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 with respect to claims 1 and 10 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on all reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
In addition, claims 7-8 and 16-17 are objected to as being dependent upon rejected claims 1 and 10. If further efforts are made to clarify and fully define the invention, Applicant is advised to consider referencing specific paragraphs, column and line numbers, and/or figures from the cited prior art. While the citations provided are representative and mapped to individual claim limitations, other portions of the references may also be relevant. Incorporating such disclosures may assist the Applicant in preparing a more complete response to this Office Action.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
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 1, 10, 18 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (US 20100019973) in view of Tsou (US 20100253581).
Regarding claim 1:
Yang et al. disclose (in Fig. 1) an electronic device, comprising: a housing (See Abstract; Para. 0002, Lines 1-2; Para. 0004, Lines 3-6); an antenna module (100) disposed in the housing, wherein the antenna module (100) includes: a first radiating element (30) including a first arm (32) and a second arm (31) that is connected to the first arm (32); and a second radiating element (20) including a first radiating portion (22) and a feeding portion (241), wherein the first radiating portion (22) includes a first section (223), a second section (222), and a third section (221), the feeding portion (241) is connected to the first section (223), the first section (223) includes a first branch (23) and a second branch (25), and the second section (222) is connected between the first branch (23) and the third section (221); wherein the first branch (23), the second section (222), and the third section (221) jointly form a hook-shaped structure (defined by 221, 222 and 23; See Fig.), the first radiating element (30) is disposed on a periphery of the second radiating element (20), and the hook-shaped structure (defined by 221, 222 and 23) is farther away from the first arm (32) than the second branch (25), and the first branch (23) is coupled (via the coupling gap) to the second arm (31); and a feeding element (24) electrically connected to the feeding portion (241).
Yang et al. is silent on that the second arm further has a first short side and a second short side that are opposite to each other, the first short side is connected to the first arm, and the first short side and the second short side have a first transverse length therebetween; the second arm further has a first short side and a second short side that are opposite to each other, the first short side is connected to the first arm, and the first short side and the second short side have a first transverse length therebetween.
Tsou disclose an antenna module (10) including a first radiating element (16) and a second radiating element (15), further comprising the second arm (161) further has a first short side (defined by the first end adjacent 14) and a second short side (defined by the second end adjacent 162) that are opposite to each other (See Fig.), the first short side (defined by the first end adjacent 14) is connected to the first arm (162), and the first short side (defined by the first end adjacent 14) and the second short side (defined by the second end adjacent 162) have a first transverse length therebetween (defined by the length of 161); the first section (defined by 151) further has a third short side (defined by the first end adjacent 14) and a fourth short side (defined by the second end adjacent 152) that are opposite to each other (See Fig.), the fourth short side (defined by the second end adjacent 152) is connected to the second section (152), the third short side (defined by the first end adjacent 14) and the fourth short side (defined by the second end adjacent 152) have a second transverse length therebetween (defined by the length of 151), and the first transverse length (defined by the length of 161 having a length of 18.5 mm - Para. 0020, Lines 2-3) is greater than or equal to the second transverse length (defined by the length of 151 having a length of 15.6 mm – Para. 0020, Lines 7-8);
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Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the second arm further has a first short side and a second short side that are opposite to each other, the first short side is connected to the first arm, and the first short side and the second short side have a first transverse length therebetween; the second arm further has a first short side and a second short side that are opposite to each other, the first short side is connected to the first arm, and the first short side and the second short side have a first transverse length therebetween as taught by Tsou into the device of Yang et al. for the benefit of the multiband antenna to generate multiple resonance frequencies e.g., 2.4 GHz, 3.5 GHz and 5.2 GHz, suitable for working with Bluetooth, WiMAX, and WLAN communication systems (Para. 0021, Lines 1-4).
Regarding claim 10:
Yang et al. disclose (in Fig. 1) an antenna module (100), comprising: a first radiating element (30) including a first arm (32) and a second arm (31) that is connected to the first arm (32); and a second radiating element (20) including a first radiating portion (22) and a feeding portion (241), wherein the first radiating portion (22) includes a first section (223), a second section (222), and a third section (221), the feeding portion (241) is connected to the first section (223) and is electrically connected to a feeding element (24), the first section (223) includes a first branch (23) and a second branch (25), and the second section (222) is connected between the first branch (23) and the third section (221); wherein the first branch (23), the second section (222), and the third section (221) jointly form a hook-shaped structure (defined by 221, 222 and 23; See Fig.) the first radiating element (30) is disposed on a periphery of the second radiating element (20), and the hook-shaped structure (defined by 221, 222 and 23) is farther away from the first arm (32) than the second branch (25), and the first branch (23) is coupled (via the coupling gap) to the second arm (31).
Yang et al. is silent on that the second arm further has a first short side and a second short side that are opposite to each other, the first short side is connected to the first arm, and the first short side and the second short side have a first transverse length therebetween; the second arm further has a first short side and a second short side that are opposite to each other, the first short side is connected to the first arm, and the first short side and the second short side have a first transverse length therebetween.
Tsou disclose an antenna module (10) including a first radiating element (16) and a second radiating element (15), further comprising the second arm (161) further has a first short side (defined by the first end adjacent 14) and a second short side (defined by the second end adjacent 162) that are opposite to each other (See Fig.), the first short side (defined by the first end adjacent 14) is connected to the first arm (162), and the first short side (defined by the first end adjacent 14) and the second short side (defined by the second end adjacent 162) have a first transverse length therebetween (defined by the length of 161); the first section (defined by 151) further has a third short side (defined by the first end adjacent 14) and a fourth short side (defined by the second end adjacent 152) that are opposite to each other (See Fig.), the fourth short side (defined by the second end adjacent 152) is connected to the second section (152), the third short side (defined by the first end adjacent 14) and the fourth short side (defined by the second end adjacent 152) have a second transverse length therebetween (defined by the length of 151), and the first transverse length (defined by the length of 161 having a length of 18.5 mm - Para. 0020, Lines 2-3) is greater than or equal to the second transverse length (defined by the length of 151 having a length of 15.6 mm – Para. 0020, Lines 7-8);
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Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the second arm further has a first short side and a second short side that are opposite to each other, the first short side is connected to the first arm, and the first short side and the second short side have a first transverse length therebetween; the second arm further has a first short side and a second short side that are opposite to each other, the first short side is connected to the first arm, and the first short side and the second short side have a first transverse length therebetween as taught by Tsou into the device of Yang et al. for the benefit of the multiband antenna to generate multiple resonance frequencies e.g., 2.4 GHz, 3.5 GHz and 5.2 GHz, suitable for working with Bluetooth, WiMAX, and WLAN communication systems (Para. 0021, Lines 1-4).
Regarding claims 3 and 12:
Yang et al. disclose the first section (223) and the second arm (31) are separated from each other by a minimum gap.
Yang et al. are silent on that the minimum gap is smaller than or equal to 10 mm.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective
filing date of the claimed invention to construct the minimum gap smaller than or equal to 10 mm in Yang et al. for the benefit of capacitively coupling with the level of the radiating portion and ensuring a single antenna to transmit and receive signal and making it into a multi-band antenna with simple structure and small size to be assembled in the limited space (Para. 0007, Lines 1-6).
Tsou disclose the minimum gap is smaller than or equal to 10 mm (Para. 0020, Lines 8-9 - The width between the second radiating arm 15 and the second arm portion 161 is 0.6 mm).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the minimum gap is smaller than or equal to 10 mm as taught by Tsou into the device of Yang et al. for the benefit of facilitating the coupling effect generating by the second radiating arm and the third radiating arm (Para. 0019, Lines 11-12) to obtain the first resonance frequency, the second resonance frequency and the third resonance frequency suitable for working with Bluetooth, WiMAX, and WLAN communication systems (Para. 0015, Lines 10-13).
Regarding claim 4 and 13:
Yang et al. disclose an area of the second arm (31) is greater than an area of the first section (223; See Fig.).
Yang et al. are silent on that on that the second arm is at least 1.25 times greater than an area of the first section.
However, Yang et al. teach in par [0018] that the second arm 31 affects resonance.
Accordingly, it would have been an obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the
effective filing date and a matter of design consideration to vary the size of the second arm relative to the
first section as taught by Yang et al. and make the second arm to at least 1.25 times greater than an area of the first section to fully cover the area of capacitive coupling with the first section to achieve the desired capacitance and resonant frequency.
Furthermore, it would have been obvious to modify the area of the second arm in relationship to the coupling area of the first section and the coupling gap to fall between particular design range in order for the antenna to resonate at a predictable operating frequency (as these parameters e.g. antenna length/area, coupling gap size, distances between radiating elements etc. control the operation of an antenna) since it's been held that variables which achieve a recognized result, before the determination of the optimum or workable ranges of said variable might be characterized as routine experimentation. In re Antonie, 559 F.2d 618, 195 USPQ 6 (CCPA 1977). See MPEP 2144.05.
Regarding claim 18:
Yang et al. disclose one side of the third section (221) is an open end (see Fig.).
Regarding claim 19:
Yang et al. disclose one side of the third section (221) is an open end (see Fig.).
Claims 2 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al.
(US 20100019973) in view of Tsou (US 20100253581), as applied to claims 1 and 10 and further
in view of Ruan et al. (US 20140139377).
Regarding claims 2 and 11:
Yang as modified are silent on that the second radiating element further includes a second radiating portion, wherein the second radiating portion is connected to the feeding portion, and the second radiating portion is more adjacent to the feeding portion than the first radiating portion.
Ruan discloses (in Figs. 2 and 3) the second radiating element (2) further includes a second
radiating portion (21), wherein the second radiating portion (21) is connected to the feeding portion (211),
and the second radiating portion (21) is more adjacent to the feeding portion (211) than the first radiating
portion (22).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing
date of the claimed invention to the second radiating element further includes a second radiating portion,
wherein the second radiating portion is connected to the feeding portion, and the second radiating portion
is more adjacent to the feeding portion than the first radiating portion as taught by Ruan into the modified device of Yang et al. for the benefit of operating the antenna device in multiple frequency bands (Para. 0010, Lines 1-6).
Claims 5 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al.
(US 20100019973) in view of Tsou (US 20100253581), as applied to claims 1 and 10 and further in view of Lee et al. (US 20170170543).
Regarding claim 5 and 14:
Yang et al. are silent on that the first section has a first long side and a second long side that are
opposite to each other, the first long side is more adjacent to the second arm than the second long side, the feeding portion is connected to the second long side, the feeding portion has a feeding end that is electrically connected to the feeding element, and the feeding end and the first long side have a first longitudinal length therebetween; wherein the first arm has a short side, the second arm has a third long side and a fourth long side that are opposite to each other, the fourth long side is farther away from the
second radiating element than the third long side, and the short side and the fourth long side have a
second longitudinal length therebetween; wherein the second longitudinal length is greater than or equal to the first longitudinal length.
Lee et al. disclose (in Figs. 1 and 2) the first section (126) has a first long side (126a) and a second long side (along C1) that are opposite to each other (See Figs.), the first long side (126a) is more adjacent to the second arm (122) than the second long side (along C1), the feeding portion (140) is connected to the second long side (along C1), the feeding portion (140) has a feeding end (F) that is electrically connected to the feeding element (along 140), and the feeding end (F) and the first long side (126a) have a first longitudinal length therebetween (See Figs.); wherein the first arm (124) has a short side (124a), the second arm (122) has a third long side (122a) and a fourth long side (along the opposite side of 122a) that are opposite to each other (See Figs.), the fourth long side (along the opposite side of 122a) is farther away from the second radiating element (128) than the third long side (122a), and the short side (124a) and the fourth long side (along the opposite side of 122a) have a second longitudinal length therebetween (along L); wherein the second longitudinal length (along L) is greater than or equal to the first longitudinal length (along C1).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing
date of the claimed invention to implement the structural arrangement of the antenna as taught by Lee et
al. into the modified device of Yang for the benefit of achieving antenna slim height still has a good
performance (Para. 0023, Lines 15-16).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (US 20100019973) in view of Tsou (US 20100253581), as applied to claim 1 and further in view of Irci et al. (US Pat. 10200092).
Regarding claim 9:
Yang et al. are silent on that a switching circuit and a proximity sensing circuit that are electrically
connected to the first radiating element, wherein the switching circuit includes a path, and the path includes a switch and a passive element; wherein the switching circuit is switched to different modes
through different switching states of the switch, and equivalent impedances produced by the switching circuit in different modes are different from each other.
Irci et al. disclose (in Fig. 10) a switching circuit (270) and a proximity sensing circuit (278) that are electrically connected to the first radiating element (via 272), wherein the switching circuit (270) includes a path, and the path includes a switch (284) and a passive element (274); wherein the switching circuit (270) is switched to different modes through different switching states of the switch, and equivalent impedances (through 280, 282...) produced by the switching circuit in different modes are different from each other (Col. 27, Lines 45-52).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a switching circuit and a proximity sensing circuit that are electrically connected to the first radiating element as taught by Irci et al. into the modified device of Yang for the benefit of achieving multiple modes by switching within several frequencies of operation (Col. 15, Lines 49-57).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-8 and 16-17 are objected to as being dependent upon rejected base claims 1 and 10, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BAMIDELE A. IMMANUEL whose telephone number is (571)272-9988. The examiner can normally be reached General IFP Schedule: Mon.-Fri. 8AM - 7PM (Hoteling).
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/BAMIDELE A IMMANUEL/Examiner, Art Unit 2845
/DIMARY S LOPEZ CRUZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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