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.
Claims 2-10 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.
Claim 2, line 4, recites the limitation “a plurality of mutually uniquely oriented active antennas”. Examiner cannot determine whether each of the antenna being oriented or pointed in a unique direction or the plurality of antennas as a whole being oriented or pointed in a specific direction. Furthermore, does each of the antennas being uniquely positioned in different positions or just pointing in different directions? For examination purposes, examiner assumes that each of the antennas are pointing in a different direction. Clarification/correction required.
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.
Claims 2-4 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Negus (US 2017/0318589 A1). (Applicant’s cited prior art).
Regarding claim 2, Negus (Figures 10-12 and 15) teaches a three-dimensional (3D) multiple-input-multiple-output wireless system (MIMO) comprising a plurality of radios RF-Tx-1-M and RF-Rx-1-M, a plurality of “mutually uniquely oriented” active antennas 1504, each antenna configured to emit a beam of electromagnetic wave energy; and an interconnect fabric 1012; wherein a narrow beam of each active antenna addresses a respective solid-angular region, wherein the interconnect fabric and a gain level of each active antenna are configured independently and dynamically so as to connect electrically each active antenna to any or none of the plurality of radios at any given time. so as to provide efficient radio coverage of a totality of solid-angular regions addressed wirelessly by the MIMO (para [0153] and [0157]).
Regarding claim 3, as applied to claim 2, Negus (para [0153]) teaches that the interconnect fabric 1012 is a routing network capable of establishing an electrical connection between any active antenna and at most any single radio at any given time, wherein the electrical connection is bi-directional.
Regarding claim 4, as applied to claim 2, Negus (para [0153] and [0154]) teaches that a first given radio is configured to address any given subset of the totality of solid-angular regions; wherein a second given radio is configured to address any subset of the remaining solid-angular regions not yet addressed; and wherein a pattern established for the first given radio and the second given radio is continued such that each of the remaining radios in turn is configured to address any subset of the remaining solid-angular regions not yet addressed, until either no solid-angular regions remain unaddressed, or the plurality of radios (4401) require no further solid-angular regions of address.
Regarding claim 6, as applied to claim 2, Negus (Figures 10-12, para [0107] and [0154]) teaches that the MIMO is configured to affect independent control of radiated electromagnetic wave power, and incident electromagnetic wave power sensitivity, for each active antenna.
Claims 2 and 6-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Walker et al (US 2019/0348759 A1), hereinafter Walker. (Applicant’s cited prior art).
Regarding claim 2, Walker (Figures 1 and 12) teaches a three-dimensional (3D) multiple-input multiple-output wireless system (MIMO) comprising: a plurality of radios 860 A-H, a plurality of mutually uniquely oriented active antennas 110, and an interconnect fabric; wherein the narrow beam of each active antenna primarily addresses a respective solid-angular region (para [0034], [0095] and [0096]), wherein the interconnect fabric and the gain level of each active antenna are configured independently and dynamically so as to connect electrically each active antenna to any or none of the plurality of radios at any given time (para [0096] to [0099], and [0108] to [0109]), so as to provide efficient radio coverage of the totality of solid-angular regions addressed wirelessly by the MIMO (para [0096] and [0097]).
Regarding claim 6, as applied to claim 2, Walker [para [0036], [0040], and [0096] to [0098]) teaches that the MIMO is configured to effect independent control of radiated electromagnetic wave power, and incident electromagnetic wave power sensitivity, for each active antenna.
Regarding claim 7, as applied to claim 2, Walker (Figures 8 and 12, para [0077] and [0094]) teaches that the active antennas 110 and the interconnect fabric are configured by a digital control logic, wherein the digital control logic is configured by a control port 232.
Regarding claim 8, as applied to claim 2, Walker (para [0062] and [0063]) teaches that each active antenna has a Poynting ray (each antenna 110 has a Poynting vector or ray), wherein each active antenna is configured to emit electromagnetic wave energy primarily along its Poynting ray (para [0062]) and receive electromagnetic wave energy primarily along the negative of its Poynting ray (para [0062] and [0063]), wherein each Poynting ray is offset in its angular orientation from each adjacent Poynting ray by an inter-ray angular offset, in a fanned arrangement, or in another polymorphic arrangement (Figure 5, para [0062] and [0065]).
Regarding claim 9, as applied to claim 2, Walker (Figures 8 and 12, para [[0094] to [0096], [0099] and [0100]) teaches that the MIMO having a digital control logic, wherein the digital control logic is configured to coordinate the operation of the plurality of radios and the plurality of active antennas to either up-convert or down-convert (microprocessor 805 configured to control radios 860A-H and antennas 110 to perform up-conversion or down-conversion), wherein each active antenna is configured to up-convert whenever the radio to which said active antenna is electrically connected performs up-conversion, and wherein each active antenna is configured to down-convert whenever the radio to which said active antenna is electrically connected performs down-conversion (para [0095], [0096] and [0100]).
Regarding claim 10, as applied to claim 2, Walker (Figuers 8and 12, para [0077], [0094], [0096] and [0097]) teaches that the MIMO having a digital control logic, wherein the digital control logic is configured to direct the operation of each active antenna so as to apply a variable level of radio-frequency amplification specific to said active antenna.
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 3 and 11-14, 16 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Walker in view of Liang et al (US 2019/0181926 A1), hereinafter Liang. (Applicant’s cited prior art).
Regarding claim 3, Walker teaches the claimed invention, as applied to claim 2, and further teaches that the interconnect fabric is a routing network capable of establishing an electrical connection between any active antenna and any single radio at any given time, wherein the electrical connection is bi-directional (para [0095] and [0098] to [0100]). Walker, however, fails to specifically teach that the interconnect fabric is a routing network capable of establishing an electrical connection between any active antenna and at most any single radio at any given time.
Liang (Figures 1 and 3, para [0018], [0025] and [0028]) teaches a routing network (switch network 4) capable of establishing an electrical connection between any active antenna (M antennas) with at most any single radio (RF path) at any given time.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the interconnect fabric of Walker to include a routing network capable of establishing an electrical connection between any active antenna and at most any single radio at any given time, as taught by Liang, doing so would provide increased efficiency (Liang [para [0028]).
Regarding claim 11, Walker (Figures 1 and 12) teaches a three-dimensional (3D) multiple-input multiple-output wireless system (MIMO) comprising:
N oriented antennas 110, each pointing in a “unique direction in three-dimensional (3D) space” (para [0034], [0035], [0095] and [0096]), and each comprising a transceiver block 125, wherein N is a first fixed, positive integer;
R radios, wherein R is a second fixed, positive, integer;
a radio-frequency fanning network (coaxial interconnect), configured to connect electrically any radio with each oriented antenna at any given instant (para [0096] to [0099] and [0106] to [0109]); and
a digital control logic, having a control port by which to receive commands, the digital control logic configured to control the coordinated operation of the radios, the radio-frequency fanning network, and the transceiver blocks (Figures 8 and 12, para [0077] and [0094]); wherein the control of radiated power and received sensitivity to each oriented antenna is about orthogonal, so as to provide efficient radio coverage of the entire solid-angular region addressed wirelessly by the MIMO, with respect to the location of the MIMO (para [0034]], [0035], [0061], [0096] and [0097]).
Walker fails to specifically teach that the radio-frequency fanning network configured to connect electrically at most one radio with each oriented antenna at any given instant.
Liang (Figures 1 and 3, para [0018], [0025] and [0028]) teaches a fanning network (switch network 4) configured to connect electrically at most one radio with each oriented antenna at any given instant.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the MIMO system of Walker to include a fanning network configured to connect electrically at most one radio with each oriented antenna at any given instant, as taught by Liang, doing so would provide increased efficiency (Liang [para [0028]).
Regarding claim 12, as applied to claim 11, Walker (Figure 5, para [0056], [0057] and [0060]) teaches M planar stacks 510A-P, wherein M is a fixed positive integer, and wherein each of the M planar stacks comprises a plurality of the N oriented antennas 110.
Regarding claim 13, as applied to claim 12, Walker (Figure 5, para [0058] to [0060]) teaches that each of the oriented antennas 110 in each planar stack 510 is offset in angular orientation from each adjacent oriented antenna in the same planar stack by about a constant inter-plane angular offset, such that the plurality of planar stacks forms a fanned arrangement about an array axis of symmetry, wherein the constant inter- plane angular offset is about 360/M degrees.
Regarding claim 14, as applied to claim 11, Walker (Figure 5) teaches that each oriented antenna has a Poynting ray (para [0062] and [0063], each antenna 110 has a Poynting vector or ray), wherein each oriented antenna emits electromagnetic wave energy primarily along its Poynting ray (para [0062]), wherein each oriented antenna receives electromagnetic wave energy primarily along the negative of its Poynting ray (para [0062] and [0063]), wherein each Poynting ray is offset in its angular orientation from each adjacent Poynting ray by an inter-ray angular offset, in a fanned arrangement, or in another polymorphic arrangement (Figure 5, para [0062] and [0065]), wherein each given oriented antenna 110 dominates, within its respective sub-region of solid-angular coverage, the response of all other oriented antennas (para [0060] to [0062]).
Regarding claim 16, as applied to claim 11, Walker (para [0096] to [0099], [0108] and [0109]) teaches that the interconnection and gain level of each oriented antenna are configured independently and dynamically so as to connect electrically each oriented antenna 110 to any or none of the plurality of radios 860A-H at any given time.
Regarding claim 17, as applied to claim 11, Walker (para [0076], [0082], [0084], [0095] to [0099], [0108] and [0109]) teaches that each transceiver block employs variable levels of radio-frequency power amplification; and wherein each transceiver block is configured to accept a transmit/receive mode control signal from the digital control logic.
Claims 2-4, 6, 7, 9-11, 16 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lastinger et al (US 2011/0281603 A1), hereinafter Lastinger, in view of Hu (US 2016/0029255 A1).
Regarding claim 2, Lastinger (Figure 1, para [0037]) teaches a three-dimensional (3D) multiple-input-multiple-output wireless system (MIMO) comprising a plurality of radios 18/20/22; a plurality of “mutually uniquely oriented” active antennas 34-42, each antenna configured to emit a beam of electromagnetic wave energy; and an interconnect fabric 26/28/30; wherein a narrow beam of each active antenna addresses a respective solid-angular region, so as to provide efficient radio coverage of a totality of solid-angular regions addressed wirelessly by the MIMO.
Lastinger does not explicitly mention that the interconnect fabric and a gain level of each active antenna are configured independently and dynamically so as to connect electrically each active antenna to any or none of the plurality of radios at any given time.
Hu (Figure 1, para [0016] to [0022] and [0025]) teaches an antenna system comprising a plurality of antennas 114 and a plurality of radios, and an interconnect fabric 104, wherein the interconnect fabric and a gain level of each active antenna are configured independently and dynamically so as to connect electrically each active antenna to any or none of the plurality of radios at any given time.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the MIMO system of Lastinger such that the interconnect fabric and a gain level of each active antenna are configured independently and dynamically so as to connect electrically each active antenna to any or none of the plurality of radios at any given time, as taught by Hu, doing so would provide optimum radio coverage to the entire region addressed wireless by the MIMO.
Regarding claim 3, as applied to claim 2, Hu (Figure 1, para [0016] to [0022]) teaches that the interconnect fabric RDN is a routing network capable of establishing an electrical connection between any active antenna and at most any single radio at any given time, wherein the electrical connection is bi-directional.
Regarding claim 4, as applied to claim 2, Hu (para [0016] to [0022]) teaches that a first given radio is configured to address any given subset of the totality of solid-angular regions; wherein a second given radio is configured to address any subset of the remaining solid-angular regions not yet addressed; and wherein a pattern established for the first given radio and the second given radio is continued such that each of the remaining radios in turn is configured to address any subset of the remaining solid-angular regions not yet addressed, until either no solid-angular regions remain unaddressed, or the plurality of radios require no further solid-angular regions of address.
Regarding claim 6, as applied to claim 2, Hu (para [0016] to [0022]) teaches that the MIMO is configured to affect independent control of radiated electromagnetic wave power, and incident electromagnetic wave power sensitivity, for each active antenna.
Regarding claim 7, as applied to claim 2, Hu (Figure 1, para [0027]) teaches that the active antennas 114 and the interconnect fabric RDN are controlled by a digital control logic; and wherein the digital control logic is controlled by a control port.
Regarding claim 9, as applied to claim 2, Hu (para [0027], [0030], [0034] and [0036]) teaches that the MIMO having a digital control logic, wherein the digital control logic is configured to coordinate an operation of the plurality of radios and the plurality of active antennas to either up-convert or down-convert; wherein each active antenna is configured to up-convert whenever the radio to which said active antenna is electrically connected performs up-conversion; and wherein each active antenna is configured to down-convert whenever the radio to which said active antenna is electrically connected performs down-conversion.
Regarding claim 10, as applied to claim 2, Hu (para [0027], [0030], [0034] and [0036]) teaches that the MIMO having a digital control logic, wherein the digital control logic is configured to direct an operation of each active antenna so as to apply a variable level of radio-frequency amplification specific to said active antenna.
Regarding claim 11, Lastinger (Figure 1, para [0037]) teaches a three-dimensional (3D) multiple-input multiple-output wireless system (MIMO) comprising N oriented antennas 34/36/38/42/44/46, each pointing in a unique direction in three-dimensional (3D) space, and each comprising a transceiver block, each antenna configured to emit a beam of electromagnetic wave energy, wherein N is a first fixed, positive integer; R radios 18/20/22, wherein R is a second fixed, positive, integer; a radio-frequency fanning network 26/28/40, configured to connect electrically at most one radio of the R radios with each oriented antenna at any given instant.
Lastinger fails to further teach a digital control logic, having a control port by which to receive commands, the digital control logic configured to control a coordinated operation of the radios, the radio-frequency fanning network, and the transceiver blocks; wherein a control of radiated power and received sensitivity to each oriented antenna is orthogonal, so as to provide efficient radio coverage of an entire solid-angular region addressed wirelessly by the MIMO, with respect to a location of the MIMO.
Hu (Figure 1, para [0016], [0022] and [0025]) teaches an antenna system comprising a digital control logic 108 [para [0027]), having a control port by which to receive commands, the digital control logic configured to control a coordinated operation of the radios, the radio-frequency fanning network, and the transceiver blocks; wherein a control of radiated power and received sensitivity to each oriented antenna is orthogonal, so as to provide efficient radio coverage of an entire solid-angular region addressed wirelessly by the MIMO, with respect to a location of the MIMO.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the MIMO system of Lastinger to include a digital control logic configured to control a coordinated operation of the radios, as taught by Hu, doing so would provide optimum radio coverage for the entire region addressed wirelessly by the MIMO.
Regarding claim 16, as applied to claim 11, Hu (para [0016] to [0022] and [0025]) teaches that an interconnection and gain level of each oriented antenna are configured independently and dynamically so as to connect electrically each oriented antenna to any or none of the plurality of radios at any given time.
Regarding claim 17, as applied to claim 11, Hu (Figure 1, para [0016] to [0022] and [0027]) teaches that each transceiver block employs variable levels of radio-frequency power amplification; and wherein each transceiver block is configured to accept a transmit/receive mode control signal from the digital control logic.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Walker in view of Liang, and further in view of Hu.
Regarding claim 15, Walker in view of Liang teaches the claimed invention, as applied to claim 14, except explicitly mention that any first given radio, from among the R radios, is configured to address any given subset of an entirety of solid-angular sub-regions; wherein then any second given radio is configured to address any subset of the remaining solid-angular sub-regions not yet addressed; wherein a pattern established for the first given radio and the second given radio is continued such that each of the remaining radios in turn is configured to address any subset of the remaining solid-angular sub-regions not yet addressed, until either no solid-angular sub-regions remain unaddressed, or all R radios require no further solid-angular sub-regions of address, so as to provide efficient radio coverage of the entire solid-angular region addressed wirelessly by the MIMO, with respect to the location of the MIMO.
Hu (para [0016] to [0022]) teaches that a first given radio is configured to address any given subset of the totality of solid-angular regions; wherein a second given radio is configured to address any subset of the remaining solid-angular regions not yet addressed; and wherein a pattern established for the first given radio and the second given radio is continued such that each of the remaining radios in turn is configured to address any subset of the remaining solid-angular regions not yet addressed, until either no solid-angular regions remain unaddressed, or the plurality of radios require no further solid-angular regions of address.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the MIMO antenna system of Walker/Liang with a first given radio is configured to address any given subset of the totality of solid-angular regions; wherein a second given radio is configured to address any subset of the remaining solid-angular regions not yet addressed; and wherein a pattern established for the first given radio and the second given radio is continued such that each of the remaining radios in turn is configured to address any subset of the remaining solid-angular regions not yet addressed, until either no solid-angular regions remain unaddressed, or the plurality of radios require no further solid-angular regions of address, as taught by Hu, doing so would provide effective radio coverage of the entire solid-angular region addressed wirelessly by the MIMO system.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5 and 18-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten to overcome 112 issues and/or in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 1 is allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regrading claim 1, neither Negus, Walker, Liang nor Hu teaches at least the feature, in combination with all other limitations in the claim, wherein each oriented antenna is configured to emit a beam of linearly dual-polarized electromagnetic wave energy along the Poynting ray and receive electromagnetic wave energy along a negative of the Poynting ray.
Regarding claims 5 and 20, neither Walker, Liang, Lastinger, nor Hu further teaches that the beam of electromagnetic wave energy emitted by each antenna comprises linearly dual-polarized electromagnetic wave energy, linearly single-polarized electromagnetic wave energy, left-hand circularly polarized electromagnetic wave energy, or right-hand circularly polarized electromagnetic wave energy.
Regarding claim 18, neither Walker, Liang, Lastinger, nor Hu further teaches that the radio-frequency fanning network comprises a plurality of 1-pole R-throw radio selectors; wherein each transceiver block connects electrically to a radio selector common port of the respective 1-pole R-throw radio selector via a transceiver block second port; wherein a function of each given 1-pole R-throw radio selector is that of a matched 1-pole R-throw switch between a plurality of switch ports and the common port of the given 1-pole R-throw radio selector; and wherein the radio selector plurality of switch ports comprises R radio selector switch ports.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Bisuiles et al (US 2019/0028159) discloses a MIMO antenna system.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOANG V NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1825. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-5pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dimary Lopez can be reached at (571) 270-7983. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/HOANG V NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845