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
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted 10/24/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 1-6 and 9-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) & 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Sato et al, (WO 2021/261550) – of record, hereinafter Sato.
Regarding claim 1 Sato discloses a wireless communication apparatus (e.g., Fig. 2, at 10) comprising: multiple antennas (e.g., Fig. 2, at 14, 15); multiple reception sections (e.g., Fig. 2, at 12, 13) each connected to a corresponding one of the multiple antennas and configured to receive a radio signal through the corresponding one of the multiple antennas (e.g., paragraph 0026); and an adjustment section (e.g., Fig. 2, at 111) configured to generate a received signal by performing a reception process in reference to the radio signal received in plural number by the multiple reception sections (e.g., paragraph 0019), wherein a first antenna and a second antenna included in the multiple antennas are a predetermined length apart in a vertical direction (e.g., Fig. 2, at 14 and 15; paragraph 0022).
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Regarding claim 2 Sato further discloses the wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined length is set to be 0.5 to 0.9 times a wavelength of the radio signal (e.g., paragraph 0032 “dipole antenna”).
Regarding claim 3 Sato does not explicitly disclose the wireless communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined length is set to be 60 to 113 mm when a frequency of the radio signal is 2.4 GHZ and 25 to 54 mm when the frequency of the radio signal is 5 GHZ.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to wherein the predetermined length is set to be 60 to 113 mm when a frequency of the radio signal is 2.4 GHZ and 25 to 54 mm when the frequency of the radio signal is 5 GHZ, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or working ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Regarding claim 4 Sato further discloses the wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna each have a reference position determined thereon, the reference position is any one of a feeding point, a tip end part, a base end part, or an attaching part of the first antenna and the second antenna, and the reference position of the first antenna and the reference position of the second antenna are the predetermined length apart in the vertical direction (e.g., Fig. 2, at 22a and 22b; paragraph 0022).
Regarding claim 5 Sato further discloses the wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are any one of a dipole antenna, a microstrip antenna, or a sector antenna each (e.g., Fig. 2, at 14, 15; paragraph 0034).
Regarding claim 6 Sato further discloses the wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a main body (Fig. 2, at 21); and an extension part configured to extend from the main body in the vertical direction (Fig. 2, at 22), wherein the first antenna is fixed to the main body, and the second antenna is fixed to the extension part (e.g., Fig. 2, at 15, 21, 22).
Regarding claim 9 Sato further discloses the wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment section implements either selective diversity or maximum ratio combining diversity (e.g., paragraph 0019).
Regarding claim 10 Sato further discloses the wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication apparatus is a controller of an unmanned aircraft (e.g., paragraph 0032; see also paragraph 0013).
Regarding claim 11 Sato further discloses the wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wireless communication apparatus is an unmanned aircraft (e.g., paragraph 0013).
Regarding claim 12 Sato discloses a wireless communication method comprising (e.g., Fig. 2, at 10): arranging multiple antennas in such a manner that a first antenna and a second antenna included in the multiple antennas are a predetermined length apart in a vertical direction (e.g., Fig. 2, at 14, 15); receiving a radio signal through the multiple antennas (e.g., paragraph 0026); and generating a received signal by performing a reception process in reference to the multiple radio signals (e.g., paragraph 0019).
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 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sato in view of Iwai et al., (EP 1280230) – of record, hereinafter Iwai.
Regarding claim 8 Sato does not disclose the wireless communication apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a main body, wherein the second antenna has a tip end part and a base end part and is able to extend and retract in the vertical direction, the first antenna is fixed to the main body, and the base end part of the second antenna is fixed to the main body, and, when the second antenna is in an extended state, the first antenna and the tip end part of the second antenna are the predetermined length apart in the vertical direction.
Iwai discloses a main body (Fig. 13, at 1), wherein the second antenna has a tip end part and a base end part and is able to extend and retract in the vertical direction (e.g., Fig. 13 and 14, at 53; paragraphs 0006-0069), the first antenna is fixed to the main body, and the base end part of the second antenna is fixed to the main body (e.g., Fig. 13 and 14, at 1 and 53; paragraphs 0006-0069), and, when the second antenna is in an extended state, the first antenna and the tip end part of the second antenna are the predetermined length apart in the vertical direction (e.g., Fig. 13 and 14, at 53; paragraphs 0006-0069).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the wireless communication device disclosed by Sato in accordance with the teaching of Iwai regarding retractable antennas in order to control optimum radiating directives (Iwai, paragraph 0069) and also to allow reduce the deterioration of the radiating directivity (Iwai, paragraph 0069). Such a feature would also protect the antenna and make the device more portable when the device was not in use.
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 7 is 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:
Regarding dependent claim 7, patentability exists, at least in part, with the claimed features of a main body; and a movable part that has a tip end part and a base end part, the base end part being pivotably attached to the main body, wherein the movable part is able to transition from a first state in which the tip end part falls on the side of the main body to a second state in which the tip end part rises from the main body, the first antenna is fixed to the main body, and the second antenna is fixed to the movable part, and, when the movable part is in the second state, the first antenna and the second antenna are the predetermined length apart in the vertical direction.
Sato and Iwai are both cited as teaching some elements of the claimed invention including a wireless communication apparatus having multiple antennas, multiple reception each connected to a corresponding one of the multiple antennas and configured to receive a radio signal through the corresponding one of the multiple antennas, and an adjustment section configured to generate a received signal by performing a reception process in reference to the radio signal received in plural number by the multiple reception sections.
However, the prior art, when taken alone, or, in combination, cannot be construed as reasonably teaching or suggesting all of the elements of the claimed invention as arranged, disposed, or provided in the manner as claimed by the Applicant.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The International Search Report disclosed by Applicant contains additional references that are considered highly relevant to the current application. Iezzi (US 2021/0020050) also discloses a communication system for unmanned vehicles with some features considered relevant to the current application.
The Examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record within the body of this action for the convenience of the Applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply.
Applicant, in preparing the response, should consider fully the entire reference aspotentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of thepassage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID E LOTTER whose telephone number is (571)270-7422. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10am-6pm.
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DAVID E. LOTTER
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2845
/DAVID E LOTTER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845