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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 8, 9, 11-12, and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a(1) as being anticipated by Shamsinejad (US 2022/0268886).
Referring to Claim 1, Shamsinejad teaches a calibration system of a phased array antenna, comprising:
an antenna device comprising the phased array antenna (see phased array elements 108 as part of antenna 104 which is part of transceiver 120 in fig. 1);
a measurement device configured to measure outputted signals from each radiating element arrayed in the phased array antenna and generate measured value data from the outputted signals (see probe layer 102 which receives output signals from the AUT 104 as shown in paragraph 16 and paragraph 15 which shows measuring each antenna element); and
an analysis device configured to analyze the measured value data to generate and transmit analysis data to the antenna device (see paragraph 14 which shows the probe sending signals to the AUT which include orthogonal properties for calibrations of the antenna elements),
wherein the antenna device is configured to determine a phase offset to be applied to the each radiating element based on the analysis data (see paragraph 24 which shows phase shift for each transmitting antenna element based on voltage values).
Referring to Claim 8, Shamsinejad teaches a calibration method for a phased array antenna, the calibration method comprising:
driving a measurement device by an antenna device to position a probe module proximate a front surface of each radiating element, as a first step (see probe layer 102 which receives output signals from the AUT 104 as shown in paragraph 16 where the probe layer is shown in fig. 1 to be positioned in front of the AUT);
supplying radio frequency (RF) power by the antenna device to the each radiating element, as a second step (see phased array elements 108 receiving signals from antenna 104 which is part of transceiver 120 in fig. 1);
analyzing, by an analysis device, an outputted signal of each of the each radiating element, which is measured by the probe module, as a third step (see probe layer 102 which receives output signals from the AUT 104 as shown in paragraph 16 and paragraph 15 which shows measuring each antenna element);
transmitting information obtained by the analyzing by the analysis device to the antenna device, as a fourth step (see paragraph 14 which shows the probe sending signals to the AUT which include orthogonal properties for calibrations of the antenna elements); and
determining a phase offset to be applied to the each radiating element based on measured values of all radiating elements obtained by iteration of the first step through the fourth step (see paragraph 24 which shows phase shift for each transmitting antenna element based on voltage values).
Referring to Claim 11, Shamsinejad teaches a calibration system of a phased array antenna, comprising:
an antenna device comprising the phased array antenna (see phased array elements 108 as part of antenna 104 which is part of transceiver 120 in fig. 1);
a measurement device configured to measure outputted signals from each radiating element arrayed in the phased array antenna to generate measured value data (see probe layer 102 which receives output signals from the AUT 104 as shown in paragraph 16 and paragraph 15 which shows measuring each antenna element); and
an analysis device configured to analyze the measured value data to generate and transmit analysis data to the antenna device (see paragraph 14 which shows the probe sending signals to the AUT which include orthogonal properties for calibrations of the antenna elements),
wherein the antenna device comprises multi-function chips (MFCs) each configured to control a radio frequency (RF) function of each of the each radiating element (see paragraph 27 which shows feed networks which control the power distribution of each of the signals to the transmit antennas),
wherein the antenna device is configured to pre-store characteristics of the multi- function chips in a look-up table (LUT) (see paragraph 24 which shows voltage values for each antenna element stored in LUTs), and
wherein the antenna device is configured to determine a phase offset to be applied to the each radiating element based on the analysis data and a reference value of the look-up table (LUT) (see paragraph 24 which shows phase shift for each transmitting antenna element based on voltage values).
Referring to Claims 2 and 12, Shamsinejad also teaches a radio frequency (RF) module including the each radiating element, and including a multi-function chip (MFC) configured to control an RF function of the each radiating element (see paragraph 27 which shows feed networks which control the power distribution of each of the signals to the transmit antennas); a control module configured to control the RF module (see calibration control 116 which controls the RF module as shown in paragraph 14); and a terminal module configured to be in communication with the measurement device, the analysis device, and the control module to transmit a control signal (see active elements in communication with calibration control 116, feed network 118 and measurement device 112 in fig. 1).
Referring to Claims 3 and 9, Shamsinejad also teaches the antenna device configured to store characteristics of the multi-function chips in a look-up table (LUT) (see paragraph 24 which shows voltage values for each antenna element stored in LUTs).
Referring to Claim 17, Shamsinejad also teaches storing a look-up table (LUT) by measuring characteristics of multi-function chips (MFCs) included in an antenna device, as a fifth step (see paragraph 24 which shows voltage values for each antenna element stored in LUTs); driving a measurement device by the antenna device to position a probe module proximate a front surface of each radiating element, as a sixth step (see probe layer 102 which receives output signals from the AUT 104 as shown in paragraph 16 where the probe layer is shown in fig. 1 to be positioned in front of the AUT); supplying the RF power by the antenna device to the each radiating element, as a seventh step (see phased array elements 108 receiving signals from antenna 104 which is part of transceiver 120 in fig. 1); analyzing, by an analysis device, an outputted signal of the each radiating element, which is measured by the probe module, as an eighth step (see paragraph 14 which shows the probe sending signals to the AUT which include orthogonal properties for calibrations of the antenna elements); transmitting information obtained by the analyzing by the analysis device to the antenna device, as a ninth step (see paragraph 14 which shows the probe sending signals to the AUT which include orthogonal properties for calibrations of the antenna elements); and determining a phase offset to be applied to the each radiating element based on a reference value of the LUT, which is obtained in the fifth step and measured values of the each radiating element obtained by iteration of the sixth step through the ninth step (see paragraph 24 which shows phase shift for each transmitting antenna element based on voltage values).
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.
Claim(s) 4, 7, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shamsinejad in view of Hageman et al. (US 9,923,269).
Referring to Claim 4, Shamsinejad does not teach the look-up table including error information for each of control values for gains and phases, obtained in all bands, of the each radiating element linked with a particular multi-function chip. Hageman teaches the look-up table including error information for each of control values for gains and phases, obtained in all bands, of the each radiating element linked with a particular multi-function chip (see col. 7, lines 22-31 which shows the LUT including error and phase command information in addition to other parameters). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to provide the teachings of Hageman to the device of Shamsinejad in order to more efficiently calibrate a phased array antenna.
Referring to Claims 7 and 10, Hageman also teaches the phase offset applied based on a phase with a least error for the each radiating element included in the phased array antenna (see col. 7, lines 22-31 which shows a phase bias or offset placed in response to a phase error which implies that the smallest bias applies to the least phase error). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to provide the teachings of Hageman to the device of Shamsinejad in order to more efficiently calibrate a phased array antenna.
Claim(s) 5, 6, 13-16, and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shamsinejad in view of Patel et al. (US 6,771,216).
Referring to Claims 5 and 14, Shamsinejad does not teach a probe module positioned proximate a front surface of the each radiating element and configured to measure an outputted signal of the each radiating element; a displacement module connected to the probe module and configured to move the probe module toward the front surface of the each radiating element; and a driving module configured to provide a driving force to the displacement module and to operate in accordance with a control signal from the antenna device. Patel teaches a probe module positioned proximate a front surface of the each radiating element and configured to measure an outputted signal of the each radiating element (see fig. 3 which shows the probe module 50 moving to be positioned in front of antenna elements 20); a displacement module connected to the probe module and configured to move the probe module toward the front surface of the each radiating element (see col. 3, line 59 to col. 4, line 9 and fig. 3 which shows the probe moving across the front of the antenna elements); and a driving module configured to provide a driving force to the displacement module and to operate in accordance with a control signal from the antenna device (see col. 4, lines 45-54 which shows applied voltage which is the driving force). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to provide the teachings of Patel to the device of Shamsinejad in order to more better track and calibrate multiple elements simultaneously.
Referring to Claims 6, 15, and 19, Patel also teaches the analysis device is configured to extract S-parameter information for the outputted signals of the each radiating element (see col. 4, lines 32-44 which shows the generation and extraction of S-parameter information) and to transmit the S-parameter information upon request of the antenna device (see col. 4, lines 55-63 which shows the sending of the measurement information).
Referring to Claims 13 and 18, Shamsinejad also teaches the LUT storing reference values for all control bits of the multi-function chips according to a desired phase and attenuation (see paragraph 24 which shows voltage values for each antenna element stored in LUTs which influences the phase shift). Patel teaches storing reference values according to a descired phase and attenuation with no radiating element connected (see col. 5, lines 10-30 which shows creating a table while applying zero voltage which implies no connection to radiating elements). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to provide the teachings of Patel to the device of Shamsinejad in order to more better track and calibrate multiple elements simultaneously.
Referring to Claims 16 and 20, Patel also teaches the phase offset determined as an optimal control bit by combining a phase bit control value based on the S-parameter information with a size bit reference value based on the LUT (see col. 4, lines 32-44 which shows phase offset determined from an offset table and col. 4, lines 45-54 which shows offset based on S-parameter measurements). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to provide the teachings of Patel to the device of Shamsinejad in order to more better track and calibrate multiple elements simultaneously.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EUGENE YUN whose telephone number is (571)272-7860. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-5pm.
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/EUGENE YUN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2648
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