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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d).
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 26-33 in the reply filed on 6/1/2026 is acknowledged.
Information Disclosure Statement
Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/05/2024, 07/07/25, or 04/16/26 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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, the “the transmission line is coupled to the first radiator through a first matching circuit, and wherein the transmission line is coupled to the second radiator through a second matching circuit” as recited in claim 32 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 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.
Claim 25-32 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 25 and 27 recite the limitations “a second frequency band adjacent to the first frequency band” and “a fourth frequency band adjacent to the third frequency band” render the claim indefinite. It is unclear as to what makes one band adjacent to another since the specifications and drawings fail to disclose this. Would a band be considered adjacent if there is a 1hz, 100hz, 1000hz or more difference? For the purposes of examination, the examiner as best understood, will interpret claim 25 and 28 to mean “a second frequency band different from the first frequency band” and “a fourth frequency band different form the third frequency band”.
Claims 26-32 inherit the indefiniteness of claim 25 and 27.
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 person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(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.
(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.
Claim(s) 25-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Liang et al. (IDS Reference CN 112713385 A).
Regarding Claim 25, Liang et al. discloses an antenna (Antenna structure as seen in figure 1 of Liang et al.) comprising:
a first radiator comprising a ground end and an open end (Middle frame section 101 serves as a first radiator with a grounded end and an open end coupled to antenna wiring 102; Pg. 2-6 and figure 1 of Liang et al.);
a transmission line comprising: a first end coupled to the ground end or to the open end of the first radiator a second end that is open or grounded; and a coupling point (Antenna wiring 102 serves as a transmission line with a first end coupled to an open end of radiator 101 by direct connection and a second end that is open wherein a feeding circuit 103 connects to wiring 102 at coupling point 1021; Pg. 2-6 and figure 1 of Liang et al.);
a feeding circuit coupled to the coupling point and configured for feeding the first radiator through the transmission line (Feeding circuit 103 can feed a signal, at coupling point 1021, through the antenna wiring 102 to the first radiator 101; Pg. 2-6 and figure 1 of Liang et al. ),
wherein the first radiator is configured to generate a first resonance in a first frequency band (The antennas structure comprising the antenna wiring 102 and the radiator 101 can radiate a lower frequency signal like 700-900mhz and a higher frequency band signal of 1710-2700mhz wherein the radiator 101 would generate the first resonance for the lower band of 700-900mhz and the wiring 102 would generate the second resonance for the higher band 1710-2700mhz; Pg. 2-6 and figure 1 of Liang et al.), and
wherein the transmission line is configured to generate a second resonance in a second frequency band adjacent to the first frequency band when the feeding circuit performs feeding (The antennas structure comprising the antenna wiring 102 and the radiator 101 can radiate a lower frequency signal like 700-900mhz and a higher frequency band signal of 1710-2700mhz wherein the radiator 101 would generate the first resonance for the lower band of 700-900mhz and the wiring 102 would generate the second resonance for the higher band 1710-2700mhz; Pg. 2-6 and figure 1 of Liang et al.).
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Regarding Claim 26, Liang et al. further discloses wherein the coupling point deviates from a midpoint of the transmission line (Coupling point 1021 is located such that it deviates from the midpoint of wiring 1021 as seen in figure 1; Pg. 2-6 and figure 1 of Liang et al.).
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.
Claim 27 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liang et al. (IDS Reference CN 112713385 A) in view of Wu et al. (US 20230352852 A1).
Regarding Claim 27, Liang et al. fails to disclose further comprising a second radiator comprising a second ground end and a second open end, wherein the second end is coupled to either the second ground end or the second open end wherein the second radiator is configured to generate a third resonance in a third frequency band, and wherein the transmission line is further configured to generate a fourth resonance in a fourth frequency band adjacent to the third frequency band when the feeding circuit performs feeding.
However, Wu et al. does disclose further comprising a second radiator comprising a second ground end and a second open end, wherein the second end is coupled to either the second ground end or the second open end (Antenna structure 100 comprises a radiator 21 connected to signal source 22 wherein 21 can be strip-shaped element serving as a transmission line to couple signals to the open ends of radiators 11 and 31 with its ends H2/H3 wherein radiator 31 may be a first radiator and radiator 11 may be a second radiator with an open end coupled to 21 and a ground end; Paragraph 90-132 and figure 8-9 of Wu et al.), wherein the second radiator is configured to generate a third resonance in a third frequency band, and wherein the transmission line is further configured to generate a fourth resonance in a fourth frequency band adjacent to the third frequency band when the feeding circuit performs feeding (Radiators 11 and 31 can radiate at MB/HB signals with third radiator 31 generates a sixth resonance mode between 2600mhz-2700mhz serving as a first resonance mode and radiator 11 generates a first resonant mode between 1900mhz-200mhz serving as a third resonance and the transmission line radiator 21 can generate LB signals between 500-100mhz which 4G LTE signals and 5G NR signals which can serve as the second and fourth resonance wherein all the signals can be fed from the same signals source if desired; Paragraph 98-125 and figure 8-9 of Wu et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Liang et al. to have a second radiator comprising a second ground end and a second open end, wherein the second end is coupled to either the second ground end or the second open end wherein the second radiator is configured to generate a third resonance in a third frequency band, and wherein the transmission line is further configured to generate a fourth resonance in a fourth frequency band adjacent to the third frequency band when the feeding circuit performs feeding as taught by Wu et al. to allow the generation of multiple resonant bands for full coverage MHB/UHB at a high efficiency thus increasing the operating bandwidth of the antenna (Paragraph 125-129 of Wu et al.).
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Claim(s) 28-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liang et al. (IDS Reference CN 112713385 A) in view of Wu et al. (US 20230352852 A1) and Mikawa et al. (US 20210376468 A1).
Regarding Claim 28, Liang et al. and Wu et al. fail to disclose wherein the first end of the transmission line is coupled to the ground end of the first radiator, the second end is grounded or coupled to the ground end of the second radiator, and the coupling point is located proximate to the first end or proximate to the second end, or wherein the first end of the transmission line is coupled to the open end of the first radiator, the second end is open or coupled to the open end of the second radiator;, and the coupling point is located proximate to a midpoint of the transmission line.
However, Mikawa et al. does disclose wherein the first end of the transmission line is coupled to the ground end of the first radiator, the second end is grounded or coupled to the ground end of the second radiator, and the coupling point is located proximate to the first end or proximate to the second end, or wherein the first end of the transmission line is coupled to the open end of the first radiator, the second end is open or coupled to the open end of the second radiator;, and the coupling point is located proximate to a midpoint of the transmission line (Antenna device like 114 can comprise a feeding radiating element 10a which can comprise an integral feeding line 10AF wherein they can serve as a transmission line with an first open end coupled to the grounded end of a first radiating element 10b and an opposite second end of 10A is grounded via inductor 8 and the coupling point form feeding circuit 1 is connected proximate first open end as seen in figure 35 and a similar configuration also exists in figure 32; Paragraph 168-196 and figure 30-37 of Mikawa et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Liang et al. and Wu et al. to have wherein the first end of the transmission line is coupled to the ground end of the first radiator, the second end is grounded or coupled to the ground end of the second radiator, and the coupling point is located proximate to the first end or proximate to the second end, or wherein the first end of the transmission line is coupled to the open end of the first radiator, the second end is open or coupled to the open end of the second radiator;, and the coupling point is located proximate to a midpoint of the transmission line as taught by Mikawa et al. to obtain good radiation characteristics to allow the first radiator to generate at its own frequency (Paragraph 189-194 of Mikawa et al.).
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Regarding Claim 29, Liang et al. and Wu et al. fail to disclose wherein the first end of the transmission line is coupled to the ground end of the first radiator, wherein the second end is open or coupled to the open end of the second radiator and wherein the coupling point is located proximate to the first end.
However, Mikawa et al. does disclose wherein the first end of the transmission line is coupled to the ground end of the first radiator, wherein the second end is open or coupled to the open end of the second radiator and wherein the coupling point is located proximate to the first end (Antenna device like 114 can comprise a feeding radiating element 10a which can comprise an integral feeding line 10AF wherein they can serve as a transmission line with an first open end coupled to the grounded end of a first radiating element 10b and an opposite second end of 10A is grounded via inductor 8 and the coupling point form feeding circuit 1 is connected proximate first open end as seen in figure 35 and a similar configuration also exists in figure 32; Paragraph 168-196 and figure 30-37 of Mikawa et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Liang et al. and Wu et al. to have wherein the first end of the transmission line is coupled to the ground end of the first radiator, wherein the second end is open or coupled to the open end of the second radiator and wherein the coupling point is located proximate to the first end as taught by Mikawa et al. to obtain good radiation characteristics to allow the first radiator to generate at its own frequency (Paragraph 189-194 of Mikawa et al.).
Regarding Claim 30, Liang et al. fails to disclose a length T of the transmission line satisfies 1/2λ1 < T < 1/2λ2, wherein λ1 denotes a minimum dielectric wavelength and λ2 denotes a maximum dielectric wavelength of an operating frequency band corresponding to a lowest resonance generated by the antenna when the feeding circuit performs feeding
Although Wu et al. fails to disclose a length T of the transmission line satisfies 1/2λ1 < T < 1/2λ2. Wu et al. does disclose a length T of the transmission line wherein λ1 denotes a minimum dielectric wavelength and λ2 denotes a maximum dielectric wavelength of an operating frequency band corresponding to a lowest resonance generated by the antenna when the feeding circuit performs feeding (Length of the radiator 21 serving as a transmission line may be ¼ of the wavelength of a LB band of operation wherein it would be ¼ of the center frequency of the band which would be inherently be between the ¼ wavelength of the minimum dielectric wavelength and ¼ wavelength of the maximum dielectric wavelength of said band wherein lengths are chosen depending on the resonant frequency desired ; Paragraph 134-135 and 157 as well as figure 8-9 of Wu et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Liang et al. with the teachings of Wu et al. to have a length T of the transmission line satisfies 1/2λ1 < T < 1/2λ2, wherein λ1 denotes a minimum dielectric wavelength and λ2 denotes a maximum dielectric wavelength of an operating frequency band corresponding to a lowest resonance generated by the antenna when the feeding circuit performs feeding since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233 (CCPA 1955). The motivation stems from wanting a relatively high radiation efficiency (Paragraph 157 of Wu et al.) and to have the desired resonance.
Regarding Claim 31, Liang et al. fails to disclose a length T of the transmission line satisfies 1/2λ1 < T < 1/2λ2, wherein λ1 denotes a minimum dielectric wavelength and λ2 denotes a maximum dielectric wavelength of an operating frequency band corresponding to a lowest resonance generated by the antenna when the feeding circuit performs feeding.
However, Wu et al. does disclose a length T of the transmission line satisfies 1/4λ1 < T < 1/4λ2, wherein λ1 denotes a minimum dielectric wavelength and λ2 denotes a maximum dielectric wavelength of an operating frequency band corresponding to a lowest resonance generated by the antenna when the feeding circuit performs feeding (Length of the radiator 21 serving as a transmission line may be ¼ of the wavelength of a LB band of operation wherein it would be ¼ of the center frequency of the band which would be inherently be between the ¼ wavelength of the minimum dielectric wavelength and ¼ wavelength of the maximum dielectric wavelength of said band wherein lengths are chosen depending on the resonant frequency desired; Paragraph 134-135 and 157 as well as figure 8-9 of Wu et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Liang et al. to have a length T of the transmission line satisfies 1/4λ1 < T < 1/4λ2, wherein λ1 denotes a minimum dielectric wavelength and λ2 denotes a maximum dielectric wavelength of an operating frequency band corresponding to a lowest resonance generated by the antenna when the feeding circuit performs feeding as taught by Wu et al. to a relatively high radiation efficiency (Paragraph 157 of Wu et al.) and to have the desired resonance.
Claim(s) 32 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liang et al. (IDS Reference CN 112713385 A) in view of Wu et al. (US 20230352852 A1) and Sun et al. (WO 2020011219 A1).
Regarding Claim 32, Liang et al. further discloses wherein the transmission line is coupled to the first radiator through a first matching circuit (Transmission line in the form of antenna wiring 102 is coupled to the main radiator at matching loading point 1022 through a matching circuit 104; Pg. 2-6 and figure 1 of Liang et al.)
Liang et al. and Wu et al. fail to disclose wherein the transmission line is coupled to the second radiator through a second matching circuit.
However, Sun et al. does disclose wherein the transmission line is coupled to the second radiator through a second matching circuit (A feed point 13 with a feed serves as a transmission line wherein both ends are coupled to a first and second radiator through the use of antenna tuning switches s1 and s2 wherein the antenna tuning switches serve as matching circuits; Pg. 3 and 6-12 as well as figure 2 and 13c of Sun et al.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art modify the antenna as taught by Liang et al. and Wu et al. to have the transmission line is coupled to the second radiator through a second matching circuit as taught by Sun et al. to perform aperture tuning or impedance tuning (Pg. 3 of Sun et al.).
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Additional Comments Regarding the Claim Rejections
Examiner’s note – Regarding claims 25-26, the recitation that an element is “configured to” perform a function, it is the position of the office that such limitations are not positive structural limitations, and thus, only require the ability to so perform. In this case the prior art applied herein is construed as at least possessing such ability. When the structure recited in the reference is substantially identical to that of the claims, claimed properties or functions are presumed to be inherent. The Courts have held that it is well settled that where there is a reason to believe that a functional characteristic would be inherent in the prior art, the burden of proof then shifts to the applicant to provide objective evidence to the contrary. See In re Schreiber, 128 F.3d at 1478, 44 USPQ2d at 1478, 44 USPQ2d at 1432 (Fed. Cir. 1997) (see MPEP § 2112.01, I.).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure
US 20020089453 A1 (Tseng, Wen-Jen et al.) discloses an antenna transmission line coupled to a first radiator wherein the transmission line radiates in one band and the radiator radiates in another band.
US 20180358699 A1 (Li; Yuanpeng et al.) discloses a feed radiating element with an open end that is connected to a first radiating element and a second grounded end.
Li; Yuanpeng et al.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GURBIR SINGH whose telephone number is (703)756-4637. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. ET.
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/DAMEON E LEVI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2845
/GURBIR SINGH/Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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