DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to the Applicant’s Communication filed on 10/17/2024. In virtue of the communication:
Claims 1-19 are pending in the instant application.
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. 17/772,841, filed on 04/28/2022.
The references cited in the Information Disclosure Statement(s) (IDS(s)) filed on 10/17/2024 and 03/04/2025 have been considered by the examiner.
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
Claim 1 recites the limitation that invokes 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. However, the written description fails to disclose the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the entire claimed function and to clearly link the structure, material, or acts to the function. Therefore, the claim is indefinite and is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph.
The generic place holders are “at least one first radiation unit” and “at least one second radiation unit”. There is no evidence that any taught “unit” has produced the results in a verifiable manner to support the idea that a particular configuration is defined by the output claimed as required for a 112(f) claim.
Applicant may:
(a) Amend the claim so that the claim limitation will no longer be interpreted as a limitation under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph;
(b) Amend the written description of the specification such that it expressly recites what structure, material, or acts perform the entire claimed function, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)); or
(c) Amend the written description of the specification such that it clearly links the structure, material, or acts disclosed therein to the function recited in the claim, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)).
If applicant is of the opinion that the written description of the specification already implicitly or inherently discloses the corresponding structure, material, or acts and clearly links them to the function so that one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize what structure, material, or acts perform the claimed function, applicant should clarify the record by either:
(a) Amending the written description of the specification such that it expressly recites the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function and clearly links or associates the structure, material, or acts to the claimed function, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)); or
(b) Stating on the record what the corresponding structure, material, or acts, which are implicitly or inherently set forth in the written description of the specification, perform the claimed function. For more information, see 37 CFR 1.75(d) and MPEP §§ 608.01(o) and 2181.
Clarification is required.
Claims 2-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph as being dependent on claim 1.
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.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 4 recites the limitation “the at least one second sub-electrode” in lines 4-5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is not clear because “at least one second sub-electrode” is not previously cited in claim 1.
Clarification 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.
Claim(s) 1, 7-10 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by SU (CN 111063996 A).
Regarding claim 1, SU discloses an antenna (Figs. 1-7), comprising a first substrate (110, Fig. 7),
wherein the first substrate comprises:
a first base substrate (110);
at least one first radiation unit (121, Fig. 7) on a side of the first base substrate (upper side, Fig. 7);
a first electrode layer (200, Fig. 7, par [0052]) on a side of the first base substrate away from the at least one first radiation unit (121) (Fig. 7); and
at least one second radiation unit (170, Fig. 7, par [0037]) on a side of the at least one first radiation unit away from the first electrode layer,
wherein an orthographic projection of each of the at least one second radiation unit (170) on the first base substrate at least partially overlaps an orthographic projection of a corresponding one of the at least one first radiation unit (121) on the first base substrate (110) (unit 170 overlap unit 121, Fig. 7); and
an orthographic projection of the at least one first radiation unit (121) on the first base substrate (110) is within an orthographic projection of the first electrode layer (200) on the first base substrate (Fig. 7)
wherein the antenna further comprising a first feeding unit (160, Fig. 7), which is in a same layer as the at least one first radiation unit (same layer as in Fig. 7); wherein
the first feeding unit comprises a plurality of first feeding lines (plurality of 160, Fig. 7), and
each of the at least one first radiation unit is electrically connected to at least one of the plurality of first feeding lines (radiation unit 121 is connected to feeding line(s) 160, Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 7, SU discloses the antenna wherein every two of the plurality of first feeding lines are electrically connected to one of the at least one first radiation unit (at least two feeding lines 160 are electrically connected to radiation unit 121, Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 8, SU discloses the antenna wherein each of the at least one first radiation unit (121) has a shape of a centrosymmetric pattern having asymmetry center (square shape, Fig. 7); for each of the at least one first radiation unit (121), a position where one of the two first feeding lines (160) is connected to the first radiation unit is a first connecting point (any first connecting point, Fig. 7), and a position where the other of the two first feeding lines (160) is connected to the first radiation unit is a second connecting point (any second connecting point, Fig. 7), and wherein for each of the at least one first radiation unit, an extending direction of a connecting line between the first connecting point and the symmetry center of the first radiation unit intersects with an extending direction of a connecting line between the second connecting point and the symmetry center of the first radiation unit (Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 9, SU discloses the antenna further comprising a second substrate (172, Fig. 7); wherein the second substrate comprises a second base substrate (172) and a second feeding unit (feed holes, Fig. 7) on a side of the second base substrate (172) and electrically connected to the first feeding unit (160) (Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 10, SU discloses the antenna wherein an included angle is between the second substrate and the first substrate (e.g., right angle, Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 19, SU discloses a communication system comprising an antenna (Figs. 1-7).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-6 and 11-18 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, and if overcome the 112 rejections as set forth above.
None of the prior art teaches “a second electrode layer, which is in a same layer as the at least one first radiation unit, wherein the orthographic projection of the at least one first radiation unit on the first base substrate does not overlap an orthographic projection of the second electrode layer on the first base substrate” (as cited in claim 2), “every two of the plurality of first feeding lines are electrically connected to one of the at least one first radiation unit, and for each of the at least one first radiation unit, one of the at least one second sub-electrode is between the two first feeding lines electrically connected to the first radiation unit, to isolate signals in the two first feeding lines from each other” (as cited in claim 2), “a third electrode layer, which is in a same layer as the at least one second radiation unit, wherein an orthographic projection of the at least one second radiation unit on the first base substrate does not overlap an orthographic projection of the third electrode layer on the first base substrate” (as cited in claim 5), “the second feeding unit comprises a first feeding sub-unit and a second feeding sub-unit, each of the first feeding sub-unit and the second feeding sub-unit comprises one first port and at least one second port; and for each of the at least one first radiation unit, one of the two first feeding lines electrically connected to the first radiation unit is electrically connected to one of the at least one second port of the first feeding sub-unit, and different first feeding lines are connected to different second ports of the first feeding sub-unit, respectively; and the other of the two first feeding lines electrically connected to the first radiation unit is electrically connected to one of the at least one second port of the second feeding sub-unit, and different first feeding lines are connected to different second ports of the second feeding sub-unit, respectively” (as cited in claim 11), “a third substrate, which is on a side of the first substrate away from the first electrode layer; wherein the third substrate comprises a third base substrate; and wherein the at least one second radiation unit is on a side of the third base substrate” (as cited in claim 12), “a fourth substrate, which is on a side of the first substrate away from the at least one first radiation unit; wherein the fourth substrate comprises a fourth base substrate; and wherein the first electrode layer is on a side of the fourth base substrate close to the first substrate” (as cited in claim 13), “the first substrate further comprises a first metal mesh layer, which is on a side of the first base substrate away from the first electrode layer; the first metal mesh layer comprises the at least one first radiation unit; the first metal mesh layer has at least one first cutout therein, and each of the at least one first cutout separates out one of the at least one first radiation unit” (as cited in claim 14), “a third substrate, which is on a side of the first substrate away from the first electrode layer; wherein the third substrate comprises a third base substrate and a second metal mesh layer on a side of the third base substrate away from the first base substrate; the second metal mesh layer comprises the at least one second radiation unit; the second metal layer has at least one second cutout therein, and each of the at least one second cutout separates out one of the at least one second radiation unit” (as cited in claim 15), “at least one first groove is on a side of the first base substrate away from the at least one first radiation unit, and an orthographic projection of each of the at least one first groove on the first base substrate covers an orthographic projection of a corresponding one of the at least one first radiation unit on the first base substrate” (as cited in claim 16), and “the first base substrate is divided by the second base substrate into a first region and a second region along a length direction of the first base substrate; and a width of the first region in a direction perpendicular to the length direction of the first base substrate is less than a width of the second region in the direction perpendicular to the length direction of the first substrate” (as cited in claim 17).
Inquiry
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JIMMY T VU whose telephone number is (571)272-1832. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Regis Betsch can be reached on 571-270-7101. The fax phone numbers for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned are 571-273-8300.
Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application or proceeding should be directed to the receptionist whose telephone number is 571-272-2800.
/JIMMY T VU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2844