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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on May 11th 2026 has been entered.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on May 11th, 2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claim(s) 1-5, 7, 10-17, 19-20, and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Naruse (US 20200006864 A1) in view of Bisiules et al. (US 20200006864 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Naruse discloses an advanced system, AAS (Antenna array 100 as seen in figure 1-6 of Naruse), comprising a plurality of antenna elements,
where the AAS extends on a surface (S) defined by a normal vector (N), where an x-direction (x) at a point (P) on the surface (S) is parallel to the normal vector (N) at the point (P), where a z-direction (z) at the point (P) on the surface (S) is tangent to the surface (S) and orthogonal to the x-direction (x), where a y direction (y) at the point (P) on the surface (S) is tangent to the surface (S) and orthogonal to both the x-direction (x) and the z-direction (z) (Antenna array 100 has a z direction that is parallel to the normal vector of the array which can be treated as a X-direction, a y-direction that is orthogonal the z-direction and can be treated as a Z-direction, and a x-direction that is orthogonal to both the y/z directions and can be treated as a Y-direction; Paragraph 55-80 and figure 1-6 of Naruse),
where the antenna elements are arranged in a plurality of columns extending in the z-direction on the surface, where each of the plurality of column comprise at least two antenna elements (Antenna elements 10 are arranged in a plurality of columns in the y-direction that can serve as the Z-direction wherein each column comprises at least two antenna elements; Paragraph 55-80 and figure 1-6 of Naruse), and
where the plurality of columns comprise a reference column and one or more offset columns, where each of the one or more offset columns are separately arranged in the z-direction relative to the reference column according to a set of determined offset values (Column 2 can serve as a reference column wherein columns 1 and 3 can be offset columns that are offset by a distance DY from the refence column 2 based on a offset value Dy wherein Dy may be a set of offset values form .25mm to 1.25mm; Paragraph 101-103 and 119-138 as well as figure 6a-c of Naruse), and
where each offset value of the set of determined offset values is measured as a distance from a mean antenna element position in z-direction of each offset column to a mean antenna element position of the reference column and the mean antenna element position of at least one of the offset columns differs from the mean antenna element position of the reference column, where the mean antenna element position of each offset column is an average of positions of the antenna elements of each offset column (Table 6 shows the possible offset values for Dy and we can see that antenna elements are spaced evenly and the entire column is offset such that the mean antenna element position of the offset columns would be offset from the mean antenna element position of the reference column and each offset value can be measured from a mean antenna element position since it would equal Dy + distance from element ; Paragraph 101-103 and 119-138 as well as figure 6a-c of Naruse ).
Naruse fails to explicitly disclose where the set of determined offset values (O) are configured symmetrically about a z-directional central axis (Z-A) of the AAS.
However, Bisiules et al. does disclose where the set of determined offset values (O) are configured symmetrically about a z-directional central axis (Z-A) of the AAS (Base antenna station 100 comprises an array with multiple columns 250/230 of radiating elements 250 wherein 250-1-3 are reference columns and 250-0/230-1-2 are offset columns wherein the offset columns are arranged symmetrically about a central direction axis labeled CL; Paragraph 37-50 and 71-72 as well as figure 2b of Bisiules et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Naruse to have where the set of determined offset values (O) are configured symmetrically about a z-directional central axis (Z-A) of the AAS as taught by Bisiules et al. to de-correlate some of the columns (Paragraph 71 of Bisiules) and since offsetting can suppress side lobes (Paragraph 137 of Naruse).
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Regarding Claim 2, Naruse further discloses where the antenna elements are at least partly arranged in subarrays, where each sub-array comprises at least two antenna elements arranged extending in the z-direction (z) (Each of the columns can be a sub-array wherein each of these columns comprise the same number of antenna elements and each column has the same amount of elements; Paragraph 55-80 and figure 1-6 of Naruse).
Regarding Claim 3, Naruse further discloses where each sub-array in the AAS comprises the same number of antenna elements (Each of the columns can be a sub-array wherein each of these columns comprise the same number of antenna elements and each column has the same amount of elements; Paragraph 55-80 and figure 1-6 of Naruse).
Regarding Claim 4, Naruse fails to explicitly disclose where at least one sub-array in the AAS comprises a different number of antenna elements compared to at least one other sub-array of the AAS.
However, Bisiules et al. discloses where at least one sub-array in the AAS comprises a different number of antenna elements compared to at least one other sub-array of the AAS (Antenna array 200 comprises multiple columns wherein inner vertical columns 250-1c to 250-4c may have 12 radiating elements and outer columns 250-0c1 and 250-0c2 can have 13-20 radiating elements; Paragraph 41 and figure 2A of Bisiules et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Naruse to have at least one sub-array in the AAS comprises a different number of antenna elements compared to at least one other sub-array of the AAS as taught by Bisiules et al. since the amount of radiating elements would affect the radiating pattern.
Regarding Claim 5, Naruse fails to discloses where at least one sub-array is of a different size measured as an area on the surface (S), and/or has a different antenna element separation measured along the surface (S), compared to at least one other sub-array of the AAS.
However, Bisiules et al. discloses where at least one sub-array is of a different size measured as an area on the surface (S), and/or has a different antenna element separation measured along the surface (S), compared to at least one other sub-array of the AAS (Columns 230-1c and 230-2c comprise antenna elements that are bigger and would have a different size on an area on the surface and also has greater antenna element spacing than adjacent columns like 250-1c to 250-4c; Paragraph 37-50 and 71-72 as well as figure 2b of Bisiules et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Naruse to have where at least one sub-array is of a different size measured as an area on the surface (S), and/or has a different antenna element separation measured along the surface (S), compared to at least one other sub-array of the AA as taught by Bisiules et al. to implement different sized antennas for different frequency bands of operation (Paragraph 37-52 of Bisiules et al.).
Regarding Claim 7, Naruse further discloses where the surface (S) is a plane and where the AAS is a planar antenna array (Substrate 20 of the planar array 1 is a planar surface; Paragraph 55-80 and figure 1-6 of Naruse).
Regarding Claim 10, Naruse further discloses where the set of determined offset values (O) of the one or more columns relative to the reference column (REF) are at least 0.1 wavelengths at a center frequency of a transmission frequency band associated with the AAS (Antenna array 1 can operate in a frequency band of 57ghz to 66ghz with a center frequency of 61.5ghz which corresponds to 4.8mm wherein offsets are from .25mm to 1.25mm are equal to 5-26% of the wavelength 4.8mm which would be at least .1 wavelengths; Paragraph 101-103 and 119-138 as well as figure 6a-c of Naruse).
Regarding Claim 11, Naruse further discloses where the set of determined offset values (O) of the one or more columns relative to the reference column (REF) of the AAS are at most 1.5 wavelengths at the center frequency of the transmission frequency band associated with the AAS (Antenna array 1 can operate in a frequency band of 57ghz to 66ghz with a center frequency of 61.5ghz which corresponds to 4.8mm wherein offsets are from .25mm to 1.25mm are equal to 5-26% of the wavelength 4.8mm which would be at most 1.5 wavelengths; Paragraph 101-103 and 119-138 as well as figure 6a-c of Naruse).
Regarding Claim 12, Naruse further disclose where a magnitude of a difference between the a first offset value of the set of determined offset values and a second offset value of the set of determined offset values is larger than 0.1 wavelengths, at the center frequency of the transmission frequency band associated with the AAS (Antenna array 1 can operate in a frequency band of 57ghz to 66ghz with a center frequency of 61.5ghz which corresponds to 4.8mm wherein offsets are from .25mm to 1.25mm are equal to 5-26% of the wavelength 4.8mm wherein the difference between a first offset .25mm and a second offset of up to 1.25mm would be greater than .1 wavelengths; Paragraph 101-103 and 119-138 as well as figure 6a-c of Naruse).
Regarding Claim 13, Although Naruse does not explicitly disclose, where the set of determined offset values (O) are configured with a mean-squared deviation from an average offset distance of between 0.05 and 0.3 wavelengths squared at the center frequency of the transmission frequency band associated with the AAS. Naruse does disclose where the set of determined offset values (O) are configured with a mean-squared deviation from an average offset distance of wavelengths squared at the center frequency of the transmission frequency band associated with the AAS (Offset distances Dy include a set of .25mm, .5mm, .75mm, 1mm, 1.20mm, and 1.25mm which would have an average offset of .825mm or .169 wavelengths and this range would have a mean-squared deviation of 1.323mm2 and at 61.ghz of operation this would be a MSD of .0056 wavelengths squared; Paragraph 101-103 and 119-138 as well as figure 6a-c of Naruse).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Naruse to have a mean-squared deviation from an average offset distance of between 0.05 and 0.3 wavelengths squared at the center frequency of the transmission frequency band associated with the AAS since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233 (CCPA 1955). The motivation would stem from the fact that setting/changing the offset distances since the offsets affects the sidelobe suppression and isolation which impacts communication quality (Paragraph 137-143 of Naruse).
Regarding Claim 14, Although Naruse fails to explicitly disclose where the set of determined offset values (O) are configured with a mean offset of between 0.3 wavelengths and 0.7 wavelengths. Naruse does disclose the set of determined offset values (O) are configured with a mean offset (Offset distances Dy include a set of .25mm, .5mm, .75mm, 1mm, 1.20mm, and 1.25mm which would have an average offset of .825mm or .169 wavelengths; Paragraph 101-103 and 119-138 as well as figure 6a-c of Naruse).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Naruse to have where the offset distances (O) are configured with a mean offset of between 0.3 wavelengths and 0.7 wavelengths since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233 (CCPA 1955). The motivation would stem from the fact that setting/changing the offset distances since the offsets affects the sidelobe suppression and isolation which impacts communication quality (Paragraph 137-143 of Naruse).
Regarding Claim 15, Naruse further discloses where the set of determined offset values (O) of the one or more columns are configured to reduce a sidelobe magnitude generated by the AAS (Offset values of Dy are chosen such that they suppress sidelobes and improve isolations; Paragraph 101-103 and 119-138 as well as figure 6a-c of Naruse).
Regarding Claim 16, Naruse further discloses where an antenna element comprises any of a patch antenna element, crossed dipole, and a slot antenna element (Antenna elements utilized in array 1 may be patch antennas 10; Paragraph 55-80 and figure 1-6 of Naruse).
Regarding Claim 17, Naruse further discloses where each offset value of the set of determined offset values with respect to the z-direction reference position (R) of the AAS is measured from a first or last antenna element position in z-direction of each column (Offset distances Dy can be measured form the a top antenna element as seen in figure 6a-6c of Naruse).
Regarding Claim 19, Naruse discloses a wireless device comprising an advanced antenna system, ASS (Antenna array 100 that can be used in a communication device like a millimeter wave mobile system or a massive MIMO system; Paragraph 176 and 184 as well as figure 1-6 of Naruse), comprising a plurality of antenna elements,
where the AAS extends on a surface (S) defined by a normal vector (N), where an x-direction (x) at a point (P) on the surface (S) is parallel to the normal vector (N) at the point (P), where a z-direction (z) at the point (P) on the surface (S) is tangent to the surface (S) and orthogonal to the x-direction (x), where a y direction (y) at the point (P) on the surface (S) is tangent to the surface (S) and orthogonal to both the x-direction (x) and the z-direction (z) (Antenna array 100 has a z direction that is parallel to the normal vector of the array which can be treated as a X-direction, a y-direction that is orthogonal the z-direction and can be treated as a Z-direction, and a x-direction that is orthogonal to both the y/z directions and can be treated as a Y-direction; Paragraph 55-80 and figure 1-6 of Naruse),
where the antenna elements are arranged in a plurality of columns extending in the z-direction on the surface, where each of the plurality of column comprise at least two antenna elements (Antenna elements 10 are arranged in a plurality of columns in the y-direction that can serve as the Z-direction wherein each column comprises at least two antenna elements; Paragraph 55-80 and figure 1-6 of Naruse), and
where the plurality of columns comprise a reference column and one or more offset columns, where each of the one or more offset columns are separately arranged in the z-direction relative to the reference column according to a set of determined offset values (Column 2 can serve as a reference column wherein columns 1 and 3 can be offset columns that are offset by a distance DY from the refence column 2 based on a offset value Dy wherein Dy may be a set of offset values form .25mm to 1.25mm; Paragraph 101-103 and 119-138 as well as figure 6a-c of Naruse), and
where each offset value of the set of determined offset values is measured as a distance from a mean antenna element position in z-direction of each offset column to a mean antenna element position of the reference column and the mean antenna element position of at least one of the offset columns differs from the mean antenna element position of the reference column, where the mean antenna element position of each offset column is an average of positions of the antenna elements of each offset column (Table 6 shows the possible offset values for Dy and we can see that antenna elements are spaced evenly and the entire column is offset such that the mean antenna element position of the offset columns would be offset from the mean antenna element position of the reference column and each offset value can be measured from a mean antenna element position since it would equal Dy + distance from element ; Paragraph 101-103 and 119-138 as well as figure 6a-c of Naruse ).
Naruse fails to explicitly disclose where the set of determined offset values (O) are configured symmetrically about a z-directional central axis (Z-A) of the AAS.
However, Bisiules et al. does disclose where the set of determined offset values (O) are configured symmetrically about a z-directional central axis (Z-A) of the AAS (Base antenna station 100 comprises an array with multiple columns 250/230 of radiating elements 250 wherein 250-1-3 are reference columns and 250-0/230-1-2 are offset columns wherein the offset columns are arranged symmetrically about a central direction axis labeled CL; Paragraph 37-50 and 71-72 as well as figure 2b of Bisiules et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Naruse to have where the set of determined offset values (O) are configured symmetrically about a z-directional central axis (Z-A) of the AAS as taught by Bisiules et al. to de-correlate some of the columns (Paragraph 71 of Bisiules) and since offsetting can suppress side lobes (Paragraph 137 of Naruse).
Regarding Claim 20, Naruse discloses a network node comprising an advanced antenna system, AAS (Antenna array 100 that can be used in a communication device like a millimeter wave mobile system or a massive MIMO system; Paragraph 176 and 184 as well as figure 1-6 of Naruse), comprising a plurality of antenna elements,
where the AAS extends on a surface (S) defined by a normal vector (N), where an x-direction (x) at a point (P) on the surface (S) is parallel to the normal vector (N) at the point (P), where a z-direction (z) at the point (P) on the surface (S) is tangent to the surface (S) and orthogonal to the x-direction (x), where a y direction (y) at the point (P) on the surface (S) is tangent to the surface (S) and orthogonal to both the x-direction (x) and the z-direction (z) (Antenna array 100 has a z direction that is parallel to the normal vector of the array which can be treated as a X-direction, a y-direction that is orthogonal the z-direction and can be treated as a Z-direction, and a x-direction that is orthogonal to both the y/z directions and can be treated as a Y-direction; Paragraph 55-80 and figure 1-6 of Naruse),
where the antenna elements are arranged in a plurality of columns extending in the z-direction on the surface, where each of the plurality of column comprise at least two antenna elements (Antenna elements 10 are arranged in a plurality of columns in the y-direction that can serve as the Z-direction wherein each column comprises at least two antenna elements; Paragraph 55-80 and figure 1-6 of Naruse), and
where the plurality of columns comprise a reference column and one or more offset columns, where each of the one or more offset columns are separately arranged in the z-direction relative to the reference column according to a set of determined offset values (Column 2 can serve as a reference column wherein columns 1 and 3 can be offset columns that are offset by a distance DY from the refence column 2 based on a offset value Dy wherein Dy may be a set of offset values form .25mm to 1.25mm; Paragraph 101-103 and 119-138 as well as figure 6a-c of Naruse), and
where each offset value of the set of determined offset values is measured as a distance from a mean antenna element position in z-direction of each offset column to a mean antenna element position of the reference column and the mean antenna element position of at least one of the offset columns differs from the mean antenna element position of the reference column, where the mean antenna element position of each offset column is an average of positions of the antenna elements of each offset column (Table 6 shows the possible offset values for Dy and we can see that antenna elements are spaced evenly and the entire column is offset such that the mean antenna element position of the offset columns would be offset from the mean antenna element position of the reference column and each offset value can be measured from a mean antenna element position since it would equal Dy + distance from element ; Paragraph 101-103 and 119-138 as well as figure 6a-c of Naruse ).
Naruse fails to explicitly disclose where the set of determined offset values (O) are configured symmetrically about a z-directional central axis (Z-A) of the AAS.
However, Bisiules et al. does disclose where the set of determined offset values (O) are configured symmetrically about a z-directional central axis (Z-A) of the AAS (Base antenna station 100 comprises an array with multiple columns 250/230 of radiating elements 250 wherein 250-1-3 are reference columns and 250-0/230-1-2 are offset columns wherein the offset columns are arranged symmetrically about a central direction axis labeled CL; Paragraph 37-50 and 71-72 as well as figure 2b of Bisiules et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Naruse to have where the set of determined offset values (O) are configured symmetrically about a z-directional central axis (Z-A) of the AAS as taught by Bisiules et al. to de-correlate some of the columns (Paragraph 71 of Bisiules) and since offsetting can suppress side lobes (Paragraph 137 of Naruse).
Claim(s) 6 and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Naruse (US 20200006864 A1) in view of Bisiules et al. (US 20200006864 A1) and Ota et al. (JP 2014230257A).
Regarding Claim 6, Naruse and Bisiules et al. fail to explicitly disclose where the surface (S) is a non-planar developable surface.
However, Ota et al. does disclose where the surface (S) is a non-planar developable surface (Surface upon which antenna elements 23 are installed on may be a non-planar surface in the form of a gently curved surface wherein one column of antenna elements may be offset form another column; Pg. 8-11 and figure 2 of Ota et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Naruse and Bisiules et al. to have where the surface (S) is a non-planar developable surface as taught by Ota et al. to apply the antenna in different apparatuses like a base station (Pg. 11 of Ota et al.) and also allow it to be fit into different places.
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Regarding Claim 28, Naruse and Bisiules et al. fail to explicitly disclose where at least two of the one or more offset columns are arranged offset in the z-direction according to the set of determined offset values with different offset values, such that a first offset distance of a first column differs from a second offset distance of a second column.
However, Ota et al. does disclose where at least two of the one or more offset columns are arranged offset in the z-direction according to the set of determined offset values with different offset values, such that a first offset distance of a first column differs from a second offset distance of a second column (Columns of antenna elements comprise a main first column that can be a reference column with no offset and the preceding columns all have a offset wherein a 1/10 interval is added on each proceeding column and embodiments show offsets in both vertical and horizontal directions; Pg. 7-10 and figure 4-6 of Ota et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Naruse and Bisiules et al. to have where at least two of the one or more offset columns are arranged offset in the z-direction according to the set of determined offset values with different offset values, such that a first offset distance of a first column differs from a second offset distance of a second column as taught by Ota et al. to reduce unwanted coupling (Pg. 8 of Ota et al.) and since position of the elements would affect the radiation pattern.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Naruse (US 20200006864 A1) in view of Bisiules et al. (US 20200006864 A1) and Jelloul et al. (IDS Reference WO 2005055362A1).
Regarding Claim 8, Naruse and Bisiules et al. fails to discloses where each of the one or more offset columns are also separately arranged in the x-direction relative to the reference column according to a second set of determined offset values (O’).
However, Jelloul et al. does disclose where each of the one or more offset columns are also separately arranged in the x-direction relative to the reference column according to a second set of determined offset values (O’) (Planar antenna structure includes a first, second, and third antenna array 10a-b, 20c, and 30a-b where each includes at least on antenna element and wherein arrays 10 and 30 have a height Z1/Z2 which is different from the height Z3 of array 20c thus casing 20C to be offset in the x-direction from the other antenna arrays wherein 20c may be offset a second set of offset values ranging between 55-82 mm wherein these values would have to be determined; Abstract and Pg. 9 as well as figure 5 of Jelloul et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Naruse and Bisiules et al. to have where at least one of the columns is also arranged offset (O') in the x-direction as taught by Jelloul et al. so the arrays may be spaced from the plane such that they operate in different frequency bands (Abstract and Pg. 9 of Jelloul et al.).
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Claim 21-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Naruse (US 20200006864 A1) in view of Bisiules et al. (US 20200006864 A1) and Veysoglu et al. (US 11664593B1).
Regarding Claim 21, Naruse discloses a method for designing an advanced antenna system, AAS, comprising a plurality of antenna elements (Antenna array 100 that can be used in a communication device like a millimeter wave mobile system or a massive MIMO system and method making it would be inherent; Paragraph 176 and 184 as well as figure 1-6 of Naruse), comprising a plurality of antenna elements,
where the AAS extends on a surface (S) defined by a normal vector (N), where an x-direction (x) at a point (P) on the surface (S) is parallel to the normal vector (N) at the point (P), where a z-direction (z) at the point (P) on the surface (S) is tangent to the surface (S) and orthogonal to the x-direction (x), where a y direction (y) at the point (P) on the surface (S) is tangent to the surface (S) and orthogonal to both the x-direction (x) and the z-direction (z) (Antenna array 100 has a z direction that is parallel to the normal vector of the array which can be treated as a X-direction, a y-direction that is orthogonal the z-direction and can be treated as a Z-direction, and a x-direction that is orthogonal to both the y/z directions and can be treated as a Y-direction; Paragraph 55-80 and figure 1-6 of Naruse),
the method comprising: configuring (S1) the antenna elements in a plurality of columns extending in the z-direction (z), where each of the plurality of columns comprise at least two antenna elements, where the plurality of columns comprise a reference column and one or more offset columns (Antenna elements 10 are arranged in a plurality of columns in the y-direction that can serve as the Z-direction wherein each column comprises at least two antenna elements and column 2 can be a reference column and columns 1 and 3 can be a offset column; Paragraph 55-80 and figure 1-6 of Naruse),
determining (S2) respective column offset values (O) for each of the one or more offset columns in the z-direction, thereby forming a set of determined offset values (Column 2 can serve as a reference column wherein columns 1 and 3 can be offset columns that are offset by a distance Dy from the refence column 2 based on a offset value Dy wherein Dy may be a set of offset values form .25mm to 1.25mm and these offsets would be determined beforehand; Paragraph 101-103 and 119-138 as well as figure 6a-c of Naruse), and
designing (S3) the AAS by separately arranging the plurality of columns of the AAS according to the set of determined offset values, where each offset value of the set of determined offset values is measured as a distance from a mean antenna element position in z-direction of each offset column to a mean antenna element position of the reference column and the mean antenna element position of at least one of the offset columns differs from the mean antenna element position of the reference column, where the mean antenna element position of each offset column is an average of positions of the antenna elements of each offset column (Table 6 shows the possible offset values for Dy and we can see that antenna elements are spaced evenly and the entire column is offset such that the mean antenna element position of the offset columns would be offset from the mean antenna element position of the reference column and each offset value can be measured from a mean antenna element position since it would equal Dy + distance from element wherein columns are designed by separately arranging them based on the offset values; Paragraph 101-103 and 119-138 as well as figure 6a-c of Naruse ).
Naruse fails to explicitly disclose a computer implemented method for designing an advanced antenna system, AAS and where the set of determined offset values (O) are configured symmetrically about a z-directional central axis (Z-A) of the AAS.
However, Bisiules et al. does disclose where the set of determined offset values (O) are configured symmetrically about a z-directional central axis (Z-A) of the AAS (Base antenna station 100 comprises an array with multiple columns 250/230 of radiating elements 250 wherein 250-1-3 are reference columns and 250-0/230-1-2 are offset columns wherein the offset columns are arranged symmetrically about a central direction axis labeled CL; Paragraph 37-50 and 71-72 as well as figure 2b of Bisiules et al.).
Veysoglu et al. further does disclose a computer implemented method for designing an advanced antenna system, AAS (Antenna array structure 300/400 comprises antenna module 102 with a plurality of antenna elements in columns with some being offset and a method of manufacturing using printing which would be done by a computer and methods of the invention may be implemented by instructions on a computer readable storage; Paragraph 32, 60-63, and 99-100 as well figure 4a of Veysoglu et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Naruse to have where the set of determined offset values (O) are configured symmetrically about a z-directional central axis (Z-A) of the AAS as taught by Bisiules et al. to de-correlate some of the columns (Paragraph 71 of Bisiules) and since offsetting can suppress side lobes (Paragraph 137 of Naruse).
It would have been further obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Naruse and Bisiules to have a computer implemented method for designing an advanced antenna system, AAS as taught by Veysoglu et al. since antenna systems have tight manufacturing tolerances (Paragraph 32) and a computer implemented method provides greater precision and speed.
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Regarding Claim 22, Naruse further discloses determining the respective column offset values by computer simulation and/or by laboratory experimentation (Offsets distances Dy were calculated by a fist simulation model and as second simulation model and would further also need to be confirmed by laboratory experiment when making the array; Paragraph 101-103 and 119-138 as well as figure 6a-c of Naruse).
Regarding Claim 23, Naruse further discloses wherein the computer simulation and/or the laboratory experimentation is associated with an objective function comprising sidelobe magnitude (Offset distances Dy found through simulation were done so with the purpose of reducing antenna sidelobes which is a function comprising their magnitude; Paragraph 101-103 and 119-138 as well as figure 6a-c of Naruse).
Regarding Claim 24, Naruse further discloses wherein the computer simulation and/or the laboratory experimentation is associated with an objective function comprising a main lobe pattern (Offset distances Dy found through simulation were done so with the purpose of reducing antenna sidelobes which would improve the performance of the main lobe of the radiation beam since sidelobe suppression is for the beam pattern of the entire array; Paragraph 101-103, 119-138, and 140-141 as well as figure 6a-c of Naruse).
Regarding Claim 25, Naruse further discloses wherein the computer simulation and/or the laboratory experimentation is associated with an objective function comprising a transmission mask pattern. (Offset distances Dy found through simulation were done so with the purpose of reducing antenna sidelobes which would improve the performance of the main lobe of the radiation beam since sidelobe suppression is for the beam pattern of the entire array which would be the transmission mask pattern; Paragraph 101-103, 119-138, and 140-141 as well as figure 6a-c of Naruse).
Regarding Claim 26, Naruse and Bisiules et al. fails to disclose a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program comprising instructions on processing circuitry cause the processing circuitry to carry out the method.
However, Veysoglu et al. discloses a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program comprising instructions on processing circuitry cause the processing circuitry to carry out the method (Computer readable storage medium 1116 may contain a set of instructions to employ methodologies or functions of the invention; Paragraph 99-100 of Veysoglu et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Naruse and Bisiules et al to have a computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program comprising instructions on processing circuitry cause the processing circuitry to carry out the method as taught by Veysoglu et al. since antenna systems have tight manufacturing tolerances (Paragraph 32) and a computer implemented method provides greater precision and speed.
Additional Comments Regarding the Claim Rejections
Examiner’s note – Regarding claims 1, 13-15, and 19-20, the recitation that an element is “configured to” perform a function, it is the position of the office that such limitations are not positive structural limitations, and thus, only require the ability to so perform. In this case the prior art applied herein is construed as at least possessing such ability. When the structure recited in the reference is substantially identical to that of the claims, claimed properties or functions are presumed to be inherent. The Courts have held that it is well settled that where there is a reason to believe that a functional characteristic would be inherent in the prior art, the burden of proof then shifts to the applicant to provide objective evidence to the contrary. See In re Schreiber, 128 F.3d at 1478, 44 USPQ2d at 1478, 44 USPQ2d at 1432 (Fed. Cir. 1997) (see MPEP § 2112.01, I.).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure
US 20220163623 A1 (KISHIGAMI; Takaaki et al.) discloses a planar antenna structure comprising antenna elements in columns with some of the columns offset in the Z-Direction.
US 20180309210 A1 (SUDO; Kaoru) discloses a planar antenna structure comprising antenna elements in columns with some of the columns offset in the Z-Direction.
EP 3804030 B1 (JAKOBSSON PETER et al.) discloses a planar antenna structure comprising antenna elements in columns with some of the columns offset in a X-direction.
US 11515622 B2 (Hou; XiaoHua et al.) discloses an antenna array comprising multiple columns with some columns being offset from each other.
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/DAMEON E LEVI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2845
/GURBIR SINGH/Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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