`
`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.
`
`FILING DATE
`
`FIRST NAMED INVENTOR
`
`ATTORNEY DOCKETNO.
`
`
`
`
` CONFIRMATIONNO.
`
`13/590,423
`
`08/21/2012
`
`Aleksandar Modrag Tasic
`
`121973
`
`9482
`
`23696
`7590
`08/01/2014
`QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
`5775 MOREHOUSEDR.
`SAN DIEGO, CA 92121
`
`EXAMINER
`TRAN, KHANH C
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`ART UNIT
`
`2631
`
`
`
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`08/01/2014
`
`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.
`
`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)
`
`INTEL 1016
`
`

`

`
`
`
`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`13/590,423
`TASIC ET AL.
`
`Examiner
`Art Unit
`AIA (First Inventorto File)
`KHANH C. TRAN
`2631 a
`-- The MAILING DATEof this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address--
`Period for Reply
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTHS FROM THE MAILING DATE OF
`THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensionsof 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).
`Anyreply 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 be timely filed
`
`Status
`1)] Responsive to communication(s)filed on
`] A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
`2a)L] This action is FINAL.
`2b)X] This action is non-final.
`3)L] An election was made bythe applicant in response toarestriction requirementset forth during the interview on
`
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`4)L] Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Ex parte Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`5) Claim(s) 1-20 is/are pending in the application.
`
`5a) Of the aboveclaim(s)
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`6)L] Claim(s)__ is/are allowed.
`7)K] Claim(s) 1,11,12,14,17 and 19 is/are rejected.
`)
`
`8)X] Claim(s) 2-10, 13,15, 16,18 and 20 is/are objectedto.
`
`9)L] Claim(s)
`are subjectto 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
`hito/Aaww.usoto.dov/oatents/init events/ooh/indax.is
`
`
`or send an inquiry to PPHieedback@uspte. gov.
`
`Application Papers
`10)[] The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)X] 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)(] Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
`a)L] All
`b)[-] Some** c)[] None of the:
`1.1] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.L] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.0] Copies ofthe 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)
`3) | Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`1) X] Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date.
`.
`.
`4 Ol Other:
`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
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20140725
`
`-1-
`
`-1-
`
`

`

`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 RCE filed 7/17/2014 has been entered. Claims 1-20 arestill pending in
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`this Office action.
`
`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
`
`The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphsof pre-AlA 35 U.S.C.
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`102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
`
`A person shall be entitled to a patent unless —
`
`(e) the invention was described in (1) an application for patent, published under section
`122(b), by another filed in the United States before the invention by the applicant for patent or
`(2) a patent granted on an application for patent by another filed in the United States before
`the invention by the applicant for patent, except that an international application filed under
`the treaty defined in section 351 (a) shall have the effects for purposes of this subsection of an
`application filed in the United States only if the international application designated the United
`States and was published under Article 21(2) of such treaty in the English language.
`
`3. Claims 1, 11-12, 14 and 17 are rejected under pre-AlA 35 U.S.C. 102(e) as
`
`being anticipated by Kaukovuori et al. U.S. Patent 8,442,473.
`
`Regarding claim 1, Kaukovuori et al. discloses an apparatus (FIG. 15
`
`embodiment) 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 signal to a first load circuit whenthe first
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`amplifier stage is enabled, the input RF signal employing carrier aggregation comprising
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`transmissions sent on multiple carriers at different frequencies to a wireless device, the
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 13/590,423
`Art Unit: 2631
`
`Page 3
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`first output RF signal including at least a first carrier of the multiple carriers (Kaukovuori
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`et al. teaches a methodof receiving data transmitted via a combination of atleast a
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`plurality of radio frequency signals using carrier aggregation (see column2lines 44-
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`49). FIG. 15 discloses a Radio FrequencyIntegrated Circuit (RFIC1) 1
`
`including first
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`amplifier stage LNA to provide a first output RF signal to a digital data path. The two
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`clusters are each received with different bandwidthfilter (see column 10, lines 22-53).
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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, the second output RF signal including at least a second
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`carrier of the multiple carriers different than the first carrier (similarly, FIG. 15 further
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`discloses a Radio FrequencyIntegrated Circuit (RFIC1) 1
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`including second amplifier
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`stage LNA to provide a second output RF signal to a digital data path. The two clusters
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`are each received with different bandwidth filter (see column 10, lines 22-53)).
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`Regarding claim 11, Kaukovuori et al. further discloses an input matching circuit
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`coupled to the first and second amplifier stages and configured to receive a receiver
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`input signal and provide the input RF signal (FIG. 15 discloses an RF FEM coupledto
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`the RFIC1 and RFIC2 and configured to provide an RF input (see column 10 lines 25-
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`35).
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`Regarding claim 12, Kaukovuori et al. further discloses the input matching circuit
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`being tunable and comprising at least one adjustable circuit component(FIG. 15
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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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`discloses an RF FEM configured to split the RF input signal (see column 10 lines 25-
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`35).
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`Regarding claim 14, Kaukovuoriet al. further disclosesthe first amplifier stage
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`configured to receive and amplify the input RF signal and providethe first output RF
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`signal to the first load circuit when the first amplifier stage is enabled (as recited in claim
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`1 rejection, FIG. 15 discloses a Radio FrequencyIntegrated Circuit (RFIC1) 1
`
`including
`
`first amplifier stage LNA to provideafirst output RF signal to a digital data path. The two
`
`clusters are each received with different bandwidthfilter (see column 10, lines 22-53)).
`
`and the second amplifier stage configured to receive and amplify the input RF
`
`signal and provide the second output RF signal to the second loadcircuit when the
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`second amplifier stage is enabled (similarly, FIG. 15 further discloses a Radio
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`Frequency Integrated Circuit (RFIC1) 1
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`including second amplifier stage LNA to provide
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`a second output RF signal to a digital data path. The two clusters are each received
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`with different bandwidth filter (see column 10, lines 22-53))
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`Note: the rejection is based on the input RF signal (not a second input RF
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`signal).
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`Regarding claim 17, claim is rejected on the same ground asfor claim 1 because
`
`of similar scope.
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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 obviousness rejections 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
`obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinaryskill in the art to which
`said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the
`invention was made.
`
`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 backgroundfor determining
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`obviousness under pre-AlA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) are summarized as follows:
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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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`4. Claim 19 is rejected under pre-AlA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable
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`over Kaukovuori et al. U.S. Patent 8,442,473.
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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, Kaukovuori et al. does not expressly disclose the first means
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`for amplifying and the second means for amplifying as set forth in the application claim.
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`Nevertheless, since FIG. 15 RFIC1 and RFIC2 employ LNAs (low noise amplifiers) as
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`amplifying stages, therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was
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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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`made would have recognized the interchangeability of the LNAs, as taught in
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`Kaukovuori et al. invention, for the claimed first means and second means for
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`amplifying.
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`Allowable Subject Matter
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`5. Claims 2-10, 13, 15-16, 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 independent form including all
`
`of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
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`Conclusion
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`6. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
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`examiner should be directed to KHANH C. TRAN whosetelephone numberis (571)272-
`
`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 numberfor
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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
`
`Page 7
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`
`KCT
`
`/KHANH C TRAN/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2631
`
`