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 10/16/2025 was 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.
An applicant' s duty of disclosure of material information is not satisfied by presenting a patent examiner with “a mountain of largely irrelevant data from which he is presumed to have been able, with his expertise and with adequate time, to have found the critical data. It ignores the real-world conditions under which examiners work.” Rohm & Haas Co. v. Crystal Chemical Co., 722 F.2d 1556, 1573, 220 U.S.P.Q. 289 (Fed. Cir. 1983), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 851 (1984). An applicant has a duty to not just disclose pertinent prior art references but to make a disclosure in such way as not to “bury” it within other disclosures of less relevant prior art. See Golden Valley Microwave Foods Inc. v. Weaver Popcorn Co. Inc., 24 U.S.P.Q.2d 1801 (N.D. Ind. 1992); Molins PLC v. Textron Inc., 26 U.S.P.Q.2d 1889, 1899 (D. Del. 1992); Penn Yan Boats, Inc. v. Sea Lark Boats, Inc. et al., 175 U.S.P.Q. 260, 272 (S.D. Fl. 1972). It is unreasonable for Examiner to review all of the cited references thoroughly. By signing the accompanying 1449 form(s), Examiner is merely acknowledging the submission of the cited references and indicating that only a cursory review has been made.
Examiner notes that Therasense, Inc. v. Becton, Dickinson and Co., 649 F.3d 1276 (Ct. App. 2011) (en banc) has significantly restricted the infringement defense of inequitable conduct. A defendant must show that the patent in question would not have been issued but for undisclosed information, and that the patentee had the intent to deceive. Examiner suggests that future Information Disclosure Statements cite only the most relevant/inclusive references or portions thereof.
Claim Objections
Claim 72 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Applicant recites “wherein the cover include one or more vents…”. The subject is singular and therefore it should be corrected to “wherein the cover includes one or more vents,”.
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 54-56, 58, 61, 63-64, and 66-71 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Thill (US Pub. No. 2020/0350664).
Regarding claim 54,
Thill discloses,
An antenna assembly, comprising (figures 1-2 and 7, antenna assembly 25):
a base portion (element 60);
a cover configured to be removably coupled to the base portion to define an internal volume (elements 40 and 30), the cover comprising a support portion extending from a top side of the cover towards the base portion (side wall 63 is a support portion),
wherein the support portion is configured and adapted to support a modem (modem 50); and
a multi-band antenna housed within the internal volume (multi-band antenna 42. See paragraph [0034]).
Regarding claim 55,
Thill discloses,
wherein the base portion is configured to removably couple the antenna assembly to a vehicle (figure 1 base portion 60. See paragraph [0039]).
Regarding claim 56,
Thill discloses,
wherein the base portion is configured to receive a removable plate in a bottom surface thereof, wherein the removable plate is magnetically coupled to the bottom surface of the base portion (figure 1, the bottom plate of element 50).
Regarding claim 58,
Thill discloses,
wherein the antenna assembly further comprises one or more internal walls, the one or more internal walls configured to provide partial or full isolation between the multi-band radiator portions and a modem (figure 1, element 60 comprises a plurality of internal walls surrounding the element and inside the cover 30).
Regarding claim 61,
Thill discloses,
wherein the cover includes one or more cable routing ports to allow a modem to connect to an external system through the cover without removing the modem shell or a modem from the antenna assembly (figures 1-2, see paragraph [0030] for disclosing the cable for the modem).
Regarding claim 63,
Thill discloses,
wherein the antenna assembly (antenna assembly 25 in figure 1) further comprises a battery (see paragraph [0039]), the battery housed within the base (figure 1, base 60), wherein the base includes a recess for receiving the battery in a bottom side of the base and the recess is configured to be covered with a removable cover (figure 1, base 60 and cover 30); wherein the battery is configured as an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for a modem and/or other components of the antenna assembly (see paragraph [039] and components of antenna assembly 25 in figure 1); and further comprising a circuit system, the circuit system powered by the battery (circuitry for the antenna assembly 25 of figure 1).
Regarding claim 64,
Thill discloses,
The antenna assembly of Claim 54, further comprising a heating system (see paragraph [0030] for disclosing heating system 66 and 67).
Regarding claim 66,
Thill discloses,
wherein the antenna assembly has a modem that may be positioned within the modem shell with gaps or spaces between the modem and the walls defined by the top cover and the bottom cover; wherein a gap may extend between the sides walls of the modem and the side walls of the modem shell; wherein such a gap can provide increased air flow to the modem through the modem shell (figure 1, antenna assembly 25 and modem 50 inside the cover 30, plurality of side walls in element 60 and vertical wall in element 40 are all in the space of the cover 30).
Regarding claim 67,
Thill discloses,
An antenna assembly, comprising (figures 1-2 and 7, antenna assembly 25):
a base portion (element 60);
a cover, the cover configured to be removably coupled to the base portion (cover 30);
a modem positioned on or above the base portion (modem 50 on or above base portion 60);
a ground plane (base portion 60 acts as a ground plane, see abstract. See paragraphs [0029] and [0038], element 40 acts as a ground plane. Both elements 40 and 60 are made of aluminum); and
a multi-band antenna (multi-band antenna 42. See paragraph [0034]).
Regarding claim 68,
Thill discloses,
wherein the ground plane is coupled to the cover between a top side of the cover and the base portion, wherein the ground plane acts as a dividing wall between a top internal volume between the ground plane and the cover, and a bottom internal volume between the ground plane and the base portion (figure 1, ground plane 40 between cover 30 and base portion 60).
Regarding claim 69,
Thill discloses,
wherein the modem is positioned within the bottom internal volume and the multi-band antenna is positioned within the top internal volume (figures 1 and 7, antenna 42 and modem 50).
Regarding claim 70,
Thill discloses,
wherein the ground plane is configured to be removably coupled to the cover in a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein in the first configuration, the ground plane is positioned closer to the base portion than in the second configuration (figure 1, both elements 60 and 40 can be construed as a grounding plane).
Regarding claim 71,
Thill discloses,
wherein a ratio between the top internal volume and the bottom internal volume changes when the ground plane is moved from the first configuration to the second configuration (figure 1, internal volume is a space or gap inside the cover 30. both elements 60 and 40 can be construed as a grounding plane).
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 57 and 62 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Thill (US Pub. No. 2020/0350664) in view of Kim et al. (US Pub. No. 2023/0198553, hereby referred as Kim).
Regarding claim 57,
Thill does not disclose,
wherein the antenna assembly comprises one or more fans, blowers or other similar devices for forced air convection.
However, Kim teaches,
wherein the antenna assembly comprises one or more fans, blowers or other similar devices for forced air convection (see paragraph [0023]).
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 antenna assembly comprises one or more fans, blowers or other similar devices for forced air convection, as taught by Kim, into Thill in order to provide a cooling device for dissipating heat which is lowing temperature of the antenna and the device.
Regarding claim 62,
Thill discloses,
wherein the antenna assembly (antenna assembly of figure 1) further comprises a power source; wherein the power source comprises a battery, the battery (see paragraph [0039]) configured to power the one or more fans and/or to provide power to a modem (element 50); and wherein the battery is configured as a second power source for a modem (see the teaching of power source in paragraph [0039]).
Claim 59-60, 65 and 72-73 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Thill (US Pub. No. 2020/0350664) in view of El-Akkad et al. (US Pub. No. 2023/0408619, hereby referred as EI-Akkad).
Regarding claim 59,
Thill discloses,
a first internal wall positioned between the base portion and the cover along a first side of the modem support portion within the internal volume and a second internal wall positioned between the base portion and the cover along a second side of the modem support portion within the internal volume; wherein the first internal wall defines a first flow channel between a first side wall of the modem support portion and the second internal wall defines a second flow channel between a second side wall of the modem support portion, the second side wall opposite the first side wall (figure 1, base element 60 comprises of a plurality of side walls. Element 40 comprises of a vertical wall which will be located inside the casing 30); wherein the first side wall and/or the second side wall include vents, channels, and/or other openings to allow fluid communication between the modem support portion and the internal volume of the antenna assembly (the second side wall in element 40 which is a vertical, comprises of an opening).
Thill does not disclose,
further comprising a first fan positioned within the first flow channel and a second fan positioned within the second flow channel, wherein the first and second fans can induce fluid(e.g., air) flow along the two channels to provide cooling to a modem and/or other components and systems.
However, EI-Akkad teaches,
further comprising a first fan positioned within the first flow channel and a second fan positioned within the second flow channel, wherein the first and second fans can induce fluid(e.g., air) flow along the two channels to provide cooling to a modem and/or other components and systems (see paragraph [0108] for teaching a plurality of air vents 198 and a plurality of fans).
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 first fan positioned within the first flow channel and a second fan positioned within the second flow channel, wherein the first and second fans can induce fluid(e.g., air) flow along the two channels to provide cooling to a modem and/or other components and systems, as taught by EI-Akkad, into Thill in order to provide a cooling device for dissipating heats to lower temperature for the device and to avoid overheating the antenna and/or the device.
Regarding claim 60,
Thill does not disclose,
wherein the antenna assembly is configured such that the air flow can contact a modem via the vents in the one or more side walls and via the slots in the modem shell; wherein the first flow channel and the second flow channel are configured to direct air flow from the fans inwardly towards a modem; and wherein the first internal wall and/or the second internal wall include curved or angled portions that forces some fluid from the first and second fans towards the modem support portion.
However, EI-Akkad teaches,
wherein the antenna assembly is configured such that the air flow can contact a modem via the vents in the one or more side walls and via the slots in the modem shell; wherein the first flow channel and the second flow channel are configured to direct air flow from the fans inwardly towards a modem; and wherein the first internal wall and/or the second internal wall include curved or angled portions that forces some fluid from the first and second fans towards the modem support portion (see paragraph [0108] for teaching a plurality of air vents 198 and a plurality of fans).
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 antenna assembly is configured such that the air flow can contact a modem via the vents in the one or more side walls and via the slots in the modem shell; wherein the first flow channel and the second flow channel are configured to direct air flow from the fans inwardly towards a modem; and wherein the first internal wall and/or the second internal wall include curved or angled portions that forces some fluid from the first and second fans towards the modem support portion, as taught by EI-Akkad, into Thill in order to provide a cooling device for dissipating heats to lower temperature for the device and to avoid overheating the antenna and/or the device.
Regarding claim 65,
Thill does not disclose,
a circuit system, the circuit system configured to control the operations of the fans and the heating system; wherein the circuit system is configured to control the operation of the fans and the heating system without direct user control; and further comprising one or more sensors that provide the circuit system with signals related to the internal or external environment of the antenna assembly.
However, EI-Akkad teaches,
a circuit system, the circuit system configured to control the operations of the fans and the heating system; wherein the circuit system is configured to control the operation of the fans and the heating system without direct user control (see paragraph [0108] for teaching a plurality of air vents 198 and a plurality of fans and figure 1b for the circuit system); and further comprising one or more sensors that provide the circuit system with signals related to the internal or external environment of the antenna assembly (figure 1A, sensors 104).
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 circuit system, the circuit system configured to control the operations of the fans and the heating system; wherein the circuit system is configured to control the operation of the fans and the heating system without direct user control; and further comprising one or more sensors that provide the circuit system with signals related to the internal or external environment of the antenna assembly, as taught by EI-Akkad, into Thill in order to provide a cooling device for dissipating heats to lower temperature for the device and to avoid overheating the antenna and/or the device.
Regarding claim 72,
Thill does not disclose,
wherein the cover include one or more vents, wherein the one or more vents are configured to promote heat exchange between internal components of the antenna assembly and a surrounding environment.
However, EI-Akkad teaches,
wherein the cover include one or more vents, wherein the one or more vents are configured to promote heat exchange between internal components of the antenna assembly and a surrounding environment (see paragraph [0108] for teaching a plurality of air vents 198 and a plurality of fans).
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 cover include one or more vents, wherein the one or more vents are configured to promote heat exchange between internal components of the antenna assembly and a surrounding environment, as taught by EI-Akkad, into Thill in order to provide a cooling device for dissipating heats to lower temperature for the device and to avoid overheating the antenna and/or the device.
Regarding claim 73,
Thill does not disclose,
wherein the ground plane is configured to act as a heat sink for the modem.
However, EI-Akkad teaches,
wherein the ground plane is configured to act as a heat sink for the modem (see paragraph [0108] for teaching a plurality of air vents 198 and a plurality of fans).
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 ground plane is configured to act as a heat sink for the modem, as taught by EI-Akkad, into Thill in order to provide a cooling device for dissipating heats to lower temperature for the device and to avoid overheating the antenna and/or the device.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Neenan et al. US Pub. No. 2023/0087158, Yun US Pub. No. 2020/0112101, Thill US Pub. No. 2023/0052185, Greenstein et al. US Pub. No. 2020/0243940, Thill et al. US Pub. No. 2020/0212948, Apaydin et al. US Pub. No. 2016/0285161, and Thill US Patent No. 10511086.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AWAT M SALIH whose telephone number is (571)270-5601. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8:30AM-5:00PM.
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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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/AWAT M SALIH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845