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 U.S.C. 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, 2, 4, 5, 8-10, 13-16, 19, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ashrafi (2018/0262272).
Regarding Claim 1, Ashrafi (2018/0262272) discloses an apparatus, comprising:
a microwave-frequency multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna (MIMO, paragraph [0267]; antenna 332, paragraph [0163]. Antenna located outside the building or wall);
configured to transmit and receive wireless microwave signals through a predetermined physical obstruction (“A system for enabling signal penetration into a building includes first circuitry, located on an outside of the building, for receiving signals at a first frequency that experiences losses when penetrating into an interior of the building and converting the received signals at the first frequency into a first format that overcome the losses caused by penetrating into the interior of the building over a wireless communications link”, “transmitting the converted signals in the first format from/to the first transceiver on the exterior of the building”, abstract);
wherein the physical obstruction includes one or more materials that reduce the strength of the wireless microwave signals passing through the predetermined physical obstruction (“millimeter wave transmissions have the problem of having very poor building penetration capabilities. Signals are drastically degraded when attempting to penetrate most building structures”, paragraph [0005]; “the losses in signals transmitted through the shielding are typically up to 40 or 50 dB”, paragraph [0151]); and
a radio frequency (RF) transceiver (external transceiver, see paragraphs [0153], [0154], [0157]; external transceiver 104, paragraph [0156]; transceiver 334, paragraph [0163]; paragraph [0017], fig. 6) operatively coupled to the MIMO antenna, configured to process the wireless microwave signals transmitted and received by the MIMO antenna (paragraphs [0153] to [157], Fig. 1A);
wherein the MIMO antenna (“The receiving antenna has a gain of 45 dB and a loss of 2 dB…. The power amplifier 5414 provides a 27 dB to boost the signal to −42 dBm for transmission across the window/wall”, paragraph [0342]; “The power amplifier 5412 boosts the signal strength for transmission through the window or wall. The signals output from the power amplifier 5414 are provided to a horn antenna 5418. The horn antenna 5418 transmits to the RF signals provided from the power amplifier 5414 through the window or wall 5406 to a receiving horn antenna 5420. The horn antennas may transmit/receive over a wide frequency band from 24 GHz up to e-band”, paragraph [0339])
and the RF transceiver are configured to compensate for path loss experienced by the microwave signals passing through the predetermined physical obstruction (“The power amplifier 5412 boosts the signal strength for transmission through the window or wall”, paragraph [0339]; “The transmitted and received signals that are received at the antenna 6110 are provided from the interior 6108 are processed by transceiver processing circuitry 6112. The transceiver processing circuitry 6112 may comprise any of the circuitries described herein above for placing the received signals at the antenna 6110 or signals received from the inside 6108 of the building in order to enable their transmission through a window or wall 6104”, paragraph [0353]) so as to maintain a predetermined data rate of the wireless microwave signals (“…a downstream data rate of 2.48832 Gbps”, paragraph [0499]; “…gives an upstream data rate of 1.24416 Gbps”, paragraph [0502]).
Regarding Claim 2, Ashrafi discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the materials include a material selected from the group consisting of concrete, rebar, and a combination of concrete and rebar (concrete, paragraphs [0153], [0160]).
Claim 20 is rejected similarly as discussed above.
Regarding Claim 4, Ashrafi discloses the apparatus of claim 1, wherein in the MIMO antenna includes four antennas (Fig. 69 and paragraph [0368] show more than four antennas) that each operate at one of four distinct polarizations (annotated as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, respectively (See annotated fig. 17A below).
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Claims 13 and 15 are rejected similarly as discussed above.
Regarding Claim 5, Ashrafi discloses the apparatus of claim 4, wherein the four distinct polarizations include 0⁰, +45⁰, +90⁰, and -45⁰ (See annotated fig. 17A below).
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Claims 14 and 16 are rejected similarly as discussed above.
Regarding Claim 8, Ashrafi discloses a communication system, comprising: a first apparatus including:
a first microwave-frequency multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna (MIMO, paragraph [0267]; antenna 332, paragraph [0163]. The antenna located outside the building) configured to transmit and receive wireless microwave signals through a predetermined physical obstruction (window/wall 330 or 106), wherein the physical obstruction includes one or more materials that reduce the strength of the wireless microwave signals passing through the predetermined physical obstruction (“A system for enabling signal penetration into a building includes first circuitry, located on an outside of the building, for receiving signals at a first frequency that experiences losses when penetrating into an interior of the building and converting the received signals at the first frequency into a first format that overcome the losses caused by penetrating into the interior of the building over a wireless communications link”, “transmitting the converted signals in the first format from/to the first transceiver on the exterior of the building”, abstract); and
a first radio frequency (RF) transceiver (external transceiver, see paragraphs [0153], [0154], [0157]; external transceiver 104, paragraph [0156]; transceiver 334, paragraph [0163]; paragraph [0017], fig. 6) operatively coupled to the first MIMO antenna, configured to process the wireless microwave signals transmitted and received by the first MIMO antenna (paragraph [0154], Fig. 1A);
wherein the first MIMO antenna (paragraph [0154], Fig. 1A) and the first RF transceiver (external transceiver, see paragraphs [0153], [0154], [0157]; external transceiver 104, paragraph [0156]; transceiver 334, paragraph [0163]; paragraph [0017], fig. 6) are configured to compensate for path loss experienced by the microwave signals passing through the predetermined physical obstruction (“millimeter wave transmissions have the problem of having very poor building penetration capabilities. Signals are drastically degraded when attempting to penetrate most building structures”, paragraph [0005]; “the losses in signals transmitted through the shielding are typically up to 40 or 50 dB”, paragraph [0151]) so as to maintain a predetermined data rate of the wireless microwave signals (“…a downstream data rate of 2.48832 Gbps”, paragraph [0499]; “…gives an upstream data rate of 1.24416 Gbps”, paragraph [0502]); and
a second apparatus (communication located inside the building or behind the wall or window) located on an opposite side of the predetermined physical obstruction (window/wall 330 or 106) from the first apparatus (communication located outside building), the second apparatus including:
a second microwave-frequency MIMO antenna (antenna 110. Fig. 1A. The second antenna located inside the building or behind the window/wall) configured to transmit and receive the wireless microwave signals (fig. 3B) through the predetermined physical obstruction (window/wall) (fig. 57); and
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a second radio frequency (RF) transceiver (108) (interior transceiver 108, see paragraph [0156]; interior transceiver, paragraphs [0153], [0154], [0157], Fig. 1A. Second transceiver located interior) operatively coupled to the second MIMO antenna (antenna 110. Fig. 1A. Second antenna inside the building) configured to process the wireless microwave signals transmitted and received by the second MIMO antenna (Fig. 3B);
wherein the second MIMO antenna and the second RF transceiver are configured to compensate for the path loss experienced by the microwave signals passing through the predetermined physical obstruction so as to maintain the predetermined data rate of the wireless microwave signals (“FIG. 57, there is illustrated the uplink signal strengths when the power amplifier 5702 is located inside of the building. The internal power amplifier 5702 is used when one needs more power to be transmitted from the inside terminal. Prior to input to the power amplifier 5702 the signal has a strength of 18 dBm within the building. The power amplifier 5902 provides a 26 dB gain to transmit the signal at 44 dBm to the input of the horn antenna 5436. The horn antenna 5436 provides a 10 dBi gain and the transmitted RF signal is at 54 dBm. The transmitted signal experiences an approximately 40 dB loss through the window/wall 5404 that drops the signal strength to 14 dBm on the outside portion of the window/wall 5404. The receiving horn antenna 5438 provides a gain of 10 dBi to increase the signal strength to 24 dBm at the output of the horn antenna 5438”, paragraph [0344]).
Regarding Claim 9, Ashrafi discloses the communication system of claim 8, further comprising: a network node, operatively coupled to either the first apparatus or the second apparatus, the network node being configured to communicate with one or more other network nodes using wireless millimeter wave signals (“providing ethernet and/or power connections”, paragraph [0154], fig. 57).
Regarding Claim 10, Ashrafi discloses the communication system of claim 9, wherein the network node is connected to either the first apparatus or the second apparatus with a wired Ethernet connection (“The transceiver 108 includes an antenna 110 for providing ethernet and/or power connections”, paragraph [0154]).
Regarding Claim 19, Ashrafi discloses a method of wireless communication, comprising: configuring
a first microwave-frequency multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna (MIMO, paragraph [0267]; antenna 332, paragraph [0163]. First antenna located outside the building);
and a first RF transceiver (external transceiver, see paragraphs [0153], [0154], [0157]; external transceiver 104, paragraph [0156]; transceiver 334, paragraph [0163]; paragraph [0017], fig. 6) operatively coupled to the first microwave-frequency MIMO antenna (paragraph [0154], Fig. 1A) to compensate for path loss experienced by one or more microwave signals passing through a predetermined physical obstruction (“A system for enabling signal penetration into a building includes first circuitry, located on an outside of the building, for receiving signals at a first frequency that experiences losses when penetrating into an interior of the building and converting the received signals at the first frequency into a first format that overcome the losses caused by penetrating into the interior of the building over a wireless communications link”, “transmitting the converted signals in the first format from/to the first transceiver on the exterior of the building”, abstract) so as to maintain a predetermined data rate, wherein the physical obstruction includes one or more materials that reduce the strength of the wireless microwave signals passing through the predetermined physical obstruction (“millimeter wave transmissions have the problem of having very poor building penetration capabilities. Signals are drastically degraded when attempting to penetrate most building structures”, paragraph [0005]; “the losses in signals transmitted through the shielding are typically up to 40 or 50 dB”, paragraph [0151]);
positioning the first microwave-frequency MIMO antenna (332) to transmit and receive the wireless microwave signals through the predetermined physical obstruction (window/wall 330) (paragraph [0163], Fig. 3B. First antenna located outside the building);
configuring a second microwave-frequency MIMO antenna (antenna 110, fig. 1A) and a second RF transceiver (interior transceiver 108, see paragraph [0156]; interior transceiver, paragraphs [0153], [0154], [0157], Fig. 1A. Second transceiver located inside building) operatively coupled to the second microwave-frequency MIMO antenna, to compensate for the path loss experienced (fig. 3B, paragraphs [0151], [0334], abstract) by the microwave signals passing through the predetermined physical obstruction (106) so as to maintain the predetermined data rate (data rate, paragraphs [0160], [0169], [0218], [0299]).
positioning the second microwave-frequency MIMO antenna (antenna 110, fig 1A; Second antenna inside the building), on an opposite side of the predetermined physical obstruction (window/wall 330 or 106) from the first microwave-frequency MIMO antenna (first antenna outside the building or window/wall), to transmit and receive the wireless microwave signals (fig. 3B) through the predetermined physical obstruction (window/wall 330 or 106); and
transmitting the wireless microwave signals through the predetermined physical obstruction (window/wall 330 or 106) from the first microwave-frequency MIMO antenna (first antenna located outside the building, fig. 3B) to the second microwave-frequency MIMO antenna (second antenna located inside the building, fig. 1A) (paragraphs [0154], [0163] to [0165], [0337]).
Claim Rejections – 35 U.S.C. 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) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ashrafi (2018/0262272).
Regarding Claim 11, Ashrafi discloses data stream in RF microwave (paragraph [0195]) and the data rate of the millimeter wave signals (paragraph [0160]) but does not explicitly disclose the communication system of claim 9, wherein the predetermined data rate of the wireless microwave signals is substantially the same as a data rate of the wireless millimeter wave signals.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have adjusted the predetermined data rate being same or different as the data rate of the wireless millimeter wave signals in Ashrafi in order to fit and reach the desired download or upload capacity.
Claim(s) 3, 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ashrafi (2018/0262272) in view of Hinman et al. (2023/0188198).
Regarding Claim 3, Ashrafi teaches 2x7 MIMO antenna array (paragraph [0357], fig. 623 but does not explicitly disclose the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the microwave-frequency MIMO antenna is part of a 4x4 MIMO antenna.
However, Hinman teaches high order MIMO radio such as 4x4 MIMO antenna is desirable in the 5 GHz Wifi client radio 305, as antenna beam-forming provided by a high order MIMO radio allows the maximum gain to be steered in a direction that is advantageous for the 5 GHz access point to which the repeater 300 is coupled (paragraph [0020]).
it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided a high order MIMO radio antenna such as 4x4 MIMO antenna in Ashrafi in order to allow the maximum gain to be steered in a direction that is advantageous for the 5 GHz access point as taught by Hinman.
Claim 12 is rejected similarly as discussed above.
Claim(s) 6, 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ashrafi (2018/0262272) in view of Boyapalle et al. (2023/0112725).
Regarding Claim 6, Ashrafi disclose that the repeater transmitter 104 transmits and receives a number of frequencies including 2.5 GHz band, 3.5 GHz band, 5 GHz band, 24 GHz band, 28 GHz band (A1, A2, B1 and B2), 39 GHz band, 60 GHz band, 71 GHz band and 81 GHz band. The 3.5 GHz band is CBRS (Citizens Band Radio Service), the 60 GHz band is V-band and the 71 GHz and 81 GHz are E-band (paragraph [0154]).
As discussed above, Ashrafi essentially discloses the claimed invention but does not explicitly disclose wireless microwave signals are in a band selected from the group consisting of 6GHz band defined by IEEE 802.11ax or IEEE 802.11be.
However, 5GHz and 6GHz defined by IEEE 802.11ax or IEEE 802.11be are WiFi 5, 6 or 7 network commonly used in Internet or Ethernet inside any building nowadays.
Further, Boyapalle et al. (2023/0112725) discloses wireless communications across wireless local network 240 may be via standard protocols such as IEEE 802.11 Wi-Fi, IEEE 802.11ad WiGig, IEEE 802.15 WPAN, IEEE 802.11ax-2021, (e.g., Wi-Fi 6 and 6E, 6GHz technologies), or emerging 5G small cell WWAN communications (paragraph [0043]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill to have provided a commonly used WiFi network in Ashrafi in order to connect the device with the high-speed internet as taught by Boyapalle.
Claim 17 is rejected similarly as discussed above.
Claim(s) 7, 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ashrafi (2018/0262272) in view of Boyapalle et al. (2023/0112725) further in view of Nie et al. (2011/0216662) further in view of Sanders et al. (12,580,786).
Regarding Claim 7, Ashrafi teaches a phase locked loop 8422 tunes to all channels of IEEE 802.11ad using an integrated controller. The Peraso chipset provides for wireless storage, wireless display and multi-gigabyte mobile wireless applications. The antennas 8426 comprise NA graded patch antennas with 8.5 dBi gain across the entire 60 GHz band, and QAM (paragraph [0222]).
As discussed above, Ashrafi essentially discloses the claimed invention but does not explicitly disclose QAM64 2/3 scheme.
However, Nie et al. (2011/0216662) teaches “In compliance with the IEEE 802.16 standard, the available modulation and channel coding schemes consist of QPSK rate 1/2, QPSK rate 3/4, QAM16 rate 1/2, QAM16 rate 3/4, QAM64 rate 2/3 and QAM64 rate ¾”, paragraph [0087].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided QAM64 2/3 scheme in Ashrafi in order to comply and compatible with the WiFi network in IEEE 802.16 standard as taught by Nie.
As discussed above, Ashrafi essentially discloses the claimed invention but does not explicitly disclose 160MHz channels.
However, Sanders et al. teaches that 160MHz channel can support more 5GHz channels in MIMO (Col. 19, lines 49-60).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have provided 160 MHz channel in in order to support more 5GHz channels in MIMO as taught by Sanders.
Claim 18 is rejected similarly as discussed above.
Correspondence
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Examiner Wilson Lee whose telephone number is (571) 272-1824. Proposed amendment and interview agenda can be submitted to Examiner’s direct fax at (571) 273-1824.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, examiner’s supervisor, Alexander Taningco can be reached at (571) 272-8048. Papers related to the application may be submitted by facsimile transmission. Any transmission not to be considered an official response must be clearly marked "DRAFT". The official fax number is (571) 273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Center. Status information for published applications may be obtained from Patent Center. For more information about the Patent Center, see https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Patent Center, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
/WILSON LEE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2844
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