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) 1-5, 7, 11-16, and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhang et al. (US 2016/0028146).
In regard to Claim 1:
Zhang discloses, in Figure 1, a directional coupler (10a), comprising:
a main path (20), for transmitting a first radio frequency (RF) signal (¶ 0065);
a coupling path (28), at least partially overlapping with the main path (20 and 28 partially overlap), wherein the coupling path (28) comprises a first end (36a), a second end (32a), and at least one winding (winding of 28) routed between the first end (36a) and the second end (32a);
a first port (19), coupled to the first end (36a) of the coupling path (28); and
a second port (18), coupled to the second end (32a) of the coupling path (28), wherein at least one of the first port 19) and the second port (18) is located inside the at least one winding (¶ 0077).
In regard to Claim 2:
Zhang discloses, in Figure 1, the directional coupler of claim 1, wherein the first port (19) is located inside the at least one winding (28), and the second port (18) is located outside the at least one winding (28, ¶ 0076).
In regard to Claim 3:
Zhang discloses, in Figure 1, the directional coupler of claim 1, wherein the first port (19) or the second port (18) is one of the followings: a pad, a through-wafer via, or a through silicon via (¶ 0109).
In regard to Claim 4:
Zhang discloses, in Figure 1, the directional coupler of claim 1, wherein the first port (19) or the second port (18) is further coupled to at least one of the followings: a bonding wire (wire connecting 19 to 36a), a bump, or a grounded terminal.
In regard to Claim 5:
Zhang discloses, in Figure 1, the directional coupler of claim 1, wherein the at least one winding (winding of 28) comprises an innermost winding (34), the innermost winding comprising a first section (section of 34 that overlaps 20) and a second section (34 section between 36a, 36b), and the first section is closer to the main path than the second section (34 first section overlaps 20, where the 34 second section is further away from 20).
In regard to Claim 7:
Zhang discloses, in Figure 1, the directional coupler of claim 5, wherein the first section of the innermost winding is parallel to the main path (the first section of 34 is parallel to 20).
In regard to Claim 11:
Zhang discloses, in Figure 1, the directional coupler of claim 5, wherein in a top view of the directional coupler (10a), the first section of the innermost winding overlaps with the main path (section of 34 that overlaps 20), and the second section of the innermost winding does not overlap with the main path (34 section between 36a, 36b that does not overlap 20).
In regard to Claim 12:
Zhang discloses, in Figure 1, the directional coupler of claim 1, wherein the at least one winding (winding of 28) comprises an outermost winding (30), the outermost winding comprising a first section (section of 30 that overlaps 20) and a second section (section of 30 connected to 18), and the first section is closer to the main path than the second section (the first section of 30 that overlaps 20 is closer to 20 than the section connected to 18).
In regard to Claim 13:
Zhang discloses, in Figure 1, the directional coupler of claim 12, wherein the first section of the outermost winding is parallel to the main path (the section of 30 that overlaps 20 is in parallel with 20).
In regard to Claim 14:
Zhang discloses, in Figure 1, the directional coupler of claim 13, wherein the second port (18) is located at the second section of the outermost winding (second section of 30 connected to 18).
In regard to Claim 15:
Zhang discloses, in Figure 1, the directional coupler of claim 12, wherein in a top view of the directional coupler (10a), the first section of the outermost winding overlaps with the main path (section of 30 that overlaps 20), and the second section of the outermost winding does not overlap with the main path (section of 30 connected to 18 that does not overlap 20).
In regard to Claim 16:
Zhang discloses, in Figure 1, the directional coupler of claim 1, wherein the main path is formed in a first layer, and the coupling path is formed in a second layer different from the first layer (¶ 0068).
In regard to Claim 18:
Zhang discloses, in Figure 1, the directional coupler of claim 1, wherein the coupling path has a polygonal outline (¶ 0109).
In regard to Claim 19:
Zhang discloses, in Figure 1, a directional coupler (10a), comprising:
a main path (20), for transmitting a first radio frequency (RF) signal (¶ 0065);
a coupling path (28), at least partially overlapping with the main path (28 partially overlaps 20), wherein the coupling path comprises a first end (36a), a second end (32a), and at least one winding routed between the first end and the second end (winding of 28 between 36a and 32a), the at least one winding comprises an innermost winding (34), the innermost winding comprises a first section (section of 34 that overlaps 20) and a second section (section of 34 between 36a, 36b), the first section is closer to the main path than the second section (section of 34 overlapping 20 is closer to 20 than the section of 34 connected between 36a, 36b), and the first section of the innermost winding is parallel to the main path (the first section of 34 is parallel to 20);
a first port (19), coupled to the first end (36a) of the coupling path (28);
a second port (18), coupled to the second end (32a) of the coupling path (28); and
at least one passive component (¶ 0109), located at the first section of the innermost winding (section of 34 that overlaps 20).
In regard to Claim 20:
Zhang discloses, in Figure 1, the directional coupler of claim 19, wherein the first port (19) is located inside the at least one winding of the coupling path (winding of 28), and the second port (18) is located outside the at least one winding of the coupling path (winding of 28, ¶ 0076).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6, 8-10, and 17 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.
Hoang et al. (US 2012/0019335) discloses a self-compensated strip-coupled directional coupler. In one example, the self-compensated directional coupler includes a main arm formed in a single first layer of a multi-layer substrate, and a coupled arm formed in a single second layer of the multi-layer substrate. One of the coupled arm and the main arm includes a zigzag structure to compensate for misalignment between the first and second layers that can occur during manufacturing.
Liu et al. (US 2022/0311408) discloses tunable, broadband directional coupler circuits employing one or more additional, switchable coupling circuits for controlling frequency response, and related methods. In exemplary aspects, the directional coupler includes one or more additional coupling circuits that each include an additional coupling line located adjacent to the primary coupling line and that can be selectively activated to change a frequency response of the directional coupler. When an additional coupling circuit is activated, its additional coupling line has the effect of extending the length of the primary coupling line through mutual inductance, thus changing the coupling frequency response of the directional coupler. The additional coupling circuit includes one or more switch(es) to allow for the selective coupling of its additional coupling line to the coupling and/or isolation ports of the directional coupler to selectively change and control the frequency response of the primary coupling line.
Wu et al. (US 2017/0373767) discloses a directional coupler disclosed herein may include a main line provided on a substrate, the main line having a first end connected to an input port and a second end connected to an output port. The coupler may include a coupled line disposed on the substrate, the coupled line having a first end connected to a coupled port and a second end to an isolated port. The main line is electrically isolated from the coupled line. The coupled line includes multiple turns forming a winding, and a portion of the winding overlaps with the main line. The coupled line forms a plurality of windings inductively coupled with the main line. The main line and the coupled line are routed to propagate electric signals on both lines in a same direction, and enhance inductive coupling by mutual inductance.
Kase et al. (US 9,379,678) discloses a directional coupler utilizes an inductive element of a power amplifier and a coupled conductive element. The inductive element of the power amplifier is a functioning element within the power amplifier and at least part of the inductive element of the power amplifier is disposed in a multi-layer substrate. At least part of the coupled conductive element is disposed in the multi-layer substrate. The coupled conductive element is configured to be inductively coupled to the inductive element of the power amplifier such that the coupled conductive element carries a first RF signal that is representative of a second RF signal within the inductive element of the power amplifier.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to John W Poos whose telephone number is (571)270-5077. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 8-5.
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/JOHN W POOS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2896