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 January 30, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding claims 1 and 18 the applicant argues that the combined art of Jiang and Lin does not teach “the switching circuit includes a first path and a second path, the first path has a first switch, and the second path has a second switch”, “the first switch is in a conducting state, the signal passes through the feeding portion, a part of the first radiating portion, and the first grounding arm, and is grounded through the first path”, and "the second switch is in the conducting state, the signal passes through the feeding portion, a part of the first radiating portion, and the second grounding arm, and is grounded through the second path". The Examiner respectfully disagrees.
The amended claims 1 and 18 include portions of claim 3 or 20 plus additional limitations which were not examined. The rejection below addresses these amendments in full.
Therefore, the examiner contends that the newly amended features of the independent claims 1 and 18 in the 35 USC 103 rejections below are disclosed by the combined art of Jiang and Lin.
Regarding the argument that the signal from S does not pass “directly” through any grounding portions as claimed. The examiner disagrees. First the claim does not state a “direct” connection. Second, The coupling/connecting of S to the radiating portion 11 is shown in Figure 1 below to connect through the grounding portions 141, 142 and 143.
The examiner would welcome a request for interview to discuss strategies for amending the claims with the goal of determining amendments that would overcome the prior art of record while ensuring that the invention is clearly recited in a manner that is not overly limiting. As best understood by the examiner, the applicant has argued but not claimed features/details in the instant application that would overcome the prior art of record as applied.
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-6, 14 and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over CN 115117600 A (see attached translation for the following citation) by JIANG, ZHENG-WEI et al. (hereinafter JIANG) in view of US 20160134017 by LIN, YEN-HUI et al. (hereinafter LIN).
Regarding claim 1, JIANG teaches: (Currently amended) An electronic device (an electronic device D ¶ 0074, fig. 1), comprising:
a housing (a metal element, and the metal element may be a housing of the electronic device D ¶ 0079, fig. 1);
an antenna structure (an antenna structure ¶ 0074, fig. 1) disposed in the housing (the antenna structure in the electronic device ¶ 0007), wherein the antenna structure (antenna structure ¶ 0074, fig. 1) includes:
a grounding element (a ground element 4 ¶ 0074, fig. 1);
a feeding radiation element (first radiating element 1 ¶ 0074, fig. 1) including a feeding portion (a feeding portion 13 ¶ 0074, fig. 1), a first radiating portion (a first radiating portion 11 ¶ 0074, fig. 1), a second radiating portion (a second radiating portion 12 ¶ 0074, fig. 1), a first grounding arm (a first section 141 ¶ 0075, fig. 1), and a second grounding arm (a second section 142 ¶ 0075, fig. 1), wherein the feeding portion is connected between the first radiating portion and the second radiating portion (The feeding portion 13 is electrically connected between the first radiating portion 11 and the second radiating portion 12 ¶ 0074, fig. 1),
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JIANG – Figure 1
and the first grounding arm (first section 141 ¶ 0075, fig. 1) and the second grounding arm (second section 142 ¶ 0075, fig. 1) are connected to the first radiating portion (One end of the grounding portion 14 is electrically connected between the first radiating portion 11 and the second radiating portion 12 ¶ 0074, fig. 1);
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JIANG – Figure 3: schematic diagram of the switching circuit, the control circuit and the third radiating element in FIG. 1.
a switching circuit (switching circuit S ¶ 0084, fig. 3) electrically connected to the first grounding arm (first section 141 ¶ 0075, fig. 1) and the second grounding arm (second section 142 ¶ 0075; the switching circuit S includes a signal conducting path W and at least one ground path ¶ 0084; see Figures 1 & 3), wherein the switching circuit includes a first path and a second path, the first path has a first switch, and the second path has a second switch (the switching circuit S includes a first mode and a second mode. The first mode has a first path, and the second mode has a second path ¶ 0082, fig. 3).
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JIANG – Figure 2
JIANG further teaches and a feeding element being used to feed a signal (The electronic device D can feed a signal to the first radiation element 1 through the feeding element F ¶ 0079, fig. 1-2), wherein the feeding element includes a grounding end and a feeding end (The feeding element F includes a feeding end F1 and a grounding end F2 ¶ 0079, fig. 1-2), the grounding end is electrically connected to the grounding element (the grounding end F2 is electrically connected to the grounding element 4 ¶ 0079, fig. 1-2), and the feeding end is electrically connected to the feeding portion (The feeding end F1 is electrically connected to the feeding portion 13 ¶ 0079, fig. 1-2);
wherein, in response to the switching circuit (switching circuit S ¶ 0084, fig. 3) being switched to a first mode (a first mode ¶ 0082; see Figure 3), the first switch is in a conducting state, the signal passes through the feeding portion, a part of the first radiating portion, and the first grounding arm, and is grounded through the first path (The control circuit R can control the switching circuit S to switch between the first mode and the second mode. The control circuit R can be used to control whether at least one ground path (such as the first path W1, the second path W2 and/or the third path W3) is conductive ¶ 0082 & 0084, see Figure 3), and in response to the switching circuit being switched to a second mode (a second mode ¶ 0082; see Figure 3 [¶ 0086-0089]), the second switch is in the conducting state, the signal passes through the feeding portion, a part of the first radiating portion, and the second grounding arm, and is grounded through the second path (The control circuit R can control the switching circuit S to switch between the first mode and the second mode. The control circuit R can be used to control whether at least one ground path (such as the first path W1, the second path W2 and/or the third path W3) is conductive ¶ 0082 & 0084, see Figure 3 [¶ 0086-0089]).
JIANG also teaches a switching circuit S. The switching circuit S includes a first mode and a second mode. The first mode has a first path, and the second mode has a second path. The first path has a first impedance value, the second path has a second impedance value, and the first impedance value is different from the second impedance value. The electronic device D further includes a control circuit R. The control circuit R can control the switching circuit S to switch between the first mode and the second mode, so as to utilize the control circuit R to control the operating frequency band of the antenna structure. (¶ 0082, fig. 1 & 3).
The control circuit R can be used to control whether at least one ground path (such as the first path W1, the second path W2 and/or the third path W3) is conductive, so as to control the switching circuit S to switch to one of the first mode and the second mode by selecting the ground path (¶ 0084, fig. 3).
The first mode is that the third radiating element 3 is electrically connected to the control circuit R through the signal conduction path W, and the first path W1, the second path W2 and the third path W3 are all in an open-circuit state (¶ 0086, fig. 3).
When the first path W1 is in a conductive state and the second path W2 and the third path W3 are in a non-conductive state, the center frequency of the operating frequency band ranging from 698 MHz to 960 MHz can be closer to 698 MHz. When the second path W2 is in a conductive state and the first path W1 and the third path W3 are in a non-conductive state, the center frequency of the operating frequency band ranging from 698 MHz to 960 MHz can be closer to 960 MHz. In other words, the switching circuit S can adjust the center frequency of the second operating frequency band by selecting the first passive element E1 and the second passive element E2 (¶ 0090, fig. 3).
JIANG does not explicitly teach and a first parasitic radiation element connected to the grounding element and coupled with the feeding radiation element.
However, LIN teaches a wireless communication device 100, wherein the wireless communication device 100 includes a printed circuit board 10, a multiband antenna 200 and a holder 30 coupled to an end of the printed circuit board 10. The multi band antenna 200 is placed on the holder 30, and electronically coupled to the printed circuit board 10. The multiband antenna 200 includes a main antenna 201, a parasitic antenna 202 electromagnetically coupled to the main antenna 201, and a switching circuit 203 (see Figure 3) electronically coupled to the main antenna 201 (¶ 0012, fig. 1).
The main antenna 201 includes a feeding portion 21, a grounding portion 22, a radiating portion 23, and an extending portion 24 coupled to the feeding portion 21 and the grounding portion 22. The feeding portion 21 and the grounding portion 22 are substantially rectangular strip, and are positioned substantially parallel to each other. The holder 30 includes a first surface 31, a second surface 32 substantially parallel to the first surface 31, and a third surface 33 coupled substantially perpendicular to the first and second surfaces 31, 32. The feeding portion 21 and the grounding portion 22 are positioned in the first surface 31 (¶ 0013, fig. 1).
The radiating portion 23 includes a common strip 230, a first branch 25 and a second branch 26. The common strip 230 is coupled to the feeding portion 21 and the extending portion 24. The first and second branches 25 and 26 extend from the common strip 230, the first branch 25 is positioned between and spaced from the common strip 230 and the second branch 26. An electrical length of the first branch 25 is longer than an electrical length of the second branch 26. The parasitic antenna 202 is positioned adjacent to the main antenna 201, and spaced from a side of the common strip 230 opposite the first and second branches 25 and 26. As a result, when current signals output from the printed circuit board 10 are fed to the feeding portion 21, the first branch 25 generates a low frequency resonate mode and a third harmonic resonate mode of the low frequency resonate mode; the second branch 26 is electromagnetically coupled to the first branch 25 to generate a first high frequency resonate mode; the parasitic antenna 202 is electromagnetically fed by the main antenna 201 to generate a second high frequency resonate mode (¶ 0015, fig. 1-2).
The second branch 26 is substantially a meander strip, and is positioned on the second surface 32. In at least one embodiment, the second branch 26 includes a fourth radiating strip 261, a fifth radiating strip 262 and a third radiating strip 263. The fourth radiating strip 261 is substantially L-shaped. An end of the fourth radiating strip 261 is coupled substantially perpendicular to the common strip 230. The fifth radiating strip 262 is coupled substantially perpendicular to both the fourth and sixth radiating strips 261 and 263. In particular, the fifth radiating strip 262 is coupled to a middle portion of the sixth radiating strip 263. The sixth radiating strip 263 is spaced from and substantially parallel to the first radiating strip 251. In at least one embodiment, a length of the sixth radiating strip 263 is about 13.5 mm; a distance between the sixth radiating strip 263 and the first radiating strip 251 is about 1 mm. A frequency band of the first high frequency resonate mode can be regulated by regulating the length of the sixth radiating strip 263 (¶ 0018, fig. 2).
The parasitic antenna 202 is substantially a meander strip, and is positioned on the first, second and third surfaces 31, 32 and 33 of the holder 30. In particular, the parasitic antenna 202 includes a first parasitic portion 2021 (see Figure 1), a second parasitic portion 2022 and a third parasitic portion 2023 which are coupled sequentially. The first parasitic portion 2021 (see Figure 1) is substantially a rectangular strip which is positioned on the first surface 31 of the holder 30. The first parasitic portion 2021 and the grounding portion 22 are located at two opposite sides of the feeding portion 21. The first parasitic portion 2021 can be electronically coupled to the printed circuit board 10, and can be grounded via the printed circuit board 10. The second parasitic portion 2022 is substantially a meander strip, and is positioned on the third surface 33 of the holder 33 and adjacent to the common strip 230. In particular, the second parasitic portion 2022 is substantially Z-shaped. The third parasitic portion 2023 is substantially a meander strip, and is positioned on the second surface 32 of holder 30 and adjacent to the second branch 26. In particular, the third parasitic portion 2023 includes a first parasitic arm 2024 and a second parasitic arm 2025. The first parasitic arm 2024 is substantially a rectangular strip, and is coupled between the second parasitic portion 2022 and the second parasitic arm 2025. The second parasitic arm 2025 is substantially U-shaped. In at least one embodiment, a total length of the parasitic antenna 202 is about 33 mm (¶ 0019, fig. 2).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of LIN to include the plurality of parasitic portions with the plurality of radiating elements and the plurality of grounding portions of the art of JIANG with the benefit of generating a high frequency resonate mode (LIN, ¶ 0015).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of JIANG and LIN to obtain the invention:
LIN teaches and a first parasitic radiation element (parasitic antenna 202 ¶ 0019, fig. 1) connected to the grounding element (the parasitic antenna 202 includes a first parasitic portion 2021, a second parasitic portion 2022 and a third parasitic portion 2023 which are coupled sequentially. The first parasitic portion 2021 can be electronically coupled to the printed circuit board 10, and can be grounded via the printed circuit board 10 ¶ 0019, fig. 1-2) and coupled with the feeding radiation element (see Figure 1, note 1).
Regarding claim 2, JIANG and LIN make obvious (Original) the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein a transmission path length of the signal from the feeding end to the grounding element via the first grounding arm is greater than a transmission path length of the signal from the feeding end to the grounding element via the second grounding arm (see LIN – Figure 1, note 2).
Regarding claim 3, JIANG and LIN make obvious (Currently amended) the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein an equivalent impedance of the first path is different from an equivalent impedance of the second path (JIANG: The first path has a first impedance value, the second path has a second impedance value, and the first impedance value is different from the second impedance value ¶ 0082, fig. 3).
Regarding claim 4, JIANG and LIN make obvious (Original) the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the switching circuit includes a plurality of switches, and when the plurality of switches are in the conducting state, the signal passes through the first grounding arm and the second grounding arm (JIANG: The control circuit R can be used to control whether at least one ground path (such as the first path W1, the second path W2 and/or the third path W3) is conductive, so as to control the switching circuit S to switch to one of the first mode and the second mode by selecting the ground path ¶ 0084, fig. 3).
Regarding claim 5, JIANG and LIN make obvious (Original) the electronic device according to claim 4, wherein, when the plurality of switches are in a non-conducting state (JIANG: an open-circuit state ¶ 0086, fig. 3), the signal does not pass through the first grounding arm and the second grounding arm (JIANG: The first mode is that the first path W1, the second path W2 and the third path W3 are all in an open-circuit state ¶ 0086, fig. 3), and an operating frequency band generated by the antenna structure when the plurality of switches are in the conducting state is different from an operating frequency band generated by the antenna structure when the plurality of switches are in the non-conducting state (JIANG: The control circuit R can be used to control whether at least one ground path (such as the first path W1, the second path W2 and/or the third path W3) is conductive, so as to control the switching circuit S to switch to one of the first mode and the second mode by selecting the ground path; The switching circuit S can adjust the center frequency of the second operating frequency band by selecting the first passive element E1 and the second passive element E2 ¶ 0084 & 0090, fig. 3).
Regarding claim 6, JIANG and LIN make obvious (Original) the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the feeding radiation element further includes a third radiating portion and a fourth radiating portion (LIN: The second branch 26 includes a fourth radiating strip 261, a fifth radiating strip 262 and a third radiating strip 263 ¶ 0018, fig. 2), the third radiating portion and the fourth radiating portion are connected to the feeding portion (see LIN – Figure 2), and the fourth radiating portion is more adjacent to the feeding element than the third radiating portion (see LIN – Figure 2).
Regarding claim 14, JIANG and LIN make obvious (Original) the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first parasitic radiation element (LIN: the parasitic antenna 202 ¶ 0019, fig. 1-2) includes a first branch and a second branch that are connected with each other (LIN: the parasitic antenna 202 includes a first parasitic portion 2021, a second parasitic portion 2022 and a third parasitic portion 2023 which are coupled sequentially. The first parasitic portion 2021 can be electronically coupled to the printed circuit board 10, and can be grounded via the printed circuit board 10 ¶ 0019, fig. 1-2), and the first branch (LIN: first parasitic portion 2021 ¶ 0019, fig. 1) is connected between the grounding element (LIN: printed circuit board 10¶ 0019, fig. 1) and the second branch (LIN: second parasitic portion 2022 ¶ 0019, fig. 1-2).
Regarding claim 18, JIANG teaches: (Currently amended) An antenna structure (an antenna structure ¶ 0074, fig. 1), comprising:
a grounding element (a ground element 4 ¶ 0074, fig. 1); and
a feeding radiation element (first radiating element 1 ¶ 0074, fig. 1) including a feeding portion (a feeding portion 13 ¶ 0074, fig. 1), a first radiating portion (a first radiating portion 11 ¶ 0074, fig. 1), a second radiating portion (a second radiating portion 12 ¶ 0074, fig. 1), a first grounding arm (a first section 141 ¶ 0075, fig. 1), and a second grounding arm (a second section 142 ¶ 0075, fig. 1), wherein the feeding portion is connected between the first radiating portion and the second radiating portion (The feeding portion 13 is electrically connected between the first radiating portion 11 and the second radiating portion 12 ¶ 0074, fig. 1),
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JIANG – Figure 1
and the first grounding arm (first section 141 ¶ 0075, fig. 1) and the second grounding arm (second section 142 ¶ 0075, fig. 1) are connected to the first radiating portion (One end of the grounding portion 14 is electrically connected between the first radiating portion 11 and the second radiating portion 12 ¶ 0074, fig. 1);
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JIANG – Figure 3: schematic diagram of the switching circuit, the control circuit and the third radiating element in FIG. 1.
a switching circuit (switching circuit S ¶ 0084, fig. 3) electrically connected to the first grounding arm (first section 141 ¶ 0075, fig. 1) and the second grounding arm (second section 142 ¶ 0075; the switching circuit S includes a signal conducting path W and at least one ground path ¶ 0084; see Figures 1 & 3), wherein the switching circuit includes a first path and a second path, the first path has a first switch, and the second path has a second switch (the switching circuit S includes a first mode and a second mode. The first mode has a first path, and the second mode has a second path ¶ 0082, fig. 3).
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JIANG – Figure 2
JIANG further teaches wherein the feeding portion is used to be fed a signal through the feeding element (The electronic device D can feed a signal to the first radiation element 1 through the feeding element F ¶ 0079, fig. 1-2); in response to the switching circuit (switching circuit S ¶ 0084, fig. 3) being switched to a first mode (a first mode ¶ 0082; see Figure 3), the first switch is in a conducting state, the signal passes through the feeding portion, a part of the first radiating portion, and the first grounding arm, and is grounded through the first path (The control circuit R can control the switching circuit S to switch between the first mode and the second mode. The control circuit R can be used to control whether at least one ground path (such as the first path W1, the second path W2 and/or the third path W3) is conductive ¶ 0082 & 0084, see Figure 3 [¶ 0086-0089]) and in response to the switching circuit being switched to a second mode (a second mode ¶ 0082; see Figure 3), the second switch is in the conducting state, the signal passes through the feeding portion, a part of the first radiating portion, and the second grounding arm, and is grounded through the second path (The control circuit R can control the switching circuit S to switch between the first mode and the second mode. The control circuit R can be used to control whether at least one ground path (such as the first path W1, the second path W2 and/or the third path W3) is conductive ¶ 0082 & 0084, see Figure 3 [¶ 0086-0089]).
JIANG also teaches a switching circuit S. The switching circuit S includes a first mode and a second mode. The first mode has a first path, and the second mode has a second path. The first path has a first impedance value, the second path has a second impedance value, and the first impedance value is different from the second impedance value. The electronic device D further includes a control circuit R. The control circuit R can control the switching circuit S to switch between the first mode and the second mode, so as to utilize the control circuit R to control the operating frequency band of the antenna structure. (¶ 0082, fig. 1 & 3).
The control circuit R can be used to control whether at least one ground path (such as the first path W1, the second path W2 and/or the third path W3) is conductive, so as to control the switching circuit S to switch to one of the first mode and the second mode by selecting the ground path (¶ 0084, fig. 3).
JIANG does not explicitly teach and a first parasitic radiation element connected to the grounding element and coupled with the feeding radiation element.
However, LIN teaches a wireless communication device 100, wherein the wireless communication device 100 includes a printed circuit board 10, a multiband antenna 200 and a holder 30 coupled to an end of the printed circuit board 10. The multi band antenna 200 is placed on the holder 30, and electronically coupled to the printed circuit board 10. The multiband antenna 200 includes a main antenna 201, a parasitic antenna 202 electromagnetically coupled to the main antenna 201, and a switching circuit 203 (see Figure 3) electronically coupled to the main antenna 201 (¶ 0012, fig. 1).
The parasitic antenna 202 is positioned adjacent to the main antenna 201, and spaced from a side of the common strip 230 opposite the first and second branches 25 and 26. As a result, when current signals output from the printed circuit board 10 are fed to the feeding portion 21, the first branch 25 generates a low frequency resonate mode and a third harmonic resonate mode of the low frequency resonate mode; the second branch 26 is electromagnetically coupled to the first branch 25 to generate a first high frequency resonate mode; the parasitic antenna 202 is electromagnetically fed by the main antenna 201 to generate a second high frequency resonate mode (¶ 0015, fig. 1-2).
The parasitic antenna 202 is substantially a meander strip, and is positioned on the first, second and third surfaces 31, 32 and 33 of the holder 30. In particular, the parasitic antenna 202 includes a first parasitic portion 2021 (see Figure 1), a second parasitic portion 2022 and a third parasitic portion 2023 which are coupled sequentially. The first parasitic portion 2021 (see Figure 1) is substantially a rectangular strip which is positioned on the first surface 31 of the holder 30. The first parasitic portion 2021 and the grounding portion 22 are located at two opposite sides of the feeding portion 21. The first parasitic portion 2021 can be electronically coupled to the printed circuit board 10, and can be grounded via the printed circuit board 10. The second parasitic portion 2022 is substantially a meander strip, and is positioned on the third surface 33 of the holder 33 and adjacent to the common strip 230. In particular, the second parasitic portion 2022 is substantially Z-shaped. The third parasitic portion 2023 is substantially a meander strip, and is positioned on the second surface 32 of holder 30 and adjacent to the second branch 26. In particular, the third parasitic portion 2023 includes a first parasitic arm 2024 and a second parasitic arm 2025. The first parasitic arm 2024 is substantially a rectangular strip, and is coupled between the second parasitic portion 2022 and the second parasitic arm 2025. The second parasitic arm 2025 is substantially U-shaped. In at least one embodiment, a total length of the parasitic antenna 202 is about 33 mm (¶ 0019, fig. 2).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of LIN to include the plurality of parasitic portions with the plurality of radiating elements and the plurality of grounding portions of the art of JIANG with the benefit of generating a high frequency resonate mode (LIN, ¶ 0015).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of JIANG and LIN to obtain the invention:
LIN teaches and a first parasitic radiation element (parasitic antenna 202 ¶ 0019, fig. 1) connected to the grounding element (the parasitic antenna 202 includes a first parasitic portion 2021, a second parasitic portion 2022 and a third parasitic portion 2023 which are coupled sequentially. The first parasitic portion 2021 can be electronically coupled to the printed circuit board 10, and can be grounded via the printed circuit board 10 ¶ 0019, fig. 1-2) and coupled with the feeding radiation element (see Figure 1, note 1).
Regarding claim 19, JIANG and LIN make obvious (Original) the antenna structure according to claim 18, wherein a transmission path length of the signal from a feeding end of the feeding element to the grounding element via the first grounding arm is greater than a transmission path length of the signal from the feeding end to the grounding element via the second grounding arm (see LIN – Figure 1, note 2).
Regarding claim 20, JIANG and LIN make obvious (Currently amended) the antenna structure according to claim 18, wherein an equivalent impedance of the first path is different from an equivalent impedance of the second path (JIANG: The first path has a first impedance value, the second path has a second impedance value, and the first impedance value is different from the second impedance value ¶ 0082, fig. 3).
Claim(s) 16 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JIANG in view of LIN and in further view of US 20210351509 by LIN, HSIEH-CHIH et al. (hereinafter LH).
Regarding claim 16, JIANG and LIN make obvious (Original) the electronic device according to claim 1.
JIANG and LIN further make obvious the first grounding arm (JIANG: first section 141 ¶ 0075, fig. 1) or the second grounding arm (JIANG: second section 142 ¶ 0075, fig. 1), and the antenna structure (JIANG: antenna structure ¶ 0074, fig. 1) further includes a first inductor and at least one capacitor (see LIN – Figure 3, ¶ 0020); wherein the at least one capacitor is electrically connected between the grounding element and the first grounding arm, and between the grounding element and the second grounding arm (see LIN – Figure 3, note).
JIANG and LIN do not explicitly individually teach, or make obvious in combination, the electronic device further including a proximity sensing circuit that is electrically connected to the first grounding arm or the second grounding arm; wherein the first inductor is electrically connected between the proximity sensing circuit and the first grounding arm, or between the proximity sensing circuit and the second grounding arm.
However, LH teaches an electronic device D including an antenna structure U and a switching circuit S. The switching circuit S is electrically connected to the antenna structure U, such that the switching circuit S can be utilized to adjust an operation bandwidth, an impedance matching, a value of return loss, and/or an efficiency of radiation generated by the antenna structure U (¶ 0029, fig. 1).
The antenna structure U includes a first radiating element 1, a second radiating element 2, a feeding element 3, and a grounding element 4. The feeding element 3 includes a feeding end 31 and a grounding end 32, the feeding end 31 is electrically connected to the feeding part 13, and the grounding end 32 is electrically connected to the grounding element 4 (¶ 0030, fig. 1).
A first end 1301 of the feeding part 13 is electrically connected to the second radiating part 12 and the first radiating part 11, a first end 1401 of the grounding part 14 is electrically connected to the first radiating part 11, and a second end 1402 of the grounding part 14 is electrically connected to the grounding element 4. In addition, the feeding element 3 includes the feeding end 31 and the grounding end 32, the feeding end 31 is electrically connected to a second end 1302 of the feeding part 13, and the grounding end 32 is electrically connected to the grounding element 4, so as to utilize the feeding element 3 to feed signals to the first radiating element 1, such that the first radiating element 1 is utilized to couple with and excites the second radiating element 2 (¶ 0032, fig. 1).
The electronic device D can further include at least one inductor L and a proximity sensing circuit P. The proximity sensing circuit P can be electrically connected to the grounding element 4 directly or indirectly. The at least one inductor L can be connected in series to a conducting path between the grounding part 14 of the first radiating element 1 and the proximity sensing circuit P (¶ 0042, fig. 5).
The proximity sensing circuit P can be a capacitance sensing circuit and the first radiating element 1 can be regarded as a sensor electrode (a sensor pad), which can be utilized by the proximity sensing circuit P to measure the capacitance (¶ 0043, fig. 5).
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The antenna structure U can further include a first capacitor C1 and a second capacitor C2. The first capacitor C1 is connected in series to a conducting path between the feeding part 13 and the feeding end 31, and the second capacitor C2 is connected to a conducting path between the grounding part 14 and the grounding element 4. In addition, the second capacitor C2 can be connected in series to a conducting path between the second section 142 and the third section 143 of the grounding part 14, and an end of the at least one inductor L is connected to the first radiating element 1 at a connecting junction, which is positioned on the grounding part 14. For example, the connecting junction can be positioned between the second capacitor C2 and the first end 1401 of the grounding part 14. Therefore, through the disposal of the first capacitor C1 and the second capacitor C2, the first radiating element 1, which is regarded as a sensor electrode (a sensor pad), can be prevented from being electrically connected to the grounding element 4 directly and affecting the proximity sensing circuit P (¶ 0046, fig. 5).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the teaching of LH to include a sensing circuit with the antenna structure, the plurality feeding sections, radiating sections and ground sections of the combined art of JIANG and LIN with the benefit of being able to sense whether or not a human body is adjacent to the antenna structure U, so as to adjust a radiation power of the antenna structure U to prevent the specific absorption rate (SAR) value per unit mass of an organism to electromagnetic wave energy from exceedingly high (LH, ¶ 0042).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of JIANG, LIN and LH to obtain the invention:
LH teaches the electronic device further including a proximity sensing circuit that is electrically connected to the first grounding arm (The at least one inductor L can be connected in series to a conducting path between the grounding part 14 of the first radiating element 1 and the proximity sensing circuit P ¶ 0042, fig. 5); wherein the first inductor is electrically connected between the proximity sensing circuit and the first grounding arm (see Figure 5).
Regarding claim 17, JIANG, LIN and LH make obvious (Original) the electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the antenna structure further includes another capacitor (LH: The antenna structure U can further include a first capacitor C1 and a second capacitor C2 ¶ 0046, fig. 5), the feeding portion includes (LH: feeding part 13 ¶ 0032, fig. 1 & 5) a first segment (LH: a first end 1301 ¶ 0032, fig. 1 & 5) and a second segment (LH: a second end 1302 ¶ 0032, fig. 1 & 5), the first segment is connected to the first radiating portion (LH: A first end 1301 of the feeding part 13 is electrically connected to the second radiating part 12 and the first radiating part 11 ¶ 0032, fig. 1 & 5), the second segment is electrically connected to the feeding element (LH: the feeding end 31 is electrically connected to a second end 1302 of the feeding part 13 ¶ 0032, fig. 1 & 5), and the another capacitor (LH: capacitor C1 ¶ 0046, fig. 5) is electrically connected between the first segment (LH: first end 1301 ¶ 0032, fig. 5) and the second segment (LH: second end 1302 ¶ 0032, fig. 5).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-13 and 15 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 prior art fails to anticipate or make obvious claim 7 because although the combined art of JIANG and LIN teaches a plurality of parasitic radiation elements and a plurality of radiation portions the modification of the combined art of JIANG and LIN is incompatible with the location where the second parasitic radiation element is connected. Further search and consideration did not find any combination of prior art can be found to incorporate all the claimed features. Claims 8-12 depend from claim 7 and would also then be allowable if claim 7 is rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The prior art fails to anticipate or make obvious claim 13 because although the combined art of JIANG and LIN teaches a plurality of parasitic radiation elements with a plurality of branches the modification of the combined art of JIANG and LIN is incompatible with the configuration of the matching element. Further search and consideration did not find any combination of prior art can be found to incorporate all the claimed features.
The prior art fails to anticipate or make obvious claim 15 because although the combined art of JIANG and LIN teaches a plurality of parasitic radiation elements with a plurality of branches the modification of the combined art of JIANG and LIN is incompatible with the configuration of the plurality of matching elements. Further search and consideration did not find any combination of prior art can be found to incorporate all the claimed features.
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 JOSE A. MIRANDA GONZALEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-6070. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, ET.
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/JOSE A. MIRANDA GONZALEZ/ Examiner, Art Unit 2844
/REGIS J BETSCH/ SPE, Art Unit 2844