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 .
This Office Action is in response to the Applicant’s communication filed on April 10, 2023. In virtue of this communication, claims 1-31 are currently presented in the instant application.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 4/10/2023, 5/14/2024 and 7/23/2024 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claims 25, 27 and 30 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 25, in line 4, “a substrate” should be changed to --the substrate--
Claim 27, in line 2, “a substrate” should be changed to --the substrate--
Claim 30, in line 2, “a substrate” should be changed to --the substrate--
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-2, 4-5, 12, 16, 22-25 and 30-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Raguenet et al. (US 5,434,581).
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With respect to claim 1, Raguenet discloses in figures 1 and 2A an array antenna device (figure 1 shows an antenna array including a plurality of antenna patches 2 thereof) comprising: a ground plate (6, e.g., a ground plane) that is a flat-plate shaped conductor (see figure 2A); an element antenna array (2, e.g., antenna patches) in which a plurality of element antennas are linearly arranged on the ground plate along an electric field direction (see figure 1); and a conductor member (8, e.g., a conductive wall) provided at only both ends or only one end of an antenna aperture formed in the element antenna array arranged on the ground plate along the electric field direction (see figure 2A), the conductor member having a height from the ground plate higher than a height of the element antenna (figure 2A show the conductive wall 8 having a height being higher than a height of the antenna patch 2).
With respect to claim 2, Raguenet discloses that wherein a plurality of the element antenna arrays are arranged in a quadrangular shape (figure 1 shows a quadrangular shape wherein the patches 2 arranged).
With respect to claim 4, Raguenet discloses that wherein a plurality of the element antenna arrays are non-periodically arranged (see figure 1).
With respect to claim 5, Raguenet discloses that wherein the conductor member is a flat-plate shaped conductor provided on the ground plate in such a way that the conductor member is orthogonal to an electric field direction of the element antenna array (figure 2A shows the conductive wall having a flat plate shape thereof).
With respect to claim 12, Raguenet discloses that wherein the element antenna is a patch antenna (see figure 1, e.g., having patches 2 thereof).
With respect to claim 16, Raguenet discloses that wherein the element antenna is a horn antenna (see column 2 in lines 1-10).
With respect to claim 22, Raguenet discloses that wherein the element antenna is an antenna (2, e.g., an antenna patch) that radiates a plurality of polarized waves (see figures 1-2A), and the conductor member is provided at both ends or one end of the antenna aperture formed in the element antenna array along an electric field direction of each of the polarized waves (see figure 2A).
With respect to claim 23, Raguenet discloses in figure 2A that wherein the conductor member is a member in which a metal foil (4b, e.g., a microstrip or a metal foil thereof) is provided on a surface of a dielectric substrate (1, e.g., a dielectric substrate).
With respect to claim 24, Raguenet discloses in figure 2A that wherein the element antenna is an antenna (2, e.g., an antenna patch) including a conductor or an antenna including a metal thin film (4b, e.g., a microstrip or a metal thin film formed thereon) provided on a dielectric substrate (1, e.g., a dielectric substrate).
With respect to claim 25, Raguenet discloses that wherein the element antenna is provided on a surface of a substrate (1, e.g., a substrate) disposed on the ground plate, and the conductor member is formed on a substrate on which the element antenna is provided (see figure 2A).
With respect to claim 30, Raguenet discloses that wherein the substrate on which the element antenna is provided is the substrate on which the element antenna array including two or more of the element antennas is provided (see figure 1), the substrate on which the element antenna array is provided is provided in plurality on the ground plate, and the conductor member is provided for each of the substrates (see figure 2A).
With respect to claim 31, Raguenet discloses that wherein the conductor member is provided for each of the element antenna arrays (see figure 2A).
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, 8-11, 13-15 and 17-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. (US 6,317,094) in view of Park et al. (US 2021/0143536).
With respect to claim 1, Raguenet discloses in figure 17 an array antenna device (figure 17 shows an antenna array including a plurality of antenna elements 250-260 thereof) comprising: a ground plate (244, e.g., a ground plane) that is a flat-plate shaped conductor (see figure 17); an element antenna array (250-260, e.g., antenna patches) in which a plurality of element antennas (250-260, e.g., antenna slots-antenna patches) are linearly arranged on the ground plate along an electric field direction (see figure 17); and a conductor member (251, e.g., a metallization layer) provided at only both ends or only one end of an antenna aperture formed in the element antenna array arranged on the ground plate along the electric field direction (see figure 17).
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Wu does not explicitly disclose that the conductor member having a height higher than a height of the element antenna.
Park discloses in figure 10D an array antenna device comprising an element antenna array (AR1, e.g., antenna array) and a conductor member (654, e.g., a conductor), wherein the conductor member having a height higher than a height of the element antenna (see figure 10D).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the device of Wu having a conductor higher than a height of an antenna element as taught by Park for the purpose of preventing the degradation of radiation performance even if a conductive structure is disposed nearby since this configuration for the stated purpose would have been obvious as evidenced by the teaching of Park (see paragraph 0008).
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With respect to claims 8-10, the combination of Wu and Park disclose all claimed limitations, as expressly recited in claim 1, except for specifying that (1) wherein the conductor member is provided at a position separated from a center position of the element antenna at an end along an electric field direction of the element antenna array by a distance of half a width of the element antenna; (2) wherein the conductor member has a height that 1s an odd multiple of 1/4 of free space wavelength at a lower limit frequency of an operating frequency band; and (3) wherein the conductor member has a height that is an odd multiple of 1/4 of an effective wavelength of a dielectric in which the element antenna is formed, at a lower limit frequency of an operating frequency band. However, the differences are not patentable merits since the conductor position and height related to the antenna element in the device can be selected and arranged that depends on a particular application and environment of use to improve a maximum operating frequency band thereof since this configuration for the stated purpose would have been deemed obvious to a person skilled in the art.
With respect to claim 11, the combination of Wu and Park disclose that wherein the element antenna is a tapered slot antenna (figure 17 of Wu shows tapered slot antenna 250).
With respect to claim 13, the combination of Wu and Park disclose that wherein the element antenna is a dipole antenna (see figure 17 and column 6 in lines 27-33 of Wu).
With respect to claim 14, the combination of Wu and Park disclose that wherein the element antenna is a slot antenna (see figure 17 of Wu).
With respect to claim 15, the combination of Wu and Park disclose that wherein the element antenna is a Yagi-Uda antenna (see figures 28 and 37 of Wu).
With respect to claim 17, the combination of Wu and Park disclose that wherein the element antenna is fed with power by a coaxial line (see figure 29 and column 26 in lines 19-20 of Wu).
With respect to claim 18, the combination of Wu and Park disclose that wherein the element antenna is fed with power by electromagnetic coupling without physical connection (see column 2 in lines 29-31 of Wu, e.g., “whereby the slot line and the strip conductor feed are electromagnetic coupled”).
With respect to claim 19, the combination of Wu and Park disclose that wherein the element antenna is fed with power using a Spertopf balun (see column 9 in lines 18-21 of Wu).
With respect to claims 20-21, the combination of Wu and Park disclose that wherein the element antenna is fed with power using a Marchand balun or a tapered balun (see figure 17 and column 9 in lines 18-21 of Wu).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Raguenet et al. (US 5,434,581) in view of Park et al. (US 2022/0021421).
With respect to claim 3, Raguenet discloses all claimed limitations, as expressly recited in claim 1, except for specifying that wherein a plurality of the element antenna arrays are arranged in a triangular shape.
Park discloses in figure 12 an array antenna device comprising an element antenna array (figure 12 shows a plurality of antenna patches thereof), wherein the plurality of the element antenna arrays are arranged in a triangular shape (figure 12 shows a triangular shape).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the device of Raguenet with a triangular shape as taught by Park for the purpose of providing efficient beamforming vector thereof since this configuration for the stated purpose would have been obvious as evidenced by the teaching of Park (see paragraph 0041).
Claims 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Raguenet et al. (US 5,434,581) in view of Park et al. (US 2022/0021421).
With respect to claims 6-7, Raguenet discloses all claimed limitations, as expressly recited in claim 1, except for specifying that (1) wherein the conductor member is a polygonal columnar conductor provided on the ground plate in such a way that the conductor member is orthogonal to an electric field direction of the element antenna array; and (2) wherein the conductor member is a columnar conductor provided on the ground plate in such a way that the conductor member is orthogonal to an electric field direction of the element antenna array.
Furuhi discloses in figure 2 an array antenna device comprising a conductor member (145, e.g., a columnar conductor) and an element antenna array (122, e.g., an antenna array), wherein (1) the conductor member is the polygonal columnar conductor provided on the ground plate in such a way that the conductor member is orthogonal to an electric field direction of the element antenna array (see figure 2 and paragraph 0127); and (2) wherein the conductor member is the columnar conductor provided on the ground plate in such a way that the conductor member is orthogonal to an electric field direction of the element antenna array (see figure 2 and paragraph 0127).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the device of Raguenet with a columnar conductor as taught by Furuhi for the purpose of achieving without increasing the size of the antenna module thereof since this configuration for the stated purpose would have been obvious as evidenced by the teaching of Furuhi (see paragraph 0009).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 26-27 and 29 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Prior art of record fails to disclose or fairly suggest the following limitations:
An array antenna device comprising: … “wherein the conductor member includes: metal thin films formed on a front side surface and a back side surface of both ends or one end of the substrate on which the element antenna is provided; and a through hole that electrically connects and short-circuits the metal thin film formed on the front side surface and the metal thin film formed on the back side surface”, as claimed in dependent claim 26.
An array antenna device comprising: … “wherein the substrate on which the element antenna is provided is a substrate on which a plurality of dielectrics are stacked, and the conductor member is formed in at least one of the plurality of stacked dielectric layers”, as claimed in dependent claim 27 (claim 28 would be allowable as being dependent on claim 27).
An array antenna device comprising: … “further comprising an L- shaped fixing member that fixes the substrate on which the element antenna is provided on the ground plate and short-circuits the conductor members”, as claimed in dependent claim 29.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Prior art Ha et al. – US 12,027,774
Prior art Kalghatgi et al. – US 2017/0246440
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/TUNG X LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2844 December 11, 2025