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 .
The information disclosure statement filed on 5/2/2024 has been entered. The preliminary amendment filed on 5/2/2024 has been entered. Claims 1-19 are presented for examination.
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 (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.
(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.
Claims 1, 3, 6-7, 9, and 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Zheng et al. (Zheng et al. – 9,350,077; herein after referred to as “Zheng”).
Regarding claim 1, Zheng discloses an antenna, comprising:
a loop-shaped conductor that is configured in a loop shape surrounding a first direction and has a gap configured using a predetermined second direction orthogonal to the first direction as a reference (Zheng; Fig. 1A, 1B; elongated loop 110 that extends in the horizontal direction as the first direction, has a gap 118 that is configured to the vertical direction as the second direction); and
a structure that is electrically connected to the loop-shaped conductor and arranged orthogonally to the second direction (Zheng; Fig. 1A, 1B; elongated loop 110 that extends in the horizontal direction as the first direction, has a gap 118 that is configured to the vertical direction as the second direction; a ground 124 that is connected and extends in the direction orthogonal to the second direction).
Regarding claim 3, Zheng discloses the antenna according to claim 1, wherein the loop-shaped conductor has a first edge portion and the second edge portion that are opposite to each other along the second direction and constitute the gap (Zheng; Fig. 1A, 1B; elongated loop 110 that extends in the horizontal direction as the first direction, has a gap 118 that is configured to the vertical direction as the second direction; a ground 124 that is connected and extends in the direction orthogonal to the second direction; the conductor has an edge portion/arm 114 that is opposite to the second edge portion constituting gap 118).
Regarding claim 6, the antenna according to claim 1, which is configured such that the second direction is along a direction perpendicular to the object when the antenna is installed with respect to an object constituted by a conductor or a lossy dielectric (Zheng; Fig. 1A, 1B; elongated loop 110 that extends in the horizontal direction as the first direction, has a gap 118 that is configured to the vertical direction as the second direction; a ground 124 that is connected and extends in the direction orthogonal to the second direction; the conductor has an edge portion/arm 114 that is opposite to the second edge portion constituting gap 118).
Regarding claim 7, Zheng discloses the antenna according to claim 1, further comprising a flexible printed circuit on which the loop-shaped conductor is formed (Zheng; Fig. 1A, 1B; elongated loop 110 that extends in the horizontal direction as the first direction, has a gap 118 that is configured to the vertical direction as the second direction; a ground 124 that is connected and extends in the direction orthogonal to the second direction; the conductor has an edge portion/arm 114 that is opposite to the second edge portion constituting gap 118; Fig. 6, 7, col 4-5 - the antenna may formed on a plastic circuit board) .
Regarding claim 9, Zheng discloses the antenna according to claim 1, wherein the structure has a flat-plate shape including a main surface, the main surface being arranged orthogonally to the second direction (Zheng; Fig. 1A, 1B; elongated loop 110 that extends in the horizontal direction as the first direction, has a gap 118 that is configured to the vertical direction as the second direction; a ground 124 that is connected and extends in the direction orthogonal to the second direction; the conductor has an edge portion/arm 114 that is opposite to the second edge portion constituting gap 118; Fig. 6, 7, col 4-5 - the antenna may formed on a plastic circuit board).
Regarding claim 14, Zheng discloses an electronic apparatus, comprising: an antenna including a loop-shaped conductor that is configured in a loop shape surrounding a first direction and has a gap configured using a predetermined second direction orthogonal to the first direction as a reference, and a structure that is electrically connected to the loop-shaped conductor and is arranged orthogonally to the second direction (Zheng; Fig. 1A, 1B; elongated loop 110 that extends in the horizontal direction as the first direction, has a gap 118 that is configured to the vertical direction as the second direction; a ground 124 that is connected and extends in the direction orthogonal to the second direction; the conductor has an edge portion/arm 114 that is opposite to the second edge portion constituting gap 118; Fig. 6, 7, col 4-5 - the antenna may formed on a plastic circuit board).
Regarding claim 15, Zheng discloses the electronic apparatus according to claim 14, which is configured as a true wireless stereo (Zheng; Fig. 1A, 1B; elongated loop 110 that extends in the horizontal direction as the first direction, has a gap 118 that is configured to the vertical direction as the second direction; a ground 124 that is connected and extends in the direction orthogonal to the second direction; the conductor has an edge portion/arm 114 that is opposite to the second edge portion constituting gap 118; Fig. 6, 7, col 4-5 - the antenna may formed on a plastic circuit board).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 4-5, 8, 10-13, and 16-19 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: the prior art fails to disclose:
i. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein the first direction is set as a direction of a magnetic current source generated by the loop-shaped conductor, and the gap is configured such that the second direction is a direction of an electric current source generated by the loop-shaped conductor (claim 2).
ii. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein a length of the loop-shaped conductor is equal to or smaller than 1/2 of a maximum wavelength of electromagnetic waves included in a frequency bandwidth used for wireless communication using the antenna (claim 4, claim 5 depends on claim 4).
iii. the antenna according to claim 1, which is configured to be arranged inside a casing, wherein the loop-shaped conductor is configured inside the casing by laser direct structuring (claim 8).00000000000
iv. The antenna according to claim 9, wherein the structure is a circuit board or a system in package (claim 10)
v. The antenna according to claim 1, further comprising: a communication circuit unit that controls wireless communication by the antenna; a first wiring portion that electrically connects the structure and the loop-shaped conductor to each other; and a second wiring portion that electrically connects the communication circuit unit and the loop-shaped conductor to each other (claim 11, claim 12 depends on claim 11).
vi. The antenna according to claim 1, wherein a first radiation pattern by a magnetic current source along the first direction and a second radiation pattern by an electric current source along the second direction are configured as radiation patterns of electromagnetic waves on a plane including the first direction and the second direction (claim 13).
vii. The electronic apparatus according to claim 15, which is configured to be worn on a human ear and is configured such that the second direction is along a direction perpendicular to an external acoustic pore when the electronic apparatus is worn on the ear (claim 16: claim 17 depends on claim 16).
viii. The electronic apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a part arranged in a space on an inner peripheral side of the loop-shaped conductor (claim 18, claim 19 depends on claim 18).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THIEN MINH LE whose telephone number is (571)272-2396. The examiner can normally be reached 6:30-5:00 PM M-Th..
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/THIEN M LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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