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`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
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`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria1 Virginia 22313- 1450
`www.uspto.gov
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`APPLICATION NO.
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` F ING DATE
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`FIRST NAMED INVENTOR
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`ATTORNEY DOCKET NO.
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`
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`CONF {MATION NO.
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`13/590,423
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`08/21/2012
`
`Aleksandar Modrag Tasic
`
`121973
`
`9482
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`23696
`7590
`08/01/2014
`QUALCOMM INCORPORATED
`5775 MOREHOUSE DR.
`SAN DIEGO, CA 92121
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`EXAMINER
`TRAN, KHANH c
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`PAPER NUMBER
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`ART UNIT
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`2631
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`NOT *ICATION DATE
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`DELIVERY MODE
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`08/01/2014
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`ELECTRONIC
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`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
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`The time period for reply, 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):
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`us-docketing @ qualcomm.c0m
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`PTOL—90A (Rev. 04/07)
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`i
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`i
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`INTEL 1316
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`INTEL 1316
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`

`

`
`
`Applicant(s)
`Application No.
` 13/590,423 TASIC ET AL.
`
`Examiner
`Art Unit
`AIA (First Inventor to File)
`Office Action Summary
`
`KHANH c. TRAN its“ 2631
`
`-- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
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`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE g MONTHS FROM THE MAILING DATE OF
`THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR1. 136( a).
`after SIX () 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, even if 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
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`Status
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`1)IZI Responsive to communication(s) filed on
`El A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2b)|ZI This action is non-final.
`2a)|:l This action is FINAL.
`3)I:I An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
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`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
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`4)|:| Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
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`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
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`Disposition of Claims*
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`5)IZI Claim(s) 1-20 is/are pending in the application.
`5a) Of the above claim(s)
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
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`is/are allowed.
`6)I:I Claim(s)
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`1 11 12 14 17and19is/are rejected.
`7)|Z| Claim(s
`)
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`8)|Z| CIaim(s)2-10 13 151618 and 20 is/are objected to.
`
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`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement.
`9)I:I Claim((s)
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
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`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
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`
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`:/'I’vaIW.usnI‘.0. ovI’ atentS/init events/
`hI/index.‘s orsend an inquiryto PPI-iieedback{®usgtc.00v.
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`hit
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`Application Papers
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`10)I:l The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)|Xl The drawing(s) filed on 8/21/2012is/are: a)lX| accepted or b)I:I 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).
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`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
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`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
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`12)I:| Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
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`a)I:l All
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`b)|:l Some” c)I:l None of the:
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`1.I:I Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.|:l Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.|:| Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
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`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.
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`Attachment(s)
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`
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`3) D Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`1) E Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date.
`.
`.
`4) I:I Other'
`2) E InformatIon DIsclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date
`US. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL—326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`1
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`1
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`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20140725
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 13/590,423
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`Page 2
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`Art Unit: 2631
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`1. The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA 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 are still pending in
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`this Office action.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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`The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C.
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`102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
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`A person shall be entitled to a patent unless —
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`(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.
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`3. Claims 1, 11-12, 14 and 17 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e) as
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`being anticipated by Kaukovuori et al. US. Patent 8,442,473.
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`Regarding claim 1, Kaukovuori et al. discloses an apparatus (FIG. 15
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`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 provide a first output RF signal to a first load circuit when the 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
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 13/590,423
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`Page 3
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`Art Unit: 2631
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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 method of receiving data transmitted via a combination of at least a
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`plurality of radio frequency signals using carrier aggregation (see column 2 lines 44-
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`49). FIG. 15 discloses a Radio Frequency Integrated 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 bandwidth filter (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 Frequency Integrated 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 coupled to
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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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`Application/Control Number: 13/590,423
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`Page 4
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`Art Unit: 2631
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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, Kaukovuori et al. further discloses the first amplifier stage
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`configured to receive and amplify the input RF signal and provide the 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 Frequency Integrated Circuit (RFIC1) 1
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`including
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`first 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 bandwidth filter (see column 10, lines 22-53)).
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`and the second amplifier stage configured to receive and amplify the input RF
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`signal and provide the second output RF signal to the second load circuit 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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`m: 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 as for claim 1 because
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`of similar scope.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 13/590,423
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`Page 5
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`Art Unit: 2631
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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:
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`(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 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-AIA 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 present in the application indicating
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`obviousness or nonobviousness.
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`4. Claim 19 is rejected under pre-AIA 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 as for 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 RF|C1 and RF|C2 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
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`Page 6
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`Art Unit: 2631
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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
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`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 whose telephone 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
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`Page 7
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`Art Unit: 2631
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`KCT
`
`/KHANH C TRAN/
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`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2631
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`