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 § 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 15 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsukidate (US Pat Pub# 2018/0175823) in view of Hatakeyama et al. (US Pat Pub# 2017/0346463) and further in view of Wathen et al. (US Pat# 8,810,108).
Regarding claim 15, Tsukidate teaches a communication device (Fig. 5A) comprising a radio frequency module (Fig. 4 and Section 0050, high-frequency); and a signal processing circuit that is connected to the radio frequency module, wherein the radio frequency module includes a mounting board that has a first main surface (Fig. 5A, as shown a mounting with a layer etc.); a first acoustic wave filter 10a (Fig. 5A) including a first support that is disposed at the first main surface of the mounting board (Fig. 5A, as shown a mounting with a layer etc.); a second acoustic wave filter 10b (Fig. 5A) including a second support that is disposed on the first acoustic wave filter 10a (Fig. 5A, as shown first and second acoustic wave filters are disposed on the same surface etc.). Tsukidate fails to teach a ground electrode and a shield.
Hatakeyama teaches a communication device comprising a first shield electrode 37 (Fig. 9D) that covers at least a part of the second acoustic wave 12 (Fig. 9D and Sections 0046 and 0064, shield electrode covering an acoustic wave filter etc.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious at the time of the invention to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate a shield as taught by Hatakeyama into Tsukidate’s device in order to reduce interference.
Tsukidate and Hatakeyama fail to teach a ground electrode.
Wathen teaches a communication device comprising a mounting board that has a first main surface and includes a first ground electrode (Claim 14, mounting board having a ground electrode on the surface etc.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious at the time of the invention to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate a ground electrode as taught by Wathen into a shield as taught by Hatakeyama into Tsukidate’s device in order to reduce damage to the device.
Regarding claim 20, Tsukidate further teaches wherein the first acoustic wave filter and the second acoustic wave filter are separated by a gap (Fig. 5A, as shown two acoustic wave filters etc. that are separate).
Claims 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tsukidate (US Pat Pub# 2018/0175823) in view of Hatakeyama et al. (US Pat Pub# 2017/0346463) and further in view of Wathen et al. (US Pat# 8,810,108) and further in view of Srinivasan (US Pat Pub# 2007/0060066).
Regarding claim 16, Tsukidate in view of Hatakeyama and further in view of Wathen teaches the limitations in claim 15. Tsukidate, Hatakeyama, and Wathen fail to teach an antenna.
Srinivasan teaches an antenna 206 (Fig. 2) which is connected to the radio frequency module 202 (Fig. 2).
Therefore, it would have been obvious at the time of the invention to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate an antenna as taught by Srinivasan into a ground electrode as taught by Wathen into a shield as taught by Hatakeyama into Tsukidate’s device in order to improve communication.
Regarding claim 17, Srinivasan further teaches wherein the radio frequency module further including a low noise amplifier 220/222 (Fig. 2) and a power amplifier 208 (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 18, Srinivasan further teaches wherein the radio frequency module further including a matching circuit 212/216 (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 19, Srinivasan further teaches a radio frequency integrated circuit and a baseband integrated circuit 104 (Fig. 1).
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: Regarding claim 1, the prior art of record, Tsukidate teaches a communication device (Fig. 5A) comprising a radio frequency module (Fig. 4 and Section 0050, high-frequency); and a signal processing circuit that is connected to the radio frequency module, wherein the radio frequency module includes a mounting board that has a first main surface (Fig. 5A, as shown a mounting with a layer etc.); a first acoustic wave filter 10a (Fig. 5A) including a first support that is disposed at the first main surface of the mounting board (Fig. 5A, as shown a mounting with a layer etc.); a second acoustic wave filter 10b (Fig. 5A) including a second support that is disposed on the first acoustic wave filter 10a (Fig. 5A, as shown first and second acoustic wave filters are disposed on the same surface etc.).
Hatakeyama teaches a communication device comprising a first shield electrode 37 (Fig. 9D) that covers at least a part of the second acoustic wave 12 (Fig. 9D and Sections 0046 and 0064, shield electrode covering an acoustic wave filter etc.).
Wathen teaches a communication device comprising a mounting board that has a first main surface and includes a first ground electrode (Claim 14, mounting board having a ground electrode on the surface etc.).
The prior art of record fails to teach a radio frequency module comprising:
a mounting board that has a first main surface and includes a first ground electrode;
a first acoustic wave filter including a first support that is disposed at the first main surface of the mounting board; a second acoustic wave filter including a second
support that is disposed on the first acoustic wave filter; and a first shield electrode that covers at least a part of the second acoustic wave filter, wherein, the first acoustic wave filter and the second acoustic wave filter are configured to pass a first transmission
signal passing and a second transmission signal to perform simultaneous communication, a second main surface of the second acoustic wave filter on an opposite side from a first acoustic wave filter side is in contact with the first shield electrode, the first acoustic wave filter includes a first functional electrode, and the first ground electrode of the mounting board is connected to the first functional electrode of the first acoustic wave filter.
The prior art of record fails to teach the claimed subject matter as claimed and substantially connected in claims 1-14.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW WENDELL whose telephone number is (571)272-0557. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30AM-5PM.
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/ANDREW WENDELL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2648 6/18/2026
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