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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 06/16/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 13-16 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any combination of reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 1 and 13-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung et al. (KR101971823; hereinafter Chung) in view of Park et al. (US20230155303; hereinafter Park).
Regarding independent claim 1, Chung discloses “An antenna assembly, comprising: an array of unit-cells (fig. 2), each unit-cell (240) comprising: a ground plane layer (220) defining a ground plane; a dipole antenna layer (230) defining a dipole antenna plane parallel to the ground plane, the dipole antenna layer comprising at least a first dipole antenna; and a capacitive feed probe (210) configured to be electromagnetically coupled to an aperture of at least the first dipole antenna, wherein: each first dipole antenna is arranged to be configurable in a linear-polarized manner along a length-wise direction of the array of the unit-cells (disposed in length wise direction in fig. 2), and the unit-cells are arranged in a periodically repeating manner along at least the length- wise direction, to configure a tightly-coupled dipole array (¶[0060]; The interval between the plurality of dipole antennas may be equal to or shorter than a predetermined length. The plurality of dipole antennas may be closely adjacent to each other. Each of the plurality of dipole antennas may form a capacitive coupling with an adjacent dipole antenna. For example, a plurality of dipole antennas may form a Tightly Coupled Dipole Array (TCDA). TCDA can compensate the inductance of the ground plane at low frequencies by arranging the dipole arrangement very close to each other)”.
Chung does not disclose “the capacitive feed probe is L-shaped… the L-shaped capacitive feed probe comprising a via extending from a feed line above the ground plane layer towards the dipole antenna layer, and a horizontal coupling portion extending from the via over the aperture of the first dipole antenna, the horizontal coupling portion being configured to electromagnetically couple to the aperture of the first dipole antenna”.
However, Park teaches “the capacitive feed probe is L-shaped (40)… the L-shaped capacitive feed probe (40) comprising a via extending from a feed line (vertical section of 40) above the ground plane layer (91) towards the dipole antenna layer (20), and a horizontal coupling portion (horizontal section of 40) extending from the via over the aperture of the first dipole antenna, the horizontal coupling portion being configured to electromagnetically couple to the aperture of the first dipole antenna”.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply the teachings of Park and make Chung’s antenna assembly wherein the capacitive feed probe is L-shaped… the L-shaped capacitive feed probe comprising a via extending from a feed line above the ground plane layer towards the dipole antenna layer, and a horizontal coupling portion extending from the via over the aperture of the first dipole antenna, the horizontal coupling portion being configured to electromagnetically couple to the aperture of the first dipole antenna, in order to feed the dipole the desired signal from the ground vertically to the antenna.
Regarding claim 13, Chung discloses “The antenna assembly according to claim 1, wherein the antenna assembly comprises a millimeter wave; mmWave, antenna assembly (¶[0003]; Recently, 5G system using millimeter wave band of 20GHz or more has been actively studied, and miniaturization technology of array antenna in portable terminal and base station system is required. Particularly, since the space inside the portable terminal is narrow, miniaturization of the array antenna and its gain and bandwidth characteristics may be deteriorated. Since the operating band of the array antenna varies depending on the size of the array element, it is small in size and has a limitation in securing a wide matching bandwidth. To overcome these limitations, array antenna technology using capacitive, inductive component coupling technique is being studied)”.
Regarding claim 14, Chung discloses “An apparatus, comprising an antenna assembly, the antenna assembly comprising: an array of unit-cells (fig. 2), each unit-cell (240) comprising: a ground plane layer (220) defining a ground plane; a dipole antenna layer (230) defining a dipole antenna plane parallel to the ground plane, the dipole antenna layer comprising at least a first dipole antenna; and a capacitive feed probe (210) configured to be electromagnetically coupled to an aperture of at least the first dipole antenna, wherein: each first dipole antenna is arranged to be configurable in a linear-polarized manner along a length-wise direction of the array of the unit-cells (disposed in length wise direction in fig. 2), and the unit-cells are arranged in a periodically repeating manner along at least the length- wise direction, to configure a tightly-coupled dipole array (¶[0060]; The interval between the plurality of dipole antennas may be equal to or shorter than a predetermined length. The plurality of dipole antennas may be closely adjacent to each other. Each of the plurality of dipole antennas may form a capacitive coupling with an adjacent dipole antenna. For example, a plurality of dipole antennas may form a Tightly Coupled Dipole Array (TCDA). TCDA can compensate the inductance of the ground plane at low frequencies by arranging the dipole arrangement very close to each other)”.
Chung does not disclose “the capacitive feed probe is L-shaped… the L-shaped capacitive feed probe comprising a via extending from a feed line above the ground plane layer towards the dipole antenna layer, and a horizontal coupling portion extending from the via over the aperture of the first dipole antenna, the horizontal coupling portion being configured to electromagnetically couple to the aperture of the first dipole antenna”.
However, Park teaches “the capacitive feed probe is L-shaped (40)… the L-shaped capacitive feed probe (40) comprising a via extending from a feed line (vertical section of 40) above the ground plane layer (91) towards the dipole antenna layer (20), and a horizontal coupling portion (horizontal section of 40) extending from the via over the aperture of the first dipole antenna, the horizontal coupling portion being configured to electromagnetically couple to the aperture of the first dipole antenna”.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply the teachings of Park and make Chung’s antenna assembly wherein the capacitive feed probe is L-shaped… the L-shaped capacitive feed probe comprising a via extending from a feed line above the ground plane layer towards the dipole antenna layer, and a horizontal coupling portion extending from the via over the aperture of the first dipole antenna, the horizontal coupling portion being configured to electromagnetically couple to the aperture of the first dipole antenna, in order to feed the dipole the desired signal from the ground vertically to the antenna.
Regarding claim 15, Chung discloses “The apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising one of a client device or a customer-premises equipment (¶[0003]; Recently, 5G system using millimeter wave band of 20GHz or more has been actively studied, and miniaturization technology of array antenna in portable terminal and base station system is required. Particularly, since the space inside the portable terminal is narrow, miniaturization of the array antenna and its gain and bandwidth characteristics may be deteriorated. Since the operating band of the array antenna varies depending on the size of the array element, it is small in size and has a limitation in securing a wide matching bandwidth. To overcome these limitations, array antenna technology using capacitive, inductive component coupling technique is being studied)”.
Regarding claim 16, Chung discloses “A method of manufacturing an antenna assembly, the method comprising: arranging, on a multilayer printed circuit board (PCB), a ground plane layer defining a ground plane (220) in a unit-cell of an array of unit-cells (fig. 2); arranging, on the multilayer PCB, a dipole antenna layer (230) defining a dipole antenna plane parallel to the ground plane, the dipole antenna layer comprising at least a first dipole antenna, each first dipole antenna arranged to be configurable in a linear-polarized manner along a length-wise direction of the array of the unit-cells (arranged length wise in fig. 2); arranging, on the multilayer PCB, a capacitive feed probe configured to be electromagnetically coupled to an aperture of at least the first dipole antenna; and arranging, on the multilayer PCB, the unit-cells in a periodically repeating manner along at least the length-wise direction, to configure a tightly-coupled dipole array (¶[0060])”.
Chung does not disclose “the capacitive feed probe is L-shaped… the L-shaped capacitive feed probe comprising a via extending from a feed line above the ground plane layer towards the dipole antenna layer, and a horizontal coupling portion extending from the via over the aperture of the first dipole antenna, the horizontal coupling portion being configured to electromagnetically couple to the aperture of the first dipole antenna”.
However, Park teaches “the capacitive feed probe is L-shaped (40)… the L-shaped capacitive feed probe (40) comprising a via extending from a feed line (vertical section of 40) above the ground plane layer (91) towards the dipole antenna layer (20), and a horizontal coupling portion (horizontal section of 40) extending from the via over the aperture of the first dipole antenna, the horizontal coupling portion being configured to electromagnetically couple to the aperture of the first dipole antenna”.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply the teachings of Park and make Chung’s antenna assembly wherein the capacitive feed probe is L-shaped… the L-shaped capacitive feed probe comprising a via extending from a feed line above the ground plane layer towards the dipole antenna layer, and a horizontal coupling portion extending from the via over the aperture of the first dipole antenna, the horizontal coupling portion being configured to electromagnetically couple to the aperture of the first dipole antenna, in order to feed the dipole the desired signal from the ground vertically to the antenna.
Furthermore, regarding claims 16-20, as for the particular process for the claimed product, MPEP 2113
2113 [R-1] Product-by-Process Claims
PRODUCT-BY-PROCESS CLAIMS ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE
MANIPULATIONS OF THE RECITED STEPS, ONLY THE STRUCTURE
IMPLIED BY THE STEPS
“[E]ven though product-by-process claims are limited by and defined by the process,
determination of patentability is based on the product itself. The patentability of a product
does not depend on its method of production. If the product in the product-by-process
claim is the same as or obvious from a product of the prior art, the claim is unpatentable
even though the prior product was made by a different process.” In re Thorpe, 777
F.2d 695, 698, 227 USPQ 964, 966 (Fed. Cir. 1985) (citations omitted) (Claim was
directed to a novolac color developer. The process of making the developer was
allowed. The difference between the inventive process and the prior art was the addition
of metal oxide and carboxylic acid as separate ingredients instead of adding the more
expensive pre-reacted metal carboxylate. The product-by-process claim was rejected
because the end product, in both the prior art and the allowed process, ends up
containing metal carboxylate. The fact that the metal carboxylate is not directly added,
but is instead produced in-situ does not change the end product.)
Claims 2-7 and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung and Park, further in view of Jordan et al. (US20210203085; hereinafter Jordan).
Regarding claim 2, Chung discloses the antenna assembly of claim 1 as shown previously.
Chung does not disclose “wherein each unit-cell further comprises a floating patch layer defining a floating patch plane parallel to the dipole antenna plane and the ground plane, the floating patch layer comprising a floating patch having two separate floating patch elements above the first dipole antenna”.
However, Jordan teaches “wherein each unit-cell further comprises a floating patch layer (143) defining a floating patch plane parallel to the dipole antenna plane and the ground plane, the floating patch layer comprising a floating patch having two separate floating patch elements above the first dipole antenna (see fig. 5B)”.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply the teachings of Jordan and make Chung’s antenna assembly wherein each unit-cell further comprises a floating patch layer defining a floating patch plane parallel to the dipole antenna plane and the ground plane, the floating patch layer comprising a floating patch having two separate floating patch elements above the first dipole antenna, in order to modify the radiation of the dipoles.
Regarding claim 3, Chung discloses the antenna assembly of claim 1 as shown previously.
Chung does not disclose “wherein the unit-cells being arranged in the periodically repeating manner along at least the length-wise direction comprises arranging the unit-cells such that a floating patch element in a unit-cell is connected to the nearest floating patch element in a neighboring unit-cell”.
However, Jordan teaches “wherein the unit-cells being arranged in the periodically repeating manner along at least the length-wise direction comprises arranging the unit-cells such that a floating patch element in a unit-cell is connected to the nearest floating patch element in a neighboring unit-cell (see fig. 5B)”.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply the teachings of Jordan and make Chung’s antenna assembly wherein the unit-cells being arranged in the periodically repeating manner along at least the length-wise direction comprises arranging the unit-cells such that a floating patch element in a unit-cell is connected to the nearest floating patch element in a neighboring unit-cell, in order to modify the radiation of the dipoles.
Regarding claim 4, the modified Chung discloses the antenna assembly of claim 2 as shown previously.
Chung does not disclose “wherein the two floating patch elements in a floating patch are separated by a gap between the two floating patch elements in the length-wise direction”.
However, Jordan teaches “wherein the two floating patch elements in a floating patch are separated by a gap between the two floating patch elements in the length-wise direction (see fig. 5B)”.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply the teachings of Jordan and make Chung’s antenna assembly wherein the two floating patch elements in a floating patch are separated by a gap between the two floating patch elements in the length-wise direction, in order to modify the radiation of the dipoles.
Regarding claim 5, the modified Chung discloses the antenna assembly of claim 2 as shown previously.
Chung does not disclose “wherein each unit-cell has a pitch defined by a span of the corresponding floating patch in the length-wise direction”.
However, Jordan teaches “wherein each unit-cell has a pitch defined by a span of the corresponding floating patch in the length-wise direction (see fig. 5B)”.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply the teachings of Jordan and make Chung’s antenna assembly wherein each unit-cell has a pitch defined by a span of the corresponding floating patch in the length-wise direction, in order to modify the radiation of the dipoles.
Regarding claim 6, the modified Chung discloses the antenna assembly of claim 5 as shown previously.
Chung does not disclose “wherein the at least first dipole antenna has a length shorter than the pitch of the respective unit-cell”.
However, Jordan teaches “wherein the at least first dipole antenna has a length shorter than the pitch of the respective unit-cell (units 152 are small see fig. 5B)”.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply the teachings of Jordan and make Chung’s antenna assembly wherein the at least first dipole antenna has a length shorter than the pitch of the respective unit-cell, in order to modify the radiation of the dipoles.
Regarding claim 7, the modified Chung discloses the antenna assembly of claim 5 as shown previously.
Chung does not disclose “wherein the ground plane layer of a unit-cell has a span in the length-wise direction equal to the pitch of the respective unit-cell”.
However, Jordan teaches “wherein the ground plane layer of a unit-cell has a span in the length-wise direction equal to the pitch of the respective unit-cell (ground 150 and ¶[0006]; In another of its aspects, the present invention may provide radiator sections in electrical communication with the feed sections to provide antenna elements and arrays, the radiator sections configured for emitting and/or receiving electromagnetic radiation of a selected wavelength. The radiator sections may comprise a generally planar dielectric material patterned with conductive radiator elements and conductive ground elements, such as a printed circuit board. The conductive radiator and ground elements may be configured to distribute capacitance along the length of the radiator element towards the feed connections. In a further of its aspects, the present invention may provide radiator sections that are built as metallic multilayer structures using the PolyStrata® technology, and such radiator sections may be fabricated monolithically with the feed sections or as separate radiator caps which may be subsequently joined to the feed sections)”.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply the teachings of Jordan and make Chung’s antenna assembly wherein the ground plane layer of a unit-cell has a span in the length-wise direction equal to the pitch of the respective unit-cell, in order to modify the radiation of the dipoles.
Regarding claim 17, Chung discloses the antenna assembly of claim 16 as shown previously.
Chung does not disclose “further comprises: arranging, on the multilayer PCB, a floating patch layer defining a floating patch plane parallel to the dipole antenna plane and the ground plane for each unit-cell, the floating patch layer comprising a floating patch having two separate floating patch elements above the first dipole antenna”.
However, Jordan teaches “further comprises: arranging, on the multilayer PCB, a floating patch layer (143) defining a floating patch plane parallel to the dipole antenna plane and the ground plane for each unit-cell, the floating patch layer comprising a floating patch having two separate floating patch elements above the first dipole antenna (see fig. 5B)”.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply the teachings of Jordan and make Chung’s antenna assembly method further comprises: arranging, on the multilayer PCB, a floating patch layer defining a floating patch plane parallel to the dipole antenna plane and the ground plane for each unit-cell, the floating patch layer comprising a floating patch having two separate floating patch elements above the first dipole antenna, in order to modify the radiation of the dipoles.
Regarding claim 18, Chung discloses the antenna assembly of claim 17 as shown previously.
Chung does not disclose “wherein the unit-cells being arranged in the periodically repeating manner along at least the length-wise direction comprises arranging the unit-cells such that a floating patch element in a unit-cell is connected to the nearest floating patch element in a neighboring unit-cell”.
However, Jordan teaches “wherein the unit-cells being arranged in the periodically repeating manner along at least the length-wise direction comprises arranging the unit-cells such that a floating patch element in a unit-cell is connected to the nearest floating patch element in a neighboring unit-cell (see fig. 5B)”.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply the teachings of Jordan and make Chung’s antenna assembly method wherein the unit-cells being arranged in the periodically repeating manner along at least the length-wise direction comprises arranging the unit-cells such that a floating patch element in a unit-cell is connected to the nearest floating patch element in a neighboring unit-cell, in order to modify the radiation of the dipoles.
Regarding claim 19, Chung discloses the antenna assembly of claim 17 as shown previously.
Chung does not disclose “wherein arranging a floating patch layer defining a floating patch plane parallel to the dipole antenna plane and the ground plane for each unit-cell comprises: separating the two floating patch elements in a floating patch with a gap in the length- wise direction”.
However, Jordan teaches “wherein arranging a floating patch layer defining a floating patch plane parallel to the dipole antenna plane and the ground plane for each unit-cell comprises: separating the two floating patch elements in a floating patch with a gap in the length- wise direction (see fig. 5B)”.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply the teachings of Jordan and make Chung’s antenna assembly method wherein arranging a floating patch layer defining a floating patch plane parallel to the dipole antenna plane and the ground plane for each unit-cell comprises: separating the two floating patch elements in a floating patch with a gap in the length- wise direction, in order to modify the radiation of the dipoles.
Regarding claim 20, Chung discloses the antenna assembly of claim 17 as shown previously.
Chung does not disclose “further comprises: arranging, on the multilayer PCB, each unit-cell with a pitch defined by a span of the corresponding floating patch in the length-wise direction”.
However, Jordan teaches “further comprises: arranging, on the multilayer PCB, each unit-cell with a pitch defined by a span of the corresponding floating patch in the length-wise direction (see fig. 5B)”.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply the teachings of Jordan and make Chung’s antenna assembly method further comprises: arranging, on the multilayer PCB, each unit-cell with a pitch defined by a span of the corresponding floating patch in the length-wise direction, in order to modify the radiation of the dipoles.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chung and Park, further in view of Chiu et al. (US2021002104; hereinafter Chiu).
Regarding claim 12, Chung discloses the antenna assembly of claim 1 as shown previously.
Chung does not disclose “wherein the capacitive feed probe comprises a via from a feed line above the ground plane layer towards the dipole antenna layer”.
However, Chiu teaches “wherein the capacitive feed probe comprises a via (16) from a feed line (14) above the ground plane layer towards the dipole antenna layer”.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply the teachings of Chiu and make Chung’s antenna assembly wherein the capacitive feed probe comprises a via from a feed line above the ground plane layer towards the dipole antenna layer, in order to feed the capacitive feed layer.
Conclusion
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/AUSTIN M BACK/Examiner, Art Unit 2845
/DIMARY S LOPEZ CRUZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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