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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the first antenna comprising a two-dimensional array of radiating elements and a plurality of radiating elements must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "the lower frequency limit (f1) of the waveguide" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-4, 6-8, 11-13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Carceller et al. (US 2020/0235490).
In regards to claim 1, Carceller discloses of a structure comprising two or more antennas, a first said antenna (for example 222) being arranged in a first surface of said structure and a second said antennae (for example 228) in a second surface of said structure (for example see at least Figs 2A-2B, 3A), and a plurality of conductive pin elements (for example 220) arranged in one or more parallel rows intersecting a propagation path between said first antenna (222) and said second antenna (228, for example see at least Figs 2A-2B, 3A).
In regards to claim 2, Carceller discloses of the structure of claim 1, wherein said plurality of conductive pin elements (12) are arranged at a periphery of said antenna (for example see at least Figs 2A-2B, 3A).
In regards to claim 3, Carceller discloses of the structure of claim 1, wherein said plurality of conductive pin elements are arranged in one or more rows parallel to a periphery of said antenna (for example see at least Figs 2A-2B, 3A).
In regards to claim 4, Carceller discloses of the structure of claim 1, wherein said plurality of conductive pin elements is arranged in two or more rows parallel to said periphery of said antenna (for example see at least Figs 2A-2B, 3A).
In regards to claim 6, Carceller discloses of the structure of claim 1, wherein the distance between each adjacent pair of pins in a given said row is a predetermined distance (for example see at least Figs 2A-2B, 3A).
In regards to claim 7, Carceller discloses of the structure of claim 6, wherein the diameter of each said pin is less than said predetermined distance (for example see at least Figs 2A-2B, 3A).
In regards to claim 8, Carceller discloses of the structure of claim 1, wherein the pins of a first said row are offset with respect to a second, adjacent said row parallel to said first row, along the axis of said first row, by an amount between 0.5 times the distance between adjacent pins in the same row and zero (for example see at least Figs 2A-2B, 3A).
In regards to claim 11, Carceller discloses of the structure of claim 1, wherein said first antenna comprises a two-dimensional array of radiating elements, and a proximal extremity of each said pin in at least one said row coincides with said plane of said two-dimensional array (for example see phased array example in Figs 10A-10E).
In regards to claim 12, Carceller discloses of the structure of claim 1, wherein said first antenna comprises a plurality of radiating elements, and wherein no said pins are provided between said radiating elements (for example see phased array example in Figs 10A-10E, and pins below each respective first antenna in at least Figs 2A-2B, 3A).
In regards to claim 13, Carceller discloses of the structure of claim 12, wherein said plurality of conductive pin elements are arranged in one or more rows parallel to an outer periphery of said plurality of radiating elements (for example see pins at least Figs 2A-2B, 3A and phased array example in Figs 10A-10E).
In regards to claim 15, Carceller discloses of the structure of claim 1, wherein at least a second said antenna (228) is positioned in a second surface of said physical structure, wherein said first surface and said second surface are in different planes (for example see at least Figs 2A-2B, 3A).
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, 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 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Carceller et al. (US 2020/0235490).
In regards to claims 9 and 10, Carceller discloses of the structure of claim 1 as found within the explanation above.
However, Carceller does not explicitly disclose of wherein each said pin is formed contiguously or monolithically with the structure.
One having ordinary skill in the art would readily recognize the manufacturing processes of the pins for the structure can be done contiguously (i.e. formed separately) or monolithically (i.e. formed all together), for example where the formed pins (vias) will be cored/cast all together monolithically with the structure and/or then separately filled/drilled (typically metallically) in a contiguous fashion.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have the pins formed contiguously or monolithically with the structure for providing the most efficient and cost-effective manufacturing process for the antenna structure.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 5 is 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:
In regards to claim 5, the prior art does not disclose of the structure of claim 4, wherein said antenna is designed to operate at a predetermined wavelength, and wherein said two or more rows comprise at least an inner row and an outer row, wherein of the main axis of said inner row is separated from the main axis of said outer row by a distance greater than one said wavelength, nor would it have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to do so.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jason M Crawford whose telephone number is (571)272-6004. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 6:00am-3:00pm.
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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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/JASON M CRAWFORD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2844