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 § 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 –
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) 1,7 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by EP4203027.
Regarding claims 1, EP4203027 an antenna apparatus (Figures 4, 5A, 5B, 6A, 7 and 12) comprising:
a first substrate (FIG. 6A, 104) including an antenna array (102) in which a plurality of active antennas each including an antenna and a semiconductor structure (101, ¶[0030],[0069]) configured to generate or detect an electromagnetic wave are provided, and
a wiring (FIG 5 and 12, 117) electrically connected to the plurality of active antennas; and
a second substrate (112) stacked on the first substrate and including a control circuit (FIG 6A, 6B, 7, bias circuit 180) of the antenna array,
wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are bonded at a bonding surface (FIG 5 and 6A),
the control circuit (FIG 4 and 7 bias circuit 180 is connected to the antenna to 105 through the bondwire 117) is electrically connected to the antenna array via the wiring,
the control circuit of the second substrate controls oscillations of the plurality of active antennas of the first substrate (implied from controlling the bias voltage),
the antenna includes a first conductor (FIG. 6A, the conductor layer comprising the antenna 102) formed in a first layer, and a second conductor (ground 103) formed in a second layer, and
in a sectional view, the semiconductor structure (FIG. 6A, 101) is arranged between the first layer and the second layer (FIG. 6A).
Regarding claim 7, EP4203027 an antenna apparatus (Figures 4, 5A, 5B, 6A, 7 and 12) comprising:
a first substrate (FIG. 6A, 104) including an antenna array (102) in which a plurality of active antennas each including an antenna and a semiconductor structure (101, ¶[0030],[0069]) configured to generate or detect an electromagnetic wave are provided, and
a wiring (FIG 5 and 12, 117) electrically connected to the plurality of active antennas; and
a second substrate (112) stacked on the first substrate and including a control circuit (FIG 6A, 6B, 7, bias circuit 180) of the antenna array, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are bonded at a bonding surface(FIG 5 and 6A),
the control circuit (FIG 4 and 7 bias circuit 180 is connected to the antenna to 105 through the bondwire 117) is electrically connected to the antenna array via the wiring,
the control circuit of the second substrate controls the emission and detection of the electromagnetic wave via the plurality of active antennas of the first substrate (implied from controlling the bias voltage),
the antenna includes a first conductor (FIG. 6A, the conductor layer comprising the antenna 102) formed in a first layer, and a second conductor (ground 103) formed in a second layer, and
in a sectional view, the semiconductor structure (FIG. 6A, 101) is arranged between the first layer and the second layer (FIG. 6A).
Regarding claim 13, EP4203027 an antenna apparatus (Figures 4, 5A, 5B, 6A, 7 and 12) comprising:
a first substrate (FIG. 6A, 104) including an antenna array (102) in which a plurality of active antennas each including an antenna and a semiconductor structure (101, ¶[0030],[0069]) configured to generate or detect an electromagnetic wave are provided, and
a wiring (FIG 5 and 12, 117) electrically connected to the plurality of active antennas; and
a second substrate (112) stacked on the first substrate and including a control circuit (FIG 6A, 6B, 7, bias circuit 180) of the antenna array, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are bonded at a first bonding surface (FIG 5 and 6A),
the control circuit (FIG 4 and 7 bias circuit 180 is connected to the antenna to 105 through the bondwire 117) is electrically connected to the antenna array via the wiring,
the control circuit of the second substrate controls operations of the plurality of active antennas of the first substrate, the first substrate contains a compound semiconductor (FIG 9, substrate 109 ¶[0030]) to which a different compound (FIG 6A, chip ground 107) is bonded by a second bonding surface (implied from controlling the bias voltage),
the antenna includes a first conductor (FIG. 6A, the conductor layer comprising the antenna 102) formed in a first layer, and a second conductor (ground 103) formed in a second layer, and
in a sectional view, the semiconductor structure (FIG. 6A, 101) is arranged between the first layer and the second layer (FIG. 6A).
Regarding claims 2 and 8, EP4203027 discloses the apparatus wherein the control circuit includes a plurality of control elements (bias lines), and the plurality of control elements are connected to the plurality of active antennas in one-to-one correspondence.
Regarding claim 14, EP4203027 discloses the apparatus wherein the first bonding surface (bottom) and the second bonding surface (top) are parallel to each other (FIG 6A).
Regarding claims 3,9 and 15, EP4203027 discloses the apparatus wherein the second conductor (103) is arranged between the first layer (layer comprising the antennas) and the bonding surface (bottom surface of the layer 111) and has an area larger than an area of the first conductor.
Regarding claims 4,10 and 16, EP4203027 discloses the apparatus wherein the wiring includes a first via (120) configured to connect the first conductor (102) and a third layer (105) provided between the first layer (102) and the second layer (103).
Regarding claims 5,11 and 18, EP4203027 discloses a communication apparatus comprising: the antenna apparatus; a transmission unit configured to emit an electromagnetic wave; and a reception unit configured to detect the electromagnetic wave.
Regarding claims 6,12 and 19, EP4203027 discloses an image capturing system comprising: the antenna apparatus; a transmission unit configured to emit an electromagnetic wave to an object; and a detection unit configured to detect the electromagnetic wave reflected by the object (¶[0096]).
Regarding claims 17, EP4203027 discloses the apparatus wherein the compound semiconductor (FIG 9, substrate 109 ¶[0030]) includes a first electrode electrically connected to the first conductor (102), and a second electrode electrically connected to the second conductor (103), and the first conductor and the second conductor face each other (FIG 6A).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Smith (US 2002/0093396) discloses an active antenna showing semiconductor amplifiers, CMOS control circuitry, micro-switches a strip of substrate material having an antenna on one side, signal and power busses on the other side.
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/JOSEPH CHANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2849
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