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 § 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 person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(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 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ohashi (WO 2012111484).
Regarding claim 1, Ohashi discloses a transmission system (See fig. 2), comprising: a first circuit board 100 provided with a first antenna 108; a second circuit board 200 provided with a second antenna 208; a first dielectric waveguide 308 arranged between the first antenna and the second antenna, wherein the first circuit board is provided with a serializer 114 and a first RF circuit that modulates a serial signal output from the serializer and outputs the signal as an RF signal to the first antenna, and the second circuit board is provided with a second RF circuit that demodulates an RF signal input from the second antenna and outputs the signal as a serial signal, and a deserializer 227 that converts the serial signal output from the second RF circuit and outputs the signal as a parallel signal (See figs. 2-3 and provided English translation).
Regarding claim 4, Ohashi discloses as cited in claim 1. Ohashi further discloses a third antenna formed on the first circuit board; a fourth antenna formed on the second circuit board; and a second dielectric waveguide arranged between the third antenna and the fourth antenna (See figs. 2-3).
Regarding claims 5-6, Ohashi discloses as cited in claim 1. Ohashi further discloses a first RF module having the first RF circuit and the first antenna mounted therein is attached to the first circuit board100, and a second RF module having the second RF circuit and the second antenna mounted therein is attached to the second circuit board 200, wherein the first circuit board and the second circuit board are arranged facing each other in a first direction, the first RF module and the second RF module are arranged so that the first antenna and the second antenna face each other, and the dielectric waveguide is arranged along the first direction between the first antenna and the second antenna (See figs. 2-3, 5-7).
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.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ohashi (WO 2012111484).
Regarding claim 2, Ohashi discloses as cited in claim 1. However, Ohashi does not explicitly mention that the waveguide is connected to the first and second circuit boards via connectors. Since Ohashi does suggest various method for attaching/connecting the waveguide to the circuit boards such as utilizing adhesive, screws or other attachment/connecting materials or member (See fig. 7 and providing English translation) and connectors, Official Notice taken by the examiner, is a commonly known type of attachment/connecting member; therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to utilize connectors for connecting the waveguide to the circuit boards, for the advantage of providing greater degree of freedom to secure the waveguide to the circuit boards.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ohashi (WO 2012111484) in view of Sano (7,132,905).
Regrading claim 3, Ohashi discloses as cited in claim 1. However, Ohashi does not mention that a conductor line formed on the outer surface of the first dielectric waveguide; a first component; and a second component, wherein one component of the first component and the second component outputs a signal or direct current via the conductor line to another component of the first component or the second component. Since Sano teaches a similar transmission system, wherein a conductor line formed on the outer surface of the first dielectric waveguide (See fig. 1); a first component; and a second component, wherein one component of the first component and the second component outputs a signal or direct current via the conductor line to another component of the first component or the second component (See figs. 1-2, 5 and col. 3 lines 23-62); therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to apply the teaching of Sano in modifying the transmission system as disclosed by Ohashi, for the advantage of providing a simplified structure for mounting a dielectric waveguide on the circuit boards.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
See PTO-892 for a listing of cited prior arts of record.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TUAN A TRAN whose telephone number is (571)272-7858. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri: 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM.
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, Wesley Kim can be reached at (571) 272-7867. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/TUAN A TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2648