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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 06/26/2026 has been entered.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/23/2026 and 07/20/2026 have been considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
Claims 3-10 are currently pending. Applicant’s amendments have overcome the 35 USC 112 rejections previously set forth in the Final Office Action mailed 02/26/2026.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 3 and 7 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant argued that “As to claim 3, Grant discloses an antenna 10 on a base 20, and a roof-rack embodiment in which antenna housings 110 and 111 are positioned within a roof rack 90 mounted on a roof panel 102 (Grant [0053]-[0055]); Grant does not disclose a reinforcement member, and discloses nothing located between two substrates. Oshima discloses GPS antenna 10, ETC antenna 11, and telephone antennas 12 and 13 on a single circuit board 14 (Oshima [0008]- [0010]); Oshima discloses neither a reinforcement member nor two substrates.”
The arguments are now moot because claim 3 is now being rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Grant et al, US-20060044196-A1 in view of Oshima et al, JP-2010081500-A as explained below.
Applicant argued that “As to claim 7, Grant discloses that its antenna elements 30 and 40 are fed by feed line 70 and that element 60 is connected to a separate transmission line (Grant [0045]-[0046], [0049]); Grant discloses no parasitic element. Oshima discloses no parasitic element. Because neither reference discloses a first parasitic element or a second parasitic element, neither can disclose a third antenna element located, in plan view, between (1) the first antenna element and the first parasitic element and (2) the second antenna element and the second parasitic element.”
The arguments are now moot because claim 7 is now being rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Grant et al, US-20060044196-A1 in view of Huang et al, CN-204243211-U as explained below.
Specification
The specification is objected to as failing to provide proper antecedent basis for the claimed subject matter. See 37 CFR 1.75(d)(1) and MPEP § 608.01(o). Correction of the following is required:
Claim 7 recites “wherein the first antenna element includes a first upright portion formed to extend upright relative to the first substrate, the first upright portion having a first feed point on the one end side of the first substrate, and a first arm portion extending from another end side of the first upright portion, in plan view, an outer edge portion of a long side of the first arm portion overlaps an end portion of a long side of the first substrate, the second antenna element includes a second upright portion formed to extend upright relative to the first substrate, the second upright portion having a second feed point on the another end side of the first substrate, and a second arm portion extending from another end side of the second upright portion, and in plan view, an outer edge portion of a long side of the second arm portion overlaps the end portion of the long side of the first substrate” but nowhere in the spec mentions the antennas 310 in fig. 13 have the same structure as antennas 50A, 50B in figs. 4A-4B, therefore the spec does not have support that the antenna elements 310 in fig. 13 has the upright portion, the feed point, the arm portion.
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 8-10 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 8 recites the limitation " the first area of the first substrate and the second area of the second substrate are directed away from each other " in lines 26-27 which renders the claim indefinite. It is not clear what Applicant meant and there is no definition for this terminology in the spec. For the purpose of examination, Examiner interprets the claim as best understood.
Claims 9-10 inherit the indefiniteness of claim 8 and are subsequently rejected.
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 3-4 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Grant et al, US-20060044196-A1 (hereinafter Grant) in view of Oshima et al, JP-2010081500-A (hereinafter Oshima) and further in view of Villa, US-20190386384-A1.
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Regarding claim 3, Grant discloses the following:
an antenna device (110, 111, fig. 5B) attached to a reinforcement member of a vehicle (fig. 5B), the antenna device comprising:
a ground member (102, fig. 5B which can be used as a ground plane, see para [0053]) attached to the reinforcement member (fig. 5B);
a first substrate (antenna housing 110, fig. 5B, para [0052] houses the antenna 10 in fig. 1 which comprise substrate 20) disposed at a first end portion of the ground member (102), the first end portion located in a first direction of a front direction and a rear direction of the vehicle (fig. 5B below);
a first antenna element (30, fig. 1) provided at the first substrate (20), and
a second substrate (antenna housing 111, fig. 5B, para [0054] houses the antenna 10 in fig. 1 which comprise substrate 20), the second end portion located in a second direction of the front direction and the rear direction of the vehicle, and the second direction being different from the first direction (fig. 5B); and
a second antenna element (30, fig. 1) provided at the second substrate (20), wherein
the first antenna element (30) includes
a first upright portion (36) formed to extend upright relative to the first substrate (20), the first upright portion (36) having a first feed point (38) located at one end side of the first upright portion on a first substrate side (20), and
a first arm portion (39) extending from another end side of the first upright portion,
the second antenna element includes
a second upright portion (36) formed to extend upright relative to the second substrate (20), the second upright portion (36) having a second feed point (38) located at one end side of the second upright portion on a second substrate side (20), and
a second arm portion (39) extending from another end side of the second upright portion.
Although Grant does not explicitly disclose the second substrate disposed at a second end portion of the ground member, Grant discloses the second substrate of the housing 111 can be located at any location along the ground member 102 (para [0055]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to arrange the second substrate of the antenna device taught in Grant at a second end portion of the ground member as claimed, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950). The motivation stems from the need to increase the distance between the first and second antenna elements disposed on the ground plane in order to avoid interference to improve the antenna device’s performance.
Grant does not disclose in plan view, an outer edge portion of a long side of the first arm portion overlaps the first end portion of the ground member, in plan view, an outer edge portion of a long side of the second arm portion overlaps the second end portion of the ground member, and the reinforcement member is located between the first substrate and the second substrate.
Oshima discloses in a plan view, an outer edge portion of a long side (13a, fig. 6) of the first arm portion overlaps the first end portion of the ground member (14, page 3, last para).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the outer edge portion of a long side of the first arm portion of the antenna device taught in Grant to overlap the first end portion of the ground member as suggested in Oshima as claimed, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950). The motivation stems from the need to increase the distance of the first arm portion to other antennas disposed on the ground plane in order to avoid interference to improve the antenna device’s performance.
Although Oshima does not explicitly disclose an outer edge portion of a long side of the second arm portion overlaps the second end portion of the ground member, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to arrange the outer edge of the second arm portion taught in Grant to overlap the second end portion of the ground member as suggested in Oshima as claimed, since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8 (CA7 1977). The motivation stems from the need to increase the distance of the second arm portion to other antennas disposed on the ground plane in order to avoid interference to improve the antenna device’s performance.
The combination of Grant and Oshima does not disclose the reinforcement member is located between the first substrate and the second substrate.
Villa suggests the reinforcement member (11, fig. 4) is located between the first antenna (1) and the second antenna (2) (which disposed on the first and second substrates as taught in Grant).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to arrange the reinforcement member taught in Grant and Oshima to be located between the first substrate and the second substrate as suggested in Villa as claimed, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950). The motivation stems from the need to enhance the isolation between the first and second antennas (Villa, para [0059]) in order to improve the quality of antennas’ performance.
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Regarding claim 4, Grant discloses wherein the second arm portion (32, fig. 1) extends, from the second upright portion (36), along an edge of the second substrate (fig. 1 above), and the edge extends in a width direction of the vehicle (fig. 5B).
Regarding claim 6, Grant discloses the antenna device according to claim 1, further comprising: a satellite communication antenna (60, para [0048]) configured to communicate with a satellite.
Examiner’s note - Regarding the recitation that an element is “configured to” perform a function, it is the position of the office that such limitations are not positive structural limitations, and thus, only require the ability to so perform. In this case the prior art applied herein is construed as at least possessing such ability.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Grant, Oshima and Villa as applied to claim 3 above, and further in view of Park et al, US-20160218430-A1 (hereinafter Park).
Regarding claim 5, Grant discloses the antenna device according to claim 3, further comprising:
a first vehicle communication antenna (60 of housing 110, figs. 1, 5B) provided at the first substrate (20), and
a second vehicle communication antenna (60 of housing 111, figs. 1, 5B) provided at the second substrate (20), wherein
the first vehicle communication antenna has a higher gain in the first direction than the second direction (fig. 5B: antenna 60 of housing 110 is disposed opposite of direction 6A, it is implied that the gain of the antenna 60 of housing 110 would be higher in that direction than the direction 6A), and
the second vehicle communication antenna has a higher gain in the first direction (fig. 5B: antenna 60 of housing 111 is disposed toward direction 6A, it is implied that the gain of the antenna 60 of housing 111 would be higher in the direction 6A than the opposite direction).
Although Grant does not explicitly disclose the first and second vehicle communication antennas are configured to communicate with a vehicle different from the vehicle, Grant discloses the first and second vehicle communication antennas could be an antenna for various other applications, including, but not limited to: satellite radio, PCS, AMPS, TACS, NMT, IS-54/-136, IS-95, GSM, DSC18000, PDC, CDPD, RAM-Mobitex, Ardis-RD-LaP, Bluetooth, or IEEE 802.11 (para [0048]).
Park applied as a teaching reference discloses the roof-mounted antenna device 100 could comprise several V2X (Vehicle to Everything) antennas (160, 180, fig. 1, para [0064], [0067]) which is implied that the V2X antennas could communicate to other V2X antennas in other vehicles.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the first and second communication antennas taught in Grant, Oshima and Villa to be able to communicate with other vehicles as discloses in Park as claimed for the purpose of providing another way of communication between the vehicles besides the wireless communication between mobile electronic devices depending on the requirements of the application.
Examiner’s note - Regarding the recitation that an element is “configure to communicate with a vehicle” perform a function, it is the position of the office that such limitations are not positive structural limitations, and thus, only require the ability to so perform. In this case the prior art applied herein is construed as at least possessing such ability.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Grant et al, US-20060044196-A1 (hereinafter Grant) in view of Huang et al, CN-204243211-U (hereinafter Huang).
Regarding claim 7, Grant discloses the following:
an antenna device comprising:
a ground member (102, fig. 5B which can be used as a ground plane, see para [0053]) attached to a reinforcement member of a vehicle (fig. 5B), the ground member extending, from the reinforcement member, in a first direction of a front direction and a rear direction of the vehicle (fig. 5B);
a first substrate (20, fig. 1, para [0031]) disposed at an end portion of the ground member (102) in the first direction (fig. 5B);
a first antenna element (30, fig. 1) provided at one end side of the first substrate (20);
a second antenna element (40) provided at another end side of the first substrate (20);
and a third antenna element located, in plan view, between (1) the first antenna element and (2) the second antenna element, wherein
the first antenna element includes
a first upright portion (36) formed to extend upright relative to the first substrate (20), the first upright portion (36) having a feed point (38) on the one end side of the first substrate (20), and
a first arm portion (39) extending from another end side of the first upright portion;
the second antenna element includes
a second upright portion (46) formed to extend upright relative to the first substrate (20), the second upright portion (46) having a second feed point (48) on the another end side of the first substrate (20), and
a second arm portion (49)extending from another end side of the second upright portion.
Grant does not disclose a first parasitic element located on the one end side of the first substrate;
a second parasitic element located on the another end side of the first substrate;
in plan view, an outer edge portion of a long side of the first arm portion overlaps an end portion of a long side of the first substrate,
and in plan view, an outer edge portion of a long side of the second arm portion overlaps the end portion of the long side of the first substrate.
Huang suggests a first parasitic element (132, figs. 3-5) located on the one end side of the first substrate (on the left of 112, 133);
a second parasitic element (132) located on the another end side of the first substrate (on the right of 12, 133);
in plan view, an outer edge portion of a long side of the first arm portion (138 along 143) overlaps an end portion of a long side of the first substrate (112),
and in plan view, an outer edge portion of a long side of the second arm portion (138 along 143) overlaps the end portion of the long side of the first substrate (112).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide parasitic elements and the outer edge portion of a long side of the first arm portion of the antenna device taught in Grant to overlap the end portion of the long side of the first substrate as suggested in Huang as claimed, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950). The motivation stems from the need to enhance the bandwidth while maintaining good isolation (Huang, para [0060]) and increase the distance of the first arm portion to other antennas disposed on the first substrate in order to avoid interference to improve the antenna device’s performance.
Claims 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Grant et al, US-20060044196-A1 (hereinafter Grant) in view of Oshima et al, JP-2010081500-A (hereinafter Oshima)
Regarding claim 8, as best understood, Grant discloses the following:
an antenna device attached to a reinforcement member of a vehicle, the antenna device comprising:
a ground member (102, fig. 5B which can be used as a ground plane, see para [0053]) attached to the reinforcement member (fig. 5B);
a first substrate (antenna housing 110, fig. 5B, para [0052] houses the antenna 10 in fig. 1 which comprise substrate 20) disposed at a first end portion of the ground member (102), the first end portion located in a first direction of a front direction and a rear direction of the vehicle (fig. 5B below);
a first antenna element (30, fig. 1) provided at a first area of the first substrate (20);
a second substrate (antenna housing 111, fig. 5B, para [0054] houses the antenna 10 in fig. 1 which comprise substrate 20), the second end portion located in a second direction of the front direction and the rear direction of the vehicle, and the second direction being different from the first direction (fig. 5B); and
a second antenna element (30, fig. 1) provided at a second area of the second substrate (20), wherein
the first antenna element (30) includes
a first upright portion (36) formed to extend upright relative to the first substrate (20), the first upright portion (36) having a first feed point (38) located at one end side of the first upright portion on a first substrate side (20), and
a first arm portion (39) extending from another end side of the first upright portion,
the second antenna element includes
a second upright portion (36) formed to extend upright relative to the second substrate (20), the second upright portion (36) having a second feed point (38) located at one end side of the second upright portion on a second substrate side (20), and
a second arm portion (39) extending from another end side of the second upright portion;
the first area of the first substrate and the second area of the second substrate are directed away from each other (fig. 5B).
Although Grant does not explicitly disclose the second substrate disposed at a second end portion of the ground member, Grant disclose the second substrate of the housing 111 can be located at any location along the ground member 102 (para [0055]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to arrange the second substrate of the antenna device taught in Grant at a second end portion of the ground member as claimed, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950). The motivation stems from the need to increase the distance between the first and second antenna elements disposed on the ground plane in order to avoid interference to improve the antenna device’s performance.
Grant does not disclose in plan view, an outer edge portion of a long side of the first arm portion overlaps the first end portion of the ground member, in plan view, an outer edge portion of a long side of the second arm portion overlaps the second end portion of the ground member.
Oshima discloses in a plan view, an outer edge portion of a long side (13a, fig. 6) of the first arm portion overlaps the first end portion of the ground member (14, page 3, last para).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the outer edge portion of a long side of the first arm portion of the antenna device taught in Grant to overlap the first end portion of the ground member as suggested in Oshima as claimed, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950). The motivation stems from the need to increase the distance of the first arm portion to other antennas disposed on the ground plane in order to avoid interference to improve the antenna device’s performance.
Although Oshima does not explicitly disclose an outer edge portion of a long side of the second arm portion overlaps the second end portion of the ground member, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to arrange the outer edge of the second arm portion taught in Grant to overlap the second end portion of the ground member as suggested in Oshima as claimed, since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8 (CA7 1977). The motivation stems from the need to increase the distance of the second arm portion to other antennas disposed on the ground plane in order to avoid interference to improve the antenna device’s performance.
Regarding claim 9, although Grant does not explicitly disclose wherein the second arm portion extends, from the second upright portion, along an edge of the second substrate, and the edge extends in a width direction of the vehicle, Grant disclose the second substrate of the housing 111 can be located at any location along the ground member 102 (para [0055]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to arrange the edge of the second substrate of the antenna device taught in Grant extending in a width direction of the vehicle as claimed, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950). The motivation stems from the need to fir the second substrate in a designated space depending on the requirements of the application.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Grant and Oshima as applied to claim 8 above, and further in view of Park et al, US-20160218430-A1 (hereinafter Park).
Regarding claim 10, Grant discloses the antenna device according to claim 8, further comprising:
a first vehicle communication antenna (60 of housing 110, figs. 1, 5B) provided at the first substrate (20), and
a second vehicle communication antenna (60 of housing 111, figs. 1, 5B) provided at the second substrate (20), wherein
the first vehicle communication antenna has a higher gain in the first direction than the second direction (fig. 5B: antenna 60 of housing 110 is disposed opposite of direction 6A, it is implied that the gain of the antenna 60 of housing 110 would be higher in that direction than the direction 6A), and
the second vehicle communication antenna has a higher gain in the first direction (fig. 5B: antenna 60 of housing 111 is disposed toward direction 6A, it is implied that the gain of the antenna 60 of housing 111 would be higher in the direction 6A than the opposite direction).
Although Grant does not explicitly disclose the first and second vehicle communication antennas are configured to communicate with a vehicle different from the vehicle, Grant discloses the first and second vehicle communication antennas could be an antenna for various other applications, including, but not limited to: satellite radio, PCS, AMPS, TACS, NMT, IS-54/-136, IS-95, GSM, DSC18000, PDC, CDPD, RAM-Mobitex, Ardis-RD-LaP, Bluetooth, or IEEE 802.11 (para [0048]).
Park applied as a teaching reference discloses the roof-mounted antenna device 100 could comprise several V2X (Vehicle to Everything) antennas (160, 180, fig. 1, para [0064], [0067]) which is implied that the V2X antennas could communicate to other V2X antennas in other vehicles.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the first and second communication antennas taught in Grant and Oshima to be able to communicate with other vehicles as discloses in Park as claimed for the purpose of providing another way of communication between the vehicles besides the wireless communication between mobile electronic devices depending on the requirements of the application.
Examiner’s note - Regarding the recitation that an element is “configure to communicate with a vehicle” perform a function, it is the position of the office that such limitations are not positive structural limitations, and thus, only require the ability to so perform. In this case the prior art applied herein is construed as at least possessing such ability.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANH N HO whose telephone number is (571)272-4657. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00.
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/DAMEON E LEVI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2845
/ANH HO/Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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