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
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.
Claims 25-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ripley (US 2018/0351457, of record and hereinafter “Ripley”).
Claim 25: Ripley discloses a wireless device (Figs.5, 7, and 10) comprising:
an antenna (530) configured to receive a signal (coupled to Rx 600, thus receiving a signal; see also [0064]);
an amplifier assembly (512) in communication with the antenna (see [0064], where the received signal from antenna 530 may include amplification by an LNA) and configured to amplify the signal (via an LNA; see [0064]);
a power management device (300, shown in Fig.5) comprising a first DC-DC converter (708) coupled to a first output voltage line (HB VCC) and a second output voltage line (MB, MLB, UHB VCC), a second DC-DC converter (710) coupled to the first output voltage line (HB VCC, via S8 and S6a), the second output voltage line (MB, MLB, UHB VCC, via S6a) and a third output voltage line (LB VCC, UL VCC), a first set of switches (S1a, S1b, S2) associated with the first DC-DC converter (see Fig.5), a second set of switches (S3-S6b) associated with the second DC-DC converter (see Fig.5), and a third set of switches (S8, S1a, S6a; see Fig.5) configured to activate the first DC-DC converter and the second DC-DC converter on two output lines of the first output voltage line, the second output voltage line, and the third output voltage line concurrently (see [0047] and [0054], where the first DC-DC converter and second DC-DC converter may be provided to output concurrently on HB VCC/MB,MLB,UHB VCC/LB VCC,UL VCC concurrently), and to provide a combined output voltage from the first DC-DC converter and the second DC-DC converter in parallel to the two output lines of the first output voltage line, the second output voltage line, and the third output voltage line concurrently (see[0053], where the “third output voltage line” is associated with both DC-DC converters 708 and 710); and
a transceiver (510) in communication with the amplifier assembly (512) and the power management device (see Fig.10) and configured to process the amplified signal (see [0062]).
Claim 26: Ripley discloses wherein the wireless device is a cellular phone configured to operate in one or more cellular bands (see [0067] and [0020]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-16 and 23-24 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the examiner agrees with Applicant that the prior does not clearly disclose within the context of the claims “and one or more switches of the third set of switches to implement one or more power output modes, including a high-band high power user equipment power output mode in which the first DC-DC converter and the second DC-DC converter combine in parallel to each supply power to both the first output voltage line and the second output voltage line concurrently” (Ripley discloses the third switches, but does not explicitly disclose the controller operating the third switch in “a high-band high power user equipment power mode”).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with regard to amended claims 1 and 23 have been considered and are persuasive. The previous rejection of claims 1-16 and 23-25 is withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments filed 2/4/2026 with respect to amended claim 25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues with respect to claim 25 that “Applicant respectfully refers the examiner to the table 303 at FIG. 3, which shows examples of various power output modes representing cellular bands, and including carrier-aggregated examples. As shown in the table 303, some modes can be supplied with the corresponding DC power by combining the output of both of the DC-DC converters (PMU1 and PMU2), at two of the three available power outputs VCC1, VCC2, and VCC3 at a given time. Please note, for example, on the right-hand side of the table, the third row, the power output mode HB HPUE. The "HB HPUE" power output mode describes a high-power output mode where the first DC-DC converter (PMU1) and the second DC-DC converter (PMU2) are each connected to and are active on both power output lines VCC1 and VCC2.”.
However as noted above, [0047], [0053], and [0054] of Ripley discloses S8 being used with other switches to provide the same output voltage to multiple lines via the switches, where the third output line is associated with both DC-DC converters 708 and 710. The examiner notes that claim 25 does not contain any limitations specifically requiring a HB HPUE power output mode.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RYAN JOHNSON whose telephone number is (571)270-1264. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
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, Menna Youssef can be reached at (571)270-3684. 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.
/RYAN JOHNSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2849