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
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. CN202110922415.4, filed on 05/20/2022.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/18/2026, 08/21/2025 and 12/20/2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 1-3, 9-11 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bishop [US 7,385,563 B2].
In regards to claims 1. Bishop discloses an antenna module (Fig. 1, Column 3, in lines 25-67), comprising:
a ground plane, wherein a direction perpendicular to the ground plane is a first direction; (Fig. 1, antenna module 10 discloses a ground plane 12 wherein a direction perpendicular to the ground plane is a first direction col 3 & Column 3, in lines 15-67 to Column 4, in lines 1-5)
a first antenna, a second antenna, and a first decoupling structure, wherein the first antenna, the second antenna, and the first decoupling structure are disposed on a same side of the ground plane along the first direction, (Fig. 1, the first antenna 4, the second antenna 14 and the first decoupling structure 18 are disposed on a side of the ground plane 12 along the first direction, col 3 in lines 15-67)
an operating frequency of each of the first antenna and the second antenna is a first frequency, and a resonance frequency of the first decoupling structure is the first frequency; (Fig. 1, the first antenna 14 and second antenna 14 are disclosed to be resonant at a frequency “f”; the decoupling structure 18 is resonant at the same frequency “f” col 3, in lines 15-67)
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Bishop does not explicitly specify in the first direction, a longest distance between the first decoupling structure and the ground plane is a cross-sectional height of the first decoupling structure, the cross-sectional height of the first decoupling structure is between 0.04 times a wavelength and 0.16 times the wavelength, a distance between the first decoupling structure and the first antenna is a first distance, a distance between the first decoupling structure and the second antenna is a second distance, and each of the first distance and the second distance are between 0.1 times the wavelength and 0.45 times the wavelength.
Bishop discloses in the first direction, a longest distance between the first decoupling structure and the ground plane is a cross-sectional height of the first decoupling structure, the cross-sectional height of the first decoupling structure is between 0.04 times a wavelength and 0.16 times the wavelength (Column 3, in lines 40-67, decoupling structure 18 has a cross-sectional height of 0.125 ƛ), a distance between the first decoupling structure and the first antenna is a first distance, a distance between the first decoupling structure and the second antenna is a second distance, and each of the first distance and the second distance are between 0.1 times the wavelength and 0.45 times the wavelength. (Column 3, in lines 15-67 to Column 4, lines 15-67 “Antenna array 10 configurations of the present invention are particularly useful for WIFI service. The combination of small size and enhanced isolation of at 2.4 GHz of these configurations is believed not to have heretofore been achieved. Additional monopole antenna isolation elements 18 can be added at a correct spacing (which can be determined empirically) to achieve even greater isolation at different bands. Monopole isolation element 18 can be full length, or it can be shortened or top loaded. In some configurations of the present invention, monopole antenna isolation element 18 is 1/4 wavelength along, but in some other configurations, element 18 is a top-loaded 1/8 wavelength resonant monopole. In some configurations of the present invention, antenna transmitting/receiving elements 14 are planar inverted F (PIFA) antennas, as shown in FIG. 2.” Both the first distance the second distance are disclosed to be equal to 0.25 wavelength and therefore between 0.1 times the wavelength and 0.45 times the wavelength)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to modify Bishop with in the first direction, a longest distance between the first decoupling structure and the ground plane is a cross-sectional height of the first decoupling structure, the cross-sectional height of the first decoupling structure is between 0.04 times a wavelength and 0.16 times the wavelength, a distance between the first decoupling structure and the first antenna is a first distance, a distance between the first decoupling structure and the second antenna is a second distance, and each of the first distance and the second distance are between 0.1 times the wavelength and 0.45 times the wavelength for purpose of achieve substantially greater than 15 dB isolation of the antenna transmitting/receiving elements as disclosed by Bishop (Column 1, in lines 40-50).
` In regards to claims 2. Bishop discloses the antenna module according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the first antenna and the second antenna is between 0.2 times the wavelength and 0.8 times the wavelength (Fig. 1 & Column 3-4, in lines 1-67 “in one suitable configuration, there are three antenna transmitting/receiving elements 14 arranged equidistant from one another at the vertices of an equilateral triangle 20, and a single isolation antenna element 18 is situated at center 20 of triangle 20, one quarter of a wavelength away from each transmitting/receiving element 14 disclosing therefore a distance the first antenna and the second antenna being between 0.2 times the wavelength and 0.8 times the wavelength”).
In regards to claims 3. Bishop discloses the antenna module according to claim 1, wherein the first decoupling structure comprises a ground end, a first stub, and a second stub, the first stub is connected between the second stub and the ground end, an extension direction of the first stub is the first direction, an extension direction of the second stub is different from that of the first stub (Fig. 1 & Column 3-4, in lines 1-67), and
Bishop discloses the claimed invention except for an electrical length from the ground end to a tail end that is of the second stub and that is away from the first stub is 0.25 times the wavelength. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Bishop with an electrical length from the ground end to a tail end that is of the second stub and that is away from the first stub is 0.25 times the wavelength, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or working ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
In regards to claims 9. Bishop discloses an antenna module, comprising
a ground plane (Fig. 1, antenna 10 discloses a ground plane 12 & Column 3, in lines 15-67)
and at least two antenna elements (Fig. 1, antenna module 10 comprises at least two antenna elements 14 & Column 13, in lines 15-67)
that are disposed adjacent to each other (Fig. 1, at least two antenna elements are disposed adjacent to each other & column 3, in lines 15-67) and
that are located on a same side of the ground plane (Fig. 1, antennas are located on a same side of the ground plane 12 & Column 3, in lines 15-67),
wherein architectures of the at least two antenna elements are the same; (Fig. 1, architectures of the antenna elements 14 are the same & Column 3, in lines 15-67)
an antenna element of the at least two antenna elements comprises a first primary antenna and a first decoupling structure (Fig. 1, The method may also include providing at least one isolation antenna element located on the ground plane between the plurality of antenna transmitting/receiving elements Antenna element 14 comprises a first primary antenna 13 and a first decoupling structure 18, cols 1-3 in lines 1-67)
an operating frequency of the first primary antenna is a first frequency; a resonance frequency of the first decoupling structure is the first frequency; (Fig. 1 an operating frequency of the first primary
antenna 14 is a first frequency "f"; a resonance frequency of the first decoupling structure 18 is the first frequency "f", cols.3, 4;)
Bishop does not explicitly specify in a direction perpendicular to the ground plane, a longest distance between the first decoupling structure and the ground plane is a cross-sectional height of the first decoupling structure; the cross-sectional height of the first decoupling structure is between 0.04 times a wavelength and 0.16 times the wavelength; a distance between the first decoupling structure and the first primary antenna is a first distance; a distance between the first decoupling structure and a first primary antenna of an adjacent antenna element is a second distance; and each of the first distance and the second distance is between 0.1 times the wavelength and 0.45 times the wavelength, wherein the adjacent antenna element is one of the at least two antenna elements and is adjacent to the antenna element.
Bishop discloses in a direction perpendicular to the ground plane, a longest distance between the first decoupling structure and the ground plane is a cross-sectional height of the first decoupling structure; the cross-sectional height of the first decoupling structure is between 0.04 times a wavelength and 0.16 times the wavelength; (Fig. 1, in a direction perpendicular to the ground plane 12, the cross-sectional height of the first decoupling structure 18 is 0.125 times the wavelength disclosing a distance between 0.04 times a wavelength and 0.16 times the wavelength, cols.3, 4;)
a distance between the first decoupling structure and the first primary antenna is a first distance; a distance between the first decoupling structure and a first primary antenna of an adjacent antenna element is a second distance; and each of the first distance and the second distance is between 0.1 times the wavelength and 0.45 times the wavelength, wherein the adjacent antenna element is one of the at least two antenna elements and is adjacent to the antenna element. (D1: the distance between the first decoupling structure 18 and the first primary antenna 14 is a first distance; the distance between the first decoupling structure 18 and a first primary antenna of an adjacent antenna element 14 is a second distance; and both the first distance and the second distance are equal to 0.25 times the wavelength disclosing a distance between 0.1 times the wavelength and 0.45 times the wavelength,
cols.3, 4; Fig. 1)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to modify Bishop in a direction perpendicular to the ground plane, a longest distance between the first decoupling structure and the ground plane is a cross-sectional height of the first decoupling structure; the cross-sectional height of the first decoupling structure is between 0.04 times a wavelength and 0.16 times the wavelength; a distance between the first decoupling structure and the first primary antenna is a first distance; a distance between the first decoupling structure and a first primary antenna of an adjacent antenna element is a second distance; and each of the first distance and the second distance is between 0.1 times the wavelength and 0.45 times the wavelength, wherein the adjacent antenna element is one of the at least two antenna elements and is adjacent to the antenna element for purpose of achieve substantially greater than 15 dB isolation of the antenna transmitting/receiving elements as disclosed by Bishop (Column 1, in lines 40-50).
` In regards to claims 10. Bishop discloses the antenna module according to claim 9, wherein a distance between the first primary antenna and the first primary antenna of the adjacent antenna element is between 0.2 times the wavelength and 0.8 times the wavelength (Fig. 1 & Column 3-4, in lines 1-67 “in one suitable configuration, there are three antenna transmitting/receiving elements 14 arranged equidistant from one another at the vertices of an equilateral triangle 20, and a single isolation antenna element 18 is situated at center 20 of triangle 20, one quarter of a wavelength away from each transmitting/receiving element 14 disclosing therefore a distance the first antenna and the second antenna being between 0.2 times the wavelength and 0.8 times the wavelength”).
` In regards to claims 11. Bishop discloses the antenna module according to claim 10, wherein the first decoupling structure comprises a ground end, a first stub, and a second stub, the first stub is connected between the second stub and the ground end, an extension direction of the first stub is the first direction, an extension direction of the second stub is different from that of the first stub (Fig. 1 & Column 3-4, in lines 1-67), and
Bishop discloses the claimed invention except for an electrical length from the ground end to a tail end that is of the second stub and that is away from the first stub is 0.25 times the wavelength. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify Bishop with an electrical length from the ground end to a tail end that is of the second stub and that is away from the first stub is 0.25 times the wavelength, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or working ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
In regards to claims 19. Bishop discloses an antenna module (Fig.1, cols. 3, 4,) comprises:
a ground plane (Fig. 1, antenna module 10 discloses a ground plane 12, col. 3)
wherein a direction perpendicular to the ground plane is a first direction (Fig. 1, in a
direction perpendicular to the ground plane 12); and
a first antenna, a second antenna, and a first decoupling structure (Fig.1, the first antenna 14, the second antenna 14 and the first decoupling structure 18 are disposed on a side of the ground plane along the first direction, col. 3;), wherein the first antenna, the second antenna, and the first decoupling structure are disposed on a same side of the ground plane along the first direction (Fig. 1, the disclosed antennas are located on a same side of the ground plane 12, col.3;), an operating frequency of each of the first antenna and the second antenna is a first frequency, and a resonance frequency of the first decoupling structure is the first frequency; (Fig. 1, an operating frequency of the first primary
antenna 14 is a first frequency "f"; a resonance frequency of the first decoupling structure 18 is the first frequency "f", cols.3, 4;)
Bishop does not specify explicitly in the first direction, a longest distance between the first decoupling structure and the ground plane is a cross-sectional height of the first decoupling structure, the cross-sectional height of the first decoupling structure is between 0.04 time a wavelength and 0.16 times the wavelength, a distance between the first decoupling structure and the first antenna is a first distance, a distance between the first decoupling structure and the second antenna is a second distance, and each of the first distance and the second distance are between 0.1 times the wavelength and 0.45 times the wavelength. a communication device, comprising a radio frequency chip and an antenna module wherein the antenna module is electrically connected to the radio frequency chip,
Bishop discloses in the first direction, a longest distance between the first decoupling structure and the ground plane is a cross-sectional height of the first decoupling structure, the cross-sectional height of the first decoupling structure is between 0.04 time a wavelength and 0.16 times (Fig. 1, in a
direction perpendicular to the ground plane 12, the cross-sectional height of the first decoupling structure 18 is 0.125 times the wavelength disclosing a distance between 0.04 times a wavelength
and 0.16 times the wavelength, cols.3, 4) the wavelength, a distance between the first decoupling structure and the first antenna is a first distance, a distance between the first decoupling structure and the second antenna is a second distance, and each of the first distance and the second distance are between 0.1 times the wavelength and 0.45 times (Fig. 1, the distance between the first decoupling structure 18 and the first primary antenna 14 is a first distance; the distance between the first decoupling structure 18 and a first primary antenna of an adjacent antenna element 14 is a second distance; and both the first distance and the second distance are equal to 0.25 times the wavelength disclosing a distance between 0.1 times the wavelength and 0.45 times the wavelength, cols.3, 4;) the wavelength. a communication device, comprising a radio frequency chip and an antenna module wherein the antenna module is electrically connected to the radio frequency chip (Column 1, in lines 5-27 “Multiple in, multiple out (MIMO) antenna system are sometimes used in wireless computer networks such as local area networks (LANs) or WI-FI service.”),
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to modify Bishop in the first direction, a longest distance between the first decoupling structure and the ground plane is a cross-sectional height of the first decoupling structure, the cross-sectional height of the first decoupling structure is between 0.04 time a wavelength and 0.16 times the wavelength, a distance between the first decoupling structure and the first antenna is a first distance, a distance between the first decoupling structure and the second antenna is a second distance, and each of the first distance and the second distance are between 0.1 times the wavelength and 0.45 times the wavelength. a communication device, comprising a radio frequency chip and an antenna module wherein the antenna module is electrically connected to the radio frequency chip for purpose of achieve substantially greater than 15 dB isolation of the antenna transmitting/receiving elements as disclosed by Bishop (Column 1, in lines 40-50).
Claims 4 and 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bishop [US 7,385,563 B2] in view of Chen [WO 2018/219070 A1]
In regards to claims 4. Bishop discloses the antenna module according to claim 3,
Bishop does not specify wherein a first lumped element is disposed between the ground end and the first stub, and the first lumped element is an inductor, a capacitor, and/or a resistor.
Chen discloses wherein a first lumped element is disposed between the ground end and the first stub, and the first lumped element is an inductor, a capacitor, and/or a resistor (Fig. 2-3, the lumped element 3 may be an inductor, a capacitor, a resistor or a “series/parallel mixing” of them and that it is configured to adjust the impedance of the decoupling structure 2 & Page 2-3).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to modify Bishop with wherein a first lumped element is disposed between the ground end and the first stub, and the first lumped element is an inductor, a capacitor, and/or a resistor for purpose of improving the isolation between the multiple antennas and improving the degree of freedom of antenna performance debugging as disclosed by Chen (Page 2-3).
In regards to claims 12. Bishop discloses the antenna module according to claim 11,
Bishop does not specify wherein a first lumped element is disposed between the ground end and the first stub, and the first lumped element is an inductor, a capacitor, and/or a resistor.
Chen discloses wherein a first lumped element is disposed between the ground end and the first stub, and the first lumped element is an inductor, a capacitor, and/or a resistor (Fig. 2-3, the lumped element 3 may be an inductor, a capacitor, a resistor or a “series/parallel mixing” of them and that it is configured to adjust the impedance of the decoupling structure 2 & Page 2-3).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to modify Bishop with wherein a first lumped element is disposed between the ground end and the first stub, and the first lumped element is an inductor, a capacitor, and/or a resistor for purpose of improving the isolation between the multiple antennas and improving the degree of freedom of antenna performance debugging as disclosed by Chen (Page 2-3).
In regards to claims 13. Bishop discloses the antenna module according to claim 9,
Bishop does not specify wherein the first decoupling structure in each antenna element of the at least two antenna elements is connected to a second lumped element, the second lumped element is connected in series between the first decoupling structure and a ground, and configuration values of the second lumped elements connected to different antenna elements are different.
Chen discloses wherein the first decoupling structure in each antenna element of the at least two antenna elements is connected to a second lumped element, the second lumped element is connected in series between the first decoupling structure and a ground, and configuration values of the second lumped elements connected to different antenna elements are different. (Fig. 2-3, the lumped element 3 may be an inductor, a capacitor, a resistor or a “series/parallel mixing” of them and that it is configured to adjust the impedance of the decoupling structure 2 & Page 2-3).
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to modify Bishop with wherein the first decoupling structure in each antenna element of the at least two antenna elements is connected to a second lumped element, the second lumped element is connected in series between the first decoupling structure and a ground, and configuration values of the second lumped elements connected to different antenna elements are different for purpose of improving the isolation between the multiple antennas and improving the degree of freedom of antenna performance debugging as disclosed by Chen (Page 2-3).
Claims 5-6 and 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bishop [US 7,385,563 B2] in view of Liu et al [US 2017/0271759 A1]
` In regards to claims 5. Bishop discloses the antenna module according to claim 1,
Bishop does not specify wherein the antenna module further comprises a second decoupling structure, and a resonance frequency of the second decoupling structure is higher than the first frequency or lower than the first frequency.
Liu discloses wherein the antenna module further comprises a second decoupling structure, and a resonance frequency of the second decoupling structure is higher than the first frequency or lower than the first frequency (Fig. 1-3c, decoupling structures 108 and 110 & Paragraph [0016 & 21-46]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to modify Bishop with wherein the antenna module further comprises a second decoupling structure, and a resonance frequency of the second decoupling structure is higher than the first frequency or lower than the first frequency for purpose of improving distance between the antennas to archive reduction in signal interference as disclosed by Liu (Paragraph [0021]).
In regards to claims 6. Bishop in view of Liu discloses the antenna module according to claim 5, wherein a frequency difference between the resonance frequency of the second decoupling structure and the first frequency is between 0.03 GHz and 0.33 GHz (Liu: Fig. 1-3c, decoupling structures 108 and 110 & Paragraph [0016 & 21-46]).
In regards to claims 14. Bishop discloses the antenna module according to claim 9,
Bishop does not specify wherein each antenna element of the at least two antenna elements further comprises a second decoupling structure, and a resonance frequency of the second decoupling structure is higher than the first frequency or lower than the first frequency.
Liu discloses wherein each antenna element of the at least two antenna elements further comprises a second decoupling structure, and a resonance frequency of the second decoupling structure is higher than the first frequency or lower than the first frequency (Fig. 1-3c, decoupling structures 108 and 110 & Paragraph [0016 & 21-46]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to modify Bishop with wherein each antenna element of the at least two antenna elements further comprises a second decoupling structure, and a resonance frequency of the second decoupling structure is higher than the first frequency or lower than the first frequency for purpose of improving distance between the antennas to archive reduction in signal interference as disclosed by Liu (Paragraph [0021]).
` In regards to claims 15. Bishop in view of Liu discloses the antenna module according to claim 14, wherein a frequency difference between the resonance frequency of the second decoupling structure and the first frequency is between 0.03 GHz and 0.33 GHz (Liu: Fig. 1-3c, decoupling structures 108 and 110 & Paragraph [0016 & 21-46]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-8 and 16-18 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
“wherein the antenna module further comprises a third antenna and a fourth antenna, a radiator of the third antenna is located on a side that is of the first antenna and that is away from the ground plane, a radiator of the fourth antenna is located on a side that is of the second antenna and that is away from the ground plane, an operating frequency of each of the third antenna and the fourth antenna is a second frequency, and the second frequency is higher than the first frequency.” as shown in claim 7.
“wherein each antenna element of the at least two antenna elements further comprises a second primary antenna, a radiator of the second primary antenna is located on a side that is of the first primary antenna and that is away from the ground plane, an operating frequency of the second primary antenna is a second frequency, and the second frequency is higher than the first frequency.” as shown in claim 16.
“wherein the antenna element comprises a first circuit board and a second circuit board that intersect each other, the first primary antenna and the first decoupling structure are disposed on the first circuit board, and the second decoupling structure is disposed on the second circuit board.” as shown in claim 18
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WEI (VICTOR) CHAN whose telephone number is (571)272-5177. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00am to 6:00pm.
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WEI (VICTOR) CHAN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2844
/WEI (VICTOR) Y CHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2844
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