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 § 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 1-3, 6-8, & 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Matsuda et al. (US 2023/0066411 A1), hereinafter Matsuda.
Regarding claim 1, Matsuda discloses, in figure 2, a transmission apparatus that transmits a signal by electromagnetic coupling to another communication apparatus and extends in a predetermined direction, the transmission apparatus comprising:
a conductor (Para [0029], “ground conductor 142”); and
a substrate including a first electrode (first electrode 12, hereinafter 12a, located to the left of second electrode 141), a second electrode (second electrode 12, hereinafter 12b, located to the right of third electrode 141), and a third electrode (second electrode 141),
wherein, on a plane perpendicular to the predetermined direction, the third electrode is positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode (third electrode 141 is between first electrode 12a and second electrode 12b on a plane perpendicular to extending direction of the apparatus 10), and
wherein the conductor and the third electrode function as a reference potential of the first electrode and the second electrode (Para [0029], “ground conductors 141 and 142”).
Regarding claim 2, Matsuda discloses the transmission apparatus according to claim 1, and continues to disclose, in figure 2, wherein a degree of coupling (Para [0068], “increase the interval between…electrode and the ground conductor in the extending direction…accordingly, the capacitive coupling…can be further reduced”) of the first electrode to the third electrode and a degree of coupling of the second electrode to the third electrode are respectively greater than a degree of coupling of the first electrode to the conductor and a degree of coupling of the second electrode to the conductor (degree of coupling between the first electrode, second electrode, and third electrode are respectively greater than a degree of coupling between the first electrode and ground conductor 142 and the second electrode and ground conductor 142 based on the large interval between the electrodes and ground in the extending direction).
Regarding claim 3, Matsuda discloses the transmission apparatus according to claim 1, and continues to disclose, in figure 2, wherein the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode are positioned on a plane of the substrate (first electrode 12a, second electrode 12b, and third electrode 141 are positioned on a plane of the substrate 11).
Regarding claim 6, Matsuda discloses the transmission apparatus according to claim 1, and continues to disclose, in figure 2, wherein the third electrode and the conductor are connected at an end in the predetermined direction and are at a same potential (Para [0030], “connecting portion 152 that connects the ground conductor 141 and the ground conductor 142 with each other”).
Regarding claim 7, Matsuda discloses the transmission apparatus according to claim 1, and continues to disclose, in figure 2, wherein the substrate further includes:
a fourth electrode adjacent to the first electrode (fourth electrode 141, hereinafter 141b, left of the first electrode 12a); and
a fifth electrode adjacent to the second electrode (fifth electrode, hereinafter 141c, right of the second electrode 12b), and
wherein the fourth electrode and the fifth electrode function as the reference potential of the first electrode and the second electrode (Para [0029], “ground conductors 141 and 142”).
Regarding claim 8, Matsuda discloses the transmission apparatus according to claim 1, and continues to disclose, in figure 2, wherein the first electrode, the second electrode, the third electrode, the fourth electrode, and the fifth electrode are positioned on a plane of the substrate (electrodes 141, 141b, 141c, 12a, & 12b are positioned on a plane of the substrate 11).
Regarding claim 14, Matsuda discloses the transmission apparatus according to claim 8, and continues to disclose, in figure 2, wherein the third electrode, the fourth electrode, and the fifth electrode are connected to the conductor at an end in the predetermined direction and are at a same potential (Para [0030], “connecting portion 152 that connects the ground conductor 141 and the ground conductor 142 with each other”…i.e., connecting each of the third electrode 141, fourth electrode 141b, and fifth electrode 141c).
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 4-5 & 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsuda in view of Sonoda et al. (US 2019/0044239 A1), hereinafter Sonoda.
Regarding claim 4, Matsuda discloses the transmission apparatus according to claim 1, but fails to disclose wherein a supporting member for supporting the substrate is disposed on the conductor.
However, Sonoda discloses, in figure 14, wherein a supporting member for supporting the substrate is disposed on the conductor (Para [0090], “substrate 113 is mounted on a metallic chassis 117 of the electronic device by at least one mounting member 119. The ground 114 is grounded to the chassis 117”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the supporting member of Sonoda in the transmission apparatus of Matsuda, since all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions [i.e., effectively insulating the grounding conductor from the substrate and thereby reducing dielectric losses], and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. (KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415‐421, 82 USPQ2d 1385).
Regarding claim 5, Matsuda in view of Sonoda disclose the transmission apparatus according to claim 4, and Sonoda continues to disclose, in figure 14, wherein a void is disposed between the conductor and the substrate with the supporting member (void disposed between the supporting members 119 between the conductor 117 and substrate 113).
Regarding claim 9, Matsuda discloses the transmission apparatus according to claim 7, but fails to disclose wherein a supporting member for supporting the substrate is disposed on the conductor.
However, Sonoda discloses, in figure 14, wherein a supporting member for supporting the substrate is disposed on the conductor (Para [0090], “substrate 113 is mounted on a metallic chassis 117 of the electronic device by at least one mounting member 119. The ground 114 is grounded to the chassis 117”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the supporting member of Sonoda in the transmission apparatus of Matsuda, since all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions [i.e., effectively insulating the grounding conductor from the substrate and thereby reducing dielectric losses], and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. (KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415‐421, 82 USPQ2d 1385).
Regarding claim 10, Matsuda in view of Sonoda disclose the transmission apparatus according to claim 9, and Sonoda continues to disclose, in figure 14, wherein a void is disposed between the conductor and the substrate with the supporting member (void disposed between the supporting members 119 between the conductor 117 and substrate 113).
Regarding claim 11, Matsuda in view of Sonoda disclose the transmission apparatus according to claim 9, and Sonoda continues to disclose, in figure 14, wherein the supporting member includes a conductor (supporting member 119 includes conductor 120).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsuda in view of Noguchi (US 2020/0229297 A1).
Regarding claim 15, Matsuda discloses the transmission apparatus according to claim 1, but fails to disclose wherein the substrate includes a flexible printed-circuit board.
However, Noguchi discloses, in figure 2, wherein the substrate includes a flexible printed-circuit board (Para [0021], “flexible board 300”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the flexible printed-circuit board of Noguchi in the transmission apparatus of Matsuda, since all the claimed elements were known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by known methods with no change in their respective functions [i.e., implementing the transmission apparatus in a curved communication device or reducing the area needed for the transmission apparatus in a communication device], and the combination yielded nothing more than predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art. (KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415‐421, 82 USPQ2d 1385).
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Eguchi (US 2021/0409013 A1) in view of Matsuda.
Regarding claim 16, Eguchi discloses, in figure 1A, a wireless transmission system comprising:
a signal transmitter including a transmission apparatus extending in a predetermined direction (Para [0024], “signal source 103 outputs data to a differential transmission buffer 104. The differential transmission buffer 104 receives the input of the data and outputs differential signals to one ends of the differential transmission lines 101”); and
a signal receiver electromagnetically coupled to the transmission apparatus (Para [0024], “reception couplers 116 couple to the differential transmission lines 101 through an electromagnetic field and detect the differential signals transmitted on the differential transmission lines 101… eception circuit 113 shapes the waveforms of the differential signals detected by the reception couplers 116 and outputs reception signals”), but fails to disclose wherein the transmission apparatus includes:
a conductor; and
a substrate including a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode,
wherein, on a plane perpendicular to the predetermined direction, the third electrode is positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode, and
wherein the conductor and the third electrode function as a reference potential of the first electrode and the second electrode.
However, Matsuda discloses, in figure 2, wherein the transmission apparatus includes:
a conductor (Para [0029], “ground conductor 142”); and
a substrate including a first electrode (first electrode 12, hereinafter 12a, located to the left of second electrode 141), a second electrode (second electrode 12, hereinafter 12b, located to the right of third electrode 141), and a third electrode (second electrode 141),
wherein, on a plane perpendicular to the predetermined direction, the third electrode is positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode (third electrode 141 is between first electrode 12a and second electrode 12b on a plane perpendicular to extending direction of the apparatus 10), and
wherein the conductor and the third electrode function as a reference potential of the first electrode and the second electrode (Para [0029], “ground conductors 141 and 142”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to include the transmission apparatus of Matsuda in the wireless transmission system of Eguchi, to achieve the benefit of utilizing transmission lines that “reduce or prevent deviation of characteristic impedance” (Matsuda, Para [0005]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 12-13 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
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/TYLER J PERENY/ Examiner, Art Unit 2842