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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 05/13/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Claims 1-11 and 14-16 are currently pending. Applicant’s amendments to the claims have overcome the objections and rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) set forth in the Final Rejection of 02/20/2026.
Claim Objections
Claims 11 and 16 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 11 (lines 25-27): should read “the first coupling surface of the first carrier of the first dipole radiator extends spaced apart and adjacent to the first coupling surface of the first carrier of the second dipole radiator, thereby forming a capacitive coupling therebetween
Claim 11 (lines 28-30): should read “the second coupling surface of the first carrier of the first dipole radiator extends spaced apart and adjacent to the second coupling surface of the second carrier of the second dipole radiator, thereby forming a capacitive coupling therebetween
Claim 11 (lines 31-33): should read “the first coupling surface of the second carrier of the first dipole radiator extends spaced apart and adjacent to the first coupling surface of the second carrier of the second dipole radiator, thereby forming a capacitive coupling therebetween
Claim 11 (lines 34-36): should read “the second coupling surface of the second carrier of the first dipole radiator extends spaced apart and adjacent to the second coupling surface of the first carrier of the second dipole radiator, thereby forming a capacitive coupling therebetween
Claim 16 (line 3): “the plurality” should read “a plurality” to avoid antecedent basis issues.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 14-15 are objected to due to their dependency on claim 11.
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 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over IDS document Oelmez et al. (EP 3035438A1 – of record; Oelmez or “O”) in view of Göttl (EP 1 695 417 B1 – of record; “Göttl” or “G”).
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Annotated fig. 1(a)
Claim 1: Oelmez discloses (annotated figs. 1(a) & 2b; & fig. 1c) “a dipole radiator for a dual-polarized crossed dipole (¶46, “The radiating element 101 may be a dipole and may have a cross-shape”) for a mobile communication antenna (¶65, “the radiator 100 according to embodiments of the present invention is well suited for high frequency applications”), comprising the following features:
a first and a second carrier (abstract, “a radiator 100 for an antenna, and an antenna comprising the radiator 100. The radiator 100 comprises a radiating element 101, which is made of a non-self-carrying sheet comprising at least a conductive surface. Further, the radiating element 101 comprises a non-conducting carrier 102, which is configured to hold in place the at least one radiating element 101. The radiating element 101 is connectable to the non-conductive carrier 102 such that the radiating element 102 follows at least one surface plane 103, 104 of the carrier 102”; C1 & C2) and a signal feeding structure (fig. 2, feed 200), wherein the first and the second carrier are comprised of a metal or metal alloy (¶46, “The radiator 100 comprises a radiating element 101 shown in (b), which is made of a non-self-carrying (e.g. thin metal) sheet comprising at least a conductive surface. For instance, the radiating element 101 may be made of a metal sheet, in particular of a thin-walled, unstable metal sheet.”);
the first carrier (C1; 101, 102) comprises a support section (annotated fig. 1a, SS) and a wing section (annotated fig. 1a, WS), said support section (SS) having a first end (annotated fig. 1a, lower end E1) and a second end (annotated fig. 1a, upper end E2) merging with said wing section (WS) which extends at an angle to and away from said support section (SS);
the second carrier (C2; 101, 102) comprises a support section (SS) and a wing section (WS), said support section having a first end (lower end) and a second end (upper end) merging with said wing section (WS) which extends at an angle to and away from said support section (SS);
the wing sections (WS) of the first (C1; 101,102) and second (C2; 101,102) carriers extend at least partially in opposite directions;
the support sections of the first (C1; 101,102) and second carriers (C2; 101,102) each comprise an inner side (an inner side can be interpreted as the sides at the upper ends of the support section) and an opposite outer side (an opposite outer side can be interpreted as the sides at the lower ends of the support section), wherein the inner sides of the support sections of the first and second carriers face each other;
the signal feeding structure (200) comprises a feed section (annotated fig. 2b below, FS), a connecting section (annotated fig. 2b, CS) and an end section (annotated fig. 2b, ES);
the feed section (FS) of the signal feeding structure (200) extends between the support sections (SS) of the first (C1; 101,102) and second (C2; 101,102) carriers along the inner side of the support section (SS) of the first carrier (C1; 101,102) and merges with the connecting section (CS);
the connecting section (CS) extends from the region of the second end (upper end E2) of the support section of the first carrier (C1; 101,102) towards the second end of the support section of the second carrier (C2; 101,102) and merges into the end section (ES) in this region;
the end section (ES) runs along the outer side of the support section of the second carrier (C2; 101,102)”.
Examiner’s note: the preamble of claim 1 “for a dual-polarized crossed dipole for a mobile communication antenna” is not given patentable weight as it indicates the intended use of the system.
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Oelmez does not explicitly disclose “the support section is arrangeable on a base plate such that said support section extends away from the base plate”.
Göttl teaches a dual-polarized cross dipole (see fig. 1ba below, and ¶25) that the dipole halves (13) and the support (15) consist of a metal or a metal alloy (¶28). Göttl also teaches (¶28) “A dipole-shaped radiator arrangement 11 formed in this way is held and mounted on the reflector 3 via an associated support device or support 15”. Additionally, Göttl states (¶28) that although the dipole halves and associated carrier usually consist of metal, they can also be made of a non-conductive material, for example plastic.
Ends of the support device are arrangeable on a base plate (base 22 and reflector 3). Göttl therefore teaches “the support section is arrangeable on a base plate such that said support section extends away from the base plate”.
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It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to apply the teachings of Göttl to the dipole radiator of Oelmez, wherein said support section is arranged on and extends away from a base plate. Providing a base plate increases the gain and directivity of the dipole radiator.
Claim 2: the modified Oelmez teaches the dipole radiator according to claim 1.
Oelmez discloses “a vector of an E-field between the feed section (FS) of the signal feeding structure (200) and the support section (SS) of the first carrier (C1;101,102) points in approximately the same direction as a vector of an E-field between the end section (ES) of the signal feeding structure (200) and the support section of the second carrier (C2; 101,102) (the Examiner has reason to believe that the limitation of claim 2, which refers entirely to a property or function of the explicitly recited structure of claim 1, which reads on the antenna of Oelmez, is presumed inherent to the antenna of Oelmez, as outlined in MPEP 2112.01(l). For further information see In Re Schreiber, 44 USPQ2d 1429 (CAFC 1997) which states: “A patent applicant is free to recite features of an apparatus either structurally or functionally….. Yet, choosing to define an element functionally, i.e., by what it does, carries with it a risk ….. As our predecessor court stated in Swinehart, 439 F.2d at 213, 169 USPQ at 228: where the Patent Office has reason to believe that a functional limitation asserted to be critical for establishing novelty in the claimed subject matter may, in fact, be an inherent characteristic of the prior art, it possesses the authority to require the applicant to prove that the subject matter shown to be in the prior art does not possess the characteristic relied on.”)”.
Claim 3: the modified Oelmez teaches the dipole radiator according to claim 1.
Oelmez discloses (fig. 2b) “the second carrier (C2; 101,102) comprises an opening (feed slot 205) in the region of the second (upper end E2) end of the support section (SS) through which the signal feeding structure (200) passes”.
Claim 4: the modified Oelmez teaches the dipole radiator according to claim 3.
Oelmez discloses (fig. 2b) “the opening (205) is open to one side so that the signal feeding structure (200) is insertable into the opening with a movement vector transverse to the extension of the support section (SS) of the second carrier (C2; 101,102)” (opening 205 is in a similar position to the opening shown in fig. 1A of the drawings of the instant Application, and the feeding structure 200 is of a similar shape to the feeding structure 7 shown in fig. 1A of the instant Application. Therefore, the Oelmez feeding structure 200 is insertable into opening 205 with a movement vector transverse to the extension of the support section of the second carrier).
Claim 5: the modified Oelmez teaches the dipole radiator according to claim 1.
Oelmez discloses (annotated fig. 2b and fig. 2a below) “the feed section (FS) of the signal feeding structure (200) is longer than the end section (ES) of the signal feeding structure”.
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Claim 6: the modified Oelmez teaches the dipole radiator according to claim 1.
Oelmez discloses (fig. 2a) “the signal feeding structure (200) is a bent part”.
Claim 7: the modified Oelmez teaches the dipole radiator according to claim 1.
Oelmez discloses “the support section (SS) of the first carrier (C1; 101,102) is wider along its predominant length than the feed section (FS) of the signal feeding structure (200) (¶48; otherwise the feed 200 would not be able to fit into the feed slot 205 former in the carrier 102)”.
Claim 8: the modified Oelmez teaches the dipole radiator according to claim 1.
Oelmez discloses (fig. 2a) “the feed section (FS) of the signal feeding structure comprises segments (200) with a different width (the lower end of feed section FS has two narrowed segments)”.
Claim 9: the modified Oelmez teaches the dipole radiator according to claim 1.
Oelmez discloses “a part of the wing section of the first carrier comprises a printed circuit board or a metallized substrate; and/or-a part of the wing section of the second carrier comprises a printed circuit board or a metallized substrate”.
Claim 10: the modified Oelmez teaches the dipole radiator according to claim 1.
Oelmez discloses (fig. 1a) “the wing section of the first carrier is bifurcated; and the wing section of the second carrier is bifurcated (the first carrier C1 and second C2 can each comprise two opposite halves of carrier 102, and therefore the wing sections of the first carrier and the second carrier are in two parts and can be considered to be bifurcated)”.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oelmez in view of Göttl (EP 1 695 417 B1 – of record; “Göttl” or “G”), and further in view of Patel et al. (US 2021/0384616 – of record; “Patel”) and Hou et al. (US 2021/0305683 – of record; “Hou”).
Claim 16: the modified Oelmez discloses the dipole radiator of claim 1.
Oelmez does not teach “a reflector arrangement; a plurality of dual-polarized crossed dipoles are arranged on a first side of the reflector arrangement in n columns, with n>= 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, wherein in each column m dual-polarized cross dipoles are provided, with m>=2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 16, 20; a phase shifter arrangement and a filter arrangement are arranged on a second side of the reflector arrangement”.
Although Oelmez does not disclose a reflector arrangement. Oelmez does describe fixing radiators to a reflector (¶5).
G teaches (fig. 1) a dual-polarized crossed dipole arranged on a first side of a reflector arrangement (reflector 3) in a single column.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to apply the teachings of G to the dipole radiator of Oelmez in view of G, wherein a dual-polarized crossed dipole is arranged on a first side of a reflector arrangement in a column. Doing so allows for the dipole radiators to be used in a base station for mobile communications.
G does not disclose “n columns, with n>=2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, wherein in each column m dual-polarized crossed dipoles are provided, with m>=2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 16, 20; a phase shifter arrangement and a filter arrangement are arranged on a second side of the reflector arrangement”.
Patel teaches (figs. 2, 3, 6, 9) a mobile communication antenna having a plurality of dual-polarized cross dipoles (¶129, “the antenna 100 includes a plurality of dual-polarized radiating elements 252”) comprising:
- a reflector arrangement (submodule reflector 314);
- the plurality of dual-polarized cross dipoles are arranged on a first side of the reflector arrangement in n columns, with n ≥ 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, wherein in each column m dual-polarized cross dipoles are provided, with m ≥ 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 16, 20 (see fig. 6 which shows an array of dual-polarized radiating elements 252 arranged in three columns with more than two dual-polarized cross dipoles);
- a phase shifter arrangement (fig. 9, phase shifters 342) and a filter arrangement are arranged on a second side of the reflector arrangement (¶28 “the second reflector may be part of a second backplane”. ¶13 “The phase shifter may be mounted on a rear side of the second backplane”)”.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to apply the teachings of Patel to the dipole radiator of Oelmez in view of G, to include n columns, with n>=2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, wherein in each column m dual-polarized crossed dipoles are provided, with m>=2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 16, 20; a phase shifter arrangement are arranged on a second side of the reflector arrangement. Doing so allows for phase shifters and other components of the base station antenna to be provided to enable mobile communications without interfering with operation of the crossed dipoles.
Although Patel discloses a filter arrangement (¶184, “filters may be added between at least some of the RF connector ports on the radios mounted on the antenna assemblies according to embodiments of the present invention and the RF connector ports on the antenna”), Patel does not explicitly disclose “a filter arrangement arranged on a second side of the reflector arrangement”.
Hou teaches (fig. 8A) a base station antenna (800) including a plurality of dipole antennas arranged on a first side of a reflector arrangement (804) and a phase shifter arrangement (phase shifters 806) and a filter arrangement (filter bank 810) arranged on a second side of the reflector arrangement (804).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to apply the teachings of Hou to the dipole radiator of Oelmez in view of G and Patel, wherein a filter arrangement is arranged on a second side of the reflector arrangement. Doing so provides a more compact antenna arrangement by allowing relatively small interconnections between antenna components (¶63 of Hou).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11 and 14-15 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of the allowable subject matter: The pertinent prior art, as a whole, or in combination, cannot be reasonably construed as adequately teaching or suggesting the elements and features of the claimed invention(s) as arranged, disposed, or provided in the manner as claimed by the Applicant.
Oelmez (EP 3035438A1 – of record) and Boss (US 2007/0080883 – of record) are cited as teaching some elements of the claimed invention, including a dual-polarized crossed dipole for a mobile communication antenna, wherein the crossed dipole comprises a first dipole radiator and a second dipole radiator characterized by the following features: the second dipole radiator is arranged 90 degrees rotated with respect to the first dipole radiator, whereby support sections of first and second carriers of the first dipole radiator are arranged 90 degrees rotated with respect to the support sections of the first and second carriers of the second dipole radiator;
a connecting section of a signal feeding structure of the first dipole radiator passes under the connecting section of the signal feeding structure of the second dipole radiator; or the connecting section of a signal feeding structure of the second dipole radiator passes under the connecting section of the signal feeding structure of the first dipole radiator;
the first and second carriers of the first dipole radiator and the first and second carriers of the second dipole radiator each comprise at least first and second coupling surfaces in the region of the second end of their respective support section wherein the second end of their respective support sections is proximate to the connecting section of the signal feeding structure of the first dipole radiator and the second dipole radiator, and wherein a first end of the respective support section is opposite the second end”.
Kasani et al. (US 2020/0006861; “Kasani”) disclose (fig. 3A, 4A-C, 5A) a dual-polarized (¶48) crossed dipole (abstract) for mobile communication antennas (¶3), wherein the dual-polarized crossed dipole comprises a first dipole radiator (3a, 3b) and a second dipole radiator (4a, 4b): the second dipole radiator is arranged 90 degrees rotated with respect to the first dipole radiator, whereby support sections (support structure 16 which comprises one support for each dipole arm) of the first dipole radiator (3a, 3b) are arranged 90 degrees rotated with respect to the support sections of the second dipole radiator (4a, 4b);
a connecting section (section of conductive transmission line) of a signal feeding structure (14) of the first dipole radiator passes under a connecting structure (section of conductive transmission line) of a signal feeding structure (13) of the second dipole radiator (see fig. 5A); and wherein
the first dipole radiator and the second dipole radiator each comprise at least first and second coupling surfaces (folded walls of radiating elements 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b; each radiating element/dipole radiator has two folded walls/coupling surfaces) in a region of a second (upper) end of their respective support sections (16) wherein the second end of their respective support sections is proximate to the connecting sections of the signal feeding structure (15 – see fig. 3A) of the first dipole radiator (3a, 3b) and the second dipole radiator (4a, 4b), and wherein a first end of the respective support section is opposite the second end (first end is lower end of support section 16);
the first and second coupling surfaces partly extend from the region of the second (upper) end of the respective support section in the direction of the first (lower) end of the respective support section (¶63, “As shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C, the arm segments 3 b and 4 a include portions 3 c and 4 c that extend toward the surface of the base or reflector 2/2′ (not shown). In the sheet metal implementation shown in FIGS. 4A-4C, each arm segment 3 a, 3 b, 4 a, 4 b includes portions 3 c or 4 c that are bent at edges thereof, to define “folded walls” that extend towards the base or reflector 2/2′”);
the first and second coupling surfaces are arranged on two opposite sides of the respective dipole;
the first coupling surface (3c) of the first dipole radiator (3a) extends spaced apart and adjacent to a first coupling surface of the second dipole radiator (4a), thereby forming a capacitive coupling therebetween (fig. 4C, ¶63, “each of the arm segments 3 a and 3 b of dipole 3 is capacitively coupled to each of the arm segments 4 a and 4 b of dipole 4 by respective coupling regions C defined by the adjacent portions 3 c and 4 c thereof. That is, the adjacent portions 3 c, 4 c of the arm segments 3 a, 3 b, 4 a, 4 b provide coupling regions C between the dipoles 3, 4 of different or opposite polarizations”);
the second coupling surface (3c) of the first dipole radiator (3a) extends spaced apart and adjacent to a second coupling surface (4c) of the second dipole radiator (4b), thereby forming a capacitive coupling therebetween;
the first coupling surface (3c) of the first dipole radiator (3b) extends spaced apart and adjacent to a first coupling surface (4c) of the second dipole radiator (4a), thereby forming a capacitive coupling therebetween;
the second coupling surface (3c) of the first dipole radiator (3b) extends spaced apart and adjacent to a second coupling surface (4c) of the second dipole radiator (4b), thereby forming a capacitive coupling therebetween.
However, Kasani does not teach, or suggest, first and second carriers of the first dipole radiator, first and second carriers of the second dipole radiator; first and second coupling surfaces are arranged on two opposite sides of the respective first and second carrier and are angularly aligned with respect to this first and second carrier; and capacitive coupling between the coupling surfaces of the first and second carriers of the first and second dipole radiators.
Claims 14-15 are dependent on claim 11 and are included in the allowable subject matter.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been fully considered but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection. See rejection of claim 1 above, where Oelmez is considered by the Examiner to disclose a first and a second carrier comprised of a metal or metal alloy (¶46, “The radiator 100 comprises a radiating element 101 shown in (b), which is made of a non-self-carrying (e.g. thin metal) sheet comprising at least a conductive surface. For instance, the radiating element 101 may be made of a metal sheet, in particular of a thin-walled, unstable metal sheet.”). The first and second carriers (C1, C2) thus comprise a metal portion (101) and a carrier portion (102).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to the Applicant’s disclosure:
Ziv (US 2016/0248161) discloses a carrier for a dipole wherein the carrier is comprised of a metal (fig. 3, conductive element 310) adjacent a feed element 340.
Kokkinos (US 2014/0327591) discloses a cross-polarized dipole antenna having a carrier 120 which can be coated with a conductive layer.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANNA N HAMADYK whose telephone number is (703)756-1672. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30 am - 5:00 pm.
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/ANNA N HAMADYK/Examiner, Art Unit 2845
/DIMARY S LOPEZ CRUZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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