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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. The following features are not shown:
Claim 10 (lines 1-2): “the isolation layer has a plurality of first openings”;
Claim 16 (lines 1-2): “a feeding source and a transceiver module”;
Therefore, the above features must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it exceeds the limit of 150 words. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
[0042], line 6 discloses “a phase shifter 80”. However, phase shifter (80) is not being shown/indicated in the drawings. Instead, Fig. 1 indicates a phase shifter (100).
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 (lines 8-9): “the microwave signal adjusted by the phase adjusting structure” should be amended to ““the received microwave signal adjusted by the phase adjusting structure”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-20 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 1 (lines 6-9) recites: “… for adjusting a phase of a received microwave signal by the phase adjusting structure, and the radiating structure is configured to transmit the received microwave signal to the phase adjusting structure”. It is not clear whether the received microwave signal to be transmitted to the phase adjusting structure is the same as the received microwave signal the phase of which is being adjusted by the phase adjusting structure.
Claims 2-20 inherit the indefiniteness of claim 1 and a subsequently rejected as well.
Claim 3 (line 2) recites “a third dielectric substrate”. The scope of this limitation is indefinite because no first and second dielectric substrates have been previously recited.
Claim 10 (lines 2-3) recites “the plurality of first openings have a same rotation center”. This limitation is indefinite in two aspects. Firstly, in view of the specifications (e.g. Figs. 6-7) the first opening is a square and therefore does not have a center of rotational symmetry. Secondly, it is not clear whether the plurality of first openings as a whole have a common rotation center or “a same rotation center” refers to a rotation center associated with each individual first opening. For examination purposes, in view of the specification (Figs. 6-7; [0060], lines 13-16), this limitation is interpreted as “the plurality of first openings have a common symmetry center”.
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 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Obeidat et al. (“60 GHz Beam-Steering Antenna Array Using Liquid Crystal Phase Shifter”, 2019 6th International Conference on Electrical and Electronics Engineering, herein after Obeidat).
Regarding claim 1, Obeidat (Fig. 1, Sections III, IV) discloses an antenna, comprising a phase adjusting structure (meander line phase shifter), a driving structure (regarding the driving structure, see annotated Fig. 1 in Obeidat below; the driving structure includes a section of the microstrip transmission line connected to the meander line phase shifters disposed on the lower side of the Rogers RO4350 substrate and a corresponding section of the ground plane, so that a bias voltage, Vb, can be applied in order to change the dielectric constant of the liquid crystal substrate – see Section IV, first paragraph), a radiating structure (slotted patch element), a reference electrode layer (ground plane), and an isolation layer (regarding the isolation layer, see annotated Fig. 1 in Obeidat below; the isolation layer is the metallization layer surrounding the slotted patch elements on the upper side of the Rogers RO4350 substrate);
wherein the phase adjusting structure is between the reference electrode layer and the isolation layer, the driving structure is electrically connected to the phase adjusting structure and is configured to provide a driving voltage to the phase adjusting structure for adjusting a phase of a received microwave signal by the phase adjusting structure (inherent), and the radiating structure is configured to transmit the received microwave signal to the phase adjusting structure and radiate the microwave signal adjusted by the phase adjusting structure (inherent); and
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the isolation layer has a first opening (regarding the first opening, see annotated Fig. 1 in Obeidat below), an orthographic projection of the first opening on a plane where the reference electrode layer is located at least partially overlaps with an orthographic projection of the radiating structure on the plane where the reference electrode layer is located, but does not overlap with an orthographic projection of the driving structure on the plane where the reference electrode layer is located, and an orthographic projection of the isolation layer on the plane where the reference electrode layer is located covers the orthographic projection of the driving structure on the plane where the reference electrode layer is located.
Regarding claim 14, Obeidat discloses the antenna of claim 1 as addressed above.
Obeidat (Fig. 1, Section III) further discloses the reference electrode layer (ground plane) is a reflective layer (Section III, second paragraph discloses metal ground plane which is inherently reflective).
Regarding claim 15, Obeidat discloses the antenna of claim 1 as addressed above.
Obeidat (Fig. 1, Section III) further discloses an antenna array (the array comprises the entire structure shown in Fig. 1), comprising a plurality of antennas (slotted patch elements with the corresponding meander line phase shifters), each of which is the antenna of claim 1.
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 8-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Obeidat in view of Bhattacharyya (US 5990836 A).
Regarding claim 8, Obeidat discloses the antenna of claim 1 as addressed above.
Obeidat (Fig. 1, Section III) further discloses an end of the phase adjusting structure (regarding the end of the phase adjusting structure, see annotated Fig. 1 in Obeidat above) is coupled to the radiating structure (slotted patch element) through the first opening (regarding the first opening, see annotated Fig. 1 in Obeidat above).
Obeidat does not disclose the radiating structure is on a side of the isolation layer away from the phase adjusting structure.
Bhattacharyya (Fig. 2; col. 1, lines 50-60) teaches radiation structure (38) disposed on a dielectric layer (22) on a side of a conductive layer (24) away from a phase adjusting structure (52; regarding the phase adjustment by feed members (52), see col. 1, lines 50-60), wherein the phase adjusting structure is coupled to the radiating structure through an opening (50) in the conductive layer (24).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Obeidat by adding a dielectric layer on top of the isolation layer so that the radiating structure is on a side of the isolation layer away from the phase adjusting structure. This modification would provide the antenna with the appropriate phase differences required to generate the desired antenna radiation pattern (see Bhattacharyya, col. 1, lines 50-60).
Regarding claim 9, the modified Obeidat teaches the antenna of claim 8 as addressed above.
Obeidat (Fig. 1) further teaches a center of the orthographic projection of the first opening (regarding the first opening, see annotated Fig. 1 in Obeidat above) on the plane where the reference electrode layer (ground plane) is located coincides with a center of the orthographic projection of the radiating structure (slotted patch elements) on the plane where the reference electrode layer is located.
Regarding claim 10, the modified Obeidat teaches the antenna of claim 8 as addressed above.
Obeidat (Fig. 1) further teaches the isolation layer has a plurality of first openings (regarding the plurality of first openings, see annotated Fig. 1 in Obeidat above), and the plurality of first openings have a same symmetry center.
Regarding claim 11, the modified Obeidat teaches the antenna of claim 10 as addressed above.
Obeidat (Fig. 1) further teaches an orthographic projection of the symmetry center of the plurality of first openings (regarding the plurality of first openings, see annotated Fig. 1 in Obeidat above) on the plane where the reference electrode layer (ground plane) is located coincides with an orthographic projection of a center of the radiating structure (slotted patch elements) on the plane where the reference electrode layer is located.
Claims 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Obeidat in view of Wu et al. (US 20220059913 A1, hereinafter Wu).
Regarding claim 12, Obeidat discloses the antenna of claim 1 as addressed above.
Obeidat (Fig. 1, Section III) further discloses the phase adjusting structure (meander line phase shifter) comprises a phase shifter (meander line phase shifter).
Obeidat does not disclose the limitations wherein the phase shifter comprises a first dielectric substrate, a second dielectric substrate, a tunable dielectric layer, a first transmission line and a second transmission line; wherein the first dielectric substrate and the second dielectric substrate are opposite to each other, the tunable dielectric layer is between the first dielectric substrate and the second dielectric substrate, the first transmission line is on a side of the first dielectric substrate close to the tunable dielectric layer, and the second transmission line is on a side of the second dielectric substrate close to the tunable dielectric layer, the driving structure comprises a first driving line and a second driving line, the first driving line is electrically connected to the first transmission line, and the second driving line is electrically connected to the second transmission line.
Wu (Fig. 3; [0045-0046]) teaches a phase shifter comprising a first dielectric substrate (10), a second dielectric substrate (20), a tunable dielectric layer (30), a first transmission line (11 – see [0045], lines 9-11) and a second transmission line (21 – see [0045], lines 11-13); wherein the first dielectric substrate and the second dielectric substrate are opposite to each other, the tunable dielectric layer is between the first dielectric substrate and the second dielectric substrate, the first transmission line is on a side of the first dielectric substrate close to the tunable dielectric layer, and the second transmission line is on a side of the second dielectric substrate close to the tunable dielectric layer. Wu further teaches a driving structure (the portions of the electrodes (11) and (21), wherein a voltage is applied in order to generate a vertical electric field between the electrodes (11) and (21) – see [0046], lines 14-22) comprises a first driving line (the portion of the electrode (11), wherein a voltage is applied) and a second driving line (the portion of the electrode (21), wherein a voltage is applied), the first driving line is electrically connected to the first transmission line (11), and the second driving line is electrically connected to the second transmission line (21).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Obeidat so that the phase shifter comprises a first dielectric substrate, a second dielectric substrate, a tunable dielectric layer, a first transmission line and a second transmission line; wherein the first dielectric substrate and the second dielectric substrate are opposite to each other, the tunable dielectric layer is between the first dielectric substrate and the second dielectric substrate, the first transmission line is on a side of the first dielectric substrate close to the tunable dielectric layer, and the second transmission line is on a side of the second dielectric substrate close to the tunable dielectric layer, the driving structure comprises a first driving line and a second driving line, the first driving line is electrically connected to the first transmission line, and the second driving line is electrically connected to the second transmission line. This modification would provide the antenna with means of changing a phase shifting degree of a microwave signal (see Wu, [0046], lines 14-22).
Regarding claim 13, the modified Obeidat discloses the antenna of claim 12 as addressed above.
The modified Obeidat does not explicitly teach the limitation wherein the first driving line and the first transmission line are in a same layer; and/or the second driving line and the second transmission line are in a same layer.
However, Wu (Fig. 3; [0045-0046]) teaches the first driving line (the portion of the electrode (11), wherein a voltage is applied – see [0046], lines 14-22) and the first transmission line (11 – see [0045], lines 9-11) are in a same layer; and the second driving line (the portion of the electrode (21), wherein a voltage is applied – see [0046], lines 14-22) and the second transmission line (21 – see [0045], lines 11-13) are in a same layer.
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Obeidat so that the first driving line and the first transmission line are in a same layer; and/or the second driving line and the second transmission line are in a same layer. This modification would provide the antenna with means of changing a phase shifting degree of a microwave signal (see Wu, [0046], lines 14-22).
Claims 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Obeidat in view of Driscoll et al. (US 20200335859 A1, hereinafter Driscoll).
Regarding claim 16, Obeidat discloses the antenna array of claim 15 as addressed above.
Obeidat (Fig. 1) further discloses a feeding source of the antenna array (regarding the feeding source, see annotated Fig. 1 in Obeidat above).
Obeidat (Fig. 1) does not disclose a feeding source and a transceiver module; wherein the feeding source is on an array surface formed by the plurality of antennas, and the transceiver module is electrically connected to the feeding source and is configured to feed electricity to the feeding source and process a microwave signal received by the feeding source.
Driscoll (Figs. 8 and 21) teaches a feeding source (381-384 – Fig. 8) and a transceiver module (264 – Fig. 21); wherein the feeding source is on an array surface (surface of array (102)) formed by the plurality of antennas (102), and the transceiver module is electrically connected to the feeding source (inherent) and is configured to feed electricity to the feeding source and process a microwave signal received by the feeding source (inherent; regarding the microwave signal multiple instances in Driscoll, for example [0211], disclose frequency of operation 5 GHz – 110 GHz, which includes the frequency range of microwave signals).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Obeidat by adding a feeding source and a transceiver module; wherein the feeding source is on an array surface formed by the plurality of antennas, and the transceiver module is electrically connected to the feeding source and is configured to feed electricity to the feeding source and process a microwave signal received by the feeding source. This modification would provide a system using the antenna array of Obeidat to transmit and receive electromagnetic wave signals in the desired frequency range of operation.
Regarding claim 17, the modified Obeidat discloses the antenna array of claim 16 as addressed above.
Obeidat (Fig. 1) further discloses the feeding source comprises a micro-strip line (regarding the feeding source, see annotated Fig. 1 in Obeidat above).
Regarding claim 18, Obeidat discloses the antenna array of claim 15 as addressed above.
Obeidat does not explicitly teach a control module electrically connected to the driving structure in each of the plurality of antennas.
Driscoll (Figs. 10 and 21) teaches a control module (266 – Fig. 21) electrically connected to the driving structure (140 – Fig. 10) in each of the plurality of antennas.
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Obeidat by adding a control module electrically connected to the driving structure in each of the plurality of antennas. This modification would allow to provide the desired phase differences between the different antennas in the array (see Driscoll, [0109]).
Regarding claim 19, Obeidat discloses the antenna array of claim 15 as addressed above.
Obeidat does not explicitly teach an electronic apparatus, comprising the antenna array of claim 15.
Driscoll (Fig. 21) teaches an electronic apparatus (260), comprising an antenna array (262).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to replace the antenna array in Driscoll with the antenna array of Obeidat which would result in an electronic apparatus comprising the antenna array of Obeidat to transmit and receive electromagnetic wave signals in the desired frequency range of operation and in the desired direction.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 2-7 and 20 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
As allowable subject matter has been indicated, applicant's reply must either comply with all formal requirements or specifically traverse each requirement not complied with. See 37 CFR 1.111(b) and MPEP § 707.07(a).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARIN STOYTCHEV STOYTCHEV whose telephone number is (571)272-3467. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri, 8:00-17:00.
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/MARIN STOYTCHEV STOYTCHEV/Examiner, Art Unit 2845
/DIMARY S LOPEZ CRUZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2845