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 § 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 2 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. Claim 2 recites the limitation "First Location" in a smith chart. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
For purposes of examination, the claims are interpreted by the Examiner as follows:
Claim 2: The amplifier circuit according to claim 1, wherein when the impedance when the stub is viewed from the node is represented on the Smith chart, an impedance in a fourth harmonic wave rotates clockwise from the first
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Chen (US 20220255507 A1) in view of Tanaka (Compact Harmonic Tuning Circuits for Class-F Amplifiers Using Negative Order Resonance Modes of CRLH Stub Lines).
Regarding Claim 1 Chen teaches in Fig. 1 an amplifier circuit (pseudo-Doherty load-modulated balanced amplifier) comprising a first divider (Power Divider 112) configured to divide an input signal (RFIN) into a first signal (towards the carrier amplifier circuit 106) and a second signal (towards the phase shifter 110); a control amplifier (Carrier Amplifier 106) configured to amplify the first signal and output an amplified signal as a third signal (output of Class-AB power amplifier); an auxiliary amplifier (BA1 118) configured to amplify the second signal and output an amplified signal as a fourth signal (Output of BA1 118); and a load modulation circuit (Output quadrature coupler QC2 116) configured to modulate a load of the auxiliary amplifier by using the third signal, combine the third signal and the fourth signal, and output a combined signal as an output signal (RFOUT).
Chen fails to teach a stub configured to include a left-handed line, and an end connected to a node in at least one of a first line (line going through the Carrier Amplifier) connecting the control amplifier to the load modulation circuit and a second line (line going through the Peaking Amplifier) connecting the auxiliary amplifier to the load modulation circuit; wherein when any frequency in an operating band is set as a fundamental wave and an impedance when the stub is viewed from the node is represented on a Smith chart, an impedance in a second harmonic wave is located at a first point where the impedance is short, and an impedance in a third harmonic wave rotates clockwise from the first point and is located at a point rotated by a smaller angle than a second point where the impedance is open.
Tanaka teaches a stub configured to include a left-handed line (Fig. 1(a)) and is parallelly connected to a node at the output of a class-F amplifier. Tanaka also teaches that the stub configured to include a left-handed line (CRLH TL) “can be designed using non-identical unit cells”, each consisting of a series capacitor and a shunt inductor.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to connect the stub at a node in at least one of a first line connecting the control amplifier to the load modulation circuit and a second line connecting the auxiliary amplifier to the load modulation circuit (i.e., at a node which is at the output of either amplifier), and tune the stub by appropriately setting the capacitances and inductors so that second harmonic wave is located at a first point where the impedance is short (to attenuate the second harmonic) and an impedance in a third harmonic wave rotates clockwise from the first point and is located at a point rotated by a smaller angle than a second point where the impedance is open. This would prevent the third harmonic from being located at a point where the impedance is open and hence increase the band of attenuation of the second harmonic.
Regarding Claim 2, Tanaka does not explicitly teach the amplifier circuit wherein when the impedance when the stub is viewed from the node is represented on the Smith chart, an impedance in a fourth harmonic wave rotates clockwise from the first location and is located at the second point or a point rotated by a smaller angle than the second point. Tanaka, however, teaches the same design approach of a stub with a left-handed line with multiple unit cells of a series capacitor and a shunt inductor, as shown in Fig. 8 and Fig. 17 of the present application. Tanaka also teaches that the CRLH TLs can be designed using non-identical unit cells.
Therefore, in light of Tanaka and paragraph [0060] of the present application, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to set the impedance in the fourth harmonic at a phase that is lower than or at -270 degrees (51 in the claimed invention) and higher than -360 degrees, by appropriately setting the capacitors and inductors on the stub. This would place the fourth harmonic near the point where the impedance is open (51 in the claimed invention) and hence further increase the band of attenuation of the second harmonic.
Regarding Claim 3, Tanaka does not explicitly teach the amplifier circuit wherein when the impedance when the stub is viewed from the node is represented on the Smith chart, an impedance in the fundamental wave rotates clockwise from the first point and is located at the second point. Tanaka, however, teaches the same design approach of a stub with a left-handed line with multiple unit cells of a series capacitor and a shunt inductor, as shown in Fig. 8 and Fig. 17 of the present application. Tanaka also teaches that the CRLH TLs can be designed using non-identical unit cells. Therefore, in light of Tanaka and paragraph [0060] of the present application, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to set the impedance in the fundamental wave at -90 degrees phase angle (51 in the claimed invention), by appropriately setting the capacitors and inductors on the stub. This would suppress the insertion loss in the fundamental wave.
Regarding Claim 4, Tanaka does not explicitly teach the amplifier circuit wherein when the impedance when the stub is viewed from the node is represented on the Smith chart, an impedance in the fundamental wave rotates clockwise from the first point and is located at the second point. Tanaka, however, teaches the same design approach of a stub with a left-handed line with multiple unit cells of a series capacitor and a shunt inductor, as shown in Fig. 8 and Fig. 17 of the present application. Tanaka also teaches that the CRLH TLs can be designed using non-identical unit cells. Therefore, in light of Tanaka and paragraph [0060] of the present application, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to set the impedance in the fundamental wave at a phase angle higher than -90 degrees (open point 51 of the claimed invention), by appropriately setting the capacitors and inductors on the stub. This prevents the fundamental frequency from being located at a point where the impedance is open and hence increase the band of attenuation of the second harmonic .
Regarding Claim 5, Chen teaches an amplifier circuit (pseudo-Doherty load-modulated balanced amplifier) that has a second line that goes through the Peaking Amplifier (108), wherein the second line has a pair of power amplifiers (118 and 120).
Chen does not teach a node on the second line at the outputs of the power amplifiers.
Tanaka teaches a stub in Fig. 1(a), configured to include a left-handed line, and is parallelly connected to a node at the output of a class-F amplifier.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to parallelly connect a stub, configured to include a left-handed line, at the output of each of the power amplifiers to suppress the second harmonic of the output signals before they reach the load modulation circuit (116).
Regarding claim 6, Chen teaches in Fig. 1, that no matching circuit for matching impedances is provided in the second line (line going through the peaking amplifier).
Regarding claim 7, Chen teaches a second divider (114) configured to divide the second signal into a fifth signal (top-right output of 114) and a sixth signal (bottom-right output of 114) whose phase is delayed by 90 degrees from the fifth signal ([0056], line 3); wherein the auxiliary amplifier (BA2 and BA1) includes a first amplifier (BA2) that amplifies the fifth signal and outputs an amplified signal as a seventh signal (output of BA2), and a second amplifier (BA1) that amplifies the sixth signal and outputs an amplified signal as an eighth signal (output of BA1), and the load modulator includes a hybrid coupler (116) including a first end (bottom-left input of 116) to which the seventh signal is input, a second end (top-left input of 116) to which the eighth signal is input, a third end (bottom-right output of 116) that is located diagonally opposite to the second end and to which the third signal (output of 106) is input, and a fourth end (top-right output of 116) that is located diagonally opposite to the first end and to which the output signal (RFOUT) is output.
Regarding claim 8, Chen teaches a load modulation circuit (116) includes a first end (bottom-left input of 116) to which the fourth signal (output of BA2) is input , a second end (top-left input of 116) to which the third signal is input, and a third end (top-right output of 116) to which the output signal (RFOUT) is output, and a signal input to the first end is passed through the third end but not through the second end, and a signal input to the second end is passed through the first end but not through the third end (signal pathway shown via end-to-end connection).
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Figure I: Fig. 1(a) of Tanaka as annotated by the examiner and discussed in claims 9 and 10 below
Regarding claim 9, Tanaka teaches a left-handed line (stub with left-handed line in Fig. 1 (a) in Tanaka and Figure I above) that includes: a first cell (Cell 1) including a first capacitor (C1) connected in series and a first inductor (L1) connected in shunt between the node (N1) and a tip of the stub; and a second cell (Cell 2) including a second capacitor (C2) connected in series and a second inductor (L3) connected in shunt between the first cell and the tip of the stub.
Regarding claim 10, Tanaka teaches a left-handed line (stub with left-handed line in Fig. 1 (a) in Tanaka and Figure I above) that includes: a first cell (Cell 1) including a first capacitor (C1) connected in series and a first inductor (L1) connected in shunt between the node (N1) and a tip of the stub; and a second cell (Cell 2) including a second capacitor (C2) connected in series and a second inductor (L3) connected in shunt between the first cell and the tip of the stub.; and a third cell (Cell 3) including a third capacitor (C3) connected in series and a third inductor (L3) connected in shunt between the second cell and the tip of the stub.
Regarding claim 11, Chen teaches an amplifier configured to amplify an input signal and output an amplified signal to an output terminal. Chen does not teach a stub configured to include a left-handed line, and an end connected to a node in a line between the amplifier and the output terminal; wherein when any frequency in an operating band is set as a fundamental wave and an impedance when the stub is viewed from the node is represented on a Smith chart, an impedance in a second harmonic wave is located at a first point where the impedance is short, and an impedance in a third harmonic wave rotates clockwise from the first point and is located at a point rotated by a smaller angle than a second point where the impedance is open.
Tanaka teaches a stub configured to include a left-handed line (parallel stub in Fig.1 (a)), and an end connected to a node in a line between the amplifier (class-F amplifier consisting of a single transistor) and the output terminal (the end of the stub is connected at a node that is at the output of the class-F amplifier). Tanaka also teaches that the stub with a left-handed line (CRLH TLs) can be designed using non-identical unit cells.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to connect a stub, configured to include a left-handed line, to a node in a line between the amplifier and the output terminal (to suppress the second harmonic of the amplifier output) and appropriately set the capacitors and inductors (in each Unit Cell) on the stub such that an impedance in a second harmonic wave is located at a first point where the impedance is short, and an impedance in a third harmonic wave rotates clockwise from the first point and is located at a point rotated by a smaller angle than a second point where the impedance is open.
Citation of Pertinent Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Dupuy et al (8,180,303) teaches linearity Improved Power Amplifier Using Composite Right and Left-Handed structures.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AHMED RAYEED whose telephone number is (571)270-7528. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30 am - 5 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jessica Han can be reached at (571) 272-2078. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Ahmed Rayeed/
Examiner
Art Unit 2843
/Jessica Han/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2843
Prosecution Insights