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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
3. Claim(s) 1-3 and 5-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeon (KR 1454111, of record).
Jeon is directed to a composition (claimed molding resin composition) comprising an epoxy resin, a first inorganic filler having a low thermal expansion coefficient, such as calcium titanate, a second inorganic filler having a low dielectric loss rate, such as alumina, and a curing agent. Jeon additionally states that a ratio between the first inorganic filler and the second inorganic filler ranges between 1/1.5 (approximately 0.67) and 1/0.5 (2). Given the general disclosure of Jeon, one of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to select the specific inorganic fillers identified above at a loading in accordance to the claimed invention (between 60% and 80%). Additionally, Applicant has not provided a conclusive showing of unexpected results for the claimed combination of materials and loadings. For example, Comparative Example 4, when compared with Example 13, demonstrates a greater dielectric constant and a smaller dielectric loss tangent (these benefits are identified by Applicant as corresponding with the inventive concept- see paragraphs 7 and 111 in original disclosure). Additionally, the dielectric constant and dielectric loss tangent are substantially the same in Example 10 and Comparative Example 1.
Lastly, regarding claim 1, Jeon discloses an active ester curing agent (1st material listed under “preferred components” on top of page 3 of the prior art document sent on December 11, 2025).
Regarding claims 5 and 6, given that the epoxy based composition of Jeon can include silica and calcium titanate at loadings in accordance to the claimed invention, it reasons that the relative dielectric constant of the total amount of inorganic filler (silica and calcium titanate) in Jeon would mimic that required by the claimed invention.
With respect to claim 7, the inorganic filler in Jeon has a total loading or amount between 50% and 80%.
As to claims 8 and 9, the claim is directed to a molding resin composition and limitations pertaining to the intended use of such a composition fail to further define the makeup of the claimed composition.
Regarding claim 10, Jeon refers to a prepreg of a printed circuit board used in an electronic device.
4. Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jeon and further in view of Kang (US 2008/074334, of record).
As detailed above, Jeon is directed to a printed circuit board application including an epoxy based composition comprising a combination of inorganic fillers. In such an instance, though, Jeon fails to specifically describe the inclusion of an antenna. In any event, printed circuit boards are commonly formed with antenna portions, as shown for example by Kang (Paragraph 45). One of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious to include an antenna in the printed circuit board of Jeon (consistent with the known makeup of printed circuit boards).
Response to Arguments
5. Applicant's arguments filed March 10, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant disagrees with the Examiner’s assertion that Jeon discloses an active ester curing agent. Thus argument is not entirely understood since the 1st component listed under curing agents is in fact an active ester curing agent.
Applicant further contends that the examples in Jeon do not employ active ester curing agents, nor do they demonstrate or disclose the effects achieved when active ester curing agents are utilized. It is not required for a reference to discloses working examples for each and every possible combination of materials. In this instance, the first material listed under curing agents is an active ester curing agent. Thus, Jeon expressly teaches a composition including an active ester curing agent. Additionally, when looking at Examples 13 and 14, the type of curing agent, the amount of curing agent, the amount of curing promoter, and the amount of inorganic agents are varied such that is unclear if any realized benefits are a function of any individual parameter (no evidence that an active ester curing agent is responsible for any realized benefits).
Conclusion
6. 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.
7. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUSTIN R FISCHER whose telephone number is (571)272-1215. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 5:30-2:00.
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, Katelyn Smith can be reached at 571-270-5545. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Justin Fischer
/JUSTIN R FISCHER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1749 April 3, 2026
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