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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 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 –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kim et al. US20230146641.
With respect to claim 1, Kim et al. discloses an antenna device (Fig. 10) comprising: one or more feeding antennas 100 provided on a main surface of a substrate; a plurality of parasitic antennas 900a, 900b symmetrically provided on at least two sides of the one or more feeding antennas on the main surface of the substrate; and at least one terminator 950 provided on the substrate and connected to each parasitic antenna, wherein the terminator includes a substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) 200 that is a waveguide extending in the substrate (paragraph 111 and Fig. 12).
With respect to claim 2, Kim et al. discloses wherein the substrate is a multilayer substrate, and wherein the SIW includes: a first SIW extending in a first layer of the multilayer substrate (paragraphs 61 and 74-76); and a second SIW extending in a second layer of the multilayer substrate (paragraphs 61 and 74-76).
With respect to claim 3, Kim et al. discloses wherein the first SIW and the second SIW are connected in series via an opening that causes the first layer and the second layer to communicate (paragraphs 61 and 74-76).
With respect to claim 4, Kim et al. discloses wherein the second SIW extends in a direction opposite to an extending direction of the first SIW (paragraphs 61 and 74-76).
With respect to claim 5, Kim et al. discloses wherein at least parts of the first SIW and the second SIW overlap when the substrate is viewed in a plan view (paragraphs 61 and 74-76).
With respect to claim 6, Kim et al. discloses wherein the first SIW extending in the first layer is shorter than the second SIW extending in the second layer (paragraphs 61 and 74-76).
With respect to claim 7, Kim et al. discloses wherein the SIW has a constant width (Fig. 4 and 8).
With respect to claim 8, Kim et al. discloses wherein the terminator includes a microstrip line connected between the parasitic antenna and the SIW (Fig. 10 and 11).
With respect to claim 9, (Original) The antenna device according to The antenna device according to wherein the microstrip line includes a portion having a tapered shape.
With respect to claim 10, Kim et al. discloses wherein the antenna device is mounted on a radar device (Abs. and paragraph 43).
With respect to claim 11, Kim et al. disclose wherein the antenna device is mounted on a communication device (Abs. and paragraphs 38-39 and 43).
With respect to claim 12, Kim et al. discloses a terminator 950 comprising: a substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) 200 that is a waveguide extending in a substrate, wherein the substrate is a multilayer substrate in which one or more feeding antennas are provided on a main surface of the substrate and a plurality of parasitic antennas are symmetrically provided on at least two sides of the one or more feeding antennas on the main surface on the substrate (paragraphs 61 and 74-76; Fig. 10), wherein the SIW includes: a first SIW extending in a first layer (paragraphs 61 and 74-76); and a second SIW extending in a second layer (paragraphs 61 and 74-76), and wherein the terminator is connected to at least one parasitic antenna of the plurality of parasitic antennas (paragraph 111 and Fig. 12).
With respect to claim 13, Kim et al. discloses a terminator 950 comprising: a substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) 200 that is a waveguide extending in a substrate in which one or more feeding antennas are provided on a main surface of the substrate and a plurality of parasitic antennas are symmetrically provided on at least two sides of the one or more feeding antennas on the main surface on the substrate (paragraphs 61 and 74-76; Fig. 10); and a microstrip line connected to the SIW (Fig. 10 and 11), wherein the terminator is connected to at least one parasitic antenna of the plurality of parasitic antennas (paragraph 111 and Fig. 12), and wherein the SIW has a constant width (Fig. 4 and 8).
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.
Claims 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. US20230146641 in view of Li US20220200137.
With respect to claim 14, Kim et al. discloses a terminal device comprising: a transmission and reception unit (paragraph 43); an antenna device 50, wherein the terminal device is a communication device, wherein the antenna device includes: one or more feeding antennas 100 provided on a main surface of a substrate; a plurality of parasitic antennas 900a, 900b symmetrically provided on at least two sides of the one or more feeding antennas on the main surface of the substrate (Fig. 10); and at least one terminator 950 provided on the substrate and connected to each parasitic antenna, wherein the at least one terminator includes a substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) 200 that is a waveguide extending in the substrate (paragraph 111 and Fig. 12).
Kim et al. fails to explicitly disclose a control unit and wherein the transmission and reception unit and the control unit are each implemented via at least one processor.
Li, in the same field of endeavor, discloses a control unit 102; and wherein the transmission and reception unit and the control unit are each implemented via at least one processor (paragraph 32). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the features of Li into the device of Kim et al., in order for the radar system to function.
With respect to claim 15, Kim et al. discloses a terminal device comprising: a transmission unit (paragraph 43); a reception unit (paragraph 43); and an antenna device 50, wherein the terminal device is a radar device, wherein the antenna device includes: one or more feeding antennas 100 provided on a main surface of a substrate; a plurality of parasitic antennas 900a, 900b symmetrically provided on at least two sides of the one or more feeding antennas on the main surface of the substrate; and a terminator 950 provided on the substrate and connected to the parasitic antenna (Fig. 10), wherein the terminator includes a substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) 200 that is a waveguide extending in the substrate (paragraph 111 and Fig. 12).
Kim et al. fails to explicitly disclose a control unit and wherein the transmission and reception unit and the control unit are each implemented via at least one processor.
Li, in the same field of endeavor, discloses a control unit 102; and wherein the transmission and reception unit and the control unit are each implemented via at least one processor (paragraph 32). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the features of Li into the device of Kim et al., in order for the radar system to function.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-15 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Shi et al. CN115579624 shows a slot array antenna with parasitic features.
Huang US20220328953 shows an antenna array.
Tang et al. WO2020198992 shows a dummy antenna structure and millimetre wave antenna array.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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ALEXANDER H. TANINGCO
Supervisory Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2844
/ALEXANDER H TANINGCO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2844