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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Status of Application
This Office Action is a response to Applicant’s communication (or preliminary’s amendment) filed on 07/15/2024. In virtue of this communication, claims 1-20 are currently presented in the instant application.
Priority
Acknowledgement is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d). A certified copy of the priority documents received on 08/08/2024.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 05/28/2025 in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is considered by the examiner.
If applicant is aware of any prior art or any other co-pending application not already of record, he/she is reminded of his/her duty under 37 CFR 1.97 to disclose the same.
Drawings
The drawing submitted on 07/15/2024 is accepted as part of the formal application.
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 1-10 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 1,
The recitation “the polarization direction of the second radiation pattern” in lines 11-12 is considered indefinite because it does not have an antecedent basis. Clarification is required.
The recitation “the polarization direction of the third radiation pattern” in lines 13-14 is considered indefinite because it does not have an antecedent basis. Clarification is required.
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 1-3 and 11-13, as best understood, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang et al (US 20240039163), hereinafter Zhang.
Regarding claim 1,
Zhang discloses an antenna structure (an antenna assembly ANT1, Fig 4) comprising:
a first dipole radiating element (a first electric dipole antenna 21, Fig 4), perpendicular to a plane (an x-y plane, Fig 4); and
a third dipole radiating element (a first magnetic dipole antenna 11, Fig 4), connected to the first dipole radiating element;
wherein the first dipole radiating element is configured to generate a first radiation pattern (Fig 20), the third dipole radiating element is configured to generate a third radiation pattern (Fig 18), the first radiation pattern is omnidirectional radiation on the plane Fig 20), and the polarization direction of the third radiation pattern is orthogonal to the polarization direction of the first radiation pattern (Fig 4; paragraph [0088]).
Zhang teaches another antenna structure (another antenna assembly ANT2, Fig 24) comprising a second dipole radiating element (a second electric dipole antenna 22, Fig 24), connected to the first dipole radiating element (Fig 24); the third dipole radiating element connected to the first dipole radiating element and the second dipole radiating element (Fig 24), the polarization direction of the second radiation pattern is orthogonal to a polarization direction of the first radiation pattern (Fig 24)
Zhang does not explicitly teach the second dipole radiating element is configured to generate a second radiation pattern.
However, Zhang teaches a dipole radiating element (the first electric dipole antenna 21) is configured to generate a radiation pattern (Fig 20).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a second dipole radiating element being configured to generate a second radiation pattern in Zhang, in order to improve antenna performance of the antenna assembly.
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Regarding claim 2,
Zhang as modified discloses the claimed invention, as discussed in claim 1.
Zhang does not explicitly teach a radiation gain of the first radiation pattern on the plane is greater than −10 dB.
However, Figure 20 of Zhang shows a directivity diagram of the first electric dipole 21 at 2.45 GHz. It’s well known in the art that a vertical dipole has an antenna gain greater than -10 dB on a horizontal plane.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a radiation gain of a first radiation pattern on a plane being greater than −10 dB in Zhang as modified, in order to improve antenna performance of an antenna assembly.
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Regarding claim 3,
Zhang as modified discloses the claimed invention, as discussed in claim 1.
Zhang does not explicitly teach the first dipole radiating element, the second dipole radiating element and the third dipole radiating element respectively generate a first operating frequency band, a second operating frequency band and a third operating frequency band, the first operating frequency band is higher than the second operating frequency band, and the second operating frequency band is higher than the third operating frequency band.
However, Zhang teaches that it can be learned from FIG. 23 that the two antennas can cover 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz dual-band resonance. This teaching is result effect in order to implement dual-band coverage (paragraph [0087]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a first dipole radiating element, a second dipole radiating element and a third dipole radiating element respectively generating a first operating frequency band, a second operating frequency band and a third operating frequency band, the first operating frequency band being higher than the second operating frequency band, and the second operating frequency band being higher than the third operating frequency band in Zhang as modified, in order to improve antenna performance of an antenna assembly.
Regarding claim 11,
Zhang discloses an electronic device (an electronic apparatus; paragraph [0041]) comprising:
a carrier (a first dielectric layer 301, Fig 4); and
an antenna structure (an antenna assembly ANT1, Fig 4), disposed on the carrier, and comprising:
a first dipole radiating element (a first electric dipole antenna 21, Fig 4), perpendicular to a plane (an x-y plane, Fig 4); and
a third dipole radiating element (a first magnetic dipole antenna 11, Fig 4), connected to the first dipole radiating element (Fig 4);
wherein the first dipole radiating element is configured to generate a first radiation pattern (Fig 20), the third radiating element is configured to generate a third radiation pattern (Fig 18), the first radiation pattern is omnidirectional radiation on the plane (Fig 20), and a polarization direction of the third radiation pattern is orthogonal to the polarization direction of the first radiation pattern (Fig 4; paragraph [0088]).
Zhang teaches another antenna structure (another antenna assembly ANT2, Fig 24) comprising a second dipole radiating element (a second electric dipole antenna 22, Fig 24) connected to the first dipole radiating element (Fig 24), the third dipole radiating element connected to the first dipole radiating element and the second dipole radiating element (Fig 24), a polarization direction of the second radiation pattern is orthogonal to a polarization direction of the first radiation pattern (Fig 24)
Zhang does not explicitly teach the second dipole radiating element is configured to generate a second radiation pattern.
However, Zhang teaches a dipole radiating element (the first electric dipole antenna 21) is configured to generate a radiation pattern (Fig 20).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a second dipole radiating element being configured to generate a second radiation pattern in Zhang, in order to improve antenna performance of the antenna assembly.
Regarding claim 12,
Zhang as modified discloses the claimed invention, as discussed in claim 11.
Zhang does not explicitly teach a radiation gain of the first radiation pattern on the plane is greater than −10 dB.
However, Figure 20 of Zhang shows a directivity diagram of the first electric dipole 21 at 2.45 GHz. It’s well known in the art that a vertical dipole has an antenna gain greater than -10 dB on a horizontal plane.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a radiation gain of a first radiation pattern on a plane being greater than −10 dB in Zhang as modified, in order to improve antenna performance of an antenna assembly.
Regarding claim 13,
Zhang as modified discloses the claimed invention, as discussed in claim 11.
Zhang does not explicitly teach the first dipole radiating element, the second dipole radiating element and the third dipole radiating element respectively produce a first operating frequency band, a second operating frequency band and a third operating frequency band, the first operating frequency band is higher than the second operating frequency band, and the second operating frequency band is higher than the third operating frequency band.
However, Zhang teaches that it can be learned from FIG. 23 that the two antennas can cover 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz dual-band resonance. This teaching is result effect in order to implement dual-band coverage (paragraph [0087]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a first dipole radiating element, a second dipole radiating element and a third dipole radiating element respectively producing a first operating frequency band, a second operating frequency band and a third operating frequency band, the first operating frequency band being higher than the second operating frequency band, and the second operating frequency band being higher than the third operating frequency band in Zhang as modified, in order to improve antenna performance of an antenna assembly.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-10 and 14-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claim 4, prior art of record or most closely prior art fails to disclose, “the first dipole radiating element comprises two first radiating elements, the second dipole radiating element comprises two second radiating elements, and the third dipole radiating element comprising two third radiating elements, wherein one of the two first radiating elements, one of the two second radiating elements, and one of the two third radiating elements intersect at a first connection point, and another one of the two first radiating elements, another one of the two second radiating elements, and another one of the two third radiating elements intersect at a second connection point”.
Dependent claims 5-10 are considered to be allowable by virtue of its/their dependency/dependencies on claim 4.
Regarding claim 14, prior art of record or most closely prior art fails to disclose, “the first dipole radiating element comprises two first radiating elements, the second dipole radiating element comprises two second radiating elements, the third dipole radiating element comprises two third radiating elements, wherein one of the two first radiating elements, one of the two second radiating elements, and one of the two third radiating elements intersect at a first connecting point, and another one of the two first radiating elements, another one of the two second radiating elements, and another one of the two third radiating elements intersect at a second connection point”.
Dependent claims 15-20 are considered to be allowable by virtue of its/their dependency/dependencies on claim 14.
Conclusion
The Examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record within the body of this action for the convenience of the Applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply.
Applicant, in preparing the response, should consider fully the entire reference aspotentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of thepassage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Hai Tran whose telephone number is (571) 270-7650. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8:00 am-5:00 pm.
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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/HAI V TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845