DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to the initial filing filed on December 27, 2024, Claims 1-20 have been examined this application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) filed on 6/26/2025 has been acknowledged.
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 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 1-3, 9, 11-13, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Landsberg (US 2021/0364619 A1) in view of Thompson et al (US 2006/0057983 A1) and Tahim (US 5265268 A).
Regarding Claim 1, Landsberg teaches a device, comprising [0173-0174 for radar frontend may be implemented as part of a MIMO radar utilizing a MIMO radar antenna]:
a substrate [0174 for radar and 0347 for using semiconductors];
and a receiver mounted on the substrate, the receiver comprising [0179 for using a receiver with receiving antennas]:
a first receive semiconductor die having integrated thereon [0180 for having a radar processor with MIMO antenna (array)]:
a first receive antenna array configured to receive RF signals, the first receive antenna array comprising a first RF antenna [0182-0183 for using receiver chains with multiple antennas];
and first receive circuitry comprising [0180 for circuity with logic elements and components].
Landsberg fails to explicitly teach a plurality of mixers coupled to respective RF antennas in the first receive antenna array, the plurality of mixers comprising a first mixer coupled to the first RF antenna and configured to mix an RF signal obtained using the first RF antenna with a reference RF signal to output a first mixed signal; a first amplifier coupled to the first mixer and configured to amplify the first mixed signal output by the first mixer; and a first reflector coupled between the first mixer and the first amplifier and configured to reflect at least some RF energy generated by the first mixer back into the first mixer.
Tahim has microwave mixer is formed of three orthogonally oriented waveguides (abstract) and teaches a plurality of mixers coupled to respective RF antennas in the first receive antenna array, the plurality of mixers comprising a first mixer coupled to the first RF antenna and configured to mix an RF signal obtained using the first RF antenna with a reference RF signal to output a first mixed signal [col 2, lines 10-20 for serves to support diodes of the mixing region, components of a filter in the IF output port];
a first amplifier coupled to the first mixer and configured to amplify the first mixed signal output by the first mixer [col 4, lines 10-20 for reference LO signal, and a receiver may be coupled to the output port for receipt of the IF signal];
and a first reflector coupled between the first mixer and the first amplifier and configured to reflect at least some RF energy generated by the first mixer back into the first mixer [col 3 line 65 to col 4, line 10 for filter reflects signals at the image signal frequency].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar signal techniques, as disclosed by Landsberg, further including the mixing calculations as taught by Tahim for the purpose to provides for more IF power and improved SNR (Tahim, col 4, lines 7-15).
Regarding Claim 12, Landsberg teaches a method for use with a device [0173-0174 for radar frontend may be implemented as part of a MIMO radar utilizing a MIMO radar antenna],
the device comprising a substrate and a receiver mounted on the substrate [0174 for radar and 0347 for using semiconductors],
the receiver comprising a first receive semiconductor die having integrated thereon a first receive antenna array and first receive circuitry [0179 for using a receiver with receiving antennas],
the first receive antenna array comprising a first RF antenna [0182-0183 for using receiver chains with multiple antennas],
the first receive circuitry comprising [0180 for circuity with logic elements and components].
Landsberg fails to explicitly teach a plurality of mixers coupled to respective RF antennas in the first receive antenna array, the plurality of mixers comprising a first mixer coupled to the first RF antenna, and the first receive circuitry further comprising a first amplifier coupled to the first mixer and a first reflector coupled between the first mixer and the first amplifier, the method comprising: receiving, using the first receive antenna array, RF signals; mixing, using the first mixer, an RF signal obtained using the first RF antenna with a reference RF signal to output a first mixed signal; amplifying, using the first amplifier, the first mixed signal output by the first mixer; and reflecting, using the first reflector, at least some RF energy generated by the first mixer back into the first mixer.
Tahim has microwave mixer is formed of three orthogonally oriented waveguides (abstract) and teaches a plurality of mixers coupled to respective RF antennas in the first receive antenna array, the plurality of mixers comprising a first mixer coupled to the first RF antenna, and the first receive circuitry further comprising a first amplifier coupled to the first mixer and a first reflector coupled between the first mixer and the first amplifier, the method comprising [col 2, lines 10-20 for serves to support diodes of the mixing region, components of a filter in the IF output port];
receiving, using the first receive antenna array, RF signals [col 4, lines 10-25 for using mixer and waveguide for receipt of RF signal]
mixing, using the first mixer, an RF signal obtained using the first RF antenna with a reference RF signal to output a first mixed signal [col 4, lines 10-25 for using mixer and waveguide for receipt of RF signal]
amplifying, using the first amplifier, the first mixed signal output by the first mixer [col 4, lines 10-20 for reference LO signal, and a receiver may be coupled to the output port for receipt of the IF signal];
and reflecting, using the first reflector, at least some RF energy generated by the first mixer back into the first mixer [col 3 line 65 to col 4, line 10 for filter reflects signals at the image signal frequency].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar signal techniques, as disclosed by Landsberg, further including the mixing calculations as taught by Tahim for the purpose to provides for more IF power and improved SNR (Tahim, col 4, lines 7-15).
Regarding Claim 2, Landsberg teaches the first RF antenna is configured to receive a first RF signal, the RF signal is based on the first RF signal [0086 for radar device receiving an echo],
and the first mixed signal has a center frequency indicative of a distance between the device and a target object from which the first RF signal was received by the first RF antenna [0086 for calculating information about position, radial velocity (Doppler), and/or direction of the object].
Regarding Claim 3 and 13, Landsberg fails to explicitly teach the RF signal has a center frequency, and the at least some RF energy comprises a voltage and/or current wave having the center frequency of the RF signal.
Tahim has microwave mixer is formed of three orthogonally oriented waveguides (abstract) and teaches the RF signal has a center frequency, and the at least some RF energy comprises a voltage and/or current wave having the center frequency of the RF signal [col 3 line 65 to col 4, line 10 for filter reflects signals at the image signal frequency].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar signal techniques, as disclosed by Landsberg, further including the mixing calculations as taught by Tahim for the purpose to provides for more IF power and improved SNR (Tahim, col 4, lines 7-15).
Regarding Claim 9, Landsberg teaches the first receive antenna array further comprises a second RF antenna [0179 for using a receiver with receiving antennas].
Landsberg fails to explicitly teach the plurality of mixers further comprises a second mixer coupled to the second RF antenna and configured to mix a second RF signal obtained using the second RF antenna with the reference RF signal to output a second mixed signal; and the first receive circuitry further comprises: a second amplifier coupled to the second mixer and configured to amplify the second mixed signal output by the second mixer, and a second reflector coupled between the second mixer and the second amplifier and configured to reflect at least some RF energy generated by the second mixer back into the second mixer.
Tahim has microwave mixer is formed of three orthogonally oriented waveguides (abstract) and teaches the plurality of mixers further comprises a second mixer coupled to the second RF antenna and configured to mix a second RF signal obtained using the second RF antenna with the reference RF signal to output a second mixed signal [col 2, lines 10-20 for serves to support diodes of the mixing region, components of a filter in the IF output port];
and the first receive circuitry further comprises: a second amplifier coupled to the second mixer and configured to amplify the second mixed signal output by the second mixer [col 4, lines 10-20 for reference LO signal, and a receiver may be coupled to the output port for receipt of the IF signal];
and a second reflector coupled between the second mixer and the second amplifier and configured to reflect at least some RF energy generated by the second mixer back into the second mixer [col 3 line 65 to col 4, line 10 for filter reflects signals at the image signal frequency].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar signal techniques, as disclosed by Landsberg, further including the mixing calculations as taught by Tahim for the purpose to provides for more IF power and improved SNR (Tahim, col 4, lines 7-15).
Regarding Claim 11, Landsberg teaches a signal generation circuitry mounted on the substrate and configured to generate a reference RF signal [0173-0174 for radar frontend may be implemented as part of a MIMO radar utilizing a MIMO radar antenna];
and a transmitter mounted on the substrate, the transmitter comprising [0174 for radar and 0347 for using semiconductors]:
a first transmit semiconductor die having integrated thereon [0181 for to generate and transmit the Tx RF signals via Tx antennas]:
a plurality of RF antennas, and transmit circuitry configured to generate, using the reference RF signal, first RF signals and feed the first RF signals to the plurality of RF antennas [0193-0194 for using a PLL may be configured to provide a frequency signal to one or more RF chains],
wherein the signal generation circuitry is coupled to the first receive circuitry and is configured to provide the reference RF signal to the first receive circuitry [0192-0194 for orthogonal signals from the Tx array with N elements and processing the received signals in the Rx array with M elements may be equivalent].
Regarding Claim 20, Landsberg teaches a device, comprising [0173-0174 for radar frontend may be implemented as part of a MIMO radar utilizing a MIMO radar antenna]:
a substrate [0174 for radar and 0347 for using semiconductors];
and a receiver mounted on the substrate, the receiver comprising [0179 for using a receiver with receiving antennas]:
a first receive semiconductor die having integrated thereon antenna [0182-0183 for using receiver chains with multiple antennas]:
a first RF antenna configured to receive RF signals [0182-0183 for using receiver chains with multiple antennas];
and first receive circuitry comprising [0180 for circuity with logic elements and components].
Landsberg fails to explicitly teach a first mixer coupled to the first RF antenna and configured to mix an RF signal obtained using the first RF antenna with a reference RF signal to output a first mixed signal; a first amplifier coupled to the first mixer and configured to amplify the first mixed signal output by the first mixer; and a first reflector coupled between the first mixer and the first amplifier.
Tahim has microwave mixer is formed of three orthogonally oriented waveguides (abstract) and teaches a first mixer coupled to the first RF antenna and configured to mix an RF signal obtained using the first RF antenna with a reference RF signal to output a first mixed signal [col 2, lines 10-20 for serves to support diodes of the mixing region, components of a filter in the IF output port];
a first amplifier coupled to the first mixer and configured to amplify the first mixed signal output by the first mixer [col 4, lines 10-20 for reference LO signal, and a receiver may be coupled to the output port for receipt of the IF signal];
and a first reflector coupled between the first mixer and the first amplifier [col 3 line 65 to col 4, line 10 for filter reflects signals at the image signal frequency].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar signal techniques, as disclosed by Landsberg, further including the mixing calculations as taught by Tahim for the purpose to provides for more IF power and improved SNR (Tahim, col 4, lines 7-15).
Claims 4 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Landsberg (US 2021/0364619 A1) in view of Tahim (US 5265268 A), as applied to Claim 1 and 12 above, and further in view of Thompson et al (US 2006/0057983 A1).
Regarding Claim 4 and 14, Landsberg fails to explicitly teach first mixer is configured to output the first mixed signal as a current signal, the first amplifier comprises a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) configured to convert the current signal into a voltage signal, the at least some RF energy comprises a current wave having the center frequency of the RF signal, and the first reflector comprises a current reflector configured to reflect the current wave back into the first mixer.
Thompson has a receiver includes a transconductance mixer, a polyphase filter, and a transimpedance amplifier (abstract) and teaches first mixer is configured to output the first mixed signal as a current signal [0033-0034 for using mixing cells with the filters],
the first amplifier comprises a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) configured to convert the current signal into a voltage signal, the at least some RF energy comprises a current wave having the center frequency of the RF signal, and the first reflector comprises a current reflector configured to reflect the current wave back into the first mixer [0034-0035 for using a transimpedance amplifier connected to the filter for converting the output current signal].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar signal techniques, as disclosed by Landsberg, further including the transimpedance amplifier calculations as taught by Thompson for the purpose to represent the IF signal as a differential voltage, a form suitable for input to SAW filter (Thompson, 0036).
Claims 5 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Landsberg (US 2021/0364619 A1) in view of Tahim (US 5265268 A), as applied to Claim 1 and 12 above, and further in view of Grajal et al (IEEE, 2017).
Regarding Claim 5 and 15, Landsberg fails to explicitly teach the center frequency of the RF signal is between 300 GHz and 320 GHz.
Grajal has a compact front-end for a three-dimensional imaging homodyne radar (abstract) and teaches the center frequency of the RF signal is between 300 GHz and 320 GHz [page 268, right column, third paragraph for having a linear frequency modulated signal centered at 300 GHz].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar signal techniques, as disclosed by Landsberg, further including the frequency calculations as taught by Grajal for the purpose to developing a compact and affordable preindustrial prototype (Grajal, page 268, right column, last paragraph).
Claims 6-7 and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Landsberg (US 2021/0364619 A1) in view of Tahim (US 5265268 A), as applied to Claim 1 and 12 above, and further in view of Dietrich (US 4320536 A).
Regarding Claim 6 and 16, Landsberg fails to explicitly teach the first reflector comprises a current reflector; and the first reflector comprises a transmission line stub having a length of one quarter of a wavelength at the center frequency of the RF signal.
Dietrich has a subharmonic pumped mixer circuit utilizes quarter wavelength transmission lines at a local oscillator (abstract) and teaches the first reflector comprises a current reflector [col 6, lines 25-35 for using a reflected short circuit to the IF end of the diodes and mixwer];
and the first reflector comprises a transmission line stub having a length of one quarter of a wavelength at the center frequency of the RF signal [col 6, line 60 to col 7, line 15 for having two transmission lines with a quarter wavelength at the local oscillator frequency].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar signal techniques, as disclosed by Landsberg, further including the wavelength calculations as taught by Dietrich for the purpose to isolate RF port from signal at odd harmonics (Dietrick, col 7, lines 1-10).
Regarding Claim 7 and 17, Landsberg fails to explicitly teach the reference RF signal comprises a second harmonic having the center frequency of the RF signal, and the first mixer is configured to mix the RF signal with the second harmonic of the reference RF signal.
Dietrich has a subharmonic pumped mixer circuit utilizes quarter wavelength transmission lines at a local oscillator (abstract) and teaches teach the reference RF signal comprises a second harmonic having the center frequency of the RF signal, and the first mixer is configured to mix the RF signal with the second harmonic of the reference RF signal [col 3, lines 40-50 for having the most energy at a given frequency based on mixer output signals].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar signal techniques, as disclosed by Landsberg, further including the wavelength calculations as taught by Dietrich for the purpose to isolate RF port from signal at odd harmonics (Dietrick, col 7, lines 1-10).
Claims 8, 10, and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Landsberg (US 2021/0364619 A1) in view of Tahim (US 5265268 A), as applied to Claim 1 and 12 above, and further in view of Bao (US 2014/0349600 A1).
Regarding Claim 8 and 18, Landsberg teaches the RF signal is defined by a first differential component and a second differential component [0448 for using differential pair architecture with amplifiers].
Landsberg fails to explicitly teach the first mixer is configured to mix the first differential component of the RF signal with the reference RF signal to output the first mixed signal; and the first receive circuitry further comprises: a second amplifier coupled to the second mixer and configured to amplify the second mixed signal output by the second mixer, and a second reflector coupled between the second mixer and the second amplifier and configured to reflect at least some RF energy generated by the second mixer back into the second mixer.
Tahim has microwave mixer is formed of three orthogonally oriented waveguides (abstract) and teaches the first mixer is configured to mix the first differential component of the RF signal with the reference RF signal to output the first mixed signal [col 2, lines 10-20 for serves to support diodes of the mixing region, components of a filter in the IF output port];
and the first receive circuitry further comprises: a second amplifier coupled to the second mixer and configured to amplify the second mixed signal output by the second mixer [col 4, lines 10-20 for reference LO signal, and a receiver may be coupled to the output port for receipt of the IF signal];
and a second reflector coupled between the second mixer and the second amplifier and configured to reflect at least some RF energy generated by the second mixer back into the second mixer [col 3 line 65 to col 4, line 10 for filter reflects signals at the image signal frequency].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar signal techniques, as disclosed by Landsberg, further including the mixing calculations as taught by Tahim for the purpose to provides for more IF power and improved SNR (Tahim, col 4, lines 7-15).
Landsberg fails to explicitly teach the plurality of mixers further comprises a second mixer coupled to the first RF antenna and configured to mix the second differential component of the RF signal with the reference RF signal to output a second mixed signal.
Bao has a sub-harmonic mixer comprising a mixer circuit with input ports for RF and LO signals (abstract) and teaches the plurality of mixers further comprises a second mixer coupled to the first RF antenna and configured to mix the second differential component of the RF signal with the reference RF signal to output a second mixed signal [0044-0045 for a third balun, which is used to input an RF signal to the power combiners].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar signal techniques, as disclosed by Landsberg, further including the balun port calculations as taught by Bao for the purpose to improve characteristics such as linearity and isolation between LO and RF signals (Bao, 0042).
Regarding Claim 10 and 19, Landsberg fails to explicitly teach the first mixer comprises a first differential mixer configured to: mix the RF signal with a first differential component of the reference RF signal to generate a first mixed signal component; mix the RF signal with a second differential component of the reference RF signal to generate a second mixed signal component; and combine the first and second mixed signal components to generate the first mixed signal.
Bao has a sub-harmonic mixer comprising a mixer circuit with input ports for RF and LO signals (abstract) and teaches the first mixer comprises a first differential mixer configured to [0035]:
mix the RF signal with a first differential component of the reference RF signal to generate a first mixed signal component [0035 for the RF and LO signals which are applied at the inputs, are added differentially at the base and emitter of each transistor];
mix the RF signal with a second differential component of the reference RF signal to generate a second mixed signal component [0036 for third intermodulation product with a low amplitude from the trans-conductance mixer will remain largely unaffected in the rest of the sub-harmonic mixer];
and combine the first and second mixed signal components to generate the first mixed signal [0044-0045 for a third balun, which is used to input an RF signal to the power combiners].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar signal techniques, as disclosed by Landsberg, further including the balun port calculations as taught by Bao for the purpose to have higher conversion gain and a higher LO power efficiency (Bao, 0035).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Vacanti et al (US 2017/0343667 A1) has a radar system to detect and track objects in three dimensions.
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/SAMARINA MAKHDOOM/
Examiner, Art Unit 3648
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