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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/31/2026 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the Examiner.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed 04/27/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-20 are currently pending. Amendments to the Specification and the claims have overcome the rejections and objections set forth in the Non-Final Office Action dated 01/27/2026.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-19 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 (lines 5 and 10): “reflector or lens” should read “reflector, or lens,” to clarify that the reflector may also comprise a compound lens etc.
Claim 13 (line 2): “a channel” should read “the channel”.
Claim 19 (lines 2, 4 & 13): “reflector or lens” should read “reflector, or lens,”.
Appropriate correction is required. Claims 2-12 and 14-18 are objected to because of their dependency.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Claim 17 recites the limitation “wherein the channel is formed by two parallel plates”. This limitation is recited in claim 1.
Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
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.
Claims 1-8, 10-14 and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang (US 2022/0109245 – of record) in view of Tearney et al. (US 2014/0160482; “Tearney”).
Claim 1: Yang discloses (figs. 14 & 15 below) “A mobile computing device (¶25, “electronic device”) comprising:
a plurality of antennas (lens antenna module 10), wherein each one of the plurality of antennas comprises:
an antenna feed element (radiator 14);
a channel formed by two parallel plates and configured to serve as a waveguide for electromagnetic radiation (¶97, “The first metal plate 15 and the second metal plate 17 form a parallel metal plate waveguide, which is used to guide an electromagnetic wave signal emitted/received by the radiator 14 to propagate in the dielectric lens 16 between the first metal plate 15 and the second metal plate 17.”); and
a reflector or lens comprising a compound lens (plane lens 2, dielectric lens 16) having first (16) and second lens element (2) arranged in series, wherein the compound lens (2, 16) focuses a first signal generated by the antenna feed element (14),
and wherein the second (2) lens element comprises a gradient-index (GRIN) lens (¶36, “the plane lens 2 includes a first lens portion 1. A refractive index of the first lens portion 2 to the electromagnetic waves gradually decreases from a middle to both sides in the first direction, so that the beam forming of the electromagnetic waves in the first direction can be achieved with aid of the first lens portion 2”),
wherein the reflector or lens (2, 16) is further configured to focus a first signal generated by the antenna feed element (¶101, “the dielectric lens 16 converges the electromagnetic wave signal in a short axis direction, so the energy of the electromagnetic wave signal is concentrated to form a well-directed beam to increase a gain of the electromagnetic wave signal”, ¶111, “the plane lens 2 of the disclosure achieves an electromagnetic wave convergence effect in the first direction, such that a beam scanned in the first direction is a narrow beam”) and
focus a second signal not generated by the antenna feed element (a received signal is not generated by the antenna feed element) onto the antenna feed element (¶103, “electromagnetic wave signals in space can be converged to the radiator 14)”.
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Yang does not disclose “first and second lens elements arranged in series within the channel, wherein the first lens element (16) comprises a gradient-index (GRIN lens)”.
However, Yang does disclose that the first lens element (16) is arranged within the channel.
Tearney teaches (fig. 2 below) a lens arrangement for focusing electromagnetic radiation (¶35). More specifically, Tearney teaches first (215) and second (220) GRIN lenses arranged in series within a channel (shown in fig. 2).
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It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to apply the teachings of Tearney to the device of Yang, wherein first and second lens elements arranged in series within the channel, wherein the first lens element comprises a gradient-index (GRIN lens). Doing so improves the focusing of the em signal generated by the antenna feed element and therefore increases the gain of the antenna.
Claim 2: the modified Yang discloses the mobile computing device of claim 1.
Yang discloses “wherein the mobile computing device is a smart phone, a virtual reality headset, a tablet computing device, a portable gaming console, or a laptop computing device (¶25, “The electronic device 100 may be a tablet computer, a mobile phone, a notebook computer, an in-vehicle device, a wearable device, a base station, a customer premise equipment (CPE), intelligence appliance, or any other products with antennas.”)”.
Claim 3: the modified Yang discloses the mobile computing device of claim 1.
Yang discloses (fig. 15) “wherein the plurality of antennas (10) comprises at least a first antenna and a second antenna (one antenna module 10 is disposed on each long side of the device 100), the first antenna has a first radiating aperture, and the second antenna has a second radiating aperture (beams of fig. 15 emitted via plane lens 2 – a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the plane lenses 2 form radiating apertures)”.
Claim 4: the modified Yang discloses the mobile computing device of claim 3.
Yang discloses (fig. 15) “wherein the first radiating aperture (plane lens 2) aligns with a first edge (middle frame 201) or surface of the mobile computing device (electronic device 100)”.
Claim 5: the modified Yang discloses the mobile computing device of claim 4.
Yang discloses (fig. 15) “wherein the second radiating aperture aligns with a second edge or surface of the mobile computing device that is different from the first edge or surface (¶124, “two mm-Wave lens antenna modules can be symmetrically arranged on two opposite sides of the electronic device 100”)”.
Claim 6: the modified Yang discloses the mobile computing device of claim 5.
Yang discloses “wherein the first edge or surface is normal to the second edge or surface (¶88, “each of the four sides of the mobile phone can be provided with the lens antenna module 10. In this way, signal coverage angles of the four lens antenna modules 10 can be superimposed to reach a coverage of 360 degrees”)”.
Claim 7. the modified Yang discloses the mobile computing device of claim 5.
Yang discloses (see fig. 15) “wherein the first edge or surface is parallel to the second edge or surface”.
Claim 8: the modified Yang discloses the mobile computing device of claim 7.
Yang discloses “wherein the plurality of antennas comprises a third antenna having a third radiating aperture that aligns with a third edge or surface of the mobile computing device that is different from both of the first edge or surface and the second edge or surface, and further wherein the third edge or surface is normal to both of the first edge or surface and the second edge or surface (¶88, “each of the four sides of the mobile phone can be provided with the lens antenna module 10. In this way, signal coverage angles of the four lens antenna modules 10 can be superimposed to reach a coverage of 360 degrees”)”.
Claim 10. the modified Yang discloses the mobile computing device of claim 1.
Yang discloses (fig. 15) “wherein each of the plurality of antennas (10) are shaped as a planar plate (¶28, “the plane lens 2 is a plate dielectric lens”. Antenna lens module 10 is a planar plate shape) and the plurality of antennas are mounted in or on the mobile computing device within a same plane (see fig. 15 where lens antenna modules 10 are both mounted in the X-Y plane)”.
Claim 11: the modified Yang teaches the mobile computing device of claim 1, wherein the reflector or lens comprises a plurality of GRIN lenses (Tearney teaches first (215) and second (220) GRIN lenses).
Claim 12: the modified Yang teaches the mobile computing device of claim 11, wherein the plurality of GRIN lenses are positioned in series such that the first signal or the second signal passes through each of the plurality of GRIN lenses (figs. 14 & 15 of Yang show first 16 and second 2 lens elements arranged in series such that the first signal or second signal passes through each of the lenses, including through GRIN lens 2; fig. 2 of Tearney shows first 215 and second 20 GRIN lens elements arranged in series such that a signal passes through each of the lenses).
Claim 13: The modified Yang teaches the mobile computing device of claim 11, wherein a first GRIN lens of the plurality of GRIN lenses is disposed inside the channel configured to serve as a waveguide for electromagnetic radiation, the first GRIN lens configured to receive electromagnetic radiation output from the antenna feed element.
Yang teaches that the first dielectric lens (16) is disposed inside a channel (¶97, “The first metal plate 15 is fixed on the top surface 163 of the dielectric lens 16, and the second metal plate 17 is fixed on the bottom surface 164 of the dielectric lens 16”) configured to serve as a waveguide for electromagnetic radiation and to receive electromagnetic radiation output from the antenna feed element (¶97, “The first metal plate 15 and the second metal plate 17 form a parallel metal plate waveguide, which is used to guide an electromagnetic wave signal emitted/received by the radiator 14 to propagate in the dielectric lens 16 between the first metal plate 15 and the second metal plate 17.”).
Tearney teaches that the first dielectric lens (215) is a GRIN lens and is configured to receive em radiation output (first radiation 205).
Claim 14: the modified Yang teaches the mobile computing device of claim 13, and wherein a second GRIN lens of the plurality of GRIN lenses is disposed inside the channel and configured to receive the electromagnetic radiation output from the antenna feed element by way of the first GRIN lens.
Yang discloses that the plane (GRIN) lens 2 is configured to receive the electromagnetic radiation output from the antenna feed element by way of the first dielectric lens (16) (¶116, “the beam of the semi-elliptical lens antenna 16 has a larger irradiation area on the plane lens 2”). Tearney teaches the second GRIN lens 220 of the plurality of GRIN lenses is disposed inside the channel and configured to receive the electromagnetic radiation output by way of the first GRIN lens 215.
Claim 17: the modified Yang teaches the mobile computing device of claim 13.
Yang discloses “wherein the channel is formed by two parallel plates (¶97, “The first metal plate 15 and the second metal plate 17 form a parallel metal plate waveguide”)”.
Claim 18: the modified Yang discloses the mobile computing device of claim 1.
Yang discloses (figs. 14 & 15) “wherein each one of plurality of antennas comprises multiple antenna feed elements (each plane lens 2 can have multiple antenna feed elements 14)”.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang (US 2022/0109245 – of record) in view of Tearney et al. (US 2014/0160482; “Tearney”), and further in view of Garcia (NPL “High-efficiency, wideband GRIN lenses with intrinsically matched unit cells” – of record, published August 2020; “Garcia”).
Claim 9: the modified Yang discloses the mobile computing device of claim 1.
Yang does not explicitly disclose “wherein each of the plurality of antennas has a width of less than 0.5 millimeters (mm)”.
However, Garcia teaches (p. 5965 final para. to p. 5966 first para.) “Where homogeneous dielectric lenses are constrained in terms of geometry, a GRIN lens can theoretically achieve wave collimation with any geometry given a sufficient range of refractive index (i.e., an extreme enough GRIN profile)”.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to apply the teachings of Garcia to the device of Yang in view of Tearney, wherein each of the plurality of antennas has a width of less than 0.5 millimeters (mm). Doing so allows for lower form-factor/weight/cost: lenses can be made thinner (¶1, p. 5966 of Garcia).
Claims 15-16 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang (US 2022/0109245 – of record) in view of Tearney et al. (US 2014/0160482; “Tearney”), and further in view of document Sadri et al. (US 2022/0021115 – of record; “Sadri”).
Claim 15. The modified Yang teaches the mobile computing device of claim 14.
Yang does not explicitly disclose “wherein first GRIN lens is a focal lens configured to squint a beam radiated from the antenna feed element toward the second GRIN lens”.
However, Yang does teach that the first dielectric lens (16) converges the electromagnetic wave (¶101) towards the plane lens (2) (the second GRIN lens).
Sadri teaches a lens antenna system for enabling a highly directive beam in RF and the millimeter-wave domain (¶3) and (fig. 14 below) a cascade lens system (1400) comprises a plurality of GRIN lenses (¶88, “FIG. 14 illustrates a lens antenna system 1400 comprising a cascaded lens system using Maxwell's Fish-eye GRIN lens for lens L1/L2 and Luneburg GRIN lens for lens L3”).
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Sadri teaches (fig. 14 & fig. 16) “wherein first GRIN lens (L1/L2) is a focal lens configured to squint a beam radiated from the antenna feed element toward the second GRIN lens (L3) (¶88, “In the embodiment of FIG. 14, the quasi-collimates lens L1 and the focusing lens L2 are integrated as a single lens.”)”.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to apply the teachings of Sadri to the device of Yang in view of Tearney, wherein first GRIN lens is a focal lens configured to squint a beam radiated from the antenna feed element toward the second GRIN lens. Doing so can enhance the gain of the device and support 2D beam steering (¶63 of Sadri).
Claim 16: the modified Yang teaches the mobile computing device of claim 15.
Yang discloses “wherein the second GRIN lens (plane lens 2) is an aperture lens (see fig. 15, where beams are emitted to the outside of the device via plane lens 2)”.
Yang does not disclose “configured to output collimated beams from an output of the first GRIN lens”.
Sadri teaches (¶60, “In some embodiments, cascaded lensing system uses multiple lenses to achieve quasi-collimation, focusing and real collimation of feed-antenna EM-radiation pattern”) the second GRIN lens (L3) is configured to output collimated beams from an output of the first GRIN lens (L1/L2) (see collimated beams in fig. 14).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to apply the teachings of Sadri to the device of Yang in view of Tearney, wherein the second GRIN lens is configured to output collimated beams from an output of the first GRIN lens. Doing so allows for the generation of a highly directive radiation profile (¶60 of Sadri).
Claim 19: Yang discloses A method comprising:
focusing, with a reflector or lens (plane lens 2 and/or dielectric lens 16) of a mobile computing device (electronic device 100), a first signal not generated by an antenna feed element (14) of the mobile computing device onto the antenna feed element the received signal is directed through the plane lens 2, through the dielectric lens 16 and then focused onto the antenna feed element 14 located at the end of the channel defined by plates 15 and 17),
wherein the reflector, or lens, comprises a compound lens having first (16) and second (2) lens elements arranged in series, and
wherein the second lens element comprises a gradient-index (GRIN) lens;
controlling the antenna feed element (14) to generate a representation of the first signal (received signal), wherein the first signal has a nominal wavelength (¶108, “the radiator 14 of the lens antenna module 10 can emit/receive antenna signals in the millimeter wave band, sub-millimeter band, and even terahertz wave band);
controlling the antenna feed element (14) to generate a second signal (¶128, “The transfer switch 13 is configured to switch the mm-Wave antenna element that is connected with the RF transceiver chip 12, so that the mm-Wave signals emitted/received by the multiple mm-Wave antenna elements are capable of achieving scanning in the first direction with aid of the plane lens 2”); and
focusing, with the reflector or lens, the second signal generated by the antenna feed element to emit the second signal (¶101, “the dielectric lens 16 converges the electromagnetic wave signal in a short axis direction, so the energy of the electromagnetic wave signal is concentrated to form a well-directed beam to increase a gain of the electromagnetic wave signal”, ¶111, “the plane lens 2 of the disclosure achieves an electromagnetic wave convergence effect in the first direction, such that a beam scanned in the first direction is a narrow beam”).
Yang does not disclose first and second lens elements arranged within a channel formed by two parallel plates serving as a waveguide for electromagnetic radiation, and each of the first and second lens comprises a gradient-index (GRIN) lens.
Yang does not explicitly disclose controlling, by a controller or processor of the mobile computing device.
Regarding first and second lens elements, Yang does disclose the second lens element 16 is arranged within a channel formed by two parallel plates 15, 17 serving as a waveguide for em radiation, and the first lens comprises a gradient-index (GRIN) lens.
Tearney teaches (fig. 2) first (215) and second (220) GRIN lenses arranged in series within a channel.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to apply the teachings of Tearney to the method of Yang, wherein first and second lens elements arranged in series within the channel formed by two parallel plates serving as a waveguide for electromagnetic radiation, wherein each of the first and second lens comprises a gradient-index (GRIN lens). Doing so improves the focusing of the em signal generated by the antenna feed element and therefore increases the gain of the antenna.
Tearney does not teach controlling, by a controller or processor of the mobile computing device.
Sadri teaches a controller or other processing device, such as a microprocessor (¶52).
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to utilize the controller or processor of Sadri to carry out the controlling steps in the method of Yang in view of Tearney. Doing so allows for the method to be carried out using hardware or software methods or on different devices (¶52 of Sadri).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 20 is allowable.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The pertinent prior art, as a whole, or in combination, cannot be reasonably construed as adequately teaching or suggesting the elements and features of the claimed invention(s) as arranged, disposed, or provided in the manner as claimed by the Applicant.
Regarding claim 20, Yang discloses (fig. 15) “An electromagnetic antenna (lens antenna module 10) of a mobile computing device (¶25, “electronic device”) comprising: an antenna feed element (radiator 14) configured to radiate a first signal, the first signal having a first frequency, a first amplitude, and a first phase (inherent for electromagnetic waves); a channel (fig. 14, 161) formed by two parallel plates (15, 17) spaced apart by a predetermined distance and the two parallel plates form a channel serving as a waveguide for electromagnetic radiation (¶97, “The first metal plate 15 and the second metal plate 17 form a parallel metal plate waveguide, which is used to guide an electromagnetic wave signal emitted/received by the radiator 14”); an electromagnetic lens (16) configured to focus the first signal; a planar focal surface (fig. 14, rectangular surface 162) on which the antenna feed element (14) is mounted; and wherein the radiating aperture is positioned along an edge of a surface of the mobile computing device (see fig. 15, where radiating aperture comprises lens 2).
Yang does not teach, or suggest, the two parallel plates are spaced apart by a predetermined distance less than 1 λ, wherein λ is a wavelength of the first signal emitted by the electromagnetic antenna, an electromagnetic lens configured to focus the first signal for transmission, wherein the electromagnetic lens comprises a compound lens having first and second lens elements arranged in series, and wherein each of the first and second lens elements comprises a gradient-index (GRIN) lens; and wherein an end of the channel from which the first signal is emitted comprises a radiating aperture of the electromagnetic antenna.
Sadri (US 2022/0021115) discloses (fig. 14, 15) an electromagnetic antenna (lens antenna system, abstract) of a mobile computing device (¶3, “5G”) comprising: an antenna feed element (¶89, “feed antenna”) configured to radiate a first signal, the first signal having a first frequency, a first amplitude, and a first phase (inherent for electromagnetic waves); and
an electromagnetic lens (Luneburg lenses L1/L2 and L3) configured to focus the first signal for transmission (¶89, “a highly energy concentrated beam generation with improved angular EM radiation is generated”), wherein the electromagnetic lens comprises a compound lens having first and second lens elements arranged in series, wherein the compound lens focuses the first signal, and wherein each of the first and second lens elements comprises a gradient-index (GRIN) lens (¶88, FIG. 14 illustrates a lens antenna system 1400 comprising a cascaded lens system using Maxwell's Fish-eye GRIN lens for lens L1/L2 and Luneburg GRIN lens for lens L3. In the embodiment of FIG. 14, the quasi-collimates lens L1 and the focusing lens L2 are integrated as a single lens).
Sadri does not teach, or suggest, a channel formed by two parallel plates spaced apart by a predetermined distance less than 1 λ, wherein λ is a wavelength of the first signal emitted by the electromagnetic antenna, and the two parallel plates form a channel serving as a waveguide for electromagnetic radiation; a planar focal surface on which the antenna feed element is mounted; and wherein an end of the channel from which the first signal is emitted comprises a radiating aperture of the electromagnetic antenna, wherein the radiating aperture is positioned along an edge of a surface of the mobile computing device.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claims have been fully considered, but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANNA N HAMADYK whose telephone number is (703)756-1672. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30 am - 5:00 pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dimary Lopez can be reached at (571) 270-7893. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANNA N HAMADYK/Examiner, Art Unit 2845
/DIMARY S LOPEZ CRUZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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