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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed April 23, 2025 has been entered. The Applicant amended claims 1, 4, 9, 12, and 15-16, and canceled claims 3, 6, 11, and 14. Claims 1-2, 4-5, 7-10, 12-13, and 15-16 remain pending in the application. Applicant’s amendments to the Drawings and Claims have overcome each and every objection and 112(b) rejections previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed February 12, 2025. The examiner withdraws the 112(b) rejections and the Drawings objections in light of the amendments to the Drawings and Claims.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-2, 4-5, 7-10, 12-13, and 15-16 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on the combination of references applied in the prior rejection.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 9 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claims 1 and 9, “wherein first radiator” lacks proper antecedent basis and should read “wherein the first radiator”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-2, 4-5, 7-10, 12-13, and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the first end" in line 12. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the second end" in line 14. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 9 recites the limitation "the first end" in line 13. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 9 recites the limitation "the second end" in line 15. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 2, 4-5, and 7 inherit the deficiencies of claim 1.
Claims 10, 12-13, and 15-16 inherit the deficiencies of claim 9.
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 1-2, 4, 7, 9-10, 12, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (US PGPUB 2013/0257674 A1), hereinafter known as Li, in view of Zhao et al. (CN 104183903 A), hereinafter known as Zhao.
Regarding claim 1, Li teaches (Fig. 5A) An antenna structure comprising: a first antenna (52) electrically connected to a grounding part (11) for transmitting and receiving signals; a second antenna (53) electrically connected to the grounding part (11) for transmitting and receiving signals; and an isolation element (55) arranged between the first antenna (52) and the second antenna (53), the isolation element being configured to adjust an antenna bandwidth ([0048]) and a current path between the first antenna and the second antenna such that a degree of isolation between the first antenna and the second antenna is increased ([0048]), wherein the first antenna further comprises: a first radiator (top and right part of 521), in a first
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wherein first radiator comprises a first part (top part of 521) and a second part (right part of 521), the first end is defined on one end of the first part (top part of 521) and is vertically connected to the grounding part (11), another end of the first part (top part of 521) is vertically connected to one end of the second part (right part of 521), and the second end is defined on another end of the second part; a second radiator (middle radiator of 521), in a second
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wherein the second radiator (middle radiator of 521) is half-surrounded by the first radiator (top and right part of 521), and two ends of the second radiator (middle radiator of 521) are suspended; a third radiator (523), in a long strip shape, wherein the third radiator (523) is parallel to the first part of the first radiator (top part of 521), and one end of the third radiator (523) is vertically connected to the grounding part (11) and another end of the third radiator (523) is suspended but does not specifically teach the third radiator is coupled with the isolation element to achieve a high-frequency matching effect.
However, Zhao teaches (Fig. 2) the third radiator (32) is coupled with the isolation element (31) to achieve a high-frequency matching effect ([0038]).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the antenna structure of Li with Zhao to include “the third radiator is coupled with the isolation element to achieve a high-frequency matching effect,” as taught by Zhao, for the purpose of improving isolation and achieving desired gain (see also [0030]).
Regarding claim 2, Li further teaches (Fig. 5A) wherein the first antenna (52) and the second antenna (53) are symmetrically arranged on either side of the isolation element (55).
Regarding claim 4, Li further teaches (Fig. 5A) wherein the second radiator (middle radiator of 521) comprises a third part (middle radiator of 521 part parallel to top part of 521) and a fourth part (middle radiator of 521 part parallel to right part of 521), the third part (middle radiator of 521 part parallel to top part of 521) is vertically connected to the fourth part (middle radiator of 521 part parallel to right part of 521), the third part (middle radiator of 521 part parallel to top part of 521) is parallel to the first part (top part of 521), and the fourth part (middle radiator of 521 part parallel to right part of 521) is parallel to the second part (right part of 521).
Regarding claim 7, Li further teaches (Fig. 4) wherein: a current path direction of the first antenna (42) is opposite to a current path direction of the second antenna (43).
Regarding claim 9, Li teaches (Fig. 5A) An electronic device (Abstract), comprising an antenna structure, wherein the antenna structure comprises: a first antenna (52) electrically connected to a grounding part (11) for transmitting and receiving signals; a second antenna (53) electrically connected to the grounding part (11) for transmitting and receiving signals; and an isolation element (55) arranged between the first antenna (52) and the second antenna (53), the isolation element being configured to adjust an antenna bandwidth ([0048]) and a current path between the first antenna and the second antenna such that a degree of isolation between the first antenna and the second antenna is increased ([0048]), wherein the first antenna further comprises: a first radiator (top and right part of 521), in a first
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wherein first radiator comprises a first part (top part of 521) and a second part (right part of 521), the first end is defined on one end of the first part (top part of 521) and is vertically connected to the grounding part (11), another end of the first part (top part of 521) is vertically connected to one end of the second part (right part of 521), and the second end is defined on another end of the second part; a second radiator (middle radiator of 521), in a second
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wherein the second radiator (middle radiator of 521) is half-surrounded by the first radiator (top and right part of 521), and two ends of the second radiator (middle radiator of 521) are suspended; a third radiator (523), in a long strip shape, wherein the third radiator (523) is parallel to the first part of the first radiator (top part of 521), and one end of the third radiator (523) is vertically connected to the grounding part (11) and another end of the third radiator (523) is suspended but does not specifically teach the third radiator is coupled with the isolation element to achieve a high-frequency matching effect.
However, Zhao teaches (Fig. 2) the third radiator (32) is coupled with the isolation element (31) to achieve a high-frequency matching effect ([0038]).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the electronic device of Li with Zhao to include “the third radiator is coupled with the isolation element to achieve a high-frequency matching effect,” as taught by Zhao, for the purpose of improving isolation and achieving desired gain (see also [0030]).
Regarding claim 10, Li further teaches (Fig. 5A) wherein the first antenna (52) and the second antenna (53) are symmetrically arranged on either side of the isolation element (55).
Regarding claim 12, Li further teaches (Fig. 5A) wherein the second radiator (middle radiator of 521) comprises a third part (middle radiator of 521 part parallel to top part of 521) and a fourth part (middle radiator of 521 part parallel to right part of 521), the third part (middle radiator of 521 part parallel to top part of 521) is vertically connected to the fourth part (middle radiator of 521 part parallel to right part of 521), the third part (middle radiator of 521 part parallel to top part of 521) is parallel to the first part (top part of 521), and the fourth part (middle radiator of 521 part parallel to right part of 521) is parallel to the second part (right part of 521).
Regarding claim 15, Li further teaches (Fig. 4) wherein: a current path direction of the first antenna (42) is opposite to a current path direction of the second antenna (43).
Claims 5, 8, 13, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li, in view of Zhao as applied to claims 1, 4, 9, and 12 above, and further in view of Hu et al. (US PGPUB 2023/0261370 A1), hereinafter known as Hu.
Regarding claim 5, Li further teaches (Fig. 5A) further teaches wherein a first gap (gap between middle radiator of 521) is defined between the third part of the second radiator (middle radiator of 521) and the grounding part (11), but does not specifically teach and a high-frequency range of 5.15 GHz to 7.125 GHz is resonated through the first gap.
However, Hu teaches (Fig. 3a) a high-frequency range of 5.15 GHz to 7.125 GHz ([0109]) is resonated through the first gap (gap between 11 and 13).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the antenna structure of Li with Hu to include “a high-frequency range of 5.15 GHz to 7.125 GHz is resonated through the first gap,” as taught by Hu, for the purpose of covering desired frequency ranges (see also [0033] and [0034]).
Regarding claim 8, Li does not specifically teach wherein the isolation element comprises: a fourth radiator, in a rectangular shape, vertically connected to the grounding part through a connecting part; a fifth radiator, in a serpentine shape, wherein one end of the fifth radiator is vertically connected to the fourth radiator and another end of the fifth radiator is suspended.
However, Hu teaches (Fig. 5a) wherein the isolation element comprises: a fourth radiator (33), in a rectangular shape, vertically connected to the grounding part (4) through a connecting part (322); a fifth radiator (34), in a serpentine shape, wherein one end of the fifth radiator (34) is vertically connected to the fourth radiator (33) and another end of the fifth radiator is suspended.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the antenna structure of Li with Hu to include “wherein the isolation element comprises: a fourth radiator, in a rectangular shape, vertically connected to the grounding part through a connecting part; a fifth radiator, in a serpentine shape, wherein one end of the fifth radiator is vertically connected to the fourth radiator and another end of the fifth radiator is suspended,” as taught by Hu, for the purpose of reducing size (see also [0132]).
Regarding claim 13, Li further teaches (Fig. 5A) further teaches wherein a first gap (5211) is defined between the third part of the second radiator (521) and the grounding part (11), but does not specifically teach and a high-frequency range of 5.15 GHz to 7.125 GHz is resonated through the first gap.
However, Hu teaches (Fig. 3a) a high-frequency range of 5.15 GHz to 7.125 GHz ([0109]) is resonated through the first gap (gap between 11 and 13).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the electronic device of Li with Hu to include “a high-frequency range of 5.15 GHz to 7.125 GHz is resonated through the first gap,” as taught by Hu, for the purpose of covering desired frequency ranges (see also [0033] and [0034]).
Regarding claim 16, Li does not specifically teach wherein the isolation element comprises: a fourth radiator, in a rectangular shape, vertically connected to the grounding part through a connecting part; a fifth radiator, in a serpentine shape, wherein one end of the fifth radiator is vertically connected to the fourth radiator and another end of the fifth radiator is suspended.
However, Hu teaches (Fig. 5a) wherein the isolation element comprises: a fourth radiator (33), in a rectangular shape, vertically connected to the grounding part (4) through a connecting part (322); a fifth radiator (34), in a serpentine shape, wherein one end of the fifth radiator (34) is vertically connected to the fourth radiator (33) and another end of the fifth radiator is suspended.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the antenna structure of Li with Hu to include “wherein the isolation element comprises: a fourth radiator, in a rectangular shape, vertically connected to the grounding part through a connecting part; a fifth radiator, in a serpentine shape, wherein one end of the fifth radiator is vertically connected to the fourth radiator and another end of the fifth radiator is suspended,” as taught by Hu, for the purpose of reducing size (see also [0132]).
Conclusion
The Examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record within the body of this action for the convenience of the Applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply.
Applicant, in preparing the response, should consider fully the entire reference as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YONCHAN J KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-3204. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dimary Lopez can be reached at (571) 270-7893. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAMEON E LEVI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2845
/YONCHAN J KIM/ Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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