`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARKOFFICE
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`www.uspto.gov
`
`APPLICATION NO.
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`FILING DATE
`
`FIRST NAMED INVENTOR
`
`ATTORNEY DOCKETNO.
`
`
`
`
` CONFIRMATIONNO.
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`13/590,423
`
`08/21/2012
`
`Aleksandar Modrag Tasic
`
`121973
`
`9482
`
`23696
`7590
`04/18/2014
`QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
`5775 MOREHOUSEDR.
`SAN DIEGO, CA 92121
`
`EXAMINER
`TRAN, KHANH C
`
`PAPER NUMBER
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`ART UNIT
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`2631
`
`
`
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`NOTIFICATION DATE
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`DELIVERY MODE
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`04/18/2014
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`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period forreply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
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`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above-indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e-mail address(es):
`us-docketing @qualcomm.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`=j<
`
`INTEL 1014
`
`

`

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`
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`Office Action Summary
`
`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`13/590,423
`TASIC ET AL.
`
`Examiner
`Art Unit
`AIA (First Inventor to File)
`KHANH C. TRAN
`2631
`ce
`-- The MAILING DATEof this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address--
`Period for Reply
`
`
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`5)K] Claim(s) 1-20 is/are pending in the application.
`
`5a) Of the above claim(s)
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`
`6)L] Claim(s)
`is/are allowed.
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`7)K] Claim(s) 1,11,12,17 and 19 is/are rejected.
`
`8)X] Claim(s) 2-10,13-16,18 and 20 is/are objected to.
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`9)L] Claim(s)
`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement.
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`or send an inquiry to PPHfeedback@uspto. doy.
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 3MONTHS FROM THE MAILING DATE OF
`THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a).
`after SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, evenif timely filed, may reduce any
`earned patent term adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`In no event, however, may a reply betimely filed
`
`-
`-
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`Status
`1)X] Responsive to communication(s) filed on 2/6/2014.
`L] A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiledon_.
`2a)X] This action is FINAL.
`2b)LJ This action is non-final.
`3)L] An election was made bythe applicant in response to a restriction requirementset forth during the interview on
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`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`4)L] Sincethis application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordancewith the practice under Ex parte Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Application Papers
`10)C] The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)] The drawing(s)filed on 8/21/2012 is/are: a)X] accepted or b)[_] objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121(d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12)[] Acknowledgmentis made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
`a)LJ All
`b)[_] Some** c)[] None ofthe:
`1.0] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.L] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.L] Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`“ See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`1) X Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`.
`.
`2) xX] Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`;
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`-1-
`
`3) CT Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date.
`4) LJ other:
`.
`
`.
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`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20140414
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 13/590,423
`Art Unit: 2631
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`Page 2
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`1. The present application is being examined underthe pre-AlA first to invent
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`provisions.
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`2. The Amendment filed on 2/6/2014 has been entered. Claims 1-20 arestill
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`pendingin this Office action.
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`Response to Arguments
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`3. Applicant’s arguments, see Applicants’ Remarks, filed 2/6/2014, with respect
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`to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1, 7, 17 and 19 under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) have been fully
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`considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However,
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`upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Hirose U.S.
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`Patent 7,317,894 B2.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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`The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of pre-AlA 35 U.S.C.
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`102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section madein this Office action:
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`A personshall be entitled to a patent unless —
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`(b) the invention was patented or described in a printed publication in this or a foreign country
`or in public use or on sale in this country, more than one yearprior to the date of application
`for patent in the United States.
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`4. Claims 1, 11-12 and 17 are rejected under pre-AlA 35 U.S.C. 102(b) as being
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`anticipated by Hirose U.S. Patent 7,317,894 B2.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 13/590,423
`Art Unit: 2631
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`Page 3
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`Regarding claim 1, Hirose discloses an apparatus (FIG. 6 digital broadcast
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`receiver) comprising:
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`a first amplifier stage configured to receive and amplify an input radio frequency
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`(RF) signal and providea first output RF signalto a first load circuit when the first
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`amplifier stage is enabled (variable gain amplifier 15, corresponding to the claimedfirst
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`amplifier stage, receiving input RF signal (e.g. satellite wave signal and ground wave
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`signal) and providing an output to intermediate frequency demodulation stage (for
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`ground wave), which corresponds to the claimedfirst load circuit (see column 5 lines 1-
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`30 and FIG. 6) ;
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`the input RF signal comprising transmissions sent on multiple carriers at different
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`frequencies to a wireless device, the first output RF signal including atleasta first
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`carrier of the multiple carriers (as recited above, the input RF signal comprising satellite
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`wave signal and ground wavesignal (column 5 lines 1-4) and the output to intermediate
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`frequency demodulation stage for ground wave, corresponding to the claimedfirst
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`carrier of the multiple carriers);
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`and a second amplifier stage configured to receive and amplify the input RF
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`signal and provide a second output RF signal to a second load circuit when the second
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`amplifier stage is enabled (variable gain amplifier 25, corresponding to the claimed
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`second amplifier stage, receiving input RF signal (e.g. satellite wave signal and ground
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`wavesignal) and providing an output to intermediate frequency demodulation stage (for
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`satellite wave), which corresponds to the claimed second loadcircuit (see column 5
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`lines 1-30 and FIG. 6), the second output RF signal including at least a second carrier of
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 13/590,423
`Art Unit: 2631
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`Page 4
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`the multiple carriers different than the first carrier (as recited above, the input RF signal
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`comprising satellite wave signal and ground wavesignal (column 5 lines 1-4) and the
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`output to intermediate frequency demodulation stage for satellite wave, corresponding
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`to the claimed second carrier of the multiple carriers).
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`Note: the rejection is based on the assumptionthat both first and second
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`amplifier stages are enabled.
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`Regarding claim 11, Hirose further discloses an input matching circuit coupled to
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`the first and second amplifier stages and configured to receive a receiverinput signal
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`and provide the input RF signal (FIG. 6 discloses a combination of a voltage control
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`type variable gain amplifier 33, a wave detection 35 and a control circuit 36 (see column
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`5 lines 5-20). The combination constitutes the input matching circuit as claimed).
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`Regarding claim 12, Hirose further discloses the input matching circuit being
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`tunable and comprising at least one adjustable circuit component (the combination of a
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`voltage control type variable gain amplifier 33, a wave detection 35 and a control circuit
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`36 is tunable and the voltage control type variable gain amplifier 33 is adjustable).
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`Regarding claim 17, claim is rejected on the same ground asfor claim 1 because
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`of similar scope.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 13/590,423
`Art Unit: 2631
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`Page 5
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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`The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis
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`for all obviousnessrejections set forth in this Office action:
`
`(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described
`as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to
`be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been
`obviousat the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which
`said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the
`invention was made.
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`The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148
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`USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining
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`obviousness under pre-AlA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) are summarized asfollows:
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`1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
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`2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
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`3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
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`4. Considering objective evidence presentin the application indicating
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`obviousness or nonobviousness.
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`5. Claim 19 is rejected under pre-AlA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable
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`over Hirose U.S. Patent 7,317,894 B2.
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`Regarding claim 19, claim is rejected on the same ground asfor claim 1 because
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`of similar scope. However, Hirose doesnotdisclosethe first mean for amplifying and
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`the second meanfor amplifying as set forth in the application claim. As recited in claim
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`1 rejection, because variable gain amplifier 15 and variable gain amplifier 25 as
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`disclosed in FIG. 6 perform similar amplification of the first input RF signal, therefore,
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 13/590,423
`Art Unit: 2631
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`Page 6
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`one of ordinaryskill in the art at the time the invention was made would have
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`recognized the interchangeability of the variable gain amplifier 15 and variable gain
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`amplifier 25 for the claimed first means for amplifying and the claimed second means for
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`amplifying.
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`Allowable Subject Matter
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`6. Claims 2-10, 13-16, 18 and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon a
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`rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independentform including all
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`of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
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`Conclusion
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`7. Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented
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`in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP
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`§ 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37
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`CFR 1.136(a).
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`A shortenedstatutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE
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`MONTHS from the mailing date of this action.
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`In the eventa first reply is filed within
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`TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not
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`mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTHshortenedstatutory period, then the
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`shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 13/590,423
`Art Unit: 2631
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`Page 7
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`extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of
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`the advisory action.
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`In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later
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`than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
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`8. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to
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`applicant's disclosure.
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`Maruta et al. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US 2007/0177656 A1.
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`9. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
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`examiner should be directed to KHANH C. TRAN whosetelephone number is (571)272-
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`3007. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday- Friday from 08:00 AM -
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`05:00 PM.
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
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`supervisor, Shuwang Liu can be reached on 571-272-3036. The fax phone number for
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`the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 13/590,423
`Art Unit: 2631
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`Page 8
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`
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`
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`
`KCT
`
`/KHANH C TRAN/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2631
`
`