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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1, 4-5, 8-9, 12-13, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jung et al. (WO 2021/118228 A1), hereinafter, “Jung”, in view of Lin et al. (CN 113890935 A), hereinafter, “Lin”.
Claims 1, 5, 9, and 13:
Regarding claim 1, Jung teaches, an antenna power adjustment method, performed by an electronic device (Jung: Fig.1, device 101 containing power management module 188) comprising an ultra-wideband (UWB) antenna (Jung: [0259], “According to an embodiment, the first communication may be cellular communication, and the second communication may be short-range wireless communication (e.g., ultra-wide band (UWB), Bluetooth, or Wi-Fi).”), a UWB chip (implied by disclosure, “A corresponding one of these communication modules may communicate with the external electronic device via the first network 198 (e.g., a short-range communication network, such as Bluetooth1M, wireless-fidelity (Wi-Fi) direct, or infrared data association (lrDA)) or the second network 199 (e.g., a long-range communication network, such as a cellular network, the Internet, or a computer network (e.g., LAN or wide area network (WAN)). These various types of communication modules may be implemented as a single component ( e.g., a single chip), or may be implemented as multi components ( e.g., multi chips) separate from each other.”; WAN will require UWB chip), a proximity detection apparatus (sensor module 176 includes a proximity sensor as disclosed in [50], “According to an embodiment, the sensor module 176 may include, for example, a gesture sensor, a gyro sensor, an atmospheric pressure sensor, a magnetic sensor, an acceleration sensor, a grip sensor, a proximity sensor”) and a switching switch (Fig.6A, switch 640), wherein the UWB antenna ([104] According to various embodiments, the first conductive portion 421 disposed on the second side surface 420 may be used as a radiator (e.g., a second antenna ANT#2) that radiates an RF signal output from the communication circuit.) is electrically connected to the switching switch (Fig.6A, switch 640), the switching switch has a first connecting terminal and a second connecting terminal (Fig. 6A shows switching switch connected to two terminals), the first connecting terminal is electrically connected to the proximity detection apparatus, the second connecting terminal is electrically connected to the UWB chip (Two terminals from switch 649 are connected to 510a and 520 ), and the switching switch is switchable between different states (Fig.6A shows the switch may be connected to either 510a and 520 through the diplexer 650); wherein
the method comprises:
receiving a first input when the switching switch is in a first state ([50] “The sensor module 176 may detect an operational state (e.g., power or temperature) of the electronic device 101 or an environmental state (e.g., a state of a user) external to the electronic device 101, and then generate an electrical signal or data value corresponding to the detected state”); and
adjusting, in response to the first input, the switching switch to a second state, and reducing a radio frequency transceiving power of the electronic device (states are disclosed in [113]),
wherein when the switching switch is in the first state, the UWB antenna is communicated with the proximity detection apparatus via the switching switch ([141] The processor 610 according to various embodiments may control the switch 640 based on whether a grip is generated; [142] When no grip is detected through the grip sensor 660, the processor 610 according to various embodiments may control the switch 640 such that the first amplifier 631 and the first antenna 510 are electrically connected to each other, as illustrated in FIG. 6A. ), the proximity detection apparatus is configured to obtain a capacitance signal of the UWB antenna ([137] “The grip sensor 660 according to various embodiments may be a sensor that detects whether or not a user grips (or holds) the electronic device. The processor 610 may determine whether or not a user's grip is present by measuring, for example, a change in capacitance.”), and the electronic device adjusts the radio frequency transceiving power of the electronic device according to the capacitance signal ([142] “When no grip is detected through the grip sensor 660, the first amplifier 631 may be electrically connected to the first antenna 510, and the second amplifier 633 may be connected to the second antenna 520”; different amplifiers require different amounts of power and deciding transceiving power.); and
when the switching switch is in the second state, the UWB antenna is communicated with the UWB chip via the switching switch, and the electronic device receives and transmits a signal via the UWB antenna ([113] “when a contact of a user's body portion is not detected), a low-frequency band communication signal may control a switch such that a call can be performed through the first antenna … when a user's grip is detected (e.g., when a contact of a user's body portion is detected), the low-frequency band communication signal may also perform antenna switching such that a call can be performed through the second antenna 520”).
Though Jung does not expressly disclose the first state and the second state of the claim, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to come up with the claims based on disclosures by Jung motivated by changing the transceiving power with triggering of proximity detection and adjusting the transmission power of a certain antenna group refers to adjusting the power value of the side of the antenna group to reduce or increase the SAR of the side, as disclosed by Lin.
Claim 5 is for an apparatus implementing method of claim 1. Claim is change in category with respect to claim 1. Claim elements are discussed in claim 1 and is rejected based on rejection of claim 1.
Claim 9 is for a non-transitory readable storage medium. Claim is change in category with respect to claim 1. Claim elements are discussed in claim 1 and is rejected based on rejection of claim 1.
Claim 13 is for a chip, which may be considered an apparatus. Existence of processor and interface is implied. Claim elements are discussed in claim 2 and is rejected based on rejection of claim 1.
Claims 4, 8, 12, and 16:
Regarding claim 4, Jung teaches the antenna power adjustment method according to claim 1 (discussed above).
Jung however fails to teach, wherein a plurality of UWB antennas are provided, the UWB antennas are patch antennas.
Lin in the same field of endeavor teaches the claim (“The first radiator array 511a may be a patch radiator”).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine disclosure by Lin of patch antenna and disclosures by Jung and come up with the claimed invention motivated by use of compact low-profile simple low-cost antennas, which may be of different shapes, as disclosed by Lin, “The shape of the first radiator array 511a includes, but is not limited to, a rectangular shape, a circular shape, a cross shape, a square ring, a circular ring, and the like.”.
Jung teaches, the switching switch is a single-pole multi-throw switch (Jung: [0128] “The switch 640 may be, for example, a three-way switch 640 of single pole double throw (SPOT). Of course, the switch 640 according to various embodiments may be implemented as single pole 3 through (SP3T)”);
the plurality of UWB antennas are respectively electrically connected to the switching switch; the switching switch comprises a plurality of control terminals, the UWB antennas are arranged in one-to-one correspondence to the control terminals, and each of the control terminals comprises the first connecting terminal and the second connecting terminal; and each of the first connecting terminals is electrically connected to a connecting port on the proximity detection apparatus, and each of the second connecting terminals is electrically connected to an antenna switch and electrically connected to a connecting port on the UWB chip via the antenna switch (discussed above in claim 1 and disclosed in Fig. 6a).
Claim 8 is for an apparatus implementing method of claim 4. Claim is change in category with respect to claim 4. Claim elements are discussed in claim 3and is rejected based on rejection of claim 4.
Claim 12 is for a non-transitory readable storage medium. Claim is change in category with respect to claim 4. Claim elements are discussed in claim 4 and is rejected based on rejection of claim 4.
Claim 16 is for a chip, which may be considered an apparatus. Existence of processor and interface is implied. Claim elements are discussed in claim 4 and is rejected based on rejection of claim 4.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-3, 6-7, 10-11, and 14-15 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
CN-111355015-A teaches low frequency dominant antenna and mid/high frequency diversity antenna;
CN-104519184-A teaches radiation power adjustment of mobile devices.
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/INTEKHAAB A SIDDIQUEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2462
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