and at least one switch included in a supply modulator that configured to selectively output at least one of the plurality of discrete voltages based on an envelope signal.
Claim 1.
A tracker module comprising: a module laminate; a plurality of external connection terminals including a first external connection terminal and a second external connection terminal; and at least one integrated circuit disposed on or in the module laminate and that includes: at least one switch included in a pre-regulator circuit that is configured to use a power inductor to convert an input voltage into a first voltage; at least one switch included in a switched-capacitor circuit that is configured to generate a plurality of discrete voltages from the first voltage; at least one switch included in a supply modulator that is configured to selectively output at least one of the plurality of discrete voltages based on a digital control signal; a first integrated circuit terminal connected to the first external connection terminal; and a second integrated circuit terminal connected to the second external connection terminal, wherein the first external connection terminal is connected to the power inductor that is disposed outside the tracker module, wherein the second external connection terminal is an input terminal for the digital control signal, and wherein a first distance between the first external connection terminal and the first integrated circuit terminal is shorter than a second distance between the second external connection terminal and the second integrated circuit terminal.
Claim 12.
A tracker module comprising: a module laminate; a power inductor on the module laminate; and at least one integrated circuit on the module laminate and including: at least one switch included in a pre-regulator circuit, at least one switch included in a switched-capacitor circuit that includes: a first capacitor including a first electrode and a second electrode, and a second capacitor including a third electrode and a fourth electrode, and at least one switch included in a supply modulator that includes an output terminal, wherein the at least one switch included in the switched-capacitor circuit includes a first switch, a second switch, a third switch, a fourth switch, a fifth switch, a sixth switch, a seventh switch, and an eighth switch, wherein: a first end of the first switch and a first end of the third switch are connected to the first electrode, a first end of the second switch and a first end of the fourth switch are connected to the second electrode, a first end of the fifth switch and a first end of the seventh switch are connected to the third electrode, a first end of the sixth switch and a first end of the eighth switch are connected to the fourth electrode, a second end of the first switch, a second end of the second switch, a second end of the fifth switch, and a second end of the sixth switch are connected to each other, a second end of the third switch is connected to a second end of the seventh switch, a second end of the fourth switch is connected to a second end of the eighth switch, wherein the at least one switch included in the supply modulator includes: a ninth switch connected between the output terminal and the second end of the first switch, the second end of the second switch, the second end of the fifth switch, and the second end of the sixth switch, and a tenth switch connected between the output terminal and the second ends of the third switch and the seventh switch, wherein the pre-regulator circuit includes the power inductor and an input terminal, and the at least one switch included in the pre-regulator circuit includes: an eleventh switch connected between the input terminal and a first end of the power inductor, and a twelfth switch connected between the first end of the power inductor and a ground, and wherein a second end of the power inductor is connected to the respective second ends of the first switch, the second switch, the fifth switch, and the sixth switch.
Claim 8.
A tracker module comprising: a module laminate; a plurality of external connection terminals including a first external connection terminal and a second external connection terminal; and at least one integrated circuit disposed on or in the module laminate and that includes: at least one switch included in a pre-regulator circuit; at least one switch included in a switched-capacitor circuit; at least one switch included in a supply modulator; a first integrated circuit terminal connected to the first external connection terminal; and a second integrated circuit terminal connected to the second external connection terminal, wherein the switched-capacitor circuit includes: a first capacitor having a first electrode and a second electrode; and a second capacitor having a third electrode and a fourth electrode, wherein: the at least one switch included in the switched-capacitor circuit includes a first switch, a second switch, a third switch, a fourth switch, a fifth switch, a sixth switch, a seventh switch, and an eighth switch, a first end of the first switch and a first end of the third switch are connected to the first electrode, a first end of the second switch and a first end of the fourth switch are connected to the second electrode, a first end of the fifth switch and a first end of the seventh switch are connected to the third electrode, a first end of the sixth switch and a first end of the eighth switch are connected to the fourth electrode, a second end of the first switch, a second end of the second switch, a second end of the fifth switch, and a second end of the sixth switch are connected to each other, a second end of the third switch is connected to a second end of the seventh switch, a second end of the fourth switch is connected to a second end of the eighth switch, wherein the supply modulator includes an output terminal, wherein the at least one switch included in the supply modulator includes: a ninth switch connected between the output terminal and each of the second ends of the first switch, the second switch, the fifth switch, and the sixth switch, and a tenth switch connected between the output terminal and each of the second end of the third switch and the second end of the seventh switch, wherein the pre-regulator circuit includes an input terminal, wherein the at least one switch included in the pre-regulator circuit includes: an eleventh switch connected between the input terminal and a first end of a power inductor; and a twelfth switch connected between the first end of the power inductor and a ground, wherein a second end of the power inductor is connected to the second ends of the first switch, the second switch, the fifth switch, and the sixth switch, wherein the first external connection terminal is connected to the power inductor that is disposed outside the tracker module, wherein the second external connection terminal is an input terminal for a digital control signal for the supply modulator, and wherein a first distance between the first external connection terminal and the first integrated circuit terminal is shorter than a second distance between the second external connection terminal and the second integrated circuit terminal.
Claim 10.
A tracker module comprising: a module laminate; a power inductor on the module laminate; and at least one integrated circuit on the module laminate and including: at least one switch included in a pre-regulator circuit that is configured to convert an input voltage into a first voltage using the power inductor, at least one switch included in a switched-capacitor circuit that is configured to generate a plurality of discrete voltages based on the first voltage, and at least one switch included in a supply modulator that includes a control terminal connected to a control circuit and that is configured to selectively output at least one of the plurality of discrete voltages.
Claim 14.
A tracker module comprising: a module substrate; a first external connection terminal and a second external connection terminal; and an integrated circuit disposed at the module substate and including: at least one switch included in a pre-regulator circuit having a power inductor and that is configured to convert an input voltage into a first voltage; at least one switch included in a switched-capacitor circuit that is configured to generate a plurality of discrete voltages from the first voltage; at least one switch included in a supply modulator that is configured to selectively output at least one of the plurality of discrete voltages based on a digital control signal; a first integrated circuit terminal connected to the first external connection terminal, which is connected to the power inductor; and a second integrated circuit terminal connected to the second external connection terminal that is configured an input terminal for receiving the digital control signal, wherein a first distance between the first external connection terminal and the first integrated circuit terminal is shorter than a second distance between the second external connection terminal and the second integrated circuit terminal.
This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection because the patentably indistinct claims have not in fact been patented.
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 1-4 & 10-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Perreault et al. (US 9,755,672 B2), hereinafter Perreault.
Regarding claim 1, Perreault discloses, in figures 1, 2B, 3B, & 13C, a tracker module comprising:
a power inductor on the module laminate (inductor 322); and
at least one integrated circuit on the module laminate (integrated power supply and modulator system 10) and including:
at least one switch included in a pre-regulator circuit (12) that is configured to convert an input voltage into a first voltage using the power inductor (Col. 16, Lines 11-14, “connections of the input side of inductor 322 can be used to provide buck (and/or buck-boost) functionality”…switches SA, SB, and inductor 322 convert input voltage VIN into a first voltage),
at least one switch included in a switched-capacitor circuit that is configured to generate a plurality of discrete voltages based on the first voltage (Col. 7, Lines 38-41, “SC voltage balancer 14 may alternatively, or in addition, act as a multi-output switched capacitor converter, maintaining a ratiometric set of voltages between individual capacitor terminals and a reference potential”…see figure 2B), and
at least one switch included in a supply modulator that configured to selectively output at least one of the plurality of discrete voltages (output switching stage 16 of the modulator system 10 selectively outputs at least one of the plurality of discrete voltages from the switched capacitor stage based on the desired envelope in the output, see figure 3A) based on an envelope signal (Col. 11, Lines 51-53, “To achieve continuous output voltage control (e.g., for envelope tracking), one can modulate among levels at a fast rate”), but does not explicitly disclose a module laminate and the power inductor on the module laminate.
However, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the power inductor on a module laminate, since all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art (disposing an integrated circuit on a substrate). (KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415‐421, 82 USPQ2d 1385).
Regarding claim 2, Perreault discloses the tracker module according to claim 1, but does not explicitly disclose wherein the power inductor is disposed adjacent to the at least one integrated circuit on the module laminate.
However, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the elements disposed adjacent on a module laminate, since all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art (disposing connected elements adjacent to each other on a substrate). (KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415‐421, 82 USPQ2d 1385).
Regarding claim 3, Perreault discloses the tracker module according to claim 1, and continues to disclose, in figures 1, 2B, 3B, & 13C, wherein the at least one integrated circuit includes:
a first switch portion including the at least one switch included in the pre-regulator circuit (switch SA and SB),
a second switch portion including the at least one switch included in the switched-capacitor circuit (switches S1A to S4B of FIG. 2B), and
a third switch portion including the at least one switch included in the supply modulator (output switching stage including switches S1, S2, S3, S4),
wherein the first switch portion is disposed closer to the power inductor than both the second switch portion and the third switch portion (first switch portion comprising switches SA, SB are disposed closer to the power inductor 322 than both second and third switch portions).
Regarding claim 4, Perreault discloses the tracker module according to claim 1, and continues to disclose, in figures 1, 2B, 3B, 7, & 13C, an inductor included in a filter circuit and disposed on the module laminate (either of the two inductors of the Filter Stage, see figure 7); and
a circuit component disposed on the module laminate (any of the additional components of the Filter Stage or a capacitor of the switched-capacitor stage),
wherein the supply modulator is further configured to selectively output the at least one discrete voltage through the filter circuit (output switching stage selectively outputs Vmod through the Filter Stage), and
wherein the circuit component is disposed between the power inductor and the inductor of the filter circuit in a plan view of the module laminate (second inductor of the Filter Stage is disposed after the power inductor, which is disposed before the circuit component defined in the switched capacitor stage or the first elements of the Filter Stage).
Regarding claim 10, Perreault discloses, in figures 1, 2B, 3B, 11, & 13C, a tracker module comprising:
a power inductor on the module laminate (inductor 322); and
at least one integrated circuit on the module laminate (integrated power supply and modulator system 10) and including:
at least one switch included in a pre-regulator circuit (12) that is configured to convert an input voltage into a first voltage using the power inductor (Col. 16, Lines 11-14, “connections of the input side of inductor 322 can be used to provide buck (and/or buck-boost) functionality”…switches SA, SB, and inductor 322 convert input voltage VIN into a first voltage),
at least one switch included in a switched-capacitor circuit that is configured to generate a plurality of discrete voltages based on the first voltage (Col. 7, Lines 38-41, “SC voltage balancer 14 may alternatively, or in addition, act as a multi-output switched capacitor converter, maintaining a ratiometric set of voltages between individual capacitor terminals and a reference potential”…see figure 2B), and
at least one switch included in a supply modulator that includes a control terminal connected to a control circuit (control circuit of figure 11 to output switching stage) and that is configured to selectively output at least one of the plurality of discrete voltages (output switching stage 16 of the modulator system 10 selectively outputs at least one of the plurality of discrete voltages from the switched capacitor stage based on the desired envelope in the output, see figure 3A…Col. 11, Lines 51-53, “To achieve continuous output voltage control (e.g., for envelope tracking), one can modulate among levels at a fast rate”), but does not explicitly disclose a module laminate and the power inductor on the module laminate.
However, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the power inductor on a module laminate, since all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art (disposing an integrated circuit on a substrate). (KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415‐421, 82 USPQ2d 1385).
Regarding claim 11, Perreault discloses the tracker module according to claim 10, and continues to disclose, in figures 1, 2A, 3B, 7, & 13C, an inductor included in a filter circuit and disposed on the module laminate (either of the two inductors of the Filter Stage, see figure 7); and
a circuit component disposed on the module laminate (any of the additional components of the Filter Stage or a capacitor of the switched-capacitor stage),
wherein the supply modulator is further configured to selectively output the at least one discrete voltage through the filter circuit (output switching stage selectively outputs Vmod through the Filter Stage), and
wherein the circuit component is disposed between the power inductor and the inductor of the filter circuit in a plan view of the module laminate (second inductor of the Filter Stage is disposed after the power inductor, which is disposed before the circuit component defined in the switched capacitor stage or the first elements of the Filter Stage).
Regarding claim 12, Perreault discloses, in figures 1, 2B, 3B, & 13C, a tracker module comprising:
a power inductor on the module laminate (inductor 322); and
at least one integrated circuit on the module laminate (integrated power supply and modulator system 10) and including:
at least one switch included in a pre-regulator circuit (SA, SB of FIG. 13C),
at least one switch included in a switched-capacitor circuit (see figure 2B) that includes:
a first capacitor including a first electrode and a second electrode (first capacitor C1), and
a second capacitor including a third electrode and a fourth electrode (second capacitor C2), and
at least one switch included in a supply modulator that includes an output terminal (any of switch S1-S4 supplying V.sub.mod…see FIG. 3B),
wherein the at least one switch included in the switched-capacitor circuit includes a first switch (switch S1A), a second switch (S1B), a third switch (S2A), a fourth switch (S2B), a fifth switch (S3A), a sixth switch (S3B), a seventh switch (S4A), and an eighth switch (S4B),
wherein:
a first end of the first switch and a first end of the third switch are connected to the first electrode (first end of S1A and first end of S2A are connected to a first electrode of capacitor C1),
a first end of the second switch and a first end of the fourth switch are connected to the second electrode (first end of S1B and S2B are connected to opposite end of capacitor C1),
a first end of the fifth switch and a first end of the seventh switch are connected to the third electrode (first end of S3A and S4A are connected to a first end of capacitor C2),
a first end of the sixth switch and a first end of the eighth switch are connected to the fourth electrode (first end of S3B and S4B are connected to an opposite end of capacitor C2),
a second end of the first switch, a second end of the second switch, a second end of the fifth switch, and a second end of the sixth switch are connected to each other (each switch of the switched capacitor network of FIG. 2B is connected to each other via a path formed through other switches or through the capacitors),
a second end of the third switch is connected to a second end of the seventh switch (second end of S2A is connected to a second end of S4A),
a second end of the fourth switch is connected to a second end of the eighth switch (second end of S2B is connected to a second end of S4B),
wherein the at least one switch included in the supply modulator (see FIG. 3B) includes:
a ninth switch connected between the output terminal and the second end of the first switch, the second end of the second switch, the second end of the fifth switch, and the second end of the sixth switch (switch S1 connected between V.sub.mod and the second end of S1A, S1B, S3A, and S3B via the voltage outputs from the switched capacitor circuit, V1), and
a tenth switch connected between the output terminal and the second ends of the third switch and the seventh switch (switch S2 connected between V.sub.mod and the second end of S2A and S4A via the voltage output from the switched capacitor circuit, V2),
wherein the pre-regulator circuit includes the power inductor and an input terminal (inductor 322 and input V.sub.IN), and the at least one switch (SA, SB) included in the pre-regulator circuit includes:
an eleventh switch connected between the input terminal and a first end of the power inductor (switch SA connected between V.sub.IN and first end of inductor 322), and
a twelfth switch connected between the first end of the power inductor and a ground (switch SB connected between first end of inductor 322 and ground), and
wherein a second end of the power inductor is connected to the respective second ends of the first switch, the second switch, the fifth switch, and the sixth switch (second end of inductor 322 connected to respective second ends of S1A, S1B, S3A, and S3B via voltage outputs V1 to V4), but does not explicitly disclose a module laminate and the power inductor on the module laminate.
However, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the power inductor on a module laminate, since all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art (disposing an integrated circuit on a substrate). (KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415‐421, 82 USPQ2d 1385).
Regarding claim 13, Perreault discloses the tracker module according to claim 12, but does not explicitly disclose wherein the power inductor is disposed adjacent to the at least one integrated circuit on the module laminate.
However, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the elements disposed adjacent on a module laminate, since all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art (disposing connected elements adjacent to each other on a substrate). (KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415‐421, 82 USPQ2d 1385).
Regarding claim 14, Perreault discloses the tracker module according to claim 12, and continues to disclose, in figures 1, 2B, 3B, & 13C, wherein the at least one integrated circuit includes:
a first switch portion including the at least one switch included in the pre-regulator circuit (switch SA and SB),
a second switch portion including the at least one switch included in the switched-capacitor circuit (switches S1A to S4B of FIG. 2B), and
a third switch portion including the at least one switch included in the supply modulator (output switching stage including switches S1, S2, S3, S4),
wherein the first switch portion is disposed closer to the power inductor than both the second switch portion and the third switch portion (first switch portion comprising switches SA, SB are disposed closer to the power inductor 322 than both second and third switch portions).
Regarding claim 15, Perreault discloses the tracker module according to claim 12, and continues to disclose, in figures 1, 2B, 3B, 7, & 13C, an inductor included in a filter circuit and disposed on the module laminate (either of the two inductors of the Filter Stage, see figure 7); and
a circuit component disposed on the module laminate (any of the additional components of the Filter Stage or a capacitor of the switched-capacitor stage),
wherein the output terminal of the supply modulator is connected to an input terminal of the filter circuit (output switching stage selectively outputs Vmod through the Filter Stage), and
wherein the circuit component is disposed between the power inductor and the inductor of the filter circuit in a plan view of the module laminate (second inductor of the Filter Stage is disposed after the power inductor, which is disposed before the circuit component defined in the switched capacitor stage or the first elements of the Filter Stage).
Claims 7 & 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Perreault in view of Balteanu et al. (US 2022/0069775 A1), hereinafter Balteanu.
Regarding claim 7, Perreault discloses the tracker module according to claim 4, but does not explicitly disclose wherein a winding axis of a coil of the power inductor is perpendicular to a winding axis of a coil of the inductor of the filter circuit.
However, Balteanu discloses, in figure 2B, wherein a winding axis of a coil of the power inductor is perpendicular to a winding axis of a coil of the inductor of the filter circuit (winding axis of power inductor 117 is perpendicular to the winding axis of any of inductor L1, L2, Ln of the filter 138).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the perpendicular winding axis’ of Balteanu in the tracker module of Perreault, since all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art (i.e., minimizing any coupling between the inductors). (KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415‐421, 82 USPQ2d 1385).
Regarding claim 18, Perreault discloses the tracker module according to claim 15, but does not explicitly disclose wherein a winding axis of a coil of the power inductor is perpendicular to a winding axis of a coil of the inductor of the filter circuit.
However, Balteanu discloses, in figure 2B, wherein a winding axis of a coil of the power inductor is perpendicular to a winding axis of a coil of the inductor of the filter circuit (winding axis of power inductor 117 is perpendicular to the winding axis of any of inductor L1, L2, Ln of the filter 138).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the perpendicular winding axis’ of Balteanu in the tracker module of Perreault, since all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions, and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art (i.e., minimizing any coupling between the inductors). (KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415‐421, 82 USPQ2d 1385).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6, 8-9, 16-17, & 19-20 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.
Drogi et al. (US 11,757,414 B2) [Figure 2. Discloses an envelope tracking system for generating a power amplifier supply voltage for a power amplifier is provided. The envelope tracking system includes a multi-level supply (MLS) DC-to-DC converter that outputs multiple regulated voltages, an MLS modulator that controls selection of the regulated voltages over time based on an envelope signal corresponding to an envelope of a radio frequency (RF) signal amplified by the power amplifier, and a modulator output filter coupled between an output of the MLS modulator and the power amplifier supply voltage. The envelope tracking system further includes a switching point adaptation circuit configured to control the voltage level of the regulated voltages outputted by the MLS DC-to-DC converter based on a power level of the RF signal.]
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TYLER J PERENY whose telephone number is (571)272-4189. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-5.
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/TYLER J PERENY/ Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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