DETAILED ACTION
This communication is responsive to Application No. 18/937,035 filed on 05 November 2024. Claims 1-14 are subject to examination.
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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the amplifier from claims 4 and 11 must be shown or the feature canceled from the claims. No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to because RIS in Fig. 2B is believed to be the incoming RF signal (IRS) from Paragraph [0027] of the specifications. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitations uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitations are: "a signal generation unit, coupled to the transmitter chain, configured to generate a digital test signal" in claim 1 and "a signal measurement and analysis unit, coupled to the receiver chain" in claim 1.
A signal generation unit is recognized to be in a modem circuit (Instant Application: Paragraph [0024]). A signal measurement and analysis unit is recognized to be in a modem circuit (Instant Application: Paragraph [0025]).
Because these claim limitations are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, they are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have these limitations interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitations recites sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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.
Claims 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cook et al. (US 20160182272 A1, hereinafter "Cook") in view of Sridharan et al. (US 20250105926 A1, hereinafter "Sridharan").
Regarding Claim 1, Cook teaches A method for calibrating non-linear distortion in a transceiver device having a transmitter chain (Cook: FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary transmitter 200 for a radio frequency (RF) communication device, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure, see Fig. 2 and Paragraph [0053]) and a receiver chain (Cook: FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary receiver 300 for a radio frequency (RF) communication device, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure, see Fig. 3 and Paragraph [0061]), comprising:
applying a test input signal from the transmitter chain to the receiver chain (Cook: the distortion estimation circuit 415 may estimate the phase and amplitude distortion based on a feedback signal from the RF communication device; A distortion estimation circuit 515-b may perform estimates of the phase and amplitude distortion due to the signal path 305-a ... The distortion estimation circuit 515-b may be an example of distortion estimation circuits 415; At block 1410, the method 1400 may include estimating subsequent distortion of the input signal due to the signal path, see Figs. 4, 5B, and 14 and Paragraphs [0070], [0079], and [1018]. [Examiner contends that for a feedback signal to arrive on the receiver signal path, the signal must originate from the transmitter signal path])
generating a non-linear distortion model regarding non-linear behavior of the receiver chain (Cook: The distortion estimation signals provided by the distortion estimation circuit 415 may be shaped based on the estimates of the phase and amplitude distortion due to the signal path 425. For example, if the phase and amplitude distortion due to the signal path 425 are estimated to have non-linear behaviors over time, then the distortion estimation signals may be shaped to compensate for the estimated non-linear behavior; At block 1410, the method 1400 may include estimating subsequent distortion of the input signal due to the signal path, see Fig. 14 and Paragraphs [0069] and [0108]) based on a test output signal that is produced by the receiver chain in response to inputting of the test input signal (Cook: At block 1410, the method 1400 may include estimating subsequent distortion of the input signal due to the signal path, see Fig. 14 and Paragraph [0108]);
configuring a post distortion processing based on the non-linear distortion model (Cook: At block 1415, the method 1400 may include adjusting phase and amplitude within the signal path to compensate for the estimated phase distortion and the estimated amplitude distortion to produce an adjusted signal, see Fig. 14 and Paragraph [0109]); and
performing the post distortion processing on a received signal to generate a compensated received signal (Cook: At block 1420, the method 1400 may include generating a linearized signal at an end of the signal path based at least in part on the adjusted signal. The linearized signal may compensate for the phase and amplitude distortion occurring in the signal path, see Fig. 14 and Paragraph [0111]).
Cook fails to explicitly teach, through a loopback path inside the transceiver device;
However, in the same field of endeavor, Sridharan teaches,
through a loopback path inside the transceiver device (Sridharan: a switching circuit for selectively coupling the receive signal path either to ... or to the transmit signal path (i.e., a loopback path through which the receive signal path receives the signals generated by the transmit signal path), see Fig. 6 and Paragraph [0064]);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify the method of Cook to include the teachings of Sridharan as above, in order to decrease switch loss and increase gain-to-noise ratio (Sridharan: Paragraph [0052]).
Regarding Claim 2, Cook-Sridharan teaches The method of claim 1, further comprising:
providing the loopback path by coupling the transmitter chain to the receiver chain by using a switching circuit (Sridharan: a switching circuit for selectively coupling the receive signal path either to ... or to the transmit signal path (i.e., a loopback path through which the receive signal path receives the signals generated by the transmit signal path), see Fig. 6 and Paragraph [0064]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify the method of Cook to include the teachings of Sridharan as above, in order to decrease switch loss and increase gain-to-noise ratio (Sridharan: Paragraph [0052]).
Regarding Claim 3, Cook-Sridharan teaches The method of claim 2, wherein the switching circuit further selectively provides a transmit path by coupling the transmitter chain to an antenna of the transceiver device (Sridharan: the transmit signal path comprises a transmitter for generating transmit signals, a transmit image compensation filter for filtering images from the transmit signals, and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) for converting digital signals to analog signals such as for transmission over a transmit interface that in turn may be connected to an antenna, see Fig. 6 and Paragraph [0064]), and selectively provides a receive path by coupling the receiver chain to the antenna (Sridharan: a switching circuit for selectively coupling the receive signal path either to a receive interface (e.g., through which signals are received such as from an antenna or other communication circuit), see Fig. 6 and Paragraph [0064]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify the method of Cook to include the teachings of Sridharan as above, in order to decrease switch loss and increase gain-to-noise ratio (Sridharan: Paragraph [0052]).
Regarding Claim 4, Cook-Sridharan teaches The method of claim 1, further comprising:
performing an analog-to-digital conversion on an output signal generated by at least one amplifier in the receiver chain, thereby to generate the received signal (Cook: The IF chain 210 and RF chain 215 may include various filters, amplifiers, and other circuit components for processing and transmitting a signal, see Fig. 2 and Paragraph [0053]; Sridharan: a receive signal path for processing receive signals … the receive signal path comprises an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for converting analog signals to digital signals; in an “offline” calibration mode in which the receive coefficients (and optionally also the transmit coefficients) are adapted using a tone-based or other “offline” calibration technique, which generally involves looping the transmit signal path to the receive signal path, see Figs. 6 and 9 and Paragraphs [0064] and [0066]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify the method of Cook to include the teachings of Sridharan as above, in order to decrease switch loss and increase gain-to-noise ratio (Sridharan: Paragraph [0052]).
Regarding Claim 5, Cook-Sridharan teaches The method of claim 1, wherein the step of performing the post distortion processing on the received signal to generate the compensated received signal comprises:
performing the post distortion processing on the received signal to generate the compensated received signal when the loopback path is cut off (Sridharan: the system includes an online receive calibration mode in which the receive signal path is coupled via the switching circuit to the receive interface and the blind adaptive calibration circuit adapts the receive image compensation coefficients based on “live” signals received from the receive interface (e.g., receive signals from a 5G communication system or phased array system), see Fig. 7 and Paragraph [0065]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify the method of Cook to include the teachings of Sridharan as above, in order to decrease switch loss and increase gain-to-noise ratio (Sridharan: Paragraph [0052]).
Regarding Claim 6, Cook teaches The method of claim 1, wherein the non-linear distortion model is an amplitude-to-amplitude (AM-AM) distortion model (Cook: The distortion estimation circuit 415 may provide one or more amplitude distortion estimation signals to the amplitude modification circuit 410 and one or more phase distortion estimation signals to the phase modification circuit 405 … if the phase and amplitude distortion due to the signal path 425 are estimated to have non-linear behaviors over time, then the distortion estimation signals may be shaped to compensate for the estimated non-linear behavior, see Fig. 14 and Paragraph [0069]) and/or an amplitude-to-phase (AM-PM) distortion model (Cook: The distortion estimation circuit 415 may provide one or more amplitude distortion estimation signals to the amplitude modification circuit 410 and one or more phase distortion estimation signals to the phase modification circuit 405 … if the phase and amplitude distortion due to the signal path 425 are estimated to have non-linear behaviors over time, then the distortion estimation signals may be shaped to compensate for the estimated non-linear behavior, see Fig. 14 and Paragraph [0069]).
Regarding Claim 7, Cook teaches The method of claim 1, wherein the transceiver device is compliant with and operates within a time-division duplexing (TDD) communications system (Cook: The satellite communication system 100 may implement fixed spot beams using a fixed multi-beam antenna (MBA) and/or an active phased array antenna (APAA) ... The APAA may provision communications between user terminals 130 using two independently steerable beams for each of the transmitting and receiving antennas. Beam steering is achieved by updating pointing directions via control of digital phase shifters in switching interval slots as short as 2 ms in Satellite Switched Time Division Multiple Access (SS-TDMA) mode, see Paragraph [0042]. [Examiner contends that SS-TDMA is compliant with and operates within a TDD communications system.]).
Regarding Claim 8, Cook teaches An apparatus for calibrating non-linear distortion in a transceiver device having a transmitter chain (Cook: FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary transmitter 200 for a radio frequency (RF) communication device, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure, see Fig. 2 and Paragraph [0053]) and a receiver chain (Cook: FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary receiver 300 for a radio frequency (RF) communication device, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure, see Fig. 3 and Paragraph [0061]), comprising:
a signal generation unit, coupled to the transmitter chain, configured to generate a digital test signal (Cook: the transmitter 200 may obtain an input signal at a beginning of the transmitter signal path 205 … the input signal may be obtained at earlier components of the transmitter 200, such as the modulator 255 or other components (not shown), see Fig. 2 and Paragraph [0057]. [Examiner contends that other components for generating an input signal includes a signal generation unit]), thereby allowing the transmitter chain to apply a test input signal from the transmitter chain to the receiver chain (Cook: the distortion estimation circuit 415 may estimate the phase and amplitude distortion based on a feedback signal from the RF communication device; A distortion estimation circuit 515-b may perform estimates of the phase and amplitude distortion due to the signal path 305-a ... The distortion estimation circuit 515-b may be an example of distortion estimation circuits 415; At block 1410, the method 1400 may include estimating subsequent distortion of the input signal due to the signal path, see Figs. 4, 5B, and 14 and Paragraphs [0070], [0079], and [1018]. [Examiner contends that for a feedback signal to arrive on the receiver signal path, the signal must originate from the transmitter signal path])
a signal measurement and analysis unit, coupled to the receiver chain (Cook: FIG. 5B is a block diagram 500-b of an exemplary receiver signal path 305-a for a radio frequency (RF) communication device, in accordance with various aspects of the present disclosure; The distortion estimation circuit 515-b may be a circuit of the RF communication device, see Fig. 5B and Paragraphs [0078] and [0079]), configured to generate a non-linear distortion model regarding non-linear behavior of the receiver chain (Cook: The distortion estimation signals provided by the distortion estimation circuit 415 may be shaped based on the estimates of the phase and amplitude distortion due to the signal path 425. For example, if the phase and amplitude distortion due to the signal path 425 are estimated to have non-linear behaviors over time, then the distortion estimation signals may be shaped to compensate for the estimated non-linear behavior; At block 1410, the method 1400 may include estimating subsequent distortion of the input signal due to the signal path, see Fig. 14 and Paragraphs [0069] and [0108]) based on a test output signal that is produced by the receiver chain in response to inputting of the test input signal (Cook: At block 1410, the method 1400 may include estimating subsequent distortion of the input signal due to the signal path, see Fig. 14 and Paragraph [0108]); and
a digital processing unit, configurable based on the non-linear distortion model (Cook: At block 1415, the method 1400 may include adjusting phase and amplitude within the signal path to compensate for the estimated phase distortion and the estimated amplitude distortion to produce an adjusted signal, see Fig. 14 and Paragraph [0109]) and configured to perform a post distortion processing on a received signal to generate a compensated received signal (Cook: At block 1420, the method 1400 may include generating a linearized signal at an end of the signal path based at least in part on the adjusted signal. The linearized signal may compensate for the phase and amplitude distortion occurring in the signal path, see Fig. 14 and Paragraph [0111]).
Cook fails to explicitly teach, through a loopback path inside the transceiver device;
However, in the same field of endeavor, Sridharan teaches,
through a loopback path inside the transceiver device (Sridharan: a switching circuit for selectively coupling the receive signal path either to ... or to the transmit signal path (i.e., a loopback path through which the receive signal path receives the signals generated by the transmit signal path), see Fig. 6 and Paragraph [0064]);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify the method of Cook to include the teachings of Sridharan as above, in order to decrease switch loss and increase gain-to-noise ratio (Sridharan: Paragraph [0052]).
Regarding Claim 9, Cook-Sridharan teaches The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:
a switching circuit, configured to provide the loopback path by coupling the transmitter chain to the receiver chain (Sridharan: a switching circuit for selectively coupling the receive signal path either to ... or to the transmit signal path (i.e., a loopback path through which the receive signal path receives the signals generated by the transmit signal path), see Fig. 6 and Paragraph [0064]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify the method of Cook to include the teachings of Sridharan as above, in order to decrease switch loss and increase gain-to-noise ratio (Sridharan: Paragraph [0052]).
Regarding Claim 10, Cook-Sridharan teaches The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the switching circuit further selectively provides a transmit path by coupling the transmitter chain to an antenna of the transceiver device (Sridharan: the transmit signal path comprises a transmitter for generating transmit signals, a transmit image compensation filter for filtering images from the transmit signals, and a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) for converting digital signals to analog signals such as for transmission over a transmit interface that in turn may be connected to an antenna, see Fig. 6 and Paragraph [0064]), and selectively provides a receive path by coupling the receiver chain to the antenna (Sridharan: a switching circuit for selectively coupling the receive signal path either to a receive interface (e.g., through which signals are received such as from an antenna or other communication circuit), see Fig. 6 and Paragraph [0064]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify the method of Cook to include the teachings of Sridharan as above, in order to decrease switch loss and increase gain-to-noise ratio (Sridharan: Paragraph [0052]).
Regarding Claim 11, Cook-Sridharan teaches The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the receiver chain further comprises an analog-to-digital converter (Sridharan: the receive signal path comprises an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), see Fig. 6 and Paragraph [0064]) and the analog-to-digital converter performs an analog-to-digital conversion on an output signal generated by at least one amplifier in the receiver chain, thereby to generate the received signal (Cook: The IF chain 210 and RF chain 215 may include various filters, amplifiers, and other circuit components for processing and transmitting a signal, see Fig. 2 and Paragraph [0053]; Sridharan: a receive signal path for processing receive signals … the receive signal path comprises an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for converting analog signals to digital signals; in an “offline” calibration mode in which the receive coefficients (and optionally also the transmit coefficients) are adapted using a tone-based or other “offline” calibration technique, which generally involves looping the transmit signal path to the receive signal path, see Figs. 6 and 9 and Paragraphs [0064] and [0066]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify the method of Cook to include the teachings of Sridharan as above, in order to decrease switch loss and increase gain-to-noise ratio (Sridharan: Paragraph [0052]).
Regarding Claim 12, Cook-Sridharan teaches The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the digital processing unit is configured to perform the post distortion processing on the received signal to generate the compensated received signal when the loopback path is cut off (Sridharan: the system includes an online receive calibration mode in which the receive signal path is coupled via the switching circuit to the receive interface and the blind adaptive calibration circuit adapts the receive image compensation coefficients based on “live” signals received from the receive interface (e.g., receive signals from a 5G communication system or phased array system), see Fig. 7 and Paragraph [0065]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify the method of Cook to include the teachings of Sridharan as above, in order to decrease switch loss and increase gain-to-noise ratio (Sridharan: Paragraph [0052]).
Regarding Claim 13, Cook teaches The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the non-linear distortion model is an amplitude-to-amplitude (AM-AM) distortion model (Cook: The distortion estimation circuit 415 may provide one or more amplitude distortion estimation signals to the amplitude modification circuit 410 and one or more phase distortion estimation signals to the phase modification circuit 405 … if the phase and amplitude distortion due to the signal path 425 are estimated to have non-linear behaviors over time, then the distortion estimation signals may be shaped to compensate for the estimated non-linear behavior, see Fig. 14 and Paragraph [0069]) and/or an amplitude-to-phase (AM-PM) distortion model (Cook: The distortion estimation circuit 415 may provide one or more amplitude distortion estimation signals to the amplitude modification circuit 410 and one or more phase distortion estimation signals to the phase modification circuit 405 … if the phase and amplitude distortion due to the signal path 425 are estimated to have non-linear behaviors over time, then the distortion estimation signals may be shaped to compensate for the estimated non-linear behavior, see Fig. 14 and Paragraph [0069]).
Regarding Claim 14, Cook teaches The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the transceiver device is compliant with and operates within a time-division duplexing (TDD) communications system (Cook: The satellite communication system 100 may implement fixed spot beams using a fixed multi-beam antenna (MBA) and/or an active phased array antenna (APAA) ... The APAA may provision communications between user terminals 130 using two independently steerable beams for each of the transmitting and receiving antennas. Beam steering is achieved by updating pointing directions via control of digital phase shifters in switching interval slots as short as 2 ms in Satellite Switched Time Division Multiple Access (SS-TDMA) mode, see Paragraph [0042]. [Examiner contends that SS-TDMA is compliant with and operates within a TDD communications system.]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEX YEOH whose telephone number is (571)270-0890. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Noel Beharry can be reached at (571)270-5630. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/A.Y./Examiner, Art Unit 2416
/NOEL R BEHARRY/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2416
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