DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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 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.
Response to Remarks/Arguments
With respect to the rejection of claim1 under 35 USC 102, Applicant's arguments filed 04/14/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues, see page 8, paragraph 1:
Notably, the end fed dipole antenna 12 is not a rod radiator. In contrast, the end fed dipole antenna 12 is a dipole circuit board antenna element.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Even though Platt’s antenna 12 is a dipole antenna in function, Fig. 1 of Platt clearly shows the antenna 12 is in a rod shape, thus it is also a rod antenna in shape.
With respect to the rejection of claim1 under 35 USC 102, Applicant's other arguments filed 04/14/2026 have been fully considered but are moot in view of new grounds of rejection set forth herein as necessitated by Applicant's amendments.
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 of this title, 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 1-6, 12 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being anticipated by Platt (US 2015/0244075 A1) in view of Yang (CN 201821720932 U).
Regarding claim 1, Platt teaches an antenna assembly comprising:
a flexible whip antenna (Fig. 1, 10, [0016] antenna with a gooseneck cable, [0018] cable 24, a gooseneck cable mechanically bend in various directions) including a mounting connector (Fig. 1, [0018] a cable end connector 38), a cable ([0018] conductive cord portion 27) coupled to the mounting connector (38), a bottom spring coil (Fig. 1, [0018] cable 24, a gooseneck cable), surrounding the cable (27) and coupled to the mounting connector (38), an adaptor coupled to the cable (Fig. 1, [0017] a radome tube support 17), and a rod radiator ([0016] the end fed dipole antenna 12) coupled to the adaptor (17);
the mounting connector (38) is configured to be coupled to an antenna feed ([0018] RF coaxial connector);
the cable ([0018] conductive cord 27) extends between a first end (cable end connector electrical interface 36) and a second end (antenna connector 26), the cable being flexible between the first and second ends of the cable ([0018] The cable 24 can be a gooseneck cable where the conductive cord portion 27 can be mechanically bent in various directions.), the first end being terminated to the mounting connector (Fig. 1, 36), the second end being terminated to the adaptor (Fig. 1, 26,17), the cable being electrically connected to the antenna feed through the mounting connector ([0018] The cable to antenna connector 26 and the cable end connector electrical interface 36 can be of any known type of radio frequency (RF) coaxial connector);
the bottom spring coil concentrically surrounds the first end of the cable (27), the bottom spring coil being terminated to the mounting connector (Fig. 1, 24 connected to 34/36/38), the bottom spring coil being electrically connected to the antenna feed through the mounting connector ([0018] a cable end connector electrical interface 36);
the rod radiator (Fig. 1, 12) including a conductive metal rod ([0028] semi-rigid cable 40) extending between a first end and a second end, the first end (12) being terminated to the adaptor (17), the rod radiator being electrically connected to the antenna feed through the cable ([0016] dipole antenna 12);
wherein the cable is flexible to move the rod radiator relative to the mounting connector ([0018] a gooseneck cable where the conductive cord portion 27 can be mechanically bent in various directions.).
However, Platt does not explicitly teach the antenna assembly comprising the rod radiator is flexible.
Yang teaches an antenna assembly comprising a flexible rod radiator (Figs. 1 and 2, 14, page 4, second paragraph, antenna loop 14, page 5, paragraph 6, antenna loop 14 is the TPV material, page 5, paragraph 11, TPV material has good elasticity).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to apply and use the TPV material of Yang for the rod radiator 13 of Platt in order to keep the rod antenna from deformation, environmental damages and aging degradation (Yang, page 5, paragraph 11).
Regarding claim 2, all the limitations of claim 1 are taught by Platt in view of Yang.
Platt further teaches the assembly, wherein the cable includes an inner conductor and an outer conductor, the inner conductor and the outer conductor being coupled to the mounting connector ([0018]).
Regarding claim 3, all the limitations of claim 2 are taught by Platt in view of Yang.
Platt further teaches the assembly, wherein the inner conductor and the outer conductor are direct coupled to each other at the mounting connector ([0018], Fig. 1).
Regarding claim 4, all the limitations of claim 1 are taught by Platt in view of Yang.
Platt further teaches the assembly, further comprising a parasitic spring coil (Fig. 2, 40, [0029]) concentrically surrounding a portion of the cable (Fig. 2, 46) separate from the bottom spring coil (Figs. 1 and 2, 24).
Regarding claim 5, all the limitations of claim 4 are taught by Platt in view of Yang.
Platt further teaches the assembly wherein the cable includes an inner conductor, an insulator surrounding the inner conductor, an outer conductor surrounding the insulator, and a jacket surrounding the outer conductor ([0033] coaxial cable 40 wrapped around a dielectric), the cable having a stripped portion ([0032] the conductor 46) at the second end where the outer conductor and the jacket are removed, the parasitic spring coil located along the stripped portion (Fig. 2, 40, 46).
Regarding claim 6, all the limitations of claim 4 are taught by Platt in view of Yang.
Platt further teaches the assembly wherein the parasitic spring coil is located a gap length from the adaptor (Fig. 2, gap between 40 and 17).
Regarding claim 12, all the limitations of claim 4 are taught by Platt in view of Yang.
Platt further teaches the assembly, wherein the rod radiator has a higher elastic modulus than the cable ([0018] The cable 24 can be a gooseneck cable where the conductive cord portion 27 can be mechanically bent in various directions.).
Regarding claim 13, all the limitations of claim 1 are taught Platt in view of Yang.
Platt further teaches the antenna assembly, wherein the flexible whip antenna is operable at a VHF frequency band ([0019]).
Platt in view of Yang does not explicitly teach the antenna assembly wherein the flexible whip antenna has an overall length of less than 420 mm and is operable between 150 MHz and 160 MHz.
However, a specific length of the antenna and an operation range would be routine optimization where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation." In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955). Note that the application does not disclose the criticalities of the length of less than 420 mm and the operation range between 150 MHz and 160 MHz.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Platt (US 2015/0244075 A1) in view of Yang (CN 201821720932 U) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Ohno (US 10,283,863 B2).
Regarding claim 8, all the limitations of claim 1 are taught Platt in view of Yang.
Platt does not explicitly teach the assembly, wherein the mounting connector, the cable, the bottom spring coil, and the adaptor are contained within a common protective cover.
Ohno teaches an antenna assembly, wherein a mounting connector, a cable, a spring coil, and an adaptor are contained within a common protective cover (Fig. 1, 50).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to apply the protective cover of Ohno to the teachings of Platt in view of Yang in order to mitigate a shock from outside (Ohno, column 8, lines 46-48).
Claim 10 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Platt (US 2015/0244075 A1) in view of Yang (CN 201821720932 U) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Faulkner (WO 9,848,477 A1).
Regarding claim 10, all the limitations of claim 1 are taught Platt in view of Yang.
Platt does not explicitly teach the antenna assembly wherein the rod radiator includes a stainless steel rod and a dielectric coating surrounding the stainless steel rod.
Faulkner teaches a whip antenna wherein a rod radiator includes a stainless steel rod and a dielectric coating surrounding the stainless steel rod (page 4, lines 25-33).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to apply the teachings of Faulkner to the whip antenna implementation for Platt ([0041]) as they are well-known in the art (Faulkner, page 4, lines 25-33).
Regarding claim 11, all the limitations of claim 1 are taught Platt in view of Yang.
Platt does not explicitly teach the antenna assembly wherein the rod radiator includes a radiating cap at a distal end of the rod radiator and a protective cover covering the radiating cap.
Faulkner teaches an antenna wherein the rod radiator includes a radiating cap at a distal end of the rod radiator and a protective cover covering the radiating cap (Fig. 2, 42).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to apply the teachings of Faulkner to the whip antenna implementation for Platt ([0041]) in order to protect the whip antenna.
Claim 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Platt (US 2015/0244075 A1) in view of Yang (CN 201821720932 U) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Yun (US 2020/0112101 A1).
Regarding claim 21, all the limitations of claim 1 are taught Platt in view of Yang.
Platt further teaches the antenna assembly, further comprising the flexible whip antenna including a first radiating element operable at a VHF frequency band, a second radiating element operable at a UHF frequency band ([0019]).
Platt in view of Yang does not explicitly teach the antenna assembly further comprising an antenna base including a ground plane, a radome coupled to the antenna base, and a whip antenna connector base mounted to the antenna base, wherein an interior enclosure is collectively defined by the radome and the antenna base configured to hold at least one antenna element, the flexible whip antenna being coupled to the whip antenna connector base, the flexible whip antenna including a third radiating element operable at 7/800 MHz frequency band.
Yun teaches an antenna assembly comprising an antenna base (Fig. 1, [0050] the base substrate 108) including a ground plane (a ground plane 120), a radome (Fig. 1, [0045] a cover 110) coupled to the antenna base, and a whip antenna connector base (Fig. 1, [0046] a rod antenna 103 mounted on 108) mounted to the antenna base, wherein an interior enclosure is collectively defined by the radome (Fig. 1, interior defined by 110) and the antenna base configured to hold at least one antenna element ([0046] antenna elements 103-106), the flexible whip antenna being coupled to the whip antenna connector base (103, 108), the flexible whip antenna including a third radiating element operable at 7/800 MHz frequency band ([0046] LTE band).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to apply the teachings of Yun to the teachings of Platt in view of Yang in order to integrate a plurality of antennas for providing multiple wireless services for a vehicle with less space and without significant reduction of performance of adjacent antenna elements (Yun, [0002]-[0004]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 9, 22, 23 are 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 7, the prior arts fail to teach or reasonably suggest an antenna assembly, wherein the parasitic spring coil is capacitively coupled to the cable, in combination with the other limitations of the claim.
Regarding claim 9, the prior arts fail to teach or reasonably suggest an antenna assembly, wherein the bottom spring coil has a length being 1/4 λ for a 7/800Mhz frequency band, wherein the cable has a length being 1/4 λ for a UHF frequency band, and wherein the cable, the adaptor, and the rod radiator having a combined length being less than 1/4 λ for a VHF frequency band, in combination with the other limitations of the claim.
Regarding claim 22, the prior arts fail to teach or reasonably suggest an antenna assembly, wherein the bottom spring coil defining the third radiating element, the cable defining the second radiating element, the radiating rod forming at least a portion of the first radiating element, in combination with the other limitations of the claim.
Regarding claim 23, claim 23 is objected to due to its dependency to claim 22 above.
Claims 14-17 are allowed. Specifically, the independent claim 14 is allowed over the prior arts. The dependent claims 15-17 are allowed due to their dependencies to the said independent claim 14.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 14, the prior art Platt (US 2015/0244075 A1) discloses antenna assembly comprising: a flexible whip antenna including a mounting connector, a cable coupled to the mounting connector, a bottom spring coil surrounding the cable and coupled to the mounting connector, an adaptor coupled to the cable, and a rod radiator coupled to the adaptor; the mounting connector is configured to be coupled to an antenna feed; the bottom spring coil being terminated to the mounting connector, the bottom spring coil being electrically connected to the antenna feed through the mounting connector; the cable extends between a first end and a second end, the first end being terminated to the mounting connector, the second end being terminated to the adaptor, the cable being electrically connected to the antenna feed through the mounting connector; the rod radiator extending between a first end and a second end, the first end being terminated to the adaptor, the rod radiator being electrically connected to the antenna feed through the cable.
Prior arts do not disclose or fairly suggest, alone or in combination, an antenna assembly comprising: wherein the bottom spring coil has a length being 1/4 λ for a 7/800Mhz frequency band, wherein the cable has a length being 1/4 λ for a UHF frequency band, and wherein the cable, the adaptor, and the rod radiator having a combined length being less than 1/4 λ for a VHF frequency band.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SEOKJIN KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-1487. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8:30am-5:00pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alexander Taningco can be reached at (571) 272-8048. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SEOKJIN KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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