IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
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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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`RESPONSE
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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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`CustomerNo.
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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 August 1, 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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`INTEL 1017
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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. Thislisting 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. (Previously presented) An apparatus comprising:
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`a first amplifier stage configured to receive and amplify an input radio frequency (RF)
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`signal and provide a first output RF signal to a first load circuit when the first
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`amplifier stage is enabled,
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`the input RF signal employing carrier aggregation
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`comprising transmissions sent on multiple carriers at different frequencies to a
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`wireless device, the first output RF signal including at least a first carrier of the
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`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
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`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 thefirst 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 ofclaim 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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`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 RFsignal in a second mode,the first and second cascodetransistors
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`being enabled in the first mode, and only one of the first and second cascode transistors
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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 ofat 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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`-3-
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`receive the input RF signal.
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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 receiverinput signal and provide the input RF signal.
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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 signal to 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 cascodetransistor, and a second
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`input RFsignal being provided to both the third and fourth gain transistors.
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`_4-
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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. (Previously presented) 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 thefirst 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 the first 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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`mode to 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. (Previously presented) 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, 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 modeto obtain the
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`first and second output RF signals; and
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`means for enabling the first means for amplifying and disabling the second means for
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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 August 1, 2014, has been received and reviewed. Claims 1-20
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`are pending in the application. Claims 1, 11, 12, 14, 17 and 19 stand rejected. Claims 2-10, 13,
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`15, 16, 18 and 20 are objected to as depending from rejected base claims. Applicant has
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`amendedno claims, submits the following remarks, and respectfully requests reconsideration of
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`the 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 Kaukovuori
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`Claims 1, 11, 12, 14 and 17 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(e) as being anticipated
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`by U.S. Patent No. 8,442,473 to Kaukovuori et al. (“Kaukovuori’). Applicant respectfully
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`traverses this rejection, as hereinafter set forth.
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`According to MPEP §2131, a claim is anticipated only if each and every elementas set
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`forth in the claim is found, either expressly or inherently described, in a single priorart reference
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`and the identical invention must be shownin as complete detail as is contained in the claim.
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`Specifically, “unless a reference discloses within the four corners of the documentnot only all of
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`the limitations claimed butalso all of the limitations arranged or combined in the same way as
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`recited in the claim, it cannot be said to prove prior invention of the thing claimed and, thus,
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`cannot anticipate under 35 U.S.C. § 102.” Net MoneyIN,Inc. v. VeriSign, Inc., 545 F.3d 1359,
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`1371 (Fed. Cir. 2008) (emphasis added).
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`Applicant submits that Kaukovuori does not and cannotanticipate under 35 U.S.C. § 102
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`the presently claimed invention of claims 1, 11, 12, 14 and 17, because Kaukovuori does not
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`describe, either expressly or inherently, the identical inventions in as complete detail as are
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`contained in the claims.
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`Regarding independentclaims 1 and 17, Applicant’s independent claims 1 and 17
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`recite, inter alia, “[a first amplifier stage configured to ... amplify/ amplifying ... with a first
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`amplifier stage] ... whenthe first amplifier stage is enabled ... and [a second amplifier stage
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`configuredto ... amplify/ amplifying ... with a second amplifier stage] ... when the second
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`amplifier stage is enabled,” which is not disclosed in Kaukovuori. Generally, Applicant’ s
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`Serial No. 13/590,423
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`claimed invention recites “amplifying ... when the [] amplifier stage is enabled.” In contrast,
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`Kaukovuori appears to disclose nonselective amplifiers that continuously amplify. Furthermore,
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`any ‘enabling,’ ‘selection’ or ‘reconfiguration,’ as disclosed in Kaukovuori, appearsto relate to
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`modification of filter bandwidths, and not to enabling an amplifier stage. Specifically,
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`Kaukovuori discloses:
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`One potential method of receiving non-contiguous carrier aggregation signalsis to
`receive separate clusters of componentcarriers in separate receiver chains, each having a
`LO signal of its own. This is depicted in FIG. 15, where Cluster] and Cluster2 are each
`handled by a separate respective receiver chain, as shown in FIG. 15. (Kaukovuori, col.
`10, Ins. 23-28; emphasis added).
`Whenthe clusters have unequal bandwidths, the choice of bandwidth (BW)setups
`for both receiver chains may be performed in orderto reconfigure the receiver such that
`receiver performanceis optimal. Typically, the first branch may be configured in a first
`modeto have a first bandpass filter bandwidth to give first bandpass filtered inphase and
`quadrature components, and may be configured in a second mode to havea first lowpass
`filter bandwidth to give first lowpass filtered inphase and quadrature components. In the
`first mode, a second branch may be configured, for example as shown in FIG. 24 within
`the dashed lines, and for example as shownin FIG. 10 or FIG. 11, to have a second
`bandpassfilter bandwidth, different from the first bandpass filter bandwidth, to give
`second bandpassfiltered inphase and quadrature components. In the second mode,the
`first branch may be used as a conventional DCRreceiver, for example to receive single
`carrier or contiguouscarrier signals, and thesecondbranch, also referred to as an
`additional branch, may be not used, for example by being disconnected or turned off.
`(Kaukovuori, col. 13, Ins. 28-46; emphasis added).
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`Applicant respectfully notes that Kaukovuori appears to disclose reconfiguringfilter
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`bandwidth, which cannot anticipate Applicant’s claimed invention reciting, inter alia,
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`“amplifying ... when the [] amplifier stage is enabled.” Regarding Kaukovuori disclosing “the
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`second branch,also referred to as an additional branch, may be not used, for example by being
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`disconnected or turned off,” Applicant respectfully notes that such a disclosure in Kaukovuori
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`supports the switch $1 in Figure 24 of Kaukovuori which merely disconnects the already-
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`amplified output signal from the LNA to the second Direct Conversion Receiver (DCR) (shown
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`within the dashed lines). Accordingly, such a disclosure of a switch S1 after any amplification,
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`also cannot anticipate Applicant’s claimed invention reciting, inter alia, “amplifying ... when the
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`[] amplifier stage is enabled,” as claimed by Applicant in independent claims 1 and 17.
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`Serial No. 13/590,423
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`Therefore, since Kaukovuori does not disclose Applicant’s claimed invention in as
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`complete detail as is contained in the claims as 1s required for a properanticipation rejection,
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`Kaukovuori cannot anticipate, according to 35 U.S.C. §102, Applicant’s invention as presently
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`claimed. Accordingly, Applicant respectfully requests the rejections of independent claims 1 and
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`17 be withdrawn.
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`Regarding dependentclaims 11, 12 and 14, dependent claims 11, 12 and 14 are
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`allowable as depending from now-allowable independent claim 1. Accordingly, Applicant
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`respectfully requests the rejections of dependent claims 11, 12 and 14 be withdrawn.
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`35 U.S.C. § 103(a) Obviousness Rejections
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`NOTE: Therejection of claim 19 in the Office Action appears to contain a typographical
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`error. Specifically, the Office Action rejected claims 1, 11, 12, 14 and 17 under
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`35 U.S.C. §102 based on a newly cited reference to Kaukovuori, however, the
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`Office Action appears, in error, to continue to recite Hirose, cited in the previous
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`office action, in rejecting claim 19. Accordingly, Applicant assumes the
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`Examiner meantto also reject claim 19 based on the newly cited reference to
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`Kaukovuori.
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`Obviousness Rejection Based on Kaukovuori
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`Claim 19 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as being unpatentable over
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`Kaukovuori. Applicant respectfully traverses this rejection, as hereinafter set forth.
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`Applicant respectfully submits that, as stated in the M.P.E.P. at § 2143, “The rationale to
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`support a conclusion that the claim would have been obviousis that all the claimed elements
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`were knownin the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as
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`claimed by known methods with no changein their respective functions, and the combination
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`yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art.” KSR Int’l Co.v.
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`Teleflex, Inc., 550 U.S. 398 (2007) (emphasis added).
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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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`Serial No. 13/590,423
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`meetthe criterion that the prior art reference(s) must teach or suggest all the claimslimitations.
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`Regarding independentclaim 19, Applicant’s independent claim 19 includes claim
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`elements not taught or suggested in the cited reference. Applicant’s independent claim 19
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`recites, inter alia, “a first means for amplifying configured to amplify ... when_the
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`first means for
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`amplifying is enabled ... and a second means for amplifying configured to amplify ... when the
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`second meansfor amplifying is enabled.” Applicant respectfully asserts that Kaukovuori does
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`not teach or suggest Applicant’s invention as presently claimed in independent claim 19.
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`Applicant herein affirms the above-arguments that Kaukovuori appears to teach
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`reconfiguring filter bandwidth and to further teach a switch S1 after the amplification. Such
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`teachings cannot render obvious Applicant’s claimed inventionreciting, inter alia, “a first means
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`for amplifying configured to amplify ... when the first means for amplifying is enabled ... and a
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`second meansfor amplifying configured to amplify ... when the second meansfor amplifyin
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`enabled,” as claimed by Applicant in independent claim 19.
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`Therefore, since Kaukovuori does not teach “a first means for amplifying configured to
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`amplify ... when the first meansfor amplifying is enabled ... and a second means for amplifying
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`configured to amplify ... when the second means for amplifying is enabled” as claimed by
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`Applicant, the cited reference cannot render obvious, under 35 U.S.C. §103, Applicant’ s
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`invention as presently claimed. Accordingly, Applicant respectfully requests the rejection of
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`independentclaim 19 be withdrawn.
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`Objections to Claims 2-10, 13-16, 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
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`claims, but are indicated to contain allowable subject matter and would be allowable if placed in
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`appropriate independent form. Applicant acknowledgesthis indication with appreciation, but
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`respectfully asserts that the claims in their present form, along with all other claims presently
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`under consideration, are in condition for allowance.
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`Finality of Next Office Action Precluded
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`Applicant has traversed the rejection of claims 1, 11, 12, 14, 17 and 19 by argument and
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`Serial No. 13/590,423
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`not amendment. Therefore, the finality of the next office action would be improper as Applicant
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`is entitled to an examination on the merits and to amendas a matter of right. In the present
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`Office Action, Applicant’s independentclaims 1, 17 and 19 were not completely examinedas to
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`all of the elements. Accordingly, Applicant submits that this omission to examineall elements of
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`Applicant’s claimed invention amountsto a failure to articulate a prima facie case of
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`unpatentability and the burden to rebut this “rejection” has not yet shifted to the Applicant.
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`Consequently, a next office action cannot properly be madefinal since only then would the
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`Applicant be obligated to rebut the rejection, presuming that such an office action sets forth a
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`prima facie case. (MPEP § 706.07(a)).
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`-ll1l-
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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 determine that 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: October 28, 2014
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`By:
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`/Ramin Mobarhan, Reg# 50,182/
`
`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
`
`-12-
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