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 § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wright (US Pat No. 8,811,531).
As per claim 1, Wright disclosed a radio frequency module (see at least fig. 8-9, see fig. 47, col. 17/ln. 10-20, disclosed is a multi-band communication systems) comprising a first power amplifier (see at least fig. 8-9, PA 102) configured to amplify a signal in a first communication band; a second power amplifier (see at least fig. 8-9, PA 102) configured to amplify a signal in a second communication band different from the first communication band; and a matching circuit (see at least fig. 8, 706 &138) that is connected to an output terminal of the second power amplifier and connected to a reception path (see fig. 47, matching circuit QLMN 106 connected to the reception path Rx), wherein the matching circuit includes at least one capacitor (see at least fig. 8, 118, 120, 142, 146), an inductor (see at least fig. 8, 116, 114, 136) that is connected in series to the at least one capacitor, and a selection switch (see at least fig. 8, 148), and the matching circuit switches between an impedance matching function and a harmonic wave suppression function of reducing harmonic wave noise outputted from the first power amplifier by switching a state of the selection switch (see col. 6/ln. 33-50, the quadrature lattice matching network 106 may be capable of arbitrary differential phase and impedance transformation, and may allow for low insertion loss with independent harmonic termination, high harmonic attenuation, and flat matching characteristics achievable across a wide bandwidth, wherein the selectable matching network (see fig. 8, 706 & 138) coupled to provide an impedance match and/or to reduce harmonics between power stage amplifier output and power amplifier module output).
As per claim 16, Wright disclosed the selection switch is on based on the first power amplifier being configured to be operable, or is off based on the second power amplifier being configured to be operable (see col. 6/ln. 25-33, col. 6/ln. 63-col. 7/ln. 1-39 and wherein upon such that the selected amplifier is in operation, the matching circuitry will tune/switching to the desired frequency band).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 17-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wright and in view of Ning et al. (hereinafter “Ning”, US Pat No. 2022/0406512).
As per claim 17, Wright does not specifically disclosed the arrangement the first power amplifier and the second power amplifier are disposed on the module substrate and the inductor includes a conductor pattern portion formed on the module substrate. However, Ning disclosed such an arrangements of amplifiers and inductor’s conductor pattern on a substrate (see fig. 1A and fig. 7, 0028, 0037, 0045, 0053, and 0093-0095). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary in the art at the time of invention for Wright to incorporate the circuitries arrangement, as taught by Ning, in order to save space and cost.
As per claim 18, Wright and Ning disclosed an IC disposed on the module substrate and wherein the selection switch and the at least one capacitor are included in the IC (see at least fig. 1A and fig. 7, the communication chips 706 (includes amplifiers, switches, and capacitors) are disposed on substrate).
As per claim 19, Wright and Ning disclosed the IC includes a control circuit that controls the first power amplifier and the second power amplifier (see Ning 0093), and the control circuit controls the selection switch (inherently).
As per claim 20, Wright and Ning disclosed the IC includes a band select switch (see at least fig. 8, 148) that is connected to an output terminal of the first power amplifier, and a control circuit (inherently) that controls the first power amplifier and the second power amplifier (see at least fig. 1A and fig. 7, the communication chips 706 (includes amplifiers, switches, and capacitors) are disposed on substrate).
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 2, Wright (US Pat No. 8,811,531) disclose a radio frequency module (see at least fig. 8-9, see fig. 47, col. 17/ln. 10-20, disclosed is a multi-band communication systems) comprising a first power amplifier (see at least fig. 8-9, PA 102) configured to amplify a signal in a first communication band; a second power amplifier (see at least fig. 8-9, PA 102) configured to amplify a signal in a second communication band different from the first communication band; and a matching circuit (see at least fig. 8, 706 &138) that is connected to an output terminal of the second power amplifier and connected to a reception path (see fig. 47, matching circuit QLMN 106 connected to the reception path Rx) and wherein Wright fails to teach, disclose or render obvious the applicant's invention as claimed, particularly the feature describing the matching circuit includes a first capacitor, an inductor, and a second capacitor that are connected in series between a transmission path connected to the output terminal of the second power amplifier and a ground, and a selection switch that is connected in parallel to the second capacitor, and a capacitance of the first capacitor is larger than a capacitance of the second capacitor. Dependent claims 3-15 are in condition for allowance for the same reasoning.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Pablo Tran whose telephone number is (571)272-7898. The examiner normal hours are 9:30 -5:00 (Monday-Friday). If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Jinsong Hu, can be reached at (571)272-3965. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571)273-8300.
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March 5, 2026
/PABLO N TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2643