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 Amendment
The amendment filed February 25, 2026 has been entered. The Applicant amended claims 1, 3-4, 7, 8-10, 12-13, and 16-17, and canceled claims 2 and 11. Claims 1, 3-10, and 12-20 remain pending in the application. Applicant’s amendments to the Specification have overcome each and every objection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed December 4, 2025. The examiner withdraws the Specification objections in light of the amendments to the Specification.
Applicant’s arguments, see page 13 to page 14, filed February 25, 2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1 and 9 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of a different interpretation of previously applied reference. The new grounds of rejection is stated below.
Applicant's arguments filed February 25, 2026, with respect to the rejection of claim 18 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Regarding claim 18, the applicant argues “In addition, Samardzija fails to disclose the features ‘a second slot formed on the metal unit along the axis direction and separated from the first slot by a distance along the axis direction’ and ‘a short-circuiting portion crossing the second slot’ of the original claim 18 of the present application” and “According to FIG. 3 and FIG. 12, and paragraph [0034] of Samardzija, the second slot (122 of 114 of 110B) and the first slot (122 of 114 of 110GA) are not disposed along the same axis direction. Further, the vertical member (164) is a boundary of the slot (122). Thus, Samardzija failed to disclose the features of ‘a second slot formed on the metal unit along the axis direction and separated from the first slot by a distance along the axis direction’ and ‘a short-circuiting portion crossing the second slot’ of the original claim 18 of the present application. The original claim 18 is not anticipated by Samardzija.” This argument is unpersuasive. Samardzija discloses, with a broad and reasonable interpretation, a second slot (122 of 114 of 110B) formed on the metal unit along the axis direction and separated from the first slot (122 of 114 of 110GA) by a distance along the axis direction as both the second slot and the first slot extend and are separated along a horizontal axis direction. Samardzija further discloses, with a broad and reasonable interpretation, a short-circuiting portion (164) crossing the second slot (122 of 114 of 110B) as the claim as written does not exclude the vertical short circuit portion 164 of Samardzija.
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.
Claims 1, 3-5, 9-10, and 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li et al. (US PGPUB 2021/0359410 A1), hereinafter known as Li.
Regarding claim 1, Li discloses (Fig. 1 and 3) An antenna structure (100) disposed on a metal unit (1), the antenna structure (100) comprising: a first slot (11) formed on the metal unit along an axis direction and configured to receive a signal feed (31); a second slot (12) formed on the metal unit (1) along the axis direction and separated from the first slot (11) by a distance along the axis direction; a grounding portion (232) coupled to the metal unit; and a short-circuiting portion (223) crossing the second (12) slot and coupled to the grounding portion (232); a first radiating portion (222); and a second radiating portion (224) coupled to the short-circuiting portion (223) and extending from the second slot (12) toward the first slot (11), wherein the second radiating portion (224) is located at one side of the first radiating portion (222) in a direction perpendicular to the axis direction; wherein the first radiating portion (222) and the second radiating portion (224) are arranged parallel to the axis direction, and the first radiating portion (222) is positioned between the second radiating portion (224) and the first slot (11).
Regarding claim 3, Li further discloses (Fig. 3) wherein a length of the second radiating portion (224) is greater than a length of the first radiating portion (222).
Regarding claim 4, Li further discloses (Fig. 3) further comprising: a feeding portion (3, 222) disposed on the metal unit (232) and partially overlapping the first slot (11), wherein the feeding portion (3, 222) is configured to provide the signal feed (31, 32).
Regarding claim 5, Li further discloses (Fig. 3) wherein the first slot (11) is cutoff by the feeding portion (3, 222) and divided into a first portion (right portion of 11) and a second portion (left portion of 11), and the first portion (right portion of 11) and the second portion (left portion of 11) are not equal in length
Regarding claim 9, Li discloses (Fig. 1 and 3) An antenna structure (100) disposed on a metal unit (1), the antenna structure (100) comprising: a first slot (11) formed on the metal unit (1) and having a first length (L1), wherein the first slot is configured to receive a signal feed (31); a second slot (12) formed on the metal unit (1) and having a second length (L2), wherein the second length (L2) is greater than the first length (L1); a grounding portion (232) coupled to the metal unit (1); and a short-circuiting portion (223) crossing the second slot (12) and coupled to the grounding portion (232); a first radiating portion (222); and a second radiating portion (224) coupled to the short-circuiting portion (223) and extending from the second slot (12) toward the first slot (11), wherein the second radiating portion (224) is located at one side of the first radiating portion (222)in a direction perpendicular to the axis direction; wherein the first radiating portion (222) and the second radiating portion (224) are arranged parallel to the axis direction, and the first radiating portion (222) is positioned between the second radiating portion (224) and the first slot (11).
Regarding claim 10, Li further discloses (Fig. 1 and 3) wherein the first slot (11) and the second slot (12) are formed on the metal unit (1) along the axis direction (y direction) and are separated by a distance (W1) along the axis direction.
Regarding claim 12, Li further discloses (Fig. 8) wherein a length of the second radiating portion (224) is greater than a length of the first radiating portion (222), and the length of the second radiating portion (224) is less than the first length (L1).
Regarding claim 13, Li further discloses (Fig. 3) further comprising: a feeding portion (3, 222) disposed on the metal unit (232) and partially overlapping the first slot (11), wherein the feeding portion (3, 222) is configured to provide the signal feed (31, 32).
Regarding claim 14, Li further discloses (Fig. 3) wherein the first slot (11) is cutoff by the feeding portion (222) and divided into a first portion (right portion of 11) and a second portion (left portion of 11), and the first portion (right portion of 11) and the second portion (left portion of 11) are not equal in length
Claims 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Samardzija et al. (US PGPUB 2020/0358196 A1), hereinafter known as Samardzija.
Regarding claim 18, Samardzija discloses (Fig. 3 and 9) A heat dissipation device (Fig. 3) comprising: a heat dissipation body (102); and an antenna unit (110A, 110B) connected to the heat dissipation body (102) and comprising: a metal unit (102); and an antenna structure (110A, 110B) disposed on the metal unit (102) and comprising: a first slot (114 of 110A) formed on the metal unit (102) along an axis direction and configured to provide a signal feed (118, 132); a second slot (114 of 110B) formed on the metal unit (102) along the axis direction and separated from the first slot (114 of 110A) by a distance along the axis direction; a grounding portion (120) coupled to the metal unit (102); and a short-circuiting portion (164) crossing the second slot (114 of 110B) and coupled to the grounding portion (120); wherein the first slot (114 of 110A) and the second slot (114 of 110B) are integrally formed with the metal unit (102).
. Regarding claim 19, Samardzija further discloses (Fig. 3) wherein the heat dissipation body comprises: a housing ([0027]); and a heat sink (104); wherein the metal unit (102) is coupled to one of the housing and the heat sink (104).
Regarding claim 20, Samardzija further discloses (Fig. 3 and 9) wherein the antenna structure further comprising: a first radiating portion (156 of 114 of 110B); a second radiating portion (210 of 114 of 110B) coupled to the short-circuiting portion (164) and extending from the second slot (114 of 110B) toward the first slot (114 of 110A), wherein the second radiating portion (210 of 114 of 110B) is located at one side of the first radiating portion (154 of 114 of 110B); and a feeding portion (150 of 114 of 110A) disposed on the metal unit (102) and partially overlapping the first slot (114 of 110A), wherein the feeding portion (150 of 114 of 110A) is configured to provide the signal feed; wherein the first radiating portion (156 of 114 of 110B) and the second radiating portion (210 of 114 of 110B) are arranged parallel to the axis direction, and the first radiating portion (156 of 114 of 110B) is positioned between the second radiating portion (210 of 114 of 110B) and the first slot (114 of 110A).
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 6-8 and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Li et al. (US PGPUB 2023/0083466 A1), hereinafter known as Li 2.
Regarding claim 6, Li does not specifically teach wherein a resonant frequency of the first radiating portion coupling with the first portion is between 5800 MHz and 6900 MHz; and a resonant frequency of the first radiating portion coupling with the second portion is between 6400 MHz and 7000 MHz.
However, Li 2 teaches (Fig. 7 and 13) wherein a resonant frequency of the first radiating portion (40-2) coupling with the first portion is between 5800 MHz and 6900 MHz (154); and a resonant frequency of the first radiating portion (40-2) coupling with the second portion is between 6400 MHz and 7000 MHz (154).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the antenna structure of Li with Li 2 to include “wherein a resonant frequency of the first radiating portion coupling with the first portion is between 5800 MHz and 6900 MHz; and a resonant frequency of the first radiating portion coupling with the second portion is between 6400 MHz and 7000 MHz,” as taught by Li 2, for the purpose of operating in a desired frequency band (see also [0075]).
Regarding claim 7, Li does not specifically teach wherein a resonant frequency of the first radiating portion coupling with the first slot in a high-order mode is between 5100 MHz and 5300 MHz; a resonant frequency of the first radiating portion coupling with the first slot is between 2350 MHz and 2500 MHz; a resonant frequency of the second radiating portion and the short-circuiting portion coupling with the second slot in a high-order mode is between 5300 MHz and 5800 MHz; a resonant frequency of the second radiating portion and the short-circuiting portion coupling with the second slot is between 2400 MHz and 2600 MHz, and a resonant frequency of the second radiating portion and the short-circuiting portion is between 2300 MHz and 2500 MHz.
However, Li 2 teaches (Fig. 7 and 13) wherein a resonant frequency of the first radiating portion (86, 40-3) coupling with the first slot in a high-order mode is between 5100 MHz and 5300 MHz (152); a resonant frequency of the first radiating portion (86, 40-4) coupling with the first slot is between 2350 MHz and 2500 MHz (150); a resonant frequency of the second radiating portion (66, 40-2) and the short-circuiting portion coupling with the second slot (18-1) in a high-order mode is between 5300 MHz and 5800 MHz (154); a resonant frequency of the second radiating portion (66, 40-4) and the short-circuiting portion coupling with the second slot (18-1) is between 2400 MHz and 2600 MHz (150), and a resonant frequency of the second radiating portion (66, 40-4) and the short-circuiting portion is between 2300 MHz and 2500 MHz (150).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the antenna structure of Li with Li 2 to include “wherein a resonant frequency of the first radiating portion coupling with the first slot in a high-order mode is between 5100 MHz and 5300 MHz; a resonant frequency of the first radiating portion coupling with the first slot is between 2350 MHz and 2500 MHz; a resonant frequency of the second radiating portion and the short-circuiting portion coupling with the second slot in a high-order mode is between 5300 MHz and 5800 MHz; a resonant frequency of the second radiating portion and the short-circuiting portion coupling with the second slot is between 2400 MHz and 2600 MHz, and a resonant frequency of the second radiating portion and the short-circuiting portion is between 2300 MHz and 2500 MHz,” as taught by Li 2, for the purpose of operating in a desired frequency band (see also [0075]).
Regarding claim 8, Li does not specifically teach wherein the first radiating portion comprises: a first branch for providing a resonant frequency between 7000 MHz to 7800 MHz; and a second branch for providing a resonant frequency between 7800 MHz to 8000 MHz.
However, Li 2 teaches (Fig. 7 and 13) wherein the first radiating portion (40-2) comprises: a first branch for providing a resonant frequency between 7000 MHz to 7800 MHz (154); and a second branch for providing a resonant frequency between 7800 MHz to 8000 MHz (154).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the antenna structure of Li with Li 2 to include “wherein the first radiating portion comprises: a first branch for providing a resonant frequency between 7000 MHz to 7800 MHz; and a second branch for providing a resonant frequency between 7800 MHz to 8000 MHz,” as taught by Li 2, for the purpose of operating in a desired frequency band (see also [0075]).
Regarding claim 15, Li does not specifically teach wherein a resonant frequency of the first radiating portion coupling with the first portion is between 5800 MHz and 6900 MHz; and a resonant frequency of the first radiating portion coupling with the second portion is between 6400 MHz and 7000 Mhz.
However, Li 2 teaches (Fig. 7 and 13) wherein a resonant frequency of the first radiating portion (40-2) coupling with the first portion is between 5800 MHz and 6900 MHz (154); and a resonant frequency of the first radiating portion (40-2) coupling with the second portion is between 6400 MHz and 7000 MHz (154).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the antenna structure of Li with Li 2 to include “wherein a resonant frequency of the first radiating portion coupling with the first portion is between 5800 MHz and 6900 MHz; and a resonant frequency of the first radiating portion coupling with the second portion is between 6400 MHz and 7000 MHz,” as taught by Li 2, for the purpose of operating in a desired frequency band (see also [0075]).
Regarding claim 16, Li does not specifically teach wherein a resonant frequency of the first radiating portion coupling with the first slot in a high-order mode is between 5100 MHz and 5300 MHz; a resonant frequency of the first radiating portion coupling with the first slot is between 2350 MHz and 2500 MHz; a resonant frequency of the second radiating portion and the short-circuiting portion coupling with the second slot in a high-order mode is between 5300 MHz and 5800 MHz; a resonant frequency of the second radiating portion and the short-circuiting portion coupling with the second slot is between 2400 MHz and 2600 MHz, and a resonant frequency of the second radiating portion and the short-circuiting portion is between 2300 MHz and 2500 MHz.
However, Li 2 teaches (Fig. 7 and 13) wherein a resonant frequency of the first radiating portion (86, 40-3) coupling with the first slot in a high-order mode is between 5100 MHz and 5300 MHz (152); a resonant frequency of the first radiating portion (86, 40-4) coupling with the first slot is between 2350 MHz and 2500 MHz (150); a resonant frequency of the second radiating portion (66, 40-2) and the short-circuiting portion coupling with the second slot (18-1) in a high-order mode is between 5300 MHz and 5800 MHz (154); a resonant frequency of the second radiating portion (66, 40-4) and the short-circuiting portion coupling with the second slot (18-1) is between 2400 MHz and 2600 MHz (150), and a resonant frequency of the second radiating portion (66, 40-4) and the short-circuiting portion is between 2300 MHz and 2500 MHz (150).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the antenna structure of Li with Li 2 to include “wherein a resonant frequency of the first radiating portion coupling with the first slot in a high-order mode is between 5100 MHz and 5300 MHz; a resonant frequency of the first radiating portion coupling with the first slot is between 2350 MHz and 2500 MHz; a resonant frequency of the second radiating portion and the short-circuiting portion coupling with the second slot in a high-order mode is between 5300 MHz and 5800 MHz; a resonant frequency of the second radiating portion and the short-circuiting portion coupling with the second slot is between 2400 MHz and 2600 MHz, and a resonant frequency of the second radiating portion and the short-circuiting portion is between 2300 MHz and 2500 MHz,” as taught by Li 2, for the purpose of operating in a desired frequency band (see also [0075]).
Regarding claim 17, Li does not specifically teach wherein the first radiating portion comprises: a first branch for providing a resonant frequency between 7000 MHz to 7800 MHz; and a second branch for providing a resonant frequency between 7800 MHz to 8000 MHz.
However, Li 2 teaches (Fig. 7 and 13) wherein the first radiating portion (40-2) comprises: a first branch for providing a resonant frequency between 7000 MHz to 7800 MHz (154); and a second branch for providing a resonant frequency between 7800 MHz to 8000 MHz (154).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the antenna structure of Li with Li 2 to include “wherein the first radiating portion comprises: a first branch for providing a resonant frequency between 7000 MHz to 7800 MHz; and a second branch for providing a resonant frequency between 7800 MHz to 8000 MHz,” as taught by Li 2, for the purpose of operating in a desired frequency band (see also [0075]).
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 as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YONCHAN J KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-3204. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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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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/DAMEON E LEVI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2845
/YONCHAN J KIM/ Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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