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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 07/06/2026 has been entered.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 04/08/2026 has been considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
Claims 1-20 are currently pending. Applicant’s amendments have overcome the drawing objections and the 35 USC 112 rejections previously set forth in the Final Office Action mailed 03/03/2026.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 and 13 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.
Applicant argued that “However, Runyon fails to teach or suggest that the antenna comprises "the reflection plate has circuit pattern, and the one or more phase shifters are disposed near two edges of the reflections plate separately and avoid the circuit pattern of the reflection plate; wherein the cavity is a strip cavity, the reflection plate extends in a first direction and a second direction separately, the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction, and a length of the reflection plate in the first direction is greater than a length of the reflection plate in the second direction; and the strip cavity extends in the first direction" as recited by independent claim 1, as amended” and “Independent claim 13 was rejected for reasons similar to those described above with regard to independent claim 1. However, similar to those reasons given above with regard to independent claim 1, as amended, Sledkov and Runyon, alone or in combination, fail to disclose all of the elements in independent claim 13, as amended. For example, Sledkov and Runyon fail to disclose at least that "the reflection plate has circuit pattern, and the one or more phase shifters are disposed near two edges of the reflections plate separately and avoid the circuit pattern of the reflection plate; wherein the cavity is a strip cavity, the reflection plate extends in a first direction and a second direction separately, the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction, and a length of the reflection plate in the first direction is greater than a length of the reflection plate in the second direction; and the strip cavity extends in the first direction" as recited in independent claim 13, as amended. Accordingly, Applicant respectfully requests withdrawal of the rejection of independent claim 13.”
The arguments are now moot because claims 1 and 13 are now being rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jia et al, CN- CN-111355016-A in view of Runyon, US-5966102-A as explained below.
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 features must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s):
Claims 1 and 13 recite “the reflection plate has circuit pattern” but there is no drawings showing this limitation.
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 3 and 15 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 3 recites “wherein the reflection plate having circuit pattern is a reflection and transmission panel” but there is no support for this limitation in the spec.
Similar rejection would be applied to claim 15.
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 1-20 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.
Claim 1 recites “the reflection plate has circuit pattern” in line 5 which renders the claim indefinite. It is not clear how the reflection plate which is made of metal (para [0037]) could have the circuit pattern (which is usually made of conductive material, such as microstrip lines) because the circuit pattern and the reflection plate both being metal would cause a short circuit. For the purpose of examination, Examiner interprets the claim as best understood.
Similar rejection would be applied to claims 3, 13 and 15.
Claim 1 recites the limitation " the one or more phase shifters are disposed near two edges of the reflections plate separately" in line 5-6 which renders the claim indefinite. It is indefinite because in order to have the phase shifters be disposed at two separated edges of the reflections plate, it is impossible with one phase shifter, it is required to have at least two phase shifters. For the purpose of examination, Examiner interprets the claim as best understood.
Similar rejection would be applied to claim 13.
Claim 2-12 and 14-20 inherits the indefiniteness of claims 1, 13 and are subsequently rejected.
Claim 3 recites “wherein the reflection plate having circuit pattern is a reflection and transmission panel” in line 2 which renders the claim indefinite. It is not clear if this circuit pattern is different or the same to the circuit pattern recited in claim 1. For the purpose of examination, Examiner interprets the claim as best understood.
Similar rejection would be applied to claim 15.
Claim 4 recites “the first side edge and the second side edge are separately connected to the strip cavity” in line 3-4 which renders the claim indefinite. It is indefinite because each side edge of the reflections plate is connected to the strip cavity separately, it is required to have at least two strip cavity. For the purpose of examination, Examiner interprets the claim as best understood.
Similar rejection would be applied to claim 16.
Claim 7 recites the limitation “the second phase shifter is flatly disposed on the surface of the first side of the reflection plate” in line 2-3 which renders the claim indefinite. There is insufficient antecedent basis for these limitations in the claim. For the purpose of examination, Examiner interprets the claim as best understood.
Similar rejection would be applied to claim 19.
Claim 10 recites the limitation " wherein the cavity is a strip cavity " in line 2 which renders the claim indefinite. It is not clear if this strip cavity is different or the same to the strip cavity recited in claim 1. For the purpose of examination, Examiner interprets the claim as best understood.
Claim 11 inherits the indefiniteness of claim 10 and are subsequently rejected.
Claim 12 recites the limitation " a cavity in each group of the at least two phase shifters is of an integrated structure" in line 3 which renders the claim indefinite. It is not clear if this cavity is different or the same to the cavity recited in claim 1. For the purpose of examination, Examiner interprets the claim as best understood.
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 1-4, 6-16 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jia et al, CN- CN-111355016-A (hereinafter Jia) in view of Runyon, US-5966102-A.
Regarding claim 1, as best understood, Jia discloses the following:
an antenna, comprising:
one or more phase shifters (3, figs. 1-2), one or more radiation elements (2), and a reflection plate (15 of bottom plate 1, page 5, last para), wherein the one or more phase shifters includes a first phase shifter (3) that includes a cavity (31) and a phase-shift circuit (32), the phase-shift circuit is disposed in the cavity (fig. 2), the reflection plate has circuit pattern (4), and the one or more phase shifters are disposed near two edges of the reflections plate separately and avoid the circuit pattern of the reflection plate (fig. 1);
wherein the cavity is a strip cavity (31), the reflection plate extends in a first direction and a second direction separately, the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction, and a length of the reflection plate in the first direction is greater than a length of the reflection plate in the second direction; and the strip cavity extends in the first direction (fig. 1 below).
Jia does not disclose the cavity is connected to a mounting structure, but Jia discloses the cavity (31, figs. 1-2) is connected to a reflecting plate (15 of bottom plate 1) and one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that there would be some mounting structure connected to the reflecting plate to mount these base station antennas to a pole so that the antennas could be placed high in air to have better coverage and reduce interference from other objects.
Runyon applied as a teaching reference discloses the reflecting plate (14, fig. 2) is connected to a mounting structure (30) and the mounting structure is connected to a pole (col. 13, lines 1-3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to connect the cavity taught in Jia to a mounting structure which is connected to a pole as taught in Runyon as claimed for the purpose of placing the antenna high in the air to have better coverage and reduce interference from other objects.
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Regarding claim 2, Jia discloses wherein the reflection plate (15 of bottom plate 1, figs. 1-2) is connected to the cavity (31).
Regarding claim 3, as best understood, Jia discloses wherein the reflection plate (15 of bottom plate 1, figs. 1-2) having circuit pattern (4) is a reflection and transmission panel (page 5, last para).
Regarding claim 4, as best understood, Jia discloses wherein the reflection plate (15 of bottom plate 1, figs. 1-2) includes a first side edge and a second side edge that are opposite to each other (fig. 1), the first side edge and the second side edge extend in the first direction (fig. 1), and the first side edge and the second side edge are separately connected to the strip cavity (31).
Regarding claim 6, Jia discloses wherein the one or more phase shifters (3, fig. 1) include a plurality of phase shifters (fig. 1), wherein a quantity of the plurality of phase shifters is an even number (two phase shifters 3), and the even number of the plurality of phase shifters are symmetrically disposed on the reflection plate (fig. 1).
Regarding claim 7, as best understood, Jia discloses wherein the one or more phase shifters further comprises a second phase shifter (fig. 1: there are two phase shifters 3, so any of them can be a second phase shifter), and the second phase shifter is flatly disposed on the surface of the first side of the reflection plate (15 of bottom plate 1).
Regarding claim 8, Jia discloses wherein the one or more radiation elements (2, fig. 2) are connected to the cavity (31 through transmission lines 4, page 5, 2nd para from the bottom).
Regarding claim 9, Jia discloses the one or more radiation elements (2, fig. 2) are connected to the cavity (31 through transmission lines 4, page 5, 2nd para from the bottom).
Jia does not disclose the antenna further comprises a radome, the first phase shifter and the one or more radiation elements are disposed in the radome, and an inner wall of the radome has a reflection layer.
Runyon suggests the antenna further comprises a radome (26, 14, fig. 1), the first phase shifter (96, 98, fig. 14, col. 18, lines 33-36 in the polarization control network 18) and the one or more radiation elements (12) are disposed in the radome (26, 14, fig. 1), and an inner wall of the radome has a reflection layer (14).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to dispose the first phase shifter and the radiation element taught in Jia in a radome suggested in Runyon as claim for the purpose of protecting the antenna elements from environmental effects (Runyon, col. 12, lines 58-62).
Regarding claim 10, as best understood, Jia discloses wherein the one or more radiation elements include a plurality of radiation elements (2, figs. 1-2), and wherein the cavity is a strip cavity (figs. 1-2), and a plurality of radiation elements (2) form a linear array antenna system; and an extension direction of the strip cavity is consistent with an extension direction of the linear array antenna system (fig. 1).
Regarding claim 11, Jia discloses wherein a length of the strip cavity in the extension direction is greater than or equal to a length of the linear array antenna system in the extension direction (fig. 1).
Regarding claim 12, Jia discloses wherein the one or more phase shifters includes at least two phase shifters (3, figs. 1-2), wherein the at least two phase shifters are divided into two groups (figs. 1-2), and a cavity in each group of the at least two phase shifters is of an integrated structure (figs. 1-2).
Regarding claim 13, as best understood, Jia discloses the following:
a base station antenna feeder system, comprising: an antenna (the base station antenna of figs. 1-2), wherein the antenna includes one or more phase shifters (3, figs. 1-2), one or more radiation elements (2), and a reflection plate (15 of bottom plate 1, page 5, last para), wherein the one or more phase shifters comprises a cavity (31) and a phase-shift circuit (32), the phase-shift circuit is disposed in the cavity (fig. 2), and the reflection plate has circuit pattern (4), and the one or more phase shifters are disposed near two edges of the reflections plate separately and avoid the circuit pattern of the reflection plate (fig. 1);
wherein the cavity is a strip cavity (31), the reflection plate extends in a first direction and a second direction separately, the first direction is perpendicular to the second direction, and a length of the reflection plate in the first direction is greater than a length of the reflection plate in the second direction; and the strip cavity extends in the first direction (fig. 1 above).
Jia does not disclose the cavity is connected to a mounting structure, but Jia discloses the cavity (31, figs. 1-2) is connected to a reflecting plate (15 of bottom plate 1) and one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that there would be some mounting structure connected to the reflecting plate to mount these base station antennas to a pole so that the antennas could be placed high in air to have better coverage and reduce interference from other objects.
Runyon applied as a teaching reference discloses the reflecting plate (14, fig. 2) is connected to a mounting structure (30) and the mounting structure is connected to a pole (col. 13, lines 1-3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to connect the cavity taught in Jia to a mounting structure which is connected to a pole as taught in Runyon as claimed for the purpose of placing the antenna high in the air to have better coverage and reduce interference from other objects.
Regarding claim 14, Jia discloses wherein the reflection plate (15 of bottom plate 1, figs. 1-2) is connected to the cavity (31).
Regarding claim 15, as best understood, Jia discloses wherein the reflection plate (15 of bottom plate 1, figs. 1-2) having circuit pattern (4) is a reflection and transmission panel (page 5, last para).
Regarding claim 16, as best understood, Jia discloses wherein the reflection plate (15 of bottom plate 1, figs. 1-2) includes a first side edge and a second side edge that are opposite to each other (fig. 1), the first side edge and the second side edge extend in the first direction (fig. 1), and the first side edge and the second side edge are separately connected to the strip cavity (31).
Regarding claim 18, Jia discloses wherein the one or more phase shifters (3, fig. 1) include a plurality of phase shifters (fig. 1), wherein a quantity of the plurality of phase shifters is an even number (two phase shifters 3), and the even number of the plurality of phase shifters are symmetrically disposed on the reflection plate (fig. 1).
Regarding claim 19, as best understood, Jia discloses wherein the one or more phase shifters further includes a first phase shifter and a second phase shifter (fig. 1: there are two phase shifters 3, so they can be a first and second phase shifters), and the second phase shifter is flatly disposed on the surface of the first side of the reflection plate (15 of bottom plate 1).
Regarding claim 20, Jia discloses wherein the one or more radiation elements (2, fig. 2) are connected to the cavity (31 through transmission lines 4, page 5, 2nd para from the bottom).
Claims 5 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jia and Runyon as applied to claims 3 and 15 above, and further in view of Sledkov et al, US-20170358865-A1 (hereinafter Sledkov).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Jia and Runyon does not disclose wherein a length of the strip cavity in the first direction is equal to the length of the reflection plate in the first direction.
Sledkov suggests wherein a length of the strip cavity (2, fig. 1) in the first direction is equal to the length of the reflection plate in the first direction (4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adjust the length of the strip cavity taught in Jia and Runyon to be equal to the length of the reflection plate as claimed, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the size of a component. A change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955). The motivation stems from the need to simply the manufacturing process in order to save time and cost.
Regarding claim 17, the combination of Jia and Runyon does not disclose wherein a length of the strip cavity in the first direction is equal to the length of the reflection plate in the first direction.
Sledkov suggests wherein a length of the strip cavity (2, fig. 1) in the first direction is equal to the length of the reflection plate in the first direction (4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adjust the length of the strip cavity taught in Jia and Runyon to be equal to the length of the reflection plate as claimed, since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the size of a component. A change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955). The motivation stems from the need to simply the manufacturing process in order to save time and cost.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANH N HO whose telephone number is (571)272-4657. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00.
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/DAMEON E LEVI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2845
/ANH HO/Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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