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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I, claims 1-17, in the reply filed on January 29, 2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 18-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on January 29, 2026.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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.
Claims 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim 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.
Regarding claim 1, the claim states: “…receiving first measurement signals…”. However, it is not clear from the claim what item(s) is receiving these signals as claimed. The claim also states: “…receiving second measurement signals…”. However, it is not clear from the claim what item(s) is receiving these signals as claimed. The claim further states: “…determining n phase difference values based on the first measurement signals and the second measurement signals…” However, it is not clear from the claim what item(s) is determining these signals as claimed. Lastly, the claim states: “…determining two or more actual phase shifts of the second phase shifter based on a weighted average value of the n phase difference values.” However, it is not clear from the claim what item(s) is determining these phase shifts as claimed.
For examination purposes, the examiner is giving the broadest interpretation within the scope of the claimed invention regarding the above limitations. Since claims 2-10 depend from claim 1, they also are rejected for the above reasons.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-4, 7-11, 13-14 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fiore (US Pub 2022/0196796 A1).
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Regarding claim 1, Fiore discloses [see Figs. 5-6] a method, comprising: receiving [via controller 50 with DSP 40] first measurement signals (signals SRF(t)), wherein the first measurement signals (SRF(t)) are associated with n phase settings of a first phase shifter (phase shifter 105), and wherein the first measurement signals (SRF(t)) are received while a phase setting of a second phase shifter (phase shifter 109) is a first phase setting of k phase settings of the second phase shifter (109); receiving second measurement signals (signals SLO(t)), wherein the second measurement signals (SLO(t)) are associated with the n phase settings of the first phase shifter (105), and wherein the second measurement signals (SLO(t)) are received while the phase setting of the second phase shifter (109) is a second phase setting of the k phase settings of the second phase shifter (109); determining [via controller 50 with DSP 40] n phase difference values based on the first measurement signals (SRF(t)) and the second measurement signals (SLO(t)), wherein the n phase difference values are associated with a difference between the first phase setting of the second phase shifter (109) and the second phase setting of the second phase shifter (109); and determining [via controller 50 via DSP 40] two or more actual phase shifts of the second phase shifter (109) based on a weighted average value of the n phase difference values.
Regarding claim 3, Fiore discloses wherein determining [via controller 50 via DSP 40] the two or more actual phase shifts of the second phase shifter (109) comprises determining [via controller 50 via DSP 40] k actual phase shifts of the second phase shifter (109), wherein each actual phase shift of the k actual phase shifts is associated with a respective phase setting of the k phase settings of the second phase shifter (109).
Regarding claim 4, Fiore discloses determining [via controller 50 via DSP 40] n actual phase shifts of the first phase shifter (105) based on the k actual phase shifts of the second phase shifter (105), wherein each actual phase shift of the n actual phase shifts is associated with a respective phase setting of the n phase settings of the first phase shifter (105).
Regarding claim 7, Fiore discloses wherein k is equal to two (k = 2) and n is greater than or equal to five (n ≥ 5).
Regarding claim 8, Fiore discloses wherein k is greater than or equal to three (k ≥ 3) and n is greater than or equal to four (n ≥ 4).
Regarding claim 9, Fiore discloses wherein the first measurement signals (SRF(t)) and the second measurement signals (SLO(t)) are digitized versions of direct current (DC) components of results of mixing a transmit signal (SRF(t)) and a phase-shifted test signal (SLO(t)) , wherein the transmit signal (SRF(t)) and the phase-shifted test signal (SLO(t)) originate from a same local oscillator (LO/ local oscillator 101).
Regarding claim 10, Fiore discloses wherein the first measurement signals (SRF(t)) comprise a first set of n digital values, wherein each digital value in the first set of n digital values corresponds to a direct current (DC) component of a result of mixing a first RF signal and a second RF signal while the first RF signal is phase-shifted by a respective phase setting of the n phase settings and the second phase shifter (109) is set to the first phase setting of the k phase settings, and wherein the second measurement signals (SLO(t)) comprise a second set of n digital values, wherein each digital value in the second set of n digital values corresponds to a DC component of a result of mixing the first RF signal and the second RF signal while the first RF signal is phase-shifted by a respective phase setting of the n phase settings and the second phase shifter (109) is set to the second phase setting of the k phase settings.
Regarding claim 11, Fiore discloses a device (radar sensor 1), comprising: a set of components (antennas TXn) comprising a first phase shifter (phase shifter 105) and a second phase shifter (phase shifter 109), the set of components (TXn) being configured to: provide first measurement signals (SRF(t)), wherein the first measurement signals (SRF(t)) are associated with n phase settings of the first phase shifter (105), and wherein the first measurement signals (SRF(t)) are provided while a phase setting of a second phase shifter (109) is at a first phase setting of k phase settings of the second phase shifter (109); provide second measurement signals (SLO(t)), wherein the second measurement signals (SLO(t)) are associated with the n phase settings of the first phase shifter(105), and wherein the second measurement signals (SLO(t)) are provided while the phase setting of the second phase shifter (109) is at a second phase setting of the k phase settings of the second phase shifter(109); and a controller (controller 50 with DSP 40) configured to: receive the first measurement signals (SRF(t)); receive the second measurement signals (SLO(t)); determine n phase difference values based on the first measurement signals (SRF(t)) and the second measurement signals (SLO(t)), wherein the n phase difference values are associated with a difference between the first phase setting of the second phase shifter (109) and the second phase setting of the second phase shifter (109); and determine two or more actual phase shifts of the second phase shifter (109) based on the n phase difference values.
Regarding claim 13, Fiore discloses wherein the controller (50 with 40), to determine the two or more actual phase shifts, is configured to determine k actual phase shifts of the second phase shifter (109), wherein each actual phase shift of the k actual phase shifts is associated with a respective phase setting of the k phase settings of the second phase shifter (109).
Regarding claim 14, Fiore discloses wherein the controller (via controller 50 via DSP 40) is further configured to determine n actual phase shifts of the first phase shifter (105) based on the k actual phase shifts of the second phase shifter (105), wherein each actual phase shift of the n actual phase shifts is associated with a respective phase setting of the n phase settings of the first phase shifter (105).
Regarding claim 17, Fiore discloses wherein the first measurement signals (SRF(t)) and the second measurement signals (SLO(t)) are digitized versions of direct current (DC) components of results of mixing a transmit signal (SRF(t)) and a phase-shifted test signal (SLO(t)) , wherein the transmit signal (SRF(t)) and the phase-shifted test signal (SLO(t)) originate from a same local oscillator (LO/ local oscillator 101).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 for details.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 5-6, 12 and 15-16 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: regarding claims 2 and 12, the primary reason for the allowance of the claims is due to the controller, to determine the n phase difference values, is configured to: compute a first gain value and a first offset value based on the first measurement signals; determine a first phase difference signal based on the first gain value, the first offset value, and the first measurement signals, wherein the first phase difference signal is associated with differences between the n phase settings of the first phase shifter and the first phase setting of the second phase shifter; compute a second gain value and a second offset value based on the second measurement signals; determine a second phase difference signal based on the second gain value, the second offset value, and the second measurement signals, wherein the second phase difference signal is associated with differences between the n phase settings of the first phase shifter and the second phase setting of the second phase shifter; and determine the n phase difference values based on the first phase difference signal and the second phase difference signal.
Regarding claims 5 and 15, the primary reason for the allowance of the claims is due to the controller is further configured to: compute one or more updated gain values and one or more updated offset values associated with the second phase shifter; and determine two or more updated actual phase shifts of the second phase shifter based on the one or more updated gain values and the one or more updated offset values. Since claim 6 depends from claim 5 and claim 16 is depend from claim 15, they also have allowable subject matter.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JERMELE M HOLLINGTON whose telephone number is (571)272-1960. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 7:00am-3:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lee E Rodak can be reached at 571-270-5628. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JERMELE M HOLLINGTON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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