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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1 and 3-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the elements. See MPEP § 2172.01. The omitted elements are: “a plurality of conducting rods extending from said radiative element in the first direction and penetrating said substrate module” as recited in claim 2. Paragraph [0029] of the specification states that “Each of the conducting rods 3 is made of metal, and serves as a magnetic dipole of the magneto-electric dipole antenna”, and paragraph [0025] states “The radiative element 2 serves as an electric dipole of the magneto-electric dipole antenna”. This means that without these conducting rods, the antenna would not be a magneto-electric dipole antenna as recited in the preamble, and would just be a regular electric dipole antenna.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 1-3, 5-6, and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Vu et al. (US 2023/0016045, hereby referred as Vu) in view of Li et al. (A Ka-Band Wideband Dual-Polarized Magnetoelectric Dipole Antenna Array on LTCC, cited by the applicant, hereby referred as Li).
Regarding claim 1, as best understood, Vu teaches the following:
a magneto-electric dipole antenna comprising:
a radiative element (element 1-1, figure 3);
a first feeding probe (element 2-1, figures 1) and a second feeding probe (element 2-2, figures 1) that are disposed and below said radiative element, where a length of said second feeding probe extending in a first direction pointing from top to bottom is greater than a length of said first feeding probe extending in the first direction (as shown in figures 1); and
a first feed-in line (1st Feed-In, figure 5c shown below) and a second feed-in line (2nd Feed-In, figure 5c shown below) that are disposed, said first feeding probe being electrically connected to said first feed-in line (as shown in figures 1 and 5c), and said second feeding probe being electrically connected to said second feed-in line (as shown in figures 1 and 5c).
Vu does not explicitly teach wherein in response to said radiative element receiving an input electromagnetic wave, a portion of the input electromagnetic wave is sequentially and electromagnetically coupled to said first feeding probe and said first feed-in line, and another portion of the input electromagnetic wave is sequentially and electromagnetically coupled to said second feeding probe and said second feed-in line.
However, Vu does mention receiving and transmitting using 5G technology (paragraph [0002]) and that their antenna is used with 5G technology (paragraph [0007]). It is also well-known in the antenna art that antennas can be used for both or either transmission or reception.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have the magneto-electric dipole antenna of Vu to be used for reception as suggested by the teachings of Vu and commonly known in the antenna art in order to provide a reception device which are commonly used in telecommunication infrastructure (paragraph [0007]) such as base stations, which would cause in response to said radiative element receiving an input electromagnetic wave, a portion of the input electromagnetic wave is sequentially and electromagnetically coupled to said first feeding probe and said first feed-in line, and another portion of the input electromagnetic wave is sequentially and electromagnetically coupled to said second feeding probe and said second feed-in line, as this is the natural way a signal would go from the radiative element to the feed-in lines which would be connected to a receiver or transceiver to process the received signals.
Vu also does not teach a substrate module including an upper surface and a lower surface; the radiative element disposed on said upper surface of said substrate module; the first feeding probe and the second feeding probe that are disposed in said substrate module; the first feed-in line and the second feed-in line that are disposed on said lower surface of said substrate module.
Li suggests the teachings of a magneto-electric dipole antenna with a substrate module (top Ceramic laminate, figures 1) including an upper surface and a lower surface; the radiative element (Horizontal patches, figures 1) disposed on said upper surface of said substrate module; the first feeding probe and the second feeding probe (L-shaped probes, figures 1) that are disposed in said substrate module; the first feed-in line and the second feed-in line (Feeding line, figures 1) that are disposed on said lower surface of said substrate module.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have the magneto-electric dipole antenna of Vu to include a substrate including an upper surface and a lower surface, the radiative element disposed on said upper surface of said substrate module, the first feeding probe and the second feeding probe that are disposed in said substrate module, the first feed-in line and the second feed-in line that are disposed on said lower surface of said substrate module as suggested by the teachings of Li as incorporating it into a substrate can provide support to the elements of the magneto-electric dipole antenna and prevent any deformation of the structure, and may allow for a more efficient manufacturing process due to being incorporated in a printed circuit board.
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Regarding claim 2, Vu as modified in claim 1 teaches the following:
further comprising a plurality of conducting rods (elements 1-2, figure 3) extending from said radiative element (elements 1-1, figure 3) in the first direction and penetrating said substrate module (as explained in claim 1), wherein each of said conducting rods serves as a magnetic dipole of the magneto-electric dipole antenna, and said radiative element serves as an electric dipole of the magneto-electric dipole antenna (“Radiator element (1) … including a (1-2) magnetic dipole (FIG. 3) and a (1-1) electric dipole (FIG. 3)”, paragraph [0035]).
Regarding claim 3, as best understood, Vu as modified in claim 1 teaches the following:
wherein:
said first feeding probe (element 2-1, figures 1) includes
a first connecting component (1st Connecting, figure 5c above) that is disposed in said substrate module (as explained in claim 1), and that has a first primary end and a first auxiliary end which are opposite to each other and are aligned in a line parallel to a second direction (as shown in figures 1 and 5),
a first primary rod (1st Primary, figure 5c above) that extends in the first direction from said first primary end to a first plane flush with said lower surface of said substrate module (as explained in claim 1), and
a first auxiliary rod (1st Aux, figure 5c above) that extends in the first direction from said first auxiliary end to a second plane higher than said lower surface of said substrate module, where a length of said first auxiliary rod is shorter than a length of said first primary rod (as shown in figures 1 and 5); and
said second feeding probe (element 2-2, figures 1) includes
a second connecting component (2nd Connecting, figure 5c above) that is disposed in said substrate module (as explained in claim 1), and that has a second primary end and a second auxiliary end which are opposite to each other and are aligned in a line parallel to a third direction (as shown in figures 1 and 5),
a second primary rod (2nd Primary, figure 5c above) that extends in the first direction from said second primary end to the first plane flushing with said lower surface of said substrate module (as explained in claim 1 and shown in figures 1 and 5), and
a second auxiliary rod (2nd Aux, figure 5c above) that extends in the first direction from said second auxiliary end to a third plane higher than said lower surface of said substrate module, where a length of said second auxiliary rod is shorter than a length of said second primary rod (as shown in figures 1 and 5).
Regarding claim 5, as best understood, Vu as modified in claim 3 teaches the following:
wherein:
said first feed-in line (1st Feed-in, figure 5c above) extends, in the second direction, from an end portion of said first primary rod (1st Primary, figure 5c above) that is close to said lower surface of said substrate module away from said first auxiliary rod (1st Aux, figure 5c above); and
said second feed-in line (2nd Feed-in, figure 5c above) extends, in the third direction, from an end portion of said second primary rod (2nd Primary, figure 5c above) that is close to said lower surface of said substrate module away from said second auxiliary rod (2nd Aux, figure 5c above).
Regarding claim 6, as best understood, Vu as modified in claim 1 teaches the following:
wherein said radiative element (element 1, figures 1) is a plate with a shape of a polygon, where a number of sides of the polygon is an integer greater than four (as shown in figures 1 and 5a).
Regarding claim 9, as best understood, Vu as modified in claim 3 teaches the following:
wherein:
said radiative element (elements 1-1, figure 3) includes a first main part, a second main part, a third main part and a fourth main part (as shown in figures 1 and 3) which are arranged around a center of said upper surface of said substrate module (as explained in claim 1), and each of which is provided with a first hole (holes that elements 2-1 or 2-2 go through, figures 1 or 7-3) and a second hole (one of the additional holes, figures 1 or 7-3);
said first primary rod of said first feeding probe is entirely within a projection of said first hole of said first main part in the first direction (as shown in figures 1 or 7-3);
said first auxiliary rod of said first feeding probe is entirely within a projection of said first hole of said third main part in the first direction (as shown in figures 1 or 7-3);
said second primary rod of said second feeding probe is entirely within a projection of said first hole of said second main part in the first direction (as shown in figures 1 or 7-3); and
said second auxiliary rod of said second feeding probe is entirely within a projection of said first hole of said fourth main part in the first direction (as shown in figures 1 or 7-3).
Claims 1 and 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tianang et al. (US 11909120, hereby referred as Tianang) in view of Li et al. (A Ka-Band Wideband Dual-Polarized Magnetoelectric Dipole Antenna Array on LTCC, cited by the applicant, hereby referred as Li).
Regarding claim 1, as best understood, Tianang teaches the following:
a magneto-electric dipole antenna comprising:
a radiative element (elements 641-643, figures 6);
a first feeding probe (elements 522/622, figures 5-6) and a second feeding probe (element 521/621, figures 5-6) that are disposed and below said radiative element, where a length of said second feeding probe extending in a first direction pointing from top to bottom is greater than a length of said first feeding probe extending in the first direction (as shown in figures 5-6); and
a first feed-in line (element 512/514, figures 5) and a second feed-in line (element 511/513, figures 5) that are disposed, said first feeding probe being electrically connected to said first feed-in line (as shown in figures 5), and said second feeding probe being electrically connected to said second feed-in line (as shown in figures 5);
wherein in response to said radiative element receiving an input electromagnetic wave, a portion of the input electromagnetic wave is sequentially and electromagnetically coupled to said first feeding probe and said first feed-in line, and another portion of the input electromagnetic wave is sequentially and electromagnetically coupled to said second feeding probe and said second feed-in line (column 3, lines 27-29; column 4, lines 44-48, as this is the natural way a signal would go from the radiative element to the feed-in lines which would be connected to a receiver or transceiver to process the received signals).
Tianang does not teach a substrate module including an upper surface and a lower surface; the radiative element disposed on said upper surface of said substrate module; the first feeding probe and the second feeding probe that are disposed in said substrate module; the first feed-in line and the second feed-in line that are disposed on said lower surface of said substrate module.
Li suggests the teachings of a magneto-electric dipole antenna with a substrate module (top Ceramic laminate, figures 1) including an upper surface and a lower surface; the radiative element (Horizontal patches, figures 1) disposed on said upper surface of said substrate module; the first feeding probe and the second feeding probe (L-shaped probes, figures 1) that are disposed in said substrate module; the first feed-in line and the second feed-in line (Feeding line, figures 1) that are disposed on said lower surface of said substrate module.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have the magneto-electric dipole antenna of Tianang to include a substrate including an upper surface and a lower surface, the radiative element disposed on said upper surface of said substrate module, the first feeding probe and the second feeding probe that are disposed in said substrate module, the first feed-in line and the second feed-in line that are disposed on said lower surface of said substrate module as suggested by the teachings of Li as incorporating it into a substrate can provide support to the elements of the magneto-electric dipole antenna and prevent any deformation of the structure, and may allow for a more efficient manufacturing process due to being incorporated in a printed circuit board.
Regarding claim 3, as best understood, Tianang as referred in claim 1 teaches the following:
wherein:
said first feeding probe (element 522, figure 5) includes
a first connecting component (element 542, figure 5) that is disposed in said substrate module, and that has a first primary end and a first auxiliary end which are opposite to each other and are aligned in a line parallel to a second direction (as shown in figure 5),
a first primary rod (element 541, figure 5) that extends in the first direction from said first primary end to a first plane flush with said lower surface of said substrate module (as shown in figure 5), and
a first auxiliary rod (element 543, figure 5) that extends in the first direction from said first auxiliary end to a second plane higher than said lower surface of said substrate module, where a length of said first auxiliary rod is shorter than a length of said first primary rod (as shown in figure 5); and
said second feeding probe (element 521, figure 5) includes
a second connecting component (element 532, figure 5) that is disposed in said substrate module, and that has a second primary end and a second auxiliary end which are opposite to each other and are aligned in a line parallel to a third direction (as shown in figure 5),
a second primary rod (element 531, figure 5) that extends in the first direction from said second primary end to the first plane flushing with said lower surface of said substrate module (as shown in figure 5), and
a second auxiliary rod (element 533, figure 5) that extends in the first direction from said second auxiliary end to a third plane higher than said lower surface of said substrate module, where a length of said second auxiliary rod is shorter than a length of said second primary rod (as shown in figure 5).
Regarding claim 4, as best understood, Tianang as referred in claim 3 teaches the following:
wherein:
said second connecting component (element 532, figure 5) is closer to said radiative element than said first connecting component (element 542, figure 5);
the length of said second primary rod is greater than the length of said first primary rod (as shown in figure 5);
a center of said first connecting component, a center of said second connecting component and a center of said upper surface of said substrate module are aligned in a line parallel to the first direction (as shown in figures 5-6); and
said first feeding probe and said second feeding probe are spaced apart from each other (as shown in figure 5).
Claims 1 and 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sledkov (GB 2517735) in view of Li et al. (A Ka-Band Wideband Dual-Polarized Magnetoelectric Dipole Antenna Array on LTCC, cited by the applicant, hereby referred as Li).
Regarding claim 1, as best understood, Sledkov teaches the following:
a magneto-electric dipole antenna comprising:
a radiative element (elements shown on element 55, figure 5) disposed on a upper surface of a substrate module (element 55, figure 5);
a first feeding probe and a second feeding probe (Inner conductors and bridges that are connected at points 37-40, shown in figures 5 and 9; page 11, lines 29-30; page 13, lines 10-22) that are disposed below said radiative element, where a length of said second feeding probe extending in a first direction pointing from top to bottom is greater than a length of said first feeding probe extending in the first direction (as shown in figures 9, one is above the other); and
Sledkov does not explicitly teach wherein in response to said radiative element receiving an input electromagnetic wave, a portion of the input electromagnetic wave is sequentially and electromagnetically coupled to said first feeding probe and said first feed-in line, and another portion of the input electromagnetic wave is sequentially and electromagnetically coupled to said second feeding probe and said second feed-in line.
However, it is well-known in the antenna art that antennas can be used for both or either transmission or reception.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have the magneto-electric dipole antenna of Sledkov to be used for reception as commonly known in the antenna art in order to provide a reception device which are commonly used in telecommunication infrastructure such as base stations (page 9, lines 7-10), which would cause in response to said radiative element receiving an input electromagnetic wave, a portion of the input electromagnetic wave is sequentially and electromagnetically coupled to said first feeding probe and said first feed-in line, and another portion of the input electromagnetic wave is sequentially and electromagnetically coupled to said second feeding probe and said second feed-in line, as this is the natural way a signal would go from the radiative element to the feed-in lines which would be connected to a receiver or transceiver to process the received signals.
Sledkov also does not teach a substrate module including an upper surface and a lower surface; the radiative element disposed on said upper surface of said substrate module; the first feeding probe and the second feeding probe that are disposed in said substrate module; and a first feed-in line and a second feed-in line that are disposed on said lower surface of said substrate module, said first feeding probe being electrically connected to said first feed-in line, and said second feeding probe being electrically connected to said second feed-in line.
Li suggests the teachings of a magneto-electric dipole antenna with a substrate module (top Ceramic laminate, figures 1) including an upper surface and a lower surface; the radiative element (Horizontal patches, figures 1) disposed on said upper surface of said substrate module; the first feeding probe and the second feeding probe (L-shaped probes, figures 1) that are disposed in said substrate module; a first feed-in line and a second feed-in line (Feeding line, figures 1) that are disposed on said lower surface of said substrate module, said first feeding probe being electrically connected to said first feed-in line (as shown in figures 1), and said second feeding probe being electrically connected to said second feed-in line (as shown in figures 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have the magneto-electric dipole antenna of Sledkov to include a substrate including an upper surface and a lower surface, the radiative element disposed on said upper surface of said substrate module, the first feeding probe and the second feeding probe that are disposed in said substrate module, a first feed-in line and a second feed-in line that are disposed on said lower surface of said substrate module, said first feeding probe being electrically connected to said first feed-in line, and said second feeding probe being electrically connected to said second feed-in line as suggested by the teachings of Li as incorporating it into a substrate can provide support to the elements of the magneto-electric dipole antenna and prevent any deformation of the structure, may allow for a more efficient manufacturing process due to being incorporated in a printed circuit board, and allow a secure connection to feed-in lines that connect to a main transceiver or receiver.
Regarding claim 6, as best understood, Sledkov as referred in claim 1 teaches the following:
wherein said radiative element is a plate with a shape of a polygon, where a number of sides of the polygon is an integer greater than four (as shown in figure 5).
Regarding claim 7, as best understood, Sledkov as referred in claim 6 teaches the following:
wherein:
said radiative element is octagonal, and includes four main parts (elements 21-22; 23-24; 25-26; 27-28, figure 5) and four connecting parts (elements 29-32, figure 5);
said main parts are arranged around a center of said upper surface of said substrate module (as shown in figure 5), where two of said main parts are disposed to have mirror symmetry about a line that passes through the center of said upper surface of said substrate module along a second direction (as shown in figure 5), another two of said main parts are disposed mirroring to each other to have mirror symmetry about a line that passes through the center of said upper surface of said substrate module along a third direction (as shown in figure 5), and any adjacent two of said main parts are electrically connected to each other through one of said connecting parts (as shown in figure 5);
each one of said main parts is provided with a first hole (elements 37-40, figure 5) and a second hole (elements 33-36, figure 5), and has mirror symmetry about a line that passes through a center of said first hole and a center of said second hole (as shown in figure 5); and
said main parts and said connecting parts cooperatively form a separation slot (as shown in figure 5).
Regarding claim 8, as best understood, Sledkov as referred in claim 7 teaches the following:
wherein:
said main parts include a first main part (elements 21-22, figure 5), a second main part (elements 23-24, figure 5), a third main part (elements 25-26, figure 5) and a fourth main part (elements 27-28, figure 5) that are disposed separately from each other;
said second main part is offset from said first main part in a counterclockwise direction by 90 degrees (as shown in figure 5);
said third main part is offset from said second main part in the counterclockwise direction by 90 degrees (as shown in figure 5); and
said fourth main part is offset from said third main part in the counterclockwise direction by 90 degrees (as shown in figure 5).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tianang et al. (US 11909120, hereby referred as Tianang) in view of Li et al. (A Ka-Band Wideband Dual-Polarized Magnetoelectric Dipole Antenna Array on LTCC, cited by the applicant, hereby referred as Li), and further in view of Patriotis et al. (US 2022/0069475, hereby referred as Patriotis).
Regarding claim 10, as best understood, Tianang as modified in claim 1 teaches the following:
An antenna array (figures 1-2, 7), comprising:
a first antenna, a second antenna, a third antenna and a fourth antenna, each including said magneto-electric dipole antenna as claimed in claim 1 (as shown in figures 1-2 and 7).
Tiang does not teach wherein a center of said second antenna is aligned with a center of said first antenna in a second direction, and said second antenna is offset from said first antenna in a counterclockwise direction by 90 degrees; wherein a center of said third antenna is aligned with the center of said second antenna in a third direction, and said third antenna is offset from said second antenna in the counterclockwise direction by 90 degrees; and wherein a center of said fourth antenna is aligned with the center of said third antenna in the second direction, and said fourth antenna is offset from said third antenna in the counterclockwise direction by 90 degrees.
Patriotis suggests the teachings of a center of said second antenna (elements 122-125, figures 1) is aligned with a center of said first antenna (elements 118-121, figures 1) in a second direction, and said second antenna is offset from said first antenna in a counterclockwise direction by 90 degrees (as shown in figures 1); wherein a center of said third antenna (elements 110-113, figures 1) is aligned with the center of said second antenna (elements 122-125, figures 1) in a third direction, and said third antenna is offset from said second antenna in the counterclockwise direction by 90 degrees (as shown in figures 1); and wherein a center of said fourth antenna (elements 114-117, figures 1) is aligned with the center of said third antenna (elements 110-113, figures 1) in the second direction, and said fourth antenna is offset from said third antenna in the counterclockwise direction by 90 degrees (as shown in figures 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have modified the antenna array of Tianang as modified so a center of said second antenna is aligned with a center of said first antenna in a second direction, and said second antenna is offset from said first antenna in a counterclockwise direction by 90 degrees; wherein a center of said third antenna is aligned with the center of said second antenna in a third direction, and said third antenna is offset from said second antenna in the counterclockwise direction by 90 degrees; and wherein a center of said fourth antenna is aligned with the center of said third antenna in the second direction, and said fourth antenna is offset from said third antenna in the counterclockwise direction by 90 degrees as suggested by the teachings of Patriotis which can be used to provide improved resonant characteristics, such as bandwidth, gain, equal coverage in different directions, and polarization traits, by providing the antennas aligned in different directions.
Additional Comments
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Many of the cited documents teach magneto-electric dipole antenna’s with a similar structure and should be considered by the applicant when making amendments.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AB SALAM ALKASSIM JR whose telephone number is (571)270-0449. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Dameon Levi can be reached at (571) 272-2105. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AB SALAM ALKASSIM JR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845