DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/19/2025 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4, 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wei et al. (hereinafter Wei)( CN 110752423 A) in view of Liu et al. (hereinafter Liu)(US 2017/0012336).
Regarding claim 1, Wei teaches a filter comprising: a cavity, a circuit board, and a filter branch, (page 3, cavity, PCB; page 2, filtering) wherein the circuit board is located in the cavity(page 3, PCB board located in the cavity); a power divider circuit is disposed on the circuit board(page 5, power divider), and the power divider circuit comprises an input end, a main feeder, and an output end(page 5, power divider 3a, 3b, and 3c; input port 6a; output ports 6b, 6c, 6d, 6e, 6f; Figs. 1-3), wherein both the input end is-and the output end are electrically connected to the main feeder(fig. 1; page 3, main feed input port with output ports), and the main feeder is configured to transmit a signal that is input at the input end and is output at the output end(Figs. 1-3); and the filter branch(fig. 4, items 5a and 5b) comprises a first interface and a first filter line, wherein the first interface is disposed at an opening of the cavity, the first filter line is located outside the cavity, the first filter line is electrically connected to the first interface, and the first interface is electrically connected to the main feeder(figs. 1-3; cavity is item 2 in Fig. 1; ).
Wei did not teach specifically wherein the first filter line is electrically connected to the first interface in a screwing mode. However, Liu teaches in an analogous art wherein the first filter line is electrically connected to the first interface in a welding mode or the first filter line is electrically connected to the first interface in a screwing mode(P[0043], adjusting the screw may be provided in the opening to tune a filter). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the filter wherein the first filter line is electrically connected to the first interface in a welding mode or the first filter line is electrically connected to the first interface in a screwing mode in order to have additional flexibility.
Regarding claim 2, Wei teaches the filter according to claim 1, wherein the first filter line is electrically connected to the first interface in a coupling mode (fig. 4, item 6a coupled through the interface and the filtering function module 5a).
Regarding claim 4, Wei teaches the filter according to claim 1, wherein the filter branch further comprises a second filter line, which is located in the cavity- and is disposed on the circuit board; and the first interface is connected to the main feeder through the second filter line(Fig. 1 and Fig. 4, in Fig. 4, item 6a; second filter line is the inside part; and is disposed in the PCB board 3 as shown in Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 6, Wei teaches the filter according to claim 1, wherein the circuit board comprises a metal strip line, wherein the metal strip line is exposed to air; or the metal strip line is a metal layer electroplated on a surface of a substrate; or the metal strip line is a metal layer embedded on the surface of the substratwhich is plastic or ceramic(Page 5, PCB metallization).
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wei et al. (hereinafter Wei)( CN 110752423 A) in view of Liu et al. (hereinafter Liu)(US 2017/0012336) and Wan et al. (hereinafter Wan)(CN 102176525 A).
Regarding claim 3, Wei in view of Liu teaches all the particulars of the claim except, wherein the first filter line is a coaxial cable or a metal strip line. However, Wan teaches in an analogous art wherein the first filter line is a coaxial cable or a metal strip line(abstract, coaxial line). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the filter wherein the first filter line is a coaxial cable or a metal strip line in order to have compact phase shifter.
Claim(s) 5, 10, 11-16, 18, 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wei et al. (hereinafter Wei)( CN 110752423 A) in view of Liu et al. (hereinafter Liu)(US 2017/0012336) and Liao et al. (hereinafter Liao)(US 2018/0123240 A1).
Regarding claim 5, Wei in view of Liu teaches all the particulars of the claim except, wherein a total length of the first filter line and the second filter line ranges from 1/16 to 3/4 of a wavelength, and the wavelength is a wavelength of an electromagnetic wave filtered out by the filter branch. However, Liao teaches in an analogous art wherein a total length of the first filter line and the second filter line ranges from 1/16 to 3/4 of a wavelength, and the wavelength is a wavelength of an electromagnetic wave filtered out by the filter branch(P[0020], range between 1/16 and ¾ of a wave length). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the filter wherein a total length of the first filter line and the second filter line ranges from 1/16 to 3/4 of a wavelength, and the wavelength is a wavelength of an electromagnetic wave filtered out by the filter branch in order to have efficient phase shifter.
Regarding claim 10, Wei teaches a phase shifter, comprising a filter, wherein the filter comprises: a cavity, a circuit board, and a filter branch(page 3, cavity, PCB; page 2, filtering); the circuit board is located in the cavity(page 3, PCB board located in the cavity);
a power divider circuit is disposed on the circuit board, and the power divider circuit comprises an input end, a main feeder, and an output end, wherein both the input end and the output end are electrically connected to the main feeder, , and the main feeder is configured to transmit a signal that is input at the input end and is output at the output end
(page 5, power divider 3a, 3b, and 3c; input port 6a; output ports 6b, 6c, 6d, 6e, 6f; Figs. 1-3; fig. 1; page 3, main feed input port with output ports; Figs. 1-3); and
the filter branch comprises a first interface and a first filter line, wherein the first interface is disposed at an opening of the cavity, the first filter line is located outside the cavity, the first filter line is electrically connected to the first interface, and the first interface is electrically connected to the main feeder(fig. 4, items 5a and 5b; figs. 1-3; cavity is item 2 in Fig. 1; ).
Wei did not teach specifically wherein the phase shifter further comprises a phase shift unit; and the phase shift unit is located in the cavity, and the phase shift unit moves relative to the circuit board. However, Liao teaches in an analogous art wherein the phase shifter further comprises a phase shift unit; and the phase shift unit is located in the cavity, and the phase shift unit moves relative to the circuit board(P[0021-0022], phase shift unit may be a movable circuit board). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the filter in order to have efficient phase shifter.
Wei in view of Liao did not teach specifically wherein the first filter line is electrically connected to the first interface in a welding mode or the first filter line is electrically connected to the first interface in a screwing mode. However, Liu teaches in an analogous art wherein the first filter line is electrically connected to the first interface in a screwing mode(P[0043], adjusting the screw may be provided in the opening to tune a filter). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the filter wherein the first filter line is electrically connected to the first interface in a welding mode or the first filter line is electrically connected to the frst interface in a screwing mode in order to have additional flexibility.
Regarding claim 11, Liao teaches the phase shifter, wherein the phase shift unit comprises a mobile circuit board, which is disposed in parallel on a side of the circuit board, and is coupled and electrically connected to the circuit board(P[0022, 0040], movable circuit board is disposed in parallel on one side of the fixed circuit board).
Claims 12-13 are rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 10.
Claims 14-15 are rejected for the same reason as set forth in claim 11.
Regarding claim 16, Wei teaches the antenna, wherein the first filter line is electrically connected to the first interface in a coupling mode(fig. 4, item 6a coupled through the interface and the filtering function module 5a).
Regarding claim 18, Wei teaches the antenna, wherein the filter branch further comprises a second filter line, which is located in the cavity- and is disposed on the circuit board; and the first interface is connected to the main feeder through the second filter line(Fig. 1 and Fig. 4, in Fig. 4, item 6a; second filter line is the inside part; and is disposed in the PCB board 3 as shown in Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 19, Wei teaches the base station device, the first filter line is electrically connected to the first interface in a coupling mode(fig. 4, item 6a coupled through the interface and the filtering function module 5a).
Claim(s) 7-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wei et al. (hereinafter Wei)( CN 110752423 A) in view of Liu et al. (hereinafter Liu)(US 2017/0012336) and Liao et al. (hereinafter Liao)(US 2018/0123240 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Wei in view of Liu teaches all the particulars of the claim except, wherein at least one buckle is disposed in the cavity; at least one through hole is disposed in the circuit board, and the at least one through hole limits the at least one buckle; and the circuit board is fastened in the cavity through cooperation between the at least one through hole and the at least one buckle. However, Ji teaches in an analogous art wherein at least one buckle is disposed in the cavity; at least one through hole is disposed in the circuit board, and the at least one through hole limits the at least one buckle; and the circuit board is fastened in the cavity through cooperation between the at least one through hole and the at least one buckle(Page 5, holes extending into cavity; PCB board buckled together; fastened together ; PCB plate hole can make the plastic rivet out of the circuit board). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the filter wherein at least one buckle is disposed in the cavity; at least one through hole is disposed in the circuit board, and the at least one through hole limits the at least one buckle; and the circuit board is fastened in the cavity through cooperation between the at least one through hole and the at least one buckle in order to have efficient packing.
Regarding claim 8, Wei in view of Liu and Ji teaches the filter according to claim 7, wherein a first end cover and a second end cover are respectively disposed at two opposite ends of the cavity; a first slot and a second slot are respectively disposed at two ends that are of the circuit board and that correspond to the cavity, wherein the first slot limits the first end cover, and the second slot limits the second end cover; and the circuit board is fastened in the cavity through cooperation between the first slot and the first end cover and cooperation between the second slot and the second end cover(Ji: Fig. 1, 2 and 4; also Page 5, cavity; slots and end cover; fastened together as shown in Fig. 5 ).
Regarding claim 9, Wei in view of Liu and Ji teaches the filter, further comprising a fastener; the fastener is perpendicular to the circuit board; and two ends of the fastener are connected to the cavity in a vertical direction relative to the circuit board, and the fastener is configured to limit the circuit board in the vertical direction relative to the circuit board(Ji: page 5; PCB board of the lower and upper two layer medium plate 4 fastened together).
Claim(s) 17, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wei et al. (hereinafter Wei)( CN 110752423 A) in view of Liu et al. (hereinafter Liu)(US 2017/0012336), Liao et al. (hereinafter Liao)(US 2018/0123240 A1) and Wan et al. (hereinafter Wan)(CN 102176525 A).
Regarding claims 17, 20, Wei in view of Liao and Liu teaches all the particulars of the claim except, wherein the first filter line is a coaxial cable or a metal strip line. However, Wan teaches in an analogous art wherein the first filter line is a coaxial cable or a metal strip line(abstract, coaxial line). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the filter wherein the first filter line is a coaxial cable or a metal strip line in order to have compact phase shifter.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) on 12/19/2025 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
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/MUTHUSWAMY G MANOHARAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2647