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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 01/30/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Specifically, in pages 4-5, Applicant argues that “Nam fails to disclose, or even teach or suggest, at least, the isolation device is in a first state during a transmission phase of satellite communication and is in a second state during a reception phase of satellite communication or during non-satellite communication”. Examiner respectfully disagrees. The structural and functional limitations of the isolation element as recited in claim 1 do not distinguish over element 210 of Nam et al. as shown in the rejection below which based on Figs. 2A and Par. 0061-0063, 0065 & 0066 includes elements 217, 218a, 218b, 219 and the states transmission of satellite communication and reception of satellite communication or during non-satellite communication are disclosed in Par. 0061-0063 based on (“The first antenna 210 is implemented to transmit and receive signals of multiple frequency bands” Par. 0061; “The frequency band elements 218 a and 218 b may be connected to the first radiator 211 such that the first antenna 210 transmits and receives the signal of the designated frequency band. As an example, the first radiator 211 may be connected to the first frequency band element 218 a through the switching operation of the switching circuit 217 to transmit and receive a signal of a first frequency band” Par. 0063; and “and may be connected to the second frequency band element 218 b through the switching operation of the switching circuit 217 to transmit and receive a signal of a second frequency band” Par. 0063). Thus it is clear that the state of transmission of a first frequency band, and the state of reception of a second frequency band is changed through the switching operation to connect the frequency band elements 218 a and 218 b. Additionally, the arguments directed towards element 219 of Nam et al. are considered moot since element 219 was not relied upon as the isolation device/element in claim 1. Thus the rejection is maintained. In order to overcome the current rejection, the Examiner suggests amending the claim to further distinguish the structural and functional limitations of the isolation device consistent with the original disclosure. Applicant's representative is invited to telephone the examiner for any clarification of any matter in this case.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 1-11, 13 & 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nam et al. US Patent Application Publication 2018/0034148 (cited by applicant).
Regarding Claim 1, Nam et al. teaches an electronic apparatus (Figs. 1-5), comprising:
a first antenna (250 Fig. 2A Par. 0053);
a second antenna (270 Fig. 2A Par. 0053); and
an isolation device (210 Fig. 2A Par. 0053),
wherein:
each of the first antenna and the second antenna comprises a satellite L-band (GPS Par. 0057); the isolation device is arranged between the first antenna and the second antenna (210 between 250 and 270 as seen in Fig. 2A Par. 0053); and the isolation device is in a first state during a transmission phase of satellite communication and is in a second state during a reception phase of satellite communication or during non-satellite communication (different states through switching Par. 0061-0063).
Regarding Claim 2, Nam et al. teaches wherein the isolation device comprises a preset frame (211 Fig. 2A Par. 0055) arranged between the first antenna and the second antenna, and a partition strip is arranged between the preset frame and the first antenna and between the preset frame and the second antenna (233 and 231 Fig. 2A Par. 0054).
Regarding Claim 3, Nam et al. teaches wherein the isolation device further comprises a tuning circuit (217, 218a, 218b, 219 Fig. 2A Par. 0061, 0066), at least one input terminal of the tuning circuit is electrically coupled to at least one tuning point of the preset frame, correspondingly (Figs. 2A, 3 Par. 0061), and an output terminal of the tuning circuit is grounded (Figs. 2A, 3 Par. 0062, 0066); the tuning circuit is configured to suspend the preset frame during the transmission phase of satellite communication (Par. 0055, 0066, 0067, 0077, 0078); and the tuning circuit is configured to ground the preset frame during the reception phase of satellite communication or during non-satellite communication (Par. 0055, 0066, 0067, 0077, 0078).
Regarding Claim 4, Nam et al. teaches wherein: the tuning circuit has two input terminals (terminals of 218a, 218b Fig. 2A Par. 0061, 0066), and the tuning circuit comprises an antenna switch (217 Fig. 2A Par. 0061, 0066), a first matching network and a second matching network (218a and 218b Fig. 2A Par. 0065, 0071, claim 10); a first end of the first matching network is electrically coupled to a first tuning point of the preset frame (end of 218a coupled to 211 through ground of 201 better seen in Fig. 2B, also seen in Fig. 3 with 310 corresponding to 211 Par. 0073), and a second end of the first matching network is electrically coupled to a first end of the antenna switch (Figs. 2A, 2B, 3); a first end of the second matching network is electrically coupled to a second tuning point of the preset frame (end of 218b coupled to 211 through ground of 201 better seen in Fig. 2B, also seen in Fig. 3 with 310 corresponding to 211 Par. 0073), and a second end of the second matching network is electrically coupled to a second end of the antenna switch (Figs. 2A, 2B, 3); a third end of the antenna switch is grounded (Figs. 2A, 2B, 3); and a control end of the antenna switch is electrically coupled to a processor of the electronic apparatus (processor Par. 0025, 0049, 0110).
Regarding Claim 5, Nam et al. teaches wherein: the tuning circuit has two input terminals (terminals of 218a, 218b Fig. 2A Par. 0061, 0066), and the tuning circuit comprises an antenna switch (217 Fig. 2A Par. 0061, 0066), a first matching network and a third matching network (218a and 218b Fig. 2A Par. 0065, 0071, claim 10); a first end of the first matching network is electrically coupled to a first tuning point of the preset frame (end of 218a coupled to 211 through ground of 201 better seen in Fig. 2B, also seen in Fig. 3 with 310 corresponding to 211 Par. 0073), and a second end of the first matching network is electrically coupled to a first end of the antenna switch (Figs. 2A, 2B, 3); a first end of the third matching network is electrically coupled to a first feeding point of the preset frame (end of 218b coupled to 211 through ground of 201 better seen in Fig. 2B, also seen in Fig. 3 with 310 corresponding to 211 Par. 0073), and a second end of the third matching network is electrically coupled to a second end of the antenna switch (Figs. 2A, 2B, 3); a third end of the antenna switch is grounded (Figs. 2A, 2B, 3); a control end of the antenna switch is electrically coupled to a processor of the electronic apparatus (processor Par. 0025, 0049, 0110); and the preset frame, the first matching network and the third matching network constitute an inverted-F antenna (210 constitutes an inverted-F antenna as seen in Fig. 2A).
Regarding Claim 6, Nam et al. teaches wherein the third matching network comprises at least one of a zero-ohm resistor, a LC circuit, or a capacitor (Par. 0065).
Regarding Claim 7, Nam et al. teaches wherein the first matching network comprises at least one of a zero-ohm resistor, a LC circuit, or a capacitor; and the second matching network comprises at least one of a zero-ohm resistor, a LC circuit, or a capacitor (Par. 0065).
Regarding Claim 8, Nam et al. teaches wherein the first antenna is arranged at a first vertex of the electronic apparatus (top right corner Fig. 2A), and the second antenna is arranged at a second vertex of the electronic apparatus (top left corner Fig. 2A).
Regarding Claim 9, Nam et al. teaches wherein the first vertex is at a first top corner of the electronic apparatus (Fig. 2A), the second vertex is at a second top corner of the electronic apparatus (Fig. 2A), and the first top corner and the second top corner are symmetrical about a vertical central axis of the electronic apparatus (Fig. 2A).
Regarding Claim 10, Nam et al. teaches wherein a circular polarization gain pattern of the first antenna points towards a first direction and contains a component biased towards a direction opposite to a second direction; and a circular polarization gain pattern of the second antenna points towards the first direction and contains a component biased towards the second direction (circular polarization gain pattern implied since GPS utilizes circular polarization).
Regarding Claim 11, Nam et al. teaches wherein: the first antenna comprises a first top frame (top of 250 Fig. 2A), a first side frame (side of 250 Fig. 2A), a first feeding point (255 Fig. 2A Par. 0055), and a first ground point (253 Fig. 2A Par. 0055); the first top frame extends along a second direction (Figs. 1-2C), the first side frame extends along a third direction (Figs. 1-2C), and the first top frame is electrically coupled to the first side frame (Figs. 1-2C); the third direction is parallel to a vertical central axis of the electronic apparatus (Figs. 1-2C) and is perpendicular to a first direction and the second direction (Figs. 1-2C); and the first top frame is electrically coupled to a main board (201 Fig. 2A Par. 0056) of the electronic apparatus through the first feeding point, and the first side frame is grounded through the first ground point (Fig. 2A Par. 0056).
Regarding Claim 13, Nam et al. teaches wherein: the second antenna comprises a second top frame (top of 270 Fig. 2A), a second side frame (side of 270 Fig. 2A), a second feeding point (275 Fig. 2A Par. 0055) and a second ground point (273 Fig. 2A Par. 0055); the second top frame extends along a second direction (Figs. 1-2C), the second side frame extends along a third direction (Figs. 1-2C), and the second top frame is electrically coupled to the second side frame (Figs. 1-2C); the third direction is parallel to a vertical central axis of the electronic apparatus (Figs. 1-2C) and is perpendicular to a first direction and the second direction (Figs. 1-2C); and the second top frame is electrically coupled to a main board (201 Fig. 2A Par. 0056) of the electronic apparatus through the second feeding point, and the second side frame is grounded through the second ground point (Fig. 2A Par. 0056).
Regarding Claim 15, Nam et al. teaches wherein a horizontal central axis of the electronic apparatus is parallel to a second direction, and the second direction is perpendicular to a first direction (Figs. 1-2C).
Regarding Claim 16, Nam et al. teaches wherein the first antenna or the second antenna serves as a transmitting antenna (Par. 0055), and the first antenna and the second antenna together serve as a receiving antenna (Par. 0055).
Regarding Claim 17, Nam et al. teaches wherein one of the first antenna and the second antenna serves as a transmitting antenna (Par. 0055), and the other of the first antenna and the second antenna serves as a receiving antenna (Par. 0055).
Regarding Claim 18, Nam et al. teaches wherein the isolation device comprises a preset frame (211 Fig. 2A Par. 0055) arranged between the first antenna and the second antenna (Fig. 2A Par. 0055), and a distance between the first antenna and the second antenna is increased by the preset frame (Fig. 2A Par. 0055).
Regarding Claim 19, Nam et al. teaches wherein the first antenna comprises a first top frame (top of 250 Fig. 2A), and the second antenna comprises a second top frame (top of 270 Fig. 2A); and the preset frame, the first top frame and the second top frame are all made of a metal material (metal Par. 0037, 0074).
Regarding Claim 20, Nam et al. teaches wherein a first partition strip is arranged between the first top frame and the preset frame (233 between 250 and 211 Fig. 2A); and a second partition strip is arranged between the second top frame and the preset frame (231 between 270 and 211 Fig. 2A).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 12 & 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nam et al. US Patent Application Publication 2018/0034148 (cited by applicant) and Wang US Patent Application Publication 2023/0335922.
Regarding Claim 12, Nam et al. teaches the electronic apparatus according to claim 11 as shown in the rejection above.
Nam et al. is silent on wherein the first antenna further comprises a third feeding point, and the first top frame is electrically coupled to the main board of the electronic apparatus through the third feeding point.
However, Wang teaches an antenna having an additional second feeding point through an additional feeding source (antenna radiator 120, 130 having feeding sources 150 and 190 connected at feeding points 132 and 122, respectively Figs. 7, 8 Par. 0076-0080).
In this particular case, providing the first antenna with an additional feeding point such as a third feeding point electrically coupled to the main board of the electronic apparatus is common and well known in the antenna art as evident by Wang in order to generate an additional resonance using the same antenna structure which also enables reducing the size of the apparatus.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to provide the first antenna with an additional feeding point such as a third feeding point electrically coupled to the main board of the electronic apparatus based on the teachings of Wang as a result effect in order to generate an additional resonance using the same antenna structure which also enables reducing the size of the apparatus.
Regarding Claim 14, Nam et al. teaches the electronic apparatus according to claim 13 as shown in the rejection above.
Nam et al. is silent on wherein the second antenna further comprises a fourth feeding point, and the second top frame is electrically coupled to the main board of the electronic apparatus through the fourth feeding point.
However, Wang teaches an antenna having an additional second feeding point through an additional feeding source (antenna radiator 120, 130 having feeding sources 150 and 190 connected at feeding points 132 and 122, respectively Figs. 7, 8 Par. 0076-0080).
In this particular case, providing the second antenna with an additional feeding point such as a fourth feeding point electrically coupled to the main board of the electronic apparatus is common and well known in the antenna art as evident by Wang in order to generate an additional resonance using the same antenna structure which also enables reducing the size of the apparatus.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to provide the second antenna with an additional feeding point such as a fourth feeding point electrically coupled to the main board of the electronic apparatus based on the teachings of Wang as a result effect in order to generate an additional resonance using the same antenna structure which also enables reducing the size of the apparatus.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 MICHAEL M BOUIZZA whose telephone number is (571)272-6124. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dimary 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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/MICHAEL M BOUIZZA/Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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