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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention / Group I (Claims 1-6 and 13-20) in the reply filed on 05/11/2026 is acknowledged.
Information Disclosure Statement
An applicant’s duty of disclosure of material information is not satisfied by presenting a patent examiner with “a mountain of largely irrelevant data from which he is presumed to have been able, with his expertise and with adequate time, to have found the critical data. It ignores the real world conditions under which examiners work.” Rohm & Haas Co. v. Crystal Chemical Co., 722 F.2d 1556, 1573, 220 U.S.P.Q. 289 (Fed. Cir. 1983), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 851 (1984). An applicant has a duty to not just disclose pertinent prior art references but to make a disclosure in such way as not to “bury” it within other disclosures of less relevant prior art. See Golden Valley Microwave Foods Inc. v. Weaver Popcorn Co. Inc., 24 U.S.P.Q.2d 1801 (N.D. Ind. 1992); Molins PLC v. Textron Inc., 26 U.S.P.Q.2d 1889, 1899 (D. Del. 1992); Penn Yan Boats, Inc. v. Sea Lark Boats, Inc. et al., 175 U.S.P.Q. 260, 272 (S.D. Fl. 1972). It is unreasonable for an examiner to review all of the cited references thoroughly. By signing the accompanying 1449 form(s), the Examiner is merely acknowledging the submission of the cited references and indicating that only a cursory review has been made.
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.
Claim 19 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 19 recites “the plurality of extending arms…cause a detuning effect of a body attached to the circular polarized antenna”. The limitation is indefinite in light of the Specification. For example, Paragraph 52 states “tuner configured to counteract detuning effects of a body attached to the circular polarized antenna”. For example, Paragraph 76 states “tuner 500 may be configured to counteract the detuning effect of the body”. Accordingly, the tuner, according to the disclosure of the invention, is configured to counteract detuning effects of a body attached to the antenna and the body is what causes the detuning of the antenna, not the plurality of extending arms. Thus the limitation is indefinite and a skilled artisan could not appropriately determine the ‘metes and bounds’ of the limitation.
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) 1-2, 5-6, 13-14, and 17-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 20110279339 A1 (hereinafter “Johnston”).
Claim 1 and 13: Johnston teaches an antenna system, comprising: a circular polarized antenna (e.g., see annotated FIG. 18 below, see Para. 7, 48); and a plurality of antenna elements (e.g., see crossed-dipoles); and a plurality of beam enhancers, the plurality of beam enhancers comprising a plurality of non-overlapping metal strips disposed around an axis of the circular polarized antenna (e.g., as shown, see Para. 61), wherein: the plurality of non-overlapping metal strips comprises at least a first level of metal strips and at least a second level of metal strips (e.g., see first level and second level of strips), wherein the first level of metal strips is vertically offset from the second level of metal strips, and the first level of metal strips symmetrically arranged around the axis (or the plurality of antenna elements), wherein the first level of metal strips are separated by a second offset (e.g., as shown).
PNG
media_image1.png
1091
1136
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Claim 2 and 14: Johnston teaches the antenna system of claim 1 and the circular polarized antenna of claim 13, respectively, wherein each metal strip of the plurality of non-overlapping metal strips has an arc shape (e.g., arc shape as shown in FIG. 18).
Claim 5 and 17: Johnston teaches the antenna system of claim 1 and the circular polarized antenna of claim 13, respectively, wherein the plurality of non-overlapping metal strips are disposed on a lower portion of the circular polarized antenna (e.g., strips disposed on a lower portion in a flipped image of FIG. 18).
Claim 6 and 18: Johnston teaches the antenna system of claim 1 and the circular polarized antenna of claim 13, respectively, further comprising: at least one tuner disposed above the circular polarized antenna, wherein the at least one tuner comprises a plurality of extending arms symmetrically oriented around the circular polarized antenna, wherein the plurality of extending arms are formed of a metal material (e.g., see tuner in annotated FIG. 18 above, further see Paras. 54-55).
Claim 19: Johnston teaches the circular polarized antenna of claim 18, wherein the plurality of extending arms radially extend across the circular polarized antenna and cause a detuning effect of a body attached to the circular polarized antenna (e.g., as best understood and shown in the annotated FIG. 18 above).
Claim 20: Johnston teaches the circular polarized antenna of claim 18, wherein the plurality of extending arms define a cross shape (e.g., wherein at least 4 of the arms of the tuner in annotated FIG. 18 above at least form a cross shape)
Claim(s) 1-5 and 13-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by GB2552828A (hereinafter “Yi”).
Claim 1 and 13: Yi teaches an antenna system, comprising: a circular polarized antenna (e.g., see FIGS. 1-3); and a plurality of antenna elements (e.g., see 220-223); and a plurality of beam enhancers (e.g., see 320-323), the plurality of beam enhancers comprising a plurality of non-overlapping metal strips disposed around an axis of the circular polarized antenna (e.g., 320-323 disposed around axis as shown in FIG. 3), wherein: the plurality of non-overlapping metal strips comprises at least a first level of metal strips (e.g., see 322, 323) and at least a second level of metal strips (e.g., see 320, 321), wherein the first level of metal strips is vertically offset from the second level of metal strips (e.g., as shown in FIG. 3), and the first level of metal strips symmetrically arranged around the axis (or the plurality of antenna elements) (e.g., 320-323 respectively disposed symmetrically around axis as shown in FIG. 3), wherein the first level of metal strips are separated by a second offset (e.g., as shown).
Claim 2 and 14: Yi teaches the antenna system of claim 1 and the circular polarized antenna of claim 13, respectively, wherein each metal strip of the plurality of non-overlapping metal strips has an arc shape (e.g., arc shape as shown in FIGS. 1-3).
Claim 3 and 15: Yi teaches the antenna system of claim 2 and the circular polarized antenna of claim 13, respectively, wherein the plurality of non-overlapping metal strips have substantially the same arc length (e.g., as shown in FIG. 3 and 7).
Claim 4 and 16: Yi teaches the antenna system of claim 3 and the circular polarized antenna of claim 15, respectively, wherein the arc length of each metal strip of the plurality of non-overlapping metal strips is determined based on operating wavelength of the circular polarized antenna (e.g., see second paragraph on Pg. 12 to first paragraph on Pg. 13, further see MPEP §§ 2112.01, 2114).
Claim 5 and 17: Yi teaches the antenna system of claim 1 and the circular polarized antenna of claim 13, respectively, wherein the plurality of non-overlapping metal strips are disposed on a lower portion of the circular polarized antenna (e.g., wherein a lower is relative to the z axis and/or the plurality may be the lower plurality of strips 330 or 331 in FIG. 3).
Claim(s) 1-5 and 13-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP200551683A (hereinafter “Horii”) (English translation attached and cited to herein).
Claim 1 and 13: Horii teaches an antenna system, comprising: a circular polarized antenna (e.g., see FIGS. 1-3); and a plurality of antenna elements (e.g., see 16, 18); and a plurality of beam enhancers (e.g., see 24, 28), the plurality of beam enhancers comprising a plurality of non-overlapping metal strips disposed around an axis of the circular polarized antenna (e.g., 24, 28 disposed around axis as shown), wherein: the plurality of non-overlapping metal strips comprises at least a first level of metal strips (e.g., see 26) and at least a second level of metal strips (e.g., see 24), wherein the first level of metal strips is vertically offset from the second level of metal strips (e.g., as shown), and the first level of metal strips symmetrically arranged around the axis (or the plurality of antenna elements) (e.g., as shown), wherein the first level of metal strips are separated by a second offset (e.g., as shown).
Claim 2 and 14: Horii teaches the antenna system of claim 1 and the circular polarized antenna of claim 13, respectively, wherein each metal strip of the plurality of non-overlapping metal strips has an arc shape (e.g., arc shape as shown in FIGS. 1-3).
Claim 3 and 15: Horii teaches the antenna system of claim 2 and the circular polarized antenna of claim 13, respectively, wherein the plurality of non-overlapping metal strips have substantially the same arc length (e.g., as shown in FIG. 3, e.g., see bottom of Pg. 4 of English translation).
Claim 4 and 16: Horii teaches the antenna system of claim 3 and the circular polarized antenna of claim 15, respectively, wherein the arc length of each metal strip of the plurality of non-overlapping metal strips is determined based on operating wavelength of the circular polarized antenna (e.g., see bottom of Pg. 4 of English translation).
Claim 5 and 17: Horii teaches the antenna system of claim 1 and the circular polarized antenna of claim 13, respectively, wherein the plurality of non-overlapping metal strips are disposed on a lower portion of the circular polarized antenna (e.g., 24, 26 disposed on lower portion of antenna as shown).
Inquiry
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AMAL PATEL whose telephone number is (571)270-7443. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00 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, Dimary Lopez can be reached at (571) 270-7893. 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.
/AMAL PATEL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
Prosecution Insights