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 Objections
Claim 11 is objected to because of the following informalities: “a first reception” as seen in the second to last line should read --a first reception band--.
Appropriate correction is required.
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) 1-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Shin (US PGPub 20250141421).
As per claim 1:
Shin discloses in Fig. 3:
An acoustic wave filter ([0036]) comprising:
a first input terminal and a second input terminal (external terminals unlabeled, but shown as connecting nodes of second and third circuits 320 and 330);
an output terminal (unlabeled external terminal to circuit 310);
a first switch circuit (340) comprising a first common terminal (single input port 341), a first selection terminal (output port 341), and a second selection terminal (output port 342);
a first series-arm acoustic wave resonator (third resonator 321s) connected between the first selection terminal and the first input terminal;
a second series-arm acoustic wave resonator (fifth resonator 331s) connected between the second selection terminal and the second input terminal; and
an acoustic wave resonator (first resonator 313s) connected between the first common terminal and the output terminal, wherein the acoustic wave filter has a pass band that includes a first reception band and a second reception band (filter 300 can be operated in the opposite pathway, wherein it is in a receive path, and the filter operates within a passband between a high and a low frequency f1 and f2, as seen in related Fig. 4, [0038]).
As per claim 2:
Shin discloses in Fig. 2-3:
a resonant frequency of the first series-arm acoustic wave resonator is in the pass band of the acoustic wave filter (Resonators in series are design to resonate at the respective passband frequencies [0031]).
As per claim 3:
Shin discloses in Fig. 2-3:
a resonant frequency of the second series-arm acoustic wave resonator is in the pass band of the acoustic wave filter (Resonators in series are design to resonate at the respective passband frequencies [0031]).
As per claim 4:
Shin discloses in Fig. 3:
a first parallel-arm acoustic wave resonator (321p, [0031]) connected between ground and a path that connects the first input terminal to the first selection terminal; and
a second parallel-arm acoustic wave resonator (331p, [0031]) connected between ground and a path that connects the second input terminal to the second selection terminal.
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.
Claim(s) 2-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shin (US PGPub 20250141421).
As per claim 2:
Shin discloses in Fig. 2-3:
Resonators in series are design to resonate at the respective passband frequencies ([0031])
Shin is silent (in an alternative interpretation) regarding:
a resonant frequency of the first series-arm acoustic wave resonator is in the pass band of the acoustic wave filter.
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for a resonant frequency of the first series-arm acoustic wave resonator is in the pass band of the acoustic wave filter as a design for forming passband frequencies using series resonators as taught by Shin ([0031])
As per claim 3:
Shin discloses in Fig. 2-3:
Resonators in series are design to resonate at the respective passband frequencies ([0031])
Shin is silent (in an alternative interpretation) regarding:
a resonant frequency of the second series-arm acoustic wave resonator is in the pass band of the acoustic wave filter.
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for a resonant frequency of the second series-arm acoustic wave resonator is in the pass band of the acoustic wave filter as a design for forming passband frequencies using series resonators as taught by Shin ([0031])
Claim(s) 5-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shin (US PGPub 20250141421) in view of Ella (US PGPub 20200036401)
As per claim 5:
Shin does not disclose:
a first filter having a pass band including a third reception band;
a second filter having a pass band including a fourth reception band; and
a second switch circuit comprising a second common terminal connected to an antenna connection terminal, a third selection terminal, and a fourth selection terminal,
wherein the third selection terminal is connected to the first input terminal and to the first filter,
wherein the fourth selection terminal is connected to the second input terminal and to the second filter,
wherein the first reception band and the third reception band together are simultaneous communication bands, and
wherein the second reception band and the fourth reception band together are simultaneous communication bands.
Ella discloses in Fig. 5:
A front-end circuit (524a) comprising:
A filter having a first reception band (reception filter 573c with first band, [0046]) and a filter having a second reception band (reception filter 575c with third band [0047])
a first filter (reception filter 573d) having a pass band including a third reception band (second band [0047]);
a second filter (reception filter 575d) having a pass band including a fourth reception band (fourth band [0047]); and
a second switch circuit (switch network 578) comprising a second common terminal connected to an antenna connection terminal (connection to antenna connection port 588), a third selection terminal (connection to port 592), and a fourth selection terminal (connection to 594), wherein the third selection terminal is connected to the filter having a first reception band and to the first filter, wherein the fourth selection terminal is connected to the filter having the second reception band and to the second filter, wherein the first reception band and the third reception band together are simultaneous communication bands ([0048]), and wherein the second reception band and the fourth reception band together are simultaneous communication bands ([0048]).
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the reconfigurable filter of Shin for the filters having the first and second reception bands of Ella to provide the benefit of simplifying and minimizing components of the module of Ella, as taught by Shin ([0030]).
As per claim 6:
Shin does not disclose:
a third filter connected to the third selection terminal and having a pass band including a fifth reception band; and a fourth filter connected to the fourth selection terminal and having a pass band including a sixth reception band, wherein the first reception band and the fifth reception band together are simultaneous communication bands, and wherein the second reception band and the sixth reception band together are simultaneous communication bands.
Ella discloses the use of multiplexing circuits (quadraplexers 572, 574) in combination with a switch (578) to allow for simultaneous operation of multiple bands ([0020, 0044, 0048]).
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for the multiplexing circuits of Ella to comprise a third filter connected to the third selection terminal and having a pass band including a fifth reception band; and a fourth filter connected to the fourth selection terminal and having a pass band including a sixth reception band, wherein the first reception band and the fifth reception band together are simultaneous communication bands, and wherein the second reception band and the sixth reception band together are simultaneous communication bands to provide the benefit of increasing the number of bands that can be operated simultaneously, as is well understood in the art and as using the established technique of Ella to obtain a predictable result.
As per claim 7:
Shin does not disclose:
a fifth filter connected to a fifth selection terminal of the second switch circuit, and having a pass band including comprising a seventh reception band; and a sixth filter connected to the fifth selection terminal and having a pass band including an eighth reception band, wherein the seventh reception band and the eighth reception band together are simultaneous communication bands.
Ella discloses in Fig. 5:
a fifth filter (577a) connected to a fifth selection terminal (connection to common filter port 596) of the second switch circuit, and having a pass band including comprising a seventh reception band ([0050]); and
a sixth filter (577b) connected to the fifth selection terminal and having a pass band including an eighth reception band ([0050]), wherein the seventh reception band and the eighth reception band together are simultaneous communication bands ([0050]).
Claim(s) 11-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ella (US PGPub 20200036401) in view of Shin (US PGPub 20250141421)
As per claim 11:
Ella discloses in Fig. 5:
An acoustic wave filter ([0046]) configured to switch between a first pass band and a second pass band ([0045]), the acoustic wave filter comprising:
a first input terminal (first common filter port 592), a second input terminal (second common filter port 594), and a third input terminal (third common filter port 596);
a first output terminal and a second output terminal (inputs of LNA’s 540a and 540b, respectively);
a first switch circuit (switch network 570b) comprising a first common terminal (connection to LNA 540a), a second common terminal (connection to LNA 540b), a first selection terminal, a second selection terminal, and a third selection terminal (6 selection terminals are respectively provided to the multiplexing circuits of 572, 574, & 576, with two selection ports each);
wherein the first pass band includes a first reception band (band of 573c [0046]) and the second pass band includes a second reception band (band of 575c, [0047]).
Ella does not disclose:
a first series-arm acoustic wave resonator connected between the first selection terminal and the first input terminal; a second series-arm acoustic wave resonator connected between the second selection terminal and the second input terminal; a third series-arm acoustic wave resonator connected between the third selection terminal and the third input terminal; a first acoustic wave resonator connected between the first common terminal and the first output terminal; and a second acoustic wave resonator connected between the second common terminal and the second output terminal.
Shin discloses in Fig. 3:
An acoustic wave filter ([0036]) configured to switch between a first pass band and a second pass band ([0045]), the acoustic wave filter comprising:
Input terminals (external terminals unlabeled, but shown as connecting nodes of second and third circuits 320 and 330);
an output terminal (unlabeled external terminal to circuit 310);
a switch circuit (340) comprising a common terminal (single input port 341), and selection terminals (output port 341, 342);
wherein between the input terminals and the selection terminals, series-arm acoustic wave resonators are provided (third resonators 321s and fifth resonator 331s) and parallel-arm acoustic wave resonators are provided (321p & 331p); and
acoustic wave resonators (first resonators 313s and second resonators 313p) are connected between the common terminal and the output terminal, wherein the acoustic wave filter has a pass band that includes first reception bands (filter 300 can be operated in the opposite pathway, wherein it is in a receive path, and the filter operates within a passband between a high and a low frequency f1 and f2, as seen in related Fig. 4, [0038]).
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form the filters and switch circuit of Ella as per the filter circuit of Shin wherein the filters are formed with series and parallel acoustic wave resonators at the input and output sides of the switch to provide the benefit of simplifying and minimizing the multiplexer networks as taught by Shin ([0030]).
As a consequence of the combination, the combination discloses a first series-arm acoustic wave resonator connected between the first selection terminal and the first input terminal; a second series-arm acoustic wave resonator connected between the second selection terminal and the second input terminal; a third series-arm acoustic wave resonator connected between the third selection terminal and the third input terminal; a first acoustic wave resonator connected between the first common terminal and the first output terminal; and a second acoustic wave resonator connected between the second common terminal and the second output terminal.
As per claim 12:
Ella discloses:
The reception bands of the device may incorporate overlapping bands ([0053]).
Ella does not disclose:
a resonant frequency of the first series-arm acoustic wave resonator is in the first pass band and in the second pass band of the acoustic wave filter.
Shin discloses in Fig. 2-3:
a resonant frequency of the series-arm acoustic wave resonator is in the respective pass band of the circuit (Resonators in series are design to resonate at the respective passband frequencies [0031]).
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art
for a resonant frequency of the first series-arm acoustic wave resonator is in the first pass band and in the second pass band of the acoustic wave filter, as the passband frequencies of each ladder circuit are a design parameter that may overlap as taught by Shin (as seen in related Fig. 4, [0038]), and the resonance frequency of a series resonator is set to be within the passband of the ladder circuit as taught by Shin ([0031]), and as is well understood in the art.
As per claim 13:
Ella discloses:
The reception bands of the device may incorporate overlapping bands ([0053]).
Ella does not disclose:
a resonant frequency of the second series-arm acoustic wave resonator is in the first pass band and in the second pass band of the acoustic wave filter.
Shin discloses in Fig. 2-3:
a resonant frequency of the series-arm acoustic wave resonator is in the respective pass band of the circuit (Resonators in series are design to resonate at the respective passband frequencies [0031]).
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art
for a resonant frequency of the second series-arm acoustic wave resonator is in the first pass band and in the second pass band of the acoustic wave filter, as the passband frequencies of each ladder circuit are a design parameter that may overlap as taught by Shin (as seen in related Fig. 4, [0038]), and the resonance frequency of a series resonator is set to be within the passband of the ladder circuit as taught by Shin ([0031]), and as is well understood in the art.
As per claim 14:
Ella discloses:
The reception bands of the device may incorporate overlapping bands ([0053]).
Ella does not disclose:
a resonant frequency of the third series-arm acoustic wave resonator is in the first pass band and in the second pass band of the acoustic wave filter.
Shin discloses in Fig. 2-3:
a resonant frequency of the series-arm acoustic wave resonator is in the respective pass band of the circuit (Resonators in series are design to resonate at the respective passband frequencies [0031]).
At the time of filing, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art
for a resonant frequency of the third series-arm acoustic wave resonator is in the first pass band and in the second pass band of the acoustic wave filter, as the passband frequencies of each ladder circuit are a design parameter that may overlap as taught by Shin (as seen in related Fig. 4, [0038]), and the resonance frequency of a series resonator is set to be within the passband of the ladder circuit as taught by Shin ([0031]), and as is well understood in the art.
As per claim 15:
Ella does not disclose:
a first parallel-arm acoustic wave resonator connected between ground and a path that connects the first input terminal to the first selection terminal;
a second parallel-arm acoustic wave resonator connected between ground and a path that connects the second input terminal to the second selection terminal; and
a third parallel-arm acoustic wave resonator connected between ground and a path that connects the third input terminal to the third selection terminal.
Shin discloses in Fig. 3:
parallel-arm acoustic wave resonators (321p 331p, [0031]) connected between ground and a path that connects the respective input terminal to the respective selection terminal.
As a consequence of the combination of claim 11, the combination discloses a first parallel-arm acoustic wave resonator connected between ground and a path that connects the first input terminal to the first selection terminal; a second parallel-arm acoustic wave resonator connected between ground and a path that connects the second input terminal to the second selection terminal; and a third parallel-arm acoustic wave resonator connected between ground and a path that connects the third input terminal to the third selection terminal.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-10 & 16-19 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The closest relevant prior art of Shin and Ella, as featured in the rejections above, do not disclose or render obvious the combination of limitations found in either of claims 8 or 16, when combined with the limitations of the claims upon which they are respectively dependent. Specifically, each of claims 8 & 16 require simultaneous communication between separate filters with separate bands that are respectively connected to separate selection terminals of an antenna switch, which Ella and Shin do not provide for.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAMUEL S OUTTEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7123. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9:30AM-6:00PM.
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, Andrea Lindgren Baltzell can be reached at (571) 272-1988. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Samuel S Outten/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2843
