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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/24/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
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Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-20 of U.S. Patent No. 12,142,827. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because all of the claimed elements found in the current application are also recited in the ‘827 patent.
18/925,086 U.S. Patent No. 12,142,827
1. An antenna module comprising: a dielectric substrate including a plurality of dielectric layers that are laminated; a radiation element that is formed in or on the dielectric substrate and that is to radiate radio waves; a ground electrode that is placed so as to face the radiation element; and peripheral electrodes that are formed in a plurality of layers between the radiation element and the ground electrode and that are electrically connected to the ground electrode, wherein the radiation element has a feeding point located at a position offset from a center of the radiation element and a plurality of sides orthogonal to a line connecting the center point and the feeding point. the peripheral electrodes are placed so as to face the sides of the radiation electrode in plan view.
1. An antenna module comprising: a dielectric substrate including a plurality of dielectric layers that are laminated; a radiation element disposed in or on the dielectric substrate and configured to radiate radio waves in a first polarization direction; a ground electrode that is positioned to face the radiation element; and peripheral electrodes that are arranged in a plurality of layers between the radiation element and the ground electrode and that are electrically connected to the ground electrode, wherein the peripheral electrodes are symmetrically positioned with respect to at least one of a first direction parallel to the first polarization direction or a second direction orthogonal to the first polarization direction.
2. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein from a plan view from a normal direction with respect to the dielectric substrate, and a free space wavelength of the radio waves radiated from the radiation element being defined as λ.sub.0, a shortest distance from a surface center of the radiation element to an end portion of the ground electrode along a first polarization direction is smaller than λ.sub.0/2.
2. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein from a plan view from a normal direction with respect to the dielectric substrate, and a free space wavelength of the radio waves radiated from the radiation element being defined as λ.sub.o, a shortest distance from a surface center of the radiation element to an end portion of the ground electrode along the first polarization direction is smaller than λ.sub.o/2.
3. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein from a plan view from a normal direction with respect to the dielectric substrate, the ground electrode has a shape that is asymmetrical with respect to a polarization direction passing through the center of the radiation element.
3. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein from a plan view from a normal direction with respect to the dielectric substrate, the ground electrode has a shape that is asymmetrical with respect to a polarization direction passing through the center of the radiation element.
4. The antenna module according to claim 2, wherein from the plan view, the ground electrode has a shape that is asymmetrical with respect to a polarization direction passing through the center of the radiation element.
4. The antenna module according to claim 2, wherein from the plan view, the ground electrode has a shape that is asymmetrical with respect to a polarization direction passing through the center of the radiation element.
5. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the radiation element is also configured to radiate radio waves in a second polarization direction that differs from a first polarization direction.
5. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the radiation element is also configured to radiate radio waves in a second polarization direction that differs from the first polarization direction.
6. The antenna module according to claim 2, wherein the radiation element is also configured to radio waves in a second polarization direction that differs from a first polarization direction.
6. The antenna module according to claim 2, wherein the radiation element is also configured to radio waves in a second polarization direction that differs from the first polarization direction.
7. The antenna module according to claim 3, wherein the radiation element is also configured to radiate radio waves in a second polarization direction differing from a first polarization direction.
7. The antenna module according to claim 3, wherein the radiation element is also configured to radiate radio waves in a second polarization direction differing from the first polarization direction.
8. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the radiation element includes a first element that faces the ground electrode and that is configured to radiate radio waves in a first frequency band, and a second element that is disposed in a layer between the first element and the ground electrode and that is configured to radiate radio waves in a second frequency band that is lower in frequency than the first frequency band.
8. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the radiation element includes a first element that faces the ground electrode and that is configured to radiate radio waves in a first frequency band, and a second element that, is disposed in a layer between the first element and the ground electrode and that is configured to radiate radio waves in a second frequency band that is lower in frequency than the first frequency band.
9. The antenna module according to claim 2, wherein the radiation element includes a first element that faces the ground electrode and that is configured to radiate radio waves in a first frequency band, and a second element that is disposed in a layer between the first element and the ground electrode and that is configured to radiate radio waves in a second frequency band that is lower in frequency than the first frequency band.
9. The antenna module according to claim 2, wherein the radiation element includes a first element that faces the ground electrode and that is configured to radiate radio waves in a first frequency band, and a second element that is disposed in a layer between the first element and the ground electrode and that is configured to radiate radio waves in a second frequency band that, is lower in frequency than the first frequency band.
10. The antenna module according to claim 3, wherein the radiation element includes a first element that faces the ground electrode and that is configured to radiate radio waves in a first frequency band, and a second element that is disposed in a layer between the first element and the ground electrode and that is configured to radiate radio waves in a second frequency band that is lower in frequency than the first frequency band.
10. The antenna module according to claim 3, wherein the radiation element includes a first, element that faces the ground electrode and that is configured to radiate radio waves in a first frequency band, and a second element that is disposed in a layer between the first element and the ground electrode and that is configured to radiate radio waves in a second frequency band that is lower in frequency than the first frequency band.
11. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein from a plan view from a normal direction with respect to the dielectric substrate, the peripheral electrodes are substantially loop-shaped and positioned to surround the radiation element.
11. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein from a plan view from a normal direction with respect to the dielectric substrate, the peripheral electrodes are substantially loop-shaped and positioned to surround the radiation element.
12. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein from a plan view from a normal direction with respect to the dielectric substrate, the peripheral electrodes are each substantially shaped as a right triangle having a hypotenuse facing a side along the first direction or a side along the second direction of the radiation element.
12. The antenna module according to claim 1, wherein from a plan view from a normal direction with respect to the dielectric substrate, the peripheral electrodes are each substantially shaped as a right triangle having a hypotenuse facing a side along the first direction or a side along the second direction of the radiation element.
13. The antenna module according to claim 1, further comprising: a feed circuit configured to feed radio frequency signals to each of the radiation elements.
13. The antenna module according to claim 1, further comprising: a feed circuit configured to feed radio frequency signals to each of the radiation elements.
14. A communication device comprising: the antenna module according to claim 1.
14. A communication device comprising: the antenna module according to claim 1.
15. An antenna module comprising: a dielectric substrate including a plurality of dielectric layers that are laminated; a first radiation element and a second radiation element that are disposed in or on the dielectric substrate and that are positioned so as to adjoin each other; a ground electrode that is positioned to face the first radiation element and the second radiation element; and peripheral electrodes that are arranged in a plurality of layers between the first radiation element and the ground electrode and a plurality of layers between the second radiation element and the ground electrode and that are electrically connected to the ground electrode, wherein the first radiation element has a feeding point located at a position offset from a center of the first radiation element and a plurality of sides orthogonal to a line connecting the center point and the feeding point, the peripheral electrodes are placed so as to face the sides of the first radiation electrode in plan view.
15. An antenna module comprising: a dielectric substrate including a plurality of dielectric layers that are laminated; a first, radiation element and a second radiation element that are disposed in or on the dielectric substrate and that are positioned so as to adjoin each other; a ground electrode that is positioned to face the first radiation element and the second radiation element; and peripheral electrodes that are arranged in a plurality of layers between the first radiation element and the ground electrode and a plurality of layers between the second radiation element and the ground electrode and that are electrically connected to the ground electrode, wherein the peripheral electrodes are symmetrically positioned with respect to at least one of a first direction parallel to a polarization direction of radiated radio waves or a second direction orthogonal to the polarization direction, for each of the first radiation element and the second radiation element.
16. The antenna module according to claim 15, wherein coupling and commonality exist between a first peripheral electrode positioned for the first radiation element and a second peripheral electrode positioned for the second radiation element and adjoining the first peripheral electrode.
16. The antenna module according to claim 15, wherein coupling and commonality exist between a first peripheral electrode positioned for the first radiation element and a second peripheral electrode positioned for the second radiation element and adjoining the first peripheral electrode.
17. The antenna module according to claim 16, wherein from a plan view from a normal direction with respect to the dielectric substrate, the first peripheral electrode and the second peripheral electrode are each substantially shaped as a right triangle having a hypotenuse facing a side along the first direction or a side along the second direction of each of the first radiation element and the second radiation element.
17. The antenna module according to claim 16, wherein from a plan view from a normal direction with respect to the dielectric substrate, the first peripheral electrode and the second peripheral electrode are each substantially shaped as a right triangle having a hypotenuse facing a side along the first direction or a side along the second direction of each of the first radiation element and the second radiation element.
18. The antenna module according to claim 15, further comprising: a feed circuit configured to feed radio frequency signals to each of the radiation elements.
18. The antenna module according to claim 15, further comprising: a feed circuit configured to feed radio frequency signals to each of the radiation elements.
19. A communication device comprising: the antenna module according to claim 15.
19. A communication device comprising: the antenna module according to claim 15.
20. A circuit board comprising: a dielectric substrate including a plurality of dielectric layers that are laminated; a ground electrode that is positioned to face a radiation element that radiates a radio wave in response to being fed a radio frequency signal; and peripheral electrodes that are arranged in a plurality of layers between the radiation element and the ground electrode and that are electrically connected to the ground electrode, wherein the radiation element has a feeding point located at a position offset from a center of the radiation element and a plurality of sides orthogonal to a line connecting the center point and the feeding point, and the peripheral electrodes are placed so as to face the sides of the radiation electrode in plan view.
20. A circuit board comprising: a dielectric substrate including a plurality of dielectric layers that are laminated; a ground electrode that is positioned to face a radiation element that radiates a radio wave in a first polarization direction in response to being fed a radio frequency signal; and peripheral electrodes that are arranged in a plurality of layers between the radiation element and the ground electrode and that are electrically connected to the ground electrode, wherein the peripheral electrodes are symmetrically positioned with respect to at least one of a first direction parallel to the first polarization direction and a second direction orthogonal to the first, polarization direction.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID E LOTTER whose telephone number is (571)270-7422. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10am-6pm.
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DAVID E. LOTTER
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2845
/DAVID E LOTTER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845