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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I (claims 1-11) in the reply filed 02/10/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-11 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 (lines 13-14): “first pair of impedance matching elements” should read “first adjacent pair of impedance matching elements”.
Claim 1 (lines 16-17): “second pair of impedance matching elements” should read “second adjacent pair of impedance matching elements”.
Claim 4 (lines 4-5): “first and second sections extending between in first and second different directions” should read “first and second sections extending
Claim 6 (line 2): “one or more openings or apertures defined in each of the capacitive coupling structures” should read “one or more openings or apertures defined in each of the impedance matching elements” (see para. [0134] of instant Specification “one or more spaces, opening or apertures 159 can be defined in each of the impedance matching elements 150, ..for reducing mass of the monolithic elements”).
Claim 8 (line 2): “or have bi-lateral symmetry” should read “or having bi-lateral symmetry”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 2-3, 5, 7 and 9-11 are objected to due to their dependency.
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 10 and 11 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.
Claim 10 recites the limitation "the adjacent pairs of impedance matching elements". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 11 (line 3) recites the limitation "the adjacent pairs of impedance matching elements". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-9 are allowed.
Claims 10-11 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include 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 pertinent prior art, as a whole, or in combination, cannot be reasonably construed as adequately teaching or suggesting the elements and features of the claimed invention(s) as arranged, disposed, or provided in the manner as claimed by the Applicant.
For example, regarding claim 1, Huang et al. (US 2020/0091621; “Huang”) discloses (fig. 6 below) “A monolithic element (¶59, " by connecting the ground portion 23 of the first antenna assembly 2A and/or the second antenna assembly 2B to the holder 1, the molding method can also be used to integrally form the holder 1 with the first antenna assembly 2A and/or the second antenna assembly 2B as one piece. Thereby, not only can the cost be reduced and mass production be achieved, but also the structural strength of the antenna structure U can be increased"), comprising:
a base (fig. 15, circuit board P);
a plurality of shorting posts coupled to the base (sides 1a-1d of holder; ¶34, “the ground portion 23 of the first antenna body 2 a may be connected to the first board 1 a, the ground portion 23 of the second antenna body 2 b may be connected to the second board 1 b, and the ground portion 23 of the third antenna body 2 c may be connected to the third board 1 c, and the ground portion 23 of the fourth antenna body 2 d may be connected to the fourth board 1 d. In addition, at least one of the first board 1 a, the second board 1 b, the third board 1 c, and the fourth board 1 d may be coupled to a ground terminal of the radio frequency chip.”), and extending therefrom;
a plurality of impedance matching elements (conjoining portions 22; ¶43, "the first antenna body 2 a, the second antenna body 2 b, the third antenna body 2 c, and the fourth antenna body 2 d may be in a tapered shape so that the first antenna body 2 a, the second antenna body 2 b, the third antenna body 2 c, and the fourth antenna body 2 d are in a tapered antenna-like shape" & “after the first predetermined angle θ1 is defined, the second predetermined angle θ2 and the third predetermined angle θ3 may be further adjusted to adjust the radiation pattern, the impedance matching, and the reflection loss”) extending from the shorting posts (1a -1d and connected ground portions 23), each comprising a tapered section (22) extending from a leg section (portions 21) spaced laterally from the respective shorting post (1a-1d, 23);
wherein the leg sections (portions 21) extending from a first adjacent pair of the impedance matching elements are configured for coupling to a signal connector (¶34, “The first antenna body 2 a, the second antenna body 2 b, the third antenna body 2 c, and the fourth antenna body 2 d can respectively include a feeding portion 21”), wherein the first pair of impedance matching elements are operable to be actively driven (¶34, all leg sections 21 are configured for coupling to a signal connector); and
wherein the leg sections extending from a second adjacent pair of the impedance matching elements are configured for coupling to ground (impedance matching elements 22 are coupled to ground via ground portions 23 and sides 1a-1d of holder 1)”.
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Huang does not teach, or suggest, a plurality of capacitive coupling structures coupled to the impedance matching elements, and configured for capacitive coupling therebetween;
wherein the impedance matching elements are configured to define radiator, receiver or transmitter sites between opposing impedance matching elements on adjacent instances of said monolithic element; wherein the second pair of impedance matching elements are operable to be excited by the opposing impedance matching elements.
Lambert et al. (US 2013/0214980; “Lambert”) discloses (fig. 5 below) “A monolithic element (¶10, "can be formed using an additive process"), comprising:
a base (ground plane 108);
a plurality of shorting posts coupled to the base (¶25, ground connector 516 that is electrically connected to the ground plane 108; fig. 1, each element 112 of antenna array 104 appears to have two shorting posts), and extending therefrom;
a plurality of impedance matching elements (conductive members 112; ¶27, “the electromagnetic energy undergoes a gradual impedance transition along the tapered slot 116”) extending from the shorting posts (516), each comprising a tapered section (tapered elements 204) extending from a leg section (leg section) spaced laterally from the respective shorting post (516);
wherein the impedance matching elements (112) are configured to define radiator, receiver or transmitter sites between opposing impedance matching elements on adjacent instances of said monolithic element (array elements 112 separated by a slot 116, shown in fig. 4; ¶20, “The tapered element or elements 204 of each electrically conductive member 112 can cooperate with between one and four other electrically conductive members 112 to form tapered slots 116 therebetween. These tapered slots 116 generally comprise a gap between adjacent tapered elements 204 within a common plane and belonging to neighboring electrically conductive members 112.” & ¶26, “electromagnetic waves will travel along the slot line 412 to the tapered slot 116. The tapered slot 116 launches the electromagnetic waves into the surrounding environment”);
wherein the impedance matching elements (112) are operable to be actively driven (112 are connected to feedline 420)”.
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Lambert does not teach, or suggest, a plurality of capacitive coupling structures coupled to the impedance matching elements, and configured for capacitive coupling therebetween; wherein the leg sections extending from a first adjacent pair of the impedance matching elements are configured for coupling to a signal connector; and
wherein the leg sections extending from a second adjacent pair of the impedance matching elements are configured for coupling to ground, wherein the second pair of impedance matching elements are operable to be excited by the opposing impedance matching elements”.
Massman et al. (US 2023/0378662; “Massman”) discloses (fig. 4B below) “A monlithic element (Vivaldi element 120; ¶62, “Each element 120 may be fabricated using metal 3D printing processes.”), comprising:
a base (base 140);
a plurality of shorting posts (¶60, “two shorting posts 124, 126”) coupled to the base (better shown in fig. 4C), and extending therefrom;
a plurality of impedance matching elements (radiating arms 132, 134; ¶59, “Vivaldi elements are travelling wave structures that employ a balun and a gradual impedance taper”) extending from the shorting posts (124, 126), each comprising a tapered section extending from a leg section spaced laterally from the respective shorting post (a single leg section is shown in fig. 4A);
wherein the impedance matching elements are configured to define radiator, receiver or transmitter sites between opposing impedance matching elements on adjacent instances of said monolithic element (¶76, “array performance that accounts for mutual coupling”);
wherein the leg section (fig. 4A) extending from one impedance matching element (arm 132) is configured for coupling to a signal connector (¶60, “Each element 120 includes an SMP (sub miniature push-on) connector 122”), wherein the impedance matching element (132) is operable to be actively driven (¶64, “The SMP connector 122 feeds the radiating arms 132, 134)”.
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Massman does not teach, or suggest, a plurality of capacitive coupling structures coupled to the impedance matching elements, and configured for capacitive coupling therebetween; each tapered section extending from a leg section spaced laterally from the respective shorting post; wherein the leg sections extending from a first adjacent pair of the impedance matching elements are configured for coupling to a signal connector, wherein the first pair of impedance matching elements are operable to be actively driven; and wherein the leg sections extending from a second adjacent pair of the impedance matching elements are configured for coupling to ground, wherein the second pair of impedance matching elements are operable to be excited by the opposing impedance matching elements.
Claims 2-9 are allowed due to their dependency on claim 1.
Conclusion
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/ANNA N HAMADYK/Examiner, Art Unit 2845
/DIMARY S LOPEZ CRUZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2845