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 July 14, 2025 has been entered. The Applicant amended claims 1, 4, 7, and 10, and cancelled claims 2 and 8. Claims 1, 3-7, and 9-10 remain pending in the application. Applicant’s amendments to the Specification, Drawings, and Claims have overcome each and every objection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed April 17, 2025. The examiner withdraws the Specification and Drawings objections in light of the amendments to the Specification, Drawings, and Claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed July 14, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Regarding claim 1, the applicant argues “In Zhu, at least a part of the slot antenna 40 is formed by a conductive metal housing 12. As described in paragraph [0064] and shown in FIG. 13 of Zhu, the area 236 located, between the antenna components 40A and 40B, is configured to accommodate a lens (e.g., camera). However, in the present invention, the antenna assembly is disposed between the lens and the top plate. That is, the position of the antenna components 40A and 40B disposed in the housing 12 of Zhu is different from that of antenna assembly disposed in the casing of the present invention. Furthermore, the present application discloses an integration of a dual-band antenna assembly with a lens, which reduces an internal space occupied within a laptop. In Zhu, the slot antenna 40 is formed by a conductive metal housing 12. Accordingly, there is a substantial difference between the present invention and Zhu in terms of structural configuration and intended application.”
This argument is not persuasive. The claim as written does not exclude portions of the antenna units being formed into a conductive metal housing and the claim as written does not include an integration of a dual-band antenna assembly with a lens, which reduces an internal space occupied within a laptop. The antenna units of Zhu 40A and 40B are disposed between the lens 236 and the top plate section 12-2 in Fig. 13 and discloses claim 1 as written, with a broad and reasonable interpretation.
The applicant also argues “Yamamoto In addition, with respect to the technical features disclosed in Yamamoto, an ESD conductor 150 is required as a grounding line in order to reduce antenna coupling effects between the two antennas 200 and 250 in accordance with FIG. 4 of Yamamoto.
However, the present application does not require the ESD conductor 150 as disclosed in Yamamoto. Yamamoto may even be considered a teaching away from the present invention. Accordingly, the technical problems addressed in Zhu and Yamamoto are both different from that of the present invention. Thus, a person having ordinary skill in the art cannot complete the present invention through making slight changes with reference to Zhu and Yamamoto. Therefore, compared with Zhu and Yamamoto, the present invention is not obvious.” This argument is not persuasive. The 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection is made over Zhu in view of Yamamoto, not the present application and Yamamoto.
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhu et al. (US PGPUB 2015/0270619), hereinafter known as Zhu.
Regarding claim 1, Zhu discloses (Fig. 1-3 and 12-13) A display device (Fig. 1-3), comprising: a casing (12), comprising a bottom plate (bottom 12-2), two side plates (side 12-2) and a top plate (top 12-2), wherein two opposite sides of the two side plates (side 12-2) are connected to the bottom plate (bottom 12-2) and the top plate (top 12-2), respectively, and the bottom plate (bottom 12-2), the two side plates (side 12-2) and the top plate (top 12-2) together surround and form an accommodating space; a display panel (14), located in the accommodating space; and a lens assembly (236; [0064]), located in the accommodating space and disposed between the display panel (14) and the top plate (top 12-2), wherein the lens assembly comprises: a flexible circuit board ([0063]), comprising a flexible substrate ([0063]) and a ground structure (234), wherein the ground structure is disposed on the flexible substrate ([0063]); a lens (236; [0064]), disposed on the flexible substrate ([0063]); and an antenna assembly (40), disposed on the flexible substrate ([0063]) and electrically connected to the ground structure (234), wherein the antenna assembly (40) is disposed between the lens (236) and the top plate (top 12-2), wherein the antenna assembly comprises a first antenna unit (40C of Fig. 12), a second antenna unit (40A of Fig. 12) and a third antenna unit (40B of Fig. 12), the second antenna unit (40A of Fig. 12) and the third antenna unit (40B of Fig. 12) are symmetrically located at two opposite sides of the first antenna unit (40C of Fig. 12), and at least a part of the second antenna unit (206A of Fig. 12) and at least a part of the third antenna unit (206B of Fig. 12) are located between the first antenna unit (206C of Fig. 12) and the lens (236).
Regarding claim 7, Zhu discloses (Fig. 1-3 and 12-13) A lens assembly, configured to be disposed in a casing (12) with an accommodating space, wherein the casing (12) comprises a top plate (top 12-2) located adjacent to the accommodating space, comprising: a flexible circuit board ([0063]), comprising a flexible substrate ([0063]) and a ground structure (234), wherein the ground structure is disposed on the flexible substrate ([0063]); a lens (236; [0064]), disposed on the flexible substrate ([0063]); and an antenna assembly (40), disposed on the flexible substrate ([0063]) and electrically connected to the ground structure (234), wherein the antenna assembly (40) is disposed between the lens (236) and the top plate (top 12-2), wherein the antenna assembly comprises a first antenna unit (40C of Fig. 12), a second antenna unit (40A of Fig. 12) and a third antenna unit (40B of Fig. 12), the second antenna unit (40A of Fig. 12) and the third antenna unit (40B of Fig. 12) are symmetrically located at two opposite sides of the first antenna unit (40C of Fig. 12), and at least a part of the second antenna unit (206A of Fig. 12) and at least a part of the third antenna unit (206B of Fig. 12) are located between the first antenna unit (206C of Fig. 12) and the lens (236).
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 3-6 and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu in view of Yamamoto et al. (US PGPUB 2013/0207853 A1), hereinafter known as Yamamoto.
Regarding claim 3, Zhu does not specifically teach wherein the first antenna unit comprises a connecting portion and an extending portion, an end of the connecting portion is electrically connected to the ground structure, another end of the connecting portion is connected to a central portion of the extending portion, the connecting portion is perpendicular to the extending portion, and the first antenna unit is T-shaped.
However, Yamamoto teaches (Fig. 4) wherein the first antenna unit (150) comprises a connecting portion (150 portion in 151) and an extending portion (middle portion of 150), an end of the connecting portion (150 portion in 151) is electrically connected to the ground structure ([0024]), another end of the connecting portion (150 portion in 151) is connected to a central portion of the extending portion (middle portion of 150), the connecting portion (150 portion in 151) is perpendicular to the extending portion (middle portion of 150), and the first antenna unit is T-shaped (150).
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 display device of Zhu with Yamamoto to include “wherein the first antenna unit comprises a connecting portion and an extending portion, an end of the connecting portion is electrically connected to the ground structure, another end of the connecting portion is connected to a central portion of the extending portion, the connecting portion is perpendicular to the extending portion, and the first antenna unit is T-shaped,” as taught by Yamamoto, for the purpose of improving gain and suppressing surge voltage (see also [0034] and [0035]).
Regarding claim 4, Zhu further teaches (Fig. 12) wherein each of the second antenna unit (40A) and the third antenna unit (40B) comprises a line portion (horizontal portion of 40A and 40B), a first protruding portion (vertical portion of 40A and 40B) the first protruding portion (vertical portion of 40A and 40B) protrude from the line portion (horizontal portion of 40A and 40B), the first protruding portion (vertical portion of 40A and 40B) are perpendicular to the line portion (horizontal portion of 40A and 40B), but does not specifically teach and a second protruding portion, and the second protruding portion protrude from the line portion and the second protruding portion are perpendicular to the line portion, the second protruding portion is closer to the connecting portion than the first protruding portion, and the second antenna unit and the third antenna unit are inverted F-shaped.
However, Yamamoto teaches (Fig. 4) wherein each of the second antenna unit (205) and the third antenna unit (255) comprises a line portion (horizontal portion of 205 and 255), a first protruding portion (left vertical portion of 205 and right vertical portion of 255) and a second protruding portion (right vertical portion of 205 and left vertical portion of 255), the first protruding portion (left vertical portion of 205 and right vertical portion of 255) and the second protruding portion (right vertical portion of 205 and left vertical portion of 255) protrude from the line portion (horizontal portion of 205 and 255), the first protruding portion (left vertical portion of 205 and right vertical portion of 255) and the second protruding portion (right vertical portion of 205 and left vertical portion of 255) are perpendicular to the line portion (horizontal portion of 205 and 255), the second protruding portion (right vertical portion of 205 and left vertical portion of 255) is closer to the connecting portion (150 portion in 151) than the first protruding portion (left vertical portion of 205 and right vertical portion of 255), and the second antenna unit and the third antenna unit are inverted F-shaped (205, 255; [0027]).
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 display device of Zhu with Yamamoto to include “and a second protruding portion, and the second protruding portion protrude from the line portion and the second protruding portion are perpendicular to the line portion, the second protruding portion is closer to the connecting portion than the first protruding portion, and the second antenna unit and the third antenna unit are inverted F-shaped,” as taught by Yamamoto, for the purpose of enabling a desired frequency and improving space utilization (see also [0027] and [0030]).
Regarding claim 5, Zhu further teaches (Fig. 12 and 13) and the line portion of the second antenna unit (horizontal portion of 40A) and the line portion of the third antenna unit (horizontal portion of 40A) are at least partially located between the extending portion (left vertical portion of 40C) and the lens (236) but does not specifically teach wherein a length of the first protruding portion of the second antenna unit, a length of the second protruding portion of the second antenna unit, a length of the first protruding portion of the third antenna unit and a length of the second protruding portion of the third antenna unit are less than a length of the connecting portion.
However, Yamamoto teaches (Fig. 4) wherein a length of the first protruding portion of the second antenna unit (left vertical portion of 205), a length of the second protruding portion of the second antenna unit (right vertical portion of 205), a length of the first protruding portion of the third antenna unit (right vertical portion of 255) and a length of the second protruding portion of the third antenna unit (left vertical portion of 255) are less than a length of the connecting portion (150 portion in 151).
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 display device of Zhu with Yamamoto to include “wherein a length of the first protruding portion of the second antenna unit, a length of the second protruding portion of the second antenna unit, a length of the first protruding portion of the third antenna unit and a length of the second protruding portion of the third antenna unit are less than a length of the connecting portion,” as taught by Yamamoto, for the purpose of improving gain and suppressing surge voltage (see also [0034] and [0035]).
Regarding claim 6, Zhu does not specifically teach further comprising two cables, wherein the two cables are electrically connected to the second protruding portion of the second antenna unit and the second protruding portion of the third antenna unit, respectively.
However, Yamamoto teaches (Fig. 4) further comprising two cables ([0027]), wherein the two cables ([0027]) are electrically connected to the second protruding portion of the second antenna unit (209) and the second protruding portion of the third antenna unit (209 of 255), respectively.
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 display device of Zhu with Yamamoto to include “further comprising two cables, wherein the two cables are electrically connected to the second protruding portion of the second antenna unit and the second protruding portion of the third antenna unit, respectively,” as taught by Yamamoto, for the purpose of providing power to the second antenna unit and the third antenna unit (see also [0027]).
Regarding claim 9, Zhu does not specifically teach wherein the first antenna unit comprises a connecting portion and an extending portion, an end of the connecting portion is electrically connected to the ground structure, another end of the connecting portion is connected to a central portion of the extending portion, the connecting portion is perpendicular to the extending portion, and the first antenna unit is T-shaped.
However, Yamamoto teaches (Fig. 4) wherein the first antenna unit (150) comprises a connecting portion (150 portion in 151) and an extending portion (middle portion of 150), an end of the connecting portion (150 portion in 151) is electrically connected to the ground structure ([0024]), another end of the connecting portion (150 portion in 151) is connected to a central portion of the extending portion (middle portion of 150), the connecting portion (150 portion in 151) is perpendicular to the extending portion (middle portion of 150), and the first antenna unit is T-shaped (150).
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 display device of Zhu with Yamamoto to include “wherein the first antenna unit comprises a connecting portion and an extending portion, an end of the connecting portion is electrically connected to the ground structure, another end of the connecting portion is connected to a central portion of the extending portion, the connecting portion is perpendicular to the extending portion, and the first antenna unit is T-shaped,” as taught by Yamamoto, for the purpose of improving gain and suppressing surge voltage (see also [0034] and [0035]).
Regarding claim 10, Zhu further teaches (Fig. 12) wherein each of the second antenna unit (40A) and the third antenna unit (40B) comprises a line portion (horizontal portion of 40A and 40B), a first protruding portion (vertical portion of 40A and 40B) the first protruding portion (vertical portion of 40A and 40B) protrude from the line portion (horizontal portion of 40A and 40B), the first protruding portion (vertical portion of 40A and 40B) are perpendicular to the line portion (horizontal portion of 40A and 40B), and the line portion of the second antenna unit (horizontal portion of 40A) and the line portion of the third antenna unit (horizontal portion of 40A) are at least partially located between the extending portion (left vertical portion of 40C) and the lens (236) but does not specifically teach and a second protruding portion, and the second protruding portion protrude from the line portion and the second protruding portion are perpendicular to the line portion, the second protruding portion is closer to the line portion than the first protruding portion, and the second antenna unit and the third antenna unit are inverted F-shaped, a length of the first protruding portion of the second antenna unit, a length of the second protruding portion of the second antenna unit, a length of the first protruding portion of the third antenna unit and a length of the second protruding portion of the third antenna unit are less than a length of the connecting portion.
However, Yamamoto teaches (Fig. 4) wherein each of the second antenna unit (205) and the third antenna unit (255) comprises a line portion (horizontal portion of 205 and 255), a first protruding portion (left vertical portion of 205 and right vertical portion of 255) and a second protruding portion (right vertical portion of 205 and left vertical portion of 255), the first protruding portion (left vertical portion of 205 and right vertical portion of 255) and the second protruding portion (right vertical portion of 205 and left vertical portion of 255) protrude from the line portion (horizontal portion of 205 and 255), the first protruding portion (left vertical portion of 205 and right vertical portion of 255) and the second protruding portion (right vertical portion of 205 and left vertical portion of 255) are perpendicular to the line portion (horizontal portion of 205 and 255), the second protruding portion (right vertical portion of 205 and left vertical portion of 255) is closer to the connecting portion (horizontal portion of 205 and 255) than the first protruding portion (left vertical portion of 205 and right vertical portion of 255), and the second antenna unit and the third antenna unit are inverted F-shaped (205, 255; [0027]), a length of the first protruding portion of the second antenna unit (left vertical portion of 205), a length of the second protruding portion of the second antenna unit (right vertical portion of 205), a length of the first protruding portion of the third antenna unit (right vertical portion of 255) and a length of the second protruding portion of the third antenna unit (left vertical portion of 255) are less than a length of the connecting portion (150 portion in 151).
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 display device of Zhu with Yamamoto to include “a second protruding portion, and the second protruding portion protrude from the line portion and the second protruding portion are perpendicular to the line portion, the second protruding portion is closer to the line portion than the first protruding portion, and the second antenna unit and the third antenna unit are inverted F-shaped, a length of the first protruding portion of the second antenna unit, a length of the second protruding portion of the second antenna unit, a length of the first protruding portion of the third antenna unit and a length of the second protruding portion of the third antenna unit are less than a length of the connecting portion,” as taught by Yamamoto, for the purpose of enabling a desired frequency, improving space utilization improving gain, and suppressing surge voltage (see also [0027], [0030], [0034], and [0035]).
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.
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 YONCHAN J KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-3204. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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/DAMEON E LEVI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2845
/YONCHAN J KIM/Examiner, Art Unit 2845