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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement submitted on 04/16/2023, 09/06/2024 and 01/03/2025 has been considered by the Examiner and made of record in the application file.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-3, 16 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 20190268046 A1) in view of Derovanessian et al. (US 20150048978 A1).
Consider claim 1, Kim discloses an antenna RF module comprising analog RF components (read as multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna system with an antenna assembly having a stacked structure, figure 4, par [0011] and [0086]-[0088]), the analog components comprising:
an RF filter (read as at least one of the plurality of band-pass filters, figure 4, par [0011], [0013] and [0086]-[0088]);
a radiation element module arranged on a first side of the RF filter (read as a plurality of antenna elements are provided on an upper surface of the first PCB, and that a filter assembly including band-pass filters is provided on the lower surface of the first PCB, figure 4, par [0011], [0013] and [0086]-[0088]); and
an amplification unit board arranged on a second side of the RF filter, an analog amplification element being mounted on the amplification unit board (read as the antenna assembly includes a second PCB (having PA) on which transmitting and receiving circuits (analog amplification elements) are provided, the second PCB being arranged opposite the housing, with those circuits electrically connected to the band-pass filters, figure 4, par [001], [0018], [0024] and [0086]-[0088]).
However, Kim discloses the claimed invention above but does not specifically disclose the antenna RF module being arranged in such a manner as to be exposed to outside air in front that is defined as a space in front of a front surface of an antenna housing.
Nonetheless, Derovanessian discloses an electronic/wireless device comprising integrating antennas into external fins, and the external fins are external heat transfer fins that formed on or attached to an exterior surface of the casing to transfer heat to ambient air, par [0028], [0039], [0048] and [0071]-[0072].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Derovanessian into the teachings of Kim to apply the external, ambient-air-exposed mounting approach of Derovanessian to Kim’s stacked antenna assembly to improve thermal performance.
Consider claim 2, as applied to claim 1 above, Kim, as modified by Derovanessian, discloses wherein heat generated in the RF filter and heat generated in the analog amplification element that are in the outside air in front are dissipated toward different directions, respectively (read as heat from band-pass filters and transmitting/receiving (or circuit elements of the antenna system would dissipate toward outside directions as heat always dissipates toward lower temperature directions, par [0011] and [0018]).
Consider claim 3, as applied to claim 1 above, Kim, as modified by Derovanessian, discloses the claimed invention above but does not specifically disclose wherein the RF filter and the radiation element module form an external form of the antenna RF module.
Nonetheless, Nonetheless, Derovanessian discloses an electronic/wireless device comprising integrating antennas into external fins, and the external fins are external heat transfer fins that formed on or attached to an exterior surface of the casing to transfer heat to ambient air, par [0028], [0039], [0048] and [0071]-[0072].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Derovanessian into the teachings of Kim to apply the external, ambient-air-exposed mounting approach of Derovanessian to Kim’s stacked antenna assembly to improve thermal performance, which would make the stacked combination of the plurality of band-pass filters and antennas elements/exterior heat transfer fins forming an external form of the antenna RF module as the antennas elements of the stacked combination would be exposed externally.
Consider claim 16, Kim discloses an antenna RF module assembly comprising antenna RF modules (read as multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) array (transceivers, par [0006]) and each MIMO antenna system with an antenna assembly having a stacked structure, figure 4, par [0011] and [0086]-[0088]), each comprising analog RF components, the analog RF components comprising:
a multiplicity of RF filters (read as at least one of the plurality of band-pass filters, figure 4, par [0011], [0013] and [0086]-[0088]);
a multiplicity of radiation element modules arranged on first sides, respectively, of the multiplicity of RF filters (read as a plurality of antenna elements are provided on an upper surface of the first PCB, and that a filter assembly including band-pass filters is provided on the lower surface of the first PCB, figure 4, par [0011], [0013] and [0086]-[0088]); and
a multiplicity of amplification unit boards arranged on second sides, respectively, of the multiplicity of RF filters, analog amplification elements being mounted on the multiplicity of amplification unit boards, respectively (read as the antenna assembly includes a second PCB (having PA) on which transmitting and receiving circuits (analog amplification elements) are provided, the second PCB being arranged opposite the housing, with those circuits electrically connected to the band-pass filters, figure 4, par [001], [0018], [0024] and [0086]-[0088]).
However, Kim discloses the claimed invention above but does not specifically disclose the antenna RF module being arranged in such a manner as to be exposed to outside air in front that is defined as a space in front of a front surface of an antenna housing.
Nonetheless, Derovanessian discloses an electronic/wireless device comprising integrating antennas into external fins, and the external fins are external heat transfer fins that formed on or attached to an exterior surface of the casing to transfer heat to ambient air, par [0028], [0039], [0048] and [0071]-[0072].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Derovanessian into the teachings of Kim to apply the external, ambient-air-exposed mounting approach of Derovanessian to Kim’s stacked antenna assembly to improve thermal performance.
Consider claim 17, Kim discloses an antenna apparatus (transceivers, par [0006]) and each MIMO antenna system with an antenna assembly having a stacked structure, figure 4, par [0011] and [0086]-[0088]) comprising:
a main board, at least one digital element being mounted on a front surface or rear surface of the main board (read as second PCB/digital board 250 with digital circuits mounted on its surface, par [0079]);
a casing-shaped antenna housing formed in such a manner that the main board is installed in the casing-shaped antenna housing (read as antenna device 10 coupled to housing 12, par [0073]); and
an RF module assembly connected to the main board through an electrical signal line (read as analog processor circuits (PA and TX/RX circuits) and the band-pass filters 430 form an RF module assembly, which connected to digital board (main board) 250/second PCB 440 via signal interface, par [0084]-[0088]),
wherein the antenna RF module assembly comprising antenna RF modules (read as multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) array (transceivers, par [0006]) and each MIMO antenna system with an antenna assembly having a stacked structure, figure 4, par [0011] and [0086]-[0088]), each comprising analog RF components, the analog RF components comprising:
a multiplicity of RF filters (read as at least one of the plurality of band-pass filters, figure 4, par [0011], [0013] and [0086]-[0088]);
a multiplicity of radiation element modules arranged on first sides, respectively, of the multiplicity of RF filters (read as a plurality of antenna elements are provided on an upper surface of the first PCB, and that a filter assembly including band-pass filters is provided on the lower surface of the first PCB, figure 4, par [0011], [0013] and [0086]-[0088]); and
a multiplicity of amplification unit boards arranged on second sides, respectively, of the multiplicity of RF filters, analog amplification elements being mounted on the multiplicity of amplification unit boards, respectively (read as the antenna assembly includes a second PCB (having PA) on which transmitting and receiving circuits (analog amplification elements) are provided, the second PCB being arranged opposite the housing, with those circuits electrically connected to the band-pass filters, figure 4, par [001], [0018], [0024] and [0086]-[0088]).
However, Kim discloses the claimed invention above but does not specifically disclose the antenna RF module being arranged in such a manner as to be exposed to outside air in front that is defined as a space in front of a front surface of an antenna housing.
Nonetheless, Derovanessian discloses an electronic/wireless device comprising integrating antennas into external fins, and the external fins are external heat transfer fins that formed on or attached to an exterior surface of the casing to transfer heat to ambient air, par [0028], [0039], [0048] and [0071]-[0072].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Derovanessian into the teachings of Kim to apply the external, ambient-air-exposed mounting approach of Derovanessian to Kim’s stacked antenna assembly to improve thermal performance.
Claim 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 20190268046 A1) in view of Derovanessian et al. (US 20150048978 A1), and in further view of Lehman et al. (US 20180316086 A1).
Consider claim 6, as applied to claim 1 above, Kim, as modified by Derovanessian, discloses ground/reflector structures associated with antenna elements (par [0087]) but does not specifically disclose wherein a reflector that grounds (GND) the radiation element module and, at the same time, acts as an intermediary for dissipating heat generated in the RF filter into the outside air in front is arranged between the RF filter and the radiation element module.
Nonetheless, Lehman discloses a reflector disposed between the radome and the radio module base, which both serves RF reflector/ground functions and interact thermally with radio module and heatsink, par [0009]-[0010].
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Lehman into the teachings of Kim, which modified by Derovanessian, to introduce a reflector/ground plate between Kim’s RF filter assembly and the antenna elements to provide a ground (GND) reference to the antenna modules as needed.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
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Claims 1-5, 9-10 and 13-17 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-7, 10-12, 17, 20 and 21 of U.S. Patent No. 12,438,252. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the conflicting claims anticipate the instant claims as followings:
Consider claim 1, U.S. Patent No. 12,438,252 discloses an antenna RF module comprising analog RF components, the antenna RF module being arranged in such a manner as to be exposed to outside air in front that is defined as a space in front of a front surface of an antenna housing, the analog components comprising: an RF filter; a radiation element module arranged on a first side of the RF filter; and an amplification unit board arranged on a second side of the RF filter, an analog amplification element being mounted on the amplification unit board (see claim 1).
Consider claim 2, as applied to claim 1 above, U.S. Patent No. 12,438,252 discloses wherein heat generated in the RF filter and heat generated in the analog amplification element that are in the outside air in front are dissipated toward different directions, respectively (see claim 1).
Consider claim 3, as applied to claim 1 above, U.S. Patent No. 12,438,252 discloses wherein the RF filter and the radiation element module form a form of the antenna RF module (see claim 1) but does not specifically the form is an external form.
Nonetheless, claims 10 and 13 of U.S. Patent No. 12,438,252 further discloses the radiation direction, which is part of the radiation element module, is exposed to outside air (see claims 10 and 13).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of claims 10 and 13 into the teachings of claim 1 to design the radiation director that’s part of the radiation element module to be exposed outside air to improve thermal performance, which would make the combination of the RF filter rand the radiation element module forming the required external form of the antenna RF module.
Consider claim 4, as applied to claim 1 above, U.S. Patent No. 12,438,252 discloses the antenna RF module being arranged in a front portion of the front housing (See claim 1 which teaches that the antenna RF module is exposed to outside air in front that is defined as a space in front of a front surface of an antenna housing), wherein the antenna housing comprises: a rear housing forming an interna space in which a main board is installed; and a front housing arranged in such a manner as to cover a space in front of the rear housing, but in such a manner as to separate the internal space from the outside air in front (see claim 3).
Consider claim 5, as applied to claim 4 above, U.S. Patent No. 12,438,252 discloses wherein heat generated from the antenna RF module arranged in the front portion of the front housing is dissipated into the outside air in front, and wherein heat generated from the main board arranged in a rear portion of the front housing is dissipated into at least the outside air in front that is defined as the space in front of the front housing or outside air in back that is defined as a space in back of a rear surface of the rear housing (see claim 4).
Consider claim 9, as applied to claim 1 above, U.S. Patent No. 12,438,252 discloses wherein the RF filter comprises: a filter body forming predetermined spaces in a first side and a second side, respectively, in a width direction of the filter body; and a filter heat sink panel closing the open space in the filter body and, at the same time, dissipating heat generated from the amplification unit board from the space to outside the filter body through heat conduction, and wherein the filter heat sink panel is brought into surface contact with the amplification unit board for heat transfer and dissipates the heat generated from the amplification unit board, through filter heat sink pins integrally formed on an external surface of the filter heat sink panel (see claims 5 and 6).
Consider claim 10, as applied to claim 9 above, U.S. Patent No. 12,438,252 discloses wherein the RF filter further comprises: a heat transfer intermediary arranged between the filter heat sink panel and the amplification unit board, absorbing the heat generated from the amplification unit board, and transferring the absorbed heat to the filter heat sink panel, and wherein the heat transfer intermediary is configured as a vapor chamber or a heat pipe that is provided in such a manner as to transfer the heat through a phase change of a refrigerant that flows inside the vapor chamber or the heat pipe (see claim 7).
Consider claim 13, as applied to claim 1 above, U.S. Patent No. 12,438,252 discloses wherein the radiation element module comprises: a radiation element module cover formed to extend over a long distance in an upward-downward direction and is arranged on each antenna arrangement unit; and a radiation director formed of a conductive metal material and combined with a front surface of the radiation element module cover, and wherein the radiation director guides a radiation beam toward a front direction and, at the same time, transfers heat generated from the RF filter positioned in back of the radiation-element printed circuit board toward the front direction through heat conduction (see claims 10 and 11).
Consider claim 14, as applied to claim 13 above, U.S. Patent No. 12,438,252 discloses wherein the radiation director is formed of a material having thermal conductivity that enables the heat conduction (see claim 12).
Consider claim 15, as applied to claim 1 above, U.S. Patent No. 12,438,252 discloses wherein the amplification unit board is combined with a main body with a front housing in between, the front housing being arranged in such a manner as to separate a space in front of the main board in a rear housing of the antenna housing in which the main board is installed and a space in back of the RF filter from each other, and blocking a flow of heat transferred from a direction of the antenna housing in which the main board is arranged or blocking a flow of a foreign material from the outside (see claim 17).
Consider claim 16, U.S. Patent No. 12,438,252 discloses an antenna RF module assembly comprising antenna RF modules arranged in such a manner as to be exposed to outside air in front that is defined as a space in front of a front surface of an antenna housing, each comprising analog RF components, the analog RF components comprising: a multiplicity of RF filters; a multiplicity of radiation element modules arranged on first sides, respectively, of the multiplicity of RF filters; and a multiplicity of amplification unit boards arranged on second sides, respectively, of the multiplicity of RF filters, analog amplification elements being mounted on the multiplicity of amplification unit boards, respectively (see claim 20).
Consider claim 17, U.S. Patent No. 12,438,252 discloses an antenna apparatus comprising: a main board, at least one digital element being mounted on a front surface or rear surface of the main board; a casing-shaped antenna housing formed to be open at the front side thereof in such a manner that the main board is installed in the casing-shaped antenna housing; and an RF module assembly connected to the main board through an electrical signal line, wherein the RF module assembly comprises antenna RF modules arranged in such a manner as to be exposed to outside air in front that is defined as a space in front of a front surface of an antenna housing, each comprising analog RF components, the analog RF components comprising: a multiplicity of RF filters; a multiplicity of radiation element modules arranged on first sides, respectively, of the multiplicity of RF filters; and a multiplicity of amplification unit boards arranged on second sides, respectively, of the multiplicity of RF filters, analog amplification elements being mounted on the multiplicity of amplification unit boards, respectively (see claim 21).
Claims 1-4, 6-8, 16 and 17 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-3, 10, 13 and 14 of U.S. Patent No. 12,244,053. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the conflicting claims anticipate the instant claims as followings:
Consider claim 1, U.S. Patent 12,244,053 discloses antenna RF module comprising analog RF components, the antenna RF module being arranged in such a manner as to be exposed to outside air in front that is defined as a space in front of a front surface of an antenna housing, the analog components comprising: an RF filter; a radiation element module arranged on a first side of the RF filter ; and an amplification unit board arranged on a second side of the RF filter, an analog amplification element being mounted on the amplification unit board (see claim 1, which disclose an antenna RF module that includes an RF filter, a radiation element module on one side of the RF filter, and an amplification unit board on other side with an analog amplification element mounted thereon).
Claim 1 of U.S. Patent 12,244,053 discloses all of the limitations of claim 1 of the instant application and further discloses additional elements which omitted by claim 1 of the instant application, such as 1) a reflector between RF filter and radiation element module that grounds the radiation element module and dissipates heat from the RF filter into the outside air in front; 2) an antenna housing comprising a rear housing (internal space with main board) and a front housing that separates the internal space from the outside air in front; and 3) edge portions of the reflector extending backward to form backward extending plates that surround and protect lateral portions of the RF module.
The omission of these elements would have been obvious to a person with ordinary skill in the art with a reasonable expectation of success, based on the intrinsic record. In particular, the specification of U.S. Patent 12,244,053 identifies the core idea of the invention is arranging antenna RF module such that it is exposed to outside air in front of the antenna housing, which allows radome to be omitted and improve heat dissipation (col. 2 with lines 46-56, and col. 7 with lines 27-40). The same specification describes the reflector as “another object” that provides protection, grounding, and heat dissipation (col. 2 with lines 57-65), and further states that the antenna RF module “may further” include a reflector (col. 9 with 53-63), indicating that the reflector is not required but instead represents an optional design enhancement. The antenna housing is likewise described as “maybe include” a rear housing and a front housing (col. 3 with 53-63), with the front housing serving thermal blocking or separation role (col. 11 with line 66 to col. 12 with line 28), indicating an implementation-level thermal optimization. The backward-extending reflector portions (parts of the non-required reflector as described above) are disclosed as structures that “may extended backward” to surround and “protect” lateral portions of the RF module (col. 3 with 53-63, col. 11 with 34-50), confirming that these features serve a protective optimization-level function rather than core antenna RF module architecture.
For these reasons, instant claim 1 is an obvious variant of claim 1 of U.S. Patent 12,244,053 and is therefore not patentably distinct.
Consider claim 2, as applied to claim 1 above, U.S. Patent No. 12,244,053 discloses wherein heat generated in the RF filter and heat generated in the analog amplification element that are in the outside air in front are dissipated toward different directions, respectively (see claim 1 and claim 2, dissipating into the outside air would include different directions, and dissipating through the reflector is another direction).
Consider claim 3, as applied to claim 1 above, U.S. Patent No. 12,244,053 discloses wherein the RF filter and the radiation element module form an external form of the antenna RF module (see claims 1 and 2, which the combination of RF filter and the radiation element module is exposed to outside)
Consider claim 4, as applied to claim 1 above, U.S. Patent No. 12,244,053 discloses the antenna RF module being arranged in a front portion of the front housing, wherein the antenna housing comprises: a rear housing forming an interna space in which a main board is installed; and a front housing arranged in such a manner as to cover a space in front of the rear housing, but in such a manner as to separate the internal space from the outside air in front (see claim 10).
Consider claim 6, as applied to claim 1 above, U.S. Patent No. 12,244,053 discloses wherein a reflector that grounds (GND) the radiation element module and, at the same time, acts as an intermediary for dissipating heat generated in the RF filter into the outside air in front is arranged between the RF filter and the radiation element module (see claim 1).
Consider claim 7, as applied to claim 6 above, U.S. Patent No. 12,244,053 discloses wherein heat generated from at least one analog amplification element is dissipated through one of sidewalls of the RF filter to which the amplification unit board is adjacent, and then is dissipated through the reflector (see claim 2).
Consider claim 8, as applied to claim 1 above, U.S. Patent No. 12,244,053 discloses wherein the reflector is made of a metal material and is provided in the form of a mesh including a multiplicity of heat dissipation holes (see claim 3).
Consider claim 16, U.S. Patent No. 12,244,053 discloses an antenna RF module assembly comprising antenna RF modules arranged in such a manner as to be exposed to outside air in front that is defined as a space in front of a front surface of an antenna housing, each comprising analog RF components, the analog RF components comprising: a multiplicity of RF filters; a multiplicity of radiation element modules arranged on first sides, respectively, of the multiplicity of RF filters; and a multiplicity of amplification unit boards arranged on second sides, respectively, of the multiplicity of RF filters, analog amplification elements being mounted on the multiplicity of amplification unit boards, respectively (see claim 13).
Consider claim 17, U.S. Patent No. 12,244,053 discloses an antenna apparatus comprising: a main board, at least one digital element being mounted on a front surface or rear surface of the main board; a casing-shaped antenna housing formed to be open at the front side thereof in such a manner that the main board is installed in the casing-shaped antenna housing; and an RF module assembly connected to the main board through an electrical signal line, wherein the RF module assembly comprises antenna RF modules arranged in such a manner as to be exposed to outside air in front that is defined as a space in front of a front surface of an antenna housing, each comprising analog RF components, the analog RF components comprising: a multiplicity of RF filters; a multiplicity of radiation element modules arranged on first sides, respectively, of the multiplicity of RF filters; and a multiplicity of amplification unit boards arranged on second sides, respectively, of the multiplicity of RF filters, analog amplification elements being mounted on the multiplicity of amplification unit boards, respectively (see claim 14).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11 and 12 are objected to as being dependent upon a 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.
Conclusion
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/Junpeng Chen/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2645