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 .
The information disclosure statements filed on 10/17/2024 and 6/5/2025 have been entered. The preliminary amendment filed 8/20/2024 has been entered. Claims 1-15 are presented for examination.
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper content of an abstract of the disclosure.
A patent abstract is a concise statement of the technical disclosure of the patent and should include that which is new in the art to which the invention pertains. The abstract should not refer to purported merits or speculative applications of the invention and should not compare the invention with the prior art.
If the patent is of a basic nature, the entire technical disclosure may be new in the art, and the abstract should be directed to the entire disclosure. If the patent is in the nature of an improvement in an old apparatus, process, product, or composition, the abstract should include the technical disclosure of the improvement. The abstract should also mention by way of example any preferred modifications or alternatives.
Where applicable, the abstract should include the following: (1) if a machine or apparatus, its organization and operation; (2) if an article, its method of making; (3) if a chemical compound, its identity and use; (4) if a mixture, its ingredients; (5) if a process, the steps.
Extensive mechanical and design details of an apparatus should not be included in the abstract. The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph within the range of 50 to 150 words in length.
See MPEP § 608.01(b) for guidelines for the preparation of patent abstracts.
The abstract is objected to since contains 160 words.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claims 1-4, 6-7, and 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (2) as being anticipated by Meng et al. (Meng et al. – 2024/0322439; herein after referred to as “Meng”).
Regarding claim 1, Meng discloses an antenna system, comprising:
a first radiation branch, a second radiation branch and a third radiation branch, wherein the first radiation branch and the second radiation branch are electrically connected, and a first gap is provided between the second radiation branch and the third radiation branch (Meng; see label Fig. 2A, a first radiation branch, a second radiation branch, a third radiation branch, and a gap between second and third radiation branches);
a first feed point is disposed on the first radiation branch, and the first feed point is located at an end of the first radiation branch away from the second radiation branch (Meng; Fig. 2A; first feed point disposed on the first radiation branch);
a second feed point is disposed on the second radiation branch, and the second feed point is located at an end of the second radiation branch away from the first radiation branch (Meng; Fig. 2A; 2nd feed point on the second radiation branch);
the antenna system further comprises: a first ground return point, wherein the first ground return point is located at an electrical connection between the first radiation branch and the second radiation branch, and the first ground return point is located between the first feed point and the second feed point (Meng; Fig. 2A; first ground point); and
a second ground return point is disposed on the third radiation branch, and the second ground return point is located at an end of the third radiation branch away from the first gap (Meng; Fig. 2A; 2nd ground point).
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Regarding claim 2, Meng discloses the antenna system according to claim 1, wherein the first feed point is configured to feed a high-frequency signal, and the second feed point is configured to feed a high-frequency signal and or a medium-frequency signal (Meng; par. 0004., 0008, 0012-0014 – the antenna with different frequency bands, thus configured the first feed point with high frequency and a second feed point with a high frequency or medium frequency signals would be a possible implementation).
Regarding claim 3, Meng discloses the antenna system according to claim 2, wherein when the first feed point and the second feed point feed the high-frequency signal, a current mode in the antenna system is a differential mode (Meng; par. 0004., 0008, 0012-0014 – the antenna with different frequency bands, thus configured the first feed point with high frequency and a second feed point with a high frequency or medium frequency signals would be a possible implementation; differential mode current).
Regarding claim 4, Meng discloses the antenna system according to claim 2 or claim 3,wherein the high-frequency signal is a signal in an N41 frequency band (Meng; par. 0004., 0008, 0012-0014 – the antenna with different frequency bands, thus configured the first feed point with high frequency and a second feed point with a high frequency or medium frequency signals would be a possible implementation; differential mode current, N41 band which is the 5G radio band at 2.4G – 2.5G).
Regarding claim 6, Meng discloses the antenna system according to claim 1 wherein a distance between the first ground return point and the second feed point is greater than a distance between the first feed point and the first ground return point (see Fig. 2A as discussed in claim 1).
Regarding claim 7, Meng discloses the antenna system according to claim 6, wherein the second ground return point is located at an end of the third radiation branch away from the first gap, and a length of the third radiation branch is greater than a distance between an end of the second radiation branch close to the first gap to the second feed point (see Fig. 2A as discussed in clam 1).
Regarding claim 13, Meng discloses a terminal device, comprising the antenna system according to claim 1 (see Fig. 2A as discussed in claim 1).
Regarding claim 14, Meng discloses the antenna system according to claim 1, the first feed point and the second feed point feed signals of a same frequency (see par. 0011, 0061, 0065 – the antennas operated at the same frequency).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 8, 9-12, and 15 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art fails to disclose:.
i. (Original) The antenna system according to claim 4, wherein a length difference between a length of the third radiation branch and a quarter wavelength of the signal in the N41 frequency band is less than a length error threshold (the prior fails to discloses the limitation set forth in claim 5).
ii. The antenna system according to claim 7, wherein a first tuning circuit is further disposed on the third radiation branch, and an end of the third radiation branch close to the first gap is grounded through the first tuning circuit (the prior fails to disclose the position of the tuning circuit in the manner as recited in the claim 8).
iii. the antenna system according to claim 7 [[or 8]], wherein a second tuning circuit is further disposed on the second radiation branch, the second tuning circuit is located between the second feed point and the first ground return point, and the second radiation branch is grounded through the second tuning circuit (the prior fails to disclose the position of the tuning circuit in the manner as recited in the claim 9l claims 10 -11 depend on claim 9) .
iv. the antenna system according to claim 1 , wherein a shape of the first radiation branch is L-shaped (the prior art fails to discloses a L shaped 1st radiation branch as recites in claim 12) .
v. The antenna system according to claim 14, directions of currents are formed on the first radiation branch and the second radiation branch are opposite, so that some currents on the first radiation branch and the second radiation branch cancel each other (the prior art fails to discloses the directions of currents on the radiation branches in the manner as recited in claim 15).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THIEN MINH LE whose telephone number is (571)272-2396. The examiner can normally be reached 6:30-5:00 PM M-Th..
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/THIEN M LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876