DETAILED ACTION
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)(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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2, 4, 8 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Manasson et al (7,609,223).
Regarding claim 1, Manasson et al disclose a radiating element 40 configured to radiate in a first direction; and a beam-shaping element 48 (connects via a beam switch 58, col5, lines 50-56) spaced apart from the radiating element in the first direction and offset from the radiating element in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, such that the radiating element and the beam shaping element do not overlap in the first direction (figs7-8), the beam shaping element including a plurality of interdigitated fingers (figs7-8, col5, lines 45-50).
Manasson et al also disclose a plurality of beam-shaping elements 48 spaced apart from the radiating element 40 in the first direction and offset from the radiating element in the second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, each of the plurality of beam-shaping elements including a plurality of interdigitated fingers (figs7-8, col5, lines 45-50), the plurality of beam shaping elements 48 including the beam-shaping element and being arranged on a first side of the radiating element; the plurality of beam-shaping elements 48 including the beam-shaping element and encircling the radiating element in a plan view (figs7-8), wherein the beam-shaping element is configured to modify a radiation pattern output from the radiating element in a first plane without modifying the radiation pattern output from the radiating element in a second plane (the beam-shaping element 48 only faces along the radiating element 40 in a first plane, fig7).
Claims 1-5 and 8-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ai et al (12,512,606).
Regarding claim 1, Ai et al disclose a radiating element 132 configured to radiate in a first direction; and a beam-shaping element 140 spaced apart from the radiating element in the first direction and offset from the radiating element in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, such that the radiating element and the beam shaping element do not overlap in the first direction (figs1-3), the beam shaping element including a plurality of interdigitated fingers 142 (figs1-3, col11, lines 22-27).
Ai et al also disclose the plurality of beam-shaping elements spaced apart from the radiating element in the first direction and offset from the radiating element in the second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, each of the plurality of beam-shaping elements including a plurality of interdigitated fingers, the plurality of beam shaping elements including the beam-shaping element and being arranged on a first side of the radiating element (figs1-3), wherein the plurality of beam-shaping elements is a first plurality of beam-shaping elements, the base station antenna further comprising: a second plurality of beam-shaping elements spaced apart from the radiating element in the first direction and offset from the radiating element in the second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, each of the plurality of second beam-shaping elements including a plurality of interdigitated fingers, the second plurality of beam shaping elements being arranged on a second side of the radiating element opposite the first side, the plurality of beam-shaping elements including the beam-shaping element and encircling the radiating element in a plan view (figs1-3), wherein the beam-shaping element comprises opposing first and second end portions each with the plurality of fingers extending therefrom, the plurality of fingers extending from the first end portion being interdigitated with the plurality of fingers extending from the second end portion (col11, lines 18-35, figs1-3); wherein the beam-shaping element is configured to modify a radiation pattern output from the radiating element in a first plane without modifying the radiation pattern output from the radiating element in a second plane (figs1-3), wherein the first plane is an azimuth plane and the second plane is an elevation plane (col1, lines 31-44), wherein the beam-shaping element is configured to increase a half-power beamwidth of the radiation pattern output from the radiating element in the azimuth plane (col1, lines 31-40).
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.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Ai/Manasson et al.
Regarding the radiating element is configured to radiate at a frequency of 3.4 - 4.0 GHz; wherein a length of each of the plurality of fingers of the first and second end portions is less than ½ of a wavelength of a highest frequency; and wherein the beam-shaping element comprises copper, aluminum, and/or metalized plastic. It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skilled in the art at the time the invention was made to have the radiating element is configured to radiate at a frequency of 3.4 - 4.0 GHz; wherein a length of each of the plurality of fingers of the first and second end portions is less than ½ of a wavelength of a highest frequency; and wherein the beam-shaping element comprises copper, aluminum, and/or metalized plastic, since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known dimension or frequency or material of the elements be varied for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The patents to Engargiola and Durham are cited as of interested and illustrated a similar structure to a base station antenna.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THO GIA PHAN whose telephone number is (571)272-1826. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F (8-430).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dimary Lopez can be reached on (571) 270-7893. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THO G PHAN/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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