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 .
Receipt is acknowledged of IDS filed on 11/4/2025 & 02/06/2026.
Claims 1-20 are presented for examination.
This application is a CON of 17/968,132 filed on 10/18/2022 now PAT 12,050,952 which is a CON of 17/390,047 filed on 07/30/2021 now PAT 11,551,050.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Finn et al. (US 2016/0118711) in view of Tong (CN 20733745 U).
Re Claim 1: Finn et al. {hereinafter referred as “Finn”} teaches booster antenna configurations and methods, which includes a metal layer {herein the smart card may comprise a metallized layer} having an opening (84+, 450-462+), and an inlay arranged in the opening, the inlay comprising: an antenna {herein antenna module} (¶ 140-146+, 462+).
Finn fails to specifically teach a chip capacitor disposed within the perimeter of the antenna.
Tong teaches a non-contact intelligent card, which includes a chip capacitor {herein Tong teaches that the chip capacitor is arranged on one side of the PCB board through welding is fixed on the PCB plate} disposed within the perimeter of the antenna (see pages 3-4+ of translated document).
In view of Watanabe’s teachings, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to employ into the teachings of Finn a chip capacitor disposed within the perimeter of the antenna so as to adjust and provide a desired resonance frequency.
Re Claim 2: Finn as modified by Tong teaches a device, wherein the antenna is a card reader coupling antenna for coupling with an external card reader antenna (¶ 143+).
Re Claims 3-4: Finn as modified by Tong teaches a device, wherein the chip card further comprises a chip module 908 (¶ 330+).
Re Claims 5-6: Finn as modified by Tong teaches a device, wherein the chip module comprises a chip module antenna (¶ 135-140+).
Re Claims 7-10: Finn as modified by Tong teaches a device, wherein the chip module coupling antenna is electrically connected {herein teaches contact pads “CP” may be disposed on the module tape MT for implementing the contact interface} with the card reader coupling antenna, wherein the chip card further comprises a contact interface for connecting with an external card reader (¶ 38+, 331+).
Re Claim 11: Finn as modified by Tong teaches a device, wherein the opening extends to an outer edge of the metal layer (see fig.# 10C; ¶ 462+).
Claim(s) 12-13 and 14-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Finn et al. (US 2016/0118711) as modified by Tong (CN 20733745 U) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Page (US 2007/0194911).
Re Claims 12-14 and 19-20: The teachings of Finn have been discussed above. Finn also teaches for conductive paths, appropriate insulating or passivation layers may be used to facilitate cross-overs (¶ 182+).
Finn fails to specifically teach at least one passive component for storing electrical energy.
Page teaches proximity locator system, which includes at least one passive component for storing electrical energy (¶ 37+).
In view if Page’s teachings, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to employ into the teachings of Finn at least one passive component for storing electrical energy so as to enable means of receiving and storing energy from an external device to power the electronic component on the card.
Re Claim 15: Finn as modified by Page teaches a device, further comprising a chip module 908 coupling antenna for coupling with a chip module antenna of the electronically readable article (¶ 135-140+).
Re Claims 16-17: Finn as modified by Page teaches a device, a metal layer having an opening, wherein the inlay is arranged in the opening (¶ 140-146+, 462+).
Re Claim 18: Finn as modified by Page teaches a device, a plurality of plastic sheets, wherein the inlay according to claim 14 is arranged between the plastic sheets (¶ 190+, 130+, 142+).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Ikemoto (US 2013/0112754) teaches reader/writer antenna module and antenna device.
Aoki (JP 2010231763 A) teaches IC card.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDWYN LABAZE whose telephone number is (571)272-2395. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30AM-5:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Mr. STEVE PAIK can be reached at 571-272-2404. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EDWYN LABAZE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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