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
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 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 10-11, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by An (US 2024/0056146 A1)(hereinafter “An”).
Regarding claim 1, An discloses a radio frequency circuit (Fig. 3 – reproduced below) comprising:
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an antenna connection terminal (Fig. 3, [0074]: a first antenna 370); an input terminal (Fig. 3, [0070]: input of a first low-noise amplifier (LNA) 310 connected to an RFIC 222 ); an output terminal (Fig. 3, [0070]: output of second PA 325 connected to a second switch 340);
a first filter (Fig. 3, [0070]: a first filter 320) having a pass band including at least part of a transmission band of a first band for frequency division duplex ([0072]: the first filter 320 may be configured as a plurality of filters to respectively filter signals in a portion of the TDD frequency band and/or signals in a portion of the FDD frequency band. A signal received through the third switch 360 may be filtered through the first filter 320 into a signal in the FDD frequency band and/or a signal in the TDD frequency band. [0097]: the first filter 320 may be a band-pass filter that is configured to filter a signal in a specific band among a signal received from the first switch 315 or a signal received from the third switch 360.);
a second filter (Fig. 3, [0070]: a second filter 345) having a pass band including at least part of a reception band of the first band ([0076]: the second filter 345 may filter a signal in a specific band among a signal received from the second switch 340 or a signal received from the third switch 360. [0085]: the second filter 345 may be a band-pass filter that is configured to filter a signal in a specific band among a signal received from the second switch 340 or a signal received from the third switch 360. The second filter 345 may also include the plurality of filters to filter signals in a plurality of frequency bands. The filters connected to the third switch 360 may be designed in view of matching so that performance does not deteriorate even when a plurality of filters is selected by the third switch 360, and may be designed to be open when not selected.); and
a first switch (Fig. 3, [0070]: a third switch (or antenna switch) 360) that includes a first terminal (Fig. 3: the terminal connected to the antenna 370), a second terminal (Fig. 3: the terminal connected to the first filter 320), and a third terminal (Fig. 3: the terminal coupled to the second filter 345), wherein the antenna connection terminal is connected to the first terminal (Fig. 3: the terminal of third switch 360 connected to the antenna 370),
wherein the first filter is connected between the second terminal and the input terminal (Fig. 3, [0070]: the first filter 320 is connected between the second terminal of the third switch 360 and the input of a first low-noise amplifier (LNA) 310 via a first switch (or first transmission/reception switch) 315),
wherein the second filter is connected between the third terminal and the output terminal (Fig. 3, [0070]: the second filter 345 is connected between the third terminal of the third switch 360 and the output of second PA 325 via the second switch 340),
wherein the first switch is configured to switch between first connection, second connection, and third connection (Fig. 3, [0076]: the third switch 360 may select an element to be connected to the first antenna 370 and/or the second antenna 375. The element that can be connected to the first antenna 370 and/or the second antenna 375 may be the first filter 320, the second filter 345, the third filter 350, and/or the second port 355. According to an embodiment, the third switch 360 may be a multi-on switch that enables one terminal to simultaneously select (or connect) two or more terminals. The third switch 360 may simultaneously connect the first antenna 370 to the first filter 320 and the third filter 350 to simultaneously select the signal transmitted from the RFIC 222 and the SRS received from the other RF front-end module.),
wherein in the first connection, the first terminal is connected to the second terminal and the first terminal is not connected to the third terminal ([0075]: specifically, the transmission path may be a path through which a signal received from the RFIC 222 is transmitted to the first antenna 370 or the second antenna 375 via the first PA 305, the first switch 315, the first filter 320, and the third switch 360 in the RF front-end module 300. The reception path may be a path through which a signal received from the first antenna 370 or the second antenna 375 is transmitted to the third switch 360, the first filter 320, the first switch 315, and the first LNA 310 in the RF front-end module 300 and the RFIC 222. [0085]: when the first filter 320 and/or the second filter 345 includes the plurality of filters, the third switch 360 may select a filter corresponding to a selected frequency from among the first filter 320 and/or the second filter 345 including the plurality of filters.),
wherein in the second connection, the first terminal is connected to the third terminal and the first terminal is not connected to the second terminal ([0075]: according to another embodiment, the transmission path may be a path through which a signal received from the RFIC 222 is transmitted to the first antenna 370 or the second antenna 375 via the second PA 325, the second switch 340, the second filter 345, and the third switch 360 in the RF front-end module 300. [0085]: when the first filter 320 and/or the second filter 345 includes the plurality of filters, the third switch 360 may select a filter corresponding to a selected frequency from among the first filter 320 and/or the second filter 345 including the plurality of filters.), and
wherein in the third connection, the first terminal is connected to the second terminal and the third terminal at the same time ([0085]: according to an embodiment, the third switch 360 may be a multi-on switch capable of simultaneously selecting two or more signals. When the first filter 320 and/or the second filter 345 includes the plurality of filters, the third switch 360 may select a filter corresponding to a selected frequency from among the first filter 320 and/or the second filter 345 including the plurality of filters. The filters connected to the third switch 360 may be designed in view of matching so that performance does not deteriorate even when a plurality of filters is selected by the third switch 360, and may be designed to be open when not selected.).
Regarding claim 10, An discloses all features of claim 1 as outlined above.
An also discloses a communication apparatus (Fig. 2, [0058]: electronic device 101) comprising:
a signal processing circuit that processes a radio frequency signal (Fig. 2, [0058]: first communication processor 212); and
the radio frequency circuit (Fig. 2, [0053]: wireless communication module 192) according to Claim 1 that transmits the radio frequency signal between the signal processing circuit (first communication processor 212) and an antenna (Fig. 2, [0058]: first antenna module 242).
Regarding claim 11, An discloses a radio frequency circuit (Fig. 3 – reproduced below) comprising:
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a first antenna connection terminal (Fig. 3, [0074]: a first antenna 370); a second antenna connection terminal (Fig. 3, [0074]: a second antenna 375), an input terminal (Fig. 3, [0070]: input of a first low-noise amplifier (LNA) 310 connected to an RFIC 222 ); an output terminal (Fig. 3, [0070]: output of second PA 325 connected to a second switch 340);
a first filter (Fig. 3, [0070]: a first filter 320) having a pass band including at least part of a transmission band of a first band for frequency division duplex ([0072]: the first filter 320 may be configured as a plurality of filters to respectively filter signals in a portion of the TDD frequency band and/or signals in a portion of the FDD frequency band. A signal received through the third switch 360 may be filtered through the first filter 320 into a signal in the FDD frequency band and/or a signal in the TDD frequency band. [0097]: the first filter 320 may be a band-pass filter that is configured to filter a signal in a specific band among a signal received from the first switch 315 or a signal received from the third switch 360.);
a second filter (Fig. 3, [0070]: a second filter 345) having a pass band including at least part of a reception band of the first band ([0076]: the second filter 345 may filter a signal in a specific band among a signal received from the second switch 340 or a signal received from the third switch 360. [0085]: the second filter 345 may be a band-pass filter that is configured to filter a signal in a specific band among a signal received from the second switch 340 or a signal received from the third switch 360. The second filter 345 may also include the plurality of filters to filter signals in a plurality of frequency bands. The filters connected to the third switch 360 may be designed in view of matching so that performance does not deteriorate even when a plurality of filters is selected by the third switch 360, and may be designed to be open when not selected.); and
a first switch (Fig. 3, [0070]: a third switch (or antenna switch) 360) that includes a first terminal (Fig. 3: the terminal connected to the antenna 370), a second terminal (Fig. 3: the other terminal of third switch 360 connected to the antenna 375), a third terminal (Fig. 3: the terminal connected to the first filter 320), and a fourth terminal (Fig. 3: the terminal coupled to the second filter 345),
wherein the first antenna connection terminal is connected to the first terminal (Fig. 3: the terminal of third switch 360 connected to the antenna 370),
wherein the second antenna connection terminal is connected to the second terminal (Fig. 3: the other terminal of third switch 360 connected to the antenna 375),
wherein the first filter is connected between the third terminal and the input terminal (Fig. 3, [0070]: the first filter 320 is connected between the third terminal of the third switch 360 and the input of a first low-noise amplifier (LNA) 310 via a first switch (or first transmission/reception switch) 315),
wherein the second filter is connected between the fourth terminal and the output terminal (Fig. 3, [0070]: the second filter 345 is connected between the fourth terminal of the third switch 360 and the output of second PA 325 via the second switch 340),
wherein the first switch is configured to switch between first connection, second connection, and third connection (Fig. 3, [0076]: the third switch 360 may select an element to be connected to the first antenna 370 and/or the second antenna 375. The element that can be connected to the first antenna 370 and/or the second antenna 375 may be the first filter 320, the second filter 345, the third filter 350, and/or the second port 355. According to an embodiment, the third switch 360 may be a multi-on switch that enables one terminal to simultaneously select (or connect) two or more terminals. The third switch 360 may simultaneously connect the first antenna 370 to the first filter 320 and the third filter 350 to simultaneously select the signal transmitted from the RFIC 222 and the SRS received from the other RF front-end module.),
wherein in the first connection, one of the first terminal and the second terminal is connected to the third terminal and neither the first terminal nor the second terminal is connected to the fourth terminal ([0075]: specifically, the transmission path may be a path through which a signal received from the RFIC 222 is transmitted to the first antenna 370 or the second antenna 375 via the first PA 305, the first switch 315, the first filter 320, and the third switch 360 in the RF front-end module 300. The reception path may be a path through which a signal received from the first antenna 370 or the second antenna 375 is transmitted to the third switch 360, the first filter 320, the first switch 315, and the first LNA 310 in the RF front-end module 300 and the RFIC 222. [0085]: when the first filter 320 and/or the second filter 345 includes the plurality of filters, the third switch 360 may select a filter corresponding to a selected frequency from among the first filter 320 and/or the second filter 345 including the plurality of filters.),
wherein in the second connection, one of the first terminal and the second terminal is connected to the fourth terminal and neither the first terminal nor the second terminal is connected to the third terminal ([0075]: according to another embodiment, the transmission path may be a path through which a signal received from the RFIC 222 is transmitted to the first antenna 370 or the second antenna 375 via the second PA 325, the second switch 340, the second filter 345, and the third switch 360 in the RF front-end module 300. [0085]: when the first filter 320 and/or the second filter 345 includes the plurality of filters, the third switch 360 may select a filter corresponding to a selected frequency from among the first filter 320 and/or the second filter 345 including the plurality of filters.), and
wherein in the third connection, one of the first terminal and the second terminal is connected to the third terminal and the other one of the first terminal and the second terminal is connected to the fourth terminal ([0085]: according to an embodiment, the third switch 360 may be a multi-on switch capable of simultaneously selecting two or more signals. When the first filter 320 and/or the second filter 345 includes the plurality of filters, the third switch 360 may select a filter corresponding to a selected frequency from among the first filter 320 and/or the second filter 345 including the plurality of filters. The filters connected to the third switch 360 may be designed in view of matching so that performance does not deteriorate even when a plurality of filters is selected by the third switch 360, and may be designed to be open when not selected.).
Regarding claim 20, An discloses all features of claim 11 as outlined above.
An also discloses a communication apparatus (Fig. 2, [0058]: electronic device 101) comprising:
a signal processing circuit that processes a radio frequency signal (Fig. 2, [0058]: first communication processor 212); and
the radio frequency circuit (Fig. 2, [0053]: wireless communication module 192) according to Claim 11 that transmits the radio frequency signal between the signal processing circuit (first communication processor 212) and an antenna (Fig. 2, [0058]: first antenna module 242).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-9 and 12-19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Berdy et al. (US 2023/0299808 A1) – Electronic Device Transmitting SRS and An Operation Method Thereof – discloses a switching circuit to selectively connect a first and/or second antenna to a first and/or second filter, and selectively connecting a dummy load including one or more resistors, inductors, and/or capacitors to the antennas.
Oshita et al. (US 2018/0048308 A1) – Switch Circuit, Radio-Frequency Module, and Communication Device – discloses a switch circuit to selectively connect first or second filters to an antenna, and connecting a terminating resistor to the switch circuit.
Pehike (US 2021/0218424 A1) – Mobile Device Front End Architecture For Antenna Plexing For Multiple Frequency Bands – discloses an antenna switch to selectively connect a first or second antenna to a first, second, or third filter for FDD and/or TDD signals.
Tomita (US 2021/0159936 A1) – Radio Frequency Module and Communication Device – discloses a switch to selectively connect an antenna to transmission and/or reception filters.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL W MADDOX whose telephone number is (571)272-5834. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 7:30am-5:00pm, 1st F 7:30am-4:00pm, 2nd F off.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Asad M Nawaz can be reached at 571-272-3988. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MICHAEL WAYNE MADDOX/Examiner, Art Unit 2463
/CHI TANG P CHENG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2463
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