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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 06/17/2025 has been considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: “A electronic device” should read “[[A]] An electronic device”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-5 and 13-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al, US-20100289704-A1 (hereinafter Yang) in view of Schlub et al, US-20100060529-A1 (hereinafter Schlub).
Regarding claim 1, Yang discloses the following:
an electronic device, comprising:
a first housing (14, fig. 1);
a second housing (12), connected to the first housing (fig. 1);
an antenna module (110), comprising a circuit board (para[0018]), the circuit board having a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other, the first surface (fig. 1) facing the first housing and having an antenna pattern (114, 115), the antenna pattern comprising a radiation portion (114, para [0019]) and a grounding portion (115); and
a conductive (113), located between the antenna module (110) and the first housing (14), one end of the conductive (113) connected to the grounding portion (115), and the other end of the conductive elastomer connected to a grounding plane of the first housing (14).
Yang does not disclose the conductive is a conductive elastomer.
Schlub discloses the conductive (62, fig. 5) is a conductive elastomer (para [0061], [0064]) to connect the grounding portion of the antenna pattern (40, para [0064]) to the grounding plane of the housing (12).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the conductive elastomer as suggested in Schlub to the electronic device taught in Yang as claimed for the purpose of adjusting the length of the ground return path (Schlub, para [0064]) in order to achieve the desired radiating characteristics or the desired operating frequency depending on the requirements of the application.
Regarding claim 2, Yang discloses wherein the first housing (14, fig. 1) has an inner surface corresponding to the antenna pattern (114, 115), and an orthographic projection of the conductive elastomer on the inner surface overlaps with an orthographic projection of the grounding portion on the inner surface (figs. 1-2).
Regarding claim 3, Yang does not disclose wherein the first housing comprises a supporting structure protruding towards the second housing, and the circuit board is configured on the supporting structure.
Schlub suggests wherein the first housing (12, fig. 15) comprises a supporting structure (84) protruding towards the second housing (although Schlub does not explicitly disclose the second housing, it is construed by one of ordinary skill in that art that there would be a second housing opposite the first housing 12 of fig. 15 to form the housing of the electronic device to cover the electronic components inside), and the circuit board (80, fig. 8) is configured on the supporting structure (84).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a supporting structure as suggested in Schlub to the electronic device taught in Yang as claimed for the purpose of mounting and supporting the circuit board which comprises the antenna module to the housing of the electronic device.
Regarding claim 4, Yang does not disclose wherein an adhesive layer is disposed between the antenna pattern and the supporting structure.
Schlub suggests wherein an adhesive layer (140, para [0082]) is disposed between the antenna pattern (78, fig. 8) and the supporting structure (84).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide an adhesive layer as suggested in Schlub to the electronic device taught in Yang as claimed for the purpose of attaching the circuit board to the support structure in order to mount and support the antenna module to the housing of the electronic device.
Regarding claim 5, Yang does not disclose wherein the supporting structure is a non-conductor.
Schlub suggests wherein the supporting structure (84, fig. 8) is a non-conductor (para [0071]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use a non-conductor as suggested in Schlub to the electronic device taught in Yang as claimed for the purpose of preventing the shorting circuit between the antenna module mounted on the supporting structure in order to maintain the antenna performance.
Regarding claim 13, Yang does not disclose wherein the second housing is a plastic housing.
Schlub suggests wherein the second housing is a plastic housing (para [0045]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the second housing of the electronic device taught in Yang to be plastic as suggested in Schlub as claimed for the purpose of avoiding electromagnetic signal interference or shorted circuit to other conductive elements disposed inside the housing in order to maintain the antenna performance.
Regarding claim 14, Yang discloses the electronic device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a first body (12a, fig. 3) and a second body (14a) pivotally connected to each other (Fig. 3), wherein the second body is a logic unit (fig. 3), and the first body is a display unit (12a).
Although Yang does not disclose the display unit/first body comprising the first housing and the second housing, Yang discloses the antenna module can be placed in the first body (fig. 3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to arrange the set up of claim 1 taught in Yang in the first body as claimed, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950). The motivation stem from the need to reduce the wirings by arranging the antenna module closer to the desired components or arrange a plurality of antenna modules in both first and second bodies of the electronic device in order to operate in different frequencies, avoid intermittent connection in order to maintain wireless communication.
Regarding claim 15, although the combination of Yang and Schlub does not explicitly disclose wherein the width of the connection between the conductive elastomer and the grounding portion is not less than 2 millimeters, the connection between the conductive elastomer and the grounding portion taught in Schlub has a width.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adjust the width of the connection taught in Yang and Schlub to be not less than 2 millimeters as claimed, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233 (CCPA 1955). The motivation stems from the need to increase the connection between the conductive elastomer and the grounding portion in order to improve the antenna performance.
Regarding claim 16, although the combination of Yang and Schlub does not explicitly disclose wherein the high compression amount of the conductive elastomer is not less than 30%, the conductive elastomer taught in Schlub has a compression amount.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adjust the compression amount of the conductive elastomer taught in Yang and Schlub to be not less than 30% as claimed, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233 (CCPA 1955). The motivation stems from the need to achieve the desired compression amount in order to maintain the connection between the conductive elastomer and the grounding portion to maintain the antenna performance.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang and Schlub as applied to claim 3 above, and further in view of Hsiung, US-20120229352-A1.
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Yang and Schlub does not disclose wherein the supporting structure and the first housing are formed integrally.
Hsiung suggests wherein the supporting structure and the first housing are formed integrally (figs. 1-2).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to integrally form as suggested in Hsiung the supporting structure and the first housing of the electronic device taught in Yang and Schlub as claimed for the purpose of simplifying the manufacturing method and improving the connection between the supporting structure and the housing.
Claims 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang and Schlub as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Lee et al, US-20130335276-A1 (hereinafter Lee).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Yang and Schlub does not disclose wherein the antenna module further comprises a base, disposed on the second surface, a locking element passing through the base and protruding from opposite two sides of the circuit board, to fix the base to the first housing.
Lee suggests wherein the antenna module (40, fig. 1) further comprises a base (11), disposed on the second surface, a locking element passing through the base (fig. 1 below) and protruding from opposite two sides of the circuit board (fig. 1), to fix the base to the first housing (12).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a base and a locking element as suggested in Lee to the electronic device taught in Yang and Schlub as claimed for the purpose of keeping the circuit board from moving in order to maintain the antenna operation.
PNG
media_image1.png
568
460
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Yang and Schlub does not disclose wherein an adhesive layer is disposed between the base and the second surface of the circuit board.
Lee suggests wherein an adhesive layer is disposed between the base and the second surface of the circuit board (para [0021]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide an adhesive layer as suggested in Lee to the electronic device taught in Yang and Schlub as claimed for the purpose of attaching the circuit board to the base to keep the circuit board from moving in order to maintain the antenna operation.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang and Schlub as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Shin et al, US-20230164255-A1 (hereinafter Shin).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Yang and Schlub does not disclose wherein the second housing comprises a protruding element, the protruding element protruding from the second housing towards the first housing to approach the second surface.
Shin suggests wherein the second housing (922, fig. 13) comprises a protruding element (980a-980b), the protruding element protruding from the second housing towards the first housing (921) to approach the second surface (941).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a protruding element as suggested in Shin to the electronic device taught in Yang and Schlub as claimed for the purpose of fixing components inside the housing at their positions in order to maintain the electronic device operation (Shin, para [0208]).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang, Schlub and Shin as applied to claim 9 above, and further in view of Matsuoka, US-9019691-B1 applied as a teaching reference.
Regarding claim 11, the combination of Yang and Schlub does not disclose wherein the protruding element is a non-conductor.
Although Shin does not explicitly disclose the protruding element is a non-conductor, it is construed by one of ordinary skill in that art to understand that the protruding element should be a non-conductor in order to avoid electromagnetic signal interference or shorted circuit to other conductive elements disposed around the protruding element.
Matsuoka applied as a teaching reference suggests wherein the protruding element is a non-conductor (col. 5, lines 17-24).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the protruding element of the electronic device taught in Yang, Schlub and Shin to be a non-conductor as suggested in Matsuoka as claimed for the purpose of avoiding electromagnetic signal interference or shorted circuit to other conductive elements disposed around the protruding element in order to maintain the antenna performance.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang and Schlub as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Zhou et al, US-20190081396-A1 (hereinafter Zhou).
Regarding claim 12, Yang does not disclose wherein the first housing is a plastic housing, and is equipped with a conductive sheet to serve as the grounding plane.
Schlub suggests wherein the first housing is a plastic housing (para [0045]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the second housing of the electronic device taught in Yang to be plastic as suggested in Schlub as claimed for the purpose of avoiding electromagnetic signal interference or shorted circuit to other conductive elements disposed inside the housing in order to maintain the antenna performance.
The combination of Yang and Schlub does not disclose the first housing is equipped with a conductive sheet to serve as the grounding plane.
Zhou suggests the first housing (324, fig. 7) is equipped with a conductive sheet (320) to serve as the grounding plane (para [0065], [0081]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide a conductive sheet serving as the ground plane as suggested in Zhou to the electronic device taught in Yang and Schlub as claimed for the purpose of providing a common ground to electronic device so that all the circuitries can connect to in order to have a common reference voltage to all the electronic components inside the electronic device in order to prevent voltage fluctuation and reduce electrical noise to improve the antenna performance.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 10 is 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.
Regarding claim 10, patentability exists, at least in part, with the claimed features of “wherein an orthographic projection of the protruding element on the inner surface of the first housing overlaps with an orthographic projection of the conductive elastomer on the inner surface of the first housing.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANH N HO whose telephone number is (571)272-4657. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/DAMEON E LEVI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2845
/ANH HO/Examiner, Art Unit 2845