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 .
Specification
The amendment filed 04/01/26 is objected to under 35 U.S.C. 132(a) because it introduces new matter into the disclosure. 35 U.S.C. 132(a) states that no amendment shall introduce new matter into the disclosure of the invention. The added material which is not supported by the original disclosure is as follows: “By making the areas of the second radiating elements larger than the areas of the first radiating elements, the serial antenna unit forms an asymmetric pattern with respect to the at least one middle radiating element”.
Applicant is required to cancel the new matter in the reply to this Office Action.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112(a)
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 6-10 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.
Claim 6 has been added to recite the feature “the area of each second radiating element is larger than the area of the corresponding first radiating element so that each serial antenna unit forms an asymmetrical pattern with respect to the at least one middle radiating element” which does not appear in the original filed specification (i.e. “area of each second radiating element is larger than the area of the corresponding first radiating element”). Thus, the recitation must be treated as "new matter".
Claims 7-10 are rejected for being dependent on claim 6.
Clarifications are required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112(b)
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 6-10 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 6, the limitation “the area of each second radiating element gradually increases form the second end towards the at least one middle radiating element, and the area of each second radiating element is larger than the area of the corresponding first radiating element so that each serial antenna unit forms an asymmetrical pattern with respect to the at least one middle radiating element” renders the claimed indefinite because it is not clear how the area of each second radiating element is larger than the area of the corresponding first radiating element. for examination purpose, it is interpreted as “the area of each second radiating element gradually increases form the second end towards the at least one middle radiating element so that each serial antenna unit forms an asymmetrical pattern with respect to the at least one middle radiating element”.
Claims 7-10 are rejected for being dependent on the indefinite claim 6.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 6-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tseng et al (US 2014/0313069).
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Regarding claim 6, Tseng discloses in Figures 2, 3C, 5 an asymmetrical Chebyshev array antenna, comprising:
a substrate (RS, Fig. 2) having a first surface and a second surface located on an opposite side of the first surface;
a power divider (L8, Figs. 2, 3C and 5) disposed on the first surface of the substrate;
a ground plane (L7, Fig. 2), disposed on the second surface of the substrate; and
a plurality of serial antenna units (L8, Figs. 2, 3C and 5) arranged at intervals on the first surface of the substrate with each serial antenna unit having a first end connected to the power divider through a feeding line,
a plurality of radiating elements (See Fig. 5) connected in series by a plurality of feeding lines from the first end to a second end of the serial antenna unit;
wherein the plurality of radiating elements include at least one middle radiating element, a plurality of first radiating elements located between the first end and the at least one middle radiating element,
a plurality of second radiating elements located between the second end and the at least one middle radiating element with each of the second radiating elements corresponding to one of the first radiating elements; and
wherein each of the at least one middle radiating element has an area larger than an area of each of the first and second radiating elements, the area of each first radiating element gradually increases from the first end towards the at least one middle radiating element,
the area of each second radiating element gradually increases form the second end towards the at least one middle radiating element, and the area of each second radiating element is larger than the area of the corresponding first radiating element so that each serial antenna unit forms an asymmetrical pattern with respect to the at least one middle radiating element.
Regarding claim 7, as applied to claim 6, Tseng discloses in Figure 5,
wherein an original current value of the at least one middle radiating element is defined as A, original current values of the first radiating elements gradually increase along a direction from the first end towards the at least one middle radiating element and are sequentially defined as B1, B2,..., Bn, original current values of the second radiating elements gradually increase from the second end towards the at least one middle radiating element and are sequentially defined as C1, C2, ..., Cn, a sum of original current values of the power divider and the ground plane is defined as D, current compensation values of the second radiating elements from the second end towards the at least one middle radiating element are sequentially defined as δ1, δ2, …, δn where n>1 and n is a positive integer; and
the current compensation values of the second radiating elements are controlled by adjusting the areas of the second radiating elements to satisfy the following conditions: B1=Cn, D<B1<B2<...<Bn<A, D<C1+61<C2+62<...<Cn+6n<A, and
∑
i
=
1
n
δ
i
=δ1+δ2+ …δn≅D so that the second radiating elements have adjusted current values Cn+ δn greater than the current values Bn, of the first radiating elements respectively.
Regarding claim 8, as applied to claim 7, Tseng discloses in Figure 5,
wherein each of the radiating elements is a rectangular and is arranged with a length direction in parallel to an elongated direction of each serial antenna unit, and the current compensation values of the second radiating elements are controlled by adjusting a width of each second radiating element.
Regarding claim 9, as applied to claim 7, Tseng discloses in Figure 5,
wherein the radiating elements comprise two middle radiating elements, three first radiating elements, and three second radiating elements, and the current compensation values of the second radiating elements are controlled by adjusting the areas of the second radiating elements so as to satisfy the following conditions: B1=C1, B2=C2, B3=C3, D<B1<B2<B3<A, D<C1+ δ1<C2+ δ2<C3+ δ3<A, and
∑
i
=
1
3
δ
i
=δ1+δ2+δ3≅D so that the second radiating elements have adjusted current values Cn+ δn greater than the current values Bn, of the first radiating elements respectively, wherein n=1, 2 and 3.
Regarding claim 10, as applied to claim 7, Tseng discloses in Figure 5,
wherein the radiating elements comprise two middle radiating elements, two first radiating elements, and two second radiating elements, and the current compensation values of the second radiating elements are controlled by adjusting the areas of the second radiating elements so as to satisfy the following conditions: B1=C1, B2=C2, D<B1<B2<A, D<C1+ δ1<C2+ δ2 <A, and
∑
i
=
1
2
δ
i
=δ1+δ2+≅D so that the second radiating elements have adjust current values Cn+ δn greater thatn the current values Bn of the first radiating elements respectively, where n-1 and 2.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 7-10 have been considered on the new ground of rejection as set up in the body of the 35 USC § 112(a), 35 USC § 112(b) and 35 USC § 102 above.
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.
Inquiry
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DIEU HIEN T DUONG whose telephone number is (571)272-8980. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00am-4:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, DIMARY CRUZ LOPEZ can be reached at 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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/DIEU HIEN T DUONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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