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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-17 is acknowledged.
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 1-17 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.
Claim 1 reciting “a radiating element” and “wherein at least one of the first and second dipole arms includes first and second spaced-apart conductive segments that are connected to each other via both a first inductor and a second inductor that are electrically connected in parallel with one another” are indefinite, since it’s unclear how the first and second inductors are “electrically connected” and “a radiating element” is obtained absent any circuit board and feed/excitation line.
Claims 2-14 depend therefrom.
Claim 15 reciting “a radiating element” to merely include dipole arms, conductive segments and inductors are indefinite, since it’s not understood how such a radiating element is obtained absent any circuit board and feed/excitation line.
Claims 16-17 depend therefrom.
In view of the aforementioned, scope of claims 1-17 cannot be ascertained.
The spec. discloses, e.g., in ¶¶ 68-70 of the printed publication:
[0068] As shown in FIG. 3, the low-band radiating element 200 includes a pair of feed stalks 210-1, 210-2, and first and second dipole radiators 220-1, 220-2. … In the depicted embodiment, each dipole radiator 220-1, 220-2 is implemented using a separate printed circuit board 222-1, 222-2. In other embodiments, both dipole radiators 220-1, 220-2 may be implemented on a single printed circuit board, or each dipole arm 230-1 through 230-4 may comprise its own printed circuit board 222. When the base station antenna 100 is mounted for normal operation, the first dipole radiator 220-1 may extend along a first axis that is angled at about +45 degrees with respect to a longitudinal (vertical) axis of the antenna 100, and the second dipole radiator 220-2 may extend along a second axis that is angled at about −45 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the antenna 100. Consequently, the first dipole radiator 220-1 may transmit and receive RF signals at a +45 degree slant polarization, and the second dipole radiator 220-2 may transmit and receive RF signals at a −45 degree slant polarization.
[0069] The feed stalks 210 may extend in a direction that is generally perpendicular to a plane defined by the printed circuit board 222-1. The feed stalks 210 may have RF transmission lines 214 formed thereon (see FIG. 4A) that are used to pass RF signals between the dipole radiators 220 and other components of the base station antenna 100. The feed stalks 210 are also used to mount the dipole radiators 220 at an appropriate distance in front of the reflector 118 of antenna 100. The dipole radiators 220 may be mounted approximately 3/16 to ¼ an operating wavelength forwardly of the reflector 118 by the feed stalks 210 in some embodiments. Moreover, while the dipole radiators 220-1, 220-2 each extend in planes that are generally parallel to the plane defined by the reflector, it will be appreciated that in other embodiments the dipole arms 220-1, 220-2 could be rotated 90° along their respective longitudinal axes to be perpendicular to the reflector (or rotated some other angle).
[0070] Each dipole arm 230 may have a length that is, for example, approximately 0.2 to 0.35 of an operating wavelength of the low-band radiating element 200. The “operating wavelength” refers to the wavelength corresponding to the center frequency of the operating frequency band of the radiating element 200. For example, if the low-band radiating elements 200 are designed as wideband radiating elements that are used to transmit and receive signals across the 617-896 MHz frequency band, then the center frequency of the operating frequency band would be 757 MHz and the corresponding operating wavelength would be 39.6 cm.
Hence, it appears that a PCB 222 connected to feed stalks 210 having RF transmission lines 214, that are electrically coupled to dipole arms 232, are essential features of the invention. Absent these features, the “radiating element” cannot operate as its intended purpose, which is slant polarized, wideband antenna operation.
There should be a clear recitation of interrelated structure in order to provide a complete and operable radiating element.
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:
1. (Currently Amended) A radiating element for a base station antenna, comprising:
a first dipole radiator that extends along a first axis on a printed circuit board, the first dipole radiator including a first dipole arm and a second dipole arm,
wherein each of the first and second dipole arms includes first and second spaced-apart conductive segments that are connected to each other via both a first inductor and a second inductor that are electrically connected in parallel with one another,
wherein feed stalks have RF transmission lines formed thereon that are used to pass RF signals between the dipole radiator and other components of the base station antenna, and
wherein the feed stocks extend in a direction perpendicular to a plane defined by the printed circuit board.
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 1-4, 7 and 12-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over IDS document “Isik” (US 2017031009).
Claim 1: As best understood, Isik discloses a radiating element for a base station antenna, comprising:
a first dipole radiator 20 (Fig. 4 reproduced below) that extends along a first axis, the first dipole radiator including a first dipole arm A and a second dipole arm B,
wherein at least one of the first and second dipole arms includes first and second spaced-apart conductive segments 22 that are connected to each other via both a first inductor 24 and a second inductor 24 that are electrically connected in parallel with one another (via 22 in see Fig. 4).
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Claim 2: Isik teaches the radiating element of Claim 1, further comprising:
a second dipole radiator 20 that extends along a second axis, the second dipole radiator including a third dipole arm C and a fourth dipole arm D and the second axis being generally perpendicular to the first axis (see Fig. 4),
wherein all four of the first through fourth dipole arms include first and second spaced-apart conductive segments that are connected to each other via respective first and second inductors that are electrically connected in parallel with one another (see Fig. 4).
Claim 3: Isik is silent regarding wherein an inductance of the first inductor is less than an inductance of the second inductor.
However, it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCP A 1980).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Isik’s invention such that an inductance of the first inductor is less than an inductance of the second inductor, in order to obtain tuned antenna operational parameters such as resonant frequencies.
Claim 4: Isik teaches the radiating element of Claim 1, wherein the first inductor and the second inductor comprise respective first and second conductive trace segments that have respective average widths that are each less than one-fourth an average width of the first conductive segment (see Fig. 4).
Claim 7: Isik teaches the radiating element of Claim 2, wherein each of the first through fourth dipole arms further includes a third conductive segment that is spaced-apart from the respective second conductive segments on each of the first through fourth dipole arms, where the second and third conductive segments of each of the first through fourth dipole arms are connected to each other via a respective third inductor and a respective fourth inductor that are electrically connected in parallel with one another (see Fig. 4).
Claim 12: Isik teaches the radiating element of Claim 1, wherein the first and second inductors create a high impedance for currents that are at a frequency that is approximately twice the highest frequency in an operating frequency range of the radiating element (¶ 4).
Claims 13-14: Isik teaches the radiating element of Claim 2, wherein the radiating element is configured to operate in the 617-896 MHz frequency band (¶ 3);
further comprising at least one feed stalk that extends generally perpendicular to a plane defined by the first and second dipole radiators.
Claims 15 and 16: As best understood, Isik discloses a radiating element for a base station antenna, comprising:
a first dipole radiator 20 (Fig. 4 reproduced above) that extends along a first axis, the first dipole radiator including a first dipole arm A and a second dipole arm B,
wherein at least one of the first and second dipole arms includes first and second spaced-apart conductive segments 20 that are connected to each other via both a first inductor 24 that has a first length and a second inductor 24 that has a second length.
Isik fails to expressly teach the second length is different such that it is at least twice the first length.
However, such a modification would have involved a mere change in the size of a component. A change in size is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Rose, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify Isik’s invention such that the second length is at least twice the first length, in order to obtain tuned antenna operational parameters such as resonant frequencies.
Claim 17: Isik teaches the radiating element of Claim 16, wherein the first inductor and the second inductor are electrically connected in parallel with one another (via 22 in Fig. 4).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6, 8-11 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Liang (US 7102586)
Nishizawa (US 6529170)
Kim (US 20080174503)
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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