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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/16/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 8 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 1 recites the limitations “a first to a third transmission power of a first to a third signal” and subsequently claims “the second transmission power” and “the second signal”. While one could reasonable infer “a first to a third…” as encompassing a respective second transmission power of a second signal, for sake of clarity, Examiner request clarifying language. For example, the limitation could be changed to “a first transmission power, a second transmission power, and a third transmission power associated with a respective first signal, second signal, and third signal”. Claim 8 recites similar limitations as those of claim 1, therefore, claim 8 is objected to for similar reasons as stated above.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 1-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dragonetti (US 2003/0072385 A1; “Dragonetti”) in view of Huth, G. K. (Axiomatix), “Integrated Source and Channel Encoded Digital Communication Systems Design Study Final Report”, Report Number: NASA-CR-147880, N76-31375, July 31, 1976 (retrieved from https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19760024287; “Axiomatix”).
Regarding claim 1, Dragonetti teaches a multiplexed signal generation method of a first device in a communication system, the method comprising:
identifying a first to a third transmission power of a first to a third signal to be multiplexed to be transmitted [Dragonetti ¶ 0037: a power weighting, or fraction of the available transmit power, is periodically assigned to each CDMA signal, wherein in the case of three signals being transmitted in a constant-envelope interplex modulation signal, the relative power of the signals is controlled by adjusting the gain factors β1 and β2; see equations (1) and (2) in ¶¶ 0012-0013: here a first to third power for first to third signals may be expressed as P1 =
cos
β
1
cos
β
2
for S1, P1 =
sin
β
1
cos
β
2
for S2, and P1 =
cos
β
1
sin
β
2
for S3];
generating an intermodulation component of the first to third signals [Dragonetti ¶ 0040: three signal components S1, S2, and S3 and the required intermodulation product S1S2S3 are generated individually];
multiplying the first to third signals and the intermodulation component based on the first to third transmission powers [Dragonetti ¶ 0013, Eq. 2:
v
t
=
P
1
S
1
sin
ω
t
+
P
2
S
2
cos
ω
t
+
P
3
S
3
cos
ω
t
-
S
1
S
2
S
3
sin
β
1
sin
β
2
sin
ω
t
, wherein
sin
β
1
sin
β
2
=
P
4
]; and
generating a multiplexed signal having a constant envelope by performing quadrature phase combination on a linear combination result of the multiplied third signal and the multiplied intermodulation component and a linear combination result of the multiplied first and second signals [Dragonetti ¶ 0040: in accordance with equation (2), a first BPSK modulator modulates the quadrature component of the carrier
sin
ω
t
with the binary signal
S
1
, a second BPSK modulator modulates the in-phase component of the carrier
cos
ω
t
with the binary signal
S
2
, a third BPSK modulator modulates the in-phase component of the carrier
cos
ω
t
with the binary signal
S
3
, and a fourth BPSK modulator modulates the quadrature component of the carrier
sin
ω
t
with the intermodulation product
S
1
S
2
S
3
; here equation (2) can be expressed as v(t) = I2 + Q2, wherein I2 can be expressed as
P
2
S
2
cos
ω
t
+
P
3
S
3
cos
ω
t
(i.e. a first and second signal), and Q2 can be expressed as
P
1
S
1
sin
ω
t
+
S
1
S
2
S
3
sin
β
1
sin
β
2
sin
ω
t
(i.e. a third signal and intermodulation component)].
However, Dragonetti does not explicitly disclose wherein the third transmission power is equal to or greater than the first transmission power and the second transmission power.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Axiomatix teaches wherein the third transmission power is equal to or greater than the first transmission power and the second transmission power [Axiomatix Appendix A, sec. 2.2: for 3-channel interplex modulation, the primary channel is generally the channel that carries the highest data rate, and thus has the majority of the power assigned to it].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of generating a multiplexed signal having a constant envelope from a quadrature phase combination on a linear combination result of a multiplied signal and the multiplied intermodulation component and a linear combination result of a multiplied secondary signal and another secondary signal as taught by Dragonetti, with the method of assigning a highest portion of power to a primary channel in 3-channel interplexing as taught by Axiomatix. The motivation to combine these references would be to reduce bandwidth requirements for phase multiplexing of three channels [Axiomatix p. 2, sec. 2.0].
Regarding claim 2, Dragonetti in view of Axiomatix teaches the method of claim 1, wherein generating the intermodulation component comprises generating the intermodulation component through multiplication operation on the first to third signals [Dragonetti ¶ 0040: intermodulation product S1S2S3 (i.e. multiplication operation of first to third signal)].
Regarding claim 3, Dragonetti in view of Axiomatix teaches the method of claim 1, wherein multiplying comprises multiplying the first to third signals based on a first to a third coefficient determined based on root values of the first to third transmission powers [Dragonetti ¶ 0047, Eq. 4: v(t) can be rewritten as
Φ
Q
A
Q
s
i
n
ω
t
+
Φ
I
A
I
c
o
s
ω
t
, wherein amplitude, A, can be expressed as A=
P
; here, A is analogous to the claimed coefficient, where A is the root value of respective transmission powers].
Regarding claim 4, Dragonetti in view of Axiomatix teaches the method of claim 1, wherein multiplying comprises multiplying the intermodulation component based on a fourth coefficient determined based on a first to a third coefficient determined based on root values of the first to third transmission powers [Dragonetti ¶ 0039, Eg. 2: IM component S1S2S3 is multiplied by
sin
β
1
sin
β
2
(here, A4 =
sin
β
1
sin
β
2
and is analogous to a fourth coefficient); ¶ 0047, Eq. 4: v(t) can be rewritten as
Φ
Q
A
Q
s
i
n
ω
t
+
Φ
I
A
I
c
o
s
ω
t
, wherein amplitude, A, can be expressed as A=
P
(i.e., the coefficient is based on root value of transmission power); Furthermore, amplitudes A1, A2, and A3 are defined for first to third signals, respectively, where A1 =
cos
β
1
cos
β
2
, A2 =
sin
β
1
cos
β
2
, and A3 =
cos
β
1
sin
β
2
, wherein A4 can be determined from A2A3/A1 (i.e. based on first to third coefficients)].
Regarding claim 5, Dragonetti in view of Axiomatix teaches the method of claim 1, wherein generating the multiplexed signal comprises: generating a first combined signal through a sum operation on the multiplied first signal and the multiplied second signal [Dragonetti ¶¶ 0040-41, Eq. 3: first combined signal may be expressed as
S
1
-
P
4
S
1
S
2
S
3
];
generating a second combined signal through a difference operation on the multiplied third signal and the multiplied intermodulation component [Dragonetti ¶¶ 0040-41, Eq. 3: second combined signal may be expressed as
P
2
S
2
+
P
3
S
3
]; and
generating the multiplexed signal by quadrature-phase-combining the first and second combined signals [Dragonetti ¶¶ 0042-0043, Eq. 3: first combined signal,
S
1
-
P
4
S
1
S
2
S
3
, is multiplied by modulated quadrature carrier component,
s
i
n
ω
t
, and combined with second combined signal,
P
2
S
2
+
P
3
S
3
, which is modulated by the in-phase carrier component].
Regarding claim 6, Dragonetti in view of Axiomatix teaches the method of claim 5, wherein the first signal is represented by s1, the second signal represented by s2, the third signal represented by s3, the first transmission power is represented by P1, the second transmission power is represented by P2, the third transmission power is represented by P3, and the multiplexed signal is represented SMUX,
s
M
U
X
=
P
1
s
1
+
P
2
s
2
+
j
P
3
s
3
-
P
1
P
2
/
P
3
s
1
s
2
s
3
[Dragonetti ¶ 0039, Eq. 2:
v
t
=
S
1
cos
β
1
cos
β
2
sin
ω
t
+
S
2
sin
β
1
cos
β
2
cos
ω
t
+
S
3
cos
β
1
sin
β
2
cos
ω
t
-
S
1
S
2
S
3
sin
β
1
sin
β
2
sin
ω
t
, A, amplitude is the square of power giving
A
N
=
P
N
;
P
1
=
cos
β
1
cos
β
2
,
P
2
=
sin
β
1
cos
β
2
, and
P
4
=
cos
β
1
sin
β
2
, and
P
4
=
P
2
P
3
P
1
=
sin
β
1
sin
β
2
, therefore, Eq. 2 may be rewritten as
v
t
=
(
S
2
P
2
+
S
3
P
3
)
cos
ω
t
+
(
S
1
P
1
-
S
1
S
2
S
3
P
2
P
3
P
1
)
sin
ω
t
].
Regarding claim 7, Dragonetti in view of Axiomatix teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the first to third signals are bi-phase unit-power signals [Dragonetti ¶ 0040: three signal components S1, S2, and S3 a are generated individually by a waveform generator and respectively supplied as binary signals to four separate binary phase shift key (BPSK) modulators].
Regarding claim 8, Dragonetti teaches a first device of a communication system, the first device comprising:
a processor [Dragonetti Fig. 2: signal generator 26; ¶ 0071: signal generator may be processor/programable component] configured to control the first device to identify a first to a third transmission power of a first to a third signal to be multiplexed to be transmitted [Dragonetti ¶ 0037: a power weighting, or fraction of the available transmit power, is periodically assigned to each CDMA signal, wherein in the case of three signals being transmitted in a constant-envelope interplex modulation signal, the relative power of the signals is controlled by adjusting the gain factors β1 and β2; see equations (1) and (2) in ¶¶ 0012-0013: here a first to third power for first to third signals may be expressed as P1 =
cos
β
1
cos
β
2
for S1, P1 =
sin
β
1
cos
β
2
for S2, and P1 =
cos
β
1
sin
β
2
for S3],
generate an intermodulation component of the first to third signals [Dragonetti ¶ 0040: three signal components S1, S2, and S3 and the required intermodulation product S1S2S3 are generated individually],
multiply the first to third signals and the intermodulation component based on the first to third transmission powers [Dragonetti ¶ 0013, Eq. 2:
v
t
=
P
1
S
1
sin
ω
t
+
P
2
S
2
cos
ω
t
+
P
3
S
3
cos
ω
t
-
S
1
S
2
S
3
sin
β
1
sin
β
2
sin
ω
t
, wherein
sin
β
1
sin
β
2
=
P
4
], and
generate a multiplexed signal having a constant envelope by performing quadrature phase combination on a linear combination result of the multiplied third signal and the multiplied intermodulation component and a linear combination result of the multiplied first and second signals [Dragonetti ¶ 0040: in accordance with equation (2), a first BPSK modulator modulates the quadrature component of the carrier
sin
ω
t
with the binary signal
S
1
, a second BPSK modulator modulates the in-phase component of the carrier
cos
ω
t
with the binary signal
S
2
, a third BPSK modulator modulates the in-phase component of the carrier
cos
ω
t
with the binary signal
S
3
, and a fourth BPSK modulator modulates the quadrature component of the carrier
sin
ω
t
with the intermodulation product
S
1
S
2
S
3
; here equation (2) can be expressed as v(t) = I2 + Q2, wherein I2 can be expressed as
P
2
S
2
cos
ω
t
+
P
3
S
3
cos
ω
t
(i.e. a first and second signal), and Q2 can be expressed as
P
1
S
1
sin
ω
t
+
S
1
S
2
S
3
sin
β
1
sin
β
2
sin
ω
t
(i.e. a third signal and intermodulation component)].
However, Dragonetti does not explicitly disclose wherein the third transmission power is equal to or greater than the first transmission power and the second transmission power.
However, in a similar field of endeavor, Axiomatix teaches wherein the third transmission power is equal to or greater than the first transmission power and the second transmission power [Axiomatix Appendix A, sec. 2.2: for 3-channel interplex modulation, the primary channel is generally the channel that carries the highest data rate, and thus has the majority of the power assigned to it].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of generating a multiplexed signal having a constant envelope from a quadrature phase combination on a linear combination result of a multiplied signal and the multiplied intermodulation component and a linear combination result of a multiplied secondary signal and another secondary signal as taught by Dragonetti, with the method of assigning a highest portion of power to a primary channel in 3-channel interplexing as taught by Axiomatix. The motivation to combine these references would be to reduce bandwidth requirements for phase multiplexing of three channels [Axiomatix p. 2, sec. 2.0].
Regarding claim 9, Dragonetti in view of Axiomatix teaches the first device of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to control the first device to generate the intermodulation component through multiplication operation on the first to third signals [Dragonetti ¶ 0040: intermodulation product S1S2S3 (i.e. multiplication operation of first to third signal)].
Regarding claim 10, Dragonetti in view of Axiomatix teaches the first device of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to control the first device to multiply the first to third signals based on a first to a third coefficient determined based on root values of the first to third transmission powers [Dragonetti ¶ 0047, Eq. 4: v(t) can be rewritten as
Φ
Q
A
Q
s
i
n
ω
t
+
Φ
I
A
I
c
o
s
ω
t
, wherein amplitude, A, can be expressed as A=
P
; here, A is analogous to the claimed coefficient, where A is the root value of respective transmission powers].
Regarding claim 11, Dragonetti in view of Axiomatix teaches the first device of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to control the first device to multiply the intermodulation component based on a fourth coefficient determined based on a first to a third coefficient determined based on root values of the first to third transmission powers [Dragonetti ¶ 0039, Eg. 2: IM component S1S2S3 is multiplied by
sin
β
1
sin
β
2
(here, A4 =
sin
β
1
sin
β
2
and is analogous to a fourth coefficient); ¶ 0047, Eq. 4: v(t) can be rewritten as
Φ
Q
A
Q
s
i
n
ω
t
+
Φ
I
A
I
c
o
s
ω
t
, wherein amplitude, A, can be expressed as A=
P
(i.e., the coefficient is based on root value of transmission power); Furthermore, amplitudes A1, A2, and A3 are defined for first to third signals, respectively, where A1 =
cos
β
1
cos
β
2
, A2 =
sin
β
1
cos
β
2
, and A3 =
cos
β
1
sin
β
2
, wherein A4 can be determined from A2A3/A1 (i.e. based on first to third coefficients)].
Regarding claim 12, Dragonetti in view of Axiomatix teaches the first device of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to control the first device to generate a first combined signal through a sum operation on the multiplied first signal and the multiplied second signal [Dragonetti ¶¶ 0040-41, Eq. 3: first combined signal may be expressed as
S
1
-
P
4
S
1
S
2
S
3
],
generate a second combined signal through a difference operation on the multiplied third signal and the multiplied intermodulation component [Dragonetti ¶¶ 0040-41, Eq. 3: second combined signal may be expressed as
P
2
S
2
+
P
3
S
3
], and
generate the multiplexed signal by quadrature-phase-combining the first and second combined signals [Dragonetti ¶¶ 0042-0043, Eq. 3: first combined signal,
S
1
-
P
4
S
1
S
2
S
3
, is multiplied by modulated quadrature carrier component,
s
i
n
ω
t
, and combined with second combined signal,
P
2
S
2
+
P
3
S
3
, which is modulated by the in-phase carrier component].
Regarding claim 13, Dragonetti in view of Axiomatix teaches the first device of claim 12, wherein the first signal is represented by s1, the second signal represented by s2, the third signal represented by s3, the first transmission power is represented by P1, the second transmission power is represented by P2, the third transmission power is represented by P3, and the multiplexed signal is represented SMUX,
s
M
U
X
=
P
1
s
1
+
P
2
s
2
+
j
P
3
s
3
-
P
1
P
2
/
P
3
s
1
s
2
s
3
[Dragonetti ¶ 0039, Eq. 2:
v
t
=
S
1
cos
β
1
cos
β
2
sin
ω
t
+
S
2
sin
β
1
cos
β
2
cos
ω
t
+
S
3
cos
β
1
sin
β
2
cos
ω
t
-
S
1
S
2
S
3
sin
β
1
sin
β
2
sin
ω
t
, A, amplitude is the square of power giving
A
N
=
P
N
;
P
1
=
cos
β
1
cos
β
2
,
P
2
=
sin
β
1
cos
β
2
, and
P
4
=
cos
β
1
sin
β
2
, and
P
4
=
P
2
P
3
P
1
=
sin
β
1
sin
β
2
, therefore, Eq. 2 may be rewritten as
v
t
=
(
S
2
P
2
+
S
3
P
3
)
cos
ω
t
+
(
S
1
P
1
-
S
1
S
2
S
3
P
2
P
3
P
1
)
sin
ω
t
].
Conclusion
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/BRIAN P COX/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2474
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