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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement submitted on 09/26/2023 and 05/14/2025 has been considered by the Examiner and made of record in the application file.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Noori et al. (US 20180233808 A1).
Consider claim 1, Noori discloses a transducer comprising: multiple parallel resonant antenna elements in an array, wherein the antenna elements are configured to convert electrical signals into extremely high frequency (EHF) electromagnetic signals (read as the Yagi antenna configured to convert electrical signals into EHF electromagnetic signals and Yagi antenna is positioned on a printed circuit board 130 of antenna structure 40, fig. 4 and 7, paragraphs 0060, 0063, 0065).
Consider claim 2, as applied to claim 1 above, Noori discloses wherein the multiple parallel resonant antenna elements include one driven component and one director element (read as Yagi antenna 40 includes reflector 132, radiator 124 and one or more directors 126, see fig. 4, 132, 124, 126; paragraph 0056).
Consider claim 3, as applied to claim 2 above, Noori discloses wherein the transducer is positioned on a substrate and wherein the director element is shorter in length than the driven element and is positioned on the substrate on the side of an intended transmission direction of the transducer (read as Yagi antenna 40 includes reflector 132, radiator 124 and one or more directors 126, which is shorter and on the side of transmission on the substrate, see fig. 4, 132, 124, 126; paragraph 0056).
Consider claim 4, as applied to claim 2 above, Noori discloses wherein the multiple parallel resonant antenna elements comprise a plurality of parasitic elements that receive and radiate EHF electromagnetic signals from the driven element (read as Yagi antenna 40 includes reflector 132, radiator 124 and one or more directors 126, see fig. 4, 132, 124, 126; paragraph 0056).
Consider claim 5, as applied to claim 4 above, Noori discloses wherein the plurality of parasitic elements receive and re-radiate waves from the driven element but in a different phase based on lengths of the plurality of parasitic elements (read as phased antenna arrays 40, see fig. 3 and 4, paragraph 0054, 0056).
Consider claim 6, as applied to claim 5 above, Noori discloses wherein the re-radiated waves are superimposed to increase antenna gain in a transmission direction (read as phased antenna arrays, circuitry 90 may include gain and phase adjustment circuitry that is used in adjusting the signals associated with each antenna 40 in an array (e.g. to perform beam steering/directional transmission), paragraph 0054).
Consider claim 7, as applied to claim 1 above, Noori discloses wherein the array is an end-fire array (read as phased antenna arrays 40, see fig. 3 and 4, paragraph 0054, 0056).
Consider claim 8, as applied to claim 1 above, Noori discloses wherein the transducer has a directional side-fire radiation pattern at EHF (read as phased antenna arrays, circuitry 90 may include gain and phase adjustment circuitry that is used in adjusting the signals associated with each antenna 40 in an array (e.g. to perform beam steering/directional transmission), paragraph 0054).
Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Redd et al. (US 20130271331 A1).
Consider claim 1, Redd discloses a transducer comprising: multiple parallel resonant antenna elements in an array, wherein the antenna elements are configured to convert electrical signals into extremely high frequency (EHF) electromagnetic signals (read as a transducer which may be configured to transmit and/or receive an EHF electromagnetic signal and convert between electrical signals and electromagnetic signals, fig. 1, paragraph 0006).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 10-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Surducan et al. (US 20060208956 A1) in view of Noori et al. (US 20180233808 A1)
Consider claim 9, Surducan discloses a transducer comprising: a trapezoid shaped conductor, a slot located along a central line of the transducer, a first set of side slots located at a first edge of the transducer, and a second set of side slots located at a second edge of the transducer (read as a dual-band dipole antenna includes a trapezoidal shaped dipole conductive layer (30), a slot located along a central line, a first set of side slots located at a first edge, and a second set of side slots located at a second edge, figures 2B, 20, paragraph 0062).
However, Surducan discloses the claimed invention above but does not specifically disclose wherein the transducer is configured to convert electrical signals into extremely high frequency (EHF) electromagnetic signals such that electrical signals fed to the transducer are emitted from the transducer as EHF signals.
Nonetheless, Noori discloses Yagi antenna configured to convert electrical signals into EHF electromagnetic signals and Yagi antenna is positioned on a printed circuit board 130 of antenna structure 40, fig. 4 and 7, paragraphs 0060, 0063, 0065
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Noori into the teachings of Surducan in order to provide dipole antennas for wireless multiband communication systems.
Consider claim 10, as applied to claim 9 above, Surducan, as modified by Noori, discloses wherein the first set of side slots and the second set of side slots increase the current path of the transducer, which creates a wide EHF bandwidth (read as the configuration in fig. 2B and 20, paragraphs 0042-0045).
Consider claim 11, as applied to claim 9 above, Surducan, as modified by Noori, discloses wherein the size and position of the first and second slots are configured such that the transducer emits EHF radiation across a particular frequency bandwidth (read as dual-band dipole antenna for various frequency bands includes a trapezoidal shaped dipole conductive layer (30), a slot located along a central line, a first set of side slots located at a first edge, and a second set of side slots located at a second edge; for , figures 2B, 20, paragraph 0041 and 0062)
Consider claim 12, as applied to claim 9 above, Surducan, as modified by Noori, discloses wherein the first set of side slots and the second set of side slots are spaced at equal intervals and side slots of the first set are aligned with respective side slots of the second set (read as the configuration shown in figure 2B and 20, a dual-band dipole antenna includes a trapezoidal shaped dipole conductive layer (30), a slot located along a central line, a first set of side slots located at a first edge, and a second set of side slots located at a second edge, figures 2B, 20, paragraph 0062).
Consider claim 13, as applied to claim 9 above, Surducan, as modified by Noori, discloses wherein the first set of side slots and the second set of side slots are spaced at staggered intervals relative to each side (read as the configuration shown in figure 2B and 20, a dual-band dipole antenna includes a trapezoidal shaped dipole conductive layer (30), a slot located along a central line, a first set of side slots located at a first edge, and a second set of side slots located at a second edge, figures 2B, 20, paragraph 0062).
Consider claim 14, as applied to claim 9 above, Surducan, as modified by Noori, discloses wherein the first edge and the second edge are not parallel to each other (read as the antenna configuration shown in fig. 20, which the edge of each side are not parallel to each other, paragraphs 0062 and 0063).
Consider claim 15, as applied to claim 9 above, Surducan, as modified by Noori, discloses wherein the slot is formed from spacing between microstrip conductors (read as the configuration shown in figure 2B and 20, a dual-band dipole antenna includes a trapezoidal shaped dipole conductive layer (30), a slot located along a central line, a first set of side slots located at a first edge, and a second set of side slots located at a second edge, figures 2B, 20, paragraph 0062).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 16-20 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Junpeng Chen whose telephone number is (571) 270-1112. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Thursday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anthony S Addy can be reached on 571-272-7795. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Junpeng Chen/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2645