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 .
Priority
Examiner acknowledges Applicant’s claim to priority benefits of EP23307158.8 filed 12/8/2023.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 11/27/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) is/are being considered if signed and initialed by the Examiner.
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 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.
For applicant’s benefit portions of the cited reference(s) have been cited to aid in the review of the rejection(s). While every attempt has been made to be thorough and consistent within the rejection it is noted that the PRIOR ART MUST BE CONSIDERED IN ITS ENTIRETY, INCLUDING DISCLOSURES THAT TEACH AWAY FROM THE CLAIMS. See MPEP 2141.02 VI.
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 12-17 and 19-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Scherz et al. (US 2024/0402324 A1).
Regarding independent claim 12, Scherz et al. (‘324) anticipates “a multiple input multiple output, MIMO, radar system (paragraph 2: radar systems and, more particularly, to Multi Input Multi Output (MIMO) radar) comprising:
a plurality of transmit paths wherein each transmit path is configured to transmit a corresponding output radar signal for detection and ranging (paragraph 45: a Radio Frequency (RF) transceiver frontend 110 is used to generate transmit (Tx) radar signals that can be emitted via one or more transmit antennas 112. Thus, transceiver frontend 110 comprises transmitter circuitry with one or more transmit channels. The radar signals can be in frequency bands ranging; paragraph 56: MIMO radar in which all Tx antennas can transmit simultaneously, this alternative transmitting approach suffers from a loss of transmit power, which will give a shorter target detection range),
wherein each transmit path comprises: a transmit antenna (Figure 1);
a phase rotator (Figure 6: Phase shifter 622-1...622-n); and
wherein the phase rotator is configured to, for each output radar signal, apply: a Doppler Division Multiplexing, DDM, phase rotation to each output radar signal prior to transmission by the transmit antenna (paragraph 57: Doppler Division Multiplex Doppler Division Multiplex (DDM) (also referred to as Code Division Multiplexing, CDM) MIMO waveform means the signals transmitted by different Tx channels are modulated by different series of phase codes, either in fast time or in slow time, so that these signals can be separated/decoded in a radar receiver. Since an ideal orthogonal code sequence with good auto- and cross-correlation properties does not exist, the DDM MIMO waveforms can just approximately satisfy the orthogonality requirement. In fast-time DDM (CDM) waveform, the phase codes are modulated by the carrier signal within each pulse/chirp. In slow-time DDM waveform, the phase codes are used to modulate the initial phases of different chirps. FIG. 5B illustrates an example of a slow-time DDM (CDM) waveform where chirps from transmit channel Tx1 and transmit channel Tx2 are transmitted concurrently. However, Tx2 applies a different phase code than Tx1. In the illustrated example, the initial phase of every second chirp of Tx2 is 180°, while Tx1 applies an initial phase of 0° for every chirp), and,
a scrambling phase rotation to each output radar signal prior to transmission by the transmit antenna (paragraph 72: Examples disclosed herein achieve that the undesired spurs along the axis of velocity may be reduced due to applying a scrambling phase code sequence to a conventional DDM scheme. This means that the first unique phase code sequence (first phase modulation vector) of the first Tx channel (Tx1) may be combined with the scrambling phase code sequence, the second unique phase code sequence (second phase modulation vector) of the second Tx channel (Tx2) may be combined with the same scrambling phase code sequence, the optional third unique phase code sequence (third phase modulation vector) of the third Tx channel (Tx3) may be combined with the same scrambling phase code sequence, and the optional fourth unique phase code sequence (fourth phase modulation vector) of the fourth Tx channel (Tx4) may be combined with the same scrambling phase code sequence. The combination of the respective scrambling phase code sequences (phase modulation vectors) with the scrambling phase code sequence results in a modified DDM scheme which will also be referred to as scrambled DDM scheme),
wherein: the DDM phase rotation applied by each phase rotator of each transmit path is according to a DDM phase schedule (paragraph 80: In the example of Figure 9A, the scrambling phase code sequence may remain constant (unchanged) over time. In such a case, the scrambling phase code sequence as well as the phase modulation vectors of the DDM scheme may be stored in a memory (not shown) of the radar apparatus 600. Alternatively, the phase modulation vectors of the DDM scheme combined with the scrambling phase code sequence in the lower portion of FIG. 9A may be stored in the memory…alternatively, the scrambling phase code sequence may change over time, e.g., among different chirp sequences or frames. This may further improve an even distribution of phase modulator errors. In this case, the radar apparatus 600 may further comprise a random number generator configured to generate a new scrambling phase code sequence per chirp sequence or frame…this means that the phase code sequence may not be predefined and thus be newly generated for subsequent time intervals); and
the scrambling phase rotation applied by each phase rotator of each transmit path is the same as the scrambling phase rotation applied by each other phase rotator of the other transmit paths (Figure 6; paragraph 82: FIG. 9B illustrates an example of an ideal range-Doppler map for the example of FIG. 9A and two targets-one static target at closer distance and one moving target at larger distance. Both targets are spread over four different Doppler bins (along the velocity axis) as the different phase modulation vectors of the different Tx channels translate to different velocities and hence Doppler bins…the lowest Doppler bin corresponding to the lowest velocity corresponds to Tx4…the Doppler bin corresponding to the next higher velocity corresponds to Tx2…the Doppler bin corresponding to the next higher velocity corresponds to Tx1…the Doppler bin corresponding to the highest velocity corresponds to Tx3…this is due to the fact that the phase modulation vectors of Tx1 and Tx3 rotate forward with different phase advancement rates and the phase modulation vectors of Tx2 and Tx4 rotate backward with different phase advancement rates (see FIG. 9A)); and
wherein the MIMO system further comprises a plurality of receive paths configured to receive reflected versions of the output radar signals from a reflector (Figure 6).”
Regarding claim 13, which is dependent on independent claim 12, Scherz et al. (‘324) anticipates the MIMO radar system of claim 12. Scherz et al. (‘324) anticipates “the transmitted radar signals are frequency modulated continuous wave radar signals (paragraph 46: With a pulsed radar configuration that uses frequency modulated (FM) CW pulses).”
Regarding claim 14, which is dependent on independent claim 12, Scherz et al. (‘324) anticipates the MIMO radar system of claim 12. Scherz et al. (‘324) anticipates “a phase rotation controller configured to control the DDM phase rotation and the scrambling phase rotation applied by each of the phase rotators of each of the transmit paths (paragraph 9: The radar apparatus further includes a control circuit configured to control the first and second transmit channels to set phases of the FMCW radar chirps of the first sequence (frame) and the second sequence (frame) in accordance with a phase modulation scheme).”
Regarding claim 15, which is dependent on independent claim 12, Scherz et al. (‘324) anticipates the MIMO radar system of claim 12. Scherz et al. (‘324) anticipates “the MIMO system is configured to cause each transmitter to transmit a set of radar signals wherein the set of radar signals comprises a predetermined number of consecutively transmitted radar signals and wherein the scrambling phase rotation is different for each transmitted radar signal in the set of transmitted radar signals (Figure 7).”
Regarding claim 16, which is dependent on claim 15, Scherz et al. (‘324) anticipates the MIMO radar system of claim 15. Scherz et al. (‘324) further anticipates “the scrambling phase rotations are selected to cover at least a subset of the full range of possible phase rotations of the phase rotator (Figure 7).”
Regarding claim 17, which is dependent on claim 15, Scherz et al. (‘324) anticipates the MIMO radar system of claim 15. Scherz et al. (‘324) further anticipates “the scrambling phase rotations are selected to cover the full range of possible phase rotations of the phase rotator (Figure 7).”
Regarding claim 19, which is dependent on independent claim 12, Scherz et al. (‘324) anticipates the MIMO radar system of claim 12. Scherz et al. (‘324) anticipates “the scrambling phase rotations are one of a random; and a pseudo-randomly determined phase rotation (paragraph 9: Thus, implementations of the present disclosure are based on the idea of imposing a (pseudo-) random phase sequence (scrambling phase code sequence) on a classical DDM modulation from chirp to chirp. In this way, phase modulator errors may be distributed more evenly over the unit circle; paragraph 19: he radar apparatus further includes a random number generator configured to generate one or more scrambling phase code sequences for different subsequent time intervals; paragraph 77: The P phase values of the scrambling phase code sequence may be randomly distributed in the range from 0° to 360°).”
Regarding independent claim 20, which is a corresponding device claim of independent system claim 12, Scherz et al. (‘324) anticipates all the claimed invention as shown above for claim 1.
Regarding independent claim 21, which is a corresponding method claim of independent system claim 12, Scherz et al. (‘324) anticipates all the claimed invention as shown above for claim 1.
Regarding claim 22, which is dependent on independent claim 12, Scherz et al. (‘324) anticipates the MIMO radar system of claim 12. Scherz et al. (‘324) anticipates “the radar system is for an automotive vehicle (paragraph 6: Doppler Division Multiplexing (DDM) which may also be referred to as Code Division Multiplexing (CDM) is a popular slow-time modulation technique for automotive MIMO radars. In DDM; paragraph 53: automobiles typically use co-located MIMO radar; paragraph 45: transceiver frontend 110 comprises transmitter circuitry with one or more transmit channels…the radar signals can be in frequency bands ranging from 3 MHz to 300 GHz…automotive radar systems typically operate at bands in 24 GHz and 77 GHz portions of the electromagnetic spectrum known as mm-wave frequencies so that adequate velocity and range resolution can be achieved).”
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.
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Scherz et al. (US 2024/0402324 A1), and further in view of Kishigami (US 2022/0171048 A1).
Regarding claim 18, which is dependent on claim 17, Scherz et al. (‘324) discloses the system of claim 17. Scherz et al. (‘324) does not explicitly disclose “the phase rotation controller is configured to apply a modulo operation to the phase offsets in order to maintain values within a programmable range of the phase rotators.”
Kishigami (‘048) relates to radar apparatus. Kishigami (‘048) teaches “the phase rotation controller is configured to apply a modulo operation to the phase offsets in order to maintain values within a programmable range of the phase rotators (paragraph 132: as an example,
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184
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in Expression 5 is used as the phase rotation amount for applying Doppler shift amount
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70
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, and phase rotation amount
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44
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for applying Doppler shift amount
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48
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and phase rotation amount
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44
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for applying Doppler shift amount
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48
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are used… encoder 107 sets coded Doppler phase rotation amounts
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20
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and
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66
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given by following Expressions 14 to 16 and outputs coded Doppler phase Doppler phase rotation amounts
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144
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, and
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to phase rotators 108…here, m=1, . . . , Nc…a modulo operation for 2π is performed, and results are expressed in radians ranging from 0 to less than 2π).”
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill-in-the-art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Scherz et al. (‘324) with the teaching of Kishigami (‘048) for enhanced radar operation (Kishigami (‘048) – paragraph 12). In addition, both of the prior art references, (Scherz et al. (‘324) and Kishigami (‘048)) teach features that are directed to analogous art and they are directed to the same field of endeavor, such as, using phase rotation for radar signal transmission.
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Bai et al. (CN 111693997 A) [English Translation] describes an automobile radar system…a plurality of radar antennas and a radar front end chip…a plurality of phase rotators coupled to the local oscillator, wherein each phase rotator of the plurality of phase rotators is coupled to a plurality of digital phase modulators…a plurality of switches coupling the selectable digital phase modulator of the plurality of digital phase modulators coupled to the corresponding amplifier…each amplifier coupled to the corresponding antenna output and a controller…the controller is coupled to the plurality of phase rotators…a plurality of digital phase modulator and a plurality of switches provide digital control signal to each of the plurality of radar antennas in the composite transmitting signal (page 2 paragraph 4).
Kishigami (US 2024/0319331 A1) describes a radar apparatus includes: a plurality of transmission antennas including a first transmission antenna, which is connected to a first feeding line, and a second transmission antenna, which is connected to a second feeding line different from the first feeding line… transmission circuitry, which, in operation, performs multiplexing transmission of a transmission signal, to which a phase rotation amount corresponding to a Doppler shift amount is applied, from the plurality of transmission antennas…a phase deviation due to a line length difference between the first feeding line and the second feeding line is an odd multiple of π/2 (paragraph 13); in the MIMO radar using DDM transmission, reflected wave signals corresponding to transmission signals from transmission antennas are subjected to reception processing on the assumption that each of the reflected waves is included within a Doppler frequency range of ±1/(2Tr×Nt), and thus, the Doppler frequency range is the same as that in a case where time-division multiplexing transmission is performed. Here, Nt is the number of transmission antennas and Tr is the transmission period for transmission signals (paragraph 36).
Fang (US 2023/0273292 A1) describes a radar system enables interference suppression using a disclosed waveform design that is based on polyphase sequences with optimal correlation properties…the waveform is based on a combination of multiple sequences such that an aperiodic (or linear) correlation of the waveform and the sequence itself behaves as a periodic (cyclic) correlation; there are approximately zero sidelobes. The disclosed system provides excellent detection and interference suppression performance (paragraph 20).
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NUZHAT PERVIN whose telephone number is (571)272-9795. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00AM-5:00PM.
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, Vladimir Magloire can be reached at (571) 270-5144. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NUZHAT PERVIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3648
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