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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 10/04/2024 and 05/02/2024 have been considered by the Examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim(s) 1-2 and 18 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites a term “a transfer point” at multiple instances in paragraph 3. Examiner suggests use of proper article or naming to restore antecedent clarity.
Claim 2 recites a term “at least one antenna” at multiple instances. Examiner suggests use of proper article or naming to restore antecedent clarity.
Claim 18 recite a term “at least one printed circuit board antenna”. Examiner suggests amending the term to recite “the at least one printed circuit board antenna” to restore antecedent clarity.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-10, 13-14 and 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by HÜGEL et al. (US 20190081412; hereinafter HÜGEL).
Regarding claim 1, HÜGEL discloses in figure(s) 1-13 Modular antenna array for evaluating different antenna array characteristics (para. 107-108), comprising:
a printed circuit board (pcb 2; fig. 4) with a chipset (mw semiconductor chip 21) for transmitting and/or receiving a high-frequency electromagnetic wave (para. 112-114, abs. - transferring an electromagnetic signal between an electronic component and an antenna),
at least one unbundling component (adapter device 1, adapter waveguide channels 17) for placing on to the printed circuit board in order to guide the electromagnetic wave emitted by the printed circuit board to a transfer point (channel opening 17a in fig. 7; para.118 - aligned (in z-direction) with a corresponding component waveguide coupling element) of the unbundling component and/or to guide the electromagnetic wave received at a transfer point of the unbundling component to the printed circuit board (2; para. 87 - a microwave signal that is received via an adapter waveguide channel into a microwave signal for the microwave semiconductor chip. The component waveguide coupling elements and adapter waveguide channels are in a one-to-one relationship).
Regarding claim 2, HÜGEL discloses in figure(s) 1-13 Modular antenna array according to claim 1, further comprising a transceiver component for placing on to the unbundling component in order to receive an electromagnetic wave originating from the printed circuit board from the transfer point of the unbundling component and to emit it via at least one antenna (transmit-receive component antenna 3, horn radiators 34) or to couple it back via a coupling element, and/or to transmit an electromagnetic wave received by the transceiver component by means of at least one antenna or fed back by means of at least one coupling element to the transfer point of the unbundling component for onward transmission to the printed circuit board (figs. - 3-4, 7; para. 108, 114, 119 teaches horn radiators 34 of the transmit/receive component 3, the upper waveguide openings 31 being connected to corresponding interface points 17a of the decoupling component 1).
Regarding claim 3, HÜGEL discloses in figure(s) 1-13 Modular antenna array according to claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board and the unbundling component in a mounted state have an alignment means which defines a predetermined position of the unbundling component with respect to the printed circuit board (fig. 4; para. 108 - Layer 3d is the adapter facing outer antenna layer to which the adapter device 1 is screwed together with a set of screws; para. 112 - The printed circuit board is mounted to the adapter device 1 via, for example, four screws 4).
Regarding claim 4, HÜGEL discloses in figure(s) 1-13 Modular antenna array according to claim 2, wherein the unbundling component in a placed-on state on the printed circuit board together with the printed circuit board and/or the transceiver component has an alignment means which defines a predetermined position of the transceiver component with respect to the unbundling component (fig. 4; para. 108 - Layer 3d is the adapter facing outer antenna layer to which the adapter device 1 is screwed together with a set of screws; para. 112 - The printed circuit board is mounted to the adapter device 1 via, for example, four screws 4).
Regarding claim 5, HÜGEL discloses in figure(s) 1-13 Modular antenna array according to claim 1, wherein at least one printed circuit board antenna (transmit-receive component antenna 3) for transmitting and/or receiving is arranged in a housing (para. 84, 118 - component waveguide coupling structure/element) of the chipset.
Regarding claim 6, HÜGEL discloses in figure(s) 1-13 Modular antenna array according to claim 1, wherein at least one printed circuit board antenna (transmit-receive component antenna 3) for transmitting and/or receiving is arranged next to a housing of the chipset in the printed circuit board (para. 22 - a plurality of electromagnetic signal transmitting and/or receiving elements of the antenna, thereby serving as part of a waveguide signal distribution structure; para. 52 - component-receiving recess may, in addition to the microwave semiconductor component, receive further components that are mounted on a printed circuited board and the adapter device may simultaneously serve as housing or enclosure for the components; para. 134 - microstrip to SIW transitions 22a which couple microstrip lines 23 to the corresponding SIW waveguides 204, 205).
Regarding claim 7, HÜGEL discloses in figure(s) 1-13 Modular antenna array according to claim 1, wherein the chipset is configured to perform processing of an electromagnetic wave to be received and/or an electromagnetic wave to be transmitted in the high frequency range (para. 84 - 35 GHz to 100 GHz,...60 GHz or 77 GHz) and in the baseband range (para. 133 - low frequency signals of semiconductor chips 21, 21').
Regarding claim 8, HÜGEL discloses in figure(s) 1-13 Modular antenna array according to claim 1, wherein the chipset is at least one radar or communication chipset (para. 84 - 35 GHz to 100 GHz - is standard in radar and communication devices), and/or wherein supply electronics for operating the chipset are arranged on the printed circuit board (para. 121 - power supply electronics, i.e., power supply lines in the circuit board 2', which are connected to the semiconductor chip 21').
Regarding claim 9, HÜGEL discloses in figure(s) 1-13 Modular antenna array according to claim 2, wherein the unbundling component and/or the transceiver component is/are manufactured by means of a 3D printing process, an injection molding process (para. 67 – 3D printing or injection molding manufacturing process.), a die casting process and/or a milling process.
Regarding claim 10, HÜGEL discloses in figure(s) 1-13 Modular antenna array according to claim 2, wherein the unbundling component and/or the transceiver component comprises metallized components or is metallized (para. 68 – surfaces may be metalized, e. g. by metal coating or metal plating).
Regarding claim 13, HÜGEL discloses in figure(s) 1-13 Modular antenna array according to claim 1, wherein the at least one unbundling component for guiding the electromagnetic wave comprises at least one waveguide, wherein the unbundling component for guiding a plurality of electromagnetic waves originating from the printed circuit board comprises a plurality of waveguides whose guide channels in the unbundling component are not connected to each other (para. 118-121 :- waveguide 17 with openings 17a and 17b on opposite sides of the routing component 1; figs. 5,7).
Regarding claim 14, HÜGEL discloses in figure(s) 1-13 Modular antenna array according to claim 13, wherein the unbundling component is configured to unbundle the plurality of electromagnetic waves emitted from the printed circuit board in a first predetermined area region and to guide them to a second predetermined area region which is larger in area than the first predetermined area region (para. 118-121 :- waveguide 17 with openings 17a and 17b on opposite sides of the routing component 1 for different areas; figs. 5,7).
Regarding claim 16, HÜGEL discloses in figure(s) 1-13 Modular antenna array according to claim 3, wherein the alignment means is at least one through-hole in the unbundling component and the printed circuit board (para. 40 - The at last one SIW with its first SIW section and second SIW section is at its sides (traverse to the direction of wave propagation) delimited by an arrangement of through-going vias that bridge all layers of the printed circuit board), which are aligned with one another in a mounted state and through which a dowel pin can be inserted (para. 79 - An antenna alignment structure is exemplarily realized by a number of alignment recesses or alignment cut-outs that is arranged along the circumference of the plate-shaped adapter device and serves for alignment with the antenna via corresponding alignment pins and corresponding alignment recesses or alignment cut-outs of the antenna).
Regarding claim 17, HÜGEL discloses in figure(s) 1-13 Modular antenna array according to claim 4, wherein the through-hole is aligned with a through-hole in the printed circuit board (para. 40 - The at last one SIW with its first SIW section and second SIW section is at its sides (traverse to the direction of wave propagation) delimited by an arrangement of through-going vias that bridge all layers of the printed circuit board).
Regarding claim 18, HÜGEL discloses in figure(s) 1-13 Modular antenna array according to claim 5, wherein at least one printed circuit board antenna (transmit-receive component antenna 3) is arranged as a chipset antenna integrated in the chipset in the form of a waveguide junction (para. 108 - arrangement of the waveguides with the horn radiators 34 in the transmit/receive component 3 is determined so that transmit/receive components 3 with different waveguide and horn radiator configurations can be mounted on the routing component 1 to evaluate different antenna arrangement characteristics; figs. 3-4).
Regarding claim 19, HÜGEL discloses in figure(s) 1-13 Modular antenna array according to claim 1, wherein the modular antenna array is a modular MIMO antenna array (para. 107 - a modular MIMO antenna arrangement).
Claim(s) 1-2, 11 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by SELER et al. (DE 102015 112861; hereinafter SELER).
Regarding claim 1, SELER discloses in figure(s) 1-14 Modular antenna array for evaluating different antenna array characteristics (figs. 10-13; paras. 85-92), comprising:
a printed circuit board (40; figs. 1-2,6; paras. – 59,77,88) with a chipset (20 with semiconductor housing 10_*; figs. 10-13) for transmitting and/or receiving a high-frequency electromagnetic wave (para. 47),
at least one unbundling component (waveguide 60; figs. 1-2, 10-13) for placing on to the printed circuit board (40) in order to guide the electromagnetic wave emitted by the printed circuit board to a transfer point (end of the waveguide 61; para. - 47) of the unbundling component (60) and/or to guide the electromagnetic wave received at a transfer point (upper interface of 60) of the unbundling component to the printed circuit board (40; para. 47).
Regarding claim 2, SELER discloses in figure(s) 1-14 Modular antenna array according to claim 1, further comprising a transceiver component for placing on to the unbundling component (waveguide components 60; figs. 10-13; para. -49) in order to receive an electromagnetic wave originating from the printed circuit board from the transfer point of the unbundling component and to emit it via at least one antenna (at least one antenna 61_1, 61_2, 1120, 1264 and/or a coupling element 1062, 1265) or to couple it back via a coupling element, and/or to transmit an electromagnetic wave received by the transceiver component by means of at least one antenna or fed back by means of at least one coupling element to the transfer point of the unbundling component for onward transmission to the printed circuit board (figs. - 3-4, 7; para. 108, 114, 119 teaches horn radiators 34 of the transmit/receive component 3, the upper waveguide openings 31 being connected to corresponding interface points 17a of the decoupling component 1).
Regarding claim 11, SELER discloses in figure(s) 1-14 Modular antenna array according to claim 2, wherein the transceiver component is configured to receive an electromagnetic wave originating from the printed circuit board from the unbundling component and to couple it back to the latter by means of a coupling element, by connecting multiple transfer points of the unbundling component to a waveguide (para. 86 - waveguide 1062 which forms a coupling element between the chipsets 20 of the semiconductor packages 10_1, 10_2; fig. 10).
Regarding claim 20, SELER discloses in figure(s) 1-14 Modular antenna array according to claim 2, wherein the printed circuit board is configured to pass on to the unbundling component via a waveguide provided in the unbundling component for passing it on to a component that can be attached to the unbundling component (para. 47 - direct the electromagnetic wave emanating from the circuit board i.e., from the semiconductor chip 20 mounted on the support 40 to a top transfer point of the unbundling campaign i.e., end of the waveguide 61 and/or the one attached to
The received electromagnetic wave is directed to the circuit board (40) via the upper interface point of the decoupling component 60; fig. 1).
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.
Claim(s) 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HÜGEL in view of LI et al. (CN 114976634).
Regarding claim 12, HÜGEL teaches in figure(s) 1-13 Modular antenna array according claim 2,
HÜGEL does not teach explicitly wherein the transceiver component is configured to receive an electromagnetic wave originating from the printed circuit board from the unbundling component and to radiate it via an antenna aperture, wherein the transceiver component comprises a plurality of antenna apertures which are not arranged in a common plane, to form a 3D antenna.
However, LI teaches in figure(s) 1-5 wherein the transceiver component is configured to receive an electromagnetic wave originating from the printed circuit board from the unbundling component and to radiate it via an antenna aperture, wherein the transceiver component comprises a plurality of antenna apertures which are not arranged in a common plane, to form a 3D antenna (fig. 1; para. 31 teaches transmit and receive antennas arranged on different planes. Receiving antennas 111 and 112).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of HÜGEL by having wherein the transceiver component is configured to receive an electromagnetic wave originating from the printed circuit board from the unbundling component and to radiate it via an antenna aperture, wherein the transceiver component comprises a plurality of antenna apertures which are not arranged in a common plane, to form a 3D antenna as a 3D antenna with antennas that are not arranged in a common plane is typically used in radar systems for decoupling transmit and receive antennas as taught/evidenced by LI "an antenna system for continuous wave radar, comprising a first rectangular window for setting the transmitting antenna and a second rectangular window for setting the receiving antenna, the first rectangular window is provided with a first rectangular notch as transmitting antenna, the second rectangular window is provided with a second rectangular notch serving as receiving antenna; the first rectangular window and the second rectangular window are arranged in a manner of mutually different planes of the opened planes of the two, so that the first rectangular notch and the second rectangular notch are different from each other" (abstract).
Claim(s) 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HÜGEL in view of LANG et al. (DE 102019200893).
Regarding claim 15, HÜGEL teaches in figure(s) 1-13 Modular antenna array according to claim 1,
HÜGEL does not teach explicitly wherein the printed circuit board is configured to generate a clock signal and to pass it on to the unbundling component.
However, LANG teaches in figure(s) 1-9 wherein the printed circuit board is configured to generate a clock signal and to pass it on to the unbundling component (para. 48-49, 53 - a radar system in which several radar transmit/receive circuits 62, 64, 66, 68/ 112 via waveguides 72, 74, 76, 78 / 102 of a local oscillator (LO) distribution network 70 are coupled to a local oscillator circuit 60 / 110 to receive an LO signal, i.e., clock signal; figs. 8-9).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of HÜGEL by having wherein the printed circuit board is configured to generate a clock signal and to pass it on to the unbundling component as taught by LANG in order to provide "all transceivers to use the same, as possible phase-synchronous, high-frequency local oscillator signal in order to mix down received radar signals into the baseband" (para. 4).
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
See the List of References cited in the US PT0-892.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AKM ZAKARIA whose telephone number is (571)270-0664. The examiner can normally be reached on 8-5 PM (PST).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Judy Nguyen can be reached on (571) 272-2258. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AKM ZAKARIA/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858