IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARKOFFICE
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`13/590,423
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`Confirmation No.
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`9482
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`Aleksandar Modrag Tasic
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`August 21, 2012
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`2631
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`Khanh C. Tran
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`121973
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`23696
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`AMENDMENT
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`Application No.
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`Applicant
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`Filed
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`Art Unit
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`Examiner
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`Docket No.
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`Customer No.
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`Commissionerfor Patents
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
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`Sir:
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`In response to an Office Action dated April 18, 2014, please amend the above-identified
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`application as follows:
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`Amendments to the Claimsare reflected in the listing of claims which begins on page 2
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`of this paper.
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`Remarks/Arguments begin on page 7 of this paper.
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`Attorney Docket No. 121973
`Customer No. 23696
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`-1-
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`INTEL 1015
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`Serial No. 13/590,423
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`Amendments to the Claims:
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`Please note that all claims currently pending and underconsideration in the referenced
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`application are shown below. This listing of claims will replace all prior versions andlistings of
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`claims in the application.
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`Listing of Claims:
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`1. (Currently amended) An apparatus comprising:
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`a first amplifier stage configured to receive and amplify an input radio frequency (RF) signal
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`and providea first output RF signaltoafirst load circuit when the first amplifier stage
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`is
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`enabled,
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`the
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`input RF signal
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`employing carrier aggregation comprising
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`transmissions sent on multiple carriers at different frequencies to a wireless device,
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`the first output RF signal including at least a first carrier of the multiple carriers; and
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`a second amplifier stage configured to receive and amplify the input RF signal and
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`provide a second output RF signal to a second load circuit when the second
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`amplifier stage is enabled, the second output RFsignal including at least a second
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`carrier of the multiple carriers different than the first carrier.
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`2. (Original) The apparatus of claim 1, the first amplifier stage comprising a first gain transistor
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`coupled to a first cascode transistor, the second amplifier stage comprising a second gain
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`transistor coupled to a second cascodetransistor, and the input RF signal being provided
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`to both the first and second gain transistors.
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`3. (Original) The apparatus of claim 2, the first amplifier stage further comprising a first inductor
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`coupled to the first gain transistor, and the second amplifier stage further comprising a
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`second inductor coupled to the second gain transistor.
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`4. (Original) The apparatus of claim 2,
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`the first and second gain transistors having sources
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`_2-
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`coupled to circuit ground.
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`Serial No. 13/590,423
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`5. (Original) The apparatus of claim 2, the first and second amplifier stages providing the first
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`and second output RF signals in a first mode and providing the first output RF signal but
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`not the second output RF signal in a second mode,the first and second cascodetransistors
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`being enabled in the first mode, and only one ofthe first and second cascodetransistors
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`being enabled in the second mode.
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`6. (Original) The apparatus of claim 5, the first and second gain transistors being applied the
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`input RF signal in both the first mode and the second mode, and oneof the first and
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`second gain transistors operating in a saturation region and the other one of the first and
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`second gain transistors operating in a linear region in the second mode.
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`7. (Original) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
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`a feedback circuit coupled between an output and an input of at least one of the first and
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`second amplifier stages.
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`8. (Original) The apparatus of claim 7, the feedback circuit comprising a resistor, or a capacitor,
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`or both a resistor and a capacitor.
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`9. (Original) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
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`a first attenuation circuit coupled to the first amplifier stage and configured to receive the
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`input RF signal; and
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`a second attenuation circuit coupled to the second amplifier stage and configured to
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`receive the input RF signal.
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`10. (Original) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
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`an attenuation circuit coupled to the first and second amplifier stages and configured to
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`receive the input RFsignal.
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`Serial No. 13/590,423
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`11. (Original) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
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`an input matching circuit coupled to the first and second amplifier stages and configured
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`to receive a receiver input signal and provide the input RFsignal.
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`12.
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`(Original) The apparatus of claim 11,
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`the input matching circuit being tunable and
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`comprising at least one adjustable circuit component.
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`13. (Original) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:
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`a third amplifier stage configured to receive and amplify a second input RF signal and
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`provide the first output RF signal to the first load circuit when the third amplifier
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`stage is enabled; and
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`a fourth amplifier stage configured to receive and amplify the second input RF signal and
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`provide the second output RF signal to the second load circuit when the fourth
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`amplifier stage is enabled.
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`14. (Original) The apparatus of claim 1,
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`the first amplifier stage configured to receive and amplify the input RF signal or a second
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`input RF signal and providethe first output RF signalto the first load circuit when
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`the first amplifier stage is enabled, and
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`the second amplifier stage configured to receive and amplify the input RF signal or the
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`second input RF signal and provide the second output RF signal to the second
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`load circuit when the second amplifier stage is enabled.
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`15. (Original) The apparatus of claim 2, the first amplifier stage further comprising a third gain
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`transistor coupled to a third cascode transistor,
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`the second amplifier stage further
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`comprising a fourth gain transistor coupled to a fourth cascode transistor, and a second
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`input RF signal being provided to both the third and fourth gain transistors.
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`Serial No. 13/590,423
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`16. (Original) The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:
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`a third amplifier stage configured to receive and amplify a third input RF signal or a
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`fourth input RF signal and provide the first output RF signal to the first load
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`circuit when the third amplifier stage is enabled; and
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`a fourth amplifier stage configured to receive and amplify the third input RF signal or the
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`fourth input RF signal and provide the second output RF signal to the second load
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`circuit when the fourth amplifier stage is enabled.
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`17. (Currently amended) A method comprising:
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`amplifying a first input radio frequency (RF) signal with a first amplifier stage to obtain a
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`first output RF signal when the first amplifier stage is enabled, the first input RF
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`signal employing carrier aggregation comprising transmissions sent on multiple
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`carriers at different frequencies to a wireless device, the first output RF signal
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`includingat least a first carrier of the multiple carriers; and
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`amplifying the first input RF signal or a second input RF signal with a second amplifier
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`stage to obtain a second output RF signal when the second amplifier stage is
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`enabled, the second output RF signal including at least a second carrier of the
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`multiple carriers different than thefirst carrier.
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`18. (Original) The method of claim 17, further comprising:
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`enabling the first and second amplifier stages in a first mode to obtain the first and second
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`output RFsignals; and
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`enabling the first amplifier stage and disabling the second amplifier stage in a second
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`modeto obtain the first output RF signal but not the second output RFsignal.
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`Serial No. 13/590,423
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`19. (Currently amended) An apparatus comprising:
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`first means for amplifying configured to amplify a first input radio frequency (RF)signal
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`and provide a first output RF signal when the first means for amplifying is
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`enabled,
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`the first
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`input RF signal employing carrier aggregation comprising
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`transmissions sent on multiple carriers at different frequencies to a wireless
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`device,
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`the second output RF signal including at least a second carrier of the
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`multiple carriers different than the first carrier; and
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`second means for amplifying configured to amplify the first input RF signal or a second
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`input RF signal and provide a second output RF signal when the second meansfor
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`amplifying is enabled, the second output RF signal including at least a second
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`carrier of the multiple carriers different than the first carrier.
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`20. (Original) The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising:
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`meansfor enabling the first and second meansfor amplifying in a first mode to obtain the
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`first and second output RFsignals; and
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`means for enabling the first means for amplifying and disabling the second meansfor
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`amplifying in a second mode to obtain the first output RF signal but not the
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`second output RFsignal.
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`Serial No. 13/590,423
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`REMARKS
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`The Office Action mailed April 18, 2014, has been received and reviewed. Claims 1-20
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`are pending in the application. Claims 1, 11, 12, 17 and 19 stand rejected. Claims 2-10, 13-16,
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`18 and 20 are objected to as depending from rejected base claims. Applicant has amended claims
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`1, 17 and 19, submits the following remarks, and respectfully requests reconsideration of the
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`application. No new matter has been added.
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`35 U.S.C. § 102 Anticipation Rejections
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`Anticipation Rejection Based on Hirose
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`Claims 1, 11, 12 and 17 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b) as being anticipated by
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`U.S. Patent No. 7,317,894 to Hirose (“Hirose”). Applicant has amendedthe claims and
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`respectfully requests reconsideration of the rejection as hereinafter set forth.
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`A claimis anticipated only if each and every elementas set forth in the claim is found,
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`either expressly or inherently described, in a single prior art reference and the identical invention
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`must be shownin as complete detail as is contained in the claim. Specifically, "unless a
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`reference discloses within the four corners of the documentnot only all of the limitations claimed
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`but also all of the limitations arranged or combinedin the same way as recited in the claim,it
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`cannot be said to prove prior invention of the thing claimed and, thus, cannot anticipate under 35
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`U.S.C. § 102." Net MoneyIN, Inc. v. VeriSign, Inc., 545 F.3d 1359, 1371 (Fed. Cir. 2008)
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`(emphasis added).
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`Applicant submits that Hirose does not and cannotanticipate under 35 U.S.C. § 102 the
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`presently claimed invention of claims 1, 11, 12 and 17, because Hirose does notdescribe, either
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`expressly or inherently, the identical inventions in as complete detail as are contained in the
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`claims.
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`Regarding amended independentclaims 1 and 17, Applicant’s amended independent
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`claims | and 17 recite, inter alia, “the [] input RF signal employing carrier aggregation,” which
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`is not disclosed in Hirose. Generally, Applicant’s claimed inventionrecites “carrier aggregation”
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`whichresults in an increased aggregated data rate. In contrast, Hirose transmits the same signals
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`over different paths which results in redundantdata at a commondata rate. Specifically, the
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`Serial No. 13/590,423
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`Office Action alleges:
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`Hirose discloses ... receiving input RF signal(e.g. satellite wave signal and ground
`wave signal) ....
`(Office Action, p. 3; emphasis added)
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`Applicant respectfully asserts that Hirose’s “satellite wave signal and ground wave
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`signal” do notresult in “carrier aggregation” as claimed by Applicant in amended independent
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`claims 1 and 17. As stated, Applicant’s amended independent claims | and 17 recite, inter alia,
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`“the [] input RF signal employing carrier aggregation,” while Hirose discloses redundant data
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`at a commondata rate. Specifically, Hirose discloses:
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`In an area whereitis difficult to receive a radio wave from anelliptical orbit satellite or
`in an urban area whereit is difficult to receive a satellite broadcast radio wave, a
`radio broadcast receiverreceives in some cases a radio wave (ground wave) from
`a groundrepeater whichis controlled by a Geostationary orbitsatellite.
`Therefore, the satellite radio broadcast receiver receives three radio waves in
`total, two satellite waves and one ground wave, at the sametimeat its wide band
`RF amplifier. FIG. 2 shows the spectrum of radio waves to be received by the
`receiver. The center frequency of this spectrum is approximately 2.3 GHz, and the
`satellite wave and ground wavehave both the band width of about 4 MHz.
`Although the satellite wave #1 and the ground waveare received at the same
`timing, the satellite wave #2 is received at the timing delayed by several seconds,
`and so time diversity is presented....
`2) Features of Reception System
`The receiverreceives three waves containing the same contents. However, each radio
`wavehasdifferent frequency and propagation path, and a different time period
`while the same data is received. These radio waves are synthesized and
`demodulated so that the effects of frequency diversity, space diversity and time
`diversity can be obtained. (Hirose, col. 1, Ins. 26-67; emphasis added)
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`Clearly Hirose discloses “/t/he receiver receives three waves containing the same
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`contents,” which results in frequency/time/space diversity, however, such receipt of diversity
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`signals does not disclose “carrier aggregation” as claimed by Applicant. Specifically, a
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`disclosure in Hirose of receipt of the “same data” over“three [different] waves” does not
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`anticipate Applicant’s invention of “the [] input RF signal employing carrier aggregation” as
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`claimed by Applicant in amended independentclaims | and 17.
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`Therefore, since Hirose does not disclose Applicant’s claimed invention in as complete
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`detail as is containedin the claimsas is required for a proper anticipation rejection, Hirose
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`Serial No. 13/590,423
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`cannot anticipate, according to 35 U.S.C. §102, Applicant’s invention as presently claimed.
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`Accordingly, Applicant respectfully requests the rejections of amended independent claims 1 and
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`17 be withdrawn.
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`Regarding dependent claims 11 and 12, dependent claims 11 and 12 are allowable as
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`depending from now-allowable amended independent claim 1. Accordingly, Applicant
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`respectfully requests the rejections of dependent claims 11 and 12 be withdrawn.
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`35 U.S.C. § 103(a) Obviousness Rejections
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`Obviousness Rejection Based on Hirose
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`Claim 19 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being unpatentable over Hirose.
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`Applicant has amended the claim and respectfully requests reconsideration of the rejection as
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`hereinafter set forth.
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`To establish a prima facie case of obviousness the prior art reference (or references when
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`combined) mustteach or suggestall the claim limitations. In re Royka, 490 F.2d 981, 985
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`(CCPA 1974); see also MPEP § 2143.03. Additionally, there must be “a reason that would have
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`prompted a person of ordinary skill in the relevant field to combinethe [prior art] elements” in
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`the mannerclaimed. KSR Int’! Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 127 S. Ct. 1727, 1742, 167 L.Ed.2d 705, 75
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`USLW 4289, 82 U.S.P.Q.2d 1385 (2007). Finally, to establish a prima facie case of obviousness
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`there must be a reasonable expectation of success. In re Merck & Co., Inc., 800 F.2d 1091, 1097
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`(Fed. Cir. 1986). Furthermore, the reason that would have prompted the combination and the
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`reasonable expectation of success must be found in the prior art, common knowledge,or the
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`nature of the problemitself, and not based on the Applicants’ disclosure. DyStar Textilfarben
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`GmbH & Co. Deutschland KG v. C. H. Patrick Co., 464 F.3d 1356, 1367 (Fed. Cir. 2006);
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`MPEP§ 2144. Underlying the obvious determination is the fact that statutorily prohibited
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`hindsight cannot be used. KSR, 127 S.Ct. at 1742; DyStar, 464 F.3d at 1367.
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`The 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) obviousness rejection of claim 19 is improper because the
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`elements for a prima facie case of obviousness are not met. Specifically, the rejection fails to
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`meetthe criterion that the prior art reference(s) must teach or suggest all the claims
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`limitations.
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`Serial No. 13/590,423
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`Regarding independentclaim 19, Applicant’s independent claim 19 includes claim elements
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`not taught or suggested in the cited reference. Applicant’s independent claim 19 recites, in part, “the
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`first input RF signal employing carrier aggregation.” Applicant respectfully asserts that Hirose does
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`not teach or suggest Applicant’s invention as presently claimed in amended independentclaim 19.
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`The Office Action alleges:
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`Regarding claim 19, [the] claim is rejected on the same groundas for claim | because of
`similar scope. (Office Action, p. 6)
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`Applicant herein affirms the above-arguments that Hirose does not teach or suggest “the first
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`input RF signal employing carrier aggregation” as claimed by Applicant in amended
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`independent claim 19. As stated above, Hirose teaches “t]he receiver receives three waves
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`containing the same contents,” which results in frequency/time/space diversity, however, such
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`receipt of diversity signals does not teach “carrier aggregation” as claimed by Applicant.
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`Specifically, a disclosure in Hirose of receipt of the “same data” over “three [different] waves”
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`does not render obvious Applicant’s invention of “the first input RF signal employing carrier
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`aggregation” as claimed by Applicant in amended independentclaim 19.
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`Therefore, since Hirose does not teach “the first input RF signal employing carrier
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`aggregation” as claimed by Applicant, the cited reference cannot render obvious, under 35 U.S.C.
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`§103, Applicant’s invention as presently claimed. Accordingly, Applicant respectfully requests the
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`rejection of independentclaim 19 be withdrawn.
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`Objections to Claims 2-6, 8-16, 18 and 20/Allowable Subject Matter
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`Claims 2-10, 13-16, 18 and 20 stand objected to as being dependent upon rejected base claims,
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`but are indicated to contain allowable subject matter and would be allowable if placed in appropriate
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`independent form. Applicant acknowledges this indication with appreciation, but respectfully asserts
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`that the claims in their present form, along with all other claims presently under consideration, are in
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`condition for allowance.
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`Serial No. 13/590,423
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`CONCLUSION
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`Claims 1-20 are believed to be in condition for allowance, and an early notice thereofis
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`respectfully solicited. Should the Examiner determinethat additional issues remain which might
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`be resolved by a telephone conference, the Examineris respectfully invited to contact
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`Applicant’s undersigned attorney.
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`Respectfully submitted,
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`Dated:
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`June 6, 2014
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`By:
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`/Ramin Mobarhan, Reg# 50,182/
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`Ramin Mobarhan, Reg. No. 50,182
`(858) 658 2447
`
`QUALCOMMIncorporated
`5775 Morehouse Drive
`San Diego, California 92121
`Telephone:
`(858) 658-5787
`Facsimile:
`(858) 658-2502
`
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