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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on October 18, 2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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)(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 and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lin et al. (US PGPUB 2025/0233310 A1), hereinafter known as Lin et al..
Regarding claim 1, Lin discloses (Fig. 1C, 2C) A magneto-electric dipole antenna (1a) comprising: a first substrate (10d1), a second substrate (10d2), a ground layer (10g) and a third substrate (11d) that are stacked from top to bottom; four sector patches (10p1, 10p2, 10p4, 10p5) disposed on an upper surface of said first substrate (10d1); four ground plates (11p of 10p1, 10p2, 10p4, and 10p5) disposed on a lower surface of said third substrate (11d); four vias (10v1, 11v of 10p1, 10p2, 10p4, and 10p5), each of which extends from top to bottom and penetrates said second substrate (10d2), said ground layer (10g) and said third substrate (11d); a first feed-in line (12e connected to 10f1) and a second feed-in line (12e connected to 10f5) that are disposed on said lower surface of said third substrate (11d); a first feed-out line (10f1) disposed on said upper surface of said first substrate (10d1); a second feed-out line (10f5) disposed on an upper surface of said second substrate (10d2); and a first feed-out probe (10v2) and a second feed-out probe (10v3), each of which extends from top to bottom and penetrates said first substrate (10d1), said second substrate (10d2), said ground layer (10g) and said third substrate (11d), said first feed-out probe (10v2) being connected to said first feed-in line (12e connected to 10f1) and said first feed-out line (10f1), said second feed-out probe (10v3) being connected to said second feed-in line (12e connected to 10f5) and said second feed-out line (10f5); wherein, when two signals ([0066]) are respectively fed to said first feed-in line (12e connected to 10f1) and said second feed-in line (12e connected to 10f5), the signals are transmitted respectively to said first feed-out line (10f1) and said second feed-out line (10f5) respectively through said first feed-out probe (10v2) and said second feed-out probe (10v3), and two electromagnetic waves are radiated ([0096]).
Regarding claim 2, Lin further discloses (Fig. 2C) wherein: said sector patches (10p1, 10p2, 10p4, 10p5) are spaced apart from each other, and includes a first sector patch (10p1), a second sector patch (10p4), a third sector patch (10p5) and a fourth sector patch (10p2); said second sector patch (10p4) is aligned with said first sector patch (10p1) in a first direction, and is offset from said first sector patch (10p1) in a counterclockwise orientation by 90 degrees; said third sector patch (10p5) is aligned with said second sector patch (10p4) in a second direction, and is offset from said second sector patch (10p4) in a counterclockwise orientation by 90 degrees; and said fourth sector patch (10p2) is aligned with said third sector patch (10p5) in the first direction, and is offset from said third sector patch (10p5) in a counterclockwise orientation by 90 degrees.
Regarding claim 9, Lin further discloses (Fig. 1C) wherein said first substrate (10d1), said second substrate (10d2) and said third substrate (11d) are made of a dielectric material ([0055], [0064]).
Regarding claim 10, Lin further discloses (Fig. 1C and 2C) wherein said ground layer (10g), said sector patches (10p1, 10p2, 10p4, 10p5), said ground plates (11p of 10p1, 10p2, 10p4, and 10p5), said first feed-out line (10f1), said first feed-in line (12e connected to 10f1), said first feed-out probe (10v2), said second feed-out line (10f5), said second feed-in line (12e connected to 10f5) and said first feed-out probe (10v2) are made of metal ([0046]).
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 3-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin in view of Xiang et al. (WO 2023001031 A1), hereinafter known as Xiang.
Regarding claim 3, Lin does not specifically teach further comprising four parasitic resonators that are disposed on said upper surface of said first substrate and that are respectively spaced apart from said sector patches.
However, Xiang teaches (Fig. 5B) four parasitic resonators (508) that are disposed on said upper surface of said first substrate (501) and that are respectively spaced apart from said sector patches (502)
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 magneto-electric dipole antenna of Lin with Xiang to include “four parasitic resonators that are disposed on said upper surface of said first substrate and that are respectively spaced apart from said sector patches,” as taught by Xiang, for the purpose of expanding bandwidth (see also [0146] of machine translation).
Regarding claim 4, Lin does not specifically teach wherein said parasitic resonators each have an L shape, and cooperatively enclose said sector patches.
However, Xiang teaches (Fig. 5B) wherein said parasitic resonators (508) each have an L shape, and cooperatively enclose said sector patches (502).
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 magneto-electric dipole antenna of Lin with Xiang to include “wherein said parasitic resonators each have an L shape, and cooperatively enclose said sector patches,” as taught by Xiang, for the purpose of expanding bandwidth (see also [0146] of machine translation).
Regarding claim 5, Lin does not specifically teach wherein said parasitic resonators are made of metal.
However, Xiang teaches (Fig. 5B) wherein said parasitic resonators (508) are made of metal ([0146] of machine translation).
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 magneto-electric dipole antenna of Lin with Xiang to include “wherein said parasitic resonators are made of metal,” as taught by Xiang, for the purpose of expanding bandwidth (see also [0146] of machine translation).
Claims 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin in view of He et al. (US PGPUB 2024/0055776 A1), hereinafter known as He.
Regarding claim 6, Lin further teaches (Fig. 1A, 1C, 2C) further comprising: a feed-out plate (10f5 plate) disposed on said upper surface of said first substrate (10d1), and connected to said second feed-out probe (10v corresponding to 10f5); but does not specifically teach and a feed-out ring disposed on said upper surface of said second substrate, and connected to said first feed-out probe.
However, He teaches (Fig. 1 and 2) a feed-out ring (208) disposed on said upper surface of said second substrate (130), and connected to said first feed-out probe (206).
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 magneto-electric dipole antenna of Lin with He to include “a feed-out ring disposed on said upper surface of said second substrate, and connected to said first feed-out probe,” as taught by He, for the purpose of improving return loss and bandwidth (see also [0052]).
Regarding claim 7, Lin further teaches (Fig. 2C) wherein said feed-out plate (10f5 plate) is made of metal ([0046]) but does not specifically teach and said feed-out ring are made of metal.
However, He teaches (Fig. 1 and 2) said feed-out ring (208) is made of metal ([0073]).
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 magneto-electric dipole antenna of Lin with He to include “said feed-out ring are made of metal,” as taught by He, for the purpose of improving return loss and bandwidth (see also [0052]).
Regarding claim 8, Lin further teaches (Fig. 2C) wherein: a projection of a center of said first feed-out line (10f1) on said second feed-out line (10f5) coincides with a center of said second feed-out line (10f5); said first feed-out line (10f1) extends in a first direction, and is aligned with said feed-out plate (10f5 plate) in a second direction; said first feed-out probe (10v2) is connected to an end portion of said first feed-out line (10f1); but does not specifically teach said second feed-out line extends in the second direction, and is aligned with said feed-out ring in the first direction; and said second feed-out probe is connected to an end portion of said second feed-out line.
However, He teaches (Fig. 1 and 2) said second feed-out line (206) extends in the second direction, and is aligned with said feed-out ring (208) in the first direction; and said second feed-out probe (205) is connected to an end portion of said second feed-out line (206).
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 magneto-electric dipole antenna of Lin with He to include “said second feed-out line extends in the second direction, and is aligned with said feed-out ring in the first direction; and said second feed-out probe is connected to an end portion of said second feed-out line,” as taught by He, for the purpose of improving return loss and bandwidth (see also [0052]).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin in view of Xiang et al. (CN 111180886 A), hereinafter known as Xiang 2.
Regarding claim 11, Lin further teaches (Fig. 2C) An antenna array comprising: a first antenna (14), a second antenna (15), a third antenna (16) and a fourth antenna (17), each of which is a magneto-electric dipole antenna; but does not specifically teach wherein said fourth antenna is aligned with said first antenna in a first direction, and has mirror symmetry with said first antenna with respect to a first plane perpendicular to the first direction; wherein said second antenna is aligned with said first antenna in a second direction, and has mirror symmetry with said first antenna with respect to a second plane perpendicular to the second direction; and wherein said third antenna is aligned with said fourth antenna in the second direction, and has mirror symmetry with said fourth antenna with respect to the second plane.
However, Xiang 2 teaches (Fig. 3) wherein said fourth antenna (202) is aligned with said first antenna (201) in a first direction, and has mirror symmetry with said first antenna (201) with respect to a first plane perpendicular to the first direction; wherein said second antenna (203) is aligned with said first antenna (201) in a second direction, and has mirror symmetry with said first antenna (201) with respect to a second plane perpendicular to the second direction; and wherein said third antenna (204) is aligned with said fourth antenna (202) in the second direction, and has mirror symmetry with said fourth antenna (202) with respect to the second plane.
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 magneto-electric dipole antenna of Lin with Xiang 2 to include “wherein said fourth antenna is aligned with said first antenna in a first direction, and has mirror symmetry with said first antenna with respect to a first plane perpendicular to the first direction; wherein said second antenna is aligned with said first antenna in a second direction, and has mirror symmetry with said first antenna with respect to a second plane perpendicular to the second direction; and wherein said third antenna is aligned with said fourth antenna in the second direction, and has mirror symmetry with said fourth antenna with respect to the second plane,” as taught by Xiang 2, for the purpose of improving gain and bandwidth (see also [0041] and [0042] of machine translation).
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.
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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/DAMEON E LEVI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2845
/YONCHAN J KIM/Examiner, Art Unit 2845