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 .
Final communication in response to communication filed 7/6/26.
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 1-11, 17-20 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Singh in
view of Mercier et al. [20240298554]
[NPL] T. Singh and R. R. Mansour, "Monolithic PCM Based Miniaturized T-type RF Switch for Millimeter Wave Redundancy Switch Matrix Applications," 2019 IEEE MTT-S International Microwave Symposium (IMS), Boston, MA, USA, 2019, pp. 658-660, doi: 10.1109/MWSYM.2019.8700946.
With respect to claim 1, figure 1 of Singh (NPL) discloses a device, comprising: a radio frequency (RF) switch matrix, comprising:
RF ports [Fig. 1, Port 1-4];
a group of respective selective phase change material switches [Fig. 1, PCM switches, 3 connected to each port] coupled to the RF ports; and
a controllable heater network [Fig. 1, Micro Heater at each PCM switch] comprising respective heating elements that transfer heat to the respective selective phase change material switches, the controllable heater network being selectively controlled to output heat via energy pulses to change a subgroup of the group of respective phase change material switches to an operational state that electrically couples a first RF [Port 1] port to a second RF port [Port 2]. [State 1]
Singh does not disclose wherein each of the phase change material switches comprises a germanium antimony telluride alloy.
However, Mercier et al. discloses a phase change material switch and paragraph 0037 discloses the switch is made of a material called “chalcogenide”, that is, a material or an alloy comprising at least one chalcogen element, for example, a material from the family of germanium telluride (GeTe), antimony telluride (SbTe), germanium-antimony-telluride (GeSbTe), more commonly designated by the acronym “GST”, or nitrogen-doped germanium telluride (GeTeN).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the application to use GeSbTe Germanium antimony telluride for the phase change material switches since it was disclosed as an interchangeable material and clearly a known material in the art.
With respect to claim 2, figure 1 of Singh (NPL) discloses the device of claim 1, wherein the controllable heater network is selectively controllable to change a first state of a first switch of the subgroup to a first conductive state, and to change a second state of a second switch of the subgroup to a second conductive state, to obtain the operational state that electrically couples the first RF port to the second RF port. [Fig. 1, two switches connect to metal 2; Fig. 2 State I]
With respect to claim 3, figure 1 of Singh (NPL) discloses the device of claim 1, wherein the operational state further electrically couples a third RF port to a fourth RF port. [Fig. 2, State 1]
With respect to claim 4, figure 1 of Singh (NPL) discloses the device of claim 1, wherein the heat is first heat output via first energy pulses [Introduction: PCM has an advantage of switching materials’ resistivity with the application of short thermal pulses through embedded micro-heaters], wherein the subgroup is a first subgroup, wherein the operational state is a first operational state , and wherein the controllable heater network is controlled to output second heat via second energy pulses to selectively change a second subgroup of the group of respective phase change material switches to a second operational state [State III] that electrically couples the first RF port to a third RF port [Fig. 2 State III].
With respect to claim 5, figure 1 of Singh (NPL) discloses the device of claim 4, wherein the second operational state electrically decouples the first RF port from the second RF port. [State III]
With respect to claim 6, figure 1 of Singh (NPL) discloses the device of claim 4, wherein the second operational state [State III] electrically couples the second RF port to a fourth RF port.
With respect to claim 7, figure 1 of Singh (NPL) discloses the device of claim 6, wherein the second operational state further electrically decouples the first RF port from the second RF port. [State III]
With respect to claim 8, figure 1 of Singh (NPL) discloses the device of claim 7, further comprising a crossover point that facilitates the electrically coupling of the first RF port to the third RF port, and facilitates the electrically coupling of the second RF port to the fourth RF port. [State III]
With respect to claim 9, figure 1 of Singh (NPL) discloses the device of claim 8, wherein the RF ports are symmetrically distributed relative to the crossover point. [Fig. 1]
With respect to claim 10, figure 1 of Singh (NPL) discloses the device of claim 1, wherein the RF ports comprise a set of four RF ports [Fig. 1], a set of eight RF ports, or a set of sixteen RF ports. [Fig. 3 shows multiple switches]
With respect to claim 11, figure 1 of Singh (NPL) discloses
11. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the phase change material switches comprises at least one of: germanium telluride [Abstract] or antimony telluride.
With respect to claim 17, figure 1 of Singh (NPL) discloses a switch matrix, comprising:
a group of RF ports comprising a first port [Port 1], a second port [Port 2], a third port [Port 3], and a fourth port [Port 4];
respective phase change material switches [3 PCM switches connected to each port] comprising a first switch, a second switch, a third switch, a fourth switch, a fifth switch, a sixth switch, a seventh switch, an eighth switch, a ninth switch, a tenth switch, an eleventh switch, and a twelfth switch; where each of the phase change material switches comprises a germanium antimony telluride alloy [Mercier et al]; and
a controllable heater network [one on each PCM switch] comprising respective heating elements that transfer heat to the respective phase change material switches, the controllable heater network being controlled to output heat via energy pulses to selectively determine respective lower resistance states or respective higher resistance states of the respective phase change material switches, [Introduction: PCM has an advantage of switching materials’ resistivity with the application of short thermal pulses through embedded micro-heaters]
wherein the controllable heater network is controlled to at least one of:
set the first switch and the second switch to respective conductive states to electrically couple the first switch port to the second switch port; [Fig. 2, state I]
set the tenth switch and the twelfth switch to respective conductive states to electrically couple the first switch port to the third switch port; [Fig. 2, State III]
set the seventh switch and the eighth switch to respective conductive states to electrically couple the first switch port to the fourth switch port; [Fig. 2, State II]
set the third switch and the fourth switch to respective conductive states to electrically couple the second switch port to the third switch port; [Fig. 2, State II]
set the ninth switch and the eleventh switch to respective conductive states to electrically couple the second switch port to the fourth switch port; or [Fig. 2, State III]
set the fifth switch and the sixth switch to respective conductive states to electrically couple the third switch port to the fourth switch port. [Fig. 2, State I]
With respect to claim 18, figure 1 of Singh (NPL) discloses the switch matrix of claim 17, wherein the tenth switch and the twelfth switch are on a first path between the first port and the third port [Fig. 2, State III], wherein the ninth switch and the twelfth switch are on a second path between the second port and the fourth port [Fig. 2, state III], and wherein the first path and the second path cross over one another at an electrically separated crossover point.
With respect to claim 19, figure 1 of Singh (NPL) discloses the switch matrix of claim 17, wherein the group of RF ports are arranged in a substantially rectangular pattern. [Fig. 1]
With respect to claim 20, figure 1 of Singh (NPL) discloses the switch matrix of claim 17, wherein the first switch port is electrically coupled to the second switch port [Fig. 2, State I], and wherein the controllable heater network is further controlled to electrically decouple the first switch port from the third switch port, and electrically decouple the first switch port from the fourth switch port.
With respect to claim 21, figure 1 of Singh (NPL) discloses the switch matrix of claim 18, wherein the RF ports are symmetrically distributed relative to the electrically separated crossover point. [Figs 1 and 5 show symmetrical construction]
Claims 12-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Singh in view of Mercier et al. and further in view of Coon et al. 20240388317
With respect to claim 12, figure 1 of Singh (NPL) discloses a method, comprising: electrically coupling, a first radio frequency (RF) port [Fig. 1, Port 1] of an RF switch matrix [12 PCM switches] to one or more selectable RF ports [Port 2-4] other than the first port, wherein the first RF port is electrically coupled to the one or more selectable RF ports via phase change alloy material switch junction switch sets [Connection of any 2 ports requires 2 switches] between the first RF port and the one or more selectable RF ports, wherein each of the phase change alloy material switch junction switch sets comprises a germanium antimony telluride alloy, and the electrically coupling comprising:
determining which of the one or more selectable RF ports to electrically couple to the first RF port;
for each selectable RF port determined to be one to electrically couple to the first RF port,
determining whether the phase change alloy material switch junction switch set between the selectable RF port and the first RF port is in a conductive state or a nonconductive state, and, in response to the phase change alloy material switch junction switch set being determined to be in a nonconductive state, controlling a heating element switch set corresponding to the selectable RF port to change the phase change alloy material junction switch set to a conductive state that electrically couples the selectable RF port to the first port; and for each selectable RF port determined not to be one to electrically couple to the first RF port,
determining whether the phase change alloy material junction switch set between the selectable RF port and the first RF port is in a conductive state or a nonconductive state, and, in response to the phase change alloy material junction switch set being in a conductive state, controlling a heating element switch set corresponding to the selectable RF port to change the phase change alloy material junction switch set to a nonconductive state that electrically decouples the selectable RF port from the first RF port.
Singh does not disclose a method, comprising: electrically coupling, by a system comprising at least one processor, a first radio frequency (RF) port [Fig. 1, Port 1] of an RF switch matrix [12 PCM switches] to one or more selectable RF ports [Port 2-4] other than the first port.
However, paragraph [0003] of Coon et al. discloses a processor to control a switch matrix.
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time the invention was made to control the switches of Singh according to instructions since it was a known technique in the art.
With respect to claim 13, figure 1 of Singh (NPL) discloses the method of claim 12, wherein the controlling of the heating element set comprises pulsing the heating element set with a first voltage or a current pulse set to change the phase change alloy material switch junction switch set to the conductive state, or pulsing the heating element with a second voltage or current pulse set to change the phase change alloy material junction to the nonconductive state. [ PCM has an advantage of switching materials’ resistivity with the application of short thermal
pulses through embedded micro-heaters ]
With respect to claim 14, figure 1 of Singh (NPL) discloses the method of claim 12, wherein the first RF port is an input port that obtains an input signal, and wherein the electrically coupling comprises determining at least one of the one or more selectable RF ports as at least one corresponding output port usable to obtain the input signal. [switches are bidirectionals and reconfigurable, Fig. 3]
With respect to claim 15, figure 1 of Singh (NPL) discloses the method of claim 12, wherein the first RF port is an output port, and further comprising determining, by the system, a single selectable RF port of the one or more selectable RF ports to be an input port that obtains an input signal, wherein the electrically coupling couples the single selectable RF port to the first RF port. [switches are bidirectional and reconfigurable, Fig. 3]
With respect to claim 16, figure 1 of Singh (NPL) discloses the method of claim 12, wherein the electrically coupling is a first electrically coupling operation that:
couples the first RF port to a second RF port [State I] of the one or more selectable RF ports via a first phase change alloy material switch junction switch set,
decouples the first RF port from a third RF port of the one or more selectable RF ports, and decouples the first RF port from a fourth RF port of the one or more selectable RF ports, and further comprising:
in a second electrically coupling operation, electrically coupling, by the system, the third RF port to the fourth RF port [State I] via controlling a second heating element switch set associated with a second phase change alloy material switch junction switch set to change the second phase change alloy material switch junction switch set to a conductive state that electrically couples the third RF port to the fourth RF port.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RYAN C JAGER whose telephone number is (571)272-7016. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:30 - 5:30 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Taelor Kim can be reached on 571-270-7166. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RYAN JAGER/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2842
9/19/26
