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 .
Response to Arguments
This Office Action is in response to the amended application filed on October 30, 2025. The Remarks of October 30, 2025 have been fully considered and are addressed as follows.
The Remarks regarding the objections to the Drawings are considered. The replacement sheet for Fig. 15A is accepted. There are no further objections to the Drawings.
The Remarks regarding the objections to the Specifications are considered and the respective amendments to the Specification are accepted. There are no further objections to the Specification.
The Remarks regarding the objections to the Claims are considered and the respective amendments to the Claims are accepted. There are no further objections to the Claims.
The Remarks regarding the 112 rejections of claims 3 and 18 are considered. The applicant’s amendments to the claims are accepted and the 112 rejections of claims 3 and 18 are withdrawn.
The Remarks regarding the 103 rejection of claims 1-20 are considered. The applicant’s amendments to the independent claims 1 and 16 overcome the rejections of these claims. The 103 rejections of claims 1 and 16 are withdrawn. The 103 rejections of claims 2-15 and 17-20, which depend directly or indirectly on claims 1 and 16, are subsequently withdrawn, as well.
The Applicant has made amendments to claims 1-20. Claims 1-20 are considered.
Claim Objections
Claims 1, 5, 16, and 19 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 (line 12) “processor: and” should be amended to “processor; and”;
Claim 1 (line 13) “memory” should be amended to “a memory”;
Claim 2 (line 3) “cause the electronic device to:” should be amended to “cause the electronic device to”;
Claim 3 (line 7) “cause the electronic device to:” should be amended to “cause the electronic device to”;
Claim 5 (line 4) “the impedance” should be amended to “the impedance corresponding to the first frequency band”;
Claim 9 (lines 4-5) “cause the electronic device to:” should be amended to “cause the electronic device to”;
Claim 16 (line 15) “processor: and” should be amended to “processor; and”;
Claim 16 (line 16) “memory” should be amended to “a memory”;
Claim 17 (line 3) “cause the electronic device to:” should be amended to “cause the electronic device to”;
Claim 18 (line 7) “cause the electronic device to:” should be amended to “cause the electronic device to”;
Claim 19 (lines 4-5) “the impedance” should be amended to “the impedance corresponding to the first frequency band”.
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 6 and 9 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 6 (lines 2 and 5-6) recites: “an antenna adjacent to the camera module” and “the antenna adjacent to the camera module”, respectively. It is not clear whether the antenna adjacent to the camera module recited here is different from or belongs to the “one or more antennas adjacent to the camera module” recited in claim 1.
Claim 6 (line 7) recites “the antenna”. It is not clear what antenna is referred to here.
Claim 9 (line 2) recites: “an antenna electrically connected to the switching circuit”. It is not clear whether the antenna electrically connected to the switching circuit recited here is different from or belongs to the “one or more antennas adjacent to the camera module” recited in claim 1.
Claim 9 (line 8) recites “the antenna”. It is not clear what antenna is referred to here.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-5, 7-8, and 10-20 are allowed.
Claims 6 and 9 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
As allowable subject matter has been indicated, applicant's reply must either comply with all formal requirements or specifically traverse each requirement not complied with. See 37 CFR 1.111(b) and MPEP § 707.07(a).
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claims 1 and 16, Froese et al. (US 20200076056 A1) and Shin et al. (US 20200136243 A1) teach some elements of the claimed invention including: a camera module comprising at least one camera; one or more antennas adjacent to the camera module; a metal structure for covering the camera module; a switching circuit comprising a plurality of lumped element groups; a ground; and at least one processor.
However, the prior art, when taken alone or in combination, cannot be construed as teaching or suggesting all of the elements of the claimed invention as arranged, disposed, or provided in the manner as claimed by Applicant. Specifically, the prior art does not teach memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the electronic device to: transmit a first signal of a first frequency band using the one or more antennas, identify a first lumped element group among the plurality of lumped element groups, wherein the first lumped element group has an impedance corresponding to the first frequency band, and control the switching circuit to electrically connect the metal structure and the ground via the first lumped element group for filtering a second signal, wherein the second signal is applied to the metal structure by a transmission of the first signal.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 MARIN STOYTCHEV STOYTCHEV whose telephone number is (571)272-3467. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri, 8:00-17:00.
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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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/MARIN STOYTCHEV STOYTCHEV/Examiner, Art Unit 2845
/DIMARY S LOPEZ CRUZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2845