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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05/21/2024 was in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as failing to set forth the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim limitation "approximately” in claim is a relative terminology to renders the claim indefinite, thereby, rendering the scope of the claim unascertainable. It is unclear to indicate what values or level of signal is indictive and thus one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. Applicant is urged to clarify.
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 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.
Claims 1-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Christoffers et al. (US 2019/0181964 A1, hereinafter referred to as “Christoffers”) in view of Huang et al. (US 11,644,491 B2, hereinafter referred to as “Huang”) (cited in IDS dated May 21, 2024).
Regarding claim 1, Christoffers teaches a signal generator for generating a radio frequency signal (Fig. 7), wherein the signal generator (Fig.7) comprises:
a signal generator circuit (Fig. 7) configured to generate a two-tone radio frequency signal, wherein the two-tone radio frequency signal comprises a first signal ( Fig. 7, SRF1(t)) and a second signal (Fig. 7, SRF2(t)),
wherein the first signal and the second signal are continuous wave signals spaced apart by a predetermined frequency (Fig. 9), and
wherein each of the first signal and the second signal has a predetermined signal level (Fig. 9 and para. [0047]: The first (top) diagram in FIG. 9 shows that part of the spectrum that can be traced back to the first single-tone signal s1(t) at the frequency f1; the second (middle) diagram in FIG. 9 shows that part of the spectrum that can be traced back to the second single-tone signal s2(t) at the frequency f2, note that the above feature of fist and second signal-tone signals in Fig. 9 shows a predetermined signal level);
Christoffers does not specifically teach that a measurement circuit connected to an output path that starts at the signal generator circuit and ends at an output port of the signal generator, wherein the measurement circuit is configured to measure a signal level of at least one intermodulation product of the two-tone radio frequency signal and to generate a measurement result; and a signal processing circuit connected to the measurement circuit, wherein the signal processing circuit is configured to receive the measurement result from the measurement circuit and to control the signal generator circuit based on the measurement result such that a level of the at least one intermodulation product is reduced.
However, Huang teaches a measurement circuit connected to an output path that starts at the signal generator circuit and ends at an output port of the signal generator (Fig. 1, 120 and col. 2, line 67-col. 3, line 2: the frequency adjustment circuit 120 receives the two-tone signal ST from the signal generator 100A, and generates a signal SA according to the two-tone signal ST), wherein the measurement circuit (Fig. 1, 120), is configured to measure a signal level of at least one intermodulation product of the two-tone radio frequency signal and to generate a measurement result (col. 3, lines 3-16: If the signal generator 100A is non-linear, based on a non-linear model (e.g., equation 3 as discussed below, the two-tone signal ST further includes an intermodulation distortion from the third order (IMD3) signal component SI1 and an IMD3 signal component SI2, in which a frequency of the IMD3 signal component SI1 is 2×f2−f1 and a frequency of the IMD3 signal component SI1 is 2×f1−f2. In some cases, if the power of the IMD3 signal component SI1 and that of the IMD3 signal component SI1 are too high, the linearity of the two-tone signal ST will be decreased, note that the above feature of “if the power of the IMD3 signal component SI1 and that of the IMD3 signal component SI1 are too high, the linearity of the two-tone signal ST will be decreased” reads on “measure a signal level of at least one intermodulation product of the two-tone radio frequency signal and to generate a measurement result”) and
a signal processing circuit (Fig. 1, 160) connected to the measurement circuit (Fig. 1, 120), wherein the signal processing circuit (Fig. 1, 160) is configured to receive the measurement result from the measurement circuit (Fig. 1, 120) and to control the signal generator circuit (Fig. 1, 1001A) based on the measurement result (col. 3, lines 17-22: IMD3) such that a level of the at least one intermodulation product is reduced (col. 3, lines 17-22: the power estimation circuit 160 may adjust at least one of a coefficient C1 and a coefficient C2 in response to the power of the IMD3 signal component SI2 (or the IMD3 signal component SI1), in order to reduce the power of both of the IMD3 signal component SI1 and the IMD3 signal component SI2, note that the above feature of “adjust at least one of a coefficient C1 and a coefficient C2 in response to the power of the IMD3 signal component SI2 to reduce the power of both of the IMD3 signal component SI1 and the IMD3 signal component SI2,“ reads on “control the signal generator circuit based on the measurement result”).
Christoffers and Huang are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same filed of signal adjustment method. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the measurement circuit and signal processing circu such as are described in Huang into Christoffers, in order to acquire a testing result having higher credibility, the specification of testing equipment is usually required to be higher than that of a circuit under test (Huang , col. 1, lines 15-17).
Regarding claim 2, Christoffers in view of Huang teaches all the limitation of claim 1, in addition, Christoffers teaches that the signal generator circuit is configured to adjust a signal level of the first signal and a signal level of the second signal independently from each other (Fig. 7 and para. [0045]: the signals s1(t) and s2(t) generated by the signal sources SQ1 and SQ2 are complex-valued signals…the signals s1(t) and s2(t) are single-tone signals and, in general, have the form s1(t)=A1·exp(j·20·f1·t) and s2(t)=A2·exp(j·2πf2·t), where A1 and A2 denote the signal amplitudes and exp(·) denotes the natural exponential function, note that the above feature of “A1 and A2” reads on “adjust a signal level of the first and second signal” because the coefficients of signal S1(t) and S2(t) are valuable numbers).
Regarding claim 3, Christoffers in view of Huang teaches all the limitation of claim 1, in addition, Christoffers teaches that the signal generator circuit is configured to adjust a signal level of the first signal and a signal level of the second signal equally (Fig. 7 and para. [0045]: the signals s1(t) and s2(t) generated by the signal sources SQ1 and SQ2 are complex-valued signals…the signals s1(t) and s2(t) are single-tone signals and, in general, have the form s1(t)=A1·exp(j·20·f1·t) and s2(t)=A2·exp(j·2πf2·t), where A1 and A2 denote the signal amplitudes and exp(·) denotes the natural exponential function, note that the above feature of “A1 and A2” reads on “adjust a signal level of the first signal and a signal level of the second signal equally” because the coefficients of signal S1(t) and S2 (t) are valuable numbers).
Regarding claim 4, Christoffers in view of Huang teaches all the limitation of claim 1, in addition, Christoffers teaches that the signal processing circuit is configured to control the signal generator circuit such that the signal generator circuit adjusts a phase difference between the first signal and the second signal (Fig. 7 and para. [0045]: the signals s1(t) and s2(t) generated by the signal sources SQ1 and SQ2 are complex-valued signals…the signals s1(t) and s2(t) are single-tone signals and, in general, have the form s1(t)=A1·exp(j·20·f1·t) and s2(t)=A2·exp(j·2πf2·t), where A1 and A2 denote the signal amplitudes and exp(·) denotes the natural exponential function, note that the above feature of “exp(j·20·f1·t) and exp(j·20·f2·t) ” reads on “adjusts a phase difference between the first signal and the second signal” because the natural exponential function of signal S1(t) and S2 (t) can have a different phase).
Regarding claim 5, Christoffers in view of Huang teaches all the limitation of claim 1, in addition, Christoffers teaches that the signal processing circuit is configured to control the signal generator circuit such that the signal generator circuit generates at least one additional continuous wave signal, (Fig. 8 and s1(t)=s11(t)+j·sQ1(t) and s2(t)=s12(t)+j·sQ2(t), where the signal components s11(t) and s12(t) are referred to as in-phase components (in-phase signals) and the signal components sQ1(t) and sQ2(t) are referred to as quadrature components (quadrature signals) (j denotes the imaginary unit).) wherein an amplitude and/or a phase of the additional continuous wave signal (para. [0045]: the signals s1(t) and s2(t) are single-tone signals and, in general, have the form s1(t)=A1·exp(j·20·f1·t) and s2(t)=A2·exp(j·2πf2·t), where A1 and A2 denote the signal amplitudes and exp(·) denotes the natural exponential function ) is selected such that the level of the at least one intermodulation product is reduced (para. [0039]: The power of the spectral lines at the frequencies k·f1+l·f2 in relation to the power of the two-tone signal (the top diagram in FIG. 6) can be used as a measure for the linearity of the receiver circuit of the respective receive channel, with the linearity increasing with smaller powers of the intermodulation products and the higher harmonics, note that the above feature of signs s1(t) and s2(t) in para. [0045] and “linearity increasing with smaller powers of the intermodulation products” in para. [0039] reads on “the signal generator circuit generates at least one additional continuous wave signal, wherein an amplitude and/or a phase of the additional continuous wave signal is selected such that the level of the at least one intermodulation product is reduced).
Regarding claim 6, Christoffers in view of Huang teaches all the limitation of claim 1, in addition, Christoffers teaches that the signal processing circuit (Fig. 7, 111a and 111b and Fig. 8, 111a and 111b) is configured to control the signal generator circuit (Figs. 7-8, circuit related to SQ1 and SQ2) such that the signal generator circuit generates at least a third signal and a fourth signal, wherein the third signal and the fourth signal are continuous wave signals (para. [0044]: two modulators are used for generating an RF test signal modulated with a two-tone signal, said two modulators each modulating the RF oscillator signal sLO(t) with a single-tone signal (signals s1(t) and s2(t)). N-modulators will be used in the case of an N-tone signal in order to generate N RF signals, each modulated with a single-tone signal).
Regarding claim 7, Christoffers in view of Huang teaches all the limitation of claim 6, in addition, Christoffers teaches that a phase of the third signal is selected such that a level of a first intermodulation product is reduced (paras. [0039], [0044]-[0045]), and/or wherein a phase of the fourth signal is selected such that a level of a second intermodulation product is reduced (paras. [0039], [0044]-[0045]). Since Christoffers teaches the N-tone signal (see para. [0044]), linearity increasing with smaller powers of the intermodulation products (see para. [0039]) and phase of signal (see para. [0045]), “a phase of the third signal is selected such that a level of a first intermodulation product is reduced, and/or wherein a phase of the fourth signal is selected such that a level of a second intermodulation product is reduced” would be an obvious variation of such method. A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to select Christoffers’s signals to reduce intermodulation product.
Regarding claim 8, Christoffers in view of Huang teaches all the limitation of claim 6, in addition, Christoffers teaches that a phase of the third signal is opposite to a phase of the first intermodulation product and/or wherein a phase of the fourth signal is opposite to a phase of the second intermodulation product (paras. [0039], [0044]-[0045]). Since Christoffers teaches the N-tone signal (see para. [0044]), linearity increasing with smaller powers of the intermodulation products (see para. [0039]) and phase of signal (see para. [0045]), “a phase of the third signal is opposite to a phase of the first intermodulation product and/or wherein a phase of the fourth signal is opposite to a phase of the second intermodulation product” would be an obvious variation of such method. A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to select Christoffers’s phase of the third signal opposite to a phase of the first intermodulation product and/or select Christoffers’s phase of the fourth signal opposite to a phase of the second intermodulation product.
Regarding claim 9, Christoffers in view of Huang teaches all the limitation of claim 6, in addition, Christoffers teaches that the signal processing circuit is configured to control the signal generator circuit such that a signal level of the third signal is approximately the same as a signal level of the first intermodulation product and/or that a signal level of the fourth signal is approximately the same as a signal level of the second intermodulation product (paras. [0039], [0044]-[0045]). Since Christoffers teaches the N-tone signal (see para. [0044]), linearity increasing with smaller powers of the intermodulation products (see para. [0039]) and phase of signal (see para. [0045]), “the signal processing circuit is configured to control the signal generator circuit such that a signal level of the third signal is approximately the same as a signal level of the first intermodulation product and/or that a signal level of the fourth signal is approximately the same as a signal level of the second intermodulation product” would be an obvious variation of such method. A person having ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to control that Christoffers’s signal processing circuit is configured to control the signal generator circuit such that a signal level of the third signal is approximately the same as a signal level of the first intermodulation product and/or a signal level of the fourth signal is approximately the same as a signal level of the second intermodulation product.
Regarding claim 10, Christoffers in view of Huang teaches all the limitation of claim 6, in addition, Christoffers teaches that the circuit is configured to measure a phase of the at least one intermodulation product of the two-tone radio frequency signal (Fig. 7 and para. [0040] the power of the intermodulation products can be used as a measure for the linearity; para. [0042]: independently of the implementation of the signal sources SQ1 and SQ2, the output signals of the two (or more) signal sources SQ1 and SQ2 are each single-tone signals, which differ in terms of their frequency or in terms of their phase (or in terms of frequency and phase) and/or wherein the circuit is configured to measure a signal level of the first signal and the second signal (Fig. 7 and para. [0045]: the signals s1(t) and s2(t) generated by the signal sources SQ1 and SQ2 are complex-valued signals…the signals s1(t) and s2(t) are single-tone signals and, in general, have the form s1(t)=A1·exp(j·20·f1·t) and s2(t)=A2·exp(j·2πf2·t), where A1 and A2 denote the signal amplitudes and exp(·) denotes the natural exponential function, note that the above feature of “A1 and A2” reads on “signal level of signal s1(t) and s2(t)).
Christoffers does not specifically teach a measurement circuit.
However, Huang teaches the measurement circuit (Fig. 1, 120; col. 3, lines 3-16: If the signal generator 100A is non-linear, based on a non-linear model (e.g., equation 3 as discussed below, the two-tone signal ST further includes an intermodulation distortion from the third order (IMD3) signal component SI1 and an IMD3 signal component SI2, in which a frequency of the IMD3 signal component SI1 is 2×f2−f1 and a frequency of the IMD3 signal component SI1 is 2×f1−f2. In some cases, if the power of the IMD3 signal component SI1 and that of the IMD3 signal component SI1 are too high, the linearity of the two-tone signal ST will be decreased, note that the above feature of “if the power of the IMD3 signal component SI1 and that of the IMD3 signal component SI1 are too high, the linearity of the two-tone signal ST will be decreased” reads on measurement of signal generator output).
Christoffers and Huang are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same filed of signal generator. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the measurement circuit such as is described in Huang into Christoffers, in order to provide a calibration system used for calibrating a signal generator device (Huang, para. [0006]).
Regarding claim 11, Christoffers in view of Huang teaches all the limitation of claim 1, in addition, Christoffers teaches that the signal generator circuit (Fig. 7) comprises a first continuous wave generator and a second continuous wave generator which are configured to generate the first signal and the second signal, respectively, or wherein the signal generator circuit comprises a digital-to-analog converter configured to generate the first signal and the second signal, or wherein the signal generator circuit comprises a first digital-to-analog converter and a second digital-to-analog converter which are configured to generate the first signal and the second signal, respectively (Fig. 7 and para. [0044]: two modulators each modulating the RF oscillator signal sLO(t) with a single-tone signal (signals s1(t) and s2(t), note that the above feature of “s1(t) and s2(t)” reads on “continuous wave,” respectively).
Regarding claim 12, Christoffers in view of Huang teaches all the limitation of claim 11, in addition, Christoffers teaches that, in case the first continuous wave generator and the second continuous wave generator are provided (Fig. 7, SQ1 and SQ2), an output of the first continuous wave generator (Fig. 7, SRF1(t)) and an output of the second continuous wave generator (Fig. 7, SRF2(t)) are combined such that the first signal and the second signal are combined to a combined signal (Fig. 7, SRFTEST (t) ), and wherein the combined signal is processed by at least one of an amplifier, a mixer, a filter, and an attenuator (Fig. 7 and para. [0044]: two modulators are used for generating an RF test signal modulated with a two-tone signal, said two modulators each modulating the RF oscillator signal sLO(t) with a single-tone signal (signals s1(t) and s2(t)). N-modulators… if IMPs nevertheless occur in the spectrum of the output signal to be determined (see, e.g., FIG. 5; signal y[n]), these can be uniquely assigned to the receiver circuit of the respective receive channel, in particular to the respective receive mixer).
Regarding claim 13, Christoffers in view of Huang teaches all the limitation of claim 11, in addition, Christoffers teaches that, in case the first continuous wave generator and the second continuous wave generator (Fig. 7, SQ1 and SQ2) are provided, an output of the first continuous wave generator (Fig. 7, SRF1(t)) is connected to at least one of a first amplifier, a first mixer, a first filter, and a first attenuator such that the first signal is processed by at least one of the first amplifier, the first mixer, the first filter, and the first attenuator (Fig. 5 and para. [0044]: mixer) and wherein an output of the second continuous wave generator (Fig. 7, SRF2(t)) is connected to at least one of a second amplifier, a second mixer, a second filter, and a second attenuator such that the second signal is processed by at least one of the second amplifier, the second mixer, the second filter, and the second attenuator (Fig. 5 and para. [0044]: mixer).
Regarding claim 14, Christoffers in view of Huang teaches all the limitation of claim 11, in addition, Christoffers teaches that, in case the digital-to analog-converter (Fig. 7, 113a and 113b) is provided that generates the first signal (s1(t)) and the second signal (s2(t)), an output of the digital-to analog-converter is connected to at least one of an amplifier, a mixer, a filter, and an attenuator such that the first signal and the second signal generated by the digital-to analog-converter are processed by at least one of the amplifier, the mixer, the filter, and the attenuator (para. [0044]: Fig. 5 and mixer).
Regarding claim 15, Christoffers in view of Huang teaches all the limitation of claim 11, in addition, Christoffers teaches that, in case the first digital-to-analog converter (Fig. 7, 113a) and the second digital-to-analog converter (Fig. 7, 113b) are provided, an output of the first digital-to-analog converter (Fig. 7, S1(t)) is connected to at least one of a first amplifier, a first mixer, a first filter, and a first attenuator such that the first signal is processed by at least one of the first amplifier, the first mixer, the first filter, and the first attenuator (para. [0044]: Fig. 5 and mixer), and wherein an output of the second digital-to-analog converter (Fig. 7, S2(t)) is connected to at least one of a second amplifier, a second mixer, a second filter, and a second attenuator such that the second signal is processed by at least one of the second amplifier, the second mixer, the second filter, and the second attenuator (para. [0044]: Fig. 5 and mixer, note that the above feature of “uniquely assigned to the receiver circuit of the respective receive channel, in particular to the respective receive mixer” reads on “second mixer”).
Regarding claim 16, Christoffers in view of Huang teaches all the limitation of claim 1, in addition, Christoffers teaches that the signal processing circuit (Fig. 5, 40) is configured to control at least one of an amplifier (Fig. 5, 103) and an attenuator (para. [0027]: at least one transmit antenna 5 (TX antenna) and at least one receive antenna 6 (RX antenna) are connected to an RF front end 10, which may contain all the circuit components that are required for RF signal processing. By way of example, these circuit components comprise a local oscillator (LO), RF power amplifiers, low-noise amplifiers (LNAs)).
Regarding claim 17, Christoffers in view of Huang teaches all the limitation of claim 1, in addition, Christoffers teaches that the measurement circuit comprises a frequency-selective power meter, or wherein the measurement circuit (Fig. 5, Rx channel Rx01, note that the above feature of receiver in Rx channel RX01” reads on “measurement circuit”) comprises at least one of a mixer (Fig. 5, 104), a filter, an attenuator, and an analog-to-digital converter (Fig. 5, 30), or wherein the measurement circuit comprises a comb mixing circuit and an analog-to-digital converter, wherein the comb mixing circuit is configured to mix down the first signal and the second signal as well as the at least one intermodulation product (para. [0038]: during the measurement as to whether the IMPs contained in the analog and digital radar signal y(t) and y[n], respectively, are generated by the modulator 111 or the receive mixer 104).
Claims 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Christoffers in view of Huang and Dierks et al. (US 2022/0335327 A1, hereinafter referred to as “Dierks”).
Regarding claim 18, Christoffers in view of Huang teaches all the limitation of claim 1. Christoffers and Huang teaches signal generator circuit (Figs. 4-9 of Christoffers; Fig. 1, 100A of Husang).
Christoffers and Huang do not specifically teach further comprising a user interface, wherein the signal processing circuit is configured to receive a user input via the user interface, and wherein the signal processing circuit is configured to start or stop controlling the circuit based on the measurement result.
However, Dierks teaches a user interface (para. [0011]: the user interface is established as a graphical user interface (GUI)), wherein the signal processing circuit is configured to receive a user input ( para. [0006]: the signal processing circuit is configured to process the input signal received via the signal input, thereby obtaining a graphic representation associated with the input signal. The user interface is configured to detect a first user input) via the user interface (para. [0011]: a graphical user interface (GUI)), and wherein the signal processing circuit is configured to start or stop controlling the circuit based on the measurement result (para. [0009]: the processing parameters of the signal processing circuit determine how the input signal, the measurement data obtained by the signal processing circuit, note that the above feature of “the processing parameters of the signal processing circuit determine determine how the input signal, the measurement data obtained by the signal processing circuit” reads on “start or stop controlling the circuit based on the measurement result”).
Christoffers and Dierks are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same filed of setting processing parameters in electronic device. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the the signal processing circuit such as is described in Dierks into Christoffers, in order to obtain an adapted set of processing parameters (Dierks, para. [0006]).
Regarding claim 19, Christoffers in view of Huang teaches all the limitation of claim 1. Christoffers and Huang teaches measured third-order intercept (Fig. 6 and paras. [0032], [0036]-[0040]: intermodulation distortion; intermodulation products (IMPs) of Christoffers; Fig. 2: an intermodulation distortion from the third order (IMD3) of Huang; col. 1, lines 38-41: the power estimation circuit is configured to detect a power of an intermodulation distortion from the third order (IMD3) signal component of Huang).
Christoffers and Huang do not specifically teach a user interface wherein the signal processing circuit is configured to display a measured point on the user interface.
However, Dierks teaches a user interface wherein the signal processing circuit is configured to display a measured point on the user interface (para. [0006]: the signal processing circuit is configured to process the input signal received via the signal input, thereby obtaining a graphic representation associated with the input signal. The user interface is configured to detect a first user input; para. [0011]: the user interface is established as a graphical user interface (GUI); para. [0036]: displaying the input signal and/or measurement data associated with the input signal, note that the above feature of “displaying the input signal and/or measurement data associated with the input signal” read on “display a measured point on the user interface”).
Christoffers and Dierks are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same filed of setting processing parameters in electronic device. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the a user interface such as is described in Dierks into Christoffers, in order to obtain an adapted set of processing parameters (Dierks, para. [0006]).
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Christoffers in view of Huang and Yamamoto (JPH08334567 A, hereinafter referred to as “Yamamoto”).
Regarding claim 20, Christoffers in view of Huang teaches all the limitation of claim 1, in addition, Huang teaches the measurement circuit (Fig. 1, 120; col. 3, lines 3-16: see claim 10 above).
Christoffers and Huang are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same filed of signal generator. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the measurement circuit such as is described in Huang into Christoffers, in order to provide a calibration system used for calibrating a signal generator device (Huang, para. [0006]).
Christoffers and Huang do not specifically teach a switchable attenuator provided upstream of the circuit, wherein the signal processing circuit is configured to control the switchable attenuator.
However, Yamamoto teaches a switchable attenuator provided upstream of the page 14, lines 42-44: a programmable attenuator is provided on the upstream side of the high frequency processing circuit section, a digital control programmable gain amplifier is provided on the downstream side, and the programmable attenuator and the digital control programmable are provided, note that the above feature of “a programmable attenuator is provided on the upstream side of the high frequency processing circuit section” reads on “a switchable attenuator provided upstream of the circuit”).
Christoffers and Yamamoto are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same filed of monitoring electrical system by signal processing circuit. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the a switchable attenuator such as is described in Yamamoto into Christoffers, in order to monitor the parameters of electrical system (Yamamoto, page 5, lines 9-12).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yeo at al. (US 9,897,638 B2) teaches a passive intermodulation (PIM) measurement device for measuring a PIM in at least one of installation equipments and a distribution network within a distributed antenna system (DAS), the PIM measurement device included in a relay unit of the DAS, the PIM measurement device includes a pulse generation unit, a PIM detection unit and a controller. The pulse generation unit generates a two-tone pulse signal having frequencies different from each other.
Yoo at al. (US 2017/0230129 A1) teaches a PIM detection apparatus including: a tone signal input unit configured to apply a tone signal having a first frequency characteristic to a test target apparatus; a sequence signal input unit configured to apply a sequence signal having a second frequency characteristic to the test target apparatus; a PIM detector configured to receive a Passive Intermodulation (PIM) signal from the test target apparatus, and to detect a delay time and a size of the PIM signal based on the sequence signal; and a PIM position determiner configured to determine a PIM occurrence position by using the delay time and the size of the PIM signal.
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/SANGKYUNG LEE/Examiner, Art Unit 2858
/LEE E RODAK/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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