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
Status of Application
This Office Action is a response to Applicant’s communication (or preliminary’s amendment) filed on 03/19/2024. In virtue of this communication, claims 1-48 are currently presented in the instant application.
Priority
Acknowledgement is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d). A certified copy of the priority documents received on 04/18/2024.
Information Disclosure Statement
If applicant is aware of any prior art or any other co-pending application not already of record, he/she is reminded of his/her duty under 37 CFR 1.97 to disclose the same.
Drawings
The drawing submitted on 03/19/2024 is accepted as part of the formal application.
Claim Objection(s)
Claim 46 objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 46,
The recitation “a phase shift assembly” in line 7 should be “the phase shift assembly”. 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 41-42 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 41,
The recitation “A base station antenna” in line 1 is considered vague because it’s confused with “a base station antenna” in line 1 of claim 1. Clarification is required.
The recitation “a frame assembly” in line 2 is considered vague because it’s confused with “A frame assembly” in line 1 of claim 1. Clarification is required.
The recitation “a first phase shift assembly” in line 6 is considered vague because it’s confused with “a first phase shift assembly” in lines 6-7 of claim 1. Clarification is required.
The recitation “the cavity” in line 6 is considered indefinite because it does not have an antecedent basis. Clarification is required.
The recitation “the cavity” in line 6 is considered indefinite because it does not have an antecedent basis. Clarification is required.
The recitation “the first feeding plate” in line 8 is considered indefinite because it does not have an antecedent basis. Clarification is required.
The recitation “the first cavity element ” in line 8 is considered indefinite because it does not have an antecedent basis. Clarification is required.
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 1-2, 5, 10-11, 13, 26-27, 32 and 41, as best understood, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Staita et al (US 20240072421), hereinafter Staita.
Regarding claim 1,
Staita discloses a frame assembly (a reflector sub-assembly 100, Fig 7) for a base station antenna (an antenna assembly 10, Fig 1), characterized in that the frame assembly comprises:
a reflector (a reflector 102, Fig 7);
a cavity element (a shielding frame 204, Fig 7) mounted on a rear end of the reflector (Fig 7), the cavity element comprising a front panel (a front panel P204FT, Fig 7) facing the reflector, a first side panel (a side panel P204SD1, Fig 7) and a second side panel (a side panel P204SD2, Fig 7) spaced apart from each other extending rearwardly from the front panel (Fig 7), wherein a first cavity (a cavity C2041, Fig 7) for receiving a first phase shift assembly (phase shifters; paragraph [0057]) is formed by the front panel, the first side panel and the second side panel, and a channel (a channel CH204, Fig 7) is provided on the front panel.
Staita does not explicitly teach the channel CH204 is for feeding ends of the first phase shift assembly.
However, Staita teaches that further components may include one or more of signal distribution networks, filters, phase shifters and active electronic components 118 (e.g., one or more radio boards) electrically connected on or to the PCB 106 (paragraph [0057]). Staita also teaches the channel CH204 coupled to the PCB 106 (Fig 7; paragraph [0070])). This teaching is result effect in order to block electromagnetic radiation from entering or leaving the enclosed space 116 (paragraph [0058]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a channel being provided on a front panel for feeding ends of a first phase shift assembly in Staita, in order to provide proper electromagnetic shielding for antenna assemblies.
[AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (CH204)][AltContent: textbox (C2041)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (P204SD2)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (P204SD1)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (P204FT)][AltContent: textbox (Staita (US 20240072421))]
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Regarding claim 2,
Staita as modified discloses the claimed invention, as discussed in claim 1.
Staita does not explicitly teach the cavity element is secured to the reflector by welding between its front panel and the reflector.
However, Staita teaches the shielding frame 204 is a sheet metal part (paragraph [0061]) and is an integral part of the sheet metal reflector 102 (paragraphs [0017] and [0060]). It’s well known in the art that two pieces of sheet metal may be secured together by welding.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a cavity element being secured to a reflector by welding between its front panel and the reflector in Staita as modified, in order to provide proper electromagnetic shielding for antenna assemblies.
Regarding claim 5,
Staita as modified discloses the claimed invention, as discussed in claim 1.
Staita teaches the cavity element provides at least partially an operating window at the rear end, and the cavity element can be accessed via the operating window (Fig 7).
Regarding claim 10,
Staita as modified discloses the claimed invention, as discussed in claim 1.
Staita teaches the front panel is configured to parallel a planar plate (a printed circuit board (PCB) 106, Fig 7) of the reflector.
Regarding claim 11,
Staita as modified discloses the claimed invention, as discussed in claim 1.
Staita teaches the frame assembly comprises a dielectric layer mounted between the front panel of the cavity element and the reflector (paragraph [0062]).
Regarding claim 13,
Staita as modified discloses the claimed invention, as discussed in claim 1.
Staita does not explicitly teach the cavity element is configured to be a dual cavity structure.
However, it’s well known in the art that a cavity element being configured to be a dual cavity structure (Kim, US 20240313431, Fig 11).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a cavity element being configured to be a dual cavity structure in Staita as modified, in order to provide proper electromagnetic shielding for antenna assemblies.
Regarding claim 26,
Staita as modified discloses the claimed invention, as discussed in claim 1.
Staita does not explicitly teach the frame assembly comprises a plurality of cavity elements mounted at a distance from one another at a rear end of the reflector.
However, it’s well known in the art that a plurality of cavity elements mounted at a distance from one another at a rear end of a reflector (Kim, US 20240313431, Fig 3).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a frame assembly comprising a plurality of cavity elements mounted at a distance from one another at a rear end of a reflector in Staita as modified, in order to provide proper electromagnetic shielding for antenna assemblies.
Regarding claim 27,
Staita as modified discloses the claimed invention, as discussed in claim 1.
Staita teaches the cavity element is configured as an elongated cavity element (Fig 7).
Regarding claim 32,
Staita as modified discloses the claimed invention, as discussed in claim 1.
Staita does not explicitly teach the cavity element is configured as an integrally molded cavity element.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a cavity element being configured as an integrally molded cavity element in Staita as modified, in order to provide proper electromagnetic shielding for antenna assemblies.
Regarding claim 41,
Staita as modified discloses the claimed invention, as discussed in claim 1.
Staita teaches a base station antenna (an antenna assembly 10, Fig 1), comprising:
a frame assembly (a reflector sub-assembly 100, Fig 1) according to claim 1;
a first array of radiating elements (first radiators 108, Fig 1) mounted on a front side of the reflector of the frame assembly (Fig 1) and at least one first feeding plate (a PCB 106, Fig 1; paragraph [0041]) for the first array of radiating elements; and
a first phase shift assembly (phase shifters; paragraph [0057]) mounted within the first cavity (a cavity C2041, Fig 7) of a first the cavity element (a shielding frame 204, Fig 7) of the frame assembly, a plurality of feeding ends of the first phase shift assembly being electrically connected with the first feeding plate (paragraph [0041]) through a front panel of the first cavity element and the reflector.
Staita does not explicitly teach the phase shifters (the first phase shift assembly) mounted within the cavity C2041 (the first cavity).
However, Staita teaches the housing sub-assembly 200 together define an enclosed space 116 accommodating the PCB 106 and further components of the antenna assembly 10. Such further components may include one or more of signal distribution networks, filters, phase shifters and active electronic components 118 (e.g., one or more radio boards) electrically connected on or to the PCB 106 (and, optionally, the PCB 112, in particular in the scenarios illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, but also in the scenario of FIG. 2) (paragraph [0057]). This teaching is result effect in order to prevent electromagnetic radiation from entering or leaving the enclosed space 116 in any region, or direction, not shielded by the reflector sub-assembly 100 (paragraph [0058]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a first phase shift assembly mounted within a first cavity in Staita as modified, in order to provide proper electromagnetic shielding for antenna assemblies.
Claims 33-36, 38 and 40 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Staita et al (US 20240072421), hereinafter Staita, in view of Kim et al (US 20240313431), hereinafter Kim.
Regarding claim 33,
Staita discloses a frame assembly (a reflector sub-assembly 100, Fig 7) for a base station antenna, characterized in that the frame assembly comprises:
a reflector (a reflector 102, Fig 7);
a plurality of cavity elements (a shielding frame 204, Fig 7) mounted on a rear end of the reflector (Fig 7),
Staita does not explicitly teach each cavity element is secured to the reflector by welding between its front panel and the reflector.
However, Staita teaches the shielding frame 204 is a sheet metal part (paragraph [0061]) and is an integral part of the sheet metal reflector 102 (paragraphs [0017] and [0060]). It’s well known in the art that two pieces of sheet metal may be secured together by welding.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a cavity element being secured to a reflector by welding between its front panel and the reflector in Staita, in order to provide proper electromagnetic shielding for antenna assemblies.
Staita as modified does not teach a plurality of cavity elements mounted on a rear end of the reflector.
However, Kim teaches a frame assembly (an RF module 200, Fig 6A) comprises a plurality of cavity elements (cavities C1 and C2, Fig 11) mounted on a rear end of a reflector (a base panel 221, Fig 9).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a plurality of cavity elements mounted on a rear end of a reflector in Staita as modified, as taught by Kim, in order to improve the productivity of a product.
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Regarding claim 34,
Staita as modified in view of Kim discloses the claimed invention, as discussed in claim 33.
Staita as modified does not explicitly teach each cavity element is secured to the reflector by laser welding between its front panel and the reflector.
However, Staita teaches the shielding frame 204 is a sheet metal part (paragraph [0061]) and is an integral part of the sheet metal reflector 102 (paragraphs [0017] and [0060]). It’s well known in the art that two pieces of sheet metal may be secured together by laser welding.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use each cavity element being secured to a reflector by laser welding between its front panel and the reflector in Staita as modified, in order to provide proper electromagnetic shielding for antenna assemblies.
Regarding claim 35,
Staita as modified in view of Kim discloses the claimed invention, as discussed in claim 33.
Staita as modified does not explicitly teach each cavity element is secured to the reflector only by welding between its front panel and the reflector.
However, Staita teaches the shielding frame 204 is a sheet metal part (paragraph [0061]) and is an integral part of the sheet metal reflector 102 (paragraphs [0017] and [0060]). It’s well known in the art that two pieces of sheet metal may be secured together by welding.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use each cavity element being secured to a reflector only by welding between its front panel and the reflector in Staita as modified, in order to provide proper electromagnetic shielding for antenna assemblies.
Regarding claim 36,
Staita as modified in view of Kim discloses the claimed invention, as discussed in claim 33.
Kim teaches the plurality of cavity elements are mounted at a rear end of the reflector spaced apart from each other (Fig 4).
Regarding claim 38,
Staita as modified in view of Kim discloses the claimed invention, as discussed in claim 33.
Staita teaches cavity element comprises a front panel (a front panel P204FT, Fig 7) facing the reflector, a first side panel (a side panel P204SD1, Fig 7) and a second side panel (a side panel P204SD1, Fig 7) spaced apart from each other extending rearwardly from the front panel (Fig 7), respectively, wherein a first cavity (a cavity C2041, Fig 7) is formed by the front panel, the first side panel, and the second side panel for receiving a first phase shift assembly (phase shifters; paragraph [0057]).
Regarding claim 40,
Staita as modified in view of Kim discloses the claimed invention, as discussed in claim 33.
Staita teaches cavity element provides at least partially an operating window at the rear end, and the cavity element can be accessed via the operating window (Fig 7).
Allowable Subject Matter
I. Claim 42 is 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.
Regarding claim 42, prior art of record or most closely prior art fails to disclose, “a second phase shift assembly mounted within a second cavity of the cavity element of the frame assembly, a plurality of feeding ends of the second phase shift assembly being electrically connected with the first feeding plate through a front panel of the cavity element and the reflector”.
II. Claims 46-47 are allowed. The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance.
Regarding claim 46, prior art of record or most closely prior art fails to disclose, “a feeding end of the phase shift assembly extends through a channel on a front panel of the cavity element and a weld window on the reflector to a feed plate”. These features reflect the application’s invention and are not taught by the pertinent prior arts. There is no reason or suggestion in the prior art for one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Staita (US 20240072421) and Kim (US 20240313431) to include features of claim 46.
Dependent claims 47 is considered to be allowable by virtue of its/their dependency/dependencies on claim 46.
Conclusion
The Examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record within the body of this action for the convenience of the Applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply.
Applicant, in preparing the response, should consider fully the entire reference aspotentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of thepassage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Hai Tran whose telephone number is (571)270-7893. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dimary Lopez can be reached on (571) 270-7893. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HAI V TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845