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 § 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.
Claim(s) 18 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over MCCULLAGH (US 20160020793 A1) in view of YOO (US 20210306025 A1)
Regarding claim 18, MCCULLAGH teaches a radio frequency (RF) circuit comprising:
a plurality of ports configured to receive a first RF signal to a N-th RF signal (MCCULLAGH teaches separate receive antenna inputs (101, 102, 103) for different RF bands (para [0076]));
a plurality of amplification stages connected to the plurality of ports to amplify the first RF signal to the N-th RF signal (MCCULLAGH teaches a plurality of wideband LNAs (104, 105, 106) (para [0076]));
a mixer stage connected to the plurality of amplification stages to mix one of the first RF signal to the N-th RF signal with a local oscillator (LO) signal and offset remaining RF signals of the first RF signal to the N-th RF signal that were not mixed (MCCULLAGH teaches a notch filer, attenuator, down mixer, and LO, (para [77-78])).
MCCULLAGH is silent to teaching that wherein the plurality of amplification stages connected a first ground to a N-th ground; and
a plurality of switches, each having one terminal connected to one of the plurality of amplification stages, and an opposite terminal connected to one of the first ground to the N-th ground.
In the same field of endeavor, YOO teaches a RF device wherein the plurality of amplification stages connected a first ground to a N-th ground (YOO, fig. 4, amp 142, (para [0087])); and
a plurality of switches, each having one terminal connected to one of the plurality of amplification stages, and an opposite terminal connected to one of the first ground to the N-th ground (YOO, fig. 4, GND, 125a, 126a, (para [0095-97], para [0048]-[0052])).
Therefore, it would be obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate YOO’s switch-to-ground routing matrix into the pseudo-differential stages of the MCCULLAGH architecture. The motivation to do so would be to effectively and selectively switch the RF signal transmission routes between the multiple input stages and the central mixer while minimizing the insertion loss and non-linearity that typically occur when active semiconductor switches are placed directly in the signal transmission path (YOO, para [0057]-[0058]). By utilizing YOO's design—where unused paths are shunted to ground via the switches—the circuit can provide varied transmission routes with lower signal attenuation at high frequencies (YOO, para [0057]-[0062]).
Regarding claim 19, the combination of MCCULLAGH and YOO teaches the RF circuit of claim 18, wherein when at least one switch of the plurality of switches is turned off, and remaining switches except for the at least one switch that is turned off are turned on when the one RF signal amplified through one of the plurality of amplification stages is mixed (YOO, fig. 6, 125a, 126a, para [0095-97]).
Claim(s) 13, 14, 16, 17 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over MCCULLAGH in view of YOO and MIKHEMAR (US 20140235191 A1).
Regarding claim 20, the combination of MCCULLAGH and YOO teaches the RF circuit of claim 19, wherein RF components reflected from grounds among RF components associated with the remaining RF signals are transmitted to the mixer stage when the remaining switches are turned on (YOO teaches that turning on switches to shunt an RF path to ground causes RF signal reflection due to parasitic inductance at the ground node (paras [0065]-[0068]), the remaining amplification stages being amplification stages that did not amplify the one RF signal (YOO, fig. 4, amp 141, 125a, para 0094-97).
The combination of MCCULLAGH and YOO is silent to teaching that wherein the mixer stage is configured to offset the reflected RF components and remaining RF components input through remaining amplification stages among the plurality of amplification stages.
In the same field of endeavor, MIKHEMAR teaches a RF device wherein the mixer stage is configured to offset the reflected RF components and remaining RF components input through remaining amplification stages among the plurality of amplification stages (MIKHEMAR teaches the mixer offsetting/canceling unwanted RF components (paras [0018]-[0019], [0022]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to apply MIKHEMAR’s active cancellation and offsetting mixer architecture to this system. The motivation for incorporating MIKHEMAR’s offsetting mixer is to cleanly subtract and offset these reflected interference components and remaining noise from the desired signal at the mixer stage, recovering a desired baseband signal with high integrity without requiring sharp, power-hungry RF filters (MIKHEMAR, paras [0018]-[0019]).
Regarding claim 13, MCCULLAGH teaches a communication device (fig. 1) comprising:
an antenna configured to transmit a radio frequency (RF) transmission signal or receive an RF reception signal (MCCULLAG, fig. 1, antennas 1-3);
an RF circuit configured to mix one of a first RF signal to a N-th RF signal included in the RF reception signal with a local oscillator (LO) signal (MCCULLAGH, fig. 1, downconverter 109, LO) and offset remaining RF signals of the first RF signal to the N-th RF signal that were not mixed (MCCULLAGH, fig. 1, notch filer, attenuator),
wherein the RF circuit includes:
a plurality of ports configured to receive the first RF signal to the N-th RF signal (MCCULLAGH teaches separate receive antenna inputs (101, 102, 103) for different RF bands (para [0076]));
a plurality of amplification stages connected to the plurality of ports to amplify the first RF signal to the N-th RF signal (MCCULLAGH teaches a plurality of wideband LNAs (104, 105, 106) (para [0076]));
aa mixer stage connected to the plurality of amplification stages to mix the one RF signal with the LO signal and offset the remaining RF signals (MCCULLAGH teaches a notch filer, attenuator, down mixer, and LO, (para [77-78])).
MCCULLAGH is silent to teaching that comprising
a duplexer configured to separate the RF transmission signal and the RF reception signal; and
wherein the plurality of amplification stages connected to a first ground to a N-th ground.
wherein the RF circuit includes a plurality of switches, each having one terminal connected to one of the plurality of amplification stages, and an opposite terminal connected to one of the first ground to the N-th ground.
wherein the mixer stage is configured to offset the reflected RF components and remaining RF components input through remaining amplification stages among the plurality of amplification stages
In the same field of endeavor, YOO teaches a RF device wherein the plurality of amplification stages connected a first ground to a N-th ground (YOO, fig. 4, amp 142, (para [0087])); and
a plurality of switches, each having one terminal connected to one of the plurality of amplification stages, and an opposite terminal connected to one of the first ground to the N-th ground (YOO, fig. 4, GND, 125a, 126a, (para [0095-97], para [0048]-[0052])).
Therefore, it would be obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate YOO’s switch-to-ground routing matrix into the pseudo-differential stages of the MCCULLAGH architecture. The motivation to do so would be to effectively and selectively switch the RF signal transmission routes between the multiple input stages and the central mixer while minimizing the insertion loss and non-linearity that typically occur when active semiconductor switches are placed directly in the signal transmission path (YOO, para [0057]-[0058]). By utilizing YOO's design—where unused paths are shunted to ground via the switches—the circuit can provide varied transmission routes with lower signal attenuation at high frequencies (YOO, para [0057]-[0062]).
The combination of MCCULLAGH and YOO is silent to teaching that comprising
a duplexer configured to separate the RF transmission signal and the RF reception signal (MIKHEMAR, fig. 5, duplexer 512); and
wherein the mixer stage is configured to offset the reflected RF components and remaining RF components input through remaining amplification stages among the plurality of amplification stages.
In the same field of endeavor, MIKHEMAR teaches a RF device comprising a duplexer configured to separate the RF transmission signal and the RF reception signal (MIKHEMAR, fig. 5, duplexer 512); and
wherein the mixer stage is configured to offset the reflected RF components and remaining RF components input through remaining amplification stages among the plurality of amplification stages (MIKHEMAR teaches the mixer offsetting/canceling unwanted RF components (paras [0018]-[0019], [0022]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to apply MIKHEMAR’s active cancellation and offsetting mixer architecture to this system. The motivation for incorporating MIKHEMAR’s offsetting mixer is to cleanly subtract and offset these reflected interference components and remaining noise from the desired signal at the mixer stage, recovering a desired baseband signal with high integrity without requiring sharp, power-hungry RF filters (MIKHEMAR, paras [0018]-[0019]).
Regarding claims 14, 16 and 17, the dependent claims are interpreted and rejected for the same reasons as set forth above in claims 19 and 20.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5, and 7-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over MCCULLAGH in view of BALANKUTTY (US 20110124307 A1) and YOO.
Regarding claim 1, MCCULLAGH teaches a radio frequency (RF) circuit (MCCULLAGH teaches a radio receiver/transceiver, para [0075]) comprising:
a first port configured to receive a first RF signal and a second port configured to receive a second RF signal (MCCULLAGH discloses a multi-band receiver having a plurality of separate receive antenna inputs, such as Antenna 1 and Antenna 2 (ports), which receive separate RF signals (para [0076]));
wherein the first amplification stage is configured to amplify the first RF signal (MCCULLAGH discloses wideband Low Noise Amplifiers (LNAs) 104, 105, and 106 corresponding to the separate receive antenna inputs configured to amplify the respective RF signals (para [0076]));
wherein the second amplification stage is configured to amplify the second RF signal (MCCULLAGH discloses wideband Low Noise Amplifiers (LNAs) 104, 105, and 106 corresponding to the separate receive antenna inputs configured to amplify the respective RF signals (para [0076]));
a mixer stage connected to the first amplification stage and configured to mix the first RF signal or the second RF signal with a local oscillator (LO) signal, and connected to the second amplification stage and configured to mix the first RF signal or the second RF signal with the LO signal (MCCULLAGH discloses a frequency downconverter 109 (mixer stage) coupled to the summed outputs of the LNAs that mixes the RF signal with local oscillator signals LO_I and LO_Q (paras [0076]-[0078])).
MCCULLAGH is silent to teaching that
a (1-1)-th amplification stage and a (1-2)-th amplification stage connected to the first port and a first ground, wherein the (1-1)-th amplification stage and the (1-2)-th amplification stage are configured to amplify the first RF signal;
a (2-1)-th amplification stage and a (2-2)-th amplification stage connected to the second port and a second ground, wherein the (2-1)-th amplification stage and the (2-2)-th amplification stage are configured to amplify the second RF signal;
a (1-1)-th switch having a first terminal connected to the (1-1)-th amplification stage and a second terminal connected to the second ground, and a (1-2)-th switch having a first terminal connected to the (1-2)-th amplification stage and a second terminal connected to the second ground;
a (2-1)-th switch having a first terminal connected to the (2-1)-th amplification stage and a second terminal connected to the first ground, and a (2-2)-th switch having a first terminal connected to the (2-2)-th amplification stage and a second terminal connected to the first ground (MCCULLAGH does not explicitly detail the internal sub-division of the amplification stages into specific parallel (1-1)-th, (1-2)-th, (2-1)-th, and (2-2)-th stages connected to respective first and second grounds. MCCULLAGH also does not teach the specific routing topology utilizing switches having a first terminal connected to the respective amplification stage and a second terminal connected to the opposite ground (e.g., first stage to second ground)).
In the same field of endeavor, BALANKUTTY teaches a RF device comprising
a (1-1)-th amplification stage and a (1-2)-th amplification stage connected to the first port and a first ground, wherein the (1-1)-th amplification stage and the (1-2)-th amplification stage are configured to amplify the first RF signal; and
a (2-1)-th amplification stage and a (2-2)-th amplification stage connected to the second port and a second ground, wherein the (2-1)-th amplification stage and the (2-2)-th amplification stage are configured to amplify the second RF signal (BALANKUTTY teaches splitting an LNA into parallel, pseudo-differential amplification stages. Specifically, BALANKUTTY discloses a pseudo-differential LNA 201 utilizing parallel pairs of input transistors 240 and 242 (representing 1-1 and 1-2 stages) that are coupled to ground and configured to amplify the received RF signal (paras [0028]-[0029])).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify MCCULLAGH LNAs to use BALANKUTTY pseudo-differential, parallel amplification stages (e.g., pairs of input transistors 240, 242). MCCULLAGH teaches single wideband LNAs per antenna (MCCULLAGH, para [0076]). The motivation for this modification would be to increase the output swing and lower the required saturation voltage, as pseudo-differential architectures provide higher output swings over fully differential equivalents, which is highly advantageous in low-voltage operations (BALANKUTTY, para [0028]).
The combination of MCCULLAGH and BALANKUTTY is silent to teaching that comprising
a (1-1)-th switch having a first terminal connected to the (1-1)-th amplification stage and a second terminal connected to the second ground, and a (1-2)-th switch having a first terminal connected to the (1-2)-th amplification stage and a second terminal connected to the second ground;
a (2-1)-th switch having a first terminal connected to the (2-1)-th amplification stage and a second terminal connected to the first ground, and a (2-2)-th switch having a first terminal connected to the (2-2)-th amplification stage and a second terminal connected to the first ground.
In the same field of endeavor, YOO teaches a RF device comprising
a (1-1)-th switch having a first terminal connected to the (1-1)-th amplification stage and a second terminal connected to the second ground, and a (1-2)-th switch having a first terminal connected to the (1-2)-th amplification stage and a second terminal connected to the second ground;
a (2-1)-th switch having a first terminal connected to the (2-1)-th amplification stage and a second terminal connected to the first ground, and a (2-2)-th switch having a first terminal connected to the (2-2)-th amplification stage and a second terminal connected to the first ground (YOO discloses an RF transmission route switching apparatus utilizing a switch-to-ground topology to isolate and route RF signals (para [0042]). YOO teaches utilizing a first switch 121a, a second switch 122a, a third switch 123a, and a fourth switch 124a (para [0042]). Each switch is configured to switch an electrical connection between a respective port/stage (having a first terminal to the stage) and a ground (GND) (having a second terminal to ground) (para [0048]-[0052]). YOO further teaches utilizing these ground-connected switches to dictate the RF signal transmission routes by tying unused paths to ground (para [0053]-[0055])).
Therefore, it would be obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate YOO’s switch-to-ground routing matrix into the pseudo-differential stages of the MCCULLAGH architecture. The motivation to do so would be to effectively and selectively switch the RF signal transmission routes between the multiple input stages and the central mixer while minimizing the insertion loss and non-linearity that typically occur when active semiconductor switches are placed directly in the signal transmission path (YOO, para [0057]-[0058]). By utilizing YOO's design—where unused paths are shunted to ground via the switches—the circuit can provide varied transmission routes with lower signal attenuation at high frequencies (YOO, para [0057]-62]).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of MCCULLAGH, BALANKUTTY and YOO teaches the RF circuit of claim 1, wherein the (1-1)-th switch and the (1-2)-th switch are turned off and the (2-1)-th switch and the (2-2)-th switch are turned on to mix the first RF signal, and the (1-1)-th switch and the (1-2)-th switch are turned on and the (2-1)-th switch and the (2-2)-th switch are turned off to mix the second RF signal (YOO teaches the underlying switch logic of turning ON switches to route unused/aggressor RF paths to ground to isolate the circuit, and turning OFF switches to allow the desired RF signal to pass unhindered to the processing stage (paras [0053]-[0055])).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of MCCULLAGH, BALANKUTTY and YOO teaches the RF circuit of claim 2, wherein a second RF component reflected from the first ground among second RF components associated with the second RF signal is transmitted to the mixer stage when the (2-1)-th switch and the (2-2)-th switch are turned on (YOO teaches that turning on switches to shunt an RF path to ground causes RF signal reflection due to parasitic inductance at the ground node (paras [0065]-[0068]). The transmission to the mixer is rendered obvious by combining YOO’s grounding phenomenon with MCCULLAGH’s direct continuous connection from the amplification stages to the common mixer).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of MCCULLAGH, BALANKUTTY and YOO teaches the RF circuit of claim 2, wherein a first RF component reflected from the second ground among first RF components associated with the first RF signal is transmitted to the mixer stage when the (1-1)-th switch and the (1-2)-th switch are turned on (YOO teaches parasitic reflection when switches are turned on to ground (paras [0065]-[0068]).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of MCCULLAGH, BALANKUTTY and YOO teaches the RF circuit of claim 1, wherein each of the (1-1)-th amplification stage, the (1-2)-th amplification stage, the (2-1)-th amplification stage, and the (2-2)-th amplification stage includes a matching network and a low noise amplifier (LNA) connected to the matching network (MCCULLAGH teaches LNAs (104, 105, 106) (para [0076]). BALANKUTTY teaches parallel LNAs integrated with input matching networks (para [0028])).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of MCCULLAGH, BALANKUTTY and YOO teaches the RF circuit of claim 1, further comprising: an oscillator configured to provide the LO signal to the mixer stage (MCCULLAGH teaches a local oscillator providing LO_I and LO_Q signals to the frequency downconverter/mixer 109 (para [0076])).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of MCCULLAGH, BALANKUTTY and YOO teaches the RF circuit of claim 1, wherein the mixer stage is connected to a first node corresponding to an output terminal of the (1-1)-th amplification stage, a second node corresponding to an output terminal of the (1-2)-th amplification stage, a third node corresponding to an output terminal of the (2-1)-th amplification stage, and a fourth node corresponding to an output terminal of the (2-2)-th amplification stage (MCCULLAGH teaches the mixer 109 connected to the combined outputs of the parallel amplification stages (LNAs 104, 105, 106) (paras [0076], [0078]). BALANKUTTY teaches outputs of parallel pseudo-differential amplification stages connecting to subsequent common nodes (paras [0028]-[0029])).
Regarding claim 10, the combination of MCCULLAGH, BALANKUTTY and YOO teaches the RF circuit of claim 9, wherein the (1-1)-th switch is connected to the first node and a fifth node connected to the second ground, and the (1-2)-th switch is connected to the third node and the fifth node (YOO teaches routing switches having a first terminal connected to an RF node and a second terminal connected directly to ground (paras [0048]-[0052])).
Regarding claim 11, the combination of MCCULLAGH, BALANKUTTY and YOO teaches the RF circuit of claim 10, wherein the (2-1)-th switch is connected to the second node and a sixth node connected to the first ground, and the (2-2)-th switch is connected to the fourth node and the sixth node (YOO teaches routing switches connected between RF nodes and ground (paras [0048]-[0052]).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of MCCULLAGH, BALANKUTTY and YOO teaches the RF circuit of claim 1, further comprising: a trans impedance amplifier (TIA) connected to an output terminal of the mixer stage to amplify a mixing signal output from the mixer stage (BALANKUTTY discloses a variable gain baseband trans impedance amplifier (TIA) 114 connected to the output of the passive mixer (paragraph [0022]).
Claim(s) 4 and 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over MCCULLAGH in view of BALANKUTTY and YOO, and further in view of MIKHEMAR.
Regarding claim 4, the combination of MCCULLAGH, BALANKUTTY and YOO teaches the RF circuit of claim 3.
The combination of MCCULLAGH, BALANKUTTY and YOO is silent to teaching that wherein the mixer stage is configured to offset the reflected second RF component and a remaining second RF component input through the (2-1)-th amplification stage, and offset the reflected second RF component and a remaining second RF component input through the (2-2)-th amplification stage.
In the same field, MIKHEMAR teaches a RF device wherein the mixer stage is configured to offset the reflected second RF component and a remaining second RF component input through the (2-1)-th amplification stage, and offset the reflected second RF component and a remaining second RF component input through the (2-2)-th amplification stage (MIKHEMAR teaches the mixer offsetting/canceling unwanted RF components (paras [0018]-[0019], [0022]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to apply MIKHEMAR’s active cancellation and offsetting mixer architecture to this system. The motivation for incorporating MIKHEMAR’s offsetting mixer is to cleanly subtract and offset these reflected interference components and remaining noise from the desired signal at the mixer stage, recovering a desired baseband signal with high integrity without requiring sharp, power-hungry RF filters (MIKHEMAR, paras [0018]-[0019]).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of MCCULLAGH, BALANKUTTY and YOO teaches the RF circuit of claim 5.
The combination of MCCULLAGH, BALANKUTTY and YOO is silent to teaching that wherein the mixer stage is configured to offset the reflected first RF component and a remaining first RF component input through the (1-1)-th amplification stage, and offset the reflected first RF component and a remaining first RF component input through the (1-2)-th amplification stage.
In the same field, MIKHEMAR teaches a RF device wherein the mixer stage is configured to offset the reflected first RF component and a remaining first RF component input through the (1-1)-th amplification stage, and offset the reflected first RF component and a remaining first RF component input through the (1-2)-th amplification stage (MIKHEMAR teaches the mixer offsetting/canceling unwanted RF components (paras [0018]-[0019], [0022]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to apply MIKHEMAR’s active cancellation and offsetting mixer architecture to this system. The motivation for incorporating MIKHEMAR’s offsetting mixer is to cleanly subtract and offset these reflected interference components and remaining noise from the desired signal at the mixer stage, recovering a desired baseband signal with high integrity without requiring sharp, power-hungry RF filters (MIKHEMAR, paras [0018]-[0019]).
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over MCCULLAGH in view of YOO and MIKHEMAR, further in view of BALANKUTTY.
Regarding claim 15, the combination of MCCULLAGH, YOO and MIKHEMAR teaches the communication device of claim 13.
The combination of MCCULLAGH, YOO and MIKHEMAR is silent to teaching that further comprising: a trans impedance amplifier (TIA) connected to an output terminal of the mixer stage to amplify a mixing signal output from the mixer stage; an analog baseband filter configured to filter the mixing signal and output a filtered reception signal; and a modem configured to process the reception signal.
In the same field of endeavor, BALANKUTTY teaches a RF device comprising: a trans impedance amplifier (TIA) connected to an output terminal of the mixer stage to amplify a mixing signal output from the mixer stage; an analog baseband filter configured to filter the mixing signal and output a filtered reception signal; and a modem configured to process the reception signal (BALANKUTTY teaches a variable gain baseband trans impedance amplifier (TIA) 114 connected to the output of the passive mixer (paragraph [0022]). It further teaches a second-order low pass filter 116 for channel-select filtration (paragraphs [0022], [0038]) and receiving control inputs from a communication modem (paragraph [0080])).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify MCCULLAGH LNAs to use BALANKUTTY pseudo-differential, parallel amplification stages (e.g., pairs of input transistors 240, 242). MCCULLAGH teaches single wideband LNAs per antenna (para [0076]). The motivation for this modification would be to increase the output swing and lower the required saturation voltage, as pseudo-differential architectures provide higher output swings over fully differential equivalents, which is highly advantageous in low-voltage operations (para [0028]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yin (US 20220038121 A1), Oba (US 20110188608 A1), Yang (US 20100056094 A1) teach wireless transmission systems.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WEN WU HUANG whose telephone number is (571)272-7852. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 10-6.
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/WEN W HUANG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2648
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