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 .
Drawings
New corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in this application because details of at least Figs. 2a, 2b and 3a, pertaining to the invention, appear unclear. Applicant is advised to employ the services of a competent patent draftsperson outside the Office, as the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office no longer prepares new drawings. The corrected drawings are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The requirement for corrected drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 13 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 13, last clause reciting “a second feed structure coupled to each of the third and fourth dipole arms to feed the third and fourth dipole arms and the fourth dipole arm with a second signal” appears to be a typo, which should read --a second feed structure coupled to each of the third and fourth dipole arms to feed the third and fourth dipole arms --.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 13-21 are 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 13, line 4 reciting “a first feed structure coupled to each of the first and second dipole” is indefinite, since it’s unclear whether “the first and second dipole” are related (or in addition) to “a first dipole arm” and “a second dipole arm” earlier claimed. For examination purposes, the indefinite clause will be interpreted as --a first feed structure coupled to each of the first and second dipole arms--.
Claims 14-21 are rejected for depending therefrom.
There should be a clear recitation of interrelated structure in order to provide a complete and operable dipole antenna.
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 13-14, 16-19 and 22-29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over “Jones” (US 20100007572).
Claim 13: As best understood, Jones discloses a dipole antenna, comprising:
a first dipole arm 44 (A in Fig. 3 reproduced below);
a second dipole arm B that is adjacent and orthogonal to the first dipole arm;
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a first feed structure 202 coupled to each of the first and second dipole and configured (inherently) to feed the first and second dipole arms with a first signal (¶ 34; each dipole arm 44, i.e., A and B, has a respective feed structure 202, for feeding one or more signals using strip 204);
a third dipole arm C that is opposite and parallel to the first dipole arm;
a fourth dipole arm D that is adjacent and orthogonal to the third dipole arm, and
a second feed structure 202 coupled to each of the third and fourth dipole arms to feed the third and fourth dipole arms (¶ 34; each additional dipole arms 44, i.e., C and D, has a respective feed structure 202).
Jones fails to expressly teach the second feed structure coupled to each of the third and fourth dipole arms to feed with a second signal.
However, Jones teaches in ¶ 34, “Each antenna unit cell 45 is formed as first and second sets 45a, 45b of coupled dipole antenna elements 40 that are orthogonal to each other and provide dual polarization. Antenna feed-line components 200 typically comprised of strip-line (as shown) or coaxial cable are illustrated positioned below the substrate 23 and form the feed point 42. Four legs 44 are illustrated and four feed point junction members 202 that are connected by a conductive strip 204 or other connector member to the legs 44. The beam former will connect to the feed-line components 200 below the ground layer 214 and will include all the electronic components used in phased array antennas as the beam former component for each antenna unit cell 45.”
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have the second feed structure of Jones coupled to each of the third and fourth dipole arms to feed with a second signal, in order to effectively provide dual polarization and facilitate phased array operation.
Claim 14: Jones teaches the dipole antenna of claim 13, wherein: the first feed structure is located between the first dipole arm and the second dipole arm (see Fig. 3); and
the second feed structure is located between the third dipole arm and the fourth dipole arm (see Fig. 3).
Claim 16: Jones teaches the dipole antenna of claim 14, further comprising: a third feed structure 202 (Fig. 3) located between and coupled to each of the second and third dipole arms and configured to (inherently) feed the second and third dipole arms with a third signal (¶ 34).
Claim 17: Jones teaches the dipole antenna of claim 16, wherein: the first and second dipole arms are configured to, when fed the first signal via the first feed structure, produce a first field in a first direction to provide a first polarization of the dipole antenna (¶ 34: “provide dual polarization”);
and the second and third dipole arms are configured to, when fed the third signal via the third feed structure, produce a second field in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction to provide a second polarization of that dipole antenna that is orthogonal to the first polarization (¶ 34: “provide dual polarization”).
Claim 18: Jones teaches the dipole antenna of claim 16, further comprising: a fourth feed 202 (Fig. 3) structure located between and coupled to each of the first and fourth dipole arms and configured to (inherently) feed the first and fourth dipole arms with a fourth signal (¶ 34).
Claim 19: Jones teaches the dipole antenna of claim 18, wherein: the first and second dipole arms are configured to, when fed the first signal via the first feed structure, produce a first field in a first direction to provide a first polarization of the dipole antenna (¶ 34: “provide dual polarization”); and
the first and fourth dipole arms are configured to, when fed the fourth signal via the fourth feed structure, produce a second field in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction to provide a second polarization of that dipole antenna that is orthogonal to the first polarization (¶ 34: “provide dual polarization”).
Claim 22: Jones discloses a dipole antenna, comprising:
a first dipole arm 44 (A in Fig. 3 reproduced above);
a second dipole B arm that is adjacent and orthogonal to the first dipole arm;
a first feed structure 202 coupled to each of the first and second dipole arms and configured to (inherently) feed the first and second dipole arms with a first signal (¶ 34; each dipole arm 44, i.e., A and B, has a respective feed structure 202, for feeding one or more signals using strip 204);
a third dipole arm C that is opposite and parallel to the first dipole arm;
a second feed structure 202 coupled to each of the second and third dipole arms to feed the second and third dipole arms (¶ 34; each additional dipole arms 44, i.e., C and D, has a respective feed structure 202); and
a fourth dipole arm D that is adjacent and orthogonal to the third dipole arm.
Jones fails to expressly teach the second feed structure coupled to each of the second and third dipole arms to feed the second and third dipole arms with a second signal.
However, Jones teaches in ¶ 34, “Each antenna unit cell 45 is formed as first and second sets 45a, 45b of coupled dipole antenna elements 40 that are orthogonal to each other and provide dual polarization. Antenna feed-line components 200 typically comprised of strip-line (as shown) or coaxial cable are illustrated positioned below the substrate 23 and form the feed point 42. Four legs 44 are illustrated and four feed point junction members 202 that are connected by a conductive strip 204 or other connector member to the legs 44. The beam former will connect to the feed-line components 200 below the ground layer 214 and will include all the electronic components used in phased array antennas as the beam former component for each antenna unit cell 45.”
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have the second feed structure of Jones coupled to each of the second and third dipole arms to feed the second and third dipole arms with a second signal, in order to effectively provide dual polarization and facilitate phased array operation.
Claim 23: Jones teaches the dipole antenna of claim 22, wherein: the first feed structure is located between the first and second dipole arms; and the second feed structure is located between the second and third dipole arms (see Fig. 3).
Claim 24: Jones teaches the dipole antenna of claim 23, wherein: the first and second dipole arms are configured to, when fed the first signal via the first feed structure, provide a first polarization of the dipole antenna (¶ 34: “provide dual polarization”); and
the second and third dipole arms are configured to, when fed the second signal via the second feed structure, provide a second polarization of the dipole antenna that is orthogonal to the first polarization (¶ 34: “provide dual polarization”).
Claim 25: Jones teaches the dipole antenna of claim 24, wherein: the first and second dipole arms are configured to, when fed the first signal via the first feed structure, produce a first field in a first direction to provide the first polarization (¶ 34: “provide dual polarization”); and
the second and third dipole arms are configured to, when fed the second signal via the second feed structure, produce a second field in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction to provide the second polarization (¶ 34: “provide dual polarization”).
Claim 26: Jones teaches the dipole antenna of claim 23, further comprising: a third feed structure 202 (Fig. 3) located between and coupled to each of the first and fourth dipole arms and configured to (inherently) feed the first and fourth dipole arms with a third signal (¶ 34).
Claim 27: Jones teaches the dipole antenna of claim 26, wherein: the first and second dipole arms are configured to, when fed the first signal via the first feed structure, provide a first polarization of the dipole antenna (¶ 34: “provide dual polarization”); and
the first and fourth dipole arms are configured to, when fed the third signal via the third feed structure, provide a second polarization of the dipole antenna (¶ 34: “provide dual polarization”).
Claim 28: Jones teaches the dipole antenna of claim 27, wherein:
the first and second dipole arms are configured to, when fed the first signal via the first feed structure, produce (inherently) a first field in a first direction to provide the first polarization (¶ 34); and
the first and fourth dipole arms are configured to, when fed the third signal via the third feed structure, produce (inherently) a second field in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction to provide the second polarization (¶ 34: “dual polarization”).
Claim 29: Jones teaches the dipole antenna of claim 26, further comprising: a fourth feed structure 202 (Fig. 3) located between and coupled to each of the third and fourth dipole arms and configured (inherently) to feed the third and fourth dipole arms with a fourth signal (¶ 34).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15, 20-21 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 30-32 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
McDevitt (US 9397404)
Daojian (US 10389018)
Bell (US 6342867)
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/HASAN ISLAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845