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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments 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.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, claims 1 and 17 reciting “wherein the at least one antenna [PIFA] element is spaced apart from the housing to define a spaced apart region to enable emission and receipt of radio waves through the spaced apart region” must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 and 17 respectively reciting “wherein the at least one antenna/PIFA element is spaced apart from the housing to define a spaced apart region to enable emission and receipt of radio waves through the spaced apart region” is new matter.
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 1-11 and 17-20 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.
Claims 1 and 17 respectively reciting “wherein the at least one antenna [PIFA] element defines a radiating element for transmitting and receiving a wireless signal” and “wherein the cable enables data communication between the at least one antenna/PIFA element and a printed circuit board” are indefinite, since (a) it’s unclear how “transmitting and receiving a wireless signal” occurs absent any feed element or feed point, and (b) it’s NOT understood whether “data communication” is related (or in addition) to “a wireless signal” earlier claimed.
Claims 1 and 17, last clause respectively reciting “enable emission and receipt of radio waves” are indefinite, since it’s unclear what is meant by “receipt”.
In view of the aforementioned, scope of claims 1 and 17 cannot be ascertained.
Claims 2-11 and 18-20 are rejected for depending on claims 1 and 17, respectively.
Claims 1 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the elements. See MPEP § 2172.01.
The omitted elements are: a feed point and a shorting strip.
There should be a clear recitation of interrelated structure in order to provide a complete and operable electronics device.
The spec. discloses, e.g., in the printed publication:
[0053] FIG. 5 illustrates the antenna and the position of the antenna within the marine electronics device. In some embodiments, the antenna 130 may be a planar inverted F antenna (PIFA). In some embodiments, the antenna 130 may define a ground portion 134 and a radiating element 132 attached via a vertical portion 138. In some embodiments, the ground portion 134 and the radiating element 132 may extend in parallel planes.
…
[0056] The ground portion 138 may be configured a reference point for radiation of the antenna 130. The size of the ground portion may affect the impedance matching, the bandwidth, and the radiation pattern of the antenna 130. In some embodiments a larger ground plane may improve the antennas performance, and bandwidth. The position of the antenna 130 on the second surface of the LCD screen 142b allows the ground portion 138 of the antenna 130 to extend in the same plane as the second surface of the LCD screen 142b. Since the second surface of the LCD 142b is a conductive material the second surface of the LCD screen 142b acts as an extension of the ground portion 138 and thereby improves the performance of the antenna.
[0057] The antenna 130 may further comprise a shoring strip 138 connecting the radiating element 132 and the ground portion 134. The shorting strip 138 is configured to adjust the electrical length of the antenna 130. In some embodiments, the antenna 130 may further comprise a feed point connecting the conducting portion 132 to the cable 135. In this regard, feed point may be the access point between the radio frequency signal and the antenna 130. The feed point may provide the impedance matching and radiation characteristics.
As such, a feed point and a shorting strip are essential features of the invention, absent which the electronics device cannot operate as its intended purpose.
The following claim, drafted by the examiner and considered to distinguish patentably over the art of record in this application, is presented to applicant for consideration:
17. (Currently Amended) A marine electronics device positioned in a metal dash of a watercraft, the marine electronics device comprising:
a liquid crystal display (LCD) comprising a screen defining a first surface opposing a second surface, and a frame attached to the second surface of the screen, wherein the frame is conductive;
at least one planar inverted F antenna (PIFA) element attached to the frame of the LCD, wherein the at least one PIFA element defines a radiating element, and a shorting strip connecting the radiating element and the ground portion, wherein the radiating element extends in a first plane and the ground portion extends in a second plane that is spaced apart from and parallel to the first plane, and wherein the ground portion is attached to and in electrical communication with the frame of the LCD;
a cable extending from the ground portion of the at least one PIFA element, wherein the cable enables data communication between the at least one PIFA element and a printed circuit board, wherein a feed point connects the radiating element to the cable; and
a housing, wherein the housing encloses the frame and the second surface of the LCD, wherein the at least one PIFA element is spaced apart from the housing to define a spaced apart region to enable emission and reception of radio waves without interference.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Tasi (US 6876333)
Wu (US 12341264)
Watanabe (US 9692105)
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HASAN ISLAM whose telephone number is (571)270-1719. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thu 9AM-7PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, DAMEON LEVI can be reached at (571)272-2105. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HASAN ISLAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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