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 Species V, claims 1-6 and 8-18, in the reply filed on 10/20/2025 is acknowledged. Claims 1 and 18 have been amended. Claims 7 and 19-20 have been canceled without prejudice or disclaimer. Claims 21-23 are newly added. Thus, claims 1-6, 8-18 and 21-23 are pending in the instant application.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
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 1-6, 8-17 and 21-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McCormack et al. (U.S Publication No. 20140273837 A1) in view of Gundel et al. (U.S Publication No. 20170250726 A1).
Regarding claim 1, McCormack discloses an electronic device (which is an electronic device may include an auxiliary circuit providing an operative function, a data signal circuit, and an extremely high frequency (EHF) wireless transmitter, see fig. 13B, and abstract) comprising:
a first substrate (which is a first PCB 1312) having a first signal trace (see fig. 13B, paragraph [0079]);
a second substrate (which is a second PCB 1326) having a second signal trace (see fig. 13B, paragraph [0080]); and
one or more dielectric matching layers (which are a first dielectric cover 1318 and a second dielectric cover 1332) disposed between the first antenna (1316 or 1314) and the second antenna (1318 or 1320), (which is a first dielectric cover 1318 mounted to the first PCB 1312 may define an interface surface 1320 extending along first EHF wireless transmitter chip 1314, first EHF wireless receiver chip 1316, and a first inductive power coil 1322; and a second dielectric cover 1332 may be mounted to the second PCB 1326 and may define a second interface surface 1334 extending along the second EHF wireless transmitter chip 1328, the second EHF wireless receiver chip 1330, and the second inductive power coil 1336), (see fig. 13B, paragraph [0079] and [0080]).
McCormack further discloses the movement of the first electronic insert 1308 and the second electronic insert 1324 may be restricted so that the first EHF wireless transmitter chip 1314 and the second EHF wireless receiver chip 1330 are aligned and fixed sufficiently to establish a wireless EHF communication link 1354. In this position, the second EHF wireless transmitter chip 1328 and the first EHF wireless receiver chip 1316 are aligned, as are inductive coils 1322 and 1336 (see fig. 13B, and paragraph [0083]).
McCormack does not explicitly disclose a wireless connector that communicatively couples the first signal trace to the second signal trace, the wireless connector including a first antenna on the first substrate, a second antenna on the second substrate.
Gundel, on the other hand, discloses a wireless connector is disclosed that includes a first communication device configured to wirelessly transmit, by radiative coupling, a modulated signal including a carrier signal modulated with a digital signal. The wireless connector also includes a second communication device configured to receive the modulated signal. The first and second communication devices are coupled to one another through at least one wired connection that carries a signal used to demodulate the modulated signal (see abstract); wherein the wireless connector including a first antenna (210a and 220a) on the first substrate (201), a second antenna (210b and 220b) on the second substrate (202), (see fig. 2 and 3, paragraph [0056] and [0058]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify the electronic device as taught by McCormack with the electronic device having the wireless connectors as taught by Gundel as discussed above that can potentially replace or reduce the need for wired connectors for medium to high speed communication between boards or between the devices on the same board. These implementations provide very attractive solutions to the increasingly complex connectivity problems in a multi-board system (e.g., instruments, PCs, consumer devices, industrial equipment, and data centers), (see paragraph [0037] by Gundel).
Regarding claim 2, McCormack in view of Gundel discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more dielectric matching layers comprise: a first dielectric matching layer (which is the first dielectric cover 1318) on the first substrate (which is a first PCB 1312) and overlapping the first antenna (1316 or 1314), (see fig. 13B, and paragraph [0079] by McCormack).
Regarding claim 3, McCormack in view of Gundel discloses the electronic device of claim 2, wherein the one or more dielectric matching layers comprise: a second dielectric matching layer (which is a second dielectric cover 1332) on the second substrate (which is the second PCB 1326) and overlapping the second antenna (1328 or 1330), (see fig. 13B and paragraph [0080] by McCormack).
Regarding claim 4, McCormack in view of Gundel discloses the electronic device of claim 3, further comprising an air gap between the first dielectric matching layer (1318) and the second dielectric matching layer (1332), (see fig. 3B by McCormack).
Regarding claims 5 and 6, McCormack in view of Gundel discloses the electronic device of claim 3, except for specifying that wherein the one or more dielectric matching layers further comprise: a first angled layer on the first dielectric matching layer; and wherein the one or more dielectric matching layers further comprise: a second angled layer on the first dielectric matching layer, wherein the first angled layer has a first angled face that points towards the second angled layer and the second angled layer has a second angled face that points towards the first angled layer.
However, Gundel further discloses one or more extenders 1033 may be arranged so that the communicating chips 1030a, 1030b in a wireless connector 1030 are arranged at any suitable angle to one another that achieves acceptable noise mitigation and/or signal strength (see paragraph [0068]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the invention was made to modify the electronic device as taught by McCormack in view of Gundel having the one or more dielectric matching layers further comprise: a first angled layer on the first dielectric matching layer, and the one or more dielectric matching layers further comprise: a second angled layer on the first dielectric matching layer, wherein the first angled layer has a first angled face that points towards the second angled layer and the second angled layer has a second angled face that points towards the first angled layer, which is considered as an obvious matter of design choice based upon an actual design requirement so that the various designs of circuit may be satisfied.
Regarding claim 8, McCormack in view of Gundel discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more dielectric matching layers comprises: a first dielectric matching layer (which is a first dielectric cover 1318) on the first substrate (which is the first PCB 1312) and overlapping the first antenna (1316 or 1314), wherein the first dielectric matching layer (1318) has a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface (see fig. 13B), the first surface faces the first substrate (1312) and extends parallel to a lateral surface of the first substrate (1312), and the second surface is oriented at a non-parallel angle with respect to the first surface (see fig. 13B by McCormack).
Regarding claim 9, McCormack in view of Gundel discloses the electronic device of claim 8, wherein the one or more dielectric matching layers comprises: a second dielectric matching layer (which is a second dielectric cover 1332) on the second substrate (which is the second PCB 1326) and overlapping the second antenna (1328 and 1330), wherein the second dielectric matching layer (1332) has a third surface and a fourth surface opposite the third surface (see fig. 13B), the third surface faces the second substrate (1326) and extends parallel to a lateral surface of the second substrate (1326), and the fourth surface is oriented at a non-parallel angle with respect to the third surface (see fig. 13B by McCormack).
Regarding claim 10, McCormack in view of Gundel discloses the electronic device of claim 9, wherein the first surface is on the lateral surface of the first substrate (1312) and the third surface is on the lateral surface of the second substrate (1326), (see fig. 13B by McCormack).
Regarding claim 11, McCormack in view of Gundel discloses the electronic device of claim 1, the wireless connector further comprising: a first transceiver on the first substrate and coupled to the first antenna and the first signal trace; a third antenna on the first substrate and coupled to the first transceiver; a second transceiver on the second substrate and coupled to the second antenna and the second signal trace; and a fourth antenna on the second substrate and coupled to the second transceiver, wherein the first antenna and the third antenna are configured to transmit, to the third antenna and the fourth antenna and through the one or more dielectric matching layers, wireless signals that include data conveyed over the first signal trace (see fig. 2 and 3, paragraph [0004], [0005], and [0056] by Gundel).
Regarding claim 12, McCormack discloses an electronic device (which is an electronic device may include an auxiliary circuit providing an operative function, a data signal circuit, and an extremely high frequency (EHF) wireless transmitter, see fig. 13B, and abstract) comprising:
a first substrate (which is a first PCB 1010 in fig. 10B, a first PCB 1024 in fig. 10C, or a first PCB 1312 in fig. 13B) having a first signal path (see fig. 10B, 10C and 13B, paragraph [0072], [0073] and [0079]);
a first transceiver (which is a wireless transceiver 1026) on the first printed circuit board (which is the first PCB 1024) and coupled to the first signal path (see fig. 10C, paragraph [0073]);
a second substrate (which is a second PCB 1016 in fig. 10B, or a second PCB 1326) having a second signal path (see fig. 10B and 13B, paragraph [0072] and [0080]);
a first antenna (1028 or 1030) coupled to the first transceiver (1026), the first antenna being disposed on the first printed circuit (1024); and
a dielectric layer (which is a dielectric cover 1034) overlapping the first antenna (1028 or 1030), wherein the dielectric layer (1034) has a first surface facing the first printed circuit board (which is a PCB 1024) and a second surface opposite the first surface, that second surface being non-parallel with respect to the first surface (see fig. 10C, paragraph [0073]).
McCormack does not explicitly disclose a second transceiver on the second printed circuit board and coupled to the second signal path; and a second antenna coupled to the second transceiver, the second antenna being disposed on the second printed circuit board and being laterally offset with respect to the first antenna.
Gundel, on the other hand, discloses some embodiments are directed to wireless transceiver system that includes first and second PCBs. The first PCB comprises a plurality of first transceivers disposed thereon. Each first transceiver is adapted to modulate a first carrier signal with a first digital signal to generate a first modulated carrier signal and wirelessly transmit the first modulated carrier signal. The second PCB comprises a plurality of second transceivers disposed thereon. Each second transceiver is adapted to modulate a second carrier signal with a second digital signal to generate a second modulated carrier signal and wirelessly transmit the second modulated carrier signal. Each first transceiver corresponds to a different second transceiver and each first transceiver is adapted to wirelessly receive the second modulated signal wirelessly transmitted by the second transceiver corresponding to the first transceiver and demodulate the received second modulated carrier signal to extract the second digital signal. Each second transceiver is adapted to wirelessly receive the first modulated signal wirelessly transmitted by the first transceiver corresponding to the second transceiver and demodulate the received first modulated carrier signal to extract the first digital signal (see paragraph [0004] and [0005]). Gundel also discloses the communication chips 210a, 210b, 220a, 220b may be receiver—transmitter pairs, or both chips may be transceivers. The communication signals exchanged between the communication devices 210a, 210b, 220a, 220b can be transmitted by active electromagnetic radiative coupling from one or more transmit antennas to one or more receive antennas (see paragraph [0056]). In some implementations, a modular wireless connector element may comprise one half of a wireless connector. The modular wireless connector element may include a communication chip, e.g., transmitter, receiver, transceiver, which can be disposed on a modular PCB, along with some means for connecting the PCB of the modular wireless connector element to another PCB (see paragraph [0095]). One or both communicating chips and a wireless connector may be disposed on an extender.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify the electronic device as taught by McCormack with the electronic device in order to allow each transceiver in the system is configured to receive signals transmitted by every other transceiver in the system (see paragraph [0005] and [0007] by Gundel).
Gundel further discloses electronic device may include an auxiliary circuit providing an operative function, a data signal circuit, and an extremely high frequency (EHF) wireless transmitter (see abstract). Gundel further discloses as illustrated in FIG. 10, one or more extenders 1031a, 1031b may be arranged so that the communicating chips 1010a, 1010b in a wireless connector 1010 are offset from one another on the PCBs; one or more extenders 1032 may be arranged so that the communicating chips 1020a, 1020b in a wireless connector 1020 are disposed at right angles to one another, and/or one or more extenders 1033 may be arranged so that the communicating chips 1030a, 1030b in a wireless connector 1030 are arranged at any suitable angle to one another that achieves acceptable noise mitigation and/or signal strength (see paragraph [0068]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify the electronic device as taught by McCormack with the electronic device as taught by Gundel
Regarding claim 13, McCormack in view of Gundel discloses the electronic device of claim 12, except for specifying that wherein the second surface is angled towards the second antenna.
However, Gundel further discloses one or more extenders 1033 may be arranged so that the communicating chips 1030a, 1030b in a wireless connector 1030 are arranged at any suitable angle to one another that achieves acceptable noise mitigation and/or signal strength (see paragraph [0068]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the invention was made to modify the electronic device as taught by McCormack in view of Gundel having the second surface is angled towards the second antenna, which is considered as an obvious matter of design choice based upon an actual design requirement so that the various designs of circuit may be satisfied.
Regarding claim 14, McCormack in view of Gundel discloses the electronic device of claim 13, further comprising: an additional dielectric layer (which is a second dielectric cover 1332) overlapping the second antenna (1328 or 1330), (see fig. 13B), wherein the additional dielectric layer (1332) has a third surface facing the second printed circuit board and a fourth surface opposite the second surface, that fourth surface being non-parallel with respect to the third surface (see fig. 13B by McCormack).
Regarding claim 15, McCormack in view of Gundel discloses the electronic device of claim 14, except for specifying that wherein the third surface is angled towards the first antenna.
However, Gundel further discloses one or more extenders 1033 may be arranged so that the communicating chips 1030a, 1030b in a wireless connector 1030 are arranged at any suitable angle to one another that achieves acceptable noise mitigation and/or signal strength (see paragraph [0068]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the invention was made to modify the electronic device as taught by McCormack in view of Gundel having the third surface is angled towards the first antenna, which is considered as an obvious matter of design choice based upon an actual design requirement so that the various designs of circuit may be satisfied.
Regarding claim 16, McCormack in view of Gundel discloses the electronic device of claim 12, except for specifying that wherein the first printed circuit board comprises a rigid printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board comprises a flexible printed circuit board.
Gundel further discloses the materials used for the partition or housing are those that can effectively attenuate or shield the signal. The material of the housing can be rigid or flexible and/or can be homogeneous or may comprise a composite material, such as a loaded polymer. One of the materials may be more suitable for noise mitigation (keeping signals out generated by sources outside of the wireless connector outside the connector space) and another material may be more suitable for signal enhancement (keeping signals generated by the communicating chips of the wireless connector within the connector space). For example, one material used in a noise mitigation/signal enhancement stricture may comprise a low loss, high dielectric constant to act as waveguide for the signal within the wireless connector space. . A second material may be a high loss material, a low loss material with low dielectric constant or even a conductor to help isolate the channels (see paragraph [0099]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify the electronic device as taught by McCormack in view of Gundel having the first printed circuit board comprises a rigid printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board comprises a flexible printed circuit board, which is considered as an obvious matter of design choice based upon an actual design requirement so that the various designs of circuit may be satisfied.
Regarding claim 17, McCormack in view of Gundel discloses the electronic device of claim 12, wherein the first printed circuit board (1312) and the second printed circuit board (1326) are non-overlapping (see fig. 13B by McCormack).
Regarding claim 21, McCormack in view of Gundel discloses the electronic of claim 1, wherein the first substrate comprises a first printed circuit board (which is a first PCB 1312) and the second substrate comprises a second printed circuit board (which is a second PCB 1326), (see fig. 13B, paragraph [0079] and [0080] by McCormack).
Regarding claim 22, McCormack in view of Gundel discloses the electronic of claim 1, wherein the first and second antennas are configured to convey radio-frequency signals at a frequency greater than 60 GHz (see paragraph [0054], [0114] and [0130] by Gundel).
Regarding claim 23, McCormack discloses an electronic device (which is an electronic device may include an auxiliary circuit providing an operative function, a data signal circuit, and an extremely high frequency (EHF) wireless transmitter, see fig. 13B, and abstract) comprising:
a first printed circuit board (which is a first PCB 1312), (see fig. 13B, paragraph [0079]);
a second printed circuit board (which is a second PCB 1326), (see fig. 13B, paragraph [0080]);
a first antenna (1316 or 1314) on the first printed circuit board (1312), (see fig. 13B, paragraph [0079]);
a second antenna (1328 or 1330) on the second printed circuit board (1326), (see fig. 13B, paragraph [0080]);
a first dielectric layer (which is a first dielectric cover 1318) on the first antenna (1316 or 1314), (see fig. 13B, paragraph [0079]); and
a second dielectric layer (which is a second dielectric cover 1332 on the second antenna (1328 or 13330), (see fig. 13B, paragraph [0080]), wherein
the first antenna (1316 or 1314) is configured to wirelessly communicate with the second antenna (1328 or 1330), (see fig. 13B),
the first dielectric layer (1318) has a first surface that faces the second antenna (1328 or 13330) and that is non-parallel to a lateral surface of the first printed circuit (1312), (see fig. 13B), and
the second dielectric layer (1332) has a second surface that faces the first antenna (1316 or 1314( and that is non-parallel to a lateral surface of the second printed circuit (1326), (see fig. 13B).
McCormack does not explicitly disclose the first antenna is offset from the second antenna.
Gundel, on the other hand, discloses electronic device may include an auxiliary circuit providing an operative function, a data signal circuit, and an extremely high frequency (EHF) wireless transmitter (see abstract). Gundel further discloses as illustrated in FIG. 10, one or more extenders 1031a, 1031b may be arranged so that the communicating chips 1010a, 1010b in a wireless connector 1010 are offset from one another on the PCBs; one or more extenders 1032 may be arranged so that the communicating chips 1020a, 1020b in a wireless connector 1020 are disposed at right angles to one another, and/or one or more extenders 1033 may be arranged so that the communicating chips 1030a, 1030b in a wireless connector 1030 are arranged at any suitable angle to one another that achieves acceptable noise mitigation and/or signal strength (see paragraph [0068]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify the electronic device as taught by McCormack with the electronic device as taught by Gundel having the first antenna is offset from the second antenna in which one or more extenders may be arranged so that the communicating chips in a wireless connector are disposed at right angles to one another, and/or one or more extenders may be arranged so that the communicating chips in a wireless connector are arranged at any suitable angle to one another that achieves acceptable noise mitigation and/or signal strength (see paragraph [0068] by Gundel).
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McCormack et al. (U.S Publication No. 20140273837 A1) in view of Gundel et al. (U.S Publication No. 20170250726 A1), and further in view of Mow et al. (U.S Publication No. 20160308626 A1).
Regarding claim 18, McCormack in view of Gundel discloses the electronic device of claim 12, further comprising: a third antenna mounted to the first printed circuit board and communicatively coupled to the first signal trace (see fig. 10B and 13B by McCormack).
McCormack in view of Gundel does not explicitly disclose baseband circuitry communicatively coupled to the second signal trace.
Mow, on the other hand, discloses another illustrative configuration for wireless circuitry 34 is shown in FIG. 7. In the example of FIG. 7, baseband processor 140 is used to generate (and receive) antenna signals at intermediate frequencies IF. Paths 100 may be used to convey intermediate frequency signals IF or other antenna signals between baseband processor 140 and antenna signal paths (e.g., antenna signal paths in integrated circuit 190 or other wireless circuitry 34). Control signals (e.g., signals from baseband processor 140 or other control circuitry 30 and/or direct-current power signals) may also be distributed using paths 100. Processing circuitry in storage and processing circuitry 30 may be used to control the operation of device 10. This processing circuitry may be based on one or more microprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, baseband processor integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits, etc. (see fig. 7, paragraph [0028] and [0060]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to modify electronic device as taught by McCormack in view of Gundel having baseband circuitry communicatively coupled to the second signal trace in order to generate (and receive) antenna signals at intermediate frequencies (see paragraph [0060] by Mow).
Conclusion
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/Thai Pham/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2844 01/21/2026