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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) is/are being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claim(s) 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chakam (WO 2009065806 A1), hereinafter known as Chakam.
Regarding claim 1, Chakam discloses (Figs. 1-12) a PCB (25,26) including a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface (see Figs. 1-12); a ground plane (7) disposed on the top surface of the PCB (see Figs. 1-12); a patch antenna stack (12) comprising: a first dielectric (35) extending between a first dielectric surface operatively connected to the ground plane and a second dielectric surface opposite the first dielectric surface (see Fig. 3); a first patch conductor (16) operatively connected to the second dielectric surface of the first dielectric (see Figs. 1-12), the first patch conductor configured to be energized to transmit and/or receive radio frequency signals having a first frequency with a first wavelength and having circular polarization in a first direction (para. bridging pp. 6-7); a second dielectric (34) extending between a third dielectric surface operatively connected to the first patch conductor and a fourth dielectric surface opposite the third dielectric surface (see Figs. 1-12); and a second patch conductor (15) operatively connected to fourth dielectric surface of the second dielectric (see Fig. 3), the second patch conductor configured to be energized to transmit and/or receive radio frequency signals having a second frequency with a second wavelength k2, higher than the first frequency, and having circular polarization in a second direction opposite the first direction (see Fig. 3, second patch conductor is smaller, para. bridging pp. 6-7); a monopole radiating element (8, 10, or 18) including a first portion extending perpendicularly from the ground plane, the monopole radiating element configured to be energized to transmit and/or receive radio frequency signals having linear polarization (see Figs. 1-12, monopoles operate in one polarization); a first feeding assembly (connected through 14 and 39, see Fig. 3) operatively connected to the first patch conductor at a first feeding point (14) and the second patch conductor at a second feeding point (13) for energizing the first patch conductor and the second patch conductor to transmit and/or receive radio frequency signals (see Fig. 3); and a second feeding assembly (connected through 9, 11, or 19) operatively connected to the monopole radiating element at a third feeding point (one of 9, 11, or 19) for energizing the monopole radiating element to transmit and/or receive radio frequency signals; wherein the second feeding point is spaced from the third feeding point by at least λ/2 (see Figs. 1-2, 5-12, distances shown to be overlapping ranges).
Regarding claim 2, Chakam discloses (Figs. 1-12) wherein the ground plane has a width W in a lateral direction (X), and a length L in a longitudinal direction (Y) transverse to the lateral direction (X) (see Figs. 1-12),wherein the ground plane defines a first center plane bisecting the ground plane in the lateral direction (X) and a second center plane bisecting the ground plane in the longitudinal direction (Y) (see Figs. 1-12), and wherein the monopole radiating element is arranged on a first lateral side of the second center plane, and the patch antenna stack is arranged on a second lateral side of the second center plane opposite the first lateral side (see Figs. 1-12, multiple configurations shown, Figs. 11-12 meet criteria).
Regarding claim 3, Chakam discloses (Figs. 1-12) wherein the first feeding point is arranged on a first longitudinal side of the first center plane, and the second feeding point is arranged on a second longitudinal side of the first center plane opposite the first longitudinal side (see Figs. 11-12).
Regarding claim 4, Chakam discloses (Figs. 1-12) wherein the first feeding assembly comprises at least one of: a first feeding member extending through the ground plane and the first dielectric (see Fig. 3), wherein the first feeding member is coupled to the first patch conductor at the first feeding point to energize the first patch conductor to transmit and/or receive radio frequency signals having the first frequency and having circular polarization in the first direction (see Fig. 3, para. bridging pp. 6-7); and a second feeding member extending through the ground plane, the first dielectric, the first patch conductor, and the second dielectric (see Fig. 3), wherein the second feeding member is coupled to the second patch conductor at the second feeding point to energize the second patch conductor to transmit and/or receive radio frequency signals having the second frequency and having circular polarization in the second direction (see Fig. 3, para. bridging pp. 6-7).
Regarding claims 5 and 10, Chakam discloses (Figs. 1-12) wherein the monopole radiating element further includes a second portion coupled to and extending from the first portion and spaced from the ground plane (see Figs. 1-2 and 5-12, second portion in 10).
Regarding claim 6, Chakam discloses (Figs. 1-12) Chakam discloses (Figs. 1-12) a PCB (25,26) including a top surface and a bottom surface opposite the top surface (see Figs. 1-12); a ground plane (7) disposed on the top surface of the PCB and having a width W and a length L (see Figs. 1-12); a patch antenna stack (12) comprising: a first dielectric (35) extending between a first dielectric surface operatively connected to the ground plane and a second dielectric surface opposite the first dielectric surface (see Fig. 3); a first patch conductor (16) operatively connected to the second dielectric surface of the first dielectric (see Figs. 1-12), the first patch conductor configured to be energized to transmit and/or receive radio frequency signals having a first frequency with a first wavelength and having circular polarization in a first direction (para. bridging pp. 6-7); a second dielectric (34) extending between a third dielectric surface operatively connected to the first patch conductor and a fourth dielectric surface opposite the third dielectric surface (see Figs. 1-12); and a second patch conductor (15) operatively connected to fourth dielectric surface of the second dielectric (see Fig. 3), the second patch conductor configured to be energized to transmit and/or receive radio frequency signals having a second frequency with a second wavelength k2, higher than the first frequency, and having circular polarization in a second direction opposite the first direction (see Fig. 3, second patch conductor is smaller, para. bridging pp. 6-7); a monopole radiating element (8, 10, or 18) including a first portion extending perpendicularly from the ground plane, the monopole radiating element configured to be energized to transmit and/or receive radio frequency signals having linear polarization (see Figs. 1-12, monopoles operate in one polarization); wherein the width W and the length L are each independently at least λ/2 (see Figs. 1-2 and 5-12).
Regarding claim 7, Chakam discloses (Figs. 1-12) wherein the width W of the ground plane extends in a lateral direction (X), and the length L of the ground plane extends in a longitudinal direction (Y) transverse to the lateral direction (X) (see Figs. 1-2 and 5-12), and wherein the ground plane defines a first center plane bisecting the ground plane in the lateral direction (X) and a second center plane bisecting the ground plane in the longitudinal direction (Y), and wherein the patch antenna stack is arranged such that the first center plane bisects the patch antenna stack (see Figs. 1-2 or 5-6).
Regarding claims 8 and 9, Chakam discloses the limitations as shown in response to claim 1 above.
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(s) 11-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chakam in view of OFFICIAL NOTICE.
Regarding claim 11, Chakam teaches the limitations as shown in response to claims 1 and 6, but does not teach a nonconductive pane.
The Office takes OFFICIAL NOTICE that a vehicle includes a nonconductive pane, such as a window, and it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to place the antenna assembly of Chakam under the nonconductive pane since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to combine prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results is obvious. KSR International Co. v Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007) Arranging an antenna assembly under a nonconductive pane provides protection while having minimal impact on the antenna performance.
Regarding claims 12-18, the limitations are taught by Chakam as shown in response to claims 1-10.
Regarding claim 19, Chakam teaches (Figs. 1-12) a housing (20), but does not teach further details of the housing.
The Office takes OFFICIAL NOTICE that a housing with interior bounded by a bottom wall, a top wall parallel to and spaced from the bottom wall, and a plurality of side walls extending between the bottom wall and the top wall is known to a skilled artisan and it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to apply a known technique to a known device (method, or product) ready for improvement to yield predictable results is obvious. KSR International Co. v Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007) The antenna assembly of Chakam can be disposed within the housing such that the top surface of the PCB faces the top wall of the housing as it minimizes the overall footprint when aerodynamics are not necessary to consider.
Regarding claim 20, Chakam as modified teaches (Figs. 1-12) wherein the antenna assembly is arranged within the housing interior such that the second patch conductor is spaced from the top wall to define a gap therebetween (see Figs. 1-2 and 5-12, modified housing in claim 19).
Regarding claims 21 and 22, Chakam as modified teaches the limitations of claim 19, but does not teach the placement of the housing.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to mount the housing of Chakam to the nonconductive pane or mounted near the nonconductive pane since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to employ/use a known technique to improve similar devices (methods, products) in the same way is obvious. KSR International Co. v Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395-97 (2007) Mounting the antenna assembly to the nonconductive pane secures the device with minimal impact on the antenna performance.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Geary et al. (U.S. Patent Application No. 20090058731) teaches an antenna.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL MUNOZ whose telephone number is (571)270-1957. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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/DANIEL MUNOZ/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2896