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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of this application’s status as a 371 of PCT/JP2023/001509 filed on 01/19/2023.
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy of JP2022-007282 filed on 01/20/2022 has been received/retrieved by the office.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 07/22/2024 and 07/07/2025 has been considered by the examiner.
Specification
This application does not contain an abstract of the disclosure as required by 37 CFR 1.72(b). An abstract on a separate sheet is required.
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.
Claims 1-18 are 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.
Regarding claim 1, the claim recites “a relatively high frequency band” and “a relatively low frequency band” which renders the claim indefinite as terms are a relative term. The term “relatively high” and “relatively low” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention.
Regarding claims 2-18, the claim are rejected on the basis of dependency from rejected claim 1, as all dependent claim inherits the deficiencies of the base claim.
Regarding claims 4-6, the claim recites “the electricity supply portions” which renders the claim indefinite, as there is lack of antecedent basis for said term.
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.
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 1-3, 7-12 and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US2022/0004834A1 hereinafter “Perkins”.
Regarding claim 1, Perkins discloses an antenna combination (¶274L1: antenna assembly) comprising
two or more types of antennas having mutually different frequency bands (¶274L2-4: antenna assembly includes a UWB antenna and a Bluetooth antenna), wherein the two or more types of antennas include:
a first antenna having a relatively high frequency band (¶277L3-5: the UWB antenna configured to communicate in frequency range from 6.25 GHz to 8.25Ghz), and
a second antenna having a relatively low frequency band and combined with the first antenna (¶280L1-4: the Bluetooth antenna configured to facilitate communication using Bluetooth protocol) (Note: Bluetooth antenna inherently disclosed an operating frequency in the 2.4Ghz band; specifically between 2.402 and 2.480Ghz), and
the first antenna and the second antenna each comprise a single electricity supply portion (¶278L1-9: the feed line is conductively coupled to the UWB antenna to the circuit board; ¶280L7-10: the feed line of the Bluetooth antenna) and share a single grounding portion with each other. (¶278L1-9: the ground line is conductively coupled to the UWB antenna to the circuit board; ¶280L7-10: the ground line of the Bluetooth antenna connect to the circuit board)
Regarding claim 2, Perkins discloses the antenna combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein
a bandwidth of the first antenna (¶277L3-5: the UWB antenna configured to communicate in frequency range from 6.25 GHz to 8.25Ghz) is wider than a bandwidth of the second antenna (¶280L1-4: the Bluetooth antenna configured to facilitate communication using Bluetooth protocol) (Note: Bluetooth antenna inherently disclosed an operating frequency in the 2.4Ghz band; specifically between 2.402 and 2.480Ghz).
Regarding claim 3, Perkins discloses the antenna combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the first antenna (¶277L5-6: the UWB antenna may be configured as an inverted-F antenna) and the second antenna (¶280L4-5: the Bluetooth antenna may be configured as an inverted-F antenna) are each an inverted-F antenna.
Regarding claim 7, Perkins discloses the antenna combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the first antenna has a frequency band of 3 GHz-13 GHz. (¶277L3-5: the UWB antenna configured to communicate in frequency range from 6.25 GHz to 8.25Ghz)
Regarding claim 8, Perkins discloses the antenna combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the second antenna has a frequency band of 2 Hz or greater and less than 3 GHz. (¶280L1-4: the Bluetooth antenna configured to facilitate communication using Bluetooth protocol) (Note: Bluetooth antenna inherently disclosed an operating frequency in the 2.4Ghz band; specifically between 2.402 and 2.480Ghz).
Regarding claim 9, Perkins discloses the antenna combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the first antenna comprises a first main body portion provided on a proximal side in relation to the grounding portion, and the second antenna comprises a second main body portion provided on a distal side in relation to the grounding portion.
As shown in Fig.5B for example the circuit board [510] is located on the right hand side; and as shown in Fig.8A the UWB antenna and Bluetooth antenna are located on opposite ends, meaning on the right and left hand side; thus one is proximal and one is distal from the circuit board.
Regarding claim 10, Perkins discloses the antenna combination as claimed in claim 9, wherein
the first main body portion is positioned on a lower-stage side and the second main body portion is positioned on an upper-stage side, in a height direction.
As shown in Fig.8A for example, UWB antenna and Bluetooth antenna are located on opposite ends; and the antenna assembly can be oriented to have UWB to be on the bottom and Bluetooth antenna to be on the top as shown in annotated figure below.
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Regarding claim 11, Perkins discloses the antenna combination as claimed in claim 9,
comprising a part where the first main body portion and the second main body portion are opposingly spaced apart. (¶282L1-4: UWB antenna and the Bluetooth antenna may be positioned on opposite side of the antenna)
Regarding claim 12, Perkins discloses the antenna combination as claimed in claim 9,
wherein
the first main body portion and the second main body portion are locally continuous. (as shown in Fig.8A for example)
Regarding claim 17, Perkins discloses the antenna combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the first antenna and the second antenna are each surface-mount parts. (¶281L1-2: the UWB antenna and the Bluetooth antenna may be positioned on an outer peripheral side of the antenna assembly)
Regarding claim 18, Perkins discloses the antenna combination as claimed in claim 1, capable of being supported by means of support. (¶249L1-3: support portion of the antenna assembly)
Examiner Note: It has been held that the recitation that an element is “capable of” performing a function is not a positive limitation but only requires the ability to so perform. It does not constitute a limitation in any patentable sense. In re Hutchinson, 69 USPQ 138.
Claims 1, 4-6. 9 and 13-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US2011/0102268A1 hereinafter “Watanabe”
Regarding claim 1, Watanabe discloses an antenna combination comprising two or more types of antennas having mutually different frequency bands, wherein the two or more types of antennas include:
a first antenna (¶32L8-9: conductor pattern [R21, R22 and R23] constitute a second radiating element)having a relatively high frequency band (¶43L1-5: the second communication frequency band is set at 5500 Mhz), and
a second antenna (¶30L7-9: conductor pattern [R11, R12 and R13] constitute a first radiating element) having a relatively low frequency band (¶43L1-5: the first communication frequency band is set at 3600 Mhz) and combined with the first antenna (as shown in Fig.2A and Fig.2B for example), and
the first antenna and the second antenna each comprise a single electricity supply portion (¶29L9-12: the first power supply terminal electrode, the second power supply terminal electrode and the ground terminal electrode corresponding to a first feed point, a second feed point and a ground point) and share a single grounding portion with each other. (¶37L1-3: the ground terminal electrode is shared by the first and second radiating element)
Regarding claim 4, Watanabe discloses the antenna combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the electricity supply portions and the grounding portion are positioned on the same plane. (as shown in Fig.2A and Fig.2B for example)
Regarding claim 5, Watanabe discloses the antenna combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the electricity supply portions and the grounding portion are spaced apart from each other. (as shown in Fig.2A and Fig.2B for example)
Regarding claim 6, Watanabe discloses the antenna combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the width of the grounding portion is equal to or greater than the width of the electricity supply portions. (as shown in Fig.2A and Fig.2B for example)
Regarding claim 9, Watanabe discloses the antenna combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the first antenna comprises a first main body portion provided on a proximal side in relation to the grounding portion (as shown in Fig.2A and Fig.2B for example), and
the second antenna comprises a second main body portion provided on a distal side in relation to the grounding portion. (as shown in Fig.2A and Fig.2B for example)
Regarding claim 13, Watanabe discloses the antenna combination as claimed in claim 9 wherein
the first main body portion and the second main body portion are in the shape of a letter "U" overall. (as shown in Fig.2A and Fig.2B for example)
Regarding claim 14, Watanabe discloses the antenna combination as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the grounding portion is provided between the electricity supply portion of the first antenna and the electricity supply portion of the second antenna. (as shown in Fig.2A and Fig.2B for example; GP is between FP1 and FP2)
Regarding claim 15, Watanabe discloses the antenna combination as claimed in claim 14, wherein
a distance of a continuous part between the electricity supply portion of the second antenna and the grounding portion is greater than a distance of a continuous part between the electricity supply portion of the first antenna and the grounding portion. (as shown in Fig.2A and Fig.2B for example; the distance between GP and FP2 is greater than the distance between GP and FP1)
Regarding claim 16, Watanabe discloses the antenna combination as claimed in The antenna combination as claimed in wherein the electricity supply portion of the first antenna and the electricity supply portion of the second antenna are provided so as to be capable of being opposingly spaced apart from each other. (as shown in Fig.2A and Fig.2B for example)
Examiner Note: It has been held that the recitation that an element is “capable of” performing a function is not a positive limitation but only requires the ability to so perform. It does not constitute a limitation in any patentable sense. In re Hutchinson, 69 USPQ 138.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RAYMOND R CHAI whose telephone number is (571)270-0576. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30AM-5:00PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alexander H 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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/Raymond R Chai/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2844