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 .
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 2, 7-11, 16-17 and 19-21 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-3, 5-10, 12-17 and 19-20 of U.S. Patent No. 12,206,363. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because claims 1-3, 5-10, 12-17 and 19-20 of U.S. Patent No. 12,206,363 recite similar claimed subject matters as specified in claims 2, 7-11, 16-17 and 19-21 of the instant application, with various wordings.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 7-11, 16-17 and 19-21 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the nonstatutory double patenting rejection, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The closest prior art to the claimed subject matters is See (9,143,172). See discloses a mobile device comprising: a transceiver configured to generate a radio frequency signal and an envelope signal indicating an envelope of the radio frequency signal; and a front end system including a load modulated power amplifier having an input configured to receive the radio frequency signal and an output configured to provide an amplified radio frequency signal, the load modulated power amplifier including a controllable capacitor having a capacitance controlled by the envelope signal (See figs. 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B, 6A, 6B, 7A, 7B, 8-9 and col. 3 line 57 to col. 4 line 11). However, none of cited prior arts of record, alone or in combination, discloses the load modulated power amplifier including an output balun having a secondary winding electrically connected between the output and the controllable capacitor, as shown in figure 2 of the specification as well as specified in independent claims 2, 11 and 17.
Claims 3-6, 12-15 and 18 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 prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
See PTO-892 for a listing of cited prior arts of record.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TUAN A TRAN whose telephone number is (571)272-7858. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri: 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Wesley Kim can be reached at (571) 272-7867. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TUAN A TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2648
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