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).
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 04/07/2025, 05/15/2025, and 10/23/2025 were filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Paragraph [0031] recites that the grounding layer 12 in the second line. It should be corrected to grounding layer 11.
Appropriate correction is required.
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, 4-9, 11, 15-16, and 18-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yoshida et al. (US Pub. No. 2010/0035539, hereby referred as Yoshida).
Regarding claim 1,
Yoshida discloses,
An antenna apparatus, comprising (figures 1-3 and 7):
a carrier (element 25, see paragraphs [0115]);
an impedance tuning mechanism corresponding in position to the carrier (element 35 in figure 1 or element 20 in figure 2, see paragraph [0116]) and
comprising a grounding layer disposed on the carrier (element 20 or 35 and the layer 27 and reflecting layer 28 which functioning as a ground plate. See paragraph [0151]); and
an impedance tuning layer spaced apart from the grounding layer (impedance tuning layer 27),
wherein a projection region defined by orthogonally projecting the impedance tuning layer onto the grounding layer is located inside of an outer edge of the grounding layer (figures 1-3), and
wherein the impedance tuning layer has at least one elongated slit recessed from an outer contour thereof to a center thereof (figure 7C or figure 13 and paragraphs [0157] and [0181], see elongated slit 40); and
an antenna mechanism disposed on the impedance tuning mechanism and configured to be applied to a center frequency (antenna mechanism 22),
wherein a thickness of the impedance tuning mechanism is within a range from 0.4% to 25% of a wavelength corresponding to the center frequency (see paragraph [0121], the total thickness of the sheet member 20 or the auxiliary antenna 35 is approximately 0.1 to 20 mm. Furthermore, see paragraphs [0024] and [0151] for the operating frequency band).
Regarding claim 4,
Yoshida discloses,
wherein the carrier is a flat and sheet-like structure and is a high dielectric loss medium (figure 1, carrier 25, see paragraphs [0115] for disclosing that the element 25 is a dielectric material).
Regarding claim 5,
Yoshida discloses (figures 1-3),
wherein the antenna mechanism (antenna mechanism 22) comprises: an electronic component (element 31) disposed on the impedance tuning mechanism (impedance tuning layer 27); a sensing antenna electrically coupled to the electronic component (sensing antenna 23); and an insulating layer disposed on the impedance tuning layer and carrying the sensing antenna (insulating layer 30), wherein the impedance tuning layer and the sensing antenna are spaced apart from each other through the insulating layer (see figure 2).
Regarding claim 6,
Yoshida discloses (figures 1-3),
wherein the impedance tuning layer has an opening that is in spatial communication with the at least one elongated slit, and the electronic component is arranged in the opening, and wherein an area of the opening is less than or equal to 10% of an area surrounded by the outer contour of the impedance tuning layer (impedance tuning layer 27 and opening 40, electronic component 31).
Regarding claim 7,
Yoshida discloses (figures 1-3),
wherein the impedance tuning mechanism (element 35 in figure 1 or 20 in figure 2, see paragraph [0116]) comprises a dielectric layer (dielectric layer 33) sandwiched between the grounding layer (see paragraph [0151] for disclosing the grounding layer) and the impedance tuning layer (layer 20 or 35), wherein the dielectric layer has an accommodating hole that is in spatial communication with the opening, and wherein the electronic component is arranged in the opening and the accommodating hole and is disposed on the grounding layer (see figures 1 and 13 for the opening and component 31).
Regarding claim 8,
Yoshida discloses (figures 1-3),
wherein an antenna projection region defined by orthogonally projecting the sensing antenna onto a top surface of the impedance tuning layer is entirely located on the top surface and does not cover any slit (sensing antenna 23 and impedance tuning layer 35 and slit 40).
Regarding claim 9,
Yoshida discloses (figures 1-3),
wherein the outer contour and the center of the impedance tuning layer have a layout distance therebetween that is within a range from 25% to 45% of the wavelength (see figures 7A and 7C).
Regarding claim 11,
Yoshida discloses,
An impedance tuning mechanism, comprising (figures 1-3 and 7):
a grounding layer (element 20 or 35 and the layer 27 and reflecting layer 28 which functioning as a ground plate. See paragraph [0151]); and
an impedance tuning layer (element 35 in figure 1 or element 20 in figure 2, see paragraph [0116]) spaced apart from the grounding layer,
wherein a projection region defined by orthogonally projecting the impedance tuning layer onto the grounding layer is located inside of an outer edge of the grounding layer (figures 1-3);
wherein the impedance tuning layer has at least one elongated slit recessed from an outer contour thereof to a center thereof (figure 7C or figure 13 and paragraphs [0157] and [0181], see elongated slit 40).
Regarding claim 15,
Yoshida discloses (figure 7),
wherein a quantity of the at least one elongated slit is N, where N is a positive integer, and the impedance tuning layer is divided into an N number of tuning segments separated from each other through the N number of the elongated slits ( see paragraph [0158], “the discontinuous area 40 may be a cutout that completely divides the resonant layer 27”).
Regarding claim 16,
Yoshida discloses,
wherein each of the tuning segments has a central angle with respect to the center, and a difference between the central angles of any two of the tuning segments is less than or equal to 120 degrees (see paragraph [0158] and figure 7).
Regarding claim 18,
Yoshida discloses,
An antenna device, comprising (figures 1-3 and 7):
an impedance tuning mechanism comprising (element 35 in figure 1 or element 20 in figure 2, see paragraph [0116]):
a grounding layer (element 20 or 35 and the layer 27 and reflecting layer 28 which functioning as a ground plate. See paragraph [0151]); and
an impedance tuning layer spaced apart from the grounding layer (impedance tuning layer 27),
wherein a projection region defined by orthogonally projecting the impedance tuning layer onto the grounding layer is located inside of an outer edge of the grounding layer (figures 1-3), and
wherein a slit is recessed in the impedance tuning layer (figure 7C or figure 13 and paragraphs [0157] and [0181], see elongated slit 40); and
an antenna mechanism disposed on the impedance tuning mechanism and configured to be applied to a center frequency (antenna mechanism 22),
wherein a thickness of the impedance tuning mechanism is within a range from 0.4% to 25% of a wavelength corresponding to the center frequency (see paragraph [0121], the total thickness of the sheet member 20 or the auxiliary antenna 35 is approximately 0.1 to 20 mm. Furthermore, see paragraphs [0024] and [0151] for the operating frequency band).
Regarding claim 19,
Yoshida discloses,
wherein the slit is recessed from a center of the impedance tuning layer toward an outer contour of the impedance tuning layer, and is not in contact with the outer contour (figures 1-3, elongated slit 40).
Regarding claim 20,
Yoshida discloses,
wherein a center of the impedance tuning layer and an outer contour of the impedance tuning layer have a layout distance therebetween, and wherein a length of the slit is greater than 50% of the layout distance (figures 7A and 7C).
Regarding claim 21,
Yoshida discloses,
wherein the impedance tuning layer defines a circular layout region having a center of circle that is overlapped with a center of the impedance tuning layer, wherein an area of the circular layout region is within a range from 15% to 25% of an area surrounded by an outer contour of the impedance tuning layer, and wherein the slit intersects the circular layout region (figures 7A and 7C).
Regarding claim 22,
Yoshida discloses,
wherein the slit does not pass through the center of circle of the circular layout region (figures 7A and 7C).
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 2-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshida et al. (US Pub. No. 2010/0035539, hereby referred as Yoshida) in view of Kulp (US Pub. No. 2008/0230866).
Regarding claim 2,
Yoshida does not disclose,
a box having a plurality of receiving spaces, wherein the carrier, the impedance tuning mechanism, and the antenna mechanism are jointly arranged in one of the receiving spaces.
However, Kulp teaches,
a box having a plurality of receiving spaces, wherein the carrier, the impedance tuning mechanism, and the antenna mechanism are jointly arranged in one of the receiving spaces (figure 1, box 11 with plurality of receiving spaces for elements 14, 15 and 20).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate a box having a plurality of receiving spaces, wherein the carrier, the impedance tuning mechanism, and the antenna mechanism are jointly arranged in one of the receiving spaces, as taught by Kulp, into Yoshida in order to provide a better housing and protection for the apparatus.
Regarding claim 3,
Yoshida does not disclose,
a reader assembled to the box and configured to read signals transmitted from the antenna mechanism.
However, Kulp teaches,
a reader assembled to the box and configured to read signals transmitted from the antenna mechanism (figure 1, reader 19 and box 11).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate a reader assembled to the box and configured to read signals transmitted from the antenna mechanism, as taught by Kulp, into Yoshida in order to provide a better housing and protection for the apparatus.
Claims 10 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshida et al. (US Pub. No. 2010/0035539, hereby referred as Yoshida) in view of Lawrence et al. (US Pub. No. 2007/0096852, hereby referred as Lawrence).
Regarding claim 10,
Yoshida does not disclose,
wherein the at least one elongated slit has a width that is less than or equal to 3% of the wavelength.
However, Lawrence teaches,
wherein the at least one elongated slit has a width that is less than or equal to 3% of the wavelength (see figure 4 and paragraphs [0157]-[0159]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate wherein the at least one elongated slit has a width that is less than or equal to 3% of the wavelength, as taught by Lawrence, into Yoshida in order to provide an improved RF tag for the antenna apparatus.
Regarding claim 17,
Yoshida does not disclose,
wherein the impedance tuning layer has an opening that is in spatial communication with the at least one elongated slit and that is arranged at the center of the impedance tuning layer, and the impedance tuning mechanism comprises a dielectric layer sandwiched between the grounding layer and the impedance tuning layer, and wherein the dielectric layer has an accommodating hole that is in spatial communication with the opening, and the dielectric layer has a relative permittivity being within a range from 1 to 6.
However, Lawrence teaches,
wherein the impedance tuning layer has an opening that is in spatial communication with the at least one elongated slit and that is arranged at the center of the impedance tuning layer, and the impedance tuning mechanism comprises a dielectric layer sandwiched between the grounding layer and the impedance tuning layer, and wherein the dielectric layer has an accommodating hole that is in spatial communication with the opening, and the dielectric layer has a relative permittivity being within a range from 1 to 6 (Paragraph [0152], “Such a construction led to resonance at a half wavelength of approximately 95 mm. 866 MHz is 346 mm in vacuo and c. 190 mm in PETG (hence 95 mm is half-wavelength) due to a core refractive index of approximately n=1.8”. figure 25 and paragraph [0196], “the islands 127 are separated by area of absence. The tag 129 is located beneath the area of absence. The antenna 130 (if present) of the tag is separated from the first conductor layer 127 by way of a spacer material 131”. See paragraph [0206], “Spectar grade PETG sheet at a thickness of 1 mm, the relative dielectric constant is 3.2, resulting in a decoupler period of 95 mm”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate wherein the impedance tuning layer has an opening that is in spatial communication with the at least one elongated slit and that is arranged at the center of the impedance tuning layer, and the impedance tuning mechanism comprises a dielectric layer sandwiched between the grounding layer and the impedance tuning layer, and wherein the dielectric layer has an accommodating hole that is in spatial communication with the opening, and the dielectric layer has a relative permittivity being within a range from 1 to 6, as taught by Lawrence, into Yoshida in order to provide an improved RF tag for the antenna apparatus.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshida et al. (US Pub. No. 2010/0035539, hereby referred as Yoshida).
Regarding claim 12,
Yoshida, figures 1-3, does not disclose,
wherein a quantity of the at least one elongated slit is one, and the impedance tuning layer has two inner slits recessed from the center toward the outer contour, and wherein the two inner slits are not in contact with the outer contour, and the elongated slit and each of the two inner slits have a first angle therebetween that is within a range from 85 degrees to 165 degrees.
However, Yoshida, figure 27 embodiment, teaches,
wherein a quantity of the at least one elongated slit is one, and the impedance tuning layer has two inner slits recessed from the center toward the outer contour, and wherein the two inner slits are not in contact with the outer contour (see figure 27B, the elongated slit and another two inner slits), and the elongated slit and each of the two inner slits have a first angle therebetween that is within a range from 85 degrees to 165 degrees (each of the inner slit forming 90 degrees with the elongated slit).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate wherein a quantity of the at least one elongated slit is one, and the impedance tuning layer has two inner slits recessed from the center toward the outer contour, and wherein the two inner slits are not in contact with the outer contour, and the elongated slit and each of the two inner slits have a first angle therebetween that is within a range from 85 degrees to 165 degrees, as taught by figure 27 embodiment, into figures 1-3 embodiment in order to provide an improved antenna slots to have better tuning mechanism.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13-14 are 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Haviv et al. US Pub. No. 2021/0098894, Singh US Pub. No. 2015/0357718, Lee et al. US Pub. No. 2005/0280503, Yang et al. CN 108390153.
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/AWAT M SALIH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845