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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This office action is responsive to the applicant's amendment submitted on 03/05/2026. Claims 28-29 have been amended. Claims 1-27, 32-33 and 35-40 have been previously canceled. Claims 41-42 have been canceled. Claims 43-57 are newly added. The specification has been amended to fix a minor informality, and ok to enter. Thus, claims 28-31, 34 and 43-57 are currently pending in the instant application.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the limitation recites “wherein the first location and the second location are configured on a first side of the frame, and wherein the antenna structure is disposed at a middle location of the first side of the frame” in claim 28, the limitation recites “a frame having a first side with a first location and a second location disposed thereon; and an antenna structure disposed at a middle location of the first side of the frame” in claims 56 and 57 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). Particularly that which reference number is a first side of the frame. There is not a first side shown in the figures. No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 28-31, 34 and 43-57 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
The disclosure of the aforementioned prior-filed application fails to provide adequate support or enablement in the manner provided by the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112 for one or more claims of this application: claims 28-31, 34 and 43-57.
Specifically, claims 28 and 56-57 include limitations that are not disclosed, described in the specifications and/or drawing of the original disclosure. Some exemplary limitations from these claims are herein recited for further reviews:
“wherein the first location and the second location are configured on a first side of the frame, and wherein the antenna structure is disposed at a middle location of the first side of the frame” as recited in claim 28, and
“a frame having a first side with a first location and a second location disposed thereon; and an antenna structure disposed at a middle location of the first side of the frame” as recited in claim 56, and
“a frame comprising a first side, wherein the first side comprises a first location, a second location; and an antenna structure positioned at a middle location of the first side” as recited in claim 57.
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 28-31, 34 and 43-57 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.
Regarding claim 28, the limitation recites “wherein the first location and the second location are configured on a first side of the frame, and wherein the antenna structure is disposed at a middle location of the first side of the frame” is unclear and leaves the reader in doubt as to the meaning of the technical feature to which it refers. It is unclear that where is a first of the frame? It looks like the first location is configured on one side of the frame and the second location i configured on another side of the frame.
Regarding claim 56, the limitation recites “a frame having a first side with a first location and a second location disposed thereon; and an antenna structure disposed at a middle location of the first side of the frame” is unclear and leaves the reader in doubt as to the meaning of the technical feature to which it refers. It is unclear that where is a first of the frame? It looks like a frame having one side with a first location and another side with a second location disposed thereon, and an antenna structure positioned at a middle location of both sides of the frame.
Regarding claim 57, the limitation recites “a frame comprising a first side, wherein the first side comprises a first location, a second location; and an antenna structure positioned at a middle location of the first side” is unclear and leaves the reader in doubt as to the meaning of the technical feature to which it refers. It is unclear that where is a first? It looks like a frame having one side with a first location and another side with a second location disposed thereon, and an antenna structure positioned at a middle location of both sides of the frame.
The claims fail to recite sufficiently definite structure, material or acts for achieving the functional result recited in the claim to reasonably apprise one of ordinary skill in the art of the scope of the claim. It is not clearly explained in the specification as same reasons as stated above; therefore, it renders the claims indefinite.
Claims 29-31, 34 and 43-55 are depending on claim 28, and are rejected the same reasons under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph.
Note: for compact prosecution purposes, the examiner interprets the claims above as best understood in the rejections below.
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 28, 30, 34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (U.S Publication No. 20210151861 A1).
Regarding claim 28, Chen discloses an electronic device (which is an antenna structure and wireless communication device, see fig. 1-23) comprising:
a ground (which is a ground plane 110, see fig. 1-3-5, 7, 10 and 11A-11C);
a feed unit (which is a feeding source 212, see fig. 7, 10 and 11A-11C);
an antenna structure (which is an antenna structure 100) comprising:
a radiator (which is a first radiation portion 13) comprising a first feed point (via a feeding portion 12 electrically connected feeding source 212) that is disposed on the radiator (13) and that is electrically coupled to the feed unit (which is a feeding source 212), (see fig. 7, 10 and 11A-11C, paragraph [0049]); and
a first capacitive component (which is a connection capacitor 24, see fig. 7, 10 and 11C);
a frame (which is a metallic side frame 111 having a first side portion 116 and a second side portion 117) comprising: a first location; and a second location (see fig. 1-2); a section between the first location and the second location forming the radiator (see fig. 1-2, 7, 10 and 11A-11C); and
a first slot (which is a slot 118 having a first gap 119, a second gap 120, and a third gap 121, see paragraph [0044]) provided on the radiator and located between the first feed point and the first location (see fig. 7, 10 and 11A-11C);
wherein the first location and the second location are configured on a first side of the frame (see fig. 1-2, 7, 10 and 11A-11C), and wherein the antenna structure is disposed at a middle location of the first side of the frame (see fig. 1-2, 7, 10 and 11A-11C).
Chen silently discloses wherein the first capacitive component is coupled to the radiator in series at the first slot.
However, Chen discloses the antenna structures 100, 300, 400, 500 are further provided with the connection capacitor 24 corresponding to the first gap 119, to connect the first radiation portion 13 and the second radiation 14. The connection capacitor bridges the first gap, connecting the first radiation portion and the second radiation portion (see fig. 7, 10 and 11C, abstract, paragraph [0074]).
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 first capacitive component as taught by Chen is coupled to the radiator in series at the first slot in order to utilize the connection capacitor at the first gap so that current can pass from the first radiation portion to the second radiation portion through the connection capacitor (see paragraph [0065]).
The modification provide the connection capacitor allows the current of the first working mode (that is, the low frequency mode) to pass, so that the current enters the second radiation portion from the first radiation portion through the connection capacitor. The capacitor also blocks current in the middle frequency mode and the high frequency mode (see paragraph [0063]).
Regarding claim 30, Chen discloses the electronic device of claim 28, further comprising a second slot configured at the second location, wherein the radiator further comprises a first end located at the second slot, and wherein the first feed point is disposed at the first end (see fig. 7, 10 and 11A-11C).
Regarding claim 34, Chen discloses all the limitations of the electronic device of claim 28, except for specifying that further comprising a dielectric layer disposed between the radiator and the ground.
However, Chen further discloses in this embodiment, the slot 118, the first gap 119, the second gap 120, and the third gap 121 are all filled with an insulating material (such as plastic, rubber, glass, wood, ceramic, etc., but not limited to these), (see paragraph [0047]).
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 Chen having a dielectric layer disposed between the radiator and the ground, such as the housing which may be formed of plastic, glass, ceramics, fiber composites, metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, etc.), other suitable materials, or a combination of these materials. In some situations, parts of housing may be formed from dielectric or other low-conductivity material (e.g., glass, ceramic, plastic, sapphire, etc.), 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.
Claims 29 and 31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (U.S Publication No. 20210151861 A1) in view of Ouyang et al. (U.S Publication No. 20140266938 A1).
Regarding claim 29, Chen discloses the electronic device of claim 28, wherein an operating frequency band of the antenna structure is 698 megahertz (MHz) to 960 MHz (which is the frequency of the first radiation frequency band is 700-960 MHz, see paragraph [0059]); an operating frequency band of the antenna structure is 1710 MHz to 2170 MHz (which is the frequency of the second radiation frequency band is 1710-2170 MHz, see paragraph [0060]), or an operating frequency band of the antenna structure is 2300 MHz to 2690 MHz (which is The frequency of the third radiation frequency band is 2300-2690 MHz, see paragraph [0061]).
Chen does not explicitly disclose a capacitance value of the first capacitive component is between 2 picofarads (pF) and 15 pF, a capacitance value of the first capacitive component is between 0.8 pF and 12 pF, or a capacitance value of the first capacitive component is between 0.3 pF and 8 pF.
Ouyang, on the other hand, discloses an electronic device having multiport antenna structures with resonating slot comprising an adjustable capacitor may be coupled to the first antenna port to tune the inverted-F antenna in the cellular telephone low band (see paragraph [0009]). Adjustable capacitor 106B may bridge slot 132 to ensure that the resonance associated with slot-based parasitic antenna resonating element 132 falls within the 2.3 to 2.7 GHz band. Capacitor 106B may, as an example, be provided with a fixed capacitor C1 of about 0.2 pF and a fixed capacitor C2 of about 0.4 pF, allowing the capacitance of adjustable capacitor 106B to be adjusted over a range of capacitances such as a capacitance of 0.6 pF (when C1 and C2 are both switched into use in parallel), 0.2 pF (when C1 is switched into use), 0.4 pF (when capacitor C2 is switched into use) and zero (when capacitors C1 and C2 are both switched out of use). In the presence of adjustable capacitor 106B, the resonant frequency of slot-based parasitic antenna resonating element 132 may be reduced to about 2.4 GHz (see paragraph [0026]).
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 capacitance component as taught by Chen with the adjustable capacitor as taught by Ouyang in order to provide the first capacitive component is between 2 picofarads (pF) and 15 pF, a capacitance value of the first capacitive component is between 0.8 pF and 12 pF, or a capacitance value of the first capacitive component is between 0.3 pF and 8 pF, 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. A specific capacitance value may be adjusted based on an actual design or production requirement to meet a requirement.
The modification allows the capacitance adjustments produced using adjustable capacitor help ensure that the resonance produced by slot-based parasitic antenna resonating element covers the entire frequency band of interest (see paragraph [0066] by Ouyang).
Regarding claim 31, Chen discloses the electronic device of claim 30, further comprising: a third slot provided on the radiator (see fig. 7 and 10), wherein the third slot is located between the first feed point and the first slot (which is the slot 118 and the at least one gap cooperatively divide at least three radiation portions from the housing 11. In this embodiment, the slot 118, the first gap 119, the second gap 120, and the third gap 121 divide the housing 11 into three radiation portions, namely the first radiation portion 13, the second radiation portion 14, and the third radiation portion (see paragraph [0044]). FIG. 10 illustrates current paths of the antenna structure 100. When the feed portion 12, through the matching circuit 21, supplies a current from the feed source 212, the current flows in two directions. One direction is the current flowing to the first gap 119 along the first radiation portion 13, towards the second radiation portion 14 through the first connection portion 18, the connection capacitor 24, and the second connection portion 19, and to the third gap 121 along the second radiation portion 14 (path P1), to excite a first working mode and generate a radiation signal in a first radiation frequency band (see paragraph [0059]).
Chen does not explicitly disclose a second capacitive component coupled to the radiator in series at the third slot.
Ouyang, on the other hand, discloses an electronic device having multiport antenna structures with resonating slot comprising an adjustable capacitor may be coupled to the first antenna port to tune the inverted-F antenna in the cellular telephone low band (see paragraph [0009]). Adjustable capacitor 106A may be used in tuning low band performance in band LB, so that all desired frequencies between 700 MHz and 960 MHz can be covered. Slot antenna resonating element 132 may serve as a parasitic antenna resonating element that gives rise to an antenna resonance for antenna 40A (port 1A) that can be tuned using adjustable capacitor 106B to cover all frequencies from 2.3 GHz to 2.7 GHz in a communications band UB (see paragraph [0066]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention was made to incorporate a second capacitive component, such as a second adjustable capacitor as taught by Ouyang into the electronic device as taught by Chen coupled to the radiator in series at the third slot in order to provide the capacitance adjustments produced using adjustable capacitor help ensure that the resonance produced by slot-based parasitic antenna resonating element covers the entire frequency band of interest (see paragraph [0066] by Ouyang).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 28-31, 34 and 43-57 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
First, the amendment introduces new matter into the disclosure, therefore the new claims are not considered. And the claims are interprets as best understood in the rejections above.
Second, applicant's arguments do not clearly point out the patentable novelty which he or she thinks the claims present in view of the state of the art disclosed by the references cited or the objections made. Further, they do not show how the amendments avoid such references or objections.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THAI N PHAM whose telephone number is (571)270-5518. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00 am-5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alexander Taningco can be reached at 571-272-8048. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Thai Pham/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845 04/30/2026
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